New-York tribune., 1901-01-02
TIE PASSING THRONG.

You often hear stories about the failure Of the
English TO appreciate humor." said George W.
Smiley, a prominent attorney OF
ENGLISH Cleveland. Ohio. at the Holland
hUMOR House yesterday. but sometimes I
OFFSET TIE think the Britisher is not so stupid
AMERICAN as he is made out TO be. / have
JOKER. heard Of the Engshman who said
plaintively, You don't understand
our humor. and il isn't surprising that we don't
understand yours l recall story told last sum-
ner about the quiet but effective way in which an
Englshman settled American who was tryins
to be funny. The Englishman in question was
standing in Broadway looking up az the buildings
He stopped man who was passing and said with
a pronounced English drawl: Au / saw do YOU
know where the Postorice is?' The man accosted
was of these bright fellows and he answered
tersely, Yes. I know where il is and then he
passed on. There wasn't ripple upon the face
Of the Englishman 20 denote that he surprised
or puzzled by the literal answer TO his question
The man in question. however. after going a few
stems stems a2parenty repentea o. his attempted pleas
locutor was an EugIishman that he wouldn't under
c i 60 back Snd af @ h %ers SR ee @ ne hS
was. He turned baek and saw the Englishman
approached him and said; I beg your pardon but
was did you desire to have me ten You where Il
is Iocated?' The Englshman looked at him for a
with nonchaiant dra%l: " Aw no. not at an not not
at ALL "
Much is written every year about India. and
much is said about that wonderful country. but
doubt If any adequate idea Of it's
THE TEN Importance it's resources and its
PILES AND magnihcence is conveyed" The
MOSQUES speaker was Colonel John II.
OF AGRA. Langley. a retired English officer.
Colonel Langley is visiting this
country a pleasure trip and at the Fifth Ave
nue. Hotel yesterday drifted into the subject of
India. "Kipling,' continued the Colonel has
done much TO illuminate the life Of India. IT'S mill
tary and civic administration, its natives and its
grandeur and its squalor. India IS getting greater
every day. Why. do you know that the island, or
more properly. the peninsula. OF Bombay was ac-
quired from the Portuguese by the English in
1851. and il held in light esteem that the
East India Company for annual rental OF 80
secured IT, Until 1853 IL stood at the head OF the
npany's possessions. To-day IL has $4,000 peo-
pie. and its tombs. shrInes. mosques and temples
the one at Agra is marvellous 70 see. II is inside
the famous Agra fort. constructed in the six
teenth century by the Emperor Akbar- lt IS called
the Pearl Mosque, and is the finest mosque OF
Indian -MahOmetan architecture. But amid all
the tombs and mosques of Agra the most interest
ing Is the built by Shah Jahan for his ia
vorite wife. and where he also lies. Four tall
marble TO a height of 135 feet, resting upon the
pure magnifcence OF tomb Of the same White
marble, 31S feet square. The mausOleum itself. IN
the centre. is 1S6 feet square, surmOunted BY a
dome 50 feet high Under this dome Is the main
apartment. screened by exquisite trelliS work OF
white marble. 1t is laVishly nlaid with precious
stones, egates, jaspers and comedians