davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
Pigmies Have Giant Appetites.

One of the most astonishing charac.
teristics of these strange people is
their abnormal appetite for all sorts of
food. Bananas are their chief delight.
A Pigmy, have no hesitation in say.
ing, eats as rule twice as much as
will suffice full-grown man. He will
take a stalk containing about so
bananas, seat himself and eat them all
at a meal-besides other food. Then
he will lie and groan throughout the
night, until morning comes, when he
is ready to repeat the operation. A
consequent and characteristic feature
of his race is the distended abdomen;
but, that considered, it is difficult to
imagine where he manages to stow the
enormous quantity of food he can con.
sumo at a meal. Occasionally, when
| have expressed surprise (when, for
instance, he has surpassed even him.
self he has assumed an uninterested
air, as though the matter were merely
the most commonplace occurrence in
the world, and the question one to be
waived.
YES" he has said carelessly; there
were few bananas there on a bunch,
and ate them. l suppose that is what
they were there for. There's nothing
to be surprised about. should like
some more If there are any to be had"
Copyright, by Benz. B. Hampton.)
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
The Black and Red Aka.

There are two tribes, distinguished
as the black and the red Aka. The
black Pigmies are two or three inches
taller than the red, but they are obvi.
ously an inferior race. not so we'll
formed nor so intelligent-looking as
their rudy kinsmen. These are two
distinct tribes. who do not live to-
gether or apparently mingle in any
way. have in common a heavy over
hanging upper lip. and do not tattoo.
Extremely exclusive. shy. and wary
when in the bush. when taken pris-
oners they become fearless and de-
faint Very vindictive when they
think themselves unjustly treated.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04

plays a large part in the formation
and development of his character,
evincing itself not only in his droll
humor, but also in the serious facts
of his everyday life, for he copies the
weapons of his neighbors, and even
their habits and customs, where these
do not clash with his own.
His mimicry is aided by good
memory, capable of retaining the most
insignificant details for long periods.
DR.. Junker tells a story of how he met
an Aka at a camp whom he had
measured for anthropometric purposes
four years previously at Rumbek.
"His comical ways" he says, land
quick, nimb1e movements made this
little fellow the clown of our society.
-. His limitations of Hawash Effendi
in a towering rage. storming ard abus-
ing everybody, were a great success:
and he took me OF to the life, repro
ducing after four years. down to the
minutest details and with surprising
accuracy, my movements when meas
uring his body in Rumbek"
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04

none at his disposal, and is altogether
incorrect. The Pigmy will scorn theft.
and whatever may be his failings and
natural shortcomings. he ranks far
above the negro in this respect. He
will lie, deceive, and trick as much as
the worst of them, and often with a
great deal more astuteness; he is cum
ming, revengeful. and suspicious, but
he will never steal.
The Pigmy is an excellent archer.
In this accomplishment he stands far
ahead of his negro neighbors, and can
perform feats of craftsmanship with
his little bow and arrows that are
really marvellous. He will shoot three
or four arrows, one after the other,
with such rapidity that the last will
have left the bow before the first has
reached its goal. When an arrow
misses its mark he will fly into
violent passion, breaking his bow and
arrows in his rage.
Fear of their vengeance causes them
to be held in awe by other tribes. For
instance, a Pigmy will mark out a
bunch of bananas IT a plantation by
shooting an arrow into the stalk, thus
signifying his wish for them when
sufficiently ripe. The owner of the
tree, in dread of their displeasure,
would never dream of removing the
fruit or the arrow. but would leave it
there until the Pigmy should come
for both
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04

history has ever had a strange attrac-
ton for ethnoiogists. Stanley saw and
took stock of them, and succeeded In
interviewing one of their princesses,
who, with her people lived in the
gloom of the great Central African
forest. But long before Mr.. Stanley's
time Herodotus recorded their exist
ence and customs He tells us, in his
own half-serious, half-humorous fash
ion, of a certain Inflated warrior who
sailed through the Pillars of Hercules.
and after failing to double the Cape
of Lydia. then supposed to be sur
rounded by water, returned to Egypt,
and thence to the court of Xerxes,
where, in detailing his adventures, he
spoke of "a nation of little men who
wore garments made of palm-leaves.
and who left their cities and fed to
the mountains on the approach of lie
invaders" The Father of History"
is quite concise on this point, speak
ing with more authority than he does
concerning the Troglodytes, who could
only ''screech like BATS" or the tabled
Phoenix he so quantity mocks at.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
About Baking Bread.

