The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1907-01-22


rlously:
Look here. Mrs. Mills. -ou must
be most particular in visiting the de-
scendants and next of kin of the old
Begun Sona-bee in Lucknow. She is
failing fast. Her pension is a fine
one, and half of il goes to her grand
daughter Have you ever seen her?'
No | replied; ! had not. had
seen her two sons-beautiful boys |
had visited the old Begun regularly
She liked me, we were good friends;
but somehow l had never once en-.
countered her granddaughter. Either
she was Ill, or she was away visiting
her own people up in the Puniaub
And this has gone on for five
years? he said and he was angry
That is not the way to carry out your
duty. Your duty is to see these pen
sioners, so as to swear TO their iden-
tity. You must be resonte; don't al
low them to hoodwink you, or we
shall hove to get some other person
to deal with them, and you lose your
fine postn
Yes, and l would lose my bread.
and my children would starve, knew
that; and ! resolved to be determined
when | went to Soma Begum's.
81 went home and asked neighbor
and a friend to have an eye to Dora,
my dear little girl She was II;
Ernest was at the Martniere college.
Then ] drove away to the palace, very
determined indeed. felt that / had
everything at stake. and | would never
leave til | had either seen this prin-
cess or her dead body.
Il had an immediate audience with
her highness, and told her my errand
civilly and as pleasantly as / could.
She at once flew into terrible pas
sion. She was the fattest woman |
ever saw, and l thought she would
have a fit. Her face seemed to swell.
her eyes nearly jumped out of It, and
her voice-oh, it was just one long
scream!
"All | said was, Bring me to see the
Princess Motee only for one moment,
and l go; otherwise stay here al
ways.
Il was hustled away into a damp,
low room, looking into a courtyard on
the ground floor, and left there alone.
No one came near me for hours-but
they peeped and whispered outside to-
gether. l remained there all night,
and | ate some bread, and got water
at the fountain in the court; but could
not sleep for the rats, and for the
fear that someone would come and
strangle me- you see. | was alone
one woman combating a hundred.
The next morning / was again
taken to the Begun, and she was now
all good nature and affection. But
this is foolishness,' she cried. Take
this and she offered me a splendid
diamond and emerald belt 1t is for
thee, If thou wilt depart, and say that
all is well. 81 have seen her highness,
the Motee Mahal, granddaughter of
her highness the Begun"
"'But that would be false | an
swered stoutly. L do not accept
bribes
"'Then accept hunger! she scream
ed. Hunger and DEATH
with this threat ringing in my ears
once more / was hustled down to my
quarters below, where l remained for
three days, almost starving. Once an
old hag crept in, and whispered. The
end is near! HuZoor-the ends at
hand!'
"But what end? My end?
"As / was thinking of lying down
on the fourth night l suddenly saw a
glimmer of light, and a pure white
woman, in rich native dress, entered,
with a lamp in her hand. She was
tall, slight, and delicately fair.
"'Dost desire to see me-? she asked,
with a look of surprise in her blue
eyes.
1.-The Notice Mahal? l inquired.
YEA.
"'The mother of sons, and grand
daughter of the Begum@'
"'Yea, Art content"
Her face was pale and colorless
from lifelong seclusion, but her hair
was a sandy shade, she had a dimple
in her cheek, and was the type Of En-.
gllshwoman one sees by scores.
Then the Begun sent for me, and
said, Now, behold, thou hast Scent
the Pearl Princess Notice. What Of
her?
"'She is a Belaite' (Which is En-
glish), | answered boldly--more En-
gish than L.
"'Yea, and since all is known, will
tell the truth. My daughter, now
dead, had no children, though she
wearied the shrines with her prayers.
AT last child WIS born-only a girl.
Nevertheless, she was happy; but, be-
hold, in a moon IL died, and she was
as one distraught Therefore l sent
messengers, and found a babe like
pearl, and put 1t in her arms, and she
nursed and loved 1t as her own. It
was the child of a soldier gone TO the
war, the mother dead. She, the Prin-
cess Motee, hath no knowledge of this
She believes herself to be of my race.
Knowing how stern and foolish are the
peneion rules hid her, for / love her