Nebraska Newspapers

    10 THE OMAHA DAILY BEE ; STODAY. MARCH 20. Tana-SIXTEEN" PAGES.
*
AMERICAN SELF-CRUCIFIERS
Tragic Representations of Scones in Christ's
Earthly Oaroer.
CARRYING CROSSES TO A MIMIC CALVARY
Amorlcnn Votom HulTrr CriieltUlon , Kvrn
Unto Death Itoviiltliig Smiii-gliiR * of the
1'eiiltpntr * , n raimtlcnl Itclleloiii
Order In the Hmithwest.
The Passion Play of Obcrammcrgau Is a
crude representation by simple German
peasants of scenes in Christ's earthly career ,
and It is imuctod but once in each decade.
Yet American nowsp.ipjr.s and magazines
have exhausted tholr resources to lllustrat-j
and describe this rude drama by illiterate
folk In an obscurj hamlet of a foreign land ,
and thousands of Americans have Hocked
thither to feed tholr hunger for novelty.To
have witnessed the IMssIon Play Is an
nchlovomcnt to boast of for a lifetime , and
yet within the confines of the United States
uro enacted dramas of Christ's travail moro
Intense , moro real , moro tr.iglo tlrin any
over attempted at Oberammonmu. .
How many Americans know that among
their follow citizens Is nn order whoso mem
bers yearly represent Christ's journey to his
crucifixion by bearing crosses of crushing
weight along paths of cruel stones and cac
tus to a inliniu Calvary ? How many know
that American voters , men who help to
choose the president of the United States ,
nro crucified , are bound by biting thongs , yea
nailed to crosses , and suffer unto death !
Not many. And yet this occurs , not merely
once In a decade at a single place , but every
year during Holy week and at do/.cns of
different places. In southern Colorado and
throughout Now Mexico the mon , and oven
the women , of a strange brotherhood are re
producing religious ceremonies , fanatical
. i\nd barbaric , tnat have come down from the
dark ages , and on Holy Friday many of their
number will bo crucified , some of them
probably to die.
A few years ago the ceremonies of the
Pcnitcntcs could be seen in almost every
town In Now Mexico , but with the Influx of
Americans public sentiment has become
leavened , and the sightseer must now go to
Mexican hamlets remote from the railroads
lo sec the brotherhood In Its full glory.
IVnlti'iiti-H Strolllliold.
The village of Taos In northern Now
Mexico , for many years the homo of Kit
Carson , is still ono of the strongholds of the
Pcnitcntcs. Hidden away in a little valley
among the Uockles , shut oft from the rail
road on the east by sevcnty-llvo miles of
mountains and separated from the Iron high
way on the west by thirty-flvo miles of
HBW MEXICO CltUCIFlXION.
"V. "
mesas and the awtul canvon of the Hio
Grande , this little hamlet of Mexicans , with
scarcely a dozen Americans among them. Is
not of the nineteenth century and feels few
of Its influences. Its simple , ignorant folk
do their baking in mud ovens and heat their
fane-story mud houses from mud fireplaces ,
and that is fairly indicative of their place in
human progress. Taos and its neighborhood
are said to have about 1.000 Pcnitcntcs , in
cluding many women , and hero their prac
tices are carried to the extreme. Among
the residents is a Methodist missionary , who
was an administrator of the estate of Pablo
Ortega , a Pcultonto who died near Anto-
nlto , Colo. , after having uccomo n Protes
tant. Among the dead man's effects were
found books explaining the rites of the order ,
and the missionary has since made a careful
study of this curious fanaticism.
The name of the order is "Los Hermanos
Penitentcs" ( The Penitcutllrothors ) . They
ropopularly known by the single word
Ponltcntes. The order was established in
Spain three or four hundred .years ago , and
it Is said that originally its members did not
practice scourging or crucifying. The. cus
tom of self-whipping seems to have been
borrowed from the Flagollantos , who flour
ished In Europe for many centuries , and the
Ignorant fanatics of the new world have
olaboratcd the system of potmnco until men
arc actually nailed to the cross.
The Vcnltentes are Catholics and for a
long tlmo used the churches for their meet-
Ings. Of late years the bishops have for
bidden this , and now the brothers have
tholr "morada" outside the town. This
brotherhood house is a ouo-story adobe with
n big cross at ono end and a door and a win
dow or two in its walls. Inside all Is bare
but for a few crosses , scourges and Imaires
of saints. These lodges are securely locked ,
and the brothers are carefully guarded from
Intrusion during their ceremonies. They
dread publicity , and the foolhardy man who
would attempt to photograph ono of their
pi-occasions would do It at the risk of his
life.
During most of the year the Penitentcs nro
to qulot that their silent "moradas" with
broken crosses scattered about them , nro the
only evidences of their existence. With the
beginning of Lent they renew their activity
with ceremonies and processions , and the
horrors of this barbaric worship reach their
climax : during Holy week.
UliKiity Initiation Ori-inony.
Members of the order are initiated by a
peculiar cutting of the back , and a Pen- !
tento , when stripped , may bo recognized by
the trademark , so to speak. All of them have
jashcs In the .small of the back. These are
( undo by an ofllcer known us "el picador , " who
uses a pleco of flint or volcanic glass ( obsl-
Ian ) , The novice says to the "pricker" :
"For the love of God , glvo mo throe , " or
' plvo mo the live wounds of Christ , " or "the
kovcn last words of Jesus , " or "tho ten com-
.iiKUulments , " or "tho forty days In the
wilderness. " This means that the "picador1
is to cut him with the "iM.dernal" as many
times as Indicated by the numeral In hi ;
request , bo it three times or forty. Tin
victim wuars only a pair of drawers , and tin
gashes are made just above the walstbam' '
until tuu blood flows. These wounds two cui
open each year In order to make the scourg
Ing moro painful. This whipping and cutting
are among the oldest forms of getting ou
"the blood of Christ. "
The scourge , known us "la dlsclpllna , " 01
"thing of obligation , " is generally made o
Spanish bayonet or soap weed. The whip i :
a bundle of twigs , sometimes twined , into oni
thick pleco two or three feet long. Occasion
nlly n fanatic will use a cactus stem for ;
dtsclpllca , but its thorns penetrate the llcsl
Ilko needles and it seems incredible that :
human creature can cnduro such torture
While it is rare to RCO men drive thcso pitl
less tines into the body with blows , it is no
unusual for them to march in their pro
cessions with cacti bound upon tholr nakex
backs by tightly drawn cords.
