Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-05-18
TARA.
BY SARAH f. NORRIS.

Tara's early home was in little village
hear the great city of Hyderabad, in the
Nizam's Dominions. Her people were
Telugus of the cultivator caste, and her
earliest recollection was of the tinkling
bells on the necks of the flocks. She
used to lie awake at night listening to
their music, and wondering whether they
too came from the distant stars like her
self; for her mother had told the little
girl that she had come to them from the
brightest star that was visible through
the chinks of the cottage wall.
Her brothers were named for the
things of the earth to which they be-
longed, but she, the youngest and dear
est, was named for the shining place from
whence she came-Tara, star.
When she was seven years old she
questioned the Bal, her mother, one day,
about the ring which pierced her little
nose. "Why did she wear ring, while
Soondra, neighbours child of her own
age, wore none. Was it because she came
from the starsm
Then the Bal explained that it was the
sign of marriage. The ceremony which
she dimly remembered was the wedding.
She was married to Lalu, who was
now far away in his own home. "Did
she not remember standing on one side
of red screen, while Lalu stood on the
other side, and the family friends threw
rice over them2 And when the screen
was removed, and they stood face to
face, the priest of the temple tied their
clothing together, and they fed each
other with sugar, and were declared
married"
"Ah!" said the Bal, 'the marriage
procession was the grandest ever known
In our village. Lalu rode white horse,
which was entirely covered with gold
and silver spangles and bells, while Lalu
himself was almost hidden by garlands
of flowers.
''Then the long line of carts and
palanquins, filled with children; and
behind them the women laden with
flowers, and the men bearing torches
while the musicians followed, beating
their tomtoms, and singing the marriage
chant.
did Tara remember none of this?
Well, it had taken place when she was
three years old, and they had then given
her the nose-ring-the sign of wife
and Lalu had gone back to his own vii.
lage in Baroda, three hundred miles
away, to await the time when his little
bride should be old enough to come to
him."
Time went by. Tara sang her little
song as she turned the milestone to grind
the grain, and rolled the spicy curry " hich
always garnished the rice at their even
ing meal. The tlocks were herded al
night, and their bells always made music
to Tara's ears in the low-roofed cottage
where she slept. The seasons came and
went until Tara was eleven years old,
when Ramji, her father, announced thai
the little wife must be taken to her hus.
bands house.
Limbaji, her eldest brother, was to &c
with her, and on fine morning, just a.
the close of the long rains, they started
on their journey across the country, car.
rying Tara's silken bridal robes and orna
ments, and the little dowry of money
which had been saved for her.
AS they descended the winding patti
leading to the public road they watched
carefully lest perchance lizard should
cross their track, and they be obliged tc
turn back. But no lizard appearing
they went cheerily on their way, which
lay through the heart of the great city.
Gilt-spangled elephants trampeG
majestically along, the howdahs tiileG
with the high born ladies of the realm
whose laughing voices reached the eari
of the two strangers as they forced thei
way through the moving throng, anc
anon the sparkle of the diamonds flashed
out, as the silken curtains of the howdab.
were displaced by the swaying motion o.
the elephants tread.
Passing outside the city gates. thu
travellers quickened their pace, and wer,
soon In the open country, where there
was nothing to obstruct their progress.
At nightfall on the tenth day of thei
journey they entered little village il
Kattiawar, where lived Jairam, a frent
of Limbaji's. They halted at the doc
of this friends house, and asked il the,
might enter and rest their wesriec
limbs.
Jairam and his wife greeted them will
true Eastern hospitality, begging them t.
shake off the dust of travel, and eat o
their salt. They said: "The house anc
all that we have is yours. Come in anC
partake of your own, while we brin,
water for your feet; and tarry with us
we pray you, until you are quite reste,
from your long journey"
80 the brother and sister consented t.
stop week with these good friends
when they would start again on thei
journey toward Baroda.
Three or four days after this
messenger came in great haste iron
Hyderabad, saying that Ramji had diec
suddenly, and Limbaji must return a
once to perform the funeral ceremonies.
Then arose the question: "Wha
should be done with Tara meanwhile2
Limbail could not take her back, as h
must make all possible speed. He woul
be obliged to feed the crows for q cer
tain lumber of days, until he could b
sure whether his fathers spirit had en-
tered crow; and he must make sewers
feasts for the Brahmins, and dIstribut
aims among the poor of the village. A.
this would require so much time,
would be fully three weeks before b
could continue the Journey with Tara.
Finally it was decided that he leav
Tara with his friends, and return as 500
as the customs of his caste would permi
So hesped away on the messenger
swift horse, quite satisfied that he ha