Page:A thousand years hence. Being personal experiences (IA thousandyearshen00gree).djvu/323

 universe fully into his secret. For my part, also, I don't see the use of throwing all one's possible good things away. Our friend White was of very great service in giving practical effect to Black's discovery; and in fact this was the opening of White's grand fortunes, and the beginning of all those magnificent "Liners" which his joint stock companies have since established for interplanetary voyaging and traffic.

Black boldly announced that, at a day and hour which he named, he would launch off for the moon, with such party as had the courage to accompany him. The passage-money, too, as I recollect, while I clinked some small energy-change in my little pocket, was no trifle. The very first volunteer to present himself was White, then a youth, busily engaged in what was still called "the coasting trade," or the shorter-range aerial voyaging. We have since more appropriately extended the term "coasting trade" to our entire globe, as distinguishing its limited range from that wide trading outside which Black's discovery at once opened to us. None was so helpful as White to his principal, in preparing the little barque which was first to navigate the boundless ether ocean.

All this is but half a century ago. I was then a schoolboy, and I still gratefully recollect the half holiday given to all the neighbouring schools, mine included, to enable us to witness the grand event of the day—Black's departure for the moon. I was able that day to squeeze my then much smaller bulk into

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