davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

\. 80

So each day the first step he took
after getting out OF bed no called ten.
The highest days total steps in the
two years was .l.a04. and the lowest
was 36l
After no had been counting for a
year his wife began to notice his
strange alteration and the involuntary
movements OF his lips ms he walked
around the house. Ills bu ness asso-
clates observed that he was oddly pre-
occupied and that at times they could
talk to him for many minutes before
he could realize what they were say
ing. AS long as he remained seated
hp was All right and could attend to
business rs we'll as one. but all
the time that he was or his feet and
moving his mind was filed only with
the figures and occupied by mechani-
cally counting his steps.
Seeking Cure in a Sanitarium.
z AT the end OF the second year, driven
almost mad by his inability to stop
counting his steps, Newman placed
himself under the care OF q specialist
In nervous disorders and WAS ordered
to q sanitarium up the Snorth shore.
What treatment he Ia helng given
mother he nor tho physician will say,
hut he reported gleefully Il few days
ago that he had walked over two miles
and never once counted a step,
When walking around the sanltarium
grounds he wears strange device.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

OF distances in Chicago counted by
the number OF steps, the number OF
steps from building to building, from
corner to corner, and from alley -
alley. lilo has stepped off CHI. ago I'M
til he Is familiar with every pavement
crack. and every kind of pavement
there la.
Possibly the only reSly valuable in
formation to be derived from mis- habit
is nat 1t Is easier to walk on cement
pavement than on airy other kind of
pavement except on macadam which
has been oiled with crude Of.
r Newman, up to four years ago. con-
sidered himself and was considered n
normal man, rather bright, and tolcra-
bly, successful in business, He WAS
married and had one child, His aus
position was Jolly and he was n nor
mai, comprehensive, and exceedingly
sane man. One morning he started to
walk from his home In Edgewater to
the elevated station, as was his habit,
and he started, merely out OF idle curl :
osity and TO have somethln, 70 occupy
his mind, to count the number OF steps
he would take between - nome and
the corner at Pop Morse's. III he could
have foreseen the dreadful results per-
haps no would have taken an Evanston
Avenue car,
Found 1t Recreation at First.
He recalls that he counted his steps
TO the Morse corner that morning and
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

the following morning recounted sim
ply to see whether he had counted
wrong the previous day. Then ho
counted the steps per block, the steps
to Wilson Avenue, the steps all around
the neighborhood. 1t was form OF
mental recreation. 1T rested his mind
and took 1t OF II business worries.
For the first few months he INDUCED
himself In the practice or counting his
steps only once in awhile. He found
1t difficult to keep his mind centred on
1t for any distance, and frequently was
annoyed by losing count through
speaking to some acquaintance when
he was within short distance OF his
destination, or having his attention at
tracted to something else and letting
his mind count suDconscIously until III
wandered off into forgetfulness. OF
course, accidents like that necessitated
n recount, Often, too. he differed with
himself on counts over certain dis
tances so was Obliged to verify the
result In this way no made some
rather surprising, if Worthless, dis
eoveries. He discovered that man
walks u mile In twenty-seyen fewer
steps on n dry Nday than on a rainy
one, and IN elghty-six fewer stems than
when there Is snow on tho ground.
and 10i Iewer than whom the pave
mcnt is ley, Also he discovered that a
man enn walk.a mile with musical ac-
compartment in sixty-two fewer steps
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

erable mortals, with about 100000 people
In them, and Chinkiang has 100000
These. moreover. are the strong. who are
able to pile their meagre goods on the
family wheelbarrow and travel south
from the North River famine district; of
the other myrlads who are perishjng II
their homes, nothing can be said. No
body has ever written description OF
the dcath-throes OF a rat in Its hole.
II this were a properly symmetrical
article 1t would have dealt at the OUT
set with the summer rains and floods
which inundated this great plain OF
central China. destroying the crops
and, in thousands of cases, washing
away the mud homes of the peasants
1t would likewise have exploited the
culpable inefiiciency OF the Chinese gov
eminent for not having inauguratad a
system OF relief before the people be-
gan to drop from starvation. Also 1t
would have pointed out the many pub
lie works right at hand upon which the
famine sufferers could be employed.
thus saving their self-respect as well
| cannot write anything but the haunt
ing. narrowing, unacceptable facts be-
fore my eyes. II could for an hour
shake off those thin trembling hands
the famine camps. or could shut out
the crying Of the children whose bit
tcrest wailng brings them no bread or
the sight Of the mothers and widows
wailing over their dead might write
famine report that would satisfy the
reader with scientific bumps on his
head.
Once ! thought China colorless
country. with its vast stretches OF
brown. treeless plains. its low mu.
villages. and its countless array OF
grave mounds on every side Now
close to barred human nature. L see the
people In the strong, crude colors Of a
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

