davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-22

harvest of pennies with which every
one is provided. All the while the
dance was in progress the musical
voice of the leader was chanting the
Coonah song the refrain of which was
taken up by hundreds of voices.
Dance, dance, my Coonah John;
Ho, Lady Soona!
Coonah dance for one cent,
Ho, rang du range!
Jump, Jump, OH Coonah John!
Ho, Lady Soona!
Pop your whip, oh! Coonah John!
Ho, rang du range!
Turn your partner, Coonah John,
Ho, Lady Soona!
Hands up now, oh! Coonah John.
Ho, rang du range!
Swing your corners, Coonah John.
Ho, Lady Soona!
Honor your partner, Coonah John,
IIo, rang du range!
As the wild chant draws to a close
out of the hall door run a bevy of white
children with laps full of nuts, raisins,
apples, oranges, cakes and candy, and
scatter the whole amongst the crowd.
Such a scramble as follows. The last
fragment gathered up, all at once the
leader cracks his whip and whirls
round with his face from the house,
and the crowd marches off to the next
plantation.
Sometime during the Christmas
week the negroes held grand ball.
There was a very large and comforta-
BILE servants hall attached tony grand
fathers kitchen, and in this hall the
ball was held. 1t was made gay with
holly and myrtle boughs. Myrtle
wax candles in the ballroom sconces
lighted the scene. aided by the i'm
mense silver branch candlesticlls from
the great drawing room Not seldom
the ball was opened by Young Mas
ter hisself," who danced either with
his nanny, or the drivers wife,
or some newly welded bride.
But meanwhile the Yule log has been
slowly burning out! Uncle Tony
coming in to mend the fire discovers
that the log is represented by only two
chunks now When the family goes
to dinner he viii carry one chunk out,
extinguish the fire upon it, and lay it
in the path between the house and the
kitchen. The next morning he will
put it away in the corner of the wood
house to start the next Christmas fire.
But while it lies in the path it is a sign
well understood Over the plantation
has flown the news ''de backlog done
burn in two, an cousin Tony lay 'um
out!'
The long merry festival has ended.
The negroes will dance and frolic all
night long; and tomorrow at day
break the overseer's horn will blow;
each gang will muster under the head
man and the plantation work will be-
gin.
II have been unable 10 discover
the origin of the "Coonahs,"
and do not know in how many of the
Southern States they were known. My
immersion Is that this custom WAS in
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-22

II have been unable 10 discover
the origin of the 'Coonahs, =
and do not know in how many of the
Southern States they were known. My
impression is that this custom was in
PRODUCED into South Carolina by the
slaves who accompanied Governor Sir
John Yeamans from Burbudon, and
from there was brought by his descen-
dants into North Carolina where they
re-settled his old colony in the Cape
Fear River. Coonahs were confined
almost altogether to the low country
or tide-water region. They were prin-
cipally known in North and South Car
DINA, Georgia, and Florida coast and
in New Orleans.
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-22

yNTANTED.--A thoroughly reliable, ener
NV getic young man to travel in North
Carolina. Write stating experience and
references in rail- to avoid continued cor.
respondence. Small salary TO begin, and
increase based on merit. Address Box "a, y
care NEWS AND OBSERVER.
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-22
TIT MUTUAL BENEFIT LIFE INSURANCE COZ PANY.

Seissisa Abseiussi~ Non
lapse the policy continued in wil pay
E0F, preferred cash paid up policy value allowed
after the policies ncontesb
dcnea usvel aId occupation
valid
colzstai aenrty.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10

down at her babe, and in an instant she
sprang up, holding the, baby on her out
stretched hands and shrieling, "Look,
look, my baby, my babyT The child was
black and writhing in dreadful convul-
siOns. OF course, all the women, worn
and tired as they were, began to scream
and to crowd around the mother. cts
dying, it's dying" they said, land can't
somebody bring a doctor?"
And then, all at once, up arose those OBJ
iectionable male persons. Ladies, stand
back" said one of them, in that grave and
steady tone that commands obedience.
And one of the men took the baby in a
pair of strong and tender arms, while the
other opened windows for draught. To-
gether they stripped off tiny shoes and
troublesome garments, together they
rubbed that blessed baby with the hot con-
tents of iquor-fask. "Stand back,
ladies, and keep quiet, please" was the
only word the heroes spoke. Certain it is
that incredibly soon the baby lay with a
pink cheek pressed against cool, fresh
pillow, her brow little damp, but her
breathing deep and regular and her ex-
preston natural and happy.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10
A Touch of Nature.

