davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13

Ypres lies almost equally distant. in
nearly straight line. between Dixmude, on
the User. and Armentieres. across the
frontier. on the River Lys. Like most OF
Flanders, this part of the country is a
network of rivers and canals. Maps
published in the English papers show
in detail the character of the country
in which the conflict now RACES.
wide canal connects Client with the
sea. 1t was originally constructed in
order to protect the town from mum
seagoing vessels. 1t now joins the
Sche1de at Terneuzen. Another canal
connects Client with the one from
Bruges to ostend. which is in it's turn
connected with the Canal de Raccorde-
ment, known as the New canal.
The old Belgian cities and the wa
tering places frequented by the fash
Ionable throngs in summer are now
But soldiers are young. and man in
youth is known to be the most resilient
OF all things. The splendid bathing
beaches along the coast of Belgium
the scenes of festivity, it is reported,
as well is death.
There is no finer bathing or softer
sand in the world than is to be found
on the coast of Belgium Ostend Is
famous for it's splendid beach and flne
sea bathing. All the way from Ostend
to Calais there is an endless success
sion of little bathing resorts. all we'll
patronized in times of peace and
plenty. Letters from the boys at the
front tell of the sports enjoyed in the
very. shadow of death. OF how the
cavalrymen off duty ride up and down
the firm. white beaches and enjoy them
selves. When the weather permits
they indulge in the luxury of a bath
in the surf
Many of the dainty little villas, which
only a few months ago. at the beginning
of 1.-THE season" were the summer homes
of the rich Belgian families. are occupied
by soldiers. On the sandy shore, where
the happy little folks made sand forts
and enjoyed themselves, and where their
handsomely gowned mammas lolled in
their beach chairs or read the latest
French novel, in the shade of one of the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13

candle can remain lighted after 9
o'clock: All through the night the
dark. deserted streets are patrolied by
protectingiy the allies aeropianes.
which frequently have engagements. it
is reported. with the aircraft of the
enemy.
Lille lies to the south of Armen-
there's. 1t is only twenty-five and a
half miles from Lille to Ypres. which
shows how closely these little French
and Flemish cities are jumbled to-
gether. Lille Is the chief town of the
formerly the capital of Flanders. 1t
is fortress Of the first class. Its cita-
del is credited with being Nauban $
masterpiece. The city lies in a fertile
and well watered plain on the Deule
which is navigable and also connected
with a network of canals. The forti-
fications of the city were greatly en-
larged in 1858. since which time the
population has doubled. The popuia-
ton. according to the census of 1901
The modern city is particularly i'm
posing. Handsome buildings have been
erected and modern streets laid out
Few of the old ediflecs have survived
The Duke Of Marlborough took Lille
from France, but it was restored early
in the eighteenth century.
4 *
The Austrians besieged the city un-
successfully in 1892. It is famous for
its manufactures Of Lille thread"
linen and cotton goods. No part of the
city is more attractive than the hand
some new Boulevard de la Liberte.
which ends at the bridge near the
Square Vauban. the boundary line be-
tween the old town and the new. The
city gate, La Porte de Paris, while
modern, is most effective and gives al
most the impression of a triumphal
arch.
The typhoid fever peril is now added
to all the other dangers which beset
the allies. it is reported. Maj. Sted
man of the Royal Army Medical Corps,
in a letter from Calais, appeals to the
London Times for a new hospital ship
and new hospital for immediate use
in fighting the scourge which is rapid
ly gaining ground among the unfor-
tunate population Of western Flanders
and northern France. He states that
an epidemic of typhoid is threatened.
It is estimated that between twenty
and thirty fresh cases are being dis
covered daily. II permitted to develop.
as it is doing, the major states, the
epidemic will quickly sweep away the
remainder of the Belgian army from
the field, and incidentally a large part
of the civilian population as well.
One of the most surprising facts con-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13

