News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-07-12
KAROAMA A.
A BIZARRE.
IN. Carrie Hyde in Chicago Record
CONCLUDED.

"Karoama, we are going" said
Mr.. Atcomb gently. "Auntie is put
ting back the luncheon and we will
not stay an instant longer" And,
helping her to her feet they all hastily
returned to the boat.
81 was about telling Mr.. Atcomb,"
said the professor, following by Miss
Mary's side, that | would spend the
evening with him, as wish to ask
his opinion of a certain curio | have
found"
Miss Mary paid little attention to
his remarks; her thoughts were with
Karoama.
eve shall unmoor and float at
once" said Mr.. Atcomb, overhear-
ing. Hadn't you better make some
other appointment, Prof. Barnacle?"
81 think not" said the astute pro-
fessor. "a few miles more or less up
or down the Nile will make little diff
ference to me. can manage my re-
turn in some way"
81 hope So" said Mr.. Atcomb, an
noyed to find Prof. Barnacle so hard
to dispose of when Karoama's dis
like to him was so evident.
"karoama," said Mr.. Atcomb.
when again drifting along the Nile,
Miss Mary conversationally held the
professor to one end of the boat,
while Karoama, Mr.. Atcomb, and
Roger occupied the other, ''Karoa-
ma, you shall never again go on
such a visit as that of to-day"
"No, never" said Karoama bitter
ly call so old, so fallen down, as the
words you told me said, Twas not
always so. What has happened?"
cit is the work of time" he an
swered.
"What is time ?" she asked.
'He is nothing but hours, days,
weeks and years." he replied.
as that all? ?" she said. 81 thought
he was a god, the worst of gods, old,
decrepit, palsied, unsightly. Oh, l
could strangle time for this leprous
work of his" and she wrung her
hands in fierce, pathetic heiplessness,
"but he is dying. All tell me time
is dying; that he too, will be ruin.
1t must be so. Yet forget; he is not
a god, only hours, days, weeks, years.
Oh, woe is time - and her dark lash
es dropped sadly over her eyes and
she stood as one in deep mourning.
"Karo," said Roger, soon after
ward, as he sat near her, looking
over number of periodicals he had
secured that day, wouldn't you like
to see the Judge ?"
She took the polychromed pages
into her slim, brown hands, and turn
ing the leaves with Indifferent inter
est stopped suddenly as her eye fell
upon a small, matter of-fact wood
cut. 1t was a picture of a goat
having pastured upon Mrs. McCar-
TVS debris-decorated roof, making
his way through the trap-door to
the room below, and was called "The
Beauty of Utility"
"Roger, see," said Karoama, rest
ing her fingers upon the goat.
Roger looked, but failed to find
any cause for comment. There were
better ''jokes" on the opposite page,
he thought.
"Thus," continued she "Karoama
go in and so lose sandal" and leav-
ing him abruptly, with the Judge in
his hands, she returned to Mr.. At
combs side.
1t was broad moonlight upon the
green water, and, tired after the fa-
tiguing day they sat there in silence,
enjoying the soft air and caressing
stiffness.
"Where is Karoama ?" cried Miss
Mary suddenly. "She was here a
moment ago."
"Gone below" said Prof. Barnacle,
just as a sudden splash in the water
beneath them brought them to their
feet with a shock of horror.
Karoama had fallen overheard,
but whether intentionally or acct
dentally can never be known.
Roger plunged after her, followed
by the gray and harmless professor,
but their eager grasp clutched moth
ing but water. "She was, that was,
was not"
For an instant all was darkness.
The heavens had yelled the full faced
moon in a cloud of crepe.