The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1916-03-17
The QUEER H|NDUS
They Rival the Chinese In Their
Odd Ideas and Customs.
CASTE RULES THE SERVANT
He Doesn't Like Work. Anyhow, and
Generally Finds Way to Dodge It.
cies of Unmusicai Torture.


the same afternoon with India. IL
some one had told me about their man
ners and customs before | got to India
| would have laughed courteouSly and
set him down in my little book. There
are some things that Il Hindu will do
and some that he will not do. Work is
placed prominently on the latter list.
One thing that a Hindu will not do is
TO play on flute. He would rather go
to the fiogging post than dash off Sc
lection on IL flute But he will play
stringed instrument. called Il vina, sim
liar to the instrument played by David
in the tent of Saul This instrument
looks as If it had originally been in.
tended for Il carpet Stretcher. but had
fallen into he hands Of musically In
clined person who had borrowed a cou.
pie of piano wires and was determined
to lower rents. After hearing I'm able
bodied Hindu pick on an instrument of
this kind one can't help wishing that
they would put il in the same class
with the flute
Hindu's idea of music is to make
all the noise he can lie doesn't care
anything about rime or rhythm. All
his energy is expended in volume
Hindu musicians are all large splen-
didly muscled fellows, who play as if
they We're going to a gymnasium regu-
larly When one hears them playing
on vina one can't help wondering
how David ever came TO make such an
impression on Saul
As soon as ! got 10 India ! hired a
valet. II sounds mighty big-untii you
know what you have to pay boy
in India. servant is called boy"
even though he has whiSkers and
grandchildren He said that his name
was Thumbo Ramalngum. or words TO
that effect conldnt remember the
last consignment. 50 called him
Thumb. ana for DAYS / longed 10 ask
if there was a Finger III his family
He wore Il skirt aud Il sheet twisted
around his head He was 10 he my
waiter. for IN India YOU have 10 fur
nish your own table hoy When you
go 10 spend q day or two with friend
YOU always take youI own boy along
TO wait on YOU My hoy was TO mend
my clothes black my shoes. get my
bath water ready and hold my shirt
The way he talked / wasn't 10 do any
thing except open my mail, put my
feet on the table and enjoy life. But
soon found out that his idea and mine
differed quite widely as To what en-
ioympnt of life was
few minutes before the first meal
he suddenly appeared. bit flushed,
and explained that he was of too high
caste TO wait on table. tried TO show
him that it was an honor TO be a good
and efficient table waiter, but he
wouldn't bulge step he'd rather
starve than wait on table. SO had to
look around and hustle up another boy
to do that part Of the work Every
time ! wanted him TO do anything 1t
was against his caste His caste seem
ed to have a special enmity toward all
work. When wanted him 10 carry
my bags he begged leave to be ex-
cuSed, as his caste didn't allow him
to do such menia work, and when
gave him my shoes 10 be BACKED he
looked at me in horror 1t was ex-
pressly against his caste 10 touch
leather-a product of the sacred cow
One day when | told him to pick the
hairs out of my brush he looked at me
sadly and then began To tell me about
nephew that had suddenly departed
this flesh and would be SO kind as
to give half d rupee to the grief strick
en- father and the other half TO the in
consolable uncle That was more than
| could stand, and on the spot | told
him that he was discharged, fired. and
to get out as fast aS he could
THANK you. sahib. thank you" said
Thumb with a profound salute.
told him that he needn't thank me
for firing him but he only bowed his
head and thanked me more profusely
than ever His gratitude was as pro
nounced as if | had given him rupee
Will you give me recommendation
kindly for the good boy | have been.
sahib?'
After what poor servant he had
been. that was the last straw. Ii
would be underhanded 10 foist him of
on somebody else, and then suddenly |
saw a way out Yes" agreed en-
Enthusiastically. and | wrote for him
'"rhe bearer of this note with the un-
pronounceable name has been in my
employ for two weeks During this
time | have aged perceptibly lie is a
servant Of caste, but he never lets
work interfere with his caste When
he came to me he was Il man of fam
lily, but at the rate which his family
has been depleted | doubt ii he has
left more than enough children To last
out week. You will find him especial
| ly good at getting your shirt studs in
backward and at pulling off the tips
| of your ShoeStrings
Thumb, who made pretense OF being
an English scholar, read the recon-
mendation carefully. but his mastery
of words was such that he could not
quite follow the meaning.
Thank you, sahib. thank you." he
said. too proud to admit that it was
| not clear to him. ~"It will be of great
help to me-.
And to the other fellow, too," | said
as he saiaamed and passed out OF my
iife.- Homer Croy in Leslie's.