The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 9, 1898, Page 26

26 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, DAY, JANUARY 9, 1898. [Synopsis hy and chiefs wer fight a_duel This duel t goon, and CHAPTER Merrily crackled tt The flames ! XI burning war | ted the faces | who squatted a huge semi- duel between great war chi would dete right to ta ie's life or to carry | im off as a slave. Binnie, bound hand and foot, but placed In a sitting posi- tion, was in the midc of the semi- circle. There he w e the duel. | The lights of the C; told him how near his fr e, but he knew that they wer S8 to help | him. Above him towered the tall form of a dusky wz e stone battle-ax would go | crashing through brain at | any attempt to rescue him. For the first time the crew of the | California was helpl The beach | was lined with sava sentinels and landing was out of the question. | nie’s father loc Harry Ostenc crew burned to side among the “Ha! Ostend suddenly His quick ear had detected the sound | of something droppi ¥ over the | port side of the His quick | glance swept the ve om stem to | stern. | ‘Where s Kemona the Australian?” he asked. Then he saw the truth. The black man had quietly departed for the shore to risk his life to save Binnfe “Brave man!” said Binnle's father. “He shall fare well for this if he es- capes the sav 4 Kemona was bright. He saw a huge tree trunk drifting toward the shore and he hid himself among the branch- es and drifted with it. No savage on the shore suspected that the tree car- ried a man stronger, braver, more ac- tive, keener and more tireless than any of them. The tree reached the beach and Kemona remained motionless for hours in the branches, waiting for a chance to safely land. And now a perfect babel of nolses ! arose on the beach. The appearance | of the rival chiefs, each armed w a great war club and stone ax, was the signal for all the warriors to scream and to rattle their spears upon | rough shields. Many of the savages | were followers of Ghoor-Ghee-Tee, the ‘ chief of the skull hunters, but more were friendly to Mah-Coh-Gaa. They separated into two parties, each deter- mined to see fair play. Then forward came the bent and shriveled witch doctors and rattled upon a drum cov- | ered with serpent skin, and then (hei duel began. | Mah-Coh-Gaa was the tallest of the | chiefs. As he swung his club it was | met by the swinging weapon of Ghoor- | Ghee-Tee. It was like the crashing of great forest trees when the hur. ricane whirls them madly together, The blow that would have cracked Ghoor-Gee-Tee’'s skull was turned deftly aside and Ghoor-Gee-Tee be- beasts they were also as quick, and the rapid play and continued crashing to- gether of the weapons was something wonderful. Binnie, in spite of his | perilous situation, could not help being | interested. The chiefs fought back | and forth through the inclosure on the | beach, and often the wind of their war | clubs fanned the faces of the savages, who shouted approval at the use of the | clubs. Suddenly Ghoor-Gee-Tee dropped his ed o 1 fro | aloft. Around it whirled with lightning | raised his deadly ax. | up and gazed firmly at the chief. demanded | ! | beach under cover of the deck gu | way the savages had gone. fe: h | With the savage and ALIFORNIA. came the assaflant. Strong as wild club and nimbly ran toward the mid- | dle of the semicircle. 'Was he run- ning away’ His followers knew bet- ter than that. Close behind him came Mah-Coh-Gaa. But Ghoor-Ghee-Tee was the quicker. He had his battle- ax and had escaped before Mah-Coh- Gaa’s club cou 1 reach him. Then he turned like a tiger, with his ax held speed and when it fell Mah-Coh-Gaa | went down before it and lay stretched | 1 the sand, motionless. And now the howling savages gave | Binnie over to the skull-hunter to be | his. Above the boy's head the chief | Binnle looked | The | ax did not fall. The chief gave some | order and his followers hurried Binnie | away from the beach toward the for- est. The chief followed. Not an hour | later Bennie was being led a captive | in a long midnight march through the wilderness on a journey which would take him to the far-off fastness of the | skull-hunters. Ghoor-Ghee-Tee knew | that he would not be safe near the white men. Behind Ghoor-Ghee-Tee's band followed a dusky footfalls were swift and no! was Kemona, the Australian. while he lived, would he lose Binnie. Allnight long the crew of the > savages in the s they about F Harry Ostend decided not to ls til daylight. rly dawn three boat- 7 to the | ns of | the yacht. They pushed cautiously in- to the woods, only to find them d. Califor- | were rt- The savages had fought all they ed to and had stolen silently | away. Where was Binnie? This was the mystery which Harry Ostend must solve. Under a great