davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
Siamese Justice.

This King of Siam is Buddhist, and he
was for some time Buddhist priest, as is
the custom with all men In Siam. Every
one is expected at some time to enter the
priesthood, and this royal monarch with his
millions of treasures, his scores of wives
and his ten millions year, once shaved his
head and nominally gave up his crown and
his harem to wear yellow cotton scarf
about his waist and go to fasting and pray
ing. He is liberal Buddhist now, and he
gives, am told, all facilities to the mission
aries and treats them well. One of the
missionaries is at the head of the. royal
school here, and the King has given some
thing to the mission fund. Siam has now
an embassy at certain of the courts of
Europe, and think the Minister to London
has also the United States in his jurisdic-
ton. There is Siamese Consul in New
York. and here at Bangkok his Majesty has
hls-Forelgn Department. his Interior De-
partment and his Royal Mint
A new court of justice hps just been built
and the white OF its exterior is probably
more pure than will be the proceedings with
In. As far as I can learn the native Siamese
courts are founded more on the caprice of
the judges than upon the law. There is no
jury: and tortures similar to those of China
are practiced to make witnesses testify. One
is the twisting of bamboo withes tighter and
tighter about the head until the prisoner
confesses, and another is the whipping with
the bamboo of the man stretched out at full
length, and his skin pulled taut by men at
his head and heels. The prisons of Siam
are horrible dungeons, some of them hang
ing over the water, and the forcing of con-
vlcts to work in heavy chains is so common
that you meet them constantly on the street,
and this not alone of men but of women as
we'll,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
Brass idol.

majesty himself have penetrated the re-
ception rooms and the various audience
chambers, have taken look at the bushes
and trees of gold and silver, which are sent
to him from his provinces, have almost
handled the royal jewels, and have, with
my practical American eyes, looked at the
cart loads of brie-a-brac gathered from the
four corners of the earth. have visited
the stables of his white elephants, have
given the ugly beasts a taste of heather
grass, have trod with my patent feathers
the floors of the holiest temples, and have
with unwinking eyes looked at the
grandeur of the little emerald idol. Ny
letters from Washington gave me
access to the foreign minister, and
one of the Engiish-speaking mobiles con-
nected with the State Department, bright,
copper-colored, black-mustached young
fellow in a dress half Siamese and half
European, acted as my guide. He showed
me the outside of the great buildings OF the
harem, but have failed to meet any one of
His Msjesty's 100 wives, and His Royal
Highness himself had left the capital for
six weeks trip into the interior of his realm
three days before my arrival. have been
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

second coronation in 1873 all natives who
approached the King had to do so on all
tours. They had to raise their hands in
alteration to him and bump their heads on
the mats before him. This King did away
with all this and he has introduced the
American hand-shake into his reception
OF foreigners. He gives receptions to for
elgners and he speaks the English tongue,
though he never does this when noted
foreign visitors have an audience with
him. He considers it beneath his dignity
at such times to speak in any other language
than the Siamese and he has an inter
prefer who translates the English words
into Siamese and the Siamese words into
English. He has brought the telegraph
and the telephone into Bangkok, has estab-
lished street car line and lights his harem
with the electric light. Just at present he
is considering the subject of railways, and
he has given 500 900 to have a survey made
OF railway which shall run from Bangkok
out into his Kingdom and shall connect with
Mandalay and Burmah. The engineers
started out to survey this railroad few
days ago and it may be that a decade hence
we will be able 10 travel all over this coun-
try by rail. He has established a custom
house and very polite, dark-skinned o.
nclal met me on my arrival in Bangkok and
asked me If my trunks contained any con-
traband goods. 1 replied they did not and
ne then wanted to know if 1 was bringing
any diamonds into the country, or if had
any packages of dynamite about my clothes.
! again replied 90 and he chalk-marked my
baggage without looking into it.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
CHAPTER ".
wAsHINeroN AT A REcEPr1oN

