davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1908-07-12

the fame of the conqueror, but pieads ior lie
sincerity of his hero. whose motives must De
tested by the standard of the times Inere were
three ends" he says, (which according 10 Cor
tes' ethics justified any measures for their ac-
compishment: First the spread Of the fauh'
second. the subjugation Of the Indians 10 span
ish rule and, third. the possession Oh theT
treasures And as his narrative OF the conquest
unfolds itself it will be seen that his RESOLUTION
stopped at nothing for the achievement OF these
ends" In the lon. run, as Columbus baiOoa
and Pizarro were requited with chains or the
scaffoId. Cortes was rewarded with royal IN
gratitude. and died with a grievance pursued
by disappointment and unfulflled ambitions A
curse was on the Aztec gold.
OF the five letters in this extraordinary series
the first alone is not from Cortes' own hand
The most diligent search in the archives OF Eu-
rome has failed to reveal the document which
the conqueror is known to have dispatched at
this time. but the loss OF il is diminished oy
the discovery of report sent by the judiciary
and municipal authorities Of Vera Cruz at the
New-York tribune., 1908-07-12

same time and covering substantially the same
ground The other letters are from the con-
queror's own pen, and have every evidence OF
having been written from time to time in close
proximity to the events described. He considers
himself an instrument OF divine justice. Had
not Alexander VI given the new world TO Spain?
If the native chiefs resist his pretensionS and
defend their territories they are traitors and in
stigatCrs of revolt. Besides. they are idolators,
anyhow in peril of eternal damnation, and he
is Offering them the direct comforts of ccnsol-
ing faith. II they do not accept the gift tney
are rebels and heretics. Having sent an expedi-
ton against a certain tribe he instructs his
agents il they find the natives susceptible Of civ
iizaticn and conversion to Our Faith to bring
them peaceably under his majestys yoke
But" continues Cortes, that if they did not
find them as have just said. but rebelllous and
disobedient. to make war on them and reduce
them to slavery; for there is nothing so super
luous in this country those who refuse to ac-
knowledge and serve your majesty. By making
slaves of these barbarians. who almost saw
ages your majesty will be served and the Span
iards greatly benefited, they will dig for gold,
and perhaps. through contact with us, some of
them may save their souls" Such are the quaint
mingIings of motives in those who go out to
spread Gods kingdom with the sword and Incl
cerity of the man was obvious and piety of
preston came naturally to him. They killed
us horse aIso," he says. "and God only knows
how great was it's value TO us. and what pain
we suffered at it's death. because, after God. our
only security the horses, but we consoled
ourselves with the meat, and ate it without leav-
ing the skin. so great was our want The
appeal to his majesty for religious persons Of
good life and example to effect 'the conversion to
our holy religion of the Indians Of these parts
was no idle formula. The conqueror was lead
ing a crusade. Massacre and torture might be
his instruments, but wanton cruelty not his
practice.
larger philosophic view and a more culti-
waited eye might have preserved to us details in
valuable to the ethnologist and the architect,
but we must be profoundly grateful for the close
observation and minute record of many sides Of
that marvellous civilization which he did so
much to destroy. The style is illustrated by the
account of the first meeting with Montezurna:
We were received by that lord, Montezuma. with
about two hundred chiefs. ali barefOoted. and
dressed in kind OF livery, very rich. according TO
New-York tribune., 1908-07-12

