ion of the Young Imperialists' Flambeau [C]lub, which was
collecting a campaign contribution in the semblance of our alfalfa
stack. The spectacle of citizens taking an active [p]art in the issues
before their country ne'er fails to rouse in us a spirit of
collaboration, so [w]hat could we do but join heartily in the
celebration, so that a most excellent time was had. Later our
editorial staff, a score who in our canefields teach the tender
sprouts [h]ow to shoot, knowing t[h]e same so well themselves, gently
laid to rest a score and one Cossacks, past members of the [F]lambeau
Club, wh[o] had lingered behind for the reason that they _were_ past.
But, we ask, _ad quod damnum_?--i.e., isn't it as futile as
cauterizing a wooden leg? How much longer, O Jove, must we let our
public-opinion moulds cool off while we chase enthusiastic young
patriots away from our alfal[f]a!!!... In conclusion, with a cool
brow, we are constrained to say that if the party in power cannot
discourage the depredations above ci[t]ed, we shall have to fortify
ourselves to the contemplation of a c[h]ange of administration.

[Transcriber's note: characters in brackets were originally printed
as bold Old English lower-case as explained above.]

"Why," cried Jacqueline, "what an _animal disputans_ it is!" She
perceived an ink bottle, and exclaimed, "Ah, more milk from the black
cow!" Taking up a wad of copy paper, on which a future editorial was
already begun, she read, and quickly her amusement changed to a livelier
interest.

"Rumor goes," she read under the caption, _Ardentia Verba_, "that
Father Augustine, political manager for the administration, vice Eloin,
is soon to leave for Europe. He goes to have a pourparler with the Pope.
He will concede everything, since the Empire no longer hopes to win over
the moderate Mexicans. But the obstinate though Holy Father will
negotiate a concordat on one basis only, and that is the return to the
Mexican church of all nationalized church lands.

"Men of the colony, attention now! We each own something like three
hundred acres apiece of these lands. And we are paying for them, we are
cultivating them, and we have to defend them against both guerrillas and
contra-guerrillas. And now they are to be confiscated! Our new homes are
to be taken from us!! Alas, we who are peaceful settlers, to think that
we were Trojans on a time!!! Fellow citizens, with us it's a severe case
of _e