“Here,” said Harry, as they passed the middle of the grounds, “is something that only sings louder when it rains”; and he pointed to the musical waterwheel that has been already described; but this time they noticed there was an idol near by—a queer, grotesque figure with which no self-respecting scarecrow would care to claim an acquaintance. He looked as if a hairbrush would have been a shock to his nerves. Only one more thing needs mention.
“There goes five,” said Philip, and Harry caught sight of a Javanese boy chasing his fleeing straw hat across the road.
Having been advised to see the German village, they took that next, and found it well worth a visit. It contained specimens of old German houses—for instance, a “Black Forest House” dated 1480. The boys and Mr. Douglass walked into its main room, and were becoming a little sentimental over the antique furniture, pictures, and carvings, when a voice brought them back four hundred years by inquiring: “Vill the shentlemans come see my soufenirs? Here are some fine soufenirs!” They declined to see souvenirs, and became absorbed instead in a towel-rack. The roller upon which the towel hung was supported in the hands of a jolly young peasant’s figure, who seemed smilingly to hold it forth. Next to this came a Bavarian dwelling, the outside of which was all the party cared to see, for they suspected that the German village required a longer visit than they had intended to pay. And when they had come to the museum, built in the form of a German castle, they were glad they had not stopped to see the Bavarian and other model houses.
INTERIOR OF THE JAVA THEATER.
The collection in the museum began with suits of armor from the rudest of chain-armor to the ornamented plate of later centuries. Arranged upon the wall were specimens of old arms—halberds, pikes, hooks, maces, lances, swords, daggers—every sort of iron tool which would serve to mince one’s fellow-man. Besides the array upon the wall, there were show-cases also containing weapons, as well as knives, forks, spoons, and tools.
Philip was amazed to see how much the tools of the Middle Ages resembled those of to-day. What difference there was, told in favor of the old-time workmen, as they seemed to care far more how their instruments looked, decorating the handles and putting ornamental flourishes on the metal parts. The scissors, forks, and knives also were carved and inlaid with gold or silver. Harry saw one enormous pocket-knife that he would have liked to smuggle out. The handle was some six inches long, and the knife had four blades—one plain, one a saw, one a chopper, and the last a pruning-hook. Probably it had been a Christmas present to the head gardener of some Serene High Mightiness, given in recompense for having rescued one of Their Little High Mightinesses from the horse-pond.
The last room in the German castle was filled with dummy figures dressed in various historic German costumes. They were grouped as if attending a reception, and faced a great figure typifying “Germania” surrounded by warriors in helmets and armor.
THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDERS.