davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
TheOnium War.

The Chinese are naturally opium smok-
ers. but it is due to the foreigner that the
drug has become national evil. The Off
cials and the emperor saw the danger before
it came and they tried to keep the opium
out of the country. The English, however,
who were bringing in large quantities from
India, were making too much money out OF
it to let it 60, and one of the most disgrace
full pages of history is the record OF how
John Bull, philanthropic and moral, as
he pretends to be, forced China to take
poison which its officials knew would de-
grade It's people. The Emperor Of China
at the start taxed the consumers of opium
and threatened them with death. Opium
smugglers were seized and tortured, and
the native dealers were executed. The
Chinese, however, could do nothing with
the foreigners, and they became the SNUG
glers.
The Government then appealed to the for
elgners and one of the Government commits
sioners asked the English merchants to give
up their opium that it might be destroyed,
They gave up 10000 chests, worth S11, ,OOO,-
600. China refused to pay for it on the
ground that it had not authorized its COM
missioner to demand it, and that the opium
was smuggled. For this the British went to
war with China. and through this war
opened most of the ports. They made a
treaty in which opium was not mentioned,
but at the making of which the Chinese un-
doubtedlY asked them to prohibit il, and
which they refused. At present the United
States is the only country which has made q
treaty by which it is unlawful for its citi-
zens to sell opium to the Chinese, and the
poison is now brought into China by the
millions Of pounds a year. The Chinese,
finding that they could not prohibit 1t, have
begun to raise it themselves, and as above
stated, it is now grown in every one of the
Chinese provinces.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
THE CONGREGATION SMILED.
But the Bride and Groom Did Not Think 1t
Quite so Awfully Funny.

But the Bride and Groom Did Not Think 1t
Quite so Awfully Funny.
Boston Transcript
A story that goes back to the meetin' house
in Wrentham is one of a worthy man
named Habbakuk P.,a resident of the town.
and faithful attendant upon worship,
who had been blessed with four wives one
after another. Habbakuk was rigidly or
thodox, as his name seemed to demand, and
was always in his pew on the Sabbath. He
sat there in his conspicuous pew with No. 4
by his side, on the first Sunday after their
marriage. 1t was q balmy June day, and
the zephyrs from the open window toyed
playfully with the brides white satin bon
net ribbons and the groom's silken locks
There was a stranger in the pulpit who had
exchanged for the day with the venerable
Mr.. F., the pastor of the church. After
reading a few Scripture passages the
stranger proceeded to read a notice which
he had found in the Bible, and which was
as follows:
"Mr Habbakuk P desires the pray
ers of the congregation that the death of
his wife may be sanctifed to him for his
spiritual good
Then, when the congregation was between
stupefaction and explosion, the clergyman
went on with the service alta rapid rate. He
was at loss to know why the congregation
seemed to be throughout the remainder of
the service on the point of laughter, but at
dinner Mrs. F, the pastors wife, ex-
planned to him that Habbakuk P sat
three rows from the front in the broad aisle
with his brand new wife, and he had read
an old notice that Mr.. F. had probably
been using for a book mark ever since the
death of wife No. 8.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
her first treaty with China, which was mad,

her first treaty with China, which was made
by Caleb Cushing in 1874, and since that
time foreign trade with China has steadily
increased. There are now % open ports in
the Empire, and the foreign trade amounts
to more than S273, ZOO, 600 year. European
and American goods are now found in everv
province of China, and our missionaries
have penetrated to the widest regions of
the Celestial Land.
The growth of the foreign influence and
its effect upon China can nowhere be better
seen than right here at Shanghai. Here is
the largest foreign colony in China, and
there are from 5000 to 1000 Europeans who
have their homes here and who are engaged
in business with the Chinese. The foreign
settlement of this Paris of the Pacific looks
more like a slice taken out of one of the
rich cities of the United States or of Europe
than city in Asia. The wide river front
is lined with big, three-story buildings, and
beautiful public garden runs between
these and the water. The streets of this
part of the city are we'll paved, and YOU
will meet as hnely-dressed men and women
upon them as you will find in Wash
ington or Paris. The crowd is,
however, much more cosmo-
politan one. The French and the
English are mixed with Americans and
Germans, and the servants of all are the
yellow-faced celestials.
The policemen are East Indians, tall,
well-formed, dark-faced, bIaek-bearded
men, dressed in the uniform of our police
save that they have red turbans foot high
on their heads instead of helmet caps. and
they do not carry the ebony club. They
are used chiefly in arresting the Chinese,
and foreigners have to be arrested by for
eigners. They are among the finest men 1
have ever seen, and they contrast strikingly
with the delicate, slender, aristocratic-
Iimbed Chinese.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
The Curse of China.

