 CHAPTER 7 THE WATER WORLD VISITED As I lingered in the region of the constellation of Centaurus, I was more and more profoundly impressed with the magnitude and variety of created worlds. Among the eighteen planets that revolve around Alpha Centaurus, only six are inhabited. One of these is a sinless world, or a world whereupon sin never inaugurated its blighting reign. But I will say nothing of this orb as I did not have the choice opportunity to visit it a right. I saw its beauty only through a glass darkly. I then fixed my mind on Polaris, commonly called the North Star. In journeying thither from Centaurus, I passed thousands of solar systems scattered in space all around me. As I was thus darting through immensity, I glanced toward our own solar system, and could see nothing but a flickering star which was our sun. Not the faintest sign could I see of our world or Jupiter. A strange feeling passed over me when I began to realize how far I was from home. I sped onward until I reached the North Star. It is a burning sun, but not inhabited. Polaris is the center of a magnificent system. If a certain few of its worlds could be seen through a telescope, they would be picturesque in the extreme, somewhat resembling our beautiful Saturn, moon-like frisky lambs around some of its worlds, and many commons dance through the length of the whole system in richer confusion than we have ever beheld in the range of our telescopic vision. Counting the worlds of larger size only, there are nearly one hundred that fly through their orbits around Polaris, some with amazing velocity. Within the bounds of the solar system, I spent considerable time. The third worlds that I visited I will call Daza. It is two hundred millions of miles from Polaris, and is 450 times as large as our world. I was amazed at the new turn of life manifestation that I found there. To me it was unusually interesting because its temperature is quite similar to ours, but the order of life is reversed so completely that the human beings inhibit the water, and the long narrow strips of earth are infested with numerous species of land animals. It may seem incredible that the depths of the ocean should be the seat of intelligence rivaling our own. The human creatures of Staza average a trifle larger than size than we, but they travel horizontally in water like a large fish. The limbs support the body in rest, and in traveling are used like the hind legs of a frog, only more gracefully. The arms closely resemble ours, and have an infinite variety of uses. In addition there are four fin-like arms that fold into the body when at rest, but are spread for service when traveling. In all it must be admitted that these Staza people are capable of traveling more rapidly, and covering longer distances with much less fatigue than are we. They can also carry greater burdens with more ease. They wear no garments except one or two small pieces made of a tough species of sea grass. Five-sixth of Staza are covered with water, and its depth at a few points is very great. Throughout all the water regions there are many kinds of animal life, more than can be found in our oceans. Thousands of human lives have been lost in conflict with the fiercer kinds of these water animals, with which the people of Staza entered upon a war of extermination over one thousand years ago, and while intelligence is slowly winning the battle, yet the warfare is likely to continue many centuries to come, owing to the fact that these hostile fish occupy the soundless depths even as deep as four or five hundred miles according to our measurement. Horned fish rising from these depths are a horrible menace to excursion parties or caravans, as well as to settlers on what we would call the frontier. The homes of Staza are made of metallic substances. There are a few minerals very plentiful, resembling brass, and it is a common sight to see polished buildings fantastic in their arrangement, shining through the polluted water like gold. The cities are built on gentle inclines in the deeper waters, and present a picturesque scene. They look more like a cluster of giant fairy abodes than like New York or London. Nothing in all the world of Staza resembles a product of our manufacturer, more than the fine screening that protects every human dwelling from an invasion of small water animals. It reminded me of the mosquito netting as a safeguard against flies and other insects of our world. But the mosquito baffles our genius, for he seems to be able to get through as small an opening as air can. Likewise, the bestiferous water animals seem to invade the homes of Staza, non-standing all their efforts at prevention. The cities have no continuous streets or lanes. The principal travel is in the water over the city. The main entrance to the home is on the housetop. In the center of large buildings there is a shaft running up and down, through which the people go with greater ease than we can climb or descend our stairways. It must not be forgotten that the water to them is like air to us, and in their domestic life the people are annoyed by cloudy and muddy turns of water, just as we are by clouds of dust in the air on the streets or in our homes. The wear and tear caused by chemical action of water on houses and furniture is not as great as the injury in our world caused by the chemical action of air, heat, and moisture. The educational systems of Staza are quite as perfect for that world as our own systems are for ours. They have an alphabet covering their needs and language consisting of a series of strokes, curves, and angles, somewhat resembling our shorthand systems. This language is identical in print or script and is superior to our method of expressing thought by handwriting. The experts of Staza have learned the art of slicing metallic blocks into sheets of any desired thickness. These sheets serve the same purpose for them as paper does for us, and are furnished at an insignificant cost of labor. We have the very elements in our earth to produce these metallic blocks if we knew the combination, which might be easily found if we had as much need for them as the people of this water world. The metallic blocks are used for a great variety of purposes. There are some high class artists who have immortalized themselves by their masterpieces, one of which I saw on a five corner metallic sheet measuring about eight feet in diameter. That's the most surprising feature of the educational advancement of these water spirits is their knowledge of astronomy. To them, under the water, the stars have always looked beautiful, and from an early date in their history, a study of them has engaged the attention of their scholars. No one could tell the style of their telescopes if he should go guessing for a week. Let me give you a brief description of one. They build a metallic pipe about ten feet in diameter, and from a point some two hundred feet below the surface of the water. The pipe is built until it extends a few feet above water. Inside of this pipe is a series of transparent ovals of various sizes. These ovals are so arranged that the upper one throws its light to the lower one, down through the immense cylinder. Around each oval is built a series of fin protectors, which is the only part about the telescope I could not fully understand. They seem to counteract the refraction of the water, and yet water must be in the pipe to obtain proper results. Imagine an astronomer at the base of this huge metallic structure, having at his fingers ends a dozen wire strings intricately connected with the oval system, and by the proper use of which he can increase or decrease the magnifying power of this ponderous telescope. The highest magnifying power of a telescope of this size is so great that the Milky Way is penetrated and its solar systems revealed. What an accomplishment it would be if a telescope of this magnitude could be mounted, a thing that these creatures never attempted to do. But they have built telescopes at various inclinations, all stationary. You can form an idea of the patience and endurance of these people, when you learn that it requires over 50 years of our time for them to perfect one of these large instruments. Give human brains to any animal, underwater or over water, and it will grasp for large reviews of its creator and the things that he made. These people are thoroughly convinced that intelligent life can be found in any world where there is enough water to sustain it. In the waters of Staza there are many undercurrents similar to our Gulf Stream. These are used by the inhabitants for transportation. They construct little hammock cars so that the way they are filled with human freight they float in the water. A simple device which we might call a fin propeller is used to force the car in one direction or another as necessity may require. It is possible to enter one of these under streams and thus travel over 2,000 miles. Then by rowing only 5 miles, enter the return current and move onward. A car or special design is furnished by each community in which each bridal pair spends the wedlock ride or the honeymoon as we would call it. There is nothing more interesting about this race of beings than the manner in which they pluck land fruit and catch land animals, and yet when you compare this with our world it is the same to them as fishing is to us. In all my interstellar journeys perhaps there was nothing so amusing to me as to see a company of these water creatures fishing for land animals. They would creep up near shore and throw out their wire lines with various kinds of bait, according to what they wished to catch. Then followed the inevitable waiting until some innocent jaleep or pretzel would grasp the tempting morsel on the hook. A skilful jerk fastened the victim and instead of pulling him into the water, the fisherman held his breath and rushed out of the water to get his prize. This has been found to be a safer method than trying to pull the prize into the water. These water dwellers relish certain land animals more than we do fish. Of course the land strips are not inhabited by human beings, but vegetation is abundant similar to that found in our tropical regions. Many kinds of fruit growing on the land are sought after by the masters of the water. In the season when certain fruits are ripe whole expeditions go out to gather them. But how can they live away from the great body of water while plucking these fruits? Let me tell you how they manage it. They have what we would call water wagons, very wide and short and equipped with buckets. At the rear of one of these strangely shaped carriages stand a four or six minute breast immersing their heads in the water of the wagon for a fresh breath as often as necessity requires. Thus they are enabled to travel over land to any desired locality, always being careful to keep near enough to the water to cover any emergency. When they arrive at the fruit each man takes his bucket of water and proceeds to work. He plucks fruit or berries for about thirty seconds and then ducks his head into his bucket of water for a fresh breath. Then he proceeds as before. When the water is no longer fit for breathing he carries his fruit and water bucket to the wagon. Here he unloads his fruit and refills his bucket from the wagon, proceeding as before. In intervals the wagon must be refilled with water. During a day a few men can gather a large quantity of fruit in its manner and it can be preserved for over four seasons. On staza there has been developed a fine variety of water flowers and no gardens are more beautiful than those that can be seen here. The higher classes of these people live a very refined life and have their home surrounded with an endless variety of water grasses and flowers. You would scarcely believe your eyes if you could direct your gaze to