square in the center of the town, Place
Jean Bart. is charmingly quaint and
prosy. No one in Dunkirk is in hurry,
not even the dogs and cats. The sun
shines down on the paved expanse of
cobblestones. which look as If they had
been newly scrubbed. The surround
ing roy of neat and drowsy looking
buildings all have the same staid air
of decorum. And yet right in the mid
die of the sleepy square stands the
monument of the brave and dashing
privateer, Jean Bart He was born in
Dunkirk in 1861, and after all his ex-
citing escapades closed his eyes here
when only fifty-one years of age. But
Jean believed in a short life and a
birth he was glad to enter the service
at the beginning of the war with Hol-
land. Not being able to be promoted in
the French army, he became captain of
gallant exploits reached the ears of
the royal Louis. After Bart had won
distinction in his engagements with the
Dutch and English. King Louis XIV. in
gin. made him a lieutenant and then
him the commander of a squadron.
The figure of Jean Bart stands on a
bronze and of heroic size. The intrepid
privateer waves his sword in his ex-
tended hand He was a very handsome
fellow, if the statue is a true likeness,
out, IN the OLD quiet Gays, Inc ~diHkS
statue looked out of place in somno-
lent Dunkirk.
Armentieres is on the river Lys, A
short distance to the south of Ypres.
In the thick of the fight, it also is said
to be near ruin. For weeks the Ger
mans, it is reported, have been shelling
the town. One shell struck a large gas
Id
for some reason there has been a great
scarcity of water It is believed the
Germans may have cut the conduits.
The Industrial life of the place is dead.
The busy looms which made quantities
of fine table linen and cloth are all ST.
lent. All civilians are required to be
within doors by pm. and not even a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13

nected with the terrific fighting by
the Germans around Ypres in their de-
termined efforts to reach Calais is the
amazing cases of the wounded with
out wounds" The Smelling produces
many cases OF strange battle shock
shocks so severe in nature that the
men are deprived of memory and be-
come physical wrecks. incapable of re-
naming at the front. While il has
not been proved. IL is believed in many
quarters that the weakness may he
due to the frightful wind disturbances
and screech of passing shells.
Calais, the Teutons' goal, is only
eighteen miles from Dover. the nearest
English port. II is a fortress of the
first class. 1t derives it's chief inn
portance from its splendid harbor and
its immense traffic with England. II
is estimated that more than 2oo.ooo
travellers pass through the city each
year.
The harbor of Calais is accessible At
by two piers. From the end OF the
longer pier. which is LOO feet. the
chalk cliffs of Dover. across the chan
mel, can be easily distinguished in
clear wather.
After the battle of Crecy, in 1886.
King Edward III blockaded Calais BY
land and sea After most desperate
resistance of eleven months he starved
the town into surrender. As A condi-
ton of sparing Calais he stipulated.
quite in the fashion of the old counts
of Flanders themselves. that six noble
citizens clad only in their shirts AMI
with halters round their necks. should
give themselves up to his mercy
Eustache de st. Pierre and five other
noblemen consented to be these patri-
otto martyrs, but the prayers of Queen
Phillippa saved their lives. The Eng
lish remained in possession of Calais
for two centuries. until the Duke OF
Guise 1.-THE liberator of Calais. in
1858 obtained il from the small Eng
lish garrison of 500 men. with his
army of 10000 men. but only after
siege lasting seven days
The Hotel de Vile, in the Place
d'Armes, is the handsomest building in
the city To the left is the Rue DE-
Guise, at the end OF which is the Hotel
die Guse, quaint old building in the
Tudor style. 1t was originally guild
house for the woolstaplers, but was
presented to the duke after his cap
ture of the town. Calais citizens see
many strangers with cameras. particu-
larly the people who live in or near the
old Guise mansion, but nevertheless
there are heads at the windows, and
persons of both sexes and all ages al
ways hanging round to get their pic
lures taken.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13
ION TO CALAlSw is SLOGAN OF KAISER WILLIAMS REINFO

