The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 6, 1898, Page 26

FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 189 AGIER EDITED BY | DAVID A WALKER. THE LAKE OF THE LOTUS. Under the shadow of the Sunrise Mountains, in the Fairyland beneath Tamalpais untaln, is the Lake of the Lotus. Goldilocks and I were standing on the margin of the lake when the Fairy Queen came, sailing over the silve ripples that chafed gently upon a beach of pearl, inlaid with gold and all precious stones. Her barge was rowed by a multitude of singing fairies, but upon it masts hung its sails of rose les wrought with the Quees:-s cos golden dandelions in a which the dandelion balloon- ghost of a flower’—u pi ing into the viand. The rose lea were of white, and as fragrs and as dewy as the famous gardens of the He! perides. 3ut, from the dainty prow to the equally dainty stern of the barge, » festooned the rarest red —flowers eet that the senses led alike in their odors and in the onderful dreams of which they gavas of arms, from ‘the only red sail- purest - fade nor drop one of their for they were all from wreaths of Fairyland, and »ssom had been on crowns of Fairy Queens, s touch them, nor can lose any of their wond o s Queen to_ Goldi- 1 .on the Lake of derful secrets Gold ond invita- tion, but straightway entered the barge. The singing fairies hoisted the teer,” said the Queen to her helms- man, “to the Lot beds and the Is- land of Silver Sleep. Soon the tiny w motion of the barge s made by the red the dro akened es lotus flowers, but mnever as them from the um But upon the air were launche and sweeter perfumes. Among the royal fic sailed the barge, and from each lotus flower car t, fine song, in which adow the glori moonstruc] under the light of the Thousand Y Moon: of S in which all the s suddenly bur: into flower and where every wind is a song—these were all musical- 1y described. Bed after bed of these wonderful Jotus flowers appeared, and the barge of the Queen glided so lightly in among them that not a leaf was broken. Af- ter the barge had passed Goldilocks heard a soft sigh, and she looked in- quiringly at the Queen. “The lotus flowers,” answered the Queen. “The h themselves to sleep, not beca y are sad, for they are not, use they find sleep so delicious.” Millions and millions of lotus flow ers, exhaling perfume and drow: singing for an instant. Then, passing by these, the barge came to the beach and qu of the Island of Silver Sleep, and here the I sman steered in a graceful curve into a flower margined bay, while the fluttering s were gently pulled down. Then there were shining steps by which the Queen and Goldilocks went to the quay. As far as Goldilocks could see there stretched forth a lovely vista of flower- curtained and flower-thatched arbors, billowy fields of flowers of the richest hues, palaces adorned with roses from their foundations to the tops of their sky-searching minarets and towers, tinkling fountains and walks and sweet forest ways. The Queen led Goldilocks to a bower in the greenwood. There they sat a while, and fairies of the island brought them refreshments. Such queeer things to eat and drink! Tiny berries from the Sleepy Vine ; cakes that grew on bush- es and could only be picked by the Queen of Slumber; patties made by elves; ice creams that were served in cups made af rose leaves and were brought in by fairies whose wings were aglow with hues of the rainbow; draughts from the Fountain of Night Dews that were in pink-lipped shells, from every land of the earth, which, being enchanted, repeated drowsily the songs sung by the flashing and surf- crested waves of all the seas. This was the orchestra to which the Queen of Slumber listened with most pleas- ure. Having finished their refreshments, the Fairy Queen told Goldilocks that nRURUBR s ;‘g OVER THE PASSION VINE. 4 %8 ® % . dew, 3 8 rose cried too. 8 8 fly rocked in his sleep, 8 o the pansy was deep. 2 8 to the sky— 82 So I telephoned God through the passio &% that He ever is nigh— $ “My birdie is dead, % ling a word. 28 £ dear, good little bird.” % 5 BEEEVREVIIVRRIBINVLRES I burled my birdie under the rose when the rose was all sprinkled with And I cried just a little, and some dew drops f 11, so I know thu:t the And the white-blossomed blackberries under the wall, where the butter- Stirred softly and sighed, and the willow tree drooped, and the grief of A passion vine whispered; its red flowered tendrils were trying to climb and there’s no one b\t me here to say for my dar- He can't speak for