People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 June 1893 — Children of the Caucasus. [ARTICLE]

Children of the Caucasus.

In the Caucasus mountains there are many wild, uncivilized tribes of people whose terribly rough ways would make the heart of a civilized mother stand still with fear if her child were to be treated as the people of the Caucasus treat their children every day. The first thing that a Caucasus baby is given for a plaything is a dagger. This is presented to him as soon as he can walk. For an hour or two each day his mother spends her time teaching him how to use the weapon, so that he will some day become an expert. He is taught to stab water so that it makes no splash, and is made to hurl his dagger at a mark again and again, until he cannot miss his aim. And all this is done during the time that other boys are spinning tops and studying a spelling book. When the Caucasian, boy grows up he knows just one thinghow to use a dagger—while civilized boys know—well, some of them know a great deal. The name of Dvorak, the celebrated Bohemian composer, is pronounced in English as though it were spelled VorShawk. This is only approximate, and there is a slight accent on the second syllable.

, Wooden railroads were built in England in 1G02; iron rails were first used in 1789; the first iron railroad was laid . in America in 1827.