davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15

rich or of foreigners that stoves or grates gre to be found. There are no chim- neys to speak of The charcoal has lit- tie smoke, and the fumes get out as they can. The ordinary broom of the coun- try is a brush of round shape, and the streets are swept with twigs tied to a stick.
 As to the sleeping arrangements, the Leds here are stuffed with cotton, and tse most of them are exceedingly had. The pillows are like SO many stones and the beds have few springs. In travelling in the interior one IS lacky if he gets more than board and a blanket.
 I wish could show you how the wash ing is done. My room at the hotel here is on the ground floor, looking out on a court The room is much like a cave. It is a hole in the wall, lighted by a win dcw. which is very high up, and by the door, which looks out on the court. l. is in the court that all the washing is done. There is a concrete vat there filled with running water, and about it the washerwomen stand and kneel and pound the clothes, or slap them on the stones so that there is a continual splashing from breakfast until dinner. The vat is five feet square, and the water in it is as cold as ice The skipping breaks the buttons and frequently tears the eloth- ing to pieces.
 This kind of washing goes on through out Central America. Tn Panama the most of the laundry work is done Tn the streams, tho clothing being rubbed on the stone by half-naked women. Here in Guatemala and also in Costa Rica there are some public laundrles consist ing of concrete tubs fed by streams from the mountains.
 saw such a laundry in San Jose. It vas a galvanized shed covering half an acre. The floor of this was of brick and concrete, and in the center a concrete tub, so wide that you could drive a buggy through it and about, 300 feet long, had been built. This tub or vat was higher than my shoulder and was filled with cold water. Outside the tub were steps built at intervals along it's whole length on both sides, and upon thes steps at least 60 women stood bending over and securing their wash on the stones. Some were rounding a little wit :, fat sticks, and others were lifting the pieces with swing high in the air and skipping them down on the wall of the tub. Most of them were decollette, and as their bare arms were raised high in the air and the linen came down with q noise like a pistol, it formed a curious scene.
 I do not know where the ironing is done, but the clothes are dried on the grass or on bushes. My shirts are no, starched. and the turnover collars in stead of being folded are laid flat and ted together one on top of the othe- They appear to have been ironed, but the fold is almost lost by this treatmen5 As to the cuffs, they are sewed together with one or two stitches to keep ther. in place, and thread is used to hold ths folds of the shirt where our laundrymeu
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15

iron jars of bean soup ready to serve. Here they are boiling eggs,. there frying plantans or bananas and farther on making fritters of various kinds. The ordinary restaurant has a counter. In front of it, and this serves also as "a table. There is an Indian eating fried fish and beside him girl nibbling away at fried bananas while farther on Is a man shoveing in snails. The snails are sold by peddlers. There are great baskets of them with cabbage leaves at the sides, the latter being used to wrap up the snails. And then there are crabs upon strings, and fish no larger than white bait, which are sold by the pint.
 How They Eat in Guatemala
 The fruits of this country are especially delicious and the vegetables are as good as can be raised anywhere under the sun. The only trouble is the cooking and serv- ing. am living at hotel where the rate is forty or forty-five dollars day-l
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15
eft Uppe-S
  Lower Oneof

senee will make strong cup of cof" fee.
 The almuerzo is the real breakfast. This is eaten by some at II or 12 o'clock and hy others between 12 and 1. It IS usually served table d hote and consists of a soup, some form of eggs, roast or fried meat with vegetables and Q dessert. The din- ner, which runs from to o'clock, is about the same, only the dishes ale more in number and the lessert is more elab- crate. Among the common dishes of every meal is a plate of boiled rice and one of black beans. As to sweets, the country has plenty of them and the fruits are unsurpassed.
 Queer Domestic Arrangements
 Indeed I find many queer things in Guatemala housekeeping. The cooking is all done with charcoal, and the town is free from the smoke of soft coal. Most of the heat for warming comes from the sun, and 1t is only in the houses of the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15

mean Guatemalan dolars-and I have dined at the other hotels and restaurants of the capital Everything comes to the table in Spanish style. The meats are usually fried and the stews are SO hot with peppt and chilli5 that they taka the skin off the roof of your mouth.
 The usual meals are iesayuno on ris- ing. almuerzo from II to 1 and dinner al about o'clock in the evening. The de- sayuno, or first breakfast. consists only tf coffee and bread, although at some of tie hotels where foreigners stop you can have soft boiled eggs or an omelet by payins extra. The coffee served is as black as ink, and it is made from an extract or essence formed by running cold water through the freshly ground pow der. A bottle of this essence is placed on the table. You rour some in your cup and the waiter fills it up with hot water or with hot milk. A teaspoonfu of es-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15
On Fontnrabia's Classic Hi0 m Hispau01u