himself, but, dear God\don't forget that he was a the Queen of Slumber, who was also the Queen of the Island of Silver Sleep, was approaching. She was a most beautiful being as she appeared to Goldilocks. Her robe was of the deepest blue, adorned with stars that twinkled as she walked. Goldilocks could hardly keep her eyes open when first she gazed upon this Queen. In a very few minutes she was sound asleep, with the music of the laughter of the Queen of Slumber and the low, faint music of the sea- shell orchestra in her ears. Such a wonderful dream Goldilocks had! Across the limpid waters of the Lake came a sound like the music of the horns of fland blowing. The eastern w aced with clouds of gold and amethyst and purple. curtains of gorgeous woof ance gleamed. At first it was faint 4 the morning star when the sun begins to lead forth the day. Then it grew brighter and brighter, and lo! a chariot of purest and most dazzling silve which was drawn by a great company of snowy-white swans, traveled as light as thistiedown in the illuminated -air. From every Lotus flower on the Lake brave in spangle and beautiful, golden bugles to announce the coming of the Spirit of the Dawn. Upon a thou- sand rdant hillsides awoke ail the flowers that had been slumbering, so that the greensward was enameled, as if by magic Behold! wherever a veined and lovely flower held up its fragrant chalice, there was a fairy, drinking the drops of sparkling dew that nestled in the flowers and singing a health to Dawn. What jolly staves and snatches of fairy song! What animation and laugh- ter and glee! The breeze, that had been slumbering under the spell of the Lotus flowers, awoke and stirred all the roval pennons and banners of all the flower-engirdled castles and pal- aces of the realm. Hark! The Spirit of the Dawn, whois loveliest of all the ¢ soirits of the many-chambered aks. “Goldilocks, Goldilock come with me and journey to all the stars that glittering around the ne lovely ight. For, 1o, T go to wake them all! Child of day, I am longing to hold you in my arm: ‘With that the chariot descended and Goldilocks sat beside the Spirit of the Dawn, and to all her senses came a thrill of fuller life. Her eyes pierced the farthest deeps of the skies and the earth was as one of many worlds, all of which awakened with song and glorified themselves with garments of early opening flowers. And now the chariot drew near the most wonderful of all the worlds. The Spirit placed a flaming trumpet to her lips and blew gently. “At last,” she said. “At last, dear Goldilocks, we shall hear the perfect song."” Such musie! Wonderful organs blew and wonderful voices sang, and they seemed to float upon seas of sound. But before Goldilocks could join in the chorus her dream was ended. We must come here again,” Goldi- locks said softly to the Fairy Queen as they once more crossed the Lake of the Lotus. “There are other wonders, Goldilocks dear,” said the Fairy Queen, “and you shall know of them all.” RN KATY’S HUNT FOR THE BEE'S HOARD. BY SUSIE VOGEL. Katy lives in San Diego County, where there are as many bees as there are stars in the sky. One summer her father took her up into the mountains with him as he was working a small mining property and he sald that he would be lonely without Katy. It was hard work getting to the mine, for trails were steep and a landslide had thrown a large part of what had been the road into the bottom of a canyon. Katy's father was of the make that nothing can discourage. He had mined, fought Indlans and wild beasts; he had been wrecked at sea and had been lost on the desert and had been through enough adventures to fill up several bocks. He made a swinging bridge now across the canyon and carried Katy across on his back. When the pack mules came to a place too steep for them to mount with their loads he rigged a pulley, fastened two mules to a rope to pull and hoisted his supplies HBRRURARLIRLREIBURRRRIRIRERRS flower’s bloom—for I know BBV R g enngn I8 et sn e B8R R SR n R KN 0 05 up the steep place. Then he climbed up himself and leaned over a depth that made Katy dizzy to look over, while he secured his goods. Katy never cried out nor showed any fear all of the trip. Her father saw clearly that she was a brave girl and much like bimself in self-control. Katy had been in the camp three weeks when she noticed the bees that flew about her. They all went in one direction after they had fed upon flow- ers that grew in the bed of a creek. She made up her mind that they were going to a tree where they had stored up