St. Tammany farmer., 1914-10-10
Continued from page u
The Adventures Of Kathlyn
By Harold MacGrath
Continued from page u
By Harold MacGrath

where natives were coming ana goine
| with water in goatskins and Jars and
copper vessels. he fell upon his face.
rose to his knees, and poured hand.
fuls Of dust upon his head.
IA, all" he called. TT 10 almost
done, my children. The first sign has
come from the gods. I have brought
you In human form the ancient priest.
ess!" And he really believed he had.
20, my children, my little ones, my
hdsi have brought her who will now
attend to the sacred fires, for these
alone will restore the city as Of old,
the fat corn, the plenitude OF fruit.
Since the coming Of the lion two rains
ago the leopard and the striped one
have forsaken their lairs. One bullock
month IL better than fire, together
with the kids and the children. All"
More dust.
Naturally the villagers set down
their water skins and jars and copper
vessels and focked about this excep-
tional holy man. They wanted to
believe him, but for years nothing had
happened but the advent Of the lion.
whence no one exactly knew. though
the holy man had not been backward
In claiming It was due to his nearness
to the god vishnu.
They followed him eagerly to the
temple. What they beheld transflxed
them. A woman with skin like the
petals Of the lotus and hair like corn
sat In the sacred sarcophagus and
braided her hair, gazing the while to-
ward the bright sun.
The intake Of many breaths pro
duced a sound. Kathlyn turned IN
stantly toward this sound, for mo-
ment expecting the return Of the Non.
Immediately holy man and villagers
threw themselves upon the ground,
striking their foreheads against the
damp clay. The allen spirit still ruled
the substance; Kathlyn eyed them in
mild astonishment. not at all alarmed.
"Ai!" shrilled the holy man. spring
Ing to his feet. "Ai! She IL our an
cient priestess. rising from her tomb
Of centuries! Al, ail o. thou unholy
children. to doubt my word! Behold
Henceforth she shall share the tenn
pie with the lion. and later she win
give 10 prosperity. and my name shall
ever be In your hcnseholds."
Having secured q priestess. he was
now determined that he should not
lose her. The future was roseate In
deed, and when he took his next pill
grimage to holy Benares they would
bestrew his pathway with lotus how-
ers.
Wood to start the sacred dresl" he
commanded.
The villagers hsw to obey his OF.
ders. He was indeed . holy man. Not
In the memory Of the oldest had .
miracle such as TIM happened. Upon
their return with wood and embers
the holy man built the flre, handing
q lighted torch to Kathlyn and signify
ing for her to touch the tinder. The
spirit In Kathlyn told her that these
people meant her no immediate harm,
30 she stepped out Of the sarcophagus
and applied the torch. The moment
the flames began % crackle the vii
layers prostrated themselves agaip.
md the holy man besmeared his bony
chest with moro ashes.
A. second holy man appeared upon
the scene. wanting In breath. His jaw
dropped and his eyes started to leave
their sockets. Knowing his ilk SO
we'll. he flung himself
down before tho braxier and beat his
forehead upon the ground; not in any
shastened spirit, but because he had
overslept that morning. This glory
might have been his! Al. all
Later the two conferred. During |
.he day they should guard the priest
'ss. because. having taken human
'orm. she might some day tire Of this |
particular temple. At night she would |
70 well guarded by the lion.
Several awe-stricken women came |
onward with bowls Of cooked rice and
ruits and . new copper drinking YES
el. These they reverently placed at |
kathlyn's feet.
Gradually the spirit which had com.
orted Kathlyn withdrew. and at
ength Kathlyn became keenly alive.
t entered her mind clearly that these
'oor. foolish people really believed