The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1910-05-26

places suddenly came upon groteSQue POsoi
bility in those words. ut is nearer" 1t hur-
ried along awakening streets. 1t was shouted
down the froststilled ways Of quiet villages
men who had read these things from the throb-
bling tape stood in yellow-lit doorways shout
ing the news to the passers-by. 1T is nearer"
Pretty women, flushed and glittering. heard
the news told jestingly between the dances and
feigned an intelligent interest they did not
feel Nearer! Indeed. How curious! How
clever people must be to find out things like
that"
Lonely tramps faring through the wintry
night murmured those words to comfort them
selves-looking skyward. at has need to be
nearer. for the nights as cold az charity.
Don't seem much warmth from 1t If 1t II
nearer. all the same.
aWhat is a new star to me?" cried the
weepinR woman kneeling beside her dead.
The schoolboy, rising early for his exami-
nation work, puzzled 1t out for himself-with
the great white star shining broad and bright
through the frost-fowers of his window. Cen
trifugal. centripetal," he said. with his chin on
his fist. "Stop planet in its fight, rob 1t OF
its centrifugal force. what then! Centripetai
has it. and down 1t falls into the sun! And
this"
"Do we come In the way, wonder"
The light of that day went the way OF Its
brethren and with the later watches OF the
frosty darkness rose the strange star again.
And 1t was now SO bright that the waxing
moon seemed but pale, yellow ghost OF itself.
hanging huge in the sunset In South Afri-
can city great man had married and the
streets were alight to welcome his return with
his bride. gwen the skies have illuminated"
said the fatterer. Under Capricorn. two negro
lovers. daring the wild beasts and evil spirits,
for love Of one another. crouched together In
a cane brake where the firefiies lowered. THAT
is our STAR" they whispered. and felt strangely
<,$ ife fUht
The master mathematician sat in his pri-
vate room and pushed the papers from him.
His calculations were already finished. In
small white phial there still remained little
Of the drug that had kept him awake and
active for four long nights. Each day, serene.
explicit and patient as ever. he had given his
lecture to his students and then had come
back at once to his momentous Calculation.
His face was grave, little drawn. and hectic
from his drugged activity. For some time he
seemed lost In thought Then he went to the
window and the blind went up with click.
Half way up the sky. over the clustering roofs.
chimneys and steeples of the city. hung the
star
He looked at 1t as one might look into the
eye Of brave enemy You may kill me- ne
said after a silence; but can hold you-and
all the universe, for that matter-in the grip
of this little brain. would not change. Even
now"
He looked at the little phial. There will
be no need of sleep again." he said The next
day at noon. punctual to the minute. he en-
tered his lecture theater. put his hat on the
end Of the table as his habit was. and carefully
selected a large piece of chalk. 1t was joke
among his students that he could not lecture
without that piece Of chalk to tumble in his
fingers, and once he had been stricken to I'M
potence by their hiding his supply. He came
and looked under his gray eyebrows at the
rising tiers of young, fresh faces, and spoke
with his accustomed studied commonness Of
phrasing. Circumstances have arisen-cir-
cumstances beyond my CONTROL" he said. and
paused, which will debar me from completing
the course had designed. 1t would seem.
gentlemen. II may put the thing clearly and
briefly, that-man has lived in vain"
The students glanced at one another. Had
they heard Alright? Mad? Raised eyebrows
and grinning lips there were. but one or two
faces remained intent upon his calm, gray
fringed face at will be interesting" he was
saying ITO devote this morning to an e1posi-
tion so far as can make 1t clear to you. OF
the calculations that have led me to this con-
clusion. Let assume"
He turned toward the blackboard, mcdita-
ting a diagram In the way that was usual to
HIM what was that about lived in vain'?"
whispered one student to another Listen"
said the other, nodding toward the lecturer
That night the star rose later. for its proper
eastward motion had carried 1t some way
across Leo toward Virgo and its brightness
was SO great that the sky became luminous
blue as 1t rose and every star was hidden in
its turn. save only Jupiter near the zenith.
Capella. Aldebaran. Sirius and the pointers
of the Bear. It was white and beautiful In
many parts of the world that night pallid
halo encircled 1t about. 1t was perceptibly
larger; In the clear retroactive sky Of the trop-
les it seemed as II 1t were nearly quarter
the size of the moon. The frost was still on
the ground in England. but the world was as
brightly lit as II it were midsummer moonlight
One could see to read quite ordinary print by
that cold, clear light. and in the cities the
lamps burnt yellow and wan.
And everywhere the world was awake that
night, and throughout Christendom a somber
murmur hung In the keen air over the country
side like the belling Of bees in the heather,
and this murmurous tumult grew to clangor
in the cities. It was the tolling Of the bells
in a million belfry towers and steeples. sum-
moning the people to sleep no more. to sin no