Arqtiq: A Study of the Marvels at the North Pole — John Shaqi
Arqtiq: A Study of the Marvels at the North PoleAdolph, Anna
Science
Arqtiq: A Study of the Marvels at the North Pole
Adolph, Anna
Adventure stories; Feminist fiction; North Pole -- Fiction; Science fiction; Utopian fiction
Mae asks ingenuously her bearer’s name; he gives it in Arc language,
what sounds to us like “Show Off,” which we shall now call him. Then
looking to my bearer he says: “She is Aunt Robet, a dear old maid, who
is always taking care of us, papa and I, when mother is away.” He goes
over and squeezes her shoulders. As father innocently sticks a pin into
his hand, he looks so queerly at the hurt, it is plain he does not know
the cause, or never felt the like before. In our childish role we still
question: “Where is your papa?” “Oh, he is always in his house (room).
You can live with him,” looking at my father. Seeing us unwilling at
such an arrangement, his aunt explains: “He is a student, a very great
savant, who is always busy in his office or study.” This alters the
matter; father’s eyes glisten with expectation.
Arrived at the hall I see a great space in the floor, that is grooved in
pattern. I look to see if a cable line is drawing through, when I am
deposited on a chair directly above. The rest have chairs near by. Mae
retaining her place in Show Off’s lap. The other chairs in the room are
being rapidly filled. I cannot determine the entertainment so wait
developments. Not long. The word is given, the chairs start off, getting
a swift gait. I suddenly remember Mae’s hassock, but she is watching
Charley, who takes a firm hold, as the important look, assumed at our
departure, goes slowly off his face, ejaculating but once “Shake.” I
think, too, shake, for quiver, jerk, jump, all in rotation; music
playing is the order. Enjoying our mutual discomfiture, our chairs
opposite, we are treated at the last to a grand bounce, that sends us
into each other’s arms, so close. Had not Mae been held firm, she would
have fallen, in her convulsion of mirth.
We lose no time in getting down, and close to our bearers. Aunt Robet,
placid in demeanor, I calculate how to get even with her. Though she had
declared it funny, I look at her viciously, when she condescends to
graciously explain: “This is our outing celebration; the city shakes off
its veil to greet the sun; shaking is, therefore, the order of the day.”
Hence this little exercise, I was happy to have amused her.
We ride now leisurely home, viewing the heavy buildings of great blocks
of ice, shining in the sunlight. Why they do not melt I cannot tell.
Afterwards I learn they are covered with an enamel that preserves them.
The picturing on their sides is done by fracturing; the graceful
cornices and other trimmings are in imitation of snowflake crystals,
relieving to beauty their solidity. Quite exhausted on our return, we
are given apartments to ourselves, in which we prepare to rest.
Convinced that false positions are unfortunate, I resolve to adopt a
dignified bearing, suitable to my maturity, my short experience in
babyhood, however remunerative, proving quite objectionable in excess of
bestowment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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