Steve Stockton's RAIN STORIES - Sleep-In Fiction Stream

0:00Tyler Reddick here from 2311 Racing. Victory Lane? Yeah, it's even better with Chamba by my side. Race to chambacacino.com, let's Chamba. No purchase necessary, VTW Group, voidware prohibited by law, CTNCs, 21 Plus, sponsored by ChambaCacino. Well, hello, friend. Come on in. By the route there tonight's not fit for man to beast. Come have a seat by the fire. Grab you one of those blankets there, dry off, get warm. I'll put a kettle on to blow up. I'm just reading this book here. Some of my great Uncle Frank's writing.

1:02He'd like, I'll read it aloud to you. Sound good? All right. The lady or the tiger. In the very olden time, they lived a semi-barbaric king whose ideas, though somewhat polished and sharpened by the progressiveness of distant Latin neighbors, were still large, floored, and untremeled, as became the half of him which was barbaric. He was a man of exuberant fancy, and with all of an authority so irresistible that, at his will, he turned his varied fancies into facts. He was greatly given to self-communing. And when he and himself agreed upon anything, the thing was done. When every member of his domestic and political systems moved smoothly in its pointed course, his nature was bland and genial. But whenever there was a little hitch, and some of his alarms got out of their orbits, he was blander and more genial still.

2:04Who nothing pleased him so much as to make the crooked straight and crush down uneven places. Among the borrowed notions by which his barbarism had become simplified, was that of the public arena, in which, by exhibitions of manly and basely valor, the minds of his subjects were refined and cultured. But even here, the exuberant and barbaric fancy asserted itself. The arena of the king was built not to give the people an opportunity of hearing the raps at ease of dying gladiators, nor to enable them to view the inevitable conclusion of a conflict between religious opinions and hungry jaws, but for purposes far better adapted to widen and develop the mental energies of the people. This vast amphitheater, with its encircling galleries, its mysterious vaults and its unseen passages, was an agent of poetic justice, in which crime was punished for virtue rewarded by the decrees of an impartial and incorruptible chance. When a subject was accused of a crime of sufficient importance to interest the king,

3:07public notice was given that on an appointed day, the fate of the accused person would be decided in the king's arena. A structure which, well deserved its name, for although its form and plan were barred from afar, its purpose emanated solely from the brain of this man, who, every barley corner king, you know tradition to which he owed more legions than police his fancy, and who, in grafted on every adopted form of human thought and action, the rich growth of his barbaric idealism. When all the people had assembled in the galleries and the king, surrounded by his court, sat high upon his throne of royal state on one side of the arena. He gave a signal, a door beneath him opened, and the accused subject stepped out into the amphitheater. Directly opposite him, on the other side of the enclosed space, were two doors, exactly alike and side by side. It was the duty and the privilege of the person on trial to walk directly to these doors

4:08and open one of them. He could open either door, he pleased. He was subject to no guidance or influence, but that of the aforementioned impartial and incorruptible chance. If he opened the one, there came out of it a hungry tiger, the fiercest and most cruel that can be procured, which immediately sprang upon him and torn to pieces as a punishment for his guilt. The moment at the case of the criminal was thus decided, so full iron bells were clung. Great whales went up from the hired mourners posted on the outer rim of the arena, and the vast audience, with bowed heads and downcast hearts, went it slowly, they were homeward way. Morning greatly, that once so young and fair, or so old and respected, should have married it so dire fate. But, if the accused person opened the other door, there came forth from it a lady. The most suitable to his years and station that his majesty could select, among his fair subjects. And to this lady he was immediately married, a reward of his innocence.

5:11It mattered not that he might already possess a wife and family, or that his affections might be engaged upon a subject of his own selection. The king allowed no such subordinate arrangements to interfere with his great scheme of retribution and reward. The exercises, as in the other instance, took place immediately and in the arena. Another door opened beneath the king and a priest, followed by a band of singers in dancing maidens blowing joyous airs on golden horns and treading an epithomic measure, advanced to where the pair stood side by side, and the wedding was promptly and cheerly solemnized. Then the gay brass bells rang forth their married peels, the people shouted glad to the brass, and the innocent man proceeded by children's chewing flowers on his path, let his bride to his home. This was the king's semi-barbaric method of administering justice. Its perfect fairness is obvious. The criminal could not know which door would come the lady. He opened either he pleased, without having the slightest idea of whether, in the next

6:14instant, he was to be devoured or married. On some occasions the tiger came out of one door, and on some out of the other. The decisions of this tribunal were not only fair, they were positively determined. The accused person was instantly punished if he found himself guilty, and if innocent, he was rewarded on the spot whether he liked it or not. There was no escape from the judgment of the king's arena. The institution was a fairly popular one, when the people gathered together on one of the great trial days, they never knew whether they were to witness a bloody slaughter or a hilarious wedding. This element of uncertainty lent an interest to the occasion, which it could not otherwise have attained. Thus the masses were entertained and pleased, and the thinking part of the community could bring no charge of unfairness against this plan. Who did not the accused person have the whole matter in his own hands? This semi-barbaric king had a daughter, as blooming as his most floored fancies, and with

7:15a soul as fervent and imperious as his own. As as usual in such cases, she was the apple of his eye, and was loved by him above all humanity. Among his couriers was a young man of that finest of blood and loneliness of station, common to the conventional heroes of romance who loved royal maidens. This royal maiden was well satisfied with her love, where he was handsome and brave to degree unsurpassed in all the kingdom, and she loved him with an order that had enough of barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong. This love affair moved on happily for many months, until one day the king happened to discover its existence, he did not hesitate nor waver in regard to his duty in the premises. The youth was immediately cast into prison, and a day was appointed for his trial in the King's arena. This, of course, was an especially important occasion, and his majesty, as well as all the people, was greatly interested in the workings and development of this trial. Never before had such a case occurred.

8:18Never before had a subject dared to love the daughter of a king. In after years such things became commonplace enough, but then they were, in no slight degree, novel and startling. The tiger cages of the kingdom were searched for the most savage and relentless beast, from which the fiercest monster might be selected for the arena. And the ranks of maiden youth and beauty throughout the land were carefully surveyed by competent judges, in order that the young man might have a fitting bride in case fate did not determine for him a different destiny. Of course, everybody knew that the deed, with which the accused was charged, had been done. He had loved the princess, and neither he, she nor anyone else thought of denying the fact. But the king would not think of allowing any fact of this kind to interfere with the workings of the tribunal, in which he took such great glide and satisfaction. No matter how the affair turned out, the youth would be disposed of, and the king would take an aesthetic pleasure in watching the course of events, which would determine whether

9:19or not the young man had done wrong in allowing himself to love the princess. The appointed day arrived, from far and near the people gathered, throng the great galleries of the arena, and crowds, unable to gain admins, asked themselves against its outside walls. The king and his court were in their place, opposite to twin doors, those faithful portals, so terrible in their similarity. All was ready, the signal was given, a door beneath the row party opened, and the lover of the princess walked into the arena. Tall, beautiful, fair, his appearance was greeted with a low hum of admiration and anxiety. Half the audience had not known so grand to youth had lived among them. No one to the princess loved him, but a terrible thing for him to be there. As the youth advanced into the arena, he turned, as the custom was, about of the king, but he did not think at all of that royal portionage. His eyes were fixed upon the princess, who sat to the right of her father.

10:19Had it not been for the might of barbarism in her nature, his probable that lady would not have been there, but her intense and fervent soul would not allow her to be absent on an occasion in which she was so terribly interested. From the moment that the decree had gone forth that her lover should decide his fate in the king's arena, she had thought of nothing, night or day, but this great event and the various subjects connected with it. Possessed of more power, influence and force of character than anyone who had ever been interested in such a case, she had done what no other person had done. She had possessed herself of the secret of the doors. She knew, in which of the two rooms that lay behind those doors, took the cage of the tiger with its open front, and in which waited the lady. Through these thick doors, heavily curtained with skins on the inside, it was impossible that any noise or suggestion could come from within to the person who should approach to raise the latch of one of them, but gold and the power of the woman's will had brought

11:21the secret to the princess. And not only did she know in which room stood the lady, ready to emerge, all blushing and radiant, should her door be open, but she knew who the lady was. It was one of the fairest and loveliest of the damsels of the court who had been selected as the reward of the accused you, should he be proven innocent of the crime of aspiring to one so far above him, and the princess hated her. Often had she seen or imagined that she had seen, this fair creature throwing glances of admiration upon the person of her lover, and sometimes she thought these glances were perceived and even returned. Now then she had seen them talking together. It was about for a moment or two, but much can be said in a brief space. It may have been on most unimportant topics, but how could she know that? The girl was lovely, but she had dared to raise her eyes to the love to one of the princess. And, with all the intensity the savage blood transmitted to her through long lines of only barbaric ancestors, she hated the woman who blushed and trembled behind that silent

12:24door. Tyler Reddick here from 2311 Racing, another checkered flag for the books, time to celebrate with Jamba. Jump in at JambaCasino.com. Let's Jamba. No purchase necessary, BGW Group, boy were prohibited by law, CCNC's 21 Plus sponsored by Jamba Casino. When her lover turned and looked at her, his eyes met hers as she sat there, paler and wider than anyone in the vast ocean of anxious spaces about her. He saw, by that power of quick perception which is given to those whose souls are one, that she knew behind which door crouched the tiger, and behind which door stood the lady. He expected her to know it. He understood her nature, and his soul was assured that she would never rest until she had made plain to herself this thing, hidden to all other lookers on, even to the king. The only hope for the youth in which there was any element of certainty was based upon the success of the princess in discovering the mystery. At the moment he looked upon her, he saw she had succeeded.

