News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-12-20
THE HAUNTED POOL.
BY DAVID KER.

BY DAVID KER
The sun was setting over the Gange
one bright summer evening in 1871
The day had been a hot one even fo
India, and it was an unspeakable relic
to everyone when the scorching sun be
gan to decline at last, and the Jengthen
ing shadows Of the tall palms along tn,
river-bank told that night was at hand
And now the Hindu inhabitants OF tht
neighboripg village, who had been lying
mOtionIess all afternoon under the shade
of their reed thatched roofs, or of the
vast Overarching banyan trees around
them, came trooping down to the water
in body.
Instantly the whole bank of the great
river-so lovely and silent all through
the long, burning day-became all alive
with noise and hustle. Children pad
died in the broad, still pools, or chased
each -vther in and out of the tall, feath-
cry bamboo cIump that grew along the
bank. Women filed their e,uthen
pitchers from the stream, or washed
their threadbare clothes. Men began
to scOur their brass lOtahs drinking
vesseIs), or to kindIe fires for the cook
ing of their evening meals: while little
farther down the stream, a group of
young girls, wading out into the shallow
water, fell to splashing each other with
might and main, amid shouts of merry
laughter.
To any one accustomed to the ways of
India. it would have seemed strange
enough to see, upon the wrists and
ankles of nearly all the girls, and many
of their mothers likewise, heavy bangles
of solid silver, which any western lady
might have been proud TO wear. But
the Hindu peasants, to whom savings
banks are utterly unknown, have no way
OF keeping their money safe except by
carrying it about with them in this
fashion, somewhat hazardous plan, ii
must be owned, in country swarming
with the most expert and daring thieves
In the world.
Suddenly, one of the girls, who had
ventured a little farther out into the
stream than the rest, disappeared under
water with a piercing shrek, as il
dragged down by some overpowering
force. A few bubbles that rose sud
denly to the surface were the only tokeI
of her fate, while her terrified com
panions turned and rushed back to the
shore as fast as possible, screaming
GA crocodile a crocodile -
Several days had passed before any
of the village women dared to approach
the scene of this terrible mischance. A
length, one boIder than the rest, ven
tured in again, and the others, seeing
that no harm came of her daring, began
to follow her example. More than
week passed without any accident, ant
every thing was beginning to go on a
usual, when, one evening, a second gin
disappeared III precisely the same name
as the first.
The terror was now universal, and al
the best hunters of the village set them
selves with one accord to get rid of thi
destroying crocodile. Bats were laid
traps set, men posted along the ban
with loaded guns to keep watch for tn
monster; but, look for him as the
might, nothing was TO be seen of him.
Several days later the wife of one {
the villagers was washing her whit
wrapper on the bank OF the river, whe
it slipped from her hands and flOate
slowly ont into the wide, still poo
formed by the bend of the stream. TIN
woman at once waded after it, and ha
Just succeeded in cIutcLing it, when sh
was seen by those on the bank to civ
a sudden start, throw her arms cOnvu
siveIy into the air and disappear undt
water Just as the other two had done b.
fore.
About three days after this last cata
trophe, Mr. Henry Sparks, the Britis
Commissioner for the District of Jun
IevwalIah, was at work in his Office am
perfect mound of papers, halting evel
now and then to wipe his streamir
face (Which, despite the numero1
pUnEah, or swinging fan, worked by h
native servant outside with a col
passed through a hole in the vail, loOk'
very much like a half-melted snowfall
when he was suddenly disturbed by
knock at the door.
Come in p cried ne snappishly, e
pecting the entrance Of some HinC
farmer or peasant with a complaint
long and unintelligent as an Assyri
inscription. But at the first glimpse
the person who entered his face clear
at once.
The visitor was a tall native, with t
handsome features and stately bearing
Mahratta. His figure, nearly six fe
in height, was so gaunt and sinewy tn
it seemed to be made of pin-wire, a
his piercing black eyes looked out fro
beneath the folds of his white turb
with the quick, keen, watchful glance
practical hunter.