In this captivating episode of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater, host EG Marshall introduces us to the intriguing tale of "The Man Who Could Work Miracles," adapted from the classic story by H.G. Wells. Set in the late 1890s, the story follows George McWhirter, a humble bookkeeper who discovers he possesses an extraordinary power to perform miracles through sheer willpower. As George experiments with his newfound abilities, he inadvertently causes chaos, including making an oil lamp defy gravity and sending a man named John Crawford to an unknown fate. As George grapples with the moral implications of his powers, he seeks guidance from Reverend Francis Chatterton Howell, who sees the potential for George to use his abilities for the greater good.
As the story unfolds, George's attempts to control his powers lead to unintended consequences, culminating in a dramatic attempt to stop the world from turning. This decision results in a catastrophic event that leaves George, his wife Minnie, and his friend Charlie in a precarious situation. Ultimately, George learns a valuable lesson about the limits of his powers and the importance of appreciating the natural wonders of life. This thought-provoking episode explores themes of power, responsibility, and the miraculous nature of everyday life.
(00:00) Introduction to Miracles
(02:12) The Match Game and the First Miracle
(07:00) The Consequences of a Miracle
(15:08) Seeking Guidance from Reverend Howell
(26:14) New Year's Eve Reflections
(33:00) The World Stops Turning
(37:01) A Return to Normalcy
Listen to our radio station Old Time Radio https://link.radioking.com/otradio
Listen to other Shows at My Classic Radio https://www.myclassicradio.net/
Entertainment Radio | Broadcasting Classic Radio Shows | Patreon
Remember that times have changed, and some shows might not reflect the standards of today’s politically correct society. The shows do not necessarily reflect the views, standards, or beliefs of Entertainment Radio
[00:00:01]
Unknown:
The CBS Radio Mystery Theater presents Come in. Welcome. I'm EG Marshall. A trip to the dictionary will reveal the fact that the word miracle comes from a Latin word meaning something wonderful. A miracle, as we all know, is a departure from the usual course of nature. Something happens that in our customary day to day living couldn't possibly happen. Yet in some strange way that most of us can't explain, explain, it does happen. And when it does, it is indeed something to wonder at. Charge. What have you done? I don't know, but I can't keep it up much longer. That oil lamp is is hanging up in the air upside down. Without spilling its oil, without breaking, burning just as bright as it did before. Yeah. It's just hanging there, not attached to anything.
[00:01:18] Unknown:
What what's making it do that? I don't know,
[00:01:20] Unknown:
Charlie. Unless unless what? Unless I've just worked some kind of a miracle. Our mystery drama, The Man Who Could Work Miracles, was adapted from the HG Wells classic story, especially hardware stores. I'll be back shortly with act one. We're in a few days, the eighteen nineties would be no more. The US was once again at peace. The Spanish American war was over. Colonel Teddy Roosevelt's rough riders had discarded their colorful uniforms and, like everyone else, would soon be welcoming the promise of the first sparkling new year of the twentieth century. Mike Brannigan's saloon is one of the few reputable oases in Lower New York City, right off the notorious Bowery.
It is early evening and two men, George McWhirter, a bookkeeper at a local bank, and his close friend Charlie Dempsey, a for the Third Avenue Trolley System, are seated at Mike's bar, busily engaged in their second most favorite pastime, the match game.
[00:03:05] Unknown:
Which one do you pick this time, Charlie?
[00:03:08] Unknown:
Now hold your arm out straight, George, so I can see what I'm doing. Like this? Like that. Let's see now. Now the three matches you're holding in your closed fist, which is the short one of the three, I pick, this one. Here, on my left. Open your hand, George. You lose again, pal? No. It's the one in the middle. That's 11 straight in a row you've lost at 2¢ a game. Hey, Mike. Two more beers. And, Charlie's paying as usual. I just can't figure out how you do it. Oh, no trick. Just concentration. Concentration? On on what? You just have to have concentration. Concentration on on what? You just have to have enough of the will to win.
I concentrate on your picking the wrong match. You picked the wrong match, and I win. Mhmm. Simple as that. Could anything be simpler? Yeah. But you almost never lose. It's like you have some kind of magical power. Oh, that's just so much nonsense, and you know it. I've been getting to wonder. It may just be possible. It's a matter of mind over matter. My mind. And I'm sorry to say there's nothing magical about that, Charlie. If there were, I might be chief teller at the bank instead of second assistant bookkeeper. What's more, Minnie, my wife wouldn't be bothering me every minute to ask for a raise. You may have something here.
[00:04:25] Unknown:
Drink your beer. To your good health, Charlie, and to Teddy Roosevelt's good health. And that little doy.
[00:04:35] Unknown:
George, what you do with a match king? It's really out of this world. It's it's almost like some kind of miracle. Miracle indeed. Charlie, what exactly is your understanding of a miracle? I don't know. A miracle is something that, it's like There is no such thing as a miracle, Charlie. A miracle is something that goes against the course of nature. What would seem to be happening isn't really happening at all. What seems to be happening is all a question of willpower, nothing else. You follow me? I'm doing my best. Well, let me show you what I mean. Now take this oil lamp burning right here over our heads. Water burn it. Well, that lamp in the natural course of events couldn't possibly burn like that if it were suddenly to find itself hanging upside down.
Now could it, Charlie? No. No. The glass I don't know. The glass chimney would slip off and break, and the calcium would spill out and pour all over the ceiling. Absolutely right. Now, if someone were to come along, say me, for instance, and stand right about here just and say to that lamp, Lamp, when I say so, you just turn upside down and hang there in the air. You with me, Charlie? I'm following every word. Hang there in the air without spilling the oil, without breaking, burning just as bright as before. What do you think would happen?
Nothing. Nothing would happen, but that that doesn't prove you're right. Absolutely nothing would happen. And now I'm going to prove it to you. Now be quiet, Charlie. I am about to concentrate on that land just as I do in the match game with every ounce of my willpower, and still nothing will happen. It's still nothing will happen. It's impossible. Right? I'm watching. Alright. Lamp, turn upside down.
[00:06:40] Unknown:
George. Look at it. What
[00:06:44] Unknown:
on earth have you done? The lamp. It's turned upside down, right in its place, and it's burning just as bright as before. I can't believe it. Neither can I? And I am concentrating with all my might. That's what's doing it. Concentration, my foot. Charlie, you are performing a miracle. I I don't think I can keep this up any longer. I see that. Your eyes are about to pop right out of your head, but I have to let go. I can't concentrate any longer. It's it's wearing me out. And the lamp is still up there, burning as bright as ever upside down. It's a
[00:07:22] Unknown:
I'm sorry. I just didn't have the strength or will to keep it up any longer. George, is is you alright? I'm fine. I'm a little weak, Charlie, but but fine. I think I wanna go home. I wanna tell Minnie what happened. She'll never believe me when I tell her.
[00:07:45] Unknown:
Another cup of coffee, George? No. Thank you, Minnie. Oh, you hardly touched your dinner. Well, I wasn't very hungry. Well, if you don't mind me saying so, George, you look terrible. Your face is still flushed. Your eyes bloodshot.
[00:07:58] Unknown:
I I know. I know. You wanna talk about it? What more is there to say? The lamp kept hanging there upside down in space. Well, maybe there was something wrong with the lamp. Oh, it fell because I got tired from all that concentrating. Oh, but that doesn't prove anything. It goes to prove it. Minnie,
[00:08:20] Unknown:
will you bring me one of my Christmas cigars, please? Might I ask how many beers you and Charlie had before this thing happened? Here's your cigar. Well, Charlie was right there. He saw it too. Well, that's what I mean. Do you suppose you could do it again? Make a lamp burn upside down? Wasn't once enough? Can I have a match? Just to find out whether or not you oh, George. I forgot. There isn't a match in the house. I forgot to buy some. I'll I'll go next door to the Henderson's and get With no matches in the house, I must have a match right now.
