davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The advocate., 1897-07-07
Wood Pulp Shoe Heels.

One Of the latest adaptations Of the
wood pulp industry, says Paper Trade,
is the manufacture Of shoe heels, The
wood is reduced in the usual way in de
gesters, after which the pulp is put into
tank aud mixed with alcohol, litharge,
tar, degras and fish glue. The pulp is
hardened so that it can be rolled into
thick sheets and handled, shellac and
borax accomplishing this; the pulp then
having the consistency OF cement. AT
this point slackened lime is put in, and,
as this hardens when dry, the pulp must
be rolled into sheets and cut into heels
before the hardening takes place. The
pulp is then drawn from the tank in
sheets. A series Of press rollers reduces
the sheet to the right thickness, and II
is next placed quicBlNupon the bed OF q
cutter and shaped into heels.
The advocate., 1897-07-07
WheeIbarrOws in China.

WheebarrOws In China.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
The wheelbarrow affords one Of the
chief means of travel aud transport in
China, especially in the northern part OF
the empire and throughout the Great
Plain. The roads are bad, and the wheel
barrow has to be strongly constructed,
with axles and wheels capable OF stand
ing the great strain to which they are
subject. The wheel is 3 feet in diameter,
and has an iron tire a inches wide by
ID inch thick. To aid in ste8dying and
propelling the vehicle, the wheelbarrow
man wears a strap across his shoulders,
which Is attached to the shafts Oh each
side.
The charge for carrying load is about
81 cents a mile, but varies according to
the load and the state of the road to be
travelled over. The barrow has seating
accommodations for four people, two on
each side, and the fare for four people is
Al cents per mile. The reason the pas
senger fares are so much lower than
those for merchandise is that the labor
Of loading and unloading is avoided. A
cushioned seat is provided for the pas
senger, who generally sits with one leg
resting on the front Of the barrow and
the other hanging over the side in rope
loop, which serves as foot rest. Imme-
diately behind the barrow between the
shafts, there is long oblonR shaped bas-
ket, in which the wheelbarrows are occa-
sionally seen with a sail set, and when a
fair wind is blowing it proves to be a
great help to the trundling Of the barrow
over level way.
The development of the cotton indus
try in Shanghai has caused a wonderful
expansion in the wheelbsrrow service,
which is extensively resorted to for pas
senger traffic, especially for carrying
workwomen to and from the mills. One
man can wheel six women for distance
of about three miles, morning and even
ing, and be quite content to receive set
charge of "a cents month. The average
earnings Of a wheelbarrow man are
about II cents per day. About 1000
licenses are issued monthly to the same
number of wheelbarrows plying for hire
in the streets Of the foreign settlements
at Shanghai The fee for license is
% cents month, and no barrow is al.
lowed to carry more than a strictly reg
ulated number OF boxes Of kerosene oil
soap, tea, and other goods. Six hundred
pounds is the maximum dead weight
permitted. An odd procession frequently
seen in Shanghai is as many as fifty
wheelbarrows, one behind the other,
each carrying two barrels Of Portland
cement, and pushed by one man.
Very often load is carried on one side
Of the barrow only, SO that the edge Of
the Ia inch tire cuts into the macadam
road like q knife, its extraordinary 70
The advocate., 1897-07-07

see q ChinRman akillfully balancing and
propelling a heavy load on one side OF a
barrow, and considering that there are
about 1000 Of these vehicles travelling
through the streets of the settlements, in
addition to large traffic Of other kinds,
the upsets and accidents are remarkably
faw
The advocate., 1897-07-07
The Young People.

