Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-07-19

/ merrily. Els back was turned to them
as they came up. Felix paused mo-
| ment, unseen, and ca lght the words
| the stranger was singing:
/ Tires jolie
| Peu polie,
! Possedant gros magot;
Fort en- gueul5,
| Pas beg.eule;
| Telle e5aib-
The stranger looked up and paused
in the midst Of his lines, opened
mouthed. For moment he stood and
stared astonished. Then, raising his
native cap with graceful air, and bow
ing low, as he would have bowed to a
| lady on the Boule Yard, he advanced to
greet a brother European with the
familiar words, in good educated
French, Monsieur, salute you.'
To Felix the sound of civilized
| voice in the midst of SO much strange
and primitive barbarism, was like a
| sudden return to some forgotten world,
/ so deeply and profoundly did it move
and impress him. He grasped the sun
| burnt t'renchman' S rugged hand in his.
"Who are you?" he cried in the very
| the spur of the moment. And how
did you come here?"
"Monsieur." the Frenchman an
swered no less profoundly moved than
| himself, this is indeed, wonderful!
| Do [ hear once more that beautiful
language spoken? Do find myself
once more in the presence OF civil
lied person? What fortune. What
happiness. All, it is glorious, glori-
! Ous.'
For some seconds they stood and
looked at one another in silence, grasp
| ing their hands hard again and again
with intense emotion; then Felix re-
/ >peated his question a second time:
"Who are you. monsieur? and where
do you come trom?"
"YOur name, surname, age, Occupa-
ton? the Frenchman repeated, burst
| ing forth at last into national levity.
"Ah, monsieur, what JOY to hear those
well-known inquiries in my ear once
more. I hasten to crafty your legiti-
mate curiosity. Name: Peyron: Chris
tian name, jules; age, Al: occupation,
| convict, escAped from New Caledonia"
Under any other circumstances that
! last qualification might possibly have
been held an undesirable one in a new
acquaintance. But on the island of
Boupari, among so many heather can
nibals, prejudices pale before commu-
NIFTY of blood; even New Caledonian
! convict is at least Christian European.
| Felix received the strange announce
ment without the faintest shock of sur
prise or disgust He would gladly
f! have shaken hands then and there
with M. Jules Peyron, indeed, had he
introduced himself in even less equiv
ocal language as forger, a pick
: pocket, or an escaped house-breaker.
And yoY monsieur?" the ex-con-
vict iIu uired, politely.
Felix told him in few words the
| history of their accident and their ar
rival on the island.
Comment" the Frenchman ex-
claimed, with surprise and delight.
"a lady as well: charming English
lady! What an acquisition to the So
ciety of Boupari! Quelle chance
come, and mademoiselle too! And in
| what quality do you live here? You
are a god, see; otherwise you would
not have dared to transgress my taboo,
nor would this young man your
Shadow, [ suppose-have permitted
YOU to do so. But which sort of god,
pray? Korong-or Tula?"
They call me KorOng," Felix an
swered, all tremulous, feeling himself
now on the very verge OF solving this
| profound mystery.
''And mademoiselle as well?" the
Frenchman exclaimed, in a tone of
dismay.
''And mademoiselle as WE'LL" Felix
| replied. SAT least, so make out. We
are both Korong. | have many times
heard the natives call me So"
| His new acquaintance seized his
hand with every appearance of genu-
| inc alarm and regret. "My poor
FRIEND" he exclaimed, with horrible
face, "this is terrible, terrible! Tu-
kila-Kila is a very bad man. What
cas- we do to save your life and made
moioelle's. We are powerless! Pow
erless. L have only that much to say.
| condole with you. I commiserate
you!"
"Why, what does Korong mean?"
Felix asked, with blanched lips. lis
it then something so very terrible?"
Terrible. All, torriblen' the
Frenc Imam swered, holding up his
hands in horror and alarm. Il hardly
! know how we can avert your fate. Step
within my poor hut Or under the shade
of my Tree of Liberty here, and I will
tell all the little [ know about it.
no BE CONTINUED.
From Old Newspapers.