[00:08:57] Unknown:
No. Minnie, will you take a look? Right here in my hand.
[00:09:02] Unknown:
A match.
[00:09:03] Unknown:
Oh, where did it come from? I don't know. Oh, only it's it's a safety match. I I got to have something to strike it on.
[00:09:13] Unknown:
Oh, Linda. The match is lit.
[00:09:15] Unknown:
And you did it all by itself. Oh, not by itself, George. You did it all by yourself. You know what George? You are wonderful. Perfectly wonderful. Oh, what a beautiful dinner, George. We we couldn't have done better if we were dining at Delmonico's
[00:09:40] Unknown:
with all the swells. Well, the oysters were wonderful if I do say so myself.
[00:09:46] Unknown:
Just think. You made this dinner happen
[00:09:49] Unknown:
just for the two of us right here in our own home. You know, when Mike Brannigan told me he guessed I would have to pay for that broken lamp, I told him. I said, Mike, you got another guest coming. Then what did he say? Well, that he didn't know what kind of a trick I pulled, but he was minus one lamp. And he expected me to pay for it. No. Forget Mike Graniger and the lamp.
[00:10:12] Unknown:
Have another slice of this lovely sizzling sirloin of beef. Blood rare, just the way you like it. Here, let me pour the water into the glass.
[00:10:22] Unknown:
Why are we drinking water with a dinner like this? This calls for one of those fine imported French wines.
[00:10:29] Unknown:
How about champagne? Champagne. Of course. Champagne it is.
[00:10:40] Unknown:
And there we are. An oversized bottle too. All open and ready to pour. $18.93. Delicious. Some for you, Madame? Oh, it's heaven. Or maybe we can have some tomorrow night too. After all, it'll be New Year's Eve. Oh, why not? Oh, oh, Minnie. Minnie, I didn't tell you. This morning at the bank, I called a pair of gold and diamond cufflinks into existence. You did? Can I see them? Well, then mister Gumshott, the head bookkeeper came by snooping as always and so I quickly willed the cufflinks out of existence. Oh.
[00:11:25] Unknown:
Al Gumshott would have noticed them and, you know, asked questions. Oh, pity. Well, still, think of all the nice new things we can have now. Just for their asking as it were, a new clothes, maybe a new place to
[00:11:39] Unknown:
live. This little wart removed from my nose without surgery. No. We have to move slowly, Minnie. We don't want anybody to get suspicious. Nobody except the two of us must know about this. The two of us and Charlie.
[00:11:54] Unknown:
You expecting anyone, George? No.
[00:11:57] Unknown:
Who who is it? John Crawford of Crawford Crawford in Fisher. Chinese at law.
[00:12:05] Unknown:
Mister McWhaiter? George McWhaiter?
[00:12:08] Unknown:
Yes. What can I do for you? You familiar with our client, Michael Brannigan of Brannigan Saloon? Mike Brannigan? Of course. My fine represents mister Brannigan in legal matters. Well, what do you have to do with us? Well, last Thursday at about, 6PM, were you on the premises of Michael Brannigan Saloon? Well, Well, my friend Dempsey and I may have been having a couple of beers. In the course of your visit to mister Brannigan's establishment, were you involved in any occurrence that might be considered
[00:12:36] Unknown:
unusual? Don't answer in joy. This is my wife, mister Crawford. Wait a minute. What what do you mean unusual? Well, like you're causing in some strange way that no one seems capable of explaining,
[00:12:50] Unknown:
causing a lamp that hangs over the bar, a rather expensive lamp, to be turned upside down. And in spite of that, it continued to bind.
[00:13:00] Unknown:
Are you asking me or telling me? Careful, George. Well, the part is that in some way, you caused the lamp eventually to drop to the floor. It was shattered into a hundred pieces. I
[00:13:07] Unknown:
to drop to the floor. It was shattered into a hundred pieces. Mr. Brannigan estimates the replacement cost of that lamp at a minimum of $37.50.
[00:13:17] Unknown:
Now look, if either you or Brannigan thinks for one moment that I intend to replace that lamp Or pay $37.50. Exactly, missus McQuater. Then you both got another thing coming. Do you deny that you had anything to do with the lamps falling and breaking? I wish you a very good evening, mister Crawford. Careful you don't fall down the stairs. Well, if that is your attitude, mister McWhiter, I shall look forward to seeing you in court. You will never see me in any court, mister Crawford. I'll see you in hell first.
[00:13:50] Unknown:
George, what happened?
[00:13:53] Unknown:
Where is mister Crawford? Oh. Oh. He vanished. Just like that. One minute he was here, and the next, nothing. Just air. Remember the last thing you said to us? Certainly. Before he got to see me in any court on account of Branigan's land, I said that I would first see him in
[00:14:12] Unknown:
this. Me? Do you suppose?
[00:14:16] Unknown:
I wouldn't know. You're the miracle worker, George, not me.
[00:14:32] Unknown:
One of our great writers once said, things that are mysterious are not necessarily miracles. Few of us would quarrel with that. But another one wrote, a miracle is an event described by those to whom it was told by men who did not see it. As your storytelling host, that puts me in a somewhat awkward spot. Doesn't it? I shall return shortly with act two. Whatever the subject, you can be sure that William Shakespeare had something to say about it. Miracles? In one of his plays, her English captors accuse Joan of Arc of using evil and vicious devices to work what she calls miracles.
She answers, to work exceeding miracles on earth, I never had to do with wicked spirits. And it is this very thought that his miraculous powers may in some way be tainted with evil that is now on the mind of George McWhirter. George, this is certainly a crazy way to spend a cold chilly Sunday morning, sitting out here in all this fog. The fog will lift, Charlie, sooner or later. It just helps to take my mind off things. George, you're taking all this much too seriously. Charlie, you don't realize last night I sent a man to hell. To hell, Charlie. Good riddance from what you told me about him. Charlie, I don't have the right to do that. But you do have the power. You're the man who can Don't say it, Charlie. Things are moving a little too fast for me. I'm not very happy about the whole thing.
Hey. I got an idea. What? Why can't you use your willpower if you feel that bad about it to bring this Crawford character back from, where ever you think you sent it. Oh, Charlie. I tried. I I concentrated everything. No good? Yeah. That's why I'm down in the dumps. Nothing happened. Here. Here. Look at this morning's headlines. New York attorney missing, mysterious disappearance, John Crawford, from the legal firm of Robert Crawford and Fish. Hey. Wait just one minute. Now I may not have the answer, but I just thought of someone who might. Who? Mister Howell. Who's that? Francis Chatterton Howell, the famous minister of that church on the Bowery. Who is this? That was him. Well, what could he do? Well, he's a very bright man. You you can never tell. Something like miracles might just be right up his alley.
Are you comfortable, mister McWhorter? Warm enough. This chapel does get a bit drafty. Oh, I I I I'm just fine, reverend Howell. Just fine. Thank you. Now, exactly what mister Nick Worther seems to be your problem? Well, you won't believe me when I tell you. Look. Would you believe, reverend Howell, that an ordinary common person, take me for instance, sitting right here in your chapel, could have some kind of funny twist inside him that made him able to do things just by his own will power? Oh, indeed, I would. Things that nobody else could do?
