davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
INTERNATIONAL ROADS BUREAU.
[From The tribune Bursau.I


washington Nov. 28-Logaa Waller Page, ~
rector OF the Office OF public roads OF the United
states Department OF Agriculture. who was narnsd
by President Roosevelt head OF the American
commission 70 the recent International roads cor
gress at Paris, has Just returned 20 Washington.
Arm In the belief that IN some OF the scS-
entfhc branches OF highway construction the
United States has nothing to learn from the olda<
nations. though he willing 20 eoncede tAas
those countries surpass this 70 amazing degree
in the percentage Of improved road mileass ard
in the jealous with which their splendid high
ways are maintained
Among the many things which especially Inn
pressed Mr.. Page in this European trip were the
methods for regulating automobile tra1c IN 5rancs
and England: the belief OF majority OF the dele
gates to the roads congress that the automooils
running ar average spseo Is not detrimental 10
highways. the splendor Of French hospitaltyi the
discovery that many miles OF very satisfactory
highways in England have been constructed by
mixing limestone and granite after tbs methods
set forth IN publications issued through the Units1
States Office OF public roads. and the amusing dts-
cussion being carried on by English autono-
bilsts against horse traffic IN city streets and Ia
suburban highways -
1t is bis belief that from the congress itself 80
least one big will come. and credit for thzk
must &c to America On suggestion hy Mr.. Pags
II was determined 70 create an international oiS-
Teau OF roads similar In respects to ths n
teraational bureau OF navigation This BODY WIZ
consist Of two or delegates from each OF tha
tventy-nine governments represented at the con-
gress. Its purpose viii be the collecting OF al
possible information road work. the passing On
1t by committee OF experts, and IT'S dlstri0utoa
throughout the world
The uItin1a.s benefits OF 50 far reaching n ncVa
cannot be estimated, but the world VIII some day
owe a heavy deb. OF gratitude to the governments
whose highway representatives conceived the
thought OF such a bureau and oro0sat % I'S ~ ~
rort tha delegates OF every civilized country on ths
kiobe-
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
THE GHOST OF A FAMOUS TOWN.

virginia city IS indeed a strange town-a iv-
49, skeleton In the height OF its opulence II
saested population OF thirty thousand. To-
- there are less than one-tenth that many;
sssrsdstien and ruin are on every hand.
- chief streets terrace along a great hillside
TsTrther I'D the slope are wastes OF sag sbrush
r-oping in stInted clumps that half hide the
ss-th with their gray Iwigs and foliage Down
esloxr is e valley where the mines have dumped
80 heaps of waste. The entire region is a
10 upheaval OF hills. and around the horizon
sre seen ranges Of snowy topped mountains
.rhs only trees are an occasional gnarled scrub
nine or dwarf cedar few feet high Formerly
S--nh pines of fair size were plentiful on the
fIls: but they were practically all used for fire.
wood loag years ago After they were gone
~on,e Cinnamon ran 8 woodward and sold pine
-o.tx Probably one hundred and fifty donkeys
Tere engaged in toiling about the uplRnds and
nringing in the sturnps and roots Of the old
xcrub pines This material, too, was exhausted
presently, and now the fuel comes by train.
The town streets are rough and dirty, and as
walked about 1 constantly encountering
old tin cans and getting my feet tangled up In
vsres from the baled hay. Buildings in good
-.ns;r are rarities. There are tottering fences
ard ragged walls and broken roofs and smashed
r3ass and many windows and doors are board
e6 UP.
~. country all to pieces. Everywhere the hills
- dotted with prospectors' holes From any
-,lsht YOU can see dozens-perhaps hundreds.
rbsy suggest the buTrowing Of woodchucks or
-rst-5e dogs The region along the Comstock
1cSe sbounds. too, in deserted shafts Usually
- srots where had been the buildings and ths
machinery FOR WORKING the abandoned mines
a-e nov only marked by great dumps OF waste,
--,th eossibly g few immense foundation stones
and irons -. , .
60 EIIl which. IL anything, is deader than It's
-,JrAF,or There is the same dilapidetion and
v-eckaze and the same canting walls and
.-.cIaot ~ repafrs. On the borders Of this ham
80 NET Scotchuan who affirmed that his
-.hs, zrss the oldest dwelling in the region. The
--eI7 mart contained q single room, but there
IS 3 lezri-to at the rear. and a little cave
1scE under the HILL The owner invited me in
e. -se- rnzsef and. as we entered. gray cat
5.1s-+e5 through a missing window pane
S-9;fton Johnson in Outing
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29