tho Jews OF this country. Six years
later another Christian church--thts%
one n Baptist. In 1.th Street. betweensi
Third and Fourth Avenues--was acrs
quired by the Temple, and that res
rianed Its house Of worship until 1859.
when the building In Fifth Avenue was
erected at n cost of about 100000
The architect was Leopold Eidlitz, and 4
1t has been spoken of as one OF the
best examples Of Moorish architectural
in this country. The Temple was dedi-l
Gated with imposing ceremonies by the
Rev. DR.. Isaac nj. Wise. and on thai
day after its doors had been openedi
for the first time to the public II was
free from debt, On the ueath Of Dr..
Adler. the Rev. DIR, Gustav GottheiN
became the rabbi OF the congregations.
and q few years later the Rev DR..
Joseph Silverman was appointed as
sstant rabbi. DR.. Silverman succeedGdl
DIR. Gottheil. and has now ms associates
rabbi the Rev y. j. Leon Magnes,
The trustees OF the Temple Emanu-
Eel, who rejected tho $3,00o0Oo offera,
arc: James Scligman, president; N. SH.ss
Moses, S. M. Shlfer, Louis Stern, Daniel
Guggenheim, A, j. Dittenhoefer, Wis
liam Splegelberg and Louis Marshall.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

primitive art. A famine death here is
not like deathbed in Christendom. It
is q roadside matter, with the curious
spectators, uncaring and unhelpng,
looking on unmoved at the last convul-
siols with which spirit leaves body, and
hearing almost as an amusement. the
death rattle in the throat A family
of ten came down from the north coun-
try three perishing from hunger by tho
way. In the city where l write the
father succumbed, and fell beside his
dying child in the gutter. He expired
as my friend looked The crowd let
him die and lie in the gutter; my friend
being a missionary doctor, saved the
life OF the child and cared for the re-
mainder Of the family.
Yesterday / witnessed two tragedies
which seemed not to command more
than a passing glance from the high
way along which they were enacted.
The first was at one corner of an en-
campment Of straw mats. tiny, tempo
rary huts not big enough to house
cow and vet containing whole families.
A child had died and it's body had been
wrapped in piece of straw mating,
since the death rate Is too high for tina
authorities to supply even the cheapest
collins for any but adults. The mat
which enshrouded the corpse had been
its only shelter while living; and now
the gruesome bundle leaned against tho
family's few possessions. Beside it.
mute. with face buried in his knees
sat big boy. Over it bent the mother
her wailings assallng the ears of
everybody within furlong. She wept
alone. unheeded In few hours the
soldiers would cart away the body, and
she and her son would be driven back
into the country to face slow death fol-
tnatnSelycs il1ft5
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

Nd ALPH NEWMAN, resident of
NIX Edgewater, Chicago. has entered
- sanitarlum and sought medical
assistance to cure him Of one of the
dest maladies that ever afflicted q
aa oman being, He wants to be cured
ri habit. contracted idly and without
thought OF serious consequences. and
a habit which almost has ruined him
In business and socially. and which he
now fears will drive him insane.
The habit is not that OF liquor, drugs,
cigarettes, or t bacco. What he wants
to be cured of IS the habit of count
ing every step he takes during tho
day.
So greatly has this odd habit grown
upon him that he has counted every
step taken during tie last four years,
and, for the last two years ending
December 3Oth last. he not only has
counted his steps, hut, cvory night be-
fore retiring, has added the day. total
to the grand total. His figures show
that during that time he has tuken
and counted a grand total OF 4,419.2S4
steps, and he figures roughly that he
has walked 2194 miles, or an average
of close to three miles a day.
During the four years In which no
has been counting his stops, he has dis
covered some wonderful facts CONCERN
ing the number of steps required ia
carry him from point to point around
Chicago, In fact, lie can tell without
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17
ny O. A. RICHARDSON.


