davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
MARTHA NORTON.
The Career of the Most Successful Woman
Dramatist Ia the World.

Ask the first ten important theatrical
managers you meet in New York or Lon
don who is the most successful woman
dramatist in the world, and nine of them
will unhesitatingly tell you Martha Nor
ton. The other one will probably select
Madeline Lucette Ryley.
Miss Morton Is no creature of circum-
stances. She has earned her present exalted
position in the world of theatrical literature
by dint of hard work, natural ability and
indefatigable energy. She is now so much
sought after by managers that she fire.
quently is obliged to reject commissions
for plays which many dramatists of ripper
experience would be delighted to accept.
1t would be difficult to select from Miss
Morton's plays her best work. There are
those who declare that "The Merchant"
will never be equaled by her, but unprej-
udiced judges assert that several OF her
works are superior to the play with which
she won the rich prizo offered by the New
York World.
Martha Morton was born in New York
about 36 years ago. She studied at the
Normal college, but, owing to ill health,
was prevented from taking diploma.
She went to Europe with her parents for
a change of air, and while in Europe
quickly became inspired with q deep love
for the fine arts. More especially she paid
attention to the drama. In London she
moved in literary and theatrical circles and
became friend of the family of Dutton
Cook, the English critic. 1t was partly
owing to Mr.. Cooks advice that Miss
Morton felt encouraged to make study
of the drama.
After leaving London Miss Morton went
to Paris and there studied the works of
Moliere, Racine, Victor Hugo and other
celebrated French writer's and dramatists.
She next studied the French stage and was
a nightly visitor at the leading Partisan
theaters. That she was favorably i'm
pressed with the work of the French play
ers is made apparent in the first play that
she wrote, entitled Helene; or, The Ref
ugee's Daughter, in which both Clara
Morris and Cora Tanner starred with sue
cess.
Upon her return to America her services
were enlisted for a charitable affair in
which society was to take prominent
part. For this event Miss Morton prepared
travesty cf the then popular success,
"May Blossom. A single performance
of her work netted over 81 900. Every
body that witnessed the play was delight
ed, and several propositions were made for
a regular production of the piece. Her
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
MOTHERHOOD.
Mrs. Pinkham Declares No Woman
Need Despair.

There are many durable causes for
steri1ity in women. One of the most
common is general debility, accom-
panied by peculiar condition of the
blood.
Write freely and fully to Mrs. Pink
ham. Her address is Lynn, Mass. She
will tell you, free Of charge, the cause
of your trouble and what course to
take. Believe me, under right condi-
tions, you have fair chance to become
the joyful mother of children. Mrs.
LUCY LYTLE, 255 Henderson St., Jersey
City, N. j., certainly thinksso. Shesays:
81 am more than proud of Lydia E.
Pinkham's Vegetable Compound, and
cannot find words to express the good
it has done me. / was troubled very
badly with the leucorrhHa and severe
womb pains. From the time l was
married, in 1882, until last year, was
under the doctors care. We had no
children. I have had nearly every
doctor in Jersey City, and have been
to Belvin Hospital, but all to no avail.
I saw Mrs. Pinkham's advertisement
in the paper, and have used five bot
ties of her medicine. 1t has done more
for me than all the doctors ever had
1t has stopped my pains, and has
brought me a fine little girl. l have
been well ever since my baby was born.
I heartily recommend Mrs. Pinkham's
medicine to all women suffering from
sterilitY."
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
The Doucet Skirt.

The doucet skirt shirred ON fine cords
around the waist, the shirring extend
ing below the hips, is popular feature
of summer frocks In organdie this
fashion is particularly adaptable. A
pretty summer girl, who looked as
if she had stepped out of picture at a
wedding in the country recently, had
an organdie with white ground, pow
dered with tiny pink rosebuds, the skirt
made in this way and worn over a white
taffeta slip. The waist had little full
ness gathered on the right shoulder and
under the arm, the folds being brought
across the breast diagOnally and fas
tened with a ruf1e ON the left side,
forming a curve around the co11arless
neck, which was left little bare, the
organdie forming sort Of bolero. which
was drawn tightly across the figure and
the waist defined by high draped belt.
The sleeves were made without being
gathered and drawn tightly around the
arms, except at the top, where smart
looking puff accentuated the shoulders.
With this pretty frock was worn a
leghorn hat tilted over on the side by a
cluster of pink roses. Roses also formed
a garniture on top, with loops of black
velvet ribbon forming an aigret on one
side. New York Tribune.
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
Judge DaIy's Sensible Views.

