Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 12, 1927 — page 100: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

574 cities. If the telephone were taken away, American business would go into a panic.” Washington shook his head wonderingly. “1 do not understand how the human voice can reach out over so many miles.” “This device, this microphone,” Larry went on, ‘is, with the complex machinery of which it is a part, perhaps the most wonderful development of themall By means of this strange invisible energy, which we call electricity, our voices, as we speak now, are sent through the air without wires, across continents, even across oceans. People as far-away as England, even as far- away as Australia, clearly hear every word we are saying. By the same agency, in connection with the telephone, a business man in New York may talk to a business man in London.” Washington commented: “ It is an age of incomprehensible wonders. It is an age of scientific miracles. And you say _ that science is responsible for my being here, upon this earth, again.” “Your being upon this earth again,” Larry told him, “ is considered the scientific triumph of all ages. Practically every branch of science has contributed its part to make the miracle possible. And this mysterious power, electricity, was applied in perhaps three of its different forms.” “J understand that least of all,” said Washington. “I am, frankly, in a daze. So many of your words are meaningless. What a strange vocabulary the American nation must be using! What strange laws must have been passed in keeping with all the changes! We did not realize how simple life was—one hundred and seventy years ago! I must see all of the wonders you have told me about. I must see the places that were familiar to me—one hundred and seventy years ago! What has happened to my plantation?” His voice was wistful and eager. “Tt has been preserved as it was left when you died.” ‘And Fort Duquesne—now?”’ ““Ts the site of blast furnaces in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.” “Why,” Washington suddenly cried in a voice of desperate sadness, “ was I brought back to this?” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘The American people,” Larry throatily explained, “wished you, more than any American who ever lived, to be brought back. You are their greatest hero.” ‘But what good can come of it? One hundred and thirty years, you say, have elapsed since my death. I can remember nothing later than one hundred and seventy years ago. I find myself in a bewildering new age, founded upon strange inventions which are beyond my ability to understand. You are talking a new language. You are faced, doubtless, by queer and baffling problems. What will be expected of me?” “All America will want to see you. America will want your opinion on prac- tically everything you see.” “T am too tired now even to contempiate that prodigious task,” said Washington. ‘“ My head is aching. I cannot think. My brain can take in no more. Will I sleep in this house to-night?” ‘“ A room has been prepared for you. Be- fore you retire, do you wish to say anything to your millions of listeners?” Washington gazed bleakly at the micro- phone. “It is too soon. Later, when I have col- lected my thoughts, I will perhaps speak to America over this strange, incomprehensible instrument. I will say this now: America must not look upon me as the figure you say I became after the conquest:of Fort Duquesne. “T have been addressed to-night as ‘General Washington’ and ‘ President Washington.’ I am certain that I wish to be considered only as the man I was at the time of my last recollections. I am Colonel Washington. It will please me to be ad- dressed simply as Colonel Washington.” He arose quickly from the microphone. Larry watched him with shining eyes. How the American people would love this grave, unaffected man; would admire and respect - his sincerity, his frankness, and his pride! This youthful Washington, Larry re- flected, was the embodiment of all those qualities the American people demanded in their heroes. It struck him that the American people had been using this very man as the pattern to which all their heroes’ must conform. Gomichooks (E0)