davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
pEmARKABLE SINGING TRA

A Grove fn Connecticut ForeV
PeopIe OF Coming storms.
This township boasts OF a eurF
that probably is not duplicated IA
rutire hemisphere and probably NJ
the world, says a Hamburg Conn
respondent.
Ii is a musical grove Of chestnut
walnut trees. This grove stands on
north side of NickersOn Hill, whic
the highest point Of land in New Lor
county, and all the trees are Old,
there are but very few that are not
low. The spot is well known smof
local hunters as a resort for gray SOU
,els. and many hundreds OF these
mails are taken out OF the grove eve
year.
Into the heart of the trees the squlr
have gnawed their way through the XII
and stumps of limbs that have decay
and fallen to the ground. In many ca
but the mere shell of the tree stands,
If a fire is built in the hole at the 70
smoke issues from a hundred holes abe
il in the limbs and the main trunk.
The peculiar sound caused by the WI
blowing into these holes has given I
grove the name Of Singing Trees. In
summer. when the trees are covered W.
foliage the wind has no effect upon thei.
but in the fall, when the leaves fall to tt
ground, the wind has a clean sweep
the trees, and it whistles and means al
Kisses through the hollow trunks az
limbs until it seems to one short d
tance away that a horde of crazy demo
are holding a grand jubilee among I
trees.
These sounds are produced only WI
the wind blows from the southeast
then sweeps over the top Of the bill
falls upon the grove apparently, as t
wind from the mouth of boy falls up
a hollow key placed at his lips and t
sound produced, in many cases, IS Il
that made by person blowing into T.
nose of a bottle multiplied 100000
times.
In other cases there is a nerve shattel
ing noise, as if giant was BLOWN
through an immense comb covered wit
paper. Breaking into these tones Is, no
and then short, sharp. shrieking moi
and then a kissing sound, as if from g
mouth of 1000 pythons in chorus.
Taken together these Kisses, and tOot
and means, and shrieks make a pand'
monium that one doesn't care to listen
very long. The noise of these trees CO
be heard five miles away, and it has bee
heard to the leeward distance of eig
miles. Its roaring is looked upon by t
people living within hearing distance
it as precursor of a storm.
Among the hills and valleys it is of.
impossible to tell correctly in what dir.
zion the wind is blowing, but when t.
roar of the singing trees is heard the win
is known to be blowing from the soutl
east, and preparations are at once mat
fol- a storm.
In September, during what is known :
the equinoctial storm, this strange grOy
is heard at its best. Then, above Il
bowling Of the wind, the roar rises an
falls, like the moaning Of 10000 levi
thans in the agonies Of death.
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27

!. ran sit and look impressive, or even
!, man VINO Is ay'us and content with ~.
III lyme q Man who will just amuse i:
of intelIit gently alive in no sense of dis
Comfort, with small talk.
From this point of view the silent man
is worst of all. He is, in fact, something
less than a nonentity. He is present.
and yet he is not present. The minus
sign represents him, and not even his
claim as a good listener shall save him
from contempt. Confessedly it is hard
upon him, if he have a constitutional
timdity. But in that case, depend upon
it, Nature has not been so remiss as to
Eend him into the world unequipped with
variety of elegant tastes and aptitudes,
for the cultivation of which he need net
frequent society.
1t would matter but little, Of course, Il
he were not likely to be a positive obsta-
Gle to the enjoyment of others. In the
interest of small talk, however, this as
pect of the case must be considered. 1t
is not to be endured that he shall greet
the genial remark, "How do you do?'
with mere nod, instead of a responsive
inquiry, which, with ordinary mortals,
would be the prelude to a brief, but re-
freshing bout Of cOmmonplaces.
Even the systematic grumbler is not sc
dangerous a foe to our dear small talk as
this laconic or dumb person. Indeed,
not infrequently he proves to be remark
ably entertaining For it must not be
supposed that because he grumbles he is
an unhappy or misanthropic person. BY
no means. The real sufferers on this
count are the people who are too scrupu-
lous of what they regard as the feelings
of others to venture to utter any COM
plants. They suffer in secret, and are
truly very miserable sometimes.
Not so the systematic grumbler. No
one offers him the tax of sympathy. He
does not want it, moreover. His woes
and grievances are his stock in trade. 1t
is an understood thing that without them
he would be very dull fellow. AS it is
they save his reputation, and set the ball
of small talk moving-no matter in what
direction.-All the Year Round.
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27


