Happens

As It Sometimes

AT a far-away Pacific atoll, hundreds of miles from nowhere, reigned a Go vernment Official—a native. His 400 or so native subjects included one solitary white man, who for no other reason than that he was once regarded as a white man, possessed a small degree of Mana — "better known as “bluff.”

It came about that the white man gave a party at his hut, to which he invited several natives, but not the official head of the island. Here, of course, was a snub.

Now note what happened. Next morning, all those who were guests at the party were hauled up before the Court and charged with “consuming liquor,” or something of that sort. One after the other offenders were fined.

But when it came to the turn of the white man to stand his trial, he indulged in some verbal detonations and then fell back on the good old islands stratagem of threatening to report the official for something to do with his sleeping habits.

The case suddenly collapsed and the Court was adjourned.

Later on, the Bench and the defendant were noticed talking amicably together; after which they moved off to the white man’s habitation. There they remained for some hours until, eventually, the offi cial reappeared in a helpless but jubilant mood.

No more was heard about the partly finished case.

Rev. S. R. M. Gill, of the New Guinea Mission station at Mamba, Papua, is at present on furlough at Assam, India.