“I do not. Nor can I believe it possible that you could acquire the knowledge of it implied in your article, in a few hours.”
“I spent some time investigating conditions there before I came on the paper.”
Mr. Gordon was taken aback. Shifting his stylus to his left hand, he assailed severally the knuckles of his right therewith before he spoke. “You know the principles of The Ledger, Mr. Banneker.”
“To get the facts and print them, so I have understood.”
“These are not facts.” The managing editor rapped sharply upon the proof. “This is editorial matter, hardly disguised.”
“Descriptive, I should call it,” returned the writer amiably.
“Editorial. You have pictured Sippiac as a hell on earth.”
“It is.”
“Sentimentalism!” snapped the other. His heavy visage wore a disturbed and peevish expression that rendered it quite plaintive. “You have been with us long enough, Mr. Banneker, to know that we do not cater to the uplift-social trade, nor are we after the labor vote.”
“Yes, sir. I understand that.”