Foes of Clothes and Carpets. 121 



business by consumers complaining that the price per 

 thousand cubic feet is extortionately high, that the gas is 

 miserably poor, and that they are charged with more 

 than they ever burned. You can always tell the presi- 

 dent of a gas company by his worried, anxious look. 

 He is often rich, it is true, but he has to be in order to 

 bear up under the burden of his existence. Some mav 

 envy those who have amassed great wealth in this de- 

 partment of industry. I do not. \o, sir. If Fate were 

 to sav to me, " Take this large bunch of money. It is 



' o * 



made in the gas business," I should look her way for 

 politeness' sake, but 1 should not grab rudely. 



Take it," says she to me, we will suppose. ' But 

 hold. Stay your hand. With it you must take the con- 

 sciousness that every householder's teeth are gritted at 

 you at least once a month. Take it, but for every dollar 

 that I give you, must be repeated on every business day 

 the bold and unsupported statement that the inspector 

 really does inspect the meter and does not make up the 

 figures out of his own head. Take it, but for every dol- 

 lar on every business day must you listen to the vehe- 

 ment declaration that the bill for last month cannot hon- 

 estly be so large as that for the month before, because 

 all the members of the family but papa were away in the 

 country, and papa went to bed every night in the dark 

 because he did not want to heat the house up, and besides 

 he didn't know where the matches were kept. You must 

 say something to these complainants that will let them 

 know that you know that what they are saying is not so, 

 and that without making them think that you said they 

 were lying. Do your best, and still in every bosom will 

 remain the firm belief that you rob, and that without re- 

 course. It will avail you none to know that all these ac- 

 cusations are wicked, lying slanders; that after you settle 



