The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-03-14

the Pied Piper of Hamelin and all his
army. Now what do you think OF
that?'
"Mv only wonder is that you are
alive to tell the tale" replied with a
smile.
ooh, YOU are quite incorrigible,
she laughed. "But, Mr.. Harter, will
you please go and shoot that devil-blrd
for me?'
AS if to emphasize her request, the
grucsome bird again indulged in the
same trightful noise, which at this
time seemed to proceed from the in
terror of the bungalow. Even now
that knew what it was, it literally
made my flesh creep, it was so mex
pressively hideous. The unfortunate
Amy was as white as sheet and
trembling in every limb. lnstinctively
| turned to look at the servant. His
habitual self-command enabled him to
keep back any expression of fear, but
his face was so solemn that it was evil
dent he anticipated some disaster.
Tom needed no other inducement to
make an attempt to shoot the ill
omened creature which was: he told
me, a species Of night hawk. accom-
panied him to look for it.
Neither the door opening upon the
verandah nor that leading into the
dining room behind was hung, and the
windows were protected only by mus
lin curtains, so that it could easily
have flown into the drawing room. 1t
was pretty place, with its satinwood
furniture and the China mating upon
the floor, and bear and spotted deer
skins scattered about. Beneath the
punka in the centre stood round
table strewn with Indian knick-nacks.
There was a couch on one hand as you
entered. and writmg-table on the
other, and in one Of the far corners was
a piano.
But it soon became clear that 70
devil bird was in the room. Nor was
it in the dining room. and the tailor
seated at work i'm the back verandab
said he had not seen it. Perhaps, then,
it was on .he roof. We took stroll
around the premises, but without any
better success, and at length Tom put
his gun away and We returned to our
chairs.
Mrs Mornington was greatly disap-
pointed, but endeavored to console
Amy, who had not regained her COM
posure yet, with the promise ola lesson
on some future occasion. The lamps
wel. now turned up, for the evening
had been coming on rapidly. The
white temple flowers, refreshed with
the falling dew, were breathing out
their aromatic scent more abundaDtly
and the fire flies were flashing through
the dusk But the garden was the
strangest sight to European.
Talk about raining cats and dogs,
indeed! Here was an avalanche of fly
ing foxes. They were pouring through
the air in hundreds-I might say in
thousands-diving through the clear,
starlight sky and disappearing into
the gloom below. A few huge bats
were fitting to and fro, and in the dis
tance l heard the dismal howl of a
jackal.
In short, | was being continually
reminded by every one of my senses
that | was in foreign land.
And now a fine old man, with a
white beard and mustache, came
along the carriage drive from the direc-
tion Of the compound. His dress-red
turban, plain jacket, with red sash and
facngs, and loose knickerbockers-
showed him to be one of the horse
keepers. He was carrying in his hand
something attached to Il stick.
Here, boy, what have You got
thore?' demanded Tom.
"A snake, sahib."
"Oh! for mc-for MEL cried Jack
springing 70 his feet and running for
ward to take possession of it.
The venerable gentleman, who was
evidently of low caste-for Buddhist
is not allowed to take the life of any
creaturc-proceeded to explain that he
had come upon the snake beneath the
large mango tree at the corner, and
promptly killed it with a stick. 1t
was corba, about four feet in length,
and as looked at the venomOus crea-
ture, with its ugly, flat head and its
markings on the neck like a pair of
spectacles, l could not repress a shud-
der
But Jack, who seemed to sympa-
thu with reptiles of every kind, was
quite delighted with his prize, and one
of the fl. st things that he did with it
was to lay it upon his sisters lap. /
thought she would faint. Her face
turned rcd and then white almost in a
moment, and she started back in speech
less terror.
"Jack, it's very naughty of you to
do that" said Mrs. Harter. Don't
you see how frightened Amy is? Take
it away at once won't have it here
at all"
"But, mamma, I'm only giving her
ana ,,f Eoppx'c loccopS' - ,,1na dol fLn