predilections of yours, Annie. He grows up in a community where there is
neither poverty nor richness, and where political economy can show by the
figures that the profligate shop hands get nine-tenths of the profits, and
starve on 'em, while the good little company rolls in luxury on the other
tenth. But you've got used to something different over there, and of course
Brother Peck's ideas startled you. Well, I suppose I should have been just
so myself."

"Mr. Putney has never felt just right about the working-men since he lost
the boycotters' case," said Mr. Gerrish, with a snicker.

"Oh, come now, Billy, why did you give me away?" said Putney, with mock
suffering. "Well, I suppose I might as well own up, Mrs. Munger; it's no
use trying to keep it from _you_; you know it already. Yes, Annie, I
defended some poor devils here for combining to injure a non-union man--for
doing once just what the big manufacturing Trusts do every day of the year
with impunity; and I lost the case. I expected to. I told 'em they were
wrong, but I did my best for 'em. 'Why, you fools,' said I--that's the way
I talk to 'em, Annie; I call 'em pet names; they like it; they're used to
'em; they get 'em every day in the newspapers--'you fools,' said I, 'what
do you want to boycott for, when you can _vote_? What do you want to
break the laws for, when you can _make_ 'em? You idiots, you,' said I,
'what do you putter round for, persecuting non-union men, that have as good
a right to earn their bread as you, when you might make the whole United
States of America a Labour Union?' Of course I didn't say that in court."

"Oh, how delicious you are, Mr. Putney!" said Mrs. Munger.

"Glad you like me, Mrs. Munger," Putney replied.