Meda: a Tale of the Future. Kenneth Folingsby

      ​

      Part II

       Table of Contents

      PART II.

       Table of Contents

      HAS the reader ever suffered from a serious illness? If so, does he remember the first peaceful, painless, restful sleep that came after that illness, and the delightful sense of pleasure that he experienced when waking up from this slumber. Dear reader, if you have not had this experience, it is almost worth your while to get seriously ill, in order that you may enjoy it, but if you do make up your mind to try the experiment, take care that you get ill in the spring of the year, and let your home be in the country. Town people know nothing of this pleasure, or if they do, they do so only in a very limited degree.

      I have come through this experience, and though I was but nine years old at the time, I never shall forget my intense enjoyment, when I awoke from my first painless sleep. Strength of constitution, medical skill, and a mother's devoted nursing had pulled me through.

      ​The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the creepers that clung round the window were in bright green leaf. My poor enfeebled frame was gaining strength, and all seemed bright, happy and peaceful. My fond and loving mother's face was bright with joy; she thought not of the troubled and weary nights and days of watching that she had passed through; she thought not of the fatigue that had left its mark in care-worn lines on that thoughtful loving face. And then, to add to my enjoyment, there were the brothers, sisters, and the friends that came with their kind and loving congratulations, who brought lovely innocent flowers—the emblems of that purity and beauty that we should live to attain.

      Afterwards there came the days of convalescence. I was well wrapped up, carried into the garden, and placed in a low chair. Ah! what a pleasure was this, what enjoyment was there here, for one who had been snatched from the grave's very brink, and restored by a merciful and kind providence, to life, health ​and happiness. The seeds that I had planted in my little garden before my illness were now strong plants. The primroses and lilies are in bloom. Under yon great evergreen tree, see the robin hopping about while warbling to his mate; and look at the rays of sunlight penetrating the thick foliage, giving every shade of color, from the darkest olive almost down to the brightest of yellow. Everything to my eyes and thoughts and feelings was beaming with an untold richness of beauty and enjoyment. I have, since those happy days, often thought why it was that the pleasure of those moments was so intense, so truly enjoyable. I suppose it was because the mind that had been an utter blank for some months, on its re-opening to life, had a vividness of perception that acted as a stimulant to the observation of nature's beauties. And thus there was engendered an enjoyment, and a true appreciation, of the harmonious beauty of the works of the Great Creator, that has been a lasting impression on my mind, as distinct, lovely, ​and enjoyable now, as it was thirty years ago.

      How long I had lain on the couch in the Recorder's hall I cannot say, but when he passed me from sleep's repose to activity I experienced the same pleasant feelings as already referred to when a child, although the surroundings were different, so different as to make a comparison seem absurd.

      When I wakened, my friend the Recorder was standing by my side. He said, "Wake up, my Specimen, you have had sufficient slumber, and you will now bathe, and change those garments that you wear for some more in keeping with the habits of the people with whom you now reside!" Up to this moment I had never given any thought to my garments. They consisted of an ordinary suit of grey tweed, with strong boots and a soft felt hat. I got up, and my venerable friend led me to a room that was entered by one of the side doors off the Recorder's hall. In the centre of this room was a bath, made of white marble, sunk ​below the level of the floor, and through which a stream of water continually flowed. The bath was very spacious, and I should say measured about twelve feet by eight and was about four feet deep. On a chair near were towels and a suit of clothing similar to the Recorder's. He left me alone, closing the door, and I undressed and proceeded to get into the bath. In doing so I went down the marble steps at the middle. When I put my feet into the water, I was surprised at its great buoyancy. I had only gone down four steps, when I found I could hardly stand; while I was stooping down to feel the water with my hands, I lost my footing and fell right into the bath, the displacement of my feet and legs seeming to heave me upwards. I fully expected that I should go right to the bottom, but such was not the case. I lighted head foremost in the water and floated about like a cork on the surface, not more than one fourth of my body being immersed.

      ​I tasted the water to know if it were salt, as I knew that it is much easier to float in salt water, but I found it was quite fresh. To get myself wet all over I rolled round and round on the surface, and after I was thoroughly bathed, got out and dried myself. I then attempted to put on my new garments, but as this was no easy task, I sat down on the chair to work out this problem. Looking at the clothing I found it to consist of one piece of a white silkish cloth, pleated at one end in the form of a kilt. I at last solved the difficulty, by fastening the latter portion round my loins, and disposing of the remainder as best I could around my body and shoulders.

      If not exactly correct in the disposition of my clothing, I had at least made a fairly good attempt at dressing for the first time in a modern costume. I found that a pair of light shoes was also provided for my use, and these I got on my feet with some difficulty, as they were rather small. There were also two leg weights the same as those my guides wore, but ​I did not put them on, as I thought they would only be an encumbrance.

      When my toilet was completed, I sat down and ran over in my mind the entire circumstances of my extraordinary position, but gave up all explanations in despair. The Recorder, I remembered had said that we were now in the year of our Lord 5575. Could this be? If so, I must have been dead for over three thousand years, and he also said we were in England, and that he belonged to the English nation. He called me a "Specimen," at which I was not a bit annoyed, though if one of the sages outside had addressed me by that name, I should most certainly have been in a rage with him. But my new friend was so different from the others, his face was so benevolent, and the power of his intelligence or will so intense, that I somehow felt that he might say or do anything he liked with me.

      In a short time my friend entered again, and came over to me, saying:—

      "How did you enjoy your bath?"

      ​I answered, "Very much indeed; but what buoyant water you have."

      "Oh!" he replied, "the water has just the same specific gravity as it ever had, which remains constant; but the force of intelligence that now reigns has made your body like ours, very light. But, my Specimen, I shall explain all these matters to you later on." Then he looked at me in a kindly searching way, and continued:—

      "You have large digestive organs; do you not hunger?"

      This caused me to think when I had last partaken of food, and I answered—"By your account it must be more than three thousand years since I have had aught to eat."

      "Yes," he said, smiling, "it must be more than that; but still, Specimen, you have these organs, which are large ones, and until they have been reduced to modern dimensions, it is well that you should partake slightly of food, so follow me!"

      He moved towards the end of the bathroom, ​and passing through another door, we entered a little room which he said was his private study. He placed his hand on an ivory button in a kind of writing desk that stood in the middle of the room. This immediately opened from the centre, the portions of the top folding back, apparently without any assistance,