davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03
300 MILLIONS OF CHINESE.
Yellow Empire Has About one,Hfth Of
Globes Population.

The interesting question of the pop
ulation of the Chinese empire has
often been discussed, but II is still
impossible to say with any degree OF
certainty what the figures are.
At the beginning of the Christian
era 1t Is tolerably certain that there
were at least S000O,000 inhabitants,
and 1t must be remembered that the
empire then was much smaller than
1t is at the present time.
Most of the censuses taken in China
during the last 1000 years, says the
North China Daily News, have not
protested to take in the whole popula-
ton. Young children and old men, for
instance, were sometimes omitted, the
main object of the census being to as
certain the number of taxable persons.
BY common consent the most rell-
able census ever taken in China was
that of 1912. This gives the figures
as more than 620O),O0O. In 1SGS the
population was estimated nearly 40S,-
100000; but in 1881 it had fallen to
3S,00O,000, the great TAPPING rebellion,
in which so many millions of people
lost their lives, being one of the prin-
cipal causes undoubtedly for this great
decline
Travellers, missionaries and others,
who have visited the region devas-
tated at the time of the TAPPING rebel
lion, express the opinion that the loss
of life during the great CONFUSION has
generally been estimated at too low
figure, and it is question also
whether the terrible famine more than
score of years ago in the provinces
of Chilli, Shansi, Shensi and Honan,
with population of 70000,000, is not
responsible for the loss of more lives
than 1t is usually credited with.
1t is still more certain that the Mo-
hammedan uprising in the northwest
destroyed more lives than It is gen.
orally supposed to have done. very
moderate computation of the loss of
life incurred in these three calamities
makes it to be fully 60,000000. And
in this connection it would be well,
perhaps, to remind ourselves that the
habitual use of opium by such a
large number of the people has tended
to act injuriously on the recuperative
power of the nation.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03
Loose Wording Cost Money.

Little Chip the dwarfish comedian.
can tell stories all day. His assert.
ment of hard luck tales of his own
experiences is especially large.
THE fourth night after | opened in
New York last season, broke my left
arm in fall from my famous horse
in the first act" said Chip. 81 played
through the next two acts without
telling anyone of my injury. played
with my arm in splints after that
and couldn't do my falls for IL weeks.
Then when / got to Boston lost my
voice for while | certainly had q
lot of trouble. But everything is go.
ing nicely now"
while in Boston," continued Chip,
81 noticed that Harry Bulger of the
Man From Now was playing at one
of the theaters. | wrote him a note
saying 4 would be pleased to have
your company at supper Well after
the performance here came Bulger,
followed by the whole troupe, some
80 or 40 people.
What do you mean?" / demanded.
"You can't ring anything like this on
me-"
"'Well, here's your note said Bull
ger. What are you going to do about
ito
II read the note over The suppers
on me all right | said"
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03
Were Mighty HurdIers.

Farmer P, in Barre, Mass, a
generation ago was a crafty cattle
dealer and had handsome yoke OF
oxen he warranted to be good, faith.
full workers One day man came in
search of just such oxen and Mr.
P showed the pair. They were
sleek and well matched, and seemed
versed in all the variations of the Ian
guage of "haw and gee."
But the stranger noticed the nigh
ones rowing eye, and his suspicious
were aroused,
Are they peaceable? That Nigh
one acts breachy. tests lives jump
over anything, hadn't he?"
my good man." answered Mr.
P, 81 tell we what it's, one rails
jests good as five!"
The stranger paid the price and tool
the oxen, but the next day he re
turned very angry.
What dye mean by telling me then
oxen are peaceable? When | got
home put them in my pasture where
| kept oxen fur 20 year--and I've had
all kinds of cattle, too-and this morn.
ing they're in my best clover field
What kind o. Christian are We, any
way, to lie like that?"
Il didn't lie," returned Mr. P
calmly, 81 said one rail was jest's
good as FIVE and it's so, they'll jump
over five rails jests quick's they will
over one"
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03

