davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

IF there are any doubters in our
amidst" say Hon. Ffnnegan, 81 have
brought with me TO night some slight
drippings of a Substance. This should
turn any mind. howeverly boiled, to
belief in life beyond the limit Who
wish see this Evidence?'
It might, If convenient" This from
me.
Hon. Finnegan pass down TO me
one slight slab of cardboard, dish
figured by wax dripped on it.
What you call that, If anything?"
he require.
Candle greece" I deploy. But 1
know cheap way to remove same
without injerry."
Candle greece your granduncle. he
snarrel That Substance are called
Echoplasm. Echoplasm are the leak
age from a Ghost That sample
which you hold in your slightly soiled
hands was scraped off the spirit Of
Hon. VIM. Shakspere when he slipped
in to see me last Thusdy."
He could slip easily on that" I
qualify. but Hon. Spiriter look a pair
Of scissors at me & spoke:
I'm present alarming progress of
civilization IL are fashionable to have
Spirit Control in every house.
Sometimes 2 or 8. They are cheaper
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

when we passed through the next
town, which also was full of his men
provided we went unarmed and ex-
planned to his lieutenant that we had
been given his assurance of safety.
when we reached the next town
completely held by bandits, we de-
livered the leaders message and that
sufficed Not the slightest affront
was made.
II consider myself doubly fortu-
nate to have come through with as
little trouble as 1 did. My only ex-
PLANTATION is that / was lucky enough
to encounter a real sportsman bandit
leader. For I do know that many
others have been dealt with far less
gently. As to the leaders declara-
lion that his men would not think OF
affronting representatives Of friend
ly nation, that was all bunkum. But
just why that bunkum I've never
been able to figure out.
u *
ssTaHERE has been a vicious change
i in the attitude of the Chinese
bandit toward foreigners. For long
while his kind were satisfied to fight
and plumber Chinese. They were
loyal to their country and drew the
line at committing any overt act
which might embroil their govern
ment with that of a foreign power.
But even while l was exploring the
country last summer, the attitude
changed and the Lincheng outrage
shows clearly enough that no little
thing like the danger of embarrassing
their government is listed among
their scruples.
In fact it seems to be the direct
purpose of the bandit hordes to cause
their government every possible EN-
harrassment. From men we'll on the
inside of Chinese affairs I was told
that these affronts against Americans
were but crude protests against the
Washington disarmament conference.
The bandits are almost without ex-
,oeption discharged or mutinous SOL
diers 1 was told that they resent
any pact made by their government
which will tend TO reduce the stand
ing army and muster them out of
good. steady jobs. Take this eXplana-
ton as you may, it is plain to any
thinking man that there is at work
among these people powerful. sinis-
ter influence which has it roots deeper
than mere human greed for plumber
Or ransom"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20
Farms in Alaska.

A GOVERNMENT official not long
y ago brought from Alaska sam
pies of grain and vegetables grown
in our northernmost territory that
have astonished the uniformed. From
his and other reports 1t appears that
Alaska has some 100000 acres-as
large an area as the total farming
land in Ohio--that are considered
strictly agricultural land. Grain may
be matured: hay. potatoes and many
vegetables succeed in this region.
The climate is more favorable for
farming than that of Finland, where
100000 people live by that industry.
and compares well with the climate
of Sweden and Norway. where agri-
culture thrives.
1t has been found that berries and
small fruits will grow well in nearly
all sections south of the arctic circle.
and that currants. raspberries and
gooseberries succeed better than In
the eastern states. AT Rampant
watermelons were brought to ma
turity. Rhubarb, cucumbers, cab
bages and turnips were also grown in
a garden sixty miles north of tire cir
Gle.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20
Furnace Temperatures.

