E DAY 
 
 ■i. ■:■ 
 
 SPERITY s 
 
 'L DEVINN 
 
DUKE UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 The Glenn Negley Collection 
 of Utopian Literature 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
 in 2010 witii funding from 
 DuWe University Libraries 
 
 littp://www.arcliive.org/details/dayofprosperityvOOdevi 
 
The Day of Prosperity 
 
 A Vision of the Century to Come 
 
 BY 
 
 PAUL DEVINNE 
 
 G. W. DILLINGHAM COMPANY 
 
 PUBLISHERS NEW YORK 
 
Copyright, 1902, by 
 G. W. DILLINGHAM COMPANY 
 
 [v4// rights reserved'\ 
 
 The Day of Prosperity. Published July, igo2. 
 
 Press of J. J. Little &Ca 
 Astor Place, New York 
 

 How happy could we be were we only 
 willing to live more in accordance with the 
 laws of God ,and of Nature ! But, alas, we 
 imagine ourselves too wise for that, so we 
 make our own laws and then suffer tmder them. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PRELUDE 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. — The Old Doctor's Secret 7 
 
 II. — The Egg Wiser than the Hen .... 14 
 
 III. — The Sleeping Cleopatra 23 
 
 IV. — A Glass of Wine 32 
 
 IN THE YEAR 2000 
 
 I. — A Strange Awakening 38 
 
 II. — A New World 54 
 
 III. — In the Street < . 65 
 
 IV. — At Breakfast ,80 
 
 V. — The Realm of Woman ...... 96 
 
 VI. — A Dwelling in the Year 2000 114 
 
 VII. — A Large Family 125 
 
 VIII.— A Rose 141 
 
 IX. — Looking Backward 156 
 
 X. — Education in the Year 2000 171 
 
 XL— xVn Hour's Chat 182 
 
 XII. — In the Airship 194 
 
 XIII. — A Scheme of Government 215 
 
 XIV. — The Law and the Gospel 240 
 
 XV.— The Green Phial 256 
 
THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 PRELUDE 
 I 
 
 THE OLD doctor's SECRET 
 
 It was in the year 1900. 
 
 The light of a glorious June day had not yet quite 
 faded, as I paused in my walk down Second Avenue, 
 pushed aside the dusty branches of the potted fir trees 
 enclosing the " summer garden " of the little East 
 Side cafe, stepped within, and took my accustomed 
 seat at the nearest of the half-dozen unpolished and 
 stained oaken tables. 
 
 I was early. The groups of habitues had not yet 
 formed; and Max, big, white-aproned, smooth- 
 shaven, and genial, was moving from corner to cor- 
 ner of the decent little place, turning on the lights 
 that nightly shone over its heterogeneous throng of 
 patrons. 
 
 I laid my pile of books on the table. They were 
 heavy, and I had carried them all the way from Cen- 
 tral Park, where, since noon, I had sat in the rays of 
 
8 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 the summer sun, reading, watching the changing 
 panorama of carriages and idlers, and dreaming the 
 dreams that my reading suggested. Now my long 
 walk had heated and tired me, and I tossed off my 
 stein of beer with relish, lighted a cigarette, and, with 
 a sense of ease and relaxation, gazed at the line of 
 smoke that rose from the fiery cigarette-end in a blu- 
 ish spiral. 
 
 Outside, in the street, the whirling, clanging street- 
 cars swept along; on the sidewalk, within a few feet 
 of me, passed the crowd of workers just dismissed 
 from shop or factory. Flirtatious girls glanced 
 through the branches of our green enclosure, and 
 my ears caught the passers' hurried exclamations, 
 their broken bits of talk. One by one appeared in 
 the doorway the figures of our restaurant's habitu^s^ 
 who looked about them, saluted their acquaintances, 
 and seated themselves in groups that soon had filled 
 almost all the available space with an animated mass 
 of humanity of all nationalities, of all vocations, a 
 characteristically cosmopolitan assortment of so- 
 journers in the great city of New York. 
 
 In the midst of my desultory reflections on the 
 character of the throng about me, I was disturbed 
 by the approach of shuffling footsteps, by the move- 
 ment of a chair, and by the appearance of some 
 one who hesitatingly seated himself at my table. I 
 looked up. 
 
 It was the old Doctor. 
 
THE OLD DOCTOR'S SECRET 9 
 
 A shabby, gray-haired, wrinkled, mysterious little 
 old man, whom everybody knew, and yet of whom 
 no one knew anything definite. 
 
 Max called him " Doctor " ; but Max's titles were 
 usually bestowed in acknowledgment of the receipt of 
 tips, and he therefore was not to be much trusted. 
 Yet we had accepted the designation somewhat as a 
 matter of course, and, indeed, felt not the slightest 
 desire to dispute the claim of our poor, trembling, 
 unassertive fellow-patron. 
 
 For he also was a regular patron of the cafe — the 
 old Doctor. Every evening at the same hour he 
 appeared at the door, glided noiselessly toward such 
 table — usually a vacant one — as he selected, ordered 
 his cup of black coffee, drew from his pocket a thick, 
 soiled, worn memorandum book, and, laying it on 
 the table and bending over it until his nose almost 
 touched its leaves, wrote, erased, calculated, and 
 pondered for two hours in silence, impervious to the 
 noise and bustle around him. At ten o'clock pre- 
 cisely he arose, put his book into his pocket, but- 
 toned tightly about him his threadbare coat, pulled 
 his black slouched hat low down over his furrowed 
 forehead, paid his score, and glided away as noise- 
 lessly and unobtrusively as he had entered. Whence 
 he came, or whither he went, no one hitherto had 
 known or cared to know. 
 
 It was he who, with an apologetic bow, moved aside 
 
10 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 one of the few still vacant chairs, and seated himself 
 opposite me. 
 
 The waiter approached, nodded respectfully, and 
 with his checked napkin wiped clean the surface of 
 the oaken table. 
 
 " Good-evening, Doctor." 
 
 " Good-evening, Max. A cup of black coffee." 
 
 And, drawing from his pocket his worn memoran- 
 dum book and a bit of pencil, in a moment he was ab- 
 sorbed in his calculations, apparently oblivious of my 
 proximity. 
 
 I pulled toward me my package of books, which 
 had almost monopolized the extent of the table, and, 
 untying the bundle, took from it the book that lay on 
 top, and opened it. The old man looked up, his at- 
 tention attracted by the rustling of the leaves. His 
 glance fell on the volume, but his failing eyesight 
 could not quite make out the title at that distance, 
 and for a minute he blinked confusedly in his effort 
 to read. 
 
 " May I inquire the title of your book? " he said 
 at length, politely. 
 
 " ' Looking Backward,' by Edward Bellamy." 
 
 " I thought so." Then, in a moment, " Does it in- 
 terest you? " 
 
 " Yes, extremely. I read it through this afternoon, 
 for the first time, in the Park. The subject is not 
 new to me ; in fact, I have always felt a deep interest 
 in it, as all men must, and Bellamy's work has re- 
 
THE OLD DOCTOR'S SECRET 11 
 
 awakened my interest and given me many new ideas. 
 You have read it, of course? " 
 
 " Yes, But I have no time to waste on schemes 
 of political economy. No doubt mankind grows bet- 
 ter and wiser from century to century, and no doubt 
 it will ultimately evolve a better and a wiser system 
 — that must be clear to every one that looks about 
 him with open eyes and receptive mind. But " — 
 and he looked narrowly at me, while a smile played 
 around his lips as he fingered his notebook — " that is 
 not the point of Bellamy's work that interests me. 
 If it were a matter of scientific interest, however, 
 like Julian West's long sleep of a hundred and thir- 
 teen years " 
 
 I interrupted him. " A sleep of a hundred and 
 thirteen years ! The greatest impossibility of the 
 whole story ! " 
 
 His eyes blinked cunningly from out the network 
 of wrinkles that surrounded them, and a quiet irony 
 seemed to pervade his tone. "Do you think so?" 
 he asked. 
 
 " Well, Doctor, you will hardly maintain that a 
 man can remain asleep for one year even, much less 
 a hundred, and then wake well and strong and pre- 
 pared to continue his normal life and work." 
 
 He was silent for a moment, still gazing at me with 
 his curious smile, and apparently debating his reply. 
 At length he spoke. 
 
 " You may think me mad ; it would be only natural 
 
12 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 — but I cannot help it. Why should I not proclaim 
 what I know to be a fact ? Yes, I do maintain it, and 
 I assert that a man may not only sleep for one year ; 
 he may sleep a hundred, five hundred years, and 
 waken in full possession of his faculties and ready to 
 resume his natural course of life, if only — if only " 
 
 The old Doctor's outstretched hand trembled, and 
 he had half risen from the table. He still gazed at 
 me, but as though he saw me not, and his lips quiv- 
 ered with a strange excitement, I was alarmed, and 
 started up, fearing that our brief conversation had 
 been too much for his ill-balanced mind. 
 
 He noted my alarm, and at once his features re- 
 laxed, and he sank back in his chair, raised to his 
 lips his cup of coffee, and sipped it slowly. Then 
 with the quiet smile which he had worn at first he 
 looked at me again. 
 
 " I said you would think me mad. But no ! there 
 is no madness in what I say, only truth — a new, vast, 
 scientific truth. A man may sleep a hundred years, 
 I said, if only the proper means are taken to induce 
 that sleep. With those means adopted he may be 
 made to sleep for centuries, and then to awaken at 
 the appointed time in good health, and ready to con- 
 tinue his life almost as though it had not been inter- 
 rupted." 
 
 " And a most interesting experience that would be. 
 Doctor," I said pleasantly, willing to humor the old 
 man's harmless delusion. " How I should enjoy 
 
THE OLD DOCTOR'S SECRET 13 
 
 'being put to sleep by this mysterious means which 
 you describe — a sleep which should last, say, a hun- 
 dred years ; a sleep which should transport me to the 
 year 2000, to a new century, a new social order, a 
 new world, the millcnium of which so many writers, 
 Bellamy himself, and even I, have dreamed ! " 
 
 "You speak in jest," said the old man, gravely; 
 " even though at this moment you are face to face 
 with mankind's greatest discovery." 
 
 "And who has made this discovery?" I asked. 
 " Who has found this potent elixir that shall thus 
 lengthen man's days and mingle hfe with death? " 
 
 The old Doctor raised his head proudly. 
 
 " I am that man," he cried. " I am he, and the 
 great discovery is my secret ! " 
 
II 
 
 THE EGG WISER THAN THE HEN 
 
 He had spoken with such earnestness that for the 
 moment I forgot the absurdity of his words and 
 stared at him in silence, overcome by the expression 
 of supreme triumph which his gaze expressed. 
 
 " Can you prove your assertion? " I finally asked. 
 
 He did not answer at once, but, quietly pocket- 
 ing his memorandum book, called the waiter, paid 
 for himself, and — although I tried to prevent it — 
 for me too, buttoned his threadbare coat to his chin 
 as usual, and rose. 
 
 " Do you want proof? Well, then, come with me. 
 It is not far. We shall be just in time. One of my 
 experiments will mature at ten o'clock to-night, and 
 you may witness it. You shall possess my secret. 
 But I impose one condition. Promise that you will 
 not disclose to a human being even the smallest part 
 of what you shall see and hear." 
 
 I assure* him I would be silent as the grave. My 
 curiosity had become thoroughly aroused, and I was 
 determined to see the adventure through. 
 
 Silently we traversed Second Avenue until we 
 reached Fourth Street, into which we turned. My 
 
THE EGG WISER THAN THE HEN 15 
 
 conductor shuffled nervously ahead, walking with 
 such rapidity, in spite of his age and apparent feeble- 
 ness, that I could scarcely keep pace with him. Be- 
 fore an old, two-story, red brick house he halted, 
 drew a key from his pocket, and unlocked and threw 
 open the narrow door. Darkness confronted us. 
 
 " Wait ! I will strike a light." 
 
 Feeling his way along the wall, he entered. I 
 heard the scrape of a match, the blaze flared up, illu- 
 minating for an instant the old man's straggling gray 
 hair and haggard features. Then the meagre light 
 of an oil lamp shone feebly over a bare hall and rick- 
 ety staircase. 
 
 I entered and closed the door, which swung to 
 with a bang. Instantly there came from below a 
 scratching and a rattling, and a big black dog 
 bounded up the stairs and leaped against us, barking 
 loudly. 
 
 " Down, Nero ! " The master's voice quieted the 
 animal at once. " Downstairs again, sir ! " And the 
 dog obediently turned and scrambled back to his 
 quarters in the regions below. 
 
 *' Please follow me." 
 
 The old man mounted the stairs, shabbily carpeted 
 for half their width, and I followed to the second 
 floor. There I waited. The footsteps of the Doctor 
 reechoed through the barren hall, making more pro- 
 found the quiet of this desolate house, of which he, 
 the dog, and I seemed the only living occupants. 
 
16 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 Presently he reappeared, holding in his hand a lighted 
 lamp. 
 
 He pushed open one of the three doors that lay 
 before us, entered the room, and placed his lamp 
 upon the table. I followed and looked about. I 
 found myself in a kind of study. 
 
 But, Heavens, what disorder ! 
 
 Shelves, made of unpainted boards, were fastened 
 against the walls, and upon them, in every conceivable 
 attitude, lay hundreds of dust-covered books, from 
 among which two large plaster busts peered curi- 
 ously out. 
 
 A human skeleton, from the shoulders of which 
 hung an old tattered mackintosh cloak, stood erect 
 in one corner; while at the side of the room, upon a 
 dressing-case before a tarnished, old-fashioned mir- 
 ror, sat a stuffed monkey, apparently regarding him- 
 self complacently in the glass. 
 
 In front, between the two windows, was placed an 
 ample table, scratched, battered, and bearing evidence 
 of much use, upon whose top, amidst the litter of 
 books and papers, stood cynically upright a skull, 
 with the Doctor's old red smoking-cap jauntily 
 cocked over one eye. 
 
 Old newspapers and magazines by the hundreds, 
 flung aside and forgotten, were scattered over chairs 
 and floor. And everywhere, as though beginning 
 the final office of burying the dead apartment, rested 
 a thick layer of dust, sure token of the absence of a 
 
THE EGG WISER THAN THE HEN 17 
 
 feminine hand. Tlie air seemed stifling with the 
 mortuary odor of musty papers and things disin- 
 tegrating. I coughed and dreaded to breathe deep, 
 feeHng almost as though I had crossed the threshold 
 of a tomb. 
 
 But the Doctor's voice roused me. He had thrown 
 off his hat and street coat and replaced them by an 
 old house jacket and the red smoking-cap. " Sit 
 down," he said courteously, and pushed an armchair 
 toward me. 
 
 I picked up a newspaper and brushed off the stra- 
 tum of dust with w^hich the chair was covered. The 
 Doctor smiled as I seated myself: a little dust did 
 not appear to annoy him. 
 
 " Everything is upside down here," he said. " But 
 unfortunately I have no time to keep things in order. 
 I seldom receive visitors, and, at any rate, my house- 
 keeper will set things to rights to-morrow." 
 
 His housekeeper ! A curious specimen of her class 
 she must be, I thought, to allow the house to get into 
 this condition. But the old man seemed to guess 
 my thoughts, for, seating himself in his big chair by 
 the table, he continued : 
 
 " The disorder is not my housekeeper's fault, as 
 you will soon see. But pardon me, we do not know 
 each other yet. I am Paul Rudini, doctor of medi- 
 cine and philosophy." 
 
 " My name is Albert Burnham, and I am a jour- 
 nalist," I rejoined, 
 
18 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " I am glad to know you, Mr. Burnham. Now let 
 me come to the point at once. You probably have 
 grave doubts as to my sanity. You place no reliance 
 on the statements I have made, and you are waiting 
 to see the proofs I promised. Well, you shall see 
 them. I hope you will believe your own eyes." 
 
 He pulled from his pocket an old silver watch. 
 
 " It is now nine o'clock," he said. " I must there- 
 fore be content to appear a fool in your eyes for at 
 least a half hour longer. And with your permission 
 I will employ that half hour in giving you a little in- 
 troduction to something which you will see later." 
 
 I nodded assent and drew my chair nearer. 
 
 " You are aware," began the Doctor, " that we 
 mortals are dead as soon as our hearts stop beating. 
 The circulation of the blood stops, the soul escapes, 
 the body is dead ; and no power on earth can breathe 
 new life into a body from which the soul has fled. 
 The body is the visible form, the machine; the soul 
 is the invisible power, the spirit, which moves and 
 quickens the machine." 
 
 The Doctor paused, but I made no comment, and 
 he continued : 
 
 " Now under normal conditions a man may live 
 for a hundred years, or even more. But as soon as 
 the machine is worn out, it goes to pieces; and this 
 going to pieces, this collapse, is death, which comes 
 the sooner the more quickly we wear out the ma- 
 
THE EGG WISER TUAN THE HEN 19 
 
 chine — that is, the faster or more unwisely we live. 
 In other words, death comes when the body has lost 
 its power to hold on to the soul." 
 
 " Quite true," I assented, in response to his look 
 of interrogation. " All those propositions may be 
 freely admitted." 
 
 " Well," he pursued, " many years ago, when I was 
 a young man, and was studying the subject of appar- 
 ent death, or trance, I was suddenly struck with the 
 idea: May it not be possible to extend human life 
 beyond the limits which we regard as natural? Or, 
 to put it in another way, may we not force the soul 
 to remain in the body longer than unaided nature 
 will permit? " 
 
 " It is to be hoped that you were unsuccessful, 
 Doctor," I observed, " if you made the effort to an- 
 swer that question affirmatively." 
 
 " I was. I studied the subject for many years, 
 until I grew to be an old man. But all my re- 
 searches, my severe studies, my profound reflections, 
 my experiments, brought me to one and the same 
 conclusion, that with the rapid wearing out of the 
 physical strength which our present manner of living 
 necessitates, it is not possible to think of any artifi- 
 cial lengthening of life." 
 
 " It would be most unfortunate were conditions 
 otherwise," I remarked. " But I can, of course, sym- 
 pathize with your disappointment." 
 
20 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " You can hardly realize the extent of it," he re- 
 plied. " The conclusion wh'ch, by various processes, 
 I reached again and again, showed me that it was 
 madness to try to be wiser than nature, and induced 
 me to forego my experiments for a time. To such 
 an extent had I become embittered by my many dis- 
 appointments that I was on the point of suicide. Ap- 
 parently I had wasted my whole life." 
 
 The Doctor took off his red smoking-cap and 
 rubbed his forehead thoughtfully at the recollection 
 of his evil days. But presently a smile indicated a 
 change in the current of his thought. 
 
 " It was the casual reading of Bellamy's book," he 
 went on, " and of others of its type, that roused me 
 to a new line of investigation. I now perceived that 
 I had not been searching in vain, but that I had be- 
 gun at the wrong end. I had sought to lengthen the 
 usual life of man, that life in which he wakes and 
 sleeps in natural succession. I had had in mind some 
 device by which a man might live two or three hun- 
 dred years. I now saw my mistake. In the waking 
 condition, when man's physical strength experiences 
 rapid natural exhaustion, the solution of my prob- 
 lem was not to be expected. A condition was neces- 
 sary in which physical exhaustion should be at a mini- 
 mum." 
 
 " And that condition is? " I interrupted. 
 
 " That condition is sleep," returned the Doctor 
 with emphasis. " If I could only succeed in finding 
 
THE EOG WISER THAN THE HEN 21 
 
 a specific which would maintain a Hving being in a 
 condition of somnolence for a long time, perhaps for 
 several years, and thus reduce the wearing out of the 
 physical forces to zero, then half of my problem 
 would be solved. I resumed my researches and ex- 
 periments with redoubled energy ; and, as I am famil- 
 iar with botany, I succeeded at last in preparing a 
 liquid that enabled me to induce extended sleep in 
 any living being." 
 
 " So that liquid is the discovery of which you 
 spoke? " 
 
 " Not quite. When I had reached that point I 
 found myself confronted by a barrier which, for the 
 moment, seemed insurmountable. I knew how to 
 induce sleep for a long time, but I could not control 
 its termination. I had no means to awaken at my 
 will the subject of my experiments. Emboldened, 
 however, by my half success, I pursued my researches 
 farther and farther." 
 
 " Until you succeeded? " I asked, with a touch of 
 incredulity in my tone. 
 
 " Until I succeeded. Yes, I may to-day consider 
 my life work accomplished. I have brought my 
 specific to such perfection that I am able to throw 
 any living being into a condition of sleep, and to keep 
 it there so long as I shall have beforehand deter- 
 mined — assuming, of course, that the specific has 
 been administered under certain conditions known 
 only to myself. As soon as the appointed period of 
 
22 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 its efficacy has passed, the creature regains conscious- 
 ness and continues its life exactly as if nothing had 
 happened. The process causes no ill result whatever, 
 unless one considers as such the lapse of time during 
 which he has slept without growing older." 
 
in 
 
 THE SLEEPING CLEOPATRA 
 
 Dr. Rudini paused, and for some moments watched 
 me in silence, his quizzical smile playing about his 
 lips. Then, swinging his chair around and raising 
 his hand, he pointed to the mirror. 
 
 " So much for the introduction. Now suppose you 
 glance at that monkey. What do you think of 
 him?" 
 
 " That stuffed monkey? " I stammered, puzzled at 
 the question, " What has he to do with your dis- 
 covery? " 
 
 "So you call old Adam stufTed? Perhaps you 
 would better examine him more closely. Feel of 
 him, and then tell me if he is stufifed." 
 
 I rose, went to the mirror, and laid my hand upon 
 the monkey's shoulder. 
 
 To my astonishment I discovered that he was not 
 stufifed, nor was he dead. The body was warm, the 
 limbs were not rigid, and through the black, wrinkled 
 nostrils came a faint, regular breathing, 
 
 " Adam has been asleep for two years," remarked 
 the Doctor, solemnly. " He will wake to-night at ten 
 o'clock." 
 
24 THE Z)AY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 Cautiously I replaced the beast in the position in 
 which I had found it, fancying, as I did so, that its 
 shrivelled features bore some resemblance to those of 
 my mysterious host who, crouched in his big arm- 
 chair, had followed my movements with twinkling 
 eyes. 
 
 " I show you the monkey merely as a collateral 
 matter," he said. " You shall see my principal ex- 
 periment at once. Please follow me." 
 
 The old man rose, and, walking to the back of the 
 room, drew aside a curtain which the bookshelves 
 had hidden from my view. Quickly I stepped up 
 behind him and gazed curiously over his shoulder. 
 
 A room in semi-darkness lay before us, obviously 
 a bedroom. A bed stood in the corner, and upon it 
 rested a human figure, but whether that of a man 
 or a woman I could not at first decide. 
 
 " Be so good as to bring the lamp, Mr. Burnham." 
 
 I took the lamp from the study table, and, hold- 
 ing it high above my head, entered the bedcham- 
 ber, and allowed the light to fall upon the motionless 
 form that lay stretched upon the bed. It was the 
 figure of a woman, elderly, white-haired, completely 
 clothed in neat but worn garments, and with apron 
 and cap. She seemed to be sleeping quietly, and as 
 I saw nothing remarkable in the circumstance, I 
 turned inquiringly toward the Doctor. 
 
 He returned my look with a smile. 
 
 " This is Cleopatra, my housekeeper, who has been 
 
THE SLEEPING CLEOPATRA 25 
 
 sleeping here, as you see her, for six months, and who 
 will waken to-night at ten o'clock " — pulling out his 
 watch — " that is, in ten minutes, and you may then 
 receive from her own lips the confirmation of my 
 statement." 
 
 I replaced the lamp on the study table, and clapped 
 my hand to my forehead in bewilderment. Which of 
 us was the madman ? First the monkey, Adam, and 
 now the woman, Cleopatra — it was incredible ! 
 
 " Dr. Rudini," said I, in as calm a tone as I could 
 assume, " you must think me extremely credulous. 
 But I am no fool, nor am I mad, and I should be one 
 or the other to trust your statements." 
 
 *' No, Mr. Burnham, I believe you to be as sane as 
 myself," replied the old man, quietly. " I understand 
 you perfectly. To all appearances I am attempting 
 a joke at your expense, and you are right in resent- 
 ing it. You shall be convinced presently that Cleo- 
 patra's sleep is not the usual sleep of nature, but is 
 an artificial sleep of six months' duration, induced by 
 the power of my secret specific. I said that she 
 would wake in ten minutes. There are barely six 
 minutes left. See if you can wake her." 
 
 I passed again into the bedchamber, laid my hand 
 on the sleeping woman's shoulder, and shook her 
 roughly. She gave no sign of consciousness. 
 
 " You will need stronger means than that," said 
 the Doctor, who had followed me, and who now 
 stood at my side. " Try some ammonia." And he 
 
26 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 placed in my hand a good-sized bottle which he had 
 brought from the other room. Instinctively I took 
 it, and, removing the cork, lifted the bottle to my 
 nose. I reeled and the tears poured down my cheeks. 
 It was ammonia, the strongest that chemistry could 
 produce. 
 
 Anxious to detect the trick, if trick there was, I 
 bent over the bed and held the uncorked bottle so 
 close under the sleeper's nose that I was convinced, 
 were she in a natural sleep, or in any state of un- 
 consciousness familiar to my experience, she could 
 not avoid waking or giving some sign of life. But 
 though the full force of the powerful fumes entered 
 her nostrils, she did not stir. I hastily recorked the 
 bottle and looked up, to meet the Doctor's trium- 
 phant gaze. 
 
 " Now take this needle, Mr. Burnham, and see if 
 with its aid you can bring Cleopatra back to life." 
 
 I grasped the long needle which he offered me, 
 raised the woman's right hand from where it lay 
 limply extended on the counterpane, and, my eager 
 curiosity bhnding me to the cruelty of my act, drove 
 the needle deep into the palm. A few drops of blood 
 followed each other from the puncture, but the 
 woman did not move. 
 
 " Prick as hard as you like, Mr. Burnham. She 
 does not feel it, nor can she till the moment appointed 
 for her waking." 
 
 Utterly bewildered, I dropped the woman's hand. 
 
TEE SLEEPING CLEOPATRA 27 
 
 passed into the study, and threw myself into my chair. 
 The Doctor followed, and stood before me, watch 
 in hand, trembling in his excitement, his lips twitch- 
 ing beneath their habitual smile, his small, bright 
 eyes more beady and shifting than ever. 
 
 "Just one minute now, Mr. Burnham; sixty sec- 
 onds more and she will wake. See, I will place the 
 lamp so that it shines full upon her. Watch close." 
 
 As excited as he, I waited in breathless anticipa- 
 tion. The seconds passed like hours. At length the 
 Doctor, with a quick movement, thrust his watch back 
 into his waistcoat pocket, stepped forward a pace or 
 two, and, in a sharp, shrill voice, called, " Cleopatra! " 
 
 The sleeper stirred, turned from side to side, shud- 
 dered, and, raising herself on her elbows, sat up in 
 bed and stared blankly at us. Neither the Doctor 
 nor I moved or spoke. At length the woman's lips 
 parted, as if with difficulty. 
 
 " What is it, Doctor? What has happened? " 
 
 " Nothing, Cleopatra, nothing. You have just 
 overslept a Httle." 
 
 Slowly Cleopatra climbed down from the bed, and, 
 shading her eyes with her hand, tottered into the 
 study. She stopped short at sight of the disordei of 
 the room. 
 
 " Goodness, Doctor, what have you been doing? " 
 
 " Now I shall catch it," whispered the old man to 
 me. 
 
 " What a frightful dust ! Did you knock over the 
 
28 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 Stove? Tell me how it happened." And the old 
 woman frowned and wrung her hands as she gradu- 
 ally comprehended the extent of the room's disorder. 
 
 " Nothing, Cleopatra. Only you have had a good 
 long sleep. You have been asleep six months." 
 
 " Goodness gracious, goodness gracious ! " she 
 ejaculated, raising her hands above her head. " So 
 you have been giving me some of your accursed stuff ! 
 Did you? Did you? Haven't I often told you 
 that I would rather die than be drugged and stupe- 
 fied by those drops of yours? And here is my poor 
 Adam! Isn't he awake yet? Why, he has been 
 asleep more than a year ! " 
 
 " Yes, Cleopatra, two years to-day. But he will 
 soon wake. Adam ! Adam ! " 
 
 The monkey, lifeless a second before, instantly 
 roused, shook his head quickly, grinned, stretched 
 himself twice, and looked about the room. Perceiv- 
 ing Cleopatra, he gave a great leap, landed upon her, 
 and, climbing up, took his seat on her shoulder, 
 chattered, scratched himself behind the ears, and then 
 began to howl piteously. 
 
 " Poor fellow ! You are hungry ! Well, I should 
 think so — nothing to eat for two years! Come, Til 
 get you something right away." 
 
 The monkey seemed to understand, and stopped 
 howling. Cleopatra moved quickly to the door, 
 which she had half opened, when suddenly she 
 stopped short, turned, and exclaimed sharply, " And 
 
THE SLEEPING CLEOPATRA 29 
 
 Antony! Where is he? Asleep too? Oh, you bar- 
 barian, how cruel you are, how cruel ! " 
 
 "Why, to be sure, Cleopatra! How careless in 
 me! I had almost forgotten your Antony. But 
 he must be awake by this time, or I have miscal- 
 culated." 
 
 Like a madman the little Doctor flew to his old 
 worn coat, pulled out his memorandum book, and 
 hastily turned the pages. 
 
 "Exactly!" he muttered. "Here it is! Here's 
 the mistake! Five minutes out! How stupid!" 
 striking his forehead with the palm of his hand. 
 
 " But you shall have your Antony," he continued, 
 " instantly ! " And, seizing the lamp, he hurried into 
 the bedroom. 
 
 Cleopatra and I followed. As we reached the 
 threshold we caught a glimpse of the Doctor, who, 
 having placed the lamp on the floor, was just about 
 disappearing under the bed. 
 
 " What are you looking for? " gasped Cleopatra. 
 
 " Your Antony," returned the voice of the now in- 
 visible Doctor, as he crawled about under the bed. 
 
 " Good gracious ! Antony under my bed ! " ejacu- 
 lated the old woman. And, frantically clasping the 
 monkey to her breast, she watched anxiously the 
 undulations of the mattress, which by its rise and fall 
 traced the sinuous course of the explorer beneath. 
 
 By this time our philosopher had worked his way 
 
30 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 back to light, and emerged at our feet, dragging 
 after him, by its tail, a large black cat. 
 
 " Here he is, Cleopatra," he panted, rising and 
 shaking from his garments a cloud of dust. " Here 
 is your Antony ! " 
 
 Scarcely had he spoken when life and motion re- 
 turned to the animal, which, arching its back and 
 spreading its furry tail, stalked over to claim its mis- 
 tress's protection, meowing piteously the while. 
 
 " My Antony, my Antony ! " she exclaimed in 
 soothing tones, as she bent over him, lifted him, and 
 placed him on her unoccupied shoulder. 
 
 " A very pretty group you three make, Cleopatra," 
 remarked the Doctor, with a smile. " Now go and 
 get something to eat." 
 
 " We will, you wretch, after the long fast you have 
 given us with your infernal drugs ! " And the woman 
 hurried across the room, and with a parting look of 
 scorn passed into the hall and slammed the door be- 
 hind her. 
 
 Several moments passed in silence, broken at 
 length by the dry, chuckling voice of the Doctor. 
 
 " Ha, ha, ha, ha! " he laughed. " Well, what do 
 you think of my experiment, Mr. Burnham? But 
 never mind, it has made me hungry, too. Wait, I 
 will order some sandwiches and wine." 
 
 In an instant he had reached the hall door, opened 
 it, and called over the banister : " Cleopatra, some 
 sandwiches and a bottle of wine ! " 
 
THE SLEEPING CLEOPATRA 31 
 
 " We come first ! " sounded Cleopatra's food- 
 choked voice from below. 
 
 ** Ha, ha, ha, ha ! " laughed the Doctor again, as 
 he turned back into the room. " Well, I can hardly 
 blame her. How often has she begged me never to 
 give her a drop of my elixir ! But I could not resist, 
 and you see how completely successful my experiment 
 was, to the very minute. Are you satisfied now, Mr. 
 Burnham? " 
 
 I reflected. " To speak quite frankly, Doctor, 
 your proofs do not quite satisfy me," I replied^ some- 
 what uncertainly. 
 
 " Not yet ? " he cried. " Well, then — however, 
 first I will get something to eat. But you shall be- 
 lieve in me. You must ! " 
 
 He darted through the doorway and hurried down. 
 
IV 
 
 A GLASS OF WINE 
 
 Left for the moment to my own reflections, I sat 
 motionless in my chair by the writing-table, striving 
 in vain to clear up my confused impressions. It was 
 impossible for me to believe that this little, withered 
 old man, with one foot already in the grave, had 
 really made a discovery that could set at naught all 
 our human wisdom. 
 
 The more I pondered the more I became con- 
 vinced that I was the victim of a cleverly devised 
 trick. But what was his object ? Perhaps he hoped 
 that I, as a journalist, might publish some sensa- 
 tional article about him and his discovery, and thus 
 help him to a cheap notoriety. But in that case his 
 claim could not help being subjected to the merciless 
 scrutiny of experts, his deceit would be discovered, 
 and he himself publicly disgraced. Surely he had 
 sense enough to understand that. 
 
 For the present my reflections ended there, for at 
 this point Dr. Rudini returned, carrying in his hands 
 a small tray, on which were a bottle, two glasses, and 
 some sandwiches. 
 
 " Here I am ! But I had to get the things my- 
 
A GLASS OF WINE 33 
 
 self. Cleopatra will have nothing to do with me. 
 You should see them in the kitchen, eating and drink- 
 ing so that one trembles for them. Come, help 
 yourself, Mr. Burnham. Here is Rhine wine, and 
 there are ham sandwiches. Stop! I forgot the 
 mustard. I'll run down and get it. Meanwhile, 
 fill up the glasses ! " 
 
 With the last words he turned again toward the 
 door, then stopped, and as if at a sudden thought, 
 " Perhaps you would like to go down instead, Mr. 
 Burnham. Cleopatra will give you the mustard pot. 
 You really must not miss seeing the festivities below." 
 
 I readily assented, and, descending the two flights 
 of stairs, found the kitchen, without much trouble. 
 The three diners did indeed present an amusing spec- 
 tacle, seated at a wooden table, over which a red cloth 
 was spread, and on which were strewn such provisions 
 as the neglected larder offered. The monkey and the 
 cat, perched on high chairs on either side of their mis- 
 tress, had no time to object to my presence, but de- 
 voted themselves to the food which had been plenti- 
 fully provided, showing table manners which, under 
 the circumstances, were surprisingly good. The dog 
 alone, who, stretched on the floor, was lazily watching 
 his three companions at their repast, greeted me with 
 a few friendly thumps of his tail. Cleopatra, however, 
 at my polite request for the mustard pot, glanced at me 
 sourly, handed it to me without a word, and resumed 
 
34 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 the meal which she had scarcely interrupted. I re- 
 turned to the upper room. 
 
 As I entered the study, the Doctor was just about 
 setting down the wine bottle, w^ith which he had filled 
 the glasses. 
 
 " Take your glass, Mr. Burnham. You'll find this 
 better wine than the cafe provides." 
 
 I thanked him, seated myself, drew toward me the 
 nearest glass, and began to eat a sandwich. The Doc- 
 tor leaned forward in the lamplight, his raised glass in 
 his hand, his elbow resting on the table. 
 
 " And now, Mr. Burnham," said he, " let us drink 
 to the success of my discovery." 
 
 " With pleasure," I replied. " But before I can be- 
 lieve in it you must give me better proofs than those 
 you have shown to-night." 
 
 " So you are still a doubting Thomas ! Well, you 
 shall yet be convinced. I will give you proof that you 
 will remember all your life. However, drink now — 
 drink to the success of our experiment." 
 
 I raised my glass. 
 
 " Doctor, I drink to the success of your experi- 
 ment." And at one gulp I tossed off its contents." 
 
 As I replaced the empty glass upon the tray my eye 
 fell upon a little phial that stood beside the wine bottle 
 on the table. I had not noticed it before. Perhaps 
 I should not have noticed it now had not my attention 
 been drawn to it by the varying shades of color in 
 which it caught and reflected the rays of the lamp. 
 
A GLASS OF WINE 85 
 
 The phial itself was apparently of cut glass, of a deli- 
 cate and opalescent green — or perhaps the color of the 
 glass might have been due to the liquid which it en- 
 closed. This liquid, of which there was but little, 
 seemed at first sight a dense black, but as I looked 
 closely I saw along its surface run lines and points of 
 changing light, like the phosphorescence of the sea at 
 night. For some moments these lines and points 
 played over the inky Hquid, then gradually died out, 
 leaving one pale, nebulous spot which, as I watched, 
 grew large and more luminous, taking on various deli- 
 cate shades, in turn yellow, green, blue, and crimson, 
 until at last the whole interior of the phial glowed with 
 a rosy opalescence. This in its turn faded slowly and 
 became extinguished, and again the phial stood in its 
 original shade of green, and within its lower half the 
 dull black liquid, over which played the tiny points of 
 phosphorescence. 
 
 More startled and amazed than I had been at any 
 time during this surprising evening, I raised my eyes 
 and gazed at the Doctor. The man's whole manner 
 had changed. 
 
 He was standing close to the table, his glass of 
 untasted wine in his hand, watching me quietly and 
 intently. His beady eyes met mine in an expression 
 of dominating triumph, but he gave no sign of ner- 
 vousness or impatience. At length he replaced his 
 glass upon the table, raised the phial in his hand, and 
 
36 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 held it between him and the lamp, as if the better to 
 announce the secret of its contents. 
 
 " Mr. Burnham, this is the elixir of which I have 
 spoken. One drop is enough to sink you in a five 
 years' sleep. Hitherto you have doubted; you de- 
 sired better proof. I told you I would give you proof 
 which you would remember all your life. You ex- 
 pressed a wish to sleep a hundred years and to waken 
 in the year 2000 in a changed and reconstructed 
 world. I have taken the liberty to insure the fulfil- 
 ment of your wish. 
 
 " The wine in which you just now pledged me, Mr. 
 Burnham, contained twenty drops of my elixir, meas- 
 ured with the minutest accuracy and administered in 
 other respects according to my secret formula. With- 
 in five minutes you will fall into a deathlike sleep, not 
 to return to consciousness until the month of June in 
 the year 2000." 
 
 I opened my mouth to burst into laughter at this 
 culminating absurdity. But, strange to say, not a 
 sound escaped my lips! I wanted to speak; I could 
 not. An awful fear overwhelmed me. 
 
 Confounded, I tried to rise to my feet and spring 
 at the old man, feeling myself the victim of some 
 treachery, I knew not what. But my limbs refused 
 to obey. I could barely raise myself a little, only to 
 sink back into my chair, powerless and as though 
 paralyzed. 
 
 " Softly, softly, young man ! It is your destiny to 
 
A GLASS OF WINE 37 
 
 be the living evidence of my discovery. You shall 
 take it with you into the next century. And take this 
 message with you. Wait, I will write it." 
 
 A wild fury possessed me. I heard, I saw, yet I 
 could stir neither hand nor foot. 
 
 The Doctor seated himself at the table, drew to- 
 ward him some papers, and began to write, coolly 
 and methodically. 
 
 By degrees my surroundings became more and 
 more confused to me. Things seemed to recede from 
 my vision. It was as if some one had covered my 
 eyes with a veil, which grew thicker and thicker. At 
 last I could no longer see even the veil, nor could I 
 hear. My senses were deadened, yet was I not dead. 
 
 I lay in a sleep such as never had man before me 
 slept. 
 
IN THE YEAR 2000 
 
 A STRANGE AWAKENING 
 
 I opened my eyes and looked about me. I found 
 myself lying dressed upon a strange couch in the 
 centre of a splendid, large marble hall, built in the 
 shape of an amphitheatre and decorated in red and 
 gold, and with the eyes of hundreds of men and 
 women fixed upon me. I started up in amazement. 
 
 " Where am I? " I cried, and tried to jump from 
 my bed. 
 
 " Do not be alarmed, Mr. Burnham, you are among 
 friends," replied a man's voice. 
 
 I turned my head and looked into the face of a 
 white-bearded gentleman of about sixty, dressed in 
 black, who sat in an easy-chair at my side. 
 
 " What has happened ? What do all these people 
 want ? " 
 
 " You shall learn everything, but for the present 
 have patience." 
 
 The old man rose from his chair, settled the cush- 
 ions behind me, and pushed me back into them with 
 gentle force, so that I now sat rather than lay, and 
 
A STRANGE AWAKENING 39 
 
 thus could distinctly perceive everything that went on 
 around me. 
 
 " How are you ? Do you feel hungry? " 
 
 I stared at the questioner. I began to realize, now 
 that the first shock of terror had passed, that I was 
 fearfully tired and weak. 
 
 " I feel so exhausted ! " I murmured. 
 
 The old man beckoned with his finger. 
 
 An elderly lady, simply dressed, approached me, 
 and said, as she tucked a napkin loosely under my 
 chin, *' I will give you a little broth. Then you will 
 feel better. There ! Now open your mouth." 
 
 Mechanically I opened my mouth, and smiHngly 
 my kind attendant fed me like a little child. 
 
 The hot, nourishing broth, as I slowly sipped it, 
 acted like a charm. My blood, which before had lain 
 like lead in my veins, began to stir, and I felt my 
 strength slowly returning. 
 
 To test it I raised my hands, and found, to my de- 
 light, that I could do so without special exertion. 
 Feeling strong enough to feed myself, I extended my 
 hand for the spoon. The lady handed it to me with 
 a smile and placed the bowl conveniently near, so that 
 I could easily help myself. I emptied it to the last 
 drop. 
 
