davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

lnowledge the rational legislators have
% the railroad entrances into the city are urou
their ARRIVAL. when the Io-tcr is probably busy
brushing their clothss and the congressional
mind i engaged on the question Of whether
the tip shall be city cents only n quarter.
and upon departure when the idea Of which
fence !. mrs 20 b. repaired Is altogether too
tngrOs-ing To allow time for thought OF the
poor nOn-yO.iEg ciuzen who IL performing
acrobatic feats IN getting away from the !-ont
Of the train.
wAsuISGToSs FATAL CROSSINGS
Washing ;oniAus don't take visitors down
along the railroad grades to show them the sys-
tenn In Calcutta they take the stranger to see
the black hole" At Artie.am the Bloody
angle" IA pointed out. while Gettysburg visit
ors lcok az the Devils Den" and shudder OF
gaze At the Msanv monuments and glory. Mo-
body make pigrimages along our grade cross
fngs either O. sEu6der or 20 glory, and get if a
monument Nere erected to every victim of the
system ~ the pisce 81 hrs death il would be as
impossible for either road 20 ran a train Into
tins city a. for carriage to drive across lots In
. cemetery
Lke Little Round Top and the ''Sunken
kosd there are some point, along Washing
to1s grade. which have been dyed a little
deeper in blood than Others. The artist and
reporter before mentioned especially visited
these spots In fear and trembling. On the
Psnnzylvania road nom the LOag bridge 10 the
tunnel. some three miles. every street which
Goes manage 90 ge. across the tracks does SO a:
Gra6e- This would be bad enough considering
the heavy trave. on many of these iltersec.ing
street,. but the difficulty is further heightened
BY the manner in which az many points the
tracks switch and turn and the complications in
their number. The foncing along the
tracks seem to be somewhat Giraffe also,
- IN places the tracks are fenced
In from crossing q crossing, while again
for squares the tracks Setween crossings are
entirely unprotected. Guard gates were found
st the crossings. although at some points the
COMPUTATION Of guard gates would puzzle
criminal LAWYER. The danger along THE road
10 greatly increased by Tine almost constant
stream % travel between the river front and tie
esuter Of the city. The increased growth and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

backed itself directly in the rear. The STAR
artist and IHE STAR reporter caught hight hold
of q tree box. They were out looking up the
question 20 grade crossings. but the assignment
said nothing about finding on; the feelings Of
victim ard this thing OF seemingly entirely
irresponsible railroad trains cutting all around
them was almost too much for nerves only
custOs1ed 10 plain simple suicides and IGur6ers
The miles OF railroad TRACKS at grade. which
are Masb:agtons chief draw back. must be seen
o. he appreciated. The grade crossing prob
l-ri in re cir would have been solved long
ago !: = compulsory congressional junket could
have been arranged along Maryland avenue
Virgins a-enue. Delaware avenue and "a
few cross streets. such trip has
never been arranged and tie only personal
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12
The Sarcastic Maiden.

From the Chicago Inter-Ocean.
The sarcastic maiden Is not q pleasant COM
panion. She is too sharp to be agreeable. Her
cutting speeches, rife with scathing personali-
ties, cause her to be Stunned rather than Sc
lected as one Of those charming sort Of girls
men and women both admire. II she writes q
letter her pen seems to have been dipped in
vinegar, and though her composition may be
the very acme Of elegance still such an spistle
is not received with the warmth that one of
those gushing, girlyfed, but altogether friendly
ones always obtains.
The sarcastic girl may possess talent far
above the breezy creature who candidly ad-
mits that she would rather read one Of tsThe
Duchess novels than an essay of Emerson
She may be able to converse in seven different
languages. She may be as beautiful a. an
houri, but men will be afraid of that sharp
tongue, and the purely femme creature who
weeos and laughs by turns with Phyllis and
Molly Bawn viii win the admiration and pre-
side over the home OF the greatest catch of the
season. while her more brilliant sister, with her
dangerous sharpness, will be left to her sar-
casms aiid solitude. Sarcasm il not wit, though
wit may be sarcastic.
One can be bright and say all manner of
clever things without hurting the feelings of
others by keen knife-edged opinions that are
subtle With bitterness and tee ming with gall
Sarcasm Ia not quality to be cultivated. II Is
. rank weed that once started grows and grows,
choking out the little plants OF kindliness, fore
thought and consideration until it overruns the
garden OF the mind, dominating and controlling
each thought with disagreesbls pungsnt odor
that cannot be eradicsted.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12
PLACING THE ORCHESTRA.
Wind Instruments of Wood and Brass nj.
rectly in Front Of the Lender

