Telegram-herald., 1889-12-10

rizl O. ghe IMAGE seemed sos8y - s'acaent
ssak soeis IL TIE seoonc, enEitE11ea
slack pottery ~zTe, an3 in TIE ti-lf1 -
sall, olalsl2B "a sozas Otasr se---1-e
roez
Oa either side wsfs Aglls boxes nliac
with sand ard containing IlseFle4 10 tie
l.tger. curious ligtle ~ooden carvings
tl.AE SUCCEED miniature fans. l-,1lfel---s
aud hal1eids Nk-lll1F lHey were 1se1
- ziLzr ornaments. las LLs odd tlet4l
pieces Sad poEcs.zll s2Es - eoil-laon ~
Buddhist shElnes. oF a. accsssozles -
worship. hke Ehs spring gariapds in N--l-
Esss churches. II ~ -.s l-posslble - deter
mine. Ia front u tie mage @sre alinlii-
utive bosb 6iLsd With lea. vine and
srTack, small saUcers containing pieces
of chopped chicken. Sliced PORK, curious
sSeetmeats. dried fruits. nuts aud IN
Known vegetables OA another table
was a substantial lunch. of which the
chief features were a roasted stuffed kid
and some roast PORK. tea, wine ana ar
rack The articles Oh tie altar were II
dlvi1ual gifts from those present. thoSe
ca the table y ere paid for from al asses
mrut De-, led on each person.
The room was well nlled with Malays,
dressed IN more or less European fash
ion Most Of them were seafaring men,
bur go0div number were cigarnakers.
They passed the time an conversation,
talkiay earnestly bar in low tones, and
continuously smoking cigarettes or che
roots Two used the long. cane-hke
japanese pipes, in whose small pewter
bowls they burn the pungent red tooac-
co Of Quan Tung. Either when all the
company were ready. or else when the
time appointed By custom had arrived,
tile head celebrant or priest emerged
from the door leading 10 the rear room.
He WAS apparently a cigarmaker, and
had made himself clerical robe similar
- those worn by clergyInen and judges.
lie proceeded directly 10 the altar. be-
fore which he bowed and sang, or rather
intoncd some hymn. Several in the au-
dience joined him in the song, but using
u pianissimO that was scarcely more
than humming. During the hymn he
knelt, bowed, salaamed and went
through enough gymnastics for pro-
fessional acrobat. a brief allocution or
PRAYER followed, and the celebrant's
work was over. 1t had not lasted more
than ten minutes. lie went back into
the rear room, soon returning in his or
dinary clothes.
go f,a ~,
members of the party came forward and
went through with similar but shorter
exercises. Several took no part, looking
as il they did not see or understand what
was going on before them. When every
one had had an opportunity the party
turned 10 purely physical delights, and
eagerly attacked theeatables both on the
table and the altar. Like the Chinese
and japanese, they drank large quanti-
ties of tea, but very sparingly Of the
alcoholic beverages. No Malay present
drank more than four cups of liquor, and
as the cups are tiny thimbles of porce-
lain, holding a scant teaspooDful, the
maximum amount is not as great as the
single drink of an average American.
One of the company who speaks the
Spanish langua franca of the East In
dies was asked what was the meaning Of
the hymn and the prayer, and after a
moments hesitation answered:
They are very like the hymns and
prayers used by your people; many Of
us know them in whole or part By heart,
but do not know their exact meaning.
The words are very old; so old that al
most everybody has forgotten what they
mean"
After the dinner had been consumed
the crowd began to disperse in different
directions An hour afterward only six
were left. all smoking furiously, ard
four completely absorbed in the Malay 5
inveterate vice, gambling.
WILLIAM E. S. FALES.
Do you have distress u the somach
after eating, or faiuucss, heartburn
headache. OF other dyspcptic ,ymp-
tons2 Hoods Sarsap3r.lla VIII ton.
the stomach, give an appetite, and cure
VOll