1931-12-08 — Page 7

you.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1931.

Interns, just 19 mothers did.

THE

ELECTION

IK. OUR VILLAGE.

By T. A.

their

On the second occasion, perkaps,

the candidate catches your eye, and smiles sadly, wistfully, as if to im

"Of course, I know you've judy:

heard all this before, but if you will

attend two meetings in one night

you mustn't expect me to rehearse

with whitewashed brick-and-stone walls, worn old beams above, an imposing array

of hulberds and dusty dags. There are Victorian, prints, tuppenre-coloured, af Pa- J2161 Batiles of History with

Let rich and pour their wolers

blend.

↑

new

of

man.

"This is

young

WHERE THE DEAD SIT UP.

Death Dance of the Haka Chins.

There

THE CHINA MAIL.

course, on the. Some-

CORRESPONDENCE.

CHARITY BALL AND CONCERT.

To the Editor of "China, Mail."] Sir, I shall be exceedingly obliged if you will be kind enough to allow me through the medium of your esteemed paper to make

WHEN ELECTIONS WERE LIVELY.

Topical Ballad-Writer's Opportunity,

(y Walter M. Galllchan.. In my young days elections were

Strident

-

NEW

Columbia

RECORDS:

WE RECOMMEND

FOR THE KIDDIES.

DB127-8-Nursery Rhymes

Quartatic.

Sketch.

5695-Fourth Form at St. Michael's DB478-Sir Roger de Coverley ..... Country Dance. DI3237-Joan and Betty's Bible Stories

Appicton & Coy:

DD 62-Dick's Maggot

Folk Dance.

DB -Tommy Handley Calling

Sketch.

:

In our borough

4753-Sailor's Hornpipe

Band.

4752-Dutch Dance.

Band.

and

4751-Castanet Dance .......

Band.

4588-Skirt Danca ..

Band.

These lentlets ward

The

॥

of

the opposed

PRIMEVAL CUSTOMS. Away in the Chin Hills of Burma a report of the result of the fin- more picturesque and spectacular la to be found a little community ancial success of the Charity than they are nowadays. Down the steps from the platform of people known as the Haka China, all and concert, which was heki brass bands heralded the arrival of We take the election very seri

He stands and their primeval customs make on November 10 in the Hotel a candidate at the hustings to the ously in Our Village. It is no curaecordingly he comes.

squire interesting study, writes Beatrice Cecil for the purpose of raising strains of "A Fine Old English runds in aid of the Northern Gentle-man" and "For He's a Jolly eus, no music-hall turn, I can assure right over the

Good Fellow." scholar-squire, with sensitive, in- Oliver in The Statesman.

My Committee has just hnd Bands played an important part it means a two-mile walk in the tellectual face and slim, aristoern when a man dies and an animal la China flood sufferers. dark through the pines for some of tie angers, bearer of an illustrious sacrificed for his funeral, his corpse

musicians endeavoured to as, and then along an unlit roul name which has been enshrined in is attired in gay clothing and the the account closed and audited, in the contest, and now and then the cornet and trom- where the Autumn leaves szamper English literature for three con- dead man sits up in state for a day and I am instructed to state that rival behind us like a troop of little danc- turies--and harangues the audience before burial. A fowl is killed to the total takings for that even-drown each other's melody with ing devils in the night. On meeting for a full ten minutes, recapitulat-provide food for his spirit, anding including donations and ad- discords on

Everyone wore "favours" in those $4,615.45. evenings the village normally penting in detail the political develop-afterwards the flesh, together with vertisement funds, amounted to bone.

the utensil used to cook it, 19 With regard to all expenses days, and often horses and dogs Astir.ments of the past six months. within doors, is unusually Even in these, Bashlamp days some It is an eloquent oration, but the thrown on to the. hum shire-the

There were only of our village women emerge from clock creeps round, the smoke-leper's burial ground, outside the and other incidentals necessary were decorated.

parties--Conservatives garden gates bobbing old-fashioned guard goes on swinging, swinging, village; but if a man dies and his for the organisation of this Ball the "Tories" wore blue ribbons and

grand-as if semaphoring soine scientific relations cannot afford to kill and concert, I am directed to the "Rads" red.

