The Press., 1898-08-25

were bowling yeurf hoop in Kensington gardens. And most of the story is very wearisome, but the fact is interesting that was actually in the mirage" !"
 "What was it 1ike?''
 ''It was city.of ghosts. They moved silently about the gray, ghostly streets. They wore the,costnmes of all ages and all countries. It hada weird and bizarre effect. When first came to conscious ness in the mirage, the first thing that I saw was a city man, silk hat, frock coat, expanded waistcoat, all the same gray tint, all shadowy. He was talking with the ghost of beautiful Egyptian woman. They spoke in whispers Ev- cry one spoke in whispers
 Did any of them speak to you?''
 "Yes; hesitatingly at first, just as strangers do among the living. They told me that was dead, that all these cities of the mirage were cities of the dead. They aoated and drifted through the air, settling down now and then on the sand, as @ bee might alight on a flower, passing onward again through space when any living being approach ed them. Every ship that is sunk sails again through the sky, manned by its drowned crew." z
 "You are saying this seriously?' she asked
 Quite. I know the scientific ex- Planation that the ship is merely the image of vessel out of sight I dare say the scientific explanation is true, but ! cannot believe it because I have experi- enced the other thing. Twas just as cer- tain of the existence of the shadow city and of myself as @ shadow in its midst of the buildings saw, the streets I tray srsed, the people to whom spoke. was just as certain of those things and of the fact that I was dead ss I am now that live. that am in this particular room, that touch your hand" s
 She drew her hand away. watching him, half frightened.
 "Why," she asked, "did you not tell me about this before?'
 "It seemed useless The story is in- credible to every one except myself. Be- sides, it is little uncanny. I thought 1t might scare you" "A Now she laughed again, but rather uervously.
 "I am not 90 easily frightened, but you must not go on believing it" "Belief," he said, lis not @ matter of will. was there in the mirage for some time. have the most distinct recolleo. tion of 1t. could take my sketchbook and draw you pictures of it"
 "What was 1t like9 What did you do there?" she asked. "There was no work and no amuse- ment. One neither ate nor drank; nei. ther slept nor made love. The houses were not really inhabitated; they were like ghosts of houses, perpetuated through some strong human association. The doors stood open. Sometimes one wandered through them, but one did not live in them. Most of the time one wandered up and down the streets, feel ing no fatigue, unconscious of heat or cold. It was all dead; everything was dead. There was not even very much talking; when one spoke one spoke of the past"-
 He broke of his account suddenly.
 "Now," he said, "let me tell you about something more cheerful"
 He told her story after story of his travel, all that was most amusing and most commonplace. Her laughter and her color returned, but at the end of the stories, when the silence came, she abruptly said. 7.
 "Go onl Tell me more about the mir age"
 "You have heard enough" he said, "and, besides, the rest is not very pleas ant"
 "I don't care for that" she said "you must tell me. want to hear it I am not bit frightened. . ..
 And then for an hour he went on with the story. When he had finished, she made him take his sketchbook and draw for her some of the faces that he had seen there. She held the book in her hands and sat staring at them in tently. Suddenly she dropped the book and shivered.
 "I have to do all that you ask, " he said, "but do not think should have let you have your own way in this thing. You are really frightened
 He stepped across the tiger skin to her and stood by her, resting one hand on her hair. He remained thus for 8 moment, motionless. Then she sudden ly sprang up with 8 loud scream: and rushed away from him. covering in one corner of the room.
 Don't touch me, she cried. Don z touch me; don't look at mel You have been among the dead p'-Barry Pain in Black and White.