Cloth Hall. is, or was. the pride of
all Flanders. 1t was begun in the first
year of the thirteenth century and not
completed until 1O3 years later. 1t is of
Immense size with simple but most
imposing facade $50 feet long. pierced
by two rows of quaint pointed win
dows, over which rises steep roof
In the center of the roof rises the mas
sve belfry square tower having
turrets at each angle and Boosting a
huge clock, whose four round faces
and sonorous voice could be both seen
and heard in every part of the town.
Berlin dispatches admit that the Ger
man bombardments have demolished 1t.
The foundation stone for the oldest
part of the building was laid In 1900
by Count Baldwin of Flanders. who
took part in the fourth crusade The
impressive grandeur of Cloth Hall at
Ypres is said to have given Sir Gilbert
Scott the inspiration for his beautiful
design for the town hall of Hamburg.
graced the facade of the splendid
building in Ypres. representing the
princes who bore the exalted title Of
Counts of Flanders. from Baldwin of
Charles v and his queen In 1860 the
ancient counts and their ladies were
replaced by forty-four figures-the
work of the famous Brussels artist,
Juyenbroeck.
Attached to the eastern end of the
building is the charming seventeenth
century Town Hall of Ypres. 1t is in
the renaissance style and the first
story. or ground floor, has a portico
supported by graceful columns. The
open hall. or colonnade, is twenty feet
wide and reminds one of the lovely
palaces on the Grand canal at Venice
The Town Hall boasts number of
typical old Flemish art treasures. In
the room known as the Sale des Mari
ages there are fine frescoes by Cuff
fens and Swerts showing the festa1
entry of Philip the Bold and his wife
into Ypres in 1884 and other historical
scenes. There is also a beautiful mod
ern chimney piece in the salon. the
work of Malfait of Brussels, and some
old wall paintings of the Counts of
Flanders. which have been restored.
One of the most powerful scenes de-
picts with horrible fidelity the ravages
of the plague in the year 1916. One of
the modern categorical paintings rep
resents the manufacture of cloth. 1t is
unfinished, the artist, Delbeke, having
died before it's completion.
1t is hard for those who can picture
old Ypres. with its broad, well paved
streets and its air Of peaceful dignity, as
they have known it. to realize that the
ancient city is "spotless town" no more.
Reports tell that its old Flemish build
ings have been demolished or mutiated
and it's clean streets rendered impossible
by the great piles of debris that block
the way.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13

N the western Dattie 'front.' IN
Europe, Ypres is reported to
be the center of the great
conflict again raging in west
ern Flanders, Artois and
Picardy. in northern France. Amster-
dam dispatches state that 100000 fresh
troops have been sent to make des-
perate attempt to capture Ypres. The
German reinforcements are to aid the
army engaged in the terrific struggle
known to be taking place in the region
between the User and the Lys.
London and Paris reports agree that
as the former lightning campaign had
Paris as II objective. the kaiser's new
goal is Calais. the French seaport sit
uated on the narrowest part of the
strait Of Dover-a position which
makes it the key to the English chan
mel.
Many dispatches from different
sources concur in the belief that the
mighty guns. which have left their
mark in smoldering ruins and mutt
.ated corpSeS throughout Belgium. are
now to be brought to subdue Ipres.
This little town. in the province OF
West Flanders. has already suffered an
almost continuous hombardment for
month. Thousands of the allies have
given up their lives in its defense, and
slaughtered in the repeated assaults
which have occurred.
*
Frost has hardened the roads. and
both armies are reported to have seized
new points of vantage for their heavy
artillery. a terrible contest is believed
to be imminent, if not already taking
place. The German guns which are to
reinforce the kaiser's troops are
known to be capable of hurting death
and destruction for more than seven
teen miles from their emplacement
Ypres is on the Yperlee, a little
stream SO small that it's name does not
appear upon the war maps. Although
in Belgium, the town is but little
known by its Flemish name, "Ieperen."
1t is reported In the London papers
that all persons living within an hour
of the town have been sent away.
Ypres itself is believed to have long
ago been nearly destroyed by the con-
slant rain of shot and shell. Its splen-
did old Flemish buildings. it is feared,
have suffered the same fate as others,
doomed to destruction by the invad-
ing forces.
In the old days of Ypres many hun
people of the town were very generally
engaged in the weaving of fine linen.
Lace making. too. was the employment
of many of its thrifty citizens.
The famous Halle de Drapiers, or
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13

