mus NECKLACE.
p flirt-therein an officer in the British
any, any another an Italian lady. The
idioms” few months after my birth,
“my father's regiment being about the
”Wonderedofftoindia, ststak-
soda chum by my paternal grandmother,
Wagon hereunto in Somersetshire, Eng-
land. In :this sheltered seclusion I re-
[snainsd for“! years, when my grandmoth-
srdied suddenly of heart disease, and I
”in! sent out to India under the care of a
:visit. '
II were thin slip of a girl, with a pan-
~ cityefwcrldly experience which made me
appear pathetically childlike. Physically
. “mentally! had been about equally en-
dowed by both .parents, and in conse-
. , , queues was made up of strange contr'sdlc-
" Wand startling contrasts. My golden
blouse hair and fair complexion, inherited
from .my father, accentuated my classic
lectures and large dark eyes, which were
like my mother, while my impulsive,
warm hearted :Italian temperament was
. modified by athin stratum of English re-
serve, making .manoods as variable as
thewind, which blcweth where it listcth.
‘ _ They gave to my manners a hint of fickle-
nessrnlcre apparent than real.
Never shall I forget. my sensations as we ‘
steamed into the port of Bombay. The
day was heavenly bright, and the purple
waters of the ocean were broken into
shimmering-waves bye breeze which was
soft asa caress. The wharf seemed en
fete—a materialized vision of some scene
from'the "Arabian Nights."
There were assembled denizens from ev-
m-quarter oftthe globe, dressed in their
national costumes—laughing, talking,
gesticulating, chafferlng—varied as the
stones in~a mosaic, but mingled and fuwd
into one harmonious whole. Here the
brilliant uniform of an English officer
brushed the striped mantle and silk ks.
" feeya of a swarthy son of the desert.
There .3 stately Purses, white rcbed and
black-mitered, with the haughty air of a
grand seigneur, threaded his way through
the crowd, skillfully avoiding contact,
lest‘vhe'be contaminated by the touch of
oneof lower caste. Nautch girls, beauti-
ful ns'houris, clad in gold embroidered
vestnlents, their slender wrists and ankles
adorned with bracelets and bangles, flittcd
hither and thither like bright winged
,tropio birds. Water carriers, lithe and
‘ supple, deftly balanced on their hcmls
their tall copper jars; brown tilrbulicd
ooolies conveyed strange looking boxes
and bales on shore; whistles were blowing,
‘ ~ bells ringing, tomtoms twining—mil was
3 confused medley of sight and sound,
with towering oocl‘mnut palms in the back-
ground. nodding and waving thcir plume—
llke heads. ‘ '
I had neversccn my father nor his film-
ily and felt fully what I was, a stranger
in a strange land, my heart torn and
bleeding fronlthe wrench given it at part
ing from all I knew or loved. I stoild on
deck like one spellbound, when I felt my-
self encircled by u pair of strong arms,
whilen deep, «morons voice was saying in
gray car, “My daughter, welcome to In-
‘ die,” and swinging round I lwbold my
father, a middle aged, soidlory mun, with
iron gray side whiskers and a sun tanned
He conducted «no to his victoriaithe
only familiar looking objcct I saw, and
even it had native Coachman and foot-
mnn), and we were 'bowlcd rapidly along
the smooth streets, whose quaint scenes,
with kaleidoscopie changc, flushed past
us. Out into the suburbs, along n lino of
Purses residences, with thcir white walls
and brilliant ilowcr leads—up on Malabar
hill, where my father'sbullgulow slit in u
grove of tnnlllriud fl‘l‘tii-i, sonu- distance
from the road.
0n the low, vino draped vcrnndo stood
my stepmother, with bcr children, wait-
ing to welcome me. She was n \‘i‘llfilll‘fl
out looking little woman, indolent fillll
amiable, evidently a victim to the encr-
vating climate, and her throc l‘llllill‘i‘il-—
all girls and ugcd rcspccilvcly o. o and :5
-—boro a striking rcsclnbhlllcc to her.
Her greeting was not looking in cordial-
lty, but the little ones drcw back in round
eyed wonder, regarding me as though I
were some strange bug or bcrilc. 'l‘hl-
look on their fluxes brought ll soil to lny
throat and oppressed inowilll ll fouling
of intrusion and supcrlluity. It H’I'llll‘ii
impossible for me to take the silllllpof my
new environlncnts and adjust mysclf to
an insignificant I'OIIV—I, who blui bccn .all
my life the central figure and slnvllcililllh
ling of my grnlldlllotlu-r’s boom-hold.
