Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-02-23
them to repeat the story to him, so that
he might be sure that they had its details

tne city on the MIL. Inc TWO Wnlte mel
went first, next came Juanna and Otter,
J followed by Soa, and last of all walked ths
| settlement men. An hours journey
! brought them to the bank of the river
which, dividing above it, engirdled the
town, to reunite near the roadway that
they followed. Here canoes were ready tt
! take them across to the island, or rather
the peninsula, on which the city was built,
and on the other side of the river they
found priests waiting in the great gate
way, with two filters that had been pre-
pared for Juanna and Otter respectively.
This the, farther bank was lined with
some thousands of spectators, who, when
the divine pair set their feet upon its
shores, Frustrated themselves, men, wom-
en- and children, and burst into "a shout
i of welcome.
| Juanna and Otter took no heed. With
! such dignity as they could command, and
( in the dwarf's case it was not much, they
! entered the litters, drew the hide curtains
and were borne forward swiftly. After
| them came Leonard, Francisco and the
others, while the population followed in
silence.
| Now the sun was sinking, but enough
of daylight was left to show how strange
were the place and the people among
which they found themselves. The city
indeed was rudely built of like materials
and in such fashion as the house in the
/ plain that has been described already. But
the streets were roughly paved. Each
habitation stood apart from the other in
its own garden, and the gates were OF
wood, fastened together with primitive
iron bolts. There We're drinking shops,
or, rather, booths and large market
| place, which they crossed as they assembled
| the hill, and where, as they afterward dis
covered, this people carried on their trade,
if trade it could be called, for they had nc
money and conducted all transactions,
like other savages, upon a principle of
barter
AS they went Leonard took note of these
things, which, to his mind, showed clear
| ~ that the inhabitants of this city were
the degenerate inheritors of some ancient
and forgotten civilization. Their fortifica-
tions, stone built houses, drinking shops
| and markets indicated this, just as their
rude system of theology, with its divini-
ties of light and darkness or of death and
life, each spcinging from the other, en-
gagged in an eternal struggle, and yet one,
was probably the survival of some elabo-
rate nature myth of the early world
But nothing struck him so much as the
appearance of the people. In size they
were almost giants, popularity which
was shared by the women, some of whom
measured 6 feet in height. In common
with other uncivilized races, most of these
women Wore little except a girdie and a
goatskin cloak that hung loosely upon
their shoulders, displaying their magnifi
cent proportions somewhat freely. They
were much handsomer than the men, hay
ing splendid solemn eyes, very white teeth
and remarkable dignity of gait Their
faces, however, wore the same somber
look as those of their husbands and broth
crs, and they did not chatter after the
manner of their sex, but contented them
selves with pointing out the peculiarities
OF the strangers i'll a few brief words to
their children or to one another.
After they had crossed the market place
there came long and gentle ascent, which
terminated at a wall surrounding the low
er of the two great buildings that they had
seen from the plain. Passing its gates,
they halted at the doors of the first of these
edifices, Her tie priests stood with
torches-or at least they judged them to
be priests from the symbol of the snakes
head tattooed upon their naked breasts
ready to conduct them to their resting
place, for now the night was closing in rap
idly Soon they found themselves within
the walls of a great house, built in the usual
way with rough powders, but on three
sides of a square and inclosing a court
yard in which a fountain bubbled. The
furniture of the house was rude, but gro
tesqucly carved, and in the courtyard stood
q throne sheltered by a roof of turf and
fashioned of black wood and ivory with
feet shaped like those of a human being.
Indeed as they afterward discovered, this
was the palace of the king, Olfan, who had
been summarily elected by the priests to
make room for the newcomers.
Here in this strange dwelling the at
tendant priests assigned them all quar-
tiers, the settlement men in one wing Leon
ard, Francisco and Soa in the other and
Juanna and Otter in two separate apart
ments in the body of the building. This
arrangement involved the separation of
the party, but it was difficult to offer OBJ
jections, so they We're forced to acquiesce
to it. Presently women came in bearing
food-boiled corn, milk in bowls and
roasted flesh in plenty-of which Leonard
and Francisco ate with thankfulness.
Before they went to sleep Leonard look
ed into the courtyard and was somewhat
alarmed to find that guards were stationed
at every door, while in front of those lead
ing to the apartments of Juanna and OF
ter stood a body of priests, with torches in
their hands. He made an effort to pass
through these q ards in order to visit Ju-
anna, but without a word they lifted their
great spears and stopped him, and for that
time he abandoned the attempt.
why do the priests stand before the
door of the Shepherdess. ,Soa?" asked
Leonard
They guard the place of the gods, she
answered. Unless the gods will it none
may enter there"
Say, Soa, Leonard asked again, ''are
you not afraid of being here in your own
land?''
Il am much afraid, deliverer, for if /
am found out then die. Yet many years
have gone by since l fled. Few live who
knew me, and perchance none remember
me; also now | do not wear my hair
after the fashion of my people, and there
fore l may eFcape unless the priests dis
cover me by their magic. And now
would Sleep
ard arose, and accompanied by Francisco
went into the courtyard. This time the
soldiers did not try to stop them, but the
priests were still standing in front of Ju.
Annals door, looking like specters in the
gray mist. They went to them and sig
nified by signs that they would worship
the queen, but were sternly refused ad-
mission in words which they could not
updprSr nd h1r that hp ISL
ing, afterward translated to them.
The mother had come to her home"
said the spokesman, and might be pro-
famed no more by the eyes of the vulgar.
The snake also was in his home, and none
should look upon him.
When arguments failed, Leonard tried
TO force bis way through and was met by
huge spear pointed at his throat. How
things would have ended it is difficult to
say had not Juanna herself appeared at
this juneture, standing between the cur
tains of the doorway. At the sight of her
the priests and soldiers fell upon their
faces, and Leonard had sufficient presence
of mind to follow their example, dragging
Francisco down beside him.
What is this tuInults" she asks the
guards in their own tongue.
Il tell you what it is, Juanna," said
Leonard, rubbing his head upon the
ground and speaking in English. IF you
do not come to an understanding with
these internal scoundrels you will be cut
of from all communication with u.s. and,
what is more, we shall be cut off, too, in
another way. viii you be so good as to
issue an order that we are to be admitted
when we likes''