davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald., 1922-03-12
1MPARES TRACK ATHLETICS OF TO-DAY IND 80 YE4RS AGO

OF his arrival he pointed to a hurdle
and asked me:
What are those boards"
Mike Murphy soon became t~xiner
OF many hurdlers who won national
championships and then crossed the
Atlantic to outstrip the the speediest
OF the European stars. Murphy 1as
q genius and q psychologist. He made
every man on the Yale team feel that
it was in him alone in whom Mike
Murphy was interested, although. OF
course, lie wanted 10 see the others
get along. In his methods he e1-
hibited an insight into types and con-
ditions OF athletes that was unusual.
Knowing that certain man ran on
his nerves he would train him lightly.
giving him little more than starts. On
the other hand. the runner with Drawn
was worked like draft horse. Such
trainers occur only now and then in a
generation.
In the actual methods OF running
races there have been several distinct
advances made. The sprint has re-
manned practically stationary, since
the crouch start no advance having
been made We nave been born quar-
ter milers, half milers and sprint
erS: these races we took TO as nat
ura,ly az ducks TO water. IN the 30
yard race we had still 20 learn the
thigh roll, which is simply trick Of
rolling the hips slightly 80 as to in
crease the stride This trick has done
much TO increase the speed at which
the 30 was run. The youngsters who
entered the go thirty years ago We're
told to run brislily for the first 100
yards and then sprint" Nowadays and
for some years past the men VINO run
this race have been running as fast as
they have been able all the distance.
Americans did not learn how to run
the mile until they had competed with
Engl.shmen and thus learned the sim
pie lesson that made them supreme IN
this distance. The coaches used 70
send the miller out on the track with
the advice to slow UP at the third
quarter. to save himself at that por-
ton Of the lace for a furious sprint
during The last quarter. The English
runners, the Americans found kept
going Ut an even gait throughout the
race. and with this finding the truth
dawned upon them, the truth that
every man who drives an automobile
knows. It is better for the automo-
The New York herald., 1922-03-12

w rsss.':s' s' s:.s. sss On ,ss .o.s' s''as 's
India I see many scene
where there we're just women gath
cred round me. Slender beings, dainty
as butterflies, clad in soft colored
draperies, their flIttering little hands
ready TO touch mine in love and
friendship. 7 used to feel like a
clumsy mortal who had arrived un-
expectedly in fairyland, and my hat
seemed all of a sudden to become an
absurd cumbersome affair.
One scene especially remains in my
memory. 1 had invited all the most
important ladies' in Bombay to tea.
Every man had been sent out OF the
house, and for the afternoon We
women were to be alone. Many Of the
lovely guests lived in seclusion, be-
hind the Purdah or curtain, and might
not meet strange man. One OF the
guests was so particular she had her
landau driven under the porch and
would not alisht until the coachman
had embarrassed the horses and had
led them away.
The New York herald., 1922-03-12
Story of an Indian
Beauty Like Helen of Troy

1t is in tEis State that visitors as
elephants. Here it was that the IN
dian Helen OF Troy. a beautiful
Princess, was besicged by the man
who loved her for many years.
When the last day came and the
garrison could hold out no longer TIE
Princess with all her ladies' threw
themselves onto flaming pyres so
that the men, knowing that whatever
happened the women would not fall
into the enemies hands, would be
moved to fight on 10 tho end and may
be conquer
The Indian woman Is used 10 the
idea OF ending her life by fire. for
widows through past ages committed
sa!si. that is, threw themselves alive
on their husbands funeral pyre. The
custom, by more or less general con-
sent was stopped in the reign OF
Queen Victoria.
The idea Is still thought beautiful.
One day IN n royal cemetery / was
standing by monument on which
lay eight fresh marigolds. The guard
Ian OF the cemetery came up and said:
II place those flowers there every
day. for when that Prince died eight
women mounted his funeral pyre,"
and then look or ecstatic satisfaction
passed over his face.
Now that widows may not be burned
there IS no place fer them Ia a Hindu
household. They nre thought to bring
had luck: they are only allowed to
peep through the door when a party
ia In progress. As child marriages
prevail there are many child widows.
First Christian missionaries and later
Hindus with advanced ideas started
homes for these unfortunate children,
who, ~ tho way, may never rcmarry.
Tho first time 7 was invited 70 visit
home for widows I imagined my
sclf saying 2 few comforting words to
some dear old ladies'. but when ar
rivcd foun1 tho widows were an
Under twelve years OF age. These
widows viii play a useful part In life
The New York herald., 1922-03-12
More Beautiful, but Not So
Loyable Are the Moslem Wives