13:27As in his soul, he knew she would succeed. Then it was that his quick and anxious glance asked the question, which? It was his plan to her as if he had shouted it from where he stood. There was not an incident to be lost. The question was asked in a flash. It must be answered in another. Her right arm lay on the cushion parapet before. She raised her hand and made a slight quick movement toward the right. The one but her lover saw. Every eye but his was fixed on the man in the arena. He turned, and with a firm and rapid step, he walked across the empty space. Every heart stopped beating, every breath was held, every eye was fixed and moved ably upon that band. Without the slightest hesitation, he went to the door on the right and opened it. Now the point of this story is this, did the tiger come out of that door or did the lady? The more we reflect upon this question, the harder it is to answer.

14:29It involves a study of the human heart, which leads us through devious mazes of passion, out of which it is difficult to find our way. Think of it, Bear Reader. Not as if the decision of the question depended upon yourself, but upon that hot-blooded semi-barbaric princess, her soul at a white heat beneath the combined fires of despair and jealousy. She had lost him, but who should have him? How often, in her waking hours and inner dreams, had she started in wild horror and covered her face with her hands as she thought of her lover opening the door on the other side of which waited the cruel fangs of the tiger. How much more often had she seen him at the other door, how in her grievous reveries, had she gnashed her teeth and torn her hair when she saw his start of rapturous delight as he opened the door of the lady. How her soul had burned in agony when she had seen him rush to meet the woman with her flushing cheek and sparkling eye of triumph. When she had seen him lead her forth, his whole frame kindled with the joy of recovered

15:33life. When she heard the glad shouts from the multitude and the wild ring of the happy bells, when she had seen the priest with his joyous followers advance to the couple and make them man and wife before her very eyes, and when she had seen them walk away together upon their path of flowers followed by the tremendous shouts of the hilarious multitude, and which one despairing shriek was lost and drowned. Would it not be better for him to die at once and go away for her in the blessed reach of Siddharth Barbaric maturity, and yet that awful tiger, those shrieks, that blood? Her decision had been indicated in an instant, but it had been made after days and nights of anguish deliberation. She had known she would be asked. She had decided what she would answer, and without the slightest hesitation, she had mowed her hand to the right. The question of her decision is one not to be lightly considered, and it is not for

16:35me to presume to set myself up as the one person able to answer it, and so I leave it with all of you, which came out of the open door, the lady or the tiger. A piece of red galaco. I was going into town one morning for my suburban residence, and my wife handed me a little piece of red galaco, and asked me if I would have time during the day to buy her two yards and a half of galaco like that. I should heard that it would be no trouble at all, and putting the sample in my pocket I took the train for the city. At lunchtime I stopped at a large, dry goods store to attend to my wife's commission. I saw a well-dressed man walking the floor between the counters where long lines of girls were waiting on much longer lines of customers and asked him where I could see some red galaco. This way, sir, he said, and he led me up to the store.

17:36Miss Stone said he to a young lady, showed this gentleman some red galaco. What shade do you want, asked Miss Stone? I showed her a little piece of galaco that my wife had given me. She looked at it and handed it back to me. Then she took down a great roll of red galaco and spread it out on the counter. Why, that isn't the shade, said I? No, not exactly, she said, but it is prettier than your sample. That may be, said I, but you see, I want to match this piece. There's something already made of this kind of galaco, which needs to be enlarged or minted or something, I want some galaco of the same shade. The girl made no answer, but took down another roll. That's the shade, said she. Yes, I replied, but it's striped. Striped some more worn than anything else in galacos, said she. Yes, but this isn't to be worn, it's for furniture, I think. At any rate, I want perfectly plain stuff to match something already in use.

18:36Well, I don't think you can find it perfectly plain unless you get turkey red. What is turkey red, I asked? Turkey red is perfectly plain in galacos, she answered. Well, let me see some. We haven't any turkey red galaco left, she said, but we have some very nice plain galacos in other colors. I don't want any other color. I want stuff to match this. It's hard to match cheap galaco like that, she said, and so I left her. I next went into a store a few doors farther up the street. When I entered, I approached the floor walker, and handing him my sample said, have you any galaco like this? Yes, sir, said he, third counter to the right. I went to the third counter to the right and showed my sample to the salesman in attendance there. He looked at it on both sides, and he said, we haven't any of this. I was told you had, said I. We had it, but we're out of it now.

19:38You'll get that goods at an upholster's. I'm going to cross the street to an upholster's shop. Have you any stuff like this, I asked? No, sir, the salesman, we haven't. Is it for furniture? Yes, I replied. Then turkey red is what you want. Is turkey red just like this, I ask? No, said he, but it's much better. That makes no difference to me, I replied. I want something just like this, but they don't use that for furniture, he said. I should think people could use anything they wanted for furniture I remarked somewhat sharply. They can, but they don't, he said, quite calmly. They don't use red like that. They use turkey red. I said no more, but left. The next place I visited was a very large, dry goods store. Of the first salesman I saw, I inquired if they kept a red calico like my sample. You'll find that on the second story, said he. I went upstairs and there I asked a man, where will I find the red calico, in the far

20:43room to the left, over there, and he pointed to a distant corner. I walked through the crowds of purchasers and salespeople on around the counters and tables filled with goods, to the far room to the left. When I got there, I asked for red calico. The second countered down this side, said the man. I went there and produced my sample. "'Celico's downstairs,' said the man. "'They told me they were up here,' I said. Not these plain goods. You'll find them downstairs at the back of the store, over on that side.' I went downstairs to the back of the store. Where will I find red calico like this, I asked? "'Next counter,' book one,' said the man addressed, walking with me in the direction pointed out. "'Dun,' show him some red calico's. Mr. Dunn took my sample and looked at it. We haven't this shade in that quality of goods,' he said. "'Well, have you it in any quality of goods,' I asked. "'Yes, we've got it finer,' and he took down a piece of calico and unrolled the yard

21:44at two over to the counter. "'That's not this shade,' I said. "'No,' said he. "'The goods are finer and the color is better. "'I want to match this,' I said. "'I thought you weren't particular about the match,' said the salesman. "'You said you didn't care for the quality of the goods, and you know you can't match goods without you taking the consideration quality and color both. "'If you want that quality of goods and red, you ought to get turkey red.' "'I did not think it necessary to answer this remark,' said. "'Then you've got nothing to match this?' "'No, sir.' "'But perhaps they may have it in the upholstery department, in the sixth story.' "'So I got in the elevator and went up to the top of the house.' "'Have you any red stuff like this?' "'I said to a young man,' red stuff,' upholstery department. "'Other end of this floor,' I went to the other end of the floor. "'I want some red calico,' I said to a man. "'Furniture goods,' he asked. "'Yes,' said I. "'Fourth counter to the left.' "'I went to the fourth counter to the left and showed my sample to the salesman.' He looked at it and said, "'You'll get this down on the first floor.'

22:47Calico department.' I turned on my heel, descended into the elevator, and went out on the street. I was thoroughly sick of red calico, but I determined to make one more trial. My wife had bought her red calico not long before, and there must be some to be add somewhere. I ought to ask her who she obtained it, but I thought a simple little thing like that could be bought anywhere. I went into another large dry goods store, as I entered the door a sudden tremor seized me. I could not bear to take out that piece of red calico. If I had had any other kind of rag about me, a pen, wiper, or anything of that sort, I think I would have asked them to think it matched that, but I stepped up to a young woman and presented my sample with the usual question. Back room, counter on the left, she said, "'I went there.' "'Have you any red calico like this?' I asked, and the saleswoman behind the counter?' "'No, sir,' she said. "'But we have it in Turkey, red.' "'I surrendered.' "'All right,' I said. "'Give me Turkey, red.' "'How much, sir,' she asked.