This whipping is continued three days am
nights at a stretch In order to fulllll the rite
of the order. There is : i record of ono youni
New Mexican who delivered 2,000 lasho
upon his naKcd , blccdinr ; back within i
single day , and three days later hn was a
tork In the Holds as though nothing hat
happened. In southern Colorado this scours
ing has been wade a public spoctaolo fo
paplng crowds , and the thrifty fanatics col
loot f 1 a head from the curious onlookers ,
In those exorcism liable to bo seen b ;
spectators the brothers doing pcnanco try t
ronceal their Identity by black cloths throw :
brer too brad aud tlod about the neck O
ate ; -ears the younger generation has devel
opod many mihotlovcrfl , whoso noofllni * scoius
to hurt the Pcnitcntcs moro than their self-
Imiwscd tortures. The brothers may also
have some fear of the dlspleasuro of the
hurch. and It Is nulto probable they wish to
mystify the people , but It is generally known
among their friends who the penitents aro.
During the early part of Lent the per
formances of the Penltontos are compara
tively mild , but in Holy week all the horrors
rors of this peculiar order are put Into prac
tice. On a hillock at some distance from the.
brotherhood house Is planted a cross to rep
resent Calvary. Day after day procession *
march frorr. the lodge to the cross and back ,
its members doing penance "for the love of
God" in a variety of hideous ways , as the
fancy of the individual may suygcst. In
many places that have been invaded by rail
roads and Americans these ceremonies are
performed at night and In Isolated localities ,
( 'r < m llonrrr .
One of the commonest scenes U the march
of the flagellants. At the head strides the
"nltero , " blowing a rude Hutu with a shrill ,
unearthly wall In Its tones that Is caeulate : !
to fill a stranger to Us notes wllh a nameless
dread when heard at nlglit amid the weird
solitude of New Mexico mountains. A
companion-bears a crucifix and then follow
the brothers doing ponanco. Naked , except
for tholr drawers and the cloth over their
heads , their bo ar foot are cut by shard
stones aud lacerated by clinging cacti , whllo
the self-applied disciplines leave ridges und
torvo ' later as guvs , nn-1 several Brothers .
of Light slowly r.ils the ponlorou.s boim '
into n n upright position. Its bas-j slips into
the excavation , mil as It nears the iwrinMi-
dlcular the whole mass drops into UIP nolo
with a shock that must e.iuso the crucified
ono excruciating pain , but he glvos forth no
sound. The cross is then steadied by the guy
ropes , and pern-ips loose rocks are thrown
Into the excavation.
Agilities iiTtlic Cro < i.
It Is useless , perhaps , for ono who has not
sulfcrcd them to attempt to describe the
exqulslto agonies of the cruclllo'l man , and
they may bo left to the Inmlnallmi of the
reader. Hardened as the PoultentM nro to
such scenes , an Intense hush falls upon the
group standing about with ejes lifted In
ivvcrcntlnl awe to the central figure. The
afternoon sun beams on the scene with
southern fervency , the lonely hills lend their
solitude to the drama and there Is seldom a
bird or oven a cricket in this land of barren
rock and fruitless s.iud to break the solemn
sllencn.
The weight of the hanging man causes the
binding roi > os to sink deep Into the arms and
legs. The surrounding flesh swells Into great ,
ghastly puffs. The blood stops circulating.
The skin assumes a purple hue , .then turns
slowly lo a black. Somu of the onlookers
kneel and their lips move In silent prayer.
Near by a penitent brother may bo lying on
a bed of cactus or suffering some other torture -
turo without a sound. From the brows of
PENITENTE I'liOCXS IOS TO OAI.VAIiT.
Rashes In their backs , from which dros ] of
blood trickle down and discolor their single
garment. Perhaps they are accompanied by
other oftlcers than the two leaders and the
otilclals may ho known by the bands or
lillcts tied about the forehead. The march
is to a cross , where the penitents kneel , po
through a secret mummery , lash themselves
ii self-prescribed number of times and then
take up the backward inarch to the
"moraila. "
That Is the simplest processional form of
Holy week. The crass ho irow are a curious
phase of other occasions , The column
is led as usual by the lilletod lifer
and crucifix bearer , and somcwhero amouir
the party is a "rc-sidor" with an open book
from which he is reading prayers. Ono man
may bo bearing a huge oross , his out
stretched arms bound to its arms. Another
may IH > staggering under the weight of a
cross simply rest tug on his shoulder , while
the main piece leaves a deep trail where it
drags along the road. A third cross bearer
may have his arms bound to the upright
pleco , compelling him to bear tno entire
velght.
At Taos men bear these burdens with the
crossbar resting on the shoulders and the
extended arms. Kach hand Is supported by
i sword , the hilt in the palm and the
> olnt resting on the hip. There must bo Just
.iressuitJ enough to keep the sword in place ,
ind if thcro is a trltle lee much the blade
, vill enter the hearer's body. The ditliculty
of adjusting this pressure to a nicety , espe
cially after the burden has been carried some
llstanco , must bo left to the imagination.
In some cases the cross bearer manacles
ilmself with a heavy log chain , permitting
lim merely to hobble along. Many of these
crosses are twenty feet In length and eight
: o ten inches in thickness. Often they weigh
'rom 200 to 800 pounds , and the naked backs
with purple streaks and abraded skin are a
pitiful sight as the bearers stoop and groan
ind painfully creep along under their crush-
ng burdens. Tno cross bearers , like the Hag-
-Hants , try to conceal their Identity with u
cloth wrapped about the head.
The self-scourgers resort to many oxpodi-
ints to increase their punishment. Ono uinds
his legs with a rope to impede his progress
and increase the number of blows. Another
kneels at frequent intervals whllo an ofllcer
lashes his bleeding baclc with the discipline.
Ono makes the journey on his knees , and an
other has his hack bound tightly with buck-
liorn cactus , whoso sharp tines will picrco
shoo leather. Pieces of this eaotus ( entraua )
may bo thrown at these poor , deluded
fanatics , the thorns sticking into the llesh
deep enough to hold the branch , but the
worshiper gives no sign , though the pal"
must bo intense. At Taos , not long airo , a
woman started from the brotherhood house
carrying In her arms a largo Imago of Clirist
crucified , ana she waddled on her knees all
the way to "ol Calvario , " a distance of a
miio. She had to cross a mesa covered with
stuhblo , stones and cactus , and not only were
her skirts torn to shreds , but her limbs from
the knees downward wore a cross hatch and
a stipple of bleeding , revolting wounds.
