rected against a
government is a revolution."

"How, then, do you avoid a revolution every pay day?" if demanded. "Has
some prodigious philosopher devised a new system of calculus
satisfactory to all for determining the exact and comparative value of
all sorts of service, whether by brawn or brain, by hand or voice, by
ear or eye? Or has human nature itself changed, so that no man looks
upon his own things but 'every man on the things of his neighbor'? One
or the other of these events must be the explanation."

"Neither one nor the other, however, is," was my host's laughing
response. "And now, Mr. West," he continued, "you must remember that
you are my patient as well as my guest, and permit me to prescribe
sleep for you before we have any more conversation. It is after three
o'clock."

"The prescription is, no doubt, a wise one," I said; "I only hope it
can be filled."

"I will see to that," the doctor replied, and he did, for he gave me a
wineglass of something or other which sent me to sleep as soon as my
head touched the pillow.

Chapter 8

When I awoke I felt greatly refreshed, and lay a considerable time in a
dozing state, enjoying the sensation of bodily comfort. The experiences
of the day previous, my waking to find myself in the year 2000, the
sight of the new Boston, my host and his family, and the wonderful
things I had heard, were a blank in my memory. I thought I was in my
bed-chamber at home, and the half-dreaming, half-waking fancies which
passed before my mind related to the incidents and experiences of my
former life. Dreamily I reviewed the incidents of Decoration Day, my
trip in company with Edith and her parents to Mount Auburn, and my
dining with them on our return to the city. I recalled how extremely
well Edith had looked, and from that fell to thinking of our marriage;
but scarcely had my imagination begun to develop this delightful theme
than my waking dream was cut short by the recollection of the letter I
had received the night before from the builder announcing that the new
strikes might postpone indefinitely the completion of the new house.
The chagrin which this recollection brought with it effectually roused
me. I remembered that I had an appointment with the builder at eleven
o'clock, to discuss the strike, and opening my eyes, looked up at the
clock at the foot of my bed to see what time it was. But no clock met
my glance, and what was more, I instantly perceived that I was