The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-11
tts FICTION

shriek of My Gawrd," from Henderson. The skipper accompanied the vail by jump ing about twenty feet shoreward and rais- ing huge and noisy wave in the three feet of water as he made his way to terra firma. Over the coon oyster beds at the water
 line and through the dense jungle of cactus. Spanish bayonet and palmetto he plowed like runaway locomotive-and was gone.
 The shock of Henderson's nasty depar- ture started small panic among the pas sengers, who were unnerved by the sudden change in the music.
 "Calm yourselves, I beg you," squealed Professor Perkins, his voice weak in agi- tation.
 "Oh, do shut up,' said Miss Abbecrom- bic. "Stop your racket and listen to the music. M-m-. Isn't it grand?" It was. The first martial brust had subsded and a stream of beautiful sound rose and fell. Waves of it seemed to encircle the boat, which, released by Henderson's sudden flight, drifted slowly shoreward and stuck on an oyster bed. The music resembled nothing they had ever heard, unless it be the mellow endless sounds made by expert novelty musicians rubbing their fingers on the edge of wine glasses. No master of the art ever blended sounds and harmonies like this. Dying away at times to mere whis- per, it would rise in volume unti. the air seemed full of it. Little side currents of the principal melody would drift slowly away from the main body, and when dis tlnctiy separate, make playful little dashes at the boat. Like some species of strange creature, half bird, half fish, the little sounds pursued each other through the air overhead or dived under the boat to break from the surface on the other side. When one of these side currents of melody whisked by or under the vessel, the occu pants felt chilly sensation-the proxim- ity of mystery. At times the main forces of the sound-army gave an imitation of a distant pipe organ delivering an anthem of praise, which turned into dirge without break in the endless stream
 The passengers of the smelly old fish boat began to come out of their enchant- ment, and realize that they were cramped and stiff from long inertia. Mr. E. Bram- lee Steffens of New York, who once owned and operated small yacht, managed to navigate the boat back to Riverside, where they landed in the cold, sticky dawn.
 It was many days before the Investigat- ing Committee could discuss the affair with ease, and the musical Mrs. Mercer observed that the members of that boating party invariably left the hotel for long stroll in the forests as soon as she started her daily performance on the piano.
 Late in the afternoon of the day fol- lowing the trip, MT. henderson, his visage marred by sc~-e of scratches, approached the professor privately and collected twelve dollars. The professor was so preoccupied that he paid the bill without even chiding the Cracker for so unceremoniously leay- ing his ship.
 Later, tke same evening, MT. Frapps and MT. Henderson foregathered behind the sawmill and the native silently handed over five dollars, "Y' see," he explained, "th' haws got back all right but she done tore tn saddle plum off'n an los hit. I'll hafta chawge you'aI a dollah fer thet saddle"
 It was then that Mir. Frapps broke loose and gave his personal opinion of the coun- try, its native population and visitors, it's traditions and it's supernatural affairs, in language unbecoming even a dishwasher. His sallow face bore marks of numerous cactus spikes and Spanish bayonets, and his raiment was sad to contemplate. That night he caught the boat to Tampa, and the job of third assistant cook at the Riverview Hotel was vacant
 A year later some quail hunters stumbled upon the rusted remains of cheap phono- graph on top of Shell Mound. The muzzle of the horn was muffled with a rottine plaid cap. But new crop of "winterers" at Rixrorxrioxxx uo4.