Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-05-16
HE CONCLUDED HIS STORY.
But HIS Publishers Did Not Exactly Relish
Its Abrupt Termination.


me If an incident which occurred some
time since in connection with de-
ceased friend of mine" said Bryan
McSwyuy yesterday. "The person al
luded to was a man Of genius. / viii
not mention his name, because Of his
family connections. He was engaged
in writing "A serial story for WELL
known weekly paper of the Snake
Eyed Bob the Bully Of the woods or
der. The story had run so long that
the publishers were getting tired OF it,
and they wrote to my friead telling
him 10 bring his story 20 an end in the
next installment. lie did SO in the
following unique manner:
"Ihe 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 peril
Gus journey ahead when the balloon
was 1000 feet from the ground jump
ed recklessly out upon Il shelf OF rock
which projected from the face of the
cliff. Frenzied with fear Algernon
followed his love at the risk of break
ing his neck, and the balloon sailed
away and left them in their precarious
situation. There the lovers we're,
1000 feet from the top of the cliff and
an equal distance from the bottom.
AlgernOu seated himself beside the
lovely maiden and clasped her to his
heaying bosom i'm "a passionate en-
brace. Slowly the sun sank behind
the western hills. Its expiring rays
lit up the forms Of the lovers, Obliyious
OF their awful position. The shadows
deepened and night fell like black
pail upon the scene.
'''' 'Wiu you always love me, AL
gernOu? said Angelina.
"'"Till death, darling" was the
reply.
"'THE END
well" continued Bryan. "lettors
began to arrive at the Office Of publi-
Gallon asking such fateful questions as
these: What became of the lovers?
Did they dry up and blow awayP Did
the buzzards feed upon the form of the
lovely Angelina? Did they iall off the
cliff and smash into pieces at the foot?
Did a bowlder roll over the edge of
the cliff and crush them? Did the
birds OF the air bring food to the low
ers? Did some one let rOpe down
from the top of the cliff ana pull EN-
upP 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 iustallment
of the story, which he gladly did, the
concluding sentences of the last chap
ter being as follows:
"Tho long night passed slowly away
with leadeu tread. The eastern sky
began to tlush with the first beams of
morning light.
"'''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 musi-
cal voice replied in a faint whispers;
"'"Yes, darling, but I'm very hum
cry"
"By the gods" replied Algernon,
springing excitedIy to his feet, you
shall have food! For see, dearest, the
balloon approaches.
" 1t was indeed as Algernon had
said Outlined against the heecy
clouds, by straining those eyes of
heavenly blue Angelina could see a
faint speck about The size of a door
knob The speck gradually grew larg-
er as the two lovers gazed hungrily
upon it, now taking upol it the di-
mNsions of an orange, then swelling
out as large 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 were excited anew by
seeing the balloon sway as it was
struck by a current of air, Clasping
her hands around Algernon's neck,
Angelina exclaimed in agony:
"'"Oh, darling, the balloon is GO
ing awayf
49, Wait love- said Algernon,
soothingly; another blast may strike
it.
alt was indeed so, as Algernon lad
said. 4 fayoring 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 near and nearer
to their resting place Algernon said, in
a husky whisper:
"Now, Lena, my Eearts love,
jump when jump
They jumped and clung like
spiders TO the netting until Algernon
had descended TO the ear. Then, like
the hero he was, Algernon rescued his
darling one from her perilouS position
and laid her upou the floor of the car,