davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

backward slope to the lap. Sitting thus
the body inclines slightly forward in the
position that takes the most pressure of
the spine, and the big pelvic bones so ad-
mirably adapted for that purpose, sustain
the weight. The seat should be of suffi-
cient depth to support the body with no
strain upon any set of muscles. It is not
natural to sit upright, after the manner
practiced by our grandmothers. The
strain upon the abdominal muscles in
chair of ordinary height is too great when
the spine is erect, and the average
woman almost nnconsciously crosses her
knees in order to relieve it.
Another ''trifle light as arr that vet
produces harmful results is the almost
universal feminine trick of cutting thread
with the teeth. Generally speaking. all
women sew. and perhaps one in thou
sand in threading her needle cuts or breaks
her thread with some other instrument
than her teeth. Because of it's keen edge
the 'eye" tooth is used for this purpose
for which reason it is almost invariably the
first to require the dentists services when
the teeth begin to need attention. Not
even the wooden toothpick or the more
primitive and universal pin does more
mischief to teeth than does this apparently
innocent practice.
Most women have dread of growing
old, and the first wrinkle is generally rec
ognlzed with a pang. 1t usually comes at
the angle OF the neck and iawbone, but is
generaiiy followed, very quickly, by
series OF little fine lines between the ewes.
Ii no other warning is given the first ap-
pearance OF these little lines will be taken
by the wise woman as signal to use eve
glasses IN reading. When this is done
promptly the incipient wrinkles will prob
ably disappear. So very trif1ing do these
little matters seem as to be almost un-
worthy OF consideration, yet SO far-reach-
Ing are even small effects that it might
almost be said there are no such things as
trlhes, PENELOPE PowELsoN.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

with fine scorn as ultra-feminine back
numb bers. Perhaps, however, this is not
the only mistake that the athletic girl is
making to-day.
But this is by way of depression.
e-and-shuttlecock was not to
have been my theme this day. Portia and
| were playing battledore- and shuttlecoct
in the long hail when the sound of the
front-door bell brought our game to a
close.
Portia hastily gathered up the battle
dores and the feathered corks and thrust
them into drawer of a high oak stand.
In closing the drawer. which she did as
ninety-nine women out of hundred
would have done, by pressing her knee
against 1t, it stuck, and required a little
tug and pull, then another shove with
the knee, when it went back with rush.
"Ouch!" exclaimed Portia, and rubbed
her knee.
The next day it was black and blue and
quite sore. Portia had forgotten the epi-
sode OF the drawer and was at loss to
know why her knee should be lame. She
mentioned it to her friend the docsor,
who, upon being assured that there had
been no possible chance of its receiving an
injury, talked learnedly of disturbed cir
culation caused by nervous conditions
attendant upon life in this high-pressure
age, recommended exercise and gave her
some little pills in bottle. Afterward l
reminded Portia OF the drawer and she
laughed over her own stupidity.
Probably two thirds of the cases of
white swelling that come into our hos
p1tals are traceable to this trick, so preva-
lent among us of using the knee as sort
OF third hand in shutting drawers, moving
articles OF furniture and pushing things.
The knee Is rather wonderful joint, and,
probably the most delicate in the body.
A weak knee" is common thing among
men and women, but particularly among
women who are constantly busy about the
house, and who as constantly find it con-
venlent to set things to rights about the
room by thrust of the knee A faulty
habit OF walking, high heels and tight
garters, whether above or below the knee,
are all product of much mischief at this
point Those fond mothers who follow
the lnane fashion of putting young chill
dren into socks, that leave the cum ng
little knees bare, are laying sure founda-
ton Tor early development of rheumatism
In these joints A child's knees and an
kles, particularly in this climate should
always be well protected, yet bare, blue,
chilled knees on prettily dressed boys and
girls of four or five years are a frequent
and painful spectacle on our streetcars
and ferry boats.
A good deal of the spinal and lung trou-
bic OF to-day-and somehow. despite the
enormous strides science has made in
TINS age, these troubles seem almost as
common as ever-is due to the way we sit.
10 the railroad spine," the bicycle
spine" the writer's spine and all the
rest OF them might, in justice, be added
the high-chair spine
Our grandmothers sat primly and prop
erly upon high-bac chairs, with their
feet upon the floor and their spines erect
Our young people are often charged to do
this, ana grandma is frequently held mp
before the lounging girl as an example to
De initiated. In point of fact. though,
grandma, while she sits up straighter, has
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

