davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
Women and Hens.
tBoston Travetcr.1


One Of the most successful dealers In poultry
in Faneuil Hall Market says: ave have much
fun in our business around here, and / think
most OF rs grow fat conducting our trade.
There is one fact i have always noticed during
my long experience in dealing with live ponl-
try. Whenever woman approaches the pens
here in search of birds every one of tho ami
mails seem possessed and greatly frightened.
If we catch ono bird to show to female GUS
toner 1t would amuse you 10 see that birds
conduct. 1t is not so when men come around
TO buy, and you may be sufficiently compe-
tent philosopher to account for such peculi-
arties" Soon South End woman appeared
near the cart in quest Of beauty of hen, and
for several moments pandemonium existed in-
side the cage. She secured choice specimen
and jamned the hen into a large basket she
carried, and when last seen tho bird was squak-
ing for aIi IL was worth. gentleman Gus
toner soon appeared. when the truth of the
poultry dealers fanciful idea was quito appar-
ent.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
Water rs n Substitute for Grace.


Sister Weymouth was one of the most nota-
BILE women that ever lived in the good old
Maine town of BlankmOuth. She was notable
for her powers as an exhortor, which shone in
the village prayer meeting rs brilliantly as
those of any licensed preacher whom the vii
layers heard and for her quick wit, that found
expression in many quaint and pthy speeches,
some of which are treasured to this day although
she has long been gathered to her fathers and
mothers.
worthless young man named Frost fell In
love with Sister Weymouth's daughter. Fail
ing to melt the stern objections of the young
woman's mother in any other way, he pre-
tended TO be converted under her exhortations,
joined the church and was married TO his
hearts desire
Very soon the bad blood In Frost's veins as
serted itself and the rascal deserted his wife
after he had lived with her but five or six
months. Not long afterward his child was born.
While the officiating person was giving the in
fant a bath, Sister Weymouth came in.
Look hero" said she. "Be sure to hold
that baby under the water long enough to get
all the Frost out of It'll"
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27

visited Parsee temple this afternoon, but
was not permitted TO see the sacred fire. The
Parsecs regard their worship too holy TO
have II viewed by Others and they do not
make display in the building of gorgeous
church edifces or in having elaborate religious
ceremonies. asked one OF them ns 10 the
worship Of the are, and lac told me the Parsees
used the fire only as an emblem of the sun, and
that they worshiped the sun as the highest
visible type of the Creator. IL is 80 ssith all
religions supposed 10 BIO purely idolatrous.
Upon investigation you find that tho idols are
worsbiped only as representatives OF some deity
who creates and rules and not as sticks and
stones endowed with supernatural powers.
There Is no religion upon earth but does not
contain much beautiful truth. Otherwise ID
could not be believed by reasoning man, nor
have Its followers generation after generation.
As TO the belief of tho Parsees of today there
seems TO be but little known. | could find no
literature in the Bombay bookstores upon them
still, from what l learn here, there is much
good In them A whitehaired, sill yer. bearded
old Parsee told me that the Zoroastrians as he
called his people, believe that the soul is i'm.
mortal. They believe men aud women to be
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
Frnm EYerYuhere-


If we could use our own good advice how
happy We would be.--Atchison Globe.
This Is biting wind remarked the mariner
as he ran into the teeth of the gale.-HoteI
Mail.
1t is all very well for an engine TO have an
eccentric rod, but it should not have ali eccen-
trio engineer FittsbaTg Chronicle.
The ethics Of forgery are hard to reconcile.
When man forges hand it is crime but
when he forges ahead il is a credit.-Baltimore
american.
The inconsistency of our War Department
is seen in allowing Col. Walker 10 be in the
cavalry and Capt Rider in the infantry
YOneers Statesman.
Wives should never conceal anything from
their husbands" says writer. If this nd vice
was carried ont 1t would create a revolution in
feminine pockets.- Burlington Free Press.
koother blood medicine so utilities tha results
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
A Freckls Prescription.


