The Van Buren press., 1903-02-28
ked EXCEPT some war trapnin,s

DdIDdiiS sPAeHNOi' kat On less,
throne on one side, above his peoO,.
but lower than the god.
They seem to be waiting for me +,
BEGIN" muttered Jeremiah. so ans
profound silence and attention, he IN,
packed and set up large graphophop.
and a microscope with a magic lanter,
attachment. When all was adustsS
he cleared his throat and stepped fo,
ward to make his preliminary speech
mfr. Chief and fellow-citizens (po
you amt that, thank goodness, but
guess you won't know the differencel
it gives me great pleasure to visit Won,
beautiful city. | know you mean well
by having this highly cultured and in.
telligent audience all ready and wait.
ing for me, but | must say | amt used
to speaking on an empty stomick and
also it gifts me how I'm to charge ad.
mission when you're already in. OF
course | can and will pass the hat
but that amt never so satisfactory, at
least not to him that's giving the show
| suppose that stone critter is your
god hope you won't take offense
| because | can't say that ! consider him
handsome, but then it's all a matterot
taste, as the old woman said when she
kissed her COW. Q guess you won't
mind a messy joke down this way)
Ladies and gents. thank you fer
/ L I'LL ,,t
proceed to the business of the even.
ing"
| At that instant the chief rose in hi,
place, He was 2 dignified Maya of mag.
nifcent physique, and his muscles
quivered under the brown satin skin
like those of high-bred horse. Turn.
ing to the idol he bowed his head nearly
to the floor, while the people swayed
| like corn before the wind. Waving his
hand scornfully at the Yankee and his
properties, he called up STRIPPING from
among his subjects. The boy knelt be,
fore the idol, then he was grasped by
four priests who extended him upon
the sacriticial stone, while a fifth
| brandished a stone knife over his
breast and went through the motions
of tearing out his heart, holding il
aloft in one hand, and then released the
victim.
oval, Mr. Chief" gasped the Amer.
lean, 81 notice that other chap said
his prayers first, so | suppose you'll
allow me to do the same"
As he indicated by his movements a
desire to kneel before the idol, the
a., chief grinned his assent, greatly
pleased with the victims apparent
readiness to conform gracefully to the
requirements of the situation, Jere.
miah considered that it would be best
for him to pray aloud in order to dis
tract attention from certain cropping
motions of his hands among the gar.
lands of flowers which encircled the
pedestal. The quaver of physical fear
in his nasal voice made it sound pro-
foundly pious to heather ears, for
whom the effect was not spoiled by
any comprehension of the words.
"Sholkeoul! You dad-blasted old
hypocrite Amt there any chink in
your rock underpinning where ! can
tuck this little bit Of giant powder
happen TO have along? There, you
old devil, you'll blow up in about ten
minutes. Now for my last trump"
He had barely time to draw the
poles Of a pocket battery from his
sleeves down into his palms when the
priests were upon him. He grasped
the nearest one cordially by the hand,
His yell Of pain and surprise was ech.
oed fercely from the audience who
evidently longed for more active
part in the proceedings, Jeremiah
made a quick dive for the ankle Of an.
other priest, who howled and went
spinning round like a dancing deryish
holding the injured member. One
after another they loosed their hold,
but they still formed ring about him,
and if he broke through this, there
was the bloodthirsty mob of villagers
20 reckon with.
The chief shouted a suggestion
which was evidently TO the effect that
since his flesh burned them they must
grasp him by his clothing. With q cry
of triumph they pinned him down so
that he could not use his hands and,
In spite Of his writing and squrmng,
they extended him on the sacrifcial
stone. 4 priest stood over him with
appraised knife, yet delaying the blow
both to enjoy the victims agony and
10 prolong the impressive tablcau for
the audience, The bloody arm had at.
ready started on TIA descent when,
with terrific explosion, Sholkeou
rolled from his pedestal and broke
into fragments about his throne. The
sound reyerberated horribly in that
confined space, the torches were cx
tinguishcd and, with piercing cries Of
terror, The people rushed in panic
down the side OF the pyramid The
shriekS Of the chief and two priests
caught under the debris OF their god
only FASTENED the flying feet Of the
multitude,
The Yankee sat up on the edge OF
the sacriiicNl stone, dazcd stunned
and dcafened by the shock. lie felt
something warm and put up his hand
to find the blood flowing from n scalp
wound inflicted by n flying bit of the
wrecked idol, The night was 80 dark
that he could barely discern the open
ngs between the pillars, lie stun
bled along 10 the other end OF the
temple, found his hat among the ruins
OF the kaleidoscope, and adjusted II
to his wounded head with great care
and deliber0tlon, Then he lighted o
match and examined the graphic