Committee namely:-M. and Liberals, but we always spoke of the secret to a new Galileo (wasn't it animal for the funeral, he is buried mention that ten members of the two Galileo who watched something next day without any celebration Mrs. M. F. Ma, Messrs. Chan former as "Tory" and the latter as If we lie, we can walk another

in the deceased! Wai-chuen; T. O. Tso; Peter "Radical." {}} I'isa Cathedral at all, and never mile or two from one institute to swing

The Squib. above ground for more than two Doo; Sini Cheuk-man; Chiu Tsun- divined from it the next and hear the candidate's and

A weapon in each party's arni- theory uf

physics), nights. same speech, word-perfect, twice within one hour. A second time The candidate glances significantly. These strange people are careful; Parkson Chan; Seemin and

Craying this sum by contribu-broadsheet. we hear him say: "Every two minat the candidate's wife, the candid to provide their dead with what myself were responsible in de-oury was the "aquib", or political utes the Labour Government was in ale's wife glances significantly at they consider the immediate necestions among ourselves. Thus all issued in thousands, and distributed power three men fast their endoy-other ladies on the platform, and sities for use in the next world. A overhead charges have, by this by partisans who carcered through means, been disposed of and the streets in vehicles, casting ment." A second time we hear him then---very faintly, very demurely blankel, puggle and waist-cloth, and a bag and knife are usually confess, with a reminiscent smile: they begin to smile.

ward the Relief Fund.

streets were littered with them. At the conclusion the chairman laid in the grave but these provi- every cent that came in went to-their satires to the winds till the "I do not pretend to have been

In respect of the success of Every election inspired the topical among those who specially admired climbs inack to his inadequate chairsions depend; of

this ball and concert, I am pleas-ballad-writers of the period, and Mr. Ramsay MacDonald in the past, and is about to sit down when the status of the dead man. but--" A spend time we hear, that candidate gives him a "Well, what times brass pols, the much treasured to state that thanks are espe- some of these effusions were of an

The chairman gong, beads, and a gun are concially due to the Hon. Sir Shou- extremely personal character. earnest warning about "commit-about it?" look. ting commercial suicide in a 1 of just remembers in time-as a kind sidered necessary, and an important son Chow; the Hon. Dr. R. H. words were set to a well-known air,

afterthought-and hurriedly Chief would have his saddle placed Katewall, and the Hon. S. W. Tso and a week before polling day

of professional street political insanity."

formulates the few necessary words in his grave, while his pany would for having acted as our patrons; number

be killed by his slave.

to Mrs. Southorn Ngan Shing-singers from London would invade of introduction.

Cheung Wai-the borough and sing their ditties The candidate rises, side-glanc- There is no ceremony about the wan; General ing at the clock, places a hand on burial of a new-born baby. It is cheong; Admiral Chan Chak, in the High Street and the Market The songs were sold for a each lapel of his coat, Disraeliwise merely placed in a pot and buried Messrs:-Chan Lim-pak, W. T. Place. (or was it Gladstone?), and then in the ground, unless the dead child Stanton; Nrucker and Brandel; penny a copy.

On the eve of an election both on each hip, like Mr. Bottomley (or is a first-born, and then, should ito Cheung-shiu; Woo Hay-tong

He looks a die after ten days, a large pig is and Langston, my Committee are political parties subsidised "Inter- A ready- two separate speeches, each word was it Al Capone?), porteet, just for your benefit......good fellow and speaks word-sherificed, but nothing is placed in indebted for their subscriptions; rupters" at meetings,

The institute is great bare hall perfect. We like him. He means the grave. The property which is to the Wing On Co., Ltd., and witted and stentorian interrupter Candidates were frequently to pull the Old Country round, even in the grave is claimed by the the Sincere Co., Ltd., for decor-could command a good fee. though the chairman has stolen female relations when the grave isation and help for disposing of ntost of his thunder and left him opened to receive the next relative. tickets. To the management of hustled and sometimes assaulted For their protection Much Cooking..

the Hotel Cecil, my Committee seriously. to sail a leeward course.

Sometimes a widow will have are grateful for their generosity professional pugilists were employ- Question-time is anything but.

Meetings often ended in free "Come on, ask a ques- small hut built upon her husband's of lending the Ball room free of ed. volcanic.

I have seen stough ranks of redcoats standing tion, somebody!" begs the chair- grave, and there she will live in charge in addition to the supply fights, and the windows of public

an auction, you mourning. Another will remain in of dinner" free for the 500 per-balls were smashed. four-square amid the smoke to a

enemy; know. Any bids Then he chides her house to mourn, or sometimesons who were present. And our local town "character" approach disorderly rabble of an

"You are 'silent, ladies, a widow, will return, after a day or thanks are also due to the follow-a candidate and, showing a scalp Messrs. Dodwell & wound, exclaim triumphantly: "See echoes of a far-off age when soilier- the ladies.

