THE OMAHA DAILY HEE : SATUUDAY , AtTGtTST 27 , 1808. 0
MONEY-CHANGERS. t
. . .
n.v w. w. JACOIIS. D
( Copyright , IBS , by Author. )
" 'Tain t no us waiting any longer , " said
Harry Pilchard , looking over the side ot the
brig toward the lower stairs. " E's either
waiting for the money , or else 'e's a spendIng -
Ing of It. Who's coming ashore ? "
"GUe 'Im another Dve minutes , Harry , "
said another teaman persuasively , "It 'ud
be uncommon 'ard on Mm If 'e come aboard
and then 'ad to go an' get another ship's
crew to 'elp * lm celebrate It. "
" 'Ard on us , too , " salt ! the cook , hon
estly.
"There he Is. "
The other danced up at a. figure waring
to them from the stairs. " 'E wants the
boat , " ho said , movlns aft.
"No 'e don't , Steve , " piped the boy. " 'E'
wavlnc you not to. He's coming in the
Waterman's skiff. "
"Hat Same old tale , " said the seaman ,
wisely. "Chap comes In for a bit of money
and begins to waste It directly. There's
threepence Eone : clean chucked away.
Look at ' 1ml Just look at ' 1ml"
" 'E's got the money all right , " said the
cook , "there's no doubt about that. Why
'e looks 'art as large again aa 'e did this
mornlns. "
The crew bent over the side as the skiff
approached and the fare , who had been
leaning back In the stern lth a severely
Important air. rose slowly and felt In his
trousers' pocket.
"There's sixpence for you , tny lad , " he
said , pompously. "Xe\er mind about the
change. "
"All rlsht , old slack-breeches. " said the
waterman with effusive good-fellowship ,
"up jou set. "
Three pairs of bands assisted the offended
faro on board , and the boy , hovering around
him , slapped his legs vigorously.
"Wot are you up to ? " demanded Mr.
Samuel Dodds , A. D. , turning on htm.
"On'y dusting you down , Sam. " said the
boy humbly.
"You eot the money all right , I e'pose ,
Sammy , " said Steve Martin.
Mr. Dodda nodded and slapped his breast
pocket.
"Right as nlnepence , " he replied genially.
"I * > e been \lth my lawyer all the arter-
noon , pretty near. 'E's a nice feller. "
" 'Ow much Is It , Sam ? " Inculred Pil
chard , eagerly.
"One 'undred and seventy-three pun
seventeen shillings and tenpence , " said the
heir , noticing with much pleasure the effect
of his announcement.
"Say It again , Sam , " said Pilchard , Ic
awed tones.
Mr. Dodds , with a happy laugh , obliged
him. "If you'll all come down the foc'sle , "
he continued , "I've got a bundle o' clgait
an * a drop o' something short in my pocket. '
"Let's 'avo a look at the money , Sam , '
laid Pilchard , when the cigars were lighted
"Ah , let's 'ave a look at it , " said Steve.
Mr. Dodds laughed again , and , producing
K small cantas bag from his pocket , dusted
the table with his big palm and spread oul
a roll of bank notes and a little pile ol
cold and silver. It was an impressive sight
and the cook breathed so bard that one noti
fluttered off the table. Three men dived tc
recover It. while Sam , alive for the firs
time to the responsibilities of wealth , anx
lously watched the remainder of his capital
"There's something for you to buy sweeti
' with , my lad , " he said , restored to goo < !
humor as the note was replaced.
He passed over a small coin and regarded
with tolerant good humor the extravagani
manifestation of joy on the part of th <
youth which followed. He capered joyousl ]
for a minute or two , and then , taking it t <
the foot of the steps , where the light wai
better , bit it ecstatically.
"How much Is it ? " Inquired the wonder
Ing Steve , "you f vuuck your money about
Sim. "
"On'y slxpense , " said Sam , laughing. "
expect if it 'ad been a shlllln' it 'ud ha
turned his brain. "
"It ain't a sixpence , " said the boy indlg
nantly. "It's 'art a suvrin' . "
" 'Arf a wet ! " exclaimed Mr. Dodds will
* f udden change of manner.
" 'Arf a suvrin' , " repeated the boy will
nervous rapidity , "and thank you \ery much
Sam , for your generosity. If everybody wa
like you we should , all be the better for it
The world 'ud be a different place to llv
in , " concluded the jouthful philosopher.
Mr. Dodds' face under these fulsom
praises was a study in conflicting emotions
"Well , don't waste it , " he said at length
and hastily gathering up the remainder
stowed It in the bag.
"Wot are you going to do with It all
Sam ? " inquired Harry.
"I ain't made up my mind , yet. " eald Mi
"UP YOU GO. "
Dodds , deliberately. "I 'ave thought
'ouse property. "
"I don't mean that , " said the other.
mean not are you going to do ulth It noi
to take care ot it ? "
"Why , Veep It In my pocket , " said Sai
( taring.
"Well , if I was you , " said Harry , impre
ively , "I should ask the skipper to tal
care of It for me. You know wet you a
when you're a bit on , Sam. "
"Wot d'yer mean ? " demanded Mr. Dodd
hotly.
