Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-02

A Curious Yarn Told by an Indian Army
Officer.

Letter to the Times Of India
The true and tragic tale which am about tc
relate was told to me many years ago by q dis
tinguished officer of the Madras army. The
| facts have never appeared in any newspaper
nor are they to be found in any Of the police
records Of the Presidency. For obvious reasons
the names have been altered; but to this day by
the camp fires of the great festival held every
year is told with bated breath and listened to
with rapt attention the terrible tale of the
jewels Of Juggernaut and Of the vengeance OF
the great god.
"Many years ago." said my friend, ~ was
quartered at Fuzarabad. an important military
station about one hundred and fifty miles from
the Madras coast There were large number
of troops there Of all descriptions, and GER
tainly for half the year the life we all led was
gay and high enough.
"Unfortunately. at the time was there gam
bling and betting were much in vogue, and
many men plunged and came to grief over
their debts of honor. OF all that gay company
nobody was more popular and better liked by
both men and women than young FitZroy; but,
unfortunately, he lost money at the races. tried
to recover himself at the whist table, but failed
got into the hands of the Marwarees and got
deeper and deeper into the mire of debt. You
could see by his careworn and troubled ex-
pIesSlOu OF lace tnat the poor young IeuOW was
in real bad way. l was not surprised, then,
when one day he came to me and said: Major,
L m done for. I'm utterly broke. l can't get
any more money in the bazaar, and they'll run
me In unless l can get away for a bit. l must
get to England and see if can raise the wind
there, but goodness knows said the young
fellow bitterly, how 1 can dare ask my poor
old governor. Major, continued he. Il must
get away; it's simply killing me. You were a
great friend of my father and promised to help
Il, H.. ~
too late now. viii you come away with me?
Give out that We have taken ten days leave for
some shooting, and see me down to the coast
II go off alone shall be stopped by those
cursed Marwarees.'
'After some hesitation agreed. He sent in
his application for leave to Europe on private
affairs, and gave out that was going on a
ten days shooting expedition. A week later,
with couple OF tongas, we had started on our
long and wearying journey to the coast where
my poor young friend hoped to pick up a
steamer to take him TO Europe. On the second
DAY out we met crowds Of people tramping
aiOng-men, women and children-and the next
day still greater crowds. In reply to our in
quiries we were told that they were returning
from the great festival of Juggerraut, held at
Puri, now only some three days Journey from
where we were. The tongawallah kept US inter-
ested with graphic description of the festival
and OF the great god, which was especially re-
markable for the wonderful jewels it possessed
two emerald eyes OF inestimable value, its
lips formed of the finest rubies in the world
and necklace of priceless pearls.
The sun was sinking as at last we neared the
town OF Puri and We could see the pinnacles
OF the temples rise above the trees which sur
rounded the place. Half mile the other side
OF the town stood the Travellers Bungalow
where we intended putting up for the night
During the last twenty-four hours my young
companion had kept silence and was moody
almost 9ullp0 whp 7 trio 10
him. more uncomfortable meal never ate
than the dinner which was served up to us that
evening. and was quite thankful when the
poor lad said he was dead beat and would 60 off
to bed. My own room was On the other side of
the bungalow. and took my pipe and sat smok-
ing in the veranda. The moon was Just rising.
when L thought saw the figure of European
stealing along the wall of the compound
Strange, thought, and wondered what other
European could be here at the same time. An
idea struck me, and went across to my COM
pamons room. There was nobody in it.: the
bed was undisturbed. l threw down my pipe
and rushed out into the MOONLIGHT
"A few seconds later was out in the road
and turned instinctively in the direction of the
town. Running down the road soon came to
a sandy lane which went outside the village
walls IN the direction of the temples, their pin
nacles standing ont clear and distinct in the
moonlight. In the distance l thought saw the
figure of my poor lad. but soon the turnings
and twistings of the lane with its thick cactus
hedges on each side shut him out from INV
view. In few minutes was close by the big
temple compound. Running up to the wall
L looked over, and this is what l saw:
An enormous courtyard of paved stone.
on which were lying number of priests.
their white garments wrapped round their
heads and bodies. In the background was
placed temple after temple. but in the center
stood one solitary shrine raised on three sepa-
rate flights OF steps, and inside l could see The
great black god raised on three other smaller
flights OF colored marble steps. The moon
beams shone directly on the god and lit up the
emerald eyes and ruby lips, while the pear!
necklace giowed on his huge black bosom. Not
a sound was to be heard except some distant
tom-toming on the other end Of the town. The
festival was over and Puri had lapsed into SOL
emn silence. To my unutterable horror / saw
my companion walking right across the court
yard.
Not living creature moved. until parian
dog rose up from near the wall. gave one howl
and then SUNK away and crouched down again
STU! no one stirred. My tongue Glove to the
roof OF my mouth. l dared not shout even if I
could have raised my voice. A CHASTITY horror
took hold of ME the idea struck me that in
his madness my poor friend intended to save
his honor by the greater dishonor of robbing
the idol. Speeches., | saw him mount step
after step. and the next moment saw him
enter the sacred shrine across the threshold of
which no other foot but that of the Brahmin
has ever passed. Nine steps led up to the
Sod-one, two, three, four. five, Six He
paused. l tried to shout. but no sound would
come. He raised his hand as il to tear off the
pearl necklace. 1t was still above his reach.
His foot then touched the seventh. Can ever
forget the sight? In the moonlight flashed out
two arms covered with hundred-nay, two
hundred-daggers and clasped the daring youth
to the black gods breast. At the same moment
the sound of gong broke the stiffness of the
night. and IN one moment the priests had cast
OF their coverings and were rushing to the
shrine. Two minutes later l saw the amazed
and Mortified priests carrying out the lifeless
body Of the dishonored Enplishman and