I've done for you in an ing was oblierius. Over the plat- This isn't our experience at home, two of mourning, to her relatives. ing firms: form, below Caravation paintings you know, What, nothing to say? A Haka Chin widow may mourn her Co., Ltd., Caldbeck. Macgregor what

A true blue among the gentry husband for as long as threve & Co., Jardine, Matheson & Co., argument'."

Yells and Cat Calls. of the King and Queen, is an

strikes the note of wide Empire, years, and during all that time she ld, for a gift of wine; Messrs.

After a conflict of fisticuffs inscription in bold lettering:

wants to know what the candidate! will cook meals for the spirit of A, S. Watson & Co., Ltd., and will do for our fellows out in the dead man, in case, returning to the Sincere Co., Ltd., for aerated of slicks between Malaya, China, the Far East, where its former home, it may feel the water; Messrs. M. Y. San & Co., parties the local newspaper would She must not Ltd., the Sun Co., Ltd., Nanyang state that "party feeling ran come- friend.

British trade and prestige have pangs of hunger. hanging been fouted. That impresses us. wash or comb her hair, not grease Bras. Tobacco Co., Ltd., Cheung what high." In those days political The place is lit by one

It is so grandly above our own it, and neither may parents who are Wo Tobacco Co., Ltd., Nestle meetings were saldom orderly. In- lamp. one table lamp on top of n piano, and humble wall-lamps such little parochial problems-such, for mourning a child; but if another Milk Co., the Taikoo Sugar Re-solent gibes were hurled at the one of the big child should be born to them, then finery, Ltd., (all these firms hav-speakers, yells and cat calls greeted a country housewives use in scul- instance, as why leries. The hanging lamp has a companies has been allowed to run they must tend their hair, or iling supplied articles, cigarettes, them when they mounted the plat- smoke-guard which swings frantic-our own lorni, friendly bus owner fuck may befall them, or dog the chocolate, etc.); the Yin Wah form, and mobs of opponents. follow- Electric Co. for fitting the coloured them from the halls, booing and ally in the heat from the flame, mak- | off the road and deprive him of his footsteps of the child.

Before three years are passed the lights and the Victoria Printing hissing. And the living.

After the declaration of the poll ing a squeaking noise.

At the end the chairman asks relations of a deceased Haka Chin Press for posters. more eloquent. the speaker waxes

A cheque for $4,615,46, being the successful contestant made the more it swings and squeaks, jovially: "Now, would anyone like perform what is known as lam Sher

on the to know how to manage a wife?", the denth dance. This celebration, the entire proceeds as above victorious progress through the has been sent to the streets seated in a landnu and pre- making its shadow dance

whereupon a woman-presumably lasting three days, depends on the stated, ceiling.

the front his own-shouts, in a commanding wealth of the relations. The first Tang Wah Hospital for despatch ceded by a band playing "See the The gentry occupy

day an animal is sacrificed and food to the flood area.

Yours, etc.. seats-although in these days, what voice, "SIT DOWN!"

There has been no heckling, no prepared, while the people gather with relired City magnates, ruralis-

P: H. SIN ed townsfolk, Arcadian authors, reading of the Riot Act, no chuck-together, and next day come all the who have lost relatives;

Hon. Secretary, keepers of guest-houses, and keeping oul, no suggestion that the can-people

backs all their

Charitable Ball and Concert ers of riding-stables and kcamels, it didate, or the chairman, or both, carrying on their

Committee. is difficult to distinguish where the should "go and tell it to the fine clothes and treasured beads.] gentry leave off and the commoners Marines," or do even less pleasant While a man stands beating a drum,

Hong Kong, Dec. 7. things than that. The local anti-these people circle round him in begin. The unmistakable common-

once, hasn't two groups; one group singing ers, ranged on forms at the back vaccinationist, for

even raised his King Charles's songs of happiness while the other and side, are mostly employees on

sing songs of death. They believe even the womenfolk of the housa These men then the squire's estate, of which this hendt.

At the chairman's request we all that the deceased is present Infare sent away. hall was originally the home-farm

stand for "God save the King." spirit, listening to the songs sung sacrifice a female pig-one which barn, centuries old.

