davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
JAPANESE SWORD MAKERS.
Prayers offered Before The Work IS
Bcgun--No Women Employed.

The swords of Japan are as keen
and hard as the best blades of To-
ledo and Damascus, but they are not
so elastic. All the work is done by
hand and is accompanied by relig-
ious ceremonies In huts built for
the purpose the steel is forged. On
the walls are representations of the
god of the sword makers and the
chief goddess of the Shintoes. There
are also bits of white paper and
wisps of straw charms to keep off the
evil spirits. No female is allowed to
enter the place, as they are sup
posed to be accompanied by demons,
and would bring disaster on the
swords.
Prayer is offered before the work
is begun. The metal used is Japan
ese steel made by melting iron ore in
furnace and dropping II In cold wa
ter. Lumps are formed about a
pound and a half in weight and ff-
teen of them go to the making Of
sword Each bit is examined care
fully and If defective is rejected.
Then each lump is heated and beat
en- out to fiat slab. While red hot
It is cut with hatchet and hammer
into a rectangular shape. Then a
heap of small bits of steel are piled
on it and sprinkled with straw ashes,
earth and water and again placed in
the furnace IT is then withdrawn,
pounded with sledge hammers until
it will bend upon itself and welded
into a solid mass. This operation is
sometimes repeated twenty or more
times.
1t is then taken in hand by the
swordsmith. who beats the mass of
steel into shape with small hammers,
which he dips from time to time in
cold water to cleanse the surface of
the steel.
The hardening process is peculiar
to the japanese sword, and the man
who does the work has his name in
scribed on the hilt. The blade is first
covered with thick paste of fire.
clay and water. Then the edge and
point are scraped clean and thin
layer of clay placed thereon. The
forge is darkened, prayer is offered,
and the chief smith, taking the clay
covered blade thrusts it in the fur
mace, moving it back and forth in the
blaze. When the blade has reached a
certain degree of redness from end
to end it is withdrawn and plunged
into water of hundred degrees of
temperature. AS soon as it ceases to
sizzle It is taken out and goes into
the hands of the polisher and sharp
ener.
Tho last thing before it is ready
for use is to have it blessed by the
sword god. The weapon is placed in
front of the "kalamona" on the wall
with an Offering of saki, rice and
sweetmeats. Prayer scrolls are read
and blessing invoked.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
An Orpnn 700 Years Old.

William c. Carl brought back
with him from Japan pipe organ
of ancient make which he believes
will prove a revelation to modern
instrument builders.
The organ is 700 years old, but,
Notwithstanding this fact, embodies
practically all the improvements
which present day builders regard as
new, The pipes are of bamboo, and
the instrument is in a good state of
preservation. Mr.. Carl also brought
home large collection of Japanese
music arranged in modern notation.
Previous to thirty years ago, he says,
all the native music was handed
down from one generation to another
in characters, but since the estab-
lishment of an academy at Toxic
groat impetus has been given to all
classes of music, and more than 600
st dents were In attendance at that
institution when Mr.. Carl visited it.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16

The public is not aware that the
great rock of Gibraltar is tumbling
down-that its crumbling, rotting
masses must be continually bound
together with huge patches of ma
sonry and cement
Yet they who sail PAST Gibraltar
cannot fail to notice on the eastern
slope of the fortress enormous sill
ver-colored patches cleaning in the
sun. These patches in some cases
thirty or forty feet square, are the
proof of Gibraltar's disintegration.
OF thick, strong cement. they keep
huge spurs of the cliffs side from
tumbling into the blue sea.
Sea captains, cruising in the Med
iterranean, say that Gibraltar has
been rotting and crumbling for many
years, but that of late the disintegra-
tion has gone on at faster rate than
heretofore.
They say that the stone forming
this imposing cliff is rotten stone,
and that in little while the phrase,
the strength of Gibraltar" will be
meaningless.-Chicago Chronicle.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
The Winter Excu sion Book"

