"
"I am surprised, though," said the doctor, "because the accumulation of
meteorolites on the surface of the earth is so exceedingly slow that it
would take millions of years, at the present rate, to increase its
diameter one inch."
"But perhaps they came much faster in past ages. Let me ask you, Doctor,
if it is not a fact that the rate of revolution of Mars around the sun is
slower than the earth's? I suppose you are far enough advanced in
astronomical science to answer that."
"Yes," replied the doctor, "you are correct. I believe the earth speeds
along at nineteen miles a second, while Mars travels only sixteen miles in
the same time."
"We know by our computations that our speed is much less than it once was,
and our theory is that this has in some way hushed those terrible storms
and winds which we know were formerly so frequent."
Here the doctor thought he saw a chance to make a point, and spoke as
follows:
"If the meteorites come in quantities sufficient to have caused such
changes, it seems to me their fall must be as great a menace to your peace
as the evils they have cured.
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