The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-04-20


ment of the senorita in her profess
sional garb and pose. Irresistible in
black lace and yellow ribbons, she
faces you. A blue racer is spiraled
upon each bare arm Coiled twice
about her waist and once about her
neck, his horrid head close to hers,
you perceive Kuku. the great eleven
foot Asian python.
A hand drew aside the curtain that
partit1oned the car, and a middle aged
faded woman, holding a knife and
half peeled potato, looked in and said:
"Alviry, are you right busy?"
I'm reading the home paper, ma.
What do you think? That pale, tow
headed Matilda Price got the most
votes in the News for the prettiest girl
in Gallipo-lees''
"Shuh! She wouldn't of done it if
you'd been home, Alviry. Lord knows
hope we'll be there before falls over.
I'm tired gallopin' round the world
playin' we are dagoes and givin'
snake shows But that amt what I
wanted to say. That there biggest
snakes gone again. I've looked all
over the car and can't find him
"Oh, blame that old rascal" ex.
claimed the queen, throwing down her
paper. ''Thjs is the third time he's cot
away. George never will fasten down
the lid to his box properly. l do be-
lieve he's afraid Of Kuku. Now I've
got to go hunt him"
A few minutes later Alvarita stepped
upon the forward platform, ready for
her quest
"Ain't you afraid to go out alone,
Aviry7" queried the queen mother
anxiously. 'There's so many rough
people about Mebbe you'd better
Il never saw anything l was afraid
OF yet, ma. especially people, and men
in particular. Don't you fret. I'll trot
along back as soon as find that run
away scamp
The dust lay thick upon the bare
ground near the tracks. Alvarita's eve
soon discovered the serrated trail of
the escaped python. It led across the
depot grounds and away down a
smaller street in the direction of the
little canyon, as predicted by her.
A hundred yards and the limits of
the town were passed, scattered chap
arral succeeding, and then a noble
grove overlooking the bijou canyon.
Through this small, bright stream
meandered- Parklike it was, with a
kind Of cockney ruralness further in
dorsed by the waste papers and rifled
tins Of picnickers. Up this stream
and down it, among its pseudo sylvan
glades and depressions, wandered the
bright and unrufled Alvarita- Once
she saw evidence Of the recreant rep
tiles progress in his distinctive trail
across spread Of fine sand in the ar
| royo. The living water was bound to
lure him. He could not be far away.
So sure was she Of his immediate
proximity that she perched herself to
idle for a time in the curve of a great
creeper that looped down from a giant
water elm. To reach this she climbed
from the pathway little distance up
the side Of steep and rugged incline
Around her chaparral grew thick and
high.
Alvarita removed her hat and, undo
Ing the oppressive convolutions of her
hair, began to slowly arrange it in two
long, dusky plaits.
From the obscure depths Of a thick
clump of evergreen shrubs five feet
away two small jewel bright eyes were
steadfastly regarding her. Coiled there
lay kuku, the great python-Kuku, the
magnificent, he of the plated muzzle,
tie grooved lips, the eleven foot
stretch of elegantly and brilliantly
notified skin The great python was
viewing his mistress without sound
or motion to disclose his presence.
Alvarita heard a sudden crunching
OF the gravel below her. Turning her
head, she saw big, swarthy Mexi-