The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-07-10
CHAPTER XVIII.
STREET LIFE AMONG THE H1NDoos.

CHAPTER XVIII.
STREET LIFE AMONG THE H1NDoos.
The natives are very much wrought
up by something that has occurred. II
does not take a great deal to excite a
crowd of Hindoos, especially If they
are engaged in worship. Any indig'
nifty to their god or the mosque where
in every object Is sacred to them
whether the insult is real or fancied
will bring them around like swarm
of bees, eager for the blood of the
transgressor.
Mynheer Joe knows this full well,
and judging from the excitable con-
dition of the crowd, fears that his
friends have been unwise in doing
something.
The Hindoos cease to advance. This
word, spoken in their native tongue,
tells them that the other Is q master
His personality is great. He checks
their desire to reach out their hands
and clutch their intended victims.
Eager dark faces, shining out from
under varicolored turbans, greet the
view, some beared, others smooth
Two dozen pairs of black eyes are
focused intently upon one point. and
this the countenance Of Mynheer Joe
He holds them US if by some magic
They are swayed in a measure by his
mind, 1t is the power Of one will over
others.
What does this mean?" he asks.
A dozen voices epdeayor to answer
him. The babel is such that he cannot
understand. He waves his hand with
authority.
Then he selects one who seems to be
more intelligent than his fellows, as
his face is crowned by gray hair and
beard.
Let this man tell LIE ALL" he says.
They push him forward as spokes'
man, a position he is eminently fitted
to fill.
1T is plain. 1t is simple. We were
worshiping in our temple before Wish,
nu. No man dares enter there with
his shoes on. Suddenly we hear a ter
rible noise, and these two foreign dev'
lis jump in through the window. That
is a deadly insult to our god. We
burn to avenge it. We chase the In
glese here. We demand satisfaction
Vishnu will have revenge. Their
blood must wipe out the insult. That
is ALL"
Murmurs of applause arise as the
cd Hindoo finishes hts little speech
Mynheer Joe sees that it Is as he
feared. These people must be handled
with gloves in all that pertains to their
religion.
"Now hear me. You are fair and
just. 1t is only right both sides should
explain. Your god was insulted.
believe it was an accident on the part
of my friends, for they do not 60
around insulting honest wdrshipers.
shall near their story and repeat it to
you. Then we will see if this trouble
may not be ayerted."
His manner pleases them, for they
feel he is an honest man. So Myn'
heer Joe turns to his friends and begs
Sandy to explain, which that worthy
does in an excited manner. accom-.
panying his words with gestures.
The traveller smiles, for he sees the
situation is not so bad as he feared
He speaks to Demosthenes Tanner
who eagerly agrees to his proposition
Then once more the friend Of Gordon
faces the eager, attentive crowd, and
proceeds t9sget his friends out; of this
scrape into which their. lack Of due
caution has thrown them
"Listen" he says, sharply, and the
muttering in the air ceases as IL by
magic. 1T is, as l believed, an acci
dent. My friends had no desire to dis
turb you in your worship, or to insult
your great god Vishnu. With rever
ence they were looking in through 8
window, standing upon q platform
when one end of it gave way and pre-
cipitated them through the opening
They could not explain matters be-
cause they are unable to talk your
tongue, so the best they could do was
to retreat. My stout friend is partic
ularly grieved that such thing has
occurred. He desires to make restitu
ton as far as possible. Let the higf
priest come forward and accept {
handful of rupees. That will prove
their friendship"
The point is we'll taken, and Joe
knows their weakness. Immediately
a hubbub arises. Most Of the crowG
seem to be in favor of an eager &C
ceptance. A few demur, but they arr
so much in the minority that they are
speedily showed under and the mou
lajee comes forward to receive thu
promised rupees.a venerable man. who