plantain Mr. Ostend found a poor frightened savage, whose hands and feet were tightly bound. When he was released he fell to the ground. “Carry the savage to the yacht,” commanded Mr. Ostend. “He s too weak to stand. Feed him well and treat him kindly and perhaps we will learn something from him that we wish to know.” Throughout the forest there was nothing to show Harry Ostend which They had broken no twigs and the rich moss un- der the trees bore no t. All day Mr. Os: ain. John sign of passing end studied in Latour, on the yacht, talked learned much. The savage was a chief in one of the small villages that had been ruled over by Mah-Coh-Gaa. He had been taken | prisoner Ghoor-Gee-Tee, the skull-hunter, with several other say- ages. When Ghoor-Ghee-Tee made his hurried escape with Binnie, he also carried other captives savages. This, | so the savage on the yacht told Latour, | was bad faith and would lead to war | between the tribes. | “Will you guide us to the land of the | kull-hunters? “Yes,” answered the savage; vengeance.” “And where is 1t7* “Along the banks of River and in the mount “To-morrow, then,” tend, when he heard this fr, Latour, “we will enter the Mamor | River and carry the war into the coun- g s “for | the Marwise ains, said Harry Os. try of the skull-hunters, for in that way alone have we the chance to rescue Binnie.” D. H. W, (To be continued.) TWO0 BOYS WHO HAD BIG HEARTS, A TRUE STORY. He was 12 years old, small for that age. cause he was tired but he was ve; Perhaps it was b?-' all the while, and bunches for a quarter, wholesal said—and sold them again. | very successful at it, 80 tired most of the time, and he hadn’'t the heart to protes him they did not w | they did not shut the door little face. m ing that she was almost unable to care | when he wanted them. Billie bought matches—*“thirty . he He wasn't | because he was | when people told 1t any, even where n his poor | But since his father died and his other had grown so frail from mourn- @2 e | and here's a doughnut.” But his mother ought to know, and | the matches evenly and started from she said Billie was 12. | house to house. | his matches and then began on his. | Once when he pushed in an electric bell | his thumb | door. { his finger that they gave him 10 cenis his face was so pale and pinched that | this bag from around ma’s mincemeat, one would doubt his age. They divided Billie's friend sold ail 8ot caught and he couldn’t get it out, and the bell rang so wildly that the whole family rushed to the And then they felt so sorry for and would not take the matches. Three o'clock in the afternoon. “We've sold every durn match,” Billie’s | | friend said triumphantly. Then took out the money and counted he The for the little baby s begin to do the f Billie had had to h bits of washing D. Oftentime as he went toward home with his feet aching and his little legs quite stiff from the long Ik from house to house, he paused to watch the boys in their rough and tumble play and wondered why they liked to run and rom He felt a little bit im- patient when four or five chased glee- after the ball. One felt so com- fortable sitting still or even standing on one foot. His unsatisfied child heart was getting dwarfed. He started 'S 8Ca ely wide open. e had only sold 10 cents’ | worth the day before, and that only helped them to a little bread and very little meat. He had had a little of the remainder of the loaf for break- | fast, and he felt cold and pinched, and, child though he w his heart ached when he knew the mot would have nothing to eat until he came ho And he felt so discouraged. did not want matches, and they did not want boys around. But what was he to do? “Hello, Bill,” some one said, coming up behind him. He turned around and stopped, boy fashion, holding the sack of matches carefully over his shoulder. “Ain’t that a bully top?” Billie looked at the little top longing- ly and nodded his head. “Sell any matches yesterday?” “Only 10 cents,” Billle sald. “It's no good.” Billle’s companion was a sturdy little | chap of 14, well fed and well clothed. He did not know what it was not to | have money in his pockets, nor to go without minceple and other things | He was a will- ful little body, but he was good and he stared straight at the poor little | chap. S ,” he said, “let me go help to- And, as Billle hesitated, he | rust the bright red top into his cold | little hand. “I'll give you the top if you will. You just wait here and I'll be back.” And he was off like a shot and al- | most before Billle had got through | admiring the beauties of the new top | he was back, looking as ragged as Bil- lie himself. “You see,” he explained as he pulled a sack out of his overalls pocket, “jt wouldn’t do for me to go in those other clothes. Tt wouldn't be » go. I split kindling