The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-10-02

Auo SOlc luC CdIdliI W kouCA anu iooC
no time in shaking the dust off their feet at
that little attractive place.
''Did the Israelites really cross here, Ralph,
do you Think" asks his wife, as they steam
steadily teastwards from the sand-choked
port
''Ah who can say? Stranger things might
happen than, as in the sailors yarn, Phara-
obs chariot wheels coming up with sthe an
Choir hereabouts. It's not pleasant to look
on every side in this barren land and think
that in ancient days it teemed with wealth
and people,"
"And SO it will again." says Manners,
when misrule is abolished, and capital is
attracted by good government. Given ten
years OF John Lawrence as Khedive, and
there would be no want sof straw for the
bricks which would build up greater pros
perlty than Egypt knew even in its days OF
pristine glory.'
docs that picturesque Arab do anything
but sleep, / wonder?' asks Gladys softly as
she looks at the bundle of shawls and white
cotton, topped by turban, which has squat
ted motionless on the bridge since they LETT
Suez.
HE, or one like him, is supposed to be
necessary for the safety Of every ship going
up or down this sea sof hidden perils," re-
piled Manners: ''but can answer for it that
they have more than once been useless"
AL! lucu pllOlS are uO IuOTe 10 Uo iii
plicitly trusted here than in the Shires?"
"Come, don't be too hard,'' he pleads.
alf-laughingly, half in earnest. ''If l did
lead you into gravel-pit, we can safely say
we are about the only two in the world
who took such leap and lived, with our
horses, to tell the tale"
eyes; thanks to the water which all but
drowned usp' she answers lightly but there
is depth of feeling in her soft gray eyes as
they meet his, which calls up many
thought and makes them silent while memo
ny paints the bygone scenes never again per-
haps to be visited by both.
As Manners had predicted, the heat was
terrible; but the head-wind which delayed
their progress rendered it bearable, and when
at last they got to Alden. even the red and
yellow-haired Somalies, the Arab ostrich
feather sellers, in every shade of color and
degree of scanty clothing, were welcomed as
the outward and visible signs that the try
ing stage was over. And as they drove up
to the wondrous tanks and enjoyed the lun-
cheon at the ever-hospitable mess, they felt
like those who have successfully negotiated
the bank-full brook which has stopped so
many.
Hardly have they dropped the anchor in
the beautiful harbor of Bombay when a boat
comes off with handsomely dressed peon,
who delivers letter with many salaams
and Oriental expressions of respect.
Here is a note from Burnton, asking us
all to stay with him until we go up coun-
try says Oatleigh, giving ii to his wife.
"How kind! But how did he know we
were here?"
swell, I suppose the semaphore is respon-
sible for the erapidity of his information.
But when we had made up our minds to
come out, looked up all my friends, wrote
to those out here, and Pgot introductions to
others who may be useful; for this is not
quite land for Cooks coupons YETI
''Heaven be praisedr' says Manners.
The smart English-built carriage, the Per-
sian-Gulf Arab horses, the turbaned coach
man and footman, were waiting for them as
they landed, and in the pleasant drive to
Mala bar Hill they find at every yard fresh
food for wonder and admiration, which Gull
inmate on driving up to the magnificent
house of the chief justice, overlooking the
bay.
10 Glow charmingp' is Lady Oatleigh's ex-
clamation as they enter the porte cochere,
and Sir Pennithorne Burnton, followed by
staff of native poems aid domestics of all
grades, comes out to receive his old Christ
Church friend.
"Welcome to India," he says heartily, as
he gives them that handclasp which shows
oLoo Tx dl u dAlu uiuoSlC dlC Cuudlly IuC duu
firm. II little thought before 1 got your
letter that l should see any such friends un-
til | managed to get home. must try to
make things so that you may send out 9TH
ers. Though fear it is too early yet for
much that goes to make our life pleasant in
the colder weather."
And for week they enjoy the hospitality
for which India is so justly famous.
II am SO sorry to leave you, Sir Penni-
fborpof fol l.
lighted in all that you have done for u.s.
There was but one drawback"
''And that, Lady Oatleigh?" eagerly asks
her enthusiastic host with the air of one
who would give half his kingdom to crafty
her fancy.
''Please do away with those terrible tow
ers of silence. 1 can never get over the aw
full feelings they fill me WITH
''Ah!' he answers with a sigh, 'you will
see much before your return which will be
more repulsive, yet more easily removed.
Try to pay me visit ON your way home and
tell me if it is not So"
And with conditional promise they part
sadly, for in India friendships ripen quick
ly.
The miseries OF the bullock shigram and
dak carriages have been swept away, with
their attendant joys of kind of picnic trav-
cling, by the iron horse and its quick trajet
81 tlldt Agra Will us uldTUlo al is soon De-
fore the travellers, and then Umballa where
Manners has to join.
II shall certainly buy some more East H.
dia hallway stock when we get home," says
Oatleigh as their long journey is ended by
driving Oft to the house of the general of d.
vision. "IG's quite model line, and those
double-roofed carriages are the best l ever
travelled in"
"You have never gone from st. Peters
burg to Moscow, then, Ralph?'' remarks
Manners. There you can have cabinet
pdrticuLier, containing table, easy-chair, |
sofa-bed, etc., ali to yourself for couple of
roub!es over the ordinary fare. When you
are tired of your own company you wander
down long passage to where your fellow
travellers are smoking, playing cards, chess,
talking, reading. At night you find most |
comfortable bed ready for you, and in the |
morning on going up spiral staircase you
have refreshing bath, not en- Pair, on the |
top of the carriage"
"How about the tunnels and bridges?'
There are none. The country is as fiat
as pancake, and local traffic exists in the
future Only.'
''Let us go home that way, Ralph, and
down the Baltic" cries Lady Oatleigh. who,
having tasted the delights of perpetual mo.
ton, gipsy-like, hates the idea of remain
ing stationary
Eyes" answers her husband drily. ''Let
me see. It's very simple. The yacht must
meet us first at Calcutta, afterwards at it's |
antipodes. A run through the Straits and |
up to Pekin will take no time, and then a
quiet promenade through China will land
us on the anks of the Irtlsh, down which |
we can sail to Tobolsk The distance on to
Moscow, ria Perm and Mini Novgorod,
would be mere trifel'
Don't be ridiculousp' cries Gladys laugh
ing. "Yet 1 confess when one looks at the
map it does not seem such very terrible
undertaking."
SIT depends little on the size of the map.
But if you are tired of life or society, don't |
know surer way of quitting both or either,
than by prying into central Asian mystic
ries.''
Glow temptingp' says Lady Oatleigh.
Il feel half inclined to start off from Simla
at once, and see at least what Thibet is
like"
''You are not the first, by long way, Lii,
who has thought so before she found herself
in that over-temptatious place. remarks
Manners, rather grimly his sister thinks, as
they drive up 10 their hosts.