davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13
Chinese Cooking.
ON the Chicago News.

Second only to the French are the Chi
nese when it comes to culinary skill, and
with simple materials they will contrive to
put together a meal which would shame an
ordinary American cook. In peasant fami-
lies the wife or daughter does the cooking.
but in all large establishments the cooks
are invariably men,
Foreign residents in China are accus-
toned to seeing their half dozen coolies
taking meal together, sitting around a
bucket of rice and from four to six sayory
dishes Of fish, pork, cabbage or onions.
They fill their bowls from the bucket and
help themselves to the various relishes with
their chopsticks. Even a wealthy China
man will on ordinary occasions sit down to
some such fare served on a table instead
OF the ground, but in almost equally simple
style.
1t is only on the occasion of a banquet
that eating Is considered a fine art worthy
OF serious consideration. When a BANQUET
takes place the guests assemble early in the
afternoon and stay till 10 or - at night.
Between the courses pipes are lighted and
few whiffs of tobacco inhaled, the guests
always remaining within reaching distance
Of the table.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13
A Strange Sight,
From the PHILADELPHIA Record.


Drivers along the Wissahickon often mar
vel at the sight of giant hemlock trees lux
ur1atlng on the outer edges of the bluffs,
standing on powders of many tons weight,
which are absolutely devoid of earth OF
any kind. The trees have occupied these
positions for many years, resisting storm
and tempest. AS they cannot derive SUBJ
stance from the solid and bare rock the
wonder is as to how they live. City For
ester Lewis, in explaining what Is to so
many people mystery, says that 1.-THE
trees, when in young state, enjoyed the
rich woodland soil. The now great bowl
ders Immediately under the trees base were
then much smaller perhaps than now. AS
the great beauties of the Wissahickon be-
came known the cutting into the banks
ana bluffs became necessary for the widen
ing and improving of that picturesque
drive. This. accelerated by the rains. grad
ually washed away the earth leaving the
trees IN question standing out in bold re-
her on their nude granite pedestals AS
the gradual changing of the original condi-
tons continued the tree adapted itself to
them by sending out through the assures
of the stony rock long cable-like
roots. almost entirely free from fibers, in
search of food and anchprage, and their
present appearance Indicates that they
have found both. If we Investigate higher
up the hillside in the woods bordering on
the Wissahfckon, where the original earth
is left intact, and the conditions opposite
of tree Astounding in roots and enjoying its
life Also
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13

IFou the bismarck Tribune.
You may believe It's true that your coursfnr blood
Bur scieree stern assures US that all healthy
blood Is red.
And the longest pedigree that grows on family
Isn't half beneficial as good, long head
Y9n refer with pride to your ancestors. beside
Whose fame you light is dim, for letters art
But trust you will believe it is pobcr 70 ocbfcre
Enough that you may be some time an ancestor
Yourself
The watchdog well who serves and WHO carefully
The strangers who approach and wakes the
Tho h, had no pedigree is a better dog for me
Than the dog that sleeps, cen tho his ancestors
were III the Ark.
1t is right that you admire, and admirlns, you
To trace aohle pathway in your genealogy.
But permit me 10 assure that person. rich or
Ever Ilgcked plum Of greatness OF the grandest
The man who is King Duke or Lord, or any
That's noble. tho his ancestors were cobblers
Has much more honored way in this little
world today
Than the cohbler whose ancestors governed king
doms in the past.
And full many a man today to whom honor we
might pay
has been overcome In living up to proud
cestry.
And full many man been laid in an everlasting
shade
Iiy The branches OF towering spreading ancien.
family
So don't take II much TO heart when man takes
you apart
And tells you he was bred mid arfstocracy's
enviruns.
Tho his ancestors came DER in the Mayaower to
this shore,
The logbook. still. may show that every ono
cam" Ger In irons.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13