Boundaries, mines. cannon factories, chemical and soap works and match factoreis, and upon the French side in the Hendaye distilleries, whose famous liqueur Is exported all over the world. This section of the Pyrenees is divided into two sections by the famous Gave de Pau, a river remarkable for its sub
 lime beauty, and across the stream dwell the Bernais, a tribe mentioned
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15

Among the Basques the exclusive draft animal is the oX and the natives still retain the ancient way of harness ing these beasts of burden which gives the cattle quite Q picturesque appear ance. for instead of placing the yoke upon the necks of the oxen, it rests upon their foreheads and is partially maintained in it's position by the horns of the beast. They are fond of amuse- ment and upon fets days, which are
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15

by Caesar, and with whom the Basques are often confounded.
 They are calm in temperament and courteous in manner; brave but indo- lent. faithful and capable of strong attachment, combine pride with a mod est exterior and intelligence with ab- normal self-reliance. Too placid for the entertainment of violent emotion, he is rarely found to be criminal.
 l turned out of my regular path to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15

many, the men may be seen dancing together upon the village green or en-
 gazing in Pelote, q game of town ball wherein the little sphere is thrown against a wall and caught by "chis- tera" which resembles a mammoth glove or scoop made of wicker work. La Pelot is their national sport and has become famous and popular among them as baseball Is with us. The games are often witnessed by royalty and up-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15

visit the Cirque de Gavarnie, a natural amphitheatre of marvellous fashionins and the Cascade de Gavarnie. the sec ond highest waterfall in Europe it's foaming flood tumbling from a cliff nearly HOO feet in height.
 It is difficult to describe the ravish- ing beauty of this place. The lovely tints of summer in their continually changing aspect of dell and dale, con trast with the winter robes of the mountains perpetual snow and the ever shifting beauty of the magnificent pan orama dominates the visitor with most subtle influence.
 Then 1 moved on to Pau a city so lovely that Lamartine said of it Pau is the most beautiful land town as Naples is the most beautiful sea town" Here spent a week visiting the famous chateau where Henry " was born viewing his cradle of tortoise shell and making excursions to the charm ing localities that may be considered in the light of suburbs of the place The fox hounds of Pau are the most famous in France, one kennel possess ing fifty canines They are hired out by the day to visitors with hunting proclivities, but it was too expensive a sport for me to indulge in so I amused myself in this line by watching the pack returning at evening with remu- nerative quarry. Wild boar hunting is also a favorite pastime here. The meet of the drag hounds Is held twice week. but few English and no Amer jeans hunt, the field being composed principally of Frenchmen and Span iards.
 In fact this hunting of the wild boar is said 10 have revealed the re- markable saline waters of Salies-de- Bearn, which contain seven times as much salt does sea water. and which have acquired a most wonderful repu- tation. The arms of this town are wild boar pierced by an arrow and the motto reads, Had not l died life would not have been given you" The legend is that a nobleman in the middle ages found traces of salt upon the body of a dying wild boar which he had hunted and traced to it's last resting place.
 The vicinity is honeycombed with springs of remarkable curative powers, but the odd feature of it all is that the waters thereof are not drunk but are inhaled by the patients.
 of course went out from Pau to Lourdes, which since the Virgin Is said to have appeared in 1858 to the peas ant girl, Bernadotte Soubirols, in the grotto of Massabielle, has become world famous. The Basilica church IS Gothic in style and the church of the Rosary is Byzantine. One here can scarcely turn without coming in contact with some votive offering and I shall never forget the spectacle of night procession of pilgrims whose torches flooded the vicinity of the Basilica with an effulgency that was positively binding and then wound along the sides of the mountain as huge python in coils of living fire. The faith and ~~~~-~s~~>~~~~-~>>~ ~>>~~>~>~~~~~-~-~~~~~l
 <Centtnued en Next PagoD
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15