This is, however, only one of hundreds of
opium shops in Shanghai. I visited another
den upon leaving this big one and I found
Il nearly as large. 1t is said that China
uses abont $500, ,OOO, 900 worth of opium
every year, and it is rightly called the curse
of the people. Opium is now grown in
every proyince in China. The seed of the
poppv is sown in November and its Juice is
collected in February and March. The
opium is gotten by cutting the capsule of
the poppy flower with a notched iron in
strument at sunrise, and by the next morn
ing drop or so Of juice has oozed out,
This is scraped off and saved by the grower
and after be has q vessel ffall of it it is
strained and dried.
1t takes great many poppies to make q
pound of opium, and it goes through num-
Der of processes before it is ready for the
market. In a liquid state it looks like a
dark strawberry jam, and when prepared for
Shipment it is put into chests, each OF which
contains about 40 balls of opium. These
pals are rolled in dried poppy leaves and
mere IN China the duty on opium is so heavy
mat the castom officers watch these chests
very closely. AT Shanghai there are num-
Der OF large ships which look like floating
swimming baths or naval training ships in
when the opium passed upon by the Gus
toms Is stored, and by which method snug
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
synop.i. of Preceding Chapters.

The story opens early in the pres
emit century, on a bright morning in
March. Wendell Orton, artist and dreamer. is
landed from little schooner in the Bay st.
Louis, by the Creole owner of the vessel,
Victor, who is to return for HIM April 10.
Orton's host is Edouard Garein, whose family
consists of himself. wife and pretty daughter,
Lalie. A mystery surrounds lovely villa in
the neighborhood, whose owner is Mo'sieu
Rochon, and who has q lovely daughter known as
the Lilly of Rochon," Of whom Wendell orton
dreams during his first night at the little inn.
Orton overhears q conversation which leads
him to believe that his host is engaged IN un-
lawful pursuits. He meets the Lily of Rochon,
and is struck with admiration of heI beauty.
Gaspard Rochon prepares to attack Garcin
and his free hooters, and Orton volunteers in
bis hosts defense, A fierce battle ensues, dur
ing which a terrible hand-to-hand combat ttlkes
place between Rochon and Ortop. Rochon
finally overpowers his young antagonist, but as
he is about to dispatch him, Orton breathes the
name of his father, General Horace Orton. of
New York. This has a wonderful effect on the
elder man, who has his fainting opponent car
ried to his own house, where he is tenderly
cared for by the "Lily," whom he recognizes
when he RECEIVERS consciousness.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24

miles up its winding course. Above this
there are gorges and rapids which the for
eigners now think can be passed, and there
will then be an opening into the interior of
China by this means for more than 2, 200
miles. The Yangtsekiang is so long that it
would reach from San Francisco to New
York and push its way out into the Allan
tic if it could be stretched out upon q plane
OF the face of the United States. It is
longer than the distance from New York to
Liverpool, and it is said to be the best
stream in the world as to the arrangement
of its branches
Its boat population is numbered by hund-
reds of thousands and it is city hundreds
of miles in length made up of junks, ships
and barges. These Chinese junks are
gorgeously painted and carved. They have
the same style of sails and masts that were
used thousands of years ago, and their sails
are immense sheets of cotton patched to-
gether and stretched on rods of bamboo
which LOOK like fishing poles. The sailors
are pig-tailed men in fat clothes of cotton,
who sing in a cracked gibberish as they
work, and who understand how to manage
their rude sails SO well that they can often
pass ships of more modern make. ALI Of
the Chinese boats have pair ofeyes painted
on the sides of their prows, and the Chinese
sailor would no more think of navigating
without these than he would think of eat
ing without chopsticks. If asked the reason
he replies:
mo have eyes, no can see. No can see,
no can CO."
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24

