davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

chloroform pad, the clumsy jirmoulch, the
male. the rat, covered his mouth win q
rubber band, not as self-protectlon agans.
fumes, but to avoid waking the sieepeI
at the critical moment by breathing on
his face or neck. Most sleepers are PC
culiarly sensitive to such sudden loe o.
change of temperature. Inc MOUSE "
lighter breathing, was already uSlns ne
veil instead of a mouthband. she con
tinued using it as pure-air sack anu
partial filter against fumes when sclence
made the bad break of putting the ne"
perfume into her wicked hands.
Let no crook who may read these INES
try to procure it. Discovered or invented
by a chemist of genius, he has not ".
got over. his disappointment at It's utter
uselessness in medicine. Fhe new per
fume is also the bad perfume. us on,s
uses are criminal More sudden, subtle
and lasting than chloroform. it Is scarce
~, an analgesic or pain paralyser at all:
The subject when cut, prlcked or ourHeu
means or cries in sluggish overWheimlns
sleep. haunted by fantastic dreams. All
operation under it would be a nightmare
of diabolical torture. Also, In analogy
to cocaine. here and there by fdiosyn-
Grassy one subject. say, in fifty, coiiapses
under it without warning-crack, dead'
in an instant.
X x
How did the old mother EQUINE get hold
of it? Mystery, some say, of old friend
ship with one of the few capable OF
knowing it's formula. Others pretend
that an orninous figure called 1.-The mage.
deep chemist. perverted by a Sadie streak,
makes the bad perfume for it's adopts.
who must all be women having ab1ured
men as husbands. lovers. brothers.
In a word. we know nothing. It's adj
ministration Is certainly more rapid than
1chloroform. two indrawn breaths putting
the victim in state of coma. The damp
ened towel is spread under his chin. and
the terrible woman TRANQUILITY collects
the valuables. On quitting the room she
throws a window open and replaces the
towel on the rack. She does not wish
the victim to succumb. She breads the
scandal of death, which rarely happens.
Pure air from the window revives the
stricken one. and chases the faint fra
grant fumes away When there remains
a trace it seems heady "reminiscences of
the new red rose of legitimate Paris per-
tuners, which itself incommodes many
Hotel keepers pretend that they cannot
smell it The victim awakes, the sun
tonished, How did l leave that window
wide open?'
Is it not better than stiletto or sandbag?
Such were the resources of the rats
when scattered after the rounding up
of Countess Manola and Baron Frapdin
at Nice in 1908. Previously. they had been
at Algiers, where an American million
aire woke in the morning minus rings
studs, buttons and chains worth $9O,OOO
and $1,000 in cash.
The hotel proprietor remembered that
Frandin had been at AK that summer.
where a similer mystery happened; 20
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25
A ~MOUsE- AT WORK.

They may be pathetic young widows.
Russian or Italian. seeking forgetfulness
around casino gambling table. at con-
certs. teas. subscription balls and hotel
hops. where the most modest tourists
flash their new-bought diamonds But
an observer might be struck by their
eyes, the eyes of nyctalops. OF great or
little animals that see by night. the eyes
OF MICE mice mice.
The great old mother gouine loved to
frequent the Villa des Fleurs at AK and
the public tables at Monte Carlo, where
fortunes are won in an evening, too late
to be deposited in bank. She would move
from table TO table, noting the heavy
winners. smiling as the roulette ball
whirled. 1t made her think of little
black mouse dancing round great cir
cular cheese, hesitating. undecided,
starting round again. stopping an instant,
hurrying. turning, turning, before finally
planting her sharp teeth in the most sue
culent and creamy spot!
Then the countess mods good night with
languid grace, pulls her sables about her,
steps into the auto-limousine and speeds
home to rich hotel. So retire to their
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

