The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-06-23
CHAPTER III.

"What is it, Thorndyke? What ar
you looking at?" And the America
slowly left the bed and approached hi
, friend
Thorndyke only held the curtain
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 a wondrou
scene. The building in which they were
imprisoned stood on gentle hill clat
an luxuriant, smoothly cut grass ant
ornamented with beautiful flowers anC
plants, and below lay splendid city
a city built on undulating ground, with
innumerable grand structures Of white
marble, with turrets, domes and pin.
nacles of gold Wide streets paved il
polished stone and bordered with lusL
green grass interspersed with statues
and beds and mounds of strange plants
and flowers stretched away in front OF
them till they were lost in the DIM,
misty distance Parks filled with pa.
yilions, pleasure lakes, fountains and
tortuous drives and walks dotted tie
Landscape in all directions.
Thorndyke's breath had clouded the
glass of the window, and he rubbed it
with his handkerchief. As he did SO
the sash slowly and without particle
of sound slid to one side, disclosing a
narrow balcony outside. It had grace
full balustrade, made of carved red and
white motted marble, and Oh the end
of the balcony facing the city sat a
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 with
the extremity of it's tail coiIed 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. Thorpdyke led
the way out, treading very gently at
first. Johnston followed him, too much
surprised TO make any comment. From
this position their view to the left round
the corner of the building was widened,
and new wonders appeared Oh every
hand
Over tie polished stone payements
strange vehicles ran noiselessly, as if
the wheels had cushioned tires, and the
streets were crowded with all active,
strangely clad populace.
''Look at thatr' exclaimed tie Amer
lean, and from a street corner they saw
a queer looking machine. carrying half
a dozen passengers, rise like a bird with
wings outspread and fly away toward
the east. They watched it till it disap-
peared in the distance.
''We are indeed inwonderland, said
the Epglishman. IT 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 Il
the world we were born in, returned
Johnston. Il feel strange
''The wine, suggested the English
know it did wonders fer rs
in 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 invigorating, and can't get
enough of it. y
THAT is exactly the way feel, was
Thorndyke's answer.
look at the sunlight" went en-
Johnston. sit 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 mus& be up now, but we cannot
see it for tho. hills and buildings. My
goodness, see thatp' And the English
man pointed to the east. A flood OF 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, indeed, that it
seemed vast, rose colored billow roll
ing, widening and sweeping onward
like a 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, a great
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
ican. I am firmly convinced that this
sun is not the orb that shines over my
native land.
Thorndyke laughed, but his laugh was
forced. tsHow absurd, and yet He
extended his hand over the balustrade
into the rosy glow, and without conclud-
ing his remark held it back into the
shadow Of the window easement. BY
Joyei' he exclaimed. There is not a
particle of warmth in it. It is exactly
the same temperature in the shade as in
the light. He moved back against the
waI1 a ssNo. there IL no difference: the