Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-09-20
least grain OF anxiety lurked IN the
hearts of the speakers.

Ten months had passed since the
above scene was enacted. A pretty
little bungalow now stood on the sum-
NIT of the hillock; and the same stur-
dy tree-no longer, however, disfgur-
ed by unsightly rags-threw a pleasant
shade in front of the building. But did
the murmur of its leaves carry no echo
of the terrible malediction that had so
startled them, to the ears of the En-
glishmenp II was difficult to say. The
three friends had now been in residence
] for some months, and were well salts
iied, apparently, with the place. From
the crazy old fakir they had received
no further molestation; indeed, hun
dred other objects had since engaged
their attention. At the present mo-
ment, Nowshera was all agog on ao-
count of great polo-match that was to
take place the next day at Peshawur.
ry; and the little stations champion
player, Captain Henderson, was one of
the chosen few who were to do battle
against the linesmen.
The eventful morrow arrived; the
ground and goals were duly marked
out; and all the beauty and fashion of
Peshawur and of course of Nowshera
turned out TO witness the match. A
gay crowd in carriages, on foot and
horseback, throngcd the boundary-lines.
Meanwhile, the game proceeded with
varying fortune; though IL was clear to
tho experienced eye that it was as
much as the horse soldiers could do to
hold their own against their antagonists.
Suddenly, some one struck the ball
with great vigor, and away il went
spinning along the turf. Two men,
opponents, singled themselves out from
the players, and galloped full speed
after it. Somehow is impossible to
say exactly how--they came into violent
collision, and riders and ponies were
thrown headlong to the ground. The
linesman. with an exclamation of dis
gust at his discontinue, freed him
self from his animal, and stood up,
seemingly unhurt. The other player
lay still. Soon two or three of the by
ISLANDERS rushed forward and raised the
fallen man; but he was dead--he had
broken his neck. 1t was Captain Hen
derson.
Was the anathema workingp Had the
next few years as terrible fate in store
for the two young fellows that still
survivedP Possibly, thoughts like these
may have thrilled the hearts of the &C.
cupants Of the bungalow on the hilock,
when they came to realize fully the
catastrophe that had taken place.
A year later, a party of officers were
out deer-hawking in the neighborhood
of Nowshera. [The sport OF deer-hawk-
ing is unique one, and pursued so far
as 1 know, nowhere out of Afghan
istan and the Peshawur Valley. OF
course the hawks only act as auxiliaries
to the hounds; still, without them the
latter would never be able to run into
their game; for the chikdrd or ravine-
deer is exceedingly swift Of foot and
wary; and even though harassed by the
falcons. it often gives its pursuers the
go-by. The hunt was in full swing;
in the distance was beautiful little
antelope, bounding onward flying for
dear life; above his head lowered a
couple of magnificent hawks; sudden
ly, with a swift swoop, one of them
descended and struck the animal hard
on the side of the head with its wings,
but did not otherwise injure him. The
antelope slackened his pace for an
instant at this unexpected assault, but
recovering himself, went on faster than
ever; when the second hawk stopped
and dealt him similar cuff on the
other side. ManGuvring thus alternate
ly and skillfully, they continued buffet
ing the poor animal, and impeded him
very materially in his flight. Some two
hundred yards in rear were the hounds,
straining every muscle in the endeavor
to reach their quarry; while last of all
came the hunters, eager and impctuous,
thrilling with the excitement OF the
chase, and urging on their horses till
the pace was fast and furious. All at
once, the horse of the foremost rider
a big powerful chestnut--put its foot
into q treacherous rat-hole, and shot
forward with terrific force on to its head
then rolled heavily over, with its luck
less rider crumpled up underneath.
The other men pulled up, for the fall
seemed serious one; and the white
face, Just visible clear of the saddle,
had the pallor OF death stamped OH it,
The ill-fated hunter was eytricated and
carried home. Three of his ribs were
broken. and he had sustained other
grievous internal injuries. A few days
afterward he died in great suffering.
| The name of this second victim was
Robert Strong.
Not long after the above tragical oc-
currence, DIR. Farmer fell ill, and was
ordered to England by Medical Board.
From Nowshera he came to Attock, in
tending to rest few days before con-
tinung his journey; but here, notwith-
standing that he was kindly and skill
fully treated by the Civil surgeon of the
station he rapidly became worse. At
one time his life even was despaired
of; but the poor man was not destined
easy stages ut last reached Bombay, and
thence shipped for England.
In a couple Of years he returned to
India completely restored to health.
In the meantime his regiment had
moved down country to Allahabad, and
it was there he joined it. One after
noon he was out boating on the river
Ganges with friend, when, by some
untoward accident, the boat upset;
both the men, however, were good
swimmers, and struck out vigorously
for the shore. AS they were nearing
the bank his companion cast q glance
in Farmers direction, and saw he was
swimming strongly and well. Pres
emily the former touched the bottom
within his depth and looked round
again for his friend, but, to his utter
amazement, Farmer had vanished /! 1t
would appear that the unfortunate sur
gcon had been seized with cramp, and
sinking suddenly, had been caught in
the race of some treacherous under
current, and swept down stream. His
body, l believe, was never recovered.
Thus was the curse literally fulfilled.
The three officers had persisted in the
prime of manhood, in the fullness of
their strength, with appalling sudden
ness, and all within the short space of
five years. But the narrative is not yet
complete; its finale Is rs startling as the
portion that has preceded it, and for
this we must once again 60 back to
| Nowshera