MARK TWAIN

the Sacrament according to the Anglican Rite. The City
passed a by-law, fining any man 400 pounds who refused
to run (for Sheriff) when asked, and 600 pounds for re-
fusing to serve, after being elected. A blind man and a
bedridden one were thus robbed of a thousand pounds
each. In this way 15,000 pounds were collected—enough
to build the whole Mansion House, in that day—a hun-
dred years ago.

In a constitutional—figurehead—monarchy, a royal
family of chimpanzees would answer every purpose, be
worshiped as abjectly by the nation, and be cheaper.

Instead of giving the people decent wages, Church and
gentry and nobility made them work for them for noth-
ing, pauperized them, then fed them with alms and per-
suaded themselves that alms-giving was the holiest work
of God, and the giver sure to go to heaven, whereas one
good wage-giver was worth a million of them to the State.

The device of "loyalty" to King or Party should be a
sheep. He is the counterpart and exactcst twin and repre-
sentative of the King's slave and the Party's slave. Fol-
lows his leader—to hell or heaven, it's all one to him, he
hasn't got independence enough to think it any of his
business.

September 12, 1888. Read Browning last night in a pri-
vate house to 130 people, the ladies in the majority. Have
made speeches several times at banquets where half were
ladies. Have read and lectured a good many times at
matinees where of course ladies were largely in the ma-
jority.

In all such places failure may be counted upon. In fact
hardly anything can prevent it but a carefully organized

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