Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-06

tn NE Indian Spring had come again
and the heart, charmed with a
thousand odors, could not con-
ceal its eXaltation. Mangalore
was poisoning like flower of
rainbow hueS-eXuberant, mysterious,
silent, poisonously sweet in its avidity
for life. Its fragrance brought oblivion;
its murmur, nameless dreams OF the
completely of the world; its colors, en-
trancement. The smell of the jasmine
intoxicated me: in the moonlight the
lotus flowers cleaned from the black
waters of the ponds and marshes.
The white-robed, brown-skinned fig
ures of the natives, as they glided
through the greenery along the red
roads, moved like the unapproachable
shapes of a fable conceived at a date
long prior to that when our own people,
Graded beneath the oak trees of the
remote west. had begun to live in the
most ancient of our sagas. And with
the other blessings sleep, coming like a
youth from meadow glittering with
dew. at length revisited my couch and
in his company came the happy con-
seriousness of health, energy and the
joy of life
In front of the temples and in the
bazaar there were pagan festivals on
view. Brawls would occur at the harbor
between the Mohammedans, Hindus and
the negroes who came from Arabia in
sailing ships to trade in spices.
I struck up an acquaintance with ne
| groeS, elephants and kings, for in Man
galore there is a generous supply of all
three. The Spring was lavish with its
gifts Of intoXication, forgetfulness and
fervor. The sun-kissed stream of ex-
istence that flooded the whole city car
ried us on its current
Tapped in the mysteries OF this
strange world, refreshed by the blissful
clearness of the sunshine and guided
by youths untiring love of life, my days
succeeded one another.
JONE afternoon trader from Cash
mir had spread out on the veranda
for my inspection his stock of brass pots
and gay en1broideries, when a messenger
from the town arrived.
He was well dressed, strictly in the
native fashion. His turban was made
of red silk, he wore a voluminous white
loin cloth, reaching down to the knee
and looking like a pair of wide breech-
es. Chest and arms were covered by q
short jacket of dark cloth, such as the
ParseeS wear in Bombay.
MY master wishes me to tell yor
that he hopes to call on you at this hour
tomorrow
DO you serve Mangeshe Rao, the
Brahmin'
MY master is Bahadur Mangesht
Rao."
I dismissed him with a silver rupee
My heart was humping with joyful ex.
pectation. had written the Brahmir
to ask whether he would be willing tt
give me lessons in Sanskrit and in thu
history of India, but I was primarily
anxious to meet him because of his in
tellectual reputation and the mystery
that surrounded his political activities
call Panya.
Il know all about it," he said frigidly
"You are going to entertain criminals
We shall all be hanged socn."
How do you know who is coming?"
"You told me yourself, sahib."
was sure that I had done nothing
of the kind, and yet could not answer
for myself. Again and again was as
tonished anew by some proof of the
minutenesS with which all my doings
were scrutinized, but eavesdropping il
the most sacred duty Of an Indian serv.
ant, and / felt sometimes as if my life
depended upon my discretion.
This much was certain. that Panye
was hostile to my making the Brahmin's
acquaintance. He had poured into my
ears all the ISLANDERS and suspicious that
have accumulated to the discredit oil
the Brahmin caste during the last 2,O0C
years. Nevertheless, in Panya's manner
could detect unmistakable signs OF
alarm. He could not free his mind
from the veneration that all other
castles feel for the Brahmins, a venera-
ton that persists in spite of hatred
and fear.
X x X X
MANGEST1E RAO arrived next day
NA precisely at the appointed hour
Riding through the garden gate, he dis.
mounted at the wooden steps of the We.
randa. The sails announced his master
with soft call, ceremonious and i'm.
pressive. Panya now appeared with G
grave and dignified mien.
| I met my visitor as he mounted thu
steps and he held out his hand to me
J in the European fashion. The only
/ point in his behavior that recalled hi!
caste to my mind was the ritual sol
,emnity with which he put off his shoe!