davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-02-04
CLAUS SPRECKELs. VIM g. IRWIN
CLAUS SPRECKELS & CO.,
3 kerS,
aAN FRANCISCO AGENTs-The Nevada RAM
of San Francisco.

DRAW EXCHANGE on
Gan Francisco-The Nevada Bank of ST
Francisco.
JIondon-The Union Bank of London (Ltd.).
New York-American Exchange Nations,
Bank.
Chfcago-Merchants National Bank.
Paris Compton National d'Escompte OF
Paris.
Rorifn-Dresdner Bank.
HOngkong and Observation-Disclosures and
Shanghai Banking Corporation.
New Zealand and Australia - Bank OF
New Zealand.
ish North America.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
FEATHERS OF GREAT PRICE.
Rare Plumber froE BircS-Invoice CT
Aigrettes VVcrtA over Five
Million Refs.

Many curious things go through the
appraisers stores, and some Of the
most interesting through the Fifth di-
vision, where millinery goods are eX-
amined and appraised, All sorts Of
birds and feathers are examined by this
division. Within a few days several
large boxes were examined, each con-
tanning something like 500 stuffed par
oquets A box was opened this week
in which il was estimated there were
nearly 5000 japanese swallows. These
little birds are caught By The japanese
n immense numbers BY means OF neis.
Their plumage is very plain, but Their
wings, which are extraordiin~ ~rily long,
make them especially valuable to lni!-
liners, The birds when imported are
rudely stuffed with cotton, and each
one is made Up into q little roll. about
the size and shape CT an ordinary e gar.
Before being used they are twisted into
various shapes and dyed, the wings
spread and new feathers added, and
they are made into gay and fancy
birds.
The most valuable kind Of feather
goods that passes through the apprais-
er's hands is undoubtedly the aigrette.
This feather is worth more than its
weight in gold. The aigrctte is CO.
tanned from a bird called the oGret,
found in China, Japan, Egypt and South
America, and sometimes in florida.
Some Of these feathers come directly
from South America, where, along the
upper waters Ct the Am2zCn, the Ia
dians shoot the birds with blow tubes
and small arrows. But far.s IS the
market of the world for aicrettes, just
as London IS for ostrich piumes, and
the greatest part of the imports come
directly from the French capital, With
in the past two mouths aigrettes to the
value of $780, 900 have been imported.
There are two varieties OF aigTette,
the long and the short, and their value
| is in inverse proportion to their size.
The short variety, which is obtained
| from a smaller bird is extremely deli
cate and fine, and is worth from So
to SIS per ounce. Only few feathers
IN each bird are valuable, ana it is es-
timated that so or GO birds would have
! 10 be killed to obtain an ounce Of the
| shorter aigrette. The long aigrette is
worth not much more than hQf as
| much,
These feathers are looked after as
carefully by the appraisers as are pre-
cious stones, They are imported in SOL!
| dered tin boxes, and are locked up
and guarded until they are examined.
| They are inyoiced il the brazilian unit
of value, Ieis, which is very small, so
that figures giving the value Of the
imports are often start,ing.y large.
One Importation Of these feathers was
| receut,y inyoiced to the value c $685.
eco RES, an amount which in American
! god is equal 10 about $100.-N. Y. ,. -
! and Express,
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
SHOES FOR CELESTIAL WOMEN
Wherein These Articles Differ from
Those Worn by Ameri-
cen Ladies'.

The Chinese woman's shoe is provid-
ed with a fat heel which alone serves
as point of support for the entire
body The point of the foot does not
touch the ground, and the women walk
sometimes like club-footed persons,
says the New York Herald. They are
not very steady upon their feet, and
when they become aged have to use a
cane. They walk with their arms
slightly extended and performing the
office of balance pole, and with the
pelvis thrown back and the breast
slightly forward they seem to be en-
deavoring TO preserve their center OF
gravity. When their heels are close to-
gether the slightest push may upset
them.
A foot is so much the more appreci-
ated in proportion as it is smaller.
The Chinese woman is very modest
when it is question of her feet. A
traveller says he has several times at
tended mandarins' wives, who were
afflicted with foot troubles, and who
consented only with great hesitation
and blushing to allow themselves to
be examined. and even then they so ar
ranged themselves as to expose only
the ailing part.
It may not be generally known tha t
all Chinese women do rot have de-
formed feet. This mutilation is more
frequent in the south than in the
north and in cities than in the rural
districts.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
WESTERN WOMAN'S VILE.
How She Succeeds in Getting the
Most for Her Honey When
She Goes to MarLet,

