Omaha daily bee., 1896-08-16
HI TREE OF DOOM.

of strangers and lifting her eyes from the
ground, whittier she had turned them in
meditation, she looked up at Hlokosa. In
stantly her. face began to change-the
haughtiness and anger went out of it, 1t
grew troubled. the lips parted in a sigh.
First she bent her head and body toward
him, then without more ado she walked
to where he stood and took him by the
hand. Here at some whispered word or
sign, she seemed to recover herself, and
again assuming the character of a proud,
offended beauty, she courtesied to Umsuka,
and spoke:
oh, King, as you see. I have made my
choice. | will not force myself upon a man
who scorns 2me, no, not even to share his
place and power; though it is true that !
love them both. Nay, 1 will return to
Hokosa, my guardian, and to his wife, 2inti,
who has been as my mother, and With them
be at peace"
at is we'll" said the King, land perhaps,
girl, your choice Is wise: perhaps your loss
is not so great as you have thought.
Hafela, take you the hand OF Hokosa and
release the girl back to him according to the
law, promising in the ears OF men before
the first month of winter to pay him 200
head of cattle as forfeit, to be held by him
in trust for the girl
In a sullen voice, his lips trembling with
rage, Hafela did as the King commanded;
and when their hands unclasped Owen per-
ceived that in that Of the Prince lay a tiny
packet. y
Mix me a cup of the first fruits, and
quickly" said the King again; "for the sun
grows low in the heavens, and ere it sinks
l have words to say
Now, a polished gourd filled with native
beer was handed to Nodwengo, the second
son Of the King, and one by one the great
councillors approached, and, with appropriate
words, let fall into it offerings emblematic of
fertility and increase. The first cast in a
grain of corn; the second, a blade of grass;
the third. a shaving from an oX's Eorn
the fourth, a drop of water; the 9Th, a
woman's hair; the sixth, a particle of earth
and so on, until every ingredient was added
to it that was necessary to the magic brew.
Then Hokosa, as chief of the medicine men
blessed the cup according to the ancient
form, praying that He whose body was the
heavens, whose eyes were lightning, and
whose voice was thunder, the Spirit whom
they worshiped, might increase and null
tiply to them, during the coming year, all
those fruits and elements that were present
in the cup, and that every virtue which
they contained might comfort the body of
the King.
His prayer finished, it was the turn of
Hafela TO play his part as the eldest born
of the King. Kneeling over the cup which
stood upon the ground, a spear was handed
to him that had been made red hot in the
fire. Taking the spear, he stabbed with it
toward the four quarters of the horizon;
then, muttering some invocation, he
plunged it into the bowl, stirring its con-
tents until the iron grew black. Now he
threw aside the spear, and, lifting the bowl
in both hands, he carried it to his father
and offered IL to him.
Although he had been unable to see him
drop the poison into the cup, a glance at
Hafela told owen that 1t was there; for
though he kept his face under control he
,-.Il --. ...-.-. a s
or the sweat from starting upon his brow
and breast,
The King rose, and taking the bowl, held
1t on high, saying:
I'm this cup, which l drink on behalf of
tho nation, | pledge you, my people"
1t was the'signa for the royal salute, for
which each regiment had been prepared.
As the last word left his lips every one of
the 10000 MEN present in that great place
began to rattle his kerry against the surface
of his oX-hide, shield. At first the sound
produced resembled that of the murmur of
the sea. but by slow and Just degrees it
grew louder, and even louder, until the
roar of it vas like the deepest voice of
thunder, an awe+inspiring, terrible sound.
Suddenly, when its volume was most, four
spears were, thFewn into the air, and at
the signal every man ceased to beat upon
his shield. I'm the place itself there was
silence, but from the mountains around the
echoes still leUashed and vOlleyed. When
the last of them, had died away the King
brought the Hupato the level of his lips.
Owen saw, and knowing it's contents, was
almost moved to cry out In warming, In
deed, his arm was lifted and his mouth
was open, when by chance he noted Hokosa
watching him, and remembered To act
now would be madness; his time had not
yet come. Tit cup touched the Kings
lips, and at the sign from every throat in
that countless multitude sprang the word
"Klng!" and every foot stamped upon the
! ground, shaking the solid earth. Thrice
the monarch drank and thrice the tre-
| mendous salute, the salute of the whole ma
ton to its ruler. was repeated, each time
more loudly than the last. Then pouring
| the rest of the liquor on the ground Umsuka
cast aside the cup, and in the midst OF the
silence that seemed deep after the crash Of
the great salute, he began to address the
multitude:
'Hearken, Councillors and Captains, and
you, my people, hearken. AS you know, !
| have two sons, the calves OF the Black Bull,
the Princes Of the land-my son Hafela, the
eldest born, and my son Nodwengo. his half
BROTHER
AT this point the King seemed to grow
confused. He hesitated. passed his hands
over his eyes, then slowly and with diff