The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-08-19
THE BURIED BUNGALOW.

ing up my morse close 10 the uclSe mix
thorn hedge that shut in Mr.. Warren's
pretty house, and its garden gay with
flowers, from the tea-plantations, the
green valley, the upland pastures, and
the dazzling peaks Of the Himalayas
soaring overhead. There, on a fragment
of rock stood the well-known tall form
of the planter himself, angrily confront
inga motley mob of natives, some tawny,
others yellow-skinned, and few nearly
black. These, although they had flung
aside hoe and spade, knew TO be the
coolies employed at the prosperous hill
station, where such IA scene of confusion
had been hitherto unknown.
The scoundrels are going 10 leave me,
that's an !" said Mr.. Warren curtly; and
at that instant there stepped forward in
advance Of the rest gaunt Tibctan, clad
in sheepskins, who tremendously ami
with perfect gravity placed on the ground
a fragment of wheaton cake, a handful
Of salt, and iOtd or brass drinklng-cup,
nearly filled with coins, from silver
rupees TO copper pice. Then, pointing
with peeled willow wand that he held
in his hand 10 the food and the money
thrice, he snapped in twain the slender
stick, and with bent head and down
east mien stood motionless, as though
waiting 10 be questioned.
"What mummery is this ?" asked / in
IN undcr-tone. My intended father-in-
law, who knew the people and the
country better than / did, shook his
head.
1T means mischief" he whispered.
Something has terrified the superstitious
curs, and see they renounce my bread
and salt, return the advance of wages,
and break the wand i'm token that they
are my men no more. You mean," lac
added harshly in the Bengali dialect,
''to desert me, then. Han GOrain ~
''fhe Sahib Warren is a good master,
replied the Tibetan in the same language
IF we 90, il is beossse the evil eye has
looked upon his threshold, and the voice
that never lies has laid curse ON Yirmi
Sou and all that dwell there"
The man spoke slowly and with some
difficulty, such as besets those who use
a foreign tongue Imperfectly mastered
hut he had uttered his brief speech
with emphasis, and with certain dig
nifty of bearing. Behind him stood the
Tibetans and hill-men, sturdy fellows,
on whom devolved the rough work Of
trenching and dyke-building, while n
little way off clustered the dusky coolies
from India proper their hps tightened
over their shining teeth, and in attitudes
expressive of the most abject servility.
Clearly there was no stimulus short Of
physical fear which would have neryed
these crouching creatures 10 disobey the
Burm Sahib, or owner Of the plantation,
whose lightcst word had been law 10 his
meek subordinates.
III the Sahib will hearken 10 the
counsel of the poor" said the spokesman
after a pause, che and his will hasten
away, before -"
But here Mr.. Warren lost patience,
and interrupted the orator, roundly re-
buking the whole gang as a pack Of
craven hounds, frightened at their own
shadows, and without spark Of man
illness 10 redeem them. Were il worth
while, lac said, he could gallop over 10
the nearest magistrate and enforce the
performance Of the contract under pain
Of fiogging and imprisonment; but he
wanted no halfhearts ia his service, 81
they might 90. "You hear meP' be
Numbered, silencing Han Gonin's fresh
effort To speak aud the men slunk away
cOwed, as Orientals usually are. by tlis
undoubting assertion of authority.
The planter recovered his temper as
soon ~ the rescusants had departed, and
laid his broad hand on my shoulder,
saying, with jolly laugh:
"a lesson, my boy, as 10 the thorns
thai will lie in your path when you aud
Edith live here in my stead, a. ! hope
you'll do, afler the gathenng-in Of the
next tea crop, and set-to 10 feather your
nest, as her mother and have done. |
thought better ihings, too, Of the over
seer - that Han GOrain, who, before
some heather logic scared him, was a
,hrewd and reliable servant. But ncvo'
mind! Come i'm, Musgrve, come in
The parson from Nynee Tai il here
already, and you must help the bride
cxpeCtant TO entertain him until dinner
time
Pretty Edith, who was on the morrow
10 become my wife, smiled away any
uncomfortable feelings which the con-
duct of Han Gorain and his companions
had left behind; and neither she nor
her parents. nor Mr.. Edwards the cler-
gyman, who had come over expressly 10
perform the marriage ceremony, seemed
10 attach any importance 20 the panic
among the coolies.
at was something" exclaimed Mr..
Warren, "about Alp Dagh, the Big
Mountain, at the foot Of which we live,
but have been a planter here too long
20 care for the tattle Of coolies. They
are like children who talk G the
nursery ghost until they see IL In every
dark corner. A delightful life | should
have led here, had been credulous."
and with that he dismissed the sub
ject, and the evening passed genially
enough. Later on, however, after Q
whispered farewell 10 my sweet Edith
i'm the porch, draped with the glisteninp
leaves and big white blossoms of the
Indian crceper, after the ride home 70
NV own dwelling among TIE hills, and
when my head rested on its pillow, q
vague sense of insecurity beset me
afresh and even when / fell asleep my
dreams were troubled and sad, not such
as should visit the slumbers Of one on
whom the world smiled as IL did on me
George Musgrave. The dawning Of the
new day-my wedding-day-hOwever,
chased away the clouds from my mind
and when | mounted my horse 70 ride u
Yirmi Sou. attired as a bridegroom
should be, my heart was light and ful
Of happy hope. Edith loved me better
than / deserved, i knew that; and Il
was her fathers intention 20 establish
the young couple on his fine plantation,
while he and Mrs. Warren returned to
England TO enjoy their wellearned com.
potency.
The day was fne-no rarity in the
East-but n sort Of silvey haze hung
over the peaks northwards, and there
were frequent gusts Of ice-cold wind
rushing down from gap and pass IN the
rocky range that forms the rocky bound.
ary Of India. l rode ON, and presently.
from an angle in the mountain road,
caught n glimpse Of the Twenty
Springs" a. Mr.. Warren's thriving sta.
ton was called, with iis gardens and
meadows. and the now deserted planta'
ton, and the empty huis Of the coolies
/ Then turned the corner and saw II NO
more, but even as IL vanished from my
eyes heard a strange, deep sound like
i that of distant thunder. the nature Of