These people hold all their conversation by pure thought transmission.  The sense-perception is almost infinitely keen, and gestures play no part in emphasizing thought.  It is amazing to see with what facility these beings express their ideas one to another.

In our life one may conceal his thoughts from the most searching human eye, but this cannot be done on Mute.  As a consequence each one can read the character of his comrades, and the normal citizen well knows what necessary allowance to make for the impure thoughts that flit through the mind of his neighbor.

I studied, with absorbing interest, the many phases of this mental telepathy, or mind talking, between two or more persons even though widely separated.  Imagine how glorious it must be to have real fellowship with a friend whose face you cannot see and whose hand you cannot touch.

There are limitations to this delightsome way of talking.  A person can hold conversation with only one absent friend at a time and then only when each one concentrates his thoughts on the other.  What wireless telegraphy is to our world, this mental conversation is to the world of Mute, and it is possible that we may reach a higher degree of proficiency in this direction after we become still better acquainted with the laws of the human mind.

When I think of the many unaccountable heart-thrills that send their emotions of joy and hatred into our passing life, I am somewhat persuaded that we speak this tongueless language more than we imagine.  Some day we may learn the secrets that are now so heavily veiled and thereby put to naught the glory of our present modes of communication.  Until then we will plod along with the telegraph, telephone, wireless telegraphy and our ever-changing knowledge of telepathic intercourse.

I will give the philosophy of this perfect means of expressing thought as clearly as I can.

As sound waves are created in our atmosphere by actual vibration, so are thought waves created on Mute by mental activity focused in any one point of the brain.  Our way of expressing thought by audible words is not conceivable to these people.  If one of their inhabitants were to visit our Earth, he would be at a loss to account for our movements of mouth and gestures of body when we are in the act of conversation.

The social life of Mute is marked with many peculiarities.  Males and females seldom ever associate together, and social purity sends its sweet influences over the whole planet.

A science which is similar to Phrenology plays an important part in all the social customs of this sphere.  It decides the marital destiny of each person, and no two are recommended to join in wedlock until they have been pronounced physical and mental mates by the official psychologists.

On this interesting world I found the most summary punishment for adulterers and fornicators.  When these crimes are clearly proven, the guilty parties are put to death after a lingering sentence.  This is a most terrible punishment, but it has proven that, although a few must suffer this penalty, the general good of the whole population is thereby much increased.