davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
LITERARY NOTES.

Mr.. Jerome X. Jerome, it is said, will
soon lay aside his humorous pen, which has
brought him so much fame and money, and
turn his attention TO serious work.
Some hitherto unpublished letters Of
Whittier, written to an intimate friend,
Charlotte Fiske Bates. will appear in the
January number of McClure's Magazine
The January number of the Forum. will
have article the Wilson tariff bill.
by Mr.. Wilson himself, to be followed by q
reJolnder from writer hostile TO the bill.
The second edition of the December
Worlds Fair Cosmopolitan brings the total
up to the extraordinary figure of 100000
copies, an unprecedented result in the his
tory of magazines.
Daniel II. Burnham and Frank D. Millet
are getting out an illustrated history of
the worlds fair to be sold for Sl,OOO a copy.
People who went to the fair, remarks the
New York World, can now see how they
saved money.
Another new edition of the Waverly
Novels is announced, an edition of which
Mr. j. NJ. Barrie, the novelist, is 20 be the
editor. He is now writing Introductory es-
says for the volumes Scott is said TO be
Mr. Barries faVorite author.
Mrs. Humphrey Ward has nearly finished
a novel which will be published early in the
year by her regular publishers, Macmillan
& Co. 1t is now three years since the pub
AlSdAiOh VI lawn NiiASh .
will probably be surprised to hear has sold
much more extensively than Robert Els
mere"
AS soon as the right of suffrage was Civ
en- TO the women of Colorado by the pop
ular vote Of Nov. the sixty-eight leagues
of the Equal Suffrage Association were
turned into leagues for political study. The
book selected by the executive committee
of the association is John Fiske's civil
Government"
Arthur Sherburne Hardy, the author of
But Yet Woman" "Passe Rose" and. in
strange contrast, some noted mathematical
works, says of the several nationalities: Il
like the French society better than any
an is thoroughly companicnable with man.
She knows life, she is sympathetic, one
may talk with her."
Dialect may be said to have run mad
when, in the holiday number of one of the
first-class magazines, there are no less than
six of these stories; one Tennessee mountain
patoiS, one Georgian, one Nirginian, one
MaSSachusettian, one Dakotan cowboyish,
one New York. Besides a story by a ia
nous Canadian dialect writer who, for
once, had dropped it here.
Mr.. Alexandra Dumas says in his preface
to the new edition of the Three Mus
keteers'' that he found his father one even
ing visibly depressed and with red eyes.
have just killed Porthos." said his father.
This recalls the mood Of Thackeray when
he disposed of the good colonel, and the
sorrow of Dickens when Little Nell had to
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
BANKRUPTCY OF RAILROADS.

The Railway Age presents the list OF
railroad bankruptcies during the first eleven
months of 1898, and a very long record of
disaster it is. Receivers have been ap-
pointed for less than seventy-one lines,
or nearly 13 per cent. of the mileage Of the
country. These lines have bonded debt
of s75S. 100000. which is s16S, 900 600 in excess
OF the interest-bearing debt Of the United
States, and over u per cent. of the entire
railroad capitalization Of the country. In
other words, one-eighth Of the railroad sys-
tenn of the country has gone into the hands
or receivers since Jan /, 1S93-four times
as much capital and more than twice as
much mileage as fell into similar hands
in 1892. The railroad disasters of the year
began with the Philadelphia & Reading. The
next extensive disaster was signaled by
putting the Erie in the hands of a receiver.
This was followed by the confessed bank
ruptcy of the Northern Pacific in October.
These are simply the larger lines. The
lesser ones are more numerous. The total
capitalization involved is considerably in
excess of s1,25O. 200. There is much water
in this total, but the bonded debt represents
actual investments In addition to the lines
placed in the hands OF receivers, twenty
three roads which had previously been
placed in the hands Of receivers were sold
to the highest bidder during the year All
of them are relatively small and unim-
portant compared with the wrecks Of 1S93
their capital and bonds aggregating only
| SAT, 25O. 900. 1t scarcely need be added that
the roads sold to the highest bidder did
not bring a sufficient sum to discharge the
bonded debt
Probably bad management has had some
thing to do in bringing on the bankruptcy
of these railroads; nevertheless, 1t is an
indisputable fact that the best-managed
lines passing through the best country, are
only fairly good property, and that the
larger part of them have a hard time to
pay running expenses and interest on the
bonded debt. leaving little or nothing for
| shareholders.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
SHREDS AND PATCHES.

