Then followed the great enactment. All the air of the world was declared
to be free, and any one attempting to buy or sell this natural and
indispensable product was guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by fines
and heavy bonds.
The celebration of this victory was extreme. The most wonderful
jubilations were held at the air tanks. Famous speeches were made and
the tanks were sold by permission of their owners. One enthusiastic
person bought a tank, declared that he would sell it in small pieces for
relics, and use the proceeds for educating poor children. The scene that
followed beggars description. Everybody knew that this was a cut at
Magnate, and the buying of relics was carried on in an unprecedented
manner. The amount of money netted by this sale was so large that
several schools were erected and an endowment provided for their
maintenance.
All this happened long ago on the world of Airess. But the memory of
these unusual times will never die. They have an annual day of
celebration much resembling, in its festivities, our Fourth of July.
The most peculiar human condition of Airess, according to my view, is
the manner in which these people sleep. They do not lie down and
gradually drift into unconsciousness, but they lie motionless and still
retain full consciousness. The rest comes from the quietness of the
bodily members. It is not even possible for these creatures to become
mentally insensible to their surroundings, except by an accident or
through medical treatment.
I was most impressed, however, as I learned of the powerful eyesight
which these people enjoy. Their eyes are indeed little telescopes,
capable of examining heavenly bodies with as much accuracy as we are
enabled to do with the aid of magnifying glasses.
Then comes the surprising statement that these same people have never
invented anything similar to a spy glass or a telescope. Imagine how far
they could peer into the depth of space if their own gifted eyesight
were augmented by good magnifying glasses.
I spent a little longer time on Airess than on some other planets
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