Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-02-22

prayer flags dropping in the sin an.
the road led, striking suddenly trail
that emerged onto small plateau.
The sheer thrill of that little plateau,
like sharp upturning Chinese mir
rori At the foot of the ascent lay a
Bethlehem village. The mellow after
noon sunshine reflected in small
pool-the whole a study in quietude.
And beyond, rushing swiftly away to
the North, our Promised Land, the
great Monaghan plain.
To the Top of the World.
The ascent of the next morning was
delayed by the appearance OF cara
van of two-wheeled ox-carts piled with
wool, there where the pass notched
the sky. But It was worth the de-
lay. Whatever else slips from me
through memory's net, it will not be
those carts, for one supreme moment
dominating the world, and then, like
all things mortal, each losing the SUE
preme moment at the crest of things
the dust below. while we ourselves
took the uptrail to the top Of the
world.
The top OF the world! Beyond
vision of sky and plain, magnificent
open country rushing away gloriously
to the horizon and beyond. That is
the feel Of Mongolia beyond; vast.
silent beyond. Something of desert
beauty lay in its unbroken spaces,
peace and healing and desert inscrut-
ability. It was of the desert and yet
it was not desert. It's tawny mono
chrome was tinged with green, soft
ened by short, sparse grass through
which summer wind rustIed, invit-
ing one to pleasant wanderings.
The Tent DweIlers.
We were now well up in fresh, un-
trammeled land. There were no fields,
no houses, no villages, only an occa-
sional encampment Of black Mongol
tents with its guard OF dogs. True
nomad's land.
The black Mongol tents are made of
layers of felt stretched on a collapse
bic wicket of wood about four feet
high, from which spokes of wood ex-
tend to meet above at the top, the
whole corded with stout ropes. There
are no windows and the entrance con-
sists of one low door. Against the
walls of the tent stand bright chests
of clothing, brass cooking vessels.
rows of cheeses, bsrrel of intoxi-
cant made fron sour milk, and small
Buddhist shrine. Felt and fur rugs
cover She earth floor and the low dais
at the back which adds Turkish look.
On center brazier tea SINNERS from
morning till night, tea drunk copious-
ly with butter and salt and handful
of miIlet. The whole is overhung with
an indescribable odor, Siberian but
more so; skins, cheese, smoke. horses.
dogs, sheep, cows, tobacco, sour milk,
incense to the gods and unwashed hui
mainly, q combination into which the
odors of Cairo might be carried as a
perfume.
The Mongol mother prepares the
family meal In pot on the brazier or
sews cloth shoes with long needle.
In one of the tents a wedding was in
prospect--a wedding which consists of
the bridegroom's dashing up with a
group of friends on the swiftest horses
obtainable and carrying off the bride
before dawn--and in the corner of the
tent sat Chinese silversmith ham
mering out the barbarically beautiful
/ headdresS that forms every brides
dowry. One Mongol woman pointed
out to me three beads in her doRIy
which she said cost horse each. The
men also have an inside occupation
smoking and taking snuff. One tent
suffices for family, unless it be rich
one, and on cold nights it shelters all
the calves and lambs, little brothers
| of the field"
The Mongol is darker in color than
/ his Chinese neighbor, high-cheeked,
squat, weather-beaten, almost protec-
tive in coloring. Rarely, if ever, on q
Mongof face is seen that fine intelsi-
gence which stamps the Chinese; the
fact that he has produced no arts, no
crafts. that he is yorker in no me-
| dunn, is writ large in the crudity of his
expression. AS Buddhist, he refus-
a beetle, for instance. Sheep he may
kill, however, since that may be accom-
plished without Buddha's cognizance.
back Of the tent. Floclzs nave another
advantage, too. over fields; fiocks ne
may carry with him. And the Mongol
knows no shades Of prison house
Give Mongol a sheep and horse
| and he will feed, closne, house himself
and roam the plain. Add cow and
he can get drunk. Life has nothing
more to offer.