most acceptabIy has he performed it. The re-
suIt of his Iabors is comprised in two handsomely
printed volumes with maps and illustrations
the kind of volumes that are called SUnptuouS,
being good!y to look upon and pleasant to touch.
in that paper and type are perfect IN their Slin-
plcity and their adaptation to their purpose
The translator has prefaced the letters with
brief and discriminating survey Of the con-
queror's life and personality, and has supplied
an abundance of photographed and historical
notes eucidating the text.
These letters of Cortes have been more than
once compared with the Commentaries" of
Cesar without. as the translator observes, sui
fering by the comparison. He adds:
GauI, when overrun and conquered by Julius
Caesar possessed no such political organzatloi G a.
did the Aztec empire when 1t was subdued DS
Cortes. There were neither cities comparaole %IIh :
TIascala and Choiuia nor was tnrre any tk tinIa
military organization corresponding 10 tre otpIe
with their vast dependencies from which countless
hordes of warriors were drawn. On the other nand
while Caesar led the flower OF The Roman lesl2ns
C'ortes captained mixed band of few hun'lrei
men i'll trained undiscipned, indifferent to schemes
OF conquest and bent only their Individual ag-
grandizement: of whom many were also diSaH
toward the commanders; and required aiter2n1e Tbe
only men who sent under NarVaez. to take
MIN, alive dead and bring hiIn BACK 10 tne
vengeance of Diego Velasquez. were won over TO
his standard and fought under his leadership unl4
Mexico fell. while their rightful commander lay
Not alone had Cortes military talent of high
order; he had the foresight the firmness, the
will of 4 sagacious statesman. He ruled with a
happy mixture of genial comradeship and in
flexible discipline. "He knew whom and when
to trust giving his friendship, he avoided favor
itisrn with the consequence that his men werc
united by the bond of a common trust in their
commander. He shared their hardships. syrnpa-
thized with their sufferings and joined in their
pleasures, but he hanged a soldier who robbed
an Indian he cut off the feet of another who
plotted desertion. while in the supreme moment
when the conspiracy to kill him was discovered
in Texcoco he hanged the leader before his own
door. but wisely ignored the trembling accom-
pIices though he had the list of their names In
lis pocket at the time" That bluff. unpol-
ished soldier in the midst OF the incredible diff
culties of such campaign should have been
able to write out his experiences from day TO
day in simple language that after four centuries
reads with all the freshness and interest Of
nance is not the least achievement OF this re-
markabie historical figure The translator makes
no excuses for acts that left an indeible blot on
New-York tribune., 1908-07-12
Gbe Nem'2lork Gribases
SUNDAY, JULY II, 1908

The writer of 1.-THE Point of View in the
July ''Scribner' plays suggestively around the
question of "ayocation' in literature. We all
know how it is regarded by the type of literary
professionalism. He regards the amateur
with sl,spicion and is even, occasion, solemn
Iy Indignant with that individual for poacning
on his preserves, and acquiring the fat check
which, by all the laws and the prophets, should
be reserved for Il writer sealed of the tribe
According to this person, as the author OF Ihe
Point of View" reminds US, you must not have
been so preoccupied with your subject as to
have neglected your treatment, so sure OF nav
Ing something to say as to have postponed
learning how to say it." The point always
seems well taken until you recall that this is
q restriction which would of itself abolish
large body of 'avocationaP literature, from
Xenophon's "Anabasis' and C9sar's 'Commen-
taries' down" The wise critic cites a number
of modern instances to prove his point
Charles TamD earning his living at the India
House and earning immortal fame in his hours
of ease and, among the writer's of our own
time Mr.. Stedman turning from his business
as banker to the making Of poetry and prose-
or George Du Maurier professionally drawing
fIustra tons for Punch and, an amateur,
producing "Peter IbbetsOr' and ''Trilby." We
1ave known of brilliant novelist who based
all his hopes on his resolution to write like an
amateur. 1t was only when be turned ''profeS-
sional" that the quality of his work began to
vary.
New-York tribune., 1908-07-12
SIR THOMAS PHILLIPPS
The Curious Traits of Famous Book corss-

The Curious Traits of q Famous Book CoEs4-
From The London Times.
Some very interesting recoTections Of
Thomas Phillips have been disinterred IN
''Yr Haul Ga Welsh periOdicaD of October, fE
and cor nunicated to Notes and Queries"
Mr.. j. P. Owen. These notes were written
John ROwlands ('Giraldus''). at one time az
tiOnal sChoOlmaster at Llandebie. and who
SCribed himself as the hundred and tvenla
person who. in succession, had the distincto1
being PhiilippS'S librarian. One Of this g
midable body was. we believe. the late NJ
Orchard Hailiwell. afterward HalliweI-Ps
EppS, tt ShakeSpearian scholar. who marrs
the barOnet's eldest daughter. and one Of q
Thomas Phillipps's strictest testamentay ii
functions was that neither his eldest daughg
nor her husband, nor any Roman Cathode, 81
ever enter ThirleStane House. Cheltenh1-
Rowlands. in his "reminiscences. from which p
shall presently quote, describes his empOys
great bugbear as POpeTy. but he might n
added HaIliwell- Choir singing IN church \
High Churchmen were equally abhorrelt
him, and misunderstanding TO R0wIands-s
was such a Jealous anti-ROmanist. he Has
went to place Of worship-Sunday, holiday
working day. He had not been inside a chrr
or chapel for a quarter OF a century. for he
ieved the time spent in public worship % 2
pure waste.
After filling his house at Middle Hill. NH
cesterShire he took ThirIeStane House, CheE1
ham Cthe residence of Lord NOrthwich. WIS
splendid gallery of pictures was one Of the M
extensive ever got together by one man. =
the task of removing the library from ME-
Hill to Cheltenham occupied two yearS-the =
lectiOns were conveyed in an OMNIBUS tSa VT
week RowlandS described Phillips as d ~
dot of a man, with ruddy face and long =
kernpt hair and beard" He employer Oh
premises (says Rowlands) a printer and -
binder. and printed many ancient manuSt.s- ..
His three daughters were compelled 70 pLs.-
the materials for the compositOrS from uA"-
dark
New-York tribune., 1908-07-12

