The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-04-06

grass while the animals disputed as to
who would be on the reception committee
BY and By the thing with the eyes came
waddIing toward them. while dozen
others stood out little way in front
1t stopped about ten feet away and
raised its head up. Its form was some
thing like a great, shapeIess sponge, and
its head was fastened 10 the end OF a
long. thin neck, like a rubber garden hose,
and its two enormous eyes were so large
that they almost covered its head. Just
ike a dragon hys- It uttered a slight
cough and said:
"Sir, we greet you and bid you welcome
TO our land If you viii tell the committee
Just what you desire here we viii try 70
let you have it, so that you will waste no
time"
Now see here" said Howard 4 may
as well tell you right at the start that
you need be in no hurry 20 get rid Of US.
We don't intend to harm any Of you, If
YOU are nice and polite, but we have q
magic spell, by means Of which we can
change you all into anything we please II
you are unpleasant, and we win not hesi-
tate TO use it, either. We have come to
make trouble; but we wish TO be treated
kindly, OF there viii be a lot Of funny ami
mails missing in a few minutes"
The members OF the reception commit
tee looked surprised and somewhat
alarmed at his words. They whispered to-
gether and then the thing with the eyes
said:
we do not dispute your statement.
but we would like very much to see you
90 such d stunt. If you viii kindly
change the Hooiahan over yonder into
something else we viii be convinced"
why change the thing you call the
HOolahan2 Why not let me turn you into
a rock or q log yOuTself?' asked Howard.
''Weu. because 1 am member Of the
committee, in the first place, and then be-
cause the HOolahan is terribly disagree
able creature, always fighting aud max
ing trouble. 50 you will be doing good
as well as convincing US"
Point him out" said Howard. And.
by the way. what might be your own
name?'
The animal with the eyes said with a
giggIe and a shipper, Il am a Biddle
There are very few Ike US left This ami
nal here. by my side, is the Reilly OF
Riley, I don't know how it's spelled. NV
large, red friend on the left, who seems
so frightened. is one Of the Hofackers.
and this other member is the wild, IN
tamabIe Sullivan"
What are you caIled?" Howard asked
the warty animal
I am the Fitzsimmon," it replied
proudly.
All right, Fitz." said Howard. You
just change into guinea pig, and sit
down yonder while the rest Of the ami
mails talk 70 me-"
= The Fitzsimmon was a guinea pig in an
instant, and sat down, with the tears run
nlng down his face, while all the others
{trembled, for now they knew that Howard
was magician. The Biddle hUmbly asked
what he wished. Howard said he merely
wanted to see them and take some photo
graphs, and would do them no harm as
long as they were nice and pleasant.
( The committee escorted their visitors all
over the region, and they saw everything
{ The most interesting. however, were the
remarkable animals they encountered on
every side. Here they saw the Kipling
browsing on the rich turf, a Withholding
3creatuTe with immense horns and sharp
teeth, while near him stood a GibbOu, a
sad and mOuTnful-eyed beast with a
smooth skin and q short bushy tail. and
q little distance away the Hogan and tho
tFinnigan were fighting over their food
with loud. angry groEls. = whole herd
Of Henneseys. wild. feTOci0us animals,
With dangeroUs-iooking claws, gaIoped
}about threatening every beast there, and
tionE-necked, big-mouthed Gallaghers
reared on the hillside Two Drinks and a
Shocks were sneaking Up toward a little
}creature which the Biddle said was called
a GTiggs. as though they were about %
devour him, and several fierce Gordols
were only waiting for them to approach
nearer to spring upon them
5 The Biddle said. with some emotion
5 that the animals were constantly growing
fewer, because they were always eat
ing each other up. Last year, ne said
3 there were many there who had van
{fshed completely. Where whole locks %
}DooIeys, Percivals. Ramseys. Goelets and
smiIeys once covered the plain, none were
s 70 be seen and soon, he said. there Wolll