They will live in the palaces now
occupied by the parasites who do no work. Such places as the Waldoria
Hotel will be utilized for their benefit, and those who do not work,
those who claim the right to live without labor, will be thrown out
entirely."
"Why, Mr. Convert, what do you mean by talking in such a beastly way? If
you are so fond of those vulgar street-sweepers, why don't you become
one of them?"
"I have," I answered. "The man you saw today sweeping the streets was
none other than myself, and I am proud of it."
"You are either joking or else you have gone out of your mind," said
Mrs. Snipe with a look of disgust. But upon my reiteration that I was
really the man she saw, both she and her daughters abruptly left my
presence and never looked at me afterwards. They no doubt communicated
the text of our conversation to the different people of the hotel, also,
for I discovered later that the other guests with whom I had become
acquainted, not only refused to converse with me, but regarded me as a
sort of curiosity or peculiar freak of nature. They would pass me on the
street, where I was working at different times, in their gorgeous
carriages, and, calling each other's attention would pass jokes at my
expense, and laugh loud and mockingly at me. At first these things
troubled me to some degree, but gradually I gathered courage to bear
their sneers-courage such as I had never experienced before.
I had faced all manner of dangers during my life without fear, but I had
never known the real meaning of courage until I made up my mind to do
right under all conditions, and accept the ridicule of my fellow beings
without resentment.
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