Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-07

is no law against relieving thirst. and
neither the collector nor the good
father had taken VOWS to drink moth
ing but water. 1t seemed even that
lowed without batting an eyebrow
lent the missionary one day a special
measure of eloquence. The collector
was moved. Grace descended into
his heart. He shed tears. Like
Polyeucte. he saw, he believed, he was
This night Of my conversion is
night of nights. Come, let us set fire
to the idols of these pigs Of unbe-
levers. the Seferes"
For the Sereres, natives of this for
tunate country, were still idolaters
and guarded in temple some very
ugly. monkey shaped images. which
| they worshiped.
The good father, also inflamed with
| zeal, thought he ought not to appear
more lukewarm than a toll collector.
So they both, with great enthusiasm.
straw shack. and quickly burned up.
1t is seldom that you run across a
religion without priests. The temple
of the Sereres had a high priest,
livery influential old fellow, with a vast
reputation as a magician. He didn't
take the conf1agration in good part
Moreover. the fire insurance COM
panies had never sent agents into this
region, which proves how right peo-
pie are in charging our great French
institutions with lack of enterprise.
The tom-toms of war resounded ev-
erywhere. The Europeans began to
look with suspicion on the cooking
of their black servants. Finally, the
taxes stopped coming in.
! The chief Of the militia was an
old sergeant. But he had the rank
of captain and commanded eighteen
men. Such wonderful chance to
win glory made him very bellicose.
He brought into Partouneau the most
terrifying reports and submitted a
plan of campaign. Partouneau didn't
the captain warmly and said:
Il am going to call great ecu
lmenical council"
! To this council were summoned all
the sorcerers of the district. the mis-
lsionary, the tax collector and the high
priest of the Sereres, the arch
sorcerer. The latter declared that the
insult to his gods was irreparabie,
that they would take vengeance. and
that their triumph would be sure, I'M
less the whites should deliver up all
their guns. their cartridges and all
their cases OF gin.
And our heads in the bargain
said the militia commander.
! Partouneau took the floor.
| This council Will not dispute the
fact that magic is the only true re-
iligion."
Not So" cried the missionary.
My good father" whispered Partou-
neau. hold your peace. Isn't that
:1rue. you others?' g..
The rest of the council nodded as
Isent. the high priest Of the Sereres
!most emphatically of all.
at follows. as you have said. O
arch sorcerer. that the most powerful
magician is certain to win the VIC
TORY" .t
"Undoubtedly," rejoined the high
priest.
"Welx" Partouneau continued. Il
am the greatest magician here. Is
there any one among you, among all
you honorable and wise sorcerers
within this council. who can take his
teeth out of his mouth and lay them
on the table,"
The members of the council looked
at one another. Some admitted mod
estly that such a great miracle was
beyond their powers. Others. among
them. the high priest of the Sereres
asked for a little time and a gift OF
a hundred fat chickens.
But T." cried Partouneau. in a voice
sof thunder-"i am going to do it now