wish l could die. You will never
know what you have made me suffer,
dear l miss you and want to see
you, but l wish / could die l am go
ing to bed now, dear. Please come
and don't make me wait there. II
you had made plans for something
Sunday, you must come Monday morn
ing.
Please think, dear, that had to give
up whole summers pleasure and you
surely will be brave enough to give
up one evening for me. shall expect
and look for you Monday forenoon.
Heaven bless you until then.
Lovingly and with kisses,
THE KID.
P. S.-Please come up Sunday night,
dear.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03
"THERE ARE SO MANYNOOKS"
al Have Been Bidding Goodbye
to Some Places To-day"

South Otselic, July 6, Thursday
Night-My Dear Chester: If you take
the GAS train from the Lehigh, there,
you Will get here about II. l am sorry
l could not go to Hamilton, dear, but
papa and mamma did not want me to,
and there are so many things | have
had to work hard for in the last two
weeks. They think l am just going
out there to Deruyter for a visit. Now,
dear. when I get there l will go at
once to the hotel, and 1 don't think
l will see any of the people. If l do,
and they ask me to come to the house,
l will say something so they won't
mistrust anything-tell them have a
friend coming from Cortland and that
funeral or wedding in some town far
Their along. Awfully stupid, but we
were invited to come, and so l had to
cut my vacation a little short and 60
Will that be o. K, dear?
You must come in the morning, for
have had to make you don't know
how many new plans since your last
letter, in order to meet you Monday
dislike waiting until Monday, but
now that / have to, / don't think it
anything but fair that you should come
up Monday morning. But, dear, you
must see the necessity yourself of get
ting here and not making me wait
If you dislike the idea of coming Mon
day morning and can get a train up
there Sunday night, you would come
up Sunday night and be there to meet
me. Perhaps that would be the best
way. All l care is that l don't want
to wait there all day or half a day.
| think there is a train that leaves
the Lehigh at six something Sunday
night. l do not know what / would
do If you were not to come. l am
about crazy. l have been bidding
good-by to some places to-day. There
are so many hooks, dear, and all of
them so dear to me. have lived here
nearly all my life.
First l said good-by to the spring
house with its great masses of green
moss; then the apple tree where we
had our playhouse; then the Bee
hive" cute little house in the or
chard, and, of course all the neighbors
that have mended my dresses from a
little tot up to save me a threshing /
really deserved.
ooh, dear, you don't realize what all
this means to me. I know | shall
never see any of them again, and
mamma, great Heaven, how do love
mamma! | don't know what | will
do without her. She is never cross
and she always helps me so much
Sometimes think If | tell mamma
but | can't, She has trouble enough
as 1t is, and | couldn't break her heart
! like that.
If came back dead, perhaps, If she
doesn't know, she won't be angry with
me, | will never be happy again, dear
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03
Worse Than Losing Money.

A new form of freak election bet is
detailed in the following story from a
Biffem, Utah, correspondent of the
Chicago Chronicle:
Jules Verne Hall, the famous globe
trotter, in order to pay an election bet
must refrain from talking during the
next three months. Violation of the
agreement means loss of $4,000
posted as a forfeit.
"Twice during the last four days
has Hall been within an ace Of losing.
On Wednesday night while absent,
mindedly gazing across the sage brush
an enemy carelessly inquired: Will
you have a drink
"The word Yes was on his lips,
when Hall with a powerful effort re.
strained himself and merely nodded
assent. Then an argument was start
ed as to the relative merits of the Eng
Iish and Russian navies. Hall is a
native of the British Isles and when
everyone present agreed that Rojest-
vensky could have defeated the Eng
fish home fleet, poor Hall spluttered
until he grew red in the face.
"The doors were locked and he
could not escape, so to save his $50, SOC
he gagged himself with a blanket. He
Is suffering as few men have suffered
living on ham and beans, and he can
not protest when his companions lock
him outside the cabin"
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03
Marrlane in Afahanlstan.