I lived almost exclusively on fruits and
boiled eggs, for public mill sionnlcll alike
rebelled at the curried dishes which at
firstl vainly easilycd to «at, with the tours
ltrealnlng down my checks, to tho no
small amusement of the children and dis-
gust of the servants, who rcgnrdcd as a
personal insult my inability to apprecinw
the native cuisine.
From the soft vuioul uyuh, who had
charge of the nursery, down ihmugh the
different grades, to the old punkllll puller,
squatting all day in the basement, and
jerking the cord which kcpt in motion the
null about the house, I was made to loci
an alien.
'Like the quccn of Sheba before King
Bolomon, there was no more spirit in me.
, “fiend me a cobra stone by Bentley. lie
1. lick and is coming home on furlough,”
ray school chum, Caroline ltmrhcstcr, hlld
' “id ll! she kissed me glmdby at parting.
Bentley was llcr,l.lrothcr—-a captain in
the cavalry. On the third duyilftcr my
, arrival I was sitting on the matting cov-
' cred floor of the library with Dorothea, the
, ngest child, who evinced a growing
ondness for me. We won: playing with
Mr three Persluu kittens, curled up on my
lip like fluffy white pompous, when Clip-
hill Rochester was announced.
, . Horas six and twenty years old (I had
. leashed this from Caroline), tall and sien-
M, with languid. thumughbrcd, non-
Mont manners, Very white teeth, abloud
nineteen, chestnut half, and earnest, gray
”in hinged with dark lashes, but he was
”minted to be even moderately good
‘ {I .- . it was our unconventional in-
. , 2‘ . sndtilsrelationshlpto Caroline
gilt test waythe constraint of slim
Wehilshmhsa
minister’s wifewho had been home on a,
We» Besides he had been in India
his for! months, and his easy reference
and places that I knew was like
to lay selling heart. I mama
to him with the familiarity of all
and the
‘9me hornet!) cl.
‘5 e,” i replied. all my mutant
3 back; “I have never‘left the house
since I entered it. I am afrai .”
“Afraid? Why, of what are you afraid!"
mauled, with an amused look on his
“Tigers. and lions and snakes and—and
. -—-cverythlng." The ready tears sprang
tomy eyes as I continued hotly: “Oh, I
hate this country! I shall never never,
feelat home here!” , ‘
“What a childyonaro—not much older
than Dolly,” he said softly as he leaned
over to pll er tiptlltcdnose. "Why,
there’s nozmore danger of wild animals in
this portal 'Indiathan there is in England
—a few snakes ,perhaps, but they are
timid and keep onto! the way. You will
feed differently‘when'the strangeness of it
all wears o ." Pressing my hand encour-
aginglyals heiarosc to go, he added, “But
yonmust get-out where you will see many
thinpto divert you. "
In compliance with Captain Rochester’s
suggestion. I asked permissionof my step
mother .tcldrive lntothercity the next day
shopping. She readily consented upon
condition that I would excuse her from
going and take :the ayah and Dorothea
instead, adding,“ anafterthougbt. that I
must lie-careful to avoid exposure to the
sun, as it would be apt to bring on fever.
As soon as tiflin was over we started.
The top of the victoria was thrown back,
for the sun shone fltfully, and clouds loom-
ing up from the ocean horizon portended
rain. Just outside the park gate wasa
dark foliaged bauynll tree, under whose
tentlille branches a number of dirty, gro-
tesquely painted fakirs were gathered,
some ..asleep, their backs against its up-
right limbs; others, with uncouth pros-
trations and genuflections, mumbling
their prayers.
We continually passed country carts,
filled with produce, and drawn by bul-
locks. Then there was a clutter of hoofs, a
cloud of dust, and a squad of Indian lan-
cers dashed by, their gold fringed turbans,
gorgeous Uniforms, and long spears, from
whose points fluttered scarlet pcnnons,
glittering in the sun.
We drove through the copper bazaar,
but when we came to the flight of stone
steps leading down to the ancient town
we abandoned the carriage and proceeded
on foot, pausing often to inspect the nov-
elties which met us at very turn.
