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
I overcome my awe, but do not care to inquire on abstruse subjects. We
go out into the street, and traverse its length before I am attracted by
a special diversion. Entering a hall to rest, we are witness, to me, of
an utterly, and at first inconceivable, exhibit, unheard of before
novelty. It is the paradoxic act of a Concert, or Opera, without
sound—seen and not heard. Upon the stage are rows of lights
(reflections) graded in size like the string of a harp. Raising and
lowering these in varying figure by skilful players constituted the
performance. The changing (not unison) melodies in grave or gay parts,
or intermingling, swaying my emotions. I lean back in rapture.
I am studied by my escort, who has been addicted thus, since first he
looked at me.
The green sward beneath our feet, as on all floors, prevents the
unpleasant custom of stamping. Soon the walls moved in and out,
portraying drama. A row of graded boys and girls also, carrying dolls in
wickers that they stood up against the walls, bowed their heads and
waved their hands in pantomime melody. Marching away, the boys carried
the dolls.
We were quite diverted, laughed heartily, stamping on the sward floor,
that produced no sound.
“We will tell Mae about this,” I remarked. “Let’s go home and send her
here.”
We hurried to the palace to find her under a divan with her head out,
though covered by the flowing robe of a doll (mother bunch) into which
her hands had been made. Charley has to keep the people away, who are
greatly mystified as interested, while he is asking questions, answered
by bowing or head shaking of the sorceress.
Suddenly he answers for the doll in ventriloquism, from which they back
in amazement.
When it is over and Mae released, so great is their awe of us, I seek to
enhance it. I take my watch and convince them it is alive.
This quite overcomes them. I turn to see Charley, slowly at first, then
swifter nod his head up and down, as tho’ some unusual resolve was
engrossing his calculations, soon I find out. Coming around to me, he
says: “I feel a call in my soul to initiate this people to serve our
God. I will take this almighty dollar,” suiting in action, he goes
through some wizard tricks.
We are tired before they. “Do tell us some more,” they ask.
The next day they are still curious, and keep us engaged in exhibit.
We advert to our railroads, telephones, etc., to their confusion, as we
have no samples. Catching in their perplexity some similarity to their
own achievements, they bring forward and strive to teach us how they
move articles by a _solution_. Chairs and street cars in their wizard
propulsion are solved.
“Is it a vegetable or mineral?”
“It is animal.”
Their explanation as greatly confounded us.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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