IL costs about as much 10 be proud as It
does 10 he stinsy-- Rams Horn.
Will Mr.. Carl SchurZ please come from
under the bed and tell us where he is at?
Atlanta Constitution.
The Senate has called Mr.. Cleveland's
hand. He playing kings on a pair Of
deuces.-keokuk Gate City.
e 4 clearing; out there would re If Dr.
Parkhurst could be elected Mayor of New
York.-Philadelphia Inquirer.
Strong-Would you call Supplies wife
handsome? Weak-Yes-if 1 was talking to
Supple.-Raymond's Monthly.
Senator Voorhees, seems to consider him
self the presidential candidate of the Grand
Army of the Republic.-Dallas News.
Hicks-Your heart goes out in sympathy
for the poor? Wicks-Yes; though it sounds
like rank egotism to say it.-Boston Trans
cript.
Boss McKane would not mind the thirty
days in jail If it would not so seriously in
convenience his Sunday school.-Washingto
Post
If you want to convey an impression of
wreck and absolute chaos speak of "My
Hawaiian policy"-New York Commercial
Advertiser.
One painful fact about Christmas is that
it stirs up to renewed and fearful activity
the man who writes Christmas carols.-Chi-
cago Record.
Your neighbor appears to have failed a
good many times" Just twenty-four times.
The next will be his silver bankruptcy"
-Fliegende Blaetter.
Charity" remarked Meandering Mike.
begins at home, and it's got er mos on
comfortable habit of settling down behind a
woodpile. "-Washingto Star.
Miss Bacon-On the ranch we girls ride
the horse barebacked. Mr.. Knickerbocker
(seriousiy)-I should think the sun would
blister you terribly.-Scribner's
No man is born into this world whose
work is not born with him; there is always
work, and tools to work withal for those
who will.-James Russell Lowell.
President Cleveland is evidently unable to
realize that Rev. Joseph Cooks term of
office as general superintendent Of the uni
verse has not yet eXpired.-Detroit Tribune.
The world scanty pittance gives
Its teachers priests and scholars,
But Patti sings one little song
And gets $1,000.
Chicago Tribune.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
HISTORY NOT TO BE LOST.

One of the speakers at the late meeting
of the Loyal Legion called attention to the
fact that there is nothing like an adequate
history of the part which Indiana took in
the war for the Union. There is the report
of the Acknowledgement, but it becomes
that record will be rare. Soon after the war
several works of much merit were pub
lished, but IL was then too early to treat
the subject adequately. a few regimental
practically nothing to show the illustrious
part which the more distinguished regi-
ments of Indiana bore in the great strug-
gle, and which added so much to the glory
OF the State during that period Indeed.
it is very doubtful If the war literature OF
any State which was conspicuous in the
struggle is as limited as is that of Indiana.
In other States the work of rescuing from
oblivion the achievements of regiments is
going on in some form. Wisconsin is re-
publishing its war roster In several States
spare time to the collection of data which
will be of great value in the future, when
every State will make an effort to have a
history of its share of the great work OF
saving the Union. The men of all others
who should attend TO this work are the
sons OF the men who saw the service. 1t
is n duty they owe TO their fathers and to
posterity. For the preservation of our in
situations there can be no better agency
valor and self-denial OF those who have res
cued them in the past. History has made
few great names-Lincoln. Grant. Sher-
man and Thomas-an inspiration. and the
public heart quickly responds TO every
allusion To their devotion and patriotism:
but every neighborhood in Indiana fur
nished men who. in humber spheres. dis
charged duties and performed deeds which
will cause those who learn OF them 10 re-
alize that high devotion and patriotic pur-
pose were confined neither to rank nor con-
ditiOn. The State monument will be IA per-
petual reminder OF Indiana in the war for
the Union. Its figures will show the mag
nificent totals of her numbers and the mea-
sure of her sacrifice; but. after all. the his
tory OF regiments and companies. and the
devotion of individual heroism and sacrifice
are the realities which will bring the masses
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
A FABLE.

