Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1915-03-24
PARROT
& co.
CHAPTER !.
East Is East.

OF the world, at fOrlOrn landing Of
the west bank of the muddy, turbu
lent Irrawaddy, remembered by maj
only so often as it was necessary TO
the flotilla boat to call for paddy,
visiting commissioner anxious to &c
away, or a family homeward bound
On the east side of the river, owe
there, was semblance of civilization
That is to say, men wore white linen
avoided murder. and frequently pait
their gambling debts. But on thi.
west side stood wilderness, not tht
kind one reads about as being eventu
ally conquered by white men; no, the
real, grim desolation, where the az
cuts but leaves no blaze, where the
pioneer disappears and few or none
follow. 1t was not the wilderness Of
the desert, of the jungle; rather the
tragic. hopeless state Of settlement
that neither progressed, retarded mol
stood still.
Between the landing and the settle
ment itself there stretched winding
road, arid and treeless, perhaps two
miles in length. 1t announced def.
nltely that it's end was futility. The
dust hung like a fog above it, not only
for this day, but for all days between
the big rains. When the gods, or the
elements, or Providence, arranged the
world as fit habitation for man, In.
dia and Burma were made the dust
bins. And as water finds it's levels,
so will dust. earthly and human. the
quick and the dead.
Along the road walked two men,
phantomlike. One saw their heads
dimly and still more dimly their bodies
to the knees; Of legs there was moth.
ing visible. Occasionally they stepped
aside to permit some bullock cart to
pass. One of them swore, not with
any evidence of temper, not viciously,
but in kind of mechanical protest.
which, from long usage, had become a
habit. He directed these epithets
never at anything he could by mental
or physical contest overcome. He
swore at the dust. at the heat, at the
wind. at the sun.
The other wayfarer, with the inner
ent patience of his blood, said nothing
and waited. setting down the heavy
kit bag and the canvas valise (his
OWN. When the way was free again
he would sling the kit bag and the
valise over his shoulder and step back
into the road. His turban, once white,
was brown with dust and sweat. His
khaki uniform was rent and the rag
ged canvas shoes spurted little spirals
Of dust as he walked James Hooghly
was Eurasian; half European, half In.
dian, having his place twixt heaven
and hell, which is to say, nowhere. He
was faithful. willing and strong; and
as carrier of burdens took unmur.
his place beside the tireless
bullock and the elephant He was
why, no one could find lu.
cid answer. BY dint of inquiry his
master had learned that James looked
lpon his baptism and conversion in
as a corporal would have
ooked upon the acquisition of a v. C. |
Twice, during fever and plague, he
lad saved his masters life With the
Of the Oriental he con-
idered himself responsible for his
master in all future times. Instead of
aging off debt he had acquired one.
Treated as he was, kindly but always
rmly, he would have surrendered his
lie cheerfully at the beck of the white
nan.
Warrington was an American. He
vas also one of those men who never
ED misfortune in contempt, whose
utlook wherever it roamed was toll
rant. He had patience for the weak,
esolution for the strong and fear.
sss amiability toward all. He was
Ike the St. Bernard dog, very diff.
ult to arouse. 1t Is rather the way
18th all men who are strong mentally
nd physically. He was tall and broad
nd deep. Under the battered pith
elmet his face was as dark as the
urasian's; but the eyes were blue,
right and small PUZZLED, as they are
Iucu WIZ 1.-Two OuS vi uOOT6s WHO IA
re compelled of necessity to note
lings moving at distances. The nose ,
as large and well defined. All ,
AIMED in tangle of blond beard and
lustache which. If anything, added s
, the general manliness of his ap.
He. too, wore khaki, but
it'll the addition of tan riding leg.
ngs, which had seen anything but
,ckinghorse service. The man was
elbow from the top OF his helmet to {
le soles of his shoes-outside. For ,
10 rest, he was mystery, to James. G
all who thought they knew him. and
ost of all to himself. A pariah, an {
ltcast, a fugitive from the bloodless I