"I mean , " said Harry , hastily , "tb
you've got slch a generous nature that whi
you've 'ad a glass or two jou're Just
likely as not to give It away to somebody
"I know what I'm about , " tald Mr. Dodd
with conviction , "I'm not gotn' to get i
while I've got this about me. I'm just gel
round to the 'Bull's Head. ' but I shai
drink anything to speak ot myself. An ;
body that likes to come to * av somethli
t my expense Is welcome. "
A flattering murmur , which was music
Mr. Dodds' ean , arose from bis shl
mates aa they went on deck and hauled tl
'boat alongside. The boy was flrst In hi
and , pulling out hla pocket handkerchl )
ostentatiously wiped a seat down for V
Dodds.
"Understand , " said that gentleman , wi
whom the affair of the half-sovereign st
rmakled , "jour drink is shandy-g&ff. "
'
They returned to the brig at 11 o'cloc
Ur. Dodds ( lumbering peacefully In t
tern of the boat , propped up on either d
by Stevi and tbe boy. His deep was
, aofoud that he dtcll rTe t * aroused a :
was holitcd over the side with Infinite dld-
culty and no little risk by his shipmates.
"Look at ' 1m , " said Harry , as they low
ered him down the forecastle. "What 'ud
ha. ' become of ' 1m if wo hadn't been with
'Im ? Where would 'is money ha' b en ? "
"He'll lose It as sure as eggs Is
! eggg , " ald Steve , regarding him Intently.
"Bear a , hand to lift ' 1m in hla bunk ,
Harry. "
Harry complied , their task being rendered
somewhat difficult by a slight return of con
sciousness In Mr. Dodds' lower limbs , which ,
spreading themselves out fanwtse , defied all
attempts to pack then : in the bunk.
"Let 'em hang out then , " tald Harry , sav
agely , wiping a little mud from his face.
"Fancy that coming in for a fortln. "
" 'E won't 'ave it long , " aaid the cook ,
shaking his head.
"Wot 'e wants is a shock. " said Harry.
" 'Ow'd it be when 'e wakes up to tell 'im
he's lost all 'is money ? "
"Wofs the good o' telling Mm ? " de
manded the cook , "when Vs got it in bis
pocket. "
"Well , let's take if out , " said Pilchard.
"I'll hide It under my plller , and let Mm
think he's 'ad his pocket picked. "
"I won't 'ave nothing to do with it. " said
Steve , peremptorily. "I don't believe in slch
games. "
"Pure as I stand 'rrr It i gone. 1 tooX It
out of your rocket and pat It under ray
plllrr You * aw me , dldn t you , Stove ? "
' YeV and I told you not to , ' said
Steve"Let this bo a warning to you not
to try and teach lessons to people wet don't
want * m. "
" 1 m going to the police sUtloa to plve
Mm in charge , " sild Mr. Dodds , fiercely.
"That's wet I'm goln' to do. "
"For the Lord's sake don't do that , Sam , "
said Pilchard , clutching him by the coat.
' "Arry ain't ms.de away with It , San , "
said Steve. "I taw somebody take it out
of his bunk while he was asleep. "
"Why didn't you stop him ? " cried Harry ,
starting up.
"I didn't like to interfere , " said Steve ,
simply ; "but I saw where he went to. "
"Where ? " demanded Mr. Dodds , wildly.
"Where ? "
"He went straight up on deck , " said
Steve elowly , "walked aft , and then down
into the cabin. The skipper woke ur , and
I beard Mm say something to him. "
"Say something to ' 1m ? " repeated the
bewildered Dodds. "Wot was it ? "
"Well , I 'ardly like to repeat It , " said
Steve hesitating.
"Wot was It ? " roared the overwrought
Mr. Dodds.
"Well , I 'card this chap say so-jiethlnr , "
eald Steve slowly , "and then I hoard the
skipper's voice. But I don't like to repeat
wet 'e said. I reely don't. "
"Wot was it ? " roared Mr. Dodds , approaching
preaching htm with clenched Gsts.
"Well , If you will have It , " said Stbve ,
with a little cough , "the old man said to
me , 'Well Jone , Steve , ' he scs ; 'jou're the
only sensible man of the whole billns lot.
I Sam's a fool , ' 'e ses , 'and 'Arry's worse , an'
"IT AIN'T A SIXPENCE. " SAID THE BOY , "IT'S 'ARF A SUVRIN. "
"Wot do > ou think , cook ? " inquired
Harry.
"I don't see no 'arm in it , " said the cook
slowly , "the fright might do Mm good ,
p'raps. "
"It might be the saving of Mm , " eald
Harry. He leaned over the sleeping seaman ,
and gently inserting his fingers In his
breast pocket , drew out the canvas bag.
"There It Is. chaps , " he said gayly , "an * I'll |
give Mm slch a fright In the morning as he
won't forget in a 'urry- "
He retired to his bunk and , placing the
bag under his pillow , was soon fast asleep.
The other men followed his example , and
Steve extinguishing the lamp , the forecastle
surrendered Itself to sleep.
At 5 o'clock they were awakened by the
voice of Mr. Dodds. It was a broken , dis
connected sort of voice at first , like to that
of a man talking In bis sleep , but as Mr.