The city of Shawneetown on the Obio
river, the second Oldest town in the state
ana as historic as Alexandria, the oldest
town in the United States is passing AWAY
Inc recent flood has worked greatly against
the city. People are becoming dissatisfied
and alarmed, and are leaving, most of
them moving to Ridgway, in the same
county. Eventually the court house will
be removed to Ridgway, and before many
years Shawneetown, like old kaskaskia,
fourishing city when Chicago was but a
village, and there are many Interesting old
landmarks to be seen about town The
hotel where Lafayette was so royally en-
terta1ned when he visited this country in
$50 still stands; the state bank with its
colonial pillars and copper roof; the house
Where John A. Logan was married; the
nome OF Colonel Mulberry Sellers, Mark
Twain character in his ''Gilded Age" the
old court house, where Logan, Ingersoll
ana number of other noted lawyers prac-
uced law in early days, are all objects
OF interest to visitors. But probably the
most interesting spot is the old WestWood
cemetery, where lie the bodies of Mclean
the first United States senator from ILL
nois; Thomas S. Ridgway, at one time
state treasurer of Illinois, and many other
of Illinois brightest stars. Shawneetown
is the birthplace of some of the best peo-
pie In this grand old state and the names
of Ridgway, McGhee. PEBBLES, Poole,
BARLEY, Townsend and Robson will live
IN the hearts of the people when Shawee-
town Is in the bed of the Ohio river.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13

according to Thompson. he uses this harm:
The elephant trumpets, he wallows across
the lake. The pot boils, the pan boils
across the point Go to the left, go to the
right. spirit of grandfather (the elephanO;
l loose the fingers upon the bowstring
The Malay believes in witches and witch
craft There is the bottle imp, the Polong.
which feeds on its owners blood till the
time comes for it to take possession of an
enemy. Then there is horrid thing. the
PananSalan, which possesses women. Ere
quently it leaves its rightful abode to fly
away at night to feed on blood, taking the
form of the head and intestines of the per-
son it inhabited. in which shape it wanders
around.
Such beliefs may perhaps have their
origin in metempsychosis, which in other
ways has some foothOld among the COM
mon people. For instance. elephants and
tigers are believed sometimes to be human
souls in disguise. and so the MALAY add
dresses them grandfather" to aIlay
their wrath and avoid direct reference to
them. Crocodiles also are often regarded
as sacred. and special charms are used in
fishing for them. One such. given by Max
WELL is as follows: 20 Dangsari, lotus
flower. receive what I send thee. If thou
receivest it not, may thy eyes be torn out!'
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13

From the New York Evening Post.
hugo tusk from Alaska has Just ar
rived at a Pearl street warehouse 1t was
brought from the northern portion of the
territory by a Norwegian clergyman, who
was detailed in 1896 by the government to
accompany a reindeer expedition into the
Yukon country. The tusk is said by scien-
titic experts of the University of Minnesota
to be from 5000 to 5000 years old.
1t was found sticking out of the bank of
a river, absolutely black from age and out
side decay: near it We're the teeth and
head of the mammoth, but no skeleton
AS 1t lies in the warehouse it presents 4
circular shape, extending from base to tip
ten and two-thirds feet. 1t is estimated
that the broken tip had a projection of
fifty inches, which would have brought the
total length to fifteen feet. In its present
condition the tusk weighs 175 pounds. The
hollow portion at the larger end is plainly
shown. Experts have said that the cir
cumference of the base, now twcnty-eight
inches, was formerly larger by a layer of
an inch and a half; but that much half
decayed matter was injudiciously scraped
away, leaving the ivory a smooth surface
The owner does not desire to make
commercial disposition of the tusk. but he
has communicated with the Smithsonian
institution in regard to 1t. 1t is said by
experts to be one Of the largest, if not
The largest, tuSk in the world,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13
SCARED TO DEATH.
How a Sixth Infantry Soldier Died at
Santiago.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
do You see that name, William s. Sims
on the tablet up there" said an officer of
the 9th Infantry, pointing to the 9th In
fantry tablet on the face of the water
tower at Fort Thomas. We'll, 1 want to
tell you something very queer concerning
the death of that man at Santiago.
Sims had gone through the hellsh fight
on the 1st Of July. through all the firing
while We were in the trenches up to the
night of the 9th. when he was on outpost
duty. The outpost of each company con-
sisted of an officer, non-commissioned Off
Ger and three men. This detail was posted
outside the trenches toward the enemy to
prevent party sneaking up on the
trenches. One man on post was posted
about fifty yards in front of the rest of the
party, that lay down, one man being on the
alert to listen to the low call Of the sentinel
If he heard any one coming toward him.
Well about 1880 o'clock that night two
shots rang out in rapid succession and all
was excitement in a moment as there had
been no firing since early in the afternoon,
ana all put lew were asleep, worn out
with the strain of the past eight days
running up to thaN part of the firing
line whence the shots were heard,
saw several men handing down over the
top of the embankment the body of man.
Inc doctor was with me, and he asked
where the man was shot. The lieutenant
who was In command of the outpost said:
He Is not wounded, but he is dead Just
the same and so it proved. The doctor
made careful examination, aided by the
bright starlight, and not a wound was to
be found on the man, but his heart was
stil in death.
What was the matter? Heart disease.
It shut off like lightning, and Sims never
knew what killed him. The men of the
party say they were all lying down asleep
except one man. He says when the senti-
mel nred MS shot at supposed Spaniard
approaching all the sleeping party sprang
up at once except Sims, who sat up and
then Immediately lay back again. The
party rushed to the support of the sentinel,
and on their return found Sims. as they
supposed, asleep again. and on shaking him
found him not asleep but dead. The doctor
said no doubt the man had been on such a
strain for the past few days that his weak
heart simply stopped when he was awak-
ened with such start and he fell back A
I penI, man. to await the sounding Of Ga
briel's reveille, for he had heard the last
on the trumpets of the gallant 9Th
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13