The individual man is the end of the universe. As the part war group then said, I celebrate myself fencing myself. And what I assume No. No. I I I don't think you quite understand, reverend. Mhmm. Maybe I could show you. Show me? If if you'll allow me to make free with something in this room by by way of sort of an experiment. Help you, sir. Alright. Now take this tobacco jar on the table for instance. Oh, that's quite interesting, isn't it? It's a gift from a devoted parishioner. Please keep your eye on it, sir. Tobacco jar.
Be a bowl of violets. What? Lovely. Violets. But I don't understand. How how did you do that? Are you some sort of professional or a magician? What's the trick? There's no trick. Now watch this one. Bowl of violets change into a glass fishbowl with goldfish swimming in it. No. Amazing. Absolutely extraordinary. Is this how you make your living, mister McQuilter? Oh, no. No. I'm a bookkeeper by profession. Do you suppose you could turn this fishbowl back into what it was? My tobacco jar? Dear tobacco jar. Thank you. May may I ask what your fee would be for an evening? You still don't understand, reverend. What you have just seen is That is part of my problem.
What? I can't explain it. But you've just seen it for yourself. Those were miracles. Miracles? Yes. I can get just about everything I wish for if I wish hard enough with just a few exceptions. What I've been witnessing is not a skillful exhibition of Ledger the Maine, of sleight of hand, of magic. Referent, Howell. It all began with an oil lamp at Mike Brannigan's saloon. And now my biggest problem is that I wished a young fellow into hell. Name's John Crawford. You did what into hell? I wasn't really thinking a slip of the tongue more than anything else. And no sooner were the words out of my mouth, and he just
[00:20:23] Unknown:
disappeared.
[00:20:25] Unknown:
I tried to get him back, but my powers seem to be limited. They they they don't go quite that far. Oh, I need your help, reverend. It it it's on my conscience. This is truly amazing. If what you say is so, and I have no plausible reason to doubt you, well, after what I've seen you do, there's no question you have a gift, a very rare gift indeed. Well, I I wouldn't know about that, reverend. And, I don't think you have anything to worry about. How's that? Well, there's not the slightest touch of criminality to what you've done to this, mister Crawford. So if you don't mind, I would like to leave the difficulties of Crawford just for the time being and concentrate on the possibilities of somewhat, larger issues.
I don't bother you, reverend. Well, suppose there were a way to rescue dozens, nay, hundreds of poor condemned souls from the hell in which they dwell. Now wouldn't that, in a way, make up for the one man whom you say you have already put there? And for whom apparently there seems to be no return? I I I wouldn't know. But then why don't we try to find out? How? Put on your hat and coat. Well, where are we going, Reverend Haliver? Right down the street to the Bowery, just to make Weta to meet some of my neighbors. Who might that be?
Reverend Howard. Who? Francis Chatterton Howard from the church around the corner. Oh,
[00:22:26] Unknown:
that reverend Howell. Listen.
[00:22:29] Unknown:
If you're gonna try again to get me into your church No. First, first, I'd like you to sit up if you can from the position you're lying in in that doorway. Well, I'll
[00:22:41] Unknown:
try wherever. Yeah. Oh,
[00:22:44] Unknown:
there. How's that? Oh, that's excellent. Yeah. I I would like you to meet a friend of mine, George McWhirter. This is Tex. How are you, Tex? I ain't complaining none, Reverend McWhirter. I just missed him, McWhirter. Tex, aren't you ashamed of yourself? Now you know me long enough forever to know I ain't. Wouldn't you like to be something other than what you are? No. I don't reckon so. Fellas like me don't change much. Would you and mister McWherter here care to join me a little nip out of this bottle to celebrate New Year that's coming up tonight? Yep. You did. No. No. No. Thank you.
[00:23:28] Unknown:
The
[00:23:29] Unknown:
text, man, suppose it were possible to change. Suppose Suppose I were to tell you that mister McWherter here could help you this very minute. I how? What you aiming to do, mister McWherter? You told me you changed water to wine. Do you suppose you could work it in reverse? Here's looking at both of you. Wine to water. Go.
[00:23:55] Unknown:
Ow. Oh, what in tarnation happened to my drink?
[00:23:59] Unknown:
Just lay no water. Oh, great. Great. We're doing that. I only when I test ugly coyote the dumb this anyone. Comes the big one, mister McWhirter. The big one? Make him sober. Give him a shave, a haircut, a bath, new clothes, a little money in his pocket, and an entirely new attitude toward life. Just just just let me concentrate for a second. And what are you two whispering about? Go ahead, mister McWharton. Alright. Now. Mister McWharton, it's worked. His hair is cut.
[00:24:46] Unknown:
New store closed? But where and how Just hang on. What time do services at your church begin? In half an hour. Well, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I'm gonna mosey across the street and have myself a better breakfast.
[00:25:01] Unknown:
Oh, I'll see you in church, Reverend. Oh, we have done it, mister Macquarie. We've done it. Now doesn't this make up a little for what happened to you, mister Crawford? Well, I I must say I I don't feel quite so bad about Crawford after this. This. Just think of where we can go from here. The possibilities are endless. Endless. With your help, every lost soul in the world can be redeemed. You can spread joy, goodness, happiness all over the face of the globe. Now slow down a minute, Reverend. You're going a little too fast for me. In fact, everything's going a little too fast. I I I just can't keep up. We can start the first thing tomorrow morning. On New Year's Day. So soon? Tomorrow is the beginning of a new century, the twentieth. Imagine what better way to start. Reverend Howell, you'll have to excuse me. I've got to get home to my wife. I have the feeling I'm going to celebrate the new year like it's never been celebrated
[00:26:04] Unknown:
before.
[00:26:15] Unknown:
Somebody once said foster belief. With his faith in his power to perform miracles, just what is George MacWhirter planning to do? We'll see what he's up to when I return shortly with act three. In one of his plays, Shakespeare has a character say, that man has done a miracle today. A second character responds, true. He's made the lane to leap and fly fly away. To which a third answers, but you have done more miracles than I. You made in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly. If George McWhirter had read those words, but I'm getting a little ahead of myself.
At the moment, George with his wife and best friend Charlie are about to ring in the New Year.
[00:27:26] Unknown:
Happy New Year, George.
[00:27:28] Unknown:
Happy New Year, Well, you're a little early, Minnie. It's only ten to twelve. What's the difference? Let's drink this wonderful champagne you wished for us, George. The 1900. Happy new century to both of us. Oh, well, thank you, Charlie. But, you know, I just can't face the idea of a twentieth century. Century, George, if there ever was one. You still worrying about that Crawford film? Forget it. He meant you no good anyway. Drink your champagne. But you don't understand, Dean, the Ravi. It's not only Crawford. Crawford. I I just can't keep up with all that's happening. Everything's going too fast.
This this new power I have, it it it scares me. You know what you mean. Well, I have another glass of champagne, George. Thanks. I just may need it. Cheer up. According to my watch, we only got about eight minutes to midnight and the twentieth century. Let's think about a happy New Year. You wanna know something? I couldn't care less if I see this century or not. George, what are you saying? You see that full moon out the window there? Yes. It's beautiful. It reminds me of a story that used to fascinate me when I was a kid in Sunday school. Remember the story of Joshua in the bible?
Can't say I do. Well, Joshua made the sun stand still right in the middle of the heavens and the moon too. And for a whole day and a whole
[00:28:50] Unknown:
night, they both just hung in the sky without moving. I think you're trying to tell us something, George. Well, what I'm trying to say is
[00:29:00] Unknown:
suppose I was to try to do the same kind of thing. You mean make the sun stop? And the moon? Better than that. Suppose I was to stop the whole world from turning around.
