davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11

PIRATE to himself all the dement's wnicn'
such an Improvement would secure to ms
adjacent property and at the same time be
the means Of comforting a lasting benent
on the citizens of Cincinnati No reply was
made, and perhaps had not been expected
III the fact that a community has been
made the better or worse by an individual
having lived In IL be. as a standard writer
considers 1t, an unerring test Of the general
character Of that individual, there is no
hazard In saying that Cincinnati Is the bet
Ter on for Nicholas Longworth having been
an influential citizen Of this community.
and that, putting him to the test. he mas
fu.iilled his mission upon earth-not. in-
deed. as fully as he might have done, but
perhaps as fully as any one would have
done VINO might have stood in his shoes
Work for the Craze.
Nor ought Il to be forgotten that by
Mr. l'ongworth's labors I'm the introduc-
ton OF the grape and improved cultivation
OF The strawberry, on which objects he has
spent thousands of dollars, he has made
these fruits accessible to the means Of
purchase of every man, even the humblest
among US. How much more manly and
spirited is this than tempting the poor
man with the sight of luxuries he may
look at, but can never expect to taste.
tNote-Mr. Dongworth was an agrfcul-
tursl enthusiast and az soon as he quit
the active practice OF the law he went into
grape growing. He began on two hundred
acres OF ground with foreign varieties and
lost money right along until 1898. when he
tried the Catawba, q grape discovered on
the Catawba River, North Carolina, in
1901 This, with the Isabella grape, changed
his luck, and for many years the Long
worth wines had almost international
popularity and consum ption and the Long
worth wine cellars were one of Cincinnati 4
sights. The strawberry called forth a
book on their culture, and the "Longworth
Prolific" was at one time the crack berry
of the markets. The strawberry crop
around Cincinnati N 1851 was about 5000
bushels. and Mr.. Cist says, mo year IL
known in which strawberries have aver
| aged as high as ten cents a quart-when
abundant they bring to 6k cents and 90
sionaly fall to from to 4 cents" Ger
tainly this is not tempting the poor man
with luxuries he may look at but never
! taste.1
Mr.. Longworth is a ready and racy
writer whose vein OF thinking and expires
sion is always rich and who blends pleas
antry with grave arguments and earnest
purpose. His writings on the strawberry
and the grape and his various contribu
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11

localities are like his own sparkling charr-
ragne. brilliant and syanescent. Few Of
these can be referred to on the spur Of this
occasion; two or three, however. may SUI
flee as a sample, oven II inferior TO the
average. They are taken from 'Cist's Ad-
vertiser.' the editor OF which relates them
upon his own knowledge
During the war with Mexico one Of our
city dailes stated that Mr.. Longworth had
offered contribution OF $4,000 as advance
pay and equipment of the Ohio volun-
teers, a large number OF whom were from
Cincinnatl-a difficulty having arisen as
to the state OF Ohio furnishing the neces-
sary advances l was somewhat surprised
at this. believing Mr.. Jongworth no friend
to the war with Mexico, and when ! next
met him congratulated him on his pubic
spirit referring at she same time to the
statement IN the journals. Not word OF
II true: not word OF It true observed
M Longworth. I might have said. ana
l believe l did say. that / would give
$40 900 an q contribution to regiment OF
volunteers. but Il was on one condition.
on the express contingency that l should
have the picking out who among our ci,,
izens should 20. and l believe ! would
make money by the offer yet. but reeolieet'
ann to have the say who are to go.
while tn. Presidential struggle OF 1874
was raging Mr.. Dongworth was applied TO
for a contribution of 500 for campaign ex-
penses. Don't know whether l shan give
a cent he said. I never give something
for nothing. we might fall to elect Clay.
az we did before, and should fling away
the hundred dollars The applicant
president OF one OF our banks. assured him
there was no doubt OF Mr.. Clay's election
there could be none. We'll said Long
worth, 4 can tell you what | VIII 90. l
win give you the hundred dollars; put
mind. you shall be personally responsiole
to me for It's return n Clay Is not elected.
The politician, finding he could make no
better bargain, and never dreaming OF de-
! feat. acceded to these terms. The FUNDS
| ALL went into the common purse. and when
ths hundred dollars had to be made gooo
the banker had to pay the amount out OF
| his own pocket-lnulta gemens.
The other day I had occasion TO make
Iup a contribution to relieve the wants OF
a destitute but deserving widow residing
! In the Sixth ward. Among other persons
Ii applied to LonEworth. who Is sheY DO
| YOU know her? Is she a deserving objectE
IL assured him that she was | had good
! reason | said, to believe that she pore
! an excellent character and was doing All
lin her power to support a large family OF
small children Very well, them SAID
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11

