2
THE SraOAY OHEGOJUX POKTXAJTO, APRIL 21, 1907.
J&UEMANIS A HUN TEAK;;
. i Kipling's Favorite Quad- . . .
. - ruPe(k nf Sfrpnnntn Wtit If55 - - I
- - 11 - Among Big Logs in a If , ; :7 . a5ar::i;B
f ' " V . Mill Yard Near Rangoon, - if. , w : ' ;
li '" 77" f . p HoawG-OAr rsa: cwvv " j
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r . ifTl - WT ..f.lr
BY WILJJAM H. BRILL
UNTIL. Kipling wrote The Road to
Mandalay" no one knew much of
anything about Burma. . To be sure.
It was on the maps and the school ge-
flOTanhlM mmillnni1 It In an nnilaotila
ort of way, but It was practically un
known to the great mass of people. But.
AlTnntt n,lnlir thwiiitrh fha InfliiAnna nf
I these rollicking verses, Burma has be
1 come famous. A lot of ships have always
! gone there, and now the never-ending tide
of tourists has found It out, the little
'steamers that ply along the coast making
) Rangoon a stopping place between Slnga
I gore and Calcutta, have cut the good old
i fashioned staterooms in two, that they
' may pack in mora passengers and Ban
jgoon is the proud possessor of a Cook's
There tre not many things to see In
(Rangoon, but it Is worth visiting Just the
, tuu. There are the strange crowded ba
' taars, the botanic gardens, the great gold
) en pagoda and the elephants above all
I the elephants. If there were nothing else
In Rangoon the elephants would pay one
for all the discomfort of a ery unpleas
ant trip from Singapore on a little, dirty,
'smelly ship. When you go to the agent at
' Singapore for a ticket he regrets that
the ship sailing tomorrow Isn't one of the
good ships that make the run, but he
will do the best he can for you. He has
become so used to telling this story that
he really believes It himself.
But when you see the elephants you are
repaid for it all; when you see the
" elephints a-pilln' teak
In the sludgy, squdgy creek,"
you know that your troubles have not
been In vain.
The. good old days when all the work
at the sawmills and the timber yards of pchain around the end ot a massive log.
The other end or the chain Is made fast
to the great braided band that Is fastened
across the elephant's chest. The mahout
gives a terrific yell, pounds the elephant's
head with his bare heels, waves his iron
hook in the air. and the elephant, winking
Rangoon was done by elephants have
passed away. Modern machinery for the
handling of logs and great timbers is
rapidly coming Into use and unless you get
to Rangoon pretty soon you wIU miss the
greatest charm of the place. Btit there
are still some of them, and they are
enough.
There isn't so much work for the great
solemn beasts as there used to he, and as
a general rule you have to get up early
In Hie morning If you want to see them.
But that's the tlmo to get up in Rangoon.
Peoplo go to work early In the morning
md rest in the middle of theday. It was
December when I was there and the great
red sun beat down with such fierceness at
X o'clock in the morning that one really
envied the elephants their Inch-thick, hide
end the cool mud in which they worked,
burled up to their bodies.
Getting to See tbe Beasts.
There are a dozen or more timber yards
In Rangoon and practically all of them
use elephants part of the time. But you
had better go to the offices In the
city and ask the young Englishmen who
occupy them If the elephants are at work.
Tho guide doesn't know, although he
tells you confidently he does, and the
information bureau In the hotel never
heard of elephants. But after you have
trotted around eight or ten of the of
fices you will And that in some yard some
where out along the river the elephants
will be at work for an hour or two early
The next morning. Then leave a call for
S o'clock, but IX you have an alarm
clock you had better use it tor the chances
re that the hotel people will forget all
about you.
Order a guide and a carriage, for you
mustn't walk in Rangoon, even at that
time In the morning, it is too hot. No
matter which way your timber yard
lies you will have an enjoyable half
hour's drive out along the river until
finally you sec a , great expanse of
enormous logs lying in the mud on the
bank of the river and, plodding slowly
around among them, two or three
great black blotches. Von have found
the elephants, perhaps, you think, the
very ones Kipling told about.
It Is one great big mud puddle, this
timber yard, many acres in extent,
with the river on one side and the saw.
mills on the other. The logs are float
ed down the river from away up In the
Interior and are turned to lumber at
the mills, but between the river bank
and the mills the elephants hold sway.
