davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1897-08-01

Transition" is published anonymously,
but it beckous the reader to no inquiry,
and there is no disappointment except in
the tediun of the story. Itis written by the
author of "a Superfluous Woman We
have never read this novel, and we never
will, having SO impressive a clew to the
author as his or her identity with the per-
petrator of 'sTransition."
Reading through this story is like a
sprint through mud. Mud in its perverted
sense only is filth. 1t is not meant that
Transition is filth. Mud is a oombina-
tion of water and soil an d the water may
be ever SO pure and the soil ever so fertile,
the sprint may strengthen our muscles,
but the whole performance is apt 10 be
tedious. That's the effect of s'Trans-
tiol." You ale too nearly tagged out all
the way througha and so absolutely exhausted
at the finish to have much idea of the char
acter of what you have gone over.
1t Is an English story about personal,
social, moral and religious problems. The
heroine is a gilt-edged and morocco bound
graduate of a higher female college and
she enters life and the novel with lofty
notions about all the isms and ologies She
devotes number of pages to decoratin .
her home, an even larger number to lis
tening to the father air his condition of
conscience on the tithes question; then size
rows with a man she has real tenderness
for because he won't subscribe to all she
does; she permits herself to be influenced
by an even more radical woman than her
self, but winds mp by awakening to tine
golden glory of passion and telling her
''gcntleman friend' that she had '"grea
need Of love- with a grave and lovely
smile
Weak moments come to all publishers and
1T was u weak moment when the autflor
Of "A Superfluous Woman put salt on
the tail OF the publisher of ''Transition''
Yet there be those doubtless who viii read
the paper-back and tangling themselves in
the meshes Of this authors inscrtiblity
viii cry out in peans for very JOY Of the
supposed cleverness OF the trick Even
though you blindfold some people and lead
them into the dark. it is not hard to con-
vince them that all that stands between
them and binding brilliancy is a bandage
1t is published in Lppincott's Select Series,
and with regard to the discrepancy in the
use of the adjective tselect), in this III
stance. 1t may he said that this novel lis
the exception which proves the rul 9
| tPhiladeIphia. Ldppincott & Co. Wash
| ington: Woodward & Lothrop)
The times., 1897-08-01

The Century Company has just announced
an offer made by itself of three prizes OF
$3.50 each, to be given during -four success
sive years TO college graduates for excel
lencein literary work. Competition VIII be
open to all persons who, in any college or
university in the United States, receive the
degree OF bachelor OF arts during the COM
The times., 1897-08-01

Anonymity is rarely disappointing. AS a
rule, person who screens himself behind
fmpersonality is tiInid, Yet has nothing to
conceal except the incapacity which he
is ashamed 10 father But, like all good,
sound, general statements, this has its
exceptions Once in awhile an unfathered
book comes before the eye, graceful in
one ct'arm or another, and the little found.
ling, besides exciting admiration for its
own sake, stimulates regret for its par
ent's sake regret that we cannot pour out
into his ear the praise Of his child and
hold fits rrogenitor mp to his just mead
OF praise and fame. Such an one suppresses
himself, not for insipidity's sake, for that
doesn't exist in the premises, but 1t may
be depended upon for reasons OF convention.
and, ESPECIALLY in The case of satire on
Contemporaries, because of very nodesty
which does not permit a writer OF per-
Eonal sensitiveness to pose as ciowner OF
his elder brother
IL was hinted last Sunday that John
Lane had in preparation a little volume
f0n or the promise OF fun- Ia IL Richard
lie Gallienne was TO he satiIized through
the medium OF bis latest book The Quest
The times., 1897-08-01