While farming and fishing are the natural avocations of the Basques. mod ern industrial developments have att tracted many of them so that great numbers are employed upon the Spanish side of the mountains in the large iron
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15
BY c. F. MARKELL

on one occasion of contest his late maj esty Edward VII of England presented the winner with scarf pin set with diamonds.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15

When the Grand Monarque" welded Maria Theresa he facetiously announced that theIs were no more Pyrenees and while he spoke iiguratlvely We may be thankful that such was the case for to re- move this sublime dividing skyline be- tween France and Spain would be to rob Europe of some of it's most enchanting scenery.
 Were I asked to name three localities upon the continent eXceling in Area dian beauty. I should answer the Vale of Tempe in Greece, the Valley of Cha raounix in France and the Nalle d Aspe O the Pyrenees. To a man of sentiment and romance each glttering peak of the mountains of the Basques gleams with the dazzling flask of the Moorish scimitar, each vale is resonant with the war-cry of the Morisco and every dell still echoes with the pleading voice of the lonely horn Of Roland on Foatarabian zephyrs borne. begging for the return of Charlemagne with succor and salvation. There is more pathos in the song of RonoevaIles than in a dozen threnooies of Thermopyle or a score of cornachs of Waterloo. Who does not love Durandal, the famous sword of Roland with its hilt of whitened ivory. and cross of gold topped with berylline apple, though it's master, whom phan- toms never appalled,, has been dead dog on centuries agone?
 Our road now runs directly through the country of the Basques, race of unknown origin whose similar lan- guage is said to form a sort of linguist- tc island in the great Aryan ocean, and who still adhere to many of their prim- five customs. They inhabit the three maritime provinces of Biscay Alava and Guipuzcoa and while they are H. literate, the race, physically speaking. is a fine one. The men are tall. intelli- gent looking and handsome and while the women are less attractive in per- sonal appearance. their love of decora- tion makes their homes, houses and villages quite engaging.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-15

X HOST tourists through the Iberian MI peninsular formulate their tim A erary by starting from Gibraltar, visiting Granada. the Alhambra, Seville, Madrid and Toledo and then returning to Gibraltar.
 This is a great error, for while the splendors of the former glories of the Moorish cities delight and charm one, the magnihcence of the ruins still attest ing the pristine pretensions of the former structures, much is lost in grandeur of scenic beauty anl the spell of romantic associations by failing to continue the journey over tn Pyrenees and through tho land of the Basques into southern France.
 It is true that through much of Spain the country is monotonous, the roadbeds dry and dusty and the railway aecommo- dations both as to schedule and equip ment are most eNeerable But when the Pyrenees are reached one realizes that it pays and the diseomforts of the trip are ali forgotten in the moment of ecstacy born at the first glimpse of those delec- table mauntains.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-22
First Of English Royalty to Visit
New York Since 1860.
viii Be Guest Of Ambassador
And Mrs. WhiteIaW Reid.
Daughter, Princess Patricia, Also a
Member Of the Party.