[00:29:14] Unknown:
You
[00:29:15] Unknown:
mean stop the Earth from rotating? Well, whatever you call it, what would happen? Wouldn't everything stop moving so fast? Wouldn't time
[00:29:25] Unknown:
stop or just might? How would I know? And we could stay right here in the nineteenth century, and I wouldn't have to be bothered with a lot of new things I don't like. George, we only got a few minutes to go. Mhmm. I wouldn't be doing anybody any harm, would I, if I stop the world from turning around? Oh, it's a pretty large order, George. Less than one minute till midnight. Well, here goes.
[00:29:48] Unknown:
World, I want you to stop
[00:29:52] Unknown:
what was that word, Minnie? Rotating. To which are you sure?
[00:29:57] Unknown:
World, stop rotating this very minute.
[00:30:04] Unknown:
Hold on to everything both of you. I don't quite know what I've done, but whatever it is, it's bigger than all of us. What happened? What did I do? I'm flying
[00:30:17] Unknown:
head over heels like a bullet out of a gun. Flying through space. I can't catch my breath. Everything's so dark and everything's whirling about me like a mile a minute. Pieces of broken fetcher.
[00:31:27] Unknown:
George. George. Oh, are you alright? Are you hurt? Oh, Manny. I I think I'm alright.
[00:31:35] Unknown:
How about you? George. George. What what went wrong? A minute ago, it was a fine night with a What a what a mess I've made of everything. I think I know what's happened. What what? I remember from my high school course in science. The earth spins around in space at about a thousand miles an hour at the Equator. What's that got to do with us? In New York, it's about half that. About about 500 miles an hour. So Oh, that's something like, eight miles a minute. And when I stop the Earth from now from now, it's rotating rotating. Charlie, it was just like you were on your street car. Don't you see? And suddenly you jammed on the brakes for some reason, and all the passengers would get thrown forward, wouldn't they? Then now we know what you mean when you, so to speak, jammed the brakes on the Earth and made it stop turning?
Everything was sitting on top of the Earth got thrown forward? Everything. Everybody shoved right out into space. And that's where I think we are now. And everything in the world smashed a bit? What's more, probably everybody.
[00:32:59] Unknown:
Do you realize
[00:33:00] Unknown:
what you've done? Oh, I know, Minnie. I know.
[00:33:04] Unknown:
George, there is no world. You just destroyed the whole thing. I know.
[00:33:10] Unknown:
And we may be the only three human beings left in the entire universe.
[00:33:23] Unknown:
Oh, I feel terrible.
[00:33:25] Unknown:
Perfectly terrible. Look at my dress. It looks as if it were singed. And my suit? As if it didn't start to burn? I think it did, Charlie. Right. I I guess that the the friction of going through space nearly set all of us on fire. George, what are we going to do? We just can't stay here forever, crudgy on all fours this way. God. And that roaring wind is never the sun. Isn't that the truth? Oh, I have messed things up. You certainly have, George. But I have an idea. It better be good. Now wait. If I could get us out here in the first place You think maybe you could work it in reverse? I could try and we wouldn't be any worse off than we are now. It didn't work with that fella Crawford. You miracleed him all the way to hell. He couldn't get him back. Don't remind me. Well, it's worth a try. Only for heaven's sake. Be careful this time, George. We don't want things to get any worse. I've got my fingers crossed, and I'm concentrating with everything I've got.
George, I I Quiet. I want the world to go on turning just as it did before. I want everybody and everything in it to be just as they were before I started this whole thing. I want time to go off as it always did as if it had never stopped. George, I interrupt him, George. I want everybody
[00:34:56] Unknown:
to remember nothing about the whole stupid thing. Absolutely nothing. And more than anything else. What's that, George? That
[00:35:13] Unknown:
will have to be my own personal secret. Only 04:00 and
[00:35:36] Unknown:
look how dark it is already. Well, it's that time of the year, George.
[00:35:41] Unknown:
Have I got time to walk over to Mike Brannigan's,
[00:35:44] Unknown:
before dinner's ready, maybe? To wish all your friends good luck on this first day of the year. Uh-huh. Of course. Dinner won't be ready before six. Well, if Charlie's there, I might just shoot the breeze with him for a while. Maybe play our little match game. Help yourself, George, or may don't be late for dinner.
[00:36:14] Unknown:
Good evening. Can I invite you to celebrate the first day of the movie here with a little cheer right out of this little bottle? Well, that's very kind of you, but I'm in a hurry to meet a friend of mine at Banneken. Oh, and I understand.
[00:36:28] Unknown:
My happiness is hey. Do I know you from any place? I don't think so, my friend.
[00:36:37] Unknown:
I don't think so. Oh. Oh, I'm very sorry, sir. Oh, my fault. I just wasn't looking where I was going. That's perfectly alright. No harm done. Here. Let me pick up your fire. Well, I'm so glad it didn't break. Oh, thank you so much. May may may I ask, do you happen to live anywhere in this neighborhood? Well, you're just a couple of blocks from here. Well, I'm conducting a special service this evening at my church, the one around the corner, the beginning of a new century. You know? I, I invite you to drop in. I think you will find it interesting. Well, thank you ever so much, reverend, Howell. Francis Chatterton Howell.
The Francis Chatterton Howell? You're very sick. Haven't you met some place before? Sorry, Charlie. You lose again. It's the match in the middle. Oh. Two more beers, Mike. Charlie's paying as usual. I can't figure out how you do it. It's it's almost like some kind of miracle. Miracle? There's no such thing. Look, Charlie. If someone was to come along, say me, for instance, stand right about here Mhmm. And tell you he could make that oil lamp up there turn upside down and that it would go on burning without any kind of an accident, what would you say? Well, that nothing would happen. And just to prove that to you, watch this now.
Lamb, turn upside down.
[00:38:18] Unknown:
There. You see? Nothing.
[00:38:21] Unknown:
Which proves what? George? Yes?
[00:38:26] Unknown:
That red faced fellow coming towards. You you know him? I never saw him before in my life. But may I have the pleasure of buying you two gentlemen a drink in the spirit of the new year? Well, thank you. That's pretty kind of you. We're much obliged, I'm sure. I see you're drinking beer. A couple of beers, bartender. Coal where up here is quite a change from where I've just come from. Where, might I ask? What's that?
[00:38:50] Unknown:
A long way from here. It must have been way down south someplace with that sunburn you got. Well, that's,
[00:38:56] Unknown:
that's not really a sunburn. No? Now where I've been, I I guess you might call it way, way, way down south. I don't think I quite caught your name. Where's Crawford? John Crawford. Of the law firm of Crawford, Crawford and Fish, we, handle most of Mike Flanagan's legal work.
[00:39:18] Unknown:
Oh, is that so?
[00:39:20] Unknown:
Well, now if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I'll have to be running along. We've never met before, have we? I don't think so. But, thank you for the drink. Yeah. My pleasure. And And a happy New Year, thank you.
[00:39:36] Unknown:
Nice fella. George, I'd like to ask you a question. Yes. Before this Crawford came by, we were talking about miracles, and you said there was no such thing. Right? Right. Now suppose, just suppose for argument's sake that you had the power to work a miracle. Charlie, if I ever did have such a power, I still wouldn't be able to work any miracles. Why is that? Because if I ever had such a power, the first thing I do would be to pass a miracle taking away from me the power to work any more miracles. You would, George? I did, Charlie.
