The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-05

FROM the tour ends Of the principal
r. ity they came, the yelled candi-
L dates; from the north, the east, the
south and west. They came in
marvellous palanquins, in curtained how
dahs. on camels, In splendid bullock
carts. Many a rupee resolved itself
into new bought finery upon the vague
chance Of getting it back with COM
pound interest.
What was most unusual they came
without pedigree or dowry, this being
Ramabai's idea; though in truth I'm
ba.la objected at first to the lack Of
dowry. He had expected to inherit this
dowry. lie gave way to Ramabai be-
cause he did not care to have Ramabai
suspect what his inner thoughts were.
Let the fool Ramabai pick out his chest
nuts for him. Umballa laughed in his
voluminous sleeve.
Some one Of these matrimonially in
clined hours the Colonel would have to
select; IL he refused then should Rama
bai do the selecting. More, he would
marry the fortunate woman by proxy.
There was no possible loophole for the
Colonel
The populace was charmed enchanted,
as 1t always is over a new excitement.
Much as they individually despised I'm
halla, collectively they admired his in
genuity in devising fresh amusements.
Extra feast days came one after an
other. The Oriental dislikes work; and
any one who could invent means Of
avoiding it was worthy Of gratitude.
So, then, the populace fell in with I'M
balla's scheme agreeably. The bhang
and betel and toddy sellers did a fine
business during the festival of Rama.
There was merrymaking in the streets
day and night. The temples and
mosques were filled to overlooking. Mu-
sicians with reeds and tomtoms paraded
the bazaars. In nearly every square
the Nautch girl danced. or the juggler
piled his trade, or there was a mon
goose-cobra fight Che cobra. of course,
bereft Of its fangs). and fakirs grew
mango trees out Of nothing. There was
a furry in the slave mart too.
The troops staggered about, overbear-
ing. They were soon to get their pay.
The gold and silver were rotting in the
treasury Why leave 1t there, since
gold and silver were minted to be spent?
There were elephant fights in the re-
constructed arena, tigers attacked wild
boars, who fought with enormous, razor
like tusks, as swift and deadly as any
Malay kris. The half forgotten cere-
mony Of feeding the wild pig before sun
down each day was given life again.
And drove after drove came In from the
jungles for the grain. which was dis
trbuted from a platform. And wild
peacocks followed the pigs.
\ wonderful sight It was to see
several thousand pigs come trotting in,
each drove headed by its fighting boar.
When the old fellows met there was
carnage; squealing and grunting, they
fought. The peacocks shrilled and
hoped from back to back for such
grain as fell upon the bristly backs Of
the pigs. Here and there "A white pea
cock would be shared, or a boar whose
tusks promised battle royal with some
leopard or tiger.
And through all this turmoil and
c'amor Ahmed and Ial Singh moved,
sounding the true sentiments of the
people, They did not want white kings
or whl,e queens; they desired to be ruled
!" thelr Nnd, who would not start IN
n"Vh''"hs hnt would let affairs drift ON
as 'hty had done for centuries.