Irate Young LADY, paid you sos for your
mnch-vaunted prescription for freckles aud
am as freckled as everl
Quack Doctor-You remember / told you
that you must wash your face with stump
water-that is, water that had been standing
in an old stump.
j. Y. LII followed your directions exactly:
went TO tho country. hunted mp an old stump
with water in il, aud washed there, and here I
am. perfect fright
q. D.-My dear young lady, the water took
off your freckles, but suppose the stump was
some distance from the hotel, aud you got o
fresh lot coming back,
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
Astonishmsni All Around.

A pious old citizen of Carrollton went 20 the
cars the other day to see his daughter of. So
curing her seat, be passed out of the car and
went around 10 the ear window TO say part.
ing word. While he was passing out. the
daughter left tho seat TO speak TO a friend, aud
az tho same time a grim old maid took the seat
aud moved up 30 tho window. Unaware Of tho
important change he burriedly put his head mp
TO the window aud said "one more sweet
kiss. pet" In another instant the point Of q
cotton umbrella WAS thrust from the window,
followed by the wrathfnl injunction, Scat,
you gray headed wretch /" lie seated.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27

than HindO0s. Tho mon have saIIow, yellow
compilations and their features are cross be-
tween those of the Greeks and the Jews. Their
foreheads are high, their noses largo and
straight, and their eyes bright, black and full
of intelligence They wear, while in business
work. n costume not unlike that of an Episco-
pal clergyman, with long black coats buttoned
up Rt the throat. and with black pantaloons
coming well down over pstent-lesther boots.
Their heads are covered with hats shaped like
the large scoop with which the grocer takes
brown sugar out of the barrel for his customer,
or like a stovepipe hat without the brim.
These hats, caps, At close about the head, and
rise about eight inches above it. They are
made of oilcloth or silk. and make the straight
forms Of their owners look taller than those of
their neighbors.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
No Miracle Here.
tDeiroh TrI,trHsI ]

Grandma had taught our two year-old 10
answer great many Bible questions and was
fond Of Showing him of" On one of these
occasions she asked bim
"Who was put in the lions den Pc
Daniel" was the prompt answer.
Did the lions eat Daniel7"
No"
"Whyf"
The answer should have been. Because God
shut their mouths" but the little fellow re-
1ected minute, aud then said
81 dess Daniel wasn't doOd 10 eat"
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
AN AMERICAN srREEr-oAR.

thing that Bombay has, except the American
patent medicines which you find in her drug
stores; the American coal oil, which she burns
to read the Koran and native newspapers, and
the pirated American novels, which are sent
here from England for the use of the foreign
English reading consumers. This street-car
line is the best paying institution in Bombay.
1t is owned by two Americans and it has the
monopoly OF the street travel OF Bombay. It
Is like any American line, save as To its passen-
gers aud its officials. The drivers are Hindoos
and the fares are collected by Hndoos and Ma.
hometans. The passengers are of all nations
under the sun. | sat between Parsee in a tall
hat and Mahometan with a turban of gold
and red silk as | rode in one of the cars, and
just In front OF me was Turk in long red
gown, while behind were a half dozen low-caste
Hindoo girls with great gold rings in their
ears and with silver rings on their bare ankles.
The sights OF the streets were as varied as our
passengers, and we were carried through bazar
after bazaar of merchants selling every thing un-
der heaven. Bombay is now one of tho great
cotton markets of tho world, and the cotton
bazar covered many acres The brightest of
colors are sold, and some of the patterns look
as though they were stamped with mashed
rainbows.
l stopped In the Persian bazars aud priced
some Persian rugs. Tho merchants asked
three times what they expected to get, aud on
my offering reduced price they protested that
they had fixed rates for their goods, and that
their word was one word. / said, Z" can't help
that; the rugs are worth only so much. viii
give that and no more" and with that / started
to go away. | had not walked more than
block before the Persian came running after
me, and told me could have the rugs at my
own figures. This afternoon another Persian
brought some rugs to my hotel. asked the
priee of one. He said {" 1t is 100 rupees" I
replied, / viii give 25." He protested that the
price was too low and he could not sell, but
finally took it, and doubt not made good
sale
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27

