davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning call., 1892-03-20
LET THEM READ MEMS BOOKS.

Jeremiah Lynch Thinks That Women
Should Not Read Women's Writings.
1t IS easier to say what they should not
read. For example not one of the modern
French nOVelists. l shall not indicate the
names of Armand Sylvestre, Guy de Maui
PEASANT, Adolphe BelOt and others that |
might enumerata. for the girls may, through
sheer perversity. 20 at once and buy them.
Except very few books like monte
CriStO." "Notre Dame ard some OF Bal
Zac's works the romantic French literature
Is entirely too prurient. The present Paris
ian writer's are the intellectual Svbarites of
the age. And, indeed. it is 10 be depl0red
that some Of cur brilliant Americans in
duige In like vicious productions. There IS
Edgar Saltus, fer Instance. He writes of
moral sewers. and clothes impure ideas in
as real fanciful wit and clear style as any
man 1 know. His French origin and
knowledge of that language give
the terseness to his English produc-
tons which makes their literary
construction so attractive. Yet not
single one OF his seven or eight books ought
TO be displayed IN public shop. And there
are others alsO-Amelie Riyes and Ger
trude Atherton. i fancy they think it bold
anu striking fOr woman SO TO write. Well,
1t isn't. The manner may be Mammon
worship, but. as written by woman, 1t Is
vulgar and brazen.
Imagine Nine. de Stael even reading
The Quick aud the Dead" and Hernia
Suydam." The very charm of Nine. Re-
GAMERS letters were their singular purity
as well as brilliancy in an era when most
women acted as these modern women
write. l see you ask me about Ruskin's
advice TO let girls read ''old and class ical'
backs. Who In heavens name would con-
denim one nowadays to read 'Ciarissa Har-
lowe" with its three volumes and ponder
GUS adjectives? Yet it is a classic Of the
last century.
No. let. the girls read Thackeray and
Rider Haggard and Howells. But not The
Duchess nor Ouida, nor anything written
by wOman's hand Mems ideas and in-
Structon is better for them. Let them Tevel
IN fancy sentiment and dreams Of the happy
Swinburne nor Keats, but Byron and Ten
nyson, and above all, that darlisg level TO
every young girls heart-"Lucille,"
JEREMIAH LYNCH
The morning call., 1892-03-20
BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS.
-Four More Chemical Engines Said to BE
Needed.


Needed.
At the meeting of the Board OF Fire Com
missioners yesterday the action of the Board
of Supervisors in ordering the removal Of
the horse hospital from Alamo square TO the
old Industrial School was discussed. 1t WAS
agreed that the Fire Department lot on
Francisco street would be the best site for
the hospital. The matter was referred to
Chief Scannell, who promised TO interview
the Supervisors and report at the next meet
ing.
Joseph Blakely. driver of engine 10, asked
for $50 for injuries received on December
II, 1891. and his application was favorabiy
considered.
Upon recommendation of the Chief the
following appointments were made: A.
DAVIS, stoker Of engine 10; A. Whitaker.
truckman of truck .; }. McNchel, hose
man, engine 10.
j.. Buckley was promoted from assistant
TO foreman OF Engine Company 6. vice W.
kilday, promoted To the water-tower.
Attorney ODonnell asked what action
had been taken in reference to the salary
demand Of Charles f. Broad, the deposed
clerk OF the Corporation Yard. The Com
mlssioners stated that Broad. not having
reported for duty while his suit was pend
ing Ia the Superior Court. was not entitled
to the salary. Another reason was that
Clerk Steltz had been paid the salary
claimed.
BY a unanimous vote the board refused TO
audit Breads demands.
The Chief requested that TIE Board Of
Supervisors be requested to purchase four
more chemical engines. He explained that
three were required for service and one for
relief work. Ii would take three months to
secure the engines, and they would not ar.
rive from the East before the beginning of
the next fiscal year.
The recommendation was approved, and
the request for the engines made
The morning call., 1892-03-20
FASHIONS FOR MARCH.
They Are Generally Found to Be Bright
and Tasteful
The Skirt as 1t Will Be Worn-Ghs Warm.
Weather Understandable Notes
on Millinery.
Correspondence of THE MORNING CALL.