They do the work, patiently, plodding
ly, hut with a skill and intelligence
that sots you wondering.
Up clor.e to the mills the logs are
laid In straight rows, close together,
in perfect order, but down by the bank
tttey are In confusion jubt as they have
been snaked cut nf the water. It is
down there that the elephants are
working. Tou have a hundred yards to
walk over the closely piled logs great
trunks of trees 40 feet long and twice
the diameter of your body. It's easy
at first although the logs are muddy
and slippery, but when you get "past
the closely 'packed rows to where they
are further apart, be careful. A misstep
is likely to send you into the mud. and
then you will need an elephant to pull you
out.
The Dative In charge of the yard ac
companies you with a smiling hospitality
you half believe he Is smiling at you,
elephants and logs are the commonest
things in" the world to him. But when
you reach the end of the rows of logs
and can go no further he calls the great
animals up to you with a kindly toler
ance for. your childlike curiosity.
Slowly and sedately the great beasts
come squdgtng up through the mud, the
mahouts yelling at them and pounding
them with their bare heels, while the
beasts pay no attention to either, but look
at you with an expression in their eyes
which conveys to you as plainly as words
their message:
"We don't mind all this noise and both
er. Those foolish black men are only
showing off before strangers. They know
it, and they know we know it, and now
you know it."
Great, wrinkled, rough-coated beasts,
covered with mud, they still possess a
force and dignity which one must respect.
They stand there quietly while you exam
ine them, and daintily condescend to pluck
a banana out of your hand. If you have
been thoughtful enough to bring such re
freshment. But withal you see in their
eyes something of disgust. Who are you,
you puny little thing, that you should
come here disturbing their labors and de
laying the work which must be done?
They even stand for you to photograph
them after you hive waited to give the
gray-bearded old native on tho biggest
one time to retle his turban. The old
natlVe strikes a pose as all men the
world over do when they see a camera
pointed at them but the elephant is
above that. He simply looks at you out
of the corner of his eye and wonders why
you make so much trouble.
And then the mahouts put the great
beasts through their paces. A young na.
tive clad in a gorgeously striped under
shirtand little else leaps lightly across
the mud hummocks and deftly hooks
t-?OlsVG- 77S1 l,OG- 6V7V JZl.C
dramatic efforts, lurches forward, sinks in
the mud to his body, pulls his legs out of
the mud one after another with a loud
sucking sound, and goes squdging across
the yard, dragging the great log after him
as If It were a toothpick.
He drags It along until he reaches the
solid rows of logs across the yard, and
then, as the young fellow In the striped
at you as if to call attention to the man's undershirt deftly throws off the chain, the
great beast solemnly walks around to the
other end of the log, raises it between
his tusks, throws his weight' against it,
and shoves If neatly and snugly Into Its
place. The camera has been clicking
rapidly throughout the process, and the
old native with the white beard and the
newly tied turban has been striking effec
tive poses on his unsteady seat, paying no
attention at all to his mount. As the
great beast plows back through the. mud
he smiles at you and winks distinctly as
If to say:
"What did I tell you about that old
fraud on my back? Tou see, I do It all
without any help from him."
The next log the native in charge picks
out is the largest one In the yard, it has
probably been saved .until there should
be admiring visitors there to see
It moved. Thechain is deftly fastened
around the end of the timber, the trunk
of a great tree 60 feet long and five feet
In diameter. The great elephant throws
his weight against the breast strap and
sinks deep into the mud, the mahout
yelling and kicking and waving his Iron
hook, but never taking his eyes off the
camera. But the stlckey clay holds fast,
the log does not move. Again and again
he strains, but It Is- useless. Then the
elephant stops and no yells or kicks can
make him move. He knows what Is go
ing to happen, so what's the use wasting
his breath. Another elephant Is sum
moned from another part of the yard. He
goes straight to the other end of the log
he also knows what is going to happen
raises the end a bit with his tusks and
gives It a tremendous shove at the same
instant that the elephant in front heaves
away again. The mud shakes, but the log
doesn't move. On the second trial It
moves a little and on the third it slips
out of its bed and the ofd elephant snakes
It easily across the yards and pushes it
Into place as he did the .first one.
Working With Intelligence.