WASHINGTON AT A RECEPTION.
In the whole mass of letters there is not
one line from Sarah Paris to Harry Cur
wen, nor one word written by him to her.
But on removing the faded goatskin cover
which some prudent hand had sewed on the
Bible which the girl carried from Salem to
the Muskingum there was found a little
note-biller, it was called in those days-in
which he asked her to accept a farewell
present The present was a basket fitted
with knives and forks and spoons, which he
had carried more than once when they went
on picnic together.
In all the little familiar tea parties which
Salem sadly made by way of bidding good
by to Miss Paris, Mr.. Curven never ap-
peared. He had gone to New York, it was
said, and though Salem was apt to know
the business of everybody in Salem, rather
better than he knew himself, Salem did not
known why he had gone. No letters came
from him, or, ii they did, the postmaster
had not recognized the handwriting. So
was it that, excepting for the picnic basket,
and-for that little billet which was acci-
dentally preserved, Sarah Paris had no
goodby from Harry Curwen.
A hundred years have lifted some
mysteries, so that there is no reason vhy I
dear Emma, what Mr.. Harry Curwen had
done with himself
First of all, he had written the little billet.
and had sent off the basket, with the silver
spoons and knives and forks, to the Young
lady. Second, he had gone to Boston, and
had spent two or three DAYS there, in con-
ference with his fathers old military friends.
He had obtained from them letters of intro
duction to General Knox, in New York.
Then he took the stage to Providence, and
from Providence, with a northeast wind.
he took the packet Lady Washington, and
sailed for the City of New York. Three
days after, he found himself at Francis
Hotel in that city. 1t was then the seat Of
government of the United States.
Harry Curwen dressed himself in his best,
and called upon his old friend, Colonel
Timothy Pickering, to whom he told his
plans. The Colonel advised him, as men
of 40 sometimes Will advise men of 20-that
is, he advised him to change all his plans
and 90 home. But by this advice HAIRY
Curw1n was not moved. He asked Colonel
Pickering, also, to give an introduction to
General Knox, which he could not refuse
Now, General Knox was at this time the
Secretary of War to the newborn nation,
And so soon as Colonel Pickering had writ
ten the note, to General Knox Harry Cur
wen repaired.
The General was most kind. There had
been no need, he said. that our friend Harry
should bring him letters. Frederic Cur,
wsn's son needed no introduction to him.
He went back to old days when the young
mans father was in college. "And after
those days, my dear young man. he would
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
A Grand Reception Chamber.

On the other side of the vestibule is a
grand reception room fully as wide and
nearly as long as the East Room of the
White House at Washington. This is paved
with marble mosaic and its high ceiling,
twice as high as that of the East Room, is
gorgeously decorated with carvings of gold.
Brilliant chandeliers hang down from it
and about the walls are oil paintings of the
royal family, and the only woman's face
among them is that of the present Queen,
whose sweet face looks down beside those Of
the Kings brothers and has the best light
and the place of honor of thefwhole room.
The furniture of this room is European and
the treasures of Europe have been ran
sacked to fill it. There are rare
vases from Dresden, flligree work
from Venice and richly carved gold
from Siam. Through this room
and on into third grand reception room
we went with the Siamese noble. Here the
King received, the day before he left, the
Austrian Prince, whom I have met during
my stay and who has been sent here as
Minister to China, Japan and Siam. This
room is full OF beautiful things. Two of
the largest elephants tusks, wonderfully
carved, stand beside the mantel, and an
album on aslittle stand at the back of the
room has medallion portrait Of the King
painted on porcelain and set in the richest
of diamonds. The corners of the room con-
tain large cabinets filled with curious works
in gold from card cases up to betel boxes,
and / noticed fine portrait of Frederick,
the late Emperor of Germany, among the
many oil paintings on the wall.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
A FIGURE PUZZLE.

