The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-08-25
CHANGING BACKWARD
ey DANIEL HENRY MORRIS.

(Copyrightl
A vast stretch OF dense WOOD anu
swampland, murky rivers, streams
roughly hewn mountains and clins'
spread across the continent
Frequent storms disturbed the
strange creatures in their lairs ana
pastimes.
The mammoth, long-haired and ivory
tusked, pressed his huge body against
the side Of cliff and beneath Tue
sheltering branches of thick CROWNS
overhead.
The giant dinosaur and others OF
his ilk stretched their great heads up
ward with questioning glances' ana
sent forth howls as of ten thousand
yiols 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
penis, huge allgators, progenitors all
Of present-day species, snarled and
fought, a 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 a 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 tours, for this action seemed
to afford her certain degree Of rest.
When the fury of the storm broke,
the creature, with her babe fastened
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 bowls 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.
nlng she peered downward at the riv-
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
bead-eyed serpent approaching
She recognized it as one Of the
dreaded "deathers" of the forest
Scared from its lair by falling tree,
1t had sailed forth.
Terror crept into her eyes now, but
she made no sound only stared
stared-and her eye-teeth glistened in
the lightning-light. The writing
thing crawled closer and closer
there was shrek, 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
mere 1t was set upon by huge
water-serpent that swallowed II 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, Rugged 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 sha
refastened it to her back by strtp
OF softened hide, and then. prompted
by the agony of hunger, she pursued
overlook, and with heavy stone
killed young ure-ox that had been
separated from the herd.
With the aid of a long, sharp piece
OF hint, carried at her waist on a
strip of hide, she cut piece Of meat
which she tore with her teeth. swaI.
lowing the smaller pieces and suck.
Ing the nourishment from the laraer
Thence she continued on her wav
to cave that was hidden babind +.
growth of vegetation.
Entering, she drank some wster
using her hands as cup, after which
she threw herself on some stifan,d
skins In corner.
Soon she was asleep, and her cl,,d
one of the worlds early recipients ~
mother-love, was resting on nor
breast!
After while, the growth at the an.
trance to the cave was parted. and .
heavy creature entered.
His face, neck and chest were ,or
cred with hair, About his waist and
covering his thighs was a piece .,
softened hide. -
In one hand he carried g massive
club, at the end o; which a heor,,
sharpedged piece Of flint was r,daiv
! hut secmralr fastnnoA y "