davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
FROZEN WORDS.
An Old italian Version of One of Nun
chausen's Jokes. 81;
From Notes and Queries.

From Notes and Queries.
When l was lad many years ago, I re-
member reading a nautical yarn--was 1t in
Captain Marryat?' voyage to a
region so cold that the words uttered in
conversation all froze, but thawed on reach
ing warmer region, for the benefit of the
auditors. The joke often did duty in ran
dom readings and jest books. but like SO
many others boasts a respectable antiquity
even If the pedigree be nebulous Perhaps
the following version, from the Italian, pub
lished in 1856, may not be without interest:
"And that friende Of ours that suffereth
VS. not to want, within these fewe dayes re-
hearsed one to NEE that was very excellent
Then sayde the L. Julian, Whatever it
were, more excellenter it cannot be, nor
more subtiller, than one that Tuskane of
ours which is a merchant man of Luca. af-
fyrmed vnto me the last day for most GER
tame Tell 1t VS., quote the Dutchesse. The
l.. Julian sayde smyling: This Merchant
man (as hee syth) beeing vnanGa time in
Polonia, determined to buy sauantitie of
Stables, minding to bring them tinto Italie.
and to game greatly by thens91ss' Afd after
much practising in the matteer. Muhere he
could not himselfe go into Mpsesuia bv-
cause of the ware betwixt The king Of
Polonia & the Duke of Moscoi4a It}e tooke
order by the meane of some of4hef f,o,intrv
that ypon day appointed fHrtaYhe noar
chant men of Goscouia shoulde cIii;-1ne with
their Stables into the bordersaz N -foo1onia
and hee promised also to bee fhere him saif
to bargaine with them rbis nsarcha,,t
| man Of Luca trauailing then Nth t;is on,a.
panic towarde Moscouia arT4,Ia5N 81 ~.
ryuer of Borsthenes which he Pan, 10 ba IA
frozen like marble stone 4nd Jan, ~
Moscouites which for suspitfoG snf IT, ~
| were in doubt of the Polakes Gu,sri,q On ~ =.
other syde, and nearer came bnf7 IT,, az az
breadth of the ryuer. So aftar ,fbav 49,
the one the other, making certafna etc.,"
the Moscouites beganne to speake aIonde
and tolde the price how thew uron,da Sa1;
theyr Stables, but the colde was go aStr ss.i
that they were not vndersfoodo h,,o.
the words before they came az, ~ c.t
syde where this Merchant Of ,,1 ~, o. ..,
his interpreters, were congeIed ~, TIE = a.au
and there remayned frozen and ston,,oa ~ e
that the Polakes that knew tba 81. 90
made no more adoe, but kvndiaS 49,
tyre in the myddest of the Rv,,ar ,f = e a.
theyr seeming that was the povnta uh ~, -
the voyce came hote before The frostpta e,u
it) and the riuer was so thicta $780, s tpA
1t did well beare the fire. When the, haa
thus done. the wordes that for snaca 10 i. as.
houre had bene frozen. began RI ~. =, - a.,
came downe, making noysa &c Jotb e .I
snow from the Mountaynes in Nav o.,
immeditely they were we'll yndersfood. ~ hs 81
the men on the other side wers arstt az ~
parted; and bycause he Thought that those
wordes asked too great price for the 81
bles, he woulde not bargaine ana so ca,sa.
away without. Then they laughed an.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
JAPANESE MINISTER'S ADvIcEs.
Informed as to the Russian Warships
at Port Arthur,

The Japanese minister has received a dis
patch from Tokyo stating that trustworthy
information has reached the Japanese gov
eminent to the effect that as a result of
the japanese attack on the Russian squad
ron off Port Arthur on midnight of Feb
rtary the Russian battle ship Retvizan is
sun aground outside the port, the Care
witch has been towed into the port and the
Pallada is still aground at the entrance of
the port. All three, the dispatch says, are
hors du combat. The dispatch says that as
a result of the bombardment on the morn
ing of the 9th the Novik was seriously dam
aged, but the Askold, Diana and Poltaya
Were only slightly damaged
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
information About Bananas,

