The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1895-12-20
Copyright. 1894. by Bachelor. johnson. 4
Bachelor

Bachelor
".
"Not before the fifth shot" said the
mugger, as though he had never
dreamed of stunning one of his listen
ers-"not before the fifth shot did I
sink, and rose in time to hear a thief
of a boatman telling all those white
women that was most certainly dead.
One bullet had gone under a neck
plate of mine. l know not if it is there
still, for the reason l cannot turn my
head. Look and see, child. It will
show my tale is true"
"I?" said the jackal "Shall an eater
of old shoes, bone-cracker, presume
to doubt the word of the Envy of the
River? May my tail be bitten off by
blind puppies if the shadow of such
thought have crossed my humble mind.
The Protector of the Poor has con-
descended to inform me, his slave, that
once in his life he has been wounded
by woman. This is sufficient. and /
will tell the tale to all my children,
asking for no proof"
''Over-much civility is sometimes no
better than over-much discourtesy, for,
as the saying is, one can choke a guest
with curds. do not desire that any
children of thine should know that the
mugger of Mugger-Ghaut took his only
wound from a woman. They will have
much else to think Of If they get their
living as miserably as does their
father"
1T is forgotten long ago! 1t was
never said! There never was O white
woman! There was no boat! Nothing
whatever happened at all"
The jaclsal waved his brush to show
how completely everything was wiped
out of his memory, and sat down with
an air.
Indeed, very many things hap
pened," said the mugger, beaten in his
second attempt that night to get the
better of his friend. (Neither bore
malice, however. Eat and be eaten
was fair law along the river. and the
jackal came in for his share Of plumber
when the mugger had finished O meal
81 left that boat and went upstream,
and, when I had reached Arrah and
the back waters behind it, there were
no more dead English. The river was
empty for awhile. Then came one or
two dead, in red coats. not English, but
of one kind all-Hindoos and Purbeeahs
then five and six abreast, and at
last, from Arrah to the north beyond
Agra, it was as though whole villages
had walked into the water. They came
out Of little creeks one after another, as
the logs come down in the rains. When
the river rose they rose also in
companies from the shoals they had
rested upon; and the falling flood
dragged them with it across the fields
and through the jungle by the long
hair. All night, too, going north,
heard the guns, and by day the shod
feet of men crossing fords, and that
noise which q heavy cart wheel makes
on sand under water; and every ripple
brought more dead. At last even 1 was
afraid, for l said: IF this happen to
men how shall the mugger of Mugger-
Ghaut escape% There were boats, too,
that came up behind mo without sails,
burning continually as the cotton
boats sometimes burn, but never sink
ing"
''Ah!" said the adjutant- "Boats like
those come to Calcutta Of the South.
They are tall and black, they beat up
the water behind them with q tail,
and they"
''Are thrice as big as my village. My
boats were low and white; they beat
up the water on either side of them,
and were no larger than the boats of
one who speaks truth should be. They
made me very afraid, and left water
and went back to this my river, hiding
by day and walking by night, when I
nd 20 ha1
me. I came to my village again,
but could not hope to see any Of my
people there. Yet they were blowing
and sowing and reaping, and going to
and fro In their fields as quietly as their
own cattle"
"Was there still good food in the
\river?" asked the jackaL
"More than I had any desire for
Even land do not eat mud-even l
was tired and. as l remember, q little
frightened Of this constant coming
down of the silent ones. I heard my
people say In my village that all the
English were dead. but those that came
face down with the current were not
English, as my people saw. Then my
people said that It was best to say
nothing at all. but to pay the tax and
pillow the land. After o long time the
river cleared, and those that came down
It had been clearly drowned by the
floods, as could well see; and, though
1t was not so easy then to get food,
/ was heartily glad of it. A little kill
ing here and there is no bad thing
but even the mugger is sometimes sat
isied, as the saying Is"
Marvellous! Most truly marvelous!"
said the jackal II am become fat
through merely hearing about so much
good eating. And afterward what, il
it be permitted to ask. did the Protector
of the Poor do?'
II said to mysef-and by the Right
and Left of Gunga locked my jaws on
that vow-I said would never go row
ing any more. So lived by the ghaut
very close to my own people, and
watched over them year after year;
and they loved me so much that they
threw marigold wreaths at my head
whenever they saw it lift. Yes, and
my fase has been very kind to me, and
the river Is good enough to respect my
poor and :nfrrs presence; only"
''No one is all happy from his beak to
his tail" said the ndjutant, sympathet- |
ically. "What does the mugger of Mug
ger-Ghaut need moreP"
THAT little white child which did |
not get" said the mugger, with deep