162 WALL STREET AND THE WILDS 



told of my experience with the Quaker firm upon 

 which the brothers looked at one another with a 

 'What do you think of that?" expression, and 

 the senior said, "Charlie, you go around and get 

 that paper signed," and Charlie replied, "Edward 

 can do it better," and then Edward grabbed his 

 hat and saying, "Come along" to me started for 

 the street. 



I forget the exact language used in that Quak- 

 er's office, but I recall a scene of dramatic in- 

 tensity that I have not seen equalled on the 

 boards of any theater. The Quaker-banker was 

 standing by his desk and near him were several 

 men with w T hom he was conversing, who were 

 probably from out of town banks, since it was 

 with such that his chief business was done. 

 When my friend held out my paper and asked 

 why he objected to signing it the Quaker-banker 

 repeated the speech he had made to me until he 

 was interrupted by a series of questions, which 

 grew louder and louder in tone, while men 

 stopped talking and pens ceased to move : 



"Matter of principle is it?" said my friend. 



