Fantasy fiction; Utopian fiction; Utopias -- Fiction
As he passed through the gates, while the police pushed back the
crowd, he heard their exclamations and remarks:
"There he is!"
"Where?"
"There, with Commissioner Rawolle--on his left."
"I believe him to be a fake."
"Oh, he's a toola!"
"He has never slept a hundred years!"
"Isn't he a young man to have lived so long?"
"What's the matter with you? he didn't live, he just slept."
"They say he is an officer in the army yet."
"Well, people will be gulled!"
Thus were the expressions bandied about, and fell upon the ears of Cobb
in a harsh and unpleasant manner. He was not flattered by the remarks
he heard. Already, it seemed, there was a desire to doubt his identity.
As they neared the center of the hall, someone in the crowd cried:
"Junius Cobb! Junius Cobb! Three cheers for Junius Cobb!" And the
building rang and echoed back the salutation. Surely this was
flattering. His reception, after all, was not without sincerity on the
part of many of that vast throng.
A step or two more, and Cobb and Rawolle entered an electric drag,
while Lyman bade them good-night, or rather good-morning, and hurried
away to report.
Away, and at a rapid gait, sped the drag, its wheels of rubber
giving no sound on the elastic pavement of the street, its headlight
flashing out a brilliant beam, while ever and anon the driver caused a
muffled-toned gong, whose sound was low and musical, to indicate the
approach of the carriage.
Looking from the window on his side, Cobb saw to what extent street
illumination had progressed in a hundred years. At every fifty feet,
on either side, were arc lamps; and this at two in the morning, when
those of the shops were extinguished. No gas lights were visible. It
was a September morning, but the air was mild and balmy, and it seemed
like a morning in early spring. Many people were upon the street, and
the electric drags, with their flashing lights and musical gongs, were
passing in every direction.
At exactly 1:42 dial the drag stopped under the arch of the entrance
to the President's mansion, and Junius Cobb was received by the chief
magistrate of the United States.
Emory D. Craft, President of the United States, was a tall, rotund, and
pleasant gentleman of over sixty years of age. His head was massive,
and his features square and clean-cut; his hair almost white, and a
beard heavy and gray. A man of great perception, executive ability,
true kindness, and wisdom, he ruled the greatest nation on earth as a
loving father rules his household, with justice and firmness.
As Rawolle and Cobb alighted, he descended the steps, and, advancing,
extended his hand to the former, exclaiming:
"I welcome you back, Mr. Rawolle."
"Thank you, sir; and let me present Mr. Junius Cobb."
"Mr. Cobb, I cannot express to you the pleasure of this meeting;" and
the President shook the young man's hand heartily. "Be assured that
your remarkable, nay, wonderful, case has been uppermost in my mind
since first I became aware of your existence."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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