TN the working of metals We now
l. have the electric vacuum furnace,
which carries us several hundred de-
grees higher than before. Beyond
this. for many purposes, there is the
furnace or crucible which, operating
in hydrogen or in nitrogen and heated
by coil of tungsten or molybdenum
wire. affords us the opportunity of
melting practically anything.
This type of furnace is limited only
by the material Of which the crucibles
are made, and can easily be carried
up to a temperature at which all the
well known refractories much 100
easily melt. When one reflects that
our Industries have always depended
on what could be done below a tenn
perature of about 1900 degrees Cent?
grade: that our porcelain mixtures.
as well our alloys. our metallurgi-
cal processes and all our applications
of heat have been Influenced by this
upper limit, we look forward with
interest to the effects which may be
produced by making available a tenn
feerature of at least 500 degrees high
er in the next few years. Funda-
montally new results ought to be
anticipated.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

Chinese inner wall. where we found
shelter at a Chinese mission.
Until Thursday our party OF four
men and seven donkey boys travelled
the mountain passes at attitudes
ranging from 5000 feet and upward,
without having a single glimpse OF
bandits, though of all places favor
ing a surprise, this mountain trail
was certainly the most ideal. That
afternoon we started down grade on
the loop that would take us back
to Pekins, and spent the night in a
French Trappist monastery.
Next morning there was trouble
with the donkey boys. In that un-
canny way the Chinese have for pick
ing messages out OF thin air. they
were bursting with the news that
between US and Peking were hordes
of bandits footing villages and muir
derIng travellers. They refused abso-
lutely to return. So I paid them off
and let them 60. We started from
the monastery with coolies and Mon
golian ponies furnished US by the
Trappists. And all that day we were
meeting natives who confirmed the
tales our donkey boys had told. But
instead OF turning back we kept on.
I figured IL wouldn't DO 10 show the
white feather and l also figured that
IL we did turn back the chances were
that we would meet some of the
hundreds who were declared to be in
possession of most OF the country in
the district
ssN TEXT morning we approached the
~ first village which terrified
travellers had assured US was occu-
pied by bandits. 1t was little place,
not over two acres Of IT. And with
the bell on my pony ringing loudly,
we drew up to the gate. An armed
gentry stood there, cycling us crafttly.
Immediately the coolies huddled in
fright, crowding the heels Of my pony.
There's one of them" whispered
my interpret
IT waved my hand ut the fellow and
called a gooa-morning. He only
grunted. AS We passed the gate, he
followed. My shoulders twitched
Every second I expected to feel a
rifle BAH in my back. And when ]
did dare turn and look back. the
fellow was nowhere in sight. ]
laughed, but interpreter and coolies
shook their heads. The next town
they said, also was full OF bandits
and there was no going around It.
Our way led straight through.
"Once more L rode at the head OF
the little. party with my pony's bell
announcing the fact to everything
with ears. Straight through the
town-wall gate we went. I drew UP
sharply before the sentry who pulled
out a murderous-looking knife, rested
1t on his forearm and greediiy eyed
the heaven -sent loot.
(which wayf called. There was
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

in Kwankiao. This is a mere village.
with not q single inn. In fact, / was
the only foreigner there. The station
agent, a most accommodating Chinese.
solved the problem of my nights
lodging by unlocking the freight sta
tion and bidding me make myself at
home. The freight station was empty
save for myself, due to the fact that
storage rates were 50 high that no
body patronized the affair. 7 made
myself as comfortable as [ could and
was just about to call it 4 day when
/ happened to glance up at the wall
from my improvised pallet. There I
met the widestarlng eyes of be-
headed, placarded bandit leader.
Needless to say I didn't sleep much
that night.
Later I discovered that this grue-
some warning to natives with bandit
rroclivities had been posted in the
station by Boxers These same gem
tlemen sometimes vary their mode of
proclaiming their allegiance to law
snd order by exhibiting the actual
heads of bandit leaders in little
cages set upon town and village
walls, where all who pass may read.
"Paradoxical as it may sound, the
Boxers themselves, who still represent
to American minds the embodiment
Of bloodthirsty lawlessness. are the
most effective enemies of China's
bandit hordes. They take supreme
delight in rushing a bandit strong
hold that neither military nor pro-
yincial authorities would tackle. 1t
is not bravery so much as it is an
absolute belief in their< invulner-
ability to bullets which inspires their
daring. They are far more to be
dreaded than fatalists gleefully rush
ing to certain destruction. afiame
with the fanatical hope of quick
translation to paradise. The Boxer
scorns bullets because he does not
believe they can touch him. and. II
perchance they do, that they lack the
power to do him harm.
II had not been very long In China
before discovered how well-nigh
futile is the hope that, eliminating
the Boxers from the equation. either
provincial or local authorities can
be depended ON to put an end to ban
dit outrages. The outlaws. princi-
pally discharged or mutinous soldiers
do not, as is generally supposed, in
habit wild strongholds In the noun
tains. For the most part they live
in the villages. daily minglfng with
the peaceful inhabitants. On the
streets one rubs shoulders with the
very bandits who perpetrate such out
RACES as that recently staged at Lin
cheng.
\ X
ssT>HE local authorities know these
i outlaws by sight and name
particularly their leaders, and shut
their eyes to whatever happens. so
long as the leaders pay for protec-
ton. And the provincial authorities
know that this condition exists
whenever there is 3 bandit outbreaks
the provincial authorities on theiI
rounds Of the villages and towns
order the looaa authorities to punish
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