When my brothers letter came from Chat
tanooga this morning and told me that Com
Tort had new calf and that the clover was
coming up fresh and green all over the lawn,
IL somehow made it seem to me far more APP
proprlate. though Comforts calf would
shlyer in this latitude and the clover is too
wise TO show its ears, 10 talk about thin
things than had hoped to find it,
30 preferred special request to sprig
OF ar butus to keep me in cuuntenance, aud.
meeting with no decided refusal, betook my
sell with my small but sweet companion to
the best dressmaker am not afraid of in
the city, and said to her m0destly. "Tell me
ali you know. %
In the beginning" began she obedently,
the Lord created the"
"Oh, you needn't 60 back to that, 81 in-
corrupted, ITS only fashions I'm after, not
fig leaves"
"Fashions?" she rereated, there are no
me-lads"
Look" and she brought out various fiat
things pinned around with sheets. "Here's
an evening dress, a street dress, house
dress and tea gown. and every one has a
bunch OF streamers fastened at the back of
the neck and reaching to the floor. They're
famous to play horse with.
IF You want any serious information
about fashions be advised that" and the
little dressmaker drew herself up straight
and looked grave and wise, most of my
imported models come with princess backs
and corselet fronts. They have Vatican
skirts with triple box plaits behind, or one
VIII have Russian skirt which is left
The morning call., 1892-03-20
GIVE THEM NO NOVELS.
Gertrude therton Thinks story-Readin
by Girls Is a PITY.

Gertrude therton Thinks story-Readfne
by Girls Is a Pity.
There are as many types # girls as there are
OF animals in the lower kingdom, including
those that crawl and those that fly ; children
manifest the workings Of hereditv at an
early age, certainly by the time they are old
enough to read anything beyond the HARM
less pap stewed without salt for their early
mental palateS; therefore, as soon as they
begin TO indiyidualiZe. one should direct
their attention TO such books as most ac-
cord with their natural inclination.
Ii they are OF a serious turn give them
youthful editions OF the classics, they will
derive sound pleasure therefrom. Ii adj
yenturOus give them history; no book of
adventure Is ever hall so thrilling as a we'll
written history. If they find people, l. e.,
human nature, interesting, give them ESSAYS
lives. letters, all that's strong in the personal
element; the many volumes on the French
salons are good mental diet for intelli-
gent girls; they spur the ambition in the
right direction, aud if ambitions are not
destined to Ue realiZ d, society in general is
benefited by clever aud aspiring women If
they want travels give them all that can be
procured; travelling is the best OF ali ex-
panders, even when done by proxy.
1t they can be made to interest themselves
In the items of national interest in the daily
papers and induced to skip the sensation al
they viii add another muscle TO their gray
matter; also such magazine articles as treat
OF the important discoveries and questions
of the day.
But as tor stories. poems, novels-even of
the most lnnocuous descriptiOn-it is a pity
that girl should have any Acquaintance
with them before she has entered her twen-
ties. No plot but " hat treats OF love. The
hrst result is that girls mind travels rap
IDLY aud continuously on the lines sug-
geSted by romance as soon as she has come
under Its influence; the second result is
early marriage Aud an early marriage,
before the character, tastes and mind of
woman are well out of the plastic
stage, or she has had time or acquired suf.
hcient sense to study life and human ma
ture, Is almost always tragic in its results,
whether the world is ever apprised Of the
facts or not. Therefore, all that conduces
to establish the relation between the ego and
sex 1t Is kindness 10 keep out of girls
way. W hen girls who have stepped their
minds in novels fall in love, they do 50
with the Ideals of heated and falsely stim-
ulated brain, not with the first man with
whom they happen to have little recipro-
cal magnetism.
10 all rules there are exceptions. The
one In THIS case Is ID favor Of the girl who
evInces unmistakable symptoms OF worldli-
ness: Give such girl all the novels truest
10 lie that she cares to read. No amount
or endeavor can OutroOt this tendency, and
per education cannot begin too early.
1t may be added that, as the only happy
people are the wholly commonplace. per
baps II would be as we'll not to give girls
anything to read at all.
GERTRUDE ATUFRTOS
The morning call., 1892-03-20
DECEIVED BY HIS PARTNER.
Thomas Roche Suing for Division of
Firm Profits.

Thomas Roche Suing for a Division of
Firm Profits.
Thomas Roche demands an accounting of
the partnership with John Sheedy, with
whom he was associated as contractors for
stonework from March 4, 1886, until Janu-
airy %, 1891, when they dissolved
No books Of account were kept, but each
was accustomed to keep an account of that
part of the firms business transacted by
him or urder his immediate supervision,
and their custom was from time to time to
state their accounts To each other and settle
the same, the last settlement having taken
place on October "a 1899. when affairs were
closed with the payment to Roche of $685..
Now the latter says that to induce him to
agree 10 this settlement he was given To un-
derstand that the profits of the firm on three
contracts then lately completed were S1270
and no more and $685. his part, whereas the
truth was the profits were S5050. These
false repre- sentations, he says. were not dis
covered by him until January /, 1891. The
only assets OF the firm consist OF $3.50 in
bank and few tools OF the value of about
lDO0
The morning call., 1892-03-20
BAR OUT THE EHoTIC.
Emeiie Tracy Y. Psrkhursps Reasons for
So Suggesting.

