davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning times., 1896-05-24

that If among bis papers there was some
scrap OF the poet brothers writing to be
spared. would he part with il to place
beside his owKc The reply was prompt and
brought CIfefUSlv trauscrbeu sonnet hy
John Howard Bryant and precious vel
low agc-staincd three-pag personal letter
from William Cullen BRYANT. written aanG-
AIRY IL, S34. 1t gives his idcas on builC-
ing house, be aCntiCises n poem written
and sent to~him by Sarah Olds which lac
paid the compliment of finding markedly
suggestive OF Mrs. Hemans, and praises
some apples which his brother sent.
Distinguished foreigners had Il fashion of
seEding circular re tIsals 10 direct requests.
Gov. kossuth, the famous Pole, pursued
thiSplan; so did Herbert Spencer and Thomas
Huxley. Spencer and kOssuth were left
on their say-so, but something suggested
this plot TO get Huxley. With several other
boys | organized II temporary and very
fragile scientific society which never met
but once. that was TO christian the Thor,as
Huxley SclcntifIc Association. Naturally
this fact had to be communicated to the
narnesake for his sanction. The sanction
came III flne ackno wledgement ofthe com
plimtut, and assurances of relief in q great
future for American scientific develop
meut. Frankly the idea was suggested by
the Englishman, who got an autograph
collection of considerable value by NAM
ing fictitious yacht first after Thomas
Caiiyle, then Tom Moore, and dothernotables
One night number of the victims CHANGED
together and one boasted OF the compliment
done him. The others poo-hooted the
HagGart; they. too, had vessels named after
them. They compared notes and found
they had all been the butt of q clever ruse.
Thcy treated the matter as q capital joke
and wrote the Ierpetrator their compl.
meuts.
Although it has for long been an open
secret how William Adams came to be
called Oliver Optic, the request for it's
The morning times., 1896-05-24
q is 7a>>~

during the war, when he was serving hiS
first year in the Senate; a very interesting
note from SChu yler COlfaX. who was Vice
President under Lincoln, explaining that
he bad very little influence with the
Secretary of State, because lie had opposed
him strongly in his aspirations Tor the
Presidential nomination in S56 and 1860;
and a personal letter written in fragile
hand, on delicate paper, in Henry Clays
cha racteristic fashion. These were but
a few. They were sufficient 10 build On,
and many famous collections have begun on
a more modest foundation.
Someone said if you sin, at least sin in
good company. Sir Walter Besant is a
confirmed autograph collector, and is very
proud of the contributions which his requests
have brought 10 his cabinet. Nine. Melba,
the greatest living singer. is another. She
is very much in evidence With her album.
After she has met a celebrity one OF her
first moves is to get his or her name into
custody, and she takes more pride in new
accession to the album than a lengthy
eulogy for her scrapbook. Young Alexander
Salvini is amiCably disposed toward the
craft When / wrote for his autogrph he
replied courteously. and sent the Florence
address OF his famous father. suggesting
that he be written to. as he knew nm 10
be prompt in answering such requests" He
was He sent bit of Italian poetry, writ
ten in the clear script chara cteriStiC of the
unapproachabIe pcnmen Of his country.
Many methods of requirement We're pur
sued: all in fact, except by purchase. This
would have removed the personal sentiment
associated with each smallest piece of
paper ana given q commercial tinge TO
the collection. There was one exception
made to the purchase veto. The writer of
one of our national airs was written to
through friend. The reply came that he
was at that time an old man IL wretched
poverty. saving and splitting wood for
his daily bread. in spite of the vogue Of
his song, that it would be real labor for
his stiff. horny hands TO transCribe any
The morning times., 1896-05-24
g aal MS9zz~

