On a lark to the planets: A sequel to "The wonderful electric elephant"Montgomery, Frances Trego
Science
On a lark to the planets: A sequel to "The wonderful electric elephant"
Montgomery, Frances Trego
Fantasy fiction; Interplanetary voyages -- Fiction; Science fiction
“Well, I can return the compliment a hundredfold,” answered Ione, “for I
never saw you look more lovely than you do now with your dark loose
ringlets held in place by that band of gold.”
“She certainly does look lovely enough to kiss,” exclaimed the Prince,
“and I think I will steal one, for who has a better right?”
“Ione, you really look more beautiful than you did when we were married,
and that I thought impossible,” laughed Harold.
The boys had been so taken up admiring the girls that they had forgotten
to wish their clothes changed until Ione reminded them.
“Hurry and change your costumes for I am dying to see how you will
appear in the ancient Greek dress with bare neck, arms, and legs and
with your feet encased in high laced sandals.”
When Harold’s ordinary American clothes were changed for those of
ancient Greece, Ione said, “Oh, Harold, you look like a young gladiator
with your well-developed muscles and strong round throat. As for the
Prince he is a perfect Adonis. Don’t you think so, Princess?”
Before the latter could answer their Mercurian guide said, “You
certainly are a fine-looking quartette. I doubt if even on this island
we find any who surpass you in beauty or in strength, though this is the
land where the perfection of physical beauty is supposed to be found.”
“We thank you for the compliment,” said Ione.
This conversation took place in a beautiful park where winding paths led
to sylvan retreats; where miniature lakes were studded with
pleasure-boats, sailing slowly along filled with happy, laughing people;
where flowers of every hue and color filled the air with sweet, spicy
perfumes; and where birds of endless variety and color of plumage bathed
in the sparkling fountains or flitted and sang among the branches of the
trees. Coming toward them, hand in hand along one of the many footpaths,
were two beautiful beings accompanied by little flying cupids who at
times lighted on their shoulders, then again on their heads, or flew
about chasing each other, cooing like so many white doves.
“Is not that a pretty family group?” asked the guide. “The two who are
walking hand in hand are husband and wife while the little cupids are
their children. All children on this island have wings and at night
sleep in huge nodding flowers which fold their petals about them and
sway to and fro until they are lulled to sleep.”
At this moment the two approached and the guide introduced them to the
young strangers. Having cordially welcomed the Earth party to the
island, they invited them to a four o’clock tea at their home and also
for a sail on the lake to which they were now on their way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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