Loading...
The Seaforth News, 1934-12-27, Page 6PAGE SIX. THE SEAFORTH NEWS. THURSDAY, DEC. 20'.. t934. He had ibusied himself deeply in the arrangements consequent upon the :victory and the 'distribution of phut- der, but with no effect. Haunted. by IGunga's murder on the 'one hand, by Tara's determination to clie as Sutee on the other, the remonstrances of Maloosray and other 'friendis only ir- ritated hint the more. They had en- ,deavonred to restrain hint from go— ing, to I\\ -Ye to sec her burned, but with no result --he had broken 'from them, and ridden over alone that ntnrning. (Soon after he arrived, he heard that Vyas Slhastree and his sister were al- ready there, and he• had sought her, and in his former desperate manner, threatened and persuaded in turd. It might be that, !having experience of these 'throats, IRadha no longer dared them, or that the position she now occupied was so utterly hopeless as regarded Tara, that even he must see that it was useless to persecute her further. As a last resource, 'he had proposed to some of his : own nun, desperate and licentious as himself, to attack the procession, and carry Tara away; but, hardened as they were, the sacrilege of violently abducting a 'Su - tee, was an impossible crime against their faith, and his proposal had been rejected. He 'was there, therefore, alone. 113e had bathed and performed the n'eed- 'ful ,ceremonies with the other Brah- niuns, and the thought that he should at least see Tara die, came, for the time, like sweet revenge into his heart, feeding his evil passions and sustain- ing them, IDe'ils both, .'Tara and (lun- ge, witches and sorceresses, '\\that matter if both died .horrible deaths? it was the penalty of their crimes; and in such tohughts a 'momentary con- solation was offered by the mocking fend at his heart, to be .whirled away to the chaos of despair, in which Gun- ga seemed writhing in her 'blood, and Tara tossing her arms in the agony of the lire. Thus he had walked with her, al- most beside her, from the house, tltrr'ngh the streets, to the pile by the river -side. i11 the 'litter. surrounded by chanting'Brahnuns, she was un- approachable; but, sinking to the earth helpless before him, she seemed once more fated to 'be his prey. "Tara, 'Cara," lie 'whispered quickly and sharply in her ear, as, helping her to rise, he passed his arm under her, "Come, 0 'beloved! save thyself, even now --even novo, .1 can do it. Come, ''O beloved I" 1'he 'words and his hot breath on her cheek roused the girl more com- pletely than aught else could have done. She did not speak, but she arose, strong and defiant, and, shak- ing hint off, pushed 'him away so vio- lently from her, that he staggered and fell backwards. For some time past, a body of hor- semen, with their face tied up, after the fasion of'\'Iahratta cavaliers, the housings of their horses 'weather - stained, and their arms rusty and un- polished, bad mored about the bell of the river and the bank beyond, and as the procession advanced to the pile, pressed on nearer to the crowd. It night he a hundred then or more; and the leader, who teas a Mahratta,. spoke cheerfully to the people who addressed him, and tole; them of his Pursuit of the )iussuhnaes, and the raid they had done into the ,13eejap- our country, from which they were only now returning h1 title to see the show before they went home to the fort. Our old friend 'Iiaitvunt Rao had heconte spokesman and ostensible leader; and the hunchback rode with hint, and 'bandied word.; with the by- standers freely, but in goad humour. With them, ton, was Fazil Khan, who joined heartily in the rough jokes which were pausing—many, at his own expense of ragged clothes, rus- ty arms, and daunt features: and thus the hanri pressed on to the very skirts of the eruwd, as if to see the Sutee, but actually to tape up the position necessary for their adventure. Dur- ing the day they had passed several bodies of clahratta horse, but had been taken for a similar party, and had as yet been unchallenged; and in the crowd, their 'bold confident de- meanour, and the ready replies given to all questions, with the certainty a- mong the people that every Moslem soldier hail perished at .Perta'bgurh, or was a ;prisoner, prevented any sus- picion of their' real character, Bultrunt Rao had seen Sutee rites before. They had watched the pro- cession issue front the tow•it, ,and he knew- Tara would 'alight 'from the lit- ter when she arrived at the pile. As The did so—as the litter was 'carried aside, and before the procession around the pile was formed—they had determined to ride in upon the crowd and ,bear her away. 