davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
CHINESE SIMPLICITY.
Even tho Great Ii Hung chann Ms.
plays n Lack of Proper
Understanding.

The Chinese are said to be very much
like children in their thought and ac-
ton. The commerce OF one of their
principal rivers is greatly impeded by
q ledge of rocks, on which myriads Of
junks and other kinds OF vessels have
been wrecked or badly damaged during
the years OF many centuries. In fact
IT is almost impossible for any sort Of
vessel TO pass this obstruction without
being hurt in some way. Recently sev.
eral British men-of-war lay at anchor
for some weeks In the river and the
commanders offered to blow up the
rocks and create safe channel without
cost to the government il permission
were given. The matter was referred
to Ii Hung Chang, China's greatest
statesman, who. after mature delibera-
ton, declined the offer, on the ground
that II they took the rocks out of the
river 1t would deprive western China of
water and food the eastern part Of the
countryl This reminds US of the phi
losopher who opposed the building Of
the Nicaragua canal because he
claimed that the Pacific ocean was sew
cal feet higher than the Atlantic, and
that il the canal should be opened tho
western ocean would flow into the
eastern and produce another Noah's
Goodt
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
SERGEANT WAS VERY TIRED.
Did Not Have TINE 10 spel, ou. the
Full namo Of tho Chief
oe Police.

He was up before the trial board on
charge OF laziness. He was q desk
sergeant from west side police sta
ton and the charges and spedffcations
were that he was always exceedingly
tired. that he loafcd over his desk, and,
indeed. that ha was SO grievously, III
ficted with ennui that he would not
spell. out in full the longer words in
making reports of daily occurences to
che general superintendent of police, a
duty which fell to his lot asdeslr SER
geant. but was much given to the habit
OF abbreyiation. This. 1t seems. says
o Chicago exchange, 'had been q
constant source of worry and an
noyance to the captains in. command
OF the station. and whe n repeated warns
lngs were of no effect charges were pre-
ferred and he was brought before the
tribunal, composed of the chief and the
inspectors of police. The story of his
shortcomings and short spcllings was
told In detail and us clincher dis cap
tain said:
"IVhy, chief, this man is so lazy that
when he makes out q report instead of
addressing 1t to Joseph Kipley, Gener-
al Superintendent he writes Jos Kip,
Gen Supe.' II he came to the word 'phil-
anthropy' in report hewould make II
phil and you couldn't tell whether II
was philanthropy or Phil DAILY,
On this arraignment, II is needless to
say, the sergeant was found guilty and
promptly disciplined.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
Climate and Crop Bulletin.
For the Week Ending
Monday Aug. 81.

Dss Moines, Iowa, August %,
l899.-Typlcal August weather
prevailed during the past week,
with conditions favorable for COM
pletiDg harvest work, and for the
rapid advancement of the corn
crop The Lot and dry weather
was followed at the close of the
week by cool wave, that brought
refreshing showers in numerous
localities, the northern and
central districts receiving the
larger amounts of rainfall.
The conditions were especially
favorable for maturing early
planted corn, that has made q
rank growth and needs no more
moisture than is contained in the
soil and stalks The late planted
corn, however, would be benefited
by more copious rainfall and may
suffer material damage by con-
tinued drouth and hot winds.
Excellent progress has been
made in threshing and securing
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
MATCHMAKING IN JAPAN.
The Sakoda, or Midwoman, often
Employod to Awaken the Ten-
der Paashuu

There exists In Japan, among some Of
the classes, u certain custom of hiring q
midwoman, nakoda, or professional
matchmaker, in order to make IN en-
gagement between couple, writes
Onoto Watanna in the April Ladies'
Home Journal. 1t often happens that
family will desire an alliance with an
other family with whom they are not
Intimately acquainted. Then are the
services Of the professional match
maker invaluable. To be successful in
such a profession one must never be
known US such to the family she de-
sires to court. Very often nakodas and
midwomen follow this profession for
years and yet are not known as such
save to those who have employed them.
Most of the matchmakers are very hon
est, and 1t is their duty to discover all
the good and bad points Of the couple
nnd point them out to the parents; they
give good advice and do everything pos
sible to promote the happiness Of the
pair. They travel back and forth to the
homes of the young people, who are
entirely ignorant 81 their motive. car
rying compliments and presents and
trying in q delicate manner to work on
their sentiment.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
FRAUDULENT cuR1os,
a Bono Eide Collection ., A,vn.-
scrtption La Now Hard to
Obtain

