Page:Life in a thousand worlds.djvu/261

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256
LIFE IN A THOUSAND WORLDS.

After this manner the land owners grew more and more wealthy, built unto themselves handsome little villages, and lived in happiness and refinement. They also erected for themselves select schools and reserved beautiful plots for their luxury and amusement.

Then did the members of this Trust, in order to protect themselves from all possible trouble, pass a civil law forbidding any laborer to own an inch of soil. Thus it was very easy to convict a man of theft if soil could be found upon his person or premises.

Now, behold, there were many little spots of vegetation scattered here and there over this whole world. But the agents of the Trust sent out numerous expeditions to gather up all the loose earth that could be found and carry it to the soil centers. This work was so completely done that every nook and corner yeilded its accumulated dust to enlarge the gardens at the soil centers and thereby increase the riches of the Trust

Now, as time passed on, the children of the laborers were also employed to assist in earning bread, and in the course of a few