Page:In defense of Harriet Shelley, and other essays.djvu/106

 MARK TWAIN

to me. I cannot violate a legal requirement of my country without dishonoring myself; I cannot allow any man or corporation to hamper my liberties with illegal rules a thing which railway companies are always trying to do without dishonoring my citizenship. So I come back to that question: By whose authority has the company issued this order?&quot;

&quot;I don t know. That s their affair.&quot;

to issue such a rule. This road runs through several states. Do you know what state we are in now, and what its laws are in matters of this kind?&quot;
 * * Mine, too. I doubt if the company has any right

&quot;Its laws do not concern me, but the company s orders do. It is my duty to stop this game, gentle men, and it must be stopped.&quot;

&quot;Possibly; but still there is no hurry. In hotels they post certain rules in the rooms, but they always quote passages from the state laws as authority for these requirements. I see nothing posted here of this sort. Please produce your authority and let us arrive at a decision, for you see yourself that you are marring the game.&quot;

&quot;I have nothing of the kind, but I have my orders, and that is sufficient. They must be obeyed.

&quot;Let us not jump to conclusions. It will be bet ter all around to examine into the matter without heat or haste, and see just where we stand before either of us makes a mistake for the curtailing of the liberties of a citizen of the United States is a much more serious matter than you and the railroads seem to think, and it cannot be done in my person until the curtailer proves his right to do so. Now &quot;

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