davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1903-04-17
THE eERMANIc SIGHTED ICEBERG.

The White Star liner Germanic arrived here from
Liverpool last night. making fairly fast voyage
of seven days. ten hours and ten minutes She re-
ported that she sighted large iceberg in latitude
1902 and longitude $3.50 The iceberg was about
six miles away and about go feet high.
New-York tribune., 1903-04-17
vANDERgILTs GO TO MONTREAL.

Boston. April 16--Mr. and Mrs Reginald u van
derbfIt left here for Montreal tonight TO continue
their bridal tour in Canada.
New-York tribune., 1903-04-17
Mr.. MOReAN's BIRTHDAY.
SLAMS GIFT TO COLONEL sIcKELs.

J. Pferpont Morgan is sixty-six years old to-day.
He was born in Hartford, Conn, April IT, 1887.
New-York tribune., 1903-04-17

At the special midweek matinee Of The Daring
Of the Gods yesterday. though not 'Profes-
siopal" matinee there were present nearly al th7
prominent players now IN New-York who have not
had an opportunity before to view Mr. Beiasco
seen al
New-York tribune., 1903-04-17

Charles Frohman has asked for the English rights
to "A Fool anC His Money"
New-York tribune., 1903-04-17

Tonight win occur the seventy-ffth performance
of THE Earl of Pawtucket. which is crowdinS the
Manhattan nightly.
New-York tribune., 1903-04-17

One hundred members Of the Republican Editors
Association saw "A Chinese Honeymoon last
nic
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27
THE GENIAL IDIOT
He Gives His Views on News and the New Year
BY JOHN KENDRICK BANGS.
Copyright, 1908, by John Russell Davidson.

day will be the first day of the New
Year So you can count on it. II
a positive statement of that kind is
made by a newspaper of the Gazoo
standing, editorially, it's a ten to one
shot the thing is going to happen. II
you saw it in the news column you
might doubt it. but on the editorial
page it's inevitable. For betting
man it's almost a sure thing, when
a paper like the Gazoo does not hes
itate to affirm it as a fact. The edi-
tor of that journal is a safe and con-
servative man, and when he says that
next Friday will be the first DAY
of the New Year. you can make up
YOUR mind that he has consulted tie
authorities and is sure of his GROUND;
1 remember last year he announced
a. whole week in advance that WASH
ington's birthday would 1al on lne
! twenty-second of FEBRUARY ana ny
lingo. it did. l watched the situation
myself. and seven days later. exact
! Nv as he had foretold. the thing came
about From Maine to California, from
Texas to Minnesota, from Portland,
oregon to the Waldorf-Astoria, that
dav was Washington's birthday. There
vas no going back on it. Washlhs-
TON himself could not have chaISeu
If without lying. / tell you, gehtIe-
men. Accuracy OIL OldlSHiShe -
RuIwark of Journalism, and IN tills
particular line the Sunday Gazoo out gu
strips its every contemporary 4he
news of the Gazoo is ever correcl
and I say to you frankly that II on
/ The fifteenth of June, 1904, II shoulu
! announce that "a week ana nan
hence we shall celebrate the one nun.
dred and sixty-second anniversary %
our nations independence, ia d.
most believe it. ,,a
"Of course, you would. so wouid j.
,,,,.bout the almost" said the Blpllo-
,r,aric sarcastically. Because Win q
nsIendar in my hand, I'd know thal
within seven and three and a halt Gays
~ June fifteenth, 1904, the one nun
drad and sixty-secOnd anniversary OF
INV the Fourth, 1916, could not Iail
10 be here. That isn't news-lls arl'h-
"Rut YOU see" demonstrated the
idiot at isn't really 80, because the
fourth of July comes always nineteen
avs after the fifteenth OF june ana
he one hundred and sixty"secono an
niversary Of our nations indepeih.s ~ ~
! cannot possibly arrive even IN mes ~
| scorchine days, until 1898, J con DS,
| ifeve President Roosevelt hlmseil eoulo
! change that, even II he were lhehheu
40 do so. You can't MONKEY WIN az
arithmeucal proposition -,...o.,,,,, 4,
FYou take me up on lstnlii,"i 80,
grourled the BibliOmanic you hh"N
well enough what ! mean. ,s,..
"Realiy don't sald ths l nt8l
"sVben man says that 100 suy ,.i '....'
from 1904 leaves lSz, can vD's VIZ
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

