davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10
SAILING BABIES.
Custom Which Sometimes Is Fatal to
the Infants.

Custom Which Sometimes Is Fatal to
the Infants.
Sailing" newly born infants, prac-
tice that dates far back to Biblical
times, still obtains in many parts OF
the old world, says the st. Louis Post
Dispatch. The Armenians in the Rus
sian government of Eriwan cover the
whole surface of the babes body with
fine salt, especial care being taken with
the interstices between the fingers and
all depressions, such as the armpit and
the bend of the knee, so that no point
shall remain unsalted. The unhappy
infant is left in the salt for three hours
or longer and is then bathed in warm
water The Armenians Of some dis
tricts, having abandoned the practice,
are called "unsalted," and are despised
by the others. The modern Greeks
also sprinkle their babes with salt. II
an enlightened mother protests, the
midwife is ready with the objections:
But If it isn't sailed 1t will be puny
and never will amount to anything"
II this sailing process is carried to ex-
cess, the poor babes don't stand 1t at
all. The skin becomes as red as fire,
the irritation is intolerable, and the
child dies in commissions. Yet there
is a mountain tribe in Asia Minor that
mercilessly salts its newborn babes
for twenty-four hours, which shows
that the limits of human endurance
are wide in some cases. This ancient
custom Is still in vogue in many parts
of Germany, but the rites are merely
symbolical. In one district little salt
is rubbed behind the child's ears, in
others a pinch Of salt is put on the
tongue or little paper of salt is in
serted under the garment. 1t gives I'M
derstanding, the people say, and wards
off evil spirits. The action of salt in
keeping meat sound, no doubt, is the
reason that this strengthening and sus-
tanning power was ascribed to 1t.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10
THE PORT OF BOTTLES.

a Dead Spot In the Caribbean Sea That
No Floating Flask Can Get Away From.
"There is a dead spot in the Carib-
| bean sea-" said the first officer of a
Brazilian ship chatting at the custom
house the other day, that ought to be
called the port of bottles. 1t lies very
nearly midway between Cartagena, in
Colombia, and Kingston, Jamaica, and
at a guess l should say it was due east
of Cape Gracias a Dios. 1t is out of
the steamer tracks, and the action Of
the great currents going one way and
another has left a space of stagnant
water without any real movement at
all. Anything that gets into the dead
spot is apt to stay there unless driven
out by some big storm, and will simply
drift round and round, gathering sea-
grass and baTnacles. The last time
saw the place was in 1895, when l was
on board a tramp from Rio that had
changed its course q little to take up
some rubber at a Central American
port. While we were passing through
we noticed a floating spar, and among
lot Of rubbish attached to it was a
peculiar-looking round object, bright
red in color. We put off boat to in
vestigate and it proved to be q patent
buoy, which had been set adrift from
a Florida lighthouse station in 1898.
and was part of a systematic attempt
to ascertain the speed and direction of
currents. Inside was an official memo
randa which was afterward returned
to the navy department with data of
when and where found. But what is
a good deal more interesting is the fact
that while we were securing the buoy
we discovered three bottles sticking in
the drift, all covered with weeds and
slime. One was empty and the other
two had papers inside. The first was
a memoranda that the bottle mad been
dropped from a yacht of the Grand
Cayman in, think, the year 1892, and
the other Enclosure showed that IL came
from a ship bound for Montevideo, on
what date l forget In each case it
was evidently the within If some idle
passenger, but it was q little odd that
we should find the whole collection
together I noticed a lot Of other drift
wood in tho dead spot, and am conf
dent that no enc Of bottles could be
culled from the place. Hundreds arc
dropped overheard every year, but very
few escape being Knocked to pieces IN
less they happen to find their way to
some such still place as l have de-
scribed. New Orleans Times-DcmO-
crat.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

States Attorney Deneen of Chicago
wants $24,OOO,OOO from 5000 firms
which have neglected to file annual
statements with the secretary of state
as is provided by the law which gov
ems corporations. Should Mr.. Deneen
ever succeed in getting that sum, or
even a quarter of it, the county would
have a fund available for public i'm
provements considerably larger than
even New York could ever collect over
and above the ordinary totals of taxa
tiOn.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

An English railway engineer has in
vented a car for lessening the loss OF
life in railway accidents. The plan
adopted. which is favorably regarded
by English experts, is extremely SIM
pie. On the ground that the danger
from railway accidents is in the tend
ency of the modern car to telescope,
and in the inability of the present style
of buffers to take up very severe
shocks, the inventor has designed a car
that will take ND and break a very
heavy shock without injury to itself,
except in extreme cases. His buffer
car is filled with powerful springs, cal
culated to resist ordinary pressure. but
to telescope under intense strain to
one-third its normal size, thus exhaust
ing the force of the shock and saw
ing the passenger cars from injury
The cars are to be used in pairs, one
TO follow every train and another to
precede the baggage car, separating il
from the engine and tender. The force
of a collision would thus be broken
whether 1t should come from the front
or rear.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