From the New York Sun.
The average life of flrst-class leather belt
ing, running indoors and under ordinary
conditions, is ten years. Belts subjected to
acid fumes would last month shorter time
than that; and on the other hand in espe-
cally favoring circumstances a belt might
last much longer. There was taken down
In New York not long ago, O leather belt
that had been running twenty-four years;
this, however. was something unusual.
AS is the case with pretty much every
thing that is made and sold, leather belt
ing may be bought secondhand, the sec
ond-hand belts coming into the market nat
urally enough through the refitting of fac
tories, through the substitution of belts of
one width for those of another, and so on.
Secondhand bolts that have not been much
used sell for not very much less than new
belts; their price decreases, of course ac-
cortling to the wear to which they have
been subjected. When leather belt ceases
to be useful as belt it is likely to be
sold to be cut up into boot heels, what there
Is left OF 1t after that going to the scrap
heap.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13
LEGENDS ABOUT BIRDS.
Certain Species Have Always Been Re-
Earded as Unlucky.

From the Chicago News.
Owls never have been popular birds. and
Pliny tells us that on two occasions large
owl having made its appearance in the
streets of Rome, a solemn ceremony was
performed by the whole city in order to
avert the catastrophe which was believed
to be foreshadowed by visits from such
uncanny birds. Savages have ever asso-
ciated disaster with the appearance of an
owl. raven or crow, while even the
humble sparrow has excited distaste at
times.
In folklore, with birds, as with many
other animals, not few of the myths as to
death or i'll fortune are associated, and
even in these advanced days there are
many places where all hope of a sick per-
sons recovery would be abandoned if it
were known that a crow, rock or jack
daw had flown over the house wherein the
person lay ill. similar belief attaching to
the appearance of a white pigeon, and in
the Orkneys to the ring-ousel.
According to one legend, the stormy pc
trel which takes its name from St. Peter,
from his having walked on the sea, Is
supposed to be the restless ghost of some
dead and gone sea captain. condemned for
his misdeeds to wander thus forever over
the waste of waters. And there is a myth
IN Denmark which tells that lapwings rep
resent the spirits of departed maids, and
green sandppers those of deceased bache-
lors These birds haunt the same marshy
places and it is said that the lapwings
sailing slowly through the air, mournfully
wall:
''oh, why wouldn't you? Oh, why wouldn't
you?'
to which the sandpipers reply:
Because We dared not, because We dared
not"
which Is stated to be followed by q chorus
OF knocking laughter. In some of the min
ing districts the cry of the golden plover
Is dreaded as a portent of coming disaster
and miners will refuse to descend when
they hear the bird. On the other hand,
humming birds Were supposed to contain
the souls of those who had died in defense
OF the gods, whence they were conducted
into the kingdom of the sun, where they
We're ROBBED as became their renown
Even to this day 1t is believed in some
parts that the swallows in the winter mi
grafton hide themselves at the bottoms of
rivers and lakes. while Gilbert White of
England believed that swallows do not
depart from this island, but lay themselves
up IN holes and caverns; and do insectlike
ana batIlke. come forth at mild times and
then retire again to their latebrae" The
subject of bird myths in connection with
folk and weather lore offers a very wide
field for thoughtful study, and one which
grows more and more interesting as II is
delVed into.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13
Table Mountain ROpeway.