A Gciiiilnn Crucifixion.
Thocrowning event of this sickening bar
barism occurs on Holy Friday , when the an
niversary of Christ's death is celebrated
with a drama of the crucifixion. The event
opens with a procession from the "morada"
to the hillock representing Calvary. Thcro
nro cross bearers , flagellants and numerous
women and children , all led by the lifer ,
while the reader of pniyurs Is somewhere In
their midst. The women carry images of
Christ on the cross and of the Virgin Mary ,
and .among the children arc scattered
( liromos of various patron saints. The pro
cession halts at short intervals to "make the
stations of the cross. " and the women and
children kneel while they repeat a short
prayer. At Calvary the cross beaivrs lie at
full length , with thu heavy beams laid upon
their backs , whllo the "pitero' ' pipes and
the attendants sing. Then the procession
returns to the "morada , " the brothers going
iusldofora few minutes meditation and the
women waiting outside. These pilgrimages
are repeated until afternoon , when the
climax of this strange drama is reached.
When the time tor tne crui-lllxlou has ar
rived , the "hermano mayor" ( chief brother )
and an assistant enter the ' "morada" and
return with the victim. Ho is entirely
naked except for a pair of .cotton drawers
and a bag over his head. He is led to the
place of crucifixion , perhaps a newly selected
Calvary , and the procession follows. At
Taos he is a volunteer. In some places ho is
selected by lot. " 121 Calvario" has been pro-
bared for the ceremony. A huge cross lies
upon the earth , and al Us base ts an oxcava-
tlon. The victim walks ilrmly to the cross
and lies down upon It at full length , his back
to the standard and his arms ouUtretched
upon the cross beam. Several ' Hermanos
do l.uz" ( Hrothrrs of Light , who attend
llagullants hut do not scourge themselves )
take a stout hempen rope and lash the army
and legs of the prostrate Penltento to the
cross. They draw the bonds so tightly that
the strands fairly sink Into the tlcsh , but not
a whimper Is heard from thu victim.
If ho Is particularly courageous and fanat
ical ho may ivbel at this method of under
going the ordeal. Ho may cry out : "For the
love of ( lod. do not dishonor mo ! Not with
a rope ! Nail mo ! For the love of God , nal
mo ! "
In former years it was a common practice
to spike these deluded IxHuss to the cross
Douth * ninonu the crurifled were not unco in
mon then , and on ono Holy Friday within the
past dcoado four Penltontes wcii ) klllod In
this manner at points not far from Taos ,
Public gcntimt'iit has slowly modified this
custom. The chief brother now determine
whether or not the subject shall bo nallod
and in most plains it Is no longer | M'rmItt.Hl
U ts probably within the bounds of truth t <
S.AV that nailing to the cross Is now practices
only in ; \ few Moxlcan hamlets so rumou
from railroads as to be outside the palo o
modern influences.
At Taos several Mexican * are polntod ou (
as Penltontes who have beun crucified will
spikes and survived , aud the statumtmt liai
r-orrolKjrutlon in small scars on the hunus
which m&y bo seen by an Invostlgatorvltl
sufficient patience to watch for opportuci
tlC4 ,
Itouos are wuund about the top of the crosi
the oftleors , clasped in crowns of cactus ,
drops of blood trickle down and smear their
faces. The moments drag along with pain
ful weariness , They seem to have length
ened Into hours for the sufferer into eons ,
probably but in reality it may bo only
twenty or thirty minutes until the chief
brother gives the siirn to lower the crjss.
The Brothers of Ught quickly loose the
bonds of the crucified one , and tno prisoned
blood loap.i through the thirsty veins with
riotous , painful Joy. The motionless form is
picked up by two assistants , each putting a
shoulder under ono arm. and the march to the
"morada" Is begun. Perhaps the body gives
evidence of lifp and consciousness. Tno legs
slowly move as though to walk , but the effort
is lee feeble for any practical use , except to
show that the spirit of life still animates
the swollen , bruised , blackened body.
At the "morada" the crucified brother Is
rudely nursed into strength , And occasionally
his vitality is such that ho will bo about the
next day as though nothing had happened.
Sometimes the body picked from the cross
Kives no sign of Hfo and is never seen in pub-
lie after It is carried into the "morada. " A
few days later the clothing of the missing
man may be soul his wife , but thcro is not a
word of explanation. Her husband has dis
appeared , and tradition tells her ho has paid
the penalty of his ignorant zeal. Somcwhero
among thu lonely canons or out on the
broad , parched mesa may bo.i little mound of
stones supporting a cross. The ground near
by may show signs of having been disturbed.
Perhaps a secret and a crlmo are buried
thcro. "Quicn sabol" ( Who knows ? )
FllEl )
AMOXO LITTLE
Now York Herald : A. little Harlem boy
who has an old maid aunt who is very fond
of cats has been in the habit of officiating as
executioner whenever tno kittens multiplied
around at his antic's to a degree that oven
that venerable feminine cat fancier could not
support.
As a natural result ho became very expert
at putting kittens in a bag , together -with a
big paving stone , and consigning the whole
lot to the tender mercies of the Harlem river.
As it happened , only the other day the little
Harlem boy's mother presented her husband
with a couple of daughters in the shape of a
splendid pair of twins.
As a great favor Johnny was allowed to go
into the room to see hi ? newly arrived sisters.
Ho gazed upon them with a languid In
terest for a few moments , and then looklna
up at his father said suddenly : "Say , pop ,
let's keep the ono with blue eyes. " It was
kept.
*
Detroit Free Press : I'hoy had just settled
down for dinner , aud the nervous spinster
who had the guest's seat was still primping ,
us persons of her class will , when the family
infant let out a whoop that told of grief and
terror which could no longer bo suppressed
"What's the matter , dear ! " Inquired the.
visitor , in a volco of the deepest solicitude.
