The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-12-20

weaving baskets. The men ut least /
were not tongue-tied. They. seemed to |
| be going through some oral ceremony /
First one and then another would
take the cheroot from his lips ana
make IA single remark; then the rest
would all grunt in unison and with
Il deep-cheSted eXpelling of ali the
breath in their bodies that gave al
most the effect of an explosion.
1t annoyed Andrea that her com
paniOn seemed to share the stole calm
of the natives in what TO her nina
ought to have been an occasion of
much excitement and chatter. 1t never
occurred 20 her that he was unmoved
because he could understand what the
men were saying and was merely
bored.
At the moment the wheels of the
flying machine had struck the ground
the apparently interminable and. to
Andrea. meaningless chant had been
started by the native chief, a wiZened
figure distinguished in dress from his
companions only by the ebony-black
ring of polished wax that he wore like
halo of darkness on his close
cropped and grizzled head.
The white man threw up his head
and clapped his hands once. The
chief grunted; silence fell. He spat
to one side and spoke deliberately.
LET us arise to greet the master"
They came forward and stood in Il
long file. The chief took one step in
advance, raised his right hand and
! fastened his gaze on the white man $
face. His own seemed to be working
| in Il sudden excitement. 'Bai-ye-te "
| he roared, and there followed, so
quickly that it seemed but another sy!-
| liable of the salutatiOn, u mighty grunt
from the depths of thirty chests,
i HUH
i In Il moment the whole scene under
went a startling transformation. The
file broke and became garrulOuS. Chill
dren stopped their play and ran 10
Join in the rabbie. The men dropped
a their work and crowded into a COIN
pact group from which came suddenly
II fIN tilil SllIlltb JNihNN
Y her around to face it as though she
( had been yanked by a string.
t The cry was shrill, high continuous
e 1t was produced by rounding the
Y open mouth and working the tongue
n laterally in vibration as rapid a.
e that of a serpent's. 1t was CHASTITY t.
e watch. incredible in the rapdity of the
g ululatiOn, but once heard, unforget
lie able. 1t lasted much longer thar
n Andrea could have held her breath, lie
lie alone used it, and ceased as suddenl!
n, as it had begun.
it "All very interesting" said Andre;
IN turning TO her companion, but VIII.
ID didn't they do it before"
He looked at her absently. "Ther
n is a ceremonial" he said, "a dignity
Id about the African that is absurd til
r you've known it for years"
II For years." repeated Andrea. "It-
er is this your homer"
n He shook his head. "No, Africa
or this sort of thing-is never home t
H. white man. It's place where h
Ell goes TO forget his sins. I've bee
Oh using it-whenever life has given III
a chance-as a sun bath for the soul.
Ell Andrea stared at him, a puzzle
d! frown on her brow. She wOndere
Ut why his bluntness did not offend he
'ie wondered if it would ever fall to he
ell lot to hear him say n senseless thin
or laugh aloud. While she still woI
ed dered he turned from her and bega
es calling out meaningless words: ''Shi
ed ling, Five! Tin hat! Bathtut
ru' Overcoat!"
At each name, for names they wer
native stepped forward. They wei
'hI all bright-faced youngsters, fourtee
OF or fifteen years of age. and their gar
made up of clean cloth bound tight
ed around slim hips and falling to Il
nd knees, and red fez with tassel il
'ea tact. marked them as houSebOys-
m trusted pickanlnnies who alone ha
i'd the right TO enter the white man
aes quarters and were collectively his re
ognized mouthpieces in conveying q
nd derS.
pse "Bathtub." repeated the white ma
Fry A youngster quickly saluted M
'Od stepped out of the line, grinning fro
lar ear to ear at being distinguished ev,
an for moment above his fellows.
ere With jerk of his head toward A
ed, drea the white man. began 10 talk IA
Irt, idly. Bathtub's eyes rolled from h
en- face to Andrea's and back again. TIL,
far widened, they narrowed, and, each
zen the three times the white man 81
on "Kiboco" with peculiar emphas
led they seemed tn vince.
I'D. Andrea interrupted. What. do
AT 'Kiboeo' mean, please?"
Inc 1T means a whip Of raw rhil
lis Abide" said the man. "An i,np,eme
nal that draws blood with whisper"
ant Andrea went white; her eyes blazt
cir $50 you whip your servaDts?" s.
pa said with curled lips.
at 81 have whipped Il boy once" a
no swered the man coolly. "They IA
cir never forgotten" He turned to h,
This boy, Bathtub, is yours. If
asst ever fails you l shall thrash him wit
on in an inch of his nine lives" He d
ost missed the boy with nod.
tie, Bathtuo stepped before his nj
My tress, saluted, grinned the broade