The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-06-24
THE SAHIB'S GOODS.

| about, so that it Is ready to lny hand
| Truly. he is Il master in every way tC
| be desired, for does he not know good
tobacco from bad, and smoke those
cigars that l myself most approve of
speak openly, for this whereof l write
will never meet the sahib's eyes. Who
Is it that sews up the holes In the sa
hibs socks when they want mending
but 1? Who is it that holds the sahib'S
head, first on one side and then ON the
other side, when through exceeding
siothfulness he lies in bed and lets the
barber shave him? All these things
and more-do l do! 1 am the sahib's
right hand; without me can he do moth.
ing.
Certainly it is true that the sahill
sometimes calls me evil names, but
that Is only when the money runs
short by reason of the many heavy ex-
penses have had to meet in mine own
household. But, though he is good
master, there are some things l cannot
approve of in him, for what bearer can
look with favorable eye upon the
young sahibs whom he honors with his
friendship? Are they not as roaring
lions, and IS not their presence to be
mistrusted in any house? Truly, they
have been whelped in wickedness, and
have delighted in rascally conduct
from their youth upward. Do l not
remember the day when four of them
entered during the sahib's absence,
and, having thrust me aside, did they
not do many strange things to the fur
niture and to the sahib's most private
goods? Then, having written letter
and pasted 1t upon the door, they took
their departure. And when the sahib
returned, which was before l could ar
range the house as 1 approved of, he
was on the point Of beating me for the
confusion which prevailed ON every
hand, but before he could do so his eye
fell upon the letter the young sahibs
had left pasted on the door, and then
he laughed and said that this was
marching order! Such is the way
am vexed by the sahib's friends.
l say these few things that all men
may know how stand, and that they
may see how hardly l have been
treated.
1t was one evening, shortly after our
return from the hills, and just before
the approach of the winter, that the
Presence called to me, and, having
told me that he was going to eat din
ner at the magistrate sahib's house and
would not be back before midnight, he
bade me sit in the veranda and await
his return. Now, the khansama (the
butler) was that very evening enter
tanning many friends in the babbourchi
khana, which is the cooking house; so,
having reflected that the sahib was
thoughtless, and therefore could not un-
derstand that the veranda was not Il
pleasant place to sit in after the fall of
the night, / closed all the doors care
fully, and, having exhorted the chow
kidhar to keep strict watch lest thieves
should pass that way and steal what
they listed, l wended my way to the
babbourchi khana Truly, we were a
merry company, and had many things
to say to each other as we smoked our
hoOkahS and ate such sweets as the
bunnia (the grocer) had sent around as
Il reward for our having been silent
OH the matter of the short weight and
the inferior quality of the articles with
which he supplied the sahib. Then
suddenly in the midst of the converse
there came to our ears from over the
mud wall Of the compound the sound
Of tamtams and of much shouting and
singing, and as we looked forth we saw
that it was marriage procession and
that there was 4 great crowd and the
glare Of many torches.
Now, l recollected that this must be
the marriage of one Khudah Bux, whose
mother had sewn the wedding gar
ments that my uncle's wife's sister had
worn; therefore, having looked to see
that the chowdikhar was diligent in
his watch, 1 invited the khansama and
his friends, and together we went to
the bridegroom's house All, it was
open house, and such was the liberal
ity that prevailed that we stayed until
about half an hour Of the time of the
sahibs expected return. But as we
turned to leave l noticed man hiding
away in Il dark corner, rs if he Stunned
our sight, wherefore l hailed him forth,
and, behold, it was the chowkidhar,
who had left his post.
Rise upw 1 cried, seizing him by
the ear in my wrath. Am l to be
brought to shame because of your neg
ligence in obeying my commands? How
am l to make the sentence light for
you, should the sahib return and find
that the house has been left for thieves
to break into? Hasten before me and
light the lamp, so that all may be
ready on my arrival
So. Hussain Ali. the khansama, and
walked slowly, so that the chowkidhar
might have time to do his work fully
before we came. But as we drew near
10 the gate, behold! he came running
back to meet us. and ] saw that he
trembled with fear SO that he could
hardly stand.
AL. Ill. aiil uuuoue. ne cTleu
aloud. Would that / had died before
this evil day had dawnedr'
Then an unknown fear made my
heart stand still. .'Speak, you son of a
dogr' | cried, fiercely; ''speak and lay
bare all the wickedness that has grown
out of your negligence,'
ALAS! what can l say" he cried;
'for truly this is the work of the evil
one. How can l tell you how the sa-
hib's belongings have vanished when
I know not myself, but l believe of a
surety that this can't be the work of
tnl