Just issued by the Passenger
Department Of the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad Company, is one of the
finest resort books ever gotten out
by any railroad company. 1t is a
comprehensive manual of the lead.
ing Winter resorts of the entire
United States, containing one hun
dred and sixty-eight pages of inter
estlng reading matter, and profuse.
ly illultrated with half tone engrav-
ings. One may obtain full infor-
nation i'll reference to wintering
places, routes and rates thereto.
The book is bound in an artistic
cover, chaste in design and harmon
ious in color. This valuable work
may be obtained free of charge at
the principal ticket Offices of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
or will be sent, postpaid, upon
application to Geo. w. BOYD,
General Passenger Agent, Broad
Street Station, Philadelr hia. 1t
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
HONOLULU SHARK FISHING.
Large Specimens Abound--Fisher-
men Enjoy the Sport.

One of Honolulu's most excit-
ing pastimes is shark fishing.
Large sharks abound off Honolulu
harbor and fishermen may usually
count on bringing back one or two
monsters eight to fourteen feet long,
by going three of four miles from
shore. The fish may be harpooned
or hooked, the latter method being
easier. The harpooning is more dan
gerous.
The shark fishers need a small
larnch, dead horse. some harpoons
or hooks and some large caliber
rifles. The horse is sometimes killed
a day or two before the expedition,
as sharks are supposed to like their
meat high"
The horse is tied at the end of
rope and left to float about 60 feet
away from the launch in the open
sea. Then the wait for the sharks
begins. A shark will usually show
up in a short time. At a distance of
60 feet he is a long, green object of
indefinite outlines. He approaches
the horse slowly, until a few feet
away, and then veers off to one side
and disappears. But he always re-
turns. Over and over again, some
times for an hour, he will circle
about the dead animal, seeming to be
as suspicious as any fox.
While the shark is making these
Investigations the bait is slowly
drawn toward the boat. Some inter-
esting glimpses of the shark are OBJ
tainable during this process. He will
slowly glide through the water up to
The food, and then suddenly turn on
his side and take a bite
When harpooning is to be done
the bait is gradually drawn closer
until the shark Is near. Then the
harpoon is plunged into him and the
battle begins. The shark will dive
for deep water and tow the boat at
a rapid pace. His strength is ex-
traordinary, and the fight is a long
one. There is nothing to do but tire
hi out, and the only way is to let
him struggle as he will. Gradually he
Is drawn nearer to the boat, and
soon he is hauled to the surface in
condition approaching exhaustion.
Then the rifles come into play, but at
the first shot he will often carry the
harpoon and rope off again and re-
peat the fight.
There is a SPOT under the gills
where fatal wound can be infiict-
ed with a large rife bullet, but
shooting in rocking boat is not
likely to be accurate, and the right
spot Is seldom reached at once.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
Stockings of Human Hair.

They are black stockings, thick,
stiff, lustrous, and the price mark on
them was SIS.
From China" said the dealer.
From Northern China. Every fam
lily has few pairs of human hair
stockings there. They are worn over
the cotton stockings-they are too
prickly to be worn next the skin
and, properly treated, they last a
lifetime.
THE Chinese exporter who sold
me these stockings said when a
child's hair is shaved in Northern
China the hair is preserved in a spe-
cial hair box of lacquer. AS soon as
the box is full enough the hair is ta-
ken from 1t and a pair of stockings
is woven. Such stockings have d
sentimental, almost religious
value, and they are rarely parted
with. 1t would be safe to bet tha.
there are not six other pairs OF hair
stockings on sale in America.-Bos-
ton Post.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
INITIATING TORTOISE SHE'LL
Only the Expert Able to Select The
Artificial.