not a much stronger back than has her
daughter, who leans, or even lounges, in a
ladylike way. and, when she dares, crosses
her knees. Few men or women to-day sit
truly and properly in the position nature
designed that they should. We lean back
and bring our shoulders forward, contract
ing chest and lungs. We slide forward
until we rest upon the broad, fiat bone
near the end of the spine, with the coccyx,
the series of small terminal bones, bent
forward and under until it assumes per-
manent deformity, productive of constipa-
ton with all its attendant ills. Or we ''sit
upon our stomachs," our limp backs per-
mlttlng the body TO double forward until
most OF its weight rests upon that organ.
Our modern chairs are responsible for
modern shortcomings in this regard.
Cushioned seats with springs do not afford
the even, firm support that the body
needs. They give way unevenly, throw
ing undue weight and strain upon one
side or the other. A cushion in a chair
should never be part of its upholstery
ltshould be soft, adjustable and yielding,
a thing to be tucked about where support
is needed, rather than fixture Our
chairs are, moreover, too high for women's
use, possibly for the reason that they are
made by men, and in accordance with
masculine ideas of comfort as to height
and inclination. Clotnes-press hooks are
usually too high, for this same reason. A
chair in which the body really rests should
be low enough so that when the feet are
resting comfortably on the floor the knees
are bent at an angle that gives gentle
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

Upon this subject have had very little
to saw heretofore, but have decided to
dwell for awhile, in the hopes of correct
ing, or at least assisting to correct. some
of the evils that eat like canker-worm
into the very heart of honest sport and
manly exercise.
Without athletic honor there is little
true pleasure or progress, in either COM
petition or exercise. We lay great deal
of stress on the distinction between an
amateur and professional; theoretically
the difference is that professional sub
ordinates pleasure to gain-an amateur
subordinates gain to pleasure. Now If an
amateur hunts greedily for medals, jew
elry and silverware, or regards such
plunder as the object of his efforts. he is
no better than a professional. Worse
still, if he thirsts for glory regardless of
the prizes, but resorts to unfair or un-
worthy means to achieve his end, he is no
better than the lowest trlcksters.
Let me make myself understood in re-
gard to the term Professionals. There
are two kinds. One kind engage in the
work in order to earn an honest living;
some teach in gymnasiums, some as swim
ming teachers; others engage in athletic
competitions, such as running or rowing,
for what they can honestly make out
of their speed or skill. Still others be-
come pug1lists and seldom have any re-
gard for athletic ethics, although there
are exceptions. But there is another class
who engage in the work for what they can
make at it regardless of whom they can
bleed.
Now, if man engages in competition,
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16
GREAT MENTAL
CALCULATIONS
IlIiterate Boys Who Astonished
the World With Jheir Mathe-
metical Feats