Emily Bronts has hitherto been known !
poet by only about threescore pieces e. e.
a collection Of one hundred and tnlrty-eisht
published poems from her pen has otei' - o.T ~,
cred. and this Is soon TO be brought ou' ~ -
form.
New-York tribune., 1908-07-12
".STOUT CORTEZ."
The Letters of the Conqmeror OF
MOnteSund.

T FILTERS OF CORTES. The Five Letters Of
Relation from Fernando Cortes to the FIJI
peror Charles v. Translated and edited WIN
biographical Introduction ana an Erspcis notes an
gustus MacNutt In two volumes Illus ns
trated Svo. PIP. xi. 1854: vii 975. G' T. Fu'-
nam's Sons
The romantic field of Spanish conquest in
America which yielded such treasure to the gen.
ms of Irving and Prescott has had one corner
still ungarnered The five famous letters of re-
Iation from Fernando Cortes to the Emperor
Charles Y, upon which the historian Of Mexico
drew so freely for his brilliant picture nave
never before been presented in their entirety 10
English readers. The graceful task of transiat-
ing and editing them has fallen to Mr. FRANCIS
MacNutt, a New Yorker resident in Rome, and
New-York tribune., 1908-07-12
song.

SONG.
BY T f. BROWN
Look at me- sun, ere thou set
In the far sea: -
From The gold and the rose and the jet
Look full at me!
Leave on my brow a trace
OF tenderest light:
Kiss me upon the face,
Kiss for goodnight
New-York tribune., 1908-07-12

What is the life of the literary reputation
which if not precisely bulded upon sand, is, at
all events, not founded a rock? This is
often called an uncrtical age and there is no
denying that mediOcriiy often gets terribly
puffed up by unthinkiDg applause. NeVerthe
less, things seem to right themselves with fair
promptitude Take, for example, the case Of
the late W. r. Henley, who, along with the
qualifications Of an able man of letters, had
also a rich fund Of pugnacity and bludgeoned
his way to position of seeming authority. We
used to marvel at his vogue in the 90s and
thereabouts His contemporaries in London
were fairly terroriZed into taking him at his
own valuation. Now a collected edition of his
prose and verse is in course of publication, and
it is inspiring observations like these:
He seems to talk himself hoarse. and at the
end of a chapter full of pleasures, the silence is
the greatest pleasure of ALL Perhaps the en-
something or a number of things, instead of
having something that had to be said. He rubs
1t in with eagerneSS that sometimes suggests
that he had to do so in order to convince him
self We feel his admiration Of strength far
more than his strength. But soured he
was and always miStook violence and ToughneSs
for strength.
Fifteen years ago the utterance of such her
esy would have caused prodigiOus futtering
of the doyecotes. To-day it eXciteS sur
prise, for there are too many readers who SYM
pathize with it. 1t is an interesting iIlustra-
ton of the fact that criticism, in the long run,
always comes into its own.
New-York tribune., 1908-07-12

The lesson to be drawn from the waxing and
waning of Henley's repute is simply the good
old lesson that it is well to avoid extremes. He
underestimate. The ,ouble with his school
was that it mStook talent for genius, clever
ness for greatness. 1t is well that Henley
should be remembered, but remembered accord
ing TO his deserts. Now arc then-but not very
often-the faStidOus reader comes across q
piece of work which not exactly brilliant, or
in any way significant of genius but it has
some charm and he keeps it in mind. Such a
piece of work was ''Hhe King with Two Faces" !"
that historical novel by the late Miss NJ. f.
Coleridge which periodically we ask, and ask
In vain. to have reprinted. Such a piece of work
also was ''MademCiSclle Ike the short story
which introduced Lance Falconer' to the
world. This lady, known in private life as Miss
praise OF Mr.. Gladstone, but in any case her
little book would have given her honorable
though modest rank. She wrote some other
things Cecilia de NOelt' and "The Hotel dan
gieterre" and though she produced nothing
momentous her writings always had certain
quality A friend of hers, in q letter to "The
Spectator" says: "She was true artist, and
at the height Of what was then considerable
reputation, | know she refused large sum Of
money for a story which she did not think ar
tistic" That is by itself 4 pleasant tribute
What we would especially point out is that Miss
Hawker is none the less sure of her place in
occurred to any one to acclaim her as portent.
The Detroit times., 1908-11-27
CHURCHES SHOULD
AID IN MOVEMENT