uaulin Garland grows better. He is
more maGdre, more secure, more effective.
He succeeding admirably with hisscheme
of drawing middle class Chicago and
Illinois people into literature Moth
Ing could be more approximately faultless
Lhan the eight tales of his latest volume
Of last week, "Wayside Courtships." yet
all the types are declaIatively and IN
nistakahly Chicagoan- Several other
writers have failed On this effort and 1T
goes 10 show that the fault was not with
Chicago aud its types, as supposed, but in
the dcsineation.
Mr. GaIland's stories sifted TO plot are
almost threacoare so far as words go. In
ga "a young man comes into a country neigh
horhond which is rent asunder 10y religious
and unneighhorly differences and inspired
10y young girl he evangelizes them into
CONGO 4 In another young college man
hires out below his social station TO a ranch
man and from the apparent discrepancy
In their positions I6ves his daughter and
woos her. In another a look agent
lOoses himself 20 the daughter OF d poor
boarding-aouse keeper. And SO on.
Ar. i3rland's device is in making all
these people eeompanionably human, and into
their hearts he puts what is reflected in
their lives. the most ennobling Of al pas
SONS, love. Love conquers even middle
class Chicago and middle-class Illinois,
ana We love them as they loved each
other. hr Garland's great gain is In
emo ional persuasion. In this he is very
powerful. He shows in these stories Il
sweeping power OF carrying bis readers
along to fullest sympathy with the people
and conditions be portrays almost to the
pohIt OF tears
The best undoubtedly, OF the courtships
is that OF the Preacher. At first one re-
CARDS him with too much toleration, per
haps, to call him fanatic, but not too
little 10 deaOnGnate him an enthusiast
But when he, the Baptist, gathers his fold
in the sciioolhpuse-the church is disnIan-
tied and neglected in the process of the
divisional strife-of both Baptist and
Ne hodist, and declares himself OF neither
one sect or another, but only a preacher
with call to unite this people; when the
hardened weaken at the dramatic revival:
when. after his sickness, they surprise
him with o restored church, our pulses
quicken, we beat in time with the inspira-
ton OF The story and recognize its per
suasive~ greatness and the genius of the
writer
At the beginning and at the end of the
book Mr.. Garland has short italicized
sketch, which he might call a prose poem,
or PASTEL IN prose, or an etching, or by
sorne other name to indicate that they
are not mere stories. They are not how
ever, nearly so good as the stories which
they flank. After this beautiful collection
Mr. Garland VIII have TO be treated Sc
riousy in the consideration of our besi
short story writers. New York: d. Ap
pleton 6 Co. Washington: Brentano.)
Anonymity is rarely disappointing. AS 4
rule, person who screens himself behint
fmpersonaiity is tiInid, Yet has nothing L
conceal except the incapscity which h
is ashamed 70 father But, like all good
The times., 1897-08-01

mencement seasons OF 1897, 1893. 1893
and 1900.
These are the three prizes: !. For the
best metricsl writing OF not fewer than
fifty lines 2. For the best essay in the
field OF biography, history, or literary
criticism of not fewer than 1000 nor more
than 5000 words. g. For the best story
OF not fewer than 4.00onor more than8, 900
words.
The young men who were graduated last
month will have the first opportunity TO
compete for these prizes Their work, un-
der the terms on which the prizes are
offered, muss be submitted before June Of
next year.
The times., 1897-08-01

The little toy shepherdess looked up
Where the books stood in a row.
"I wish ] could hear them talk, - she said;
"For 1T must be fine, know
The times., 1897-08-01

UdNIusOn Was dlsappOlnted
$50 the scnibblers say IN town.
When the Laureate was appointed.
Suli, he written For the Crown
Alfred Austin has been chary,
And his output sadly small.
But lie Il Work fOr his Canary
At the SeXagesimaL
Evening star., 1897-02-27
MIR. CLEPHANE's FAIRNESS.
How He Treated a Rival Newspape
In News Matters.

How He Treated a Rival Newspaper
In News Matters.
1.-THE late Lewis Clephane." says one Of
his old friends. was busy man all his
life 1t is not generally known that he was
at one time an avenue merchant, having
in the 4Os entered the lace and notion bus
mess on Pennsylvania avenue between 9th
and 10th streets. This he gave up when he
became the business manager Of the Ma
tional Era. of which DIR. Gamaliel Bailey
vas the editor: and he being Of the Same
political belief as DR.. Bailey, he greatly as
sisted in founding the party which espoused
the then advanced ideas promulgated by
the paper. After the death of Dr. Bal
ley in 1859, he, with others, established
the National Republican paper, and was
connected with 1t until he received the ap-
pointment of postmaster Of this city. He
however, never lost his interest in the
party he helped to form. Although he was
small and slight physically. he showed In
the attacks on the Era office, early In the
SOS. and on the Wigwam, corner of Indiana
avenue and I'd street, during the Lincoln
campaign, that he possessed a COURAGEOUS
spirit. An instance of his fairness came to
me when he was connected with the Re-
publican. The newspaper men knew that
he was likely to receive certain news, but
expected that he would give the Republi-
can the first show. A Star man was for
tunate enough to meet and ask him for It
before others had. and he at once gave
him the information. and when The Star
reporter thanked him and Acknowledged
that he had been agreeably surprised, he
replied: You were the first one to ask me.
and are entitled to 1t. OF course II would
be satisfaction for our paper to use it
first. but our reporters are not here" Thus
by following the principle .arst come, first
served he allowed his paper to be scooped. ."s
Evening star., 1897-02-27
AS A TOP SPINNER.
Mark Hanna Showed That He Could
Still Spin.


