Sharp County record., 1908-06-26
the GLORY OF
OUR CIVILIZATION
BY s. {. kiser.

have reached a degree Of civilization
far surprising anything that has ever
before appeared on earth. Let US en-
ter this splendid sky-scraper, SO that
may show you some OF the wonders
that our architects are able to per-
lorm."
As they stepped into the magnificent
building the stranger noticed near
the entrance a curious device when
seemed to greatly interest him. 1t
was circular affair bearing many
numbers upon its face, and hanging
from the middle was what the Mar
tan mstcok for a pendulum.
This" he said, 'is, | presume, a
marvellous clock which never has to be
wound. Yet the numbers upon 1t
seem rather curious. Win you kindly
explain them to me?"
"That is not clock" the proml'
nent citizen answered, with a smile
at the Martians ignorance. 1T Is a
register. BY its aid the proprietor OF
this establishment is able to keep a
complete record of the comings and
golngs Of his employees. Every time
one of the clerks or bookkeepers
comes in he is required to grasp what
you mistook for pendulum, move the
end around to the number which Is
his, and press 1t. This records the
time Of his arrival, 80 you see 1t is
Impossible for him to come late to
work without making the fact known.
II the hundreds of men and women
who work in this establishment were
permitted to come and go as they
pleased their employer would be
cheated out Of thousands OF dollars
worth OF their time every month. For
merly 1t was necessary to have man
who was known as timekeeper sta
toned at the entrance to check off the
employees as they came to work, but
this clever mechanical device does
away with all that"
"A most interesting device, The
civilization that evolves a mechanical
tmekeeper to prevent employees from
cheating their employer Is neces'
sarily a most highly developed type.
By the by, what are those curious ma.
chimes back OF the counters? | no.
lice that whenever money is passed
over 1t Is put into them and that fig
nres appear upon cute little discs or
plates which APPARENTLY bob out of no.
where"
"Those are cash registers The
cash register Is one OF the most i'm.
portant inventions OF our time. It pre-
vents stealing and cheating. You see
the employo who receives money must
deposit It In the cash register while
the customer Is looking The exact
amount paid for whatever has been
purchased appears upon the little
plate to which you have referred and
ls registered inside the contrivance
80 that the proprietor has an absolute
check against his employe, There can
be no error and there Is no possibility
Of juggling the figures"
1T Is wonderful There seem to be
a great many Of these devices In use. >
"Yes. You will find them every.
where"
II see. Your civilization eXcites my
wonder more and more as | become
acquainted with its workings, VIII
you bear with me a moment longer?
suppose my questions must strike you
as being utterly ridiculous, but can
not understand why there are long
narrow holes beneath tho knobs on all
your doors"
"lla, ha! You Martians are indeed
a simple people. Those are keyholes.
What is the significance Of key
hole?'
why, It's the place In which the
key Is put when the door IL locked OF
unlocked"
"But why should your doors ever be
locked~
Good gracious, you surely don't
leave your doors unlocked on Mars dc
your
'Why should tho doors be loeked?'
ITO keep people from entering rooms
In which they have no business and
taking things which do not belong to
them"
Would people having the advan
tages OF the high state Of civilization
to which you have attained think OF
doing such things,
Lord, they wouldn't stop to think
Of doing them, They'd Just step IN
and take whatever they could lay
their hands on"
DO you have locks on Nil youl
doors?"
Certainly"
"But ! don't understand why ther,
should bo locks on your church doors
! noticed whom we passed one of youl
holy odihees a few minutes ago thai
there was one OF the long, narrow