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boxes of dominos； packs of cards； magnetic fishes； bows and arrows； checker…boards and croquet sets。 Polly and Annie were more considerate。 Down to Coleman and Company they sent an order for pins； needles； hooks and eyes； buttons； tapes； and I know not what essentials。 India… rubber shoes for the children Mrs。 Haliburton insisted on sending。 Haliburton himself bought open…eye…shut…eye dolls； though I felt that wax had been； since Icarus's days； the worst article in such an adventure。 For the babies he had india…rubber rings： he had tin cows and carved wooden lions for the bigger children； drawing… tools for those older yet； and a box of crochet tools for the ladies。 For my part I piled in literature；a set of my own works； the Legislative Reports of the State of Maine； Jean Ingelow； as I said or intimated； and both volumes of the 〃Earthly Paradise。〃 All these were packed in sand； bagged and corded；bagged； sanded and corded again；yet again and again；five times。 Then the whole awaited Orcutt's orders and our calculations。
At last the moment came。 We had； at Orcutt's order； reduced the revolutions of the Flies to 7230； which was； as nearly as he knew； the speed on the fatal night。 We had soaked the bag for near twelve hours； and； at the moment agreed upon； rolled it on the Flies and saw it shot into the air。 It was so small that it went out of sight too soon for us to see it take fire。
Of course we watched eagerly for signal time。 They were all in bed on B。 M。 when we let fly。 But the despatch was a sad disappointment。
107。 〃Nothing has come through but two croquet balls and a china horse。 But we shall send the boys hunting in the bushes； and we may find more。〃
108。 〃Two Harpers and an Atlantic； badly singed。 But we can read all but the parts which were most dry。〃
109。 〃We see many small articles revolving round us which may perhaps fall in。〃
They never did fall in； however。 The truth was that all the bags had burned through。 The sand； I suppose； went to its place； wherever that was。 And all the other things in our bundle became little asteroids or aerolites in orbits of their own； except a well…disposed score or two； which persevered far enough to get within the attraction of Brick Moon and to take to revolving there； not having hit quite square； as the croquet balls did。 They had five volumes of the 〃Congressional Globe〃 whirling round like bats within a hundred feet of their heads。 Another body； which I am afraid was 〃The Ingham Papers；〃 flew a little higher； not quite so heavy。 Then there was an absurd procession of the woolly sheep； a china cow； a pair of india…rubbers； a lobster Haliburton had chosen to send； a wooden lion； the wax doll； a Salter's balance； the 〃New York Observer；〃 the bow and arrows； a Nuremberg nanny…goat； Rose's watering…pot； and the magnetic fishes； which gravely circled round and round them slowly and made the petty zodiac of their petty world。
We have never sent another parcel since； but we probably shall at Christmas； gauging the Flies perhaps to one revolution more。 The truth is； that although we have never stated to each other in words our difference of opinion or feeling； there is a difference of habit of thought in our little circle as to the position which the B。 M。 holds。 Somewhat similar is the difference of habit of thought in which different statesmen of England regard their colonies。
Is B。 M。 a part of our world； or is it not？ Should its inhabitants be encouraged to maintain their connections with us； or is it better for them to 〃accept the situation〃 and gradually wean themselves from us and from our affairs？ It would be idle to determine this question in the abstract： it is perhaps idle to decide any question of casuistry in the abstract。 But； in practice； there are constantly arising questions which really require some decision of this abstract problem for their solution。
For instance； when that terrible breach occurred in the Sandemanian church； which parted it into the Old School and New School parties； Haliburton thought it very important that Brannan and Orcutt and the church in B。 M。 under Brannan's ministry should give in their adhesion to our side。 Their church would count one more in our registry； and the weight of its influence would not be lost。 He therefore spent eight or nine days in telegraphing； from the early proofs； a copy of the address of the Chautauqua Synod to Brannan； and asked Brannan if he were not willing to have his name signed to it when it was printed。 And the only thing which Haliburton takes sorely in the whole experience of the Brick Moon； from the beginning； is that neither Orcutt nor Brannan has ever sent one word of acknowledgment of the despatch。 Once； when Haliburton was very low… spirited； I heard him even say that he believed they had never read a word of it； and that he thought he and Rob。 Shea had had their labor for their pains in running the signals out and in。
Then he felt quite sure that they would have to establish civil government there。 So he made up an excellent collection of books；De Lolme on the British Constitution； Montesquieu on Laws； Story； Kent； John Adams； and all the authorities here； with ten copies of his own address delivered before the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Society of Podunk； on the 〃Abnormal Truths of Social Order。〃 He telegraphed to know what night he should send them； and Orcutt replied：
129。 〃Go to thunder with your old law…books。 We have not had a primary meeting nor a justice court since we have been here； and； D。 V。； we never will have。〃
Haliburton says this is as bad as the state of things in Kansas； when； because Frank Pierce would not give them any judges or laws to their mind； they lived a year or so without any。 Orcutt added in his next despatch：
130。 〃Have not you any new novels？ Send up Scribe and the ‘Arabian Nights' and ‘Robinson Crusoe' and the ‘Three Guardsmen；' and Mrs。 Whitney's books。 We have Thackeray and Miss Austen。〃
When he read this； Haliburton felt as if they were not only light…footed but light…headed。 And he consulted me quite seriously as to telegraphing to them 〃Pycroft's Course of Reading。〃 I coaxed him out of that； and he satisfied himself with a serious expostulation with George as to the way in which their young folks would grow up。 George replied by telegraphing Brannan's last sermon； I Thessalonians iv。 II。 The sermon had four heads； must have occupied an hour and a half in delivery； and took five nights to telegraph。 I had another engagement； so that Haliburton had to sit it all out with his eye to Shubael； and he has never entered on that line of discussion again。 It was as well； perhaps； that he got enough of it。
The women have never had any misunderstandings。 When we had received two or three hundred despatches from B。 M。； Annie Haliburton came to me and said； in that pretty way of hers； that she thought they had a right to their turn again。 She said this lore about the Albert Nyanza and the North Pole was all very well； but； for her part； she wanted to know how they lived； what they did； and what they talked about； whether they took summer journeys； and how and what was the form of society where