The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1918-07-04
IN THE DESERT
OF THE PALMS
nv owen ?. Dabneyl

far away into the future.
He saw before him what appeared 10
he once the British Isles, now Joined
10 high ana beautiful plateaus. settled
bv highly cultured, happy and prosper
Gus people. Their cities had grown to
great magnitude and all within were
serenity and beautiful
Then he looked out on great desert
by which they were nearly surrounded
He saw the wonderful everchanging
sand dunes. the cactus and the wild
palms. such as could be seen nowhere
else in the world
He heard the winds breaking through
the palm branches and saw the drift
ing sand. sometimes almost covering
the ghlla monsters and the great spot
ted rattlers as they seemed to be gath
ering their forces for battle. He heard
a moaning which seem to have eman-
ated from the wilderness. Then he
was aroused by hoarse voice that
seemed almost foreign to human be-
ings. Surely, he thought, voice cry
ING in the wilderness. He listened and
he recognized its utterances and look
ing out of the little window of his
palm leaf cottage he saw strange
| figure. 1t lOoke1 like great monster
in the shape of a man standing before
him.
Its eyes were sad with retributive
tears and its seemingly objectionable
cOntenance marked the entire figure.
"Ach kamerad - said the voice.
You were once my subject, but now
my soul longeth for someone to be my
kamerad.
The call of the desert hath brought
me here. For ten thousand years
have been wandering over the earth in
search of rest and peace for my troub-
led soul. | came from far Oft coun-
/ try.
saw Atilla and Nero, but where
they We're could not enter. When
crossed the desert begged of the
ghila monsters and the rattlers to take
me in, but they Kissed and spat upon
4 me.
The hermit looked at the demented
| figure. He saw every muscle in its
being twitching and every expression
was not only that of fallen monarch,
but fallen man. Not ray of hope
reflected on its sad countenance.
| With a weird look upon its face the
| figure gazed upon the barren scene and
with one arm striking on its breasts
its withered soul seemed to try to
breathe in the silence and serenity of
| the wilderness.
Again it spoke in tones more pathet.
ic, Once" it said, and waving its
arm out over the great eXpanse, That
was once a great ocean and many ships
sailed through its forceful waters, car
rying people to and from all parts of
the world, but my actions and com.
mands have made it the great ceme-
terry of the world.
As the figure solemnly spoke he
looked with lamentable eyes out over
the great desert where before him
arose simultaneously ly unnumbered mon.
umental figures both large and small.
A look Of surprising horror crept
over its face as it beheld the myriads
of white sepulchral emblems of the
innocent dead. With its face assum
ing that of monstrosity it began as
to release, if possible, at least a part
Of its great burden. Il was once a
great monarch of great and prosper
Gus nation. Many of my subjects
travelled to and settled in distant lands
and became the inhabitants thereof
without moestations. They, too
were successful and grew prosperous
and happy, always submitting to the
laws of the country in which they
lived. Our factories at home were al.
ways busy, giving work to my people
and our manufactured products were
shipped through peaceful waters to
every port of the world
A lamentable cry rang out through
the palm branches, and still more la
mentable were the echoes heard from
afar out on the desert. Then for a
moment the white figure stood silent
like a marble statue. In grievous
voice it proceeded:
81 grew ambitious, and wanted to
rule the world, that the sun should
shine only on my possessions. | called
on the great Jehovah for assistance,
but got no response. But making my
people believe that God Of Mercy
was with them, | proceeded alone.
Then | called forth my underlings
and sent them INTO every country as
spies. Maps, charts were secured,
giving in minutest detail information
desired BY misrepresentation, men
were made to rise against the govern
ment that gave them protection. My
paid minlons were instructed to 90
throughout the land leaving wake of
destruction, to fbring affection to man
and beast. In thousand ways my
hirelings contrived to do my nefarious
bidding.
Pausing for moment the uncouth
figure stood silent, trying, it appeared,
to collect its weird thoughts. And
then it continued
Il called together the mechanics, the
chemists, the philosophers, and as.
signed them tasks. They manufac.
tured poison gas and theories and doc
trines perverted to my purposes.
u was preparing for world con.
Quest, and men and boys we're ordered
to train to do battle The solemnity
of the situation was impressed or
mothers, urged as a sacred duty to
their fatherland to rear and train their
lads to be soldiers. Thus the thought
of my people were absorbed by the
military spirit. The process was car.
red along, and every national move.
ment was nodded by my ambition.
Science and philosophy were stimu-
lated, but for the sole purpose of ulti.
mate destruction of life and property,
intimldations, rapine Lands that once
flowed with milk and honey were due
to become drear wastes.
With dropping head the figure agair
brooded in silence, while from out the
desert solitude came the wailing Of
grief stricken mothers, and of children
and sons and husbands slain in ruth.
less war
The Hermit had heard the story OF
his strange guest He reused himself
and cried
You call me Kamaerad Now
harken. | was once your obedent ser.
want. loved you and your people anc
had faith in your fidelity and integrity
and was willing to do your bidding
Yuo called me to your castle, for what