Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 18, 1900)
THE CAUSE View of Montagu White, Representative of the South African Republic in the ; United States. Mr. Montagu Whlto Is tho ablo rep resentative of tho South African re public in tho United States, and al though ho takes an actlvo part in tho discussion of tho situation rolatlvo to South Africa, ho has done so In such n diplomatic manner as to glvo no of fonso to tho United States government. To avoid such complications he ha.i been obliged to exorclao a groat deal of discretion. Mr. Whlto wao consul genoral of tho Transvaal in London provlous to tho war. SInco it began ho has served his country lu various ca pacities. Ho would bo taken for an English man almost anywhere, and his nnmo Indicates British rather than Dutch blood, but then thero aro many men of English blood who are working and fighting for tho Boer cause. , Mr. Whlto was asked for an Inter view concerning tho military situation In South Africa. Ho replloJ by saying that, not being a military man in any way, ho was not competent to discuss military affairs. Besides, it took about six weeks for communications from the Transvaal to reach him. Naturally such communications, bearing more particularly on diplomatic affairs, did not aiscioso military conuluons or probablo "movements. "Tho relief of Klmberloy and Lady smith," said Mr. Whlto, "wore not serious reverses for tho Boers. It la because of tho serious effect they havo on tho wavering moro than anything cJso that they aro to bo regretted. I bellevo that thero waB n minority In tho Freo State opposed to the war, and thero aro always some who detormlno their position according to tho suc cesses of the cause. It was believed from tho beginning that we must at one time or another fall back upon our strongholds In tho Transvaal. Our re sources are excellent. Wo had supplies of arms and provisions both for of fense and defense. That set npart for tho defensive has not been exhausted and tho defensive stores havo not yet been drawn upon. It Is qulto plain that tho Boers can make a ntrong de fensive campaign and extend tho war for a long time. "Tlmo is of great importance to us Tho longer wo hold the British forces In check tho greater oportunlty thero Is for something to happen whlch.wlll help us and embarrass tho English Who can toll what will happen In Af ghanistan? Not long ago there was a little flurry on the Canadian border at Esquimau. Possibly that did not amount to much, but It showed how many things may occur which might trouble Great Britain. "While I do not know what is to bo tho plan of tho campaign, I should think that thero will bo no resistance to tho British advance before It reaches tho neighborhood of Pretoria, although n sufficient forco will bo In the field at nil times to make It lmposslblo for tho British to movo forward with any epeod. They will havo to light at every point where resistance can be made. "I have been criticised for saying ON THE COUNTRY ROAD. THE ACCIDENT. OF THE BATTLING BOER that Johannesburg would probably bo destroyed ns a preliminary to thodc fenso of Pretoria. Of course, when war occurs thero aro certain laws to bo ob served, and there should not be a need less destruction of property. Johannes burg, on account of Its proximity to Pretoria, will mako an excellent baso of attack for tho British. It will fnr nlsh barracks and quarters, ratore- houscs and a most favorablo baso of supplies. If left Intact It would mako tho campaign most comfortablo and charming for tho British. Tho build ings would bo used for tho soldiers, thus avoiding tents and other camp accessories. If you aro at war, you cannot provide coxy corners for your enemies. Tho burning of a city as a mllltnry necessity Is not a raro oc currence. U has always been regard ed as a lcgltlmato means of defense. Everybody knows that Moscow was burnod for that reason. It was a des perate, but heroic, undertaking, and accomplished tho purpose. Tho burn lng of tho American capltol by the British In 1814, on tho other hand, was described by Historian Grccno as a dls graceful and wanton act. and no doubt for no military advantage. "I cannot seo how tho Boors can bo expected to furnish tho British with a very pleasant