From the Roxbury IN. " Times.
There is a vast amount of@ignorance pre-
vailing among intelligent people of the
north concerning the growth, production
and marketing of bananas. Many people
imagine that the natives in tropical chimes
step out of their huts in the early morning
and pluck and eat bananas fresh from the
plant the same as they would oranges and
other fruits.
Bananas ripened on the plant are not
suitable for food, and would be much the
same as the pith which is found in the
northern cornstalk or elder. Bananas sold
in the United States even after travelling
three thousand miles in green state. are
every bit as good as bananas ripened under
a tropical sun. This is probably true of no
otner export fruit. The plant of which
bananas are the fruit is not a tree, nor is
1T bush ON vine. 1t Is simply a gigantic
plant, growing to a height of from fifteen
TO twenty feet. About eighteen feet from
the ground the leaves, oftimes eight feet
long, come out in sort of cluster from the
center or which springs a bunch of ba-
nanas Ihese do not grow with the bananas
pointing upward, naturally and if the stem
grew straight they would hang exactly as
seen IN the fruit stores and grocers' win
COWS. rms, however, is not the case: the
stem Dends under the weight of the fruit,
and this brings it into directly the opposite
position, with the large end of the stalk
sun.
A word of explanation concerning some
banana terms. Each banana is called a
nnger and each of these little clusters
OF fingers surrounding stalk is called a
mana the quality and value of each
punch depend on the number of hands it
mas. some may wonder how the fruit is
cut from the top of plant fifteen feet
from the ground The native faborers cut
e IN Stalk part way up its height. the weight
OF the 1ruit causes the stalk to slowly bend
over until the bunch of bananas first
IN nicely reaches the ground, then the bunch
carried to the river or railroad for shin
ment. Inc plant at the same time is cut
close to the ground. The banana is a very
proiinc reproducer of itself, and at every
sleaning OF the land it is necessary to cut
ooWn many OF the young plants or suck
ers, as they are termed, in order that they
may not become overcrowded up to GER
t IAN unit, alrni. the less suckers given area
the larger the fruit they will produce.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
MISSIONARIES IN KOREA.
Dr.. Scranton Tells of Work They Have
Accomplished in That Country.

From the Hartford Times
In 1884 William B. Scranton, M. D., and
the Rev. II. c. Appenzeller were appointed
by the Methodists as their first missionaries
IN Korea. At the very time when DR..
Scranton was ordained in New York, on
December A. a riot took place in Seoul.
The leaders of the progressive party were
driven from the country. The mission
aries, ignorant of the full import of these
great changes, sailed for Japan, embark
ing at San Francisco February < 1SSa
On arrival in Japan they counseled with
American friends there. 1t was time of
anxiety and doubt. The greatest uneasi-
ness and uncertainty prevailed with regard
to Korea. Japanese and Chinese troops
had come into collision at Seoul High
Korean officials in either party had been
killed
After staying for a time in Japan. where
lney were occupied with the study Of the
Korean language, under the tuition of some
or the progressive Korean leaders who had
been obliged to flee from home on account
OF party influence DR.. Scranton reached
Korea and proceeded directly to the canital
the rest of the party following him in JuIv
DR.. Scranton early succeeded in purchas-
ing the residence of a high Korean official
VINO desired for some reason to move else
where, and this was the nucleus of succaad
ing purchases for the mission
Near the residence of DR. Scranton an.
othei piece OF property was purchased and
was remodeled for hospital purposes where
an average of 5000 to 1000 patients uere
treated yearly, and later at the time of the
Chhese-Japanese war, it's doors were
thrown open for surgical treatment ~
wounded soldiers. Land to the west of n,
Scrantons residence was purchased for tha
rev; Dr. Appenzeller, where the first school
WORK TOOK It's origin, which school after
ward became influential as place of di-
rect missionary work and of general train.
ing OF men for clerkships in the govern
nent Tor number of years The Korean
government practically supported the
school. the
To the south of DIR. Scranton's residence
properly was purchased by his mother Mrs
M scranton, for the Women's FOREIGN
missionary Society, where the first mission-
airy school for girls known in Korea wa
Duilt and is now doing efficient work In
mat line One of it's girl pupils has come
INTO the United States and has obtained
general education and finally received tbe
uesree or NJ D., and returned to yvorL
among her countrywomen there
Dr. scranton was for seventeen vearc
missionary in Korea and was one of tho
founders OF the Methodist EpiscopaI Church
tuere ana It's superintendent on his leaving
,ne country. AT the present time. to smell
pl none or the other missions that chi,rch
mas twenty-five missionaries in the fia1d
ana a membership of nearly 10000 M tives
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
TESTS FOR DIAMONDS.
Object Viewed Through Genuine Stone
Will Give Only One Image.