a few of these homes. In their religious life these designs are eminently devoted. They have no bunch of creeds from which to take their choice, but follow the teachings of the great interpreter, a man who once lived and reigned amongst them, and who wrote his laws on what we would call, by interpretation, the Book of Gold. The leaves of this book are made from an element costly and rare, more precious to them than gold is to us. From this book all their sacred books are copied. The civil powers also accept this book as their authority and enforce its teachings. Sin there, as here, is the withering blast of the planet, the destroyer of the harvest fields of purity and truth. An invisible spirit of evil holds its force in disciplined command, and the man who wishes to have a pure heart and staza must reach it through conflicts long and sharp. The path to moral and spiritual purity is quite the same throughout the whole universe. Chapter 8. TORT II. After I had finished my interesting tour of staza, I visited in quick succession a score or more of worlds that also revolve around Polaris at varying distances. I found the majority of these planets barren of all life, owing principally to their molten condition. Some unthinkable types of human existence are occupying the worlds that can be inhabited. I marveled aloud as I viewed a few more links of the endless chain of intelligent creation. On one of these worlds, which I have christened TORT II, I found human beings that resemble us more than any others in the entire solar bounds of Polaris. TORT II dashes along in its unceasing course at a distance of 800 millions of miles from Polaris. It is much larger than our world, and is accompanied by three moons and a set of rings which faintly suggested our picturesque Saturn. The poles of TORT II are inclined at an angle of 33 degrees to the plane of its orbit. This accounts for its temperature being quite similar to ours, although its year is eight times longer. When I first reached this world, I was impressed with its wealth of natural scenery. Flowers of charming texture and color grew abundantly over the wide expanses. The cultivated gardens contain specimens of unusual beauty, surpassing the finest products of our earth. When I examined the leaves of the many kinds of trees, I found none similar to the foliage of our planet, except in one or two fruit-bearing trees. The sky, instead of appearing blue, wears a greenish tinge, and the birds are robed in a variety of colors that would put to naught our arching rainbows. In fine, it must be admitted that TORT II is a much more beautiful world than ours. I saw colors there that we could not produce because we have not the proper elements. This delightful world is densely populated. Its history is much older than ours. The ocean is firmly rooted in the whole planet, and its curse is just as blighting and withering as it is in our world, although it is fought more successfully and overcome more effectually in the home and in the nation. I observed that the ecclesiastical system is similar to ours, and there is a great profusion of creeds. To my surprise I noted, in my long journey, that such a variety did not interfere with true progress, but was compatible with a purest kind of life and the highest order of civilization. The people are deeply devoted to their unseen God, and their sacrifices are astonishing. Their places of worship are the finest structures of the world. They believe it to be wrong to construct any building greater in beauty and value than the temples of God. Their music would sound quite weird to us, although it is sweet harmony to the people of Tortue. The home life of Tortue is most beautiful. The moral life of the home and of the nations is the cleanest of any world in the whole system of Polaris. Naturally I investigated to learn the secret of this happy condition. Then I found to my joy that the relation between parents and children is very noteworthy. The fine respect manifested by the latter for the former evoked the blush of shame as I thought of the prevailing conditions in my own world. You may think it absurd when I describe a certain system that was a stepping stone to such splendid results. Were this peculiar system to be named we should likely call it the human seal system. Each person born into the world of Tortue is officially sealed or tattooed on the forehead and on the arm. It is done by the township bookkeeper, whose duty it is to keep a correct record of all births, devoting a new ledger page to each infant. This seal is a lifelong mark, and must not be interfered with under any circumstances. In case the stamp is disturbed by accident, the person must report to the township bookkeeper either in person or by proxy, and the stamp must be replaced on some conspicuous part of the head. There are eighteen governments of Tortue that united on this scheme. It is so arranged that no two persons of all these millions have identical marks. Each government has its seal of different designs from all the others. Circles, ellipses, and rectangles, with various modifications, compose the eighteen forms in use. The most powerful of the eighteen governments has for its seal the following design, which I have filled out as completely as I could, using our own figures instead of their numerals which would, of course, be unintelligible to us. This is the actual size of the design as it appears on the forehead. Thirteen represents the number of the state. Twenty-one represents the number of the county. Ten represents the number of the township. Twelve represents the color of the person. Three-five-two, in the center, represents the individual's number. This same mark is the individual's signature for life. It cannot be changed, although the person is allowed to have a metallic or rubber cut of his own design, provided he writes the individual number by hand, for anyone else doing this would be a forger. The township clerk is also the collector of the public funds. To him each person born in that township is compelled to render an annual report of his residence, occupation, and certain other facts relating to his life in general. If any minor or adult commits a criminal act upon which the civil court has passed, this finding is recorded in the township record on the individual's page and, when the criminal has served his sentence, this fact is also recorded. This is a severe law for the criminal, but it is a great stimulus to a law-abiding career. It is also customary for public courts to confer on worthy persons special marks of honor for extraordinary deeds or acts. A record of such rendering is also kept. In presenting annual reports to the clerk, each father reports for his minor children. This puts the father on a rightful plane of dignity before his children, and the parent who makes a wise use of these provisions can and does reach far better results than can otherwise be done. No child can run away from home without falling into much more trouble than he imagined he had before. At once his seal number is sent to all the countries and into every subdivision. Anyone aiding or abetting such a person is severely punished. When the runaway is captured, the system of reprimand is of such a nature that the minor will be glad to remain under the directions of his parents until his maturity. If it can be shown that a parent or guardian uses inhuman methods of punishing children, the act is criminal and is dealt with accordingly. There are no traps parading periodically over the countries of Tortu. There is an international law that each township must care for its own paupers. Every man's forehead seal tells his birthplace, and there is no escaping from it. When a person is suspected of crime in a foreign land, the foreign officials can tell not only where the individual was born, but they can also obtain an official record of his life by applying officially to the clerk and paying a nominal fee. Any stranger making a serious effort to cover his forehead is looked upon with suspicion. It is a current phrase of honor among the Tortuites. I am not ashamed to show my forehead. A few hundred years after this human seal law went into operation, no one, except the criminally inclined, would think of returning to the old reckless way, although the system was scorned and ridiculed by many Tortuites for about fifty years after its advent. In considering the character of an individual, the courts and the people place tremendous stress upon the township record. Each son and daughter early learns the value of a stainless page and strives to keep his record clean. The township, through the state, gives to each child at maturity a civil inheritance, but it his record meets the requirements of the law. All these customs and regulations are powerful incentives to the youth to lead a good moral life and naturally tend to a respectful demeanor of children toward their parents. This world is not only notable for its moral atmosphere, but for the remarkable progress its inhabitants have made in political economy. They know a few things about laws, but not enough to make them so complicated that no one can understand their meaning. In law, the poor man usually has the same chance as the rich. Money has no weight in the Tortu scale of justice. The facts in the case are the only things that have weight, although bribery is possible and is sometimes practiced. The laws of Tortu relating to deeds and titles are the most simple and yet the most effective that have yet come to my attention. All the land in each county of Tortu is divided into lots, and each lot is numbered on an immense diagram at the county seat. This diagram is a miniature relief outline of the county with each lot and plot in the county designated, and according to our measurements it averages almost 18 by 24 feet varying according to the size of the county. When you buy land you buy from the county only. If you wish to purchase a lot or plot from another party who is willing to sell, the two parties concerned go to the chief real estate agent who is an official of the county and has charge of the county diagram. The former owner or title holder, upon establishing his identity, releases to the county his claims and surrenders his title on condition that he receives the sum agreed upon between the two parties. The county agent then issues a new title to the new purchaser. It is a simple common sense document completely describing the new owner, his relatives and his station. Thus each purchaser has his own title from the county and it is guaranteed. Under this admirably simple system disputes after titles are rare and can scarcely occur. But if any should arise the county takes the defense and bears all expense of litigation. No counterclaim is even heard after a title is five years old. Thus it is impossible to resurrect an old buried claim and rob an innocent owner who purchased and paid for his ground in good faith. In transferring real estate no lawyers are required. Several persons, however, must witness the execution of the deed. The county publishes a journal monthly stating the owner of each lot or plot number in the county. This is furnished free to each land owner. All credit to Tortu for these common sense regulations. Our laws covering this field are heathenish compared with the statutes of this far distant world. There no man loses his real estate by the awakening of a sleeping title and if this could happen he would be fully reimbursed by the county. In our world some titles are as clear as mud. Often we pay a large sum to have the records examined and even then a purchaser has no assurance of non-interference. Here it is even possible to buy a lot, build a home, and five or fifty years afterward have it sold by someone who proves a prior claim on the land. No such foolishness or child play in the guise of legal dignity is countenanced in Tortu. The whole civil system of this sphere is superior to ours. A person who violates the law is not treated to free boarding and lodging in a well-heated and lighted building, as is quite prevalent in our world, but is compelled to enter profitable labor under strict surveillance. Any prisoner becoming rebellious and refusing to work is dealt with severely. If he is still insubordinate he is placed on the revolving wheel of death until his stubborn will is broken, or he falls fatigued into the jaws of steel. This convict labor does not compete with the regular ranks of honest toil. The main work of criminals is farming, and the products of these farms support not only the criminals but their families as well. What is produced beyond that is sold at market price, and the proceeds are applied to current expenses of the county. In our world the honest man must pay to support the dishonest, the law abiding must care for the lawbreaker. How much longer this will continue no one has prophesied. The manner of choosing officials in Tortu is both new and surprising. All the officers from the highest to lowest are chosen by lot instead of by popular ballot or hereditary claim. They who are thus elected remain in office during competency and good behavior. 