Speaking of fcotton, Bombay made great strides
during our civil war. The Indian cottons then
became very valuable and during that time more
than one hundred millions Of dollars worth Of
cottons were exported from here every year.
The result was great imitation Of all kinds of
values. The Parsees and the native mer-
chants rushed into speeulations, and about the
time our war closed there were stock exchanges
here which ran mad, like Wall Street on
Black Friday. All kinds of wares rose in
value. Land in the city went up several hun
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27

tiful garden, rise five great white towers around
central wells. These towers are built of block
granite, painted white, and their masonry is
srch that they will last for ages. The biggest
of these are % feet high and 300 feet in dame
ter The central well is $50 feet in circum-
ference, and this runs down to a great depth.
On tho top of the tower, sloping towards the
well, are rows of grating made in regular
network, so that each mesh is large enough to
hold dead body. There are three rows
of meshes about each tower. The outer
and largest is for the bodies of men;
the middle one, trifle smaller, is for women,
and the lowest and smallest Is for the reception
Of the bodies of children. These rings of
meshes have drains which intersect them and
which run down into the well, and after the
vultures have done their work tho dry bones
are thrown down into the well, where the wa
ter, filtered through charcoal, gives them pure
decomposition None but Parsees have the en-
try to this burial ground but through Parsee
of high rank visitors may obtain admittanCe
It was through such influence that visited the
towers this afternoon. Climbing the hill with
Parsee Verger, / went through the long
walks of n garden beautifully kept and con-
tanning, am told, so acres of trees and flowers
j was taken to the top of the hill, and here,
surrounded by Parsee temples, the Towers of
Silence were pointed out to me. looked, and
at first 1t seemed to me as though each tower
had coping of gray covering about it repre-
senting great birds. / looked again, and saw
that the birds were alive, and that they were
vultures. They were raising their heads and
craning their necks at US, and l doubt not
they took US for corpse bearers. There are 900
Of these birds here, and they live entirely off
the flesh Of the human bodies Of Parsees. The
bodies are placed naked in the towers, and the
vultures swoop down upon them and fight over
them. They will strip of every shred of flesh
from the bones in two hours, and the bones are
loft there under the sun to dry. A day or two
later the corpse-bearers return and push the
bones into the we'll, where they are left to de-
compose by the air and the rain. The moist
ure running off is filtered through charcoal
and sand, and nothing of the human body is
left in the well but crumbling bones.
While stood watching these towers Par
see funeral arrived. In the front, walking
rapidly, were two corpse bearers clad in new
white clothes, bearing the corpse of baby
which they carried on their shoulders, and
which was also clothed in white. Both corpse
hoar Il bo1 fbaf
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
A Strained Peace.

Neighbor Boy-Ha said she'd lick me IL
didn't ask your forgiveness. She's watching
me from the window, so out with it or I'll
thumP you when catch you alone.
Our Boy-Well, I'll forgive you till my big
brother gets home, and then If you know when
you're well off you'll stay mighty close to your
own house.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
Didn't Want 10 Look Pleasant.

Phot0grapher-My dear sir, can't you assume
more smiling conntenance and throw off that
iaded look?
Rev. V. v Heigbton-TaSe mo as am. |
need vacation this Summer, and these pict-
nres are for distribution among my parishion-
erg.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
He Bid Not Lie lie Game.
ldHleriea.l

A clergyman relates that he was once com
pletcly nonplnssed by youngster at christon-
ing The child having been taken 10 the church
to be baptized, was so much disconnected at the
minister's sprinkling his face that he inter
rupted him by exclaiming: Stop! / won't
~.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
m spoIl4d The Line.


Mrs. Peterson-That suicide Of Farmer
Brown is certainly one of tho most incKplicabIe
things. i suppose Mrs Brown took on terribly.
Farm Iand-Yes. indeed Brown had cut off
piece Of the new clothes line 10 hang himself
with. and you never saw madder woman In
your lifei
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
Some Other Day.

