Life — December 1, 1904 — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Spinnerton smiled feebly. “TI can’t say that I feel the same as that,"’ he said. “It was a terrible shock to me at first, I'll admit. But there are benefits arising from this situation that I never realized before. In the first place, there’s an absolute free- dom. I can do as I please in my own house. I've got a man to cook my meals and tidy up a bit, and I treat him just the way I treat anybody I employ. Before I was under the dominion of a female in the kitchen, That is, my wife was, and she controlled me, so it amounted to the same thing. Now I can do anything I want to do. I can smoke all over the house, and drink and swear, and wear the first thing that comes handy. But, better than all, there’s no worry. I don’t have to be dragged off to the opera, There are no more dinners to attend. I’m not bothered with dressmakers or florists, and all this social rigmarole has vanished like: magic. Why, simply to get rid of all this Christmas shopping is everything. To be honest with you, my friend, it’s a mighty relief.” The two men looked at each other. They recognized that for each of them it was a critical moment. Unconsciously they had epitomized the situation. They belonged to two opposing parties. And this evidently was what Morgfeller had counted on “Well,” said McFerson, “as 1 understand it, I want the women back and you don't.” He waved his arm around the corridor of the hotel. The news of the coming of the financial king seemed to have crystallized matters at once. Almost unconsciously all the men present had drawn themselves into two groups. It was evidently going to be a fight to the death. “You see,” he continued, “how the land lies. be neutral. Let us pair off.” “Agreed,” said Spinnerton, and they made their way uptown toward the Grand Central. Crowds of citizens were thronging thitherward from all directions. And everywhere they were falling, instinct- ively, naturally, into two groups. These groups soon began to be distinguished by cries of their own and by emblems and banners hastily devised. One banner, surrounded by a group of determined and sad-eyed old graybeards, not one of them under 70, read: DOWN WITH MORGFELLER! GIVE US BACK OUR SWEETHEARTS! Another banner, enthusiastically followed by a long line of benedicts, read: WHO'S ALL RIGHT? MORGFELLER! NO MORE DRESSMAKERS’ BILLS TO PAY! TO HELL WITH REFINEMENT! As the two men approached the scene of the expected arrival, the throng became more dense, and their progress was constantly impeded by groups of individuals varying in size, who listened with shouts of enthusiasm to orators improvised from their own ranks. On the corner of Broadway and Thirty-seventh Street, a fashionable physician was addressing his fellows. So let us 535 “Gentlemen,” he exclaimed, “it is needless to remind you how critical is this terrible situation. In the last few days my own income has dwindled to almost nothing. Un- less we have the women to support us, our very existence as a profession will be threatened. My instruments are becoming rusty from disuse. Let us, therefore, organize and march upon this fell destroyer of our rights and privi- leges!” On the next corner a small, nervous and radiant-faced little man was holding forth from the rear end of an au- tomobile to a large and enthusiastic gathering. “ Fellow-citizens in newly-found freedom,” he cried, I haven't known what it means to kick up my heels now for twelve long years, since I was led as a sacrifice to the altar. And now, having got a taste of liberty, shall we relinquish it?" (Cries of ‘Never! Never!") ‘*No! we shall keep what we have gained. This great city will soon, under this great reform administration, be the stamping-ground of all the real dead-game sports in the world, who are tired of being led around by the ears. Gentlemen, up to three days ago I didn’t dare say that my soul was my own. Now, thanks to Morgfeller, I can raise the devil every hour of the day and night. “But, brothers, we must get together. We have strong opposition. All the tradespeople are against us. Every jeweler, every tailor, every caterer, every doctor, is against us. But we belong to the great silent majority, and with Morgfeller on our side we will win!” As the two men passed on by the Metropolitan Opera House, Spinnerton, inflamed by the last utterance, but still preserving his neutrality, could not help but triumphantly refer McFerson to the legend that hung on its doors: GRAND OPERA SUSPENDED. THIS HOUSE WILL HEREAFTER BE A FIRST-CLASS VAUDEVILLE. ALL THE LATEST STORIES! SMOKING, DRINKING AND HIGH JINKS. “I must confess,” said McFerson, “that this is a pleasant change. But ‘let us move along.” As they approached the station they became conscious that something startling had hap- pened. Cries of rage and dis- appointment were heard on all sides. It was ten minutes past the time when the great man was expected. The train had come in, and he was not in it. In his place he had sent his pri- vate secretary. As the news spread along the comicbooks.com