FROM the ST. Louis Globe-Denocrat.
This is an age of limitations particularly of
gems, and the amount of imitation precious
stones on the market is enormous" I am
told by Mr.. w. A. Gill, the well-known Jew
eler, land the assertion is continually made
by dealers in these commodities that II
would require the services of an expert to
determine the real from the false With re-
gard to diamonds. the belief is general that
this is entirely true, but never did the gem
eral public entertain a greater error
There are certain simple tests to which
any one may submit stone alleged to be
a genuine diamond and determine almost
instantly the truth or falsity of the claim,
made for it. a real diamond win NOT he
acted on by acids or alkaIis in the least
and may be placed in LIQUID containing
these substances without injury to it, There
are other simpler and easier tests. howeve,s
winch require nothing in the way of testing
materials that a person cannot find in anv
household without the need of visit To rho
druggist These, too, are practically in
iainpie, fof have never heard of an imi-
tatlon that would answer fully to them
In the first just take a small uiaca of
silk and rub the alleged diamond vigorously
for moment and it will acquire a suffi
clent amount OF positive electricity to at
tract DTS OF wool, cotton or paper exactly
as magnet will attract particles of metal
In the second test place the diamond II,
a position where it is exposed to the sum .
rays for while, and then remove II 70
dark room. If the diamond is genuine n
will glow in the darkness with a distinct
phosphorescence, but if it is imitation II
will have no phosphorescent qualities VIM
ever-will look in the darkness inst I;ha =
piece of glass
The third test is undoubtedly the haet -,
the three. A diamond has only single re-
fraction; that is, it gives but a single i'm
age of any object viewed through r. WEI
the diamond is held before a candle a.,
bright light but the one light will be yisihia
to the eye through its substance An imita-
ton diamond, no matter how cunninglv II
has been contrived. will give a myriai ~
images. just like piece of cut glass.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
WHEN WAR Is DECLARED.
What the Immediate Action of Markets
Usually Is-1se9, 1898 and 1870.

From the New York Evening Post.
Recent discussions had made ii pretty
plain, to most people. that financial markets
frequently discount in advance and very
thoroughly such events a declaration of
war. For this reason last Mondays ex-
element the one-half-point drop in consols,
and the four to five per cent fail in Russian
and japanese bonds and the crash in all
other foreign investment issues. caused a
good deal of surprise.
But 'discounting" is not always complet-
ed before hand. In our Spanish war of 1893
1t was. The Maine was blown up on Febru-
airy 10: but the President did not send his
intervention message to Congress until
April II. This message was really the dec
laration of war: vet stocks advanced one
to two points on he news of it. The mar
ket had been "oyersold.''
Before President Kruger. on October 10.
1889. sent to Great Britain the ultimatum
which made the Transvaal war inevitable.
consols had fallen two points within a
month. and Transvaal mine shares had been
wholly demoraliZed. But on the day of the
Boer manifesto consols rose from 1O33s to
1t3&4, and went above 1o4 the ensuing week
This was the general tendency, until the
British army learned at Ladysmith, on Oc-
tober 30, the reality of their problem. What
followed later every one knows.
There had been ample warning of the
Frsnco-Prussian war of 1870. In the fort
night prior to actual declaration of war
brll1Sh consofs had fallen one and one-half
points, and even English railway shares
two to five points apiece. The shock was,
however. severe if wholly unexpected.
War was declared on July Is. when consols
stood at 91la; they fell. by the Goth. to SS7s.
and with them the whole English market
gave way. Outside of France, however, this
depression spent itself within week, and
by August the markets were recovering.
These three precedents constitute three
very different series of phenomena; in 1888,
market which failed to break when war
began, but went to pieces considerably
later; in 1895. market which did all it's
,.sdiscounting before hostilities; in 1870, q
market which broke on declaration of war
and recovered steadily thereafter. If this
weeks market belongs to either of the
three above-named classes, it must be rang
led under the third. Bat it may occupy
class of its own.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
PURDY CONTINUES
Arguments Today in the Post
Office Trial.
s Fl @ R T s E s s ION
COUNSEL TO ALTERNATE IN
SPEAKING TO THE JURY.
Probable Length of Case-Defendants
Seem Satisfied With Condi-
tons Up to Date.
s e O R T S ES s I 0 N

