order to be successful in his business he must either be ignorant and superstitious himself, living in a little narrow, mental world, or he must tacitly, and sometimes even avowedly, sanction the ignorance and superstition of his customers. For, very likely, if he expresses his honest convictions concomitant with a higher state of culture in all directions, he offends some of his customers from the _profit_ of whose purchases he must live, and financial ruin would be the result.” “These are all facts,” said Mr. Uwins; “they are no exaggerations, and many of our foremost thinkers have seen them more or less clearly for some time; but no one thus far seems to know how to make the proper adjustment with our present amount of intelligence.” “I think it is now getting to be time to direct our course toward home,” said Mr. Midith. At this we all rose to our feet, and prepared to stroll homeward. “When we started from home you asked me for my company, Viola,” said Mr. Midith. “You claimed that you were better acquainted in the woods, and would, therefore, according to the customs of Mars, volunteer to be my guide. But now, in returning, I shall ask you for your company; of course, you can accept or reject, just as you desire. This is also according to the customs of Mars.” “Why, Mr. Midith, I am sure I shall accept your company with the greatest of pleasure,” said Viola, as we started toward home. CHAPTER XIII. MONEY, OR MEDIUM OF EXCHANGE. “Mr. Midith, will you please give us an account of your monetary system?” asked Mr. Uwins, as the whole family were enjoying the green lawn, after our first stroll. “With the greatest of pleasure,” said Mr. Midith, apparently enjoying a high sense of satisfaction. “But, before I proceed with the monetary account, allow me to say that this door-yard picture, as we are here now, reminds me of a miniature Marsian family. All appear healthy, happy, intelligent, clean, amiable and courteous. I can not help feeling grateful toward you for your kind hospitality, and shall always remember you, whether I shall ever be able to return to my beloved native home or not.” “Mr. Midith, you owe us no debt of gratitude; but, on the contrary, we owe you,” said Mrs. Uwins. “I have never before been so intensely interested in anything as I am in your Marsian narrative. Your social, industrial, and domestic arrangement seems to be so perfect, and yet there is nothing miraculous in it. It is all human. With a little more intelligence of the masses, we can easily do what the Marsites have already done. With a little additional knowledge, we ought to be able to live in large families and build our houses in lines, and the rest will naturally follow.” “Now the account of your monetary system,” said Viola with a pleasant smile on her countenance. “I am anxious to know whether the Marsites are in pursuit of money as eagerly as we are, and how _ladies_ and _children_ get their money.”