Peter TschaikOwsky, the greatest composer
Russia has ever produced, wrote couple
of bars from one OF his compositions Eugene
Field was not less courteous and in his
delicate script in which he wrote all his
books he sent this stanZa:
As the shell upon the mountain height
Sings of the sea,
So do / ever-Ieagues and leagues away
SO do CVeT-Wandering where may
Sing, o myhome! sing, Omy home! OF thee
;. Fillmore Bennett sent the whole text
of his IS weet BY and By which is the
most popular Gospel song of the genera ion
This inspired an ambition to have other
songs. 1t is related above how Daniel
Emncts Dixie" was acquired, and the
direct request brought My Country, 'Tis
of Thee from aged DR.. s. F. Smith, who
has since died. 1t was no trouble TO get the
President, the Cabinet members. eX-inem-
bers and congressman. Minor literary
lights and most OF the actors ans sWered
promptly.
When there was a refusal of silence
then the desire was stimulated and the
autograph nature was given a chance to
assert itself. Devious devices were brought
lntoplay. The stages which suggested them
and their deep-dyedn3SS are of easy reckon
ing. FIRST, there was desire, then deternina-
ton confirmed by refusal, then deSpera-
F. ton and pride in ones capacity for out
whiting the un willing one. 1t was q plain
case of setting a trap and batting it well
Flattery is the never-faiIing bait. All
devices are but different plays on this one
theme.
Sometimes it was a little note to thank
the person for pleasure found in his work
This brought ackno wledgment from Walter
Besant, Thomas Went worth Higgenson,
Thomas Bailey Aldrich, Whitcomb Riley
and Mrs. Burnett. 1t failed of the mark
Innr oh
him il he were not the anonymous author
of AN Englishman in Paris" then in it's
frst vogue a reply came sailing back
explaining why it could not have been he,
and giving his theory on who it might be.
A request for a quotation is rather a
The morning times., 1896-05-24
aA1 Nyu1 IAM..A4

portion OF his song that he would do it.
however, for So. bought that autograph
1t was the words and music to Dixie, -
written by Daniel Emmett, now nearly
ninety.
Besides the draft on family stores and
this one purchase, acceSsionS came through
trades with other collectors in rare in
stances, as presents from friends who be.
gan TO take an interest In my collection,
by direct request TO the people whose sig
natures / wanted, and by devious devices,
of which l will tell you some
OF course, the direct request was ALWAYS
resOrted TO first. The denials were few.
for little tact suggested a sheathed COM
pliment never distasteful to anyone JEFF
ferson Davis. Mark Twain, Henry W Long
fellow, Jerome K. Jerome. and numerous
actors replied with their sigma lures only.
Bronson Howard sent his with q yours
truly" written pat against the top Of
the sheet. and across the back, under the
signature, he indorsed Autograph" Per
haps at some time he had been made the
victim of some rascal who got auto
graphs and wrote an order over the sig
nature. Adelaide Patti was once taken
In in this way. OF course Howard's little
Endorsement obviates that possibility.
Fanny Davenport sent a quotation of
ten words from "Cymbaline," which in
her diffuse handwriting covered whole
page of note paper. Once when ask ed for
an autograph she sent it in the shape of
an order for two seats, The same night it
was found in the ticket box at the theater
where she was playing. She must have a
light regard for the collector.
In reply to . request that they tell their
favorite character. John Drew quoted
'Petruchio is my name,' and Julia Mar
lowe quoted "Call me Rosalnd' Henry
Irving and Ellen Terry each replied at once
and E. II. Sothern wrote that it gave him
great pleasure"
Richard Mansfield ans wered with a
treasure sheet for any collection The
sentiment was truthful and chara cteristic
and was wriessn just after st. Louis critics
The morning times., 1896-05-24
Mnzxm Il Hec1z1za

tame dodge, but really knotty historical
problem brought a valuable letter from
Richard Henry Stoddard, and to query
as to who was the original Of Col. Carter
of Cartersvire, F: Hopkinson Smith wrote:
The colonel is a type of nobody exactly
like him except my good father in his
heart and an old uncle in his impracti
bility. 1 am glad you love him. / love him
myself, and my only regret Is that
cannot invite him to diuner,'
You can't write to dead men for their
auto graph. There is some what of un-
certainty us to address, but there is none
as to reply. The only resource is next
of kim" Not for moment believing that
the coveted would come, l wrote to John
Howard Bryant, now an old man, living
on his Illinois farm, asking for something
in autograph Of his late brother, William
Cullen Bryant. OF course the request was
not so blunt. Two letter pages were de-
voted to the great pride ana unalioyed joy
to be had in an autograph sonnet from
bis pen, aud in postscript was added
The morning times., 1896-05-24

