Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-07-26
O-WHATA-FAIK.
4 Strange Tale Of Adventure in the Land Of the
Men Of Large Feet.
ny RUTHyEN LUCAS.

4
Mea Of Large Feet.
by RUTHyEN LUCAS.
The Chilli Coast express was thun,
dering southwark at a speed OF 5o
miles an hour through a storm tht
like of which hadnot beenexperienced
in that region for many years.
The tempest howled like a horde o.
fiends let loose from hell; clouds had
piled themselves upon clouds until
the last ray of departing days hghv
had been shut out; therain descended
in floods that made it seem as
though the train was strugg ing
along the bottom of a rigging sea,
and through it all the storm king
fiery tongues darted hitherand thlth-
er like hungry serpents in search OF a
prey.
Thus far the brave little engine had
breasted the fury of the elements
without mishap. The glare from her
fire shone upon the paid faces OF the
enrineer and firemen who, with set
teeth and quickened breaths, stood
at their posts, not knowing what
moment might send them to destruc,
ton. The engineer, with his hand
upon the throttle, strove to pierce
the cayernous gloom, but he might
as well have endeayored to see
| through the solid crust of the earth
into it's fiery interior.
Suddenly there came q flash oil
lightning more vivid than any that
had preceded it; the entire heavens
seemed a blaze of incandescent light;
then came crash as though the
universe had been rent asunder, and
simultaneously fierce blast swept
in from the sea carrying with 1t a
vast, towering wave that over
whelmed everything that lay in its
way.
The locomotive swayed and trem-
bled and groaned like thing OF life
under the terrible strain; then it sue
cumbed. The hurricane lifted it up
bodily, carried it a distance inland
and set it down, right side up.
The engineer applied the brakes,
even while the engine was being car
ried through the air: but they failed
to work, and when the iron monster
landed, it went crashing on, over hill
and dale, through dense woods and
primeval forests, whose monarchs
wept away before it's resistless power,
along precipitous cliffs, from which
it threatened every moment to
plunge into the fathomless depths
below; then over grassy plains and
fertile farming lands, ever and anon
tearing through stray farmhouse
or harmon, on until it seemed that
a demon had taken possession of the
mass of machinery and was leading
it wild race to eventual destruc-
| ton.
The engineer and fireman looked
at each other in mute despair. Not
q word was said, for the violence of
the speech impossible.
The baggage car had been carried
long. The rest of the train had
been left behind when the locomotive
started on its mad career across the
country.
In the baggage ear were, beside
Miguel, the baggageman, a breakman
named Henrico and John Henry
Smith, the son of a Millionaire of
Weehawkcn, n. j. He was cool and
collected, and while the two Spaniards
were pouring forth prayer after prayer
for safety he sat calmly upon his
valise and smoked Valparaiso stogies.
don't this beat all?'' he remarked
sententiously, as the car gave a sud-
den lurch in leaping over a mountain
torrent; 81 haven't had such n Jolly
time since / went to the last National
rConvention at home. Iwonder where
I'VE are, and where we are going, and
when we'll get there?o
"0h. Senior, we shall all be dashed
i to pieces; | know we shall; we shall
never see our homes again" walled
Mignel.
"Think so?" asked John Henry;
'well perhaps we shall; anyway,
there's no use troubling ourselves
about it until after it comes, we
won't feel like bothering our heads
about anything any more" He lit
another stogy, pulled out his ticket
and chuckled gleefully as he realized
that he was beating the company,
for the conductor had been left far
behind and could not collect his fare.
At length he dozed, and the train
still Numbered on with undated
speed.
There came sudden crash: the
wheels of the engine spun around in
mid air for few moments, and then
settled back cpon the ground. The
iron horse had encountered an in
surmountable obstacle and stopped.
"Ah, we are there" complacently
remarked John Henry, as he picked
himself up out of the corner of the
car, whittier he had been thrown by
the sudden stop; ''let us see where we
are"
He stepped out and surveyed the
scene. The storm clouds had taken
fight and given way to the glorious
sunlight of another day. A crowd of
people gigantic stature and pale
brown complexion, whom he had
never seen before and whose clothing
was so few that he judged them to be
in full dress, stood at a distance
curiously gazing at the invading en-
CINE and car. Just ahead a large in
junction lay upon the ground. 1t
was this that had stopped the train.
Juan and Jose, the engineer and
fireman, who had just picked them
selves up out of the debris of the en-
gine, came running up to join their
companions in the ear.
"Where are WEI" asked John Hen
ry of them.
"Damphina," they replied in a
breath.
just then deep, hoarse sound as
though from u gigantic fog horn,
was waited up from the south.
John Henry lhsteEed; then a look
OF intelligence came into his ewes.
I've are near the Horn, and some
one is footing it," he exclaimed.
Reckoning to one of the natives
who seemed, from the fact that he had
q bulldog physiognomy, bad eve,
and deep crimson flush upon his
nose, to be a person of some import
anee, possibly a ward politician, or a
saloonkeeper. he addressed that per-
sonage in pure yolupuk.
rs not this the country called Pat
agonia?"
1T is; you are in the land of the
Patagons. the men of large feet; O.
wha-ta-faik is our queen; her name
being interpreted, means She-that-is-
looking-for-a-husband; my name is
Observation-Disclosures, and am
her prime minister. What nre Won