reverie,
but Miss Meechim wuz as pert as ever; it takes more than a cave to
dant her.

One place in Bombay I liked first rate, a hospital for dumb animals,
it is kep' by a sect called the Jains. Sick animals of all kinds are
cared for: horses, cows, dogs, cats, rats and I spoze any ailin'
creeter from a mouse up to a elephant is nursed with tender care.

Sez Josiah, "No matter what her creed is, Samantha, that Jane is a
good creeter and is doin' a great work, I would send the old mair here
in a minute if she wuz took with consumption or janders or anythin',
if it wuzn't so fur, and I'd tell Jane jest how much I thought on her
for her goodness."

Sez I, "Josiah, it is a sect, not a female."

But he wouldn't gin in and talks about Jane a sight now when he
recalls about the horrers of vivisection or when he sees animals
abused and horses driv too hard and overloaded--he always sez:

"I would like to have Jane see that, I guess Jane would put a stop to
that pretty lively."

Well, it shows Josiah's good heart.

The Hindus have several temples in Bombay. One of the great days is
the Festival of the Serpents. Snake charmers bring to this place the
deadly snakes which are then fed to propitiate them, by the priests, I
spoze.

Oh, how Miss Meechim went on about the idee of worshippin' snakes, and
it wuz perfectly dretful to me too, I must confess. But Arvilly always
puttin' her oar in and always hash on our govermunt, sez:

"Why, what is this different from what we do in America?"

Miss Meechim's eyes snapped, she wuz madder than a wet hen, but
Arvilly went on, "Every 'lection time hain't the great serpent of the
liquor power fed and pampered by the law-makers of our country?"

Miss Meechim didn't reply; I guess she dassent, and I didn't say
anything, and Arvilly went on:

"Our serpent worship is as bad agin as these Hindus', for after their
snakes are fed and worshipped they shet 'em up agin so they can't do
any harm. But after lawmakers propitiate the serpent with money and
influence, they let it loose to wreathe round the bright young lives
and noble manhood and crunch and destroy 'em in its deadly folds,
leavin' the slime of agony and death in its tracks all over our
country from North to South, East to West. It don't look well after
all this for an American to act horrified at feedin' a snake a little
milk and shettin' it up in a box." She wuz fairly shakin' with
indignation, and Miss Meechim dast as well di