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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 18, 24 August 1883, Page 5

The Siamese would seem to be bitten by the same mania for everything foreign, no matter how ill-adapted for blending with their own civilisation, for which the Japanese have long bee;/ noted. A French traveller, recently returned from Siam, pives an account of a new Buddhist temple which has just been completed in the environs of Bangkok, and which closely resembles in appearance a Christian church. The guide told him to bis great surprise that it was a pagoda, and on entering the building he observ ( d the same close imitation of the iuteiior of a Catholic place of worship. " What d > you think of it ?" asked the Bonze who tock him over the buildine and who was evidently very proud of it. "It is very modern," said the tourist very deprecatingly. " Modern it is, of course," said the priest who took the remark for a compliment. "We have even an organ— and a better OBetban auy of yon have in Fra/'ce, for it plays without an organist. We had it made to order by Messrs Bird &Co , of London ; and as you will hear, it plays nothiug Jbut the finest sacred music." Whereupon he turned the handle, and the Frenchman, to his great edification, heard the familiar air which fits the words, "De Madame Angot je Sitis la Mile."— Jaffna, Catholic Guardian. Honesty is the best policy. The truth of this proverb wa amusingly illustrated lately in Tonquin. Bishop Puginier, of the French Foreign Missions of Paris, was taking his rest quietly in one of the Tonquinese villages, which he had been visiting pastorally. A body of Annamese police surround the house) aud pounce on (he host, whom they find outside. " Where is the French pontiff 1 " they shout ; "we were told he was at thy pl.ice 1 " '• Of course." said the host, laughingly, " the spiiit of Buddha has directed your steps. Light your torches, and get in, all of you, you cannot fail to catch i him. '• He is joking ! " they exclaimed, " the Bishop must be off : let us scour the country in his pursuit ! " and they scattered themselves on all sides. "Wire you not afraid of being taken at your word 1 asked the bishop of his host, who related to him the amusing scene. '; No fear of that, my lord. Those infidels are so accabtomed to hear lies, that they always believe the contrary of what you say. The best way to mislead them was to speak the truth openly, so I did." — Indo-European Correspondence.