davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
AStrange Tribe Of Southwest China

preme and alone over the entire coun-
try. The sun god. pleased with her
beauty and womanly traits, proposed
that she should return with him to
his home in the sun. She agreed,
provided her father should give his
consent. The old man was so infur-
lated at the request that he immedl-
ately seized his weapons and attacked
the youth, and would surely have kill
ed him but that a mysterious shaft
launched from the skies saved the lat
ter's life. The chiefs daughter and
the sun god were then married, and
the Mossos still hold to the belief that
they are descended from this superna-
tural union. Pride in their ancestry,
however, has no appreciable effect on
their own natures, for it would be a
manifest impossibility to imagine a
race of people more degraded.
Physically they are fine race, males
and females in few cases being under
six feet in height, and proportionately
we'll built and exceedingly strong and
muscular gained from their active
out-of door life and constant exposure
to hardship. Their color is light
brown, while in both sexes greasy
plaits of sun-scorched hair hang down
the back almost to the waist. sim
gular trait among them is a fascina-
ton, almost amounting to mania,
for personal adornment. The men are
tattooed from head to foot with gro
tesuue designs, which in many cases
obliterate all trace of the original col
or of the skin, while heavy iron rings
and metal ornaments are worn about
the ankles, wrists and neck by both
men and women.
Their Two Clans.
The Mossos are divided into two gen.
eral divisions, the mountain and viii
lage clans. The mountain Mossos take
up their abode in the high plateaus
avoiding all contact with the lowland-
ers, and making war upon them when
prompted by hunger. Owing to theil
generally improvident natures and
the sterility of the country In which
they are domiciled, disastrous famines
are Of frequent occurrence. In meas
ure they seem to partake of the rugged
uncouthness of their surroundings
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
One of the Most BarbarOus
Tribes of the Far East.
Their Customs and
Ways of Living.

the weird and ghostlike sounds pro-
ceeded from several hungry and lusty-
lunged infants. Then the solemn still
ness was broken by our hearty laugh
ter, while the Kiangsis, as If to make
amends for their credulous fears, made
the woods ring with their forced guf-
flaws. The Mossos, we eventually
learned, as is common practice with
many tropical tribes, place their chill
dren in skin cradles and hang these
from the trees in forests near to their
village, for two reasons; the first, from
a belief that they will be instructed by
the deities, and, secondly, that their
full existence may not be endangered
by the abominable filth and squalor OF
the settled regions. Several times in
the day they are visited by their moth
ers, who provide them with food and
remain with them at night, and in the
forest home the child stays until it is
three or four years old, and has grown
strong and healthy enough to stand
the rigors of hardship and disease.
Reached the Village.
With these2 unmistakable evidences
of the country being populated, we
pushed on for half an hour longer,
when curls of smoke issued from
among a mass of vine-clad rocks, and
| in response to our shouts several dusky
heads peered at us curiously through
| the dense underbrush, then suddenly
disappeared, and in moment more we
were the center of a group of the most
repulsive and wild human creatures
that one could imagine. In spite of
our most friendly endeavors they
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10

worshiped, to whom sacrifices Of meat
and grain and made several times
year. These perennially hungry spir
it's are likewise consulted on every
question touching the general veal and
woe, the Intermediates to their favor
fanatical nature, who wander through
the country much like the dervishes of
India practicing the most horrible
self-torture. Outside their religious
offices they have little hold upon the
people, whose stunted intelligence
seems incapable of recognizing any
government or official restraint that
will interfere with the personal rights
and desires of the individual.
Few Ceremonial Rights.
Unlike most savage races, they have
few ceremonial rites or curious GUS
toms. Marriage is settled by buying
the girl from her father, while in the
case of birth or death there is no ac
companying ceremony; in fact, they
seem possessed of no higher order or
intelligence than that Of simply ex-
listing. They have no idea Of time or
distance-no name for hours, days or
years. no amusements and without
even the faintest knowledge Of medi-
cine. When member of tribe con-
tracts a serious illness he is driven
from the village to which he belongs,
and is allowed to wander in the jun
gle, subsisting as he is able, until
death relieves his sufferings. 1t Is
not strange, therefore, that disease
causes frightful inroads, and unless
conditions change it seems probable
that few years will see their absolute
extinction.
The greatest obstacle to travel in
their country and an effort to learn
something concerning them is the abb
solute impossibility Of mastering their
language, which is confined more to
various signs with the fingers and
other parts of the body than express
sions in word of mouth, reducing the
traveller to the necessity Of mastering
the meaning Of innumerable signs,
grimaces and cultural sounds.
The weapons of the mountain and
lowland Mossos are rudely made bows
five or six feet long; their arrows are
hardened at one end by being covered
with a thin covering Of clay, drawn tc
fine point and baked in the fire, with
which they are far from skillful, the
animals which they secure for thell
subsistence being caught in huge pit
falls dug in the jungle, and which ar'
constant menaces to the traveller wht
seeks to pass through their country.
Owing to their lack Of knowledge o
the most minor character concerning
their country it is impossible to esti
mate their exact number, but it i
probably in the neighborhood OF 800
or 6,000.
WILLIAM JAMESON REID.
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10