etc.-but said the champion sinner, mime
is a good shine. is it not ?' Excellent,
said the General. every well. " said shine
'em; "I only charged you 10 cents for the
shine and Is cents for the know how.
That is the premium on the know
how" all through the world. But
to recur to the farmers. In late
number of the Atlanta Constitution read
that the Farmers Alliance, Of Georgia, has
reduced the interest paid by Georgia
farmers when they buy on credit from lOS
per cent 70 Is per cent. It appears corn is
sold at II cents cash, 98 cents credit four
months, which Is 26 per cent, on 7S per cent
per annum. Bacon sells at 9.71 cents cash,
1913 cents credit four months; that shows
the style of business and the conception OF
an investment in country that sends a
drove of Brigadiers up North to teach such
men as Carnegie, Hewitt and Oliver how to
do business.
Interest simple and compound is greater
factor in all these matters than it gets credit
for. 1t is really the secret of the growth oil
all the big modern fortunes, and is the key
to the success OF our savings banks, build
ing associations, life insurance companies,
etc.
BIG RATES OF INTEREST.
Leisure permitting, may illustrate this
more in detail at some other time. At pres
ent cannot better emphasize the import
ance of compounding investments than by
repeating story told by Peter cooper
at so years of age He was always care
full and prudent business man, opposed to
kite-fying-and marginal matters in which
big interest was exacted. Once while dis
cussing big iron project with friend the
latter said he would have to borrow money
for six months at 3 per cent per month. why
do you borrow for so short a time, Mr..
Cooper asked. because the brokers do
not care to negotiate loans for longer. "
"Well, If YOU WISH" said Mr.. Cooper, 81
will discount your note at that rate for
three years. "Are you in earnest, {"
said the would-be borrower. Certainly
! am. will discount your note for
$4,000 for three years at that rate. y
Will you do it? OF course I will, said
the merchant. Very well, said Mr.. Cooper,
just sign this note for $40, 900, payable in
three years, and give me your check for $500
and the transaction Is complete. but
where is the money for me?" asked the as
tonished merchant. "You don't get any
money" was the reply. your interest for
to 108 per centum, or 800. Therefore
your check for $500 just makes us even. "
The force OF this practical illustration Of the
folly of paying stiff rates at compound in
terest-and all building association and
bank loans are based on the compound"
principle-paralyzed the merchant and the
deal was off
If the non-borrower in building associa-
ton realized just how much he was paying
for his "loan," would not the loan feature at
high rates in such organizations be rather a
''1oan"-some business? j. w. BREEN.
Ross TOWNSHIP, March 20, 1889.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
A WISE GORILLA.
She Cries If Left Alone and Has Acquired
Many Civilized Tastes and Habits.

She Cries If Left Alone and Has Acquired
Many Civilized Tastes and Habits.
London Atheneum.]
According to letter recently received
from the southwest coast of Africa, Mr.. j.
j. Jones, trader of Ngove, a country sit
uated Immediately south Of Gamma and the
river Fernand Vaz, has for some time past
had in his possession young female gorilla,
whose docility and tractability are most re-
markable. Mr.. Jones has trained the little
anthropoid to follow him like dog, and
she recently accompanied him on jour
ney to Sette- Gamma, distance of 20 miles
or more, walking all the way. Jeannie, as
the baby gorilla has been named, sleeps
with her master and follows him wherever
he goes, weeping like child If left behind.
She has acquired many civilized tastes and
habits, and will drink. tea, ale, brandy, ETC.
out OF cup or glass, displaying the utmost
carefulness not to break the vessel, and
will, in fact, do almost anything her master
wishes, and is so intelligent and affection
ate as to greatly astonish and interest all
who have seen her.
Although the latest, this is by no means
a solitary instance of the facility with
which young gorilla can be trained, as
there are at present living in London two
former residents in the Fernand Vaz who
succeeded without difficulty in training
young gorillas, and who could corroborate
the foregoing account of their docility and
and of their affectionate disposition when
treated with kindness, as we'll as the dis
tress and sensitiveness they exhibit if scolded
for misconduct or disobedience,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24

