River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-08-14
The Buried Bungalow.

The Buried Bungalow.
What can this meant" asked |, rein
ing nv horse close to the dense miIkthorn
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 81 fragment Of rocs, stood the
weIl-l<nowu, tall form of the planter him
self, angrilv confronting a motely mob
of natives, some tawnv, 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
A scene of confusion had been hitherto
unknown.
'The scoundrels are going to leave ne,
that's all - said Mr.. Warren, Curtly; and
at that instant there stepped forward IN
advance of the rest, gaunt Tibetan, clad
in sheepskins, Who, tremendously and
with perfect gravity, placed on the ground
fragment OF wheaton cake, a handful
Of salt. and a g3tG, or brass drinking-cup
nearly filled with coins, from silver rupees
to copper pieces. Then pointing with a
Dttttd W AliON Ndut lildI ilt liCll III HIS
hand, to the food and money, thrice he
snapped in twain the slender stick, and
with bent head and downcast mem, stood
mOtionicss as though waiting TO be
questioned.
What mummery Is this:" asked I, in
an undertone. My intended father-in
law, who knew the people and the coun-
try better than did, shook his he, d.
at means mlsch:ef.H he whispered.
something has terrified the supersti-
tious ours; and. see! they renCunCe my
bread and salt, return the advance of
wages, and break the wand IN token
that they are my men no more. ''You
mcan," he added harshlv, in the Bengal
dialect, ito desert me, then, Han Go
rain."
1.-THE Sahib Warren is good master,
replied the TiOetan, in the same Ian
guage. If we go, it is because the evil
eye has looked upon his threshold, AID
the voice that never lies has laid curse
on Yirmi Sou and all that dwell there
The man spoke slowly and with some
diff ultv, such as bcset those who use q
foreign tongue impertectly mastered; but
he uttered his brief speech with emp a
sis and with certain dignity of bearing
Behind him stood the Tibetans and hill
men, sturdy fellows, on whom devOlved
the rough work of trenching and dyke
building, while little way off clustered
the dusky coolies from India proper
their lips frightened over their shining
teeth. and in attitudes expressive of the
most abiect servihty. Clearly t ere was
no stimulent short of physical fear woicl
4 10, ,,nr,-a1 fbsan
lures to disobcy the Burra SaEib, OF
owner of the plantation, whose lightcs
word had been law to his meek subordi
mates.
"If the Sahib will harken to the coun
sci of the poor" said the spokesman, al
ter pause, "he and his will hasten away
before
But here Mr. Warren lost patience. anC
interrupted the orator, rOundly rebu Ing
the whole gang as pack of craver
hounds, frightened at their own shadows
and without a spark Of manliness TO re-
deem them. Were it orth while, he said
he could ride over to the nearest magis
trate and enforce the performance of tn,
contract, under pain of hogging and i'm
prisonment; but he wanted no half hearts
in his service, so they might go. "YOl
hear mer' he Numbered silencing Han
Gorain's fresh effort to speak, and tn,
men skunk away cowed, as Orientals usu
ally are, by this undoubted assertion .
authority.
The planter recovered his temper a
soon as the recusant had departed, anC
laid his broad hand ON my shoulder, say
ing with Jolly laugh:
~ lesson, my boy, as to the thorns tina
will he in your path when you and EdItl
live here in my stead, as hope you'll dc
after the gathering-in of the next tea crop
ana set to to feather your nest, as he
mother and { have done. | thought bet
ter things, too, of the oyerseer-that Hal
Gorain, who, before some heather logi
scared him. was a shrewd and rellabl
servant But never mind, Come in
Musgrave, come in, The parson iron
Nynee Tai is here already, and you mus
help the bride-expcctant 10 entertain hin
until dinner time.
Pretty Edith, who was on the morro
TO become my wife, smiled away any IN
comfortable feelings which the conduC
of Han Gcrain and his companions ha
left behind; and neither she nor her pG
rents. nor Mr. Edwards the clergyman
who had como over expressly to pertorr
the marriage ceremony, seemed to attac
any importance to the panic among til
coolies.
at was something" exclaimed VI
Warren about Alp Dagh, the Big MouI
tain. ut the foot of which we lived, but
have been planter here too long to Cal
tor the prattle of coolies They are lik
children who talk of the nursery Che
until they see It III every corner. d
lightful life should have led had bee
credulOus
And with that he dismissed the subic
and the evening passed genially enous
Later on. however, after whispered tar
we'll TO nv sweet Edith in the pore
draped with the glisteninS leaves and b
white blossoms OF the Indian crcepcr, 3
ter the ride home 10 my own dwelhi
among the hills, and with my head res
Ing % its pillow, vague sense OF ms
curitv beset me afrcsh; and even when
fell asleep my dreams were troubled 81
sad, not such rs should visit the slumb
# Que on whom the world smiled as
did on me. George Musgrave. The daw
Ing Of the new day-my wedding day
however, chased away the clouds fro
INV mind. aud when [ mounted my hoT
10 ride to YiTmi Sou, attired as q brid
groom should ne, my heart was light 81
full Of happy hope. Edith loved me h
ter than deserved, / knew that: and
was her fathers intention TO establish {
young couple on his fine plantation, viii