The day of prosperity : a vision of the century to come

Front matter

E DAY

SPERITY s

'L DEVINN

Contents

PRELUDE

CHAPTER PAGE

I. — The Old Doctor's Secret 7

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 pocketing 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 feebleness, that I could scarcely keep pace with him. Before 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, illuminating 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 rickety 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 profound the quiet of this desolate house, of which he, the dog, and I seemed the only living occupants.

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 curiously 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 mirror, sat a stuffed monkey, apparently regarding himself 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 disintegrating. 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 stratum 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 housekeeper 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 medicine and philosophy."

" My name is Albert Burnham, and I am a journalist," I rejoined,

" 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 therefore 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 introduction 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 apparent 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 answer that question affirmatively."

" I was. I studied the subject for many years, until I grew to be an old man. But all my researches, 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 artificial lengthening of life."

" It would be most unfortunate were conditions otherwise," I remarked. " But I can, of course, sympathize with your disappointment."

" You can hardly realize the extent of it," he replied. " 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 disappointments that I was on the point of suicide. Apparently 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 begun 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 hundred years. I now saw my mistake. In the waking condition, when man's physical strength experiences rapid natural exhaustion, the solution of my problem was not to be expected. A condition was necessary in which physical exhaustion should be at a minimum."

" 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 experiments with redoubled energy ; and, as I am familiar 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 determined— assuming, of course, that the specific has been administered under certain conditions known only to myself. As soon as the appointed period of its efficacy has passed, the creature regains consciousness 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 discovery? "

"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 armchair, had followed my movements with twinkling eyes.

" I show you the monkey merely as a collateral matter," he said. " You shall see my principal experiment 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, holding it high above my head, entered the bedchamber, 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 resenting it. You shall be convinced presently that Cleopatra'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 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 unconsciousness 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 triumphant 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 twitching beneath their habitual smile, his small, bright eyes more beady and shifting than ever.

"Just one minute now, Mr. Burnham; sixty seconds 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 anticipation. 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, shuddered, 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

Stove? Tell me how it happened." And the old woman frowned and wrung her hands as she gradually 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 stupefied 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. Perceiving 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 barbarian, 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 miscalculated."

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 invisible Doctor, as he crawled about under the bed.

" Good gracious ! Antony under my bed ! " ejaculated 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 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 returned to the animal, which, arching its back and spreading its furry tail, stalked over to claim its mistress'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 behind 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 foodchoked 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^ somewhat uncertainly.

" Not yet ? " he cried. " Well, then — however, first I will get something to eat. But you shall believe in me. You must ! "

He darted through the doorway and hurried down.