"All my life I have been handling
tortoise shell and limitations" said a
manufacturer, and yet the resem-
blance is often so close that | need
more than a glance to determine
whether a comb is real tortoise or
not.
THE minor distinctions that are
noted by an experienced man are al
most imperceptiblo to an ineXpori-
enced person, who is examining the
better class of limitations Yet in ap-
pearance, touch and smell there are
peculiarities which reveal to the ex-
pert whether the comb Is Of real
shell or not.
Years ago the trade depended
mostly on bone or horn, with which
to initiate tortoise she'll and in horn
some fine work was done. But horn
has been getting more and more
scarce since the farmers took to rails
ing hornless cattle and the prices
have gone up so that they are more
than double what they were ten
years ago.
Now little horn is used for this
purpose and there is a variety of 9TH
er substitutes, the chief of which is
easily celluloid. We can produce
in celluloid more beautiful combs
and more perfect likeness of tor
toise shell than was ever made in
horn or any other material.
Exposure to heat will not cause q
celluloid comb to burn in an explc"
sive burst of fire and smoke if the
material Is Of the better grades now
being produced and has been sea-
soned six months or a year in the
factory.
Tortoise shell does not yield to
heat below the boiling point. Hold
comb, and If the heat of your hand
so affects the teeth that you can
bend them easily to other shapes you
have celluloid or some other mate
rial. Shell is almost as elastic as
Damascan blade"
One of the manufacturers said
that the reason celluloid is not so
imfammable as formerly is that rub
ber is mixed with the guncotton and
camphor. After some years, he said,
celluloid will become brittle, while
shell one hundred years and more
old retains its original qualities.-
New York Sun.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
ROYAL ROWS OVER CHESS.
Stories of Monarchs Who Became In
furiutcd When Defeated.

IF, as is reported in the papers,
King Edward is developing an en-
thusiasm for chess, he is only fol-
lowing In the steps of many of his
predecessors on the throne, includ-
ing his namesake, the first Edward, =,
who was almost as keen a fighter
with castles and pawns as with his
knights and squires at his back on
the Scottish border.
William the Conqueror more than
once lost his temper over the game,
and on at least one occasion with Sc
rious consequences He was play
ing with the son of the King of
France when dispute led to hot
words, and eliminated in William
bringing down the board so heavily
on his opponents head as to make
him unconscious. Within an hour
Williams horse put q score of miles
between his rider and the French
court.
In one case at least chess estraneed
husband and wife and cost the hus-
band dearly. Ferrand, Count of
Flanders, was in the habit of play
ing with his countess, and was un-
gallant enough to win almost every
game. This constant and almost in
evitable defeat so disturbed the lady
that in time she conceived a positive
hatred of her victor-to such an eX-
tent that when he was taken priso-
ncr at the battle of Bouvines she re-
fused point blank to take any steps
to procure his release.
Louis XIII. of France was so in
fatuated with the game that where
ever he went he was accompanied by
his chess board and men, and invar-
iably played it in his coach when he
took his drives abroad. Charles |.
found it so fascinating that he al
most literally played 1t to the foot of
the scaffold, and when once his game
was interrupted by news that the
Scots had decided to sell him to the
parliament he proceeded with his
move as unruflied as If, instead of
hearing his doom, he had received a
to dinner. And when John
Frederick, elector of SaXony, heard
over the chess board the news that
he had been condemned to death, he
his move and was again
in the game before the messenger
had time to withdraw.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
Linton To Try Again.

Sir Thomas Upton, thrice defeated
in his efforts to obtain possession of
the Americas cup has determined to
This news is not surprising. AL
though little had been said in pub
lie of Sir Thomas future purpose in
the international yachting line, oc-
casional hints have been dropped
which have led to the belief that he
has been hard at work with the view
of successfully solving the Lerplex-
ing problem how to wrest the tro-
ply standing for the blue ribbon
of the sea" from its custodians of 81
years.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
WHITE SLAVES IN CHINA
American Girls Said TO Be Prisoners in the
Orient

Traffic III young women, purchas-
ed i'll Chicago for sale in all parts
of the empire of China has been
discovered by local federal and po-
lice authorities, but thus far no law
has been found prohibiting the ex-
porting of American women to for
eign countries. The police are in
possession of the names of two
women, one in Chicago and another
in Shanghai, who are thought to
be leaders III the practice.
The plan, it is believed, was to
hire unsuspecting girls, tempting
them with lurid stories of wealth in
the orient. A position as maid or
high servant i'll wealthy Chinese
families is said to be the bait offer
ed. To bind the contract the ap-
plicant for the position was told
that her travelling and living ex-
penses would be paid and clothing
furnished.
When the women reached China
they were placed under guard and
sent to the purchasers, who had
previously paid from $500 to 81, 900
for each. Many are supposed to
be held in palaces of wealthy Chin.
ese under heavy guard.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16

