“Yes, sir,” answered the stranger, “but he favored the law. Of course, under the United States Constitution, this section is not legally operative; but it is morally binding, and the Legislature has always elected to the Senate gentlemen who were previously designated by the people at the polls, and thus far no man suspected of solvency has ventured to be a candidate. Arizona is friendly to progressive legislation. You will find our law for the prevention of cruelty to animals on page 56; it may interest you.”
The professor read:—
“Any person or persons convicted of having beaten, abused, underfed, overworked, or otherwise maltreated any horse, mule, dog, or other animal of whatever kind, may thereafter be assaulted and beaten by any person who may desire to undertake such task, without the assailant being responsible civilly or criminally for such assault.”
“That,” said the doctor, “to quote a Boston girl on Niagara Falls, ‘is neat, simple, and sufficient.’ Have you any further novelties in the way of legislation to offer?”
“Our law of libel is in advance of all other states,” said the stranger; “you will find it on page 163.”
The professor read:—
“Any man or woman or newspaper firm lending themselves to the dissemination of scandal, or defamation of private character, to the moral detriment of innocent parties, shall, on conviction, be adjudged outlaws, and may be lawfully beaten or killed at the pleasure of the party injured.”
“Lord,” said the doctor, piously raising his eyes, “now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have beheld thy glory.”
“We take a great deal of pride in that libel law,” said the stranger. “It has inspired a degree of courtesy on the part of Arizona editors that would have made Lord Chesterfield ashamed of himself. The Yuma Sentinel, which was accustomed to personal journalism, lately alluded to a convicted highwayman as ‘a gentleman whose ideas on the subject of property differ from those of a majority of his fellow-citizens;’ and the Tucson Star, which used to be the chief of slangwhangers, reviewed a sermon and spoke of Judas Iscariot as ‘that disciple whose conduct in receiving compensation in money from the Romans for his services as a guide, has caused his memory to be visited by all religious denominations with great, and probably not altogether undeserved, criticism.’ But we are at Yuma, sir, and I must bid you good-by. Boats run up the river from here to Castle Dome. There is an excellent hotel here. Tourists usually stop over to visit the Gonzales place, and I suppose you will not neglect the opportunity. The house is a marvel of beauty. It was built by direction of Mr. Morning.”
“Does he live there when at home?” queried the baroness.