The Emperor of China, who has been
ina degree the object of recent riotour
demonstrations in that country, is tho
representative upon the throne of the
Tartar conquerors of China. The con.
quest of the country was made more
than 20O years ago, and the Tartar cor
querorS have In that period become thor
Oughly assimilated with the Chinese
but the emperors are still really. as well
as nominally. of the Tartar blood Their
wives are chosen from among the daugh.
ters Of the Manchoo Tartar nobility. and
the strain of blood is thus kept pure.
The present emperor is named Kuang
Su. He is 20 years old, having been
born August Is, 1871. Outwardly he is
regarded as the vice-gerent of heaven,
and the earthly interpreter of divine de-.
crees.
In official documents he is often styled
"most august emperor, but his formal
title is "son of heaven" The common
people, though there are signs that they
are beginning to turn against the Tartar
rule, are often found to regard the en-
reror as the incarnation of divinity.
He is sometimes called "the lord OF
the ten thousand years" and those
who meet him salute him with the words
"Oh, emperor, live forever!"
The emperor is the source of all au
thority and the head of the religion, the
author of the laws and the dispenser of
pardOns. The empire is his property. yet
ne must not govern as a tyrant. He is
subject to what is called the immemorial
constitution of the empire. Some of the
ancient customs have almost republi-
can character, and to these old laws the
emperor himself is subject.
The crown is inherited in the male
line, but the emperor may choose his sue
cessor from his children or nearest rela-
tives Naturally all his male relatives
Ere anxious to serve him.
Winter and summer the emperor rises
ut three o'clock in the morning. lie takes
light collation. and goes to pray in ono
Of the imperial temples. Afterward he
reads official reports. Atseven lie break
fasts, then receives his ministers and his
mandarins. At II o'clock he visits the
women's apartments or walks in the gar
dcns. He dimes at 3, and then retires to
his private room, where he writes stead
lily till bedtime, which is at sunset
The empress is called the mother of
the State. In recent times a custom has
grown up under which there are two en-
presses of equal rank, each occupying a
wing of the palace. They are called tho
Eastern or Western empress, according
to the wing they occupy.
The life of the emperor is very monot-
rnous, and he is practically a prisoner in
MS palace. The few journeys he takes are
70 the tombs of his ancestors, where he
IS supposed to spend hours in solemn
melitition.
Sometimes the emperor goes hunting,
but his large suite must go too, and all
the formalities Of the court are observed.
Hunting, in such circumstances, is likely
20 be veXation rather than pleasure to
his majesty.
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
DiacoxerY OF a Silver NIIne.

There is a silver mine near Sarhad, in
Afghan territory, which has a curious
history. Three men, says an exchange,
were sent from that country to Cabul
the residence of the Ameer, to be exc.
cuted for an offense against the State.
They told the Ameer that if he would
let them off they would tell him where
he could find abundant supplies of silver.
The Ameer deferred the execution and
sent them under guard to Irkansham.
where they went to work digging.
They and the two men who were put
to work with them dug for 20 days,
finding nothing. The Ameer's officer
told them at length that they could dig
for seven days more, and if they did not
find silver within that time the sentence
of death would be carried out.
The next day they came to very rich
vein of silver, and now about 100 men
are employed in the mine, which was
visited recently by an English traveller.
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
MAJOR DAVIS APPOINTED

The appointment of Major A. H
Davis, as Superin endent of streets
and alleys cleaning meets the unan
imOus approval of the republican
party of this city. The city spite
that few small men eudPavOurec
to carry out aud the false TePreseE
tatiOnS that were made to two higl
officials by the traitor who was d.
feated did not prevent The Com
missiOneTs from making the ap
pOiutment.
The BEE at the proper time viii
disclose certain facts that vii
make the hairs of the traitor wh'
endeavored to pledge the cOnv, n
tiOn To some one else, stand on
ends, like quilts on the pOicupine
He shall be given an opportunii,
to carry his threats into execution
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
LIChtMinG-Proof Shins,

1t is curious fact that the iron ships
of the present time are not damaged
nearly so frequently as are wooden ships.
The German government has been col
,ecting some statistics relating to the eff
feet of lightning on ships and the reasons
given by the commission appointed to
collect the figures for the immunity of
;ron ship from damage is, that wire rope
is used for rigging purposes aud that
the vessels are constructed either of iron
or steel In this way it is believed that
tie whole ship becomes a continuous
conductor, leading the lightning to the sea
before it can do much damage. The
commission reports that no case has
been recorded of a ship rugged with
wire rigging sustaining damage from
lightning, except in few instances where
a continuous connection had not been
made with the hull.
Wooden ships, on the contrary, still
show the same percentage of casualties as
formerly, when they are not fitted with
lightning rods
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
New York A.aHiainr Plaza.

