Avon Fantasy Reader No. 13 — page 118: what you’re looking at

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

eS Streak Sa : Whasn't dee by Clhfford Sonat ae Carl Jacobi The world of philosophy is divided between two oppos- ing concepts—materialism and idealism. The basic prin- ciple of materialism is that the world is a definite and real thing, existing independently of our senses. The basic theme of idealism is that the world’s existence is dependent on our methods of perception—that it is only the idea that counts. The astute philosopher can boil all existing schools of thought down to one of these twe fundamental and contradictory axioms. In this story, two science-fiction writers pose a problem in idealism versus materialism. It's a fascinating mental game and makes a really off-trail story. R. JONATHAN CHAMBERS left his house on Maple Street, at exactly seven o'clock in the evening and set out on the daily walk he had taken, at the same time, come rain or snow, for twenty solid years. The walk never varied. He paced two blocks down Maple Street, stopped at the Red Star confectionery to buy a Rosa Trofero perfecto, then walked to the end of the fourth block on Maple. There he turned right on Lexing- ton, followed Lexington to Oak, down Oak and so by way of Lincoln back to Maple again and to his home: He took his time. He always returned to his front door at exactly seven- forty-five. No one ever stopped to talk with him. Even the man at the Red Star confectionery, where he bought his cigar, remained silent while the purchase was being made. Mr. Chambers merely tapped on the glass top of the counter with a coin, the man reached in and brought forth the box, and Mr. Chambers took his cigar. That was all. For people long ago had gathered that Mr. Chambers desired to ie left alone. The newer generation of townsfolk called it eccentricity. Certain uncouth persons had a different word for it. The oldsters remembered that this queer-looking individual with his black silk muffler, rosewood cane and bowler hat once had been a professor at State University. ‘A professor of metaphysics, they seemed to recall, or some such out- landish subject. At any rate a furore of some sort was connected with his - name—at the time an academic-scandal. He had written a book, and he had taught the subject matter of that volume to his classes. What that. subject matter was had been long forgotten, but it had been considered oe revolutionary to cost Mr. Chambers his post at the University. A silver moon shone over the chimney tops and a chill, impish October wind was rustling the dead leaves when Mr. Chambers started out at seven 116 im) cComicbooksscom) =]