The hunter of curios needs careful
training ii he is to build up bona fide
collection. This Is not SO easy as IL
seems, for the imitation of curios has
been brought to an art of itself. There
are certain factories In Europe in which
all Kinds of works of art that are likely
TO interest the collector are inanufac-
tured. The stamping of China with old
marks, the treating of arms and armor
with acids to make them look ansient,
the staining of carved worries with oil
to make them yellow, and their SUBJ
lection to heat to make them crack. are
all 80 cleverly done as often to deceive
the expert. The man who is engaged
to drill holes in imitation of worm
holes In pieces of furniture is almost
IN artist, and in Hungary there is a fac
tory where fairly passable imitation
OF Dresden china is made. Science has
been enlisted to carry out one of the
most profitable branches of this taking
OF curios. There has lately been dis
covered disease which eats away
bronze and gives 1t an appearance Of
antiquity. All old metallic objects in
which copper and certain alloys has
been used, ore liable to be attacked by
this corroding affection. Skilled fab
ricators of antiquities are known to in
oculate their reproductions with spots
of bronze'disease. Many amateurs have
On idea that they may pickup price,
less work Of art or c,lrio for a mere
song, and they look in at out-of-the-way
auction rooms for that purpose. This
Is the chance for the forgers, and in the
majority of cases they land their game.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
climat. Of santiago Province.

Joseph E. Chamberlain, of the Bos-
ton Transcript, who went through the
Santiago campaign, writes: 1T can
truly be said for the deadly Cuban cli-
mate which we made deadly by the
way We lived in 1t, that all troubles of
the respiratory organs-asthmas, ca
tarrhs, colds. bronchitises, and that
sort of thing-disappeared into the
thin, sweet, sea-gwept air Of the San
tiago mountain province as soon as we
got there. There were some of us who
felt as If we had never breathed q per-
fectly free breath before we climbed
those green hills, asyet unpolluted by
war. l wonder where else men who
had been for years taking colds at the
slightest provocation could have slept
one cold night after another on damp
ground and In clothes and boots sat
urated by rainstorms and by the ford.
ing of rivers. and never have taken
cold at all? As to malaria. think 1t
II capable Of proof that there ismore
OF 1t in eastern Massachusetts, than
there Is in Santiago province"
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
EXCESSIVE PoL1TENEss
Trait of Dresden People which some
times Makes Them Appear
Ridiculous,

The people OF Dresden are very po.
lite, 90 over-polite that they not infre-
quently bring down ridicule upon them.
selves. It used to be told in that city
that a stranger was one day crossing
the great bridge that spans the Elbe
and asked native to direct him to a
certain church which he wished to find
Really, my dear SIR" said the Dres
dener. bowling low. II grieve greatly to
say 1t, but I cannot tell you"
The stranger passed on, little sur.
prised at this voluble answer to sim.
pie question. He had proceeded but
4 short distance when he heard hur.
ried footsteps behind him, and, turning
round, saw the same man running to
catch up with him.
In moment his pursuer was by his
dde, his breath nearly gone, but
enough left to say, hurriedly: my dear
or. you asked me how you could find
the church, and 1t pained me to have
to say that did not know. just now
! met my brother, but l grieve to say
that he did not know either"
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24

Mrs. e. n. Danielson has just le-
turned from California, bringing with
her three large lemons, grown upon
one stem and weighing four and one
qnarte' pounds. Mira 90
picked the lemon. from !
osa,lt.iul shade tree, at the home Of
Mrs. Anna s. Pierce in Pasadena ~.
eanheetlon With the National Educa-
s.onal association great success
The hospitality of the Californjans is
beyond recording and the kindness of
Ehe people, together with fruits and
Towers, will live as ono long, vanished
dream until the n L. A. is again
favored with trip to q veritable
Garden of Eden,
India. California. August, 10, '99.-
Editor TIMEs:-You will see by tie
inclosed local taken from the Lincoln
State Journal of August 9th, Mrs.
Eva r. Daniels speaking of our part
Of the world. and .;.s: ;r x; sne il too. and
Lnr mead gardener of this garden Of
Esden lives in Pasadena. his chief
hnstness just now is to rake in the
locaAe and everything else that pertains
to first class newspaper, the Pasa-
dena Star. Mr.. Gardener IS one of the
good editors that ought to 60 to
heaven: he does not 90 whining
around like that other gardener we
read Rbout, Old Adam. putting all the
hlama on the woman when any
thing goes wrong, respectfully ,yones
ANNA s. PIERCE.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
FIRST HoRsELEss CARRIAGE.
Motor One Hundred Mid FIFTY
Years Ago.