events at the hfty-fourth games OF tho tn Reg4-
ment- 20 be held at the arnory on Saturday ughs.
December Il Among the events Is a rescue race.
wall scaling contest, military relay and tent
raising contest Tbs regimentaI band VIII play
during the games.
lively campaign IS going IN the 18th RegFs
ment for the place OF junior major. soon to BE-
come vacant by the elevation OF one Of the three
majors 20 the lieutenant cOloneIcy. At presens
there are four candidates Captains Sydney Grant,
George H Kemp, II. Il Royce and B. H Pendrys
For the lieutenant cOlOnelcy. Major Turpln seems
TO be the cavorite He Is the senior major and
has been prominent In the mana cement OF ths
Military Athletic League for years A fancy
dress ball and reception Will be held Jointly By
the I1th Company and George D. Russell Camp,
Spanish-Anerfcan War Veterans al the arrnory on
New Years Eve. Some eight thousand guests are
expected. and arrangements will be made 70 tErs
nish dinners at the armory for $500 persons
A fair VIII be held at the armory OF the 1Sta
Regiment during the week beginning April IT next,
and the proceeds viii be devoted to furnishing TIA
company rooms.
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
, o1-AINT CHRIsTMAs CUSTOM.

z,l,vinz fn the yllle from the grim old tower
.b.t hsd stood eight hundred years against the
bIssts OF the North Sea was one Of the customs
~ n. old town that abide, however II fares WITH
fbe Mise; that I know. At sun-up, while Yet
-he reopIe were at breakfast, the town band
climbed the many steep ladders 10 the top or the
,ouer and I'D there, IN fair weather or foul-and
sometimes 81 blew great guns from the wintry
ses-thev played four old hymns, one TO eacn
~o-,er n the compass, SO that no one was for
rotten-- They always began with Luthers
s+,,-dv challenge. "A Mighty Fortress Is our
COD while down below we listened devoutly.
There was something both weird ano oeauuIuI
+o7,f tl7ose farawav strains IN the early morn
.-v light Of the northern winter. something THAI
IS not OF earth and that suggested 10 my
~hjl6's Imagination the angcS songs on lar
Judesn hills, Even now, after all these years
The memory of il does that It could not nave
heeT because the music was SO rare Tor tne
hand was made up of small storekeepers ana
artisans who thus turned an honest penny on
festive occasions anonymously enough, think
The official town mouTner, who bade people 10
funerals was one of them. It was like the
i.grchers' guard the colonel OF whtch-we
thought him at least general. because OF the
huge brass sword he trailed when he marched
ssry small but very martial man. But whether
1r no IL beautiful have never heaTO
music since that so moved me. When the last
strsir died away, came the big bells with their
deep voices that sang far out over field ana
heath and our yule was fairly under way
Jacob A Riis. in The Century.
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
"REMINISCENCES OF
LYDIA THOMPSON
ODD EXPERIENCES ON
AMERICAN STAGE.
When Chorus Girls We're Lacking
Keeping Up Performance Nth
Fire Behind the Scenes.

Miss Lydia Thompson, the burlesque actress VINO
diee In London the other day in her seventy-hftn
wear wrote book OF recollections of her stage
career few years ago. considerable part OF II
Is devoted to her various tours IN this country
One of the actors she brought from London In
her company Harry Beckett, who arterWaro
appeared In legitimate drama She tells story
about him The setting was Niagara Falls. whittier
she had gone for vacation after appearing In this
city having taken most of her company with her
for rehearsals. "One young woman Joined US there
the last week we rehearsed, she wrote. harry
Beckett who was greatly impressed with the
grandeur of the Falls, and who would gaze at them
for hours at time thought to give this young
woman q won't mention her name) a surprise. She
arrived one lovely moonlight night, and Beckett
said hs would be the first to take her to the Falls
lust for the pleasure of hearing her expressions
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
GREENFIELD OF LABRADOR.

