davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1906-05-27
Gambling in Indie

y INDIA and possibly more eSpec-
tally IN the large seaport towns.
III gambling IS found IN almost every
conceivable form. from the sweep
stakes on the Calcutta cup 10 the chuck
farthing OF the bazaars-
The rainy season, however. brings into
temporary vogue a particular kind OF
speculation which IS about the simplest
specimen OF gambling 10 be found any
where. and has the advantage or distinc-
ton Of allowing no opportunity 10 sharp
trs and birds Of kindred feather 70 exer-
else their skill IN any manipulations
which deceive the eye OF the novice
This system OF gambling is called
sutta. or rain speculation. The man who
thinks himself weather wise bets accord
ing 20 his opinion. and il rests with the
elements only TO decide who is the win
ner. The betting raay take place any
where so long as there IS a roof and
spout. or a rain gauge, recognized by
both parties N the betting transaction
II the gambling takes place in a room
there will probably be a long. counter
like table extending from one. end 10 the
other; at one side of this table are the
bookmakers sitting on cushions. and by
their side a gorgeous brass bound box
and native inkstand and old fashioned
sandboX. and these men book the time
at which a gambler prognosticates the
rain viii descend. The means Of settling
the question whether II does rain or not
are Of simple description
There are two classes Of rain gauges,
one IS a long gutter running along the
caves OF the house or building-at one
end there is a small hole 10 which a
spout Is fixed. and through this mar
row aperture the water trickles when
the rain only falls in the form OF a
slight drizzle. but when il rains in earn
est the rush of water IS not able 10
escape through the small spout, so hlls
up the gutter and pOurs over The end.
and IL is on this desired event happen
ing that most OF the bets are usually
booked The other method Is a rough
kind Of rain gauge supported on posts
some seven feet high and standing IN
the middle OF a trough.
When heavy clouds gather overhead
and appear 10 be merely IN doubt as
to whether 10 break and pour down rain
or 10 pass on to some other district.
then the scenes IN the gambling dens
reach an intense stage of excitement as
the gamblers rush in to book their bets
that is. II the police don't interfere.
Many are the anxious faces which gaze
up into the sky for. ike a Derby Day
in England. some have staked their all.
and comparative fortune or total loss
The Washington times., 1906-05-27

from the ground. and leaving II TO Der
Ism miserably between heaven and
earth Would-be philosophers made
'eat fun OF the statement. and ridi-
culed II numerically. I know not how
true II was, but l know that il might
have been true
Some years ago. IN the village of
Havana. in the State or New York. a
spider entangled a milk-snake in her
threads, and actually raised il some
distance from the ground. and this.
too. IN spite of the struggles of the
reptile. which was alive.
BY what process or engineering did
the comparatively small and feeble IN
sect succeed in overcoming and lifting
up by mechanical means the mouse or
the snake? The solution is easy
enough II we only give the question a
little thought
The spider is furnished with one OF
the most efficient mechanical imple-
ments known to engineers. viz.
strong, elastic thread. That the thread
is strong is we'll known. Indeed. there
are few substances that will support a
greater strain than the silk OF the silk
worm or the spider. careful expert
ments having shown that sfcr equal
sizes the strength of these hbers ex-
ceeds that of common iron. But not
withstanding its strength. the spider
thread alone would be useless as a me-
chanical power If It were not for its
elasticity. The spider has no blocks or
pulleys. and. therefore. it cannot cause
the thread TO divide up and run in diff
ferent directions. bat the elasticity of
10 thread more rnan makes up for
this. and renders possible the lifting of
The Washington times., 1906-05-27
Only One Prince Riqhey.

