Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-23

pen call the cook to bring some burning
sticks from the kitchen. With one OF
these glowing tirebrands / scared my
bleeding and quivering flesh, never
finching under what in ordinary circum-
stances would have been excruciating
agony, but rather cherishing the pain
which was possible means of saving
my life. But feared my case was past
all help, for | was sensible that the con.
fractions Of my heart were growing very
feeble and respiration became more aud
more difficult.
l felt the keenest anguish, and l
knew that there remained only one final
stage-that Of falling into faint before
death supervened.
Just as my senses were deserting me L
was able to clutch the bottle of brandy,
and once more poured large quantity
into a glass. With an effort just man
aged TO raise it to my lips and quaffed
the requick keuing spirit, which acted on
my prostarted nerves like O magic
draught.
rallied; and with fierce determine
ton to live braced my senses together
for final struggle with the poteut poi
son which was now coursing like liquid
fire through every vein IN my body.
The brandy had no Intoxicating results,
it's ordinary effects being neurralzed by
the virus in my body. The giant Alec.
hol had for once to combat with rival
mightier than himself; and my life de.
pended upon the issue of the struggle.
Knowing that might at any moment
lapse into the fatal comatose state, has
tily gave my instructions to Veerapen
and the cock, while my mind remained
clear. l directed them to hold me by
my arms, one on each side, to keep me
walking about, and on no account to
suffer me to lie down or to go to sleep.
| explained to Veerapen that my life
depended on my being kept awake, and
| directed him to check the fatal dr0wsi.
ness by thrashing me with my own
horsewhip if necessary, and not to spare
it.
Veerapen armed himself with the whip
as ordered, and he and the cook began
marching up and down the room. Ar
overwhelming faintness soon came upon
me, from which further large dose OF
brandy failed to rouse me, and l should
have gone to sleep as l walked had not
Veerapen then administered sharp cut
across my calves.
The pain stung me into activity, and
turned upon my servant with an
amount of fury which caused him to re-
treat ia hot haste. But remembering
why the blow was given thanked him
for it, curbing my passion and telling
him to remember his cure of me. l
begged him. no matter what my present
anger might be, to continue by the se-
we're means l had placed in his hands to
prevent me from falling asleep, as l
would handsomely reward him if he
would save my life.
cannot re collect all that passed. but
Veerapen told Inc that l alternately
commanded and entreated with tears III
my eyes to be allowed to so to sleep if
only for minute, but that the only at
tention he paid to my threats or entrea'
ties was to lay on all the harder with
the whip.
The blows reused me from my state of
topper for few minutes only at time,
but during these intervals of conscious
ness l thoroughly relished the cure l
was voluntarily undergoing, and expe.
rienced positive pleasure in feeling the
singing cuts showered upon my back,
arms and legs by my lusty attendant.
The struggle for life was protracted,
but gradually the pulsations of nay heart
became more regular, the load which
compressed my breathing was slowly
lifted from my chest, the fatal yearning
for sleep rolled away, and l knew the
mortal risk was over.
Perhaps Veerapen had few scores
to pay off-anyhow he discharged his
duty SO thoroughly that by the time l
was out of danger | was black and blue
from head to foot, but bore him no
grudge for these striking marks of his
fidelity.
l knew / consumed a great deal of
brandy, but l did not think had fin.
ished as much as six bottles. Veerapen,
however, assured me had not only
taken that quantity. but had wished to
have more, only he had refused to let
me have it. He produced half dozen
gentlemen commoners" as vouchers to
his assertion, and if he and the cook
had not grossly exceeded the limits of
sobriety that night l might have been
persuaded that I alone had swallowed a
full gallon imperial messure of old
cognac. As it was, formed an opin.
ion that my worthy servitors had
been drinking my very good health and
speedy recovery, and did not reprove
them for the jolifcation ON such an
occasion.
gave my faithful boy twelve months
pay, and to the cook six, as a reward for
their timely services. l do not think
anything could induce me to part with
Veerapen to leave me as long as re-
main in the country, and shall give
him a pension for life when l finally re.
tire from India.
The effects of the poison did not alto.
gether disappear for some time. but
manifested themselves at intervals in
muscular spasms, which were very pain
full and accomp panied by great depression
of spirits. Time, however, cures oil
things. and l am to-day as sound as
though l had never been within an ace
of losing my life through the bite of
tic-polopga.