camp, with all the no ccssltles for prosecuting a slego within a short distance from the capital whoro tho main defenso Is to bo mado. "Tho Important matter for the Boers now Is time. Tho longer they hold out the greater will becomo tho sympathy with tho Boers In all parts of the Unit ed States. Tho people of tho United States naturally sympathize with tho oppressed, and under prolonged op presslon their sympathies will rise. Even now this feeling of sympathy Is growing In strength. But I think thero Is nothing like a well-organized can palgn In their behalf." Mr. White's nttentlon was called to tho recent demonstrations In England on St. Patrick's day, when tho English peoplo outdid tho Irish In tho "wear lng of tho green." "England will not succeed In cap turlng the Irish by the demonstration," ho said, "but It will naturally enthuse tho soldiers. The Irish members of parliament and the priests will not bu caught by tho shadow. They will not agitato for tho substance. "Whatever may bo tho outcomo of the war," said Mr. Whlto, "It will have a very far-reaching effect. It will tend to strenEthon tho military power of England. It will for a tlmo consolidate tho empire, but I think it Is bound to havo a disintegrating effect It will give riso to problems that will bo diffi cult, to solve. Tho colonics, knowing their strength, will mako demands that cannot bo compiled with by tho homo government. Tho inevitable tendency will bo toward the Independence of the colonics, and It will bo dlfllcult to check this. "In England Itself this war hi bound to havo unexpected results. Under tho Influenco of yellow Journals and Cno sarlsm tho character of tho English seems to be undergoing a change, and thnt for tho worse. Thero will bo a rude awakening somo day." Washington,' D. C. TURKISH BOYS IN SCHOOL. Som AatonUhlitR Tnrm Taught the Voting Hluitcnta. Tho beginning of n Mnhommcdan boy's school ltfo Is nlways made an occasion for a. festival. It occurs on his seventh birthday. Tho ontlro school goes to tho now scholar's home, MONTAGU leading a richly caparisoned and flower bedecked donkey. Tho now pupil is placed on this llttlo boast, and with his hodja, or teacher, leading tho children form a doublo fllo and escort him to the schoolhouso, singing Joyous hymns. To a stranger tho common Turkish school presents a singular scene. Tho pupils aro seated cross-legged on tho baro marble pavement In the porch of the mosque, forming a semicircle about hodja, who Is, as a rule, an old fat man. Ho holds In his hnnd n stick long enough to reach every student. By means of this rod ho Ib enabled not only to presorvo order among tho mls chlovous, but to urge on tho boy whose recitation Is not satisfactory. But as a rule, hodjas aro lazy and often fall asleep. A half-grown boy, In tho pres ence of a missionary, who tolls tho story, asked tho hodja: "What makea It rain?" "Up In tho clouds," an swered this wise teacher, "our prophet Mahomet and tho ono who belongs to tho Christians went Into business to gether, tho profits to bo divided. Ono night Mahomet stole all tho profits and ran away. In tho morning when tho Chrlstlnn god discovered his loss he pursued Mahomet In his golden char lot, tho rumbling of whoso wheels w makes the thunder. The lightning aro tho bullets of fire which tho god shot after his fleeing partner. Mahomet, finding he could not escape in midair, plunged Into the sea, tho Christian god followed him, tho shock splashed tho water out, and it fell to tho earth In rain." Tho young Turks, bcllovlng tho teachings of their hodja, grow up with out further Investigating tho causes of rain, tho true sourco of which Is taught an Amorlcan child In tho kindergarten. Boston Globe. Art nml Ilcllclotu rnltti. The nrt of n people, says Annctta Hallldny Antona, In nn nrtlclo in Self- Culture, on "Enster-Tldo Art and Its ftKHiieaiii?Kir.'j?T WHITE. Makers," is the outcome of Its relig ious faith; tho detnlls of that art nro tho result of observation of surround ing scenery nnd objects. It Is easy to recognlzo tho superb physical vigor and beauty of tho ancient Greeks In their sculptures, nnd In Hellenic frlozo nnd bas-relief, to discover the myth ological legends of their faith. Christianity Inspired by renaissance art, rent