Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-08-10

"Twelve negroes, dressed in red and
wearing turbans of the same shade,
stood immOvable near palanquln
painted in sombre colors. -Four negro
pages ceaselessly fed with oil their
flaming torches.
All these men were mute. None could
read or write. One might thus cont1de
In them as in O tomb, since their ig-
norance and the terrible mutilation to
which they had been subjected, rem
dered discretion absolute and forced.
Seeing the unknown, the negroes
Frustrated themselves to the earth, as
If one of their religious divinities had
appeared
Saugor placed upon the cushions Of
the palanquin the inanimate burden,
and, after questioning with look his
mistress, gave an order.
The bearers instantly arose, and,
taking the supports Of the palanquin
upon their shoulders, walked on, pre-
coded by the pages, Saugor aud the
young woman following silently.
At the foot of staircase numbering
two hundred and fifty steps, they
paused. Saugor again lifted the En-
lishman in his arms, and, followed by
the unknown, made it's ascent, a
bronze door at the top swinging back
and allowing them to enter a vast
court, ornamented with all the splen-
doris Of Oriental luxury. and which ap-
peared to be the vestibule of fairy
palace.
The Hindoo, always bearing his un-
conscious burden, crossed the court
and passed through suite of apart
ments, Of which even an incomplete
description would require pages, until
he paused in boudoir, dimly lighted
by an alabaster lamp suspended from
the ceiling.
This boudoir, entirely hung with silk
Of varied hues, had no other furniture
than Il large, low diVan, of luxurious
softness, and piles of cushions, thrown
here and there, as by chance, on the
thick, velvety carpet.
Porteries of stuffs like the hangings
upon the walls, concealed any open
ing. 1t was here, and on the large di-
van, that Saugor placed the stranger.
Then, bowling low before the I'M
known. he withdrew, leaving her alone
with the sleeping Englishman.
The young woman threw off her
veils and her pale face, rendered still
paler by the opalne light from the
lamp, appeared anew in its new ana
splendid beauty.
The expression Of her great eyes had
become singular and changing. Alter
nately they shone with fever Or soft
ened into an indescribable languor.
Kneeling near the divan for some mo-
ments, she contemplated in silence the
blonde and handsome head Of the sleep
er; then, leaning over him, she kissed
his brow, and drawing from her dress
a flask like that which Saugor had
used in the temple, but holding liquid
perfectly colorless, she held it to his
nostriIs.
Instantly his breath, until now so
weak and uncertain, became more rap
id and strong. At the same time his
eyelids trembled, as if about to lift
then selves.
Seeing this, the unknown rose like q
startled fawn, and, crossing the boud-
DIR, lifted a portiere and disappeared,
letting fall from her the tulle embroid-
cred with gold.
One or two minutes passed. The
sleeper moved uneasily, then, gradual
ly. consciousness returned. He awoke
from his slumber, and, lifting himself
upon his elbow, opened his eyes and
looked about him. What were his sens
ations?
He had fallen asleep in the Temple
of silva, under the dark and sinister
roof Of the round chamber. He awoke
in an exquisite boudoir, embalmed in
fragrant odors. His stupor was pro-
found. but it did not last long. In
stantly an explanation, perfectly clear
and logical, suggested itself to him. 1t
was the influence Of the East-a
charming dream which opened to him
the magic portals of fairyland. Let 1t
bring what further charming and I'M
looked for surprises that it might, 1t
would not astonish him. Convinced
that he dreamed, he found himself dis
posed to await further revelations, nor
let anything find him unprepared. But
scarcely had he arrived at this decision
when faint and delicate strains Of mu-
sic floated through the room.
They came from instruments all I'M
known to him, and were accompanied
by the exquisite tones of a womans
voice, chanting some love melody.
From whence came this music it was
impossible to discover. 1t seemed to
emanate from everywhere and sur
round him in its dreamy atmosphere.
The Young man smiled and murmured:
"My dream continues. 1t is charm
ing. To dream thus is to live two
lives. But this is the feast Of the ears
what will the feast Of the eyes be-"
He had not to wait long for a re-
Spouse. Some Of the hangings Of the
boudoir were noiselessly drawn aside,
discovering a room beyond, whose
walls were Of marble and whose center
was fountain of falling water Its
sprays sparkled in all the rainbow
tints, caught from the reflection of
twenty silver lamps, which fell in a
large shell of mother-of-pearl.
every pretty!' murmured the Eng
rishman. 1.-THE dream complexities it.
self. One could hardly have succeeded
better at Drury Lane Theater, for the
Christmas festival! 1t needs but bal
let to complete it!''
Scarcely had this thought taken
shape when group of houris ap-
cared before him, floating through the
mazes Of some Eastern dance. Never
had he beheld such exquisite beauty of
form, such perfect symmetry of mo-
ton Each new attitude revealed new
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