Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-09-18

were built after the English style, with
such notifications as the difference of
climate necessitated. There was seldom
more than one story above the ground
floor. The fat roof, however, afforded
space for an extensive terrace, sur
rounded with parapet, and approach
ed by simple narrow winding stair
case, from the top of which a trap-door
gave access to the roof. 1t is requisite
that these details Of construction should
be borne in mind IN order to under
stand the main incident of the story.
In this suburb, within a quarter of
mile of one another, lived at the time
of this narrative the two chief civil
authorities OF the company at Benares
Mr.. Cherry, the political agent of the
encouragement, and Mr.. Samuel
Davis, judge and magistrate of the dis
trict and city court. Mr.. Cherry, from
the nature of his duties, was necessarily
brought sometimes into personal con-
tact with Vizier Ali, but with this ex-
ception, the naughty young prince held
no communication whatever with Euro
peans. Upon Mr.. Cherry devolved the
necessity of announcing to Vizier Ali
the order of the governor-g general direct
ing his immediate removal from
Benares to Calcutta. The political
agent was unfortunately good-temper
ed, easy-going man of a singularly I'M
suspicious nature. From the very first
he had been completely hoodwinked
by the willy young Vizier Ali, in whose
honesty and good faith he implicitly
believed. When, therefore, the first
ebullition of rage at the announcement
of the governor-generaPs order was sue
ceeded by humble submission and a
declaration of the Vizier's readiness to
leave Benares as soon as his travelling
arrangements could be completed, poor
unsuspecting Mr.. Cherry took it for
granted that there would be no further
trouble about carrying the order into
execution.
Mr.. Davis, on the other hand, was
man of sagacity and penetration, who
knew the treacherous nature of Orien-
tails too we'll to be duped by professions
of friendship and loyalty, and who had,
besides, from information supplied
through his police agents, the best posi-
BILE reasons for distrusting Vizier Ali.
1t was he who discovered that there
had been secret negotiations with
Zemaun Shah, and it was owing to
his emphatic representations that the
governor-general was induced to issue
the peremptory order of removal. He
had repeatedly warned Mr.. cherry too;
but that infatuated person would be-
lieve nothing to the dIscredit of Vizier
Ali.
On the evening of the 18th of Janu-
airy, 1899, Vizier Ali sent a messenger
to Mr.. Cherry announcing his intention
of visiting the political agent the next
day "at the hour of breakfast" On
the morning of the 18th of January, as
Mr.. Davis was taking his customary ride
on an elephant, he saw Vizier Ali, &C
companied by train of some three
hundred horse and foot, pass on his way
to the residence of Mr.. Cherry. AS
there was, however, nothing unusual in
the sight-for Vzier Ali was always so
attended-the judge thought nothing
more of it at the time. But on his re-
turn home from his ride, he found his
cutlOal, or head of police, awaiting him
in state of great perturbation, with
the news that he had just received sure
information that Vizier Ali had dis
patched emissaries over the whole of
Dude summoning armed men to his
standard, and that he feared the Vizier's
visit to Mr.. Cherry had some sinister
object. Mr.. Davis at once sent hasty
note to Mr.. Cherry, and waited in much
anxiety and impotence for the reply.
1t was not long in coming, but in a very
n hot il Cd
First there was great cloud of dust,
then a confused sound of shou and
cries, then the tramp of many feet, then
q glimpse Of men and horses and gilt
tering steel. The solitary sentry at the
gate, fifty yards from the house, chaI-
lenged the advancing crowd; his chal-
lenge was answered by half dozen
musket-shots, and with a ferOcious yell
the mingled medley of horse and foot
rushed over his corpse toward the house.
There was murder in that yell, and the
judge knew it; but his heart never quail.
ed, nor did his presence of mind tor a
moment forsake him. He ran to his
wife's apartments, babe her flee like
lightning with her two children and her
female servants up the winding stair
case and through a trap door to the
roof; then dashed back for his firearms,
but only to find the room in which they
were, filled with the fierce followers of
Vizier Ali. Remembering that there
was a spear in one of the rooms above
think of the cool-headedness of the
man, so unfustered by the danger that
he could remember this!-he had just
time to snatch the weapon from the
wall and gain the trap-door when he
heard the quick tramp Of his pursuers
close upon his heels. Turning to the
terrified women and children, he babe
them lie down fiat in the centre of the
roof, SO that no stray bullets might
reach them, told them to remember
that General Erskine's camp was not
ten miles away, and that without doubt
help was even now on the way to them
then, spear in hand, and kneeling on
one knee, he took up his post at the
trap-door, resolved to hold that coign of
vantage so long as life and strength
were left him.
The staircase was peculiar one,
winding round central stem, support
ed by four wooden posts, open at all
sides, and so narrow as to allow only
one person to ascend at time. The
trap door which communicated with the
roof was like hatchway on board ship
and thejudge kept it open that he might
have q fair view of his assailants as
they came up to the assault.
He was not long kept in suspense.
Rapidly the ascending footsteps ap-
preached, until he head and shoulders
of man appeared. 1t was Izzut Ali,