23:47"'I don't know. Say, five yards.' She looked at me rather strangely, but measured off five yards of Turkey red calico. Then she wrapped on the counter and called out cash. A little girl with yellow hair and two long plants came slowly up. The lady wrote the number of yards, the name of the goods, her own number, the price, the amount of the bank note I handed her, and some other matters, probably the color of my eyes and the direction of velocity of the wind on a slip of paper. She then copied all this into a little book which she kept by her. Then she handed the slip of paper, the money, and the Turkey red to the yellow-haired girl. This young person copied the slip into a little book she carried, and then she went away with the calico, the paper slip, and the money. After a very long time, during which the little girl probably took the goods, the money and the slip to some central desk, where the note was received, its amount and number entered in a book. Change given to the girl, a copy of the slip made and entered. Girls entry examined and approved. Goods wrapped up, girl registered, ill-haired girl counted and entered on a slip of paper

24:47and copied by the girl in her book. Girl taken to a hydrant and washed, number of tile entered on a paper slip and copied by the girl in her book. Value of my note and amount of change branded somewhere out of the child, and said processed noted on a slip of paper and copied in her book. The girl came to me, bringing my change, and the package of Turkey red calico. I had time for but very little work at the office that afternoon, and when I reached home I handed the package of calico to my wife. She enrolled it and explained, why, this don't match the piece I gave you, match it, I cried, oh no, it don't match it. You didn't want that matched, you were mistaken. What you wanted was Turkey red, third counted to the left. I mean, Turkey red is what they used, and then my wife looked at me in amazement, and then I detailed to her my troubles. Well, said she, this Turkey red is a great deal prettier than what I had, and you've got so much of it that I didn't use the other at all. I wish I had thought of Turkey red before.

25:48I wish from the bottom of my heart you had, said I. A thing that glistened. How to have fun, anytime, anywhere, step one, go to chumbacaceno.com Step two, collect your welcome bonus, come to papa, welcome bonus, step three, play hundreds of casino style games for free, that's a lot of games, all for free, step four, unleash your excitement, chumbacaceno has been delivering thrills for over a decade, so claim your free welcome bonus now and live the chumbalife, visit chumbacaceno.com In the fall of 1888, the steam ship Sunda, from Southampton, was running along the southern coast of Long Island, not many hours from port, when she was passed by one of the great British liners, outward bound. The tide was high, and the course of both vessels was near the coast than as usual, that

26:49of the Sunda being inside of the other. As the two steamers passed each other, there was a great waving of hats and anchors. Suddenly, there was a scream from the Sunda. It came from a signora, Rachida, the prima donna of an opera troupe, which is coming to America in that ship. I have lost my bracelet, she cried in Italian, and then turning to the passengers, she repeated the cry in very good English. The situation was instantly comprehended by everyone. It was late in the afternoon, the captain had given a grand dinner to the passengers, at which the prima donna had appeared in all her glories of ornamentation, and the greatest of these glories, a magnificent diamond bracelet, was gone from the arm, with which she had been enthusiastically waving her lace hankerture. The second officer, who was standing near, dashed into the captain's office and quickly reappeared with charred and instruments, and made rapid calculation of the position of the vessel at the time of the accident, making an allowance for the few minutes that had

27:50passed since the first cry of the Sunda. After a consultation with the captain and recalculations of the distance from land and some other points, he announced to the weeping lady that her bracelet lay under a little black spot he had made on the chart, and that if she chose to send a diver for it, she might get it, for the depth of the water at that place was not great. By profession, I am a diver, and the next day I was engaged to search for the diamond bracelet with Signora Rachida. I had a copy of the chart, and having hired a small schooner with several men who had been in my assistance before, and taking with me all the necessary country of law and appliances, I set out for the spot indicated, and by afternoon we were anchored, we believed, at, or very near it. I lost no time in descending, I wore, of course, the usual diver's suit, but I took with me no tools nor any of the implements used by divers when examining wrecks, but carried in my right hand a brilliant electric lamp connected with a powerful battery on the schooner.

28:50I held this by an insulating handle in which there were two little knobs, by which I could light or extinguish it. The bottom was hard and smooth, and lighting my lamp I began to look about me. If I approached the bracelet I ought to be able to see its sparkle, but after wondering over considerable space I saw no sparkles nor anything like a bracelet. Suddenly, however, I saw something which greatly interested me. It was a hole in the bottom of the ocean, almost circular, and at least ten feet in diameter. I was surprised that I had not noticed it before, where it laid not far from the stern of our vessel. Standing near the rocky edge of the aperture, I held out my lamp and looked down. Not far below, I saw the glimmer of what seemed to be the bottom of this subterranean well. I was seized with a desire to explore this great hole running down under the ordinary bottom of the sea, I signaled to be lowered, and although my comrades were much surprised in such an order, they obeyed, and down I went to the well.

29:52The sides of this seemed rocky and almost perpendicular, but after descending about fifteen feet they receded on every side, and I found myself going down into a wide cavern, before which I touched in a very short time. Holding up my lamp and looking about me, I found myself in a sea cave, some thirty feet in diameter, with a dome-like roof, and which, a little to one side of the center, was the lower opening of the well. I became very much excited, this was just a sort of place into which a bracelet or anything else of value might be expected to have the bad luck to drop. I walked about and gazed everywhere, but I found nothing but rocks and water. I was about to signal to be drawn up, when above me I saw what appeared to be a flash of darkness coming down through the well. With a rush and a swirl it entered the cavern, and in a moment I recognized the fact that a great fish was swooping around and about me. Its movements were so rapid and irregular, now circling along the outer edge of the floor

30:54of the cavern, then mounting above me until its back seemed discreet to roof, but I could not form a correct idea of the size of the creature. It seemed to be at least twenty feet long. I stood, almost stupified, keeping my eyes as far as possible, fixed upon the swiftly moving monster. Sometimes he came quite near me, when I shuttered in every fiber, and then he shot away, but ever gliding with powerful undulations of his body and tail, around, about, and above me. I did not dare to signal to be drawn up, appeared that the terrible creature would enter the well hole with me, then he would probably touch me, perhaps crush me against the wall, but my mind was capable of forming no plan, I only hoped the fish would ascend and disappear through the way he came. My mind was not in its strongest condition, being much upset by a great trouble, and I was so frightened that I really did not know what I ought to do, but I had since enough left to feel sure that the fish had been attracted into the cavern by my lamp.

31:57Obviously, the right thing to do was to extinguish it, but the very thought of this nearly drove me into a frenzy. I could not endure to be left alone with the shark in darkness and water. It was an insane idea, but I felt that, whatever happened, I must keep my eyes upon it. Now the great fish began to swoop near and near to me, and then, suddenly changing its tactics, he receded to the most distant wall of the cavern, where, with its head toward me, it remained, for the first time, motions. But this did not continue long, gently turning over on its side, it opened its great mouth, and in an instant, with a rush, it came directly at me. My light shone full into its vast mouth, listening with teeth, and it was a violent jerk which nearly threw me from my feet, and all was blackness. The shark had swallowed my lamp, my rare good fortune, he did not take my hand also. Now, I frantically tugged at my signal rope.

32:59Without my lamp, I had no thought but a desire to be pulled out of the water, no matter what happened. In a few minutes, I sat, divested of my diving suit, and almost insensible upon the deck of the schooner. As soon as I was able to talk, I told my astonished comrades what had happened, and while we were discussing this strange occurrence, one of them, looking over the side, saw slowly rising to the surface, the body of a dead shark. By George, he cried, here is the beast, he's been killed by the current from the battery. We all crowded to the rail and looked down upon the monster. He was about ten feet long, and it was plain that he had died for making himself the connection between the poles of the battery. Well, said the captain pleasantly, I suppose you're not going down again. Not I, I replied, I give up this job. Then suddenly I cried, come boys, all of you. Make fast to that shark and get him on board. I want him.

