AN ANGLO-AMERICAN ALLIANCE
A Serio-Comic Romance
and
Forecast of the Future
BY
GREGORY CASPARIAN
Illustrated and Published by the Author
Mayflower Presses
Floral Park, New York
1906
Copyrighted, 1906,
by
GREGORY CASPARIAN
All Rights Reserved
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
Foreword vii-ix
I The Young Ladies' Seminary 11
II The Initiation 20
III The Moonlight Soirée 28
IV Historical Events of the 20th Century 38
V The Fistic Duel 63
VI Historical Events of the 20th Century (Concluded) 71
VII The Regatta 88
VIII Dr. Hyder Ben Raaba 96
IX A Ray of Hope 103
X The Transformation 110
XI Lord Cunningham, Viceroy of India 116
XII Adventures of Abou Shimshek, the Astronomer
of Ispahan 120
XIII Spencer Hamilton 136
Postscript 143
FOREWORD
In presenting this volume to the public it is not the intention of
the author to offer it as a literary masterpiece, but, in his adopted
language--conscious of his limitation--merely to give expression to
his thoughts on certain problems of life that have always seemed to
him of particular significance.
At present there appears to be a general bombastic clamor among
certain nations who, decrying others as barbarous, claim to have
reached the highest pinnacle of civilization. Yet a glance at the
existing conditions in those self-lauded governments will reveal
rampant corruption among their leaders who, for their own selfish
ends, retard legislations which are absolutely imperative for the
general welfare. It is not necessary to mention other ways in which
the people are being daily betrayed, for this is sufficient to render
any thinking person despondent and pessimistic.
The causes of the decadence of nations are not the laws which
have been enacted, but the flagrant violation of these very laws,
actuated by greed, avarice and commercialism which are generated in
the individual in power. The only remedy for this state is either a
leader of intrepid courage or the awakening of the people themselves
and their demanding reforms by public mandate.
The true meaning of civilization is Universal Brotherhood, and in
this sense, the leading lights in every stratum of life, whether in
Government or in Commerce, in Religion or in Science, stand arraigned
and indicted before the tribunal of conscience for retarding this
laudable spirit of Brotherhood.
Why do not Captains of Industry and Commerce, instead of throttling
each other, by a unanimous effort, promulgate laws on a reciprocal
basis among themselves?
Why do not Scientists, instead of confining their efforts to individual
endeavors, combine their forces so as to enhance the chance of
accomplishing greater results in research and exploration?
Why do not Spiritual Shepherds, instead of preaching intolerance and
fanaticism, bring their flocks together in harmony? An Oriental scholar
in the Congress of Religions, at the Columbian Fair, declared that
"the flocks are willing to pasture together, but it is the shepherds
who are keeping them apart."
And in fine, why do not the Nations, each claiming the highest forms
of civilization, instead of disseminating national, sectional and race
hatred, form an alliance, which will advance the cause of Universal
Brotherhood, and brighten the hope of bringing enduring peace to the
world at large?
In this golden era, with its vast numbers of diplomats,
statesmen, theologians, scientists, and its countless fraternal
organizations,--each preaching, fraternity, love and charity,--what
evil spirit or genii prevents them from forming a union between
two of the foremost and best forms of Governments,--America and
Britain--perfect types in their entity, having similar laws, language
and aspirations?
Who will be the Savior, through whose agency this happy cross
fertilization, inoculation or union shall be achieved? It was the above
thoughts, and the idea of an alliance between COLUMBIA and BRITANNIA,
that suggested in all seriousness the following frivolously allegorical
narrative,--a potpourri of weird fancy, satire and imagination, a
mosaic of the sublime and the ridiculous, on themes worthy of a master.
Yet if some reader should find, even in this fantastic guise, an
occasional thought worthy of arousing him to nobler efforts, the
author will consider himself well rewarded.
In regard to his prophecies for the future, he is willing to be called
a consummate prevaricator should his desire for the betterment of
mankind or the unity of nations take place much sooner than he has
predicted, or the calamities fail to materialize or prove to be much
lighter than he has foreseen.
