The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-20
SENDING OF DANA DA.

made new heaven and new earth out OF
broken teacups, q missing brooch or two,
and hairbrush. These were hidden I'M
der bushes or stuffed into holes in the hill
side, and an entire civil service of subordi-
nate gods used to find or mend them again;
and every one said: "There are more
things in heaven and earth than are dreamt
of in our philosophy" Several other things
happened also, but the religion never
seemed to get much beyond its first mani
festations; though it added an airline
postal OAK and orchestral effects in order to
keep abreast of the times and stall of COM
petition.
This religion was too elastic for ordinary
use. 1t stretched itself and embraced
pieces of everything that medicine men of
all ages have manufactured. 1t approved
of and stole from Freemasonry; looted
the Latter-day Rosicrusians Of half their
pet words; took any fragments of Egyp-
tan philosophy that it found in the Ency-
clopedia Brittanica; annexed as many OF
the Vedas as had been translated into
French or English, and talked of all the
rest; built in the German versions OF what
is left of the Zend Avesta; encouraged
white, gray and black magic, including
spiritualism, palmistry, fortune telling by
cards, hot chestnuts. double-kernelled
nuts, and tallow droppings; would have
adopted Voudoo and Oboe had it known
anything about them, and showed itself in
every way one of the most accommodating
arrangements that had ever been invented
since the birth of the sea.
When it was in thorough working order,
with all the machinery down to the SUBJ
scriptions complete. Dana Da came from
nowhere, with nothing in his hands. and
wrote chapter in its history which has
hitherto been unpublished. He said that
his first name was Dana and his second
was Da. Now, setting aside Dana of the
New York Sun, Dana is a Bihl name. and
Da its no native of India unless you &C
cept the Bengah De as the original spell
ing. Da is Lap or Finnish; and Dana De
was neither Finn, Chin, Bill, Bengal,
Lap, Neir, Gond, Romeny, Nah, Bokhar-
lot, Kurd, Armenian, Levantine, Jew, Per-
sian, Puniabi, Madrasi, Parsee, nor any
thing else known to ethnologists. He was
simply Dana Da and defined to give fur
ther information. For the sake of brevity
and as roughly indicating his origin, he
was called 1.-THE Native" He might have
tains, who is said to be the only author
ICED head of the Teacup Creed. Some peo-
pie said that he was; but Dana Da used to
smile and deny any connection with the
cult, explaining that he was an "Inde-
pendent Experimental"
As have said, he came from nowhere,
with his hands behind his back, and stud
led the Greed for three weeks, sitting at
the feet of those best competent to explain
its mysteries. Then he laughed aloud and
went away, but the laugh might have been
either of devotion or derision.
When he returned he was without
money. but his pride was undated. He
things in heaven and earth than those who
taught him, and for this contumacy was
abandoned altogether.
His next appearance in public life was at
big cantonment in upper India, and he
was then telling fortunes with the help of
three leaden dice, very dirty old cloth
and little tin box of opium pills. He
told better fortunes when he was allowed
half bottle of whisky; but the things
which he invented on the opium were quite
worth the money. He was in reduced cir
cumstances. Among other peoples he
told the fortune of an Englishman who had
once been interested in the Simla Creed,
but who, later on, had married and forgot
ten all his old knowledge in the study of
babies and exchange. The Englishman
allowed Dana Da to tell q fortune for char
ity's sake, and gave him five rupees, din
ner and some old clothes. When he had
eaten, Dana Da professed gratitude. and
asked If there was anything he could do for
his host-in the esoteric line.
is there any one that you love 2" said
Dana Da. The Englishman loved his vile,
but had no desire to drag her name into
the conversation. He therefore shook his
head.
lis there any one that you hate3" said
Dana Da. The Englishman said that there
Il 49, -. l.
Very good" said Dana Da. upon whom
the whisky and the opium were beginning
TO tell. only give me their names, and I
viii despatch sending to them and kill
Them"
Now sending is horrible arrangement.
first invented, they say, in Iceland. 1t is a
thing sent by wizard, and may take any
form, but most generally wanders about
the land in the shape OF little purple cloud
till IL finds the sendee. and him it kills by
changing into the form of horse or a cat,
or man without face. 1t is not strictly
n native patent, though chamars can, If
irritated, despatch sending which sits on
the breast of their enemy by night and
nearly kills him. Very few natives care to
irritate chamars for this reason.
Let me dispatch 3 sending" said Dana
Da: al am nearly dead now with want.
and drink, and opium; but should like to
kill q man before die. can send q send
ing anywhere you choose, and in any form
except IN the shape of q man."
The Englishman had no friends that he
wished to kill, but partly TO soothe Dana
Da, whose eyes were rolling, and partly to
see what would be done, he asked whether
q modified sending could not be arranged
for-such sending as should make a
mans life burden 10 him, and yet do him
no harm. If this were possible, he notified
his willingness to give Dana Da ten rupees
for the JOB.
az am not what / was once" said Dana
Da, land / must take the money because /
am poor. Towhat Englishman shall send
itYn
Send q sending to Lone Sahib," said the
Englishmsn, naming man who had been
most bitter in rebuking him for his apos-
tacy from the Tea-cup Greed. Dana Da
laughed and nodded.
81 could have chosen no better man
myself" said he. II will see that he finds
the sending about his path and about his
bed"
He lay down on the hearth rug. turned
mp the whites OF his eyes, shivered all over,
and began TO snort This was magic, or
opium. or the sending, or all three.
When he opened his eyes he
vowed that the sending had started
upon the wsrpath, and was at that mo-
ment flying up 10 the town where Lone
Sahib lives.
Give me my ten rupees" said Dana
Da, YEARLY, land write 8 letter
to Lone Sahib telling him. and all
VINO believe with him, that you and
q friend are using power greater
than theirs. They will see that you are
speaking the TRUTH"
Hedeparted unsteadily, with the prom
Use of some more rupees ii anything came
OF the sending.
The Engiishman sent q letter to Lone
Sahib. eouched in what he remembered of
the TECHNOLOGY OF the Creed. He wrote: