THIRD PART. T
; 1
CREMATION IN ASIA.
How the Yellow Mongolian and
His Black-Skinned
Brethren
$ BURN AND BURY THE DEAD,
An Interesting Chat "With a Japanese
Funeral Director.
THE PAESEfi TOWERS OF SILEXCE.
Bow More Than Half the World DIsposo
of Their Dead Fownli In blam Which
Cot a. Million Horrible Scenes nt
Bangkok Cremation In India Prices
Paid bT Japanese BnddhUts for Being
Earned FIto Thousand Dollar for a
Chinese Coffin Slonrnlna; In Korea
Bannese Funerals.
IWiunxa roe Tine sisfxtcb.1
ECENT investi
gations show
that cremation is
rapidly growing
in the United
States. There are
"- cremation socie-
ties in New York
and "Washing
ton, and there
are crematories
in active opera
tion in New
York, Buffalo,
Philadelphia,
Pittsburg, Detroit, Cincinnati, St. Louis
and Los Angeles. All of these institutions
have been opened within the last three
years, and the one at New York cremates
hundreds yearly. "Without doubt more
than 1,000 persons hare been cremated in
this country since the building of the cre
matory at 'Washington, Pa., and those 'who
desire such a means of decomposition are
said to be on the rapid increase.
The borne of cremation is in the East.
Siam disposes of most of its bodies in this
way, and I saw dozens of corpses frying and
sizzling on the banks of the Ganges. I
visited a great crematory in Japan, where
the men in charge told me they burned be
tween 300 and 400 bodies a month, and I at
tended a big cremation in Burmah. This
Japanese crematory was on the edge of
Kioto. In going to it I drove through the
streets of shops filled with the beautiful
blue china for which that city is so noted,
and out through, fields of rice and tea to a
large brick building on the side of a hill.
As I went X passed many funeral pro
cessions, consisting of stalwart Japs in blue
gowns and bowl hats, four of whom carried
a box swung on a pole which rested upon
their shoulders. This box was much like a
child's playhouse, and it had its roof and
its curtained windows, 1 was told that it
was a coffin, and that each party " carried a
-5W "-.
Pauper Cremation, Jlangkok.
corpse. These coffins were about 4 feet long,
2 '-'feet wide and 4 leethigh. They were
made of thin wbite pine unpainted and un
varnished, and each coffin is burned or
thrown away at the time of the burning of
the body.
A JAPANESE CBEMATOBY.
The crematory itself looked much like an
American engine room, the furnaces might
hare been made in America, and they were
built bo that they opened into an aisle run
ning around a large room. Wood was piled
, at their doors and a furious draught sucked
the air into their mouths, and the great
flames roared as they ate up the human fuel
which was piled in the vaults above them.
There was but little smell as I entered the
building but I could hear the crackling and
frying of the flesh, and the whole ot the
burning could be plainly seen. A hollow
eyed, bald-headed ghoul presided over them,
and he stirred up the fires as he chatted with
me in regard to his business.
"We have, he said, first, second and third
class cremations, and we gradnate our rates
according to the age of the body. A man or
woman can be burned here in first-class
style for $2 40. We will give either a good
second-class, burning for $1 25, and we can
send a man off in very respectable style for
a $1. Children under 3 vcars are burned
according to the class, for 51, 75 cents or 60
cents, and boys and girls from 3 to 12 years
of age are burned for from ?1 CO to 75 cents
apiece. We burn the bodies as soon as they
come in, and we average at least ten crema
tions a day. "We give the bone ashes to the
families of the dead after the cremation is
over, and they take them away and bury
them in their family tombs."
CHEAFEB TO LIVE.
Siam is a land of cremation. It costs
more money to die here than to live, and
the funerals of our Congressmen, which are
paid for at extravagant rates by the Govern
ment, cost but little in comparison with
that of the Siamese noble. "When a kinp-
dies in Siam the whole nation takes part in
the funeral, and a million dollars and up
ward are sometimes spent in the turning of
the royal embalmed body into ashes. The
last Queen, who died at Bangkok was seated
in a golden urn for a number of months after
her death, and the foreign merchants in
Siam bought thousands of dollars' worth of
goods from Europe and China for the King
to give as presents to those who came to the
funeral. A great temple or palace, with
roofs covered with gilt paper, was built as
her bier, and the funeral car was overlaid
with pure gold and set with jewels. This
car was six stories high, and it was sur
rounded by tiers of golden umbrellas. All
the foreign diplomats attended the burning,
and there was a tiger fight, a lion dance and
a tournament among the celebrations. The
King lighted the fire at 6 p. ji and he
gave presents of gold and silver, as well as
a dinner to the most noted of the mourners.
It took a full week to perform the ceremo
nies, and at the close the ashes were taken
In a royal barge and strewn upon the waters
of the Menam river.
Everyman in Siam has as good a burning
1! 211 I.... Tint l. a 11. .n
S U1S purse Will uu;, tiu auw MJ
undertake the expense of building a palace
in which to be burned. The averaee crema
tion takes place on a pile of wood laid cross
ways, and after it is oyer the bones are gath
V c
i Sl&K
l
2.
ered up and tied up in a rag to be kept as
relies.
A SCENE OF HOBBOB.
The most horrible of funerals are those of
the very poor of Bangkok. The bodies of
these a're taken to a temple known as the
"Wat Sah Kate. Imacine an inclosureof
many acres, filled with bushes and whisper
ing palms, at the feet of which are piles of
coffins, and along the roots of which skulls
I are lying. Enter this garden if you dare.
.mere are no men J stop you, uuu juu ou
der in and out throuch the trees snarled at
by lean, hungry looking dogs, until at last
you come to a number of low brick build
ings. Here yon will meet a lean, toothless,
parchment-skinned old hag whoias hair as
white and stiff as the bristles of a Chester
white pig, and who smiles at you
through her toothless gums, and with
long, withered fingers beckons you
in. I remember her well, and I still
see her in my dreams Vultures by the
hundreds sit upon the trees over her, and as
you go in, you hear the snarling of dogs.
