The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-08-02

just thinking to myself the place might
have once been cleared, when came Oh my
nose over pile Of stones, and saw at Il
moment it was some kind of n work Of
| man. The Lord knows when 1t was made
| or when deserted, for this part Of the island
has lain undisturbed since lon before the
whites came. A few steps beyond l hit
| into the path had been always looking for
1t was narrow, but well beaten, and / saw
that Case had plenty of disciples. 1t seems,
| indeed, it was piece of fashionable bold
ness to venture up here with the trader,
| and a young man scarce reckoncd himself
grown till he had got his broech tattooed,
for one thing, and seen Cases devils for
| another; this is mighty like Kanakas; but,
like white folks, too. EA III
A bit along the path / WAS ~
clear stand, and had to rub M4t4I8 IS g.! l.! i
was wall i'll front of me, E1 g. 81
it by a gap; it was tumble-a INA tktin-
| ly very old, but built of big STONES very well
| laid; and there is no native alive today
upon that island that could dream of such
1t was a line of queer figures, idols, or
scarecrows, or what not. They had carved
and painted faces ugly to view, their eyes
and teeth were of shell, their hair and
| their bright clothes blew in the wind. and
| some of them worked with the Juggling.
! There are islands up west where they make
| these kind of figures till today; but IT ever
! they were made in this island the practice
and the very recollection of it are now
long forgotten. And the singular thing
| was that all these bogiCS We're as fresh Us
| toys out of shop.
| Then it came in my mind that Case had
| let out to me the first day that he was a
! good forger of island curiosties-a thing by
which so many traders turn an honest pen
n.y. And with that | saw the whole bust
ness, and how this display served the man
double purpose: first of all, to season his
curiosities and then to friglten those that
came to visit him.
But | should tell you (what made the
thing more curous) that all the time the
Tyroean harps were harping round me in
the trees, and even while l looked n green
and-yellow bird THAT, | suppose, was build
ing) began to tear the hair off the head of
one of these figures.
A little further on / found the best
curiosity of the museum. The first / saw
of it was q longsh mound of earth, with n
twist to 1t. Digging off the earth with my
hand, | found underneath tarpaulin stretch.
ed on boards, so that this WAS plainly the
roof of a cellar 1t stood right on the top
of the hill, and the entrance was on the far
side, between two rocks, like the entrance
to a cave. ] went as far in as the bend,
and, looking round the corner, saw a shin
| ing face. 1t was big and ugly, like pan
tomime mask. and the brightness of it waXed
and dwindled, and at times it smoked.
''Oho!' says !, luminous paint"
And l must say | rathered admired the
mans ingenuity With box of tools and n
few mighty simple contrivances he had made
out to have Il devil OF Il temple. Any poor
Kanaka brought up here in the dark, with
the Earps whining all around him, and
shown that smoking face in the bottom of
hole. would make no kind of doubt but he
had seen ana heard enough devils for a hie-
time It's easy to find out what Nauakas
think. just 20 back to yourself any way
round from ten to fifteen years Old, and
there's an average Kanaka. There are
some pious, Just rs there are pioUs boys
and the most of them, like the boys again,
are middllng honest, and yet think 1t Tathcrj
larks to steal. and are easy scared and
rather like to be- so. | remember Il boy 4
was at school with at home who played tho
Case business. lie didn't know anything |
no luminous paint. and no Tyroican harp; |
he Just boldly said he was 4 sorcercr, M |
frightened US out of our boots, and we lovd |
it. And then it came in my mind how te |
master had once logged that bog, and te
surprise we were all in to see the sorcerr
catch it and hum like anybody else. Thins
/ to myself Il must frd some way of fl
ing it SO for Master Case" And the neN
moment l had my idea.
I went back by the path, which, wheI
once you had found It was quite plain AM
easy walking; and when ! stepped out %
the black sands, who should | see bu
Master Case himself? l cooked my gun
and held it handy, and we marched up and
IL
tail of his eye on the other; and no soon"r
had we passed, than we each wheeled rounH
like fellows drilling and stood race TO race
We had each taken the same notion IN ms
head. YOU sec that the other fellow might
give him the load of his gun in the rear
You've shot nothing" says Case,
I'm not on the shoot today, sllh l. ,
well, the devil go with you 1or me-
says he.
1.-THE same to you" gays |.
But we stuck just the way we were; no
fear of either of us moving.
Case laughed We can't stop here all
day though =" a : ne ,,, ,, sovs1
He laughed again look here, Wilt
shire do you think me n fool?' he asked ;.
More Of a knave, if you want TO know
says |.
''Well. do you think it would better me to
shoot you here on this Open beach! sad
he. Because l don't. Folks come fishing
every day There may be II score of them
up the valley now, making copra; there
might be half dozen on the hui belnhd
you, after piScons; they might be watching
us this minute. and | shouldn't wonder. !
give you my word | don't want to shoot
YOU. Why should /? You don't hinder me
any You haven't got one pound OF coprA
but what you made with your own hands
like Il negro slave. You're vegetahnG-
that's what / call it-and | don't care where
you yegetate, nor yet how long Give me
your word you don't mean to shoot me, and
I'll give you lead and walk away,
well" said !, you're frank and pleas
ant. aint you? And III be the same. |
don't mean TO shoot you today. Why should
]? This business is beginning; 1t alnt done
vet Mr. Case. I've given You one turn
already; can see tue marks Of my knuc,les
on your head 10 this blooming. hour and
I've more cooking for you. i'm not II
parable, like Underhill. My name amt
Adams, and it amt Vigours, and mean to
show you that you've met your match.
This is g silly way to talk. said he.
'"rhis is not the talk to make me move on
with"
''All right" said l. stay where you are;
| amt in any hurry, and you know it. |
can put in the day on this beach and never
mind. / amt got any copra to bother
with. | amt got any luminous paint to
see to-
/ was sorry I said that last, but it
whipped out before / knew. L could see 1T
took the wind out OF his sails, and he stood
and stared Mt me with his brow drawn Zip.
Then | suppose he made up his mind he
must get to the bottom of this.
II take you at your word" says he, and
turned his back, and walked right into the
devils bush.
! let him go, Of course, for ] had passed
my word But / watched him as long as
he was in sight and after he was gone lit
out for cover as lively rs you would want
to see. and went the rest of the way home
under the bush, for / didn't trust him six
pence worth. One thing / saw. [ had been