davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
Easily Done.

She was young and pretty and alone.
says the Detroit Tribune Her bicycle cos
tune was neat trim, and becoming, and
mounted upon a wheel she fioated along
over the smooth paths and roads, the Gym
osCre OF many admiring masculine eyes
and perhaps the envy of many feminine.
she was enjoying The Pleasures of an al
ternoon spin on Belle Isle The exercise
had tinted her cheeks with a pink glow
or the kind that never saw the inside of
a drug store, and that always will battle
the art of the chemist, and her eyes were
glStenlng with the eXhilaration of health.
She was riding up Central avenue and
had reached point about midway between
the '7slnQ and the 400, when she met with
an annoyance that ladies riding alone are
frequently subjected to, but which this
young woman disposed of in most re-
freshing and novel manner. The annoyance
manifested itself in the form OF a dudish
young man of the masher species. He
rode a bicycle, wore golf hose, pink shirt
had MS halr parted accurately in the mid
Ole, and was possessed of assurance large
ly an excess of his stock of common sense.
Beg pardon said he, riding alongside.
and lifting his cap with a smile that was
intended to be perfectly irresistible, but
haven't we met before?"
She answered him by throwing him
look that would have withered anything
less fresh, and moved over to the further
side of the avenue. Nothing abashed, he
followed suit, and with another bow and
mounted bicycle will permit, said:
II hope I am not intruding, but
IOu dlt ulIuuiHS, SIT. L 40 not huOW
you and do not wish to talk to YOU
well, If you don't know me, let us get
acquainted. You know"
Slackening her speed, she had suddenly
dismounted, and, leaning over her wheel
began to carefully examine one of the ped
ais. He was off his machine in an instant
ALLOW me to assist yOu,' said he, quick
ly Selling the opportunity presented.
She said nothing, but releasing her wheel
to him took his to hold, while he went
down on his knees to the offending pedal
He was no sooner on his marrows, with
his face to the ground, than she deity
extracted a hairpin from her Fedora and
quickly inserted the point into the rear
tire of his wheel. By the time he had dis
covered there was absolutely nothing
wrong with the pedal and that it was
working as smoothly as mechanical skill
and bicycle oil could make it, the hairpin
was resting incffensively in its proper
place.
AS she whirled merrily out the avenue a
would-be masher stood by his bicycle with
a tire as fiat as the proverbial pancake.
What his emotions were as she faded from
view among the trees VIII never be known,
but 1t was with crest-fallen countenance
that he slowly wheeled his machine over
to the bicycle tent for repairs
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
A sad Blow to Art.

my son was married last week. a club
woman remarked in a coterie of women
according to the Detroit Free Press, land
it was a sad occasion to me. Particularly
sad because of one great disillusion l had
to undergo. Years and years ago-twenty
years anyway-When John was a baby,
was a member of a china painting club
Decorative art was just in its infancy
here-from the impulse In art matters
1S76-and 1 was enthusiastically riding the
top wave. In my club were a number of
intimate friends and l conceived the
charming idea of painting a tea set for
my baby-John; each of my friends was to
paint me a plate, and the whole beautiful
and stored away until the dear cherub's
wedding day. All the other women
thought the idea was lovely and entered
into it with great zeal and interest-the
beautiful china was finished, admired ex-
travagantly by all concerned and then
packed away.
well, the other day when John an
nounced his engagement ! joyously broke
to him my great piece of information-his
bridal china in the attic. John is an artist
a foreboding flicker of amusement in his
eye when l told him of the exquisite tea
set A few days before the wedding he
said: Come, mother let's go up in the
attic and see my bridal china We went
and carefully unpacked the boxes-John,
just like a man, whistled as piece after
piece was taken out, then he said bru-
tally: No, dear little mother; not on your
sweet life-thiS tea sea was never paint
ed for me- / couldn't cry because l had
/ gave all my friends luncheon on their
china and mine; we had a world of fun
over ii, and the one who painted the
worst plate received a handsome prize"
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
Taxing Lie Insurance Policies.

