Stephen Crane

“ It is just as I thought. George has robbed his dad.'
The old man's frail body quivered with grief. Two tears trickled slowly down the furrows of his face.
'Come, come, now,' said Tom, patting him tenderly on the back. 'Brace up, old feller. What you want to do is to get a lawyer and go put the screws on George.'
'Is it really?' asked the old man eagerly.
'Certainly it is,' said Tom.
'All right,' cried the old man, with enthusiasm; 'tell me where to get one.' He slid down from the railing and prepared to start off. ”

“ The old man was fumbling about in his mind for more imprecations. George was wilting and turning limp before the glittering orbs of the valiant attorney. The latter, content with the exalted advantage he had gained by the use of the expression, 'Ah,' spoke no more, but continued to stare.
'Well,' said George finally, in a weak voice, 'I s'pose I can give you a check for it, though I was only borrowin' it for 'bout a month. I don't think you have treated me fairly, father, with your lawyers, and your threats, and all that. But I'll give you the check.'
The old man turned to his attorney. ”

“ The old man, with his quantities of sage-bush, thought Thomas owned all the virtues mentioned in high-class literature, and his opinion, too, was of commercial value. Also, he knew a man who knew another man who received an impetus which made him engage Thomas on terms that were highly satisfactory. Then it was that the latter learned he had not succeeded sooner because he did not know a man who knew another man.
So it came to pass that Tom grew to be Thomas G. Somebody. He achieved that position in life from which he could hold out for good wines when he went to poor restaurants. ”