Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1904-10-07

WAS in the midst OF preparations
for leaving Manila for Il trip to
Japan, 50 there was plenty for me to
do but here | sa, half way up the
staircas" wasting precious time talk
ln2 10 old Ram ItaO, the tingalcsc
jewel merchant My house wa Sit
unt"d directly opposite the camp,
where the troops waited for the rams
ports to take tacm home, ANA was
never tired Of watching these vendors
OF iiawcd aapphirra ANA Siam rubire
@Ei"h were apt to drop from their
crude settling AT The first wearing. try
inr TO induce the soldiers ~ buy their
wares iOi wives II swcrthoaris at
hum" They occasionally paid me II
visit and sometimes picked mp "A
good pearl or opal for "A small price.
OF all these mysterious. apit-cycd
people, Ram Rao interested me the
mcFt. On the way out via SucZ, |
had spent four delightful days "A, Co
lpmbo, and the old man, who was very
hDmcsicE. used TO likc to ONE ana
YAH 20 me Ol the jewel shops IN his
native city, aud OF the beautiful En-
giIeh bunpalOES and the Cinnamon
Drive, which had 80 impressed IN"
To-day he was cr%puchinr beside his
boxes. a curious figure with a square
Of checked cotton wound about his
neither limbs, SO that 1t looked like "A
long tight s!Iii. Like most men in
Manila he wore . white linen Cua
bul his long hair was drawn up be
hand into n Psyche Knot. ana his tor
tuiAc shell comb was pushed back I'm
III IT mad" "a crown. the ends toward
his face
Just behind me ON the steps squat
ted my worthless littlc Filipino maid,
Fortuna. Sh" should have been At the
sewing machine, where ! had Icit her
with strict injunciionB 10 finish her
"uri without delay; but | was so in
tcrcatcd in listening to Ram ltao that,
for the III | did not notice her.
Yes, Mcmsahib, he was saying, Il
70 home TO my country You buy only
the one beautiful pin. It Ii "A gin at
seven rupees. Three days 2 a sol
der offer me for i, SD gold. | say no,
bul to-day with seven rupees more !
buy passnHc on ia" steamer thai goes
tomorrow To Ceylon."
He held up IA brcastpin formed Of
" tiger claws, fastened together with
A clumsy band Of gold set with gar
nets. II was extremely ugly.
"Oh, Ram Itao, | protested. + don't
want the thing"
"Dh, but Momaahlb ouly seven
rupees, II then ! leave this horrible
city. You 20 good to me, / never for
gel, and some day you come 10 Ccylon,
you find Ram Itao there 10 SHOW you
'hlnrs most wonderful the tourist
never see. md he take you where you
buy pearls and ivory elephants for
y smile"
Was weak, and yielded. did not
want the atrociOus piece oi ~jcwclry.
but ! was homrsick myself, and sym
Dathy alone made me take the pin
and give Ram itno his five dollars.
His old eyes Hparklcd, and with a
GESTURE Of Infinite grace hc Kissed the
Acm of my linen skirt then turning
- VIZ bbN 'bbh OUT II IlllIt EDlI lIlt
set Wllh a small blue mOonstonc.
If the Mem win wear this" he
said, "Rhe always have the good luck
and bleAa the memory Of Ram ltao."
"Oh, no, Ram" | said, "kccp the
ring. You might sell It for ROmc
thing"
This ring ! sell never" he said.
hrmly. and looking not al me but nj
Fortuna mumblcd "A few words IN 4
strange language.
"Oh. scnora," said the woman Gag
rrIy take the annillO IT rs of no
yalnc. lie feel bad If You no take
mucho malo, you no TAKE"
| was struck, 10 | had sometimes
been before. by the curious Kind Of
frecmasonry which seems 10 exist be
tween the races Of m" East Here
~ tAia stuuld. fat nOaed Malay WO-