The Englishwoman may not un-
reasonably claim to be the best look
Ing woman in the world. or course
she would not pretend for a mo
ment that all the essentials of good
looks are in her possession; but when
one comes to think that the women
or no other nation manage to give
such general satisfaction as English
women. they may think. confidently
the largest proportion of good looks
grace, and fascination to be found In
any daughter OF Eve all the world
over.-The World.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
SECRET or BREATHING w,-, .
Duo to Changes In Atmosphere p,cs
sure or I'm Tcmpcr9turc

The United States Gcocranb,,.,
Survey has on hand tho investir,,,aI'
Of curious phenomena known
blowing" or breathing" wolf
the course of collecting we'll roco.5l
the hydrologists of the survo, t."1
observed many wells that emit crr.
rents of air with more or less rorco
sometimes accompanied by a whi.,
ling sound which can be heard r,.
long distance.
The best known examples Of tt,
type of well are found throurhon,
the State of Nebraska Blowing wolfe
are also known to occur in Rapiac,
Parish, in Southern Louisiana Tno
force of the air currents in ono ~
the Southern Louisiana wells is sniff.
cient to keep mans hat SUSPENDED
above It.
The cause of such phenomena is
mainly due to changes natmosphoric
pressure or to changes in tempcra-
ture. During the progress of a loy
barometer storm over these regions
the air is expelled from the blowing
wells. With a rising barometer the
blowing becomes rapidly less until
the current is finally reversed.
Differences in the temperature Of
the surface air and the air In the soil
also produce similar effects. When
the interstices between the grains OF
sand, gravel, etc. in which the well
is driven are filled with water, the
phenomena of blowing IS much loss
nolicoAhle 81 LOnis Rnnnhlic
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
Boy Wanted.

A boy sixteen years old with fair
common school education is wanted
at this office to learn the printing
trade. Full particulars as to work
and pay will be given on applica.
ton. &c
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16

81 was not able to do hardly any work at
ALL says Mrs Jennie Dingman. OF Vanburcn,
Kalkaska Co., Mich. in most interesting
letter to Dr Pierce. ~ had pain in my left
side and back, and had headache all the
time | tried your medicine aud IL helped
me, Last spring had a bad cough: got so
bad had 10 be in bed all the time,
MY husband thought ! had consumption
He wanted me TO get doctor hut told him
II II was consumption they could not hclp
me, We thought we would try Dr picrcc's
Golden Medical Discovery and before had
taken one bottle the cough was stopped and
] have had no more OF 1t returning Your
medicine is the best have taken"
Write to DR.. r. V. Pierce. lie will send
you good, fathcrly, professional advice,
In n plain sealed envelope, absolutely
free. His nearly 40 years experience as
chief consult physician Of the In
yalids' Hotel, at Buffalo n. V, has made
him an expert in chronic diseases.
Constipation causes and aggravates
many serious diseases. IL is thoroughly
cured by DR.. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
Two Very Young Married Women,

"Yes, my husband does an i'm
mense business-just rush the
whole time. He sells everything Just
little below cost. you know"
But l don't see how he can make
any money that way"
"oh, but he sells SO much
Judge.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16

The deepest gold mine in the
world is at Bendigo, in Australia.
The mine in question is called the
New Chum Railway mine, and its
main shaft is sunk to the depth of
$500 feet, or only 60 feet short of
three-quarters of a mile.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16

The Japanese government furn-
ishes large number of her soldiers
with eye glasses. as the men have de-
fective vision,
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
A Habit.

