112 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



drawings from a popular American 

 weekly magazine, with the full title left 



on and nothing added. A fifth was a for- 

 eign calendar issued by one ot die shops 

 of Beirut. It was a very racy entertain- 

 ment for those barbaric burden-bearers, 

 but there are few American mothers who 

 would not have given such pictures to 

 their five-year-olds. 



Throughout northern India there wan- 

 der Kashmiri musicians, usually with a 

 young boy dressed in girls' clothes to 

 dance to their exotic music. In Rawal- 

 pindi the native Christians were holding 

 their Christmas entertainment outdoors 

 on the campus, and a band of these mu- 

 sicians strolled up to watch the games 

 and listen to the recitations and songs, 

 such as a Christmas program produces in 

 every corner of the world. 



Their eyes glistened at this ready-made 

 audience and the promise it gave for 

 profit if they could only substitute bar- 

 baric music for hymns and sinuous 

 dances for obstacle races ; but the mis- 

 sionary tactfully explained that the pro- 

 gram was already a long one — the Kash- 

 miri was not familiar with Christmas 

 programs — and that there would be no 

 chance for them to entertain the Sunday- 

 school scholars. 



The wistfulness of those poor min- 

 strels, standing outside that gay crowd, 

 with presents being distributed and 

 everybody radiant with the Christmas 

 spirit, and being unable to contribute to 



the entertainment was a memorable sight. 

 They seemed to feel as badly as a pick- 

 pocket would at not being asked to per- 

 form before a millionaire Sunday-school 

 class. 



Tin-: TRAGEDY OF "Tine" PICTURE 



Out in Beirut, Syria, the day came 

 when I secured THE picture. As soon as 

 the shutter snapped, 1 knew that I had a 



wonder. In the dark room the plate sur- 

 passed my fondest hopes, and I think T 

 dreamed that night of the wonderful pic- 

 ture which I had put out to dry on the 

 window-sill. 



With the coming of daylight T went to 

 look once more at my treasure. The 

 weather at that season was damp and the 

 emulsion was still wet ; but the picture 

 was more beautiful in the soft light of 

 early morning than it had been by lamp 

 light. I shaved with a song on my lips. 

 Deborah might have composed the words, 

 if there had been any. Triumph rang 

 from every note. 



Then the sun rose over the Lebanon, 

 whose lofty line, punctuated by snow- 

 peaks, faced my window. The quick 

 warmth of the Oriental sun promised to 

 dry the plate quickly after the muggy 

 night. I went back to the window to 

 gloat once more. The dream picture was 

 a black smudge on the limestone ledge. 

 Phoebus had glimpsed the beauty and had 

 melted the emulsion on the plate like the 

 wax on the wings of inordinate Icarus. 



Notice of change of address of your Geographic Magazine should be re- 

 ceived in the office of the National Geographic Society by the first of the month to 

 affect the following month's issue. For instance, if you desire the address changed 

 for your August number, the Society should be notified of your new address not 

 later than July first. 