Dodds' bead cleared his Ideas cleared with
It. and in strong , forcible language straight
from the heart he consigned the ejes and
limbs of some person or persons unknown to
every variety of torment , after which , in a
voice broken with emotion , he addressed
hlmselt in terms of heartbreaking sympa
thy.
thy."Shut un , Sam. " said Harry , in a sleepy
voice. "Why can't you go to sleep ? "
"Sleep be d d , " said Mr. Dodds. tear
fully , "I've lorst all my money. "
"You're dreamln' , " said Harry , lightly ;
"pinch yourself. "
Mr. Doddi. who had a little breath left
and a few words still comparatively fresh ,
bestowed them upon him.
"I tell you you haven't lorst it , " said
Harry. "Don't you remember giving it to
that red-'alred woman with a baby ? "
"Wot ? " said the astounded Mr. Dodds.
"You give it to 'er an' told 'er to buy
the baby a bun with it , " continued the
veracious Mr. Pilchard.
"Told 'er to buy ths baby a bun with it. "
repeated Mr. Dodds , in a dazed voice ; "told
er to Wet did you let me do it for ?
Wet was all you chaps standln * by an *
doln * to let me go an * do It for ? "
"We did arsk you not to , " laid Steve ,
joining in the conversation.
Mr. Dodds , finding language utterly use
less to express his burning thoughts , sat
down and madly smashed at the table with
his fists.
"Wot was you a-doln * to let me dot it ! "
he demanded at length of the boy. "You
ungrateful little toad. You can Klve me
that 'art suvrin back , d'ye hear ? "
"I can't. " said the boy. "I followed your
example and give it to the red-'alred woman
to buy the baby another bun with. "
There was a buzzing noise In Mr. Dodds'
head and the bunks and their grinning
occupants went round and round.
' "Ere , old up , Sam , " said Pilchard , shak
ing him in aiarm. "It's all right ; don't
be a fool. I've got the money. "
Mr. Dodds' color came back.
"How'd you get it ? " he inquired.
"I took it out of your pocket last night
Just to give you a lesson. " ald Harry
severely. "Don't you never be so silly
agin , Sam. "
"Gimme my money , " ald Mr. Dodds ,
glaring at him.
"You might ha' lorft it. you see , Sam. "
continued hU benefactor : "If I could take
it anybody else could. Let this be a lesson
to you. "
"If you don't gimme my money " began
Sam , violently
"It's no good trying to do Mm a kind
ness , " said Harry to the others , as he
turned to his bunk. "He can go an' loie
it for all I care. "
He put his band in bis bunk , and then ,
with a sudden exclamation , searched some
what hastily amongst the bedding. Mr.
Dodds , watching him with a scowl , saw
him take every article seperately out of his
buck and then sink down appalled on the
locker.
"You've took It. Sam ain't you ? " he
gasped.
"Look 'ere , " said Mr. Dodds with oir.l-
noui quietness , "when you've done your lit
tle gazi . "
"It's cone , " uld Harry In a scared voice ,
"somebody's taken it. "
"Look 'ere , 'Arry , sire Mm his money , "
tald Steve , impatiently. "A Joke's a Joke- ,
but ve don't want too much of it"
"I ain't got It , " Mid Harry , trembling.
If It wasn't for men Ilka you. Steve , lit
wouldn't be worth living. ' "
QUEUll PATE OF DOCTORS.
llorr Ther Are Affected by the Spe
clnltle * They Treat.
A veteran phvslclan and kidney special- !
ot Chicago had just topped off tils dlnne
with a green chartreuse and was idling bac
In his chair reflecting , when one of his col
leagues at the board suggested that be woul
die of the malady be was so specially quail
fled to treat in others. Force was given t
the observatlon.'says the Chicago Chronlcli
by the pussy formation around his eyes an
the translucent appearance of his counte
nance. He chuckled with professions
humor at the grew some remark of hi
friend and said :
"Why , that Is quite a clever thougfit , an
entirely within the range of the probabli
Indeed , I know at present that I have kldne
trouble , and we all understand what the
mc.-.na.
"But had you thought further that almoi
every leading specialist in medicine of Chicago
cage la afflicted in some degree by the dls
ease of which he has made a life-long study
No ? Well , run over some of them In jot
mind. As for tuberculosis , it is well know
that the overwhelming majority of the pr <
lesslon who confine themselves to special ! ;
Ing it become its victims Then conside
our alienists. I believe every one of thei
would not only admit that he himself w :
removed from Insanity only by a hair
breadth , but would insist that that was tt
delicate condition of all mental equllibriun
the world over. "
The other physicians at the round tab :
laughed heartily and one of them aske <
"But can't jou give us some more expllc
and personal demonstrations of yoi
theory ? "
"Well , this Is a rather delicate topic ar
I mustn't be quoted , " wtis the reply. " 1
begin with , there's Dr. W . He was
specialist in spinal meningitis and died fro
It. Dr. L , the alienist , is one at tl
most distressingly nervous men I knoi
Dr. R , oculist , has weak eyes. Dr. B
the chemist , celebrated for his electric
clinics , cannot touch the two poles of tl
battery wihout yelling like a frightened li
dtan. Dr. I , the throat specialist ,
forever hawking and spitting. Dr. M
speclalst in eye and ear practice , is shor
sighted and hard of hearing. And there a :
lots ot others if you will think them over
"That reminds me , " said one of the men
bers of the party , "of rather a ghastly Jol
that went the rounds a few years ago.
won't mention the doctor's name , becaui
jou all will recognize him. His special
was obstetrics puerperal eclampsia ar
when his wife , unfortunately , died of It tl
clinic gravely Insisted that the old man hi
died vicariously of bis own specialty. "
Among the Hop I'lcker * .
