Los Angeles herald., 1890-11-08
CUPID'S ARROWS.


Once upon time there lived at Simla
very pretty girl, the daughter of poor
but honest district and sessions Judge.
She was good girl. but could not help
knowing her power and using it. Her
mamma was very anxious about her
daughters future, as all good mammas
should be.
When man is commissioner and a
bachelor, and has the right of wearing
open 7~S,ee.-l,, jam jam tart Jewels in gold and
enamel on his clothes, and of going
through door before every one except
a member of council, lieutenant gov
ernor or viceroy, he is worth marry
ing. At least that is what ladies say.
There was commissioner in Simla in
those days who was and wore and did
all l have said. He was plain man
an ugly mantle uglest man in Asia,
with two exceptions. His was face to
dream about, and try to carve on pipe
head afterward. His name was Saggott
Barr ggott-Anthony Barr-Saggott
ally he was one of the best men the gov
ernment of India owned; socially he
was like blandishing gorilla.
When he turned his attentions to Miss
Beighton I believe that Mrs. Beighton
wept with delight at the reward Provi-
dence had sent her in her old age
Mr.. Beighton held his tongue. He was
an easy going man.
Now commissioner is very rich. His
pay is beyond the dreams of avarice-is
90 enormous that he can afford to save
and scrape in way that would almost
discredit member Of council. Most
commissioners are mean, but Barr-Sag-
gott was an exception. He entertained
royalty, he horsed himself well, he gave
dances, he was power in the land. and
he behaved as such.
Consider that everything l am writ
ing of took place in an almost pre-his-
toric era in the history of British India.
Some folk may remember the years be-
fore lawn tennis was born, when we all
played croquet. There were seasons be-
fore that, if you will believe me, when
even croquet had not been invented, and
archery, which was revived in England
in 1044s was as great a pest as lawn ten
mis- is now. People talked learnedly
about holding" and "loosing," "steles,' =
-'refexed bows" "56-pound bows" "
s'backed" or ''self-yew bows" as we talk
about "rallies," "volleys," ''smashes," :"
returns" and "16-ounce rackets."
as e1 o1r
ladies' distance-sixty yards, that is
and was acknowledged the best lady
archer in Simla Men called her ''Diana
Of Tara-Devi."
Barr-Saggott paid her great attention.
and, as have said, the heart of her
mother was uplifted in consequence.
Kitty Beighton took matters more calm
iy. It was pleasant to be singled out by
commissioner with letters after his
name, and to fill the hearts of other girls
with bad feelings. But there was no de-
nying the fact that Barr-Saggott was
phenomenally ugly, and all his attempts
to adorn himself only made him more
grotesque.
He was not christened ''The Langur"
which means gray ape-for nothing.
It was pleasant, Kitty thought, to have
him at her feet, but it was better
to escape from him and ride with the
graceless Cubbon-the man in d. agoon
regiment at Umballa-the boy with a
handsome face and no prospects Kitty
liked Cubbon more than little. He
never pretended for moment that he
~ -, n1o
In love with her; for he was an honest
boy. So Kitty fled now and again from
the stately wooings of Barr-Saggott to
the company of young Cubbon, and was
scolded by her mamma in consequence.
"But, mother" she said, "Mr. Saggott
lis such-such ais so fearfully ugly, you
know!'
"My DEAR" said Mrs. Beighton pious-
ly, 1--WE cannot be other than an all
ruling Providence has made US. Be-
sides, you will take precedence Of
your own mother, you know. Think OF
that and be reasonable"
Then Kitty put up her little chin, and
said irreverent things about precedence
and commissioners and matrimony. Mr..
Beighton rubbed the top of his head, for
he was an easy going man.
Late in the season, when 10 judged
that tho time was ripe, Barr-Saggott de-
veloped plan which did great credit tc
his administrative powers. He arranged
an archery tournament for ladies, with q
most sumptuous diamond studded brace
let as prize. He drew up his terms skill
fully, and every one saw that the brace
let was gift to Miss Beighton, the ac-
ceptance carrying with it the hand and
the heart of Commissioner Barr-Saggott
The terms were st. Leonard's round
thirty-six shots at sixty yards under
the rules of the Simla Toxophllite society
All Simla was invited. There were
beautifully arranged tea tables under
the deodars at Annandale, where the
grand stand is now; and alone in it,
glory, winking in the sun, sat the dia
mond bracelet in blue velvet case
Miss Beighton WIS anxious-almost too
anxious to compete. On the appointed
afternoon all Simla rode down to An
nandale to witness the judgment Q
Paris turned upside down. Kitty rod