The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-03-07
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HOttcntOt
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by JEROME O. BEATTY


hands. 1t was nearly three o'clock In
the morning. ! was dealing to
O'Grady, who sat facing the windows.
81 never knew an IrIshman In my
life who wouldn't try to lick every
thing, even the worst animal that de-
lrlum tremens ever"
O'Grady stopped short.
| looked up.
He was staring at the window be-
hind me, and slowly and carefully he
began to pull out the drawer in the
table In front of him. We kept our
revolvers In that drawer.
stopped dealing.
Keep on. Don't move" he COM
manded softly.
The rain seemed to have stopped.
found later that | dealt all the cards
In the middle Of the table. Behind
me, through the open window. ! heard
the clang Of chains and a sort OF
scraping on the brick wall. There was
no fire-escape there and the ground
was four stories below. l thought !
heard low growl.
The next instant brown human
skull fell on the table before me, rolled
over and stopped, staring with empty
eyes at my throat.
O'Grady fired nsst my head. I turn
ed quickly. and out Of the window
where 1t had crouched l saw a big,
dripping. hideous, one-armed hairy
figure, from whose breast long horn
protruded
And II had no head
We rushed to the window, O'Grady
first, carrying the revolver. The huge
beast was several feet below our win
dow, hanging to the water-pipe, its
feet on q brick cap over the window
below ours. Chains hung from its
body, and by the light from the street
we could see that It's long hair was
matted with mud.
Mortified, we watched the thing
struggle a moment to get firm foot
Ing and tc hold with one arm, which, I
noticed low, was attached to its
side instead OF its shoulder.
Then In mufiled growl, the head
less giant spoke
Cant you give guy a lift?" 1t
said.
We couldn't tell where the voice
came from.
"What are your" asked In astonlsh-
ment.
'sTalk up or I'll shoot again.
OGrady commanded.
''I'm the Headess Hottentot of the
Himalayas-the Blood Sweating Kiosk
Of the Holy Writ, and my name Is Bill
Klank. You missed me the first time,
but please don't shoot again. All
want is somebody to undo me and let
me get at the pie-eyed rat that got
me into this"
"Who? Us?" asked the ever-cau-
tious O'Grady.
mo" grunted the Headess Hotten-
tot, and with remarkable agility, con-
sidering that he had only one arm, he
began to crawl up the water-pipe.
We helped the wet, muddy giant
into the room. On his instructions we
unlocked him down the back, and Bill
Klank--a whole man-strlpped off his
skin and sank into chair. His head
and one of his arms had been inside
the padded covering, which was so de
vised as to make the top of his head
level with the shoulders of the head
Tess animal he represented. To see
no had been forced to look out two
Sits In the chest of the skin.
The porter was called from the bar
cigars were put at the side o ( he
Blood Sweating Kiosk, and he told us
this story:
~ was a high-wire man, doubling ir
a trnneze net with the Bingley Broth
ers' circus until a month ago, when
met that heather. sneaking yeggmar
that"
"I'ave another drink" interrupted
the diplomatic O'Grady.
The Kiosk swallowed the liquid witt
q toss of his head. and continued:
''Tom Hanks was ballyhoo man a
the side-show. He framed up thu
scheme where we were to have 81
much money that the price Of motor
car would be small change. The onl.
thing about this plan that makes mt
hesitate Tom says to me. is tina
somebody might murder us so as T.
steal our act We took the chance
rather I did. Tom, the yeilow-heart
ed. cheese-brained--
Thanks. This Is good liquor.
1.-The plan was to make Heades
Hottentot. and take him round tn
Rube route-country fairs. you know
/ was to be the Hottentot, and Ton
was to ballyhoo. We bought us al
old Hons cage from the circus an,
got us q lot of chains. and made tina
suit. It's great suit" he said proud
ly; made II out Of mule-skin an,
horse-hair and cows horn. wouldn'
take hundred dollars for 1t.
hooks up so good you can look al
over me when It's on and not find hoy
got into It.
ave got banner painted. | fun
nished the money. Gee, If there eve
was goat, | was 1t, and all becaus
that long nosed son of an orang-
Much obliged. This is better lquo