Cleanings.

Kaikoura Star, Volume XIV, Issue 755, 13 July 1894, Page 2

Cleanings.

His Answers.

In the North west provinces of India there lived a fakir who seldom made much use of bis tongue in conversation. When a nod or a sign would do he spared his words. The author of ‘ Seventy Years’ Reminiscences ’ relates the following story of him : A Mohammedan gentleman one day went up to him, accompanied by some friends, and said, with mock humility : ‘ May I trouble you, holy father, with three questions?’ The fakir nodded.

‘ The first question, holy father, is about God. People say there is a God ; hut I cannot see Him and no one can show Him to me, and therefore I cannot believe in Him. Will you explain ?’ The fakir gave a nod.

‘ My second question,’ continued the gentleman, ‘is about the devil. The Koran says says Satan is made of fire. But if so, how cun hell-fire hurt him? Will you explain that, too?’ A nod.

‘ The third question concerns mvself. The Koran says every action of man is decreed; now if it is decreed that I must do a certain thing, how can God judge me for it, having Himself decreed it ? Please, holy father, answer me.’

The fakir nodded, and while the party stood looking at him, he seized a clod of earth and flung it with all his mieht at the face of the questioner. The gentleman became very angry, and caused the fakir to be arrested and brought before the judge, to whom he made his complaint, adding that his pain was so great that be could hardly bear it.

The judge asked the fakir if the story were true.

‘ This gentleman came to me with his companions,’ replied the fakir, ‘ and asked me three questions, which I carefully answered.’

‘ He did no such thing,’ exclaimed the gentleman, ‘ but threw the clod of earth in my face.’ The judge looked at the fakir and said, ‘ Explain yourself.'

‘ Assuredly,’ was the fakir’s answer. ‘ This gentleman told me that people said there was a God, but that he could not see Him, nor could anyone show him God, and therefore he could not believe in him. Now he says that he has pain in his face from the clod of earth I threw at him ; but I cannot see it. Will your honour kindly ask him to show us his pain, for how can I believe in it if I cannot see it ?’

The Judge looked at the complainant, and both smiled.

‘ Again, this gentleman asked how, if Satan were made of fire, hell fire could hurt him ? Now he will admit that father Adam was created of earth, and that he himself also is earth. But if he be of earth, how could earth hurt him ?

‘ As to the third question,’ said the fakir, drawing himself up with great dignity. ‘lf it was written in my fate that I should throw a clod in this gentleman’s face, how could he, and how dare he, bring me here for so doing ?’ The judge allowed that the fakir had answered the three questions with his clod, and dismissed him, advising him, however, to reply to future questions in a less offensive manner.

Technical Education. Blacksmith's Exhibition. An exhibition of blacksmiths’ work, under the auspices of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths, was opened in London by the Lord Mayor and Aiderman and Sheriffs, who honored the occasion by going in State from the Mansion House. The Prime Warden, who was supported by his deputies and many of his friends, addressing’ the Lord Mayor, said the object of the exhibition was to encourage workmen and apprentices in all good works

appertaining to their craft, as well as to set an example to others of the Citv Companies who might be desirous of promoting technical education within their particular spheres. In acknowledgment thereof, the Lord Mayor said these undertakings were of very great value to the artisians, and by promoting these exhibitions they were doing good service to the comtuunitv generally. The many pleasing specimens of the blacksmith's are to be seen jin the hall show to the world at large that technical education in this particular instance is up to date, and moreover, it testifies in a striking manner to the great, desire manifested by the Company to do all that it can in the way of promoting that education amongst those over whom it has control which is so necessary, and which all of the City Companies wou’d do well to imitate.

An Inferior Sample.

A good story is told on the authority of an American Bishop. At an hotel dinner down west, one day, a fierce argument broke out among a company of—well, Church representatives, concerning such matters as some Christians (?) love to argue about.

To allay the heat an American interjected an anecdote. ‘l’ve just come by way of the Pacific from the Cannibal Islands ’ he remarked, ‘ and while there I dined with the Royal Family. The King said, ‘ This yer meat’s very tough, my dear.’ ‘ Well,’ said his wife,’there’s so many sorts of Christians in the meat market now, that I didn't know which sort to ask for when I went shoppin’, and I suppose they have sent me an inferior sample.’

Musical Gift.

Meyerbeer could sing popular melodies at two years af age; at seven he was an accomplished pianist ; and at nine was considered the best performer in Berlin.

Neuralgia

is the first, surest and most reliable sign of nerve decay ; it is a symptom provided by nature to warn the sufferer of approaching weakness and distress, though in most cases the pain is purely local; the disease is constitutional and local remedies such as liniments, oils and menthols only give temporary relief, and do not do the slightest permanent good, for they only act by deadening the sensibility of the affected nerve. The remedy to be of any lasting benefit must be tissue forming and nerve strengthening and must have general invigorating properties; it must also contain the material to restore the lost tissue to the impoverished nerves, and no remedy except Clements Tonic possesses these wonderful powers. Clements Tonic has been used for thousands of cases by young and old of both sexes for neuralgia, sciatica and other nervous complaints, and we have never heard of a case where it has failed to give quick and prompt relief. Read of the case of Mr B. Beacham Parnell, Auckland, N.Z., who writes on November Gth, 1893:—Sir, About seven months ago I got hurt by lifting a bag of corn, which brought on two abscesses, one on the groin and the other on the knee, I was laid up for four months and under the doctor for a long time, this affected my general health and made me very weak with a very poor appetite. I was persuaded to try Clements Tonic and I am glad to say that I did so, for I have proved its curative effects. There is no mistake about Clements Tonic for imparting strength and giving tone and vigor to the appetite. I took four bottles in all and they completely set me up and put me tn good health again. You can make use of this as you think proper Yours respectfully, R. Beacham, Auckland, N.Z.