The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1909-01-23


lamp. A Mr.. Baroque took the head
opposite to him was Mai Millait :
portly cayalryman with chin blue from
much shaving; on his right were M,
brother and myself, while our vis-a-yis
was a Well-known opera singer-Mrs
Cantel in private life-and bow al
nineteen or thereabouts, whose name
appeared on the passenger list as *
slnhala. This lad seemed greatly at
tracted to Mr.. Baroque, with whom he
entered into conversation. He told
the elder man that he was a foreigner,
Clngalese by birth, and an orphan
that ne had gone to Catholic mission
school where he had learned music,
English, French and Latin. and where
ne had been befriended by the old
priest, whom he was now on his way
TO visit, He added, further, that he
aad notion of becoming a priest later
on, When he should be old enough and
had seen bit of the world.
Such We're the passengers aboard
the Babylon City, bound to Chicago
trom Buffalo on this night of septem-
Der 20, 1907. It was stormfng heavily.
but being good sailors we scorned to
take to our staterooms and gathered
about the table in the cabin for a
game OF cards. We We're in the thick
81 second game when Mrs. Cantel.
after a continuous run of bad luck.
threw her hand impatiently upon the
cloth. The cards slid in regular pro-
cession, one after another, to the floor.
as the boat rolled to a sudden swell.
With light laughter we caught at the
table edge to steady ourselves.
Just the night for ghost stories,
| suggested, seeing that no one made
move to resume the play.
Ghost stories are passe," avowed
Mrs. Cantel. The fashionable method
Of counteracting sleep is to have ones
mind read"
Mind-reading, hey!" cried the ma
1or I've heard lot about the Indian
beggars being able to tell what one
thinks, but I'd give q flyer to see it
done"
Cant be done!" The manner of
Mr.. Baroque's abrupt assertion winged
the thought across my brain that its
fina1ty of sentence was less a mere
statement of fact than a desire to fos-
ter conviction in himself.
At this moment, however, and amid
the "Ohs!" and the aAhs!" and the
Then how the deuce do you account
for so-and- so?" of Mrs. CanteI and the
major, my brother addressed the
young foreigner, who had been silent
since the card playing ceased.
Is it true, Mr.. Sinhala, that your
eountrymen have a special gift that
way"
Hey! do you mean to say, young
man, that you can read my. mind?"
burst in the major.
The boy bowed an affirmative and
turned to my brother.
The Brahmin holy men undoubtedly
can fathom the innermost workings Of |
another's mind. It is Characteristic /
RAFT in some families in India and |
elsewhere in the orient, as much as is
he peculiar color or setting of the
aye, or the shape of the hand, in
1thers.
No one Of US missed his reply. Not
hat he spoke loudly Indeed, his
Foice was exceedingly low pitched.
But its hating tones were memorable
or a caressing quality that in sono-
Gus and vibrant richness reminded
me irresistibly of the timbre of
nuted cello. We stared at him in t
silence that throbbed with the dead I
echoes of his beautiful voice. But be-
.ond his being well enough to look
lpon, the face and figure revealed
lothing appreciate of their person
lily. Yet ones instinct CROPPED for
he something that lay masked be-
ind the studiousIy observed conven-
/ noted the repose Of the
Igure, and read into the attitude
atent restlessness akin to the gIozed
aim of an animal on the spoor of its
,rey. My glance dropped to the
ands resting on the green baize of
he table covering, and thought /
ould trace more than a suggestion of
ruelty in the careless interIacing of
he fine, long fingers. Still, the face,
kept for an eastern gravity that to
ur occidental eyes embued it with
ubtIety, contradicted these impress
ions. was laughing at myself for a
isionary, when l caught the look Mr..
Saroque had fixed on Sinhala's face.
{ was a gaze of such searching, yet
t the same time, such puzzled inquiry,
such agonized questioning if it
sked out of the longing of d lifetime
hat the boys countenance give to him
be key to its mystery, that my
thoughts rebounded upon themselves.
hat look, though it met merely one
f conventional regard. set these two
part from the others about the board,
nked them together, as it were, in
ome intangible way, clearly felt, but
OF at all understood What mute de-
land had been made by Mr.. Baroque, !
hat answer would be vouchsafed? {
The momentary pause brought us to
urselves. The major cleared his /
lroat, Mr.. Baroque shrugged his shout )
ers like a man trying to rid himself :
! an uncanny dread, and the spell was {
roken. II
But what have you to do when you {
,ad ones mind ?" queried Mrs. Cantel, {
ffh SILVER that was not altogether /
fected. 9
Simply allow me to place my hand i
! yours, Mrs. Cantel. 1
As. Mrs. Cante1 hesitated and looked /