It is an interesting fact that a large nun
ber of well-grown young people earn tl
price of their school books and in son
Instances the cost of their winter clothli
by "hiring out" to the hop growers
Oregon In picking season. In years whi
prices are good and plokers are well pa
for their work a surprisingly large numb
ot this class Is to be found at work , il
eluding belt-grown boys from some of tl
best families.
Parties are made up by the young folk
half a dozen or more outfitting togethe
This outfitting consists of getting togeth
material for camping during the plckli
season and arranging for transporting tl
camp paraphernalia to the scene of wor
In Instances the mother , or both fath
and mother , accompany their children ,
act as cook and housekeeper while t !
children work In the fields.
_
IlemnrVahle tricape of n Child.
OAKLAND , Cal. , Aug. 26. George Ler
aged 3 years , was run over by a Souths
Pacific train on the narrow gauge road
this city and escaped without a scrate
Th train was moving down the grade
the rate of thirty miles n hour whi
the little fellow stumbled. He fell just
front of the pilot of the engine , where t
section hands had been excavating. I-
baby form just filled the excavation a
the entire train passed over him. He w
unconscious when picked up , but soon r
covered and Is apparently as well as ever ,
Miner * Have a Harrow Etcape.
DANVILLE , 111. , Aug. 26. A. H. Bonnel
mine took fire today while eighteen mi
were in the mine. Many of the men we
badly burned. Some will die. The m <
were taken out through an alrahaft. Abe
tventy-flva toni ot coal r dy to be hoist- -
was burned and also the main ( haft ,
number of mules and horsei were burnt
The mine If practically ruined.
BOIIEJIIA PAST AND PRESENT
Horioas History of the Country and It !
Straggle for Freedom.
LOVE OF LIBERTY AND LITERATURE
Thorn * * Cnprlc Write * Concerning ( he
People , Their Achlt ementii and
IHnappolutmnrU , Tri
umph * ntid Detente ,
Americans and English-speaking people
generally have a very confused knowledge
of everything pertaining to the people whc
nhablt Bohemia. About four years ago an
ntelllgent San Francisco merchant , a Mr.
Wlllard Bean , asked the writer of this arti
cle seriously whether the Bohemians were
Christians ? He had evidently fallen In the
rror ot associating Bohemians with the
nomadic gypsies whom the French call
Bohemlen. " It was Mr. Bean's turn to be
surprised when he was told , that far from
> elng heathens the Bohemians were among
he flrst people In central Europe to raise
a mighty protest against religious tyranny
and that John Hus anticipated Luther's re-
'ormatlon ' in Germany by 100 years. A
'ew ' days ago a New York librarian wanted
to know whether It was not a fact that Ger
mans and Bohemians were one and the same
people differing only In name. It was ex
plained to him that they were not the same ,
or , at any event , it was thought they were
not , judging from their fierce attitude to
ward each other In the parliament at
Vienna. The librarian undoubtedly got hla
wrong notion from the belief , shared by
jthers , that Austria , or more properly speak-
ng , Austria-Hungary is a German country ,
and Bohemia , being a component part cl
t , must necessarily be also. Far from It ,
Austria-Hungary Is Inhabited by people be-
onglng to four distinct races. The Teu-
onlc , the Slavonic , the Latin and the
Magjar. Of these the Germans numbci
about 10,000.000 , while the Slavonians alone
are 17,000,000 strong. Some one has \erj
wittily remarked once that Austria Is a
body politic with a German head ; that is tc
say , the majority of her people are Slavon-
ans , who work , and the minority are the
3ermans who do the thinking. Often II
happens that the body mutinies against the
head and then there Is trouble.
Little Known In Eno-Unh Mteratnre
Bohemians are so little known here and
n England because English literature con
cerning them is still -very limited. Sir
John Bowring and A. H. Wratlslaw wen
the flrst Englishmen to acquaint their
countrymen with translations of some of
he early Bohemian poets. Within the last
five years three American publishers pub-
"Ished histories of Bohemia , the most cred-
table of them being the work of C. E.
Maurice In Putnam's "Stories of the Na
tions. " About six years ago , Bohemian'
Americans started at Omaha the publica
tion of a monthly In the English language
called the "Bohemian Voice. " This maga
zine was sent free to most libraries in the
country and as its sole aim was to present
facts , unbiased by racial or rellgloui
prejudices , it probably enlightened many
an American reader on the true state ol
affairs in Bohemia. But the recent disturb
ances In the legislative chambers in
Vienna , more than an > thing else , It Is sup
posed , attracted the attention of the publl
to it and its political aspirations.
