Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-02-06

A ToTTERING OLD PRIEST CAME IF
AND TOUCHED ME ON THE StIoCL-
| DER.
waited till had given it my rever-
entail kiss. and then he called loud.
and another old man came out Of the
opening which is in tbs, top Of the
ark, and climbed painfully down hv
tb- battens which are fixed an its
sides. He was a man 7 had never
seen before, hoary frail and sniact.
ated, and he and Zaemon were then
the only two remaining priests who
had been raised to the highest de-
gree known to our clan. and who
alone had knowledge Of the highest
secrets and powers and mysteries.
Look" cried Zacnion. in his .hrill
old voice. and swept 4 trembling I'm
ger over the shattered city, and the
great spread Of sea and country
which lay in view OF us below. fol-
lowed his pointing and looked. and
q chill began to crawl through me.
All was plainly shown. Our Lord the
Sun burned high overhead in sky
Of cloudless blue. and day shmmcrcd
in his heat. All below seemed from
that distance peaceful and warm and
still. save only that the mountains
smoked more than ordinary, and some
spouted fires. and that the sea hoiled
with some strange disorder.
But il was the Significance Of the
sea that troubled me most. Far out
on the distant coast it surged agairs 1t
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
Oh enormous height which never 70
turned. Already the lower lands or
either side were blotted out heneatl.
tumultuous waters. the harbor walls
were drowned out of sight, and the
mood was creeping mp into the lower
wards of the great city itself.
| You have SEEM" asked Zaeman.
81 have seen"
! "I on understand"
"ln part
! "Then let me tell you all. This is
81" "'S innings "Hu tut tHu VIII III =
! low swiftly The most high gods.
that sit behind he stars, have limit
80 even their sublime patience; and
that has been passed. The city OF
| NtIan'ls. inc great continent That Is
| beyond. and all that are in them are
doomed TO unutterablc destruction.
! or old II was foresren hal this great
| Wlping'out would happen through
the sins Of men, and TO this end the
Ark or 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 il. 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 suhicirnt
for two persons for the space Of
four years, together with seeds.
weapons, and all such other matters
as were deemed fit.
! "Ont OF all this vast country II
has been 9ccreed oy the high gods
that two shall not perish. Two sha u
be CHOSEN man ana woman who
are NJ ana proper persons 10 carry
away WIN 'hem the ahc'eub learn
ing 10 dispose OF u as thef see pest
ana Afterwards 70 rear up race VINO
/ shall IN TIME oulId ahothrr kiheoom
ana 90 honor 10 our LORD me sun
ana the other gods IN another pace
ne woman IS VIII ~" me ARK AZ
| r'fuF' ana N'a'ro III ne pace aP-
'"'''V" ''r mr. an" ""'N" Sno -
u" vi ""'''' '"e Nv" vi
"c' 'nooS'"f j. VII" you" f'' '"7
/ "''n, ''e '"o'ce h"S '"'''" uPo" your
| sen
/ wa ""'i mum" WIN ."e '"', W
"""' u' A"'"
Una, '''' W De Il NuF'i'".'
." "'r NOV "SHou ''r your
WISHES sd'o 'he Ola man 10" ave
give" an orofr from 'ne nigh RooN
WHO N"u" So" 10 TIC 'heIr '~''hin ID
servant
hablt rode strong upon me-
maze sanitation IN the required form,
and said that heard and would
OBEY
Then 1t remains TO raise you 10
the Snolimr degree OF the hree'
and II your learning Is 80 small thar
you will not understand the keys TO
many of the powers and the high
est OF the mysteries, when they are