"Three or four logs are . moved across
and theit the native in charge, with a
few short words changes the programme.
A log 40 feet long and perhaps three feet
in diameter lies in the way of the ele
phant who has been told to go to the one
beyond. It must be moved over before
the one designated can be reached. The
animal, flaps his little ears In token that
he understands the order, " gets around
at right angles to the log at. one end,
places his tusks under It and. his trunk
over U and gradually lifts the end up
until It rests on the end of the next log.
They tell a good story of the formation
of the Elephant Timber Movers' Union
In Burma and the way In which nonunion
elephants were punished and forced to
take out working cards. - I do not vouch
for he story, but half a dozen men In
Burma whom I asked about it expressed
their belief In It.
There are very extensive timber yards
over at Moulmein, across the bay from
Rangoon; where, in the shade of the old
pagoda. Kipling's Burma girl waits for
the soldier who comes not back. Most ot
the work of these yards Is done by ele
phants. The yards were originally ewhed
by white men, but some years ago they
were purchased by a company composed
of Parsees. ' Now these Parsees, being
followers of Zoroaster, saw no reason
why they should lose considerable time
by closing down the yards on Sunday, as
had been the habit with the former own
ers. So when the first Sunday cam
around preparations were made to go on
with the work as on other days. But
they had counted without the elephants.
They refused to leave their stables and
no amount of coaxing or beating would
induce them o move. On Monday they
went to work as usual and worked
throughout the week without a murmur,
but when Sunday came again they again
refused to move. Three or four times
the manager of the yards tried to get
the elephants out on Sunday, but was
finally obliged to give.it up. The ele
phants had never before worked on Sun
day and they refused to do It now. The
union had won.
About this time the Indian army decided
to give up the elephant batteries which
had for long been one of its most pictur
esque features, and a number of well
trained elephants were therefore la the
market. Several of them were purchased
by the managers of the Moulmein timber-'
yards andv put to work. The old ele
phants fraternized with them and assist
ed them in mastering the details of their,
new work. When the (Irst Sunday came
the new elephants went out to work as
usual, for they had never had Sundays
off in the army. But the old elephants
again refused to go out to the yards. '
While the new elephants were at work
a meeting ot the union was held and a
plan decided upon. When the nonunion
elephants returned to the stables they
were promptly set up on by the old ele
phants and roundly beaten. Not until .
they were properly chastised could the
union elephants be stopped.
The next day all went on as usual
and continued as usual all the week.
The elephants, both old and new, worked
together in ho yards as before. But
when Sunday came not one of the new
elephants could be Induced to leave the
stables. They had learned their lesson
and they had Joined the union. And not
to this day can the Moulmein timber
yards he worked on Sunday. '
HOW WITH THE, AID OF AN UNIM
PEESS IOHABLE PLUTOCKAT -THIS
EX-MISSICNAFc-Y WITHSTOOD
THE TE,MPXATION OP - -
UNCLEAN MONEY - -
BY ELLIS PARKER BUTLER.
PETER WIMBLE was the richest
man In Hartsock, and some said
he was the richest man in Iowa,
but for all that he was a simple man,
with a large foot, and one minute after
Eliph' Hewlltt entered Peter Wimble's
office with a sample copy of Jarby's
"Encyclopedia of Knowledge and Com
pendium of Literature, Science and
Art" under his arm the door opened
and Ellph' Hewlltt stepped out hur
riedly. The richest man In Hartsock
did not wish to buy a copy of the
greatest book on earth. He had said
so. He had said it with his mouth and
with his hands, and when he began to
say It with his foot Eliph" Hewlltt
came away.
The little book agent stood a minute
on the walk before the office and
looked up and down Main street doubt
fully. Then he coughed a gentle apol
ogy for Mr. Wimble, smoothed his
sandy side whiskers, tucked his oil
cloth covered parcel firmly under his
left arm and stepped briskly away. If
you cannot get the richest man in
town to head your list of subscribers
the rule of the game Is to get the min
ister's name. As a rule, too, it is
safer to call on the minister.
