Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-02
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OF CURRENT INTEREST.
Christmas in Porto Rico was. as 1t Is in
Spain. a religious festival. rather than a
social one. but such have been the infiu-
ences of climate and mixed population that
it has lost something of its old character.
At midnight all the church chimes begin
to ring and continue for twenty-four hours.
ringing every fifteen minutes. II time
We're money, the Porto R;cans would all
be millionaires. Consequently. one chime
will begin ringing ten minutes too soon. one
at the right moment. and another ten
minutes too late, thereby filling the air
with a music that never seems to end. In
these circumstances the native is apt to
stay at home as much as possible There.
sitting in the inner court, or quadrangle.
the effect Of the bells becomes actually
pleasant. Sweetmeats Of every description
are plenty in every home. and the day Is
as much one for calling as our LIST of jan
uary used to be. The streets are crowded.
Every vehicle is In use, but the English
coach is not in evidence. In the mountain
districts the jibaros. who retain most OF
the old superstitions. hang over their door-
ways the boughs of certain trees, supposed
to possess peculiar charms. and often. on
Christmas day, perform their marriage
SCtC-LIOhAOo VI luCSc CdlOpACo VI 6ACtt-
The children are decorated about the wais.
and neck with wreaths Of wild flowers. but
the Christmas tree is unknown, and so. toe.
is the giving of presents.
"In the part of North Carolina 1 live in"
remarked a mar from that state recently.
1.-The finest bright tobacco in the United
States is produced. A large per cent of it
is shipped to Japan. China. England and
some to Australia. The Japanese only be-
gan buying of US within the last year or
two. They raise a native tobacco over there
which has no more flavor than oak leaves.
and is so immeasurably inferior to ours
that once they got hold of the American
product they voted it a good thing. and
have been importing it in increasingly large
quantities every year to the neglect OF the
home article. They use it for smoking. the
most of 1t going into cigarettes. Smart
little people. these Japs; they have caught
on in great style to the cigarette business.
using American machines and initiating
our boxes, and even the names OF our pop
ular brands. Tobacco growing in our Sec
ton as a profitable industry beats cotton
planting all hollow. and many of our farm
ers not only make a good living out OF
the fragrant weed. but acquire comfortable
bank accounts"
President George T. Angel. of the
AuucflCdu 11utudnc IOutdtiou SoS.SsN- -
out with a cure for the grip. 1T has been
shown" says Mr.. G.. T. A. that the cay
rying of a little sulphur in the clothing
has prevented yellow fever. cholera and
other diseases, and / therefore advise il
as a preventive of the grip. Sprinkle half
a teaspoonful of sulphur in each shoe or
stocking. In the London Lancet 1 dis
cover" he adds. that no less an author
ity than the president Of the Institute OF
Ey.-.v sh.E
the sulphurous vapor produced by the
combustion of coal in that city kills the
disease germs in the atmosphere Sulphur
is very cheap, and. whether 1t destroys
or keeps out germs of disease from the
body or only acts upon the imagination.
it annot do much harm to try H."
Down at Leesburg. Va. a maidstone
which is famous throughout that section.
and is said to have cured many cases Of
hydrophobia. was sold at auction. to wind
up an estate, for $50. The purchaser was
j. A Geiman. a prominent resident OF
Loudon county. Va. who has full faith
in its powers. 1t originally belonged to his
great-grandmother. and has been in the
family for 1l years. The stone Is about
seven-eighths of an inch long. five-s.ghths
of an inch wide. and one-quarter of al
inch thick. People in that neighborhood
tell remarkable stories Of its powers II
has been used hundreds of times, and they
claim it has never failed
So pressing will be the demand for young
officers of the army after the Passage OF
the Hull bill that the war department. has
decided to have the first class al Wes:
Point graduate on February Is several
months ahead of time. so hat their serv-
ices may be secured for the new regiments
which will shortly be organized This pre-
mature graduation will OF course neceS-
state 4 decided cutting IN the course
Instructions have BEEN sent to the COM
mandant ut West Point 10 rearranse The
course so that the more practical studies
can be completed in the brief time between
now and graduation
Senator Proctor. of Vermont. it Is said.
is the original Dewey man Proctor dis
covered Dewey several years ago when
he was occupying a subordinate position
in the navy department and by dint %
his personal influence succeeded in having
him made commander OF the Asiafic squad
ron. Dewey. like Proctor. IS = Vsrmoa:sr
and a Yankee of the old type So When
Dewey put the Spanish feet in Manila bay
out OF business Senator Proctor was Ihs
happiest man in the senate.
Senator Chandler and Senator THman.
the two fire eaters OF the senate. are
quite chummy. They can usually be found
81 the same table at luncheon. ard many
times during the session Senator Chandler
walks over to Senator TiilnaE'S seat and
they sit together. laughing and talking
The late Colonel Warnings home. i, New
pert. is called the "HypOthenGse.- because
IL is built across a corner l. Z a long
low house. the grounds surrounded With =
hedge of thick honeysGekle ard naSsu--
tium.
The use of fence wires CT thu AgStrlEl-
plains as telephone conducto-S / b~eonrns
general. and Tie farmers thus conr1-iy
communicate over distances % seven AID
a half TO twelve and = half uI.eA