Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-09-27
4 FAK|R'S REVENGE
copyright. 1908, by c. B. Lewis

In India the term "fakir' does not
mean a cheat or fraud, but Is applied
81 the so called holy men who carry
cut certain vows. OF all the fakirs
known 10 the decade between 1860 and
.1S7O Gunga Gee Of the province Of Hy-
Aerabad was the most prominent. He
was holy man and one who did
strange things. Having caused the
death Of his father by accident, he
anlinded one of his own eyes, cut Off
finger from his left hand and q toe
1tom his right foot and vowed to carry
cot certain things.
In the line Of jugglery Gunga Gee
could do wonderful things. and the
English were awed and the natives
nade afraid. One day he gave an ex-
a4bition in the suburbs of Hyderabad
and performed such wonderful feats
xhat General Cluet, commander Of the
military post. decided to imprlson him
and destroy his prestige. He was
charged with being a vagrant and a
nuisance and dragged off to Jail, and
after he had been locked up for a cou-
pie Of days he was offered his liberty
FUSED and was defiant.
In some mysterious way word got
out that on a certain hour Of a certain
day Gnnga Gee would leave his prison
in spite OF his guards, and when the
dine arrived 10000 natives were gath
sred in the streets General Cluet had
turned out four regiments of infantry
10 preserve order. At the Jail the fakir
was loaded with irons and put In the
strongest cell, and sixteen armed men
stood between him and liberty. Prompt
N at the hour named the man ap-
peared amid the mob in the street and
was at once hustled away. When his
-eeil was unlocked his irons were found
on the floor. He had passed out of the
.nsn and into the street like spirit.
II the reader is inclined to doubt that
khis thing happened he can find corrob-
Grafton in the civil and military rec
ords Of Hyderabad. The matter deified
xhe fal1ir In the estimation of the ma
nves. and the English became alarmed.
guards. the governor of the jail lost
his place, and It was pretended that a
conspiracy WAS nnearthed. As mat
yer Of fact. however. the affair was a
perfect mystery and could not be ex-
planned in any other way than to credit
&unga Gee with supernatural powers.
Notwithsta nding that large reward
1ffo %ul
anred He went into hiding somewhere.
aad the excitement finally died out
Three months after Gunga Gees es-
cape a grand military review was held
It Hyderabad. There were eight rcgl-
ments in cantOnments there, and many
Aish officials were present to witness
the maneuvers. General Cluet had
won his way by means Of pull" rather
Enan by merit He was pompous, AFRO
giant and tyrannical and was no favor
Vie with officers or men. 1t was an oc
easion for him to show off, and he
meant to make the most of it.
1t was estimated that there were 75,-
800 people massed on the grounds when
the trumpets sounded for the review to
Begin. AS Il preliminary the general
vas to ride up and down along the
sront Of the regiments, followed by his
staff RE had just started out. while
the band struck up and the regiments
prepared to cheer when a native ran
hrom the crowd and barred hls way.
It was Gunga Gee. He was recog
nized by thousands, and after one
great shout silence fell upon the mul-
tstude A dozen troopers rode to drive
the man back, but he motioned them
away and stood for moment looking
che general in the eyes. Then he raised
Mis- hand above his head and muttered
something. and the people witnessed
scended from his horse, unbuckled and
shrew away his sword and went
through numerous antics. He stood on
his head. he rolled over and over. be
moved about on his hands and knees
and barked like dog. He even kissed
the bare feet of the fallr.
The affair did not last above five min
MteS, and YOU may wonder that 1t last
ed so long The English seemed to be
Aazed, and hundreds Of men rubbed
Nheir eyes as ii to clear them. The ma
Mves were silent as death. Here was
another marvellous exhibition Of the
powers of Cod and they watched ev-
cry motion and hardly breathed
When the general who had impriS-
Sned him had been degraded before all
Ts1at multitude Gunga Gee walked back
&mon@ bis people and was swallowed
up in ar instant, While the general
~ontinncd his antics and was jeered by
thousands The spell was not broken
Until lis officers laid hands on him.
when he I once retired to bis quarters
and another led the review. The affair
sf conr~r created a tremendous local
lAans.tiau LMl Enr SANaLll dANS the IA