Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-08-29

ivory caressed the ornament and his linz
reTracted and drew up. and the corners
Of his mouth stiffened. until his visage
was that of q demon, the demon on the
shelf-like shrine. Lee Quoy covered on
his rug. and | watched as one who
watches Il deathbed.
Then the Phrase-Maker opened his
wrenched mouth, and spoke. From his
tripping tongue rolled phrase after
phrase, as If he were running over cara-
locue Of his life. Here and there / recag-
nized some pregnant expression that
stood for strong adventure; again ]
seemed 70 discern secret never further
told than in one dark phrase BUT /
could detect nothing that would Indicate
the mystery Of the woman.
lie commenced to eropc to half. and
u seek. Before very long. / 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. Qqoy blubbered in my ear. and
70 quiet him. | must set him 10 fixing
his masters pipe Meanwhile. | watched
the soul Of the Phrase-Maker battle
alone
The gold and its jewel flashed.
Here is his god said Lee Quoy tug
sinS at the jewel ON his sleeping master
breast
picked out of the boys palm a brooch
of ancient fashion. The gold was worn
and shone white. The ruby was black
enrd with dirt.
! looked at it carefully Iii letters al
most effaeed by attrition read the
Phrase Makers secret.
Lee Quoy pointed to the ring on the
left hand. Him other god" he wills
percd
These be indeed god assented
Sternly, and terrible ones. DO not bias
pieme nor profane,' And let. as
Sured that Lee Quoy would never again
tempt that theft
When next | visited him, the Phrase
Maker greeted me with sublime compo-
sure. Il have much to say to You. he
Sald, magni1cently sweeping Il bare arm
toward me. and ] desire that you lis
Have you discovered a new phrase:e
| inquired
He put away the mouthpiece of his
tobacco pipe almost with impatience.
No, he responded: that is hut trick
OF mine 10 keep memory within bounds
Hell is memory let loose. The god who
Squlrms above you in the shrine is sup
posed 10 be the demon of remembrance.
But 1t IL come over me that / am about
to die And | will tell you why death
to me is sweeter than any life"
Squatted on Il mat. and Lee Quoy
gave me glass of liquor and cigarettes.
Say on" | aSsentcd.
i would speak OF a good wOman.' said
me Phrase Maker, coughing heavily
YOU do nor know her. Nor shall Won.
She has nothing To do with people OF
your station"
bowed humbly and he went on.
The flame in the lamp licked up the
last drop Of oil before the Phrase Maker
was through. AS | listened the dark
hrCnZeS ON the angles of the walls came
anf aud I
heavy breathing Scemed~to mark the pas
sage of years
The tale was done The heavy reck
Of opium and tobacco had drpnched my
senses in somnolcnce. The demon in the
shrine was chattcrng impotcntly. The
PhraSc-Maker stretched out his pallid
hand to the howl of piced gum. and, as
he rubbed his lips. we smiled dizzily ut
each other. For in his story there had
been no woman nor mention Of woman,
Tins he did not know. for a merciful for
getfulne$S was come upon him, and lie
thought the threads of life hay untangled.
FIJI my pipe. | will smoke he said
Lee Quoy was ohedient, and | watched
pondering
4 strange sound broke in upon my
ears. The Phrase Maker had wakedi Ina
his voice. terror and hatred streamed like
phoSphorescence in a tide race Il am
remembering" he cried
looked at the demon in the shelf-ljke
shrine. The contorted limbs the with
ing face, the indecent posture trumphed.
Lee Quoy flung a vibrant curse at the
god.
As his voice changed in the room. the
Phrase-M Maker arose. look of blind haste
on his countenancc. His green robe
flashed down over his shruuken limbs as
he Strengthened up. His paIlid. eager
face pleaded for the end. Il have lived
With the living he whispered through
dry lips; now | remember only 1t has
lost its nowcr." And he let fall his
opium pipe to break upon the mat.
Then he slowly turned upon the god
Putting out barred arm he uttered the
sum Of his life: Love is living. To re-
member is To die
He gazed into the fiendiSi eyes. and
we saw his counteuance fall away. so to
speak. as Il face Of wax before Il blazing
fire First his mouth lost all human
Scmhlance. and his eyes followed. bui
last. In the moment of his final look
he swayed forward. dead at the demons
feet.
Aud among the blackened ioss-sticks
rolled ruby jewel. dinmcd by years of
careSS.-Iom Fleming Wilson in The Ar
gonaut.