The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-16

An unusually large number of servants
 were assembled that evening in the otala of the Englanian Society for the Promul-
 gation of Literary Culture. The latest
 work of the Martian philosopher Patax had been discussed with much enjoyment by those present and excerpts from transmitted thought charts had been
 displayed for the delectation of the mem- bers. When the fume censers were
 brought in the philosophers were In
 particularly happy frame of mind and re-
 clned comfortably upon their couehes
 while their faces were lighted up by the
 stimulus of the vapor as they let fall
 words of wisdom from their lips.
 During lull in the monosyllabic con- versation Epax, a youthful philosopher
 from a nelghboring city of Englania,
 rose to his feet. He raised his hand In
 an impressive manner and the more aged men gathered about the board became silent in sheer astonishment at the pre- sumption of callow youth of five years
 who dared impose silence upon savants twenty-five years old
 "Gentlemen of the Englanian Society for the Promulgation of Literary Gull ture," said Epax, "I have the pleasure
 to announce that have made discov- | cry which you will all agree to be the | most important in the history of the | Englanian race. A discovery which will make known in no boasting spirit l but for the good of man. Learned men of the Englanian Society for the Pro-
 mitigation of Literary Culture l nave l
 | Instantly pandemonium broke forth in | the otala The company was thrown into wild disorder by the excitement of the | members who made a rush Tor the | proud and defiant Etax. Surging about the youth they urged him to disclose one thought picture of the wonderful book which they had known only in the uncer- tain history of the past. Etax was not to be forced When the disturbance had quieted sufficiently for him to make himself heard he announced that he would prepare a fume banquet In the great otala of Petrax and invite the wise men of the world to attend When all | had assembled he would read to them the historical novel which he had con | structed by superhuman effort.
 Soon the news spread abroad. In all | parts of the Englania the wise men | looked forward with the pleasant antici- | patton to the day on which they would be permitted to hear the new novel read | by the eminent Epax, who was now the l greatest man of the times. Discussion was rife as to what the book contained. | When the appointed day arrived there was much preparation and hustle within l the furnished gates of Petrax. Wise men | and savantsl from all quarters of the | earth were arriving in a constant stream Numbers from the Martan shores and the moon where they spent their days | in meditation among the volcanoes light | ing up the obverse side of the lunar world with their ominous fires. All made direct for the otala of Petrax When the hour drew near for the ap- pearance of Epax the excitement became | intense. A hush brooded over the great concourse of the worlds brainy men who were waiting in the otala.
 | Epax appeared on the rostrum. His name had been sent abroad cast over the earth and when he stepped forward with | scroll of thought pictures clasped in | his hand thunderous burst of applause greeted him. Again and again the im- mense building echoed to the cries of the Englanans and the elated Epax could show his thanks only by repeated bows.
 When silence had been obtained Epax began to reveal his thoughts pictured on the scroll. Mounting the opel picture after picture was displayed to the phi losophers who shouted their applause at frequent intervals. The title of the nov el was What in the - is This?" To a man of this degenerate day the open ing pages displayed by Epax read as fol- lows:
 Sir Tolliver leaned gracefully against the mantel in the dining hall of the Lee manor house in old Virginia. Through the doors came the sound of music in the ball room and the faint laughter of the dancers Colonel Kilgore had Just finished his seventeenth cocktail at the bufet and was starting on his eighteenth