We go

on standing-in silence. in his honour, and watching the has not had a litter-and eat part The chairman of the first meet-

These ing, a lord, contented himself with "Go on," he says, "somebody start dancers, who dance so slowly that of the flesh, throwing some of it

Next away outside the village. Still the dances take all day. graciously introducing the candid-it--somebody with a voice." ate in a few words. The chairman silence, then-"God save some comes the offering of the clothes ten men must not talk to anybody baritone has risked it.. We're off and beads, but after they have but each other, and next morning the village and

Socorro Tiangco Hatol. 28, re- of this one, not a lord but an astute City veteran who believes in the The flash of headlamps, the gear-been offered they are taken home early they leave

This feast varies slightly sacrifice a fowl, eating the flesh be-siding with her husband, Guillermo to the jungle toatel, Inspector of the Pampanga "Firm hand in the East," doesn't ing up of cars, then back through again!

villagers. They Bus Company, at 1192 Calle Sande, mean to be just an umpire; he the night again, through woods according to the sex of the deceas fore they go on

When it in a woman other meet haunted by Shelley's west wind, ed.

not speak to any ofis hovering between life and death means to go in and bat.

difficult dance the villagers until after and the scurrying leaves, and the women perform a dance called rate must

at the Philippine General Hospital, scene of the pines, and the benedic-karr klak-a very ton of clear starlight. A comfort-rich is performed between bam- first beat, and the host must not suffering from a self-inflicted seb the hunt. He must eat by himself, to commit suicide following a quar- Ing feeling that the Old Country boos; when it is a man, wrestling apeak to any of them throughout wound in the chest in an attempt

takes place,

and no one must go to his house.rell with her husband, say will pull through after all.

Poisoned Streams, If the relations are sufficiently The other nine'men carry guns, but Manila Bulletin.

The Mejsic police disclosed the wealthy they will hold another the man who is holding the feast

For this the has only a bow and arrows, or a fact that at about 8.30 o'clock on the prevalled in the decisive battle of feast called nga suk. the War of Independence, the tak-relations and friends choose a spot spear. When the hunting is over night of November 25, Mrs. Hatol by a jungle stream and the menfolk he can talk to anyone, and the hind left her residence after quarreling ing of Yorktown.

Lord Cornwallin's humour cap-orect a kind of shelter. Then in legs of the ganie killed are his pro- with her husband and went to her father's house, The woman was tivated his audience. They were animal, wythun, bullock or buffalo,perty,

These people have many extra-talking with her father, Vicente particularly pleased when he said is killed, and the people dance or

strange Tiangco, and her aunt, Anter Lord Cornwallis "patched up the that he saw no reason why British wrestle. Next day they all assist ordinary customs and difference between Great Britain feelings should be hurt by the en-in poisoning the stream, and catch festivals quaint-sounding to the Tiangco, when she suddenly fulled United States" at the actment of the scene portraying the the fish before they set out on the ears. of civilized people, but an im-out a knife and stabbed herself.

portant part of the existence of the in the cheat. return journey. pagaent In Philadelphia, in surrender of Yorktown.

A still farther celebration is a people in Haka. They bury their.

A stampede occurred in a Ceylon which

AUSCLER. the

of the

yek taw-hunting expedition. For dead inside their village unless the Amerlean, colonicis against the

Intends to decansed has taken his own life or polles court recently when a suitor British soldiers in the War of The Duke of York opened the new this the relative who Independence was eclobrated... Manor Hospital at Golder's Green, hold it will warn the others some met his death by violence, then he drew attention to a snake climbing Lord Cornwallis nymbolised the NW., on October 22, and the days previously, and then the night must not lie in the village, and the up a chair at the back of the court. event by shaking hands with Mr. Duchess of York, the same day, before the appointed day, nine men Village Nat has to be appeased The snake, which was a Mapila, was the sacrifice of a large eventually killed, after an exciting. hunt. W. Sheldon Washington, the great-visited Oxford and received an from other familles join him in his with

house, but no women are present, mythun. grand-nephew of the general, who honorary degree,

In blessings on their King and

"I know I'm supposed to be in the chair," he remarks humorously, "but unfortunately the chair isn't

big enough for me, so if you don't

mind I'll come down to you. I never can speak from this height."

PEER AT A PAGEANT.

"Patches Up The Differences Of American And Britain."

and the

And so to bed.

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a

The scenes often suggested survival of the Saturnalia. To-day our enthusiasm is expressed less veciferously, and the majority of electors have more rational grounds for their political faith.

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

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