davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
Basukuma on the


may bring as much as five or six. The
government taxes every native So year
for his hut and family, and this includes
tax for one wife. If he has more than
one he is charged 10 shillings for each
extra wife. The kaffir girls are married
at early as thirteen, and girl is
often engaged at four or five years of
age. Such engagements are made by the
parents and several cattle form a part
of the dowry. 1t is a custom among the
Kaffirs not to allow younger brother to
marry until each of his older brothers
has at least one wife. and the father
often helps pay for the brides
About Lake Shire girls ten be-
trothed in their infancy and they are
sometimes actually engaged before they
are born. In such cases the prospective
groom or his parents are expected to
clothe the girl until she is old enough to
be married but the only clothing In
her early life is a waist clotl and often
not more than a string the expense is not
heavy. The people there have from one
to twenty wives according to their wealth.
and in times past the chiefs had harems
OF as many as hundred women each.
AS rule the number of wives is de-
creasIng all over South Africa, and with
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

bridesmaids had arranged everything and
fitted the hut for the pair. He had al
ready given sixty sheep to his father-in-
law and one sheep to the brides sister.
What Wives Cost
Sixty sheep seemed to me a big price
for wife. and l asked the Germans
whether many girls were not sold 1t re-
duced rates. The reply was in the affirm
alive, but IL was added that a good, lusty
woman was worth something as a work
er and that the women were the slaves
of the family. They take care of the
stock cultivate the crops and also keep
house. The men do little but loaf. Be
sides II costs almost nothing to keep an
extra wife there, the women are not
allowed to eat chickens or eggs even the
necks and the gizzards being forbidden to
them. In the Kavirondo country at the
northeast of the lake. l was informed
that the usual price for wife is forty
iron hoes. twenty goats and cow, and
that these articles can be paid on install
ments. In Uganda the government price
is 81 per girl. but more is usually given
for the daughter of a chief.
Among the Nandi tribes the richest men
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

ing and just in their rates. A story re-
Gently came to light of the test one of
the old-time darkies experienced.
An Honest Old Jehu.
Enticingly the five-dollar bill winked up
at the old negro Jehu as he drove home in
the early morning. The milllman was
about. and here and there the thrifty
housekeeper passed on her way to the
corner grocery. And that the bill lay
there on almost deserted street was
just as it should be. for the old negro had
picked up a horseshoe the day before.
Not a soul saw the old man as he pain
fully climbed down from the box and
picked up the money. Not a soul saw him
as he stuffed it in the picket of his green
ish black trousers: to rest haughtily
among the meager earnings OF an almost
unsuccessful night, which told him of
feed bills unpaid and expenses unGe-
frayed. The five made the old man feel
good.
But back again on the box of the cab.
when the first flush of his good fortune
had passed away. the old fellow thought
of the person whose loss was his gain.
Somebody done drap dat money" he
muttered to his bony nag. Somebody
los hit an five dollars is a mighty peart
lot t drap on de street.
He turned his horses head and drove
back over the way he had come. Only
little wisp of a girl, sobbinS and peerlnS
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

four minutes by a~stop watch to assume
the most naturally confidential air in the
world and to also get adjacent to the
watch or currency pocket. Then all bets
were off. for she would suddenly ask to
be driven to drug store, excuse herself
and insist upon her escort going into the
store to purchase something for her. and
when he would come wandering out, with
an armful of choice eau de violet or a
box of bonbons the fair deceiver would
have flown.
While the average night hawk will hold
up fare for the most he can get II
there's half a chance. he is often the one
to come out at the little end of the horn
when he stacks up against. the -four
flushing" sport. who sets his wits to work
to beat the cabmen. And while the sport
may get by with his tricks, woe betide
him if he ever meets the cabman again.
The favorite trick of the beat used to
be to drive nearly to his destination and
then. while the cabman was jogging slow
ly along the street. to open the side door.
slip to the ground without detection and
make good getaway But with the cab
men thoroughly wise to this game 1t is
hard to put one of that kind over on
them now.
Here and there among the men who ply
their trade by night may be found one
or two of the "ol time darkies" who. be-
fore the war. graced the box of miady's
carriage. They are usually honest as the
day which they seldom see, accommodate
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