seemed to misinterpret our intentions
until we had conquered their morose-
ness by small presents to those who
seemed to be the head men. With the
ice broken we found that in spite OF
their uncouth natures they were kind
and hospitable, and we had soon form
ed with them pact Of good will. The
spectacle of gazing upon white men
was doubtless an innovation to which
they had never been treated, for,
crowding round with inquisitive stares,
they sought to quench their ungov-
ernable curiosity as to whether we
were inhabitants Of another world by
feeling Of our hands and sticking their
greasy fingers in our faces, which in
teresting operation we bore with a
passive humility, seeing that no other
alternative offered ITSELF
For several- months following this
episode We travelled through the coun-
try Of the Mossos, and, prepared to
find them hostile to our advance, it
was an agreeable surprise to discover
that, although degraded and barbarous,
they were possessed Of kind and So
ciable spirit and entirely free from
those petty vices and ungovernable
hostility which We had been apprised
was the worst side of their nature.
Legends Of Their Origin.
Like most savage tribes, the Mossos
have numberless legends concerning
their origin. According to the general
belief, one of the numerous gods,
whose home is in the sun, while hunt
ing in space was thrown from his
horse and fell to the earth, where.
sorely wounded, he was discovered by
the daughter Of chief who ruled su-
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
AN AGENT OF WEALTH..

Professor Arthur T. Hadley Of Yale,
the new president Of the American
Economic association, is distinguish
ed teacher OF the science with which
the organization concerns itself For
some years he has been professor OF
economics at Yale, and his writings
upon that topic have been widely read.
His textbook, Economics" is one Of
the most useful volumes Of it's kind and
is held in high esteem. Professor Had
ley has a reputation as an economist
that Is not limited to the United States
and he is in every way fitted for the
post voted him by his fellows In the
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
Acstylene for Street Lighting.

The City Of Wabash. Ind, is soon
to be lighted by an acetylene gas
plant, now being installed by the Lo-
gansport and Wabash Valley Gas Com
pany, otherwise known as the DIETRICH
Syndicate, says the Railways Review.
The machinery and materials are now
on the ground and the city authorities
inform us that the street lights will
probably be in operation shortly. The
city has heretofore been lighted by ar
tificial gas, in the usual way, and the
substitution Of acetylene for street
lighting is an experiment which has
been but little tried
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
MOssos BEFORE THE WITCH TEMPLE.

they have no villages worthy of the
name, seeking shelter in rocks or caves
followed out of the mountain side or
in small huts constructed of interlac-
ing branches of trees and covered with
a plaster Of sun-dried mud. They cul-
tivate the soil little, but depend chiefly
upon the chase for greater part of
their food, in the choice of which they
are almost omniverous, rNthing being
too repulsive for their appetites. They
devour bats, snakes, mice, and even
worms, with indiscriminate relish
When desiring change of diet they
engage in marauding expeditions on
the lowland tribes, seize upon the
storehouses for grain, and having
gained as much plunder as possible,
return to their homes with the spoil,
where for weeks and months following
all other business is forsaken for the
enjoyments of prolonged and bestial
debauch.
The lowland Mossos, although re-
moved to an infinitely higher plane of
civilization than their mountain proto-
types, are as far below the scale of our
own Indians as the red men are infe-
rior to whites. Their villages consist
Of a number Of cone shaped huts con-
structed Of bamboo, gathered in cir
Gle around a more pretentious dwell
ing ct stone, the interstices being filled
with clay. This central building serves
as the abode of the chief of the village,
while an apartment Is reserved as a
temple, where the deities may be con-
suited and worshiped and other public
business disposed OF. There is no set
tied form Of worship, various gods liv-
ing in the sun. moon and stars are
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10