"You go 'way from our house , " was the shrill
and startling response ; "you're Just killing
my mamma , so you are. " "Why , Mary dear ,
how you talk. " from the mother. "What do
you mean , anyhow , talking like that ? " "You
sa-aid , mamma , if that ol-old ma-mald
st-st-stayod for dinner sh-sho would b-bo
the death of you , so yo-you did , boo-hoo 1"
Then thcro was a scene that beggars de
scription.
* *
Boston Transcript : Susie's mother sent
her to Warren's the other day for some
shoestrings. The little girl tipped the door
latch and slowly walked up lo the propri
etor.
"Mamma sent mo down for a pair of shoe
strings , " and Susie lingered her pennies
nervously as , she looked Into the dealer's
face. Warren turned to a bunch of strings
upon the wall and Usgan to pull a couple out.
Then ho stopped.
How long does she want them1 !
Susie looked flustered. " 1 don't know , but
I think mamma wants them to keep. "
Now York Tribune : "Oh , Aunt Annie , I
am to bo cremated tomorrow , " exclaimed a
small boy Joyously on his arrival home from
school ono afternoon. "Now , does the child
mean t-romated or promoted P said the aunt
to a visitor who was present. "It Is what
Alice in Wonderland would call a portman
teau word , " said her companion , "but It Is
not i > o bad as something my little son said
the other day. Ho announced to every ono
In the house that his baby sister was to bo
'crucified' the following Sunday. Of course
' . ' "
ho meant 'christened.
*
"Now , l-iucy , tell mo wtileh you prefer to
have , a new brother or a now sister , " whis
pered a doting mother to her 4-year-old.
Oh , mamma , I'd rather a goat ! "
Tableau.
*
"Good morning , Tommy. Is your father
in ? "
"jSo , He's gene to the dentist's , "
"To the dentist's ! "
"Yes to have ma's teeth seen to. "
"Oh , indeed ! "
' Yes ; but ma is in herself , if you'd like to
sco her. "
*
"Johnnie , if you haven't been swimming
how comes it that your shirt is on wrong
side out i" '
Johunlo There wasn't any danger , ma ; I
could touch bottom.
"So can I. " replied his inamuia , as she
reached for a slipper.
"Johnny , " said the school teacher , "hi the
sentence 'They held a convention. ' parse the
word convention. " "Is It a political conven
tion , please , ma'am ? " "I don't know that
hasn't anything to do with it. " "It would
help mo out considerably if I kno.vlt was a
political convention. " "In what wayl"
' Because then I could sort of take it for
gran ted that It was in the nominative caso. "
"Who aaya thcro is nothing now under the
aunt" dutlantly asked the small boy with the
now s'loos.
If your grocer don't keep Cook's Kxtra
Dry Champagne order a case direct of the
American Wine Co. , St. Louis ,
LOVE-SMITIEN TROUBADOURS
a >
' > it , _
a it
Tlio Solitary itultilglit Saramdos of Modern
Romcoii
THE NEIGHBORED NOT SEEM TO OBJECT
< i .1
_
A Wllil Hull iia'I.'jhn ' I'olltn Viiquoro Mini
lest Vitrlrty < if I.uillcniiK HltuntluiM
Alumni tlio < H-diii : l.lnor * ( lrlinUiiiilnt
mill UnroiHblliiM Humor la Scotland ,
Maruh 111. ' [ Correspondence of
Tun UKB.J If fund ; ? ! ! trnvol has Its s.nl and
liathotlo coloring , It Is still often cnltvcnnd
with many dlvortlntr situations , amusing In-
eiJunts and genuinely humorous aspects.
Hut fu\r rays of tills genial sunshine ; fall
upon the face of sunny Uuln. To the mlnil
ami heart of the traveler It remains 11 ort of
torra/.o iloloroso m perspective. Save for Its
matchless tropical beauty and the languor
ous beauty of Us wornon It remains plain-
lively In thn memory : altogether sombar In
tone and color. Tuls observation will hold
true of travel In all countries whoso folk are
of the swarthy In tin Unease. From many
visits to the beautiful island I can recall no
moro thanttirco situations where the foreign
spectator inlsht bo beguiled into mirthful
emotions , ami these possessed the iiuallty of
ridiculousness rather than humor.
Une of these I witnessed repeatedly late at
night. It Is the outgrowth of surveillance of
parents over daughters. It is the solitary
midnight scrcnaiiu. Time after time , on re
turning to my hotel from divers w.m'loring.-j '
at night In the Cuban capital , have I p.isscd
these lovo-strickou youths , stationed oppo
site the" homes' of their luamoratas In all
manner of agonized attitudes , strumming
dow-munied notes UIKHI ancient guitars , and
lifting their voices In passionate though
doleful petitions to the night , the moon , the
stars , and all the saints , to. aid them in
reaching the cars and hearts of their adora-
uas. The favorite , Indeed almost the uni
versal , ballad sung by these love-lorn Cuban
youths is "La Luna , " of which I recall ono
stanza :
MN penas y mis fuUgns
Vu no .se pm-don contas ,
So aluaii7.au imus a utrun
Como Ins oluH ilt'l mar ,
Luna , lu'llii protoetora ,
No mo nloKUi's tu fulgar ;
\ oy iii ! busua < lo mi tosoro
\ oy en busc-a do ml ainurl
My sorrows ninl languors ,
Untm'jisnralilo portion ,
Tliuy follow each other
As wave * ) of the ocean.
Sweet Iiiina , protccttusM ,
Deny not utlulguiico ;
l-'or a triMiMii'u I in soarchlns
My duar love's Indulgence.
Nobody pays any attention to these who
thus pour out their souls upon the night.
The parents who are used to it. simply turn
in their beds witli thanks to the saints that
their doors are massive and the windows arc
of iron bars. Delated male passers by cas
sympathetic glances at the lone troubadours ,
remembering theh' own dismal efforts in the
past. Even the neighbors keep silence ; and
not a rock or handy household implement is
shot , as from seine shadowy catapult , on dis
turbing mission through the bosky midnight
air. For hours of 'this sort of lugubrious
vigil no reward is sought or expected. But
if the lluttcr of a/Jjilnty hand , or the shim
mer of delicate ] luces , Is for an instant
caught at the balcony of the fair one's al-
coba , then Is the iuiistrel ) lover in-an ccstacy
Of delight.
