The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-05
PART I.

This story Is of time beyond the
memory Of man. before the beginning
OF history, before the beginning of
speech almost when men still eked out
thelr scare words by gestures, and
talked together as the animals do, by
the passing Of simple thoughts from
mind to mind-beng themselves indeed
still of the brotherhood of the beasts.
FIFTY thousand years ago it was. fifty
thousand years--if the estimates of the
biologists are correct.
And in those days the springtime was
as joyful as it is now, amidst the wood
land and marsh and open g1ass along
the river Wcy, and sent the blood
coursing in just the same fashion. The
AFTERNOON sky was blue with piled
Whlte clouds sailing through it. and the
southwest wind came like a soft caress.
Ihe heW-come swallows drove to and
'ro' Inc reaches of the river were
ep"hsieu with white ranunCulus the
tiaiaIy places We're starred with la
uies-sihock and lit with marsh mallow
WHereeVer the regiments of the sedges
lowered their swords, and the north
ward moving hippopotami, shiny black
monsters, sporting clumsily. came
1ounderlng and laundering through If
one clear IDEA, to splash the river mud
tly.
FURTHER UP the river and Well in
sight of the hippopotami a number of
little bun-cOlOred animals dabbled in
the water. There was no fear. no riv-
airy and no enmity between them and
the hippopotami. AS the great bul<s
came crashing through the reeds and
smashed the mirror of the water into
sIlVery splashes, these little creatures
shouted and gesticulated with glee,
At was the sureSt sign of high spring
Eoloo!' they cried. "Baayah 20
100! They We're the children of the
men folk, the smoke of whose encamp-
ment rose from the knoll at the rivers
bend. Wild-cyed youngsters they were
with matted hair and little broad
hosed, lmpish faces, covered Gas some
children are covered even noWadays(
with delicate down Of hair. They
We're narrow IN the loins and long in
the arms. And their ears had no Iobcs,
and had little pointed tips, q thing
that still, in rare instances. survives.
Thelr eleders were hidden from the
WalloWing hippOpotami by the crest of
the knoll. The human squatting-place
was trampled area among the dead
"i'"h liOhuS Ol Royal Fern, through
Whlch the crosiers Of this years growth
were unrolling to the light and warmth
The fire was a smouldering heap of
char, light gray and black, replenished
by the old women from time to time
with brown leaves. Most of the men
were asleep-they slept sitting with
their foreheads on their knees. They
had Killed that morning a good quarry.
enough Tor all, and some Of the women
were still gnawing the bones that lay
scattered about. Others were making
heap of leaves and sticks to feed
Brother Fire when the darkness came
again, that he might grow strong and
tall herewith, and guard them against
the beasts.
None of these uff-skinned savages
were clothed, but wore about their hips
rude girdles Of adder skin or cracking
undressed hide, from which depended
htlle bags, not made, but torn from the
paws or beasts, and carrying the rude.
ly dressed tiints that were mems chief
weapons and tools. And one woman,
the mate of Uya the Cunning Mar. wore
wonderful necklace of perforated
fossils-that others had worn before
her. Besides some of the sleeping men
lay the big antlers of an elk, with the
tines Clipped to sharp edges, and long
SUCKS hacked at the ends with fints
INTO sharp points. But Uya the Cunning
old not sleep but sat with bone in his
hand and scraped busily thereon with
flint, a thing no animal would do He
was the oldest man in the tribe. beetle
browed, prognathous, lank-armed. And
by virtue both Of his strength and cum
ming he was master of the tribe, and his
share was always the most and the
best
Eudena had hidden herself among
the alders, because she was afraid of
Iya' She was still a girl and her eyes
were bright and her smile pleasant 20
sec. lie had given her a piece Of the
liver, mans piece, and a wonderful
treat for a girl to get; but as she took
1t the other woman with the necklace
mad looked at her an evil glance, and
ugh-lomi had made a noise in his
throat. At that Uya had looked at him
long and steadily, and Ugh-lomi's face
had fallen. An then Uya had looked
at her, She was frightened and she had
stolen away, while the feeding was still
going on. Afterwards Uya had wan
dered about as if looking for her, and
she crouched among the alders.
After little she saw Uya coming
down the knoll. He had seen the move
ment OF her pale arm amidst the thick
et-he was very keen-eyed
Eudena set off through the aIders
and reeds as fast as she could go. She
did not care where she went so long as
she escaped Uya.
She was soon amidst the trees-she
was very fleet of foot, and she ran on
and on, until the forest was old and
the trees great, and the vines about