As a matter of fact, he depends largely
on the sign-language.
2 Why don't you get on
The end
* * * * * *
VOLUME III THE PHANTOM 'RICKSHAW AND OTHER
GHOST STORIES
THE PHANTOM 'RICKSHAW
May no ill dreams disturb my rest,
Nor Powers of Darkness me molest.
--Evening Hymn.
ONE of the few advantages that India has over England is a great Knowability.
After five years' service a man is directly or indirectly acquainted with the
two or three hundred Civilians in his Province, all the Messes of ten or
twelve Regiments and Batteries, and some fifteen hundred other people of the
non-official caste. In ten years his knowledge should be doubled, and at the
end of twenty he knows, or knows something about, every Englishman in the
Empire, and may travel anywhere and everywhere without paying hotel-bills.
Globe-trotters who expect entertainment as a right, have, even within my
memory, blunted this open-heartedness, but none the less today, if you belong
to the Inner Circle and are neither a Bear nor a Black Sheep, all houses are
open to you, and our small world is very, very kind and helpful.
Rickett of Kamartha stayed with Polder of Kumaon some fifteen years ago. He
meant to stay two nights, but was knocked down by rheumatic fever, and for six
weeks disorganized Polder's establishment, stopped Polder's work, and nearly
died in Polder's bedroom.
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