davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-08

back home and never told? All the world
would have lost by 1t. And yet there have
been people who have known the secret OF
acquiring rubber necks and let that secret
60 down with them to heir graves.
Napoleon must have known.
His life proves it. And to keen observer
the apparent shortness 1T the neck in his
portraits shows 1t to have been OF that ex-
tremely fine quality of gutta percha that
snaps back instantly into place. The artists
chose to represent the great man In his
quiet moments. But Napoleon on the battle
field, Napoleon in the council chamber, must
have been a different man.
Only think how that neck must have shot
suddenly forth when no one expected 1t,
enabled its owner to rubber quickly all
around, see all that was in sight and more
too. and then how 1t must have snapped
back firm and short and strong, ready for
use again at an instants notice. Yet he
never told. His knowledge died with him.
Astonishing a. II will seem to future ages
the secret Is now about to be given to the
world for the first time. In this humble
and unpretenticus essay I shall endeavor
to clear UP the mystery.
go simple IL the explanation that the read
er will say to himself: '1why. of course!
How odd that never thought Of itr'
Reader. has It never occurred to you that
colncident with the increase OF rubber-necks
in America has been the astonishing growth
in popularity Of rubber plants? Were there
electric lights In our cities before there were
electric light plants? Would we expect to
find oysters on our tables without oyster
plant in our gardens. or pie without pie.
plant? The newest housekeepef knows bet
ter than that.
The rubber plant has long been known and
revered as a household idol. al 4 syn,bol OF
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-08

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC
Modern life Is like three-rinsed circus,
and he who has the longest neck gets the
best of It. We are told that our ancestors
were quiet lelsurely people who drifted
through life taking things as they found
them. always at their ease, never In a
hurry
Perhaps that is why their portraits look
down from the walls with such an evident
EXPRESSION Of disaprrovel. We. Their grand
children. no longer drift. II we did. we
should quickly drift out to sea and dsap-
pear. Unlike them. We are nervous. active,
quick-wittcd and supple in the neck.
1t is in this last respect that we diRer
most radically from those who went before
us Scientists find that there ia 50 per cent
more rubber in the neck Of a successful man
now than there was twenty years ago.
And there liz need that there should be. II
a man cannot see backward as well as for
ward. and on all sides as well. how Is he to
make any progress through the whirlpool
that we call modern life? II woman's
neck is not as lengthy as swans. how is
she ever to keep up with all the things that
her intensely modern ne'shbors are dolng7
All thinking people admit these facts Ev-
cry one realizes the crying need Of rubber
necks. Yet il Is only here and there that
We see a finely developed specimen The
owner smiles mysteriously. admits that his
or her success is due to the possession Of
rubber neck. but refuses to tell how that
valuable physiological condition II obtained.
Too much cannot be said against such
selflshness. What IL all great discoveries
were kept secret in this manner? Where
would the human race be nowf What IL the
man who invented printing had kept It for
his own amusement or the aetonishment Of
his friends? What Il Columbus had gone
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-08

the home. II has long been loved almost a.
a member Of the family. 1t has stood in
the minds Of many for the very thought Of
home itself.
II has held as high a place as the sacred
fire upon the hearth did In the minds OF the
people Of ancient Greece. Notices have
been worked in shaded silk by loving fingers
bearing the legend. "what is Home Without
a Rubber Plant?" and hung on the walls Of
our drawing-rooms and friends coming into
the house have been greeted by the ex-
clamation, "see how our rubber plant IL
growingr'
But Of the practical value Of the beloved
plant too little has been known. With Q
strange. perverse blindness. people have re-
fused to see that families brought up in a
piuus reverence for the household rubber
tree have invariably turned out successful
men and women. Very little is yet known
OF the exact manner in which rubber Is
taken into the systems OF those who come
into Close contact with q healthy rubber
plant. but that such Is the case. no one who
looks into the matter can for a moment
doubt. Let rubber plant be introduced in
to q family. and the effect will soon be OBJ
served.
The constitution Of every member Of the
family will begin to develop a certain elias
ITCHY, and their necfss to become more elon-
gated and easily extended. This will give
them Q better grasp Of current events, and
the knowledge Of details that insures Sue
cess.
Too much cannot Be- said in favor Of the
adoption into every home Of a rubber plant.
Parents who Wish to do their best for their
children should take this matter seriously
into consideration. and people who feel that
they have not been q success In life should
remember that 1t IL never too late to buy .
rubber tree.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-08

