Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-07-27
D[l[LUST[AAS0uWISgS ~ X4/W1Z

table. As he Gmoked, the severity
of bis features relaxed n little, and at
length. he recovered his compoeure GO
far as TO take pity on the exceedingly
uncomfortable All.
Rise, dog" he said, and give us,
If you can, an explanation of the dis.
graceful bungling on this simple mis-.
sion
What explanation tho servant might
: have mustered is a problem. Before
he could collect his thoughts, the cleo
trio bell of the outer door burr-r.rd
sharply. Kananda, the stem of the
pipe in his hand, looked toward the
curtains eXpectantly, and the Swami
signaled to All to answer the sum
i mons without. The servant glided.
ghost-like, from the room, returning
shortly with tho announcement that
a visitor desired audience with the
famed Oriental scholar The Prince
disappeared between the portieres CT
a small door opposite the main en-
trance OF the room. the priest nodded
slowly 20 the servant, and the neyl
moment All ushed into the presence
OF thr sage the man who had had tho
temerity to let himself be attacked
In place " him the Easterners had dc
sired to search.
81 am a special reporter for Tho
! Times,'" said Brit3. II understand
| you are scholar Of distinction in
your native land. would like to have
talk with you. for a Sunday story.
The Swam's face wreathed into al
/ Interrogation point.
MY good friend" he said, "yo,.
| have como to the wrong person. I ar,
not In the least Interested In fiction
Scientific research, with perhaps q
glimpse now and then of the psychic
limits my activity in literature"
You don't understand" said Britt
Newspaper men call everything
story l should have said an article
an interview, you know"
Well" said the Oriental indulgen,
| ly, lit is not the policy of the prop.
ganda to seek publicity through the
columns Of the press; but. If car
serv0 you in any way, command HE"
Vel, yGu see. Swami" said Britt,
""yo"---',,''"T pertaining to that Illus
@''"' ia Of interest 10
Americans; your religion, your poll
tics, your customs, your women, your
Jewels, your boundloss wealth. Every
thing you can tell me about India Is
sure to interest our readers"
IF I am to tell you everything
q &c, no
may as we'll make ourselves comfort
able"
He signed to All again, and. rising
with much dignity, he placed chair
at the disposal OF his visitor.
The East is pretty big subject,
many minutes sketching Oriental
ways and thoughts for the entertain
mont OF his visitor. To follow him
would be to rccapitulate the history
of Hindostan from centuries before
tho British invasion. When he mad
finished, Britt knew enough about In
dia to fill the pages OF ell tho Sunday
papers of New York; but this was not
what the detective wanted.
Your women evidently lead pref
ty secluded life," he said, but | sup
pose they have their compensation
their music, embroidery. delicacies
gems-by the way, Swami. jewels fig
uro largely in your religion, dom
the W"
The same inscrutable CLEAN again
fiickered in the eyes of the scholar.
ut would be difficult to make YOU
understand in what way they do" he
answered. 'In the ordinary CONNER
cial sense, they do not We of India
care less for the intrinsic value Of the
beautiful jewels which you OF the
West characterize as precious stones
They are precious to us, but in dit
ferent way. We love them for theiI
lovcliness-not merely for their bril-
lance and cost. To US. there is ;
world of metaphysical meaning IN the
lambert glow of ruby, or the i'm
prisoned rainbow OF diamond. Al
emerald to us Is the spirit OF the sea
the spirit of the water itself; JUS
as the pearl suggests that other worlt
on the floor of the deep. Jewels, a:
we see them, are the crystallized eX
preston of divine emotions. Diamonds
are the tears OF Buddha-pearls 81
many drops Of wisdom from his lips
and sapphires the heavenly aspira
lions of his thoughts. What to thu
Occdent means profit. to us means
poetry"
Some of your jewels are, dar'
say, a great deal more important thai
others for example. the KohinooI
Has that no larger value than the OF
! binary stone in your eyes7"
"Only so far as 1t is connected witt
the traditions of our faith" said tn
Swami. Diamonds there are in Ir
dia, one hundred Of which would no
make Kohinoor, yet each thor
sand times more precious to true be
levers. Wars have been Tough
races exterminated for gems less beat
tiful than those which many Of tn
minor women Of your public stage ca
boast. They have a meaning impos
, sible of comprehension to the Wester
, mind"
And do Hindoos of your generatio
t set as much store by that sort c
thing as your ancestors did?" aske
Britt.
The faith of the East is immu
able" the Swami replied. "Centurie
) roll by, but we change not, Nation
hava broken themselves to shreds