The WaShin gton- Chicago game tKernan'S
today All true fans will be there.
The morning times., 1896-05-24
and sealed by Joseph Mayer, who played
Christ. The yellow slip is not much larger
Lalz-zI Ge4sI
han visiting card, and the scaling wax is

than visiting card, and the scaling wax is
dark brown.
During he period that an effort was made
to eAlarge the scope OF this modest collec-
tion, a period of about three years, about
500 autographs of value came. into the
scrapbooks. Besides those already
mentioned there are autographs letters,
documents, manuscript and signatures
from among the many of Zachary Taylor,
James Buchanan, Gen. Grant, Rutherford
Hayes, Hamilton Fish, William II. Seward,
Thomas Corwin. Thomas Benton, Edward
Everett, Hugh Mccullough, the only man
ever member of the Cabinet under three
different Presidents; Andre w Jackson,
Cassius NJ. Clay, Henry Clay, Proctor Knott
Daniel webster, James Brook, the founder
of the New Yerk Nail and Express; Eliza
beth Cady Stanton, in regard to the Wo-
mans Bible; Phil Sheridan, Confederate
Gen, Beauregard, James Longstreet, Simon
The morning times., 1896-05-24

Ing firm of Houghton, Mifflin & Company.
Mr. Houghton kept many valuable letter
from the waste basket and posted it off
tohis appreciative autograph fieud. To him
my collection owes some thing in script from
nearly every writer whose works are in the
Riverside catalogue.
Two or the most cherished prizes came
from abroad. One is letter written en-
trely in autograph and in Italian by Eng
lands grand old man, William Ewart Glad
stone. Signatures Of this man are rare
enough, and autograph letters in toto hun
dred times more scarce, aud there is prob
ably not preserved another, of his letters in
Italian. 1t was written to the pastor of
the English Protestant church in Rome. re-
newing his subscription to the parish paper
and sending an extra contribution. The
clergyman gave it to an American in his
parish who knew where to send il for COM
plete appre ecia ton.
The other treasure is a coupon tothe PAS
sion Play" at Oberaminer gau, written out
The morning times., 1896-05-24

when IL is withheld. To call these chroni-
clers admissions seems more apt, for not
every man cares to admit all that he has
done 10 attain the ACHE yement Gf his plans
for Iear Others Will without re ason jump to
conclusions whicn impeach his sense Of
honor aud yeraCity. We admit the commits
sion OF Venal fault, but confess our sins.
Let 1t be admitted, then, that i have
been an autograph hunter. Fairly and
foully have pursued the quest OF great
mems script, studied strategy to possess
few written lines that some people would
not consider above lighting a pipe WITH
and have felt real thrills OF JOY when the
treasure has assumed its place in my scrap
books.
This was some time ago, and the fever
Tor requirement has die away, though tie
results remain testimony to what youth
ful enthusiasm and invention may ACCOM-
plish. The fever for autographs, like all
contagious, came through contact. a friend
had very fine cole ctiou, much finer than
mine ever has been, and. contact with
her pride in each new accession and asso-
clatlon with the contributions of generals,
statesmen, tragedianS, poets and celebrities
OF all kinds was too much for a boy Of
any spirit. 4 the right time for the feeding
of the intent born 10y my friends galaxy. at
the wrong time some cynical reader will
say, my father asked me to help him to go
through some boxes of old papers in the
attic.
In the course of this search we founs
twenty or thirty letters from men WHO
have since become famous. and perIniS-
sion was not wanting to make these the
ncucleuS of my collection. Among these
papers were two long letters written by
Sir Edwin Arnold, when he was only an
editorial writer on the London Tcle-
graph, and had not yet written his Light
of Asia and become immortal. There
was letter written by Senator Sherman
The morning times., 1896-05-24