On ono occasion 7'Pamo upon two of these
amorous I loin cos , singing and playing in a
sort of a desperate1 rivalry beneath one bal
cony. It was truly * \ dilemma both for the
adorado and her 'lovers. The latter were
both singing , "UnlJuna , " ono in a frenzied
falsetto , the other in'fa barytone , hoarse from
Jealous passion. A polite prUardia Civil finally
relieved the dramatic tension of the situa
tion by carrying away QUO at a time to a
near bodega , thus preventing a tragedy , se
curing his own till of wine , and in a 'kind of
relay giving each smitten troubadour a fair
and equitable chance at the moon.
Another situation , illustrating Cuban
sociological peculiarities , was found in a
railway trip across the island. Ono of the
passengers , an old seuora , sneezed. In
stantly , and reverently , a score of passen
gers responded : ( > Dlos to guard , ia ! " ( "God
guard theol" ) She sneezed again. This
time the concerted ejaculation was :
"Murial" She sneezed the third time. This
was followed by u chorus of voices with :
'Jose ! " It is u universal Cuban customand
n its motive reminds forcibly of the quiio
as universal German custom , when one
sneezes , to express" kindly concern by responding
spending with the unctlous and expressive ,
"Gcsundhclt ! "
Again , a young fellow , passing a mother
and radiantly beautiful daughter on his way
out of the car , doffed his hat , stood straight
and tall before the couplehe had never be
fore seen , and with the dignity of a veritable
Don Quixote said In Spanish : "Old woman ,
keep that daughter of heavenly beauty for
the unworthy ono before you ! " Then ho
strode away and nobody assaulted him. The
aged senora responded pleasantly : "I will
faithfully keep her I" Possibly the fair
senor.i's fan moved a little moro rapidly at
the compliment. But nobody thought amiss
of the episode , or for'that matter anything
at all about it , save myself.
At * ono tlmo myself and friends were
traveling on horsebacic the r'most Impassa
ble country roads of the southern coast , In
the vicinity of Trinidad. Along In the after
noon wo suddenly heard a great rustling ,
galloping and hallooing some distance in
advance. Our , wise pcnlcs instantly grow
restive and she > vcd alarm. Wo halted for a
moment ; the yeomen listed and directly
cried out excitedly :
"An hiene torobravo ! " "Hero
, un ( cornos a
wild bull ! " ) The words were not out of his
mouth before his feet struck the ground.
Whipping out his nrichoto ho cut with in
credible speed a way through the hedgo. It
was not a moment too soon. Thundorinir
around a sharp corner in the road came a
wild bull , his pursuing rider yelling , "Ton-
gan culdado con el toro ! " ( "Lookout for
the bull 1" ) The brute catching siuht of our
group charged madly upon us , and it would
havs surprised your anise-seed fox hunters to
have seen the vaulting through and over that
hedge as. tiio gleaming horns whisked by our
poilcs ; twinkling heels ; while , true under'all
circumstances toCubanpoliteness , the van
ishing vanquoro turned In his saddto , re
moved his hat , and with the bow of a
courtier sang out atyor our ilyIng squad :
"Perdonemon , aljiktwj pore he tenido ol
dlablo con osto tuvft"Your ! / ( pardon , my
friends ; but I amhaving a devil of a time
with this bull ! "
The going to an 'cowlug from Europe on
the great oixianUn.uta provide an endless
variety of ludlcrowSincidents , ; because on
every steamer passengers to a largo proportion
tion are new to thtfVeeullar and Irrevocable
situation ; formality can by no mo.ins be unin
terruptedly sustain , ! ? ? Individuals , character
and station are bn > 'i ) it into close , sharp and
most striking conUinl ; and all social dis
tinctions are liable nit nny moment to total
obliteration in th- ' common an.t olten
grotesque misery of "seasickness. "
Two or three meals at farthest sponge the
banquet airs fivm" tjlo cabin tables. Thn
ship's commander , lilluJ as a bartender in
l > ort , has hidden hiuuolf from view. The
purser's window Ut4hutas If hermetically
sealed. Tno ship's -doctor bus retired
behind the strictest interpretation out of
hours and rules. The chief and assist
ant stewards , to whom your great fee
has nlro.idy gone for a choice at the
table refus to rocognlz.i yov. Your room
steward eyes you with a look of sharp sus
picion anJ close aual.s His. Will you glvo him
much trouble , and wilt you fee gonoroiwlv' '
comprise his utti'rmoit intorost. But ho
will iHinnlt no early familiarity. The stew
ardess Haunts iier whltoc.uppoj head , plainly
s.i.Ung , "There are char.ictcrs Iron this 'ore
vuss-M asldomy U'own tos.iafiln . , nlrl" The
boatswains , whoso frixda.l. fatherly faces on
the llrst day gave proniUo of so.i yarns and
ocuau-loro revelations , are us stolid as
broiuos or brass ,
The scrguants-at-arms and lUvlr. stewards
walk around you , loolc you up and down ,
over and around , fore and aft , starboard ami
l > orl , as If to remind you that deck rnlw are
dock law , sir. The bull Itoys , those llltlo
dried up old commodores ( if the pasiagoti ,
library and lavatories , regard you from bo-
nrath beetling brownns with savage advnnco
irotesl.s ngalnt pjssiblo requests for favors ,
\\auder where you nmy on your stoaiuer'n
leeks or within her splendid cabins , you
hid but savagery , selfish preoccupation and
despair.
And how it levels the proud and great I
LOOK at thi'in sprawling In their chairs , him-
Ireds of thorn , under the Ico-awnlngs , hope ,
iridc , scorn , hauteur , all , Mown Hko the
lush of the shriveled flowers below. That
ompous old fellow who can draw his checker
or n cool million , and who , on shore , reckons
ilmself a boy of10 , yon know , Is stretched
there Ilko a drunkard , holding his two sots
of false teeth in his nerveless hand with the
nest familiar abandon. Ho recks not these
> vho sco ; ho sues not these who reck. Hero
s a grand dame , us easy a subject of study.
Her wig is displaced ; the | > owder and color
nivo been sponged from ono side of her face
> y some attentive stewardess ; her laces ,
lounces and silks are disheveled ; she is
snoring , diversified by snorts and palateal
staccatos.
