The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-12-27
,Coutinuea from Ne.,erdayo


They fell forward on their races and
David Hurst crouohed against the
cold stone wall OF the gopura as
though swept back by some Wild tide
OF conyulsiye emotion. But his eyes
never left the torch-lit door OF the
sanctuary The flaming entrance was
-UIICF mUFG dotted out. SHADOW I'M
mense and loathing In its ourhne
passed out into the moonlight, and
advanced slowly toward the altar. A
dozen staggering natives bore the idol
on their shoulders, but in that mo-
ment IL was more than a mere braZen
image, il was the embodiment OF the
horror which hung intangible in the
oppressive atmosphere. a living flend
whose hideous features. distorted and
animated by the fiickering light,
griWaced at the distant shadows. and
whose ruby eyes, behind which burnt
"A secret fire. glared bloodshot and
hate-flled over the heads Of the wor-
shippers. The symbolic trident was
poised al0f 10y one mighty arm as
though awaiting the moment when II
would be plunged into the heart OF a
quiyering victim. Cruelty. Frenzy,
Devilment. had built themselves a
monument 10 all eternity
Hail, silva, ord Of the Worlds.
II seemed 10 David that the lips OF
the idol twisted into jeering smile
WHICH Cnanged Slowly 10 a straight
iinpassiye line Of cruel purposes. as
the four bearers placed their burden
cautiously upon the ground. But still
the terrific figure lowered above the
worshipers who knelt motionless and
silent. and the priest al the altar bow.
ed his head
silva. behold The bride whom the
gods give thee
A deep sigh, rising up from the
heart OF the earth. trembled in the
air. A thousand distraught faces
were raised In straining expectation.
Only the idol remained impressive.
And yet in that moment its sinister
power wavered Something had come
which changed the course OF the
seething passions, turning, IL only for
a little breathing space cruelty 70
pity. horror to an awestruck wonder
AS the fiendish In that strange scene
had taken visible shape, so also the
sublime. the beautiful, had arisen In
tender majesty and for the moment
conquered II was a childs face
which gazed out from the gorgeous
bejeweled palanquin over the bowed
heads OF the multitude The moon.
now at her zenith! sent full stream
of light upon the exquisite features,
set lin 4 grave gentle composure and
lent an additional splender to the
magnihcence which bore down the
childish shoulders A shawl OF gol
den thread covered in part the dark
head, and fell in glittering folds "a
the waist: emeralds clustered across
the forehead hung from the tiny
ears and weighed down the baby
hands clasped sweetly upon her
knees There were blood.red rubies
in her girdle and about her neck the
stones sent out a reflection that sur
rounded her in fiery halo. but 1t
was not their beauty that held the
eye. II was above all the face with
its perfect innocence. it's ineffable
sweetness. The tender mouth seemed
10 smile. but the eyes were fixed far
ahead and were full OF wondrous
wisdom. which was not the wisdom
OF earth. They seemed TO finger over
the memories OF things seen not long
before in sphere whence she had
come-uncOnscious OF the looming
future, OF life itself So might the
child Madonna have gazed back into
her dreams. upheld by the same dig
nifty, the same divine purity and grace.
David Hurst took an unconscious step
forward He put his hand TO his
cheek and found that il was vet
with an emotion which lifted him for
ever out OF his own childhood. He
had seen something more lovely than
his mother, more lovely than the
hungry pictures OF his imagination.
The barriers which had surrounded
his young life had been broken down
and a new undiscovered world lay be-
fore him, rich in promise. The crush
inc loneliness was gone; intuitivcly
he recognized loneliness greater
than his own
Daughter OF Brahma, behold thy
eonsort ="
Tho fuIt snpNrpne Vofpa hrnlp O.