Most of the shops had overhanging bal-
conies, Whose horizontal beams were sup«
ported by elaborately carved tl-akwood
brackets. From thesewcle suspcndcd con-
ical topped bamboo cages, curtaincdin rod
and yellow silk, containing parrots, bul-
buls and pllrtridgcs.
At a street corner (lime half nude jug-
glors were entertaining an idle throng,
while from the flat roof of an ndjncvut
house u long toiled monkey, with a block
face fr‘lugcd in while lsulrtl. solemnly
muncllcd n custard apple which he had
filobvd from n woman who sold fruit un—
der :ln owning ncur by.
Just as we left a Chinese shop, with its
pervasive tutors. and were shaking our
Ill’ililri discourllg'lugly at tho almond cycd
Cl-lcslizll standing bowing belon- us and
n-pcnting ln-rsuzlsivcly, “\Villltw lluytliug
inlay?" u solidi-u shower poured down.
\Vo scurried into the lli‘xtilour, whilrl‘cnpA
[)i'l' llnll brass vuscs, jars and bowls were
pilcd in artistic. confusion. ,_
llruring ll laughing ejaculation, I look-
ed around, and my llcnrt gnvc ii loop which
sent the blood to my neck and IllCl‘ usl
saw (‘uptuin IIHl'lli‘Sil'I‘ standing ill the
room. Blinking illl‘ rn'llldrops from hishni.
“I lcnrned from your gnri nlulll thilt you
were on the strcct. and just mught n
glimpse of you as you vanished ill lu-n-."
Ilk‘ cxphlincd. taking my Illlilil and kiss
ing lloroihcil.
The rain poun-d down in solid shoots.
{filling before the door likc n liquid cur-
tlllu that shut us ill from the outsidc
world. 'l‘llcrl- wcnl lll'l‘p n‘vcrlx-rntiolls of
thunder, and vivid lliifilli'fi‘llf lightning,
which played ovcr the mcixll vcsscls and
transiently illululncd the licnibrnndtisll
gloom of illi‘ intcrior. wilerpull old llilldoo
sniokod his hubblc. bubble, uppllri-ntly oi»
livious of our lulstyllnd noisy intrusion.
Woe-cit about on rugs, ’l‘urkisll fashion,
ulld llilldo oursl-lvcs clltirclyllt hump. 'l‘hl-
illf‘ was pungcnt with tho odor of :l hcup
of rilillwnsbvil grooms on ll fruit sliilul
ln‘nr, liud (’liptuiu llm-lumtcr, inking lid»
vantage of n l‘l‘hfiiillilll in the ~boWi-r. sup
lli'll out nnll plll'l-llusl-d ll lmskvt of pomc
grululll's, ilf'llllgrl'n, figs, liltlc. (ll-lloiollsly
sow-l. ycllow billuulus. not morn lluln tu'o
iln‘lu's long, llllll‘rl, llllil n purplish looking
fruit. about lhv hill' nud shupc of no will.
with a rilllnlill. glossy skin. musty odor,
lillll sulllll'ill illlvnl', which I (llll not. llkc,
blltwhirll llu- uynb and our tucitllru host,
\vllolu wi' hull illvifcd to h'lllli'l‘ our fcusi.
devoured ruvvuously.
('upiilill lim'lwsicr pl‘clmi flu.» for lloro
tin-u nud inc. bestowing llu-ni impartially
on ilrst our, lhcn Illl' ollu-r, i'xl‘i'llilllu
when ”iillll' la'cnlm- gru-l-dy and wuntcd
to infrllulc on my rights, \Vlil‘ll tin-rc \vns
ll uu-l'ry fillililllllll‘,_lll which tho captain
joilu-d. Ewn the aural: and tho liiluloo
mulled lllulvr tho genial influences and
cblltlml iillll chuckled ill subolucll tones.
