The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-10-23

great respect. further told them that he
was mentioned in the puka-puka (the
book all natives have great respect for
books.
In a few days l had the satisfaction OF
feeling that my boys were quite reconciled
to its presence, and, in a fashion, prided
themselves upon being followers of the
discoverer of so eminent a parsonage as
Inkose Mummi, for by that name he was
now become familiarly known. My wife's
objections were not so easily overcome, its
presence in our wagon made her uneasy,
and 1t was only by representing toher that
possible damage would render him value
less as a trading commodity that she at
last put away her scruples. / rugged up
chair-shaped seat at the after-part of the
wagon, in which placed the mummy, so
that by keeping the sitting posture, his
ability to fracture by the jolting he would
have to put up with over the rough tracks,
became greatly minimized. At night l
drew a curtain in front so as to shut him
off from Norah's view when she turned
in" for the night, and so comfortably had
/ quartered him, that after the first week
of our return trip, never heard a word
raised against his presence. i must admit
there were at times expressions OF wonder
ment as to whence came certain noises
that we heard, but these lost force after
time.
One bright moonlight night we had out
spanned at the edge of a pan of splendid
water; the oxen, having had long track
during the day, had grazed and watered to
their content, and were now quietly rest
ing at the wagons; the boys, too, having
feasted well off harte-beeste meat, were
inharmoniously vying with each other in
Ill
at least l was-when was awakened by
Norah shrieking out and clutching me
tightly.
"Oh, Geof! Geofl he is alivew
"What the deuce is the matter, little
woman ?" / asked, and raising myself up
on one arm, looked at her. She was
CHASTITY pale and apparently horribly
startled.
ooh, Geof! he is aliye--look!" and
pointing to the mummy II had omitted to
draw, the curtain) said, "look! don't you
see that he moves"
| couldn't say that did, but when No
rah admitted that she had been lying
awake-watching the mOonbeams play on
Inkose's face-I expressed an opinion to
the effect that her imagination was most
to blame.
She was, however, much upset, and it
was long ere I could soothe her; at last
she dropped off to sleep, and l prepared
to do likewise. / couldn't sleep; | kept
glaring at the wretched mummy. / was
tired, very tired, yet sleep would not come
70 me
'Hullol what's up now? ~ / said to N.Y.
self; "surely Pm not going off my head,
too-did that mummy nod his head?" l
could almost have sworn he did. / watched
for the second movement Not the least
move in life. l was wide-awake now, and
feeling generally uncomfortable got out
of the blankets and filling my pipe began
to smoke. In few minutes the pleasant
weed produced the desired effect l was
just about to return to the wagon, when
again shrek from Norah startled the
night. Rushing to her, found her in the
extremity of distress, speeches., and shiv-
ering from heed to foot.
To comfort her as best l might was all
| could do. Not word could get from
her. After waiting some time she recov-
cred a little, seeming to see the necessity
for some explanation.
Pointing with her finger, she directed
my glance to the mummy, and 10! l saw
that it was headless. Again l followed
the direction in which she pointed.
No wonder the poor girl had been
frightened; her two experiences that night
might well have scared brave heart. The
head had broken off and rolled right
up to where she lay. l picked up the
severed Uranium and placed it on one
side, then slipped into the blankets again
and slept till coffee time. We were glad
enough when morning broke. and it was
only after a cup of hot coffee that we felt
equal to venturing upon the events of the
previous night.
On examining the head, I found that the
tendons which had held it TO the trunk
had been eaten asunder one by one, and
the dried skin of the neck had been broken
under the weight. The vertebrate having
lost its gristle part, had separated without
difficulty, and let the skull 90 rolling down
on to the sleeping Norah, whose brain, al
ready full of fevered fancies, conjured up
some much worse catastrophe.
And now comes the queerest bit of the
whole business. We had made a tolerabe
breakfast and were preparing for inspan-
ming when Norah, who was already in the
wagon, said:
''Tm over my fright now, Geof. What
do you think l am going to do?"
81 give it up, my DEAR" replied. you
women folks are too many for me-"
"Geof, am going to try and fix Inkose
Mummi's head on again"
She had no sooner said these words,
when just such another shrek as she had
given in the night came from her lips,
followed Immediately by ringing, merry
laugh, and the words:
"Oh, Geof! I've found out all about IL.
A mouse has done the whole business,
and look here! if there isn't whole fam
ily-one, two, three, four-oh goodness,
what lott"
And sure enough, when got up to look,
there was a nest of young mice in the in
terror of the skull. The parent mouse no
doubt had played the headsman's part and
given Norah the scare of the previous
night. The mice met the fate of mice
without a murmur. This act of righteous
judgment over, | proceeded to clear the
skull OF it's odd assortment of grass. hair
and other staples which formed the nest.
Having done so, / looked through the
mouse-hole behind the ear and saw some
thing resting in the cavity formed by the
mouth and which ratified whenever l
shook the skull.
"Whatever can il be?" said my wife.
"Oh, suppose it is some charm or
fetch put in the fellows mouth to keep
away bad spirits / mean to have it out,
though at least it win be a curio."
| then made a hole neatly under the
chin, when the charm fell out into my
hand. 1t was wrapped up in what looked
like piece OF skin; upon removing this
apotbar covarfno, N4-oe I;ScIoeaI a1I o,-o;x,