New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-29
P1xnkab and PunkabsOdfdS.
BY SHETLAND BRADLEY.

down from month in the hills After the gIo-
SHOWS. the heat in sumhanaggar seemed unbear-
Nothing but a charming little note of welcome
from iTS1 Berengarta, with an invitation to tea at
an f'TSa WhIfn mad found awaiting me on my
start out at such an absurdly early hour in the at
To my surprise Berengaria herself. apparently
unconscious of the heat and the dust. was stand
up. She was talking to the faithful David, still
Behind him stood two scantiiy clad low caste ma
tiyes who might have been grass cutters. punzah-
Of outdoor nienials ''-'' % INC
so glad to see you back again." said Beren-
garta, as she gave her hand and charming
sLIiie. w onderfully cool. isn't it, for the time or
looked at her doubtfully. but she perfectly
calm half pTn S ana Tgrdbg cD me 0 NTH fna5
aiWays does regard hot one
them then can gav bs these two men will do Ten
I I{Is shgaslng my night punkahwaas.' she con-
+bo,,E Remarked that they both looked capable,
seepy but aoi 5nought they Looked old ana
10 get inside under punkah.
regarding them critically. as II divining my
thoughts; But l make point of never engaging
awake You are quite sure these men will pull
These men giving missus no trouble" David
assured her in his best manner. with his confident
And you're quite sure they. don't work some
where else all day and won't drop of to sleep at
night when they ought to be pulling my punkah?'
e5@Ted Ser sns f0s5s5, no Dayd
pulling punkah all night"
less confidently than usual and doubtless mindful
0e former experiences wheregPon Rayd and the
!aamed and disappeared round the corner OF the
joy ht tea edy and my Pasd
into the drawing room o-scOursing Of the ways and
Fer a moment didn't notice 1t. and then the
kah in the room! The very thought OF sitting down
to drink tea in that heat without punkah was
was only with an EFFORT that realized that Ber-
p6n yog Think as w ssy d f Conscious Of
her t, askng me suddenly as she game to pause
saying as she sat down to pour out tea Last
year engaged boy punkahwalas, but never again.
They ruined sleep and temper alike. and had 70
learn abusive words in the vernacular TO make
who added to your vocabulary I asked re-
membering Berengaria's scanty acquaintance with
Well said Berenga slowly. she passed me
commissioner. because he never says anything
stronger than oou., and that has no effect at all
TO David. asked him what one native called
quite long list Of words learned ned them OFF b
heart, and used them as kind Of volley when
I trembed to think what Berengaria had called
Did you know what the words meant?' I
a 'f in fb sas fPp sa ny with cbsr
full responsibility. helping herself literally to
'FDidnt you ask David what the words meant?''
No: why should To- Berengaria laughed softly
THE ounksh ALWAYS went on again Violently be-
fore I'd finished, What more could any one wantr'
feared that Berengarta must have wounded those
nes hnsSesP abmsing all fbeir T reIetio1s 70 re-
third and fourth generations limited something
VIII you drive me to tea with Mrs. Loveioy
Ing the subject she has asked a few people to
tea to see her new house. and told 10 be
Mrs, Loveioy was the wire Of a planter and
ma OF many trades, whose money had been made
81
fine stored house at the end Of the station
to be at S meeting at the Padres at P oS0eE
aserengarla said as she buttoned up her gloves
OF course. II Berengaria wanted 70 start at that
to a1 on goasd ' sp b nGt a aqr
pqnctually on the following afternoon;
that We were early The house had that shut-up.
| afternoon during the hot weather A chaprassie
lay full length in a shady corner and not another
| sign Of life was 10 be seen. save punkahwaa
Iazily pulling the pUnkah Of an upstairs t1 room
passed on up the steps into the veranda. While
% to sys Tot to 1 56 in Sud
'"Ohl how dare you.' caught the words spoken
IN kind OF breathless staggered amazement. "oh!
| how dare you."
I turned in surprise and alarm. and ran quickly
up The steps BsrengaEa was standing in ,,i
further of along the verands
'ohl how. dare your she repeated again. stamp stamp;
ns her foot It seemed as If further speech failed
| I looked on in surprise. trying. to grasp the
| situation The punkahwala with frightened look.
! was crouchfng the ground. and the punkah
| rope hung loose in his hand He had quite for
/ gotten his present duties in alarm at the sudden
apParition OF this wFethfgi m ne saln6
4 me and pointing him hercely with the parasol,
Don't you see! That's my night punkahwala!'
Then I understood the cause OF Berengaria's
| wrath The night punkahwala she had engaged
! the day before was the Lovejoys day punkah-
| That's why you went 10 sleep at least dozen
! times last night you budmssh," Kissed Beren-
garia, fairly beside herself with rage. and swing
| ing Ter parasol threateningly IN the air,
| I swung round quickly, and took interest IN
| the palms and Crotons. II the Commissioner
| memsahlb should be had up for marpit. thought
/ It Just as we'll TO be able to swear that hadn't
| seen 1t.
/ way. IL happened. An irate voice from above-I
| recognized ii as Mr.. Lovejoy' s-demanded. in no
| complimentary language why the pUnkah had
| stopped again. There was the rapid sound of
| ihilmu flung back and the sharp splash Of 4 vol
| une OF water through the air. I turned round
! In horror. just in time TO catch glimpse Of n
| empty Jug and Nvid. Mortified face at the win
/ dow and the whole force of the water descending
| straight as die. Berengarta's head Stimuli
| taneously the parasol descended the back OF
| the punkahwala. and the contents OF the Jug on
! the Commissioners memsahtb.
| With a faint shrek Berengaria jumped back. For
| a moment she dazed Then. in a fash. as she
| caught sight OF her soaked, bedrasgled garments
| she realized her awful fate.
| Quick" she gasped: take me home. No one
| must see like this!'
| I sprang down the steps to recall the tum-tuul
! and In two minutes speeding down the
| drive on home.
| Drive quickly said Berengarta, putting up
the pale blue sunshade that. fortunately, had es-
| capped the deluge. Il must get home. and change
! and back again soon as can"