See this orsl peerless New York hello I
'aint , powder and bllgewater are blended In
i dirty French gray upon her leathery coun
tenance. The fog 1ms deposited n clammy
rlmo upon this. Strands of her now wave-
ess hair arc fluttering stickily within her
ipt'ii mouth. Her eyes seem to have gone
> aek into her head an 'neh and are closed
leocath dirty yellow lids. Amid this wreck
of beauty there is one bit of color. It is in
ler pinky , pointed nose. It would have par-
ilyzod her to have worn a 'J.Vcent bathing
uxt at sea. So from under the edge of her
* ! W hat her sea-blistered nose rises rare and
cd like some beetle beacon light looming
ibovo drear , dank , dolorous Isles. In a few
lays moro the long-abused cuticle will pool
from this little noao in tenacious swirls and
curls , and as she steits upon the staging at
Liverpool the rude customs Inspectors will
ironounuo her an "H'American h'objeck. "
A voluble lady sitting in her desk chair
Hid undergoing the premonitory qualms of
nal-do-mcr remarks to the unhappy group
i bout her :
"Ifl got seasick Ilko the rest of these
people , I shall Just give up my reason alto
gether , so 1 shall. "
Whereupon a bluff old party awakens from
his stui > or long enough to retort spitefully :
"Judging from my own experience , you
will give up far more than that , madam ! "
On the other side of the ropes , where the
stecrifgp passengers nro herded like cattle ,
you will see them walking the deck as If at
wager , with occasional quick recourse to the
side rail for relief. They are immeasurably
brighter , sunnier and lighter-hearted in
their misery than the moro comfortable
cabin passengers. While they are jioundlng
cheerily about deck you may approach and
sympathetically accost an emigrant with ,
"Well , my boy , how do you find yourself
this morning ? "
"Mo health's all right , yor honor" Ca
plunge to the side rail ) , is the sturdy re-
loindor. Then , witli a twinkle in his blood
shot eyes , "but , faith , mo ticket's steerage ! "
The ocean liner Is never without its ferret ,
who Is sometimes a divinity student , "broad
ening his range of observation and study ; "
frequently the young reporter honestly , de
sirous of acquiring everything possible to bo
learned on shipboard in a six days effort ; atvl
often a female who has broken loosn in
search of a "career. " These human inter
rogation points usually have gold-rimmed
eye-glasses , invulnerable assurance , ami
notebooks which are drawn on victims with
the celerity of genuine deadly weapons.
They are abroad for Information and they
get it. Cornering the ship's commander on
the subject of seasickness , they find :
"Dear sir. or madam , I have followed the
s'ea for twenty-live years and have put more
in it than I ever took out of it ! " '
From grim old travelers they learn :
"This is my hundred and fortieln passage ,
sir , or madam. Though I have taken every
meal on shipboard , I have frequently missed
them ! "
Irrepressible they still are when the sea
and the storm pound the waves and the fog
upon the distracted passengers while cross-
lug the Ixowfoundland banks , and there is
not life enough left in the objects In the deck
chairs to quicken even profane response. It
is then they espy a solitary being , on its legs ,
in blue and gold , away out forward. They
sidle , slip and slide up to it. The being
proves to bo a ship's oftlccr first , second ,
third , or somewhere along the lino. But it Is
alive , has hearty Jowls , a big paunch , and
hoping these bespeak geniality , they timidly
address It.
"Beg pardon , officer , but are these fogs
always to be found here on the banks ? "
The being is a blue , gold and bronze statute
for a long , long tlmo. Finally as thsy
despair and are about to turn away its red
head suddenly turns quarterround , and they
involuntarily listen for Its click. Then its
cavernous , coral mouth expands frightfully
while the being roars.
' "Ow the bloody 'ell do Hi know ? Hi
doant bide 'ere ! "
Up in Scotland the grimncss and qu.ilnt-
ness of humor in speech and anecdote , rather
than in rejoinder or situation , is to the trav
eler an endless ripple of sunshine across the
stern features of Scotia's folk and land.
At Galashicls of a Sunday morning I
came upon two lads savagely disputing
where their best interests should lead them
to Sunday school. The lesser of the two. a
hard-headed little fellow , closed the con
troversy and set the pace with ,
"Coom awa ; coom awa. It's maist for
naithing we'll get at the Frco Kirk ! "
I witnessed a fisherman's bride leaving
her old homo for the now , at Oban. A
sharp-tongucd neighbor gave her this grisly
godspeed :
"Joan , buck-tooth tho' yc are , yo are wccl
busked and kistcd ( well dressed and pro
vided ; ) but the dell Is na waur-faurd
( uglier ) than th' auld-beik that owns yo ! "
The advent of the doctor when a now
baby arrived In lowly homes as the physi
cian usifally brings cnrrnntbannoclcs , or
buns , called "curnieljannlcs , " with which to
divert the attention of the children is a
supreme occasion in child Hfo experience.
"Heot ! " I heard a wee lasslo of Edin
burgh old town relating to her big-eyed com
rades in the shadows of a narrow close , "th1
dochter brocht us a now bairn th' mornln' !
An' a mucklo guid dochter ho is " Then
after a long and impressive sllunco : "An' ho
brocht a curnie-bannio an' an' a sponge ,
tao ! "
Hiding along the Carlisle and Glasgow
road in an old trap driven by a serious youth
named Anarow , the horse shloil , kicked the
dashboard in pieces , stopped stock-still and
turned and looked at Andrew.
' 1'nlr be.stiol puir boastio ! " said Andrew
soothingly. Then ho dismounted and plucked
a tuft of grass which ho gave to the animal ,
with the ruminative remark : "We'll gie't a
Dlto o' girse ( grass ) t' pit it ( the viciousness )
ooto' its Heidi"
Any intelligent traveler could fill n mirth
ful volume with these quaint sayings within
his own hearing. A crofter who pulled mo
out of a stream into which I had unwittingly
fallen , closed the narration to his friends of
his gallant rescue with : "Oh , ay , I brocht
the um-oo Yonkeo * " o'or the hecklo-plns
sairlv ! " A Highland gnidwifo predicted my
dinicullies in climbing Ben Nevis by remark
ing : "Yo'll need pit a stoot ho.u-t tao th' sty
brae ; " while a canny and cynical old book
seller of Perth , when ridiculing mo for my
limited knowledge of the Scottish people ,
gave his own countrymen the iixqulslto bit
of satire of. "Yo'll ne'er rightly ken a
Scoatchmon till yo ken him for a mon that
keeps the Sawbath an' all else ho can lay
Ills twa hands oopon ! "
EIMIAII L. WAKIJIAX.
