Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-06-11
Romance.

My servant Salad was by no mean
an extraordinary fellow. I pickle
him up in Benares, one scorching af
ternoon in midsummer. was in wan
of a kitmutgar, and he seemed t.
have nothing to do. He could no
speak one word of English, and, t.
tell the truth, that was the first AM
only recommendation upon which
engaged him.
In religion he was Mussulman, blu
he was far from being devout; indeed
very soon rated him as below the
average in everything. However, al
I did not require anything remark
able, 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
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 follow ne all day and slept on a
rug at 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 We
racity and made just as many promis
es as the time allowed; but 7 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 as much
the nature Of the Oriental to lie and
steal, as is of dog to bark at a horse,
or of a cat to help herself to cream.
One who expects too much is apt
to give credit for too little. That
such a bad reputation in the minds of
some who mean to be just, OR even
generous. Many good turn Salad
did me, right in the line of those two
traits. 1t takes rogue to catch a
rogue, and know that he saved me
from being robbed by others many
times over for all that he took him
self, while he would detect a lie in
what any one else told me as quickly
as a negro boy in old Virgin would
spot ripe watermelon.
We were marching through the Te
raj, once, with small detachment. A
soldier was leading my horse, while [
walked upon one side of the path, fol-
lowed at little distance by Salad,
hunting for a bird / had shot and
which had fallen in the tall grass.
Suddenly there was cry from those
behind. I looked quickly over my
shoulder. A hooded cobra, disturbed |
oy the commotion. I was making, had |
risen out Of the grass just behind me.
His fat head and haring hood were
already thrown back for final fling |
1T me. His halfopen mouth was
within three feet of my face when my
eyes rested upon it. If 1 turned, I |
should expose more of my face. If 1
lifted hand he would strike it quick
ar than lightning. There was no
chance TO get away, and 7 was utterly |
helpless.
Before had time to think second
thought, however, Salad made one
cap from where he was standing, and
before his feet had touched the ground,
he had brought his staff about with
sharp whir, as it cut the air, too quick
even for snake to dodge, and the
next instant the cobra's body was
in the grass, while his head,
q q Fol OF fo0
Had Salad waited an instant, he
would have been too late. No one
Else could have reached me; yet if he
lad missed his aim or the snake had
lodged, his own life would have paid
he forfeit. No one knew it better
han Salad himself, but he took the
nance and saved my life. He had in
lis girdle at the time bright
ilk handkerchief which he had stolen
rom me, and only that morning had
olemnly declared that he knew moth
ng about it.
Up in the hills, one afternoon, I was
ying on low tent bed, taking a nap, .
7hen Salad saw poisonous insect,
ind of scorpion, crawling over my :
illow. He had nothing near to use
s weapon, and no time to lose He {
aught 1T In his naked hand and threw |
out of the tent door, I woke in time {
o see it flying through the air, and ]
Iurrying out killed it before it got ]
way. ]
l called to Salad to ask if he had es- I