of courage. For this reason the gall blad-
ders of tigers are eaten by soldiers to inspire
them with courage. The Chinese doctor
ranks no higher than the ordinary skilled
workman. He gets from Is to 20 cents a
visit, and he often takes patients on con-
dition that ne will cure them within a GER
tain time or no pay. He never sees his
female patients except behind screen, and
he does not pay second visit unless he is
invited. His pay is called "golden thanks, +"
and the orthodox way of sending it to him
is wrapped in red paper.
The dentists look upon pulled teeth as
trophies and they go about with necklaces
OF decayed teeth about their necks, or with
them strung upon strings and tied
to sticks. Toothache is supposed to
come from a worm in the tooth, and
there are set OF female doctors who make a
business of extracting these worms. When
the nerve is exposed they take this out and
call it the worm, and when not they use a
sleight of hand by which they make their
patients believe certain worms, which they
show them, came from their teeth. l have
heard persons tell of Cinnamon who claimed
to have had ten worms taken from their
mouths in single day, and saw woman
actually at work upon patient in the street
here. China is as full OF superstitions as
the West India Islands, and the people like
to be humbugged quite as well here as we
do in America.
FRANK G, CARPENTER.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
I q ILYoEROCHON
A Legend of Bay St. Louis.
MAURICE THOMPSON.

girls life, was as good to her as his business
and his coarse nature would let him be.
While Orton was quietly slipping the
soup rendered him by Mile. Roehon, heavy
footballs were heard on the stairs.
MY uncle is coming now, she said, half
hearkening to the measured treadj you
must not let him make you talk too much,
remember that, please, monsieur.
Rochon stalked in presently, his burly
form draped in q lighE loose jacket and
broad trousers, his gray hair tossed in great
shocks over his head, his beard unkempt.
One hand was bandaged, his forehead had .
white plaster on it, and his left arm was
bound up Just above the elbow. Notwith-
standing his roughness and his air Of brig
andish savagery, there was something about
him magnetic, strong dash OF personal in
huence as powerful as it was strange. His
rather dark gray eyes were deep, clear and
steadfast in their gaze, looking out from
under heavy, shaggy brows, matted aud
drawn; his forehead was deeply furrowed,
likewise his massive cheeks, over which
almost up to his eyes grew the grizzled,
tangled beard, rank and refractory and fall
ing down foot in length to spread almost
across his great width of chest. He wore
heavy Spanish boots rising to his knees,
and on his head was black French cap set
we'll back. In his hand he bore = short
stemmed but enormous pipe, old and mall
odorous. Just inside the door he paused
and stood for a moment ehuckling aloud,
his eyes cleaning merrily and his beard
palpitating.
"Ho-hoP' he exclaimed in q deep,
resonant bass voice, "Ho-ho! my fine cog
de combat is coming to his appetite, eh?
Well, well, my little lily. feed him, feed
him, for he's game one, certainly"
He glanced from one to the other again
and again with quizzical glare and shook
his big head slowly, as one who is we'll sat-
isfed with what he sees before him.
"Diable-dieul but if he'd a eutlass like
mine 1 believe he'd have sliced me into
pieces at last. He's the hardest fighter I
ever met, certainly; yes, the very hardest.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24

life. There was the pompous mandarin in
gorgeous silks beside the half-naked cooley
in ragged cotton. There were desperate look
ing men and women, quiet intellectual
scholars and wealthy Chinese merchants.
All stopped under the electric light to buy
little pots of opium as thick as molasses, and
each holding about what could be crowded
into the smallest of our American lndi-
vidual salts. The cooley and the mandarin
were charged the same for their opium, but
they paid different prices according to the
rooms which they occupied and the pipes
which they used in smoking. The cheapest
cost about 10 cents smoke, and the dearest
was sold for not much more than 10 cents.
The pipes, however, were different. They
were about two feet long, with big, round
bowl set into the handle. The mandarins
smoked pipes of ivory, some of which were
elaborately carved, while the coolevs were
satisfied with plain pipes of wood. The re-
ceipts of this opium den are said to be more
than 81 900 day, and am told 1t is always
full
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
Progress of Civilization.

Still, in the great work of civilizing Asia,
the opium war did much for China. 1t
opened this great port of Shanghai, gave
Great Britain the island of Hong Kong and
showed the Chinese that the foreign devils
were stronger and mightier than themselves.
They paid the S21. 900, 900 which represented
the demands of the British, and thereafter
gave the foreigners the right to trade and
settle at Canton, Annoy Fuchau and Shang-
hal, The United States soon after this made
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
YaurtsekiauR River.