If further proof were needed Of the
dictum that "there is no new thing un-
der the sun" it has been supplied by an
article in the Revue Scientiique, which
traces the invention of the autocar to
the ingenious mechanician, Vaucanson,
just $50 years ago. In memorandum
recently brought to light, it is record
ed that Vaucanson was honored in 174s
by visit from Louis XIV. for the purpose
of inspecting marvellous carriage that
ran without the aid Of horse or any
visible means of propulsion. Two per
ions took their seats in the vehicle,
which seems to have been us gorgeous
rs a sheriff's carriage. and were driven
round the courtyard to the satisfaction
OF his majesty and Of Due de Mortemart,
ID. de Lauzun, M. d'Avezac, and other
members OF his suite. But, though .
promise was secured of royal patron
Age. the Academy of Sciences declared
that such conveyance could not be
tolerated in the streets, and the heme
was nipped In the bud. The motive
power was supplied by huge clock
spring, 30 that only short Journey
was possible. but the gear seems to
have closely resembled that OF the
horseless carriages Of to-day.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
HOW BALLOONS ARE MADE.
EAe Fabric Of which They Are Com
posed IL Put Together with
Great Care.

The balloons are manufactured Of
eoldbeAter's skin, which, though small
toy ones had been made of it, could not
be produced in sufficient quantities for
the large balloons until Col. Templer
invented and perfected the process,
which is briefly as follows, says the Pail
Mall Magazines:
The goldbeater's skin is made up Of
quantities OF certain thin animal
membrane 10000 Of these are required
for balloon Of 10000 cubic feet capac-
ity), which is first freed from all fatty
substances and than soaked in solu-
ton Of glycerin and water. They are
then applied to boards cut in the form
and to the size OF the gore OF the ball
loon required, others are then super
posed. until thickness of four layers
has been resebed. great care being
taken that no air bubbles remain be-
tween tho skins. After this fourth
layer method Of strengthening is re-
sorsed TO, in the shape of net manu-
featured Of sAin. After this net two or
three more layers of membranes are APP
Piled. The whole IL then allowed to dry,
and solution Of boiled linseed oil is
used as q varnIsh. The fabric is then
quite indissoluble, aud TIE membranes
cannot by any possible neans be sep
srated from one another, but some
times, to render this hosaogenity the
more perfect, . solution OF bichromate
sf potash is sponged over the fabric.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
AN AMUSING LEGEND
One That IL Related os j. s.,,...,.-
In the Adirondack.-May
Not BE Buil4.

A sanitarium for rconsumptives in the
Adirondacks, which is now q we'll
known institution, is almost m we'll
provided with legends as patrons says
the New York Commercial Adveruser.
The best OF these legends is that they
are true. The hospital, which is scieu-
titically equipped in every partic&iar.
although in the wilderness, was bnilt
through the untiring efforts Of the Iis.
ters OF mercy, who went about pleading
the cause of the poor who died because
the expensive hotels and sanitariume Of
the big woods" were beyond their
means.
After months of praying and begging
and working, the land was secured
PaufSmith'sgift) and sufficient money
on hand to begin building. Then It was
discovered that in order to have water
from the lake expensive engineering
would be necessary. Some one sug-
gested digging Tor wells, and some one
else devised way Of conveying the
water to the top Of the hill, where the
sanitarium is perched, which would. not
be costly. The only objection. ~.
scheme was the do',.. x..pe.i :. ~ sn,. :.
would -~oV as 10 "hetner ~
oe practical. The workmen
worked and the builders argued and the
sisters prayed. They made the water
and their hope of inducing 1t to run up
hill subject Of special petitions.
They promised the blessed virgin to
build shrine on the mountain II she
would intercede for them. Just how
the. engineers settled 1t is not in the
province Of this column, but. they did.
And the shrine was built on the crest
Of one Of the loveliest "hills" of tho
range overlooking the sapphire lake
and sanitarium.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
THE GERM HUNTERS
Homes ana Factories Rendered safe.
from Disease by Their
Efforts.

