O, how the boarders yell,
When they hear that dinner bell
They give that landlord—
(momentary outburst of terrific catfight which drowns out one word.)
Three times a day.
(Renewal of furious catfight for a moment. The plaintive voice on a high fierce key, “Scat, you devils”—and a racket as of flying missiles.)
“Well, never mind—let it go. I’ve got some sailor-profanity down in there somewhere, if I could get to it. But it isn’t any matter; you see how the machine works.”
Hawkins responded with enthusiasm:
“O, it works admirably! I know there’s a hundred fortunes in it.”
“And mind, the Hawkins family get their share, Washington.”
“O, thanks, thanks; you are just as generous as ever. Ah, it’s the grandest invention of the age!”
“Ah, well; we live in wonderful times. The elements are crowded full of beneficent forces—always have been—and ours is the first generation to turn them to account and make them work for us. Why Hawkins, everything is useful—nothing ought ever to be wasted. Now look at sewer gas, for instance. Sewer gas has always been wasted, heretofore; nobody tried to save up sewer-gas—you can’t name me a man. Ain’t that so? you know perfectly well it’s so.”