"I think." said the minister softly,
when Eliph' Hewlltt had opened the
conversation, "I think if you called on
Peter Wimble . He Is our richest
man, and his name at the head of your
list would be more influenzal than
mine. My salary Is so small, and he
has such great wealth "
"Peter Wimble, did you say the name
was?" asked Ellph' Hewlitt. "Wimble,
the millionaire? Ain't his wealth
tainted? I can't let myself take money
from any of these millionaires that
have the tainted kind of wealth, Mr.
Parsley. I know you mean wen by
recommending me to him, a.nd I know
he would be eager and anxious to buy
a copy of this book. but. I ask, la his
wealth tainted? And I say, it it is it
can't buy a copy of this book, not at
no price. Not If he was John D. himself
and was to offer me millions for It."
The minister hesitated, and Ellph'
Hewlltt smiled and shook his head.
"No. sir," he said. "If he was John
D. and had all John D.'s money he
couldn't buy It. and I wouldn't ask
him' to. It wouldn't be for sale to him.
If he was to come to me on his knees
and say, 'Ellph' Hewlltt, here Is $250,
000,000 I Intended to give away, but
I ask you to. take it and sell me one
copy of that book, wlthouU which no
man can be sure he has all the knowl
edge in the world In one volume, and
which I consider cheap at the price
you offer," I would speak to him kind
ly, but I would -say: 'No, no, John D
to you I will not sell it. Tainted your
money may be, or tainted It may not
be, but Ellph' Hewlltt takes no
chances. Go and get rid of your soiled
millions seme other way." . ' That Is
what I would say to him, Mr. Parsley."
"Tou speak strongly," said the mild
Mr. Parsley.
"Yes. sir," admitted Ellph' Hewlltt.
"and so would you if you had been a
tainted millionaire the way I was, and
had had the experience I have had
with money that was soiled in spots
and getting too strong to keep. If
you had you wouldn't want to take
any chances of getting any more of
it, from John D. or from Peter Wim
ble or from any one else. You wouldn't
want to trade a copy of Jarby's 'En
cyclopedia ot Knowledge and Com
pendium of Literature, Science and
Art,' a book that the best people are
glad to get, for a lot of money that
you couldn't get rid of even if you
fumigated it first."
"But general Booth says that the
use to which tainted money Is put. if
it is a good use. removes the taint,"
suggested Mr. Parsley, whose salary
was often in arrears.
"So I take notice," said Eliph' Hew
litt, " and if a beefsteak gets too ripe I
suppose it makes it fresh again If you
make a present of it to a widow with six
children. I suppose if the widow had 14
children It would make the beefsteak so
fresh she would have to hang it up a
day or two until it got fit to eat."
"But some very worthy institutions ac
cept money from from men like Peter
Wimble."' said the minister. They accept
itgladly."
"They grab for It and holler for more,"
said Eltph' HewHtt. "And when more
don't come right away they get in line
and coax for it. All money looks alike
to them and tastes alike. Every one of
them has some kind of an education plant
or other, and they make fertilizer ot the
strong smelling cash and spread It on
the roots ot their education plant, and
don't care whether the money was tainted
or sainted, so long as the plant grows.
I wish there had been, some of the same
kind ot willing accepters when I was
crowded to earth with my load of musty
money. I would be a younger man to
day." "You seem to have got rid ot It," said
the minister, with just the slightest, and
not unkindly, accent on the "seem."
"Yes. sir," said Eliph" Hewlitt; "'I got
rid of it. I built an oil factory and put
all my soiled money Into it. Any time
you have any tainted millions and don't
know how to get rid of them do that.
Put your money Into an oil factory and
it will not trouble you very long. John
D. will have the money and the factory
and the taint and the whole thing before
you know the roof Is on, and before you
know he has It he will have passed it
along to some education plant and will
have bis name in the paper. But it was
a long time before I thought of that. I
was an amateur giver in those days.- I
hadn't learned about the proper channel.
I had Just graduated, from the pirate
business."
"The pirate business?" " Inquired the
minister.
"It was a good business, too," said
Ellph' Hewlltt. "Lots of money In it.
and I run It on strictly moral lines, never
thinking that folks would say It was a
bad business; like being a trust or a rail
road king. I had prayers regular every
day, and gave receipts In full for all the
money I took away from people, and
allowed them 2 per cent oft for cash. I
hadn't no more idea my money was
tainted than a child has. It all come to
me In the regular pirate way Just as the
best pirates had got theirs for centuries
before. It was the highest class stealing
that was on record, and all done accord
ing to the best authorities, and yet when
I got so much money I was bothered to
take care of it and wanted to get rid
of what was a nuisance and et up as
a philanthropist and get my name in the
papers, and associate with professors and
such, they turned on me and said the
money was tainted."
