there amongst the aristocracy."

But Arvilly said--I guess she had to say it--"Yes, they kneel and
worship the Christ they crucified while they tromple on his teachings;
hypocrites and Pharisees, the hull caboodle on 'em, Rev. Weakdew and
all!" I d'no but Arvilly wuz too hash, but mebby my groans spoke as
loud as her words; I felt considerable as she did and she knowed it.

"Oh! oh!" Miss Meechim fairly squeeled the words out, "Rev. Weakdew is
very thoughtful and charitable to the poor always. I have wept to hear
him tell of their home above, right in with the rich you know,
mingling with them; I have heard him say it, exclusive as he and his
family is, and how after starvation here how sweet the bread of life
would seem to them."

"In my opinion," sez Arvilly, "he better spend his strength tryin' to
feed 'em on earth; when they git to that country the Lord can take
care on 'em."

"Oh, he always has a collection taken up for the poor, Christmas and
Easter, and his congregation is very charitable and give largely in
alms and make suppers for the poor, Christmas, almost as good as the
wealthy enjoy."

Sez Arvilly, "You can't put out the ragin' fires of a volcano with a
waterin' pot; it will keep belchin' out for all of that little
drizzle; that seethin' kaldron of fire and ashes would have to be
cleaned out and the hull lay of the land changed in order to stop it.
What good duz it do to scatter a few loaves of bread to the hungry
while the Liquor Power and the mills of Monopoly are grindin' out
hundreds and thousands of tramps and paupers every year?"

Sez Miss Meechim, "the poor ye shall always have with you."

"We don't read," sez Arvilly, "of Martha Washington having to feed
tramps nor labor riots and strikers in the time of Jefferson. No, it
wuz when our republic begun to copy the sampler of old nations'
luxury, aristocracy and enormous wealth for the few and poverty and
starvation for the many. Copyin' the old feudal barons and thieves who
used to swoop down on weaker communities and steal all their
possessions, only they gained by force what is gained now by corrupt
legislation. Anybody would think," sez Arvilly, "that as many times as
that sampler has been soaked in blood, and riddled by bullets, our
country wouldn't want to foller it, but they do down to the smallest
stitch on't and how can they hope to escape their fate? They can't!"
sez Arvilly.

"But," I sez, "they can't unless they turn right round i