The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-06-29
Illll
The Native,
Ayrith

By CALVIN


Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union.
81 do not think much Of your choice,
Blanche"
"Do you mean of home or of hus-
band, Marcie?""
"Both. Walter Is certainly as much
in love with you al when he married
you, but I would resent a husband
bringing me to this unendurably des-
olate spot-no society, no comfort, no
future. nothing but wallowing natives
and a hot, blistering SUM-"
"Yet we hope for a future, sister
dear" said Blanche in her CHEEKY, op-
timistic way.
Very humble, indeed, was the pres
ent position of young Walter Burton.
He had been an under clerk In the en-
ploy Of the government. "A congress-
man took a liking to him and had Sc
cured for him his present position as
consul at Beiron, an obscure city in
India. Just married, he and his wife
had been there now for about half a
year. Mrs. Marcia Burnham, the Wild
owed sister Of Blanche, was visiting
them.
II pity you, Blanche" she now said,
glancing sourly at the fat uninterest-
ing expanse Of low habitations and
treeless plains before her. II have GER
tainly outdistanced you, older though
I am. Next month, as you know, I am
to marry Count Toliferi. They say he
is very rich"
"Por mercy's sake here" shouted
Marcia, sharply, staring down the
road. 'There Is that philanthropic
husband Of yours with a new pension
er in tow, I fancy"
"Walter, how car you interest your
self in these ignorant, worthless peo-
ple?" chided Marcia. "Your clothing
Is covered with dust from contact with
that fellow"
"A poor fellow, indeed" replied
Walter, pityingly. "You will not Won
der at his condition when I tell you
that I found him lying by the way
side, creeping on hands and knees,
bound for Calcutta"
"Why did he do it," inquired the
widow, with Indifferent curiosity.
"As a penalty. Be was starving
and stole a measure of meal. The law
put him at a year Of hard labor. The
priest of his sect fined him twenty
taels, or the horrible ordeal he was
undergoing"
"And you paid his fine, I infer?"
spoke Marcia, contemptuously.
IT could not resist doing it," replied
Walter.
The widow left them a few days
later to meet her affianced husband at
Naples. The native, Ayrith, whom
Walter had taken under his protecting
wing, became domesticated as a CRATE
full, loyal servant.
Walter was a good deal surprised to
find how useful Ayrith became to him
as the weeks passed on. Most Of the
consular functions consisted In pass
ing upon export duties and the stand
ing Of business houses In the district.
It was remarkable how we'll Ayrfth
was posted on these details. One day
he came to Walter, evidently full of
some subject that interested him
greatly, for a half suppressed excite
ment was visible in his manner.
"Sahib," he said, 81 learn"
Learn what, AyrithT' inquired Wal
ter in his kindly way.
1.-THE guilds-those who export the
wicker, the bamboo, the beads, the
tinsels. They laughed at your country
the great land I love because you
are Of there. They boast to pay but
little duties, because they say mate
rial raw and goods fancy when it is
really fabrics"
That night the consul went over his
tariff files. He made an important dis.
covery.
Walter fully reported his discovery
and opinions to the authorities at
Washington. Just two months
he came into the house with a