New York. Jan. 21.-The arrival
here, tomorrow. of the Duke and
Duchess of Connaught will mark the
first visit by British royalty to New
Yor. City since 81 years ago, when
the then Prince of Wales, who was
the late King Edward VII. came here
and Travelled from New York to the
West. The leaders of the society here
have prepared 10 extend a welcome
BETTING such royal guests.
Whitelaw Reid, ambassador TO tn
Court of St james. who, with Mrs
Reid. will act as host and hostess OF
the royal visitors. will be a the
Grand Central station to meet the
party. They will arrive aboard the
dukes private car Canada attached 10
the regular train. which is due at a.2I
A. NJ.
Besides the duke, who is governor
general Of Canada, and uncle of King
George Y. and the duchess. the party
will include their 25-year-old daugh-
ter. Princess Patricia. Miss Pelley, one
OF the ladies' in waiting at the tfeY-
eminent House. ottawa; Lieut.. col.
Lowther, military secretary To the
duke, and Capt RiVers-BulkieN. con
troller of the vice regal household
The party will be driven directly to
Ambassador Reds home and remain
here. until Thursday Afternoon.
The program is altogether social
one. for the visitors desire To avoid
the round of public functions which
would be necessary on an official vlslt
to the United States
Ambassador Reid made it known
that both he and Mrs. Reid felt keeniy
the public reports that they intended
Ito weed OUT certain elements in so
ciety in the matter OF invitations. Il
was said there was no attempt to dis
criminate. 1t has been decided that
10 general list of those invited will
be made public.
In none of the arrangements has an
particular reference been made to tho
entertainment of Princess Patricia.
She is the first princess of the Eng
lish blood royal ever to set foot on the
soil of the United States. She is ppret
~ and as democratic girl as can be
Continued on Page Four)
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-22
FEWER SUICIDES.
Rate in United States Is
Getting Lower.
Showing in 1910 Was 16 in
Every 100000 People.
The Rates In Maine for the Year
Was ia.

Washington, Jan. 2i.--Fewer people
committed suicide during 1910 than in
1903, according to the latest statistics
on the subject announced, saturday,
by Or. Cressy l. Wilbur, chief statis-
tieian for vital statistics in the Unit
"a States Census Bureau.
The death rate from suicide for 1910
was IS per 100000 Of population Ia the
Census Bureaus death registration
area. which comprises about one-half
Of tie countrv's population and COW
ers - states and a number Of larger
cities in other states. The rate was
49, in 1908 There were $500 suicides
in 1910
Suicide by firearms was the ftvefite
method of self-destructioH and show
ed an increase over 1909. Poison Was a
close second. Methods employed We're
as follows. Firearms, oslo; poison
2456: hanging or STANDARDIZATION. l2e5;
asnhyXiation, 941; drowning 517; cut
ting or piercing instruments, IA;
Jumping from high places, 13i. crush-
ing, s; other means, 81.
California led the state with - sui
cides per 100000 population. while
MARYLAND. with 1913 had the lowest
rate. TIE rate increased in Michigan.
PENNSYLVANIA, Rhode Island and Wis
eonsin. while there was Il decrease in
the other IS states.
In tho registration cities Of more tina.
10000 population, san Francisco, witt
Az suicides per 100000, led. Next came
Kansas City Mo, with "a; Oakland, cal
with S24: Seattle, with 32.3; Bridgeport
Conn, with ST., and Denver, with SIS.
The suicide rate per 100000 population
by states was: California 20, Colorado
pas. Connecticut l7.9, Indiana al, Maine
ia. Maryland 1913. Massachusetts i2.6
Michigan 1871. Minnesota liz, Montana
PA. New Hampshire 12,5, New JERSEY
III, New York 1911 North Carolina Z.
$500. Ohio H., Pennsylvania 12.7, Rhode
island AT, South Dakota 90 $500, Ctaf
1911 Vermont 49,. Washington 1919, Wis
consin 142.
The rate in cities of 10000 or over was
Birmingham, Ala, 20.3, Los Angeles 30
Oakland, Cal, S24; San Francisco 49,
Denver St6: Washington 241; Atlanta
la; Chicago 209 indianapolis 239; Louis
Vile IS: New Orleans 21.S; Baltimore 145
| Boston 1873. Detroit 81; Grand Rapid
| 11.5; Minneapolis 17.5; st. Paul 1879; Kan
sas City, Mo, 81; st. Louis 2S.9; Oman
! 90; New York 1914: Cincinnati 1LS
Cleveland 1SS Columbus, o., 2i1; Dayton
O.. 2s1; Portland, Or, 244i Philadelphia
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-22
Conditions and General Forecast.

