Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-12

behavior surpassed all the sacrifices OF similar
nature they had ever witnessed.
As polygamy is allowed among the HndoOs.
it frequently happens that more than one
widow mandates herself on the dead body of
her husband. One Of
THE MOST HORRIBLE SCENES
ever enacted in the east was the burning of
forty-seven widows at once, the wives Of Prince
of Marata in ITO. He died above the age of
eighty Adeep circular pit was dug in field
without the town; in the middle of it was
erected pile of wood on the left Of when, on
a couch richly ornamented. lay the body Of the
deceased Prince in his finest robes. After num-
berless rites We're performed by the Brihnns
the pile was set fire and, Immediately. the
unhappy women appeared, sparkling with
jewels and adorned with flowers These vic
tins walked several times around the burning
pyre, the heat of which was felt quite dis
lance. The principal widow then holding the
dagger of her late husband, thus addressed he"-
self to the Prince his successor: Here is the
dagger the King made use of to triumph over
his enemies; beware never to employ it
to other purposes never mbrue 1t with the blood
of your subjects; govern them as father. as he
has done. and you shall live long and happy as
he did. Since he is no more. nothing can keep
me LONGER in the world. All that remains for
me is to follow him" With these words she re-
signed the dagger into the Princes hand who
took it from her without showing the least sign
OF grief or compassion. The Princess now ap-
peared agitated. One of her domestics. a Chris
tlan woman. had frequently talked with her
upon religion, and. though she never surrender
ed her idols. had made some impression Oh her
mind. Perhaps they now revived. With the most
expressive look she cried out: "Alas, what is
the end of human happiness? l know that
shall plunge myself headlOng into he'll" On
these words horror was visible on every coun-
tenancf. while, resuming courage, she boldly
turned her face to the burning pile. and call
ing upon her gods, flung herself into
the midst of the flames. The second widow
was the sister of the Prince of the blood, who was
present and assisted at the sacrifice. She adj
vanced to her brother and gave him the jewels
wherewItn she was adorned. His feelings gave
way. he burst into tears and fell on her neck in
tender embraces. She, however. remained I'M
moved. gazing upon the fire and then on the
assistant. Then loudly crying: "ChIva! Chiva."
the name OF one of her gods. she jumped into
the flames as the former had done. The Others
soon followed. some with bewildered. dOWncast
and sorrOwful looks. One of them shrieked
above the rest. ran to a Christian soldier whom
she beheld among the guards. and hanging
about his neck begged him to save her. The
new convert. stunned with surprise pushed the
unfortunate woman from him, and shrieking
aloud she fell into the fiery trench. The soldier
all shivering with terror at once retired and
derious fever ended his life the follow
ing night Though many of the unhappy
victims at first showed the utmost intrepidity,
yet no sooner did they feel the flames
than they screamed out in the most dreadf vi
manner, and, wetering over each other strove
to gain the brim of the pit, but in vain; the as
sistants forced them back with their poles and
piled new fuel upon them. The next day the
Brahmins gathered the bones and threw them
into the sea. The pit was leveled, temple
erected upon the spot, and the deceased Prince
and his wives were reckOned among the deities.
The English government has made every effort
to stop these rites but without much success
Many distinguished people have preferred
widows to maids as partners in life. George
Washington, the Father of his Country set
early in the days of the Republic q good eX-
ample in this respect. The great Napoleon
married awdow. Scarron's widow became
court favorte. Rousseau went crazy after a
widow. and GibbOn. the historian made him
self ridiculous over one. Disraeli married a
widow. and three of the most distinguished
widows in Europe to-day are the Empress
Eugene of the French. Queen Isabella of the
Spanish, and Queen Victoria of the English
Sweet Thing in Thcatcr Seats.
From the Brooklyn Eagle.
Steele Mackaye's patent Unstable automatic
terrifying and elusive chair was a
complete and triumphant failure on Monday
night at the Union Square theater. Sitting on
picket fence is the perfection of languid ease
compared with the life and death struggle of
the man who attempts to sit in one of Steele
Mackayes chairs. There wassOme doubt on the
first night of .'StOrm Beaten" about Mackaye's
chairs, but there is no doubt now. The tor
lures of the Inguisition are as nothing compared
to II. 1t is a self-acting and resentfu piece of
furniture, which the mind OF the average man
cannot comprehend without several weeks of
study. In the first place, the aisles are only
about two feet WIDE and anybody who walks
UP and down them necessarily hunks into the
heads and shoulders OF those sitting on either
side The seats are divided into pairs and each
pair Is swung post. The chairs collapse.
swing around and swervs against this post i'm q
most exciting ana bewildering fashion. When
a nan sits down it is with blanched face and
unlimited trust in Providence The chair has
ruined the trade of the ncighbOring bars, for no
one who has once worked his way by complex
eyo!utiOnS into the innermost consciousness Of
the chair would risk disaster and probable dis
memberment by leaving it before the termlna-
ton of the play.
An agreeable amusement was supplied to the
audience that night by the breaking down of
the chairs In different parts of the house. 1t
was game of chance, as no one knew which
chair would break next.
One man who sat on the north side of the au-
dltOrium was watched with keen interest by
several hundred people from the moment he en-
tered the theater to the exciting period in the
third act The man weighed $50 pounds and
had small and extremely bald spot on the
ClOWu vi HIS Heou. lie came III ana looked
at the chair thOughtfuliy for minute or two
before he sat down. while the audience looked
at him. Then he slowly put the chair through
series of complex motions, lowered the seat and
with pale but determined face sank cautiously
and slowly into the seat Once firmly settled,
he regained his cOmposure and his face grad
uay resumed its normal color; it was noticed
that the satisfaction extended to the small bald
spot on his head which was no longer pale.
But the man was nervous and so were
the people who looked at him. They
regarded him as a test case. Everybody
seemed to feel that if the seat would sup
port him, they themselves were safe. Things
went along smoothly until very narrowing
scene when Mckee Rankin gets down before the
footlights and says a prayer to slow music by
the orchestra and miniature aurora bOrealis by
the gasman IN the rear of the stage. The scene
was touching. So much so that the fat man
with the small bald spot on the top of the head
did disastrous and foolish thing Overcome
by the excitement and emotion of the moment
he moved slightly in his seat. The next instant
he uttered a piercing shrek and sank almost
from view. Nothing was visible but the small bald
spot which had now become pallid again. Just
behind the fat man was dapper looking man
who wore eye glasses and white gloves. He rose
as the fat man disappeared and gracefully as
sisted him to rise. As he did so, at least thou
sand people in the audience, saw the dapper
f1.ar nrfr nhntr anti nn1,