34:00Some of the men laughed, but my manner was so earned. Hey, it's Cole Swindell. After I give everything I've got to land a perfect vocal, I usually take five before jumping into the next track, and I've learned exactly how to recharge in that time. Some folks grab coffee, I hit a quick good lookspin. Next thing you know, the break is just as fun as land down the track. A better break makes for a better take. Need a break? Less chumbo. No purchase necessary, BGW Group void were prohibited by law, 21 plus TNC supply, sponsored by Chumbo Casino. Just in a moment they all said about to help me. A small boat was lowered, lines were made fast to the dead face of the blocking tackle, and we hauled him onto the deck. I then got a butcher's knife from the cabin and began to cut him open. Look here Tom, it's lame to captain, that's nonsense. Your lamp's all smashed to pieces, and if you get it out, it'll never be any good to you. I don't care for the lamp, I answered, working away energetically, but an idea has

35:03struck me. It's plain that this creature has a fancy for shining things. If he swallled a lamp, there's no reason why he should not have swallled anything else that glittered. A whole cry to captain. You think he swallled the bracelet, do you? And instantly everybody crowded more closely about me. I got out the lamp. Its wires were severed as smoothly as if they had been cut by shears. Then I worked on. Suddenly, there was a cry from every man, something glimmered in the dark interior of the fish. I grasped it and drew it out. It was not a bracelet, but a pint bottle which glimmered like a glow worm. With the bottle in my hand, I sat upon the deck and gazed at it. I shook it. It shone brighter. A bit of oiled silk was tied tightly over the cork, and it was plain to see that it was filled with a light colored oil, into which a bit of phosphorus had been dropped, which on being agitated, filled the bottle with a dim light.

36:06But there was something more in the bottle than phosphorus and oil. I could see a tin too, corked at each end, and the exposed parts of the corks, spreading enough to prevent the tin from striking the glass. We all knew that this was one of those bottles containing a communication of some sort, which are often thrown into the sea, and flowed about until they are picked up. The addition of the oil and phosphorus was intended to make it visible by night as well as by day, and this was plainly the reason why it had been swallowed by light-loving shard. I poured out the oil and extracted it to you. Wipe it carefully, I threw out the corks, and then, in the little tin cylinder, I pulled a half sheet of note paper rolled up tightly. I unrolled it and read these words. Before I jump overboard, I want to let people know that I killed John Polymus. So I've fixed up this bomb. I hope it may be picked up in time to keep Jim Barker from being hung.

37:07I did think of leaving it on the steamer, but I might change my mind about jumping overboard. And I guess this is the best way. The clothes I wore and the hatchet I did it with are under the woodshed back of Polymus house, Henry Ramsey. I sprang to my feet with a yell. Jim Barker was my brother, now lying in prison under sentence of death for the murder of Polymus. All the circumstantial evidence, and there was no other, had been against him. The note was dated eight months back, old cruel fool of a murderer. The shark was thrown overboard, and we made best speed to port. And before the end of the afternoon, I'd put Ramsey's note into the hands of the lawyer who had charge of my brother's case. Fortunately, he was able to identify the handwriting and signature of Ramsey, a man who had been suspected of the crime, but against whom no evidence could be found.

38:08The lawyer was almost as excited as I was with the contents of this note, and early the next morning we started together for the house of the Polymus family. There, under the woodshed, we found, carefully buried, a bloodstained shirt and vest and the hatchet. My impulse was to fly to my brother, but this my lawyer forbade. He would take charge of the affair, and no false hopes must be excited, but he confidently assured me that my brother was as good as free. Returning to the city, I thought I might as well make my report to the signora, Rachida. The lady was at home and saw me. She showed the most intense interest in what I told her, and I insisted upon every detail of my experiences. As I spoke to the shark and the subterranean cave, she nearly fainted from excitement, and her maid had to bring her smelling salt. When I had finished, she looked at me steadily for a moment, and then said, I have something

39:09to tell you, but I hardly know how to say it. I never lost my bracelet. I intended to wait at the captain's dinner, but when I went to put it on, I found the glass was broken, and, as I was late, I hurried to the table without the bracelet, and thought no more of it until, when we were all waving, cheering, I glanced at my wrist and found it not there. Then, utterly forgetting that I had put it on, I thought it had gone into the sea. It was only this morning that, opening what I suppose was the empty box, I saw it. Here it is. I never saw such gorgeous jewels. Madam, said I, I am glad you thought you lost it. I have gained something better than all these. You are a good man, said she, and then she paid me liberally for my services. When this business had been finished, she asked, are you married? I answered that I was not.

40:10Is there anyone you intend to marry? Yes, said I. What is her name, she asked? Sarah Jane McElroy. She said she, and she retired into another room. Presently she returned and handed me a little box. Give this to your lady, love, said she. When she looks at it, she will never forget that you are a brave man. When Sarah Jane opened the box, there was a little pin with a diamond head, and she gave a scream of delight. But I saw no reason for jumping or crying out. For after having seen the senor as bracelet, this stone seemed like a pea in a bushel potatoes. I don't need anything, she said, to remind me that you are a very brave man. I am going to buy furniture with it. I laughed and remarked at every little helps. When I sit with my wife by my side before the fire in her comfortable home, and consider

41:10that the parlor carpet, and the furniture, and the pictures, and the hall and stair carpet, and all the dining room with the china and the glass in the linen and all the kitchen utensils, and two bedroom suits on the second story, both hardwood, and all the furniture and fittings of a very pleasant room for a single man, the third story front, were bought with a pin that signore it gave to Sarah Jane. I am filled with profound respect for things that glitter. When I look on the other side of the fire and see Jim smoking his pipe, just as happy as anybody, then I say to myself that, if there are people who think that the story is too much out of the common, I wish they would step in here and talk to Jim about it. There is a fire in his eyes when he tells you how glad he is that it was the shark instead of him, that is very convincing. Step into the world of power, loyalty, and luck. I am going to make him an offer he can't refuse with family, conoles, and spins mean

42:15everything. Now, you want to get mixed up in the family business. Introducing the Godfather at chambakasino.com, test your luck in the shadowy world of the Godfather's slot. Someday, I will call upon you to do a service for me. Play the Godfather. Now at chambakasino.com, welcome to the family, a tale of negative gravity. My wife and I were staying in a small town in northern Italy, and on a certain pleasant afternoon in spring, we had taken a walk of six or seven miles to see the sunset behind some low mountains to the west of the town. Most of our walk had been along a hard smooth highway, and then we turned into a series of narrow roads, sometimes bordered by walls, and sometimes by light fences of reed or cane. Nearing the mountain, to a low spur of which we intended to ascend, we easily scaled a wall about four feet high, and found ourselves upon pasture land, which led sometimes for

43:16gradual ascents, and sometimes for bits of rough climbing, to the spot we wished to reach. We were afraid we were a little late, and therefore hurried on, running up the grassy hills and bounding griscally over the rough and rocky places. I carried an app sack, strapped firmly to my shoulders, and under my wife's arm was a large, soft basket of a kind, much used by tourists. Her arm was passed through the handles and around the bottom of the basket, which she pressed closely to her side. This was the way she always carried it. The basket contained two bottles of wine, one sweet from our wife, and another a little acid for myself. Sweet wines give me a headache. When we reached the grassy bluff, well-known thereabouts to lovers of sunset views, I stepped immediately to the edge to gaze upon the scene, but my wife sat down to take a sip of wine, where she was very thirsty. And then, leaving her basket, she came to my side. The scene was, indeed, one of great beauty.

44:16Beneath us stretched a wide valley of many shades of green, with a little river running through it, and red-tiled houses here and there. Beyond rose a range of mountains, pink, pale green and purple, where their tips caught the reflection of the setting sun, and of a rich, gray-green in shadows. Beyond all was the blue Italian sky, loomed by an especially fine sunset. My wife and I are Americans, and at the top of this story were middle-aged people, and very fond of seeing in each other's company, whatever there was of interest or beauty around us. We had a son about 22 years old, of whom we were also very fond, but he was not with us, being at that time a student in Germany. Although we had good health, we were not very robust people, and under ordinary circumstances, not much given to the long-country trams. I was of medium-sized, without much muscular development, but my wife was quite stout, and growing stoutery. The reader may, perhaps, be somewhat surprised that a middle-aged couple, not very strong

45:19or very good walkers, the lady loaded with a basket containing two bottles of wine and a metal drinking cup, and the gentleman, carrying a heavy knapsack, filled with all sorts of odds and ends, strapped through his shoulders, should set off on a seven-mile walk, jump over a wall, run up a hillside, and yet feel in very good trim to enjoy a sunset view. This peculiar state of things I will proceed to explain. I had been a professional man, but some years before I had retired, upon a very comfortable income. I'd always been very fond of scientific pursuits, and now made these the occupation and pleasure of much of my leisure time. Our home was in a small town, and in a quarter of my grounds I built a laboratory, where I carried on my work and my experiments. I'd long been anxious to discover the means not only of producing, but of retaining and controlling a natural force, really the same as centrifugal force, but which I called negative gravity. This name I adopted because it indicated better than any other the action of the force

46:19in question, as I produced it. Osteofgravity attracts everything toward the center of the earth. Negative gravity, therefore, would be that power which repels everything from the center of the earth, just as the negative pole of a magnet repels the needle, while the positive pole attracts it. Object was, in fact, the store centrifugal force entered into render at constant, controllable, and available for use. The advantages of such a discovery could scarcely be described. In a word, it would lighten the burdens of the world. I will not touch upon the labors and disappointments of several years, it is enough to say that at last I discovered a method of producing, storing, and controlling, negative gravity. The mechanism of my invention was rather complicated, but the method of operating it was very simple. A strong metallic case, about eight inches long and half as wide, contained the machinery before producing the force. And this was put into action by means of the pressure of a screw worked from the outside.