must be amazingly difficult to do. 1t
has been known for a long time that
he favored Limantour as his successor,
to hold office for one presidential term
and then to be succeeded by Reyes.
The quarrel between the two men
frustrated this scheme, and has oblig-
ed Diaz to remain President much
longer than he wished
Limantour has Travelled widely In Eu-
rope, the United States and the East.
He is personally acquainted with mon
archs, great statesmen and prominent
financers in almost all the capitals
of the world. ain London, Paris New
York, Washington, Berlin, st. Peters,
burg, Vienna and Rome declared one
of his friends, a former lieutenant
colonel in the Mexican army, he is
as much at home as in the City of
Mexico. and has just as many friends
in high places. 1 doubt If there is
another man who knows as many
kings and other great people as he
does. They have an unbounded adj
miration for his financial genius, and
keep in close correspondence with him
when he is in Mexico. He advises
several of the worlds greatest rulers
in matters of international finance"
People who have dealings with the
government in the City of Mexico
speak in admiration of Limantour's
tireless activity. He is a glutton for
work. He can never have enough of
it. Long after his clerks have left
the office he sits at his desk wrestling
with Mexico's knotty financial prob
lens, and when at last he has to rise
regretfully to drive home to dinner
he takes a big batch of books, letters
and returns with him, So that he may
have the joy of porting over them be-
fore he goes to bed.
The time which, as a minister, he
is obliged to devote to attending le-
wees, receptions and other official func-
tions, is sorely grudged. Now and
then President Diaz breaks into his
office in the afternoon and insists on
dragging him out to a garden party
or for a ride in the park. 1t is said
to be the only point on which they
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

canoe Of a term that 1 ever heard
Of"
His is the little learning that con-
stitutes the dangerous thing" sheer
ed the Bibliomaniac. "Some day when
he has to eat few of these marvel
lous words of his he'll wish he'd left
'em alone If there's anything more
dreadful in this world than an acute
attack of verbal indigestion, l don't
know what it is, and If one of those
words should happen to stick in his
vermiform appendix, 1 believe he'd be
| beyond hope of recovery"
How about the Doctor?" asked the
Idiot, placidly. Suppose one of the
small seeds of verbosity from hasti-
ly eaten vocabulary were to lodge in a
mans vermiform appendiX-would 1t
kill him."
81 think anything so unripe as this
would be in your case, would prove
| fatal said the Doctor. But 1 should
MT worry. There's no evidence any
where that you take words in. On the
contrary, you are eternally pouring
them forth. I don't think you could
keep one in your mouth long enough to
swallow it,"
Thank you," said the idiot. you
relieve my mind of an awful apprehen-
sion. 1 had almost made up my mind
to swear words off for ever after that
dreadful picture the Bibliomaniac had
| painted"
Far be it from me to deprive the
world of the benefits of your activities
in horticulture, my dear Idiot" said
| the Bibliomaniac with smile. 1T is
only when you make little missiles of
your words and pelt me with them
! that 1 object. 1 will go so far indeed
| as to say that If we had more word
mongers like yourself it would be bet
! ter for the language, for in con-
temptation of the new Technology we
should be forced into greater appre-
citation of the classic beauties of the
| old l collect old books because the
new fail to satisfy my sense Of what
| is fine. So it is that L really can find
value in you. When you talk / UNI
derstand the glories of silence. When
l take IN your philosophy, 1 realize
the deep wisdom of the thinkers of
] other days"
| "Thanks awfully old fellow" said
! the Idiot. II feel easier now that you
have spoken, and am only too happy
to learn that / am helpful to you in
| the daily round of your existence.
had begun to fear from the way you
spoke that at this coming glad season
| Of the New Year you might be In
clined to swear me off"
ct would be useless to try" said the
Bibliomaniac, for in the language Of
| Hamlet,
| iris best TO bear the ills we have,
/ Than fly to those we know not OF.
I'm used to you. Some other Idiot
might get more on my nerves"
Hear, hear" cried the Doctor.
J That's a sentiment that does you
credit. Mr.. Bibb. feel the same way
about II myself Swear of the IDIOT
Never. There's worse things than he
In this life. The thing for Us 10 re-
solve for the coming year Is not "a
esohew him but 20 reform him"
"By love, that's a bully idea" cried
the Idiot. where shall we begin,
| wOnder2"
We'll for ny part" said the Doc
Tor, u think II VIII require Drst'
~ serious operation, but J viii glad
/ ~ perform a. ! fbiDk " we per,
formed az amputation ~ the DoiD
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