"You might have founded a home for
disabled pirates," said Mr. Parsley.
"I done it," said Eliph' Hewlitt, "but
the trouble is that each pirate thinks he
Is the only honest one and that all the
others are thieves, and nobody would
come to live In the pirates home that I
started. I didn't have no trouble In start
ing things, but the trouble was to make
them expensive after they were started.
When a man has money in heaps, like
me and John D., it takes a lot of- get
ting rid of it to Just keep the surplus
down, and it don't do no .good to give
it away in small lots. While a man is
looking around for a place to get rid ot
one hundred thousand tainted dollars
seven or eight hundred thousand other
tainted dollars are piling up on him. I
seen that what I would have to do was
to give away by the million, and I set
out to do it. I sat at my desk all day
writing out million dollar checks and
sending them out to college presidents,
and the next day the mall man
would come In and dump a bushel basket
of letters on my desk, and every letter
was from a college president sending
back my checks, with 'tainted' wrote
across the face. - I used to go to some
college president that I had met at a
dinner, and I used to say: 'Please,
please take forty-eight millions and
I'll be your Dutch uncle for life,' and
he would sigh and sniff his nose at the
money and say: 'No, Ellph' Hewlitt. I
need the money, but I can't take it. My
- college is wearing its last year's suit
and its shoes are worn out, but my con
science won't let roe take tainted
money.'
"It went on in that way," continued
Ellph' Hewlltt, "till I got so that I
was ashamed to look a college presi
dent In the face, and they got so that
whenever they saw me coming they
knew I had a check for thirty-two or
one hundred millions in my hand ready
to stick in their pockets when they
were not looking and they would
dodge around corners or up an alley.
And I was only one of a hundred poor
money tired millionaires that was car
rying around tainted millions on a
plate trying to get rid of them. My
wife used to say to me: 'Eliph, Why
don't you give away some millions to
day? You Just sit here by the fire
smoking your pipe. Why don't you
brace up and go out and hunt up a
place where you can get rid of some
money? Surely there is some charity
somewhere that will take a few mil
lions if you put on your good clothes
and tell the boss how the whole fami
ly Is suffering.' Then I would go out
and try, I would walk tbe streets all day
looking for a willing taker and at
night I would ' go home, and there
would be my wife, standing In the
door with a smile on her face and hope
in her heart, and I could hardly dare tell
her that another day had passed and
no millions given away. But she
was a good wife and she stood by me
bravely in my misfortune, and all she
would ever say was: 'Well,- perhaps
tomorrow you can find a place, where you
can give a million or so.
"I looked in the' columns of the
newspapers day after day, among the
want advertisements,", continued Eliph'
Hewlitt, "and I saw hundreds of ad
vertisements of colleges and charities
that needed a good giver with mill
ions, but they all said, 'No tainted
millions need apply,' or 'Money must
be absolutely clean.' One day I found
an advertisement that brought hope
to my heart. 'Seven hundred millions
wanted immediately; a university In
the West needs the donation of the
above amount; might accept more from
the right party as a favor; taint no
objection. Call at 794 Wall street,
Tuesday morning, before breakfast.' I
ran all the way from my palace in
Fifth avenue to the address given and
burst into the room; but I was not
the first. There were 60 or 70 other
millionaires ahead of me, and all had
their checkbooks open in their hands.
They were standing In line awaiting
their turn, and at last I worked my
way up to the desk. 'Your name?'
said the man at the desk. 'Ellph' Hew
lltt.' I answered. 'How much do you
want to give away?' he asked. 'Two
hundred and fifty millions,' I answered.
"Very well,' he said. We have no re
cipient open today, but we may have
soon. I will enter your name." It was
then I knew that this was but an
other of the employment bureaus that
are the curse . of the man who has
millions to give away. They promise
freely, but they never perform. 'If
anything turns up,' said the employ
ment may. 'we will let you know. Our
fee is $6,000,000. At that he handed
me the fee $6,000,000 in tainted mon
ey. It was the old game, decoying the
poor millionaire by means of a clev
erly worded advertisement, and then,
Instead of tailing his millions, giving
him more."
