davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1926-06-20

meath Japanese straw SnowshoeS (for
the snow from this point up, while
deep, was frozen hard, making the Ca
madam shoes useless}, and bade fare
we'll 10 katsu. Our parting was touch
ing indeed; the coolie never expected
to see me again, and | owed him six
yen.
IL F'uji had lured me on. then she
played false to the conventional code
of her sister sirens, since a more aus
piciouS reception / could not have de-
sired. My prayer for stars had been
answered-there we're twice as many
as usual, and while It was zero
weather at this 4,000-foot elevation, it
was the still. windless type that makes
cold endurableA
In the dim light the ghostly peak
before me, barren Of all vegetation,
glimmered like q colossal cone Of
white sugar. Cold thrills ran through
me. This was the climax of adven-
ture, the glorious finale of months of
sensational living. ! had detied every
body, risked everything, on this one
throw. 1t was to be the acid test,
the iron trial of endurance.
4 Z x
THIS was my twenty-third birth
i day and here was a chance to
celebrate it by dashing to pieces the
age old tradition that Full could never
be climbed in Winter single-handed.
| giared at my enemy. II glared back
at me Fool il seemed to say,
''you presume to do alone that which
has been fatal TO whole parties of
climbers, Go reach for the moon
yoU'll get it q ~ easily az my summit.
Before | had gone half a mile from
out of the Pacific that beat at FuJis
fringe the sun burst forth and gilded
the lev peak above me with GlesaIn-
ing tire IL was soon broad day,
superb snow and crystal and sap.
uhire day that made one rejoice to
be alive.
II the climb was not quite so bad as
the reports concerning 1t, il was only
because nothing could be as bad as
that, ] had anticipated q long, deSper-
ate struggle-and found it. had
been warned of steep banks,
sloughs of snow, screaming bliZzards.
In abundance | found them all
I had resigned myself TO freezing
about halfway. Here ! was disap-
pointed Tor while a thermometer would
have registered at least 20 degrees
below zero the vigorous exertion un-
derneath three layers of wooden cloth
ing kept me sufficiently thawed.
would have been superfiuous. for the
trail was buried under 10 feet of snow
and ice. The only essential articles
were the thin. needlelike spikes and
the ice-ax, both of which bit into the
surface with all the trustworthiness
had hoped for.
II would have been impossible TO
move single yard without them. One
would have launched forth on a tobog
gan-slide of miles and drop
to 1000 feet. which, while It would
have broken all records of the sport
and been highly exhilarating, might
have become too hot from friction to
be comfortable. With them the climb
was physically possible.
stamp stamp, stamp, with the
spikes; higher and higher UP the in
creasingly precipitous slope: chop,
chop. chop. with the ice-aX! This
weapon was attached to my wrist by a.
6foot rope, to prevent its escape in
case I dropped it. Had that happened
my indispensable ally, unleashed.
would have skated home TO Tarobo in
less time than it takes to tell it. and
Evening star., 1926-06-20

heavens, struck with such terrible
force that / had to lie fiat upon the
ice and fight to keep from being blown
off the top OF the mountain.
Though the sky was clear and
though the sun shOne with un-
usual ardor for January, the views /
had from the summit were merely
blurs Of flying snow clouds iashed into
fury from the rocks and driven hither
by the screaming blast.
The cold was tormenting and could
not long be endured once climbing had
ceased The necessary pictures must
be taken at once or net at all.
could now tell by the feeling that
my ears were frozen. My nose was
white as snow: fingers refused TO bend.
With considerable pain I restored cir
cuiation in the afflicted extremitles.
and crawled over to the edge Of the
700 foot deep crater with my camera
open.
Although the swirl that met me
almost dashed il out Of my hands, l
managed to make three half sighted
exposures of the great hole, and fed.
one OF them recorded It was the first
photograph ever taken OF Fujfs crown
during the ice season.
In descending. the wind was behind
i ,
scarcely 3 o'clock, so | decided to
slacken the relentless pace | had set
on the ascent. l had not known how
much time the climb would take. so
to be on the safe side had driven my
self ruthIessly all morning.
Now that the climax was past. l de
cided that a we'll earned rest would be
appropriate. So, creeping down below
the blizzard belt, 1 drove my AN deep
into the ice, and, proppinG my cum
bersomely shod feet against this sup
port, lay back on the 40-degree slope.
How comfortable 1t was to relax. and
what view!
For 5000 feet straight below me-
F'ujfS dazzling skirts swept down
ward and outward. gently de
creasing their gradient from 40 de
grees to 4 with such uniformity of
curve and grace Of line l decided the
japanese were right in believing that
the peak was goddess who rose by
magic from the fields in a single night,
ESQ years before Christ
/ could think Of no other mountain
so superbly situated Even the
mighty Matterhorn, glowering over
half of Switzerland. is overlooked by
the yet loftier Rosa. Fuji stands soli
tary, isolated. unobstructed by even
Evening star., 1926-06-20

