The Kipling Reader - Selections from the Books of Rudyard Kipling by Rudyard Kipling
page 27 of 240 (11%)
page 27 of 240 (11%)
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A grunting camel swung up to the porch, his badged and belted rider fumbling a leather pouch. '_Kubber-kargaz--ki--yektraaa_,' the man whined, handing down the newspaper extra--a slip printed on one side only, and damp from the press. It was pinned on the green baize-board, between notices of ponies for sale and fox-terriers missing. Martyn rose lazily, read it, and whistled. 'It's declared!' he cried. 'One, two, three--eight districts go under the operation of the Famine Code _ek dum_. They've put Jimmy Hawkins in charge.' 'Good business!' said Scott, with the first sign of interest he had shown. 'When in doubt hire a Punjabi. I worked under Jimmy when I first came out and he belonged to the Punjab. He has more _bundobust_ than most men.' 'Jimmy's a Jubilee Knight now,' said Martyn. 'He was a good chap, even though he is a thrice-born civilian and went to the Benighted Presidency. What unholy names these Madras districts rejoice in--all _ungas_ or _rungas_ or _pillays_ or _polliums_.' A dog-cart drove up, and a man entered, mopping his head. He was editor of the one daily paper at the capital of a province of twenty-five million natives and a few hundred white men, and as his staff was limited to himself and one assistant, his office hours ran variously from ten to twenty a day. 'Hi, Raines; you're supposed to know everything,' said Martyn, |
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