davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-21
A Shoe Shining Artist

N OMIN1C Is a bootblack. Most
IL people would call him "wop'
If they referred to him at all
but, nevertheless, he is shoe-shin-
Ing artist. Horatio Alger might
have made him the hero Of a book
except that in Dominic's case indus
try and application have failed to
raise him above thelevel Of his fell
low sinners:
This paragon Of brush wielders
and a half dozen others are en-
ployed by the swarthy, fat pro-
prietor Of a marble bench, leather
upholstered shoe-shining establish
ment in the basement of a lower
Broadway skyscraper, a place where
half the seats are Preserved for
ladies'; which means the stenog-
raphers, filing clerks and telephone
operators, who each day, in an ex-
press elevator, on company time,
swoop down on the overworked shoe
polishers and seek to have the suede
Of their high heeled, low chartered
footgear rubbed smooth.
Can't Please Women
Dominic, however, pays little at
tention to these customers, because.
as he says: "You can't please them
trails" But let man appear whose
feet are encased in good shoes, ar
ticles costing from $40 to $50 a pair,
and his black eyes light up. He is
the acme of courteous attention.
When the customer is seated
Dominic grasps the sole of one Of the
high priced shoes firmly in his cal
loused, blackened hands, gazes at it
q moment and then begins to work.
He applies some thick, pasty brown
connection of unidentified ingredi-
ents and then scrubs the leather Wig
orously. At the toes he is deliberate
and methodical. He watches for
tiny abrasions Of the leather and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-21
TIME call Of dying race has
again come to Frederick
O'Brien. Seeker after re-

again come to Frederick
O'Brien. Seeker after re-
mote places, adventurer,
wanderer, author and bachelor-he
says one must be that to succeed at
the rest-he has heard it even
amid the rattle and bang Of elevated
trains, the whistle Of traffic cops,
the clangor of the money-makers
and the hurly-burly of everyday life
In big city.
He is going back to have a last
look at the Marquesans - that
strange "white-tawny" people who,
some time in the infancy Of the
world, migrated "from Ireland, per-
haps," across the Gland bridge which
stretches its crippled body along the
floor Of the Pacific" and are now in
the throes Of their final struggle for
existence, far away under the glow
Of the Southern Cross.
The Marquesas Islands lie mid
way between South America and
Australia, in the South Pacific
Ocean. They comprise a group of
thirteen patches belonging to France.
Here dwell, or dwelt, race Of mag
nificent men and beautiful women
who among whalers, sea traders and
early adventures bore the reputa-
tion Of cannibals, but whom O'Brien
learned to regard in more kindly
light.
The Last Remnant
Wearing only loin cloth, he lived
for year among the reformed man
eaters, unreformed wild women,
lepers, derelicts, mosquitoes and de-
vout French priests, and now that
the call has come to him again, con-
veying the news that terrible cpl
demic had all but wiped out the
Cast remnant Of the remnant" he
is going to go back to live with
them again before they are finally
exterminated from the list of peo-
pies inhabiting the globe.
eve are gone," letter written
to him by the "Ghost Girl" one Of
the young women he met in the
islands, said. "Now has come the
last plague to kill us. Many of the
people you knew in the valley are
dead. No more children are being
born. There Is no more hope for
us, dear friend. We are as q people
already dead"
O'Brien has a constitutional an
tpathy to what he calls "being
taken too seriously" But there was
q touch Of genuine regret and SYM
pathy In his voice when, on a re-
cent visit to New York, he read the
letter from the "Ghost Civil"
Explaining his own love for dis
tant adventures and alien scenes, he
said:
The Vanderbilt
There is in the nature Of every
man, firmly believe, a longing to
see and know the strange places Of
the world. Life imprisons us all in
It's coil of circumstance and the
dreams of romance that color bow
Nood are forgotten, but they do not
die.
They stir at the sight of a white
sailed ship beating out to tho wide
sea; the smell Of tarred rope or q
blackened wharf or the touch Of tho
cool breeze that stirs when the stars
come out will waken them again."
Somewhere over the rim Of The
world lies romance, and every heart
yearns to find it."
Having thus explained his credo
Of life, Mr.. O'Brien went on to tell
OF his adventures during his first
quest Of the "rainbow's end" and Of
The strange people and still stranger
he encountered there.
Found 800 Years Ago
oBrien's theory Is that the Mar
quesans are the remnants Of a eau
eastan race that had been isolated |
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-21
80 The Beautiful Race of The South Seas
3nN Is Being Exterminated by Civilization

