The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-11-03
Quick Love.

A1OiltlANNt ltlc. hN American ITCea ASSOC
ciauon.l
There are more love affairs induced
by il sharing OF danger than any other
one cause. At o'clocl, one afternoon
| was introduced 70 girl | had never
seen before. Al 6 we were sitting hand
In hand enduring n frightful strain.
At s we were locked In each others
arms. At 10 we were lovers for life.
ON that memorable afternoon | was
sauntering through one Of those cathe-
drals abroad whore the natives go to
pray and strangers go to stare when
party of my fellow countrymen ap.
preached. aud one OF them. whom |
knew, introduced me to the rest.
among them Miss Hlda Crane. Join
ed them. and together we gaped at
paintings and statues OF sacred char
acters, poklng our noses into every
nook and Granny IN the most unbecom
ing manner Seeing man emerge
from little door about four feet high.
which he closed with bang, as pass
ed II took hold of the knob and saw
that the latch had not caught Pulling
the door open and STOPPING. | looked
In. The chamber was dark. so To see
the better | entered. Miss Crane ap
peared at the door and bending. also
came I'm. The rest OF the party passed
on. Miss Crane and stood investi
eating the chamber. 1t was very
small. rectangular. ard the ceiling was
so high that we could not estimate It's
dlstance-in fact. we couldn't see 1t.
put my hand up. but could not reach
It.
Suddenly the door, which had been
left slightly aIar. closed with a slam.
Then It was jerked as IL TO try wheth-
or the latch had caught. and we heard
footsteps retrcating on the marble
floor put my hand against the door.
shouting at The same time. II was
fast and there was no answer TO my
call The man whom had seen close
It had doubtless returned seen II open
and shut It.
So much for that stupid curiosity
which possesses slghtsecrs
For q moment we scarcely realized
our position. but soon saw that un-
less released we were likely to have
terrible time before MS ending In In
sanity and death by starvation. My
companion presently became aware OF
the same possible result and convul-
sively grasped my arm
Our eyes soon became used 10 the
darkness. and we could dimly see the
walls. Looking up to discover where
any light could come from. ! saw
luminous line IN the shane OF the rec.
tangle forming the outline Of the cell
ing. This puzzled me II was lucky
| had something to puzzle me. for one
can't contemplate calamity and study
O problem ut the same time. | called
Miss Cranes attention to It as a diver
sion.
But how make our position known?
The door was very thick and made of
some substance on the outside 10 re-
semhle the cathedral's interior. ham
mered and kicked. but against non.
resoundng material Then | shouted
listened intently for footsteps. but
failed TO detect any sound whatever.
TO allay SO far MS possible my com.
panlon's apprehension | told her that
It was possible we might have to stay
where we were all night and we must
make the best Of It. Her only reply
was n moan that froze my blood
We heard the cathedral clock strike
G. Then, looking up, | was astonished
to notice that the ceiling had descend
ed. judged that It was now about
twenty feet high, though 1t might have
been forty. At any rate, It was much
nearer than when / first looked up.
Tired Of standing we were sitting on
the floor Miss Crane was suffering
from hysterla. and to quiet her
held her hand In firm grip. She
too, had noticed the descending cell
Ing.
No pen could describe the horror OF
seeing that something falling so slow
ly that the eye could not detect its mo-
tion. folded my companion I'm my
arms and held her cheek against mine
We were united before an appalling
death. begged her not TO look up.
for every time she did so her glance
would be followed hy new and more
terrible hystcria.
Meanwhile the rectangle of light
faded. and we were in darkness.
stood up and stretching forth my hand
could feel the ceiling. II seemed to be
Of metal Passing my fingers around
the line where II Joined the wall,
discovered that there was space be-
tween II and the wall. II must be
| suspended
/ said nothing Of IT'S proximity 70
my companion. She need not know
| til the fatal moment came The cell
ing settled TIL when | stood at my
fun height II touched my head Then
the clock. struck 10
A few minutes after this I heard
the click OF cogwheels as though
some one We're turning "A crank. Ny
haHd was resting on the ceiling M the
time. and ! felt It rise. In a few mo
ments II had passed beyond my reach
I'VE are saved. sweetheart. my love
my llfel" ! pressed her 20 me, rain
/ ing kisses on her cheeks her lips
her eyes. II has gone! sneak to met
Tell me Of your JOY that you love
mee'