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About The Polk County post. (Independence, Or.) 1918-19?? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1921)
OPEN SHRINE TO DEAD EMPEROR Alleged Thief Leaps 40 Feet and Lands on Auto. VOODOOISM IS FAITH OF HAITI Strange Ceremony In Japan» In* eluding Vaudeville, Marks Two Days of Worship. Then He Tries to Take 30-Foot Plunge to Railroad Tracks» but Police man Gets Him. Admiral Knapp, Investigating Conditions, Tells Shocking Tales of Practices. BUILDING COST $10,000,000 linpreaeriv» Manifestation* of Loyalty Featured the Solemn Shinto Cere- men lee— Voice* Silent Dur ing Worship. Tokyo.— A fter six years' labor and an expenditure estimated at $10,000,- 000, the national shrine to the late Emperor Mutsuhito was opened re cently with solemn Shinto ceremonies, •ud amid Impressive manifestations of loyalty. For three days the popu lace of Tokyo celebrated the occasion. Every street was decorated with bunt ing, and from the humblest door lan terns were displayed at night The municipality gave a flower show and open-air performances and the atrical performances In Hlblya park, but fo r the most part the festivities were co-operatively organized by the citizens In different wards. At hun dreds o f central points stages had been erected, where vandevllle shows were given and there were fireworks both night and day. Thousands From Country. Over 260,000 persons from the coun try districts visited the city during the festival. The shrine Is a typical Shinto build ing of plain wood, and of the simplest possible construction. H ie opening ceremony was attended by over 2,000 persons and officials, and lasted about three hours The central feature was the delivery to Prince Ichljo, warder of the shrine, o f the name tablets of the late emperor, and their Installa tion In the Inner sanctuary. Prince Kujo, a relative o f the em peror, delivered a commemorative ora tion to which Prince Ichljo replied. TTie shrine was thereafter opened to the public and at least 500,000 people worshiped before It during the re mainder of the day. The scene where these multitudes if people were paying their respects • .lie memory of the dead emperor see Impressive. The main entrance V. the shrine Is by means of s new and very broad road about two miles '(< length. Along this road all the day and evening two great strings of peo ple poured, one going to the shrine, the other returning. The whole o f this roadway was "lan tly lighted and decorated wrlth , ;v and ornamental lanterns. But .•uce the torll at the entrance to the shrine had been passed a great change .n rie over the scene. The modem •.trig wss left behind, the gold and . -si ornamentation ceased and the rest * f the way was made under the shade o f gtgm'ilc pine trees, which might tin re been part o f the virgin forests st old Japan. Pilgrims were admitted In groups of about 200. Their Journey ended In a small paved courtyard Inclosed with a low wall. The shrine, a low, severely plain building, was opposite the gate way, and by the dim light of two large paper lanterns shoot a dozen whlte- snbed priests were seen moving slow ly hack and forth within the doorway. They were sweeping up the coins that twined continually oa the steps o f the S h rlM . Voice* Are Silent Not a sound could be heard except the tight hand-dapping of the wor shipers calling on the enshrined spirit e f the emperor. No human voice was beard. There was not even an nudtble prayer; In complete silence the multi tude paid their respects to the spirit e f MelJI and passed on. On the two following days the shrine was again visited by hundreds o f thousands, and the proceedings were enlightened by wrestling and oth er public entertainments near the shrine. The crown prince, on behalf o f the emperor, worshiped at the shrine on the second day. It Is Intended to associate the young men e f Japan especially with the MelJI shrine. A huge stadium will be built In the grounds of the shrine, and tt Is expected that the principal athlattc evfnts o f Japan will be con tacted there In the future. HAS LIVELY EVENING New Tork.— This ia how Alex Ur- banufT, twenty-six, an unemployed tail or. accused o f having robbed a woman o f her pocketbook containing $10, spent an evening. Firat returned the purse containing the money at the Bridge Plaza ele vated station In Long Island city, where he Is accused o f purloining It, when hla alleged victim confronted him. Ran when his accuser, Mrs. Mary Howell of 322 Crescent street screamed for the police. Leaped from the end of the station platform t'o the tracks. Made record speed for four blocks when pursued by a special policeman and a crowd o f men. At a point over the Diagonal street viaduct he almost ran Into an ap proaching train. T o snve himself he leaped 40 feet for the street He landed on top o f a swift pass ing automobile and was bounced off to the roadway. He saw Mounted Patrolman Kav- anaugh coming toward him, ran to the railing of the viaduct and was about to leap to the tracks of the Long Island railroad, a <11 stance o f 40 feet, when he was Intercepted. Taken -to Hunter's Point police sta tion he was finger-printed. Suffering from shock and other In juries, he was removed to St. John’s hospital. Here he was found to have sus tained a bad Injury to his left leg and shoulder and possibly Internal Injur les. ORPHAN FINDS HOME Miss Clara Brown, Los Angeles, while visiting the Diamond Bar ranch, was moved with sympathy by an or phaned two-day-old pig. She took the little one. and now "Diamond" enjoys all the comforts o f a pretty home. Hla happiest momenta are at meal time, when Miss Brown feeda the “ baby," as the picture shows. Taken Frees Canopy Over Plymouth Rook, Which la Being Reset te there Level. Plymouth. Maes.