bis liking, takes her to his home.
In case the young woman does not
please the youths mother the girl
Is sent away the next morning and
another girl is brought and the proc
ess is repeated.
'sCave Women
After marriage, however, the
Marquesan woman frequently denies
to her husband the freedom she her
self enjoys. This was brought home
sharply to Haabuani, master of cere-
monies at the dances, and the ma
tive who thought to confer a favor
upon O'Brien by giving him his wife.
eff have a friend, and he tempo
rarily desires my wife, am glad, if
she is wiling" Haabuani told
O'Brien, "but my enemy shall not
have that privilege with my consent.
I would be glad to have you look
upon her with favor. You are kind
to me. You have treated me as a
chief and you have bought my kava
bowl. But my wife, Toho, does what
she pleases, yet if toss but a pebble
IN another pool, she is furious. See,
l have the bruises still of her beat
ing"
O'Brien told, also, Of an encounter
he had had with one Of the women
who selected him for her attentions.
He met this woman on a mountain
trail during one of his exploration
expeditions.
Perhaps mile above the village,
in a wilderness Of shrubbery, trees
and giant ferns, we came upon
cross trail, thin line Of travel
hardly breaking the dense growth,
and saw woman appear from
among the leaves.
"She was large, perhaps five feet
ten inches tall; Juno figure, hand
some and 1.-THE: Such a woman of
her age, about twenty-five years,
does the work Of a man, making
copra, fells trees, lifts heavy stones
and is match for the average man
in strength.
An Island Juno
"She was dark. as are all Mar
quesans who live a hardy and viror-
Gus outdoor life unsheltered from
sun and wind, and in the half
shadow Of the forest she seemed like
an animal, wild and savage. Her
scarlet pareau and necklace Of red
peppers added color to a picture
that struck me at once rs bizarre
and memorable.
1.-The horse had passed her, and
turning about In the saddle Oriyie
(O'Brien's companion) replied to
her greeting while l added a courte-
our 'kaoha.' She looked at me with
extraordinary attention, which as
cribed to my white ducks and travel
ing cap, while she asked who | was.
Orivie replied that 1 was a stranger
on my way over the mountain.
"She advanced into the main trail
then, letting slip from her shoulders
weight Of packages, and sudden
ly embraced me, smelling my face
and picking me up in a bear hug
that, startled as was, nearly choked
me.
Take care" cried Orivie, In a
tone between alarm and amusement
l backed hastily away, and sought
to take refuge beside boulder. but
she vaulted after me, and, Selling
me again, resumed her passionate
attack.
She is a woman of the noun !
tains. She will take you away to
her paepae,' my excited guide yelled
warningly.
An Attempted kidnapping
"That was her intention. There
was no doubt about it. She seized
me by the arm and tried to drag
me away from the boulder to which
I chung. For several moments l was
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-21

are not strong enough to rel
them, will drag them away to e.
mountain lairs.
"She would give you food 81
treat you with kindness, as a nj
does his BRIDE" the guide 81
O'Brien. "You know, in the old d.,E
the strong women had more than ~
husband; sometimes four or All
and they chose them in this wav4
O'Brien asked, somewhat ne,I
ously, it would appear, il the In,
he and his guide were pursuing n
anywhere near the mountad
woman's home.
NO." replied the guide.
"Then let US hasten onward
O'Brien replied.
Have Irish Traits
But such incidents as this fail.
to destroy the admiration for til
Marquesans as whole whieh
O'Brien came to feel for them in Ill
years stay among them. He wa
constantly Icing reminded of the;d
resemblance to their Caucasian fol
bears, and was particularly inl
pressed by the traits which it Seems
to him they must have inheritA3
from the Irish.
"They are beautiful in appearans
and beautiful in nature" he ss,aI
"They are more like the Irish Ehsd
any aborigines l have known. Tha
are gentle and have a belief in I'll
supernatural which is an inharsI
trait Of the Celt. /
"You may ask how I can say I'll
they are gentle and still be form
cannibals. The explanation Is TIL
Cannibalism with them was not Il
much an appetite for human fiesZ
or an expression Of cruelty, as &
was an expression of tribal pridE
They ate their enemies, as some md
among US recently drank liquor, M
because they cared for it especialE
but as a social habit. b
Gin the relations between men ah
women the conventions are not 3
rigidly adhered to as among maj
other people. The Marquesan wom
is not the cold. chaste woman "a
other climes; they have no barrias
Of reserve or haughtiness; TIL
make no bargains; they go whe
the heart goes, careless Of certid&
vows" q
IL
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-21
lite. She is a leper, that rich

