Short Story. A Bolt From the Blue.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 168, 20 February 1902, Page 4

Short Story. A Bolt From the Blue.

* The Only Monkey Aeronaut and Parachute Reaper in the World ’ was on exhibition at Fin de Siecle Park. Tnroughout the city flaring posters announced his whereabouts, and declaimed that at half-past seven every evening, ho would give a performance. And every afternoon and every evening crowds of people flocked to the park, to laugh at and to applaud the wretched little beast. Perchance a few there were who

pitied. The monkey’s ridiculous title was Professor Mike.

Ko was a tiny, scrawny, cringing bit of animal life existing in perpetual fear. lie was not at all proud of the part assigned to him by his god—this sharp-faced, swarthy, remorseless owner and master.

In such wise was the order of Professors Mike’s performances:

About three o'clock each afternoon, and seven o’cock each evening, the dingy ballon was hauled to an open air space near the pa\ilion, ana the process of inflation was begun. Surrounded by a throng of interested witnesses, the canvas swelled and swelled, until, like a bubble from a stagnant pool, had grown out from the huddled mass

of dirty cloth, a huge, undulating: sphere. I While this globe was wavering! from side to side, and tugging toj be free, Professor Mike appeared—1 but not voluntarily. i He was borne upon the scone of! action Clinging desperately to his j bustdng master, who elbowed a way i down the narrow lane accorded by; t e curious onlookers. j Around Professor Mike’s slender j middle was a broad leathern hand,| with a swivel eye projecting from! the top. | P>y this band and eye the monkey; was fastened to the parachute, j Chattering in protest, grimacing, l clutching distractedly at arms, legs,, and even very straws, the bold: j aeronaut was attached to the para-' chute, which, in turn attached to, the balloon, lay on the ground like, a furled umbrella. ■ The mechanism which was event-1 ualiy to release, the parachute wasj set going. An instant, and amid ai cheer drowning the final despairing; appeal of the monkey, the balloon! shot upward—Professor Mike! dangling below. i Against the sky his figure reaem-i bled that of a spider hanging! by a thread. His empty paws; swung limply in unison with hisj long tail. Away he went, an impotent babe intheciutch of a gigantic bird —and how the men women and children made merry I Presently, when the apparatus governing the parachute willed, he would diop. At first with a rush, then slowly, down, down, down, to land wher■jevor chance decreed.

High in the blue he floated, suspended. Underneath him stretched the ten thousand roofs of the city, shrouded in a mantle of smoke. Pigmy people trotted about their insignificant affairs ; played, worked, and schemed. Off to the east extended the sparkling lake, with sometimes a blotch of black from the maw of a steamer, and here and there a flash of white from the sails of a schooner But above him and on either side—nothing. He was alone—a monkey solitary and adrift in an alien world. Possibly his beady eyes saw naught of city and lake. Posribly he was only awaiting, in an agony of apprehension, that inevitable moment when ho should be dropped down. Thus, possibly, he -was not happy, although in Fin de Siecia Park his master assured all enquirers ; “ Oh, naw—he no scared ; Naw naw, he like it, you bet !”

Sometimes he landed on a hard and sloping roof; sometimes in a vacant lot; sometimes in a tree. But whatever it was that rose to meet him, be was powerless to avoid it. Moreover, when once he had arrived, so to speak, ho was unable to comport himself with dignity, for the broad belt and the dragging parachute seriously interfered with his movements.

Therefore he must abide, helpless, until his master should come and carry him back to think with terror upon the next performance.

Now, the crowning glory of the city park system in Harrison Garden, a public recreation ground of two hundred acres, well covered with trees and flowering shrubs, and traversed by winding paths and driveways. Along the paths are placed, at regular intervals, settees, which on pleasant evenings are favourite resorts of lovers. Heedless of observation, dwelling in their own private empyreans! built for two, in couples they snuggle and whisper and are content until the park policemen ruthlessly intrude with the warning : ‘ Lsven o’clock —time to go home ?’ One bench in particular is a popular paradise. It is located on a short bypath, and is nicely screened by the lilao bushes. Between swains cognisant of the spot exists quite a rivalry to secure it. Living as they do hot far from the park, until recently Augustus Maxott and 6edrgift AUboaN were

lie liiocif successful in pre-emptin" this nook. °

Aud hero, on a certain balmy eve, they were sitting and chattin rf softly in the gloaming. ° Romance was in the atmosphere; romance was in their hearts ; and romance welled from the lips of Augusta.

In like measure as many another youth has yearned, so he, too, was .yearning after deeds to do and sours to win, that thereby be might pioye his love for the lady of his choice.

Georgia was not all loth to listen What girl is, in the glamour of the twilight, when the crickets pipe and the fireflies dance ?

‘lf I could only do something’ prayed Augusta, his voice gui vering with earnestness, ‘if 1 hud only been allowed to enlist in the '■pani.fli war, when 1 wanted to ! If wo only lived, in the flays when there were knights and crusades and things, so I could got out and cut a, way with my sword ! Put hero I am just clerking in a dry goods st -°re, and the biggest glory in sight is to soil more ciuii than the other clerks—hah !’

‘ Rut, Gus, pa says you’re an awfully good salesman,’ interposal tleorgial Gus snorted in scorn. ‘ ."■alema.u !’ he repeated. ‘ Heavens ! (>h, Georgia, ’’ ho exclaimed passionately, ‘ set mo some great task—tail mo to lick somebody, or swan the lake, or climb a steeple, or—or —l don’t care what ! I just wish you d ho attacked, or be in danger not to he hurt, 1 mean wm.o I was around. Indeed, I

do !’ Keally, Gns was sincere. Georgia’s breast throbbed with au inexpressible pride in the brave zeal

oil her hero

1 Oh, Cus !’ she murmured rapturruosiy. Crash! Crash! Thump? | dhe bvanenes uf a tree over their heads were violently, agitated. Lven while the other two were frozen in the first start of alarm and surprise, from amidst this foliage above a dusky object plunged upon them and into the lap of the terrified girl.

Cut of the corner of his eyes Agustus beheld the creature at the fciroat of his companion and simultaneously with the onslaught ho sprang from the settee, and shouting lustily for aid, sped panicstricken, down the path. ‘ Help ! Help ! Help ! ’ cried Agustus, hat less, witless, searching for a park policeman. Behind ho heard * what he faintly deemed to he the last, dying scream of his fiancee.

When the foremost rescuer of the little collection gathered by the frightened AguAus reached the settee, a small, active dark comploxioned man hurst through the shrubbery, called excitedly : ‘My monk— my monk ! Where my monk?’

‘ lib re be isj,’ responded Georgia composedly, indicating the poor iitt;e being cuddling in her arms.

Then, straightway, ignoring alike the thanks of the Italian, the comments of the gathering crovid and the shrinking presence of her erstwhile champion, she marched homeward. if Agusfcus humbly -attended her steps, she deigned him not a glance.

The settee in ‘ Spoon Alley’ (as the recess is designated by park habitues) stil! lists to the sundry vows and smacks of lad and lassie. But no more do Georgia and Agustua sit there together.