'The top season is now at its height
here" remarked Maj. Frank Mclaughlin.
land 1 notice that the boys take as much
interest in 1t as boys did when l was Of
the top age. 1t may be of some interest
to them to know that Mark Hanna, who
ate, was a famous top spinner In his days.
I was a boy with him, and know where
of I speak. Recently. when at Canton at
Maj. McKinley's house. he spoke about
tops. noticing some boys out in front Of
the Mckinley house pegging away with
their tops, and ventured the opinion that
he had not forgotten how to do It, Maj
Mckinley made a wager that Mr.. Hanna
could not make a top spin. and Mr.. Boyle
who acts as Maj. McKinley's private sec
retary, got a top from his son, and the
wager was settled, Mr.. Hanna demon
strating that he could spin 1t, though he
could only spin 1t girl fashion. Three
months ago 1 was in Paris and though
had often heard of whipping tops. never
Paris know nothing about spinning tops
with strings. the boys Of this country
spin them. Instead, they use a whip. a
long lash tied on the end of a stick, and,
with this they whip their tops into spin
and propel them about the streets spinning
l have seen boys there whip their tops
along the concrete streets for several
They never plug tops, as our boys do, but
content themselves with whipping them
along. the effort being to show which can
whip tops the greater distance. The French
tops are heavier and more clumsy than the
tops used in this country"
Evening star., 1897-02-27

ers and yet show such Indignation. I sup
pose she reserves her moral energy for
tyrants exclusively" The face OF the en-
thusiast showed signs of disbursement.
but he ignored the interruption and pro-
ceeded:
Then there's that of the District of CO.
lumbia: Justitia Omnibus"
Humphr' exclaimed the High School
girl. Il don't think that's a good one at
all! Anybody who has stood up in public
conveyances as often as 1 have will know
that an omnibus Is the last place in the
world where you are likely to get justice-'
1t took the patriot several seconds to
rally this time. but he went on:
Every one of them is an epic poem in
itself. In this era of light literature love
to recite these condensed classics over and
over again. New York's word of noble as
piratfon: Excelsior" Rhode Islands simple
message: 'Hoper that sturdy admonition to
the nation. pronounced in fraternal unison
by Kentucky. and Missouri: United we
stand; and divided We fall- There is not
one of them which does not speak to me
with vivid Inspiration
The young man with pale ewes who has
an unbroken record for stopping any con-
versation in which he joins, spoke up:
colonel, he said. lit seems to me that
you have skipped one of the most import
ant inscriptions of the whole lot 1t must
be exceedingly popular, for 1 see 1t two or
three times every time l turn a corner"
w hich one is that?"
Rooms for rent
Evening star., 1897-02-27
The Chicago stock Yards.

From the Chicago News.
1t is very interesting to watch the sale OF
horses in the arena at the yards. You enter
at large door and are introduced TO some
horsy-looking man, commonly red headed.
and then this course of secret society hail
ing and response is gone through before
you are considered as eligible for the high
er Slories of a place alongside the railing
of the arena:
so you're from Chicago Mr. BROWNE"
Yes"
Good town"
We think so up there"
But she amt in il with the National
yards on mules" very decisively.
All" says the candidate for the esquire
degree. rs that so? Do you think SOP
Think so? retorts the ed-haired chan
cellor commander. There's no call to
think. It's true.
''Yes?''
just wallops the dayiights out of Chi
cago on horse sales"
You don't say"
You bet L do. Why We send horses to
Germany. Arabia. Iceland. the South Pole
Saturn. the Milky Way and Neptune. our
sales and shipments last year were
And then he Poes on rolling ont ,.ioh.rs
and figures and statistics like a sort of vol
canic eruption. If you. the candidate for
further mysteries, are wise and cautious
you VIII assent to this yillanous insult to
your towns greatness and supremacy and
Will be allowed to approach the arena
and. indeed. may he given a cigar The
cigar. however, you should by no means
sn oke. 1t was made by an incomnefsnt
rlals were jimsonweed, and the maker was
In a hurry.
Evening star., 1897-02-27

