Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-27
SEEING SIGHTS
OF BIG FAIR

AT the Worlds Fair. ST Louis. Sept
2G.-My plan for keeping John off the
pike worked beautifully. He said We
ought to go down the pike ''as a part
of James education" And Jane show
ed an alarming disposition 10 agree
with him. 1t is hard to impress men
and children with the fact that the
educational features of this great ex-
position are not all on the pike
I don't expect TO keep either of them
of the pike very long. but think of
| three intelligent Americans making
| ''pikeTs" of themselves on their first
days visit to the fair, We must set
| the foreigners here a better example.
So we went 10 the Philippine villages
and the Boer war first, and it sufficed
! to temporarily allay Johns thirst for
| the pike. and being strictly educational
as well as exciting, it fully satisfied
| my notions as to how sane people
should tackle the fair.
The visit TO the Philippine encamp-
ment serves TO impress one with the
big job Uncle Sam has ON his hands
in undertaking to "assimilate'' the dus-
to do any of the "assimilating" /
would choose the Bagobos. They are
my favorites. They are the neatest
dressers and apparently the most eager
to become Americanized They wear
clothing made out of hemp cloth. which
they weave themselves. and which they
cover with beads of elaborate and
tasteful design. | talked with a Bago-
DO boy Is years old, who received but
three months schooling in an Ameri-
can school and he talked very good
English. He said his name was Urba-
no. | drew from a sheath at his side
a bOlO about a foot and a half long.
an ugly looking weapon, very skill
fully and artistically made. He looked
peaceful and docile enough, but he had
evidently heard President Roosevelt's
injunction to speak softly and carry
a big stick"
We saw the far famed dog-eating
Igorotes and their dog dance, and to
tell the naked truth (for we have to
get down to bare facts when speaking
of the IgorotesD they are really hand
some fellows, of superb physique
They were innocent of any raiment
save n small clout, and their bodies
had acquired what Jane called "a
| lovely golf tan" | wouldn't be sur
priSed to learn next summer that the
'lgOrOte tan is quite the rage. | don't
know what the dOg-dance was for I'm.
less it was TO whet their appetites for
the two mangy-looking CANNES that
were chained TO one of the huts. If
null
such lithe-limbed. shapely fellows. per
haps dog diet would be better for
some of us than SO many new-fangled
breakfast foods.
We got the real thing over at the
Boer war-at least as near the real
thing as | ever want to see 1t was
what John calls a thriller and when
anything thrills him you may know it
is not a game of ping-pong. There
was red hot fighting all along the line
after the war opened. but it took a
long time for it to open. There was
the grand entry of English and Boer
infantry. dashing cavalry, a company
| Of Gordon Highlanders, wild Zulus
Boer trecking wagons. oxen and mules
The massed British and Boer contin-
gents drawn up in line on the parade
ground were an impressive sight. Soon
the booming of cannon, the ping-ping
of rifles and the spat-spat-spat of the
rapid-fre guns told us that the battle
of COlensO was on. The bullets appa1-
emily flew thick and fast for men fell
from their horses, artillerymen drop
ped at their guns. and horses fell to
the earth Some of the horses had to
be coaXed a great deal before they
would fall, but others dropped as
though shot to death. The slaughter
was terrible. The advance line along
| MOdder river was moved down one at
ter the other. Finally with cheer
| the Boer cavalry swept down into the
| river and across the plain and CrOnje
the real Boer general. not an imita-
| tiOn-was seen in the clearing smoke
waving the Boer colors amidst the
| shouts of his victorious followers.
And then John got up and yelled.
! There is Dutch blood in Johns veins.
| He was immensely delighted with the
! Boer war exhibit because during the
afternoon the British are beaten twice
| and the Beers but once. l advise no
one TO miss the Boer war.
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