The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-12-21

q few days sftsr you left Nm"
MY God~ DIE exclaimed. putting her
hspd to Der side and seatins herself on
The child, whs had been eilnsins to
bis mothsf's drsxs aha regarding pe with
round, brown eyes, began to cry when
he saw bis mothers sudden emotion. She
took him up In her arms and cuddled his
head to her bosom. saying In the Padhani
patois: "Mea mithoo, mea mlthoo! Hush,
my butchap'
In the silence that ensued after the
child had been quieted there came the
regular stroke Of a woodlands az and
presently the refrain Of Padhani song
sung by q man.
When the woman had regained her
calm, she looked up at me somewhat de-
family and said: What business had
they 10 come between me and my jungle
mother? What right had they to impose
moral shackles on one who was above
their petty codesT
"The Fishers were moved by kindness.
surely. They educated you and Chris
tianized you. and through them you met
and married an honorable man."
Educated me, forsoothw she exclaim-
ed with scorn, her nostrils twitching.
''They robbed me OF my Ave senses and
gave me instead-accomplishm Can
| you tell the time of the day from the sun,
sir? Can you say when the sambhur
passed whose track Is at your feet and
how many wolves were in the pack that
followed him? Would your sense of
| smell lead you to n pool Of fresh water
| In midjungle? Can you feel the proximi-
| " Of q crouching leopard without seeing
| 1t? What sort of education is 1t that
| neglects the senses? Oh, the highest
| product OF your civilization-your poet
laureate, Tennyson-felt the same thing
| stir In his pulses when be wrote LOCKS
| ley Hall and deprecated the 'poring over
miserable books with blinded eyesight
| "'Bctter 80 years OF Europe than
| cycle OF Cathay.'" quoted as she paus-
| ed in her rapid discourse.
For the European perhaps; not Tor
| the Chinaman. No, l have no feeling OF
| gratitude toward those you speak OF.
| For the large freedom of the Terni they
| gave me a brick cage In London. Ihey
| gave me endless crowds of miserable men
and women for these, my green brothers.
| who are always happy" And she put
ont her hand and caressed tree that
grew beside her.
L
at Is but one facet In the jewel, morali-
| ~. Christ was but an adept, ! take 1t,
/ who attained to his miraculous powers
| as do our rishis and jogis-by prayer and
| fasting and meditation. i cannot see
| that Christian vices are fewer or more
| yeuial than those of our people.
| But don't you miss your books and
| the keeping in touch with the progress OF
civilization 2" | asked.
| "Nust I quote books in the running
brooks to you? What book is there like
| this book OF God's?'' And she swept her
] arm round her. "And II my son grow
| IN to be brave and strong that will be
civilization enough for me-
but your muster"
"Ah, that Is the only thing l miss
| But recollect all OF Schumann's songs
| and Schubert's. some of Beethoven s.
and then I make songs of my own to III
the moods Of my jungle mother. and
| have some small skill in weaving words
for them"
"And the man who hanged himseifT
"He was no man." she flashed: "whc
! had not the strength of n girl and who
was MS weak eyed ms the bat in daytime
| You shall see a man indeed. one whe
| fears not to track the tiger afoot ant
who even beats me when he sees it,
And she called aloud, "Aho. Kali Dass
aho"'
The sound OF the woodman's ax ceas
ed. and presently we heard some one ap
preaching through the jungle.
"'Twere better that he should know
from me that you and ! had had speech
together than that he should learn y
from the Terai. for our men are very
| a. tnhf
iealously." Then, after n pause, she
went on: Don't speak to me In Eng
lish in his presence. He won't like it,"
She rose and half yelled her face will
her chudder as splendid young Padhar
bearing an immense load of wood entered
the glade. He threw down his burden n
soon as he perceived me and, snatchinl
up his AK, advanced menacingly toward
me. He was a bronze Apollo. with thu
air of freedom that is native to noun
taineers and woodsy folks.
"The sahib intended no harm, kal
Dass." began the woman. land he hatf
given me tidings of his death"
what of it? He was but quail"
"But now canst thou become Chris
tian and-marry meT"
"Marry one who was twice n widow
Mana Debi forbid! | must admonsh thee
when we return TO our hut. Come"
Fearing that any further interest in the
case on my part would but increase the
severity OF her punishment, | turned
down the jungle path.
Just before leaving the glade looked
back. The woman had one knee on this
ground. and with outstretched arms she
was balancing the load of wood that Kal
Dass was putting on her head.-Speaker