Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-21

wind. Steadily / descended, and steadily the
diameter OF the form / grasped diminished;
soon could grasp in with my hand, then with
| terrified glance Hooked below. Twas still at
aslckenlng distance from the ground. / shut
my eyes. ! slipped down, down, down. The
tail became like Q thick rope which encircied
with each hand It became thinner and thin
ner. 1t grew 80 small that could not hold il,
but as felt 1t slip from my fingers my feet
rested on pile Of stones.
"Bewildered and almost exhausted STUN
bied over the ruins, gained the unencumbered
ground and ran as far from the tower as l
| OF tree in neighboring field. Scarcely had
| reached this spot when the fury of the wind
| storm appeared to redouble, and before the
| wild and shrieking blast the tower bent and
then fell with great crash upon the other
| ruin.
| 1.-THE first thought that came into nv mind
| when l beheld the dreadful spectacle con-
| cerned the creature who had twice saved my
| life. Had he escaped was he crushed be-
| meath that mas of stones? felt ON either side
| to discover if he were near ME, but he was not.
Had he given his life for mine?
| HAD been stronger l would have searched
| for him; / would have clambered among the
| ruins to see II l could discover his mangled
! form. II could but reach his faithful head
| would stroke and caress it, living or dead But
| excitement, fatigue and want of food had made
| me SO weak that / could do nothing but sit
upon the ground with my back against the
| tree.
while thus resting 1 perceived that the
| whole of the tower had not been demolished by
| the storm. Some Of the rooms in which We had
lived, having been built at later date than the
rest of the great editice, had resisted the power
| OF the wind and was still standing.
| From the direction of the uninjured portion
| OF the castle now saw approaching Ii Sht-
colored object, which seemed to be floating in
, the air about foot from the ground As 1T
came nearer saw that it was a basket. and
/ nvt1p fln OF
| faithful friend was alive, and he was bringing
| me some refreshments.
On came the basket, rising and falling with
the bounds of the dog. 1t was truly an odd
| spectacle, but very welcome one. In a few
moments the basket was deposited at my side
and was caresslng the head of the faithful
| dog. In the basket l found a bottle OF wine
! and some bread and meat, which the good
creature had doubtless discovered in the
| Kitchen OF the castle. and it was not long be-
fore felt like myself again. The storm had
now almost passed away. and I arose and went
| TO my own rooms, my friend and protector still
| Keeping close to my side.
On the morning OF the next day. as 1 sat
| wondering what had happened to my servants
| and whether my father had been appraised of
! the disaster to the castle, felt something pull
! ing at the skirt OF my coat. / put out my hand
and found that 1t was the invisible dog. Imag-
ming that he wished me to follow him l arose,
| and, obeying the impulse given me by his
gentle strain upon my coat, followed him out
OF the door, across the court yard and into the
| open country. We went on n considerable dis
lance gentle touch OF my coat admonished
| me when turned from the direction in which
1t was desired that l should go.
| AFTER walk or about half an hour APP
proached a great oak tree, with low. wide
| spreading branches. Some one was sitting be-
meath IT. Imagining the truth, rushed for
| ward. 1t was Marie!
1T was needless for us to say ANYTHING. to
| explain the state of our feelings toward each
| other. The tale was told by the delight with
which we met. When l asked her how she
came to be there she told me that about an
| hour before, while sitting in front of her
| fathers mansion, she felt something gently
| pulling at her skirts. and, although at first a
| little frightened, she was at length impelled by
curiosity to obey the impulse, and, without
knowing whether it was the wind or some
| supernatural force which had led her here, she
| had come
| I'VE had great deal to say to each other.
she told me that she had been longing to send
| me message to warn me that Col. Kaldhein
Wouid certainly kill me the next time he saw
| me, but she had no means of sending me such
! n message, for the colonel had had her actions
| closely watched
when the news came of Kaldheins death
| she at first feared that had killed him. and
would therefore be obliged to hv the country.
but when 1t was known that he had been almost
torn to pieces by wild beasts she. like every one
else, was utterly amazed and could not under
stand the matter at all. None but the most
| feroclous creatures could have inflicted the in
lurles OF which the man had died, and where
those creatures came from no one knew. Some
people thought that pack Of bloodhounds
might have broken loose from some Of the es-
| tates OF the surrounding country. and in the
course OF their journeyings might have met
with the colonel and fallen upon him Others
| surmlsed that bear had come down from the
mountains and killed the man, but the fact was
that NOBODY knew anything about it.
Il did not attempt to acquaint Marie with
the truth. At that moment the invisible dog
was lying at my side, and feared if / men,
toned his existence to Marie she might fv in
terror. 10 me there was only one important
phase OF the affair, and that was that Marie
was now free; that she might be mine.
Before we parted we were afiianced lovers,
pledged to marry as soon as possible. wrote
to my father, asking for his permission to wed
the lady. But in his reply he utterly forbade
any such marriage. Marie also discovered,
without difficulty, that her parents would not
permit union with a foreigner, and would,
indeed, oppose her marriage with any one at
this time.
However, rs usual, love triumphed and,
after surrounding many difficulties, we were
married and hed to America. Since that time
nave been Obliged to support myself and my
wife, for my father will give me no assistance.
he had proposed u very different career for
me- and was extremely angry when he found
his plans had been completely destroyed But
we are nOpe1ui; we work hard and hope that
we may yet be able to support ourselves COM
fortably without aid from any one. We are
young we are strong, we trust each other
and have firm faith in the success of our
efforts.
Il had only one regret in leaving Europe,
and that was that my faithful friend, the noble
and devoted invisible dog. was obliged to re-
main on the other side OF the Atlantic. Why
this was so l do not know but perhaps it was
for the best. / have never told my wife of his
existence and If she had accidentally discoy-
cred it know not what might have been the
effects upon her nervous system.
1.-The dog accompanied me through Austria.
Switzerland, and France to Havre from which
port we sailed. l took leave of him ON the
gangplank. He licked my hands and caressed
and stroked him. People might have Thought |
that my actions denoted insanity, but eyerv
body was greatly occupied these last mo- |
ments before departure, perhaps l was not
noticed. just as left him and fastened on
board sailor fell overheard from the gang
plank. He was quickly rescued, but could not |
imagine why he had fallen. l believe, how
ever, that he was tripped up by the snake part
OF my friend as he convulslvely rushed away"
The young man ceased and gazed pensiyely |
upon the floor.
well, we'll, well!'' exclaimed Aunt Martha |
IF these are the sort of experiences YOU had |
don't wonder that Realism was wonderful
enough for you. The invisible creature was
very good to you, am sure, but am glad it |
did not come with you to America"
David, who had been waiting for an onnor-
tunity to speak, now interrupted further COM