davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18

from all parts of the world. Here are ca
bles from England and France. there is
package of social letters and before him
lies a tabulated statement showing the
working and progress of some of his latest
railroad manIpulations. ''He receives"
said Mr.. Duval, IAN average of nifty per-
sonal letters day and his business mail
runs up into the hundreds. Some of his
mail he never sees, a part of it he answers
by stenographers, but the most of his per-
sonal letters receive replies in his own
handwriting. He is a very rapid writer,
is rarely at loss for a word to express his
meaning and dictates quite as readily as he
writes. He gets to his office between 8 and
10 o'clock every morning and first takes up
his mail and his newspaper clippings. lie
is probably as much quoted as any man in
the country and he receives comments
upon his work from newspapers both in
this country and in Europe" He is a
patron of the clipping bureau, and Mr.
Dugal says that he often pays
these bureaus as high as 800 a
month for the newspaper cuttings which
they send him concerning himself and
that these cuts number from 80 I'd 300 a
day. These clippings come from foreign
papers as well as from American journals,
and yesterday one was received from a
London newspaper which severely criti-
cized Mr.. Depew's remarks on White
chapel, and which, in reply. quoted Chi
cago newspaper correspondent who stated
that Chicago surpassed Whitechapel in
vice.
AS soon as Mr.. Depew gets TO the Office
his callers begin to come They besiegs
him at his residence before he starts
down town, and they are here in
force by the time he arrives The
number waiting for him ranges from ten
10 fifty, according 10 the times, and he re-
ceives all who have any business with
him. He is in fact one of the most access
sible men in New York. and he is so even
tempered that he remains cool when all of
the rest Of his officers about him are
angry. He never gets worried and never
loses his grip, and he works steadily along
from the time he gets to the Office until
about l, when he goes out for his lunch.
A LUNCH OF MILLIoNAIREs.
Mr.. Depew takes his lunch at the Muir
ray Hill hotel cafe, and during the half
hour which he sps DDS there he meets some
of the biggest milliOnaires of the country
and some of the most noted railroad men
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18

hand he felt for the bright, new and mas
sive watch chain with the gold horse hang
ing from it as 4 charm.
"That is not my name, SIR" he said,
with dry lips and husky voice. 1.-The man
you want is coming this evening. He has
a car load of watermelons."
No" | said, 'he is not in the water
melon line. He is publisher. Are you
not Mr.. Skeezix?
mo, sir; | am not Mr.. Skeezix, and I
am not going to tell you who am so that
you can go around the corner and tell your
partner either"
Just then Mr. Scribner came along and
said Good morning." as he called me by
name, and We chatted on pleasantly about
books. of which | am passionatelv fond,
buying almost everything of value that
has a pretty binding, so that now | have
one of the prettiest little libraries in the
East. / have no old books. / keep
only the neat, new ones, with kaleido-
scopic backs, so that my book
cases are perfectly resplendent
As we talked saw the keen student of hui
mainly who had done me the cruel wrong
TO take me for a bunko man. He was evil
IDENTIFY asking the salesman something.
When he had gorged his curiosity for eight
or nine seconds he went ont of the door
hurriedly, leaving large SIS Bible which
he had paid for but forgot to take with
him.
The above is substantially TT ne. Once I
met q gentleman at a dinner in st. Louis,
and we talked for half an hour, being
neghbors at the table. A year afterward
| was in New York and did not know a
single human being; and. | may add, only
one married one.
Suddenly on the street enc day when l
was walking-walking in imitation of
man who is walking towards some place
which he had in his mind and not sue
ceeding very well with the imitation-all
at once when | would have given $50 for
the sight of a familiar face, no matter
whose, l saw my dinner acquaintance
coming.
need not say that was glad. / hailed
him with welcome that was no doubt
little too boisJeroUs for New York. 1t was
too unstudied and glad. But you must
remember that a measly landlady who was
constantly borrowing money of me and
weeping on my vest was the only one in
the city wham | knew. and l wanted to
meet some one who was healthy and nor
NAL and who could talk with me-
He drew himself up 10 his full height,
which made his little tan-colored box coat
look like Garibaldi waist on him. and
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18