— The bone* of • m m o f the Pilgrim fathers were ex posed fo r a time when the box In which they have been kept was taken from the can spy ever Plymouth rock, where It had rested since IMA. The record* do not Identify the bodice, hat the two relatively well- p reserved skulls sad other bone« found la the casket are reputed to be those e f members o f the colony wbo Jtod during the erdoal of the first win ter. T h e canopy Is to be removed and the reck reset under conditions that wfll bring It again to shore level. Heart la Urn Right Place. lad.— Firemen hoisted a ladder to recrue a pigeon sue- over a high ledge o f Nt. Mery's The pigeon was entangled la Women In the crowd which Native la Strongly Superstitious» Fears Evil Eye and Stands In Great A w * ef Voodoo Priests and Prleeteaeea. Washington, D. 0.— That 95 per cent of the native* of Haiti believe In the African Jungle faith o f voodoolsm which requires the sacrifice o f human beings and the drinking of human blood Is declared by Hear Admiral H. S. Knapp In his report to the secre tary o f the navy on Investigation of Haitian conditions. Admiral Knapp cites a shocking case of the trial o f a voodoo priest, who Is reported to have killed 18 chil dren, whose blood was drunk and flesh eaten by persons present at the rites. "Voodoolsm Is prevalent,” says the admiral's report, “ and the further one goes from the coast into the Interior the more openly Is voodoolsm prac ticed. Voodoolsm Is essentially snake worship, and In Its extreme rites It requires the sacrifice o f human beings and the drinking o f their blood and the eating of their flesh. Orgies at Sacrifices. “ The human sacrifice Is called the ‘hornless g o a t m i n o r sacrifices of goats are made. These religious cele brations, if the word 'religious’ can be applied to such affair*, end In dis graceful orgies o f debauchery. It Is very difficult, of course, to determine Just how extensively the beliefs are held, but qome Haitians themselves have asserted that probably 95 per cent of the total population believes in voodoolsm to a greater or less ex- tent. “ O f course, the contrary Is strongly held by riologlsts for the Haitian character. It seems certain, however, that whether It be the effect o f voo doolsm or not, the average Haitian Is strongly superstitious— superstitious with the superstitions o f the Jungle. He Is afraid o f the evil eye, or, as It Is called here, the 'ounnga,' and stands In great awe of the voodoo priests and priestesses. It Is also believed the educated classes are not free from much of this superstition, even where they deny belief In or the existence of voodoolsm. Voodoo Followers Feared. "Haitian officials high in place will not take action against persons ac cused o f voodoolsm, whether because o f their own belief In It or because of fear born of their own knowledge of the extent to which voodoolsm Is prev alent among the population or of In curring enmities. A voodoo priest has been lately tried and sentenced, and the proceedings of the military com mission are now In Washington await ing action. "This man la said to have killed, at one time or another, 18 children, whose blood was drunk and whose flesh wss eaten by persons present at the rites. The practice of similar voo doo rites Is confidently believed by those most fam iliar with the situation In Haiti to be not unusual In the re mote places, although It Is very diffi cult to obtain any positive evidence In corroboration." OLD WOMAN MAKES QUILT Squirrel Found in Stomach of Trout Columbia, La.—Can fish climb a tree or do squirrels take a both occasionally? This Is the question being asked by Q. T. McSween. While he and his (laughter, Mrs. Annie Wear, were fishing In Horseshoe lake they caught five unusually large trout, two o f which appeared to be Homewhat overfed. On open ing them, a squirrel was found In one. and a two-pound gar fish In the other. How that trout got that squir rel Is the puzzling proposition. OLIVER TW IS TS ’ JAIL CLOSED BONES OF PILGRIMS MOVED KILL HUMANS, DRINK BLOOD Gruel Pet of Fameu* S t George's Workhoua* In London Qoee to Museum. Makes On* for Her Grandson That Contains 5,760 Pieces ef Patches. FOR PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS RAVAGED BY LOCUSTS Province in Argentina Swept by Plague of Insects. Wonderful Progress Made by the National Committee in That Direction. Disappear as Suddenly a* They Come, Leaving Desert of Country They Pas* Through. Buenos Aires.