The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-09-11

rise TO the realization OF what this
generation has done, but our descend
ants will look on us as demigods. and
the Wright brothers will become
myths, like that chap that invented
cooking, Prom-Prom-?
''Prometheus."
eyes. sir. Well, then, after living
for thousands of years at the bottom
of five miles of air, an ocean of oxy-
gen and nitrogen, we've found out how
to get up on top OF it. They are liv-
ing at the bottom of an ocean Of oxy-
gen and hydrogen. Suppose they
learned to fly, too!
"YOu can see what they'd do. Some
Of their scouts, who had gone on
ahead. would discover that the dry
land was teeming with food. Food In
such quantities as these hungry mon
sters had never dreamed about. Food
in solid chunks. instead Of dissolved
particles Of plankton, varied with an
occasional cannibal dinner. And light
by which to capture it-sunlight! No
more hunting down their prey with
phOsphorescent torches!
"At first they'd nibble the grass and
leaves Of the trees. But they'd find
that cellulose Is pretty indigesuble
stuff. Then one Of them would dis
cover a dead bird or rabbit. and an
other that sheep and cattle make good
eating, and then"
"Then mani" muttered Donald,
gripping the arms of his chair. The
madman's picture had become dread
fully real to him.
"Other bodies would follow the
scouts, Donald. They wouldn't be
quite adapted to dry land at first.
They'd make their way along the
river beds. They'd swarm up the Hud-
son, the Rhine. the Severn. the Mis-
sissippi. That's what we did, and
even today we haven't got very far
from the river banks. Well. they'd
rest and recuperate. eating the asA
they found, until the supply became
exhausted. Then"
"Good Lord! gasped Donald. And
then the reaction came. OF course
Masterman was raving mad. the mad
dest member OF the March Hares'
club. What q fool he had been to let
the old fellows dismal prophecies get
on his nerves!
he leaned forward and placed his
hand on Masterman's knee.
did you 60 to the navy Office with
the idea Of telling that to the secre-
taryr' he asked.
n did, sir" answered Masterman.
'Then. II I may say 50 without CIV
ing offense. 1t is a mercy that you
failed to secure an interview with
him." said Donald. "Why, Masterman
-e-you know how hard 1t Is to
convince anyone Of the truth Of any
thing a little out Of the ordinary" He
was feeling his way carefully now.
to avoid hurting the old fellow. "Why,
Masterman. II you we're to make such
q suggestion as that at the navy Office.
they'd shut you up as a-as not quite
right" he said.
II know It, my boy" the captain an
swered. 1--WE been called crazy ever
since I saw the sea serpent of Aber-
deem. l have to thank MacBeard for
that. Eyer since he learned that I
was on the track Of something big.
he has been trying to queer me. And
when I discovered mammalian life on
the sea floor. l was called an impOs-
tor. which hurt more. But as see
It, lieutenant, q man can only be true
to himself, and stand for truth and
fair play, moderation and courteous
dealings. not mudslinging and invec-
tive, and calling names, like that pig
eon-brained, pot-faced porous plaster,
MacBeard."
"But at least you won't mention
these matters to people wh0-whO
haven't open minds" pleaded Donald.
mo. sir. I wash my hands Of them
all. That's why I have told you about
this. But II you don't listen, IL you
don't warn tho wnrld-"