Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-01-15


Far away the ripple fed,
Observation-Disclosures red!
translation
"Re&peet tie Ggedi"
1t was thick voice-a muddy voice
that would have made you shudder-s
voice like something soft breaking IN
two. There was a quaver in it, creak
and whine.
Respect tie aged Oh. companions q
tie Ricer-re&pect the aged!"
Nothing could be seen on the broad
reach of the river except little fleet
of square-sailed, wooden-pinned barges,
loaded with building-stone, that had
just come under the railway-bridge,
and were driving down stream. They
put their clumsy helms over to avoid
the sand-bar made by the scour of
the bridge-piers, and as they passed,
three abreast, the horrible voice began
again:
"Oh, Bralmins Of the Rirer-respect tito
aged and infrm!'
A boatman turned where he sat on
the gunwale, lifted up his hand, said
something that was not blessing, and
the boats creaked on through the twi-
light. The broad Indian river, that
looked more like chain of little lakes
than a stream, was as smooth as glass;
rejecting the sandy-red sky in mid
channel, but splashed with patches of
yellow and duslly purple near and I'M
der the low banks. Little creeks ran
into the river in the wet season, but
now their dry mouths hung clear above
water-linc. On the left shore, and al
most under the railway bridge, stood
midland brick-andthatc -and-stick
village. whose main street, full of cat
tie going back to their byrcs, ran
straight to the river, ending in 4 sort
of rude brick pier-head, where people
who wanted to wash could wade in
step by step. That was the ghaut
whence the village of Mugger-Ghaut
took its name.
Night was falling fast over the fields
of lentils and rice and cotton in the
low-lying ground yearly flooded by the
river; over the reeds that fringcd the
elbow Of the bend, and the tangled
low jungle of the grazing grounds be-
hind the still reeds. The parrots and
crows, who had Neen chatt2ring and
shouting over their evening drink, had
flown inland to rooSt, crossing the out
going battalions Of the hying-foXes:
and cloud upon cloud Of water-birds
came whistlinG and "honl1inT' to the
cover Of the reed-beds There were
geese, barrel-headcd and blacll-bacl1ed,
teal, widgeon, nallard and sheldrallc,
with curlews, and, here and there, q
Ganingo.
4 numbering adjutant-crane brought
up the rear, flying as though each slow
stroke would be his last.
"RGa2crt tie agcd' Brahmjns ofte Ric1
-rcspcct tie agcdl"
The adjutant half-turncd his head,
shcered q little in the direction of the
voice, and landed stiffly on the sand
bar below the bridge. Then You saw
what ruflianly brute he really was.
His back view was immensely respecta
bic. for he stood nearly six feet high,
and looked rather like very proper
hald-hcadcd parson. In front it was
different, fer his Ally Slopcr-like head
and neck had not a feather to them,
and there was a hor~ible raw-skin
pouch on his neck under his china
holl-all for the things his pick-ax
bcall could capture His legs were
long and thin and skinny, but he moved
them dclicatcly. and looked at them
with pride as he prcened down his
ashy-gray tail-fcathers, glanced over
the smooth of his shoulder, and stiff
;,-+D ut of
A NANCY little jackal, who had been
yapping hungrily on low bluff,
cooked up his ears and tail, and sent
tered across the shadows to join the
adjutant.
He was the lowest OF his caste-not
that the best of iackals are good for
much. but this one was peculiarly low,
being half beggar, half a criminal-a
cleaner-up of village rubbish-hcaps,
desperately timid or wildly bold, ever
lastingly hungry, and full of cunning
that never did him any good
"Ugh." he said, shaking himself
dolefully as he landed. "M1y the red
mango destroy the dogs of this village.
have three bites for each flea upon
me, and all because l looled-only
looked, mark you-at an old shoe in
cow-byre. Can | eat mud?" He
scratched himself under his left ear.
Il heard" said the adjutant, in a
voice like blunt saw going through a
thick board-"I heard there was a new
born puppy in that same shoe"
ITO hear is one thing; to know is an
other said the jaclzal, who had very
fair knowledge of proverbs, learned by
listening to men round the fires of an
evening.
Quite true. So, to make sure, took
care of that puppy while the dogs were
busy elsewhere.
They were very busy" said the jack
al. ''Well, must not go to the village
hunting for scraps yet awhile. And SO
there truly was blind puppy in that
shoe?n
Tits here" said the adjutant, squint-
ing over his beak at his full pouch. "a
small thing, but acceptable now that
charity is dead in the world"
''Ahai! The world is iron in these
ilad h. Nh, l. raS4.