Russia has agreed to arbitrate with
this country the claims for damages
for seizure Of American sealers eight
years ago. England and Canada have
also agreed on the temporary Alaskan
boundary and Germany and England
seem inclined to settle the Samoan af-
fair in accordance with their respective
interests and the rights of the United
States. This somewhat extraordinary
disposition to settle all outstanding
disputes with this country is flatter-
ing, of course, to America, but it sug-
gests that one or more Of the COM
PLEASANT powers mentioned is likely
soon to spring a surprise in some part
OF the world and that 1t is thought best
t. be on friendly terms with Uncle
Sam before attempting a coup. How
ever that may be, the United States is
ready to come to a fair understanding
with one or all as to any grievances or
disputes between the countries, and as
to future events is quite able to look
after its own interests. But we will
not become too intimate with any Of
them.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

Americans can have good country
roads, if they want them. 1t is only a
matter Of taking proper care of them
when they are once made, and this
must be done with regularity and sys-
TEN. In England the road-mender is
always at work. He lives in a cottage
on the road and takes care of a section
which has been assigned to him. With
his harrow he fills the worn places
with flint and removes the litter from
the roadway, keeping it neat and tidy.
There is an inspector for every county
division, and 81 the roads are under
the charge of a committee of the coun-
ty council. From beginning to end Of
the year nearly every mile CT English
country road is under the charge of a
road-mender, paid to do his work.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

Friendship is that feeling which
keeps women from telling one another
when their shirtwaists don't fit in the
back
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

A grocer in southern Ohio, who had
taken an active part against the sale
of liquor to boys, was recently visited
by delegation of saloonkeepers.
After listening patiently to their
threats to destroy his business unless
he ceased interfering with theirs, he
replied: "You mistake my wares, gen
tlemen. l sell groceries, not princi-
pies" An answer that transforms an
humble trader into moral hero.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

Nothing hurts the dignified man
more than to have nonentity call him
by his first name.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

If man has enthusiasm he can get
along without ability.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

Ten Years in a Kennel is the title
OF a new book. Can it be the author
Is a man who went to the dogs?
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

The man who can make other people
put up with his eccentricities is called
philosopher.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

A wise rule in conversation Is never
to say anything that you know some
body else wants to say.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

Soon the coal dealers victims will
find him lying in weight for them once
more.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

Some men are living complaints
at least they always have one coming.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

Man imposes on woman, but she al
ways thinks he doesn't mean it.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

a mans face is apt to be his mis-
fortune the first time he tries to shave
himself
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

A good deal Of the so-called cream Of
society is nothing but skinned milk.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

Says an old bachelor: "a wife is an
attachment that makes a man hustle"
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10
TALNIAGE'S SERMON.
ANGELOLOGY THE SUBJECT ON
LAST SUNDAY.

The Brilliant Beings Have Much to DO
with Our Everyday Life-The Text
Is Judges 1910; And the Angel Did
WondrousIy.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

The Beers can be routed more times
without losing ground than any other
people who ever went to war,
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

The best friendship says the least
about 1t.
The Yale expositor., 1899-11-10

Sold by Grant Holden. Yale.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-16
ENTRANCE OF MIMI (MELBA IN THE

