"But what does it mean?" And then, assuming a gayety I did not feel, I
asked further: "Does the moon, too, want to be annexed to the United
States?"

"You speak lightly, young man," my neighbor said, "and do not appear to
realize the seriousness of our situation. Where have you been, that you
have not heard this matter discussed, and do not understand that the moon
is certain to come into collision with the earth in a very short time?"

He seemed thoroughly alarmed, and I soon found that all the people shared
his feeling. The movement of the earth carried us out of sight of the moon
in a few hours, but after a brief rest everybody was on the watch again at
the next revolution. The excitement over the behavior of our once despised
moon increased rapidly from this time. Nothing else was talked of,
business was well-nigh suspended, and the newspapers neglected everything
else to tell about the unparalleled natural phenomenon. Speculation was
rife as to what would be the end, and what effect would follow a union of
the earth with its satellite.

While this discussion was going on, the unwelcome visitor was approaching
with noticeable rapidity at every revolution of the earth, and the immense
dark shadow which it now made, as it passed beneath the sun, seemed
ominous of an ill fate to our world and its inhabitants. It was a time to
try the stoutest hearts, and, of course, the multitude of the people were
overwhelmed with alarm. As no one could do anything to ward off what
seemed a certain catastrophe, the situation was all the more dreadful. Men
could only watch the monster, speculate as to the result, and wait, with
horrible suspense, for the inevitable. The circle of revolution was now
becoming so small that the crisis was hourly expected. Men everywhere left
their houses and sought the shelterless fields, and it was well they did