not
stand alone; supporting them with great assiduity, inasmuch as they
could not support themselves. I showed her how employment was thus
furnished to thousands of persons, who would otherwise be idle, or
engaged in some other occupation that was able to take care of itself;
of course, therefore, making wages lower. I contrasted the condition
of the American laborer, with that of the European serf, trodden under
the iron heel of despotism, at ten cents a day, and satisfied her that
the laboring man in the United States was the best paid, and therefore
the happiest and most contented being on earth, owing to the fact of a
protective tariff, ever since 1789.

"W.," exclaimed that angelic creature, "why is it, then, that the
workingmen are always striking and marching around town with brass
bands? First shoemakers, then carpenters and railroad men, and
stone-masons, and iron-molders, and hod-carriers--all wanting higher
wages. Where does the happiness and content come in? I heard you say,
yourself, the other day, that the disorganized system of labor was
such in this country, that it was degenerating into socialism and
anarchy and was ruining every branch of business."

I hated to do it, but I crushed her with the reply: "Ah! my dear, that
is begging the question."

But that sweet creature, unruffled as a summer sea, preserved an
equanimity that astounded me, as she said: "Why is it, W., that
whenever a woman corners a man in argument, he simply ends the
discussion by telling her she is 'begging the question?'" Seeing that
she did not exactly catch the drift of my logic, I adroitly turned the
subject to silk-worms again, and how we should proceed in our
enterprise.

"Now," said I to Mrs. W., "I will procure the necessary lumber, at
usual market rates, and make a stand on which to lay the frames."

She observed: "You know, W., you never made anything in your life and
can't do it. Go up to the carpenter and he will do what you want for
fifty cents, and you can't buy the lumber for that."

"Mrs. W.," I replied, "I scorn your words. I propose that this
undertaking shall be absolutely inexpensive, except, perhaps, the
outlay for the raw material."

"Very well," she observed, "try it." My! what a head that woman has. I
took a book that had a picture of the stand I wanted, and took the
dimensions carefully down; went to the lumber yard, selected the
pieces, and they cost only $1.25; went home, measured, planned, and
f