St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-05-10
Selected Stnru.
A HINDOO'S LOYALTY.

ing afternoon in midsummer. l was
in want of kitmutgar, and he
seemed to have nothing to do. He
could not speak one word of English,
and, to tell the truth, that was the
first and only recommendation upon
which engaged him.
In religion he was a Mussulman,
but he was far from being devout;
indeed. | very soon rated him as
rather below the average in every
thing. However, as | did not re-
quire anything remarkable, we got
on we'll enough TO the end; for he
followed me-poor fellow-to his
death
Steal? Most decidedly. He would
invariably steal anything belonging
to me that attracted his fancy. If l
discovered it and went about it in
the right way, could usually get it
back
Salad never left me for an hour,
from the time he entered my service.
He followed me all day and slept On
a rug a my door or lay on the sand
at my feet or just outside my tent,
at night, as the case might be, and
he received just as many lectures on
veracity and made just as many
promises as the time allowed but |
am sure that he told me just as
many lies the last week of his life as
he did the first week he was with me-
1t is az much the nature Of the
Oriental to lie and steal, as it is Of a
dog to bark at a horse, or of cat to
help herself to cream.
One who expects too much is apt
to give credit for too little. That
NAV be the reason the Hindoo has
such bad reput ton in the minds
of some who mean to be just, or
even generous. Many a good turn
Salad did me, right in the line of
those two traits. 1t takes a rogue
to catch a rogue, and l know that
he saved me from being robbed by
others many times over all that he
took himself, while he would detect
a lie in what any one else told me as
quickly as negro boy in old Virgin
would spot ripe watermelon.
We were marching through Terai,
once, with a small detachment. A
soldier was leading my horse, while
| walked upon one side of the path,
followed at a little distance by
Salad, hunting for bird l had shot
and which had fallen in the tall
grass. Suddenly there was a cry
from those behind. looked quickly
over my shoulder. A hooded cobra,
disturbed by the commotion l was
making, had risen out of the grass
just behind me. His fat head and
faring hood were already thrown
back for final fling at me. His
half-open mouth was within three
feet of my face when my eyes rested
upon it. If | turned, | should only
expose more of my face. If lifted a
hand, be would strike it quicker
than lightning. There was no
chance to get away, and was utter
ly helpless.
Before 1 had time to think second
thought, however, Salad made one
leap from where he was standing,
and before his feet had touched the
ground, ne had brought his staff
about a sharp whirr, as it cut the
air, too quick even for a snake to
dodge, and the next instant the
cobra's body was writing in the
grass, while his head, completely
severed, tell at my feet.
Had Salad waited an instant, he
would have been too late. No one
else would have reached me; yet if he
had missed his aim or the snake had
lodged, his own life would have !
paid the forfeit. No one knew it
better than Salad himself, but he
took the chance and saved my life |
He had in his girdle at the time a
bright-colored silk handkerchief |
which he had stolen from me, and |
only that morning had solemnly de- |
clared that he knew nothing about |
it. /
Up in the hills, one afternoon, 1
was lying on a low tent-bed, taking |
a nap, when Salad saw a poisonous
insect, a kind of scorpion, crawling
over my pillow. He had nothing |
near to use as a weapon, and no |
time to lose. He caught it in his
naked hand, and threw it out of the |
tentdoor. l woke in time to see it |
flying through the air, and hurrying |
out killed it before it got away.
l called to Salad to ask if he had /
escaped a sting, and receiving a |
cheerful reply in the affirmative, |
thought no more about it till, chanc- |
ing to enter the tent softly and un-
1 found him sucking the
back of his right hand, for dear life |
He stopped the instant he saw me,
and put the hand behind him.
The poison had already begun to
take effect. The hand and arm were |
swelling, and before long Salad was
lying on the floor, writhing in
agony. The only antidotes 1 had |
were ammonia and whiskey. Salad |
knew the contents of both bottles, |
for he had the care Of all my traps. |
| did my best for him with the
ammonia; but utterly in vain l
pleaded, begged, commanded that
he a lie the ruhiSkev He would not |