Up through the great San Joaquin Valley
a long overland train Numbered one blister
ing summer day. One of the Pullman cars
was occupied mostly by weary women,
who, with quite little party of children,
had travelled from beyond the Rockies.
At Tehachapi two young travelling men,
stfresh" in every sense of the word, came
into the car and promptly proceeded to
make themselves Objectionable to such of
the ladies as CHANGED to be travelling alone
treated to perfect fusillade of tender
glances No measure of haughtiness. no
1ong-continued retreatings behind books
and papers seemed to convince the invinci-
Bile ''mashers" that their acquaintance was
not desired by this young New Highlander,
nor, indeed, by any ladies in the car.
Finally the situation became so serious
that the ladies, who had come to under
stand each other pretty well during their
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10

often smeared with glue, which makes the
hair shine apd keeps it in place. The girl
was very beautiful, and some Of the
younger girls are by no means bad look
ing. They fade soon, however, and the
older women whom I saw made me think
of our Indian squaws. They have no
night clothes, and they sleep in the same
garments which they use during the day.
They have no such things as stoves. a fire
is built inside their tent, and the smoke
goes out at the roof The tents are made
OF skin and sometimes of cloth. They are
circular in shape, and the people huddle
up in them and sit and sleep where they
can.
The chief business of the Tartars is cat
tle-breeding, and they have large fiocks OF
sheep. These sheep have fat tails, and [
saw some tails which weighed, [ was told,
from thirty to forty pounds. When sheep
is very fat it is sometimes necessary to tie
a little sled under his tail in order that it
may not impede him in travelling over the
ground The Monaghan mutton is as good
as any you will find in the world, and these
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10
In BabyIand.

A pretty fancy that is quite new is to
choose a flower for the baby and embroider
a single tiny blossom upon each article of
the layette. A forget-me-not a violet,
pink daisy or buttercup may be en-
broidered with wash silks in the natural
color of the flower; and the ivory brushes,
the powder boxes and other articles that
can not be embroidered have the flower in
laid or painted upon it.
Of course every well regulated baby of
to-day has book in which the story of its
life is recorded, and which ought to be the
source of much pleasure in later years. A
book of this SORTS charming present, and
it may be plain and strong or as elaborate
as may be.
One made to order for favorite babe in
this city is of white leather, like BRIDES
book. The corners are of silver and the
book is fastened with a silver clasp.
Another dainty fashion is to fold a
parchment cover on the baby's book and
paint upon it spray of apple blossoms, or
of the baby's own flower in water color.
Inside upon the blank pages must be
written the little stories of the baby's COM
ings and goings, his illnesses and accidents,
his first cunning Hspings and all his young
achievements. Those clever people who
succeed with camera at home will be
sure to paste upon the pages of the book at
least one new photograph each month.
Baby in the bath, baby in the hammock,
his first steps, all the story of his develop
ment may be told in pictures and be a Joy
forever to his mother at the very least.
Later Mr.. Baby ought to be able to take
up the work himself; and if any one of US
possessed a library of the scraps of litera-
ture we have meant to save, the pictures
that have gone astray and all the hotsam
and jetSam that should havebeen gathered
into volumes we should be rich in lore.
Safety pins are to be had in gold and sill
yer, and tiny ones for the backs of dresses
are fastened together with slender gold
chains. Little gold studs are strung to-
gether in groups of three in the same fash
ion; and with all these and the pretty bib
pins to choose from it is not necessary to
give the babies such absurd presents as
bracelets and useless finger-rings.
A writer in the Bazaar says that the fact
is now generally recognized that many
children are born with some visual defect
which can only be remedied by the use of
glasses, and she adds that it is now no I'M
common sight to see toddlers in Green
away gowns with these useful articles upon
their little faces. Doubtless by this means
some trifing defect is often remedied, and
by relieving the strain the eyes are saved
from irretrievable injury.
Anti-kissing societies grow and multiply
in the land, and for this the babes have
the greatest reason to be thankful.
1t is at last breach of etiquette to offer
a babe the unpleasant compliment of a
kiss, unless you are his very near relative.
In that case you are still permitted to kiss
| the little unfortunate, but if you are
| thoughtful and wise you will at least refrain
from encroaching upon the child's comfort
| and endangering his health by kissing him
upon the mouth.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10
IN GH|hDHeoDS REAhIH|