Special Correspondence cf The Sunday Republic.
Amsterdam, Feb. 16.-1f you want to see
the Dutch as they are you must 30 to the
backwoods OF Holland.
You will find there districts where the
people dress the same from generation to
generation and where their customs arc un-
changed by the ages.
This Is so on some Of the islands Of Zee
land. lying In the mouth Of the Scheldt and
also In North Holland on the edge Of the
German Ocean.
Take for instance the Island Of Marker,
In the Zuyder Zee not far from this great
city Of Amsterdam.
It seems to be another world. The people
look down upon modern clothing and dress
as the Dutch did fifty years ago.
The men wear boomers 20 full at the hips
that you could make a dress skirt out Of one
pair or trousers.
They have roundabouts or shirt waists Of
black wool. with big silver buttons running
In two rows down to the waist, where the
trousers are fastened by buttons as large a
an after-dinner coffee cup saucer. The
trousers stop at the root Of the calf and
below are wooden stockings and clogs.
The women wear gorgeous red and white
caps, red bodices and white skirts. which
fall to the knees and below have blue or
black stockings and clogs.
Their caps come down almost to the eyes.
ending in fringe of banged hair. which
a
each cheek to the shoulder.
I went out to Marker one day and spent
the day photographing the people and
houses.
I had no trouble In getting good pictures,
for every man, woman and child was ready
to pose for a certain number OF pennies, and
the little ones trotted along at my heels
In their clogs begging me to take their pic
lures and then asking for money.
Even the men demanded money when pho
himself would have posed for less than a
guifder. usually paid cents a person,
and little more when photographed in
the houses.
The houses Of Marker are low one and n
half-story buildings, with ridge roofs paint
ed black. built along narrow streets in little
villages here and there over the island.
entered one at the invitation Of the own
er, an old Dutchman, who wore q pair OF
trousers each leg Of which was as big as
\ two-bushel bag.
His whole horse was not more than TWEEN
ty-four feet square, but It was 90 clean that
you could see your face In everything In
It.
FLOORS SCRUBBED LIKE
A KITCHEN TABLE.
The floors were scrubbed like a kitchen
table on Saturday night. and the plates on
the wallis fairly shone.
About the room were cupboards each con-
taininz a bed. with the whitest Of pillows
and quilts beautifully embroidered.
The kitchen utensils were copper, and two
brass candlesticks. which shone like gold,
etood on shelf under the plateA
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-08

I Other bridges have gates built upon them,
| and 1t looks funny to see such gates stand
| ing here and there alone in the fields
CANALS TAKE
| THE PLACE OF FENCES.
The fafmers are everywhere thrifty.
| Nothing goes to waste. The haystacks are
! rooted with boards or thatched in such q
way that the thatch can be lowered as the
| hay is fed out.
Ali woodwork Is painted, and rot and
rust are not to be seen. Indeed. the only
things that show signs Of decay here are
the windmills. some of which are hundreds
Of years old
In some cases these have been replaced by
steam or oil engines, but they still do a
! great deal OF pumping ard grinding. You
I see them everywhere upon the Dutch land
scape; some are huge affairs. with arms
| thirty or more feet long. and great stone
or brick towers rising high above the rest
of the landscape Some saw lumber and
others grind -four for the stock. It takes
only two men for large mill, so that the
expense of running Is slight. am told that
a large mill costs $1,000 or $2oo0. and that
the smaller ones are much more expensive
than the steel structures Of q similar kind
In america.
The Dutch make money out Of gardening,
and especially flower gardening. They raise
vegetables and fruits for England but their
peaches and pears lack flavor. though they
are full OF juice.
They taste to me much like the fruits of
Japan. which has about the same climate.
There are parts Of Holland. however,
which are Just right for flowers Take the
region about HARLEM, where more bulbs
are raised than at any place in the world.
The soil there II mixture Of sand and
loan, just fitted for the best of Tulips hya-
cinths and gladioluses.
There are syndicates and individuals at
Haarlem who do big business in bulb
raising. They have patches Of tulips hya.
cinths and others bulbs acres In extent.
HYAC1NTHs SUGGEST
OLD-FA5H1ONED CRAZY QUILT,
The hyacinths load the air with their Der.
fume, and the fields are OF such colors that
In passing through on the railroad at GER
tain times Of the year, you seem to be trav.
cling over a crazy quilt more gorgeous than
any ever put together in reality.
There are In all about 1900 different kinds
Of tulips raised here; 20o0 varieties Of riad.
ioluses and loo hyacinths.
The bulbs are planted in trenches. with
the large plants in the center and the ANAL
ones at the side. The varieties are kaut
separate, each row being labeled with its
own name.
The most Of the bulbs exported By Hoi.
land are raised near Haarlem, ana tbis
means an amount equal to about 5000, 900
annually. much Of which comes from the
United States.
1t was at Haarlem. that the best tulips
such bulbs brought their weight Ii, roi1.
That was about the only time that the
Dutch lost tbNir heads and went wild over
SRSS1AobAohs
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-08