G. C.
Floral Park, N. Y.
CHAPTER I
THE YOUNG LADIES' SEMINARY
It is 1960, Anno Domini. The Earth, notwithstanding many dire
predictions of charlatans and religious fanatics, and in spite of
numerous cataclysms, conflagrations and political upheavals, was
rotating serenely on its axis.
The Diana Young Ladies' Seminary, situated upon the picturesque
hills of Cornwall on the Hudson, is a few miles north of the West
Point Military Academy. The seminary buildings, having formerly been
the palatial homestead of a multi-millionaire, about half a century
previously had been bequeathed to the State of New York, with ample
endowments for its maintenance and development. It had long since
become one of the finest institutions of learning of its kind, not
only of America, but of the whole civilized world.
The donor of this magnificent seat of knowledge for young ladies was a
man of "polarity," of positive and negative action and reaction. He
was in fact a typical incarnation and embodiment of a dualism,
immortalized by the fertile fancy of Robert Louis Stevenson, in his
story of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." While on the one hand he had an
apparently irresistible and monomaniacal cunning in robbing his fellow
men by monopolizing all the necessities of life, crushing with hellish
unscrupulousness all competition in every channel of industry, and
strewing his wake with industrial wrecks,--on the other hand he busied
himself with the erection of hospitals and churches, and in endowing
colleges with a princely liberality, commensurate to his other nature.
Emerson, the philosopher, says "The whole universe is so, and so every
one of its parts," that "an inevitable dualism bisects nature," each
thing being a half and suggesting its complement. As the mammoth
Californian redwood tree, which with its towering height looks
overpoweringly stupendous when compared with the tiny otaheite
orange or dwarf Japanese plant, so was the difference in power
of acquisitiveness and possibilities of dispensation between this
colossus compared with ordinary mortals.
The real motive of his charity could not be divined; whether it
was because, pricked by a guilty conscience, he used this means as
a palliative for his sins, or whether he was entirely oblivious of
wrong-doing and was prompted only by a frank desire for doing good,
was never determined. But at any rate after his death it was found
that he had donated his palaces, with munificent endowment funds,
to establish this educational institution for females. Moreover,
it is not my intention to write a biography of this dual monster of
money-maniac and philanthropist, for his deeds are written on the
graves and sorrowing hearts of his victims, as well as in the grateful
remembrance and esteem of his beneficiaries.
Besides, we are told that God works good even through the agency of
the devil, and if he really had been a satellite of Satan, the great
usefulness and wide influence for good of the Seminary demonstrated
the veracity of the above statement.
The Diana Seminary had proven its right to its high place in the public
esteem. Its fame had reached every corner of the earth. Young women,
not only from America but from every clime and nation, flocked thither
seeking to perfect themselves in such branches of education as are the
necessary requirements of the fair sex to fit them to reign supreme
in any capacity, from teaching in a country school to presiding on
regal thrones and guiding the destinies of Nations.
The Diana Seminary had become particularly famous for the especial
branches of a curriculum which rendered the young ladies magnificently
lovely in form, chic in habilaments, brilliant and vivacious in
conversation, serene and dignified in carriage, sweet and optimistic
in nature, pure in sentiments, and in addition conferred upon them all
the necessary qualifications of accomplished housewives, virtues all
of which are inherent in American women and susceptible of highest
development.
The graduates of this Seminary were always eagerly sought in marriage,
not only by the deserving young men living near the college, but
also by the nobility and even the royalty of Europe. The demands of
the latter class were indeed so great as to alarm the fond parents
across the ocean for the future happiness of their daughters, and they
were thus compelled to send their beloved ones to this Institution in
order to acquire that polish which their American sisters had proven
so desirable.
Amongst the many English maidens who were there matriculated was
beautiful Aurora Cunningham, the only daughter of the Secretary of
Foreign affairs of Great Britain.
