The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-08-02
A GLIMPSE OF INDIA
Siqhts That TiCkIed a Tourists
Sense of Humor.
cows OWN THE SIDEWALKS.
They Are All Sacred and Hence They
Have the Right of Way-Crows,
Snakes and Monkeys Also Sacred.
The Jewelry Fad.


says Homer Cr"y in Leslie's. How
they came 10 select these above all 9TH
ers TO put on he sacred list Is more
than any one knows.
You would have to hunt Il long time
to find anything homelier than sacred
COW. The sacred COWS are of a sOtled
white. and they have long. dropping
jackra bbit ears and canet>' humps GU
their nccks just where the collar but
ton would come They look about AS
sacred as Il corn shelter
These COWS wander up and down the
street. and when they come to gro
cerv they calmly begin eating the vege-
tables on display. The grocer cannot
drive them away, for they are sacred.
All lie can do is 10 staud there with
plainttve. pleading expression in his
ewes aud hope thar the cow is not feel
ing we'll
From one grocery to another they
take the middle OF the sidewalk. They
won't turn ont under any considera
tion-they've got to have the middle
of the sidewalk. II takes the last rem-
nant Of my geptIemanlg instincts to
step ont into the gutter TO let cow
pass, lust itch to get my hands on
club. If could there'd be al awful
concusSion on about the fourth sacred
floating rib
Ponder over it as | may, i have new
er been able 70 figure out why any
body who hasn't been out In the sun
too much should pick Il rr"" 10 hold
sacred. one would think that If they
were going to pick any bird to hold
sacred they would select a beautiful
one, for India has hundreds or beautl-
full birds, and by no wild leap or the
imagination could a crow be called
pretty.
| thought our American crows were
homely, but they are beautiful along
side the Bombay crows. The bombay
crows are the dirtiest, greasiest. most
dilapidated looking birds | ever saw In
NV life. They take full advantage or
their sacredness. They will sWoop
down and pull vegetables out OF bas-
ket person is carrying and will come
hopping in and drag things off the ia
BILE, especially things that will spot the
CARPET, but one cannot touch them, for
they are sacred.
And they retire so late at night!
They dearly loved to sit on limb out
side my window and engage In scandal
and gossip until a late hour In harsh
voices until [ would give anything II
before | left Missouri ! had packed
shotgun.
As for sacred snakes, India produces
some fine ones, but they are In the
same class as are the sacred crows
with me.
Monkeys are in class by themselves,
and when one playfully losses tile
from the roof at my head | miss tnat
shotgun more than ever.
Another curious thing in India is the
jewelry fad.
I love to get on a street car In BON
bay and ride just to see the conductor
He wears his turban wrapped around
his head and his skirt cOtled around
| his waist, and when he comes DOVE
/ the aisle TO collect your fare his brown
| knees pop in and out from under his
skirt as If it were some new kind OF
game.
A Hindu street car conductor doesn't
| worry much about the rags situated
| here and there that make up his
| clothes. His efforts are concentrated
on getting big pair of earrings. 1t Is
wonderful what success they have.
| Some Of the rings look as If they had
been cast for the navy. Their earrings
are not little hobs that hang from the
| lower part Of the ear, but are hoops
| fastened in the top part. The right ear
| Is the favorite On this they hang the
greater part of their silverware.
| India is a great jewelry wearing
country. When ii comes to scattering
! 1t around the women favor their ears
first and their wrists second. They
wear bracelets clear up to their elbows
until they look like cane rack at old
| home week The Hindus are afraid
| to put their money in the bank, so
| they buy jewelry and string it on their
| wives. A Hindu can't lift his head
| and look the world in the eye If his
/ wife, coming down the sidewalk.
| doesn't rattle like milk wagon. Ey-
cry time she puts up her hand to do
| her hair it sounds as If the next num-
| Der on the program were muscle
| dance.
Toes are a fayorite place with the
| Hindus for jewelry. The big toe is
certain Of a silver ring. and If the
| pocketbook holds out the envious small
er ones are sure TO be remembered.
Some of the toe rings have tiny little
| bells. so that when woman walks II
sounds as If the cows were In the corn
on the far forty.
The women of India don't go In very
much for dressing. Jewelry Is about
all they wear and they wear that at
inconspicuous points. They seem to
take personal pride in seeing how
much money they can save their hus-
| bands on clothes. and their husbands
see with how much jewelry they can
| surprise their wives The Mohamme-
, dan women are very careful to keep
| their faces covered up.
Health and good humor are to the
human body like sunshine TO yegeta-