Page:The Wreck of a World - Grove - 1890.djvu/113

Rh bride, and cherished some wild ideas on that subject which I thought wisest to ignore, was glad enough to undertake the duties of teaching and preaching, so far as we practised the latter function, which was not a great deal. The three of us made a point of meeting informally every day to report the condition of things and the needs of the people, while once a week we had a regular meeting to determine the occupations and duties of the next week. The inhabitants were under a benevolent despotism, but as that despotism was never exercised for its own ends, nor where unnecessary, I suppose they thought it quite as good as government by mass-meeting and mob-oratory.

I have said that Gell entertained some peculiar notions about his lost bride. They first came out as follows:—we had been discussing the question of the instruction of the younger children when I observed,

"If our dear Aurelia had been alive, she would have been able to give us good advice."

"Alive! Are we sure she is not? Do you know sir, I have many time thought that we hurried away too soon, without obtaining proof positive of her death?"