'They had no fear or the result; there was not a doubt among then. They knew that every horseman in the town ' would be present there., unarmed mid ce 1,11, and that miles would he oasseit by therm ere pursuit come; 'h.' made. Their old iti'llug-pia cc t;as not They had removed Armada into an II ed her, and set up a hoarse shouting inner room, and her senses had ral- lied under teh care paid to her, .\'s he rose with a despairing gesture, and turned away from his child, the Shas- tree sought Anunda. "There is no hope," he said, "wile—none. It is her own act, and the goddess takes her. !She is doomed, and I saw- it in her eyes. It is enough that we have come to see it; she is already gone far be- ond us, and we dare not recall her." II -le closed the door, and within Were Radha, Attuttda, and himself. \\'hat he said to theme—how he consoled them, no one ever knew; but after a while they caste forth, bathed and purified themselves, and went and sat silently near their daughter. Now, they looked at her calm, slot - ions beauty as she sat within the bower, decker; for the sacrifice, with heavy wreaths of jessamine flowers about her head, and rich golden orn- aments abort iter person -their faith, cruel as it was, bid them rejoice. No more contumely now, no More re- proach, no more sin, no more per. e- cution. Her little history was told them by Vishnu Pundit, and believed. Tara was pure, and if the goddess called her, even through the fire, she must go, So they sat listening to her, as site recited those passages front the holy books which her father loved. relative to humble and yet ,glorious martyrs like herself,—men and women who had undergone the trial, anti were at last free. Sometimes she spoke to titer calmly—told them how she wished her ornaments to be disposed of—what Charitable donations were to be given in her name—what mes- sages were to be delivered to her friends, and the servants who had tended her; but she never spoke of the past, nor alluded to her parents. as though she believed them dead. She never mentioned Afzoal Khan or his family; she shed no tear, nor did any human weakness appear to atingle with the rapt devotion which it was evident fulled her mind, and absorbed every other faculty. So they sat—the girl within, the father and another and Radha with- out, the bower—their eyes blinded by tear. their voices choked with sobs. Tara bid them not to weep; but that emotion could not be denied. No one dared tc, intrude up.ut that last terrible severing of earthly ties. CHc\i'TER LXXSIV as they saw her first. She .reached the pile, now covered with fluttering pennons, and stream- ers,—orange, 'white, and crimson,— and thousands of ,garlands, which the people had 'hung or thrown lipoyl it as votive offerings since the morning, -and the litter was set down for her to alight, It was ;with diligently the crowd was kept back so as to forth a space round the pile which would admit of ehr passing in procession; but it was cleared at last by the lirah- runts, and the people hung back awe- struck and staring at the beauty of the victim. "Tara looked at the pile; but there was that strange eetasy glowing in her eyes which appeared to have ren- dered her unconscious of its purport, or of all else about her. Sometimes she cast up her eyes with a strange 'hrigitt smile, and nodded als if she o ere sny'ing, as perhaps she did, r'I come, I come." Again she looked round 'her dreamily. The roar of the people's voices, the clash of cymbals, the shrill screams of the pipes and horns, the hoarse braying of trumpets, and the continuous beating of deep- toned drums were around her, drown- ing the sound of words, and the bitter sobs and low shreihs of her