Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1917 — Page 3

macao

—Courtesy Travelogue Bureau. IN THESE years of war when Eu rope is closed to the tourist, thousands of American travelers are turning to the Orient, and most of those who reach the coast of Asia get a glimpse at least of the oldest foreign colony in China. This is the Portuguese colony of Macao, at the western entrance of the Cantoh river and only 40 miles from Hongkong, the great British base. • Macao is perched on a peninsula which is itself a part of the island of Hiangshan, Separated from the mainland by a narrow arm of water. It was occupied by the Portuguese in 1557'and has-been held ever since by that once great maritime nation. For nearly three hundred years the Portuguese paid ground rent to China for the colony, and in 1887 the sovereignty of Portugal was recognized by China. But the extent of the territory has never been settled, for China has always disputed the right of the-Portu-guese to the islands of Taipa and Kolowan and to the coastal waters, Comfnissioners were named in 1909 for the delimination of the boundaries, but they could not reach an agreement. - The city of Macao is interesting in various ways and, despite its age, mus of It is well built and not unhandsome. Along its curving water front, known as the Praya Grande, is a long row of fine residences and other buildings. Among the most imposing of these is the three-story house of Ah Fong, the Chinese millionaire, who lived in Honolulu for so many years and, after marrying his beautiful

~ Travelogue Bureau, daughters to naval officers, departed ■with all his wealth to his mother (country. Several miles inland is Ah .Fong’s birthplate, the village of Wong-mo-si, and there he has created a maginlflcent estate which is his favorite place of abode in his old age. I San Paulo and Camoene’ Grotto. 4 In the most ancient part of the city are the ruins of San Paulo church. .This was the collegiate church of the Jesuits and dates from the sixteenth century. In 1835 it was destroyed by lire, but its great front wall still 'Stands. There is also an Old castle ‘that is worth seeing, and several Portuguese forts that are garrisoned in (ordinary times by 500 soldiers, apd jvlsltors of a commercial bent will wish Ito inspect the cotton, canning and oil (factories and the brick and cement [works that, aside from fishing, comrprise the chief industries of the place. To the literary tourist the place of iinost Interest in Macao is the grotto of Camoens. The author of the Lusiad, the epic poem of Portugal, when he ;was banished from Lisbon in 1547 bejcause of a love affair, first fought (against the Moorish pirates the Barbary- coast and. then, after being pardoned and again banished, betook hbniself -jcr Macao and took up his. resi>dence in a house with a beautiful garden. There, in a-rocky grotto, he com-

posed the latter part of his great epic, and in the same recess now stands a bust of the poet who did so much for the literature and language of his country. Its Gambling Houses. If you say Macao to the ordinary globe trotter or the sailor whose voyages take him to the Orient, the name means chiefly a place where he can gamble, for the city is one of the few places where the goddess of chance may still be wooed with the sanction of the law. Gambling licenses and opium supply the greater part of the colony’s revenues, and such a sign as “FirstClass Gambling House” is frequent on the main street. Naturally, one result of this is that Macao swarms with lawless characters from all parts of the world and deeds of violence are rather frequent The gambling dens are conducted by Chinamen, and fan-tan is the game usually played. It is apparently the simplest of all games, and one at which lb should be impossible to cheat A sheet is spread on a table or on the floor, and the banker sits with a bowl full of copper coins in front of him. These he counts out by fours, and the gamblers stake their money on there being three, two, one or none remaining at the end in the bowl. Chinamen with a practised eye can tell while there are still a great heap of the coins in the bowl how this final counting will result, and the banker has probably a keener eye than any of the Chinese gamblers, and has seen tefore them what the count will be.

Some of the copper coins are really three coins joined together, and a blow from the stick with wjhich the banker counts out the coins will turn one coin into two or three if required. To counteract the possibility of the banker not being too honest, Europeans who gamble in large sums put their notes into envelopes before they throw them down on the dlvlsions of man can back all four numbers if he will, one envelope containing notes for hundreds of dollars, while the others may each contain a note for a small sum. The banker, however very often guesses In Which envelope is the big sum of money, and the division on which it is laid is not very likely to be theonetowin. ———

No Lack of Advice.

“There are a great many people in this world who don’t know what’s good for them.” • y “Perhaps so,” replied the cynical man, “but they always have plenty of neighbors who would gladly teiF them what is good for them if they would only listen.” -- -4- ./

Almost.

Circumstances occasionally force a man to admit that Other people’s troubles are almost as great as his owaNew York Globa, s

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN. RENSSELAER, IND.