Judge Joseph F. DAILY, in recent
speech in New York, said; "No public
servant assumes higher duty than he
whose function it is to watch the course
of public amusements, to approve what is
wholesome and condemn what is harm
full, to encourage on the one part the
maintenance of high standard of excel
lence and on the other part the taste to ap-
preciate it. His is not only hard task,
but a thankless one, unless the large class
which recognizes a kindred spirit in his
steady adherence to the right resolve to
make known to him that they have watch
ed his career, comprehended his design and
rejoice in his success.
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
TEARS WERE FORBIDDEN.
A Note to Quit Meant That the Typewrite,
was to Go.


Was to Go.
She was dainty little thing, and the
old gentleman appeared to be prepos-
sessed in her favor right from the start.
but there was evidently something that
made him pause.
Look here" he said in his blunt
fashion. Il like you and your references
are all right. You run the typewriter as
if you knew all there is to know about
it, and you don't look like girl who
would be sick every third day and
want to get away an hour or two early
all the rest of the time, but before 1 en-
gage you I want to have clear under
standing with you on one subject. -
eyes, sir, she replied, looking at
him inquiringly.
"Of course" he explained, 81 expect
you will be perfectly satisfactory, but
if you are not there must be no doubt
about my right to discharge you"
Certainly not. :"
eff l want you to go, I'll just have
one of the clerks put a note on your desk
or leave it with the cashier for you, and
you re to take that as final
Saturally." she said, looking at
him in some surprise.
"You re not to enter any protest or
file any objections, he persisted, "and
most of all you're not to weep"
"Why, suppose I can ask you
Why
"You can't ask me thing" he
broke in. IF you get note asking
you to quit. you're just to put on your
things and walk out without whim-
per or question of any kind. Is that un
derstood?"
"It is, she replied,
"Have | your promise to live up to
that agreement?"
"You have. But it is such an extraor-
dinary request that -
Young woman, " said the old gen.
tlemap impressively, 'I've been i'll bust
ness here for so years, and up to the
time woman got good foothold in the
business world ! was in the habit of en-
gaging and discharging clerks as seemed
to me best from the standpoint of my
business. In al unguarded moment,
however, was induced to hire young
woman to run typewriter for me, and
after / found that she wasn't t satisfao-
tory to me it took me over eight weeks
to discharge her. | left a note on her
desk and she promptly came in and
wept on mine. turned the job over to
various subordinates, but each time she
came into my private office to do her
weeping, and inside of a week she had
the whole force wrought up to a point
where business was being neglected, and
she was still drawing salary just the
same. Woman in business may be all
right, but when it comes to getting her
out of business somebody else can have
the job. However. if you'll make a
solemn promise to go without a single
weep if you don't t suit I'll try you. -
Chicago Post.
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
SWIMMING THE CHANNEL.
DIR. Paul Neumann Will Try to Cross From
Dover to Calais.

DIR. Paul Neumann Will Try to Cross From
Dover to Calais.
McNally's attempt to swim the English
channel seems to stimulate other aspir
ants Dr. Paul Neumann has decided to
go to England and try to arrange a race
with J. Jarvis for the long distance cham
pionship of the world. Jarvis won the
worlds championship by defeating Tyre
at Manchester England, July 3. On the
same day Neumann won the championship
of the United States at Lincoln park.
glance at their respective records would
seem to show that Neumann is faster man
than Jarvis, as his time in the mile race
was 30m. "a 2-5s. against 32m. 2Ss., made
by Jarvis The conditions under which they
swan were, however, different, as the
Chicago mans time was made in still wa
ter, while that in which Jarvis performed
was very rough. If he is successful in his
race with Jarvis, Neumann will attempt
the great feat of swimming across the Eng
lish channel. He is confident that with a
little practice he can succeed where so
many have failed. The task has been at
tempted by many, but only Captain Mat
thew Webb succeeded. unassisted, in cross
ing "the silver streak
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
PREPARED FOR THE WORST.
The Hotel Didn't Burn, but if 1t Had He
Would Have Been Fixed

