The Dickinson press., 1896-12-19
CHRISTMAS AT SINGAPORE.
How the Glad Day Was Celebrated
L.

How the Glad Day Was Celebrated
I'm India.
We went to church at half-past ten.
The weather was intensely hot. and
vet we drove to the great English ca
thedral on the Esplanade and braved
the binding glare of the Malayan sun.
just to try to keen VN y stimulation Of
the Christmas we observe In distant
homes. The usual hours for worship
are half-I'ast six in the morning and
half-past five in the evening.
Our ordinary garh Of pure white
linen aud cool dark helmets We had
Discarded for suits Of wooden and
black derbys-so hard did we try to
delude ourselves into familiar Christ
mas feeling. Tho night before, OH
Christmas eve, l saw a hundred or
more men-rich ship owners, high Off.
cials-try to do the same thing.
Their wives were at home In Eng.
land or Germany. recuperating after 4
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 a tree,
causuarina, decorated with candles,
toys, candies, and penny balloons; just
such IL tree as they would have gone
into raptures over in their. childhood.
At it's foot were the presents.
An orchestra played outside under
the wide-spreading arms Of great
banian tree, and spotlessly dressed Chi
pese '''boys" 'eircled about with re-
freshments. Songs were sung; every.
one laughed and cheered and slapped
each other on the shoulder. and yet
everyone knew that it was Il pitiful
failure.
BetWepp laughs faces grew grave,
and faraway looks filled tired eyes.
They were wondering what wives,
mothers and friends were doing on
that night IN the llesssl land ct the
SHOWS,
Tho great English cathedral Is but a
copy Of Its sisters In London and New
York: as unsuitable In Its Gothic
grandeur for the hot winds of the tor
rid zone as for the cold winds Of the
arctic. Its 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 Sarawak, or the sound
Of his pleasant voice.
The one innovation that has broken
the cast-iron sameness Of the Episc0'
palian 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 East
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 long
curving. pointed tail, glided silently
down the aisle and peeEeA into and
then crawled into the soft felt hat o.
his honor the chief justice. His honol
only smiled. 1t paused but a momen
and then departed on its journey
among the worshipers.
No one felt any alarm. 1t stopped
in front OF little English miss will
golden hair and great blue sash, ant
gazed at her from head to foot will
its jewelel eyes. The little miss tool
no more notice of 1t than an Amercal
girl would Of a fly. Then it wandered
back and found resting place on tn
venerable archdeacon's prayer book
Another lizard, with red and yellow
. stripes. came out and chased the greel
lizard into the organ loft.-Rounsevill
Witlman in Overland.