I would have been left in position
that would have been extremely en-
barrassing.
When / slipped or stumbled, as |
did time and again, a quick drive with
the iron pick would steady me and
give me a chance to re-establish my
crampons in the ice.
Though it was breathless morn
ing when / left Tarobo, by the time |
had reached IL 900 feet / had mounted
into the realm Of hurricanes, and
began to suffer in consequence. The
wind beating into my face would have
frozen nose and chin had l not kept
the blood circulating with friction.
The last few hundred yards was a
desperate battle against the final
frantic resistance Of Fuji's blizzard
guardians. More than once was on
the point Of retreating from the blast
before | was completely annihilated,
but some. devil inside urged me higher
and higher into more perilous terri.
tory. ITO the peak! To the peak
SO I wound my muffler tighter and
crawled on,
Each step brought me nearer, till
at last the rim was reached. In rage
the Icy blasts gathered their forces
for a counterattack, and. sweeping
unohstrVcted frsM Aha WidA.s Cold
Evening star., 1926-06-20

Tramping through deeper and
deeper snow, we reached the 1000
foot shelter about dark, and having
built fire, tried to counteract the
frigidity Of the draughty hut. But
with night the merciless cold de-
scended, and dozen fires could not
have kept US warm.
Sleep was fitful. The hours drag
ged shiverfngly past. At 4 in the
morning I decided it would be as
pleasant to ghssade to my death as
to freeze.
Disentangling myself from Col
Lees beaIskin coat, L routed the last
vestige Of irresolution and anxiety
with O. heroic drink from the brandy
bottle, dashed On the magic srikea b.
Evening star., 1926-06-20
American Visitor Makes First Lone Winter Ascent

What a magnificent shoot-the -chutes
lay beneath me, not so much as a
pebble to obstruct d coaster until the
forest was encountered miles be
low. I could not resist d childish urge
to send something dashing and skat-
Ing down the slope, just TO see how
fast It would go.
1 launched an empty brandy flask.
Like a streak of lightning, 1t leaped
and slithered down, down, down, until
In a few seconds it became melting
speck and disappeared into the vast
hem of Fujis skirt.
WHILE lay on my icy bed the sun
w beamed down over the expansive
panorama and as / looked the low
living blanket of clouds which for the
moment had screened everything from
view and made Fuji an island OF ice
In an infinite ocean was driven by
the wind away from the lakes and
woods and sparkling sea that snug
gled at my feet. How heartily 4
agreed with the first half Of the Japa-
neseS proverb: You are a fool II you
60 not climb Full, yet not less
heartily did | agree with the last half:
but you are a worse fool II you
climb it twice.
Every season there are 20 900 peo-
pie removed from the former category
of fools. for though the climbing sea
son lasts only six weeks in midsum-
mer, the faithful gather in droves
from far and near and swarm up the
sacred lava-strewn slopes like ants In
never-ending streams. Fuu is the
most frequently climbed mountain in
the world
Six routes to the top have been es-
tablished, each served by 10 huts, at
which, during the season. Il climber
can find food and lodging for the
night. The pilgrims, usually clad in
white garments, sing out Justify as
they trudge upward the Shinto for
mula: "ROkkon SOLO o Yama keisei, y
meaning May our six senses be pure
and the weather on the honorable
mountain fair"
The volcano is by no means extinct.
From 286 BIC. to 1907 it periodically
disgorged all the elements of hell and
then, after a final outburst, It sub
sided, but wisps Of steam still curl up
ward from the crevices in the lava
rock. indicating that while Futi may
have a clear, cold head, she also has
that rare accompanying characters
tic, warm heart"
Nature is so cruel and untrust-
worthy in Japan II would not be sur
| prising If the steam wisps some day
| develop into an Obliterating Whirl-
wind and once more StreW death and
disaster over Nippon's fair fields
! All this and more that l had learned
! drifted through my mind as | sat en-.
| throned on my gigantic iciclc and
I looked through half-dreaming land
Evening star., 1926-06-20

