The San Francisco call., 1910-01-23
6he> EART II on0 tie COM f 7
EA1OMDER Story Of Facts Simply
w and Faruliarly Told, Wherein a
Human Element Is Introduced into the
Be4uilderina immensely of Starry Spaces

you going?"
That's lot of questions at one timer said the
strange star.
"Who are you?" asked the earth again.
81 am only little comet" said the stranger. But
who your"
"Why, am the earth So now you know all about
it."
Indeed l do not replied the 81 am a
stranger in these parts have never been in this
zone before and have not been introduced to any of
the stars"
you have to the right one said the earth
in consequential tone. ITS not my habit to boast
but say that l the most talented of us
ALL"
WELL that's lucky said the comet. But hurry
up now and tell me- have no time to stay saunter-
ing here indefinitely"
We'll, we push along at very pace" said
the EARTH amably. Come and take turn round the
with u.s. What? II will only take year. Then
we have a nice chat"
'Poohp said the comet, sneering DO you call
that pace? I am accustomed to very different
speed, you betl Hurry up bit and let me
know what sort of people you hereabout'
Promise me first that you will be careful not to
into me-" said the earth.
The strange star laughed till his tail split into three
"Oh, you're afraid of being made to see stars, are
your" said he. Make yourself easy l am quite
loose and airy, and, if 1 knocked up against lump
like you would fly into thousand pieces"
"AhP said the earth. interested $50 you're only
href was that myself once"
THAT must have been long ago" replied the comet,
distrustfuly. at seems to you have big ice
cap your pole
$50 have" said the earth. "And on each pole,
too. But don't think it matters having cold head
and feet, if only keeps ones inside nice and
warm"
WELL but what about the hre?" asked the comet
That's inside me-" said the earth "You might
like see it."
And she let couple o. her agges. volcanoes vomit
FIRE with vengeafr-s
Look iepe, AID comet, There is little,
upon my .,..,!.
"A li said tie earth, Indignantly 'The whole
OF my inside full of it. may tell you It's just that
which makes extraordinarily interesting. Look
here was once Just the sort of loose and airy
person yourself. But then pulled myself together
and gradually became compact At last thick
crust settled outside and can only make
chimney fire in my volcanoes But 1 have fire inside
me-"
THAT must be little troublesome" said the
comet.
"Oh, WE'LL" said the earth, "one becomes accus-
toned to it by degrees. And there
upon it."
MEM" repeated the comet. Whats that?"
The earth scratched her north pole thoughtfuy,.
and in SO doing shifted her ice cap, whereupon
couple of huge blocks came loose and drfed out to
sea as icebergs.
"We-e," she said, cas- matter of fact they're
sort of verrnin"
"Ugh" said the comet
The earth was silent for while, as if she were
medtating Then she said:
AT least, they creep and crawl until, sometimes,
they nearly drive mad And time passes and
more and of them they grow and
worse. They rummage through me in every direc-
ton for coal and metal and whatever else they have
use for. They lay rails upon and round
me with steam; they blast holes in my biggest
tans; they throw bridges my waters They
themselves say they my masters"
at seems to rather silly for star to allow her
self to be tyrannized by such vermin" said the comet
Cant you shake them Off"
Il have tried to-" said the earth "And that more
than and in different ways I have thrown up
quantity of fire and glowing stones through my
volcanoes and buried whole cities of them have
. often caused floods and drowned them by the thou
sands When consider that they are becoming too
offensive l give myself twist and have an earth
. quake"
"Well?" said the comet "And is that no user"
ITS some use, admit replied the earth. 1T
relieves things little. But it's good in the long
run They have become too many for me- | fear.
ought to have begun earlier, when they fewer
and less crafty. When l have drowned buried
some thousands of them and hoping that their
families will die of hunger and sorrow then the others
make collections for them and comfort them and help
them, and year two later am chock full again"
Il heard anything like it," said the comet. Il
can't imagine how you put up with it!'
KATa1i 7 doou III IT,
quite beyond my control They have ex-
pored me from pole to pole, that | hardly have
spot left for myself They have sized me up and