son himself that wouldn't
go in these democratic days. Punishment for Bonaparte was the correct
thing, and Bonaparte expected some, but was not grasping enough to
want it all. They added that recent fully settled ideas as to a humane
application of the laws required the bunching of the indictments or
the selection of one and a fair trial based upon that, and that anyhow,
under no circumstances, should a wholly innocent person be made to
suffer for the crimes of another. These journals were suppressed, but
the next day a set of new papers were started to promulgate the same
theories as to individual rights. The province of Cimmeria declared
itself independent of the throne, and set up in the business of
government for itself. Gehenna declared for the Emperor, but insisted
upon home rule for cities of its own class, and finally, as I informed
you at the beginning, Washington, Cromwell, and Caesar went in person to
Apollyon and demanded a constitution. That was the day before yesterday,
and just what will come of it we don't as yet know, because Washington
and Cromwell and Caesar have not been seen since, but we have great
fears for them, because seventeen car-loads of vitriol and a thousand
extra tons of coal were ordered by the Lord High Steward of the palace
to be delivered to the Minister of Justice last night."

"Quite a complication," said I. "The Americanization of Hades has begun
at last. How does society regard the affair?"

"Variously," observed Boswell. "Society hates the government as much as
anybody, and really believes in curtailing the Emperor's powers, but,
on the other hand, it desires to maintain all of its own aristocratic
privileges. The main trouble in Hades at present is the gradual
disintegration of society; that is to say, its former component parts
are beginning to differentiate themselves the one from the other."

"Like capital and labor here?" I queried.

"In a sense, yes--possibly more like your Colonial Dames, and Daughters
of the Revolution. For instance, great organizations are in process
of formation--people are beginning to flock together for purposes
of protection. Charles the First and Henry the Eighth and Louis the
Fourteenth have established Ye Ancient and Honorable Order of Kings, to
which only those who have actually worn crowns shall be eligible. The
painters have gotten together with a Society of Fine Arts, the sculptors
have formed a Society of Chisellers, and all the authors fr