The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-01-22

ricans themselves. A flying machine
had dropped In their midst and dis
charged two fair if not exceptional
specimens OF a white and dominan,
trace. yet the blacks continued their
Various occupations and disoccupa-
tons apparently unpertHrbed. Whats
ever their occupation they made no
sudden move OF variation: even their
tongues kept still.
In the shade OF one of the vast
a~cacias there was a veritabie con-
course OF men. They sat for the most
part on their heels smoking white.
slow-buraing 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
OK stripped palm leaves. They were
weaving baskets. The men at least
were not t~ongue-tled. They seemed to
be going through some oral ceremony.
First n and then another would
take the cSeroos from his iips ami
make a single remark: then the rest
would all grunt In unison and with
a 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
nn0ht tn hoxrn hno.x nno.sn. ~
much excitement and chatter. 1t never
occurred to her that he was unmoved
because he could understand what the
men were saying and raj 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 eb0ny-b'ack
ring OF polished WAX that he wore like
a halo of darkness ON his close
cropped and grizzled head.
The white nan threw up his head
and clapped his hands nee 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 a
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 a sudden excitement. "Bai-ye-tcr r.
he roared. and there followed. SO
quickly that 1t seemed but another syi.
liable of the s~aiutation. q mighty grunt
from the depths Of thirty chests.
"HuhI"
In q moment the whole e under
went a startling transformation. Che
file broke and became g~arrulous. Chill
drcn stopped their play and ran to
join In the rabble. The men dropped
their work aud crowded into a COM
pact group from which came suddenly
a cry that startled Andrea and jerked
her around to face 1t as though she
had been yanked by q string.
The cry was shriIl. high. continuous.
II was produced by rounding the
open mouth aud working che tongue
~Iateraily In a vibration as rapid as
that Of a scrpent's. 1t was CHASTITY to
watch. incredible In the rapidity of the
ululatiop. but once heard. unforget-
able. 1t listed much longer than
Andrea could have held her breath. let
alone used 1t. and ceased as suddenly
as It had begun.
"All very interesting" said Andrea
turning to her companion. "but why
didn't they do 1t before?"
He looked at her absently. '-There
is a ceremonial" he said. IA dignity.
about the African that Is absurd til
you've known II for years"
ssEor yearsYe repeated Andrea. @It--
Is this your homer"
He shook his head. "fyo. Africa
this sort OF thing-ls never homo to
a white man. It's q place wherr he
goes to. forget Ills sins. I've been
using tt-whenever life has given me
a c~hance~-as a sun bath for the soui.r
Andrea stared at him. a puzsicd
frown on her brow. She wondered
why his bluntness did not offend her.
wondered II It would yer fall TO her
lot to hear him shy q senseiess thing
or laugh aloud. While she still won
| dered ne turned from her and began
calling out meaningless words: @Shii-
Etingf Eivet Tin haaj Bathtub !
Overcoaf~