The Party Dress

By Florence L. Henderson

(Copyright, 1917, by W. G. Chapman.) “Was there ever anything so beautiful?" exclaimed Mrs. Wilder, lost in profound admiration. “Oh, mother, lam -so happy I could cry,” voiced pretty Winifred, her daughter. “Huh, uncle spread himself, sure, .this time!” chirped in her brother, Ronald. “And all I expected was some modest house dresS," murmured Winifred. “Dear old Uncle Bryce I and my first party dress. Oh, mother, I am so happy.” “You look it, and you deserve to be,” said her older sister Madge, with real emotion and not one bit of envy. “It is simply—peerless.” Mrs. Wilder was a widow and poor. True, her husband had left his family a house and ten acres of land and it was clear of encumbrance, but Ronald was too young to work, Madge received a very small stipend as teacher at the district school. Mrs. Wilder was a partial invalid. Only for Winifred’s constant care of the little truck garden and her economical household management, they would never have been able to make ends meet. And now the sweet surprise, the bewildering gift from Mrs. Wilder’s half brother. Winifred had ever been his favorite, and once a year he made a flying visit to these relatives. Always after his departure there came a package from the village. Two years previous it had been a pretty toilet set. His next visit he had sent a neat little watch. Now —

It> was certainly a beautiful dress, and arrayed in its full magnificence Winifred was more lovely than ever. It had come in a boxfrom the village emporium. It fitted exquisitely. “Uncle Bryce must have heard us talking of the Durham partyJl suggested Madge. “What taste for an old bachelor, and what munificence, for I fancy that uncle is not over blessed with this world’s goods.” For two days Winifred was in a flutter of rare delight and anticipation. She was not proud of show, nor vain, but in every girl’s heart there is a longing for the possession of the dainty and elegant. The party dress was a delicate blue with lace accompiiniments that gave to it a gossamer tastefulness that made of it a positive creation of art. There was not a speck of mud in the country paths, yet Winifred guarded her treasured dress from contact with brush and ear th as though she were going to some coronation. “You look just like a princess, sis,” approved her escort, Ronald, who saw her as far as the Durham home and left her there. “I suppose somebody will fetch you back.” “I can come in the company of the Websters,” reminded Winifred. She .had never known a beau and did not count on any break in the usual routine. Winifred was radiant, and everybody at the function seemed jflfiased to note the fact and emphasize it with admiring <compliments. There -was a y%ng man present, a stranger to all. He came with a friend, Harry Lane, and was introduced as Walton Bell. From the first his attentions were confined to Wini fred. She was proud but fluttered at this partiality. She was still more pleased, but embarrassed, when he insisted on escorting her home. It was the great event in her life. She thought of him longingly as she left him at the gate and she wondered if she were really pretty and attractive, as she glanced in her mirror later, flushed and excited. “It won’t do, but I’ve met my fate!” murmured Walton Bell, as he wended his way to the home of. his friend. it would not do at. all —” and he set his lips, and the beauty of the evenihg seemed spolled by the memory of what had brought him to Ridgeton, for it was to call upon Miss Norma Elsler the next day who, according to his fond mother and the maneuvering mother of Miss Elsler, he was to wed in due time.

They had been engaged since childhood. He had seen Norma only twice.’ She had appeared “well enough,” but now love, real love had sprung up in his heart and he balked! “What is that?" inquired Winifred, coining into the house from a neighbor's the next afternoon and glancing at a box on the table. “It’s the dress Uncle Bryce really bought for you,” explained her mother. “There has been a dreadful mistake, and the delivery man lejft you the wrong bundle. I returned It. This is what really belongs to you.” Winifred neither pouted nor abused Uncle Bryce as she opened the box. A neat house dress was revealed. She could not repress a sigh at the vivid contrast, the more so when she thought of the party —and Walton Bell. Walton quickened his steps later that same afternoon as he caught sight of a seemingly familiar figure on the strfeeL That pretty blue dress concealed by ah opera cloalk was in t vlew. He looked blank as he reached the side of its wearer, its real owner, Miss Elsler. He was wholly surprised and showed it, and disappointed, and showed that, too.

Miss Elsler was civil, but lather cool and repelling in her manner. Walton walked on with her towards n house where she was to* engage in a social function with a friend recently married. Turning a cortier Norina flushed hotly as they passed a young man who spoke to her, and in his eye had ah expression that told of deep interest and emotion. She, Too, was perturbed. However, she concealed her feelings, and when WaitorNleft her was her old' self—haughty and unmoved. • There came a shock for Walton Bell the next day when he called at the Elsler home. It was to be met by Norma’s mother in tears, and, presenting a letter found in the untenanted room of Norma that morning. “It will break your heart as it has mine,” she wailed. “Norma has eloped with Cecil Raybourne.” “What a hypocrite I am,” soliloquized Walton as he left the house. His face was grave, in consonance with the occasion, but his heart was , welling with a secret joy. “Norma’s act has set me free and has set me aside to follow the dictates of her love. Why not I?” • It was in the descending dusk of eventide that he ventured to the vicinity of Winifred’s home. His capitulation was complete as he came across her in the little garden. If Winifred had charmed him in that pretty party dress, in the sweet simplicity of the real attire Uncle Bryce had sent her she w® to his devouring eyes, simply exquisite. It w-as during that next precious hour that the story of the party dress came out. There was a coincidental fatefulness about the incident that pre-

