The Sauk Centre herald., 1898-06-23

Is.
Thorndyke only held the curtai
farther back and watched Johnston
face as he looked through the wild
plate glass window.
# My gracious!'' calculated the latte
as he drew nearer. 1t was wondrou
scene. The building in which they wer
imprisoned stood on gentle hill ella,
an luxuriant, smoothly cut grass an,
ornamented with beautiful flowers an,
plants, and below lay splendid city
a city built ON undulating ground, Will
innumerable grand structures of whit'
marble, with turrets, domes and pin
nacles of gold. Wide streets paved il
polished stone and bordered with lusi
green grass interspersed with statue.
and beds and mounds of strange plants
and flowers stretched away in front q
them till they were lost in the DIM
misty distance. Parks filled with pa
ssilions, pleasure lakes, fountains an6
tortuous drives and walks dotted thE
landscape in all directions.
Thorndyke's breath had clouded the
glass of the window, and he rubbed il
with his handkerchief AS he did sc
the sash slowly and without particle
of sound slid to One side, disclosing a
narrow balcony outside. 1t had grace
full balustrade, made of carved red aid
white mottLed marble, and OH the end
of the balcony facing the city sat ii
great gold ard silver jug, ten feet high,
of rare design. The spout was formed
by the body of dragon with wings eA-
tended. The handle was serpent witll
the extremity of it's tail coiled around
the neck of the jug
The air that came in at the window
was fresh and dewy and laden with the
most enhancing odors. Thorndyke led
the way out, treading very gently at
first. Johnston followed him, too much
surprised TO make any comment. Flom
this position their view to the left rcund
the corner of the building was widened,
and new wonders appeared Oh every
hand.
Over the polished stone payements
strange vehicles ran noise1cssly, as if
the wheels had cushioned tires, and the
streets were crowded with All active,
strangely clad populace. 49,
Look at that" exclaimed tie Amer
1can, and from a street corner they saw
a queer looking machine. carrying half
dozen passengers, rise like a bird with
wings outspread and fly away toward
the east. They watched it till it disap-
pearod in the distance.
q 1--WE are indeed inwonderland, said
the Enclishman. "I can't make head
or tail of it, We were on an isolated
island, the Lord only knows where,
and have suddenly been transported 10
a new world.
81 can't feel at all as if we were N
the world we were born in,' returned
Johnston. Il feel strange"
''The wine, " suggested the English
man-"you know it did wonders fer rs
i'll that saltwater thing
mo, the wine has nothing to do
with it. My head never was clearer.
The very atmosphere is peculiar. The
air is invigo1ating, and I can't get
enough of it,
THAT is exactly the way I feel, twas
Thorndyke's answer. @E
'tLook at the sunlight went On
Johnston. ''It is gray like our dawn,
hut see how transparent it is. You can
lock through it for miles and miles. 1t
is becoming pink in the east. The sun
will soon be up, and 7 am curious to see
it,
1T must be up now, but we cannot
see it for tho. hills and buildings My
goodness, see thati" And the English
man pointed to the east A flood cf del
icate pink light was now pouring into
the vast body of gray and was slowly
driving the more somber color toward
the west. The line of separation was
marked-so marked, indeed, that it
seemed vast, rose colored billow roll
ing, widening and sweeping onward
like swell of the ocean shoreward On
it came rapidly till the whole land
scape was magica1ly changed. The flow
ers, the trees, the grass, the waters of
the lakes, the white buildings, the cos
tunes of the people in the streets, even
the sky, changed in aspect The white !
clouds looked like firelit smoke, and
far toward the west rolled the long line
of pink, still struggling with the gray
and driving it back.
The sun now came into sight, great |
bleeding ball of fire slowly rising above
the gilded roofs in the distance.
By Jove, look at our shadows!" ex
claimed Johnston, and both men gazed
at the balcony floor in amazement. |
Their shadows were as clearly defined |
and black as silhouettes. How do you
account for that?" continued the Amer
lean. I am firmly convinced that this
sun is not the orb that shines over my
native land.
Thorndyke laughed, but his laugh was i
forced. tsHow absurd, and yet He I
extended his hand over the balustrade
into the rosy glow, and without conclud- {
ing his remark held it back into the s
shadow of the window easement BY
Joyei" be exclaimed. There is not a
particle of warmth in it. 1t is exactly !.
the same temperature in the shade as in
the light. = He moved back against the
wall. No; there is no difference; the
blamed thing doesn't give out any
warmth.
Johnston's hands were extended in