thatchildisnowawoman,fairandfree,

asgoodandbeautifulasangelsare.

oh,wereirichinlovers'poetry,

totellmyfairytale,love'srichestlore!

butno;imustbesilent-iampoor.

ah,wiltthoupityme?

"ohwereirichintruthandpeacebelow,

ineednotthenmypovertybewail.

totheeidedicatetheselinesofwoe;

wiltthounotunderstandthemournfultale?

aleafonwhichmysorrowsirelate-

darkstoryofadarkernightoffate.

ah,blessandpityme!"

"well,yes;peoplewritepoemswhentheyareinlove,butawisemanwillnotprintthem.alieutenantinlove,andpoor.thisisatriangle,ormoreproperlyspeaking,thehalfofthebrokendieoffortune."thelieutenantfeltthisverykeenly,andthereforeleanedhisheadagainstthewindow-frame,andsigheddeeply."thepoorwatchmaninthestreet,"saidhe,"isfarhappierthaniam.heknowsnotwhaticallpoverty.hehasahome,awifeandchildren,whoweepathissorrowandrejoiceathisjoy.oh,howmuchhappierishouldbecouldichangemybeingandpositionwithhim,andpassthroughlifewithhishumbleexpectationsandhopes!yes,heisindeedhappierthaniam."

atthismomentthewatchmanagainbecameawatchman;forhaving,throughthegoloshesoffortune,passedintotheexistenceofthelieutenant,andfoundhimselflesscontentedthanheexpected,hehadpreferredhisformercondition,andwishedhimselfagainawatchman."thatwasanuglydream,"saidhe,"butdrollenough.itseemedtomeasifiwerethelieutenantupyonder,buttherewasnohappinessforme.imissedmywifeandthelittleones,whoarealwaysreadytosmothermewithkisses."hesatdownagainandnodded,buthecouldnotgetthedreamoutofhisthoughts,andhestillhadthegoloshesonhisfeet.afallingstargleamedacrossthesky."theregoesone!"criedhe."however,therearequiteenoughleft;ishouldverymuchliketoexaminethesealittlenearer,especiallythemoon,forthatcouldnotslipawayunderone'shands.thestudent,forwhommywifewashes,saysthatwhenwedieweshallflyfromonestartoanother.ifthatweretrue,itwouldbeverydelightful,butidon'tbelieveit.iwishicouldmakealittlespringuptherenow;iwouldwillinglyletmybodyliehereonthesteps."

therearecertainthingsintheworldwhichshouldbeutteredverycautiously;doublysowhenthespeakerhasonhisfeetthegoloshesoffortune.nowweshallhearwhathappenedtothewatchman.

nearlyeveryoneisacquaintedwiththegreatpowerofsteam;wehaveproveditbytherapiditywithwhichwecantravel,bothonarailroadorinasteamshipacrossthesea.butthisspeedislikethemovementsofthesloth,orthecrawlingmarchofthesnail,whencomparedtotheswiftnesswithwhichlighttravels;lightfliesnineteenmilliontimesfasterthanthefleetestrace-horse,andelectricityismorerapidstill.deathisanelectricshockwhichwereceiveinourhearts,andonthewingsofelectricitytheliberatedsoulfliesawayswiftly,thelightfromthesuntravelstoourearthninety-fivemillionsofmilesineightminutesandafewseconds;butonthewingsofelectricity,themindrequiresonlyasecondtoaccomplishthesamedistance.thespacebetweentheheavenlybodiesis,tothought,nofartherthanthedistancewhichwemayhavetowalkfromonefriend'shousetoanotherinthesametown;yetthiselectricshockobligesustouseourbodiesherebelow,unless,likethewatchman,wehaveonthegoloshesoffortune.

inaveryfewsecondsthewatchmanhadtravelledmorethantwohundredthousandmilestothemoon,whichisformedofalightermaterialthanourearth,andmaybesaidtobeassoftasnewfallensnow.hefoundhimselfononeofthecircularrangeofmountainswhichweseerepresentedindr.madler'slargemapofthemoon.theinteriorhadtheappearanceofalargehollow,bowl-shaped,withadepthabouthalfamilefromthebrim.withinthishollowstoodalargetown;wemayformsomeideaofitsappearancebypouringthewhiteofaneggintoaglassofwater.thematerialsofwhichitwasbuiltseemedjustassoft,andpicturedforthcloudyturretsandsail-liketerraces,quitetransparent,andfloatinginthethinair.ourearthhungoverhisheadlikeagreatdarkredball.presentlyhediscoveredanumberofbeings,whichmightcertainlybecalledmen,butwereverydifferenttoourselves.amorefantasticalimaginationthanherschel'smusthavediscoveredthese.hadtheybeenplacedingroups,andpainted,itmighthavebeensaid,"whatbeautifulfoliage!"