The Last Days of Night

Agnes Huntington, a talented and beautiful young singer made famous for playing a lead male role on the London stage, visits Paul’s office with her mother. Agnes holds herself with confidence and the type of celebrity that doesn’t need to prove itself. This intimidates Paul, accentuating the social distance between them. When she learns he hasn’t seen her perform, she invites him.

Agnes’s mother, Fannie Huntington, does most of the talking. They need a discreet lawyer who will fight for the underdog, unafraid of an unfair fight. Paul tells them their opponent “could not possibly be as powerful a foe as Thomas Edison” (85).

Agnes’s previous gig had been with the Ideals. Along their fast-paced Midwest tour, the owner, Mr. Foster, began making demands on Agnes; first, to ride with the chorus, then forbidding Fannie to travel with her daughter. When he started skimming from her pay, Agnes left the tour. Now, Mr. Foster is threatening to sue over her departure, demanding she return to sing with the Ideals again. If she refuses, he aims to slander her with a scandal.

Fannie asks Paul to represent them, but he declines, as he wants to focus on the Westinghouse case.