clude that when he went to school ne
devoted his time to botany and dane
ing. Do you dancer
II do not" retorted the Bibliomani-
&C, plunging into his coffee cup.
"Or bot?" asked the Idiot.
"What?" demanded the Bibliomanic.
bot" said the Idiot. do you go in
for botany?"
Tut" gasped the Bibliomaniac,
growing apoplectic. You surpass the
limit
THANKS" said the idiot, calmly.
I'm not myself a student of botany,
and if l have said anything offensive
on the subject of that science. am
honestly sorry. But to return to our
muttons, another year is about to dawn
upon us, although it seems but yester-
day that 1903 was ushered in. Won
der how all our good resolutions have
lasted. Did yours prove to be fast
colors, Mr.. Bib, or did they begin to
crock and fade ere February passed
into the sere and Yellow"
81 have stuck to them closer than
postage stamp" said the Bibliomaniac.
1.-The first of them was that I'd pre-
serve my equanimity in the fact of
all your absurd ex-cathedra statements.
and the second was that under no
circumstances should / lose my tenn
per-"
Good" said the idiot. LAS to the
/! latter, / can testify. You haven't lost
the least bit of your temper this year
Mr. Bib; fact is, I think you've added
to it; but as to preserving your equa-
nimity, 1 don't know. I never knew
you had an equanimity-you haven't
brought it with you to the breakfast
| table ever, have you?"
Rot" retorted the Bibliomaniac. u
don't believe you know what the word
equanimity means"
! Maybe not-let's see," unused the
Idiot. Its a compound word derived
from equus, horse and imito, to imi-
| tate, isn't it? Equine-imitate-in imi-
] tation of horse. Ell? That's it? It's
/ idiomatic significance is that you take
| the vexations of life calmly, just as q
| horse does"
Dear me-" cried Mr.. Pedagog. "Is
! there anything you can't do with q
! language? That's the most round about
way of getting at the precise signif'
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

"Limantour and Reyes used to be
the greatest of friends until two or
three years ago." said a Mexican Wis
itor to New York. They were like
David and Jonathan. When both were
staying in the City Of Mexico they
were hardly ever out of one another's
company. They worked together
lunched and dined together, and con-
stantly visited at each others houses.
In political matters they were al
ways in accord. 1t was obvious to
everybody that they were the only
two men who could succeed Diaz, and
naturally two powerful factions form
ed to push their respective claims.
But both Limantour and Reyes depre-
Gated the activity of their friends, and
did everything in their power to check
wire-pulling in their own favor. They
even urged upon Diaz, individually
and separately, that the other was the
better man to succeed him for the first
presidential term after his retirement.
"Limantour would point out that
Reyes was a great soldier, the hero of
the army, and therefore best qualified
to rule the country at a time when the
revolutionary spirit, so long repressed
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

where you cerebellum is Joined to
your shoulders, we'd make a success
full start. I'm inclined to think your
heart is all right. 1 never sus-
pected your lungs of weakness. The
difficulty lies wholly in your head. Cut
that off and you'd be very decent
sort"
THAT sounds attractive" said the
Idiot. But l don't quite agree to
your proposition that man without
head would be a decent sort. Fact
is he'd be a mighty unpleasant sort
particularly at the table. How would
you like it, Mr.. Whitechoker, sitting
opposite to a chap who'd left his
head upstairs? How could l do JUS
tice to Mrs. Pedagog's unequalled
puckwheats? How could I appreciate
the delectable aroma of her surpass-
ing coffee? And above all, with my
head, and therefore my ears gone. how
could | drink in those periods of wis
dom you gentlemen so generously law
ish upon this board from time to time?
Nay, nay, Doctor. Your treatment
is too heroic. But this l will DOLL
cut down my verbosity for the new
year Instead of talking all the time
at breakfast. / won't talk more than
half the time. 1 promise you that
for twelve months l shall eat five
buckwheat cakes at the close of every
fifth sentence. and so save you all
a portion, at least. of this wear and
tear upon your nervous system"
You couldn't stop talking If you
tried" said Mr.. Brief. You have
the gift of continuously. Words bulb
bic UP from the well-spring of your
larynx like froth from bottle OF
champagne.
There, Mrs. Pedagog." said the
Idiot. ut is up to you to help these
gentlemen out of their difficulty.
Hereafter at breakfast, my dear Mad
anne, instead Of giving them coffee
"Yes?" said Mrs. Pedagog.
( Administer ether. 1t will ease their
sufferings," said the idiot.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

