Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-08-22

WdS LuIueQ CuIlOuSly upon Tic WILL"
ing god in the shelf-like shrine, as if
he sought to win therefrom words for
his meaning. Or else he laid cunning
snares to entrap me into speech that
would satisfy his ear. So finally put
| hand on his ribbed breast under the
green jacket and reused him. He
| passed the spiced gum over his shriv-
eled lips and motioned to Lee Quoy to
clean his pipe.
81 have spent ten years trying to
| know about it, and I cannot find the
key" he said, systematically.
"The key to what?" l asked.
He pulled at a tassel of the banner
above him, and reached again for the
| spiced gum. Then he turned cavernous
| eyes upon me. "There was a woman,
once" he said, harshly.
Now in all the time I had known
the Phrase-Maker he had never spoken
| OF woman nor of women. | Won
dered at seasons whether he knew OF
| their existence So now I gasped In
amazement.
'Who was she?" I presently in
CURED.
ST do not know" was the response.
And then I, being wise, discerned that
he was lost for words.
Reckoning time as he did, 1t was
three smokes later that 1 rose to leave
the Phrase-Maker's presence. In these
many hours he had uttered five
phrases: ga kiss is music heard by
the lips :. laughter and tears are the
gates :. the hollow of an arm . in
the soft darkness /. words whispered
| in the dusk"
The end of it all was a long, quiv-
ering "A-a-ah!" that throbbed in the
shadowy room as felt my way to the
door. I asked again, s'Who is she?"
| The man sitting on the mat swept his
lips with pallid fingers and his eyes
| glowed through the gloom. 1t seemed
as if some divine modesty forbade him
even to remember her name; he had
told me none of the story. The
phrases, incomplete and incoherent,
were not final.
| AS l paused there, the Phrase-Maker
dropped into oblivion of my presence.
His hand sought for something under
his jacket, and brought forth an object
of gold. This he handled, with closed
eyes thewhile, passing his palm over
| it with silken gestures, breathing soft
ly through his parched lips. His serv-
ant, Lee Quoy, watched him in terror.
what thing, Lee Quoy?" l said, re-
assuringly.
Lee Quoy could speak excellent En-
glish, but fright narrowed his vocab-
ulary to few shuddering words. "His
God!' he calculated.
l shifted audibly.
Eyes. He make um god. Long time
now he had god of gold with fine stone.
Once / steal um. He try killee me.
Looksee!"
1 looked. Across the lads brown
forehead ran jagged scar. 1t was
sarely healed.
The Phrase Makers slender fingers
Of ivory caressed the ornament and his
lips retracted and drew up, and the
corners of his mouth stiffened, until
lis visage was that of demon, the
demon on the shelf-like shrine. Lee
Quoy covered on his rug, and
watched as one who watches death
bed.
Then the Phrase-Maker opened his
wrenched mouth and spoke. From his
tripping tongue rolled phrase after
phrase, as if he were running over a
catalogue of his life. Here and there
/ recognized some pregnant expression
that stood for strong adventure; again
I seemed to discern the secret never
further told than in one dark phrase.
But could detect nothing that would
indicate the mystery of the woman.
He commenced to grope, to halt, and
to seek. Before very long, l knew that
the Phrase-Maker was searching for
the words with which to clothe the
great experience of his life, and no
words were ready.
Lee Quoy blubbered in my ear, and
to quiet him I must set him to fixing
his masters pipe. Meanwhile,
battle alone.
The gold and its jewel flashed.
Here is his god," said Lee Quoy,
Juggling at the jewel on his sleeping
masters breast
l picked out of the boys palm a
brooch Of ancient fashion. The gold
was worn, and shone white. The ruby
was blackened with dirt.
looked at it, carefully. In letters
almost effaced by attrition l read the
Phrase Makers secret.
Lee Quoy pointed to the ring on the
left hand. Him other god," he
whispered.
''These be indeed GODS" assented
sternly, "and terrible ones. Do not
blaspheme nor profane." And l left,
assured that Lee Quoy would never
again attempt that theft.
When next visited him the Phrase
Maker greeted me with sublime COM
posture. 81 have much to say to you y
he said, magnifcently sweeping bare
arm toward me, "and 1 desire that you
| listen"