of a creature she carried. ! could see
two little black 'footsie wootsies" stick
ing out at the front. and by the outline of
the stretched cotton could see that it
covered a lusty girl who was holding on
by her arms to the woman who carried
her Her hands were clasped together
over the bridesmaids breast and the
bridesmaid was also supporting her by
holding her ankles which stuck out on
each side the body. The second brides
maid stood behind the bride-earrier and
held an umbrella over her.
AS the party neared the hut Of the
groom a score of other women, the rela-
tives of the groom. rushed out and scat
tered rice over the bride and the escort
ing party. l peeped into the hut just be-
fore they arrived. and thus got look at
the bridal chamber. 1t was a dark clos
ct shut in by bark-cloth. and the bed was
of cowskin. l was told that the groom
was not yet present and that he would
come in and take possession after the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

Many of the native women of Omdur-
man. in the Sudan, shave not only the
head, but every part of the body, and it
is common custom among many tribes
for both men and women to have them
selves shaved from head TO foot before
marriage. Among some peoples the hair
IS pulled out. This is also the custom
among our MoroS of the Philippines and
certain tribes of the Amazon.
The Batoro. tribe which inhabits the
country between Lakes Albert and Albert
Edward shave and oil their brides be-
fore the wedding. The girls head is
scraped off by the village barber. and
her sister uses the razor over the
rest of the body. After this she Is
smeared from crown to toe-nail with
butter and castor oil, the stuff being
well rubbed into the skin.
The Sesse Islanders pull out their eye
lashes. and babies have their heads
shaved shortly after birth. The old Zulu
men and women pull out the gray hairs
they begin TO appear. thinking that
gray hair makes old age. The younger
women there rub red clay and oil in
their hair. and they often plat it into
string-Eke Strands. When they trim
their hair in Pondoland the hair dress
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

semhlc the gold and white cages that the
ST. Reckless furnishes for turtle doves.
That's all right. but that was all the
shelter a couple q youngsters who had
committed matrimony had for many
hours. They got me At the depot about
1920 o'clock one night" he continued
Their train was late. and a friend - the
grooms had gotten the license for that
couple o happy idiots ahead o time
Il drove the bunch to the minister's,
where the bunch was lessened by one.
seem that the pair were legally CONSOLE
dated. Then the best man beat il for his
downY. as the time was pasSin along.
Young Mr.. Groom seemed To be we'll
supplied with the long green. and got me
to drive him to a good hotel. but there he
went mp against crouch of a clerk who
just couldn't see that young couple as
guests, seein as how they both looked
like children. an didn't have no luggage.
We'll, | drove them from hotel To ho-
tel. all down the list and that lack ~
luggage queered them al each stop. FL
nally the kid tot me To so ahead and
driv" till he tor me to stop. | did.
When mornin' came an | peeked in
side my cab there were the TWO of EN-
fast asleep. the girl with her head on the
kids shoulder. That nights lodgin was
expensive for the kid but he came across
heart was full of peeVe for her pampercd
darlin' when the train for Virginia pulled
out that mornin an | saw them aboard
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

have from ten to forty wives. and the
price for a good maiden of fourteen is
six cows. Girls are often betrothed as
early as seven, and they are married at
eleven. The cows are often paid on in
stallments. and If child is born within
a year after the marriage the husband
may stop payment. 1t is among these
Nandi. as with the Nasal. who are found
around the slopes of Mount Kilima ia 70
and also on the highlands of British East
Africa. that the unmarried girls dwell
with the young unmarried men in the
bachelor quarters. and until they are old
enough to get married. A Nasal man is
not supposed to marry until he is thirty
Among the Buvumas the price of wife
is two cows and five goats. OF these the
father of the bride keeps one of the cows
and a goat, the other four goats being
given to the relatives.
Down in Rhodesia the usual price for
strong. good-looking girl is four cows
and if she is the daughter of chief she
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
Ksfr Maiden Showing Hair Dressing.

