EASILY SATISFIED.
There was once a mandarin who was excessively fond of jewels, and always walked abroad with his robe covered with the sparkling gems. One day he was accosted by an old bonze, who, following him through the street, bowed himself often to the ground and thanked the mandarin for his jewels.
"What does the man mean?" cried the mandarin, in great alarm. Then addressing the bonze, he said, "I never gave you any jewels, man!"
"No," replied the bonze, "but you have let me look at them, and that is all the use you can make of them yourself, so there is no difference between us, except that you have the trouble of guarding them, a task I should not care for."
In a book of travels written by a Mr. Barrow we find this interesting bit of information. A Hottentot was seen to apply the short end of his wooden tobacco-pipe to the mouth of a snake when the reptile was darting out its tongue. Death was instantaneous, the effect almost like an electric shock; with a convulsive motion that lasted only for a moment the snake half untwisted itself, and then became still. And upon examination the muscles were found to be so contracted that the snake felt as hard as if it had been dried in the sun.
Frederick the Great of Prussia used to tell a laughable story of an experience of his own. During one of his campaigns in Silesia, he made it his habit to stroll through his camp in disguise at night, to come more in touch with his soldiers. One night he was stopped by a sentry, but, giving the proper password, was permitted to proceed. Instead of doing so, however, he endeavored to tempt the sentry into accepting a cigar, saying that a smoke would solace his long watch.
"It is against the rules," said the soldier.
"But you have my permission," said Frederick.
"Your permission!" cried the soldier. "And who are you?"
"I am the King."
"The King be hanged!" said the incorruptible sentry. "What would my Captain say?"