The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-06-21


case, We pass many open room doors,
within hich are a number Of men, lying
IN every attitude Of repuse. Up, up, until,
at lenth, the tOpmust stories are gam
ed Here an open door reveals room
within which two men are seated, and as
these characters have much to do with our
story let us enter and observe them,
observable too, are these men. One
lying III a half-reclining position, upon a
rude couch, with companion who sits
upon the floor feeding all opium pipe,
from which the former is smoking. is a
dark -bronzed, featured man, in whom, de
spite his European hablliments, it would
not be difficult to suspect the existence of
pure Indian. This surnise, too, would
prove correct, for A Alarma is a native Of
India, and his companion and servitor,
Lazriu, il a Hlndustanee. The latter 5
dress ~, like his companions, III accord
ance with modern custom, but he does
not possess the dlgnIhed bearing the in
tellectual brow, nor the black, piercing
eye II alma Both are silent, both are
evidently, thoughtful. but A Ajarma's
thought seems stern and deep, while that
Of LazriO, who Is small and deformed,
seems broken spd lndiherept --a-
Tawny skinned, and bronzed, as A alma
arose from his reclining position, there is
that ia his eye which bespeaks the pres
ence of an intellectually beyond his sta
tIon, and depth Of thought, and a power
Of action, which, il rightly adapted, would
swerye the masses. An imperious will,
too, does this man possess, for his closed
lips and rigidity Of features betoken much
character and determination.
Yet, sense Of sadness appears to sur
round him, AM To ill his mind His
whole bearing conveys the two impress
ions that no is always on the watch, and
is ever conscious Of sense Of blame and
disgrace The tIreless activity of his eye,
bespeaks no mercy if he on the alert for an
enemy. His noble mein and proud de
meanor disprove any supposition of his
being an evil-doer.
He PAGES the floor for few moments,
and then, turning to his companion, says,
in English, tinged with mellow, foreign
accent
Lazrio ("
The other dropped the pipe-tube, which
he has greedily carried to his lips, his dull,
expressionless eyes lighting up with in
terest at his companions call.
My master, he said humbly,
Leave the opium bowl to those whose
faculties require strong stimulus. You
must watch "
Il Yes, | must watch.
And wait
And wait and act r. and wild glitter
came into the eyes of Lazrio, as some new
thoughts crossed his mind
1T is now, resumed Ajalma, pacing
the floor with bent head and moody brow,
"two weeks since we arrived in England.
Two weeks, Salieb,"
''On the track Of the two men, whom we
have every reason to suppose, have pos
session Of that for which we have sacrificed
caste, and for which We have pledged our
very lives
Lazrio, slowly arising to his feet, draws
from his bosom a onjointed tablet, formed
Of ivory, and gazes intently upon it as his
companion continues
. Fate has willed that our prisoner
should escape, and Fate has led us here i'll
quest Of him and his comrade in the theft
Of the sacred jewels Of our most sacred
shrine. Disregarding our religious beliefs,
trampling under foot all our creeds and
claims, these men, whom, under the
fimsy excuse Of desiring to see our inner
temples. i'll n far-oH land. we admitted,
have proven themselves tit emissaries and
representatives Of the same government
which has already despoiled us of all we
had, save a few religious relics Against
these men Is written death, and now We
are on their track y
Lazri0's face frightened, and look Of
such deadly hatred and vengeance came
over it that that A jslma's eyes emitted a
satisfied glow
"You are a faithful adherent to the in
satiable Bowhanie, said the latter, enthu-
siastically. ''You were, before, but a
menial at the altar. If we succeed in re-
covering the lost treasure, you shall be
honored above your greatest eHpecta'
/ tions
The menial rubbed his hands together
complacently.
Our religion is my all, F" he said, earn
estly, 'and, for it, have left my native
land To recover the lost Jewel Of our god
And L." exclaimed Ajalma, ''have lost
caste and station by leaving India. AnC
yet, had all worldly eInoluments and l
thousand lives, all, al should be given fol
the sake Of the deity which we worship"
The proud blood Of true prince mad,
a deeper brown surge over his stately fea
lures.
I'VE have followed our prey for pre-,
they shah surely be"-he continued, ex
citedly, "over water and land Here, il
London, We have lost all track Of them
We all swore to do our utmost to ascertain
their whereabouts. We have nothing bu
the remembrance Of their faces, but thes
are indelibly stamped upon our memory.
$50 indelibly," interpolated Lazrio
taking up the thread Of his companion
discourse that | would know then
among a thousand. What work, to-day
Salieb I"