 " Very good ! " cried the old gentleman, much 
 pleased, as he took bowl and spoon from my hand. 
 The food really seemed to have made another man 
 of me. It was as if I had come back from the dead, 
 
40 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 and with the return of my physical strength my men- 
 tal powers revived. I began to look around me and 
 to think. Where was I? How came I here? What 
 had all these unknown people to do with me? Was 
 I ill? 
 
 The old gentleman seemed to have guessed my 
 thoughts. He took my hand, felt my pulse, and then 
 said, gravely : " So far, Mr. Burnham, all has gone ac- 
 cording to the programme. Your complete mental 
 and physical recovery is only a matter of a few hours. 
 I will leave you no longer in doubt as to your where- 
 abouts. You seem to have partially forgotten your 
 past life, but that does not surprise me after the nap 
 you have taken ! " 
 
 My eyes hung upon the speaker's lips, and I made 
 a great mental effort to grasp the sense of his words. 
 
 " I think you are strong enough to learn the truth 
 without further preface. You are at this moment in 
 a hall of Washington University in New York City, 
 and these ladies and gentlemen have assembled here 
 to be present at your awakening from your hundred 
 years' sleep, and to congratulate you upon your en- 
 trance into a new life." 
 
 " What ! " I cried. " I have slept a hundred years ! 
 What nonsense is this? " 
 
 " Be calm, Mr. Burnham. All your questions shall 
 be answered." As I had started up in my excitement, 
 he once more gently pushed me back into my pillows. 
 
 A slight murmur quivered through the hitherto 
 
A STRANGE AWAKENING 41 
 
 quiet assembly, and only ceased when the speaker 
 continued: "Yes, you have slept away fully a hun- 
 dred years. In June of 1900, Dr. Paul Rudini admin- 
 istered to you a sleeping-potion, which has forced yon 
 to sleep until this very day; that is, until the year 
 2000, in which we now are." 
 
 " Great Heavens ! Then it was not a dream ! " I 
 exclaimed. " Yes, I remember ! You are right. So 
 the old villain kept his word ! " 
 
 " Mr. Burnham, I cannot wonder that you feel a 
 grudge against the old Doctor, for he tore you from 
 your own day and environment. Doubtless you are 
 familiar with the means by which he so cleverly trans- 
 ported you from one century to another? " 
 
 "I familiar with it? No! If you do not know 
 how I was drugged, I certainly do not. You are 
 aware that he made me unconscious without my 
 knowledge and against my will." 
 
 " What ! " the old gentleman cried, in disappoint- 
 ment, and a shadow flitted across his face. " So you 
 know neither the specific nor the formula? Then 
 mankind's greatest discovery is perhaps lost even be- 
 fore it was made known ! " 
 
 Once more a ripple passed over the assembly. All 
 seemed to feel tiie same disappointment as the old 
 man at my side. They had come here to learn from 
 my own lips the solution of this hundred years' secret, 
 and I was not able to give it ! 
 
 But stop ! 
 
42 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 That eventful evening in the year 1900, when Ru- 
 dini so abominably used me as a subject for experi- 
 ment, stood out as vividly before my eyes as if it had 
 been but yesterday. I remembered the message of 
 which he had spoken, and which he had already be- 
 gun to commit to paper as I lay half dazed in my chair. 
 This paper must be extant. Besides, there was the 
 little flask half filled with the mysterious stuff which 
 had stood on his writing-table. Where was that ? 
 
 " Sir," I began, after a considerable pause, " I 
 deeply appreciate the disappointment which you must 
 feel at my ignorance. Yet, perhaps I can throw a 
 little light on this obscure point." 
 
 I related as concisely as possible all that had hap- 
 pened on that historic evening of the year 1900. They 
 listened with interest, but without the astonishment 
 I had expected. Although I particularly mentioned 
 the paper and the little bottle, the prominence I gave 
 to these two objects did not produce the effect I an- 
 ticipated. The assembly gave no evidence that it 
 considered my information of value. 
 
 When I had finished, I looked inquiringly at the 
 old gentleman. 
 
 " I have been glad to hear your own story, Mr. 
 Burnham," he began, " and in the name of those pres- 
 ent I thank you. However, we knew it already. In- 
 deed, we knew more. You remember that Dr. Ru- 
 dini's old housekeeper, Cleopatra, with her cat and 
 her monkey, had gone to the kitchen for food after 
 
A STRANGE AWAKENING 43 
 
 the extended sleep into which they had been thrown. 
 When she returned to the study, she found you rigid 
 and speechless in your chair. The Doctor had dis- 
 appeared, and with him the phial of his mysterious 
 elixir. Beyond an old memorandum book and a few 
 papers, the contents of his desk, no trace of him re- 
 mained. For a time a search was instituted, but as 
 far as we know he never reappeared, and we must as- 
 sume that, fearing the consequences of his act, he fled 
 and has long since perished, and that with him died 
 the secret of his eHxir." 
 
 " And what was done with me? " 
 
 " You were at first thought to be in a state of cata- 
 lepsy. At the hospital to which you were carried 
 the most skilful physicians of that day worked for 
 months over you, on that hypothesis. Naturally, they 
 failed to bring you back to life." 
 
 " How happened it," I asked, " that the real state 
 of things was discovered ? You seem to have all the 
 facts in your possession. One would think the cir- 
 cumstances would have been forgotten or ignored, 
 and my own unconscious body so treated that my 
 death would long since have cut the Gordian knot." 
 
 " That might have been the case," replied my new 
 friend, " had not public curiosity been so much 
 aroused. The newspapers took the matter up, the 
 woman's story was widely circulated, some persons 
 even pretended to see a supernatural element in the 
 affair. You became a cause cHebre. Science in- 
 
44 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 terested itself, and finally it was determined to let 
 you sleep on undisturbed, and to see if the prediction 
 of Dr. Rudini would be verified. As we see to-day, 
 his calculations were correct, and you have become 
 famous in your sleep, as it were. Let me take this 
 opportunity to welcome you as the guest of all man- 
 kind now living, and to express our hope that you 
 may soon feel at home among us and may become a 
 useful citizen in our midst." 
 
 These cordial words, evidently the prearranged ex- 
 pression of public opinion, were followed by applause 
 which quickly dispelled my heavy thoughts. Agree- 
 ably aroused, I stretched out my hands to the old 
 gentleman, who took and pressed them warmly. 
 
 " I thank you all from the bottom of my heart," I 
 stammered. 
 
 Though my words could not have been widely 
 audible, yet my gesture must have been correctly in- 
 terpreted by the assemblage, which broke out afresh 
 into applause. The joyous excitement that had taken 
 possession of me gave me such strength that I sat up 
 quickly, and sprang from the couch to the floor, 
 where I stood erect. 
 
 I had known that I was dressed, but how describe 
 my surprise when I looked down and perceived the 
 nature of my dress — black knickerbockers, supported 
 by a belt, long black stockings, and low shoes, upon 
 which buckles gleamed ? In my surprise I turned to 
 the old gentleman, who was supporting me. 
 
A STRANGE AWAKENING 45 
 
 He wore a thin, black summer coat resting com- 
 fortably over a pleated, white, unstarched shirt, under 
 the broad turnover collar of which was loosely tied a 
 red necktie, resembling a neckcloth. Knickerbock- 
 ers, with belt, stockings, and low shoes, exactly like 
 mine, completed his costume. 
 
 Puzzled, I looked at the other gentlemen who stood 
 nearest to us. All wore the same costume, except 
 that the colors varied. I saw gray, blue, brown, 
 though the most noticeable color was black. 
 
 The old gentleman smilingly followed my glance. 
 " You see here the style of the last fifty years ! " 
 
 This easy, unconstrained clothing pleased me much. 
 I scanned the women. 
 
 Straw hats like the men's were set tastefully on their 
 well-dressed hair. Under the summer jacket, loose 
 and provided with pockets, a vest could be seen, as 
 well as a portion of the shirt, with broad, turnover 
 collar and a colored necktie. The costume was com- 
 pleted by a skirt, fastened with a belt, and reaching 
 to the ankles, and by graceful low shoes which the 
 skirt left distinctly visible. 
 
 I looked for ornaments, but saw none except the 
 plain gold bands of wedding rings. A rose, in the 
 hair or fastened on the jacket, seemed the only orna- 
 ment. 
 
 How simple and yet how pretty! And how this 
 simplicity and taste enchanted me! 
 
 Here and there I noticed a little silver button, worn 
 
46 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 by both men and women in the upper buttonhole of 
 coat or jacket. My new friend was among those on 
 whom I observed it. Evidently this button was a 
 badge of distinction. 
 
 I was surprised by the novelty of this costume of 
 the year 2000, and my astonishment seemed to amuse 
 the assemblage, which broke out here and there into 
 applause as my bewildered gaze wandered from one 
 to another of the spectators. 
 
 In the meantime my new friend had picked up two 
 straw hats which had been lying on a little table by 
 my couch. One of these he pressed into my hand, 
 saying to me softly : " I will take you out into the air. 
 Lean on me." 
 
 I did as he bid me, for I still felt very weak, and we 
 walked slowly through the welcoming crowd, many 
 of whom, especially the women, tried to shake my 
 hand. As we crossed the threshold of the hall, a 
 splendid, broad, open colonnade lay before us, and we 
 were greeted by the balmy, fragrant air of June. 
 
 I could not resist the temptation to approach the 
 marble parapet and look down into the courtyard. As 
 I did so a low exclamation of wonder escaped my lips, 
 for a marvellous picture lay below. 
 
 A square garden, artistically laid out, with flower 
 beds, statues, trees, benches, arbors, and gravelled 
 paths, filled the whole courtyard. Young men and 
 girls, separate or in groups, stood, sat, or rechned on 
 
A STRANGE AWAKENING 47 
 
 the green grass, chatting or reading books or news- 
 papers, and the clear blue sky laughed down over all. 
 
 " There you see a portion of our student youth," 
 said my guide. 
 
 " Glorious ! " I whispered. " This splendid univer- 
 sity, with its imposing pillared halls, its costly statues, 
 wonderful flowers, and merry young people ! " 
 
 " You shall see more of the beauty and use of this 
 building as soon as you are a little stronger. But let 
 us go down." 
 
 As he led me slowly to one of the passenger eleva- 
 tors, I said to him, having observed the universal re- 
 spect with which he was greeted : " Pardon me, but I 
 do not yet know your name. You know me, whereas 
 
 " You are right," he interrupted, smiling. " I have 
 known you for about twenty years ! No wonder that 
 I quite forgot. My name is Donnelly — Charles Don- 
 nelly, and I have the honor to direct this university as 
 its president." 
 
 " Thank you, Mr. President." 
 
 By this time we had reached the elevator. A young 
 man opened the wire door for us. The president 
 nodded pleasantly to him. 
 
 " Another of our students," he said, as we sat down 
 on a sofa. Almost without our noticing it, the ele- 
 gant room, fitted with mirrors, pictures, and sofas, 
 and holding about fifty persons, sank so quickly that 
 
48 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 I had not time to ask one of the many questions that 
 were at the tip of my tongue. 
 
 " Here we are." 
 
 We left the elevator, crossed the colonnade, and, 
 after descending three broad marble steps, found our- 
 selves in the splendid, fragrant courtyard, enclosed 
 within the colossal university. Looking up wonder- 
 ingly, I saw that the beautiful building was ten stories 
 high, that each story was surrounded with a colon- 
 nade, and the roof surmounted by a graceful railing 
 and adorned with four small towers provided with 
 clocks. The courtyard appeared larger than when 
 I had looked down upon it from above. 
 
 " From which floor did we come? " 
 
 " From the sixth." 
 
 The young people whom me passed looked stealth- 
 ily at me as they bowed politely. Their exterior 
 struck me at once, from the fact that the difference in 
 the dress of the two sexes was insignificant. 
 
 On the head each wore a gray cap with a black 
 band. A gray jacket, something like a sailor blouse, 
 concealed the upper portion of the body. Yellow 
 badges, the significance of which was unknown to me, 
 were sewn upon the shoulders of the blouse. Gray 
 knickerbockers, fastened around the hips with a broad 
 black belt, constituted the only striking difference in 
 costume. The young men wore theirs tighter, while 
 those of the girls reached below the knee, were wider, 
 and reminded me strongly of the bloomers worn in 
 
A STRANGE AWAKENING 49 
 
 my day by many women and girls. Long black stock- 
 ings and black, buckled low shoes formed the rest of 
 the outer dress. 
 
 Upon the sleeves of several I saw one, two, or three 
 yellow cords sewn, presumably a mark of distinction. 
 
 A bevy of pretty young girls came walking toward 
 us, and I regarded them with pleasure. Mr. Don- 
 nelly observed my interest. " Yes," said he, " look at 
 that group of girls. Can you imagine a sight more 
 charming? With what proud erectness they walk, 
 and with what freedom from constraint ! How their 
 cheeks glow and their eyes sparkle ! Yes, rational 
 education and a dress which leaves to the body its 
 natural movement have done much for our youth. 
 We aim to educate our children, especially our girls, 
 not to be dolls or creatures of convention, but fresh, 
 joyous, animated human beings. We wish them to 
 enjoy their youth thoroughly and at the same time to 
 prepare for a serious later life." 
 
 I was about to reply, but the laughing, talking 
 group was now too near for me to venture any com- 
 ments. 
 
 " Let us rest a while. You must be tired," said the 
 president, drawing me to a little arbor. We entered 
 and seated ourselves upon a bench. 
 
 " To tell the truth," I replied, " I feel stronger than 
 ever." 
 
 " No doubt. But that is due to the excitement of 
 your new surroundings. To-morrow you will prob- 
 4 
 
50 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 ably be strong enough to begin a course of instruc- 
 tion. I must admit, Mr. Burnham, that I long to 
 make you a thorough citizen of this era, which is still 
 so completely unknown to you. I had a son — he 
 would now be about your age — you are not more 
 than twenty-seven or twenty-eight? " 
 
 " I was twenty-seven when I fell asleep." 
 
 " Then that is your age still ! For your Httle nap 
 has not made any change in your body. My son 
 would be just your age. Unhappily, he died when 
 he was but seven years old, twenty years ago. It 
 was about that time that you were consigned to my 
 care, and I then made a vow that with your consent 
 I would treat you as my son and would educate you 
 in conformity with the present ideas, provided you 
 should awaken. Tell me, please, what parents or 
 relatives had you when you began your sleep? " 
 
 " My parents were dead. I had a few distant rela- 
 tives to whom my fate could not have occasioned 
 any great concern." 
 
 " Good ! Then my wife and I will do all we can to 
 make you a thorough citizen of the year 2000 as 
 quickly as possible." 
 
 " For which I shall thank you both with all my 
 heart ; although I have not yet the honor of knowing 
 your wife." 
 
 " Oh, yes, you know her. You remember the lady 
 in black, who gave you the broth ? That was she." 
 
 " And I entirely forgot to thank her ! " 
 
A STRANGE AWAKENING 51 
 
 President Donnelly laughed. " Don't take it too 
 much to heart, Mr. Burnham. To-morrow you will 
 have an opportunity to atone for any shortcomings." 
 
 I was silent for a moment, my thoughts diverted 
 to a new channel. 
 
 " Tell me," I said at length, " have the changes 
 which Bellamy described been introduced into your 
 world of to-day? " 
 
 " No. You will find a different world from that 
 described by Bellamy. Bellamy was, to be sure, a 
 clever and inventive man, and had the good of man- 
 kind at heart, but his plans would not have made us 
 much happier. However, let us leave that subject 
 until another time ; it is too comprehensive to be dis- 
 cussed now in brief." 
 
 " One question more. The assembly which I found 
 upon my awakening — was it met on my account? " 
 
 " Yes. As you may imagine, your extraordinary 
 sleep has been discussed innumerable times in the 
 newspapers. The most prominent physicians and the 
 most learned men have debated it. As the day of 
 your awakening approached, delegates came from al- 
 most every university and hospital to be present at 
 the event. Lectures were given, and, well — you saw 
 the result when you awoke. To-morrow the daily 
 papers of the different States will be full of the oc- 
 currence." 
 
 " Will you have the goodness to send me a copy? " 
 
52 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " With pleasure. But I scarcely think you will be 
 able to read it." 
 
 "Why? Is it not in English?" 
 
 Mr. Donnelly smiled. " With your permission," 
 he said, " I will postpone answering that question un- 
 til to-morrow, when you will learn many things that 
 will no doubt seem strange. Let us go back, for it is 
 growing dark. I will show you the room which is to 
 be yours for the present. My wife will send over a 
 good broth. We must not tax your strength too 
 much this first day." 
 
 We rose, and as the mild, fresh air had really given 
 me strength, I walked briskly beside my guide, with- 
 out support. The now brilliantly lighted elevator car- 
 ried us quickly to the sixth floor. There the presi- 
 dent led the way and I followed, making use of the 
 opportunity to cast hasty glances at the splendid pic- 
 tures hanging on the walls of the brightly lighted 
 colonnade. The president had meanwhile opened a 
 door, and I entered. A rather large room with two 
 windows lay before me. Although it contained a 
 good bed, a table, a mirror, and a few chairs, I saw 
 at once that it was not intended for a living room, as 
 there were glass cupboards against the walls, in which 
 were hundreds of specimens of apparatus of a kind 
 unknown to me. 
 
 " This room has been your dwelling place for the 
 past twenty years, and shall be such to-night for the 
 
A STRANGE AWAKENING 53 
 
 last time. My wife is probably now arranging your 
 new room," 
 
 During his last words I had stepped to the mirror 
 and looked at myself with curiosity. But I could dis- 
 cover nothing remarkable about my appearance ex- 
 cept that I had grown a trifle thinner. What chiefly 
 interested me was my new and very suitable clothing. 
 It had nothing stiff about it, nothing to hinder free 
 movement. 
 
 The president turned on the electric light, drew the 
 curtains of my windows close, and seated himself in 
 an armchair. I was about to sit down also when 
 some one knocked at the door. 
 
 In response to my loud " Come," a young man in 
 student's costume appeared, bringing me, on a tray, 
 a bowl of broth and a few slices of bread. I fell upon 
 them forthwith. 
 
 When I had finished my simple meal and the stu- 
 dent had departed, the president said to me kindly: 
 " You must promise me, Mr. Burnham, that you will 
 go to bed at once. You need a sound, natural sleep. 
 To-morrow morning early — at eight o'clock — I will 
 call for you. Good-night. Sleep well." 
 
 " Thank you. Good-night." 
 
 He was gone. 
 
 True to my promise, I undressed at once, jumped 
 into bed, and was instantly asleep. 
 
II 
 
 A NEW WORLD 
 
 When I awoke next morning I felt so well that I 
 sprang at once out of bed, slipped into my clothes, and 
 hurried to the window to take a look at the street. 
 
 Scarcely had I pushed aside the curtains and opened 
 the window when a cry of astonishment escaped me. 
 I could scarcely trust my eyes. 
 
 What had become of the narrow, dirty, badly paved 
 streets with the hideous elevated railroad trestles, the 
 rattling cable cars, the lumbering drays, the rumbling 
 carts, the half-starved horses, the rough, cursing dri- 
 vers, the ownerless dogs, the fat, sleepy policemen, 
 and the reckless bicyclers of my youth? 
 
 Where were the low, wretchedly built, unwhole- 
 some houses, with the thousand little shops, cigar 
 stores, saloons, brothels and low dives, and the pos- 
 ters, placards, bulletins, sheriff's notices, disfiguring 
 the whole? And where the telephone, telegraph and 
 electric wires, dangerous to life, and the gallows-like 
 poles reaching to the roofs? 
 
 Where, above all, was the pushing, jolting human 
 crowd, always in evidence in my day, made up of 
 dirty laborers, rapacious beggars, richly dressed 
 
A NEW WORLD 55 
 
 idlers, fantastically arrayed ladies and grisettes, pale, 
 poorly clothed factory and shop girls, insistent fakirs, 
 roaring, half-naked newsboys and bootblacks? 
 
 Nothing, not a sign, of this commotion, once so 
 offensive to me, was visible. What I now saw re- 
 sembled the Fata Morgana, or a scene from the 
 " Arabian Nights." 
 
 I had, indeed, marvelled when my eyes first opened 
 yesterday after my long sleep, and I gazed upon the 
 strangely dressed people who filled the splendid, vast 
 marble hall, and, later, saw the colonnade adorned 
 with pictures, the beautiful fragrant courtyard and 
 the elevator that seemed a drawing-room. But 
 magnificent as I had found it all, I had not tried to 
 account for it. I thought that special pains had been 
 taken to ornament this colossal ten-story university. 
 In fact, I had an idea that perhaps this was the only 
 building upon which such extravagant outlay had 
 been squandered. 
 
 But one glance from the window taught me better. 
 
 Below lay an asphalt street, smooth as glass, about 
 one hundred and twenty feet broad, planted at the 
 sides with double rows of fruit trees of different kinds. 
 Among the trees narrow flower beds were laid out, 
 embellished with vases and statues. Benches invited 
 one to repose, and artistically decorated fountains 
 beckoned to the thirsty. 
 
 In the middle of the street, at regular intervals, 
 
56 TUE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 Stood gigantic bronze figures, holding up large elec- 
 tric lamps. 
 
 At the sides of the street, not far from the pave- 
 ment, elegant, handsomely upholstered electric wag- 
 ons, always three coupled together, glided noise- 
 lessly past on tracks, taking up and letting off pas- 
 sengers at the street crossings. One or two very 
 fast wagons, proceeding in various directions, evi- 
 dently served some special purpose. 
 
 The people I saw were dressed more or less as I 
 had seen them the day before in the university. 
 Proud and self-contained they walked, and no one 
 of them seemed oppressed with care. 
 
 One circumstance struck me ; I saw nobody cross- 
 ing the street. Ah! Just then I saw two men on 
 my side disappear among the trees. Eagerly I 
 watched the opposite side. Sure enough! There 
 they reappeared on the other side! So there were 
 underground crossings at the street intersections. 
 How simple and practical, and how many human 
 lives must be spared in this way ! 
 
 The splendid, living panorama of the street so af- 
 fected me that I scarcely dared divert my gaze, for 
 fear it all might melt into nothingness. At last, how- 
 ever, I raised my eyes and let them stray above the 
 street, and to the right and left, and beheld, as far 
 as I could see, colossal, square, skilfully decorated 
 marble palaces, built in various styles of architec- 
 ture. 
 
A NEW WORLD 57 
 
 Each of these colossal buildings stood apart by it- 
 self, surrounded by fruit trees, flower beds, statues, 
 benches, and side paths. Large sculptured figures 
 adorned the entrances, and broad balconies, beauti- 
 fied with flowers, were in front of many of the win- 
 dows, \\'hen I counted the stories, I found that each 
 of these palaces was ten floors high. 
 
 Upon the flat roofs I saw splendid gardens, en- 
 closed by wires and glittering like gold in the sun, 
 and among the palms, the statues, and electric lamps 
 moved men, women and children, walking in the 
 pure morning air, while far and wide there was not 
 a chimney visible to poison the glorious atmosphere. 
 
 Happy people ! 
 
 But what was the purpose of these gorgeous build- 
 ings? Were they state institutions, or hotels, or 
 perhaps residences — residences of the year 2000? 
 Quickly as the last idea occurred to me, just as 
 quickly I dismissed it. Where could people get the 
 means to live in such splendid buildings — in build- 
 ings finer than the most beautiful edifices I had seen 
 in my day, buildings that could be compared only to 
 the great palaces of the Greeks and Romans? 
 
 Yet, as I leaned out to discover something that re- 
 sembled the wretched, tainted dwelling houses of 
 my time, in which the poor and the middle-class were 
 obliged to spend their lives, not one such building 
 could I see. Wherever I looked there stood only 
 these ten-story palaces, varied in decoration, sur- 
 
58 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 rounded by fruit trees, flower beds, vases, statues, and 
 marble seats. 
 
 This glorious panorama so engrossed both head 
 and heart, that I quite forgot my immediate sur- 
 roundings, and could only gaze intently out into this 
 new, noble world before me. Was it strange that I 
 did not hear the entrance of my fatherly friend, the 
 president, and that he clapped me on the shoulder 
 before I turned? A deep, involuntary sigh escaped 
 me. 
 
 " Good-morning, Mr. Burnham. I see you are 
 becoming acquainted with our town. How do you 
 like it?" 
 
 " I scarcely think your question needs an answer," 
 I repHed, making an effort to collect my thoughts. 
 " I find it hard to recover from the feeling of exalta- 
 tion which my glimpse of the city has aroused. But 
 this street must be one of the most fashionable in 
 New York." 
 
 " By no means. In your day it was Third Avenue, 
 and a portion of the site on which this university 
 stands was occupied by Cooper Institute. Our streets 
 and buildings resemble each other, as far as size, ex- 
 tent and beauty are concerned, but the external dec- 
 orations are varied as much as possible to offer 
 change to the eye. However, you cannot see from 
 here the most beautiful street, or rather square, that 
 on which our museums stand. The view from this 
 window is not particularly good. You cannot see 
 
A NEW WORLD 59 
 
 the parks, public squares, schools, or theatres. But 
 don't be alarmed, you shall not miss them." 
 
 "What? One street as splendid as another? 
 And these great palaces are residences? Then where 
 do your laborers and poor people live ? These build- 
 ings are too costly even for the wealthy. You must 
 have laborers' quarters." 
 
 Mr. Donnelly could not repress a smile. " It is 
 clear that you are not a man of our time, Mr. Burn- 
 ham. Poor people ! Rich people ! Laborers' quar- 
 ters! There are no such terms in the year 2000. 
 We know only human beings. And every human 
 being is a laborer, a laborer for the good of mankind. 
 Every man has rights and duties. ' Each for all, 
 all for each ! ' is our loftiest maxim. What each pro- 
 duces serves the good of all, and what all produce is 
 at the disposal of each. 
 
 " You know^, Mr. Burnham," he continued, speak- 
 ing with increased earnestness, " God created this 
 beautiful world for all people. It is His will that 
 one man should be as well fed, as well dressed, and 
 as softly pillowed as another, and that all should re- 
 joice equally and be equally partakers in the beauty 
 and grandeur of this world. Did He not give us 
 man's understanding, and demand of us only that we 
 use it properly? Well, it took us thousands of years 
 to find the truth, and to understand what * Love thy 
 neighbor as thyself ' really means. Long before our 
 day men might have been happier, had they better 
 
60 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 obeyed the laws of God and Nature. But they 
 thought themselves wiser than God or Nature; they 
 made their own laws, and then suffered under them. 
 Men hated each other because they did not know 
 each other; had they known each other they would 
 have loved each other." He paused for a moment. 
 Then, turning to me with a smile, " Time fails me 
 now to show you fully the spirit that animates our 
 day. You must learn to know our scheme of life, to 
 adapt yourself to it, and then the spirit will manifest 
 itself to you of itself. When that moment comes, 
 you will exclaim in wonder at the magnificence and 
 simplicity of our practical philosophy, and will ask 
 why the veil that darkened men's eyes for centuries 
 was not sooner torn away." 
 
 " Mr. Donnelly," I repHed, as he paused, " you 
 must have known last night that if I had been aware 
 of the splendors to be discovered in the street out- 
 side I should never have been content to go to bed." 
 
 " Quite true. I foresaw it, and the result of my 
 foresight is that you look well and strong this morn- 
 ing. We can begin our course of instruction at once. 
 But first let us attend to our bodies. Come, it is al- 
 most breakfast time." 
 
 I took my hat and followed my guide through the 
 colonnade to one of the elevators. The noble pic- 
 ture which I had just seen from my window had made 
 such an impression on me, that I could not help say- 
 
A NEW WORLD 61 
 
 ing, before we took the elevator: " Let me have just 
 a look at this beautiful town from the roof." 
 
 " I meant to show it to you from our own hotel, 
 but we need not wait," he replied. 
 
 The elevator flew upward and landed us inside a 
 glass-enclosed house on the roof, fragrant with the 
 fresh air of morning. There a transcendent picture 
 lay before us. The roof garden, with its four towers, 
 electric lamps, flowers, vases, statues, and inviting 
 benches, resembled an enormous square. Within it 
 a raihng shut ofif the middle space, and, approaching 
 it, and leaning over the gilded balustrade, I saw the 
 courtyard lying far down below. 
 
 When I turned, I became aware of several young 
 men and girls, who were unrolling a large canvas 
 awning, and spreading it over the whole roof garden 
 with such rapidity that I could hardly follow all their 
 movements with my eyes. 
 
 " Whenever the sun is too hot this awning is spread 
 to protect the flowers and to make the promenaders 
 enjoy their stay up here," the president explained. 
 
 I watched the movements of the clever young peo- 
 ple, and saw that, after the canvas roof was adjusted, 
 they turned their attention to the plants, pulling out 
 weeds here, breaking ofif dead leaves there, watering 
 the flowers, cleaning the gravel paths, and sweep- 
 ing. 
 
 " Now let us climb the tower," said President Don- 
 nelly. 
 
62 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 We entered the nearest of the four towers, 
 mounted a spiral iron stairway, and, by means of 
 a httle door above the clock, emerged upon a nar- 
 row gallery running around the tower, and found 
 ourselves in the open air. 
 
 *' We are now thirty feet above the roof garden, 
 and two hundred feet above the street. Look around 
 you." 
 
 " Glorious ! " was the only word that I could utter. 
 As far as the mammoth city extended I saw only 
 one huge garden pierced here and there by slender 
 towers or gilded cupolas. In the distance, beyond 
 Central Park, where in my time Morningside Park 
 lay, I saw a gigantic statue of Liberty standing upon 
 the great gold dome of a colossal building of vast 
 extent and classic style, and stretching her mighty 
 right hand with its stupendous torch high into the 
 air. Around this building were grouped many 
 others, all so beautiful that I could hardly decide 
 upon which to let my eyes rest longest. 
 
 " I thought so," remarked my good-natured guide. 
 " I thought you could not help feeling pleasure at 
 sight of this most beautiful point of our town. It 
 is a pity that we cannot see from here the magnificent 
 squares that surround those buildings. The great 
 structure with the gilded dome and the statue of 
 Liberty, whose torch, by the way, reaches seven 
 hundred feet into the air, is the central point of our 
 museums. The other buildings, which you see all 
 
A NEW WORLD 63 
 
 around it, are dedicated to the same purpose. They 
 are museums, but museums of the twentieth century 
 and not lumber rooms, as were most of the museums 
 of your day. Our museums are, so to say, open 
 picture books for every one to consult. It is im- 
 material of what province of art, nature, or science 
 — immaterial of what land or people or time you may 
 wish to form a picture, you will find it there without 
 trouble, illustrated down to the smallest detail." 
 
 " If any one in my time had predicted," I ex- 
 claimed, " that on the site of the wretchedly built 
 New York of that day this present glorious city 
 would stand, I should have thought him mad. Yet 
 I have lived to see this city and this world with my 
 own eyes, thank God ! " 
 
 The president, observing my emotion, turned aside, 
 and presently, stretching out his hand in the opposite 
 direction, said : " Look yonder, where the Post Of- 
 fice stood in your day. The building that stands 
 there now, with the great statue of Justice on the 
 dome, is our City Hall. Not far from it, the struc- 
 ture with the tower is our newspaper printing house. 
 Beyond, near the Battery, stands the new Post Office. 
 Those three other large and striking buildings are 
 our ware and storage houses. All our factories are 
 situated where, in your time, Eleventh and Twelfth 
 avenues lay. In your day there was only one bridge 
 worth mentioning, Brooklyn Bridge. Look around 
 you now. To-day there are three bridges to Brook- 
 
64 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 lyn, two to Jersey City, one to Hoboken, one to 
 Blackwell's Island, and one to Long Island." 
 
 He paused as I looked at the indicated points. 
 Then he continued : " Those other buildings, with 
 cupolas or towers, are theatres, hospitals, universi- 
 ties, or educational institutions. But come, let us 
 hurry, or we shall quite forget our breakfast." 
 
 Had I not been reminded, I should not have 
 thought of eating. As we slowly descended the 
 stairway I noticed that the tower was supplied with 
 various apparatus for observation. When we had re- 
 gained the roof garden, the president showed me a 
 bridge, built of skilfully wrought iron, which led 
 from our roof garden to that of the next house. 
 
 " This bridge joins the university to the hotel of 
 the female students. On the north side is a similar 
 bridge leading into the young men's hotel. In this 
 w^ay our students can make use of all three roof gar- 
 dens without trouble." 
 
 We entered the elevator, and in a moment stepped 
 out upon the first floor. Thence, after I had hastily 
 and wonderingly admired the palatial marble en- 
 trance hall, adorned with palm trees, with a fountain, 
 and a beautifully sculptured statue of Wisdom, we 
 emerged into the street. 
 
Ill 
 
 IN THE STREET 
 
 We had gone but a few steps, when the idea that I 
 was moving in another world, among people of an- 
 other time, came upon me with such overwhelming 
 force that my head swam, and I grasped my guide 
 nervously by the arm. 
 
 He smiled. " It all seems strange, does it not? 
 But never mind. As soon as you learn to know us 
 a Httle better, you will feel quite at home among us," 
 
 A flood of questions rose to my lips as I looked 
 along the fine, broad street. 
 
 " How is it, Mr. Donnelly, that I see no business 
 places, no heavy drays, elevated roads, cabs, electric 
 wires, nor any letter carriers, workmen, street clean- 
 ers, nor, above all, any police officers? " 
 
 " You ask many things at once," he replied good- 
 naturedly. " And as your questions are not to be 
 answered in a word, let us sit down under the trees 
 for a few minutes." 
 
 We seated ourselves on one of the benches that 
 lay invitingly at hand, and he began : " There are 
 no private places of business, because all our busi- 
 ness is under one control, either that of the city or 
 5 
 
66 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 that of the state government. Each city owns large 
 warehouses, in which is stored everything that mod- 
 ern man can desire. Whatever a given city cannot 
 produce, is supplied to it by railroads or ships. 
 Every evening the stewardess of each hotel orders 
 from the warehouse manager everything that will be 
 needed next day in her hotel, whether eatables, cloth- 
 ing, or articles of comfort or luxury. The people 
 in the warehouses look up the articles ordered, load 
 them on the electric freight wagons appointed for 
 this purpose, and deliver them at the hotels every 
 day between six and eight in the morning. Dur- 
 ing the day these freight wagons have nothing to 
 do with the hotels, but are used to call for the new 
 articles which arrive by rail or ship. A few of these 
 wagons, specially built for the purpose, are employed 
 in the postal service. But of that later. As a rule, 
 you see no freight wagons in the city during the 
 day." 
 
 " But the elevated roads? " I interposed. 
 
 " We need no elevated roads with trestles darken- 
 ing the street. Our electric cars are, as you see, 
 elegantly built, conveniently arranged, rapid, and are 
 to be had at any time in such numbers, that any one 
 wishing to ride can be sure of a comfortable seat. 
 There are no carriages, that is, private carriages. 
 One man has as good facilities as another. And if a 
 fool should be born for whom our city cars are not 
 good enough, then he can walk." 
 
IN THE STREET 67 
 
 " To be sure," I assented, " the absence of elevated 
 roads does not lessen the beauty of the city. But 
 what will you do when the population increases so 
 that the street cars are absolutely unable to hold the 
 mass of people? " 
 
 The president looked at me with a smile of amuse- 
 ment. 
 
 " That will never be the case in New York or any- 
 where else. Our city, for instance, now has a popu- 
 lation of five millions." 
 
 " What? " I cried in surprise. " In the year 2000 
 New York has only five million inhabitants? How 
 can that be?" 
 
 " It is very simple, Mr. Burnham. As I said, New 
 York has now five million inhabitants, and will never 
 have any more. It is not necessary that one city 
 should grow to an inconvenient extent, while an- 
 other, on account of its small size and insignificant 
 population, does not rise above the dignity of a vil- 
 lage, and so cannot offer its inhabitants the advan- 
 tages of a metropolis. We have no small towns. 
 Every small town, resort, and village of your day 
 was either given up, or if its situation was par- 
 ticularly favorable, was changed into a metropolis. 
 Nowadays you will find nothing but cities with a 
 population of at least three, or, at the most, five mil- 
 lions. There must be not less than three, nor more 
 than five millions." 
 
 " That seems a rational plan," I remarked, " but 
 
68 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 how do you bring it about? Your cities must have 
 time to grow." 
 
 " No. Whenever enough people are actually 
 available to found a city, a proper site is chosen, 
 thousands of persons go systematically to work ac- 
 cording to well-considered plans, and in two or three 
 years a city, as beautiful as this, stands on what may 
 shortly before have been a desert prairie. I know all 
 this sounds like a fairy tale, but you shall see that 
 there is no need of witchcraft to accomplish great 
 things in a short time, with the help of unity, speed, 
 and mature deliberation. It is because of this elab- 
 orate planning for our cities, that all men, in every 
 city, have equal advantages and conveniences. In 
 your time it was only the people of great cities like 
 New York, Paris, London, or Vienna who pretended 
 to enjoy life. To-day one city is just as good, just 
 as beautiful as another. What you leave in one you 
 find in the next." 
 
 A train of sumptuous electric cars shot smoothly 
 and noiselessly past us at this moment. My eyes fol- 
 lowed them instinctively. " So you have cars like 
 this in every street? " I asked. 
 
 " No, only in alternate streets. The next street, 
 for instance, which in your day was Second Avenue, 
 and is now Lincoln Avenue, is quite unsuitable for 
 traf^c, since we have transformed it into a garden, 
 with arcades, trees, flowers, benches, and paths. We 
 are not fond of spoiling every street with wagons 
 
IN THE STREET 69 
 
 and tracks. And you will see at once that we need 
 not do so. Every building has four large entrances, 
 each is accessible on all sides, and within you can use 
 either the garden or the colonnade to go from one 
 part to another." 
 
 " This system of street cars is reasonable," I as- 
 sented, " even if it does involve a few additional steps. 
 But the entire absence of carriages from your streets 
 will seem strange to me for some time yet, I fear." 
 
 " I said we had no carriages," replied the president. 
 " Strictly speaking, we do have a few electric state 
 coaches, very elegant in their appearance, which are 
 seldom seen on the streets. These are the coaches 
 which the city or State places at the disposal of our 
 most highly honored citizens, the heads of city or 
 State, during their term of office. But the privilege 
 does not excite envy, as our highest posts of honor 
 are within the reach of every capable man who is 
 called to them by the love of his fellow-citizens. Be- 
 sides these state coaches, we have simpler carriages, 
 used to fetch doctors in cases of emergency, to re- 
 move the sick, the victims of accident, or the dead — 
 that is, for general service — and they may be had at 
 any hour of the day or night." 
 
 " And the telegraph wires? " I said. " Where are 
 they? I see no poles." 
 
 " They are all laid in underground passages, speci- 
 ally designed, and these passages are so built that 
 improvements or repairs can readily be made. In 
 
70 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 every underground tunnel or subway, at a street 
 crossing there are doors which ahow workmen en- 
 trance to these passages at any time, to examine the 
 wires, water pipes, or sewers. So it is unnecessary 
 nowadays to tear up a whole street whenever a pipe 
 bursts, a wire is broken, or something of the sort 
 happens." 
 
 " Where are your letter carriers? " I asked. 
 
 " We have no letter carriers who go from house to 
 house from morning to night. Each city owns a 
 large telegraph and postal office. Here are received 
 all letters, packages, and telegrams intended for the 
 inhabitants. The letters and packages are sorted, 
 tied in bundles, and delivered at the hotels once a 
 day, between two and three in the afternoon, by the 
 freight wagons I spoke of. Each of these wagons 
 serves a certain number of hotels, and delivers the 
 mail and newspapers at the same time. Do you see 
 that little iron door in the hotel wall near the en- 
 trance? Well, behind that little door is an iron box. 
 In this box, from the vestibule, all the inmates of the 
 hotel deposit their letters and packages. Then when 
 the post officer comes to deliver the mail he opens 
 the Httle door, takes out what he finds inside, and re- 
 places it by the mail he has brought. In this way all 
 the inmates of the hotel receive their mail at a uni- 
 form hour, and the post officer attends to the collec- 
 tion and delivery at the same time. It goes without 
 saying that our letters require no stamps and are not 
 
IN THE STREET 71 
 
 postmarked. It is enough to give name, city, street 
 and number of house and apartment." 
 
 " What ! " I exclaimed. " Only one daily postal 
 delivery? " 
 
 " Yes, only one. As there are no private enter- 
 prises, as all business necessary for the maintenance 
 and convenience of mankind is under the control of 
 one business head — that is, in that of the united people 
 of the whole earth — so the millions of business letters 
 of your day are not needed. If, for instance, the State 
 of New York wants something from India, or Austra- 
 lia, or any other quarter of the globe, it is ordered, 
 not by letter, but by telegram. This is simpler and 
 quicker. States use only the telegraph in their inter- 
 course. Letters between private individuals are of no 
 such urgency that an hour more or less makes any 
 difference. Moreover, I should maintain that not- 
 withstanding our one daily delivery, people in general 
 receive their mail more promptly now than in your 
 day, as our rail and steamer service is much simpler 
 and quicker. But if a private individual has some- 
 thing important to communicate — such as a death, 
 birth, or illness — he uses not the mail but the tele- 
 graph. Our telegrams are delivered at every hour of 
 the day or night, and the messengers use the electric 
 street cars. But the telegraph is not used between 
 points within a city, as the telephone in every hotel 
 office is at everybody's disposal." 
 
 " Is telegraphing cheap? " 
 
72 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " It costs just as little as the mail — that is, nothing 
 at all." 
 
 " Nothing at all ! " I cried. " Surely you pay for 
 your clothing, dwellings, meals, conveniences ? " 
 
 " We pay for nothing whatever." 
 