Frank Lee Miles, OF Pennsylvania.
past official OF several fraternal organ
nations. delivered an address Thur
day evening In the Scotten-ave. Bap
list church, In which he compared the
work OF the fraternal societies and
that OF the church. Mr.. Miles has
been making tour OF the United
States and Canada, visiting the larger
cities In the interests OF several frater-
nal organizations. including the
knights OF Pythias and odd Fellows.
In his address, Mr.. Miles made u
plea for closer, more definite co-opera-
ton between the church and fraternal
organizations, his main point being
that each has its sphere of influence.
The fraternal organization cares for
the temporal need OF men, the church
for the spiritual, and the society
should supplement the church work.
He said the secret societies we're do
Ing work that thus far the church
had failed to do. The church, he said.
requires q certain stand on the part
or men, for admittance to membership.
while the lodge can be broader Ia
scope and take In men without draw
ing u distinct line. Mr.. Miles said
there is danger on the part Of the
secret society to believe that the tenn
poral work is sufficient. while II Is
absolutely necessary that the lodge
should supplement the church work.
A large audience heard the address.
The Detroit times., 1908-11-27
BRYAN NOT ENTHUSED
BY TARIFF REVISION

LINCOLN. Neb., Nov. EN- an
article In his paper here, VIM. J.
BRYAN says he does not believe the
revision OF the tariff will be genuine.
with Cannon presiding over the house
and Sherman dominating the senate
Mr.. Bryan says, the result can be
seen. He says the interests are max
ing known their wants through their
subsidized papers. and are trying to
coerce the people to consent by threats
of disaster IL revision Is downward.
Then" he says, 1.-The grinding VIII
begin again-the exploiting will be
renewed and the masses will continue
tseir tribute to the beneficiaries of
the Republican privilege and favorit-
ism. How long, o Lord, how long
will Il take the voters to understand
the influence that dominate the Repub-
lican party, and through that party,
the government? How long must the
average man be made the toy and
plaything of the favor-seeking corpora
lions that furnish the campaign funds
for the Republican party and then re-
coup themselves through the leaders
that have dictated? How long can tho
voters be driven and the readers be
misled%
The Detroit times., 1908-11-27
| II LOCAL pA1H0Nt5
THE DETROIT.

Mrs. Wigs of the Cabbage Patch"
entertained two audiences In the De-
troit opera house, Thursday. opening
with a matinee performance. Mrs.
Wigs became q familiar character to
most American readers when the
novel by Alice Hogan Rice came out
several years ago. and since Its dram
itizstion by Anne Crawford Flexner
IL has become sort OF fixture with
a large number OF people who never
visit the theater except when Ii and
plays OF like character are presented.
This was very noticeable in the audi.
ence, Thursday. The regular theater
goer was noticeable by his absence.
but family parties. clergymen, and
people interested in heart interest"
stories made up for the ones who
have become stated with problem plays
and comic opera.
1t was a decidedly hearty reception
that was given Mrs. Wigs and her
company and unusual interest was
,aanifested In the homely philosophy.
cal sayings of this woman whose heart
was big enough to take In the home
less and outcast, even to sharing the
skinny chicken with Lovey Mary and
her little charge, Tommy.
With Blanche Chapman the role OF
Mrs. Wigs was In decidedly capable
hanos. There were very few In the
audience who could not recall some
good, motherly woman who at some
time or another had helped make life
a little brighter. The difficult role OF
Mis- HAY was sustained by Viva Og.
den. and that actress must Rave, in.
deed love for her art when she will
consent TO impersonate, week after
week, such an almost impossible lool.-
ing woman. Her weekly stipend must
be good one TO induce her to lay
aside every bit OF womanly vanity and
take upon herself the face she wears
through the whole three acts of the
play
Charles Carter made an excellent
Mr.. Stubb'ns, and May McManus, as
Lovey Mary proved successful. The
remaining members OF the last are
well chosen and make OF Mrs. Wigs
of the Cabbage Patch" the success
that II Is.
The play will be in the Detroit the
remainder of the week. With a matinee
Saturday.
The Detroit times., 1908-11-27
CARRY OFF BONES
OF "A INDIAN
SKELETONS
MOUND CONTAINING SKELETONS,
OF GRAVES rs uNEARTHEo-
CHIEF WAS MORE THAN SEVEN
FEET TALL.

