"Have a seat, Roberts."
"Thank you. This electric fan feels good this kind of a day."
"We're having some very warm weather."
"We can expect it this time of the year. It's a little unpleasant but mighty good for the corn."
"Roberts," said the banker, "you have a note here that is thirty days past due."
"Yes, I know I have. I have been intending to take care of that out of my salary, but one thing after another has happened to prevent my doing so. First, one of the children had to have his tonsils removed; then my wife was called back to Illinois, on account of the illness of her mother."
"Too bad that you have had so much bad luck."
"Can't you renew this note for me?"
"Yes, we can take care of that for you. You will always find the Central ready and willing to accommodate its customers. There is another little matter I want to talk to you about. The other day Hennesy was in here paying his rent and told me that he wouldn't be wanting my building after the first of next month. I asked him what was wrong, and he said that there is a policeman hanging around there a great deal of the time and his niggers, who are employed to put out his stuff, are scared and are not doing any business. I wouldn't want to lose Hennesy as a tenant. (I couldn't get half the amount of rent he pays me for the use of the building for the use of ordinary lines of business.) Hennesy can't afford to pay me one hundred seventy-five dollars a month for that building to use for a pool hall alone."
Roberts chewed hard and nervously on the end of a cigar. When Stover ceased speaking Roberts said, "I didn't know that building belonged to you."