gave him an unmerciful roast on his
Scarlet Letter production. He said
If man works hard all day at desk
upon thankless task, and is moreover the
victim of dyspepsia aud is detailed in the
evening by his chief 10 sit in judgment upon
the work of a serious actor and Il sad play,
what is his opinion likely TO be? II may
be forcibly expressed III seven words:
Damn The play and damn the actor ;
Richard Mansfield
Jules Verne wrote an affable little
note ia reply, and FrarCI>Cue $arcy, tEe
eminent French critic, sent his compliments
Gen. Boulanger in the height Of his meteoric
career wrote a friendly sentiment and
Joaquin Miller sent:
The man who lives for self alone
Lives for the meaneSt mortal known :"
jules Massanet, the French COMPOSER
sent quotation from one OF his operas and
The morning times., 1896-05-24

the District for damages. She secured q
verdict for S5.416. This was subsequently
reduced to $1,000, but the amount was
raised again to $5,350.5S, through the
costs OF an Intellectual attempt to have the
court of appeals reverse the verdict.
The District was compelled to pay the
sum and they have now brought suit
against the two Cnmpa MES named, each OF
which, il is claimed, is responsible fol-
Mr.. Wilcox's death because the excava>
tiOns were made by them and not cus
rectly protected.
The morning times., 1896-05-24

James Russell Lowell, George William Cur
tbs, psychic postal from George Francis
Train, Lew Wallaee. Frank r. Stockton,
John Greenleaf whittier, Harriet Beecher
Stowe, George W. Gable, Hjalmar Hjorth
Boyesen, Marian wford. Cardinal New
man, Rose Hartwick Thorpe, Lawrence
Barrett. Helena ModjeSka, Mrs. John Drew
RoSina Vokes, John E. owen, Mrs. SiddOnS,
James E. Murdoch, who tutOred Mary An
The morning times., 1896-05-24
WINGED DEVILS AND FIRES
Two Queer Cases of Mania Looked
or. Er-f

Two Queer Cases of Mania Looked
After by the Police.
Two queer cases of haIIuciuation came
into the hands of the police yesterday
Mary j. Minor, weirtl-IOoking colored
woman, sixty years or age, was locked up
at No. 2 station on the charge of insanity,
the complainant being NJ l. May. The old
colored woman imagines that she is pur.
sued by winged devils. She has Il particular
aversion to chickens and says they are evil
spirits sent here 10 destroy her.
The other ease is that of Peter Jones, col
ored, fifty years of age, who was locked
up at the Eighth precinct station on COM
plGint of his wife, Hattie Jones. She says
he has the dangerous mania of building
fires in her house The demented man be-
lieves his mission is to destroy the earth
by fire, and be has made several unsucceSS-
ful attempts to carry out that program in a
small way.
The morning times., 1896-05-24
MANY FAMOUS S|GNAT TURES
How Valuable Autographs Are
Lured Into a Collection.
FRANK MANS ADMISSIONS
When the Request Direct Failed He
ReSOrted to Flattery Which
Never Fails of It's Mark.
FRANK MANS ADMISSIONS