where the chief parties of that time.
the Wings and the Democrats. could
have their barbecue celebrations close
by the goal of their ambitions.
There is the Hitchcock Roosevelt
Russo American oak. 1t is growing
gracefully on the lawn near the west
terrace of the White House. Back in
1904 it was planted. 81 lineal descend
ant of q native American oak that
overshadows Washington's tomb at
Mount Vernon, all from an acorn
that went a-traveling to Russia. The
story is an interesting one. In the
days when Charles Sumner was
Senator from Massachusetts,. he con
ceived the idea of sending some of the
aCorns from the old oak, beneath the
branches of which Washington lies
buried and under whose shade the
great American sat, to the Car of
Russia. So he wrapped them UP and
sent them over, with little OF the
fornality that would be indulged in
in these days.
When Frank Harris Hitchcock was
Ambassador to the Court of ST. Peters
burg he bethought him of the acorns
that scholastic Charles Sumner had
sent over and made inquiries con-
cerning them. He says In a letter:
planted on what is known as Czarina
Island, which is included in the sub
urb surrounding one of the palaces OF
his Imperial Majesty near p, and I
found a beautiful tablet at its foot
bearing a Russian inscription which
read: The acorn planted here was
taken from an oak which shades the
tomb of the celebrated and neyer-to-
be-forgotten Washington; is presented
to His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor
of all the RusSias, as a sign of the
greatest respect, by an American.
II was fortunate" continued Mr..
Hitchcock, "at the time of my visit,
which was in the Fall OF 1898, in find
ing a number of 'acorns on the ground.
Gathering a handful, l sent them
home and secured from the seed thus
planted a few oak Saplings, one of
which / planted with the permission
Of President Roosevelt in the ground
of the White House. while another l
planted near its grandparent at Mount
Vernon
From the Far East comes another
oak that is growing in beauty and
is today a perpetual delight in the
Botanic Garden. It is known as the
Confucius- Dana tree, but generally
mentioned merely as the Chinese oak.
Many years ago Charles a. Dana,
the laundering editor, had friend
who was travelling about China. This
friend, while looking with interest on
the venerable grave of Cohfuc1us,
picked up some acornS of an oak
growing close by. These acorns, with
their story, he sent over to Mr.. Dana
in America, who in turn intrWxtRd
Evening star., 1926-06-20

ak astonlshment and delight that fun
had been conquered the previous
yehruary--for the first time in Win
%sx. by a. Col. Lees and a companion,
both Englishmen.
I lost no time in locating Col. Lees,
and learned TO my increasing salts
6Action the details of the mountain
combat which the Britishers had
pushed to a spectacular victory the
Winter before, gaining for themselves
the honor of being the first to ascend
Fuji after her annual burial in ice.
I now became unreasonably optt-
N1istic, Here was a supremely ro-
mantle, supremely original idea that
Inspired exuJtatiQn in the VERY
Evening star., 1926-06-20

sigh -SecllE Stiltl - ~ - a ~
ing monument that felt the touch of
the first Americans hand and began
its life's unfolding under his guidance.
President George Washington planted
trees with his own hands in Washing
ton. Today one of these. a great elm,
faces the CapitolS north front, and
from its more than 100 feet of height
it stands strong and true, wrapped all
about in the majestic beauty or the
ivy.
It was Washington that gave the
Capital its love of trees. Instead or
choosing the place and then ordering
his men to cut down the trees that
were there. he planted more trees.
And the city has taken his example,
for today the Capital stands as the
tree city of the world. Not alone is 1t
unique in the friendly trees that
beCkon and wave a welcome, but II
has the greatest variety of trees OF
any large city in the world. There
are trees from distant Landslide Far
East, the Near East, mystic Russia,
the islands of the sea. There are also
native trees of a very great variety,
and u large number of historical and
memorial trees, each having its story
to tell of times of old and days Of long
ago.
1t was away BACK III Iit2 tHdl IDe
plan OF tree planting was first inaugu-
rated. Today Washington's oldest in
habitants are trees. Yet some of them
were big and green and breezy when
the city's most venerable citizen was
wearing white slips and trying to say
words of one syllable.
Washington's streets possess many
OF the features of what is supposed to
be a. typical small-town atmosphere.
Pennsylvania avenue is lined with
beautiful. wide-branching trees. For
long time there grew just a few feet
from the great Willard Hotel a great
tree under whose shade the venerable
Senators of the days of Clay and Web
ster and Calhoun used to sit and gos-
sip about politics.
From the days of Washington down
to the present tree planting has been
a part of the unofficial duties Of the
President of the United States. They
have all indulged, with the exception
of Cleveland, who said he could see
no sense about planting tree for the
name of q thing" But his young
bride saved the day for him and
planted the beautiful bI0od-leaf Japa-
Evening star., 1926-06-20

nese maple that stands today on the
White House grounds.
Not far from the Washington elm
stand two interesting monuments 10
the days when politics were no less
strenuous than they are today. They
are barbecue trees that hark back
to the Harrison administration. A
jovial old Irishman, James Maher.
planted the trees for the purpose, he
claimed, of establishing two places
Evening star., 1926-06-20

