Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1892-05-12
AN AsToNlsHED SOUTH SEA KING.

M'Bora of Butaritari Sees Many Won
derful Things in San Francisco.
King MBora of Butaritari spent two
hours at the Olympic club, and was
probably more amused and surprised
than by anything else he has seen in
San Francisco. The members who were
present practicing in the gymnasium
gave an impromptu exhibition, which
interested his South Sea majesty very
much, and he gave evidence of this in
grunts and by gestures of surprise, and
almost of fear, at some of the feats of
the athletes. The tumbling was sur
prise to him, and he could not under
stand. while Professors Tonchet and
Chapins were fencing, how it was that
they did not drop dead when struck by
the foil. A burlesque boxing contest
ending in well faxed" knockout was
arranged for the king and his party.
Professor De Witt Van Court and Philip
Boulo were the boxers, and they gave
an exhibition which interested his island
majesty more than the genuine fight he
saw at the California club. At the end
Boulo was apparently knocked out, and
he was carried out of the room limp and
motionless- OF course he Immediately
returned, and as he appeared the king
allowed sigh of relief to escape him,
and remarked through the interpreter
that he was glad the little fellow had
not been killed, as he was so plucky.
After the exhibition King M'Bora and
his party were shown through the Olym-
pic club building. In the billiard room
he had his first meeting with piece of
ice. His dusky majesty was given a
glass Of ice water in response to a re-
quest for drink. He saw the piece of
ice floating in the water and could not
understand what it was. He put his
royal right hand into the glass and
seized the cube of ice, but Immediately
dropped it and jumped back severely
frightened. After an explanation he
picked up the ice again and watched
it slowly melt in his hand. He seemed |
to partially understand the philosophy |
of the thing and gave an order for an ice
making machine, which he will take to
Butaritari with him to cool his royal |
throat on hot summer days.
In the ladies parlor the glass chande- |
her was lighted by electricity, and the
king Immediately wanted to know where
the oil tank was. He had had some ex-
perience with gas before. The first night |
at his hotel. after having seen the gas
turned on and lighted, he nearly termi- |
mated his royal career by playing the
Farmer Wayback act. He turned on the
gas and lay down waiting for the gas to
light itself.
One of the members of the Olympic |
club who was going through the rooms
with the party wanted the king to talk
through the telephone. His majesty
had already had an experience and was
so shocked that he did not care for
another. It was at Sutro Heights on
his visit Saturday. W. Lauterbach,
who spent some time on the Gilbert
islands, went to the stables on the place
while the king was in Mr.. Sutro's house.
When the telephone connection was
made King M'Bora was asked to put the
receiver to his ear. As he did SO he
heard words in his native language. and
he dropped the instrument as if struck
by lightning. A long explanation could
not fully satisfy his mystified majesty.
The king and his party remained at the
rooms of the club until nearly midnight.
San Francisco Chronicle.