davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-06
Western High English.

From Leslie's Weekly.
The west has fewer mannerisms, fewer
provincialisms, than any other section Of
tensions to great culture can visit any sec
ton of the land and cause little remark for
Obligations from the standard set by the
most cultivated people of the section he
visits. That which the rest of the country
accepts as the standard of correct pro-
nunciation, though seldom attaining 1t,
characterizes the speech Of the majority Of
the people of the west. The west is the
only section that does not badly misuse R..
south misuse r. They hardly use 1t at all.
In the east and many parts Of the south r
is, in effect, an auxiliary vowel, except at
the beginning of words. 1t merely length
ems the preceding vowel. Occasionally 1t
italian A. In many parts OF the south 1t Is
not heard at ALL While the Georgian says
"befoah," his Alabama neighbors say
"befo'," deposing r from its position as a
vowel, or vowel modifier. In the west r is
sounded with an approximation Of correct
ness. Yet even the westerners do not give
1t its full value, as do the Irish and Scotch
Their strong enunciation of the letter
sounds harsh to us, yet the letter is intend
ed to be pronounced, and its use differenti-
ates words liable to be confused by the ear.
The Anglo-Saxon seems to be doing his best
to depose r. Were 1t not for the influence
of the Irish and Scotch (and the influence
Of these Celts speaking an alien tongue is
pretty powerful, though you do not often
realize it, r would now be little more than
written letter, as silent as initial HJin
Spanish, - 5lfsi1
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-06
TAXATION OF BACHELORS.
This Important Question is Bothering
the Wiseacres Just Now.
From the Housekeeper

troIn the fouseheepef
The taxation of unmarried men as a
sound economic principle is being advanced
seriously by European writer's on social
science and is vital topic for discussion
in this. the favorite month of Cupid. BY
somewhat devious course of reasoning the
conclusion is reached that the modern bach
elor is an incubus upon society, an unde-
serving object of charity, since his living
expenses are betrayed in large measure
by the fathers of families. Living as he
does in lodgings by himself. he makes no
direct contribution to the Golfers of the
state in shape of taxes. Exceptions there
are, to be sure. bachelors who are extern
sive owners of property upon which they
pay taxes. but single blessedness provides
no incentive to the owning of ones home,
The expenses Of the state must be met
somehow and it is upon the married men
of the nation. already burdened with ia mily
expenses. that they fall most heavily. The
bachelor pays his trif1ing rent for room!
or two and either thinks he has wiped Out
the score or rejoices that those noble phi
lanthropists, the married men, are helping
him foot the bill. But the complaint of the
state against the bachelor rests not only on
financial reasons. The bachelor Is shirker
Of responsibilities, dodger of duty, lag
gard in the procession OF progress Inc
family is the foundation Of the state, the
granite base that supports Its prosperity
and -perpetu ity But in the laying of this
foundation the bachelor plays no part. He
lives unto himself alone. His interest in
all public questions that affect the fam.y
must necessarily be but lukewarm, and it
Is difficult to enlist his activities in public
affairs. The voluntary bachelor is selfish
ness personified. So it is proposed to try
taxing him. Where singleness is bliss It's
folly to have wives" says some cynic, art
fully adapting, the old adage to suit his
jaundiced point Of view. and too many of
the present masculine generation prove
poor targets for Cupid's arrows. VIII tax
ing the bachelor do any good, and is not
the poor creature miserable enough as it is,
without adding to his sorrows? Should he
be forced to pay for home and yet not
enjoy its benefits? These are questions
that cannot be answered off-hand, but de-
serve the most thoughtful consideration.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-06
VALUE OF A SHRINE.
Why Movement for a Beecher Me-
mortal Should Succeed.


