Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-02-02

that she was lame; that she had but one
foot. 1t looked as if the other had been
broken off at the ankle.
She steadicd herself with ono hand and
gazcd ut the foot which was still hopping
restlessly about. She reached out her other
hand to seize it, but could not grasp it. Ii
always evaded her.
At last she let her hand fall, and sighed
deeply. | saw great tears come into her
eyes and roll down her checks. After 4
few momcnts She again bent over the Ia
Bile, and | heard her whisper plaintiyely:
'.Dost thou not know me, thou restless
one? Am | not Helmonthi, thy mistress
Hast thou forgotten tho golden sandal .
! gave thee and the great scarab ringsi
Why wilt thou not return to mo?' And in
"a low, fearful tone came the answer:
Princess, l am no longer my W mas
ter. 1 have been sold and paid for. The
old sorcerer knows we'll why he did it; it
was in revenge for thy refusal to marry
him! Behold how he Furnishes thee! The
Arab who broke into thy queenly resting
place was sent by him. Never canst thou
be reunited to thy forefathers. But pro
yiding thou hast gold, then canst thou
buy me back"
"Alas," sighed tho princess, sail the
| jewels and coins that they placed with me
| were stolen! I can never call thee mine
| again
"Listen, princess, y l called out "never
mind about the money. You shall have
your foot again; I will give it to you.
Princess Hermonthi has only to wish iu!'
So saying l bowed with all the ~gallantry
/ could command.
With q low cry the princess turned to-
ward Inc. There was a look of sincere
gratitude in her beautiful eyes.
"Ah," she cried, chow happy my IA
Their will be!'
She seized the foot, stopped and, as if
she were putting on q shoe, fitted it exact
ly to the spot where 1t belonged and step
ped toward me.
"Colne with me to my father. With
Joy will he receive thee, and with graft
tude, that through thee / have regained
my foot"
There seemed to be nothing unusual
about this proposition, 50 l donned my
lowered dressing gown, pulled on a pair
of shoes, set a Turkish fez upon my head
and declared myself ready to follow her.
Hermonthi turned toward the window
as if she were going-then seemed sudden
ly to remember something, for she stop
ped, loosened the chain about her neck,
took the little jasper figure off and laid it
carefully in the place where the foot had
stood.
II must give you another paperwcight, y
she said merrily.
Then she took my hand and led me to
the window. Suddenly l felt myself ris.
ing through the air. IT " V l could see
nothing above or below Inc, so l closed
my eyes. After awhile we came near the
earth again, and I saw pointed obelisks,
pyramids and the sphynx.
Once more | felt the earth beneath my
feet, and tho princess led me up to a red
granite mound.
Finally we reached a hall of such giant
proportions that my eyes could follow far
into the gloom the great columns that
supported the roof. My eyes gradually be-
anne accustomed to the faint light, and
began to make out my surroundings,
On great thrones l saw the kings of the
old dynasties sitting. They were tall, thin
old fellows, with skins wrinkled like
parchment. They were crowned and they
WOI0 UIcdSUIlhUCS CONCIcu WIlIl EdIC JCNtlS.
Their eyes had the stare Of the sphinx.
She left me for a moment, then re-
turned, and leading me to her father pre-
sented me to him. He bowed gravely.
II have found my foot, she cried, land
this is he who has given it to me-"
At this a murmur ran around the hall.
"He has restored our princess foot"
Even Xixonthis seemed interested. He
fixed his weary eyes upon me.
by Ormus and Tumi, thou art a noble
mani" said Pharaoh. "What reward doth
thou ask?'
With the courage and fervor Of my years
I demanded the hand of the princess as
my reward. Pharaoh opened his staring
eyes still farther.
From what land dost thou come and
what is thine age?"
II come from the banks of the blue Dan
ube, great Pharaoh, and nm ~ years Of
age"
Then all the kings burst out together:
"Thou art only ~ and thinkest to wed
the Princess Hermonthi!'
"If thou were only 1000 or 1900 years
older, " said Pharaoh, 'thcn would I give
thee my daughter willingly. But the diff
ference in years Is too great. Who marries
Of our daughters must last forever,
and that is now a lost art. Those who
have been brought here during the last
500 years are but a handful Of dust. Her
month"; will outlast a bronze statue. But
at the last the winds will blow away every
atom of thy dust, and even Isis herself,
the all powerful, could not gather it to-
gether again. See how powerful are my
arlns!" And with that he seized my hands
with such an iron grip that / cried out
with pain and awoke.
My friend was bending over me.
"Now, tell me how long were you going
to sleep?" he said, l%aughingly. "Don't
you remember we were going to look at
the Makart pictures?"
Eyes, indeed" I cried, springing up.
II have not forgotten. l laid the card out
SO | would see il" And | hastened to the
writing table to get it. Suddenly | stop
ped short in amazenient.
There, lying OIL the table, were the silk
N bandages in which the princess foot
had been wrapped, and upon them a little
green jasper figure of Isis. international
MnuaziOa