the sharp music OF a quarrel episode
il is a prOdigious contrapuntaI accom-
pIishment!
And as IL was sung last night it
fairly lifted the audience out Of its
chairs. Eleven times was the curtain
rung up at the close Of this act. At the
eighth time SepelH was led in between
Melba and De Lussan and the cheers
and handcIappfng and boot thunder
became deafeniug. Bis! Bis. Bis"
shouted the. European element. En-
coret Encore, Encoret" yelled the na-
. tfves. But the next three curtains"
were taken by MeIba and PandoIfini
and MeIba alone, and the quartet was
not repeated. De Lussan had made a
tremendous impression in the role Of
Musette. which has it's best oppOrtuni-
ties in this act, and during the entr'acte
gossip ran rife in the lobby and the old
story Of professional Jealousy was
banded about again. DE Lussan, y
wagged the wicked tongues, has been
/ fndfscreet enough TO do too well.
/ Of course you and I who care Moth
/ ing about the private emotions Of stage
folk will take little stock and little in
terest in such gossip. Still the fact re-
mains that De Lussan did make a
mighty hit and the audience did intend
/ a share Of these shouts for her 1t was
I De Lussan's first appearance, too, you
know. Well, she does Carmen to-mOr-
/ row night with the center Of the stage
all 10 herself, and If her Carmen lives
/ up to the promise in her Musette you
/ will see some warm applause safely de-
/ Iivered.
/ Melba's Mimi was really ideal from
every standpoint, except perhaps that
/ Of physique, for she is a rather sturdy
picture Of Murger's delicate heroine
Her singing and her acting were per
feet. There was a note of pathos in
that voice Of hers that I never have
heard before. In the big love scene
with Rudolfo and IN the death scene
she evoked the silent tear as well as
the noisy hand. Her conception of the
character was subtle and refined In
this most modern part she used the
best Of modern craftsmanship, never
obtruding the operatic personality Of
the prima donna. never overriding. It
would not be difficult for the wrong
woman 10 make Mimi out TO be the
very Iachrynnose. maudlin jade that
Puccfnf and his Iibrettist have con-
spired so carefully TO avoid. Melba at
tackled the part with sympathy and
with moderation. She made US feel the
powers Of repression and suggestion,
and got the full vocal and dramatic
effect without once resorting TO the
atric excess. Mimi must be counted
among her greatest achievements. as
splendid indeed as is her Marguerite
De Lussan is Of that type that I can
describe only as the Carmen type. She
is full Of high spirits, devilment and
surprise; her voice is rich and Of
beautiful breadth, and there is half
I dfa abeIic streak in it that is irresistible
I Ard she can act. Her humor is unerr-
ing In the cafe scene she carried
everything before her. and in the quar-
| rel with MarcelIo in the act following
/ her display Of temper was something
I delicious. I will wager that De Lus-
! sans Carmen strikes sparks
| Rudolfo was satisfactory but not re-
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-16
BY ASHTON STEVENS.

skillfully sketched in the music. The
strings and woodwind are given full
sway in the orchestrattou, the brass is
used but frugally and the percussion
instruments hardly at all. Delicacy and
suggestion are the watchwords. The
old italian mode Of aria, duo, trio and
quartet are done away with. The
songs and the concerted numbers spring
out Of the action of the play, which Is
always sustained by both singers and
orchestra Every character Is given a
positive musical identity, and the
motives" are introduced and reintro-
duced with almost Waguertau effect.
There is q splendid blend of the pas
sionate, the pathetic, the brilliant and
the comic. Puccini runs the gamut Of
the emotions IN the first act, where
the four musketeers of Bohemia are
pitted one against the other, the very
orchestration smarts with eptgrams-
Even in that wonderful death scene in
the last act there is a potent touch Of
seni-comic relief. How different this
death scene Of Minis is 10 the friIled
pathOs Of ViOletta's pulmonary decease
in 'Traviata!" And that quartet which
closes the third act, where Mimi and
Rodolphe are singing a tender, 70
mantle duet as they are about to part
and Musette and Marcello join them in
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-16
THE Hounds WILL RUN.
Dogs That Were Entered Last Even
ing for the Union Coursing
RarLr Maatinr