Have we not all, amid lies petty strife,
Some pure ideal Of nObler life,
That once seemed possible?
We lost II In the daily jar and fret,
And now live idle In a vain regret.
But still our place is kept, and IL will wait,
Ready for us to hll it, soon or late.
No star is ever lost we once have seen
We always may be what we might have been.
Anon.
The advocate., 1897-07-07
On the Upper Nile.

va "AAS NAFNN ''--~'
From the Baltimore sun.
At a recent meeting Of the Royal Geo
graphical Society an interesting paper
was read by Lieutenant Vandeleur,
embodying the result of explorations
during the last two years in the region
of the Upper Nile, in Uganda and
Unyoro and adjacent regions not hith-
erto visited by white men, Incident
ally, his paper reveals the activity of
the English in this part Of their African
sphere and the need of the railway from
the sea coast TO Lake Victoria, for which
an appropriation was recently made
Leaving Mombass8, on the coast, on
September, 7, 1894, Lieutenant VRndeleur
did not reach Lake Victoria till the end
of November, the journey to Uganda
thus taking three months, or six months
for the round trip. Toward the begin
ming of 1895 he proceeded from Uganda
with an armed force to descend the Nile,
and reach Dufle, being the first white
man to revisit that place after its aban-
donment in November, 1888, on tie ap-
proach of the Mahdists. What was done
at Dutile is net stated, but it may be as
sumed that his visit had a military
object in possibly it's occupation
by British garrison-and that point on
the Nile is probably now held by forces
sent from Uganda.
During 1895 the whole of northern I'm
yoro, toward the Nile, was surveyed, in
cIuding the course of the Victoria Nile
from Lake IbrRhim to the Murcbison
Falls and part Of the Tango or Wakedi
country. Mount Fumbi was found to be
6,640 feet above the sea and some 800
feet above the adjacent country, which
is held by means Of Fort Masindi. The
valleys are fertile, producing great
quantities of Indian corn, tobacco, ba-
nanRe, castor oil, etc. The Wakedis were
found to be an interesting people, living
in conical huts in independent com.
munities. Part of the Lieutenant's task
was to lead an expedition sent to attack
Arab slavers in southern Unyoro, with
the result of liberating many captives.
The Msisi River was reached, and near
that stream was found another British
fort, 4 $50 feet above sea level.
The climate in these uplands is de-
scribed as "fairly good, being drier than
that of Uganda, In July, the coolest
month, the minimum temperature was
40 degrees, the usual night temperature
being 60 degrees. The highest registered
temperature was so degrees. Peace, en-
forced by the English, has led to great
improvement of the economic condition
of the people, who have settled down to
agriculture and road making. The
cessation of war has resulted in a rapid
increase Of the population. In Uganda
industry is becoming more common, and
the people are beginning to carry goods
and perform certain amount Of work. F"
Many have been taught to read and write.
A port bss been established on LBke
The advocate., 1897-07-07

Sweet are the uses Of adversely;
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet precious jewel in his head;
And this our life, exempt from public haunt
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running
brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good In everything.
--ShnhG8pCdre.
The advocate., 1897-07-07

The slaves chain aud the masters alike are
broken,
The one curse OF the races held both in tether
They are rising, all are rising,
The black and the white together.
Whittier
The advocate., 1897-07-07

When dizzy Or growsy take BEECHAM's
PILLS
The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

quite satisfactory four weeks seemed
year.
"I. was toward the end of our trip that
we arrived at Taylor. Just imagine get
ting out of train early in the morning
tirei and dusty, and walking to the hotel
along sor. of street, with a crowd of
wildly assorted men at your heels. Not
mere lunatics, you know, but men to
whom a life-yOurs or that of any one
else-isn't worth the bit of shot or powder
it takes to deprive you of it, and who
would as lief rob til cir next neighbors as
eat their breakfast. Tney regarded us as
freaks, and made remarks upon the whole
eleven in general and in particular in
such an alarmingly frank way that my
nair didn't liy down again until we got
within the shelter of the hotel.
''The hotel!" She laughed little, but
/ fancied the memory of it was not the
brightest thing that she coulo think Of
'Why. there wasn't a carpet nor a curtain
nor anything else, either under the head
of a necessity or luxury. There was
plenty of dirt, though. The proprietor
coolly informed me that the lady would
attend to making the bed in my room
when she got up; so l waited around un-
til she came-a big black negro woman,
and as savage as you can believe. l in
duced her 10 hang piece of cloth over
the window and make the bed, which she
did very reluctantly.
"Did go to sleep? Not a bit of it. The
beds were already tenanted, so l went for
a walk until evening.
1.-The town was the center of large cat
tle-raising district, and You ought to have
seen the crowd that gathered around the
saloon and hotel in the evening. They
were the toughest LOOKING characters
have ever seen, and things were the live
liest l have ever known"
Just then the little actress was called
away, and leaned forward on the pile of
rugs and thought of what she had told me.
OF the strange country, with its wildness
and vastness, and the strange human
beings, with a weird sort of bravery to
whom fear is an unknown thing. Desper-
ate, OF course, they are-it is only fear that
makes men cautious-not that fear is a
bad thing always, to the contrary, and
of what she must have felt 10 face the
audience with the knowledge of their atti-
tude toward the actors and the outside
world full upon her.
She came back and stood while she
talked.
1--WE played piece that night that was
The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

