davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28
INVITED TO HER SUICIDE.
Chinese Woman Calls In Her Friend
to Witness Her Adieu.

Chinese Woman Calls In Her Friends
tn Witness Her Adieu.
Mr.. Medhurst, for many years British
:onsul at Shanghai, tells of a singular
card Of invitation" which, says the
Million, he once received in China. Il
was from lady. intimating her inten-
ton to commit suicide at a specified
date. She was very young and attrac.
tive, and belonged to a wealthy family:
but the Chinese gentleman to whom
she had been affianced from childhood,
having died just before the date fixed
upon for their nuptials, she gave out
that she deemed it her duty to render
her widowhood irrevocable by dying
with her betrothed. So she sent cards
around to the local gentry giving no
tice OF her purpose.
NO attempt was made by her rela.
tives or the local authorities to frus-
trate her design. though Mr.. Medhurst
appealed to the mandarins, the gen
eral opinion being that she was about
to perform meritorious act. Eventu.
ally, OH the day named, the woman did
deliberately sacrifice her life in the
presence OF thousands of spectators.
A stage was erected in the open fields,
with tented frame over it, from which
was suspended slip of scarlet creme.
One end OF this slip she fastened round
her neck, and then, embracing little
boy presented by one of the bystanders,
she mounted chair and resolutelv
jumped off, "her little clasped hands
saluting the assemblage as her body
twirled round with the tightening
cord" e
The woman was not hound.d nm hr
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28

ON the completion of the Siberian
railway the time table of trip around
the world will be reduced SO per cent.
At the present time y journey around
the world is reckoned as follows:
From New York to Southampton, 6
days; from Southampton to Brindisi.
via Paris, 81 days; from Brindisi to
Yokohama, through the Suez canal,
AZ days; from Yokohama to San Fran
cisco, 10 days; from San Francisco to
New York, A days; altogether, 66
days. When, however, the Siberian
railroad is completed, the journey, &C.
cording to Prince Chilkoff, can be
made as follows: From Bremen to
st. Petersburg by train, II days; from
st Petersburg to Vladivostok, 10 days ;
from Vladivostok to San Francisco, 10
days; from San Francisco to New
York, a days; from New York to
Bremen, 7 days; altogether, 80 days.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28
who owns America /?
Peoples Press, Albany.


Listen, dear reader, and we'll tell
you who owns part of it:
Viscount Scully, of England. owns
100000, acres in Illinois, Iowa and
Nebraska. An English syndicate
owns 5000, 900 acres in Texas, 10000.
600 acres in Florida and l,S00, 900 in
Mississippi. The British Land Com
pany owns 100000 acres in Kansas.
The Missouri Land Company owns
100000 acres in Missouri. Lord
Houghton owns 10000 acres in Flori-
da. Lord Dunraven owns $4,000 acres
in Colorado. The England Company
owns $4,000 acres in California and
$4,000 acres in Arkansas. Alex Grant
OWNS $4,000 acres in Kansas. An
English syndicate owns 10000 acres
in Wisconsin. Mr.. Elpenhauser, a
Jew, Of Halifax, owns 10000 acres in
West Virginia. Another syndicate
has 100000 acres in Florida. Fifty
million acres of railroad lands have
recently passed into the hands of for
eign owners. Various other smaller
holdings by foreign syndicates run the
grand total up to 73,220,OOO acres Of
farming and grazing lands, besides the
vast holdings of city real estate
Over 5000, OOO 900 worth of national
State, municipal and corporate bond.
are held abroad, on which we are re.
quired to pay in interest over 5000, 900,
600 in gold each year.
Now, we leave it to you, dear read
ers, who owns these United States?
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28
WARS DESOLATlON.
In Asuncion the Women Outnumber the Men
Seven to One