!
Would Have Been Fixed.
DO you believe that we are some
times forewarned of great dangers? -
asked the commercial traveller. did
you ever have-what you call it?-pre-
monitions? Well. l was premonished
the other night. had to plS up at a
junction hotel, and they sent me clear
up to the top of the building into oDe
IT those rooms with slanted ceiling
You know the kind. You pay for the
room, and the roof occupies it.
There was one window. l looked
out OF the window, and it seemed to be
at least so feet down to the ground. 1t
was wooden building, and an old one,
understand? While l was looking out of
the window freight train went by,
and the engine threw out a million
sparks.
Well, / says to myself, Il can see
my finish right now. There'll be 40
trains going by on these two roads to-
night, and it's four to one shot that
this hotel is going to catch fire.. 1
looked out again. There wasn't any fire
escape, and they didn't have any rope
in the room. You see, in a good many
places like that they have big coil of
rope IN one corner and sign that says,
In case of fire take hold of the rope and
jump. A man reads that sign and then
he can't sleep all night.
We'll, / looked out of the window
again, and switch engine pulled past
and shot out lot Of live cinders as big
as your fist. That settled it. Invent over
to the bed and found it had two sheets.
took out my pencil and figured that
could tear each sheet into four strips,
and, allowing for the knots, each sheet
would make about "a feet of fire escape,
although, of course, there would be
some waste where would have to tie it
to the bed. figured that | could push
the bed over to the window, fasten one
end OF my rope to the headboard and
play out about 40 feet. l had it all
fixed-some water all ready in the bowl,
SO as to dampen the knots and pull them
hard. OF course | still had some dis
tance to fall after got to the end of
my rope, but that was all right You
know, as soon as had my rope fixed
was going to drop the mattress, so as to
have something to fall on.
II took my cardcase, watch, money
and keys and tied them in a handker-
chief, which I very carefully placed on
the window sill, so that it would not
be overlooked in the hurry of getting
away. There didn't seem to be anything
else that could do until the alarm was
given, so 1 turned in and fell asleep
right away. ! wasn't worrying, because
was ready, no matter what happened.
l had been asleep about three minutes.
it seemed to me, when somebody pound
ed at my door and told me to get up;
that it was I O'Clock. | got up and
dressed, and you can imagine how badly
l was disappointed. Oh, | was sorel
But, say, suppose the hotel had caught
fire. Wouldn't that have been a star
storyT'-Chicago Record.
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
Must Have Been Very Bad.

In this day of slang and slipshod
English it is quite refreshing to find one
home in which our mother tongue is ap-
preciated and sins against its purity
duly resented.
That there is at least one such was
made evident in quarrel which took
place in a literary household between
the two youngest inmates-a quarrel,
like most childish differences, soon
over but fierce while it lasted.
When his wrath had reached its
height. the small son of the house,
quivering with anger, sought for Ian
guage to denounce his sister, who had
been the aggressor.
"You bad," he burst forth, stamping
a stubby shoe; "you bad, you bad''-
Words failed him. Then with flash
of truly literary inspiration he conclud-
ed, "You bad grammar, your'-Youth's g
ComnaniOn
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
A LUCKY FIND.
Tale of a Valuable Watch That Was Lost
an Elevated Railroad.


