The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-01-11

for some time was related by
w by an Englishman at luncheon
downtown recently.
You have done so much for me,
Mr.. Black, since l have had to be
here on this steel business" he said,
you have put yourself out to be so
hospitable that | shall always think OF
you as worthy to be a Society Is
lander.
"How's that? Why unless they have
changed very much since ! was in the
middle of the Pacific some years ago,
the Society Islanders are the most
hospitable people in the world. or
course, their way Of doing things isn't
Just like New York or London. But
It's right from the heart.
Very often, when it m to the
test. the heather in his blindness
evens up pretty we'll with the white
man in taking care Of his guests,
remarked another member of the
party. Here on Fifth avenue or
Broadway what they DO sounds queer,
but on the spot it feels good. If |
should tell you that a North Ameri-
can Indian tribe | dropped in upon
late one afternoon gave me a Turkish
bath to remove the dust and fatigue
of. a long days journey through the
desert, you'd say | was crazy, would
Mt you? Well, that Is exactly what
happened.
The Indians were the Havasus, or
the Havasupais, whichever way you
want to call them. When | arrived
at this village of theirs, hot and Gov
cred with CRIME, | was as complete a
stranger as there ever was. The
chief motioned me to a seat beside
him, and ! was we'll satisfied in being
received kindly and allowed to rest.
No Indian, as you know, ever talks
much. and hence no warning of what
was to come was given me. 1t could
hardly have been much over half an
hour before a youth beckoned me. |
found out afterward that he was a
son Of the chief, intrusted with these
special rites of hospitality toward
strangers.
"Re led me to a tent. Later
learned that was known as the first
guest house 1t was practically air
tight, its entrance covered by a double
fan of blankets. In 1t women Of the
village had, ever since my arrival
been placing red hot stones, under
the direction of the lad. BY now 1t
was filled with heat and steam.
The boy told me it was part OF his
duty to care for my clothes while
went inside. | made a record In get
ting them off. There never was a
bath as delightful as that"
Odd Custom Of African Tribe.
my story will seem tame after
those of you two" put in the man who
was giving the luncheon, but there's
tribe in Africa, the Ovambos, whom
Stanley or Livingstone or Lord Kitten
ener or Roosevelt-somebody, at any
rate-called the Merry People, that
J have YOUR Tahitans and Indians beaten
q mile when il comes to oddities Of
hospitality. Their way isn't nearly
so pleasant as those we have beer
hearing about. What do they do
Hold water in their mouths as soor
as YOU are seated at a meal and squlr'
II in your face. You are expected tc
he greatly delighted at this, and ther
YOUR host m around to you anc
rubs YOUR face and head with fresf
butter. II a white guest protests he u
looked upon with suspicion.
There is another African tribe
Won NAV like to know, the Nuebrs o
central Africa, that have a custom
very like this. They greet thos'
they are about to entertain by spit
ting. yes. splitting, or your hands ant
face II is the most gross and bite
insult II you do non spit back. On
traveller It is said, who didn't knoV
Of Tho custom, became terribly angr,
at being spat upon. His first though
was TO knock the negro down. liner
IN Ills rage, a better way suggeste
itself. He spat In the mans face goo
and hard. To his astonishment IN
ruler of the tribe groveled peior
him. Now | know he said, that 20
are a great chief!'
TIE w~himsicalities OF hospitality ar
uaend;ng, though civilization Is ciea
ing them away piecemeal. II may nc
be true, as some have predicted, Una
ia New ~Zealander will ever stind an
iook on the ruins Of London ofiog
3acause by the time that ramon
structure ices fall there VIII not I
any New Ze-,ianders left, but. es WI