graces her work, as I am sure she would grace any exigency of life. She
quite realizes my ideal of an American girl, and I see now what the spirit
of your country must be from such an expression of it."

I wished to tell him that while a country school-teacher who waits at
table in a summer hotel is very much to be respected in her sphere, she is
not regarded with that high honor which some other women command among us;
but I did not find this very easy, after what I had said of our esteem for
labor; and while I was thinking how I could hedge, my friend went on.

"I liked England greatly, and I liked the English, but I could not like
the theory of their civilization or the aristocratic structure of their
society. It seemed to me iniquitous, for we believe that inequality and
iniquity are the same in the last analysis."

At this I found myself able to say: "Yes, there is something terrible,
something shocking, in the frank brutality with which Englishmen affirm
the essential inequality of men. The affirmation of the essential equality
of men was the first point of departure with us when we separated from
them."

"I know," said the Altrurian. "How grandly it is expressed in your
glorious Declaration!"

"Ah, you have read our Declaration of Independence, then?"

"Every Altrurian has read that," answered my friend.

"Well," I went on smoothly, and I hoped to render what I was going to say
the means of enlightening him without offence concerning the little