I witnessed the whole business;--the 'doctoring up' of social scandals,--the tampering with the news in order that certain items might not affect certain shares on the Stock Exchange,--the way 'discussions' of the most idiotic kind were started in the office just to fill up space, such as what was best to make the hair grow; what a baby ought to weigh at six months; what food authors write best on; and whether modern girls make as good wives as their mothers did, and so on.

These things were generally got up by 'the fool of the office' as we called him--a man with a perpetual grin and an undyingly good opinion of himself.

He was always put into harness when for some state or financial reason the actual facts had to be euphonised or even suppressed and the public 'let down gently.' For a time I was drafted off on the 'social' business--ugh ?--how I hated it ?" "What did you have to do ?" asked Mary, amused.
"Oh, I had to deal with a motley crowd of court flunkeys, Jews, tailors and dressmakers, and fearful-looking women catering for 'fashion,' who came with what they called 'news,' which was generally that 'Mrs.
"Bunny" Bumpkin looked sweet in grey'-- or that 'Miss "Toby" Tosspot was among the loveliest of the debutantes at Court.' Sometimes a son of Israel came along, all in a mortal funk, and said he 'didn't want it mentioned' that Mrs.So-and-So had dined with him at a certain public restaurant last night.

Generally, he was a shareholder, and his orders had to be obeyed.

The shareholders in fact had most to do with the 'society' news,--and they bored me nearly to death.