The drawing for the coursing meeting
at Union Park. which will be held on
Saturday and Sunday, took place last
evening and resulted as follows:
Puppy stake: entries %: total prize s14o;
drawing-Pasha Kennels Rod OF Ashe VS.. r
E de. Lopez Santa Ana; J. Moukhouses Crazy
Ellen Milo Kennels Miss Richmond: s
Mahoney's. Chief o the Hill vs. P. E. de Lopez
Santa Rita; Pasha Kennels RoIIicking Airs VS.
r. E de Lopez Santiago; R. E. de Lopez
Santa Inis vs. Curley & Reillys Star OF Cuba :
J. Perigo's Onward vs. Milo Kennels Rock
Island King; George Ehmanns 5 Handicap VS.
3. Woods Black Night: Pasha Kennels Run
COS Controller vs. J. Monkhouse-s Black Dot;
Pasha Kennels Rally Again Milo Kennels
Miss Rabbit; NJ Monasch.s Golden Rod vs.
DAILY & Stevens Shylock Boy.
Open stake; 56 dogs; total prize, s50T 80; draw
ing-Lowe & Thompson's ST. Orin vs. A. Mas
sey's Lightfoot; Hurley s. Reillys o. K Capitol
vs.. Aeneid Kennels Pretender; F. Moran's
Snapshot vs.. Pasha Kennels Recent Arrival
P Iarvey's Lilly King VS.. +. Seggerson's Gold
HIN: MILO Kennels Victor King vs. N Lon
dou's SharEey; E ScuIly's Capadura vs.. Kay &
Trant-s Christmas Day; Handy & Smith <
Kelly & Foley's Farewell vs.. NJ London's Mag
neto; George Sharman's Wait a Little Us. Bel
Royal Buck vs. Rincon Kennels FIashIight: A
Massey.g Hadiwist VS. M MazzIni' 5, 5
VS. T A Gaffney's Sir John Aruott;
T Buffers Susie VS.. z. Morans Bit Of Fash
nels' Fair Helen: Handy & Smiths DauntIess
vs. Handy & Smiths Ida; J. J. Edmonds'
Morning Glory vs.. Q. J. Olson's Sunburst Kay
& Trant's Sylvia VS.. F. Sweeuey's Tornado. e.
& r. scott's Lord Byron VS.. Milo Kennels
Trma; William CraTaeEs Jesse Moore VS. ].
Sergerson's CandeIaria; Pasha Kennels Metal
lie VS. J. Kiernau's Fear Not; George Whit
rey's Theron vs. F. Moran's False Flatterer;
A Johnson's Tod Sloan vs. Aenetd Kennels
Maid Of Erin: A Johuson's Mountain Beauty
US F. Moran's Golden Russet; Rincon Kennels
Swedish VS. W Cramer's Jersey Lily; W f.
r4ohbs' Mercy May VS. Pasha Kennels Emfn
Pasha: C E Clfford's White Rocket rs. s.
Hansen's l. s. ConIey; J. Seggerson's White
C71Ief VS. ID. J. HeaIey's Dick L; Handy &
Smiths Petronius vs.. f Prices Madge Wild
fire.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-16
STUDIO SCENE.

of inspiration. His handling Of the
great orchestra and the chorus in the
cafe act was of itself triumph How
he did bring out the leap and sfzz and
mock swagger in the comedy momentsI
And in the romantic and tragic episodes
he was equally fortunate.
Where so much of the orchestra is
given to the strings and reeds an over
anxious leader could easily suggest
Iicentiousness where none is intended
SeppiIIi worked with a versatility Of
moods, giving color. fun, sensuoGsness
and tranquility where they were due
and never losing his poise.
I dislike to be forever making sugges-
tions to people who think they know
their own business better than do, but
I do think that first-rate concert pro-
gramme played by SeppilH and this
New York symphony orchestra would
be about as nice a thing as could hap
pen to the town on q Sunday night.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-16

T WAS like the opening all over
again at the opera last night, with
the difference that the opera. La
Boheme," with Melba and De L.us-
san in the cast and SeppilH at the
baton, was marveIousIy sung. acted
and played. The crowd was gay and
guttering and filed the big opera house
TO the last seat and overfowed into the
aisles, doorways and corners. Stout
men and matrons sardined in era cks
and Crevices where even the slim would
usually scorn to squeeze. Carriages
congested for several blocks On Mission
street The applause inside the great
auditorium made the very roof rattle.
Il was a big night. When the season
IS over 1t viii doubtless be remem bered
As the biggest night of all.
PuCCini's la Boheme" was the
opera, and all glory be to MeIba for
being the first great songstress to real
tze and exploit this remarkable work.
Her success in the part Of Mimi was
overwhelming. and this success means
much TO the young Italian composer.
1t advertises his work to the whole
musical world. and viii help him 10
taste the sweets Of fame while he still
lives. Mascagni and LeoncavaIfo came
into their own at q jump. Puccini is
not without honor in his own country,
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-16

but II is only in the last couple Of
years that his music has attained TO
anything Ike an international reputa-
ton. Even to-day in many Of the cap
ftaIs Of Europe ne is spoken of merely
as one OF the foremost OF the younger
Italian musicians. But give him hear
ing with q company and an orchestra
and g leader ike those Of last night
and Pucciuf can speak for himself so
that there will be no difficulty in recog-
niztng him as the finest Italian after
Verdi.
Puccinf brings Italy up to the present
tense By writing in the modern idiom
and uniting the saccharine notions Of
the earlier Italy with the steruer
dramaisms Of modern Germany he has
struck on an ideal scheme for lyric
drama He has indeed done more than
any other modern to make italian
opera something better than q term Of
reproach. And again I say all praise
TO Melba for giving Puccini's master
piece the benefit Of complete, au-
thoratative performance!
La Boheme" is not new to San Fran
cisco. We are, in truth, its pioneer ap-
preciators among English speaking
peoples. The little Del Conte band OF
Italian singers gave Us almost q dozen
performances Of the @Boheme" during
the winter of '97, and whatever the
shortcomings Of these singers in an ex-
tended repertory, they went about their
work in this opera lovingly and Under
standfngIy and we learned TO place 1t
at its true value.
The entire scheme Of the piece is
Ev-F,- =
is. you might say, an opera without an
effort. The dear old Bohemian sketches
Of AIurger have been fashioned into a
sufficient, if not brilliant. book, and
each episode and each character is
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-16

