On the Lightship

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Duffield, 1909 - 312 pages
 

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Page 48 - Majesty ; not as a man born under Sol, that loveth honour ; nor under Jupiter, that loveth business (for the contemplative planet carrieth me away wholly) ; but as a man born under an excellent Sovereign, that deserveth the dedication of all men's abilities.
Page 178 - ... until at last the humans rose against him and put one of themselves in his place, and after that things went just a little better than before. This is the only way in which they can be taught. But, dear me, isn't it tedious? Of course, I soon grew anxious for an exchange of thought with almost any one, but it was a long while before I discovered a single person who was not in a violent hurry. At last, however, we came upon a human drawn apart a little from the throng, who stood with folded arms,...
Page 176 - ... fact, I have not since that first moment been able to conceive of the sky as anything but blue. And the city ? — Oh, my dear, my dear, I never expected to encounter anything so much out of key with the essential euphonies. Of course I have not traveled very much, but I should say there is nothing in the universe like a street they call Broadway — unless it be upon the lesser satellite of Mars, where the poor people are so awfully cramped for space. When I suggested this to Ooma she laughed...
Page 195 - ... progressive, glorious age they have brought about for themselves. — At all events, this is the rather vague composite impression I have received of the plans and purposes of the Board of Directors, and doubtless it is wrong. I suppose with a little trouble I might have recognized nearly every one, but the fancy took me to suspend intuition just to see how Earth girls feel, and you know when one is hearing a lot of pleasant things one does not much care who happens to be saying them. I fancy...
Page 167 - It is evident that the following logograms form part of a correspondence between a young lady, formerly of Mercury, and her confidential friend still resident upon the inferior planet. The translator has thought it best to preserve, as far as possible, the spirit of the original by the employment of mundane colloquialisms; the result, in spite of many regrettable trivialities, will, it is believed, be of interest to students of Cosmic Sociology. THE FIRST RECORD Yes, dear, it's me. I'm down here...
Page 202 - I said, plumping myself down upon the mound he had made, and he, being much more impressionable than you would suppose from his Uranian appearance, replied : "I swan, I like your cheek." "It's a pleasant day," I said, because one is always expected to announce some result of observation of the atmosphere. It shows at once whether or not one is an idiot. "I call it pretty danged hot,
Page 193 - ... I had to pass quite close to him in going out, and I am not sure I did not drop a rose. — There may be just a weenie little bit more about the Astorian, but that will come in its proper place. Now I must get on to the evening. — It was not much of an occasion, merely the usual gathering of our crowd, or rather of those of us who have no special assignment for the time in the large Council Room I have described to you. The President of the Board of Control at present is Marlow, Marlow the...
Page 203 - It's a pleasant day," I said, because one is always expected to announce some result of observation of the atmosphere. It shows at once whether or not one is an idiot. "I call it pretty danged hot," he returned, intelligently. "Then why don't you get out of the sun?" I suggested, more to keep the conversation fluid than because I cared a bit. "I'm a-goin' to," he answered, "just as soon as that goll-darned wagon comes." (A "goll-darned" wagon is, I think, a wagon without springs.) "What are you going...
Page 194 - ... very easily frightened. — Then there was a Mr. Waller, nicknamed the Reverend, whom the Council allows to speak the truth occasionally, while the rest of the time he tells people anything they want to hear to win their confidence. And the two Miss Dooleys who sing so badly that thousands who can not sing at all leave off singing altogether when they once hear them. And Mr. Flick, who misbehaves at funerals to distract mourners from their grief, and a Mr. O'Brien, whose duty it is to fly into...
Page 212 - In all the universe there is just one fact," he cried, catching my hand in his, and then — ( NOTE : Here a portion of the logogram becomes indecipherable, owing, perhaps, to the passage of some large bird across the line of projection. What follows is the last recorded vibragraph to date.') — Yes, dear, I know I should have been more circumspect. I should have remembered my position, but I didn't. And that's why I'm engaged to be married. — You have to here, when you reach a certain point —...

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