Eme1ie Tracy Y. Psrkhurst's Reasons for
So Suggesting.
We have no means of knowing whether
the girls who grew into fragile and fainting
womanh0od in the early days Of noveldom
ever suTreptitiously fed on the rank produc-
tons OF Fielding and Smollet and Richard
son. or not; but as human nature has never
undergone any radical evolution, IL may be
supposed that the dear girls OF other DAYS
Toasted on erotic literature with the same
avidity as the girl of the period. Now the
strange feature Of it all is that the girl of
to-day does not really glOat over and enjoy
such writing; in most cases she lays down
the book with the flaming red and yellow
cover and signs contemptuously and saws:
wv hat Stuff Why does she read it? Be-
cause it is forbidden territory, this erotic
literature; because the world dares her to
do ii, and the DQuant sense of wickedness
stinu lates her fancy.
What novels may be readp The field of
choice Is absolutely unlimited. Ten years
ago careful mammas kept George Eliot aud
Charlotte Bronte under lock and kew. Not
so to-day. Nor can sweeter purer pictures
of life be found than in tho writings of
these two authors. And when compared
with the modern crop of Edgar Satuses.
Marie Flaackes, ZOlas, Ouidas and all their
french and English prototypes. George Eliot
and Charlotte Bronte are radiant purists.
The English school. strange to say, fur
nishes the most satisfying pabu!um for the
minds of modern lassies, American novels
as yet being too bare of rich play of emo
ton. The Howells school pleases the intel
lectual maturity of older readers. but girls
demand sentiment. and lots OF 1t, hot from
the furnace.
In recent number of Harper's Mag
azne, in remarkable story entitled
Fin de Steele" the heroine voices the
opinion OF the masses when she says, en-
husiasticalv:
"HowellsP Don't know him! Guess l
wont tackle that. Yon haven't got any
detective stories, have you?
o.! guess FL take this-by The Duchess
It's bound to he full of tony people. | like
my stories with the girls dresses described,
don't you know; aud where the lovers say:
MY darling, how l have hungered for
sight of your peerless beauty!-just ex-
actiy like they don't say in real life"
Mrs. A. ID. j. Whitney is almost as popu-
lar as the Duchess, aud so is Rhoda Brough-
ton aud Rosa Nonchette Carey. L. L. Roe
is also favoriie; aud none Of these authors
can be accused Of being really harmful.
Marlttts stories will always please the
girls, but there are not many other German
writers who arc wholesome enough and who
The morning call., 1892-03-20

longer than it ought to e'-''Like every
skirt made" / ejaculated-"and turned
over at the bottom" she proceeded. frown-
Ing grim upon me, lin queer puff, like the
top of bag"
There is only one other model that
stands any chance in the competition with
these two, and that is the double skirt, its
two compOnents both straight and long and
usually OF different colors. Two is not
always tile limit l have seen three skirts
on extreme models. or in one case even
fout."
" So we are to count our wealth by cur
petticoats, like the Dutch fsher-maidens 2"
Be more respectful or i leave you to
your ignorance The pretty summer silk
and muslin frOcks have inch wide ribbons
sown upon the skirts, stripping them GayIy
up and down all round. Near the foot each
ribbon is knotted into bow which holds
some connection. not distinctly useful but
more or less ornamental. with the flounce
which Is the invariable skirt finish"
Who is taking liberties now?"
"Oh, that's different. A dressmaker is
privileged to have opinions of the fashions.
but rank outsider must listen to the oracle
and be still.
Let me see. the bell skirt still goes Be-
tween you and me and the basting-cotton
IT'S very ugly skirt and all sorts of de-
vices are being brought in to modify il.
1T Is made quite seant and lined with
silk. L had two frocks come up in lot
from the custOm-hOuse yesterday which
had, one line of JET and silver gimp and
the other narrow contrasting ribbon run
down each seam from the waist to the foot
Maybe you think that's pretty. trust at
least two people will be found who think
so, and probably there will. for the notion is
quite the notion on the other side of the
water. but my own taste finds 1t altogether
tawdry.
To come to waists. The round bodice
with pointed glrdle is the stock pattern,
the standard. you might say. Three dresses
are made with IL for one that ventures on
any innovation. And no innovation is
needed; for when you have added a tight
sleeve that looks ike a long-waisted glove
til IL gets to the elbow and then dives with
precipitation under something loose and
cape Ike that falls with deep frills from
the shoulder, and have further added a
Pterrot collar which forms fat full ruffies
about the neck. and to these two have
annexed, II even yet you have not enough
OF furbelows, coquiles-no, let's be Yankees
and say cascades of lace down the front, the
general result is as pictur esque as could be
desired.
"Blouses Will be worn with all the cotton
stuffs, and one of the most uncommon aud
hence one OF the most desirable finishes for
The morning call., 1892-03-20
WHERE THE FAULT LIES.
W. c. Morrow Says the Young Girl Is
Treated "a "a FooI.

