The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-02-11
QUEER TALES FROM THE LAND OF MYSTERY
British India and Its
100000
Widows.

CALCUTTA-L.ives of old women
are not valued highly in India. a
short time ago General Patterson, the
American Consul in Calcutta, was in
vited by a friend to take a ride in an
automobile. AS they were coming
and before the brake could be ap@
piled, struck an aged woman who was
crossing the street. Not knowing
what the consequence of the accident
might be, and not wishing to avoid
responsibility, the owner of the au-
tomobile left his card before proceed
ing. In a few days he received a state
1nent which read: ITO killing one
grandmother twenty-five rupees" This
sum is equal to eight dollars and
quarter American money.
Not long ago a judge in India was
confronted by two men who were in
volved in dispute over some money
matters. In making a final settle
ment in transaction one contended
that 700 rupees were due him, while
the other insisted that the amount
was only 900. There was no evidence
except the word of the two parties to
the Controversy. SO the judge was at
a loss to determine the merits of the
case He was relieved of the re-
sponsibility, however, when the plain
tiff proposed that if the defendant
would swear by the sacred water of
the Ganges river that he owed only
600 rupees, that amount would be ac-
cepted in full payment. At first the
Judge demurred and said that was no
way to settle a lawsuit, but the dis
putants agreed that it would be per-
fectly satisfactory arrangement for
both of them, SO some of the sacred
water was brought into the court room
and the final settlement was amicably
accomplished.
MORE WIVES THAN SOLOMON.
The recent visit of the Prince of
Wales to India was the cause of the
greatest gathering of Rajahs and ma
tive princes that has occurred since
the great Durbar at Delhi. For
week prior to the arrival of the
Prince, Bombay fairly swarmed with
the glittering retinues of up-country
potentates Your interest can hard
ly fail when a parsonage attired in
numerous and gorgeous trappings is
pointed out to you as the ruler of
larger than Italy, and you
are informed that he possesses eight
hundred wfves-two hundred more
than Solomon had.
The gossips keep your ears filled {
with interesting chatter about first ,
one and than another of these native
There is one who char
Ii :
self and party to the coronation of the
present King of England. He took
along his own food and water and
gods. as we'll as numerous wives and 1
their attendants He presented the {
King with a jeweled sword inlaid with
gems valued at $4,000 rupees. He no {
doubt repented of his extravaganza.
for upon his return home he found
his land blighted by famine. so he {
vent straightway on another journey
this time a lonely pilgrimage to the
Gauges to pray for rain.
You conclude that one Rajah must {
pc rather poor when you hear that :
ne has only seventeen wives with him,
md you marvel at the 1avishness of 7
another when you are told that the &
argest jewelry store in India was
,Iosed during one whole day While 4
ixty of his wives examined the stock
nd selected whatever pleased their
ancy. 1t was my good fortune to 4
ravel on the special train of one OF
he Rajahs, and it was about like 4
raveling with a circus. There We're
ogs. monkeys and poll parrots without
lumber, and by actual count one d
undred and four goats for sacrificiai t
urposes The retainers numbered q
ne hundred and f1fty-two persons and t
he luggage and equipment occupied v
everal cars This man was the ruler h
f a territory equal to about half that Il
f Ireland. d
OF THE MORNING d
STAR 81
These Indian dignitaries indulge in 1t
Il sorts of fancies and extravagances. d
ne signs himself THE Brother of the II
forming STAR and another carries u
round with him a clock with a dia- o
Iond pendulum. The favorite wife OF -
he notable decided that she wanted
It of false teeth, and the American
enlist who got the job had to put
lem in without seeing her face. This sc