1. Their record must be stainless during the preceding ten years. 2. They must have been graduated from the law department of the public schools. 3. They must be at least thirty one years old. For the highest officials the conditions are more rigid. The teachers in all public schools are selected in the same manner from among the number who apply, and who have been graduated in rank high enough for the school in question. At first this law system seemed very foolish to me indeed, bordering upon absurdity, but the more I studied its simplicity and observed its results, the more I became impressed with its good sense and efficiency. There are no political parties fomenting discord in a country under a spoils system. No upheavals every few years and hilarious campaigns. And no idiotic caricatures of public officials to work unbridled mischief in the hearts of the most dangerous citizens. CHAPTER IX. OF LIFE IN A THOUSAND WORLDS. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. LIFE IN A THOUSAND WORLDS by William Shuler Harris CHAPTER IX. A PROBLEM IN POLITICAL ECONOMY. After I had left the world of Tortue I still lingered in the heavens around the planet and examined a few of its moons. While enjoying this pleasing diversion I learned that not far away, less than one billion miles there was a world without an atmosphere. This peculiar condition was not new to me, for I had seen, during my never-to-be-forgotten journey, many worlds without gaseous air. I would not have gone thither had it not been for an unaccountable desire impelling me. Obedient to my impulse I soon found myself on this odd planet which I have named Ares. I at once observed that the people are formed without nose or lungs. The nose is substituted by an opening in which liquid air is received and through which it passes to a bodily reservoir of two lobes in the vicinity of the heart. When I saw how these people were obliged to fill their living vessels with this air supplying liquid, I at once thought of the manner in which we in our world fill our lamps with oil to furnish light and heat. Now it is true that nature supplies this liquid air in reasonable abundance, and no doubt all of the people would have been happy until now had it not been for the unjust scheming of a few unprincipled men. The strange story of the air problem on this distant world is so similar to the food problem of ours that I have time to describe it briefly. There were certain men in Ares shrewd above their fellows who secretly combined to secure a controlling interest in all the land producing liquid air. In course of time these shrewd schemers who are known as monopolists gathered this liquid air into large tanks and warehouses and put an exorbitant price upon it. The business flourished greatly because everybody was daily in need of liquid air. The many sources of air supply were guarded and men were employed to carry the liquid from the raw springs to the private tanks of the monopolists. Not long after this when the monopolists saw that they controlled all the liquid air of the country they had rigid laws passed forbidding the importation of air from any other country. Then when all preliminaries were arranged the magnates raised the price of their commodity. The burden fell most heavily on the persons of limited means, for some were compelled to give half of their earnings for air. The monopolists grew richer and richer while the poor became still poorer until a cry went up for cheaper living. Then the generous-hearted magnates decided to build new and larger storehouses, thus giving employment to the large army of impoverished workmen. Thus did the poor feel very grateful for the privilege of earning enough to satisfy their hungry stomachs. With the larger storehouses now in operation the magnates were enabled to conduct this air business on a scale more economical, and so it resulted that the profits of their business were constantly increasing. Many who were unable to work became sorely distressed in so much that some died raving for liquid air. Others were more fortunate and were helped by charitably inclined citizens, when a few poor comrades clubbed together and contributed out of their mites then the magnates sold air, but if the sufferers had no money they could have no air. A growing discontent possessed the people. They appealed to the legislative bodies, but the magnates had grown so immensely wealthy that they controlled all the law-making assemblies and gave the members air free of charge and act of kindness indeed. So the law turned a duff ear to the cries of the people, and many riots followed. But these were all quelled by the standing army which was also supplied with free air for the good service they were capable of rendering to the monopolists. The multitude of laboring people could do as they chose, that is, work like slaves and live, or refuse to tolerate the monopoly and die. Many were the pitiful scenes witnessed in all parts of the land. Men, women and children gathered round one or another of the large tanks, brimming full of the life-sustaining liquid. It was heartbreaking to see children with half-open mouths dying for air. Of course none of the magnates were within hearing or seeing distance. The tanks were in charge of underlings who were bound to give no air except for the exorbitant market price. This state of affairs continued for many generations, nor did relief come until one named agitator went forth strongly set in his convictions. He was a natural-born orator, a lover of justice, one who believed in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. As long as he went about speaking and praying, the monopolists gave no heed. But when he began organizing the masses into sworn legions, then did the magnates bestir themselves, seeing danger in the gathering clouds of humanity. What shall we do? cried they one to another. Bribe agitator suggested one. A happy hit! cried they all. One was chosen to do the work. A description of the meeting and conversations of these two great leaders is a choice bit of literature of the world of heiress. I will translate it as nearly as possible into English. Magnate and his companion met agitator three hours after sunrise. The one had ever seen the other before, and naturally agitator did not suspect the purpose for which the magnate had come. Here we are, said magnate, to place into your hands one million dollars to be used for the education of poor children. We have confidence in your judgment and integrity, and if you will accept the money on our conditions we will gladly arrange all the papers and place the money at your disposal. A magnanimous offer indeed, but what are the conditions? hurriedly asked the blushing agitator. The conditions are easy to meet. One, you are to train and appoint sub-teachers and give your influence to the build-up of these schools. Two, you are to spend your time in this noble work, and receive a salary ten thousand dollars annually. Three, of course, you will be glad to put your whole heart and time into this enterprise, and encourage all workmen to show their appreciation of this generous movement in behalf of the oppressed. But what would become of my other great work? asked agitator, as a well-defined interrogation point covered his face. This new enterprise will solve the whole question. Is it not true that ignorance is the cause of nearly all the discontent in the world? If you scatter the clouds of ignorance with them the darkness of nearly all our woes will fly, and you will stand at the head of a new race, educated, refined, and capable of understanding and securing their rights tenfold more surely and more intelligently than now. Agitator was a man of quick mind. He was, however, almost caught in the fine network spun around him. He bowed his head a moment in quietness. There is a tinge of truth in your words, admitted agitator. If I can avoid it, however, he continued, the people now living will not suffer for a whole generation in hope of imaginary relief. Your scheme is a worthy one, but you must seek elsewhere for a leader. I have sworn in my soul to bend my every effort to breaking the strong arm of the monopoly. Magnate was a cool man, and held his dignity in a pleasing manner. He carelessly changed his attitude and spoke with decision. If you will not lead this educational enterprise, the whole offer will be withdrawn, and it will be advertised to the world that the leader of the poor people has refused the most magnificent offer of the age for the uplifting of the masses. Ah! quickly replied agitator, if the offer be sincere, why should it go by default on my simple refusal to be turned from my present course? But some other one better qualified than I attend to the management of this noble cause. Magnate advanced a step, and with emphatic gesture gave him his ultimatum. You are the recognized leader of the masses, the idol of all the poor, and of the so-called oppressed, in you the very persons whom we hope to benefit have unbounded confidence, and naturally you are the only man who can make wisest and most efficient use of this large sum of money. We have no other choice, and I ask you once more, for the sake of suffering humanity, to accept the leadership of this worthy cause, which will do more for the people than all other reform movements combined. You can make no mistake in accepting our offer. This is the only right thing for you to do. Agitator took no time to study his reply. His words were born on the occasion for the occasion. He spoke with marked power in his voice, and fiery electricity in his eye. I have made my final decision. I am married to my reform movement, and seek no divorce. I want all people to have free air, as they have free sunlight. I am determined that neither favor nor force, neither magnate nor money shall swerve me from my course. The people of my time shall see their liberty, or I shall see my death. This reply of Agitator is most memorable. It is quoted more than the famous words of Patrick Henry of our world, Give me liberty, or give me death. Agitator pushed his cause with remarkable skill. Soon his movements reached such proportions that great men courted his favor. The masses clung to him with truest loyalty. He took full advantage of the situation, and gained control of the legislative bodies. Men followed the great enactment. All the air of the world was declared to be free, and anyone attempting to buy or sell this natural and indispensable product was guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by fines