The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1920-01-13

specimens Of q white and dominant
race, yet the blacks continued their
various occupations and dlsOccupa-
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 ut their sides neat bundles
Of stripped palm leaves. They were
weaving baskets. The men at least
were not torgue-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
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 We're saying and was merely
bored
At the moment the wheels of the
flying machine had struck the ground
the npparently interminahle md, TO
Andrea, meaningless chant had been
started by the native chief, a wlzcned
figure distinguished in dress from his
companions only by The ebony-black
rlns az polished wax that he wore like
a halo of darkness on his close.
cropped and grlzzled 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
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-te -
he roared, and there followed, so
quickly that II seemed but another syl-
liable of the salutatlon, mighty grunt
from the depths of thirty chests,
"Huhw
In moment the whole scene under
went 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 Il com
pact group from which came suddenly
a cry that startled Andrea and jerked
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 Il serrents. 1t was CHASTITY to
watch, incredible in the rapldity of the
Mutation, 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 II had begun.
"All very interesting" said Andrea
turning to her companion, but why
didn't they do it before?'
He looked ut her ubsently. "There
is II ceremonial" he said, IA dignity
about the African that is absurd till
you've known II for years."
"For years?" repeated Andrea. cit
Is this your homer
He shook his head. mo, Africa
this sort of thing-ls never home to
a white man. It's a place where he
goes TO forget his sins. I've been
using it--Whgnevor life has given me
n chance-qa sun bath for the soul,
Andrea 20 Mt him a puzzled
hown ON brow. She wondered !
why his tuos dId not offend her. |
wondere it would ever fan to her |
lot .o h him say seuseless thing !
or loud. While She still won 1
dcrHQ turned from hcr ond ha,,,p