The Tupelo journal., 1904-10-14
WAS in the midst of preparations

7 WAS in the midst of preparations
for leaving Manila for a trip to
Japan, SO there was plenty for me to
do; but here | sat half way up the
staircase, wasting, precious time talk
ing to old Ram Rap, the Cingalese
jewel merchant. My house was sit
uated directly opposite the camp,
where the troops waited for the trans
ports to take them home, and | was
V tired of watching these vendors
of fiawed sapphires and Siam rubles,
which were apt to drop from their
crude setting at the first wearing, try
ing to induce the soldiers to buy their
wares for wives and s~weethearts at
home. They occasionally paid me a
visit, and sometimes | picked up a
good pearl or opal for a small price.
OF all these mysterious. s~oft-eyed
people. Ram Rao Interested me the
NEST. On the way out. via Suez, |
had spent four delightful days at Co
lombo, and the old man, who was very
homesick. used to like to come and
talk to me of the jewel shops in his
native city, and of the beautiful En-
gliSh bungalows and the Cinnamon
Drive, which had so impressed me.
To-day he was crouching beside his
boxes. a curious figure with a square
of checked cotton wound about his
neither limbs, SO that it looked like a
long tight skirt. Like most men in
Manila. he wore q white linen coat,
but his long hair was drawn up be-
hind into a Psyche knot, and his tor
toise-shell comb was pushed back I'M
til it made a crown the ends toward
his face.
Just behind me on the steps squat
ted my worthless little Filipino maid,
sewing machine, where | had left her
with strict injunctions to finish her
work without delay: but | was SO in
terested in listening to Ram Rao that
for the moment | did not notice her.
Yes, Memsahib," he was saying, Il
go home to my country. You buy only
the one beautiful pin. 1t is a gift at
seven rupees. Three days ago a sol
der offer me for it SIS gold, | say no,
but to-day with seven rupees more
buy passage on the steamer that goes
tomorrow to Ceylon"
He held up a %breastpin formed of
two tiger claws, fastened together with
a clumsy band Of gold. set with gar
nets. 1t was extremely ugly.
"Oh, Ram Rao,' l protested, Il don't
want the thing"
"Oh, but MemSahib-only seven
rupees, and then | leave this horrible
city. You so good to me, | never for
get, and some day you come to Ceylon,
you find Ram Rao there to show you
things most wonderful the tourist
never see, and he take you where you
buy pearls and ivory elephants for
q smile.
/ was weak. and yielded. l did not
want the atrocious piece Of jewelry,
but | was homesick myself, and SYM
pathy alone made me take the pin
and give Ram Rao his five dollars.
His old eye sparkled, and with 4
gesture of infinite grace he kissed the
hem of my linen skirt, then turning
to his box took out a little gold ring
set with a small blue moonstone.
IF the Mem will wear this" he
said, "she always have the good luck
and bless the memory of Ram Rao."
'Oh, no.. RAM" 1 said, keep the
ring. You might sell it for some
thing"
This ring / sell never" he said,
firmly, and looking not at me but at
Fortuna, mumbled a few words in a
strange language.
ooh, sonora" said the woman Gag
erly, take the annillo-it is of no
value. He feel bad if you no take
mucho malo, you no take"
| was struck, as l had sometimes
been before, by the curious kind OF
Freemasonry which seems to exist be-
tween the races of the East. Here
was this stupid, flat-nosed Malay wo-
man who seemed to fully understand
the feelings and vel the language Of
Ram Rao, with his lofty carriage
and high-bred, intellectual face.
/ slipped the. ring On my finger, and
Ram departed, heaping blessings upon
my head.
1T seems to me you're looking uns
usually we'll this evening"" remarked
my husband, as we were seated at the
dinner-table.
"Oh, my dear old boy, how can l,
in this old jusi?" I protested. Il dc
need some new ball-gowns sadly, but
| thought / would get n more wear
out Of this and save my money to in
vest in Japanese crepes and gauzes.
L am so glad that I'm not looking like
a fright in it, though
I had been asked, al one of the sober
matrons of the army set, to give out
favors at the bachelors cotillion that
evening Tom drove with me to
the Potenciana Building, then went to
the club, promising to return for me
when the dance was Over.
There was a larger gathering thai
usual that evening. The cotillion clut
had increased in size, and several dis
tinguished people honored us with
their presence. We had q majOr-gen'