a harmless Gamer lived all alone In his
little cottage by the lake. His simplicity
was so marked that he could not even ind
a. mate among all the geese of his acquaint-
ance. One day he concluded that il would
be very nice to be in position of power
among his felow-creatures. but he knew
that he could never exert any influence
as plain Mr.. Gander, so he determined to
masquerade in the skin of the dove and the
head Of the owl, thus combining in his pre-
tensions both wisdom and spotless purity.
Then in this disguise he could go before the
other creatures a. great reformer. When
they asked him what reforms he proposed
TO establish he would usually make an
evasive answer, but if pressed for a direct
declaration, he would promise anything the
inquirer might ask, his only object being
self-elevation He told the FOX that he
should have an unlimited diet of Chickens
and Geese, without even the trouble of go
ing after them. To the Donkey he prom
Used plenty of Sheep and Fox skins to keep
off the cold blasts Of winter. I'm fact TO all
Corners he made just such promises as he
knew would secure their influence. knowing
at the time that to fulfill them wolIld make
il necessary to kill the Fox and Sheep that
the Donkey might be kept warm. and the
Chicken and Goose must die to satisfy the
nav OF the Fox. Mr.. GandeT did not care
FOR that III he could only reacn MS coveted
goal of power His Establishments and rosy
hued promises We're sufficient TO blind the
eyes of enough Of the other animals TO Sc
cure his elevation TO the highest place
among them
Then the animals began To clamor for the
fufllment OF the promises made to them.
The Fox demanded the slaughter of the
Chickens and Geese, and he Donkey want
ed the skins OF the Fox and Sheep. About
this time the usual yearly meeting of the
animals held, and each one demanded
+.
Gander had promised. (Most of them want
ed pie.) Then. for the first time, the ami
mails discovered that to fulfill all the prom
Uses, Mr. Gander would have To slay them
all and feed them 10 the already Overfed
Bulls and Bears. When they realized the
full meaning Of this truth they decided that
as soon as Mr. Gander'S term of Office as
Supreme High Dictator Of the Seas AMI
Land should expire he should he stripped
Of his false clothing and sent back among
his kind to end his days i'm obscurity.
Mnral-(iroNer. beware of 'a6.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
GREAT GUNS OF GREAT NAvIEs.
Costly Weapons That Can BE Fired
Only Seyenfy-Five Times.

New York Telegram
Two of the mammoth northumberland
ten-ton gums. upon which the British ad-
miralty has proudly commented as the
modern naval artillery, and which cost
about 100000 each, went down into seventy
fathoms of water with the battle ship Vic
torid, and in connection with this fact there
must have been awakened much interest
among readers as to whether such heavy
war weapons. heavier than any yet made
for the United States navy. and heavier
than will probably be built, are wise ad-
dition to a modern war vessel
And yet this big gun is not a new thing
as il practically dates back twelve years.
About forty of these big guns have been
built and some OF them were sent TO It
ally. IL is easy to comprehend among navy
officers that such guns an expensive
luxury. not only in the actual cost OF the
gun and its ammunition, but also in the size
OF the ships required To- carry them. But
what will be OF most interest to lay people
is the quantity and cost OF ammunition
and the life OF the gun itself. The
hest ordnance experts calculate the life ~
the 1l0-ton gun TO be seVenty-fve rounds
with full charges. The ll0-ton gun, and in
deed all large guns, are fired with slow
burning cocoa powder. the name cocoa be-
ina derived from the brown color OF the
powder. Ii Is shaped In hexagonal prisms.
this being the most convenient form OF
packing, and ten thousand of these prisms
are needed to make a full charge for this
monster gun. Zach prism is piarced with a
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24

committee. There can be no excuse on the
part of any intelligent or candid person
for not giving these committees whatever
money or other article of use he has with
which TO render assistance All the money
put into the hands OF either Of these COM
mittees will be much more judiciously ex-
pended and will go further than if indi-
viduals attempt TO expend II in relieving
the poor themselves. Moreover, the Jour
nal cannot too urgently express the i'm
perative necessity of immediate contribu-
tons. Large sums of money must be
raised or deserving people will suffer Good
citizens must make UP their minds that
self-denial must be exercised in this mat
ter, and resolutely cut off expenditures in
order that they may be able to contribute
to the relief committees. And remember
that The gives twice who gives quickly"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
CHRISTMAS BITS FROM DICKENS.