their honey and she determined, without saying anything to her father, that she would find the tree and give her father a surprise with honey for lunch some day. Katy will never forget what hap- pened by reason of her plan and her attempt to carry it out. She left the camp and recollecting what she had read about the babes in the wood she scattered a string of beans by the path as she walked, that she might safely return. She found the bee tree and marked it with a knife that she might point it out to one of the men in the camp later. She then started on the back track for the camp. Her blood seemed to almost freeze at what she saw. Directly in front of her, in the narrowest part of the path, and where the surrounding. bushes pre- vented her from departing in any other direction, was the largest rattlesnake that she had ever seen. It had crawled from the bushes to enjoy the warm sun in the path. Its eves were fixed upon Katy and its rattl gave her warning not to approach its deadly fangs any nearer. Katy’s first thought was to find a stone to throw at the snake, but there was a look in the e of the snake that forbade her to move. She had heard that snakes charm birds, upon whom they intend to feast, and she had heard that even little children have been charmed by reptiles. ‘Was she being charmed? The lunger she looked at the snake. the more she was afraid to move. She was much relieved, af- ter a time to see the snake close its eves, but it was not asleep. The least motion e by her caused those ma- to open, and the deadly . She wa r all day. The of standing in one position. Again and again she made a movement to reach a stone that lay behina her, but every time the snake moved as if to dart at her. So she waited and waited until the snake should crawl away or some one from the camp should come to her rescue. The sun was far in the west when Katy heard steps coming through the bushes. “Hello, hello,” shouted a man. Katy knew that the voice was her father’s, but she dared not answer, for the snake showed every sign of anger at being disturbed. She heard, with agony, the footsteps grow fainter and fainter as her father went away, and her heart sank within her. She could stand the strain no fonger. She grew dizzy, reeled and fell in the bushes. Through her brain went the idea that at last the snake had attacked her. She felt its deadly bite and then she became numb. She was, to all appearances, dead when, just at dusk, her father, still search- ing for her, found her ing. in the path. He started back with horror, for the rattlesnake wawv curled up close to the body -of his daughter to keep warm. The father took his stepped forward. nistol and A twig crackled and the snake awoke and in an instant was coiled. But the father’s sure aim struck the head of the reptile in an in- stant. Katy leaped to her feet, startled into :nlnsclousness by the sound of the pis- ol. { Her first thought was of the snake. Tt had not harmed hey, nor had it bit- ten her. She saw her father who leaped toward her and caught her in his arms. STORIES FOR THE LITTLE CHILDREN. A series of stories will soon begin to appear on this page, in which the ad- ventures of many of the old heroes and heroines of the fairy tales will be continued. Puss in Boots, Cinderella, Jack of the Bean Stalk, Aladdin, Sin- bad, Jack the Giant Killer and other worthies passed through many inter- esting happenings, of which no account has ever been previously made. The new adventures will be described in the manner of the time-honored stories which for hundreds of years have been read by the children of all lands. The illustrations will be by Mr. Kahler, the chief of the art depart- ment of The Call. Those were glorious days of enchant- ment, those olden times when good little boys and girls could meet fairies whenever they needed help for their parents or themselves; when Haroun al Raschid was in his golden prime and every part of Bagdad and the shining Tigris River was enchanted and filled with wishing carpets and genii, and wonderful lamps and the strangest of happenings. It is not pretended that the stories to appear in The Call were taken from an enormous roc’s egg, found somewhere in the land of the Caliphs; but it is promised that they will be written so that the smallest chiid can understand every word. If the children have any preference as to which of their favorite heroes and heroines shall first appear in these new stories they will do well to write to the editor of this page and the promise is herewith made that the pop- ular choice will be honored. Who is still the most popular among the chil- dren, “Cinderella,” “Red Riding Hood,"” “Jack the Giant Killer” or “Sinbad”? The letters to be received will show that clearly. Each story will be com- ERUISE Ol IiTHE CALIFORNIA. [Synopsis of B preceding _chapters.