Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-11-15


that distance peaceful and warm and
still, save only that the mountains
smoked more than ordinary, and some
spouted fires, and that the sea boiled
with some strange disorder.
But it was the significance of the
sea that troubled me most. Far out
on the distant coast it surged against
the rocks in enormous rolls Of surf;
and up the great estuary, at the
head Of which the city Of Atlantis
stands, it gushed in successive waves
OF enormous height which never re-
turned. Already the lower lands on
either side were blotted out beneath
tumultuous waters, the harbor walls
were drowned out of sight, and the
flood was creeping up into the lower
wards of the great city itself.
"You have SEEM" asked Zaemon.
Il have seen"
"You understand"
I'm part
"Then let me tell you all. This is
the beginning, and the end will fol-
low swiftly. The most high gods,
that sit behind the stars, have limit
to even their sublime patience; and
that has been passed. The city of
Atlantis, the great continent that is
beyond, and all that are in them are
doomed to unutterable destruction.
OF old it was foreseen that this great
wiping-out would happen through
the sins of men, and to this end the
Ark of the Mysteries was built un-
der directions of the gods. No NOR
tai implements can so much as
scratch its surface, no waves or
rocks wreck it. Inside is stored on
sheets of the ancient writing all that
is known in the world of learning
that is not shared by the common
people. also there is grain in store,
and sweet water in tanks sufficient
for two persons for the space of
four years, together with seeds,
weapons, and all such other matters
as were deemed fit.
"Out of all this vast country it
has been decreed by the high gods
that two shall not perish. Two shall
be chosen, man and woman, who
are fit and proper persons to carry
away with them the ancient learn
ing to dispose of it as they see best,
and afterwards to rear up race who
shall in time build another kingdom
and do honor to our Lord the Sun
and the other gods in another place.
The woman is within the ark al
ready, and seated in the place app
pointed for her, and though she is
daughter of mine, the burden of
her choosing is with you. For the
man, the choice has fallen upon your
SELF
was half numb with the shock Of
what was Detailing. 81 do not know
that I care to be survivor"
"You are not asked for your
Wishes" said the old man. 'You are
given an order from the high gods
who know you to be their faithful
servant"
Habit rode strong upon me. !
made salutation in the required form,
and said that l heard and would
obey.
"Then it remains to raise you to
the sublime degree of the Three,
and if your learning is so small that
you will not understand the keys to
many of the powers, and the high
est of the mysteries, when they are
handed to you. that fault cannot be
remedied now"
Certainly the time remaining was
short enough. The fight still ragged
down at the gate in the pass, though
it was a wonder how the handful of
priests had held their ground so
long. But the ocean rolled in upon
the land in an ever-increasing flood,
and the mountains smoked and
belched forth more yolleys of rock
as the weight increased on their low
er parts, and presently those that
besieged the mountain could not fail
to see the fate that threatened them.
Then there would be no Withholding
their rush. In their mad fury and
panic they would sweep all obstruc-
ton resistlcssly before them, and
those who stood in their path might
look to themselves.
But there was no hurrying Zaemon
and his fellow sage. They were
without temple for the ceremony,
without sacrifice or incense to deco
rate it. They had but the sky for a
roof to make their echoes, and the
gods themselves for witness. But
they went through the work of rails
ing me to their own degree. with all
the grand and majestic form which
has gathered dignity from the ages,
and by no one sentence did they cur
tail 1t. A burning mountain burst
with a believing. roar as the incom-
ing waters met its fires, but gravely
they went on, in turn reciting their
sentences. Phorenice's troops broke
down the last resistance, and poured
In a frenzied stream among the
groves and temples. but still they
quavered never in the ritual
1t had been said that this cere-
mony is the grandest and the most
impressive of all those connected
with our holy religion; and certain
ly I found it SO; and speak as one
intimate with all the others. Even
the tremendous circumstances which
hemmed them in could do nothing to
make these frail old men forget the
Difference which was due to the high:
est order of the Clan.
For myself, I will freely own I was
less rapt. I stood there bareheaded
in the heat, man trying to concen-
trate himself, and yet torn the while
hu q Hhn,1c q nd fnrainn an, n&inrn III .