Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1890-11-19
MUHAMMID DIN.

The polo BAH WAS an old one,
Scared, Clipped. and dinted. 1t Stcod
on the mantle-i iccc among the pipe
stems which Imam Din, khitmai gar,
was cleaning for me.
Does the Heaycn-h0iH want this
ball :" said Imam lin deicrentiaIiN.
The llcuycu-hWn set n0 particular
store by it; hut OF what u>e was
polo ball to "a khitmatgar!
By your honGr'S favor, / have 4
little son. lie has a seen this bail
and desires TO play with IT, do not
want it for myself.
No one wOjld for an instant accuse
poltly old Imam Din OF wanting To
plav with polo balls. He carried out
The battered thing into the ycrandah;
and there followed hurricane OF JOY
ful soucakS. patter OF small leet,
and the -thud-thud of the ball
rolling along the ground. Evidently
the little son had been waiting outside
the door to secure his treasure. But
how had he managed to see that polo
ball?
Next day, coming back from Office
bali am hOur earlier than usual. / was
aware Of small figure in the dining
roonl-a tiny, plump figure in ridic-
ulousy Inadequate shirt which came
perhaps. half way down the tubby
stomach. II wandered round the
room. thumb in mouth. grooming to
itself as it took stock OF the pictures:
Undoubtedly this was the little SON
lie had no business in NY room. OF
co,nsc: but was So deeply absorbed IN
his discoveries that he never noticed
me in the doorway. ! stepped INTO
the room and startled him nearly into
. fiji. lie sat down OH the ground with
a gasp. His eyes opened. ana ms
mouth followed suit knew what
MAS coming and fed, followed by 4
lone. dry howl. which reached tho
servants quarters far more quickly
than any command of mine had ever
done. i'm ten seconds Imam Din was
in the diniug-r0om. Then dcSpauung
sobs arose. and | returned To Ind
Imam Din admouiShing the small SIN
ncr. who was using most oil his Shlf'
aS q handkerchief.
This boy" said Imam Din judi
cially, Is q budmaSh, big budniaSh.
He viii. without doubt, 90 to the
iailkhaua for his behavior" re
newcd wells from the pcnitent and an
elaborate apology to myself from imam
TEL the baby" said !. " that the
Sahib is not angry, and take him
away" Imam Din conveyed my for
givcncSs TO the offender, who had now
gathered all his shirt round his neck
stringWisc, and the yell subsidized INTO
q sob. The two set off for the door
Ills name" said Imam Din. aS
though the name were part OF the
crime is Muhammad Din and he IS
- hudnnsh." Freed from present dan
Ger. Muhammad Din turned round ms
fathers arms and said gravely II Is
true that my name is Aluhammad )ln;
Tahib. hut | am not 4 budmash. !
am a man
From that day dated my acquaint-
onco with NIuhammld Din. Never
arain did he come into my dining
room but on the neutral ground of the
compound We greeted each other with
much state. though our conversation
,,as confined TO Talaam Tahibi from
his side. and " Salam, Muhammad DIN
from mine Daily on my return from
Office. the little white shirt and the fat
little body used to rise from tho shade
of the crcepcr-cOycrcd trelliS where
they had been hid; and daily ]
checked my horse here. that my salu-
tation might not be Slurrcd over or
given msccmly.
NIuhammad Din never had any com
panions. lie used to trot about the
compound. in and out OF the castor
oil bushes. on mysterious crrands OF
his own. One day ! stumbled upon
somo of his handiWolk far down the
eraund. lie had balf buried the polo
ball in dust and stuck SIN shlNelGd
old matigoid flowers a-d in circle
round il. Outside tha circle AGAIN
WAS a rude square. traced out ~ bits
ar red brick alternating with nag
mcntS of broken china; thc whole
bounded by little bank OF dust.
Tho bhi.tir from the well curb put in
q plea for the small architect saving
that ID W,s only the play of q baby
ard did no. nJch diSligurc my garden.
Heaven knows that had no in-
toutiou cr touching the childs work
fbon or later: but. that evening. q
stroll through lhe garden brought me
rnawarcs full en- it: $50 that t.amplrd.
before ! knew. mWlgold heads Dust
hank. ard fragments OF broken soap
dish into confusion. past AL hope ol
mcndiug Next morning came upon
Nluhammad Din crying softly To- hln,-
self over the ruin had wrought.
some one had cruelty told him that
the Sahih was very angry with HIM
for >poiling the garden. and had seat
tered his rubbish. using bad language
the while Muhammad Din ldbored
for am hour dcfacing every trace col
the dust-hanll and pottery fragments.
and II was fearful and Apologize
face that he slid: Talaam Tahib. -
when I came home from the Office.
4 ha>ty inquiry resulted in Imam Din
informing NIuhammad Din that by my
singular favor he was permitted 10
dIsport himself as be pleased. Nhcreat
The child took heart aud fell To tracing
the ground-plan OF IN edilice which
was TO eclipse the mari gold polo-ball
creation.
For some months the chubby little
crcentricity rcv0lvcd in his humble
orbit among the castOr-oil bushes and
in the dnSt always faShiOming mag
nifccnt palaces from stale flowers
thrown away by the bearer. smooth
water-wOrn pebbles, bits of broken
clas, and feathers pulled. ] fancy,
from my fowls-alWays alone and
alrayS grooming TO himself.
4 gavlv-spotted Sea-shell was drop
ned one day close To the last of his
little buildings; and looked that
Muhammad Din should build some