There Is but one man who Is Of hiEh-
er rank and wealthie- IN India, tho
scindia OF Gwailor. who has an IN
come OF SIS, ,coo, 900. which Is quite a
neat sum IN spite OF the fact that
Rockefeller and several other good
Americans might be inclined to turn
up their noses at IT, The Gaekwar's
Income has been estimated at s75oOOOo
But the wealth for which he is most
widely known lies largely In the great
collection OF Jewels. which he and his
predecessors have brought together.
The Jewels are said to be worth all Of
S3G0ooO00 As a rule these precious
gems are kept IN the palace Nazar
Bal. which is perched high above the
town OF Baroda. the capital Of the
state. Here the wonderful collection
lies on exhibition. But wnen the
Gaekwar appears upon state occasions
the cases are robbed. and thece is no
prince IN the world more brilliantly
arrayed. There is one mantel. which
Is said 20 be the most precious piece
OF jewelry IN the world. 1t is made
Of woven pearls with a boarder of dia-
monds, emeralds. rubies. and sapphires.
Il is said TO have been originally made
TO decorate the tomb of Mahomet. A
great diamond. The Star of the
South is one OF the most precious
stones OF the world. and is ts-.nd in
the collection
There are literally baskets fun of
pearls and diamonds and rubles of
varying sizes and value. When the
Gaekwar goes out upon parade he
wears a diamond cap and ieweled
gloves. Besides these things he has
gold and a silver cannon which are
drawn on state occasions by bullocks.
wonderfully comparisoned and the
finest that can be found in India. When
the present Gael1war became ruler
there were four of these cannon. two of
gold and two of silver. but recently
two Of them were melted down and
the proceeds turned into TIE treasury
TO relieve famine conditions in Baroda.
These guns are among the worlds
most notable curiosities as well as being
Of great value. The gun of gold. 1t is
The Washington times., 1906-05-27

an animal much heavier than a mouse
or a snake This may require a little
explanation.
Let Us suppose that a child can lift
six-pound eight one foot high and do
this twenty times minute Furnish
him with $50 rubber bands, each capa-
bic of pulling six pounds through one
foot when stretched. Let these bands
be attached TO a wooden platform on
which stands pair of horses Weighing
21U pOuncs, or rather more than ton.
II now the child will go 20 work and
stretch these rubber bands. singly,
hooking each one UP as Il is stretched,
In less than twenty minutes he viii
have raised the pair of horses one foot,
We tn1s see that the elasticity OF
tie ru1eer bands enables The chiId to
divide the weight of the horses into 350
pieces OF S-X pounds each. and AT the
rat 0I a little less than one every
three seconds. he lifts all these sepa-
rate pieces one foot, 50 that the child
easily Afts this enormous weight.
k-ach sPide- ; thread acts like one
or ne elastic rubber bands. Let us sup
pose that the mouse or snake weigted
half an ounce and that each thread is
capable OF supporting grain and a
hai;- The spide- would have to connect
the mouse with the point from which
ii vas to be suspended with $50 thpeads
and If the little quadrupcd was once
Swung on his feet he would be power
less. By pulling successfully on each
thread and shortening Il q little the
mouse or snake might be raised 10 any
height within the capacity of the build
ing or structure in which 49, work was
done. So that 20 those who have ridi-
culed the story we may justly say:
earth than are dreamed Of in your
philosophy"
The Washington times., 1906-05-27
Gaekw'ar OF Baroda

But the Gaekwar's greatest efforts
have been to provide his people with
a good educational system. believing
that along that path alone lay their
salvation He has established a pub
lie school system which now covers
more than half OF his great province,
and in many places the children are
compelled to attend school whether or
no their parents would rather marry
them OF or have odd Jobs for them TO
perform in their own homes. In the
city Of BaToda. his capital. he has set
The Washington times., 1906-05-27
Chosen bg the MaharanL.

When IN 1875 AIalha RaO. the GaeS-
wars immediate predecessor. lost his
head and forced the English TO take
a hand IN the game. the Gaekwar vas
only twelve years old. He was not
a son OF Mslha RaO. but direct de-
scendant Of the founder Of his house.
and he was chosen after the custom
OF the indian state. BY the Maharani
20 succeed her husband. The Gaek-
wars family. though very old and blue
blooded. did net become OF great prom
inence until about IT2O when IN the
battle OF Balapur DamaI Gaekwar
distinguished himself by his great
bravery and was promoted BY the
commander IN chief OF the Naharatta
forces. He rose rapidly IN power and
his descendants have reaped the bene-
~.
The state Of Bsroda over which the
Gaekwar rules with q careful hand,
subject. OF course. TO the British IN
huence. includes between 900 and go
square miles and has about 10000
inhabitants. The Gaekwar has been
allowed great latitude BY the British
IN his government and has frequently
sat as Judge IN the native courts The
state lies in Guzerat. the Bombay pres
idency and IS 90 wide n extent that
the climatic changes from one part 70
the other are startling But the sec
ton about Baroda, the city, IS most
fertile and provides some OF the best
cotton fields IN India 50 far the in
dustries OF the people have been con-
nned largely 10 agriculture Il re-
mains 10 be seen whether OF not the
reforms and ideas fnstilled BY the
Gaekvar. cuIled from his investigation
OF the West. Will bear fruit and his
country become the Industrial center
OF India
The Washington times., 1906-05-27