Bread is made from many other
grains than wheat and rye. The bread
of India and China frequently has mil.
let for its main Ingredient. Peas.
beans and other seeds are used for the
making of cakes and in South America
the cassava cake IL only an unferment.
ed bread made from tapioca. On the
same list, too, might be placed the
oatcakes of Scotland and the corn
cakes of the United States.
The art of baking loaves came to
Europe quite late In history. Flat
cakes were baked even in the earliest
times. but as late as the beginning of
the nineteenth century loaf bread was
comparatively unknown in many parts
of the continent.
In 1912 an English captain ordered
loaves to the value of Eve dollars in
Gothenburg and the baker stipulated
for payment in advance, on the ground
that he would never be able to sell
them in the city II they were left on
his hands.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
Dangerous Warriors.

They are. indeed, considered as val
sable allies whose assistance is worth
having against an outside foe; and, in
spite of their small numbers, they are
feared as well as respected from their
revengeful nature and their hardihood
In war. They en- their part are quite
willing to fight Loyalty for the chief
under whose nominal rule they lead
their gypsy life. and will remain In his
district on these terms as long as re-
lations between themselves and the
chief are friendly. Otherwise they
abandon their huts and move of at
once to the neighborhood of another
chief. where they settle afresh and
continue to live under a similar tacit
agreement
They are. however. quite independ-
ent. and consider themselves under
no obligation to the people of the tribe
they may for the time be associated
with. Thus they preserve their free
dom. of which they are intensely jeal-
Gus. and hold themselves entirely aloof
from other natives. among whom they
neither marry nor are given in mar
rage.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
Relics and Stories.

While we krow that once upon a
time there were giants in the land"
we have no record to show that they
were tribal: but all dwarf history
points to a family form. their weap-
ons. customs, and habits being but
slightly varied. No nation of giants
now exists on the face of the earth;
perhaps King Arthur and his knights
slew the last of the British variety,
and If any specimens remain they are
either attached to a travelling circus
or killed by Jack the Giantkiller at
Christmas-time. The giant, in short,
is either a myth or a monstrosity, but
the pigmy is still living and inter
esting fact. | came across them in
the land of the Mabode. to whom they
are much attached, and had excep-
tional opportunities of making study
of the Aka, as these wee people are
called by the Mang-bettou.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
The Authors Observation on
PoiSonS.

All these details given by DR.. Parke
as to the appearance and structure Of
the plant agree entirely with my own
observations. We differ, however, in
one important respect. The poison is
obtained not from the bark, but from
the root of the plant, which is scraped
to obtain the ingredient; and al
though l cannot say anything about
the poisonous property Of the stem,
can assert that the natives invariably
use the root, and never. to my knowl-
edge, the green bark. The root, Of
course. is solid throughout, while the
green stem is hollow; and | was for
tunately able to bring back with me
several specimens of it, with a view
to going deeper into the matter. The
wood is hard. yellow, and fibrous; the
root. when first pulled up, is of a
bright red hue, the stem above ground
being green. 1t Is from this red coat
ing that the poison is obtained; the
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
QuarreISome and Irritable.