call for the assembly to all of the tribe
in person.
The gathering is held as rule in d
great oval building or out of doors, the
oval form being retained in the ar
rangement of the participants. The
lodge is formed east and west, the Of
ficials and those who are to perform
the ritual being stationed at the east
I'm striving to express the cosmic.
the people are divided into three grand
divisions two representing the sky and
two the mundane sphere-one the wa
ter and one the earth. The sky people
occupy the north side of the oval. the
other two facing them on the south
side. Each of these divisions, in turn.
is divided into seven clans. The figure
seven runs through much of the pro-
ceedings.
'"These seven degrees may be roughly
termed the bird killing ceremony; de-
gree for boys, the fasting ceremony.
the ceremony of the sacred bird hawk,
the rush mat case ceremony. the case
being a ceremonial case made of a rush
mat and containing the sacred bird
hawk: the ceremony of the burden
strap, the ceremony of the scalp and
the ceremony of the story of the people
"All of these seven degrees relate to
the defense of the home and OF the
honor of the people, the preservation of
the industries of the women and of the
hearthstones. Naturally, they uphold
the ideas of fighting defensive wars.
There are, however, other ceremonies
relating to the benefits of peace, not
only within the tribe, but also between
the tribe and other tribes.
1.-The two peace clans of the lodge, L
may say parenthetically, have to do
with the saving of the captiveS that
have been taken in war and the adopt
ing of them into the tribe. These peace
clans have their own ceremonies and
use the same rituals and songs as those
used in the more warlike ceremonies,
but they avoid, or try to avoid, all ref
erences to the shedding of blood or the
taking of life.
ct would be a tremendous task in
brief article to recite the character of
all of the rituals. Some of them. by
the names 1 have mentioned. identify
themselves. For example. the burden
strap ceremony relates to the industries
of the women. The strap is that used
by the women in carrying fuel and food
for the family. A man who takes this
degree does it in honor of his wife.
But perhaps the most Interesting of
all the rituals is that of the story of
the people. acted out and recited. or
rather sung, in peculiar rhythm at
great length.
THE sky people occupying the north
side of the oval, known as the Hunga
people. as the story relates, were spir-
itual beings, residing in the heavens.
who wanted to take on a material life
and obtain an earthly dwelling place.
So they went to the Sun, and. address,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13

ing him as father, made known their
desires. The Sun replied that he was
their father. but that he would not tell
them where to go. He gave them an
arrow, which the people were to use
when they took on material life. and he
told them to go to the Moon. who was
their mother, and who would tell them
where to go.
They went to the Noon, and. address
ing her as mother. told her they want
ed to take on material life and also
asked her for a dwelling place. The
Moon told them they were her children
and that she would send them to the
earth. Then she gave them a bow to
help them along when they had become
material beings. Both the Sun and the
Moon promised them long life. This.
perhaps, relates to tribal life.
Then the Hunga people went to the
Morning Star and to the Evening Star.
who also promised long life. Then 1t
was that, led by the eagle. who was
given the sacred title of Hunga, they
came to earth in four great, wide soar
ings.
But they found the surface of the
earth covered with a waste of waters
so they made their landing in the tops
of four oak trees, each OF the seven
clans in its own tree. Here they APP
pealed to the water beetles, who an
swered their appeal by giving them SUI
pernatural powers to contend with the
waters
K =
Then they appealed to the Great Elk
to secure for them resting place CA
dry land. He. agreeing to grant their
request, threw himself on the face of
the waters and thrashed about, causing
the waters to recede until finally the
land was exposed and only the rivers
and the lakes remained moist. Then, in
his Joy, the Great Elk rolled about on
the earth. And there. on the ground
where he had rolled, the hairs that he
had shed in the process grew into the
grasses and the forests to clothe the
earth.
so the story runs, through many
which the people established them
selves on earth and of their meeting
with the other two divisions of people
the people who came last
Much of the ritual is in dialogue, the
Sun, the Moon. the Morning Star. the
Even ng Star the Great Elk and all the
other characters being quoted. Accom-
panying each stage of the ritual comes
the use of the ceremonial articles, the
arrow. the bow and all the others. eacn
with its own Significance.
1.-THE novice. perhaps 1 should have ex-
planned earlier. prior to entering the house
for the occasion. His face is painted in
a certain way. each mark having its own
Significance. For example, a line across
the forehead denotes the line between
night and day. darkness and dawn. Four
tiny vertical lines at right angles to the
horizontal line indicate the four directions
of the compass, or the four winds of
heaven. The various articles of his ap-
parel each has its own significance. His
feet are bound first in pieces Of buffalo
hide, signifying the dawn or uncompleted
day, but at point in his journey to the
lodge he changes these for other ceremo-
NAL moccasins, signifying the full day.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13

