The Calumet news., 1911-03-21

the<illage of Brayle.
l shifted my knapsack from my
shoulder and, leaning upon my staff,
stood contemplating one of the most
glorious panoramas my eyes had ever
rested upon. Behind me to the north,
stretching away eastward and west
ward, the great mountain range lifted
its frowning tops to heaven, and To
the south and southwest, from whence
/ had come, the world fell down to-
ward verdure and cultivation and
lands watered by streams, which grew
slowly and joined together into a rlv-
er far away toward the horizon.
AS evening came rapidly over the
lower lands and chill wind struck
the mountain road | entered the viii
lage and went toward long, low
building which seemed likely to afford
resting place for the night. Four
men were sitting at rough table
smoking and drinking They were In
eager if not an angry conversation,
but stopped as l entered and looked
at me in surprise. One of them seem
ed delighted ut my advent, for he cried
out eXcitedly:
"The proof! The proof! Look!
Here is one of them
Another man, whom | rightly took
TO be the proprietor of the establish
ment, growled savagely at him to be
silent and then rose and saluted me.
"You are a traveller, just an ordinary
travelerI'
"Yes; oh, yes" l answered.
There was something in his tone
which had the effect of taking the
cOncelt out Of one. l have never con
sidered myself quite an ordinary trav-
eler.
"You see, Mustaphaw he said in tri-
umph.
The man addressed looked at me fix
edly, but did not speak He had sprung
excitedly from his seat at my en-
trance.
Il want to stay here tonight" | went
on. Tomorrow may go farther, OF
the next day, or it may be next week.
It all depends what l find to interest
me- There is a fine waterfall near
Brayle, l have heard"
'Is il only for this you have Gomez
asked Mustapha, with some contempt
EYES," l answered, throwing down
my knapsack and spreading out my
hands to the blaze "What else should
/ have come for?"
The disappointment in the mans face
was quite comical, and his companions
burst out laughing.
Take no notice of what he says
laughed the landlord. "Mustapha Is Q
dreamer He sees armies along the
mountain tops when others see only
snow. He hears the ring of steel II
every tinkling goat bell and the shout
of war in the bark of every dog. A
wonderful dreamer Is Mustapha."
81 said nothing of armies; l said
armed men," the dreamer returned
sullenly.
81 am not armed" l observed.
"Many of the men l have seen are
not armed" he returned, "but they are
no ordinary travellers. They all go the
same way-yOnder."
matte as he stretched out his arm
pointing toward the mountains to the
north.
"Where Is yonderT / asked, more
for the sake of saying something than
because wanted to know.
81 only know the legend which every
body knows and which everybod!
laughs at, but am wiser than every
body, because / don't laugh"
A roar of merriment greeted thi'
assertion. could not help joining
In ii.
"Let me eat first, and then wei
have the story. The story will walt
and my hunger is too ripe to keep"
OF necessity in this history ! mus
talk of myself ! am the hero OF II
and he's poor hero indeed who ism
worth. talking about. l was wan
derer by inclination, not of necessity
and. although not actually seeking ad
venture, was not unwilling TO enjo.
some mild form Of enterprise shoul'
such come my way, but little though
of the strange experiences which la.
before me. Few people even IL the.
are interested will believe the stor!
and will say OF me, as was said o
Mustapha, "He ,s a stupid dreamer
To those ] can honest. confess that
should sometimes doubt the histor.
myself had not always before m
one incontestablc proof Of the trut
of 1t. For my personal appearance
stand over six feet, am broad shou
dered and athletic, have fair hair an
am clean shaven, and | believe ther
are less well favored men In the worl
than myself a.