the Health Department of more
hopeful nature than summary
of leprosy cases and a minute descrip-
ton of the same, the little book
was taken back to the Health Office and
further information asked regarding our
annual birth rate. With kind but plying
glance the official opened the little volume
and showed three pages of statistics of
births under the page-headings "Mortuary
Statistics" Here it was ascertained that
during the fiscal year ending June, 1894
there were 1894 births recorded that for
five years ending June, 1894, the annual
birth rate had averaged 3015.
But, taken in connection with the average
recorded death rate of something over
5000, these figures are not much more
agreeable reading than the list of diseases
treated at the Almshouse and hospitals
during the same period.
The Half-million Club need not despair,
however, in spite of appearances. The
trouble is not that there are not sufficient
number of births, presumably, but that
the law ordering the reporting of births to
the authorities is disregarded and neg
lected. The deaths are all reported, Of
necessity, and the statistics regarding mar
riages are easy to obtain. But as to the
births, the officials state that residents, and
even physicians, are very remiss and care
less in the matter of reporting them. An
exception to this must be made in favor of
foreigners, especially natives of countries
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10
%So&&@ x
I9:,.%'eey1', ns~Glee)
III "O rHe'R CURIOUS eusr0"S'

ana one end of this has knob so large
that it cannot be pulled through. To the
other end of the stick rope is tied, and
this rope is tied to the saddle or pack of
the camel in front, and thus a whole
caravan is fastened together, as it were,
with clothespins and ciotheslines. 1t is
impossible to estimate the number of these
camels that are in use. They are con-
unually marching through Picking. At
certain times of the year they fill the roads
leading into Mongolia like fences, and you
see them everywhere on their low, measured
trot, moving across the country.
The Mongols are perhaps as dirty as any
other people in the world. Those whom [
saw were greasy and filthy, both as to their
clothes and their persons. | am told they
never wash their bodies, and seldom their
faces and hands. The poorer classes dress
In rags, but the richer wear costly gar
ments, lined with the finest lambskin. I
have picture of Monaghan Princess who
was at Peking year or so ago. Her head
was framed in silver beads, and she had
long tassels of silver hanging down
from her black fur cap. Her hair was
done up in two long braids, which were
pulled around over the ears and hung
down over the breast. These braids are
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10

long journey, together formed group in
an end OF the car and were holding per-
feet council of war to determine the fate of
the offensive individuals, when a matter of
real consequence CHANGED to engage their
attention.
There were several babies in the car, and
they were in sore need of rest and quiet.
The jar of the train for so many days, the
lncessant rumble and roar, had irritated
the nerves of the little ones, and all save
one of them showed signs of great fatigue
and even illness.
This one, a sunny-haired, jolly little
daughter of Eve, had endeared herself to
all her fellow passengers, and her smiles
were the only CHEEKY things. in sight this
last day, when all were eager and impa-
tent for the journeys end.
The child was resting in her mothers
arms just now, and she was quiet as ever,
while the other children fretted, wailing
for rest. All at once the mother looked
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10
The Local Birth Rate.