"Jinks's wife used to be a sales
lady"
mo wonder she's always asking
him for CASH"
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-16
HUMPHREYS

Specifics cure by acting directly on the
Stct parts without disturbing the rest of
the system
No. for Fevers.
No. 2 " Worms.
No. 8 " Teething.
No. " Diarrhea.
No. Z Coughs.
No. " Neuralgia.
No. " Headaches.
No. 10 " Dyspepsia.
No. IL " Suppressed Periods.
No. IL Whites.
No. ID " Group.
No. IA " The Skin.
No. 10 " Rheumatism.
No. l6 " Malaria.
No. 10 A" Catarrh.
No. 20 i Whooping Cough.
No. ~ The Kidneys.
No. 80 The Bladder.
No. n La Grippe.
In small bottles of pellets that fit the vest
pocket. At Druggists or mailed. 25c. each
,iGo- Medical Guide mailed free. ''"'
Naw aMwuWYphrey' Ned Co. Cor. William John stree,.
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-22

erect another building that will be
one of the handsomest in tic city.
Wilmington, Greensboro ard RAJ
eigh have companies which have been
successful and now that interest is
being aroused in home companies we
hope to see all of them enlarge their
operations and eventually cover the
State in the getting of business. The
revelations made by the insurance in
vestigation in New York will go far
towards lessening the confidence of
our people in away-from-hOme COM
panies and proportionately increasing
their confidence in companies man
aged by North Carolinians whom they
know.
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-22
NOMINATIONS COME HARD.

The discussion of the relative merit
of the Southern and Northern mem
bers of Congress, raised by Senator
Baileys reply to statement OF Dr.
Alderman in New York, causes the
Washington Post to make this COM
ment in long editorial:
eff the general average of South
ern congressman for ability is not
equal to that of Northern Congress
men-a criticism sometimes made, IL
not Warranted-we believe the cause
is to be found i'm the overwhelming
preponderance of one party. me
Southern democracy in places has an
easily obtained and they are equival-
ent to an election There is no healthy
competition which is the life of poll
tics as we'll as of trade. Senators, now
ever are selected after more
thorough sitting process, and those
from the South are the equals of their
Northern colleagues"
The Post man has evidently never
attended a Congressional Convention
in Fayetteville or Monroe, North Caro-
lima, or followed the heated primary
contests in those States where the
Democratic nominee is chosen in d
primary If he had witnessed the
hard fought contests that prevail in
most districts in the South he would
never have written nominations are
easily obtained" The fact that in
most districts a nomination is equival-
ent to an election makes nomination
all the more difficult to obtain. 1t
is generally an easy matter to get
nomination in a district where the
election is shrouded in grave doubt,
but when the main or only fight is
for nomination, you may bet your
last dollar that in most districts 1.-The
nomination is not easily obtained
Usually member of the House is
given a second nomination as mat
ter of course, and if he shows ability
and makes an acceptable representa-
tive his subsequent nominations are
not SO hard to get. But in the South, as
elsewhere, there are many ambitious
men who desire to go to Washington
to make laws, and few Congressman
keep their seat long without
strenuous fight, and even those who
have no public contests must keep
busy continually mending their fences
and keeping in close touch with their
constituents. Let even the ablest of
them suppose he can stay in Washing
ton when Congress is not in session.
and show but little personal interest
in the people of his district, and he
will be retired from public life. No
Mr. Post, getting a nomination for
Congress and keeping the seat is a
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-22
COTTON.

Several of the papers have printed
q statement by Mr.. George HoWelI, a
cotton man at Charlotte to the erect
that the farmers could sell cotton at
25 cents by judicious marketing or the
crop. Fearing that he may be MIS-
understood, Mr.. Howell thus explains
his statement in the Charlotte Cd
server:
81 merely used those figures to ex-
press my belief that the farmer is
going to secure a good price for the
seasons crop.
In order that he may relterate ms
position, Mr.. Howell has requested
that the following be published as de-
filming his views on the great cotton
situation: 81 believe that the crop is
short. much more SO than the ma
jority of people think. / sincerely
hope that when the public awakes to
realization OF its shortness. 1t will
not result in the wild speculation
which will raise values to abnormal
figures, q state of affairs injurious to
the farmer as well as to the manu-
facturer | would like to see stable
price and [ feel that the conditions
justify t@least II IL cents. How
ever. I believe that we Will see higher
prices than this before September 1st,
1906.