mother and R'adlca at her side. Her fa'ther's spirit seemed to have risen to the need of the occasion. for he stood near Iter joining the solemn chant, 'which blended with, and softened, the rude music, iAs she stood, the dirahnums wor- shipped her, and poured l'bations be - fere her anti on her feet, touched her icrehesd with sacred colour, and put fresh garlands over Ler neck. Then the last procession was formed, in which she would walk round the pili' thrice and ascend it. as her last act of ceremonial trbservanen. Now, and 'before site had to take off her orna- ments, rna,nein , site turned her lull gaze on it, and they !thought,'who were watch- ing her, that she seemed to compre- hend its purpose. :\ huge platform of logs, black with oil and grease that had been poured upon theist, strewed with camphor and frankincense. which had been scattered lavishly by the people in their votive offerings, and smeared with ret! powder. A rule step had been. made for Tara to as- cend by, and on the summit some bright cloths were laid as a bed, •„here she slight recline, upon which small etfigl of a man, rudely con- ceived and dressed, had 'been placed. Her marriage -bed in the ,pirit•tal sense of the sacrifice, on which, titrongh 'fire, she would be united to her husband. The whole was garish. hideous, anti cruel, !Face to face with death so horrible, so imminent, the girl seemed to shiver and gasp sud- denly. and sank down swooning. Vishnu Pudnit, and another old lfrahmnn, raised her ftp. "It must not be," they said to each other in a whfspe•; ".he 'ntltst not fail now, else shame will come upon us." Yon. Trintuul was near het also, and had been one to seize her me.•.h- anically as she wits falling. To hits the scene was like some mocking phantasy, which 'held `him enthralled, while it urged 'him to action. Since he had murdered +Guaga, his evil spirit had 'knnwm no rest; n'o sleep had cone to 'hint, except in snatches more horrible than the reality of waking. 'Again and again 'he had felt the rush of the girl's warns ,blood upon his hands, and the senseless body lalling front this 'amts into the black void of air, to be no .more seen or .heard 'of—and had started up in abject fear. Day or night, it was .the same;—the short struggle, the fran- tic efforts of the ;girl for life, his own maddened exertions to destroy Ther, were being acted over and over again. Every moment of this life was full of them; and nothing else, do what he (night, go where he ; would, came in- stead. IIIc 'had eaten opiutmire large 1.r11hast the .holy temples,and into duas tities, but ! only made the rpal- the river bed, where, thousands await- j1}' of ,this htdc,eus vision 'more palp- able and alp-ableancl exaggerated all its details • •known, and beyond was open cocn- 'try; and if a long ride by night, what fear?— the horses were fresh and, Well 'fed. 'Be ready, bic''ah," said 'Buiwvuin ,.Rao, int a low voice. "See, they are clearing a space around th pile for her to wa'lk,''I-Loiy !Krishna; 'how beau- tiful she !sl ',fey 'Kalee! !fey Toolija Mater " he shouted with fI,e crowd. Theta turning to the hun'ch'back, he bade hint go round the rear of 'the party 'and see they all kept together. 'As one titan Lukshamun, when they hear our shout, 'let therm follow." So they advanced nearer and near- er, and the crowd on foot, unable to resist the pressure of the horses, gave 'way 'before theist, The sword of every man was loosened in its sheath, and a iew of the rear ,sten, Who had mat- chlocks with lighted matches slung over their backs, wishing theist, and held them on their saddlebows ready for use. It1 any one had noticed Fazil 'Kahan, they would have see! •hhm smoothing a cushion, as it were of cloths upon the pommel of his saddle, while he wakened his horse with an occasional touch of his leg, and kept him excited for a sudden rush. He moved up close to IBulwunt Rao. "SIf 'I fall, dear friend, in this," he said, "tell tient how it was, and take the sten to them. 