The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-12-28
Written r,iF the ADVOCATE
What John Smith Saw in the Moon
A CHRISTMAS STORY


and five children as to make ii incumbent
on HIM TO work and celebrate his Savior's
birth day, at his work bench. Though none
the less holier feelings and thoughts filled
hisheart and head that merry Christmas day
for his being found manipulating the same
sundry tools as was his wont To handle on
less notable days, John Smith Was not con
ventionally Christian. He owned no
cushioned pew IN a Aranite church editce
But he did own good warm heart, filed
with veneration for his God and the kindest
of feelings for his fellow man. He had
worked long and faithfully, but his wants
and necessities had kept pace with the pit
lance he received for his arduous services,
and Il was but human and natural that he
should feel dissatisfied with the fate that
kept him hammering away on merry
Christmas. when Brown, the banker,
rolled by in his afiluent coach. He put
in good days work this merry Christ
mas day, and felt tired and out Of sorts
After finishing his scanty evening meal he
put on his hat and wandered down town, to
add fuel to his misery, by viewing the well
filled show windows. Sour grapes. Z. aaid
he, savagely, as he turned away from The
brilliant display He felt lonely, and as if
he was suffering an injustice. He turned
his gaze towards the stars, AS il looking for
comniseration, but they appeared O.
coldly mysterious and seemed SO distantfS
formal that he felt AS if all nature was
against him. With his eyes directed heaven
ward, the thought entered his mind ''Now
if 1t wasn't for the attraction of the earth,
| could soon sail around away ~ no.
among those stars and L." He didfl't finish
the sentence, however, for the next Infant
John smiths foot came in contact with some
obstruction, and as a necessary coincident
JohI smiths nose came in contact with
mother earth with such violence as to fully
impress ON his mind the wonderfully at
tractlve care that that terrestrial dame
evInces for and exerts over her children to
restrain their bodies from following their
minds when soaring hesvenwards. John
Smith got up. ''Confound the attraction
uf gTayitation | wish from the bottom of
my heart that ! had ~ weight on this
earth, then | wouldn't fall, and nearly kill
myself. AS have done now | wish the earth .
attraction for one would cease entirely
AS he spoke he gave slight spring to jump
On the obstruction over which he had fal-
len, and John Smith never stopped when
he reached TIE tupuf that obstruction. Ills
wish Vas verified. The compromise WAS
effected Earth had 10 attraction for him.
and John Smith went up up up with
an increasing velocity that sent the night
air whstling through the rents made III his
pants BY his fall, that quite chilled him. He
passed through thin, damp. yapory cloud
that vet him quite through. But at length
he began to breathe frerr and easier as he
became accustomed to the great rush Of
air past him, and ia his wunderment looked
around him. He turned his gaze towards
the earth, and objects had become blended
together on its surface. He could distin-
guish nothing but vast dull, luminous
object, which every moment grew brighter.
From the earth he turned his gaze upward,
and observed, with much amazement, that
the moon had increased in size, and appear
ed many times larger than it usually did
The moon lay way off to his right, and
upon looking directly up in the direction
III which he was ascending, he observed
very large and exceedingly bright star,
which appeared to be stationary, and to lie
directly in the course in which he was as,
cending. The star on which his wondering
eyes were riveted continued to grow larger,
until upon nearing it he found that the We
locity with which he had been ascending
was diminishing very rapidly, and as he
neared the star IN direct line he observed |
the outlines of what appeared to be hu-
man being. He was moving very gently /
now towards the object. and as he came
directly to it, what was his surprise to OBJ
oned seat, woman Of SURPRISING lowell
ness, who extended her hand to him, and
With a voice Of sweet accord, said
''Come John, get in have been wait
ng for You, and as it is quite late by your
earthly time, We must be moving, or wen
never get there"
Get where p said John. as he placed
himself alongside of her on the seat
Home, said she, as she placed her nand
IN the handle Of what appeared to lie a
aucet, though finely wrought, and inlaid
Sith diamonds and gems Of wonderful
beauty. The scat on which they were,
was placed on, and upheld by what appear
I'd to be a molten mass Of gold and silver,
which looked intensely bright and hot, but
10 Johns wonder he felt no heat from il.
As his conductress turned the valve he felt
himself lifted, and moving towards the
moon with a wonderful velocity, though he
experienced no difficulty in breathing. He
SO much comfort on the coli
Lrary from his surroundings, that he felt
quite at ease
Where is your home, said John, en-
boldened by the benign and kindly ex-
preston Of her face.
why, on the mon, Of course, but |
iorgut. John, that you are from the earth,
md don't understand things as we do on
he moon. Well, know. then, that had
orders this evening to catch comet and
meet you, as you were seen to leave the
,arth by one Of our look outs
Zone Of your look outs" said John.
How is it possible for you to see an object
8 small "a a man AT that great diafanca ~ |