and despair depends on the clouds above
hich bunishs OF merchants. soldiers and
clerks, all classes risk their money in
the hope OF increasing Il, with the con-
sequence that many are ruined. As IN
other countries. with some the passion
for gambling Is so strong within them
that II Is a species OF madness. and they
hesitate not. IN the intensity % their
keenness. 70 indulge their propensity with
money that is not their own, and many
are sent to prison for losing other Peo-
pies money 70 the sutta bookmakers.
Another somewhat uncommon form OF
gambling takes more after the nature OF
cock fighting. insomuch that IL IS bet
ting on the fighting powers OF certain
birds. The particular kind OF bird varies
IN some measure according 10 the part
Of India Chikor. which are larger than
a partridge. are found on the lower
slopes OF the mountains and are game
20 the extent OF keen fighting, and the
Geek birds are frequently pitted against
each other. Partridges are more general
than chikor. many being so cleverly
trained that they are expert fighters.
and a group OF natives may be seen
squatting IN ring and betting 10 the
amount of their money on the bird they
respectively favor.
NludAASs UUhENEIs UEUDEDAN CN-
tensiveiy used for these bird fights.
partly because at certain seasons they
are found all over India and more es-
pecially because there IS no bird OF their
size more game for a fight When
properly trained for the ring or pit they
give what the experienced sporting
gamblers affirm 10 be most scientific
display OF bird fighting and a staying
power which is frequently game enough
unto death in battle, QUails are so pug
nacious that those which have been
netted in the corn fields, and are TO be
reserved for use at table have to be
kent in specially prepared QuSl pits
until needed. the chief essential being
that the birds must not have sufficient
light 10 see each other, or they would
feht until but one cock bird was left
alive
A couple OF natives may accidentally
meet on the road. possibly no one else
is IT, sight. They exchange a few words,
then squat on their launches opposite
eaca other, and their hands simultane-
ously grope about in the folds OF their
pugarees, whence they will each produce
a quail. which win be placd on the
ground. and the birds will promptly be-
gin 70 fight. while their owners viii bet
on the result II other natives should
happen 70 come along they will squat
20 watch and also bet II they have any
money Then when the fight and excite
ment are over they viii settle their ac-
counts and quietly go their respective
ways.
The Washington times., 1906-05-27
An Adamantine Barrier.

Against these last he has been com.
PEELED 10 raise a barrier III the person
OF an English man servant, who has
proved adamant
'+'Is ighness Is not receiving today
IS his formula to unwelcome visitors
and II the stranger stin insists, he
adds: "E does wot he bloomin'
please, does rs 'ighness and e won't
see nobody. not II hits Maxine Korky
or hany OF the rest. e gets hup
when . pleases and e lies down
when e wants. and as you Yankees
soay. hits twenty-four for the visi-
tors todoay."
II the people in this country expect
ed to see a beturbaned. much bejewel-
ed Indian prince attired in flowing
robes they were disappointed with the
appearance Of the Gaezwar. For he
is a modest looking man clad IN Lon
don clothes and were It not for his
dark skin and a certain presence
which HIS high position has given him
lie might have passed unnoticed in
crowd OF well dressed Americans. The
Gaekwar IS short and rather stocky.
probably not much over FIVE feet tall.
He has a short grayish mustacFe and
quick intelligent black eyes and jaw
and mouth which betoken strength OF
character. He is forty-three years old
and has ruled over the state OF Baroda
since he was a mere boy.
The Gaekwar's wife on the other
hand stin clings to her Eastern Earb.
The little Eastern woman. perhaps
thirty years OF age. has the charm and
beauty Of the East. and It IS hardly
surprising that she creates a sensation
when she appears IN costly silks
wearing a few OF the wonderful jewels
from the collection belonging to the
Gaekwar. She. too. however. is re-
markably democratic in her manner
PAGE SIX
The Washington times., 1906-05-27
Gaeksssar OF baroda. tie N11ZkzSA3ecuud
%~<azes1 Alzoe, to introduce Yankee
Ideas IN Sonanolent india .