47:20As soon as this pressure was produced, negative gravity began to be evolved and stored, and the greater the pressure, the greater the force. As the screw was moved outward and the pressure diminished, the force decreased, and when the screw was withdrawn to its fullest extent, the action of negative gravity entirely ceased. Thus, this force could be produced or dissipated at will to such degrees as might be desired, and its action, so long as the requisite pressure was maintained, was constant. When this little apparatus worked my satisfaction, I caught my wife into my laboratory and explained to her my invention and its value. She had known that I had been at work with an important object, but I had never told her what it was. I had said that if I succeeded, I would tell her all, but if I failed, she need not be troubled with the matter at all. Being a very sensible woman, this satisfied her perfectly. Now I explained everything to her, the construction of the machine and the wonderful uses to which this invention could be applied.

48:22I told her that it could diminish or entirely dissipate the weight of objects of any kind. I heavily loaded wagon with two of these instruments fastened to its sides, and each screwed to a proper force would be so lifted and supported that it would press upon the ground as light lives an empty cart and a small horse could draw it with ease. A bell of cotton with one of these machines attached could be handled and carried by a boy. A car with a number of these machines could be made to rise in the air like a balloon. Everything, in fact, that was heavy, could be made light. And as a great part of labor all over the world is caused by the attraction of gravitation, so this repellent force, wherever applied, would make weight less and work easier. I told her of many, many ways in which the invention might be used, and would have told her many more if she had not suddenly burst into tears. The world has gained something wonderful she exclaimed between her sobs, but I have lost a husband. What do you mean by that I asked in surprise?

49:23I haven't minded it so far, she said, because it gave you something to do, and it pleased you, and it never interfered with our home pleasures and our home life. And now that is all over, you will never be your own master again. It will succeed, I'm sure, and you may make a great deal of money, but we don't need money. What we need is the happiness which we have always had until now. Now there will be companies and patents and lawsuits and experiments and people calling you a humbug, and other people saying that they discovered it long ago, and all sorts of persons coming to see you, and you'll be obliged to go to all sorts of places. And you will be an altered man, and we shall never be happy again. Means of money will not repay us for the happiness we have lost. These words of my life struck me with much force. Before I had called her, my mind had begun to be filled and perplexed with ideas of what I ought to do now that the great invention was perfected. Until now, the matter had not troubled me at all.

50:24Sometimes I'd gone backward and sometimes forward, but on the whole, I'd always felt encouraged. I'd take a great pleasure in the work, but I didn't. Hey, it's Cole Swendell, and when I spend 200 days a year rolling down the highway, the bus can start to feel smaller than a guitar case. Everyone wonders how I stay chill while the hours crawl by. Truth is, one good luck spent on Chamba, and suddenly the trip does a whole lot shorter. Finding your space, even when there isn't much to spare. Need some chill? Let's Chamba. No purchase necessary, BGW Group Void were prohibited by law, 21 plus TNC Supply, sponsored by Chamba Casino. Never allowed myself to be much absorbed by it, but now everything was different. I began to feel that it was due to myself and to my fellow beings that I should properly put this invention before the world. And I said about it, what steps should I take? I must make no mistakes. And the matter should become known hundreds of scientific people might set themselves to work.

51:25How could I tell, but that they might discover other methods of producing the same effect? I must guard myself against a great many things. I must get patents in all parts of the world. Already, as I've said, my mind began to be troubled and perplexed with these things. A turmoil this sort did not suit my age or disposition. I could not but agree with my wife that the joys of a quiet and continued life were now about to be broken into it. My dear, said I, I believe with you that the thing will do us more harm than good. If it were not for depriving the world of the invention, I would throw the whole thing to the winds. And yet, I added regretfully, I had expected a great deal of personal gratification from the use of this invention. Now listen, said my wife eagerly, don't you think it would be best to do this? Use the thing as much as you please for your own amusement and satisfaction, but let the world wait. It has waited a long time and let it wait a little longer.

52:27When we are dead, let Herbert have the invention. He will then be old enough to judge for himself whether it will be better to take advantage of it for his own profit or simply to give it to the public for nothing. It would be cheating him if we were to do the latter, but it would also be doing him a great rob if we were at his age to load him with such a heavy responsibility. Besides, if he took it up, you could not help going into it too. I took my wife's advice. I wrote it carefully and completed the count of the invention, and sealing it up, I gave it to my lawyers to be handed to my son after my death. If he died first, I would make other arrangements. Then I determined to get all the good and fun out of the thing that was possible without telling anyone anything about it. When Herbert, who was away from home, was not to be told of the invention. The first thing I did was to buy a strong leather nap-sack, and inside of this I fastened my little machine, with a screw saw-range that could be worked from the outside.

53:27Strapping this firmly to my shoulders, my wife gently turned the screw at the back until the upward tendency of the nap-sack began to lift and sustain me. When I felt myself so gently supported and upheld that I seemed to weigh about 30 or 40 pounds, I would set out for a walk. The nap-sack did not raise me from the ground, but it gave me a very buoyant step. It was no labor at all to walk. It was a delight and ecstasy. With a strength of a man and the weight of a child, I giggly strode along. The first day I walked half a dozen miles at a very brisk place and came back without feeling in the least degree tired. These walks now became one of the greatest joys of my life, when nobody was looking I would bound over a fence, sometimes just touching it with one hand, and sometimes not touching it at all. I delighted in rough places. I sprang over streams. I jumped and I ran. I felt like mercury himself. I now set about making another machine, so that my wife could accompany me in my walks.

54:29But when it was finished, she positively refused to use it. I can't wear a nap-sack, she said, and there's no other good way of fasting it to me. Besides, everyone about here knows I'm no walker and would only set them talking. I occasionally made use of the second machine, but I will give only one instance of its application. Some repairs were needed to the foundation walls of my barn and a two-horse wagon loaded with building stone have been brought into my yard and left there. In the evening, when the men had gone away, I took my two machines and fastened them with strong chains, one on each side of the loaded wagon. Then, gradually turning the screws, the wagon was so lifted that its weight became very gently diminished. We had an old donkey which used to belong to Herbert, and which was now occasionally used with a small cart to bring packages from the station. I went into the barn and put the harness on a little fellow, and, bringing him out to the wagon, I touched him to it. In this position, he looked very funny with a long pole sticking out in front of him

55:30and the great wagon behind him, but all was ready, I touched him up. To my great delight, he moved off with a two-horse load of stone, as easily as if he were drawing his own cart. I let him out into the public road, along which he proceeded without difficulty. He was an opinionated little beast and sometimes stopped not liking the peculiar manner in which he was harness, but a touch of the switch made him move on, and I soon turned him and brought the wagon back into the yard. This determined the success of my invention in one of its most important uses, and with the satisfied heart, I put the donkey into the stable and went into the house. Our trip to Europe was made a few months after this, and was mainly on our son Herbert's account. He, poor fellow, was in great trouble, and so, therefore, were we. He had become engaged, with our full consent, to a young lady in our town, the daughter of a gentleman whom we esteemed very highly. Herbert was young to be engaged to be married, but as we felt that he would never find a girl to make him so good a wife, we were extremely satisfied, especially as it was agreed

56:34on all hands that the marriage was not to take place for some time. It seemed to us that, in marrying Janet Gilbert, Herbert would secure for himself, in the very beginning of his career, the most important element of a happy life. But suddenly, without any reason that seemed to us justifiable, Mr. Gilbert, the only surviving parent of Janet, broke off the match, and he and his daughter soon after left the town for a trip to the west. This bloat nearly broke poor Herbert's heart. He gave up his professional studies and came home to us, and for a time we thought he would be seriously ill. Then we took him to Europe, and after continental tour of a month or two, we left him, at his own request in Gottingen, where he thought it would do him good to go to work again. Then we went down to the little town in Italy, where my story first finds us. My wife had suffered much in mind and body on her son's account, and for this reason, I was anxious that she should take out to her exercise, and enjoy as much as possible the bracing air of the country. I had brought with me both my little machines.

