Heluiz Chandler Washburne

“ When he finally reached the office he was almost out of breath. "Quick, Uncle, quick!" he panted. "Some men are stealing a garden!"
The big Chief of Police twirled his fierce black moustache, and rubbed his nose. Then he called loudly for two of his men. Rhamon shivered at the sound of his voice. It seemed to come rumbling up from the soles of his big red slippers. Settling his huge turban farther on his head, the Chief took Rhamon's hand and started off with long strides. Rhamon could hardly keep step with him, but he felt very proud. ”

“ Just then they whirled around a bend in the road. In front of them he saw a fairy spot where clear spring water fell like a sheet of sparkling rain. It dripped through a mass of green vines and hanging ferns. ”

“ Rhamon made up his mind that when he was a man he would have his very own shikara—a splendid big one with fine carving, soft cushions inside and a place for six oarsmen.
On their way down the river they passed boats of every description. There were shikaras like their own, skimming swiftly over the water, merchant boats, dugouts loaded with vegetables, slow-gliding grain barges, and some being poled along by a man or woman who stood balancing far out on the tip. ”

“ Until this moment Rhamon had held on to the perfume jar, but now he handed it thankfully to his uncle who smiled and took off its many wrappings.
Truly it was a king among jars, tall and graceful and rich in color. Rhamon thought his uncle would never stop looking at-it, tilting his head on one side and then on the other. At last he said, "Yes, the jar has great beauty. When you return, say to your father that he chose well. I have never seen one more perfect. ”

“ The shopkeeper threw up his hands in horror. "Three annas! And how shall a poor man live when he must sell his goods for so little? Oh woe, oh woe! I have no luck today." Then as Rhamon started for the door again, he called, "Five annas and the top is yours."
"I shall look at tops farther down the street," Rhamon answered, jingling the coins in his pocket. Now Rhamon wanted the top, so just as he reached the door he pulled out his money and said, "I will give you four annas for that top." ”

“ When Rhamon rested from his paddling he liked to trail his hands in the cool water or pull up the pink and white water lilies that floated on the river. He could see their long stems through the clear water reaching down, down to the muddy bottom. ”

“ As Rhamon came closer he noticed the big brass rings that swung from the men's ears and the many strings of beads around their necks.
"Those men are snake charmers," said his uncle. "Their fathers and grandfathers before them were snake charmers. They have a strange power over snakes. Even the most deadly one will not hurt them. And when they play their flutes the snakes must dance." ”

“ Rhamon Delivers the Perfume Jar Half-awake, Rhamon stumbled down the aisle. And then he remembered—he would see his uncle here. On the platform Rhamon was joggled and shoved about, and once his lovely turban was knocked down over his nose. He held tight to the Sahib's hand for fear he would lose him in the crowd.
Men were running along beside the train with trays of things to sell, balanced on their heads. Some were filled with fruits, others with pots of tea. Some were piled with long-handled fans of braided reeds or round ones made of bright peacock feathers. ”

“ The Garden of Happiness The boat came out of the river and crossed the big lake to the Garden of Happiness. Here it was made fast and everyone jumped out. Rhamon wanted to skip and dance, for he had never seen anything so lovely. Fruit trees were in bloom everywhere, standing white against the background of rough brown mountains ”

“ But one morning the great doctor arrived in the little brass shop.
"I have heard from the Rajah," he told Rhamon's uncle. "And now I have come to take this young man to the hospital."
A chill raced down Rhamon's spine. The hospital! But when he looked up and saw the kindly eyes smiling at him, he was no longer afraid. He put his hand into the big doctor's, and felt quite willing to go with him anywhere, even to the hospital.
"You are in good hands, Rhamon," said his uncle. "You have nothing to fear." Then he gave Rhamon a small flat box. ”

“ Rhamon looked up quickly into his father's face. Was he to be scolded for staying away so long? But no, the brown eyes were smiling and kind. Rhamon tied the shikara and climbed up onto the deck.
"My son," began Subro, "you have long wanted to go down the mountains to the big city. And now I am going to send you. My brother lives in Lahore and owns a shop there. He has asked me to send him an old perfume jar. I have at last found the kind he wishes. You were with me when I bought it from Subhanna. Now you shall take it to your uncle. You are old enough to be trusted as a man." ”

“ People were talking together everywhere—girls filling their water jars, men passing in boats on the river, women on the doorsteps. As Rhamon and his father paddled along they could hear what people said:
"Have you heard? Our King, the great Rajah, arrives tomorrow from his winter palace at Jammu. He comes up the river with a big procession of boats."
"Yes. My brother is his chief oarsman, and from him I have heard the Rajah has a new boat, larger and more beautiful than any before."
"For weeks I have seen men working in the gardens of the Summer Palace to make things ready for his coming." ”

“ He listened to the bright-colored parrots that hung in cages by the doorways and called to the tame monkeys that swung along the railings or dropped down from roof tops. He poked the lazy dogs that slept in the hot dust or snapped at the buzzing flies. ”

“ Even the earth roofs of the houses were newly dressed, for many of them were covered with fresh grass, and the scarlet tulips growing there blazed in the sunlight. Flags and colored handkerchiefs were waving everywhere and the air was filled with cheering. ”

