Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-03-26


marched on until, great city appeared.
and they passed wonderingly into its
streets.
AT last, some of the exiles, holder
than the rest, ventured to enter a few
OF the dwellings. The simmer o.
gold and the glitter Of brilliants. set
in bracelets and rings, caught their
glances as they stopped over little
heaps that may nave been mortal dust
Securing these treasures, they
passed out to retoin the rest. one of
their number grasping in his hand a
snake of brass, with many a mystic
symbol craven upon it.
In the center of the city was a
great paved square, from which rose a
temple, hewn so as to represent the
body of lion with the head of man,
supported on huge pillars, its forepaws
alone rising to a height of twenty feet
Upon these latter also were varied SYM
bols which none of the exiles could
read.
Eventually Ayesha was declared
queen of the city, and becoming the
bride of Abu, he was raised up to share
her throne. Although centuries have
passed away, the city, sahibs, is still
inhabited by Arabs, for its buildings
and temple stand almost untouched by
the finger Of time
Nov comes the strange part of its
history. A few years ago a stranger
visited the city, bringing with him his
daughter, their features and dress
plainly showing that they were of
Egyptian origin. The stranger settled
III Kor, as the inhabitants had named
it, and at once devoted himself to a
close study of the strange symbols cut
within and without the temple
HE ransacked the bazars of the city,
examined with infinite patience every
curio displayed, and showed his disap-
pointment more keenly month after
month, as his search proved fruitless
AT last he fell i'll, and the quest was
eft for his daughter, Cal, to carry on.
Strange to say, sahibs, within a few
days she discovered and purchased for
a few coins the Identical brazen snake
of exiles entered the deserted city so
long before.
"Sahibs, the people of Kor declare
that the symbols upon it unlocked the
secrets of all the mystic hieroglyphics
about the temple. All the past lore of
these strangers, who used it to attain
their own evil ends, and again the city
passed under the power and under the
heavy yoke of the Egyptian.
''The queen who reigned then was
deposed. and became the handmade of
the Egyptians daughter-as she is even
to this day. Before his death the
stranger from the Nile raised an idol
within the temple, and men whisper
that it is the very counterpart of his
daughter, Cal, who holds the people
East in bondage.
Before the idol hangs a veil; who
ever disobeys the queen in aught is
thrust into the temple, the veil parts,
and at a glance from the idol the vic
tim shrieks and stiffens and dies! So
comes it then that strange fear sub
dues all dwelling in that great city.
and they bend to the slightest wish of
Cal, who rules them with a rod Of
IRON
with snake Of brass, you mean,
Hassan," said Danviers, laughing at
the Arabs profoundly grave counte-
nance
Listen yet, sahibs," Hassan con-
tinued, "and hear the rest An Arab
who managed to escape from this
strange city told these things to a
Wadigo. The latter went in search of
the city; he never returned to his
tribe again. A month later two other
Wadigos set off thither-neither was
seen afterward.
'TThen the brother of Kass, famous
alike with spear and assegai-as is he
who rests before us-went forth to
search out the truth of this narrative;
he, too, was lost to his tribe from that
day"
"Kass," asked Denviers, "do you
know the way by which this city Of
Kor is reached p
tive.
"We11, Hassan," said his companion
to the Arab, when we reach the noun
tain spur we will leave you in charge
of the rest of the Wadigos, while, with
Kass as guide, Derwent and I will try
to enter this city. You agree, Harold?''
|'By all means" I answered.
East and west of where we stood
ran the mountain, while sheer above us
it's top lowered high in the air, SEEM
ing to cleave the sky with it's jagged
crest.
The Wadigo pointed with his spear
to where ledge of rock high above us
projected from the mountain side.
''See!" he cried, there begins the
way; beyond it is the colonnade, then
is Kor entered.
The Wadigo set himself to work and
plated long grass coil, and with this
substitute for a rope about our waists
we began the perilous ascent, leaving
our rifles hidden in the grass.
Slowly and painfully we climbed up
ward, decorating our hands and feet
badly as we chung desperately to the
slightest projections that presented
themselves.
We could make nothing out as we
CROPPED our way blindly along the eX-
cavated way, until finally we reached
the colonnade and stared at the I'M
couth figures carved there, almost in