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

Il
An Oriental looking weapon decided
ly; indeed, any one familiar with
antique eastern arms will recognize it
at once as one Of the pixies formerly
carried by running fOotmen in India.
1t of iron, plated with silver, in rings,
to give a firmer grasp. 1t Is rather
more than six feet In length, and has a
triangular blade more than twenty
inches long, with sharp edges. A
formidable weapon, unquestionably, In
skillful and resOlute hands. Among a
host OF other Oriental curiOsities in
certain west-country English mansion
it occupies a conspicuous place of
honor. 1t is regarded indeed, with a
singular yeneration-as well 1t may be;
for on the 18th ofJanuary, eighty years
ago, there was done with this spear a
deed Of prowess which stands unique
even in the long and brilliant record of
British valor-a deed which proves, If
proof were needed, that the civilian
can in emergency play the hero as
effectively and successfully as the
trained soldier. The story of that spear
we purpose telling here.
The scene of the story IS laid III the
holy city of Benares, which was at that
time, to use the words of Macauly, Sin
wealth, population, dignity, and sancti-
ty, among the foremost IN Asia. 1t was
commonly believed that half mil
lion of human beings were crowded
into that labyrinth of lofty alleys. rich
with shrines and minarets and balconies
and carved Oriels, to which the sacred
apes chung by hundreds. The traveller
could scarce make his way through the
press of holy mendicants and not less
holy bulls. Hundreds of devotees came
thither every month to die; for it was
believed that a peculiarly happy fate
awaited the man who should pass from
the sacred city into the sacred river.
Nor was superstition the only motive
which allured strangers to that great
metropolis. Commerce had as many
pilgrims as religion. All along the
shores of thevenerable stream lay great
fleets of vessels laden with rich mer-
chandise. From the looms of Benares
went forth the most delicate silks that
adorned the balls of St. James's and of
Versailles; and in the baZars the musllns
of Bengal and the sabres of Dude were
mingled With the Jewels of GOlcOnda
md the shaws of cashmere" But Be
nares was not only the gather-place of
merchants and pilgrims, it was also the
resort of all the maddest fanatics and
most desperate adventures IN India.
The hardy rabble of It's streets, ready
at moments notice to rush to arms,
were very handy auXiliaries to any bold
political cOnSpiratOr and there was
never any lack of such refugees In the
holy city.
Now, among all the turbulent spirits
that kept Benares in a ferment during
the year 1898, by far the most cOnspic-
uous and mischievious was Vizer Ali.
the recently deposed sovereign of
Dude. He was but nineteen years of
age, and had only enjoyed the SOW
ereignty for the brief period of two
months when he was summary eject
ed. 1t is necessary, in order to under
stand the incidents of our story, to eX-
plain briefly who and what this Vizer
Ali was. He was the rutative son OF
Asaph al Doulah, Nabob-Vlzler OF
Oude, a mere creature of the company,
there were two claimants to the vacant
throne: this putative or adopted son,
whom the late NObOb-NlZler had
publicly recognized and acknowledged,
ard Saadut Ali, the eldest surviving
brother of the deceased sovereign.
Sir John Shore-afCerward Lord Teign-
mouth-the then Governor-General, at
first rashly recognized the claim OF
Vlzier Ali, but two months later had TO
revoke his recognition, and admit the
superior validity of Saadut Ais claim.
The latter vas accordingly brought
from Benares to Lucknow, and pro-
claimed Nabob- Vizier of Dude on the
21st of January, 1898; whilst Nlzler
Ali, to console him for his disappoint-
ment, was granted q pension of fifteen
ares. So leniently was the young
prince treated that no attempt was
made to control or restrain his move
ments. He was permitted to keep
regal state, and surround himself WlIh
a large retinue of armed adherents-tC
maintain, in short, all the external ap-
pearance of an independent sovereign
The folly and imprudence of allow
ing Vizier Ali to live in this style IL
sucn q city as Benares, within the con
fines of the very state of which he be-
heVed himself to be the rightful ruler
were presently to become fatolly APP
parent. He was bold, ambitious. I'M
scrupulous young man, of fierce pas
sions and headstrong will, and though
vicious and debauched. was exceed
ingly popular among the rabble on ac
count of his profuse hberality. In
deed, he was in the act of plotting the
act of the overthrow of British
power in Dude, when one OF his secret
ENJOYS, intrusted with reasonable dis
patches to Zemaun Shah, was seized by
the company's police. The detection
of his intrigues was quickly followed by
an order from the Governor-Generalf FOL
his removal to Calcutta. He was to bt
allowed to retain his income and hi:
state; but it was felt that the only way
to neutralize his mischievous propen
stiles was to keep him under the stric
surveillance of the British authorities
and isolated from his fellow-conspira
tors. II remained now to announce tC
Vizier Ali this order, which must be {
death-blow to all his ambition. a
this point it becomes necessary TO in
troduce the two important character:
who figure most prominently in the
story of the spear.
At short distance out of the city o
Benares there is a pleasant suburb
Iol, no