generation and also the dangers OF nepot-
Ism are shown by the experience OF an on
cial who employed his son In his dnpart-
ment The youth is well hammered ana
agreeable. hut he is not naturally adapted
to toll His career in the haunts OF indus
try developed a great deal OF good inten-
ton. but very little actual result. To pre-
vent a recurrence of various embarrass-
ments his father summoned him and said:
Il think we had better make some sort
of a change in your position hefe'
But L am perfectly content" protested
the young man.
I'm glad to hear that. but I'm not
Haven't been working hard enough?'
You've been working altogether too
hard My desire Is to make IL easier for
you"
But / don't want IL any easierr'
was not proposing this for your own
sake; it's for the sake of the Office. The
trouble is that YOU are too energetic You
do altogether too much 1t requires more
time than can he spared from the regular
responsibilities OF this office to have the
Things You do gone over and properly re-
adjusted. All that I want YOU to do is 10
go oftener to matinees and base hall games
ana not give yourself so much concern
about serving your country"
In other words" was the d!sapuointed
reply, you think by a change in the duties
Oh my position you can increase the eff
cheney of your department"
Exactly"
Very well. sir. Your IDEAS about the
matter are. of course. to be respected But
nv ~ Is Just one thing that desire to say"
what is that?'
III You want me to stay here and do
less work. you'll have to give me more
money"
Evening star., 1897-02-27
OREGON WOMEN.
How They Were COaxed Into the Ter
ritOry In Early Days.

How They Were COaxed Into the Ter
ritOry In Early Days.
There are plenty of women in Oregon
now," observed prominent Oregon poll
tician, who is here to see that that state
is not forgotten In the matter Of patronage
during the next administration, but it is
within the memory Of many Of us when
women were very scarce there. We gave
1t out that we wanted them for school
teachers and the like and encouraged
them to come out there, but the truth was
the men wanted them for wives. remem-
ber once we sent young man to Massa-
chusetts. where he was well acquainted.
with orders to collect 100 young women and
to escort them back to Oregon. We guar
anteed every one of them one years en-
ployment. The active man in the matter
was fne-looking young man. who after
ward served two terms in Congress from
our state. He spent two months In select
ing the party and started west with them.
On the trip out he courted one Of the school
teachers on his own hook and actually got
her consent to marriage on the arrival Of
the train at Portland. The boys howled
considerably about it, claiming that he had
treated them unfairly, in having first
able material left. Some Of those women
are today the leading ladies Of the society
of the state. More than three-fourths Of
the hundred were married inside of three
years. and many in less than one year. A
few of the lot. however. are teaching school
there today not that they did not have any
offers but because they would not accept
any of the fellows who offered themselves.
Now that Senator Mitchell has about given
up his contest to return as senator, he will
likely be succeeded by q gentleman who
married one of the party of school teachers
to which 1 refer. He will bring his wife
here with him, and your Washington folks
can see for themselves the kind of ladies
we had out there for school teachers.
They can't be surpassed even If equaied
anywhere / may be an interested person.
though, for 1t happens that my wife was
ore of the same party"
Evening star., 1897-02-27
Extracting Gold.

From the Chicago Triiluac.
A process OF extracting gold by which
every particle Of the metal in the ore is ,e-
covered is stated TO be in successful opera
ton in West Australia. 1t is called the ore
atomic process. Gold quartz is crushed into
small Jumps and is then put into closed
chamber, subjected to the heat of a fur
mace, to the action of water and of hydro
gen gas. This eliminates sulphur and re-
duces all oxides 10 the metallic state After
being heated. the material is suddenly cool
ed by jets OF water-an operation repeated
several times till the quartz crumbles to
powder at the touch of the finger. 1t is
then thrown into a tank and the gold Is
separated by washing.
Evening star., 1897-02-27
Utilizing the Wolf.

From the New York P'ess
His faithful wife strove to comfort the
starving humorist. Take heart" she urged,
land write"
He gazed at the bare. cheerless walls and
fireless hearth II cannot he murmured;
"even now the wolf is at the door,
With the words a sudden Inspiration DART
ed into his face. Grasping an ak, he crawl
ed through a cellar window, and fell upon
the animal from behind.
That night the humorist. after the first
steak dinner he had eaten for weeks, wrote
nineteen cold storage sketches and eighty
eight wolf jokes.
Evening star., 1897-02-27
Written Exclusively for The Evening Star.
Promptly Resented.