and heavy bonds. The celebration of this victory was extreme. The most wonderful jubilations were held at the air-tanks. Famous speeches were made, and the tanks were sold by permission of their owners. One enthusiastic person bought a tank, declared that he would sell it in small pieces for relics, and used the proceeds for educating poor children. The scene that followed begs description. Everybody knew that this was a cut at Magnate, and the buying of relics was carried on in an unprecedented manner. The amount of money netted by this sale was so large that several schools were erected, and an endowment provided for their maintenance. All this happened long ago on the world of Eris, but the memory of these unusual times will never die. They have an annual day of celebration, much resembling in its festivities, our Fourth of July. The most peculiar human condition of Eris, according to my view, is the manner in which these people sleep. They do not lie down, and gradually drift into unconsciousness, but they lie motionless and still retain full consciousness. The rest comes from the quietness of the bodily members. It is not possible for these creatures to become mentally insensible to their surroundings, except by an accident or through medical treatment. I was most impressed, however, as I learned of the powerful eyesight which these people enjoy. Their eyes are indeed little telescopes capable of examining heavenly bodies with as much accuracy as we are enabled to do with the aid of magnifying glasses. Then comes the surprising statement that these same people have never invented anything similar to a spyglass or a telescope. Imagine how far they could peer into the depths of space if their own gifted eyesight were augmented by good magnifying glasses. I spent a little longer time on Eris than on some other planets because I found that I could more easily understand the philosophy of their attainments. The last moments of my stay were spent in the largest structure of this whole world, the central building of education. From this structure endless lines of power and influence are maintained all through the territorial divisions of Eris. I studied this unusual plan of education, and viewed with delight the ponderous portions of this imposing edifice. At last I bid farewell to all these mute instructors, and, looking skyward, fixed my mind on the shores of another world. CHAPTER X of LIFE IN A THOUSAND WORLDS This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Leone Rose. LIFE IN A THOUSAND WORLDS by William Shuler Harris CHAPTER X FLOWTING CITIES Almost everyone is familiar with Ursa Major, or The Great Dipper, but lies in such bold relief in the region of the northern heavens, and that apparently revolves around Polaris, the North Star. The nearer of the two stars that help to form this famous dipper, and that point toward Polaris, is called Dubhe by our astronomers. This star and its interesting solar system next claimed my attention. From Earth I had often looked with admiring wonder at the starry firmament, and during many an evening I had drawn the imaginary lines from star to star, outlining the Great Dipper, commencing with the end of the handle and finishing with the star just named at the outer edge, or rim. As I came near to Dubhe, I scanned the surrounding skies, and was surprised to find that the whole semblance of my dipper was lost. Instead of lying in a plane, these stars were widely separated, so far that a billion miles gives no fair hint of the distance. Many new stars, previously invisible, now shown in great glory, so that the whole celestial field presented new aspects. Far away I looked toward our sun, it sparkled like a tiny star, and none of the planets of our solar system were visible. I paused not at Dubhe, but sped onward to one of the busy worlds that revolve around it, which I shall call Plasden. This is two hundred times as large as our world, and Slinn covers seven-eighths of its surface. Slinn is a liquid, much resembling water, and serves practically the same purpose. Plasden is truly a wonderful water world. Its inhabitants are not confined to the underwater life like those found in Stassa. Neither are they strictly compelled to remain in the atmosphere, although that is their normal condition. The Plasdenites can sustain life underwater, but only with discomfort. They have three times as many ribs as we possess, and between them are openings into which air or water enters for life's susten- tation. These flabby ribs slowly rise and fall continuously and involuntarily. I would describe the upper portion of their bodies, but they would seem so contrary to our ideas of beauty that I will pass on by saying that to my eye, now trained in the larger school of interstellar harmonies, these Plasdenites are lovely and lovable human creatures. They have reached a high state of civilization, and, being gifted with the spirit life, they are still forging ahead toward perfection, unconsciously competing with their fellow spirits in millions of worlds. Plasden is an old planet. Human beings have lived there on for thirty thousand years, and consequently, ages ago, the land area became so densely populated that there was not enough room to accommodate the increasing millions. This perplexing problem was solved in a very peculiar manner by an experiment on the part of a wealthy Plasdenite who, seven thousand years ago, took advantage of the extremely light mineral products of this world and built for himself a floating mansion which covered about ten acres according to our measurements. This fairy palace was floated on the great oceans from one continent to another, propelled by the wind and controlled by a series of motors. After a few years he returned to his native shore and conceived the idea of building around his palace a water village. All foundations were made of strong aluminum-like substance mixed with molten granite which, upon hardening, formed a compound of marvelous lightness and durability. With pains taking care and unceasing energy, the water village was transformed from a fanciful dream into a tangible reality, and in process of time one section after another was added until a veritable city floated on the bosom of the deep. But this is only a brief description of a marvelous accomplishment. I did not pause to mention the factories and mills that were attached to the city, nor have I told you that in less than one thousand years after this first water city was finished they were floating on the oceans of Plasden no less than two hundred cities of various sizes, each a manufacturing center devoted to one or more lines of industry. The majority of these cities moved in harmony in a worldwide course, requiring about one year or four hundred of our days to complete a single circuit, as was their prototype so they were propelled by a series of motors and a splendid sail system. At times the wind did the greater part of the work, and again the full force of the motors was required. Let me ask you to get on board one of these cities and take one year's journey in a few minutes. For instance take one of the vehicle cities, composed of one hundred factory buildings and three thousand dwellings, all built of non-combustible materials. The city is now in the harbor of a great port, and all the merchant men who live nearest to this port have been informed that the vehicle city would arrive about midweek and remain four days. What a busy time follows after the floating city is fastened to its moorings. Inhabitants go on solid ground to do their trading. Dealers make large purchases and place extensive orders. It should be stated that the mail and telegraph systems between the continents and all these floating cities are well nigh perfect. Fast lines of mail steamers follow one another round the same course pursued by these floating cities, and passengers can go to or from any of these moving abodes to any part of any continent whenever they wish, so that if a dealer wishes a vehicle of special design, he can send his order by mail to any one of the six vehicle cities and have it completed by the time the floating city arrives at his port. If the community receiving the order cannot complete the work in time, the order is sent with one of the mail steamers to the next vehicle city in line. The massive city starts its journey and in one day it floats to the cooling stations. Here it takes on board an ample supply of fuel and proceeds along the regular course, making no stops until it reaches the mineral station, where it takes a new supply of the various kinds of metals necessary for manufacturing and for all other purposes. Then per chance it passes a city or two that is lying in dock for trade purposes. The next stop will be at one of the several tropical stations where a fresh supply of fruits is purchased and a number of vehicles sold or delivered. After this, the city passes several apparel cities, moored to an immense dock, taking on board large bales of a cotton-like substance used in making texture. So continues the interesting journey along a safe route, mapped out centuries before. Storms arise, of course, but what harm can they do except to send the ponderous waves dashing against the bulwarks of the city and rocket gently, all of which become so familiar that no one thinks of these things as serious barriers to the floating city life? Perhaps in one tour of 400 days, 30 stops are made. You may wonder how these huge floats are stopped and started. This is accomplished by a series of border propellers which can be put into service at any time if speed is desired or contrary winds are encountered. These cities have done much to civilize the darker races of Plazden. The manufacturing floats, coming into contact with the shores of all lands, naturally have an uplifting influence on its peoples, some of whom go on board to learn trades. The latest novelty of Plazden is a music city owned by one man and built most beautifully. Its size is comparatively small and it is equipped with motors of double power, enabling it to proceed with considerable speed as compared with the cumbersome heavier floats. This city is built for business as well as for pleasure. These plazdenites enjoy an invention in the form of a machine that renders music when acted upon by air and at certain times also by water. It is inspiring to listen to these siren strains as the music city passes another floating abode. Excursion parties go on this music city and remain at one or another of its famous hotels as long as they wish. The most refined feature of this water life is seen in the floating mansions, of which there are many thousands. These are built in such a manner that the wildest storms of the ocean can do no more than set the mansion arraking for the structures that venture far away from shore are very large and surrounded by many acres of attachments. It is delightful to live in one of these water mansions. Go to any chosen harbor, remain as long as desired and, taking your choice of countries, dwell among the icebergs or in the tropical regions. People of delicate health can shift to any climate and change location as often as desired. This style of retired life is now the most popular of all in this peculiar world of plazden. The educated people are a very bright class. They have made great progress in manufacturing. This implies a long list of notable inventions in every branch of industry. It is strange that these brilliant inventors never paid attention to air travel. However, they have perfected submarine navigation to a nicety that would be teasing to the infant efforts that we have thus far made. The people of this far away orb have greatly surpassed us in controlling and utilizing the three distinct forces which are quite similar to electricity and these are the wizard forces that furnish