The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-03-19

their shoulders > grsat leaden box,
which they laid upon the front nart of
the stage. As they retired the old
women came ont, bringing 4 low
couch, decorated with flowers and
gold embroidered napery, upon which
lay Luan-Prabana, decked forth in
bridal garments. and sweetly sleeping.
The couch with its sleeper was put
quietly down upon the front of the
stage and left there, while Norodom
and Tepada went to the lesden box,
and with hot irons attemptedto to unseal
it. 'sThat is Stung- -Tieng's coffin,
whispered Woun TO me; the old
saint has been dead more than half q
millennium
Quickly, eagerly 1t seemed to me,
the two men broke open the fasteR-
ings of the coffin, until the side next
the audience falling out at last, teak
box was discovered. This was pried
open with q small crow bar, and what
seemed great bundle of nankeen ta-
ken out. Tepada and Norodom COM
menced to unwind this wrapping,
1 which was very tight. Yard after
yard was unWonnd and folded away
by Minhman, and at last, after at least
loo yards of Wrapping had been taken
of, the dry, shrIvelled mummy OF q
small, old man was visfble-eyeS
closed, flesh dry and hard-dead aud
dry as a smoked herring. Norodom
tapped the corpse with the croWbar,
and it gave 9 dull, wooden sound
Tepada tossed it up and caught it--it
was stiff as 9 log. Then he placed the
mummy upon Norodonass Knees, and
fetched q flask of oil, flask of wine,
and censer burning with some pun
gent incense. Norodom took from
bis hair I:a1e box of un91ent, and
prying open the mouth of the mummy
with q cold chisel, showed that the
dry tongue could rattle like chip
against the dry fauees. He filed the
mouth with ungnent and closed it,and
aneinted the eyelids. nostrils and ears.
Then he and Tepaea mixed the wine
and oil and carefully rubbed every
part of the body with It. Then, lay-H
ing it down In reclining position,
they put the burning censer upon the
chest and withdrew pace, while the
drums and gongs and cymbals crashed
and clattered, and the shriIi, cackIing
treble of the chorus of old women
rose hideously.
A breathless pause ensued-one.
two, three minutes - the mummy
sneezed, sfIeezed thrice, so violently
as to extiDguish the fame of the CEN
ser. A moment later the thing sat up
and stared blinking and vacant out
around the vault-an old, old, wrfn-
kled man, with mumbling chops, q
shrivelled breast and belly, and little
tufts of white hair upon his chin and
forehead. Tepada approached him
reverently upon his knees, bringing q |
salVer with wine and q wafer.cake.-i
The old man did not notice him, but
ate, drank, then tottered to his feet, the |
feeblest, decrepid old dotard tnat ever
walked. In another moment he saw
the nautch girl slumbering upon her
couch: he shuffied feebiy to her, and,
mumbling, stopped rs if to help his
dim eyes to see her better. With q |
glad cry the maiden walked, clasped
him to her breast and kissed him. In
comprehensive magici He was no
longer nonegenarian dotard, but q |
full veined, frey youth, who gave her
kiss for kiss. How tho transforna-
ton was wrought I have no idea, but
there it was before our very eyes. |
The music grew soft and passionate,
the chorus of the old women came |
out, and with strange Phallic songs |
and dances, bore the two away-a |
bridal pair. never expect again to |
behold sight SO wonderful as that
whole transformation, which may
mention, my learned Jesuit friend, |
when / described it TO him, regards as |
3 piece of pure symbolism. His ex- /
planation is too long and too learned |
to quote, but he connects this ceremo- |
nv with the world-oId myth OF Venus |
and Adonis, andGlaims that it is all a /
form of Sun-worship.
The show went on for some time |
longer with many curious feate. At /
the end of an hour the PhaIlic pro-
cession returned, but this time the |
Bsyadere led II, strange triumph in
her eyes, while the youth lay upon
the couch sleeping. The PhaIIic cho-
rus sank into ClIrge, the youth faded /
visibly he was again the shriveIled
dotard he sighed, then breathed no
more. Luan-Prabano retired sorrow
fully; Norodom and Tepada wrapped /
the corpse in its interminable shrouds /
restored it to the coffin, sealed it care
fully, and 1t was borne away again.
The attendants climbed up to and ex-
tingnished the lights. was blind
folded and born away again. / found
myself once more at the doorway uof +
the temple in the broad sunshine with
my friends land the mystic ceremo-
MES of the great temple ofJuthia was
over, it may be for many years.