His own heart laughed: and that was
quite enough for him.
Sit we down before the fire. my dear. and
have a warm. Lord bless We.
"A merry Christmas, uncle. God save
your cried a cheerful voice.
There's the Turkey Halo! whoop!
How are you! Merry Christmas.
Lord. keep my memory green" It's very
good and pious. sir. Amen. Amen.
It's sort of night that's meant for muf-
fins. Likewise crumpets. Also Sally Lunns
Cheer up. Don't give way A new heart
for new year, always.
They said 1t was a shame to quarrel on
Christmas day. and so it was, God love it.
so it was
1 know that must trust and hope. and
neither doubt ourselves or doubt the good
in another.
a merry Christmas to everybody! A
happy New Year to all the world. Halo
herel whoop! Halo!
1t is a time of all others when want is
keenly felt, and abundance rejoices. What
shall L put you down for?
Have had a pretty many of 'em myself
ha, ha,-and may take the liberty OF wish
ing EN- I'm eighty-seven.
1t is astonishing how much you may see,
in a thicker fog than that, if you will only
take the trouble to look for it.
He heard them give each other merry
Christmas, as they parted at crossroads
and byways. for their several homes.
Miss Slowboy wept copiously for joy and
handed the baby round to everybody IN
succession, as if it were something 10 drink.
You must laugh at life; you've got game
to play; a very serious game, indeed: you
must only laugh when you win, and then
not much
No more work tonight Christmas eve.
Dick, Christmas, Ebenezer. Let's have the
shutters up before a man can say Jack
Rohinson
In came fiddler with music book, and
went up to the lofty desk and made an
orchestra of it, and tuned like fifty stom-
ach aches.
This being Christmas time. when all peo-
pie who can, make holiday; and when all
people who have got money like to
spend some.
OFTEN have heard them bells say: Toby
Week. Toby Week. Keep a good heart.
Toby! Toby Week. Toby Week. Keep a
good heart Toby!
All these boys were in great spirits, and
shouted to each other, until the broad fields
were full of merry music that the crisp
air laughed to hear il.
Pile up the fire here! Would you freeze the
people on this bleak December night? Let
us be light. and warm. and merry. or FL
not forgive some of you.
Though Christmas has never put a scrap
of gold or silver in my pocket, L believe
that ii has done me good, and will do me
good; and 1 say, God bless it!
And bye and bye they had song about
q lost child travelling in the snow, from
Tiny Tim, who had plaintive little voice,
and sang il very we'll indeed.
1t is a fair handed, noble adjustment of
things. that while there is infection in dis
case and sorrow, there is nothing in the
world so irresistibly contagious as laughter
and good humor.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
AN AGED OBJECT LESSON.