beautiful specimens of these ornaments
PROBABLY the fashion became known 10
them at tbs time they stole the Sabine
women, for the hands of these ladies were
ornamented with them, and the new dec
oIatloh Pleased their captors. Their sig
ll'a rings IKE those OF the Lacedemonians,
were made of iron. The early ambassa'
dors pr Rome wore gold rings as a DaTt =,
their official dress. Sometimes ~, rs,,s
OF their friends or ancestors were enrrayed
upon them, sometimes mytholoEicaI or 70
nglous characters. These were exceadin OIL,
.eS uuIui, Tor the engraving both on goid
.hu stones was much more exouisital, g.
nan AZ = at the present day
Durlng the ages when all kinds n, .,,,o.
ss4tions were credited. various rines -.
sn hosn' 20 have magic power. Some we're
dressed oy the sovereign at hish mass go
sven 10 those afflicted With dissase
as cure The bachelors ring va 80
TO those afflicted with Ct Vitns a. sven
uisease which was considered an s1iotior
ol the devil and not a physicoI ,ras,hS'
The ring was made from six crookaS r,'e
peheeS' each OF which was donatad - /.
bial,' ana welded together BY a
s.. ssii ih' we nave all heard OF the mol
soheu ring with its hollow needle hsnes ~
the oezel, which was operated bv 49,,
spring when shaking hands with ~ -
tlm. These are still In use in remots a..
OF India o'e parts
The custom of using ring for ms,r,...
and oetrothal was practlsed by the JeSs
and was In vogue long before III
Christ. very old Morse sasa ds.n ,e OF
the imposing Of an oath or pledge ~ -.
whom II was pledged passed his 49, ~
through a silver ring. In Iceland IT, hn
trothal custom consisted Of the man. mr.
ting his thumb and four fingers through a
large ring and thus clasping the hama =,
the bride to be. In Orkney the man ana
woman used TO PLIGHT heir troth by CLASP
ing hands through the perforated stone
OF Odln.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11

taking into view the prodigious advance In
real estate here, would of itself have fur
nished the basis for an immense fortune,
the naked ground being now worth nearly
two million dollars"
Its Value Grew.
Mote by present writer:-As Mr.. Long
worth did not die until February 10. 1853,
twelve years after Mr.. Cist's sketch. he
saw his property increase still further In
value. Western Row is now Central ave-
nue., but yet some little distance west OF
the heart of the city. Another little real
estate transaction of Mr.. Longworth's,
which Mr.. Cist has overlooked. Is worth
mentioning. Judge Burnet owned lot
which he called his COW pasture. The young
man In his office wanted IL so much that
he offered to pay s.. 900 for ton time. The
Judge, being a fair minded man. tried to
dissuade the proposed purchaser from
throwing his money, or credit, away on
worthless land, but Longworth insisted
until ne got II. He lived to see the COW
pasture worth 81, 500. 900, considerably more
than Judge Burnet ever accumulated.l
"Mr. Longworth went ON adding lot to
lot. acre to acre. in this mode until, al
though he has sold more lands and lots
than any man In Cincinnati he is still the
largest landholder In the city.
What Mr.. Longworth's property Is
worth is rather difficult TO determine, but
as his taxes for 1880 were upward of $1,000,
the highest sum paid by anyendividual in
the United States, William w. Aston ex-
cepted. whose taxes for the same year
were <23,ll6. the presumption is that there
are few individuals OF higher reputed
wealth In the United States. II, however,
he were a man of wealth and nothing more,
this notice would not have appeared in
these pages.
'Longworth is a problem and a riddle; a
problem worthy Of the study of those who
that Is hidden and mysterious, the hu-
nan heart. and riddle to himself and
others. He Is wit and a humorist of a
high orderi OF keen sagacity and shrewd-
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11