I The Dutch are plain and simple In their
ways. They are sober-looling. but they can
laugh upon occasions, and many of them
are hospitable.
own the lands which they farm, but the
holdings are comparatively small
There are tot In the whole country 200
farms. each containing more than ESQ acres.
and 10000 of the farms have each less than
fifteen acres. indeed. a large part of Hol-
land is tracts OF heath or Of swamp and
water, which are good for nothing.
SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND
ACRES IN FORESTS.
There are two and one-half. million acres
in pasture. and more than 10000 acres in
forests, SO that the land actually cultivated
! does not comprise more than one-third of
the country.
The people ere more devoted to stock
farming and dairying than to tilling the
soil. The country raises excellent grass,
and there are now here something like a
million and a half cattle. chiefly Holsteins.
There are a million and quarter hogs
more than half million horses and 750, 900
sheep.
Some Of the chief dairy regions are In the
north and ut Alkmar Is q famous cheese
market to which the people from seventy
or eighty villages bring in their cheese for
sale.
Each cheese Is marked with the initials
of its maker. The stock is spread out on
waxed cloths. and is bought by wholesale
merchants, who ship 1t to all parts Of the
world.
Holland exported about s5oo000O worth of
cheese in 1900. the bulk Of the product 60
Ing to England Belgium. Germany and
France.
Thousands Of tons Of this are sold at Ak
mar. the stun being brought In in wagons
over the road, on barges up the canals and
by the small farmers in dog carts The
price Of cheese makes good or bad times in
the dairy regions, and by the rise or fall of
a cent or SO pound the farmer is happy
or miserable.
1 am surprised to see how well the Dutch
care for their cattle. They treat them like
children, and are careful that nothing IA
done to excite or disturb them
On cold day. IL In the fields are blank
eted. and when hot the blankets ara often
kept on as a protection from the flies. The
cows are fed in the fields. and the milking
is done in the pasture, the farmers claiming
that the animals should not be worried by
being driven into the stable.
On large farms the milk is collected nv
wagons, and on the small ones the milk
maids often bring It in themselves, using a
yoke which fits over the shoulders, with a
bucket hung to each end
In France found the cattle tied TO stakes
to kesp them from destroying the crops
next the pastures. Here In Holland moth
ing is tethered or watched. There are but
few fences but little canals, two or three
feet wide. take their places.
The gate to a field Is often a drawbridge,
which is, let down when the animals paAs
In or out, but at other times remains up.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-08

On my way to Marker stopped at
Brock, little farming town in the midst
OF the meadows. to see a cheese factory.
The factory was house. stable and cheese
making establishment combined.
This is so throughout the dairy regions of
Holland. The hay is slowed away in the
garnet, and one-helf Of the house Is given
up to the cows. which are brought in doors
during the winter and kept there.
The stable part Of the house had accom-
mediation for thirty cows. two for each
stall, and II was cleaner than the average
American kitchen. The cows were out dur
ing my visit, but walked with clean feet
from stall to STALL making notes Of the ar
rangements
The walls Of the stalls are painted black
to the height of the COWS and white above
that
with lace curtains over It, and at the back
drain six inches deep. which IL flooded
daily with water and kept 50 clean that
there is little perceptible odor.
But as for that the Dutch say that COW
smells are healthful. and the farmers do
not mind them at all.
/ was interested in the arrangements to
bedded. and It has, in addition, a rope the
size of q clothes line with a strap loop at
its end to hold up its tail
One end of the rope is fastened to the
rafters Just over the COW. SO raising the
tail that there is no danger Of It being
fiirted through the milk or into the eye Of
the mixer
In a room adjoining this was the cheese
room with a hundred balls Of fresh EdaIn
cheese on the racks
CHEESE OF RICH
YELLOW COLOR.
The cheese was Of rich yellow color and
more delicious than any We have in the
United Staes. 1 was shown the cheeee
presses, and as I examined them noticed
some American oil stoves on the shelves
near by. an evidence that the American
invasion has evidently found its place In
this out-of-the-way factory.
The old lady who owned the establish
ment explained the processes Of cheese
making. bobbing the gold horns over her
eyes to and fro as she did so.
like the Dutch country people! They are
the Quaintest of all the characters OF the
Netherlands. and they remind you of the
pictures Of Holland you see in the gal
leries
The people Of the towns dress about the
same as We do, but in the back districts
are girls with lace caps and helmets of
gold. silver and brass. and also corkscrew
gold horns sticking out on each side of the
eyes
The women working in the fields wear
black hats and wide linen skirts. and It
is not uncommon to find a young man with
thick mop of hair cut straight on at the
neck. richly embroidered shirt. a rounda-
trousers OF velveteen, which look like enor-
bout with enormous silver buttons and
NOUS bags tied In at the knee.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-08
Electric Billiards.