girl"
Strange Names
O'Brien went to the Cannibal
Isles aboard a steamer which had
also as a passenger the new French
governor Of the Marquesas. The
natives among whom he found him.
self had strange names, such as
"Man Who Was Roasted on a Stick"
Malicious Gossip" Exploding
EGGS" "The Seventh Man Who
Wallows," and girl Of unusual
beauty and charm whose name was
"Vanquished Often"
"Vanquished Often was perhaps
thirteen years DID," said O'Brien.
with grace Of carriage, a beauty
and perfection Of features, a rich
ness of coloring no canvas could de-
pfct. Her skin was OF warm olive
hue, with tinges of red in the
cheeks and the lips cherry ripe. Her
eyes were dark brown, large, melt
ing, childishly retrospective. Her
hands were shapely and her little
bare feet, arched, rosy nailed, were
like flowers on the sand. She wore
the thinnest Of sheer white cotton
TUNES and there were flamboyant
flowers in the shining dark hair that
rumbled to her waist"
Vanquished Often displayed all
the artlessness Of child in her con-
duct, and on one occasion invited
O'Brien to accompany her to the
spring by the beach where the
women went bathing.
A Charming Picture
"Vanquished Often, slipping from
her white tunic, stepped beneath
the crystal water and laughed at
the cool delight of it on her smooth
skin," he went on. It was a picture
OF which artists dream-the naked
girl laughing in the torrents Of
transparent water, the wet crimson
blossoms washing from her drowned
hair, and beneath the striped shade
OF the palm trunks her simple. saw
age companions waiting their turn.
squatting on the sand or crowded
on the canoe, their loins wrapped
in crimson and blue pareaus. Behind
them all the mountain rose steeplv.
mass Of brilliant green jungle
growth, and before them, across the
rim Of shining white sand, spread
the wide, blue sea.
Courtesy suggested that l should
be tho next to feel the refreshing
current. We let slip the garment
OF timorous covering very easily
whsn nudity is commonplace. Val
Tahu (the name by which the little
settlement was known) was to teach
me to be modest without pother. to
chat with those about mo during my
additions without concern for the
false vanities Of screens, or even
the ahelter Of rocks. In such scenes
one perceives that immodesty is in
the false shame that makes one cling
to clothes rather than In the aimple
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-21
Artists Honored

Men were honored for their artis-
try, highest place being given to the
tattooers, carvers, the designers and
builders of canoes, the doctors, archi-
tects and warriors. Men and wom-
en- rose to influence and chief rank
only by deeds that won popular adj
miratlon. These people were hero
worshippers, and in the bloodiest of
the old days those of fine soul, who
had a message Of entertainment or
instruction, were sacred to all tribes.
so they could travel anywhere in
safety and were welcome guests in
all homes"
But whereas the Marquesans were
highly advanced along the lines Of
cooperative effort their marriage
customs were, and are, according to
OBrien, not in harmony with those
which are entertained in the moro
modern, civilized countries. The woo.
ing is mostly done on the beaches.
and tho youth, finding . maiden 70
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-21
Language Dying, Too