The author Of the bill to tax the sur
render value Of life insurance policies
states that the amount of life insurance
carried in this state is several mill
lions of dollars. That statement gives
the, impression that that amount Of prop
erty escapes taxation. The face value of
policies, however, is vastly different from
the surrender value While the face val
Ne may be many millions, the surrender
value may be only a few thousands. And
how is the surrender value of a policy to
be obtained? It is pretty safe to say the
majority of policies have no cash sur
render value. Some of chem have, but 1t
is so Insignificant that a tax on such val
ues would not give the state very much.
The original proposition was to tax life
policies at their face value. That was so
inequitable and unjust that it was aban-
doned. But is it not about as unjust to
tax anything so indefinite as the sur
render value of life policies? 1t has been
the policy of the different states to say
nothing about life policies in making out
the lists of taxable property, deeming 1t
the wiser course to encourage life insur-
ance as method of providing for ones
family, and knowing that the proceeds of
the policies, when collected, would be sub
ject to taxation. 1t would be interesting
to know, therefore, why it is that it is
proposed that Georgia shall abandon that
policy.
The question: may be asked, and very
pertinent question 1t is, that If the sur
render value of life policies Is property
to be taxed, why isn't the surrender value
of a fire policy also taxable? And If these
forms of contracts are regarded as hav-
ing the taxable value, why not tax other
forms of contracts which have cash sur
render value?
If the legislature should begin taxing
such values as the surrender value of life
policies, 1t would open the way for great
deal of trouble for itself and the tax re-
ceivers. because there are many other
kinds of contracts which have a surren-
der value which it would be as just to
tax as to tax the eurrender value of life
policies. AS a matter of fact, life COM
panies are pretty heavily taxed now in
this state-that is, their agents are taxed
in each county for doing businessman
In some of the counties the tax is
pretty heavy one. These county and city
taxes the policy holders have to pay. They
are all taken into account in the premiums
which they pay. To put another and
direct tax upon them would so discourage
many of them that they would prefer to
lose what they have paid rather than con-
tlnue the struggle to keep their policies
alive Wise legislation consists in doing
what will help the people to bring COM
fort and happiness into their homes, not
in lessening the chances of wives and
children for enough to keep the wolf from
the door when the breadwinner is remov-
ed.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
Lynching; the Cause and the Cure


1t is understood that the legislature will
this week take up the matter of lynch
ing, and see if it can do anything in the
way of lessening that form of lawless-
ness in Georgia. 1t will be remembered
that Gov. Atkinson took strong grounds
with regard to the matter in his mes
sage among other things suggesting that
in cases of emergency prisoners be armed
in order that they might defend their
lives against mobs. His several sugges-
tons and recommendations, however. are
stin fresh in the minds of the people.
1t is an open question if a majority of
the members of the legislature will be
found in line with the governors ideas
when the subject comes up for debate
and action. In order to feel the legisla-
tive pulse the Atlanta Journal the other
day interviewed a number of representa-
tives and senators with regard to the mat
ter. While each one spoken to deplored
lynchings, there were very few of them
that thought the state could do anything
to lessen the liability of the mob to take
the law into its own hands or to diminish
the number of lynchings. The burden of
nearly every interview was, There will be
lynchings so long as the one heinous crime
which most frequently leads to lynching
is committed, no matter what action the
legislature may take; remove the crime
and lynchings will cease. 'If you want to
stop lynching In Georgia." said Repre-
sentative Taylor whose interview Is a
typical one, "you must first prevent the
crime that leads up to it,
Does lynching prevent the crime; does
1t even lessen the number of such crimes?
The evidences go to show that 1t does
not The fact is that as the number of
lynchings has increased. so has the num-
Der of assaults upon women increased. So
far from proving a deterrent. lynching
seems actually to have stimulated the
criminal spirit. Lawlessness begets law
lessness, and when criminally inclined
persons see the law and the courts set
at defiance by mobs of lynchers. they are
emboldened to defy the law and the courts,
as individuals. Whatever tends to bring
the machinery of justice into disrepute
tends also to increase vice and crime.
Lynching, therefore, is not a prevent
i've, but on the other hand, seems rather
to be attended with an increase in the
crime in question. How can the crime
be stopped? That is a question requiring
deepest study. In order to put an end
to the crime, the class of persons who
commit il must be civilized. The means
to that end are manifold. The leaders of
the black race must lift up their fellows,
a respect for law and order Meantime
everything possible should be done to pre-
vent lynching. Mob law will not remove
the cause which most frequently leads to
! lynching.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
why She Wept.