"I don't think Peter Wimble would
have started that kind of an employ
ment bureau," said Mr. Parsley, grave
ly. "Mr. Wimble is. as the world goes,
an honest man, but he has never both
ered any college presidents by trying
to force his wealth on them. And I
do not think his wealth is badly taint
ed. It may be slightly stale around
the edges, but it does not pollute the
atmosphere. I think you could safely
accept a small sum from him. You
might stipulate that it be taken from
the cleaner portion."
"No," said Eliph' Hewlitt. "No, thank
you. I shall not sell Peter Wimble a
copy of this book. I shall not take even
the small sum that is the price of this
book, which is $5, $1 down and $1 a
month until paid, from Mr. Wimble. If
he comes to me and asks me to sell him
a copy of this book I shall say: "No. Mr.
Wimble: I cannot take your money. Give,
If you will, to the church of which Mr.
Parsley Is the worthy pastor, a liberal
sum. No better use can be made of the
cleaner portion of your wealth than that,
for I know Mr. Parsley, who has bought
a copy of "Jarby's Encyclopedia of
Knowledge and Compendium of Litera
ture Science and Art," and who recom
mends it. to be a man of no ordinary
mind. He saw at a glance the wonderful
value of this book to all who seek to
be abreast of the knowledge of the day,
and he paid down $1 of clean money
for it. . But your money I cannot accept,
for it is tainted. It pains me, Mr. Wim
ble,' -I will say. "to deprive you of the
solace and pleasure to be derived from
the pages of this book and to deprive
your wife' "'
The little book agent paused and a
light seemed to dawn on his face.
"Mr. Parsley," he said, "I need not de
prive Mr. Wimble of the benefits of this
book. I need not shut him out from con
tact with the priceless gems, of wit and
wisdom It contains. I need not prevent
him from finding in its pages the lessons
that will make another man of him. His
money I may not take, Mr. Parsley, but
with your name at the head of my list,
an. with t.tu. I .1 .. . l .-. r
ou to Mrs. Wimble, I may yet rejoice
in putting upon his parlor table this book,
with the beautiful and uplifting senti
ments it contains. His money my non
science forbids tne to take, but Mrs. Wim
ble's money is not tainted. I will not re
fuse to sell her a copy, either bound in
cloth at $6 or In half morocco at $7.60.
Here Is the place you sign your name.
Mr. Parsley. I can take your dollar now
or when the volume is delivered to you."
Mr. Parsley hesitated.
"Of course," he said, "I feel that I
have honestly earned all the money I
receive, but how It was earned be
fore it was put in the contribution
box I cannot" say. If you have any
doubt as to how it originated, per
haps you would not want mo to buy '
Ellph' Hewlltt reached for the dol-
lar that the minister held in his hand.
He took it and folded It and put It in
his vest pocket.
"For your sake, Mr. Parsley," he said.
"I will take the risk."
Disproportionate) Lives.
Catholic Standard and Times.
"See here," cried the cat, "are you
really determined to drown me?"
"I am." replied the man. "You killed
our canary, and I believe in 'a lite for
a life.'"
"But you're bent on taking nine Uvea
for a life."
Tbe Amateur Gardeaer.
Denver Republican.
A fool there waa. and he made his elult
(Even as you and I!)
At a hoe and a rake, and a shovel rough
Later he called himself nimu enoush).
But he thought bis garden would bloom
with stuff
(Even as you and I!)
Oh, the seeds we waste and the sweat we
taste.
And the blisters on each soft hand
That are suyed by the men who did net
know
(And of gardening they never could know)
And could not understand.
A fool there was, and his hoe h. broks - y-
(Even as you and 1!)
And the garden was left with weeds to
- choke.
And his back is the kind they call aear
broke. But he is unable to see the jokt,
(Even as you and I!)
Oh, the beans w lost nd the means' we
lost.
And the cucumbers we hsd planned;
They're brought by the huckster, who did
not know why,
,(And we know he never knew why)
We should ever disturb the land.
And it Isn't the shame, and it isn't the
blame
That stings like a red-hot brand;
For the seeds that we plant by two and
two
Shall rail to come up by one and on
x mix m eJi understand.