From Mr. Dooley: In the Hearts of His Countrymen (Boston: Small, Maynard & Company, 1899).

“Th’ defeat iv Humanity be Prosperity was wan iv th’ raysults iv th’ iliction,” said Mr. Dooley.

“What are you talking about?” asked Mr. McKenna, gruffly.

“Well,” said Mr. Dooley, “I thought it was McKinley an’ Hobart that won out, but I see now that it’s McKinley an’ Prosperity. If Bryan had been elected, Humanity would have had a front seat an’ a tab. Th’ sufferin’s iv all th’ wurruld would have ended; an’ Jawn H. Humanity would be in th’ White House, throwin’ his feet over th’ furniture an’ receivin’ th’ attintions iv diplomats an’ pleeniapotentiaries. It was decided otherwise be th’ fates, as th’ Good Book says. Prosperity is th’ bucko now. Barrin’ a sthrike at th’ stock-yards an’ a hold-up here an’ there, Prosperity has come leapin’ in as if it had jumped fr’m a springboard. Th’ mills are opened, th’ factories are goin’ to go, th’ railroads are watherin’ stocks, long processions iv workin’men are marchin’ fr’m th’ pay-car to their peaceful saloons, their wives are takin’ in washin’ again, th’ price iv wheat is goin’ up an’ down, creditors are beginnin’ to sue debtors; an’ thus all th’ wurruld is merry with th’ on’y rational enjoyments iv life.

“An’ th’ stock exchange has opened. That’s wan iv th’ strongest signs iv prosperity. I min’ wanst whin me frind Mike McDonald was controllin’ th’ city, an’ conductin’ an exchange down be Clark Sthreet. Th’ game had been goin’ hard again th’ house. They hadn’t been a split f’r five deals. Whin ivrybody was on th’ queen to win, with th’ sivin spot coppered, th’ queen won, th’ sivin spot lost. Wan lad amused himsilf be callin’ th’ turn twinty-wan times in succession, an’ th’ check rack was down to a margin iv eleven whites an’ fifty-three cints in change. Mike looked around th’ crowd, an’ turned down th’ box. ‘Gintlemen,’ says he, ‘th’ game is closed. Business conditions are such,’ he says, ‘that I will not be able to cash in ye’er checks,’ he says. ‘Please go out softly, so’s not to disturb th’ gintlemen at th’ roulette wheel,’ he says, ‘an’ come back afther th’ iliction, whin confidence is restored an’ prosperity returns to th’ channels iv thrade an’ industhry,’ he says. ‘Th’ exchange ‘ll be opened promptly; an’ th’ usual rule iv chips f’r money an’ money f’r chips, fifty on cases an’ sivinty-five f’r doubles, a hard-boiled egg an’ a dhrink f’r losers, will prevail,’ he says. ‘Return with th’ glad tidings iv renewed commerce, an’ thank th’ Lord I haven’t took ye’er clothes.’ His was th’ first stock exchange we had.

“Yes, Prosperity has come hollerin’ an screamin’. To read th’ papers, it seems to be a kind iv a vagrancy law. No wan can loaf anny more. Th’ end iv vacation has gone f’r manny a happy lad that has spint six months ridin’ through th’ counthry, dodgin’ wurruk, or loafin’ under his own vine or hat-three. Prosperity grabs ivry man be th’ neck, an’ sets him shovellin’ slag or coke or runnin’ up an’ down a ladder with a hod iv mortar. It won’t let th’ wurruld rest. If Humanity ‘d been victoryous, no wan ‘d iver have to do a lick again to th’ end iv his days. But Prosperity’s a horse iv another color. It goes round like a polisman givin’ th’ hot fut to happy people that are snoozin’ in th’ sun. ‘Get up,’ says Prosperity. ‘Get up, an’ hustle over to th’ rollin’ mills: there’s a man over there wants ye to carry a ton iv coal on ye’er back.’ ‘But I don’t want to wurruk,’ says th’ lad. ‘I’m very comfortable th’ way I am.’ ‘It makes no difference,’ says Prosperity. ‘Ye’ve got to do ye’er lick. Wurruk, f’r th’ night is comin’. Get out, an’ hustle. Wurruk, or ye can’t be unhappy; an’, if th’ wurruld isn’t unhappy, they’se no such a thing as Prosperity.’

“That’s wan thing I can’t understand,” Mr. Dooley went on. “Th’ newspapers is run be a lot iv gazabos that thinks wurruk is th’ ambition iv mankind. Most iv th’ people I know ‘d be happiest layin’ on a lounge with a can near by, or stretchin’ thimsilves f’r another nap at eight in th’ mornin’. But th’ papers make it out that there ‘d be no sunshine in th’ land without you an’ me, Hinnissy, was up before daybreak pullin’ a sthreet-car or poundin’ sand with a shovel. I seen a line, ‘Prosperity effects on th’ Pinnsylvania Railroad’; an’ I read on to find that th’ road intinded to make th’ men in their shops wurruk tin hours instead iv eight, an’ it says ‘there’s no reasons why they should not wurruk Sundahs iv they choose.’ If they choose! An’ what chance has a man got that wants to make th’ wurruld brighter an’ happier be rollin’ car-wheels but to miss mass an’ be at th’ shops?”

“We must all work,” said Mr. McKenna, sententiously.

“Yes,” said Mr. Dooley, “or be wurruked.”