whats the news this morning"
asked the Poet, as the Idiot put the
newspaper aside, and began MS on
slaught upon his breakfast
Nothing sensational" replied the
Idiot. "The Dutch have decided TO
retain Holland, there is no nope LOT
the recovery of Louis Fourteenth, and
the signal people on Nantucket Island
report no trace of the Santa Maria OF
any of the others of the grayhounos
of Columbus fleet. 1t is feared they
will never turn up"
How very interesting" observed MT
Brief. but all foreign news. Ism
there an item or two of domestlc III
formation you could give us?'
Yes" said the Idiot. Mark Hanna
saws that Andrew Jackson can't be
elected President again, even II ne
carries the solid South, New York.
PENNSYLVANIA, all the Western states
and New England. Jenny LIND mas
lost her voice. Fernando Wood eX-
presses no surprise at. Lows oeIeat'
and Gen. Washington, through frlenos'
has warned President Roosevelt 10
avoid entangling alliances, ana TO 20
in for splendid isolation.
Good" cried the Bibliomaniac. ana
how is the French Revolution pro-
gressing?"
-''The last heard of the French Rev
olution," said the Idiot, was that II
had been lassooed by a Corsican named
Bonaparate, who took it to his lodg-
ings at Numero BIS Rue de Vooley-
VOC and put 1t to sleep. 1t is not eX-
pected to break out again for several
weeks"
cts nice to be so full of current in
formation" said the Bbliomaniac. Il
suppose, Mr. idiot, you could tell us
something fresh about China
II don't know how fresh 1t is, Mr..
Bib" returned the idiot, that is, 10
you, but Confucius is dead pig tails
are no longer worn a la Pompadour,
yellow Jackets this season viii not DE
made Of pink pongee, and lady named
Bridget broke three sets day before
yesterday. thanks TO broken dumb
waiter rope, place and precise time un-
known"
Three sets OF what?" asked the
Bihliomaniac.
China" said the idiot I'VE were
talking about China. We're we notf
There isn't anything IN the paper
about New Years, Is there2' asked inc
Doctor.
Yes" said the Idiot, ITS al right.
They've decided 10 have n. The SUM
asy cazoo says editorialiy. Next III
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27
INDIANS OF PANAMA.
AbOriGines of the Isthmus Live In
the Mountains Midway Between
the Sens.

the Seas.
From the Scientific American.
Within less than one hundred miles
of where the United States intends to
complete the greatest interoceanic ditch
the world has seen, in territory where
the newly created republic of Pam
ANA is situated. there dwelIs an In
dian nation that is to all intents and
purposes identically the same to-day
as IL was when Columbus first dis
covered the western hemisphere. These
are the Talamancans. who inhabit a
few square miles in the mountains
almost midway between the two oceans
and but a comparatively short distance
from the Panama railroad. though II
ls much 70 be doubted II they have
ever seen Il or are aware OF its ex-
istence.
FOR upward Of four centuries the
medieval civilization Of Spain has
surrounded them on all sides, hut they
have neither been contaminated by ita
Influence nor eKferuinated by ~ kind
ness. ~ was the case in Cuba, and
other Spanish colonies, Their language
Is SIN theiF own, and seems 70 have
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

at that time. 1t is usually consum-
matted when she reaches the age of
10 or 12 custom that is responsible
for great disparity in the age and
longevity of the sexes.
The needs of the Talamancan are
primitive to a degree characteristic of
the early ages of man, and as nature
provides for him with a bounteous
hand, his is an existence of dreamy
contentment undisturbed by thought of
the morrow or fear of the hereafter,
for the missionary has never penetrat-
ed to his forest home. The rivers TEEN
with many varieties of edible fish. and
game abounds to a degree unknown
outside the tropics, while the soil is so
fertile as to give rise to the saying
that 1t will raise pickaninnies A lit
tie corn and cassava are planted, and
the soil and climate do the rest; when
they mature, which in the case of corn
Is four times year, they are pre-
pared in the same manner as that prac-
ticed by their forefathers from time out
of mind. Clothing, whether for man or
woman, is of the scantiest description
imaginable except on gala occasions or
visit to the settlement, when the
trousers and shirt of civilization are
donned by the former, the children run
ming about absolutely naked until sew
eral years old.
Art of Thatching.
The Talamancan's hut, which is a
masterpiece in the art of matching, is
huge affair, and shelters his entire
family and all his worldly possessions,
including the domestic animals, that
continually root around the interior
during the day and retire with him
at night. AS he is a past master in
the art of demonstrating the wild deer,
the peccary, the tapir. and even the
tiger cat, numbers of these animals
are present in every village taking the
place of the motley pack of mongrels
that usually greet the visitor at such
humble settlements. His bed consists
of the trunk of a certain species OF
palm, cut into strips and supported
three or four feet from the ground on
a frame, and few earthen pots with
now and again an iron one complete
the furnishing of his house.
While adept with the spear and
deadly blowgun, in which various Of
the South American tribes employ
poisoned darts, he is of the most peace
able nature, and his traditions contain
no stirring tales of conquest, nor does
his conversation boast of personal
valor, for he knows not war. In short,
the Talamancan is forever at peace
with all the world, and only desires to
pursue the even tenor Of his way
unmolested to the end of the chapter.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27
COCK
Permanently Restores
Lost Manhood.

