Page:Stories of Bengalee life - Prabhat Kumar Mukerji.pdf/48

36 "Anything fresh?"

"Yes,—something very fresh indeed."

"What's it?"

"Guess."

"I give it up. Come, let me see what it is."

Jagat showed him a paragraph which ran as follows:—"We understand on good authority that Babu Subodh Chandra Haldar,, has been appointed by the E. B. and Assam Government to the post of an eighth grade Deputy Collector. This gentleman was a pleader of considerable eminence at Dinajshahi, at any rate till the recent visit of His Honour the Lieutenant Governor of the province to that town, when Babu Subodh was rash enough to decorate his house as a mark of rejoicing and pay his loyal homage to His Honour at the durbar. The story of the persecution suffered by this brave and loyal Bengalee at the hands of his fellow-townsmen is well known to our readers. We thoroughly approve of the appointment."

Subodh read the paragraph twice over and then said with a sigh—"It is too good to be true. There is nothing in the Gazette yet."

"Never mind the Gazette"—Jagat said in a tone of assurance.—"A paragraph in the Englishman is just as good as an announcement in the official gazette. You ought to know that, Subodh."