The Ordway new era., 1915-04-23
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sea captain. and had brought home
many curious things. When Tommie
went to visit his grandmother he al.
ways looked ut them with great inter
est. In the old.fashioned parlor there
was . high mantel. and on II were
Queer-looking shells and whales
tooth. Tommie often thought he would
not want a whale to bite him.
What interested Tommie most, how
ever, was queer-looking Chinese idol,
with pudgy looking eyes and distorted
features. Tommie used to look at It
and wonder II the people where It
came from looked like that.
On either side OF the fireplace were
long. narrow doors. and Tommie had
ionged 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
II It led in back of the chimney or
whether It might not be secret stair
way.
There was q haircloth sofa on the
opposite side of the room. and some
times when the minister called. Tom.
mie went In the parlor with his grand
mother a1d sat upon It. Then he
would lo1k at the idol. and sometimes
It looked to Tommie as though It
winked at him. and once Tommie
laughed out. for he was sure the idol
made face At the minister.
Then there were portraits OF his
great-grandfather and great-grand-
mother, and when he went in the par
lor alone their eyes followed him
! about a. 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.
II 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
not open Il. He saw an album and
took It to the sofa and opened It.
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 grinning and
winking Ut him. He did move, Tom
| mie was sure he did. Yes. he was
standing up and beckoning to Tom
mile. Tommie went over to the man
tel. M s.lE
Take me down. said the idol.
II daren't." said Tommie. Grand
mother told me not to handle things
on the mantel"
"well, IN climb down. then. only
you are so much larger than am
you could save me lot Of trouble"
'If you are coming down, anyway"
said Tommie. I'll help you" So he
stood up In 4 chair and took him
down.
my. but you are small.- said Tom
mile. looking down at him.
..Once was big" said the idol. but
an old witch changed me into this
little shape. no you want to see what
| fs on the other side of these doors?"
he asked.
"Yes." answered Tommie. ''but they
are locked"
'oh. 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
1t opened. 1t was very dark inside.
but the idol told Tommie to place him
on his shoulder and walk along. They
came to . flight of steps, which
seemed to go unde- the ground. and
Tommie stopped
Go on said tie idol: you have
not entered the cave yet" So Tom
mie did as he told him. At the bot
tom of the steps he stopped again,
for. he could see in the distance a
number OF men sitting around q table,
but the idol urged him on. As they
| came nearer to the men. Tommie saw
they were looking at jewels and
seemed to be counting money. and
they all had pistols and knives In
their belts.
Tommie became so interested In
what he saw on the table that he
quite forgot to be afraid. and soon he
was standing beside them. They all
jumped up and pointed their pistols
at him.
WHO are you and what do you
want? they demanded.
Tommie was SO frightened he could
not tell them, and looked around to
the idol for help, but to his surprise
the idol was not there
Where did you come from?" asked
a very large man, who seemed to be
the leader. Tommie told him his
grandmother lived in the house which
was over them. and that he walked
down from there.
please do not shoot me- he said:
the Idol told me to come or should
not have intruded"
Who Is the idol," asked the man.
They all laughed when Tommie told