Page:In defense of Harriet Shelley, and other essays.djvu/101

 TRAVELING WITH A REFORMER

&quot;I think something ought to be done to him now. I ll discharge him.&quot;

&quot;Discharge him? What good would that do? Don t you think it would be better wisdom to teach him better ways and keep him?&quot;

&quot;Well, there s something in that. What would you suggest?&quot;

&quot;He insulted the old gentleman in presence of all these people. How would it do to have him come and apologize in their presence?&quot;

&quot;I ll have him here right off. And I want to say this: If people would do as you ve done, and re port such things to me instead of keeping mum and going off and blackguarding the road, you d see a different state of things pretty soon. I m much obliged to you.&quot;

The brakeman came and apologized. After he was gone the Major said:

&quot;Now, you see how simple and easy that was. The ordinary citizen would have accomplished noth ing the brother-in-law of a director can accomplish anything he wants to.&quot;

1 But are you really the brother-in-law of a director ?&quot;

&quot;Always. Always when the public interests re quire it. I have a brother-in-law on all the boards everywhere. It saves, me a world of trouble.&quot;

&quot;It is a good wide relationship.&quot;

&quot;Yes. I have over three hundred of them.&quot;

&quot;Is the relationship never doubted by a con ductor?&quot;

&quot;I have never met with a case. It is the honest truth I never have.&quot;

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