ITS let ;at

Winifred Was More Lovely Than Ever.

saged encouragement and hope for Walton, really free, the very first time in love. As to Winifred, she felt like hiding her blushing face even from the twinlyling stars’ when he went away, for he spoke words that opened up to her innocent soul a prospect of radiant happiness. Norma came back and was forgiven. She was piqued when Walton met her lame explanation and apologies with a shining face. She had expected reproaches, condemnation from a brokenhearted, discarded lover. He eased her mind by telling her of Wintfred. Andthcn’hewentto■ Winifred and told of Norma. And finally, ail loose Issues of the fateful complication explained, he told his Iqve to her, and joy reigned supreme.

AS HIS FATHER BEFORE HIM

Young Man’s Misfortune Simply a Repetition of Experience That Had Been Old Gentleman’s. “That boy will be the death of me some day,” declared the head of the family. “I am sure I don’t know where he gets his impudence and self-as-surance; surely not from me. He returned home from school the other day to spend the holidays, as I and, entering my office, he threw his cane on the floor, selected an easychair, put his feet on my desk, lit a cigarette, inhaled a few puffs, and then, turning languidly to me, he drawled: “ T say, dad, do you remember the time Jou were expelled from school?’ “I did. There was no use denying it, for one day, in a burst of confidence, I had told him of my escapades as a boy, and lived to regret that I had been so indiscreet. “ ‘Well,’ said he, ‘history has repeated Itself.’: “ ‘What do you mean, you young rascal?’ I roared. “ ‘Oh,’ said he, easily, Tve been expelled, too. Astonishing, isn’t it, dad, how such things will run in a family?’ ”

Punisment Made to Fit the Crime.

New uses are being found for the phonograph. One of the latest of these, as tried in a western city of the United States, is the employment of the phonograph to teach singing. A record is made of the pupil’s interpretation of some song, and he is then permitted to hear himself sing it, the theory being, of course, that he will tjius be able to Judga his -effort more accurately. In time perhaps the custom will become sb .general that all singers will try their songs on themselves before they try them ■ before audiences, and this, it must be would be an arrangement which many audiences would- greatly appreciate /

WORLD’S HEAVIEST BRIDGE SPANS’HELL GATE

PROUD OF STATIONS

ENGLISH RAILROAD LINES HAVE MANY PRETTY ONES. Bome Artificially Beautified and Some Situated in Naturally Charming Spots—Lakeside on Very Edge of Windermere. Probably the railroad station In England which can boast of being most “beautiful for situation” is that of Grange-over-Sands, in FurneSs. The Furness railroad in its course from Arnside to Barrow, hugs the northern shore of Morecambe bay, and at. Grange the sea almost washes the platform of the station at high tide, whilst when the tide is out a great stretch of shining white sand gleams in the sunshine. ——

On the other side of the line the traveler sees a sort of transformation scene —in summertime, at least —an exquisite garden of emerald lawns and gay parterres and dancing fountains, and behind this a lovely little town embowered in trees, and behind this again, yet quite close at hand, a high hill crowned with leafage. Yes, the railroad station at Grange will take a lot of beating. ■Perhaps the station which comes nearest to winning the beauty prize from Grange is another on the same system —Lakeside station. This is not an attractive station in itself, but its situation on the very edge of Windermere, the queen of the English lakes, makes It very notable. You step out of the station on the little lake steamboat to continue your journey into that lakeland which is the largest area in England without a railroad. Another beautifully situated station is the one at Llangollen. It is built on the bank of the Dee, and close to it is the quaint old bridge and the steep old village, and on either hand the lovely hills, one of them crowned castle, and as far as the eye can see the wonderful dale or vale scenery. Quite a number of stations on the Midland in the Peak district are very notably situated, such as Matlock Bath, with the High Tor towering above it, and Bakewell and Miller’s Dale, with their far-extending views. But a rival to any of these is the Warren Halt at Folkestone. It occurs just before the train runs into* the Shakespeare Cliff to reappear at DOYet.. and the last scene, .before plunging into darkness is the lovely Warren, beloved of picnickers and blackberry gatherers. This notable bit of scenery is undoubtedly the result of a catastrophe a thousand years old or so, a mighty landslide when the cliff gave way and billions of tons of earth and rock slid into the sea. —London Tid-Blts. ’

Use of Autos on Tracks.