and has charmed those with whom she
has come in contact She has been
called in her own land. The Princess
Beautiful"
She has a great admiration FOR the
American girl. whom she declares has
combined the charm Of all the other
countries put together. Like her hus-
band she IS well educated and Is able
10 converse not only inteIligently. but
with considerable judgment on the up
bringing OF girls IN this country. upon
their schools and colleges. on tho lives
they lead IN the business world ana II.
the professions. OF their clubs. and.
what seems even more strange. their
athletics. this Httle fastener to whom
their exercises must appear strange
and grctesque- She hopes to be able TO
teach the girls OF her country much
about their Western sisters upon her
return and frankly Acknowledges that
in her opinion the education OF the
women OF India viii DO more to aid
India IN its growth and enlightenment
than any one other thing.
The Washington times., 1906-05-27
AN a leopard change his
spots2

n Spots
Can an Oriental OF the
z Orientals. even though
highly educated in the
schools Of the West, actu-
ally become imbued with the spirit
and the scheme of life which has
pushed America 70 the fore. can he
then impart to his own people these
ideas and customs? Can he instdn into
drowsy. dreaming India the hustling.
''get there" spirit of the United states2
II is 20 solve this problem that
Syau Rao. the Gaekwar Of Baroda,
India's second highest prince, and one
Of the richest potentates IN the world,
has come to this country and is now
travelling from one great city TO an
other. How much he can accomplish
along this lire remains to be SEEN
England has tried to instill the spirit
of the West into her Eastern empire
for many decades. and has met. in
spite OF her successes, with many in
surnountable barriers. The Gaekwar,
however. is not only a well educated
prince. but called the most sagacious
in his land, and 1t is his plan as far
as possible not TO run his princeiy head
into the stone wall customs OF his peo-
pie, but to, splice like a clever sailor
the ragged ends OF the East and the
West, which are constantly becoming
entangied today, and IN the end make
a strong rope with which TO pull India
into the foremost rank industrially and
aduro ffopa1lv
The Washington times., 1906-05-27
Her Soft Musical Voice.

The MAharani speaks English fluent
~ in a SOFT musical voice Her face
though quiet and almost sad IN repose,
lights up when she speaks and her
great dark eyes sparkle. In the middle
Of her forehead is the round red dot.
the insignia OF her station as mar
ried woman with a husband living.
II does not IN the least mar her
beauty.
5ince the Gaekwar has been in IT,
'fhted States he has visited several
Of the large colleges. in fact one OF
his acts upon reaching New York was
70 present TO President Murray Butler.
of Columbia University a letter OF
Introduction. and IN consequence wa.
shown through the entire university.
examining with interest not only the
curriculum. but also the executive end
OF a great American institution OF
learning He has been pa7tic,.,arlv
struck with advertising in this coun-
try and its results.
1T is no less than rnarvelo,. this
dissemination OF facts" he smiled slight
" here, ''in a manner that not only
catches the eye, but holds the atten-
ton and arouses interest. We have
nothing like It IN the East. It is per
haps the difference between seeking
opportunity and awaiting It which lies
between the methods OF your business
men and ours. I have hopes OF teach
Ing something OF your system to my
people
And your press. We need an Amer
lean newspaper or two IN India. Your
enterprise is perhaps exempHhed more
clearly IN your newspapers than IN any
OF your other Institutions"
That the Gaekwar 3 q man ., 81
rnirable seif-restraint can be gathered
from the fact that although the second
greatest prince in his own land. VITA
the power OF life and death over be-
tween two and three millions OF men
and women. he has rubbed shoulders
with the common herd in his travels
and has rarely felt called upon to as
sert himself. an unfortunate habit OF
many men his Interiors In rank.
The Washington times., 1906-05-27
Insects That Are Expert Engineers

~ NE OF the most interesting books
In natural history IS a work on
Y Insect Architecture" by Rem
ME. But II the architecture Of
insect homes is wonderful. the engineer
ing displayed by these creatures is
equally marvellous. Long before man
had thought OF the saw. the saw-hy had
used the same tool. made after the same
fashion. and used in the same way for
the purpose of making Sits in the
branches of trees so that she might have
a secure place In which TO deposit her
eggs. The carpenter bee. with only the
tools which nature has given her. cuts
a round hole. the full diameter of her
body. through thick boards and so
makes a tunnel by which she can have
a safe retreat. IN which TO rear her
young. The tumble-bug. without der
rick or machinery rolls over large
masses Of dirt many times her own
weight. and the sexton beetle will IN
a few hours. bury beneath the ground
the carcass Of a comparatively large
animal All these feats require a degree
of instinct which in a reasoning crea-
ture would be called engineering skill.
but none of them is as wonderful as
the feats performed by the spider This
extraordinary little animal has the fac
uity of propellilg her threads directly
against the vino. and by means Of her
slender cords she can haul up and sus-
pend bodies which are many times her
own weight.
Some years ago a paragraph went
the rounds OF the papers in watch It
was said that a spider had suspended
an unfortunate mouse. raising il up
The Washington times., 1906-05-27
4 Born Reformer.

