"Socialism? Oh--why, yes. I think we did. But that was twenty years ago." "And it didn't last? You've proved the impracticable folly of it? You've discarded it?" I sat up straight, very eager. "Why, no--" said Nellie. "It's very hard to put these new things into old words--We've got beyond it." "Beyond Socialism! Not--not--Anarchy?" "Oh, bless you, no; no indeed! We understand better what socialism meant, that's all. We have more, much more, than it ever asked; but we don't call it that." I did not understand. "It's like this," she said. "Suppose you had left a friend in the throes of a long, tempestuous' courtship, full of ardor, of keen joy, and keener anticipation. Then, returning, you say to your friend, 'Do you still have courtship?' And he says, 'Why no, I'm married.' It's not that he has discarded it, proved it's impracticable folly. He had to have it--he liked it--but he's got beyond it." "Go on and elucidate," I said. "I don't quite follow your parable." She considered a bit. "Well, here's a more direct parallel. Back in the 18th century, the world was wild about Democracy--Democracy was going to do all things for all men. Then, with prodigious struggles, they acquired some Democracy--set it going. It was a good thing. But it took time. It grew. It had difficulties. In the next century, there was less talk about all the heavenly results of Democracy, and more definite efforts to make it work." This was clearer. "You mean," I followed her slowly. "That what was called socialism was attained--and you've been improving upon it?" "Exactly, Brother, 'you are on'--as we used to say. But even that's not the main step." "No? What else?" "Only a New Religion." I showed my disappointment. Nellie watched my face silently. She laughed. She even kissed me. "John," said she, "I could make vast sums by exhibiting you to psychologists! as An Extinct Species of Mind. You'd draw better than a Woolly Mammoth." I smiled wryly; and she squeezed my hand. "Might as well make a joke of it, Old Man--you've got to get used to it, and 'the sooner the quicker!'" "All right--Go ahead with your New Religion." She sat back in her chair with an expression of amused retrospection. "I had forgotten," she said, "I had really forgotten. We didn't use to think much of religion, did we?" "Father did," said I. "No, not even Father and his kind--they only used it as a--what was the old joke? a patent fire escape! Nobody appreciated Religion!" "They spent much time and money on it," I suggested. "_That's_ not appreciation!" "Well, come on with the story. Did you have another Incarnation of any body?" "You might call it that," Nellie allowed, her voice growing quietly earnest, "We certainly had somebody with an unmistakable Power."