The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-10-15

nd course Of cropping In the dark, meant, In his
in timation, one and the same thing. Mr.. Cand
n hitting back smartly, said that Mr.. Frank
he himself was, constitutionally speaking, gropi
ly In the dark amer sleep, and that nothing b
Of medicine could help him 10 find II. Mr.. Fran
Is Nm, keeping the bali mp on his side, said he
N often heard Of the blind leading The blind, u
now, for the frst time, he knew what II meal
9 In this way they kept II going briskly, cut Al
thrust, ill they both Of them got hot-M
!, Candy, In particular, 20 completely losing b
> self.control, In defense OF his profession, th
Is my lady was obliged to interfere. and forbid u
= dispute to 20 on. This necessary act Of sutho
o ity put the last extinguisher on the spirits
y the company. The talk spurted up again he
> and there, for minute or two at time; b,
1 there was q miserable lack Of life and spark
; In Il. The Devil (or the Dismond) possesss
\ that dinner party; and Il was relief to ever
y body, when my mistress rose, and gave th
ladies the signal to leave the gentlemen owe
I their wine.
, I had just ranged the decanters In row be
fore old Mr.. Ablewhite (who represented th
master Of the house). when thcre came SCUM
from the terrace which startled me out Of m
company manners on the instant. Mr.. Frank
lin and looked at each other; it was the soun,
Of the Indian drum. As I live by bread, her
were the jugglers returning to US with the &c
turn Of the Moonstonc TO the house ,
As they rounded the corner OF the terrace, and
came In sight, hobblcd out to warn them of
But, as il-luck would have II, the two Bouncen
were beforehand with me. They whirzed ou
on the terrace like a couple Of sky-rockets, wild
to see the Indians exhibit their tricks. Tho
other ladies followed; the gentlemen came out
on their side Before you could say, "Lord
bless us ~ the rcgues were making their salams
and the Bouncers were kissing the pretty little
boy. ..- T' I'D.
Mr.. Franklin got on ono side OF Miss Rachel,
and put myself behind her. If our suspicious
were right, there she stood, innocent Of all
knowledge Of the truth, showing the Indians
the Diamond in the bosom Of her dress.
can't tell you what tricks they performed,
or how they did II. What with the vexation
about the dinner, and what with the proyoca-
ton Of the rcgues coming back Just In The nick
Of time TO see the jewel with their own eyes, I
own lost my head. The FIRST thing that | 70
member noticing was the sudden appearance on
the scene Of the Indi.n traveller, Mr.. Murtbwaite
Skirting the half.circle In which the gentlefolks
stood or sat, he came quietly behind the Jug
glers, and spoke TO them on sudden In the Lam
guage OF their own country. TE
II he had pricked them with bayonet,
doubt IL the Indians could have started and
turned on him with more tigerish quickness
than they did ON htaring the first words that
passed his lips. The next moment they were
bowling and salaming to him in their most po-
lite and snaky way. After few words in the
unknown tongue had passed on either side, Mr..
Murthwaite withdrew as quietly as he had ap-
preached. The chief Indian, who acted rs an
interpreter, thereupon wheeled about again to-
ward the gentlefOlks. | noticed that the fellows
conee-colorcd face had turned gray since Mr..
Murthwaitc had spoken to him. He bowed to
my lady, and informed her that the exhibition
was over. The Bouncers, indescrthshlv disap-
pointed, burst out with loud 80 ~ direc,cl
against Mr.. Murthwaite for stopping the per.
Torrance. The chief Indian laid his hand
humbly on his breast, and said the second time
that the juggling was over. The little boy
went round with the hat. The ladies withdrew
TO the drawing-room; and the gentlemen Tex.
cepting Mr.. Franklin and Mr.. Murthwaite) TO
turned to their wine. and the footman FOL
lowed the Indians, and saw them safe of th'
premises.
Going back by way Of the shrubbery smell.
ei tobacco. and found Mr.. Franklin and Mr.
Murthwaite (the latter smoking q cheroot)
walking slowly up and down among the trees
Mr.. Franklin bcckoned to me to join them.
"This," says Mr.. Franklin, presenting m'
to the great traveller, sis Gabriel Bettcredgc
the old servant and friend of our family o.
whom spoke to you just now. Tell him, !
you please. what you have just told me-"
Mr.. Murthwaite took his cheroot out Of hi
mouth aud leaned, in his weary way. against
the trunk Of tree.
"Mr. Bettercdge," he began, "thosc thre,
Indians are no more juggIers than you and
are"
Here was new surprise naturally asked
the traveller IL he had ever met with the In
dians before.
"Never," says Mr.. Murthwsitc; "but
know what Indian juggling really is. All 20,
have seen tonight is n very bad and clumsy
imitation Of II. Unless, after long experience
l am utterly mistaken, those mtn are high-cast'
Brahmins. I charged them with being dis
guised. and you saw how 1t told on them, cleve
as the Hindoo people are In concealing thci
feelings. There Is mystery about their con
duct that can't explain. They have doubl,
sacrificed their caste-frst, In crossing the sea
secondly, in Disgusting themselves as jugglers
In the land they live in that Is q tremendou
sacrifice to make. There must be some yer,
i, serious motive at the bottom Of II, and som
justification Of no ordinary kind to plead fo
them, in recovery Of their caste, when they re
! turn to their own country"
was struck dumb. Mr.. Murthwaitc wen
on with his cheroot. Mr.. Franklin, after whs
looked to me like a little private vecring abou
between the different sides Of his character
!, broke the silence as follows, speaking In hi
j nice italian manner, with his solid Englisl
foundation showing through:
..I feel some hesitation, Mr.. Murthwaite, Il
| troubling you with family matters, In which
, you can have no interest, and which am no
very willing TO speak Of out Of our own circle
But. after what you have said, feel bound, II
the interests of Lady verinder and her daugh
, ter, to tell you something which may possibl
put the clew into your hands. Ispcak to yo
, in confidence; you will oblige me, am sure, b
not forgetting thatr'
, With this preface hc told the Indian traveller
(spcaking now In his clear-hea,led French way
!. ali that he had told me at the Shivering Sand
4 Even the immovable Mr.. Murthwaite was 10 In
terestcd In what he heard that he let his cheroe
0 20 out.
$ "Now," says Mr.. Franklin, when he hs
1 done, "what docs your experience sayr
"My experience" answered the traveller
$ "says that you have had more narrow escape
:, OF your life, Mr.. Franklin Blake, than / hay
/ had Of mine; and that Is saying great deal.
r II was Mr.. Fnnklin's turn to be astoRishc
now.
: els Il really rs serious as that!" he asked.
!, "In my opinion It Is" answered Mr.. Mul
' thwaite. "I can't doubt. after what you hav
: told me, that the restoration Of the Moonston
n to Its place on the forehead OF the Indian lido
is the motive and the justification Of that sacr
, fce Of caste which alluded 10 just now. Thos
men will wait their opportunity with the patienc
Of cats. and win use Il with the ferocity OF tiger
v How you have escaped them can't imagine,
: says the eminent traveller, lighting his cherot
again, and staring hard at Mr.. Franklin. "fo
;, have been carrying the Diamond backward an
: forward, here and In London, and you are sti
living man Let US try and account for J
a It was daylight, both times, I suppose, whs
d You took the jewel out Of the bank In London
y "Broad daylight" says Mr.. Franklin.
:. "And plenty Of people In the streetsf'