DR. Grenfel was born near Liverpool on teD-
ruary Is 1865 cadet of an eminent E1ngnsh
family of soldiers and scholars, descended d.
rectly on the paternal side from Sir Richard
C2renvil the hero of Tennyson's poem, 1.-The Re
yenRe" and on the maternal side from the no
table Sydneys Of Penshurst and the Hutchln-
sons. generals in the Indian Mutiny days. His
father was a prominent clergyman school
master of the Arnold-of- Rugby type, and i'm
parted TO him his educational grounding, com
pleted at Marlborough College and OXFORD Uni
versitY.
under Sir Frederick Treves, the famous sur
geon to whom, Jointly with MOODY, the evan
st5aIIst Crenfel owes the inspiration for his ca
reer as a medical missionary AS stuoehI nc
heard Moody preach. and was Influenced to ded-
toata his life TO the service of his fellow man.
while Treves suggested MS Undertaking sui
geon's duties among the North Sea sInacks
The spirit Of his warhke ancestois am a,il,ia 5
,hts man though his weapon Is the scaIpe! and
rs course the Golden Rule. He Is or the class
az spIeudid young Englanders VINO are the en- en-,
nire's nride-the men that have won tho "oriu
admiration by remaining EsyP.- - 80 IT Tn.taad
are moulding India in the same way. hsteao
OF seeking q lucrative practlce IN ms NAIVE
land he has preferred to carry the hlessaso ..
Love- TO this desolate. ice-clah NorthIanu anu
10 face daily the greatest haZaIus " io 'DD
limb by land and sea . - $4,000.
his going adrift an Ice noe last Apr1 on
Easter Sunday and nearly perfshfns he "as
responding 10 a sick call sixty miles away hiiu
broke through some bad Ice while crossing ah
inlet. He had companion, but cohtLI'eu -. ~
get upon piece Of ice with his eight dogs. arter
cutting them loose from the sledge oeiors II
discard his heavy clothes and swim 10 anoti anotileI
with the dogs II but the size or a uiiIlIs
table, and on II he spent a night anu & unyt
clad only In light sweater vest, snort kiliche. 49,
and moccasins. without hat coat or sio'es'
after being three times In the water. 49,.
He drifted about twenty miles slonk tAo
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
sERy1AN WOMEN READY FOR WAR

While women have pressed their way into nos<
OF ths occupations OF men, they are not often
found in the ranks Of the army. The spirit o.
patriotism ran so high In Seryia recently. when
Austrian troops were close to the Servian border
that women prepared to defend the frontier. a
corps styled the Death Volunteers" or
ganized OF Servians who willing to swear
to fight for their country until death Women
we're admitted 70 this corps and engaged In drills
with arms under the instruction OF practised drill
masters There were women OF all ages and frOm
different classes OF society. When they ranged
IN line with the men upon the plain 10 recetvs
the benedction they presented remarkable ana
impressive illustration OF the hold which love OF
country has upon the human being. This ls noe
the hrst time says ILLUSTRATION" that the
women OF the fierce Balkan region have enlisted
for the protection OF their country. History re-
cords the fact that In the last century Servian
and Mont6negrin women and children were en-
poyed in the defence OF tho narrow mountain
passes with which their frontiers abound. They
performed their task with. great vigilance aa8
bravery,
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
MILLET.

Twas truth he sought and mems hearts, not
their praise
Nor glory wealth or idle tinklng word.
Rich Natures gifts his noble mind preferred
To those Of men: and In thousand ways
She was revealed unto his raptured gaze.
He loved the charm found in the changing sky,
Or from it hid in forest gloom to lie;
Or watch the light upon the slopes where Craze
The bleating herds So loving Nature he
The crowded streets and shining halls did shun,
To seek the woods and open fields. where none
There dwelt, but toiling. sweating men; by toll
And sweat thus gaining life. Calm majesty
He found in these bent lab'rers of the soil
II C. Cole, in The Craftsman.
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29

this old new province has pursued the tenor Of
its way almost uninf1uenced by the world at
large. During the two millenniums since Jhe
have been converted from paganism to Bud
dhisrn and then to Mahometanism: they nave
been conquered by Uighurs. Tartars and TIBET
ans: a new language. Turk, has been imposed
upon them. and they have suffered from famine
war and pestilence and their attendant raVaees.
Yet the character Of the people appears TO nave
changed mt little. The accounts Of ancient
Chinese pilgrims to India and the evidences
found in ruins indicate that the life OF the past
Aryan stock still remains dominant, though
more or less mixed with half q dozen other
races.-Eilswcrth Huntington In AarpeTs
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
BOOTBLACKs AS CHORUS GIRLS.

