Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-08-04
APPEASINH BUDDHA.


you've got the trouble to 60 out and in
spect is really worth so much-and that
was trumpery bit of an idol made OF
copper or brass Or some such stuff as that.
The connoisseurs who came only said
that its name was Buddha when it was at
home, and that 1t was an uncommon line
specimen.
Indeed, so far as l know, only one other
man ever got creeps out of that idol the
whole time it was in Ireland, and he's the
Johnny that's left me this tea caddy place.
Oh, beg pardon-thanks-p
meant, as you say.
He turned up one morning, and when
came in from the stables to have look at
him I declare to you that the fellows
looks fairly made me jump. You couldn't
have scraped flesh off that man with a
razor.
felt bit sorry for him and tried to
put him at his ease-offered him whisky
and soda, y know, and all that.
But he thanked me and declined. "1've
got to be very careful what 1 eat and
drink" says he. "Faot is, I've been very
ILL.,
"You don't look altogether healthy
now,' says /, trying to look into the fire.
place, but squirting at his baggy, empty
clothes in spite of myself.
s'I'm far from WE'LL" says he nervously.
''But you needn't be frightened Of infec-
tion or anything like that Fact is, I've
been poisoned-poisoned near place I've
got in West Ceylon, near Palatupane. 1t
began five years ago last month" he went
on in dreary sort of way, land suppose
I was in some degree to blame at first.
"You see, there was so little for a man
to do about my district, and not q soul to
speak to except natives, and one naturally
got wild for bit of excitement. Still,
think must have had some drink in me
at the time or Ishouldn' It have gone mess
ing round temple. l suppose the priests
looked farther ahead and thought they
could get more out of me dead than alive.
So they poisoned me-"
'But, pardon me, wasn't 1t rather a
mad thing of you to eat anything in such
placer"
insane as that.
lone of them gave me push with a
cane he had in his hand, and felt tiny
| prick and the thing was DONE
''It was not till a week after that be-
| gan to get seedy. But the worst of 1t was
| no one could make out exactly what was
the matter with me-neither native quack
nor white doctor-and for three whole
years hadn't ghost of u notion myself
either. I just wasted down.
at was just three years after that affair
in the temple that got the first inkling
of what was the matter with me, and then
only indirectly from whisperings among
the coolies. But man in as bad fix as
was will clutch at any hope, and SD
got palanquin rugged and had myself
carried away through the woods to thu
gloomy little temple.
'The priests were fulsomely civil. They
remembered my honored visit, time back
were Frustrated with the honor did then
in apologizing, but fatty denied that they
had any hand in doing evil to my celestia
person.
$50 went YEARLY back again and ii
week had o mysterious communication
handed mellow, know not-couched II
very grammatical English.
1T stated simply that for my insult te
them the gods, through their servant
priests, had chosen to punish me. Already
had tasted of their power In that hat
wasted from heavy, strong man to I
puny skeleton. l could save myself b.
delivering my own ransom ON the thresh
old of the temple.
"Years back, SO 1 read, q wandering
Irishman had visited the shrine and ha
: purloined bronze statue Of Buddha pos
sessed of infinite sanctity. He had depart
+ cd, leaving small trace, and had takel
!, with him tho Buddha to the place whenc
; he had come.
. "The letter went on to give minut
f description Of the lost treasure and 1t
probable whereabouts and wound up b
, assuring me that it, and it alone, contain
!. ed the sole antidote which would cure me
How the healing drug was to be admins
tered the writer forbore to tell, but tina
would be shown when the image was re
placed in its shrine.
Convincing as this letter was, bt
lieve should have disregarded the advic
but for one thing. Accompanying 1t wer
notes for 10000 rupees. A Cingalese nc
tive may lie, but he will never outlay hi
money without seeing clearly very goo
return for 1t.
"And SO set out, with old death a
ways squirting me to hurry in the search
, and after three weary months l hav
found the Buddha In your house. 1t n
mains to see II you will surrender 1t
me-"
That was the fellows yarn. OF course
took him to be mad at frst but as h
went on, in spite of myself could not bel
believing in 1t. I took him into the ha
and he spotted the beastly green thing o
Its perch In a minute.
: "Thats my fate," says he; ''and, loo
4 you, inside it there ought to be sma
8 packet of purple powder done up in
3 scrap of snake skin. May lookp'
go ahead" says L and, reaching u
his bony hands with a bit Of a shudde
he presses knob, and I'm blessed If IL
little idols stomach didn't swing out on
hinge showing tiny cupboard whic
held the speckled snake skin and the stu
Just as he said.
"And what are you asking for this piet
of bronzei You know what it's wort
to me, but I've not much money left.
ask you, as man, not to be too hard wit
. the priceP'
: ooh, confound your says I, bit CO..
:. fusedly. II may be fond Of driving sti
:. bargain over horsehair sopetimes, b.
I'm not altogether brute. Take the ug
. thing with you and welcome"
= Well, the fellow went away, and for
long time heard no more Of him, al
!. Mabel said I'd been swindled by clev
;. rogue, and began to thing as much m
: sell, although didn't say So And the
> by Jove, long letter full of thanks can
, to say that he'd delivered up his prize, al
the priests stood to their promise and
was getting we'll rapidly.
And after that we didn't hear anythil
more till about o couple Of months az
when some lawyer out there wrote to 81
" that the poor fellow had gone dead fro
% snake bite and left mo all his property.
u In a week we are to leave for Ceylo