The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-10-17

spreading ko-lghs in her large fat hands
IA swing that would have filled an
acrobat with envy-and she was on It.
snow there is an end" 1 thought
again, for the next bough was beyond
her reach. But again was mistaken.
She stood up on the bough, gripping il
with her bare feet, and once more
sprang at the one above, caught 1t and
swung herself into 1t.
suppose that the lady saw my express
sion of establishment ''Do not wonder,
sir" she said. ''Hendrika is not like
other people. She will not fall"
/ made no answer, but watched the
progress of this extraordinary person
with the most breathless interest. Or
she went swinging herself from bougt
to bough, and running along them like
monkey. At last she got to the tor
and began to swarm along thin branch
towards the ripe fruit. When she wa
near enough she shook the branch VIC
lently. There was a crack-a crash-it
broke. shut my eyes, expecting to see
her crushed on the ground before me.
"Don't be afraid, said the lady again
laughing gently. "Look, she is quite
safe"
1 looked, and so she was. She had
caught a bough as she fell, chung to 1t,
and was now calmly dropping to another.
Old Indaba-zimbi had also watched this
performance with interest. but 1t did
not seem to astonish him over much.
''Baboon-woman," he said, as though
such people were common, and then
turned his attention to soothing Tota,
who was moaning for more water.
Meanwhile Hendrika came down the
tree with extraordinary rapidity, and
swinging by one hand from a Dough,
dropped about ten feet to the ground.
In another two minutes we were ali
three sucking the pulpy fruit In an
ordinary way we should have found ii
tasteless enough; as it was thought ii
was the most delicious thing had ever
tasted. After three days spent without
food or water in the desert one is not
particular. While we were still eating
the fruit the lady of my vision set her
companion to work to partially fay the
oribe which her dogs had killed, and
busted herself in making fire of fallen
boughs. AS soon as it burned brightly
she took strips of the oribe flesh, toasted
them, and gave them to us on leaves.
We ate, and now were allowed little
more water. After that she took little
Tota to the spring and washed her,
which she sadly needed, poor child
Next came our turn to wash, and OIL the
joy of It'll
came back to the tree, walking pain.
fully, indeed, but changed man. There
sat the beautiful girl with Tota on her
knees. She was lulling her to sleep,
and held up her finger to me enioining
silence. At last the child went off into
sound natural slumber-an example
that should have been glad to follow
had it not been for my burning curios-
ity. Then / spoke.
"May 1 ask what your name is?''
4 said
s'Stella," she answered.
''Stella whatP" l said.
''Stella nothing" she answered, In
some pique. Stella is my name; it is
short and easy to remember, at any rate.
My fathers name is Thomas, and we
I live up there" and she pointed round
the base of the great peak. 1 looked at
her astonished. slave you lived there
long?" asked.
| "Ever since l was seven years old.
We came there in wagon. Before that
we came from England-from Oxford
shire; l can show you the place on the
big map. 1t is called Garsingham.
Again thought must be dreaming.
'Do you know, Miss Stella" 1 said, '.it
is very strange-so strange that it al
most seems as though it could not be
true-but also came from Garsingham,
in Oxfordshire, many years ago."
She started up. "Are you an English
gentleman" she said. 'Ah, 1 have al
ways longed to see an English gentle
man. have never seen an Englishman
since we lived here-no white people at
all, indeed, except few wandering
Beers. We live among black people and
baboons-only l have read about them
lots of books-poetry and novels. But
tell me what is your name? Macuna-
zahn, the black man called you, but you
must have white name, too"
my name is Allan Quatermain," I
said.
Her face turned quite white, her rosy
lips parted, and she looked at me wildly
with her beautiful dark eyes.
do you know, it is very strange" she
said, but have often heard that name
My father has told me how little boy
called Allan Quatermain once saved my
life by putting out my dress when it was
on fire-seeP and she pointed to q faint
red mark upon her neck-'shere is the
scar of the burn"
81 remember it'll said. "You were
dressed up as Father Christmas. It was
1 who put out the fire; my wrists were
burnt in doing So"
Then for space we sat silent, looking
at each other, while Stella slowly
famed herself with her wide felt hat,
in which some white ostrich plumes
were fixed.
This is Gods doing" she said at last.
'You saved my life when / was little
child; now have saved yours and the
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