Evening star., 1943-05-16
Writes Second Letter
5 Days Later in India

INDIA, April 25.-I'm sitting in
my suite in a Sultan's palace (no,
the Sultan is not here any longer,
writing on a little table by my win
doWs. I can see the blue water of
the harbor with groups of white,
queer shaped sail boats here and
there. The palace and its beautiful
gardens are located in the suburbs
of large city We eat in the din
ing hall here and are waited on by
a mob of White-robed gentlemen
wearing large red belts and large
multi-colored turbans.
They have beautiful boards and
flowing mustaches The food is Of
fered by these boys while you take
what you want. Last night we had
some kind of delicious cold soup.
then a course of white fish and egg
sauce, fried chicken, peas, carrots,
French fried potatoes, coffee, some
kind of dessert-and service galore!
The houseboys wait on me hand and
foot in the bedrooms, too.
This, of course, is great contrast
to some places along our route.
Night before last I stayed at little
outpost in Arabia and what a sad
place. The populace gathered
around campfres and chanted COR
groaned-I don't know which, for
hours on end
Here in India everywhere Sam, my
friend, and I go in town we 60 by
gary an Indian carriage, horse
drawn. Stylish stuff.
Time out while tell you about the
lunch we Just had. Sam and I
arrived first in the hall-no one else
in the big place except about IS tall
turbaned walters - all looking ex-
pectantly at us! We sat down at
one end of the long table, which was
adorned with sparkling silverware,
flowers and glasses on a white table
cloth.
1t started with some swell soup.
Then main" course. The first
waiter offered us a large platter
with some meat loaf" with maca-
roni and sauce all over it. A sudden
hush befell our audience as I at
tempted to get some on my plate
without spilling any. Another waiter
with a large bowl of carrots, an
other with mashed spuds with a de-
sign worked on it, another with
something else. Then a chap with
coffee and another holding a tray
with sugar and cream.
We did our best to keep up with
them. We were full Then handle
bar mustache bowed at us, indicating
we were to go over to a large side
table. Two small boys in white out
fits and red belts and fez caps were
waving napkins to and fro over large
platters of beautifully decorated sal
ads, platters of fried chicken, plat
ters of large roast beef, fancy po-
tato salads. Whew! About four tall
bushy- -whiskered dignitaries watched
us. I don't know what they were
supposed to do
Well, we ate all that and started to
get up. The dark bearded one looked
so isappointed-why? Because des-
sert was coming. Some kind of figs
and cream.
I'll never forget this place.
Now, the city, shall call 1t the
"city of various odors."
I've never smelled so many diff
ferent odors in my life. Crowded
streets, bikes, buses, carriages. cars,
people, goats and COWS wander in the
streets. Little curio and food shops
near. Beggars, sitting and lying on
the sidewalks :. Smells. Some guy
followed us three blocks trying to
give Sam blackjack which he didn't
want. Little girls paved us for a
rupee, vendors calling out their
wares smells.
Cows walk in front of you on
the sidewalk. A crazy man walks
around covered only by a short,
yellow, dirty shirt Turbans, COL
ored rags and smells! Those cows,
though-they are just like dogs at
home, in that they wander around,
nobody seems to own them, nobody
touches 'em-they just wander I
forgot-camels here, too.
And now from this place I shall
wind up far away $1,000 niles in
the sticks" My headquarters is
a post which has been raided fire.,
quently by the Japs this year. In
fact, part of the Jap Army is only a
short distance couple hundred)
away. Pilots tell me the place is
q hell hole-and the monsoons, or
rainy season, Is starting. Rains day
and night until October. Some
thing to look forward 70, eha