O'Brien added that his task
learning the Marquesan Language
had been simplified by the fact th9
a dying language is the inevitat&
concomitant of a dying peoplf
That is, the fewer the people III
fewer their words. /
Language grows or shrinks Will
the number Of people who speak IT.
he said. "Thus the French languaet
will decrease because the Frend
people are growing fewer in nun
Der. The English language, on u
other hand, is constantly making NJ
ditions, because the English speat-
ing people are becoming moro anl
more numerous. The number ii
words always increases with m6r
extended usage, variety Of life, Ga
etc.
"The Polynesian is Of a dyiss
race, and so for a century BIZ
language has been dying also.
have dictionaries of all the Poly1
nesian languages, but l find th7
two-thirds Of the words are not On
derstood even by the surviving NJ
tives themselves.
"The words they have forgottHI
are the high water marks showind
how far the national life has fallen
Some idea of the rapidity with whieA
the Marquesans are vanishing ms!
be gained from the fact that of thu
of thousands formerly ipf
the islands only about fsd
are left.
A Last Visit
Il am going back to have lG
look at them before they are gon1
The recent epidemic y
influenza hit the Marquesans hardt1
than it did, perhaps, many otkf
people, and they died in droves.
Tahiti, which is not in the MarqW4
sas, but comparatively near by, TN
people died so fast that their hod4
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-21

natives 1.-THE golden bed" It's fame
spread far and wide and the natives
eagerly sought opportunities to gaze
upon it.
An Idyllic Life
"Life in Vai-Tahu was idyllic."
said O'Brien. 'The whites, having
desolated and depopulated this once
thronged valley, had gone, leaving
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-21

IN the group picture the
4 islanders are sho1g1, doing
the up0up1hMr1 or hal0 on
the beach of Marquesos. The
individual pictures are photo
graphs of tho of the island
beauties
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-21

the remnant Of its people to return
to their native virtue and quietude.
Here, perhaps, more than in any
other spot in all the isles, the Mar
quesans lived as their forefathers
had before the whites came.
Doing nothing sweetly was an
art in Vai-Tahu. Pleasure is ma
lures sign Of approval. When man
is happy he is in harmony with him
self and his environment. The peo-
pie of this quiet valley did not crave
for excitement. The hustle and ner-
vous energy Of the white wearied
them excessively. Time was never
wasted, to their minds, for leisure
was the measure of it's value.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-21
Divide Household Tasks

Domestic details, the prepara-
ton of food, the care of children.
the nursing Of the sick, were the
tasks of all the household. Husband
and wife, or the mates unmarried.
labored together in delightful unitv.
Often the woman accompanied her
man into the forests, assisting in the
gathering Of the nuts and bread
fruit, in the fishing and the build
ing. When these duties did not &C.
cupy them, or when they were not
together bathing in the river or at
the via puma, they sat side by side
in their paepaes in meditation.
Before interference with their
natural customs the Marquesans
were communists to a large degree.
Their only private property con-
sisted Of houses, weapons, orna-
ments and clothing, for the personal
use Of the owner himself.
"All large works, such as the erec-
ton of houses, the building of large
canoes and, in the ancient DAYS, the
raising of paepaes and temples, were
done by mutual cooperation, though
each family provided its own food
and made provision for the future
by storing breadfruit in the popoi
pits. In the old days a chief was
often relegated to the ranks for
failure in war, and always for an
overbearing attitude toward the
commoners. Such arrogant fellows
were kicked out Of the seat of power
unceremoniously.
Artists Honored
Men were honored for their artis-
wv hIrhocf ,o1oo1
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-11-06

proposing to launch with South
ern banking capital would be a helm
TO that company and to all other con-
Germs engaged in the export of cot
ton. W.
Not only would the corporation
De prepared to handle paper renra.
Sehtlng exports Of cotton. but misc
paper representing exports Of anv
Other raw product of the South os
Wen as manufactured products ~
the South.
The time has come. in NV iudg-
m"nt. when we have got 70 nusb o,,-
exports. There has been suggestion
OF great national exporting corpora-
tloh 10 finance all exports of Whatever
klhd from all parts of the country.
90 not believe there is sufficient ma
uonal cohesion of interests to bring
IL about. What appears to me to be
more suitable and useful is a number
of smaller corporations organized in
'he different sections to handle the ex-
ports OF their particular sections
ThuS, in the south an export corpor-
at!on established primarily to handle
thc cotton exports, with the financial
capacity to handle other exports as
we'll
I'VE have in the south the capi-
tai necessary to handle our products
IN big way on the markets of the
world. 1t will strengthen us i'm
mcnsely to help ourselves"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-11-06

