But he wouldn’t gin in and talks about Jane a sight now when he recalls about the horrers of vivisection or when he sees animals abused and horses driv too hard and overloaded––he always sez:
“I would like to have Jane see that, I guess Jane would put a stop to that pretty lively.”
Well, it shows Josiah’s good heart.
The Hindus have several temples in Bombay. One of the great days is the Festival of the Serpents. Snake charmers bring to this place the deadly snakes which are then fed to propitiate them, by the priests, I spoze.
Oh, how Miss Meechim went on about the idee of worshippin’ snakes, and it wuz perfectly dretful to me too, I must confess. But Arvilly always puttin’ her oar in and always hash on our govermunt, sez:
“Why, what is this different from what we do in America?”
Miss Meechim’s eyes snapped, she wuz madder than a wet hen, but Arvilly went on, “Every ’lection time hain’t the great serpent of the liquor power fed and pampered by the law-makers of our country?”
Miss Meechim didn’t reply; I guess she dassent, and I didn’t say anything, and Arvilly went on:
“Our serpent worship is as bad agin as these Hindus’, for after their snakes are fed and worshipped they shet ’em up agin so they can’t do any harm. But after lawmakers propitiate the serpent with money and influence, they let it loose to wreathe round the bright young lives and noble manhood and crunch and destroy ’em in its deadly folds, leavin’ the slime of agony and death in its tracks all over our country from North to South, East to West. It don’t look well after all this for an American to act horrified at feedin’ a snake a little milk and shettin’ it up in a box.” She wuz fairly shakin’ with indignation, and Miss Meechim dast as well die as dispute her agin. And I didn’t say a word to harrer her up any more, for I knew well what she had went through.