While I was staying at Nigangara
station, Du Brency came in to spend
a few days. He also had Pigmy boy
in his service. being content like my.
self to suffer the troubles he caused
for the sake of having such a good
servant. But two Pigmies in the same
station were productive of more ex.
element than was pleasant At first
they regarded one another shyly, not
to say with suspicion, and would have
nothing to do with each other. From
severe neutrality it came to defensive
hostility. and before long to open
warfare. Both were vindictive little
wretches. never so happy as when
quarreling. AS it was policy to be on
good terms with the soldiers and food
servants" they reserved their spite for
their own kind, and were at one an.
others threats all day long, and on the
most trivial grounds. One would get
a little more food than the other;
there would be sufficient reason for a
fight, and they would race each other
in boiling their bananas in order to
get in the first blow; but fighting was
always subservient to feeding When
they had battered each others little
heads with their puny fists, Houssa,
or perhaps a white officer, would
come out to see what the din was
about, and would separate the CON-
batants.
We'll, why should he have more
food than I had?" would be the proud
explanation. After all he's only a
Pigmy!" This with great scorn and
the necessary vows of vengeance
from the victim of outraged dignity.
They had no objection to being
scolded in genuine anger. and took a
rating manfully; but to be treated as
children, or, worst of all. to be laughed
at, was more than they would stand.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
KILL ELEPHANTS WITH THEIR LITTLE BOWS AND ARROWS.

Very few of them can swim, and gen.
orally they know nothing of the art,
living. as they do. chiefly or dry land.
The dress of the Pigmies is very
simple. The men wear a plain strip
of Cloth round the loins, the women
simply bunch of leaves. They have
no ornaments of any kinda fact
which shows their low development,
for women as a rule use ornaments as
attractions in savage life as well as in
civilized. Possibly when the New Pig
my Woman arrives she will introduce
necklaces and earrings.
Musical instruments are unknown to
them; even their dancing is conducted
without any sweeter sound than the
rhythmical tapping of bow with an
arrow. Their whole idea Of dancing
is to strut round in a circle. with their
legs quite stiff. beating time with bow
and arrow, as just mentioned, and add
ing absurd emphasis to the general ef-
feet by their set and solemn counte-
nances.
having NJ iSi6ioh' III iohhy ScS'
no Joy in sports or games. and no fixed
home. their one object and occupation
is hunting. at which they are such
adopts that it is a sight, as has been
said before, to see them handle their
small bows and arrows. They also
carry a short, light spear. a weapon
they have copied from other tribes. but
no shield, nor do they poison their ar
rows. which are not tipped with flint,
as has been asserted.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
Among the African Pigmies
Captain Guy Burrows Formerly Congo

the arrow-poison of the Pigmies, and
is thus alluded to under article iv. in
the doctors paper on the poisons OF
Central Africa. There are, however,
several discrepancies in his account of
the plant and poison. which | have no
difficulty in recognizing by the dia-
grams and illustrations that accom-
pany his article.
First | will quote DR.. Parke's delin-
cation, in which recognize the Benge
poison plant
Green Stem-This is obtained from
a branching shrub which is very CON-
mon in the forest 1t grows to height
of 10 or IL feet, and the stem in the
thickest part is not more than two
incher in diameter. 1t is OF q dark
green color at the upper part OF the
plant The leaves are dark green on
the upper surface and paler tint be-
low; there are three principal veins
or orbs; and the lateral veins are
given of at an acute angle from each
of these. The leaf is from three to six
or even eight inches long and about
half as broad. the large veins being
depressed upon the upper and promi-
nent on the lower surface of the leaf.
The scrapings only of the bark are
used, to the amount of a dessert
spoonful in preparing a teacupful of
poison. The plant had neither flowers
nor leaves when saw it."
Writing in conjunction with DIR.
Parke, Mr.. E. l.. Holmes, F.ES., iden-
titles this as follows: Judging from
the structure of the stem, and the
character of the single imperfect leaf
brought home by Surgeon Parke, this
ingredient is composed of the stems
of a species of Strychnos. probably
s. Icaja, Baillon. The scars on the
stem are opposite, and indicate oppo-
site leaves, and tho venation of the
leaf is characteristic of the genus
Strychnos. OF this there are several
African species known, but only two
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
Treacherous and vengefuI.