— A plague o f locusts, like that which In ancient Egypt “ cov ered the face o f the earth,” this year dear ended upon the province o f Santa Fe. Similar offensives are almost an nual events In one part or other o f A r gentina. The locusts come suddenly and with out w’arnlng. Where for a year or sev eral years perhaps not one of the In sects has been seen, a veritable cloud of them will one day appear and settle on Hit- ground. These usually come from the northwest, from the vast al most uninhabited tracts In Bolivia, It Is supposed. They cover the earth like a moving carpet, gradually moving on. At first little damage Is done, aside from the Inconvenience of having lit erally millions of the Insects covering everything and even penetrating the houses. But as they progress through the country they bore holes Into the earth, preferably in hard spots such as roadways. Into which they deposit their eggs. Within a short time the larva are hatched and come forth. At first these cannot fly, and It Is at this stage that they devour every living plant within their path, with the ex ception of a few species such as w il low trees. A little later the Insects develop their wings and, leaving the country through which they have passed a desert, they disappear almost as sud denly as they came. Where they go to has never been discovered. Argentina has had recourse to many methods of fighting the locusts. The nation maintains organized locust fighting squuds, something like those formed to fight fires, and these are sent every year to the sections invaded. In addition, every rancher Is held respon sible for fighting the pest In his own locality. One o f the methods employed Is to dig trenches In which the Insects are collected, afterward being burned. But no matter how many millions of them are made away with In any such man ner, It Is Impossible to block the pest, owing to the great extent of Argentina, much of which Is still very sparsely settled. WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS Conservation of Vision ClasM* Grow ing In Number as Educators Dle- oover It le Practicable to Open Classes in Small Cities. New York.— More than 4,000 sup porters o f the work of the National Committee fo r the Prevention of Blindness were reported at the sixth annual meeting In this city. Tills re port shows a remarkable increase from the 66 charter members In 1915. The work fo r the last year showed much progress for the conservation of vision In the public schools and col leges. The report continues; "Conservation of vision classes In the public schools are growing In number as educators have discovered, through the efforts of our committee, that it is practicable to open such classes even in cities smaller than the largest The present census of such classes Is 62, o f which 12 hnve been established within the last year. So far as known, the classes which now support such classes Include Illi nois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minne sota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington. There Is no more hopeful part o f our work than this, and we nre proud to hnve contributed a considerable part to the establish ment o f these clusses. Blindness in Children. "The chief cause o f blindness among children Is due to ophthalmia noeonatorum. The percentage this year Is 22.5 per cent as compared with 15.7 per cent for last year of those who have newly entered the residential schools. This disease Is an Inflammation of the eye usually contracted by newly born children. The percentage Is even higher In the public classes. We have reason to re- gret-thls unfortunate relapse. This Is the first year but one that has not shown a considerable decrease, but we are quite sure that our figures are more accurate than In the years gone by, and possibly some of this Increase Is due to the greater accuracy of our reports. W c must faithfully and per sistently pursue our fight against babies’ sore eyes and continue to re duce the number o f children who need not have been blind. “ Trachoma's victims (one o f the most dreaded of contagious eye dis eases) hnve been discovered In sev eral states where It was not suspect ed this scourge could be prevalent. Not less than nine states have during this year Initiated or renewed their fight against the spread of trachoma. In Illinois, particularly, there has been a marshaling o f the forces for systematic operation In the stamp ing out o f this disease. In all cases It has been the function of this com mittee to serve as a helpful agency In this work. DOG WEARS AUTO SPECS Caused by Wood Alcohol. "Wood alcohol poisoning still causes much blindness through drinking this substance masquerading as a familiar stimulant. Tills condition was not a surprise to us, and we had Issued a warning which was used throughout the United States. Much activity re sulted because o f the newspaper ac counts of the dreadful situation, and considerable work has been done by them toward eliminating this cause of needless blindness.” H. F. J. Porter o f the Society for Electrical Development delivered the annual address. The subject o f Mr. Porter’s address was "Through L ife ’s Windows.” lie showed the great de pendence o f man on healthy and well- cared for eyes, which he compared to a pair of motion