the power used to drive the motors and engines, not only of the floating cities but also of the fixed abodes. By a comparative study, I ascertained that we have over 6,000 inventions for which they have no parallel and plazden has nearly 20,000 to which we have nothing similar. What an inspiring study all these facts furnished. But my space forbids enlargement. I believe, however, that if our world remains a few thousand years more, we will have learned more secrets than the experts of plazden know today, although they have had a start of many thousand years over us. There are very few worlds where the devotional spirit has reached a higher level than in plazden. The truths of the Creator are preached and practiced with a far more pleasing result than is prevalent on earth. Satan has found his way to this planet and has organized his forces into sworn legions against whom the armies of righteousness are waging relentless warfare. The main secret of plazden's high morality is found in the fact that the civil governments insist on moral laws and a careful observance of them. One blushes with shame at the looseness and laxity with which the greater municipalities of our earth are governed and all this under the shadow of our schools and church spires. Centuries ago, the good people of plazden learned how to cooperate when they desired to win in a struggle against iniquity. I would give my lifeblood if I could transport this secret in such a way as to make it effective on the earth. In our world, we have before us a most humiliating spectacle. If an effort is made to extirpate some form of sin that has taken audacious root in the soil of our moral life, one reform element or denomination fights with the other until the whole is so broken that there is nothing left wherewith to dig out the miserable roots of the obnoxious weed. Thus do we spend our energies opposing one another instead of fighting the devil. Oh, for the plazden power of unity before which any species of corruption can be crushed out that is opposed by the forces of righteousness. We have succeeded to a bitter extreme in getting the church and state separated from each other so far that the latter scarcely ever gets a glimpse of the former and we stand by priding ourselves in the absolute divorce. Then we have also succeeded in getting the different creeds separated by chasm so wide that it is impossible to make a combined attack against a common foe. However, these separations between sex are gradually disappearing and over the lessening gaps the hands of a more Christian fellowship are being extended. The devil wiser in his generation than the children of light, long ago united his trained forces in defense of his iniquitous schemes and thus he is permitted for a season to sit on the throne of power and wield his black wand over the civil realm, thereby licensing iniquity, protecting vice and spreading his drug designs over the commonwealths of the world. We look forward to the time when the moral and spiritual forces of our world will reach the plazden unity. May this be accomplished without struggling along for another century. End of CHAPTER X CHAPTER XI. A WORLD OF IDEAL CITIES. After I had finished my brief stay at plazden, I again rose high in air and looked over the oceans with their floating cities. This was one of the most charming views I ever had of any world. I paid a passing visit to a few worlds where human life had never risen to a great height of civilisation, nor can I forget the lessons I there learned of the power of sin. All this one can clearly see who visits the three worlds lying next in order to plazden. But I will forbear the sad and sickening recital of the depth to which a world is carried by sin when once it gains a haughty ascendancy. The next orb that attracted my attention also lay in the solar system of dubi and very much resembles our own world in both size and climate. The people who are not half our stature are so differently formed that I could scarcely believe my own senses. A description of them would appear only ludicrous, so I shall content myself with saying that they are refined in their manners and highly educated in all branches of human knowledge, which does not imply that their studies are identical with ours. I was surprised at the splendid arrangement of their cities and the sensible laws governing them. One can scarcely believe that we are guilty of so much lost labour in the management of our cities in our own way of living and in providing for our families until he sets his eyes on a city of another world that has notably distanced us in this respect. These people, though of small stature, are endowed with powerful muscular systems and, through their intelligence, they have become masters of the seas and of the land, for the forests give away and savage tribes fall back before the onward march of the God-directed conqueror, man. I then appeared in visible form and walked into one of the largest cities on this world. I had not passed one-fourth of the way towards the city centre before I was surrounded by a curious crowd which so blocked my path that I could make no further progress. You may imagine their surprise to see a giant, as I appeared to them, with a strangely shaped head and with a soft, flabby skin, for they at first regarded my clothing as my skin. No one could conjecture what sort of animal I was. I remained mute and watched the rising tide of excitement. Before anyone ventured to touch me, I saw a band of officers in double-quick march hastening towards me with their curiously shaped weapons unfolded. I stood motionless as the soldiers surrounded me. As soon as the circle was formed, the leader of the squad stepped toward me with a show of bravery, but I saw that he secretly trembled. It was his oath-bound duty, in such a case, to lay hands on me, and, if necessary, to use force to take me to the central office. I offered no resistance and went, as I was directed, till I stood in the odd-looking room where all offenders of their law are taken for a hearing. The news of my appearance and arrest had, by this time, spread to all parts of the city and a motley crowd were gathering, but only a small portion of the people were able to gain entrance into the building where I had been taken. The high officials and educators, hearing of the wonderful giant at the city hall, hastened thither with all speed. Then I saw an interesting spectacle. As these higher classes of people arrived, the lower classes were compelled to leave. The room being full, no labourer was allowed to remain if a person of nobility wished to occupy his seat. This peculiar custom, or law, applies to all public places and assemblies. In a short time, all the lower classes were compelled to leave the hall to make room for the unprecedented rush of nobility. Nothing so tempted me to speak, as when I saw this partial rule in operation. During all this gathering, the officers stood in a circle around me and held their weapons ready for instant service. Not hearing what I was or what I might do, they were ordered to maintain this strict attitude. Every eye was fastened on me. Some of the nobility were pale with fear. Others were busy inquiring, whence I came and where I had been captured. At length the chief official made a guttural sound. This must have been a call for order and a signal for the opening of the court, for at once the wild confusion gave way to order as much as could be expected under the circumstances. The brief formalities of opening the court were ridiculous to me. This being done, all official attention was given to me. I saw that everything was under the charge of this presiding official. He first ordered that I should be bound and accordingly my hands and feet were tied. Then a very heavy chain-like rope was fastened to my body and I was tied to the criminal's post. The officers were then released and retired to their special part of the room. The chief then stepped toward me and peered into my face with a puzzled look of great anxiety. I returned his glances calmly, but uttered not a word. There was a breathless suspense as the chief lifted up his hands, touched my face and felt my moustache and whiskers. The hair was perhaps the strangest feature of my whole head, since there is nothing on their human or animal species that resembles hair. The chief then called for a surgeon professor who was an expert in zoology. This intelligent man quickly came to my side and at the request of the chief, commenced to examine me carefully. My manner of breathing confused him most of all. He watched my chest rising and falling and my sides increasing and decreasing with every breath until he was mystified beyond all power of explanation. When the dignitary saw that I could be touched with safety, numerous messages were flying to the chief, each one asking for the privilege of a closer inspection of me. The presiding officer was cool-headed and firmly followed his own cause. He waited until the professor had finished his examination and was prepared to report whereupon he announced to the bewildered audience that he should now be given to the conclusion of the zoologist. The professor mounted a throne-like elevation from which all expert opinion is submitted. A painful silence ensued as this learned man proceeded with his report. Of course I pretended that I could not understand their language and that I was oblivious to all these occurrences, but you may be assured that I was careful not to miss a word that fell from the lips of this noted specialist who conducted himself with a dignity both pleasing and fascinating. I pronounced this creature an enigma, commenced the professor, as he pointed his bony finger toward me, and declared him to be the strangest problem of my life, how and whence and why he came to us are all alike shrouded in impenetrable mystery. This perplexing specimen is totally different from any species of our animal creation. He resembles a man more closely than any beast. However, he cannot belong to any family of our world, for he is possessed with bodily functions unknown to us. His clothes are not the result of any natural growth and are far beyond our finest manufacture. Each pace of his apparel gives positive evidence that it was made with hands more skillful than ours. The most pleasing part of this perplexity is the face which bears indisputable marks of intelligence. It would be eminently satisfying to us if we could communicate with him and receive some light on this living marvel. He quickly stepped from the throne and the chief then invited four philosophers to examine me conjointly. They hurriedly responded to the invitation, for they were delighted at the honor and privilege conferred upon them. What a peculiar experience followed. Four men touched my hands and ankles, my arms and limbs, and more particularly every piece of my apparel. Accidentally, one found my purse but could not open it. As he was faithfully pursuing his task, I felt that the time had come for me to speak. "'Twist at the two knobs,' I said in their vernacular. If lightning had struck into that room, it would not have caused more consternation. The four philosophers fell to the floor. The chief was terrified. The audience looked on, in abject terror, while the officers rushed from their posts with drawn weapons. All this occurred instantly, and I realized that my words never before had such an effect. In a moment the chief was at my side and, looking into my face, exclaimed, "'Who are you, and why have you remained silent?' "'I am a human being,' I replied. "'From what part of our world?' "'I was not born on this world.' "'On what world, then?' he further asked, with increasing surprise. "'On a world called earth that revolves around a star called sun.' As I was answering these questions, many wild sensations were sweeping