From the Church Economist.
The movement inaugurated by DR.. Hills
to bring the remains Of Henry Ward
Beecher to Plymouth Church and erect
suitable memorial over the tomb is in line
with the best traditions and should be en-
couraged. We do not make enough use OF
our ilustrious dead. So little do we honor
their memory that, as rule, their very
graves are forgotten. We venture to say
that not one of our readers can tell where
half our Presidents are buried or where
are the tombs of our greatest leaders in
politics, religion and the arts.
The habit Of honoring shrines Is one we
might well cultivate. Who can compute
the value in inspiration to the whole world,
With what soul-enriching CONCENTRATIONS
does the visitor pause before the tombs Of
Wesley or Bunyan or Knox! Whatever be
our precise angle of observation, the life
Of Henry Ward Beecher was one OF the
great factors in our national history. Plym-
outh Church does well to honor his memory
by undertaking the care of his ashes and
rearing above them an enduring shrine
And what Is true in this case applies equal
ly to many others. 1t we'll becomes any
church that has been served with signal
fidelity and ability by its minister to put
upon it's walls, or upon suitable monu-
ments, some lasting expression of graft
tude; this not for the qualification Of the
minister, who is beyond human praise or
censure, but for the inspiration OF those
who follow and the edification of all who
may come within the influence OF such q
memorial,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-06
A BOTTLE ESTABLISHMENT.
Where Old Receptacles Are Cleaned
and Prepared for Market.

From the New York Evening Post
OF the millions Of bottles used every year
about one-half are lost, and the other half
used again. They are collected by servants,
janitors, rag pickers, dump pickers and
small boys. and sold at half cent, a cent
or two cents to a junk dealer. who disposes
Of them to a bottle dealer, from whose
place, when they are cleaned and assorted,
they go back again Into trade. The dealers
used to be Irish almost exclusively. At the
present time the Italians predominant the
Irish come second and the Russian Jews
third
THE business" said dealer, looks SIM
pier than It really Is Collecting is easy.
and cleaning presents no difficulties. When
bottle Is very dirty. say. where IT contains
paint 1t costs more to clean it than It will
sell for when cleaned. Such bottles ara
siderable trade knowledge. All bottles
which have names blown In The glass ara
put by themselves Tney are purchased by
their original owners, and sometimes by
imitators.
Drug store or prescription bottles make
class. We don't care much for them, as
they are so cheap originally that the profit
is very small. Rhine wine and Moselle bot
ties Ore in large demand, as they are nearly
all imported. Whisky and gin bottles make
good stock. They go to the distilleries,
bucket shops and cheap saloons Cham
payne bottles are not quite 80 profitable.
They are used by American champagne
makers, cider bottlers and mineral water
men. Cologne and fancy perfumery bottles
go to the East Side. where cheap scents
are manufactured. Many patent medicine
bottles, especially those of odd design, are
bought by the manufacturers. 1ue same
rule applies to ink and mucilage bottles, but
only to larger sizes. Magnums and extra
chants always find a reaoy market.
Another important point Is the attitude
of customer. Many bottlers, saloons and
drug stores will receive our goods delivered
in open baskets. 1t does not hurt their
trade for the public to know that they use
secondhand bottles. Others are very Diff
ferent, and insist on their bottles being
packed In boxes and crates as II they came
from the glass works. Formerly we u.a a
large business In beer and milk bottles. but
these trades have organized an excellent
system Of cooperative collecting and dis
tributing which was, Of course. at our ex.
pense. We do not utilize broken bottles.
In Europe they are mixed with mortar and
laid on the top of low walls. where they
make an insurmountable barrier. They are
also broken finely, mixed with plaster OF
Paris and poured or rammed into ratholes.
When the plaster sets no rat will ever gnaw
1t. Mixed with cement, broken bottles make
a good beton or concrete for military walls"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-06
Poison in Fish.
From Nature.