II is recognized fact that the re-
searches of NJ. Pasteur have saved
many millions Of francs to the French
people by showing them how to guard
against the. pests of their herds, fields
and vineyards, besides reducing to a
remarkable extent the mortality III
their hospitals, and both the medical
practice and the hygienic habits of all
civilized nations are sharing these ben
efits, says Youths Companion.
The courses Of biology in our col
leges now include some knowledge of
bacteriology, and there are special pro-
visions for students ho wish to follow
up this fruitfulAb Abranch in the labora-
tories Happily for all the people, the
results OF such inquiries become a
part OF common knowledge, even while
sne processes are still among thsmys
teries Of science. -. =, 80;
Thousands Of. homes and factories
are safer from disease-proaaeing
because of the spread of kind of
knowledge which is quite superficial.
The farmer sprinkles paris green over
his potato vines; the houselkeeper buys
OF the druggist bottle of carbolic
acid. or some better disinfectapt; the
nurse, under the oversight of the ply
ncian, treats the diphtheritio patient
with antitoxin; and in each case they
only need to understand. that these sub
stances destroy parasitic life. Per-
haps the few wise ones, who know at
what cost the fruits Of science and art
are brought within common reach,
may have their own quiet chuckle at
the complacent claim Of popular In
tellipeuce."
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
ELECTRIC rHAw1Ne.
An Invention That i. Much in De.
mand Among the Mines OF
the Klondike.

Miners who have returned from the
Klondike say that in that region, as in
others where the winter temperature
runs down to we'll Below zero, the bug
bear Of the miner - the frozen soil In
which he has to work. Under the In
4uence OF tRe frost the ground turns
% hard a. fock for several feet down,
and until this obdurate stratum Is cut
through mining operations are at a
etandstili. The way in which the soil
" softened hos. so far, been to build
9 bonfire, and simply thaw things out.
Ibis however, besides being tedious,
Is . great waste Of heat, IS per cent.
OF which aa lost In the atmosphere. A
patent for thawin9 the ground electric
ally has just been sold for large sum.
The invention Is intended to be used
for winter mining in countries where
the cold Is severe. specially!tonstruct-
ed dynamos and electrodes are placed
against the walls Of the shaft, with a
space OF from live to six feet of ground
interveningt to that when the current
1s .s{f9sd On Il has to croSs the face OF
this space to complete the circuit Al
the ground contained therein forms
. resistance to the motion Of the cleo
trictty, heat is generated. and the
ground is thawed. The heat thus gem
Grated can be so controlled that 1t can
be applied In any manner that viii
utilize it's full force and effect. By the
old bonfire system IL took "a hours to
freeze out foot Of soil; by the elec-
trical system 1t Is claimed that it is
possible to,tAaw out the same depth Of
frozen eafth in;one hour, or "a Tee. per
day.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
LONGEST KNOWN.
The Lengthy Sentence That we.
Pronounced Upon an Itnl.
ian Swindler.

The tribunal of Modica, in the Sicilian
province of Syracuse, has just pro-
nounced sentence which is declared
to have no parallel in the judicial an-
nails of Italy, as 1t has probably few in
those of any other country. A man
named Lupo Salvatore, of Comiso, had
passed himself off as ON advocate. and
had with consummate skill committed
SO different acts of serious fraud in
which he succeeded in using the ma
chinery OF the law. He had forged the
signatures of the president and Judges
OF the high court, of the kings procur-
ator, and of the chancellor Of the court.
From this aforementioned official he had
even, with splendid nudacity stolen for
short time the seal of the chancery,
which he needed to give effect to his
fraudulent documents. The sentence is
even more remarkable than the crimes.
Salvatore was condemned to three
years imprisonment on each of the SO
cases, which brings the total of the sem
tence to ls9 years, though the longest
incarceration which the convict can be
legally made to undergo is 80 years.
The penalty inflicted is in each case the
minimum for the offense. Had the
eourtdecidedupon the maximum, which
is tensyears, the aggregate term of im-
prfsonment would have been 63o years.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
A J.pane.e Glrl,. wedding.

