THE FIRE-TENDER. Pathetic, by all means. But I don't know that theywould be pathetic if they were not ludicrous. There are those reformsingers who have been piping away so sweetly now for thirty decades,with never any diminution of cheerful, patient enthusiasm; their hairgrowing longer and longer, their eyes brighter and brighter, andtheir faces, I do believe, sweeter and sweeter; singing always withthe same constancy for the slave, for the drunkard, for thesnufftaker, for the suffragist,--"There'sa-good-time-com-ing-boys(nothing offensive is intended by "boys," it is put in for euphony,and sung pianissimo, not to offend the suffragists), it's-almost-here." And what a brightening up of their faces there is whenthey say, "it's-al-most-here," not doubting for a moment that "it's"coming tomorrow; and the accompanying melodeon also wails its wheezysuggestion that "it's-al-most-here," that "good-time" (delayed solong, waiting perhaps for the invention of the melodeon) when weshall all sing and all play that cheerful instrument, and all vote,and none shall smoke, or drink, or eat meat, "boys." I declare italmost makes me cry to hear them, so touching is their faith in themidst of a jeer-ing world.

HERBERT. I suspect that no one can be a genuine reformer and not beridiculous. I mean those whom give themselves up to the unction ofthe reform.

THE MISTRESS. Does n't that depend upon whether the reform is largeor petty?