Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1918-05-02

SucIcO oIuus WIN uHS JubL DeGu 70,
fused patent for bis eighth perpetual
motion machine. And HalHeld, our
president-he had to resign from three
other clubs because he insists that
Shakespeare was really James I.
yes, it's queer world, lieutenant:
and the oldest thing Of oil 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 Il. ! can't induce q
single member to listen to me. How
ever, we live and let live; and, as
said, the organization helps. But Gun
| you dine with met"
''I've nothing particular to do this
evening-for the first time in years."
"Then do come in and have dinner
| with me-" said the old man eagerly. II
won't pretend that I'm not going to
try and enlist your aid to save the
human race in spite Of those benight-
ed, besotted, blind-as-a-bat blasto-
derms in the admiralty Office, because
/ am. But believe that Providence
has sent you to me, and If l can't
make you believe me, at least / don't
want 1t said that Jonathan Roderick
Mastermn1 went down into his grave
| without warning the human race Of
what was coming.
"Sir, If the public knew 1.-THE Of
what know, they would make peace
with France-Germany? Thank you)
and arm themselves against the most
relentless enemy that ever threatened
mankind. Sir, you will yet live to see
old Jonathan Roderick Masterson's
statue in gold, standing in front of the
capitol"
Paget, now quite convinced that his
old friend was raving mad, followed
him into a 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 Mt
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 the
old man, surveying the assemblage
with look Of pity. mo doubt you
wonder how I can associate my name
with theirs. II 1t wasn't for our mag
azine, in which our articles appear, and
our excellent organization, I couldn't
bring myself to it."
"Who edits the maguzine?" inquired
Donald.
''That was matter Of some diff
Guilty." replied Masterman. 1T proved
impossible to find member sufficient
~ broad-minded to consider the others
and allow them space, and nobody
would accept my own offer to become
the editor, simply out of professional
nntagonism. Each wanted to utilize
the entire available space for his own
crazy ideas. So we drew lots for it.
Fortunately, I won the editorship last
month. Here Is copy" he added.
picking up IN attractive little publica-
ton that lay on the clerks desk.
But am not going to talk to you
In the smoking roOn," continued Mas
termnn, "for that atmosphere would
prejudice you against believing what
a1n going to say. And I must con-
vince you, my dear boy, because those
lunatics are utterly beyond the bounds
Of reason, and much Is ut stake. A
cataclysm is impending which will in
evitably destroy humanity unless we
devote our common energies to the
maintenance of our lives, our liberties
and our civilization"
Paget nodded, and resigned himself
to his friends guidance.
"We'll have q little dinner first"
said the captain. 1--WE have an excel
lent chef here, and, between ourselves,
have eaten nothing but ships biscuit
for the past three weeks. And after
ward, when we have got our cigars
alight, I'll take you into the cardroom,
which Is never In use, and give you my
message to the world. It is embodied
more fully in my manuscript, which
shall hand you before you 60. And
now let US forget that melancholy ex-
hibition Of human folly and fall to-"
Pleased with his phrase, he led the
way into the dining room, where he
did full justice to an excellent meal.
After dinner the two lit their ci-
CARS, and the captain led the way out
of the dining room across small hall
and into the cardroon, little, de-
serted place, through the opposite
door of which they could see the
smoking room and hear the noisy cries
Of the members.
Masterman closed it. and the sound
subsidized to distant rumble.
"The cnrdroom was built to be
sound-proof," he explained. at is,
except in the case Of voices of un-
usual timbre."
"Quite so," said Donald.
The old sea captain hesitated queer
~. tried the chairs, and ut last
| CT 1T