A soldier was looking on amusedly
at one of their mimic battles one after.
noon in the drill yard; the cause Of
war was battered helmet that one of
us had discarded. My Pigmy had it
on, and was defending his nine points
of the law against his fellow Pigmy.
The soldier made jeering comment
on my boy, who left his own quarrel
and without a moments hesitation
threw half brick at the head of the
soldier with all the force of which his
little arm and big rage were capable.
1t would have hurt the Housse more
il it had hit him on the shins: as 1t
was, it merely stunned him. Then the
young rascal resumed his defense of
the helmet.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
Their Dress and Habits.

The low state of their mental de-
velopment is shown by the following
facts. They have no regard for time,
nor have they any records or tradi-
tons of the past; no religion is known
among them. nor have they any fetch
rights; they do not seek to know the
future by occult means, as do their
neighbors; in short. they are. to my
thinking. the closest link with the orig
inal Darwinian anthropoid ape extant
Pigmies are strong sinewy and mus
cular, fearless and daring. They have
a dislike for water, and are not Clearly
in their habits as are other tribes.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04

of a mahogany chair, which had been
constructed for an ordinary man. He
suffered more than a woman with a
pair of pretty shoes three sizes too
small. Finally. he insisted that
Chairman Nelson come to his relief.
Knute Nelson has q keen sense of
humor. Any one can tell that by look
ing at his sparkling eyes. When the
committee fled into the hearing room
the same uncomfortable chair was at
James place at the table Ollie looked
reproachfully at the chairman A mo-
ment later two husky porters strug-
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04

gled into the room in full view of the
spectators. with the biggest lounging
chair to be found in the building and
substituted it for the little mahogany
affair.
Il don't see why this chair couldn't
have been put here early this morn
Ing" said James. Senator Nelson just
smiled.
Say, DENLY" said James, you
can't make any one believe you are
smaller than l am Just by sitting in
that doll chair"
Il don't believe ! am any smaller"
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
Whv the Bow Gave Thanks.

Alan had played the entire day with
little brother without an impatient
word. After saying his customary
prayer that night, his mother suggest
ed that he add: Il thank God was
not impatient with little brother to
day" This he did with much fer.
vency; after which he remarked that
there were some other things b
would like to thank God for. and forth
with he closed his eyes and sadie
Il thank God l offered my candy to
father before taking any myself.
81 thank God offered my candy to
mother before taking any myself.
Il thank God offered my candy 70
little brother before taking any my
self.
And / thank God there was some
left. '-Lippincott's.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
THE FIRST TASTE
Learned to Drink Coffee When Baby

II parents realized the fact that cor
fee contains drug-caneine-vhich .
especially harmful to childnen, they
would doubtless hesitate beffe giving
the babies coffee to drink.
When l was a child in my moth
er's arms and first began to >uibse
things at the table, mother used 70
give me sips Of coffee. Az my parents
used coffee exclusively at meals !
never knew there was anything %
drink but coffee and water.
And 50 / contracted the cones
habit early. l remember when quits
young the continual use Of coiee 9
affected my parents that they trieo
roasting wheat and barley, thea
ground 1t in the coffee-mill. ~ SUD
stitute for coffee.
But 1t did not taste right and they
went back to coffee again. that Wa
long before Postum was ever heare
of. l continued to use coffee until !
was 81, and when / got into ONES
work. began to have nervous speliA
Especially after breakfast ] was %
nervous I could scarcely attend to my
correspondence.
AT night. after having coffee TOT
supper. / could hardly sleep. and On
rising in the morning would feel weak
and nervous.
"A friend persuaded me- to "
Postum. My wife and l did not III:
1t at first, but later when boiled goa
and strong 1t was fine. Now We wos'e
not give up Postum for the best couss
re ever tasted.
II can now get good sleep. am ~
from nervousness and headaches.
recommend Postum to all coffee dflns
ers."
Read THE Road to Wellvllle' u
pkgs.
There's Q Reason"
Ever read the shove letto9S =
enc appears from time - IT,. ~
are 0enuln0, true, onA fuu - -
ontsGe0t.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
COULD USE THE ORDINARY

Mr. DENLY had his early training in
diplomatic circles. and for ten years
his father was United States minister
to China. Hence. DENLY was brought
ur on dignity. 1t happens that DENLY
and James are the two heavy
weights of the Ballinger investigating
committee. 1t Is not safe for both Of
them to ride in the same elevator.
For two days James struggled to
get his great bulk within the confines
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
My Nomadic Servant.

