yet.
"At the start of the removal of the moon in 2721 A.D., the accumulatedwealth of John Jones the fortieth, stood:
2721 800 years $17,400,000,000
"Of course, with such a colossal sum at their command, the directors ofthe fund had made extensive investments on Mars and Venus.
"By the end of the twenty-eighth century, or the year 2807 A.D., themoon had been completely hacked away and sent piecemeal into space, thejob having required 86 years. I give, herewith, the result of JohnJones's Dollar, both at the date when the moon was completely removedand also at the close of the 900th year after its deposit:
2807 886 years $219,000,000,000 2821 900 years $332,000,000,000
"The meaning of those figures, gentlemen, as stated in simple language,was that the John Jones Dollar now comprised practically all the wealthon Earth, Mars, and Venus--with the exception of one university site oneach planet, which was, of course, school property.
"And now I will ask you to advance with me to the year 2906 A.D. In thisyear the directors of the John Jones fund awoke to the fact that theywere in a dreadful predicament. According to the agreement under whichJohn Jones deposited his Dollar away back in the year 1921, interest wasto be compounded annually at three percent. In the year 2900 A.D., thethirty-ninth generation of John Jones was alive, being represented by agentleman named J664M42721Male, who was thirty years of age and engagedto be married to a young lady named T246M42652Female.
"Doubtless, you will ask, what was the predicament in which thedirectors found themselves. Simply this:
"A careful appraisement of the wealth on Neptune, Uranus, Saturn,Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury, and likewise Earth, together with anaccurate calculation of the remaining heat in the Sun and anappraisement of that heat at a very decent valuation per calorie,demonstrated that the total wealth of the Solar System amounted to$6,309,525,241,362.15.
"But unfortunately, a simple computation showed that if Mr.J664M42721Male married Miss T246M42652Female, and was blessed by a childby the year 2921, which year marked the thousandth year since thedeposit of the John Jones Dollar, then in that year there would be duethe child, the following amount:
2921 1,000 years $6,310,000,000,000
"It simply showed beyond all possibility of argument, that by 2921 A.D.,we would be $474,758,637.85 shy--that we would be unable to meet thedebt to John Jones the fortieth.
"I tell you, gentlemen, the Board of Directors was frantic. Such wildsuggestions were put forth as the sending of an expeditionary force tothe nearest star in order to capture some other Solar System and thusobtain more territory to make up the deficit. But that project wasimpossible on account of the number of years that it would haverequired.
"Visions of immense law suits disturbed the slumber of those unfortunateindividuals who formed the John Jones Dollar Directorship. But on thebrink of one of the biggest civil actions the courts had ever known,something occurred that altered everything."
The professor again withdrew the tiny instrument from his vest pocket,held it to his ear and adjusted the switch. A metallic voice rasped:"Fifteen o'clock and fifty-two minutes--fifteen o'clock and fifty-twominutes--fift--" He replaced the instrument and went on with his talk.
"I must hasten to the conclusion of my lecture, gentlemen, as I have anengagement with Professor C122B24999Male of the University of Saturn atsixteen o'clock. Now, let me see; I was discussing the big civil actionthat was hanging over the heads of the John Jones Dollar directors.
"Well, this Mr. J664M42721Male, the thirty-ninth descendant of theoriginal John Jones, had a lover's quarrel with Miss T246M42652Female,which immediately destroyed the probability of their marriage. Neithergave in to the other. Neither ever married. And when Mr. J664M42721Maledied in 2946 A.D., of a broken heart, as it was claimed, he was singleand childless.
"As a result, there was no one to turn the Solar System over to.Immediately, the Interplanetary Government stepped in and tookpossession of it. At that instant, of course, private property ceased.In the twinkling of an eye almost, we reached the true socialistic anddemocratic condition for which man had futilely hoped throughout theages.
"That is all today, gentlemen. Class is dismissed."
One by one, the faces faded from the Visaphone.
For a moment, the professor stood ruminating.
"A wonderful man, that old socialist, John Jones the first," he saidsoftly to himself, "a farseeing man, a bright man, considering that helived in such a dark era as the twentieth century. But how nearly hiswell-contrived scheme went wrong. Suppose that fortieth descendant hadbeen born?"
THE END
Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ April 1956 and was first published in _Amazing Stories_ April 1927. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note.
The original equation given, x (1 + p)n, has been corrected to show the 'n' as superscript: X(1 + p)^n.
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