Some one has told a story of man
who mysteriously disappeared from his
home and haunts in this city. No mem.
Der of his family and no friend saw him
for many years. And yet all that tima
he lived in back room of house di.
rectly behind his own. He knew what
was going on in his home and saw his
wife and children daily. But he went
abroad at hours when the rest of tho
world was not astir, and escaped de-
lection. He was sought for in Europe
and Asia, as we'll as in the remote parts
of this country, but no one dreamed Of
hunting for him in the immediate neigh
bOrhood of his own home.
Another story is of well-known man
Of fashion who, having lost his property.
went to dwell in the lower part of the
city among the business houses. When
business was over and the men whom
he knew had gone home he took his
evening stroll He never went north Of
Washington Square and for years was
given up as lost.
Still another is told Of a young diplo.
mat who was well known in New York
society. Business reverses sent him
into retirement, and for five years ha
went downtown and uptown at the hours
when the streets are full of business peo.
pie, but when society is engaged in sleep.
ing or in dressing for dinner, and he did
not meet single one of his acquaintances
IN all that time.-World.
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
Chinese Girls.

Unless Chinese father happens to be
O schoolmaster and at home with nothing
to do, he never thinks of teaching his
daughter to read; it would be prepOs-
ferrous. 1t is like wedding the field for
some other man, or putting gold Chain
around the neck of some one else's puppy.
which may at any moment be whistles
off, and then what becomes of the chain
One of the underlying assumptions Of
Chinese society is that it is the body O.
the girl for which the parents are re-.
sponsible, and not the mind. To almost
any Chinese it would probably appear q
seIf-evident proposition that to spend
time, strength, and, much more, money
in educating the daughter-in-law of some
one else is a sheer waste.
But she is your daughter. you say tc
him.
"Not after she is married, he replies;
"she is theirs. Let them educate her
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
Magic Glass.

One of the most curious inventions of
Ibis inventive age is what is called pIati-
nized glass. A piece of glass is coated
with an exceedingly thin layer of q
liquid charged with platinum, and is
then raised to red heat. The platinum
becomes united to the glass in such way
rs to form a very odd kind of mirror.
The glass has not lost its transparency,
and yet if one places it against wall
and looks at it he sees his image as in an
ordinary looking glass But when light
is allowed to come through the glass
from the other side, as when it is placed
in a window it appears perfectly trans.
parent like ordinary glass.
By constructing a window of plati-
nized glass one could stand close behind
the panes, in an unilluminated room,
and behold clearly everything going on
outside, while passersby looking at the
window would behold only fine mirror
OF set of mirrors, in which their own fig.
9res would be reflected, while the person
inside remained invisible.
In France various tricks have been con-
trived with the aid of this glass. In one
person seeing what appears to be an or
dinary mirror approaches it to look at
himself. A sudden change in the
mechanism sends light through the glass
from the back, whereupon it instantly
becomes transparent, and the startled
spectator finds himself confronted by
some grotesque figure which has been
hidden behind the magic glass. What
wonders might not a magician of the
dark ages have wrought if he could have
bad piece of platinized glass?
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27

themselves if they want her educated.
Why should l teach her to read, write
and reckon when it will never do me any
Good?"
With this utilitarian inquiry the educa-
ton of most Chinese girls has been BAN
ished from human thought for the spact
of some milienniums. The anxiety
which all her friends begin to feel about
O Chinese girl as soon as she attains any
considerable size is exhibited in the in
quiries which are made about her when
ever she happens to be spoken of. These
inquiries do not concern her character or
her domestic accomplishments, much
less her intellectual capacity, of which
che has theoretically, none to speak of
put they may all be summed up in the
phrase, rs sho said?" meaning by the
term said" betrothei. The instructive
feeling of Chinese with regard to a girl
is that she should be betrothed as soon as
possible,
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
y TIlIIs = Eal WAY .Qn the HQIy Land IS not de-