walk, and though it broke the habits of a
life and the traditions of his rank, he prac-
tised the remedy with benefit. His corpu-
lence is now portable, you would call him
lusty rather than fat; but his gait is still
dull, stumbling and elephantine. He
neither stops nor hastens, but goes about
his business with an implacable delibera-
ton. We could never see him and not be
struck with his extraordinary natural
means for the theater. A beaked profile
like Dante's in the mask, a name of long
black hair, the eye brilliant, imperious
and inquiring; for certain parts, and to
one who could have used il, the face was
a fortune. His voice matched it well,
being shrill. powerful and uncanny, with
note like sea birds. Where there are
no fashions, none to set them, few TO fol-
low them if they we're set, and none to
criticise, he dresses-as Sir Charles Grand
ison lived-''to his own heart" Now he
wears a woman's frock. now a naval uni
form; now land more usually figures in a
masquerade costume of his own design
trousers and q singular jacket with shirt
tails, the cut and mt wonderful for island
workmanship, the material always han d.
some, sometimes green velvet, sometimes
cardinal red silk This masquerade be-
comes him admirably. In the woman's
frock he looks curious and weird beyond
belief. l see him now come pacing toward
me in the cruel sun, solitary, a figure out
of Hoffman,.
A visit on board ship, such as that at
which we now assisted, makes chief part
and by far the chief diversion of the life
of Tembinok.' He is not only the sole
ruler, he is the sole merchant of his triple
kingdom, Apemama, Aurenuka and
Kuria, well planted islands. The taro
goes TO the chiefs, who divide as they
please among their immediate adherents /;
but certain fish, turtles. which abound in
kuria and the whole produce of the cocoa
palm belong exclusively to Tembinok'.
"a coba berong me-" observed his mai
esty, with a wave of his hand; and he
counts and sells il by the houseful. You
got copra, King" | have heard trader
ask. II got two. three clutches" (houses)
his majesty replied; II think three. 1"
Hence the commercial Importance of
Apemama, the trade of these ISL
ands being centered there in a
single hand; hence it is that so many
whites have tried in vain to gain or TO pre-
serve q footing; hence ships are adorned,
cooks have special orders, and captains ar
ray themselves in smiles 10 greet the king
If he be pleased with his welcome and the
fare, he may pass days on board, and
every day, and sometimes every hour, will
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18

it was the first time / ever ordered dinner
from a printed menu at a high price
resterap, as we called it. / look back on
that dinner with horror. Preserves and
terrapin, think, constituted one course
The waiter early began to read me, as did
the young man who waited on David
Copperfield when he was on his way to
school.
He helped me order things. People
came from distance to see the goods I
had ordered. The order was kept for
years, till the restaurant burned down.
If il had not been destroyed l would not
have had the courage to rise and win a
deathless name.
At one of the museums a group of
wax figures has breathing apparatus
connected with it. A man with spear
in his watch pocket and a gaping wound
with roof paint oozing out of it is breath
ing his life away by means of nice new
rubber lungs, the only kind that can
stand the sitting and poorly ventilated
air of the place.
One man said to the keeper, "Sir. the
air here in this museum seems fixed, does
it not?'
eyes" SAID the museum lecturer. who
= a great wag: sit was fixed by Soodoo,
the six-legged calf that died Thursday
and is being embalmed today. We
should have done it sooner This figure
ladies and gents, is that of Eva Hamilton.
the actress, who rose to sudden histrionic
prominence by means of her iason She
did not receive that recognition by the
profession which she thought she deserved.
and the press was real mean to her. She
looks a little bilious In this figure as
you see her here, thus showing that
her liver did not act any better than she
did.
1.-THE figure was formerly that of Mary.
Queen of Scots. The artist who done it
over regards it as his great chief do over"
have just received here, since | came
to New York, Mr.. Robert p Porter's
little brochure containing some of the
most thrilling statistics that / have ever
read. / am delighted with the work.
though panied to read that during the
past year death has robbed US of 765, 2l1
horses and asses. 1t should be lesson
to those of US who are still spared as
monuments of mercy, and we should SO
live that we may be always ready when
our own summons comes TO meet our fate
with a glad and resonant bray. Do YOU
not think so, Brother Porter?
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18

