black and white, and says, 'I'll fight it right
out on this line.' And he did, and before his courage and bravery and
persistence the foe fell. Now, Frederic, here is the biggest foe that
the American people are facin' to-day; here are weak generals and
incompetent ones. Nobody can manage it; them high in authority wink at
it and dassent tackle it, and so on down through all the grades of
society--Church and State--they dassent touch it. And what is the
burnin'est shame, them that ort to fight it support it with all the
political and moral help they can give it. Here is a chance, Frederic,
for you to do tenfold more for your country's good than ever your
revered father did, and you know and I know that if it wasn't for this
great evil and a few others, such as the big Trusts and a few other
things, our country is the greatest and best that the sun ever shone
on. If we loved our country as we ort to we would try to make her do
away with these evils and stand up perfect under the heavens. It is
the ma that loves her child that spanks her into doin' right if she
can't coax her, and now do lay hold and help your country up onto the
highest pedestal that a country ever stood on, and I'll help boost all
I can." I hearn behind me a loud "amen," turned into a cough. Arvilly
wuzn't to blame; it spoke itself onbeknown to her.

Sez I, "This is a hard job I am askin' you to tackle. The foe your
father fit was in front of him, but this foe is within and without,
and has for allies, powers and principalities and the Prince of
Darkness. And now will you, bearin' the name you do, of General Grant,
will you flinch before this black-hearted foe that aims at the heart
and souls of your countrymen and countrywomen, or will you lead the
Forlorn Hope? I believe that if you would raise the White Banner and
lead on this army of the Cross, Church and State would rally to your
battle-cry, angels would swarm round your standard and the Lord of
Hosts go forward before you."

He didn't say he would, I spoze he wuz too agitated. But he sez
sunthin' in a real polite way about what a good Ambassador his country
had in me.

But I sez sadly, "I can't do much, Frederic. I am a woman, and the
only weepon that is able to slay this demon is hung up there in
Washington, D. C. Wimmen can't reach up to it, they can't vote. But
you can; your arm is longer, and with that you can slay this demon as
St. George slew the dragon. And heaven itself would drop down