Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-09-24
THE POISON MAIDEN


y on would thlnk 50 II you spent as
much time there IA | have"
II have heard that the Indians
knowledge OF poisons would make the
Borgins appear ignoramuses on the
subject"
The Rritisher shuddered- The other,
seeing that he was affected by some re-
membrance connected with pOisons,
after an effort persuaded him TO tell it,
Yes, IT is a story of poison, story
the main feature of which | would not
believe until l had been invalided
home and looked it up IN the London
medical Journals. Then. and not till
then, was l convinced.
II was stationed in one of the inte-
TiOr Indian posts where there was a
reigning prince who kept his position
by chicanery and where the priests
maintained their asccndency by the
same means. We had q little ensign
named Adams with us, pretty, black
eyed boy who was brimful of devilty.
One day the prince sent our colonel an
invitation for the officers To come up TO
his palace and have afternoon tea. We
all went, and after tea during which
some Of us drank more wine than tea,
Adams especially, we were taken into
the private apartments where the wo-
men were kept and suffered to mingle
with them quite freely, considering we
were in India and the home of an In
hnp m
our quarters Adams conhded to me
that he had had an imprOmptu afrair
with young Indian girl; that he had
seized an opportunity when unobserved
10 lead her into an apartment filled
with tropical plants and, concealed by
the enormous leaves of one OF them,
had kissed her. Just az they were
leaving the apartment they heard a
rustic behind them, and the girl had
turned CHASTITY pale. In another min
ute they had separated. This was all
there was of IT. not very much, one
would think. TO worry about, but Ad-
ans was much troubled, and confess
| didn't like the proceeding myself.
"'You are in no danger l said con-
solingly No Indian Will be allowed
to take revenge on British officer
1T Is for the girl fear he said
luGubriously.
"'If you are discovered and the mat
ter is reported to the prince | think
he Will show his nalignity by his fu-
ture bearing toward us. Indeed he
may bring the matter before the colo
nell
"'We shall see,' said Adams. Keep
dark You're the only man I've told
mo Icssage came from the prince.
Indeed on return visit he made to our
quarters by invitation of the colonel he
bore himself with great frieudliness.
Seeing Adams pass, he remarked ad-
miringly upon his attractive appear
have him especially presented. He
chattcd SO afTubly with the yOungster
that adams felt sure he had had no in
timation of the meeting in the con-
servutoTy. | saw them talking to-
gcther, and il seemed To me that the
willy Indian was looking down on
Adams with singular eXpression-an
expression did not exactly Ike.
However. that seemed to end the
matter, and l gradually forgot IT.
Adams heard that the girl was in her
usual condition In the palace and
ceased to worry about her. Then. when
we changed stations, all suspicion that
Adams would have to suffer for his
lndiscretiOn was removed. He was as
ready for another affair as before, and
only an opportunity was wanting
'On arriving at our new station the
native ruler Of the province enter
tanned us ut his palace. | feared that
Adams might get into another scrape,
so | kept an eye on him. tried TO
get him TO promise me that he would
not, and especially that he wouldn't
drink any wine, for wine made his
incaution absolute recklessness. he
would promise nothing and | knew
that there was such a fascinatio for
him in danger that | resolved TO watch
him all the closer. | never let him out
OF my sight till servant came TO me
and told me the host wished especially
that | should be presented TO him.
into a dimly lighted garden, begging
him to remain where he was till | re-
turned. This he promised to do.
was presented to the host, who de
tained me some time asking questions
about our artillery service, In which be
appeared to be much interested. AS
soon as | could get away from him
returned To the room where | had left
Adams He was not there. Looking
into the garden / saw a patch Of uni
form among the plants and followed
the man who wore II. Just before
reached him | saw that he was Adams
He was leaning over a richly dressed
Indian girl. | hastencd on, but be
fore | could join them Adams turned
and their lips met In a kiss.
II stood as If petrified. If they were
watched it would be too late for me
10 save them. Adams seemed not In
clined to take his lips away. Presently
he sank slowly To the floor. l rushed
up to him He was dead
The narrator paused nud took long
sip from glass of brandy and soda
Then he finished his story:
There was sensation when | hur
ried to the colonel and reported what
had seen. We took the body to quar-
ters, and the surgeon placed n piece o.
paper dipped In some chemical agen'
on the lips and reported that Adam,
had been poisoned.
Now comes what you will not be
lieve. The girl who kissed Adams wal
a poison girl, fed on n certain pOisOr
from birth ill she was saturated Will
II. She was IN the service OF the
prince hon Adams had offended"
ROBERT +. FORBES.
Jefferson as an Inventor.
Not many people know that Thoma
Jefferson was great inventor. His II
ventions were all OF articles Of every
day use. He devised a three legge
folding camp stool that IL the basis G
,J ,a,,,y, stooIu nF TINT kind today Th