Excerpt: ...a man can't do his best in public concerns till he has freed his mind of his private troubles. You wait here. I'll be right back." "Where are you going, Senator?" "I'm going to regain my self-respect! I'm going to assert myself as master of my own home. I'm going to tell Stewart Morrison that I have business with him, and that I'll attend to it in a strictly business office, later, where he can't insult my friends and abuse my hospitality!" "Wait a minute! I've had an acute attack of it, too, this evening-the ...
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Excerpt: ...a man can't do his best in public concerns till he has freed his mind of his private troubles. You wait here. I'll be right back." "Where are you going, Senator?" "I'm going to regain my self-respect! I'm going to assert myself as master of my own home. I'm going to tell Stewart Morrison that I have business with him, and that I'll attend to it in a strictly business office, later, where he can't insult my friends and abuse my hospitality!" "Wait a minute! I've had an acute attack of it, too, this evening-the same ailment, but I'm getting over it. Don't lose your head and your temper, both at the same time. You're not in the right trim just now to go against that bullhead. Let's estimate him squarely. That's always my plan in business." Mr. Daunt plucked a cigar from a box on the table and lighted up leisurely, soothing himself into a matter-of-fact mood. Corson waited with impatience, but his politician's caution began to tug on the bits, moderating the rush of his passion, and he took a cigar for himself. "Outside of this petty mayor business, does Morrison cut any figure-have any special power in state politics?" the banker asked. "Not a particle-not as a politician. He doesn't know the A B C's of the game." "How much influence can he wield as an agitator, as he threatens to become?" Corson's declaration was less emphatic. "We're conservative, the mass of us, in these parts. Starting trouble isn't wielding influence, Daunt. He'll be going up against the political machine that has always handled this state safely and sanely-and we know what to do with trouble-makers." "This communistic stand of his certainly discredits him with the corporations, also. Despeaux has been doing good work, and practically all of 'em have come over to the Consolidated camp. Of course, Morrison is antagonizing the banking interests, too. Is he a heavy borrower?" "He doesn't borrow. He works on his own capital. St. Ronan's is free and clear," admitted the Senator, ...
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