ome sort of wisdom, and recognise the
fact that union is strength, and that respect for Law is the only hope
of the land."

"Governors," returned Tiger, in a deep voice, "are not only fools, but
villains--tyrants!"

The Indian spoke with such evidence of suppressed indignation that Pedro
tried to look at him.

The aspect of his frowning countenance upside-down was not conducive to
gravity.

"Come, Tiger," said Pedro, with a tendency to laugh, "they are not all
tyrants; I know one or two who are not bad fellows."

"_I_ know one who is a fool and a robber."

"Indeed. What has he done to make you so bitter?" asked Pedro.

"Made us wear spectacles!" replied the Indian, sternly.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you not heard about it?"

"No; you know I have been away in Chili for some time, and am ignorant
of much that has been going on in these parts."

"There is in Spain a white man, I know not who," said Tiger, with an
expression of ineffable contempt, "but he must be the chief of the fools
among the white men, who seem to me to be all fools together."

"Thank you for the compliment," said Pedro, with a laugh.

"This white fool," continued Tiger, paying no regard to his friend's
interruption, "thought that he would send out here for sale some
spectacles--glass things, you know, that old white men look through when
they cannot see. We Indians, as you know, never need such things. We
can see well as long as we live. It is supposed that a mistake was made
by some one, for something like a canoe-load of spectacles was sent
out--so many that in a hundred years the white men could not have used
them up. The trader knew not what to do. There was no sale for them.
He applied to the governor--that robber of whom I have spoken. He said
to the trader, with a wink of his eye--that sort of wink which the white
fool gives when he means to pass from folly to knavery--`Wait,' he said,
`and you shall see.' Then he issued an order that no Indian should dare
to appear in his district, or in church during festival-days, _without
spectacles_! The consequence was that the spectacles were all sold. I
know not the price of these foolish things, but some white men told me
they were sold at an enormous profit."

Although Pedro sympathised heartily with his brown friend in his
indignation, he could not quite repress a smile at the ridiculous ideas
called up. Fortunately the Indian failed to interpret an upside-down
smile, pa