urse. That's my opinion
in respect to country towns. What's the good of them? Nests of gossip,
places where people waste their time, and don't even amuse themselves.
Give me green fields and London, that is my sort. I don't care if there
was not another blessed brick in the country. There is always something
that will grow in a field, corn or fat beasts--not that we couldn't get
all that cheaper from over the water if it was managed as it ought to
be. But a place like this, what's the good of it? Almshouses and
chaplains, and that kind of rubbish, and old women; there's old women by
the score."

"They must be somewhere, I suppose," said Mr. May. "We cannot kill them
off, if they are inoffensive, and keep the laws. So that, after all, a
country town is of use."

"Kill 'em off--no; it's against what you benevolent humbugs call the
spirit of the time, and Christianity, and all that; but there's such a
thing as carrying Christianity too far; that's my opinion. There's your
almshouses now. What's the principle of them? I call it encouraging
those old beggars to live," said Mr. Copperhead; "giving them permission
to burden the community as long as they can manage it; a dead mistake,
depend upon it, the greatest mistake in the world."

"I think there is a great deal to be said in favour of Euthanasia," said
Phoebe, quietly stepping into the conversation; "but then it would have
to be with the consent of the victims. When any one found himself
useless, unnecessary to the world, or unhappy in it--"

"Humbug and nonsense," said Mr. Copperhead. "A likely thing for anybody
to do. No, it is not a question for law-making. Let 'em die out
naturally, that's my opinion. Don't do anything to hurry 'em--that is, I
don't see my way to it; but let 'em go quiet, and don't bring 'em
cordials and feather-beds, and all that middyeval nonsense, to keep 'em
going as long as possible. It's wicked, that's what it is."

"At all events," said Mr. May, who, poor man, was bent on pleasing, "it
is refreshing to hear opinions so bold and original. Something new is
always a blessing. I cannot say I agree with you--"

"No parson would be bold enough for that. Christianity's been a capital
thing for the world," said Mr. Copperhead, "I don't say a word against
it; but in these go-ahead days, sir, we've had enough of it, that's to
say when it's carried too far. All this fuss about the poor, all the row
about dragging up a lot of poor little beggars to l