n of the author's purpose. In no degree could they
have succeeded more admirably than on this occasion. Never was an entire
audience so completely carried beyond the borders of reality than now.
From the first until the last note not a twitch of a muscle could be
seen in all that mass of humanity, which now resembled a great concourse
of motionless statues. The musicians themselves, with their minds and
souls bent upon giving the fullest expression to their grand work, were
the only evidence that any life at all remained in the large auditorium.
How bravely they stuck to their laborious undertaking; how beautifully
they executed their divine work.

At last the piece was finished, and looking about, I observed that the
great audience jumped to its feet instantly, and every person present
frantically extended both hands above the head--a sign that we had been
successful. Never before did I see my countrymen under such intense
excitement and jubilation as now. Men hugged each other; women cried
with joy. The world is saved, was the general exclamation. Amid the
great confusion that followed, I noticed Arletta with her arms
outstretched toward me--a sign that she was betrothed to me forever. Her
beautiful face was the picture of happiness and love. As I descended
from the platform and started forward to clasp her in my arms the entire
audience seemed to vanish into nothingness, and my head began to whirl.
I turned and looked backward, and to my great astonishment and confusion
beheld myself still seated upon the platform. It seemed to me that I was
divided into two parts. I rubbed my eyes in amazement and looked again.
There was the leader of the band sitting on the platform motionless and
surrounded by his faithful helpmates. I looked in the other direction.
There was Arletta reclining upon the couch with her lustrous eyes fixed
upon me. I glanced down at myself and found that I was the same old John
Convert dressed in sailor's clothes.

For several moments I stood there buried in the depth of serious
meditation. Then slowly walking over near Arletta, I stooped and resting
upon one foot and knee, I tenderly took her hand in mine and bowed my
head in reverence. I understood it all now.

CHAPTER XVII

"What a wonderful world this is! What writer of fiction could draw upon
his imagination for anything to compare with this extraordinary freak of
nature?" soliloquized I, arising and taking a seat opposite Arletta and
starin