The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-09-01

81 go; ] viii carry your message ia
O-wha-ta-faik; await my return here. .
Casting the raw fish, which he had
been nibbling, to a furnished looking
dog, MISUNDERSTANDING jaw-on made
q low obeisance to the sun, stretched
out his arms to the east, then strobe
/ with majestic air in the direction of the
palace of the queen, whose glittering
dome could be discerned in the dis
tance, looming up behind alarge red
barn.
1t was a picturesque locality in
which the train-wrecked travellers
found themselves. They were in the
midst of a great clearing, natural or
artificial, surrounded on all sides by
a dense forest. Some of the trees
over 400 feet high. Through the
clearing flowed river whose waters
were so clear that they did not even
throw back a reflection. On either
bank were the huts of the Patagons,
which consisted of nothing more or
less than the trunks of gigantic trees
followed out and provided with
anu WIuuOhb. VII I4C
of a small hill was the palace of O.
wha-ta-faik. 1t was built of bricks
of solid gold, and immense diamonds
served as windows. 1t was the only
building constructed of these ma
terials.
John Henry and Juan, Jose, Mig
uel and Henrico sat down to await
the return of the prime minister,
and the natives watched them with
undisguised interest as they passed a
dark-complexioned bottle, from
mouth to mouth.
The natives look as most savages
look. They were dark, unkempt, I'M
tutored, wore few clothes and couldn't
speak English. John Henry dis
covered the latter fact when he held
up the bottle and asked the nearest
native: "Take swig?" The man
never stirred.
There was one peculiar feature about
the savages, and that was the size OF
their feet. So large were these use
full members that they left tracks like
to those of a snow-shoe club.
"Well, I'll be darned if this isn't the
queerest place ever struck"
Isl, senor," replied Juan.
"And their queen is looking for a
husband; well, | don't wonder no.
body wants her if her feet are as large
as those of her subjects. Just think
of feet like those on a cold winters
night"
Juau and Jose and Henrico and
Miguel said nothing, but they shivered
at the thought which Henry had
conjured up.
At this juncture the prime minister
reaPpeared. c., ~,
follow me; the others will remain
where they are. These are the COM
mands of O-wha-ta-faik, the mighty
queen" was his announcement.
81 wonder how the mighty female
monarch of this benighted region
came to find out my name," unused
John Henry, as he followed heprime
minister. "And wonder what she
wants of me. Great Donnelly! Can
it be that she wants me for husband?
For the first time in his life sense
of fear possessed the dauntless
American.
While he was yet musing on his
probable fate, the palace suddenly
doomed up directly in his path. The
prime minister rapidly advanced,
raped three times upon the golden
gates, spoke some unintelligible
words and bowed low before the en-
trance.
The gates swung open, and a
brawny voice shouted from within:
advance, John Smith"
John Henry entered and found
himself in chamber whose dazzling
luxuriance rivalled in brilliancy that
of a first-class bar-room. Cut-glass
windows and magnificent paintings
adorned the walls. Richly uphols-
tered touches and divans and sofas
invited to luxurious repose. The
floor was carpeted with richly-colored
textures that were as soft and yield
ing as sealskin to the touch
Armed guards, immovable as
craven statues, We're stationed
about. From an inner chamber,
hdded by portieres that seemed as
feecy as clouds and yet completely
shut out all view, came strains of
wierd, wild, unearthly music, seduc-
tive as a SIRENS song, in which the
flute like MARBLE of the hand organ
and the senerous trumpeting of
the German band were blended into
perfect harmony.
The music ceased; a soft light that
seemed to come from nowhere, yet
was everywhere, illumined the great
chamber; the curtains parted, and a
woman stood revealed.
The guards Frustrated themselves
and the prime minister bowed low.
John Henry stood like one paral-
yzed. He had read of feminine love-:
illness in the weekly story paper; but.
he had never before seen anything
to equal the vision of loneliness.
that now held him spell-bound.
Thatis what he saw: Great, glori-
Gus dark eyes, fringed with, long curl,
ing lashes, in whose wonderous.
depths there shone lustrous light
that changed with every thought;
half parted, rosy lips revealing teeth
that cleaned and sparkled with
pearly irridescence; aperfect face from
whose low, broad brow, great waves
of shining black hairrose in sweeping
curves TO fall again upon pair of,
shoulders such as Venus would have
envied; a form whose every graceful
curve was in itself a poem. But this
vision of beauty had large feet. John
Henry noticed it at once, and it gave
him pain.
"What seek you in the hand of O.
wha-ta-faik," spoke the queen in
silvery, fute-like tones, clear yetsoft,
like moonlight changed to sound.
Great queen, but moment ago l
had but one purpose in mind-to go
home; yet now it seems to me that l
could tarry here content forever. Are
you acknowledgements
band?"