You look toward them, they are fighting
over the half eaten bodies of men, and the
vultures swooping down, flap their wings
and attempt to seize a part of the prey. Be
sides the bloody corpses are a mass of half
dried skulls and the odd legs and arms of
the day before, and the old woman laughs
through her toothless gums as she points
you to them. Some of the Buddhists be
lieve that their chance of Nirvana or
A Japanese JfmeraL
Heaven is better in case they give their
bodies to the vultures, and some of these
bodies have been dedicated in this way.
Others, are, as I have5 said, those of very
poor people, who cannot afford the cost of
cremation.
THE TOWEBS OF SILENCE.
There is at Bombay a colony of about 70.
000 Farsees,and they, men, women and chil
dren, give their bodies to the vultures.
They are fireworshipers, and they say that
fire is too sacred to be defiled with a dead
body, and they believe the work of the
worms is too slow and too vile. I visited
the Towers of Silence at Bombay, on the top
oi which all dead Parsees are laid, and
where their bodies are left lor the vultures.
These towers are great, white buildings of
block granite, 25 feet high and 2.300 feet in
diameter. Each is built around a central
well, and the bodies are laid on the top
walls, which incline inward, so that the
rain will wash the bones and juices down
into the welL Each well has drains run
ning off into the sea, and each is half filled
with charcoal. On the top of eacb of these
towers there is a sort of a grating network,
with meshes of different sizes, whether they
ere intended to hold men, women or chil
dren. Surrounding .the towers is a beauti
ful garden of 60 acres of trees and
flowers, and when I visited this every
thing was in blossom and the surround
ings were as beautiful as the Garden of
Eden. As I looked at the tower it seemed
that each had a coping or frieze of gray
about it, and this , coping or frieze repre
sented jjreat birds. A IVgoVhtfarerT no-
tieed that the birds'were.allve, and they
craned their necks at us, evidently taking
us for corpse bearers. "While I was in the
garden a Parses tuneral came, and these
birds rose in the air and swooped down upon
the tower upon which the naked Parsee
baby was laid. There were 600 of them,
and they live entirely off the flesh of dead
Parsees. They strip a skeleton of every shred
of flesh in two hours, and the bones are left
under the sun to dry. A day or two later
they are pushed down into the well, where
they decompose under the purifying in
fluences of the charcoal. 'The Parsees al
ways walk to their funerals. They are the
richest and brightest merchants of the East,
but there is no difference shown as to their
condition at funerals. The corpses of the
rich as well as the poor lie naked on these
towers oi silence, the bones of all goingto
the same reservoir, and the vultures who
to-day feed on the flesh of Dives make their
morrow's meal off of Lazarus.
PUHEBAXS UT INDIA.
I saw many cremations among the Hin
doos, and I attended not a few funerals in
India. The bodies were generally carried on
the shoulders of men, withont 'coffins, and
covered with cloths. In some cases a band
accompanied the procession, and the burn
ings were in general very simple. At Cal
cutta they took place in unrooted sheds on
the banks of the Hoogley, but the fires were
built on the ground and a little hole was
scooped out below them to make a draught.
At Benares the cremations took place in the
open air, and after the body had burned to
ashes the ashes and bones remaining were
dragged down into the river. The under
takers of India belong to the dome or thief
caste. These preside over the funerals and
sell the wood and light the fires used in cre
mations. They break the elbows, wrists,
knee and ankle joints before cremating the
body, and at Calcutta the body is placed on
Chinese Worshiping at the Tomb of their
Ancestors.
the fire with the face downward. It is cov
ered with ghee, or clarified butter, to make
it burn, and the wood used varies with the
cost of the funeral. A rich man will send
his soul to heaven with sandal wood, while
n poor man takes what he can buy.
tThe domes sell everything connected with
the cremation, and to be chief dome of a big
City is a money-making position. One of
the richest men in Benares is the head of the
undertakers, and he has made his money in
this. way. There is a regular charge for
burning, and the ordinary cost of a crema
tion is less than $2. Funerals in India are,
however, very expensive, and presents are
given away by the nearest relatives of the
deceased tp those who come to the funeral.
A Rajah of Calcutta not long ago spent
1250,000 in burning his father, and rich
families often spend as high as $100,000 in
this sort of fireworks.
THE OABB OF 80BEOW.
"White is the morning garb throughout the
far East. The Hindoo son whose father dies
must not shave nor wear shoes or shirts or
anything except a piece of white cloth dur
ing the period of mourning. You see China
men dressed in white moving among the
gaily dressed throngs of every Chinese city.
And when a Chinaman is in mourning he
braids white silk into has hair, and has even
he soles el biasbeis!t4 whit. Heoa
)c0h iwS6m
F THE PITTSBURG
tirely discards, for the time, all things of a
red color, and lie takes the red coloring off
of the furniture of his house. Bed is the
color of prosperity in China, it means
lncky, and the ordinary Chinese visiting
card is a strip of red paper as long as a Gov
ernment envelope. "While in mourning he
prints his name on white visiting cards, and
he does this for three years. At the end ot
that time he puts on garments of a modified
color, and writes on his visiting cards the
word tarn, which means my grief is not so
bitter as before,
The Chinese, and in fact all nations of
tho-Orient, are more rigid as to their terms
of mourning than we are. The Chinaman
who would not put on mourning for his
father would be arrested, and in Korea a
man is expected to clothe"himself in yello
sackcloth and trot around the country under
a hat as big as a dishpan, holding a Ian be
fore his face, for three years after the death
of any near relative. During this time he
can do no business, cannot engage in mar
riage, nor attend any festivities. Chinamen
do not go to theaters during their mourning
period, and the law, to a certain extent, reg
ulates the mourning customs of Japan. Dur
ing mourning, the leading officials of many
of the countries have the right to resign, and
not long ago Li Hung Chang, the great
Viceroy, asked to be excused from his du
ties as Premier of the Chinese Empire in or
der that he might go, off and mourn for his
mother.
