The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-11-18

~~ASS
was characterized BY . more gratify
ing element Of respect. They swarmed
out Of the bush not in paltry dozens
nor scores. but in their panoplied hun,
dreds. G~orgeously decked chiefs and
the club-bearing warriors smeared
with indigo halted in the open, Ieav.
ing a satisfying interval between tLcdr
position and mine.
With great and conspicuous show OF
peace, the warriors discarded their
spears and shields aud raised their
~weaponless hands TO- me to behold
Us I looked down from my high place.
Their white haired king broke q
spear, gazing up at me the while. then
dropping the pieces, knelt aud bowed
his slanting forehead TO the sands.
At his back bent the priests, trail.
ing their bright feathers in he dust.
No one could misunderstood their
pantomime. Men of their tribe had
offended the deities. A nation had
come in humility and supplication for
forgiveness.
While they made obeisance in re-
lays. a group of young men approach.
ed the priests, bearing ar1nfuls Of or.
chids. The king a. priests and or
child bearers moved forward for a few
steps and halted, gazing up !uQuiring-
~ ut me. This performaa = va: ;cv.
c.nl times repeated before under
stood that they were seeking my con.
sent to approach nearer.
Then I bowed and pointed Inward
A rigorous order of precedence was
observed, the aged king keeping his
pace at thir head and b., followers
t:.eir positions of relative rank.
The weight Of his years made the
royal steps so slow that the colo1fu]
pageant crept like an arm:' Of snails.
Often It halted and fel. to it's knees.
awaiting my renewed pc emission to
advance.
Meantime, from the Threats Of the
masses rose a weird and cultural
chant.
Suddenly it dawned upon me that
II I were to be a god receiving a del
egation of mortals l should receive it
in some suitable degree of state. They
were sending to me the mightiest men
Of their village. The ksnky head of
their king vas abased. Aged Merlins
were coming on their marrowbones,
resplendently trailing their feathered
hnery along the white and 1aring
sands.
I stood awaiting them at the ravel-
cd, mud-smeA;eI EATERS of what had
once been a suit Of most unostenta-
tious pajamas. The thing seemed un-
At.
Evidently these folk Inclined to the
splendor Of pomp. J~effersonian SIM
plicity would be lost on them. Their
pageant should be met with pageant
~. There had been some who had
doubted and denied me. OF a sure
ty, if I were to play this nabob from
the skies, if I were to turn the averted
tragedy into a screaming farce, it was
my duty to dress the part.
With a signal of raised hands I sig.
nified that they were to await my re-
appearance. Then l bowed with pro-
found dignity, and, stepping from
their view, disappeared. A few min
utes later I emerged from my cave a
transformed being.
I was no longer the derelict Of rags
and tatters. Mine was the opulert
splendor of a high mandarin of China
About my fever-wasted frame fell and
tapped the gorgeous folds of the EN-
broidered kimono. In my hands I car
ried a violin and bow.
It was true I was unshaven, and
through holes in my canvas shoes
protruded eight or ten toes; but what
mortal can assume to criticlse such
eccentricities as may be the part of
godhood?
When l took my stand once more
on my pedestal Of mountain I found
them still patiently awaiting my nod
The u fell resplendently on my sill
yer storks and gold dragons and silk
peoples. The %lessening land breeze
fluttered the embroidery crusted folds
and set up a thousand reflections. l
listened with satisfaction to the in
coherent sound that went up from
many throats-a chorused gasp of
profound awe and admiration and
wonderment.
I signaled my immortal readiness to
receive them.
AS the righteousness of the farce
broke over me I had to bite back un-
solumn roars of laughter. A spirit of
deviltry and vaudeville possessed me.
As their high priests in deadly earn
est marched on all tours with faces
as rapt and fanatically sober rs those
of Mecca pilgrims, l drew the bow
across the catgut and, lifting my
voice, proclaimed myself in ragtime.
I informed them in words which
were new only to them and solemn
only to them that I had rings on my
fingers and bells on my toes, and az I
sung they became hushed with awe
and approached with a deeply moved