Among the Afghans marriage is a
case of purchasing the bride A rich
Afghan marries early, simply be-
cause he can afford to pay for wife,
while the poor one often remains sin
gle until middle life on account of his
inability to purchase. If the husband
dies and the widow wishes to marry
again she or her friends have to re-
fund the purchase money to the
friends of the dead husband. A com
mon custom is for the brother of the
deceased to marry the widow. No
other persons would think of wedding
her without first asking the broth
ers consent.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03
COL. MOSBY'S GIFT
GUERILLA LEADER SENT LOCK OF
HAIR TO LINCOLN.
President Accepted II as Sample, But
Wanted More-How Federal Prls-
oner Saved Life by His
Quick Wit.

Col. John S. Mosby, the famous
guerilla leader, who attended a G. A..
II. banquet in Boston few nights
ago, was delighted with the cordially
and good will of his hosts. Whatever
doubt there was in my mind about the
war being over disappeared while |
was in Boston" he says. They sim.
ply overwhelmed me with kindness.
At the banquet | sat next to man
whom had captured during the war.
When | first sat down ! was rather
proud that | had captured him. We
had not been together half hour be-
fore / began to be sorry that | had
captured him, and before the last
speech was made | was genuinely
sorry that he had not captured me-
Col. Mosby, who is now an assistant
attorney in the department of Justice,
has always been noted for his sense Of
humor. 1t went n long way once to-
wards saving mans life. Col Mosby
and his men lay all night in ambush
near a railroad waiting for a federal
supply train. 1t finally came along,
and was captured by the confederate,
who, however, lost two or three of
their men. This did not please Col,
Mosby, and he showed 1t by some of
the things he said to the federal pris-
oners. CAS- for YOU" he said to one
of these men, 81 am gong to hang
| you the moment | see the sun rise to-
morrow morning"
81 hope it will be cloudy day"
said the Yankee. The reply so pleased
| Col Mosby that he did not hang the
man who made it or anybody else, In
stead, the prisoners were confined and
later exchanged.
1t was about the same time in Col.
Mosbys career that he made his
famous gift to President Lincoln His
headquarters were at a Virginia farm
house, and one day the guards brought
to him q man who said he was farmer
and was on his way to Washington to
sell some produce. What reason have
| to believe that" demanded the con
fereate leader How do | know you
are not a spy? How do I know that
you will come back If let you go?"
The mans manner was so earnes
that it impressed Col Mosby, who
finally told him that he might go
"Now that | have done something fol-
YOU" he said, 81 want you to dc
something for me. I want you to take
n present from me to Abe Lincoln.
Thereupon he borrowed a pair of scis
sors, clipped off lock of his own lux
uriant hair and gravely handed it t.
the farmer. you give that to Abe
with my compliments" he said. The
man took it and started for Washing
ton, promising earnestly to return OF
the second day following.
He was as good as his word. HI
presented himself promptly on time
and informed Col. Mosby that the pres
ent and the compliment had both beer
delivered.
"And what did he say?" demanded
the guerilla leader.
"Oh," said the farmer, "he just
laughed and said that if he ever caugh
you he would not be content with one
lock of your hair. He would take the
whole of 1t. But | am sure he did no
mean that literally"
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03
Grace Brown to
Chester Gillette
jWoman's Simple Documents That Made
Criminal Case Famous and Virtually
Sealed the Fate of Murderer
When Read to the Jury
That Tried Him for
His Life
God
S.-Iam CRYING
"COME AND TAKE ME AWAY"
"There Isn't a Girl in the World as
Miserable as ! Am Tonight.