Iom Ndtute.
In consequence of frequent cases of sick
ness and death caused by poisonous sub
stances in sailed raw fish used for food.
the committee of the Caspian fishery and
seal industries several years ago offered
a prize for the Investigation of the nature
of the fish poisen,s,fpr indications Of the
methods of preventing fish from becoming
poisonous, and for the healing Of persons
poisoned by fish, The accumulated interest
and capital now amount to- 1900 rubles
(about FL O5O. The Imperial Academy of
Sciences, st. Petersburg, acting with the
ministry of agriculture and crown domains,
has now issued particulars of new COM
petition on the nature OF fish poison and
the antidotes. The persons competing for
the award offered IN the interest Of pubic
health will be expected to offer solutions
of the following problems: 1 By careful
experiments to defne- the qualities of poi
son contained in fish; to investigate the
organs Of animal bodies, the central ner-
vous system, the heart, the circulation OF
blood and the digestive organs: to pre-
sent an accurate illustration of the patho-
logical reactions in the various parts OF
animal and human bodies caused by such
poisoning; to present description OF
the signs serving to distinguish fish con-
taininy poison from normal fish; to in
dictate methods Tor the prevention OF de-
antidotes and general provision against
poisoning by fish.
The awards for the competition will be
three premiums, VIZ, 5000 rubles (f7OO,
and two OF ], SOC rubles ff2109 and Il 600
rubies GAO. The two lesser prizes may be
gained should the author solve only part
Of the problem basing his experimenting
on one method OF science chemistry, ply
siology or bacterioloey. As regards the
larger prize, this WIN be awarded only for
the work which covers the problem of the
nature Of the fish poison in all respects.
The work sent in to compete for the
wards may be written or printed in Rus
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-06
FRENCH IGNORANCE.
Army Conscripts Know Little About
Even French Affairs.
Paris Correspondence London Standard

Paris Correspondence London Standard.
Compulsory free elementary education
having been established in France in 1882
the conscripts drafted into the army, and
born one year, or at least two, before that
date, have, without exception, passed
through the Communal or other schools
which cost SO many million francs to create,
and of which the maintenance entails such
heavy burden on the taxpayers. It is un-
deniable that the sacrifices have not been
entirely wasted, for a Frenchman who can
not read and write is becoming a rarity.
Captains in various parts of France have
this year subjected the conscripts drafted
into their companies to sort Of examina-
ton, which has demonstrated that nearly
every man was fairly proficient in reading
writing and arithmetic. But beyond the
three KS, the ignorance Of the great ma
5orlty of the men was astonishing. Accord
ing to the Revue Pedagogique, which gives
detailed results Of the ex-off1cio examfr1a-
ton, captain Of the 9Th Army Corps of
which the headquarters are at Orleans and
of which the population is, In the matter of
elementary education, above the average,
discovered that two of the forty-four con-
scripts drafted into his company were com
pletely illiterate. The others could read
and write fairly well, and the greater num-
Der could solve a problem of arithmetic
correctly. Having ascertained that fact
the captain assembled the conscripts and
giving them pen and paper, asked the forty,
two to sit down quietly and to take all the
time they might require to write the an
sWers to the three following questions:
What do you know about Joan of Arc?"
"Of what does the national fete of July IA
rremind your What do you know about
the war of 1902" When the written an
swers were handed to him the officer dis
covered that more than half of the con-
scripts knew nothing at all about Joan of
Arc, that three-quarters were ignorant of
the event commemorated by the national
| fete, and that two-thirds had no knowled ge
Whatever OF the Franco-German war of
1870. Had they not been vouched for by
unimpeachable authority, and If the sober
Journal des Debats had not commented on
them, one would have been inclined to re-
Ject such assertions as incredible.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-06
Short Weight Coal.
From the New York Times.

People who are railing against under
weight in coal are very often right, 1t Is
to be feared, in laying the blame at the
gate Of the coal yard, but here and there
may be found an honest dealer sadly mis-
judged. For instance, cart Of coal (and
quite full enough to bespeak good meas.
ure) came slowly out Of the yards the other
day and numbered along down Morning
side. The driver, following the advice Of
many wise men, was looking straight
ahead" Behind him party Of small boys,
perhaps six or seven, were doing diabolical
things One boy somewhat taller than the
others held a long pole, and this he would
swing gently back and forth over the coal,
causing little showers of the shiny black
''gold' to descend to the street. Immediate
ly the other lads would make frantic dashes
for the Jumps as they fell, would stuff them
into their pockets. their caps. and one en-
terprising youth even slipped few small
pieces down the back OF his neck. Ali
along the route the boy with the pole Piled
his trade and ever. and anon new recruits
would spring up. gather up the falling
Jumps and give place to new set. II the
man to whom that coal was being carted
only knew the number Of poor families he
had unconsciously helped. how happy, in
deed, should he be- But, alas, SO perverse
Is man. he probably rang up the coal yards
the next day and said evil things about
weights.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-06
MINDANAo's DEATH VALLEY.
A Large Depression Protected by a
Covering of Poisonous Mist.

