The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-03-01

or all the curious races or mankind
by whom the vast Empire of India
is peopled there are few more strange
or interesting than the Garos OF
Assam. Living I'm the secluson OF
their Isolated villages, scattered here
and there amid the low, densely-
wooded hills which bear their name.
this strange. semi-savage tribe OF
demon -worshipers have retained 10
this day many Of their primitive
traits and superstitiOns. Amongst
their extraordinary traditions, and
one that forms the subject OF this
tale, rs the belief hat if a Caro- tells
a falsehood he will meet with sud-
den and violent death So strictly
de they. adhere 10 this belief that n
Caro-. If required TO take an oath, will
solemnly say, "Nay | be killed by n
wild elephant if do not speak the
truth"
Many years ago there lived in one
= OF the lonely villages above mem
toned Caro- maiden remarkable
for her beauty and fascination.
Michni for so this village belle was
named, was the daughter Of man
of no Importance, and poor withal,
even for a Caro-; hut this in no way
detracted from the number Of her ad-
mirers, which included half the bach
elor population OF the village.
Amongst them was her cousin
Pembu. good-looking, stalwart
youth, who had long loved her with
all the fervor OF his wild and ardent
nature. The girl returned his love
as ungrudgingly as it was bestowed,
for, added TO his comely face and
manly bearing, Pembu was possessed
OF many other virtues calculated TO
win a savage maiden's heart. He
could shoot an arrow farther and
with truer aim than any youth or
veteran i'm the village, and was, more
over, a bold and successful hunter,
while in running, jumping, wrestling
and such like feats Of strength there
was none to equal him.
But Pembu had a rival, and n very
dangerous one-no less a person than
the headman's SON Kishto, the youth
"enlightened" type of Caro-, an edu-
Gated savage. despisIng his less-cul-
tured brethren and holding In con
tempt the ancient traditions OF his
race,
This man had long cherished Sc
cret affection for the pretty MiChni,
and had once been rash enough to
declare his passion, an indiscretion
which cost him many hours OF bodily
pain and mental torture, for the girl
had complained TO her lover, who,
mad with fury, had sought out the
offender and administered SO severe
a castigation that the wretched youth
was laid up for a month. Now Kish-
to, being OF poor physique and Of
Cowardly disposition, dared not re-
taliate in kind, but none ,he less re-
sented the treatment he had received,
and swore openly to be avenged.
Though lacking physical strength and
pluck, he was shrewd and cunning to
a degree, and il was not long before
he had devised a scheme which prom
ised to give him the revenge he
thirsted for, and also the possession
of the girl. Among the few friends
lac had in the village was n mean
spirited creature like himself, a man
who was also ill-disposed towards
/. .PembV. : Finding this individual
ready and willing to aid him i'm his
evil project, Kishto resolved to carry
Il out at once.
a few PAGES from the hut whore
Pembu lived was one occupied by a
. Noney-lender, an old and feeble man,
who lived alone. by reason of the
sXtortionate rate of interest he de-
snanded he was not a. very popular
person in the village.
One morning, shortly after Kishto
Snd his accommodating friend had
arranged their little scheme, a viii
lager going 70 the old usurers hut TO
reclaim some jewelry he had pledged,
was borIihed to find him lying dead
inside. At once he raised an outcry.
and soon the whole village had coll
lected.. Amongst the trst to arrive
upon the scene was the headman,
\. who, by Virtue OF his position, was
legally bound to hold an iLvestiga-
tion. He ascertaiued that the old
man had been stabbed through the
heart,>the motive for the crime being
evidently plunder, for not a single
:, coin or ornament was to be found in
. side the nut.
The murderer had left no clue of
any kind behind him, aud but for a
suggestion made by the astute Kishto
1t is unlikely that any great effort
would have been made TO trace him.
The willy youth, who had evinced
the keenest interest in the proceed
ings, now suggested that the huts of
all persons living in the immediate
vicinity should be searched. This
suggestion was no sooner made than
It was carried out, and, commencing
with the nearest, the searchers