Guided over the field Of Waterloo
one lovely daYs.4n June. we were
shown whore tho French line of battle
formed that other June morning In
1916, where, amidst the loud prolonged
acclaim of "Vive L'Empereur" from
many thousand French Threats, Napo-
ieon we'll in front OF large
and brilliant staff, galloped along
his entire battle array. Proudly he
showed himself to the men, for we'll
he knew they loved to see him, to be
assured of his actual presence. Then
they were willing to fight and die.
Not Frenchtnnn of all the 10000
assembled believed they could be beat
Ell by the British and their allies.
There was no reckoning of the Prus-
SLAMS under Butcher, twenty or twen-
ty-iive miles away. Their own Groucly
they were sure would see to keeping
these away and prevent their joining
the Iron Duke" But alas! that loud,
loving shout was never again to glad
den the proud heart of Napoleon, for
late in the afternoon Blrcher and his
Prussans decided he had fought his
last battle.
The writer In fancy once feebly pic
turod Napoleon's grand order OF bat
tie, and the splendid review Just pre-
ceding 1t. spectacular review plainly
beheld from the English position. CA
young artillery officer was refused per-
mission to fire on tho Emperor and
stac.)
on rode the Emperor with his large
and splendid escort, amid the rafting
of drums. the martial notes of stirring
bugles. the flashing OF bright sabres
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17
EMANUEL WON'T SELL.
Trustees Of Temple Reject Offer
of S2.ooo.ooo.

), NEW y, YORK. March ], s \. he
had been made for tho Temple Emanu-
Els property in Fifth Avenue and ADD
Street cause" some Excitement In real
estate circles yesterday, which was not
diminished by tho news that tho offer
had been rejected A member OF tho
congregation confirmed the report, and
said:
II know that many offers have been
made for the property, but none as
large as tho last. and know also that
even a much greater sum woulu be re-
fused for the property; not because wo
think 1t worth more. but because 1t
is not. never has been, and probably
never will be. for sale. The congre-
cation Is the richest In the country, and
Its income Is much beyond Its require
ments Consequently there Is no reason
why 1t should part with so valuable
piece of property as the Temple"
Tho original home of the Temple
Emanu-El was In Chrystie Street,
where a little Methodist church had
been purchased, and from congrega
tion which had outgrown 1t and moved
up town. This was In 1850, about
five years after the congregation had
been formed, but prior to that time Its
services had been held In an old court
room and In public halls rented for
the purpose. The first rabbi OF tho
congregation was the Rev. DIR. Leon
Marzbacher, who was one OF the pio-
neers In the Reform movement among
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

potato leaves, which found cooking Il
over many stoves. Out here 1t Is Gus.
tomary to extract the oil from peanuts
and then to press peanuts, shells and
all. into a hard cake as cattle fodder. q
Beans are treated In the same manner.
Now, these dried cakes are sold as food 4
for human beings. 1 watched one man, /
on whose features grim hunger had \
written large her signature, buy porss
ton of this. EIe was given q wedge
about four inches long, three inches 4
deep, and possibly two inches wide at
the outer edge, for 20 cash, which 10 4
two-thirds OF the government allow
ance per day for an adult. The avidity
with which he seized and devoured dry |,
few additional crumbs-the little
more" that goes with every bargain In
Chlna--was eloquent OF the cravings oes
his body. "
This dole of 80 daily cash--equiva>
lent to one and half cents American.
currency the Chinese government
pledges to give every sufferer In the
famine district north OF the YangtzeS
River 1t really seems as if the higher
officials are in earnest, and extraordis
nary efforts are being made to pres
vent Squeezing by the other officials
through whose hands the money must
pass This Is one Of the manifestations
of n new China which abound these
days. or course, the attempt Is not
wholly successful. and myriads Of
starving people have not received g.
single cash. Most OF those who have
encamped. omnously. outside of the
walls Of several cities have been
helped, for the officials fear them. Now
with force and fair promises, the larger
: part OF these refugees are being driven
4, back into the country. All Of then1
distrust the official promises of help4
| The assistance that Is Mt present ex<
| tended is not expected to hold out for
n month, since a cent and n half q day
| given to 100000 persons is sum to
| tax any treasury.
/ Foreign relief is being distributed In
| the form of flour to bring down the
| prices. Famine prices" Is no mere
\ phrase here: the cost of NIL foodstuffs
/ has risen 200 per cent or more. The
missionaries, who have been chosen by
the general relief committee at Shang-
/ hal to disburse the worlds bounty, are
busy dotting the stricken regions with
depots for the sale OF food, thus mak-
ing every dollar given continue III
work throughout tho entire six months
OF DISTRESS; for the worst will not be
4 over until July. 4,
1 Copyright, 1907, by Joseph B. BowleA.)
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