ing with subjects of Herod the Tetrarch,
nor forcing Apostles to study timetables
aud eat at railroad lunch counters. With
all their trials they have escaped this at
least. those holy men.
The company has obtained an absolute
roucessiOn for II years of the line from
.afIa to Jerusalem, with the option of ex-
tensions to Nablous in the direction of
Damascus, and to GAIA in the direction
,f Port Said.
A careful estimate has been made Of
The probable traffic which will be man.
rged by the line This estimate is
formed on data and statistics collected
Oh the spot, and it is supported by the
consular reports of the foreign office and
by the official records of the trade of the
port of Jaffa. The company calculates
IN 4 gross annual return for its first
'aw years of 1926, 600. On this basis,
ninimum net annual revenue is looked
tor of Sl2O,O0O. The payment of interest
md the redemption of the bonds will take
only $93, 400 year.
This is not very stupendous outlook
Cor traffic to American eyes, which are
used to seeing larger returns from the
rails. But it is not bad for little rail-
road only "a miles long between Jerusa-
Iam and Jaffa. Jerusalem is now a city
IF 81, GOO inhabitants, and will probably
row a little from becoming a terminus
nf a railway line.
What the increase will be in pilgrims
an only be conjectured. Two or thr1e
years later it can be told what effect the
railway line from Jafra to Jerusalem has
really had. New York World.
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
RECEPTION OF THE B. NJ. c.
CHAIRMAN CARTER MAKING AR
RANGEMENTS

Mr.. Geo. A. Carter, ore of the leading
spirits i'm the Odd-FellOw fraternity aud
chairman of the committee on music and
printing is doing all in his p' W. r to max,
the meeting o the 3. N. {. in this CITY
the best that has ever be n b Id by This
national and well known organization
The following committee has been called
togeth,r by chairman Carter: ID. 5.
Brandon, Edward Bowie, joseph Nor
Iison, II. p. jackson, l.. }. Allen, wish
ington Bailey, Henry Stewart, ". II.
Smith, J. Ii. Scott, Nm. Ii. Walker,
vice chairman and j. II. scott secretary.
TIE commit e has now been organized
and ; now prepared for business.
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
EIr. Dickens, Little Joke,

Charles Dickens bought pictures nov
and then. paying for them the sum th'
artists asked. But he once bought ;
picture for which he persuaded the arts
to charge him high price.
The story, which illustrates boil
| Dickens generosity and his love of fun
is told in the memoir of Richard Red
grave, the artist.
Maclise, intending to paint subjec
for which he~wanted a lady as model
os,.o, ..,I Miss Hogarth, Dickens sister-in
,,' When the work was finished
tbo tbo f. GoHro Ss ocwas thought vsA try 80
and very like the syn EESS1eL mpnti" :;
A few days afterward gentleman
called on Maclise, and said that an ol0
gentleman in the country, wishing tC
possess one of the painters pictures, had |
Jeputed him to see what he had on the |
easel. The one for which Miss Hogarth |
sat was admired by the visitor, who said |
ne was sure it would please his friend, to |
whom he would write and describe it.
In few days letter came to Maclise, |
rritten l., feeble old hand. The writer, |
a delightfully."- garrulous strain, ex- |
pressed hls admiration of several pctur, |
): Maclise which he had seen, and asked |
the price of the one described by hia |
friend, as he was sure he would be pleased |
with it.
Maclse, delighted with the letter, hur- |
led away to show it to Dickens.
"The letter is almost worth the picture. |
and am so pleased with it that l shall
name low price" said the artist.
"Oh, by no means" replied Dickens,
you are wrong! for it is evidently from
some rich old enthusiast who can afford
to pay well.
Maclise argued the point, and talked of
putting handsome frame to the picture
without charge, but was finally persuaded
to name a good price for the painting.
In day or two the gentleman who
acted as the agent called again, paid
Maclise his price, asked to have the pict-
ure packed, and said porter would call
for it,
At Christmas, two weeks later, Dick
ms invited large party to dinner, Mac
Use among the rest. But alas for the un-
raveliug of the plot! Just as they were
sitting dowa note came from the painter
pleading illness as an excuse for his ab-
Sence. Dickens. for he was the garru-
ious old gentleman-had to unveil the
picture without the pleasure of seeing
MacliSe's look of astonishment.
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27

On account of sickness of
great portion of the fo ce at the
BEE Office, a large amount of i'm
portant matter wss left out this
week.
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27

The Presidents coat pocket protrnded
so much at the recent Florida fishing
that some one asked the reason why.
"Il's only bottle of DR.. Bulls Cough
Syrup" the handsome gentlem; ex-
plaimed; Il never travel mile without
il.
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
g Whicn nave preaciied anu sum Q
.M-=zuer omcikted.

