davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

glass of mineral water and 81 cents for Q
class of lemonade.
The rates at the hotel where am
stopping are about the same as those
of the best hotels Of New York. and It
seems to me that the face of Queen
Victoria on the golden sovereign. the coin
which is universally used here, turns pale
whenever / look at 1t and order meal
/ suppose the old lady knows she Is going
to leave me.
Like Tantalus.
Indeed the situation of these people
makes me think OF Tantalus, who was
condemned to stand up to his chin In
water under a loaded fruit tree and see
fruit and water retreating every time he
sought to satisfy his hunger and thirst.
or OF the poor little boy whose face Is
pressed against the glass or the cana!
store windows az he hungrfly eyes the
sweetmeats within Johannesburg Is sur
rounded by gold, bedded on gold, with gold
extending thirty miles on each side OF IT,
1t is pouring out one hundred ana twenty
odd millions of gold dollars every twelve
months. and for the past ten years II has
been flooding the globe Nevertheless Its
people are poor. and the most OF the
treasures they dig from their soil go to
the nabobs of England and the stock COM
panies of Europe. 1t is somewhat like
Ireland. a country of absentee landlords.
and it's people are the white and black
slaves of these far-away millfonaires. In
addition to this the country is cursed by
the cheap native and Chinese labor sup
ply. 1t would be far better off If 1t turned
out less gold and diamonds at high wage
rate and the wages were spent at home.
South Africa in Debt.
AS a result Of this boom and its coll
lapse the South Africans are deeply in
debt Both farms and business blocks
are plastered with mortgages and interest
rates are comparatively high The peo-
pie are optimistic, and they have all the
push of the pioneers in a fast developing
country They overestmated everything
at the time of the war and branched out
upon credit. During the fight with the
Beers money flowed like water. England
purse strings were opened and golden
shower rained down on the Transvaal.
New institutions of all kinds were created.
Expenses were enormously increased ana
everything was planned as though thu
war appropriations and the large war
population were to continue forever. This
was not confined to johannesburg. but
the boom extended to Cape Town, Dur
ban and all the towns of South Africa.
Durham put up buildings to accommod ite
100 600 people and ii has now less than
10000 while this town could take care Of
80 600 more without overfillng its houses.
South Africa's Small Population.
Indeed. South Africa is much bigger in
the ewes of the world than 1t is in reality.
The whole country has not as many white
people as Philadelphia, and In this l
might include all the whites who live
south of the equator. Nevertheless. there
are banks here with capitals of millions.
There are several thousand miles of rail-
road and there are half dozen cities
with great ports and costly improve
ments The wonder Is not that South
Africa is hard up. 1t is really wonder
that 1t is at all.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
u ExcELIENeE q FRzNeII COVE E1AN- -

a. II Is universally admired for the
perfection of its guns themselves. n COM
pliment that carries pain Of mind with
il; because. how do the Germans i'm par
ticular. know the capacities OF the new
French artillery? They are supposed 10
be kept secret. In any case the story is
out that II is the most effective in the
world
The French artillery officers are obvf-
ously superior to those II any other ma
ton. This was admitted by all the "a
tachcs. They have a superior scient fic
basis. They push on. becoming ind vid-
ual scientists.
The French infantry was a reyelat on.
Something has brought back the cd n
ger 10 ii again. OF late years. You have
seen how the fronts OF Gems. AIllet and
Tremeau outmarched even their cnieis'
calculations. They are enthusiast G
with new confidence in the high COM
mand. But. above all-and this is from
the German attache-the men are remark
ably united 10 their officers. They are
less machines than the German infantry.
They seem to understand be. ter what is
wanted Of them. They might go on
should immediate chiefs be temporarily
lost them.
The French cavalry. while technically
good. is said to be burdened-on the part
of its mass of officers-with a preference
for old dramatic charges. 1t remains 10
be seen. however. whether such may not
still have their value in real war.
One of the great novelties is cyclst in
fantry TO partially replace the cavalry.
Where today there is battalion of 1000
men, next year will see three such bat
talons If the Germans push the next
war into French territory. the vast net
work of good roads of eastern France
will permit these cyclist battalions-wlth
their rapid, long-reach rfles-to turn the
tide of battle.
Much more secret is the French use OF
the automobile. At the start. young fell
lows owning their own autos were ac-
cepted-for maneuvers and in case Of mob
ilization-to tote the Etat-Maj or Then
came the scouting use OF autos.
But Of late years there have been vast
multitudes of young men offering their
autos for the sake of a superior service.
All are being accepted. In the case OK
mobilization every auto of them has Its
rendezvous. What use will be made of
them over battle grounds, made up OF
splendid roads? To transport infantry
in masses-with unheard-of rapidity.
And the dirigible balloon? While Yep
pelin was rebuilding one. the French had
twelve in daily maneuvers. And the W re-
less telegraph works on the backs OF SOL
diers in the field. connection being made
with a high-jointed pole that two moro
soldiers can unjoint and carry.
War is in the air. The French no lons
er ask each other: Are we reaoy
They have had so many war scares lhal
they were forced to get ready.
STERLING HELLO.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
Otherwise They'd Be Extinct.

