Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-07-25
A HINDOO'S LOYALTY.

in midsummer. | was in want of a
kitmutgar and he seemed to have moth
ing to do. He could not speak 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 dev0ut; indeed,
/ very soon rated him as below the
average in everything. However, as l
did not require anything remarkable:
we got on well 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 dis
covered it and went about 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 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 re-
ceived just as many lectures on YER
acity and made just as many promises
as the time allowed; but I 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 it is of a 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 may be
the reason the Hindoo has such a bad
reputation in the minds of some who
mean to be just, or even generous.
Many a good turn Salad did me, right
in the lines of those two traits 1t
takes rogue to catch a rogue, and |
know that he saved me from being
all that he took himself, while he
would detect a lie in what anyone else
told me as quick as a negro boy in old
Virgin would spot ripe watermelon.
We were marching through the Terai,
once, with a small detachment. A
soldier was leading my horse, while |
walked upon one side Of the path, fol-
IL,
hunting for bird | had shot and
which had fallen in the tall grass.
Suddenly there was 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.
He fiat head and fiaring hood were al
ready thrown back for a 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 he would strike it quicker
than lightning. There was no chance
less.
Before | had time to think a second
thought, however, Salad made one
leap from where he was standing and
before his feet had touched the ground
he had brought his staff about with 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, fell at my feet.
Had Salad waited an instant. he
would have been too late. No one else
could 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 bright-colored silk
handkerchief which he had stolen
from me, and only that morning had
solemnly declared that he knew moth
ing about it.
Up in the hills, one afternoon, l was
lying on a low tent-bed, taking nap,
when Salad saw 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 tent-door. / woke in time
to see it flying through the air, and
hurrying out killed it before it got
away.
/ called to Salad to ask if he had es-
capped a sting, and receiving a cheerful
reply in the affirmative, thought nc
more about it till, CHANGING to enter the
tent softly and unexpectedly, l 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 swell
ing, and before long Salad was lyins
on the floor, writing in agony. TIL,
only antidotes / had We're ammonia
and whiskey. Salad knew the con
tents of both bottles, for he had tn,
care of all my traps. did my best TO
him with the ammonia; but utterly ii
vain i pleaded, begged, commando
that he take the whiSkey. He woult
not touch it.
Why? Only because he was a Mus
sulman. No matter how intense hi
agony or determined my command, h,
put his well hand over his mouth ant
shook his head. He felt sure that h
was dying, and he believed my asser
ton that the whiskey might save him
but that made no difference. He cam
so near ito death that he was past see
ing anything and beyond hearing. III
lay upon the ground, just breathing
painting, as though he was almost a
the end.
1t seemed useless TO fry again an