OFHIRG. Japan Is Hlieu WIFI
poems. There is one. the great
national epic that dominates
all others, made not OF rhyme
and meter. hut of rock and
snow and forests and gracefully, ten
derly beautiful lines-the poem
Fujiyamd.
Whenever Japan is mentioned the
nrst picture that comes 70 the minds
of most people who have never Wis
ited that country IS one of this IA
nous snow capped volcano. To most
foreigners this incom parable noun
rain is the symbol of Japan itself.
They may never have heard of the
shrineS at Nikko and Nara, or of
Miya jima and Matsushima. bywords
for scenic beauty in Japan.
But who is there SO far removed
from civilization that he has not the
graceful sweep OF Fuji's skirts i'm
pressed upon his brain by the thou
sand images he has seen drawn and
painted and photographed on almost
every object Of art and industry that
is Japanese" The entire nation is
obsessed With "fujimania.'
The people are so enamored OF the
mountains soaring slopes and diadem
OF snow that they believe il 70 be an
embodied goddess and make pilgrim
ages from the ends Of the empire to
ascend and worship her No house
Is complete without a colored print
Of Full hung on the wall; in con
temptation before il the greatest
poetry Of Japan has been inspired.
Many a foreigner who has had the
GOOD fortune to look upon this fairy
peak agrees with the Japanese that 1t
Is not merely the most beautiful nat
uraI object of this island empire. but
Of this earth.
The ascent OF this beguiIing Queen
Of Mountains has been my chief pur-
pose in visiting Nippon, and though
it was now we'll into January, and
though everything was buried under
snow and ice, my enthusiasm was so
deep p-seated ! was not in the least
DISCOURAGED Neither WAS l impressed
when every one | questioned in
Ktoto assured me. between peals of
derisive laughter, that neither | nor
any other human being could reach
the 12,400-foot summit of Fiji at the
present season. when it was a solid,
uncompromising iceberg dashed with
savage Billiards.
AS my train sped at night from
Kioto on TO Yokohama. / realized
hat our route lay around the base
Of the mountain. and | scarcely dared
20 10 Sl66D IDI ItdI SIlOuiu
asleep through the dawn and miss
The long awaited glimpse of my pet
peak.
At last, at sunrise ! saw il. Gilt
tering from base 10 summit with ice
and snow il struck me as the most
Inspiring picture had ever seen,
and / felt that my alteration had not
heen wasted on an unworthy object.
was ready 10 leap from the train
then and there in response to the
sirens call. and would have. had wv,
not been travelling about 40 miles
an hour.
fPON my arrival IN Yokohama, |
began to look around for sources
Of information about Winter noun
taineering in Japan. Very little
progress had been made, when, by
Evening star., 1926-06-20
New Use for Helium.

HELIUM gas has other uses besides
l. that of lifting airships. 1t has
been employed with marked success
as an Anesthatan
Evening star., 1926-06-20

Perilous Moment of Journey Comes
When He Appears to Be Plunging To-
ward Certain Death-Defying an Age
Old Tradition-Guides Refuse to Ac-
company Him "A Long. Desperate
Strueele-In the Realm of Hurricanes
Evening star., 1926-06-20
1.-THE Tree City of the World'
reenM Ihat lon in
Memoir also INentsF Far n the Past.
BY UTHAI VINCENT WILCOX.

A MERICA'S greatest monument
" Is a tree. Although attracting
"A but little attention from hurry
4 \ ing tourists and bespeCkled,
Sipbt-Gaei,1rr peutry il is "A liV-
Evening star., 1926-06-20
BY RICHARD HALLIBURTON.

