your book, I'm going to prophesy," and Mae backed resolutely up against
the railing and held her floating scarfs and veils in a bunch at her
throat, while she prophesied in this way:

"Behold me, direct lineal descendant of Albert Madden, speaking to my
children in the year 1995: 'What, children, want amusement? Want to see
the magic lantern to note the effects of light? Alas! how frivolous.
Listen, children, to the achievements of your great ancestor, as
reported by the Encyclopedia. "A. Madden--promoter of civilization and
progress, chiefly known by his excellent theory entitled The Number of
Cells in a Human Brain compared to the Working Powers of Man, and that
remarkable essay, headed by this formula: Given--10,000,000 laboring
men, to find the number of loaves of bread in the world." Here,
children, take these works. Progressimus, you may have the theory, while
Civilizationica reads the essay. Then change about. Ponder them well,
and while we walk to the Museum later, tell me their errors. Then I will
show you the preserved ears of the first man found in Boshland by P. T.
Barnum, jr.' Oh, bosh," said Mae suddenly, letting fly her streamers,
"what a dry set of locusts you nineteenth century leaders are. You are
devouring our green land, and some of us butterflies would like to turn
our yellow wings into solid shields against you, if we could. There,
I've made a goose of myself again on the old subject. Edith, there's the
lunch bell. Take me down before I say another word." Exeunt feminines
all.

"Where did the child pick up all that?" queried Albert.

"'All that' is in the air just now," answered Norman. "It is a natural
reaction of a strong physical nature against the utilitarian views of
the day. Miss Mae is a type of--"