The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-07-03

crash to the flags of the floor, and laid
there an apparently bloody mass, The
music burst forth into wild wall, and the
chorus Of old hags came tumultuously forth
and bore her of in their arms.
Now, from behind the red curtain came
a dozen strong men, bearing on their
shoulders great leaden box, which they
laid upon the front part of the stage. As
they retired the old women came out
bringing low couch, decorated with flow
ers and gold-embroidered drapery, upon
which lay Luan-P 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 leaden box, and with hot irons at
tempted to unseal it. "That is Stung-
Tiengs coffin whispered Woun to me;
"the old saint has been dead more than
half a millennium"
Quickly, eagerly it seemed to me, the
two men broke open the fastenings of the
coffin, until the side next the audience
falling out at last, a teak box was discov-
cred. This was priced open with small
crowbar, and what seemed great bundle
of nankeeu taken out. Tepada aud Nor
odom commenced to unwind this wrapping,
which was very tight. Yard after yard
was unwound and folded away by Mimi
man, and at last, after at least 100 yards
of wrapping had been taken of, the dry,
shriyeled mummy of a small, old man was
visible-eyes closed flesh dry and hard
dead and dry as smoked herring No
rOdom tapped the corpse with the crowbar,
and it gave a dull, wooden sound Tepa
da tossed it up and caught tit was stiff
as log. Then he placed the mummy
upon Norodom's knees, and fetched flask
of oil, flask of wine, and censer burn
ing with some pungent incense Moro
dom took from his hair little box of un-
guent, and prying open the mouth Of the
mummy with cold chisel, showed that
the dry tongue could rattle like chip
against the dry iauces. He filled the
mouth with unguent and closed it, and
anointed the eyelids, nostrils, and ears.
Then he and Tepada mixed the wine and
oil, and carefully rubbed every part of the
body with it. Then. laying it down in a
reclining position, they put the burning
censer upon the chest and withdrew a
pace, while the drums and gongs and Gym
balls crashed and clattered, and the shrill,
cackling treble of the chorus of the old
women rose hideously.
A breathless pause ensued--one two,
three minutes-and the mummy sneezed,
sneezed thrice, so violently as to extin-
guish the fame Of the censer. A moment
later the thing sat up, and stared blinking
and vacant out around the yault-an old,
old, wrinkled man, with mumbling chops,
a shriyelled breast and belly, aud little
tufts of white hair upon his chin and fore
head. Tepada approached him reyerently
upon his knees, bringing salver. with
wine and wafer-cake. The old man did
not notice him, but ate, drank, and totter-
ed to his feet, the feeblest, deerepit old
dotard that ever walked. In another mo-
ment he saw the nautch girl slumbering
upon her couch; he scuffled feebly to her,
and, mumbling, stopped as if to help his
dim eyes to see her better, With glad
cry the maiden walked, clasped him in her
arms and to her breast, and kissed him.
Incomprehensible magic He was no
longer nonagenarian dotard, but full
veined, fiery youth, who gave her kiss for
kiss. How the transformation was wrought
| have no idea, but there it was before our
very eyes. The music grew soft and pas
sionate, the chorus of the old women came
out, and with strange Phallic songs and
dances bore the two AWAY bridal pair.
| never expect again to behold a sight so
wonderful as that whole transformation,
which, may mention, my learned Jesuit
friend, to whom l described it, regards as
a piece of pure symbolism. His explana-
tion is too long and too learned to quote,
but he connects this ceremony with che
world-old myth of Venus and Adonis, and
claims that it is all form of worship.
The show went on for some time longer
with many curious feats. At the end of
an hour the Phallic procession returned,
but this time the Bayadcre led it, strange
triumph in her eyes, while the youth Law
upon the couch sleeping. The Phallic
chorus sank into Q dirge, the youth faded
visibly; he was again the shrivelled dotard;
he sighed, then breathed no more. Luan
Prabana retired sorrowfully; Norodom and
Tepada wrapped the corpse again in its
interminable shrouds, restored it to the
coffin, sealed it carefully, and it was borne
away again. The attendants climbed up
to and extinguished the lights. l was
blindfolded and borne away again. Il
found myself once more at tho doorway of
the temple in the broad sunshine with nv
friends-and the mystic ceremonies of
the great temple of Juthia was over, il
may be for many years.
soFT HANDS AND HEAVY pay
zone of the great causes Of hard times.
says the keen observer, P. I. Barnum, the
renowned Snowman, sis the number Of
soft hands waiting for light work and