The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-04-16
that he resolved one day to climb up and


see it closer"
"Up therer' I cried with horror.
Eyes. madame. It was very rash
Any ordinary boy would have beer
dashed to pieces, but Fritz was wiry,
strong and active as mountain goat
There are no such boys left nowadays
One night, while his mother slept, he
stole away, climbed as high as he dared
by moonlight, took wink of sleeE
under shelving rock, and with the
first dawn began to make his way up
ward, testing every fOothold. and NOV.
ing cautiously, for though he loved ad.
venture, Fritz was by no means fool
hardy boy, and had no mind to lose hi:
life If wit and care could keep it safe.
But the climb was terrible one. He
had been on precipices before, but never
on such as this. Only Gods goodness
saved him again and again. A hundred
times he wished himself back, but to
return was worse than to 60 on. So up
and up. he went, and at last, scaling
that sheer brown cliff which you see
there, and throwing himself breathless
on narrow ledge, he found himself
close to the object of his desires. There,
just before him, was the Little White
Door.
"The sight restored his energies at
once. 1t was real door-that he saw
at glance, for there was latch, and a
keyhole and knocker, all carved of
white stone, and on the door a name in
good German characters-'D Die Wolke,a
l do not know the name in English"
at is Clouds" 1 told him.
"Ah, yes, die Clouds Fritz could
hardly believe his eyes, as you may
imagine.
pretty soon he grew bold, and seiz-
ing the knocker he gave loud rap.
Nobody answered at first. so he raped
again, louder and louder, until the
sound echoed from the rocks like thun-
der. at last the door opened very
suddenly. and some one drew Fritz in
and shut the door again quickly. All
was dark inside, but he felt cool wrist
touch on his wrist, and hand he could
not see led him along q rocky passage
into the heart of the cliff.
latter while a glimmering light
appeared. and the passage turned sud-
denly into large hall, which was full
of people, Fritz thought at first, but
then he saw that they were not people,
but strange rounded shapes in white or
gray, who moved and bounded, and
seemed to be playing game of some
sort. 1t was like game of bowls, but
the things they rolled to and fro on the
rocky floor were not balls, but shapes
like themselves, only smaller and round
er, and of all beautiful colors, red and
purple and yellow. The creatures
liked to roll, it would seem. for they
skipped and jumped as they went along,
and laughed with sort of cracking
laughter, which echoed sadly back from
the roof of the cave. The big shapes
laughed too in great booming tones.
Altogether they made q great deal of
noise. Still the damp little hand clasped
Fritz's wrist, and looking down, he saw
that his guide was no other than one of
those same small shapes which were the
balls of the game. There was some
thing so familiar in the pink-cheeked
f1eecy outline, that in his surprise Fritz
forgot to be afraid, and spoke aloud,
crying, why! It's cloudr
To be sure. What did you sup
pose me to be, and why did you come
to the clouds house if you didn't want
to see clouds?' replied the ching.
Didn't you see our name on the
door? Or perhaps you can't read,
stupid!' demanded large white cloud,
leaving the group of players and COM
ing up to Fritz and his companion.
"' Yes, I can read, and 1 did see
the name stammered Fritz, still l
DIDN'T
"'You did and you didn't; how in
telligent you seem to be- said the
white cloud, with toss and curl; while
q big black thundercloud, pitching
little yellow ball clear across the cave,
shouted in sullen tones which echoed
from the rocks overhead,
What's that boy doing here spelling
our game? Cumulus, it's your roll.
Turn that little beggar out. He has no
business here, interfering with the
sports of his betters!''
Fritz trembled. but his small con-
iuctor faced the black cloud undaunt-
eddy.
SIS Hold your tonguer he said. This
boy is my visitor. I let him in, and
you're not to bully him. 1 won't per-
nit it.
SIS You, indeedr clustered the thun-
lercloud. pray what can you do
about it, Little Pink? I shall say
what like, and do as like
+" 'No, you won't, cried all the small
clouds together, rearing themselves up
rom the floor. We fair-weather
clouds are not a bit afraid of you, as
you know. We know very well how to
1rive you black ones away, and we will
10 it now if you are not civil Their
voices though bright were threatening,
md one little violet bit made a dash
straight at the nose of the thunder
cloud, who shrank into corner, mutter-
-, Id,