Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-01-04
SECUNDRA DASS
DECAYED GENTLEMAN OF INDIA

FINE GOLDSMITH WORK.
Underneath this, when h9 had a job, my
gentleman sat withlnsde tailorwise and bus
lily stitching. ! say when he had a job, but
such customers as came were rather for Sc
cundra, and the masters sewing would be
more in the manner of Penelopes He could
never have designed to gain even butter to
his bread by such a means of livelihood.
Enough for him that there was the name OF
Durie dragged in the dirt on the placard and
the some time heir Of that proud family set
up cross legged in public for reproach upon
his brothers meanness. And in so far his de-
vice succeeded that there was murmuring in
the town and party formed highly inimical
to my lord. My lords favor with the gov
ernor laid him NOR" open on the other side.
My lady twho was never 50 well received In
the colony met with painful innuendoes In
q party of women, where it would be the
topic most natural to introduce, she was al
most debarred from the naming of needle
work, and i have seen her return with a
flushed countenance and vow that she would
go abroad no more
In the meanwhile my lord dwalt In his do
cent mansion, immersed in farming; a popu-
lar man with his inmates, and careless or
unconscious of the rest. He laid on flesh;
had bright, busy face; even the heat seemed
to prosper with him; and my lady Din despite
of her own annoyanceS daily blessed heaven
her father should have left her such para
disc She had looked on from window
upon the masters humiliation, and from that
hour appeared to feel at ease. ! was not sure
myself; as time went on there seemed to mo
a something not quite wholesome in my lords
condition; happy he was, beyond q doubt,
but the grounds of this felicity were secret;
even in the bosom of his family he brooded
with manifest delight upon some private
thought; and l conceived at last the sus-
picion quite unworthy of us both that he
kept mistress somewhere in the town.
Yet he went little abroad, and his day was
very fully occupied; indeed there was but a
single period, and that pretty early in the
morning while Mr.. Alexander was at his les
son book, of which was not certain of the
disposition. 1t should DO borne in mind, in
| the defense of that which | now did, that
| was always in some fear my lord was not
| quite justly in his reason; and with our enemy
sitting so still In the same town with us, l
did well to be upon my guard. Accordingly
made a pretext, had the hour changed at
which ! taught Mr.. Alexander the founda-
| ton of ciphering and tho mathcmatic, and
set myself instead to dog my matters foot
steps.
Every morning, fair or foul, he took his
| gold headed cane, set his hat on the back of
| his head-a recent habitude, which ! thought
to indicate burning brow-and betook HIM
self to make certain circuit. At the first
his way was among pleasant trees and beside
a graveyard, where he would sit awhile, IL
the day were fine, in meditation. Presently
the path turned down 10 the water side and
came back along the harbor front and past
the masters booth. As he approached this
second part of his crcnit my Lord Durrisdeer
began TO pace more eisurely, like man de-
lighted with the air and scene; and before
the booth, half way between that and the
waters edge, would pause a little leaning on
his staff. 1t was the hour when the master
safe within upon his board and piled his
needle. So these two brothers would gaze
upon each other with hard faces; and then
my lord move ON again, smiling to himself.
1t was but twice that must stoop to that
ungrateful necessity of playing spy, was
then certain of my lords purpose in his ram
bles and of the secret source of his delight
Here was his mistress; it was hatred and not
love that gave him healthful colors Some
moralists might have been relieved by the
discovery; | confess that | was dismayed
found this situation of two brethren not only
odious in itself, but big with possibilities OF
further evil, and made 1t my practice, in 80
far as many occupations would allow, TO 90
by shorter path and be secretly present at
their meeting. Coming down one day lit
tie late, after | had been near week pre-
vented, was struck with surprise TO find a
new development. | should say there was
bench against the masters house where Gus
toners might sit 10 parley with the shopman
and hare fnnpd NV lord sRniad nursing HE