W. G. Morrow Says the Young Girl Is
Treated as a Fool.
Reading should be considered with refer
ence to its effect both on the mind and the
morals of the reader. Now, l cannot imag-
inc fine moral sense in the absence of a
certain intellectual development. But, con-
versely, the occupation of the mind can be
directed by an uDcuitivated moral sense !;
aud as this latter quality, being fundamen-
tai ana pervtrSe, has au unfailing capacity
for activity, we see in cases where it is per-
mitted to take the lead a product which is in
evidence IN the form of the modern Young
Grl-that most whimsical of all possible
carlcatures on progress and civilization
unconscious victim of the most barbarous
and antagonistic theories and practices, by
turns co1dled and beaten, gorged and
starved. and unde. all circumstances treated
as a fool!
/ believe that the common estimate of
reading as salient faetor in forming
morals" instilling IDEAS" IL Is called-is
grotesqnely exaggerated. Yet this popular
misconceptioB has made OF the young girl
the most formidable adversary of intelec-
tuai freedom and literary progress that the
world has ever seen. She is the family"
on whose ce1ter-table no Questionable :"
book shall be left. She is Nemesis To the
author, bully to the editor and an assassin
to the publisher However, 1t is only in
England and America that the young girl
has outawed genius. Here Is the absurd
doctrine We arc asked to accept: Inn ocence
is ignorance. hence sin is wisdom!
The modern maiden may not reld the
Elizabcthan classics because they are gross.
or the brilliant works Of the modern French
and Russian story-tellers because tn ey
treat freely of the relations of the
sexes. Hardly any writers of poetry
and fiction except those who are strongly
sexed are worthy to be read at all, for rea-
sons which / need not set forth. As some
Of tie strongest passions aud incentives
have an origin in sex these writers often
deal with the subject.
The modern girl treated as fool, is
taught to regard this matter with abhorrence
At a certain age she is overwhelmed with
shame TO discover herself la possession of a
The morning call., 1892-03-20

whose loops and streamers touched the floor.
The round full bodice was kept under gov
eminent at the waist by dark green velvet
ribbons so arranged as TO simulate a pointed
peasant waist. The bottom Of the skirt was
finished with puffs OF the silk between vel
vet bands. When / had looked at the frock
long enough it seemed TO me that the girl
had chosen it because she loved the pigeons
neck and because there were glowing and
paling lights in her hair.
dark girl who poured tea and did not
want to-Of that | was sure-wore an apple
green silk frock. which is shown like the
shifting and shading and be-ribboned one in
the sketch given. 1t had a curious vest and
front drapery which makes it worthy of
description, set IN like an apron. The tone
OF this was lighter than the body of the
1rock. but was kept down to the decorum of
mldlent by profuse black lace garniture.
There was striking dress of blue watered
SILK with lace corselet and velvet ribbons,
but more forcibly illustrative, perhaps. of
the fashion tendencies of the season was a
rich creamy brown silk dress, heavily corded,
glossy and falling in soft yet stately folds.
Its scant, sweeping breadths had no garni-
ture OF any description, but the long brown
lSh red silk coat, which was made as if it
would cover it but stopped in season, had
The morning call., 1892-03-20
HE IS STILL A GREEK.

