Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-24

customed! On those battleships of the seas were
magnificent forces of men trained to fight, which
were numbered by thousands; but here each
consisted of bare haf-dozen. In the huls OF those
vessels of the Strove small army, watching
over and driving huge engines, and supplying
them with steam; here were only one man and
assistant standing before levers switches, and but
TONS which did their work instantaneously and
with noise. In those destroyers of the waters
throbbed mighty engines considered the modern
triumph of speed here craft that by fingers
pressure could almost run abreast the sun. Those
ships bristled with mighty guns; here were
frowning muzzles unwieldy turrets. Science
was bringing end to brute force, and the last
battle against barbarism at hand.
For the first time since its BIRTH the great plant
silent and idle, and the who had created
it and by its means built this new fleet of the air
at rest. They had done all they could and
now gathered silently round the radiopanes, which
stood in orderly array with portike doors yawning
wide to receive their crews, Fighting Bevins
the force under his command. Captains who had
handled hundreds of and driven their great
floating crafts of Steel and engineers who had
learned new calngs waited attentively for his last
The battle Scared veteran addressed them in
voice that needed no high pitch to be audible
nothing more to say to you. You going out to
fight what will probably be the last great battle in
history. You are active participants in the final
ing when our profession will be useless, and for
one shall gladly turn to ways of peace"
Norma, who had left the bedside of the sleeping
inventor, joined the officers, and Bevins stopped
and saluted her.
With us, he continued "is girl who has laid
all her talents on the altar Of country, and is now
prepared to jeopardize her life for victory We
do no less 1t may be that some of us will not
turn,-the hazards of never be foreseen.
You have been put in a strange position. and are
even robbed of the sailors right to send last mes
sage to your homes; but that too has been for the
country's good. To my personal knowledge you
have all passed your lives in trying to do what was
right. and have given the best that in you to
the flag. You will do no less now
In the glare of the arc lights he took last look
at his comrades in arms, and then as if once more
at sea- loudly ordered, =" Board Ship all
He uncovered and stood aside in an attitude of
the greatest respect while Norma passed and en-
tered the flagship bearing her name. With steady
precision the other officers saluted took possession
of their radiopanes, and the doors changed shut
behind them a mighty cheer burst from those out
side. Before it had subsidized the dynamos in the
strange collection were hummng and droning with
unleashed energy and the unshuttered ports stared
out into the gloom like eyes of fire suddenly opened
from sleep.
From the Norma there shot up into the sky
swiftly alternating streaks of red white, and blue,
the night signal asking if all ready. From the
other monsters came flashing answers of acquies-
cence. There was an instant's pause. The flagship
gave slight upward shock and lifted slowly into
the air. Immediately behind in stately upward
sweep followed another radioplane, and in quick
succession like gigantic birds OF the night they
reached a common altitude: The cheer below had
died away, and all was still.
Then, as if answering the call of baton swung
by a god, the palpitant air riven by a mighty
chorus from beneath. Mounting upward there
penetrated to them, quivering with terrific fervor.
the cry of invncibilty voiced in the majestic words
of that deathleSS song OF battle
eyes the glory of the coming of the lord
He is tramplng out the vintage where his grapes of
wrath stored:
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible
swift sword;
His truth is marching