IN A STRANGE LAND
267
make the Dlanet more friendly to future human generations.
The Old Ones neither heloed nor hindered this Dlan; time
was not yet. Their meditations were amroachine a violent cusp
that would shaoe Martian art for many millennia. On Earth
elections continued and a very advanced poet Dubliskrd a lim
edition of verse consisting entirelv of Dunctuation marks
and spaces; Time magazine reviewed it and suzzested that the
Federation Assembly Daily Record should be translated into
the medium.
A colossal campaign opened to sell rnore sexual organs of
plants and Mrs. Joseph ("Shadow of Greatness") Douglas was
auoted as saving: "I would no more sit down without flowers
on my table than without serviettes " A Tibetan swami from
Palenno, Sicily, announced in Beverly Hills a newlv discov
ancient yoga disciDline for riDDle breathing which in
both manha and cosmic attraction between sexes. His
chelas were required to assurne the
msture dressed
in hand-woven while he read aloud from Rig-Veda and
an assistant guru eiamined their purses in another room—noth
was stolen; the purpose was less imnrdiate.
President of the United States Dmclaimed the first Sun
in November as "National Grandmothers' Day" and urged
America to say it with flowers. A furrral parlor chain was
indicted for price-cutting. Fosterite bishoos, after secret con
, announced the Church ' s second Major Miracle: Sumeme
Bishop Digby had been translated t»dily to Heaven and spot
to Archangel, ranking with-but-after Archangel Fos
The glorious news had been held up pending Heavenly
confirmation of the elevation of a new Supreme Bishop, Huey
Short—a candidate acceoted by the Boone faction after lots
had been cast repeatedly.
L • Unita and Hov published identical denunciations of
Short's elevation, l'Osservatore Romano and the Christian
Science Monitor ignored it, Times of India snickered at it, and
the Manchester Guardian simply reported it—the Fosterites in
England were few but extremelv militant.
Digby was not pleased with his promotion. The Man from
Mars hui interruDted him with his work half finished—and that
stuoid jackass Short was certain to louse it up. Foster listened
with angelic patience until Dizbv ran down, then said, "Listen,
junior, you're an angel now—so forget it. Eternity is no time
for recriminations. You too were a stupid jEkass until you
poisoned me. Now that Short
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