 "You pay for nothing? But you receive wages. 
 Surely you do not get your wages and the necessaries 
 of life besides? " 
 
 Mr. Donnelly laughed. " That would indeed be 
 hardly consistent. And we believe ourselves con- 
 sistent in this year 2000. We receive no compensa- 
 tion for our services, and we pay nothing for our 
 needs; that is, we pay nothing in the sense of your 
 day. We all have duties and rights, and in fulfilling 
 our duties we secure our rights. It is our duty to de- 
 vote our strength, mental or physical, according to 
 our best knowledge, to the good of the whole. When 
 we do so we fulfil our duty, and are entitled to what 
 is ours by right — which is, that every one of us shall 
 be able to eat, drink, sleep, live, dress as well as every 
 other, and that amusement and opportunity for cul- 
 ture shall be always at the disposal of every one." 
 
 " Then you have no money, or credit cards, or any- 
 thing of that sort? " 
 
 "No. Why should we? Are not credit cards the 
 same as money? Could not as much mischief be 
 done with one as with the other? Thank God, we 
 have long been free from the delusion that mankind 
 cannot exist without a money standard! All the 
 
ly THE STREET 73 
 
 people of this earth form one great family, as it were. 
 This family must, of course, see to it that there is al- 
 ways enough of the necessaries of life for every indi- 
 vidual member. And so each individual member 
 must engage in some useful pursuit. That these oc- 
 cupations are regulated may be taken for granted, 
 and of course they are. We produce everything we 
 need, and when we need a thing we simply take it. 
 Why should we pay with money for what we have 
 ourselves produced? Would it not be folly to labor 
 to produce things which, after all, we might not get, 
 simply for want of money? " 
 
 " Such were not the conditions in my day," I re- 
 marked. 
 
 " No. Have you forgotten what a part money 
 played ? Have you forgotten that money was always 
 the curse of mankind? That is what the money stan- 
 dard which created slaves and tyrants? That it was 
 money alone which made the poor man poorer, and 
 the rich man richer? Have you forgotten that 
 money was the parent of almost every crime? That 
 everything could be had for money — honor, virtue, 
 husband, wife and child, body and soul, heaven and 
 hell ? We may safely say that nine-tenths of all that 
 was bad and despicable in men came from the use of 
 money. Only the complete abolition of it could re- 
 store to man Christian humaneness." 
 
 He made a noticeable pause, then continued more 
 calmly : " You are probably surprised to hear me 
 
74 THE DAY OP PROSPERITY 
 
 speak with so much bitterness about money. You 
 see, we look back upon the times when money or 
 money's worth was the standard of value with as 
 much amazement and horror as you looked back on 
 the Inquisition. The crimes once committed for 
 money's sake can now no longer occur, since the 
 motive is wanting-. Nowadays we make no distinc- 
 tion between our occupations. All the products of 
 labor are equally necessary for our maintenance or 
 our convenience, and, therefore, all labor is held in 
 the same consideration; that is, estimated at the same 
 value." 
 
 " Then what has become of the laboring class? " I 
 inquired. 
 
 " Every man is a member of that class," returned 
 Mr. Donnelly. " But I know what you mean. You 
 mean the class called laborers in your day; those 
 wretched creatures whom the iron scourge of hunger 
 and want drove half sleeping from their beds at five 
 or six every morning, ill-clad and filthy, to be herded 
 in so-called workshops, unwholesome and squalid 
 holes, there to slave for ten, twelve, or even fourteen 
 hours for miserable wages, and to exhaust their blood 
 and marrow in futile toil. Late at night, broken in 
 body and dead in spirit, they tottered to their homes, 
 swallowed a meagre and ill-prepared meal, and finally 
 threw themselves upon hard and unclean beds for a 
 brief rest. In the morning again, unrefreshed and 
 unstrengthened, they returned to their accursed toil, 
 
IN THE STREET 75 
 
 SO to continue, day after day, year after year, until 
 finally rest came in an untimely grave." 
 
 " Not an inaccurate picture," I assented. " And 
 such labor was held to involve some disgrace in the 
 laborer. He did not much appeal to our sympathies, 
 and we were not disposed to take upon ourselves any 
 serious responsibility for bettering his condition." 
 
 '' True," returned President Donnelly. " Such la- 
 bor did involve disgrace. Such work was not only 
 a disgrace, but a crime and a curse — the disgrace of 
 the nineteenth century, a crime committed by the 
 wealthy upon the poor, and a curse to the laboring 
 class. And when we inquire what wages these liv- 
 ing machines received, the true answer must be, life- 
 long hunger, care, distress, and deprivation. What 
 pleasures were provided for them? A few could 
 drink themselves tipsy with their hard-earned cash, 
 and ill-use their wives and children. Or now and 
 then they were allowed a strike, to be driven back, 
 later, with broken heads into the same old servitude." 
 
 " And what are to-day's conditions? " I asked. 
 
 " To-day every man who has passed his twentieth 
 year works, for the common good, nine months an- 
 nually, four hours each day. That is what he must 
 do. But I can show you that almost every man does 
 more, and voluntarily works several hours daily in 
 addition. Indeed, some work ten or twelve hours, 
 or even more than that. But it is not required. 
 Every one, however, usually, does his best in an effort 
 
76 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 to distinguish himself above his fellows, or at least 
 to earn his rights by a generous fulfilment of his 
 duties." 
 
 " But one would think that in case of manual labor 
 many men would shrink from the necessarily unclean 
 surroundings. We can hardly keep ourselves neat 
 in a factory, even if we are convinced of the dignity 
 of the labor that is performed there." 
 
 " But we do keep ourselves neat. We go to our 
 work in clean clothes, no matter how dirty the work 
 may be. Every one finds in the factory, or wherever 
 he works, a working suit. When he has finished his 
 four hours' work he may take a bath, hot or cold. 
 He then puts on his street clothes, and goes home as 
 clean as he came. We do not regard baths as a lux- 
 ury, but as a necessity of human existence, and you 
 will find bathing facilities wherever there are men. 
 We consider cleanliness of the body in the same light 
 as purity of soul. We cannot imagine one without 
 the other. Later we will speak more in detail of our 
 factory life." 
 
 " Your principles of cleanliness evidently extend to 
 your streets. They look as spotless as the fioor of 
 a drawing-room." 
 
 " Yes; in the first place, we allow no one to soil our 
 streets. You will seldom see any horses, dogs, or 
 other animals, as we do not need them in our metro- 
 politan cities. Electricity has made horses super- 
 fluous, and the few used for hunting or in theatres 
 
IN THE STREET 77 
 
 and circuses are kept on farms out of town. Just so 
 with the dogs. Since, as you will see, robbery and 
 stealing have gone out of fashion, we do not require 
 watchdogs, and to keep dogs as a pastime, as was 
 customary with people of your day — especially ladies 
 — we should consider absurd. If our men need 
 amusement for their leisure hours, they find it in 
 books, sciences, nature, the theatre. And our 
 women ? They find their entertainment in the educa- 
 tion of the children, the care of the sick, the superin- 
 tendence of housekeeping, in the study and teaching 
 of arts and sciences, and many other pursuits. I 
 hardly think you could find among our women a 
 single one who does not know how to amuse herself. 
 But I am digressing. As I said, we allow no one to 
 soil our streets. There are no private business firms, 
 and you will find that our factory and business quar- 
 ters are as clean as this street. If any one wishes to 
 throw away a paper he throws it, not into the street, 
 but into one of the little baskets which you see placed 
 at regular intervals under the trees. But if some ill- 
 bred person should throw something on the path, you 
 may be sure the first lady he meets will take him to 
 task and ask him to pick it up and throw it where it 
 belongs." 
 
 " When are the streets cleaned? " I asked. 
 
 " Between five and six in the morning. As you 
 see, there are hydrants at every hotel. Every morn- 
 ing at five, if it does not rain, hose are screwed to 
 
78 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 these hydrants and the streets are watered. Large 
 electric street sweepers then pass and sweep the dirt 
 to the pavements, whence it is thrown into the sewer 
 openings, which in the daytime are closed. Quickly 
 running water carries this refuse through large tun- 
 nels under the street, outside the city to the fields." 
 
 " You have fewer police of^cers than we had," I 
 remarked. " I have not seen one so far this morn- 
 ing." 
 
 " On the contrary, we have far more than you had. 
 Every man who has passed his twentieth year has 
 not only the right, but the duty to watch over the 
 welfare of the city and his fellow-citizens, to prevent 
 mischief, and arrest evildoers. You may imagine, 
 therefore, that we possess the best, most numerous, 
 and most trustworthy police force that has ever ex- 
 isted. But, thank God, it is seldom that one of us 
 is obliged to fulfil his duty as a police officer ! Though 
 I am aware the assertion sounds incredible to you 
 now, since you come from a time when more crime 
 was committed in one day than at present in ten 
 years. But we will discuss that chapter later." 
 
 He paused and added, good-naturedly : " Well, are 
 there any more questions? " 
 
 " A thousand, Mr. Donnelly," I replied quickly. 
 
 He laughed and rose. " In that case, I am afraid 
 we must postpone them, for if your appetite is satis- 
 fied with pure air, mine is not. It is nearly nine 
 o'clock." 
 
JN THE STREET 79 
 
 I had quite forgotten breakfast, so engrossed was 
 I by the novehy of my surroundings. But his words 
 roused me to a consciousness that I was hungry and 
 a trifle faint, so, with a sigh of regret at the enforced 
 interruption, I rose from the bench and followed my 
 friend, who walked on quickly. 
 
 We approached one of the tunnels that served as 
 a street crossing, descended the steps, traversed the 
 passage, so lit by electricity that it was as bright as 
 day, ascended to the surface at the other end, and 
 turned toward the magnificent entrance gate of the 
 great building which my guide had indicated to me 
 as his hotel. 
 
IV 
 
 AT BREAKFAST 
 
 Rapidly I was led through the splendid entrance 
 hall directly into the interior of the colossal building. 
 There I paused in amazement, unable to grasp at a 
 glance all the sumptuous arrangements which lay be- 
 fore my eyes. Marble steps and columns, statues, 
 luxurious carpets, rich wall decorations, gold-framed 
 mirrors, rare pictures, wood and ivory carvings, 
 proud palms, and fragrant flowers greeted me on 
 every hand. 
 
 And the people, who passed and repassed in endless 
 streams, surely they were not ordinary, everyday 
 mortals like those I had been accustomed to meet. 
 They seemed a different race — proud, glorious men 
 and women, conscious of their strength, accustomed 
 to a lavish enjoyment of the good things of this life, 
 knowing nothing of hunger, care, sorrow, or priva- 
 tion except by hearsay. 
 
 What was the secret of it ? What made them what 
 they were ? The answer I soon found. The men felt 
 themselves to be men. Each bore in his breast the 
 lofty consciousness that he, too, had his share in the 
 beauty and inexhaustible wealth of this earth. And 
 
AT BREAKFAST 81 
 
 the longer I studied their pleasant, contented faces, 
 their clear eyes, the more evident it became that these 
 people were strangers to the petty sufferings under 
 which my contemporaries had groaned. 
 
 Suddenly there rose before my mental vision a 
 spectre of bygone days, a panorama of suffering, mis- 
 ery, despair, " the people " of my time, care-laden, 
 grief-stricken, hungry men and women, children 
 w^rinkled, precocious, dirty, with brows furrowed, 
 cheeks paled, and souls poisoned by early sin and 
 care. And, as a background to this group, a long 
 vista of factories, tenement houses, prisons, brothels, 
 liquor saloons, insane asylums, and almshouses. 
 
 But quickly as the picture rose, it passed as quickly. 
 Without having marked our progress, I found that 
 w^e had entered a large hall, throughout which 
 sounded subdued music, while along its entire space 
 lay daintily set, flower-decked tables, at which sat 
 men, women, and children eating and drinking. 
 
 " This is our dining-room," remarked the presi- 
 dent, pausing. " And here is Mrs. Donnelly ! " 
 
 The amiable woman's face beamed upon me as she 
 advanced, and taking my extended hand pressed it 
 warmly. 
 
 " There is no need to present us, Charles. I have 
 known Mr. Burnham for a long time, and he must 
 soon learn to know me." 
 
 " You are only too good, Mrs. Donnelly," I said, 
 
82 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " and I want to thank you with all my heart for the 
 kindness you have shown me." 
 
 " It is not worth mentioning," she replied, with a 
 faint blush. " You did nothing but sleep, and I could 
 only give my husband the linen and clothing you 
 needed, and bring you a little broth when you woke. 
 All that was nothing. But come to breakfast — you 
 must be famished." 
 
 So conversing, we proceeded to one of the nearest 
 of the unoccupied tables. There Mr. Donnelly di- 
 vested himself of his coat, which he hung, with his 
 hat, in a space provided at the high back of the chair. 
 I followed his example somewhat timidly, fearing to 
 disturb the chair's equilibrium. 
 
 " Don't be afraid," he said. " It will not tip over. 
 There is lead enough in the front legs to balance ten 
 times the weight. But we have a coat room at the 
 end of the hall if you care to use it, though I find it 
 more convenient to keep my hat and coat near me." 
 
 A pretty girl of about nineteen approached our 
 table. She was dressed exactly like the girls I had 
 seen in the university, except that in addition she 
 wore a white apron. 
 
 " Good-morning," she said pleasantly. " What 
 will you have for breakfast? " 
 
 " Good-morning, Anna," replied Mrs. Donnelly. 
 " The usual breakfast, I think." 
 
 And the pretty waitress disappeared. I looked 
 after her in astonishment. 
 
 " I hope you don't mind my ordering without con- 
 
AT BREAKFAST 83 
 
 suiting you, Mr. Burnham," explained my hostess, 
 " but I thought you might prefer it, as it is your first 
 breakfast with us." 
 
 *' By all means. It saves me much trouble," I re- 
 plied, somewhat absently. I was beginning to feel a 
 trifle uncomfortable at the dawning consciousness 
 that I was breakfasting in my shirt sleeves. At least 
 the ease and freedom of my body and arms gave me 
 that sensation, though when I looked down at my 
 immaculate cambric shirt, cut full and pleated, I was 
 aware that no intelligent observer would have re- 
 ceived that impression. Indeed, the cool, white body- 
 clothing of the men, relieved by the touch of color 
 at the throat, was grateful to the eye, and lent an air 
 of animation to the assemblage within the room. 
 
 Our waitress now returned, bearing a dainty silver 
 tray, upon which rested a coffeepot and dishes of 
 silver. Deftly she placed her burden upon a stand 
 behind us, went quickly to the marble wall, opened 
 a little door, and took out plates, cups, knives, forks, 
 and spoons, and rapidly spread them before us. Then 
 she marshalled the things from the tray — a plate of 
 delicate fruit, with eggs, bread, butter, honey, cofifee, 
 milk, and cheese. Truly, this waitress was a marvel 
 of dexterity. When I looked for her she was gone. 
 
 " So this is the ordinary breakfast, is it, Mrs. Don- 
 nelly?" I remarked, as I prepared to attack the eat- 
 ables in front of me. " I must say that I regard it 
 as a very abundant one." 
 
84 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " Abundant? When the whole fruitful, inexhaust- 
 ible earth is at our disposal, with its air, water, lands, 
 and woods, which, with but little trouble on our part, 
 produce much more than we need for our support? " 
 
 " I call it abundant. Certainly in my day only the 
 better class could have afforded it." 
 
 " Unfortunately, that was so," observed Mr. Don- 
 nelly. " The people who worked longest and hard- 
 est had the worst and the least to eat, while the idlest 
 of your population spent time and money in discover- 
 ing new dishes to stimulate their jaded palates. Hap- 
 pily, that time is past. What one receives every other 
 may also have." 
 
 " But surely," I said, " there must be many things 
 which are not produced in sufficient quantities to sup- 
 ply the whole population. For instance, champagne." 
 
 " You are right. Real champagne must always be 
 too scarce to be placed at every one's disposal. But 
 tell me, did all the people of your time drink cham- 
 pagne ? Were there not thousands who did not know 
 what it looked like — had never heard the word? " 
 
 To this question I replied by an affirmative nod as 
 I laid down my coffee cup. And I was about to make 
 some further observation on the subject when, rais- 
 ing my glance from our own table, I found myself 
 gazing directly into the dark eyes of a most fascinat- 
 ing young person who sat facing me at two tables' 
 distance. 
 
 She was seated somewhat carelessly, one elbow 
 
AT BREAKFAST 85 
 
 resting on the table, occasionally taking a sip of cof- 
 fee, but for the most part conversing with consider- 
 able animation with her two companions at her left 
 and right. She was small, graceful I was sure. Her 
 hair was dark and rose from her forehead in soft 
 masses. Her dark lashes were long, and when she 
 lowered them they lay like purple Hnes against her 
 cheek. Her nose, the most piquant little nose imag- 
 inable, suited well with the full and youthful contour 
 of her face. And her mouth — the most adorable 
 mouth — lips brilliant red, yet fine and nervous, parted 
 in an expression half coquetry, half raillery, and an 
 agreeable background of white teeth. A smiling, 
 provoking face, yet one in which, when you once 
 withstood — if you could withstand — the fascination 
 of the lips and the glamour of the eyes, you saw evi- 
 dence of a clear and active mind, a determined little 
 will, and a quick perception of the foibles as well as 
 the virtues of those who came within its vision. 
 
 Opposite her, and back to me, sat another young 
 woman, whom I could see only well enough to make 
 out that she looked agreeable and wore eyeglasses. 
 The third of the group sat in profile, a blond girl 
 with regular and pleasant features. I should have 
 called her Scotch by birth, 
 
 I judged that all three girls had been discussing 
 me; something in their attitude and manner told me 
 so. And when my eyes met those of the young per- 
 son I have described at length, she did not at once 
 
86 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 turn hers away — perhaps it would have seemed pru- 
 dery — nor did the smile quite leave her lips, but 
 gradually, without hurry, she lowered her glance, 
 turned to her companions, and resumed her inter- 
 rupted conversation. 
 
 Meanwhile President Donnelly was saying: "I 
 know what you are about to ask, Mr. Burnham. You 
 will ask, where is the equality if all cannot share 
 everything alike? Such cases we manage very simply. 
 The yearly product of champagne, for instance, is 
 stored up in Paris in the state warehouses. The lat- 
 ter send out a certain number of bottles to the other 
 state warehouses of the whole civilized world, and the 
 latter again provide their subordinate city warehouses 
 -with the quantity which belongs to them by right. 
 These city warehouses do not distribute the bottles 
 for ordinary use, but keep them for special occasions. 
 Newly elected presidents, cabinet officers, or direc- 
 tors, and individuals who have distinguished them- 
 selves in art or science are honored by the presenta- 
 tion of champagne. Thus we act with all rare articles. 
 The choice of mankind enjoy choice things." 
 
 " There are other wines," added Mrs. Donnelly, as 
 her husband paused, " wines not so rare as cham- 
 pagne, but not plenty enough for daily use. Such 
 wines are served at weddings. The stewardess of the 
 hotel where the wedding is to take place gets them 
 from the city warehouse. Besides, we use better 
 wines on Sundays and holidays than on week days." 
 
AT BREAKFAST 87 
 
 I made no comment at this point, and doubtless ap- 
 peared somewhat distrait, for Mrs. Donnelly, looking 
 up and following- the direction of my gaze, cried sud- 
 denly : " Why, there is Pauline ! I am afraid she 
 doesn't see us. Ah, yes, she does ! How do you do? 
 How do you do?" And the most cordial of nods 
 and smiles were exchanged between the two tables. 
 
 " A charming girl," said Mrs. Donnelly; " my hus- 
 band's niece, Pauline Donnelly. I hope you will see 
 a great deal of her. She feels as if she knew you al- 
 ready. No doubt they were talking about you. I 
 hope you didn't think they were trying to flirt." 
 
 " My dear Mrs. Donnelly," I repHed, " the word 
 * flirt ' has a not unfamiliar sound, but I am surprised 
 to hear you use it. I had supposed it long since obso- 
 lete." 
 
 " The word is not yet obsolete," remarked the 
 president. " In fact, I fear it may remain in the lan- 
 guage a few years longer." 
 
 " Please don't let Mr. Burnham think our girls flirt, 
 Charles," protested the lady earnestly. " You know 
 they do not." 
 
 " Of course they do not, my dear," returned the 
 president. " They never do. But a little coquetry 
 has been known to form part of the feminine equip- 
 ment, and I see nothing essentially wrong in it. Mr. 
 Burnham need not yet entirely discard the wisdom 
 which his experience of a hundred or so years ago 
 has, doubtless, taught him." 
 
88 TEE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " I shall be glad to acquire new experience," I re- 
 marked. " Miss Donnelly appears to be a most 
 charming girl. But you have finished your break- 
 fast. I am afraid I have been very slow. I am quite 
 ready." 
 
 " No, indeed, Mr. Burnham," said my hostess. 
 " We are in no hurry. Do take something more." 
 
 I glanced in the direction of our three neighbors, 
 who some moments before had seemed to have fin- 
 ished their meal. Two of them had evidently done 
 so, but Miss Pauline Donnelly, with downcast eyes 
 and an enigmatic smile, was just helping herself to 
 more cofifee. 
 
 " You are very good, Mrs. Donnelly," I answered. 
 " With your permission, I will take some cofifee." 
 And I extended my cup. " This division of rare 
 goods," I continued, " I think very just and simple, 
 but how do you regulate drinking in general ? " 
 
 " Every man may drink beer or wine in modera- 
 tion," replied the president, " provided he either is 
 married or has passed his twentieth year." 
 
 " Is a certain quantity fixed by law? " 
 
 " No, although in general it is assumed that a 
 bottle of beer or a glass of wine is enough. But we 
 do not prescribe how much a man may drink, so long 
 as he remains within the limits of decency. If he be- 
 comes intoxicated, then he is treated accordingly." 
 
 " Do such cases often occur? " 
 
AT BREAKFAST 89 
 
 " It is very seldom that any one so far forgets his 
 human dignity." 
 
 " How do you treat such a case? " 
 
 " Very simply. After the offender has received a 
 reprimand from the stewardess of his hotel, a fixed 
 quantity is appointed, which he may not exceed in his 
 hotel. But if he manages to get liquors elsewhere 
 and to become intoxicated again, then he is brought 
 before the court, which usually deprives him entirely 
 of the right of drinking for a certain length of time. 
 If even this does not cure him, and he is found drunk 
 a third time, he is condemned to a ten hours' day of 
 forced labor for a shorter or longer period." 
 
 " I am sure, Charles," interrupted Mrs. Donnelly, 
 " that when you named a glass of wine or a bottle of 
 beer as one person's usual allowance, you had the men 
 chiefly in mind. You know women seldom drink, or 
 at the most a glass of beer or a little glass of wine. 
 Why, Mr. Burnham, I have tasted wine only twice 
 in my whole life — once when I was married, and once 
 when I was lucky enough to publish a book which 
 brought me a box of wine as a gift of honor." 
 
 " The communal life in our great hotels," observed 
 the president, " where every one lives, as it were, 
 under the eyes of every one else, as also the entire 
 absence in our cities of the many little drinking 
 places such as were to be found at every street corner 
 in your day, naturally make it difficult for any one to 
 drink to excess. But the most powerful preventive 
 
90 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 of intoxication is the education which we bestow 
 upon our youth. Of course, those people whose 
 business brings them in contact with beer or wine are 
 most exposed to the danger of finding pleasure in 
 drinking. We usually nip such an inclination in the 
 bud by assigning the individual to another occupa- 
 tion. Strong alcoholic drinks in any form can only 
 be had on a doctor's prescription, and of course we 
 produce only the best and purest for that purpose. 
 But every kind of harmless beverage is at any one's 
 disposal at any time." 
 
 " But our education is the main thing," said Mrs. 
 Donnelly. " That is the secret of the character which 
 our people possess." 
 
 " Our children," the president continued, " are In 
 their parents' hands until the completion of their four- 
 teenth year. Meanwhile, they attend the public 
 schools from the age of five. Upon passing their 
 fourteenth year they are handed over to the higher 
 educational institutions, in which they remain, in case 
 they do not marry, until the completion of the twen- 
 tieth. With each of these institutions is connected 
 a pupils' hotel, in which the students live. You no- 
 ticed yesterday that all our students dress ahke, and 
 that they wear marks on their shoulders which indi- 
 cate their school and course. This clothing is sup- 
 plied by the school authorities. Girls marry now and 
 then before they have passed twenty. In such a case 
 they leave school to enter their own homes. Thus 
 
AT BREAKFAST 91 
 
 the student dress protects the student against the 
 temptation to drink. Besides, there are no spirituous 
 liquors in the students' hotels." 
 
 By the time the president had finished these re- 
 marks I had consumed my coffee, and looked again 
 toward the table at which Miss Donnelly sat. The 
 conversation of that young lady seemed for the mo- 
 ment to have flagged, and I fancied that between her 
 lowered lashes she observed my glance. At any rate, 
 she drew toward her the dish of fruit and deliberately 
 selected an apple, which she prepared to cut. I scru- 
 tinized the fruit dish which lay upon our table, picked 
 out a red apple of stupendous size, laid it on my plate, 
 and cut it in two. Miss Donnelly, with a half smile, 
 laid down her own apple untasted and rose from the 
 table, an example which her two companions fol- 
 lowed. I turned to Mrs. Donnelly. 
 
 " Your breakfasts are very tempting, Mrs. Don- 
 nelly, but I really must not indulge my appetite too 
 much. I know I have kept you too long already. I 
 am quite through." 
 
 She rose. The president and I did likewise, and 
 donned our coats. The three young ladies I ob- 
 served were moving rapidly toward the door. Our 
 group started promptly, and a little unceremonious 
 haste on my part effected a confluence of the two 
 streams at a point not far from the exit. Mrs. Don- 
 nelly greeted the younger woman warmly and called 
 me to her. 
 
92 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " Mr. Burnham, I want to present you to my niece, 
 Miss Pauline Donnelly, and to Miss Roberts " — the 
 pleasant girl with the eyeglasses — '* and Miss Evans " 
 — the blond girl who looked Scotch. 
 
 " Miss Donnelly," I said, " your uncle has been 
 good enough to instruct me during breakfast as to 
 some of the customs of the society I find myself 
 among." 
 
 " I have no doubt," she replied, " that his remarks 
 engrossed all your attention. What was the subject 
 of them?" 
 
 " The consumption of wine and beer, and the pen- 
 alties for intoxication." 
 
 " One cannot begin to acquire useful information 
 too early. Has he left you any of your pet in- 
 dulgences? " 
 
 " I see no form of dissipation open to me except 
 tobacco." 
 
 " Dear me, Mr. Burnham, how amusing ! Why, 
 no one uses tobacco now. It is generations since any 
 one has smoked." 
 
 " I can remember when I was a girl," interposed 
 Mrs. Donnelly, " some elderly people who smoked, 
 and some who took snuflf." 
 
 " But not many," added the president. " The prac- 
 tice gradually died out. The women were opposed 
 to it, and by degrees it was forbidden. When we 
 married we made the usual mutual promises to avoid 
 
AT BREAKFAST 93 
 
 tobacco and intoxicants. The State has long since 
 given up its tobacco factories." 
 
 " How do you like our dining-room, Mr. Burn- 
 ham?" Miss Donnelly inquired. 
 
 " I thought it contained remarkably attractive 
 features," I answered. " Tell me, what is the pur- 
 pose of that great horseshoe-shaped table which fills 
 the centre of the hall? " 
 
 " That is used every noon and night when we are 
 all here about the same time. In the morning we 
 generally use the small tables, which seat six." 
 
 " You must not judge our resources by your simple 
 breakfast of this morning, Mr. Burnham," put in Mrs. 
 Donnelly. " Within a week you will be able to judge 
 of the abundance and excellence of our fare. We 
 have many more foods to choose from than had the 
 people of your day. Indeed, I fancy the richest of 
 you could not always get what you wanted. We treat 
 as sciences not only agriculture but the raising of 
 cattle, fowl, fish, and fruit, and whatever the earth 
 can produce is always at our disposal." 
 
 " But those gold and silver dishes on the great 
 table," I exclaimed, " the rare china, the beautiful 
 wood carving on tables, chairs, and walls, the pictures, 
 tapestries and mirrors — it all seems so unusual ! " 
 
 " It is not unusual," she replied simply. " We are 
 accustomed to it." 
 
 " What I enjoy most." said Miss Donnelly, " is the 
 orchestrion. Of course, the music it is playing now 
 
94 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 is pleasant and subdued, but wait until you hear it in 
 the evening. Then you get the full effect. I some- 
 times close my eyes when it is playing part of an 
 opera, for instance, and imagine myself in the opera 
 house, the solo voices as well as the orchestra are 
 reproduced so exactly." 
 
 We turned and moved toward the door. 
 
 " You see this little serving-room, Mr. Burnham," 
 said Mrs. Donnelly, as she pushed aside the leaves of a 
 palm and showed me a large recess hidden by carved 
 fretwork and by plants and fountains. " The electric 
 elevators run between it and the kitchen, and carry 
 food and dishes. Those pneumatic tubes beside the 
 elevators are used to send down the slips of paper 
 on which the waiters write the orders." 
 
 Some men entered the dining-room carrying their 
 coats upon their arms. I could not repress a smile 
 as they passed. 
 
 "What is it, Mr. Burnham? " asked the president 
 good-naturedly. 
 
 " It occurred to me that in my day it would have 
 seemed rather unusual to see a man in public without 
 his coat." 
 
 *' In your day, yes," replied Mrs. Donnelly, with 
 some feeling. " But it was not unusual in your day 
 to see women worse than coatless in public, wearing 
 gowns that did not even cover them. I might men- 
 tion a hundred other instances where you confounded 
 what was right with what was merely conventional. 
 
AT BREAKFAST 95 
 
 Nowadays, whatever is essentially right, we treat as 
 right ; there is no conventional standard which makes 
 right that which is essentially wrong." 
 
 " We women speak our minds, you see, Mr. Burn- 
 ham," added Miss Donnelly. " And we have com- 
 pletely annihilated all your old-world standards and 
 false ideas, haven't we. Aunt Harriet? " 
 
 " Yes, my dear. I dare say we differ widely enough 
 from our sisters of the year 1900. We are strangers 
 to the petty lies and hypocrisies that were taught and 
 practised in those days. What our mind thinks, what 
 our heart feels, that our tongue must speak. Such 
 is our education." 
 
 " What our mind thinks?" repeated the vivacious 
 younger woman. " Yes, generally. What our heart 
 feels? I hope not, always. But I know what you 
 mean, Aunt. You mean that we are sincere, and that 
 we love truth and right. Yes, I think we do." 
 
V 
 
 THE REALM OF WOMAN 
 
 " You may expect, Mr. Burnham," continued Miss 
 Donnelly, as we passed out of the dining-room and 
 turned into the colonnade, " to be the object of con- 
 siderable attention from us for some time. It is as 
 if the efifigy of some armored knight had stepped 
 down among us from his chapel niche. We regard 
 you as a living relic of medisevalism, and you must be 
 content to pose for the present as a mere archaeologi- 
 cal specimen." 
 
 " As such," I replied, " I shall be happy to advance 
 the cause of science by presenting myself for your 
 frequent inspection." 
 
 " I am not sure how necessary that will be," she 
 rejoined. " An examination of a few minutes is 
 enough in the case of most specimens." 
 
 " But consider that you have never before had an 
 opportunity of consulting the wishes of the specimens 
 themselves. I am sure they would have desired the 
 observation to be as extended as possible." 
 
 " We have known each other for almost half an 
 hour already, Mr. Burnham." 
 
 " Surely not so long. But where are we going 
 
THE REALM OF ^YOMAN 97 
 
 now? " I added, as our party paused at the entrance 
 to a large apartment lying next the dining-room and 
 connected with it by folding doors. 
 
 I glanced back through the colonnade, which I had 
 scarcely noticed as I traversed it. The mosaic floor- 
 ing was partially covered by a thick carpet, the walls 
 were hung with splendid tapestries, mirrors, and 
 pictures, and ornamented with gilded carvings. Be- 
 tween the pillars stood marble statues and vases of 
 fragrant flowers. 
 
 Passing from the colonnade, we entered the large 
 apartment, a kind of hall, elegantly decorated, and 
 with galleries resembling balconies. 
 
 " This is our ballroom," observed Mrs Donnelly. 
 " W^e use it for weddings and other festivities." 
 
 " And the orchestrion furnishes the music," added 
 her niece. " You see it is between the ballroom and 
 the dining-room, so that we can hear the music in 
 both rooms." 
 
 Beyond the ballroom was the drawing-room, mag- 
 nificently decorated in a style of mingled Turkish and 
 Arabesque. Around this room were scattered lux- 
 urious divans, sheltered by palms. In the middle was 
 an electric fountain sparkling in varied colors, its 
 basin ornamented with marble nymphs in graceful 
 and charming attitudes. A small, semicircular plat- 
 form, almost concealed from sight by magnificent 
 hangings, lay between two large stained-glass win- 
 dows, and near it stood an electric piano, decorated 
 7 
 
98 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 with mother-of-pearl. All about the room were 
 strewn small carved and inlaid tables, Turkish sofas 
 with soft cushions, rocking-chairs in cosey corners, 
 soft carpets and thick rugs, flowers, pictures, statu- 
 ettes here and there, and numerous other elegant ob- 
 jects, over which my eye had to wander quickly, so 
 that I could not examine them attentively. 
 
 " There is something in the atmosphere of this 
 room that seems to invite one to enter," I remarked. 
 " Why are there not more people here? " 
 
 " Do you think we have nothing to do but amuse 
 ourselves in the forenoon, Mr. Burnham?" replied 
 Miss Donnelly. " We are very busy people, I assure 
 you. Our amusement time begins in the afternoon." 
 
 The next room was in luxurious French style, de- 
 signed for games like chess, biUiards, dominos, and 
 cards. From it we passed into the library — a large 
 room with walls lined with thousands of volumes, ele- 
 gantly and substantially bound. In the middle was 
 an immense carved wooden revolving globe, beauti- 
 fully painted. Huge maps, half unrolled, hung in one 
 corner, and in niches stood bronze busts of famous 
 men and women. 
 
 " Every adult," President Donnelly explained, 
 *' may take out as many books as he chooses. We 
 demand only that when the reader has finished with 
 them they be replaced in orderly fashion where they 
 belong." 
 
THE REALM OF WOMAN 99 
 
 "Every adult? Do you not permit children to 
 read good books ? " 
 
 " Certainly. Nothing so develops the spirit and 
 character of a child. But we are careful what we put 
 into the hands of children. Every school has its own 
 library, and the teachers are expected to see that the 
 children get only such books as are good for them." 
 
 " Such attention is admirable. In my days every 
 child, at any street corner, might, for a few pennies, 
 buy love stories or tales of robbery and murder." 
 
 " I know. It must have been a heavy sorrow to 
 some parents. Education, rightly directed, is an 
 art; ill-directed, is a crime." 
 
 " The education of children," I added, " particu- 
 larly the children of the poor and destitute, was for- 
 merly most faulty. I am convinced that if more and 
 earHer care had been given to education, there would 
 have been fewer poorhouses, lunatic asylums, prisons, 
 and scaffolds." 
 
 " Yes," continued the president, " and unsuitable 
 literature is responsible for much. Children and per- 
 sons of poor judgment pass easily under its influence. 
 But people with a modicum of understanding see that 
 no book is so absolutely bad that nothing can be 
 learned from it, that the worst book teaches at least 
 one useful lesson — to prize good books all the more." 
 
 " Good is found everywhere by those who seek it," 
 interposed Mrs. Donnelly. 
 
 " Yes, Aunt," remarked her niece, " but good is 
 
100 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 not aggressive. It is the bad and hateful things that 
 force themselves upon us." 
 
 " So much the more reason why we should seek out 
 the good and beautiful," returned her aunt. 
 
 We left the library, and passed through a series of 
 handsome rooms connected with it, in which, seated 
 at big tables, I saw men and women reading books 
 and newspapers or writing. 
 
 " These rooms," explained Mrs. Donnelly, " serve 
 for writing, for reading, or for studying, unless we 
 prefer our own rooms or the garden. Now we have 
 seen everything on this floor except the office and the 
 Council Chamber." 
 
 The office was situated near the hotel entrance. 
 Had I not noticed half a dozen doors, inscribed with 
 signs and leading into adjoining apartments, I should 
 have guessed that the room which we entered, instead 
 of being an office, was a drawing-room, for it con- 
 tained elegant divans, chairs and tables, statues, 
 palms, and flowers in big Chinese vases. The floor 
 was covered with thick carpets, and on the walls 
 hung pictures, all of women. In short, I saw here 
 the same luxury which had so astonished me in the 
 other rooms. Men and women came and went, sat 
 at the tables, chatted and laughed, or disappeared 
 behind some one of the little doors. We seated our- 
 selves comfortably, and the president, for my bene- 
 fit, proceeded to explain the details of hotel manage- 
 ment as here carried on. 
 
THE REALM OF WOMA-^ 101 
 
 " That first door leads into our hotel post office," 
 he began. *' There is the iron box in which the mail 
 carrier puts our mail at two in the afternoon. Our 
 postmistress distributes it among the one hundred 
 and fifty small boxes numbered to correspond with 
 our dwelling-rooms. The second door leads into the 
 telephone room, where one can be connected with 
 any house in New York. The third room is our tele- 
 graph office. Rooms four and five are ordering- 
 rooms, the former for women, the latter for men. 
 In these rooms clothing, shoes, and linen can be or- 
 dered. The method is this: We have sample books 
 containing colored cuts of shoes, hats, and the vari- 
 ous articles of clothing and underwear. Every per- 
 son knows his or her measurements, and in a journal 
 fills in his number, the article desired, and his exact 
 measurements. At six o'clock in the evening the 
 lady manager orders all the goods from the maga- 
 zines, and next day they are delivered without any 
 further care or effort on our part." 
 
 " Very simple ! " I remarked. " But how if one 
 employed this method to procure new clothing every 
 month or every week? " 
 
 " The maximum yearly allowance is fixed, and it 
 is the duty of the lady manager to see that this allow- 
 ance, which, it may be added, is amply sufficient, is 
 not exceeded. Our bookkeeping, although simple, 
 is thorough. Our hotel ledger allows one page to 
 each family, and there is entered, at the end of the 
 
102 TEE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 week, whatever clothing or linen each family has or- 
 dered, the entry being made from the daybook. In 
 case of doubt, the manager decides whether or not 
 certain clothing should still be worn. MaHcious 
 damage happens very seldom, as those who are guilty 
 of it must do the repairing themselves, and go about 
 for some time in patched clothes. In general you 
 will find that every one, old or young, is very careful 
 about his clothing." 
 
 " But suppose some article does not fit properly? " 
 
 " Every woman learns in her youth to sew by hand 
 and by machine. If any article of clothing does not 
 fit properly (and this can scarcely happen when the 
 correct measurements are given) she alters it her- 
 self." 
 
 " What about the fashions? " 
 
 " Fashions," replied Mrs. Donnelly, with a smile. 
 " Well, the present style is about fifty years old, and 
 I see no signs of change." 
 
 " How could you suspect us of such frivolity, Mr. 
 Burnham?" put in Miss Donnelly, who had shown 
 some symptoms of abstraction during her uncle's re- 
 marks. " We outgrew all that ages ago. You know, 
 women give hardly a thought to their external ap- 
 pearance now." 
 
 " You leave the men to be attracted wholly by the 
 beauties of the mind ? " 
 
 " Of course." 
 
 " And you do nothing to enhance your own per- 
 
THE REALM OF TrO.UA.Y 103 
 
 sonal charms? For instance, that dark red rose that 
 looks out so becomingly from your hair — you are 
 probably unaware of its effect? " 
 
 " Absolutely," returned the young lady, with the 
 most ingenuous of expressions. 
 
 " Yes," continued Mrs. Donnelly, " I have read of 
 fashions a hundred years ago. Your women devoted 
 all to their exterior. To-day every woman knows 
 that it is not what she wears, but how she wears it, 
 which distinguishes her sex. In your time reform 
 was scarcely possible, because of your false system of 
 education. Rich parents clothed their children in 
 the costliest materials; poor parents could only dress 
 their children in rags. In this way envy was bred. 
 The children grew up, and in them grew the love of 
 finery. Rich women could gratify their tastes, and 
 as they were not able to wear out their clothes quickly 
 enough, they altered the fashions. So they changed 
 and changed. The latest fashion was always the 
 most beautiful, until it, too, became tiresome. They 
 forgot that the outer covering, like every other work 
 of man, could never be brought to complete perfec- 
 tion, and that every fashion contained something 
 foolish and absurd. Even reasonable women could 
 not free themselves entirely from this folly, if they de- 
 sired to move in so-called better society. Rich 
 women made Fashion their goddess, and the poor 
 grew envious and dissatisfied." 
 
104 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " I suppose you take some measures to instill right 
 ideas on this subject in the minds of children." 
 
 " Yes, the little children are all clothed alike. So, 
 too, are the older children, up to fourteen years of 
 age, who live with their parents, and so, too, the 
 young people at my husband's institution — all are 
 clothed alike. Under such conditions envy cannot 
 flourish, love of finery cannot grow. From our 
 youngest years we are accustomed to plain, suitable 
 clothing, which we must take good care of. You 
 know, ' As the twig is bent, the bough's inclined.' 
 The clothes we are wearing show you our summer 
 fashions. In winter, naturally, we are more warmly 
 clad. In cold weather women wear boots which 
 reach almost up to the knees, felt hat, and a long 
 cloak. Married women generally wear dresses which 
 reach to the ankles, although there is no prejudice 
 against bloomers. Many women wear bloomers 
 when doing housework, as they are more practical 
 than skirts. In winter men wear long boots, felt 
 hats, and long cloaks. In the house we naturally 
 wear suitable, comfortable clothing. As soon as we 
 have reached the age of twenty, or are married, we 
 may choose the color of our clothes. Cut and qual- 
 ity are the same for all. The presidents of our States 
 wear the same as we do, except on festive occasions, 
 when a broad, red sash is worn across the breast. 
 Moreover, every one owns a Sunday or holiday suit, 
 worn only on such days, which is of fine material. 
 