It is not strange that dress has a
wonderful influence on The average
masculine heart. y pretty woman liy-
ing in the west always depends upon
getting the most for her money at the
corner grocery, according as she is
goWEed, says the Rochester Post Ex-
press. In the morning, perhaps, she
slides into the place sacred to the break
fast bacon, and the green stuff and eth
er edibes, rugged cut in a shirt waist
and plain skirt. The grocer adva nces to
wait upon her and is calm but c0urte-
Gus. There is no CLEAN of Joy in his
eye, no tendency TO give an ounce as
complimentary to the roast or steak.
He is firm in his staud over the price
Of his wares and makes no concessions.
Perhaps she finds she needs some
hing later On in the day and goes over
on her way down street shopping. She
wears hat trimmed with roses, an or
candle gown with roses all over it, and
= bewitching parasol which forms a
background for her face He melts,
slow!y as an iceberg. but all the same
e Uels. As he puts he fruit she buys
into basket he throws in several cx-
tra ones-he ignores her as she goes
around nibbling from one cracker box
or barrel and then TO the fruit stands
he WAKES playful, and finally hands her
a package of tulu.
But it is at night she sweeps out
jhe store. She comes around to leave
an order for the following morning,
nd this time she is melted and poured
| nto a wAite gown trimmed with lace
Inserting. The grocer comes to the
ioor and leans against it in a beautiful
gay as she tells what she wishes. he
picks up a stick of candy instead of a
aeucil to write the items down, while
glorious. sweet smile foods his face
I'd trickles over his chin. At that mo-
aert money is no object--what is he
IInning that store for save to oblige
bat lovely woman? He gazes wistfully
ifter her as she trips OF. and the next
day--he stares at the figure at which
he sold these goods last night and calls
himself business donkey with flap
ears.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
4 Duel of Rrankets.

A returned missionary from south
eastern Alaska tells in the Midland
Christian Advocate of a strange Gus
tom among the Indians of that region:
When a difference arises betW cen two
of them and a friendly settle ment
seems impossible one of them threat.
ems the other with dishonor. He will
cover the face of his fee with shame
He executes his threat by tearing up
a certain number CT his own blankets
The only way his antagonist can get
even with him is by tearing Up Il great
er number of his own. If the contest
is prolonged. it results in the destruc,
tion of all the blankets they have
each Indian destroying his own. The
ore who destroys the greater number
is regarded as having won the fight.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
COLORED OFFICERS.
Experiment in tlac Army Which Has
Been Successful BeyOnd Expec-
tatiOn of White Officers.

The experiment of colored lieuten-
ants for colored regiments is turning
out better than the army expected
Higher officers of these regiments
were doubtful OF the practical work
ires Of the plan at first. They have
found, however, that the relations be-
tween officers and men are in no way
complicated by the colored lieutcn
ants. They express themselves agree
ably disappointed says the ST, Louis
Clobe-Democrat. Several of these
white officers have communicated to
the war department their satisfaction
with the plan of organization. High
praise is given the colored recruits.
The enlistment was largely from the
classes Cf young colorcd men in the
south without any military expert
ence. ''These cOlOred sOldiers,' said
Mai. awks, of the Tenth volunteers,
are the most willing men I ever saw.
They put in more hours at drill than
white soldiers. They are enthusiastic
to learn. After our men have been at
the various drills all day they will
actually get out in the company
streets IN the evening and of their own
molten drill themselves for an hour
or an hour and a half before turning
in. | never saw recruits so anxious TO
learn as these colored men are. be-
lieve they will make most excellent
records in the field''
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
LAYERS OF ATMOSPHERE.
Ehere Are Three Distinct Currents of
Air Above the Earth's
Surface.