Bohemians call themselves in their na
tive tongue Cechove or Ceehs. The name
Is said to be derived from the leader Cech
who , as one tradition has it , peopled witt
Ills tribe the present Bohemia or Cechy
The Germans in order to get the pronun >
elation of the name Cech began spelling 1
alternately Tszechs and Czechs , nnc
through them that \erbal curiosity wa in ,
troduced in the English print , with whai
justice one can hardly fee when it Is re
membered that Cech has the same sounc
In English as Check. Frenchmen devlsei
the spelling Tcheque which corresponds t <
Chekh , a combination that should be em
ployed by all those wishing to be correct
Instead of "Czech. "
The literature of the people dates bad
to remote antiquity and Is conceded to bi
older than that of any other branch of th <
Slavic stem. To this day in some churche ;
you may hear people sing the beautlfu
Hospodlne , promiluj ny" ( Lord have pity )
a hjmn which had been chanted by thi
primitive Christians in the land , Cyril am
Methodius. In 1S17 Vaclav Hanka , ai
author of some repute discovered at Kra
love Dvur , or "Queen's Court , " a remark
able Bohemian manuscript , consisting o
twelve entire parchment pieces and twi
fragments , since known from the place o
discovery as Kralod\orsky Rukopls o
Queen's Court manuscript. Like McPher
eon's Poems of Osslan , these literary frag
ments produced a storm of controversy li
regard to their genuineness , which has no
yet subsided. Who the author of the manu
script is remains a matter of conjecture
A. H. Wratislaw , its English translator , be
lleves the manuscript to have been wrlttei
at the end of the thirteenth century , thougl
some of the poems , he thinks , are probabl ;
considerably older. Another manuscript
discovered somewhat later at Zelena Horner
or Green Hill , and consisting of four parch
ment fragments , would seem to belong t
the ninth century , which would , therefor *
make it the oldest known remnant o
Bohemian , or , for that matter , Slavonian
literature.
LancnaKC Early Cultivated.
It Is a matter of history tLat Bohemia :
began the cultivation of their native tongi
earlier than Englishmen. According to tl
learned Mr. Hallam English was seldo :
written , and hardly employed In prose , tl
after the middle of the fourteenth centur ;
Sir John Mandeville's Travels were wrltte
in 1S57 , this being the earliest English bool
Now , hear how Thomas Stltny , born in 131
and commonly called the father of Bohemia
philosophy , answered the Latinlzers who re
buked him for composing his works in h
native language. "St , Paul composed h
epistles to the- Jews in Hebrew , to tl
Greeks In Greek , to each nation In a tongi
intelligible to It , why should I , Bohemian i
I am , be ashamed to write in Bohemian i
my countrymen ? I shall write In Bohemia
because I am of that nationality , and tt
Lord loves the Bohemian as well as he doi
the Latin. " That Bohemians had the bib
translated in the vernacular before the Ei
gllsh we have the testimony of Wickllf
himself , who. In his work "Trlplicls Vlncu
Ataoris , " while contending for the right i
Englishmen to have a translation ot tl
bible , says : "It la possible that the neb
queen of England , the sister of Caesar , m :
have the gospel written In three languages
Bohemian , German and Latin , but to herel
icate her on that account would be Luclfei
Ian folly. " Sir John Mandcvllle's Travel
above referred to , were translated into Bi
hemlan toward the close ot the fourteen !
century. In the fifteenth century John Hu
the great reformer , easily tal" * the hlghe
rank as a man of letters , What Luth
was to the Germans Hus was to Bohemian
His advent marks an era in domestic 11
erature. Among other Innovations Hi
reformed the orthography by doing awi
with the conscnantal combinations , cs , c
si , common to Polish , and substituting the
with a perfect system of diacritic mark
that are in use now. The fierce and crui
religious wars that racked Bohemia for di
cades after the burning ot John Has , I
1115 , were obviously not conducive to qul
literary work and the writings of this Hut
title period , as it might b called , we :
mostly of the polemic , dogmatic kind. !
the Lenox Library la Ntw York , li a co ]
of th to-called Krallo bible , which Is re
garded as one ot the most noticeable works
of the sixteenth rrnlury. Thl blbt o tn
Its origin to the Industry ot the UohemUn
Brethren , a religious cect , well known for
the learning and piety of many of Its mem
bers. Our Moravians In America are their
direct descendants. For fifteen years eight
scholars worked on the Krallc bible at John
do Zerotln's castle , Krai Ice , In Moravia , and
Its publication began In 1579.
Terribly Hntniccd by Wnr.
Those who visited the Austrian depart
ment of arts at the Chicago World's Fair
may have noticed a painting by Vaclav
Brozlk entitled "Defenestration , or thrown
from the window at Prague. " It represents
a thrilling fight in a gloomy chamber of the
castle in Prague in the course ot which
two Imperial lieutenants are being thrown ,
old Bohemian fashion , out of a window.
This occurred on the 23d day of May , 1613 ,
and wis indirectly the cause of the Thirty
Years' War. The Bohemian Protestant
army suffered a crushing defeat at White
Hill , near Prague , in 1620 , and victorious
Austria visited on her the most terri
ble punishment known In history.