We began this story by saying that a miracle, dictionary definition is something wonderful, a departure from the usual course of nature. And yet, isn't it possible that we are surrounded by miracles every minute of the day, every day of our lives? Not George McWhirter's kind of miracle lives. Not George McWhorter's kind of miracle, but wonders that are a part of nature, like the rising of the sun, the growth of a blade of grass, the first steps taken by a child. In fact, the miracle of life itself. I'll be back shortly. More than seventy five years ago, HG Wells became the father of modern science fiction by writing a brilliant succession of short stories and novels dealing with such subjects as a man who could make the world stop turning.
Since then, more than a few of us who have found life on this planet somewhat less than satisfactory have at one time or another said, stop the world. I want to get off. Next time you're tempted, think twice. For all you know, you may have the gift of working miracles. Our cast included William Redfield, Marion Haley, Russell Horton, and Arnold Moss. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. Radio Mystery Theater was sponsored in part by Buick Motor Dream. This is EG Marshall inviting you to return to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre.
Until next time. Pleasant dream?
The CBS Radio Mystery Theater presents Come in. Welcome. I'm EG Marshall. A trip to the dictionary will reveal the fact that the word miracle comes from a Latin word meaning something wonderful. A miracle, as we all know, is a departure from the usual course of nature. Something happens that in our customary day to day living couldn't possibly happen. Yet in some strange way that most of us can't explain, explain, it does happen. And when it does, it is indeed something to wonder at. Charge. What have you done? I don't know, but I can't keep it up much longer. That oil lamp is is hanging up in the air upside down. Without spilling its oil, without breaking, burning just as bright as it did before. Yeah. It's just hanging there, not attached to anything.
[00:01:18] Unknown:
What what's making it do that? I don't know,
[00:01:20] Unknown:
Charlie. Unless unless what? Unless I've just worked some kind of a miracle. Our mystery drama, The Man Who Could Work Miracles, was adapted from the HG Wells classic story, especially hardware stores. I'll be back shortly with act one. We're in a few days, the eighteen nineties would be no more. The US was once again at peace. The Spanish American war was over. Colonel Teddy Roosevelt's rough riders had discarded their colorful uniforms and, like everyone else, would soon be welcoming the promise of the first sparkling new year of the twentieth century. Mike Brannigan's saloon is one of the few reputable oases in Lower New York City, right off the notorious Bowery.
It is early evening and two men, George McWhirter, a bookkeeper at a local bank, and his close friend Charlie Dempsey, a for the Third Avenue Trolley System, are seated at Mike's bar, busily engaged in their second most favorite pastime, the match game.
[00:03:05] Unknown:
Which one do you pick this time, Charlie?
[00:03:08] Unknown:
Now hold your arm out straight, George, so I can see what I'm doing. Like this? Like that. Let's see now. Now the three matches you're holding in your closed fist, which is the short one of the three, I pick, this one. Here, on my left. Open your hand, George. You lose again, pal? No. It's the one in the middle. That's 11 straight in a row you've lost at 2¢ a game. Hey, Mike. Two more beers. And, Charlie's paying as usual. I just can't figure out how you do it. Oh, no trick. Just concentration. Concentration? On on what? You just have to have concentration. Concentration on on what? You just have to have enough of the will to win.
I concentrate on your picking the wrong match. You picked the wrong match, and I win. Mhmm. Simple as that. Could anything be simpler? Yeah. But you almost never lose. It's like you have some kind of magical power. Oh, that's just so much nonsense, and you know it. I've been getting to wonder. It may just be possible. It's a matter of mind over matter. My mind. And I'm sorry to say there's nothing magical about that, Charlie. If there were, I might be chief teller at the bank instead of second assistant bookkeeper. What's more, Minnie, my wife wouldn't be bothering me every minute to ask for a raise. You may have something here.
[00:04:25] Unknown:
Drink your beer. To your good health, Charlie, and to Teddy Roosevelt's good health. And that little doy.
[00:04:35] Unknown:
George, what you do with a match king? It's really out of this world. It's it's almost like some kind of miracle. Miracle indeed. Charlie, what exactly is your understanding of a miracle? I don't know. A miracle is something that, it's like There is no such thing as a miracle, Charlie. A miracle is something that goes against the course of nature. What would seem to be happening isn't really happening at all. What seems to be happening is all a question of willpower, nothing else. You follow me? I'm doing my best. Well, let me show you what I mean. Now take this oil lamp burning right here over our heads. Water burn it. Well, that lamp in the natural course of events couldn't possibly burn like that if it were suddenly to find itself hanging upside down.
Now could it, Charlie? No. No. The glass I don't know. The glass chimney would slip off and break, and the calcium would spill out and pour all over the ceiling. Absolutely right. Now, if someone were to come along, say me, for instance, and stand right about here just and say to that lamp, Lamp, when I say so, you just turn upside down and hang there in the air. You with me, Charlie? I'm following every word. Hang there in the air without spilling the oil, without breaking, burning just as bright as before. What do you think would happen?
Nothing. Nothing would happen, but that that doesn't prove you're right. Absolutely nothing would happen. And now I'm going to prove it to you. Now be quiet, Charlie. I am about to concentrate on that land just as I do in the match game with every ounce of my willpower, and still nothing will happen. It's still nothing will happen. It's impossible. Right? I'm watching. Alright. Lamp, turn upside down.
[00:06:40] Unknown:
George. Look at it. What
[00:06:44] Unknown:
on earth have you done? The lamp. It's turned upside down, right in its place, and it's burning just as bright as before. I can't believe it. Neither can I? And I am concentrating with all my might. That's what's doing it. Concentration, my foot. Charlie, you are performing a miracle. I I don't think I can keep this up any longer. I see that. Your eyes are about to pop right out of your head, but I have to let go. I can't concentrate any longer. It's it's wearing me out. And the lamp is still up there, burning as bright as ever upside down. It's a
[00:07:22] Unknown:
I'm sorry. I just didn't have the strength or will to keep it up any longer. George, is is you alright? I'm fine. I'm a little weak, Charlie, but but fine. I think I wanna go home. I wanna tell Minnie what happened. She'll never believe me when I tell her.
[00:07:45] Unknown:
Another cup of coffee, George? No. Thank you, Minnie. Oh, you hardly touched your dinner. Well, I wasn't very hungry. Well, if you don't mind me saying so, George, you look terrible. Your face is still flushed. Your eyes bloodshot.
[00:07:58] Unknown:
I I know. I know. You wanna talk about it? What more is there to say? The lamp kept hanging there upside down in space. Well, maybe there was something wrong with the lamp. Oh, it fell because I got tired from all that concentrating. Oh, but that doesn't prove anything. It goes to prove it. Minnie,
[00:08:20] Unknown:
will you bring me one of my Christmas cigars, please? Might I ask how many beers you and Charlie had before this thing happened? Here's your cigar. Well, Charlie was right there. He saw it too. Well, that's what I mean. Do you suppose you could do it again? Make a lamp burn upside down? Wasn't once enough? Can I have a match? Just to find out whether or not you oh, George. I forgot. There isn't a match in the house. I forgot to buy some. I'll I'll go next door to the Henderson's and get With no matches in the house, I must have a match right now.
[00:08:57] Unknown:
No. Minnie, will you take a look? Right here in my hand.
[00:09:02] Unknown:
A match.
[00:09:03] Unknown:
Oh, where did it come from? I don't know. Oh, only it's it's a safety match. I I got to have something to strike it on.
[00:09:13] Unknown:
Oh, Linda. The match is lit.
[00:09:15] Unknown:
And you did it all by itself. Oh, not by itself, George. You did it all by yourself. You know what George? You are wonderful. Perfectly wonderful. Oh, what a beautiful dinner, George. We we couldn't have done better if we were dining at Delmonico's
[00:09:40] Unknown:
with all the swells. Well, the oysters were wonderful if I do say so myself.
