The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1901-09-13
FOILED BY A VIOLIN.
%. ,. TEMPLE NIL ,xELnAR)

We were rushing along in a Pull
mar on one Of the Indian railways,
Bob Stevens, Jack Trelawney and
myself, going home on furlough, and
jolly glad TO escape the baking hot
and tiresome climate Of India. We
dashed alongthrough thewild jungle;
then past some native villages, sim
mering in the heat. BY and by we
reached a rather more different
piece of country. and in a distant
clearing a small half-ruined temple
was seen.
Bob Stevens shuddered and said:
81 can never look at that temple with
out shuddering. as | had an expert
ence there that deepcned my first bad
impression Of Indian character, and
priests especially"
spin us a yarn, old man." and
Trelawnoy filed up the glasses.
well. as IT il somewhat Of a relief
to me. | will. Take a good look at
the temple" and we all looked at it,
eagerly and attentively. II was an
ordinary type Of Indian temple, part
ly in ruins. dark and dismal, and Of
smaller size than usual.
"You remember the state Of unrest
that prevailed up in that region in
ls-," began Stevens, "and how that
fanatic, Rham Sing, was continually
stirring up the natives to rebellion.
He ran foul of Col. Watcher, and
since then vowed that the vengeance
Of tn, Buddha should dog his foot
steps. Well. n night, or evening
rather, Brisbane and myself received
some important dispatches from Col.
Watcher. whose daughter had been
kidnapped the night before, and
were instructed to ride with all
speed to Maj. Mcdonald. who was
cncampcd at K. deliver dis
patehc. and ask him TO join in the.
search for the girl. as the colonel was
nearly distracted. We left at about
ten p. M, riding fast. and shortly
afterwards the moon came out in all
her silycry beauty. making ii almost
as ligh; a, day. We were neither Of
rs inclined 10 talk. 30 barringan occa-
sional remark, We proceeded in 81
lencc.
AftT long interval we heard the
faint sound. Of n violin being played.
II was wonderful and remarkably
strange. but unmi.lakable. Brisbane
said; BY iove, who the DEVILS play
ing a violin herci' You must remem.
Der that the whole country was great
ly excited, and that no European wal
at all safe then. We pricked up our
ears, and hurried on. horses, and as
We approached nearer the sounds, a
small native temple came into view,
the music grew louder, and we recog-
nized one of Strauss tenderest
waltzes. IT'S in the temple | VEN
tured TO remark, and hating our
horses We dismounted cautiously to
r%econnoiter. We managed, by pull
ing ourselves up with our hands, to
have a peep inside, and what We saw
made our blood freeze. Inside, where
the moonbeams fell, all was bright and
clear, which served only o accentuate
the darker recesses Of the gloomy
place. In the center Of the floor, upon
a slab of white marble, about a foot
high, stood a lovely European girl
clothed in white and playing her
violin, nev ceasing. Around her,
gently swaying to the rhythm of the
music, were snakes innumerable, large
and small, principally cobras. As they
swayed back and forth, up and down,
in their shiny, lissom black and yel-
low skins, the bright moonlight tinged
them all, as it were, with fire, and
made their wicked little eyes and
tongues scintillate and sparkle again.
Such wa the sight that rewarded our
curiosity. l whispered 10 Brisbane
as soon as ] could speak, then said in
q clear voice TO the girl: Keep on
playing, help ia near The young