The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-07-07

STUN DleQ at aIluOSo CNOAy IeoP s>AAu AoA
against lowlaers which bruised his
hands and face and went on till his
strength was gone. Then he paused and
locked back toward the direction from
which he had come. 1t seemed to him
that he could see the straight line of
mighty black WALL above which there
was a faint appearance OF light. A
lump rose in the throat of the poor fell
low, and tears sprang into his eyes.
But what was that? Surely It was q
souud. It could not have been the wind,
for the air was perfectly still. The
sound was repeated. 1t was like the
moaning of human voice far away in
the dark. Could it be some one i'll dis
tress, some poor unfortunate, banlshed
being like himself? Again he heard the
sound, and this time it was like the
voice of some one talking.
.Hello!" shouted the American, and
a cold shudder went over him at the
sound of his own husky voice. There
was dead silence; then like an echo of
his own cry family came the word,
"Hellop'
Filled with superstitious fear, the
American cautiously CROPPED toward the
sound. Hello, there! Who are you?"
s'Helpl Help!' said the voice, and
it was now much nearer.
Johnston plunged forward precipi-
lately. "Where are your"
"Here!'' And human form loomed
up before him.
For a moment neither spoke. Then
the strange figure said:
81 thought at first that you were
some one sent to rescue me, but l see
you are alone-damned like myself. "
eft looks that way" replied john
stDn.
"When did they bring your
"Only moment age"
"My God, it is awful! A week ago
did not dream of such fate as this. I
had enemies. The medical men were
bribed to vote against me. Am l not
strong? Am not muscular? Feel my
arms and thighs
He held out an arm, and Johnston
felt of it. The muscles were like stone.
"You are giant.
"Ah, you are right, but they report
ed that there was faint in my blood.
was to marry Lallio, the most beauti-
full creature in our village-Madryl,
you know, the nearest hamlet to the
home of the sun. I was rich and the
best farmer there. But Lyngale wanted
her. She hated him and spat at him
when he spoke against me. He proved
by others that my lungs were weak and
showed them the blood of slain dog
in my fields that they said had come
from my lungs. All, they were ours.
My lungs weak! Strike my chest with
all your might Does it not sound like
the kings thunder? Strike, I say" and
as the enfeebled American struck his
bare breast he cried: Harder. harderl
Pooh, you are child; see this and this,'
and he emphasized his words with thun-
derous blows on his resounding chest.
''But is has been SO for century"
he painted. Hundreds have been un-
justly buried alive here. The king
thinks it is not murder, because they
die of starvation. I have stumbled over
the bones of giants here in the dark
lands and have met dying men that are
stronger than the kings athletes. /"
"What, are there others here?" gasp
ed the American.
The Alphian was silent in astonish-
ment.
."Why, where did you come from?''
he asked after a pause. .
"From New York city"
81 don't know of it, and yet thought
I knew of all the places inside the great
endless wall. !"
Johnston was mystifed in his turn.
1t is not in your country-your world,
or whatever you call it. 1t is far away"
'Ah, under the white sun, in the
ocean country, and the world of fierce
winds and disease, and you are from
there. Ihad heard of it before they ban
ished me, but two days since I came
across dying man away over there.
He was huddled against the wall and
had fallen and killed himself in his eff
forts to climb back to food and light.
II saw him die. He told me that he
had come from your land when he was
child. His trouble was the lungs, and
he had fallen off to skeleton. He
talked to me of your wide ocean land
Is it indeed SO great? And has it no
walls about it?''
No; it is surrounded by water"
II cannot understand And after a
pause in which Johnston could hear the
great fellows heart beating he contin-
ned: "That must be the heaven tho man
spoke about. And beyond the water is
it always dark like this, and do they
Danish people there as the king has
us?''
No. Beyond are other countries. But
is there no chance for us to escape from
here?"
The Alphian laughed bitterly. "None.
What were you banished fora''
II hardly know
Hold out your arm. There" as he
grasped Johnston's arm in a clasp OF
iron, IT see. You are undeveloped, un-
fit. None but the healthy and strong
is allowed to live in Alpha. It is
right, of course, but it is hard to bear.
But l must lie down. ! am wearied
with constant rambling. am nervous
1 fOO foil oc1oop oxub;1o aco