Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-09-20

mammalian life existed on the sea
floor, and by championing the cause
of the sea serpent.
That was the end of Captain Mas
terman's activities so far as the gov
eminent was concerned. In a final in
tervieW the secretary Of the navy had
said to him:
Personally I believe in you, Mas
terman. But 1t isn't the discoveries
that count, it's getting the scientific
world to believe in them. I believe in
the sea serpent, myself, because I've
seen three Of them; but 1 wouldn't
dare to admit it, even in my club
smoking room, and we can't get you
another subsidy.
The Secretary'S confession duly ap-
peared in a newspaper article, and the
cartOonist illustrated it with a draw
ing showing him as a sea serpent with
three heads. In the course of his ex-
PLANTATION, Masterman consigned the
entire staff of the navy department to
that place where birthstone is unmOlli~
fed with molasses.
That ended the secretary's career,
and it would have ended Masterman's
if his had not been ended already.
After that the old man became
known as a bore who buttonholed pub
lie men and tried to induce them to
subscribe to the fitting out of a new
deep-sea exploration expedition. For
years he haunted the Hobbies Of the
capitol and the clubs, growing more
logged and obstinate and vituperative
as he met with disappointment after
disappointment.
Then, when his case seemed hope
less, he had succeeded in interesting
an American millionaire, with whose
aid he had fitted out an expedition to
the ShetlandS and FarOeS, from which
he had apparently just returned. Lieu
tenant Paget gathered from his ram
bling words that he had lost his ship,
and had returned, the sole survivor
in one of the ships boats, which he
had r0wed for several hundred miles
across the stormy waters Of the North
Atlantic
'But I brought my specimen home
with me, lad !" he exclaimed, clutching
at his companions arm. ''Think of
that, lad! She didn't want to eat
They don't eat after they're mature,
Donald. That simplified matters con-
siderable. And SO I brought her, and
got her safe to my home. Donald"
The old mans voice failed him. He
began muttering to himself absently
again. No doubt his terrible expert
ence had unhinged his brain. Lieu
tenant Paget had always known Mas
ternan to be natural eccentric, but
never before had he talked like this
about the safety of humanity, and
some awful and imminent danger
which only he could avert. The lieu
tenant could see that the old mans
| cheeks were sunken; his eyes were
wild, and under his long coat the
faded blue uniform was shrunken and
stained with sea water.
Lieutenant Paget felt well disposed
toward the whole world just then. He
had been summoned home from serv-
ice with the Atlantic fleet to receive
F55. And Miss Ida Kennedy, the
daughter of the American consul gen
eral in London, whom he had met
there the year before, had written him
that she was sailing in company with
her aunt by the Beotia for New York.
At such a time, when his profess
sional and personal interests were be-
ing served so we'll by fortune, Paget
/ felt that fate had played q wretched
! trick upon Masterman, whose lifeWOrk
/ had utterly failed of recognition owing
| to his defects of temperament. Though
| was craZed, he admired him as a dar-
| ing seaman and an original genius of
a high order.
'My dear lieutenant, am extremely
! glad to have met you. Nothing could
| have been more fortunate" said Mas
terman, recovering his equanimity
| with a suddenness that surprised his
| friend. Can you find the time to
| come into my club and have a little
! chat with me? It's the Inventors, but
| they call it the March Hares,' | be-
| lieve, because of some of the queer
! characters there. In fact, between
| ourselves, | believe that I am the only
| member who is entirely sane. / joined
| it for professional reaSons-that is to
| say, we have an organization and a
| magazine, for the purpose of getting
| into touch with people who are inter-
! ested in our projects. But it's queer
company, Paget, for a commOn-sense
man like myself, with no nonsense
about him"
"A little trying, l can imagine" Mas
terman," said Paget automatically.
Trying, sir? It's a COMPOUNDED
bore to listen to them! For instance,
| there's Brum, who has just been re-
| fused a patent for his eighth perpetual
| motion machine. And Hatfield, our
president-he had to resign from three
other clubs because he insists that
Shakespeare was really James I.
Yes, it's a queer world, lieutenant
| and the oldest thing of all is that
when one has something of the utmost
| Importance to the human race to make
| public, not a single man will take the
| least interest in it. I can't induce a
single member to listen to me. How
ever, we live and let live; and, as
said, the organization helps. But cal
you dine with me?"
1--WE nothing particular TO do this