A LONELY LAKE. 
Six witheringly hot days had been followed 
by one so cool and clear, so full of rushing 
Arctic air, that all nature sparkled as on an 
autumn morning. About sunset on the evening 
of this cool day,—July 17,—the pale blue 
sky in the north was suddenly barred by ascend¬ 
ing rays of quivering white light. Chocorua, 
lying dark and still against the cold sky, seemed 
to be the centre of the aurora. As it grew 
dark I watched to see the heavens glow with the 
electric flame, but hour after hour passed with 
only an occasional gleam of light. Shortly be¬ 
fore sunrise, however, the promised illumination 
came. I awoke to find my chamber as bright 
as though day had come, for from the southeast 
moonlight streamed across the floor, while from 
the north the glow of the aurora flooded the 
room. An immense arch of throbbing white 
light crowned the northern sky, and within it a 
smaller coronet rested above the inky blackness 
of Chocorua. Between the two hung the Great 
Dipper, and from one to the other occasional 
pulsating rays passed. The eastern end of the 
