The San Francisco call., 1896-10-18

before me, the scene was by magic sud-
denly changed and the world hidden in
impenetrable darkness. Then the weird
scenes unfolded by zigzag and forked
streaks of lightning that were met before
my affrighted gaze filed me with sicken-
ing horror. This was quickly followed by
a binding flash of lightning and terrific
crash of thunder that dispelled the dark
ness anc revealed to my startled vision
hideous hag wrinkled and old, with eyes
like Goals of fire and claws like the talons
of some mighty bird, who, with grimaces
and violent gestures, approached me-
Her voice was like the thunder and she
was cIad N the skins of the tiger and the
wolf. Her hat was high and peaked and
on her left shoulder was perched an owl.
In her hand she carried a wand entwined
with many kissing and wrtggling vlpers.
Then she uttered a bloud-curdling howl,
waved her wand round and round
and cried: Waters of the sea, roll
onward, and fairy princess thou Nautilus
must be. Thou shalt sail yon stormy deep
for one year. and if thou return'st with
one drop of water in thy boat, forever
doomed shalt thou be to sail on that
mighty ocean till wind and storm drive
thee TO destruction This evil hag then
smote me with her snakeentwined wand.
and lol 1 was transformed into the Nau-
titus you now behold; but drop OF water
has never entered my boat, and with the
favor of heaven, as the sun sinks beneath
the sea IN all his golden glory, shall once
more reach my native land and reign over
my people as of yore.
"Oh, you were afraid l would let
water enter your boat" said the
Fly. 'And as for me, was a fairy
prince. and was transformed into a fly;
and, o, Nautilus" he cried, 81 am your
brother. After you had disappeared" he
exclaimed, 81 went through the forests in
search of you. 1t was night and the moon
rose over a distant snow-cIad mountain
that sparkled like heap of silver under
its cold white lisht. As it rose slowly,
calmly over the mountains brow the stars
paled and the dark sky smiled to view the
heavens queen. Her fair beams shot
throug b the pine trees and / saw thou
sand elves and fairies sleeping meath
every sheltering rock and in every lilys
cup. / heard the breeze sweetly signing
as it caressed the trees; the brook chatted
merrily when it found that the stars were
reflected in its crystal waters and the sea
sobbed remorsefully for the storm of the
eve before. Firefies, with tiny lam
terms, few hither and thther, their will
o'-the-wisp-like lights penetrating every
darksome nook. But while the nightin-
gales song was waited to me on the
wings of the wind cloud obscured the
moon and darkness reigned supreme.
The songster's melody was hushed.
Fairies, elves, frehies and flowers were all
swallowed in the dense, black shroud,
After a peal OF thunder, amid the noise of
the sea lashing upon the rocks, the evil
spirit of our land appeared 1 felt the
earth tremble beneath my feet as she
cried: Thy sister is Nautilus now, sail
ing that restless, merciiess ocean, and
thou, o Prince, follow her, 1 command
you, as Flyp No sooner had she spoken
than I found myself transformed into
miserable insect and great gust of wind
carried me far out beyond the shore.
had flown many, many days when / saw