The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-03-12
A GLIMPSE OF india
Sights That TiCkled 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.

The JeweIry Fad
-Four things in India are held sacred
--cows, crows, snakes and monkeys
says Homer Croy in Lcslics. How
they came to select these above all 9th
crs to put Oh the sacred list is more
than any one knows.
You would have TO hunt long time
10 find anything homelier than sacred
COW. The sacred cows arc of solled
white, and they have long, dropping
iaclllaDbit ears and camels' humps on
their neclis just where the collar but
ton would come. They look about as
sacred as corn shelter.
These COWS wander up and down the
street. and when they come to gro
Gerry they calmly begin eating the vege-
tables on display. The grocer cannot
drive them away. for they are sacred.
All he can do is to stand there with a
plaintiye, pleading expression in his
eyes and hope thar the COW is not feel
ing well
From one grocery to another they
take the Iniddle/of the sidewalk. They
won't turn out under any considera-
tlon--they'ye got to have. the middle
of the sidewalk. II takes the last rem
nant OF my gentlemanly Instincts to
step out into the gutter TO let COW
pass. Just itch TO get my hands on
club IT | could there'd be an awful
concnssion on about the fourth sacred
floating rib.
Ponder over it as / may, / have new
err been able TO figure ont why any
body who hasn't been ont in the sun
too much should pick a crow TO hold
sacred one would think that If they
were going to pick any bird to hold
snorcd they would select beautiful
one, for India has hundreds of beauti-
ful ais1S ard ly 10 wild leap OF the
lima gination could crow be called
pretty.
l thought our American crows were
homely, but they arc beautiful along
side the Bombay CROWS. The Bombay
crows are the dirtiest, greasiest, most
tllapidated looking birds ever saw in
my life They take full advantage OF
their sacredness They VIII swoop
down and pull vegetables out of a bas-
ket person is carrying and will COME
hopping in aud drag things on the Ia
bic. especially things tina wiz spot the
carpet. but one cannot touch them. for
they are sacred.
And they retire SO late OF night!
They dearly loved 70 sit on a limb out
Side my window apdcp@agc in scandal
and gossip uatil a late hour In harsh
voices until ] wPtitl give anything il
before | loft Missouri had packed
shotgun. ts8Hlat sH
As for sacred snabes. India produces
some tine ones. but they arc in the
same class as are the sacred crows
with me.
Monkeys are in a class by themselves,
aud when one playfully losses a tile
from the roof nj my head | miss that
shotgun more than ever.
Another curious thing in India is the
iewelry fad.
love to get on Il street car in Bonn
bay and ride just TO see the conductor.
He wears his turban wrapped around
his head aud his skirt coiled around
his waist. and when he comes down
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 rs 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 great jcwelry wearing
When it comes to scattering
IL around the women favor their ears
first ana their wrists second, They
wear bracelets clear up to their elbows
until they look like cane rack mt old
home week. The Hindus are afraid
to put their money in the bank, so
they buy jewelry and string 1t on their
wives. A Hindu can't lift his head
and look the world in the eye II his
wife coming down the sidewalk,
doesn't rattle like a milk wagon. Ev-
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 favorite place with the
Hindus for jewelry. The big toe is
certain OF Il silver ring. ana il the
oocketboob holds out the OBVIOUS small.
or ones are sure to be remembered.
Some of the toe rings have tiny little
bells. so that when woman walks 1t
sounds as If the COWS were In the corn
On the far forty.
The women Of India don't 20 in very
much for dressing .Icweliy Is about
All they wear, ana they wear that at
points. They seem to