—Binnle, arrived in the country of Mah-Coh- Gaa, has been made a war chief, after some trials of skill with a savage, who also wants to be the war chief. In these trials Binnie was successful. Binnie and Kemona then di- vide 10,000 savage warriors into battalions and teach them the bayonet drill and some march- ing movements. At the demand of the savage: Binnle marches forth as commander of this army of 10,000 to fight Ghoor-Ghee-Tee, Who is met beside the Marwise River.] CHAPTER XV. “The enemy are coming!” This report the scouts Rinnie at midnight. the particulars. ‘“‘Ghoor-Ghee-Tee has with him as many savages as there are trees in the forest, a great army, but, I think, not more than a match for ours. They will cross the Marwise to-morrow. Between our camp and the river there is a great plain that borders the river. On all sides, excepting the river frontage, the plain is surrounded with thick forest. In the middie of the plain is a hill that is high and perpendicular, but there is a narrow pass to the top.” ‘“What is your advice?"” ‘“To move at once and place our tribes about the plain, but hidden in the woods. I, with runners, will occupy the hill and will signal to you all the movements of the enemy, for I will be able to see across the river and also for miles beyond.” Binnie’s army was soon on the move. The hill tribes, under the command of Binnie, were to be thrown to the front. They numbered 6000, leaving about 4000 for the reserves, who were to be cap- tained by Koti. The march was fin- ished none too soon. When daylight came, Kemona, who had gained the top of what he called “Lookout Moun- tain,” sent a runner to Binnie to say that the savages were in great force on the opposite bank of the river and that they would soon cross. Hardly had the runner reached Binnie when Ghoor- Ghge - Tee’s warriors were landing. Binnie permitted them to land without opposition. At the river's edge the sav- ages waited for Ghoor-Ghee-Tee, and with him came Peloto, the traitor! He had told Ghoor-Ghee-Tee about Bin- nie’s army, but the Skull Hunter had only laughed. He did not know that Binnie was now watching him. But Ghoor-Ghee-Tee had a different opinion of Binnie’s followers a few min- utes later, when from the woods at both sides and from in front darted out two thin lines of savage enemies, sur- rounding his tribes on three sides. These lines stood still an instant, awaliting the word of command from Binnie. With his heart throbbing violently, brought to Kemona furnished but determined and brave, Binnie shouted: “Forward! Charge!"” Nothing that Kemona had taught the warriors of Mah-Coh-Gaa’s land was forgotten. Their bows and arrows were on their backs. Their breast shields were firmly strapped in place. Their spears were at charge. No in- fantry regiment could have made a braver attack with bayonets on greatly superior numbers than did the 6000 savages led by Binnie as they closed in upon the tribes of Ghoor-Ghee-Tee, who, being attacked in such an unex- pected way and being completely sur- priced, soon became a crowded and struggling mass and were steadily forced back toward the river bank, un- able to use their bows or clubs. And now the reserves, yvelling like madmen and led by Koti, came from the forest. They were the expert bow- men and sling-users. From their ranks, which were in good order, a per- fect rain of arrows and stones fell upon the heads of the skull-hunters. At this the courage remaining in the skull- hunters oozed out. Again and again they had furiously tried to break through the lines of the spearmen, only to be prodded with ready spears. But now two black giants fought their way through the lines of spears at one place. One was Ghoor-Ghee- plete in one number of The Call. Tee. Few men could safely face him ::+4¢¢»¢&¢¢ PO e as ++ + $: HOW THE GOLD WAS LOST. 1+ 4+ Iknow there is a pot of gold beneath the rainbow’s arch; X 43 I nearly reached it one fair day, after a weary march. ¢ i 4 1 saw the gold all shining, andl 1 shouted then Oh! Oh! 44 + 4 'Twould have been mine had I not then—just chanced +4 +4 To stub my toe. 44 ++ Dear me, T stubbed my " toe. 4+, + 3 Some wondrous child may find it yet—be his heart + + Brave and strong +% 4 4 Who never finds a mountain steep nor any distance