MOUBNINO XX JAPAK.
"When a King dies in Siam the whole
nation, men, women and children, are sup
posed to shave their heads, and a Japanese
widow often keeps her head shaved after the
death of her husband. Tbe Chinese neither
shave nor cut their hair during the first
period of mourning. If a man dies his
widow and children are supposed to sit on
the floor instead of chairs for the first seven
days, and at night they mnst sleep on mats
spread on the ground near the coffin, instead
of in their beds. The'y are not supposed to
do any cooking in the house, and they rely
on the food sent in by the neighbors. They
attempt to take away every comfort from
themselves, and they turn their pictures
with their faces toward the wall, and cover
up all of the house's ornaments.
The heaviest wooden coffins used in the
world are those of the Chinese, and coffin
making is one of the leading industries of
every Chinese city. Coffins cost all the way
from $5 to $5,000. and your rich mandarin
will have his burial casket lacquered inside
and out, and his funeral will cost a small
fortune. If he is over 60 he will keebhis
coffin on hand, so as to have it ready in case
of his death, and if he has a dntiful son
this coffin may possibly be a birthday gilt
from the boy. Many an old Chinaman
keeps his coffin in his parlor, though he does
not sleep in it, as Sara Bernhardt is said to
sometimes do in hers. The wood of
the Chinese coffin is from four to six
inches thick, and a coffin weighs hundreds
of pounds. It is usually carried on a sort of
frame work of poles to the grave, and it is
accompanied by a band of music and pro
fessional mourners. The man is laid at
full length within it and a lot of stuff is
buried with it Each of his nearest rela
tives is supposed to bring a silk coverlet to
put over the body, and a dozen silk quilts
are sometimes packed in above the corpse.
The thing that the corpse liked most in life
is buried with him, and manv Chinamen
save the parings of their nails and the
combings of their hair in order that they
may be put at their feet when they lie in
their coffins. In the mouth of the body a
piece of cold, silver or copper is placed. It
is dressed in silk and is often decked with
jewels. Grave robbing is so severely
punished in Japan that there is little danger
of the coffins being dug up.
A CHINESE Dn-EHHA.
In case the family is too poor to own a
burial mound or to stand the expenses of
the funeral the coffin is kept in the house
until they can raise enough money to put it
.under tie,ground in, good style. A tutor
employed at the American. Xegation in
Peking has had the coffin containing his
father's body in his house for the last two
years, and he has not yet been able to raise
enough money to bury it. Before he picks
out a burial spot he will, like all China
men, cet a fortune teller to choose a lucky
place for him, and he will go periodically
to the grave and burn some paper over it
and some suits of paper clothes to keep the
spirit of his father warm, and will place
some food before it that his father may have
a ghostly feast during the night.
Japanese coffins are often made of burnt
clay in the shape of large jars. The body is
all doubled uj when it is squeezed into the
coffin, and it is buried in a sitting posture.
The coffins of Japanese babies are little pine
boxes, and in the case of the poorer
classes, it is not uncommon to pack them
full of lime in order tbat the bodies mav
decay more quickly. Sometimes tubs of
pine, nooped with bamboo, are used for
coffins, and the coffins are broken with the
spade of the undertaker as he puts them in
the earth. The Bnrmese coffin isaflimsv
affair, made of the lightest wood nailed
roughly together. In the case of the richer
dead it is covered with gilt paper, and it is
carried to the grave with fantastic dances
and doleful music The funeral ceremonies
are mucn me same as tbose of the Chinese,
and for seven days after the burial the
family sit upon the ground and sleep upon
mas. All over the East the same mortifica
tion of the flesh is practiced by the relations
of the dead, and grief for departed friends
is fully as bitter in Asia as in the United
States. Pbank; G. Cabpenteb.
CLOTHES FOE AKIHALS.
Why Uto Stock Should Have Warm Gar
ments In Cold Weather.
TVashlneton Post.
"It might sound very odd to most people
when a suggestion is made that horses and
slock generally should wear clothes," -said
M. P. Key, the agent of the Humane Soci
ety, "but that is one of the innovations that
is sure to be reached in time. In Norway
they now have their cattle graze while cov
ered with blankets yet we in the United
States ignore such methods of pro
ducing good results in the treatment
of stock. A cow that has been
giving a liberal supply of milk dur
ing the summer, will continue giving the
same quantity if, when the chill air of Jan
uary comes along, she is kept warm, but if
that is not done, the supply will fall off.
There is a livery stable keeper in this town
who declared to me some time ago that he
believed that horses should wear nicht
shirts, and that they would be just as bene
ficial to them as they are to men."
"What are the styles of clothing that you
would considerable?"
"They should be made warm enough to
keep them comfortable from the time cold
weather sets in until it has passed, and
should be made to fit the animals for which
they are intended."
WAITING FOB THE SOUP JO COOL.
The Remarkable Intelligence Shown by a
Clover Eastern Dos.
Esngor Commercial.!
"Who says a dog has not intelligence? A
Gardiner lady set a dish of soup out in her
yard the other 3ay to cool. The dish was
very hot, but had a handle. The house dog
soon came along to the dish, lured by the
fascinating fragrance, contemplatedthe con
tents long enough to find that it was his
favorite soup, then taking the handle be
tween his teeth, he-backed off several rods
very carefully, pulling the dish after .him
to a place which he considered both cooler
and more sequestered.
He waited lor tbe broth to cool, devoured
it with infinite relish.then dragged the dish
back to the spot where he fpund it.
Tbe Difference.
Texas Slftlnci.
Out at sea a ship occasionally heaves in
sight, but a seasick: .passenger -prefers to
Bsaie eat oi wguu
PITTSBURG, SUNDAY,
BREACH OF PEOMISE.
Things to beThonght of Before Yonng
People Become Engaged.