A glance over the map of China will
show triangular area in the south
western corner of the great province of
Yunnan, lying between the headwat-
ers of the Iekong and Irawaddy riv-
ers. For nearly century this region
has possessed q singular fascination
for explorers and ethnologists. 1t
might we'll be admired for the glorious
diversified prospects afforded by it's
tropical plains, even though it were
uninhabited, but it owes a great deal
of the power which it exercises over
the imagination to the fact that in it
dWells one of the strangest races OF
the world. Hundreds of travellers
have sought to penetrate its jealously
guarded natural barriers; few have
ever succeeded in the attempt, owing,
it is said, to the ungovernable hostili-
ty Of its inhabitants to outside intru-
sion. These strange beings are de-
scendants of the aborigines of Burmah
and northern Siam, and are called
Mossos which in the Yunnan dialect
means the unknown ones"
During my exploration in Central
Asia and Thibet the route of my jour-
ney for several hundred miles lay
through their country, presenting that
opportunity so eagerly sought by trav-
elers Of studying this strange race in
their home life. For several weeks
we had been toiling over rugged noun
tain sleeps and barren plateaus, when
poceeding still further toward the in
terror the almost Arctic coldness o1
the high attitudes gave way to a more
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
STUCK TO HIS ELBOW.
War Revenue Stamps Which Disappeared
but Turned Up.

but Turned Up.
"These war revenue stamps are GER
tainly an unmitigated nuisance" said
a New Orleans business man to a
Times-Democrat reporter, especially
the ones we are obliged to attach to
our kilograms. I don't care how fire.
Quentiy you use the wires in the course
of the day you are still as liable as
ever to forget to stamp the last mes
sage. A few nights ago l had occasion
to send telegram from my home, and
the servant came back in about an
hour to say that I'd neglected to put
on the stamp. l rushed him out to buy
few, and after good deal of trouble
he secured couple at a drug store
the only ones, l really believe, in the
whole neighborhood. BY that time l
concluded to rewrite the message, and
before doing so placed the stamps
carefully on the edge of my library
table. When I got the wording ar
ranged to suit me they had vanished
disappeared into space. I never
knew Of anything more mysterious. 1
was certain down to a fraction of an
inch where I had put the confounded
things. There was no breeze or cur
rent Of air to have carried them away,
and no time for them to be hidden by
accidental disorder. Yet they were
gone; that was undeniable, and we
searched and researched in vain. We
pried into all sorts of impossible hooks
and crannies. and at last gave up in
despair. l was tired out, grimy and
exasperated, and rather than go to any
further trouble concluded to wait un-
til next day before sending the tele-
gram. When l got down to the store
in the morning l pulled off my coat,
and the first thing I saw was the two
stamps sticking to my sleeve at the
elbow. l suppose l must have touched
them accidentally while writing, and
they hung to the cloth like grim death.
Anyhow, / had had them right there.
literally at my elbow, all the while
we were making that search. l didn't
say anything, because / couldn't think
of anything that seemed to fit the case.
But telegraph stamps are a nuisance.
They ought to be abolished and some
thing substituted that involves less
sorrow and sweat and swearing"
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10

equable temperature, and we were
soon traversing a primeval jungle, in
habited by elephants, leopards, bears,
buffaloes and innumerable smaller an
imals, and with q teeming insect and
reptile life.
Ran Into q Nursery.
Our first meeting with the Mossos
presented many ludicrous features. We
were cutting our way through the al
most impenetrable canebrake, when
our ears were assailed with concourss
of squalls and yells which echoed
through the still jungle in weird, al
most supernatural tone. In this for
bidding wilderness we had not looked
for human habitations, SO hastily ar
ranging ourselves in position. we pre-
pared ourselves for what seemed an
inevitable hostile attack. Long and
anxiously we awaited the onslaught Of
our supposed hidden assailants, when
again the peace disturbing sound
echoed almost, it seemed, over our
very heads. Glancing upward, the
mystery was soon explained, for in
the lower branches Of the trees we
could descry numerous small bundles,
too large for an eyrie and too small
for windfall. Our Kiangsi escort,
with their superstitious natures reused
by these ghostlike sounds, visibly pal
ed beneath their dusky skins, and gaz-
ed furtively around in order to seek
means of escape from this enchanted
spot. Even Burton and ! were not a
little puzzled and awed, until, peering
more closely, we became aware Of the
fact that the disturbing elements
which had caused us so much concern
were caused by our having stumbled
vp0n an aboriginal nursery, and that
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
FRANK J. GOULD.