Prof. T. H. Bigelow, of the United
States weather service, presented a
paper before section 3 of the Amer
lean Association for the Advancement
of Science recently, outlining his in
vestigations of atmospheric condi-
tions. The first of these, entitled
The Structure of Cyclones and Anti
cyclones" is in truth the continuation
Of cne given last year at the Detroit
meeting Of the association. The paper
of last year outlined the mathematical
conditions; the present one gave some
of the results cf observation, SAYS the
Boston Transcript.
1t appears that in the atmosphere
there are practically three distinct
currents of air, the first lying a an ell
ovation Of from 800 TO $50 metres, the
second at from $500 to 4,OGO metres and
the upper one at from COCO to 5000
metres above the surface of the earth.
These are, to an extent, separate
currents, flowing each with its own ve-
locity. At the bottom of each Of the
layers the stratus clouds are formed,
and at the top of each of the layers oc-
cur the cumulus clouds. This sug-
gests that the stratus originate at
the bottom of a moving current and
the cumulus at the top. It is prob
able, then, that the stratus owe their
origin to the difference in velocity
and temperature of the two layers.
while the cumulus are formed by
ascending currents within the layer
of air.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
MANY WAR RELICS,
Interesting Mementoes Of the Spans
ish-AmeriCan Conflict,
Were Feature Of the War and Peace
Jubilee 1t NiEneap0Iis-Grim
and CHASTITY Reminders
Of Struggle:


The Minneapolis war and peace jubi-
lee was especially notable for the col
lection of relics of the Spanish-Ameri-
can war, which were gathered prin-
cipally in Washington and Philadel-
phia.
Relics of the destruction of Admiral
Cervera's feet at Santiago comprised
the most interesting portion of the
collection, although Dewey's victory
and the achievements of Skaters
army preliminary to the surrender of
Santiago were represented. The flag
which fiaunted from the masthead of
the famous battleship Oregon on it's
record breaking trip around the horn
and which went through smoke, shot
and shell in the naval battle at Santa
so. ard the Spanish ensign which was
lowered from the Cristobal Colon
when that vessel was surrendered to
Admiral Schley by Admiral Cervera
were two interesting relics.
Perhaps the most CHASTITY souvenir
of all was tie skull Of Spanish SOL
dicr bearing the mark Of the nnachete,
with which he was alain by one of Co
mez's insurgents. Gomez himself was
represented by Cuban whisky flask,
upon which his autograph appears, to-
| gether with the cOcoanut cup with
which he imbibed of the contents of
! the bottle, Another memento of war
was huge Spanish contact mine, re-
covered from the harbor Of Guam
tanamo by the marines of Camp Nc
Gala.
A most interesting portion of the
collection was conglomerat1on of
Spanish coins-gold and silver-found
melted together in the treasure chest
of the A!mirante Cquendo after the
destruction of Cervera's fleet. In the
which was picked up on the deck of the
Maria Teresa by one of SIMPSONS Off
GERS.
Dewey's victory was represented by
an eight-inch shell from the ad1niral's
flagship, the Olympia, which destroyed
the Spanish governors palace at Ca
vite at the battle of Manila, together
with some small bullets from Spanish
rarid-fre guns, which fell upon the
decks Of Dewey's vessel during the
conflict of May 1. These were secured
from the national museum.
! One relic, which illustrates more
fttingly than any other the vagaries
of the fortunes of war, was sword
which hung at the side of the paymas-
ter Of the Maine when that gallant
ship was sunk in the harbor of Havana.
It was 'ound on one of the vessels Of
Ccrvera's fleet and recognized by Com
mander Wainwright, hut how the
weapon, which was believed to be
buried in the mud of Havana harbor,
came into the possession Of the Span
iards, is mystery about which navy
officers profess to be in the dark,
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
LURE THE ALLIGATORS.
Hunters Initiate the Grants of the
Mother and 9,tract the
Young.

The alligator is said to be in such re-
quest that it is rapidly disappearing
from the settled parts of Florida, and
even becoming scarcer in such remote
regions as the Everglades. A constant
war is waged against it by the tax
idermists and the dealers in curiosi-
ties.
Awriterin Popular Science News says
that the young are frequently lured
from their lurking places by a poor
imitation Of the gFunts of the mother,
ard men expert in mimicry sometimes
capture large numbers in q day. The
little creatures respond promptly to
the calls, and pour cut of the cavities
in hot haste to see the caller.
The most expert "'gatcr callers
the writer ever knew were swamp
rangers, both white and black, who
were born and brought up within a
short distance Of an alligator swamp,
and knew every intonation of the
saurian's voice.
These men would make a matron
charge wildly across a broad stream
by initiating the frightened cries of
her young, or lure decrepit old bull
from his cave by initiating the grunts
of the female. They could. in fact,
delude both old and young. and often
earned good sums by their art.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
Her Prayer Perhaps Needed.