SOME CAUSES OE BEOKEIf YOWS.
A Famous English. SoTells.'a Advice to
Toung Lovers.
DANGER OF HAPHAZARD ENGAGEMENTS
tcoBBESFOxnxxcx or tbe dispatch. 3
London, November 15. Probably the
custom most discreditable, In the estimation
of foreigners, to English social life is the
legal right of a jilted lover to bring an ac
tion for breach of promise of marriage
against the faithless fiance.
A more degraded feature of sordid imbe
cility cannot well be imagined than the
scene presented at the trial of such a case,
where the claims for compensation in hard
cash, for wounded feeling, are supported by
the reading aloud of mawkish letters teem
ing with silly pet names and terms of en
dearment' amid the laughter of the listeners.
Such scenes are the result of a certain in
definiteness in our social code which, if it
entails some inconvenience, at least leaves
ns free Aom that grandmotherly legislation
which, while striving to provide for all pos
sible contingencies, only forges fetters for its
unfortunate subjects, cramping the muscles
which might otherwise enabU them to"pad
dle their own, canoes" successfully into
smooth waters.
Promises of marriage, therefore, of a cer
tain class bristle with dangers neither few
nor far between; but with these we have no
concern.
The "promises" of which we treat affect
persons to whom the law can give no relief,
and to whom publicity means purgatory.
Here, too, the difficulties are great, for
though, in the eyes of all honorable men
and women, no promise can or ought to be
more sacred than a serions undertaking to
Tuarrr, so long as a pair are not absolutely
"joined together in holy matrimony" just
and sufficient causes for breaking the pre
liminary promise may arise.
SOME GOOD SEASONS.
The discovery "of circumstances willfully
concealed on either side which may affect
character or fortune, double dealing, the
display of evil tempers, of seeming indiffer
ence, or of jiny ingredient in nature or dis
position which would certainly militate
against future happiness when the inextri
cable knot is tied, ought between serious and
candid people to supply sufficient reasons
or breaking off an engagement.
,Of course tbe heart of the seceder can
alone know, the sincerity ot the motives
alleged. Of this, however, there can be no
doubt, that many a life might be saved from
all-pervading bitterness had ond or other of
an engagea pair nau iue courage UDU Jiigu
principle to avow the doubts besetting him
or her.
Where one is obstinately attached and the
other keen to perceive defects and drawbacks
the suffering and difficulty are enormously
increased.
The fact is, however, that the more serions
and candid lovers are, the less chance there
is of their being acted upon by disintegrat
ing influences. They do not rush in heed
lessly where angels might well fear to tread.
The most cruel cause of broken vows is
the variation of human fancy or affection,
for this rarely arises through, any fault on
the side of the forsaken one; and here at the)
first quivering breath of! preference for an;
other, any good man or woman wonld crush s
out the intrusive, v inconstant--engcwtiM
Though no easy task, an honest heart and
resolute will can trample down temptation
and keep unsullied faith toward him or ber
to whom faith is due.
The best preservative against broken
promises is deliberation in giving them and
rapidity in mating tnem irrevocable by tbe
final marriage vows. So much can be en
dured, so much is endurable, when we
know there is no way of escape, that the
"fast-and-loose" period of a long engage
ment cannot be too earnestly-avoided.
HAPHAZARD ENGAGEMENTS.
On the contrary, a long acquaintance
previous to marriage is a great advantage;
familiarity with each, other's character,
tastes, family, circumstances (which latter
never fail to color our lives), forms an ad
mirable concrete on which to build the
foundations of married life, and the most
lasting loves "are those which are supported
by tbe girders oi inenasnip.
Indeed, glancing round at the haphazard
way in which the all-important and fateful
relationship of marriage is undertaken, the
impressionof all sane persons must be amaze
ment that the failures are not far more nu
merous. Of all daring leaps into the unknown,
this is the most daring. No one, not the
most profound student of character, can cal
culate on results of a marriage.
Matrimony is the-most potent touchstone.
It draws forth the best and the worst all
tbat has lain dormant in the heart. We
have known excellent sons, brothers,
friends, who have made most unpleasant
husbands.
Just think of what human nature is its
weakness, its variability, its jealousy, its
ineradicable selfishness, also its affection, its
need of sympathy ay, even its capacity for
self-sacrifice, and then think of two poor
soulsendowed unequally with these quali
ties chained together in life! How ardent
must be the flame that can keep them in a
happy state of fusionl
Nor does the most ardent ante-nuptial fer
vor or even constancy ensure post-nuptial
happiness. A few instances rise in onr
memory where men have waited and begged
and besought for years, have finally been ac
cepted, and alas! estrangement and divorce
followed.
"The lovely toy so fiercely sought
Has lost Its charm by being caughtl"
Again, a pair as unlike and unsuited as
possible in the judgment of onlookers meet
at rout or ball, garden party, race course or
countrv house. After half a dozen inter
views they discover they are indispensable
to each other. He is perhapsgoing to India,
Japan, or Australia. Her family may wish
to winter in isome, Vienna, or Ht. Peters
burg. So after a month's acquaintance
they marry and "live happy" all their
days.
Some occult sympathy, some subtle, moral
chemistry inses their separate existences
into true'unison.
HAPF7 HABBIAOES.
Almost the happiest marriages we have
known have been between, lads and lassies
who had sat side by side on the same forms
and learned out of tbe same books in the old
parish schools, which served so. well to equip
the boys or bonny Scotland for the battle of
life in the. pre-board school days.
Having mastered arithmetic book-keeping,
and the initial steps of "a soond claw
ssical education," Sandy sallied forth north,
south, east or west to conquer fortune, and
generally succeeded.
Then the image of Janet or Jessie, his
schoolmate, which had never quite faded
from his memory, grew clear, vivid, attain
able, and a rapid run home- or a loving let
ter and generous remittance brought abuot a
union of hearts and lives to the lasting ben
efit of society and the,individual.