A Cleveland landlord has one of his
houses tenanted by family that is out of
all proportion to the size of the dwelling.
says the Plain Dealer In fact, he strongly
suspects that there are at least two dis
tinct families in the house, and he is quite
anxious to get rid of them. He doesn't
want to turn them out, and he has been
hoping they would take the frequent hints
he gives them and seek some other loca-
ton Lately they have complained of a
leaky roof, but the landlord has determin-
ed to make no repairs until they leave
A few days ago the head of the house
hold waited on him.
''Well, sor,'' he said, that roof has been
leakin agin."
HAS it?" said the landlord.
"Yis, sor. 1t leaks right over me sisters
bed Draps right down on her, sor This
marnin' she came out O. the room a-cryin',
sor. 1t had been raining on her all night.
well, why in Tophet," inquired the
landlord, didn't she move the bed?"
"Twasn't that. sor,'' hastily remarked
the tenant. 'STwasn't that"
What allied her, then?"
why, you see, sor. she We're jlst a-cry-
in because it reminded her so much of
home"
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
Pension Business overdone.

1t is time that steps were being taken
to check the increase in the pension roll
Notwithstanding the number of union vet
Grams who have died since the payment of
pensions to that class of pensioners be-
gan. there are a great many more names
on the pension roll than there have been
at any previous time, and the commits
sioner of pensions estimates that it will
require 100000 more for pensions during
the next fiscal year than was required for
this year
One reason for this increase of the num-
Der of names on the pension roll is that
the widows of the veterans who have pen
sions under the general pension laws are
allowed pensions. Thousands of veter-
ans when they are about ready to take
their departure from this world marry
young women. Very few of them are re-
sponsible probably for doing so. The wo-
men want to marry them in order to get
pensions, and, being young, hundreds and
| thousands of them will be drawing pen
| sons a half a century hence.
! The Secretary of the Interior and the
commissioner of pensions will call the at
tention of congress to the need of legis-
lation putting a stop to this widow PEN
sion business. These widows suffered
nothing of the trials and fluctuations of
the war. They were not born when the
war ended. Why then should they live on
the bounty of the government? There
isn't single satisfactory reason which
can be advanced in their behalf. Keep
| the widows off the pension roll and ~ will
not be many years before there will be a
very great decrease in the number of pen
| sioners.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
Legal Light on Base bal.

"Why do pitchers make such bad bats
men? l can tell you said the lawyer
in the party, according to the Newark
Advertiser. The doctor had put the ques-
ton to the banker who had confessed he
did not know. All three were enthusiasts
tic lovers of the national game, and in
their chat upon it at the club had exhaust
ed about every other phase of 1t.
1T is a psychological problem" began
the lawyer in answer, and / know why
the pitchers swing wide of the ball be-
cause of an experience of mine. 1t may
truly be said, think that the lawyer and
the witness stand in about the same rela-
ton as the pitcher and the batter.
Now the lawyer makes the worst kind
of a Witness just as the pitcher makes the
poorest batter. The experience referred
to above has taught me that. You know
that am not prone TO lying, and fiatter
myself the world that knows me believes
me truthful.
"Wel 1 was recently called to the wit
ness stand. What l intended to say was
clear shaped in my mind before l was
sworn. But once sworn everything was
different. was two hours upon the
stand. In that time 1 told two separate
and distinct stories, each fatty contradict
ing the other, and neither like what had
intended to testify.
1.-THE sitting judge knew I would have
told the truth-if L could. Everybody in
court saw that I was in a tangle. My teS-
timony didn't count one way or another.
had been struck out.
"And that, I take it, Is how the pitcher
fares at the bat"
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
The LeeisIature md Its Work.