rooms the naughty English old maids.
severe French blue stockings. feverish
Italian widows.
They lock their doors and wait. The
noises cease. the lights go out. They
doff their frou-frou dinner gowns, crack
ling paillettes and tinkling jet, rustling
batiste and creaking leather. What, do
they dress again? Yes. you would say
for heavy mourning, black stockings,
black felt slippers. black gloves, short
black skirt, with knitted jersey, or black
coat of softest wool. And, round their
heads. covering their faces. covering their
mouths and noses, veil of thick black
mousseline, carefully tied above the
shoulders.
Is it the Countess Manola? Is 1t the
Honorable Helena? Certainly no; 1t is
the EQUINE who turns out the electric
light. feeble glow struggles through
the transom to the ceiling, like a phos-
phorescence Gliding past the mirror of
her wardrobe, she looks into 1t, and does
not see herself!
Content, she lights up again. Naught
jars in the costume Now what does she,
seated at her toilet table? Does the CO.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

quette want to make her eyes big? With
a dropper does she drop in each one drop
of belladOnna? Maybe; but 1t is not pei
ladonna. And some do not need 1t-tne
old countess, for example.
Now she's at her trunk. She takes what
seem three or four curlng-irons of bronx
ed steel, only both their pincers are con-
cave; another little instrument with steer
teeth, like a comb. that push back on
slight pressure, and spring out again
when they find room, marvel of mobility
to feel it's way in an empty lock: then
four slim picks, as of dentist. Finally
she takes phial of liquid.
X
Again she turns out the light and
stands before her mirror. All is dark
and silent. Five minutes pass. ten min
utes Is it Countess Manola? Is it the
soft marchesa? No, certainly. for she be-
gins to see herself quite clearly, In the
darkness, in the mirror. 1t is the nyc-
talop who wakes. She opens her room
door With ferocious smile, the ho'ei
mouse glides down the corridors.
She has picked out three rooms TO Try.
Rooms IF big winners, rooms of ostenta-
tious tourists. who sport diamonds' roouls
of heavy spenders, who cash large notes
rooms of solid travellers, VINO nave SHOWN
travellers checks.
Before the victims door she stands
Most travellers imagine it safesuard
against pick locks to leave the key SUCK
ing in on the inside. In truth, 1t makes
IT easy for the mouse, permitting her TO
use ouistiti pincers. With them she
catches the. extremity of the key barrei
in a grip of steel-and TRANQUILITY. silently
unlOcks the door-from the outside Otner-
wise. she uses her four picks or mobile
kew. Hotel locks are cheap and easy, OF
four types. .;r
che presses into the dark corner. where
fall the blacklist shadows. Weary guests
or sleepy chambermaid pass, and see
nothing
She glides in. the victims door and
shuts it. Is there a dim night light? she
gIides to Pickering shadow and stands
listening to the sleeper's breathing. 1t is
regular. She slips toward him. She mas
the phial in her hand. Even now, should
he opnressed by a presentiment of alien
presence, wake and struggle to sitting
position. she has time to back out. ike
a filmy phantom. scarcely distinguish,
dares TO turn up the electric light. The
mouse wants no struggle. She Is no
iirmouich armed with stiletto and eelskin
Sandbag.
The mouse has but her phial of liquid
and her ear for rhythmic breathing, and
her nyctalopic eyes. Does the victim
vaguely wake, scratch, turn, she waits in
the shadow for the sleeping rhythm. Now
she ia close to him. She has wet one OF
his towels with liquid. She holds her
head far away from 1t in fear. Even
that filtering veil of thick mousseline.
regularly double, might not protect her
from the fumes of the new perfume.
She has him inhaling it on the wet
towel Bending over with the vulgar
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

the other silk countries have and there
is now under way a movement to breed
up a race of silk worms there which Will
outlay all others. The bureau of science
is making a book to instruct the people
how to build up the industry. 1t gives
how to feed the young worms, and also
how to prepare the raw silk for spinning
AS it is now, the islands import the most
of their raw silk from China and they
mix 1t with the fibers of the islands in
weaving just cloth and other cloths of
high price.
4
The bureau Of agriculture says that the
mulberry tree can be grown all over the
Philippines and that 1t will furnish food
planting. A three-year-old tree will give
and two and one-half acres will support
one thousand trees, which will feed more
than three million silk worms. This num-
Der of worms should produce several
thousand pounds of cocoons. In short, it
is estimated that the silk business will
yield something like thousand dollars
an acre and that 1t will steadily grow as
to the profits. Connected with the Agri
cultural College there is now a model silk
building in which thousands of cocoons
are produced every month and where the
students are given practical instruction
in rearing the worms.
The total amount of land in the Philip
pines Is said to be about 100000 acres.
OF this only about one-fifth is owned by
individuals. and the other four-hfths be-
longs to the government. Uncle Sam has
been very careful in granting conces-
sions for this land. Comparatively few
farms have been given away, and there
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