Between the conflicting evidence supplied
by experience it is dicult to strike a bal
ance. In matrimosyJw in preaching, "God
gives a different gilt 6 each," and it is im
possible to recommend one line of conduct
above another; but deep down in the sources
maybe cultivated such qualities as justice,
self-respect, regard for the feelings of oth
ers, loyalty, truth, and by their fruits shall
life be happy, or noble, or both. And to our
sisters oy nature impulsive aaa lBapreastee
Abie wo wouia wmjxc
?? i.lJ?,dwy'"'VJf,
NOVEMBER 24, 1889.
ity men prize and cling to to much as
strength.
"Fallen cherub! to bo weak is miserable,
Doing or suffering."
An undoubted truth, though spoken by the
Father of Lies.
There is certainly no fairer ideal than the
union of two voung creatures linked by true,
tender, unselfish love, dashed with the salt
ofpassion, clothed with fair illusions not
all unfounded respecting each other's
nobility and loveliness, and strengthened
by the bulwork of hearty comradeship,
facing life's battle hand in hand, and grow
ing in affection as they grow in complete
knowledge of each other's imperfections as
well as virtues.
Tnis is a rare case, as excellence must
always be; yet, thank God, not quite
"fancy's sketch."
THE ENIGMA 07 LIFE.
Even in the-ruck of life, among its roughs
and Weighers, God's eye can see how many
are left "of knees that have not bowed to tbe
Baal of worldliness, and lips tbat have not
kissed him."
On the whole, there is truth, though not
invariable truth, in the proverb, "Marry in
hasta and repent at leisure." The masses
will always be heedless and improvident;
but while we deprecate this, we ought not to
forget that the prudent profit by their reck
lessness; their failures fill up the trenches
which we must cross, and make bridges
whereby we may pass dry-shod to increased
ease and wider outlook.
Only by very slow degrees do we attain to
the knowledge of those natural laws disobedi
ence to wnich entails misery, disease and
death. Awful enigma of lite! which de
vours those who cannot solve it, and casts
their bonts at the feet of the charlatans who
pretend to read the riddle, while they keep
at a safe distance from the monster's jaws.
"What is the sum of this reverie on
"Promises of Marriage?" Very little! and
that little may be epitomized iir a sentence:
"Be slow in making and faithful in keeping
promises." "Will any young persons "about
to marry" or become engaged heed our
words of wisdom? "I trow not;" yet we
cast them on the waters, and though ap
parently oi small effect, they may add their
Infinitesimal bulk to he slowly accumu
latinglmass of opinion, as the tiny, filmy
shells described by marine explorers, float
ing and slowly sinking in the vasty deep,
serve to bnild up the sub-ocean ridges that
are finally upheaved to form the cliffs
against which the lawless waves dash them
selves in vain. Mes. Alexander.
SUPERSTITIONS OF THE HINDOOS.
Watching for Signi of Good and Evil
Import.
The Hindoos are early risers. In the warm
season extending from April to October'
they seep either upon the housetop or in
the courtyard, or in the veranda if rain
should be threatening, and are usually up
at 5 o'clock or earlier in the- morning. In
the cold "weather, when they sleep within
doors, they rise late, bnt they are out before
7. Bising in the morning while but half
awake the Hindoo repeats the name of Ka
ma several times. Happening to yawn, he
immediately fillips his thumb and middle
finger, though he does not know why. He
prepares for his morning toilet. 'He plucks
a twig from the bitter Neem tree, breaks off
a span length of it, crushes one end between
his teeth and extemporizes a tooth brush.
He next draws up water from the well in
the yard with an iron bucket, and prepares
to wash his hands and face. This is quickly
done. He then throws on an extra gar
ment, the thickness and texture depending
on the season and weather, lights bis hooka,
takes a few pulls with his euphonious hubble-bubble,
and is ready to go out. With a
passing "Bama, Eama," to friend or ac
quaintance, and a neighborly gossip by the.
way, he repairs to his place of" business.'
While going he will seduously avoid those
signs and sounds which may augur ill for
the day. Should one sneeze, or should he
hear the cawing of a crow, or the cry of a
kite, or should he meet an oil man, or one
blind or lame, or see a cat cross his path, he
would be greatly distressed as to the day be
fore him. On the other hand, if a fox
crosses his path, if he hears a gong or shell
summoning him to worship, or if he meets a
Brahman with his head uncovered.he would
rejoice, hailing it as auspicious. Some are
so superstitious that if any evil portent
occurs on the way they return home, have
'a smoke, or chew a betel leaf, and proceed
afresh.
IF 100 TOUCH ME I'LL JELL.
A Wise Man Fats a Toll Tale on
His
Whisky Bottle.
Boston Globe.l
"A few days before the election a little
Incident happened which mortified me
deeply," said a business man to the writer.
"It happened in this way," he continued.
"You see, I had some business to transact
with one of the candidates for the Legisla
ture, and, as it was something important, I
was forced to go out to his house to see him.
It was quite late when I arrived here, and
I guess he had gone to bed. At any
rate the servant who opened the door
showed me into the parlor to wait for his
master. I was obliged to wait some time,
and while doing this 1 amused myself look
ing at the pictures and other ornaments
about the room. On the center table, among
books and other bric-a-brac, stood a big
fancy decanter filled with liquor which
looked like whisky. It was a curious look
ing decanter, and on one side was some
fancy lettering which I could not make out.
Being rather curious to find out what It said
I lifted the decanter up from the table and
tipped it np so that the light fell on the
lettering. It saidr "If you touch me I'll
tell."
"Curious, wasn't it? But sure enough it
did tell, fori had scarcely had time to read
the lettering when my ears were greeted
with the tones of 'Johnny, Get Your Gun.'
There was a musio box hidden in the bottom
of the decanter, and when it is tipped the
machinery starts and the musio begins.