[00:09:46] Unknown:
Just think. You made this dinner happen
[00:09:49] Unknown:
just for the two of us right here in our own home. You know, when Mike Brannigan told me he guessed I would have to pay for that broken lamp, I told him. I said, Mike, you got another guest coming. Then what did he say? Well, that he didn't know what kind of a trick I pulled, but he was minus one lamp. And he expected me to pay for it. No. Forget Mike Graniger and the lamp.
[00:10:12] Unknown:
Have another slice of this lovely sizzling sirloin of beef. Blood rare, just the way you like it. Here, let me pour the water into the glass.
[00:10:22] Unknown:
Why are we drinking water with a dinner like this? This calls for one of those fine imported French wines.
[00:10:29] Unknown:
How about champagne? Champagne. Of course. Champagne it is.
[00:10:40] Unknown:
And there we are. An oversized bottle too. All open and ready to pour. $18.93. Delicious. Some for you, Madame? Oh, it's heaven. Or maybe we can have some tomorrow night too. After all, it'll be New Year's Eve. Oh, why not? Oh, oh, Minnie. Minnie, I didn't tell you. This morning at the bank, I called a pair of gold and diamond cufflinks into existence. You did? Can I see them? Well, then mister Gumshott, the head bookkeeper came by snooping as always and so I quickly willed the cufflinks out of existence. Oh.
[00:11:25] Unknown:
Al Gumshott would have noticed them and, you know, asked questions. Oh, pity. Well, still, think of all the nice new things we can have now. Just for their asking as it were, a new clothes, maybe a new place to
[00:11:39] Unknown:
live. This little wart removed from my nose without surgery. No. We have to move slowly, Minnie. We don't want anybody to get suspicious. Nobody except the two of us must know about this. The two of us and Charlie.
[00:11:54] Unknown:
You expecting anyone, George? No.
[00:11:57] Unknown:
Who who is it? John Crawford of Crawford Crawford in Fisher. Chinese at law.
[00:12:05] Unknown:
Mister McWhaiter? George McWhaiter?
[00:12:08] Unknown:
Yes. What can I do for you? You familiar with our client, Michael Brannigan of Brannigan Saloon? Mike Brannigan? Of course. My fine represents mister Brannigan in legal matters. Well, what do you have to do with us? Well, last Thursday at about, 6PM, were you on the premises of Michael Brannigan Saloon? Well, Well, my friend Dempsey and I may have been having a couple of beers. In the course of your visit to mister Brannigan's establishment, were you involved in any occurrence that might be considered
[00:12:36] Unknown:
unusual? Don't answer in joy. This is my wife, mister Crawford. Wait a minute. What what do you mean unusual? Well, like you're causing in some strange way that no one seems capable of explaining,
[00:12:50] Unknown:
causing a lamp that hangs over the bar, a rather expensive lamp, to be turned upside down. And in spite of that, it continued to bind.
[00:13:00] Unknown:
Are you asking me or telling me? Careful, George. Well, the part is that in some way, you caused the lamp eventually to drop to the floor. It was shattered into a hundred pieces. I
[00:13:07] Unknown:
to drop to the floor. It was shattered into a hundred pieces. Mr. Brannigan estimates the replacement cost of that lamp at a minimum of $37.50.
[00:13:17] Unknown:
Now look, if either you or Brannigan thinks for one moment that I intend to replace that lamp Or pay $37.50. Exactly, missus McQuater. Then you both got another thing coming. Do you deny that you had anything to do with the lamps falling and breaking? I wish you a very good evening, mister Crawford. Careful you don't fall down the stairs. Well, if that is your attitude, mister McWhiter, I shall look forward to seeing you in court. You will never see me in any court, mister Crawford. I'll see you in hell first.
[00:13:50] Unknown:
George, what happened?
[00:13:53] Unknown:
Where is mister Crawford? Oh. Oh. He vanished. Just like that. One minute he was here, and the next, nothing. Just air. Remember the last thing you said to us? Certainly. Before he got to see me in any court on account of Branigan's land, I said that I would first see him in
[00:14:12] Unknown:
this. Me? Do you suppose?
[00:14:16] Unknown:
I wouldn't know. You're the miracle worker, George, not me.
[00:14:32] Unknown:
One of our great writers once said, things that are mysterious are not necessarily miracles. Few of us would quarrel with that. But another one wrote, a miracle is an event described by those to whom it was told by men who did not see it. As your storytelling host, that puts me in a somewhat awkward spot. Doesn't it? I shall return shortly with act two. Whatever the subject, you can be sure that William Shakespeare had something to say about it. Miracles? In one of his plays, her English captors accuse Joan of Arc of using evil and vicious devices to work what she calls miracles.
She answers, to work exceeding miracles on earth, I never had to do with wicked spirits. And it is this very thought that his miraculous powers may in some way be tainted with evil that is now on the mind of George McWhirter. George, this is certainly a crazy way to spend a cold chilly Sunday morning, sitting out here in all this fog. The fog will lift, Charlie, sooner or later. It just helps to take my mind off things. George, you're taking all this much too seriously. Charlie, you don't realize last night I sent a man to hell. To hell, Charlie. Good riddance from what you told me about him. Charlie, I don't have the right to do that. But you do have the power. You're the man who can Don't say it, Charlie. Things are moving a little too fast for me. I'm not very happy about the whole thing.
Hey. I got an idea. What? Why can't you use your willpower if you feel that bad about it to bring this Crawford character back from, where ever you think you sent it. Oh, Charlie. I tried. I I concentrated everything. No good? Yeah. That's why I'm down in the dumps. Nothing happened. Here. Here. Look at this morning's headlines. New York attorney missing, mysterious disappearance, John Crawford, from the legal firm of Robert Crawford and Fish. Hey. Wait just one minute. Now I may not have the answer, but I just thought of someone who might. Who? Mister Howell. Who's that? Francis Chatterton Howell, the famous minister of that church on the Bowery. Who is this? That was him. Well, what could he do? Well, he's a very bright man. You you can never tell. Something like miracles might just be right up his alley.
Are you comfortable, mister McWhorter? Warm enough. This chapel does get a bit drafty. Oh, I I I I'm just fine, reverend Howell. Just fine. Thank you. Now, exactly what mister Nick Worther seems to be your problem? Well, you won't believe me when I tell you. Look. Would you believe, reverend Howell, that an ordinary common person, take me for instance, sitting right here in your chapel, could have some kind of funny twist inside him that made him able to do things just by his own will power? Oh, indeed, I would. Things that nobody else could do?
The individual man is the end of the universe. As the part war group then said, I celebrate myself fencing myself. And what I assume No. No. I I I don't think you quite understand, reverend. Mhmm. Maybe I could show you. Show me? If if you'll allow me to make free with something in this room by by way of sort of an experiment. Help you, sir. Alright. Now take this tobacco jar on the table for instance. Oh, that's quite interesting, isn't it? It's a gift from a devoted parishioner. Please keep your eye on it, sir. Tobacco jar.
Be a bowl of violets. What? Lovely. Violets. But I don't understand. How how did you do that? Are you some sort of professional or a magician? What's the trick? There's no trick. Now watch this one. Bowl of violets change into a glass fishbowl with goldfish swimming in it. No. Amazing. Absolutely extraordinary. Is this how you make your living, mister McQuilter? Oh, no. No. I'm a bookkeeper by profession. Do you suppose you could turn this fishbowl back into what it was? My tobacco jar? Dear tobacco jar. Thank you. May may I ask what your fee would be for an evening? You still don't understand, reverend. What you have just seen is That is part of my problem.
