The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-04-10

was Brahmin; the caste string hung
| about his neck; he was indeed holy,
he who could have dwelt on the fat Of
the land, in maharajahs' courts The
least that can be said is that he per-
formed his duties scrupulously
So, then, the red rim of the March
| sun shouldered up above the rolling
jungle as he came into the beaten
! clay court which fronted the temple.
| The lion stalked only at night, rarely
appearing in the daytime. Once a
month he was given bullock, for he
kept tiger and leopard away, and the
villagers dwelt in peace. The lion had
escaped from Alfalfa, where the spe-
cies were kept as an additional sport
Since he had taken up his abode in
the temple there had been fewer
thefts from the cattle sheds
The holy man was about to assume
his squatting posture in the center OF
the court, as usual, when from out OF
the sarcophagus rose languidly a
| form, shrouded in white. The form
stretched its lovely arms, white as
alabaster, and presently the hands
rubbed pair of sleepy eyes. Then
the form sat down within the sarco
phagus, laid it's arms on the rim and
YEARLY hid it's face in them
The watcher was the most dunn
founded holy man in all India Fol
the first time in his hypocritical life
he found faith in himself, in his
puerile rites. He had conjured VI
yonder spirit, unaided alone. He
rose, turned, and never a holy man
ran faster. When he arrived, painting
and voiceless, at the village we'll
where natives were coming and going
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
al, ali" he called 1T is almost
done, my children. The first sign has
come from the gods | have brought
you in human form the ancient priest
ess!" And he really believed he had
20, my children, my little ones, my
kids 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
a month is 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 flocked about this excep.
tlonal 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 transfixed
| 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 sound. Kathlyn turned in
stantly toward this sound, for mo-
ment expecting the return of the lion
Immediately holy man and villagers
threw themselves upon the ground
striking their foreheads against the
damp clay. The alien spirit still ruled
the substance; Kathlyn eyed them in
mild establishment, not at all alarmed
Al! shrilled the holy man, spring.
ing to his feet. al! She is our an.
cient priestess, rising from her tomb
OF centuries. All, al! o, thou unholy
children. to doubt my word! Behold!
Henceforth she shall share the tenn
pie with the lion, and later she will
give us prosperity, and my name shall
ever be in your households"
Having secured a 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 flow
ers
| Wood to start the sacred fires!" he
commanded.
The villagers flew to obey his or
ders. He was indeed holy man Not
in the memory of the oldest had a
miracle such as this happened. Upon
their return with wood and embers
the holy man built the fire, handing
a lighted torch to Kathlyn and signify
ing for her to touch the finder The
spirit in Kathlyn told her that these