From the Denver Republican,
A. G. CARPENTER of Chicago, who recently
returned from the Philippine Islands, is in
Denver. For three years he has been roam
ing around in UNEMPLOYED and uncivilized
parts of the islands examining into the
mineral possibilities of the country. During
his visit to the islands he represented a
Chicago company, to which he has but re-
Gently made report Of his observations in
the newly acquired territory. OF all of the
unparalleled things which he saw, Mr. Car
penter says that the much-talked of Valley
of Death in the Island Of Mindanao Is the
most wonderful and mysterious.
THE famous valley" he says, lis far in
land In this large island. The interior of
the island Is covered with mountains, and
there are many indications of volcanic
eruptions After one range Of mountains
is crossed there is deep descent. This is
the edge of the valley. 1t looks like the
rim of a great crater, but it is too large for
that 1t is surrounded by high mountains
and covers many square miles
when crossing the mountains the travel
Ter sees a heavy mist similar to a fog hang
ing over the land beneath him. The mist In
heavier and darker than the most dense
fog and it has never been known to clear
away. AS my party of five went down the
mountainside we felt that we were ap-
preaching that mist.
1.-The air that we breathed was heavy and
foul. We knew that there were poisonous
gases in the atmosphere from the very eff
feet which the air above had upon us. AS
I was not out upon an expedition to find
out how much suffering we could endure I
called halt lopa before we were in the
thick Of the mist. We decided at once to
return to the mountain tops and survey
the valley at distance. / was anxious to
make some report of the valley. for natives
had brought nuggets of gold from the
neighboring islands which were larger than
any that had ever before heard Of They
said that they had found these at the edge
OF the Valley OF Death.
mo one has'ever been known to cross this
strange valley, and several parties which
have made the attempt have failed and
have been forced to return to the noun
tains exhausted and sick Many people have
been overcome by the poisonous gases and
have only been rescued by their compan-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-06
Quail in the Cornfleld.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun
In the wide southern field. with rows OF
cornstalks dead and stripped running from
side to side, moist soil and pea vines
scattered here and there, no man needs a
dog In hunting quail Commonly the cattle
are turned into field Of this kind after the
corn is in the barns, and they trample over
it, eating the peas and knocking as many
out of the pods as they eat. It is thus
ground fruitful in food for the birds. and
they can be got out of 1t only by being shot
out. A bevy harassed three times a week
will return to 1t again and again until the
last one OF them has gone to. pot.
The feeding times of the quail are as reg
ular as a clock. Indeed, q man might all
most set watch by them. At the Same
hour each day the same bevy will be found
in the same part of the field, and generally
not more than fifty yards from the spot
from which 1t was flushed on the day be-
fore. The birds go into the fields as soon
as the sun has dried the dew from the
grasses, say when the sun Is an hour high,
and remain until noon, when they seek wa
ter and then the shade of thick cover.
where they lie until feeding time in this
afternoon
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-06
MODERN SMUGGLING.
New English Duties Produce New
Ticks to Evade Them.

