Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-01-01
CHAPTER I.
The Prophecy.

The Prophecy.
Professor Desmond, astronomer Il
charge OF the Peak Observatory
glanced into the relectoscope-tha
wonderful new instrument for scar
ming the heavens-then withdrew hi
eye from 1t and strcked the polishe,
glass gently with a piece of chamoi,
skin. Then he peered again. Jus
above the eastern horizon he saw
speck SO minute that q layman woult
not have noticed It at all, yet which
caused the scientist to blink and gri
mace, for he knew that in all reason
the speck should not be there, and 1t,
presence on the glass irritated hi:
professional eye as though 1t ha6
been a particle of foreign matter OF
bis own iris instead. For q moment
he watched 1t with q face that seconG
by second grew tenser and more
drawn, then springing to his feet he
swung the secondary telescope upor
It. On either side Of him and rising
to within a few hundred feet of the
observatory were the crests of othel
peaks, towering. ragged, swimming In
the thin air nor than a dozen thou
sand feet above the level Of the sea
while below raj a dizzy sweep of can
yon and gorge that at last smoothet
themselves out to the plain upon
which stood the city In the very
shadow Of the mountains. Tense az
a man stretched upon a rack he
peered through the telescope across
the million miles Of space that inter
vened between his eye and the speck
and as he did SO the sweat began to
burst from his temples in tiny beads
For several minutes he looked, turned
rom the glass to the Kaleidoscope
again and then began a series of rap
Id computations. finished them, swung
to the long distance telephone and
TANNED his thumb upon the button
labeled Washington" A moment
later he was talking to the head de.
partment direct. his voice calm and
incisive.
Hello, Washington! This you,
Headmann? This is Desmond Of the
Peak. There Is something coming d.
rectly for US from due last and lust
above my mountain horizon. 1 have
been observing it for some moments
both In the Kaleidoscope and glass
m have made my computations. Its
speed il tremendous, its size small
l would say perhaps a quarter Of the
moons. 1t is not a fragment, but
rather a complete body, and to all
appearances Is a small satellite with
a circumference Of say a thousand
miles. How is your eastern weather?
Thick! Then you probably will not be
able to get a look at 1t. 1t Is about
a million miles away at present and is
coming at the rate Of perhaps two
hundred thousand miles an hour. I'm
less l am greatly in error 1t will
strike the earth somewhere In this
region In about five hours-say about
nine O'Clock tonight. or course you
understand what that may mean. /
have nothing nor to say at present"
He hung up the receiver without
awaiting a reply. sat thought en-
crossed for a moment. then put his
finger upon another button.
Hello. Associated Press! This is
Desmond Of the Peak Observatory. A
short while ago I happened to notice
q foreign body in the Kaleidoscope
that seemed to be approaching US
from a comparatively near distance
as space distances go. Immediately
put the telescope upon It. At that
time, which was but a few minutes
ago. it was perhaps a million miles
away and appeared to be a small sat
elite. Its speed Ii tremendous
cometlike-its size perhaps three
hundred miles in diameter and a thou
sand miles around. am not prepared
at this moment to hazard an opinion
AZ to its density other than II is IN.
doubtedly a solid. Furthermore, in all
probability II is going to hit US some
where in this region within a few
hours. | leave the information up to
you TO use or not as you e ft." From
the other end of the wire came the
i~ncredulous voice Of Kelly. the man
OF the press.
Come now, Professor, that's good.
IL would make a fine scare head, but
you don't want US to put you on rec
ord as saying that, do your" The
listeners brow corrugated.
Have / been in the habit of send
Ing out false reports?" he demanded
sharply, and at the tone Of his voice
Kelly ceased his silent chuckle.
mo. you eve gave US anything
uefore that was not-pardon me-en
tireiy plausible. And OF course we all
know and appreciate your high pro-
fessionaI standing. But this thing is
really so remarkable. you know-so
very extraordinary Ii It not Just
possible that you are mistaken as 9th.
ers have been in this direction time
and again."
Il have prophesied or believed
In the probability Of such a thing
happening before. But my eyes are
good, my mind normal, my instru.
ments and mathematics accurate and
I cannot doubt such evidence. I
thought you might wish to know about
II, that's all. Use It or not as you see
1T" The voice Of the other came
E.f-r~- r-fA..