IF I saw one I would believe him
I narrate. 81 could not give him time
to stand and argue"
After hearing so many refined
words. imported from England, could
you still be so cobble-brained that
you do not believe what that Sir
said?" Sydney renig for savagery
Just see what he told! BY spirits
iron safes. piannas, beds & stoves can
be moved conveniently"
II did not see Sir Finnegan move
anything but his false teeth argue.
You are like species Of Siamese
turtles" yellup Sydney You cannot
see Truth until it has kicked your
eyes out"
With such scientifick language we
arrive by moonlight TO poorish apt.
house of Sydney Katsu, Jr.
az do not believe that furniture can
walk without human hands, and that
is my relidgeon." 1 dib.
so ha!!!!i" Sydney say that while
pointing to sidewalk where I look and
got frozen. All my hairs stood UP
and curled. For what did see?
There in street, right befront US, was
! Up jabberwoggly. beds betop of
/ burros with ceairs in every etc posi-
ton.
80 now!" shreech Sydney, do not
/ that prove Spirit Phenomenal to your
mind which is full of pins?'
ut do look kind of Sigh-Kick to
me-" manipulate while running up
] stairs.
In Katsu fat I find great deal OF
vacuum. Nothing else except O note
tackled to door with piece Of fork.
Thus was It:
'U.o21s. Your furniture is re-
moved TO the future when you
pay"
Maybe that are a Spirit Message
say Sydney with hush.
"Pussibly," I dib, eff so It are the
| LIST one could folla without guide
book"
| / am confused
| Hoping you are the same
| Yours truly
| Hashimura Togo
Copyright 1923, United States and Great
| Britain, by North American Newspaper AM
ance.l
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

than chauffeurs and can drag you
from Earth to Great Beyond without
cost of gasolene. In London ] know
one gentleman got q Spirit Control
name OF Pansy. She haunts offices.
Sometimes this Hon. Gent return
home to Hon. Wife and when she sniff
perfummery on his coat he say. What
you expect? That smell are spiritual
Once there was goldy hair on his
collar. From thence on this Hon.
Wife got to be a medium & hunts
Ghosts all time.
Il could tell you 100000ooo0 equilly
enraptured stories like this. but I
must hurry back to my trance.
am now in control of a Indian name
of Blue Crook. He is my Spirit
Guide"
Are you not slightly nervus about
Indian Guides" 1 require with Still
man expression.
Nothing friehtens me since 1 be-
came Sigh Kick" he exclam. Each
night, after going to bed. 1 am made
happy by messages from friends,
Those sweetish reminders come to
me in various forms. Sometimes
walking across the ceiling. Some
times windows breaks and rugs
stands up to shake dust in my eye.
Oftenly my bed walks out into the
hall, followed by Hon. Chairs who go
| to sleep in my arms. All this to tell
me how dearie loved ones of yore are
not forgetting me, by golly.
And now I shall finish with re-
minder that my spirit photo, cabinet
size lis per dozz.. are for sale at
door. These was taken by a Lady in
Chicago while under influence of a
quite powerful South American spirit
name of Bacardi. By looking in
tensely at that picture you can see
me times. This are sure sign that
Hon. Medium were not herself but
somebody else entirely"
X X
A FTER that, Md. Editor. me and
"A Sydney Katsu, Jr.. return back to
his fat with our minds high like
elevators.
What more do you need to make
you believe in Ghosts?" require sgd
ney baffably.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