picture cameras. "In deed, the motion picture camera Is made In Imitation o f the eye," he con tinued. “ The better the condition of the lens and the better the Illumina tion o f Ihe object the better the re sult of the photographer’s effort. Just so with the more perfect Instrument, the eye. ami It behooves every one to see that his eyes are kept In good con dition and free from eyestrain due to Improper lighting. As It takes a long er time to take a good picture In poor light thnn In good light, so It takes longer to obtain a good conception of what Is before us with poor eyesight and In poor light. Employers are wise who provide against accidents from poor lighting.” Even the bow-wows are being fitted out with goggles fo r motoring, accord ing to a report from Boston, which states that goggles fo r dogs have been placed on sale there. A prominent Boston woman who Is In the habit of taking her dog on motoring trips start ed the fad. The dog was suffering from eye strain as the result o f riding out on windy days. The photo shows Towser with his specs. Medford, Wla.— Mrs. Jackson Moon o f Perktnstown has Just completed a quilt consisting of 6,700 pieces for her grandson, William Woods of Wausau. The pieces were collected from friends and neighbors. Work on the quilt began last April. Tw o weeks of continuous sewing made Mrs. Moon's Angers so sore that she was com London.— The Palestine de pelled to abandon the work for a time, partment of antiquities, which resting her fingers by spinning for a had charge of the exploration neighbor. work being carried out In the Mrs. Moon, although seventy years city o f Ascalon, announces the old, does her own housework, enter discovery of some huge marble tains much company, helps with the pillars and statues, says a dis milking, churns three times a week, patch from Jerusalem. The de- markets her butter, and no sick rela ;|; pertinent has also unearthed tive or friend can And a better nurse some medieval and Fourth cen- than she. | tury churches and moslac pave- In the past twelve years this Indus ; monts at the foot o f Ut€ Mount tiious lady has pieced IS quilts each ’ : of Olives, leading Into the Oar- made up o f thousands o f pieces, all : den o f Gethsemane. sowed by hand, for Mrs. Moon does not like to sew on a machine. Uncover Huge Ruins at Garden of Gethsemane London.— St. George’s workhouse. Just south of Ixmdon bridge, where , Oliver Twist had the audacity to ask Run Big Bill In "L ib re " Taxi. Baby Oatrlch Scrappy. for a second helping of thin gruel, has ! Mexico City.— In the belief that they Vancouver. Canada.—Jonathan, the been closed by the poor law authorities were graciously being extended the and the Inmates have been transferred first ostrich chick hatched In Canada. freedom o f the city, several Texas ex Is progressing under the car* of Zoo el sew here. cursionists halted a taxicab marked The gruel of which DtckenP child Manager F. Green In Stanley park "Libre” and toured the city half a It was at first believed that the rare hero and his fellow sufferers pertook day. and valuable bird would not live, and « a s made In a copper cauldron, which When presented with a rather large la to he presented to the Southroark tt wae takeu from It* parents and bill they protested, telling the driver placed In the Green home. Appear borough council's museum. hla car was labeled "F ree” and was ance of weakness proved deceptive. | part o f an entertaining committee's for Jonathan quickly whipped the "Floating Crematory* for Jape courteeles. Tokyo.— Tokyo will soon have a houae cat and won s decision over the The bill was paid when they were "floating crematory," the first e f Its family spaniel reliably Informed that every taxicab kind In Japan. “at liberty” or "reedy to hire" Is A Boom Been Punctured. Tw o specially constructed veseela e f marked "Libre." Washington Courthouse, O.—ITUs 160 ton* each, with fadlltlee far ere meting 30 bodies at a time, will be city and farmers In the neighborhood Burled let the Wrong Town. used The vessels will be anchored of Point creek had the “ thrill of oil" New Albany, Ind.— Although noth at a wharf at Hhlbura, and. after when It was reported all over the sur ing le known here concert ing Samuel funeral services have been held on face of the creek. It was learned lat- . Peacock, oversea* soldier, whose body '(oarrt. they will leave for a point er that tt was part of 8,000 gallons arrived here for burial, member» of it>out seven miles off the bay for the which had escaped from a wrecked the American Legion took charge o f railroad car. I __________ • - - —» i id * ee ■ — ■ - — j Return Hero Medal. Coonellsvllle, Pa.— While a negro woman held up Mrs. Annahetle Gemas along the West Penn street car line, near the Gemas home, two negroes searched her, took her pocketbook. containing about $30. but returning a gold service medal which the wom an’s husband, the late George Gemas, had been awarded for service In the Spanlsh-Amerlean war. The trio halt ed Mrs. Gemas with the request, "Please give us your money, lady." Something Funny, All R ight Tlltonvllle. O.