Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-08-23
ADVENTURES IN BUNcoMR1A.
Prelude.

n.
Prelude.
On tho fourth day OF September,
1920. the great traveller and explorer
Numbered, was preparing to leave
his native planet, Mars, to explore the
fourth dimension and to search for
the land of Buncombia, which the
Marian astronomers had sighted
thru their telescopes. but which none
would venture to describe.
Numbered climed into the mouth
OF the huge howitzer he had built,
tied himself securely to the great
steel bullet and then gave the sig
nal. The fuse was touched of. There
followed resounding explosion and
Numbered and the bullet were soon
speeding thru space.
Thru tho haze Of the stars Nimble-
red rushed. He waved farewell to
the man in the moon and he called
to the Great Bear as he scurried by.
Suddenly he was caught in what
seemed to be an Infinite tornado and
he was whirled around and around
until he became dizzy.
Numbered had reached the very
midst Of the fourth dimension. He
wondered whether ne would ever
escape from this celestial carousal,
but as he wondered there was a sud
den thump and the explorer found
himself seated on the edge Of a cloud.
The traveller looked down and far
below he discerned what appeared to
be land. This, he concluded, was
Buncombia, and he decided to dive
for it. Without further hesitation he
Jumped and was soon dropping,
dropping. dropping.
The next Numbered knew he was
lying on the deck Of q gigantic air.
ship. In the center was bar and
grouped around It strange creatures
who raised their glasses frequently
and gulped down an amber liquid.
Numbered had been studying the
Buncombian tongue and 40 without
difficulty he inquired where he was.
He learned that he was Just beyond
the three-mile limit over Buncombia.
| He drew parachute from his hip
pocket and Jumped of. He made a
gentle landing on a tree-top.
Thus Numbered, the explorer came
to Buneombia.
=
Numbered. the explorer, was ansaz-
ed at the speed OF life in Buncombia.
Everybody hurled. It made no differ
ence whether they were going any
where or not-they scurried, any
way. It seemed to be the basic law
of the land that none was to take his
! time.
The people rushed to catch a train
risking their lives in their haste, al
tho another train was close behind.
They posted and bruised one another
In their anxiety to be the first aboard.
altho there was room for all. They
crammed down their food, altho the
majority ofsthe nation were stricken
with Indigestion.
Horseless vehicles careered mad
ly thru the streets. bound for no
place In particular. but rushing about
Notwithstanding. Trolley cars Changed
along, charging recklessly at the
crowd. Everybody and everything was
breathless.
Numbered planted himself IN the
path of a hurrying Buncombian and
at the peril of being bowled over
stopped him. When the stranger had
recovered his breath Numbered ask
ed why this dreadful haste was so
necessary. ~
TO save time, Of course" was the
contemptuous reply.
And what. pray" said the ex-
plorer. shall you do with this time
you save?"
Try to save more. to be sure"
remarked the stranger.
And when a great quantity of time
has been saved" Numbered contin-
ued. What shall you do with TT"
"Darned II we know" was the re-
Joinder.
And Numbered the explorer won
dered at the ways of Buncombia.
(To be continued)
We had decided that we would not
vote for any candidate who had his
picture taken draped In flag or
standing behind fathers plow or
milking the ancestral COW or what
not. Now we discover there's no one