The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-01-18
HINDU RING.

A HINDU klNGs
An Indian priest was. saying his even
ing prayers on the ghas1t, or broad fight
of steps which led down into the river
for the convenience of bathers. The
narrow belt of thread suspended like a
sash from his left shoulder proclaimed
him to be a Brahmin.
He had finished his additions and was
making q small line of ashes in the
middle of his forehead, and his coun-
tenance, as he gazed at the setting sun,
was rapt in ecstatic contemplation with
the spirit he had sought and found even
amidst a sensuous maze of surrounding
idolatry.
This man was one who came as near
realizing in his proper person the nobler
aspirations of the Hindus, as it is
possible for frail humanity in any land
to incarnate the teachings of this re-
ligious book.
He strove, as the Vedas taught, to
''oppose to the attacks of sin a heart as
hard as a diamond; to make no differ
ence between friends and enemies, and
lence; to expend all his energy in dis
pelling the gloom of ignorance in which
mankind is plunged; to thrust far from
him every criminal impulse and practice
arts of virtue"
A terrible interruption, however. was
stealing upon his devout meditations.
Was it written that noaD was the ap-
pointed time for him to pass into another
of those repeated births, through which
sitter the expiration of ages, he could
hope to enter Nirvana-the mystical
union with the divine essence?
One of the deadliest serpents Of India
was gliding noiselessly along the steps
toward his feet-one moment more, and
it would be too late. Suddenly, q swift
and well-aimed missile, though only a
stone, cleft the neck of the baleful rep
tile, and writhing in hideous contortions
it fell into the river among the aquatic
plants at the base of the ghaut.
The native turned, and in an instant
understood his ~deliverance. Nor was it
the first favor received from the same
source. At a little distance from him
stood the American who had charge of
the mission at Agea.
With stately simplicity he stretched
out his right hand toward his preserver,
who was smiling pleasantly at him. and
pronounced the word ''GsirUadam!r'
. (benediction). Then he thanked him
in Hindustanee, with the Rowery rhet-
oric characteristic of his language, for
the admirable presence of mind which
had saved him; he also alluded forcibly
to the revolving ceremonies of serpent
worship sometimes practiced at the
festivals of silva. He was tinged with
the purer philosophy of Buddha, and
the groveling superstition Of Maya
worship was abhorrent to his soul.
Hence he doubly welcomed the blow the
missionary's steady hand had dealt.
What could he do in return to reward
the foreigner who had been the NANTES.
tation of the Divine will in his behalff
''The sound of charitable deeds is heard
through the three worlds" Pausing to
reflect a moment. the Hindu took a ring
from his own finger, recited over it 9
famous nlantra, or prayer only used by
priests, in a solemn whisper the mis-
sionary could not have understood had
it been audible, for it was in Sanscrit,
invoking for him purity of motive, good
health and felicity after death. HI
pressed this gift upon his acceptance
there was eve a note of warning in hi:
soft accent, which suggested that fol
some unexplained reason refusal nigh
be dangerous.
Never part with this ringr' he added
impressively, ..you, nor your children
after you" The minister examined tn,
bauble-of what use could such an orna
ment be to himp He decided at aglance
it was of little or no intrinsic value
simply q dull, rusty black stone of con
siderable size, but devoid of artistic
beauty. He would accept it, however
in the spirit of the offering, as a souve
mir of a good mans gratitude; it woul,
be an agreeable reminder of one excep
ton to native apathy and craft.
With courteous expressions of thank
he withdrew further along the landing
place to enjoy the evening air from tn
river and to taste after a tropical da,
that delicious repose which is the happi
nessof the East.
Fifteen years later found the mission
airy enjoying his eternal rest after Ion,
day of labor, and his only daughter
Irene, far from India, far from tha
white dream of architecture, the Tai
Mahal, in whose shadow at Agra he
childhood and youth had been spent
She had inherited her fathers virtues
his poverty and the Brahmin's ring. i.
lone woman now, in our own city {
Philadelphia, she was visiting som
friends of her mother until her futur
should assume a more definite cast; an
yet not quite alone, in spite Of he
orphanhood.
Her lover, Elmer Paulson, himself
returned Indian exile, was trying, wit
some prospect of success, to obtain
professorship of oriental history an
literature in one of colleges. Sine
the failure of his father commercial il
terests at Calcutta, a few years befor,
he had been engaged, in addition to b
own studies, in tutoring the o of
progressive native gentleman, an adhe
emit of the reformed Hinduism of Il
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. who was stron
enough to relax for himself and h
family the letters of caste, and was
sympathetic intercourse with his BIRTHS
rulers. In association with the subt
intellect of the liberal and emancipate
Hindu, Paulson's W mind had ripent
in a kind of religious twilight. Iren
the scion of an orthodox stock, cou
never obtain a definition of his cree
but this had not been necessary throug
that long sea-voyagein order to gain b
heart. 1t was a love born of moonlig
q. isolation and the attraction that lies in
similar destination.
One evening, after their arrival
Philadelphia. they were sitting togeth
by the freight in Mrs. Wilbur's parlo
the gas was burning in the next ROOF
but they preferred a degree of obscure
in their own neighborhood. His hal
somehow came in contact with the Ri
GU her finger.
at is a homely thing, isn't itp'' sa
she. "But I value it for dear father
sake. He always wore it. He had
tinge of romance in his composition"