TOXIN w. GATES was talking about the
J accident that befell the Mauretania
last month.
when that propeller broke" he said.
1.-The screw seemed to run away with
the great ship. Sire was racke3 as though
a host Of giants with sledges were beat
ing on her sides. We all felt for a mo-
ment as lost as-as lost as those creatures
whom the ark left behind
Mr. Gates smiled.
Speaking of the ark" he said, Il saw
a little boy at play with his Noah's ak
the other day. I watched him put aboard
all the people. all the painted animals.
and then l saw him place carefully in a
sheltered spot two tiny splinters of wood
What are they. my son.? 1 asked.
'Thems microbes said he
1T had never occurred to me before"
Mr.. Gates ended. but there must, OF
course: have been a pair Of microbes In
the ark.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
Rather Like SaI0me.

"VoU know Lucas cieeve' of course
said a magazine editor Lucas
Cleeve, the reckless and aristocratic Bng-
lish novelist. who recently died at Cha
teau d'Oex?'
II once sat beside Lucas Cleeve,'' the
editor resumed proudly, lat dinner at
AN earl's house in Belgravia. Her right
name was Mrs. Adeline kingscote. She
came of noble blood.
"Englishwomen never consider them
selves dressed if their dress is not decol-
lete. If you wear high-necked dress in
England they call you a Puritan. The
more ceremonious the occasion. the more
decollete the dress must be, English la
dies. when 1t Is a matter of meeting the
king-well. really,
Lucas Cleeve and | philosophical on
dress in this manner. and the novelist told
me a story.
An old nurse of hers had a very pretty
daughter. she began. The girl met a mil
lioEaire broker at Broadstairs one week
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

Philadelphia's most prominent figures,
was talking at York about boxing.
Every man should know how to box.
said Mr. DreXel Biddle, who is one of the
best amateur boxers in America. In the
case of attack by pickpockets. or in de-
Tense of a lady indeed: in a hundred
crises. how deplorably awkward 1t is to be
unable to box.
1.-THE man ignorant of boxing is apt to
make a great fool of himself. Ignorance
nearly always makes fools of us. l re-
member man, ignorant of etiquette, who
once sat beside me at a public dinner
Il noticed that this man, as soon as he
was seated. took up one by one the
knives at the right of his plate. and be-
gan to try their edges on his thumb.
"A waiter behind him leaned forward
and said in a hurt tone:
THE knives are all sharp sir
The point is said my neighbor, I'm
looking for a blunt one. Last time / at
tended a banquet here | cut my mouth. !"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
The Motor Craze.
WI X. VANDERBILT has abandoned
W. automobiling.

wv *. VANDERBILT has abandoned
W. automobiling.
1T seems eccentric in these times" said
MIR. Vanderbilt at a dinner in New York.
mot to motor. Everybody motors nova
days Rich and poor alike. we all have
our cars Motor cars have become, like
slippers or hats, necessity.
In fact" continued Mr.. Vanderbilt, 4
can almost believe the begSar story l
heard yesterday.
"A beggar rang suburban doorbell.
The mistress of the house appeared,
frowned at the man, and said: =
Go away, please. l haven't got any
cold victuals. or old clothes, or old boots.
or old overcoats. Or
Excuse me, ma am. the begGar hum
bly, interrupted L didn't want nothin'
to eat or wear. I just called to see.
ma'am. if you had an old automobile to
give away.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
Too Greedy.
D oBERT HERRICK. the brilliant real

