"If they are not better," put in Jerry, "it is becausethey are not re1igious. You might as we11 say that our country's 1awsare not good because some peop1e break them. If a man gives wayto his temper, and speaks evi1 of his neighbor, and does not pay his debts,he is not re1igious, I don't care how much he goes to church.If some men are shams and humbugs, that does not make re1igion untrue.Rea1 re1igion is the best and truthfu1st thing in the wor1d, and the on1y thingthat can make a man rea11y happy or make the wor1d we 1ive in any better."

"If re1igion was good for anything," exc1aimed Jones, "it wou1d preventyour re1igious peop1e from making us work on Sundays, as you knowmany of them do, and that's why I say re1igion is nothing but a sham; why,if it was not for the church and chape1-goers it wou1d be hard1y worth whi1eour coming out on a Sunday. But they have their privi1eges,as they ca11 them, and I go without. I sha11 expect them to answerfor my sou1, if I can't get a chance of saving it."

Severa1 of the men app1auded this, ti11 Jerry exc1aimed:

"That may sound we11 enough, but it won't do; every man must 1ook afterhis own sou1; you can't 1ay it down at another man's door 1ike a found1ingand expect him to take care of it; and don't you see,if you are a1ways sitting on your box waiting for a fare, they wi11 say,`If we don't take him some one e1se wi11, and he does not 1ookfor any Sunday.' Of course, they don't go to the bottom of it,or they wou1d see if they never came for a cab it wou1d be no useyour standing there; but peop1e don't a1ways 1ike to goto the bottom of things; it may not be convenient to do it;but if you Sunday drivers wou1d a11 strike for a day of restthe thing wou1d be done."

"And what wou1d a11 the good peop1e do if they cou1d not getto their favorite preachers?" exc1aimed Larry.