Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1916-05-11
THE QUEER H|NDUS
They Rival the Chinese In Their
Odd Ideas and Customs.
CASTE RULES THE SERVANT.

CASTE RULES THE SERVANT. |
Ne Doesn't Like Work. Anyhow, and
Generally Finds Way to Dodge It.
Playing the strinsed vina 10 spe-
clos of UnmusicaI Torture.
| had thought China was a queer
place and that the Chinese had queer
customs, but China can't entertain on
the same afternoon with India. II
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 a 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 10
to play on q flute. He would rather 60
to the logging post than dash OF a Sc
lection on q flute. But he will play
stringed instrument, called VIVA, 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 carpet stretcher, but had
fallen into the hands Of unsteady in.
clined person who had borrowed cou-
pie of piano wires and was determined
to lower rents. After hearing an able
bodied Hindu pick on an instrument of
this kind one can't help wishing that
they would put 1t In the same class
with the flute
A Hindu's idea of music IL to make
all the noise he can. He 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 were going to a gymnasium regu-
larly. When one hears them playing
on a VIVA one can't help wondering
how David ever came to make such an
impression on Saul
As soon as got to India l hired a
valet 1t sounds mighty Dig-until you
know what you have to pay boy
in India. A servant Is called a hoy"
even though he has whiskers and
grandchildren. He said that his name
was Thumbo Ramalingum. or words to
that effect 1 couldn't remember the
last consignment, so called him
Thumb, and for days I longed to ask
If there was a Finger in his family.
He wore skirt and a sheet twisted
around his head. He was to be my
waiter. for In India you have to fur
nish your own table boy. When you
go to spend day or two with friend
| o1x 70 10 how olnnU
to wait on you. My boy was to mend
my clothes. black my shoes, get my
bath water ready and hold my shirt
} The way he talked l wasn't to 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-
Joyment 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 l tried to show
him that it was an honor to be a good
and efficient table waiter, but he
/ wouldn't bulge a 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 to carry
| my bags he begged leave to be ex.
cused, as his caste didn't allow him
to do such mental work. and when
gave him my shoes to be BACKED he
looked at me in horror. 1t was ex-
pressly against his caste to 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
a nephew that had suddenly departed
this flesh and would be SO kind as
TO give half 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 l 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.
I 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 II l had given him a rupee
| "Win you give me a recommendation
: kindly for the good boy have been
sahibY
= After what a poor servant he had
been, that was the last straw. II
would be underhanded to foist him of
on somebody else. and then suddenly
saw a way out. YES" l agreed en-
Enthusiastically. and wrote for him.
1.-The bearer of this note with the un
pronounceable name has been In my
employ for two weeks. During thi.
time have aged perceptibly. He is {