A Most Amusing and Mystifying Use Of Ar
ifhmeticaI Numbers.
Philadelphia Times.1
Following is very curious puzzle. Try
it, all of you:
Open book at random and select word
within the first ten lines, and within the
tenth word from the end of the line. Mark
the word. Now double the number of the
page and multiply the sum by five.
Then add 20.
Then add the number of the line you have
selected.
Then add B.
Multiply the sum by 10.
Add the number of the word in the line.
From this sum subtract 900 and the remain
der will indicate in the unit column the
number of the word; in the ten column the
number of the line, and the remaining
figures the number of the page.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

need. 1t has hundreds of balls and play-
things, which are brought from Europe for
the royal babies, and the clerk tells me
that there is not fancy French plaything
or amusement of any sort that is not sold to
the palace. 1 was shown about hundred
dozen little china spittoons about the size of
a shaving mug. These were beautifully
decorated, and some of the pictures were by
native Siamese artists sent to England to be
painted upon them. 1 bought one decorat-
ed with picture by Siamese Prince, and
was told that these spittoons are used by
the ladies of the hsrem to spit in while
chewing this disgusting preparation of the
spongv betel nut mixed with rose-tinted
lime and fnecut tobacco.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

join you in this especially. Certainly, I
have never radiated from city which gave
better satisfaction than Portland has. If I
did not believe that, would not thus pub
licly so state, over my own brief, but wide
spread signature. Portland, as visitor
radiator is, and must ever remain unsur-
passed.
A WORTHY ASPIRATION.
You also aim to make the club high
authority on mountains and their habits,
mountains in their home lives, half hours
with mountains, mountains as bedfellows,
together with suggestions as to what to do
for their cold feet and throbbing brows, So
cial habits of the mountain and its hesita-
ton in calling upon Mohammed, although
the mountain was there first, mountains as
parents, mountains as forefathers, noun
tains as mouse breeders, etc., etc., ad finitum,
as the papers put it.
All these objects coincide with my views,
and though see that the club has taken
the precaution to give me no vote whatever
on these matters cannot be prevented from
entering heart and soul into this glorious
work. As soon as the weather is suitable
you will see me start up Mount Hood with
an Alpenstock and theatrical trunk con-
tanning all that one need possibly want, and
want to possibly need, on such trip. I
have already purchased an Alpenstock in
Omaha. 1t belonged to the estate Of man
who climbed the golden stair, via the Mat
terhorn, three years ago. The Alpen-
stock has quite a lot of notches already cut
in it, which gives me good start. He
was never recovered, tits said. He tried
to jump across yawning chasm Just
as it was in the act of yawning and so
lacked about nine feet of getting across.
The following September this Alpenstock
was found by the verge of the yawn1ng
chasm. Several hundred feet below a vul-
ture was seen eating the lining from an old
pocketbook. Still farther down a venture
some chamois hunter, with a rope tied
around his waist, discovered the marks of a
mans front teeth on the trees, as he evil
IDENTIFY blazed his way along down while
passing hutrieily in perpendicular direc.
tion toward the bottom. Farther down. he
discovered broken pelvis and the main
spring of a Waterbury watch, which had
crawled out of the case and entirely filled
the bottom of the chasm to height of 9%
feet.
The man himself was dead.
: AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
One thing wanted to ask about the club
was this: Do honorary members bring their
dinners, or will some way be provided
whereby they will not have to do so? can
bring some things to eat with me. if desired.
but would prefer to do otherwise if not put.
ting you out. We live well at home, and
yet one tires of the same food year in and
year out. Whatever you decide on in that
way will be satisfactory to me. Food
should be, for such a trip, nutritious, we'll
prepared and expensive. I coHld put it in
the hind part of ny wagon, along with nv
Alpenstock, if thought best.
I would sbe glad to meet personally the
geologist, the mineralogist, the ethnologist,
the ornithologist, the ichthyologist, the bot
anist, the microscopic, the entomologist and
busy l would be glad toad them so tar as
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
SNAKE. AND SPARROW.
A Courageous Little Bird Captures and
Carries Away Reptile.

eprlngnelo (O.) hepuDuc.l
A curious incident was witnessed Saturday
in the High street entrance of the Lsgonda
House. There are massive pillars in front,
capped by designs in scroll work. In this
scroll work the house sparrows build their
nests by dozens, and multiply faster than a
calculating machine.
Saturday a sparrow flew up to its nest
above the east pillar, proudly bearing in its
beak an eight-inch snake it had captured
somewhere. 1t was tough tussle for the
bird to land the little reptile, for the snake
was about as heavy as the sparrow. The task
was finally accomplished, however, and
about half of the snakes length gotten into
the nest. The rest of the body hung out and
writhed and twisted angrily:< just then a
larger sparrow perceived the snake for the
first time and swooped down upon it, caught
it skillEnlly just back ofthe head and flew
away with it. The entire drama was watched
by many spectators with deep interest.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
have an establishment Of her own as in Ja-

