Evening star., 1903-08-01

A Lovely Home.

A Lovely Home.
One afternoon. while stil at Srinugxur
we all rode out to call on the Msrquise de
Bourbel. whose husband. very much older
than herself. has been for years the
gineer of the state and has just retired
They have beautiful place on the Dal lake
about four miles from Srinuggur, surround
ed 10y high wall and with an avenue or
tall French lilac bushes. at that time in
full bloom, leading to the house. which
WAS made picturesque by much beautiful
carved wood doors, balconies and over
hanging windows. Madame herself is a
handsome woman, very lively and original
and has the reputation for great pluck.
After tea we were taken about the beauti-
ful gardens fun OF all kinds OF plants. OF
which at that time the pansies formed the
best show There were some fine mulberry
trees. 4 few enormous Chtnars and the
lawns were perfection. In fact. all over
kashmir the grass Is delight. The river
banks are dehCiously green and grass grows
TO perfection under the willows and chinars.
making the valley a lovely green park.
ON the way back Colo -el r. r.. told us a
story of Madame de Bourhers courage. 1t
seem that several years ago the cholera was
rampant To a dreadful degree all over l>ash-
mir and the European inhabitants of Srin-
uggur cleared out to a man, but MADAM de
Bourbel, whose husband was then In Eu-
rope, refused to leave her lovely place. say
ing that she more comfortable there
and did not wish to leave. one evening,
when she was taking her usual ride she
came to the trench through which runs the
water for Srinugsur and ON looking along
II thought she man lying in the
water. She rode up to the spot and dis
covered two natives in the last stages OF
cholera lying in the middle of the stream.
ftoTrited she rode up TO the rcsideucy. where ,
they refused to believe the story. but on
going back with Madame de Bourbc they
tound the two natives as she had said. but
both dead. Soon after that the maharatah. ,
fearing that if she We're allowed To- remain
at the Dal and get cholera he would be
censured by the English FOR permitting her
to stay. then sent seventy coolies down
from Gulmerg to bring her and her things
TO that mountain valley. where the court
goes every summer for the months of July
and August or August and s. pt"mbvT. Tho
coolies arrived In the middle of a very hot
day and Immediately fen upon her null
berry trees and ate the fruit till they could
eat no more.
Three More Victims.
When Madame de Bourhel EaA,d OF it
she was horritied and sent word -. on no
account Were they to touch any r,.llt or TO
drink any water except that sent them by :
her but it was too late and before night
three were dead of cholera. Then the cour-
ageous woman became really frightened
and packed UP her children and her be- :
longlngs for an early start the next day. /
She sent one coolie ahead with the tiffn-
the remaining sixty-six and her own ser
want
The tifiin basket id not turn up at all
and before reaching Gulmerg, a long days
march, eleven more of the coolies were
dead of cholera. What Il horrible journey b
that must have been. A few days later on
the tiitin basket was forwarded by the
governor of the state with the message that
Madame la Marquise would be wiser not
to look at the contents IF tie basket as the
coolie had been found dead beside it The
basket was promptly put into tha fire. Our
friend, the colonel We must confess, is of
a testy nature, as we have come TO the
conclusion all Indian officials are and, to
be sure, they have great cause in the ex-
ceeding stupidity and lying propeusities OF
the natives He tells rather a funny story
OF night S adventure of his own. 1t seems
that there was very troublesome pie dog
or cur which frequency prowled about the
cantonmentS and barked furiously all night
long. The sentry had been warned repeat
edly to shoot IT, but had far let it es-
cape him. Finally, one night Col. II. E.
after lying awake for several hours went
forth in towering rage and found the
native guard asleep. lie leaned over him
and gave him a resounding smack. asking
at the same time why he did not do hs
told and shoot or get rid of the dog.
1t all done in the dark and aS several
officers We're cumming together. the ma
tive could not tell which IT who had
given the blow, but in the morning lie duly
reported the assault at headquarters. say
ing that of the officers had come out in
the middle of the night while he was bus
lily engaged on guard duty, had fallen upon
him, cuffed and kicked him and knocked
his teeth out. Col r. e. being there
gave his version of the affair TO finding
the man asleep and OF course, the tables
were turned. A native can tell any num-
Der of lies In all innocence and never is at
all embarrassed at being found out, but
merely invents a few more to cover hiO
retreat. MARGARET SIlRLING.