The Moslems are a very different
race--later comcrs to India. The
Hindus began 10 penetrate into India
as far back as 1000 Z. G. and the
Moslems made their first appearance
IN 700 4. d. If only the philosophic
peace loving Hindus had been allowed
to continue in peaceful possession OF
the country history would have worn
a very different face.
The Aoslems were ruthless con-
ouerors, and Tennyson has immortal
lied the fact that one of the first con-
ouerors Timur. built a tower OF S0,-
900 human skulls" These being Hindu
skulls.
Naturally the Moslems imposed some
Of their restrictions on the Hindus,
and especially the seclusion or women.
The Hindus were forced to hide their
women from the conquerors. but they
never kept their women in such close
confinement as did the Moslems.
! had many friends among both,
the few emancipated, the many
Purdah keeping Mosiem ladies. They
ere less lovable and perhaps more
Beautiful than their Hindu sisters. |
started some women clubs and we
used to play handball and bridge. Tic
Moslems play cards very well, ion
many come from Persia, and Persia
IS the birthplace or cards.
/ made friends with a charming
Arosiem family. The father vas the
commander III chief 70 tie Nizam oi
Hyderabad, Prince who rules over q
state as big as England and Scotland
They invited me to stay TN tEeir home
so that | might see this interesting
priucipalty.
Ny host and his sons have been ai
Eton. but modern life has not touched
tho women. They were allowed to
drive IN closed carriages, but seldom
come near the mans part OF TIE house
These rooms were furnished II Euro
pean style. but the women's rooms
were quite bare ard contained none
or the amenities or civilization.
II 50 happens that the ruling family
in this State do not like anything
modern. ana the ladies Or tie roy ~
iarem may never be seen. When the
Princess Of Wales was = guest III
tIyderabad there was no lady who
could receive her
The present ruler married lady
however, who can now take her place
as the head lady or tire State.
IN this slight sketch or Hindu and
Moslcn women or to-day | think q
win appear that the Hindu woman
has every chance or taking her place
as an asset IN the natioral life. bat
moro water will hsvo n flcp under the
bridge before tho Nosiem woman
snssrgss from her are fcnE asoiusicr-
The New York herald., 1922-03-12
Advance in Athletics Is
Admitted and Noteworthy

While this advance is admirable
there are at the same time reasons
which explain it and wl.ich render it
far less remarkable than it sounds.
In my day--I was a member of the
Yale track team in the late 'S0s-I
should roughly estimate that there
were hardly 5000 amateurs in track
athletics in tie entire United States.
To-day, have read an estimate some-
where that there we're upward of S0o,-
coo mon who are competing amateurs.
This fact alone is sufficient indication
or how Irresistible 10 the battering OF
sprintcr, puttcr and hurdler against
the wall or ti.e old records. With so
many to choose from il is no nine
days wonder that a coacl. here and
there and now and then produces a
man who sprints like n greyhound, or
who throws a steel ball as far as a
catapult.
Not orly has the number of men that
coaches have to choose from increased
enormously but the quality OF the
rank and file OF candidates Is somewhat
superior. at least physically superior.
Universities throughout the United
States give all matriculants n physical
examination, calling for such details
az height. weight, chest expansion,
strength OF biceps, strength Of thigh.
&c. After forty years examination OF
these records shows pretty conclu-
sivcly that the average college man OF
to-day is two inches taller than his
predecessor twoscore years ago. IL
tho college mon to-day arc stronger
and longer than those OF former years
II would follow. il seems TO me, that
the caliber OF the average candidate
for the track team would be of a
higher quality.
The New York herald., 1922-03-12