\l'hcll thc ruin was «on. m- prcpm‘cll to
go; but, n-nu-niln-rlug (‘urullnc's ri‘q‘dl‘hi
forlluobruslouc. I asked our host If luv
could supply one. No hobbled to his foot
with no lllllcrlly I should have thought
llnpossibh- lo Ulli‘ of his cunliwrsoiui- dig.
oily and disuppcnn-d into an inllcr room.
lillsllly returning, ho plllccll lwforc mou
hilllill liil‘lllll'l‘ box, and with folded lirlllii
Mood \vutchlug liii‘ hwnly. 'liut the oyob
lllul ilu'owu hcrsclf on her kiwi-ll lit my
voice implored: "Don't buy 'l'lil, missus;
don‘t buy 'vul, 'i‘ln-y dcvil stones on
bring blui luck, " and she lrirdto ilikl‘ the
box from ulc,
“'l'lwy will not. llurul luc. I mu not sir
pcrslllious," lsnld lll‘lliiilily. Sbukingotf
hvrdcluinlug lmlul liliii opcuiugibc lid,
i saw scvcml snulll, yellow, svlnitl‘nus-
purcnt pcbblcs. ovnl ill sbllpc, with flut-
tvucd sides, lying lilllii‘llil.‘ll ill ii limit. of
cotton.
"is it iruv ilult tho cobra (h- cllpcllocnr~
rlcsthl-sv sloucs lll its mouth?" Illhki‘ll
of (‘upuliu Rocbcstcr, who was ii-ilsiug
Illlllll'.
“You.” be rl-plird as he picked up the
lllrgcst atom». and. turning it idly in his
lullul, continued. ilrl'llmily: “if tcsivd by
psyi'bomuncy, what toll-s of horror till-so
innocent looking little pebbles might r1."
vcol of the jungle and llcllih." lie longh-
lngly plat-mi it against my brow, at which
the limb uttered a piercing shriek. and
seizing liorotlu-il ill her arms rushed to
the door, and even I drew back with it
feeling of awe. Recovering myself by an
effort, lpushcd the box out of reach liiiil
persisted. deeply interested: “Tell me all
about flu-m. (if what use are they toille
snake?" ,
“The most rational theory, I think,"
he said. absently twirling ills mustache,
“is that the cobrus use them as decoys.
The stone is a rare variety of filler spar,
found in dry river beds. it emits in the
filth-especiallv when imiously warmed
masses
'i | -, mil with r illn i-vl-s mul trilliblin ,
h H 1 “ g ' ( it, turning llcliltllwus trilllhl'orlliingbml into
, . , mammals,»-
swsrla second it in numbers, being esiily
deceivedhyits resemblance to the glow.
worm, which, you know. is the female of. 7
the firefly, but crawls upon the ground,
having only rudimentary wings. In this
way the cobra obtains an easy supply of
food and will defend the stone with its
life."
“But why is the ayab so afraid of
them?” I asked, looking to where she
stood with all ashen face, muttering rapid-
ly to herself in Hindoostanee.
“Oh, the natives have a superstition
that their light comes from the spirit of
those the cobra has killed, and that it
grows dim if not supplied with fresh vio-
tilns, which is an easy task, since there is
no known antidote to the bite of the co-
bra.” ‘
“What a dreadful country to live in!"
I said, with a shudder, as be extended his
hand to assist me to my feet.
I paid 80 rupees for three of the largest
stones, and We crossed the street to a low-
eler's, who agreed ,to polish and attach
them as pendants to a delicate filigree
necklace of silver which I selected.
The sun was setting when we reached
the Victoria, and Captain Rochester, tak-
ing the seat at my side, with Dorothea on
his knee, ordered the gari main to drive to
the fort, that we might hear the band
play. My eyes welled over with tears when
the soft strains of “Annie Laurie" throb-
bed and swalled on the pulsing air.
“This looks liken bad case of nostal-
gia," said Captain Rochester, with sympa-
thetic inflections of ,yoice, as he laid his
hand an instant «tenderly over mine, bo-
hind Dollio's little plumpbuck and ollt
of range of the nyah’s sharp eyes, and,
though my tears continued to flow, I do
not think they were those of sadness. At
the park gate Captain Rochester mounted
his horse, which the groom was leading,
and rode buck to the city.
The following day the necklace was de-
livered, and I was fascinated with it.
Half an hour before dinner I clasped it
about my neck and went into the li-
brary to write Caroline on account of it.
My father sat refuting his paper across the
room, while Mildred, the second child,
played with he; blocks on the floor. From
somcindcflnnble cause, I suddenly raised
my eyes and found my father intently re-
garding me.