'Do not •wait for o; let tthemdo with me as they dist"m IBuiwunt Rao smiled, "Fear not, Math," he replied, "Ride thou in to .her, and trust to us for the rest," Iliaeil's teeth were hard set, and his heart throbbed 'quick; but be was calni and cool, at was no time for chance work, :and 'there must not ,be any mistake now. He felt his sword was loose in the sheath, and smiled to himself. The .men had orders not to strike in -armed people; lett if any resisted, there world be some re- venge fir 'Perta'bgurb be thought, and looking wound, saw the rough ,faces of Itis followers .in thick array 'be- hind hint, holding in their horses as though for a race. ,They saw Tara alight. Fazil was. not a stone's throw distant, and per- haps she slight see ;tits, but she did not. He was not its her thoughts now; the agony of relinquishing him had passed from he' in the despair of life long ago. 'T'hey saw her suddenly sink down, and Vishnu Pundit and ;Moro Trimmul stoop to raise her up. 'L'iemuiia! Futteh-i-nubbee1' cried the young ,Khan, as, .pressing his horse's flanks, the animal hounded forward. "Bisntilla, brothers, Ya Ya Alla!" "Ya Alla! 'Ya Alla!" shouted the rest behind him, as they too gave their horses the rein, and all dashed forward .furiously. (Some me nwith poles and sticks struck at Fazil, ,Budwunt and Luksh- nutn, as they came on first, but none there had arms. It was as Tara, wat- ching the effect of her effort against 'Moro Trhnnrul, stood apart, with 'flas'hing eyes and ;heaving bosont— 'bel'on•ging for the moment to the world she had abjured — that the hoarse 'shout df the horsemen fell upon her car. She looked at then for a moment, she sate people go down 'before them, trampled, shreiking, un- der foot, and the weapons flashing in the sunlight. Then two sten stopped for an instant -- she was between' them: both stooped towards her at the same moment, and one threw himself off his horse, and lifted her to the other's saddle. \s it was done, a man sprang at IFazil's horse's bridle, with a frantic execration, caught it, and jerked it violently. The noble beast, urged on — for ,Fazil saw the danger—partly rear- cd, but was held clown by the bridle; else it had fared ill perhaps with the young man'--tinr Tara. was not sensi- ble now, and he could only hold her up with difficulty -had not Luksh- tnun been nigh, "I never kill Brahntuns," he said through his teeth, " ,but thou art 1 devil;" and he struck at 14 oro 'Trim- mul's hare neck with all his force. The wretched 'man sank to the earth under tlfe terrib'ie wound, the hunch- back sprang to his horse, clambered upon it like a cat, and flotirishing his bloody sword, though he struck no 'one, rode by .Fazil's side onwards, unharmed. No one opposed them; the action was 'too sudden and too desperate. The crowd, also, was not so .thick to- wards the river, and gave may before them; and, cl'ash'ing through tate shal- low ford, th:e horses throwing top the bright water in a clioud of sparkling drops, they galloped tap the bents, and even. :'hen, were beyond pursuit. A 'fe'w :of the matchlock -men, firing their pieces over the heads of the crowd beyoid, shook theist in defiance, as they torted to ride after the -party: and a few shots in:return, the 'balls of wh'i'ch sang shrilly in the air cern their heads, were fired after them by people in the throng w'tih harmless effect, ;ft was long ere .the party fire'" rein, and no one spoke. Tara lay eas- ily. supported on the cushion 'by Fa - nil's arts, and he watched anxious- 'After a while, they heard the s.nuntl of drums and cymbals, and of the rude 'bfahratta pipes. advancing np the street, playing a -.veiling, so nss- nil air, and the musicians st,,pperl at the door of the outer court. The peo- ple within tell !tack, and made a lade of egress, and Tara rase and cants forth front the bower. Once she pros- trated herself before her father and mother, and those with her, san' a shiver—whether of grief, despair, or terror, who could say—pass through her body; but she recovered herself oncikly, and as she stood on the tip- per step of the basement, she asked for flowers, and, throwing handfuls among , the crowd, descended the steps into the court. Then slowly on through the peo- ple, who worshipped her as she pass- ed; and out of the court into the street, where an ope slitter awaited her, Carried in