~ OETRY Japan is filled with
poems There is one. the great
national epic. that dominates
all others, made not Of rhyme
Evening star., 1926-06-20

| fPON my arrival IN Yokohama
began to look around for sources
Of information about Winter noun
taineering in Japan. Very little
progress had been made, when, by
good fortune / learned With mixture
Evening star., 1926-06-20

Who comes with Summer to this earth
And owes TO June her day of birth.
with ring of agate on her hand.
Can health, with wealth, and peace comma
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1926-10-07
SAYS MILLER
NOT CRIMINAL
Attorney Says Cham
pagne Dinner Deal
Perfectly Legal

NEW YORK. Oct. 7.-tPl-Thomas
w Miller, former alien property
custodian, committed no crime, when
he hapded Richard Merton, German
metal magnate. two checks for So
100000 at a champagne dinner IN
the Ritz Carlton. William Rand. his
counsel. tcld the jury in the Daugher-
ty,Miller conspiracy trial today.
Rand was making his summation
for Miller. Yesterday he analysed
the law and part Of the evidence in
the case. Max ID. Steuer, counsel for
Harry NJ Daugherty. will make his
summation later. Daugherty and
Miller are charged with conspiracy
to defraud the government in con-
nection with the release Ct $1,000
600 of impounded American Metal
Company assets in 1921.
"This champagne dinner was moth
ing Rand said. "Mr. Merton was
coming to New York anyway. He
just brought those checks along at
same time. Otherwise they would
have been laying around on some
ones desk at Washington. That's
the trouble with Washinyton-there's
Continued on Page p
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1926-10-07
BANK OFFICERS
UNDER ARREST
Violation of Federal
Reserve Banking
Laws Charged

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 7.-tPl--J. II.
Sparkman. president, and Paul Bran
lett, cashier. Of the Commercial
Guaranty State Bank at Longv:ew are
under arrest at Tyler on charges of
violating the Federal Reserve bank
ing laws. Charles %. Austin. state
bank ng Commissioner, announced
Thursday. They are charged with
making false entry on the books Of
the bank in connection with being n
Federal Reserve member. Austin said.
The bank was taken over last week
BY the state Banking Department
when q reported discrepancy Of $685.
600 was reported 10 the commission
by bank examiners.
J. r. Sparkman and p. NJ. Bran
lett, president and cashier, respec-
lively, Of the Commercial Guaranty
State Bank Of Longview, last night
made bonds of $1,000 before Com
missioner George G. Burrus Of Fed
eral Court at Tyler, 10 secure ap-
pearance at the January term on
charges of false entries in the bank
books.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1926-10-07

Official Changes
Announced by Nj. p.

ST. LOUIS. Mo-. Oct. T.-Several
important changes in officials Of the
Missouri Pacific Lines j. announced
by President Il. w. Baldwin H. ef-
factive October \. the most import
ant promotion being that Of o. A.
CARRIER. formerly assistant ch ef me-
chanical officer. to the post of Chief
mechanical officer TO fill the vacancy
made Nv the death OF Mr.. w. II. Fct
ner.
Mr. CARRIER started his career with
the Wabash at Springfield. ILL.,. as a
machincst apprentice in 1891. In 1901
he accepted the position of erecting
and roundhouse foreman for the Bal
timorc & Ohio ut Lorain, Oh o. Two
years later he was made general
foreman on the |. &. at Mounds from
which position he was promoted 70
master mechanic for the same rail
road at. East st. Louis. He held the
position of master mechanic at sew
eral points until 1925 when he was ap-
pointed mechanical superintendent Of
the Missouri Pacif { Lines.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1926-10-07
U. S. OFFICERS
MAKE SEIZURES

A number of seizures OF liquor and
aliens IN this district have been re-
ported to border patrol headquarters
in Brownsville.
Senior Patroli Inspector W. A.
Fleming yesterday ar-rehended
two men. fifteen miles east Of
Falfurrias in Klebcrg county with
rs gallons of mescal. A roadster
also was seized and the whole turned
over to Mounted Customs Inspector
Blackwell at Falfurrias.
Customs Inspector ID. L. Pullin and
Patrol Inspector John r. Peavey, ap-
pretended an alleged alien. with
2l pints Of beer on the river in the
vicinity Of HidalTo Tuesday.
Customs Inspector Marcus Hines
ara Patrol Inspectors Roy and Ed
Harrell seized seven quarts of te-
quila and one gallon Of mescal on a
vacant lot in Mercedes Tuesday but
did not make any arrests.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1926-10-07
SCHOOL FUND
ADDITION Up
GOVERNOR
Appropriation Passed
BY Legislature VIII
Increase Per Capita
Apportionment

AUSTIN. Oct. 7.-tPl-Fate Of the
scholastic arportionment now rests
W IN Governor Ferguson. Both hous-
es OF the legislature today adopted
with little opposition the free con-
ference report appropriation Of ST.
100000 to supplement- the available
school fund. and increase the per
capita apportionment from SlI.50 70
$l4. and no more.
Tire bill provides that the 10th
legi Iature find other sources Of
revenue for the school fund; that the
revenue will 80 toward paying this
appropriation. The appropr alton II
20 b. made IN three equal instaIlments
to prevent single large drain on the
general fund OF the state.