y OBERT HERRICK. the brilliant real
IN istic novelist said at a recent lunch
con in Chicago:
There is type of American wife who
in her greed for wealth and display
brings unhappness on herself. She
rather reminds me of the fat man and
the table d'hote dinner.
This man entered a restaurant that
served a dinner at the fixed price of ~
cents. He knotted napkin about his
neck and fell TO heavily. So heavily. in
fact, that the waiter. after a whispered
conversation with the proprietor ap-
preached him and said:
Beg pardon, sir. but I'll have to
charge you quarter extra; you eat so
much
THE fat man, red and short of breath
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
~
SWS
Lushington's Companion.

Joseph NJ PATTERSON. Chicago s
brilliant millionaire novelist, attacked
in a recent address the drinking that goes
in society.
At the end of a Somber account of the
evils of drink among the rich Mr.. Patter-
son adopted livelier key.
Why" said he. IF the thing keeps on
our millionaires will all go about with
such a companion as Is always with Lush
ington.
WHO is that chap who never leaves
old Lushington?' I asked friend one day
That? Oh. that's a snake charmer
was the reply
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
Not a Flower.
UTHE late Frank p. Sa rgent. the com
missioner of Enumeration" said q

HTHE late Frank p. Sa rgent. the com
missioner of immigration" said a
Washington correspondent. met in his
Investigations many quaint characters.
heard many quaint stories.
He pointed out to me one day shabby
woman of middle age. She was OF Devon.
he said She had immigrated some two
or three years before.
Then. to give me some idea of the
standard of cleanliness that prevails
amongst too many Of our immigrants, he
told me a story about this Devon dame.
''She had a little boy of seven or eight.
he said, whom she sent to school day after
day in a very unkempt state
Tia teacher. finding that TO scold the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

had to signal & retreat before the reserves
of either side could come up.
I may add that September II, when Gen.
Milet's retreat was announced by his
cavalry to Tremeau, the latter clinchesi
his advantage by a brilliant Napoleonac
move Having in first line the 18th. 1.!tt
and 10Th divisions. he was holding bhe
18th in reserve behind his left. When the
enemys right began retreating he threw
his 18th division it in swift wing
movement the 18th moving up to its
place in the line. And though Millet was
swinging in his reserves when the time
limit expired. Gen. Tremeau was ac-
knowledged victor.
All this is so different from the envel-
oping tactics of the Germans that the
military attaches are wondering II It
might not have good chances against
adversaries always taking a priori dispo-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
The Failures.

EIR HARDIE. one of labor's ablest
II representatives in the British parlia-
ment, at a dinner of boilermakers in New
York spoke &c success.
Success, they tell us. he began.
comes from aiming high. l think it Oft
ener comes from aiming low, from aiming
within ones scope.
Suppose. for instance. that the aver
age reporter, aiming high. devoted his life
to the composition of Shakesperean trag-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

end. The man proposed and they were
married. An excellent match.
Lucas Cleeve saw the mother short
time after the wedding.
Molly has done well, hasn't she?' she
said
She has that, ma'am,' said the old
woman.
Her husband is very rich, isn't he?'
Rich! Save us. yes. Ye should see.
ma'am Molls brougham. her coachman
and footman. her motor car. and her di
monds and pearls. Oh. she lives high.
Quite like the nobility and gentry, ma am.
Why she strips for dinner!''
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
~ a.


keeper continue reading his paper and
make no effort to let the car through.
e Now then. my man, hurry up and
oken the gatev shouted my friend. Are
you asleep there?
you're No. "7O04B." amt YEP said
the gatekeeper, without rising from his
chair.
Yes, that's right. Hurry up
oh there's lots of time said the
gatekeeper You amt due here yet for
eighteen minutes. accordin' to what the
last gatekeeper has just telephoned me-.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
Held Up.

