davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-11-27

S--G qua, tuo urot> WEN IL
November. They were
destitute, starving, thinly clad and
they had marched through dis
trict Of northwest Canada that had
little to offer to alleviate their
wretched condition, distance of
some hundreds of miles. Their
Journey was made under the most
trying circumstances, without a
rational motive, without even a
goal or any fixed place or spot for
it's end.
Led by hallucination, driven by
fanaticism for days, this strange
army had journeyed steadily on
ward. Weak women and delicate
children struggled along in it's
rear. The worn out and helpless
were borne by the strong upon
rude lltters. The settlers along
the path of travel gazed with awe
and perhaps some fear at the
strange array of Indebtedness as
it passed before them, yet they
heard no complaints from the
marchers, but were astonished by
the hymns of praise and thanks
giving that burst from the lips Of
the throng. Paradox, wretched-
ness singing with joy; hunger,
cold and weakness borne with
cheerfulness.
A few years ago these misguided
people emigrated to northwest
Canada and were considered val
liable addition to the population
of that territory. They were driv-
en- from Russia by the arbitrary
rulers of the Greek church. They
had little except willing hands
and strong bodies when they
reached their refuge in the north
west. The Canadian government
gave them a tract of fertile land
and assisted them in making "a
start in their new home. Douk-
hobors they called themselves, q
peculiar name, and SO it has turned
out a very peculiar people, the
like of which no man has ever
seen. They prospered under the
liberal government of the North
west Territory and were an indus
trious, sober, rational colony at
first and the future seemed bright
for them.
But over a year ago the colon
lists commenced to show signs of
an eccentricity not warranted by
their previous conduct. They be-
gan to gather together at all times
of the day and even of the night
to sing their peculiar hymns and
perform with fanatical zeal their
religious ceremonies. These meet
ings grew more frequentruntil even
the growing crops were neglected
and the colonists lost all sense of
material existence in their scram-
BILE after the invisible. Finally
a prophet arose among them who
declared he had had a vision in
which he received divine revela-
ton to the effect that mono should
partake of any animal product as
food and that it was sinful for
man to even mako animals labor.
The Doukhobors went to the ex-
IRENE limit of fanaticism in carry
ing out the mandates of this
prophet. They drove their herds
many miles into the unsettled
country to the north of them and
there abandoned them. They
then took upon themselves the
labors their horses had performed,
drawing the heavy wagons and
pulling their plows by hand.
When they brought their last crop
to market some twenty hauled
each wagon for miles over the
rough roads with ropes. They
have gone 80 far in their delusion
az to discard their wooden clothes
100. ok1;rrr I,,t cotton rror
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-11-27

