The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-12-24
/ CHRISTMAS AT SINGAPORE,
How the GIud Day was Celebrated
IL In

90 -
We went to church at half past ten. 4;
The weather was intensely hot, and
yet we drove to- the great English ca
thedral on the Esplanadet and braved
the binding glare of the Malayan sun,
Just to try to keep up a stimulation Of
the Christmas we observe in distant
homes. The usual hours for worship
are half-past six in the morning and
half-past five in the evening".
5@ Our ordinary garb Of pure white
linen and cool dark helmets we had
discarded for suits of wooden and
black 5derbysso hard did we try to
delude ourselves into familiar Christ
mas feeling. The night before. on
Christmas eve, I saw hundred or
more men rich ship owners, high Off
clals-try to do the same thing
Their wives We're at home in Eng
land or Germany. recuperatil1g aftersa
long term in the Orient, or perchance
some had gone home to die Those
that had not wives were younger sons
and brothers. All had met at the club
to spend Christmas eve.
In the center of the room was tree,
a causuarina, decorated with candles,
toys, candies, and penny balloons; just
such a tree as they would have gone
into raptures over in their childhood.
At it's foot We're the presents.
An orchestra played outside under
the spreading arms of. a great
bantam tree, and spotless1y dressed Chi
nese sboys" circled about with re-
freshments. Songs We're sung; every
one laughed and cheered and slapped
each other on the shoulder, and yet
everyone knew that it was a pitiful
failure
s Between laughs faces grew grave,
and faraway looks filed tired eyes.
They were wondering what wives,
mothers and, friends We're doing on
that night in the blessed land eff the
SHOWS.
The great English cathedral is but 4
copy Of it's sisters in London and New
York; as unsuitable in it's Gothic
grandeur for the hot winds of the tor
rid zone as for the cold winds OF the
arctic. It's great vaulted roof, ponder
Gus pillars, and long, narrow chancel,
protect you from nothing save a sight
of the face of the kind old bishop Of
Singapore and Sarawal1, OF the sound
Of his pleasant voice
The one innovation that has broken
the cast-iron sameness of the EDisco-
3palian temple is the great white pun-
kahs which swished back and forth
through the hot air above our heads.
The punkah is the sign of the Dast,
from Port Said to Yokohama
The church was decorated with mai
denhair ferns in abundance, great,
pure cuharist lilies, and delicate dove.
orchids.
A brilliant green lizard, with 4 long,
curving, pointed tail, glided silently
down the aisle and Deered into and
then crawled into the soft felt hat of
his honor the chief justice. His honor
only smiled It paused but a moment
and then departed on it's journey
among the worshipers.
No one felt any alarm. It stopped
in front of little English miss with
golden hair and a great blue sash, and
gazed at her from head to foot with
it's jeWeled eyes. The little miss took
no more notice of it than an American
girl would Of a fly. Then it wandered
back and found a resting place on the
venerable archdeacon's prayer book.
Another. lizard, with red and yellow
stripes, came out and chased the green
lizard into the organ loft housewife
Wildman in Overland.