Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-15

afraid apparently of me, the redoubt-
able and redonbted king of the great
Gaboon forest. +"
But l was most consumedly for all
that, though l pretended not to be
Nothing but the presence before my
eyes of that magnificent plant would
have induced me for one moment to
face or confront the unspeakable brute
there.
AT last / had finished and held my
specimen in my hands entire. The next
question now was what to do with it.
walked slowly and cautiously along
the branch of the tree. The gorilla.
with his eyes now fixed curiousiy on
the moon flower, put forth one hairy
leg in front of another and, grinning
with sort of diabolical, british good
humor, walked step for step on the
ground just as cautiously beneath me-
came to the end of the bough and
reached the point where interlacing
branches enabled me to get on to an
other tree. did so somewhat clumsily,
for l was handicapped by the moon
flower. The gorilla, still grinning,
looked up and remarked in his own
tongue, 81 could do that lot can tell
you, jolly sight better than you do"
AS he smiled those words had lost
my balance. and, clinging still to my
moon flower in my last chance for life,
lowered myself slowly hand over hand
to the ground in front of him.
With frightful roar the creature
sprang upon me and made wild grab
at my precious moon flower. That was
more than scientific human nature
could stand. turned and fled, carry
ing my specimen with me. But my
pursuer was too qnick. He caught me
up in moment. His scowling black
face was CHASTITY to behold; his huge
| white teeth cleaned fierce and hideous;
his brawny, thick hands conld have
crushed mo to jelly. painted and
paused. My heart futtered fast, then
stood still within me. There was a
second $ suspense. AT its end, to my
infinite horror, ha seized-not mech,
no. not NEIL might have put up with
that-but the priceless moon flower.
i was helpless to defend myself
helpless to secure or safeguard my
treasure. He took it from me with a
grin. could see through those sunken
eyes what was passing in the creatures
dim and brutal brain. He was saying
| to himself, like men at his own low
grade of cunning: elf that tuber WAS
worth so much pains to him to get, 1t
must be worth just as much to me to
keep. So. by your leave. my friend. if
| you'll excuse me Ill take il. ("
stood appalled, and gazed at him.
The brute snatched that unique speci-
men of a dying or almost extinct genus
in his swarth, hairy hands-those
clumsy great hands Of his-raised it
bodily to his mouth, crushing and tear
ing the beautiful petals in his coarse
| grasp rs be went. ate It slowly threugh
-tuber, stem, spray. blossom-a
swallowed it conscientiously, with a
hideous grimace, to the very last
morsel. l had but one grain Of consola-
ton or revenge 1t was clear the taste
was exceedingly nasty.
Then he looked in my face and burst
into loud, discordant laugh. That
laugh was hideous.
1 '.Ahal" it said in effect. $50 that /
all you've got, my fine fellow, after all
for all your pains and care and
troubled"
1 shut my eyes and waited My turn
would come next. He would rend me
in his rage for the nastiness of the
taste. I stood still and shuddered But
alas, he meant only to eat the moon
flower.
When I opened my eyes again, the
brute had turned his back without ont
word of apology and was walking of
at leisurely pace in contemptuout
triumph, struggling his shoulders as he
went, and chuckling low to himself il
his vulgar dog in the manager joy and
malignancy.
1t was four days before I struggled
alone, half dead, into Tulamba. / nevel
came across another of those orchids
And that is why at Kew gardens they
have etill no moon flower.