The Washington times., 1912-02-25

possibly turn out, issue a proclamation
to the people, warning them that this is
their only chance of escape"
BY a curious operation of the human
mind this speech cost CosmO nearly all
the advantage that he had previously
gained. His ominOus suggestion of
great nebula rushing out of the heaV-
ems to overwhelm the earth had i'm
mensely impressed the imagination of
his hearers, and his uncontradiCted ac-
cusation that Prof. Pludder was con-
cealing the facts had almost convinced
them that he was right But when he
mentioned "arks," the strain was re-
lieved, and a smile broke out on the
broad face of the President. He shook
his head. and was about to speak, when
Cosmo, perceiving that he had lost
ground changed his tactics
Still you are incredulouS" he cX-
claimed. But the proof is before you!
Look at the blazing heavens! The an
nails of meteoTOlogy do not record
another such summer as this. The van
guard of the fatal nebula is already
upon us. The signs Of disaster are in
the sky. But note what l saw-this is
only the first sign. There is another
following on it's heels which may De
here at any moment. To heat Will sue
coed cold and as we rush through the
tenuous outer spirals the earth will al
ternately be whipped with tempestS OF
snow and sleet and scorched by herce
outbursts of solar fire. For three weeks
the sun has been feeding its furnaces
with invisible vapor-but look out, l
warn you, for the change that is i'm
pending.
These extraordinary words, pro-
nounced with the wild air of prophet,
completed the growing conviction of the
| listeners that they really had a mad
! man to deal with, and Prof Pludder,
! having recovered his self-Command, rose
! to his feet.
MIR. President" lie began. 1.-THE evil
| denCP which We have lust seen of al
unbalanced mind"
He got 10 further. A pail of darkness
| suddenly dropped upon the room. An
| inky curtain seemed TO have fallen from
| the sky. At the same time the windows
| were shaken by tremendous blasts OF
wind. and, as the electric lights were
| hastily turned on, huge snowflakes, in
termlngled with rafting hailstones
| were seen Careering outside. In a few
seconds several large panes of glass
were broken, and the chilling wind
the teeth of the thinly clad statesmen
! chatter, while the noise of the storm
| became .deafening. The sky lightened
| but at the same moment dreadful thun
der-peals shook the building. Two OF
three trees IN the White House grounds
We're struck by the bolts, and thei
broken branches We're driven through
the air and carried high above thu
ground by the Whirling winds and ont
of them was thrown against the build
ing with such force that for a mOmen
| it seemed as if the wall had been shat
! tered.
After the frs stunning effect OF thi
| outbreak of the elements had passe,
everybody rushed to the windows t.
look uut-eVerybodv except COsmo Yer
sal, who remained standing in the cen
ter of the room.
Il told you" he said: but nobody lis
tened to him What thev saw Outsid
absorbed every faculty. The noise wa
so stunning that they could not HAY
heard him.
= We have said that the air lIghtene,
after the passage of the HIst pail q
darkness, but it was not the, rcapprar