Williams news., 1915-05-13
DID THE IDOL SAVE TOMMY?
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| Tommie's Uncle Jim had been a sea captain, and had brought home many curious things. When Tommie went to visit his grandmother he al ways looked at them with great inter- est. In the old-fashioned parlor there was a high mantel, and on it were queer-looking shells and a whales tooth Tommie often thought he would not want a whale to bite him. I What interested Tommie most, how ever, was a queer-looking Chinese idol, with pudgy looking eyes and distorted features. Tommie used to look at 1t and wonder if the people where 1t came from looked like that.
 On either side of the fireplace were long, narrow doors, and Tommie had longed to see the inside, but he never did. Once when he was alone in the parlor he tried to open one of the doors, but he could not. He wondered if it led in back of the chimney or whether 1t might not be a secret stair way.
 There was haircloth sofa on the opposite side of the room, and some l times WQ0u Iu0 I1lulSIcI CdilSu, mic went in the parlor with his grand mother and sat upon it. Then he would look at the idol, and sometimes 1t looked to Tommie as though it winked at him, and once Tommie laughed out, for he was sure the idol made a face at the minister.
 Then there were portraits of his great-grandfather and great-grand- mother, and when he went in the par Tor alone their eyes followed him about as though they were watching to see he did not get into mischief.
 One warm afternoon he was wan dering about the house, and opened the parlor door.
 It seemed so nice and cool, he went in. He walked around the room, and when he came in front of the mantel he looked at his funny friend and laughed. Then Tommie tried one of the little doors again, but he could I not open it. He saw an album and took 1t to the sofa and opened 1t. How funny the pictures looked! There was one that looked like his father, but he was sure his father never wore such queer-looking clothes.
 Tommie crawled up in the corner of the sofa and looked across at the idol. He seemed to be gripning and winking at him. He did move, Tom mic was sure he did. Yes, he was standing up and beckoning to Tom mic. Tommie went over to the man. tel.
 "Take me down." said the idol.
 q daren't," said Tommie. Grand mother told me not to handle things on the mantel"
 Well, I'll climb down, then, only you are so much larger than l am you could save me lot of trouble
 eff you are coming down, anyway" said Tommie, "rll help you" So he stood up in chair and took him down.
 My, but you are small!" said Tom mic, looking down at him.
 "Once I was big" said the idol, "but an old witch changed me into this little shape. Do you want to see what is on the other side of these doors? ?'' he asked.
 "Yes," answered Tommie, "but they are locked"
 "Oh, I can open them,' said the idol. You hold me up to the key hole"
 Tommie did as he told him, and the
 idol tapped on one of the doors, and it opened It was very dark inside, but the idol told Tommie to place him on his shoulder and walk along. They came to a flight of steps, which seemed to go under the ground, and Tommie stopped.
 GO on," said tke idol; "you have not entered the cave yet" So Tom
 mic did as he told him. At the bot | tom of the steps he stopped again | for he could see in the distance 8 II number of men sitting around a table
 but the idol urged him on. As they
 came nearer to the men, Tommie saw Il they were looking at jewels anC II seemed to be counting money, ant Il they all had pistols and knives 1T Il their belts.
 Il Tommie became SO interested il II what he saw on the table that h. Il quite forgot to be afraid, and soon h' Il was standing beside them. They al Il jumped up and pointed their pistols Il at him.
 II "Who are you and what do vol Il want?' they demanded. Il Tommie was so frightened he coul, Il not tell them, and looked around t Il the idol for help, but to his surpris
 the idol waE not there. Il Where did you come from?" aske II a very large man, who seemed to b the leader. Tommie told him hi grandmother lived in the house whic Il was over them, and that he wake II down from there.
 II do shoot mo v ha Said