It appears that the perfect existence is one in which nobody is required to walk. Many persons like to look into the future and prepare out minds for the wonders that we shall see if we live long enough. We have never observed a prophecy of that kind that did not describe the happy circumstance of movable sidewalks to relieve the human legs of virtually all exertion. The seer of the movement is the fire chief in New York city. He foresees a city in which streets will be free from vehicular traffic, such streets as there are being devoted exclusively to the use of "pedestrains", who will be passengers on moving sidewalks extending from curb to curb.

It is a perfect picture of the lazy man's heaven. He will arrive in his airplane, land on top of his office building and descend in an elevator. Whether there will be a means of saving him the exertion of toddling from the elevator to his office door is not yet clear. But if he has an errand somewhere it will only be a matter of riding to the ground and slighting on the swiftly moving sidewalks.

It is already almost a disgrace to be seen walking. One should always get into his automobile if he is going more than four blocks. An old-fashioned stroll is a series of embarrassing rejections of invitations to ride from kind-hearted and invitations to ride from kind-hearted and pitying motorists. Every self-respecting citizen waits for the elevator rather than walk down one flight of stairs.

It is encouraging to learn that the best inventive minds are going to solve the few remaining elements of the problem of how to get around without the use of legs. What our grandchildren are going to do with their legs we are not sure. Certainly they will be an encumbrance, and it will take more than two generations of evolution to dispense with them. Perhaps they will all cover them up and pretend they have none, as women used to do. --The Portland Oregonian.