over the hearts of the assembled nobility. "'How come you to our world?' continued the chief, with a baited breath. "'On wings invisible. For what purpose came you hither? To see your manner of life. "'Will you stay with us for ever?' "'I cannot.' "'Have you come to harm us? Not in the least.' The chief, in a high state of excitement, ordered that I should be unbound. I smiled and said that I would spare them that trouble. I snapped the bands with such ease that a new fear possessed all of those around me. I then gave them positive assurance that I would harm no one, and urged that all should be silent as I wished to speak a few words to them. Later before had I a more attentive audience. I addressed them in a natural manner, informing them that I desired to become familiar with a few of their forms and customs of life. I then proceeded to give them a description of the world once I had come. My audience became enthusiastic, and I decided to cease speaking. The chief, although greatly agitated, still kept his hand on the throttle of the occasion. He waved the surgeon-crowd back, handed order, and at once sent his arrowed questions at me again. Are you not a God? cried he. I am only human. How could you have such power as to reach our world? That I cannot explain. How many people live on your world? One and one-half billion, I answered. Are they all pure-minded? I answered that I was paying to inform them that many of our inhabitants are wicked. My listeners were still incredulous as to my identity. They were positive that I was a visiting spirit on a mission of evil or good, and they urged that I should disclose the purpose of my commission. I reaffirmed my past utterances, and said, turning to the chief more directly, I informed him that he would see me no more. Then without pausing another moment I vanished. As I went I looked backward to see the mystified countenances of all who were in the room. Then proceeded to visit the surrounding city to examine the system under which it is governed. I found that the bulk of trade is controlled by the city, one class of goods being kept at one place in suitable store-houses. The city owns a full line of vehicles resembling our automobiles. These are very spacious. Each one is applied with certain lines of merchandise, and passes over an unalterable railroad at its own fixed period. Thus all parts of the city are reached with the necessaries of life. Those who prefer can go to the trade-centres, but no special orders are delivered except by the regular cars, and at the regular time. For instance one can go to the trade-centres for meat and vegetables, and purchase what he wishes or give his order. At the time corresponding to six o'clock of our time in the morning the meat and vegetable cars start on their respective routes, while the trade-centres are open for personal collars. Marketing goes on at the market-center, while the cars are selling throughout the city. At nine o'clock the delivery-cars leave the trade-centres. Similar to the manner of our world each home is numbered in such a way that no two houses have the same designation. By this arrangement the delivery of goods is facilitated. Everything in this busy metropolis goes like clockwork, and everybody knows the schedule, which is simple enough to be understood almost at a glance. All the trade-centres lie along the freight and passenger railroad. This saves a tremendous amount of labour, for the goods are all transferred directly from the cars to the store-houses. There is no fire-department, for there is no need of one. It appears that only a few worlds in the universe use inflammable materials for structural purposes, and we are one of them. There is a finance-department and a law-department, although I cannot give space for their description. The sanitary and police-departments are under systems absolutely different from any that are known in our world. Their sanitary methods are no more effective than ours, perhaps less so. But the police-department is greatly superior. This is largely due to the fact that this city has a department gloriously ahead of any city in which I have ever lived. This department is called the Moral Department. It is managed by twenty-one men and women, one-third of whom are selected annually from a list of nominees. Each church, meeting certain requirements, is entitled to make one nomination. The seven of these nominees, receiving the largest of the votes, are elected for three years. This Moral Department is no mincing and begging institution. It has at its disposal the entire military battery. No mayor holds a whip-handle over it. I must confess I was happy as I witnessed the blessed effect of this Moral Department. All evil is not extirpated, neither is all lawlessness overcome, and there is no brazen iniquity, no public immorality, and heartless brutality, such as is seen on every hand in one of our larger municipalities. CHAPTER XII OF LIFE IN A THOUSAND WORLDS This is a LibriVox recording, or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. LIFE IN A THOUSAND WORLDS By William Shuler Harris CHAPTER XII A WORLD ENJOYING ITS millennium What expansive views of creation were afforded me in my universal journey. I saw all conceivable types of human life, many of which I alone could never have conceived. With a happy soul, I lighted another world in the sole assistant of Doubaix. Where sin had been banished, and the believers, or children of God, were passing through a period of time which we would call the millennium. A wide contrast was now presented to my view. I had seen world after world in the tribulation of sin. Now I had come to one under the sway of righteousness, and I wished that I had power to describe what I saw and experienced. I suddenly thought of the Queen of Sheba, who, upon seeing the greatness of Solomon's wisdom, exclaimed, Behold, the half was not told me. I had often imagined what the condition of our world would be when it smiles under the light of the millennium. But I minimized the glory that is yet to come to us, judging by what I saw on this delightfully charming planet. I have no assurance, however, that the coming millennium of our world will be altogether similar to the one I saw. This glorious millennium was ushered in about six hundred years ago, and I readily learned the general particulars of its commencement. The world had been very wicked prior to the dawn of this new age. The majority of the people disregarded all spiritual truths, causing the darkness of sin to hang like a heavy pile over the nations of this planet. There were earnest devotees who lived in the light and love of God, and who preached and pleaded with the thoughtless and the indifferent. Notwithstanding all the efforts put forth on the part of the righteous, the generations of this distant world became more and more wicked until the millennial dawn. In the fullness of time the millennium was ushered in by the appearance of the chief angel, who came with several hundred thousand attending spirits. Despite the approach of these celestial regiments, the atmosphere far above the planet was darkened by ominous clouds through which the approaching legion shone with unearthly brightness. All this occurred in the twinkling of an eye, even before the busy millions could look upward. Then the chief angel and his magnificent host circled in the air, singing the resurrection song, which was augmented by ten thousand trumpeteers, while the forked and sheet-lightnings flashed in unison with the imposing waves of music, and heavy thunders contributed the base into nations. The celestial choir continued during one revolution of the planet. The vast throngs sang in the air as the planet revolved on its axis. As each section of the globe came beneath the long extended line of the melodious angels, the marvellous change took place for that section. The sleeping saints came forth from their graves, and, with the living saints, were caught up into the air. This continued until this most eventful day was finished. The scenes had occurred with the ungodly during this awful day beggar all description. So much so that I shall not attempt to describe the remorseful wails of horror that rent the air, only to be drowned by the ever-singing choir. It was the day of triumph for the saints, and their ears were not disturbed by the cries of terror, nor were their hearts distracted by the opening of the earth to receive the wicked. As the saints were caught up, the wicked fell into pits, and have not been seen since. The flames that issued from the rending globe set everything on fire. Who can select language sufficiently graphic to portray such a lurid dissolution of a planet, and the gathering of the faithful, quick and dead? Thus was this large world purified by fire, while the saints were gloriously enraptured. After the fury of this burning was passed, the great creator of the universe made a new world where in righteousness dwelled. The saints became the possessors and rulers of this whole sphere, living in joy and peace unprecedented. It has been the happiest six hundred years since the beginning of this planet. How long this period will continue, no one seems to know, and but few are conjecturing, for each soul is completely happy and congenially employed. The time will come, however, when this blissful period will be at an end, only to give way to a state of existence infinitely greater and more glorious, which in our language would be called heaven. I will briefly describe a few characteristics of this millennial life as I saw it, and as it is now existing. 1. The saints are living in spiritual bodies. They are not cumbered with a fleshy body, and are capable of travelling through the air at a speed far beyond that attained, by the swiftest winged creatures of any world in the whole universe. Their spiritual bodies are highly organised, and sensitive to a fine degree. At will they are capable of rendering themselves visible or invisible, as we comprehend these terms. As the perfectly formed flower, blushing in its wealth of colour is called beautiful, so we would designate these symmetrical spirit creatures, moving in the glory of their higher endowment, and shaded with the living tints of heaven. 2. These inhabitants know nothing of fatigue, their strength of body, and vitality of mind are unabating. What a contrast between the creatures of our earth and those of the millennial world, on whom the passing of centuries has no ill effect. 3. There is nothing on this purified world to generate disease. Hence these favoured people never suffer any pain of body or of mind. The long line of sin-shadows has all vanished from this redeemed planet, and the atmosphere is all aglow with the mellowed light of peace and love. 4. Jealously and all kindred feelings are unknown. These roots were all destroyed by the fire at the beginning of the millennium. No one can imagine how enrapturing life is, in the absence of stings of malice and thorns of envy. 5. The social and spiritual relationships are all harmoniously blended. No one feels himself beneath or above another, and no one feels embarrassed in the presence of a superior human intelligence. 