At this juncture, the young American arrived on the scene, immediately took control of the situation and organized a water-bucket team, As the populace stared in wide-eyed wonder, the youth climbed nimbly to the roof of an adjacent building and had his team supply him with water to hurl on the rising flames. When his team grew slack, he drew his pistol and fired, which impressed the men sufijciently with the importance of their Work to result in Mandeville getting more than enough water, Sometimes the American's beard would be singed and sometimes his clothes would catch fire as he nearly went up in smoke himself. But eventually the crowd saw what one young foreigner could do to save Tachienlu from disaster.
Immediately the fire was extinguished, Mr, Mandeville returned to his work at the power plant where he was putting the dynamo in order. But the much-impressed town decided to give him a public feast and present him with a medal, People all over the city sang his- praise: Later a deputation of military, civil and commercial authorities on the border tendered their thanks to the hero of the hour.
Comes as Shock An interesting aspect of the situ: tion was that Dorje Geshe had always been -strongly and bitterly opposed! io foreigners and always boasted that they had nothing to offer him in enlightenment or salvation. It therefore came to him as somewhat of a shock when he heard that a young American, only a few days in Tachienlu, risked his life to save his temple and the city from disaster.
Mr, Mandeville was particularly well-known among the younger athletic group in Shanghai. Having contracted tuberculosis he was forced to return to the United States two years ago.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.