“Your mother was a very beautiful
woman, my dear, and you are strikingly
like her,” he said fwlingly. “Won't you
come and sit by me?" There was an ex‘
prcsslon on his face which I had never
seen before, and his eyes were full of re-
trospcction.
“Ah, first love is strongest and bear,
after all, " sling my happy heart as I has-
tencd to him. but Mildred, port and oili-
eious, ns usual. anticipated me by throw-
ing hcrsclf ill his arms. and. \vhihr sbc
motioned me away, showered kisses on his
face. crying:
“lie is my pupil! Ib- is my pupil!“
I rclurni-d to the desk. My fnlhcr rc-
sulnod his pilpcr and mask of n-svrvc. and
never llgiiin was it lifted llcthen us.
Aftordllrk \vc sntou Ilit,‘ gullcry, win-n
the llnjii killlu. warmcd by my neck, gum»
forth a lovely light, which terriih-d tllc
scrvums, who llll shun-d the nyull's la-licf
ill its sinister olucn.
Wbcn I wunl to my room. I laid tho
necklace on my drvssing table and stolld
thrcndiug my white fingers through the
nulslu-s of my golden hair as I gazed at my-
self in the mirror, with lny father’s words
in my mind. Perhaps I was really lil'illl‘
tiful. it sci-med to luo thnt I looked dif—
ferent from the girll had been ill Eng-
land. A ncw fooling had certainly come
OVI‘I' inc. but I did not wish nor nttcnlpt
tomllllyxv it. ’l‘hnt night my sleep was
fitful null distorts-d, and half wakinghulf
drowning. I board gliding noises about
lily room, with the faint, resonant click
of Illl‘llll. when the nyuh came in tho
morning in bring my little cup of block
Mocha comm, sbc found me up and dressed
inslclld of ush-cp iln usual.
‘ I did not think of my nccklnco until
iiiii'l‘ llrmkl'osl, null lllt‘ll, when I “'l‘lli to
look for it, it was. uo‘win-rc to be found.
r‘culi. tbc young lllllillhl nulll who (lilirlln-
cluuulwr work, win-u questioned, ill‘llli‘ll
lulu-l ilsirncsily liming own it, which.
Ilint‘l'Vl‘l‘. fliilnl to convince the l-onsilrml
of his llllliu'l'lll‘l'. judging from lhc sound
of bluu‘snlul .Vl'llr which uflcrwnrd prw
(‘m-dcd from ”11' sluluh- yurd. My Iiillll'f‘
employed ll lnltivl- ill‘h‘l‘llVl‘, who nssun-ll
hiln that lbc lll‘i'liliil'i' Would be restored
ill ll sburr llmc.
'i'lm-c wvcks lnnl won-ll and would
sllu'c II'i‘iil'Ill‘ll llulin, :lnll duringtlu- llilll‘
I llilll sci-n ('optliiu lloclu-slcrinmost-dolly.
liut illl‘ cosy iolilililu'ily of our first inn-n
(‘lllll'r‘o' \\‘.‘il~' Sili‘l'l'l‘lll‘il by ll l'l-rtilln coll
slrului. which jili‘l‘l'il likv ll discord, unll
oflcll. wbvu I suddenly roiscd my cycs, I
found his fixml upon llll' with uu-luncholy
lnlvullicss. For four days MI visits bud
lli'l‘ll dismniluuml :lltouclhcr without any
iinrl‘ldllilllll‘ i‘i’lllHi'. llnil I grow rcstlcss null
mlscrillllc. Nl-xl wm-k lll‘ would ll'ill'l' for
Ellgblnd iillll might. bring buck n wife on
his n-lurn. I was too lunch of a child, too
llluliscipliln-d, to dim-lublc. When I was
hurt, I cricd out like any othcr slivugc.
lu u llccdlcss. dcsultory way I nirulll'll
through tho pllrk. out into the dusty rolld.
llow Illlil‘l'l‘iil the phasing, black toppvd
slwgrnms! llow suffocating lhc nir! l
hurricd on bound the lll'ili'll, win-ll, turll~
lug ii Hlllll'p (‘llf'\'l', \h‘lll‘l‘l' tlu- rollil hugged
”1" bank us though dizzy lit illl‘ prm'ipi-
ious llcplhs below, I saw (‘uptuill liocbi's-
(pr coming toward mo, walking slowly.
his lll‘lill bl-ut down and flicking lln: peb-
blcs outof his path with ll small I'iifll'. lic-
e ri-lnllrkiibly handsome lllilll. llc find not
M’l'fi mu, mad I would not Iol‘I‘l' lny coup
puny upon him. With my heart bcnilug
like it trip lililiillll‘l‘,l sicppcd bchllul ll
rock for com-i-ailm-llt, when ii largo lizard
llnrtull ucross my foot, and l sprung buck.
1 bit my lips in chagrin ut my cou'lirdicc.
but the action was unconscious and auto-
luullc. In on instant. ho was at my side,
holding my lllllldli, with such ll glad, hop-
py look in his honest gray eyes.
“Where are you womb-ring to all by
yourself?" be llskml, retaining my hands.
"Uh, I storied out for a little stroll, but
that nasty lizard has frightclu-d me so
that I brill-vii I’ll turn back," I snhl petu-
' lily.
LTH'I‘Ili‘l-m lizards look fonuidnblc, but are
harmless," he replied, smiling at my vu-
llolm-nco as hi» pokcd about in the leaves
until it run away.
sun I stood lrrcsoluto, for] was sud-
dcnly confronted with thc four that if I
went homo he could do nothing less than
accompany inc, and thus I should make
his visit compulsory.
“Let us sit here awhile,” he said, sniccb
lug for me a stone with fewest asperitil-s‘
of surface and scaling blusclf on agnarlell
root at my feet. A soft breeze was blow-
ing or - ...> the purple oceann-blowing from
the dlri'ctlon of my llfllllf‘. I turned my
face toward it and held out my arms
longingiy.
“Do you love f'li‘gliifid so much?” he
n
1‘ I‘snswercd,‘ choking hack a nab.-
“And do you think you will never grow
reconciled tolndiai" he‘queried gently.
"I would not live here, if I had any
choice in the matter—not if you made me
empress 'ef the whole country," I answer-
ed, with an aggressive tilt of the chin.‘
The consciousness that Iwas appearing at
a disadvantage added to my irritation and
made the say things that went like dagger
thrusts to my own heart.
"As this is your father’s home, your
only chance of escape is to marry some
man who can take you away," he said. as
though thinking aloud.
"Yea,” I responded recklessly, driven
tobay by his cool assumption of such a
possibility; “yes, I would marry an ogre
to escape from this country." He did not
reply, but sat quite still, looking out upon
the ocean. Presently“ got up and stood
on the projection of rock. A monkey
swung himself from limbto limb of a troll
near by, pausing occasionally to eat the
beans out of long black pods that hung
on its branches. Iridescent insects buzzed
in the air, and a flock of green parrots
fluttered about with discordant chatter.
Below we the ocean, with sullen, baffled
roar, was hurling itself against the black,
volcanic rocks and sending up showers of
white spray almost to the festoons of
vines that tapestried the upper face of the
cliff. Afar off through sililllnlcrlng veils
of mist rose the islandof Elcphuntus, elu—
sive, dreamlike, while over the rusting tree
tops, landward, the (limit mountains in
blilowy undulations lucltul into the hori-
zen.
“Where is your usual appendage, Doro-
thea?” Captain Rochester inquired, ovi-
dently from a desire to break the embar-
rassing silence.
“At bonus,” I replied, “with her ayah,
where I should be, too, " and moved off.
We walked slowly through the gather-
ing twilight, the moon appearing like ll
fairy boat in a luminous archipelago of
stars.
“Ah, whet a large and brilliant glow—
worm!" l exclaimed, pointing to the dark
shadow of a date tree standing in front
of the bungalow. “After what you have
told me about them IJIllISh certainly ex-
amine it," and I stnrle on a run to the
spot, when with a cry of be r Captain
Rochester seized me ill his a ns and bore
me back to a young palm. - put me. on
my feet and leaned trembling gainst its
slender stem. "
"What is it? What is the mutter?” I
screamed, clinging to him, for he still
kept his arm about my waist- and strained
me to him with a pressure that was pain»
fui.
"Tilt-rut 'l‘llcrci" ho gilspcd, with his
eyes fixed on the lilltc trcc. “fill, my dnr
ling. you wcn‘ walking straight into the
jaws of dcuib E"
"\Vlli-n-i’ How?" Ifnltvrcll.