INGS are perhaps the Oldest form Of
lpersonal adornment. coming next to
TX beads In antiquity. Originally they
were used not only to adorn the hand
but to call attention TO the shape OF the
nostrlls by hanging from the nose Though
the Egyptian prlncesses have lain In their
tombs adorned with rings for thousands
OF years, in a time previous to this the
ring was not an article OF decoration but
was used In the place of money. After
the ancient days of barter, the Egyptians
saw that some form OF money would be
convenient and chose the ring-a bar
OF metal bent into the form OF a circle
but not quite Joined. 30 that II could De
easily formed into a chain which would
lengthen or shorten as the owner palo our
or received his ring money. Soon these
rings OF gold and silver were used 10:
personal adornment
Ring money Is still used In parts of
Africa, having descended from the time
of the Pharaohs Other countries also
used this form OF money, and the gold
tongues worn around the necks Of the
Gallo warriors must have been highly val
liable, for they sometimes weighed four
pounds. The names and titles were en-
Eraved upon the earliest Egyptian rings,
and poor people often wore rings OF glass
or pottery II they could AFFORD no better.
The Etruscans were great admirers OF the
ring and often decorated 1t with the sacred
scarabaeds. The Egyptian ladies were
fond OF the decoration OF the cat, emblem
OF the Goddess Bast, the Egyptian Diana
Besides being worn on the hand or In the
nose. the ring has been an adornment for
ears. legs, neck. toes and arms The book
OF Genesis tells us that a ring was placed
upon the hand OF Joseph as a sign OF rank
The people of Italy were the first to use
the ring as a sign for betrothal. as II is
the stone ot concord and signifies faith anc
purity. The early rings were "gimmsl, .
81 twin rings. and when used for an en-
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11
RECEPTION HALL,
LONGWUREK HOMESTEAD

rare old book on Cincinnati, written by
Charles Cist the Queen City's local his
torlan, entitled Cincinnati in 1851" Mr..
Cist, who was a quaint historian and a
friendly man, fond of his city and itsI
people, had this to say of that other
Nicholas I.ongworth eighteen years be-
fore the present Nicholas was born
Nicholas Dongworth, the subject or
this memoir, was born in Newark. n. j.,
on the sixteenth of January, 1913. He
came to Cincinnati. which has been his
residence ever since, in May, 1904. He en-
gagged at once in reading and studying
law in the Office of Judge Burnet. then and
always the first lawyer in the city in
point of ability and standing, and after
a briefer space than would now be al
lowed by the courts was admitted to the
Bar He followed his law practice until
1919, when he left the legal profession to-
newer or younger members. His earn
ings and savings had been, during the
period alluded to, invested in lands and
lots in and adjacent to Cincinnati under
the conviction that no other investment
of his funds would prove so profitable.
This may seem insufficient to account for
the amount of property he has since ac-
cumulated from these investments, but
II should be remembered that property
here was held at low values in early days,
many of his city lot purchases having
1T must also be remembered that Mr..
L. was a regular lot and land dealer, SELL
ing as we'll as buying, and his profits con-
stantly furnished the means of extending
his investments, Nor should II be forgot
ten that dealing in property in a rising
market, which Cincinnati has always at
forded, Is business in which all Is gain
and nothing loss; differing in this respect
from ordinary trade, both in the certainty
of profit as well as security of its debts,
which are always protected by mortgages.
As an example of the facility with which
small amounts. comparatively, secured
what has since become of enormous value,
1t may be stated that Mr.. L. once received
as legal fee from a fellow accused of
horse stealing and who had nothing else
to give. two second hand copper stills.
These were in charge OF Joel Williams,
who kept a tavern adjacent to the river,
and who was a large property holder
here in early days. on presenting his
order, Mr.. Williams told Mr.. Longworth
he could not let the stills go, as he was
/ just building a distillery in Butler
county, but he would give him lot OF
! thirty-three acres on Western Row in
\ lieu of the articles. Mr.. L., whose view OF
/ the value of property here was always in
advance of pubic opinion. gladly closed
/ with the proposal These thirty-three
acres occupied a front on Western Row,
\ from sixth to Seventh street. running west
! for quantity, and this transaction alone.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11
BY William ]. Hampton.

