Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1884-09-10
where he hoped that either death a.
breakfast, hs did not much care which,
s1xo;%ad !1,:ro - .''

where he hoped that either death az
breakfast, hs did not much care which,
swaited him. ..... 49,. q.
Tha palAes consisted Of one larie
room with, an enormous rnrone extrns-
ing entirely, across one end of it. On.
this throne sst twelve native Kings in 4
row, each one with q musical instru-
msnt in his hand. The one who sat h
the middle looked feroely at the tray
eler, and demanded of his captors what
was the charge against him. =.
"Poor white trash, Mr.. Johnsing,'
briefly replied the largest of the two.
eannibals. .-
"Mr. Bones-I should say, prisoner"
began the King, @what do you say for
yoursef?"
II am a white man." replied the trav.
sler; "but I 'aven't 'ad any SOAP for
years, 80 I plead hextenuating circum..
stances. Besides, am 'ungry. VIII
you not give me some breakfast?"
The Kings face grew bright With
rage-for it could not grow any darker
than it was-and he turned to his
brother Kings, and conversed with them.
rapidly in the N ambwe tongue. They
were evidently discussing the fat Of
the traveller, for presently the middle
"
King cleared his throat, and said:
.SPrisoner, you have forfeited your
life, but we are disposed to be merciful.
You ought properly to be baked alive,
and afterward eaten, but we shall pro-.
nounce a lighter sentence. You will
listen atten lively while we sing the
opening chorus and the favorite planta-
tion melodies, and you will CUES every
conundrum and laugh at every joke.
Sav not wisely, Brother Bones2"
A unanimous "Yah! yahl" from tho,
other Kings expressed their warm ap-,
proval. -
"Nol mol" cried the traveller, in an,
agony Of fear. e@Give me some little
: show. Burn me, if you will, but do not.
torture me on this 'oly Christmas
morning with your lawful songs and
oonundrums. I've card them all at
'oms.' And in his desperation the
wretched man fell on his knees before
the native King who had pronounced
the dreadful sentence. That monarch,
indignant beyond measure, raised his
guitar and struck the traveller terrible
blow over the head. The whole earth.
seemed to reel, and the doomed white
man became unconscious.
When. he regained his senses he found
himself sitting on the shore Of the lake
where he had sat the night before. A
young man neatly dressed in European
clothes stood before him, and remarked,
in q graceful way, "Mr. Jones, I bs-
ieve."
"And you are Mr.. Smith, I desssy,"
replied the traveller. "Aye you got,
anything to eat with you Z"
The young man had been sent to find
the traveller. He had with him all
sorts of stores, including canned plum
pudding and boned turkey. As hs
drew the travellers arm in his, and
assisted him to the place where break
fast was awaiting them, he said, II wish
you merry Christmas!"
It was the merriest Christmas the
traveller had ever known, and when he
returned to England with more new
lakes and two private sources Of the
Nile, he said that all his honors could
not give him back the delight which he
had known during his Last Christmas IN
Central Africa after awakening from
bis terrible dream Of the twelve native
Kings.-W L. .Alders, N Harpe,'s Mag
asi7se. =