Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-04-11
A THRILLING STORY.

A THRILLING STORY.
Now MI. 1Icswyny's Friend Concluded .
Strange, Romantic Tale.
sSpeaking of fash literature re-
minds me of an incident which oc-
curred some time since in connection
with . deceased friend Of mine" said
Bryan McSwyny yesterday. The per-
son alluded to was a man of genius. 1
will not mention his name. because of
his family connections He was en-
gagged in writing a serial story for
well-known weekly paper of the
Snake-Eyed Bob. the Bully of the
Woods order The story had run SO
long that the publishers were getting
tired of it, and they wrote to my friend
telling him to bring the story to an
end in the next installment He did
90 in the following unique manner:
1.-The balloon rose slowly from the
foot OF the cliff, humping along the
face of the rock as it did so. Angelina,
frightened at the prospect of the
perilous journey ahead when the bal
loon was one thousand feet from the
ground. jumped recklessly out upon a
shelf of rock which projected from the
face of the cliff. Frenzied with fear
Algernon followed his love at the risk
Of breaking his neck, and the
balloon sailed away and left them
in their precarious situation. There
the lovers were one thousand
feet from the top of the cliff and an
equal distance from the bottom. AL
gernon seated himself beside the love-
ly maiden and clasped her to his heav-
ing bosom in a passionate embrace.
Slowly the sun sank behind the vest
ern hills. Its expiring rays lit up the
forms of the lovers, oblivious of their
awful position. The shadows deep
ened and night fell like black pail
upon the scene.
"s'Will you always love me, Alger-
non?" said Angelina
80. Till death, darling" was the re
ply.
'Well," continued Bryan, "1etters
began to arrive at the Office of publica-
ton asking such fateful questions as
these: What became of the lovers?
Did they dry up and blow away? Did
the buzzards feed upon the form of the
lovely AngelinaP Did they fall off the
cliff and smash into pieces at the foot?
Did q bowlder roll over the edge of the
cliff and crush them? Did the birds of
the air bring food to the lovers? Did
some one let a rope down from the top
of the cliff and pull 'em up? For
Heavens sake. what became Of them"
''These letters accumulated so fast in
the Office that the publishers became
alarmed and wrote to my friend. ask
ing him to write another installment
of the story. which he gladly did, the
concluding sentences of the last chapter
being as follows:
IS The long night passed slowly
away with leaden tread. The eastern
sky began to flush with the first beams
of morning light.
"'s.Are you awake, dearest?" whis-
pered Algernon in Angelina's shell-like
ear.
The white curtains over the beau
tiful eyes slowly lifted, and the musical
voice replied in faint whisper:
.'''.Yes, darling, but I'm very hun
cry"
'''''By the GODS" replied Algernon.
springing excitedly to his feet, ''you
shall have food! For see, dearest, the
balloon approaches.
"'It was indeed as Algernon had
said. Outlined against the feecy
clouds, by straining those eyes of
heavenly blue, Angelina could see a
faint speck about as big as a door
knob. The speck gradually grew
larger as the two lovers gazed hungri-
ly upon it, now taking upon it the di-
mansions of an orange, then swelling
out as largo as a cocoanut, until it drew
within their sight and assured them
that they could not be mistaken; it
was indeed their long-lost balloon.
Then their fears wer, excited anew by
seeing the balloon sway as it was struck
by current of air. Clasping her
hands around Algernon's neck, Ange-
lima exclaimed in agony:
'''''Oh, darling, the balloon is going
away!"
...s.Wait. love-" said Algernon,
soothingly; another blast may strike
it."
'''It was indeed so, as Algernon had
said. A favoring gale from Heaven, it
seemed, directed the balloon toward
the cliff again, and in miraculous
manner it was waited against the face
of the cliff. AS it came nearer and
nearer to their resting place Algernon
said, in husky whisper:
"'''Now, Lena, my hearts love,
jump when jump"
- They jumped and chung like spi-
ders to the netting until Algernon had
descended to the car. Then. like the
hero he was, Algernon rescued his dar-