Las Vegas optic., 1914-09-05
CHANGING &c
&C BACKWARD

swampland. murky rivers, streams.
roughly hewn mountains and cliis,
spread across the continent
Frequent storms disturbed the |
strange creatures in their lairs and |
pastimes.
The mammoth. long-haired and ivory |
tusked. pressed his huge body against
the side of cliff and beneath the |
sheItering branches of thick growths |
overhead.
The giant dinosaur and others OF
his ilk stretched their great heads up |
ward with questioning glances, and
sent forth howls as of ten thousand
Siols at the interruptions.
The wide river-lake foamed and
churned. disclosing dark green and
black creatures, scaled and loath-
some. swimming. diving, and, even
amid all the turmoil. seeking the prey
that was powerless against their re
spective superiority in encounter.
Heavy reptiles, lizards. and ser
pents, huge alligators, progenitors all
of present-day species. snarled and
fought, confused mass of living,
moving flesh, none daring to climb
the banks, though the wide river-lake
continued TO seethe and hiss from the
war of the elemets
Lying fiat on high precipice above
this large body of water, creature
was seen-a female.
More monkey than human, her long,
matted hair partly covered her back.
face and breast, Quite upright she
walked at times as she changed her
position at the crest of the cliff oc-
casionally, however. she would sink
to all fours, for this action seemed
to afford her a certain degree of rest.
When the fury Of the storm broke,
to her back, defied the efforts of the
"upper-gods" that sought to thus sep
Arate the mother from her offspring.
She raised her hairy hand high In
the air and gave vent to howls of
rage Having arrived, however, at
the edge Of the precipice, she lay fiat,
the infant sheltered and soothed by
the warmth of her body and thick
hair.
In the flashes of the forked light
ming she peered downward at the rlv-
er-lake, and an expression of fear
came into her eyes. Closer she pressed
her body to her infant and grunted.
The lightning flashed again, and.
CHANGING to look to the right, she saw
a bead-eyed serpent approaching.
dreaded "deathers" of the forest.
sred from its lair by falling tree,
had sailed forth.
error crept into her eyes now, but
made no sound, only stared
eed-and her eye-teeth glistened in
lightning-light. The writhinl
I ng crawled closer and closer
ere was a shriek kissing. With
both hands the mother had grasped
the great snake at the neck, dodg-
ing its fangs. and hurled 1t down from
the height
There it was set upon by a huge
waterserpent that swallowed 1t whole,
and then sank to the depths of the
water to digest In comfort the large
morsel.
The mother now wiped the hairless,
weather-beaten patches of her face
with her hair hugged her offspring
close to her breast, then lay fiat again
awaiting the ceasing of the storm.
Soon night gave place to day-the
hot sun poured through the fast-dis-
appearing mist--and the creature fed
TO the forest beside the cliff There
she nursed her child. after which she
refastened it to her back by strip
of softened hide. and then, prompted
by the agony of hunger, she pursued,
overlook. and with a heavy stone
killed a young ure-ox that had been
separated from the herd.
With the aid of long, sharp piece
of flint, carried at her waist on a
strip of hide, she cut a piece of meat,
which she tore with her teeth, swal-
lowing the smaller pieces and suck
ing the nourishment from the larger.
Thence she continued on her way
to cave that was hidden behind a
growth of vegetation.
Entering, she drank some water,
using her hands as cup, after which
she threw herself ON some stiffened
skins In corner.
Soon she was asleep. and her child
one of the worlds early recipients o.
mother-love. was resting on hel
breasti
After a while, the growth at the en-
trance to the cave was parted, and a
heavy creature entered.
His face. neck and chest were GOV.
cred with hair. About his waist and
covering his thighs was a piece OF
softened hide.
In one hand he carried a massive
club, at the end of which heavy
sharp-edged piece of flint was rudely
but securely fastened. In the other
hand he held piece OF dark, blood
soaked meat.
In the dim light, to which his eyes