dDOuJ Iu0 country III S0V6IdI UdpuS,
|subsisting for the most part upon
raw vegetables, some even eating
the weeds along the roadside.
They have refused all aid except
in one case where they have per-
mitted their women and children
to find refuge among the settlers.
The largest of these bands reached
Yorktown the first week in Novem-
Der. What the authorities will
do with them is q difficult ques-
ton to answer. They certainly
cannot be left to perish in the
bitter climate of that district. The
question naturally arises: Are
these Doukhobors insane? If
so it is startling conclusion, for
they number nearly two thousand
people, and the fact of SO large a
body of people becoming mentally
deranged simultaneously is appal-
ling. But from the evidence of
press dispatches there seems no
other conclusion, and history
furnishes no parallel. History
tells us of many instances of mobs
gathering for wanton purposes,
but the Doukhobors cannot be
called mob. A mob never forms
without a motive or an end in
view; these people have no motive
and cannot tell even why they
left their homes or where they in
tend to travel. All of this implies
that the Doukhobors are to a
man insane, but evee insane peo-
pie have some fixed purpose and
what might be called a rational
delusion. Even their religion has
no rational delusion, and their Pc
culiar exemption from labor of all
animals is directly antagonistic to
Holy Writ. The Bible states that
the beasts of the fields were given
to man for his use. We can find
no trace in Holy Writ of evidence
to substantiate the peculiar claim
of the Doukhobors, and indeed
it seems that they have discarded
the Bible as a guide and taken
upon themselves to formulate
new theology.
But they cling to the Bible to
certain extent, for their hymns are
for the most part the Psalms of
David and they hold the New
Testament in reverence. One of
their leaders stated in Yorktown
that they we're seeking Christ. -
The conduct Of the Doukhobors
would be ridiculous were it not for
the fact that the greatness of the
movement makes very serious
matter of it. We could diagnose
a similar case in an individual, but
where over two thousand are af-
ficted with, the same mania we
can only conjecture the why and
wherefor. Perhaps the solution
of the problem lies in their racial
antecedents. They are Russians
and probably of Tartar descent.
This view will give us some ground
to work from. The Tartars are a
nomadic people, much given to
wandering about I'm desultory
manner. Here is where the Douk-
hobors obtained the germ of their
strange pilgrimage. Would it not
be reasonable to suppose That this
instinct, being in the blood, was
called into action during the bod
lily stress of the colonists who
suddenly disregarded the most
nutritious foods at a time when
the severity of the climate called
for an addition, rather than a de-
crease, in the. diet. But their
strange belief il the immunity of
animals from labor? Animal wor-
ship, we might call it. This is
nothing new; both ancient and
modern people have worshiped an
imals altho none have gone to this
o-4noxoo -, 4ho.r Io1,,o;on I'll n
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-11-27


lappellation Of savage and pagan
are deemed sufficient to sanction
1.-THE hostilities of both; and thus
the poor wanderers of the forest
have been prosecuted and DETAINED
not because they we're guilty; but
because they we're ignorant.
The rights Of the savage have
seldom been properly appreciated
or respected by the white man
In peace he has too often been
1 the dupe of artful traficers; in war
he has been regarded as a fero-
cious animal, whose life or death
1 was a question of mere precaution
and convenience. Man is cruelty
wasteful of life when his own safety
is endangered, and little mercy is
to be expected from him when he
feels the sting Of the reptile and
is conscious of the power to de-
| stroy.
The same prejudices which were
INDUCED in earlier days exist at
the present day. Certain learned
societies have, it is true, with
laudable diligence, endeavored to
investigate and record the real
character and manners of the In
dian tribes. The American gov
eminent, too, has wisely and
humanely exerted itself to incul-
cate friendly and forbearing
spirit towards them, and to protect
them from fraud and injustice.
The current opinion of the Indian
character, however, is too apt to
be formed from the miserable
hordes which infest the frontiers
and hang on to the skirts of the
settlements. These are too COM
monty composed of degenerate
beings, corrupted and enfeebled
by the vices of society, without
being benefited by its civilization.
That proud independence, which
formed the main pillar of savage
virtue has been shaken down, and
the whole moral fabric lies in
ruins. Their spirits are humiliat-
ed and debased by a sense of
inferiority, and their native cour-
age cowed and daunted by the
superior knowledge and power of
their enlightened neighbors. So
ciety has advanced upon them
like one Of those whitening airs
that will sometimes breathe desc.
lation over whole region of fer
tility. It has enervated their
strength, multiplied their diseases,
and superinduced upon their orig
inal barbarity the low vices of
artificial life. It has given them
a thousand superduous wants,
whilst it has diminished their
means of mere existence.
Thus do we too often find the
Indians on our frontiers to be mere
wrecks and remnants of once pow
erful tribes, which have fingered in
the vicinity of the settlements, and
sunk into a precarious and vaga-
bond existence. Poverty, repin-
ing and hopeless poverty, canker
Of the mind, unknown to savage
life, corrodes their spirits and
blights every free and noble quail
ity of their nature. They become
drunken, INDECENT, feeble, thievish
and puslllanlmous. Luxury
spreads it's board before their eyes,
but they are excluded from the
banq uet. Plenty revels over the
fields, but they are starving in the
midst of it's abundance. The
whole wilderness has blossomed
into garden; but they feel as
reptiles that infest it,
How different was their state
while yet they we're lords of the
soil! Their wants were few and
the means of qualification within
their reach. They saw every one
| orornd than charinor tho Same LOT
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-11-27