JUS will succeed everywhere Still, Lon
don IS pretty full. as have said before"
Naturally, American literature came up
for discussion. Ii you want to see variety
at its most bewilderng pitch. you want 10
gather together the opinions of English
authors upon American literature and
study them. So | felt some misgivIngs
when | asked Sir Edwin point blank as to
his own opinions. He leaned back in his
chair and smiled when put the query.
'Of course / expected that question" he
said. Il was quite sure you would not
go without asking it. | may say" he
continued, seriously, II am an immense
admIrer of American literature in its high
est branches, Emerson and Longfellow,
especially Emerson | knew well; he was
the godfather of one of my boys. Long
fellow knew, too, and had great respect
for him."
This was good enough so far as it went,
but it did not go far enough. I so sug-
gested. Emerson and Longfellow are
dead, Sir Edwin, and we have still other
writer's. 1t is of American literature as it
Is now that | asked"
That, y he said, lis rather a wide SUBJ
Ject. | should like to see America strike
out literature of her own, as | told the
students at Harvard-paint her own pic
lures and carve her own statues. This is
why admire Walt Whitman. He seems
10 me the most genuine American living
writer. | have the honor of personal
acquaintance with Walt Whitman"
| wanted to draw the famous poet out on
some of our younger writers and their
works, but he fought shy of this and / was
forced TO be content. Besides, time was
precious. There was another question [
had to ask him, and that was his opinion
OF American newspapers. Englishmen
generally hold some very odd impressions
concerning American journalism, and it
10 ~
But the opinion of this talented man, who
for thirty years has been the head of Eng
lands great newspaper in point of circula-
tlon-why, that was another thing. So
put the question directly.
ION the whole | must say that your
newspapers make me shake my head.
There are many good ones, but the general
tone IS distressing. Once | picked up a
paper in Washington City while | was
waiting in the presidents room | glanced
down the column, and the following head
ing caught my eye, Sunset Cox is Dying
1t shocked me. Just fancy speaking so of
statesman, whose name should be sacred
to me heart of every true American-one
VINO mas done so much for his country
men. This sort of thing makes me sorry
You need not be dull, heavy or goody-
goody, but journalism should be dignifed,
and these American headings shock me
sometimes. However, the American press
was very kind to me, and l owe nothing
but debt OF gratitude to American jour
nalism.''
All this was certainly plain, even if it
was not complimentary to American jour
nalism. Six Edwin spoke so freely and
earnestly that was disposed to urge him
on.
what. in your opinion, will the news
paper OF the future be like? Will it differ
much from that of the day?"
II don't think, said he, seriously. "that
the newspaper of today can be improved
very much in point of composition and
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18