of the family has just bought sea.
on the exchange. The recent boom in
stock trading has made such privileges
highly valuable, and his membership
cost the young millionaire 100000, the
highest price recorded in more than
ten years. Unquestionably he can at
ford it. BY the terms of his fathers
will he was to come into control OF
his share OF the estate on attaining
his majority. He was 81 years old
Dec. S, and on the following day Rus
sell Sage, who had been trustee OF
this part of the fortune. rendered to
him an accounting Of his stewardship.
The details were not made public, but
as the amount originally was more
than $10,000.000, the youngest Gould
enters upon his career in finance with
solid backing. He Is a quiet, unassum-
ing young man, devoted to business
and fond of sport. Frank has been
under the guardianship Of his sister,
Miss Helen Gould, and lives with her
at Lyndhurst, near Irvington, N. Y.
He was educated at the Berkeley
school and New York university. To
prepare himself for the proper man
agement OF his fortune he has made
trips over the railroads controlled by
the Gould interests and has made his
business headquarters in the Offices of
the Missouri Pacific railway, in New
York. He is a great lover of dogs.
Recently he bought Presto and Laura
Jean, rough coated st. Bernards. for
his kennels. the reported price being
$1,000.
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10

come. He was educated at Georgetown
college.
1t was when Blaine called together
that notable assemblage from North,
South and Central America, known as
the International American congress,
that Ferguson first made his appear
ance as an official interpreter. Mr..
Blaire's right hand man on that par
ticular occasion was William E. Cur
eis, who, in looking around for trans
lators and interpreters, recalled that
young Ferguson had spent his early
life in a Spanish American country,
and was doubtless fitted for this par
ticular work. Ferguson undertook the
task, and he made his bow as official
interpreter by taking the memorable
speech of James G.. Blaine, greeting the
South and Central Americans, and
rendering it into Spanish. 1t was no
easy task, for Blaine spoke rapidly and
with that wealth Of figurative speech
which always marked his discourse.
But Ferguson did it not only rapidly
and we'll, but with felicity of express
sion, such nice shading of figures and
metaphors that it drew the enthusias-
tic applause of those Spanish auditors.
1t was such that when Blaine turned
from the reading he remarked to some
state department officials:
Il don't know whether that was my
triumph or Ferguson's."
At all events Ferguson made his
reputation then and there as an inter-
prefer, who could not only give the
letter of the speech, but could convey
it's spirit, even it's accent and its modu
lations by which the speaker sought to
impress one or the other feature upon
his hearers. Since then he has acted
as interpreter in many notable gath
erings. He is man of splendid ply
sique, six feet three inches in height,
broad shouldered and robust, weighing
probably $50 pounds.
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
WAS A WEIGHTY TASK
THE PART FERGUSON PLAYED
IN PEACE REGULATIONS.
He First Became Famous During the
Sessions of the Pan-American Congress
by Delivering Blaine's Great Speech In
Spanish.

Gable reports from Paris have had
much to say Of late of the splendid
work done by Mr.. Arthur w. Fergu-
son, attached to the American peace
commission as official Interpreter. He
Is the son of Col. Tom. Ferguson, who
distinguished himself in the Mexican
war, and at the close of that war To-
Gated in Mexico. 1t was there that Ar
thur Ferguson was born and received
early training amid the old Spanish
surroundings which fitted him for the
skillful Interpreter he has since be-
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
4 woman fixed Thanksgivlnk Day.

