The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-12-23
COPYRIGHT. 1901. kAa ncArdsOa.


like clarion. He was a fluent speak
er. full Of argument, reason and ap-
peal and he was lighting dame of
zeal In every village he passed through.
He utterly refused any cash contribu-
tons, lived on what the dogs would
hardly eat and addressed the people
without fear Of consequences. He
had dreamed of emancipation and a
new ruler. 1t was sedition straight
from the shoulder, and in less than
month he could set the whole province
In rebellion.
When the lieutenant came face to
face with the prophet. he resolved to
try reason and argument The officer
could but yield respect and did not de-
sire to see him dragged around the
country, disgraced and degraded.
Ra1mahal was for defiance at first,
and he had enough adherents in his
train to have eaten the troops ten
times over, but after an interview
lasting for hours he recognized the
force OF English logic and announced
that he would return to his mountain
lair.
The prophet was as good as his
word, but his return was slow. This
was caused solely by the crowds
blocking his way and exhorting him
to defy the government. He had not
yet made fifty miles ON the backward
track when Captain Fyfe came on
with the rest of the troop. The lieu
tenant was relieved from duty under a
cloud, and orders were issued to push
the old man out of the province at
the point of the saber. Captain Fyfe
overlook him, pronounced him q fakir,
an impostNr and a charlatan, and,
wishing to make the degradation COM
plete, pulled him by the beard and
spat on his raiment.
This scene took place in the open air
In sight Of 5000 people and the full
company of soldiers. The act MORALLY
offended every law of caste and re-
hgion, and instead Of raising shouts Of
indignation the natives simply groaned
In horror. 1t was the handsome. con-
temptuous Captain Fyfe, clad In full
uniform, who stepped forward and
gathered the long white beard In his
clutch. 1t was a wan faced, mis-
shapen and cringing native who fell
back before the uplifted hand of the
prophet. Captain Fyfe had disappear
ed of the face of the earth while the
eyes Of all that vast crowd were full
upon him. Three thousand people look
ed upon the strange scene, and 100 Of
them were English soldiers. A hundred
different men swore to it, and it was
talked over wherever two Englishmen
met in India. But the press dared not
refer to it for fear of encouraging the
natives.
The second lieutenant now In charge
of the troop, rode through that crowd
a score of times, but his captain was
not to be found. He beat up the coun-
Try around. he coaxed and threatened,
but the Prophet Rajmahal strobe ON,
with his face to the mountains, and
bis followers were dumb The troops
had to turn back. No sooner had the
report reached the colonel at Gyah
than the second officer was put under
arrest. AT his trial every man In the
command testified to the facts as above
related. 1t was against common sense
to believe the story. but could they say
that hundred men had conspired to
lie? They had to accept their testi-
mony and clear the officer. and the only
thing left was to poohpooh it and for
bid the soldiers to talk.
What had become of the native who
had stepped into Captain Fyfe's boots,
as it were, no one could say. He had
drawn back and mingled with the
crowd and then disappeared
Weeks and months went by. Then
one day a strange Hindoo was seen
hanging about the cantonment. His
face was like that of monkey rather
than of man, and his misshapen legs
gave him queer gait. A soldier went
forward with a stick to drive him
away, but the idler protested, weeping,
and after speaking in strange jargon
he forced out the words:
Take me-take me to the colonelP'
Ambling and clucklng and chatter
ing, he was passed to the colonel. Now
and then a native came In with re
ports worth needing, and this thing
was supposed to be the bearer of some
such news. Standing before the colo
mel. he suffered and stammered and
giggled like a fool What few words
he did utter no one could understand.
The colonel lost patience and spoke to
him sharply, and the thing" groveled
at his feet.
Try your cane on him." said the
colonel to a captain who had been
drawn thither by curiosity.
THAT will make him speak," replied
the captain as he brought the cane
down over the chatterer's shoulders.
So it did. He sprang up, screamed
out like a wild beast two or three
times, and then, holding out his hands
in appeal. he cried distinctly:
Colonel, don't you know me2 am
Captain Fyfe."
''God in heavenr' gasped the colonel,
springing to his feet.
81 ami l am! l tell you. l am Cap
tain Fyfe, and l want to come back
herey
Horror struck. the officers looked In
TO his hideous face and at his deformed
limbs, and no man could speak.
II tell you, | am Captain FyfeT
screamed the thing" ''but you won't
believe it-you don't want me. viii
60 backY'
And as the group continued to stare
and wonder and feel their blood run
chill he ran out Of the room. fed across
the grounds with growls and cackles.
and before move was made to pre-
vent he was out Of sight behind some
buildings. The closest search was
made but In vain For months and