"Ihere Isn't Girl in the World as
Miserable as Am Tonight"
South Otselic, June Goth, 1906, Tues
day Night-My Dear Chester: / am
writing to tell you that l am coming
back to Cortland l simply can't stay
here any longer. Mamma worries and
wonders why l cry so much, and l am
just about sick. Please come and
take me away some place, dear.
came up home this morning and just
can't help crying all the time, just as
l did Saturday night.
I can't stay here, dear, and please
don't ask me to any longer. Do you
miss me much? I am so lonesome
without you. l don't know how | am
going to manage about going to Uncle
Charles l presume l will have to
write you to meet me in Cincinnatus,
now we don't know anyone there.
Chester, there isn't a girl in the world
as miserable as / am tonight, and
you have made me feel so. Chester,
don't mean that, dear; you have
always been awfully good to me, and
I know you will always be. You just
won't be coward, l know. My broth
ers and sisters are at social recep-
ton tonight, but they can't get over
my crying.
do wish you were here. 1 can't
wait so long for letters, dear. You
must write more often, please, and,
dear, when you read my letters, if
you think l am unreasonable, please
do not mind it, but do think l am
about crazy with grief and that l
don't know just what to do. Please
write to me, dear
Lovingly, you know whom.
South Otselic, June 10, 1906.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03

! Herkimer, n. Y.-Printed below are
letters which, within the past few
weeks, have become known almost
from one end of the country to the
other as Grace Browns letters
They need no introduction, save per-
haps the statement that these are the
letters which were read at the trial
OF Chester Gillette
They formed the most remarkable
feature of that case. The whole struc-
ture of the prosecuting attorney was
built upon them. 1t passes under
standing why the murderer of the
girl should have preserved series of
documents which, it is safe to say,
spelled his doom from the moment
jury of II men. 1t is inconceivable
that Gillette kept them for their
pathos, or the gentleness of charac-
ter which they revealed, for he is not
the kind of man to whom such
things appeal. 1t is utterly improb-
able that he ever recognized in them
simple literary beauty although
such they do possess in an unusual
degree-the more unusual when it is
remembered that Grace Brown was
country girl of plain education, who
had worked as factory hand.
Yet somehow Gillette kept them,
and the American public has come into
the possession of one of the most re-
markable series of documents that
ever appeared in a criminal case. AS
a revelation of character, as the writ
ten record of a tortured soul, they
have already taken place unique in
the annals of real life tragedies.
Here are the letters:
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03
"MY LITTLE SISTER CAME
al Told Her | Guessed My Fortune
Was Pretty We'll Told Now"

South Otselic, June 23d, 1906, Sun
day Night-My Dear Chester: I was
glad to hear from you and surprised as
well. l thought you would rather
have my letters affectionate, but yours
was so businesslike that l have come
to the conclusion that you wish mine
to be that way. I may tell you,
though, that am not a business wom-
an and so presume that these letters
will not satisfy you any more than
the others did. l would not like to
have you think l was not glad to hear
from you, for l was very glad, but 1t
was not the kind of letter l had hoped
to get from you.
1 think, pardon me, that under
stand my position and that 1t is rather
unnecessary for you to be so fright,
fully frank in showing it to me. l
can see my position as keenly as any,
one, l think. You say you were sur
prised, but you thought / would be
discouraged. / don't see why should
be discouraged. What words have 1
had from you since l came home to
encourage me!
You write as though I was the one
to blame because the girls wouldn't
come. / invited them here because I
thought wouldn't be so lonesome. 1
am sure I cannot help 1t because
mamma is away. AS to the financial
difficulty, l am the one who will be
most affected by that. You say "your
trip" Won't it be your trip as well as
mine? l understand how you feel
about the affair. You consider me as
something troublesome that you both
cred with. You think If 1t wasn't for
me you could do as you liked all sum-
mer and not be obliged to give up
your position there. l know how you
feel, but once in awhile you make me
see these things a great deal more
plainly than ever.
Chester, l don't suppose you will
ever know how regret being all this
trouble to you. l know you hate me,
and l can't blame you one bit My
whole life is ruined, and in a measure
yours is, too. OF course, it's worse
for me than for you, but the world
and you, too, may think am the one
to blame, but somehow / can't, just
simply can't think that am, Chester.
said No so many times, dear. OF
course, the world will not know that
but it's true all the same.
My little sister came up Just min
ute ago with her hands full of daisies
and asked if l didn't want my fortune
told. l told her l guessed it was
pretty we'll told now. l don't want
you to mind this letter, for / am blue
tonight and get so mad when the girls
write things about me. Your letter
was nice, and l was glad to get it. I
simply feel "out of sorts" tonight.
When you are cross, just think I
am sick and can't help all this. II
you were me, you couldn't help find.
ing fault, l know. l don't dare think
how glad / will be to see you. II you
wrote me letter like this / wouldn't
write in a long time, but know you
won't tease me in that way. You will
just forget 1t and be your own dear
| self You know always am cross in
the beginning II was that way Sat.
urday night, so dor be angry, dear.
! Lovingly. KID.
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03
"CAN'T YOU COME TO ME :"
"Chester, ! Need You More Than
You Think | Do"