L
1.-THE candid temper of true philos-
ophy. They have not sufficiently
considered the peculiar circum-
stances in which the indians have
been placed, and the peculiar prin-
ciples under which they have been
educated. No being acts more
rigidly from rule than the Indian.
His whole conduct is regulated
according to some general maxims,
early implanted in his mind. The
moral laws that govern him are, to
be sue, but few: but then he con-
forms to them all the white man
abounds in laws of religion, morals
and manners, but how many does
he violate?
The Indians cannot but be SEN
sible that the white men are
usurpers of their ancient domin-
ion, the cause Of their degradation
and the gradual destroyers of their
race. A frequent accusation
against the Indians is their dis
regard of treaties and the treach-
cry and wantonness with which, in
time of peace, they will suddenly
fly to hostilities. The intercourse
of the white men with the Indians,
however, is apt to be cold, dis
trustful, oppressive and insulting.
They seldom treat them with that
confidence and frankness which
are indispensable to real friend
ship; nor is sufficient caution OBJ
served not to offend against those
feelings of pride, or superstition,
which often prompt the Indian to
hostility quicker than mere con-
siderations of interest. The soil
tary savage feels silently, but
acutely. His sensibilities are not
difused over so wide surface as
those of the white man. but they
run in steadier and deeper chan
nels. His pride, his affections,
his superstition, are all directed
towards fewer objects; but the
wounds inflicted on them are pro-
portionately deeper, and furnish
motives of hostility which we can
not sufficiently appreciate.
Another ground of violent out
cry against the Indians is their
barbarity to the vanquished. This
had it's origin partly in policy end
partly in superstition. The tribes,
tho sometimes called nations, were
never so formidable in their num-
Der but that the loss of several
warriors was sensibly felt. This
was particularly true when they
had been frequently engaged in
warfare; and many an instance
occurs in history where a tribe,
long formidable to it's neighbors,
has been broken up and driven
away by the capture and massacre
of its principal fighting men.
There was a strong temptation,
therefore, to the victor to be
merciless, not SO much to crafty
any desire for revenge, as to pro-
vide for future security The
Indians have also the supersti-
tious belief frequent among bar
barous nations and prevalent also
among the ancients, that the spir-
it's of their friends who have fall
len in battle are soothed by the
blood of the captives.
We stigmatize the Indians as
cowardly and treacherous because
they use stratagem in warfare in
preference to open force; but in
this they are fully justified by
their rude code Of honor. They
are early taught that stratagem
is praiseworthy; the bravest war
rior thinks it no disgrace to Turk
in silence and take every advan-
tage of his foe; he triumphs in the
superior craft and sagacity by
which he has been able to surprise
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-11-27
A Twentieth Century Hegira.

Ne thousand six hundred
men, women and chill
dren marched into York
town, Assiniboia, Can
ada, the fist week in
AZ mI
The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-11-06

your children educated with other
peoples, money. Oh, it is worth
knocking down and running over old
John Watergrass. But Harry, Dick
and Tom Walker remind me of few
little frogs i'll mud hole; they make
more fuss than there are frogs so they
get their children educated they don {
care how much it cost other people
and HON wuch the negro gets, it don t
cost them anytingh but CAB, and think
that is the biggest tax they pay
If only white children would get
the benefit of my taxes you may tax
me for nine months school in place of
six, but the way the thing stands
now, Mr.. Negro is getting the best of
it. The children that have to labor
do not get what the law intends for
thems to have | raised eight child
rem and never could spare them out
of the farm four months in place of
six. My taxes heretofore have been
from $l3 to $lS and my children never
did get the amount that they would
have gotten if they could have left
the farm and attended the school, but
they can t do that. Childrens' parents
are born to live and born to pay the
merchant that feeds him and pay his
taxes and DOCTORS bill, and preachers
and they cannot gdo all Eof this and
leave the farm for SIX months in the
year, and he is simply beat out Of one
third of his parental share, and the
negro gets it. There is one thing
sure, you never beat Mr. Negro out of
his school.
Now, gentlemen the thing we are
to do is to send men to the legislature
that will attend to their business
and look out for tho welfare of his
people. Yours respectfully.
TEE PEE CHAPMAN.
The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-11-06