No Siiclil | : AilmltsliHi.
OMAHA , March 23.-To the Kdltor of TUB
HKK : Is It u fact that In addition toilu'on-
tnincoffoof fiOwnts to the \ \ oildfiilr &u
cents n Mm will be clmwod llm vMtur on
iMitorliu liny of tin * liuildlnss on llm ci-miml ,
for InManco tlm Nobr.-uUn linllilln , agricul
tural bulldlne. etc. , elc.V-llurlliiKton.
Ans. No additional fee Is charged for ad
mission to any of the buildings or state ex-
hlnlts. There are about two dozen side at
tractions on the grounds to which special ad
mission fecss of from 10 to > : > cents will bo
charge * !
' / am seventy-seven years ola.
and have had my ago renewed
at least twenty years by the use
of Swill's Spccilic. My foot
Kj m and leg to my kijep was a
! M
, and phvslclans s :
tor two
running sore jejrs
it could not Ixj cured. Afttr taking f.frfen sn all
lotlle * S. S.S.thera ijnot a oroonrnylirnbs.nnill
litvuanewli-asoon
of , our wonderful remedy. paJ , * f
SWIFT SPCIF10 COMPANY ,
Atlanta. Ga.
Short
Lived
Are these Ignorant protontlorj who ,
without any qualifications , nny nbtlity ,
nny oxparionco , nny skill , claim to
possess the powar to euro nil the ills of
ho human rnoa. But their want of
worth soon becomes apparent to tholr
would-bo dupes , and these conscionco-
lesaciuncks an soon cansignol to the
oblivion they BO richly merit. "
In atranjs nud strong contrastwit'i
these misorublo boasters is the quiet ,
dlgniflod yet courteous domormor of
hose noted loaders of their profession ,
Who , durinp the past 27 years , hav
abundantly demonstrated their ability
to oil'oct speedy , porfoctjind permanent
euros in all the wornt forms of these delicate -
icato sexual maladies onibraced within
the general terms of
OT
NERVOUS ,
AND
PRIVATE DISEASES.
Send 4 cents for their illustrated 110 > v
book of 120 pages , "Know Thysolf. "
Consultation froo. Call upon or address -
dross , with stamp ,
Beth I Balls ,
119 S , 14th Slreat ,
Cor. Douglas St' ,
OMAHA , - NEB.
SURELY CURED.
To THU EDITOH- < > ase inform yonr read
ers that I have n positive remedy for the
above uamcd disease. 15y its timely UNO
thousands of hopeless1 cases have been , per
manently cured. I shall bo glad to Bend
two bottles of my remedy free to nny of yonr
renders who have consumption if they will
Bond mo their express and post ollico address.
T. A. Slocum , 31.0. , 18J 1'earlSl. , Now York.
IIK. I' . I. . sn.VISf.,1- : * . Ooiisiiltinsriurffeon ,
Graduate of Itush MeiHeiU Collnzo. ( rON-
NUl > T.V'l'li X KltKli ) . I'r ' the treatment of
Wo onroCntnrrh , All Dlsov-jc ofthi
NOBO. Throat. Olicst. Slom 10)1 , iiowoli
mid Liver.
Blood , Sklu and Kidney Disonioi ,
Female Weaknesses , Lost Manhood
CURED ,
I'tl.ES , KISTt'I.A , FISSimn , pennnnontly curoJ
win out tbo use of Knife , llgaturo or cnuilln.
All umlnillos of n prlr.-itu or dotlcuto nature , of
rltliersox. positively curcil.
Cnll on or luldross , nltli stamp ( or ClrcuUrj , Fro 3
Hoot and Itoclpes ,
Dr. Seirlcs &
Knit Door to Postonioa ,
DB. SEYMOUR PUTNAM
OraOnato Itollcvuo Hospital Medical Colloco ,
Now Vorlc CHy.
PHYSICIAN & SURGEON.
SPECIALIST.
Clvoa HEW YORK HOSPITAL TREAT
MENT.
roil ALT ,
Chronic , Narvoin ,
PrivatJ anil
Special Diseases.
. " > years oxporlunao.
DISEASES OK
Trontetl nt $ . > 0) a month
mid all niodleliius
furnlshoJ.
All other troubles t run ted nt rii.-ixomihlo
cluirs'-s. C'ONSI'LTATION l-'KKR I'tilionor
iidiirojs
DR. SEYMOUR PUTNARfl ,
DOUGLAS BLOCK , - OMAHA , NEB
Occupying the jw\ce of only
one when * . T * . . ,
closed. ItlTsr 1'H ! ? ' WO
Utility the
Mother's
Friend
InvMimhtc Ifynu linve umall
children ' i n I c.xunt
nl litVritn f'-r llluitrated
Catalogue , 1'Ulili.
Maboo Extension
Boi Co.
271 WAIIA5II AVI1.
CIIICAUO , M.I. .
well ns t'llllfit f't ' If . ' I/.7V
Geisler's Bird Store.
following wnrrnnUnlilriit-clnMiitni.o. ' '
I'riKirU'il ' ( iuriniin Cnnarloi
.
Knu'ilsli rod Canaries , Jl.VOJ i
I HI I P.
Kir.'llsli Il/zard Cunnrlos.
t I.-I.IW a pair
r.ngliih Clii-iiiion Canariov
ruuu pilr.
ICnvlishtiDliilltu'hoxM.OUoncli
Illnfk linnilud NlRht <
.
Poi.Iii ; Nilulniiik'-i , 0.0 !
i iiHi.
To MIS Iti'dUlrd.s. $ .1 " > 0 ouch.
GEISLEiYS3m STOHE ,
401 S liiti ! Strep ! . Umilm ,
ARE TROUBLING YOU :
Wrll.rniiio ill liivo : thorn ctiiMitno I liy o ir oiH"lci ;
ni of clmrtfo , mill. It -tMMrT.tlt'ol with upilriu
oiir-i'KUKi'a'ruiN ai'icrr\rl.mor uvu m.As-i.
flIhnlic't : In llm world. IF you .k > mil CH'J I ( 'lim.H
wi'ulll U'llyon " > nn'ltiIVH ' ) i''i W.HU f > ilo. tiOI.il
M'KCl'ACI.IW or KVK IILASSKS KU'JU ' tl.ll Ul' .
