THE INTENTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 252, 17 October 1908, Page 4

THE INTENTION.

"Creeling, faiiier; why do you sit fin-re wailing'. ' "1 am waning for niv child; but is thai, an Englishman'.' lon do not talk like an Englishman. Pardon nie, I ani an old iuau, and poor, and my aril.m. 5.1 thai 1 could not see. Si! d-.-.:; on this rick b.siile me; ; will give ui "Keep Lie siiawi, fa.. 1; „i:c eveui'g air is chiii, and we ...;-.i .. love ,0 stand." "Did you see :.:" \.\ -,•".'..!:",';; ■.; :.■•■ road? He has U..: 1 :.. '. j : ".- .g-. - ; 1 the forest for our tattle, and me day grows short, and he is late, so 1 came a little way to meet him. Did you :pass him as you came?" "1 passed a group oi children just behind and spoke with them. They had been cutting grass, tor each one had his bundle, and they were resting by the roadside. They must be quite close now."

"Here is my child coming; 1 know his step. Sec, here he comes." "Is that your child, old man? He is tall and strong, and his beard is streaked with grey. Is that the child you bade me look for?" "He is a line big man, and I know that his beard is grey; but he is my .only child—always a child to me. Stay, boy, lei the little ones run home; stay and salute the Englishman, for we are talking together. Von are late, boy, in coming.'' "We bad a long way to go, father -- seven miles out aud -.even miles backail for a load of grass; and I must go again to-morrow. The forest guards have closed the near hills, and we must go far for grass." "It was not so when I was young, for then all thin was forest, and the cattle strayed where they would; but I had only two sheep; now I have a little flock of sheep and goats, wii'h three, bullock, and a buffalo. I am on'y a poor man, an oil-presser, and the owners are higdi-handed and hard. In those

early days the Hindus were lords in the land"; the ruler lived ill that mud fort on the bill, and every man robbed his neighbour, and none might call to prayers, and who listened to the poor o'lprcssor? Things are changed now, and even the poor man is heard, and may own cattle and corn and is paid for his labour, for the English are just, though hard." "Yoi have less grassing now, I fear, old mail." " Now there is no grazing, and my son must go far for grass, aud the catl'.c cannot stray unattended." "Is it all peace in your lives, old man; have you uo man to worry you—not even a head-man?" "We live quiet lives; and, though the (head-man is harsh aud a tyrant, yet we are humble and .poor, and. prosper in our way. 1 have never seen a city nor entered an English court where men lie I and wrangle, and where there is no I truth. Do you kno>v what they say,; 'Beware of the lace of a ruler and ol the heels of a horse.' But, pardon me, you are now the ruler! of the laud." " No, old mau, have no fear. I am but a traveller; you nOed have no fear of me. lint toil me, have you ever spoken to an E:igli-hiua.ji before?" "Never before. 1 see them ride past. and have heard them speak: but J never | spoke, to one befiue. for why should! "Have you no land; lor it is hard to live bv oil-pressing ; ,ione'.'' ■Tu the old dav, i had a liltle la'ai. but the liead-ma'i was the owner above me. Thai still 1 have, and I haui bought a iittlc more, and now lone a voke of oxen, (lid as i am. I .still c :'. 1 'hold a i.lougli. aud there - mv son an! hi- son to help loin. ' ■■ '. •• no i.- ■■• ' anvlhing. i.ud ee :■••.-. ..■'.■;... bread and v-:.d r . ■ ! '..'.. ~. to drill'.. i;,-i, :■'.■: , . '. ' 1 for we an; ;ii,n:' ;. .1. '. : ! '. '.. ;,:;-. ■■.'. know, is the f.„„i of kings. Ye.-, di feast-days we eat as much as we want. and have rice, and sometimes even meat, (lod has been good to us, and is good. lie gives His rain in season, and ripens the growing grain, and we eat and are thankful." ' "Where i- vour laud old man?" "That is in'v field down ill the hollow. Mv -on'mid I built that bank." " Il looks good deep land, old iniiu. mid miisi vield lifty-fohl. How much seed does ii take?" "It is g I land and deep, and we ■nlnugh it often: but no land viebls fifty-fold. I have ,own there a hundred pounds of wheat, and reaped two thouisand pounds when tlod xvas gracious.' 1 " Is there am land-tax to pav?" "All the land pays tax: 'out' we do not feel it much when the crops are good. It was different when the Hindus ruled over 11-. Sometimes the times a'e hard, for we are sinful, and the good Hod punishes 11- foi- our sins. Then we have no oil-seed to press, and the crops wither, and we sillier we and our cattle. In siich days we feel the two bad months-the months before the twj harve-ts. Then the grain-safe is einply, and food is short, and oftentimes we fast, and seldom may we eat twice. We let the little children eat: but I am in old mall, and do noi need much.' "If yon have a good .011, old 111:111. vou have much." "He is ;i good son. this of mine, hanks be to Cod. He i- my only child, mil lives in my house with his wife and ■hildivn. and 'lie obeys my word. My : irother too. lives with us; ho is a chi'.dess man, but is a- a father to my sou, : II whom T am father. Yes, my son ibevs and reverences me. and my !■ iroiher. as we obeyed our father, and as lis s oboe him. It is a great sin I .hen the s loos not respect his fath-r. in fea-t d.ivs and hole davs my sou - nines mid does i.h.'SEinw before me. t s hi, -on- do 1... him. Come, mv child, lid do obesiance. You see. he touches d iv feet, and s„ he does |o Ids nioiher ml to mv brother, and so his children e , to him. He is a L 'oo,l -mi. and f,„,;s w o,|. and pray- (0 the saints of God, nil all unlettered though he is, ho »j.n w

repeal, whole chapter-; of the Holy liiu-i go." "llood-uiglil. old man, peaee be wil.ii vou." " i.rv-l: uc'l a I the Ihivli-hiMan. my .- hi. !'.'•,• he i, a ".i-d men. \!a, ( .■■! Mr , ,'. a a;.! m.Ty ii!- ;•■■:■. o go won l-nicw that hi.. i..i.-!Ui..;- .v. re not .:»■ !. lie was the i-uhr o! ~i- I . id. ;a. ■ '.' Iha I lie kul wanted U '.»» -wie ic the forest laws pressed, hev liie ii-w hond-iiiui: was behaving, whet' -■" !.'■'■ land was good, how much the .si 1 vi.-i.'-eil, and that the hinil-fa\ was kgd, ani could be raised, lie had learnt u'.-.rh more than he wished to know, and .'.as ashamed, lest Cod should indeed de,.! with him according to his intentions.-- " Indian impressions," by A. W..1. K., in the Westminster (iazclte.