With but few exceptions the great
mental calculators known to fame have
been of humble origin and uneducated
and have not distinguished themselves in
any other sphere of activity. Thomas
Fuller, 1.-THE Virginian calculator" was q
slave who could neither read nor write
and he died as ignorant as ever at the age
OF so. Jedediah Buxton, who was examined
by the Royal Society of London toward
the middle of last century, could find
mentally in five hours the exact number
of cubic eighths of an inch in a body
measuring 90, AS, 789 yards by 5,642, 1872
yards by 81 ,965 yards, but could not write
his own name. When taken to see Gar
rick in Richard III' at Drury Lane his
sole criticism was to the effect that the to-
tai number of words uttered was Il, AS,
the number in Garrick's part being regis
tered separately. Like Pascal, Ampere
and Gauss, the celebrated mathematicians,
showed precocity as children with regard
to figures, but their subsequent devotion
to mathematics served to overshadow
their capabilities as calculators. Zerah
Colburn, born at Vermont in 1904, does
not appear to have had any particular
education. His photographed account
of his performances is exceedingly bonn
oastic and probably untrustworthy. He
seems. moreover, to have lost his powers
at the comparatively early age of 20.
Mangiamele, Sicilian herdboy, who, at
the age of 10. was presented by Arago to
the Academy of Sciences in Paris, and
who, among other feats, extracted the
cube root of 3,796, 416 & 1867 in thirty
seconds, was totally illiterate. Dase, born
voted his faculty to the composition of
tables of logarithms. He Is said to have
multiplied together mentally two num-
bers of 100 figures each in eight and three
quarter hours The problem no doubt
could be done more rapidly by good cal
culator in the ordinary way, but the effort
of memory demanded by its mental solu-
ton is simply stupendous. 1t is noted
that Dase possessed remarkable rapidity
of perception and visual memory with re-
gard to objects seen, as, for example, in
recognizing the ber of volumes in a
library. Henri Mondeux. who was also
the subject of examination by the Aca-
deny of Sciences, was born in 1926, and
was the son of poor wood-cutter OF
Tours. In addition to feats of the usual
kind he was capable OF solving questions
of an indeterminate nature. Thus, when
asked to find two numbers of which the
squares differ by 133, he gave Immediately
Sc and 81. A smp pier solution being re-
quested he then gave, after moments s re-
fection, 6 and 13 Mondeux, like other
great calculators, had a very bad memory
for other things, such as the names of
places and persons. He died in obsc1rity
in 1862. George Bidder, the English
Calculating Boy and civil engineer,
must be distinguished as almost the only
great mental calculator who, while retain-
ing his abilities as such, attained an emf
nent position in another walk of life.
---------------------
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

the name of Caspar Whitney. This young
man has attracted considerable attention
by reason of his remarks concerning peo-
pie and things, and among others the Pa
chic Coast and the athletes of the Far
West.
Whether his allegations are correct or
otherwise will not at present discuss:
unfortunately there are many things con-
nected with our amateur athletic affairs
that need severe overhauling, but am
nrmly convinced that the officers of the
Pacifc Athletic Association are conscien-
tiously trying to do their duty. Consider
ing the odds under which thev labor
think they have succeeded remarkably
well, for the clubs, and particularly the
athletes, have wholesome respect for the
central organization, which is saving a
great deal. Very few people know what
an orthodox amateur is; and when that is
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16
Still One Use
For Cobble Stones

Just below the eastside crossing OF the
intersection of Montgomery and CONNER
cial streets there is a cob pled area of street.
paving which has passed through success
siye gradations of deterioration until
finally it has reached the stare OF ruin.
Draws have pounded away at the cobbles
until some have split and others have be-
come loosened from their setting in sand.
which may have been at that place soon
after the tide had ceased TO run up to
Montgomery street, and possibly about
the period when that stout vessel, the
famous Mantle, sank at the present corner
of CLAW and Sansome streets. But even a
ruined pavement has its uses for the in
genious small boys of San Francisco. So
it happened yesterday morning that the
basaltic baubles, which were, erstwhile.
thunder-provoking pavements, were in
process OF collection by three very small
children of the streets, who shouted Rah,
'rah, 'rahl'' and the rest of the University
of California yell, which had been picked
up by the precocious youngsters on the
outskirts OF surreptitiously enjoyed foot
ball game.
"Rah, 'rah, 'rah," they sang and gath
cred up great cobbles into their cloth caps.
one big stone for each small boy.
''Here, what are you up tor' demanded
passer.
No answer.
'Pll give you nickel if you will tell
me what you are going to do with those
cobbles."
Gimme the nickel first"
The coin of the realm was nrodnoad -
when grimy fingers had clutched it the
leader of the lads said with a sudden and
strange shyness and ditidence: 1--WE are
going to play house with them.n
That is the way children along the
country lanes of New England .smaEe
houses under the shady trees; ..houses, >
tne memories OF the lost associations of
which cause wealthy occupants of man
sions to drop furtive tears as the familiar
scenes OF childhood are revisited in later
years, and other children are found to be
Dulioing other houses on the old spot.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16
TRIPLES LIGHT AS AIR
Yet These Little Things May Make or Mar
Health and Beauty

