The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-05-23
HE CONCLUDED HIS STORY.
But His Publishers Did Not Exactly Relish
Its Abrupt Termination.

Its Abrupt Ter m1natlOns
Speaking of flash literature reminds
me of an incident which occurred some
time since in connection with a de-
ceased friend of mine," said Bryan
McSwyny yesterday. 1.-The person al
luded to was man of genius. | will
not mention his name, because of his
family connections. He was engaged
in writing serial story for we'll
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 friend telling
him to bring his story to an end in the
next installment. He did SO 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 peril
was 1,000 feet from the ground. jump
ed 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 break
ing his neck, and the balloon sailed
away and left them in their precarious
situation. There the lovers were,
1000 feet from the top Of the cliff and
an equal distance fxDm the bottom.
Algernon seated himself beside the
lovely maiden and clasped her to his
heaving bosom in a passionate en-
brace. Slowly the sun sank behind
the western hills. Its expiring rays
lit up the forms of the lovers, oblivious
of their awful position. The shadows
deepened and night fell like a black
pail upon the scene.
''Will you always love me, AL
gernon?' said Angelina.
g" Till death, darling" was the
reply.
"'THE END
"ITell," continued Bryan, '.etters
began to arrive at the office of publi-
cation asking such fateful questions as
these: What became of the loversP
Did they dry up and blow away? Did
the buzzards feed upon the form of the
lovely Angelina? Did they fall off the
cliff and smash into pieces at the foot?
Did 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 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 chap
ter being as follows:
'The long night passed slowly away
with leaden tread. The eastern sky
began to flush with the first beams of
morning light.
- "Are you awake, dearest?n whis-
pered Algernon in Angelinas she'll
like ear.
:" The white curtains over the beau
tiful eyes slowly lifted, and the musi-
cal voice replied in faint whisper:
'''Yes, darling, but Pm very hun
cry"
's'By the gods,n replied Algernon,
springing eXcitedly to his feet, you
shall have food! For see, dearest, the
balloon approaches.
{" 1t was indeed as Algernon had
said. Outlined against the fleecy
clouds, by straining those eyes of
heavenly blue Angelina could see
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 upon it the di-
mensions 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 current of air. Clasping
her hands around Algernon's neck,
Angelina exclaimed in agony:
''Oh, darling, the balloon is go
ing awaym
-" 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 near and nearer
to their resting place Algernon said, in
husky whisper:
- Now, Lena, my hearts love,
jump when | jump"
They jumped and clung like
spiders to the netting until Algernon
had descended to the car. Then, like
the hero he was. Algernon rescued his
darling one from her perilous position
and laid her upon the floor of the car.
She was resuscitated by drink of life
giving brandy. which Algernon found
in hamper, and an hour later was
| pleasantly engaged in viewing the di-
versitied landscape, over which the
lalloon sailed like a swallow in its
flight.
''Higher and higher the balloon rose
until band of Indians who were
watching it, saw it gradually fade
away against the empyrean blue of
the sky until it dwindled down to the
size of an apple, then faded away until
only specK like the head of a pin re-
manned, and then was lost in the
shadowy realms of space.
'''THE END
"Well, what did the publishers say
| this time?n
oh" replied Bryan with a smile,
''they simrl.T discharged my friend,
| that's all. :"
Family Pride In the South.