Written Exclusively for The Evening Star.
Promptly Resented.
The incident was like the interruption
which thunder storm in the mountains
makes in the gentle melodies of shepherds
The young man could not realize what had
happened until 1t was all over, and ne has
wasted valuable hours trying to write a
letter that would cause a reconciliation
She is bright girl. If she were not she
could never display SO much ingenuity in
finding cause for indignation. Up to the
catastrophe conversation had been con-
Quoted in tones of dove-like amiability
She happened to cough slightly, and an ex-
preston of alarm crossed his face
You have coldI' he exclaimed.
''Yes. But it isn't serious
No one can speak with certainty in a
matter of that kind" replied the young
man, whom she has often blamed for his
extreme practically. ANY cold is serious
1t may progress until it wholly undermines
your health. 1 hope that you will take
care of your health; if not for your own
sake, for mine"
For your sake?" she repeated Her
teeth slowly clenched, and she added
measuring her sarcasm out syllable by
syllable: Perhaps l am not so dull as you
believe. I-think-I-un-der-s
OF course; l am interested in your well
fare"
b You are accustomed to take things very
literally
Il never claimed to be any creature of
fancies,' he replied, apologetically.
And, If you have not msquoted him, my
father told you the other evening that
am worth my weight in gold.''
Yes"
Il was afraid of itw she went on, re-
Strdining an argry Sob l knew that men
are mercenary hypCcriteS as rule, and you
are no exception. You've heard that old
story of fathers putting their daughters on
the scales and balancing them with money
fcr marriage portion ana you are getting
scared for feer l will get thin before the
wedding. l release you. We were not in
tended for each other. Your affinity is
some girl who will consent to eat nothing
but potatoes ard other fat-producing foods
and use ccd liver oil as a bev-bev-erager'
Evening star., 1897-02-27
LIrERATURn AND HACK WORK.
The Two H1as OgoLiterary Labor Def
fnitely SefoForh by an Expert With
IN A&XAmRHa. :

The Two Hlas oSaLiterary Labor Def
fnitely SefnForh by an Expert With
an ExamHle. q .s--.oi@ - A--.-ss-t.
aWashineto8 has q novice in the field Of
go IL may have. dozen eori two dozen, for
that matter. probably has. but there is
only one OF whom the following tale Is told,
and this may be votched for, r,,-..:. :..as.-..
NOW, the novice has a friend, who comes
down here occasionally from that heaven
OF the intelleetuals;p Boston, and this friend
had met onediparticplar Washington friend
OF the novice and, Father admired him. be-
cause he seemed tolbe somewhat of a prom
1sing flower in the feld of literature, as we
Know literature in Washington-contrast
1t with Boston Ss
The friend was taking pot luck" with
the novice In his den one day at noon, and
they were talking =i' :Hf ~ II ~ 4-a-
.! was just thinking" sighed the novice.
as he poured out bottle of beer, "of the
dear young fellow whom you met when
you broke bread with me here last"
The soulful youth" inquired the. friend,
VINO vowed upon stack Of lilies higher
than the monument that come what nigh
come he would never degrade his sublime
ioeal by the gross application of his genius
10 mack work. as so many did?"
AS am compelled to do sighed the
novice. making lightning calculation as
TO now many more verses Of poetry he
would have to write to pay for the beer
his visitor was drinking at that very mo-
ment
rs he the one?' asked the friend again
He is.'
TO judge from your gloomy thoughts -
said the friend, II should say he had at
last been forced to this ultimate degrada-
tion.'
Worse" groaned the novice
could there be anything worse than
hack work?" exclaimed the friend.
Yes," hoarse1y replied the novice. with
a weird shuddcr. Hack work isn't in 1t a
minute; he is driving street car in Balti-
more"
= 1t was wretched kind of a pun, of course,
hut the friend with religious care took it
back to Boston with him, and it is probably
being worked there now at least ten hours
a day, and boarded on beans.
Evening star., 1897-02-27
\ Satisfied Constituent.

Feiier says. he says ter me,
Don't you wish thet You could be
Ridin' in a keeridge fine
Whiles the others stood in line?
Where the flags is fiyin' gay
On Inauguration day,
Ez the idol of the crowd.
Wouldn't you feel mighty proudr'
Then l says. says / ter him,
"Tain't 70 use ter try ter trim
Hitchin' posts weth foliage fine;
He plays his part; l play mine.
How'd l feel amakin' bows?
How'd he look a-feedin' cows?
'Twould be painful fur ter see
Me ez him or him ez me-"