Auroras 



bright and solid and steadfast as before they arrived. 

 But later, half an hour or so, it began to fade. Fis- 

 sures or cracks crossed it diagonally through which a 

 few stars were seen, and gradually it became thin and 

 nebulous until it looked like the Milky Way, and at 

 last vanished, leaving no visible monument of any 

 sort to mark its place. 



I now returned to my cabin, replenished the fire, 

 warmed myself, and prepared to go to bed, though too 

 aurorally rich and happy to go to sleep. But just as 

 I was about to retire, I thought I had better take 

 another look at the sky, to make sure that the glorious 

 show was over; and, contrary to all reasonable expec- 

 tations, I found that the pale foundation for another 

 bow was being laid right overhead like the first. Then 

 losing all thought of sleep, I ran back to my cabin, 

 carried out blankets and lay down on the moraine 

 to keep watch until daybreak, that none of the sky 

 wonders of the glorious night within reach of my 

 eyes might be lost. 



I had seen the first bow when it stood complete in 

 full splendor, and its gradual fading decay. Now I 

 was to see the building of a new one from the begin- 

 ning. Perhaps in less than half an hour the silvery 

 material was gathered, condensed, and welded into a 

 glowing, evenly proportioned arc like the first and in 

 the same part of the sky. Then in due time over the 

 eastern mountain-wall came another throng of rest- 

 less electric auroral fairies, the infinitely fine pale- 

 gray garments of each lightly touching those of their 

 neighbors as they swept swiftly along the under 



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