Tallman was not familiar with the order of procedure in churches, but carefully watching others and following their example he was able to pass off as one of the most devout. In the course of the services, he handed Mr. Flannery a book, who glanced at it and put it aside, giving the irrepressible Jake a stony glare which would seem to say that the young man did not know his business, and Tallman felt rebuked but not intimidated.
The following morning Tallman called at Mr. Flannery’s office and after the regular morning salutations had passed between them, he said:
“Mr. Flannery, I saw you at church yesterday.”
“Oh, you are the young man that sat in my pew and tried to show me some courtesies,” replied the affable superintendent.
Believing that he had created a good impression Tallman grew bolder, and said that he believed in going to church on Sunday and related an imaginary conversation in Omaha several years before. Flannery appeared interested and finally asked what service he could be to his visitor.
“Well, I tell you, Mr. Flannery, I am an operator and I am looking for a job and I understand you have a job here at the present time.”
Mr. Flannery placed his spectacles on the end of his nose and giving the applicant a very severe look, which was intended as a reprimand, ejaculated in an icy tone:
“Young man, I want yees to know, that my operators are all gintlemen. We don’t have ‘jobs’ here, but we sometimes have vacancies.”