Various

“ But we come at last to times so remote that there is not a trace of the roughest writing, not a fragment of the crudest monument, to tell us the story of the men who, then as now, must have thought and labored and invented, only so much more slowly, under difficulties which we can hardly picture to ourselves. ”

“ Speaking of the Cuban war, he said that it had been frightfully mismanaged, not so much by Weyler as by Gen. Martinez Campos, who was the first general sent out by Spain to conquer the insurgents.
In the opinion of Don Carlos, General Weyler is the right man for Cuba.
He refuses to believe that he has done all the cruel things he is accused of, but says that his sternness and severity were necessary for the occasion, and that Spain should be very grateful to have found such a leader at such a time. ”

“ In making the selection of important events, remember that wars and political events are not necessarily the most important. If, for instance, the air-ship had turned out to be a genuine and successful thing, it would have been most important as affecting the history of the world. ”

“ We know it, in the first place, by analogy, i.e., because the same things have happened over and over again in the same manner in times which we know all about, and are happening now, under our eyes—for what is the constant tide of immigration which keeps coming in from the East but, under modern conditions, the same swarming off from overcrowded native hives of seekers after more land and new fortunes? ”

“ The task is quite easy, so long as we have books to help us, histories to tell us year by year all that went on in every part of the Great Round World, as our newspapers tell us day by day what is going on in it now. But books do not take us very far back. ”

“ That they could, with such slender resources, hold their own against the animals whose haunts they shared and who then were so much more numerous than men, is the more wonderful that those animals were of monstrous size, more than twice the size of the same kinds now, not to speak of some huge beasts which then roamed woods and plains in herds and are now wholly extinct—such as the mammoth, the ancestor of our elephant. ”

“ In the second place, the oldest races of the world left abundant traces by which we can determine not only the places of their settlements, but their mode of life and the degree of culture they successively reached. ”

“ How very crude and primitive their mode of life is shown by the vast quantities of tools and weapons in hard flint—generally broken—which are found intermixed with the other remains. They are very simple: heads of spears, blades of knives and scrapers, some indented like coarse saws, hatchets and mallets chipped into shape with no attempt at polishing—such, with occasional variations in bone, was the sum total of the cave-dwellers' equipment for the chase, for war, and for domestic purposes. ”

“ The military authorities are also desirous of proving just how reliable the bicycle itself is. Every one knows what the wheel can do on a level road or smooth track, but it has not been demonstrated how a troop of wheels will last on rough country roads. ”

“ Caverns in steep mountain-sides must have been their most luxurious, because safest and best-protected, retreats. Many dozens of such caverns are known in all parts of the world, and the tale they tell is not difficult to read. ”

“ Happily for us, Japan has helped us out of the difficulty.
The Mikado has sent a special mission to the Spanish court to present the young King Alphonso with his sacred order of the Chrysanthemum.
It would not be at all polite to keep the Japanese ambassadors waiting all summer to make their presentation, and so there is to be a great court function to receive the messengers of the Mikado, and General Woodford will be recognized at the same time.
The condition of the Spanish troops is reported to grow worse every day. ”

“ General Woodford is to add that while the United States would be justified in demanding a much larger indemnity for Mrs. Ruiz, the friendly feeling that our Government has for Spain has induced us to make the sum as moderate as possible.
An endeavor was made on the part of Spain to compromise the matter with Mrs. Ruiz, but she refused to treat with the Spanish agents, saying that she preferred to leave her claim in the hands of the United States Government.
Congress has also taken action in the Competitor case. ”

“ What, then, must be the change should the descendants of a particular set of men live thousands—not hundreds, but thousands—of years in one particular zone of the earth, under the same conditions of climate, food, and local nature generally—what we call "environment"? ”

“ In Uruguay the rebels have gained the upper hand, and it is hoped that that war will also be brought to a close very shortly.
The Uruguayan insurgents were much stronger than the Brazilian; indeed, they outnumbered the government troops, and fought so fiercely that Uruguay had to give in and ask for an armistice. ”

“ These are the very things we want to find out about the various nations who live in the world now, and those who have lived in it before anything existed of what is now in the world, all the way back to the beginning. ”

“ General Woodford, the new minister to Spain, has therefore been instructed to present a claim to the Spanish government for $75,000 damages to be paid to Mrs. Ruiz. Our minister is also instructed to say that his Government has concluded that, under the treaties existing between America and Spain, all the proceedings against Dr. Ruiz were illegal, and that Spain is absolutely responsible for his death. Under these circumstances Spain must pay this sum of money to the unfortunate widow. ”