this, as in a triumph- ant prdeession, and with baskets full of 'flowers before her, she threw them among the crowd, As she proceeded through the streets, shouts from the people around her, and from these on house -tops, trees, and terraces, were redoubled; many , women shreikcd, and moist prayed aloud for the Sutee. The clash of the music increased, and the march played was one ' of victory; w"stile companies of Brah- nttn , bareheaded, joined the pro- cessann, singing and chanting the f ,hath. So. on throttga the ly for signs of returning conscious- ness. It came :at last, as he felt her cling to 'him, and she looked up to his face, as they crossed a stinal'l, stteam'ielt leisurely, with a pleading look wihic'h could not be mistaken,. fear not," be said; "fear not, beloved1 'Thou art ,s'afe now; and that hideous pageant is far behind iDids't thou think, 'Tara, 1 ,would leave thee to die .that frighafu'l 'deat'h with- out an effort?" The beauteous eyes opened again, ;and closed softly as the tears welled 'front them, !The rapt glittering ex- pression of religious enthusiasm had passed away, and left the world ,com- ing back !lase into thea!, 'with all its. tender ,interests and love, a thousand- fold more 'powerful than before, That night, another pile was light- ed by the river -side, and a corpse, never removed from the spot where it fell, was burned upon it; but the pile of the Sutee remained, grim and black, and the garlands of flowers. had withered in -the next day's sun ere it was dismantled. 'There 'were a thousand rumours current in the town -for some days as to who could have done so bold a deed, but no one guessed the truth, Had Moro T'rimtnul lived, he could. have told; but he had never spoken after the hunch'back's sturdy death- blow. So the people believed that some of the starving Bieejapoor cav- alry, wandering about, had determin- ed to attack the 'people collected for the Sutee, and plunder them of what they could; and that the ric'h orna- ments which the .St'tee herself had worn attracted their attention•, .and they had carried her off for theist. Some days afterwards, too, near a spot where the fugitives had rested for a while, the remains of a young woman, so much torn by wild beasts as to be unrecognizable, with , some shreds of silken garments about theist, were found by the village people, It was clear that a murder had been done, and the circumstances under which Tara had disappeared, rend- ered it probable that these remains were hers. So they were taken into l\Vye; and the miserable parents, be- lieving theist to be their daughter's, had them burned by the riverside in all honour and respect, and thence- forth believed her dead. They did not leave Wye immediately. The excite- ment and fatigue had exhausted the Sitastree, who required rest; and the ceremonies consequent upon: Tara's death, and necessary purification, oc- cupied some days; so Vishnu Pun- dit's persuasions 'prevailed, and they remained with 'him, PROFESS'IOINAL CARDS! Medical ,DIR. E. A. McMIAISTER.—+Graduate• of the Faculty of Medicine, Univers- ity of Toronto, and of the New York, Post 'Gradu'ate School and Hospital. Mem'b'er of the Cotllege of Phys'icians, and Surgeons of Ontario. Office om' Hight street, Phone 27. s DR. GILBERT C. JARROTT —a•• Graduate of Faculty of Medicine, Un- iversity of Western Ontario, Member o:f College of 'Phytsioians and Surgeon - of Ontario. Office 413 God'erich St, West. Phone 37. Hours 2-4.30 pm,. 730-9.00 p.m. Other 'hours by appoint silent. Successor to Dr. Chas. Mackay. OR. H. HUGH ROSS, Pitysielea, and Surgeon. Late of London How pital, London, England. Spacial• attention to disease's of the eye, eet.