Well a women that is trained to social life like me had ought to know what to do but I don’t and all I can say is, “Mr. Edgerton I have a friend that is just come to see me.” And Mr. Edgerton is rattled too because of course he don’t want to meet nobody. But there is nothing to do but go down the steps and I says, “Mr. Edgerton meet Mr. Rigley,” I says and Walter is not got sense to shake hands but just growls how-de-do and I am thinking as fast as a runaway express train.
Walter he says, “Well I see you have a previous engagement,” and he turns on his heel and starts to walk off but of course I grabs him by the arm and makes him turn round and I says, “Look here Walter this is not what you think this is a business matter and this gentleman is a government official and I am doing important work for him,” I says. “What sort of work?” says Walter and you know that kind of pug-nose face that he has got it is already made up for a fight.
And of course I can’t answer him because Mr. Edgerton has forbid me to. So what can I do but put it up to Mr. Edgerton? I says, “Mr. Edgerton, Walter Rigley is my fyansay,” I says. And Mr. Edgerton says, “Oh I did not know you was engaged,” and I says, “I have never had occasion to tell you. But now Walter is got two days off from the job of packing goods in a warehouse and he has come to see me as a surprise party. And I think I have got to explain matters to him if you will please let me because he is a very good boy and a one hundred percent American and when he knows that this is government work that we are doing and that it is because we have got to educate the people and keep the Bolshivikis from getting a hold of them he will keep the secret and you can trust him the same as me.”
So Mr. Edgerton can’t do nothing else but say, “All right Miss Riggs I will take your word for Mr. Rigley.” And I turns to Walter and says, “There is nobody in the world but my mom and my pop that I have trusted with this but it is all straight and it will be explained to you.”
And then Mr. Edgerton says for Walter to go to dinner with us but Walter he says, “Not on your life I ast her first,” he says, “and if there is any dinner you will go with me.” So I says, “It will have to be that way Mr. Edgerton because I know this boy and he is only got one fault and that is that he is a mule.”
So Mr. Edgerton says all right and we gets into the taxi and Walter’s shoulders is so broad that there is no room for mine in the seat but he puts me on his knees and you can see he is not going to let me be in Mr. Edgerton’s way. And I am telling Walter about who Mr. Edgerton is and what we are doing and gee you can see that it is a hard lump for Walter to swallow he don’t know what to make of it whether I am kidding him or not but Walter is like the Spokesman in one way when he don’t know what to say it don’t hurt him none to say nothing.
Well the Greek restaurant is nearest and so we are pretty soon eating some more dinner cooked in mutton suet but gee Mom I could eat it if it was axel-grease I am so hungry. But I have got to play the social game and keep these two male animals from biting each other so I says, “Mr. Edgerton I have not had no chance to ask you but I can see that the Spokesman is in trouble because He does not know what to say about this here coal strike.”
And he says, “That is right it is a very great worry to Him, and what do you think about it?” And I says, “Well Pop says you can’t make no gas without coal and what would I do if I come home to my room in the evening and there was no light in it?” And Mr. Edgerton says, “That is true, coal is a necessity of modern civilization.” “Well then,” I says, “is a lot of Hunkies and Dagoes to be allowed to get together and hold a pistol at people’s heads and get any price they please for work? No Mr. Edgerton,” I says, “it is the duty of the Spokesman to take a firm stand and say that there will not be no such strike allowed.”
And he says, “I guess you are right and we will work it out on that basis.”
But I says, “Mr. Edgerton He must not go and say that unless He means to act on it.”