For long time l have been debating
what TO call these chronicles of autograph
collecting. To call them confessions im
plies guilt, and, though many people lCok
upon the autograph fiend as a plague and
a wlllful sinner his little deceptions are
never harmful TO any one, and such liber-
ties as he takes with the truth and the
confidence of the victims he would lure
into the traps OF his scrap-bcok leave no
sting. on the contrary, men and women
whoseambition has led heminto ohigh places
are usually Of that peculiar temperament
which leeds rat on flattery aud languishes
The morning times., 1896-05-24

repetition brought an. authentic autograpb
eApiauatlon. Thomas Edison, the wizard
was reluctant. His wife was appealed to
and sent the electricians signature, which
starts with stroke that looks like a
flash of lightning.
Mihe. Janauschek sent u badly-written
signature after she had been apneaIed to
live times aud each time. of course with
au addressed and stamped envelope. Prac-
tlcally her autograph cost something over
IL cents. Rhea under no considera ton
Would answer until she was requested to
teii devout student of French dramatic
history whether it was Sampson or Beau
Wallet who died first. There must be an
extra. yen of blarney in the request for
James Fl. McVicker to contribute, for he
wrote back: IA cabinet of immortals is not
good place at this datefor, yours truly"
A good friend and substantial confederate
was the late"H. o. Houghton of the publish
The morning times., 1896-05-24
DISTRICT WANTS 1T BACK.
Begins Two Suits for Indemnity of

Begins Two Suits for Indemnity of
sums 1t Paid for Damages.
Messrs S. T. Thomas and A. B. Duvall
attorneys on behalf OF the DistSiCt, filed
two suits yesterday against the Crawford
Paving Company and the lexington and
Soldiers Home Railway Company. The
suits are identical and it is sought TO hold
each defendant company liable for dam
ages the District has been called upon To
pay.
The plaintiff states in the declaration
that Cadmus NJ. Wilcox, while crossing
G street at the intersection of Fourteenth
street, November 26, 1890, fell into an
excavation aud was killed. Mary r. VIII
cox, the administrators of his estate, sued
The morning times., 1896-05-24
M4e Es~A

Bolivar Buckner, "Cavalry" Stewart, Will
lam Tecumseh Sherman, DR.. Mackenzie,
the British physician to many European
monarchs; Horace Greeley, in his reputed il
Iegible scrawf, Wendell Phillips. Canon
Farrar, Pere Hyacinthe, Cardinal Manning
The morning times., 1896-05-24
Mw2eY::

derson; Haver Scharwenka, Camilla Urso,
Thomas Dunn English, author Of Ben
Bolt, and many others.
The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-02-19
RtP1RTERs oNLY WAITING.
sporiirFm'u Leave ~ raso FOR Home
without seeing = Fight

sporiirFmsn Leave ~ raso FOR Home
without seeing = Fight.
H. PAso. Tex. Feb. ls.-Practically
al .p1r,insmcu have lett tho city aud
oniy correspondents arc now waiting
for the big fight
Captain Glori, Jimmy Barry, George
Dixon and Horace Leeds have left, but
O'Rourke, manager OF Dixon, aud Joe
Walcott will remain % see what turns
~ Friday.
FHammons has cooled down and
now arlu.cs'cs in the present arrange.
ments. He has resumed his training,
but will do only light work between
now aud Friday. He is in splendid con.
dition and is supremely confident OF
winning within two to four rounds
Maher's eyes continue TO improve.
Governor Ahumada has loft Juarea
FOR Chihuahua Before ne loft he made
this solemn declaration:
should the fighters give baltic on
Chihuahuan soil will arrest principals.
bettor, spectators aud newspaper cor.
respondents aud not one OF them will
escape three years sentence Ia pris.
ON
The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-02-19

Not one In ten adults knows how
10 breathe To breathe perfectly Is
20 draw the breath In long. deep in
halations, slowly and regularly, Sc
as 20 relieve the lower lungs Of all
noxiouS Accommodations. Shallow
breathing won't do this
Ihavo overcome nausea, headache
sleoplossnoss. soasickness and oven
more serious throatenings by simply
going through a breathing exercise
pumping from my lower lungs,
as it were, all the malarial inllala
tons of the dag by long, slow, am.
pie broaths. Try it before going to
bed, making sure of standing where
you can inhale pure air and then
darkon your sleeping room com.
pletely. We live too much IN an
electric glare by night II you still
suffer from sleeplossness after this
experiment is fairly tried, / shall BE-
surprised. Rams Horn.
The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-02-19
AFFAIRS IN FRANCE.
A Pail Mall Correspondent Intlmaiss
That serious Trouble IL Ahead.

