Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-03-29
THE STTTEE.

The evening drill was over and Major
Ralph Cleveland had just returned to
his allow i'll the English camp at the
foot Of spur of the Western Ghauts
when IN old sergeant came TO announce
that PunjO, a native spy, wished to
peak with him on urgent business.
y moment later 4 lank, half naked
Hindoo with a crafty look entered noise
lcssly and prostrs.tcd himself,
Re. Punjo. said the major in Hin
doOSJancy. and tell me briefly what
news you bring
''Sahih, " replied the spy, ''Punjo is
the l-arrr of serious tidincs for the Eng
lish. The young widow If the old Prince
Raha3ocr of Ellora Is to he burned on
tie pyrc of her husband tomorrow about
sunrise on the plain of ElloTa.
"Whatw exclaimed the major clinch-
Ing hi. list, in spite of the treaty the
English have mad" with the Indian
prime, for the abolition of the suffice?
And low far is the plain of Ellora from
here:
BY the mountain paths a quick foot
cO,Ild reach there between the rising of
touighr'~ moon and the morrow S
dawn.
a r-bblc." said the English officer,
with snCCr, who Will be frightened
to death At the mere sight Of Il few hun
| dre,l English bIvuuctS and rcdcOats! But
how do the priests dlrc 10 undertake
this ceremony almost under our very
noses: 1t must be they have not yet
learned Of our presence here.
..TT"l,.x- !, r,ll rho TN.,,r,1A rhot do
sp.to tn. treaty Won dare not interfere;
tl@- va dare NOT thus bid defiance TO
til If gndA'
We shall SEE mutrrrrd t%e English
oEi .rr.
With til" rising of the meon the Eng
H-h r:"y,d "ut Of their camp, their
heavy tread rumhling i'll the still air.
Puuj", the >pv, led the way as guide.
Toward duybrcIk they came in sight
of TIN plain of Ellur,L
Hitting his troops, the major. accom-
panied lrv the spy and a few of his men.
advanced to recunnnitcr.
The waning moon cast Il faint light
over the plain To the south Il dark
mass rose against the sky. This, Punjo
said. WAS the funeral pile. guarded by
few fanatics. lest the beasts of prey
= aid attack old Rahadoor's body,
which WIS To- have been placed there at
III -hJfill IF the previous day.
To the left about Il hundred yards
from the pile, upon knoll, doomed up
a heap Of ruins. tn" remains of the once
magnificent pu-,sil Of Ellora.
There. said III, major, pointing TO
rh, crIlmbliu= structure. is an excel
Z -
thu moment for action comes. Mean
while we must surprise these fanatics,
who would doubtless be highly delight
Cd 10 l,a able To- inform the people of Ell
lura Of our presence and - thWart our
purpose. The rascalS overcome by their
religious frenzy and vigil, are probably
fast asleep. and 80 will fall into our
hands without Jloodshcd. Go cautiously
I forward, Punju. with my men and Sc
cure them.
Tn Order was easily executed, for
the fanatics were asleep, Us the major
had ~urmi>,d. and We're disarmcd and
seized before they could think of offer
ing any resistance.
The next step WIS 10 Sccrctc the rcgi-
mcnt in the immense ruins.
Dawn WIS beginning 10 show itself
along the horizon when there came to
the ears Of the eager watchers a sound
* Of farotT clamor.
1t l. they. s,gid the spy.
Led ~ 4 hundred Brahman priests in
their robes # ceremony, their shaven
heads uncovered. Some CARRYING flaming
torches. the natives slowly advanced,
the air cchuing with their vaccinations.
l. 4
Of huwlin- fanatics. plOdded Il gorgeous
" capari>oucd elephant. upon whose
back sat 4 Young woman clad i'll white
and covered with sparkling gems.
This WIS the haplt>S suffice. old Ra-
had,sr's widow. And not only was she
Wy young-apparcntly not over 10
but she WAS very beautiful, a truly raw
i-hiug creature. The severe fast which
tho Brlhman priests imposed upon the
~utyv had not pcrccptibly married her
beauty. Her black eyes. though dimmed
by SUFFERING, had not lost all their lus-
ter. and her pale face wore an indescrib-
ably sad and sweet expression.
When tine foot Of the pyrc was reach
ed. hush cam" over the multitude, and
a handsome Young priest, stepping from
the ranks Of his colleagues. walked back
war:l tawhcrc the elephant had stopped
and -'l,r Ia the young woman
She started 1t the sound of his voice.
is II Fl NJ 4 dream, rose. looked about
her moment in confusion, then de-
seconded the short ladder placed against
the animals side.
When she reached the ground, the
youug priest took her gently by the arm
and delivered her into the hands of some
women, who began to strip her of her
jewels and outer garments and loosened
her luxuriant black hair, which fell in
gIo-sy waves To her feet, leaving her
finally standing there, abashed and be-
wildcrytl. with nothing to cover her ma
k-zln,Ss but thin silken undergarment.
Then the young priest once more ap-
preached her and conducted her to the
pile amid the shouts of the people and
howls of the fanatics, who in their re-
igiOus exaltaJiou began TO slash their
naked bodies with knives.
At the foot of the pyre hoary Brah-
man held out to her a lighted torch,
with which she was to set fire to the
great heap before stretching herself by
the side of her husbands body.
Rahadoor ; widow took the torch, with
a sweet smile, and waving her hand to
ward the people in token of last fare
well bravely placed one foot on the first
step Of the flight leading up to the ole
HindOO's couch.
At that moment bugle blast rang
out over the valley. The natives, star
tied by this sudden interruption, turned
their eyes simultaneously toward the
spot whence the sound proceeded
The sight that met their eyes was wei
calculated to strike them with conster
nation. for there, within short distance
of them. rushing from the falling por.
tails of the ancient ruins and charging
down upon them with fash ng bayonets,
IL