for these girl students, ! wish there
was a matron or some one in charge
OF them"
Nowadays medical schools for
women are coming into existence. and
it is hoped many women may become
doctors. Indian women are not per-
mittcd to consult men doctors and
there are only some 500 European
and American women doctors avail
able. a man doctor in one Of the
indian States told me he was once
asked in an emergency to see the
AIaharani, but all he was allowed to
see was a hand put through hole in
the curtain, so that he might feel
her pulse. lie felt, he said, some
hesitation in prescribing. An American
dentist told me lie was once sent for
by o Prince to SEQ about his wife's
teeth. All he was allowed to see was
a mouth through small hole made in
a sheet.
The proud Eajput race. the warriors
or India. never mixed with their Mos
much to themselves. and do not move
with the times. In the State OF Udai-
pur the women Of the royal house
are not permitted to see any women
even who do not belong to their own
family. When the Princess Of Wales
went to Udaipur to stay with the
Prince she was not permitted to sec
lis ladies.
saw an interesting little drama
outside the palace walls of Udaipur.
There were perhaps : hundred women
dressed IN vorlladay clothes. loading
donAeys with fircvood and great skins
filed with water. and driving them
through a postern gate tl:at led 10 the
women's apartments. No man might
enter that gate. and all the gardeners
were women.
Cdaipur is a very ancient State, ard
travellers are drawn thither by its
original beauty. Here palaces and
temples are built OF pure white marble,
on islands. on great lake. The lake
IS circled by mountains which forever
seem TO change color like an opal.
The New York herald., 1922-03-12
Children Quit School in
Order to Marry Early

One drawback to these early mar
riages Is that the bride has to leave
school. / saw q touching sight at one
mission school. child wife of 1S
bending over her books. and at her
feet little cradle. in which lay tiny
replica of herself. AS soon as the
baby was born she had returned to her
beloved school. end having no one to
look after the baby she had brought Il
along with her.
How to educate the mass Of the
women of India is a heartbreahlnS
question. There are something like
100 900 900 women in India, and out
OF these a bare 100000 can read and
write. II Is no ones fault we have
only had compulsory education IN
England in very modern times. We
English may not compel our sisters
In India to go to school or suggest 70
the nation they should cease to allow
child marriage. 1t was ONLY IN Queen
Victoria's reign that India came d.
rectly under the jurisdiction Of the
English crown-and there has not yet
been time to alter the ways OF tho
"Tmmemorial East" Still we live In
period of rapid change, and tho Few
advanced souls in one generation show
the high water mark 10 which the
men of the nation will rise In days TO
come.
We long 70 see education spread
both among the men and women of
India, for who knows what poets ano
seniuscs may be lost to the world
through lack OF opportunity to cx-
press themselves.
One of the most enchanting charac-
ters have ever met was a woman
doctor called Ramabai. she had had
a romantic life. She was married a.
a child. but when she was II she was
told she must go and live in her hus-
bands house. But she refused. The
husband took the case into court, and
the English Judge decreed size must
either carry out her marriage con-
tract or ro to prison. She chose
prison. Finally money was collected
by sympathizers and she wa5 sent 70
England TO study medicine. Ucr dear
est wish was to become a doctor and
minister TO tho needs OF her suffering
follow women. I'm England she made
many friends, especially among work
The New York herald., 1922-03-12
Dust in F God Mills Deadly as INT;
$3,000,0 900 Toll in One Explosion

wAsufSGToN, March 1i.--That loa: OF
| bread you cut last night for your dinner
at one time IN its career possessed all
the dangerous characteristics OF INT.
The spices in the apple dumplins you
ate for dessert once boasted an equally
strong claim TO dangerous propensities.
The sugar you put on Il to add to its
tastiness had. and still has, the poten-
tialities OF dynamite.
Experts OF tho bureau Of chemistry
OF the United States Department OF AZ
riculture are authorities for these strong
statements. But they say they might
go further and add that the rice in your
pudding was just as "fliShty" that the
napkin you use, IL OF cotton; the shirt on
your back. II also made OF cotton: the
shoes on your feet and the rubbcrs over
them. and finally the coal which cooks
your meal. were all at one time in their
processes OF manufacture or preparation
for your use equally death dealing.
However. there's no need now to back
away from any OF them, they're tanned,
the Agricultural Department chemists
assert. The secret OF their destructive
ness Is dust--the dust which Is produced
in their manufacture.
For years Department experts nave
been studying the cxplosibility OF carbo-
naceous dusts. mostly for the education
of manufacturer and workers in ma
terials which produce such conditions,
and surprising disclosures OF general
interest have been made.
Dust Explosion Costs s3.00O.Oo0.
1t is just about a year since the largest
grain elevator in the world, the North
Western. at South Chicago, Ill, was
destroyed by the explosion OF grain
dust In workrooms and storage bins. Six
workmen lost their lives in the disaster.
which wrought property damage csti-
mated at s3.c00.0oo. While there have
been many other similar explosions IN
elevators. flour mills and plants pro-
ducins O. variety OF articles. that one
was the factor that brought the subject
most strongly to public attention, the
Department says.
when wheat grains or other cereals
are handled in bulk Sriction produces
quantities OF fine dust, and when train
and car loads are handled daily the
amount of this dust that accumulatcs
about the plant on floors and projections
Is enormous. Dust clouds hang long IN
the air. n has been determined by the
experts that this dust produces with the
air a mixture as tickle and explosive as
that formed in the carburetor OF an
automobile. II can generate gas explo-
sions go powerful as those in rifle and
gun barrels. All that Is needed to start
tho destructive work ~ spark. The
spark or flame may start = Glow fire,
the flash travelling from dust grain to
fust grain. ft may travel through dust
The New York herald., 1922-03-12
TIE Man With Longest Legs
Usually Is Best Spriuter

