Page:The Plutocrat (1927).pdf/72

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the old days were mighty different. Why, you take the people on this ship, for instance. You know it yourself, Mr. Wackstle. You say you been to Europe seven times, and this is the first for me; but I bet there's a mighty big difference between the passengers on this ship and the ones on the first ship you went over on. When'd you say that was?"

"Eighteen-ninety-one, Mr. Tinker."

"Tinker!" Albert Jones said bitterly, on the other side of the divan. "The creature's name is Tinker. It would be!"

The creature was continuing his dissertation: "Why, there's more big business represented on this vessel right now than what there was on every ship on all the oceans of the world in eighteen-ninety-one, Mr. Wackstle. You read over the passenger list and look at the names on it that stand for big things and accomplishment all over our country. It took my breath; darned if it didn't! I'll bet it would run into hundreds and hundreds o' millions! I tell you there's some mighty big men on this ship, gentlemen,—men I want to know before we land 'way over yonder and get all split up and goin' every which direction. For instance, you take yourself, Mr. Wackstle. Soon as I saw your name I told my wife, I told her,