ng considered, for us to put in his right-hand man, Robert
Bacon, instead of himself, and I agreed with him; in fact, I think it
much better, as Bacon is a rattling good fellow who takes no interest in
the other fellow's business, even when he does happen to be a director
in the other fellow's company, and he will recognize that this copper
affair is mine, not Morgan's." He stopped abruptly. "Now, Lawson, let us
settle upon what in this case is an important point, the name of the
company." He had asked me the day before to think of a suitable title
for our organization, and I had put in some time with a pad and pencil
experimenting. I had several names ready for him, but after I had run
over them and given my reasons, he said:

"There is nothing more important than to have just the right name for a
company which is going to make history, is there?"

I agreed; in fact, even more than he I was impressed with the
desirability of a suitable name for a corporation whose stock was bound
to become a great market star, and I was not satisfied with any I had
dug up. Give a stock or a book a good name, and it is sure to be
numbered among the best sellers.

Mr. Rogers continued:

"Lawson, we want something as good as 'Standard Oil,' if it is possible
to find it. Now"--and he drew over one of his little writing-pads and
taking a slim gold pencil from his pocket slowly wrote something and
handed it to me--"how do you like this?"

I read "'Amalgamated Copper Company.' Perfect!" I exclaimed.

"I thought you would say so"; and he reached over and wrote underneath
the name, "A second Standard Oil." It was an impressive moment for both
of us. I folded the slip, and putting it in my pocket said: "You will
see this again, Mr. Rogers, when its stock sells for as much as
Standard Oil."

Surely an adder crawled from that tiny golden cylinder and upon the
smooth white paper distilled its subtle venom. I, poor fool, exulting in
the splendid throes of accomplishment, never dreamed that the real
christening of my bantling was the toast the Master of Hell drank as the
name "Amalgamated" was slowly traced upon the pad before my eyes; never
dreamed that this cherished offspring on whose rearing I had lavished
all I possessed of dollars, of ideals, of generous hopes and high
expectations--whose growth I had literally watered with my sweat--was an
imp of darkness. My fool's paradise I had planted with all manner of
fair flowers and lordly tree