a siX-year-old girl has two big
brothers and she has been taught to
pray for them every night. Recently
the elder brother enlisted in the Third
Nebraska and the regiment started for
the front, That night the little girl
knelt by her bed and prayed for her
brothers as follows: and please take
care Of Brother Bert, who has gone to
fight the Spaniards and pleace take
care Of Brother Frank, who left home
early this evening to take in the mid
way" And the little girls mother ad-
mitted to herself that both boys need
er prayers.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
CHINA IS CERTAINLY SLOW.
When Two Cart Drivers Stop and
Argue Over the Right cf
Way fer Hours.

A very interesting letter in the New
York Evening Post tells US that the
roads of North China are in wretch
edly neglected condition. The trav-
eler's cart often disappears from
view, the roadway being worn far be-
low the level Of the adjoining fields. If
two carts chance ( Q meet in such de-
preston, hours may be consumed in
the angry alteration of the drivers,
each insisting that the other should
back out. "Halting by the roadside
one day" says the correspondent, ''to
eat cur midday luncheon, we were
met by an old man on foot, carrying
festoons Of paper money, which is
manufactured in immense quantities
20 burn at graves. Our missionary
friend, of a keen and Socratic mind,
engaged the rustic in conversation,
and soon had him admitting that there
was no wisdom in thus providing the
departed with spending money.
But he remarked, seriously, we all
10 it, Our friend resumed his argu-
ment, more to furnish us a study than
n hope of practical result, and soon
had his interlocutor laughing in
shrewd appreciation of the thrusta a.
his impractical procedure. 'Eut,' SAID
the old man, conclusively, we ha3e
always Gone it, and he trGdged en- to
accomplish Lis task. These two SEN
tences express with absolute fdeIity
the contradiction between the Prac-
teal temper of the Chinese and their
inveterate prejudice for the prescrip-
tions Of antiquity"
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
AUTCCRAT Of ANTICOSTI.
The FrenchmGn who Purchased the
Canadian Island Is Very
IncOnsiderate.

The sale of the island of Anticosti,
in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, to NJ.
Menier, the French chocolate king,
and the subsequent ACTORS OF that
gentleman and his agent in connection
with the island seem likely TO cause
trouble soon, says an exchange. Since
NJ. Menier got possession OF the prop
erty he has acted as if he were an
autocrat, and that the island has
passed from under the sovereignty CT
Great Britain. His agent in charge is
STYLED governor Of Antirosti," and
the manner in which the law is being
administered there against alleged
squatters on the island savors more
of medieval tyranny than of pro-
cedure under British law.
There arc number of alleged squat
ters at FCX bay, who have been there
for over two years. NJ. Menier found
them unsuitable as colonists: and de
cided to have them removed from the
island and demolish their homes. The
people refused to go. The proper
course for NJ. Menier to pursue under
British law was by action Of ejectment,
but he served q notice to quit merely
upon the people, and sent steam YES
sci with G squad Of government police
from Quebec to remove them. The
people prayed for a little time to
gather up their belongings, and it
was granted only on condition that
heads of families deliver up all arms
in their possession and sign away their
rights to remain on the island. 1t ap-
pears that the evicted people are
Protestarts. and considerable race
feeling has been aroused.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
TO EASE HIS ACHING HEART.
That Was the Reason why the Count
CT Turin Paid q Visit to
America.

According TO Evelyn" London
correspondent who reports European
gossip fer the Philadelphia Record,
the recent visit of the count of Turin,
sen Of the Italian king, o this coun-
try, and who has been SO entertained
by swell society here, was taken to
seek relief for an aching heart. In
fact, it is Romeo and Juliet over again.
1t is said, and authorita lively, that
the count, who is only two removes
from the throne CT Italy, IS deeply in
love wit h the daughter of Prince Rus
poll. She is all that heart Of man. or
necessities of royalty can demand. y
princess in her own right, her name
IS one of the nOblest and most ursul-
led in Europe, she is neither married
nor betroi he'd; nor does the king OBJ
iect, but the house CT Savoy, the king
cf Italy and their political adherents
are known as the "Whites;" the vat
lean party, the old Italian party of
which the pope is the political head,
is called the "Blacks;" between these
,wo there can be no friendliness, Po-
itical ror private. Prince Ruspoli,
ather CT the counts love, is most
upcompromising Black" For him
0 held communion with follower of
The house of Savoy would be consid-
cred treason. BLACKS" and whites"
dc not even visit each others houses.
case in point is the CoIornas. One
branch is fer the king, the other for
the church, and they are as estranged
as lifelong enemies.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
EGG TESTERS BECOME BLIND.
They Sit In Dark Room All Day Long
with no Light Dut Tall
low Candle.