The old town presents half orlen-
tai half medieval appearance-its few
splendid palaces which belong to the
late dictators and their families and
favorites, sandwiched among huts Of
mud and cane, with bark roofs and
one window apiece. Palms, bananas,
passion flowers and other tropical
plants and blooms abound, but you
meet few people, and those are mostly
women. The grassy streets, according
to Paraguay correspondent, have a
sad, deserted look, constantly remind
ing one that the sons and husbands
and lovers and brothers persisted on
the battletields or died of starvation in
hiding, or rotted in prison, rs thou
sands did who were ignorant even Of
what they were accused, or were tor
tured and murdered by the three ty-
rants who ruled and ruined the coun-
try. Here women do the work that in
other parts of the world is monOpo-
liked by the stronger sex-such as
cleaning the streets, loading the ships,
driving the OK carts, cultivating the
fields, carrying on the markets, ETC.,
and it is said that during the long,
hard war, they made the best and
bravest soldiers. Naturally, where
men are in the proportion OF one to
seven, they are at a higher premium
than elsewhere, and in Paraguay they
are figuratively kept in cottonwood
by their admiring female relatives.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28
Washington Standard
The Much Abused Potato.
should auli acquaintance he forgot,
And nnArr hrnnrht to mimi

NM never brouEit 10 NH
The history Of the potato is hv no
means unintcrcsting. 1t has been
found in various soils, and the fruit
Was "curscd as being the ruin of Ire
land" where 1t is claimed Raleigh
first planted it on his estate near
Cork. Its introduction into England
l. said to he due to the wrecking of a
Vessel on the coast Of Lancashire, car
rying cargo OF the fruit that the
natives relished enough to propagate.
And to-day this far-seeing friend
proves its faithfulncss at the morning
Is we'll as at the evening meal, the
year round. New modes are con-
tinually being introduced for serving
other Vegetables, even the homely cab
bage, squash and onion are continually
being newly dressed, but only under
the skillful hands Of clever, super
yising mistress does the potato dish
disclose variety. One feels like crying
out against injustice when seeing po-
tatoes dry baked, masked into hard,
heavy mass, or boiled to q watery I'M
palatableness. In reality this vege-
table requires so little care to make it
palatable and very acceptable at all
seasons, and it adapts itself to fancy
dress most successfully.
But first let us see what our friend
presents in plain garb. Nature has
ordered that the skin of the potato be
OF a corky nature to retain the juices
and nourishing properties of the vege-
table. These are lost when this en-
velopc is removed. A chemical
analysis shows that the water in
which was boiled one pound of peeled
potatoes contained seventeen grains of
carbonate Of potash-all that nourish-
ment the Jacket" would have secured
to the vegetable. Again, analysis
shows peeled, boiled potato takes
three and one-half hours to digest,
while baked, or Boiled in the jacket,
potato, ordinarily digests in two hours.
1t has been we'll though not quite
clearly stated that the first point in
boiling a potato is to prevent the boil
ing of the potato, which translated
means that the potato in the jacket is
put over the fire in sufficient cold
water to cover the same. Season with
salt and simmer rather than boil un-
til soft and mealy without bursting
the skin, as the violent action of boil
ing will invariably do. When suffic-
iently done pour off the hot water, al
lowing the potatoes to remain in the
vessel, and place on the back of the
stove to steam. Try serving them in
folded napkin on platter instead of
covered dish. Again, if you want to
idealize the commonplace mashed po.
tato, boil it as above, remove the
jacket, and while piping hot, mash
and beat light as an egg, with hot
milk in which is melted good lump
of butter, and dish of salt. Beat at
least twenty minutes. Those unfortu-
mates accustomed to eating mashed
potatoes fattened in o dish, heavy
topped, will not recognize the fluffy
novelty.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28
Secret Of the Telephone Discovery.

S~'~' - wv '~'Sf''~'sS DsSy
Professor Alexander Graham Bell is
reported to have explained in a lee
ture how he came to invent the tele-
phone as follows:
"My father invented a symbol by
which deaf mutes could converse, and
finally / invented an apparatus by
which the vibrations of speech could
be seen, and it turned out to be a
telephone. 1t occurred to me to make
a machine that would enable one to
hear vibrations. I went to an aurist,
and he advised me to take the human
ear as my model. He supplied me
with dead mans ear, and with this
ear I experimental, and upon apply.
ing the apparatus found that the
dead mans ear wrote down the vibra.
tiOns.
IL arrived at the conclusion that if
I could make iron vibrate on a dead
mans ear l could make an instrument
more delicate which would cause
those vibrations to be heard and un
derstood. l thought if placed deli
cate piece of steel over an cleo trio
magnet I could get q vibration. and
thus the telephone was completed.
"The telephone arose from my at
tempts to teach the deaf to speak. 1t
arose from my knowledge, not OF cleo
tricity, but as teacher of the deaf
Had / been an electrician would not
have attempted it,"
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28
An Undemocratic Banquet.