"This watch in itself is valuable
one, said a New York business man as
he took the timepiece from the peculiar
looking fob in which he carries it, but
it had an adventure last week that gives
it still greater value to me. The fob
is an heirloom, and, as you may see,
would be apt to attract attention any
where.
Zone afternoon last week I was 60
ing up town on a crowded train ON the
Sixth avenue elevated. The train was
so crowded that l was compelled to
stand on a car platform close to the
brake wheel. AS the train was round
ing the curve out of West Third street l
took my watch from my pocket, re-
moved it from the fob, and, after not
ing the. time, showed it back into the
fob and returned it, as l thought, to
the pocket. Instead of getting it into
the pocket, however, it was on the out
side, and as l let it go it fell. The
guard saw it as it fell and reached out
his foot to save it from going between
the platforms, but failed, and down it
went.
II got off the train at Eighth street
and ran back as fast as l could to the
spot where the watch had dropped, hav-
ing, / may of course say, not the
slightest hope that the watch would be
anywhere to be seen. When l reached
the place, my heart almost jumped out
of my throat, for there in the street,
tv
lay the fob. picked it up. Itwas emp
ty. No watch could find anywhere.
"'Some one has found it, was natu
rally my conclusion, and that was the
last ever expected to hear or see of it.
"But as walked back toward the
Eighth street station got to thinking
about the matter differently. If any one
had found the watch, why should he
have left the fob? The more thought
of it the more l made up my mind that
the watch hads't been found / board
ed train at Eighth street and went up
town to the railroad headquarters.
There told of the singular thing that
ficer in charge told me that after the
commission hours were over for the day
the track walkers would start from
Fifty-ninth street down the line, max
ing their regular inspection of the rails
and roadway, and he would instruct
them to keep an eye out for the lost
watch
"'But,' said he, smiling, Il guess
you will have to come to the conclu-
sion, after all, that some one else will
tell the time by it hereafter if it hasn't
been smashed to pieces by the fall.
"Next day l went to the office. My
watch was there. A track walker had
discovered it by the light of his torch
at midnight lying snugly on one of the
girders or braces of the iron roadway
beneath tho track. The ring was sprung
out of its fastening in the stem, and
the watch was open. There was a dent
ON the case at the hinge. In falling the
watch had struck in some mysterious
way so that it had been forced from the
fob, which went Oh down to the street
Beyond the trifiing damage mentioned
the watch was not injured III the slight
est. If there ever was luckier find
than that, never heard of it. New
York Sun.
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
Married to a Vase.

In China it is not unusual for flancee
to marry a flower vase in case her intended
husband dies before she has chance to
wed him. This Chinese custom was imi
tated recently by a San Francisco girl o
good family. She had herself united in
wedlock with a costly flower vase of deep
red hue. The vase stood in the place of a
young Chinaman to whom the girl was
engaged and who died short time before
the day appointed for the wedding.
From the day of the marriage with the
vase the young woman is looked upon as
a widow and entitled to live in the house
of her parents in-law, just as if she had
been married to the man instead of the
substitute
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
Strain of Back Pedaling.

Hard back pedaling imposes on the BIZ
cycle the severest of all strains which it
can incur while being idden. The re-
versal of the propelling force while the
forward motion is maintained does vio-
lence to the running gear, and if practiced
often will surely take the starch, so to
say, out of the stiffest machine made
Note the throbbing and writhing of
steamboat under reversed action of pad
die wheels or propellers, or the hitching
and grunting of the trolley car under like
circumstances, or the snappy snorting of
the reversed locomotive, and it is easily
evident that each of these machines suffers
uncommon strains when the motive power
is applied to effect stopping. IL is just so
with q bicycle.
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
THE SACRIFICE.
1t Made Mamma Sad, but the Baby Gloated
and Was Glad.
York Sun


She was a sweet little woman, with
big brown eyes and a pretty air of de-
termination and hardly summoned for
titude, as she led a 4.year-old boy into
an up town barber shop. She took off
his hat and dallied lovingly for mo-
ment with his long yellow curls. Then
she spoke TO the man in the first chair,
but her voice faltered and fell, and no
one else could hear what she said.
In mirute the little chap was perched
atop of hassock placed in the chair, a
big apron was around his neck, and the
barber with comb and shears in hand
was preparing to begin his work.
The little woman seated herself reso-
lutely with her face to the street and
gazed straight out at the stream of
teams and bicycles that fills Woodward
avenue just before noon, but she didn t
seem to see anything of the long process.
sion
"Snip, snip, snip," went the shears,
and still she looked straight ahead be.
fore her. Then her head began to turn
slowly, but before the fatal chair came
in view she had recovered her nerve and
Strengthened herself with little shiver,
fixing her gaze once more ON the oppo-
site side of the street.
But that couldn't last long. Her
hands were beating nervously on the
arms of the chair, and the toe of a
dainty boot made rata tat-tat on the
tiling. She shifted uneasily in her seat,
and pretty soon her head turned again,
very slowly this time, until she could
see the devastation the shears had
wrought
One side of the little chaps head was
already shorn of its long locks, and the
unfeeling tonsorial artist held another
curl at full length "Snip" went the
shears. The little woman gasped, and a
big tear rolled down her cheek. She
ficked it off, but another followed it,
She didn't look away again, but the
barber's task was nearly finished before
she trusted herself to speak.
Then she swallowed hard, tried to
smile and said in strained, wabbly
voice:
They're almost gone now, baby"
eyes, y responded the youngster, with
an approving glance at his reflection in
the mirror. 81 guess Dick won't call
me a little girl any more. '-Detroit
News.
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
Maude Adams Starring Tour.