“ The English people are always afraid that some foreign nation is going to try and invade their country, and imagining there was some deep and dark foreign plot underlying the pigeon-flying, they demanded of the authorities if the German Emperor had obtained permission to fly his birds. ”

“ The curious part of the wound inflicted by the X ray is that the burn is not felt at the time the mischief is being done. A person can allow his skin to be exposed to the X rays until it is badly burned without experiencing any pain until some time after the damage has been done. The injured part first swells, and then shows all the symptoms of a burn. ”

“ In times of war, messages have been sent by their aid.
A man has made his way out of a besieged city, taking one of the birds with him, and by its aid has been able to send word back that he has reached his friends and will bring the needed help. ”

“ Several have become very famous, from the wealth of finds with which they rewarded the searchers. Some appear to have been used as burying-places, for the ground in them is covered to a great depth with broken-up human skulls and skeletons, while outside, on the rocky ledges or platforms before the mouth of the cavern, are found the traces of large fires, built again and again on the same spot—ashes, and cinders, and charred bones of animals ”

“ The consul in Matanzas has been forced to fortify the Consulate in consequence of the threats which have been made against the Americans there. He has done this to afford a safe shelter for the Americans in Matanzas in case trouble should break out.
While the authorities in Cuba are feeling angry with us on account of the Ruiz and Competitor cases, the Government in Spain has a fresh cause of annoyance against us. ”

“ Carrier-pigeons are a particular breed of pigeon which have the wonderful quality of flying home no matter how far away they are carried.
Societies have been formed to fly these wonderful birds, and they have been taken hundreds of miles away, over seas, to test this strange quality. ”

“ The book covers themselves are a marvel of ingenuity, and, although they are in one piece and can be adjusted to fit perfectly any sized book without cutting the paper, they are also so simple that any boy or girl can use them; as they are already gummed they are always ready for use. ”

“ In his opinion the United States is only interfering in Cuban affairs because she wants to annex Cuba. Were he on the throne of Spain he says he would grant such a liberal form of government to the Cubans that they would feel it a privilege to remain under the rule of Spain. ”

“ They also demanded that all insurgents who had been dismissed from the regular army should be reinstated, and all who had been exiled on account of the rebellion should be allowed to return to their homes.
The Government is not willing to grant these terms, but it is thought that the rebels are so strong that they will be able to insist on the acceptance of their conditions.
Company E, of the Eighth New York Regiment, has started on an important military expedition.
It is the desire of the commanders to find out just what the practical value of a bicycle would be in time of war. ”

“ Our minister is to inform Spain that if the war is not soon brought to a close the United States will interfere, and that, under any circumstances, warfare, as carried on by General Weyler, must be stopped instantly, as the United States will not permit it to continue.
The Spaniards are highly incensed at this, and are feeling very unfriendly toward General Woodford. ”

“ This has arisen through a despatch sent by the Spanish minister in Washington.
Señor Dupuy de Lome writes his Government that he has received full information in regard to the instructions that have been given to General Woodford.
He says that the minister has been instructed by the Secretary of State to tell Spain that the United States thinks the war in Cuba has lasted long enough, and that the Americans cannot stand quietly by and allow the struggle to go on as it has much longer. ”

“ The battle lasted four hours, the rebels fighting with great courage and determination. The well-trained government troops proved too strong for them, however, and when the Brazilian artillery was brought to the front, and began to pour a steady fire into the rebel army, the ranks were broken and the insurgents fled for their lives. ”

“ Or if by chance the telephone or telegraph had been invented in this period, these inventions would have been important events.
Prizes will be awarded to those who make the best selection and who mention the events in the best order of their importance. Answers may be sent in any time before September 1st.
The Great Round World does not want you to hurry over this contest, but to take plenty of time and do the work carefully. It will be a pleasant occupation for the summer months. ”

“ Nikola Tesla, the great electrician, says, however, that this trouble only arises from want of knowledge as to the proper way to handle the rays. If they are held at a certain distance from the skin, there is not the slightest danger of accident. ”

“ With all these articles the bicycle will be heavily loaded, and one of the points which the authorities especially wish to prove is whether it is possible for men to make any distance on wheels when they are so heavily weighted. ”

“ Gordon found many opportunities to improve the condition of the people under his authority, and as M. de Leontieff is a very intelligent man, he will undoubtedly do all in his power to help King Menelik to develop his country. ”

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