But the Gaekwar OF Baroda, though
naturally proud OF his Jewels. Is not
here IN America TO pose as competitor
OF Tiffany nor OF a public museum
and consequently he has been rather
reucent in talking about his precious
stones, He Is a born rerormer. Ever
since he came 10 the throne, a boy
OF twelve. placed there by the English,
government because his predecessor
- had cut up high jinks and IN a moment
OF careless abandon had tried 20 poison
the British resident. the Gaekwar has
manifested a desire TO better the lot OF
his PEOPLE.
II IS true that the English govern
ment provided the young prince with
the best tutors from England. He be-
gan early TO make study ot the needs
OF his country. One OF his first reforms
was TO declare against child marriages.
which have been the custom IN Baroda
from time immemorial The Maharaja
has set his foot down and says that no
child OF his shall be married until he
or she is twenty years old or course
there has been plenty OF criticism OF
this innovation by his subjects. Many
OF his mobiles have shaken their heads
and muttered that what was good
enough for themselves and their ances-
tors should be good enough for their
children. But these are details with
which every reformsr must contend
and the Gaekwar rather likes a fight
now and then in these tame times. II
IT Is only on the subject OF weddings
or vaccinations.
The Washington times., 1906-05-27
The Remakinq of Baroda.


When u-e prince came TO the throne
he found the city of Baroda, which
housed upward OF a hundred thousand
people. sQualid. unsanitary to such a
degree that Il would have given even
an American engineer officer cause
for much thought Disease broke out
At times and swept thousands away.
But az race suicide is an unknown
quality In BarodA the places OF the
dead were not long nning- There were
two broad streets separating the city
into four sections AL the ether
thoroughfares were not as broad as
an English river. The present Gaek-
war has, however, changed all this.
He has made the slovenly. antiQuated
Hindu town into the semblancs OF
= modern city. with fine public build
ings and spacious parks.
The Gaekwar has another Western
attribute. he = dead game sport"
Not that OrientaIs have not been
good hunters. good fighters. good gam
blers. but that as a rule the fasterner
is not anxious 70 arise at unseasonable
hours, undergo physical tortures OF the
damned. merely for the sake OF that
intangible something which the Anglo
Saxon race has IN exaggerated de-
gree. sport. He Is an enthusiastic
horseman, plays polo He has become
e golfer OF no mean merit and though
cricket appears rather slow 20 him.
stin he has played the game.
Most OF all, however. does he enjoy
hunting FOR man-eating tigers To get
3 shot at one OF these beasts he IS
as willing as - President Roosevelt
10 undergo hardships often he may
be seen with his attendants coming
oft OF the Jungle before the sun Is well
W. and there Is a haze in the air
Mounted upon his favorite elephant he
rides at the head Of the little process
sion and II he has been successful his
The Washington times., 1906-05-27

of Baroda, Who Is Known
in Her Own Country as the "Prin-
cess Beautiful" and Some of Her
Famous Jewels.
From Sketch frrm Life by A BrxsshAv.
ssio. weighs 4oo pounds. but It has =
steel casing VIII ch must be deducted
from this estimate. The silver gun
weighs 80 pounds :. took a native
workman with all the patience OF the
East fve years 20 make the guns.
The Washington times., 1906-05-27

face wears that satisfied expression
which sometimes steals over the coun-
tenance OF the most imperturbable and
ine-hardened hunter
The Washington times., 1906-05-27

lar view 70 betterfng these institutions
that he has come TO this country.
The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-01-19
BELIEVE BURGLAR IS
SIMPLY SHAMMIHG
ColOred Man Insists That He Is
Still in Great Pain From
Wound.

William Ross, the cclored burglar who
was shot by officer Brown while attempt
ing 10 make his getaway from the chain
gang, VIII have to face a trying ordeal
tooay. 1t viii he remembered that Ross
WAS so terribly injured by the pistol ball
that physicians thought his limb would
have to be amputated, but the wound has
entirely healed and to all outward appear
anceS Ross Is nearly well. Rcss claims.
however, between nowls of pain, that the
bone is Still shattered and chat he IT, In
terrible agony. Some OF the officers think
he is shamming and lis only waiting for
an OpnOrtunilN To mako his oscapo.