— There was some thing funny about the chicken dinner served Mayor Charles Beswlck. He was guest of honor at a stag party where the chicken was served In lib eral portions On returning home Reswlck found that 15 of hla choice pulieL* bad dlsappearodL X J- V ■ * THE BROO K B) I ÇENE BLUE. ■’ " " ---- r 1 '® . 1920. by M cC lu rs N e w s p a p e r S yn d ica l,- l During the early part o f an after noon I was sitting on the veranda of a pretty little cottage well situated in a town o f central New Hampshire. Mrs. Dawson, ray hostess, on com ing out, remarked: “ Here are George and May coming;” and looking up I noticed a young couple. “ What Is the special Interest?" I asked. "W ell, If It Isn’t just like me to forget that you do not know them and probably have not heard their story. In a town like this nil ncv. Is meat and drink to us. and I will you the story about George nml .1' I f you care to listen. “ Now," said she, “ I mentioned i George and May were coining, as ir only lately that they hnve been s - ... together. This was not always so she continued. “ Since their early d- they had lived side by side on f:i about three miles nut from the \ lage, and as a necessity for the . panlonship of playmates they » more rather thnn less together. "P>ack from the house about a n or so there Is between the farms pipi ly divided ns to ownership, a pi«' wood'nnd that was the plnyernn G o r g e and May until the tin <•: when the village school and acini' were unable to tench them more "George, graduating first, wii leave for college; and while It's thusiasm rati high In his pie; ,n for new scenes, fi ar clutched at heart of May that George, wlii' was away, might h .irti to car n for the university city and Its ; people, and forget the home ill “ Two yi ars o f v altlng tn 1 ness, walling fur C >rge, had , “ One of May's favorite wnl'-.t \ , down through the wood'nnd to ' meadow where ran tlie little h that, an old Indian hasl et weaver I. told her, was rallied hy Vs people , ‘Wishing’ hrook. He told her the ln- d'nn legend, and he said that anyone who drank o f the water and breathed a wish at the same time, would have the wish granted. “ And here on this nftern <>n, tired from her exertions in the work o f the morning, taking a hook, she sought for the Inst time, she said to herself, the Wishing brook and Its charm. Finally reaching the hank, she stooped over the strenm. and cupping her hands, brought the water to the I pvc I o f her lips and unconsciously said aloud; 'Dear hrook, let me have my wish. Send my love to George, and let It bring him home to me safe.’ “ It was Just as well for her pence o f mind that she had not seen two fine- looking young men who, when they saw her approachyig. stepped behind trees where, watching her. they could remain unseen. "She was conscious only o f a deli cious sense of rest; and as she sat there M seemed strange that on th other aide o f the brook, which seemed wider thnn usual, there were several Indian tents that she had never no ticed before. And the young people —and the children—surely she knew them, but only In an Indefinite way. Tt was strange, also, that none of them apparently noticed the brook— perhaps the children had been told to keep away from It. Rnt, see 1 Here comes an Indian maiden. ‘Certainly,’ said May. 'T know h er; perhaps she will come and talk with me.’ The Indian maid approached the brook; dipping Into the water with a cup made of hlrch hark, she looked to the heavens : cried aloud: ‘Oh, Great Spirit o f th Wish, send my love to my brave in bring him safely hark to me.’ “ May was all ready to call out, «•' the maiden and the tents slowly f" from view, and In their place-was it house o f an early settler. ‘Well, thn seems queer,’ May thought, ‘and .lir as I wns going to speak to her. N I wonder who occupies thnt old-fe lonel little house, and where il came from. I thought thnt 1 knew the people that live near here. I sure that I do not know this girl la coming now, although- her cl. look like some that are in our a' at home.’ This wns going thr ugl mind as another girl came toward I “ She, too, came on. and as looked at her she smiled a weir The girl wns thinking deeply, ly that she never noticed May ■ d smile. Dipping a pewter mug brook, she lifted it to her lips cried aloud: ‘Maker of the Unix send my love to my man and bri . here to me.’ “ May could stand their Ind • no longer. Even this Inst g now was accompanied at the I side by the Indian maid and her together with the colonial pi Id her lover, also clad In the r early settler, did not notice tc • "Only this last girl, the one looked like her, was alone, and must be made to speak anil tell who they all were and why she alone had her wish unanswered. "A s May called out. she heard an unrestrained laugh, and opening her eyes she lost sight o f the lovers, and there In ilieir place stood George lnny Ing and calling to her. “The brook had resumed Its nornm size, and as May stood up Georg leaped across the brook, and as In ar swer to her Irish, he came near and clasped her In his arms." George and May are again come toward-» the honse. hut this time fn e> the opposite direction. Between th* eomiqg and their going. If Indleatioi - count for anylhng, these two will i>* together for Ufa.