Chapter XXVIII (Heaven Worketh With The Bamboozlers, Confirming Their, Words, With Signs Following) (Heaven Worketh With The Bamboozlers, Confirming Their, Words, With Signs Following). Heaven Worketh With The Bamboozlers, Confirming Their. Words, With Signs Following. - Great Experience Meeting Around The Flag. - Harry Grand-Dadhat Tells What The Flag Hath Done For His Soul And Body. - Likewise Andronicus Carnivorous. - Wonderful Proofs Of The Fact That God Helps Those Who Are Not Slow At Helping Themselves.

THEN Chancy Mountebank Dephool Flea had got through with his highly successful oration, he ordered the loud-noise-producing instruments to strike up their loudest, and the pretty cloths to be waved on high with the greatest vigor, in order to keep up the effect that had been produced, and to scare away from the door-w.iys of the dogs' brains, any sober reflections that might, perchance, be seeking entrance there; and at a given signal, a very large and pretty cloth - which until then, had been kept hidden - having on it a number of white spots and red streaks, was run up to the top of a tall pole and thrown to the breeze. Whereupon, the whole multitude of the fleas, rose up, and prostrated themselves to it, crying: "Hail I All Hail I All Holy Flag, The Flag, the Flag, the Flag of the Free The Flag of the dog, and Flag of the flea."

And there came a great darkness over all the land ; and the atmosphere was suffused with ghostly green and yellow lights, that cast a lurid gloom over the whole assembly; and out of the darkness there came lightnings and a voice of thunder, saying:

"Who doubteth that this is the Flag of the Free, And boweth not down, thrice cursed be he."

And all the multitude of the fleas, cried out in chorus, "Amen."

By this time, all the poor dogs were shaking like leaves in the breeze, and they cried out: "What shall we do? What shall we dO?"

And the voice thundered again :

"Bow down, bow down to the Flag of the Free, Bow down, and thank God for sweet Liberty/'

And all the multitude of the prostrate fleas, cried out again in chorus: "Aye! Bow down."

And again the ghostly lights flashed, and all manner of solemn and awful noises were heard.

And the dogs being dazed and dazzled and confused with the awful sights and sounds, began everywhere to fall down and worship the Flag, and, catching the enthusiasm, they soon were shouting as loud as they could, which with many of them was not very loud; for they were so hungry and weak that their breath failed them, but they did the best they could.

Then was lifted up the voice of the Reverend Tee de Little Wit Blatherskite, proclaiming: "Let there now be a time of silent lifting up of the heart in thanksgiving to God for this our Flag, the most glorious on earth, and for these our liberties, the only real ones on earth."

And it was so. And there came a solemn hush over all the bowed assembly, broken only by pious sighs, groans and ejaculations from the fleas, which, by contagion, was taken up by the dogs, who were soon sighing and groaning and ejaculating too, until the air was heavy with a solemn buzz. Then there blew a holy wind from Heaven, that lifted up the folds of the beautiful flag and caused it to wave with solemn flappings most beautifully; and the solemn darkness began to pass away, to the accompaniment of low, soft music, as of angel songs stealing down from Heaven; and the sun shone out in splendor, and cast his brilliant beams right on the beautiful Flag, that was transfigured in the glory of it.

Then proclaimed the Reverend Tee de Little Wit Blatherskite - who seemed to have naturally become the Master of Ceremonies - "Brethren, let us sing:

"My Country, 'tis of Thee, Sweet land of liberty,

Of Thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrim's pride, From every mountain side,

Let Freedom ring.

"My native country! Thee, Land of the noble Free,

Thy name I love. I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills, My heart with rapture thrills, Like that above.

"Let music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees,

Sweet Freedom's song. Let mortal tongues awake; Let all that breathe partake; Let rocks their silence break: The sound prolong."

Then the whole assembly arose, and the loud-noise-producing instruments joined in. And the fleas being very vigorous, and fat and strong, lifted up their voices with tremendous energy; and all the salaried barkers, and the police dogs, and all the other dogs that were well-fed and rotund of belly, were in good voice, so that they all sent up a volume of glad sound that made the air shake and caused the great Flag to give an extra flap; but the other dogs, being very weak with hunger, and short of wind, could not do so well, but they, nevertheless, made a very respectable noise and were very happy.

When the singing was over, the Reverend Tee de Little Wit Blatherskite lifted up his right paw, commanding attention, and said: "Brethren, both dogs and fleas - I may call you brethren, for beneath the all-encompassing folds of this glorious Flag, we are all equal [mighty applause from the fleas, echoed by the dogs] - I think it would be very appropriate upon this occasion, and well pleasing to God, to turn this into an experience meeting; and let each of us testify to the blessings of Liberty, that our beloved Flag has conferred upon us. Let any dog or flea get up and speak, for all are equal here. Brother Grandadhat, suppose you cheer us with your experience."