And on a day, His wife now in the earth a week or so, Himself not well, the doctor there to quiet His fears of sudden death, pains in the chest, His manager had come--was made to wait Until the doctor finished--brought the sheets Which showed the advertising, circulation. And Lowell studied them and said at last: "That new reporter makes the Murray inquest A thing of interest, does the public like it?" To which the manager: "It sells the paper." And then the great man: "It has served its use. Now being nearly over, print these words: The Murray inquest shows to what a length Fantastic wit can go, it should be stopped." An editorial later might be well: Comment upon a father and a mother Invaded in their privacy, and life In intimate relations dragged to view To sate the curious eye. Next day the _Times_ Rebuked the coroner in these words. And then Merival sent word: "I come to see you, Or else you come to see me, or by process If you refuse." And so the editor Invited Merival to Sunnyside To talk the matter out. This was the talk: First Merival went over all the ground In mild locution, what he sought to do. How as departments in the war had studied Disease and what not, tabulated facts, He wished to make a start for knowing lives, And finding remedies for lives. It's true Not much might be accomplished, also true The poet and the novelist gave thought, Analysis to lives, yet who could tell What system might grow up to find the fault In marriage as it is, in rearing children In motherhood, in homes; for Merival By way of wit said to this dullest man: "I know of mother and of home, of heaven I've yet to learn." Whereat the great man winced, To hear the home and motherhood so slurred, And briefly said the _Times_ would go its way To serve the public interests, and to foster American ideals as he conceived them. Then Merival who knew the great man's nature, How small it was and barren, cold and dull, And wedded to small things, to gold, and fear Of change, and knew the life the woman lived,-- These seven days in the earth--with such a man, Just by a zephyr of intangible thought Veered round the talk to her, to voice a wonder About the jet left turned, his deputy Had overlooked a hose which she could drink Gas from a jet. "You needn't touch the jet. Just leave it as she left it--hide the hose, And leave the gas on, put the woman in bed." "This deputy," said Merival, "was slack And let a verdict pass of accident." "Oh yes" said Merival, "your servant told About the hose, the _Times_ clutched in her hand. And may I test this jet, while I am here? Go up to see and test it?"