The ghnuls robbe1 tie grave If
the late VIM. Cornell who was a
letter carrier in rhe city Pnst I'll
ce last Friday night whose tu :
eral was mentioned IN this pa;e
some three weeks ag', when b.
body was laced IN the receivin!
vault tor two weeks. Tn BID.
Was re, overed from the &c rge
town 9 ilege dlss:cting roo Ii b.
his Lr b last Tuesday aft r4O
The grand rally and reception
by the q. =. o, of D F.'s uudc
the aus, Ices Of the West End Wig
liant Hall committee Mouay eve
ming at Eoenezer n. NJ E churc'
was . financial suoc IS Addres :
were delivered 10y Mr.. John W
Lee of Potomac Lodge, Mr.. J y
c. Beckett of Columbia Lodgt
Mr.. Gee. Jacobs OF Western S.
Lodge, Mr.. Jas. A Wade OF Un
ion Light Lodge aud Mrs j~h
Tilgham of Queen of Sheb;
Lodge. Union Light Lodge 1860
earned off the houors OF the eve
nng aud was loudly applauieo
for their handsome C lice lon
The music urder the direction o
John Butler, Jr. was very selec
Mr.. Jas. l. Turner presided
and Mr.. Jos. Z Smothers ac e..
as secretary. A grand en- ertai"-
ment will Ue given by the com
miltee at Bethel Hah March IS
1892. The famous Capital City
Band has been engaged for the
occasion.
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27
TRAINS FO1 JERUSALEM.
THIS WAY FOR THE HOLY LAND
AND WAY STATIONS"

A French Company Has Built the j fSa
and Jerusalem Rail.osd. and = Here
tofore Disngresable Journey bias Been
Inde EASY.
Blase American tourists can nave O
novelty next summer in the line of for
eign peregrination. They can travel
meIrily from Jaffa to jerusalem in par
lOr car! Perhaps their sense OF reverence
would be more soothed by the oldtime
shoon and scalIop and staff and covering
the route by the active locomotion OF
their legs. But those who are 10Th CEN
turyists in their views will settle into
their comfortable seat in a Pullman and
hear the Arab conductor howl ou3
"J'rus'lum! All out for JruslumI" with
out being bit disturbed in their mind.
He will do it in Arabic, but there is no
doubt about his swallowing half his words
just the same
This is the cheerful prospect held out
by French company which has Just is.
sued prospectus of the "Jaffa and Jeru-
salem Railway Company. The distance
is fraction over 81 miles. The rails,
"sleepers, three locomotives. and 49
freight cars are already delivered at
Jaffa.
The method of transportation from
Jaffa to Jerusalem is an Ox-wagon or
landaus. The unfortunate pilgrim to the
Holy Land who journeyed in this way
began his discomforts i'll effeCting land
ing at Jaifa. The sea is very shallow on
the coast of Palestine, and at Jaffa every
thing, passengers included, has to be
taken off the ship in small boats,
which put out to it for this purpose.
Palestine is nothing if not hiily. and
The jaunt to the Sacred City is bit of
jolt. Occasionally the road is rutty, and
the wheels dig down into the landscape
rs if they were agriculturalists in new
land.
However, if the thing didn't break
down, they arrived at Jerusalem with
their anatomy in a condition which al
lowed them to open their Baleckers and
start in "to do" the sacred spot with
praiseworthy heroism.
The Holy Land is one of those places
which most people do not visit at all and
sew visit twice. So the pilgrims who
have made their way thither before this
cear Of grace 1892 will wish they had put
It off till next summer, when the maiden
locomotive will whistle and shrek and
snort through the orange groves of Jaffa,
while the smoke it belches forth will trail
ncross the fertile valley of tho Wady-
iurar, along which the iron horse will
:aper for most of its course.
The natives will rub their eyes and
ook at the wonder almost as Herod might
lave done in the years when the Christ.
all era was in its baby days il he had seen
.uch phenomenon. The apostles would
lave had to wait for trains in that case,
and various possibilities in the way of
luggage and cabmen suggest themselves
With rather a rude shock to the senti-
ments of the pietist.
The French company which has sprung
4 Al 7 = L
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27

Here is an English physicians recipe
for healthy children: PLENTY of milk,
plenty of sleep. and plenty of flannel y
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27

Both men and women have their fail
ings. With men it is the big head; with
women the big hat.-Boston Transcript
The Washington bee., 1892-02-27

Necessity knows no law, and is gener
ally too poor ohire lawyer.-Picayune