The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-03-31
INTHERAJAH'S
SERVICE
BY EDWIN D. TROUSDALE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.


! Southampton and New York:
The people of India are the most
sensitive as well as the most merciless
people of the world. An Indian will
treat one he wishes to destroy with
the most aattering attention while be
is planning to kill him. He always
strikes in the dark-that is, when he
kills with steel. But it is with poison
that Indians do their most artistic mur.
derous work. They have studied the
science of poison for ages. They have
poison rings, poison perfumes, poison
flowers. But the strangest of all is a
poison human being. They will feed a
person on a certain poison till he has
absorbed so much of it that his very
breath is noxious to one unused to
what the poison person is saturated
with.
| had narrow escape from death
when l was in India. 1t was when
irst went out there as a youngster and
had no idea of the secret dangers to
be incurred. That which an Indian Is
most Jealous of is a woman. Any Eu-
ropean who attempts the slightest ia
miliarity with one of them is in i'm
minent danger of his life. If they
would give a fellow a chance it
wouldn't be quite so terrible, but they
won't He is either murdered In the
dark or poisoned.
was just twenty years old when 1
landed in Calcutta to take position in
a British house dealing in opium and
the goods of the country. Later was
sent into the interior to buy curios,
two of us being sent together for
greater safety. Bob Britton, not much
older than myself, was my companion.
In one of the towns we heard of a
rajah whose brother or some other
relative had died childless, and the
rajah had inherited his effects. Not
caring to keep duplicates, he had offer
ed to sell many articles. Bob and
called on him. and he exhibited his
wares, treating us at the same time
royalty. While we were bargaining
he feasted us in the room occupied by
the women, which was a great honor
Unfortunately for Bob and me we
drank too much vine.
Being permitted to roam where we
pleased. we devoted ourselves each to
pretty Indian girl Presently miss
ed Bob. He and the girl he was with
had strolled away into a sort of in
closed summer garden. | invited my
companion to go off in the same way.
but she gave me a look that was all
the warning l needed. l contented my
self with remaining with the others
Bob and the girl he was with re-
mained away from the rest of us for
some time. When he returned he ap-
peared to be quite proud of himself,
though the girls face wore a fright
ened look. AS soon as we were alone
he told me that he had taken the
sweetest kiss he had ever tasted |
asked him if he was sure he was un-
observed, and he said he saw no one
about, but while his lips touched the
girls she had uttered a suppressed
scream. 1t was Immediately after this
that the two returned.
When we rejoined the rajah he ex-
pressed a hope that We had enjoyed
ourselves. He was very effusive in
his offers of hospitality and friendship
He asked us how we were pleased With
the ladies, and when we expressed
delighted he said that we
had not seen the most beautiful. He
clapped his hands, a servant appeared
he gave an order in a tongue we did
not understand. the servant withdrew.
and in a few minutes our host led us
into another room where were assem-
bled several of the handsomest Indian
l have ever seen. The rajah !
introduced us, then left us, saying |
that he would take a nap.
One of the women, apparently with |
the consent of the others. took Bob un.
der her especial care, another took |
me, and it wasn't long before. under
pretense of showing us some of the |
rajah's most valuable curios, they led |
US into a suit Of rooms filed with |
enough rare articles to stock a muse |
lm. Bob and ! soon got into separate
rooms. My companion and ! seated |
on q divan and were chat.
ting about the curios when / noticed |
hat she had been using some strange
perfume. She gradually drew nearer
to me, and l noticed a deathly sick.
ness coming over me. An instinct of
self preservation, l suppose. led me to
get up from the divan. My next idea
was to find Bob. l staggered into an
'ther room. There was Bob with his
ips glued to those Of the girl he was
with. Seeing me. she unwound her
lrms from about him. and he fell to
he floor. ! went to him. bent over
him and knew that he was dead.
There was a door near by opening
ntO garden. / managed to get to It
ind passed out. The fresh air revived
ne, and, regaining the strength of my
egs. ran like deer anywhere to get
lway from the horrible death / had
rarely escaped.
/ returned to Calcutta and told my
tory. Nothing could be done in the
natter; it is not the policy of the Brit
sh government to punish Indians who
AXE revenge on Europeans for such