What? I can't explain it. But you've just seen it for yourself. Those were miracles. Miracles? Yes. I can get just about everything I wish for if I wish hard enough with just a few exceptions. What I've been witnessing is not a skillful exhibition of Ledger the Maine, of sleight of hand, of magic. Referent, Howell. It all began with an oil lamp at Mike Brannigan's saloon. And now my biggest problem is that I wished a young fellow into hell. Name's John Crawford. You did what into hell? I wasn't really thinking a slip of the tongue more than anything else. And no sooner were the words out of my mouth, and he just
[00:20:23] Unknown:
disappeared.
[00:20:25] Unknown:
I tried to get him back, but my powers seem to be limited. They they they don't go quite that far. Oh, I need your help, reverend. It it it's on my conscience. This is truly amazing. If what you say is so, and I have no plausible reason to doubt you, well, after what I've seen you do, there's no question you have a gift, a very rare gift indeed. Well, I I wouldn't know about that, reverend. And, I don't think you have anything to worry about. How's that? Well, there's not the slightest touch of criminality to what you've done to this, mister Crawford. So if you don't mind, I would like to leave the difficulties of Crawford just for the time being and concentrate on the possibilities of somewhat, larger issues.
I don't bother you, reverend. Well, suppose there were a way to rescue dozens, nay, hundreds of poor condemned souls from the hell in which they dwell. Now wouldn't that, in a way, make up for the one man whom you say you have already put there? And for whom apparently there seems to be no return? I I I wouldn't know. But then why don't we try to find out? How? Put on your hat and coat. Well, where are we going, Reverend Haliver? Right down the street to the Bowery, just to make Weta to meet some of my neighbors. Who might that be?
Reverend Howard. Who? Francis Chatterton Howard from the church around the corner. Oh,
[00:22:26] Unknown:
that reverend Howell. Listen.
[00:22:29] Unknown:
If you're gonna try again to get me into your church No. First, first, I'd like you to sit up if you can from the position you're lying in in that doorway. Well, I'll
[00:22:41] Unknown:
try wherever. Yeah. Oh,
[00:22:44] Unknown:
there. How's that? Oh, that's excellent. Yeah. I I would like you to meet a friend of mine, George McWhirter. This is Tex. How are you, Tex? I ain't complaining none, Reverend McWhirter. I just missed him, McWhirter. Tex, aren't you ashamed of yourself? Now you know me long enough forever to know I ain't. Wouldn't you like to be something other than what you are? No. I don't reckon so. Fellas like me don't change much. Would you and mister McWherter here care to join me a little nip out of this bottle to celebrate New Year that's coming up tonight? Yep. You did. No. No. No. Thank you.
[00:23:28] Unknown:
The
[00:23:29] Unknown:
text, man, suppose it were possible to change. Suppose Suppose I were to tell you that mister McWherter here could help you this very minute. I how? What you aiming to do, mister McWherter? You told me you changed water to wine. Do you suppose you could work it in reverse? Here's looking at both of you. Wine to water. Go.
[00:23:55] Unknown:
Ow. Oh, what in tarnation happened to my drink?
[00:23:59] Unknown:
Just lay no water. Oh, great. Great. We're doing that. I only when I test ugly coyote the dumb this anyone. Comes the big one, mister McWhirter. The big one? Make him sober. Give him a shave, a haircut, a bath, new clothes, a little money in his pocket, and an entirely new attitude toward life. Just just just let me concentrate for a second. And what are you two whispering about? Go ahead, mister McWharton. Alright. Now. Mister McWharton, it's worked. His hair is cut.
[00:24:46] Unknown:
New store closed? But where and how Just hang on. What time do services at your church begin? In half an hour. Well, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I'm gonna mosey across the street and have myself a better breakfast.
[00:25:01] Unknown:
Oh, I'll see you in church, Reverend. Oh, we have done it, mister Macquarie. We've done it. Now doesn't this make up a little for what happened to you, mister Crawford? Well, I I must say I I don't feel quite so bad about Crawford after this. This. Just think of where we can go from here. The possibilities are endless. Endless. With your help, every lost soul in the world can be redeemed. You can spread joy, goodness, happiness all over the face of the globe. Now slow down a minute, Reverend. You're going a little too fast for me. In fact, everything's going a little too fast. I I I just can't keep up. We can start the first thing tomorrow morning. On New Year's Day. So soon? Tomorrow is the beginning of a new century, the twentieth. Imagine what better way to start. Reverend Howell, you'll have to excuse me. I've got to get home to my wife. I have the feeling I'm going to celebrate the new year like it's never been celebrated
[00:26:04] Unknown:
before.
[00:26:15] Unknown:
Somebody once said foster belief. With his faith in his power to perform miracles, just what is George MacWhirter planning to do? We'll see what he's up to when I return shortly with act three. In one of his plays, Shakespeare has a character say, that man has done a miracle today. A second character responds, true. He's made the lane to leap and fly fly away. To which a third answers, but you have done more miracles than I. You made in a day, my lord, whole towns to fly. If George McWhirter had read those words, but I'm getting a little ahead of myself.
At the moment, George with his wife and best friend Charlie are about to ring in the New Year.
[00:27:26] Unknown:
Happy New Year, George.
[00:27:28] Unknown:
Happy New Year, Well, you're a little early, Minnie. It's only ten to twelve. What's the difference? Let's drink this wonderful champagne you wished for us, George. The 1900. Happy new century to both of us. Oh, well, thank you, Charlie. But, you know, I just can't face the idea of a twentieth century. Century, George, if there ever was one. You still worrying about that Crawford film? Forget it. He meant you no good anyway. Drink your champagne. But you don't understand, Dean, the Ravi. It's not only Crawford. Crawford. I I just can't keep up with all that's happening. Everything's going too fast.
This this new power I have, it it it scares me. You know what you mean. Well, I have another glass of champagne, George. Thanks. I just may need it. Cheer up. According to my watch, we only got about eight minutes to midnight and the twentieth century. Let's think about a happy New Year. You wanna know something? I couldn't care less if I see this century or not. George, what are you saying? You see that full moon out the window there? Yes. It's beautiful. It reminds me of a story that used to fascinate me when I was a kid in Sunday school. Remember the story of Joshua in the bible?
Can't say I do. Well, Joshua made the sun stand still right in the middle of the heavens and the moon too. And for a whole day and a whole
[00:28:50] Unknown:
night, they both just hung in the sky without moving. I think you're trying to tell us something, George. Well, what I'm trying to say is
[00:29:00] Unknown:
suppose I was to try to do the same kind of thing. You mean make the sun stop? And the moon? Better than that. Suppose I was to stop the whole world from turning around.
[00:29:14] Unknown:
You
[00:29:15] Unknown:
mean stop the Earth from rotating? Well, whatever you call it, what would happen? Wouldn't everything stop moving so fast? Wouldn't time
[00:29:25] Unknown:
stop or just might? How would I know? And we could stay right here in the nineteenth century, and I wouldn't have to be bothered with a lot of new things I don't like. George, we only got a few minutes to go. Mhmm. I wouldn't be doing anybody any harm, would I, if I stop the world from turning around? Oh, it's a pretty large order, George. Less than one minute till midnight. Well, here goes.
[00:29:48] Unknown:
World, I want you to stop
[00:29:52] Unknown:
what was that word, Minnie? Rotating. To which are you sure?
[00:29:57] Unknown:
World, stop rotating this very minute.
