The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-02

cures, and had acquired big reputation
for surgical skill. He therefore suggested
to his master that an address should be
sent Immediately to Surat, with orders to
travel day and night, and bring back with
the utmost speed an English surgeon. 1t
was far cry from Delhi to Surat, but
the express had extraordinary powers
to take what horses or supplies
he needed from whomsoever he
pleased on his journey; and by dint of
travelling day and night as fast as horses
could carry him, it was just possible that
the English surgeon might be brought to
Delhi before it was too late.
The Hopewell East-Indiamen had Just
arrived at Surat from England, when the
imperial express dashed into the settle
ment. The ships chief surgeon, Gabriel
Boughton, had gone ashore, and was at
the residence Of the company's factor
when the MoguPs messenger was an
nounced. Without moments hesi-
tation, Boughton offered to return at once
with the express. The factor privately
warned him that should his skill fail,
things might be made very unpleasant
for him at the MoguPs court. But the
young surgeon had plenty of pluck and
self-reliance; and besides, the thought of
having such patient as the favorite
daughter of the Great Mogul excited his
professional ambition. 1t would
be sheer madness to throw away such a
splendid chance of winning wealth and
distinction simply because there was
some risk attaching to it. And SO, with
out further parley, Gabriel Boughton pre-
pared to start for Delhi.
In less than two hours from the ar
rival Of the messenger, the English sur
geon was riding at headlong speed on the
mission which was to make or mar his
fortunes. Weary, anxious. and almost
exhausted, Gabriel Boughton reached the
Mogups palace, and was rejoiced to learn
that he was not too late. He was led at
once to the apartments of the Padshah
Begun, and there he found Shah Je-
han who had never left his daughters
side. Haggard and worn and wan
from constant watching, sleepless anx-
iety, and poignant grief, the Great Mogul
looked almost as fit a subject for the doc
tors skill as his unhappy daughter The
moment he saw the face of the English
surgeon he rushed to him, clutched him
by the arm, and fn imploring accents be-
sought him to cure his daughter, declar-
ing on his sacred oath that whatever re-
ward the surgeon might ask should be
granted him, were he but successful. To
have the richest and most magnificent
monarch in the world thus suppliant
almost at his feet, might we'll have
shaken the strongest nerves. But Gabriel
Boughton was calm and collected, and
set about the delicate and critical task
before him in that cool business-like man.
ner which was even then a marked char
acteristic Of English surgeons, and which
served more than anything else to inspire
the natives Of India with confidence in
their skill
By his unwearing attention his patient,
care, and skillful treatment Gabriel
Boughton succeeded in effecting COM
plete cure. Not only was the Padshah
Begun restored to health, but her beauty
was little, if any at all, impaired by the
terrible injuries she had suffered The
gratitude and joy of Shah Jehan knew
no bounds. The Grand Vizier, Assud
Khan, to whom Gabriel Boughton owed
his introduction to the Imperial Court,
was commissioned to inform the fortu-
nate surgeon that on certain day the
Great Mogul would grant him a special
audience in state, that he might then
claim his reward, and that whatever he
might demand the Emperor pledged him
self to grant. The Grand Nizier was OBJ
sequious in his manner, knowing how
polite it was to secure the good graces
of rising favorite, and even ventured
to hint at a future SO brilliant and dazz-
ling that Gabriel's brain went dizzy at the
prospect. Left to his own meditations, the
surgeon pondered deeply over his posi-
tion. He was young, he was good-looking,
he was ambitious. Here was a father
whose heart was full of the most extrav-
agant and reverential thankful
ness toward him; here was a
daughter equally grateful, and
even more favorably disposed toward
him than her father. What was to pre-
vent him from asking her hand, and be-
coming the most powerful and infuen-
tial parsonage at the court of the Great
Mogul? To Western ideas, such an in
spiration might seem too audacious and
romantic to be entertained for moment;
but in the East there were plenty of
precedents for such reward, granted for
services of great value-why should he
not make this bold bid for position and
| fortune?
The day appointed for the state audi
ence with the Great Mogul arrived.
Seated on his splendid throne the high
heron plumes, clasped with diamonds,
adding majesty to his face, his dress one
blaze of brilliants, by his side, unveiled,
the beautiful Padshah Begun, around
him, his magnificent retinue of mobiles
scarcely less gorgeously clad then him.
self. Shah Jehan prepared to receive
the man who had done him a service
which, as he gazed lovingly at the sweet
face beside him, it seemed that the whole
Of his imperial treasury was hardly rich
enough to repay. The Englishman bowed