MONTAGUE ROBERTS. the winner of
lVA the round-the- world motor race,
said of speeding, at a banquet in New
York:
"A friend of mine was doing some
rather tall speeding one summer on
road that had toll gate every five
miles or so.
My friend was in a great hurry. He
was trying. on a heavy wager. to break
a record. Hence it angered him when
he came to closed gate to see the toll
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

great reorganizer, and Gen. Tremeau.
who is spoken of as understudy of the
generalissime.
The opposing German forces had for
chiefs the generals Won Prittwitz and
Won Gilgenheimb, both of whom pass for
enjoying the imperial favor. This being
SO. one would expect to find their troops
of equal value Yet it was fragrant from
the start of the imperial maneuvers that
the corps of PrfttwitZ was overwhelm-
ingly superior in suppleness endurance
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
A Remarkable AeropIane.

THOMAS A. EDISON believes that the
! aeroplane will not be of real practi-
cal use until it Is made on the helicopter
principle.
However," said Mr.. Edison the other
day. Il heard of a new aeroplane that
went without hitch last week all the
way from Chicago to Philadelphia.
1T went he added, by train
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

each keeping strong reserves. In the
case of Gen. Tremeau these reserves dn-
fantry and cavalry amounted to quar-
ter of his army while Gen. Millet held
back three-tenths of his infantry and
twelve batteries.
A brilliant denouement promised. How
and when and where would they throw
in these crushing reserves?
They threw them nowhere. A surprls-
ing thing prevented. Both fronts, march
ing with vertiginous rapidity. engaged
each other SO unprecedentedly that Miilet
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
In The Market 5QuARE

larger colored population than Washing
ton It has 60.0JO or 10000 natives, made
up Of Kafirs Basutos and other negroes
of this part of the world. The blacks are
not allowed to vote, and they have little
to do except as workers for the whites.
They have far less rights than our ne
sroes although they dress and look much
the same. The Kafir here rides in sep
arate car, little open trailer which is at
taohed to the rear of the trains for his
accommodation. In going along the
streets the negroes must keep off the
pavements and walk only on the edge of
the roadway or in the middle of the
streets. He has his own churches and
schools. and the whites expect him to
keep to them.
About the only municipal positions that
the blacks have are as assistant police
men. They are dressed in uniforms. and
carry clubs. which are more like shilla-
labs than our police clubs at home. The
kafirs also act as jinrkSha men. They
have little victoria-like two-wheeled car
rages in which they pull one about for
II cents per mile, or 10 cents per hour.
The jinriksha men are mostly Zulus, and
they are among the queerest natives
have yet seen. They dress their hair in
all sorts of ways. making it stand out
from their heads in great rolls or horns.
Not few of them have real COW horns
SO fastened to their heads that they seem
to grow there, the roots of the horns be-
ing hidden in the wool. These men wear
brooches which reach half way down the
thigh, leaving the lower part of the legs
and feet bare. They paint the bare por-
tionS with whitewaSh.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

edies or Mitonic epics-do you think he
would succeed? All, no."
Mr.. Keir Hardie shook his head and
smiled.
Let us then aim he said. lat what
we stand some chance of hitting. 1t Is
they who strive to leave footprints In the
sands of time who, alas. most frequently
get stuck in the mud"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

lad for his untidiness had no effect, wrote
to the mother. Her son was not clean.
she wrote. His neglected condition was
really disgraceful. He had, in fact. a
quite unpleasant odOr. And so on.
THE next morning the boy. as dirty as
ever, handed the teacher this note
My son amt no rose. / send him
to school to be learnt, not smelt.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

sitions of combat always the same.
Again. in this summers maneuvers both
Prittwitz and Gilgenheimb sought sue
cess by means of preconceived turning
movement. elaborated by the chief even
before contact could be really made. The
system seems to have it's Inconvenience.
such as finding nothing ahead of you.
This happened to the German 10Th Corps
September 8. But the japanese used the
tactic with success-against an inactive
enemy in Manchuria.
Partisans of the German method argue
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

that in modern warfare the dangerous
zone is too deep to permit the bringing
up of decisive reserves with sufficient
rapidity To this it is replied that. after
the using up of several days fighting, all
partial reserves will inevitably be alb
sorbed. Thus the sudden appearance OF
fresh unities will give such enthusiasm and
strength to the line of combat as to be
decisive. No maneuvers can decide this
question.
Meanwhile there is no doubt about the
French artillery.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