Washington, Jan. 21.-No disturb
ance of any Importance is charted
anywhere within the United States and
as a result fair weather prevailed dur
ing the last a hours over practically
the entire country Temperatures
throughout the country are now gem
orally near or above the normal There
is nothing at the present time 10 in
dicate 4 return Gt unsea sonably cold
weather in any part of the country
within the next several days. Fair
weather will prevail. Monday and
Tuesday, throughout practically the
entire country. The temperature viii
change little throughout the country
during the next. * hours.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-22
TRADE review.
Operators Show Lack Of
Speculative Convictions.
LuII in New Contracts Divides
Steel Trade Opinions.
Copper Trade Condition Present a
Like Degree of Resitancy.

New York, Jan. 2l.-The dullness of
dealings in the stock market, last
week, and the sluggishness of price
movements, both of which underwent
a radical change in the last two days,
seemed to argue the lack of any
strong speculative convictions on the
part of operators. AS to general de-
velopments the lack of conviction was
as to whether the new year was bear
ing out the promise of the latter part
of last year. In the steel trade opin-
ions We're divided over the significance
OF the lull which has occurred in new
contracts, which We're rather active
in December. A falling off in these
was expected after the filing eff re-
qurements previous to the expiration
of w-priced periods and hopes are
expressed in some quarters that ac-
tivity will go forward again after a
pause The amount of the New York
Central rail order was Disappointing,
in view of the large rail capacity idle.
Copper trade conditions presented a
like degree of hesitaneN.
Expectation of a continuing condi-
ton of surplus steel products over do
mestic requirements is inferred from
the project of the large independent
steel companies to form joint eX-
porting company to handle foreign
business.
Last week saw few new bond is
sues. but the issue price and the in
tention of other companies to resort
yet 10 short note issues are evidence
OF dissatisfaction with terms. The
New York Public Service Commission
fixed a permissive minimum price of
So to the New York Central Road, for
the sale of 100000 of its , l. per
cent gold bonds. This same bond was
issued at par in 1897 for the ocmpany's
comprehensive refunding plan. The in
cident naturally invited comparison
between investment conditions then
and now as between periods showing
mary similarities in other respects.
one parallel with that period IS
shown in the rapid piling up OF bank
reserves here which continued, last
week.
The political situation continues TO
engage a proportion of financial con-
sderaticn.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-22
Murderer Phelps Gets a
Three-days Respite.
The Execution Will Be DefeTr-
ed Until After Wednesday.
Believed That Governor Nay Present
Council Communication Petition.

Boston. Jan. 2l.-Silas N Phelps, the
Monroe Bridge murderer, whose death
by electrocution at the Charlestown
state prison for the killing of Dep
uty Sheriff Emmett f Haskins was
set for the present week, has secured
at least three days more of life as
result of the request of Gov. Eugene
n. Foss that the execution be defer
red until after Wednesday.
The electreeutien was ordered by
the court which pronounced the SEN
tence to take place during the week
of Dec. 81. Gov. Foss granted respite
of l. DAYS which advanced the time
of execution TO the present week. and
Phelps could have been put to death
by the prison officials at any time af-
ter L o'clock, this morning.
In accordance with the custom of
Warden Bridges to shorten as much
a S possible the hours of anxiety Of
prisoners under sentence of death it
had been planned to carry out the or
ders of the court in the Phelps case,
early during the present Week.
Late yesterday, however. Warden
Bridges received a letter from Gov.
Foss. in which a request was made
that execution of the sentence of
death upon Phelps be deferred until
after Wednesday, in view of certain
circumstances" which had arisen.
As the Governors Council, which has
the power of committing death sentences
meets, on Wednesday it is inferred that
GOV Foss intends at that time to present
to the Council a petition for the COM
of the sentence Of Phelps to life
imprisonment
Such a petition Was denied by the Gov
ernor. last week. without consultation
with the Council. as is within the power
of the Governor to do. But following
with Ma. Thomas L. Walsh
of the Governors staff and W. y. Dav
export. counsel for the prisoner. the Gov
conclusion that he wished the Council
to act upon the petition. the new body
which came in with the administration,
this year. never having had an oppor-
tunity to vote upon the matter.
The execution Of Phelps will not take
place, therefore, until after Wednesday
Should the Council consider the
matter on that day and vote against
Communication, however the execution may
be expected to take place at the earliest
moment within the law thereafter,
which would be between the hour of
midnight and sunrise on Thursday morn
ing