The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-18

labor l would talk to him in his own
tongue and We would go abroad to-
gether and explore London.
Do you know the Albert Docks?
The British-1ndia steamers go thence
to the sunshine. They sometimes
leave a lascar or two on the wharf,
and, in fact, the general tone of the
population thereabouts is brown and
lumber. was In no case to be parric-
ular. Anything dusky would do for
me, so long as IL could talk Hindu
stani and sew buttons. I went to the
docks and walked about generally
among the railway lines and packing
cases till I found a man selling tooth
combs, which is not paying trade.
He was ragged even to furriness and
very unwashed. But he came from
the East. what are you?" ! said,
and the look of the missionary that
steals over me in moments of agita-
ton deluded that tooth comb man into
answering. "Sar. I am native kills.
ti-an," but he put five more syllables
into the last word.
There is no Christianity in the docks
worth n toothcomb. Il don't want
your beliefs. ! want your jat." said I.
II am Tamil said he, land my
name is Ramasawmy."
1t was an awful thing to lower one
self to the level Of a Colonel of the
Madras army and come down to being
tended by a Ramasawmy; but beggars
cannot be choosers. I pointed out to
him that the toothcomb trade was a
thing lightly to be dropped and taken
up. He might injure his health by
a washing, but he could not much
hurt his prospects by coming along
with me and trying his hand at
bearers work. could he work."
oh, yes, he didn't mind work. He had
been a servant in his time. Several
servants in fact.
Gould he wash HIMSELF"
"Ye-es," he might do that If gave
him a coat-a thick coat-afterward
and especially took care of the tooth
combs. for they were his little all.
Had he any character of any kind?"
He thought for a minute and then
said cheerfully: Not a little dam"
Thereat l loved him, because a man
who can speak the truth in minor
matters may be trusted with important
things, such as shirts.
We went home together till we struck
a public bath. mercifuly divided into
three classes. ] got him to go into the
third without much difficulty. When
he came out he was in the way OF
CLEANLINESS, and before he had time to
expostulate l ran him into the second.
Into the first he would not go till |
had bought him cheap ulster He
came out almost clean. That cost me
three shillings altogether. The ulster
was half sovereign and some other
clothes were thirty shillings. Even
these things could not hide from me
that he looked an unusually villainous
creature.
Al the chambers the trouble began.
The people in charge had race preju-
dices very strongly and ] had to point
out that he was a civilized native
Christian anxious to improve his Eng
lish-it was fluent but unchastened-
before they would give him some sort
of crib 10 lie down in. The house
maids called him the Camel. intro
duced him as the Tamil hut they
knew nothing Of the chronological! SUBJ
divisions Of India. They called him
that there beastly camel" and / saw
Hy the light in his eye he understood
only too well.
Coming up the staircase he conrided
Ia me his views about the housemaids.
He had lived at the docks too long.
! said they weren't. He said they
We're.
Then l showed him his duties and
he stood long in thought before the
wardrobe. He evidently knew more
than little of the work, but when
ever he came TO a more than unusually
dilapidated garment he said NO
good for you. ! take; and he took.
Then he put all the buttons on in the
smoking Of a pipe and asked If there
was anything else. weakly said
No" He said: 'Good-by" and
faded out OF the house. The house
keeper of the chambers said he would
never return.
But he did. At 8 in the morning
home he came. and naturally possess