6. Thus it follows that the fellowship is inexpressibly sweet. You can only imagine the dignity and glory one must feel, as he mingles with the righteous dead of all ages, and gathers from them a glimpse of the trials and triumphs of 10,000 years under the old rain. 7. Some of the spirits are employed in dressing and keeping the gardens in which grow the luxurious food on which redeemed creatures subsist. Not cereals, fruits, or nuts, but the kind that creates the most heavenly sensations as it wastes away and perfumes the will of the user. The nearest imitation of this food ever known on earth was eaten by Christ's spirit when Mary broke the alabaster box of ointment on his head. 8. Some spirits of this millennial life seemed to be more rapturously happy than the others. I learned that they had passed through the darkness of continual disappointments, or suffered under the mismating of matrimonial union. Others fought through the fires of persecution and torture, and still others passed through martyrdom for their master's sake. All of these patiently endured all hardships leading down to the end of their mortal days. 9. The affinity between sexes is clearly marked. No love but pure love burns on the altar of any soul, and anyone who wishes may stop to kindle the fires or warm himself there at. There is no bodily contact, no decay, no weakening. This love is enrapturing, uplifting, ever drawing the lover and the loved nearer to the fountain. In language most intelligible to us, I would say that the intercourse between sexes is one of refined telepathy, soul connection by thought transmission, a thousandfold more charming than the low plain of intercourse in the flesh life, with none of its attendant weakening results. This strange felicity is as indescribable as it is glorious. Each nature seeks its real compliment, and enjoys the most absolute liberty, for there is not a single barrier to prevent it, as no one desires to do wrong. This most inviting life had its chums for me, but I well knew that I could not tarry. I lingered at a thousand fountains to catch the life-giving spray and studied, as far as I possibly could, the faces of these favoured creatures. The whole vegetable world is a long, extended floral garden, where formerly deserts lay waste and wild, now the blooming roses and expansive lawns can be seen. Is it possible to picture, to your mind's eye, a line of lofty mountains whose sides are dressed in living colours and trimmed with rare flowers? If you cannot paint this picture, then you must not endeavour to form the faintest conception of the natural features of this millennial world. Being still filled with the lingering memories of this happy sphere, and looking forward to the coming golden age of our own world, I read with pleasure a few stanzas contemplating Christ's second coming. A song of his coming. See the virgins at midnight yearning, to behold the face of the groom, their lamps are all trimmed and burning, as they peer through the misty gloom. Here will come is a shout of voices, which have sung in a thousand ways, for the heart of the saint rejoices, at the thought of the coming days. When the war of creeds will be over, and our king descends from above, only they shall witness his crowning, who have lived in the light of love. Then the Christ shall reign in his glory, on the throne of his sovereign might, and the theme of redemption's story will be sung with perfect delight, and our minds will dazzle with brightness, as our thoughts forever aspire, for a mantle of perfect whiteness shall cover the youth and the sire. Then we know that none will be jealous, and no one will envy our lot, for against the one who is zealous, not a soul will contrive or plot, and our actions will chime in pleasure, all refined from malice and sting. We shall all reach the perfect measure, in the rain of this conquering king. We will have everything we can use, in those beautiful realms of light. There the people will do as they choose, for each one will choose to do right. We will sail through the seas of beauty, and return to the shores we please, far away from the callings of duty, in the shade of the undying trees. All the riches of Christ will be ours, to the wealth without guilt or pain. There will be no contention of powers, nor the marks of official stain. As I look from this earthy station, I exclaim again and again, O what an eternal vacation! Come quickly, Lord Jesus, amen. CHAPTER XIII. A WORLD OF HIGH MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE I spent a long and profitable season in the vicinity of the Great Dipper, witnessing the almost infinite variations of human life as found from world to world, and looking upon the wild wastes of the many planets that are not inhabited. Finally I again spread my swift wings, reached the beautiful star Arcturus, and noticed among the worlds that revolve around it a few that are sinless. I was tempted to pause at one or another of these exceptional stations, but I knew that I could not tarry until I had reached the far distant constellation of Scorpio. In this wide flight I travelled a distance so great that I will not weary the mind with mentioning the trillions of miles. Now I was in the direct path of the Milky Way, and my imagination staggered as I saw the endlessness of stars and solar systems as far out beyond me as my assisted eyes could reach. The star at which I arrived is one of the largest suns that blaze in the depths of immensity. It is so wonderfully great that if twelve hundred million worlds as large as ours were all crushed into one great ball, it would not make one sphere as immense as this star or sun, around which revolve about five hundred worlds or planets, many of which are greater than our Jupiter. With a bounding interest I visited all the inhabited worlds of this vast system. How long it took I have no way of knowing. I did not count time by hours or heart-throbs, for I was so rapt in my observations that all else was as nothing to me. Some of these worlds sustain a low order of human creatures, while on others there are races that have reached a high degree in the scale of advancement. Of these five hundred worlds nearly one half are barren of all life, and of those that are inhabited some twenty are sinless worlds, and thirty are now passing through an intermediate period between probationary life and the final judgment, a period toward which we are anxiously looking, and which we designate as the millennium. Of all this ponderous solar system there is one world that excels all the others in its medical attainments, and of this one first I will give a flying notice. I have named this world Dorlin. It is fifty times as large as our Earth, and of greater specific gravity. Its human creatures are delightfully formed and are in ready health and refined happiness. In shape these Dorlinites differ somewhat from us, but long before I had reached this planet I learned something of the universal standards of symmetry, and ascertained that creatures could be beautiful without resembling us whatever. Here I found four billions of people, and there is room for twenty billions more. So if you are in ill health, and have run the round of our medical fraternity without success, I would advise you to go to Dorlin, if you know how to reach it. These Dorlinites are almost three times our size, and they are subject to most of our ills and many more. From an early date the head government of this world paid particular attention to hygiene, keeping all medical work under its own care. The government controls the whole field of medical science, just as we do the post office department. There are no conflicting schools of medicine, such as allopathic, homeopathic, hydropathic, eclectic, and osteopathic. The government gives handsome rewards to anyone who furnishes a new discovery or gives additional light. Everything is duly tested and proved to be a success by a core of experts before it is given to the practicing fraternity. The government holds certain rights in experimenting that no physician or medical school would think of having in our world. The government medical schools of Dorlin are marvels indeed, nothing is spared that money or talent can furnish. The full graduates of these schools are only the survival of the fittest. Others take a secondary degree and can act as assistants or retire from the list. The government has a series of institutions that do a work similar to our hospitals and have a core of full graduates supplying the stations. This entire system is so arranged that every family or individual receives all necessary treatment free. The cost of carrying on this vast system is one of the items of national expense. I will now mention some of the medical achievements of these Dorlinites. When a physician suspects that the blood is poisoned he at once proceeds to a chemical analysis and if certain kinds of poison are found the blood is filtered by the use of a fine instrument. A blood vessel is exposed and cut and the two ends fastened to the delicate filter. Thus the blood is cleansed by passing through this instrument. Those acquainted with the manner in which the blood circulates can readily see how all the blood of the body can be reached in a short time. This method is very successful in the treatment of all bites of poisonous insects and reptiles and all types of hydrophobia which are tenfold more numerous in Dorlin than in our world. There are no patent medicines in Dorlin. The few medicines they have are manufactured only by government authority and everybody receives the purest that can be compounded no distinction being made between rich and poor. One thousand years ago the medical aspects of Dorlin were similar to those which are seen in our world today. People were compelled to take all manner of poisons and opiates even from skilled hands but in Dorlin those days of darkness and misery are passed and the people enjoy the benefit of a medical skill one thousand years ahead of us. They look back to the practice of the old physicians with ludicrous feelings just as we do when reading the prescriptions that were used in the first century of our dispensation. We call your attention to some of the antiquated remedies of our world as related by Geica and copied from a medical journal of our own country following is a list. Ashes of wolf's skull, stag's horn, the heads of mice, the eyes of crabs, owl's brains, liver of frogs, viper's fat, grasshoppers, bats, etc. These supply the alkalis which were prescribed. Physicians were accustomed to order doses of the gull of wild swine. It is presumed the tame hog was not sufficiently efficacious. There are other choice prescriptions such as horse's foam, women's milk, laying a serpent on the afflicted part, urine of cows, bear fat, still recommended as a hair restorative, juice of boiled buckhorn, etc. For colic, powdered horse's teeth, dung of swine, asses kidneys, mice excretion made into a plaster, and other equally vile and unsavory compounds. Coles in the head were cured by kissing the nose of a mule. For sore throat, snail slime was a favorite prescription, and mouse flesh was considered excellent for disease of the lungs. Boiled snails and powdered bats were prescribed for intestinal disorders. When we read such a list of remedies we can scarcely believe that they were ever popular, but according to the history of Dorlin the time will come when many of our present medicines will be out of date, and only mentioned in the old medical works. The people of Dorlin have suffered in past ages innumerable woes on account of intemperance. Alcohol is unknown to them, but they have had a two thousand years battle against three liquids that affect them as opium affects us. Strange to say that these terrible liquids were the basis of many of their medicines, just like the anodine medicines of our present day. Thus in Dorlin the old kinds of medicines created many drunkards. Since the dawn of the brighter age a strict law prevails regarding the use of all narcotics in medicines. Then came gradually into use the many methods of treating disease without medicine, except the materials used to sustain life regularly. Being interested in these things I examined more closely into their past medical history, and saw more clearly the present folly of a certain part of our medicinal practice. How we are struggling with alcohol, especially as found in so many of our patent medicines, and how helpless we are in trying to abolish the sale of these