Then I picked up the “Examiner.”
Our “Examiner” does not go in so much
for moral causes; it is more interested in getting
circulation, for which it relies upon sensation, and
especially what it calls “heart interest,”
meaning sex. It had found what it wanted in this
story, as you may judge by the headlines:
Then followed a story of which Mary Magna was the
centre, with T-S and myself for background. The
reporter had hunted out the Mexican family with which
Carpenter had spent the night, and he drew a touching
picture of Carpenter praying over Mary in this humble
home, and converting her to a better life. Would
the “million dollar vamp,” as the “Examiner”
called her, now take to playing only religious parts?
Mary was noncommittal on the point; and pending her
decision, the “Examiner” published her
portraits in half a dozen of her most luxurious roles—for
example, as Salome after taking off the seventh veil.
Side by side with Carpenter, that had a real “punch,”
you may believe!
The telephone rang, and there was the voice of T-S,
fairly raving. He didn’t mind the “Examiner”
stuff; that was good business, but that in the “Times”—he
was going to sue the “Times” for a million
dollars, by God, and would I back him in his claim
that he had not put Carpenter up to the healing business?
After a bit, the magnate began apologizing for his
repudiation of the prophet. He was in a position,
just now with these hard times, where the Wall Street
crowd could ruin him if he got in bad with them.
And then he told me a curious story. Last night,
after the meeting, young Everett, his secretary, had
come to him and asked if he could have a couple of
months’ leave of absence without pay. He
was so much interested in Carpenter that he wanted
to follow him and help him!
“Y’ know, Billy,” said the voice
over the phone, “y’ could a’ knocked
me over vit a fedder! Dat young feller, he vas
alvays so quiet, and such a fine business feller,
I put him in charge of all my collections. I
said to him, ‘Vot you gonna do?’ And he
said, ’I gonna learn from Mr. Carpenter.”
Says I, ‘Vot you gonna learn?’ and he
says, ‘I gonna learn to be a better man.’
Den he vaits a minute, and he says, ‘Mr. T-S,
he told me to foller him!’ J’ ever
hear de like o’ dat?”
“What did you say?”
“Vot could I say? I vanted to say, ‘Who’s
givin’ you de orders?’ But I couldn’t,
somehow! I hadda tell him to go ahead, and come
back before he forgot all my business.”