tho veil of heathen tradition, and gavo to tho world Its Madonnas, us Crucifixions, its Assumptions, En tombments, Last Suppers, and various studies of tho Christ. Christian myth ology, replacing tho gods nnd heroes of Greok fable, brought forth a new school of interpreters in tho placo of those who had so long nnd so grandly translated In art tho beauties and tho teachings of Hellenic mythology. Why Amorlcnni Win. Ono of tho many reasons why Amer ican manufacturers aro so successful competing In forolgn markets Is to bo found In tho following episode, which occurred recently: An American man ufacturer of steam specialties was vis iting nn English firm which mado sim ilar goods. A certain article which both firms mado was undor dlscueBlon. "What Is your prlco on this thing?" nskod tho American. "Well, In your money, about ?19." replied the Eng lishman. "What does It cost you?" I'll deliver at your door all you want at $7 nplcce," said tho American. "How In tho world do you do It?" "Well, I'll Illustrate," answered tho American. "Look out of that window nnd across tho street. See that man painting a sign7" "Yes." "hob on a ladder, Isn't ho7" "Yes." "Sco that other man sitting on tho sidewalk holding tho foot of tho ladder?" "Yes." "Now, In America we havo ladders that stand up by themselves don't need a man to hold 'em. So, you sco, In this instance, wo divide your cost of labor exactly by two." "I sco," re marked the Englishman. Electrical Review. I.onc l)jlnyol Loiter Ajipenrn. The long arm of coincidence nnd tho delays of tho postofllco nrc curiously Illustrated by tho following story. A family took a hnuso one autumn at tho seashore. Tho husband went down first of all to bco that all was well. His wlfo wroto to him. That lottor did not arrive. It novcr transpired why. Per haps tho mlsslvo hitched on to n ledgo Insldo a wnllbox, as has been known to occur, and remained thero till tho box was cleaned or itself was knocked off by other letters. Tho next year tho enmo family took tho samo house- for tho samo time. Boforo thoy had been thero a week tho missing lottor ar rived. It boro tho postmark of tho dny before, and thero was no explana- tlon. Chicago News. Catholic Print on Culm, Tho Rev. Charles Warren Currier has an Interesting nrtlclo on tho his tory of the church In Cuba In tho Conservative Review. Ho speaks about tho appointment of Mgr. Sbarettl, nnd has llttlo syympathy for thoso who wanted a Cuban-born bishop. Ho holds that Bishop Sbarcttl'B appoint ment was a wlso ono, nnd that ho will bo absolutely impartial, and Bhould therefore prove n link to bind together the Cuban nnd Spanish priests, Ho Is tactful nnd prudent, and his admlnls trntlon will undoubtedly promote har fJJi YELLOW tvtwi a wmm When Dominions Van Brunt first went to tho public school Jn j?ls adopt ed country ho had the felicity of sit ting opposlto a llttlo girl with freckles and bluo eyes. Her nnmo wan Bertha Manderson, which was a dlfllcult nanio for Dominions to remember. But it was not at all hard for K'.m to remem ber tho dear llttlo girl with frccklcB. Sho woro tiny black tassels nt tho top of her shoes, and whlto aprons, ruf fled and tied upon tho shoulders wltn largo, alry-looklng bows, and tho ends of her smooth brnlds wero tied with ribbons now tho color of tho vlolot and now tho color of tho rose. Dominions said to himself that In Amsterdam ho had never known any little girl so freckled and so dear. "I wish sho would look at me," thought llttlo Domlnlcus Van Brunt. But ho thought It In Dutch, although when ho spoko aloud ho innnLgcu to mako himself understood In English. It must bo confessed that little Ameri can children are too egotistical to bo polite. Thinking ns they do that thoy aro molded on tho right pattern, thoy aro Inclined to regard all children dif fering from them as curiosities. They considered tho round-faced Dutch boy, with his shy ways and deferential manner to tho tenchor, a strango llttlo fish Indeed. And no ono In all tho school was moro amused than tho dainty Borthn, who looked at him co vertly out of her gray-bluo eyes. How ever, sho did uot laugh at him. ho Domlnlcus, who did not know that sho was amused, and who perceived only her aspect of gravity, thought her kinder than tho