1t was conceded today by attorneys inter-
ested in the trial of A. w. Machen, G. E.
Lorenz, Diller B. Croft and Samuel a.
Croft that the arguments will not be con-
cluded and the case go to the jury until
next Tuesday or Wednesday. Even this
could not be accomplished but for the de-
cision of Justice Prtchard today that the
sessions of the court shall be longer. Adj
journment will be taken today at pm.
In order to allow Justice Pritchard an
opportunity to attend the funeral of the
late Senator Hanna, the trial was not be-
gun until 1870 o'clock this afternoon. when
Assistant Attorney General Purdy resum-
ed his argument, which occupied the entire
day yesterday. His TRADE against the pc
culiar' business methods of George Lo-
REM, the parliamentary man." was con-
tinued, and the intimate relations, both
personal and financial, existing between
Lorenz and Machen were emphasized again
and again in an effort to cOnvinc" the
twelve honest men who compose the jury
that the defendants are. guilty of the crime
as charged.
Mr.. Purdy would trace to the minutest
money, paid first by the government to the,
Groffs, then 40 per cent to Lorenz, and the
alleged "divvy' with Machen.
Didn't it all happen this way, gentle
AhCh' uuS Noulu dish, DIS edcu CHECK
was disposed of, and he was wont to place
the most significant emphasis on the word
happen On other occasions, by way of
variety, he would ask:
WAS this inspiration? Was this an ac-
cident, pure and simple? Or was it the
result of shrewd calculation? You are
honest jurymen and l ask that you put
these questions to yourselves, and let your
answer guide your verdict
To Follow Purdy.
Mr.. Purdy took up the entire time today
He will be followed tomorrow by Mr.. E.
Scott Douglass and Mr.. Samuel Maddox,
representing the defendants; United States
District Attorney Morgan H. Beach, Judge
kumler, representing Lorenz; Mr. c. A.
Douglass, representing Machen and Mr.
Holmes Conrad, special counsel for the gov
eminent, who will close the case
Mrs. IoTenz was not in the court room to-
day. The defendants were all present how
ever. Mr.. Machen spending most of the af-
ternoon in conversation with his wife. The
former superintendent of the free delivery
service seems to be taking the progress of
the trial with philosophy, and he usually
looks as though he is the least concerned in
the room.
Rev. Wallace Radcliffe, pastor of the New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church. was the
guest of Justice Prtchard for short while
during the afternoon. He watched the
progress of the trial with evident interest
commenting from time to time upon the
points made by Mr.. Purdy. The attendance
today was not as large as yesterday, but
will probably increase as the trial draws
closer to its end.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
Boil weevil and Birds.
From the Brooklyn Fap,e

In all this talk about expenditures for
helping the farmers in the cotton belt to kill
the boil weevil-government help that NE
believe, is never extended to northern farm
ers when their crops are menaced-it is
strange that not one congressman has hit
upon the cause of the trouble. The weevil
muitipIes because the birds that would
otherwise consume it are being killed off
Here is proposition to spend large sums
of federal money to help the men who have
been killing their best friends. Last year
the ravages of the boil weevil in Texas
amounted to $15,O0000O, Did the gains of
the miiliners compensate for that? Will the
profits of all the feather workers in the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
From the London Express.

Lord Ormondet, the owner of the castle.
Is the present day representative, of the Butt
iers, who have for many centuries held. the
office of hereditary chief butler of Ireland.
Hence the surname of Butler, and their coat
or arms, with three covered cups, which
represent the three gold cups retained as
perquisites from the coronations of three
different kings. :
The chief butler had the right to keep the
cup out Of which the king drank at the
time of his coronation
Another quaint privilege was that Of re-
tanning one in every ten barrels of wine i'm
ported into Ireland
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
DIscREDITED IN GERMANY.
No Official Reports of japanese Firing
Upon German Ships.

BERLIN. February 1.-THE German adj
rniralfty dfsoredits the reports that the
Japanese fred on the German gunboat
Hansa. Thetis or any other German war
vessel in the disputed far eastern waters
The Hansa is at Tsing-Tau and the Thetis
at Chefoo. The regular reports of their
movements to the admiralty make no men
ton of such an incident.
II 10 added that even IL 1t happened ii is
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17

world amend for the loss to be inflicted on
the cotton growers in our southern tier if
the weeyil increases his pasturage? If so,
and the whole cotton belt suffers as Texas
has suffered it is estimated that the loss
will equal quarter of billion annually.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
Labor Party Leader Declares Munitions
of War Only Needed.

