The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-11-11


Il studded doors ot his "o""u.$
q.ar;ccs uuI the tw" I."'k s;u'"dss.
with scimjtavs drawn, bowed Ia"
as the huge doors swung together.
In tho sunset glow. the fountain
s3,.>hsd garden. in which he stood.
s..n,,I a. nestle LII" a raIA-Uro2
amid III, cuc!yc,:uS cr1G-E noun
,3,ns FRAGRANT. t,uwvr!ns bushes
lined winding paths and hti!" water
WAYS courscd ruriouslE, here "un-
b,inS in plain view and there md
C.n nv cunning drains OF native ne.
The Rajah-taiL, straight and
r,r.,snmc-wu the ty,ultlcSs exc
MIN clothes OF Europe, made 10y Il
master tailor. Upon his head. ROW
ever was Il SnOw-whtte turoan
edged with gold and III front "t
which cleaned q huge emerald.
Two more cncraids. not quite so
large. shone from the fingers OF his
LEI, hand while the studs OF his
whit. shirt consisted OF pearls con-
xiderably larger than are worn by
white men. The appearance OF the
man VAS refined yet 6aroarlc. state
~ vet a tritle sinister. y iorSlh!e
friend or foe was the Rajah OF ASh
Buthal. potentate OF that trouble
some state among the Himaiayas
Just north Of India.
For moment the Rajah gazed
deem into the fading sunset before
striking Il silver gong halt conSeaIeu
among some greeuery. The reson-
ant note was still sounding when n
se-y.itor--an officer OF the household
-cudcd down some marble steps
and salaGmed hcfor" his master.
Great master ~ III the world.
exclaimed the officer IN Euttura!
dialect while his gold and silver
costume gl:SteNed in the SlantihS
rays ot the sun.
Have the white devils. who think
they are my welcome guests. mn
lshed their afternoon tea without
which they can not live"
Your Htghness they ARE quite
finished. They now play with littIe
racks Of cards and call it bridge.
1t is good" returned the Ra)ah,
Il will join my guests. Let my
musicians bc ready and LEI the devil
dancers from Ceyiou attend.
rs the officer vanished around "A
bend in the path. the Rajah walked
slowly TO tiny gate IN the
wall which surrounded the garden.
Through a grating he looked down
upon a ,errase some ten feet below
!, was a small oval OF perfect green
hacked hv the barbaric castle and
fronted hy Il tive-foot wall which
guarded \ hundred foot drop TO the
plain below.
In the very center Of the oval was
n table around which sat three white
mon. one was elderly ana dressed
i'm British uniform. \ second was
short and stocky with close-crop
ned black hair contrasting strongly
with his white tiannels. the E'S'
man WAS tall and sat in a slouchinS
,-rit,Ide with his long legs stretched
beneath tho taAlc-Irooping III MS
white riding breaches as II he were
dead tired or had lost interest III
tho world.
Tho Rafah of ACh Buthal smiled
rrimly TO himself as no inserted
silver KEY and opened the gate. AS
ba descended the steps. leading 10
tho Terrace. TWO native attendants
who hid been standing near Inc
table. ran swiftly away.
With the first step OF the RaJan
upon the green grass all the peace
and quiet OF the scene was hlot'eu
ON, As If from nowhere n hundred
natlve drums broke the mountain
stiffness and from all entrances TO
the oval dashed a score Of hideouS,
naked figures, grotesquely painted
and ..dishing torches wAich tn'E
te ,sed and caught in tho tadlhS
light with great skill.
The Rajah paused while twan2-
ing stringed INSTRUMENTS weird
sute-notes added 10 the clamor "t
,bs drums. The fire dancers Circ!ed
,hs little table and exploded COM
bustible powders the fire from which
thev seemed TO breath into and on'
~ their mouths. Through II all the
military man twisted at his gray
uous,ache, the stoCky man moved
res,lesslv in his chair. but tn" tail
link, individual failed TO change his
ATTITUDE in the slightest degree.
Amid tho general pandemonium
tho Ra,ah advanced with stately
s,ep and was met halfway by the
dancers. who escorted MIN 10 the
table with wild shrieks aud frantic
attempts 10 Guido one another III
swallowing fire.
Suddenly tho RaJah raised hand
and magically the tumult ceased.
Not :, sound continued and the
dancers fled back from whence they
came.
"TnnpinS afternoon. colonel en-
WHAT" exclaimed the Rajah as ne
extended jcwelled ciSarette-casc
10 the man in uniform.
"yo,,r UiShNess is amusing him
self with my poor nerves. replied
the colonel taking a cigarette while
all three rose.
Not at all. my dear chap, re-
Turned IN" RLjah. To q" that
would have 70 employ Shrnpn"I Ny
little demonstration was I" impress
NJ. own Dson!e-mcre children Y""
know. # did not do spectacular
things and assume absurd "iSu't!eS
thcv would soon cease 10 nave
proper respect tur mo-
Ar ,u--a c~viI-daur"rs from
,oYr coun;r:. Your lighuess?"
us,ioi Tho snort man.