The National tribune., 1891-04-09

admitted that she had been lying awake
watching the moonbeams play on lnkose's face
Il expressed an opinion 20 the eject that her
imagination was most 20 blame.
She was, however much upset, and IL was
long ere l could soothe her; at last she dropped
og 10 sleep and prepared 10 do likewise l
couldn't sleep; / kept glaring at the wretched
mummy. i was tired, very tired, yet sleep
would not come TO me
"Hullo! what's mp now?" said to myself;
surely, I'm not going off my head, todd
that mummy nod his head2" l could almost
have sworn he did. / watched for second
movement. Not the least move in life. Twas
wide-awake now and feeling generally uncom-
Portable got ont of the blankets and filling
my pipe, began 10 smoke. In a few minutes
the pleasant weed produced its desired effect.
j was Just about to return 10 the wagon, when
again shrek from Norah startled the night.
Rushing to her. found her i'm the extremity
OF distress, specifies and shiyerlng from head
10 foot
To comfort her as best might was all
could do. Not q word could / get from her.
After waiting some time she recovered little,
seeming TO see the necessity for some explana-
ton.
Pointing with her finger, she directed my
glance 20 the mummy, and 10! | saw that IL
was headloss Again / followed the direction
in which She pointed.
No wonder the poor girl had been fright
ened; her two experiences that night might
well have scared Drawer heart The head had
broken off and rolled right up to where she
lay. 1 picked up the severed Uranium and
placed 10 on one side, then slipped into the
blankets again aud slept till coflee-time. We
were glad enough when morning broke, aud II
was only after a cup Of hot coffee that We felt
equal TO venturing upon tho events OF the
previous night.
On examining the head, found that the
tend0ns which had held 10 10 the trunk had
been eaten asunder one by one. and the dried
skin Of the neck had broken under the weight.
The vcrtebrp having lost its gristly part, had
separated without difficulty, aud let tho skull
20 rolling down on the sleeping Norah, whose
brain, already full Of fcyered fancies, conjured
NJ some mach worse catastrophe.
And now comes tho quoCrcst bit Of the whole
business. We had made a toIerable breakfast
and were preparing for inspanning, when
Norah, who Was already in the wagon. said:
4" I'm over my fright now, Geof. What do
you think I'm going 10 dor"
81 give il up, my dear" ! replied; "you
women folk are TOO many for me-"
"Geof l am going 10 try and fix Inkose
Mummls 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 imme-
diately 10y a ringing, merry laugh and the
words:
Oh Geof! Two found out all about it. A
mouse has done the whole business, and look
here If there isn't whole famly-One, two,
three, fOur-oh, goodness, what a lott"
Aud sure enough, when / got up 10 look,
there was a nest Of young mice in the interior
OF the skull. The parent mouse no doubt had
played the headsman's part aud 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 10
clear the skull Of its odd assortment Of grass
hair and other staples which formed the nest
Having done 50, looked through the mouse
hole behind the car aud saw a something rest
ing in the cavity formed by the mouth. aud
which ratified whenever / shook the skull.
Whatever can il bel +" said my WIFE
"Oh. ] suppose il is some charm or fetch put
in the fellows mouth TO keep away bad spirits.
i mean to have it out, though; at least 1t will
be q CuriO."
/ then made a hole neatly under the chin,
when the charm fell out into my hand. IL was
wrapped up ia what looked line piece OF skin;
upon removing this another covering was dis
closed, and again another and another, each
piece Of skin being thinner aud softer than the
preceding Que.
Chinese puzzle is a fool to what that charm
appeared TO me then, but At last ] got the in
nermost covering of and found thee sO-called
charm a lump Of gum.
"Oh, what a sell. GeoE after all that careful
folding, too; bit Of diEty-looking brown gum.
. Well, ncycr!"
Over our next meal that day we sat talking
about the mummy aud tho charm, both OF
which were rapidly dcprcciating ia value in
4 our eyes. Personally, IL | had spoken what
I was ia my mind, ] think / should have con-
/ fesscd 10 a desire 10 get rid Of my veteran pas
z E.r "a. I 40 81 -
/ giving Norah reason 10 think she had good
1 cause for chat.
After lighting my pipe, ] CHANGED TO pull out
OF my wallet the bit Of gum.
wonder il il will burn" / said. am
break of bit and try" Suiting the action
10 the word, hit the gum with a small piece
Of iron-st0nc that lay near, when 10 my great
surprise the gum split in two pieces discover
4 ing magnificent diamond, stone Of the first
water Of perfect shape and weighing consider
ably over a hundred caratsi
Here was g0dsend with vengeance.
Norah, with woman's quick eye 10 bust
ness at once asked,
How much is IL worth, Geof?"
Can't quite say, dear but think five ig
urcs will bring about change Of proprietor.
ship"
Some three months after sold the diamond
10 a Kimberly merchant for $1,000 pounds
F. OF course the Colonel had his share Of tht
4 spoil. The mummy came 20 an untimely END
! when, on crossing swollen stream, my wagons
came 10 grief and the contents, barring scvera
punches Of feathers which / managed to save
were swept away
Fablcd lore tells us how once a mouse re-
/ leased a lion from the tolls Of a hunter-Onc,
[ again then n mouse did ycoman service in re
leasing me from the ds,resses Of impecuni
/ Osity.-Bc'grdUid.