OF war Ouly Neeueu.
VANCOUVER, b. C.. February 17.-Mat-
It's Kurrikki. head of the labor party in
Finland is in Vancouver and says that If
Finland is supplied with munitions of war,
it will rise in a body and attack Russia,
thus aiding the Japanese in their present
struggle.
Rumored Russia to Fight England.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
NEW YORK, February IA Berlin
cablegram says that the Frankfurter lei
tung publishes telegram from ST. Peters
burg making the sensational announcement
that Russia is preparing for war with Eng
land. Russia is said TO be fully determined
TO show no weakness as to England's inva-
sion of Thibet.
Activity by the French.
Special Dsoatch to The Evening Star.
NEW YORK, February IA London
cablegram declares that orders have been
received from Paris for immediate dispatch
to Sagou French Cochin China, of all the
available stores of ammunition and war
material by quick steamers from Marseille.
Rumored Recall of Cassini.
LONDON, February lin a dispatch
from Vienna the correspondent of the Daily
Chronicle repeats the rumor that Count
S'aSSln1, Russian ambassador at WaSnlnS-
ton. is to be recalled for failure to keep his
government properly informed of the state
OF feeling in the United States.
Fell Into japanese Hands.
MINNEAPOLIS, February H.. The
Stoughton Wagon Company, which recently
shipped five hundred army wagons in sew
eral lots to Russian ports on the Pacific
has been notified from st. Petersburg that
the last shipment fell into the hands of the
japanese. The dispatch does not state the
size of the shipment.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17

All doubt concerning the safety of the
crew of the British schooner Scotia Queen,
which has been in distress during the last
week, was removed today by the arrival of
the tug Lehigh, which reported the men
safe on board on their own vessel.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
$4,000 Embark at Nagasaki.

SHANGHAI, February 17.-Baron de
Rosen. the late Russian minister to Japan,
has arrived here on the French steamer
Yarra. He is staying at the Russian con-
sulate.
The following telegram has been received
from Nagasaki under date OF February 10:
Fifteen thousand troops are embarking
on transports today. Their horses are i'll
poor condition. Two damaged warships are"
here waiting TO go into dry dock"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17

Louis E. Sears, a member of the Sears
Shoe Company of New York. committed sui
eide at Miami Fla. yesterday by jumping
from the steamship Martinique The shin
WIS about twenty-five miles off shore.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
JAPS MASS|NGT TROOPS
Continued from First Page)

excellent progress. The fortress is now
thoroughly prepared to withstand a siege
and is regarded as inaccessible.
Gen. SIoessel has issued a reassuring
proclamation to the populace.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
NEWS FROM TIEN-TsIN,
Arrest of Japs Explained - Fears for
British Steamer.

TIEN-TSIN, February 1.-THE Russians
explain that the wholesale arrest of Jap
anese al Hardin and elsewhere was due
to the discovery that Japan had in these
districts upward of a hundred Spies of
whom sixty belonged to the Japanese gem
eral staff.
1t is feared that the British steamer
Hsl-P1ng, bound from Chin Wang-Tao for
Shanghai, with passengers and bullion,
has been captured. She is five days over
due, and was last seen In Port Arthur
roads.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17

TOKYO. February 17.-Eight transports,
with Japanese troops from Nagasaki and
several additional vessels carrying war
munitions. are on their way to the west
coast of Korea. Detachments of Japanese
cavalry have already landed at Win, on
the Yalu river.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
Remittances Discontinued.

Mr. Purdy commented on the fact that as
soon as it became known that an investi-
CATION was in progress at the Post Office
Department the sending of money by Croft
to Lorenz and the remittanees from Lo-
REM to Machen stopped short.
1T is significant" the speaker stated
that during the period from November L
1899, to November 1, 1902, Lorenz received
from the Groffs $32, sos and that during
the same period, Machen received from
Lorenz SIG. $50. 1t is significant, say. that
Lorenz sent Machen substantially one-half
what he received from the Groffs and sent
1t In such devious difficult. fraudulent
manner"
The attorney next devoted his attention
10 the telegram sent Lorenz by Machen, as
result OF which Lorenz "scurried to this
CITY,, when 1t was learned that the Ma
chen-Lorenz transactions were being inyes-
tigated.
If the transaction was an innocent one"
Mr.. Purdy remarked, why didn't Lorenz
explain it when the inspectors called 10
see him and thereby save his wife from
Indictment and trial?'
Mr. Purdy continued speaking during the
remainder Of the session this afternoon. The
arguments will be resumed at 10 O'Clock to-
morrow morning.