"In a world like, yet unlike, our own, might once have been found men fashioned as are the people of earth, save that they dwelt in profound silence; they heard neither the sweet singing of birds, nor the roar of their mighty torrents, nor the sweet murmuring of the streams. Communication of thought was carried from one to the other by the movement of the lips, by the sense of touch, or by writing; for though their world was full of sound, they as yet had not the gift of hearing. The time had not come when they should listen to the voices of the other spirits who wandered unseen in their midst, for the songs of the fairy folk contained much of the wisdom which it was better for the deaf and dumb to discover for themselves through the lessons of life. Yet at times, as the years rolled by, from every part of their world came messages of growing superstitions, of a professed consciousness of something which their written language failed clearly to convey, and of impressions which had been experienced, but which were outside the region of science. The wise men were greatly indignant at the growth of this seeming folly; they challenged the dreamers to appear before them, and prove the truth of their statements. Then one came forward, an old man, and he made signs to those around; and this was the interpretation-- "’Behold! as I stood among the hills, the heavens grew black around me, and great drops of rain fell on either side; out of these dark clouds there passed downwards to the earth a great fork-shaped flame which fell on a lofty tree; as it touched the great branches they split asunder, falling to the ground and leaving behind only a broken and shattered trunk.’ "And the wise men answered, ’Though such things happen but seldom, and in but few parts of the world, there is nothing new in what you have told us.’ "But the man continued, ’It is not of that I came to speak; wonderful as it seemeth to me, even though it may have happened in such manner before, and though you may have given the mystery a name. But when this flash had passed, I felt, yet I did not feel, something strike me; it was as though I had received some mighty blow, yet nothing touched me, and my head throbbed with pain, and my thoughts became confused.’ "But the wise men laughing, replied, ’It seemeth to us that the confusion of thought hath still continued.’ "Then the old man brought forth a piece of flat metal, and a great iron rod which he used for some work; and he began once more to address his audience. "’Yet,’ he said, ’I have felt this sensation before, but not so strongly, even when I have struck these two, one against the other,’ and he thereupon hit the metal plate a great blow. ’It is there!’ he cried; ’once more I felt it pass through my brain.’ "Some of those present seemed also to feel a like sensation, and one rose up, addressing the assembly thus--