Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1915-06-05
DID THE IDOL SAVE TOMMY?

Tommie'S Uncle jim mad Deen
sea captain, and had brought home
many curious things. When Tommle
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 1t 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 1t
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
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
IL it led In back of the chimney or
whether it might not be secret stair
way.
There was haircloth sofa on the
opposite side of the room, and some
times when the minister called, Tom
ME went in the parlor with his grand
mother and sat upon it. Then he
would look 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 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.
1t 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 it. 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 at him. He did move, Tom
mic was sure he did. Yes, he was
standing up and reckoning to Tom
mie. Tommie went over to the man
tel.
Take me down." said the idol.
Il 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"
IF you are coming down, anyway"
said Tommie, "Tll 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 l 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.
EYES," answered Tommie, "but they
are locked"
"Oh, l 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. 1t was very dark inside,
but the idol told Tommie to place him
on his shoulder and walk along. They
came to fight of steps, which
seemed to go under the ground, and
Tommie stopped.
go on" said the IDOL you have
not entered the cave yet" So Tom
ME 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 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
q 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.