they belong. In the Sudan there are
scores of such tribal marks and each
tribe has its own way Of soaring. Mutt
lation of the ears is common throughout
Central Africa. The Swahilis enlarge
the holes in the lobas until they become
mere straps which Will inclose glass
tumbler These same girls have holes
all around the rims Of their ears, which
they fill with rolls of paper.
The Nasal women load down their ears
with jewelry, fastening greet weights to
the holes in the lobes SO that they are
gradually pulled down until they flop
against the shoulders.
In German East Africa there are people
who wear great rings and plugs in their
lower lip and in the upper lip as well.
Such ornaments elongate the upper lip
so that it extends several inches out over
the mouth.
Queer Ways Of Hair Dressing.
Until l came to Africa I thought the
American girl could put up her hair in
more outlandish ways than any other
maiden on earth. She has many COM
pettors and some superiors among the
ebony bellies of the Black Continent 1t
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
Plain, But Sufficient.

THE late Josiah w. Leeds OF Philadel-
phia was notable for his lifelong
fight against immodesty. Mr. Leeds re-
formed the theatrical poster he elevated
painting and in a number of cases he
even Succeeded in having nude statuary
draped.
He loved simplicity as he loved mod
eSty. Osuentation he abhorred. especially
the ostentation OF funerals and Gene
teries He used often to quote an cpl
Ia PHI that he had once seen in Il secluded
graveyard.
This epi;aph which WAS cut on the
simplest. cheapest stone il is possible TO
imagine, said:
The monument is very plain. no doubt.
but all the money in the world would
not have brought our poor dear father
back 10 us again.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
h6f44d4l3fAYRAf41faY{}HS

his jeans and brings up a roll which If
swallowed by the bony beast hitched out
side would make him resemble the D
hand 5000 pound horse recently offered
the War Department for the use of Judge
Taft.
Night Hawk Tales.
One night not so long ago an old Of
fender in the matter of refusing to pay
hack hire developed a pethoric bunch Of
"kale'' when commanded to do so by the
policeman. He stripped off the amount
which the cabby said he owed and then.
edging toward the door. motioned to the
cabby to follow. All the way across the
station house he INDUCED in spicy vitu-
peration of the police, waxing stronger
and stronger as he neared the exit. With
one hand he opened the door. and then,
with his face just inside, queried:.
shall l give t all to him. indicating
the night hawk. ''or shall I split with you,
Sarge. and save him the trouble later?"
And that Is the preiudced attitude of
most of those who ride after dark with
the night hawks and get into trouble
thereby.
Interesting indeed are the tales the
night hawks cab might tell. About
year ago we'll dressed man engaged a
cab one evening at the railroad depot He
was driven around the CITY, with no ap-
parent destination in view and~while the
cabby was passing down the avenue near
10th street he was startled by the report
of pistol from behind Never dreaming
that il could signify aught regarding his
fare. he drove on for blocks. and only
when attracted by an open door on his
hack did he investigate. to find that the
man had committed suicide while in his
vehicle.
And crooks, especially female crooks
take advantage of the privacy of cab
to carry on their work. for a night cab
is an ideal place to pull off little game
of touch
This female cab-touchng gave rise a
year or two ago to what is known in the
criminal annals of Washington as The
Red Hat Cases" A woman named Louise
Fennimore. alias Thompson. was arrested
and held for trial on the charge of being
the Girl in the Red Hat" but before her
trial she jumped her bond. only to be ar
rested last fall in the middle west and re-
turned to Washington for trial. She was
acquitted.
At the time the Girl in the Red Hat
entered the criminal annals of the Dis
trict many complaints were made to po-
lice headquarters by men of good finan-
cial standing of robberies committed by
handsome young woman, about twenty
years old, while they had been riding with
her. In every complaint the description
of the woman was the same Whoever
she was. she reaped golden harvest dur
ing the month or so she operated here.
Miss Red Hats Came
Her game was to walk into the lobby
of one of the best hotels. seat herself and
in a most circumspect manner carry on a
polite filtration" with some man of ap-
parent means. She usually landed her
bait. and would then straightway propose
a cab ride. Old sport usually fell for the
circumnavigation of the purlieus in a low
neck. sea-going coupe. and when he got
that far his name was Mud.
Miss Red Hat was the real thing in
Wisenheimers and 1t took her just about
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

