230 WALL STREET AND THE WILDS 



have possessed. I remember working through 

 a summer night, the hottest of a hot season, in 

 a room in the Hoffman House with Robert G. 

 Ingersoll and Roscoe Conklin. We were try- 

 ing to straighten out a telegraph tangle, com- 

 plicated by the claims and obstructions of many 

 warring interests. Ingersoll was dripping in his 

 shirt sleeves, while Conklin was immaculate. 

 At one time Ingersoll sat back in his chair and 

 sipping from a tumbler of cracked ice and apolli- 

 naris exclaimed: 



"I can't make head or tail of the controversy 

 over these contracts." 



"Maybe the Senator can tell you, for he has 

 been on both sides of them," said I, and turning 

 to Conklin I added playfully, "Pity there isn't a 

 third side of this case for you to get on, Senator, 

 isn't it?" 



We had a small thunderstorm in that room, 

 for a few minutes, while Conklin stood up and 

 talked as if he were addressing the Senate and 

 Ingersoll leaned back and roared, punctuating 



