Life to Come,--
w'y, "from that _Land o' Bliss_,"
He says, "we'll haf to chuckle some,
a-lookin' back at this!"

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

XXXVII

And, still in p'int, I mind, one _night
o' 'nitiation_ at
Some secert lodge, 'at Doc set right
down on 'em, square and flat,
When they mixed up some Scriptur' and
wuz _funnin'_-like--w'y, he
Lit in 'em with a rep'imand
'at ripped 'em, A to Z!

XXXVIII

And onc't--when gineral loafin'-place
wuz old Shoe-Shop--and all
The gang 'ud git in there and brace
their backs ag'inst the wall
And _settle_ questions that had went
onsettled long enough,--
Like "wuz no Heav'n--ner no torment"--
_jes talkin' awful rough!_

[Illustration]

XXXIX

There wuz Sloke Haines and old Ike Knight
and Coonrod Simmes--all three
Ag'inst the Bible and the Light,
and scoutin' Deity.
"_Science_," says Ike, "it _dimonstrates_--
it takes nobody's word--
_Scriptur'_ er not,--it _'vestigates_
ef sich things could occurred!"

XL

Well, Doc he heerd this,--he'd drapped in
a minute, fer to git
A tore-off heel pegged on agin,--
and, as he stood on it
And stomped and grinned, he says to Ike,
"I s'pose now, purty soon
Some lightnin'-bug, indignant-like,
'll ''vestigate' the moon!...

XLI

"No, Ike," says Doc, "this world hain't saw
no brains like yourn and mine
With sense enough to grasp a law
'at takes a brain divine.--
I've bared the thoughts of brains in doubt,
and felt their finest pulse,--
And mortal brains jes won't turn out
omnipotent results!"

XLII

And Doc he's got respects to spare
the _rich_ as well as _pore_--
Says he, "I'd turn no _millionaire_
onsheltered from my door."--
Says he, "What's wealth to him in quest
o' _honest_ friends to back
And love him fer _hisse'f_?--not jes
because he's made his jack!"

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

XLIII

And childern.--_Childern?_ Lawzy-day!
Doc _worships_ 'em!--You call
Round at his house and _ast_ 'em!--
they're a-_swarmin'_ there--that's all!--
They're in his _Li_b'ry--in best room--
in kitchen--fur and near,--
In office too, and, I p'sume,
his o