the demand for foreign goods which is
gradually growing, making the support
of women more expensive. there is likely
to be still further decrease.
Bridal Costumes
The question of dress is not serious
one in most parts of central Africa. 1t is
different north of the Sahara. where
pair of bridal trousers may, as l have
stated. cost 5000 and upward. and where
breeches of cloth of gold are not uncom-
mon. The lightest wedding costume I
have seen in my travels is that which
the women wear at the end of the Ugan-
da railroad. The men go absolutely naked
and the married women have on nothing
but a sort of fly brush tail about twelve
inches long. which they fasten to
string around the waist.
In this same country the women wear
no clothes whatever until married, when
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

outIandish shapes, l have seen an Amer
lean beauty with a diamond set in one OF
her front teeth, and we all know OF
women who paint. powder and enamel.
the same effort to bautify ones self goes
OF throughout Africa. save that the stand
ards of beauty are different. Among
the Banyoro. who live north of Uganda,
the women knock out the six front teeth
Of the lower jaw and the young men do
the same The JaluO women have
similar custom. On the south side of
Victoria Nyanza there are tribes where
the women file their teeth sharp like
saw and the BuvumaS knock out two
of the incisors, the price for each such
operation being four cOwry. shells or
fraction OF a cent.
Most of the African women scar their
bodies to beautify them. l have seen
girls with Persian shawl patterns on
their breasts and abdomens. and others
with great welts on their forehea ads
and checks, marking the tribe to which
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
Night Liner a Bridal Suite.

is true that these African maidens III
most eases have to conquer the knk or
corkscrew curl which covers their pates,
but nevertheless they have many crea
tons which surpass the wonders of the
marcel wave of our mighty pOmpaGours
and the other oddities formed with the
aid of the rat, the curling iron or curl
paper. The Sudanese braid their hair in
long even curls, that it hangs out like
the snakes of the MeduSa The Zulus
put Il up in mighty towers. which often
extend a full foot above the crown of
the head. and down in Natal d bride
groom goes out to court his sweetheart
with a pair of real cowhorns tied up
right upon his head. that they look
as if they grew there.
Along the eastern coast of Africa there
are many natives who braid the hair in
little windows over the scalp, and far
tier back there are many tribes in which
the women shave the head close. This is
SO with the Basanda and the Nasal.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
Police Straghten Difficulties.

And the question of fares is one that
leads to the holding Of impromptu courts
at midnight or the hours of the early
morning in the tenderloin precinct. where
the lieutenant or desk sergeant sits In
Judgment and passes sentence. and where
the night hawk and his passenger argue
their own cases.
The threat "I'r drive you to the station
house" has become effective in many
cases where a dispute arises over the
amount the wayfarer owes the cabbE
But 1t is not always the driver who re-
sorts to the police. for the passenger
many times is the one to order Drive me
to No. l."
Into the station house they come, the
Jehu In his liveried green. the passen-
ger many times the worse for continued
imbibations.
This man refuses to settle his BILL"
declares the abby in arraignment.
IN pay you 81, from the passenger,
grudgingly.
Tell it to the sergeant says the cab
by Now. this man owes me at least s.,
Sarge l got him at II O'Clock in front
of the theater Had one O. them Cory
phees with him. and We went" Here
the cabby gets off a performance that
sounds like the reading of a barroom di-
rectory. And he stayed in each one
about ten minutes. Then, Sarge, he wants
to drive around the Speedway and then
about town for about an hour"
Wan take two dollash?" interrupts
the inebriate. waving a bill temptingly
before the cabby.
.If the Sarge says two I'll take it," the
cabby comes back.
Hes entitled to his five. all right" the
policeman will probably say. Come on.
old sport. better pay up or you can be
held here on a charge of refusing to pay
hack hire
And the tin horn usually digs down in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

er puts strap around the forehead. and
cuts the hair level with this by means of
knife. stopping at the strap. which pro-
tectS the skin. After they arr married
they often train their hair into a cone
shaped mass, stiffening it with red clay
ard oil for the purpose.
In all African countries the native men
are almost as particular as the women
as to the dressing of their hair In Zulu
land the married men wear rings around
their heads. twining the hair over them
and then smearing ii with charcoal and
oil so that ii can be polished. 1t is
great insult to attempt 10 pull off A
mans ring. In many places the men
shave their heads, and up here in Rho
desia there is tribe which puts the
hair UP so that a great spear shoots out
right above the crown. This spear of
hair is sometimes SO long that the man
cannot stand upright in his hut without
disarranging it.
FRANK G.. CARPENTER.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
NOW's The Time.

