Telegram-herald., 1890-03-21

correctly ngured II would have peen er-
aetly solved But this forgetting OF
three Eeros has made . change a. tie
end OF the calculation of twelve nzughts.
1T Is not . cannon one million times
larger than that Of twenty-seYen cent?
meters which Eas necessary. A trillion
ot these eannSns throwing a tFillion pro-
1ectlles Of 80, geo tons each would DO
necessary 70 cisplace the North Pole,
admitting the meli-melonite had the
expansive power which had been At
triouted 20 it By Captain Nicholl.
Therefore the - hole shock under the
conditions under which il wls produced
has displaced the North Pole only three
thousand tbs OF a millimeter, and has
only changed the level Of the ocean at
the most nine thOusandths Of three thou
sandths OF q millimeter. In regard 10
the projectile fred, il viii be a small
planet, and will belong in future TO the
solar system, sustained By solar attrac-
ton. ALCIDE PIERDKUx."
So this want Of attention on the part
OF j. L. Maston at the beginning Of his
calculations had produced such humili-
ating result for his company.
But even IL his associates were very
angry against him, ifevery body laughed
and joked az him, it is only fair TO state
IN his favor that this MISTAKE which had
wrecked the operation had spared the
world a to- - catastrophe.
A food of telegram. and letters ar
rived from all parts OF the world con-
graduating j. Il. Maston on his mistake
Of three naughtS J. Z. Maston, moro
downhearted and crushed than ever,
would not listen to the hurrahs which
the world now uttered for him. Presi-
dent Barbicane, Captain Nicholl, Tom
Hunter. with wooden legs; Colonel
Bloomsberry, the gay Bilsby and his as
sociates would never pardon him. But
Mrs. Evangelina Scorbitt could not be
angry with him, most excellent lady.
j. It. Maston had begun to do his cal
culations over again, refusing to admit
that he was wrong at that point.
He was, however; the engineer, Al
eide Pierdeux, had not made a mistake.
Having learned his error at the last mo-
ment, when he had no time to make 1t
known, he had remained perfectly COM
posed among'all the fright and terror
of those about him. That was why he
proposed toast in champagne at the
moment when the shooting was taking
place in the Old World.
Yes, indeed, three naughts had been
forgotten in the circumference of the
earth. Suddenly J. T. MastOn remem-
bered the whole matter.
It was at the beginning Of his work
when he had shut himself up IN the
Ballistic Cottage and written the
number $4,000, 600 on his blackboard.
At that moment the electric bell began
10 ring with great force. J. 7. Maston
went to the phone. He exchanged
fe ~ words with Mrs Evangelina Scor-
lightning from the storm through the
telephone knocked over his black board I
and himself. He got up, commenced to F.;
write over again tho numbers which had
beon half rubbed out on his blackboard.
tie had just written the numbers 10000
when the telephone rang for the second
time. He went again to listen to Nine.
Scorbitt, and when he did begin his work
he forgot to put on the last three naughts
OF the earths circumference.
What terrible blow it was to this
unhappy lady when ]. T. Maston was
compelled to tell her the circumstances
which had produced the mistake! Yes.
she was the cause Of the disaster. 1t
was on her account that J. T. Maston
found himself dishonored through tho
long years which he had yet 70 live, as
nearly every mem Der OF the gun club
usually lived to the age OF hundred
years
After this conversation at New Park
J. T. Maston had gone away from the
mansion. He went back 20 his Ballistic
Cottage and walked in to bis study NUT
terlng TO himself: swell. now ! an not
good for any thing any more in this
world"
Not even good enough TO get mar
ried?~ said broken voice ct his elbow.
l. was that Of Mrs Evangclins Scor-