Looking forward : $b a dream of the United States of the Americas in 1999Bird, Arthur
Science
Looking forward : $b a dream of the United States of the Americas in 1999
Bird, Arthur
Twentieth century -- Forecasts; United States -- Civilization
In 1999 electricity became a mighty monarch and an obedient slave. It
ruled and [A Lively Customer.] it obeyed. This lively king of the
twentieth century was a hustler. Sixteen distinct trips around the
globe it could make in just one second's time. Electric railroads and
flying machines could not reasonably hope to make sixteen separate
trips around the globe in one second's time. The age of 1999 was a
very rapid one, but its joints were too rheumatic to attempt any such
gait. A traveler hustling around the world at the rate of sixteen
times per second would hardly have time to visit and shake hands
with friends.
In the twentieth century electricity, the servant-king of the
world, was harnessed [All Done by Electricity.] to everything
conceivable. Everything was done by merely pressing a button. Houses
built in that period had no stairs. Every private house had its
elevator. Press a button and up it went. Houses built in that period
had no chimneys. All heating and every bit of the cooking was done by
electricity. If you wanted heat, press a button; more heat wanted,
press two. Locks and keys also became relics of a past age. No one
in 1999 ever locked his house. Every house was provided with an
electrical outfit. Those who desired to leave the house for a few
hours attached the electric gongs and alarm bells. When connection
was made no one could leave or enter the house without raising a
pandemonium and sending an alarm to the central police station.
The uses of electricity in 1999 were carried to even absurd
lengths. Man's most faithful, but, alas, uncertain friend, the dog,
was in evidence throughout the twentieth century. He wagged his tail
vigorously as ever in token of kindnesses received. He was as ready
as ever to sacrifice his life for that of his master, as well as to
plant his teeth into the calf of his leg. The Hindoo charmer is never
really safe until he has extracted the fangs of the reptile.
And so it was with the twentieth century dog. Nothing can be more
violent than death by hydrophobia. The bite of the dog may prove
more terrible than that of the cobra. This scourge was effectually
removed. In 1999 dogs over one year old had their teeth removed by
electricity. Their mouths were then fitted with a false set. During
dog-days, while Sirius was in the ascendant, the false teeth were
removed and all canines were kept on a vegetable diet. Hydrophobia
became one of the lost arts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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