The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-09-21
aLlPERaTIIIoN "a INplA.



.IseIfefs Of lSdlftvss III Ioo5s EhtcIl Etl-
kirs Turn 70 Eroat-
some rev years ago q man whom
know bought an estate near town Of
some size, and Immediately on his TAX
ing possession was surprised to find
that he had also tnken on strange
responsibility. At the side OF the road
before his place was gigantic peepul
tree, such as the natives believe become
the residents OF departed spirits in great
numbers This IS a MOtlamnledan
as well as a Brahman superstition.
The tree WIS In charge Of a ruscallE
old falzir, who was systematically ex
torting q fine revenue from the people
Of the community by various devices.
principally ventriIoquial converse o1is
Of departed ones with their friends.
He had a hut at the base Of the tree.
The protruding limbs almost blocked
the roadway and were great nI1t-
sance, ana the nightly noises about the
falzirss hut were great annoyance to
the new owner Of the property. He
stood It as long as he could, and when
one day another falLfr, who was also
ventrilOquist and had highly trained
monkey, came by he promised him
handsome Tee to rid him Of the falklr
of the tree. As long as the fakir was
there to prophecy what dreadful Things
would happen II one branch Of the
tree was cut or broken any attempt to
clear the roadway would mean ma
tive revolt.
The second fakir secretly watched
the operations Of the first for day or
two and discovered that the worship
ers who came brought gifts of food,
money and Jewels to lay before the
peer OF the tree, the spirit In charge of
theiP-friends' spirits. The worshlpers
were then sent to the river to wash In
a certain way by the old fakir and he
returned TO the seclusfon of his hur.
When the worshipers returned they
found him still in the hut, but the gifts
were all gone, consumed by the peer
of the tree, the falzir said. AS mat
ter of fact he had stolen out and got
them meanwhile.
The second fakir assembled into the
tree the third day and posted the
monkey, 81 that the instant the old
faIzir.s back was turned the monkey
could swing by his tail and gather
up all the gifts. This was done many
times till the old falir was completely
mystifed and nearly frantic over his
losses. Having secured large guam
tity Of booty, the second falir took
the next step In his plan. He sent
the monkey aIoft on branch Of the
tree that was In plain sight, and when
a company Of wealthy and influential
worshipers gathered to converse with
their dead the second fakir, by his
ventrIIoquism, made his monkey de
nounce the old fakir, making him a
laughing stock before the people. The
old man few into a rage, which was a
certain sign that he was not holy, and
at that moment the owner Of the place
appeared with an ak to clear away
the limbs. The old fakir told him the
peer would strike him dead II he
touched a twig, but the house owner
broke or a handful, and when he was
not Killed and returned to the people
hundreds OF rupees worth of gifts they
had given the old fakir, the people
drove the old man from the district
and allowed the house owner to do as
he pleased with the peepul tree regard
less OF the number OF ancestors of
theirs which he gleefully and with
painstakIng care chopped up into bits
each time he trimmed it-Metropoli
Magazine.