The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-13
BUDDHA.

There's only one trias out Of the whole
bunch OF my curiosities that I've turned a
aixpenoe over-if, indeed, you can say that
a tea plantation out in Ceylon which
you We got the trouble to go out and in
spect is really worth SO much-and that
was a trumpery bit Of an idol made OF
copper Sl~lrass or some such stun as that.
The connoisseurs who came only said
that its name was Buddha when it was at
home, and that it was an uncommon dne
specimen.
Indeed, SO far as know, only one other
man ever got oreeps 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 a look at
him I declare to you that the fellows
looks fairly made me jump. You couldn't
have soraped flesh OF that man with a
razor.
I felt q bit sorry for him and tried to
put him at his ease-oGered him whisky
and soda, y know, and all that.
But he thanked me and declined. t'I've
got to be very careful what eat and
drink, - says he. Fact is, I've been very
ILL.,"
''You don't look altogether healthy
now says I, trying to look into the fro
place, but squirting at his baggy, empty
clothes in spite Of myself
I'm far from well, % says he nervously.
But you needn' It be frightened of infeo-
ton or anything like that. Fact is, I've
been poisoned-pOisonod near q place I've
got in West Ceylon, near Palatupane- 1t
began five years ego last month, - he went
on in a dreary sort of way, and I 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 a soul to
speak to except natives, and one naturally
got wild for a bit of eXcitem6nt. Still,
think must have had some drink in me
at the time or I shouldn t have gone mess
ing round a temple. I 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 it rather a
mad thing Of you to eat anything in such
a placer
Il neither ate nor drank. I was not so
insane as that.
One Of them gave me a push with
cane he had in his hand, and I felt tiny
prick and the thing was done.
sit was not till a week after that be-
gan to get seedy. But the worst of it 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 q ghost Of a notion myself
either. just wasted down.
1T was Just three years after that affair
in the temple that I got the first inkling
of what was the matter with me, and then
only indirectly from whisperings among
the coolies. But a man in as bad fix as
was viii clutch at any hope, and so I
got a palSnuuin rugged and had myself
carried away through the woods to the
gloomy little temple.
1.-THE priests were fulsomely civil. They
remembered my honored visit, time back;
were Frustrated with the honor did them
in apologizing, but fatty denied that they
had any hand in doing evil to my celestial
person.
$50 I went wearily back again and in
e week had mysterious communication
handed mellow, I know not-cOuched in
very grammat English.
1T stated simply that for my insult to
them the gods, through their servant
priests had chosen to punish mo. Already
had tasted of their power in that I had
wasted from a heavy, strong man to
puny skeleton. I could save myself by
delivering my own ransom on the thresh-
old of the temple
Years back SO I read, a wandering
Irishman had visited the shrine and had
purl0inod q bronze statue of Buddha pos
sessed of infinite sanctity. He had depart
ed, leaving small trace, and had taken
with him the Buddha to the place whence
he had come.
The letter went on to give a minute
description of the lost treasure and its
probable whereabouts and wound up by
assuring me that il, and it alone, contain
cd the sole antidote which would cure me.
How the healing drug was to be admins
tered the writer forbore to tell. but that
would be shown when the image was re-
placed In It's shrine.
Convincing as this letter was, I be-
Heve I should have disregarded the advice
but for one thing. Accompanying it were
notes for 10, 600 rupees. a Cingalese ma
tive may lie, but he will never outlay his
money without seeing clearly a very good
return for it.
sAnd so set out, with old death al
ways squirting me to hurry in the search,
and after three weary months I have
found the Buddha in your house. 1t re-
mains to see if you will surrender it to
me. -
That was the fellows yarn. OF course L
took him to be mad at first, but as he
went on, IN spite Of myself could not help
believing in it. 1 took him into the hall
and he spotted the beastly green thing on
its perch in a minute.
That's my fate, " says he; and, look
you, inside it there ought t. be a small
packet of purple powder done up in a
scrap of snake skin. May lOokp"
Go ahead, " says I; and, reaching up
his bony hands with a bit of a shudder,
he presses knob, and I'm blessed if the
little idols stomach didn't swing out on
hinge, showing a tiny cupboard which
held the speokled snake skin and the stuff
just as he said.
And what are you asking for this piece
of bronze? You know what it's worth
to me- but I've not much money left I
ask you, as a man, not to be too hard with
the pricer'
''Oh, cenfound your says T. bit con
fusedly. Il may be fond of driving stiff
bargain over horsehair sometimes, but
I'M not altogether a brute. Take the ugly
thing with you and welcom0."
Wen. the FOLLOW went aMay. and for