The Washington times., 1906-02-04

All over the great highways of India
ths government has established free
bungalows for the use OF travellers They
are little more than shelters from the
weather. Ii THE traveller has uo bed
ding he finds none provided If he has
no food he must buy of the natives or
20 hungry. Sometimes there is but one
traveller for the uight-someJimes six on
eight. The rule is that the first one
10 enter the bungalow has his choice
ot the sleeping places. and only on rare
occasions is this rule disputed.
On the great highway between ALA
habad ard Nagpoor there were eight
passengers Of us who got down from a
stage one night, tired, huT cry and
sleepy, Three OF the number were
women, being wives of three of the
men. We had with us, going down 10
lis regiment at NagpoOr, a British
major belonging TO a native regiment.
The British officer, no matter where
You find him, Is a gentlemen. but this
was an exceptional case The major
was rough by nature, and drink had
rendered him anything but an agree
able companion or a man or manners.
Within an hour after taking MS seat
in the stage his conduct mad brought
criticism from all. and We finally be-
came so Disguised with him that he
was completely ignored.
The married men We're urSt IN the
bungalow and made their selections
The major stopped 70 quarrel with the
driver, and therefore came last, There
was room left for him, but he did not
choose 10 put up with last choice. lie
Insisted that one of the married couples
turn out Tor him When they refused
10 do so he became abusive. y per
sonal encounter finally resulted and the
major was soundly thrashed by one OF
his own nationality. He was thraShed
but not silenCed. He dared his con-
queror 10 fight him 6 duel, and he
threatened revenge on all Of us.
IL was "A bright moonlight night-so
bright that one could see every leaf
on a tree n hundred feet away. The
major disappeared while the rest OF
us were cooking and eating, and we
saw no more of him Tor two hours
Then. as / walked out on the grounds
TO smoke pipe; ne came slJnteTlng
been 10 a native hut about quarter
Of a mile away To buy food. and had
eaten Il before his return. The man
had also been imbibiug afresh, He
seemed 10 be one of those men that
no amount or drink could put under the
table. but 1t had the effect 90 make him
sUrly and resenJful
He spoke pleasantly enough for n
few minutes, but then adVeTted TO the
trouble inside the bungalow and began
- tell what he meant to DO. He did
not seem TO be down on me as much
as ON he others, bat trying 10 pacify
him without critcising at the same time
was failure. ] had TO point out
that he was IN the wrong, and that
augered him. He must have known
that he was, hut his natural 0bsJinaCy
would not permit him TO acknowledge
&C.
As the major and / talked We walked
up and down. The other people were
TOO tired for any SIroliing and did not
come out I bad said that / would go
in and go to bed. and had started for
the veranda OF the bungalow when the
man of war drew a pistol and aimed
10 full at me and said.
THAT viii be as / say. Walk down
Isn't this rather high handed,
Major2" / asked. as / turned on him
Never YOU mind about that I'm not
going in, and there are enough OF them
10 Willy me without adding You. Move
on. I say"
Major. YOU are laying yourself liable
TO the law"
Curse the law. WIN you move on or
take a bullet"
I saw that he was wrought up to the
pitch where he would shoot me down If
! opposed him, and I walked away
down the road He followed and took
ne by the arm. and holding a cooked
revolver in his right hand. he began to
talk about his military career. The
brandy he had taken would have made
the average man maudlin drunk. and he
would have had TO have help to walk.