The age-herald., 1897-08-03

@@o @ A-4 '1 @HA 1AAos bttA4S 1H VI AAkI HUI J was startled to note how strangely Halo he was, but before could speak be stopped ms HSfPm5sS Hss8 ssFTs ps s.id 5,;vs s;s sil 7ss, now to put by discoVery to the test What it will prove I cannot say, but 1fesl that something strange and terrible Is about to happen. I don't doubt that the telescope will work, that my discovery will prove successful, but am certain that what 1: will reveal will be far beyond cur ina. agination. 'as t4ss
 But, doctor, you cer''- I interrpptsd.
 No, no, Hoffman, lot us not talk abeu. it. Lot us go and see But first promissa that on the day we made this ezperimea' would reveal the forMula of ny difesF cry and ] will do SO now" sliea4 tgia
 Never mind that now, doc. Wait til we see if it werks Let us go UP 10 the ab- sersatory," and I led the way up the stairs Murray quickly following.
 As we stepped Sn the roof I alancedsa at my watch It lacked but five minutes, sas 5 strolled over to tbe telescope and began carefully examiniAg it's adjustments for at least the huBdrsdth time.
 AsI did so 1 was startled by th9i lona clang of the Are alarm and cries of Fire Firel'' ip the street below.
 l turned toward Murray, but be was hurrying toward tho edge of the roef fa l. ing the stroct, and I started to follow, only to Do stopped before eould take hnlfln dozen steps by Murray, who ihnd,a best. leaning over tho cdge.1f the roof, i i'd nov turned to me with blanehed faea ana s.- claimed: fs*f. ~4efeels
 "Good heavens, Hoffman, it Is tiiY h5- tel, and it is ono mass of flames. ? pa.sstls51
 He turned again to the street, abdins he did so ory of horror escaped my lips, for in his excitement he leaned, farther out than he thought, and as made wild, foolhardy reach for him ho plunged head long into the street below.
 I leaned, horror struck, over the roof and gazed into the street, only to be con fronted by seething mass of flames and great, eddying clouds of smoke, which seemed to pour from every window in the building, while from the opposite sitie of the street could soc men excitedly run ming to spot directly beneath where stood.
 Then tho peril of my position burst more fully upon me and l ran for the stairway.
 As 1 passed the telescope an uncontroll ablo desire to take one look at the sun, l turned back. tpsesr, .l3
 It was but the work of an instant to ad- just the lenses and turn the instrument on that great golden orb. Then pressed my eye to the tube, only to pinch myself to make sure was awake
 At once all thought of fire and the aw- ful fate of Murray left my mind. could see nothing, know nothing but the scene spread before my eye. sm4e .auIId-
 The scene on tho glass seemed divided into two parts, one dark, cold and forbid ding, the other bright, sparkling; blind. ing. As my eye became more accustomed to the glass I could see that the two parts of tho picture were divided by broad stream of water that flowed with swift, raging current, and tho scene on the right which had appeared to glow with tho brilliance of raging flames, was city of magnificent size surrounded by 0 gigantic wall, and the material of which the wall and buildings wero constructed glowed with a phosphorcscent quality equal to millions of iDcandescent lamps.
 Tho scene on tho left was broad and bare, only wide, rough plains of jagged, cumbersome rocks and dark, deep fssures, backed with mighty mountain peaks, standing brown and ugly in the clear at- mosphere
 As studied tho surface more closely I discovered an object moving rapidly to- ward the river.
 Eagerly, feverishly, screwed up the adjustments until the figure of man stood out plainly.
 Carefully examined him, then rubbed my forehead in bewildermcnt. Was l crazed? Had gone stark mad? Horrors l sprang, from the instrument in terror and fell unconscious to the floor.
 They tell me lay in a wild delirium of brain fever for weeks, but all l. know Is that when I came to myself I was in the R. hospital, too weak almost to speak, with gentle, white capped nurse at my side.
 tried to speak, but she stopped mo with gesture, and dropped of to sleep, When l awoke again, l asked:
 "Tho hotelP Mnrray''--
 "There, be quiet MT Hoffman; do not excite yourself. The hotel was entirely destroyed, and you were saved by n mir acle almost" the nurse answered. aS 'Vi
 ''But Murray? He-he-is dead?erI stammered. i,sfA -s3nes;..fe3
 The nurse nodded hor head in assent 's
 For weeks after lay weakly struggling between lifo and death, but I at last be- gan to rally, and then asked how I, had been saved and to see my preserver ,~.-,a
 He was strapping young man of 26, who seemed ashamed of having been gull ty of a heroic deod
 When I asked about the telescope, he looked surprised and answered.: io,T s2
 Why. you sec, that is what knocked you silly, sir. Just as I stepped on the roof you gave cry and jumped from your seat by the telescope and heayed over on the roof with the old concern on top of you. a.
 For minute thought, then asked:
 "You say gave cry, Gibbons2 DidI say anything you could hearsl, eNe.t
 Sure. sir. l heard it all. Your faco was as white IS ghost and you gasped