Wind Instruments of Wood and Brass pi-
rectly in Front Of the Leader.
The orchestra is now arranged SO that the
wind instruments Of wood and brass with pulsa-
tile instruments form a solid body directly in
front of tho leader. The strings stretch to the
left and the right and the double BASES d.
vided fringe the back Of the stage and its
further sides. The grouping is commended BY
the Boston Journal 1t was thought in the
eighteenth century that the double BASES,
'cellos and bassoons should be dispersed
throughout the orchestra. As Rosseau quantity
expressed it. 1T is the bass that should regu-
late and sustain all the other parts. and all the
players should hear it equally" We know how
the celebrated orchestra of the Dresden opera.
under Hesse, was arranged. The conductor
was in the middle of the rallied space seated
before clavier. Behind him was q violoncello
as well as double bnss. The first violins were
at his right hand in a line. The second violins
were on the same side. but nearer the stage
The other 'cellos and double BASES were ct the
extreme ends. The violas were between the
first and second violins. All of the wind instru-
ments, with the exception of the trumpets
were on the left Of the conductor. The oboes
we're nearest the stage, and the bassoons were
close to the conductor. The drums and the
trumpets were on the raised platforms at the
sides.
The famous chorus and orchestra of the Paris
conservatory are arranged as follows: Sixteen
first sopranos and sixteen second sopranos are
at the left Of the conductor. At his right are
ten frst tenors and ten second tenors. Directly
in front Of him are ten first BASES and ten Sec
ond BASES. To the left of the bases, as the
nearer faces the stage, are fifteen first violins;
to the right fourteen second violins. The irst
and the second violins face each other Behind
the basses is the harp. Then come ten violas
facing the conductor. The next line is made up
Of two clarinets, two oboes, two flutes. piccolo,
four 'cellos and two double BASES. Behind this
line are four horns, four bassoons and four
'cellos. Behind them are two trumpets, three
double BASES, four 'cellos and two double
BASES. Three trombones and two double basses
are mex: in order, and the tuba and pulls stile
instruments bring up the rear.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12
A Singular Superstition,
From the Bangor Me- Comrr ercisl.

From the BANGOR INC. Com n erciaL
In regard to the habit Of partridges Of flying
into civilization and a popular superstition re-
garding them an Augusta man says: lone few
on our premises and was captured. Then came
up the question whether we should kill the bird
or allow it to live. At that time there was
general superstition that, If a partridge came to
the house where sick person lay and the bird
was killed and the sick person ate the broth. Il
would effect a cure. There was q girl sick at
our house and the doctors had given up her
case as hopeless. Some Of the family said kill
the partridge and give the sick girl the broth
But the sick girl and others were for permitting
the partridge 10 live. We were equally divided
and agreed to let one Of the neighbors whom we
saw coming to the house decide whether the
partridge should be killed or not. He said Kin
1t. and We did, and the sick girl ate the broth
and got WELL"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12
THE DoLEFUL WOMAN.
She is q Wet Blanket In Society and In the
Sick Room.