A striking instance of their disre-
gard for home and its memories was
afforded when l had occasion to re-
visit the birthplace of my pigmy boy
as l returned through the Mabode
country. He was with me at the time,
but as we approached the village (they
were still on the same encampment
ground, or very near it,, he showed
not the least pleasure at the sight of
the place. 1t might have been his
first visit to the district to Judge by
the absence of any display Of emotion,
or outward sign that the settlement
had once been the scene of his daily
life. However. as he had served me
very well. apart from the natural lazi.
ness of his kind, l thought l might do
him a good turn by Offering him free
dom to return to his people.
To my surprise he besought me to
tell him what wrong he had done, to
be discharged like this. / explained
that, SO far from having done wrong,
he had pleased me SO we'll that IL he
liked he might 60 back to his own
people. He looked at me for a NOM
emit In bewilderment; then he threw
up his head with a proud gesture and
walked away, thus intimating that he
had not very high opinion of the
manner in which 1 proposed to reward
faithful service.
/ called him back.
You may stay If you like" said;
but bear in mind that you may 20 II
you like, and that If you don't 90 now
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
Mutual Expectations,

A VIGOROUSLY close-fisted man Wa
taking his golfing holiday in Scotland,
where he hoped to improve his game,
and, by driving a hard bargain, had
managed to secure the exclusive serv.
ices of a first-class caddie, who was
known to be very good player.
Mind, now. said the ambitions
southerner, Il expect to receive soma
really good tips from you during my
stay here, you understand" Aye"
replied the Scotsman, hitching up the
heavy bag. IAN Ah'm expectin' the
like frae We, we ken."-Golf illustrated.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
Rowing, Wandering Nomads.

Nomads by nature, the communities
Of the Aka are at home in no partic-
ular country, but wander from place
to place. supporting themselves by
hunting. Though one place seems to
be much the same as another to them
and to be valued only according to its
possibilities as hunting ground, these
little people have a marked prefer
ence for the territories of certain
tribes and an aversion to others, with
in whose confines they are seldom
seen. They avoid the Mege, for in
stance. and show prediction for
. living in the neighborhood of the Ma
bode or Momvus settlements. where
they are treated with something more
than mere liberation.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04

of these have leaves as large as the
one under consideration. The s. Icaja,
Ball. IS. M'Boundou, of HeckeD is
known to be used in the Gaboon as an
arrow-poison, and by the Pigmies.
I'm the Hanbury Herbarium there is
a specimen of this plant. and on see
ing Surgeon Parkes leaf l at once rec
ognized the strong resemblance to this
which it possessed. On showing the
Hamburg specimen to Surgeon Parke
he pointed out the acuminate apex of
the leaf as having particularly at
tracted his attention in the growing
plant. and expressed assurance as to
their identity"
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
Offers to Sell Own Parents.

I'll. tell you what I'll do" he said.
IF you will lend me five soldiers I'll
place two there and two over there
indicating positions). and I'll go over
there with the other. Then I'll call
my father and mother into the ring.
and we will capture them and bring
them to you"
l think he was disappointed that I
did not accept this curious PROPOSE.
ton, which shed a clear light on his
ideas of the fifth commandment.
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04

dren of youthful parents are gifted
with physical energy. but seldom with
great intellectual activity.
when the father Is over forty the
children will not make good soldiers.
but are marked by superior intellec-
tual ability. and with still older ia
Their the children will have marked
philanthropic tendencies. Longevity
IL much commoner In southern Eu-
rope than In northern chimes. Bull.
garia, with q population Of 5000. 900.
has more than 5000 centenarians lead,
Ing the lives oe useful citissus."
Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-11-04
His Point of View.

John, DEAR" queried the young
wife, glancing up from the physical
culture magazine she was perusine
what is your idea of a perfect q.
ure?"
WELL replied her husband, $500.
600 may not be perfection, but itb
near enough to satisfy a man Of my
simple tastes"