Vain Attempt OF Peter Grimidi to Be-
come an American Citizen.
Peter Grimidi, native Of the sunny isles
of Greece, came TO the conclusion yesterday
to forswear his allegiance to the petty King
OF that petty sovereignty and wrap himself
up In the Declaration of Independence, the
constitution and the Star Spangled Ban
ler," so that while selling peanuts from his
stand, at the corner Of Howard and Sixth
streets, he might be able to hold his head as
high and snap his fingers at the King of the
effete Greeks. He sought the counsel of
two of County Clerk Blattner's deputies,
and they volunteered TO stand sponsors for
him, and took him before Judge Slack to he
vested by him with all the In alenable rights
that 20 u make up the American citizen,
and which form the stock in trade of Fourth
of July orators.
MI Grimid meant well enough, and did
his best 10 become a citizen, and so did his
sponsors for him, but they basely deserted
him at critical moment of tile ordeal, and
so II is that the bald-headed eagle will not
have to spread his plueked wings ia protec-
{ on of Dir. Grimidi, for ne is still a peanut
peddllng yassal Of his Majesty the King OF
all the Greeks. Mr.. Grimidi spoiled his case
at the outset when he Familiarity called the
attention Of the court to his personality
saying:
You know me, Judgep i sella peanuts
once corner Market and Sixth street"
His Honor did not betray his discom-
future, but Mr.. Grimdi was very i'll at ease
as he mumoled things which probably
meant that lie affirmed his attachments 10
the principles of this form of government,
etc, and then the Judge asked him:
Nv ho is the head of this nation p
he Chlet OF Police and CaPitaiue Lees"
was the swift reply, and the sponsors mys-
teriously disappeared from the courtroom.
Mr.. Grimidfs answers, taken in connection
with bis inability 10 read or TO writo his
name. save in the shorthand form of an
~" did not impress the court, and re-
membering the peanut episode during the
early portion of the catechism Mr.. Grmidi
was sent home Greek, and across the face
of the page in the naturalization -book was
wrltted In red ink: Rejected. Charles
The morning call., 1892-03-20

sinful quality. Later when the sweet in
sstence of nature has broken down the
barrier of disgust the maiden develops a
curiosity that is as wholesome as 1t is
natural. In its surreptitous qualification
by unwise reading she encounters that
glamour with which it is the proper function
of poets and n0yelsts to invest the subject.
and then. harm is done: it is cultivating
animal inclinations in the absence of mental
training.
Our modern maiden may read only the
most commonplace of modern novels and
the popular magazines! Certainly Ruskin
was not insane when he raised his voice in
protest against the practice. IL girl has
been properly trained there is nothing
which she will care to read that she may
not read with safety.
III is astonlshinglg easy for boy or girl.
wisely directed, 10 cultivate fine literary
taste; yet this is fact which our public
school system. with incredible stupid
Us believe it understands the matter
is ludicrous and lis method cruel.
For instance, 1t has the pupil read "Para-
disc Lost or The Lady of the Lake" in
small sections. and requires him to give
dlagrammatic analysis uf each sentence and
the various meanings OF the words! That
is eultlYatlng literary taste with q venge-
ance; making grammatical treatise Of
4 noble p0em-turniag a rainbow into
pathological sewer = vlyisectlng an angel
One DfOad = MINDED woman, entirely too
noble for her pedag0gic environment, shows
that she has both n pride in her profession
and regard for the pupil. She is Mary +.
Burt, and she lives in goddess Chicago Her
book. Literary Landmarks" is a most ad-
mlrable ga DE- 10 the teacher in cultiyating
the taste Of the pupil. / can do DO better
than refer 10 its pages for a list OF books a
young girl should read.
Ii is the duty of the schools to cultivate
In the pupil a taste for the best literature.
L consider this 10 be the most important part
OF an education If the teacher and the
mother do their duty the girl will care to
read only that which is wholesome and ele-
waiting. When this great light shall break
upon the darkness of our civilization, the
writer's who manufacture passion ltera
ture" solely to catch the goggle-eyed atten-
ton of the ignorant (who generally are the
depraved( will have to take 10 stealing for
livelihood. ". c. Morrow.
The morning call., 1892-03-20
Reeking With Poison.

ard gush Of the go0dy-goody books for girls
are almost equally demoralIzBg. This con-
demDation would certainly not cover the
modern novel and tbs modern magazine as
whole, though a good deal in the maga-
zines Is weak, and many of the current
novels are certainly rotten.
What girls and boys, too, should read are
boOkS-healthful and strOng-in which the
author has put his OWE BEST thoughts and
best art, aud has not merely tried TO meet
the popular taste for spicy reading or easy
coming emotions. Let girls and boys read
real literature, and they will have no taste
for slops, whether swee:ened or not
The companionship Of noble thoughts is
the best antid0te TO degradation OF the
stories OF the police-cOurt or diyorce-court
order.
But | do not believe that girls are so con-
stituted that what is poison to them is any,
thing but poison TO the rest of the com
munlty. DAVID STARR JORDAN