Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-03-21


As we penetrated into this quarter the
chill, due to the long shut-up houses,
the absence of fires, the want of move
ment, became greater the silence deep
ened, and we seemed to have passed
away from the outer world, though sur
rounded by the habitations OF men.
"There should be something here"
said my practical friend. as We entered
one of tho houses. The upper
rooms on that side, with their lace-iks
marble lattices, signs OF jealous privacy,
had been the dwelling place of the wom-
en-, the zcnana. Those lower rooms had
been tbronged with serv nts. But where
was now the pleasant hustle OF domestic
and social life, the coming and going
the cheerful voices, and the light-hearted
laughter?
Al was strange 10 find ones self in
possession Of anotheI's mans house, to
be able TO 20 where one liked, and do
what one liked in it. 1t was strange TO
/ find ones self breaking open another
mans strong box, and riGing it of its
contents. There is a pleasurable excite
ment in it; it is 4 new sensation.
The quick eve of my friend detected
signs OF habitation in a small side room
/ in one corner Of the courtyard. "There
is some one in there he said.
A fight OF steps led up to it, We
went up these cautiously. The door at
/ the top of them, leading in to the cham
/ Der was partially hidden by q heap OF
brambles, apparently put there to i'm
! pede the way. Removing these he found
the door closed. 1t resisted all his eff
forts to open it, though it seemed fra
/ gle enough.
{ There is some one behind it." said
nv friend Il hear his breathing" He
called loudly through the chinks, and
told the man to open the door, ana that
no harm would be done him. There
was no answer to his repeated calls. AT
last he said:
Open the door and trust to US; we
will not harm YOU if Won do not | will
bring some soldiers, and they will not
spare YOU
The door was slowly opened, and an
I old man peered ont at us. The Wild,
I frightened, hungry look in his eyes
startled Us When nj length we got
I him TO 'ell u his story in trembling ac-
cents, it appeared that he had somehow
. been LETT behind when the rest Of the
I household had left the place. He was
a feeble man, aud could not move fast.
| Aiterwarl he had been afraid 10 venture
out into the streets by himself The
/ people had sent all their property and
4 valuahles away long before the time OF
/ our assault-the CID man dwelt very
much on this point AMI so Mt the time
I IF the assault ti.ey hid been able TO
move rapidly away They had left the
I tlour they had laid in for ordinary do.
nestle use behind. however, and this he
had brought IN into this lonely cham
her. acd cooked III self some cakes
once or twice a week, for he was afraid
lest the fire should betiay him. II had
only Just sufficed TO keep him alive.
The constant fear Of discovery had been
every hour Of each day torment 10
him. he said He slept but little a;
night He had always been n we'll
wisher OF the British government. He
was now sick INTO death, and poor
feeble old man. II lie did not &c. some
rouriShment soon, he should die. Ny
friend had his orderly with him. aud
told him TO take the old man to HIS
quarters, and get him me food at once
Sat the oil man fell at his feet and
claspei his kuees, and begged him moi
To send him with the Sikh sepoy. He
Was sure ho would kill him on the way
Let the meIciiul Slhihs come with him
There WAS nothing in that place to
search ior-nothiny. Bat my friend
told him he must 20 with the orderly,
and 50 lie went of, weeping and trem.
bling.
We then went over the house. We
broke open one or two chests wa founa
IN some Of tie ro1ms, but there was
nothing in them bat quilts and cover
lets AMI the ordinary clothing Of the
people.
Il an rather surprised 10 find SO Iii.
lie Of any yalae here" said my friend.
"rhe people who lived here mus: have
been wealthy. i suppose they removed
all their valuablcs early in the siege, as
the old man said"
As have said before, the plan o. the
buildings was the usual one, that OF
no low square the courtyard in the
middle being a large one. The lower
story OF the side Of the square in which
the gateway was-the buildings we've
two stored had long open corridor,
used for stabling the bullocks and
horses The lower story OF the opposite
side of the square was closed il and
used, like the story above 1t, fora dwell
ing place here being, in fact, the ze-
mana. The lower story OF the other two
sides OF the square consisted simply OF
open arcades with Moorish arches rest.
ing on slender pillars. At the end OF
one OF these veuandahs, on rude bed
stead, lay the dead body Of q Sepov,
still clothed in the full uniform OF the
East ladia company, in which, it may
be, the man had fought many a battle
for the company, and nov had fought
this one against 1t. He had no doubt |
been wounded in tho fight in the street !
not far of, and he'd erept into this quiet !
place to die. His bayonet lay on the /
floor by the side OF the helsteSd
The gateway leading into the court
yard was not il the nj Idle of that side 4
Of the square. but very near one end of /
it, which also brought 1t very near the |
end OF one OF the adjoining sides. II
was, therefore, very near the end OF one /
OF these open areades, the one in which /
the dead Sepoy Law. The sight OF the .
lead man had kept Us in this verards !
FOR some time. TO my friend it was a
more familiar and accustomed sight I
than it was to me, and it did not rivet 4
his attention as il did mine. He had
been looking about him with his keen
eyes, while had my gaze fixed on the
man who had lain down on the bed