The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-14
The Hands of Justice.

BE pleased to listen TO story OF CO.
mestic trouble connected with the Private
Services Commission in the back verandd,
which did good work, though l. the Com
mission, say So but il could not guard
against the Unforeseen Contingency.
There was peace in all my borders TIL
Peroo, the cowkeeper's son, came yeste--
day and paralyzed the Government. He
said his father had told him to gather
sucks-dry sticks-for the evening fire.
would not check parental authority in any
way, but did not see why Peroo Should
mangle my sirris trees. Peroo went CO.
piously, and, promising never I'd despoI
my garden again, fed from my presence.
Today have caught him il the act Of
theft, and in the third fork Of the white
Doom sirris, twenty feet above ground l
have taken a chair and established myself
at the foot of the tree, preparatory TO
making up my mind.
The situation is d serious one, for If
Pero be led to think that he can break
down my trees unframed, the arden VIII
be wilderness in a week. Furthermore,
PerO has insulted the Majesty of the Gov
eminent. Which is Me. Also he has in
suited my sirris in saying that 1t is dry.
He deserves q double punishment.
On the other hand, Peroo is very yonug,
very small, and very, very naked. Al
present he is penitent, for ne is howiing
IL q uIy anu HuShy 1doIiOA45 eAAN LIZ
squirrels are frightened.
The qeustion is-how shall I captrue
Peroo? There are three courses open 10
me. I can shin up the tree and hgnt
him on his own ground. can shell him
with cIods Of earth till he makes sub
mission and comes down; or, and this
seems the better plan, I can remain where
I am, and cut him off from his sup
plies until the rihes-sticks, 1 mean are
returned.
Peroo. for all practical purposes, is
marauding tribe from the Hills-head-
man, fighting-tail and all. |, once more
am the State, cool, collected and bnpas-
sive. In half an hour or so PerOo viii
be forced to descend. He will then be
smacked; that is, if I can lay hoid CT
his weighing body.
Bearer, brin me the tum-tum kI cnibul
(carriage whip"
1t is brought and laid on the ground,
while Peroo bowls a fresh. 1 will over
awe this child. He has an armful Of stolen
sticks pressed TO his stomach.
Bearer, bring also the chOta mota cha
bug (the little whip)-the one kept for
the punnia kutta (spanieD."
Peroo has stopped bowling. He peers
through the branches and peers
through his nose very hard. Decidedly,
I am impressing him with a show of
armed strength. The idea Of that cruel
whip-thong curling round Peroo's fat lit
tie brown stomach is not a pleasant one.
But I must be firm.
'Peroo. come down and be hit for steal
ing the Sahib's wood
Peroo scuttles up to the fourth fork,
and waits developments.
''Peroo, will you come DOWN.?
''No The Sahib will hit me-"
Here the goaIla appears. and learns that
his son is in disgrace. BEAT him well,
Sahib," says the goalla- HE is bud
mash 1 never told him to steal your
wood Peroo, descend and be very much
beaten"
There is silence for a moment. Then,
crisp and clear from the very top of the
sirris, floats down the answer of the freed
dacoit.
''Kubbi kubbi, nahin (Never-never-
The gaolla hides smile with his hand
and departs. saying: " VERY well. This
night I will beat you dead"
There is a rustic in the leaves as Peroo
wriggles himself into a more comfortao!a
seat.
shall I send a punkha-cooHe after
him?' suggests the bearer.
This is not good. Peroo might fall and
hurt himself Besides, I have no desire
to employ native troops. They demand
too mcuh batta. The punkha-coolie would
expect four annas for Capturing Peroo. L
will deal with the robber myself. He shall
be treated judicially, when the excite
ment of wrong-doing shall have died away
as BELTS his tender years, with an old
bedroom slipper, and the bearer shall
hold him. es, he shall be smacked three
times-once gently, once moderately and
once severely. After the punishment shall
come the fine. He shall help the MALL
Gardener to keep the flower beds in Or
der for week.
"Sahib! Sahib! Can I come down."
The rebel treats for terms.
''Peroo, you are a nut-cut IA young
imp"
IT was my fathers order. He told me
to get sticks"
From this tree?"
''Yes; Protector Of the Poor. He said the
Sahib would not come back from office
till I had gathered many sticks"
your father didn't tell me that"
'My father is a liar. Sahib! Sah1o! Are
you going to hit me-"
come down and I'll think about it,
Peroo drops as far as the third fork,
sees the whip. and hesitates.
IF YOU will take away the whips
will come down"
There is a frankness in this negotiation
that I respect. I stOop, pick up the WHIPS,
and turn TO throw them into the Eeranda.
Follows a rustic, a sound OF scraped
bark and htud. When ] turn. Peroo
is down, off and over the compound wall
He has ncs dropped the stolen hre wood
and I feel distinctly foolish.
My prestige, so far as Peroo Is concern
ed, is gone.
This Administration will now go indoors
for a drink-Rudyard Kipling.