THE REALM OF WOMAiV 105 
 
 For children and young women the color is white; 
 married women wear red or blue; youths and men, 
 black." 
 
 " That sixth door, Mr. Burnham," continued Mr. 
 Donnelly, as his wife paused, " leads into the private 
 office of our lady manager. It is her working-room, 
 and from it she has telephone connection with every 
 floor and apartment, so that from every part of this 
 great building it is possible to communicate with the 
 manager without having to see her personally. Her 
 position is no easy one, as the entire responsibility 
 for the management of this immense house rests upon 
 her shoulders. I will take the first opportunity to 
 introduce you to her." 
 
 Mrs. Donnelly rose, stepped back, pulled aside a 
 broad curtain, and said, " This room is our council 
 chamber. At certain times we women come to- 
 gether here and elect our officials, or discuss the 
 management or improvement of our hotel; or — " 
 and she smiled good-naturedly — " or we form machi- 
 nations against the government." 
 
 When I had taken a somewhat careful look about 
 this room, which was furnished elegantly and deco- 
 rated with numerous portraits, my companions rose, 
 and amid a more general conversation we left the 
 office, passed through the anteroom, and reentered 
 the colonnade. This we traversed until we reached 
 the top of a wide marble staircase which descended 
 into the basement. There we paused. 
 
106 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " I must leave you now," said the president. " It 
 is time I was at my desk. My wife will look after 
 you, Mr. Burnham, and I shall see you all later." 
 
 " We must go, too," exclaimed Miss Evans, slip- 
 ping her arm into that of Miss Roberts. " Are you 
 coming, Pauline? " 
 
 " No," replied the latter. " This is my day with 
 the children, you know. I shall see you at dinner." 
 
 And amid a chorus of mutual good-bys half our 
 party moved away. 
 
 " Let us go down." said Mrs. Donnelly. " We 
 could use the elevator, but it is hardly worth while." 
 
 When we reached the bottom of the staircase a 
 long vista of broad passages and immense rooms lay 
 stretched before us, all lighted by means of large win- 
 dows and reflectors, most skilfully arranged so as 
 to throw the light down from the street, and make the 
 subterranean rooms as light as those on the ground 
 floor. 
 
 " In these rooms," explained my guide, " are all 
 the machinery and apparatus which drive our ele- 
 vators, provide us with cold and heat, electricity, hot 
 and cold water, steam, and so forth. To the right 
 are the steam bakery, kitchen, larder, storeroom for 
 utensils, and cold storage room. On the left are the 
 laundry and the drying-rooms. Let us glance into 
 the kitchen and the laundry." 
 
 We entered the kitchen. On the walls hung 
 graters, parers, mills, mincers, utensils for filling, as 
 
THE REALM OF WOMAIi 107 
 
 well as pots, pans, dishes, cans, choppers, pincers, 
 hooks, knives, forks, and moulds of iron, steel, cop- 
 per, and aluminum, many of which were strange to 
 me, and gave the place the appearance of a chemical 
 laboratory rather than a kitchen, A number of 
 young girls and a few women were engaged at work, 
 some at the electric ranges, some at other appara- 
 tus. 
 
 What most impressed me was the striking clean- 
 ness of everything — no smoke, no dirt, no ashes, no 
 coal. Walls and floor were covered with white porce- 
 lain slabs, and the utensils, apparatus, and ranges 
 fairly sparkled. Mrs. Donnelly explained every- 
 thing to me, and drew my attention to the big ma- 
 chine for washing the various utensils, the working 
 of which she showed me. 
 
 " This machine does much better work than can be 
 done by hand. On this side we place dishes and other 
 things to be washed; they come out at the other side 
 clean and dry. Even the thinnest and most delicate 
 dish is not broken or damaged in the process." 
 
 She also spoke enthusiastically about the electric 
 cooking ranges. " We could stand here and cook, 
 dressed in white and wearing white gloves, without 
 getting soiled in the least. Owing to all the inven- 
 tions and improvements made since your time, cook- 
 ing has no longer any terror for us. All the rough 
 work is performed by machines. If it gets too warm 
 for our comfort, all we need do is to set the electric 
 
108 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 fans going. We have no longer to take out the ashes 
 or put coal on the fire, nor have we to wash soot 
 from the utensils. But enough on that subject. 
 You are a man, and men don't take much interest 
 in the process of cooking." 
 
 " They may not be interested in the process," re- 
 marked Miss Donnelly, " but I never saw one who 
 was indifferent to the result. Man's appetite is the 
 starting-point of social equality." 
 
 The storeroom for utensils, the larder, and the cel- 
 lar, where beverages were kept, then followed in 
 order. Everywhere the same cleanliness and the 
 same neatness — no dark, dirty, or neglected cor- 
 ners. Everything had its place, and everything was 
 so placed that it could be gotten at with the mini- 
 mum of trouble. The room where the utensils were 
 stored contained much gold, silver, and crystal table 
 ware, used, as Mrs. Donnelly explained, only on fes- 
 tive occasions. 
 
 Before we left these rooms I was introduced to the 
 mistress of the kitchen and cellars, a pleasant-man- 
 nered old lady, who, seated at a desk, was preparing 
 the menu for the following day. 
 
 Next came the laundry, an immense room in which 
 were tubs, large pipes, rollers, wringing-machines, 
 boxes, and tables of wood and marble. This room, 
 which was empty when we entered, was, like the 
 other rooms, lined with porcelain slabs, and every- 
 thing was as clean and orderly as in the kitchen. 
 
THE REALM OF WOMAN 109 
 
 Mrs. Donnelly showed me a circular shaft, reach- 
 ing to the top story, through openings in which the 
 washing was thrown down into the laundry. Near 
 it an electric dumbwaiter carried back the clean 
 linen. 
 
 " We have one washday a week. Every piece 
 of washing bears the owner's number, and there is 
 no possibility of mistake. Washing as well as cook- 
 ing causes no complaint, for nearly everything is 
 done by machinery, which washes, cleans, starches, 
 irons, and folds. The adjoining room, heated artifi- 
 cially, is our drying-room. In half an hour our en- 
 tire week's wash is dried." 
 
 We passed from the laundry, and, traversing the 
 corridor for a few steps, entered a long, narrow hall 
 divided for most of its length by a partition, and 
 thus forming two narrower chambers, one of which 
 contained two well-arranged bowling alleys, while 
 the other was fitted as a shooting gallery. In glass 
 cases along the walls of this latter room were hung 
 rifles, pistols, slings, spears, foils, sabres and rapiers, 
 and above them visors, masks, breastplates, and 
 guards for the arms and legs. 
 
 Miss Donnelly watched me with some amusement 
 as I scanned this formidable array of warlike imple- 
 ments. 
 
 " Do they look familiar? " she asked. 
 
 " Yes, the foils especially. I should like some 
 
110 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 day to try whether I have quite forgotten my little 
 knowledge of them." 
 
 " I shall be glad to be your antagonist," she re- 
 plied. " And perhaps you will be interested in this 
 room, too." 
 
 She threw open a large door at the side of the gal- 
 lery, and we followed her into an extensive room or 
 hall fitted with ladders, ropes, poles, bars, spring 
 boards, and every form of gymnastic apparatus. 
 Dumb-bells, clubs, and weights were grouped here 
 and there, and the whole floor was bordered by a 
 cinder running path, which showed evidence of fre- 
 quent use. 
 
 " A splendid gymnasium ! " I exclaimed. " Who 
 uses it? " 
 
 " We do," replied Miss Donnelly, " we women." 
 
 "The track, too?" 
 
 " Yes. Are you fond of the exercise ? I will run 
 you your own distance, from a hundred yards to half 
 a mile." 
 
 "Done! And what shall the stake be? Make 
 the bet what you choose." 
 
 "Bet? Stake? Really, Mr. Burnham, you can't 
 expect me to understand you." 
 
 " One would find it hard to bet without money, 
 wouldn't he, Mr. Burnham?" added Mrs. Donnelly. 
 *■' Yes, we learn shooting, fencing, bowling, and other 
 forms of gymnastics in our youth and we keep them 
 up all our lives. A reasonable development of every 
 
THE REALM OF WOMA-N 111 
 
 part of the body is the best means of obtaining health 
 and beauty. Our principal exercises are out of 
 doors, and at our annual sports you will learn to re- 
 spect the skill of the women of to-day. Our man- 
 ner of life does not make giantesses of us, it is true, 
 but you may look in vain for the pale, weak-nerved 
 girls and women of a hundred years ago. Fresh air, 
 free movement, suitable food, little worry, and plenty 
 of sleep leave us no time to be ill." 
 
 As she was speaking we left the room and turned 
 back into the corridor. From the other side of the 
 building there reached our ears childish laughs and 
 cries and the patter of little feet. Miss Donnelly 
 smiled. " It is time I was at work," she said. " I 
 think my charges are quite ready for me. Will you 
 look in ? " And she moved toward a large door of 
 ground glass opening from the corridor not far from 
 where we stood. 
 
 The childish cries ceased for an instant when the 
 door swung open. Then a dozen childish voices 
 cried at once, " Auntie Paul ! Auntie Paul ! " And 
 the little feet scampered toward her, and a dozen 
 rosy children scrambled over each other in an effort 
 to be the first to reach her arms. 
 
 " These are my boys and girls," she said, as she 
 disengaged herself and raised her hands to restore 
 the order of her tumbled hair. " And their aunt is 
 very fond of them. Have they been good. Bertha? " 
 she added, as she nodded to a smiling young girl, 
 
112 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 who, with flushed face, was standing beside the elec- 
 tric piano. 
 
 " Yes, indeed, very good, but impatient for you to 
 come." 
 
 " I will be with them in a minute. This, you see, 
 Mr. Burnham, is where the children and I keep house. 
 Here we dance, eat, sleep, learn a little reading, writ- 
 ing, and arithmetic, draw pictures, and sing — in short, 
 do all we can to make the time pass pleasantly and 
 profitably. Then we sew and mend and crochet — 
 that is, the girls do — and we make beds, and sweep 
 and dust the rooms. Oh, you would be amazed to 
 see us all with our brooms and dusters, cleaning and 
 putting our toys in order. And we must keep clean 
 or we shall be scolded. It is hard at first to be or- 
 derly, but when we've once learned we don't forget." 
 
 " This next room," Mrs. Donnelly continued, as 
 her niece paused, " is the schoolroom. Here is their 
 theatre, where they act their little plays and speak 
 their pieces. And this room with the cots is where 
 the little ones take their naps when they are tired." 
 
 I followed as my guides passed from room to room. 
 Everywhere were benches, tables, chairs, dolls, rock- 
 ing-horses, picture books, carts, and playthings in- 
 numerable, while on the walls hung pictures of ani- 
 mals, landscapes and views of cities, and portraits of 
 well-known men. 
 
 " This last room, Mr. Burnham," resumed Miss 
 Donnelly, " is the liveliest of all. Look ! " 
 
THE REALM OF WOMA^ 113 
 
 It was, indeed, the liveliest of all. The children 
 were playing in piles of sand, carting it about, build- 
 ing houses, bridges, and castles, and knocking them 
 down to build them again. All were dressed alike 
 in blue sailor costumes of light material, sleeveless, 
 and cut low, so as to leave arms and neck free. Knee 
 stockings and black low shoes completed the dress, 
 and the children looked as comfortable and charming 
 as possible. Little blue sailor caps hung on the walls. 
 
 " I used to teach here myself," murmured Mrs. 
 Donnelly with a sigh, as though of regret. 
 
 We turned to go. 
 
 " Good-by, Aunt Harriet," said Miss Donnelly, as 
 she kissed her. " Good-by, Mr. Burnham," she 
 added, extending her hand. " You are beginning to 
 know us better, I feel sure." 
 
 I bowed over the hand I held, and followed the 
 elder lady out into the corridor. The door closed 
 behind us, and we passed slowly up the marble stair- 
 case without a word, while faintly in our ears re- 
 sounded the gay music of the piano, the laughter 
 and the cries of the children. 
 
 8 
 
VI 
 
 A DWELLING IN THE YEAR 2000 
 
 As we slowly crossed the garden I could not help 
 regarding with surprise the groups of girls who 
 passed, walking freely and without constraint in 
 their loose, skirt-Hke trousers, but my surprise melted 
 into admiration as my eye followed the natural and 
 unaffected grace of their movements. 
 
 "How do you like the costume of our girls?" 
 asked Mrs. Donnelly. 
 
 " I like it more and more. It is eminently suit- 
 able and pretty. But it would have been ridiculed 
 a hundred years ago." 
 
 " I know. It is natural, and the costume of your 
 women was all artifice — and so were the women often, 
 I believe, all false; hair, color, teeth, figure, and 
 Heaven knows what else. Had I been a man, I 
 could not have helped thinking their love false, too." 
 
 She saw that I was on the point of rallying in de- 
 fence of the women of my time, and quickly added: 
 " Oh, I know I have exaggerated. But just look 
 over the newspapers of your day, and see if you do not 
 find in every one of them hundreds of advertisements 
 of cosmetics, powders, salves, soaps, medicines, and 
 
A DWELLING IN THE YEAR 2000 115 
 
 paints; with the cards of innumerable dentists and 
 ladies' physicians." 
 
 " You are right," I answered, " yet there were 
 many women sensible enough to see that a large 
 number of their sisters lived in such a way as to 
 undermine their beauty and their health; and the 
 women who saw this fought for the improvement of 
 their sex, both by writing and by speaking." 
 
 " But, Mr. Burnham, how could there be improv- 
 ment so long as half-grown girls worked in mills, 
 where they were ruined mentally and physically, 
 and were rendered unfit for happy marriage and the 
 joy of family life? Was any improvement possible 
 while the women of your time were worried with all 
 the petty vexations of housekeeping, while the whole 
 burden of cooking, washing, educating the children, 
 and perhaps taking care of the husband rested on 
 their shoulders? True enough, rich women could 
 get help; but of these, who were comparatively few, 
 I was not speaking. I was sympathizing with the 
 great masses as a whole." 
 
 " The masses felt the weight of the burden only too 
 keenly. Yet they did not know how to help them- 
 selves. The condition of society was such that the 
 sanest men often despaired. There were people 
 enough willing to help to bring about better con- 
 ditions, and to improve the state of the masses, but 
 they did not know where to begin. Here and there 
 occasionally there was a sort of patching and im- 
 
116 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 proving, but what did it all lead to? In the end the 
 rags which covered society had not become new 
 clothing. It was the same old tattered garment, 
 more and more ragged as time went on." 
 
 " Society needed a new robe, but had not decision 
 enough to cast the old off," said Mrs. Donnelly 
 gravely. 
 
 " The time was not ripe for it. The great mass 
 of mankind was not ready for thorough reforms. 
 Great reforms, in order to be thorough and effectual, 
 must be called for by the masses, and must be ex- 
 ecuted by them. When the people themselves do 
 not understand efforts for the bettering of their con- 
 dition, they are not touched by the efforts. You 
 must have read with what mistrust laborers every- 
 where regarded machines which did work formerly 
 done by hand, and how opposed the Turks and the 
 Chinese were to modern improvements. There was 
 a lack of understanding in the masses, and they could 
 not be educated in the twinkling of an eye." 
 
 " I see, Mr. Burnham, that some of my opinions 
 were mistaken. But please forgive them. In my 
 heart I am fully convinced that there were thou- 
 sands of noble men and women, who would have 
 preferred to do what was right, had they not been 
 influenced and led astray by their conditions. But 
 when I think of the means you had for improving 
 those conditions, and how, nevertheless, you suffered 
 and made each other miserable, I am filled with such 
 
A DWELLING IN THE YEAR 2000 117 
 
 sorrow and sympathy that I do not weigh my words. 
 I often recall an inscription on the wall of the dor- 
 mitory where I lived as a girl student. It read : 
 
 Close not thine eyes ere thou rememberest what 
 thou hast done to-day. 
 
 " ' Think well on these questions : 
 
 " * What have I learned ? 
 
 " ' What good deed have I performed? 
 
 What have I striven after ? 
 
 What duty have I omitted ? 
 " ' What folly have I committed ? ' 
 
 For years these maxims met my eye each night, and, 
 I believe, had much to do with bringing me to a 
 realization of what is meant by real unselfishness and 
 charity." 
 
 During this conversation we had crossed the great 
 court garden, planted like that of the university, 
 and kept in splendid order, and had reentered the 
 colonnade. 
 
 " I am fond of climbing sometimes," said Mrs. 
 Donnelly. " We live on the second floor, and it is 
 hardly necessary to use the elevator." 
 
 We ascended the broad, marble staircase, decorated 
 with flowers, statues, pictures and palms, and covered 
 with carpets, and in a moment had reached the second 
 floor. 
 
 On this floor was also a colonnade, magnificent as 
 
118 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 that on the first floor, and decorated in the same 
 manner. But in place of wooden doors, there ap- 
 peared, at intervals, low, gilded doors, of openwork, 
 through which one looked into small, elegant ante- 
 rooms. Between the pillars of the colonnade stood 
 comfortable, carved chairs, which invited one to sit 
 and, leaning on the balustrade, to gaze down into the 
 garden. 
 
 I expressed my astonishment at the magnificence 
 which greeted my eye on every side. Mrs. Don- 
 nelly smiled and looked at me in wonder. 
 
 " Why shouldn't we make our homes as beautiful 
 and comfortable as we can? Doesn't nature provide 
 for us all that is necessary? Why not make use of 
 it? When we can set up a heaven on earth, why 
 live in purgatory ? But you will understand me bet- 
 ter by and by, so I'll say no more. In case you ever 
 want to look into the garden, you need only let down 
 one of the awnings between the pillars, and you will 
 be shaded from the sun. In winter we put in win- 
 dows between the pillars to keep out the snow and 
 cold, and then our corridors are just as warm as our 
 rooms. Now shall we take a look at my apart- 
 ment?" 
 
 She led the way toward one of the openwork 
 doors, pushed it aside, and we entered an elegant 
 anteroom. What first attracted my attention was 
 three doors, half concealed by heavy hangings, the 
 broad, middle door lying directly in front of us, while 
 
A DWELLING IN THE YEAR SOOO 119 
 
 two smaller doors opened from the side walls at the 
 right and left. The anteroom contained a small 
 statue encircled by palms, a large mirror, several 
 beautiful pictures, rich hangings and carpets, a small 
 table, two or three chairs, and a couch. 
 
 While I was rapidly glancing over the decorations, 
 Mrs. Donnelly threw open the wide folding doors in 
 front. 
 
 " This is our drawing-room." 
 
 I followed her into a room, the magnificence of 
 which struck me with amazement. I will attempt no 
 detailed recital of all the splendid tables, chairs, di- 
 vans, pictures, statues, hangings, carpets, and flowers. 
 But the three immense painted windows, and the 
 equally splendid painted ceiling impressed me par- 
 ticularly. 
 
 When I had in part satisfied my curiosity, Mrs. 
 Donnelly drew aside some hangings which had cov- 
 ered an opening on our right. Passing through, we 
 entered a large, double-windowed bedroom, finished 
 in white and gold throughout. The big bed in white 
 and gold, with its hangings and carved ornaments 
 looked like a dream — so clean and beautiful. In a 
 corner, half hidden behind a white curtain embroid- 
 ered with gold, was built Into the wall a marble 
 washbasin with gilded faucets. Whichever way I 
 looked, some work of art met my eyes — a mirror 
 showing the entire figure, toilet tables, pictures, stat- 
 
120 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 ues, carvings, carpets, magnificent tapestry, chairs, 
 and sofas. 
 
 We returned to the drawing-room, and when Mrs. 
 Donnelly had opened the door on the left, we entered 
 the fourth and last room, a large room, with two 
 wide windows, but far more plain in its arrangement 
 than those we had just seen. 
 
 " This is intended for the children; that is, for 
 children under ten. You know that between that 
 age and fourteen the young people sleep in their own 
 dormitories on the tenth floor. We use this as our 
 workroom. There you see my electric sewing ma- 
 chine and my worktable. My husband has his 
 writing-table and his books here by the window, as 
 he prefers to work and study here rather than in the 
 rooms below." 
 
 From the moment when we entered the anteroom 
 I had noticed the peculiar, pleasant, dry coolness 
 which permeated the entire dwelling, and now I 
 turned to Mrs. Donnelly and asked her for an ex- 
 planation. 
 
 She pointed to the ceiling. " Do you see those 
 perforated flowers, leaves, and fruits? Well, through 
 those small perforations liquid air is pressed which 
 diffuses itself through the rooms. All the hotel, ex- 
 cept the basement, is kept cool in this way. In every 
 room there is, near the door, a little button, and ac- 
 cording as that is turned to right or left, cool air is 
 admitted or shut out." 
 
A DWELLISG IX THE YEAR SOOO 131 
 
 " I suppose you get heat in winter in a similar 
 way?" 
 
 " Yes. The turning of another button brings 
 warm air through the small openings near the floor." 
 
 " Are the clocks, or rather the dials, which I have 
 seen in nearly every room, electric clocks?" 
 
 " They are. The hands are moved by a machine 
 in the basement. At night, in the dark, we can see 
 what time it is, as the figures are varnished with a 
 luminous preparation. And the mention of clocks 
 reminds me that it is almost two o'clock — our din- 
 ner time. We must go down." 
 
 We went, not by the staircase, but in one of the 
 elevators, w^hich were just as large and beautiful as 
 those in the university. 
 
 As we entered the dining-hall, \ve were again 
 greeted by the beautiful, subdued music and by the 
 scent of flowers. 
 
 The long, horseshoe-shaped table was decorated 
 with flowers, and bore a festal display of gold and 
 silver vessels, as well as glass and porcelain. At the 
 table were seated men and women in quiet but in- 
 formal dress, eating and drinking, laughing and chat- 
 ting. A number of busy young girls hurried about, 
 serving. 
 
 We took our seats among the happy, jovial party. 
 Menus in silver frames were placed on the table at 
 certain intervals, and as I handed one to Mrs. Don- 
 nelly I noticed that it was printed in characters and 
 
122 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 signs unknown to me. She observed my surprise, 
 and said, smilingly, " Yes, you will have to learn to 
 read and write before you can use our menus." 
 
 Although I was curious to find out why the cards 
 were not printed in ordinary English, I reserved my 
 questions, and begged her to order my dinner ac- 
 cording to her own ideas. The result justified my 
 confidence. The dishes were varied and the cook- 
 ing excellent, though many of the materials were 
 unfamiliar. At Mrs. Donnelly's suggestion I took 
 a glass of wine, and found it extremely good. But 
 what most interested me was the pyramids of lus- 
 cious fruit gathered, it seemed to me, from all the 
 quarters of the globe. 
 
 When I had satisfied my hunger, it occurred to me 
 that although there were men and women at the table, 
 there were no children. Mrs. Donnelly explained 
 that the children were in school, the young children 
 in the nursery school, the larger children, from five 
 to fourteen years old, in their preparatory school, 
 where they remained from nine o'clock in the morn- 
 ing until five in the afternoon, and eat their dinner. 
 " As my husband told you," she added, " the young 
 people of from fourteen to twenty live in the hotels 
 connected with the educational institutions, and of 
 course eat there. In the evening the children sit at 
 the small side tables, and the older boys and girls 
 wait on the younger. The children must eat what is 
 
A DWELLING IN THE YEAR 2000 133 
 
 set before them. Choice of foods begins only at the 
 age of twenty." 
 
 " Must all the residents of the hotel take their 
 meals at the same time? " I asked, for, from the esti- 
 mate which I was able to form, it did not seem pos- 
 sible that all were present. 
 
 " Oh, dear no ! That could not possibly be ar- 
 ranged, for the working hours dififer so. All may 
 eat at whatever hour of the day or night best suits 
 them." 
 
 " Is any maximum fixed? " 
 
 " Not by us, but by nature. When a man is no 
 longer hungry he usually ceases eating." 
 
 We arose, took the elevator, and disembarked at 
 the second floor. 
 
 " I have not yet told you where you can find the 
 bathroom, and you have not yet seen your room. 
 Each floor has four large bathrooms, one in each 
 corner, two for women and children, two for men 
 and boys. Your room is near the men's bathroom 
 on this floor." 
 
 We had walked along the colonnade as far as the 
 curve, when Mrs. Donnelly stopped in front of a 
 small, pretty latticed door, which led into a narrow 
 anteroom. 
 
 " Here w^e are. This door opens into your apart- 
 ment." As she spoke she opened the door, and we 
 stepped into the small anteroom, and, opening the 
 other door which lay before us, passed into my own 
 
124 TEE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 room. This was large and handsome, had two win- 
 dows, and was provided with everything that one 
 could need, but of the luxury which I had noticed in 
 the dwelling of the president there was no trace here. 
 
 " For the present this will be your apartment. It 
 is one of our guest rooms, of which each hotel has a 
 certain number, and which are used only by visitors. 
 Of course the entire hotel is at your service. Your 
 clothing, linen, and shoes we will order this evening, 
 and you will have them in the morning. If you want 
 to brush your clothes or pohsh your shoes, you will 
 find everything you need in a compartment near the 
 bathroom." 
 
 The idea that every man had to brush his own 
 clothes and polish his own shoes struck me as some- 
 thing of a novelty, and no doubt Mrs. Donnelly read 
 my thoughts, for she hastened to add, " Work en- 
 nobles us, you know, Mr. Burnham. But you need 
 not be worried. The brushing is done by a little 
 electrical machine. All that you have to do is to 
 spread the garment in the machine. The polishing 
 of your shoes is a simple matter which takes only a 
 few seconds. With a moist cloth you wipe your 
 shoes clean, and then with a broad brush you apply 
 some of our leather polish. This dries immediately, 
 and if your shoes don't get wet, they will shine for 
 a whole week. Now let us go back to my apart- 
 ments. I want to tell you more about the manage- 
 ment of our hotel." 
 
VII 
 
 A LARGE FAMILY 
 
 We reentered her drawing-room, and Mrs. Don- 
 nelly, advancing to the middle window, pushed apart 
 the panels, and, to my astonishment, also a section 
 of the wall underneath, disclosing a broad opening 
 leading out upon a balcony. 
 
 " Come out, Mr. Burnham. It is much pleasanter." 
 I stepped out upon the balcony and gazed up and 
 down the street. But of a stree't in the ordinary ac- 
 ceptation of the term, there was Httle to be seen. 
 Beside the magnificent houses were sidewalks, 
 planted with fruit trees, while in the middle of 
 the street, instead of a carriage way, appeared a 
 stretch of garden splendidly laid out, with trees, ar- 
 bors, and beds of flowers. Along the gravel paths and 
 well-tended grass plots, benches and tables were set 
 at intervals. Here and there magnificent statues and 
 fountains, and immense electric lamps arose from 
 among the green foliage. And as I looked farther 
 up this splendid street-park I noticed that it was 
 divided into separate parts, each four blocks long, 
 and each enclosed by a gilded railing. At first I was 
 at a loss to understand why these divisions had been 
 
126 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 made, until I noticed elegant street cars crossing the 
 avenue within these railings. 
 
 With silent enjoyment Mrs. Donnelly watched me 
 absorb the details of this magnificent picture. 
 
 " I notice that the cars run at every fourth square, 
 east and west." 
 
 " Yes, foot passengers use underground tunnels 
 to cross at these points." 
 
 Children were playing in the grass and under the 
 trees, running, jumping, dancing, keeping school, 
 and playing ball. And men and women sat near, 
 some alone on benches, some busying themselves with 
 the children. 
 
 " Those are the pupils of our play schools, with 
 their teachers or parents," explained Mrs. Donnelly. 
 
 Hammocks and swings hung in shady places be- 
 tween the trees, and small electric cars, each holding 
 four children and one adult, were running about the 
 paths. 
 
 " These little cars are at the disposal of the chil- 
 dren in turn. There are four of them kept and used 
 in each division of the park." 
 
 " That reminds me that I have seen no baby carri- 
 ages." 
 
 " We don't use them. Why should we push an 
 awkward baby carriage, when our comfortable elec- 
 tric street cars are at everybody's disposal? If 
 a mother wishes to take a child anywhere in city or 
 country, she uses the cars. As you have doubtless 
 
A LARGE FAMILY 137 
 
 noticed, our cars always run in trains of tlircc. In 
 the last car the mother finds everything necessary 
 for the comfort of the child. One can wash there; 
 there is always a supply of fresh drinking water. 
 Clothes can be brushed or shoes polished." 
 
 " Mrs. Donnelly," I said, as I leaned back comfort- 
 ably in my chair, " I find it hard to become accus- 
 tomed to this new world which continually presents 
 such wonders to me. How could I imagine that on 
 the site of the New York of my time would ever 
 arise this beautiful city? Please explain how you 
 manage it ? How do you contrive to have everything 
 so beautiful and orderly? " 
 
 " That question requires a long answer," replied 
 Mrs. Donnelly amiably, " but I will be as brief as I 
 can. First, as to our hotels. Each of the large 
 buildings which we call hotels accommodates on its 
 ten floors (of which, however, only nine contain 
 dwellings proper) 250 families, or from 650 to 700 
 persons. That is to say, besides children, there are 
 250 women and 250 men in each hotel. The few 
 visitors who occasionally use the guest chambers are 
 not included, as they do not materially affect the 
 management. With our hotel management men have 
 nothing to do. Housekeeping and the education of 
 children are woman's domain, and therein she reigns 
 supreme. As soon as a young couple are married, 
 a dwelling is at their disposal, just as large and beauti- 
 ful as the one in which I live; that is, an apartment 
 
128 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 containing an anteroom, a drawing-room, bedroom, 
 and a nursery. In front of every drawing-room is a 
 balcony. All the seven windows command a view of 
 the street. No matter in which part of the building 
 the apartment is situated, there is always a beautiful 
 prospect. Decorations and furniture are in different 
 styles and colors, and the occupants may take their 
 choice. The number of pictures, carpets, statues, and 
 such articles necessary for beautifying the apartment 
 is definitely fixed, and we have an immense variety 
 to select from. I think that if you went through 
 the hotel, although you would find luxury every- 
 where, you would not find any two apartments fur- 
 nished alike. If anything is damaged, notice is given 
 in the office, and it is repaired — repaired so artis- 
 tically that no signs of repair are visible. When an 
 article is worn out, it is replaced by a new one. Mali- 
 cious damage can be stopped at once by the board of 
 managers. But a rational being never does anything 
 so senseless. Of course, children occasionally destroy 
 things, but that will happen as long as there are chil- 
 dren." 
 
 "What has become of the servant question?" I 
 inquired. 
 
 " We have no servants in that sense of the word. 
 Every woman cares for her own house; that is, the 
 four rooms of her apartment, and cleans them daily. 
 Of course, we have the best arrangements for clean- 
 ing that man has been able to devise. In the base- 
 
A LARGE FAMILY 129 
 
 ment are machines which beat and clean our hangings 
 and carpets. In every anteroom is to be found, in a 
 recess of the wall, everything necessary for cleaning 
 our rooms quickly and thoroughly. Thus, for in- 
 stance, the care of my own rooms takes me about 
 one hour a day. Of course, such work must be done 
 systematically. There is no occasion for soiling one's 
 self. Outside of our own apartments, we alternate 
 weekly in such a way that every woman takes part in 
 the cleaning of her own floor only every fourth week. 
 In addition, we have the gardens and those portions 
 of the street adjoining the hotel to care for." 
 
 " I notice that the trees in front of us are fruit trees. 
 Who gathers the fruit? " 
 
 " We do, of course. We use narrow, ladder-Hke 
 machines made of iron, fixed on a base which runs on 
 wheels. With our long shears we clip off the fruit, 
 which falls into a net spread out to receive it. Fruit- 
 gathering, Hke the cultivation of flowers, is a favorite 
 occupation, and w'e look upon it as pastime, not 
 work." 
 
 " Who are the administrative ofiflcers of your ho- 
 tels?" 
 
 " The most important position is that of manager. 
 Then we have a head cook, a butler, a manager of 
 the laundry, a postmistress, who also has charge of 
 the telegraph and telephone service, a librarian, a 
 musical director, who also has charge of the orches- 
 trion and pianos, a principal of the play schools, a 
 9 
 
130 TEE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 gardener, and a directress of entertainments. The 
 post of greatest honor and responsibility is that of 
 manager, and we elect our manager annually, by bal- 
 lot, at the regular meeting in our council chamber. 
 No one is chosen to the same office twice, and, as a 
 rule, preference is given to the elderly, though girls 
 are usually employed as assistants, that they may 
 benefit by the experience." 
 
 " But I thought the girls were occupied in school." 
 " This work is part of their regular course, to- 
 gether with field work, the education and bringing up 
 of children, nursing the sick, bookkeeping, sewing, 
 cooking, and many other branches." 
 
 " Have you any central board of government for 
 all the city hotels?" 
 
 " Yes, a board of supervisors, elected for one year, 
 each supervisor chosen by a group of one hundred 
 managers. These supervisors meet at the City Hall 
 regularly once a month under the direction of a 
 .supervisor-general chosen by themselves. The posi- 
 tions are purely honorary, are open to every woman, 
 and do not exempt the holders from the performance 
 of their ordinary work, nor do they bring any ad- 
 ditional privileges. The honor is the sole compen- 
 sation." 
 
 " How many hours a day does a woman work? " 
 " About three; one hour in her own apartment, and 
 not more than two in other parts of the hotel. 
 Nearly all of us have other pursuits, however, to 
 
A LARGE FAMILY 131 
 
 which we devote our spare time. Thus, for instance, 
 our next-door neighbor works four hours daily in 
 the shoe factory, and in his leisure time writes and 
 lectures on literature in one of our universities. His 
 wife teaches in school. His three-year-old son is 
 taken care of in the play school during his mother's 
 absence; her daughter, a girl of eleven, attends her 
 own school from nine in the morning until five in the 
 afternoon. And both children, although not all the 
 time under the eyes of their mother, are well-behaved 
 and obedient." 
 
 " In my days," I remarked, " a woman who was not 
 able to keep a servant, had little time for anything 
 beside her housework and the care of her children. 
 These two duties were apt to keep her hard at work 
 from morning to night." 
 
 " And even then," added Mrs. Donnelly, " her 
 work may have been only half done." 
 
 " Are all your hotels managed in the same way? " 
 
 " In general, yes. But we have hotels for bache- 
 lors, for spinsteps, for widows, and for widowers. In 
 these, each person has one room, arranged like your 
 own, and each hotel accommodates a thousand peo- 
 ple. Both men and women do their own work." 
 
 " Women teach now, no doubt, as they did for- 
 merly?" 
 
 " Yes, a most important branch of their work is the 
 education of children. This is also organized. The 
 teacher in the play school, on passing an examina- 
 
132 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 tion, is promoted into the public school. The pub- 
 lic-school teachers elect their own head mistresses. 
 By passing a further examination any teacher may 
 become a professor, and then, by election, may reach 
 the position of president of the girls' department of 
 a university. These presidents choose from their 
 own ranks a president-general, who is at the head of 
 all the girls' schools in the city, and who has her of- 
 fice in the City Hall. Thus it is with nurses who 
 by passing examinations may become doctors, and 
 by election may attain the position of head physician, 
 or even that of president of the entire corps of female 
 physicians of a city. Similar organization exists 
 among actresses, singers, novelists, and all other pro- 
 fessions. In all these cases age plays an important 
 part. Play school teachers must be at least twenty 
 years of age; public school teachers twenty-five; pro- 
 fessors, doctors, editors, thirty; presidents of univer- 
 sities and head doctors, forty. The general man- 
 ager of the hotels, the president-general of educa- 
 tional institutions, and the president of the doctors 
 are generally over fifty when they are elected." 
 
 " Is the rule the same in the case of men? " 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 " What other departments are under the charge of 
 women? " 
 
 " The public parks, all the work connected with 
 which, if not too much for their strength, is done by 
 women, and various branches of husbandry. Every- 
 
A LARGE FAMILY 133 
 
 where, in the city, the State, the confederation of 
 the States, and throughout the continent you will 
 find man and woman working as equals. Woman no 
 longer antagonizes man, but peacefully toils at his 
 side, and in her own sphere contributes to the gen- 
 eral good." 
 
 " You give a splendid picture of the work of 
 woman, Mrs. Donnelly," I remarked, as she con- 
 cluded, " and as yet I can hardly comprehend it all, 
 though I am beginning to understand the spirit that 
 actuates the woman to-day. You may be sure I shall 
 have abundant food for thought during the next few 
 hours," 
 
 I took my leave and passed to my own apartment, 
 where I proceeded to investigate my immediate sur- 
 roundings more in detail. 
 
 First I visited the large bathroom, which lay near 
 my chamber. On one side were six divisions, con- 
 taining each a bath tub and shower bath, while on the 
 other were the steam bathroom, and the room for 
 scouring clothes. From sheer curiosity I entered 
 this last room, after I had taken my bath. There 
 I found, enclosed in a massive case of glass, a large 
 machine furnished with rods and brushes on rollers. 
 In order to see how it operated, I opened the glass 
 case, and, not without difificulty, succeeded at last in 
 fixing my coat therein. Then I replaced the lid, and 
 w'aited to see what would happen; but the machine 
 remained motionless. I examined the case. Sure 
 
134 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 enough, at the side I discovered several buttons. I 
 turned one of them at random, and my coat began to 
 move, the rods beat it and the brushes whizzed mer- 
 rily, while a strong current of air, entering through 
 a tube, drove out the dust. I turned another button, 
 and the machine stood still. I took out my coat. 
 There was not a speck of dust on it, and it smelled, 
 so to speak, of the fresh air which had been blown 
 through it during the process. Connected with this 
 machine was another, the use of which I discovered 
 by similar investigation, for removing stains and 
 grease-spots. 
 
 My bathing and my experiments concluded, I went 
 back to my room. To my surprise I found clean 
 linen lying on a chair in such a position that I could 
 not fail to observe it, evidently an attention on the 
 part of Mrs. Donnelly. I looked at the clock, and 
 saw that it was four. I put on the fresh linen, and, 
 my toilet completed, regarded myself contentedly in 
 the mirror, and decided that I was not at all amiss. 
 So, issuing from my room, I sought again the presi- 
 dent's apartments. He was at home. 
 
 " You are just in time, Mr. Burnham," he ex- 
 claimed. " We can go to the office now, if you like, 
 and order your outfit." 
 
 We took an elevator to the first floor, and, having 
 crossed the court garden, entered the office and pro- 
 ceeded to the room where men's orders were taken. 
 On the walls hung framed pictures in colors, showing 
 
A LARGE FAMILY 135 
 
 the garments, down to the smallest detail, and on 
 the table in the middle of the room lay sample books, 
 as well as a big order book. We drew our chairs to 
 the table and opened the order book. 
 
 " First jot down the number of your apartment, 
 then the articles and the colors desired, and your 
 measurements. Your measurements I know. It re- 
 mains for you to select the colors. Here are the 
 sample books. Suit your own taste. If you hap- 
 pen ever to be in doubt as to your measure, all that 
 you have to do is to use that wire figure yonder. 
 Every rib and stay has measurements marked on it. 
 Adjust the figure to your person, so that the wire 
 frame fits comfortably, and you will find your meas- 
 ures accurately indicated." 
 
 In about an hour my entire outfit was noted down. 
 
 " Now we have ordered all the clothing you will 
 need for half a year," said the president, as he laid 
 down the pen, " and you will receive it all to-mor- 
 row." 
 
 I expressed my surprise at the number of articles 
 ordered. Laughingly he answered : " Did you think 
 we were going to stint you in the matter of clothes? " 
 
 " Scarcely," I replied, " but after what Mrs. Don- 
 nelly told me about the fixed quantity allowed each 
 individual, I had not expected such a liberal allow- 
 ance." 
 
 " Certainly a quantity is fixed, but that quantity is 
 so generous that it would scarcely be possible to ex- 
 
136 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 ceed it, unless there was a wilful destruction of ap- 
 parel. And naturally no reasonable man would 
 dream of doing anything so stupid. We have simply 
 put a stop to changing fashions. But now let us find 
 our manager, so that you may get your passport man- 
 ual." 
 
 He rose, and although I did not know what he 
 meant by a passport manual, yet I followed him into 
 the elegant private office of the hotel manager. 
 There, at a large, wide table, littered with papers, 
 sat an elderly lady, dressed very plainly. At an- 
 other table not far from her were two young girls, 
 bending over books diligently writing and comput- 
 ing. As we entered all three raised their heads, and 
 the eldefly lady rose and came forward smilingly to 
 greet us. 
 
 " You are very kind, Mr. Donnelly, to bring our 
 visitor here. Pray be seated, gentlemen." 
 
 " We will not detain you long," replied the presi- 
 dent. " We came to fill out Mr. Burnham's pass- 
 port." 
 
 The manager walked quickly to a closet, unlocked 
 it and took out a small book bound in leather, which 
 she handed to the president. 
 
 " Here it is. The hotel register is on the table." 
 
 " We will fill out the hotel register first," said the 
 president, as we seated ourselves at the table. 
 
 " In this book are the numbers of every apartment 
 in the house," he began. " Here is the number of 
 
A LARGE FAMILY 137 
 
 your room. Please write your full name in the first 
 column; in the next, your birthplace and day and 
 year of birth. ' Position ' — leave that blank for the 
 present. Now for your last place of residence, put 
 ' Washington University, New York.' Other men 
 of course note the town and hotel where they last re- 
 sided. Under ' Date of Entrance ' put to-day. * Re- 
 moved — where ' and ' Deceased ' you do not need to 
 trouble about at present. In case you leave the 
 house, you are expected to fill out the first two; 
 should you die, the manager will fill out the last. 
 That completes the entries." 
 