wood in these, and I sneaked ster, and could not | carefully and handed it over. i\'uu are, BIillL"” he home. " “But you didn’t keep none,” said lit- tle Billle, unable to appreciate the si uation fully. “Well, it was not mine, said the other. “They weren't my matches, were they? You don’t think I'd take your money that came from your matches, do you?” Billie's boy heart gave a great bound as he saw tha shining 10-cent pieces. But he was a little doubtful. It didn’t seem square, but his friend's indignation seemed real, and he was wandering up the street and throwing rocks at a swiftly said. “Let's go it | Queen, Duel on the Beach With War Clubs Between the Two Great Chiefs for the Possession of Binnie, “There | turned into stones and trees and storks | | | ! eagerly. | make an opal, they have failed.” fleeing cat. Rillle hurried up to him. “Won't I have supper to-night, though,” he exclaimed. “I don’t know whether I will or not,” the other said. “My mother don’t know where I went.” GOLDILOCKS AND THE WILLOW TREE. Goldllocks and I found an ivory door in the side of Tamalpais Mountain and we went through into the heart of the fairyland under the mountain, and there we met the Queen of the fairles, near the Gentle Willow Tree that grew beside the Buttermilk River. “The tree,” said the Queen sadly, “is my sister, who was turned into the tree by the wicked Malenots. She can be restored to her proper shape only by a good little girl like yourself, who has an opal.” “I have an opal,” sald Goldilocks “Well,” went on the Queen, “this is the only day in the year whep my sis- ter can be saved; the day when the Silken Hooded Lily blooms. Perhaps you have come to save her.” “Is there a charm in an opal?” “Yes, in fairyland. We can make ‘gold out of the pollen of the sunflower and silver from the moonlighted bub- bles that float, like little treasure laden ships, down lily margined rivers. But, although the wisest fairies, the master of the mines, who lives in the Blue Dia- mond Cave under the deep ocean, and the Spirit of the Flowers, who paints the hillsides in spring, have tried to “Is Malenote dangerous to children?” “Not to good children,” answered the “but bad children have been | and strange animals by her. piled up the stones that once were | children into a house by magic, and in | that strange house listening ever to | the moans of the stones, which keep | their voices, lives Malenote.” “And the animals?” “They are things of strange shape, that guard the house of Malenoto and rush at all strangers with horrible cries.” Goldilocks trembled. Every leaf on | the Gentle Willow Tree rustled and | trembled, and through thé rustling sounded a sigh, so soft and gentle, that Goldilocks, dear little girl, was | filled with pity and courage to aid the unhappy fairy. Then the Fairy Queen laid a hand as | light as thistle down and as white as moonlight on snow upon Goldilocks’ | trembling arm. “Dearest,” she sald, “do this and I| will unlock to you all the secrets of | the Sunrise Mountains.” | “Suppose,” asked Goldflocks, “that Malenoto should turn me to stone?” “She can do you no harm when you have the opal ring; nor can she take the ring from you if you do not touch her, even when you are on the magic squares she has made as snares.” “I will try to save your sister, dear Queen,” said Goldilocks, “not for any | reward, but for love of you and the | good fairies.” “My messengers will go and warn you of dangers. good fairies will help you.” When Goldilocks gave her brave promise every bird in Falryland seemed to sing. Then, too, all the wonderful flowers on the Scarlet Meadows opened their lovely eyes, and the air was sweet with the chofcest perfumes. Behold, now, also, every | good fairy from the whole length and | breadth of Fairyland was there. They | came from the Palaces of the Veined | Lilies, from all nooks and hiding | places In the blissful country from | Crocus Land to the Vale of the Kind- ling Leaves. There were thousands of fairies, She has with “you All the | HERE ARE SOME QUEER BIRDS AND ANIMALS CAPTURED BY THE BUMPKINS dressed in brave and shining raiment, with rainbow-like wings—fairies of the choir of Dulcet voices; the tenants of the Royal Thistle; the creatures who carry dreams under their shining pin- fons; the sea fairies who hold mirrors for the mermaids, when they put on their Nile green dresses and their crowns of red kelp and singing sea shells. “Courage, child of day,”—so they all sang at once to encourage Goldilocks. Now we saw the house of Malenoto From it came out a little lady, smiling #0 pleasantly, looking so merry, that Goldilocks went toward her, out a friendly hand upon which was the opal ring. Swiftly through the air, flashing like a jewel, darted the Queen’s | dragon-fly messenger, dressed in ar- mor of glistening scales. “Beware, Goldilocks!"” These two words of warning were enough. A Goldilocks drew back in time. But, in an instant, Malenoto sent outa charm that turned the messenger dragon-fly into a pebble. “Child,” said Malenoto, for such was the lady, “what would you with me “Please,” said Goldilocks, bravely, have come to ask that the Gentle Wil- low Tree may be changed back into a falry; and—and—(here Goldilocks al- most cried) and given back to her sis- ter, the Fairy Queen.” “Ha, ha,” laughed Malenoto, shall never be.” “Never and never?”’ “No. Here, guards, chain this foolish child.” At this command forth rushed a crowd of strange animals—tigers as blue as the sky, horses with horns, dogs that had voices like trumpets, and many others. Around Goldilocks they circled, one and all, with red tongues hanging from their opened and bellow- ing mouths; with eyes that flashed fire. “Now,” sald Malenoto in a dreadful voice—when Goldilocks had no way to escape—“turn forever and forever, foolish Goldilocks, into another willow tree; forever to sigh when the wind blows; forever to weep when falls the dew or the rain.” As Malenoto said this, she drew near Goldilocks, who, without knowing it, was standing on one of the magic squares. But suddenly Malenoto came under the charm of the opal and stood as still as a statue, while her face turned pale. “How is this, child?” she “Where did you get the opal?” “I have nothing to-say,” answered Goldilocks, seeing that Malenoto had become powerless and frightened, “only this, that the Gentle Willow Tree must be a happy fairy once more.” “What else?” “These animals must all be turned “that asked. back to their right shapes and sent out | of Fairyland.” “And myself?” “You,” said the Fairy Queen, coming forward, “must be a prisone Even as she spoke the house crum- bled, the animals became children and Malenoto began to turn into a ‘weep- ing willow tree. ‘We hastened back then to the bank of the Buttermilk River, where the Gentle Willow Tree had stood. Around | the place was a circular bank of roses, red and white and yellow. In the mid- dle of the ring was the Queen’s sister, a beautiful little falry, and she was waiting for Goldilocks. She was radiant and smiling, al- though she-had been long unhappy. The Queen, with her own hands, picked a wreath of the magic roses of the ring and placed it on Goldilocks’ shining head. How the birds sang! The Laurel Bird led. The Madrigals followed; and all the fairles were a chorus in honor of Goldilocks. The magic wreath of flowers was borne by Goldilocks out through the ivory gate of Fairyland, but the blossoms withered and disap- | peared when once we had left Fairy- land behind. where. MONKEY AND FIREWORKS. Tommy’'s Uncle Ned brought him home a monkey from South America. It was full of mischief. Last May Day, 50 Uncle Ned said, it was two years old. I must tell you what happened to the monkey, to Tommy and to his firecrackers, which Tommy had left over from last Fourth of July, and which he expected to use in celebrating the New Year. Tommy could safely fire crackers any day in the year, for he lives in the country. There was a whole boxful of crack- ers, for Uncle Ned heard what was in- tended, and he bought in San Fran- cisco a lot of redheads and cannon crackers, and I don’t know how many packs of little firecrackers. One day Tommy took them out and showed them all to Jimmy Eggers, his little friend, who lives across the bridge. Tommy lighted one and set it off and the monkey, who saw the perform- ance, chattered and seemed much pleased. Two nights later the monkey broke loose from his chain and went to the firecracker box and tock out all the firecrackers—the redheads, crackers and every one, was asleep. He found a box, but knocked waked Tommy, bed and went t light was burnt: They could not last else- cannon Wwhile Tommy match in the down the box and who jumped out of © the monkey. The ng In the next room, - holding | | surround and IN THE PARK. so that Tommy could see everything in the room. Just as Tommy came near the monkey the mischievous animal put a firecracker in his mouth and lighted it, just as he had seen Tommy’s papa light a cigar. Then | what a scene there was! The firecrack- | er went off in the monkey’s mouth. The 4 TOMMY’S MISHAPS. ““Ah, There’s Papa’s Big New Year's Horn.” “Guess I'll Gst Inside here.” and See What’s ?*—! | Ba—Bi—? ——————— 'A CALIFORNIA SHOWER. Listen, baby, hear the rain! Pitter, patter, it is rapping ‘With tiny hands to fiowers a-napping!l Hush thee, baby, hear the rain! v, to the rain! Grain a plenty, it is singing; To the orchards fruitage bringing. Loving, generous, happy rain! Sleep thee, baby, 'mid the rain! Grass is growing, earth is smiling; Showers are want and care beguilingg Plenty falleth with the rain. Lullaby, it is the rain!