Quaker-Ieoking horseman took the six
furlong sprint that followed with old
kamsin. The invisible layers of edds laid
as good as 10 to 1 against the baId-faeed
geIding, and he surprised everybody by
winning easily from Jingle Jingle Noyta,
the favorite, once showed as good as fifth,
but eventually finished back In the ruck.
With Adolph Spreckels scratched, the
mile and a furlong run gave Pat Dunno s
Survivor little trouble in winning. Martin.
who had the mount, waited on Limewater
and then won as he pleased. Mortnei
came very fast the last part, finishing a
close third.
The closing six furIong selling sprint
served to show what really good FLY
links Is She was entered to be sold for
$3.50, and made laughing stock of her com
pany. In a hard drive Ed Garland teek
the place from Wyoming.
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-16
MELBA AND De LUSSAN
TRIUMPH IN "BOHEME"

rlarkable in the hands of Pandolhnh
This tenor acts the part better thah
Agustini did In the Del Conte predue-
ton. but he has not Agpstinfs peculiar
boyish, reed-liks voice that found such
perfect vent in Rudolf0'E music. 1t
wouldn't be bad idea for Mr.. Eliis TO
look Up Agostinl before presenting the
"Boherne'' to New York. Not that Pan
doIdni is bad IN the part, nor that Ages
tini would be particularly valuable IN
any other part; but by one Of those
freaks OF vocal fortune Agostint has
perhaps the best voice Of he hasn't
hacked It to pieces by this time singing
impossible roles) IN the world for Ru-
dolfo.
The Bohemians were all well cared
for. Bensaude made a vividly impetu-
Gus character Of MarcelIo. Boudour-
ecue was a humorous CoIltne, although
his Farewell to the Coat" IN the last
act was altogether too profound, and
zane again substituted the still indis-
posed De Vries, who was to have been
the Schaunard. There was not dis
aster in the entire east, which from end
TO end was well nigh perfect And the
performa nee as & whole was IDEAL The
stage pictures were elaborate and beau
tifuI and the stage management fault
less. SeppiIi led with nothing short
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-16
BOOKIES ARE
GREATLY MISSED
At THE TRACK
Small Bettors Have
No Chance.
ATTENDANCE WAS VERY LIGHT
WINYAH WON THE OCCIDENTAL
STAKE
ATTENDANCE WAS VERY LIGHT
wINYAH WON THE OCCIDENTAL
STAKE.
Charley Thorpe Piloted a Winner.
Pat Dunno Took Two Purses
With Survivor and Jinks.
Four Choices Lose.

All wagering at Mr.. Corrigan's track
yesterday was done under cover. No
pIunging was tndulged in and the two
dollar bettor never had q chance. The
bookies On the ground regretted this, for
the card presented most pleasing bet
ting proposition. and bur two favorites Sc
cured brackets.
In the opening four-furIong scramble
for 0-year-olds. Lomond. with Thorpe
up, beat the barrier and eventually won
by narrow margin. The favortte, AIary' 8
Garter. led Glissando out four lengths for
the place
The steepIechase proved legacy for
Ed Corrigan. His geldtng Vanity led
throughout, beating Lord Chesterfield, the
favorlte, nearly q sixteenth Of q mile.
Our Climate and Monita dumped their
riders, leaving the show q gift for Hunts
man. which once ran off the course.
The gathering for II. could scarcely be
designated a crowd, conceded the Occi-
dental stake for twO-y year-olds, at four
and a half furIongs, to Corrtgan's St An
thony, and the St Andrew youngster was
favoEfte in the underground betting. He
chased out in the lead with Morbid and
was then beaten hands down by EzeH :
Hanover FLY Winyah, piloted in clever
fashion by Ivy Powell. Ten to l was OBJ
tainable against the winner.
EZeI1s luck was still with him, and the
The San Francisco call., 1899-03-16
Track Notes.

But five races are down for decision on
to-day's programme.
While being gaIIoped by an exercise boy
At the track yesterday morning Tammany
Hall II ran out at the stretch turn and,
colIiding with the outside fence, tore
hole In his side as large as q water
bucket. The veterinary called to. attend
the sprtnter's injuries said it was doubtful
If he would survive.