The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-19
HEART OF THE WORLD.
BY H. RIDER RID.


noise. the village guards came up and
fcut down our friend here with their
machetes, but as you see, unfortun-
ately they did not kill him.
heard, and anger took hold Of me-
Going to the girl, 1 said:
This is your doing, woman! Are you
not afraid?"
What of it?' she answered, sullenly;
"can / help it if l am pretty, and men
ask me whether ! am afraid?"
'Foolr cried the barber from the
doorstep; do you dare to speak thus to
the Lord of the Hearth
The girl started, and replied:
why not? Is he then my lord?"
Listen, girlr' 1 said; Others besides
these have died through you"
How do you know that?" she an
swered. But what need to ask? II
you are the Lord of the Heart you have
got the evil eye, and can read secrets
without their being discovered to you
1T is you that have the evil eye,
woman, like many another of your sexr'
| said. Hear me, now: You will leave
this place. and you will never return to
1t, for if you do you diei Also, remem-
Der that if harm should come to any
more men on your account, wherever
you go shall know of it, and you will
die therer'
Whoever you are, you are not the
government, and have no right to kill
me, she said, trying to hide the fear
which crept into her dark eyes.
No, woman, l am not the govern
ment;. but among our people 1 am more
powerful than the government. If you
do not believe me, ask the doctor yon-
der, and he will tell you that / should
NV H. I, i
never seen me where a troop of soldiers
would be laughed at. If say that YOU
are to die, you will die by this way or
by that, for my curse will be on YOU.
Perhaps you may tumble over a preci-
plce, or you may take a fever, or be
drowned in crossing a river. Quien
sabep'
II know. lord. 1 know" she whis-
pered, shivering, for now she was
frightened. DO not look so terribly at
me: spare me this time for the love of
God! l did not mean to do it. but when
men put their hearts into a woman's
hand' how can she help squeezing
them, especially if she hates men? But
did not hate this one" and she
touched the cheek of the dead man ca
ressingly; Il really meant to marry
MIN. 1t is that fellow whom l hate. -
pointing to her wounded lover, "and !
hope that he will be shot; else 1 think
that L shall poison him."
You will not poison him, woman:
and though he deserves to die, you are
worse than he. Now, begone, and re-
member my words"
Bending down, she touched the dead
mans forehead with her lips, then ris-
ing, said:
kiss your feet, Lord of hearts, u
ana went away without looking behind
her, nor was she seen again in that
village.
Then, with a single sigh I also was
turning to go, for it saddened me to
think that when drink got hold of them
a woman should have the power to
change these men, who We're my breth-
rem, into savage beasts thirsting for
each others blood.
"Ah!' 1 unused, had it not been
for that other woman who DESTROYED
me and my hope, by now I had begun
to teach them better"
At this moment 1 CHANGED to look ur
10 see man such as l had never be.
fore beheld standing by my side and
gazing at me. Stories are told of how
men and women. looking on each other
for the first time, are in certain cases
filled with a strange passion of love
of which, come what may, they car
never again be rid
Among MANY miSfortunes, thanks be
to my guardian angels, this fate has
never oVertaken me, yet at that moment
L felt something that was akin TO it
not love, indeed, but a great sense OF
friendship and sympathy for and with
this man, which, mastering me then, is
still grow nigto this hour, though its
object has for many years been dead
Perhaps it was the contrast between
us that attracted me so much ct first
/ since human beings are ever drawn to.
ward their opposites in nature and ap
pearance. /, as you, my friend, fol
whom I write this history, will remem.
Der, although you have only known ms
in my age, am tall, thin, sallow, like al
my race, with sad expression reflect.
ing the heart within and melancholy
eyes.
Very different were the mind and ap
pearance Of James Strickland, the Eng
lishman. He was a fine man, over
thirty years of age, short in proportion
to his width. though somewhat spare IL
frame and delicate in limb. His feat
ures were as clearly cut as those oil
an ancient god upon a marble wall
his eyes were as blue as the sea, and
though just now they were troubled a
the sight of death. merry like the eyes
Of a boy; his curling hair-for he ha6
removed his hat in the presence of the
dead-Was yellow as mimoSa bloom
darkening almost to red in the short
beard and about the ears, where the
weather had caught it, and beneath his
shirt. which was open at the neck, his
skin was white like milk. For the
rest, his hands were long and delicate
Notwithstanding the hard work of which
they bore traces; his glance was quick
and his smile the most pleasant that
ever l had seen.
Your pardon, senor," said this mar
to me in good Spanish. bowling to me
as he spoke, but unwittingly l have
overheard some of your talk with yon-
der woman, and 1 cannot understand
how it comes about that you, a Stran-
ger, have so much authority over her
/ wish that you would explain it to me
in order that l might learn how to put
stop to such murders. These dead
men were two of my best workmen
and l do not know where l shall look
to replace them
81 cannot explain it, senor," 1 an
swered, returning his bow, further
than to say that have a certain rank
among the Indians. on account of which
they reverence me. Still, though
have no right to ask il of a stranger
/ pray that you will forget any words
of mine which may CHANGED to have
reached your ears, since of such author
ity the government is jealous"
by all means, senior. they are al
ready forgotten. Well, adios, this
sight is not so pleasant that | wish to
study ii" and replacing his hat upon
his head he passed on.
Although my journey proved to be
vain, seeing that the scroll came to
read had vanished, fingered on in the
village of Cumarvo. alleging as the rea-
son of my stay a hope that it might be
discovered. but really, as 1 believe, be-
cause | desired to become acquainted
with this white man.
AS it CHANGED, an opportunity was
soon given me to do him a signal SER