home of astronomy
and physical philosophy. Here, amid telescopes and apparatus of
experiment and investigation, I have spent the years, mapping with many
others the skies, and above all beating the earth we left, as have many,
many, whom you will meet, with magnetic waves, hoping against hope, that
some response might be gained, some hint of that connection through
space which the physicists of this planet expect, ere long, may make all
the beings of the universe one great sidereal society.'

"He stopped and leaned away from me, perusing my face with interest.
Words came to my lips, memory again asserted its triumphant declaration
that I was the same being as had lived upon the earth, and with it the
sudden turbulence of hope that she, your mother, whom we so often
expected to regain, might, as I had, have reached this planet, too, and
to me, renewed in youth, might come the glory and the joy of knowing her
again.

"I turned to him and spoke: 'Kind friend, I am yet dazed and stricken
with the marvellousness of my being here. It seems but a short time, a
lapse of even a day, that I bade good-bye to my son on the death-bed in
my home on earth. I am too tormented with wonder to speak to you much. I
can tell all I know of myself in a little while. But now as I grow
stronger, tell me of this new world, and oh! give me, sir, food. I feel
the quickening fevers of appetite and desire.'

"The man arose and left the room. In a few moments he returned followed
by a boy and a young woman bearing a basket. They spread a yellow cloth
upon a small ivory table and set down two plates of the bright blue
metal; upon one they placed a pile of small round cakes and on the other
a number of red and yellow gourd shaped fruits. At a signal from my
companion I arose and sat at the table.

"He remained at the window and continued: 'While you break your long
fast, let me tell you what I know about this new world which will now be
your home for a long time. You will learn all, but I am not watching
to-night. In seeing you and hearing the familiar English speech I am
moved myself by currents of retrospection; my earth home comes back to
me. I will satisfy your curiosity, and, you in turn, must tell me what
has happened in the old home.'

"He paused; from the streets of the city rose a sacred song. It came
like a slowly increasing torrent of sound, soft and low, rising with
impetuous fervor until it seemed to engulf us in its melodic tide.
I