Few people have any idea Of the care
taken to see that eggs reach the re-
tail market in good condition. Many
j citizen perhaps thinks his breakfast
egg comes straight from the farm
er to the grocer CT to the hotel keep
er. As a matter of fact, every whole
sale dealer in eggs has dark ROOM >
in which man sits all day passing
eggs between his eyes and the flame
of a tallow candle. This dark room is
usually in the cellar.
The cellar is itself dark, but the
corner ir which the 'candler2 sits is
curtained off with heavy canvas that
shuts out every ray ofsun!ight Around
The "candler" are great piles CT egg
crates. lie works so fast. taking up
three eggs at time, that almost con-
tinuous line Of eggs is passing before
his eyes in an unbroken chain. If
an egg is found to contain any dark
substance, indicating that it is not
fresh, it is laid aside and another one
placed in the crate, which is nearly
filled with ones that have already been
candled. An expert 'candler" will
handle in a day 25 crates of eggs, each
containing 80 dozen. For his labor he
receives $3.50 per day for actual days
employed The ''candler's" work is
such that ere long his eyesight gives
way and many Of them have become
blind.
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
PARASOL On A BAYOEET.
An Absurd Invention Which Was an
Outcome OF the War
with Spain,

"A grotesque Invention, which, how
ever, seems to me a good deal less alb
surd than it appears Oh its fact, was
called in the application Of 'bayonet
parasol.' AS its name would indicate
it is nothing more nor less than para
sol attached TO q sword bayonet. When
not in use il folds under the cun bar
rel and does not interfere in any way
with the sights. To be sure, such a
contrivance would be promptly
spurned as unsoldierly, yet dare say
our boys would have been glad enough
for few sunshades in South Cuba.
IAN application which came in
shortly before I was transferred from
the patent office to the war depart
meet was for revolver with Il case
in The handiAc0ntaining toothbrush
and 4 manicure set. Another inventor
who had al eye 10 the soldiers comfort
sent in tent which could be convert
cd into an easy chair between times.
II am inclined TO think" said Mr..
Foster. in response to question, that
the most valuable inventions along The
line Of engines Of war win oclne. after
hOstilities are over. from men in cur
regular army and navy. Both branches
Of the service contain many men Of
great mechanical genius, which has
been manifested on more than enc oc-
casion in the past. 70 Illustrate,
might cite the Zalinski dynamite gun,
invented by Capt. Zalinski; The Tiske
range-fnder, invented by Lieut.. Fiske,
and the inya lpabe Buzzacot oven. in
vented by private of the line. These
men are emincntIy practical, and they
have the great advantage Of knowing.
from actual experience, exactly what
is needed. ! certainly look for some
remarkable inventions from this
source, growing out of observation
during the war"
The Winslow mail., 1898-10-29
Curiy-Haired Jurors Are Disiiked.

1t is not generally known that there
is prejudice against curly-haired men
when it comes to choosing a jury to
try criminal eases. The prejudice,
when il is manifested, comes from the
defense. When asked to explain the
objection to curly-haired men prom
inent barrister recently said: when
was just starting my legal mentor
iaculcated that idea in me. He said
that curly-haired men had almost in
variably been the pampered darlings
of their parents, and in their youth
had been so used to having their own
way that they had come to believe
that everybody on earth was wrong
except themselves. In this way the
seeds OF opposition are sown. and when
;hey grow older they make 1t point
10 disagree with everybody ard every
hing. If everybody else on the jury
votes for acguittal, they vote for con-
viction as a matter of course. They
are as stubborn as the days are long.
A curly-haired man never gets On the
jury when / am defending man if 1
can see him in time, ,''-Pearson'a 5
Weekly.