The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-01-29
BARoDA, Nov. 81

Anf iih't " ihiOh'
BARoDA, Nov. 81
To me this boy GHkwar (of Baroda) pre-
sents subject of endless interest and amused
bewilderment. He looks about ten or welve,
the age at which an English boy is most awk.
ward uncouth an addicted to tumbling over
his own abnormally developed feet. Only a
few months ago poor boy in an obscure vii
lare, of family, have been told, occasion
ally pilchcd for the commonest necessities
of life. His practical acquaintance with
clothing did not extent beyond the primitive
dhote, the life before him was that of plod.
ding cutivator Of few beegahs of miserable
land. Suddenly there came for him u grand
transformation scene. The village boy,
through careful gencalolical inquiries, was
discovered to be collateraily the nearest heir
to the disgraced and deposed GGkwa'. He
was taken from his village with all honor
adopted by the Rance, placed with elaborate
ceremonial on the GuJdee-ln other words,
raised to the throne of Baroda; the mobiles
and State dignltarics owned the village boy
rs their master, and bowed down before him !;
the British residents did him honor; the gold
and silver guns were his; the caihiss, Collars,
aigrettes, and aiguilletes of gems fabulous In
their value, were the indefeasible, if inciden-
tai, appanage Of the youth before whom a
month before, there lay future Of sordd toll.
/ No freak OF fiction could be imagined stran-
ger than the amazing revolution in this child 5
lot And how does he comport hmsclfunder
conditions which must be so bewilduingly
novel TO him, that it is hard to believe he
does not consider the present one long wild
dream, Is he shy, scared; do the cDds OF
his obscure village and the associations of his
old life cling To and hamper him: On the
contrary, il is as if for him wet sponge had
been passed over the past. The body is as
composed. and even apathetc, in his new pc.
sitlon as If he had been born in the purple
lie accepts homage with a languid phcidity
of condescension; lie negligently patronizes
Government secretaries and selfimIortant
A.. residents, apparently regarding all such per
sons as having been expressly created 10 con.
tribute 10 his convenience; he has fallen nat
e urally, and with genuine gracefulneSs. INTO a
e tone of perfect equality, and frank, Loyish
! cordially, wonderfully blcndid with dignity
in his intercourse with the Prince of Wales
The two sat convcrsing on the sofa, while
: members of the suite were being elevated tO
e the howdahs of stupendous and fantaSt cally
painted and brilliantly caparisoned elephants
;. sixteen of which haC been waiting IN the sta
{ ton yard-in the midst Of strange medley
1 of soldiery in wondrous uniforms, and look
n ing funnily like supers In thcatre-io con
D yey the party from the station to the residen
+ cy. Of course there had been royal salute
i from GRkwar's artillery, ard present arms
/ by a guard Of Homer of the GTkwar's picked
troops. The Gakwsr has artilerymcn doth
s ed from head e. foot in brilliant scarlet, each
II man meriiing that appela,ion of "blszes'
Is which Mr. Weller bestowed on his brother
e fooiman at the memorable "swarry:' Hus
' ssr- in greer. Dragons 10 blue Lsncers il