“ People will take him gifts of welcome. And these shall be my present. Allah be praised!"
The Rajah coming! The great King who lived in the beautiful palace! Rhamon stood silent. All his life he had heard of the Rajah. He wished he might see him—just once.
As Rhamon turned to limp from the shop, the old shoemaker smiled at him. "Some day," he said, "I shall make you a pair of slippers, and not even a king shall have a better pair!"
Before Subro returned to his home, he took Rhamon to the house of Subhanna, a rich merchant who lived down the river. ”

“ Rhamon had some annas that jingled in his pockets, so he looked at the colored candies in this little shop, the sticky cakes in the next one, and the gay array of penknives in another. "I really need a penknife," he thought, "one with a sharp blade that will cut the hardest root. Then I can whittle myself a top that no one can crack. ”

“ Rhamon's pole was lighter than his father's, but he would follow along behind him, pushing with all his strength.
After a long time of poling like this the boat would be out in the big Dal Lake. Then Subro would always say, "Be careful, my son. The water here is very deep in places." And Rhamon would laugh. He would not fall in!
This morning Subro was planting cucumbers and melons in the garden. As soon as Rhamon had finished his breakfast, he ran out to help his father before the sun grew hot. ”

“ In the summer he often rented them to people who came up into the mountains from the hot parts of India. The most beautiful one of all his houseboats was called the Monarch. Subro's own little houseboat was anchored not far from this one. So Rhamon saw everything that happened on board the Monarch. This summer an American man and his wife came to live on it. Rhamon called them the Sahib and Mem Sahib. When they arrived he heard his father say, "Sahib, the Monarch is a little floating palace. You shall live like a king on that boat." ”

“ Going Home With the Road Gang All too soon the day arrived for Rhamon to start home again. He went back to Rawal Pindi with his uncle, and there he was put in the care of a gang of workmen who were being sent up into the mountains to repair the roads. In one place a bridge had been washed away by the heavy rains. In another, mud and rocks had fallen down onto the roads from the high cliffs overhead. There were nearly a hundred men in the gang and they traveled in heavy covered carts pulled by sleepy-looking oxen. The lumbering animals traveled slowly and rested often, for the roads were steep. ”

“ On the lake, the river, and the canals were little houseboats where people lived. Rhamon's home was one of these houseboats on the water. It was not a large houseboat, and the roof was only a thick layer of woven reeds. Inside, it was barely high enough for his father to stand up straight without bumping his head. Ever since he could remember, Rhamon had been able to run along the narrow boards that stretched the length of the boat just outside the windows, and he had never fallen into the water. ”

“ He stayed a long time with the old man, listening to the stories he wove as he made wonderful patterns on a pair of shoes.
"These are for our great Rajah, the King," said Aziz, holding up the slippers and looking at them proudly. "He is coming here soon to his summer palace. There will be a great celebration in his honor. ”

“ Rhamon wished he had not spent his last anna for that top. He would have liked to reach into his pocket and toss a coin to the pretty dancer just like the other men. However, he moved away to meet his uncle.
On the way home from the Bazaar Rhamon saw a man sitting on the ground, blowing fire out of his mouth. People were standing nearby watching him. Rhamon pulled his uncle's sleeve, "Look, the man is on fire!"
"O-ho," said his uncle, "we must stop here and watch him. He is Mohammed Bukhs, and he can do tricks that will make you think he must be made of magic." ”

“ And piled up on all sides were the mighty mountains.
A great old river wound its way through the narrow valley. Where the ground was low the river flooded over it and ran along in little winding canals. ”

“ Here the tonga came to a halt and they both got out. The tiny window of the shop was filled with shining brass bowls and pots, trays and candlesticks. Inside were many shelves of beautiful things made of silver, copper and brass. ”

“ They squatted on the floor in a circle and each held something to make music—a big red clay pot, a bell or a pair of homemade clappers. Ibrahim started a song. The others joined in, swaying from side to side. Then they began to ring the bells, clap the clappers, and beat on the pots.
Ramzana hit the open top of his pot with the palm of one hand, and tapped the rounded side with the fingers of the other. It made a hollow drumming sound. Subro wore heavy silver rings on the ends of his fingers to make the sound sharper. ”

“ The next day when they went to take the train to Lahore, the station was crowded with people rushing this way and that, and car trying huge bundles. "Those bundles are their bedding rolls," the Sahib told Rhamon. "At night they are spread out on the seats, and in the daytime they are put back in those big bags." ”

“ In a moment he had untied the rope that held it to the houseboat. Soon he was shooting down the river toward the city of Srinagar.
Rhamon realized that these men were thieves
When he looked back he saw the men slowly poling their boat away. And the garden was going with them, back to their own village. He paddled with all his strength. At the landing by the big bridge, Rhamon pulled the boat up on the shore. He must find his uncle, the Chief of Police. He hurried down one little street, turned a corner and ran up another. His foot was beginning to hurt, but he did not stop. ”

“ Everyone made way for them and salaamed, touching his hands to his forehead and bowing low.
"Jump into my boat," said his uncle. "We shall catch these thieves! My two men will follow in your shikara." ”

“ He will wear rustling white garments and smoke a big water pipe. Perhaps he will be the Rajah's head boatman, perhaps he will be a Chief of Police. And perhaps he will own fine houseboats on the river like his father. ”

“ This was Rhamon's first ride in a car, and he was so excited he could hardly sit still. Mile after mile they drove, along a wide road between two rows of tall green poplar trees. In the fields on each side peasants were working in the rice fields. ”