Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-02-02

of dancing, withered, blood besmeaTed
talons Now they form themselves into
ranks and as they charge they become
endless rows of figures He fights dcsper-
ately. with the courage born of despair,
but they bear him down. down. down.
He is crushed, sttffocatcd. Gasping, he
throws his arms wildly about, and--awak
ems.
When Algernon went to the dingy Office
that morning, to the high s-eol and the
dancing columns OF figures, his head SEEM
ed well nigh about to burst.
The day dragged endlessly but at last
was done. He felt better in the evening,
and when he went to see his Madeline he
was almost to the point of chccrfulness,
Yet there seemed to be GOODNESS that had
not existed before. The frank, open, good
fellowship seemed rot to be SO frank and
open. When she spoke enthusiastically of
harmony and of how impatcntly she
awaited the time when she could better
know and appreciate the grand old mas
tiers, he only briefly asscnted. He could
not enthuse. Algernon was truthful His
opinion of the grand old masters had suf
fered serious relapse that might at any
moment prove fatal sympathy, so far as
he was concerned, was withcrcd rs the Leaf
of autumn. and he talked of the weather
and away from music,
But let ii he said the Algcrnon McGurry
was n young man of resource. His CN=
pedients To reach given end were great.
and though he still loved Madeline MIC
Grcgor with an undiuinishcd love, when
he thought of the night past and of possible
other nights yet to come his heart grew
sick within him, his face took "A hard, set
look, and his handsome gray eyes seemed
to fire with resolution. All next day from
his high stool he thought, and his thoughts
were those of youth-long. long thoughts.
When Algernon McCurry went home
that evening, he carried under his arm
mysterious looking stiff leather bag large
at one end. smaller at the other while in
his hand he grasped short, round bundle.
Mother" he said, Ought you not stay
with Mrs. Jones tonight"
Il have been thinking of it, Algy, dear,
but had almost decided to stay at home
and do some mending for you.
"Never mind the mending, mother.
tn worry along. Go stay with the poor
woman
And then Algcrnon was alone with his
thoughts, and his bag, and his short,
round bundle.
The September night wore on. From
the westward came the great. loud note of
the curfew's warning. Lessening, fading
the last echo dies away to the east. Then
out upon the air, hardly yet stilled, there
creeps an indistinguishahle, indefinable
something 1t is not natural of anything
on earth, nor is it supernatural. Now it
is Il blast, clear and resonant, n pcnctrat
ing, all pcrvading bugle note coming from
space, ending in its birthplace Now il is
,l,,1l
anguish and grief, of hcartbreaking sad
ness, and NOW fltfully dying away it be-
comes a slow. dragging. piercing note, like
the cry of n wild beast in pain 1t gathers
strength, and now. in IA weird minor
louder and ever louder, it tells of infinite
suffering, Of the rack and pinian and
stake Of martyrs aud the wall of soul
eternally damned Now it partakes of
the melody OF IA rusted wire, and now OF
blunt steel scraping human bones. Now
it Is the din and crash, the cannonade,
mu>ketry, sabcr elashing, drum roll,
charge double quick, advance, retreat of
thousand battlc1elds and now it dies
away into the feeble wall of poor dying
kitten.
Minutes grow into hours and hours into
the lapse of ages. Again the long, creep
ing cable stops Again the watchdog bay,
the moon. Again the distant, Suburban
cock crows the waking light. At last all
is still. Alg>rnon McCurry has finished
his first music lesson
On Friday night when dark haired
Alscrnon calls on fair haired Madeline he
hears something that makes his heart to
beat faster in his bosom. Madeline has de
cided that, after all, she does not care To
go in much for music and the new
piano has been sent back to the inst, H.
nent house. She intends to buy bicy, e.
And now when Algcrnon McCurry and
Madeline Mctiregor coast down the asphalt
streets they talk of bikes and bearings Of
narrow treads and rams horn hanLle
bars, while melody and the old masters
are far, far off. Algernon is no longer
limited to three nights in the week, tor
Madeline ard Machines mamma have
heard an OLD. old story.
Among Algernon McCurry's treasures
there is a pale green ticket. Far down on
North Main street, almost to ancient Bat
tie row, there is dingy window, over
which hang 'hrce golden spheres. In the
window is IA silver bell cornet labeled For
Sale. kansas City Times.