medicines by reason of our unabounded liberty. In our world a man may concoct any alcoholic medicine and sell it without liquor license, for people become verily mad for the bottled stuff. Our nation may someday become wise enough to keep its own hand on the business that is determining the health and happiness of millions of its inhabitants. But let me cease this digression and get back once more to Dorlin. One of the most noted medical achievements on this world consists in the manner of rendering a person unconscious of pain. The anatomy of a Dorlinite is in general the same as our anatomy. Their bones are arranged a little differently and the sections of the backbone have a quite different formation. When a surgeon of that world wishes to perform an operation and therefore render the patient unconscious, he presses the tough cartilaginous parts of a section of the backbone with a screw device fastened to the body of the patient. This simple act renders the spinal cord insensitive, which condition may be maintained for hours without injuring the patient. Of course any point above the screw device is sensitive and for this reason it is more difficult to render a person unconscious in the parts about the head. Many ages ago the world of microbes was laid bare, but not before these people were masters of the microscope or an instrument serving the same purposes, although formed on a partly different principle. These Dorlinites have brought to light the numerous varieties of parasite broods that caused fermentations and diseases both infectious and otherwise. A diseased body is looked upon as being in possession of a certain brood of microbes, which are destroyed either by the blood filter or the vaccine bath or injection. I know no better name by which to call it. A few diseases are treated by doses of medicines given in a manner similar to the prescription system of our country. The food treatment is also very popular in Dorlin. This is merely a hygienic selection of foods given to people of declining health, instead of having them swallow 10 or 20 dollars worth of strong medicines. Abnormal appetites crave for a class of foods injurious to the system. In Dorlin they have discovered a novel method of turning the diseased appetite from its cravings toward the things needed by the system. In performing operations the experts of Dorlin have reached a marvellous degree of perfection. They have learned to make a false eye so that one can see with it. It took three and one half thousand years of continual experimenting on this delicate creation before it was pronounced satisfactory. The false eye is not a flesh, but one of manufacture. It is placed in sensitive connection with the optic nerve, on which images are thrown by the delicate mechanism of the false eye. The sight thus obtained is almost one half as distinct as that which is enjoyed by the normal eye. These medical wizards also make artificial ears which are about as satisfactory as the natural ears. In certain lines of surgery we are equal to these Dorlinites, but we cannot register with them in the whole category of surgical achievements. They have simply distanced us by 500 years. That is, I believe that in 500 years we can reach the fields of glory which they now occupy. I think of laying bare a human lung and treating it with a special preparation for extreme cases of lung diseases, and also treating it with a baking for department cases of a disease similar to pneumonia. Perhaps the most wonderful class of operations is performed on the heart and the brain. The heart is laid bare under a sheet of thermal rays, fatty tissues are removed, and other obstructions are eradicated during the regular heartbeats. The government grants certain privileges of experimenting on her lowest class of criminals, and it is well-nigh incredible what has been accomplished by cerebrum operations. Certain murderers of vile propensities have been so changed by an operation on the cerebrum that they have no power of recalling their past life and are incapable of uttering an oath, and what is more strange they are intent on leading an upright life and being intensely religious with all. I am compelled to crowd a world of glorious life into a few paragraphs, but I hope that I have given such as will be for our good. When one witnesses an exhibition he must, of necessity, look upon the poorer parts of it. This was my experience in my universal journey, for on some worlds which I visited I found that human civilization was at a low ebb. One of the most notable of this class is the world next beyond Dorlin. This sphere is one thousand times as large as ours, and the beastly creatures that inhabit it are four times our size. The toilers in the deep valleys of Mars are favorably intelligent compared with these specimens of humanity. For convenience I will call this world scum. Its people are so constituted that their two arms can be used as legs, so it is quite common to see these scumites travel over their planet like the more graceful of our quadrupeds. Their walking, however, is principally after our fashion, and they can change about at pleasure. Either way of travel seems as natural as the other. When they walk on two limbs the body is erect, presenting a stature of such gigantic proportions as to overaw a representative of our world. According to the universal standards of symmetry these giants have an animal beauty that is anything but handsome, and they also lack those facial expressions of higher intelligence that come only through generations of cultured thinking. Their health is quite perfect, and they live to a great age. These scumites have a language singularly their own. It is so totally different from any of our conceptions of speech that I can scarcely find words to describe it. The medium of conversation is the Notched Rod. It is about twelve feet long with various kinds of notches cut along the two sides. Such a stick is possessed by every scumite who expects to hold extended or descriptive conversations. It is usually held by a skin strung around the neck. While one of these persons is talking, two or three of his fingers pass from notch to notch along the rod. These indentures of the rod represent, in their language, certain kinds of sounds and are used to assist the vocal organs in expressing the more intricate combinations of ideas. Naturally the listener watches the fingers more than the mouth. It is amusing to see a scumite busily engaged in delivering a speech to a few of his fellow creatures. It would remind you of a person playing a fife or a violin, without producing any sound. The children of scum learn this rod language just the same as our children at first to learn to speak our language by observation and practice. The face of a scumite does not resemble a human face of our planet. The mouth and jaws are at right angles to ours, and this arrangement seems to be just as convenient to these scumites as the formation of our mouth is to us. The nose lies above the mouth, but is relatively much higher, its point coming between the two eyes, which are situated more toward the sides of the head. The startling fact about this world is that at one time in its past history fair intelligence reigned on a few parts of the planet. These intelligent sections were working their way upward on the measureless incline of progress, and had one some distinctions in their sciences, as well as their religious devotions. These bright spots on the surface of this large orb were surrounded with large black patches of warlike humanity and between these two extremes, a warfare of subjection or extermination raged without any hope or peace. The educated scumites had a few advantages in methods of war, but with all this they were not able to withstand the vast hordes that swept down upon them. Brute force won the battle, and the accumulated light of four thousand years flickered until it was no more. It was a fatal day for scum when its mad inhabitants blew out the last of the candles that had promised to give them light. When this sad and blighting victory was accomplished, these uncivilized tribes rejoiced more hilariously than at one time our Indians rejoiced when celebrating their victories in the wild scalp dances. Thus the dark shadows fell on this huge world. The captured educated classes made a heroic effort to continue their cultured manners and religious life, but the prejudice against them and their ways was so great that they were compelled to live in the lower strata or suffer the pain of death. In process of time the wild woods flourished where once the temples of science and pure religion reared their imposing pillars. What can we expect of such a race of people who have drifted from the light of civilization for so long a period? As I looked at their customs and their ways, I was reminded of a garden that has run wild. Here and there I could see traces of the once thrifty life now almost choked out by the overpowering crop of weeds. Gradually the people became worse and worse. Sin played havoc and built carnal fires around which these children of men gathered. Sensuality became the ruling passion and in less than five hundred years of our time the last family observance had died away and these creatures wallowed in the quagmire of fleshly lusts compared with which the brute life of our world is highly respectable. Free love was rampant and human offspring was cared for by mothers or at least by such as we're willing to assume the task. No one was supposed to know who was his father. I saw this sad and sickening spectacle against which my instincts revolted with horror. It is true that if man is left totally unbridled he sinks to a depth which it would be impossible for any species of the animal creation to reach. As I continued looking on this low life with its horrors too numerous and too dreadful to mention my thoughts flew back to the world whence I came and to America where I was born and I remembered of some who advocated free love let their arms be withered I cried rather than have such a thistle fasten itself in the soil of our social life. Let the libertine of our world go to the world of scum where he belongs or rise to the dignity of man whose image he bears. Compared with our world the physical features of scum are all fashioned on a much larger scale and the mountains rivers and vegetation are five times greater than ours so are also the many varieties of wild and domestic animals. The inhabitants of scum are divided into many warring tribes and it is fearful to see the conflicts that take place. During my brief stay I witnessed one of the big battles between two of the stronger tribes. One hundred and fifty thousand men went dashing into an enemy of greater numbers. It was a football melee on a vast scale. Weapons were all of the hand to hand type except the spear wagons which were indeed clumsy weapons of war. Nothing is known of surrender or a flag of truce so the conflict raged horribly to a bitter end until eighty thousand bruised victors participated in the jubilant feast that followed. Over two hundred thousand scumites lay dead on the field and along the mountain ridges. According to past history another such great battle is not liable to occur for another generation. The past religion of these giants is not even on a par with idolatry. There are many saints sleeping in their graves bright remnants of the time of the old civilization and religion. Amidst all this present moral wreck of humanity there are a few indications that point to better times. The nobler people of scum are banding together with the avowed purpose of bringing back the light of culture and refinement. But it will require several thousand years of determined effort to climb to the height from whence their ancestors were cruelly and thoughtlessly dragged. End of Chapter 14