paratively comfortable and happy. A few
earned more than Sc a month, but not
much. The highest that any of these
young men earned was $40.
Down near Clay street found a more
esthetic lot of bachelors, but all young
men, who claimed to earn about $50 a
month. They were certainly very COM
Portable, even if they did cook their own
meals.
One of these young fellows was cooking
a chicken when | entered his room. His
table was spread with spotless linen and
shining glass. He was a young man of
refinement and culture and evidently
fond of The good things of life.
81 work thres days a week for whole
sale house answering letters" he told me
when l asked him how he managed to get
along so nicely. Easy work, but rot
enough of il. Have been trying TO get
another job for three years, but can't,
somehow. L am pretty glad of the job
have. Why don't l marry? Oh, pshaw
Where would l be with family on $50 a
month. As it is l am pretty comfort
able"
In room facing the south in the old
Montgomery block found a young man
of elegant refinement who was "batching
it" for econon1y's sake. He did his cook
ing in chafing dish and served his own
meals on Haviland china. Pretty rugs
covered the floor and pictures covered
the walls. His bed was couch nicely
draped. From the ceiling hung Turkish
lanterns and other ornaments. Alto
gether his loom was as pretty nook as
one would care to enter.
He was seated in the sunshine tha
poured through the windows when l en-
tered the room. In his hand was q copy
OF Byron and he was smoking Turkish
cigal cite that filled the room with Ian
guorous fragrance:
"Sit down." he said, pointing to small
Chinese chair of some dark wood.
pretty comfortable" l ventured.
"Yes, fellow can be if he makes good
The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

without one dissension, decided to leave
town that night instead of the next morn
ing, and We we're glad to escape with our
lives.
ave got along pretty we'll until we
reached Texarkana- That was our last
stop in the State. 1t is on the border line
between Texas and Arkansas, and bears
the reputation of being the resort of the
worst kind OF desperGdoes from both
States.
Down there everything which is used
for theatrical purposes is called an opera
house. whether it be barn or church
fallen from grace. The opera house at
Texarkana was as near barn as you can
imagine, and decidedly battered barn at
that. The little box-like rooms which
had been intended for dressing. rooms
were so small that we had to leave our
trunks outside, and so low down that it
was only by the most careful arrangement
OF posters that we could secure any pri-
vacy at all.
''The play went off comparatively we'll,
with the usual demonstrations and criti-
cisms and frank remarks from the audi
ence, which felt that 1t b. ad paid its money
and consequently owned the whole show
and the actors thrown in, body and soul.
The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

"Yes, sir; l has a couple of rooms to
rent in dis buildin'. Dat is if dey will
suit you. Did you want dem for office
Use or bachelor quarters?"
Bachelor quarIers?" I asked.
Yes, sir. Nearly all de rooms in dis
buiIdin' is rented to bachelors. Young
fellows dat keeps house. Does all dere
own cookin an washin' an mendin'"
How long mas that been going on?' 1
asked.
"Oh, bout year or two. Up to dat
time ago we couldn't rent rooms nohow.
Whole place was empty. Now wes nearly
filled up wid bachelors. All desc oder
buidin's round here is de same way.
Never seen so many bachelors in my life"
And so it turned out that | never saw so
many bachelors in my life. George, the
janitor of the Win ters block, on Mont
gomery street, near Clay. was my in
formant in regard to the abundance of
bachelors In that neighborhood. l de-
termined 10 investigate, and after a couple
OF days climbing stairs in all sorts of
buildings on the edge of the Latin Quar-
ter found more bachelors than l could
count. l must have seen over a hundred
and discovered that there are many times
that NUMBER occupying rooms in the
vicinity.
The result of my Investigations brings
to light most interesting sociological
fact-it showing completely that if the
new woman can get along without a mas
culine helpmate the masculine portion of
humanity can get along without feminine
assistance.
Here is also an interesting point. While
the women of to-day are taking more and
more TO club life the men are taking 10
making homes for themselves. Lonely
places, it is true, but still homes in one
sense OF the word and much more COM
Portable than any boarding house could De.
In their lonely little rooms these bach
elors are as independent as they can wish
They can come and go as they please,
and, if necessary, economize down to the
last cent.
In way this increase in the mum Der of
bachelors is startling, and surely there
must be some cause for il. Five years ago
there were not as many men patching
it, IN all California as there are right now
in San Francisco. And furthermore these
men are well pleased with their con-
The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

