The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-18
TIE END OF THE WORLD.

| stood on a high cliff. Twenty feet
before me perpendicular wall of rock
went down, down, veritable jumping
off place." till it seemed one would have
to look twice to see the bottom, where
the waters of the harbor splashed against
the powders.
Today the bay was smooth as polished
glass, save where the vessels coming in
from the sea through the strait opposite
the point where l stood left ripple and
line of foam behind, like flaw in the
crystal.
The great city Law to the left of the
strait. The burning midsummer sun,
shining from cloudless sky, was reflect
ed by hundred thousand chirnneys and
roof tops, and the images of the high
buildings and the myriad vessels an
chored in the harbor made the scene
more like mirage than reality.
So far above the city was my point Of
observation that not sound, not even a
murmur of the hustle and noise attend
ant upon its activity, reached my ears,
though through the clear atmosphere I
could distinguish moving objects as in
camera obscura.
From the bay, too, although many
vessels-huge ocean steamers. ferryboats
and yachts-were moving about, heard
only one sound, the interminable "puf-
puf-puf'' of little tugboat which rapid
ly threaded its aimless way among the
other craft. So monotonous indeed did
this sound become that / turned my eyes
from the water and looked around at
nearer objects.
To my right was grove of naples.
In clear space in the midst of the trees
stood white building, Its gable toward
me, which reminded me at first glance
Of nothing else so much as of the Par
thenon as it used TO be represented in the
classical dictionary. | had not noticed
this building before. and as l stood and
wondered troop of gayly dressed young
people came rushing ont of the door and
arranged themselves in groups on the
messy circles surrounding the trees.
At this moment my companion, who
had Jagged behind me, came up, and to-
gether we went toward the gay throng.
Our approach seemed unnoticed.
Scarcely had we joined the group,
when, raising my eyes, saw to right and
left dark thunder clouds rolling rapidly
toward the zenith. Broad flashes of
lightning played about the horizon,
while in sharper, zigzag streaks the
electric spark cut its path through the
azure directly above our heads. From.
the right low mutterings of distant
thunder were heard, and chilling wind
rising suddenly moaned among the pines
in the distance, and rustled the leaves of
the lindens under which we sat- !
glanced toward the building, and on the !
steps of the door which looked out upon |
the city there stood an old man, wrinkled |
and bent. A faded dressing gown was
corded about his waist, his feet were en-
caSed in embroidered slippers, and his
right hand, which bore a long oakenf
staff, gnarled and twisted, trembled as
the fierce blast struck him and tossed his
thin gray locks. In a shrill voice he
cried: Come in. Come in! We are
going to have terrible storm"
Even as he spoke, and as if in corrob-
oration of his words, the force of the
Wind increased almost TO a gale, and |
arge drops of rain began to fall, slowly
md gently at first, but with increasing
Tigor till the patter on the leaves was
ost in one long drawn sound, almost a
oar, as the wind drove the water
through the trees.
Meanwhile the rest of the party had
sought shelter in the building. but as /
started to follow them my eyes rested on
sight which compelled me involun-
arily to pause. Ahead of me, beyond
he bay, beyond the city, beyond even
he waters of the ocean itself, veil, or
hutter, Of more than inky blackness
ose perpendicularly from the horizon.
p to the very heavens it seemed to
tretch, and to both sides as far as the
we could reach.
A sudden, undefina5le fear came over
ne and held me rooted to the earth.
dy horror increased as | saw that this
horrible veil was moving toward me.
low rapidly could not guess, but it
eemed to cover the thousand miles be-
ween the horizon and the straits in
rarely an iota of time AS it drew nearer
o me | saw that il had also another mo-
ion, like that Of band saw or an end
ess chain. as if a huge jack towel of
eNble blsckness had been swung over
wo rollers on the nethermost bounds of
he universe. and rapidly revolving was
ating its way deep into the very bowels
f the earth. for as this horrible engine
f destruction approached 1 perceived
hat it was cutting away the sea and
he solid land, leaving a smooth, clean
ut edge where these before hsd been.
1t viii stop" thought /, before il
caches the CITY"
But no; the dreadful Thing. Ike sn
lsatiats monster. never paused CT
werved for an instant. and 3 chill shock
Cursed through my veins As | watched
rst the points of land on either side of
be strait, then the fu-tie-Taost houses