The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-01
The Two Priests of Konnoto.
From MacmiIlan's Magazine. In Fo'
Parrs)

After quaffing a trimming glass Lieuten-
ant Strasbourger took off his sun-helmet
and wip:ng the perspiration out of his
eyes, threw himself back II canvas chair,
saying in fair English: '.Ah, my brothers
il is a charm to enjoy your inestimable
hospitality; but today il is an affair seri-
Gus. Two days ago man of the woods
arrives with a tale, which Is undoubtedly
untrue, that the English have burned a
village lying under the protection of the
great nation OF France" and the Officer
bowed theatrically, while Captain Sinclair
bent his head with imperturbable gravity,
and sad encouragingly, go on, my friend,
try again" Lieutenant Strasbourger went
on. Knowing the deep respect you bear
to the flag OF France, and trusting in your
inestimaole friendship here L:eutenan!
Smith reached over and shook hands with
the speaker, though his face tw.tched-''I
VIII not insult you by asking If it is true,
there was a twinkle in the Frenchnan' 5
eye as he met Sinclair's glance-"but l viii
tell the rascal they were all drunk and
burned the place themselves, and will fine
them much oil. The Ju-Ju man, too, ne
viii see what it is to bring wicked tales to
an officer of France"
Then Captain Sinclair poured him out
NAN d luuiD4ct u HuuShtI anu liz &C
pledged eternal Friendship. When the sun
rose higher and the temperature OF the
room became that Of an oven, the brothers
OF the sword sat in the high verandah look
ing out over miles of forest, cleaning
lagoons, and winding reaches of river, and
sang English songs and French chanson-
cites to the accompaniment of a cracked
banjo. At moonrise the krooboy hammock
u,ba bad freely D iad xx-ir -
trade gin. were with difficulty collected.
Then captain and Lieutenant hoisted the
officer of France. who wept cop:ously on
parting with mes braves amis, into his
hammock, from which he Immediately
crawled headforemost, smashing his sun
helmet over his eyes. On being a second
time packed away, the gallant soldier was
borne unsteady off into the forest, awek-
ening its echoes with uncertain scraps of
song while the Engl:shmen leaned against
the gate and laughed til the tears ran
down their cheeks. All night the bear
ers struggled through the forest. Twice
they upset the officer into muddy swamp,
and once he wriggled himself out and fell
face downwards In the slime, when the
stolid Africans who were used to this kind
of thing, calmly picked him up and con-
tinued their journey, until two days later
a. sunset a 2isreputable, mud-stained
group reached the French outpost.
Next morning Lieutenant Srasbourger
woke with a splitting headache and a most
unenyiable temper. He ordered out the
Ju-Ju man, reproached him bitterly for his
wickedness, and finally commanded the
Senegalis to give him dozen lashes at the
t-iangles. This Bussa richly deserved; out
it was somewhat cruel instance Of the
irony Of fate that the only time he received
the punishment he merited, should also
have been the only occasion in his ill-spent
life on which ne spoke the truth. Having
thus lost his prestige, Bussa dared not re-
turn 10 his flock with the scars of disgrace
upon him; he departed in search of new
pastures far away to the east, and the
black priest of Konnoto was seen in its
streets no more.
Meantime, the missionary, worn out with
many SORROWS and disappointments, as well
as with the deadly climate, was slowly
sinking. He had fought a valiant fight
against sickness and hopelessness in the
awful solitude of the African bush, and
now the wasted frame seemed scarcely
able to hold the brave spirit which burned
within it.
One sitting evening. as he lay gasping
for breath in the verandah, he beckoned
the captain near. MY friend" he said,
my time is nearly come and my work
over; but L should like 10 see my wife
and Lagos before the end Then he cess-
ed for want of breath, and the officer said
huskily: You will pull through yet. with
the change and ses-a:r on the coast-FN
send runner down tonight 10 tell your
wife to meet you, and you can start tomor-
row.
Early in the morning the three white
men grasped ca h others hands. and then
the hammock-bearers and their escort
swung south through the forest, travelling
day after day beneath the great cotton
woods, wading through foul swamps, or
forcing path amid tall plume-grass
which waved its golden tassels high above
their heads Twice the WORKOUT bearers
mutiniei and refused TO move another foot,
and once they We're attacked a. night by
maraud:nS tribe; but the big Yoruba SER
seant IN command declared in the vernac-
uiar: That the orders of the white cap
tain were to deliver the infdel preacher
at Lagos, alive or dead, and that while
two men were left. by the beard of the
prophet the command should be obeyed.'
So, beneath scorching MONDAY heat and
clammy midnight mist, with gI'ttering
eyes, burning skin, and blackened lips, the
missionary was borne along. concentrating
his remaining energy into desperate ef-
fort to live until the end of his journey.
At last. one morning as they marched
out of the forest and halted upon the
shores of a broad lagoon, a RAPID beat
OF hoofs rose upon the steaming air. and
a weary-faced woman flung herself out of
the saddle. and. tearing aside the awning,
bent down and kissed the wak-l:ke forehead
within, then bit her lips and turned her
head aside, lest the sufferer might read the
terror in her eyes.-anG so husband and
wife met.
However. 10 every ones surprise. David
Kinnett id not de. They swung him on
board the Sokoto IN an empty oil-punchson
and by the time the steamer met the life
giving Trades of Cape &c Verde ne was
cony alescent. But the me4ica! officers OF
the society forbade his returning TO Africa.
and the missionary and MS wife were after
wards despatched 10 a healthier field Of
labor.
Heather darkness again settled down up
on honoto. for Ama-o stopped the weav-
ing and declared that the old gods were
sufficient FOR him. and that he would be
10 keep them out, ne viii have neither
white nor black priest il his dominions,
for il took HIN twelve months to pay the
fine exactei by Lieutenant Sjrasb0urger
on the occasion OF the disappearance Of the
first. and ne will not again brook rival
II the latter.
St.n. or every anniversary Of ire great
feast OF devii-msking. the villagers as they
ga heT round their fires. and tell the story
how upon a tine the los; souls OF certain
wicked English ana Yerubss invaded the
village. and carried the two priests OF K0n-
noto away 10 the bo1;omless PIT. Then
Jiealman AmRro crniles griraiy and holds
has peace.