The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-01-09
9th of them eventually learn.

both of them eventually learn"
Three entire weeks were passed in
this manner After the first week the
girl herself materially assisted the lin
GUSTS in their efforts to acquire her
speech.
Al length the task was so far advanc-
ed that we could, in certain sense, re-
gard it as practically completed. THE
heidelberg professor declared that be
had mastered the tongue of the ancient
Aryans. His delight was unbounded.
With prodigious industry he set to
work, scarcely stopping to eat or sleep,
to form grammar of the language.
"You shall see, he said. "It will
the speculations of my countrymen vim
dictate.
No doubt the professor had an exag
gerated opinion of the extent of his ac-
quirements, but the fact remained that
enough had been learned of the girls
language to enable him and several 9th
ers to converse with her quite as readily
as person of good capacity who has
studied under the instructions Of ma
tive teacher during a period Of six
months can converse in a foreign tongue
Immediately almost every man in the
squadron set vigorously at work to learn
the language Of this fair creature for
himself Colonel Smith and Sidney
Phillips were neck and neck in the lin
guistic race.
One of the first bits of information
which the professor had given out was
the name of the girl
1t was Alma pronounced Ah-ee-na).
This news was flashed throughout the
squadron, and the name of our beautiful
captive was on the lips of all
After that came her story. 1t was a
marvellous narrative. Translated into
our tongue, it ran as follows:
1.-THE traditions Of my fathers, hand
ed down for generations SO many that
no one can number them, declare that
the planet of Mars was not the place of
our origin
Ages and ages ago our forefathers
dwelt on another and distant world that
was nearer to the sun than this one is
and enjoyed brighter daylight than we
have here.
They dwelt-as have often heard
the story from my father, who had learn
ed it by heart from his father, and he
from his--in beautiful valley that was
surrounded by enormous mountains tow
rro the clouds and white about
tops with snow that never melted.
IL The valley were lakes, around which
clustered the dwellings of our race
g 1t was, the traditions say, land
wonderful for its fertility filled with
all things that the heart could desire,
splendid flowers and rich with luscious
fruits
AS land of music and the peo-
dwelt in it were very happy. "
- lille the girl was telling this part
+ her story the Heidelberg professor
became visibly more and more excited
Presently he could keep quiet no longer
and suddenly exclaimed, turning to us
who were listening as the words Of the
girl were interpreted for us by one of
the other linguists:
Gentlemen, it is the vale of CASH
| ~'N~S' A1"S A'So ny SiNoO OOuAOly lIldil
Adelung, so declared? Has he not said
that the valley of Cashmere was the
cradle of the human race already?'
From the valley of Cashmere to the
planet Mars What romance!" ex-
claimed one of the bystanders.
Colonel Smith appeared to be particu-
larly moved, and l heard him humming
under his breath, greatly to my aston
ishment, for this rough soldier was not
much given to poetry or music
"Who has not heard of the vale of Cashmere,
With its roses the brightest that earth ever
gave,
Its temples its grottoes, its fountains as clear
AS the love lighted eyes that hang over the
wave2"
Mr. Sydney Phillips, standing by and
also catching the murmur of Colonel
Smiths words, showed in his handsome
countenance some indications of distress,
as If he wished he had thought of those
lines himself