From Paris comes the report of new
amusement known ~ electric billiards" "
Il !. PLAYED On ole :, m tine een.e a,. o.
trifsd material.
Tho billiard balls are Of compressed
hitch. and the cue n Z short rod with
cork tip. prepared chemically.
The balls are. Of course. subject to the
influence Of the electrified plate in the
center OF the table. and owing to this fact
Il Il difhcu.t to make caroms.
1t IL said 10 be purely a game of skill.
and when It 10 INTRODUCED into New York.
which II Is said will be in the near fu-
ture. It is likely to become popular among
champion billiard players who are thir.ting
for new difficulties to conquer. as well as
fascinating paAttme.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-26

9 3-l6; centrifugaI s6-tcst. 1l-l6; molasses
sugar. 3, refined firm. No. 6. AS. 30 O.
$50, no s. 4a5; No. O. 430. no DO. 49,
NO d. $40, contectiOners a, 4.l0. mould
A. $40; cut loaf. 545. crushed. 5.i5. pow
dered, 4s5; granuiated. 1855, cubes $40
Sugar-RaW. quiet. fair refining 8 3-l6.
centrifugal s5-test. o ll-l6, m0lasses sugar.
), refined. firms crushed, $40; powdered
4s5, graduated. 1855.
Coftee--Quieti No. Rio. 3-l6i mo-
lasses firm
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-26

OF the larger banks lost 81 100000 Of loans.
he important gains in specie We're very
nearly offset by losses. Indicating that
the increase in cash shown by the state
ment was we'll distributed. Compared
with year ago the surplus now s. "a little
greater, and judging from the movements
OF money now IN progress there is good
reason for expecting that the surplus VIII
gradually increase. the gain becoming
"a little more important after the middle
or May The indications. therefore. seem
10 point 90 easy monetary conditions for
nc romalnler 81 The snrLng 10 least.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-26
GRAIN AND PROVISIONS.

Chicago, April 25-Trading i'm the grain
aiu provision pit was dun today. and am
easier tone prevailed m wheat May
closing CSC lower and July ac lower.
. unchanged, and Paw closed "a
shade lower with July down isc Provis-
ions closed steady. the JULY products
being unchanged 20 2isc lower
There was little of conspicuous char
acter ln the trading in wheat and the
market on the whole was dull Opening
prices were easier due Co lower cables
ana May was unchanged 90 isc lower at
H'sdit- but July was a shade TO ikc
nl6hef az i-l@4l2'sc to l23sc. The strength
ln corn had a somewhat bulish effect
early and under this influence Nav sold
up TO use and july 10 csc. but the i'm
proved feeling was only mOmentary. for
with selling by pit traders and brokers
the market gradually declined. Late in
the day "a severe break occurred on scat
tered liquidation In the nearby months
ana May siumped 20 l6t4c. while July
sold Off 20 lZ'sns2l4c Active support was
lacking and weakness continued Tin the
close which showed "a loss ON MAY OF
Csc az Use July closed sale lower at
'-i4nt2-sc. Clearauces of wheat and flour
We're equal 70 3-aG0 bushels Primary
receipts were G4i000 bushels against 2l5 900
bushels year ago Minneapolis and Du-
luth reported receipts of IA cars. which.
with local receipts Of 90 cars none NJ
contract grade made total receipts iOr
the three points of l94 cars against ls0
cars last week and 1856 cars a wear ago.
The weakness I'm wheat had little eff
feet on corn values. and closing prices
were firm May being asniac higher at
i5itc, and July unchanged at 45isc. Lo-
cal receipts were 40 Cars-nOne Of con-
tract grade.
Oats prices were steady the latter part
of the session and July closed lsc lower
at 3l5sc with Man a shade lower az 3ii4c.
Local receipts We're JOG cars.
There was considerable realizing I'm pro-
visions by local longs but offerings were
wen taken by brokers and prices held
steady. July pork closed unchanged at
SlI51L. July lard was 2i4c lower AT
S9.62s0265. and ribs were off shade
at Sg65H46Iia
Estimated receipts for Monday: Wheat,
90 cars. corn. So cars, oats. 100 cars, hogs,
Is. 900 head.
The leading futures ranged as follows:
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-26
Money. silver and Finance.

