Ah! what a grand sight!--worthy of a life of inanimation for a thousand years. Cobb feasted his eyes on the beauty of the scene. Lost in the ecstasy of the moment, he was rudely awakened to a sense of the reality by the President remarking:
"Yes! yes, indeed! Grand beyond expression!"
"This street, Colonel Cobb, is said to be the handsomest in the world."
"I can well believe it! I cannot conceive of one that could be more beautiful."
"You mystify me! You do not mean to tell me that these magnificent buildings are built of glass?"
"The buildings, walks, streets, and nearly everything visible to your eye is of glass."
President Craft enjoyed the look of amazement and incredulity which overspread the other's face.
"Surely you are jesting with me! Glass is no substance for any of these purposes."
"Remember," slowly, "you are in the year 2000. That which was impossible, unheard of, to you in 1887, may be possible and common with us to-day."
"True! I find I must accept as possible every theory and proposition advanced, until it is, by undeniable evidence, totally disproved. But blame me not if doubt sometimes arises. Will you stop the drag a moment?"
Turning his head to the driver in the rear, he ordered the drag stopped at the curb.
In front of the entrance to the Dom Kanitöl Legletik (Grand Opera House), by the side of two tall and elaborately carved pillars covered with fine and thread-like filigree work, the drag came to a standstill. Without a word of explanation, Cobb sprang from his seat, walked up to the nearest pillar and dashed the heel of his boot against a beautiful rose of pure white. A look of triumph came into his eyes. They might make it to appear like glass, but it was not glass! The beautiful rose lay crushed against its stem, its delicate petals bent and twisted, and its leaves flattened together.
The President comprehended the young man's motive, and smiled. As Cobb again entered the drag, the President said, but kindly:
"You have destroyed that beautiful glass rose, and because you doubted me."
"Blame me not for doubting, kind sir, nor blame me for investigating. Without investigation we could never arrive at a certain knowledge of the truth or falsity of any proposition."