The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-09-10

pore 70 listen TO them For instance,
there's Brum, who has just been re-
fused Il 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 /.
eyes, 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 single man will take the
least interest In 1t. l can't induce a
single member to listen to me. How
ever. we live and let live; and. as I
said, the organization helps. But can
you dine with me?"
1--WE nothing particular to do this
evening-for the first time In years"
'Then do come in and have dinner
with me-" said tho old man eagerly. Il
won't pretend that I'm not going to
try and enlist your aid to save the
human race In spite of those bepight-
ed. besottcd, blind-asa-bat blasto-
derms In the admiralty Office because
l am. But I believe that Providence
has sent you to me, and II can't
make Sou believe me, at least I don't
want 1t said that Jonathan RodeY1ck
Masterman went down into his grave
without warning the human race Of
what was coming.
"Sir, If the public knew q 1.-THE Of
No tyn
with France-Germany? Thank you)
and arm themselves againat the most
relentless enemy that ever threatened
mankind. Sir, you will yet live to see
old Jonathan Roderick Mastersoa's
statue in gold, standing In front Of the
capitol"
Paget, now quite convinced that his
old friend was raving mad. followed
him into queer little building. appar-
emily combination Of club and hotel.
The smoking room, which was stu
ated on the ground floor Immediately
behind the clerks desk, was crowded
with members. all talking at once at
the top of their voices. AS the captain
paused to enter his guests name in
the book, Paget looked in through the
drifting smoke clouds.
A dozen men had the floor, and were |
gesticulating furiously.
Captain Masterman, having en- !
tered his guests name, touched him |
upon the arm.
They're all mad, my lad, said tho
40 '1I
with look of pity. mo doubt You
wonder how l can associate my nar1o |
with theirs. If it wasn't for our mag
azine, in which our articles appear, and
our excellent organization, | couldn't
bring myself to it,
"WhO edits the magazne?" inquired
Donald.
''That was q matter of some diff
Guilty" replied Masterman. 'It proved
to find member sufficient
" br0ad-minded to consider the others
and allow them space, ard nobody
would accept my own offer to become
he editor, simply out of professional
Each wanted to utilize
he entire available space for his own
,raZy ideas. SO we drew lots for it.
l won the editorship last
month. Here is copy" he added,
'icking UP an attractive little publica-
ion that kay on the clerks desk.
''Rut I am not going to tall. to you
IL the smoking room." continued Mas
erman, "for that atmosphere would
prejudice you against believing what
am going to say. And / must CON
ince you, my dear boy, because those
unatics are utterly beyond the bounds
i reason, and much is at stake. :,
ataclys1n is impending which will in
vitably destroy humanity unless we
evote our common energies TO .Le
maintenance of our lives, our liberties
nd our civilizat ion.' q
Paget nodded, and resigned himself
0 his friends guidance.
"Wcll have little dinner first"
aid the captain. I'VE have an excel
INT chef here, and. between ourselves.
have eaten nothing but ships biscuit
Or the past three weeks. And after
ard, when we have got our cigars
light. I'll takesyou into the cardroonl,
'hichis never IL use. and give you my
lessage to the world. It is embodied
lore fully in my manuscript. which
hall hand you before you 60. And
ow let us forget that melancholy cx- i
lbitidn Of human folly and fall to-. i
Pleased with his phrase, he led The /
NJ into the dining room, where be I
ID full justice to an excellent meal. e
After dinner the two lit their ci. t
hrs. and the captain led the way ont t
the dining room across small hall a
Id into the cardrOom, d little. de- b
'rted place, through the opposite t
Dor of which they could see the t
noking room and hear the noisy CRIES d
the members. e
Iasterman closed it, and the souu.i [
lDsided to distant rumble. VI
THE cardroOm was built to be W
he explained 1T ia, fl
,cept in the case Of voices Of uE. F
ual timbre." 8,