 We bade good-by to the manager, and passed into 
 one of the writing-rooms which adjoined the library. 
 There we seated ourselves at a table, and the president 
 continued : 
 
 " A register is kept in every hotel the whole world 
 over. No matter where you may go, you must fur- 
 nish a complete answer to all the questions of the 
 register, and sometimes must show your passport. 
 This passport is our most important document. 
 Every human being receives one, and is expected to 
 take good care of it, and to be careful throughout his 
 life to have the necessary entries made in it. This 
 little leather-bound book is such a passport. You see 
 it contains one hundred thin parchment leaves, or 
 two hundred pages. These two hundred pages give 
 quite space enough for the most widely travelled man 
 to make all the necessary entries from the day of his 
 
138 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 birth. On the first page is the owner's photograph. 
 Then follow the names of his parents, his own name, 
 place and date of birth, and dwelling. These par- 
 ticulars are entered by the manager of the hotel in 
 which he is born, or by the head doctor if he is born 
 in any other institution. The pages following con- 
 tain short notes concerning his school years, his prog- 
 ress and acquirements, and this information is filled 
 in by the school officials. Then comes the marriage 
 date, entered by the manager of the hotel. Next the 
 positions he has filled, and the undertakings of im- 
 portance which he has accomplished. These entries 
 are made by the officials of the factories, farms, 
 schools, or studios. Here, too, are entered all the 
 journeys made, changes of dwelling, names of chil- 
 dren, illnesses, misdemeanors, and penalties paid, if 
 any — in short, everything that is of any importance. 
 Every five years a new photograph of the owner 
 must be added. This book accompanies its posses- 
 sor from the cradle to the grave. It contains the 
 story of his life, and is his best friend if ever he gets 
 into trouble." 
 
 " How are the photographs taken? " 
 
 " The official city photographer has his office in 
 the City Hall, and every citizen must go to him to be 
 photographed once every five years. In a few sec- 
 onds a lifelike photograph in natural colors is taken, 
 and two days later one may obtain a dozen copies. 
 One of these is inserted in the passport, another is 
 
A LARGE FAMILY 139 
 
 kept by the management of his hotel, and with the 
 remaining ten one can do as he will. Here is my own 
 passport." 
 
 I took the little book which the president drew 
 from his pocket, and, opening it, gazed in amazement 
 at the portraits it contained. He had spoken of 
 them as photographs. They rather resembled paint- 
 ings — living paintings. In that photograph which 
 depicted the president as he sat before me at that 
 moment all the details, the color of the clothing, the 
 eyes, the hair, the cheeks, were so real and lifelike, 
 that I could scarcely turn my eyes away. 
 
 Good-humoredly the president watched my look of 
 surprise. " Now you can understand the value of the 
 passport. With it one can go from one end of the 
 earth to the other, without fear of molestation, al- 
 ways able to give an account of himself. In case 
 of loss a duplicate is promptly supplied. If a man 
 comes in conflict with our laws, the destruction of his 
 passport will not help in the least. Our photo-tele- 
 graph flashes his picture all over the earth in a few 
 hours, and in a short time we are in possession of all 
 the information which we require. But enough of 
 that. You will soon learn from closer observation 
 the extreme value of this little book. For the pres- 
 ent, just fill in the second page, the names of your 
 parents, your own name, and when and where you 
 were born. To-morrow morning we will go to the 
 City Hall and have you photographed." 
 
140 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 Six o'clock sounded. We rose, and, passing into 
 the corridor, joined the throng which, amid a chatter 
 of animated conversation, was slowly moving toward 
 the dining-room. There Mrs. Donnelly awaited us, 
 and we took our places at the table. But the supper 
 scarcely interested me. My eyes maintained an un- 
 interrupted patrol of the hall, throughout its length 
 and breadth, but nowhere, during the entire meal, 
 did they rest upon the purple lashes and the mocking 
 smile of Miss Pauline Donnelly. 
 
VIII 
 
 A ROSE 
 
 The great drawing-room of the hotel was filled 
 with movement and light and music as we passed 
 through the folding doors that opened into it from 
 the dining-hall, and looked about us to see where 
 amid the laughing, shifting groups we should take 
 our places. 
 
 Abstractedly I gazed about me at the friendly but 
 unfamiliar faces, feeling a sense of unreality in my 
 position, hardly noting the movements of my hosts, 
 whose steps I nevertheless instinctively followed. 
 
 " Is Mr, Burnham still in the midst of his long 
 sleep, or have his new acquaintances made so little 
 impression that they are already forgotten ? " 
 
 I glanced quickly in the direction from which came 
 the familiar, low, vibrating tones. Miss Donnelly, a 
 look of frank amusement on her face, was standing 
 almost at my shoulder, her eyes more fathomless 
 than ever, her lashes more purple, her lips more 
 crimson, and a freshly plucked red rose nestling in 
 the coils of her dark hair. 
 
 " Miss Donnelly," I said. " have you ever lain in a 
 half-sleep, to be roused by what seemed a strain of 
 
142 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 heavenly music, something unearthly sweet, the voice 
 of some unseen angel? " 
 
 " You mean the orchestrion, I suppose. In that 
 case you may hear your angel as long as you like, for 
 we have music here all this evening." 
 
 " But my angel became visible at once ; I had only 
 to turn my head. And I hope you have no idea of 
 remaining silent." 
 
 " That would be hard indeed. No, I fear I must 
 speak occasionally. But there's the bell. We must 
 not talk during the performances, you know." 
 
 The tinkle of a little bell was heard, and the 
 laughter and conversation stopped at once. With a 
 momentary bustle and a movement of chairs the au- 
 dience became seated. Then an instant's hush in- 
 tervened, and with the sweep and onslaught of a 
 mighty orchestra the great orchestrion burst into 
 the opening strains of Beethoven's " Overture to 
 Leonora." 
 
 " It is difBcult not to believe myself back in the 
 old days," I said, after the few instants' silence that 
 followed the closing measures, " except when I in- 
 stinctively look up to catch the conductor's beat, or 
 to scrutinize the terraced rows of players." 
 
 " Oh, we have our orchestras, too, and very good 
 ones," replied Miss Donnelly. " Do you know, if I 
 have not heard music for some days, or even if I 
 have, when the first chord of the orchestra breaks 
 on my ear, it has the most curious efifect? It is all I 
 
A ROSE 143 
 
 can do to keep from bursting into a fit of weeping. 
 I don't know what it is — just the sensuous effect of 
 the great body of tone, I suppose. But it makes 
 every nerve in one's body vibrate." 
 
 Upon the Httle platform stepped a quartette of 
 singers, who gave a very creditable performance of 
 some unaccompanied part songs. After them came 
 a pianist, to whom, as well as to the singers, I list- 
 ened in silence. At the conclusion of the piano num- 
 ber I turned to address some remark to my com- 
 panion, but she had risen. 
 
 " I will come back, Mr. Burnham, if you will be 
 good enough to keep my chair for me." 
 
 To my considerable surprise she proceeded directly 
 to the platform, where her appearance was greeted 
 by a ripple of applause. From the orchestrion, as 
 from a concealed orchestra, came some measures of 
 prelude, and the young lady, who had meantime sa- 
 luted her audience with a most charming and un- 
 affected grace, attacked the beautifully familiar air of 
 Mozart's " Voi che sapete." 
 
 Her voice was a light soprano of agreeable quality, 
 her vocalization was excellent, and her stage presence 
 enhanced her natural gifts of voice and person. Al- 
 together, her performance was a delightful surprise 
 to me, and I joined with vigor in the tumultuous ap- 
 plause that followed, an evidence of appreciation on 
 my part which was rewarded by a slight glance in my 
 
144 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 direction as the young lady acknowledged with a 
 courtesy the prolonged clapping of hands. 
 
 With a somewhat heightened color she swept back 
 through the seated groups, and resumed her chair 
 among our own party. 
 
 " I never heard that beautiful aria better sung, 
 Miss Donnelly," I remarked, " and I have heard it 
 fifty times." 
 
 " It is dreadfully familiar, I know," she answered, 
 as she tucked back within the mass of her hair a few 
 stray curls that had found their way out. " But I 
 am very fond of it. Mozart will never grow old. 
 His melodies are fresh and spontaneous and complete 
 and perfect. There is no bettering them." 
 
 As she concluded I was suddenly aware of some 
 one standing at our side, who had approached un- 
 noticed. Miss Donnelly gave a little start. 
 
 " You sang charmingly, Pauline. And I had not 
 seen you until you rose, though I had been looking 
 for you for half an hour." 
 
 It was a man's voice, calm and distinct. Across 
 Miss Donnelly's face there passed the slightest sug- 
 gestion of embarrassment, as she replied, very 
 quickly, " Good-evening, Ned. Mr. Burnham, I 
 want to present Mr. Faulkland." 
 
 I rose, and looked into the quiet, pleasant face of 
 a man of about my own age. His eyes were gray, 
 his mouth half hidden by a short, pointed beard, his 
 figure slender and erect. Somewhat to my instinc- 
 
A ROSE 145 
 
 tive disappointment I found nothing to dislike in 
 him, and we shook hands in all apparent cordiality. 
 He turned to Mrs. Donnelly and the president, who 
 greeted him with warmth. 
 
 " I want to ask your advice, Mr. Faulkland," said 
 the elder lady. " What shall we do to-night ? This 
 is Mr. Burnham's first evening, as you know, and we 
 want to employ it in showing him whatever will in- 
 terest him most." 
 
 " There is the theatre," he replied. " We might 
 select the opera, but this is not an opera night, I be- 
 lieve." 
 
 " But perhaps it is too late to get good seats," I 
 interposed. 
 
 " Dear me, Mr. Burnham," said Miss Donnelly, 
 " you surely don't suppose we have to buy our tick- 
 ets." 
 
 " Pray, how do you get them? " 
 
 " Do you remember those two round boxes that 
 stand in the entrance hall, near the door? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Well, all you need to do is to put in your thumb 
 and pull out a plum, in the shape of a numbered 
 check, and there you have your theatre ticket." 
 
 " But how does one know whether he is getting a 
 good seat? " 
 
 *' He doesn't know ; he may get a bad seat. We 
 all take our chances, and you. as a betting man, ought 
 to be the last to find fault with our system." 
 10 
 
146 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " I admire your system. It is the essence of fair- 
 ness. But what if a party failed to draw adjoining 
 seats? You know there are persons who prefer to 
 be together." 
 
 " They need not separate. One of the boxes pro- 
 vides for that, and furnishes seats in groups for those 
 who go in a party." 
 
 " But we are late, are we not? " 
 
 " Yes," replied the president, good-naturedly, " we 
 should be rather late. Our theatres begin at seven. 
 I think perhaps they would better be reserved for 
 another time." 
 
 " Then I propose," said Miss Donnelly, " that we 
 all take the car to Battery Park." 
 
 Mrs. Donnelly looked inquiringly at me. 
 
 " The proposal suits me perfectly," I hastened to 
 afifirm. 
 
 Without further discussion we left the drawing- 
 room, passed through the colonnade, emerged upon 
 the street, and, a few minutes later, were comfort- 
 ably seated in a big electric carriage, speeding down 
 the avenue. 
 
 The scene on either side passed swiftly like a pan- 
 orama, the brilliantly Hghted hotels, their balconies 
 filled with animated groups, the green parks with 
 their flower-bordered walks and shaded benches, the 
 ever-changing parties of strollers, from whose midst 
 our ears caught now and then a bit of song, or the 
 
A ROSE 147 
 
 tinkle of a guitar — by all of these we fHew until down- 
 town was reached all too quickly. 
 
 In a sweeping curve we shot past the City Hall, 
 a tremendous building with high pillars and a statue 
 of Justice on the summit, past the printing offices, 
 the post and telegraph office, and the immense city 
 warehouses, until our carriage moved more slowly, 
 and we found ourselves within a splendid garden 
 with stretches of green grass, broad avenues, statues, 
 trees and flowers, and in its midst a great fountain 
 bordered by graceful marble figures. 
 
 " Here is Battery Park," remarked Mrs. Donnelly. 
 
 We had almost reached the water's edge. Curv- 
 ing along the bank ran a broad, covered colonnade, 
 with marble benches and statues here and there, and 
 descending steps against which the water plashed. 
 
 " This colonnade runs eastward as far as old Brook- 
 lyn Bridge," the president explained, " and on the 
 west up to the site of old Park Place." 
 
 A little at our right, and extending from the col- 
 onnade out some distance into the water, lay a wide 
 quay, apparently of marble or some white stone, and 
 at its side, sparkling with rows of lights along their 
 lower decks, floated several good-sized vessels, up 
 whose comfortable gangways hurried parties of ex- 
 cursionists, anxious to secure their favorite positions 
 before the crowd became too great. 
 
 With one accord we descended from our carriage 
 and followed the stream of passengers up the gang- 
 
148 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 plank of the nearest vessel. There, on the second 
 deck, surrounded by swinging lig'hts and within 
 sound of some rather tempting music, we took 
 our seats, while Mr. Faulkland and the president 
 descended to the refreshment room, whence they 
 shortly returned with a liberal supply of ginger ale, 
 sandwiches, and fruit. 
 
 " We have no alcoholic drinks on board, you 
 know," explained the president. 
 
 A whistle blew, the gangplank was hauled back, 
 the boat cast off, and we shot into the stream. At 
 the same time the music struck up a livelier air, and 
 in the cleared space in the centre of the boat dancers 
 appeared, and the circling couples grew and grew as 
 the music and the night and the free air spread their 
 glamour over the assemblage. Almost at our side 
 whirled the dancing couples, and now and then a nod 
 or a word of recognition reached us from some pair 
 that flashed swiftly through our line of vision. 
 
 " I don't like this confusion," said Miss Donnelly, 
 " and this deck above our heads. I want to get 
 nearer to the night and to the water." 
 
 " Let me take you to the upper deck," I offered 
 quickly. 
 
 We passed through the crowd, mounted the stair- 
 way, and stepped out on the broad upper deck, as 
 yet only thinly occupied by passengers. The night 
 was absolutely quiet. The sky was cloudless and 
 star-studded. Our boat shot through the water with- 
 
A ROSE 149 
 
 out a sound, without a suggestion of machinery or 
 effort. On both sides the water lay, not motionless, 
 but moving quietly in little waves edged with lines 
 of light. Ahead, to right and left, lay the dark out- 
 lines of the land, shutting in the Narrows into which 
 we were about to enter. 
 
 We went forward to the bow, and took our seats 
 at the extreme end, next the rail. 
 
 " How splendid it is, to shoot through the water 
 like this ! " exclaimed Miss Donnelly, " or rather 
 through the air. We look ahead, we see nothing 
 behind us or beside us. It is almost like flying." 
 
 " And how clear the stars are ! " I said. " It is 
 the elemental things, like sky and ocean, that rest us 
 most and bring us closest to eternity. We can al- 
 most believe the stars are hung there as a sign that 
 we must look beyond our own small selves. They 
 teach us unselfishness." 
 
 " Yes," she answered, " they teach us that. But 
 stars, and ocean, too, are so distant and so lonely ! I 
 am afraid I could never feel anything but melancholy 
 if I looked at them long, by myself. We need people 
 — some of us do — some one like ourselves, that we 
 can understand." 
 
 "But do we understand? Is there any one you 
 feel sure you understand? " 
 
 " Not altogether; and less and less as I grow older. 
 Think how hard it is to understand ourselves. We 
 
150 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 are fifty persons in one day — and yet I try hard to 
 be consistent." 
 
 " But, nevertheless, with all our uncertainty about 
 ourselves and others, we need the others, don't we? " 
 
 " I am afraid so." 
 
 She had taken ofif her hat, and the breeze caught 
 her loose hair, and tossed the curls in fantastic shapes 
 about her head. 
 
 " Your hair is like waving snakes," I said. " You 
 are Medusa! Have pity! Let me not die because 
 I have looked on your face." 
 
 She laughed. 
 
 " I tried in vain to find you at supper to-night," I 
 continued. " Where were you? " 
 
 " It was only accident that I was in your dining- 
 room this morning," she replied, " simply that it hap- 
 pened to be my day for teaching the children. I live 
 in a spinster's hotel, you know." 
 
 "A spinster's hotel?" 
 
 " Yes, we unmarried women live by ourselves." 
 
 " Do you enjoy it? " 
 
 " We may sometimes think we don't. In reality, 
 I believe we do." 
 
 " Your hotel must be very attractive." 
 
 " Not very; just comfortable, like your own quar- 
 ters. It is only the married people who are entitled 
 to luxury. We put a premium on matrimony, you 
 see." 
 
 " Is it entitled to one?" 
 
A ROSE 151 
 
 " I don't know. But I like my hotel, and I may 
 live there all my life." She spoke soberly, in a low 
 voice, looking down into the water. 
 
 *' Miss Donnelly," I said, " how can you be so un- 
 like the girl I thought you when I met you first this 
 morning? You make me uncertain as to my own 
 sentiments. I expected to find you frivolous and 
 amusing." 
 
 " I know you thought me horribly frivolous. I 
 am. I told you I am fifty persons in one day." 
 
 " You mean you seem to be." 
 
 " Perhaps." 
 
 " And which is the real person? " 
 
 " The frivolous one." 
 
 " I think not. If there were some one who knew 
 you — knew you really — and perhaps was a little like 
 yourself, so that he understood how you felt with- 
 out asking, would he find the woman he loved frivo- 
 lous?" 
 
 " Why must it be ' he,' and why must he love me? " 
 
 " It must be so in this case. I assume it to be." 
 
 She did not answer. 
 
 " I think your rose will fall," I said. 
 
 She put up her hand and took the flower from her 
 hair, then held it carelessly while, with elbow rest- 
 ing on the rail, she gazed abstractedly over the cloud- 
 like mingling of sky and water at the horizon line. 
 The breeze blew fresh into our faces. I put out my 
 
152 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 own hand and took the rose from her unresisting 
 fingers. She did not turn her face. 
 
 " You may have it," she said. 
 
 I inhaled its perfume, touched it to my hps, then 
 thrust it into the pocket of my coat. 
 
 The boat was turning in a great circle. The 
 breeze no longer blew against us. I heard the noise 
 of approaching footsteps, and in a moment Mr. 
 Faulkland's voice spoke out of the obscurity. 
 
 "Pauline! Ah, yes, it is you. Mrs. Donnelly 
 sent me to say that you will find us on the lower deck 
 when you come down." 
 
 " We are coming now, Ned. How quickly this 
 boat goes ! We are almost home again. Please take 
 my hat for a minute." 
 
 With raised hands she restored some semblance of 
 order to her wind-tossed hair, then rose, and we 
 slowly moved toward the stairway, picked our way 
 through the seated groups, and rejoined the presi- 
 dent and his wife, who, wath some friends, were seated 
 comfortably in a secluded corner of the lower deck. 
 
 " Here come the deserters," cried Mrs. Donnelly, 
 with a laugh. " Well, Pauline, did you explain to 
 Mr. Burnham all the points of interest, and show him 
 where the forts on the Narrows used to be, and tell 
 him how Staten Island has been improved? " 
 
 " I am afraid I forgot all those things," replied the 
 girl, hesitatingly, " but the night was perfect, and the 
 water glorious." 
 
A ROSE 163 
 
 ** Mr. Faulkland has been telling us," added the 
 president, " of the trial of his new airship, which is to 
 take place to-morrow afternoon, and has asked us 
 all to go. I have already been invited as president 
 of the university, but I am sure it will be a new and 
 pleasant experience for Mr. Burnham." 
 
 " I shall be delighted," I said. 
 
 " The airship is really not my invention," interposed 
 Mr. Faulkland. " It represents the labor of many 
 men. I simply devised some changes in the ma- 
 chinery, and shall act as engineer to-morrow. But I 
 hope you will all go if you feel interested." 
 
 " I think it will be jolly," Miss Donnelly remarked, 
 " provided you will be responsible for our safety. I 
 should hardly care to drop suddenly when we were 
 a mile or two in the air." 
 
 " There can be no danger," he replied. " We be- 
 lieve that in this vessel we have solved the problem of 
 air navigation under all conditions." 
 
 By this time we were nearing the Battery, and the 
 great city, with its myriads of scintillating lights, was 
 growing more distinct before us. Gliding quietly in 
 beside the quay, our boat stopped easily, without 
 shock, the gangplanks were run out, and we took our 
 places in the procession of disembarking passengers. 
 Electric carriages were waiting, and without crowd- 
 ing or hurry we found convenient seats, and were 
 soon speeding back along the broad avenue down 
 which we had come an hour or two before. 
 
154 TEE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 Almost before I realized it, our destination was 
 reached, the car stopped, and we descended. For a 
 moment we stood grouped. Miss Donnelly spoke 
 first: 
 
 " Come, Ned, are you going home with me? Take- 
 my jacket, please." 
 
 She extended her hand to me. " Good-night, Mr. 
 Burnham, I have enjoyed my evening." 
 
 " Good-night, Miss Donnelly." I looked straight 
 into her eyes, which had no laughter in them, and no 
 trace of a smile was on her lips. 
 
 She turned, and they were gone. The president, 
 his wife and I walked briskly toward the hotel. 
 
 " Pauline is a lovely girl," remarked Mrs. Don- 
 nelly, " though a trifle independent. But perhaps 
 marriage will make her more serious. She will have 
 a good husband in Mr. Faulkland." 
 
 "A husband!" 
 
 " Yes. They have been engaged, you know, for 
 more than a year. Mr, Faulkland is anxious to be 
 married, but Pauline seems not quite ready, though 
 I urge her not to wait too long. Well, here we are. 
 Good-night. We shall see you in the morning." 
 
 " Good-night." 
 
 Once in my room, I took from my pocket the rose, 
 still fresh, in spite of the vicissitudes to which it had 
 been subjected, and, with a sentiment of bitterness 
 which I did not stop to analyze, flung it among the 
 waste papers on my dressing-table. A moment later 
 
A ROSE 155 
 
 I picked it up, rearranged its disordered petals, and 
 placed it carefully in a glass of fresh water on the 
 corner of the table next my bed, that it might be the 
 last object to leave my sight and the first to greet 
 me when my eyelids opened under the morning sun. 
 
IX 
 
 LOOKING BACKWARD 
 
 My second day dawned bright. I rose early, and 
 descended to the breakfast room to find the president 
 and his wife already at their morning meal. With 
 vigorous appetite I attacked my breakfast, which I 
 despatched with such rapidity that I finished just 
 as my two companions were dipping their fingers in 
 the silver bowls of water which lay before them. We 
 all rose from the table together. 
 
 " Shall we go to the roof garden for a few minutes, 
 Mr. Burnham?" the president asked. "The view 
 will be pleasant, and the air refreshing." 
 
 I assented readily, and we stepped into the elevator, 
 leaving Mrs. Donnelly to proceed to her apartments. 
 The sun was not yet high when we emerged upon the 
 roof, and the breeze blew fresh, so that we had to 
 keep tight hold of our straw hats. Turning on my 
 heel, I took in at one extended glance the circular 
 sweep of white and gold and green, which the build- 
 ings and the parks and gardens offered to the eye. 
 
 " What tremendous progress has been made ! " I 
 exclaimed. " And these beauties are the mere ex- 
 ternals. Man himself has grown better and wiser." 
 
LOOKING BACKWARD 157 
 
 " Yes," answered the president, " we can readily 
 see that mankind has made progress and has grown 
 better and more rational. I do not believe, for one 
 moment, that we have yet reached the highest stage, 
 but I am sure that our posterity will attain still 
 greater perfection, and we can look with pride on 
 what has been already accomplished. Liberty, 
 equality, fraternity, in the fullest sense of the words, 
 are ideals, and ideals can never be attained — they can 
 only be striven after. We have acquired the splendid 
 gifts of God, only as far as they are within the reach 
 of erring human nature. However, I did not come 
 here to inflict a lecture on you, but simply to bring 
 you a copy of our newspaper." 
 
 With these words he handed me some printed 
 quarto sheets, at which I stared in bewilderment, for 
 they were printed in characters quite unknown to me. 
 
 " I told you, Mr. Burnham, that you could scarcely 
 read our newspapers. They are all printed in Eng- 
 lish stenographic script. I am quite sure that within 
 a month you can read and write it perfectly, as our 
 system is the simplest imaginable. Have you noticed 
 the last page of the paper? " 
 
 I turned to it quickly and to my astonishment saw 
 a lifelike picture in natural colors, of myself as I lay 
 on the couch in the Washington University. The en- 
 tire last page seemed to be devoted to my case. 
 
 " The newspaper of to-day is quite different from 
 that of your time," remarked the president. " There 
 
168 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 is in every city only one printing establishment, 
 where, in addition to books and magazines, one daily 
 paper is printed, that paper the only one of the city. 
 Ours is the ' New York Gazette,' and is delivered 
 with the mail, about two o'clock. One paper is amply 
 sufficient for the city. You see, we have no conflict- 
 ing political parties, we have no private firms to ad- 
 vertise, no people seeking employment, no wars to 
 carry on, and we do not trouble ourselves about 
 matters which are entirely private, such as births, 
 engagements, marriages, and deaths. Our newspaper 
 gives us simply an account, and a short one at that, 
 of matters of real interest. Here on the first pages 
 you see reports from North and South America, Asia, 
 Africa, Europe, and Australia, in systematic order. 
 The last two pages are devoted to happenings in the 
 city of New York, and you will find reports of all 
 meetings, debates, and resolutions in the City Hall; 
 brief announcements of theatres, concerts, amuse- 
 ments, university lectures ; agricultural and industrial 
 reports; remarks on literature and art; discoveries 
 and inventions; and, finally, accidents, crimes, and 
 penalties. Very rarely is there any deviation from 
 this programme. The paper is published at one 
 o'clock in the afternoon, because we believe in avoid- 
 ing night work as much as possible. All trades and 
 unions have their own monthly magazines, dedicated 
 to their interests." 
 
LOOKING BACKWARD 159 
 
 " I suppose Washington continues to be our 
 capital?" 
 
 " No, Chicago. About seventy-five years ago, 
 when the United States spread over the whole of the 
 continent, Chicago was chosen as capital and seat of 
 the Union government. Before that time a ship 
 canal had been constructed which connects Chicago 
 with the European ports." 
 
 " The continents are separate politically, no 
 doubt?" 
 
 " We have the United States of South America, 
 which include the whole of that continent as well as 
 the states of Central America; the United States of 
 Europe, of Asia, of Africa, and of Australia." 
 
 " Then the whole earth is divided into six large 
 countries? " 
 
 " Yes. But these six countries form only one do- 
 minion. Their presidents go hand in hand, in fact 
 must go hand in hand. There are no longer any 
 dividing lines. Every man is to-day a citizen of the 
 world, a member of the entire family of man, which 
 is scattered over the whole earth." 
 
 " What has become of classes, races, and reli- 
 gions? " 
 
 " We know of no class hatred, since there are no 
 classes. We do not cultivate race hatred, because 
 we do not judge a man by the color of his skin, or by 
 the place of his birth, but by his works and his own 
 worth. We have no religious hatred, because now 
 
160 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 there is but one faith. That is, faith in only one God 
 and in His omnipresence." 
 
 " Explain a little more in detail how all this hap- 
 pened, if you will be so good?" 
 
 " Within ten years after you sank into your long 
 slumber," began the president, " an entirely new 
 spirit seemed to take possession of mankind, a spirit 
 worthier of the twentieth century. The fearful 
 slaughter of men which had taken place in every 
 corner of the earth but a few years prior seemed to 
 have evolved this new spirit. The doctrine of the 
 brotherhood of man which had been taught by Jesus 
 Christ, seemed to flame again into life and to spread 
 over the world. 
 
 " In secret this sublime and holy doctrine had 
 already taken root, but to only a few, of keen spiritual 
 eyesight, were the roots visible. The great mass of 
 mankind rudely trod down the sprouting germs. 
 Nevertheless, these new germs were more powerful 
 than the ignorance which covered them. There 
 sprang up in all parts of the world and among all 
 nations a general longing and a demand for truth 
 and equity. And as there were prophets who recog- 
 nized the heavenly origin of the seed, it was carefully 
 nurtured and planted more and more widely in the 
 productive soil of the human heart. 
 
 " Men and women inspired by divine thoughts 
 arose in all lands, and with renewed vigor preached 
 the old true gospel of the one God and of His equal 
 
LOOKING BACKWARD 161 
 
 love for all men. They declared that God was ever 
 present and was everywhere; that a part of Him 
 existed in the heart of every man, and could be found 
 by every one who earnestly sought. They preached, 
 moreover, that there was but one true law and one 
 true rehgion : ' Do right and fear no one, not even 
 God, for God is with every one who does that which 
 is right.' Then they pointed out that God did not 
 create this world to be a vast vale of sorrow for man- 
 kind, but that in His infinite love He has given us 
 in the powers of nature and in the power of our own 
 intellect everything necessary to convert it into a 
 heaven on earth. These modern preachers sought to 
 bring heaven down to man, not to drag man up to 
 heaven. 
 
 " We have numerous maxims that embody their 
 precepts; for instance: 
 
 Respect thyself. Never forget that thou art a man. 
 
 Frugality and temperance create spiritual power. 
 
 There is but one happiness, and that is content- 
 ment. 
 
 Thou art never alone, for God and thy conscience 
 are ever with thee. 
 
 Strive to be free in the highest freedom of life : the 
 freedom of the spirit. 
 
 A maiden's highest good : Her maidenly honor. 
 
 A woman's highest good : Womanly fidelity. 
 
 11 
 
162 THE DA^ OF PROSPEIilTY 
 
 A child's highest good: Love and esteem for 
 parents. 
 
 A man's highest good: Love of truth and right, 
 love of work, love of his family and for his country. 
 
 " So far, the spirit was that of enlightenment and 
 peace. But to the superficial observer it must have 
 seemed that never before had men hated each other 
 so fiercely, quarrelled so violently, and fought so 
 madly. The division of Turkey followed close upon 
 the dismemberment of China. The power of Russia 
 was shattered by an anarchistic revolution, and the 
 spirit of enlightenment was then established in the 
 form of a republic on the throne of the Czar. So it 
 went on. Reforms were needed in Church and State, 
 in school and home. From the cradle to the grave 
 humanity needed to be reformed. This strife and this 
 universal oppression were hindrances to progress 
 only in appearance. In reality they were all leading 
 to the same goal, the final universal brotherhood of 
 man. The majority of those who were engaged in 
 this striving, struggling, and fighting never dreamed 
 of the splendid result. Small businesseswere absorbed 
 by the larger; weak states were swallowed by the 
 stronger. The great business concerns fought each 
 other until they found it to their advantage to unite 
 instead of to fight. Trusts and corporations grew 
 more and more gigantic, and fell into fewer but 
 mightier hands. From these mighty consolidations 
 
LOOKING BACKWARD 163 
 
 of interests, the powerless but multitiidinoits working 
 classes learned something. They learned, although 
 very slowly, something of the strength of combining 
 and uniting. Consequently they combined, at first 
 in small bodies, then in larger and larger. They de- 
 manded higher wages and shorter hours of labor. 
 
 *' Can it be wondered that the women, too, at- 
 tempted to organize a world for themselves? Most 
 of them saw that the majority could not fulfil the role 
 appointed for them by nature — to be wives and 
 mothers — because in too many instances the earnings 
 of a young man were not sufficient to support a wife 
 and family. Therefore it was necessary for woman 
 to be a wage-earner. Girls of tender years, who 
 knew nothing of the temptations of the world or the 
 demands of life, were driven into unwholesome fac- 
 tories, where their morals were corrupted, and their 
 bodies ruined. If a poor girl turned to some other 
 employment, she feared no better. The cry went up 
 everywhere that she was taking the bread out of the 
 mouth of man, or she was laughed at and sneered at 
 as a ' new woman.' 
 
 " The labor question ! The woman question ! " pur- 
 sued President Donnelly. " What else lay hidden in 
 these phrases but the longing for a life as free as pos- 
 sible from care, in which man could be happy? Every 
 poor man felt in the bottom of his heart that he had a 
 right to such a life. Every man and every woman 
 saw in the fruitful, blossoming earth a beautiful gar- 
 
164 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 den, and naturally felt deep bitterness at not being 
 able to enjoy it. Who can wonder that they sought 
 means to obtain at least a small share of earthly hap- 
 piness ? They saw the power of money, the power of 
 capital combined. Every day they had before their 
 eyes evidences of the power of the united strength of 
 the millionaires, and so they began to combine also. 
 In spite of the fact that the ruHng powers looked with 
 anything but favor on workingmen's unions and 
 wherever it was possible suppressed or crippled 
 them, workingmen themselves stood stubbornly for 
 their undoubted rights, and continued bravely on that 
 way which was the right way. They maintained that 
 it was their privilege to combine for their own in- 
 terests, just as they saw their wealthy employers do- 
 ing for their own. It seemed as if mutual hatred 
 could attain no greater height. General strikes, 
 bloodshed, and revolutions followed ; and yet scarcely 
 a day passed without the invention of some new ma- 
 chine or method for making work easier, and for em- 
 ploying the powers of nature to a greater extent. 
 
 " On the occasion of a general strike among shoe- 
 makers, it occurred to one of the strikers that it would 
 be better to employ the money which the strike would 
 cost in erecting a factory to be run on cooperative 
 principles. He shared the thoughts with his com- 
 rades. It took him some time to convince them 
 that his plan was reasonable and feasible, but at last 
 he got permission to go ahead. He lost no time in 
 
LOOKING BACKWARD 165 
 
 renting a suitable building and getting in the neces- 
 sary machinery, and within a month the first coopera- 
 tive shoe factory was in operation. Appeals were 
 sent to working people everywhere, and very soon 
 the cooperative factory had more orders than could 
 be filled with the means at its disposal. Other trades, 
 encouraged by the success of the shoemakers, began 
 to imitate, and with the same good results. Working 
 people bought, as far as possible, only those goods 
 made in the cooperative factories, and the big cor- 
 porations saw their trade falling off, and their profits 
 disappearing. They therefore began a plan of cam- 
 paign designed to freeze out the cooperative laborers' 
 factories, by cutting prices. The struggle was carried 
 on with the greatest bitterness, and the governments 
 found all their energies taken up in smoothing out 
 difficulties and preventing outbreaks. Nevertheless, 
 the trusts and corporations continued to grow more 
 and more colossal; while, on the other hand, the or- 
 ganizations of workers waxed so strong that they 
 were no longer to be treated with contempt. 
 
 " At this time a scheme was devised and promul- 
 gated to introduce a world language which should be 
 taught to all school children, throughout the world, 
 at the same time with their native language. It was 
 reckoned that in about fifteen years all the younger 
 generation would be able to speak a language which 
 could be understood by everybody. Communication 
 would thereby be much simplified. Great interest 
 
166 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 was taken in the subject by influential men and edu- 
 cators of every nation, and finally a conference was 
 held in New York. The question to be settled at 
 that conference was, which language was best adapted 
 to become the universal language. It was finally 
 agreed, naturally, that the English language was that 
 which most readily lent itself to the scheme. Every 
 member of the Congress agreed to use every means 
 in his power to introduce the English language as 
 the universal business and world language, and not 
 to relax his endeavors until this end had been reached. 
 They set to work energetically and with such good 
 effect, that it was not long before all the governments 
 of the world found themselves under such pressure 
 on the part of the enlightened, that the English lan- 
 guage had to be adopted, and was made obligatory 
 in all schools, along with the native language, on all 
 children over the age of six. Soon afterwards a 
 perfected system of stenography was similarly intro- 
 duced, as it was desired that we might write with the 
 same rapidity with which we speak. In the mean- 
 time the working classes were growing more and 
 more enlightened, and this enlightenment soon 
 brought such intelligence that the hitherto lifeless 
 phrase: * Government by the people, for the people,* 
 suddenly acquired life, and was soon echoed through- 
 out all the United States of that time. 
 
 " Political heelers and saloon politicians were put 
 aside as soon as the people became conscious of their 
 
LOOKING BACKWARD 107 
 
 own power, and the result was that, twenty-five years 
 after you were put to sleep, the people of the United 
 States for the first time chose as President a man 
 who really represented the great masses. Then mat- 
 ters moved quickly forward. The masses wanted the 
 government to take charge of all indispensable in- 
 stitutions. And as the will of the people finally 
 counted for something, it was not long before gov- 
 ernment was in possession of the railroads, the tele- 
 graph and telephone systems, and the electric plants. 
 Finally, all private undertakings passed into the 
 hands of the government. While this development 
 was taking place the eyes of all other nations were 
 fastened with eagerness on the United States; and 
 before long our example was followed by the rest 
 of the world. One republic arose after another, all 
 built after the model of the United States. Nations 
 wanted men at their head who felt with them and for 
 them, and they also expected to get that part of the 
 good things of the earth which they felt themselves 
 entitled to. As a result of these developments, and, 
 still more, as a result of the universal adoption of the 
 English language, the peoples of the earth were 
 drawn nearer to each other, and learned to under- 
 stand and like each other better. This nearer ap- 
 proach of the peoples had, naturally, a great effect 
 on the various religious sects and on the ministers of 
 religion. The various churches were driven by the 
 spirit of the times to exercise a new and better in- 
 
168 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 fluence; and instead of being, as formerly, against 
 the people, were compelled to array themselves on 
 the side of the people in their struggle for truth and 
 justice. They had to put aside their petty differ- 
 ences and to devote their energies to the preaching 
 of a religion based on sound reason. 
 
 " The great strides of progress in Church and State 
 affected the general standing and culture of all. The 
 efifect was felt in the huts of peasants in the most 
 remote corners of the world. The state of content- 
 ment of the peasantry with their sequestered life re- 
 ceived severe blows. The peasants learned to feel that 
 they were men just as well as the dwellers in large 
 cities, and that consequently they had just as much 
 right to opportunity for amusement and instruction 
 as the city people themselves. Very soon it was im- 
 possible to find workers for the field, since young, 
 farmers sold their estates, removed to large cities, 
 and looked for work in factories, so that they might 
 be able to live as men among men. Nothing re- 
 mained but for the government to take all the farms, 
 and to train an army of laborers who, during the 
 year, worked alternately for several months on the 
 farms and for several months in the city. 
 
 " I have given you a glimpse of the first beginnings 
 of our simple and righteous system of government. 
 Of course this beginning was chaotic, and it was nec- 
 essary to reduce this chaos to order, but it was gradu- 
 ally accomplished. There are no longer any real 
 
LOOKING BACKWARD 169 
 
 boundary lines between nations, races, and religions. 
 When the English language had been introduced 
 as the world language, cosmopolitanism was born 
 in the United States, and thence promulgated over 
 the whole earth. * One language, one law, and one 
 religion,' became the watchword. The children of 
 all races, nationalities, and religions were educated 
 upon the same plan. They were taught, from earli- 
 est childhood, to make no distinction between man 
 and man. Laws were passed forbidding child labor 
 in factories, and granting to every man, whether 
 European or Asiatic, the same wages for the same 
 work. There were thousands of changes, all of them 
 improvements, and when the young children who 
 had been educated under the new system had grown, 
 there were no laws which hindered intermarrying. 
 So it came to pass that whites and colored people 
 married, Chinese and Christians, Turks and Chris- 
 tians, Jews and Christians. Nations, races, and re- 
 ligions were blended, and thus the first true cosmo- 
 politans were created. The inexplicable hatred 
 which existed between men in your time was thus 
 wiped out. Men had learned to know each other 
 better, and they saw that mutual hatred and quar- 
 relling were irrational. They clasped hands, and the 
 fruits of this friendship you see before you to-day. 
 Wherever you may wander, men will receive you with 
 open arms, and everywhere you will find the same 
 conditions prevalent. 
 
170 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " My summary has been brief and imperfect, 
 though it has consumed some time in the telling. 
 But it may help you to understand what you see, 
 and may, in part, explain how our world of the year 
 2000 is the rational outgrowth of the world in which 
 you lived. . . . Well, shall we go down? I am 
 sure we are the better for our half hour in the wind 
 and sun, even if my little lecture has not proved in- 
 teresting. And I am sure we shall find Mrs. Don- 
 nelly waiting for us." 
 
X 
 
 EDUCATION IN THE YEAR 2000 
 
 We did indeed find Mrs. Donnelly awaiting us in 
 the parlor of her apartment, where, comfortably 
 seated, she was resting after the completion of her 
 household work. 
 
 " My dear," began the president, as we entered, 
 " I have already inflicted on Mr. Burnham a half- 
 hour's lecture on modern political history, and to 
 save ourselves from a surfeit of too solid mental food 
 in the early morning, we have come to enjoy a little 
 light conversation with you." 
 
 " I appreciate the compliment to my intellectual 
 capacity," responded the lady. 
 
 " Mr. Donnelly's mental food was carefully pre- 
 pared and easily assimilated," I interposed, " and I 
 am still unsatisfied. I wish he would continue and 
 tell me more about the subject most familiar to him 
 — the subject of education. You have already ex- 
 plained much, particularly about the training of 
 women, but there is much left for me to learn." 
 
 " With pleasure," replied the president, " if you 
 care to listen. And perhaps the easiest way will be 
 to read you a portion of the introduction to my an- 
 
172 THE DAY OP PROSPERITY 
 
 ntial report for the present year. It may prove a 
 little dry, but I will trust to your indulgence, and 
 will read only such parts as constitute a general an- 
 swer to your question." 
 
 He left the room, and presently reappeared, turn- 
 ing over the leaves of a little blue-bound volume. 
 " We argue," he began, " that ignorance is the arch- 
 enemy of progress, and we therefore do all in our 
 power to promote knowledge and to banish illiter- 
 acy. Of course it is impossible to make a scholar 
 of every human being, but it is our aim to impart 
 such knowledge that our youth, on leaving school, 
 may not find themselves strangers in a strange world. 
 
 " A hundred years ago, if a man erred in the choice 
 of his calling, his whole life, as a rule, was a failure. 
 He had pursued but one end, and falling short in its 
 attainment, he painfully perceived his incompetence 
 for another pursuit, since his education had been one- 
 sided. At school his view of the outside world was 
 rosy-hued, and the future was a dream. The good 
 people of the outside world, he thought, would cer- 
 tainly help him. But on his entrance into this outer 
 world he began to realize that, instead of having to 
 deal with helpful, kind-hearted people, he had to face, 
 for the most part, a set of sefish and uncharitable ene- 
 mies. His self-reliance, his faith, his religion all 
 shattered and wrecked, he wandered through the 
 world, a prey to disaster. 
 
