West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-05-14
RESCUED FROM
A FUNERAL PYRE
Romantic Meeting of an Amer
lean and His Future Bride.

deal IN college about football tactics
he was a why quarterback-and n
very little OF Latin. Greek. mathemat-
les and such annoyances to young men
who 30 to college for fun. woke up one
Juno morning and found himself I'm
| possession OF n diploma.
| Bob determined to do some more
studying abroad. He was n professcd
woman hater. and before he left the
girls poked fun Mt him by betting him
n box OF cigars against hundred
yards OF brussels lace that he would
bring back wife with him. and ono
little mink declared that she would bee
black.
Six months after his departure Bob
was In India lie was dining one
evening with party OF Americans
and British officers when the subject
OF tho suffice or burning OF widows
with the bodies OF their husbands was
| introduced.
That's stopped now" said n British
captain, ''by n treaty with the British
/ government"
| "Sahib," said an Indian servant.
"there will be n suffice tomorrow morn
Ing mt sunrise. The young widow OF
tho prince OF Pingpore will be burned
| with her husband"
The servant, being questioned, said
that the prince was n very old man.
who had married the wife when she
was twelve years old. She was now
fifteen The party became much in
terested, but as there was no English
garrison near IL did not seem that any
thing could he done TO prevent this
outrage against civilization. Bracket
proposed that the party constitute
themselves n posse to do so. The
Englishmen were hard to move at first.
but eventually they chimed In with
alacrity. The party arose from the
table and, guided by the servant, went
to the place where the pyre had been
set up In the court OF n ruin. On the
pyre was the body OF the old prince.
81 have scheme" said Brackett-"a
real out and out Yankee scheme. Wen
conceal ourselves I'm what Is left OF that
apartment on the other side OF the wall
from the pyre. 1t isn't more than
| thirty feet from the pyre to the room.
Suppose we dig n tunnel to n point
beneath the pyre. remove the material
from under where the widow will lie
| and let her down and out before the
| flames touch her"
Good" said every one, and the Hin
du servant was dispatched for spades
and u wheelbarrow. With will they
set to work, all OF them young. strong
men, and In three hours n spade broke
II fhrOnUh tho nj Al.
wood OF the pyre. Then commenced
the more difficult work OF locating the
required spot and removing that part
or the pyre directly under the spot
where the widow would lie. However,
1t was Mt last accomplished, the
wooden platform being left supported
by pieces OF timber that could be re-
moved Mt will.
In the morning there was great din
or the funeral procession approaching.
n troop OF Brahman priests, their
shaved heads uncovered, carrying torch
es, followed by concourse OF natives,
came bowling Into the court. In their
midst was the young widow The party
| or >Anglo-Saxons had pushed the NOR
tar from chink in the wall, through
II -.
| At the foot OF the pyre the widow was
stripped OF all her clothing except n
fine sllken undergarment. To see the
| young thing stand there, looking about
her with n bewildered stare, then Mt
the pyre with n shudder, was enough
/ TO move stOuter hearts than the Eng
4 lish and Americans Bracket took one
| look through the peephole, then dashed
into the tunnel and TO the bottom OF
the pyre, where he stood ready. When
the widow asceH;led the pyre and lay
down and closd of smoke concealed
the bodies, the signal was given by n
British officer at the peephole. Remov-
Ing the support, Bracket lowered the
living body, receiving 1t I'm his arms.
The widow, frightened at this unex-
pected occurrence as well as the flames.
swooned and was easily carried through
the tunnel to the ruined chamber.
1t was not till night that the party,
dressing the widow In the costume of
| their servant, Bob Bracket sacrificing
his beard TO take the latters place,
dared to leave their place OF conceal
ment and return to their quarters.
L NhO NibONf huVWAus lilul II IOunu SDe
would be spurned by her people and
compelled TO again go through the
dread ordeal to fits completion, begged
her liberators to take her out OF the
country. AS none OF them could go
where he liked except Bracket. he
was assigned the post OF honor II
was on long journey on +. and o.
steamer to England. sitting with her
daily on deck, talking OF her past life
and telling her OF the western world.
that Bracket lost his heart The con-
sequence was that when they reached
England the widow OF the Prince OF
| PingpOre became Mrs. Bob Bracket.
On the arrival a few weeks later OF
| the steamer Lucania at New York
Brackets girl friends. who had heard
Of his marriage with an Indian. were
on the dock awaiting him.
| "a hundred yards Of lace, please"
II didn't lose the bet. which was
that my wife would be black. She IL
| copper colored. Nevertheless I am so
happy that ] am ready 10 pay" And
he drew from his pocket n bundle OF
the finest quality Of lace.