~. y. sun
First Robber-Iye found the dress the lady
OF the house does her shopping IN. ] suppose
her purse is In the pocket.
Second Robber-Thcn we'll have 10 take the
dress with us. Wo can hunt for tho pocket
when VIC have whole day 10 spare.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27

free moral agents, and
responsible for their
acts. They think that
the rewards and pun.
ishments OF the futate
depend on this life, and
that we, TO a certain
extent, make our own
future exisiences. %
Tho Parsee idea OF
God is not much differ
ent from our own. In
the sacred books no Ii
called the Doer, the
Creator, the Governor
of the world. God is
TO the Parsee the en-
blem of glory, reful-
gence and light, aud
ON this acenunt vhnn
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27

engaged In worship, he stands before the fire
and directs his face toward the sun as the
proper symbol of the Almighty.
In the disposition Of their dead the Parsees
are like no other people on the face of the
globe. They do not bury them in the earth
nor burn them. Fire, they say, is too sacred
to be deiled with dead body, and the work
of the worms is too slow and too vile. One of
the great sights of Bombay is the Towers of
Silence, on the top of which all dead Parsees
are laid, aud where the aesh is torn from their
bodies by vultures. The thought strikes one
as horrible, but visited these towers this af.
ternoon, aud am convinced that the Parsee
custom in this respect is fully as good as ours.
Just outside of Bombay, On Malabar Hill the
foot of which is washed by the waves of the
ocean and the top Of which overlooks the
mighty city of Bombay, surrounded by beau
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
Reduced In Rank.

Boston Herald.
"Does your wife go about much nowf She
used 20 be quite q society queen"
No, she is now only lady-in- waiting tC q
I3-uOund baby"
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27

The Parsee women are the most beautiful
women of India, and they will compare favor
ably with any women in the world. With
large. lustrous, dovelike eyes, they have beau
tiful, regular features. rich cream compilations
and nobility of carriage which you do not
find in tho other women Of the East. The Par.
sec woman Is not secluded as is her Hindop aud
Mahometan sister, and you may see her at any
hour on the streets of Bombay. You will find
her dressed in silk. from the graceful folds
which are draped over her forehead, and which
fall In folds down her back, TO the bright slip
pers and stockings which, of a color to match
her dress, peep out from under her clinging
gown as she walks You may see her in an
European carriage, with her delicate children
beside her, riding Of an evening with tur-
baned coachman and footman in the brightest
of liveries on the box in front OF her. or If you
have the fortune to have an invitation to her
house, you will find her living in European
style, and upon convcrsFng with her will see
that she is educated and is as intelligent as an
American.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27

hotel in Hong Kong, and am at one here In
bombay. The Parsce manager speaks good
English, aud his hotel has now about 300 guests
within IL. II Is known as the Esplanade Hotel,
aud is, contrary 20 the usual state of Parsee
hotels, very poorly mahaged.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27

Tho Parsees are FIrcworshipers, and they
aro think, all that's len Of tho millions who
once followed Zoroaster. When the Mahomet-
ans conquered aud oYerran Persia a small num-
Der Of the faithful OF tho Zoroastriaus went
into voluntary exile. They fed &c ormuz, in
tho Persian Gulf, and there learned to build
ships, and in those thoy came to India. They
carried their sacred ere with them, aud Hin.
doc Prince allowed them to build temple and
place this within ". They began 20 grow
prosperous as soon as the Europeans came to
India, and shortly after that they became noted
Rs brokers. During the past 200 years they
have been noted as ariong the brightest busi-
ness people of the world. They now control
large portion Of the trade OF Bombay, and
many Of the hotels aud businesses all over India
are managed by them. ! stopped at Parsee
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27
CorroN CARnER.

