Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-09-17

X ltYf II
Copyrights .-lo1a b
his things in order with unusual care.
as one might who was about to take
a long vacation. and with ailast look
at the beloved instruments SO inf
nitely more delicate than the human
senses locked the door and departed,
taking his seat upon the little car
that ran down the steep cog road to
the city below. 4 II. 5t5
4 He entered the busting place just
as the sun dropping behind the west.
ern peaks left the first shadows OF
evening to steal swiftly across the
plain. Scarcely three-q quarters Of an
hour had passed since Kelly OF the As
ISOLATED Press had clashed the receiv-
ser into its hook and darted for the
telegraph key, but already the howl
ing newsboys were scampering about
with the agility of young apes as they
gathered their horde Of nickels from
the shrieked prophecy of the dire
death that was hurting down upon
them, fighting for dropped coins as
coyotes snap and wrangle over bones.
as little mindful OF the promised clash
OF celestial bodies as had two knights
Of the squared ring challenged each
other to pigmy mortal battle. Des-
mond. watching them, doubted not
that they would have stood daunt-
lessly sscreeching their wares before
the onslaught of Jupiter, .scrambling
for the coins in the very shadow Of
the approaching monster. With a
cynical curiosity new to him he
scanned the faces Of those who pur-
chased the news which he had sent
forth to the world. watching them as
they read the huge headlines bearing
his name, reading in their faces their
varied emotions their open derision,
their incredulity, their doubt and In
few cases their fear. On all sides he
heard the- comments Of those who had
purchased the scare head extras.
Another high brow says q moon
or something is going to drop on III us
this evening. Guess I'll have to put.
up my umbrella. " l5, 5
"Bet you twenty to one she misses
u.s." 81 I. 81
Fine bet that II I won what good
would 1t do meburied hundred
miles deep 2" ss5 81 {. "a
4. '..rYon can't always tell. Those wise
boys hit things right once in 9 mill
lion times" &, .s a3
"And just think, Julia. II it hits US
it will break up the dance. s5.55 ~
A "A scheme to sell more yellow news
papers" i. 534, :.
Absurd, impossible. unscientific-"
58 "He says 1t Is as big as this state"
"Glad the state amt Texas then"
From nearby corner band Of Ad-
ventists began to chant to the beat
ing Of drum, seeming to glory in the
direfuI prospect. He who repenteth
in the last hour may yet enter the
holy Kingdom. Come We while yet We
may and be saved for the end of all
earthly things is at hand. woe, VICE."
Angry, Disguised, amused, Desmond
turned upon his heel and started for
q nearby hotel that he was accus-
toned to frequent, but had scarcely
taken half dozen steps when .
hand fell upon his arm and he looked
up to see the half-serious, halfsmiling
face OF his friend Alan March before
him, He paused. saluting. s.%
March slipped the professors arm
beneath his own. Come along. now,
and tell me all about It. Might as
well know the worst first as last" he
announced az he scanned his friends
face as closely as physician might
scan the features Of patient Of
whose sanity he was slightly in doubt.
What was your idea in starting all
this excitement anyway or is the re-
port scanard conjured up by some
enemy or practical Joking alleged
friend OF yours 81 Desmond shook his
head, N,
..No, 1t Is my own message, ana az
you win readily appreciate. ! have
staked my reputation upon It's accu.
racy. II / am wrong I will be the butt
OF the world. : clown. bufoon, q
lunatic-" Despite himself he drew q
sigh. It did not seem possible that
such grotesque calamity as he had
prophesied could occur in q universe
OF such perfection. God-made, where
each stupendous body Of unthinkable
space lay balanced to a hair against
its countless neighbors Of hundreds Of
millions, yes, hundreds of billions OF
miles away; where q perfection incon-
ceivable to man seemed to rule
through, both infinity OF time and
space. And now that he had had
time to ponder over 1t, it seemed to
him that 1t must all have been q
dream. q dream SO vivid that he had
upon awakening mistaken it for real
Eity, Yet II he had been asleep then
he was as apt to be asleep now. and
with his die cast he would stick to it
to the last and either go down to- dis
grace as false prophet, or In case
he survived the cataclysm stand erect
and INDICATED in the eyes OF all man
kind. Allan spoke again.
"In common with all who know you
/ have huge respect for your scien-
tif1c attachments, your level headed
ness and your thorough integrity.
Therefore I am convinced that you
fully believe that this awful catastro-
phe will occur to US as you have prog
nosticated The only element Of doubt
in my mind 10 the possibility OF any
man, no matter how careful or learn