Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-06-08
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A History Of Adventure.
TBy H. RIDER HiCCARD.]

'sOf the adventures that befel me after
this need not now speak. was wrecked
upon the coast of Madagascar, and rescued
some months after by an English ship that
brought me to Alden, whence started for
England, intending to prosecute my search
as soon as had made sufficient prepare
lions. On my way stopped in Greece,
and there for 'omnid rincet amor, | met
your beloved mother, and married her, and
there YOU were born. and she died. Then
il was that my last illness seized me, and
returned hiiher to die. But still hoped
against hope, and set myself to work to
learn Arabic, with the intention. should
ever get better, of returning to the coast OF
Africa, and solving tbs mystery of which
the tradition has liv ed so many centuries
in our family. But have not got better,
and, so far as am concerned, the story is
at an end.
For you however my son, ii is not at
an end and to you hand on these the re-
/. suits of my labor. together with the
hereditary proofs of its origin. 1t is my
intention to provide that they shall not be
put into your hands until you have reached
an age when YOU will be able 10 judge for
yourself, whether or no you will choose
to investigate what, If 1t is true, mnst be
the greatest mystery in the world, or to
put it toy as an idle fable, originating in
womans disordered brain.
IT a.. 80, l,,l,aya hot = ie fable. | he.
lieye that, if it can only he redscovered,
there is a spot where the vital forces Of the
world vsiby exist Life exists; why,
therefore, should not the means Of pre-
serving it indefiitely exist also? But have
no wish to prejudice your mind about the
matter Read and Judge for yourself. If
YOU are inclined to undertake the search |
have so provided that you will not lack for
means. If, on the other hand, you are
satisfied that the whole thing is a chmera,
then adiure you to destroy the pOtsherd,
and the writings. and let cause Of trou5.
ling be removed from our race forever
Perhaps that will be wisest. The unknown
is generally taken to be terrible, not, as
the proverb would infer, from the inherited
superstition of man, but because it is so
often terrible He who would tamper
with the vast an secret forces that animate
the world may well fall victim to them.
Aud if the end were attained, if at last you
emerged from the trial ever beautiful and
ever young, defying time and evil, and
lifted above the natural decay of flesh and
intellect, who shall say that the awsome
change would prove happy one? Choose,
my son, and may the Power who rules all
things, and who says, Thus far shalt thou
90 and thus much shalt thou learn, di
rect the choice to your own happiness and
the happiness of the world, which IN the
event of your success. you would one day
certainly rule by the pure force of accu-
mulated experience Farewell"
Thus the letter, which was unsigned
and undated. abruptly ended
"What do you make of that Uncle
Holly?" said Leo, with sort of gasp, as
he replaced it on the table 1--WE have
been looking for a mystery, and we GER
tainly seem to have found one. ="
"What do make Of it2 Why that your
poor dear father was off his head. of
course" answered testify Il guessed
as much that night, twenty years ago,
when he came into my room. You see,
he evidently hurried his own end, poor
man II is absolute balderdash
'.Tbat's It, sir" said Job solemnly. Job
was a most matter of-fact specimen of a
matter -of-fact class.
"Well, let's see what the potsherd has 10
tradition in his fathere writing. and COM
mencing to read:
81, Amenartss, of the Royal House of
Hakor, a Pharaoh of Egypt, wife of Kali
krates Uhe Strong and Beautiful, or the
Beautiful .in strengtb), Priest of Isis,
whom the gods cherish and the demons
obey. being about to die, TO my little son
Tisisthenes 0he Mighty Avenger) fled
with thy father from Egypt in the days of
Nekht nebf, causing him through love to
break the vows that he had vowed We
fled southwark. aci Oss the waters and we
wandered for twice twelve moons on the
coast of Libya africa that looks toward
the rising sun, where by river is a great
rock cavern like tie head of an Ethiopian.
Four days on the water from the mouth OF
mighty river were we cast away, and
some were drowned and some died of
sickness. But we wild men took through
wastes and marshes, where the sea.fowl
hid the sky. bearing us ten days journey,
till we came to a hollow mountain where
great city had been and fallen. and
where there are caves Of which ne man
hath seen the end and they brought us to
the queen of the people who place pots
upon the heads of strangers, who is ma
gician having knowledge of all things. and