THE average novelist 1t is we'll known,
thinks little OF the average play
wright and the playwright thinks less, if
possible, of the novelist.
At the Players Club in New York they
say that Clyde Fitch at a dinner sat oppo-
site popular novelist The novelist criti-
cised the American play: he seemed to
think very little of il. Finally. yawning.
he said:
when I am played out as a novelist l
intend To write for the stage"
Begin at once, then" said Mr.. Fitch.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
A Criticism.

~ X. HARVEY W. WILEY. the govern
II ments famous food expert. was
talking at Mackinac Island bout i'm
pure WHISTLES.
Il once saw an old Kentuckian." said
DIR. Wiley, take up lass of whisky,
sniff it, set il down and shake his head
sadly.
''One thing. he said. was never seen
coming through the rye. and that's the
kind of whisky they send US nova
days
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
WITH eyes aglare,
NV lamps ahare,

WITH eyes aglare,
My lamps aflare,
1 wind the city's ways;
Through streets a-dark,
Or may Park,
Or where the bright lights blaze
To seek a fare
/ wander there,
Some traveller way-worn,
Who's missed the Owl"
When Midnight's Cowl
Has long presaged the morn.
And filled with must,
And smell O dust,
And reeking of the night,
/ wend my way
Till crack O day,
In creepy, Gravity fight.
Inflated he
who rides with me.
And reads my rate-card old,
For him l bleed
With ghoulish greed
My heart is hard and cold.
Then heed we all,
Lest We should fall
Within my clutches grim;
For woe rides free
On nights black sea,
Beside my vessel dim.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

into the crevice!. of the pavement and into
the rubbish Of the gutter. met his eyes.
He drove up beside her to lean over and
ask. What Missy don los"
I've lost a five-dollar bill the child
compla ined and the old darky'S face
beamed he eaped from his cab and
closed the chid's grimy fingers over the
bit of green paper Then he whipped up
his horse and with contcntment in every
feature drove to his home.
Warm days followed the cold ones. and
the old negro night hawk took his horse
upon which the last payment had not yet
been made. to have it clipped Cold days
came again. and the animal. Shorn Of It's
protecting coat. contracted pneumonia and
died.
Il was les finishn' payin' fer dat OF
one of his regular customers few nights
later, AN now | hev' I hire a boss at
10 a day"
But never a word of regret crossed his
lips at the thought of the luck the horse
shoe had brought him.
Night Liner Bridal Suite
One of the oldest of the city's night
hawks stood in front of lunchroom one
night. He pointed to his r:age-dilap i-
dated, worn. musty.
Don't look much like a bridal suite
does ii? he asked.
His listeners opinioned that it didn't re-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

with the choiceness OF the Indian who
in the days of 40 killed the buffalo for
his tongue alone this bird strips his fare
Of money alone.
Could the musty cushions of his cab
take tongue, tales fearsJane and ludi-
Crous, tragic and roisterous would sound,
with here and there a bit of romance,
rosemary and rue.
He is one of the strangest products OF
metropolitan life. Seen only by darkness.
caring for naught but the money which
darkness and revelry bring. he is found
abroad only when the midnight hour has
tolled Few know him. few understand
him. To many he is but a shadow Jehu
perched upon his box. whipping his rack
a-bones through the city when respecta-
BILE Phflista sleeps.
Hunting in couples, their eyes ever on
the alert with ears attuned to catch the
distant footballs of the late pedestrian as
he hopelessly measures the car tracks In
the vain prospect of being overtaken by
an owl" they stand along Pennsylvania
avenue at It'll. 10Th and 18th streets
Once one of the stranded is sighted. then
begins race for fare. The sleepy rack
bones is Weakened by cut of the whip
down the avenue they dash calling Cab
sir? Cab" And the lucky one bundles
his fare in among the must and dust, and
then begins a discussion of rates. while
the other drives disconsolateiy back 10