It is unnecessary to dwell upon the beauty and charms of Aurora. It
is true that she could not be compared with the Goddesses of ancient
Greece, nor did she resemble the bewitching sylvan nymphs depicted
by the brush and pen of masters of art. She was a mortal; suffice
it to say, that she was a graceful girl of exquisitely moulded form,
of medium height, with luxuriant golden tresses, which, shimmering in
the sunlight, justified her baptismal name. Her large, dreamy blue
eyes mirrored the purity of her soul, and the dimples on her cheeks
were so deep and alluring that all who looked upon them felt their
compelling charm.
She was, in a word, a typical English maiden. Highly accomplished,
and though dainty in demeanor, nevertheless she was not one of those
frail, ailing butterflies who exist and thrive only in artificial
atmosphere. Having been reared with greatest care, by means of a
complete course of calisthenics and out-of-door sports, with all her
refined mien she was a hardy and healthy specimen of feminine beauty as
well as a leader in all the strenuous pastimes of the Diana Seminary.
She was called the "sunshine" of the Seminary, and none other merited
the appellation so well. Consequently she was idolized by the rest of
the students and was much sought after by the gallant young men in the
vicinity. After the manner of girl students who are given to violent
friendships, Aurora was devoted to her room-mate in the person of a
charming American girl named Margaret MacDonald, the daughter of a
Western Senator.
Margaret was entirely the opposite of Aurora,--her very antithesis. She
was somewhat taller, with sparkling black eyes and raven hair, of
imposing dignity and carriage, but withal the equal of Aurora in
the matter of natural gifts and accomplishments. She had, moreover,
a captivating frivolity and aggressiveness which almost bordered
on masculinity.
Perhaps it was this complete diversity of temperament and of type
that engendered an intense affinity between the girls. For although
diametrically differing even in their exposition of ideas, they were
drawn to each other with a mysterious sympathy which attracted the
attention of outsiders and furnished ample excuse for comment. Directly
after their first meeting they had become inseparable companions
and confidants.
As the time passed this strange attachment grew so marked and its
manifestations so alarmingly flagrant that they themselves became
aware of its dangerous consequences. They realized that if they gave
free license to indiscreet emotional demonstrations in the class
room or in public, not only would their actions not be tolerated
by the College faculty and cause their expulsion from the Seminary,
but they would also be subjected to unendurable ostracism by the rest
of the students. But still worse was the confronting fact that they
would undoubtedly become the topic of unpleasant notoriety through
the publicity given by the sensational press. They had therefore the
good judgment to pledge themselves to control their emotions in the
presence of the class, and to exercise wide-awake circumspection in
their behavior in public and towards the opposite sex.
It is needless to say that by the happy faculty of diplomacy,
inherent in them, they succeeded with consummate delicacy and skill
in maintaining their natural poise and normal attitude throughout
the seminary course.
Like the magnetic pole the Diana Seminary had become the center of
attraction for the adjacent youths, especially the Academy boys,
who on all gala occasions were welcome guests at the Seminary.
The experiment of co-education had long since been proven a failure. By
the well known law of electricity, that bodies similarly electrified
repel each other, and bodies oppositely electrified attract, it
seems that the constant familiarity and co-mingling of the two sexes
in co-educational institutions at the romantic age of puberty had
a somewhat similar effect and breeded contempt, blunting that keen
fondness for each other which seems natural, and so was not surprising
that in such institutions both sexes, when leaving college, separated
more like enemies than friends and lovers.
The isolation of the sexes naturally created an intensity of affection
and a desire for association, and when the two periodically came in
contact caused that rapturous thrill of hearts and nascent unification
of souls. This undoubtedly was the plausible explanation, at least
one of the reasons, why the Seminary girls were always in demand and
were participants of so many happy unions.
The only exception to the rule were Aurora and Margaret who, although
in every way agreeable to the aspirants for their hearts and hands,
refrained from making an alliance throughout their college course. It
was piteously amusing, however, to see those gallant swains from the
Academy heading for the Seminary whenever opportunity presented. Their
hearts were filled with intense ardor and their lips and pubescent
moustaches were pregnant with the microbes of Eros,--in a high state
of fermentation--blurting out with tense anxiety the momentous query,
"Wilt thou be mine?" to Aurora or Margaret, only to return vanquished
by the cold decisive negative.