-
n US'T now everybody is taking about
Nicholas Longworth, of Cincinnati,
who is to marry the daugh :er of the
President of the United States.
Fifty years ago there was another
~ Nicholas Isongworth, of Cincinnati,
who had come to fame over a much
more difficult path. He was "Old Nick
Longworth as succeeding Nicholases have
been Young Nick" Longworth-as this
one Is to-day the third of his name, though
in reality the fourth, for the grandfather
OF the Nicholas of this sketch was Mich
clas. unknown to fame, albeit a man OF
parts and Jersey Justice of the Peace
an office, by the way, similar to that OF
Kings Justice In other colonies.
Squire Longworth had a son Thomas,
who married Apphia Vanderpoot an early
Dutch woman, and one of their four chill
dren was the Nicholas known later in
Ohio as odd Nick" born January l6, 17S3.
In Newark. Thomas was Tory, and not
being willing to subscribe to the Declare
ton OF Independence, the American Eagle
and the Constitution of the United States
made and provided by the success of the
Revolution, his property was duly confis-
Gated and he was told to go to England or
elsewhere. Whether he obeyed or not the
present writer cannot say, but he was LETT
so poor that everybody had to work. In
Guiding father. and young Nicholas, as he
was then, rustled along the best he could
until ne was Ola enough 10 30 u SOutl
Carolina and take a place in his brothers
store. But he was ambitious to become a
lawyer, and probably realizing that Ohio
was to be a great state some day he went
to Cincinnati in 1904 and entered the law
office of Judge Jacob Burnet. Later he
quit the law for real estate and became a
millionaire and the second largest tax
payer in the United States. In 1907 he mar
ried Susan Howell. daughter Of Captain
Silas Howell. of the New Jersey Conti-
mental line. One of his sons, Joseph, was
the father of Nicholas. a judge on the
Ohio Supreme Bench. who was the father
of the present Nicholas, Representative in
two Congresses from Cincinnati. and a re-
publican. as his great grandfather was q
whig
Not as having any bearing on the case.
but merely as n coincidence. It may be
stated here that the old Longworth home
stead In Pike street. Cincinnati was
bought some years ago by the late David
Sinton. next after Mr.. Longworth Cin-
clnnatis richest citizen, and there to-day
lives his son-in-law. the Hon. Charles p
Taft, one time representing the Long
worth district I'm Congress. and hall
brother of Secretary Taft. with whose
PARTY Miss Roosevelt and Mr.. Longworth
toured the Orient
So much for introduction. Now for the
chronicle Of Nicholas Longworth. In a
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11

whether he would part with the Mount
Adams property for an observatory and on
what terms, promptly made donation OF
the ground, four acres In extent, for that
purpose After the building had been erect
ed an assertion was made In one OF our
city papers-as Mr.. Longworth believed
and charged In his reply by an individual
who had property equally suitable for the
purpose-that Longworth was governed by
interested motives, the value OF Mr.. Long
worth's property contiguous being en-
HANGED by that Improvement Every in
telligent person who read the article must
have felt that an imputation OF the kind
in this case was supremely ridiculous, but
Mr.. Longworth was piqued. and In his own
caustic language retorted with an oTer
that, II the individual who wrote that piece
would deed the same quantity of ground
for an observatory. he would himself put
up building equal to that which had been
erected on Mount Adams, and appropriate
the spot thus vacated for promenade
grounds for the benefit forever of the cit
liens Of Cincinnati. In this way he sug-
gested to the writer that he might appro-
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11

4 AIR from the queues OF Cinnamon
IL OFTEN unconscIously worn as
- switches by some OF fashions fair
devOtees. This statement comes
from wholesale dealers in hair.
1t Is startling to realize that In
such eases the now fetching Mar
Gel waves once formed the straight plaits
worn by certain natives Of the Flowery
Kingdom. OF course the hair IL not trans
ferred from one set OF heads to the other
in its natural state. for the difference In
texture Is strongly noticeable. 1t, however.
goes through a process OF refining that
DISCUSSES II II such a manner that Its
former owners would never recognize IT,
Its new possessors, II they give a thought
to its origin. satisfy themselves that some
of the picturesque peasants toiling among
the vine clad hills OF sunny France, OF
those in nelghboring countries. sacrificed
their beautiful locks for love Of gain.
At least 900 pounds OF hair were i'm
ported to the United States during October
Most of this came from China
1t Is a fact remarked upon by dealers
in this material that lately there has been
a large increase of its importation from
China. 1t IL of interest to note in connec-
ton with this statement that Prince Pu
Lun, Chinese Commissioner to the last
worlds fair. Is quoted as having said
that upon his return to his native land he
Intended trying to institute a reform tend.
ing 10 the abolishing OF the queue.
The hair brought from China, which also
Includes oombings, n refined by first beinr
given an acid bath. This reduces the tex
ture to a much finer state. Then comes
the bleaching. produced by the use of per.
oxide OF hydrogen. Ammonia Is afterWaro
used 10 neuualizs the action OF the acid
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11

