Show IX FRENCh IXDIA I As the evening falls the lights shine through the little easements of pearl I shells and the sound of the guitar or violin is borne upon the breeze the bell of the cathedral tolls for vespers and the veiled figures of the women can be seen on tho shore flocking to the sacred edifice Itwas here that St Francis Xavier preached his memory is yet fragrant through the land and most of the people still are Catholics Presently the moon rises over the Ghants and light up the distant ruins of the robber fortress on a lofty and seemingly inaccessible buttress and throws an everwidening beam of silver sil-ver upon the silent tide of the river Soon the town ds in repose and free from all sound save the challenge of the sentinels each hour or the bark of the wretched dogs that turn over the refuse heaps for bones and fish offal The friendship of the < French governor gov-ernor for the agent rose out of an adventure ad-venture with a panther which haunted the purlieus of the old monastery on the headland T which served as a country residence the former The brute was the ifirror of the household and destroyed all their pet animals but no one was found brave enough to encounter it until the agent undertook to sit up near the carcass of the last kill and with the moon dn I his favor gave the quietus to the panther with an express bullet The governor could never be too grateful and his pretty little brunette daughter In Itfe white muslin dress and broad straw hat who had lost her pet rabiits through the depredations smiled sweetly and admiringly upon ± he Englishman Thereafter he was always a persona grata and a hero dn the small social circle of Selambique welcomed to the exclusive at homes of the wife of the colonel of Infantry and invited to participate dn the arrangement ar-rangement of the ceremonials and sports of the annual fete The Gentle mans Magazine |