Desperate Attempt Of Germans French Nrowt
the Fighting Believed Have
Old Flemish
English Well encfDnud, the Little Belgian the Thick the Conflict
Former DmkLe Fortress the First Glass; Fertile Plain
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13

monial articles necessary to the initia-
ton. a puma skin, a black bearskin, a
wildcatskin. a deerskin and other artt-
cles. Securing them demonstrates the
novice's endurance and skill in the
chase and other admired qualities.
Further. he must have his substance
with which to nay the fees and costs of
the ceremony. Those who are expert
in the singing and recitation of the
ritual are to BIO paid. Also 1t Is re.
quired of the novice that he feast all
of the participants in the ceremony,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13

including all members of the society
who come during their enactment. This
alone is a great drain. The total cost
Of one initiation, it has been estimated,
is about $500.
when he is prepared and has the
sacred ceremonial articles ready and
the provisions for the feastins on hand,
together with the presents Of horses,
blankets and other valuable articles
that he must make. he sends word to
his sponsor. who in turn notifies the
official servant, who must convey the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-13

lodge in which there are sew
Ell degrees. and in which it
requires about three days
work to complete the cere-
monies of initiation in each degree?
And where it takes about seven years
savings of yourself and family to pay
the fees for each degree?
And where, when it is all over you
haven't even a secret password to show
for it, for this is not a secret lodge?
Such lodge fiourishes today in the
United States, and has fourished for
Unnumbe centuries. Its chronicles
are unWritten, its history shrouded in
TIE silence of the past; but its cere-
monial work is probably the same as it
was before Columbus ever came to
these shores
Freely translated. the name of the
lodge is The Little Old Men," and it's
membership is confined exclusively TO
members of the Usage tribe of Indians
in Oklahoma, the richest Indian tribe
il the United States An Usage who
Ia kes even one degree becomes a per
son of distinction in his tribe; one who
Ia keS several degrees rises in popular
estinla ton.
The Little Old Men are the aristocrats
of the Osages, the leaders and the sub
stantial men of the tribe. II is better
70 be a Little Old Man, even with one
degree. in the Usage tribe. than to be
president of the first national bank in
the ordinary community.
Little has been known about the
lodge. Ethnologists have, in a large
degree. passed it over II has remained
for Francis La Flesche of Washington,
one of the foremost of American eth
nologists. TO make study of the tribal
organization i'll the course of his com
prehensive study of the Osages which
he has been making for the past four
years under the direction of the bureau
of American ethnology. which is part
of the Smithsonian Institution.
IT is a dramatic and "a signihcant
story he has TO tell, revealing as II
does a side of American Indian life
hitherto little understood
Mr.. La Flesche is a full-blood Omaha
Indian himself. Born on the Omaha
reservation, he, in the Omaha Presby-
terrain Mission school, where he studied
as a boy, attracted attention to him.
self by his scholarly attachments. This
led to his being appointed. when about
eighteen years old. to a clerkship in the
Indian bureau at Washington. where
he spent some thirty years.
Sx
His spare time while in that service
was devoted to chronological research,
save for an interval in which he at
tended The National University Law
School In Washington, and was grad
uated in law.
Early he formed a friendship with
Miss Alice Cunningham Fletcher who
mas devoted long life to the study Of
American ethnology, anthropology and
archaeology, who since 1891 has held
the Thaw fellowship in the Peabody
Museum of American Archaeology and
Ethnoiogy AT Harvard, and who has
been assistant ethnologist of that Ipu-
scum since IsS2. The two cola borated
in deep study of the Omaha Indians.
their report. yoluminous in extent,
being published by the bureau of
American ethnology in 1911.
Then, at the instance of r. W. Hodge,
,thnologist in charge of the bureau