The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-11-10
ODE SILENT LAND

enough in the Silent Land? Tell me
about battles"
And the sound of their wings was
| as the sound of chariots of many
horses running to battle | could tell
| you about battles Diane
Tell me--don't move your arm-tell
me of battles. Louis
There was once a King in Carcosa.
| began. But the little maid was al
ready asleep.
I thought / heard a step in the I'M
| dergrowth and listened
The forest was silent.
When we awoke it vas night Down
from the dark heavens a great star
fell burning like a lamp. Above the
low-hanging branches sombre. droop-
ing. heavy with fragrance. a misty
darkness lay like a vast veil spread.
In the stiffness / heard her quiet
breathing, but we did not speak
Silence is a Prophet, unwilling mys-
teries
Then, through the forest we heard
the sound of wings. and as we moved
stepping together into the shadows, the
moon rose above Lynx Peak, gigantic,
golden. splendid.
So we passed out of the forest into
the star-lit night.
vi
The skies were leaden, the watery
clouds hung low over the valley, and
a wet wind blew from the west. ruff
fling the long pool where Diane stood.
Killed and capped in tweeds. creel
swinging with every movement of the
rod which swayed and bent with her
bending wrist, she moved from ripple
to shallow, wading noiselessly while
the silken line Whistled and the gay
flies chased each other across the wind
lashed pool.
each other when the light cast struck
the water.
Under the aIders Diane I said:
have you changed the Grey Dun for
the Royal?"I
NO. what is your new CASTE"
Emerald and Orange Miller shall
tie an Alder-fly in place of the Miller.
Do you think the water warrants a
cast of three?'
1T is rough; ] don't know-Louis
was that an offer?''
u think il was the spray from the
rapids. Shall we move up a little? Do
YOU feel the chill of the water?"
Il am cold to my knees" said the
little maid. "the river is rising l think
-ah. what was THAR
"Nothing-you touched a floating
leaf in the swirl
Splash" A great fish flopped over
in the pool, a trout lazy. unwieldy.
monstrOus.
"Oh. he missed it, cried Diane
turning d little white.
Cast again" I whispered, tossing
nv rod onto the sandy beach and I'M
singing my landing net.
Trembling a little with excitement
she cast across the swirl, once, twice,
twenty times. but the monster was in
visible. Somewhere in the dusky
depths of that amber well the fierce
fish lay watching the lightly dropping
dropping flies. unmOved. Then we
changed the cast: I emptied my fly
book. but nothing stirred except the
hurrying water curling. gurgling. tum-
bling through the rocks. Finally
broke the silence.
Diane. it was the spinner that he
rose to. He's after something redder
Have you Scarlet Ibis?"
"No-hsve you?"
l almost groaned for Conroy's flies
had not arrived, and | hadn't an Ibis
in the world.
After a while she reeled in her silk
en- line, and we waded TO the sandy
beach and sat down.
"Oh. the pity of it sighed Diane;
never nave Sttl1 SUN d lIput DS-
fore. I suppose it is useless, Louis
1 sat moodily poking holes in the
sand with the butt of my landing net.
We spoke of other things for time,
sinking our voices below the roar of
the river Presently a sunbeam stole
through the vapor above, lighting the
depths of the dark pool. And all at
once we saw the trout, hanging just
above the pebbly bottom; we saw the
scarlet fins move, the great square tail
waving gently in the current, the mot
tied spotted back, the round staring
eyes. The swelling of the gills was
scarcely perceptible. the broad mouth
hardly moved.
For a long time we sat silent, fasci-
mated; then something stirred behind
US on the beach and we slowly turned.
1t was Solomon.
"Ciel!" faltered Diane, what is
that?"
MY bird-an Egyptian Ibis 1 whis-
pered, laughing silently; he has fol-
lowed me, after ALL
Solomon ruffled his scarlet plumes,
blinked at me, scratched his head with
his broad foot, pecked at bit of mica
and took two solemn steps nearer.
Diane said I, suddenly, I'll get a
red fly for you; don't move-the bird
will come close to us
But Solomon was In no hurry. Inch
by inch he sidled nearer dallying with
bits of moss and shining pebbles, often
pausing to reflect, but gradually ap-
preaching. for his curiosity concerning
Diane was great.
He looks as if ne had stepped off
an obelisk," murmured Diane: II have
seen hieroglyphics that resembled him.
Oh, what a prehistoric head-so old, so
oldr'
His name is Solomon" | whispered.
Solomon in all his glory was not ar
rayed like one of these. I'm going to
have d small bit of Solomon's glory
sh-h, ah. I've got him.
1t was over in a second. and / do
not believe it was painful There was
a furry of sand, a furious Tapping of
hame-colored wings, squawk! a
smothered laugh-nothing more:
Mortified, furious, Solomon marched
off shaking the river sand from wing
and foot, and Diane and l, with tears
of laughter in our eyes, wound the
scarlet feather about a spare hook,
tied it close with thread from my
coat, and whipped it firmly to the
shank l looped the improvised fly to
DANES leader. and she shook the line
free The reel sang a sweet tune as
she drew the silk through the guides,
and presently she motioned me to fol-
low her out into the ripping shadows,
and / went, swinging my landing net
to my shoulder. She cast once. The
fv struck the swirl and sank little,