preston had been made; periodical fear of
him still shakes the island; renown de-
picts him mastering his canoes for fresh
1fall, renown can name his destination;
nd Tembinok' figures in the patriotic
nr songs of the Gilberts, like Napoleon In
Hose OF our grandfathers.
We we're at sea, bound from Market
10 Monuti and Tapituea, when the
wind came suddenly fair for Apemama.
The course was at once changed; all hands
were turned to clean ship. the decks
holystoned the cabin washed, the trade
room overhauled. In all our cruising we
never saw the Equator so smart as she was
for Tembinok'. Nor was Captain Reid
alone in these coquetries; for another
schooner CHANGING to arrive during my
stay in Apemama | found that she also
vas danditied for the occasion. And the
two cases stand alone in my experience of
South Sea traders.
We had on board family of native tour
lists, from the grandsre to the babe in
rms, trying against an extraordinary ser
r. of ill-luck) TO regain their native
sand of Peru Five times already they
had paid their fare and taken ship; five
tines they had been disappointed, dropped
pennless upon strange islands, or carried
back 70 Butaritari, whence they sailed
This last attempt had been no better
starred; their provisions were exhausted.
Peru was beyond hope, and they had
eheerfully made up their minds TO fresh
stage of exile in Tapituea or Monuti.
With this slant of wind their random
destination became once more changed,
and. like the Calendars pilot, when the
"black mountains" hove in view, they
changed color and beat upon their
breast. Their camp, which was on
deck in the ships waist, resounded
with complaint. They would be set
TO work; they must become slaves; escape
was hopeless; they must 1--we and toll and
die in Apemama, in the tyrant's den.
With this sort of talk they so greatly terri
fed their children that one Ia big, hulking
boy) must at last he torn screaming from
the schooner's side. And their fears were
wholly groundless. / have little doubt
they were not suffered TO be idle, but / can
YOU for it that they were kindly and
generously used. For the matter of a
year after was once more shipmate with
these inconsistent wanderers on board the
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18

Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
of London, of the Royal Asiatic Society,
of the Royal Geographical Society of Mar
settles, a Knight Commander of the Indian
Empire, not 10 speak OF three or four
decorations of the sultan, the Order of
the White Elephant from the king of
Siam, the Order of the Lion from the
shah of Persia. and the recipient of count
less other honors-most men, | repeat,
would be inclined to think a great deal of
themselves and to show it very plainly.
Sir Edwin Arnold probably knows his
own worth as well as any man, but there
is nothing in his manner to show this.
/ had not been in his company ten seconds
before was firm in the belief that | had
never before met a more pleasant yet more
unaffected man. He stepped briskly for
ward and greeted me simply and affably.
Then drawing a chair up near the table at
which he works, he waved me into it,
making humorous reference to the ubi-
ouitous interviewer" of the American
newspaper as he did so. Then he seated
himself First | referred to statement
made by Mr.. Bret Harte, to the effect that
he could get nearly three times as much
!. money for his stories IN London as IN the
United States, and TO another, by an ex-
mayor of New York, A. Oakley Hall, in
which he said he could live in London for
less than two-thirds what it cost him in
New York, and then / asked him if. In his
opinion, London offered a good field for
American newspaper or literary men.
The. poet-editor paused and twirled his
thumbs moment
"Hog can | answer that?" said he, at
length. rehectively. mo one knows Lon
don better than do. 1t is pretty full, but
| think there Is always room in II tor ener-
getic, apt and capable people. L have the
highest opinion of the American people; |
don't know what part of the world they
would fail in if they put their backs 10 1t.
Look at this last invention of Edison's, for
instance. What place would not open TO
such a genius as that?"
Yes replied, but leaving men like
Edison out OF ii, how about the ordinary
man-fairly endowed with intelligence
and pluek?"
Well" said Sir Edwin slowly and
thoughtfully, II should say the average
smart American would not have SO much
chance as an EngIishman, just the same
as the latter would be somewhat at a dis
! advantage in America Energy and gen.
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18