In the obituary notice of an aged citizen
OF Indiana. which appeared in yesterdays
Journal. occurs a statement Of so unusual
a character as to call for especial COM
ment. 1t is said of this citizen. who died
at the age of 104. that he had chewed to-
bacco for ninety years. This remarkable
fact is likely to serve as a text for persons
of widely diverse views. There for instance,
are the advocates of tobacco as an allevia-
tor of life's woes. AS a proof of it's sooth-
ing effects they can point to the one hun
dred and more years Of this patron of the
weed. But for the soothing tranquilizing
qualities Of navy plug niger twist"
dog Leg or ''fine-cut" they can aver, this
man would. in all probability, have sue
cumbed to the wear and tear of existence
long before he had rounded the century,
and the community have been too early de-
prived Of a useful and respected member.
True. they cannot grow poetic or senti-
mental over this ninety-year old habit as
over tobacco when consumed in a pipe.
Chewing. somehow, does not blend with the
smoking. Poets. novelists and essayists
without number have sung the praises of
tobacco. For it's sake Lamb declared his
readiness to do anything but die. Byron
called ii sublime" ELK MaryePs'' "Reyer-
les might never have been dreamed but
for its witching influence. But all these
gifted writer's celebrate the charms of
pipe and of smoke, and say nothing of the
seductive properties OF plug" Neverthe-
less this will not prevent the later poetic
champions of the pipe from making note
Of the Indiana chewer's case as coming
within their line. Though he did not know
the aesthetic delights Of smoking he was
with them in loving the plant which.
from East to West, cheers the tars labor
or the Turkmans rest" Advocates of the
use Of tobacco for its hygienic qualities can
also point with pride to the monument of
the deceased Hoosier. The sanitary benefits
of tobacco are amply shown. they can say,
in the length of his life. He chewed for
ninety years. they may urge, and if he had
begun at four instead of fourteen. he might
still be alive.
There Is room in this case, too for the
statistical person Ninety years offers a
wide field for the careful calculator who
wishes to estimate the number OF tons of
tobacco used by this departed citizen, or,
in his zeal, desires to so further and figure
on the number of "chaws.''
But the interest does not end here. The
estimable ladies who have undertaken to
abolish tobacco splitting for sanitary reasons
and are slowly reaching the conclusion that
they can only accomplish their purpose by
abolishing tobacco spitters, may go into
some calculations of their own if they like,
and. with the late centenarians case as a
basis, estimate the length of time required
for the evolution OF chewers out of existence
by the natural process. They may not find
the result encouraging, but it is we'll TO
| have the facts before them in any case.
| The Hoosier who chewed for ninety years
| is in a fair way to achieve post norton
| fame of high degree.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
PROFIT IN COLUMBIAN STAMPS.
Government Has Received Considcr-
able Revenue from Collectors.
New York Tribun,


The Columbian issue OF postage stamps
will not be sold in the postofiices after Jan.
/. and collectors and dealers are laying in
large supplies of them with the knowledge
that they VIII become more and more valu-
able each year. Undoubtedly the govern
ment has reaped a rich harvest by the sale
ordinary use of them. John Wanamaker, as
Postmaster-general,e expected that collectors
would buy them to the value OF millions OF
dollars. In a recent report Kerr Craige. the
Fourth Assistant Postmaster-general de-
clared that hardly more than $4,000 would
accrue 10 the government from this source.
but his estimate is probably too small.
Figures on the subject are hard to get
Most collectors bought the stamps at the
postoffice in the ordinary way. so no one
could tell whether they were for albums or
for business. Some persons living away
from this city. however, sent to the post
master here for them. In the first eleven
months of the year 262 orders. amounting 10
$l,075.91, were received from abroad and 2t3
amounting TO SS25: IS. from places in the
proportion of the whole amount which went
10 collectors The big dealers at home and
abroad would get their supplies through
Many persons sent orders to friends here,
for the stamp clerks have sold numbers OF
the complete sets OF sixteen stamps The
cost or the lot is 1864, for the denOmina-
tons include 81, 81. g. 81 and s.. Some COL
lectors prefer to have Cancelled stamps, SO
they buy complete sets and get Assistant
postmaster Gayier TO put the pOstmark on
them. one man mailed a letter. weighing
less than half an ounce and addressed 70
himself, which was nearly covered with CO.
lumbar stamps. The postal clerks could
not imagine why he should waste money in
this way until IL struck one OF them that
IL was his method OF having the stamps
Cancelled for his collection.
Some people have wondered why s. stamps
should be ISSUED. for publishers OF periOdi-
calls pay portage on their matter In bulk.
These stamps OF large denomination 20 on
foreign letters. The postage on them Is
cents half ounce and there is no limit TO
weight. one weighing "A pound and sent by
registered mail would. therefore. need TO
have sl.6S Of stamps on il. Some documents
and securities sent as first-class mail mat
ter weigh as much as three or four pounds.
and s. stamp would just I'LL the bill for
them.
One OF the first sets OF Columbian stamps
sold here was bought for the Queen OF Hol-
land by the Dutch consul. TO meet the
wants OF collectors. the POstofiice Depart
ment has supplied some twenty-five post
offices with sets OF the stamps. OF course.
the government did not 20 into this TO make
money. but ii undoubtedly has cleared q
pretty penny.