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Show IS ISLAND OF FEUDAL POMP Rulers and People of Ball, Near Sumatra, Su-matra, Extremely Fond of Gorgeous Gor-geous Display. If you senreh on a map of Malaysia long enough you will find the Sunda islands. They are located to the south and west of Sumatra, and, like Sumatra Su-matra and Java, and other Isles near hy, are under the rule of Holland. Perhaps Per-haps if you have a large map you may be able to discover a tiny speck, attached at-tached to which will be the name "Bali.'' The island of Ball Is about 2,300 square miles in area, and is a most picturesque isle. Long ago it was conquered by hosts from India. Although the Dutch rule Ball, and a Hollander sits at the table about which a Balinese raja gathers his chiefs to make laws, the iron hand is light in Bali. Iadeed, a Ball overlord over-lord is permitted many wives, many dancing girls, many houses' and as much pojnp and gorgeous display of his high estate as his most regal ancestor an-cestor ever contrived to show. Feudal rule in all its magnificence but minus much of its lmpressiveness is to be seen at its best or worst in Bali today. Some of the Balinese, particularly the farmers, are virtually serfs. But they manage to Hive better, perhaps, than their brothers on the mainland of India. One reason, may be, is that the caste system Is not so oppressive in Bali as it is in India. The ears of the Balinese maiden are pierced when she is a baby. When she grows up, into the lobe of her ear is thrust a cylinder of bone. When a Balinese girl becomes a wife the bone cylinders give place to cylinders of silver or gold. But when a Balinese wife achieves the proud position of a mother then the earrings vanish entirely. en-tirely. Cleveland Plain Dealer. |