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earthquake when and after they read their morning journals。 And then； all that they knew at first was that telegraphic communication had ceased beyondsay two hundred miles。 Gradually people and despatches came in； who said that they had parted company with some of the other islands and continents。 But； as I say； on each piece the people not only weighed much less； but were much lighter…hearted； had less responsibility。
Now will you imagine the enthusiasm here； at Miss Hale's school； when it should be announced that geography； in future； would be confined to the study of the region east of the Mississippi and west of the Atlantic；the earth having parted at the seams so named。 No more study of Italian； German； French； or Sclavonic； the people speaking those languages being now in different orbits or other worlds。 Imagine also the superior ease of the office…work of the A。 B。 C。 F。 M。 and kindred societies； the duties of instruction and civilizing； of evangelizing in general； being reduced within so much narrower bounds。 For you and me also； who cannot decide what Mr。 Gladstone ought to do with the land tenure in Ireland； and who distress ourselves so much about it in conversation； what a satisfaction to know that Great Britain is flung off with one rate of movement； Ireland with another； and the Isle of Man with another； into space； with no more chance of meeting again than there is that you shall have the same hand at whist to…night that you had last night！ Even Victoria would sleep easier； and I am sure Mr。 Gladstone would。
Thus； I say； were Orcutt's and Brannan's responsibilities so diminished； that after the first I began to see that their contracted position had its decided compensating ameliorations。
In these views； I need not say； the women of our little circle never shared。 After we got the new telegraph arrangement in good running…order； I observed that Polly and Annie Haliburton had many private conversations； and the secret came out one morning； when； rising early in the cabins； we men found they had deserted us； and then； going in search of them； found them running the signal boards in and out as rapidly as they could； to tell Mrs。 Brannan and the bride； Alice Orcutt； that flounces were worn an inch and a half deeper； and that people trimmed now with harmonizing colors and not with contrasts。 I did not say that I believed they wore fig…leaves in B。 M。； but that was my private impression。
After all； it was hard to laugh at the girls； as these ladies will be called； should they live to be as old as Helen was when she charmed the Trojan senate （that was ninety…three； if Heyne be right in his calculations）。 It was hard to laugh at them because this was simple benevolence； and the same benevolence led to a much more practical suggestion when Polly came to me and told me she had been putting up some baby things for little Io and Phoebe； and some playthings for the older children； and she thought we might 〃send up a bundle。〃
Of course we could。 There were the Flies still moving！ or we might go ourselves！
＇And here the reader must indulge me in a long parenthesis。 I beg him to bear me witness that I never made one before。 This parenthesis is on the tense that I am obliged to use in sending to the press these minutes。 The reader observes that the last transactions mentioned happen in April and May； 1871。 Those to be narrated are the sequence of those already told。 Speaking of them in 1870 with the coarse tenses of the English language is very difficult。 One needs； for accuracy； a sure future； a second future； a paulo…post future； and a paulum…ante future； none of which does this language have。 Failing this； one would be glad of an a… orist；tense without time；if the grammarians will not swoon at hearing such language。 But the English tongue hath not that； either。 Doth the learned reader remember that the Hebrewlanguage of history and prophecyhath only a past and a future tense； but hath no present？ Yet that language succeeded tolerably in expressing the present griefs or joys of David and of Solomon。 Bear with me； then； O critic！ if even in 1870 I use the so… called past tenses in narrating what remaineth of this history up to the summer of 1872。 End of the parenthesis。＇
On careful consideration； however； no one volunteers to go。 To go； if you observe； would require that a man envelop himself thickly in asbestos or some similar non… conducting substance； leap boldly on the rapid Flies； and so be shot through the earth's atmosphere in two seconds and a fraction； carrying with him all the time in a non… conducting receiver the condensed air he needed； and landing quietly on B。 M。 by a precalculated orbit。 At the bottom of our hearts I think we were all afraid。 Some of us confessed to fear； others said； and said truly； that the population of the Moon was already dense； and that it did not seem reasonable or worth while； on any account； to make it denser。 Nor has any movement been renewed for going。 But the plan of the bundle of 〃things〃 seemed more feasible； as the things would not require oxygen。 The only precaution seemed to be that which was necessary for protecting the parcel against combustion as it shot through the earth's atmosphere。 We had not asbestos enough。 It was at first proposed to pack them all in one of Professor Horsford's safes。 But when I telegraphed this plan to Orcutt； he demurred。 Their atmosphere was but shallow； and with a little too much force the corner of the safe might knock a very bad hole in the surface of his world。 He said if we would send up first a collection of things of no great weight； but of considerable bulk； he would risk that； but he would rather have no compact metals。
I satisfied myself； therefore； with a plan which I still think good。 Making the parcel up in heavy old woollen carpets； and cording it with worsted cords； we would case it in a carpet…bag larger than itself and fill in the interstice with dry sand； as our best non… conductor； cording this tightly again； we would renew the same casing with more sand； and so continually offer surfaces of sand and woollen； till we had five separate layers between the parcel and the air。 Our calculation was that a perceptible time would be necessary for the burning and disintegrating of each sand…bag。 If each one； on the average； would stand two…fifths of a second； the inner parcel would get through the earth's atmosphere unconsumed。 If； on the other hand； they lasted a little longer； the bag； as it fell on B。 M。； would not be unduly heavy。 Of course we could take their night for the experiment； so that we might be sure they should all be in bed and out of the way。
We had very funny and very merry times in selecting things important enough and at the same time bulky and light enough to be safe。 Alice and Bertha at once insisted that there must be room for the children's playthings。 They wanted to send the most approved of the old ones； and to add some new presents。 There was a woolly sheep in particular； and a watering…pot that Rose had given Fanny； about which there was some sentiment； boxes of dominos； packs of cards； magnetic fishes； bows and arrows； checker…boards and croquet sets