have an establishment of her own as in Ja-
pan. After the age of "a, if they have had
no children, the older women become the
waiting maids of the younger, and the stock
is repienished continually. The present
King shows no inclination to come down to
the American one wife principle, and dur
ing his present visit to the interior he has
taken couple of score of his favorite women
along with him. The Amazons have, 1 am
told, been done away with at the palace.
The last King had them, but though /
looked through the best of pebbl@ glasses
for them during my visit to the palace 1 saw
not one.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

so fortunate, however.-as to meet many men
connected with his court, who are we'll
posted upon him and his kingdom. The
talks with these and with old residents of
the country have given me almost as good
knowledge of his personality as though 1
had met him myself, and, as 1 write this
letter, his last photograph taken by the
court photographer lies on the table before
me
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
IRELAND'S EMBLEM.
The Shamrock Plant Not Unlike the
American Glover.


American Clover.
Scottish Americar.1
Glover in ireland is always regarded as
distinct from the shamrock plant. Nor is
this a distinction without a difference.
Glover, as commonly understood. has a
pale shading on the front of the leaf; and
on this light colored section there is a
growth of short hair like protuberances.
The genuine shamrock, on the other hand,
is rich dark green, like a maiden hair
fern. Possibly it is variety of clover; it
is certainly not produced from ordinary
clover seeds, and grows more like a weed
than classified grass.
Glover has been seen masquerading as
shamrock for sale at Coyent Garden; but
the man or woman who wore spray of
clover in the streets Of an Irish town on the
18th of March would be an object of popu-
lar derision.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

I HAVE the
honor to hereby ac-
knowledge the re-
ceipt of the follow
ing communities
tion:
OREGON ALPIN =
CLUB, PORTLAND,
ORE, March l5.
1889.
Edgar W. Nye:
DEAR SIR-I have
the honor to inform
-1- kI-oA a4 -AnrIlo
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
EAST AND WEST.
4 Tale Of a Century Ago.
SYNOPSIS or PRECEDING CHAPrER
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH
BY EDWARD EVERETT HALE.

SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.
The story opens in old Salem 100 yearsago
with an account Of sleighride party and
dance to which the heroine, Sarah Paris, is es-
corted by Harry Curwen, who was somewhat
of spoiled darling. Sarah, who is an orphan
living with her uncle and aunt, determines to
join party of settlers going to Ohio. When
the news becomes known Harry CurRen offers
his heart and hand to Sarah, but is told that he
must first show that he has been of some SER
vice to his country.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

Still this King of Siam is the most pro-
pressiVe the country has ever had. He is
fan In advance OF his people and he is doing
q great zeal to civilize them. Before his
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
SLAMS YOUNG KING.
A Visit to the Magnificent House of
This Absolute Monarch and
HIS ONE HUNDRED PRETTY WIVES.
Life in the Harem and the Inmates Dress
and AmuSements.
SAVAGE SACRED WHITE ELEPHANTS
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DrsrArcH.l /

B A N G K o < ,
SIAM, March TO-
L have just re-
turned from a visit
to the palaces of
the King of Siam.
1 have gone by the
golden elephants at
the portals, have
walked past t he
black soldiers at
the gate and have
stood upon tah e
IL. oF his RIVAL
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