The population numbering some
3,000,000 souls was reduced to
SOO.OOO by the sword of enemies , by famine
and pestilence. Of the 150,000 farms in the
kingdom , but 50,000 retained their tenants.
Native nobility was banished and their con
fiscated estates given , as rewards for
military service , to foreign adventurers from
Spain , Italy , France and Germany. Com
merce and Industry were ruined , the
treasures of the country carried away by
Germans , Swedes and Walloons and others
who successfully overran the country. The
backbone of the revolution broken , Austria
now proceeded to convert the rebels by
means of destroying their literature. Ac
companied by the Llchtensteln dragoons ,
the anti-reformers went from one village to
another and under severe penalties ordered
the wretched Inhabitants to bring Bohemian
books on the village common to be burned.
One priest , Anton Konlas , relates with
honest pride that he alone In his lifetime
burned 60,000 Bohemian books. It Is a
matter ot history and tradition in almost
every village that owners of books , an
ticipating the comingof the dragooni , hid
their bibles before the ferreting eje of the
anti-reformers In baking ovens , stjs , dung
hills and woods. Printed works , circulat
ing by hundreds and thousands scarcely two
and a half centuries ago , have thus in part
altogether disappeared and in part are
extant in not more copies than if they were
manuscripts. Decadence that set In during
the Thirty Years' war has been so fearfully
rapid that at the end of the seventeenth
century but few works of uncertain merit
were Issued ; by the middle of the eighteenth
century Bohemian literature had been
practically exilnct , nothing going to press
but religious tracts and prajer books.
Stamping Oat the language.
And , as Bohemian Hererature and lan
guage deteriorated In this sad manner , liter
ature In neighboring Germany was attain
ing unprecedented development. Works of
such writers as Klopstock , Leasing. Herder
and Wieland could hardly fall to produce a
powerful effect on the educated people In
Bohemia. No wonder that they preferred
these works to their own poor , neglected
native literature. This liking for German
reading was transmitted in time to the mid
dle classes , ever ready to imitate , and these
too had begun to show- dislike for the Be-
hemlan language , regarding it as only fit
for common people. Only the humble
peasant had remained faithful to the dis
owned language and national song , but that
peasant was helpless to render any assist
ance , his condition of servitude making him
no better than a slave.
This state of things , more than anything
else , was one of the reasons that led Joseph
II In 1774 to Introduce German in the
schools and administration of the country
to the exclusion of Bohmelan. But this
forcible measure had Just the opposite effect
from the one Intended by Joseph II. In
stead of stamping out the moribund lan
guage from the huts of the peasant , It gave
it new life and strength. With the advent
of the French revolution brave men ares *
1 on every side who tolled , laboriously , but
'jov ' fully , In the removal of the accumulation
! of two centuries of ignorance and supersti
tion from the past. It seems incredible ,
yet it is true , that to the average
I Bohemians ot the eighteenth century
' the true lives of their ancestors in
the fourteenth , fifteenth and slt-
) teenth centuries were utterly unknown.
They vere taught to believe that these an
cestors were all rebels and they were dis
couraged from investigating' for themselves
why they were EO bad. Gradually the truth
dawned upon them and when Francis
Palacky , atter forty years of labor , pub
lished the true history of Bohemia , all
doubt and uncertainty vanished forever.
To the astonished people Palacky opened a
strange , new world , replete with fascinating
figures and thrilling events. As they read ,
page after page , chapter after chapter , thej
experienced all the varied emotions of a
reader who is in love with his book delight
pride , horror , detestation , hate and anger ,
They imagined they could again hear th !
rumbling of the war wagons of the Hus
sites , "God's warriors , " with John Zirka
the Bohemian Cld , at their head. The ;
followed these Invincible legions from bat
tlefield to battlefield , always victorious , de
f > lnr uie whole of Europe at times one
.aey were Intoxicated with pride. Thei
they read for the flrst time that theii
country had made a voluntary contrac
with Austria and Hungary in 1527 , the trl
partite union laying foundation to the pres
ent empire of Austria and that Bohemia en
tered Into the new partnership without sur
rendering any of her ancient rights o
privileges. Before they had finished th
reading of Palacky's work , people becanv
convinced that they had been deceived
1 that they no more knew the history o
their country than they had known them
selves ; that those whom they were taugh
to call heretics and rebels were the tru
patriots who had done nothing agalns
their native land and everything for it.
Epoch In Iti HUtorjr.
