Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-01-22
THE TUAN STORY.
A TRUE TALE FROM THE FAR EAST.

INV ALl0uu Lulu - gu inv
Sarawak service. I made his acQualnt-
ance nineteen years ago, when traV-
cling through the dominiOns or kaJah
Brooke, and many pleasant hours We
spent together In forest, on wide, sliehs
streams, or in the quaint oazaarS u
Kuching. Our correspondence hao never
quite ceased, when Lord wrote me thas
be was coming home on leave ana
nv heart rejOiced. 1 gathered q Sueli
company OF friends, such as could talk
with a man who had passed nail MS
life in the Jingle, and think they al
! admit that Sunday afternoon TO nave
been one OF the ~pleasantest and most
interesting they remember. Many
stories Lord related, in the thoughtful
and impressive manner which men
learn IN a solitary existence among
savaQes. Somebody remarked that ro-
mantle and chiyslrOus passion could not
be found IN MOSlem people. My friend
did not agree with this common belief,
and be gave several instances within
his own experience which cOntradicted
IL. / transcribe the most striking, NIL
ing up the gaps Of a bries and hurried
narrative.
He was sitting one night ia the upper
, story OF his fort, which OverloOks the
great Reiang river. The newest litera-
ture Of the Sarawak Library had just
come TO hand, in its slow circuit OF the
o~ut-stations. The Rejang Residency is
not very Far from the capital, and news
often reached my friend within three
months of date. After exhaustive
study OF the newspapers and magazines,
he forwarded them to his nearest col
league, and so, getting more ana
more limp, they circulated, until the
resident Of Bintula thought himself
lucky to be treasured as TO the contin-
ued existence OF Europe above ground
five months ago.. Even that speed was
possible only In the dry season. Dur
ing the rains no mail could be forward
ed for weeks at a time. 1 should put
}these statements In the past tense, Tor
the new Raiah's feet Of steamers and
swift ~gunboats has probably amended
the former state Of things.
1t will be conceived that residents
were happy when the post came In. Al
ter %deVou-ing his private correspond
ence, Lord stretched himself upon q
heap OF furs, topped by a mat 70 check
the rising warmth; filled mis- glass OF
schnapDs, well watered; laid a box OF
No. 3cheroots in easy reach; command
ed silence in the tort, and prepared for
an evening at home, In ali senses or the
expression. ] can fancy the picture ioI
often 1 beheld It's like. The fort, BULL
6f solid timbers, had 3 ground floor
empty and dark. AS with all
other buildings OF that country, its In
habitants lived up above on the spacious
first floor, which had two chambers oil
great size, and the closet, where Lord
slept. One was the armOry and maya
zine, where lOunged fOrtmen of duty
playing chess upon the mats, or Cos.
slipping or chanting in low tones, love-
poetry, or verses OF the Koran. This
evening they had thrown aside their
uniform and lay In trousers only or IN
%petticoaats OF dull red tarltan;a solitary
candle Jared. on their supple yellow
shoulders. Down the room some
hundreds OF rifles we're stacked, anC
light guns were muf1ed, behind
the closed embraSures. The
front hall, larger still looked
across the river. Here, IN
groups around their guns, peeping
through the embrasureS, and ready for
instant service, sat the fOrtmen on duty.
in blue jackets, red sashes, snowy
trousers. and head handkerchiefS
There IS no soldier neater than your
Malay; he loves 70 wash both his gar.
me nts and his person. Smoking Is for
hi eden on guard, but the bronze DO.
containing penang" ~areca-nut, pep
per-leaf, chalk or lime and tobacco wa
pushed quietly along the hoor, q
ceaseless stream of red saliva stained
the mats. Very quietly the men chat
tered under their breath, laughed
softly, and watched the Tuan RosedeI
(Resident) studying the mysterious do
ings Of Belat.
On the balcony outside each angle
and on the platform below stood sen
tries, watching the river. For, thOugt
piracy and head-taking had alreadI
been suppressed, those evil habit.
swould certainly haye been revived, a.
they would now on signs OF careless
ness. Young men heated mind as wei
body at the midnight fire of their jun.
gle homes, when gray-haired pirate:
recOunted their exploits OF another day.
Though more rarely with each year
canoes stil slipped mp or down, and
tried TO pass the fort in darkness with
mufled paddles.
1t was the night for such IN enter.
prise, so black that the portfolios
seemed to frame a square Of ebony, and
the broad. open lattice between roof and
walls glimmered against the sky. AL
the light In the vast guard room was
furnished by a lamp upon the floor be
side the Resident. The shadow Of his
table fell in a great black smirch on
walls and open roof; the whispering sol
diers doomed m~iSshapen and gigantic;
dimly seen in corners, and az the foot
Of enormous posts, furry heaps lay
rolled around-big monkeys, slumbering
With their arms across their eyes. No
sound came from without, saving the
muTmur Of the flooded stream, and the
mO~nOtOnOus even sOngOf crickets in the
.rees. Such a night and such a scene
had been familiar 70 Lord for many
\ wears. He did not feel the savage sOli-
tude which would have chilled a
stranger.
A sentry challenged below, and bis
cry was echoed from the balcony. Sol
diers raised themselves TO listen, but
Lord did not stir, deep 10 some bit OF
news, discussed, worn out, and forgot.
ten long ago In Europe. A trade-bOal
was passing, maybe, OF sick jewellers re-
turning from a weeks feStivitY, or 9
lover was detected stealing by.
The seDtry's voice could be heard
in questioning, impatient tone.
Then the Malays began L
laugh, and one near the magazine called
al-. aaAIadnrd oh Madnnal lnck Ia.