But the
corruption even of these methods was far surpassed when the era of
consolidation came, and the necessity for statutes and verdicts and
decisions became more stringent. Then we had such a burlesque of--"
"Look here!" a sharp, nasal voice snarled across the rich, full pipe of
the Altrurian, and we all instantly looked there. The voice came from an
old farmer, holding himself stiffly up, with his hands in his pockets and
his lean frame bent toward the speaker. "When are you goin' to get to
Altrury? We know all about Ameriky."
He sat down again, and it was a moment before the crowd caught on. Then a
yell of delight and a roar of volleyed laughter went up from the lower
classes, in which, I am sorry to say, my friend the banker joined, so far
as the laughter was concerned. "Good! That's it! First-rate!" came from a
hundred vulgar throats.
"Isn't it a perfect shame?" Mrs. Makely demanded. "I think some of you
gentlemen ought to say something. What will Mr. Homos think of our
civilization if we let such interruptions go unrebuked?"
She was sitting between the banker and myself, and her indignation made
him laugh more and more.
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