Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1921-01-27

The priest selected dozen or Sc
Of the very biggest oysters, and laid
them on the fire. Everybody kept
still. The oysters began to open. The
priest then took his stick and pushed
each oyster out, and everybody waited
till the fire had burned them up.
'"They make this sacrifice oncA 4
year." shouted the megaphone.
When the oysters were all con-
sumed, the women collected driftwood
and made twelve fires on the beach,
all in row. Each FIRE was lighted
with Goals from the altar. The priest
kindled the altar FIRE afresh.
Then all the oysters were placed on
the fires and roasted. The priest piled
another dozen upon the altar. When
these were open he began to eat them.
Then everybody began to eat.
At first nobody said anything. But
after while the women began to
rock back and forth as they ate, and
as they rocked they sang. It was not
very good music.
Then the women got up and began
to dance in ring, still holding the
oyster shells in their hands. Before
long everybody was dancing around
and around the altar.
Then the old priest went away and
sat down and the people began to scat
ter. They ate more oysters, till they
were stuffed full. Then they lay
down in the sun and went to sleep.
The altar was deserted, but there were
still lot of oysters on it.
All this time Aristotle had lain still,
swapping at flies. Me had kept very
quiet for Flyback was sitting on her
head. The children were very hun
CRY.
"Wait till 1 hitch Bluebottle," said
Flyback, "and we will sneak out and
have some breakfast. Take some
crackers in your hand"
Out they stole, children and fairy
and cat and dog, and stood by the
altar. Flyback was now on Brothers
shoulder. There were about a dozen
big oysters in the shells on the Goals,
and nothing they had ever eaten tast-
ed so good to the children. Each oys-
ter was six inches long. The chill
dren had four apiece. Flyback did
not eat any.
'HOOray for the oysters |" shouted
the foolish little boy.
Instantly the priest looked up, and
the young men woke up, and there
was wild rush. The men picked up
stones to kill the children.
"Turn your mirrors on them I"
shouted Flyback, pulling his own
around from behind his back. The
children understood perfectly what he
meant. They whipped out their new
mirrors and instantly there were
three CLEANS Of sunlight flashing in
the eyes Of the savages. The foremost
men stopped in their mad rush.
"Scoot for the plum bushesg' shout
ed the megaphOne.
So they scooted.
"Get on the carpet and take the
bag" The children Obeyed without
asking any questions.
"Order Old Useful Work to 60 up
a hundred feet and stand still"
Brother did so. They looked down
on the angry naked mob beneath them.
Throw down the crackers I" shout
ed Flyback.
Down went the ten pounds of crack
ers, like rain. The little round things
battered on the peoples heads. One
boy picked one up and put it in his
mouth. Then everybody put a crack
er in his own mouth and liked it.
wen give these antediIuvians a
point or two about eating oysters.
They never heard Of Oyster-crackers
before" said Flyback.
Sister wanted to ask what an ante
diluvian was, but Flyback was giving
new orders.
"Now let's go down and stand By
the altar again"
Down they went and stood still and
looked as grand as they could.
Then the old priest bowed down be-
fore them, and so did all the savages.
"They think you're the Oyster Gods
children" yelled Flyback, land his
sacred dog and his sacred cat. Wait
minute"
AL a SOAhH AASA uAOSV
and brought more oysters. The priest
opened them on the altar fire and Of
fered them to the children. But the
children were full. They shook their
heads.
Then all the people groaned and
went down on their knees again.
Flyback fitted down from Brothers
shoulder and whispered something in
the priests ear. In that early saw
age language, Flyback said to the
priest, TRY CLANS"
The priest spoke to the young men,,
and they ran swiftly to another place
and brought little clans. The priest
opened these and the children and the
dog and the cat had one apiece. That
was all they could eat.
Flyback went down and said to the
priest, "You see how it is, they don't
want your oysters and clans, All
they want is for you to be decent and