The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-08
AFRICAN RAIN-MAKERS.


Katchfba's Cunning Method of Adding -
His Own Renown.
A popular figure in Africa Is the rain
maker. The Office. however. is rather
a perilors one. for if the chief in charge
of the weather fails to produce rain on
demand his life is not safe Baker
gives an amusing description Of one of
these rain-makers. half chief and half
magician. named Katchiba, who called
on the famous explorer and said that
rain was needed.
WELL / replied. why don't you
give your people rain?"
'Give my people rain" said katchiba-
.sGive them rain if they don't give me
goats? You don't know my people If
/ am fool enough to give them rain oe-
fore they give me goats they will let
me starve. No, no. let them wait: If
| they don't bring me supplies of corn.
poats. fowls. vans and all that / re-
auire. not one drop of rain shall ever
fall again in Obbo. Impudent brutes
are nv people. Do you know they have
positively threatened to kill me unless
bring the rain. They sha'n't have
drop. III teach the rascals 70 Insult
me-"
With all this buster saw that old
Katchiba was in great dilemma and
| would give anything for shower. but
did not know how to get out OF the
| scrape.
Suddenly altering his tone. he asked:
"Have you any rain in your country
| replied that we had, every now and
then.
How do you bring it? Are you =
rainmaker?
I told him no one believed in rain
| makers in our country, but that we UNI
derstood bow to bottle lightning. mean
ing electricity.
II don't keep mine in bottles: havc
a house full OF thunder and lightning.
he most coolly replied: "but if you can
bottle lightning you must understand
rain-making. What do you think OF the
weather to-day?"
I Immediately saw the drift OF the
cunning old Katchiba; he wanted pro-
fessional advice. / replied that he
must know all about it. as he was
regular rain-maker.
.Of course l do" he answered.; but
Iwant to know what you think OF It, y
Well 1 said, 81 don't think we
shall have any steady rain. but think
we NAV have heavy shower in about
four days"
Ihad observed feecy clouds gather
ing daily in the afternoon.
'.Just my opinion" said Katchiba, de
lighted; in four days, or perhaps in
five DAYS, intend to give them one
shower, Just one shower. Yes, I'll jus1
step down to them now, and tell the
rascals that if they will bring me some
goats by this evening, and some corr
tomorrow morning, will give them
in four or FIVE days, just one shower.
To give effect to this declaration h
gave three toots on his magic whistle
inquiring: DO you use whistles II
your country?
Ireplied by giving so shrill and deaf
ening whistle on my fingers tina
Katchiba stopped his ears, and relaps
ing into smile of admiration, took
glance at the sky from the doorway T.
see if any sudden effect had been Pro
duced.
: "Whistle again." he said. and one
more I performed like the whistle OF
locomotive.
s'That will do, we shall have it.,
said the cunning old rain-maker. an
proud of having so knowingly obtaine
''counsers opinion" on his case. h
toddled off to his impatient subjects.
In few days sudden storm OF raj
and violent thunder added to katchi
ba's renown, and after the shower
horns were blowing and drums beat
ing in honor of their chief. Betwee
ourselves, he considered my whist
iufallible.-Youths Companion.