Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1919-10-31


had dropped in their midst and dis
charged two fair If not exceptional
specimens of a white and dominant
race, yet the blacks continued their
various occupations and disoccupa-
lions apparently unperturbed. What
ever their occupation they made no
sudden move of variation; even their
tongues kept still.
In the shade of one Of the vast
acaciaS there was veritable con-
course of men. They sat for the most
part on their heels smoking white,
slow-burning cheroots. Two only
could be said to be working. They
were very old and sat with their backs
against the trunk of the tree, their
legs stretched straight out before
them and at their sides neat bundles
of stripped palm leaves. They were
weaving baskets. The men at 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 and
make single remark; then the rest
would all grunt in unison and with
deep-chested expelling of all 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 mind
ought to have been an occasion of
much excitement and chatter. 1t never
occurred to 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
a 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 q
long file. The chief took one step In
advance, raised his right hand and
fastened his gaze on the white mans
face. His own seemed to be working
in sudden excitement. "Bai-ye-tep
he roared, and there followed, sc
quickly that 1t seemed but another syl
liable of the salutation, a mighty grunt
from the depths of thirty chests
"HuhI"
In a moment the whole scene under
went a startling transformation. The
file broke and became garrulOus. Chill
dren stopped their play and ran tC
Join in the rabble. The men dropped
their work and crowded into a com
pact group from which came suddenly
a cry that startled Andrea and jerkeC
her around to face 1t as though sht
had been yanked by string.
The cry was shrill, high, continuous
1t was produced by rounding tbs
open mouth and working the tongue
laterally in a vibration as rapid al
that of serpent's. 1t was CHASTITY Il
watch, incredible in the rapidity of thu
ululation, but once heard, unforget
able. 1t lasted much longer thai
Andrea could have held her breath, lie
alone used it, and ceased as suddenl!
as it had begun.
"All very interesting" said Andres
turning to her companion, but VIII.
didn't they do 1t befOreT'
He looked at her absently. Ether
is a ceremonial" he said, "a dignity
about the African that is absurd til
you've known it for years"
"FOr years?" eEeated Andrea. "It-
is this your homer"
He shook his head. mo, Africa
this sort of thing-is never home +
white man. It's a place where h
goes to forget his sins. I've bee
using it-whenever life has given IN
chance-as a sun bath for the soul.
| Andrea stared at him, a puzzle
frown on her brow. She wondere
why his bluntness did not offend heI
wondered If it would ever fall to he
3 lot to hear him say a senseless thin
or laugh aloud. While she still WOE
dered he turned from her and bega
, calling out meaningless words: "Shi
, Ing! Fivel Til hat! Bathtub
! Overcoat!"
r At each name, for names they wer'
! a native stepped forward. They wer
: all bright-faced youngsters, fOurtee
!. or fifteen years of age, and their CARL
made up of a clean cloth bound tight
: around slim hips and falling to III
r knees. and a red fez with tassel II
D tact, marked them as hOuseboys-
] trusted pickaninnies who alone ha
4 tho RIGHT To enter the white man