! SIR EDWIN ARNOLD's HOUSE AT ABAZU, TOKYO.
writing / consider that our own paper
i and the Times are almost perfect monu-
ments of composition, but / think that art
as applied to newspaper illustrations will
| come into very general use. l don't know
| how it is to be done, but the pictures will
have to be perfect. Illustrated journalism
is in its infancy yet. The reporter of the
| future will have to draw of course"
. Then he went on speaking of the re-
| quirement of the journalist of the future.
| "A man cannot be too well educated for
| the press; nobody can be good enough or
| too good. The more you have read the more
you know: the more tit you are: but you
never can be perfectly fit. 1t deserves the
| very best work.
! "You are an enthusiast ON the subject of
| the pressP"
| Eyes, am" replied the great editor.
because it is such a mighty instrument
! for good. | am very proud to have served
| the press for thirty years, during which
| time have written 5000 leading articles
| besides my editorial work. / look back
upon this labor with very great satisfac-
| tion."
| Sir Edwin was then led to speak of
| woman in literature, her place and her
| prospect. Of course he talked entertain
| ingly.
II think everything is possible to
| women" he said. 81 do not believe in the
| lnIcTiOTlIy OF WOMEN. he minute you
| admit them to academical honors what
| happens? Miss Fawcett becomes Senior
Wrangler. and ladies take high degrees.
| There is no question whatever about their
| capacity"
Passing on. Sir Edwin spoke of the in
| come earned by women in journalism or
| in literature generally.
81 am not good at the financial side of
| journalism. be. said. "My imp ression is
| that no woman at present makes any large
| income, although there is no reason why
| they should not be as well paid as men,
| The editor of the Telegraph was not dis
| posed to talk upon personal matters, but
| when / asked him if there was any truth
| in the reports of his intention of settling
| for life in Japan, he proudly replied:
mot the slightest. 1t was not worth
| contradicting. or l would have done so"
| / asked him if it was true that he was
| going to give the reading public any new
! books on Japan.
| well, yes, in a sense" he replied. "My
! publishers have recently brought out
| book revised from my letters from Japan.
| / have also one or two poems and legends
| on Japan coming out separately in differ
! ent magazines"
BY this time cards of visitors were
| brought in. 1t would be trepass of the
| worst kind to stay longer, and so | rose to
| go. He stopped me long enough TO speak
| of his coming visit to America. remarking
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18

but the breeze was strong and chill: and
the mate, who covered the schooner from
the crosstrees, returned shivering to the
deck. The lagoon was thick with MANY
tinted wavelets; continuous roaring of
the outer sea overhung the anchorage:
and the long, hollow crescent of palm
rufiied and sparkled in the wind. Opposite
our berth the beach was seen to be sur
mounted for some distance by terrace of
white coral seven or eight feet high and
crowned in turn by the scattered and in
congruous buildings of the palace. The
village adjoins on the south cluster of
high-roofed moniaps. The village and
palace seemed deserted.
We were scarce yet moved, however, be-
fore distant and busy figures appeared
upon the beach, boat was launched and
crew pulled out to US, bringing the kings
ladder. Tembinok' had once an accident;
has fearad ever since to intrust his person
to the rotten chandlery of South sea trad
ers, and devised in consequence frame of
wood. which is brought on board ship as
soon as she appears, remaining dashed to
her side until she leaves. The boats
crew, having applied this engine, returned
at once to shore. They might not come
on board; neither might we land, or not
without danger of offense, the king giving
practique in person. An interval fol.
lowed, during which dinner was delayed
for the great man; the prelude of the lad
der, giving US some notion of his weighty
body and sensible, ingenious character,
had highly whetted our curiosity; and ii
was with something like excitement that
we saw the beach and terrace suddenly
blacken with attendant vessels, the king
and party embark, the boat-a man-of-war
gig-come flying toward us dead before
the wind, and the royal coxswain lay us
cleverly aboard, mount the ladder with
a jealous diffidence. and descend heavily
on deck.
Not long ago he was overgrown with fat,
obscured to view. and burden to himself.
Captains visiting the island advised him to
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-18

Janet Nicoll. Their fare was paid by Tenn
olnok'. They who had gone ashore from
the Equator destitute reappeared upon
the Janet with new clothes, laden with
mats and presents, and bringing with them
magazine of food. on which they lived
nke lighting cocks throughout the voyage.
saw them at length repatriated, and l
must say they show ed more concern on
quitting Apemama than delight at reach
ing home.
wee entered by the north passage Sun
n LAY september l, lodging among shoals.
was day OF fierce, equatorial sunshine,