Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-07-02
WEBSTER CITY
CHAUTAUQUA
IS NOW ON
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States. He has truly lived here, fol
his eyes have been open and his
wits about him. His close observa-
ton of American customs and cos
tunes has made him a witty and
trenchant critic Of life in western
lands.
The lecturers subject was, "The
Millions of India There are three
hundred of them, or more. Like
Madame Mountford, Mohammed Ali
wears the costume of his native land
while he speaks, and the unique
richness of his robes proved deeply
interesting to his audience. Ameri-
can manufacturers despair of being
able to produce either fabric OF
trimming, and If the dress could be
made in America the speaker said II
would cost at least $500. But Mo-
manned had it made to order in
India at cost Of about 500. As
he wore his gold embroidered robes,
oriental sandals, and the turban OF
his people, his white teeth gleam-
ing under a black moustache on a
swarthy face, Mohammed Ali look
ed the part he talked.
The lecture was made interesting
with information not often accessi-
BILE to audiences in western lands.
The lecturers little asides on Amer
lean life were clever, witty and to
the point, and they were given with
such good grace that though they
hit hard they also captured the au-
dience.
But it was his intimate disclosures
Of Hindoo life which laid bare the
perils and problems of midas teem-
ing millions that made the hit OF
the afternoon. He disclosed the
chasms that ever yawn between the
east and the west. 1t is a far cry
from the equality Of American life
as between the sexes to family con-
ditions in India, where boys only
count and girls are an open nuis-
ance. Hindoo farmers dare not live
on their farms for fear of robbers,
but huddle together in villages and
towns and cities. travelling back and
forth miles to till the soil. The wild
beasts of India owe their preserva-
ton among the millions of human
beings who need the ground on
which wild life thrives to the fact
that the doctrine of the transmigra-
ton of souls is a malevolent power
in Hindoo life. A man dare not kill
bed bug lest the act might prove
to be homicide against his own
great grandfather. In graphic
language Mohammed Ali pictured
the bazaars of India, where the
strange cries of bargainers ever din
in the narrow streets. And the cos
tunes of India, such burden OF
jewelry on woman's form and dress,
such noiseless silk worn by men and
women alike, such queer modes OF
lornamentation in zenana life-Mo-
manned Ais speech made this part
of the sleepy old East live again
This man from India likes the Eng.
lish cricket as he likes the British
rule, and to it he much prefers the
American base ball. He spoke Of In.
dia's juggling adopts and their mys,
FERROUS tricks which still mystify
the world, and he intimated that
black magic was becoming a lost art
even in it's Hindoo home. Mosques
palaces, temples, and tombs passed
in interesting procession before the
Chautauqua audience, and when the
lecture closed people felt that they
had been on a personally conducted
tour of Hindustan.
Perhaps the most interesting part
of the afternoon came at the close
OF the lecture. Following Hindot
custom. Mohammed All invited ques
lions of his audience. Interested
people gathered about the platform
to examine the lecturers costume a
close range. Gradually reserve
broke down. and in a little while
the Hindoo was answering questions
relative to midas more intimate ant
dificult problems. This part of tn,
program proved to be even more in
teresting than the set lecture.
Torrential rain came at the hou
for the evening program. The De
Kovens "preluded" to an accompan
iment Of heavy rain on the roof o
the tent. But everybody was goo'
natured and met the untoward in
cident with Chautauqua spirit. B!
the time the lecture commenced tn
u tent was nearly half full. However
this wet weather can but be disas
trous to Chautauqua finance. Fo
the remaining days of the program
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