Fanned By A Punkah

THe puntean of India is a long, narrow fan, suspended by cords from the ceiling; attached to it is another cord uidch finds its way outside through a convenient hole in the wall or window frame. For the magniflcent sum of three annas (six cents) the hopeful punkah-wallah sits outside and fllls the room with soothing, sleep producing breezes for the space of a day or night by a constant see-sawing motion of the string. Few Europeans are able to sleep at night or exist during the day without the punkah-wallah's services for at least nine months in the year. The slightest negligence on his part at night is sufficient to summon the sleeper instanter from the land of dreams to the stern reality that the dusky imp outside has himself dropped off to sleep. A pardonable imprecation, delivered in Ioud, threateninsc tones; or in the case of a person vengefully inclined, or once too often made a victim, a stealthy visit to the open door, a well aimed boot, and the pendulous punkah aguin swings to and fro, banishing the newly awakened prickly heat and fanning the recumbent figure on the charpoy with grateful breezes that quickly send Jiim off to sleep'