Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-21
BY SeWelI Ford
Is you say Honorable Sir"


it is. And maybe you're wiliin' to tell
and no rupees?"
He was willin 1t seems he'd hrst
gone wanderin' from home a year or
so back with a sporty young English-
man who'd hired him as guide and m-
terpreter on a trip into the middle OF
Burmah Then they'd gone on into
India and the Hon. Sour Milk had
qualified so we'll as all round valet
that the young Englishman signed
him up for a two-year jaunt around
the world. His boss was some hot
sport, though, l take it, and after a
big spree coming over on Pacific
steamer from Japan he'd been taken
sick with some kind of fever, typhoid
probably. and was maxim mad dash
for home when he had to quit in New
York and be carted to some hospital.
Just what hospital Sour Milk didn't
know. and as the Hon. Sahib was too
sick to think about payin' his board
in advance his valet had been turned
loose by an unsympathizing hotel
manager. And here he was. +,
THAT sure is a hard luck tale" says
I. But it ought to be easy for a man
of your size to land some kind of
job these days. What did you work at
back in Burmah?"
II was one of the attendants at the
temple" says he.
"Huh" says I. That does make it
complicated. I'm afraid there amt
much call for temple hands in this
burg. Now If you could run a button-
Lo1; ,,p I,n~
or could make good as a floor walker
err, or could handle a delivery truck.
in the mems furnishin' department, or
had ever done any barberin'-Say!
I've got it," and gazes fascinated At
that crop OF facial heritage.
II ask pardon?' says he. starin' pug
zled.
They're genuine. amt they?" I goes
on. Don't hook over the ears with a
wire? The whiskers. I mean"
He assures me they grow on him.
And you're game to tackle any
light work with good pay?" 1 asks.
Il must not cause the death Of dumb
animals" says he. "or touch their dead
bodies. And I may not serve at the
affairs of your people. But beyond
that"
you're on. them" says !. Come
r. along while I stack you up against
Madame Zenobia. the mystic queen"
We finds the old girl sittin' at a lit
r tie table. her chin propped up in one
t hand and a cigarette danglin' despond-
o ent from her rouged lips. She's pic
y ture Of gloomy days.
p Look what I picked up on 5th ave-
nue." says I.
. And the minute she spots him and
q takes in tho chestnut whiskers. them
l. weary old eyes Of hers lights up. by
l. the kind stars and the jack Of spades!'
Is says she. "A wise one from the east!
k Who is he?''
~ "Allow me, Madame Zenobia, to pre-
II sent the Hon. Sour Milk" nays I.
- Pardon, Memsahib," he corrects. II
se am Sarrou Melhk kuhn BAlla Ben, from
10 the temple Of Al Wadda, in Burmah.
am far from home and without rupees"
d Allah be praised!' says Madame
1t Zenobia.
10 '.Ah"' echoes Sour Milk. in a deep
N boomin' voice that sounds like 1t came
70 from the subcellar. 'Allah II Allah!"
70 Enough! says Madame zenobia.
81 '"rhe sage Of india 10 my favorite con-
NJ troll and this one has the speech and
bearing Of him to the life. You may
m leave us. child Of the sun. knowing that
n your wish shall como true. That 10,
20 provided the cook person appears"
OF ''Oh. she'll be here, all right" says I.
They never miss cate like that.
30 There'n be two Of 'em. understand. The
n thin one will be Maggie. that Amt
ne got any dope on. You can stall her Cd
er with anything. The fat, waddly one
Ut with the two gold front teeth viii b.
w Stella. She's the party with the willfu
disposition and the late case Of wander
CO lust. You'll know her by the snapshot
and be sure and throw It into her strong
II IL you want to collect that other ten. :
I'll "Trust Zenobia." says she. wavin' me
away.
Say. I'd like to have been behind thu
as curtains that Thursday afternoon whsr
ais Stella Flynn sQuandersd 81 to get 9
message from the spirit world direct
He I'd like to know just how it was done
is Oh. she got it, all right. And 1t mus
lily have been mighty convincin'. for whel
Oh Wee and drives up to the Ellinses tina
FOR night after dinner to see II they't
noticed any difference In the cook. or |