Marriage in Japan is only civil con-
tract, and not in any way religious
ono, writes Onoto Watanna In Ladies'
Home Journal tits protected by law
and social obligations. The church and
state do not concern themselves at all
In marital affairs. The chief peculiar
ity about the ceremony Is the exchang-
Ing of cups Of sake Ia liquiD nine
times; three times the bride, three
times the groom, three times the mid
woman who works between the pair in
making the engagement. Toward the
end of the ceremony singer sings q
song called "ralasago," which narrates
tho loving and happy life of an old
couple. Thus the ceremony closes, tho
last notes of the singers beautiful mel
ody remaining in the air, charming all.
The last stage of girl life is over.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
!. Santiago Amcricanizcd.

,dsprge Kennan tells in the Outlook
how Santiago is becoming American
izcd.i Aii1eric;in hotels and restaurante
beafing such names as the "Luttrell
house" the Omitted States hotel,v tho
1Awerican and French lotel,' the "A1t-
zopa, pa, salooh," the California saloon"
!40insydl and the '"Chicago restaurant" are now
TO. be: found in all parts of the city; and
the .proPrietors even of Cuban and
Spanish cafes invite American PATRON
age by means of rudely painted sign
boards setting forth in quaint English
the merits of the food, drink or enter
-tainment to be found therein. Among
= such signs that he noted in the course
"of days walk about the city were:
s'' Sweet Meals"
"Everything is here for SAIL"
"Hot lunches at oil houres."
Customers treated kindly and
quinky.."
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
LINCOLN woH SUCCESS.
Interesting story Of one Of Hi, E.r,y
Victories at the Bar In
springAeld.

A suit was brought in the United
States court in Springfield, against q
citizen, for an infringement of patent
right. says Thomas Lewis Recollec-
tions OF Lincoln in Leslie's Weekly.
Mr.. Lincoln was employed to defend It.
Mr. Lincoln went to the most sllillful
architect in the city, inquired how he
spent his winter evenings, and received
the reply: "lf times are brisk some
times work; other times I have no
special business" Mr.. Lincoln said:
Il have patent-right case in court;
l want you as partner, and will divide
fees. l know nothing about mechan-
ics-never made ii study. want you
to make list of the best works on
mechanism, as don't suppose they can
be purchased here. will furnish the
money, and you can send to Chicago
or New York for them. l want YOU
to come to my house one night each
week and give me instruction" In
short time be had witnesses to meet
him, and they were thoroughly drilled.
When the trial commenced Mr.. Lincoln
put his questions at the cgoss-examinae
Hons 80 scientifically that many Wit
nessea were bothered to reply. When
his witnesses were put on the stand,
80 skilfful were his questions thst a.
court, tAe Jury aud th- - ;. me
...e Lincoln knew so much
about mechanism. His witnesses could
reply promptly. lie gained the suit
and reputation such that Mr.. Lin
coin was retained in every patent-right
case brought into the court up to the
time he was sent to Washington. He
went to Chicago, st. Louis, Iowa, Ohio,
Kentucky and Michigan to try patent
right cases, and the last year of his
practice did little else.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-24
Good Railroad Men
Demand.

Omaha Bee: The services of
practicle, reliable railroad men
were never before in such demand
as they are at the present time,
and railroad managers agree that
fewer railroad men are idle now
than at any time in late years.
Wages,r re also better than they
have been for many years and the
prosperity which is being enjoyed
by all Of the big railroad systems
is shared by the employees.
Nearly every road in the western
country ID keeping it's men
STEADILY at work and new sched-
ules have goue into effect recently
with the several railroad orders
the engineers, firemen, conductors,
and brakemen-because of the
increased size of rolling stock,
such as furniture, grain and coal
cars.
In speaking of this improved
condition of affairs railroad man
said: wages are certainly
higher than they have ever been
in recent years. Engineers are
now earning about SIS a month
more than they used to, and it is
a Door month when their pay
checks do not reach from $l85 to
$3.50 per month. The same in
crease is about proportional with
the firemen, conductors and
brakemen aud the working rail-
road men seem to be generally
satisfied with the present condi-
tion. There has been tendency
of increase along all lines; even
the section men are paid better
for a days labor now than they
formerly were."