How To Buy Rain In New Guinea

“My husband bought rain this week. We badly needed it. One ' the kanaka rainmakers was at the hospital to have a tooth out, id my husband struck a bargain with him. The rainmaker said ? could not send rain the next day, as it was Sunday, but he ould guarantee a storm for Monday or Tuesday. He lived on the her side of the valley, and would have to send the rain right across ,e valley to us. On Sunday rain developed down the valley, and s watched it marching on the station till it hung all round in a irtain, splitting finally into idle streamers of cloud that slid rapidly ong the mountain slopes and vanished, without spilling a single •op for us.

“On Monday the rain started above the rain country and this me did not hesitate on its journey to the station. We had a very >od fall, and again the next day. On Wednesday the kanaka came r his pay. My husband gave him some red sing-sing paint, me sticks of tobacco , and some newspaper, somewhat more than as in the original bargain. The old man was so pleased with this merosity that he said he would send a storm every afternoon for e rest of the week. And he did.” —Margaret Spencer, in “Doctor’s r ife in New Guinea.”