strictly sentimental and | trembled, but
to our surprise the love passages won
storms of applause, especially from the
gallery. After the second act a gentle
man, who had fingered too long at the
bar, came in bearing a huge cabbage,
which he had obtained especially for me.
He was persuaded to senG it to the stage
entrance instead OF over the footlights
and straig fell asleep. much to my
delight. There were two fights only. after
that-it was a very mild night-they said
people were quite peaceable; but if they
called that peace | don't care to see war.
As stood on the stage and looked across
that surglng crowd ofhumanity, and heard
the lord voices, and saw the flash OF pis-
tols-for, OF course, the play had 10 wait
until they had finished-the most of the
audience had their backs to US, and when
the com batants got ready to listen they
turned and ordered Us to go ahead.
We did with one more such inter rup-
ton. Alter lne curtain went down we
stood ana looked at eacn other and lis
tened to the voices of the men as they
passe out; some were angry, some were
sneering. and all were half-flled with the
villainous stuff they sell for whisky down
there. Then we toQk standing yots saRa,
The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

hind the scenes.
Then l consulted my programme and
discovered the name of Miss May Vokes
as German maid, and followed my guide
as he led me also behind the scenes" and
left me TO MY fate and an improvised
eat
sit isn't as much fun as you think, I"
said Miss Vokes, rushing up to me with
braids a. bobbing and breath well-nigh
gone.
looked down serenely from my perch
on the top OF pile of rugs at the side of
the Baldwin Stage, and Ioftily questioned
"What?"
why" she said, travelling through
Texas with your own com pany"
"Oh," 1 exclai med, looking at the stage
setting.
She laughed. "This isn't either run
ming in one entrance and out another and
looking like fright. It wouldn't trouble
me so much if l could look differently off
the stage, because then people would say,
why, what shame for her to make up so
ridiculousIy, but" and she shrugged
her shoulders, and the next moment the
audience was laughing at her antics.
She came back presently and elm bed
up on the rugs beside me and folded her
hands.
1T was this way in Texas-that's what
you want, isn't itP" She looked question
ingly into my eyes.
l nodded and laughed. rudely l am
raid, but she did look so absurd in this
queer Dutch gown and incongruous make
up which she uses in this play.
"Ain't l iunny?" she said, joining in
the laugh-"the funniest thing that ever
happened? But wait till you see my dog. :"
And while waiting she went on of Texas
ITS a country devoid of everything
but men who are lodging the authorities.
guess Texarkana NUM- bers among its in
| habitants men who have committed every
crime on the calendar. They might build
prison wall around it and its inha bitants
and they wouldn't go amiss, and the
people inside would fight until there was
nothing left but pieces.
81 was in the Conservatory in Boston
getting ready for the stage. They said ii
would take five years ior me to go through
the regular route up the ladder of fame
even TO get a passablv good engagement
That was too slow for me, so l conceived
| the brilliant plan of taking out my own
company. And we we're given the Texas
route. Itwasn't long, my DEAR" she said,
looking impressively at me, "but j: was
The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

