The Hatter blushed and smiled foolishly. "I--ah--am thinking about that," he said with a funny little laugh. "It would be a most excellent thing to do, for in my opinion a great many people nowadays get married too thoughtlessly. Just because they happen to love each other they go off and get married, but under Municipal Control it would be much more difficult for a man or a woman to take so serious a step. For instance, if I had my way the Common Council would have to be asked for permission for a man to marry. The question would come up in the form of a bill, which would immediately be referred to the Committee on Matrimony, who would discuss it very thoroughly before bringing it before the Council. If a majority of the Committee considered that the application should be granted, then the matter should be placed before the whole Council, by which it should be debated in open public sessions, the applicant having been invited to appear and under cross-examination by the District Attorney demonstrate his fitness to be married. All others knowing any reason why he should not be married should also have the opportunity to appear and state their reasons for opposing the granting of the application. I am inclined to believe that this would put a stop to these hasty marriages which have given rise to that beautiful proverb, Married in Camden, Repent at South Dakota." "I should think it would," said Alice. "And when do you propose to start this plan along?" "Well, you see," said the Hatter with a giggle, "before I take final steps in the matter I wish to have a few words with--er--well--you know who--I----" "The Duchess," Alice ventured. "Ah, you precocious child!" cried the Hatter, tapping Alice on the shoulder coyly. "You must not believe all you overhear the Duchess say about me. She is so prejudiced, and blind to my faults. I--I'm almost sorry I connected you with her over the Municipaphone." CHAPTER VI THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC VERSE "I think," said the Hatter, "that before we go any further we would better show Miss Alice our Municipal Poetry Factory. The whistle will blow very shortly and our Divine Afflatus Dynamo will shut down, so if she is to see that feature of our work now is the time to do it. "Yes," said the March Hare, "although the office is in some confusion owing to your recent Municipal Order Number 20,367 making _Alabazam_ rhyme with _Mulligatawney_, and extending the number of lines in the municipal quatrains from four to twenty-three. The employees are finding considerable difficulty in making twenty-three-line quatrains and at least half the force have gone home suffering from acute attacks of brainstormitis." "It'll do em good," laughed the Hatter. "A good brain storm may result in a few of them being struck. Come along, Miss Alice, and we'll show you our City Poets at work." "I don't think I understand," said Alice. "What is a city poet?" [Illustration: "LARGER MEASURE THAN WAS THE CUSTOM"]