Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-09-07
DAILY STORY
THE IRDLIKE LAUGH.

lne leaves danced III spots on TIT
ground. The brook flowed merrily
sending back from below where 1
tumbled over the rocks q pleasan
sound. Occasionally bird in the top
most branches gave two melodious
notes, attuned to the brook, the low
ing of cattle, the chopping of TIN
trunks of trees, Nthe humming Of in
sects-indeed, the harmony of country
sounds
ButWhat was tnt?? Like the notes
of the bird, yet something human In
it. AT any rate. it was delicious.
listened. There il is again. This time
/ recognized girls laugh. 1t was
more than a laugh; 1t was antexpres
sion of perfect happiness. AS the
sounds of the country were, attuned
to the notes of the bird all We're at
tuned to this laugh.
l heard voices coming, and present
ly bevy Of young girls emerged from
copSe. Among them was one whom
1 noticed beyond the rest. There were
tall girls and short girls, girls with
piercing black eyes, girls with thick
coils OF hair. The one 1 noticed was
pie pink and white innocence; her fig
ure perfection of the ordinary. A
simplicity of attire. together with the
harmony of her various physical char
acteristies, led one to admire without
at first realizing what was admired.
Perfection rarely strikes us all at
once. 1t must have time to grow
on us.
Suddenly she burst into Il laugh, the
brdlike ebullitiou l had heard a few
minutes before
Doubtless some one of her compan-
ions had said something amusing, but
1t did not appear that this was the
cause of her merriment. 1t seemed
rather TO be q spontaneous outburst of
q happy soul, an innocent soul, a soul
tGat had never known suffering. 1t
was two notes at the end of the laugh
that were almost an exact repetition
of the notes of the bird L had heard.
To me they seemed to rise to the
heavens. then come back as an echo.
They fioated among the branches of
the trees. 1 drank them in with the
air / breathed.
These fair creatures were like a
meteor in the sky-an appearance and
disappearance, with nothing be-
tween. But now and again at inter
walls could hear that melodious laugh
mingled with others, each time grow
ing fainter till at last was left with
those country sounds which had been
so sweet, but now seemed to have lost
their sweetness.
Five years passed when 1 saw the
girl with the birdlike laugh again. l
was visiting the Golden Gate of the
west One morning 1 was awakened
before day by a huge mass of plaster
falling on my chest 1 jumped out of
bed and was thrown violently against
q chiffonier The building, a hotel.
seemed like flag in high wind. L
recognized the earthquake. L got down
on the floor and crawled to the door;
then as the rocking ceased l rose to
my feet and went downstairs and into
the street. Men and women were
there. nearly all in their nightclothes,
the women very properly covered in
long. flowing nightdresses.
Now, l had gone to bed the night
before unable TO find two parts of the
same suit of paJanas. SO l had put
on a green shirt and red trousers.
Having a cold l had also worn Il vel
low skMlcap.
y new shock came 1t seemed to last
minutes, but it's duration was only
seconds. The face of building fell
into the street. New flames burst out
in every direction. A man was carried
by with blood streaming over his face.
There was rush of cattle mingled
with men. women and children. Was
his pandemoniums
Suddenly above the discordant noises
[ heard familiar sound. Was it an
angels voice speaking to the stricken
people to give them courage? Surely,
imid this frightful din a voice SO heav- |
snly could not come from human be- |
ng. 1 turned and there stood the girl |
with the birdlike laugh. Beside her, |
holding her hand. was her image, a |
.hild of perhaps three years. She was |
She was laughing at my red, green and |
Fellow attire.
Surely" said. eff this woman can
augh amid such surroundings, she will
augh when the earth is burst asunder
md scattered through space.
/ was destined to meet her third
ime and that in a few days. 1 was
working among the sick of the stricken
ity when a man approached and asked
T / were n doctor. / replied that l
vas, and he asked me to go with him.
did so and was taken to one of the
letter class of residences that had not
zen burned. Mounting staircase,
vas shown into a bedroom. A woman
net me at the door. 1 started. 1t was
he of the birdlike laugh.
She led me into the room, evidently
ot remembering ever having seen me
efore On bed lay the child 1 had
cen holding her hand when she had
aughed at my incongruous costume.
he mother looked at the little hot face
',ay, mo xricffrrllv HID 1