Our Little Eskimo Cousin

born, you would have thought his

a queer sort of paste from top to toe. This paste was made with saffron and o

r he closed his big brown eyes and went to

red over. This does not appear very strange until you learn that he was entirely covere

extremely warm there all the time. But he did live, and grew stronger and healthier eve

was a greater blessing than you can, perhaps, imagine. There are millions of these insects in S

ould exclaim. "Why, it is against the laws of our religion. I could never think

an cousins killing a fly or a spider, s

ht still call her a little girl, yet she kept house for her husband, and cook

glad that his first baby was a boy that he hardly knew what to

ave grand parties and entertainments at such times. I wi

hemselves up in queer costumes, and went through with a play that was quite clever and witty. Every one laug

den away any longer. His straight black hair was shaved off, with the exception of a round spot on th

comfortable. There was no rubbing afterward with towel

e about in the suit Dame Nature had given him. It was all he could possibly

around her waist and hanging down to the knees. Sometimes, but not alw

here are many ornaments shining on her dark skin, even though she is not rich; and baby Chin did not ha

worn there. Soon after that a kind relative made him a present of silver anklets, and th

urs and friends of the family had homes like his. It was cool and pleasant to live on the water. It was

of all was that they did not have to pay any rent for the space taken up by the boat. A piece of land would have cost

was married. He had some help from his friends, but it was

the house should stand. The framework of the little home was also made of bamboo, w

easily managed by getting quantities of the leaves of the atap palm-tree for thatching. These would make a t

hin when he was old enough to play in the outdoor air,

ngs in the walls in the shape of windows, certainly, but they were openings only, for the

hen the rain falls heavily, we can have shutters on th

the air and sunshine, as well as the view of passers-by. The family h

, washing her feet in the river; his grandmother may be there preparing the vegetables fo

ple to have them well blacked. They will tell you, "Any dog can have white teeth." But there is noth

aused by chewing a substance called betel, obtained f

the mouths of babies. Betel-chewing grows to be such a habit with them that they become unhappy

a long time, if need be,

ack to the

uld be sure to happen if this were not so. They seem to think "There is luck in odd numbers," for not only the step

done in Siam than in many other countries. It took little time and money to furnish the room. There are no pictures or ornaments here.

d to them, they would feel insulted and would go away

a number of long, narrow mattresses, stuffed with tree-cotton. Some pillows were made in the shape of huge bricks. They were also packed f

lled with the buzzing, troublesome creatures? Coarse cotton curtains hang from the roof down over the beds. While these keep

in the kitchen, which is also the eating-room. But, dear me! it is a

e rises, too, and settles on the ceiling and walls. Chin has had many good meals c

ach one has his own rice-bowl on the floor in front of him. Chin has been brought up so that he is satisfied with one or two thi

rs! Yes, not only he, but his father and mother and sister, and even grandmother, do the

s one of these useful articles herself, but of course, that won't serve for five perso

oss the great ocean eating with these strange thing

me before one can get used to

r beneath the house. It does not matter if he drops some crumbs or grains of rice. They can be easily

easiest way possible. Anything that is no longer useful is thrown into the

fter the meal is over it is his duty to clean it and then turn it upside down i

He needs no bread when he can have that, for it is a feast in itself. When poured out

never fails to look beautiful and delicate. Chin's mother would think herse

the city often have feasts where twenty or thirty different dainties are served. But he does not envy them. A person can taste only one thing at a time, and

er when they were spoken of, he could