I'tnin , Biiinkn , litui * or wtiiiuul.ijio * , fur prxiluoltiKlti i
i'Ti-H , Iruai 5Jo n pitr : u t.
Max Meyer & Bro. Co
Jewelers and Opticians.
KurilHIII an'l l-'tftount Strcut
Al. A NO SI'liiICAr <
DISPENSARY.
| ( ; nnsitltutliiii l'i-i > < > . )
ril.ns. KlSTUliA. KISSl'IlK , porm.-inontly
cured without th i 1110 of kill To. lUnturo oru.iiullc.
.All nmlaillc * of it urlvnlo or ili'ilo.ilu nature , of
ottluTHrx , positively cured.
TliWATMliN r I Y MAIL. - AiMreid wllll
flump fur luirtlruliirit. which III IMJ nent In plain
I'livutnpK. I * , u. llox CM. IISH. liih-at .Oiiintm , Nell
" " "
DEFl"
while costing the omplovor uml uinployuj
iiiitlnnK. h is enabled us to a Ivanoj the Intur-
I'stsotliolh.iui.l als ) ii- ntiurtii :
bettor results wllh in - luvlt'iiu.
Wyckoff , Seaman & Oenedicl
Ti-r : , -.I'llj ; R tr.i iru
DISORDERS
_ _ _ Anil nil Hit trnln of
KVII.S. wKUtNics-ti-- : ) . nuuiUTV , irrv ttmtno-
cornjinny llii-m In men OI'H'KIjY nnil I'vIlMA-
NINTI.Y : CLUII : > . FHII HTHKNOTH ami tona
Klvpn to ovorj pirt of the boily I wilt hon 1 ( no
Mirolr picfci'il : > KIIHB to nny eutron-r tlio proicri
lion Hull curtHl ino of Ihuao tronhlos.
A. IIIUDI.UY IIATTI.UC'HKKK. MlKIl
THE BEST WAY TO SECU-U SATISFACTORY1
ACCOMMODATIONS roHTIIK I
World's ' Columbian Exposition |
, IS TIIIUII , O.'I T1IK '
ChlcaRo Entortalnmont Bureau i
Wnto for Desorlpllvo Clroiiliirs. ]
1IIO 'I ll MoillKlllOUlC , { llll-IIBO
AND HOW TO ATTAIN IT.
A medical work that tclU the cnui , iloKcrlliei"
Jthci-ffei-18 , IxiluUlhuruncil- . bi-loiilin" : ! lylln J
Jimiht vnluulilp , ( irllitlcidl- innct brnuUlut
, niodlciil lunik o ir imlilMic-tl j SO i nenn , i-vt-ry
iiiftso liparliiknliolflono Illmlmtfi u In tints.
g SuhjuctutrculiNt : Nn-vou" DcLIIItv , Iim-olrtic.v , j
{ Sterility. JJovi-lopmciit , Vnrlioiclc. The JIns-5
j b iinl. Those IMeiitilnu llurrtsgr , rti' . ?
\ KwrvmnnwIiOirnvlilkntAfthtQ anil Trulln , 5
Mho I'liiin > 'ii'J . tltc Old Eicrrti anil Kf if l > i'-f
Scoirrf'of Mt'ilionl fricnce 113 ai pltftl fo JUar-
fried Life , ivtia ireuM < i'ond ' fur r * ' follltt
Zawl ntotilfitlurr ttltfnltg. fhwltl ( ( r/'o f < r tltt *
' . . . . . .
It will ijoMiit free , wider n- l.\vhl'.i > the nil c
tlmilnsls. AiIilriMlhu pnbli.M-ci- < i
Kltli ; MKIIICAIiCM. . I5.illr.l-L W.1
_ _
nil. o. oin :
Wl > , the fainoiil
lncku pliyhl-
dun of Oinihr : : ,
ha s ever l.'iw '
hiniL-mutits from
jratofiil put -
t ion tH who have
Iron miroj by
him.
' > inalii , March
. . . KU Dr. C. Uen
\Vu : I IhiVO been
; i irront siiirorur
Nlneo n KIII n 1 1
child ttlth ihrtm-
iciJlKrrliooii.wimli
. v. uauk. h mliieho.
, -iSi imil crippled with
0 u mutism. I
1 tried iminv
! .io lnrs and Hpenj
< iieroiit iln-u ol
' uoiioy. tin l no ru-
Aw - - - . ' " * * i" - ' - | (0lMllltSCVUU (
in.mln aao I hoard of Dr [ - Cioo Wo. roirt.
mom-nil tuMniS tiuiitmciiV und ' ' -'ii ehcorlilliy
reeoiiiiiioiid him fur ho II.IH < - i 'd ' ii.oninl niuHo
II IIOW in , III Of 1110 I'HANK Ui > 01HI.U3 U.IIUlli
Hours 0 to 0-
0No. . B10J North lOthSt !
Dr. SYDNEY ( TlNGCR , Pro.-esscv o Moditino at University College , l.ontloii ,
Author of the Standard "Handbook of Therapeutics , " t.-Mal > / / writes ns followsi
" > Yom the c.irnful aimlyivx < > f IV > ATTFIKJ.D and others , ] am hiitlMlod that
. Unit it . - ' . iiiitrltloun than
ia In no wav Ji'iurious ! hi.altli Mend i.yloi-ldj'dlyim.ni
8ilnUridvu 8mont V < uorn1 Trad'rlyai's ' ' ) ' { r ' my U > . .k < in Tlii-ruiH > iitiLuro aiillo
inlileadlnK , and cannot ( insslldy < pl'ly' ' 'Ai-,1I''TKNHv"1-,9A- „ , , . ,
r/ie / falsp TVtlfrlinn on VAN Ho. " IBN'S Cocoif.1 tlon rlVr/iinurprH ; ; i , ami thf vfrv
autlioritucilrtl to injure i ( . 1.1 Iforrprn'nptnl' - Qirel g trryiinrfitomn < i'i < iii ) ( > mai. 11
Omaha Loan and Trust Co
SAVINGS BANK.
SIXTEENTH AJSID DOUGLAS STREETS.
" " "
Capital $100,000 ; "Liability"of Stockholders , $200.000
OITD C * 17 M "T" Interest imld on hlC ! MONTlHi 4'i ( > 9T oont onTHKUfi
lrCrw C. IN I MONTHS' CorillloitenGf Dopunt , 4 pop oont Intoroit p.ilil