The year 1S4S marks an era in Bohemiai
history. In the tumult of the revolutio :
the reviving nation begun to assert Itael
&s such for the flrst time. It is true ths
signs of national reawakening had mad
themselves manifest before 1S4S , owing prin
ctpally to the influence of the writings o
Jungman , Palacky , Dobrovsky and others
but it Is more than probable that but fo
i the revolution the government would ha * .
i crushed out the movement with the sam
fierceness that characterized it on previou
occasions. The year ISIS brought about :
remarkable change. It undid , with on
blow , what over two centuries of Ignoranc
and superstition bad reared. It demon
stratcd , too , that notwithstanding the mo :
persistent efforts to denationalize them th
bulk of the people bad remained true t
their ancestry. Fifty years ago Bohemian
were destitute of everything. They did nc
control a single High school or a play hous
or political newspaper. Belles lettres wer
in their infancy and the few authors of ih
day hesitated whether to compote the !
books in German or Bohemian. Five decade
have seen the little army of vlastencl ( pa
trlots ) increase to over 5,000,000 eoula I ;
Bohemia , Moravia and Silesia. Joseph Jung
man , who died in 1517 with the wish on hi
lips that his countrymen might have a
least one gymnasium with the native Ian
guage as the medium of instruction , woul <
be surprised no doubt to find today score
of gymnasia , real schools , normal , commer
clal , trade and industrial schools , in at
s of which instruction Is la Bohemia. Tb
i number of newspaper readers , too , has in
creased since 1815 , when Chtrles Havlice
tht flrjl political paper true , tlio
number only about Kxiooo nil toM ,
IF-M thnn the ndvrrtl < < 1 circulation ot one
New York journal but new ! | > pfs In Aus
tria b r ulainii to par. tlio editors have to
f\\o \ bonds tor good tchavlor ami the proof
* hret have to be submitted to the ccnror ,
all of which rather krrps the circulation
donn Of book renders the number is Mid
to bo about SOO ooo , of writers about I.RM
rather .in increase as against lt > 3 , when
Pelel , Dobrovsky. Prochazka , llullk , Kra-
merlus , I'uchmajer , Uautcnkranc , Thatn ,
Stach and Jungman comprUed the cutlre
list of writers.
l'nr ( mm llrliiR Mitlnflvd ,
It must not be supposed for a moment ,
low ever , that the Bohemians are content
ith their achievements since 1S4S , or that
ley have no grievances , real or Imaginary ,
o bo righted by their government. Their
uccess In the past haa only served to en-
ourage their ambition and today they
amor for more political patronage , more
chools and greater representation In the
let and In the parliament at Vienna. They |
nslst , with more vehemence than ever , that
ustrla treats them now , as ehe always
as , unfairly , and they point to the elec-
oral law as an Instance of the treatment
hey receive at her hands a law that
nables 3,000.000 Germans living In the
Ingdom of Bohemia to elect fifty-three
eputles to parliament while over 5,000,000
Bohemians can only elect fifty. The same
ncquallty of representation , although enlarger
larger scale , they claim , prevails In the
estern part of the monarchy , Clslctthanla ,
o called , where S 640,000 Germans have 177
eputles and 14 6SO 000 Slavonians only 156
cputles. Another of their grievances , and
ne that is directly or indirectly the cause
f most of the recent troubles In Austria ,
s the language question. According to the
ensus ot 1S90 , the number of Inhabitant *
f Bohemia ( exclusive of Moravia and SI-
tsla , her crounlanil ? ) was 5.S43.250. Ot this
.643,056 , or , In relative figures , 6279 per
ent , declared for the Cech and 37.19 pel
cnt for the German language. It will bo
bsened from this that In Bohemia people
re not classified according to their nation-
llty , but according to the language they
mploy. The object of this , it Is claimed ,
s to Increase the numerical strength oi
le Germans by adding tens of thousands
f Cechs , who are In the emplo > ment of
Se government , or in any way dependent
pen It , to the census sheets of that race ,
jecauso these Cechs employ German , which
s the official language. But even if the
bove figures were correct , Bohemia still
ould be preponderatingly Cech and there
ould seem to be nothing unreasonable in
ao demand ot the people that both lan-
uagcs , Bohemian and German , should stand
n a footing of equality la the courts of
ustlco and in the administration of the
ocal government. But this very idea the
Germans denounce as preposterous and they
say that artlclo xlx of the constitution
which guarantees equality of nationality be-
ore Austrian laws must be understood to
mean that Bohemian and German ehould
ie equal in Bohemian districts only , uhtle
n German districts German alone should bo
ecognlzed. They reason , too , that Bohemia
a. an Inferior dialect , confined at the moat
o about 5,000,000 people and utterly useless
outside Bohemia , and further , that every
educated Cech speaks German , anyhow. To
arguments like these , Bohemians reply that
, t would be unreasonable to ask over 5,000,000
People to trtrn A Unrungr * to oMlxo n few
thou nj ofllrMfokrr * nnl oRV'rhnitfi ,
FtiouM not the omctholJ'rn ih y MI ft'K r
try to master the logu io of ihn * ? whim
the ) nrc I'.ild to irrve ? Again , why du
Ortnati officials Irarn Mn * > ar In lluncirj -
a language that l utterly U * ! ? M outsl Ich
borders of that country while the mm cry
of the- Bohemian enables one to converge
Intelligently with MO.OOO 000 Slavonian * the
world over' Then. It must bo borne in
mind , and It Is admlt'cd , that Hobetnlir.i
are the historic race of the country.
( irlrtnnor of 7million.
Still another demand and by far the most
Important one because If granted it would
Involve the reconstruction ot the monarchy
Is that Bohemia , together with her sister
land ? , should have the same measure of
home rule as Hungary. In other words , the
people want to be governed from Prague
and not from Vienna ; their claim being
that under the present system millions go
out of the country ) early with no benefit
to the taxpayers in return. Bohemia.
