Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-10-12
DAILY SHORT STORY
A GENTLE SERVANT.
IOriginai.l


colonel was large, fiorid man who
well illustrated the English proclivity
for not being able to learn from others.
His father had been n small tradeSman
in London who in some way had put a
member OF the cabinet under obligation
to him and the obligation was repaid
by a commission for the son. Nearly
all the young mans brother officers
were gentlemen born. and many OF
them younger sons of mobiles. Colin
wood was snubbed for twenty years.
and as soon as he was promoted to the
systematic snubbing of every officer
beneath him in rank excepting those
connected with the nobility.
The colonel was especially hard ON
his servants. He seemed to consider
any servant as necessary evil and a
native Indian servant as a worm of the
dust Among those who attended him
We're an Irishman named Mallory and
n native named Haroutune. Mallory
treated all natives as his master treat
ed his interiors. Haroutune was very
different from bSeh the colonel and the
Irishman. He was rs gentle as wom-
an. He we, married to Il soft eyed
Young Indian. and they had three chill
dren. OH whom they both dotted. They
were very frugal, their one supreme
object being To accumulate something
for their little ones.
one day Colonel Colnwood missed 4
valuable diamond that he had bought,
expecting TO make display with il
when he returned TO England. The on
~ two persons who had access to the
room where il was kept were Mallory
and Haroutune. The colonel. who had
perfect confidence in Mallory, had Ha-
routune arrested, and the courts in the
neighborhood We're so afraid of the au-
tocratic soldier that he had little trou-
bic in having the Indian convicted.
Haroutune was sent to prison to serve
a term of fifteen years.
Not long after the loss of the dia-
mOnd Mallory left the coloners service
to return 10 the British isles Eight
years later COlinwood, having been in
Valided home, found his former servant
living lin clover" Setting detectives
on his track. the colonel unearthed the
fact that he had disposed of a valuable
diamond, and his prosperity dated
from the sale. ColinwOod, finding it to
his interest TO accept the remainder OF
the thiefs fund on condition that he
would not prosecute, made the compro-
mise.
\ few years after this the colonel re-
turned to India with Il wife and two
little children. He debated the matter
as TO what he should do in making
amends to Haroutune and decided that
to say anything about the mistake
would place him in an unpleasant posi-
tioH. Haroutune now had but a few
years 10 serve. Besides, he was moth
ing but low caste native, and a prs-
on was as good place for him as any
where else. SO the colonel concluded
TO do nothing in the way of justice.
Meanwhile Haroutune was anguish
ing in prison. He was so gentle In his
manner that one of the prison officials
took him into his service. This gave
the poor fellow great deal of liberty.
Not long before his term expired a
snake charmer gave an exhibition at
the prison, and HarOutune saw him
perform. Among other things, the
snake charmer would place a bird in
the same apartment with snake. On
its masters order the snake would
steal up to the bird and strangle it.
One day when Colonel Colinwood
was ut dinner with some friends he
remarked that the time for the expira-
al. al. l. Dc,
diamond must have arrived. Some of
the party said that the natives were
prone TO take revenge for punishment
and ii behooved the colonel to be on
his guard. COlinwOOd declared that if
he were inclined to fear any Indian he
certainly would not fear Haroutune.
who was more woman than man. Had
the colonel realized that the prisoner
who had served fifteen years for an
offense of which he knew himself to
he innocent; that he had come out of
prison To find his wife and children,
having been deprived of his support
had succumbed and were all dead
had the colonel known this he might
have feared that even a worm will
turn. Mrs. Colinwood did not share
her husbands want of faith in Indian
revenge and shuddered.
The very next day Elsie Colinwood
was found dead in the garden The
children were permitted TO play there,
since the place was surrounded by a
high wall. The little brother who made
the discovery said that he had seen a
snake pass from tree on to the gar
den wall. There was no mark ON the
body. though the throat gave evidence
OF strangulation.
A month later the boy was found
dead in his bed with no more marks on
him than had been found on his sister.
The mother, on the verge of insanity
at her loss, besought her husband to
resign his position and return TO Eng
land. He promised TO do SO. but be- /
fore he could make his arrangements
his wife had q "a 70 fraf l,r he,