PUNKAH-WALLAHS 79 



effectual ; except in the case of the punkah-man 

 being own father to the door-keeper, when no 

 amount of commanding will induce him to beat 

 him. He only smiles foolishly at him, and respect- 

 fully asks him to pull. 



I wonder if you will believe a true story of a 

 Man, a Lady, and a Punkah-puller ? It was at a 

 boarding-house where each person's room, protected 

 with a purdah, opens on to a long verandah. Here 

 sits the coolie connected with each room. Man 

 (young) arrives home late at night from a party; 

 every one in bed and asleep. Looking through his 

 purdah when ready for bed, he observes his punkah- 

 man conspicuous by his absence. In fact, he is 

 not there. It is too hot to go to bed without a 

 punkah, but how to find him in the middle of the 

 night like this ? Who knows where a punkah-man 

 lives? No servant about to go and fetch him. 

 Finding he does not come and fearful of disturbing 

 the house, he softly approaches the next door 

 punkah-man, sitting in front of the room of his 

 mistress, the Lady. Man whispers, "You go 

 downstairs and fetch my punkah-man, and I will 

 pull your punkah while you go." Fatal act ! 



