The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-01-23

!
ricans themselves. A flying machine
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 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-tied. 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
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
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
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 8
long file. The chief took one step II
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!
q he roared, and there followed, sc
. quickly that it seemed but another syl
n liable Of the salutation, mighty grunt
Q from the depths of thirty chests
q Huh ~
Q In a moment the whole scene under
@ went startling transformation. The
n file broke and became garrulous. Chill
g dren stopped their play and ran t.
!. join in the rabble. The men dropped
II their work and crowded into com
h pact group from which came suddenl,
d cry that startled Andrea and jerket
her around to face 1t as though sh'
+ had been yanked by string.
4 The cry was shrill. high, continuous
r 1t was produced by rounding thu
II open mouth and working the tongu
n laterally in vibration as rapid a
\ that of a serpent's. 1t was CHASTITY t.
r. watch, incredible in the rapidity Of tn
+ uluTation, but once heard, unforget
n able. 1t lasted much longer thai
# Andrea could have held her breath, lie
alone used it, and ceased as suddenl.
n as it had begun.
" IAN very interesting" said Andres
II turning to her companion, but VIII
10 didn't they do 1t before?
n He looked at her absently. "Ther
is a ceremonial" he said, "a dignity
d about the African that is absurd til
IS you've known 1t for years."
d "For years?" repeated Andrea. at
d is this your homer
a He shook his head. "No, Africa
this sort of thing-is never home t
ut a white man. It's place where h
Of goes to forget his sins. I've bee
using it--whenever life has given m
I'd a chance-as sun bath for the soul.
Id Andrea stared at him, a puzzle
"a frown on her brow. She wondere
n why his bluntness did not offend he
d. wondered il it would ever fall to he
es lot to hear him say senseless thin
or laugh aloud. Willie she still VOL
I'd dered he turned from her and bega
Sc calling out meaningless words. ''Shi
ry liEgl FiveI Til hat Batbsut
I'd Overcoati"
ar At each name, for names they wer
-u native stepped forward. They wei
&c all bright-faced youngsters, fourtee
a, or fifteen years of age, and their gar
ri, made up of a clean cloth bound tight
n around slim hips and falling TO II
ar knees, and red fee with tassel i
en- tact. marked them as houseboys-
Oh trusted pickaninnies who alone ha
al ,ba ,ioht to antar tho u-njta maj.