Length os leg has much to do with
the excellence OF any rrrner. although
7 ',ava sSu.d it is peculiar kind Of
cs length which goes into tho com
noslticn OF tho sprintcr. have met
sprintcrs OF every shape and size and
mixture Of dirncnslors, men who have
Rad apparently nothing IN common
with each othsr save this peculiar fact
The New York herald., 1922-03-12

Turner. the starter. tapped me on the
back as n signal for me to rise and
set myself for the pistol crack. When
informed him was going to start
from this kneeling position he told me
was crazy and advised me to start
the race III the conventional way.
Fortunately / was obstinate. l won
this race and the 2ao, although sew
eral OF the newspaper reports had IL
that | had stumbled ar the start III
both races. To my knowledge that
was the first time the crouching start
had been used in open games in the
Cnited States o. anywhere else.
This episode serves to Illustrate the
difference between the athletes Of my
day and t,-n.e aI the moment. This
Improvement IN the method of start
ing came ia. my day, but there We're
other methods improving on the old
which did not come till later. In train
ing methods, for example, there have
been a number Of noticeable changes.
Iurdlers. for example. practice cer-
tain exercises, the purpose OF which
is 70 facilitate the squatting position
while going over the hurdles and
make habit Of the peculiar lope
which Is essential to the hurdler who
would be champion.
Gymnasium Practice Is Now
More General Than 50 Years sso
Much has been done in the vsy Of
utilizing the gymnasium in the train
ing of track athletes. Other improve
ment i'll details have been made. too,
but, roughly speaking, training meth
ods are much the same as they were
thirty years ago. OF course. the intro
duction of scientific methods as in the
case OF the h1rdler, shows q tendency
TO put the athletic event and the ath-
lete on the dissecting table and dis
cover what is necessary to obtain su-
premacy, muscles to be trained, habits
to be formed, &c.--a tendency which
II developed, will assuredly later mean
en- even better athlete than the ath-
lete OF the present day.
But tr rainerS. however scientific, will
have to possess a certain uncanny in
stinct or intuition before they will be
il L position to say they are perfect.
Like all specialists, they cam OF oe
great unless they possess the soul
penetrating vision. Such q trainer vas
Mike Murphy. He was a genius. Muir
ply in his heyday vas the second
fastest professional runner in the
The New York herald., 1922-03-12

greater depth OF character, than that
possessed By many Western women.
we arc inclined to scatter our pow
ers among thousand interests-this
very diffusion or soul power may make
some of US nervous wrecks and take
away the repose and harmony the
Hindu women know. Then they are
very religious, and when they marry
they take up the duties Of their new
life as a vocation. much az nun
takes the veil. They do not look for
personal happiness. although that
Elusive blue bird often blesses those
arranged marriages. which have the
incvitability and changelcssness OF
destiny.
Many Hindu children arc betrothed
in infancy and the marriage Is con-
summated at the age OF II. a dear
Hindu friend told me she and her hus-
band were betrothed before she was
born. A baby was expected in her
family and the parents said TO their
dearest friends If the child is a girl
she shall marry your little son. II a
boy, then your little girl. This partic-
ular marriage was a tragedy. The
husband became j most remarkable
character. something OF Buddha, who
yearned to live apart from the world.
He was among the most learned OF
men, and would lecture to US on Hindu
philosophy, quoting at win from any
European philosopher or poet. His
dear little wife used to confide in Inc.
She had one abiding dread. which was
that her husband would assume the
yellow robe OF the travelling ascetic
and forsake her and the children. This
couple had travelled in Europe and
were emancipated SO they could dino
with US. The gay hearted little wife
would enjoy her dinner, but the
sanity husband would only drink a
glass OF water and pretend to eat a
little rice. He wished that all carly
marriages might be made unlawful.
and he forbade his own children to
marry before they were 81.
The New York herald., 1922-03-12
100000 Competing Amateurs To-day Where There
Were 5000 in the sos, Bound to Bring Down
Many Old Records.

