Page:Traveler from Altruria, Howells, 1894.djvu/123

Rh and so you easily made up your quarrels. It is quite as simple with us, in our life as a human family."

This notion of a human family seemed to amuse Mrs. Makely more and more; she laughed and laughed again. "You must excuse me!" she panted, at last. "But I cannot imagine it! No, it is too ludicrous. Just fancy the jars of an ordinary family multiplied by the population of a whole continent! Why, you must be in a perpetual squabble! You can't have any peace of your lives! It's worse, far worse, than our way!"

"But, madam," he began, "you are supposing our family to be made up of people with all the antagonistic interests of your civilization. As a matter of fact"—

"No, no! I know human nature, Mr. Homos!" She suddenly jumped up and gave him her hand. "Good night!" she said, sweetly, and as she drifted off on her husband's arm, she looked back at us and nodded in gay triumph.

The Altrurian turned upon me with unabated interest. "And have you no provision in your system for finally making the lower classes understand the sufferings and sacrifices of the upper classes in their