Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-07-18

The inhabitants, whoever they might be,
had not thought fit to put in an appear
ance, so / was left to my own devices.
Ny first attempt to "rush" Pornic up the
steep sandbanks showed me that / had
fallen into trap exactly on the same mo-
del as that which the ant lion sets for its
prey. At each step the shifting sand pour
ed down from above in tons, and ratified
or the drip boards of the holes like small
shot. A couple of Intellectual charges sent
both rolling down to the bottom half chok-
ed with the torrents of sand, and l was
constrained to turn my attention to the
river bank
CAUGHT IN A TRAP.
Here everything seemed easy enough.
The sand hills ran down to the river edge,
it is true, but there were plenty of shall
lows across which 1 could gallop Pornie
and find my way back to terra 1frma by
turning sharply to the right or the left.
As led Pornic over the sands was start
led to by the faint pop of rifle across
the river, and at the same moment bull
let dropped with sharp "whit" close to
Pornic's head.
There was no mistaking the nature of
the missile-a regulation Martini Henry
picket" About five hundred yards
away q country boat was anchored in mid
stream, and Jet of smoke drifting away
from its bow in the still morning air show
ed me whence the delicate attention had
come. Was ever respectable gentleman
in such an impasses The treacherous sand
slope allowed no escape from spot which
l visited most involuntarily, and prom
enade on the river frontage was the signal
for bombardment from some insane ma
tive in boat. Pm afraid lost my tenn
per very much indeed.
Another bullet reminded me that had
better save my breath to cool my porridge;
and / retreated hastily up the sands and
back to the horseshoe, where 1 saw that
the noise of the rife had drawn sixty-five
human beings from the badger holes which
had up till that point supposed to be un-
tenanted. found myself in the midst of
a crowd of spectators about forty men,
twenty women, and one child who could
not have been more than five years old.
They were all scantily clothed in that
salmon colored cloth which one associates
with Hindu mendicants, and at first sight
gave me the impression of band of loath-
some fakirs. The filth and responsiveness
of the assembly were beyond all descrip-
ton, and 1 shuddered to think what their
life in the badger holes must be.
RUDE RECEPTION.
Even in these days, when local self-gov-
ernment has destroyed the greater part Of
a natives respect for Sahib, / have been
accustomed to certain amount Of civility
from my interiors, and on approaching the
crowd naturally expected that there would
be some recognition of my presence. AS
a matter of fact there was, but it was by
no means what had looked for.
The ragged crew actually laughed at
me. Such laughter hope I may never
hear again. They cackled, yelled, whis-
tied and howled as I walked in their midst,
some of them literally throwing themsel-
yes down on the ground in commissions Of
unholy mirth. In moment had let 90
Pornic's head and, irritated beyond ex-
preston at the mornings adventure, CON-
menced cutting those nearest to me with
all the force could.
The wretches dropped under my blows
like ninepins and the laughter gave place
to walls for mercy, while those yet un-
touched clasped me around the knees, i'm
ploring me in all sorts of uncouth tongues
to spare them.
In the tumult, aud just when was feel
ing much ashamed of myself for haying
thus easily given way to my temper a thin,
high voice murmured in English from be
hind my shoulder: - "Sahibl Sahib! Do
you not know met Sahib, it is Gunga Dass,
the telegraph master"
/ spun round quickly and faced the
speaker.
Gunga Dass Il have, of course, no hesi-
tation in mentioning the mans real nancy
l had known four years before as a Dec
cannee Brahmin lent by the Punjab gov
ernment to one of the Khalsia States. He
was in charge of branch telegraph Office
there, and when had last met him was a
joyial, full stomached, portly government
servant with a marvellous capacity for
making bad puns in English-a popularity
which made me remember him long after
1 had forgotten his services to me in his
official capacity. 1t is seldom that Hin
du makes English puns.
GUNDA DAss WAS CHANGED.
Now, however, the man was changed be-
yond all recognition. Caste mark, stom-
ach, slate colored combinations and unc-
tuous speech were all gone. I looked at q
withered skeleton, turbanless and almost
naked, and deep set Goldfish eyes. But for
a crescent shaped scar on the left check
the result of an accident for which l was
responsible should never have known
him. But it was indubitably Gunga Dass,
and-for this was thankful an English
speaking native who might at least tell me
the meaning of all l had gone through
that day.
The crowd retreated to some distance as
turned toward the miserable figure and
ordered him to show me some method of
escaping from the crater. He held fresh
ly plucked crow in his hand, and in reply
to my question climbed slowly on a plat
form of sand which ran in front of the
holes, and commenced lighting fire there
in silence.
Dried bents, sand poppies and driftwood
burn quickly, and derived much consola-
tion from the fact that he lit them with an
ordinary sulphur match. When they were
in bright glow, and the crow was neatly
spitted in front therof, Gunga Dass began
without word Of preamble
"There are only two kinds of men, Sar.
The alive and the dead. When you are
dead you are dead, but when you are alive
you live" (Here the crow demunded his
attention for an instant as it twirled be-
fore the fire in danger of being burned to a
cinder. '1f you at home and do not die
VIII en- you come to the CHAT to be burned,
you come here"
The nature of the reeking village was
made plain now, and all that had known
or read Of the grotcsque and the horrible
paled before the fact just communicated by
the ex- -Brahmin. Sixteen years ago, when