no other human in sight within those
walls. The streets were deserted.
He pointed to the left, grinning
head in that direction.
mo. no" implored my interpreter.
He is directing US to trap"
st turned in the opposite direction.
Without a word We rode on and
through the walls again. Outside.
we still did not speak. 1 think we
were all expecting the same thing.
1t came. A single shot rang out I
turned and could see nothing on
either side Of the stony road. An
other shot and another. Then I or
dered a halt. Out through a wall
gate. poured half a hundred bandits.
Some were In uniform, others in rags.
But they all carried service rifles.
And in their center 'stalked a huge
Monaghan. unarmed and in native
garb Something told me he was the
leader.
COT GOT out the American flag from
i my saddle pack. took out one OF
my cards printed in Chinese and waited
for whatever was to happen. The
coolies were terrified, their teeth
were chattering. My own interpreter
was three shades lighter.
TIP STROBE the leader. demanding
something of the interpreter. The
latter began to chatter and roll his
eyes. 1 had a suspicion that he was
in no condition to talk us out of A
- n-l tn to,, II,
the leader seized it, read it aloud,
while his motley crew crowded
around him, rolling their eyes from
our baggage to me.
The leader addressed my interpret
err, came up to me. pointed at the
field glasses slung over my shoulder.
I gave Them to him. He put the
wrong end to his eyes, grunted and
gave them back. Then he had more
to say to our interpreter. And be-
fore 1 could realize it, he had turned
and was walking away in lead of his
gang.
1T was too much of joke to pass
and 1 laughed aloud. l suppose it
was silly nervous reaction and not
a quickening of my sense of humor
that really prompted that laugh.
ordered my interpreter to call the
fellow back. Then I searched my
pockets for cigarettes. There were
none. I wanted to give him some
thing. and the best could offer was
my hand. He took 1t. shook it and
looked at me with knowing grin.
That fellow was a good sport, notll-
ing less.
when We were on our way again,
my interpreter explained what had
happened. When the leader read my
card, he remarked that he had no de-
signs on people of friendly nation;
that we were safe from his crowd,
ana that ~ shouid be 1ust as safe
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

through the cane field. The bandits
fed and the three continued on their
way to Yihsien. And then suddenly
on the bank again appeared the ban
dts, ordering them to stop.
sSrTHERE followed a long argument
l. and the bandits lnally with
drew. But when the American re-
turned to the mission and told his
story, all agreed that no ransom
should be paid. For the bandit
leader had broken his promise that
further molestation would not occur.
Il found a very general determine
tion among the various missions not
to pay ransoms. Once having estab-
lished such a precedent, they ex-
planned. there would be no end to
their troubles. And shortly after L
came back to the States I received a
letter from this same American. say
ing that he had just discovered a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

that government officials at Picking
knew exactly what they were doing
when they excepted certain districts
In their wise of my passport. For ex-
ample. when it came time for me to
take train on the line that runs
from Tsaochwang through Yihsien. 1
found my railroad timetable simply
would not square with the schedule
forced into being by the bandits
themselves.
This road is owned by mining
company and is used almost wholly
for transporting coal from the mines
to the canal. My timetable showed
four daily trains over this route. but
only two were running, and those
around noon. The early morning and
late evening trains had been discon-
tinued.
There was a good reason for this.
Bandit activity along the right of
way during the hours of darkness
was the answer. Such trains as did
run were protected by hundreds of
soldiers, who rode back and forth
over the line. Everywhere the city
gates were closed at o'clock, and
such organizations as missions placed
guards of servants at the entrance of
their own compound walls.
"One afternoon / decided to walk
from Shangyen,- a market town in
which 1 was stopping, to the next
town which was only about three
miles off. I planned to get back TO
Shangyen by nightfall. And then
decided that I couldn't make II. The
next morning. when ! sent my caro-
to the commander Of the military
forces which then occupied Shangyen
| | was informed that he was out ir
the country searching for a par.
| ticularly troublesome bandit and hi.
men. And pretty soon we received
word that while he was on this search
the bandits had calmly captured th'
very town to which I had planned q
walk. three miles away. This woult
have been comical at any other time
X X
IS 4 S yet I had made no direct con
"A tact with bandits themselves
1t seemed that I was constantly en-.
| tering towns and villages which had
only a day or two before suffered
raids. Along the lonely trails in the
open country or through mountain
passes my only feeling Of their men.
ace was produced by the abject terror
in which my donkey boys and coolies
continually lived. They were for
ever encountering some wildly jab.
bering native who told blood Gu lin 6
tales of atrocities of which he him.
self had been a witness-the carrying
off Of hostages, the footing of trav-
elers. the cold-blooded murder OF
those who interfered. / think my
earlier Indifference began to return
81 went back to Picking. leaving my
interpreter and cook at Nankow, in
structing them to wait there until
should come back to them. On the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