bile II the gears remain without
change once you have set them. The
American miller did not really rest
himself by letting down during the
third quarter. but simply robbed hiln-
self or the momentum and stride the
first half Of the race had given him
and then exhausted his ebbing energy
III squirting. American nlilers now run
uniformly throughout tile race, speed
ing up only at the finish.
The New York herald., 1922-03-12
tMdC Of Modern
Children Sacred Vocation Nun Takes Veil
Thirty Years of Memories
Give Ground for Comparison

NV memories wind back for more
than thirty years, to the days When
Mike Murphy, renowned as the trainer
of the first Olympic team this country
ever sent abroad, was still running
with the Natick (Mass.) hose team.
Those were the gallant days when the
call for candidates for the track team
at any OF the large universities
brought out only handful. But, De
It noted, each of the men who ap-
pearcd as candidate was a lover oil
cinders, a man who felt more at home
in a pair OF running trunks than III
trousers. That SO many remarkable
athletes were produced at tEat time
and SO many lasting records were hung
up, many Of which remain to-day, is
eloquent testimony TO the feryor OF
tho runners. Jumpers and weight
throwers Of the years before what may
be called the modern era.
Let mo say at once that | do not
speak in dlspara cement of any of the
present day athletes. have always
found time to keep in touch, with the
news and Developments. No one can
possibly have greater admiration for
Eucn GtnlelcS dS JoIe tsdy, Hli olHeto
whose running of a mile has the
quality and virtue OF any great work
Of art. Nor am I one OF those vet
Grams who dismiss the achievements OF
the new generation with wave Of the
hand and the old, old untruth, NO
they aren't what tEey used to be.
Why. in my time 80.
Tho athletes OF the present day and
OF the to-morrows that lie directly
ahead will slowly but surely erase the
names OF the old timers from the rec
ord books. Tie process Is inevitable.
Sentimental affection for the old days
and ways canno. hold back the for
ward push of progress. 1t is sad
deniny thing. of course, TO sec the old
names and tho proud numbers blotted
out oc hjstory--for that is what it
amounts to-but at the same time 1t
Is good omen; the world Is not
standing still. 1t would be even more
saddening IL no athlete ever performed
In a. manner endangering these rec
ords. Men will clip fractions off
track records and add fractions 10
jumping and weight throwing records
with the incvitability OF the calendar.
The New York herald., 1922-03-12
BY CHARLES HITCHCOCK
SHERRlLL,
Author of "Prime Ministers and
Presidents"

The irlltcr Of this article Oh
athletic crcnts is Of class 80 Of
Yafe. and originated the series Of
International iu.eiMniI eTsity track
ezssGtic matches that began in 1894.
Since his graduation. he has tcon q
notable name bs politics, diplomacy
Gnd literature.
A MOTHER Olympiad win soon be
~ Upon US, and whether the
arena be Paris or San Fran
cisco or Athens or Rome the effect
will be tho same. II will bring forth
track athletics from the dark corner
of the sporting section to the farins
well deserved brilliance Of the front
page. And TO one-even SO humble q
one as myself--who has in times past
dug spikes in cinders at the pistol re-
port, 1t Is cause for rejoicing II
seems but just that this clean, hardy
sport, beloved OF the Greeks OF old.
should receive for moment, at least,
In these modern days q place OF honor.
Indeed the prospect OF an Olympiad
should be to Americans cause for re-
tolclng in more ways than one, for in
track athletics we find typical and ad-
mirable expression OF our national
genius. The United States viii win
tho next set of Olympic games as 1t
has won all others In the past, and as
long as nations vie with each other on
cinders and turf for supremacy, the
United States will be victor. This is
my Arm conviction grown out Of years
Of association with track athletics,
sometimes al participant, sometimes
as sympathizer and supporter some
times as passive. though somewhat
critical spectator, both in this country
and abroad.
The New York herald., 1922-03-12

country and displayed his knowledge
and speed running with the Naticls
aose team. In those days popular
races were those between the hose
team or one town and another, the
race consisting OF race from the
hoses barn to structure set OH fire
on purpose. The first team that got