Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-02-04


have met before"
sure you. l have told you alread!
that 1 have travelled through India
and the Afghan cities, and here,
there ard everywhere, picking up all
sorts of stuff for the firm. have
carte blanche to go where like and
| go and explore"
"lt was on one of your travels
that you met the princess ?"
"That is all a faxed story-a dish
that is. served up for the French
society"
"Well-and your story?"
"I'll tell you the true story. The
first time that ! went to Kashmir I
passed night at little inn that
was owned by an Englishman."
"Ah! an enchanted inn."
"The inn was no more enchanted
than any other inn, except that it
was situated in the center Of beau
tiful little village. In the evening,
after dinner, while I was smoking
my cigar, | heard the sound of tam
bourines, and the innkeeper cried
out:
"'Here come the dancers!
Several girls came in and began
to dance in the most delightful man
ner. When they had finished they
came round and asked for money.
They collected some coppers and
then vent on theic way.
zone of the girls was so beautifu,
that could not take my eyes off Of
her. | got up to follow her. | asked
the innkeeper il there was any dam
ger in doing so.
"'You'll gain nothing my It, ne
said; she will escape you. They are
only half civilized
"All the same | decided to go out
and get another glimpse of the girl.
! watched them all go into a low
house. / waited outside.
After a minute they came out
again. They went with some
earthenware pots to get water from
a ravine."
"And you went to the ravine?"
eyes, | went there and I was
lucky enough to see the girl who
had so fascinated me. At first she
was frightened and drew away, but
showed her a gold coin. Then she
returned, took the gold, and laughed.
She spoke little English.
L
alone for me. She made sign to
peared. Then for some minutes she
sang and danced. / felt ready to
worship the ground she danced on.
81 gave her two more gold ccins.
She took them and laughed again,
was going to take her in my arms
when she fled"
"And you after her?" .....
was swifter than l. Suddenly she
chase. The next day ] continued
on my journey.
81 could not get the thought of
this little dancing-girl out Of my
head. Her great eyes, her pale olive
skin, her beautiful form were always
before my eyes. / was madly in
love"
$50 much so that on your return
"I went out of my way to put up
at the same inn."
"And the young. Hindu girl was
waiting faithfully for you? ?"
Don't make a mistake, Merseins.
l admit that | stopped there simply
to see her. Yet all | asked was to
see her face and watch her dance
again. After dinner the troupe of
girls came in to dance as before, but
my charmer was not among them.
| called the landlord, and l asked
for her.
".Ah, your dancer, little Fadejah,'
he said. Listen to the song that her
companions are singing
"They were singing love song;
it was a strange mixture of English
and Hindu.
"cFadejah,' they sang, had list
ened to the false words Of a
stranger. She danced for him
alone; she took his gold, and the
next day she could not be found, for
the stranger had killed her.
"'What does this mean?' I asked
of the landlord.
"'Well, you see,' he explained,
these young girls never receive any
thing but coppers and occasionally
silver. Some months ago man gave
Fadejah gold, and the next night she
must have fled to Calcutta, for we
have never seen her since
"I felt strangely sad when heard
this, and l returned to Calcutta. |
had a few days to wait for the
steamer to sail, but had no heart
to pass my time in seeking distrac-
tion at any Of the pleasure resorts.
I took long walks and strolled
through the Struggling village where
the Hindus live.
zone night was wandering along
the banks Of the Ganges; the rays
from the moon played on the water.
Some girls passed me; they were
talking in low voices, but / heard
one voice that / thought recog-
nized.
"Fadejah,' / called.
"At once one Of the girls left her
companions and came back to me.
"What do you want 2 she asked.
"I took her hands and kissed them.
Then she saw my face and said:
"T remember you are the stranger
who gave me some gold she smiled
"T ran away from the little vii
lage where you stayed she con-
tinued. Il was almost like a slave
They took the few coppers away