"You can judge for yourself how sur
prised and chagrined I was, fori had never
seen the master ot the house before, and he
would have a fine opinion of me for my
meddling qualities. Bight in the middle ot
the tune he walked into tbe parlor, and
gave me a curious smile when he heard that
musio box. It seemed as if it would never
stop. I tried to make Home sort of an apol
ogy, but made a bull of it I know, thoueh
now I can't think for the life of me what I
said.
"He saw how confused I was and laughed
it off, saying that it was an oddity he had
found in New York."
A Dork Night In IionelyvlHe.
SM
First Suburban Citizen Why, Pettea
gill, what in the name of goodness
Second Suburban Citizen I thought I'd
ran over for a short call, and as our regttlar
lastem Is broken, J: biflWd JeMiy's
X'K
t
DISMTCl
V
COUSINS ATJADAWASKA
A THANKSGIVING STORY.
By the REV. T. DeWITT TALMAGE, D. D
MARIAN WHITE. ,
THE ETHIOAIi PASSAGES OB THIS WOBK ABB CONTBTBUTED BTDB. TAXXAOS, ASTD
THOSE T0ETIO1T8 DJCXXTDE THE IANOTJAOE 8P0XES BY. JOSS BEBNAN.
THE PLOT AHD ITAEBAHV.K ABE BT MBS. "WHITE.
TO COMPOSE A THANKSOryiNO PABTV.
CWEVEB mueh on
other days of the year
our table may have
stinted supply, on
Thanksgiving Day
there must be some
thing bounteous. All
the comfortable
homes of Christen
ff3Tni..-Sitox
ifol .. .- Ti
tt&fi I2
dom have at some
Jfvl
.'time celebrated joyful
'events by banquet
and festivity. Something has happened in
the old homestead greater than anything that
has ever happened before. The family is re
united, we will say. A favorite son, whom
the world supposed would become a vaga
bond and outlaw forever, has got tired of
sight-seeing, and has returned to his father's
house. The world said he never would come
back. The old man always said his son
would come. He had been looking for him
day after day, and year after
year. He knew lie wonld come
back. Now, having returned to his father's
house, the father proclaims a celebration.
There Is a calf in the paddock tbat has been
kept up and fed o utmost capacity so as to
be ready for some occasion of joy that might
come along. Ah! There never will be a
grander -day on the old homestead than this
day. Let the butchers do their work, and
Sraekinif Human Game.
the housekeepers bring in to the table the
smoking meatC The muslciasswill take
their places, and the gaygroups will move
'-sp-and down-thHloor. Allthafriewis sad
n2ghborre'gataered in? and extra sapply
k sent out to the table of the servant. The
father presides at the table, and says grace,
and thanks God that his long absent boy is
home again. Ohl hpw they missed him;
how glad they are to have him back. One
brother indeed stands pouting at the back
door and says, "This is a great ado about
nothing; $his bad boy should have been
chastened instead oi greeted; veal is too
good for him!" 3ut the father says, "Noth
ing is too good, nothing is good enough."
There sits-the youngman, glad at the hearty
reccptionjbut with a shadow of sorrow flitting
across his brow at the remembrance of the
troable he had seen. All ready now. Let
the covers lilt Music. He was dead and
he is alive again I He was lost and he is
found.
But the chairs at the Thanksgiving table
are not always so easily filled: and this, story
shall tell how the Bev. John Bernan and
his daughter Mary undertook to compose a
family party for last Thanksgiving Day.
Mary Bernan was a fair-haired and blue
eyed girl, only a year past her graduation at
Yassar; and nowsne was wiia uer ia.u- u
a New York, boarding house, all in all to
each other, for they had no near relatives.
To be sure, there was Arthur Mulford, who
might and might not become much to Mary.
am ot that later in wis iuutuvc.
"I wish we could have a real, genuine
family Thanksgiving dinner," Mary re
marked to her father.
"There are families enough in my congre
gation," Mr. Bernan replied, "and plenty
of dinners to which we might be welcome,
bnt I don't think we can command exactly
what you are longing tor."
The clergyman sighed softly in memory of
a time when a wife had made a home for
z-rxt
A Enot (it me jioonugm.
him. Then he'kissed his daughter fondly,
and wondered whether she would, la her
turn, be mistress of a honsehold in which he
could feel himself a proper oecupant of a
chair at a Thanksgiving dinner. The holida
day was only two weeks ahead, and it would
not bring additional duties to the pastor, be
cause the church edifice was being repaired,
arid sermon services were intermitted.
"Why not let's go id Msdawaska for
Thanksgiving?" Mary suddenly exclaimed.
"Where is that?" he asked. "It sounds
like missionary service in the Sandwich
Islands."
"No, no, it is in the Adirondack region,
close by Paulsmitts, where I spent a month
last summer. My colleee chum, Martha
Pierson, lives there, and I"had a loiter only
yesterday beseeching me to come to her and
bring you along. It is delightful up there
in winter as well as summer, you know, and
we would have a right good tiaae. Be
sides" and she stopped short
"Besides? Well."
"Besides, a project flashes apoq me.
There's a chance jast tbe faintest allmmer
of a chance to bring- an estranged family
together lor a Thanksgiving diaaer. Why
sot make the experiment yo aud.1?"
"Oivbntdayou realise the diftealty ef
suea a task?" said the good W .leas
eiergyiswa. "lea aaast ksw tat ia.
elaqryaaaju "xes
''r'il 1 Ir M
VMHasHaHaW
13 LTarr-
tl.m r
the go-between must be characterized by
wisdom, tact and delicacy. You sometimes
have seen a very good man go in and try to
settle a dispute, and he has blundered in the
matter, he has made a dreadful failure, and
If there were ten degrees oi violence before,
after his work there were a hundred degrees
of violence between the parties. There must
be wisdom, tact and delicacy for a media
tor." "Then victory would be all the more 'tri
umphant." Mr. Bernan was taken with the idea, and
especially because he remembered that his
father had been a famous peacemaker. '1
do not think I put it too strongly," he
mused, "when I say that my father never
attempted to settle a dispute but he settled
it. I remember how he would bring the two
antagonists to our bouse, and I would hear
conversation in the adjoining room, and
there would be imprecation and loud talk
ing, and it seemed as if the parties were
about to annihilate each other. Then there
would be a quiet, and then I would hear
my father's voice in prayer, and then the
door would open and the two contestants'
would walk out arm in arm. He had
wisdom, and he had tact, and he had deli
cacy.