New York Anil 25-Closc; Time
money steady Sixty and niety days 4i5
d4Ia Der cent: sIN months. siz04r4 pea
cent. Money ON call steady, AN loans az
per cent Prime mercantile paper. 5H
5at per cent Sterling exchange, firm at
4S15O0AST5 for demand. aud at 4S35i50
4sif25 for sixty days. Posted rates, 40
and ASSNAsSiz. Commercial bills, 4.odiaa
4.S4a.
Bar silver a3is
Mexican dollars. 4lle.
Government bonds steady railroad
bonds, irregular.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-26
Metal Markets.

New York. April 15.-Business was
quiet in the leading metals today. with
official quotations unchanged. Tin re-
ported firm at 2395n50UJ for spot
Conner mammals Ialr. and 1laefr1I,-ff,
1i.15ul5.00; casting. l4l0u1415.
Lead in moderate demand and steady;
spot quoted at &.6llz.
SpelJer quiet and firm, spot quoted at
a.ta-
Iron dun and easy; prices nomlnsIIy UNI
changed.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-26

cent railroad bonds selling below par
has been noticed.
United States Is and old As coupons
declined p per cent the IS registered
and old As registered p per cent and
the IS coupon e per cent The new as
advanced 3 as compared with the clos
ing call of last week
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-26

Washington. April 25.-Today's state
nent of the treasury balances shows.
Available cash balance, see s52,ys-i gold.
Sfl2q30 $50.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-26

LIVESTOCK MARKET.

Chicago. April g5.-Catue-R Receipts. 100
Good 90 prime steers. nominal, a.lOuo.tu.
poor 10 medium, f-2u3-l0; stockers and
feeders. 3.0ou4- 90. cows. l5Uu4-t3. helItrs,
= 5005.Oi. Gamers. l.a0u2.la. bulls. $500
$50; calves, 2.7506.io; Texas fed steers
4.O0H5.00.
Hogs-Receipts today. 10000, tomorrow,
So 600. left over. 1900. Market steady 90 81
lower Mixed and butchers. 6.90GI .25'
good to choice heavy, t.dyd -foi rough
heavy. 1.l0d1.-5; light, 6-eiGi Ia bulk OF
Sheer Receipts. 1000. sheep and lambs
nominal Good to choice weathers, 4.50m
500. fair 10 choice mixed 3.l544.-a; west
ern sheep. 4.50d5O0; native lambs, i.500
ESQ; western lambs. 4.50d6.5o.
OFFICIAL yesterday: Recelpts-Cattle. 1855
hogs. 1880; sheep. 1882 Shipments-Cat-
tie. 1881; hogs, 1854, sheep. 60.
Kansas CITY. April 25-Cattle-Receipts,
POO Market unchanged.
Hogs-Receipts 200. Market weak.
Bulk Of sales, 7.0501.l5; heavy I.l00l. To-
packers : .O9dI .0Ila. medium. f.Ofdi lZ'1i
mixed 6.75d7.o5; workers.. 6.s591.t5i piss
.shecp-Receipts. none. Market un-
changed.
South Omaha. April e5.--Cattle-Re-
ceipts, 900. Market steady. Native
$50; Gamers. 2.ooQ3.oo; stockers and feed
ers, 3.0l05.oO; calves, 35oG6.15; bulls
stays. etc. 2.75d4.5o
Receipts 5000. Market shade
stronger Heavy 7.05d7.15; mixed 7.O5d
10; light. l.000I.l0; pigs, 6-00aIO0. bulk
of sales .05fi7,10
Sheep Receipts none. Market steady.
Fed muttons. 3 $4,000; wethers. 4.75d5. .;
ewes. 3.I5H4. 30. common and st0ckers, go
04.25; lambs. 5.5007.0O.
Denver Colo. April 25.-CattIe-Re-
ceipts, 80. Market firm. Beef steers. .. so
d4.75; COWS, 3. 0004 .. feeders, freight
paid TO river. S.5004 .3j. stOckers. 3.0004.2
bulls, stays. etc, 1.5Qd3.5O.
HOgs-Receipts. 100. Market firm. Light
packers. 7.0od7,o5; mixed, 7.O5N7.lOi
heavy. 7.l0G715.
Sheep Receipts, $50 Market steady.
Good fat muttOns, 4.Ooq5.Oo; lambs, 5000
600
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-04-26

short Ribs-sldes Qoosc). 965d9.75.
ShOulders-Dry salted boxed. S.3ilsd
$50
Short Clear Sides Boxed. l022Il025
Whisky-Basis Of high wines 49,
Clover-Contract grade. 1l50dl200.