The Washington herald., 1915-08-15
EDITED BY MARY MARSHALL
THE FOUR
POLIGARS
!! A Tale of the Indian
Famine
By H. HARVEY.

/ sLect the relief work carried on by the
government. took with me my four
polisars. native dogs that on more than
one occasion had proved themselves to
| be my friends. The poligar is a specie
Of hound. with a smooh skin and a rat
like tail; handsome. hardy and cour-
| aeeous.
On arriving at the government works
"a great railway embankment giving
| employment to hundreds Of half-starved
men. women. and children-I called on
the Bartons, the relief officer and his
wife. and was invited to come over again
in the evening. to see the natives paid
and fed. l accepted the invitation and
FASTENED back to Hogunhully to avoid
the heat, which was intolerable
1t had become dark when / again set
out for the relief camp. I went on
foot. and my four dogs accompanied me
As skirted the wall on my way to the
entrance of one Of the bamooo-thatched
camp buildings I heard talking from
within: the tones were those of sup
pressed excitement. weak and quaver-
ing. true. but loud enough to catch. ana
easy for me to comprehend. in that
knew the language being used. l STOP
ped and listened
Government is always unjust re-
marked one. In our prosperity it makes
US pay taxes: and now in our adversely
1t cheats US out of meat rations.''
Yes exclaimed another. When
our people came in. the master said that
We should get meat twice a week; it is
ten days since we last had any"
A babel Of shaky voices muttered:
offer it to US"
Brothers" cried a man. I'VE will stick
together
Agreed, Agreed" from all sides.
l deemed it high time to leave so
stealthily continued on my way and pass
we're seated at a table set in front of
their bungalow. On the table were Ian
terms. bags of money. books. pens. and
ink. Employees stood around with fiaring
torches. which illuminated the scene with
almost dramatic effect. I chained the
poliears to some timber lying close by.
and. as took a chair by my friends. the
gong sounded the summons to assemble.
The people came slowly from their shelf
ers. and squatted in ranks under their
ed the roll: muster-books were opened.
and each person, answering to his or
her name. staggered, rather than walked.
up to the table to be paid: the men
being given from three to four annas;
the women two or three annas. and the
children one to two annas each; calcu-
lated according to individuality and able
bodiness. Now came the tug-ofwar. The
provisions were to be served out: but
before they commenced l whispered to
the Bartons that which l had overheard
The cooks Of each batch were called
UP to the weighing scales around which
were arranged sacks of "raggi" flour.
tins Of clarified butter. curry-stuff, and
baskets of lentils. But the men refused
each and all of these comestibles. For
silence, followed by an angry but SUBJ
dued murmur among the crowd. I look
ed at Barton: he stared helplessly at the
sea Of death's-head-like countenances
facing US. and which showed all the
more CHASTITY in the weird torchlight.
Mrs. Barton. however. was equal to the
occasion. Ask them she said to the
Interpreter. why they refuse their food?"
I'VE want meat was the reply. I'VE
should have It twice a week. 1t is the
order Of government. and We have had
none for ten days, How do you expect
us to get strong without meat
There is no meat for you today. As
soon As meat comes you will be given
your meat rations.'
Hereupon arose an angry quavertng
roar. Cries of announcement were heard:
the people struggled to their feet broke
rank. and sursed together into one mass;
the supervisors also fraternized with the
mob By Barton's orders the four police
the malcon.snts: the approach Of the
boobies" however. seemed to have the
same effect as that Of a red rag on a
bull. for Immediately the cry Of I'm
nyayum!" dnjustice) welled up in hys- !
terical clamor. and the stronger paupers.
tearing bamboos from the walls Of the |
sheds behind them. tell upon the wretched |
constables. belaboring them and driving |
the whole posse toward us in ignomin- |
BUS flight. My dogs had become much !
excited by the tumult; they tugged at
their chains. cooked their ears, growled |
and looked up into my face as |
II expecting an order to act. I admon-
lshed them to lie down. and turned to |
Barton. saw there was no time to lose |
You must do something, Mr.. Barton"
I whispered. They've drawn first blood. |
20 to speak. and there'll be no holding |
them in a minute
See IL you can't reason with them" |
he said to his native clerks, who cow |
cred in a knot behind US.
Your honor. we dare not" replied one.
speaking for the rest. They will kill |
u.s.
Yes. SIR" put in the Eurasian apoth- |
ecary. CONSERVATION in his voice. They !