rest, and was grateful. If only sho would havo spoken to him, or looked at him as If sho wero his friend, ho would havo nothing moro to ask ho could even havo been patient with thnt terrible English languago which ovcry ono around him was Jab bering. Ho determined to do something to call tho attention of his frccklod hearts-own to himself, and ono day ho hurried Into tho schoolroom tho first mlnuto tho doors were opened and laid thrco pear-shaped yellow tomatoes on her desk. Tho scholnrB came, saw tho pretty vegetables and had llttlo trou- blo in deciding from what sourco tho tribute camo. For who clso In a fnsh ionable suburb would havo yellow to matocs, except the son of tho Dutch gardener? Tho school Indulged in unrestrained giggling, but Bertha, In stead of participating, shot dcflanco from her gray-bluo eyes, and, turning with nn ndorablo r.inllo toward Do mlnlcus, carefully fitted ono of tho yellow tomatoes Into her red mouth, nnd dovourcd It In the samo spirit In which a loyal subject drinks to his king. It was evident that Domlnlcus had been right. Bertha was different from tho others. His happiness stained tho amiable boy's faco scarlet, and while the other boys Jeered at him a number of them felt a distinct pang of Jonlousy. They woro qulto nllvo to tho extraordinary favor which had been shown him. From that dny on Bertha, tho daugh ter of a prosperous lawyer and a llttlo maid distinctly conscious of her social opportunities, and Domlnlcus, tho son of tho man who rnsod garden truck, woro friends. Thero enme a day when Bortha, having reached tho proud ago of 10, gavo a birthday party on her father's lawn, and Insisted on having Domlnlcus among her guests a fa mous day for Domlnlcus, In which ho saw his princess In nil tho glory of her best whlto frock, with hor hair crimped down her back, nnd had tho rapturo of eating crenm tarts In her company! But thero wob yot a prouder day In which Domlnlcus wan permitted to ro- turn this social attention, nnd wns nl- lowed to invito Bertha and thrco other .friends to tho snowy kitchen of his home, whoro tho mother of Domlnlcus sang beautiful pongs to them In a lan guago they could not understand, nnd fed them with crullers nnd grnpo Juice. Bertha thought sho had never seen any room so charming ns this kltchon, with its melts and bluo plates, Its shining panB and its Illuminated mottoes upon tho wall. Bertha was not more than 12 when sho wns sont to a prlvato school, and ob tho years went by sho saw peoplo Qf qulto a different sort from Dominions and his fnthor and mother, and ought, probably, to have forgotten all about them. But It Is an unJenlablo f act- though It may havo shown somo ovl denceB of vulgarity In her nnturo that all tho years that sho was occu pied with other matters, such as board ing-school and summer resorts, and "coming out," nnd tho gayotlcs of a winter In tho city, sho remembered that curious kitchen, and tho peoplo who lived In It, nnd wondered whoro thoy had gone. For It had happenod that ono autumn, after roturnlng from the scashoro, Bortha had discovered thnt the hoceo back of the gardon was empty. It Ltd been a sad moment tor her. 'flho had felt the tears como to hor eyes ns sho looked at tho untidy plcco of ground whero tho exquisitely kept garden of Jacob Van Brunt hnd been; and tho windows, from which tho round faco of her friend had often smiled at her, repulsed her now with tholr bareness. It happened that In courso of tlmo Bertha had n notion to go abroad, and, having tho consciousness of her, cer tificate of graduation In her trunk, alio was In no haste to return to her homo. So sho lingered whero she pleased, ar rogantly directing tho movements', ol her pnrty, which consisted of n maid en mint nnd nn elderly second cousin. With this doublo chnperonage alio was allowed to do almost anything sho plcaBcd. At length they reached Amsterdam, making headquarters for themselves there, nnd planning to go upon many excursions through tho country. It was natural enough that, having a lo cal habitation, thoy should mako somo friends In the city, nnd so It camo nbout thnt beforo they had boon thero long they wero Invited to dinner by nn Anerlcan lady, MrB. Truax, whoso husband was engaged In somo mcrcan tllo enterprise