Washington telegraph., 1919-12-12

| huh dAplptu III lHtlT LuluSt anu us
charged two fair il 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
acaclas there was a 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-tled. They seemed TO
be going through some oral ceremony.
First one and then another would
take the cheroot from his lips and
make a single remark; then the rest
would all grunt in unison and with
deep-chested expelllng of all the
breath in their bodies that gave al
most the effect of an explosion.
1t annoyed Andrea that her COM
panlon 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
sezs-s--s ,,--sfler native cfIftsr, -,vfncncd
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 gr;zzled head.
The white man threw up his head
and clapped his hands once. The
chief granted; silence fell. He spat
W Ollt olut anu cHOhG
Let us arise to greet the master"
They came forward and stood in a
long file. Tie 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 a sudden excitement. "Bai-ye-tew
he roared, and there followed, so
quickly that it seemed but another syl-
liable of the salutation, a mighty grunt
from the depths of thirty chests,
Huh !"
In a moment the whole scene under
went a startling transformation. The
file broke and became garrulous. Chill
dren stopped their play and ran to
join in the rabble. The men dropped
their work and crowded into a COM
pact group from which came suddenly
cry that startled Andrea and jerlIed
her around to face it as though she
had been yanked by string.
The cry was shrill, high, continuous,
1t was produced by rounding the
open mouth and working the tongue
laterally in vibration as rapid as
that of serpent's. 1t was CHASTITY to
watch, incredible In the rapidly of the
ululation, but once heard, unforget-
able. 1t lasted much longer than
Andrea could have held her breath. let
alone used it, and ceased as suddenly
as it had begun.
IAN very interesting" said Andrea
turning to her companion, "but why
didn't they do 1t before?"
He looked at her absently. "There
is ceremonial" he said, "a dignity,
about the African that is absurd till
you've known 1t for years"
For yearsf' repeated Andrea. TT
is this your homei"
He shook his head. mo, Africa
this sort of thing-is never home 10
a white man. It's place where he
goes to forget his sins. I've been
using it-whenever life has given me
chance-as a sun bath for the soul"
Andrea stared at him, a puzzled
frown on her brow. She wondered
why his bluntness did not offend her
wondered II It would ever fall to her
lot to hear him say a senseless thing
or laugh aloud. While she ST.! Won
dered he turned from her and began
calling out meaningless words: "Shll-
ling Five! Tin hiatt Bathtub
0vercoat"
At each name, for names they were,
a native stepped forward. They were
all bright-faccd youngsters. fourteen
or fifteen years Of age, and their garb,
made up Of clean cloth bound tightly
around slim hips and falling to the
knees, and red fez with tasSel in
tact. marked them as houseboys-
trusted plckaninnles who alone had
the right to enter the white mans