Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1899-08-16
= ,A....A.,"..A.."..A.%,.A..",A.."..A..
AT TIE POLE.

80 80 w. w. Vs. Wv w.
The moonlight lay on the ice that
stretched from horizon to horizon. The
stars shone steadily through the weird
half light
Across the desoladon came blot. 1t
appeared out Of the obscurity on the
eastern horizon and neared through
the arctic twilight, growing larger and
larger. A patch of shade moved uti-
der it on the Ice
1t was a balloon. 1t sagGed occn-
sionally and swooped downward till
Tho car that hung beneath it touched a
Jagged edge of ice, The shocl; sent
shiver through the huge bag. Its fab
by sides bellied in, then out, and 1t rose
again with tired motion.
The car was wrecked Each touch
OF the ice tore it or bent it anew.
Broken ropes hung from it. A dilapi-
dated wisp of cloth dropped from one
side Ike n flag
The balloon blundered over the ice.
1t ncared a projecting berg. 1t sailed
over, but the cur struck IL projecting
pinnacle and broke it off.
Within, man rose to his knees from
among. a pile of rugs and debris. He
crawled over the bodies of his two
companions and fell across the stiff
carcass of a dog. He rose again and
made his way on hands and knees,
over guns cans and mathematical in
strumcrts to where a thermometer
hung.
Sixty" he muttered.
AS he stood, the car struck another
berg with crash. One of the sides
Eplit, and splinters of Ice entered. The
floor tipped. The man fell on his face
over his comrades under q shower of
articles from the shelves. The car
righted itself with jerk. The balloon
rose.
After time the man rose again. He
pushed the litter aside and stretched
out his hand. 1t touched the face Of
one Of his comrades. The man drew
his hand back, shivering.o
Dead" he whispered.
lie glanced about him. On every side
the walls of the car were broken. He
could see the stars. A heap Of spar.
king icicles lay on the rugs.
The mau gathered his senses toGeth.
err With supreme effort. He labori-
ously lifted II gun out Of his way. His
hands were numb, and the slight eXer-
ton made him tremble. He gasped and
began to crawl.
lie made his way over the sleeping
bags TO wooden stand at the opposite
side of the car and raised himself SLOW,
".
AS he did so the car struck the ice
again. There was lurcl, crash.
cracking. Then the balloon sided up
ward again.
The man held on to the wooden
stand. His head whirlcd. He shut his
jaws weakly and groaned.
When the floor was steady again, he
bent over the Instruments that were
fastened on the wooden stand. lie
glanced at n piece of paper tackled to
the wall. The starlight that came
through the shattered side was dim.
lie forced his eyes to see,
For long time he gazed. Then the
conviction forced itself through his
freezing brain.
1.-THE pole" he whispered.
lie stood gazing down through the
great rent in the side Of tho car. Be
low him stretched the ice. white in the
moonlight. From the shadows of the
east to the shadows of the west miles
away, 1t stretched. Here and there
tie bcrgs rose, shaped like churches,
CLASSY, amethyst, tinged with yellow,
splasled with purple. The moon was
very large. The stars We're very bright
and infinitely cold and far
"Alone" whispered the man.
There was a crash. The car leaped
and spun round. The spike of berg
entered and struck the man on the
2 head. He fell silently.
The car swooped upward with one
side torn out. 1t rose high over the ice
field.
The balloon bclllcd and filed and
hoated on, CARRYING its freight of dcad,
Like some great bird 1t sailed, cast
Ing moving shadow on the fee below
In the moonlight.
"Eh?" exclaimed the captain. raising
Ills head and setting down his bowl of
coffee. The mate stood on the cabin
stairs. Found this here" he answer
ed laconicnlly.
"What the devil" muttered the cap
tain OF the whaler Yankee. whats
that? Tell me. can't ye?'
"piece of CLOTH" said the mate.
"Found It on the ice. Blew to my very
feet SIR"
He laid the fragment on the table.
"umphw grunted the captain, exam
ing it closely.
Looks like the sort of cloth that
that Teller Andree made his banoon of,
so I've heard" volunteered the mate
"Umph!' said the captain. Dunno.