The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-06-09
(Continued.)

"This is, to coin a phrase" said
he, rotten, rotten Where are
those right angles that make up
the peculiar allurement of the
American landscape? Where are
the straight lines that constitute
real beauty? And not patent
medicine or breakfast food sign as
far as we can see-rotten! When
we own these lanes, we must have
improvements. Instead of those
disgusting rings of color, we must
lay everything off in rectangular
blocks, and put up signs advertis-
ing nice, airy lots-magnificent
view-in Stratus Addition to MINI
busville. We must establish the
Strato- Cumulus Clubhouse at the
Sign of the Hail-FellowWell-M Net
devoted to high-jinks-for the ac-
commodation of exalted person
ages, including. of course, the Air
Apparent of the Raining Drynasty.
We must open the Alto-Stratus
Opera House-there being, | be-
lieve, no Soprano clouds-and the
Cumulo- Nimbus Electric Com
pany's Thunder Plant; hey, Gin
ral?"
I'm glad" said Carson, ''to get
above profits. Thank Heaven,
clouds can't be commercialized."
Cant, eh?' sneered Craighead.
You have made good with this
machine, I'll have to admit; but
you lack financial resourcefulness.
I've got to dig out the by-products
of the company myself. One Of
them has just occurred to me.
Well lease sites for captive bal
looms all along our lanes of licensed
air navigation, and sell the right to
throw ads for Johnson's Gum Drops
and Mother Hubbard's Obesity Reg
ulator on the shining levels of the
cloud floor. 1t can be done by a
simple mechanism-f it isn't in
vented, I'll invent it in an odd mo-
ment. And Wen sell exclusive
rights to throw colored pictures of
Killarney and Senator Clark's
house, and moving pictures of the
Great Sage-Brush Hen-House Rob-
berry on the thunder clouds in alter
nation with praises of Peterson's
Planetary Paint and Bugworths In
secticide. Why, hang you, witless
youth, let me out, while l work
these things up, right now!"
"I'll go down, and show you
where you'll drop" said Carson;
but | cant STOP
Going down? Floor below"
asked Craighead. Wherefore, o
brave skipper"
II want to see where We are"
said Carson. This is like an open
ocean. l want to compare the
map with the landscape"
Obedient to the tilted rudders.
the Virginia pointed her PROV
downward; her propeller blades
hurled her swiftly forward and
toward the earth, and she plunged
into the cold steam of the stratus
cloud, into mist and white scarfs
of lazy fog, and the snowy obscur-
ity of an aerial blizzard. Craig
head gasped at the chill and the
blindness.
Ring for a guide" said he. I'm
lost"
He was not lost for long; for the
Virginia close the fleecy hoodwink,
and emerged through its lower lev
els into the clear shadows of the
neither air. They could feel the
warmth radiated from the ground,
balmy with earthly scents. The
landscape was utterly changed
Far off to the west was the blue
line of the highlands, its peaks lost
in haze. Below were farms plant
ed in corn and wheat and tobacco,
from which came up the lowing of
cattle, the growing of cocks, and,
most distinct of all, the barking of
dogs. Far to the northeast lay a
shining river, widening at the limit
of vision into broad estuary; and
just within sight could be discerned
the clustered spires and towers of
city. Carson looked the land
scape over and studied his map.
Il wonder If it's possible" said
he. that that's Richmond"
'If So" answered Craighead, "let
me adopt Mr.. Greeley's war-cry,
On to Richmond But, to coin
an expression, what's the matter
with its being Philadelphia? It's
so peaceful under its atmosphere of
Quaker drab. But II not the City
of Brotherly Graft, let's have it
Richmond"
But It must be the James. !"
cried Carson, "Craighead. we&
made Richmond three hours quick
er than ! thought ii possible. A
stork, or a Canada goose, couldn't
have covered the distance-and