Eyes
Did Not Close For a
Week.
Heart Trouble Bafs
fled Doctors.
DIR. Mile s'Heart Cure and
.Nervine Cured Me.


There is nothing more necessary to health
than sleep and rest. If these are denied you,
if you rise in the morning more tired than
when you went to bed, there is an affection of
the nerves plainly present. If your heart is
weak, or there is an inherited tendency In
that direction, your weakened nerves will
soon so affect your hearts action as to bring
on serious, chronic trouble. DR.. Miles Ner-
vine is nerve tonic, which qpiets the nerves,
SO that sleep may come, and it quickly re-
stores the weakened nerves to health and
strength. DIR. Miles Heart Cure is a great
blood and heart tonic which regulates the ac-
ton OF the heart, enriches the blood and i'm
proves the circulation.
"Some time ago was suffering severely
with heart trouble. AT times my heart would
seemingly stop beating and at others it would
beat loudly and very fast. Three to four
hours sleep each night in ten months was all
could get. One week in last September
never closed my eyes got DIR. Miles Nervine
and Heart Cure at drug store in Lawrence
burg, after spending 100000 in medi-
clnes and doctors IN Louisville, Shelbyville,
Frankfort, Cincinnati and Lawrenceburg,
and in three days have derived more benefit
from the. use of your remedies than / got
from all the doctors and their medicines. /
think everybody ought to know of the mar
velous power contained in your remedies."-
w. II. HUGHES, Fox Creek, KY.
All druggists sell and guarantee first bot.
tie DR.. Miles Remedies. Send for free book
on Nervous and Heart. Diseases. Address
DR.. Miles Medical Co, Elkhaft, Ind.
The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-11-06

DENTAL NOTICE.
I will be at Forest the IL, Is and
II. 2. p. WALKER.
The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-11-06
TUESDAYS ELECTION.

The election III the state passed of
quietly with very light vote polled.
This latter may be accounted for as
there was no opposition to the con-
gressional ticket, this having been
settled by the primary election, and
indifference to the amendments, there
having been but little public discus
sion OF them none in this district
to our knowledge.
The congressional candidates were
elected, and our delegation to the 58th
congress will be as follows, to-wit:
|. FIRST district-E. S. Chandler.
Second district-Tho Spight.
Third district-B D. Humphreys.
Fourth district-W. S. Hill.
Fifth district-A. nj. Byrd.
Sixth districtE. J. Bowers.
Seventh district. A. McLain.
Eighth districtJohn S. Williams.
AL democrats and good and worthy
representatives. AS to the amend
ments, we canont say but rather think
they failed to carry.
In Rankin J. S. Williams received
the full vote. Amendment No. was
defeated by 147 votes; No. was de4
feated by 16; and No. 3 by 10l votes.
There were only $50 votes polled in
the county.
The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-11-06

Entered at Brandon postoffce as second
class m all matter.
The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-11-06
EAST BOUND.
LOCAL NEWS