meeting of the Oregon Alpine Club, held Tues
day evening. March IL you was unanimously
elected an honorary member.
Very respectfully,
W. g. STEEL, Cor. Sec.
It is almost superfuous for me to say that
I accept with pleasure the honorary men,
bership thus conferred by an aspiring and
deserving organization upon one of our
most phenomenal literary deposits.
The objects of the club, as I gather from
the constitution and bylaws inclosed with
the notification are, first to utilize the large
smooth mountains of Washington and
Oregon for climbing purposes. Also to
monkey with the fora and fauna of that
region.
1 have accepted with i'll concealed Joy
that am, and may continue through life
to be, an honorary member, therefore, of
the Oregon Alpine Club. shall also take
occasion at an early date toaccompany the
club, by means of horse and wagon, to the
summit of Mount Hood or Mount Tacoma.
Later on hope to become so robust that
can walk.
THE LUXURY OF TRAVEL.
Once could walk great deal. At one
time went by this means quite distance,
taking views of water-tanks and side-tracks
along my route, using great care to get off
the track as the trains went by. In this
way saved enough in one summer to en-
able me to make the same trip on the follow
ing summer. But in later years wealth has
engendered a love of ease and a slight
tendency toward luxurious dishonesty and
repose of manner, which at first would con-
yey the idea of refinement.
now hail with much joy this opportunity
to climb a few of our most desirable noun
tains. Which one shall we tackle first?
How are your glaciers this spring? Have
you got good noiseless glacier with re-
mains in it? How did the fora and fauna
stand the winter. and will they be on hand
this season when we get ready togo?
notice also by the preamble which
juts out few inches from the consti-
tuition that one of the objects for which
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14
NYE HALLS WITH JOY
An Invitation From an Alpine Club
to.Climb Mountains and
TO SEARCH FOB THE NORTH POLE.
Fate Of q Man Who Tried to Jump a YsWn.
ing Chasm asit Yawned.
WHAT'S TIE MATTER wIfH vEsUVIUsp

WRITTEN ron THE DlsrAroH.1
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-14

the club was organized, was to make
known to the world that, as center for Wis
itors to radiate from, Portland possesses un-
surpassed advantages" I will cheerfully
join you in this especially. Certainly, I
have never radiated from city which gave
better satisfaction than Portland has. If I
did not believe that, I would not thus pub
licly so state, over my own brief, but wide
spread signature. Portland, as q visitors
radiator is, and must ever remain unsur-
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-02-07

In the Homework at home, the total number
living at home being 14.918-that is to say,
very large proportion of the working
women in the great cities are under home
Influences More than half of the whole
1854 give their earnings to home life, 267
pay board ut their own homeszand only 7O1
receive board at the hands of their families.
The average number OF persons in the fam
lilies of the workingWomen is 525, each of
which has on All average 248 workers."
The report shows that of the 1926 who
reported their health conditions at the time
they commenced work. 1880 were in good
health, 883 were in fair health, and 1873 i'll
bad health. The changes in health condi-
ton is illustrated by the fact that IA ,554 are
now in good health, 2,345 are in fair health,
and 4S9 are in bad health.
The tables upon earnings and lost time
show that of the 1892 who reported 1873
earn less than 800 per annum, and that this
class lost an average of S6.5 days for the
years covered. The largest number earn
5000 and under $3.50 per annum, losing 37.S
days; 2,377 earn from $3.50 to $500, losing 3l.5
days. AS earnings increase the lost time
decreases, as, for instance, 1913 earn from
$3.50 to $500 a year, and this class lost but
1873 days. These earnings are actual earn
lngs, and are not statements derived from
computations based on the rates of wages.
The average weekly earnings by cities is
given dis follows: Atlanta. $4.05; Baltimore,
$4.18; Boston, 5.G4; Brooklyn, SIS. rs; Buf-
falo, S427; Charleston, 81. 20; Chicago SIS. IA:
Cincinnati, $4.50: Cleveland, S463: Indian
apolis, 4.67; Louisville 81: Newark, S.. 10;
New Orleans. $4.3l: New York $685.: Phila-
delphia. S.. 81; Providence, $551; Richmond,
1898; st. Louis, 10; st. Paul, $6.O2; San
Francisco, $6.91; San Jose, S. H. Savannah,
81 49, All other Cities 1924.
Upon the subject of character of the
working women" the Commissioner says:
From all that can be learned one need not
hesitate in asserting that the working
women of this country are as honest and as
virtuous as any other class of our citizens.
The social standing Of working women is
becoming better and better. The honest
working engaged in honest labor is
entitled to the respect of all honest minded
people. She should be welcomed in the
churches of the cities, and should be drawn
into the best associations, where social and
moral surroundings would aid her in cult
waiting her own self-respect. At least it
should not be possible to class her as the
forgotten woman, former struggle is too he
roic, her hardships too painful, her lot too
dreary for Christian people to thoughtlessly
pass her by"