A most lugubrious little volume, called
"The Report of the Health Department"
is to be had for the asking out at the City
Hall. 1t contains all the information
which the powers that be deem it neces-
sary and good for the public to know re-
garding the statistics of births and deaths
in the city and county OF San Francisco.
a great deal about the deaths
The Introductory chapter of the book is an
a lphabetical list of the diseases which it is
proper to die of in this climate. The list
is very depressing reading, and one almost
despairS of there being people enough to
go around among all these terrifying and
many syllabled complaints. All uneasi-
ness on this score can be removed, how
ever, by the perusal OF the succeeding chap
tiers of the book. All the diseases have
found victims, some of them very many.
After the alphabetical list some space is
devoted to "The Monthly Distribution of
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10

enforce their edicts. AS rule, how
ever, the people are oppressed in
corrupt, and the man who can pay the
most can do as he pleases. Manchuria is
ruled by military boards. Some parts OF
Mongolia have their own officials, under
the government at Picking. The province
of III is ruled by military governor, and
in outer Mongolia there is great llama,
much like the one at Thibet, who
is sort of living Buddha, and
who rules the country. He is said
to be very rich. His capital is known
as Urga, and it is the biggest city in Mon
golia. 1t contains about 10000 people, and
these are priests. The big llama or living
Buddha is said to have 10000 slaves, and
Pee people s g e him pnd tie Chinese rule e
this part of the country through him. 1t
is much the same in Tibet, and the gov
eminent is a combination of religious cor
ruption and Chinese despotism. Inner
Mongolia has a different government, and
in fact the whole OF these tributary prov
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10
a CAMEL TRAIN.
From a photograph

fat tails are especially delicious. The Mon
gols use the fat in making brick-tea soup.
They mash up little bricks of tea, and
when the water is boiling they put in
some of this mutton fat and milk and eat
the whole as soup. The bricks in which
the tea is made are about ten inches
square, seven inches wide and three inches
thick. They look like chocolate and are
sometimes made in smaller sizes. In adj
dition to this, they eat buttermilk, curds
and whey. They are very fond of intox-
icating liquors, and they have beer made
selves about half drunk. Their mutton is
frozen at the beginning of winter and the
weather is so cold that it will keep until
spring. 1t is said in Thibet that mutton
can be kept for years. The air is very dry
and very cold, and after a few days the
flesh becomes SO dry that it can be pow
dered with the hand and be stored away
like flour. The ThibetanS use this mutton
without cooking, and it is said not to need
salt.
The Mongols are more religious than the
Chinese. They may be called almost a ma
ton of Buddhists, though there are few
Mohammedans among them. They have
a number of temples inside of Peking and
there are about 1900 OF these people who
live in the Chinese capital. The biggest
monastery in Picking is owned by the
Mongols and the Thibetans. 1t has hun
dreds of priests, and they are the most
intolerant and superstitious of their kind.
Foreigners are by no means safe in going
through it. They are liable to be mobbed,
and it is only by bribing and fighting that
one can get his way out. There are three
living Buddhas in the world. One of these
is in Lhassa, another is somewhere in Mon
golia and the other is in Peking 1 became
Indirectly acquainted with the brother of
the living Buddha in Picking, and / was
told that this Buddha was fond of cigars
and liquors, and that he now and then
went about incog., like Haroun al Raschid.
There are numerous temples scattered
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10
Baby Bell.

