, 1885-07-23
CnAllU0 NJ BURNERS.


CIl AltD II BURNERS.
fTh4s r., Sow ORLEANS rimes-pnmocrat
We len the cars at Scranton. a pretty
coasl Town 81 perhaps 1000 Inhabitants.
crowded into an ohlong nook between the
railway and The gull shore The streets
arc well shaded b. spreading live oaks
and grange trees but there are no pave
mcuis. and The soft. yielding sand Is ankle
deep io the doogsicps The inhabitants
like all The oyster loving. fish eating PEG
pie who dwell on this long, low sand
bank from New Orleans 10 Mohile-arc
INDECENT. careless and happy
There were but two Of AS. My com
panion aGl friend. iiarhurss. Nas a PRO
fessionu artist. and This story heirny. my
calling We Ind come to the gulf cohst
from nInr 10 hear the famous, mystOrious
singing river. and 10 spend n month
vacation among the @gfimy charcoal
burnGrs. whose town was located Oh tho
river lauk. about twelve miles above
: crnntou. Cur first objective point was.
therefore The sconu OF the mystcrious
music which, as our guidc-who Wa,
somewhat incoherent from recent heavy
polations Of beer-informed us, was Just
OFT Mos Point some three miles above
SCRANTON
We were about starting darkness was
already in our boat slowing our guns.
fishing tackle and other impediments
away In rs small compass as possible.
and paying snecinl attention 10 the ar
mnecment Of a portable camera. which
he had brought to make views with along
the river. saying
Il might even get "a snapshot with u
dFy plate at the mermaid who. according
to tradition. leads in the music | have
two cabinet size plates in the holder.
which are entirely at her service. il she
will kindly give me a sitting"
The mermaid is Il fraud. - said IA pleas.
ant voice at my elbow. but II you will
give me y place in your boat ! will show
You some OF the p%rcitiost girls mans heart
ever auhed for.
The speaker. AZ elegantly dressed young
fellow. WIS leaning carelessly over the
muzzle Of u pistol grip brecck loader. re.
turning our cool stare with a smile and an
unmistakable air of dissipation upon his
handsome features. He evidently saw
that he had made a favorable impression,
for no continued.
81 am going TO Coaltown myself-am
going 10 be married up there next
Wednesday evening by the way, you
arc both invited. | know everybody up
the river. and may be Of some service to
you.
An right Mr.. -H
"Ulmnn.
Come npcak. Mr.. Ulman: jump in.
Tom. y and we were sailing swiftly up the
sluggish waters OF one of the most famous
rivers in the country. between low sand
tanks and marshes alternating. with the
vino aud moss-clad live oaks crowdmg
down TO the water s edge.
% o started too soon, - remarked Mr..
Ulman directly. The music is never
heard except at night -
1t was even SO. For. though we
reached the enchanted spot early in the
forenoon and remained several hours. we
heard not a single note from the capric.
ious singer beneath the waters though
we caught some fine fish. We then ran
Into Moss Point for dinner.
As soon as VIC landed at the wharf. Mr..
Ulman locked arms with our guide. and
the two made their way by the most di.
rect route 10 the nearest saloon. In walk
ing about the town after dinner we came
upon them both reposing upon u heap Of
eawdust near n large lumber mill. lost 10
the world In q drunken siumber.
We shall have 10 60 out alone To-
night. | said
Better alone than with such Il crew ~
that, said Hardness. with a contemptu
Gus motion Of his foot toward the sleep
ers My friend is a rigid Good lem
plar. which ind very ~inoonvenient some
times
Mr. Ulman Joined US at tho supper ia.
bic, however. perfectly sober, but our
guide could not recuperate so easily, and
we three went out on tho river without
him We reached tie spot where Nj.
Ulman said the ine1plicable musical re.
sonnncc was always heard 1ust as the full
moon was rolling in clOudlcss brilliancy
above the dark, m-oss-covored live oak
swamp, aud our ears were az once filed
Will music Of ravishing sweetness. II
seemed 10 come from below the bed Of
the stream. and to ascend from tho water
In n volume OF sound. IL would at times
seemingly curve under the keel of our
boat. reaching our ears like the strains Of
a thousand holian harps, floating over
the surface Of the m~otionless water aud
dy ing away in soft, melodious fragments
can not account for the phenomenon
aud TO my practical mind, acquainted as
! am with the enchanted spot and its
commonplace surroundings, It never has
been reasonably accounted for. The In
dian tradition is far more beautiful than
modern scientific theories. and fully rs
satisfactory TO me We did not see the
mermaid. but had she appeared on the
surface, singing the song accredited 10
her:
Come TO inc, come 10 me.
/ AIN not at all sure but that we should
have thrown ourselves overheard to Join
her.
AT last the music ceased The CLOCKS
In Moss Point were striking . In the
80. aa a. ~ -.. l-.N Ill
that strange spell the hours had flown
like minutes.
We continued our voyage up the river
The following day. aud were soon among
the unbroken silence Of the vast pine for
ests Ia q section not yet reached by the Ak
Of the charcoal burner. We landed at d
lonely ferry to perform the remaining few
miles Of our journey on foot We walked
for miles without meeting a human being.
IL was singular TO contrast the busy life
We had left in the city but yesterday with
the mere calm existence nov around us.
The houses by the roadside were small
but pretty. with flowers before the doors,
and surrounded with small gardens neatly
kept An old woman sitting Ia n door.
way smiled at US SO pleasantly that we
were embroidered to ask for dinner, which
VIC obtained directly. and a pleasant talk
al the same time
Referring to the mysterious music she
said.
Yes. I've heard 1t lots o times. Capt
Mcliae. he says It's Iniun specrits. hui |
think us some kind OF a frog in the
water ! think its just that do "
-Oysiers serennding their Indy loves
hicl" suggested our poetic friend, Ulman.
whose frequent draughts from o pocket
Task were telling upon him. The old
lady, with a glance Of mild surprise,
turned away from him.
GU wouldn't suppose ] wa coming
up here 10 be married, would youYH
queried tlman directly VIC were on tho
road again, as he RECALLED himself from a
large task Of mean whisky.
"No, p Hardness replied shortly. Il
should say You were OF a drunken