ST. LOUIS. Nov. 27.-An Indian
mound. containing the skeletons OF IA
prehistoric Indian braves and that OF
an Indian chief more than feet tall.
was accidently unearthed today In the
heart of East st. Louis.
AS news of the discovery spread
through the city crowd OF
hundreds OF persons gathered
at the corner Of Second-st. and
st. Clair-ave.. where the find
was made. Within an hour every bone
OF the IA skeletons with the exception
Of one skull, had been carried OF as
souvenirs by curious spectators. With
the bones went more than 20 valuable
Indian pottery relics which were
foound with the bodies.
Through the reckless dissertation of
the Indian mound by the public II Is
believed that q valuable contribution
to the history Of Indian mounds In and
about st. Louis and one Of the most
complete indices to the life OF the
aborigines which has been discovered
In years, has been lost
The Prehistoric Society Of Illinois
has been notified Of the find and OF
the Dissertation OF the mound by van.
dals. 1t Is expected the society will
take steps to recover az many Of the
articles and skeletons as possible.
The discovery was unearthed short.
ly after 10 o'clock by William Lasby
a workman employed by Z. c. Ged
ney, a contractor, who Is building q
warehouse on the spot. Lasby was
digging for the foundation and had
reached a depth OF Ave feet.
Suddenly, as he drove his spade into
the earth. II struck an obstruction
which refused to yield, Lasby dug
around II and, after a half hours
work. revealed an upright stone sar
cophagus, which protruded FIVE feet
from the earth. As he dug deeper
digging was carefully resumed and
within short time. Is complete bod
les, ranged In a semi-circle about the
sarcophagus, had been revealed.
The stone coffin was then dug up
II was more than seven feet long and
about Is inches square. 1t was secure
ly sealed, In the presence of the large
crowd which had gathered, the stone
coffin was broken open with shovels
and picks. The skeleton of a giant
Indian, seven feet tall, was revealed
The man. apparently chief, had been
buried standing. A long fracture In
the skull showed that his mortal
wound had been received in battle.
When the chiefs body was revealed,
the skeletons first discovered had al.
ready been destroyed and taken by the
crowd. Those who had not secured a
bit Of the first relics. sprang eagerly
at the body of the chief. and sought
a choice souvenir from among his
bones. In moment the body Of the
warrior was gone. The weight Of the
great stone casket was all that pre-
vented the vapdals from confiscatins
that also. This IL all that remains OF
a discovery that would have probably
proven the most valuable historically,
of a decade.
The Detroit times., 1908-11-27
WHOLE AFFAIR IS
4 COMBINATION
Of LIES
PRINCE DE sAGAN SAYS COUNT
BoNl DE cASTELLANE WILL BE
ExPosED-DE sAoAN ENDS IN
TERvlEW ABRUPTLY.

PARIS. Nov. Give will expose
these lies of Boni De Castellane mex,
Wednesday and also make public some
facts about the moralities of others OF
his family" was the angry declara-
ton made by Prince De Sagan today.
In this he is supported In every way
by the princess. Prince Helie said /:
In a French court lawyer can
get up and say anything he pleases.
He can make all sorts OF charges and
paint you as the blacklist villain alive,
but what he merely says is never part
of the judgment. Only what he proves
counts. Just wait until next week!
We Will show them some things"
YES" broke In the princess, "the
whole thing is a lot OF hes--absolute
lies!'
THE point was raised that l left
my children without a nurse. They
not only had a nurse. but priest,
Glso." said she.
What can a person do?" the prince
went on. Il can't pull Boni's ears
for he is not responsible. Honestly.
he Is not right mentally. But what
does 1t matter? The idea." caid the
prince, .of Boni's daring to suggest
that the air OF the Marquis De Cas-
tellane's home Is proper one In
witch to raise children with that ras-
cally old marquis, who has been guilty
of all sorts OF things, which we win
prove next Wednesday, Why. he IL
go dishonorable that he was kicked
out of the jockey club"
The correspondent said, We'll. what
about the automobiles that NJ. Bonnet
stated in court. The prince shifted
from Madame Mercier to Jeanne La
brouche, and finally to-
Prince De Sagan jumped up and
shouted:
Stop! Stop that! Don't worry my
wife with such silly stun"
Princess De SSyan looked unusually
charming In a black lace afternoon
gown, but her princely husband seem
ed worn and worried. He said Good
bye. we've answered questions
enough"