The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-04-17

night?
The chill reused her finally and she
swung her arms to renew the circula-
ton Near by she saw tree, IN the
crotch of which reposed platform,
and upon this platform sat a SHRINE
A few withered flowers hung about
the gross neck of the idol, and With
cred flowers lay scattered at the base
of the tree. There was also bundle
of dry rushes which some devotee hac
forgotten. At least, yonder platform
would afford safety through the night
So, with the last bit Of strength at her
command, she gathered up the ruShes
and climbed to the platform, arrang
ing her bed behind the idol. She Gov
cred her shoulders with the PUSHES
and drew her knees up to her chin.
She had forgotten her father, Bruce,
the happy days in far country; she
had but a single thought, to sleep,
What the want of sleep could not per
form exhaustion could, and presently
she lay still.
Thus she neither saw nor heard the
pious pilgrims who were on their way
| to Alfalfa to pray in that temple
known to offer protection against
wild beasts. Fortunately, they did not
observe her
The pilgrim is always pilgrim in
India; it becomes, one might say, a
fascinating kind of sport. To most
Of them, short pilgrimages are as tame
as rabbits would be to the hunter of
lions They will walk from Bombay
to Benares, from Madras to Lhassa,
begging and Dragging all the way.
Eventually they become semi-holy,
distinguished citizens in clutter of
mud huts
They deposited some corn and fruit
at the foot of the tree and departed,
leaving Kathlyn in peace. But later,
when the moon poured it's white, cold
radiance over her face it awakened
her, and it took her some time to
realize where she was
Below, belly deep in the river
stood several water buffaloes, their
sweeping horns glistening like ole
ivory in the moonshine. Presently Q
leopard stole down to the brink anG
Tapped the water greedily, from time
to time throwing a hasty, apprehen
sive glance over his sleek shoulders
The buffaloes never stirred; where
they were it was safe. Across the
river a bulky shadow moved in 'tht
light, and fat, brown bear took hi;
1.-THE of the water, The leopard
snarled and SUNK off, The bea
! washed his face, possibly sticky will
purloined wild honey, and betool
himself back to his lair.
Kathlyn suddenly became aware o
the fact that she was spectator of ;
scene such as few human beings ar
permitted to see; truce water wher
! 1.-THE wild beasts do not kill each other
. She grew so interested that she forgo
: her own plight The tree stood only
g few feet from the water, SO she SAY
n everything distinctly.
i Later, when his majesty the tige
4 made his appearance dramatically, tn
h buffalo simply moved closer togethe
Q presenting formidable frontage {
O horns.
Never had Kathlyn seen such a
! enormous beast. From his great pat
ded paws to his sloping shoulders b
stood easily four feet in height, an
his stripes were almost as broad 8
|
he buffalo speculatively some otht
lime. Then he, too sat on his haunch'
and washed his face, but with l
finite gracefulness, 1t occurred
the watcher that, familiar as she W;
with the habits of wild beasts, new
had she witnessed tiger or a lie
enact this domestic scene. Either thu
were always pacing their cages, ga
\ ing far over the heads of those wi
watched them, or they slept. Ev'
when they finished a meal of ra
meat they merely licked their chop
there was no toilet.
Here, however, was an elabora
toilet The great cat licked his paw
drew them across his face; tn
licked his beautiful sides, purring;
the night was so still and the bes
was so near that she could see h
quite plainly. He stretched himse
took another drink, and trotted of
the jungle.
Then came herd Of elephants,
each species seemed to have an
pointed time. The buffalo emery
gh and filed away into the dark. The {
plants plunged into the water, sque
ln- ing. making sport, squirting wa
eld over their backs and rolling. head
OF der; and they buffeted one anotl
amiably, and there was a baby v
yer seemed to get in everybodys way {
the grownups treated him shabb
in BY and by they. too. trooped off. III
ain came wild pigs, and furtive antelc
one and foolish, chattering apes.
at At last the truce water became
ain serted and Kathlyn lay down ag'
'ith only to be surprised by huge
in who stuck his head up over the e
niy NJ the nlatform The surprisa