57:36One was still in my knapsack, and the other I had fastened to the inside of an enormous family trunk. As one is obliged to pay for nearly every pound of his baggage on the continent, this saved me a great deal of money. Everything heavy was packed into this great trunk. Books, papers, the bronze iron and marble relics we'd picked up, and all the articles that usually weigh down a tourist baggage. I screwed up the negative gravity apparatus until the trunk would be handled with great ease by an ordinary porter. I could have made it way nothing at all, but this of course I did not wish to do. The lightness of my baggage, however, had occasioned some comment that I overheard remarks, which were not altogether complimentary about people traveling around with empty trunks, but this only amused me. Desires that my wife should have the advantage of negative gravity while taking on her walks. I moved the machine from the trunk and fastened it inside the basket which she could carry under her arm. This assisted her wonderfully. When one arm was tired, she put the basket under the other, and thus, with one hand on

58:38my arm, she could easily keep up with the free and buoyant steps my knapsack enabled me to take. She did not object to long tramps here because nobody knew that she was not a walker, and she always carried some wine or other refreshment in the basket, not only because it was pleasant to have it with us, but because it seemed ridiculous to go about carrying an empty basket. Tyler Reddick here from 2311 Racing, another checkered flag for the books. Time to celebrate with Chamba. Jump in at chambacasino.com. Let's Chamba. No purchase necessary. BTW Group. Boy, we're prohibited by law. CCNC is 21 plus sponsored by Chamba Casino. There were English-speaking people stopping at the hotel where we were, but they seemed more fond of driving than walking, and none of them offered to accompany us on our ramps. For which we were very glad. There was one man there, however, who was a great walker. He was an Englishman, a member of an Alpine Club, and generally one about dressed in a Nicarbocker suit, with great woolen stockings covering an enormous pair of calves.

59:39One evening, this gentleman was talking to me and some others about the ascent of the Matterhorn, and I took occasion to deliver in pretty strong language my opinion upon such exploits. I declared them to be useless, foolhardy, and if the climber had anyone who loved him, wicked. Even if the weather should permit a view, I said, what is that compared to the terrible risk to life? Under certain circumstances I added, thinking of a kind of waste code I had some idea of making, which, set about with little negative gravity machines, all connected with a conveniently handle screw, wouldn't enable the wearer at times to dispense with his weight altogether. Such a sense might be divested of danger and be quite admissible, but ordinarily they should be frowned upon by the intelligent public. The Alpine man looked at me, especially regarding my somewhat slight figure in thinnish legs. It's all very well for you to talk that way, he said, because it is easy to see that you are not up to that sort of thing. In conversations of this kind, I replied, I never make personal illusions, but since

1:00:40you have chosen to do so, I feel inclined to invite you to walk with me tomorrow to the top of the mountain to the north of this town. I'll do it, he said, at any time you choose to name, because I left the room soon afterwards I heard him laugh. The next afternoon, about two o'clock, the Alpine club man and myself set out for the mountain. Whatever you got in your knapsack, he said. A hammer to use if I should come across geological specimens, a field glass, a flask of wine, and some other things. I wouldn't carry any weight if I were you, he said. Oh, I don't mind, I answered, and off we started. The mountain to which we were bound was about two miles from the town. It's near a side with steep and in places almost precipitous, but it sloughed away more gradually toward the north, and up that side a road led by devious windings to a village near the summit. It was not a very high mountain, but it would do for an afternoon's climb. I suppose you want to go up by the road, said my companion.

1:01:41Oh, no, I answered, we won't go so far around as that. There's a path up this side, along which I've seen men driving their goats. I prefer to take that. All right, if you say so, he answered with a smile, but you'll find it pretty tough. After a time he remarked, I wouldn't walk so fast if I were you, oh, I like to step along briskly, I said, and briskly on we went. My wife had screwed up the machine in the knapsack more than usual, and walking seemed scarcely any effort at all. I carried along Alpenstock, and when we reached the mountain and began the ascent, I found that with the help of this and my knapsack, I could go uphill at a wonderful rate. My companion had taken the lead, so as to show me how to climb. Making a detour over some rocks, I quickly passed him and went ahead. After that, it was impossible for him to keep up with me. I ran up steep places, I cut off the windings of the path by lightly clambering over rocks, and even when I followed the beaten track, my step was as rapid as if I had been walking

1:02:44on a level ground. Look here, shouted the Alpen Clubman from below, you'll kill yourself if you go that right. That's no way to climb the mountain. It's my way, I cried, and all I skipped. Twenty minutes after I arrived at the summit, my companion joined me, puffing and wiping his red face with his handkerchief. Confounded, he cried, I never come up a mountain so fast in my life. You need not have hurried, I said, cooling. I was afraid something would happen to you, he growled, and I wanted to stop you. I never saw a person climb in such an utterly absurd way. I don't see why you should call it absurd, I said, smiling with an air of superiority. I arrived here in a perfectly comfortable condition, neither he didn't nor were worried. You made no answer, but walked off to a little distance, banning himself with his hat and growling words which I did not catch. After time, I proposed to descend. You must be careful as you go down, he said, is much more dangerous to go down steep places

1:03:48than to climb up. I am always prudent, I answered, and started in advance. I found the descent of the mountain much more pleasant than the Ascent. It was positively exhilarating. I jumped from rocks and bluffs eight and ten feet in height and touched the ground as gently as if I stepped down but two feet. I ran down steep paths, and with the aid of my up and stock stopped myself in an instant. I was careful to avoid dangerous places, but the runs and jumps I made were such as no man had ever made before upon that mountainside. Once only I heard my companion's voice, you'll break your neck, he yelled, never fear, I called back and soon left him far above. When I reached the bottom, I would have waited for him, but my activity had warmed me up, and as the cool evening breeze was beginning to blow, I thought it better not to stop and take cold. Half an hour after my rival's hotel, I came down to the court, cool, fresh, and dressed for dinner, and just in time to meet the op-eyed man as he entered, hot, dusty, and growling.

1:04:52Excuse me for not waiting for you, I said, but without stopping to hear my reason, he muttered something about waiting in a place where no one would care to stay and passed into the house. There was no doubt that what I had done gratified my peak and tickled my vanity. I think now, I said when I related the matter to my wife, that he will scarcely say that I am not up to that sort of thing. I am not sure, she answered, that it was exactly fair. He did not know you were assisted. It was fair enough, I said. He is unable to climb well by the inherited vigor of his constitution and by his training. He did not tell me what methods of exercise he used to get those great muscles upon his legs. I am unable to climb by the exercise of my intellect. My method is my business, and his method is his business. It is all perfectly fair, but still she persisted. He thought that you climbed with your legs and not with your head. And now, after this long digression, necessary to explain how a middle-aged couple of slight

1:05:56pedestrian ability and loaded with a heavy knapsack and basket should have started out on a rough walk and climb, 14 miles and all, we will return to ourselves, standing on the little bluff and gazing upon the sunset view. On the sky began to fade a little, we turned from it and prepared to go back to the town. Where is the basket, I said? I left it right here and answered my wife. I unscrewed the machine and lay it perfectly flat. Did you have to take out the bottles, I asked, seemed them lying on the grass? Yes, I believe I did. I had to take out yours in order to get it mine. Then said I, after looking all about the grassy patch on which we stood, I am afraid you did not entirely unscrew the instrument, and then when the weight of the bottles was removed, the basket gently rose into the air. It may be so, she said, look who personally, the basket was behind me as I drank my wine. I believe that is just what has happened, I said. Look up there, I vowed that is our basket.