Buffalo Bill outdraws an cleo
tion.
L. S. May is having new kitchen
added to his residence.
Mr.. and Mrs. J. J. Clark, of Cato,
spent Saturday in Brandon.
Mrs. Purnell left today for visit
to relatives at Mayersyile
Preaching Sunday at Presbyterian
church morning and night.
The people will go to a show,
whether the election fails or not.
Mrs. S. L. McLaurln is at Pelahat-
chic, nursing her sister, Mrs. Spann.
If Buffalo Bill had showed all over
the United States, the election would
have gone by default.
Glenn 2. Jones, of Yazoo City, was
shaking hands with his numerous
friends here this week.
The friends of Mrs. J A. Spann,
of Pelahatehie, will be glad to learn
that she is still improving.
Mrs. Fannie Craig is very low at
the home of her son ". E. Craig, and
is not expected to live throughout the
week.
Rev. Mr.. Melvin will preach Sun
day afternoon 3:30 at Hebron. He
will return and fill his pulpit here at
night.
Mrs. Pat Henry, who has been for
q week or more at Pelahatchie, at the
bedside of her sister, Mrs. Spann, re-
turned home Tuesday morning.
Mr.. Manship will lecture at the
court house Saturday night instead Of
tonight as previously announced. 1t
was impossible for him to get here
today, hence the later date.
There were $50 votes polled in the
county TUESDAY. Three precincts did
not vote at all. Buffalo Bill's shows
at Jackson was greater attraction
than the election.
News has been received here of the
serious illness of IT, A. McCaskill, at
Mt Olive. DR.. Berry went there
Tuesday in answer TO telegram.
He has typhoid-malarial fever, and
his condition is considered serious.
Mesdames Julia F. Johnson and
Mary McElroy, wife of the genial
conductor McElroy, on Alabama and
yicksburg road, and their little
daughter Ruth, all of Meridian, spent
Sunday with Mrs. j. O. Atkins.
Cards are out announcing the APP
preaching marriage of Miss Martha
Aills, of Steen' Greek, to Jesse Free
man Durham, of Clarksdale. ceremony
to take place at high noon at Baptist
church, Florence. Miss, Novem-
Der 10.
d. B. Barnes, of Pelahatchie, was
here Tuesday. Mr.. Barnes says he
has just finished digging potatoes, and
that the crop is the finest he ever
made. In one hill he found five po-
tatoes, the biggest one weighing Z
pounds and the others five each
Brandon was almost entirely de-
populated Tuesday account Buffalo
The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-11-06
Did You Know that
Christmas is Nearly Here?

Ii you hadn't thought of it, we
want to remind you of it = We also
want to remind you of the fact that
we are preparing daily for the COM
ing holiday by receiving goods that
we know you will need and will read
lily buy if you come in and get prices
We have watches from dollar up,
solid gold rings from so cents up, and
all sorts of things that are tempting
to look at.
We expect to carry larger stock
than ever before and we want your
patronage to enable us to do it.
Come III and see us anyway. We
want your friendship as we'll as your
money.
Do not forget the Optical depart
ment when you need glass. Perfect
fit guaranteed.
Yours for business.
HARRY WATSON.
BRANDON, MISS.
The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-11-06
TEE PEE ON HARRY, DICK AND
TOM WALKER.

Chapman, Miss, November O.
Mr.. Editor: Mr.. Harry, Dick and
Tom Walker and those fellows who
live at the Cross Roads have had their
say SO, and have spent their opinions
about extending the public school, I
think my time has come to tell what
| have got to say about extenindg
the public schools.
In the first place we would like to
know the amount of taxes that Harry,
Dick and Tom pay into the treasury.
About poll tax? Yes, if they pay
their poll tax they are just raving and
pitching and spouting about extending
the public school just like if they paid
all the taxes, then they jump on poor
old John Watergrass and knock and
beat him around and pull his nose and
make him understand that they were
young Americans, and when every
bone in old John was loose then they
would throw up their old hat and
hollow out where are you, Elex -
Gentlemen, If you don't know
where Elex is, I'al tell you. He is at
home, where the people left him at
the last election and where he will
remain.
/ think that little old captain in
north Rankin turning his tobacco over
in his mouth mighty fast, and every
body preaching that he will wear the
harness to the next senate, but EleS
is a favorite of Tom, Dick and Har.
ry. We were in favor of extending
the schools, negro or Eno7 negro; il
everybody was allowed to talk ac-
cording to the amount OF his taxes,
Harry. Dick and Tom and myself
would have to take the back seat.
Oh, it is SO nice indeed to have