'But rav grandfather bad nn rnnr! nnilltr
which my father has not," and Mary's
gentle flattery was very convincing.
"WelL tell me all the circumstances, and
we will see."
"When the will of Job Andrews was
opened, there was a surprise," so Mary be
gan to narrate. "Mr. Andrews owned some
lands in the Adirondack!, and not long be
fore his death the discovery of iron ore on
it made the property valuable. He had
three nephews. One of them, Henry Pier
son, came to New York, made a fair fortune,
and then went back to the edge of the
Adirondacks to live. His health was poor,
and so he concluded io give op business, do
a little farming and find recreation in the
hunting and fishing which the region of his
boyhood afforded. He is now CO years old.
It was his daughter who roomed with me at
Vassar, and whom I yisited last summer.
Mr. Pierson is not a charming man. yet he
loves his wife and daughter, and is very
good to them. To outsiders he is apt to be
gruff and repellant
"The other nephews of Job Andrews were
the brothers, Mulford, Arthur and David.
They were sons of the younger sister. They
had tried all sorts of occupation, but had
not prospered. Davy Mulford was shiftless.
He liked to hunt and fiih, and his principal
employment was that ot an Adirondacks
guide. His ancle used to overlook his esca
pades and seemed to have a weakness ior
nim As to Arthur Mulford "
Here Mary stopped, and gave a quick
glance at her father; but if he discerned in
her hesitancy any evidence of the girl's
particular interest in Arthur Mulford he
did not show it
"That is the young man who was here
last winter?"Mr. Bernan said. 'OL Hked
him. He seemed a fine fellow."
"About X, or" five years older than
Davy."
"An edaeated young man, and with, good
amkatkHH., .Ha tsUnaeJ-jsmoaber, that
MW-afraWttagrtaTrtiaa is settle down
to tbe pnetiee e the law. which he had
studied."
"And I'm sars he will seceed. Bat he
was greatly disappointed by his ancle's wilL
ji opqqy at jiaaawagga lelt any deabt that
the substantial estate of Job Andrews
wonld descend to these favorite and needy
relatives. They already had in view1 an ad
vantageous investment Davy In a hotel in
the Adiroadacks, and Arthur ia establish
ing himself as a lawyer. Their uncle
seemed disposed to aid them during his
lifetime, when all at once a stroke of apo
plexy carried him oft The neighborhood
shared the amazement of the Mulford boys
on learning that he bequeathed all his prop
erty to his already well-to-do nephew.
Henry Pierson. Tbe latter alone felt no
surprise. Prosperous people sever are as
tonished when luck happens to augment
their success. He calmly bonght land that
he had. been coveting. He made no change
in hit steady habits, but continued to
live in his house at Madawaska, as
isolated bailding in the edge of the wilder
ness, and surrounded like a hermitage by a
huge stone wait This property was bounded
on two of its sides by the roadway. Pierson.
used to go bacK and fortn over this road to
the railroad station and country store every
day, leaning on his hickory cane, and clad
in his unalterable and singular costume,
combining the Adirondacks woodsman and
acitrman. As to the Malfrod brothers,
the disinherited nephews, It would be un
derstating the case to say that they were
surprised. Their disappeiatssest at once
gave way to fary against their lucky cousin.
Arthur is a big hot-tempered fellow and ha
loudly spoke his complaints aad accusa
tions. He talked of intrigues, oi inveigle
ment, ia short of everything that can be
said in such a case; and he threatened pab
liclrtomake it hot for Pierson; bnt his
better nature, and good" sense, soon silenced
him, aad he said bo more ia pablie aboHt
it." .
Mary might have told, also, that her own
gentle iaiaeaee had been exerted in the
matter.
"Bat Davy Mulford is a very ditireat
sort of individual," she west oa. He had
upea his conscience the ahoetiag of deer out
of season, barroom brawls aad other scan
dalous stories. He had neither the educa
tion nor the aspirations of Arthur. His bad
dispesitfoa betrayed itself by ill-natured
Jests carefmlly prepared and tricks of cool
malioeto reveage his dislikes. These de
vices were sometimes so droll that even his
vietisM felt constrained to laf h- Theeoat
maoity easily nardoas a max who -keeps it
asaated, and folks said: "Oh, that's oaly
aaother ieke from tbat loafer Davy. After
the death of Job Andrews he became more
silent than aver aad eeaasd 'to jest. He was
deroariag his rag iatoraalis-, I thought.
The two Brothers used to dstacrM in their
eaagria. Davy woald say t 'Xov. are a rec
nhtr oM woman.' Hew eaa aay o sa heart
osely to this villainy? Sfymhadeedf
haaasmaehracM I hav we waaM
assysaaar M Ma lama
AKasV
&f
The JttKies-B the Teaee it Mad.
would arzue. 'and we mar as i
i well be quiet
But I am afraid that he hated Plersoa in
tensely.
"After the completion of the legal formal
ities the Surrogate at Ogdensburg sum
moned the legatee to his office to- tike pos
session of the property of the testator. It
was on Saturday, and the town was fall ot
people. Toward evening Henry- Plenon,
who had just finished the business of his
inheritance, entered a village oyster house.
He took his seat at an unoccupied table d
called, for something to eat DavyMalforf
was in the same restaurant for a meal.
'"Well, there is one individual who- has
nothing to trouble him, remarked a
lounger, referring to Pierson. 1 met hiss
not long ago at 'Squire Moore's offlce; get
ting the deeds to the old Homer tract M
is investing his new wealth promptly.'