From The Engineering Magazine.
The ropeway located at Table mountain
is an important example Of a line $3.50 feet
long. 1t consists Of q. single fixed rope on
which one carriage Is drawn to and fro
with an endless hauling rope, the driving
gear having reversing motion SO that the
direction of travel OF the carrier can be
following the ground, on posts spaced about
300 feet apart. the sable takes a span Of
1.500 feet, rising to Approaching rock some
l4sO feet above the starting point. Resting
on support at this point the cable again
takes span Of 400 feetsto an upper ter
minal 2,2OO feet above the lower one. This
ropeway has worked $50 satisfactorily that
it Is not only used for the carriage Of ma
terials employed in 1.-The construction of q
reservoir, but is at times used for passen-
gers.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13
COCOA PALMS MsNr USES.
From 1t Filipino. Gets Food, Drinl.
Shelter, Ropes, broom. and sonD.


From the Journal of the Society Of Arts
There are several species of cocoa palms
growing in the Philippine. archipelago. but
the ordinary cocoanut tree (Cocos nucifera)
is the most important. The Indians make
use of 1t il good many ways. but only
the principal ones need be.enumerated.
The kernel of the nut they use for food,
while the liquid the shell contains makes a
refreshing drink. If allowed to stand for
some time this liquidR forms a very agree
able milky juice. that is relished not only
by the natives, but by Europeans as well.
After this juice has coagIlated 1t is mixed
with sugar and made into bonbons. known
as cocoa sugar, and also into various other
delicacies.
According to a recent report of the Tinted
States Department of Agriculture by tan
ping the central bud that crowns the cocoa.
nut kind of wine called tuba Of an apree
aple pungent taste, is produced. This tuba.
Wnen allowed to ferment, produces vinegar.
ana when distilled a kind of brandy. that Is
nighiy relished by the natives.
FROM the husk of the cocoanut the Ia
sals make rope and cords and a material
for calking their boats. From the woody
snells they carve spoons. cups, beads for
rosar1es and many other articles
iue raves lney use to cover the roofs of
thelr houses. Roofs made in this manner
are thick and tight, but they have the dis
adVantaSe OF burning readily so that in
the towns and villages where the houses
are thus covered CONGREGATIONS spread with
great raDidity.
me veins apd smaller ribs of the leaves
are used to make brooms, the midribs
serve as fuel and the ashes are utilized in
making soap. "
The trunk OF the palm is made to serve
as a pillar to support the houses that its
leaves oVershadow. Oil barrels, tuba casks
and water pipes are fashioned from, boIIou,
sections of the trunk
FROM the roots the natives extract red
dyelng material, that they chew in place of
the areca palm nuts or bonga when the lat
ter cannot be procured
Large qualities of cocoanut oil are man
ufactured In the Philippines This oil is
much priced by the natives. The men and
women both use it to anoint the thick
growth OF hair that adorns their heads. and
1t thus finds ready sale at remunera tive
prices. 1t Is also used in the lamps that
take the place of gas burners in the streets
and IN those used by the natives and Chi
neSe in their houses
manila exports annually about 15O, 900
pesos Sl25,ooU worth of cocoanuts to
China and British India, and about So 900
worth of cocoanut oil to China
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13
From the London Chronicle.

From the London Chronicle.
The effect of the recent attacks upon the
English people and the queen which have
been appearing in the Paris papers is most
apparent upon the Riviera, writes Nice
correspondent, where the business classes
are in despair. and predict ruinous season.
Cannes and Nice are empty. and Mentone is
not nearly as full as usual. Across the
frontier at Bordighera and San Reno every
villa is taken.
In this connection a correspondent at
Mentone points out that others than the
French on the Riviera are suffering from
the present boycott. France is represented
on the French Riviera, but does not people
II The natives are chiefly Of Italian ex-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13
Legend of the Chinese Lily.


