"What of those people," I asked, "whose occupation or pleasure calls them
out in the night?"

"We have no such class," replied Thorwald. "We have found by long
experience that it is best to follow the indication of nature, and take
the day for labor and the night for rest. This practice and the attention
devoted to our diet have been chief factors in lengthening the span of our
lives. If this line of action is best for one it is best for all, and, as
everybody is doing the best he can, it follows that there are literally no
people out at night."

"I suppose you would call me stupid again," said I, "if I should ask if
you have any such old-time personages as guardians of the peace."

"Indeed I should," answered our friend, "for you ought to know us better.
If you will excuse a poor witticism, the peace is old enough on our planet
to go without a guardian."

As we smiled at this the doctor was encouraged to try his hand, but, not
feeling equal to addressing a pleasantry to the usually august Martian, he
turned to me and remarked:

"This would be a pretty poor place for an umbrella trust, wouldn't it?"

As we left our place of outlook and made our way down stairs, Thorwald
resumed:

"As I have said before, we have reached our present happy condition
through many bitter experiences. We read that at one time people had so
much work to do and were so thoughtless as to what was good for their