The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1900-10-19
59599@95995D DDDD55a
The Llama's Curse. 8
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

I'll anu LlAE tAAAhEE OuA va AWAl AAbl-
y TONS half-sovereign. pushed the
latter over toward him with my left
band.
nyour change Tom" said I.
dyes Of course" said Tom, who was
shsorbed in the story he was telling
no He put out his hand as if to pick
me money up, but seemed to remember
.ome,hlng, for he drew his band back
suddenly
Good heaven said he, land had |
forgotten that
He took out his handkerchief. wrap I
ned # around the forefnger Of his right
Land. and then, with the fOrefinger so [
covered. gently scraped the money to-
ward him. piece by piece, and earnestly
looked at each coin.
eNow. look here, Tom said |. this
Il very pretty story that you have
heen telling me, but don't try and give
# an air OF reality by performance
ike that
You can believe it OF not. just as you
like" said Tom. but l tell you. Fred.
that piece of money is coming along
this way some day. | have seen 1t
,,nce. and-I left it on the table. You
dopt catch me touching any coin while
am certain that one is IN circulation.
Rut LET me conclude what | was telling
YOU
.t'rga is one Of the most peculiar
plaees YOU could think Of. and one OF
orr first duties was to present ourselves
Ia the Grand Llama We had 10 get a
palanauin. for it was only meet thar
EUROPEANS of our Importance should
70 In state. and il was while en- route
that we suddenly came to the praying
mill This was a sort of roundabout
with huge wooden posts sticking ou'
at the side. which every Buddhist pass
ing was supposed to take hold Or ahu
push the mill round at least once.
what caused Phil to do what he die
then don't know, but something seem
ed to inpel him to get out of the paian
ouln. make a run over TO the mill
catch hold of one of the wooden post
and commence TO push it around nj IL
topmost pace. The square where IN
mill was erected was pretty well hlle'
with people. and when some OF tAos
saw what had been done they cam
rushing toward US. shouting and seSu'
ulatlng. Phil had undoubtedly con
United a sacrilege. and was fearil
for his safety. These fanatical M"u-'
lans. once their religion is assaiieu
any shape or form. would certain
have no mercy upon the assailant
"Phil came hurriedly back 10 in
jumped into the palanquin. ana oo'e
ed the bearers to get on. But 'ht
were struck dumb with terror.
mob came for us. smashed in tue 400
of the palanduin. dragged US out al
for two minutes there was the Twelve
fight on record going on. We GOT q
worst of il. and bruised, bleeding III
insenSible. were carted on TO prison.
We were taken before the Graz
Llama. and then and there ne orue'
Us to be sent across the Siberian itu
tier with the utmost dispatch. !
next dav we were hurried along una
an escort of soldiers. and it was Il
long before we arrived ut the fronu
the town of Miamatshin. which rea
is the Monroliau portion of kiakia. y
were taken along to the yellow p"'
which marked the actual frontier Il
there the soldiers of the Llama St"pp
We We're removed from the palahq'
in which we had been carried. ana VIZ
commanded TO sit down re-" ""
from the posts. Not twenty feet aN
Were the black and white posts ol
Russians, and il was indeed sonnet"
10 gladden. our eyes to see the olo
coat aud the astrachan tez OF the Il
sian Cossack who stood there on
try.
Our guards spread themselves
then there came forward a Buddi
priest. who began to talk TO us Il
JargOn which. of course. we coulu
understand. He finished at length
produced from his robe a wire on u
Were threaded some hundreds Oh o'
cash, which the Chinese always q"
lie took two of the cash on the
and laid them in front Of us on
ground.
Then the priest began waving
arms about. and the Mongoliahs
out their hand prayer mills ana p'
turning them for all they We're VIZ
The voice of the priest then rose on
air. He said three or four Wo'uS
spat deliberately, at each OF the \,
which had been put on the srouuU
fore us.
.,,.tr
THAT was all. The priest 1ep"'
the soldier escorted us To the po>'S'
Russian sentry presented his rune
We presented our passports. we !
ed over aud breathed the compa'".'
free air Of Russia. our first d"'y
We were in Kiakta was 10 so s'''