called the smccting for Saturday
morning in New Orleans. and Mr.,
Matthews goes to the meeting as q
member of the organization COM
mittec. Other bankers Of the state
have been invited to attend the meet
ing in New Orleans
This corporation will be an aid TO
the export company which EX-Goy-
"rnor Manning is organizing under
the auspices of the American Cotton
association, and the purpose of the
bankers is to aid in financing this
and all other exporters.
Mr.. Maddox, recently, in explain-
ing the purpose of the bankers said
I'VE propose to form corporation
with an authorized capital stock Of
$l2.OOO,C00. This repre- scuts 81 ner
bale for the estimated cotton pro-
ductiOn. The stock is to be prorat
cd among the cotton states accord
ing to start business with 80 per
cent Of the stock, amounting to So
100000, paid in. This would enable
worth Of paper.
The corporation would hOt engage
in the business OF buying cotton
here and selling it abroad. Its bust
ness would be to handle tn paper
taken by cotton exporters in payment
for cotton which they bought here and
would not interfere at all with the
export corporation Cor company
which South Carolina business men
are undertaking. tO Orr1ni1C ,ID6or
the auspices Of the American Cotton
association. That company proposes
TO buy cotton here and sell it abroad.
IS I understand its plans. The ftnan-
&ial corporation which we are
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-11-06

turns showed that the Cox-Roose-
Welt ticket had lost at least nine
states which President Wilson car
ried four years ago-California, Col
orado, Idaho, Kansas, Maryland, New
Hampshire, Ohio, Utah and Washing
ton.
Twenty-nine states, regarded from
the wealth Of Republican majority as
assured for the Republican prcsiden-
tial ticket, We're: California, Colo
rado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas.
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,,
Michigan, Minnesota, Nebras a,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, South Dakota. Utah,
Vermont, Washington, West Virginia,
Wisconsin and Wyoming.
In the Cox column were: Alabama.
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Ken
tucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and
ViSginia.
States from which returns tonight
were incomplete were: Arizona, Mis-
souri,, Montana, Nevada. New Mex
leo, North DLkOta, Oklahoma and
Tennessee.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-11-06
Republican Theory of Govern
nent OF and By the Bosses of
industry and Finance Para
- mount
AEOPLE TURN AGAINST
~ TRUE DEMOCRACY
The Verdict of the Ballots
Leaves No Doubt AS to What
the Majority the People Think
They Want

New York. Nov. 3.-The crest OF
thA Republican election wave. both
pte>idential and congressional. con-
timed rising tonight as belated re-
turns Altered I'm.
Among new Democratic casualties
were defeats OF Representative Champ
Clark OF Missouri. former speaker
add present Democratic leader in
the house: election OF Republican
congressman from Texas, reelection
OF a Republican senator from Mis-
souri, and n sudden jump of sena-
tor- Harding into the lead I'm Okla
homa. Another border state, Ten
(nesce hung by n narrow margin but
The Democrats were leading
A Republican senate majority of
about ten, as compared with but two
AT present. and u house majority OF
around 100. as against 90 odd were
other forecasts OF the overwhelming
mAJorities.
With about eight states still in the
doubtful list In presto entail and SEN
Atorial contests. the huge majority
was assured Senator Harding OF at
least $40 electoral votes, with Cover
nor Cor certain OF l27 and all from
the solid south" including Ken
tueky. The Republicans today ad-
dsd Idaho, Maryland and South Da-
kOta, 10 their string. on the face OF
large maJorities. and OF the remain
Ing states tho Republicans were re-
ported leading In Oklahoma. Arizona.
Missouri. Montana. Nevada and North
Dakota Democratic margins In New
Mexico and Tennessee were reported.
Among Republican senators elect
I'D In hard contests were LenroOt OF
WISCONSIN. who wac opposed vigOr-
uusly by Senator La Toilette: Spen-
Ger OF Missouri who defeated Breck-
n1ldge Long, former assistant secrc-
~ OF state. and Jones of Wash
ION. senate commerce committee
vnan. Senator Phelan, Democrat,
|Ornia was defeated by Samuel
.ortridEe, Republican. and Sena-
NTH. Democrat. Maryland.
lost To O. r. Weller. Repub-
0snator Nugent, Democrat,
es defeated by Former Gov
ding
gardluk. at Marion. ex-
>esy<ms ct congratulatlon
Iis southern vacation.