I felt that China hadn't been used exactly right; I knowed it. Younger nations--new-comers, as you may say--had made light on her and abused her, usin' the very type the Chinese had invented to say they didn't know anything and usin' the gunpowder they had invented to blow 'em up with. I had felt that the Powers hadn't treated 'em well, and I had made up my mind some time ago that when I see the Powers I should tell 'em what I thought on't. Then there wuz the opium trade--a burnin' shame! I wanted to sympathize with her about that, but thought mebby it wuz best to not harrer up her feelin's any more, so I sez in a real polite way: "I have nothin' further to say now, Si Ann, only to bid you adoo and to tell you that if you ever come to Jonesville be sure and come and see me; I'll be proud and happy to have you." Here Josiah had to put in his note: "Good-by, Widder!" sez he. If I had had time I would have tutored him; he spoke just as he would to widder Gowdey. I wanted him to act more courtly and formal, but it wuz too late, it wuz spoke. "Good-by, Widder; we'll have to be a-goin'. We've had quite a spell of weather, but it looks some like rain now, and I have a important engagement to-night, and we'll have to be gittin' hum." But I gently withdrawed him, bowin' very low myself and lookin' dretful smilin' at her. Like all great monarchs, she wanted to make her visitors a present, and she proposed to send us several drawin's of tea of the kind she used, and a little hunk of opium, though, as I told her, I should never use it in the world only to smoke in a pipe for the toothache; and she also proposed to send us a china sugar-bowl and a piece of the Chinee wall, which last I told her I should value high as a sign that the old things wuz passin' away and better days comin'. And then I made some more real low bows and Josiah did, bein' wunk at by me, and we withdrawed ourselves from the Presence. But Josiah, always overdoin' things, takin' out his bandanna and a-wavin' it towards her as he bowed most to the ground. But what wuz my surprise as we walked away kinder backward, Josiah mutterin' to me that he should fall flat if he backed off much furder! What wuz my horrow to see Arvilly advance with a copy of her books and present 'em to the Empress. One of the ladies-in-waiting, who seemed to talk English quite considerable, looked at the books and read their titles to her Majesty, who immediately signified her desire to purchase 'em, and before she left the group Arvilly had sold three copies of the "Twin Crimes" and two of the "Wild and Warlike." Poor Empress! Poor Si Ann! Well might she treasure the last-named book, "The Wild, Wicked and Warlike Deeds of Men." Poor thing! I am afraid she will see plenty of it herself. Them Powers, sometimes, when they git to goin', act like the Old Harry. CHAPTER XX