The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-03-23

ought to breed Z stronger love and
tolerance It more often happens that
criticism magnines their peculiarities
and exaggerates their faults. So It
was that Esther's stubborn belief that
March would return, In the face OF all
reasonable proof to the contrary grew
In the minds of the townspeople from
mania to insanity; and when an In
Innate friend told another intimate
friend that Esther Marvin had said
she sent Howard March wireless"
then 1t began to be whispered about In
confidence that an insane asylum
might not be a remote possibility.
Careful parents began to withdraw
their daughters from the school. The
attendance gradually dwindled till one
day Esther with kind Of dull despair
closed the schoolroom, and sat down
to wonder what next she could do, for
the little money which had of late been
coming In was lessening fast. She
could not understand why the school
after years OF prosperity had failed.
Not for one instant did she dream of
the real cause. Her faith in the re-
turn of the man she loved, and her be-
lief that she would yet reach him with
her own wireless was to her so true
and convincing she could not quite I'M
derstand why 1t should be utterly pre-
posterOus to others.
But what of Howard March? These
are the facts, as they afterward came
to the surface. The expedition met
with failure on the island where they
had expected to start the tea planta-
ton. They were told of better opportun-
tiles in the southern Chinese territory,
so they went there, secured some land,
and started their project. Not under
standing we'll the tea culture, again
they failed and all of the men but
Howard March decided to return. He
had picked up enough of the Chinese
language to speak it quite well, and he
wished to explore further, and to see
something of India, for he had for
years been interested in the study Of
occult things, and the dreamy atmos-
phere of the Orient had strengthened
the desire. But stronger than this was
the love of adventure. So passing
from Calcutta he one day found him.
self in Darjeeling on the borders of
the forbidden Land" Tibet, that
strange country, whose mysterious,
marvellous capital Is ruled by the
Dalai Lama" vice-regent Of Buddha
on earth, upon whose cOuntenance no
stranger may look and live.
Aovot, hnI hcov, xx,o rDo I %ho< q
not only foolish but fatal to try to
penetrate much further into Tibet but
one day he fell in with two English.
men who had been commissioned by
the British government to survey as
far as possible into the interior. March
+ stirred to enthusiasm by their project
asked to Join them, and was gladly &C
cepted.
They started out disguised as Chi
nese merchants. Two Of their prayer
wheel covers concealed surveying In
struments. which were taken out To-
use when the coast was clear; ant
hastily hidden when native appeared
Meanwhile March industriously twirle,
! his wheel, piously murmuring his devo
lions, SO that no questions would b.
| asked; for the Oriental will never In
| terrupt the prayers Of the faithful. /
Nothing but tough physical fbei
and high courage could have take
| them over the arid sands. and the Al
4 most inaccessible mountain peaks an
! gorges, but one day they arrived with
In sight Of the wonderful walled cit
Of Lhasa. Its splendid roofs and tut
j rets rose on a series of hills to q
1 enormous height, crowned by the beat
tiful palace Of the grand lama.
4 "Now," said Blake. we've see
! Lhasa, and are still alive, let US tur
back at once"
But Stirling, the younger man, an
March were for trying to go neare
a Blake firmly refused. and 1t was al
ID ranged he should walt for them at
E. point some ten miles back. He too
(e all the records Of the survey, and
|r they did not appear In two weeks, b
X. was to go on to Darjeeling, and agai
" wait.
IF The two men went on, and towar
(r night were within a few rods of tt
"a great gate surmounted by it's curiot
e cap-shaped dome. and tapering towe
p A band Of pilgrims were going in, ar
p they managed to enter with them. b
hefnext instant they were seized ar
# imprisoned. For two days they wei
Re logged in the public square. The thil
day Stirling was executed. Marc
b. knew 1t was his turn next. He WI
X turning his prayer wheel, having in Il
1T interval put up an earnest prayer
" his own tongue, when Buddhist NOR
paused, and spoke to him. He ask
k If he would like to Join the brothe
\" hood. He said he would. and that d.
was liberated, and went to live In Il
ku monastery. 1t seemed a miracle
March, but all he could even find 0
..n was that he had been "chosen."
Nv soon found 1t would be certain dea
re to try to escape. And SO the da
he heightened into years, and the yea
cd went on.
al Esther sat alone in the dreary hou
oh The day was dying, snow fakes h