“That is no glowwurlu, little one. It,
is n nuju kolill, and tho cobra is not for
distant, 5m». its light is continuous. and
that of Illl‘ plouworm is inn-rulittcllt.
My (ind. uhol :lll \‘ni.’il[l|‘ you IlllYl‘ hull!"
and owl-mun.- by his cluotions bc Iillill‘ll
inc lo lil‘ hmrt. hissing [lilShlllililil'ly my
lips and nyv.‘ ’ All, you will disillu- In-
dul .nurc than i-wr now," Ill‘ sum. ibis
Ililliiplll l‘\i‘:' prominent ill his Illlilll.
lint lune wildly, deliciously lulppy llfil‘l‘
my Ill‘lll'i'~>ll|li null fright. for ll how light
Illlll (loom-d upon mu, lillil I saw ibc cross
purposvs all which We had been playing.
' i don't lllaliliii Illlliii~l lovi- if." I
whispvml, hiding my face on his breast.
"lliil flu» snbib cull?" lihkt'il the old
cousurml. hiliilillllg before us. but discreet
ly turning his hood to cough in his hand.
The comarml, like all native servants,
sci-med ubiquitous and bad u habit of ap-
pl‘lll’lllK flllll disappearing uncxlmrtodly.
"iii-t Inc your lllllstl-r's pistol, quick!
Tlli‘f‘v isn cobra limb-r [but II'l‘I‘.” sold l ”:lp-
tnill Iiochcstcr, pointing to tho stzlrlikl-
glimmcr in tho gross.
Contrary to his llhlliil ulncrily will-ll
given an ordcr. llw eonsnruli stood as
though pnrulyzl-d.
“it is llll‘ dcvll snuko. :iml his lmjil
kullll! llou'l slimli, soblb!" ln- pnuli'll.
with chain-ring ll‘l‘ili. “lliniloo fix him.
Milkl.~liilll kill lllhrl‘I—yllll sov,"1lllll\\'llll-
oul \vuiling Ill‘l‘llllnsinll ho disuppi'llrod
around llll‘ bungalow.
"Willi! docs ln- llxciln?
aloud." l .‘irlxl'il,
"ll's only :lnniln-r of their supcrsli
thins," l‘llplilln Illli'lll“ll‘l' rl'pllml. "'l‘lu‘y
lu-lll-vv if the cobm la kllll‘il flint nnollu‘r
will roml- in ilwngv his death, but. if it
can bv unuil- to commit suicide lln- n-vil
powcr of Ilil' hilllli‘ is owl-conic, I mu gloll
you will bow an opportunity of Willie»-
ing illl‘ll‘ Jllgulcry.”
Wl- Mliwloull‘blln lllwn soot. ill the White
llloullligbl, with our ln'nrls too full for
Words. ’i‘ln- ('lllil‘il woe now distinctly
visibb‘, in :l brown coil, with its lll'ilil
waving slowly in llllil fro. llbovv ibi- stone
as it skillfully hliiilliu'li upthc iircil‘u-s that
sumo within its reach. Soon illi' i'ousnrml
rctunlcd. with all tho nn-n about the
stnilh-s uud housv, cncl‘i with his arms full
of coolmnut fiber, which they notoriously
imipl-d in ll circlc about thi- (into trcc, and
till-ii Clllllllll‘ili‘i'd lo swuy their bodies and
shunt ill ll low voluc, while solnlV boys out
lit their bucks llllll boot. on tollltonls.
It won u Wi‘li‘il, truly or‘u'utnl i-Wl'lli‘.
'i‘lluuightwindsrusliiogthc toll palm tops,
the half clad llililvcs, with their barbaric
lucmlloiioos, and the dcutll dclilillg cobra
before its shining stone, no longer hcml-
lug tho flrcilh-s, but illlpill‘l‘lilly hypno-
ilml uud kccplug pl-rfcct time with its
lll‘illi to ”W sirokcs of tho toullolus.
At ll signnl from tho Cilllriill‘llll tllc
cocuiluut flbcr was ignited, tho ioultoms
won- bciltcn furiously, lllui thi- shunt llrosc
to ullliost ll shriek. My father and sicp-
lilotllcr, illll‘lii‘ii'll by the noise, drew hour,
while the llyull run about, lillillly tossing
llcrlil'luslmd shouting: "A dovllsnakol
A iii-vii snake!"