 " Strength of character is not found upon the 
 
EDUCATION IN THE YEAR 2000 173 
 
 streets, but must be developed from early youth. 
 We have profited by our ancestors' mistakes. The 
 school of the present day is a world on a small scale. 
 Theory and practice are combined throughout the 
 entire course of study. At an early stage our chil- 
 dren are impressed with the earnestness of life and 
 with their responsibility to the world. In addition 
 to the culture of mind and heart, their bodily strength 
 is also developed systematically. Manual training, 
 dexterity, and accuracy in the performance of their 
 work, all these play an important part. The power 
 of endurance of mental and physical strain is de- 
 veloped by degrees. Above all, we imbue the young 
 with two principles respecting State and religion : 
 ' Obedience to the law is the prime duty of every citi- 
 zen,' ' Dare to do right and fear no one.' 
 
 " Our education, so to speak, begins immediately 
 after birth. Inasmuch as the mothers of our chil- 
 dren have all received an excellent education, they 
 know how an infant is to be cared for and reared. 
 Up to the fifth year the httle ones are under the spe- 
 cial care of their mothers and of kindergartners. 
 After completion of their fifth year, they are sent to 
 the public schools. Our children manifest no fear 
 whatever at the thought of being sent to school. 
 Since everybody treats them well and takes a lively 
 interest in their welfare, they have a smile for every 
 one and place implicit confidence even in strangers. 
 Hence, the beginning of their school career is a mo- 
 
174 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 ment not dreaded, but wished for with childlike im- 
 patience. 
 
 " Our schools are open nine months of each year. 
 The remaining three months, from June 15th to 
 September 15th, are devoted to vacation. The 
 school hours are from nine in the morning to five 
 in the afternoon. But one must not think that these 
 eight hours involve constant study. Each hour or 
 two of study is followed, generally, by an hour of 
 recreation, during which some interesting story is 
 read or told to them, or some experiment in science 
 is shown, or other knowledge is pleasantly imparted. 
 Now and then the children are permitted to play. 
 Of course all these recreations are regulated by the 
 age of the pupils. Thus, for instance, the bigger 
 girls, from twelve to fourteen years of age, are re- 
 quired every day at eleven o'clock to prepare a meal 
 under competent supervision, as the children do not 
 go home for their midday meal, and as a kitchen is 
 connected with each school. The bigger boys, in 
 turn, are required to act as waiters in the school din- 
 ing-room, and the smaller children clear away the 
 things. From one o'clock until two the young folks 
 are allowed to rest. All work is done in school; we 
 have no home work. After their eighth year our 
 boys and girls must care for their own schoolrooms. 
 At eight o'clock those pupils whose turn it is, must 
 appear at school, and within half an hour all the 
 schoolrooms must be swept and put in order. 
 
EDUCATION IN THE YEAR 2000 175 
 
 " Each school forms a miniature state. The head- 
 master, chosen for one year from among the teachers, 
 is the chief, and is responsible to the board of educa- 
 tion for the welfare of his school. Each class of pu- 
 pils forms, as it were, a regiment, from which three 
 are chosen as lieutenants, who, in turn, appoint one 
 of their number captain. As a rule, only the best 
 and most popular pupils are chosen for these posts. 
 The rest of the pupils render absolute obedience to 
 these chiefs chosen by themselves. These class of- 
 ficers are expected to carry out the commands of their 
 teachers with regard to studies during recess, care of 
 younger pupils, and similar matters. The schools 
 for girls are conducted on the same plan. 
 
 " At five o'clock, the hour of dismissal, the pupils 
 arrange themselves with military precision. Words 
 of command are given, the bigger pupils are the first 
 to march away, the little ones pass out last. Noisy 
 and disorderly dismissals are unknown. Every pupil 
 caught in a misdemeanor is noted down by his class 
 officer, and is interrogated and punished on the fol- 
 lowing day. Every school has a court of justice, 
 whose members are chosen from among the pupils. 
 Here the class officers prefer their charges, and the 
 defendants, if found guilty, are punished. 
 
 " Besides their mother tongue, children, all the 
 world over, are instructed in the English language. 
 The study of stenography is begun with the eighth 
 year. All the boys must learn some kind of handi- 
 
176 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 work, for which pursuit there are certain hours fixed, 
 and the work must be kept up to the twentieth year 
 of each male pupil. Pupils who show extraordinary 
 skill at handicraft are noted. Girls are taught cook- 
 ing and sewing. Our pupils are also instructed in 
 swimming, dancing, gymnastics, music, both vocal 
 and instrumental, drawing and painting. At cer- 
 tain fixed periods they are taken to the theatre, men- 
 ageries, museums, picture galleries, factories, and 
 storehouses. Everything is explained to them in 
 detail. Since all institutions of learning are fur- 
 nished with gardens, the children intuitively learn to 
 love and care for plants. 
 
 " During the summer vacation our pupils are some- 
 times given an excursion by water, and sometimes 
 entire schools are taken on an extensive tour. In 
 short, we spare no effort in acquainting our children 
 at the earliest possible moment with the outer world 
 and with its demands upon them. We show them 
 the works of man and the wonders of God's creation. 
 While there is wax to receive and marble to retain, 
 we strive to fix deep in the young heart the laws of 
 God. We teach them to love the beautiful and the 
 good, and to hate and eschew evil. We grant them 
 all possible freedom, as long as they do not abuse this 
 privilege. In the library connected with every school, 
 the most useful books are accessible to them. 
 
 " Man's noblest vocation is to be a man, nor should 
 he fail in this sublime vocation. Our method of edu- 
 
EDUCATION IN THE YEAR 2000 ^It 
 
 eating aims at enduing the individual with a sympa- 
 thetic heart, a clear head, with love of truth and jus- 
 tice, with love of fellow-man, and with industrious 
 habits. In short, we wish to produce enlightened 
 and honorable citizens of the world. From the fifth 
 to the fourteenth year we lay the foundation. On 
 completion of the latter year, our young folks leave 
 the home of their parents and take up their abode 
 in a university hotel. The university continues the 
 studies pursued in the primary schools, but on a 
 broader scale. Thus, for instance, the study of the 
 French and German languages is pursued at the uni- 
 versity, and there the girls are taught how to bring 
 up children and how to nurse the sick. 
 
 " University students have^ at their hotels, their 
 own kitchen, dormitories, dining-room, parlor, and 
 study. Here, too, just as in the lower schools, the 
 strictest order and cleanliness obtain. The students, 
 both male and female, attend to the keeping clean not 
 only of their hotel, but also of their university. Stu- 
 dents may visit their parents in the evening, but at 
 nine o'clock they must be abed, so that they may be 
 up at six o'clock on the following morning. Habits 
 formed in youth become confirmed with age. Hence, 
 our boys and girls, bred up to habits of punctual- 
 ity, cleanliness, obedience, and industry, find no diffi- 
 culty in the continued practice of these virtues. Un- 
 deviating morality is their second nature. Our 
 universities are universities in the true sense of the 
 12 
 
178 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 word, for everything, from the simplest trade or 
 handicraft to the most compHcated science or art is 
 taught here. The students print their own news- 
 paper, perform theatrical pieces and musical selec- 
 tions, all composed by themselves. You must have 
 observed that all our youth dress alike, and in a plain 
 style. Hence, they have no occasion to envy one an- 
 other, as young folks are apt to do, for finery of at- 
 tire. 
 
 " On the completion of the twentieth year, all our 
 youth leave the university hotels to take quarters 
 temporarily in the bachelors' or the spinsters' hotels, 
 where they remain up to the time of marriage. The 
 young man has now to perform his daily four hours* 
 work in that branch for which he has an inclination 
 and the capacity. The girls, however, are not com- 
 pelled to do any work. They are at liberty to make 
 themselves useful, or to remain unoccupied until 
 they are married. But, I can assure you, they all 
 look for some employment without compulsion. 
 To them labor is a pleasure, since they have been 
 trained from youth to habits of industry. Most of 
 our girls devote themselves to the training of chil- 
 dren, the nursing of the sick, to cooking, and to sew- 
 ing. Others assist in the labors of the farm, or 
 continue the study of science and art. Nor is mar- 
 riage a bar to woman's interest in the weal of human 
 solidarity. All honor to her. 
 
 " A hundred years ago a young university graduate 
 
EDUCATION IN THE YEAR 2000 179 
 
 would have been loath to perform manual labor, 
 though he might have thought himself qualified to 
 perform all kinds of mental work. We instruct in 
 agriculture and in handicraft in order to kill that 
 spirit of caste and contempt of manual labor once 
 so prevalent. One kind of labor is now worth as 
 much as another. It is the same, whether the work 
 be mental or manual. Everybody has acquired a 
 solid education. Yet we consider an educated per- 
 son of twenty years merely as a helper to his elders. 
 
 " Every man is required, as I said, to render man- 
 ual service for four hours only per diem. The re- 
 maining hours he may devote to mental culture. All 
 our universities, academies, theatres, lecture rooms, 
 are open for everybody until ten p.m., every day, and 
 wisdom's voice is never silent. All that is requisite 
 is to be enrolled as an auditor, and you may attain 
 a high degree of perfection in any branch of manual 
 dexterity, art, or science. Moreover, for such as de- 
 sire to study at home, stenographically printed cop- 
 ies of each lecture may be obtained at the respec- 
 tive institutions where they were delivered. As we 
 are never too old to learn, no age limit is fixed for 
 these voluntary students of both sexes. All persons, 
 married and single, may enjoy the benefits of these 
 lectures. Some study up to their thirtieth year, and 
 then make application for examination. If they pass 
 satisfactorily, they receive a diploma. They then 
 become licentiates of their profession. Others study 
 
180 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 merely for pastime, throughout life, without ever 
 applying for examination. The diploma forms part 
 of the passport of every successful candidate, and is 
 granted by a board of examiners. Yet our licentiates 
 are not released from their four hours' manual toil, 
 however high their examination average may be. 
 Physicians and teachers who have attained the high- 
 est examination average are exempted from manual 
 labor. Sculptors, painters, poets, authors, savants, 
 actors, and inventors must all, by some masterpiece, 
 have attracted universal attention before they may, 
 by suffrage, be exempted from manual labor in order 
 to devote themselves exclusively to their chosen call- 
 ing. 
 
 " There are many men, however, who, notwith- 
 standing they have been released from manual labor, 
 still continue bravely at their four hours' work. They 
 feel no desire to leave their sphere. Every one of 
 their fellow-workmen is an educated man, and al- 
 though not all are capable of achieving marvels, yet 
 every one's education enables him to understand and 
 appreciate the beautiful and the good. 
 
 " Perhaps," continued President Donnelly, as he 
 concluded his reading, and laid the report aside, " you 
 may like to know how these principles apply in my 
 own case. Well, I attended the usual course of in- 
 struction, both in the common schools and at the 
 university up to my twentieth year. I had chosen 
 carpentry for my trade, having been quite proficient 
 
EDUCATION IN THE YEAR 2000 181 
 
 in it when I left school. On completing my twen- 
 tieth year, I entered our furniture factory, where I 
 perfected my knowledge of the trade, working four 
 hours daily. As I was at leisure in the evening, I 
 visited the university extension courses, taking up 
 literature, pedagogy, and natural science, and when 
 I became thirty years of age resolved to apply for 
 examination in pedagogy. I passed the examination, 
 and was one of the first to receive a teacher's posi- 
 tion in the common schools. I was now obliged to 
 abandon my occupation of carpenter, as my inner 
 conviction urged me to take up the delightful task 
 of teaching. At the age of thirty-five I was chosen 
 head master by my colleagues. This position I held 
 for one year, and thereafter continued teaching as an 
 ordinary instructor. In the course of time I applied 
 for another examination, passed it, and obtained the 
 title of professor. Yet I was obliged to wait until my 
 fortieth year before I was appointed professor of 
 English literature at the Washington University. 
 Here I taught for nineteen years. Last year I was 
 chosen president of the male section for one year. 
 On the fifteenth day of this month, the day after to- 
 morrow, my term of of^ce expires, and, as I am sixty 
 years of age, I shall retire, and for the rest of my life 
 be free to do whatever I choose. Well, I hope to live 
 for some years more, as I am in excellent health. 
 One thing is sure," he smilingly added, " I shall not 
 spend the remainder of my days in indolence." 
 
XI 
 
 AN hour's chat 
 
 " Don't forget, Charles," interposed Mrs. Don- 
 nelly at this point, " that you have not yet retired 
 from your profession. It is half-past nine. I am 
 sure Mr. Burnham will excuse you." 
 
 The president looked at his watch, smiled, and 
 with a word of farewell took his departure. I 
 watched him from the window as he made his way 
 among the passers, responding frequently to the re- 
 spectful greetings of pupils or acquaintances. And 
 after his dignified and erect figure had disappeared 
 from view I continued to gaze at the varied proces- 
 sion of men and women who left or entered the great 
 hotel, busy each in his own vocation. 
 
 " I should think there would be great risk of fire 
 in these tremendous buildings," I remarked at length. 
 
 " Not the slightest," Mrs. Donnelly repHed. 
 
 "Indeed! Why?" 
 
 " For the very simple reason that, with the excep- 
 tion of food, we possess scarcely anything inflam- 
 mable." 
 
 " And how am I to understand that? " 
 
 " Just look about you. Or, better still, begin with 
 
AN HOUR'S CHAT 183 
 
 yourself. Everything you are wearing, from your 
 head to your feet, is fireproof." 
 
 She paused a moment, apparently to enjoy my 
 surprise, and continued : " All our clothing is made 
 of slake-wool, which is obtained from limestone. 
 This slake-wool is so artistically prepared in our fac- 
 tories, that it resembles linen, cotton, wool, silk, 
 hemp, felt, or straw. But this imitation is not the 
 main feature. The main feature is that everything 
 manufactured of this material is absolutely incom- 
 bustible. Lingerie made of slake-linen could, when 
 washed, be hung up in the midst of fire to dry with- 
 out being scorched. Besides clothing we manu- 
 facture curtains, carpets, covers, wall papers, and 
 hundreds of other things of this incombustible slake- 
 wool." 
 
 " It would make excellent drop curtains for your 
 theatres." 
 
 " Yes, and that is not all. From the same source 
 we make the paper for our books and newspapers, 
 as well as our writing paper. From this meagre 
 enumeration you see what an important role it plays 
 with us. But even if we did not possess it, fire would 
 still have no terrors for us. We have a preparation 
 which renders all articles saturated or mixed with it 
 perfectly fireproof. For instance, we mix all our 
 paints with this liquid, and as a result all our paint- 
 ings are fireproof. The wood used for building pur- 
 poses, furniture, works of art, rolling stock, ships, 
 
184 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 and so forth, is first prepared with this fireproof Hq- 
 uid. Thus you see why we have no use for fire- 
 escapes, hydrants, extinguishers. There is practi- 
 cally nothing to burn. In a few places fire might 
 possibly break out. For instance, in our museums 
 we have antiques which have not been prepared. 
 And fire is possible in some factories and in our food 
 storehouses. But every room of these buildings is 
 provided with mechanical extinguishing apparatus, 
 and can be hermetically sealed. If fire does break 
 out the extinguishing apparatus opens automati- 
 cally, and a chemical vapor spreads Hke a cloud and 
 fills the room. At ^the same moment the iron fire 
 doors and windows close, and the fire is smothered 
 at once. The ceiling, walls, and furnishings cannot 
 possibly catch fire, as they are all made of fireproof 
 material. It has happened, very rarely indeed, that 
 the contents of such a room have burned out entirely, 
 but the fire is extinguished, as a rule, as soon as it 
 breaks out. From our earliest years we are taught 
 at school what to do in case fire breaks out, and how 
 to handle the extinguishing apparatus." 
 
 " I don't wonder you take all possible precautions," 
 I remarked. " The objects of art which I see every- 
 where must necessitate extreme care. Indeed, I 
 hardly understand how there could have been marble 
 enough in the world to supply material for all this 
 statuary and all these buildings. Is every man an 
 artist?" 
 
AN HOUR'S CHAT 185 
 
 " By no means. All the marble you see is artifi- 
 cial, and its manufacture is to-day as simple as the 
 making of bricks. Large factories supply us with 
 marble in all sizes, forms, and colors. The fact that 
 you did not recognize it as an imitation shows me 
 clearly how far we have developed this art. Our 
 statues, our vases and carvings are moulded after 
 originals, made by artists. The copies are then 
 touched up, polished, and, in short, treated in such a 
 way that, on leaving the factories, they cannot be 
 distinguished from the originals." 
 
 " I certainly took them for originals," I said, " and 
 I doubt if any man, without the closest scrutiny, 
 could distinguish between original and copy. Are 
 they cast in moulds?" 
 
 " Yes, in the case of our artificial marbles, ivories, 
 and wood carvings. Our pictures, too, are only 
 copies of the masterpieces of the past and present. 
 They are manufactured by a process similar to that 
 by which the oleographs of your time were produced. 
 But of course our machines turn out far superior 
 work. Our paintings on glass are manufactured 
 similarly. After the glass has been printed with all 
 the colors needed, the latter are burned in, and, of 
 course, they last until the glass breaks." 
 
 " What is done with the originals? " 
 
 " All original works of art, whether statues, vases, 
 pictures, carvings, glass-paintings, works in gold, 
 silver, or ivory, naturally belong, as soon as they 
 
186 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 have been finished by the respective artists, to man- 
 kind, and are therefore placed in our museums." 
 
 " Then private persons are no longer able to hold 
 such originals in their possession? " 
 
 "What good would that do? Of what use was 
 it in your time? Did not your rich people pile up 
 treasures of art in their palaces and thereby deprive 
 the people of them? As matters are at present, all 
 our treasures of art can be seen by any one at any 
 hour of the day in our museums. And by means of 
 our magnificent reproductions we call forth in every 
 one a certain appreciation of art, and a certain love 
 of the beautiful and the ideal. Thus new thoughts 
 and ideas are produced, and from these thoughts and 
 ideas new works arise." 
 
 As Mrs. Donnelly ceased speaking I rose and ex- 
 amined with still greater care the objects of art in 
 the drawing-room. But all my artistic judgment was 
 of no avail. I could not have distinguished these 
 imitations from their originals. The pictures on the 
 walls bore not the least resemblance to colored prints. 
 The brushwork was clearly visible, and the pictures 
 had all the life, spirit, and feeling of originals. 
 
 " You would be interested," said Mrs. Donnelly, 
 " to see the decorations of our large buildings. Our 
 theatres, for instance, have walls and ceiling covered 
 with admirable paintings." 
 
 " I should like to see them," I replied. " I remem- 
 
AN UOUR';^ CHAT 187 
 
 ber we thought of going last night. Are they abso- 
 lutely at our disposal? " 
 
 " Absolutely. As Pauline told you, all you need 
 do is draw your numbered check from one of the 
 boxes in the hall of the hotel." 
 
 " And can children attend the theatre? " 
 
 " No, only those who have entered upon their 
 twenty-first year. Minors are not allowed at these 
 evening entertainments. For them special plays are 
 performed in the afternoon, when they are accom- 
 panied by their teachers. For children from eight 
 to fourteen the plays are given between two and three 
 o'clock in the afternoon; for those from fourteen to 
 twenty, from four to six. Of course our authorities 
 take care that minors are taken to see only such plays 
 as are suitable. We regard our theatres, opera 
 houses, concert halls, and circuses as educational in- 
 stitutions. Small children of less than eight years 
 have their amusements in the play schools. For 
 adults the evening's entertainment begins at seven 
 and lasts until about ten." 
 
 " Your theatres must exercise a great influence on 
 the culture and development of the people." 
 
 " They do, no doubt. We have one especially, 
 the Antique Theatre, as we call it, built in the Greek 
 style, where, from time to time, Greek and Latin 
 plays are given. It is near our museums in Morn- 
 ingside Park," 
 
 " I hope to visit your museums before long." 
 
188 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " You shall, very soon. But you will need a guide, 
 for all the catalogues are printed in stenographic 
 characters. Our museums furnish a history of the 
 development of the human race from the most re- 
 mote times down to the present day. In the Park, 
 not far from the museums, are the menagerie, botan- 
 ical gardens, collections of stones, plants, and insects, 
 as well as many other interesting collections. You 
 would enjoy strolling along the streets of Hercu- 
 laneum and Pompeii, old London, old Vienna, Pe- 
 kin, or Cairo. Then you can make an interesting 
 journey around the world, which takes only an hour, 
 in the course of which you pass through the frigid, 
 temperate, and torrid zones, and see all the charac- 
 teristic details of each. Another journey is called 
 ' A Trip Through Space,' and while you are taking it, 
 the sun, moon, and stars fly over your head," 
 
 " A most interesting journey. But I have not seen 
 enough of this world yet, and I am fond of travel. 
 I suppose travelling is easier than formerly." 
 
 " Yes, we travel much more than you did. It costs 
 nothing, and all of us have the necessary leisure. 
 That is, every one has three months in the year at his 
 disposal, which he may employ as he likes. Most 
 of us spend that time in travelling. Besides our ex- 
 presses we have what we call our * snail-trains.' The 
 expresses always take the shortest way, paying no 
 attention to the beauties of nature; their object is to 
 make a journey in the shortest possible time. The 
 
AN HOUR'S CHAT 189 
 
 snail-trains go slowly; in summer they have open 
 cars; and they purposely travel among the most in- 
 teresting and beautiful scenery. Trains of both 
 classes are fitted out most luxuriously, and have every 
 comfort possible. In fact, we can live in them ex- 
 actly as in our hotels. Meals, baths, and beds are at 
 the disposal of every traveller. The slow trains are 
 used very often by our children, whose teachers go 
 with them, and point out the beauties and wonders 
 of nature. Our passenger ships, propelled and 
 managed by electricity, cross the ocean in all direc- 
 tions, and at the same speed as our express trains. 
 Complete trips around the world are mere trifles to- 
 day. Every healthy person visits, at least once dur- 
 ing his life, all the most remarkable localities on the 
 surface of this beautiful earth. i\.nd as there is at 
 present practically no difference between the cities 
 of the earth, or between the manners and customs 
 of the various nationalities, we devote the time spent 
 in travelling mostly to the study of nature." 
 
 " I suppose the bicycle has long since been aban- 
 doned as a means of travel? " 
 
 " Yes. Its only use to-day would be to furnish 
 bodily exercise, and for that purpose there are, and 
 always have been, better substitutes." 
 
 " You have told me something, Mrs. Donnelly," I 
 said, " of the honors you pay to such persons as at- 
 tain eminence in their callings. Is there any special 
 
190 TEE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 deference you pay to their memory after death? Foi 
 instance, have you any special place of burial? " 
 
 "Burial!" cried Mrs. Donnelly in astonishment. 
 " I hardly supposed you would expect to find a ceme- 
 tery in the year 2000. We have none. All our 
 dead are cremated. Our city crematory is on Black- 
 well's Island." 
 
 " I do not wonder at your answer," I replied slowly, 
 " for even a hundred years ago enlightened people 
 already favored this scientific procedure. How long 
 is mourning usually worn? " 
 
 " We have no mourning clothes. At a cremation 
 we wear black clothes, but at other times whatever 
 kind suits us. We mourn, not with our clothes, but 
 in our hearts. If we do not grieve in our heart, the 
 wearing of mourning is an ungodly piece of decep- 
 tion. Young people sometimes wear a black band 
 on the upper left sleeve for about two weeks, but, as 
 I have said, we do not look with much approval on 
 outward symbols of mourning." 
 
 " And your hospitals? " I asked. " You must 
 have many." 
 
 " Yes, we have several. We can scarcely hope to 
 drive out sickness entirely, but according to our sta- 
 tisticians there were eight times as many hospitals 
 in your day as there are now. We have hospitals 
 in the city, on the seashore, on the mountains, and 
 in the valleys; in short, wherever we think that they 
 
AN HOUR'S CHAT 191 
 
 will be of the greatest benefit to our invalids. We 
 can call the doctors from the city hospitals for treat- 
 ment in our dwellings, if we choose, but most invalids 
 prefer to go to hospitals, because there each patient 
 has a separate room, has the best of care, the most 
 skilful physicians, and all the necessary medicines 
 and appurtenances are at hand. But every one does 
 his utmost to avoid falling sick. We devote great 
 attention to the prevention of disease. Epidemics 
 are an impossibility at the present day." 
 
 " You are certainly much cleaner than were the 
 people of my day." 
 
 " Yes. Our manner of life is entirely dififerent, 
 much more in accordance with the dictates of reason, 
 and much more conducive to health. We have en- 
 tirely put an end to many dirty and disease-spread- 
 ing habits. You must have noticed the universal 
 cleanliness which prevails everywhere — in the streets, 
 in our houses, on railway, and in street cars. Our 
 authorities for the enforcement of cleanliness are our 
 women, in whom the love of cleanliness is inborn, 
 and every woman has the right to call to task any 
 one who breaks any rule of health." 
 
 " Yet there must be many diseases which you are 
 unable entirely to stamp out. For instance, con- 
 sumption." 
 
 " Consumption is at present of very rare occur- 
 rence. Our preventive for it is simple, and at the 
 
192 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 disposal of every one : fresh mountain or sea air, sun- 
 light, exercise in the open air, good food, daily baths, 
 and not too much hard work. One who is weak- 
 lunged needs but to avail himself of these natural 
 remedies, and in a short time he will be so strong that 
 the sickness cannot fasten upon him. We find it 
 much simpler and easier to prevent sickness than 
 to cure it. Whether we are right in believing that 
 the men of to-day are taller, stronger, more erect, and 
 healthier than were the people of your day, I must 
 leave to you to decide. Sure it is that to-day every 
 one knows that good looks come from good health, 
 and that good health is the result largely of plenty 
 of exercise in the open air. We are not much ad- 
 dicted to staying indoors. Our children spend most 
 of their time in the open air, and their instruction is 
 given out of doors as far as possible. In addition, 
 we frequently take the children into the mountains 
 or out on the ocean. Our whole city, you might say, 
 is a big garden without dust and dirt. We work only 
 for a few hours a day. Our factories are all provided 
 with the most modern hygienic appliances. In our 
 free times we, too, are as much as possible out of 
 doors. Our hotels are splendidly equipped, and our 
 meals are prepared with due attention to scientific 
 requirements. You see, we make it as difficult as 
 possible for the germs of sickness to take hold of us." 
 " I think you are right, Mrs. Donnelly," I said, 
 as I rose to take my leave. " It seems almost humili- 
 
AN HOUR'S CHAT 193 
 
 ating to admit it, but, so far as I have observed, your 
 men are, in fact, stronger, handsomer, and more erect 
 than were my overworked contemporaries. As for 
 your women, I admit their superiority without shame 
 or hesitation." 
 18 
 
XII 
 
 IN THE AIRSHIP 
 
 It was three o'clock in the afternoon when a rap 
 sounded at the door of my room, a famiUar footstep 
 entered, and the president's voice exclaimed : " Well, 
 are we ready for our voyage in the airship? Con- 
 ditions could not be better. There is scarcely any 
 wind, and the sky is cloudless. Faulkland's vessel 
 ought to do her best to-day." 
 
 " I am ready and waiting," I replied. 
 
 We departed at once, took a car westward at the 
 nearest cross street, a few minutes later descended not 
 far from the shore of the North River, and there 
 entered a luxurious electric carriage, which whirled 
 us rapidly along the green-bordered avenue by the 
 river bank. 
 
 At our left unrolled a varied and fascinating pano- 
 rama. Under the warm sun the waters of the Hud- 
 son sparkled clear, traversed here and there by swift 
 and noiseless ferryboats and crossed by lofty bridges. 
 And on its hither bank lay, in succession, verdant 
 parks and playgrounds, splendid buildings, and, 
 finally, a series of great docks, beside which were 
 moored an endless row of freight vessels. Giant 
 
IN THE AIRSHIP 195 
 
 cranes hoisted the ships' cargoes from their holds 
 and deposited them in electric vans, to be quickly 
 transported into the massive storehouses lying some 
 distance back from shore. 
 
 We had reached our destination, an open space 
 of several hundred yards area, now filled with an 
 animated and restless throng of people. In their 
 midst, resting quietly on a framelike cradle, a short 
 distance above the ground, lay a long, grayish ob- 
 ject, only partially visible to us on account of the 
 crowds that surrounded it. We approached it nearer, 
 threading our way through the moving crowd. 
 
 It was the airship — a ship in fact, so shaped that it 
 could rest and be propelled in the water also. Its 
 body was gray, relieved by decorations in white and 
 gold. A roof, constructed so as to protect the pas- 
 sengers and to diminish the resistance to the air, 
 covered its deck. From its bow and stern, and from 
 several places along its sides, projected various pieces 
 of delicate, truss-hke machinery. And from its sides, 
 a little forward of amidships, there issued two tre- 
 mendous, bat-like wings, like great white sails, now 
 furled and lying nearly horizontal, but vibrating 
 gently, as if impatient to begin their aerial flight. 
 No balloon was visible, nor any trace of one. The 
 vessel's deck looked as though it might easily ac- 
 commodate a hundred passengers. 
 
 We walked carefully around it, viewing from all 
 sides its slender and graceful proportions. 
 
196 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " How does it ascend? " I asked. " I see no bal- 
 loon or gas receptacle. Do the wings raise and keep 
 it in the air? " 
 
 " No, the wings serve only to regulate in general 
 the course of the vessel and to steady it, acting as an 
 aeroplane or parachute. The real motive power is 
 a machine which embodies a most important prin- 
 ciple, lately put in operation, by which the force of 
 gravity may be counteracted to any extent, within 
 the control of the engineer. Thus the vessel, instead 
 of being attracted by the earth, may be repelled by 
 it; that is to say, may have a tendency to ascend in- 
 stead of to descend. This repulsion may be absolutely 
 regulated, and the vessel's ascent and stability in 
 the air assured. Its propulsion and dirigibility are 
 comparatively easy matters, and we have no trouble 
 on those points." 
 
 A ladder-like staircase lay against the side of the 
 vessel. This we mounted, and, climbing to the deck, 
 entered that portion apparently set aside for passen- 
 gers. Among the fifty or more persons there as- 
 sembled, my watchful eye caught sight of Miss Don- 
 nelly, seated in a camp chair by the rail, apparently 
 intently watching the surrounding crowd. Beside 
 her sat Mr. Faulkland, and a third chair, empty and 
 tolded, was leaned against the rail. The president 
 and I went toward them at once. 
 
 " What are our prospects, Mr. Faulkland? " asked 
 
IN TUE AIRSHIP 197 
 
 Air. Donnelly, as soon as the mutual salutations had 
 been exchanged. 
 
 " I don't see how they could be better. The ma- 
 chinery is in working order, and the weather is per- 
 fect," replied the young man, with a smile. " Ex- 
 cept for some accident " 
 
 *' Oh, don't speak of accidents," interrupted Miss 
 Donnelly. " I don't want to think of such a thing. 
 Now, Ned, I'm sure you're wanted elsewhere. Don't 
 wait here any longer. Uncle and Mr. Burnham will 
 take these chairs." 
 
 We all laughed, Mr, Faulkland a little less spon- 
 taneously than the rest of us, and as he walked away, 
 the older gentleman and I adjusted our chairs and 
 sat down. 
 
 "Where is Aunt Harriet?" asked Miss Donnelly. 
 " Isn't she coming? " 
 
 " She felt a little timid about it," the president re- 
 plied, " quite unnecessarily, of course, but I didn't 
 press the matter, and she finally decided to stay at 
 home." 
 
 " Is this your first air voyage, Miss Donnelly? " I 
 asked. 
 
 " Yes. Mr. Faulkland has urged me to go be- 
 fore, but I never have, though ladies do go. But 
 somehow I have never felt like going." 
 
 " Perhaps you never had the mechanism of the 
 vessel thoroughly explained to you," remarked her 
 uncle. 
 
198 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " I think Ned has told me all about it. He is quite 
 engrossed in anything mechanical, you know. In- 
 deed, he ought to be, for this airship is more his in- 
 vention than any one else's. I know it's very im- 
 portant, but I'm not much interested in the details of 
 machinery." 
 
 " That small enclosure amidships, Mr. Burnham," 
 observed the president, " contains the apparatus for 
 wireless telegraphy. If you look through the win- 
 dow you can see it plainly." 
 
 Thus urged, I rose and took a hasty look through 
 the window. On touching the pane of glass, how- 
 ever, I found that it yielded to my pressure, and bent 
 readily, though transparent and to all appearance 
 resembling ordinary glass. 
 
 " The glass is a new invention," the president re- 
 marked. " It can be rolled and cut, like cloth. It 
 will neither burn nor break, nor is it frosted by the 
 cold." 
 
 " You employ wireless telegraphy, then ? " I in- 
 quired. 
 
 " Yes, for almost all purposes, especially where the 
 laying of wires is connected with any difficulty, ex- 
 cept for phototelegrams. Our inventors have not 
 yet succeeded in transmitting photographs by the 
 wireless method. For my part, I believe that the art 
 of wireless telegraphy is now almost at its zenith, ex- 
 cept that the mechanism employed may perhaps be 
 simplified." 
 
IN THE AIRSHIP 109 
 
 At this point the stroke of a bell was heard, and 
 several persons who did not intend to take the trip 
 hurried to land, while other late comers scrambled 
 up the ladder. A second bell was sounded, the sur- 
 rounding crowd fell back, we felt a slight vibration 
 as the internal machinery of the vessel was set in 
 motion, the mighty wings expanded, and amid the 
 cheers of the spectators our airship rose, like a gi- 
 gantic bird, majestically upward, as though borne by 
 invisible hands. 
 
 As we rose. Miss Donnelly's brows contracted, and 
 with an unconscious gesture she laid her hand upon 
 my arm. But her appearance of nervousness in- 
 stantly passed away, and was followed by an expres- 
 sion of rapt enjoyment as our ship mounted higher 
 and higher, until the mighty wings ceased their labor 
 and we seemed to rest perched upon the clouds. We 
 had been ascending vertically, but now our upward 
 movement ceased, and the vessel began ploughing 
 its way forward, with moderate rapidity, in the direc- 
 tion of the Jersey shore, remaining always at the same 
 altitude. 
 
 " How glorious this is ! " exclaimed Miss Donnelly. 
 " It is absolutely god-like! " 
 
 " Look ahead, Mr. Burnham," the president re- 
 marked, " and see what our country lands are like." 
 
 I took the field-glass which he handed me, and 
 gazed beyond the shore over the expanse of what 
 had seemed to be farmland. I could scarcely believe 
 
200 TEE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 the witness of my eyes. Beyond the green margin 
 of the river there stretched miles of rich fields, luxu- 
 riant meadows, wondrous gardens, proud forests, and 
 ghttering ponds. 
 
 Huge buildings, and a countless number of hot- 
 houses stood at regular intervals in the rich green 
 of this splendid vista. Scattered here and there were 
 hundreds of domestic animals, cattle, pigs, sheep, 
 goats, and fowls, some in enclosures, some roaming 
 at large. Men and women were working, aided by 
 a variety of machines, everywhere, in garden, field, 
 meadow, and wood. Over the asphalted country 
 roads large electric wagons, empty or laden, were 
 moving to and fro. And in every direction I saw 
 the fine, silvery arms of the irrigation ditches extend- 
 ing Hke a gigantic network. The most remarkable 
 feature, however, of these model agricultural estab- 
 lishments was the multiplicity of mighty electric 
 lamps, certainly adequate to convert night into day, 
 and to enable men to follow their pursuits uninter- 
 ruptedly. 
 
 " Your farmers must lead an enviable life," I re- 
 marked, as I lowered my field-glass. " They may re- 
 side as gentlemen in New York, and in the morning 
 take the cars to ride afield to their work." 
 
 " Our farmers ! " President Donnelly laughingly 
 replied. " We have none in the sense of a century 
 ago. We should consider it an injustice to relegate 
 thousands of human beings to the wilderness, to rob 
 
IN THE AIRSHIP 201 
 
 them of every opportunity of education and of pleas- 
 ure, to treat them with contempt, though they fur- 
 nished us with the necessaries of Hfe. Every human 
 being now has the same share of the good things of 
 earth." 
 
 " Then how are your farms managed? " 
 " All our farms are operated in accordance with 
 the rules of science. Agriculture is a science highly 
 developed, and must be studied thoroughly. We 
 have succeeded in enhancing the productivity of the 
 soil, and in successfully warding off destructive in- 
 fluences, so that now the fertility of the earth is ex- 
 haustless, and we can have any and every kind of 
 food at any time and in any quantity. Vast expanses 
 of land, which in your time were desert, have been 
 converted into blooming gardens, into fields of wav- 
 ing grain, or majestic forests. These wonderful 
 changes have been wrought by our excellent system 
 of irrigation, as well as by the artful utilization of the 
 sun's heat, and by the artificial heating of the soil. 
 Sterile tracts of land exist no longer. We can, if 
 necessary, even produce grain in water, in sand, even 
 on rocks and barren hills." 
 
 " You doubtless have experimental stations? " 
 
 " We do, and their discoveries are exploited on a 
 
 large scale upon our farms. We employ as fertilizers 
 
 the ofifal of abattoirs and fisheries, kitchen refuse, and 
 
 many other materials once discarded and destroyed." 
 
202 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " I see many machines in use on these farms below 
 us." 
 
 " Yes. The work of cultivating, sowing, hoeing, 
 rolling, cutting, binding, threshing, cleansing, and 
 storing is performed with the aid of machines, and 
 farm labor has become a source of pleasure and of 
 health. Fish are either bred in large ponds, or are 
 obtained by means of electricity from rivers, lakes, 
 and the sea. Poultry are kept in large yards, and 
 thousands of electric hatching-machines are in opera- 
 tion in houses built especially for this purpose. The 
 stables in which our cattle are kept are far superior 
 to those of your time. They are scrupulously clean, 
 high, large, and well lighted and ventilated. The 
 floor is of cement, the walls and ceiling are of arti- 
 ficial marble. Pure, fresh water runs before each 
 animal. Automatic feeding-apparatus are provided; 
 milking-machines conduct the milk from the animal 
 either into cans or into machines for making butter 
 and cheese. Bathing-troughs, furnished with run- 
 ning water, and shower baths afford refreshment to 
 the creatures, when inclemency of weather precludes 
 bathing in open air. Our game is kept in enclosed 
 forest reservations, and is provided for like our cattle. 
 We no longer hunt animals for wanton sport." 
 
 " Your methods could hardly be improved on." 
 
 " No. Modern agriculture and forestry are re- 
 duced to the exactitude of factory work. Famines, 
 such as occurred with appalling regularity in India, 
 
IN THE AIRSHIP 203 
 
 Russia, and elsewhere, are an impossibility. No 
 more do we hear of human beings starving by thou- 
 sands; superabundance of the necessaries of life ob- 
 tains everywhere. Wars and epidemics, whereby 
 one part of humanity perished to save another from 
 starvation, are no longer needful evils. Our rational, 
 scientific procedure in producing and obtaining the 
 various foods, guarantees to every human being a 
 full stomach, and this full stomach produces content- 
 ment with our institutions. Content or discontent 
 arises for the most part from the stomach." 
 
 " Very true. I don't know that I ever thought of 
 it in those terms. Indeed, I don't know that I ever 
 considered whether content was desirable." 
 
 " At all events, the farmer was seldom content. 
 And the dwellers in cities rarely beheld the beauty 
 of rural life. They were, therefore, almost entirely 
 ignorant of the most necessary occupation of man- 
 kind ; namely, the production of the different kinds of 
 food. If they ever chanced to go into the country, 
 then they looked with contempt upon the farmer, be- 
 cause they did not know much about him. Nor were 
 the farmers placed in better circumstances. When- 
 ever they would come into the city, their rusticity 
 of manners called forth ridicule. Being strangers 
 to the refinements of life, to science, literature, and 
 art, they did not believe that the achievements of 
 science could be of any benefit to them." 
 
 For perhaps twenty minutes our airship had con- 
 
204 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 tinued in its course due west. Now, turning north- 
 ward, and soon veering to the east, it gradually ap- 
 proached again the waters of the Hudson, which for 
 some time had been invisible to us. Below stretched 
 an apparently limitless expanse of verdant farmlands, 
 while afar we caught a glimpse of the white towers 
 and buildings of the great city, reflecting the rays of 
 the descending sun. Miss Donnelly leaned forward, 
 and, bending over the rail, gazed intently at the land- 
 scape below. 
 
 " How I should like to bring the children out into 
 this lovely country ! " she exclaimed. " x\nd look ! 
 Wherever we pass, the people in the fields stop and 
 shade their eyes and look up at us, just Hke the pic- 
 ture at the museum. It is too amusing ! " 
 
 " Would you bring your classes out in an airship, 
 Miss Donnelly? " I asked. 
 
 " No, indeed. They would all jump overboard. 
 I shouldn't have a moment's peace. I will take them 
 out by car. You know, it is part of their school 
 work." 
 
 ''Indeed!" 
 
 " Yes," said President Donnelly, " the teachers 
 accompany their classes once a week on a visit to our 
 farms. The employees conduct them through, ex- 
 plaining to them everything about the fields, stables, 
 greenhouses, poultry-yards, fish ponds, and so on. 
 It goes without saying that this course of instruction 
 in husbandry is graded. The little ones receive 
 
IN THE AIRSHIP 205 
 
 merely object lessons, while the older pupils are re- 
 quired to demonstrate what knowledge they have 
 acquired. For this end we have provided miniature 
 farms. Here they are taught agriculture and the 
 use of the various tools and machines. Children that 
 show a marked predilection for this kind of work 
 receive special care and training. Every child per- 
 forms annually about forty days' farm labor. All 
 in all, we have about five hundred and sixty days 
 spent in husbandry by each child. It stands to rea- 
 son that a child of even moderate ability must thus 
 learn considerable of that art which supplies all 
 things necessary for food." 
 
