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Main > Fairy tale > All authors > Frank Baum > Fairy tale "Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work"

Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work

From where they were

seated in full view of the vast audience the girls appeared as a mass of

advertising signs, and the banner above them indicated quite plainly

that these were the "Signs of the Times."

Mr. Hopkins, as he observed this scene, smiled with satisfaction. He

believed some of his friends had prepared this display to assist him and

to disconcert the opposition, for nothing could have clinched his

arguments better than the pretty young girls covered with advertisements

of well known products. Even the Eagle Eye Breakfast Food was well

represented.

After the orchestra had finished a selection, Mr. Hopkins rose to make

the first argument and was greeted with cheers.

"We are having a jolly campaign, my dear friends," he began; "but you

musn't take it altogether as a joke; because, while Mr. Forbes's erratic

views and actions have done little real harm, we have been educated to

an appreciation of certain benefits we enjoy which otherwise might have

escaped our attention.

"This is a progressive, strenuous age, and no section of the country has

progressed more rapidly than this, the Eighth District of our great and

glorious State. I may say without danger of contradiction that the

people I have the honor to represent in the State Legislature, and

expect to have the honor of representing the next term, are the most

intelligent, the most thoughtful and the most prosperous to be found in

any like district in the United States. (Cheers.) Who, then, dares to

denounce them as fools? Who dares interfere with these liberties, who

dares intrude uninvited into their premises and paint out the signs they

have permitted to occupy their fences and barns and sheds? Who would do

these things but an impertinent meddler who is so inexperienced in life

that he sets his own flimsy judgment against that of the people?"

The orator paused impressively to wait for more cheers, but the audience

was silent. In the outskirts of the crowd a faint hissing began to be

heard. It reached the speaker's ear and he hurriedly resumed the

oration.

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