1:06:56I pulled out my field glass and directed it at a little spec high above our heads. It was the basket floating high in the air. I gave the glass to my wife to look, but she did not want to use it. What shall I do, she cried? I can't walk home without the basket. It's perfectly dreadful, and she looked as if she were going to cry. Do not distress yourself, I said, although I was a good deal to start with myself. We shall get home very well. You shall put your hand on my shoulder when I put my arm around you. Then you can screw up my machine a good deal higher, and it will support us both. In this way, I am sure that we shall get on very well. We carried out this plan and managed to walk on with modern comfort. To be sure, with an abstract pulling me upward, and the weight of my wife pulling me down, the straps hurt me somewhat, which they had not done before. We did not spring lightly over the wall into the road, but still, cleaning each other, we clambered awkwardly over it. The road, for the most part, declined gently toward the town, and with modern ease we made

1:08:00their way along it. We walked much more slowly than we'd done before, and it was quite dark when we reached our hotel. If it had not been for the light inside the court, it would have been difficult for us to find it. A traveling carriage was standing before the entrance and against the light. It was easy to pass around it, and my wife went first. I tempted to follow, but, strange to say, there was nothing under my feet. I stepped vigorously, but only wagged my legs in the air. To my horror, I found I was rising in the air. I soon saw, with the light below me, that I was some fifteen feet from the ground. The carriage drove away, and in the darkness I was not noticed. Of course, I knew what had happened. The instrument in my knapsack had been screwed up to such an intensity, in order to support both myself and my wife, that when her weight was removed, the force of the negative gravity was sufficient to raise me from the ground, but I was glad to find that when I had risen to the height I have mentioned I did not go up any higher, but hung in the air, about

1:09:02on a level with a second here of windows of the hotel. I'd have began to try to reach the screw of my knapsack in order to reduce the force of the negative gravity, but, to do what I would, I could not get my hand to it. The machine in the knapsack had been placed so I could support me in a well-balanced and comfortable way, and in doing this it had been impossible to set the screw so that I could reach it. But, in a temporary arrangement of the kind this had not been considered necessary, as my wife always turned the screw for me until sufficient lifting power had been attained. I had intended, as I said before, to construct a negative gravity waistcoat in which the screw would be in the front and entirely under the wearer's control. But this was the thing of the future. When I found that I could not turn the screw, I began to be much alarmed. Here I was, dangling in the air, without any means of reaching the ground. I could not expect my wife to return to look for me, as she would naturally suppose I'd stop to speak to someone. I thought of loosening myself from the knapsack, but this would not do.

1:10:03I should fall heavily and neither kill myself or break some of my bones. I did not dare to call for assistance, or if any of the simple-minded inhabitants of the town had discovered me floating in the air, they would have taken me for a demon, and would probably have shot at me. A moderate breeze was blowing, and it wafted me gently down the street. If it had blown me against a tree, I would have seized it, and have endeavored, so to speak, to climb down it. But there were no trees. There was a dim street lamp here and there, but reflectors above them through their light upon the pavement, and none up to me. On many accounts I was glad that the night was so dark, for, much as I had desired to get down, I wanted no one to see me in my strange position, which, to anyone but myself of my wife, would be utterly accountable. If I could rise as high as the roofs, I might get on one of them, and tearing off an arm full of tiles, so load myself that I could be heavy enough to descend, but I did not rise to the ease of any of the houses. If there had been a telegraph pole or anything of the kind that I could have climbed to, I would have taken off the nap sack, and would have endeavored to scramble down as well

1:11:05as I could, but there was nothing I could cling to. Even the water spouts, if I could have reached the face of the houses, were embedded in the walls. In an open window, near which I was slowly blown, I saw two little boys going to bed by the light of a dim candle. I was dreadfully afraid to take what seemed me in raising the alarm. I actually came so near to the window that I threw out one foot and pushed gently against the wall of such force that I went nearly across the street. I thought I caught sight of a frightened look on the face of one of the boys, but if this I'm not sure, and I heard no cries. I still floated, dangling, down the street. What was to be done? Should I call out? In that case, if I were not shot or stoned, my strange predicament and the secret of my invention would be exposed to the world. If I did not do this, I must either let myself drop and be killed or hang there and die. When during the course of the night, the air became more rarified, my rise higher and higher, perhaps to an altitude of one or two hundred feet. It would then be impossible for the people to reach me and get me down, even if they

1:12:08work convinced that I was not a demon. I should then expire, and when the birds of the air eat and all of me that they could do power, I would forever hang above the unlucky town, a dangling skeleton with a nap sack on its back. Such thoughts were not reassuring, and I determined that if I could find no means of getting down without assistance, I would call out and run all risk. But as long as I could endure the tension of the straps, I would hold out and hope for a tree or a pole, and my wet clothes would then become so heavy that I would descend as low as the top of a lamp post. As this thought was passing through my mind, I saw a spark of light upon the street approaching me. I rightly imagined that it came from a tobacco pipe, and presently I heard a voice. It was the head of the Alpine Club, man. Of all the people in the world, I did not want to discover me, and I hung as motionless as possible. The man was speaking to another person who was walking with him. He is crazy beyond a doubt, to the Alpine man. Nobody but a maniac could have gone up and down that mountain as he did. Nobody has any muscles, and one they don't even look at him to know that he couldn't

1:13:09do any climbing in a natural way. It is only the excitement of insanity that gives him such strength. The two now stopped almost under me, and the speaker continued, such things are very common with maniacs. At times they acquire non-natural strength, which is perfectly wonderful. I've seen a little fellow struggle and fight so that four strong men could not hold him. Then the other person spoke. I'm afraid what you say is too true, your mark. Indeed, I have known it for some time. At these words, my breath almost stopped. Tyler Reddick here from 2311 Racing, another checkered flag for the books. Time to celebrate with Jamba. Jump in at JambaCasino.com. Let's Jamba. No purchase necessary, BGW Group, Boy Report prohibited by law, CCNC, 21 Plus, sponsored by JambaCasino. It was the voice of Mr. Gilbert, my townsman, and the father of Janet. He must have been he who had arrived in the traveling carriage. He was acquainted with the Alpine Club man, and they were talking of me. Proper or improper, I listened with all my ears.

1:14:11It's a very sad case, Mr. Gilbert continued. My daughter was engaged to marry a son, but I broke off the match. I could not have remarried the son of a lunatic, and there could be no doubt of his condition. He's been seen, a man of his age, and the head of a family, to load himself up with the heavy knapsack, which there was no earthly necessity for him to carry, and go skipping along the road for miles, walking over fences and jumping over rocks and ditches, like a young calf or coat. On myself saw a most heart-rending instance of how a kind of man's nature can be changed by the derangement of his intellect. I was at some distance from his house, but I plainly saw him harness a little donkey which he owns to a large two-horse wagon load of a stone, and beat and lash the poor little beast until it drew the heavy load some distance along the public road. I would have remonstrated with him on this horrible cruelty, but he had the wagon back in his yard before I could reach him. Oh, there could be no doubt of his insanity, said the Oppen Clubman, and he ought to be allowed to travel about in this way. Someday he will pitch his wife over pressress just for the fun of singers shoot through

1:15:14the air. I'm sorry he is here, Mr. Gilbert, but it would be very painful to meet him. My daughter and I will retire very soon and go away as early tomorrow morning as possible, so as to avoid seeing him. And then they walked back to the hotel. For a few moments I hung, utterly forgetful of my condition, and absorbed in the consideration of these revelations. One idea now filled my mind. Everything must be explained to Mr. Gilbert, even if it should be necessary to have him called up to me, and for me to speak to him from the upper air. Just then I saw something quite approaching me along the road. My eyes had become accustomed to the darkness, and I perceived that it was an upturned face. I recognized the hurried gate, the form. It was my wife. As she came near me, I called her name, and in the same breath entreated her not to scream. It must have been an effort for her to restrain herself, but she did it. "'You must help me to get down,' I said, without anybody seeing us. "'What shall I do,' she whispered, trying to catch hold of this string, taking a piece

1:16:19of twine from my pocket, a lured one into her, but it was too short. She could not reach it. I then tied my handkerchief to it, but still it was not long enough. I can get more string or handkerchiefs she whispered hurriedly. "'No,' I said. "'You cannot get them up to me, and leave me against the hotel wall on this side in the corner, just inside the garden gate, or some fishing poles. I've seen them there every day. You can easily find them in the dark. Go, please, and bring me one of those." The hotel was not far away, and in a few minutes my wife returned with a fishing pole. She stood on tiptoe and reached it high in the air, but all she could do was strike my feet and legs with it. My most frantic exertions did not enable me to get my hands low enough to touch it. Wait a minute, she said, and the rod was withdrawn. I knew what she was doing. There was a hook and line attached to the pole, and with womanly dexterity she was flashing the hook to the extreme end of the rod. Soon she reached up and gently struck at my legs.