 " And you know, Uncle Charles," added Miss Don- 
 nelly, " that tlie vacations bring the children into the 
 country in the summer months," 
 
 " Yes, that helps them also. You see, Mr. Burn- 
 ham, we try by the inductive method to render edu- 
 cation not irksome, but agreeable. Still, we do not 
 profess to make practical husbandmen in this man- 
 ner. This course of instruction serves merely to 
 awaken an interest. All children who manifest a 
 predilection for husbandry are, on reaching their 
 twentieth year, if they consent, taken in charge by 
 experienced husbandmen, and thoroughly instructed 
 in that branch for which they show the greatest apti- 
 tude. In case there should ever be a scarcity of farm 
 laborers, which has never as yet occurred, but which 
 may happen, all young men from twenty to twenty- 
 
206 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 five years of age may be summoned to render assist- 
 ance. This same rule applies also to all kinds of 
 labor which do not involve particular mental apti- 
 tude." 
 
 " What finally becomes of the young volunteer 
 farm laborers?" I asked. 
 
 " A large number find happiness in their whole- 
 some occupation and espouse it for life. Then there 
 are many who are in precarious health, and who of 
 their own free will apply for farm work. You can 
 readily understand that our youth, instructed as they 
 are in the art of farming, do not in the least resemble 
 the farmers of your epoch. Every one of them is 
 an educated man, who works but four hours a day 
 on an average. As most of our farms are near our 
 cities, or at least not far distant, and as electric con- 
 veyance is in use everywhere, every farm laborer, 
 his work done for the day, may reach the heart of 
 the city in a short time, where hotels, theatres, con- 
 certs, and other places of amusement and instruction 
 are at his disposal. In fact, most of them dwell in 
 town. Yet there are some few, for whom it would 
 be impossible on account of the great distance to 
 ride home every day. These spend their leisure time 
 in specially built and comfortably furnished country 
 houses. For the most part these people went to 
 these distant places of their own accord. Nor are 
 they cut off from the world altogether. They re- 
 ceive newspapers daily, books are at their disposal. 
 
IN THE AIR8niP 207 
 
 as are also telegraphic and telephonic communica- 
 tion, games, music, and other diversions." 
 
 During the president's last remarks our vessel, 
 favored by a light breeze which had sprung up, had 
 shot rapidly eastward, crossed the waters of the Hud- 
 son, and now, with slightly diminished speed, was 
 sailing high over the city of New York itself. 
 
 " We might easily call it Garden City," I said, as I 
 gazed downward over the airship's side, " for the 
 parks and hotel roofs make it seem like one huge gar- 
 den." 
 
 " Yes," added Miss Donnelly, " the roof gardens 
 are the flower beds, the parks are the turf spaces, and 
 the streets and avenues are the gravel paths. If we 
 were giants we would step out into the paths and 
 walk about, our heads high above the tops of the 
 hotels." 
 
 " What an idea it gives of our own insignificance, 
 to see those black specks below us, and to know that 
 each one is a human being like ourselves! " 
 
 " x\nd see ! They are waving their hats and shout- 
 ing, apparently, though I can't hear a sound. Dear 
 me ! We are passing them all, and here we are al- 
 most over the East River." 
 
 " That must be Blackwell's Island," I continued. 
 " What are those splendid buildings among the gar- 
 dens and the trees, with roads leading ofif in all direc- 
 tions?" 
 
 " Those," replied the president, " are our asylums 
 
208 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 for the blind, the crippled, the deaf mutes, and the 
 insane. These unfortunates are under the care of 
 the very best physicians and teachers, and many 
 cures are effected. As far as their faculties permit, 
 they make themselves useful in various manufactur- 
 ing establishments which we have provided for them, 
 and some of their workmanship is extraordinarily 
 good. By means of libraries, theatres, concerts, and 
 various other instructive entertainments we try to 
 mitigate, so far as possible, the sadness of their lot." 
 
 " And that tall, dark building," I exclaimed, " at 
 the end of the island, surrounded by weeping willows 
 — it had almost escaped my notice. But you need 
 not tell me. Its appearance proclaims its character. 
 It is your crematory." 
 
 The president rose, and, folding his camp stool, laid 
 it against the rail. 
 
 " I shall be back presently," he remarked. " I 
 must go and talk a little to some of the officials." 
 
 " Are you interested in all that the president has 
 been telling me. Miss Donnelly? " I asked, as that 
 gentleman slowly walked away to join a group at the 
 centre of the deck. " He is very good to enlighten 
 my ignorance as to the various ways in which men 
 are working for the improvement of their fellow- 
 men." 
 
 " I am ashamed to say I heard very little of it. It 
 is hard to think of one's fellow-man when one is soar- 
 ing like a bird through space in this glorious way." 
 
IN THE AIRSHIP 209 
 
 " Not very flattering to the fellow-man at your 
 side," I remarked. 
 
 She laughed. 
 
 " Oh, I find no difficulty in remembering your ex- 
 istence." 
 
 " I am surprised that so trivial a matter is retained 
 in your memory. " 
 
 " One sometimes is retentive of small details." 
 
 " You must be proud of Mr. Faulkland's success 
 with his airship," I continued. 
 
 " I suppose I am. I had never thought much 
 about it." 
 
 " Faulkland is a clever man." 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " And a fine fellow." 
 
 " Of course." She turned and looked at me. 
 " Do you think I need to be reminded of Mr. Faulk- 
 land's virtues? " 
 
 " By no means. But I can't speak ill of him." 
 
 " Then why speak of him at all? " 
 
 " I must." 
 
 " Why ? Don't you like him ? " 
 
 " Except for one thing, very much." 
 
 "What is that?" 
 
 " You surely know." 
 
 "No. What is it?" 
 
 " You love him." 
 
 She quickly turned her face from me and gazed 
 out into the warm, sunlit space. 
 14 
 
210 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 "Do I? "she said. 
 
 Then, after an instant, sitting erect in her chair, 
 and looking down at her folded hands, which tightly 
 clasped each other in her lap, she continued : 
 
 " And what do you think of this new world of ours? 
 There is nothing but peace and happiness left in it, 
 is there? One has no business to have a troubled 
 mind. If he has, the difificulty lies with him. We 
 marry young — what I call young — and then we're 
 more contented. I should have married long ago 
 if I had been as rational as those about me. So you 
 will be one of us, of course, and you will adopt all 
 our institutions, and you must marry, too. Let me 
 see, what girl do I know who will be the one you 
 want ? " 
 
 " Miss Donnelly," I said, " there is just one reason 
 now why I shall never marry." 
 
 " What is it? . . . No, no! " she added quickly, 
 as my lips parted, and she looked into my face. 
 " Don't speak ! See, we are almost home. We have 
 crossed the city again, and in a minute we shall be 
 over the Hudson once more. How I have enjoyed 
 our sail — or flying. What shall I call it? I wish 
 Aunt Harriet could have been with us. And here 
 comes Ned! " 
 
 Faulkland's step sounded sharp on the boarded 
 deck as he came forward, warm and smiling, to greet 
 us. His hands and uniform bore traces of dust and 
 oil, and his face was flushed and streaked with grime. 
 
IN THE AIRSHIP 211 
 
 but his whole appearance bespoke the satisfaction he 
 felt at the successful termination of the trial of his 
 vessel. 
 
 " I congratulate you, Ned," said Miss Donnelly. 
 " Your ship behaved splendidly." 
 
 " Yes, we could ask nothing better. Now that 
 we have succeeded in our trial trips we shall enter 
 for the world's competition, and I feel confident we 
 stand the best of chances to have our type of vessel 
 universally adopted. But where is President Don- 
 nelly?" 
 
 " I really don't know. Oh, yes, there he is, in that 
 group at the centre of the deck. Tell me, Ned, what 
 are those little pieces of machinery that come out at 
 the boat's side, just below us? I see small wheels 
 revolving, but I don't understand what they are for." 
 
 " It is rather difificult to explain, unless you under- 
 stand the whole system of our machinery. Come 
 below, and I'll show you the engines and machines, 
 and explain them to you." 
 
 " No, not now. I don't want to go down into that 
 stuffy engine-room, when we can stay out in this 
 splendid air." 
 
 " But I really wish you would, Pauline. You have 
 never had patience to listen to my explanations, and 
 I am sure that if you only see it you will be inter- 
 ested." 
 
 " Very well, then, if you insist. Come, Mr. Burn- 
 ham." And, with a quick gesture, she rose. " Here, 
 
212 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 Ned, take my jacket, please. No, your hands are 
 too soiled. Mr. Burnham, will you be good enough 
 to take it?" 
 
 Lifting her jacket from the chair where it lay, she 
 tossed it to me. I raised my hand to catch it, but 
 Faulkland, laughing, sprang forward and intercepted 
 it — unfortunately, without success, for as he touched 
 it a gust of wind caught it, raised it in the air, and out 
 it fluttered over the vessel's side. 
 
 Miss Donnelly gave a little scream and ran to the 
 rail, Faulkland and I following. Suddenly the vibra- 
 tion of the machinery stopped, our vessel gave a 
 lurch, ceased its onward motion, and listed heavily 
 to the side on which we were. Steadying ourselves 
 by the rail, while behind us sounded the exclamations 
 of the startled passengers, we looked down over the 
 side to discern the cause of the trouble. There it was 
 — Miss Donnelly's jacket, caught in one of the deli- 
 cate pieces of projecting machinery, where it hung 
 fluttering in the breeze, and clogging the movement 
 of the wheels. 
 
 The airship was listing more and more. Faulk- 
 land, with an impatient exclamation, clambered up 
 and over the rail, and, supporting himself by one of 
 the numerous hanging ropes, and by stepping on the 
 small metal projections that occurred at regular in- 
 tervals along the side, descended with great skill and 
 agility, and, holding the rope with his right hand, 
 
IN THE AIRSHIP 213 
 
 with his left disentangled the jacket from the delicate 
 network of wheels and rods. 
 
 No sooner was the obstruction removed than the 
 airship, in its efifort to regain its equilibrium, swung 
 back with a rebound that carried it almost an equal 
 distance over on the other side. With some diffi- 
 culty Miss Donnelly and I retained our hold on the 
 rail, against which in another instant we were flung 
 with violence as the vessel careened again. The 
 same thought was in both our minds. Horror- 
 stricken, and with an anticipation of the worst, we 
 steadied ourselves and gazed over the side. 
 
 He was hanging in mid-air, swung out from his 
 foothold by the airship's rocking, gripping the rope 
 with both hands, and apparently waiting, with more 
 coolness than I should have dared to hope, for an op- 
 portunity to plant his foot again against the metal 
 rests on the vessel's side. 
 
 Miss Donnelly had looked with me, and, as I had 
 done, had taken in the situation at a glance. In- 
 stantly a shriek rang out, choked aud cut short as she 
 tightened her lips, realizing the efifect it might have 
 on the man below. 
 
 He had heard, and looked up. That look, the 
 diversion of his attention, loosened the clutch of his 
 hands, the rope swung loose, and we saw his slender 
 body fall straight, like a plummet, and disappear in 
 the waters below. 
 
 Almost simultaneously with the plash there shot 
 
214 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 up obliquely from the surface of the water, just be- 
 low us, a long, oily-looking, dark-green object, like 
 the back of a great fish. Emerging so that its 
 rounded back projected a. few feet above the sur- 
 face, it rolled over again, like a porpoise, and disap- 
 peared. 
 
 Our airship had been a hundred feet or so above 
 the river. It had stopped its onward course at once, 
 and now descended gently and quietly, until it rested 
 in the water and the waves played against its sides. 
 And in another instant through the depths of the 
 river there shot powerful shafts of light, making 
 luminous and constantly shifting pathways, in whose 
 course we could discern the moving fish, and here 
 and there some floating object. 
 
 Miss Donnelly had retained her position, holding 
 with both hands to the vessel's rail, and gazing into 
 the waters with set and stony face. I approached 
 her nearer. She looked up at me as if waking from 
 a dream, then quickly turned away, and flung up both 
 her hands to hide her face. 
 
 " Leave me ! " she muttered. " Leave me forever! 
 I hate you ! " 
 
XIII 
 
 A SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT 
 
 As early after daybreak on the following morning 
 as I thought I might expect to find people stirring, I 
 issued from my room and sought the president's 
 apartment. 
 
 Our return to land on the previous afternoon had 
 been in melancholy contrast to our departure. The 
 airship had, indeed, realized all the hopes of its in- 
 ventors, but gratification at its success was over- 
 whelmed in universal sorrow and anxiety as to the 
 fate of its young engineer. Miss Donnelly, for whom 
 much sympathy was expressed, had after the acci- 
 dent been consigned to the care of her uncle, and I, 
 therefore, had been left to my own devices, with no 
 way of rendering assistance or even of expressing 
 my solicitude. 
 
 But early as I made my morning call on the presi- 
 dent, he was already absent, and Mrs. Donnelly re- 
 ceived me at the door. 
 
 " Is there any news ? " was my first question. 
 
 " We shall know in a few moments," Mrs. Don- 
 nelly replied. " The president is in the office now, 
 at the telephone, trying to learn something definite." 
 
216 TEE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " How is Miss Donnelly? " I continued. 
 
 " She was much disturbed and hysterical at first, 
 but after the immediate shock was past she behaved 
 with great courage. She refused to let me stay with 
 her, and she insists that Mr. Faulkland is safe. I 
 hope she feels as sure as she pretends. Poor girl! 
 And to-day is Graduation Day, which she expected to 
 enjoy so much ! " 
 
 "Do you think Mr. Faulkland is safe?" 
 
 " Mr. Donnelly is inclined to think so. You know 
 the general impression is that he must have been 
 picked up by the submarine boat, which happened 
 to be going down river as your airship was return- 
 ing, and which apparently dove after him as soon 
 as he was seen to fall. The only remarkable cir- 
 cumstance in that case is that we have received no 
 message." 
 
 As she was concluding her sentence a rapid and 
 familiar footfall was heard approaching along the cor- 
 ridor, the door opened, and the president appeared. 
 
 " Faulkland is safe ! " he exclaimed — " safe, that 
 is, in having been rescued from the water. It re- 
 mains to be seen how he recovers from the concus- 
 sion of his fall." 
 
 " Tell us more about it, Charles," said Mrs. Don- 
 nelly. 
 
 " Well, as we all hoped, he was picked up by the 
 new submarine boat, which, as it happened, was pro- 
 ceeding down the North River to be ready for her 
 
A SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT Jil? 
 
 own trial trip off Sandy Hook to-day. But the 
 shock of the fall was so great that Faulkland was un- 
 conscious when he was rescued, and remained so for 
 most of the night. It was only this morning that he 
 revived sufificiently to disclose his identity and per- 
 mit his rescuers to notify his friends. He has been 
 taken to the hospital, and we hope soon to have a 
 report from the physicians and to know definitely the 
 extent of his injuries." 
 
 " I am thankful it is no worse ! " Mrs. Donnelly ex- 
 claimed. " And I am doubly thankful for Pauline's 
 sake. The poor girl actually felt herself responsible 
 for the accident. She called herself a murderess, and 
 declared that she regretted a hundred times her 
 fickleness toward Ned. I must go and see her at 
 once." 
 
 " I wish there was something I could do," I said. 
 " I feel in a measure responsible for Faulkland's mis- 
 hap, and my mind would be easier if I could be occu- 
 pied this morning in some effort to be of help." 
 
 " There is nothing you or any of us can do," re- 
 plied the president, " except to hope. But to-day is 
 our Graduation Day, and if you are unoccupied you 
 might be diverted by coming to our graduation ex- 
 ercises at the university. It is our last day of school, 
 you know. We have various addresses this morn- 
 ing, among them one by myself, and this afternoon 
 occur our procession of students and flower festival. 
 It is usually a very joyful occasion. I confess my 
 
218 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 spirits are dampened by yesterday's adventure, but as 
 there promise to be no serious results, I think we 
 may try not to allow it to depress us unduly." 
 
 " Of course I shall be glad to come," I answered. 
 " What time are the exercises? " 
 
 " At ten o'clock, in the large hall — the hall which 
 you should remember, as it was there that you were 
 born into our world." 
 
 At this point Mrs. Donnelly disappeared into an 
 inner room, and, presently reappearing in street cos- 
 tume, hurried away to join her niece. The president 
 and I went down to breakfast. Breakfast over, we 
 departed, he to take up his duties at the university, 
 and I to kill as best I could the two or more hours 
 that intervened between that time and ten o'clock. 
 
 At half-past nine I presented myself at the univer- 
 sity, and followed the moving crowd into the large 
 amphitheatre, where, two days before, I had opened 
 my eyes upon the world of a new century. The rear 
 half of the hall was already well filled with spectators; 
 the front portion and the stage were unoccupied, 
 awaiting the arrival of the students and faculty, 
 
 I had not long to wait. Soon orchestral music 
 was heard, the large folding doors opened, and the 
 procession entered; first the faculty, headed by the 
 president, then the army of students, girls and youths, 
 who advanced quickly, took their places, and waited 
 in silence for the beginning of the exercises. 
 
 A hymn was sung, in which all joined, students 
 
A SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT 219 
 
 and spectators. Then the music came to a close, a 
 moment's hush intervened, and President Donnelly 
 arose and stepped to the desk at the front of the 
 stage. 
 
 " Presuming, my young friends," he began, " that 
 you desire to step out into the world with a clear vis- 
 ion of this new sphere of your activities, and of your 
 own rights and responsibilities in it, I will take this 
 occasion to review briefly the general course of your 
 instruction during the past few years, and to present 
 before your minds again the familiar picture of that 
 great family of which we all form a part. It will be 
 necessary to review first principles, in order to arrive 
 at a fuller understanding of our subject. 
 
 " You know most of our work nowadays is either 
 performed in factories, or in a factory-like manner. 
 Let this be our starting-point. Well, every one of 
 our factories employs, according to circumstances, 
 from five thousand to ten thousand persons, nine- 
 tenths of whom are males. Children are not em- 
 ployed. Women and grown-up girls — that is, such 
 as are above twenty years of age, if applying of their 
 own accord for factory work — are accepted only 
 where absolutely necessary. 
 
 " You will understand that these thousands of 
 workers need competent supervision. Now, these 
 supervisors are selected in a very simple manner. 
 Let us take, for example, a factory in which ten 
 thousand people are employed, and let us see how 
 
230 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 the necessary foremen, inspectors, etc., are procured. 
 We proceed as follows: Each squad, consisting of 
 twenty workmen, chooses from among its number 
 the most competent laborer to be their foreman. In 
 this manner ten thousand workmen receive five hun- 
 dred foremen, who are responsible for the quantity 
 and quality of the finished product. As a matter 
 of course, each of these foremen has charge of his 
 own twenty men only. Each company of twenty 
 foremen chooses from its midst the most capable man 
 as chief foreman, whose duty it is to control the fin- 
 ished product of the four hundred workmen and 
 twenty foremen under him. Hence, our factory has, 
 besides five hundred foremen, twenty-five chief fore- 
 men. 
 
 " These twenty-five chief foremen choose from 
 their number five preeminently capable men as in- 
 spectors, and from these five inspectors the best is 
 chosen director of the factory. The directors of all 
 the factories of New York, in turn, choose from 
 their midst the most competent as director-general. 
 This director-general has his oi^ce in the City Hall 
 and all the factories of New York are under his con- 
 trol. Hence, you see the management of all our fac- 
 tories is intrusted to the very best men only. They 
 all have studied their business in its entirety, and 
 hence are most capable of managing affairs wisely. 
 
 " Warehouses, agricultural establishments, rail- 
 ways, navigation companies, electric street-car serv- 
 
A SCHEME OF GOVERXMENT 221 
 
 ice, mail service, telegraphic and telephonic service, 
 printing establishments, and, in general, all indus- 
 tries in which it suffices to possess the knowledge 
 requisite, plus industry, honesty, frugality, and tem- 
 perance, in order to rise upwards round by round, 
 are regulated in the foregoing manner. A different 
 matter it is, however, to rise to eminence in the 
 learned professions, such as engineering, architec- 
 ture, medicine, and teaching; or, briefly, in such 
 vocations as require not only knowledge, but also 
 talent, and frequent examinations by State boards, 
 in order to insure success. With poets, composers, 
 sculptors, painters, actors, singers, inventors, and 
 savants, with all professions requiring genius, and, 
 as I might say, stupendous achievements, rising to 
 eminence is again a different matter. But no mat- 
 ter how the officers of all these organizations are 
 chosen, each of them sends only its very best repre- 
 sentative to our parliament. Organizations com- 
 posed of women only have only female representa- 
 tives in parliament, while those composed of both 
 men and women send both male and female delegates. 
 Each representative has an office in the City Hall, 
 and there are no differences of rank. The director- 
 general of our factories, for instance, is peer to the 
 president of authors, to the directress-general of our 
 hotels, to the physician-general, etc. These men and 
 women, the elite of the entire population of the city, 
 finally choose our two highest city officials, the mayor 
 
222 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 and the mayoress. We expect from women the same 
 active cooperation for the common good that we 
 expect from men. Why, then, should we deny them 
 the right of representation? That great wrong of 
 former days exists no longer. Women are repre- 
 sented by women all the world over. 
 
 " Let us now consider how our officials are elected. 
 Our elections occur in the month of December, our 
 officials-elect enter upon their duties the first of Jan- 
 uary following, and remain in ofifice for one year, and 
 for one year only. Every post to which an individ- 
 ual is chosen by the vote of his comrades Is a post of 
 honor, without emolument, and eventually with an 
 increase of labor. Therefore we consider it an in- 
 justice to force the heavy burden of city or State 
 management upon an individual for several years. 
 And our affairs do not suffer in consequence of these 
 frequent elections. We have no affairs of State in 
 the sense of former centuries. War and politics are 
 matters of the past. Our elections take up little 
 time, and election riots and frauds are impossibilities. 
 
 " As to the qualification of our ofificials, it is a fore- 
 gone conclusion, since they all had to begin with the 
 most simple and subordinate positions and work their 
 way upward, that they must have accomplished some- 
 thing extraordinary in order to remain conspicuous 
 among their comrades. They have no will of their 
 own when the common good is at stake. They may 
 
A SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT 223 
 
 express their opinions, like every one else, but that 
 is all. They must obey the will of the masses, 
 
 " Now let us proceed, in imagination, to the City 
 Hall, and see how business is transacted there on the 
 first of December. All our representatives, male 
 and female, assemble in the spacious hall, and after 
 short addresses by the mayor and the mayoress still 
 in ofBce, the election takes place. The women 
 choose the future mayoress, and the men the future 
 mayor, from among themselves. The election, con- 
 ducted in a manner similar to that which obtains in 
 our hotels and factories, is by ballot, each ballot 
 signed by the person casting it, and the man and 
 woman receiving the most votes are chosen mayor 
 and mayoress for the ensuing year, beginning Jan- 
 uary first. 
 
 " Mayor and mayoress are, so to speak, but one 
 person, inasmuch as all measures relative to munici- 
 pal affairs must be approved by both. If they fail to 
 agree, six male and six female representatives are 
 chosen by lot to act as jury and render a decision. 
 But this rarely occurs, since, as a rule, all measures 
 proposed are for the good of both sexes. 
 
 " For example, some years ago a number of women 
 desired to have the age at which the right of drink- 
 ing begins changed from twenty to twenty-five years. 
 A few even wanted to have the use of wine and beer 
 entirely abolished. Our mayor and mayoress dis- 
 agreed, and a jury was chosen. Of these seven were 
 
224 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 averse to any change, and five favored an increase 
 of the age limit, so, of course, things remained in 
 statu quo. 
 
 " But in this case, even if prohibition had been de- 
 cided on in this city by its own citizens, the city of 
 New York would have had to seek the suffrage of 
 two-thirds of the cities of the State, and thereafter 
 the governor of this State would have been obliged 
 to obtain the support of two-thirds of the remaining 
 States. Even then the prohibition would not have 
 become effectual, either in this city or throughout 
 North America, though the movement would have 
 been properly begun. New York cannot legislate 
 for itself in such matters. A custom must obtain 
 with the consent of the whole world, or not at all. 
 It would have been necessary for the President-Gen- 
 eral of the United States of North America to obtain 
 the assent of the presidents of South America, Eu- 
 rope, Asia, Africa, and Australia, or at least of two- 
 thirds of them, before prohibition could go into ef- 
 fect here or the age limit could be increased. And 
 this same method applies to the rescinding, as well 
 as to the making, of laws. 
 
 " To pursue this same subject a little more in de- 
 tail, each citizen learns, daily, from his newspaper, 
 throughout the world, of every new measure or law 
 proposed. He thus has time to consider the sub- 
 ject and form an opinion. In due time meetings of 
 the citizens are called and held, the matters are dis- 
 
A SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT 225 
 
 cussed, votes are taken, and resolutions embodying 
 the sense of the meetings are passed and engrossed. 
 These resolutions are sent to the mayor and may- 
 oress, thence to the governor of the State, who, in 
 turn, transmits them to the governors of the remain- 
 ing States, and finally the consensus of opinion of all 
 the States, in the form of resolutions passed at popu- 
 lar meetings, reaches the national capital. Now, as 
 the same method is followed simultaneously in all 
 cities and States throughout the world, the presi- 
 dents, male and female, of the six continents receive 
 almost at the same time the opinions of all men on 
 the measure or law proposed. If there be a majority 
 of two-thirds of all humanity, the minority must obey. 
 In this manner are decided all questions which con- 
 cern all mankind. 
 
 " But let us return to our elections. As I re- 
 marked a few moments ago, all our elections are held 
 in the month of December. Mayors are elected on 
 the first day of this month; governors on the fifth; 
 governors-general on the tenth, and presidents on 
 the fifteenth. The mayors and mayoresses of all the 
 cities of a State convene in the capital of that State 
 on December fifth, and there choose the future gov- 
 ernor and governess in precisely the same manner 
 from their midst, as they themselves have been chosen 
 from among the representatives. On the tenth of 
 December the governors and governesses of ten 
 contiguous States convene in the capital of the most 
 15 
 
226 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 central of these ten States, and there choose from 
 their midst the future governor-general and the 
 future governess-general, who are to preside over 
 these ten States during the ensuing year. On De- 
 cember fifteenth all the governors and governesses- 
 general of North America convene in the national 
 capital — Chicago — and there elect from their midst 
 the future president and the future presidentess of 
 the United States of North America. These two 
 personages are the highest officers of the continent. 
 
 " In our present scheme of government we believe 
 we realize humanity's most beautiful dream, govern- 
 ment of the people, by the people, and for the peo- 
 ple. Our government officers come forth from the 
 midst, aye, even from the heart of the people. Their 
 only duty, from the lowliest to the loftiest, is to see 
 that the will of the majority is carried out. They 
 cannot prescribe or dictate. They possess so much 
 of power only as shall effectuate the will of the ma- 
 jority. 
 
 " Now, what is the will of the majority? Human 
 nature has not changed. It has always been the wish 
 of most individuals to have the best things at all 
 times for themselves. Such individuals are called 
 * egoists.' Is egoism extinct ? 
 
 " Money exists no longer, we have no private 
 enterprises, no millionaires, no princes, or grandees. 
 There only exist men, and each one possesses as much 
 as another. We have equal rights and equal duties. 
 
A SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT 227 
 
 There is no longer room for any individual will to 
 dictate to another; this world, as it exists to-day, has 
 been created by the combined will of the great mass 
 of people. And the people desire merely the most 
 beautiful and the best for themselves; so, having 
 the power and the right to accomplish their will, they 
 create an ideal world, containing naught but the most 
 beautiful and the best. 
 
 " But does not the will of the great mass of people 
 consist of so many millions of individual wills? And 
 is it not the will of every man to possess the most 
 beautiful and the best for himself only? Yes, every 
 individual still longs and yearns for the most beauti- 
 ful and the best for himself only, as of yore, and, 
 seeing that this can be accomplished only by uniting 
 himself with others who hold the same view, he unites 
 himself with those others. He wants the most beau- 
 tiful and the best for himself, and as there is no other 
 way, he consents that those who aided him in attain- 
 ing his object shall also enjoy the same advantages. 
 
 " This united egoism of countless millions of hu- 
 man beings is no longer egoism. It is the confrater- 
 nization of all mankind, that stupendous force which 
 has prevailed to transmute the valley of tears of for- 
 mer days into this terrestrial paradise of the present. 
 
 " I said a few moments ago that everybody on 
 reaching the age of twenty years enters some useful 
 employment. Hence, every individual belongs to 
 some union, and is, therefore, both qualified to vote 
 
228 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 and eligible to office. Let us assume that such a 
 young person, male or female, has extraordinary 
 luck, is promoted the very first year, and rises an- 
 nually step by step to the highest pinnacle. Let us 
 consider that possibility. It is a possibiHty, though 
 hitherto no one has been so successful. Let us as- 
 sume the case of a young man of twenty years enter- 
 ing a factory. You will remember that we do not 
 regard such a stripling as fully competent, but merely 
 as an aid to his elders. Of course, it is a foregone 
 conclusion that no one can, in our training schools, 
 acquire such perfection as makes him peer to an ac- 
 complished artisan. Our schools do not pretend to 
 send forth perfect artisans. Our youth are taught 
 in various trades merely for the purpose of develop- 
 ing their bodily strength, of awakening in them an 
 interest in manual labor, and of familiarizing them 
 with the use of tools and machinery. Now, if such 
 a young man enters one of our large factories, it re- 
 quires at least five years before he can say that he 
 understands his business. But, as you know, the 
 understanding of a trade does not imply perfection 
 therein. Hence, five additional years are requisite, 
 and perhaps even more, according to the capacity 
 of an individual, before some degree of perfection 
 is acquired. Thus the young man would be at least 
 thirty years of age before his comrades could per- 
 ceive that he was really fit for promotion. 
 
 " Then, again, in a factory employing from five to 
 
A SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT 229 
 
 ten thousand people there would doubtless be many 
 just as competent as he, and of these certainly not 
 a few who had been employed in the same occupation 
 for a longer time. And it is a matter of policy with 
 us to advance older people first. Our young man 
 may, therefore, account himself lucky if at the age 
 of thirty-five years he is chosen foreman. Assum- 
 ing circumstances the most favorable, he would at 
 thirty-six years of age become chief foreman; at 
 thirty-seven inspector; at thirty-eight director; at 
 thirty-nine director-general; at forty mayor; at forty- 
 one governor; at forty-two governor-general; and, 
 finally, at forty-three years of age he would become 
 President of the United States of North America. 
 And, as I said, I am assuming a most favorable case. 
 " Now let us see how old a president would be if 
 he had been a teacher. On leaving school at the age 
 of twenty years, a graduate is by no means prepared 
 to teach. By day our would-be teacher performs 
 four hours of manual labor. In the evening he at- 
 tends the special teachers' course at one of our uni- 
 versities. If he be fortunate, he may, at the age of 
 twenty-five years, pass the teachers' examination. 
 Of course, he must wait until he is needed. He may 
 be thirty before he receives an appointment as teacher 
 in the public schools. Should he wish to advance 
 higher, he must pursue his study and take the pro- 
 fessors' course, and, if successful, he may, at thirty- 
 five years of age, become a university professor. At 
 
230 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 the university he must have extreme good fortune to 
 be chosen president of the department for males, at 
 the age of forty-five years. I was fifty-nine when I be- 
 came president. Preference is always given to the 
 older and more experienced. But let us assume that 
 our candidate has the good fortune to become presi- 
 dent-general of our educational institutions at the 
 age of forty-six years. At forty-seven he might be- 
 come mayor; at forty-eight governor; at forty-nine 
 governor-general; and at fifty president of the Union. 
 In reality, however, most presidents are nearer sixty. 
 The same rule holds among women. 
 
 " Our presidents, male and female, are the repre- 
 sentatives of all the inhabitants of our States and not 
 merely of a certain vocation or of a certain class, and 
 they may, therefore, be chosen from any and every 
 station. Still we are not indifferent to what man- 
 ner of people are our highest executives. On the 
 contrary, the governors and governesses-general, 
 being thoroughly acquainted with one another, are 
 at least as careful in the choice of presidents as twenty 
 laborers are in choosing their foreman. 
 
 " It is not necessary that our highest executives 
 possess a thorough training in any special branch of 
 knowledge, for thousands of assistants are at their 
 disposal, who understand thoroughly every branch, 
 from the most simple handicraft to the most com- 
 plicated science. The general education which our 
 president must have received at our schools, united 
 
A SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT 231 
 
 with the experience acquired in public life later on, 
 and accompanied by intellect, untiring industry, and 
 the most unswerving love of justice, qualifies him 
 perfectly for the administration of our highest office. 
 
 " When I described the ladder which our officials 
 must climb, round after round, I presented for your 
 consideration merely the skeleton of our bureaucracy. 
 The assistants of whom I spoke, the secretaries and 
 clerical force, are, as it were, the flesh that clothes 
 that skeleton. They are recruited from the ranks of 
 those that have not been promoted in direct line. 
 B}^ this I mean such men and women as have not with 
 each successive year been promoted by election to 
 the next higher position. Let me explain more fully. 
 For instance, in a factory where there are five hun- 
 dred foremen, of whom but twenty-five are elected 
 as chief foremen, four hundred and seventy-five must, 
 at the expiration of their foreman year, reenter the 
 ranks of the ordinary workmen. Of the twenty-five 
 chief foremen we need but five inspectors, hence 
 twenty chief foremen must also reenter the ranks of 
 the ordinary workmen. Of these five inspectors one 
 only can become director, hence the remaining four 
 inspectors also reenter the ranks when their year of 
 service expires. The same is true of the directors, 
 of whom one only can be advanced to the position of 
 director-general. 
 
 " I need not say that this reentry into the ranks 
 is not attended by any sense of humiliation or degra- 
 
232 THE DAY OF. PROSPERITY 
 
 dation. It is perfectly immaterial to every one of us 
 what kind of work he performs. One kind of work 
 is remunerated just as well as another ; that is, we re- 
 ceive food, drink, clothing, shelter, and ample facili- 
 ties for intellectual improvement. Furthermore, I 
 beg you not to forget that with us all kinds of labor 
 are aHke honorable, for all of them are necessary for 
 the welfare of the solidarity. Every one of us knows 
 that what he performs for the solidarity, he performs 
 indirectly for himself. You are aware that every 
 one of our laborers is an educated person. Of the 
 people we meet in the street or in our hotels, the 
 greater part are employed in factories or in agri- 
 cultural establishments, and the labor of all is alike 
 honorable. 
 
 " Let us see what this reentry into the ranks means. 
 Take, for instance, myself. If I were not sixty years 
 of age, I should have to reenter the ranks of the pro- 
 fessors in the ensuing year. The same is true of 
 the president-general of the educational institutions 
 of this city. If he should not be elevated to the rank 
 of city mayor in December next, he must return, if 
 under sixty years of age, into the ranks of the pro- 
 fessors. This rule applies universally to all men and 
 women, mayor and mayoress included; all must re- 
 turn to their former ranks in case of non-promotion. 
 Thus, for instance, a mayor will reenter his factory 
 as a common laborer, if chosen from among factory 
 men. If chosen, however, from the medical profes- 
 
A SCHEME OF OOTERNMENT 233 
 
 sion, or from a profession in which it was necessary 
 to pass an examination, he will reenter the position 
 acquired by virtue of his successful examination. If 
 sprung from the authors' or artists' league, he will 
 reenter his former position there. 
 
 " The case is a little different with women. 
 Woman is not compelled to work; her services are 
 voluntary. In general, if a woman keeps her home 
 in order and educates her children, she has done 
 enough. If she wishes to do more, she may. And 
 that our women do wish to do more, you will see 
 wherever you look. Everywhere woman is man's 
 assistant from the lowest even to the highest station. 
 The great work of aboHshing the use of tobacco was 
 the achievement of womanhood combined. But I 
 am wandering from our theme. Every woman who 
 cannot rise beyond our city limits — that is, beyond 
 the position of mayoress — will simply return to the 
 natural state of woman, the position of wife and 
 mother. Or, if she was teacher, doctor, author, or 
 artist, she may return to her profession. 
 
 " Unpromoted governors and governors-general, 
 and the corresponding female officials are, immedi- 
 ately after the expiration of their last year of serv- 
 ice, associated with the president and the presidentess 
 as their highest assistants, and it is their duty to 
 select other persons qualified to act as assistant of- 
 ficials, in conjunction with whom they conduct the 
 most important affairs of State. The persons thus 
 
234 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 selected are chosen from among our foremen, chief 
 foremen, inspectors, directors, directors-general, and 
 others, who returned to their former posts on account 
 of non-promotion. 
 
 " Teaching afifords another extensive field for non- 
 promoted officials. In our public schools and at our 
 universities we need instructors to teach our youth 
 the use of tools, the rudiments of the various trades, 
 the manipulation of machines, and the various 
 branches of husbandry. These teachers are selected 
 from among foremen, chief foremen, and other high 
 officials who have failed of continued promotion. 
 An examination is necessary in all cases. You can 
 thus see that those not promoted in a direct line may 
 still make themselves useful in various other ways. 
 And allow me to state that every human being has 
 ample opportunity for self-improvement throughout 
 life. Every one who thinks he can employ his knowl- 
 edge and faculties to greater advantage in another 
 occupation is at liberty to study and to be examined 
 in any branches for which he thinks himself qualified. 
 
 " Let us now consider our afifairs of State, or, to 
 speak more precisely, the business of our officials. 
 The most important function of our government is 
 to inspect and regulate production and consumption. 
 This appears, at first sight, more difficult than it is 
 in reality. You are aware that every city is fur- 
 nished with large storehouses, in which all that is 
 needed by the inhabitants is kept. The officers in 
 
A SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT 235 
 
 charge of these warehouses know accurately, at the 
 expiration of each year, how much of every article 
 has been consumed in that city during that time. 
 The reports of all the city storehouses of a State are 
 sent to the State storehouse of that State. The func- 
 tiooiaries of the State storehouse take the sum total 
 of the reports of all the city storehouses and then 
 send their report to the Board of Consumption in 
 Chicago. Here the sum total of the consumption 
 throughout all the States is ascertained. In this 
 manner the annual consumption throughout all 
 North America is ascertained. Inasmuch as the re- 
 maining five continents calculate their consumption 
 in the same manner, you can see that it is by no 
 means a difBcult task to ascertain accurately the con- 
 sumption of every article throughout the entire earth. 
 Our bookkeeping begins, so to speak, at our very 
 homes, and our statistical labor is exceedingly simpli- 
 fied. 
 
 " Production is, of course, regulated by consump- 
 tion. Still we always keep production ahead of con- 
 sumption; that is, we produce a little more than we 
 really need. The reports of annual production are 
 drawn up in the same manner as those on the annual 
 consumption. Every factory and every agricultural 
 station sends a report of its annual production to the 
 respective city board, which in turn reports to the 
 State board, and so on. Or, to speak more accu- 
 rately, the State board reports to the National Capi- 
 
236 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 tal Board. For the most necessary kinds of food we 
 have mammoth storehouses throughout the entire 
 earth, so that a casual failure of the crops in any part 
 of the earth would by no means embarrass us. 
 
 " Next to tabulating production and consumption, 
 another highly important business of our government 
 is to keep an attentive eye to the proper employment 
 of all our labor power. From the reports of our 
 systematically managed hotels, factories, agricul- 
 tural stations, and so forth, our functionaries are en- 
 abled at any hour to tell what any and every man 
 may be working at; also, where there is a superabun- 
 dance of labor power, or where labor power is wanted. 
 If it be resolved to build a new city, a country road, 
 a line of railway, expert workmen are summoned 
 from all parts of the Union, and since there is always 
 plenty of building material in readiness, the work is 
 finished in the shortest possible time. 
 
 " The fourth and last important function of our 
 officials is the conduct and supervision of education. 
 As I said before, the most competent people only are 
 employed in these four branches. No one can be- 
 come an officer in any of them unless he be thor- 
 oughly versed in his branch. 
 
 " Thus we have four chief authorities, each sub- 
 divided into several subordinate departments. The 
 seat of these four chief bureaus is at our national capi- 
 tal, Chicago, and from thence the immense army 
 of subordinate and reporting officials spreads like a 
 
A SCHEME OF GOl L'A'.N J/L'.VT' 237 
 
 gigantic network over the whole of North America. 
 In order that you may understand me better, I will 
 explain these four principal boards more in detail, 
 and will show you also in rough outline what else is 
 involved in them. 
 
 " First, we have the Board of Consumption, sub- 
 divided into two main branches — the domestic and 
 the foreign consumption boards. The domestic 
 board of consumption ascertains how much of every 
 article produced or found in North America has been 
 used either at home or abroad. The foreign con- 
 sumption board takes account of all imports con- 
 sumed here. 
 
 " Second, we have the Board of Production, which 
 ascertains on the basis of the reports of the Con- 
 sumption Board, first, the quantity of domestic prod- 
 ucts that will be consumed at home and abroad in 
 the course of the ensuing year; and, second, the 
 quantity of foreign products that will be used here 
 in the course of the following year. It is also in- 
 cumbent upon this board to fill all orders in due time. 
 Thus you see the Consumption Board keeps a rec- 
 ord of the past, while the Production Board provides 
 for the present and the future. 
 
 " Our third important board is the Board of Labor. 
 This considers the reports and orders of the Pro- 
 duction Board, and attends to the production of all 
 the necessary articles and the performance of all other 
 work demanded It also examines and maintains 
 
238 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 the standard of quality of all our productions. This 
 body also exercises control over agriculture, manu- 
 factories, railways, and navigation, and over the mail, 
 telegraph, and telephone service. It also examines 
 all new inventions and improvements, and has the 
 power to approve or reject them. Finally, the La- 
 bor Board sees to it that every hand worker is em- 
 ployed only in that work for which he is suited. 
 
