The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-07
INTO is 6uiz Is though II were 1
grain OF sand.

1nto lts Ouik es though It were =
grain Of sand.
II 1t passed within ten million miles
the earth would become its satellita
It would either be scorched by fire or
drawn away from the protecting sun
into the cold regions Of space, to be-
come frozen moon. Which Of these
things would happen Professor Joram
could not foresee. But It was certain
that 1t was heading direct for earth.
The news was confirmed from the
European observatories. And soon the
monster began to be visible in the
sly. hundred thousand million miles
away, like little moon.
All over the land prayers went up
to heaven. The rich prayed to be per.
United to live. to enjoy their wealth.
The poor forgot their misery and
prayed to live . little longer. But .
few men like Hagan were utterly care
less.
For the FIRST time all human beings
win be equal in this world. Mary"
he said. as he sat at his wife's bed.
side. 1T will not matter to u.s."
Mary Hagan answered nothing;
but she. too. prayed. She prayed
that somehow they might find mercy
she and John and every living soul
upon the planet.
By the beginning Of the summer Of
2205 the star had visibly increased in
magnitude. There we're two moons
in the heavens now. The monster,
which was named Og. after the fabu.
lous king of Bashan, was no more than
forty thousand million miles away.
And still 1t was heading toward
earth. Nothing could save the
world. said Professor Joram. He
indited these words after making an
application for an increase Of salary,
to take effect on the first day of the
succeeding January. The directors
refused his application. on the ground
that after that date he would, by his
own calculations, have no need for an
increase OF salary. Professor Joram,
who was struggling to make both ends
meet on pittance of twenty-five thou
sand, was deeply chagrined. He even
made private application for bet.
ter-paying position in the University
Of Buda-Pesth. Such are the incop.
sistencies OF the human mind.
And the splendid object in the skies
waxed in size continually. 1t was
visible by day now. as we'll as by
night, q huge moon, larger than the
sun. and Of q silvery wilderness.
when 1t gets within a thousand
million miles Of US, at the beginning
Of December, the heat will be con-
siderably increased" wrote Professor
Joram. Therefore 1t is safe to say
that we shall never have another win
ter. We shall have milder summer,
q second summer In spring. and next
summer will mean the beginning OF
the end"
Following which he laid in his win.
ter coal supply.
II was not that the professor did
not believe In the celestial visitor.
Nothing could be more certain. a. all
the astronomers agreed, than that the
earth must inevitably be consumed.
But the human mind cannot quickly
adjust itself.
The crowds stood staring up at o.
nightly. They measured It; they
looked through telescopes to see the
man in o." Meanwhile Mary Hagan
was fading swiftly. It was q question
whether she would live to see the end
Of al things. And her husbands des'
perate plea for few hundred increase
was vetoed for the same reason that
had been given to Professor Joram
He was also working overtime. be-
cause the factory was supplying large
quantities Of heavy overcoats for the
forthcoming winter
John. DEAR" said his wife. have
Won ,nct,ced-..at t.n bun ,,,-d 20.