1:17:19After a few attempts, the hook caught in my trousers, a little below my right knee. Then there was a slight pull, a long scratch down my leg, and the hook was stopped by the top of my boot. Then came a steady downward pull, and I felt myself descending. Gently and firmly the rod was drawn down. Carefully the lower end was kept free from the ground, and in a few moments my ankle was seized with a vigorous grasp. Then someone seemed to climb up me. My feet touched the ground and arm was thrown around my neck. The hand of another arm was busy at the back of my knapsack, and I soon stood firmly in the road, entirely divested of negative gravity. Old that I should have forgotten sobbing my wife, and that I should have dropped your arms and let you go into the air. At first I thought you had stopped below, and it was only a little while ago that the truth flashed upon me, then I rushed out and began looking for you. I knew that you had wax matches in your pocket, and hoped that you would keep on striking them so that you would be seen. But I did not wish to be seen, I said, as we hurry to the hotel, and I can never be sufficiently

1:18:24thankful that it was you who found me and brought me down. Do you know that it is Mr. Gilbert and his daughter who have just arrived? I must see him instantly. I will explain it all to you when I come upstairs. I took off my knapsack and gave it to my wife, who carried it to our room, but I went to look for Mr. Gilbert. Fortunately, I found him just as he was about to go up to his chamber. He took my offered hand, but looked at me sadly and gravely. Mr. Gilbert, I said, I must speak to you in private, let us step into this room, there is no one in here. My friend said Mr. Gilbert, it will be much better to avoid discussing this subject. It is very painful to both of us, and no good can come from talking of it. You cannot comprehend what it is I want to say to you, I replied, come in here, and in a few minutes you'll be very glad that you listen to it. The matter was so honest and impressive that Mr. Gilbert was constrained to follow me, and we went into a small room called the smoking room, but in which people seldom smoke and close the door.

1:19:25I immediately began my statement. I told my old friend that I discovered by means that I need not explain it present, that he had considered me crazy, and that now the most important object of my life was to set myself right in his eyes. As thereupon gave him the whole history of my invention and explained the reason of the actions that had appeared to him, those volunity. I said nothing about the little incident of that evening, that was a mere accident, and I did not care to speak of it. Mr. Gilbert listened to me very attentively. Your wife was here, he asked, when I had finished. Yes, I said, and she will corroborate my story in every item, and no one could ever suspect her being crazy. I will go and bring her to you. In a few minutes my wife was in the room, had shaken hands of Mr. Gilbert, and had been told of my suspected madness. She turned pale, but smile. He did act like a crazy man, she said, and I never suppose that anybody would think him one, and tears came into her eyes.

1:20:26And now my dear, I said, perhaps she would tell Mr. Gilbert how I did all this, and then she told him the story that I told Mr. Gilbert looked from one to the other with a troubled air. Of course I do not doubt either of you, or rather I do not doubt that you believe what you say. All would be right if I could bring myself to credit that such a force as that you speak of can possibly exist. That is a matter, said I, which I can easily prove to you by actual demonstration. If you can wait a short time until my wife and I have had something to eat, where I am nearly famished, and I am sure she must be, I will set your mind at rest upon that point. I will wait here, said Mr. Gilbert, and smoke a cigar. Don't hurry yourselves, I shall be glad to have some time to think about what you told me. When we finished the dinner, which I have been set aside for us, I went upstairs and got my nap sack, and we both joined Mr. Gilbert in the smoking room. I showed him the little machine and explained very briefly the principle of its construction.

1:21:26I did not give him any practical demonstration of its action because there were people walking about the corridor who might at any moment come into the room. But looking out the window, I saw that the night was much clear. The window dissipated the clouds, and the stars were shining brightly. If people come to the street with me, said I to Mr. Gilbert, I will show you how this thing works. That is just what I want to see, the answer, I will go with you, said my wife, throwing a shawl over her head, and we started up the street. When we were outside the little town, I found the starlight was quite sufficient for my purpose. The light roadway, the low walls and objects about us could easily be distinguished. Now, I said to Mr. Gilbert, I want to put this nap sack on you and let you see how it feels and how it will help you to wall. To this he ascended with some eagerness, and I strapped it firmly on him. I will now turn this screw, said I, until you shall become lighter and lighter. Be very careful not to turn it too much, said my wife, honestly.

1:22:28Oh, you may depend on me for that, said I, turning the screw very gradually. Mr. Gilbert was a stout man, and I was obliged to give the screw a good many turns. There seems to be a considerable hoist in it, he said, directly, and then I put my arms around him and found that I could raise him from the ground. Are you lifting me? He exclaimed in surprise? Yes, I did with ease, I answered. Upon my word, ejaculated Mr. Gilbert, I then gave the screw half turn more and told him to walk and run. He started off at first slowly, then he made long strides, then he began to run, and then to skip and jump. It had been many years since Mr. Gilbert had skipped and jumped. No one was inside, and he was free to gamble as much as he pleased. Could you give it another turn, said he, bounding up to me? I want to try that wall. I put on a little more negative gravity, and he balled it over a five foot wall with great ease. In an instant, he had leaped back into the road, and in two bounds was at my side.

1:23:30I came down light as a cat, he said. There was never anything like it. And away he went up the road, taking steps at least eight feet long, leaving me and my wife laughing hardly at the preter natural agility of our stout friend. In a few minutes, he was with us again. Take it off, he said. If I wear it any longer, I shall want one myself, and then I shall be taken for a crazy man, and perhaps clapped into the silence. Now, said I, as I turned back the screw before unstrapping the knapsack, do you understand how I took long walks and leaped and jumped, how ran uphill and downhill, and how the little donkey drew the loaded wagon? I understand it all, cried he. I take back all I ever said a thought about you, my friend. And Herbert may marry Janet, cried my wife, may marry her, cried Mr. Gilbert. Indeed he shall marry her. If I have anything to say about it, my poor girl has been drooping ever since I told her it could not be. My wife rushed at him, but whether she embraced him or only shook his hands I cannot say.

1:24:33I had the knapsack in one hand and was rubbing my eyes with the other. But my dear fellow, Mr. Gilbert, directly, if you still consider it to your interest to keep your invention a secret, I wish you'd never made it. No one having a machine like that can help using it, and it is often quite as bad to be considered a maniac as to be one. My friend, I cried with some excitement, I have made up my mind on this subject. The little machine in this knapsack, which is the only one I now possess, has been a great pleasure to me, but I now know it has also been of the greatest injury, the end directly to me in mind, and not to mention some direct inconvenience and danger, which I will speak of another time. The secret lies with us three, and we will keep it. But the invention itself is too full of temptation and danger for any of us. As I said this, I held the knapsack with one hand, but I quickly turned the screw with the other. In a few moments, it was high above my head, but I was with difficulty held it down by the straps. Look, I cried, and then I released my hold, and the knapsack shot into the air and disappeared

1:25:35into the upper glume. I was about to make a remark, but had no chance for my wife to herself upon my bosom, sobbing with joy. Oh, I am so glad, so glad, she said, and you will never make another? Never another, I answered. And now let us hurry in and see Janet, said my wife. You don't know how heavy and clumsy I feel, said Mr. Gilbert, striving to keep up with this as we walked back. If I'd worn that thing much longer, I should never have been willing to take it off. Janet had retired, but my wife went up to her room. I think she has felt it as much as I boy, she said, when she rejoined me. But I tell you, my dear, I left a very happy girl in that little bed chamber over the garden. And there were three very happy elderly people talking together until quite late that evening. I shall write to Herbert tonight, I said, and we separated, and tell him to meet us all in Geneva. It will do the young man no harm if we interrupt his studies just now. You must let me add a post script to the letter, said Mr. Gilbert, and I'm sure it will require no knapsack will screw in the back to bring him quickly to us.

1:26:39And it did not. There's a wonderful pleasure in tripping over the earth like a winged mercury, and in feeling one's self-relieved of much of that attraction of gravitation which drags us down to the earth and gradually makes the movement of our bodies, but weariness and labor. But this pleasure is not to be compared, I think, to that given by the buoyancy and lightness of two young and loving hearts, reunited after a separation which they supposed would last forever. What became of the basket of the knapsack, or whether they ever met in upper air, I do not know. If they but flowed away and stay away from can of mortal man, I shall be satisfied. And whether or not the world will ever know more of the power of negative gravity depends entirely upon the disposition of my son Herbert, when, after a good many years, I hope he shall open the packet my lawyers have in keeping. Note, it would be quite useless for anyone to interview my wife on this subject, where she has entirely forgotten how my machine was made. Mr. Gilbert, eat never knew.

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