The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-09-30

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hundreds of miles away across a SEEM
ingly impregnable chain Of mountains
and enclosed a code letter requesting
him to affix his seal to the package and
return 1t at once. We figured how
long it would likely take if the bundle
was conveyed by relays of runners.
but it came back properly sealed in
less than a fifth of time we had es-
| timated The old compradore fully
enjoyed our amazement, but would Of
fer no explanation Of the remarkab BILE
accomplishment.
Some of our party contended that
trained animals, possibly dogs, must
have been employed, and others be-
lieved that carrier birds had been uti-
lied in effecting the unexpected feat
of transportation. There were certain
ly no roads. nor even trails, to afford
a footing for a large animal like a
horse. There was no clue to warrant
the surmise about either the dogs or
the birds, as the delivery of the pack
age at both terminals had been quietly
accomplished by stolid Cinnamon, who
trotted in with the bundle as uncon-
cernedly as If they were merely bring
the most probable explanation was that
swift runners had covered the distance
by short cuts through the mountains
which were unknown to foreigners. II
this was the correct solution, these
couriers must have kept that package
going at full speed every minute of the
day and night or it could never have
made the round trip In the time actually
achievement and we were never able
to even get an inkling of how it was
done The workings of the under
ground telegraph is still one of the
secrets of the East"
HOW THE DOCTOR CURED.
The doctor made the next contribu-
ton, and his story was as follows: II
have been employed in a hospital in
India for a number of years, and not
long ago I had a striking example of
the ignorant simplicity of the natives,
as well as an illustration of how read
lily they believe in anything which
savors of the supernatural. A friend
OF mine who was skillful hunter pre-
scented me with the hide of a large
black bear. Although that portion of
India vas not a country where furs
were III OGIldiu, L pidCeQ The Jug Oii
the floor in front of my desk until
such time as I should return home.
1T so happened that in the course
of my practice I was extremely sue
cessful with number of my patients.
and my fame began to spread among
the people as a miracle worker. Imag-
Inc my chagrin when I discovered the
real cause of MY popularity. 1t seems
81, hot o
in front of my desk was charmed, and
that my cures were accomplished by
means of it's mystic virtue. Conse-
quently every native within miles had
secretly bargained with the janitor for
a hair from the bear skin, and the
was accommodating a fortune
from disposing of them. BY the time
my attention was called to it my valued
rug was almost as scant of hair as a
baldheaded man."
A SACRED ELEPHANTS BREAF-
FAST
The missionary then favored the at
Lentive listeners with the account of
host exceptional procedure that was
supposed to have religious significance.
The man from Burmah said: I'm the
public gardens Of Rangoon there is a
/ sacred beast and was a great favor
tie during the reign of King Thebaw,
whom the English defeated and exiled.
In the dear days of the old king this
elephant was given a most extraor-
linary breakfast, the details of which,
rather delicate to speak Of,
ire undoubtedly true. as they are men
Toned in the historical books and
yo11obad for in WAYS
Every morning twenty women volun-
eered to assist in giving nourishment
o the sacred giant. They were placed
II line and were altogether nude to
he waist The holy beast then walked
behind them, placing his trunk over
he shoulder of each in turn, and suck
ID their breasts dry of milk. It was
necessary to keep physician on hand
o revive the volunteers, because they
llmost invariably collapsed. partly
rom fright, and partly from the ex-
essiva physical exertion attendant on
uch an unusual performance No
rouble was experienced In getting
women, as all participants In the cere-
nony were supposed to attain special
pirttual benefits for themselves and
heir children. This absurd practice
ras finally abandoned and the sacred
aonster retired on diet of baled hay"
FREDERIC J. HASKIN.
LADY, want some collars for my
but I am afraid I've forgot
en- the size. Shopman-Thirteen and
half, mum? Lady-That's it. How
id you guess? Observation-Disclosures
mo let their wives buy their collars
Or them are ALWAYS about that size.