Portia and I were playing battledore IN
the long hall. This is an old-fashioned
amusement, by the way-long since for
gotten IN our eagerness to fence
and box, to ride a wheel or swing
the clubs. Nevertheless, l question
whittier any of these muscle devel-
oplng accomplishments are OF more
real value than the graceful old game.
Those stately ladies and slender maldens
who still live upon great canyases; who
are associated in our minds with ancestral
halls and courtly charms; who knew how
to descend stair or cross a floor with
firm, light grace and a dignity to which
even our athletic girl nowadays seldom
attains-those ladies and maidens used to
play "battledore" and ''graces" in the
great halls and on the terraces, and the
diversion must have been great help in
developing the polse and balance and
graceful dignity, the fame of which still
lives. Our young ladies' seminaries that
set girls to climbing ladders and lifting
weights to the time OF the gymnasium
piano would do well to revive these old
games. They are capital for developing
the chest, for training the eye, for
strengthening and suppling and round
ing the wrist and arm, and for giving con-
troll over those unruly members of grow
ing girlhood, the elbows They are full of
demand, not so much upon strength as
upon agility and dexterity. Quick turns,
light springs, swift little runs, deft man
ipulatlons and delightful fun make them
the most spontaneous of exercises.
The athletic girl is apt to regard them
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16
ONCE He HAD
MONEY TO BURN
Now Captain DANES Collins Asks
for Free License to Run
a Fruitstand

A few days ago an aged man of stalwart
iorm appeared before the License Commit
tee OF the Board of Supervisors and re-
quested the favor of free license. He
was well known to every member of the
committee and they were stricken with
surprise at the unusual appeal.
The applicant was Captain James w.
Collins, pioneer and resident of this
State since 1855, during which time many
fortunes have slipped through his hands.
he raised family, all of whoni have
grown to mature years and are scattered
abroad. The loss of his wife has left him
solitary and alone in his old age. Though
crippled from accidents in early life, the
form of the captain is as straight as that
of the proverbial Indian, and the dark
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

Athletic honor would be in a very bad way
on the Pacific Coast were it not for the sturdy
efforts of John Elliot. For years he has stood
as bulwark against those in the Pacific Ath-
letic Association and in the Olympic Club who
have sought to chalk over the line of demarca-
ton between the professional and the anna
teur He has been first and foremost in de-
claring to both classes by word and by pen,
Thus far shalt thou go and no farther" His
recent determined stand was actuated by q
sincere desire to preserve the integrity of the
laws OF athletics.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

The recognized leader of amateur athletics
in America is unquestionably the subject of
our SKETCH William B. Curtis. Until last year
he had held the most responsible positions in
the Amateur Athletic Union, holding the Office
OF president as a finishing touch to his career
HIS experience in athletic exercises over since
the close OF the war, including sprint running,
weight-lifting and throwing and rowing, in all
OF which he was foremost in his day, his posi-
tion as managing editor oil the Spirit OF the
Times OF New York, and above all, his uncom-
promising attitude on records and the defini-
ton OF an amateur have given him his envi-
able position as the father of athletics.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

The largest oak tree now STANDING in
Great Britain is that known as the ,.cow-
tnorpe. 1t is seventy-eight feet in cir
cumierence at the ground and about 1916
feet high.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

AT various times during the existence
of the Roman empire loyal subjects wore
in their rings portraits of the reigning EN-
peror.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

The practice of the harp has almost died
out in Wales.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16

ay up, gold as Suitable by way of recon-
u It" - b mendation to the United
xii "a. States Government tor its
financial policy.
Iisdom cannot Useful for those who hold
'e gotten for that the tariff is the para
old nor silver" mount issue.
OBJ xxiii:10.
'hich shall not Another nicely turned end
egard silver or ing for tariff speech.
Q d. Isaiah
,iii:17.
gathered me Can be used to describe the
.lso silver and condition of the Demo-
old. - Ecclesi- cratic party anterior to
stes :S. the Chicago convention.
nd take double supposed scriptural au-
money in your thority for the double
nd.s'-Genesis standard. Bimetallists
,liii:12. will please note.
e hath taken Descriptive OF a portion of
ag OF money Mr.. Cleveland's luggage
' fth him. when he leaves the White
Proverbs yii:2O House. Senator Tillman
will doubtless express his
thanks for this little cam
paign pointer.
here was much A campaign truism, show
money in the ing the condition of the
b e st. III United States treasury at
Kings x:8 the conclusion of Benja-
min Harrison's term of
service.
e shall sit as To be used as q campaign
efiner and puri- promise by the adherents
Ter of silver OF Mr.. Bryan.
E. ELIAS.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-08-19
Prices of Gold and Silver.