MEN are poor creatures, she said.
quitting Clairvaux in the illustrious val
lev. Men are clumsy, noisy, g-mouthed
violent. without patience. IL you want
trouble take man.
The Americans who knew her in New
York as Nine. Portal or the Countess de
Monteil will be glad to see her. They
know nothing of her somber history. She
will keep away from France. AT Cairo
She will be persona grata, Cairo. Naples,
Rome Vienna, Botzen. Como. Leugano, ST.
Mor.itz. Madrid. The severe. elegant, in
tellectual great lady well on middle age
will promenade her melancholy hauteur
TO only sympathetic and admiring
chances.
Yet.~American tourists, beware: death
stalks invisible beside her; mystery, sus-
picion loss of jewels and money. She
IAN strike at a distance. After she has
left a fashionable resort. rich tourists
who admired her will awake Of a MORN
ing. safe in their rooms-but robbed.
stripped and destitute.
Let them who wake be happy.
4
The old EQUINE is out again and loose
upon the world: the Jirmouichs are Jailed
and scattered. but the shadowy filocheuse
DIES coils. glider in the Railways" has
a choir of wicked virgin nymphs to stay
behind and do her will. with the new
perfume in their hands.
BY day they may be English old maids,
French blue stockings, plain dressed, yet
WITH airs of ease: cold and aloof, yet
capable of kindnesses when touched by
friendship for the rich and inexperienced.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25
be irrigated, which, if done, will add to
it's present productiveness more than $50,
OOO, 600 per annum.


The government is taking good care OF
the forests. 1t has kept out the timber
robbers. and they are practically as they
were when we took hold of the islands
Here and there concessions have been
granted, and there are sixty steam saw
mills in operation, hut as a whole the
forests are in better condition than when
we came in.
am told it is impossible to estimate
the wealth of the lumber resources. An
area equal to about one-half of Ohio, Vir-
ginia or Kentucky is still covered with
virgin timber, and there is perhaps one
half as much more which has been care
lessly cut over. but could be brought into
good, productive condition The forest
experts state that there are about 205.0R,.-
OOO, 600 board feet of timber which could
be marketed now, and that a great part
of this is located on or near the seacoast
in Mindanao and LuZon and could easily
be brought down to the ships. There are
hundreds of square miles upon which the
cut will run from 10000 to $1,000 board
feet per acre.
wish I could show you these Filipino
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

lIooL WIZ ToCIhk-
niZe her will bolt
their b e d roo m
doors.
Then they will
examine the bolts.
1t is needless;
tampering with
bolts is "rats' !"
work. and the
Countess Manola
has abjured all
male cooperation.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