South Otselic, June &c, 1906, Monday
Night-Dear Chester: l am much too
tired to write a decent letter or even
follow the line, but l have been I'M
easy all day, and l can't go to sleep
because l am sorry I sent you such a
hateful letter this morning, so l am
going to write and ask your forgive
ness, dear. | was cross and wrote
things l ought not to have written.
am sorry, dear, and l shall never feel
quite right about all this until you
write and say you forgive me. l was
i'll and did not realize what l was writ
ing, and then this morning mamma
gave my letters to papa before | was
down. / should not have had it posted
but it went long before 1 was awake.
l am very tired tonight, dear. 1 have
been helping mamma sew to-day. My
sister is making me new white Peter
Pan suit, and do get so tired having
it fitted, and then there are other
ried and tired. l never liked to have
dresses fitted, and now it is ten times
worse. Oh! Chester, you will never
know how glad | shall be when this
worry is all over. / am making myself
i'll over it, Maybe there Is no use to
worry, but 1 do and guess everyone
does. l am quite brave tonight, and
l always feel better after / write you,
Chester, so l hope you mind the hate
full things l say and hope you won't
mind my writing so much. Where do
you suppose we will be two weeks
from tonight? l wish you would write
and tell me, dear, all about your COM
ing. / am awfully afraid l can't go
to Hamilton, Chester.
Papa can't take me and l am nerv-
Gus about going alone. You see
would have to ride quite a distance
before l could take the train and then
there is long wait, and, Chester,
am getting awfully sensitive. If
can't go up there what shall do? Do
you think 1T would be wise to come
back there? Could you come to Der
uyter and meet me? I have relatives
there, but perhaps l could arrange it
somehow. l was pleased yesterday
morning. You know | have a lot of
bed quilts-siX, l guess-and l was
asking mamma where they were and
saying l wished l had a dozen, when
my little sister said: Just you and
someone else will not need so many"
OF course my face got crimson and
the rest of the family reared. Nam
ma is so nice about fixing my dresses;
she has them all up now in nice shape.
You remember the white dress / wore
and you once asked me why l didn't
have a new yoke. Well, she has al
most made a new dress out of that.
| am afraid the time will seem awfully
long before l see you, Chester. l wish
you would always post your letters in
the morning after you write them or
the same night They are a day later
here if you wait until noon. OF
course l will be glad to get them, only
| dislike waiting for them.
Oh! dear, do get so blue, Chester,
Please don't wait until the last of the
week before you come Can't you come
the first of the week? Chester, l need
you more than you think do, 7 really
think it will be impossible for me to
stay here any longer than this week.
| want to please you, but / think,
Chester, it would be very unwise.
| If / should stay here and anything
Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-01-03
On the Riaht Side.

Hello, old man. Haven't seen any
thing of you since you got married.
How goes it?'
Thanks, fairly well. But marriage
is a costly job. If you only knew
what the dressmakers charged"
80 | suppose you regret it?"
"Oh! no, ! married a dressmaker!"
Translated for Tales from Meggen-
dorfer Blaetter.