There was a spirit of intolerance abroad.
Sharon Whipple, becoming less and less restrained as the months went on, spoke of the staff of the _New Dawn_ in Merle's hearing.

He called it a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

Merle smiled tolerantly, and called Sharon a besotted reactionary, warning him further that such as he could never stem the tide of revolution now gathering for its full sweep.

Sharon retorted that it hadn't swept anything yet.
"Perhaps not yet--on the surface," said Merle.

"But now we shall show our teeth." Sharon fell to a low sort of wit in his retort.
"Better not show your teeth to the Government!" he warned.