Shanghai is about midway on the Pacific
coast between the northern and southern
boundaries of China. 1t is near the mouth
of though not on the great river, the Yang
tsekiang, which divides the empire into
two equal portions and which forms the
great central avenue of trade. This is one
of the greatest and one of the longest rivers
of the world, and it vies with the Nile in
the rich deposits which it carries down from
the mountains of Thibet and spreads over
the rich plains of China. Its waters where
it enters the sea are as yellow as clay and
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
TWO CHAINED SKELETONS.
The Story Of Wreclker Who Saw Them in
the Sunken Merrimac.

The Story Of Wrecker Who Saw Them In
the Sunken Merrimac.
A Richmond, Va, special to the Balti-
more Sun says: Private James K. Bolten,
an inmate Of the Confederate Soldiers
Home, near this city, tells startling story
of the finding in the hold of the Confeder-
ate ram Merrimac the skeletons Of two men.
johnson was a member of johnson Battery
during the war, and was wounded at Bran
dy Station. He is now almost in a dying
condition. He declares that the discovery
of these skeletons has preyed upon his
mind for years.
According to Bottoms story he was en-
gagged as a wrecker in 1873. The person
with whom he was engaged at that time
was employed in getting the old copper off
the Merrimac. While engaged in this work
johnson says that on one occasion he dived
into the torecastle of the Confederate gun
boat. There he found the skeletons of two
men manacled to the floor. He supposed
that they were members of the crew who
were incarcerated for the violation of some
rule OF the navy, and when the craft was
sunk were forgotten by their comrades and
went down to their watery graves.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
MONEY MAKES MONEY.
A Chapter Illustrating the Workings
of Compound Interest.
BETTERTO LENDTHAN ToBORRoW.
The Great Percentage of Profit in Building
Associations.
EVEN THE DAT LABORER HAS CAPITAL
WRITTEN FoR THE D1srArcH.l

fIEh rellgion anu
politics there is no
subject upon which
intelligent people
differ so widely as
to the mode of in
vesting surplus
earnings. and I can
think Of no practi-
cal subject upon
which there is so
much popular mis-
conception as the
power ofcompound
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
An Ediror,. Ire Aroused.
Clarion Republican,

O4dI4UH IStpUUIIOdI1.1 :
The crazy fools. who are sending anony-
nous letters to some of our people on vari-
Gus subjects, and telling lies about their
neighbors, will some day send one to the
wrong man who will hunt them up, and
when found will proceed to wipe up the
sidewalk with their dirty carcass and other
wise exercise them. Persons who write let
ters and are too cowardly to sign their
name to them are 6t subjects for the reform
atOry
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
CHAPTER VI.-CoNrINUED.
AT THE HOUSE OF THE OUTLAW

al AhC hOOoC O1 A1H COA0AWs
When he awoke the afternoon sun was
slanting yellow rays between the curtains
of westward window and he heard that
gulf breeze still rollicking through the
foliage and shaking the window blinds. He
looked about eagerly for his fair nurse, but
she was not there. A negro boy came from
corner and stood before him in a respect
full attitude.
"Where is Mademoiselle Rochon?" de-
manded Orton with the fretful peremptori-
ness common to invalids when convalescing.
"She's down stairs, monsieur" was the
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-24
HE HAD NO EAR FOR MUSIC.
An Albany Youth Turns the Hose on nm
Annoying Piano,


Annoying Piano.
Albany Journal.i
One young man in State street board
ing-house is in trouble. A young lady re-
siding in the establishment for some time
had made life miserable by playing on the
asthmatic piano in the parlor. Finally
patience became vice and the young man
resolved to sacrifice himself for the good of
Others He procured a hose, attached it to
the cold water faucet in the wash-room.
carried the other end into the parlor and
turned it upon the fair disciple of Vulcan.
The effect was even more than could have
been expected, for it not only stopped the
noise but poured into the "works' of the
piano. In the subsequent excitement this
was not noticed, the wires had time to be-
come rusted, and an expense of $50 was nee
essary for making repairs. The landlady
is now endeavoring to collect the amount of
the young man, whose financial condition
makes it impossible for him to comply with
the demand.