most INDUSTRIOUS monastery OF the middle
ages. where kings made retreats, today
a French state prison.
The brutal males are still there. or else
scattered, frightened into other avoca-
tons. The king Of the hotel rats"
operating at this moment In Paris, seems
not to have done a single night job In
the eighteen fashionable hotels of the
rich hauls. But as his sublime and
mysterious sneaking utilities certain me-
chanical effects of the true jirmouichs. II
is Interesting to note them. Besides, the
stalwarts will get back to work some
day!
The male rat laughs at bolts. supposed
safeguard of hotel rooms. European ho-
tells are built with communicating doors
SO that any number of rooms may be
thrown into suite. These doors are kept
lock and bolted on both sides.
The rat first tries to get a room next
to his victim Then he gimlets tiny peep
holes in door or partition. If it looks
good, he waits till the victim goes out.
unlocks the communicating door from
his side, iimmies the bolt on the victims
side, enters, removes the screws, replaces
short screw-tops that are practically
dummies, putties and paints out all trace
.of his work, leaving the bolt smut.
apparentIy all right. Then he quits the
room via the corridor, where a conieoer-
ate is on guard to keep the coast clear.
IF the rat could not get an adjoining
room he picked the corridor lock IN me
DAYTIME and fixed its inside bolt IN tho
came way. A confederate outside with
on accordion would strike up certain
.;r on the expected approach OF the
Victim And il interrupted. there was the
stiletto-and the jirmouich knew where
to strike.
uou,d not you prefer the present
rey,me of the ladies? They seem almost
sy,nnathetic, scattering perfume
A. night, you locked your door. and
the bolt Yet as you slept tho
sno . swung open as the screw-heads
w. '.. .he,r holes In slipped the stalwart
Nth his sandbag and stiietto
To rise i'm bed meant death.
To lie still meant the brutal over
DOSING of chloroform mask. held tight
os Won awoke, struggling. to the sound
Of deep bells. then forgetfuiness. perhaps
po,t vour door today and the mouse
Iii ma az by, The mouse Is all for gen.
tieness: and a bolted door means suspi-
cion.
Yes; but hurry.
! IL YOU have a rich look, come quick on
on the hotel doors The
EQUINE and her choir respect bolts but
the iirmouicbs, the stalwarts will ger
back to work I'm time.
And watch your bolts close-even now
STERLING HELLO.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

there is government charge which
ranges from one to five dollars per thou
sand board feet for the cut. The govern
ment has maps of the forests and it is
ready to furnish information to prospec-
tive investors.
We are just beginning to discover the
mineral wealth of the Philippines. The
bureau of science at Manila has had
mining engineers and metallurgists look
ing up the possibilities and mapping the
country. They say that the islands hold
districts which are rich in gold. copper
and iron. and they have recently discov-
cred extensive underground gold work.
fngs which were made by the Igorrotes.
The openings of these were SO small that
a man of good size could hardly get in,
but farther on, when the mineral was
reached, large rooms had been excavated
and hundreds of tons. of gold ore taken
out. This ore was crushed in rock mills.
MANY of which are still to be seen and
the gold was then PANIED and melted
into bars. 1t is said that the islands have
been yielding gold as far back as the
third century A. d.. and during the last
two hundred years there have been num-
erous mines operated by the natives.
Standards, Englishmen and Americans.
The Spaniards and Englishmen were not
allowed to work in the Mountain Prov
account
other head hunters, but since the Ameri-
cans came our miners have scattered over
the country and some of them are now
holding and developing properties which
were located some years ago.
one of the best districts is near Baguio,
where is now the summer capital Of the
philippines There is one company there
which has thirty-five claims, in which
are 135 veins of gold. These veins range
from one to twenty feet in width. and
some can be traced for two miles along
the surface. One company has the ore
developed for 800 feet below the grass
roots and has blocked out haif-mlllion
tons of ore In some Of the mills they
are crushing the ore and taking 1t out
on amalgamation plates. In others the
ore is treated with cyanide The above
information comes from Frank G. Ed
dingfield, who is a mining engineer of
the bureau of science.
Another mining district which is now
being exploited is in the little Island OF
Masbate This was also worked by the
Chinese, and it has three companies work
ing in it today. Some of the veins aver
age $14 per ton. and it is gotten out with
air drills.
They are mining gold on the eastern
coast of Luzon, about $50 miles from
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25
COUNTESS MANOLA at

COUNTESS MANOLA at
~ Large-Women in Black
Glide in the Dark-A New
Drug Used in Place of Chloro-
form - Thieves Do T heir
Work in Some of the Best
Hotels-Are Able to "Pick"
ALI Locks-How They Oper-
ate.
Special Correspondence of The Star.
PARIS Eohrt,orrr
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

possession of the government. The woods
are divided by law into four classes. and
there is government charge which
ranges from one to five dollars per thou
sand board feet for the cut. The govern
ment has maps of the forests and it is
ready to furnish information to prospec-
tive investors.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

