Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-10-06

WgVYtWPsF
T WAS in the midst of preparations
for leaving Manila for a trip to
Japan, so there was plenty for me to
do; but here l sat half way up the
staircase, wasting, precious time talk
ing to old Ram Rae, 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
never tired OF watching these vendors
of flawed sapphires and Siam rubies,
which were apt t6 drop from their
crude setting at the frat wearing, try
ing to induce the soldiers to buy their
wares for wives and swecthearts 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, soft-eyed
people, Ram Rao interested mi the
most 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 a 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
Fortuna. She should have been at tn
sewing machine, where / had left he
with strict injunctions to finish he
work without delay; but I was SO in
terested in listening to Ram Rao tina
for the moment l did not notice her.
Eyes, Memsahib," he was saying, T"
go home to my country. You buy onl,
the one beautiful pin. 1t is a gift a
seven rupees Three days ago a sol
der offer me for it SIS gold, l say nc
but to-day with seven rupees more
buy passage on the steamer that zoe
tomorrow to Ceylon."
He held up a breastpin formed c
two tiger claws, fastened together wit
q clumsy band Of gold, set with gan
nets. 1t was extremely ugly.
'oh, Ram Rao," | protested, Il don
want the thing"
'Oh, but Memsahib-only seve
rupees, and then | leave this horribI
city. You so good to me, | never fol
get, and some day you come to Ceylol
you find Ram Rao there to show 70
things most wonderful the tourl!
V see, and he take you where yo
buy pearls and ivory elephants L
a smile"
I was weak, and yielded. | did n
want the atrocious piece of jeWelr
but / was homesick myself, and syn
pathy alone made me take the pl
and give Ram Rao his five dollars.
His old eyes sparkled, and with
gesture of infinite grace he kissed Il
hem of m linen skirt, then turniI
to his box took out a little gold rir
set with a small blue moonstone.
IF the Mem will wear this" ]
said, 'sshe always have the good luz
and bless the memory of Ram Rae
''Oh, no, RAM" I said, keep Il
ring. You might sell it for som
thing"
This ring l sell never" he sal
firmly, and looking not at me but
Fortuna, mumbled a few words in
strange language.
stOh, senora," said the woman ca
erly, take the annillo--it is OF
value. He feel bad if you no take
mucho malo, you ne take"
was struck, as I had sometim
been before, by the curious kind
Freemasonry which seems to exist I
tween the races Of the East. Hs
was this stupid, fat-nosed Malay v
man who seemed to fully understa
the feelings and even the language
Ram Rao, with his lofty carria
and high-bred, intellectual face.
I slipped the ring On my finger, q
Ram departed, heaping blessings up
my head.
1T seems to me you're looking I,
usually well this evening"" remarl
my husband, as we were seated at
dinner-table.
"Oh, my dear old boy, how can
in this old jusi?" | protested. I
need some new ball-gowns sadly,
I thought / would get n more W
out Of this and save my money to
vest in Japanese crepes and gaui
/ am SO glad that I'm not looking ]
a fright in it, though"
I had been asked, as n Of the so
matrons OF the army set, to give
fayors at the bachelors cotillion I
evening Tom drove with me
the Potenciana Building, then went
the club, promising to return for
when the dance was over.
There was a larger gathering 7
usual that evening. The cotillion
had increased in size, and several
~tinguished people honored us y
their pres nce. we had 2 majors