there. The Truax houso was a cosmopolitan one, nud at It tho linimuo cxpncicu w moot nil manner of celebrities nnd hu man curios. Bcrthn, much elated' at the prospect, whirled off, accompanied by her decorous relatives, arrayed for tho occasion in tho most becoming of tholr best silks. What dear old frumps they arc," Bertha commontcd to herself. "I think tho Amsterdnm Indies will Uko thcin. Thoy Just suit this background." They seemed to, Indeed, and got ox better than Bortha, whoso youth con demned hor to a subordinate place. This was not ns It was In America, Bortha reflected, and permitted herself to Indulge In n moment of homesick ness, ns sho sat apart, hor glowing beauty unnoticed by tho middle-aged peoplo who wero pnylng tholr respects to her aunt nnd her second cousin. "I hnvo delayed for a moment for another guest," Mrs. Trunx Bald. "I wished to present to your niece, Mlsa Mnndcrson," alio snld, nddrcsalng Ber tha's aunt, "a young man who Ib half an American. Ah, thero Is tho bell now!" Tho man nt the door anuouueed a moment later: "Hcrr Van Brunt." Bertha turned with nn anticipation which sho endeavored to subdue. It was not likely that tho son of a gnr doner would bo at tho homo of MrB.. Trunx. But In the young man who entered Berthn saw with unmistakable recognition tho nmlnble, soft oyea, tha round face and high brow, and tha quiet, kindly manners of her old friend, borno with tho assurance and. enso that como with sclf-confldcnco. Tho hostess mnnnged to whisper to Borthn'a aunt, nnd of courso Bertha overheard: "This young mnn has distinguished himself in lnndscnpo gardening. Ho has Just laid out a park for Princo Zagcnwoll, and Ib much thought of both In Holland and Gormnny. I hear that the Duko of York Is likely to send for him for his now place In Scotland." Domlnlcus Van Brunt snlutcd his hostesB with a profound bow how well Bertha remembered that quaint roverenco of manner! Ho was pre sented to tho guests and at last wna led up to Bertha, who suddenly felt ns If alio woro In short frocks, with frec kles on hor faco nnd braids down hor bnck. Ho started and flushed, and then held out his hand In tho good American way. regardless of cero crlcd raony. "What, you nro ncqunlnted!" tho hostess. Thoy explained. Tho hostess turned In somo perplexity to tho spinster nunt. Sho wondered If sho had unintentionally committed nu Indcscretlon. But thero was no nn noynnco In tho faco of the older Miss Manderson, nnd tho hostess felt at lib erty to permit tho two young peoplo to go down to dinner togethor. Tho conversation at dinner would not bo particularly Interesting to re count. But Bortha rcmombored every word of it. Perhaps Domlnlcus Van Brunt did too but It has been im posslblo to secure his confidence. It Is n certain thing, however, that tho noxt day a basket camo for the young American lady, containing n dozen yollow tomatoes, dropped llko cggB In a nest of whlto daisies. Which wuo, surely, n curious giftl Now it Is undcnlnhlo that Bortha. Manderson found Amsterdam Interest ing, yot for somo reason best undor stood by her sex sho remained In It but a short tlmo, hastening away to other points of Interest. It Is nlso cer- taln thnt about tho tlmo of hor depart tiro a young landscapo gordenor ran to yews and weeping willows In his do Blgus, and accepted with alacrity tho opportunity of designing n cemetery for Eomo now American town. But ho lccovorcd from his gloom whon thero reached him from tho shores of tho Baltic a trinket fnshlonod of lucent nmbor, shnped llko a yollow tomnto. It occurred to him that ho ought nlso to visit tho storied benches of tho Bal tic, nnd ho did bo without nn hour's unnecessary delay. And tho consequenco was, as tho children sny whon thoy play tho old gumo, that when MIbs Borthn Mnndcr Bon returned to America, alio woro for an engagement ring n tomato shaped topaz on her third finger. Mnn'H Ilody Turin to Hone. William Mil 8, n blacksmith at Nile, Mich., Is proving n puzzlo to tho doc tors of southwestern Michigan. For somo years tho bonca.of hlu body have mado rapid growth, bo that now Ils ribs aro ovor two Inches In width nnd of equal thickness. Other bones of his body havo enlarged tho same pro portion, He weighs 1G2 pounds, 1U. pounds bolng boa. mony.