Once upon a time there lived in China
two orphan brothers. The elder brother,
not satisfied with having inherited the
larger share of the parental estate, seized
the most valuable part of the youngers
leaving hin, but a few acres of rocky I'M
fruitful soil.
The younger brother bore the greediness
of the elder one until he was finally over
come with poverty and hunger. Then In
great despair, he threw himself upon the
ground and lay there sobbing and bewailing
his cruel fate.
Suddenly he heard a sweet voice calling
his name. Opening his eyes he saw a fairy
bending over him, who babe him arise, say
ing:
Thy patience and forbearance have been
noticed. and now great shall be thy re-
ward Thou shalt find riches and fame be-
meath the soil where thy head but mo-
ment ago rested. To reach the treasure
will be no easy task but be patient and
persevering. Rest not until thou hast found
that which shall cause thee to be honored
and loved for thousand generations"
Then the fairy vanished. and the young
man rubbed his eyes and looked about him.
His rocky ground still there, and he
was jubilant with newborn courage and
hope. With resolute will he applied himself
to the task of finding the buried treasure.
finally he found flower bulb Believing in
the fairy's promise he planted the bulb and
nourished it until from it there grew a
flower more delcately sweet and fair than
had ever before been seem
Hundreds of people came to see the new
flower. Other bulbs sprung from its roots,
and the young mans name and his bulb
patch soon became famous. Riches and
honor ca ne to him because, strange as it
may seem, the flower would not grow in
any other part of China, and. thousands
came to buy from him.
He named his treasure the 'Shuey Seen
FAN" or Flower of the Water Fairy'-a
name that it has ever since borne, though
in common parlance 1t is known simply as
the Chinese lily"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13

r 7-Il I'-IT.lIr science.
The Malay is a firm believer in the eff
ijeavy IF charms. He wears amuIets
places written words of magic in houses
AID sports "a Tigers claw as a preventive
"t disease. If he is specially primitive aad
lat"kwpp,iEy. when he enters forest he
Styz; Go 10 the right all my enemies and
issai4Ini~- May You Rot look upon me; let
ule walk aIonc." -
/" .I.lay a storm he says: THE elephants
collect, they wallow across the sea; 90 to
the right. go to the left l break the tenn
pest.
When about to begin an elephant hunt
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13
Over Twenty Uses for Corn.

The Indian corn propaganda at the Paris
exposition and the conventions recently
held in the west in the interest of corn
producers have brought out the fact that
over twenty important products are now
manufactured from corn. One of the most
important products is distilled spirits, the
demand for which has increased greatly
since the invention of smokeless powder,
in the manufacture of which the spirits
are largely used. Among the other prod
ucts made from corn are mixing glucose,
crystal glucose, grape sugar, anhydrous
grape sugar. special sugar. pearl starch,
powdered starch, refined grits, fiourine, dex-
trine. British gum. granulated gum, gum
paste. corn oil, corn oil cake, rubber sub
stitute. gluten feed chop feed gluten meal
and corn germ. With the present economi-
cal methods of manufacture not a particle
of corn is wasted. There is no refuse.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-13
Dads Coat.
from the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

rom the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
used to think tn measly way
They treated me was tough;
An what / thought / used to say,
And say it pretty rough.
An ma she'd kind O. calm me down
An mebby kiss me, too.
An say There's lots O. boys in town
That has it worse than you"
couldn't understand, you see.
Why we was always skimped;
The other boys spent money free,
Their mas an sisters primped.
But we just seemed TO scrape along
An never git ahead
An when | asked ma what was wrong
PAS paying debts she said
But worse for me than all the rest
Was wearin' dads old clothes:
Ma made 'em over just tn best
That she an sister knows;
But. lordy me, they had no style
From ankles up to throat
TIL pants just made the fellows smile
They hollered at the coat
I always felt so shamed an mean
I'd sneak around to school,
For fear tn grammar girls had seen
Me logged out like fool.
But now their sneers I never note
Nor care for what they've said;
I'm proud an tender with tn coat
For dad. dear dad. is deadl