The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1885-08-06

i am going TO Coaltown myself i am
going to be married up there next
WEDNESDAY evening by the way, you
are both invited. | know everybody uI
the river and may be of some service tc
YOU
All right. Mr.. -"
II Imam
"Come apeak. Mr. Imam; jump in.
Tom, and we were sailing swiftly up the
sluggish waters of one of the most famous
rivers IN the country. between low sand
ranks and marshes alternating. with the
vine and moss-Clad live oaks CrOwding
down to the water edge.
\ GU started too soon, remarked Mr.
| Imam directly. The music is never
heard except al night.
1t was even SO. For, though we
reached the enchanted spot early in the
forenoon and remained several hours. W.
heard not Ii single note from the caprlC
ious singer beneath the waters though
We caught some fine fish We then Iau
into Moss Point for dinner.
As soon as we landed at the wharf, Mr.
Ulman locked arms with our guide and
the two made their way by the most DIT
rect route to the nearest saloon. In walk
ing about The town after dinner we came
upon them both repOs nE upon heap OF
sawdust near large lumber IN II. lost t.
the world in drunken slumber
I'VE shall have to go out alone to
night. said.
"Better alone than with such crew as
that, said Hardness with a con cmptu
Gus motion of his foot toward the sleep
crS My friend is rigid GC.d Tenn
plar, which | hnd very inconycnient some
times
Mr UIman .;oined us at the supper ia
bic. however. perfectly sober; but ouI
guide could not reCuperate so easily, and
we three went out on the river without
him. We reached the spot where Mr
Ulman said the inGXplicah.e musical re
sonance was always heard just as the full
moon was rolling in clOudless brilianCy
above the dark moss covered live oak
swamp, and our cars were ut once filled
with muse of ravishing sweetness. Ii
seemed to come from below the bed of
the stream and TO ascend from the water
in volume of sound. 1t would al times
seemingly curve under the keel OF our
boat, reaching our ears Ike the strains of
a Thousand 4EOlian harps, floating over
the surface Of tie mOtioncSs water and
dy ing away in soft. melodious fragments.
| can not account for the phenomenon,
and TO my lraCl ca mind, acquainted as
| am with the enchanted spot and It's
commonplace surroundings, it never has
been reasonably accounted for The In
dian tradition is tar more beautiful than
modern scieutitC theories, and fully as
satisfactory TO me We did not see the
mermaid. but had she appeared on the
surface. singing the song accredited tc
her:
Come to me, come to me,
am not at all sure but that eve should
have thrown ourselves overheard to Joir
her.
At last the music ceased. The clocks
In Moss Point were striking in the
morning as We reached our hotel. Under
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 in section not yet reached by the AK
of the harcoal burner We landed at d
lonely ferry 10 perform the remaining few
miles of our Journey on foot. We walked
for miles without meeting human being.
1t was singular 10 contrast the busy lie
we had left in the city but yesterday with
the mere calm existence now 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 in door
way smiled at us so pleasantly that VIC
were embo dened TO ask for dinner, which
we obtained directly, and pleasant talk
at the same time.
Referring to the mysterious music she
said:
Yes, I've heard it lots O. times. Capt.
Mchae. he says it's lnjun speerits; but
think it some kind of a frog in the
water. think it's just that do.
"uysters serenading their lady loves
hic," suggested our poetic friend. Clman.
whose frequent draughts from pocket
flask we're telling upon him The Old
lady. with a glance of mid surprise,
turned away from him
~lou wouldn't suppose | was coming
up here to be married. would you."
uueried Ulman directly we were on the
road again. as he rcgaled himself from a
large ask of mean wh.sEy.
NO" Hardness replied shortly. Il
should say you were on drunken
spree, 49,.
We'll. must &C cbratc little, for
have had an awiu, time getting matters
iiAei"-dr.nking agd,n
Yes Iuu see. another fellow who
bad known The girl al her iiie-been her
50 YAetl,,arl ~ s"hpul. lr'iryr anf AL