The morning times., 1897-02-14

tightly il may be shut, it opens quickly
enough to whomsoever carries the key.
There is 10 ereaking Of its vast and heavy
hinges; there Is not the faintest flutter of
a leaf nor the softest whisper OF blade
Of grass. That is the bargain the bearer
OF Tire key must make:
That which sleeps. disturb not itsslumber
That which moves, let it swiftly pass.
Else the Swamp would never reveal
itself The sound of one alien football is
enough II is the signal for each secret
TO hi &c itself. and for all the mysteries 10
vanish into mystery The Swamp calls
them all in. covers them as with mantle,
ana puts on It's everyday disguise, the dis
guise That the eyes Of few mortals have
ever penetrated Bat those who stand by
tie bargain tnat all key-bearers must make
whether they go on two legs or on four,
or whether they fly or crawl, or creep or
swim-finI tie Swamp more friendly
There is no disguise anywhere. The SC
crets come swarming forth from all pos
sihle or Impossible places, and the mys-
teries, led 10y tier torch-bcarer, Jack-o'-
thC-Lantern. glide through the tail canes
and move about among the tail trees.
The unfathomahle blackness Of night
never sets foot here. II is an alien and is
shut out. And Uhisis one ofthe mysteries.
If, when the door of the Swamp is opened
to a key-bearer. the black night seems TO
have crept IN, wait a moment. Have
10 n .fS
lcafy covering, in the midst of this dense
growth Of vines and saw grass, and reeds
and canes, there is always wonderful hint
OF dawn; a shadowy, shimmering hint,
elusive and understandable, but yet sufficient
TO give dim shape TO that which is near at
hand.
Not far away the frightened squeak of
some small bird breaks sharply on the ear
Of the swamp. This is no alien note, and
Jack-o the Lantern dances up and down
and all the mysteries whisper in concert:
We wish you well, Mr.. Fox Don't
choke yourself with the feathers. Good
night, Mr. Fox; good night
Two minute globulcs Of incandescent
light come INTO sight and disappear, and
the mysterious whisper:
Too late, Mr.. Mink, too latei Better
luck next time GOOD night!
a ripping sound is heard in the lagoon
as the Leander of the Swamp slips into
the water. Jack-o -thc-Lantern fits to the
level shore Of the pool and the mysteries
come sweeping after, signing:
Farewell. NJ. Muskrati Good luck and
good night!''
Surely there is an alien sound on the knoll
yonder-snapping growing, and fighting
Have stray dogs crept under tile door?
Oh, no! The Swamp smiles, and all the
mysteries 20 tTooping tlither to see the
fun. 1t is q wonderful froHc! Mr.. Red
Fox has met Mr.. Gray Fox face to face.
Something tells Mr.. Red Fox, Here's youl
fathers enemy" Something whispers to
Mr.. Gray, Here S your mothers murderer.
And so they fail to, screaming 2 and gnawing
and painting and snarling. Mr. Gray Fox
is the strongest, but his heart Is the weak
est. Without warning, he turns tail and
flies, with Mr.. Red Fox after him, and
with all the mysteries keeping them COM
pany. They run until they are past the
boundary line-the place where the trumpet
flower tried TO marry tile black jack tree
and then, Of course, the Swamp has no
further concern with them And the
mysteries and their torch bearers come
troopinS home.
Its fun when Mr.. Red Fox and Mr.. Gray
Fox meet on the knoll, but the S wamp viii
never have such a frolic as it had one
night when a strange bird came flying in
over the door. IL is known that the birds
that sleep while the S wamp is awake have
been taught TO hide their heads under their
wings. It is not intended that they should
hot iSf no a hat
sleeps in the loblolly pine and the wild
turkey that sleeps in the live oak conform
to this custom. They are only on the edge
OF the Swamp, but they feel that it would
be rude not 10 put their heads under their
wings while the Swamp is awake. But
this strange hird-of a family of night birds
not hitherto known to that region-was
amazed when he beheld the spectacle
.-Ohor' he cried. What queer country
is this where all the birds are headless! If
I'm to live here in peace L must do as the
brethren do
So he went off in search Of advice as
he went along he saw the Bullfrog near the
lagoon.
.-Queerer STILL" exclaimed the stranger
Here 5 a bird that has no head, and he
can sing
THIS satisfied him, and he went further
until he saw Mr.. Wildcat trying to catch
little Mr.. Flying Squirrel.
Good evening, SIR said the stranger.
a. see that the birds in thiscountry have no
heads
Mr. wildcat smiled and bowed ndlicked
his mouth.
Il presume, sir, that ought to get rid of
my head if am TO stay here, and have
nowhere else Ia go How am TO doit.'
Easy enough responded Mr.. Wildcat
smiling and bowing and licking his mouth.
"Birds that are SO unfortunate as to have
heads frequently come to nae for relief
May ] examine your neck to see what can
be donc?''
The strange bird fully intended to say
"Why, certainly, SIR He had the words
ali made up. but his head was off before ht
could speak. Being a large bird lie fluttere1
and shook his wings and jumped about a
good deal. As the noise was not alien
tie wamp and allit mysteries came forth
TO investigate, and oh, what frolic there
was wien Mr.. Wildcat related the facts
Tie torch bearers danced up and down witt
glec, and tie mysteries waltzed tothe quicl
piping of tie Willis whist,crs.
Although the Swamp was not day Older
when Aaron, the son Of Ben Ali, became a
key-beareT, the frolic over the headles,
bird was far back Of AarOn's time. Older
The Swamp was even younger, for il was
not swamp until old age had overtaken
it-untu centuries had made it fresh and
green and strong. The Indians had campeC
Round about, had tried TO run its mysterie
down and had failed. Then came a banC
of wandering Spaniards, with ragged