dred per cent, and the people thought there
would be no end 10 the demand for Bombay
goods, and that the city was destined to be the
great port of the world. Then came the news
of the surrender of Lee, and cotton went down
like shot. It fell from 40 to % cents pound
before the end of April of that year, and other
things dropped down with it. A Parsee bank
failed for over q million of dollars, and other
banks followed. There was a regular crash,
and thousands became bankrupt. Since then
the city has recovered from this panic, and at
present the cotton exports are fully as great
in value as they were in 1865. Bombay, how
ever, has changed the character of her trade
In this respect. In 1865 she shipped much
raw cotton to England. She now exports
piece goods almost entirely, and you may see
the snokestacks of her great cotton-mils ris-
ing above the roofs of every part of the city.
Forty four thousand hands are now employed
here in cotton-mils, and the most Of these
are natives. The wages the natives receive
are very low. averaging $1.75 q month for
boys, $3.50 cents month for women, and only
$500 per month for men. Still, it is estimated
that the labor cost Of the production is as great
here as under the American plan. Indian
natives cannot do one-thiTd the work Of the
same number Of Americans, and a cotton mill
containing 600 looms must have 1000 hands TO
work 1t. Such a mill uses up 2SS,00 pounds
of cotton and will produce about 200. 900 pounds
Of cloth per month. Its employees work from
6 a. m. to p. M, for the above wages, having
one hour at noon for lunch and smoking
Nearly every mill has its smoking shed, and
the women smoke as we'll as the men. The
cotton hands consider themselves well paid
and their average of wages is higher than that,
ordinarily paid in Bombay.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27

The natives Of Bombay are better of than
those Of most other parts of India. The pros
perity of the town communicates itself TO them,
and you do not see the living skeletons in
black and brown skins that you see in Calcutta
and Bengal. The bare calves which meet your
eye by the thousand in a walk through the
streets have some flesh on them, and the people
can grow fat on such wages. In many Of
the parts of India over which I have travelled
have seen the people almost starving. They
have reduced the minimum cost of living to .
science and know just how much they need to
sustain life. They eat just this much and no
more, and the result Is g thin, scraggy race
which has not half the strength of the average
American, and which can neither work as hard
nor endure as much. How little they do live
on it is almost impossible to believe. A little
rice and vegetables nothing more. Few OF
them eat meat, and the average bed is like the
one here sketched. The clothes they wear in
the daytime are their nightgoWns and bed
clothes, their heels are their chairs and stools,
and the ground is their dining-table. They
squat as they eat, and as to the comforts Of an
American home, they have never imagined
them. It is perhaps as we'll after all that one
half the world does not know how the other
half lives. These Indians IN their present
condition could support no more costly life
than their own, and where ignorance is bliss
it is folly to be wise.
FRANK g. CARPENTER
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-27

the mourners, who walked behind, were also
dressed in the cleanest Of white. Rich and
poor. high aud low, the Parsees all walk to
their funerals and there is no difference Of con-
dition shown at these Towers of Silence
Naked we came into the world, and naked
we depart from It," said the old Parsee guide
to me, "and the bones of all 60 into the one
reservoir, and the flesh of rich and poor arc
eaten by the same vultures"
As the mourners walked along behind the
corpse / noted that they were in couples, and
that each two had white handkerchief be-
tween them, which they held with their hands
Behind them came boy clad in white, with
yellow dog held by string running beside
him. The Parsees believe that it Is propitiOus
for the dead to have dog look upon the body
as il Is given TO tho vultures As for the
mourners themselves, they are not permitted to
approach within 80 feet of the Towers of ST.
lence. At this point they stop and the corpse
bearers carry tho body onward alone. They
have been especially purified by religious OBJ
scryanees for the occasion, and | am told that
the clothes they wear then are never worn
again. At the funeral saw that they entered
the tower by little door at its base and as
scended 10 the top. There, am told. they
removed the cloth from the body. and saw
them few moments later walking quietly
away. As they left the towers | heard the
flapping of wings. and ! saw the vutures by
dozens nying 10 the tower from different parts
of tho ground. The sight seemed horrible,
but when thought that these birds would in
two hours do what millions OF insects in the
ground would be weeks or months In perform
ing doubted whether their method was not
better than ours.