Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-01-13

next morning.
Then he says he was brought be-
fore the rajah with other prisoners
and examined. and he said It would
have made your blood run cold to see
the oifhand way In which that despot
- desperate despot was what Ananias
called hlm--would just listen TO what
the prisoners had to say and then nod
carclessy 10 one or another OF the
iailers and they would be carried or
| 10 be put to death or torture or re-
leased.
| "Ananias said that the rajah was the
most awful looking critter he ever set
ewes upon-a giant in size with wool
~ hair and squirt eyes. and II was the
suuint eyes that caused all the trou-
bic II seems the rajah was so cross
eyed that the jailors would get all
mixed up on the sentences and half
the prisoners got the wrong sentences.
| II was all right for some. but bad for
| Others. So Ananias says when II came
his turn 10 plead he got up and told
the rajah all about the Indus. and how
her water casks had sprung leak. and
that we wanted fresh water from the
everlasting waterfalls. and that we
was citizens OF the q. 5. A. The rajah
inst smiled and said It was all right
and he could have all the water he
wanted as long as the waterfalls last
ed and then he nodded one way and
his eyes got so horribly squinty and
crossed just then that the cxecutioner
made grab for Ananias saying the
rnIah had looked Mt him and the rnjah
was TO busy TO interfere. so they haul
ed Ananias or TO put him to death.
"He says he got away and swum
ashore and reused our four men. and
they all cut and run for the Indus with
three OF the rajah's men chasing after
them. and here was ADanias and here
| was the three men. staring borrow
struck lust ms II they had understood
every word OF what my first mate had
said. and they didn't believe word OF
IL.
..'rhen one OF the three Hindus spoke
M politely. and what he said would
| have fiabbergasted you. ma'am. for he
spoke in English. Says he: 'Sahib
captain. this man speaks lies whenever
his mouth opens and he has called our
| prince by evil names and with a false
tongue. We have been ordered TO
bring him back TO the palace that our
| prince may examine him.
"Of course wasn't surprised 10 hear
| that Ananlas had been drawing the
long bow as | could see that he was
| pretty much chapfallen to think he'd
been wasting all that breath before
| these Hindus who could speak his lang
| witch better than he could. ! just call
ed the second mate TO command the
Indus. and. taking fresh supply OF
men. | started with the whole lot Tor
the raiahs palace.
'.At last we arrived ut the palace,
and Ananias was right about that part
of IL. He always did mix little truth
| I'm with his classifying. II was ON an
island IN the middle Of n lake. and
could see waterfalls here and there
among the hills.
I'VE all got into big barge and
| were rowed across the lake 10 the pal
ace and hustled into the audience room
where the rajah appeared In all his
glory.
when lie smiled at Ananias that
cheerful prevaricatcr just hauled In his
tops'ls and looked down nj the door
and | don't wonder. for that rajab
turned out 10 lie one OF the handsomest
men ever saw In all my days. and
his eyes were ~ straight as yours.
ma'am. That part about his being
squirt eyed was all yarn OF my first
mates.
1T seems :tat the rajah OF Raddabar
had been educated in England. and he
talked with me quite spell In free
and easy manner lie told me that his
men had found Ananias and his four
mates stealing fruit from the palace
gardens. and for that reason he had
arrested him He escaped all right.
and the rajah's servants had given
chase and caught him ON board the
Indus.
The raiah 81 Raddabar was n gen
tieman after nh. aud he laughed and
made n Joke OF Ananias and his story
Of the .sduint eyed rajah. lie pre-
tended he wanted 20 buy Ananlas for
his chief story teller. kind Of court
fool. he explained. with twinkle In
those straight. handsome eyes Of his.
and poor Ananias hung his head and
looked mighty scared. for the rajah
pretended 20 offer me NIL kinds OF rich
Jewels In exchange for the critter. and
pretended 10 bargain for him and
then put the matter or until the next
time Ananias told n big yarn.
so insisted on Ananias paying for
the fruit he had stolen. and he apollo
gized 10 the rajah ms decently rs his
kind can apologize 20 somebody who
has done them good turn. and then
as the rajah had made us welcome TO
all the water we wanted. we all fell TO
and filed up our casks and away we