Moravia and Silesia pay. In round sums ,
about $75,000,000 into the treasury at
Vienna. Of this sum the government re
turns to them In the shape of expenditures
connected with their administration about
$26,000,000 and that a balance of J4J.OOO.OOO ,
that under home rule would be spent at
home , remains annually In Vienna. Nor is
this all. Under the reconstruction of 1S67 ,
whereby Austria suffered division In two , the
current expenditures common to both parts
of the monarchy were so apportioned that
Austria assumed to pay two-thirds thereof
and Hungary one-third. It Is now claimed
that the quota of the Hungarians , which
amounts to $33.600,000 , is disproportionate
to their wealth and population ; and that
Bohemia being the heaviest taxpajer In the
monarchy. Is required to pay. Indirectly , the
taxes of free Hungary. This also explains ,
in r. way , why Hungarians are such stout
adherents of the status quo.
The present emperor Is , as may well bo
Imagined , heartily sick of the endless bick
ering and petty Jealousies of his hetero
geneous subjects , he has grown gray in
trying to conciliate them , but , seemingly. In
vain. He Is known to favor home rule for
Bohemia , and , Indeed , has twice given his
pledge to that effect , but the Germans and
Hungarians have twice forced him to break
It. This home rule business Is a very per
plexing problem how to supply the treas
ury In Vienna and yet deprive it of the
support of the fairest and richest provlnco
In Austria ? How to overcome the oppo
sition of the Hungarians ? How to convince
the G-erman settlers on the borders , that
under home rule their nationality would re
main inviolate ? How to allay the fears
of those who believe that this concession
to Bohemians would be the signal for an
endless parcellatlon of the monarchy ? What
has destiny In store for Austria ? Will she
continue to be a duallstlc empire as the
Hungarians hope ? Or , will she finally flnd
peace itt centralism , as the Germans be
lieve ? Or , jet , Is she drifting toward feder
alism , as Bohemians claim ? Who knows ?
Mr. Gladstone thought that her salvation
lay In federalism. THOMAS CAPEK.
New York City , August. 13 , 1898.
Admiral Schler Start * ( or 1V hlnicton
NEW YORK , Aug. 26. Admiral Schlcy
went to Washington to-lay taking the 11:13
train over the Pennsylvania railroad at
Jersey City.
Finest Flavor and
Fragrance
are found in a cup of
Absolutely the Purest , Cleanest ,
Most Wholesome.
OFFICIALLY INSPECTED BEFORE EXPORTATION.
"Invigorates in tbe morning , refreshes
at nigbt , " good at all times.
Viiit the Japan Tea Garden at the Omaha Exposition.
Grocers
Sell
ItEverywhere. .
The Omaha Bee's
Photogravures of the Exposition g
'
TV 0 Exposition has excelled the Trans-Missis-
slslppl In architectural splendor and artistic beauty yet before the
snotv flies it will be only a memory , were It not for the aid of the photogra-
pher's art. In all Its varied beau > , the splendor of the Grand court and the
fun of the Midway all the many scenes of the Exposition have been reproduced -
produced by
The Highest Product of the Photographer's ' Art The Photogravure
These are from the work of Mr. F. A. Einehart , ifc
3
the official photographer of the Exposition and are more artistic and J
43 beautiful than h's photograph's A photogravure Is a work of art which Gt
43 anyone will be glad to frame. They are 104x74 Inches and about 100 views In i %
all will be published , so that no feature of the Exposition will be omitted. 9T
43
43 Sixteen Views Now Ready The following Views Have Beeo IstMA.
43 t Opening- Day , June 1 , It-US. 8 Grand Court , Looking SoothO *
43 \ortheuit Corner of Court.
O Pine Art *
.
3 no\ernmenl Bullillus. .
43 10-XebrasUa linlldlittr.
4 Mnln Entrance Agricultural 11 Grand Court. Looking Eait.
43 IS Section of Fine Arta lilda- .
S Scene In Street ! of All Xa- 13 Grand Court at Sight.
tluni. 14 Main Entrance IIortlcaltnr
1 O Grnad Court , Looking Wcit. al Bulldlnir.
7 llauenhnck's on Children's IS Scene on North Midway.
43
10 Marine Band at Grand Plai * .
43 3 For 10 Cents With a Bee Coupon.
43 ALL SIXTEEN FOB FIFTY CENTS.
43 These are offered to Bee reader * on heavy paper suitable for framing or for %
collection of Exposition vlowt. The liee will Usue a portfolio cover for 13 cents
to form a cover for thU collection.
In ordering by mall state which pletnrn you wl b , by the title or nomkcr.
and nclo r 3 erntt eitra for mailing , ' 'or the fall 10
enclose 5 cenu extra for malllnf.
COT OUT TH * COUPON.
4 4 Photogravure THE OMAHA DAiLY BElT' * J
4 Department , jEijjisitijiRjkotiiriivuri Giupin , >
The Omaha Daily Bee. ThU
4 Osnaha , Boulh Omaha ,
CooncU BlatTs.