1t is oftcH objected that the Prices Of
gold and silver cannot hc fixed in relation
to each other Ec:.;li:Sc of The v;lri;itiol IL
the relative production OF The metals. ! his
argument also overl okS the fact that. ii
the demand for 10th metals at ii 1iXc;i price
i; greater than the supply OF 10th. relative
production becomes immatc.ial. In the
early part of the present century the an
nual production of silver Was worth, II
the coinage ratio, about three times a$
much rs tic annual production OF gold.
whereas, soon after 1919, the annual pro
ducrion of gold became worth about three
times as much. ut the coinage ratio. us IN"
annual production of silver, ard yet. ON
ing to the maintenance of the bimctaliic
standard, these enormous changes in rcla-
tive production had but a slight effect up
on the relative values of the metals.
If it is asserted by our opponents that
the free coinage Of silver is intended only
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-11
MICHIGAN's VIEW.
Detroit Tribune CRep.) Declares Bryan
Strong-Free Press Pouts.

Detroit, July 1.-THE Tribune says:
The Democrats nominate the best
man available when they nominated
William J. Bryan. It is not to be de-
MED he will give Mckinley q run for
his money. The report that the gold
Democrats will put up a ticket is in
credible. The gold people would not
permit any such ruinous division of
their forces.
The Free Press CDem) says: Though
selected without deliberate regard for
the fitness of things, the nominee will
find himself very much at home upon
the platform. Bland was the original
free coinage mover and the really logi-
cal candidate. The free silver men can
not complain should gold men in the
Democratic party decline to support
their platform and candidates. They
have done all they could do to make it
impossible for such men to do so.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-11

There are times for all things. Among
them is the time for wheelman to look
backward. This is when he is about to
turn into side street or into any course
which is at right angles to the one he has
taken. This viii perhaps prevent him from
being mutilated by the scorcher who may
be pedaling heedlessly along behind him.
But men who, leading in race, turn their
heads to look back over a field run great
risk of being disqualified, for the rule
framed by the L. A. W. to keep the racers
facing the front is to be rigidly enforced
1t is a good rule, and conservative cyclists
all approve it. At recent local meets
throughout the country the rule has been
frequently disregarded by riders, and
many severe fines have been the conse-
quence. This sort of rigorous treatment
will eventually, perhaps, induce the fier
to keep his eyes to the fore and attend to
business
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-11
TODAY'S MARKET REPORT.
Furnished by the Associated Press to
the State Journal

Chicago, July 1.-THE dread of gov
eminent crop report seemed to have
disappeared today and opening steady
partially unchanged. There was con-
siderable trading by buyers having
long lines out, and September wheat
opened at $3.50 sc. advanced steadily
ia 5614c. At top local and outside mar
kets created weaker feeling and Sep
TENDER declined to 555s0Ac.
Corn helped by early frmness Of
wheat and reduced rates east.
September opened unchanged at 26$c,
advanced to 277sc, easing off again to
2675@27c.
Oats firmer in sympathy with wheat
and corn. September opened unchang-
ed at 1880 and advanced to 1910.
Provisions strong on better tone hog
market, and advanced. September
pork opened 10c higher at $3.50, declined
to $3.50 and reacted to opening price.
September lard opened sc higher at
$3.50 and advanced to 3-777k. September
ribs opened 21zc higher at $3.627z, ad-
Vancing to SIS. IS.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-11

"Have you lived right here in this house
all of your lifeq'' asked tourist of New
Hampshire Octogenarian.
''Weu, purity much all my life. might
say all my life, 'ceptin when I've been
trav'lin 'raound- I've done a heap O.
trav lin in my day. F"
Have you ever been abroad"
''Well, no, not to say abroad exactly, but
I've been araound purity considerable. I
was over in Louisville in 1857 an staid a
hull week Then in 1864 1 was down in
Elderberryvale two nights an day, an in
the spring O 20 took trip out to Peter
vile, 70 teen miles from here, an was gone
a week 1acl1in one day. Yes, sirl An in
1879 [ took in the county fair at Jasper
town, an that ended my trav'l lin. 1 amt
been to YUlrrup exactly, but [ reckon I've
seen the biggest part O. the rest o the
world, I reckon hev. New York Sun
dav World