long. 4% 4+ But still, though many lads I've met, that one ++ ++ Ido not know— 44 4+ That lucky, plucky, happy boy who +4 2G5 Never stubs his toe. + + Who, when the rainbow gleams o’erhead, doth +* :: Never stub his toe! ++ —— +4 R R R R R R R R SR R R DR 2D i S THE PARK 7 IR 3 $ s 5 AW N } & .;\\,\\ ) =SS CASCADE. in battle. His very name called forth fear. He laid about him so with his stone battle-ax that the savages near him fled. Through the hole that he had speed- ily made in the ranks of the spearmen poured his followers as a flood breaks through a dam. A panic seized some of Binnie’s fol- lowers, although there was no reason for it, but the break was sufficient to throw even the reserves, who had come forward on the run, at the command of Koti, into disorder. To the disgust of Kemona the battle very soon turned into hand to hand fighting, after the methods of savages everywhere. Here and there were knots of bow- men, who held together for a time, and Koti, for a short period, held one regi- ment firmly, and with it made repeat- ed charges, driving hundreds of the skull-hunters into the river. But the overwhelming numbers of the skull- hunters finally compelled Binnie’s fol- lowers ‘to retire to the woods. There they stood their ground, Ghoor-Ghee- Tee, having more respect for them than he did when the day opened, did not think it wise to try to crush them then. The battle-fleld, which Ghoor-Ghee- Tee now occupied undisputed, was strewn with the fallen braves who lay in heaps. Binnie's army had been saved from much loss by the breast shields, against which arrows and spears struck without inflicting any harm. Hundreds of the skull hunters had crossed the river and had fled from the scene of action. By night they recovered their courage and, be- ing reinforced by another army of sav- ages, returned to the river and camped there, planning to recross the river and g0 to the help of Ghoor-Ghee-Tee in the morning. During the night Kemona managed to steal into the camy of Binnie with great news. Then he departed in a different direction, going at the top of his speed. “Brave soldiers,” so Binnie caused Koti to say to the tribes. ‘You have done well to stop the march of the flerce Ghoor-Ghee-Tee, his army being 80 much larger than yours. I have knowledge that, if you can hold your own one day more, you will win the victory.” ‘What was this knowledge? Binnie would not say to Koti what it was. The treason of Peloto, while it had not yet led to any serious result, had made Binnie afraid to trust any of the chiefs. Already he knew some were angry because he had not driven Ghoor-Ghee-Tee’s army, al- though it was much larger than his own, into the river. True, he was on the point of doing this shen the break in the lines and panic took place. The reserves would, in a few minutes, have finished what his own command had begun. The chiefs did not consider this. Binnie waited anxiously for the morn- ing. While he paced nervously back and forth, in the shadows of the for- est, Koti touched his arm and pointed out a dark figure that was stealthily approaching on hands and knees. “Peloto,” said Koti laconically and flercely. Peloto never reached Binnie, whom he sought to kill. The flaring of a camp fire showed his face. It was al- most fiendish in its expression. Sud- denly there was a sharp cry. Koti had ended at once the life and treason of Peloto! After this proof of loyalty on the part of Koti Binnie determined to keep Koti near him. With the earliest dawn armies of savages renewed ing. An attempt was made to force Binnie’s army out the two the fight- of the woods, but Ghoor- Ghee - Tee’s skull-hunters were repeatedly driven back. Koti's reserves made agallant charge about noon and drove back the skull- hunters almost tothe river's edge. Those nearest the river uttered a cry of surprise. They saw war canoes coming. They knew that the war canoes did not contain ekull-hunters. Who then were the strangers and why did they come to the fleld of battle? An hour before sunset Binnie's army, encouraged by their success in hold- ing back the skull-hunters through the entire day, insisted that Binnie should make one more attempt to drive ‘Ghoor-Ghee-Tee into the river. “You must lead us,” said Koti to Binnie, “or all is lost.” It was once more “forward,” with loud cries, from three sides of the plain. The skull-hunters were taken by surprise, but were more numerous than on the preceding day. A most stubborn fight was begun. On the right of Binnie’s force sud- denly appeared Kemona! His familiar