- nose and throat, Office and real - deuce behind Dominion B'a'nk. Office, ercial Hotel,•'Sea'forth, 3rd Monday 'uv Phone No. 5; Residence Phone 104. CH'A'PT'ER LXXXV. IDR.; F. J. B'UIRIRIOIWS, Seaforth, Office and residence, Goderich Week, east of the United Church. Cocos for the County of Huron. Tele'plhwatr No. 46. !K'hundojee Jakrey perforated his promise iaithlfully. By secret moun- tain paths known to few, and through the dense forests of the tract which lies between ,Pertabgurh and Kurrar, on the right bank of the Krishna, the l:l'ahratta guided his charge safely, and with as much co'nfort as the nature of ithe journey would admit .of, The loon 'women maintained their dis- guise of peasants, and •Zyna's ability to speak :\Iaitratta, as well as .Lurlce's to speak Canarese, assisted in aiding the deception; iBy night Kakrey sought shelter of villages where he seemed to be well known, for a de- cent house was always ready for theta ,to sleep in, the 'best of delic- acies of country farmhouses cooked for their, and frequently, not only the matron of tine house, but other women of the village, attended to bathe theist, and otherwise minister to their contort. IBut for all this, those days were remembered as a time of bitter grief and sore trial; the more difficult for Zyna to endure, because I.ut'lee could not be brought to believe that her husband was dead, and preserved throughout, a demeanour of hope, if not, indeed, of actual joy. "No otte saw him die," she would ' say, "his 'body was not buried by t'hent. They dare not say he is dead, and I will hear no more of it. 'When we are at Kurrar he will return, and -we .will go home together." Again and again, too, were the astrological diagrams con,. salted: but the lady was unable to find any error in them, and for the present they were to her far more conclusive than the report she had heart; trom'F'azi'i, and it Was a happy thing for her, 'perhaps; that the de- Qusion lasted even as far as the town to which they_ were journeying. • Continued Next Week DR. F. J. R. 1uiO'RISITER—Eye, tort Nose and Th'•roat. Graduate in 1 edit cine., University of Toronto '1d0. Late Assistant New York luth li- mic and Aural Institute, Ivloor'sleid'f' Eye, and Golden Square throat 'horpi- tabs, London, England. At 'Comt- erciel :Hotel, Seaforth, 3rd Wednes-« day in each month 'from 1.30 pan. tc.'' 5 p.m. .DIR. W. C. SPROlAT,—'Graduate ad: Faculty of Medieine, Universttty oS Western Ontario, London. Member; of College of Physicians and Sur- geons of Ontario. Office in mer e.6' Aberhart's drug store, Seaforth, Phone 90. Hours 1.30-4 p.m., 7.3t -9 p.m. Other hours by app'ointment, Dental 1DDR. J. A. MUNN, Successor 4e, Dr, R. R. Ross, graduate of North- western University, Chicago, I1!. •li- centiate Royal College of Dental Sua- geons, Toronto. Office over Me" hardware, Main St., Seaforth. Pham 15'1. DR F. J. BIEOHIELY, graduate, Royal College of Dental Surgeons, Toronto. Office over W. R, Smith's" groceey, Main St., Seaforth, Phloem,. office 185W, 'residence 1857. When packing eggs for shipment a good practice is to brush the hand lightly over ;each •filler as it Is. packed to make s'u'e that tto eggs are "pro- truding above the top of the filler. Such eggs almost invariably will break itt transit. ,Before packing. a case, 'examine the bottom and ,sides. TE any nails are loose or 'have fallen nut, replace theta Send us the names of your visitors Auctioneer. IGIEORIGE ELIJIIOTT, Liceoaa'd Auctioneer for the County of Huron. Arrangements can be made for Sate (Date at The Seaforth News. Charges moderate and satisfaction guran'teed. WATSON AND REID:A. REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY, (Succssors to James Watson) MAII'N ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in First -Class Companies. THE McKILLHP Mutual Fire Insurance Cottit HEAD •OFFICE-rSEAFORTH, Ont. OFPI CERJS President—Alex. 13roadfoot, Seafoa'Nht Vice.President, James Connolly, God- erich; 'Secretary -Treasurer, M. A. Reid, Seaforth, AGENTS W. E. Hinchley, Seaforth; Jahr.' 'Murray, R. R. 3, 'Seaforth; E. R. G.. 7armouth, Brothages; James Watt,. Blyth; C. F. Hewitt, Kinpard'iaer Wm. Yeo, Haitnesville. IDIIIREOTIORIS Alex. Broadfoot, Seaforth Ne. 31; James S'hoidice, Walton; Win. Knox,. tL o n d e s boro; George Leonhardt, Bornholm No, 1; John Pepper, Bruce - field; James-Connolly,.God'erich; Ro- bert Ferris, Blyth; Thomas Moyfart, Seaforth No. 5; Wm. R. Archibald, Seaforth No. 4. Parties desirous to effect in'sttrance or transact other business, will 'be• promptly atte,rded to by applications • env of the ab• ver named uflicer' ad- dressed to their respective post -- offices.