From the Omaha world-iIerald
Do you know the doleful person? She, for
the doleful person is always a woman. Is always
a good neighbor in good health and tries 10 be
neighborly in sickness. But she makes a mis-
erable fsilure at the latter You know how
she acts.
Don't you remember the last time the baby
was sick? After you had watched by the little
ones bed day after day and night after night,
had watched the roses fade from the loved ones
cheeks and saw the little form waste away? And
don't you remember that Just at the time when
you had about given up hope the doleful neigh
Dor came ins And don't You remember how
she tried 10 cheer YOU up with q one-sided con-
yersation something like this
why. Mrs. B, how much worse the babe
looks this morning. She looks Just like Sarah
toner's baby did the night before il died
Gracious, 1 never saw a child 90 wasted away
as Sarah's was. except yours We Just done
everything for that child. but II wa n no use
| never viii forget how Sarah took on at the
funeral
And then the doleful neighbor suddenly re-
members that she has TO run back home to
'set sponge" and when she goes YOU hope
she VIII never return. You look again ct the
suffering babe and feel that YOUR heart must
surely break; but suddenly there is q knock at
the door and in comes the-well, sunbeam
HtibhDOt 40 kocu one WIS
over the evening before and quietly and
unobtrusiveiy helped TO do 70 many needful
things, and when she left she left word Of
cheer; and when she comes this time she saws
something like this:
why, how much better the baby looks this
morning."
And don't you remember what bright CLEAN
Of hope crossed your mind?
81 never saw q child improve so much in 90
short time before. am sure the baby will
soon be well"
And then the sunbeam neighbor rearranees
the bed, adjusts the blinds tells You she will call
again in a few hours and hurries home. Honest,
now, didn't she leave n confident feeling behind
herr You felt better and more hopeful. Baby
even seemed to rally under the words, and
when at last the little one was playing around
your knee again didn't YOU think Of the words
of the sunbeam neighbour
The doleful neighbor has frightened more
mothers to death, buried more babies and
caused moro tears than all the plaques com
bined- She should be suppressed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

road Is responsible for up to 1890. From It'll
protected tracks. The road here runs through
a reservation. the occupancy OF which is still
Illegal notwithstanding the passage of the in-
famous Atkinson bill. which gave the road a GER
tain legal night to kill people at pleasure. The
space occupied on this reservation Is largely
used by the road in shifting and making ND trains
THE SEVENTH STREET CROSSING.
At 9Th street there is a complicated state Of
affairs, which would be interesting as a puzzle
If il were not so dangerous to life and limb.
This is the main crossing for travel between
the southern and northern portions Of the city.
Foot passengers. carriages wagons and cable
cars are passing in a constant stream which
would not matter much II at the same time
railroad trains were not also constantly dyina
past Here the tracks from the Long bridge
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

tracks slightly raised This crossing WAS the
scene OF the killing OF an unknown co!ored man
in March OF this year. From Sd street out to
the tunnel the crossings are about the same
and nearly all have an accident of some sort to
their credit. At 18th and l. streets Mr.William
Golway was recently killed. This sad death &C.
Cured near the curve and the coroner's Jury
blamed the railroad for the accident.
THE n. AND o. CROSSINGS
1t would seem that in all equity the long
stretches Of surface tracks which the Pennsyl-
vania road keeps in Washington would be con-
sidered a more than fair share for one city; but
not to be outdone we find the Baltimore and
Ohio road in another section of the city MAIN
tanning also miles of death-deaing tracks As
on the other road, there are some spots on the
Baltimore and Ohio which lately have attracted
especial attention by the horror Of their death
dealing power. Such place IS the crossing at
Delaware avenue and II street, which is the
main travelled way for that section
Here a constant stream Of travel keeps
up all day. The Columbia street cars
cross here, as well a herdic line, and
wagons, carriages and foot passengers are cross
ing at all times or waiting for the gates to be
raised. This crossing also possesses some es-
pecial requisites for killing neatly and scion
tfically. 1t is another Of those double tracks, as
the main line and the Metropolitan branch
divide just below, and with two sets Of tracks
for the division a team is liable to be caught
between two trains at any time. The gates are
being raised and lowered almost constantly
although often people seem to pay but little at
ten.ion to them. While The STAE men watched
for five minutes six foot passengers and one man,
or a bicycle. lodged under the gates and
crossed while train was close at hand. This
may be reckless disregard of life, but the gov
eminent would not allow humps of dynamite to
lie around the streets where reckless persons
could kick them and company should not be
allowed to maintain crossings Of this character.
The entire surroundings at this point are dam
gerous In the extreme, as the many accidents
which have occurred would prove.
NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS.
In recent years blood has been freely shed
here. One of the ssddest cases W., that of
Sophia Gramb!er. who was an inmate of the
Home Of the Little Sisters of the Poor. She
was struck by an engine at the IL street cross
ing and instantly killed.
In July Of this year two victims have been
added to the list OF martyrs to the street trap
On the night Of July 81 VIM F. Bergman in at
tempting to board a train at this point fell
under the cars and was literally cut in two On
the following morning VIM Brahler and his
son were struck by train at this crossing. Mr.
Brahler was a well-known grocer He was with
his son in hys wagon and was caught between
the gates and killed bya passing train, His
son was saved almost by miracle.
AT THE BOUNDARY.
The point where the Metropolitan branch
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12
From Harper's Bazaar.

