The Labor enquirer., 1886-07-10
AN ALLEGoRY.
Two Juvenile Newspaper
Friends Interview the
Sphynx.
They Ask the Lady Some Hard
Questions Which Are Still
Unanswered.
The Dreamer Has a Vision In Which
He BehOlds "The Enquirer's"
New Head.
For The Enquirer.

For The ENQUIRER.
After the usual manner of dealers il
allegorY l have dream to tell you. l
isn't much of an allegory either, bu
here is, string of picture suggestion
for your new head, Alas that shoulc
be the one to put head on you, bu
since so it is III make a good job of it..
stood on the sand looking up int,
the mysterious face of the Sphynx, tha
great stone Silence that the savans arr
about TO excavate and see if it has anv
thing to reveal in the region of itt
bowels. White looked earnestly upon
it the great face seemed to assume
more human and real aspect, and with
out surprise but with great interest, as
seeing in this complaisauce a communi-
Cati7e prospect, prepared to ask ques
toni don't remember what-bu
while hesitated an interruption oc
cured.
Two ch erubs, refined looking speci
mems Of the small boy, appeared on the
scene. Thev had rolls under their arms,
or bundles rather, and seemed an ethe
real sort Of newsbovs. AS thev looked
inQuisitlve Yielded the role Of interro.
gator to them, partly because l lmag-
ined a more benign expression on the
Face in part because knew the small
boy could get in more questions Pnd
center them better than anybody else.
Meantime the Face had settled to more
and more mpanlonable dimensions
till it was right down among US. The
smaller boy put down his bundle aQ /
sat upon it. By virtue Of the right of
the Youngest, as an American (Which
you could see he was he spoke first:
Say, old Spinck, ," said he, folks say
you know lot that you don't give away,
but we belong to the press and We
don't like to be put of without answers
like you've been doin' to other fellows.
Besides the whole world is dlsagreeiug
about the things we're a goin' to ask
YOU, and we have come to headquarters
for information"
The Sphynx tried not to look fattered
I'VE want you to give it 10 us straight" "
Exactly" said the larger boy.
Shall we begin with the dead ?" said
the small boy.
That will be so far back"
We'll, the unburied, then ?'
"All right, give her the sttffs.'
This amt no stiff, Miss SpinCk," pro
tested the small bov, We'll give it to
YOU straight an we want a straight
answer. First, we have seen some peO.
pie starved to death"
Il remember seven years of famine"
said the Sphynx, "but don't think any
body starved to death. The Pharaohs
got all the land then through corner
on readstuffs-there's a point for you
on the real etYmology of that word
and they made the people sing thu ugh
their noses l tell you But they didn't
starve anybody. They organized de-
partment of public works, and built
those pyramids yonder just to keep the
beggars busy in times of peace, to keer
them out of mischief and under the eyes
of the authorities. But they were all
we'll fed. All cattle ought to be fed"
But this is different, you see,' sale
the larger bov. These were not cattle
and there wasn't no famine. There was
plenty in the land, and no Pharaohs. 1r
fact these people were all kings. They
we're free and equal, and peers OF tie
realm. Everyone had as much to say
at least about the laws and administra
ton, as anyone else"
The Sphynx looked politely lncredu'
lous.
I'm fact" continued the larger boy
the man we want to ask your opinion
about first, lay dead of hunger with
ballot in his hand"
What's that ?" asked the Sphynx.
1T Is the scepter of the American
Sovereign" said the boy with Superlo
smile.
American p' said the SphynI will
petulant exclamation point.
20, forgot" said the boy, "pro0aol
YOU haven't Kept up with outside history
It'sa new republic in the west"
''On' said the SphYnx, absently.
But it's all the same anywhere, now,
said the smaller boy. You can Sc
these things even on the Nile"
The Sphynx woke up aRan.
And this dead king" continued tn
larger boy, clay stark and stiff upon al
upturned plow."
Was he tiller of the soil l?' querle'
the Sphynx.
That was his living" said the boy
while he did live, and such as it was
1T should be of the best" said tn
Sphynx severely. 1T is the first an
noblest occupation. But how do 70
say; tiller of the soil dying of stary'
ton, with plow under hlm2 Had h
no seed"
There was plenty to be had"
mo oxen %
They were fattening on the corn b