Have you not heard the poets tell
How came the dainty Baby Bell
Into this world OF ours?
The gates Of heaven were left aiar,
With folded hands and dreamy eyes,
Wandering out of Paradise,
She saw this planet, like star,
Hung in the glistening depths of even
Its bridges running to and fro,
Der which the white-winged angels go,
Bearing the holy dead to heaven.
She touched a bridge of howers-those feet,
SO light they did not bend the bells
OF the celestial asphodels
They fell like dew upon the flowers.
Then all the air grew strangely sweet
And thus came dainty Baby Bell
Into this world OF ours.
At last he came, the messenger,
The messenger from unseen lands,
And what did dainty Baby Bell?
She only crossed her little hands,
She only looked more meek and fair
We parted back her silken hair,
We wove the roses round her brow
White buds, the summers drifted snow
Wrapt her from head TO feet in flowers;
And thus went dainty Baby Bell
Out of this world of ours!
THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10

yet speak only foreign tongues. Partic-
ulars regarding the children are carefully
chronicled, of course, in the books where
the births are registered, but il would be
interesting to know why they are not
thought as well worth tabulating for pub
LEGATION as the same details regarding per-
sons who have gone outside the cfty's
gates to return no more.
The babes are the hope of the city and
the nation, for they are American citizens
every one, and deserve greeting in this
land that shall make it a mothers pride
and well worth her while to send notice
to the recording ang- clerks and out into
the world that ''unto US a son. is BORN
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10
Y re~A< 4. ce4u~aas-
Copyright, 1895.
The Judge and the Cyclist.

The other day jocular cyclist, well
known in the Copenhagen sporting world,
had to answer summons for riding on
the footpath leading to Lyngby church.
The Judge Numbered out the words, "You
have been cycling on the Lyngby church
footpathp"
The cyclist nodded assent
"You will have to pay a fine of four
kroner"
The accused took four coins out of his
pocket and laid them on the bar. "But
tell me, your worship, have Prince Waldo
mar and Princess Marie permission to
cycle on the path in question2''
The judge rubbed his nose.
I'm! No. certainly not. Is this your
first offense?'
Eyes, your worship, and my last"
answered the culprit.
"Well, then, I will let you off with a
caution this time.''
Our cyclist gathered up his money, made
his bow, and walked off. But when he got
to the door the judge called out to him:
'Hulloa, you there; did you actually see
Prince Waldemar and Princess Marie rid
ing on that path ?''
"IP No, your worship" replied the
cyclist, with twinkle in his eye, and was
gone.-New York Herald.
->->-->
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10

where those things are most strictly and
systematically managed. The peculiar
consequence OF this state OF things is that
titicates of birth which are handed in to
the Health Department give the national
ity of the parents as foreign.
The tabulated statements are here seri-
ously at fault again; for, while they give
the race, the sex and the nativity of those
who have died, they do not give even the
sex or color of the people who are born.
Plenty of well-grown children there are
who have been born in San Francisco and
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10

over Mongolia, and Thibet is said to be
country of temples. l was within ninety
miles of Thibet during my stay in DarJu-
ling, in the Himalaya mountains, and the
Thibetans whom | saw both here and in
Peklng were about the same as the Mon
gols. | am told that the people of both
countries do little but swing prayer wheels,
drink whisky and keep themselves dirty.
heard great stories about their monster
les and temples. Some of the Thibetan
towns are mere collection of temples, and
some of their monasteries have copper
roofs plated with gold. Lhassa the Thib-
etan capital, has about Is, 900 people, and
the most of these are priests. The Chinese
bulldoze the Thibetans and the Mongol-
lans, and they bluff them into sort of
dependence on them. The Thibetans and
Monaghan priests whom l saw in Thibet
were dressed in bright yellow gowns. They
were, as a rule, broad-Shouldered, thick
nosed, high-cheek- boned fellows, with
small twinkling black eyes. They are
shrouded IN ignorance and superstition
and they are intolerant in the extreme.
There are a number of Buddhist book
stores IN Peklng, and the Chinese capital
has one street which is devoted to nothing
else but bookstores. There are publishing
houses there which are devoted to the pub
fishing OF Buddhist books. The books are
cut out on blocks, and are not set up from
type. Some of the editions are costly,
and some of the richer priests prefer to
have their books written out by hand.
The MOngolS have but one wife, though
the richer of them often have concubines.
1t is far different in Thibet, as [ learned
from the famous traveller, Mrs. Isabella
Bro Bishop. Mrs. Bishop went out to
Asia on the same ship with me last year.