"At any rate, you have heard it said that this is a small world."

"Yes, sir."

"Good! I merely wish to deny authorship of the saying, for it is
false. This is a large world. What is more, it is a world full of
cities like Dallas where men like you and me, Heaven be praised,
have neither friends, acquaintances, nor relatives. In that
respect, it is a fine world and we should devoutly give thanks for
its Dallases and its--Dalsatians. Jove! This ham is delicious!"

The waiter was accustomed to "morning talkers," but this gentleman
was different. He had an air of consequence, and his voice, so
deep, so well modulated, so pleasant, invested him with unusual
distinction. Probably he was an actor! But no! Not in the
Governor's suite. More likely he was one of the big men of the
Standard, or the Gulf, or the Texas. To make sure, the waiter
inquired:

"May I ask if you are in oil, sir?"

"In oil? Bless me, what a nauseating question--at this hour of the
day!"

"'Most everybody here is in oil. We turn dozens away every day,
we're that full. It's the boom. I'm in oil myself--in a small way,
of course. It's like this: sometimes gentlemen like--well, like
you, sir--give me tips. They drop a hint, like, about their stocks,
and I've done well--in a small way, of course. It doesn't cost them
anything and--some of them are very kind. You'd really be surprised."