The use of automobiles on the railroad tracks is becoming more frequent. For such work the ordinary rubber tires must be removed and iron flanges of exact railroad gauge bolted in their place.' On the Santa Fe railroad such a special automobile recently made a transcontinental trip on an educational safety-first campaign. This automobile was routed like a regular train, reported, from station to station, and carried the regular flags and lights of a locomotive. Another use for the motor on the rails has been found by a lumber company, which had to make use of an old line of track, two weak to carry a locomotive. They bolted tires on a two-ton autotruck and used it successfully instead.

Long Plate Girder Spans.

The longest through-plate girder span supporting a double track, according to the Railway Age Gazette, is 118% feet long and is located at Gardner, N. Y-, on the West Shore railroad. The New York Central and Hudson River railroad has a bridge at Lyons, N. Y., which is a four-track structure with three-plate girders. The middle one supports the load on two tracks and the span for this arrangement is 107 feet 8 inches. A number of longer plate girder bridges designed for lighter loadings may be found on the Eastern Bengal railroad system. — .

China to Bulld 300-Mile Railroad.

The Chinese government has contracted with the Sienfs-Carey company of St. Paul for the construction of an additional 300 miles of railroads; The line is to run from Chowkiakow, in Honan province, through Nanyangfu to Siangyanfu in Hupeh province. The work has been begun by surveyors.

IS WORLD’S HEAVIEST BRIDGE

New York Has Structure That Exceeds in Weight Anything That Has , Yet Been Built - The steel arch across Hell Gate, the heaviest bridge in existence, will soon be ready for traffic, and then it will be possible for travelers to pass through New York going north and south without any of the Inconveniences and delays that have hitherto been unavoidable. Time and money will be saved. The Hell Gate bridge is part of a two-mile project known as the New York Connecting railway, and of this the East river division alone, represents an outlay of $30,000,000 and covers a stretch of three and one-half miles. The massive span has cost $12.000,000. Today the Hell Gate bridge represents a sustained mass of 19,000 tons of steel alone. It is the longest fourtrack, railroad-bridge and able to support a greater load per lineal foot than any other bridge. Gustave Lindenthal, the engineer, who laid all of the plans for the bridge, is a modest genius, and has little to say of this latest monument of his technical skilL

HAVE CUI-DOWN DISASTERS

Records Show Good Work Has Been Accomplished by the Railroads of America. A convenient tabulation of facts relating to railroads in the United Staten is furnished by the annual bulletin of the bureau of railway economics. The issue just’out bears the title •Statistics of Railways, 1905-1915,” and will be found extremely handy. The tables are unaccompanied by any comment, but a glance at them suggests to the interested eye many a point worth noting. Thus one cannot fail, to be struck with the remarkable decrease in the number of persons killed and injured in train accidents, during the five years covered by the table relating to that subject. In the case of passengers killed in such accidents, the fiscal year 1913 stands* out in an evil way, though the record as a whole Is decidedly encouraging, the figures for the successive years from 1911 to 1915 being 142, 139, 181, 85, 89; but the number of employees on duty killed, in train accidents shows a steady diminution in the number of persons injured, though very marked, has not been so great as in the number killed — which apparently indicates that 4ho improvement, that has taken place has been rather in safeguarding against accidents of the most disastrous type than in the prevention of all kinds of accidents.

History of Indiana Railroads.

In February, 1831, the Indiana legislature chartered six railroad companies, viz., the Lawrenceburg & Indianapolis ; Madison & Indianapolis; New Albany, Salem & Indianapolis; Harrison & Indianapolis; Lafayette & Indianapolis, and Ohio & Indianapolis. The first one built was the Madison & Indianapolis, which was opened from Madison to Vernon in 1839 and* to Indianapolis in 1847. The Jeffersonville road was begun in 1848 and 1 completed to Edinburg in 1852. The old Bellefontaine, now part of the Big Four, waschartered in tB4O and pleted from Indianapolis to Union City in 1852. The Terre Haute & Indianapolis was begun in 1850 and completed in 1852. The Indianapolis 4 Lafayette was begun in 1849 and fin-. ished in 1852. The old Indiana Central, was begun in 1851 and completed to> the Ohio state line in December, 1853. The Peru & Indianapolis was chartered in 1846. work began in 1849, was completed with a flat bar from Indianapolis to NoblesyiHe in 1851 and finished to Peru in 1854.

Employment on the Pennsylvania.

A new plan for handling employment applications Is being put into effect by the Pennsylvania railroad, by which every one of the 1,500 station! agents on the lines East will becomer an employment agent. The purpose is to encourage a greater number of men who live in the vicinity of the company’s lines and> shops to enter the service. The policy of the railroad has been so far as possible to offer the first opportunities for work to people.who are its neighbors. Believing that many men In thft towns, villages and cities through which the lines pass would be glad to enter the railroad service If they only knew how to apply, the new plan haa been devised to make it easy to ascertain wjiat lines of service are open and in what localities work may ba obtained. ‘