Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-23
THE AFTERGLOW
A Sequel Beyond the Great oeliuton"
Bv GEORGE ALLAN ENGLAND

Loose-belted garb sandals and a COM |
plete absence of hats all had their part In |
this Astounding health. Open-air life and |
rational food completed the work.
No drugs. save three or four essential |
ones and no posons, ever had crept IN TO |
menace life. Wine there was. rich and un-
fermented but the curse of alcohol existed
not. And in the Law II was forever banned
on the broad porch of their home. a
boulder-but cottage facing the broad plaza
where palms shaded the graveled paths,
and purple, yellow and scarlet blooms lured
humming birds and butterflies. stood
Beatrice and Allan.
Both were smiling in the clear June sun
light of that early morning. A cradle rocked
by Gesafam--a little older and more bent,
yet still hardy-gave glmpses OF another
olive branch, this one a girl.
The piazza was Uttered at its farthest
end with serviceable home made play
things but Allan Junior, had no use for
them today. out there on the lawn or the
plaza he was rolling and running with
troop of other children-many. many chill
dren, indeed.
As Beatrice and Allan watched the play
they smiled and through the mans arm
crept the woman's hand and with the con-
fdence of perfect trust she leaned her head
against his shoulder.
whoever could have thought" said he
at last. that all this really could come
true? In those dark hours when the Horde
had all but swallowed us, when we fell into
the Abyss when those terrible adventures
Iarked our souls down beside the Sunken
Sea. and later here, when everything
seemed lost--who could have forseen TINS!
You could and did :" she answered
| From the beginning you planned every
| thing. Allan. 1t was all foreseen and noth-
| ing ever stopped you, just as the future be-
| yond this time is all foreseen by you and
must and shall be as you plan it,
Shall be, with your help" he murmured.
| and silence came again. Together they
| watched the holiday crowd gradually con-
gregating in the vast plaza where once the
| palsade had been. Now the old wooden
| stockade had long vanished. Cleared land
and farms extended far beyond even New
| port Heights where the Pauillac had hrst
come to earth at New Hope.
| well-kept roads connected them all with
the settlement. And for some miles TO
| southwark the primeval forests had been
vanqusheI by the erer-extending hand OF
| this new, swiftly growing race
with my help and theirs! :" she rejoined
| presently Never forget dear, how wonder
| fully they've taken hold, how they've
| labored developed and grown In every
| way. You'd be surprised--really you wouIu
| if you came in contact with them as 40
in the schools to see the marvellous way
| they Iearn-Olu anu SouH6 "iiiNS 49, ="
| miracle, that's all!
mo. not exactly" he explained. ITS
| atayism These people of ours were really
| civilized in essence, despite all the overlying
| ages of barbarism Civilization was latent
| in them, that's all. Just as all the childreh
| horn here under normal conditions nave
| reverted to pigmented skin and hair and
| eves so even the grown-ups have thrown
| hack TO civilization. Two or three years at
| the outside have put back the coloring
| matter in every newcomers iris ana cpl
| dermis. Just So
A sudden and quickly growing tumult in
the plaza and down the long, broad street,
| interrupted him. He saw waving OK oi
| hands general craning Of necks, drift
toward the north side of the square, the
| river side. ~
The shouts and cheers increased and
| cries of ",They come They come !" rose on
the morning air.
| "Already?" exclaimed Allan In surprise.
."rhese new machines certainly do surprise
me with their speed and power, In the ola
days the Paullac wouldn't nave peeh mere
before noon from the ABYSS!
Together Beatrice and he walked round
tho wide piazza to the rear Of the bun
IgaIow The home estate sloped gently
down toward the cement and boulder wall
edging the cliff In its broad garden stood
the stable, where half dozen horses
caught on the northern savannas ana care
fully tamed--disputed their masters FAVOR
with the touring car he had built up from
| half a dozen partly ruined machines in At
lanta and other cities.
I'm the cliff still roared the thunder of the
rapids, today untamed by the many tur-
hines and power plants along the shore'
But louder than the river rose the tumui'
of the rejoicing throng: They come Ihey
come -
"where?" questioned Beta. See them
boy?" , ,,,u sw,f,, NV trained
wan can outfy me now--more luck to
them ~
He pointed far to northwestward, over
the wide and rolling sea of green, farm
dotted that had sprung up with marvellous
fecundity in the wake of the great nre'
Looking now out over the very same
country where, five years and month be-
sors she had strained her tear-blnded eyes
Tor some sign of Allan's return, Beatrice
suddenly beheld three high. swift little
specks skimming up the heavens with IN
credible velocity
"Hurrah!" shouted Allan. boyishly
Here they come--the last of my Folk?
He ran to the corner or the piazza an'
| nm the tall staff that dominated the canyor
and the river valley dipped the stars an'
stripes three times in signal OF welcome
And already, ere the salute was done, tn
rushing planes had slipped full half the dis
tance from the place where they had mrs
been sighted.
A messenger ran down the gravel drive
way and saluted
80 Kromno !" he began Master"
"Master no longer" Allan interrupted
"Brother now. only'"
The lad stared, amazed.
.Weii, what Is IT." smiled Allan.
.The Council Of the Elders prays you 7
come to help TO greet the last comers. An
after that the feast!
II come = he answered. The lad bowe
| ana vanished. - \, h ls n