From the London Telegraph.
The unexpected discharge Of volley Of
cigars from bale of hay which was being
landed at Hull is a reminder that SNUG
Cling Is still far from being a lost art. We
had rather f1attered ourselves that our fixed
tariff was so restricted and so simple that
attempted contraband was really not worth
the candle more especially In view Of the
alertness Of the modern custom house Of
ficer. The statistics, however, tell another
story. OF late parliament has seen fit to
add to the number Of dutiabie articles, and
the result has been an immediate and con-
siderable increase in smuggling. In the
financial year ended March 81, 1902 there
were 4,701 seizures of smuggled goods, or
543 more than in the previous year. and
nearly 1000 more than in 1900. If the
seizures form a relatively fixed percentage
of the total number of successful and un-
successful attempts to defraud the revenue,
then business in this particular line is dis
tincuy looking up again. Something, Of
course. may be attributable to the fact
that, in view of the new duties imposed by
the finance act of 1901, an addition Of no
fewer than 234 officers has been made to
the customs staff. The more detectives,
doubtless, the more thieves known to the
police.
In the few meager phrases in which the
commissioners Of customs dismiss this, to
them, nauseous subject in their annual re-
port, it is suggested that saccharin and
substances Of a like nature or use are partly
at the bottom of the increased mischief
No doubt there have been cases in which
men have been caught walking off ship
with saccharn concealed about their per-
sons. One man, recently convicted, found q
convenient hiding place for saccharin in his
trousers, which suggests a weak magma
ton. compared with that of the Individual
captured at Dover last year, who was In
the habit Of crossing the channel with to-
bacco and snuff SO disposed as to make him
appear to be a hunchback. But saccharin
as a matter Of fact has a very small share
in the smuggling Of today. 1t is tobacco,
cigars and spirits which, az Of old, are the
h jfavorfte arti JAes. Out Of the 4, 7O1 seizures
I'm the last financial year, as many as 4, 491
tconoerHed these particular goods So the
Hull ease. although interesting, is not sur
Uprising, except in the sense that 1t shows
that there is nothing new under the sun In
h this matter. Of contraband lodges. Hull, by
1.-THE way, has some reputation for this sort
of thing. In the year 1885, the crown re-
covered against Leeds tobacconist the
sum of FL 1856 as penalties for smuggling
The tobacco in question was landed at Hull
in collins and in hollow pieces Of timber.
Doubtless for while the customs officers
prodded all collins and sounded all timber.
Just as they will now stick pitchfoflS into
every bale of hay. But eventually the sus-
pected article becomes the safest.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-06
JAPANESE CHILDREN.
Difference to Elders and Helpful With
Each Other.

From the Congrega tionalist.
The children Of Japanese homes are well
bred. A foreigner never fails to notice 1t.
As rule they are obedient and deferen-
tial to their elders, sweet and obliging
among their equals, and patient to a degree
that is philosophical yet no more genuine
children are anywhere to be found. No
child Is without its responsibilities, and in
most cases these are strapped to its back
and It bears them cheerfully. There is a
beautiful spirit Of helpfulness between
brothers and sisters.
1 think the children have more real af-
lection for each other than they do for
their parents, for whom their respect is
unbounded. Although the Japanese take
great pride in their babies and their grow
ing sons and daughters. they strenuously
endeavOr not to reveal 1t, and If you had
naught but their word for it you would
think they were quite harassed and dis
gusted with their offspring.
II suppose" said friend, before I left
for Japan. you will have to refer to your
baby as my dirty, insignificant and trouble
some little son. "
Establishments of an infant and many a
Japanese mother have 1 entrapped into
glowing details Of the accomplishments of
her small children. The mother does not
often give them all the attention which
mothers should She is ever at the beck
and call Of the head Of the family, to the
exclusion Of all other requests. At such
times If the babies protest they are stuffed
with sweets or turned over to the servants,
and such times are nearly all the time.
The servants are not refined, but they are
kfnd-hearted women, and they are closer
members of the household than our ser
wants are or would like to be, and for that
reason they mother the children and natu-
rally get the greater half of their love.
Much Of the discipline of the family is
turned over to the elder brother 1t is
summary and sound. Occasionally the ia
Their devotes himself to the children
picnic or a walk or in the evening telling
them stories or playing games, but never
under any circumstances will he lay aside
his pipe and his dignity to crawl about on
his hands and knees in the similitude Of
lion. "Ototsan" is always imperturbable.
Mothers and fathers often speak admir-
1ngly and wistfully Of the care and love
that are bestowed upon the children Of the
west, and 1T may come to pass some day
that their own will figure more as human
opportunities than as issue and heirs. A
Japanese away from home is the most
homesick thing in the world. What is it
he longs to get back to? His own family?
His friends? No, these are too easily put
on and off? 1t is Japan itself All Japan
Is home to him, and no wonder. Never did
any nationality in any age become more
amalgamated. Its racial instincts exactly
correspond to family pride and family af-
lection Its former exclusiveness bred these
in the bone. Besides, it's blood relationships
are so closely interviewer that it is, in
reality, one huge household and family.