Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-17
HE WAS REINCARNATED
AFTER ONE HUNDRED YEARS
FIRST PRIZE

Dear Aunt Laurie:
Knock! knock! came a noise from the
front door.
The butler opened the door and ad-
mitted a gentleman with long gray
hair, frilled shirt short trousers and
a longtailed coat. He had a pleasant
face, but he certainly looked as if he
had been continually finding new sur
prises,
Are you the gentleman of the
house?' the stranger asked the butler.
mo, sir replied the butler, little
coolly and with a glance of scorn at
whom he termed to be a hayseed, "but
if you will kindly give me your card l
will give it to the gentleman of the
house"
"Card?" queried the bewildered man.
Il have no card. but l would like to see
the gentleman of the house, if you
please.
Your name?" asked the butler.
Robert Fulton, sir
Now. the butler knew nothing of his
tory, so, of course. did not think of
the stranger as being q historical char
acter, but he went to his master and
told him of the presence of the
stranger.
Mr.. Murray soon put in his appear
ance at the reception room and deli
cately inquired of the stranger who
'NS 'cAANNAA - St0iiAiS eibOulS lAAlli,
his business
Pm Robert Fulton, sir, who has just
undergone an incarnation like Rip Van
Wrinkle, only instead of sleeping twenty
years l have slept for about 100 years."
Surely you are not the Robert Full
ton who invented the steamboat Cler-
mont!' exclaimed the surprised host.
THE very same" returned r. Fulton,
but my! I've almost forgotten my
self, for everything is so changed. As
yet I've hardly become accustomed to
the change in time. Why, in my days
if person had have had a home as
palatial as yours he would have been
hailed for miles around as an eX-
tremely rich man. But all the houses
on this street are so beautiful and mag
niiicent as yours"
ut is now dinner time" said Mr..
Murray. "Will you take dinner with
me? 1 should be proud to entertain
such noted man as you were and are.
This way, please"
Dinner at o'clock At what time,
pray tell, do you have supper?"
BIr. Murray answered this question,
and seating his guest at the table
pushed a button on the wall.
May [ inquire what that is?" asked
Mr.. Fulton.
why, that is a push button. When
l push it it causes an electric bell TO
ring in the kitchen, and by butler
knows he is wanted"
Just then the same naughty, unsmi1-
ing butler who had admitted Mr.. Fu9-
ton entered the dining room and re-
ceiyed orders for the meal, the china
and silverware of which was wonder
ingiy examined by the ever surprised
guest.
Not forgetting his ancient talent for
the invention of steamships, Robert
Fulton expressed his desire the next
day to go to San Francisco bay and
was taken thither by Mr. Murray.
The inventor not only found interest
and gained knowledge by examining
the many massive ships there, but his
attention was forced to some huge OBJ
jects sailing in the air above him.
Mr.. Murray told him that they were
airships, and explained the uses made
of them
"Weu! welln exclaimed Robert Full
ton. what wonderful things there are
now, anyhow! And just to think" he
added, that [ could have invented all
these modern wonders if I had only
thought of them
Mr.. Murray turned his face to hide
a smile, and when he turned toward
the place where Robert Fulton had
stood he saw nothing of his recent
acquaintance.
He supposed that he had been merely
dreaming that the great inventor of
old had visited him; but the fact was
that Robert Fulton's time for visiting
earth was over and he had returned
TO the mysterious Land of Somewhere,
from which place he had come to visit
our modern wonders.
HELEN MARIE FERGUSON.
Los Angeles high school, tenth grade.
Age Is years. 3246 Emmett street.