The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1900-06-14


faint and dreamy luminousneas. which
must have made it shine like moon
indeed in tint dense, dark shade Of
tropical African forest
The more I inquired Of the natives
about the new plant the more was my
curiosity piqued to possess one. Ilonged
to bring root Of the marvellous bloom
10 Europe. for the natives all spoke Of
it with certain hnshed awe or super
stitious respect. lit is the ngina's
flower, they said. 1T grows in the
dark places-the gardens of the ngina
If any man breaks one off, that is very
bad luck. The ngina will surely over.
take and destroy him
This superstitious awe only inhamed
my desire to possess root. The me-
groes' stories showed the moon flower
to be most unique species. gathered
from what they told me that the bios
SONS had very long spur. or sac, con-
tanning honey at its base in great guam.
titles; that it was fertilized and rifled
by huge evening moth, whose pro-
boscis was exactly adapted in length to
the spur and its nectar; that it was
creamy white in order to attract the
insects eyes in the gray shades of dusk
and that. for the selfsame reason. it's
petals were endowed with the strange
quality of phosphorescence. till now
unknown in the vegetable kingdom.
while it exhaled by night a delicious
| perfume, strong enough to be perceived
at some 30 yards distance. So great
prize to man of my tastes was simply
irresistible. made up my mind that,
come what might, must, could and
would possess a tuber of the moon
flower
One fortnight suficed for me to make
my final plans Heavy brides overcame
the scruples of the negroes The prom.
Use Of good rifle induced the finder Of
the first specimen to take service with
me as a guide. Fully equipped for a
weeks march and we'll attended with
followers, all armed to the teeth, made
my start at last for the home of the
moon flower:
To cut long story short, we went
for three days into the primeval shade
Of the great equatorial African forest.
Dense roofs of foliage shut out the
light Of day. Underfoot the ground was
encountered with thick, tropical brush
wood. We crept along cautiously, hack
ing our way at times among the brake
with our cutlasses and crawling at
others through the deep tangle of the
underbrush on all tours, like monkeys.
During all those three days we never
caught sight of a single moon flower.
They were growing very rare nova
days, my guide explained in most
voluble Fantee. When he was mere
boy, his father found dozens Of them,
miles through the depths Of the forest
and never so much as light on a speci.
men.
At last, about noon on the fourth
day out, we came upon torrent. rush.
ing with great velocity among huge
powders and sending up the spray OF
its boiling rapids into the trees of the
neighborhood l sat down to rest
meaning to mix the water from the
cool, fresh stream with spoonful or
two off, cognac from the flask in my
pocket. AS drank it tossed back my
head and looked up. Something on one
Of the trees hard by attracted my eyes
strangely A parasite stood out boldly
from fork Of the branches. bearing a
long, 1.-the spray of huge, luminous
flowers as big as dessert plates. My
heart gave a bound The prize was
within sight. pointed my finger in
silence to the tree. All the negroes
with one voice raised a loud shout OF
triumph. Their words rent the air
''The moon flowerl The moon fowerl'
felt myself for a moment perfect
Stanley or Du Chaillu. had discovered
the most marvellous and beautiful orchid
known to science
In moment l had tossed off my
brandy, laid down my rifle and, mount
ing on the back of one of my negro
porters, was swinging myself up to thu
lowest branch of the tree, where my
new treasure shone resplendent in it.
own dim phosphorescence. l couldn'1
, have trusted any hand but my own t
pick or egg out of that glorious tuber
I meant to cut it bodily from the bark
| d. IL SlOUU duu UcdI ~ UdCK III LI1uupI
in my own arms to Tulamba.
> I had climbed the tree cautiously
and was standing almost within grasl
Of the prize when sudden shou
, among my followers below startled ant
, discomposed me. I, looked down ant
t hesitated. My brain reeled and sick
, ened. A strange sight met my eyes
My negroes, one and all, had taken t.
: their feet down the bed of the stream
! at the very top of their speed and wer'
making a most unanimous and mex
plicable stampede toward the direction
Of Tulamba.
For a moment l couldn't imagin,
what had happened to disconcert them
Then, casting my glance casually to
ward the spot where had flung down
+ my rifle, I became aware at once Of tn,
+ cause of this commotion. Their retrea
g was we'll timed. By the moss clai
powders which filed the bed of tn
= torrent somebody with a big, blac]
, | Gooo o~l 1,,~o ko.kl>