T. S. Stribling

“ DEEP in the afternoon, Lassiter reached the paddlewood just in time to see Birdsong start north through the jungle. On his back were a pack of Bibles and the promoter knew that his pockets were full of the wonder-working matches. And to what unfortunate and cruel use he would put the matches! A realization of the unhappiness Birdsong would cause moved the promoter to shout at his man. ”

“ Primitive peoples are often skilled in such occultism: the fakirs of India, the Aissaoui of North Africa, the snake-dancers of New Mexico. He turned to the girl—
“How long has your abuela been like that, Tilita?”
“Ever since my madre was a tiny niña. Her husband, my grandfather, was drowned in the lake, so my abuela joined her lord in the Sun.” She paused, then added, “My grandmother has thirty-nine years now—sixteen in the sun.”
The number registered on Lassiter with odd emphasis. The Venus in the teocalla was, or had she lived, would have been, precisely his own age. ”

“ THE death—the murder of Chacala—brought Lassiter a presentiment of some wide disturbance in Motobatl, and somehow, the promoter sensed that the colporteur was in the midst of it. Lassiter and Tilita set out homeward in an effort to learn more about the tragedy that had shocked them. ”

“ Lassiter.”
He spoke briefly, as though it were a waste of words to argue with such a man.
The promoter was irritated. If he conceded Birdsong these grounds his logic was as unshakable as Gibraltar.
“But look here,” cut in the agent testily, “when these old women don't believe, you prove you are right by striking a match. Now, that's a —— of a miracle—striking a match! Aren't you ashamed of yourself, running poor old ignorant women crazy by striking matches!”
“Do you say it ain't a miracle?” demanded Birdsong grimly. ”

“ X ALTHOUGH a marionette would have been of much service to the priests in the teocalla, to lend an aura of reality to the fantastic faith of the sun-worshipers, two reasons convinced Lassiter the figure was a woman. The promoter did not believe that any sculptor on Motobatl could handle the human figure with such mastery ”

“ For I come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. He that taketh not his cross and followeth. after me is not worthy of me. ”

“ This company is peculiarly sensitive to tourists.↑ This portion of Lassiter's record explains the marvels worked by Birdsong in his evangelization of Motobatl. He is credited with striking fire from stones and trees by the simple blow of his hand. This, of course, was fathered from the Motobatl Indians, who at present implicitly believe this to be a fact. Bishop Longhorn, in his “Man or Myth” does not seem to apprehend Lassiter's explanation. See “Man or Myth” Bishop Langhorne, Starnes & Sykes, Richmond, Va. ”