from Harref's BaZar.
Perhaps there is no .surer revelation Of char
acter than the manner in which wife uses
her husbands name in conversation. We have
some respect for Mr.. Fawcett's heroine, who
closed her eyes when her husband staggered
into sight and declared that Manhattan had
one Of his headaches, for he never drank" II IL
hard, however. 70 pardon the woman who con-
hdes to every one she meets the shortcomings
OF the man whose honor Is in her keeping.
than criticism.
There are the wives who argue, with sharp
tongued Mrs. Poyser, that "God made the wo-
man silly TO match the man" and with her ere
ready 10 STAY sister making the same state
ment
We question IL women are quite fitted 70 oc-
cupy positions OF public trust until they have
learned TO guard more zealously the secrets Of
the home.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

as quick and sure killing is concerned the tracks
on 9th street at the intersections Of Maryland
and Virginia avenues are probably little ahead
OF anything in the CITY. The lines running on
both OF the two avenues, Maryland and Virginia,
turn into 9th street to get up to the depot
They turn In a manner which has wiped out
many life. The cut will give some idea Of
tine situation.
AT VIRGINIA AVENUE AND SIXTH STREET.
The 9th street tracks turn sharply and run
close up to the high board fence Of the freight
yard. Sidewalks cross these tracks at two
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12
,TREET AND MARYLAND AVENUE

the driver seriously injured. There was fog
at he time and serious complaint made
that the gates were not properly guarded.
his was only poor colored man and q pair of
mules, bad 1t been n Congressman driving his
stylish team there would have been more than
serious complaint"
In one week in March, 1892 there were two
victims to the Pennsylvania grade system. One
was an unknown colored man, killed at Virginia
Avenue and Sd street, and the other Harriet
ellis, colored woman, who me. her death at
this same 9Th street crossing Her death brings
out another fact in regard to this crossing. She
killed on the evening of March Is by a
freight train, which Was moving slowly. There
Is a telegraph station at this point, and the en-
gineer and conductor of the train had both
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

importance Of Soath Washington each year
sdds 70 the danger b. increasing the stream OF
travel
DANCER AL. ALoSo The LINE.
From tine tunnel to the depot and from the
bridge 10 the depot there Is ab.olutely no tine
when an engineer can be sure tha; the mex,
minute his eagine viii not be dashing over some
huPan beiag. From the Long bridge TO llth
street there h . perfect network of tracks,
switches. &c, which are protected simply by
guard gate. There b no fencing Of any sort
and Oniy a Low curbing. Every foot of the way
r. dangerous. The Belt line OF cars cross ut
1ith street aud frequently accidents TO entire
ear loads Of passengers have only been barely
sverted-
AZ i0sh street tho crossing ia dangerous in
The extreme. With six tracks. Q switch and no
6soess The situation Is strocious.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12
THE TABLE NAPKIN.
IL Was First U.-d Gal, by Children and
>coraed Nv Eiders.

~corned kN Elders.
Prom The YOUTH. c,D,r.,,,n
Cu~iou.lv s,,,,,b a., .-.,.,. -, ..,
~' "i"0e' no" oouho-
'1 u''i'o'' 4l'"'sl''hsAnis' the table napkn,
wac hrst used only By children. and was only
adopted BY elder members OF the family about
she middle OF the sfteen,h ceptprx I'm .,,-
ouet,e hools % an ..-l,.- A.. a. a.
'' 'nan WIS
"'''''S o'hcr Sese pieces OF ADVICE Tor children,
are instructions about wiping the fingers and
lips with their napkins.
Ii seems that the table cloth Was l,,,
.nopg,, "a - ~. e. - -, 80,
-, - -" ~ "'u 'eu ne
ttoNn people an place OF napkins. When thew
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12
B ALTIM AND OHIO AT H STREET.