"Davy, with eyes dilated by wrath, looked
fixedly at his cousin. Without removing hia
glance an instant, he forced his hearers to
listen to an enumeration of9 insulting alla
sions and scarcely disguised abuse, the ob
ject of which it was easy to compreheed.
Finally the exasperated heir interrupted
him with i
"You are a liar!"
"Davy was only waiting for this prove.
A. Beat Thanksgiving.
tion. With one bound, so I was told, h
rushed at the table of Pierson, disgorgiaa;
ia uo wurua ui ma auger suu aaa oeasv
cnosingnim. Jks nis cousin, aratawoew-
aroiy man, maae a motion as to setae site
cane, Davy attacked him with his two stoat,;
fists. After some moments of pugiUstie sa ,
ercise; poor Pierson was borne off the i$U
bruised and mangled, spitting odtteefc,aasr
bleeding irons tne nose, month aaa i
Ther Tint the victim into the train anal
him home, though sot until after ha had.
made a complaint of the circuaatoaeos be
fore a justice of the-peace.
"Davy decidedly relieved by this fswa.
asce.wect home with a lighter heart As ha'
had known for many a day.
"Do yoa know,'' said, he to his brother,
"that rascal Hank PJerses. has bee after
the old man's money to-day, hat I hare jast
finished a little-piece of work for bias w-bmbi
he will have reason to remember-"
"Arthur shrugged his shoulder. 'A
great gain you have made, too,' he saiW
"xoa don t find mat rich esovga. as he ia,
bnt yon want to pay Mm dam ssjea. iato it
bargain. When peoplereveage tiiailTaa.
my boy, they mustn't da things by ha-lvee.
.He didn't mean to incite uavy to rev
lam sure, bat I warned. him. whea he
me of it, tbat mischief might com el
Well, Pienoa had to keep to his
some uavs. and did not aBsear oal
til the ead of the fbliowiag wek;'aal
was just before I came away. 8e yes
how ugly the situation waa whea. Xleft
aad Mary sighed over it
"Yoa are right," Xr. Bene
'Utaeesar a-hw aae?-Are
woald.be welcome gaetts to
"Martha's letter -will eewi
declaresthatsheaadheratathasr as
some, aad that her father jaia
tne invitation.
"Very well. We will go selishJr'.'
couaay, oat aiso wita use gooa mm
peacemakers," :
We are to try to seat the thee
amicably at one Thanksgiving toHrf V
"Yes: but wa must reeoeaize thttaai
in order to accomplish sueeesafaUy m
aoy there must he perseveraae satd
ruination amid all obstacles. If
ever tried it yoa have found oat
touches t thing to da iatoseUhfa
You go to one of the parties aad ye
a propositloa. He says 'never, siT Sm
go w ue maw wrtj uu jew.
reeoBciliatisa. He aavs: 1 will
Yoa give up the attorns. Bat a as;''-
a Christian aerseTeraaee aad diaarsaia
comes aad he keeps at it 8 w irflftrfSj
-xaree days jm& im jser. J seat .
and his daughter Marr asaatod M
waska.
XL - $ri
PEACE OB "WAS.
The journey of John Boiaaa smi
daughter waa made pleasant by IbssrJ
tirely laminar .ana eeaaaenuai
They saw the paaerasaaof seeaery-wiah
alike, Jhey talked with hamoaiea
menu, anu, jaete iaa sai, taey
tuaxiy engrosses m iair
mission. They djseatssd h Are m
a great deal. Of ArtharHalfo tes!J
was inclined, to. tellies thaar of th,
and at first the father was Jed to
tnat Arthur had faaltss had that aSa
not care to diseasa them. As he
discovered that her personal
greatest in that oae of taethreaaioa, hi
anxious to learn the truth. AeUaat
tioa at Ieagfca-broBght a freak
' "Arthur maiiord-s repatauea l
is first rate." Mary said, "aad I
real cBAraeter is equally gee, atm m
professed Christian. Ithiak he wAH
come one hat tor a singular hiadiaasS i
has a big, fia brain of hi owa. aa-ds
how he has get1 the idea that Vm-U
men are apt to be rationalists, at a
"Ah!hekaaattakel,''iras Xr.
reply. "I eaa tell himof tl
heaviest tha mightiest braia ever
in America, aad ask -what taaa
tboHgat.of Ctrl. In the dyiaa as)
that maa said: "Lord. I listiMst
'JUwh my aa eeiiet. waatstsr
Almighty God receive nvetoTl
Christ's sake. This flight I ahaU
and joy and blessedaes. That in
v"e baser
"AndDaaiel WeMer is Artaar's
as a lawyer aad orator," Mary
"Bat it is act with himthatwe
the most troaa-Ie. It is Mr.
will bother a, tor he is welL yk
and mere still it Is Davv Mnlfarl.l
just aheat am outcast up there I. Ua t
manity. Jtis cousin regard Bis a aj
less case, aad eves his brother has aaail
son to be as-aamcdotaia toJMti
bThim."
'"Well, wa aaat try to make Artsrarj
a reciaians- laaaeaoe over to
uaw. me taac old raraute, i
cer. aad Mr. Beraaa pointed to i
whieh A trala was distantly
"We will toll Arthur something
man who oeee lived ia that boum
man and a foremost lawyer. If j
to praeuee law la Utica a will aar all
deal.of William H. Seward's i
same field. Now1, we will toil saaaJ
Seward aefcaaed a man vastly wosas
Davy. Away baek in th Wiilato '
Freeman, a aaaaerlsed and
wa ea trial tor saarder. H had
satire Vau Nest family. Hm
wrath of tha community could
him oaly by armed constable.
voiuatoar to be hit counsel?
wasted to sacrifice his
aaraaaraasM task. Al
oae, a yesiasj lawyer with
oM has. Hi he heard
aad ajavs-,aam avfhvHua.
sffifl&iJSk
Ha
4 r V
&: