n their
tracts. But I am a good deal in hopes they will," sez I; "I am hopin'
that Uncle Sam will foller my advice and the advice of other
wellwishers of the human race--I see signs on't."

"Well," sez Arvilly, "you have fursightener specs than I have, if you
can see it."

And I sez, "You lay your ear to the ground, Arvilly, and you'll hear
the sound of a great approachin' army. It is the ranks of the Workers
for Humanity with voice and pen, with wealth and influence, the haters
of hate, lovers of love, breakers of shams and cruelties in creeds,
political and social life and customs. Destroyers of unjust laws, true
helpers of the poor. It is them that try to foller Christ's mission
and give liberty to the bound, sight to the blind. That great throng
is growin' larger, every hour, the stiddy, stiddy tromplin' of their
feet sounds nearer and nearer." And I sez in a rapt way, "Whilst you
are listenin' to 'em, Arvilly, listen, upward and you'll hear the
sound of wings beatin' the air. The faint music, not of warlike
bugles, but the sweet song of Peace. It comes nigher, it is the white
winged cohort of angels comin' down to jine the workers for humanity
and lead 'em to victory, and their song is jest the same they sung
when Christ the Reformer wuz born, 'Peace on earth, goodwill to
men.'"

Sez Miss Meechim, "I guess you hear the crowd on the avenue going
home, and it is really time to go; it would not look genteel to stay
longer."

I looked at her, and through her, and smiled a deep forgivin' smile
for I thought she wuz a foreigner, how could she understand.

CHAPTER XXVII

In the centre of the city of Milan is an artificial lake where the
Milanise dearly love to go out in beautiful pleasure yots, and in the
winter it serves for a skating rink. Milan is noted for its charitable
institutions, which owns property to the amount of forty or fifty
millions; it is a honor to her. It has flourishing colleges, lyceums,
observatories, gymnasiums, famous libraries, institutes and schools of
all kinds, and the Academy of Fine Arts is celebrated all over the
world. It has a beautiful triumphal arch, begun in 1807 and finished
in 1838. They take their own time, them old Milanise do, but when
their work is done, it is done.

Josiah thought most probable they worked by the day. Sez he, "Men are
most always more shiftless when you pay by the day."

It has very fine public gardens, and one day we went to the Campo
Santo.