Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-09-30

N W. mo Al lhc hiuSt VI preparations
for leaving Manila for a trip to ia
pan. 80 there was plenty for me to
90; but here l sat half way up the
staircase, wasting precious time talk
Ing to old Ram Rao, the Cingalese
Jewel merchant. My house was stu
ated directly opposite the camp, where
the troops waited for the transports
to take them home, and l was never
tired Of watching these vendors OF
fawed sapphires and Siam rubies,
which were apt to drop from their
crude settings at the first wearing,
trying to induce the soldiers to buy
their wares for wives and sweethearts
at home. They occasionally paid me
visit, and sometimes l picked up a
good pearl or opal for a small price.
OF all these mysterious, soft-eyed
people, Ram Rao interested me the
most. On the way out via Suez. 1
had spent four delightful days at Co.
lombo, and the old man, who was very
hOm esick, used to like to come and
talk to me Of the Jewel shops Of his
native city, and of the beautiful En-
giish bungalows and the Cinnamon
Drive, which had so impressed me.
Remembering the beauties Of that
land Of spices and flowers, did not
wonder that the poor soul felt that
Manila was "an the same as hell"
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 a white linen coat,
but his long hair was drawn up be-
hind into Psyche knot. and his tor
tOise-shell comb was pushed back un-
til 1t made crown, the ends toward
his face.
Just behind me on the steps squat
ted my worthless little Filipino maid.
Fortuna. She should have been at
the sewing-machine. where had left
her with strict inJunctions to finish
her work without delay; but l was
% interested In listening to Ram Rao
chat for the moment l did not notice
her.
Yes, Memsahib." he was saying, II
80 home 10 my country. You buy only
this one beautiful pin. 1t Is a gift at
seven rupees. Three days ago a SOL
der offer me for 1t fifteen dollar gold,
1 say no, but to-day with seven ru-
pees more buy passage on the steam
er that goes tomorrow to Ceylon."
He held up breastpin formed Of
two tiger claws, fastened together
with a clumsy band of gold. set with
garnets. 1t was extremely ugly.
"Oh. Ram Rao," l protested, 81
don't want the thing"
'Oh, but Memsahib-only seven ru-
pees, and then leave this horrible
city. You so good to me, l never for
get, and some day you come to Cey-
Ion, you find Ram Rao there to show
you things most wonderful the tour
ist never see, and he take you where
you buy pearls and ivory elephants for
a SMILE"
was weak, and yielded. l did not
want the atrodous piece Of jewelry,
but was homesick myself, and SYM
pathy alone made me take the pin and
give Ram Rao his Ave dollars.
His old eyes sparkled, and with
gesture Of infinite grace he kissed the
hem Of my linen skirt, then turning to
his box took out 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" l said, keep the
ring. You might sell 1t for some
thing"
'This ring l sell never" he said,
firmly, and looking not at me but at
Fortuna, mumbled a few words in a
strange language.
"Oh, senora," said the woman. ca
gerly, take the anillo-it is of no
value. He feel bad you no hke-
mucho malo, you no take"
was struck, as 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. nat-nosod Malay
woman who seemed 70 fully under
stand tho feelings anA even he Ian