fNA hah tofreapondent lntimntea
That serious Trouble IL Ahead.
LONDON. Feb Is. The Paris CORES.
pondent u the Pail Mall Gazette tele.
graphs that the political situation in
France is growing more serious. Those
who are best informed. this correspond.
ent writes, consider that the cabinet
has a card up lie sleeve which will
cause considerable surprise. Il IL Ger.
tain the ministry means 10 stop where
it is and there is a possibility Of coup
d'etat. The government may declare
its intention 20 govern without senate.
A statesman informs your correspond.
ont that tho obstacle Is General SAus.
sier, governor Of Paris and generals.
simo IN case OF war. saussier Ia old,
opposed to any change and y prepared
70 march against any revolutionary
movement with utmost vigor. A few
months agj hs said 70 one OF the mod.
crate ministers In power: keep me
so long rs you possibly can. You will
need me and ono regiment Of the Master
Partisan Popalace, aud with siussier
the soldiers viii obey their chief"
\ Radical leader said 20 me: IF a
representative Is willing 10 risk mis- life
he would nov have chance Of winning
the game
The Radicals prove they regard tho
situation A. revolutionary by de iidi z
that the parliamentary bureau shall sic
en- pormanauce. This Is an echo o, a
great revolution.
The latest information is that the
senate hopes on Friday 10 pass vote
OF consure against ths government by
more crushing majority than the one
on last Saturday.
The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-02-19
PANIC IN A Factory.
Girls and Women Rush 20
Their Deaths.
NOT KNOWN HOW Many ARE DEAD

u l. nsii' we'd ~ Lsast ihlrjt live,
Vera Los'. Moss ~ whom Are san
Beneath n. Rains Many were Fatally
lnisr-d By Jumping PROM the Up
per stories.
TRoy, n T.. Feb is.-Thore was o
terrible loss OF life hcro last nigh, by
fire that was caused by the carclessnesf
Of boy. IL is not yet definitely known
how many are dead, but it il believed
the number will not flll short Of 60
Il was just before tao time Of closing
that one q the girls. working in the
outtinyro)m on the fith fllor. asked =
hoy 20 light the gas over her michine.
He did as she requested aud threw the
stub OF the match down. u had fire
upon it and fell upon a pile Of oily
waste. In an instant the room was in
a blaze and panic ensurd.
There were 100 girls aud women in
the room aud rush was made for the
fire escapes aud other placss % gst out.
On the fourth and sixth hlors there
were 200 moro girls aud women and
they soon became panic,tgiclcn and
then wild scenes followed.
Women aud girls were run over and
trampled upon aud Some were 30 OK.
cited that tney did not have presence Of
mind enough % descend Ihs frcescnpes,
bat jumped from the windows % the
pavement below only 90 be crushed by
the fall.
a policeman lot down an awning and
upon this several fell aud, bcsid b severe
bruises were not hurt.
the building was soon In fmos and
was totally destroyed despite the prompt
WORK Of the fire department.
One Of the walls fell burying one IRE.
man, thr,e policemen and an / allan.
AL will recover oxcep, the Italian.
Five dead bodies have been recovered
and 20 ioand injured, ole.hafoi them
fatally hurt. aud There IS no way OF tell.
ing how many aso yet la the rufus. aud
this can only be determined by removal
Of the debris.
OF the g5) persons wor ling on the
fourth hfth and sixth floors. only about
1876 have been certainly accounted Tor.
but many may have to5n taken away
by friends
II isn1t believed any p3rsoa' on the
lower floors persisted as thsy mad ample
time % escape.
Some OF those who jumped were
manried in terrible manner and pro.
scented a sickoniug sight
The property loss wall exceed $780,.
600.