The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-24

turns, the whole place seems to be alive
and looking on. Don't think it was Uma's
yarns that put me out; / don't value ma
tive talk q fourpenny piece; it's a thing
that's natural in the bush, and that's the
end of il.
As got near the top of the hill, for the
ground Of the wood goes up in this place
steep as ladder the wind began 10 sound
straight on, and the leaves TO toss and
switch open and let in the sun. This
suited me better; il was the same noise all
the time, and nothing 10 startle. Well,
had got TO a place where there was an I'M
derwood-o of what they call wild cocoanut-
mighty pretty with its scarlet fruits-when
there came a sound OF singing in the wind
that thought had never heard the like
Of Ii was all very fine TO tell myself it
was the branches: / know better. 1t was
all very fine 10 tell myself it was a bird :
know never bird sang like that. 1t
rose and swelled and died away
and swelled again; and now
thought il was like someone weeping
only prettier; and now | thought it was
like harps; and there was one thing |
made sure of, it was sight too sweet to
be wholesome in a place like that. You
may laugh if you like; but / declare
called TO mind the six young ladies that
came, with their scarlet necklaces out of
the cave at Fanga-anasna, and wondered
ii they sang like that. We laugh at the
natives and their superstitions: but see
how many traders take them up, splen-
didly educated white men. that have been
bookkeepers tsome of them) and clerks in
the old country. LIS my belief super
etition grows up in place like the differ
ent kind of weeds. and as / stood there
and listened TO that wailing twittered III
my shoes.
You may call me coward to be fright
ened: thought myself brave enough TO
go on ahead But | went mighty care
fully, with my gun cooked, spying all
about me like a hunter, fully expecting 20
see handsome young woman sitting
somewhere in the bush, and fully deter
mined Of did, 10 try her with q charge OF
duck-shot. And sure enough, | had not
gone far when | met with = queer thing.
The wind came on the top of the wood in
strong puf, the leaves in front of me
burst open, and l saw for second some
thing hanging in a tree. Ii was gone in a
wink, the puff blowing by and the leaves
closing l tell You the truth: l had
made up my mind 10 see an alta.
and II the thing had looked like a
pig or n woman. II wouldn't have given me
The same turn. The trouble was that il
seemed kind Of square. and the idea of a
square thing that was alive and SANG
knocked me sick and silly. l must have
stood quite while: and | made pretty
rertaln IL WAS right ont of the same tree
that The singing came. Then | began 10
come To myself bit.
We'll, says /. 1T this is really so. If
this IS place where there are square
things that sing, I'm gone up anyway.
Let's have my iun for nav MONEY!"
But thought might as well take the
pfi chance OF PRAYER being any good; 50
pumped on my knees and PRAYED out
loud; and ali the time was PRAYING the
strange sounds came out Of the tree. and
went up and down, and changed. for all
world like music; only Won could see il
wasn't human-there was nothing there
that you could whistle
As soon as had made an end in proper
ayle. | laid down my gun, stuck my knife
between my teeth. walked right NJ 10 that
tree and began 10 climb. l tel YOU my
heart was like ice. But presently, as |
went ur, | caught another glimpse O! the
thing, ana that relieved me. for / thought
g seemed Ike box; and when had so;
righ; up 10 II | near fell out the tree with
.Rushing.
A box il was. sure enough. and a candle
box AZ THAI. with the brand upon the side
VI II; ami II had banjo strings stretched
W as 90 sound when the wind blew. | be-
ieve they call the thing Iyrolean harp,
Ehatever thar may mean.
We'll, Mr.. Case" said |. you We fright
inej rae once But defy You 70 frighten
ne again" j says, and slipped down the