The ten-dollar.a-plate Jeffersonian
day banquet of the Mckinley Aid So
ctety of New York is thing of the
past. It was notable for its vulgar os.
tentation OF wealth, its abundance of
champagne, the boisterousness of its
guests, and the lack of Democracy in
its speeches. The press dispatches
tell the story. The guests were evil
IDENTIFY attracted by the costly viands
and fine wines, for hardly a fourth of
those present remained to hear the
speeches, aud they conducted them
selves in such q noisy manner that the
orators could not make themselves
heard.
The speakers INDUCED in frequent
filings at Bryan, covert attacks ON the
platform of the Democratic party and
sneering illusions to one.dollar-a-
plate banqucts. 1t is true that they
urged harmony in the Democratic
party, but the only method suggested
of securing that harmony was that
Tammany be allowed to run the next
national convention.
The banquet was of character
which recalled the magnificent orgies
of the reign of Nero, rather than the
simplicity of the great commander
Jefferson. 1t was gathering of lead
ers, not of the great party of the PEG.
pie, but of the select party of the
money power. Bryan would not have
been at home there and again demon
strated his sound judgment by declin.
ing to attend.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28

WITHIN eight more centuries leap
year will have become relic of the
present time. By that time the extra
IL days lost to make up the changes
from the old Julian calendar to that
of the present day will all have been
duly accounted for, and the world will
run around in just 365 days, and no
more.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28

A NOVEL flower has been found at
the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. 1t has q
faculty of changing its colors during
the day. In the morning it is white,
when the sun is at its zenith it is red,
and at night it is blue. The red
white and blue flower grows on q tree
about the size of guava tree, and
only at noon does it give out any per.
fnme.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28

PARTY lines were drawn q little
more definitely for the next Presiden-
tial campaign by the Democrats of the
House of Representatives in caucus de-
claring their opposition to the perma-
nent holding of the Philippines. This
would appear to indicate the issue of
the next political fight.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28

MELBOURNE, which consisted of IL
huts and was known as Beargrass at
the time of Queen Victoria's accession,
is now classed as the seventh city of
the British empire, coming in after
London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Man
chester, Birmingham and Calcutta.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28

EVANGELIST Moody said lately !:
The gulf between the church and
the masses is growing deeper, wider
and darker every hour" This is .
startling admission. If true, it fur
nishes food for the best thought OF all
the churchmen.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28
BAKED BEANS EXPRESS TRAIN.
Il Brings Tons Of this Food to Exiled Boston.

It Brings Tons Of this Food to Exiled Boston.
ians.
Your true Bostonian who is forced
to exist in New York has little to COM
fort him in his exile. There is only
one solace to his cup OF bitterness, and
that is his Sunday morning breakfast.
And as he sits down complacently to
this one meal of all the week which
reminds him of home he offers up q
fervent prayer of thanksgiving for two
mercies. One is that he is still Bos-
tonian, and the other is for the baked
beans train.
The baked beans train comes rolling
into the Grand Central Depot in New
York every Sunday morning at about
6 o'clock. 1t comes in every other
morning, to be sure, but only on Sum
days does it possess any special signif-
icance. There is always an express
car attached, but on week days it is
filled with a miscellaneous cargo.
Not so on Sunday mornings. Then
there is q penetrating aroma, which
comes from stacks and stacks OF fresh
ly baked beans in pots. They are con-
signed to an enterprising purveyor in
New York, who covers a regular route
with number of delivery wagons.
Within two hours after the train
comes in the contents of the express
car have been distributed. The Sat-
urday night run out of Boston is
known among the train hands as the
baked beans run.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28

a frantic mob, as was the practice at
suttees in India, but immolation ap-
peared to be On entirely voluntary act.
Sacrifices of. this kind, according to
Mr.. Mcdhurst, arc not uncommon in
certain districts of China, and, strange
to say. they are rewarded with monu-
mcnts, sometimes erected by order of
the emperor.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28

TELL man that you have good
joke on him, and he is confirmed in
the opinion he has always entertained
that you have no sense.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28

WAR claims 100 years old have
been presented at Washington. 1t is
gratifying to find something that
never says die.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28

THERE is a cafe in Venice which
has never been closed night or day in
$50 years.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-04-28

In all times and among all people
beauty and love are associated. I've all
believe that Eve was beautiful.
Esther found favor because of her com.
The Somerset reporter., 1899-06-01
Somerset Cases.