Just now one of the new things in pros
pect is the establishment Of a rubber in
dustry. The Department of Agriculture
believes that the islands are well fitted
for that, and different kinds of rubber
plants and trees were brought In three or
four years ago and planted in about
eight different provinces. The varieties
chosen We're many. The most of them
came from Ceara and they included not
only trees but shrubs and vines There
were also some Para rubber trees brought
from the Amazon valley. The Ceara rub
Der did not do, but the Para rubber
trees, which produce nearly all the rub
Der of commerce, have fhriven and the
bureau of agriculture has arranged to
distribute $4,000 Para seedlings to the
proper localities. These seedlings are
now growing in the government nurseries
and they will be put out under the direc-
ton of the bureau and carefully watched
If they do as well as is expected we shall
have a rubber export from the Philippines
which will form one of the most valua BILE
assets Of the Islands. 1t is the Para rub
Der that has been introduced into Malay
sa and the Dutch East Iudies, having
created a great boom, which has caused
speculation in London and throughout the
east.
Another great possibility for the Phil
ipp.ne Islands Is in silk culture. 1t is
known that the silk worm has been grown
there from generation to generation. and
Mr. Charles H. Banks of the bureau Of
science at Manila says that nine crops of
cocoons can be annually produced. This
is about four times as many as some OF
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

rice, and also of the great cocoanut
groves. which annually yield from 81 to
S. per tree. l have written of the public
works. the roads and new railroads, and
something of the other work which is
now going on.
So far but few favors have been given
10 foreigners. and by this l mean Amer
leans and Europeans. Uncle Sam has
gone on the motto THE Philippines for
the Filipnos.' and he has practically shut
out the islands from foreign exploitation
As result the material development has
been slow. but the archipelago has been
held as great savings bank, in which its
resources are being kept for the people.
1t is a question whether they would not
be better off if outside investors We're al
lowed to come in and build up the coun-
try.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

n this, my last let
ter on Uncle Sam
in the Philippines,
/ want to say some
thing of the new
money-making pos
sibilities which ere
being opened up by
the government. I
have already writ
ten of the fortunes
in the development
of hemp, sugar and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

Special Correspondence of The Star.
pARIC Eabr,,arx, ~ 4
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-12-25

objection &c state supervision to a limited ax--
tent but believe this county should be permit
TED 20 expend as much or littl as il desires for
1000 ro1as without being compelled to do any
thlng- we regard the law as il stood prior 10
the last legislature entirely SUFFICIENT 10 bring
ABOUT the 0oleut sought, The present law has
ealied attentlon 10 the need of good roads and
IN that regard has served a useful unrrose
and having served such purpose. we now AL
its repeal. ~" @SA
1. II has come to the attention Of This todv
til1t tne STAT l4l&nNay commission viii AK of
the next legislature $4,000 for Office force nj
management. We are opposed 70 any sneh
allowance. We favor legislation vhich Sr;ii
be compulsory in so far as it win require each
highways and to compel il to raise nd exnend
on ITS OWN ROADS annually A eertair
amount of money. considering its yafnasion
ana which might De increased at the discre-
ton of the county board.
5. We favor legislation that university an
preparations be levied in dollars and cents for
certain stated needs. 10 be specifically preserih
ed. and not general blanket LEGISLATION that
any certain number of mills on the dollar De
levied for the university. The people have a
right TO know the needs of the university. the
purpose OF each and every appropriation and
tnat the appropriation IS nsither more nor less
than may be strictly necessary for the speci-
hc purpose for which the same is desired
o. We also desire that the season for shoot
ing squirrels in Vernon county open Septem-
Der 10 in each year, and that the season for
partridge shooting be extended to January Isl
That copies of this memorial be presented
TO our senator, Hon. Howard Teassiale and our
assemhlyman. Hon. L. Grimsrud as well as
huu y L. AOou. dsSemDl yman-elect of La
Crosse county. G. j. EASTMAN
Report of committee on claims read
and adopted and claims allowed. all
voting in the affirmative.
Your committee on claims recommend the
allowance Of the following claims for per diem
} q