dent Of victory than on this fatal
morning, when quietly and carefully
lie viewed the position of Wellington'sf
troops.
At st. Helena in reminiscent talk
he recalled that in the first hours of
the fight he had no doubt of the result,
but as the battle progressed he was
annoyed by the stubbornness aad stay
ing qualities of the British Repeatedly
he massed his troops In vain attempts
to carry the English positions, to rush
over hollow squares, to scatter solid
ranks
Napoleon had often reviewed armies
that We're larger, grander in achieve
ments, proudly flushing with great VIC
tories but never had he rode along the
front of more enthusiastic troops amid
the loud and long acclaims of devoted
soldiers than on that June morning at
Waterloo.
1t Is true the recently banished En-
peror. so soon returning from Elba
had not the necessary time and oppor-
tunltY to assemble a larger and more
seasoned army, lacking thousands OF
7 his old veterans. The best he could do
was the hastily collected army he took
to that fatal field that closed his career
and his last review.
Napoleon, not counting on Blucher's
arrival on the field, did not know how
british courage and tenacity was
hacked with repeated and assured
hope of timely aid by the oldlPrussian
marshal. He could not hear the strcnu-
GUS pleading of the Iron Duke" with
sorely pressed brave men to fight on
until the Prussians arrived. That late
afternoon saw an army routed, that in
the morning had been cheerful, hope
full. yalorous.
Admirers of the great soldier are
familiar with his personal appearance.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

A few hundred yards farther on
came to a newly-made grave, evident
~ Of son and husband. 1t was one of
many recent graves along the main
highway to Picking. On one side of 1t
crouched wrinkled, bent and tHttered
old mother, with scarcely sufficient vi
tally to make her mourning heard.
After q time she arose and with her
bare hands heaped clods Of earth upon
the conical grave mound. The widow,
who could afford no mourning garb ex-
cept small square of white cloth the
size OF a handkerchief upon her head,
wept and walked as onl yam Oriental
woman can do. Her body shook with
shuddering sobs. All the grief Of the
ages seemed embodied in her mourn
ing. This famine means more to those
two lonely women than 1t does to my
scientific friend.
Near the same spot middle-aged
man. with some mourning rags OF
white upon him, fell on his knees as
we approached, and clutched at our
clothing. Plainly, he had gone to
pieces. He was a nervous wreck, as
we'll as starving man. He had just
been out burying his old mother, and
grief, combined with hunger, had been
too much for him. So, In an almos.
delirious frenzy he besought the hon
orable foreigners with noble hearts to
| help him. Our only possible course
| was to shake him Off and pass on.
| In an elemental struggle such as this,
l between man and hunger with exist
| encc itself as the stake at issue. 1t Is
/ scarcely surprising to flnd reverslons to
| beast selhshness. So, when / saw a
| woman with two little children, one OF
them suffering from smallpox, living
/ in a mat hut three feet high. three feet
] wide and four or five feet long, I was
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17
ey WILLIAM I. ELLIS.