Decisions have been received from the
Law court by N. w. Brainerd, clerk OF
courts, in the following Somerset cases
Andrew II. Bailey VS. John II. Mitch
ELL admr. exceptions overruled."
Helen A. Sanborn VS. Forrest Goodwin,
admr. Rescript This case has been
tried, once by commissioners and twice
by Jury. The last verdict was for So
rs 30 in favor of plaintiff and the de-
iendant moves to have the same set
aside Ms against the weight of evidence
and because it is excessive. 1t cannot
De said that the verdict is 40 manifestly
against the weight of evidence, more
having been added than at the former
trlal, as to require the court 20 overturn
IT, The amount of the verdic., however,
s larger than the evidence warrants,
larger than the plaintiff demanded when
she first made her claim, and therefore If
the plaintiff will remit all over 81, 500
within thirty days the motion IL over
ruled, otherwise sustained.
State of Maine VS. Robert W. Haines.
exceptions overruled for want of prose-
eution. Judgment for the State"
Daniel Titus VS. Manufacturing Invest.
ament Company. DISMISSED, settled
below
John p. SpooIer aplt. from Probate
court. Exceptions overruled."
The Somerset reporter., 1899-06-01

Reynoldsyille, Pa, May "a, 30.
Dear DR.. Conant:
Received outfit one week
ago and brother and myself have already
proved it's efficiency. We sleep like
kittens, free from pain and nervous
irritation. Have been with my brother
four weeks. The Drs. declared that he
might die at any time. Bro. had given
up all hopes of ever leaving his room.
Has been in ehlls and fever since last
Dec, continually loaded with quinine,
whiskey and strychnine, etc. He would
sweat ice water after each fever attack
Six days ago we gave him the first FUN
ing by leading him to the cabinet. He
was quite comfortable all day after first
bath He now feels quite joyful over
his Improvement. Has been down
stairs several times and took walk out
doors. The cold, cammy sweat is all
gone and feels so nice and warm instead
of deathly cold His cough is much
better. Anidrosis was never heard of
here before, but will be known soon at
this rate. Mrs. W. w. Elrick.
The Somerset reporter., 1899-06-01

planted this spring Fred Thompson
vas at this end OF the town last week
using his planter Mr Perry also has a
new one.
Mr. Laforest Reynolds @ilh his little
twin daughters and Miss May Holmes
we're the guests of MIR and Hfs Selden
Holmes, Saturday night and Sunday.
Miss Abbie Bickford vas d, home over
Sunday from Watergille
Raymond Biokford Was at hone, sur
day from Mt Vernon.
Master Otis Holmes has been quite
sick with a serious cold, is some better al
pre- sent.
Memorial day passed very quietly. No
public demonstration was made although
many graves were decorated By loving
hands. Comrade Benjamin Tracy placed
flags upon the different graves and in the
evening DR.. Dunn of Waterville delivered
an Grafton at the church. We wish our
town might see ft to appropriate sum,
even If only small one, .or the obser-
vance Of this day
The Somerset reporter., 1899-06-01

The semi-annual statement of State
Bank Examiner Timberlake has just been
issued covering the six months from
October 20, 1898, to April 20, 1899. A
gain of nearly 81, ,800,0 900 is shown in the
savings bank deposits. OF this amount
about 100000 comes from dividends
credited to depositors' accounts. The
gain thus shown in six months is nearly
half a million dollars in excess of the
total gain in the entire preceding year.
There is also shown gain in the period
covered by the statement of nearly half
amillon dollars in the deposits of the
trust and banking companies. The loan
and building associations show loss in
resources of about S21, 900 but this is
due to the retirement of shares.
One cause of this condition may be
the ease of the money market and the
low rate of interest money brings in gilt
edge securities.
The Somerset reporter., 1899-06-01
LOCAL MENTION

