Jack London - The Iron Heel - Excerpt
First published by Macmillan - 1908
http://www.jacklondons.net/writings/IronHeel/toc.html

...I shall try to write simply and to tell here how Ernest Everhard
entered my life--how I first met him, how he grew until I became a
part of him, and the tremendous changes he wrought in my life. In this
way may you look at him through my eyes and learn him as I learned
him--in all save the things too secret and sweet for me to tell.

It was in February, 1912, that I first met him, when, as a guest of my
father's at dinner, he came to our house in Berkeley. I cannot say
that my very first impression of him was favorable. He was one of many
at dinner, and in the drawing-room where we gathered and waited for
all to arrive, he made a rather incongruous appearance. It was
`preacher's night,' as my father privately called it, and Ernest was
certainly out of place in the midst of the churchmen...

...In the interest of meeting the other guests, and what of my
unfavorable impression, I forgot all about the working-class
philosopher, though once or twice at table I noticed him--especially
the twinkle...