 " As our fourth principal board we have the Board 
 of Education. Its sphere of activity is rather ex- 
 tensive. It cares for the education, development, 
 and welfare of every individual from the cradle to 
 the grave, inasmuch as it superintends all schools and 
 all examinations of brain-workers, and provides suit- 
 able instruction and amusement at our theatres, mu- 
 seums, and menageries. Furthermore, it controls 
 our libraries, printing- establishments, and public 
 amusements, and our hospitals; and, lastly, it attends 
 to the punishment of criminals. 
 
 " I have presented to you, as it were, a skeleton 
 of our governmental scheme. You will find upon 
 close scrutiny that it is far more simple and more 
 capable of being put into operation, than were the 
 many and awkward governmental machines of a hun- 
 dred years ago. We now actually have a govern- 
 ment of the people, by the people, for the people, in 
 the best sense of the phrase. All the six continents 
 of earth are to-day, so to speak, but one united whole, 
 and their six male and six female presidents form but 
 
A SCHEME OF GOVERNMENT 239 
 
 one government. What one part of earth cannot 
 produce, is furnished generously by another. Man's 
 lot is everywhere the same. Individual worth is 
 measured only by moral worth, and not by one's oc- 
 cupation, as one form of employment is as honorable 
 as another. The State can provide in the best man- 
 ner for every one, since every one does his best for 
 the State." 
 
XIV 
 
 THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL 
 
 The president paused, and acknowledged with a 
 bow and smile the applause which greeted him at 
 this point. Then he resumed : 
 
 " Let me now speak briefly of our legal system, 
 if such it may be called. 
 
 " We have no fixed laws. You are aware, no 
 doubt, to what results the thousands of different laws 
 of the last century led. Nine-tenths of the people of 
 that time were ignorant of nine-tenths of these laws, 
 of which, if they transgressed but one, though with- 
 out knowing it, they were nevertheless punishable. 
 Now we should regard such a mode of procedure 
 as a crime committed in the name of the law. We 
 have one law and only one, which is at the same time 
 the fundamental law of our religion. It is this : * Do 
 right and fear no one,' or ' Do good and eschew evil.' 
 
 " You may query : ' What is good and what is 
 evil ? ' Good is every one of our thoughts, words, or 
 deeds which injures neither ourselves nor any one of 
 our fellow-men, and evil is every one of our thoughts, 
 words, or deeds which injures either ourselves or any 
 one of our fellow-men. Here you have our entire 
 
THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL 241 
 
 code of laws and commentary thereon, and the whole 
 certainly is easily remembered. Hence, there can be 
 no excuses, such as: * I did not know.' Before doing 
 anything, we need only reflect for one moment: 
 ' Shall I, by doing this, injure myself or my neigh- 
 bor?' Our conscience will immediately respond 
 ' Yes ! ' or ' No ! ' Now, then, if any one does not 
 reflect and commits a rash deed, he will have to suffer 
 the consequences. 
 
 " Just as we have but one law, so also we have but 
 one punishment. This consists in ten hours' com- 
 pulsory work each day for a shorter or longer term. 
 We have no capital punishment. We do not believe 
 that we can undo a crime once perpetrated, by killing 
 the perpetrator. Whether capital punishment ever 
 brought good results, I will not discuss. Our time is 
 different. No one will now attack, rob, or even mur- 
 der a man for gain. No man will commit theft, for 
 it would be senseless. We have no money, neither 
 specie nor currency. Every one who performs his 
 four hours' daily work during nine months in the 
 year, as we demand, receives all the necessaries of 
 life in abundance, and a person unwilling to work 
 would have to emigrate to another planet, as there 
 would be no room for him on this earth. 
 
 " Besides, we do not compel anybody to work; his 
 own requirements compel him to do so. Only such 
 a man as could exist without food, clothing, or habi- 
 tation could dispense with work. All the treasure of 
 16 
 
243 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 gold, silver, diamonds, and other precious stones of 
 this world could at this day not keep a sluggard alive. 
 He would have to starve, as no one would give him 
 a mouthful of bread for all his treasures. Gold, sil- 
 ver, and diamonds have no value among us. Our 
 greatest valuables are the things we need most. 
 Iron, stone, and bread are more valuable for us than 
 gold, diamonds, and champagne. Once the value of 
 an article was measured by its rarity, now we value 
 things in proportion to their utility. 
 
 " But let us return to our subject. At the pres- 
 ent time, murder can only be committed from mo- 
 tives of passion, jealousy, envy, or wrath. In other 
 words, manslaughter may be committed, but only 
 in moments of partial irresponsibility. The flesh is 
 weak, and we are careful to bear that fact in mind. 
 All men are not sinless, and no man is an angel, nor 
 will men ever become angels. All that we can at- 
 tain by our intellect coupled with firmness of will, is 
 to learn to govern ourselves in moments of danger 
 or temptation. Wherever it is possible, we remove 
 the opportunity of committing sin. Formerly men 
 were driven, as it were, to crime, to the end that they 
 might be punished afterwards. At the present time, 
 we seek to restrain men from crime, to the end that 
 we may not be constrained to punish them. 
 
 " But, God be thanked, capital crimes are not of 
 frequent occurrence. Crime is of exceeding rarity 
 at the present time. Crime committed from avarice 
 
THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL 243 
 
 has disappeared since the abolition of money. Since 
 that time we no longer have any professional crimi- 
 nals on the lookout for opportunity. If to-day an 
 individual perpetrates a heinous crime, you may rely 
 on it, that at the moment of the deed he was no 
 longer a rational being. Of course, he is severely 
 punished nevertheless; for atonement must needs be, 
 but such atonement as permits him in time to reflect 
 and to reform. If a person be insane, he is removed 
 to an insane asylum, and, if possible, prior to com- 
 mittal of mischief. 
 
 " Allow me to explain a few matters connected with 
 our judiciary system. In the court house of every 
 city there is what we call a verdict room. On the 
 wall of that room, opposite the judiciary tribunal, is 
 a slab of stone bearing this inscription in letters of 
 gold: 
 
 " ' If you pronounce judgment, judge not from 
 reason alone, but consult the voice of your heart! 
 Then, and only then, will your verdict be just.' 
 
 " Every one who has committed a wrong that may 
 be punished, is, on apprehension, brought into this 
 verdict room before the four judges, two male 
 and two female, and subjected to an examination. 
 Should the culprit immediately confess his deed, 
 the mode of procedure is very simple. Each of the 
 judges writes the punishment that he or she thinks 
 is deserved upon a slip of paper similar to our elec- 
 tion ticket. These four slips of paper are opened. 
 
244 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 the four terms of punishment are added together, and 
 the sum arrived at in this manner is divided by four. 
 The quotient indicates, according to the heinousness 
 of the crime, the number of days, weeks, months, or 
 years that are to be spent by toihng ten hours per 
 diem. 
 
 " To explain still further, let us assume the first 
 judge wrote three years; the second two years; the 
 first judgess three years; and the second four years; 
 the sum total would be twelve years. Twelve di- 
 vided by four gives us three for a quotient. In this 
 case, the malefactor would be condemned to toil ten 
 hours a day for three years. 
 
 " If a defendant deny his deed we must procure 
 witnesses. We have no professional defenders, no 
 lawyers. Passbooks, neighbors, friends, relatives, 
 and fellow-workmen are a man's best defence. If 
 the accused was during his entire former Hfe an ex- 
 emplary person, that fact is of great weight. As a 
 rule, no sane person will deny a wrong committed. 
 Venial sins for the most part merit merely a repri- 
 mand. Heinous crimes are of extremely infrequent 
 occurrence. 
 
 " The severest penalty that can be inflicted by our 
 judges consists in ten years of penal work for ten 
 hours a day. This penalty may be rendered mere 
 severe by prohibition of reading and writing during 
 hours of rest. Convict labor consists in dredging 
 rivers, mining, and so forth, all under strict super- 
 
THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL 345 
 
 vision. Our convicts are compelled to wear suits 
 striped yellow and black. The possibility of escap- 
 ing is hardly to be feared. You must bear in mind, 
 that we all live in great and excellently managed ho- 
 tels, and it is impossible to hold one's self in conceal- 
 ment for even a short time in any one of them. Our 
 records, our passbooks, and our photo-telegraphy 
 contribute to the impossibility of concealment. If 
 a culprit is sought, his exact image will be found 
 within two or three days, not only in all our news- 
 papers, but on the blackboards of all factories, ho- 
 tels, railway and street cars. You remember that 
 every adult receives the daily newspapers regularly, 
 and it is his duty and his right to act as a police of- 
 ficer in case a malefactor is to be apprehended, 
 
 " Of the four judges of whom I spoke, the mayor 
 nominates the two men, and the mayoress the two 
 women from among our representatives on their re- 
 tiring from ofifice. As judges they serve for one year. 
 They need not be endowed with special mental facul- 
 ties, nor is it necessary that they have studied at spe- 
 cial schools. But we presume them to be endowed 
 with common sense, inasmuch as they have been ad- 
 vanced by their own comrades from the station of 
 plain workmen to serve as representatives of certain 
 callings or of certain corporations of their city. 
 
 " There are certain kinds of labor, of course, from 
 which a man would willingly be exempt — such labor 
 as is dangerous, highly fatiguing, or disagreeable. 
 
246 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 Our method of procedure in such cases is simple. 
 Every young man from twenty to twenty-five years 
 of age may be called upon twice, to serve each time 
 for half a year, wherever there is a dearth of workers. 
 If hands are needed, the mayor confers with the 
 representatives of the individual callings and corpo- 
 rations. These then send orders to the chiefs of those 
 callings and corporations, and it is incumbent upon 
 these chiefs, to select from among the employees as 
 many young men as are required, and to send them 
 where they are needed. 
 
 " Work goes on in our factories without intermis- 
 sion for twelve hours daily, from seven a.m. to seven 
 P.M. Our workmen are divided into three squads, 
 which alternate weekly. In agriculture and other 
 callings, in which the length of time for working can- 
 not always be predetermined, we work as long as it is 
 necessary. In agricultural establishments we some- 
 times work night and day. Of course, here, too, each 
 squad works only four hours. In railway or naviga- 
 tion service we take the sum total of the hours each 
 individual has worked during the voyage or journey, 
 and credit the worker with so many days' labor at 
 four hours a day. 
 
 " Positions in our railway and navigation systems 
 are filled in precisely the same manner as in factories 
 and agricultural establishments. Those who would 
 enter railway service must first learn to oil and polish 
 a steam engine, and to keep the cars clean — a rather 
 
THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL 247 
 
 tedious job. After spending about two years in this 
 kind of work, railway employees must learn to handle 
 freight, which requires another year. This art being 
 acquired, an employee may be advanced as assistant 
 engineer on a freight train, where he must thoroughly 
 learn how to govern an engine. Should he wish to 
 advance still higher, he must pass an examination 
 in the knowledge acquired, after which he may be 
 intrusted with the running of a freight train. Later 
 he may become assistant engineer on a passenger 
 train, and, after a year, chief engineer. From that 
 point many years must elapse before he can become 
 a conductor. The same gradation obtains in navi- 
 gation. From the menial labor of a sailor to the 
 rank of a captain there is a long road, which many do 
 not accomplish. 
 
 " Nor is it an easy matter to work one's way up- 
 ward in other professions. Although positions of 
 responsibility afford no emolument save honor, yet 
 nine-tenths of our contemporaries are laboring in- 
 defatigably to satisfy their ambition. Take, for in- 
 stance, our editors. Of these, if they be working 
 for a newspaper, we demand only that they be able 
 to present the news which pours in from all parts of 
 the world, briefly and agreeably. They are not asked 
 their own opinions; our newspapers are devoid of 
 editorials. Would-be editors enter our city print- 
 ing-office as apprentices on completion of their uni- 
 versity curriculum. Here they must work their way 
 
248 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 upward through all grades, beginning as compos- 
 itors. Those who take up the medical profession 
 must rise in a similar manner. They enter our hos- 
 pitals as apprentices, so to speak. In the evening 
 they attend the medical lectures at the university. 
 Before being admitted into the medical profession, 
 they must pass a rigid examination. Actors and 
 actresses, singers, dancers, all must study for an ex- 
 tended period of time ere, by virtue of their extraor- 
 dinary talent, they are allowed to represent their pro- 
 fessions before the world. 
 
 " We do not exact menial service from accom- 
 plished physicians, artists, and the like. Their time 
 is too precious to be expended in work that anybody 
 may perform. At all these institutions there are 
 enough students of both sexes to keep the buildings 
 clean, just as scholars are required to keep in order 
 their schools, women our hotels, and workmen their 
 factories. And while, as a rule, all women perform 
 their own housework, yet from mayoress upward to 
 presidentess, each woman receives two young women 
 assistants, who regard it an honor to be selected to 
 perform the housework for such eminent persons. 
 The service of these young women is a voluntary 
 one, and the supply is always in excess of need. 
 
 " Our highest woman representatives dwell in the 
 hotels like other women. If a governess-general is 
 elected presidentess, she will, acompanied by her hus- 
 band and children, proceed to Chicago, where she will 
 
THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL 249 
 
 establish herself in a hotel in the vicinity of the na- 
 tional capital, in an apartment composed of ante- 
 room, parlor, dormitory, childrens' room, with seven 
 windows and balcony, just like every other la- 
 borer. When her year of honorary service is over 
 she returns to her former home. 
 
 " At nine in the morning the offices at our national 
 capitol are thrown open, and at that hour all execu- 
 tives are at their posts. Current business is disposed 
 of in regular order, and at the expiration of four 
 hours — that is, at one o'clock — the offices are closed, 
 and each retires to his home as quietly as he came. 
 The book-keepers and secretaries, however, work 
 until nine in the evening. Of course each squad is 
 relieved at the expiration of four hours. For the use 
 of our executives we provide electric carriages of un- 
 usual elegance, employed, however, only in case of 
 necessity or on festal or state occasions. 
 
 " Let us pass at this point to the concluding sub- 
 ject of my address — a subject on which I have not 
 time to speak as I should like — the vital and funda- 
 mental subject of our religious faith. 
 
 " With one universal language, one universal law, 
 and one form of government, it is manifest there can 
 be now only one form of religion. What that re- 
 ligion is, is a question not to be answered offhand; 
 but yet I will endeavor to explain the substance of our 
 faith, religion, and mode of worship, 
 
 " In the field of religion a vast change has taken 
 
250 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 place during the last century. Our system of moral 
 philosophy, which now prevails everywhere, has ban- 
 ished forever many a phantom and superstition of 
 former times. The divine light of reason has rein- 
 stated man within the sphere of reality, from the 
 realm of dreams. Men no longer grope in the dark 
 in regard to their rights and duties. They have 
 learned to love good and to eschew evil. By means 
 of a rational education and by the benefit of our 
 liberal institutions, sin is almost wholly banished. 
 Virtue, contentment, and happiness are come to dwell 
 with us forever on this beautiful earth. Hence, you 
 see, our moral philosophy goes hand in hand with 
 true religion. The object of religion is to diffuse 
 virtue, justice, universal liberty, and happiness; or, in 
 other words, to make all men good, just, free, and 
 happy. 
 
 " Now, assuming this to be the object of religion, 
 you may ask: Are we truly religious; do we earnestly 
 strive to make men good, contented, and happy? I 
 will not express my own opinion on this subject. Our 
 learned men aver that our Christian institutions, ex- 
 tending over all the earth, hold men together as a 
 great brotherhood, and that our century is stamped 
 as the most religious since the creation of man. If 
 you desire confirmation of this veiw, use your own 
 eyes. Look about you and observe whether we 
 really live contented and happy, and whether true 
 religion abides in our hearts. If you are asked 
 
TEE LAW AND THE GOSPEL 251 
 
 where are our churches and our priests, you may re- 
 ply that God is present everywhere and at ah times, 
 and that there is no need of dark and gloomy houses 
 of stone built by men's hands in which to be reminded 
 of Him. Is not the whole world in its unsurpassable 
 splendor God's temple? When we go forth under 
 the open sky and listen to nature's teachings, should 
 we not also think of nature's God? In whatsoever 
 corner of this magnificent temple we maye be, He 
 heareth us, He giveth ear unto our prayers. 
 
 " Nor do we believe that there is need of middle- 
 men between ourselves and the Deity. From our 
 youth up, God's laws are deeply engraven on our 
 hearts 'by our instructors. These divine laws are 
 so simple that there is no need of further interpre- 
 tation. He that walketh in righteousness fulfilleth 
 the law. Our entire life, from the cradle to the 
 grave, is one continuous worship. All our institu- 
 tions contain that most precious pearl of Christianity, 
 the maxim, ' Love thy neighbor as thyself.' This 
 divine precept we express when we say, ' Each for all, 
 all for each.' 
 
 " There have been men, even centuries ago, whose 
 ideal was a free and unrestrained worship poured 
 forth from a grateful heart, but for fear of heresy 
 their noble rage was checked, and the genial current 
 of their souls was frozen. In their day the universal 
 brotherhood of man was regarded as a beautiful 
 dream, never to be fulfilled. To gain the esteem of 
 
253 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 one's fellow-men, it was not sufficient to walk upright 
 in the ways of God — no, men had to stoop and walk 
 in the mire of the common throng. He that knew 
 best how to act the part of a hypocrite was often pro- 
 moted to the highest honor. The ways of God were 
 only in few instances the ways of man. 
 
 " Government and religion, in former times, were 
 diametrically opposed, and between them stood a 
 helpless people, unable to decide for themselves 
 whither to turn. How vastly different now, in this 
 new and fairer world ! Government, religion, people, 
 all three firmly and inseparably welded together, 
 and as a result of their union the brotherhood and 
 emancipation of all mankind ! " 
 
 The address was terminated, and amid a brief in- 
 terval of silence President Donnelly retired to his 
 seat. Then ensued a long and hearty outburst of 
 applause, the token, as it seemed to me, not only of 
 the hearers' sympathy with the remarks, but also 
 of the affectionate esteem in which they held the 
 speaker. 
 
 Other addresses followed, more nearly related to 
 school work than that which had been given; a part- 
 ing hymn was sung, in which all those present joined, 
 and the exercises were terminated. The crowd be- 
 gan to depart from the hall, but I waited and joined 
 the numerous party who moved forward to congrat- 
 ulate the president. He saw me after a moment, 
 came toward me, and grasped my hand. 
 
THE LAW AND THE GOtiPEL 253 
 
 " I am glad you came," he said. " I wanted to see 
 you and tell you about the bundle of papers I have 
 had sent to your room." 
 
 " A bundle of papers? " 
 
 " Yes, the belongings of old Dr. Rudini. You re- 
 member I told you they were in our possession." 
 
 " I remember vaguely." 
 
 " Well, they have been carefully preserved ever 
 since they were taken from Dr. Rudini's study after 
 his disappearance and the beginning of your long 
 sleep. They consist of miscellaneous papers, and the 
 old Doctor's pocket memorandum book. Appar- 
 ently they are of no great importance, yet as your 
 own name occurs there I thought you might like to 
 look them over. Perhaps you will be able to dis- 
 cover something we have overlooked." 
 
 " I cursed the Doctor for his trick at first," I re- 
 plied, " but I thank him now. I shall be glad to 
 look at the papers, if only for curiosity." 
 
 " Good-by, then, and don't forget to be at our 
 apartment before four this afternoon. The flower 
 procession starts at that hour." 
 
 In a reflective mood I left the university and passed 
 out upon the street. The sun was shining hot, and 
 the outside air was heavy and oppressive. Dark 
 masses of cloud low down in the west hinted at the 
 approach of a thunder storm. Yet in spite of the 
 threatening aspect of the sky I did not take the direct 
 road to my room, but, turning, followed the more 
 
.254 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 circuitous route that led past the hotel in which dwell 
 Miss Pauline Donnelly. 
 
 Naturally I had no great expectation of meeting 
 that young lady. Indeed, I hardly think I should 
 have chosen to meet her had the choice been offered. 
 But a something stronger than my judgment led me 
 in that direction, and I looked up at the great struc- 
 ture which I was approaching, and scrutinized its 
 windows, as if instinct would tell me behind which 
 one of them she might at that moment be. 
 
 I had almost reached the main entrance, within 
 which ebbed and flowed the streams of its inhabitants 
 or its casual visitors, going or returning. Women 
 passed me at every instant, some elderly, but mostly 
 young. As I looked, from out the wide doors there 
 issued suddenly one youthful figure, whose graceful, 
 quick freedom of movement identified it before I 
 needed to catch a glimpse of the face. It was Miss 
 Donnelly. 
 
 My own heart beat vigorously. I was almost 
 tempted to turn back, realizing the indiscretion of 
 appearing to seek her at such a time. But I would 
 not do so. At all events, I was too late, for she had 
 seen me. 
 
 I saw the color fly crimson to her face, and then 
 vanish, leaving her pale, save where her eyes bore the 
 evidence of tears. Her lips had lost their brilliancy, 
 her mouth had no longer its expression of mocking 
 confidence. Having cast down her eyes the instant 
 
THE LAW AND TUE GOSPEL 255 
 
 she saw me, she did not raise them until we were quite 
 opposite each other. Then a momentary glance, 
 cold, reserved, and — as it seemed to me — full of re- 
 proach at my own inopportune presence, and she was 
 gone. I could only raise my hat and pass on, full of 
 conflicting thoughts and feelings. 
 
 But whom had I to reproach except myself for the 
 sentiment which made Miss Donnelly's slightest act 
 of such paramount importance to me? It was not 
 strange that I loved her — and at that moment I 
 looked into my own heart and saw that it was love 
 I felt. It was not strange. But why had I allowed 
 myself to love a woman whose love was already given 
 to a worthy man — perhaps a worthier man than I? 
 And why had I by my own words shown her the na- 
 ture of the sentiment I felt, and tempted her to betray 
 a momentary, superficial liking for me, which had al- 
 most made her the innocent instrument of that other 
 man's death? 
 
 No, I would act an honorable part ! I would see 
 her no more except as accident might direct, and on 
 those rare occasions I would show myself serious and 
 unpresuming, recognizing the choice she had made. 
 She loved this man; she repented any casual behavior 
 which her spirits and natural vivacity might have led 
 her into. She should see in me not a tempter, not 
 a menace to her peace, but a respectful friend. 
 
XV 
 
 THE GREEN PHIAL 
 
 As I entered my room my eye fell upon a bundle 
 which lay on the table — doubtless the papers of old 
 Dr. Rudini, of which President Donnelly had spoken, 
 I pulled the table to the window, seated myself, undid 
 the string which held the package, and spread out 
 before me these dusty and time-worn reminders of a 
 distant past. 
 
 They seemed to be, as the president had said, of no 
 great importance — loose papers, some covered with 
 mathematical computations, the meaning of which 
 I did not understand, some bearing philosophical pre- 
 cepts or propositions, perhaps designed to be the 
 basis for argument or essay — all soiled, the ink faded, 
 the pencils marks nearly obliterated. They seemed to 
 me to have been the random papers found scattered 
 over the old Doctor's desk. I put them aside, took 
 up the black memorandum book, and turned its 
 leaves. 
 
 Here, too, were mathematical computations and 
 philosophical remarks, notes jotted down in haste for 
 future reference, the handwriting fine but erratic, 
 nervously irregular, with many breaks and dashes. 
 
THE GREEN PHIAL 267 
 
 So throughout the whole worn, soiled book, nothing 
 definite, merely fragments, as it were, of fantastic 
 thought, fitting tokens of the disordered mind of the 
 thinker. But stop ! I had reached the last leaf, and 
 there I caught sight of my own name in the midst of 
 a half page of faded scrawl, more erratic, more nerv- 
 ously irregular than all the rest. 
 
 I ran it over hastily, made nothing of it, went back 
 and read again. Here is what I saw : 
 
 " Sleep well, doubter ! Sleep well, scofifer at the 
 truth ! As a disbeliever you sink into your slumber 
 of a century; you shall waken my disciple. Death 
 shall be made infinitely remote, and the names of 
 Paul Rudini and Albert Burnham, teacher and pupil, 
 master and disciple, shall be on all men's tongues as 
 prophets of eternal youth. I say not farewell. 
 Await me, for I shall be near you. Centuries shall 
 be as days to us, and at the dawn of each new era you 
 shall hear the voice and see the face of Paul Rudini." 
 
 What was all this nonsense? A promise appar- 
 ently, or a threat, whichever one chose to call it, that 
 on my awakening from my hundred years' sleep I 
 should find him, too, alive. But this was too incred- 
 ible, even in view of my own seemingly impossible 
 experience. No, the old Doctor's worn-out, decrepit 
 body must long since have returned to dust. And so 
 this was what he was hurriedly writing at the moment 
 when my senses failed and I sank into unconscious- 
 ness after tossing off my glass of drugged wine ! 
 17 
 
258 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 Slowly I tied up again the package of stained and 
 crumbling papers, and, sinking back in my chair, fell 
 into a revery which lasted I hardly knew how long. 
 I was roused by the sound of many voices in the street 
 below. Rising, I stood at the window and looked 
 out. 
 
 The street, as far as I could see, was almost filled 
 with men and women. All of them were decked with 
 flowers, and many carried baskets overflowing with 
 roses and cut flowers of all kinds. As I looked far- 
 ther up the street I saw that, in every hotel, windows, 
 roofs, and balconies were also flower-decked, and the 
 whole avenue seemed one great conservatory. 
 
 It must be almost time for the flower procession. 
 I gave a few hasty touches to my toilet, and hurried 
 out, threaded my way through the slowly moving 
 crowd, and in a few moments was traversing the cor- 
 ridor of the great hotel, seeking the apartment of 
 President Donnelly. 
 
 The door of the apartment stood open, and from 
 within I heard the sound of voices and laughter, I 
 entered at once. The atmosphere was heavy with 
 the scent of flowers, four great baskets of which stood 
 near the window, and through the long open case- 
 ment I could perceive that the persons whose voices 
 I heard were seated in the balcony outside. I stepped 
 out. 
 
 The wide balcony had been transformed into a sort 
 of bower by rows of palms and firs placed here and 
 
THE GREEN PHIAL 259 
 
 there, so that one could either sit back screened from 
 sight of the passers, or could step out and observe the 
 street below. On a table placed between two potted 
 firs there lay more flowers. Three persons were 
 sitting in the balcony, almost concealed from my view 
 by the green trees. One was President Donnelly — 
 I recognized his voice. The second was Mrs. Don- 
 nelly, of course. I advanced, and, with a shock of 
 mingled joy and dread, recognized the third. Miss 
 Pauline Donnelly. 
 
 The president seemed just to have made some hu- 
 morous remark, for as I appeared the girl's laughter 
 burst out, clear, rippling, and free from any note of 
 care. With unconstrained freedom she rose and 
 gave me her hand. Her eyes shone darker and 
 deeper than I had ever before seen tliem, and bore 
 scarcely a trace of the tears I knew they must have 
 shed. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her 
 nervous, crimson lips wore again that arch and 
 piquant smile which I knew so well. My presence 
 of mind almost failed me as I bowed and stammered 
 a phrase of conventional politeness, and it was with 
 a sense of relief that I turned to listen to a question 
 from Mrs. Donnelly. 
 
 " I suppose you understand what the procession is 
 to be, Mr. Burnham?" 
 
 " I confess I have a very vague idea. It is a parade 
 of the school children, is it not? " 
 
 " Of this year's graduates. You will see how 
 
260 THE BAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 pretty the girls look, all dressed in white. The 
 young men and the instructors are in black. The 
 electric carriages in which they ride have had the 
 tops taken off and are festooned with flowers, and we 
 pelt the young people with flowers from our balconies 
 and roofs. The street is literally carpeted with 
 flowers when they have passed." 
 
 " It is too bad, Uncle Charles, that you can't wait 
 here with us and see it," observed Miss Donnelly. 
 
 " Too bad, perhaps," he answered, " but I am part 
 of the procession. However, I will come back here, 
 if you will wait." 
 
 " I shall wait," replied his niece. " I can't speak 
 for Mr. Burnham." 
 
 " I shall be glad to wait," I said. " Mrs. Donnelly 
 will perhaps explain the features of the procession, 
 and I will help her bombard the carriages." 
 
 " Oh, but she won't be here," Miss Donnelly ob- 
 served. " Aunt Harriet has to be a dozen blocks 
 away, where the procession stops. Are you afraid to 
 stay with me ? " 
 
 " It will take all my courage," I replied, " but I will 
 try." 
 
 The president laughed, and looked at me as if some 
 remark was trembling on his lips, but he repressed it, 
 and rose. 
 
 " Come, Harriet," he said. " It is time we were 
 gone. We will leave the young people." 
 
 Taking each a basket of flowers from the inner 
 
THE GREEN PHIAL 261 
 
 room, they departed, I heard their footsteps grow- 
 ing fainter on the marble pavement of the corridor, 
 until they were no longer audible, and we were alone. 
 I looked up at Miss Donnelly. Her face was turned 
 from me, and she was gazing far ofif into the distance. 
 
 " How good it is to be sitting out here this warm, 
 lovely afternoon ! " she exclaimed. " And the flowers 
 everywhere — I am so fond of them ! It is a pity that 
 flowers die when once they're cut. If they would 
 only last forever! But they are so transitory and so 
 fragile ! " 
 
 " Like many another thing," I said. 
 
 She turned and looked toward me inquiringly. 
 
 " Like what? " she asked, 
 
 " Like the love one sometimes feels — or perhaps 
 I would better say like the love that is sometimes felt 
 for one." 
 
 " Let every man speak for himself," she replied, 
 gazing down in her lap. " I only meant that it seems 
 a pity the flowers must wither and die for the sake of 
 giving out a day's loveliness and fragrance." 
 
 " But when the flower has withered, you cast it 
 aside, don't you, without a further thought? " 
 
 " No, not without a further thought. It always 
 seems to me that I must send a bit of affection with it, 
 because, after all, fehe flower and I have been some- 
 thing to each other, you know." 
 
 " And you never regret this lavishness of your af- 
 fection ? " 
 
262 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 " Dear me, how cynically you are talking, Mr. 
 Burnham! Don't, please ! I want to be happy, now 
 that I can." 
 
 "Now that you can? Do you mean, as long as 
 you can ? " 
 
 " Yes, as long as I can, of course. But I mean 
 that now I am happy — at least I thought I was, until 
 you began this very disagreeable way of talking. 
 Now I don't think I am any more." 
 
 " My dear Miss Donnelly ! Forgive me ! You 
 know I wouldn't consciously hurt you for anything 
 on earth." 
 
 " I know you consciously tried to hurt me, and I 
 think you succeeded. But we won't quarrel — not to- 
 day, at any rate. You know to-day you must feel 
 peace and good will toward every one, toward me, 
 too. See, they even give us champagne. You shall 
 take a glass by and by, to chase away your bad hu- 
 mor." 
 
 With a motion of her hand she showed me some 
 glasses on the table, and a wine cooler resting under- 
 neath, within which, in its nest of ice, reposed a green 
 glass bottle of generous size. 
 
 " Listen ! " she added, suddenly. " They are com- 
 ing ! Do you hear the music?" 
 
 Far in the distance there sounded faint strains of 
 martial music. I rose and went to the edge of the 
 balcony, but nothing was visible in the street but the 
 restless crowds of waiting spectators. 
 
THE OREEN PHIAL 263 
 
 " Miss Donnelly," I said, as I resumed my seat, 
 " you tell me I must feel peace and good will toward 
 you. Good will I do feel. But peace — don't wish 
 me that. It would be the most humiliating of alms 
 if I were to accept your advice of a peace that I can 
 never feel." 
 
 She looked at me, but did not speak. 
 
 " Peace must mean to me, as far as you are con- 
 cerned, one of two things." 
 
 She still looked wonderingly at me. At length she 
 said: 
 
 " And those two things are ? " 
 
 " Peace can come to me only when I am content 
 that another man shall have you, or when I have you 
 myself." 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 " Well, you know I am not yet content that another 
 man shall have you. God knows whether I shall ever 
 feel anything but bitterness at the thought. I have 
 tried, and I have resolved, and you see how weak my 
 resolutions are." 
 
 " You mean Mr. Faulkland? " 
 
 " I mean Mr. Faulkland." 
 
 " But — " she stammered and paused. " You have 
 not said " 
 
 " I have said I cannot bear the thought of your 
 marriage to Faulkland." 
 
 " And is that all you mean? " 
 
 I looked up at her flushed, eager face, her trem- 
 
264 THE BAY OP PROSPERITY 
 
 bling lips, and almost smiled at my own weakness in 
 repeating the words I had resolved never to speak. 
 But I spoke them, and out of the fulness of my heart : 
 
 " I mean that I love you, and I want you for my 
 wife." 
 
 Hastily, almost breathlessly, she drew a paper from 
 the bosom of her dress and extended it toward me. 
 
 " Read that ! " 
 
 I looked at the paper. 
 
 " But this is Faulkland's writing," I exclaimed, " a 
 letter to you ! " 
 
 " Yes, read it. He would be willing." 
 
 I read : 
 
 " During the few hours I have lain here, my dear 
 girl, and especially in the little time that has elapsed 
 since you came to see me to-day, I have thought 
 much of the relations between you and me. And 
 as the doctor tells me I am not seriously hurt and can 
 be up and out as .usual to-morrow, I feel that my con- 
 clusions represent my own clear judgment, and are 
 not mere reflections of a despondent mind. You and 
 I do not love each other. You would never have 
 said it, feeling it your duty to go on in the road we 
 mistakenly chose. So I must say it. But we do 
 respect each other. We are true friends, and we al- 
 ways shall be. Tell Burnham I like him, and I hope 
 he and I may be friends, too. Much happiness to 
 
THE OREEN PHIAL 265 
 
 you. We all three can meet now with the best good 
 will, I think. And believe me always, 
 
 " Yours, with sincere affection, 
 
 " Ned." 
 
 I raised my head and looked at her. 
 
 "Is it true?" I asked. 
 
 She nodded, keeping her eyes bent downward, 
 while her lips still trembled, and her hands played 
 nervously with the folds of her dress. 
 
 In an instant I was at her side, my arms about her, 
 while with a quick movement she lifted her head, and, 
 as a roseleaf falls upon the water, her lips met mine. 
 
 Below us, a little way down the street, the music 
 was growing more distinct. Holding me by the 
 hand, she stepped to the front of the balcony, and to- 
 gether we overlooked the moving crowds. 
 
 " Here they come ! " she exclaimed. " See, the 
 two lines of carriages look like two great serpents 
 winding down the street. They have taken off the 
 carriage tops, and wound garlands all about them. 
 How lovely the young girls are in their white dresses ! 
 And see the flowers shower down from all the bal- 
 conies and roofs. Hear them laugh as they try to 
 catch the roses and carnations. What a happy, 
 happy day ! See, I am going to throw this armful 
 of roses at them. Help me, Albert." 
 
 " A happy day, indeed, my dear Pauline, my dear 
 wife," I said. " May all future days be as bright to us 
 
266 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 as this day of our betrothal ! Wait, we must pledge 
 each other while the flowers shower down, while the 
 smiling girls in white ride by, while the air is ringing 
 with laughter and sounds of happiness." 
 
 Hastily I snatched up the flagon of champagne, 
 cut the cords, drew out the cork, and poured the 
 foaming liquor into two of the glasses. 
 
 An instant more, hand in hand, we gazed up and 
 down the crowded, flower-decked street. Then, turn- 
 ing, I took up the glasses of champagne and put one 
 into her hand. 
 
 " To our eternal happiness ! " 
 
 " To our eternal happiness ! " she repeated. 
 
 We looked deep into each other's eyes, then raised 
 our glasses and drained them to the bottom. 
 
 With a sigh I slowly put back the glasses on the 
 table among the scattered flowers. Of a sudden I 
 staggered and grew faint, as though I had been struck 
 a blow. What was this I saw? ' 
 
 On the table, among the flowers, near our glasses 
 there rested a litfle greenish, cutglass phial. Through 
 its sides I could see its contents, a dark liquid, almost 
 black, but phosphorescent with points of shifting 
 light. And as I gazed in hideous fascination, the 
 points drew together into one wavering, nebulous 
 spot, which in turn grew larger and more luminous, 
 taking on delicate shades of yellow, green, and crim- 
 son, until the whole interior of the phial glowed with 
 a rosy opalescence. 
 
THE GREEN PHIAL 267 
 
 What was about to happen? Dazed, and almost 
 bereft of speech, I put out my hand and drew and 
 held close to my side the trembling woman whom my 
 strange appearance had alarmed. Then, slowly, I 
 looked from one end of the balcony to the other, un- 
 certain what my eyes might meet. 
 
 There, just outside the doorway formed by the 
 long, open window, stood the figure that I dreaded — 
 a little old man, strange and shabby, clothed in black, 
 with wrinkled, parchment-like face, and small, beady 
 eyes fixed on me in an expression of malicious tri- 
 umph. 
 
 " Paul Rudini ! " I exclaimed. " Is it indeed you, 
 and living? " 
 
 " Yes," he answered quietly. " I am Paul Rudini. 
 Why should you be surprised? I told you to await 
 me." 
 
 "But why thrust your presence on me now? I 
 want none of you. See, I have found my heaven on 
 earth. There lie the glasses from which my afifianced 
 wife and I have drunk in pledge of our eternal hap- 
 piness." 
 
 " It was not she you pledged." 
 
 "Not she?" 
 
 " No, it was I. You just now drank my health as 
 once before, a century ago." 
 
 " Be careful, Rudini. No tricks, or you shall suffer 
 for it." 
 
 " It is no trick. Look, there lies the phial of my 
 
268 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 elixir. You have taken twenty drops, exactly as a 
 hundred years ago. In five minutes you will once 
 more fall into that deathlike sleep from which no art 
 can wake you." 
 
 " And this woman at my side — did she drink, too? " 
 
 " No, you alone. Why should I make her a part- 
 ner in my discovery? " 
 
 The trembling girl gave a faint scream, her grip 
 tightened on my arm, and she pressed her face against 
 my cheek. 
 
 " Pity, pity, old man ! " she cried. " If he must 
 drink, let me drink, too. I am his; I must follow him. 
 Do not part us ! " 
 
 *' There is some trick here," said I. " Do not trust 
 him, dear one. How comes this old man here, when 
 his body should have been crumbling in the dust a 
 hundred years ago? " 
 
 A sneering smile curled the old Doctor's lip. 
 " Do you think, fool," he said, " that I would admin- 
 ister to you my precious elixir, and myself die in 
 wretchedness, when eternal life is within my grasp? 
 No! We shall go forward, you and I, from century 
 to century, tasting the present, waiting in restful 
 slumber for the future. A thousand years hence shall 
 see us waking again to a new morning of existence." 
 
 I could no longer think clearly. From the street 
 came the sound of music, the laughter of the girls, 
 the cries of the flower-throwers, but now mingled 
 and melting into a confused murmur in my ears. 
 
THE GREEN FHIAL 269 
 
 The afternoon sun shone warm about us, but my 
 vision was no longer distinct. In a frenzy of despair- 
 ing rage I staggered forward toward the black figure 
 in the long window. 
 
 " Wretch ! " I screamed. " Coward ! You shall 
 not live to follow me. Say your last prayer, for in 
 another instant I throw your accursed body over this 
 railing to be crushed on the stones beneath 1 " 
 
 But my knees no longer held me steady. I tot- 
 tered, and put out my hand to save myself from fall- 
 ing. My palm touched something small and hard 
 that rested on the table, and I gripped it tight. It 
 was the phial ! 
 
 " Rudini," I ejaculated, " if you must live, at least 
 none other but me shall fall a victim to your wretched 
 arts. The last drop of your elixir shall be destroyed 
 and lost ! " 
 
 I summoned all my strength, raised my hand, and, 
 putting all that was left of consciousness into the ef- 
 fort, hurled the phial straight against the solid wall 
 of the hotel. 
 
 Instantly there was a great flash of light, blinding 
 me as though all the atmosphere had burst into flame. 
 And with the roar and thunder of an earthquake the 
 walls broke asunder, the solid earth gave way and 
 opened, and I felt myself falling, falling, in darkness 
 and in terror. 
 
270 THE DAY OF PROSPERITY 
 
 A heavy hand was laid on my shoulder, and a good- 
 natured voice exclaimed : 
 
 " Well, you've had a nice long nap. But I'm going 
 to close up now. It is almost four o'clock." 
 
 I raised my head and stared stupidly at the speaker. 
 Gradually his identity dawned upon me. It was Max, 
 big, white-aproned, a broad grin on his face. Where 
 was I ? Before me stood the oaken table, and upon it 
 lay the pile of books, on which my head had rested. 
 At my side the dusty, potted firs separated me by a 
 few feet from Second Avenue, deserted now save for 
 an infrequent car and a few stray travellers. Within, 
 the cafe's feeble light descended on bare tables and 
 empty chairs. I was alone. 
 
 " How long have I been here. Max? " 
 
 " I don't know, sir. Since early evening." 
 
 " Any one else at this table? " 
 
 " The old Doctor sat here for a while, but he left as 
 usual, about ten." 
 
 " Good-night." 
 
 " Good-night." 
 
 With difficulty I rose to my feet. The present 
 seemed the vision, my dream the reality. Where was 
 the splendid city I had left? Where those friends 
 whose existence seemed so absolute a fact? Where 
 the woman whose warm breath I still felt on my 
 cheek, into the dark depths of whose eyes I gazed 
 again, whose crimson mouth still burned its indelible 
 impress on my lips? Gone, gone, all gone! Would 
 
THE GREEN PUIAL 271 
 
 that Paul Rudini's phial were at hand ! I would drain 
 it to the last drop. 
 
 Slowly, painfully, with aching head and unrespon- 
 sive limbs, I gathered up my books and tottered to 
 the street. 
 
 THE END 
 

 w 
 
 ■ mm