The session of the legislature is much
more than half gone, and what has been
accomplished? Has any really important
measure been passed? If so, what is it?
Pretty nearly the whole of the last week
was wasted. 1t was impossible to obtain
a quorum on some days. Members were
away from their seats, either attending to
their private business affairs or enjoying
themselves at home. But they will draw
their per diem. They Will be on hand when
pay day comes around
And yet prominent and influential mem
bers contend that there is not time to set
tie the convict question during this ses-
sion. No. there isn't time If the legisla-
ture hasn't the ability to settle it or II the
members fail to attend the daily
sessions regularly If the mem
bers felt their responsibility as
they ought to feel it they would
hold two sessions a day, and even have
evening sessions, if necessary, in order to
get through with the public business.
The time that is wasted on petty
local ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS which will new
er be heard of after the legislature ad-
journs-is sufficient to make the intelli-
gent citizen wonder whether the average
legislator has a conscience. And there are
some general bills which are of no account.
Take, for instance, the bill relative to the
adulteraton of flour! What's the good
of making it a law unless provision is
made for inspecting all the flour which
comes into the state? We have laws now
against adulterating food products, but
who pays any attention to them? There
is the law relating to oleomargarine! Ism
it dead letter? 1t is all right to try to
give the people pure food, but when pure
food laws are enacted why not make pro-
vision for enforcing them?
There is too much reform in this legis-
lature and too little work The legisla-
ture will disappear without leaving any
work worth remembering. The state
would be better off anyway if the meeting
of the legislature were confined to one
session of thirty days or less.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
BRIGHT BITS.

did you notice. deah boy, that some
lucky fellow has bought the pwince's
yacht?"
''Deah me, I should think 1t would be
so pWecious that he'd nevah want to get
it wet!-Cleveland Plain Dealer.
-Bullett-Lambley made $4,000 by a
single transaction in oil yesterday.
Bearett.Is it possible? How did he
Bullett-A rich aunt of his tried to start
a fire with a can of it.-Chicago Daily
News.
what pretty illuminated cardsp' ex-
claimed one woman. ''That one with the
motto; Honesty is the best policy is es-
pecially nice"
them from Europe, and the best of it is
got them through, with a lot of other
things, without paying a cent of duty
Washington Star.
Bringing 1t up to Date-The park COM
mission was ordering statue.
Il suppose said the sculptor, "that
you want this warrior mounted"
Yes, yes, of course" replied the spokes-
man.. He ought to be mounted, unques-
tionably; but just now you'd better con-
hne your work to the figure of the man.
and We'll tell you later whether to put ii
on a horse or a bicycle. "-Chicago Even
ing Post.
Her Infuence-"Goodnes alive! ejac.
ulated good old Mrs. Honk, in horror, look
ing up from her newspaper 81 didn't
know there were cannibals out in Kan
sas"
''Cannibalsp' snorted her husband
What in the world are you talking about
Debby?'
why, 1 have just been reading an item
In this paper that Cousin Eli, who lives
out there sent us, which says that the
Imperial hotel had a couple of Chicago
capitalists for dinner yesterday PUCK
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
Currency Reform Talk.

