(_Falling back on seven pillows and taking a deep breath._) Beautiful! Beautiful! Even so! And given as it should be! Let me hear you say that again, my dears and dearesses! Let me hear it again! (_They repeat it, waving pink handkerchiefs. The audience bursts into deafening applause lasting seventy-eight minutes. The Loobies and Gaberlunzies leap in the air, turn three somersaults before landing, and fall on their feet. Five thousand wirelesses are sent. NOXUS PODUNKUS, falling back and strangling with joy._) This is too much! Too much! Who can say now that the world has not progressed! (_He is lifted up, feathered and doused with souffle._) With the consent of my fellow Moonshees (_looks about him affably at the sleeping Moonshees_), I will now excuse these very good people. (_Feeble calls of “Beautiful! Beautiful!” and “Let them be excused!” from the Moonshees._) You may go, my dears and dearesses! You may go! (_He collapses._) THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DIVISIONS (_Executing a flank movement and assuming an open formation five hundred abreast and marching briskly away, twirling their batons and wagging their heads._) All hail the power of Podunks’ name! (_They exit. Enter seven thousand Union Astronomers and four thousand Federated College Philosophers in close formation, all in green knee pants, white spike tailcoats and blue silk hats. The Astronomers carry green telescopes instead of canes. The Philosophers are all chewing tutti-frutti. They are preceded by cage-cars containing each one Specimen of Ossified and Ancient and Unmoral Stoic, Nietzschean, Pragmatist, Anti-Christ, Chemist and Physicist._) SHISHMASH HASH HASH (_Preceding them and climbing up the feather pole of a Hoddy-Doddy he has seized._) The Union Astronomers, your Referendunces! The Federated College Philosophers, your Referendunces! (_He leaps and tumbles three times around the arena, holding his toes with his hands._) THE ONE HUNDRED HODDY-DODDYS (_Pole-vaulting over the procession as it approaches._) The Union Astronomers, your Referendunces! The Federated Moral College Philosophers! (_The Dizzards give an exhibition of feather-club swallowing. The five thousand Nizys each juggle nine ice-cream cones in the air._) THE SEVEN THOUSAND UNION ASTRONOMERS (_Marching to “Oh, Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms,” and doing a hop, skip and jump as they near the Musnud._) The universe is moral! The universe is moral! ’Tis as true--’tis as true-- As that a green horse isn’t sorrel! (_One-half the division stand on their heads, the others on their feet._) THE FIFTY DIZZARDS (_Receiving souffle handed up by the Nizys below. In chorus._) “The universe is moral! The universe is moral! ’Tis as true--’tis as true-- As that a green horse isn’t sorrel!” THE ELEVEN THOUSAND PHILOSOPHERS AND ASTRONOMERS (_In chorus_) Hail! Hail! The Comet’s Tail! All is well! All is swell! Never was there an age like this!