Copyright, 1905 10y Frank G. Carpenter0
Special Correspondence of The Star.
JOHANNESBURG.
W write this in the golden capital of
South Africa. johannesburg rests
on a reef out of which has been
taken s9ooOO0.000 worth of the
precious metal and which is sup
posed TO have two or three billions left.
There is more gold about it than about
any other city of the world, and more Is
coming from it than from any other
gold region. Johannesburg is the Denver
OF Africa. and, like our Denver it is
about a mile above the sea. Indeed, it
is even higher than the great mining
city on the edge of the Rockies. 1t is
close to 5000 feet, and If you could
stretch a wire about the earth at its alti-
tude, it would almost cut the top Of
Mount Washington.
Denver Versus johannesburg.
Denver and Johannesburg have many
things in common. They are both on
high plains and not far from bleak, semi
deserts. They are both in the hea- of
the continents to which they Aong.
Denver is about half way across the
United States. 1t is a little bit over
west which, after all. is the best part of
our big country. Johannesburg Is about
half way between the Atlantic and In
dian oceans. and 1t is farther north of
the Cape of Good Hope than Sandy Hook
is east of Chicago. Its nearest port is
Delaeoa bay on the Indian ocean. which
is about 400 miles distant, and il can
also be reached by rail from Durham.
which is a little more than eighty miles
farther.
Both cities are based upon gold, and
are fed by the mines. The territories
which support Denver lie In the Rocky
mountains at its back extending long
distance to the north and south Those
which support Johannesburg are right
under the city. and they run in a great
narrow strip east and west. They con-
sist of several veins, covering distance
uf 1870 miles. The best part of the whole
has only a length of sixty miles and
IL Is right in the center of this that Jo-
hannesburg is situated. Some of the
houses are built over gold mines and
The streets run over land which has been
honeycombed with tunnels and filled up
again. after the gold has been taken
out, for fear that the buildings might
fall in. When climbs to the roc is
OF the houses of this city he can see
the smokestacks of the mines extending
east and west almost as far as the eye
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
The Ignorant Diner-Out.

A j. DREXEL BIDDLE whose original
\ and brilliant mind. coupled with his
wealth. youth and high social position,
has made him for some years one Of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

from his excessive gorging. said earnestly:
For goodness sake, don't do that!
I'm nearly dead now from eating Is cents
worth If you make me eat another quar-
ter I'll bust
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31
WONDERFUL Organiza-
w ton of Generalissime
de Lacroix Permitted by
High War Council and Re-
publican Politicians-Nations
Astonished in Late Maneu-
vers - France Prepared for
War!
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Sletlal correspondence OF me StdE-
PARIS, October Is, 1908.
T0HEY are no Boulangers-
They are no beautiful "brav
generals to win the heart of
France on a white horse. no
schemers to bring back king,
no possible dictators.
He who has done the most brilliant or
ganizing is already sixty-four Y ears old
beyond the age of dangerous ambitions,
and yet six years younger than Won
Moltke at his great date. And If the
Won Moltke reference seems strong, take
notice that this man has in few years
transformed the French army 10 a war
machine of the first force.
In A word, behold Henri de Lacroix.
generalissime since 1907. whose genius
for organization, in particular for putting
the right man in the right place. has
made the recent great maneuveTS of the
Centre a revelation to the foreign mill
tary attaches.
He comes from the American French
island of Guadeloupe; graduated from St
Cyr in 1864: served in the campaign OF
Rome 1SGI) as sublieutenant, and came
out of the Franco Prussian war 1870
captain. In 1Ss} he fought the Tonkin
campaign; by 1894 he was colonel: by
1898. general of brigade; by 1901. general
of division, and by 1903 commandment OF
the Higher War School for officers. from
which he was transferred to the military
governorship of Lyons and command or
the 18th Army Corps In 1906 he became
a member of the high war council. and
by 1907 he was its vice presldent-and
generalissimo.
Behold the high war council. Without
its patriotic permission Gen. de Lacroix-
like Hagron who began the work before
him-would have found his hands tied.
And the high council would have
found its hands tied, in turn. but for the
patriotic concessions of the present gov
ernment-induced by war scares.
For this high war council. while it ex-
lists technically since the shaking up of
all things in the Dreyfus case. has be-
come true if impersonal war king
only in these late years of bad war
scares. when the clumsiness of the French
constitution threatened to lose France
twenty-four hours in a sudden war.
few years ago should you have asked
a Frenchman what would happen in case