Miss Thompson brought only the principals Of her
company with her from London. obtaining chorus
girls in the different cities In which she appeared
for the first three seasons shs was in this country
The music was sent on ahead. and local leader
engaged TO rehearSe the singers, who were
really a chorIs and not the most prominent part OF
the show. At Virginia City, New, on her Paclnc
Coast tour chorus girls could be obtained for the
burlesque OF "Lurline'' IN which the heroine Is
accompanied by bevy of naiads-
I'VE were told by the manager or some one in
authority that If any extras were needed the boot
blacks of the city usually engaged. wrote
Miss Thompson. Henderson said: All right; let's
get the bootblacks'
Good heavensP said. what about the dresses? :?
Our dresses made for girls, and can't dress a
bootblack up fairy But after thinking the
matter over decided that couldn't do with
out the bootbacks and would put the costumes on
them that the girls the Forty Thieves, as
they not tight fitting, as the Lurlne dresses
were, but loose Turkish costumes, and, though out
of place. might do IN pinch. Then we had to
hunt for the boss bootblack, who in turn hunted
up the army.
They came at last-all sorts and sizes, light and
dark short and tall. thin and fat SO we com
menced our rehearsal When the time came for
them to appear couldn't find OF them The
rushed to search for the boys. and found
them last the back of the theatre deep IN the
mystery of poker. And the best of the fun was
they wouldn't attend the call until they had hn-
ished the game. SO the actors had to look on and
be ready seize the boys at the end of the jackpot
for fear that they would commence another deal
The h bootblack then spoke up and said;
Say boss Yer needn't worry yerself-I guess
der boys is used to der stage Dey won't give yer
trouble
when night came and they were dressed
thought we should have died with laughter. They
got all mixed up and very tall. thin boy would
stand to very short, fat one They were
the assorted lot seen, ana they looked so
sheepish and awkward IN girls dresses Lurline
pauline Markham) had 10 address them in a bur
lesque upon the speech that King Henry Y ad-
dresses TO his soldiers When shs came TO the hne
I see you standing like greyhounds in the Slips
straining upon the start. all exploded to see
thoss short and lanky boys in the most awkward
positions-knock knees, pointed knees. thin legs
and handy legs-and with the most serious Of faces
staring at Lurline. The fact irresistibly comic
The audience took it better than We did, because
they used to the boys. but were positively
Ill with suppressed laughter
Among the actresses made known to the theatre
going public. in this country by appearing with
Miss Thompson were Rose Coghlan, who afterward
made marked success the regular stage; Paul
inc Markham, Ada Harland. who became the wife
of Brander Matthews; Ejza Weathersby. who mar
Tied Nat Goodwin, and Alice Atherton. who married
Willie Edouin who also in Miss Thompson 3
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29

OF wonder. as she had never seen them we al
wanted to do the same, of we started. Beckett
and the young woman leading the way AS we
neared the Falls he covered her eyes with hand
kercbief SO that her astonishment might be the
moro sudden. Then he said: Now you viii see a
sight that will remain in your memory forever-the
great work Of Gods hand; one Of the greatest
wonder of creation. Look, my dear, upon fnls
magnificent sightr
with that Beckett removed the bandage from
her eyes, and amid dead silence she quietly re-
marked:
=" Ny word, but It's real cunnin'f
THAT settled poor Beckett. who walked away
with disgusted look upon his face, accompanied
by roars OF laughter from party"
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
A PROVINCE TWO THOUSAND YEARS OLD

A PROVINCE TWO THOUSAND YEARS OLD
over two thousand years ago China. the dean
of nations spread her conquests far westward
to the Sea OF Aral the so-called Lake of Cathay
Hordes of barbarians drove her back g.
thousand miles, but she was able 70 MAINTAIN
her authority to the east and south or the Ilah-
Shan or Celestial Mountains. With them as !"
bulwarl she organized the new province-com-
monty known as Chinese Turkestan-whlcn com
prises the great Lob or Tarim basln togetheE
with the more northern regions Of Turfan' three
hundred feet below sea level, the fertile Vale OF
Iii, and the waste plains and mountains Oh
Dzungaria- , -,
Time and again the Chinese rule IN dslh
Kiang has been overthrown sometimes lot cen
turies and sometimes for only score or years
and time and again China has reconquefeo tIe
province. With each conquest Chinese onlcidls
and merchants have poured In. Ihey haEo
taken to themselves wives of the Aryan fnlaDl-
tants; they have built government houses lor1s
and towns-argely OF midland they nave en-
tirely dominated the mild Chanto natives Tnen'
when foreign invasion has driven them out they
have disappeared, and Hsin Kiang, tapslng INTO
its ancient apathy, has become as though the
Chinese were not ever had been. Hence
to-day in spite of two thousand years OF inter
mttent Chinese rule, Turkestan Is still the new
province" It Is related TO China much as utan
and Arizona were to the rest Of the united
States before the days Of railroads 1t resem-
bles those states in other ways also, especially
in climate and topography, although IN every
respect its extremes far greater than theirs
Cut off from China by three or four hundred
miles of the most rigorous desert, and from the
rest of mankind by the greatest OF mountains
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
PARIS UNDER THE EMPIRE