all responsibility for my safety if !
visited certain sections which my
itinerary called for. The district
about Lincheng was one of these.
The missionaries at the Presbyte-
rian Mission at Ichowfu, sixty miles
northeast of Yihsien. strongly advised
me not TO enter that district until
after the harvest Of the kaoliang.
This sorghum, pronounced 'golly
ong.' grows to height of twelve to
fourteen fee:. and through fields of
this crop wound the narrow trails L
must follow. 1t is in this sorghum
that bandits find the ideal cover,
crouching in wait of unsuspecting
travellers. vino must follow trails lit
tie wider than footpaths or roads
barely wide enough for the passage
of a vehicle.
But i couldn't afford to heed these
warnings, even though | had been in
clined to. Excepting the gruesome
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

the offenders. nor will they listen to
any plea that the local authorities
are ignorant of the identity of such.
They know what they know. If on
their return trip to the village or
town they learn that no steps have
been taken by the local authorities
the provincisls take matters into
their own hands and fog the locals
within an inch of their lives These
men take their floggings and at once
go to the bandit leaders, exhibiting
their welts and declaring by all their
ancestors that If more protection
money is not forthcoming protection
will cease. The money is paid. And
so it goes.
When my vised passport was re-
turned to me in Picking it plainly
stated that the government waived
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20
INTERPRETATIONS of the signih-

r INTERPRETATIONS Of the signifi-
canoe of the growing animosity
for foreigners in China, culmi
mating in the recent wholesale
kidnapping OF American and other
tourists from the ShanghaiPeking
express at Lincheng, are becoming as
numerous and varied as solutions OF
the Russian enigma. And while the
American government is inclined to
pooh-pooh talk Of this outrage as
constituting a premise for a possible
rupture in diplomatic relations be-
tween the two governments, press
dispatches indicate that in some
quarters, at least, Japan is inclined
to look upon the event with little
enough of the spirit of tolerance 1t
would seem that China's ancient
enemy is all too anxious to seize the
opportunity as an excuse for armed
occupation of the troubled republic.
Level-headed observers are inclined
to the view that there is something
more than a disgruntled ex-soldiery
to be taken into account in arriving
at r. lucid Interpretation of bandit
outrages upon foreigners travelling
in China with Picking vised passports in
thedr pockets.
Within the past eight months an
agricultural explorer commissioned
by the United States Department of
Agriculture to investigate phases of
the Chinese walnut industry. with the
end in view of telling American
growers what competition they may
expect from that quarter. has brought
to Washington rather vivid cross
section of internal conditions in
China along with his report OF a four
months trip through the rugged in
terror.
* X x X
IN donkeyback and astride Mon
" golian pony, c. A. Reed. unarm
cd save for an American flag which
he borrowed from headquarters of
the American marine guard in Pek-
ing, travelled with his coolies and
donkey boys through the very heart
OF the bandit-infested provinces.
learning what he could about the
walnut industry and without effort
accommodating data on bandits.
My first actual contact with ban
ditry came after I had left my wife
and daughter in Peking," said Mr..
Reed 1T was the night I arrived
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20

mission told me how several months
before my arrival he and two Chinese
girls from the mission had been cap
tured while they were making their
way in a canal boat to another town.
Luckily, this American spoke Chinese,
and when he and the two girl stu
dents had been dragged into the cane
through which the canal wound Its
way he put up a strong argument for
their release. On the word of the
bandit leader that neither he nor his
two charges would be further mo-
Tested. he promised to pay ransom
of 5000.
And while they were arguing a
second boat. manned by soldiers,
found the empty boat moored to the
bank. Immediately they scented a
kidnapping, landed and spread out