The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-08
FEAST OF THE MOON.

''I ara going to the band at the .akea,
Dick" said to my chum after breakfast
one day last March. He nodded, but made
NO remark. 1 had known him for some
years now-ever since his great trouble
and we were staying at the Pegu club,
lettering away our time In Rangoon after
. long shooting tour in the Straits.
Sorrow cannot endure forever, but the
death of the girl to whom he was engaged,
through boating accident at Henley, had
left two strange marks on his character
when the cloud had otherwise lifted at
Last. He hated white roses--and indeed
any white howers--and music Of every
sort. On the day of her death the girl he
was to marry was wearing white roses,
and as they were carrying the body to an
inn they passed house In which violin
ist-a master of his art, 30 Dick told me,
and he was a good judge and no mean per-
former bimself-was playing an air that
haunted my friend ever after-the adagio
movement from Beethoven's "Sonata Pa
thetique." "For these reasons" he said
to me bitterly, "I shall never be friends
again with roses. shall hate sweet music
my whole life long,"
Well, went down to the boathouse and
taking canoe padded under the lea of an
island to read Tennyson's "Idylls' and to
dream and listen to the string band Of the
--th regiment, then quartcred with others
at Rangoon. When got back to the Pegu
club, some three hours later, went
straight to the reading room, In a corner
, OF which discovered Dick with look Of
quito unwonted animation In his eyes.
II say, old chap" he began with sup
pressed excitement "I've had the most
extraordinary visitor this Afternoons
fakir of sorts--who told me things Of my
past life that thought nobody knew"
/ laughed. "Been tapping your bearer,
] expect And the moment after re-
gretted the remark, when Dick In low
voice. almost a whisper, said: HE de-
scribed her, what she wore that day, how
she died." and then after q pause, "He
said she would be waiting for me tomor-
row night--the Burman's feast of the
moon--by the sacred tank"
Delicately az could tried to eradicate
from his usually practical, cynical mind
the uDreasonipg faith In the supernatural
which the fakir seemed to have implanted
there. / suggested the fellow might art.
fully have forced his thoughts into q Ger.
tain channel and then read them In the
form Of answers to taoit questions Of his
own. Dick got quite angry and said:
"At any rate, am going to this sacred
tank. have found out where It is.'
Next day he showed signs Of bad nigh,
and was strangely preoccupied, but ~ the
day wore on ne pulled himself together.
At breakfast he said, ~ suppose yot
won't accompany me tonight, unbelievers'
jumped st the chance, for somehow
had misgivings Of foul play Of one kind
or another.
'If you don't wish to be alone, Of cours
will come" said, and 20 IL wss settled
After dinner tiooa gAri drove us tw'
miles or % along the kokaine road till VI
+ oame 10 cart track which led through
the pine jungle 10 the sacred tank, where
1n dwelt the uncanny looking sacred flsl
and their attendant turtles, sll miDistere'
unto By an old wizened ninoola who live
\ 81 one of tbs few hut oottsred In clear
1ngs round the tank. Tonisbt tbsy wsr
al deserted. Doubtleas the dwsllers wer
. a. the city or some neishboring village
whonos 1oatsd the musical ting tong TIM
\ - she songh pit<hed IN vazious fsxs an