[00:30:04] Unknown:
Hold on to everything both of you. I don't quite know what I've done, but whatever it is, it's bigger than all of us. What happened? What did I do? I'm flying
[00:30:17] Unknown:
head over heels like a bullet out of a gun. Flying through space. I can't catch my breath. Everything's so dark and everything's whirling about me like a mile a minute. Pieces of broken fetcher.
[00:31:27] Unknown:
George. George. Oh, are you alright? Are you hurt? Oh, Manny. I I think I'm alright.
[00:31:35] Unknown:
How about you? George. George. What what went wrong? A minute ago, it was a fine night with a What a what a mess I've made of everything. I think I know what's happened. What what? I remember from my high school course in science. The earth spins around in space at about a thousand miles an hour at the Equator. What's that got to do with us? In New York, it's about half that. About about 500 miles an hour. So Oh, that's something like, eight miles a minute. And when I stop the Earth from now from now, it's rotating rotating. Charlie, it was just like you were on your street car. Don't you see? And suddenly you jammed on the brakes for some reason, and all the passengers would get thrown forward, wouldn't they? Then now we know what you mean when you, so to speak, jammed the brakes on the Earth and made it stop turning?
Everything was sitting on top of the Earth got thrown forward? Everything. Everybody shoved right out into space. And that's where I think we are now. And everything in the world smashed a bit? What's more, probably everybody.
[00:32:59] Unknown:
Do you realize
[00:33:00] Unknown:
what you've done? Oh, I know, Minnie. I know.
[00:33:04] Unknown:
George, there is no world. You just destroyed the whole thing. I know.
[00:33:10] Unknown:
And we may be the only three human beings left in the entire universe.
[00:33:23] Unknown:
Oh, I feel terrible.
[00:33:25] Unknown:
Perfectly terrible. Look at my dress. It looks as if it were singed. And my suit? As if it didn't start to burn? I think it did, Charlie. Right. I I guess that the the friction of going through space nearly set all of us on fire. George, what are we going to do? We just can't stay here forever, crudgy on all fours this way. God. And that roaring wind is never the sun. Isn't that the truth? Oh, I have messed things up. You certainly have, George. But I have an idea. It better be good. Now wait. If I could get us out here in the first place You think maybe you could work it in reverse? I could try and we wouldn't be any worse off than we are now. It didn't work with that fella Crawford. You miracleed him all the way to hell. He couldn't get him back. Don't remind me. Well, it's worth a try. Only for heaven's sake. Be careful this time, George. We don't want things to get any worse. I've got my fingers crossed, and I'm concentrating with everything I've got.
George, I I Quiet. I want the world to go on turning just as it did before. I want everybody and everything in it to be just as they were before I started this whole thing. I want time to go off as it always did as if it had never stopped. George, I interrupt him, George. I want everybody
[00:34:56] Unknown:
to remember nothing about the whole stupid thing. Absolutely nothing. And more than anything else. What's that, George? That
[00:35:13] Unknown:
will have to be my own personal secret. Only 04:00 and
[00:35:36] Unknown:
look how dark it is already. Well, it's that time of the year, George.
[00:35:41] Unknown:
Have I got time to walk over to Mike Brannigan's,
[00:35:44] Unknown:
before dinner's ready, maybe? To wish all your friends good luck on this first day of the year. Uh-huh. Of course. Dinner won't be ready before six. Well, if Charlie's there, I might just shoot the breeze with him for a while. Maybe play our little match game. Help yourself, George, or may don't be late for dinner.
[00:36:14] Unknown:
Good evening. Can I invite you to celebrate the first day of the movie here with a little cheer right out of this little bottle? Well, that's very kind of you, but I'm in a hurry to meet a friend of mine at Banneken. Oh, and I understand.
[00:36:28] Unknown:
My happiness is hey. Do I know you from any place? I don't think so, my friend.
[00:36:37] Unknown:
I don't think so. Oh. Oh, I'm very sorry, sir. Oh, my fault. I just wasn't looking where I was going. That's perfectly alright. No harm done. Here. Let me pick up your fire. Well, I'm so glad it didn't break. Oh, thank you so much. May may may I ask, do you happen to live anywhere in this neighborhood? Well, you're just a couple of blocks from here. Well, I'm conducting a special service this evening at my church, the one around the corner, the beginning of a new century. You know? I, I invite you to drop in. I think you will find it interesting. Well, thank you ever so much, reverend, Howell. Francis Chatterton Howell.
The Francis Chatterton Howell? You're very sick. Haven't you met some place before? Sorry, Charlie. You lose again. It's the match in the middle. Oh. Two more beers, Mike. Charlie's paying as usual. I can't figure out how you do it. It's it's almost like some kind of miracle. Miracle? There's no such thing. Look, Charlie. If someone was to come along, say me, for instance, stand right about here Mhmm. And tell you he could make that oil lamp up there turn upside down and that it would go on burning without any kind of an accident, what would you say? Well, that nothing would happen. And just to prove that to you, watch this now.
Lamb, turn upside down.
[00:38:18] Unknown:
There. You see? Nothing.
[00:38:21] Unknown:
Which proves what? George? Yes?
[00:38:26] Unknown:
That red faced fellow coming towards. You you know him? I never saw him before in my life. But may I have the pleasure of buying you two gentlemen a drink in the spirit of the new year? Well, thank you. That's pretty kind of you. We're much obliged, I'm sure. I see you're drinking beer. A couple of beers, bartender. Coal where up here is quite a change from where I've just come from. Where, might I ask? What's that?
[00:38:50] Unknown:
A long way from here. It must have been way down south someplace with that sunburn you got. Well, that's,
[00:38:56] Unknown:
that's not really a sunburn. No? Now where I've been, I I guess you might call it way, way, way down south. I don't think I quite caught your name. Where's Crawford? John Crawford. Of the law firm of Crawford, Crawford and Fish, we, handle most of Mike Flanagan's legal work.
[00:39:18] Unknown:
Oh, is that so?
[00:39:20] Unknown:
Well, now if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I'll have to be running along. We've never met before, have we? I don't think so. But, thank you for the drink. Yeah. My pleasure. And And a happy New Year, thank you.
[00:39:36] Unknown:
Nice fella. George, I'd like to ask you a question. Yes. Before this Crawford came by, we were talking about miracles, and you said there was no such thing. Right? Right. Now suppose, just suppose for argument's sake that you had the power to work a miracle. Charlie, if I ever did have such a power, I still wouldn't be able to work any miracles. Why is that? Because if I ever had such a power, the first thing I do would be to pass a miracle taking away from me the power to work any more miracles. You would, George? I did, Charlie.
We began this story by saying that a miracle, dictionary definition is something wonderful, a departure from the usual course of nature. And yet, isn't it possible that we are surrounded by miracles every minute of the day, every day of our lives? Not George McWhirter's kind of miracle lives. Not George McWhorter's kind of miracle, but wonders that are a part of nature, like the rising of the sun, the growth of a blade of grass, the first steps taken by a child. In fact, the miracle of life itself. I'll be back shortly. More than seventy five years ago, HG Wells became the father of modern science fiction by writing a brilliant succession of short stories and novels dealing with such subjects as a man who could make the world stop turning.
Since then, more than a few of us who have found life on this planet somewhat less than satisfactory have at one time or another said, stop the world. I want to get off. Next time you're tempted, think twice. For all you know, you may have the gift of working miracles. Our cast included William Redfield, Marion Haley, Russell Horton, and Arnold Moss. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. Radio Mystery Theater was sponsored in part by Buick Motor Dream. This is EG Marshall inviting you to return to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre.
Until next time. Pleasant dream?