voice ordered the savages to fall back in good order. What was that strange and terrible sound that instantly rang out of the forest when this movement had been performed, as Kemona had command- «d? What was that awful rain of iron that’ before which the hordes of Ghoor-Ghee- Tee melted away like snow under the blaze of ‘the sun? Ghoor-Ghee-Tee knew and fled as the first sound awakened the echoes in the woods. Binnie's army saw that his promise that help would come had been fulfilled, but whence did it come? While they saw the victory was theirs, many fell upon their faces in abject fear, for it seemed to them that Binnie had caused the skies to rain fire and thun- derbolts. While the fright-stricken rabble of skull-hunters were frantically trying to escape by swimming the river with the savages of Binnie's army, who had been nearest. the river, in hot chase, five white boys, headed by Sam of Los Angeles, issued from the woods and set up a good American cheer. Sam car- ried an American flag, which he waved above his head with vigor as Binnie hastened forward to greet his com- rades. “And where are Mr. Ostend and my father?” asked Binnle. “They are in the rear.” “Did they tkink you were able to drive the savages into the river alone?” “Looks like it,” answuored Mam, laugh- ing. Soon after, Harry Ostend and Bin- nie’s father came up. “I thought, Binpgie,” said Mr. Ostend, as the boy hero rushed up to throw his arms about the leader of the party, “that a machine gun might be useful in the heart of New Guinea, so I brought it up the Marwise in a war canoe, and also brought along your friends in a small fleet of war canoes to help make you a great general.” D. H. W. (To be continued). MY DEAR OiI?_HOME. (The author of these verses writey that she was 13 yvears old, January 2, and that she is a graduate of the grams mar grades in Portland, Or., but she mod+ estly has sent her production without hex signature). My sweet, my dear old home, Thou art to me full dear. Thy forest to my ear Sings greeting when I come. Some friends are far away, Some months seem sere and brown, Content here wears a crown— Love here hath constant sway, As honey in the comb, Sweet is to happy be— So sweet the hours to me Within my happy home. My simple, simple home, }'d rather be in thee Than, seeking splendors o'er the sea— In luxury to roam. B LITTLE MARY'S ADVENTURE. BY ELLA THORNTON, This happened one bright morning in June, as little Mary sat under the pepper tree, watching the birds passing to and fro. Her mother. called her and said: “Mary, dear, it is quite warm to-day and I want to make a pudding for dinner, so You must go for some milk.” Her mother gave her 10 cents and told her to hurry back, and to bring 5 cents change. Mary starts off very happy, thinking of the pudding she is going 20 have when she gets home, but, as she is coming home with her milk, she sees a dancing monkey. Mary was greatly ex- cited and left her milk standing on a step 80 that she might run up and see the monkey dance. It was two hours before the monkey stopped. Mary laughed and enjoyed it all very much. Then he passed the money plate around and most of the people gave a nickel. Mary was watching very in- tently and when he came to her she drop- ped her 5 cents in and then she was very proud. Very soon Mary thought of the milk. She ran to where it was and she found a lttle cat drinking it. She says, “‘Shoo, shoo!” and it runs away. When Mary reaches home her mother asks her: “Why, dear child, where have you been?"” “I was watching a monkey dance and he took my nickel away from me.” Her mother only laughed and said: *“I will know better the next time."” PR ST, THE TEN LITTLE SEALETS, BY MABEL PUTNAM. Ten little sealets asked out to dine, One ate too much, and then there were nine. Nine little sealets weeping for their mate, One wept too hard, and then there wera eight. Eight little sealets praying up to Heaven, One didn’t pray enough—then there were seven. Seven little sealets got into a fix, One fought too hard—then there were six. Six little sealets went out for a dive, One sank too deep—then there were flve, Five little sealets found a nice oar, Oar ;rouldn't hold five—then there were ‘our. Four little sealets—a-swimming, nice and Tee— One {’Sd a hard cramp—then there were ree. Three little sealets crying boo-hoo, One cried himself to death—then’ there T itle sealets having 1 0 e sealets having lots of Qre played too hard—then there was!ons, One little sealet left—his name was Ben- nie, Felt sad—went mad—then there wasn't any.