The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-06

Is growing old. How fast he grows old!
The time is almost ripe" whispered
Samud Singh. The Rajah's hand be-
came tremulous, his step was now some
times unsteady, and his memory Curl
ously defective. He would come back
out from the treasure-room, and his
hand would tighten fiercely on the cur
tain, and he would stumble on the steps
of the dais. His eyesight fails" said
Golam. "See!- His turban is askew.
He is sleepy even in the forenoon, be-
fore the heat of the day. His judgments
are those of child"
1t was a painful sight to see a man
SO suddenly old and enfeebled still rul-
ing men. That alone would have given
u properly constituted heir-apparent a
evolutionary turn of mind. But the
treasure was certainly the chief cause
that set the idle, garruIous, pleasure
loving Aim plotting against his cousin.
A throne was thing one might wait
for, in his opinion-a throne and its
cares; but the thought of those heaps
of shining stones and intricate gold
Jewels was different matter. Aim
had had year of college education. and
was SO far an enlightened man. He
understood investments, and credit, and
the folly of boarding. Moreover, the
thought of SO much latent wealth set
him thinking of the pleasure of life ami
his lost youth.
"He may go on yet n score of years."
said Golam Shah.
Aim became a greedy hearer Of ru-
mors.
1t was through Aim and Golam, who
was Inundated and panied by his mas
ter's want of confidence, that the lep-
iosy of discomfort came into the state.
The land tax, the salt tax, the cattle
tax became burthens; the inImemorial
custom of leaving the troops unpaid
became a grievance, the commissioner
at Allapore heard tales, and was sur
prised to find growing evidence of mis-
management in what he had long
thought a passably well-governcd na-
tive state. Also the chief mollahs were
sounded, and there was talk of gifts
md the honor of the shrine. And the
two eunuchs, and the women of the
Raiah's harem became factors in the
greatest movement in the state.
SHOULD n ruler hoard riches" said
Shere Ali, In the guardroom, and leave
his soldiers unpaidP' That was the
beginning of the end.
1t was the thought of the treasure won
over the soldiers, even as IL did the
mollahs and the eunuchs. Why had the
yoinh not buried IL in some untbink-
bble place. as his father had done be-
fore him. and killed the diggers with his
hand? Surely India is not what ii was.
"He has boarded" said Samud with a
chucl<le-for the old Rajah had once
pulled his beard--"only 20 pay for his
own undoing." And in order TO insure
confidence. Golam Shah went beyond
the truth perhaps, and gave a sketehy
account of the treasures 20 this man
aud that, even as casual eye witness
might do.
Then. suddenly and swiftly, the pal
nee revolution was accomplished. Nhen
the lonely old Raiuh was killed, shot
was 90 be fired from the harcm lattice,
huglcs were 90 be blown, and the
scpoys were to turn out in the square
before the palace, and fire volley in
tho air. The murder was done in the
dark save for little red lamp that
burnt In the corner. Aim luelt on the
body and held up the wet beard. and cut
tho throat wide and deep to make sure.
II was SO easyl Why had he waited so
lorg2 And then, with his hands COW
cred with warm blood, he sprang up
eagerly--Rajah at lastl and followed