beau. During a certain four months
last winter L made only So and if hadn't
saved should have starved. l have just
been out in the country picking fruit
Was gone three months and came back
with $50. That may have to last me all
winter It's pretty tough, but it aint
near as bad as going without grub or a
getting into debit
Don't you ever expect to marry and
have home of your own?" 1 asked.
mo, those things are not for me. I
have been this way for over two years and
don't ever expect to get up again. l am
willing to do any kind of work that can
get, but as / can't get it suppose there
must be something wrong with me-"
In the old buildings m the vicinity of
Jackson and Montgomery streets 1 saw
about a dozen strong healthy young men
living just as this one was; all lad about
the same story to tell and seemed COM
The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10

use of his money and don't give it all to
restaurant and boar ding house keepers"
"But it must cost you considerable to
live here l said.
Nothing like what it would cost me to
board. A room as nice as this in board
ing house and the same things that | have
to eat would cost me 500 a month. As it
is it only costs me about $35, and l live
mighty well. l do my own cooking and
save the money l would pay to some
greedy boarding-house keeper. Boarding
is awful tough. The trouble is these
women expect to make enough money off
of three or four boarders TO support a
family
But why don't you marry and get
home of your own?" 1 asked.
How can [ do that when I only make
$50 month"; Two of US would starve to
death on that. l used 10 get $3.50 month
few years ago and intended to marry,
but woman took my job for less money.
Now do a certain amount of work for a
lawyer and he gives me $50 for it. Times
ain't like they used to be and have to
batch it in order to live decently."
In an old building down on Battery
street. near Pacific. l found two men
about 80 years of age each living in one
room, for which they paid So month
They were not particularly Intelligent, as
the untidiness of their place of habitation
showed. But they were former Office men
unable to get work and told the same old
story of not being able to mary.
noticed among the bachelors l met
that the majority of them had al one time
been employed in offices and most OF them
complained that their positions had been
taken by women. The young electrician
was almost the only exception. l also
met a number of students who were
simply patching it to save money so as to
get an education. They, however, were
of no sociological Importance, as the
chances are they will leave their present
homes as soon as they leave school. The
important aspect of the bachelor life is
that men are constantly being drawn into
it. In many of the buildings 1 entered
the janitors told me that bachelors had
rooms there, but were out at work and
would not be home until evening. 'It's
cheaper for them to live this way than it
would be to live in boarding houses" said
one of these janitors. "At first some of
them don't like the idea of cooking and
washing dishes, but they soon catch on
and wouldn't 60 back to the old way for
anything"
And yet people wonder why boarding
are failing all over town. WILL SPARES.
The San Francisco call., 1897-10-10
VAN MUST MEND HIS CLOTHES AND COOK HIS MEALS

| | glanced l saw all kinds of furnishing.
Some were only bare rooms where boxes
and barrels did duty for household uten-
sils and others were fitted up with the
greatest taste, almost bordering on ele-
gance. But somehow they all breathed OF
one tbing-economy. All of the young
men on whom | called were engaged in
some occupation when they answered
Come i'm or ENTER in response to my
knock. A number of them were read ing,
and l saw many good books laid open for
perusal.
The first of the bachelors quarters into
which was given peep was in the Win
ters block, and there l did not get
glimpse of the bachelor.
"I'il show you one OF the young gentle
mems rooms, if you like" the ianitor,
George, said, when he saw I was inter
ested. He amt home just now, but l
don't suppose he'll care
Up three flights of stairs we went end
then down a long hall.
DDS is one OBJ de incest rooms in de
buildin," said George, proudly, as he in
serted key in the lock and pushed the
door open.
And it really was nice room, or rooms,
rather, for there were two of them. One
was the kitchen and the other sort OF
lounging room and sleeping apartment.
At a glance they would give the i'm
preston of being IN the care OF a most
perfect housewife. Everything was spick
and span clean. The kitchen stove was
blacked to perfection, and the pots and
pans fairly shone with the polishings
they had had. The oilcloth on the floor
was as clean and smooth as scrubbing and
rubbing could make it.
In corner of the room was cupboard
filed with pretty dishes and glasses, and
| back in a dark nook l caught sight of
some bottles of rare old wine. Every
| thing that this young man bought was of
the best
The lounging-room was the picture OF
comfort A few books, the latest maga-
zines and box OF obacco and some pipes
occupied place on the table. Here also
was an accOunt-book wide open, so that l
could not help reading a few items. One
entry on the cash side of the book was
Months wages, $40"