The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-07-18
An East Indian Farmer at Home.

One of the English weeklies, III the
course of a letter from the famine DIS.
trict in India, gives this account OF
Kulloo, typical old farmer OF that
region ,,.,
some seven acres in all. A held OF
onions. a field of rice. field of barley
on little hillock. well picturesque
as are all wells In this part OF the world,
with broad-leaved plantan1s, curved
and split by the wind, waving slowly
above its mud pillar; finally, ID front
of his small howell, space enough Tor
fine plum tree, under which he COOKS
his schupatties' (rice-cakes) tor his one
meal after sunset and at night spreads
his charpay, and sleeps under the safe
guardianship of his fierce lean panah
dog. Certainly, it would be a mistake
to associate any idea of robustness
with the Indian agricultural laborer.
Kulloo, our neighbor. is an old man.
Natives apper to live to an incalculable
age-or is it that their bare, wizened,
tottering limbs, and the contest OF
sparse white hair and shriveled dusky
face, make senility hideous? Be this
as it may, fancy the most uncompro-
missing opponent of the darwinlan
| theory would feel his assurance shaken
could he behold the ancient Kulloo at
even, seated like some gaunt bird, upon
his launches, his chin between his
skinny knees, as he watches the red
cracking fire, and his precious chupat-
ty slowly browning among the embers
kulloo is a patriarch, IN his way. iii
his small old mud hut lives also his
old wife, his son and his wife, and any
number of round, dark imbed, naked
little ones (who-imitating their grand
sire-squat also habitually III the dust,
he rplump knees level with their ears)
also, two mildeyed hump-backed oxen,
who draw water from the well, drag the
pillow, and, when need arises, act
as cart horses. As seems natural
enough, considering the dimensions OF
an Indian hut, and that it lacks windows
and chlmneys. the low door being the
only aperture, the family live out III
the open air, except during the fierce
midday heat but no single member
except occasionally the sun at supper
time, ventures to invade the old mans
sacred pot, beneath the sacred plum
tree. The womensquat Immediately IL
front Cf the hut and there they grinC
their corn-at primitive mill, of the
same sort as that at which. according
to the prophesy, two women will b,
seated when the sum of earthly things
shall be over and told-or else ligh
their own fire, and cook Chupatties
for themselves and their children. Blu
men and women, little ones and hump
backed oxen, all unite in the field work
and appear alike sun proof and untir
ing. Just lately two extra hands
women of low caste-have had to b,
hired, to hel p and cut the barley crop
The sight would have reioiced the
heart of Mr. Ruskin. No trace of ma
chinery, nor of any diabolical contrivanc,
to shirk the primeval curse that men
and women also, shall eat in the swea
of their brows or at least, SO produce
it, that others may eat. The reapers
some SIX or seven, labored two days
armed with small sickles, not mucl
larger than carving knives. At length
all was heaped together, and STACKED
under the sacred plum-tree; and yes
actually! Ill honor of the occasion, al
the laborers were permitted to squa
around it and smoke their hookahs.