the victim mp to the mechanism. In the case
Of the Sth street trap the bait consists of path
on the south side leading directly to the tracks.
AID on the north board walk, which
crosses the parking and comes down to the
rails. The beard walk ends at little bank
and ditch, which must be jumped. When the
rails themselves are reached the conveniences
which have led thither end suddenly. The
intervals between the tracks have no boards
and the rails stand up and afford every chance
for a victim to trip. The illustration will give
an idea of this neat little contrivance for quick
death. 1t may be well to state that no Con-
gresham uses this crossing going to and from
work.
EAST FROM SEVENTH STREET
The condition OF affairs on the Pennsylvania
road does not improve by any means. So far
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

both continue along Maryland avenue, but
branch OF with network along Virginia ave-
nue.. There Is, therefore, complication OF
tracks and gates. stranger going north. a fter
safely navigating the Virginia avenue tracks,
would probably consider he was through with
all railroad peris. buta few steps further and he
Is Tn the Maryland avenue execution station.
Teams are liable at any time to get caught in the
space between these two systems, with trains
rushing by both In the front and rear. Timid
horses usually resent that sort of thing and many
runaway accidents are the result The STAR
representatives saw several occurrences Of this
kind, happily without serious results, during
their brief stay at that point.
DAYS TRAVEL.
A close watch made in 1890 at this crossing
showed that on one day, and usual day, count
ing from am to 8 pm, the gates were low
cred ZIG times, and over 2, 900 vehicles and Z 800
foot passengers passed This was in $780, and
the travel is now greatly increased. Fire en-
gines on their way to burning buildings have
several times been greatly delayed at this cross
Ing. II may be said. however, that no Congress
man has ever been killed at 7th street.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

killed at this point in 1880, as was Sherman
and his wife shortly afterward.
Ons on the main line OF the Baltimore and
Ohio there is constant danger; the crossings are
often elevated some feet. The point where sth
street strikes the tracks is especially marked by
two recent deaths. The street stops just be-
fore getting to the rails, but go far foot pas
sengers are concerned every facility is offered
for death Near thir spot Rev. Eugene Peck
was killed, and recently the community was
shocked by the killing mt this point of little
Teresa Mcdonald. who was walking on the foot
way alongside the tracks
Many other points, both inside and outside
OF the city limits, could be mentioned which
have demanded and received the blood Of VIC
tins to corporation greed
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

The next street IL 9th street, and within
recent years this has proved death trap OF the
highest perfection. The cut will show the ap-
pearance Of this artfully constructed Internal
machine. The tracks on both sides and in
both directions free from fences as tho
boundess prairie and the crossing is only pro-
tected by set Of gates armed with a wheezy
bell These gates are always there, but wooden
gates in themselves do not possess the mental
faculty which would cause them to lower with
out outside aid. Often the outside aid has been
conspicuous by it's absence Within the past
few years this fact has been exempliied at Oh
street.
NUMEROUS VICTIMS
Not long ago George Washington, an old
colored man, attempted to drive over the cross
ing with pair Of mules The outfit Was struck
by an Alexandria train, the mules killed and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

colored servant girl. She was not the wife or
relative OF a Congressman, SO Congress had no
earthly concern in the matter.
ANOTHER NETWORK OF UNGUARDED TRACES.
Let us move little further along Maryland
avenue, keeping sharp lookout for trains, for
from 9th to 7th street has witnessed good
many Of the $50 deaths which the Pennsylvania
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

and neatest mouse traps On a new and enlarged
scale in existence. This is where 9Th street
crosses the Maryland avenue tracks. or rather
where Sth street would cross if Il had not be-
come discouraged by the parking and the many
rows OF railroad iron. There is, however, every
facility for foot passengers to get killed. In
many mouse traps there is cheese laid to entice
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12

gone into the Office TO ge. orders while the fire.
man carried the train across the crossing. Har-
riet G.llis was struck then and horribly man.
glcd- The coroner's jury said it accidental
and nobody was to blame She was simply an
other victim to the grade crossing. Harriet
ellis, it must be remembered was only Icor
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-12
OOK OCTr'

OOk QUIT
Swish, Dash,,l Bril-
The engine, which
seemed to be coming
straight down the street,
had whirled across o
sidewalk and disap-
pesred around the cor
ner. Along fEeight;rsin
blocked the way in front
while an erratic engine,
with one solitary car
attached like the at
teuuated tail 20 a kite.