The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-06-13
A SACRIFICE 70 DHOWAN|
A Story of Peasants Of India.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
SItaram Dhas left his hut at earliest
dawn. He carried on his shoulder his
rude plow, consisting Of two strong
poles, the one forming the beam and
the other, shod with iron at one end,
serving at once as the share and the
single handle. He drove his two little
bullocks, already yoked, before him.
His wife, Mana, and his sister, Rebi,
shrilly wished him luck in his DAYS
plowing, and Ramchand, his little
9-year-old boy, proudly bore SItaram's
great bamboo bow and quiyer Of ar
rows. for who could tell what evil
beast father might find in the clearing
which he had made in the forest, not
to speak Of the chance Of fine buck
coming his way to provide them with
q feast?
Arrived at the clearing, Sitaram firm
ly lashed the beam Of the plow to the
yoke, slung the bow and CULVER at his
back and stuck the handle Of his little
Santhal AK In his girdle. Then, driving
the iron sh0d point Of the plowshare
into the ground and cheering on the lit
tie bullocks with an inspiriting cry, the
plowman began his work. Back and
forward the little bullocks plodded all
the long morning. The sun rose high
in heaven and poured. dow Its rays
pitilessly on the little clearing of four
or five acres. Sitaram was himself
ready for the midday rest when little
Ramchand appeared with great arm
full Of coarse grass which he had cut.
q ufn In,
the grass thrown down before the hun
CRY bullocks, Sitaram lay down in a
shady spot to sleep through the heat Of
the day, and the boy started OF to
gather sticks for the fire at home.
When the sun began to sink toward
the west, Sitarams awoke. He had had
dream which disturbed his mind. Ho
though he saw the great black image
Of the goddess Bhowahi, with her
necklace Of grinning white human
skulls, standing before him as he had
seen It IN the old temple that stood,
feared and reverenced by all his tribe,
far in thearecesees; OF the hills. b The
goddess said notIa word, but tshe looked
at him with frowning and terrible
countenance and brandished before his
eyes the great sacrifciai knife she held
in one OF her hands.
Sitaram trembled In every limb. Ho
dared not try to guess what that awful
apparition might portend. The goddess
loved human sacrifices, and, though
the Sahib Log, who were lords Of the
land, did their best to prevent them,
he knew TINT children were sometimes
offered. But the plowing must be I'm
ished. Tomorrow be would have to
begin sowing. In the meantime he
would try to forget his Dream Again.,
with voice and goad, he urged fhe hnl-gg
locks 70 their work. The Last 9urrow
would soon be turned. EtAwas nearly
dark when the bullocks got to the end
OF the last furrow and Sitaram stop
ped them. He had scarcely. LET; 60 the
handle OF the plow when something
that in the uncertain light looked likc
q grayish pun OF smoke few out of
the darkness ne the eGrest and allghted,
with o crash on one of the bhllocks.
Sitaram snatched ut the strong bam-
boo bow and fitted mn arrow on the
string, for he well knew that 1t was
one Of E pair Of tigers that the shikaris
Of all the country round had been
tracking for weeks past. The beast
had killed the strong young bullock
that Mana's father had given to her
husband slt.s.s; ST. ram ssfzi drew tie bow with
all his force, holding .n, ,hfs band sec
ond arrow in case the first should miss
it's mark. The tiger lay on the body of
the prostrate bullock, greedily drinking
the blood which flowed from wound
In the animals throat. The arrow Jew,
true to its aim and buried half its
length In the great cats shoulder. But
1T had been shot from behind and sta.
ram knew he had given neither q NOR /
tai nor q disabling wound. The tiger
snarled snyagely and; bounded Into the
darkness, followed BY the second ar
row. ss IA
Sitarar aorrowfuliy released the sur.
yiVtng bullock xr0m the yoke ana drove
the trembling animal home, leavingf the
ploE and tackle behind. + The night
closed IN, md shcula the tiger return
to feed ON the carcaas sof the dead btif.
lock there would be no chance sof aiis !.
other shot. So ii family council WAS
held:sn the little Ilp fana and Rehss
after the 4aahion of the Eanthai WON.
en-, freely gave their opinions 1t was {
deci6ed thai I'm f1a E. E. III .sn
slosla go ana seek counsel of old Ra.s5
sssii sHulziEss ne ITiDaI priest ysh0
served the tenn, s tiiis great yodd desb
ne wisdom and aanes eslsy of a,aadra
Z Lax were renowned 4hrcuafiosuit sii tha
eOrntry ever 10 fllse gafiibs az Rirbh nam
They indeed yeiie q, isfIsacfea isir,S
xf 6y4s69, ia - ~ x s. "a ~ 49,