The Project Gutenberg EBook of One Out of Ten, by J. Anthony Ferlaine

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Title: One Out of Ten

Author: J. Anthony Ferlaine

Release Date: May 23, 2009 [EBook #28933]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ONE OUT OF TEN ***

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_Television quiz programs with an aspect of having just staged a
raid on Fort Knox are very much in the news these days. Certainly
the prizes to be won are astronomical and the contestants scarcely
less so. Step right up, little lady and tell us why your eyes look
so strange! What's that? You want us to read this astounding science
fantasy documentary by J. Anthony Ferlaine first? Well--perhaps we
should play it safe while the flying saucer folk are watching us!_

one
out
of
ten

_by ... J. Anthony Ferlaine_

There may be a town called Mars in Montana. But
little Mrs. Freda Dunny didn't come from there!

I watched Don Phillips, the commercial announcer, out of the corner of
my eye. The camera in front of me swung around and lined up on my set.

"... And now, on with the show," Phillips was saying. "And here, ready
to test your wits, is your quizzing quiz master, Smiling Jim Parsons."

I smiled into the camera and waited while the audience applauded. The
camera tally light went on and the stage manager brought his arm down
and pointed at me.

"Good afternoon," I said into the camera, "here we go again with another
half hour of fun and prizes on television's newest, most exciting, game,
'Parlor Quiz.' In a moment I'll introduce you to our first contestant.
But first here is a special message to you mothers ..."

The baby powder commercial appeared on the monitor and I walked over to
the next set. They had the first contestant lined up for me. I smiled
and took her card from the floor man. She was a middle-aged woman with a
faded print dress and old-style shoes. I never saw the contestants
until we were on the air. They were screened before the show by the
staff. They usually tried to pick contestants who woul