who learns, az he easily may. that Mr..
Dongworth Is a supernumerary township
trustee whose office is crowded at regular
hours with twenty. thirty. forty or nifty
miserable objects, whose cases he eX-
anines into and disposes of at cost Of
time and patience which most men would
ordinarily not submit to. Relief Is then
provided for on a system which protects
itself from being made a means of foster
ing idleness or mendicity. All this Is done
obviously on principle, since he must be a
loser peculiarly as we'll as In precious
time by such course.
'Many instances might be cited to snow
that Mr.. Dongworth IL. for a rich man. an
uncommonly liberal one. l shall refer to
the observatory case alone. Mr.. Long
worth, on application to him to know
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11
TO PRESERVE PLASTER oRNA-
MENTS.
c TATUARY and other ornaments

c TATUARY and other ornaments Ia
plaster are greatly improved and pre-
Ovented from discoloraton by the fol-
lowing, which should be applied when
new, instead of waiting for the yellow
spots to appear. which are caused by IRON
in the gypsum and are so difficult to clean
on.
We, therefore take our new plaster stat
uette or bas relief and harden the surface
by this simple process. Make a hot sat
urated solution OF borax and apply to the
ornament with brush. Two or three ap-
plications will generally be sufficient. vet
sometimes Ave and six may be necessary.
Next apply hot a saturated solution OF
chloride OF barium 1.-TWO coats). after this
two or three applications OF soap and
water. Rinse on thoroughly in clean
water. or until the water forms beads upon
the surface OF the ornament. To further
Whitsn apply flake white. rubbed up In
gum water. using q wide eanel's hair
brush.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11

ness in many other respects than in money
matters; one who can be exact to a dol
lar and liberal when he chooses. with
thousands: OF marked PECULIARLY and
tenacity in his own opinions, and yet of
abundant tolerance to the opinions, how
ever, extravagant. OF others-a man OF
great public spirit and sound general judg-
ment. All these things rarely accompany
the acquisition and the accumulation of
riches.
I'm addition to all this, II would be diff
cult to find an individual OF his position
and standing so perfectly free from pride
in the ordinary sense He has absolutely
none, unless II be the pride OF eccentricity.
lit Is no uncommon thing for men to be
come rich by the concentration of time
and labor and attention to some one OBJ
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11

peasant women who wear caps are indif-
ferent about the loss Of their hair. Their
dainty headgear conceals the want Of II.
When this is tine case. the freedom derived
from tedious moments spent in the former
OF 1t Is hailed with delight.
Most Of the hair imported from Europe
is gathered from France. Italy. Germany,
Bohemia, Hungary, Sweden and Norway.
There Is little. II any. direct importat ION
from Spain. though the maldens' tresses
there have long been praised In song and
story.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-11
FE LONGWQRTK E0NESTEAD IN

Mr.. Longworth. I shan't give q cent.
Such persons will always find plenty to
relieve them. I shall assist none but the
idle. drunken. worthless vagabonds that
nobody else will help. II you meet with
such cases call upon me- That this was
not a mere pretence l find in the success
of an application made here In behalf OF
the Mormons after they had been driven
from Illinois. committee OF that people
visited Cincinnati and applied to a friend
of mine, who said he had no money 70
give, but wrote a note to Mr.. Longworth,
i'm which he stated that he had sent them
/ to him as having a claim on him, they not
being Christians. Mr.. Longworth gave
them accordingly So" [Note-"The devils
poor" Mr.. Longworth called the kind he
helped
Thus endeth the Cist chronicle OF fifty
four years ago, and twelve years later
ended the subject Of It. He left fortune
estimated at $4,000, 900, and nobody ever
said any of It was tainted money. although
there were good and pious Cincinnatians