Are we 10 have an ocean of currency re-
form talk without a single practical effort
to solve the currency reform problem?
The speech of Secretary of the Treasury
Gage at the New York Chamber of Com
merce dinner a few days ago on the cur
rency question is admitted to be an excel
lent one and yet it did not go into details
sufficiently to be wholly satisfactory. No
doubt the secretary thought it the wiser
plan to keep details of his currency reform
scheme secret until the meeting of con-
gress. To publish the details now would
he TO give those who are opposed to every
scheme except their own, a chance to at
tack it and prejudice the minds Of con-
gressmen against it before they are ready
to give it careful consideration.
1t is going to be a difficult matter to get
congress to pass currency reform meas
ure for two reasons. The first is that
politics is bound to play an important part
in the matter and the second is that there
are so many people who want the curren-
cy reformed at some other time than the
present and in some other way than that
proposed by those chosen to present
feasible plan for the settlement of the cur
rency question that it is difficult to get any
concert of action.
1t is apparent that nothing whatever
viii be accomplished as long as an effort
to adopt sonte definite plan is not made. A
suggestion iIas been made by some writer
who has given attention to the currency
question that the plan of the Secretary of
the Treasury be taken up first in congress,
and if he cannot answer satisfactorily the
objections to 1t let 1t be withdrawn and
some other mans plan be brought forward.
Let this be kept up until a plan is found
which can be defended successfully
against any attack which may be made
upon. it. When such a plan is found let
1t be adopted. The suggestion appears to
be a good one. and it might not take so
very long to find the plan that could be
successfully defended.
1t doesn't look now as If there would be
any currency reform legislation at this
session of congress. Still, it is the unex-
pected which happens.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28
PER SONAL.

Frank Mark of st. Louis is the only
pensioner in Missouri, who is awarded s1O0
a month, yet he was in the army only
sixteen Gays and did not a fight a battle
lie lost both arms in cannon practice.
An American girl who recenSy had an
interview with Mr.. Gladstone, saws that.
though he is older than the queen, he looks
much younger and still carries himself as
erect as most men twenty years his junior.
-RevF Frank De Witt TaImage, son of the
famous Washington preacher, remarked in
late sermon: do you know that as a
rule the greatest misfortune happening to
one as 10 be lullabied in the lap of luxury ?
Inc only dead failures some of the mer
chants nave ever made are their sons of
Whom they are ashamed"
According to the London News the
newly appointed German secretary of state
for foreign affairs, Mr.. Won Buelow. is a
man OF the world and a diplomatist above
everything. He is extremely amiable buf
his brilliant converse ton always reminds
one of Talleyrand's aphorism about the
purpose of language.
Lewis Douglass of Washington has
presented life-sized portrait of his faith
er, the late Frederick Douglass. to the
BoWdoln grammar school for girls i'm
Boston and 1t has been hung up in the
man school room. 1t is said to be the
nrst portrait of a negro American ever
hung in public school house north of
Mason and Dixion's line
The death of Rev Edward Bradley at
New York was remarkable for the circum-
stance that he was curate in an Episcopal
church of which his son, Rev. Edward A.
Bradley, is vicar. The curate was nearly
rs years old, and did not enter into the
ministry until he was so. For the last six
years ne mas been his sons assistant at
st. Agnes chapel on Ninety-second street.
mission of Trinity church
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-28

The Klondlke excitement has doomed
the gold brick business, with the ex-
ceptlon that the gold bricks have given
way to gold dust from the far north"
The other day two rough individuals. who
claimed they were just from the Klondike,
struck Cleveland o. They had with them
several bags of gold dust" which they
declared they had panned out with their
own hands. Being of liberal disposition,
they agreed to let Max Bernstein have
sxty-seven pounds of it for $4,000. Not
ing what a bargain he was getting, or
thought he was getting, Bernstein put up
the cash, and the Klondikers disappeared
with it. Upon investigation, the purchaser
discovered that he had bought sixty-seven
pounds of brass filings and sand,