'l'ho cobru, lit the first flush of tlli‘
flames, rniscd its tcrriblo crust, striking
out blindly ill its logo as it circled round
and round lilo slum. As the din ln«
amused and the fire lollpcil higher it
seized the lllljll kllllu ill its mouth and
lululo lldllsh to cscupc. 'l'imc and again
it tried, but was ill‘l\‘l‘ll back by the heat,
when in u seeming frcuzy of llcspuir it
dropped the some, struck its fangs into its
UWn body, and with u convulsive quiver
stretched itself out dclid.
Then tlwro went up ll triumphant
about, in which we all joined, nlld Salli,
who had Ili‘l‘fl flogged for stcilling luy
necklace, sprung into the clrclo, clutched
the new harmless stone and laid it at my
feet. Imagine my surprise at finding that
it was my lost nlsiklucc, and that the
cobra had been the thief. ’l‘ho snake was
an unusually large one and bad mmslhiy
lived about the house for years, feeding
on mice. lt umiouhtlsily gained access to
my room through a ruthole in the floor.
A week later, when the Alexandria
steamed out of port, bound for England, I
stood on deck at my husband's side, wav-
lng a brief adieu to india, and in my
trunk, had in soft cotton, was coiled
the a hallo necklace for Caroline.—
Jcsephine C. Shackleferd in Romance.
I don't undcrv
DAILY SERVI
BETWEEN on
South Norwalk and New York.
FARE—SINGLE, 400.; EXCURSION, 70c.
Leave South Norwalk, bails. m. Leave New York. Beekmsu street. 2:16 p. mé'fiti- —
an. 2.00 v. in. Leave East Thirty-first street. 2:40 p. rn.-, Saturday, 2:21) p. m.
Freisht steamer, City of Norwalk. leaves New York, Monday, Wednevsdsyfsndfll'ridsy at
5-00 mm. leaves Norwalk Tuesday. Thursday and Saturday at 6:00 p. In. Freight received
fromfmmmnabmnm. . iltf
“POPULAR AFTERNOON SAIL.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 26th,
tip. the Housalonic J‘Iiivel to Derby, and Birmingham.
Leave South Norwalk, 2:00 p. in. sharp.
LABOR DAY, STEAMER CITY OF ALBANY.
—TO—
BUFFALO BILL’S WILD .WEST.
Wichita Jack
HAS ARRIVED AT
ROTON POINT,
The world’s young champion rider, who has just returned
from South America, to give
lWll FREE PERFURMANB/Ei DAILY
/
,AT ROTON, COMMENCING
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 22d.
There will also be a tent exhibition by the famous Mexican
knife and battle axe throwers,
lat lam and Senorita Mowra
who have appeared before all the Crowned Heads of Europe and
received medals from the same. Skilled exhibition with 40 foot
lasso, and long bull-whip, fancy rifle shooting, celebrated con-
tortionist, etc., etc.
Ill] Nlll FAIL Tl] SEEATHEMl
—-——ASK FOR-—
BRRWN’S $3.00 Slllli.
And you will see not only a
Nest and Perfect Fitting Shoe.
But one in which the
Best Material is Used, Combining Durability and Style
Making it the best 63.00 Seamless Shoe in the market.
EVERY PAIR WARRANTED.
Call and examine them before purchasing any other shoe, all
H. S. BROWN’S,
South Main Street. 50. Norwaik.
JUST RECEIVED A LARGE LINE OF
Baby Carriages,
FROM $5 UP.
Large assortment of Oak Bed-room Suits, Sideboards, Ex-
tension Tables, Fancy Chsirs and Parlor Furniture at bottom
Wilehymond & Sons.
3. .if FLYNN,
Plumbing. Steam and Gas Filling
108 WASHINGTON 81‘.
J. l'. time will have personal charge of this
Went.
Plumbing everhsalsdsml put in first class
sanitm condition. ‘
PORTER WITER illlTilR
Bedlam. colandutrlgim
toallpsrtscftlis world! r sslehy
H. D. SMITH.
Items 1 lssosic Bsiidisx, Norwsll.
. "roll was Til
Hollis. cationic,
instill. Elm.
lllfih'poiiiisoflnmbm
M...” -
Norwalk Chronicler