Using KIANG-Pu, CHINA, Jan. TO-
1t depends upon the bumps on mans
head what he will think Of great fam
inc. II his scientific bump be large he
Will point out, dspassionately and learn
edly, that famines are one Of the agen-
Giles OF bcneficent nature to keep down
the surplus population. and to insure the
survival OF the flttest. They are pain
ful like surgeons operation, but they
are really Il wise provision for the health
OF the whole mass OF mankind.
i, why do you carry that baby?" asked
my missionary friend Of an aged, with.
cred old woman in one OF the famine
refugee camps In central China, pointing
to a stnrvcling which tho trembling old
arms held. "rhere Is no one else; the
father and mother have both died" And
plainly, the infant would soon follow them
within the portals Of starvation gate,
through which so many hundreds are
daily passing. The death of the parents,
and the survival Of that old woman and
tiny babe. were famine paradoxes for
most Of the victims at this stage arc the
very old and the very young. In still
another instanceG5l saw n wrinkled, half
blind old grandmother seated on the bare
and frozen ground, her only home In the
camp. dividing with q wee child the thin
rice gFuel winch she llad managed 20
secure at tho relief kitchen. How she
ever made her way through that jam
of voracious wild creatures / cannot tell;
on the same day. at the same place. I
saw man so crushed by tho jam that
he could not get to the mission hospital
without help. The cruel, crowting selfish
ness OF the Chinese In the scramble for
daily bread. under ordinary circum-
stances is more elemental and un-
concealed than anything known in the
West: add actual starvation as mo-
tive. and you unchain all the savage
beasts that Turk in the recesses OF
human nature.
a few days ago missionary at suchier
thought TO alleviate modicum of tbs
distress that surrounded him by dis
tributing ono hundred work tickets u
hblc-bodied men. using relief funds fol
payment. When the hour OF distribution
arrived IT was very early In the morn
ing) mob of 1000 men, each determine
to seize this chance for work. no mat
ter who might get left, surged around tn;
missionary. They crushed him and fin
ally bore him downfall with no evil In
tention--and trampled him under foo!
until he was rescued. unconscious. onl,
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

The writer we'll remembering his nu-
merous eftigies on canvas and In mar
Bile. he READILY fancies how he looked
In the flesh. Most of us feel an In
terest In the. personality Of great
important that help to form. 1t. We
also very promptly notice in the. great
what we would not observe in the
humble
Napoleon had several fayorite posi-,
crossed on his back again r the right
small ma shapely, and readily Expressive
Of his restless. vaulting ambition. Az
ter he became Emperor, his serious far,
away look Was more nor nosiGe%b|Ie; an ne
greater responsibiiities. His regular,
classic features rarely betrayed emotion motion
His mood was u lnv ttra serious e ns
brooding over many schemes for power
Facing the deck oft Z, Bes11lerophon, a
thoughtful, reserved. Impressive. There
was the smooth; massive brow. calm ALI
and ,fearless and the penetrating eye
stili imperurbable, impenetrable unap-
proachable. Wrapped In an austere
personality, he was ever alone. despite
on o. -bound st. Helena in victory or
defeat, glory or disaster, his unique
personality preserved hin,-the one Ma
IT is said that Napoleon complained
very much at st, Helena that Sir ldud-
son Lowe persisted In the rudeness OF
entering his room without being duly
announced OF course, this was an
moving, even CALLING to a man who had
made emperors and kings come at his
beck and call.
There was no OCCASION surely no
need, of the Englishman showing such
dIsrespect to the distinguished captive.
1t is Squite possible Sir Hudson was
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17

only another Swettenham OF recent
unpleasant jamaica memory?
A thousand years after Charlemagne,
he was acknowledged his worthy sue
cessor, entitled to the world famed
Iron Crown He was never rash or
excited in the rush of nomentous
events. With death thick about him
he carried the colors at the bridge of
Lodi, because in desperate emergency
his men needed an example OF daring.
wish for death with his Old Guard. His
staff almost used personal force In
hurrying him from the field
1t is charged he was of violent tenn
pcr, yet 1t cannot be said his great
ness as soldier and leader suffered
made much of the worlds best history,
and few are free from human faults or
failings With scarce any exception
OF note. these have not ben found In
the ranks of it's great soldiers.
1t is entirely possible France will
never have another Napoleon like the
first who bore the name: 1t Is also
possible the nation will never again
need so great soldier IL 1t Is to re-
main republic, In the great march
of epoch-making events 1t may be best
for the French nation and for Europe
that the history OF the past remain as
| 1t Is.
That history in It's recorded great
ness will ever cling to France as te-
naciously as did the fatal robe poison
cd with the blood Of Nessus to the
stnlwart, Inflated Hercules.
| Some years after disastrous Water
| loo, and the death of Napoleon, and
while st, Helena was still painful
memory to the French heart, famous
! sculptor produced superb marble
cffigy of the greatest of soldiers. Upon