This medicine thoroughly eradicates
the effects of early abuses and ex-
cesses in maturer years by restoring
the organs to their normal size and
healthy condition. thereby enabling
them TO perform their functions nat
Prostatitis. spermatorrhea, Noctur-
nal Emissions and all drains are per-
manenty cured. The shrunken ana un-
developed parts are restored 10 their
normal size so that after a man has
taken this treatment he feels yigor-
Gus and healthy.
WF ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEE
TO CURE YOU OR REFUND YOUR
Oorrespondence confidential Price
81 90 Dfr box or the whole guaralf-
ICED course 81 six boxes for $500. f2r
IJPPWAN ORIG COMPANY,
Lppman Block, Savannah Ca
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

differ. He always has ready plenty of
excuses for sticking to his desk, but
Diaz is not the man to accept ex-
cuses.
Unlike most heads of departments,
Limantour burdens himself with
mass of detail work. Out of pile OF
500 returns of tax revenue placed upon
his desk as a mere matter of form
he will pick out half a dozen, add up
the long columns of figures, and dem
onstrate that the clerks have made
mistake of 81. This trait has brought
his Office up to a wonderful pitch of
accuracy and efficiency. Lmantour is
firm believer in the maxim that If
a man wants a thing to be well done
he must do it himself. He leaves as
little to subordinates as he possibly
can. His life is a hard grind all day
long, and all the year round.
Obviously, there is little in such a
man to take the popular fancy. He
is not addicted to pyrotechnics. The
government of a country is to him a
cold business proposition, which must
be transacted as efficiently as possible
and with as little display as may be,
Men who know his work admire him,
but he leaves the masses cold.
Bernardo Reyes is a man of quite
different stamp. AS Secretary of the
Army and Navy and as Governor of
Nueva Leon, he has shown himself
to be a sound and clever admins
traitor, especially anxious to promote
the investment of American capital in
Mexico but, first and foremost, he is
the popular politician, the man of the
"glad hand" and the ready smile. He
is a distinguished soldier, who has led
the Mexican troops to victory again
and again. In Mexico, as in France,
the army is the idol of the people,
and as it's chief representative, Reyes
is the hero of the masses.
HE ought to be President" was
the verdict of another Mexican in this
country, with Limantour as the
power behind the throne. He would
be a fine figure-head, and would take
good care to keep the country at
peace, while Limantour did the real
hard work of finance and administra-
| ton"
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27
Future Life OF Animals.
From the London News.

Sir William Blunden. a doctor and
baronet, has just favored a meeting
OF the society for the prevention OF
cruelty TO animals with some views on
the future state of animals. He Ger
tainly believed" he said. "in the fu-
ture existence OF animals. and though
he could not bring forward evidence In
support OF his proposition. he could
not AT the same time bring forward
evidence 10 the contrary. II they took
the case OF the tinker's ass. which was
born and reared in hardship. he found
Il hard 10 think that "a merciful Crea-
tor formed that animal merely 20 auf-
fer az the bands Of man without re-
coiying some compensation IN the next
life, II not Ia the present"
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

friendship. except probably President
Diaz. 1. have spoken with some of
the prominent men in both parties, and
they admit that they have not been
taken into the confidence of their
leaders on that subject. And when
they have tried to find out they have
been met by polite rebuffs.
1T must have been highly serious
quarrel, for President Diaz has striven
in vain for over two years to heal it,
and when Diaz cannot do a thing it
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

by the strong government of Diaz.
might burst into life again. Reyes,
on the other hand, would urge that
there was no prospect of the peace of
Mexico being disturbed, and that the
problems with which the next Presi-
dent would have to deal were financial
and commercial ones. Obviously, Lii
mantour, financier, would handle
them better than he, mere soldier,
could.
Suddenly for no apparent reason,
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

this self-sacrificing friendship was
broken. Reyes and Limantour became
bitter enemies, political and personal.
They never met, except when obliged
to do so officially, and each man
threw himself heart and soul into the
intrigues of his own party. The break
between them surprised everybody,
but the extraordinary part of it is that
the cause of the quarrel has never
been made public. Nobody in Mexico
knows what happened to disturb their