A..
t,n,, ,,',,,." '',',,''' iiD'e''.i-2a va. none
.''' - #.''as Il
o. H. '-f'h ieft Jue-5ay afternoon
r.,a.a - - A1'=afa Ard Mouse
81 ana ''f-. heary 4 Afgieton r.
'.' '''' 10 mn none ia Essgaf. Monday
- 10 y. ! i"seafl ana = IL lsft ha'ae
,"'' 'n''N'AR' On carriage drive =
'' mug ''n'
Mr'' 'ohh K. Wads~9fth and yong
''''1 are visiting Tor Tine With her
P''p'e w ''"r'ana.
A concrete wax il to b. lad On North
Ave from LeaYitt street North several
"uDu'e0 ise' oh 'he east siae.
frank b. Baker, clerk al the Maine
Hotel. Auhufn, Is visiting relatives IN
9Ao" hegau aad Brighton. thI- week.
John r. Mason Esq.. Of Bangor. ,ef-
cree in bankruptcy for the county Of
f'h'oscot vas IN town. Monday last.
Charles Dusty, who has charge Of =
crew Of painters at the samoset House.
Mouse Island. passed Sunday in town.
All persons indebted too II c..s..-
must settle within the n.y. te,. d.. =.
pay costs that will be Incurred By SET.
Ting with an attorney.
| The Aaron Parker farm os n. ,,.aa,.
road 10 Wateryille toer ,.3f.g ,.a.s
town. has been nnrcb...3 >. c.
Sampson and {. W. Dsv.
Dsrp,, ebor;r n a..
N... trr.Ia.d :. s.as' - = o.
The Somerset reporter., 1899-06-01
Memorial Day at North Anson

Last Sunday the exercises of this day
virtually began when Rev. j. c. Clancy
preached an able and appropriate SER
mon to good sized audience in the Nj
4. chapel. Tuesday was cloudy and
wet and there was for several hours in
dications of rain, but before noon the
clouds broke away and the sun began to
make its appearance. The observance
of the day was general throughout the
village. Private residences and bus-
ness places were alike decorated with
the red, white and blue. The most
noticeable residence, however, being
that of Mis-. Pauline Hutchins and W.
c. simmons. A beautiful large flag
was draped over the portco with small
flags on either side. Between the
entrances set stack of arms containing
a sword that went through the French
and Indian war, 1904, and the Revolu-
tion, ITS, and another sword OF the
1912, another sword and musket of the
war of 1851 and musket used on one of
the vessels in the United States navy
during the Spanish war in
Cuba. These arms were also decorated.
This collection is owned by Mrs.
Hutchins son, DR.. Hutchins of Water
Vile.
At 1.30 o'clock in the afternoon the
members of the post met at their hall
and formed in procession, led by the
village band. School children and
citizens helped make up the procession
that marched to the cemetery. There
were % veterans who took the decora
tions to the cemetery, where appropriate
exercises we're held, prayer being offer
ed by Rev. j. G. Clancy. The monu-
ment was tastefully and beautifully dec
Grated with evergreen wreaths, flowers
and flags. This work was done by Mrs
David Norton, who, with one exception
has performed this duty for Is years
At o'clock the F. B. Church was well
filled to listen to the address by Rev. A
:. Ladd of Augusta. The speaker held
his audience in the closest attention fol
40 minutes. 1t was able, appropriate
and well received. Prayer was offered
by Rev. F. T. Crane and music was
furnished by select quartette com
posed of Mr.. and Mrs. f. s. Parsons.
Miss Anna II. Moore and Eavland
Bailey, Miss Mary Porter accompanied
The Somerset reporter., 1899-06-01
Letter to Geo. B. Fairgrieves.
SkoWhegan, Me.


Dear Sir: James Aekley's house in
Carlo (Catskill Mountains), y. Y, a
conspicuous one in the midst of the vii
lage, was painted IA years ago with De
voc has not been painted since: and the
paint is in good condition to-day. He is
going to paint; but there's really no nee
essty of it.
Devoe has been sold in Cairo Is years.
Our agent is CASTOR Wynkoop. House.
owners there want Devoe, and painters
there paint Devoe. 1t would be hard
job to persuade a Cairo man to paint
lead and oil-of course painter prints
whatever his customer wants, even if
it's buttermilk.
Marian Van Hoesen, a Cairo painter,
has painted Davoe for 10 years. There
are two or three others; all for Devoe,
we are told-don't know their names.
l,'s the same wherever Devoe gets in
to town: 1t stays there and owns the
whole business.
Yours truly.
+. w. DEyoE & Go.