PARIS UNDER THE EMPIRE
II there was no open scandal of this sort, there
were plenty OF private ones Never was there
so pleasure loving and easy going court
and seldom has there been one which was eX-
ternalIy so splendid The Emperor spent money
like water. and thereby produced prosperity
for the time, and with 1t popularity for the
government. Hundreds OF millions were laVfshed
upon Paris, much of II being wasted. yet none
the less with the result that the city really de-
served its title Ia vile lumiere- In these days
II has gone to seed and grown shabby, but in
1869 everything seemed fresh and new and brill
iant and imposing. The army was rotten to the
core; vet the Emperor's Cent Gardes were splen-
did soldiers to the eye. Society was no less de-
1noralized. yet its gayety was exhilaratlng:
These were the days when It was said that good
Americans when they die go to Paris. The En-
peror conferred distinction by recognizing any
foreigner. The Empress set the fashions lot
the world. 1t was all a sham. but 1t was thor
oughly magnificent in its way. 1t can best Do
understood at present by reading Zolas early
novels, by recalling some chapters or Daudet
lie Nabab," and by remembering Jacques Or
Senbach whose opera bouffe was the most chaT-
acteristic production of an empire which ltseI
was bouffe That shallow and yet catchy music
was a tonaI eneer. Every ubretto was mock
st the oIdtime virtues of chastity and honor ano
courage-Aarry Thurston Peck. IN The BOOK
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
Foreign Resorts.

courage among all. she put her left hand on tho
pistol and In doing so II must have caught In the
switch of hair she was holding tightly, for bang
went the pistol We few right and left. the weapon
fell from her hand and down she Topped In kick
ing and screaming Mysteries"
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29

coast TO protect himself from the biting
blasts he killed that night three dogs and useo
their skins for coverlets, their bodies Tor a
wind shield their harness for puttees, and their
frozen legs as a flag pole. which he Attached
his shirt in the morning signaL-P. T. NC
Grath in The American Review OF Reviews
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
The CAUSE.

Wife-What was the matter7 I thought you
would break down the house.
Husband-I dreamed I was trying to put on my
clothes In the upper berth OF PullInan-Idle,
New-York tribune., 1908-11-29
BRAIN WEIGHT AND INTELLIGENCE

There is something very mournful in the
iabors of those scientists who have devoted their
lives to the study of the brain weight OF men,
women and races on the assumption that there
Is a direct ratio between intelligence and the
bulk Of the brain 1t would be about as valid
to assume that vessel Of water and VeSSel
of I've of the same weight have the same potency
or that timepieces of the same weight are neces-
sarily equally good timekeepers.
Great men may have great brains. or they
NAV not Turgenieff holds the record at 2,Olz
grams, while the brain Of Gambetta, who was
3 greater man in popular estimation and popular
achievement, weighed only 1,160, or only 1eG
grams above the point at which, according 10
the calculations OF French anthropolog1sts idlocy
begins. In a series of 500 brains the lowest and
highest will, in fact, differ as much as boV
grams in weight, but there will be found no con-
stant relation between the weight and the intel
iigence, ,,
stature weak health, and even physical att1lc-
ton have II anything more than an Ordinary
chance OF becoming famous. Their attention Is
limited and they are stimulated to win out IN
spite of their handicap. Pasteur Is a clear case
of q truly great man He was paraIyZed on one
side from 1865 until his death in 1895. but, as
Berthollet says, IL after he was stricken
that his inventive genius perhaps shone most
brightly Herbert Spencer, Darwin ano Won
Hartmann hardly had we'll day In their WORK
ing lives Pope was feeble that he could
hardly draw on his stockings Napoleon
was Of small stature and OF weak health and
physioue.-Professor W. L Thomas, In The
Magazine.