The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1889-02-06

y.
means IN our language, storm. Then
she turned and said: Il would have
our gracious queen give this mortal
audience; conduct us to her."
With fhunderous mutterings Thulge
led the way through hall and corri-
dor till he stopped before door, over
which hung q curtain Of rosy mist
Through this they passed; after some
whispered consultation, and KAISER
found hiniself In long room. The
walls were hung with many stars
pillars of carved pearl supported the
roof, which was of colored vapor that
glistened like dew. All was warm and
bright, but strangely silent; save a
faint sound Of music in the distance.
At the farther end Of the room floated
a thin white mist, through which a
pale light glimmered, from what
KAISER could not tell
They passed down the room till they.
stood before the cloud veil. "Ohi
Queen, said Raindrop, "a mortal is
here who would learn the secrets of
Cloudland. / pray you. gracious
majesty, give him audience.
As she ceased speaking, the cloud
grew thinner and slowly melted away,
disclosing 10 Kaiser's dazzled eyes the
most radiant atid Beautiful creature he
had ever seen. On a throne of crystal
sat the Rain Queen, crowned With fine
stars which cleaned and shone with
great brilliancy. Her golden hair fell
in shining lengths to the floor, and
through her dress of rainbow her arms
shone like snow.
Thulgc and Raindrop bowed low be-
fore her. Then the queen spoke, and
her voice sounded through the room
like running brook. -.
And SO another mortal has found
his way to my kingdom-the first for
thousand years. Men have grown
too skeptical TO be admitted. here.
They would call it dream, but you.
and will benefit by what you will see. :"
All Kaisers fear vanished as she
spoke, and when she babe him come
near he unhesitatingly went up the
steps of the throne and stood beside
her. She smoothed back his curls.
And SO you thought rain of no use,
shc said. ''You shall learn your mis-
take"
Shc beckoned with her wand; and
two fairies, that he at first thought
snowflakes, stood by her. Go bring
me Onizc." Tho two snowfakes fioated
off and soon returned with a tiny old
man, whose white beard nearly Gov
cred him. His forehead was lined and
his brows shaggy, but kindly pair of
eyes beamed from under them.
This is Onize," said the queen.
'f1n your language. his name means
wisdom" Then she turned to the old
man, and said: Take this child to the
Evening Tower, and explain as much
70 him MS you deem wise"
The queen waved her wand in token
of dismissal, and they bowed them
selves down and out of the hall.
Kaiser was full of curiosity for what
Onize through long corridors and up
many stairs, till they stood in q small
room, all crimson and gold.
This is the Evening Tower" said
the old man. 1T is what you sec in
the west when the sun is setting. Now
look from the window"
Kaiser did so. and saw, far beneath,
green little forests, towns and rivers.
As he watched, in wonder, they Goated
over dry and arid country, in which
the rivers were almost empty, and the
foliage brown and parched. Over this
the Cloud Palace rested, and, 10! from
under the window descended hosts of
fairies, which turned to raindrops as
they fell.
Kaiser exclaimed in delighted as
tonishment, but old Onize checked
him.
You are now to learn q lesson, I"
he said. Watch that parched coun-
try"
grass gradually become fresh and
green, the dry river fill and run joy
rNcIT to L.
could hear the birds blithcly singing
among the dripping leaves, and the
flowers lift again their dainty heads
after their refreshing bath. II see,
he said, the rain is of much good to
the earth, but it does not help men
and children"
Old Onize stroked his curls. "Wait
yet a while, he said, ..and you will
see whether or no rain benefits NOR
tails" So they stood silently by the
window while the Cloud Palace floatcd
on.
For long time neither spoke. only
stood silently watching from the
Evening Tower, as they passed over
fair countries and an expanse of
water, which Onize said was the sea.
AT last they came to land where no
green thing of any kind was growing,
only stretches of yellow sand, bright
and burning, over which now again
troops of camels passed, ridden by
swarthy men dressed in strange cos
tunes.
Kaiser noticed that one of these pro-
cessions crept along very slowly, as
though the strength of men and beasts
was nearly spent. He watched in
tently, and suddenly screamed with
mingled terror and delight.
Seel on that camel Oh, how white
aud fr he looks. Guickl give me the
shell; he is speaking
The faint tones reached his ear. It
was indeed his own father who was
MY Comrades" he heard him say,
"if yonder cloud passes without bring.
ing rain, and we reach no no spring, we
shall be dead men before another sun
has set"
The other men made no reply. Their
tongues protruded from their mouths.
parched and swollen from thirst, and
they could only turn their dull eyes
up to the cloud which passed above
them.
Kaiser cried aloud, "Papal papal
the rain will come; look up. it is your
Kaiser who calls you" But. his father
seemed not to hear HIM "Ohi good,
kind Onize." he said, in agony, "goi
hasten to your queen and beg her to
H.. III L. "a