According to the Boston Transcript,
It was a woman who was the means
Of having definite day in the year set
apart for the national observance OF
Thanksgiving. Mrs. Sarah Josepha
Hale, Boston woman, and editor Of
the first woman's magazine published
in this country, worked for twenty
years to accomplish this end. Time did
not daunt her courage, but rather in
creased her insistence. She wrote to
governors of states and to presidents
of the United States. At last Presi-
dent Lincoln adopted her suggestion
in 1864, when there was reason to re-
joice over the success of the North in
restoring the union.
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10

association. He is the trainer Of
Yale's young debaters. and Is very pop
ular with the students. Among the
candidates prominently mentioned for
the presidency of the great school at
New Haven. Professor Hadley is one
OF the strongest and ablest.
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
A Consoling Thought.

The Bishop of Wakefield was once
consoling an east end costermonger
for the loss Of his little son. The poor
fellow was rocking to and fro in his
distress He suddenly looked at the
bishop, and with tears running down
his checks, said: Dye think | could
get the young beggar stuff'd? ?"-Lon'
don Daily News.
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
Britain's Homeless Wanuerers

Brttains Homeless Wanderers.
In Great Britain it has been reck,
oned that there are about 100000 alb.
solutely homeless wanderers" and
that 10000 OF those belong to Lon
don,
The Philipsburg mail., 1899-03-10
JAY COULD'S YOUNGEST CHILD

From the family Of Jay Gould the
New York stock exchange has received
its latest and one of its youngest re-
cruits. Frank l. Gould, the youngest
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-15
BITUMiNOUS COAL IS ALL GONE
Chicago Reports the Worst Famine IL
Twenty Years.

Chicago, Oct. 14-With not a pound OF
bituminious coat in any Of the yards or
on the decks in Chicago. the coal mer-
chants say they are facing the worst sit
uation they have experienced in twenty
years. This state of affairs is said to
be due 10 the scarcity of cans. coal min
ers' strikes and the appropriation by the
railroads 10 their own use OF any con
signment % coal that happens 10 be in
transit when they want it. Coal mer-
chants with a trade that demands 90 and
80 cars day have 10 content themselves
with % and 60 cars and under these con-
ditions their surplus supply has become
exhausted. The northwest is worse eff
than Chicago as. owing to the increase
sn traffic rates on lake vessels. little coal
has been conveyed to Wisconsin points
and the interior towns have To deperd
upon the ran transportation for fuel. The
same conditions prevail throughout Cen
trail Illinois and Iowa. while any relief
appears TO be very remote.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-15
Harrington. Kan. Aug. Il, 1854

To those whom IL may concern:
When I first went 10 Mr.. Petry I was
what you might call a walking skeleton.
I had some kind Of an abscess on my right
hip. The doctors said that the hip joint
was affected. and as they had performed
two operations on my hip thought they
ought 70 know.
Finally they gave me up to die, saying
that there were no hopes for my recovery.
II was then that I heard Of Mr.. Perry
and began treating with him at once.
and now after about six months of his
treatment find myself almost entirely
cured. Mr.. Perry not only had to con
tend with the aescess on ny hip. but sew
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-15
Cowles. -Neh- A-r.I Z 800

Cowles, Neb.. April Z 1929
Health Is the flower Of life" I have
been sufferer Of female trouble ever
since 7 was Is and am now q. Have
spent great deal for medicines. 7 have
doctored with doctors and took every
kind Of patent medicines and found no
relief until February. ISeS. when I began
70 take treatment from the wonderful
magnetic heaser. 2 W Petry. OF wfcbl-
IA Kan. When 7 began I was harsly
able 70 ride u his ofTlce. had nervous
chills and bloated 50 7 could not have uav-
clothes fastened suffered creates.
agony o. pain all the tine and felt as
tired when 7 got up IN the morning as I
did when retiring. and The first treatment
I felt relief and slept good ali night. 7
rode on pillows when went 70 b. treated
I have worn a supporter for nine years.
and now haven't worn Il for a year I
can do ny work easier ard do not SUI
fer much pain stiIl hope % gain. and
give Mr.. Pet-y the credit OF hefnz the
wonderful healer 70 Al dtsAsses. He +
kind end honest II his work II be cant
help ~ cure YOU he kindly tells ron 81
an a witness 70 Dr. Petry-s faithful
work and hope I can rsma3n 50. giving
ny kindness 70 All sufferers.
Truly yours.
AIRS. CHARLES HOWE