The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-08-04

q
of purple till the whole heavens were
hung with banners, flags and rainbous
of fame. Again darkness fell, and it
seemed all the deeper after the gorgeous
scene which had preceded it. ThorndyEe
strained his sight to detect something
moving below, but nothing could be
seen, and no sound came up from the
motionless crowds.
Behind him he heard Il soft footstep
oli the stone thing. It drew nearer. A
hand was being carefully slid along the
parapet. The hand reached him and
touched his arm.
/ 1t was the princess. s'Ab, / have at
last found youl'' she whispered. IT saw
you in the lightning, but lost you
/ again. ,-.'..
| He put his arm round her and drew
her into his embrace He tried to speak,
but uttered only an inarticulate sound.
II could not possibly come earlier"
she; apologized, Nesting against him
| so closely that be could feel the quick
and excited beating Of her heart. My
father kept me with him till only mo-
ment ago. Captain Tradmos will be
here soon.
| "Whcn do we startT' he asked.
''Tbat is the trouble" she replied.
1--WE had couLtcd OH getting away in
the darkness before the display of light
ming, but there is more danger now. II
our flying machine were noticed, the
searchlights would be turned Oh us, and
we would be discovered at once.
"But even if we get safely away in
the darkness when could we return?'
"Oh, that would be easyP' she re
piled. GAS soon as the fete is over COM
merce will be resumed, and the air will
be filed with airships that have been
delayed i'll their regular business, and
in the disguises which l have for us
both we could cone back without rous-
ing suspicion. We could alight i'll Win
ter park and return hcme later
"What is Winter pa1k?"
"YOu have not seen il? You must do
SO. 1t is GIG CT the wonders CT Alpha.
1t is vast park inClCscd with. high
walls and covered with a 1COf of glass.
Inside the snow falls, and we have
sleighirg and cCasting and lakes Of ice
for skating. > 1t WAS III invention CT the
king. Tie snow storms there are beauti-
full"
Thorndyke's reply was drowned in
harmonious explosion like that of tuned
cannon. This was followed by the
chimes of great bells which seemed TO
swing Lack and forth miles overhead.
''Listenv' whispered BerIardino.
''Farher calls it musical thunder, and
he declares that it is produced in 20
other country than this
sit is net. He is right" And the
heart of tie Englisbman was stirred by
deep emotion. He had never dreamed
that anything could so completely chain
his fancy and elevate his imagination
as what he heard. The musical clangor
died down. The strange harmony grew
moro enhancing as it softened. Then
the whole eastern sky began to flush
with rosy, shimmering light.
my father calls this the Ideal Dawn
Of Day, >" whispered Bernardino. '''Ses
the faint golden halo near the horizon.
That is where tie sun is supposed to
be-" =
dow is it done?" asked the English
man.
Few of our people know. 1t is Sc
cret held only Ey tho king and half doz-
en- scientists. The whole thing, how
ever, is operated by two men in room
in the dome CT the palace. The mu-
stefan is young German who was be-
coming the wonder of the musical
world VI hen father induced him TO cClne
to rs. have net linn. He says he has
been tEolcreLly hairy here. He lives
on music. He showed me the instru-
ment he used to Elay, q little thing he
called 4 violin, and its tones could not
reach beyond the limits CT a small rCCm.
He laughs at it now and says the instru-
ment that father gave him to play Gil
has strings C1aWn from tie center Of
the earth TO The stars of heaven.
The rose light bad spread over the
horizon and climbed almost to the re-
NTH, ard with the dying booming and
gentle changer it began to fade till all
was dark again. ....
Captain TradnCs ought to he here
now" continued the princess, CHANGING
uneasi]y toward the stairway. 1--WE
may not Lave SO gccd an opportunity as
this ,.\ ~.
Ten minutes went by.
Surely something has gene wrong"
.whitgs cd Bcrraroino. Il have never
seen the Ga1Ences last so long IS this.
Besides, oan;tycu hear the. mutterirg Of
the pccple?" 4 -
ThCrIdyko acknowledged that he did.
He was about to add something else,
but was prevented by loud blast from
the trumpet il the tower.
Berpardlino skrank from him and fell
to trembling.
What is The mstter?n be asked q /.
Tho trumpet sko gasped Some
thing awful has happened.
A molnelit Of profound silence. Then
the nlrrn ming CT thecroYd rose. sui
lenly like tic meaning Of rising stern.
A searchlight flashed up in the glcoln
and swept its uneel tain stream fIcn
point TO POINT, tut it Gied ont. Another
and anot her shone fer an instant In q If
ferent parts of the city, but they all
failed.
Something awful has happened, 4
repeated Bernardino rs il to herself.
II he lights will not burn. Il
1s ssHad we NOT Eprtcr RI .it>yv ,,Si5 .,cI-pd