The two plays selected by Charles Froh-
man for Miss Maude Adams starring sea
son are 1.-THE Little Minister" a comedy
by j. NJ. Barrie, who is the author of the
book of the same name, and "Phroso," a
drama, which is a dramatization of An
thony Hopes latest novel, made by Ed
ward Rose and H. V. Esmond. Mr.. Rose
is the adapter of "The Prisoner of Zenda" "
and "Under the Red Robe" The play of
1.-The Little Minister" departs almost en-
tirely from the story of the book and is
absolute comedy, without any of the tragic
incidents of the original story. Miss
Adams season will begin at the Lafayette
Square theater, Washington, Sept. 13, and
she will then follow the three weeks run
of Secret Service" at the Empire theater,
New York
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16
SERPENT POISON.
The Venom of the Cobra Is Deadly AL
most Beyond Belief.

1t was in the autumn of 1891 that
Calmette, while acting as director of
the meteorological institute of Saigon,
Cochin China, first commenced his ex-
periments OH the naturalization of SER
pent venom in the animal system. He
had exceptional opportunities in the
matter OF serpent venom wherewith to
carry out his Investigations, inasmuch
as band of cobras had recently attacked
a village in the vicinity Of BaC'Lieu,
and by order of the governor of the dis
trict no fewer than 80 specimens of the
terrible Naja tripudians, or cobra de Ca
pello, were forwarded in barrel to the
institute.
Forty of these reptiles arrived alive,
and several were at once sacrificed to
secure their venom glands. Each gland,
resembling both in size and shape a
shelled almond, contains about 80 drops
of venom, and in this transparent limp
id liquid is embodied a toxine of extraor
dinary strength. AS is we'll known, this
cobra is the most dreaded of all serpents,
and it is widely distributed over India,
DuIIldj puIldGIh, Java, MdldCCd anu
Cochin China. Until Calmette, however,
set to work to Systematically study the
nature of this reptile venom, but little
precise or reliable information had been
obtained as to its character. 1t was, of
course, necessary in the first instance to
ascertain, within as narrow limit az
possible, the exact degree of toxic power
inherent in the venom, and to deter
mine, if possible, the precise dose lethal
in respect of each variety of animal ex-
perimented upon.
A correct calculation of the quantity
of venom required in every case was,
however. found to be quite impossible,
for so virulent is the poison that sim
gle drop of an emulsion produced by
pounding up glands in 800 grams
of distilled water is sufficient, when in
troduced into the vein of rabbits ear,
to kill it in five minutes. All the man.
mails to which Calmette administered
this cobra venom, such as monkeys,
dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, sue
cumbed more or less quickly, according
to the size of the dose. .-Longman'
Magazine.
The Winslow mail., 1897-10-16

success encouraged her to try again, and
few months afterward "Helene' was pro-
duced at special matinee at the Fifth
Avenue theater The success this play
achieved induced Miss Clara Morris to buy
it and place it in her repertory. Miss
Morris in turn disposed of it to Cora Tanner.
'The Merchant" was Miss Morton's
next attempt at playwriting. The piece
York World for the best original American
play, and was afterward sold by her for
the sum of $4,000. Miss Morton then
wrote ssGeoffrey Middleton, Gentleman
which the Pitou company produced.
Since then Miss Morton has written
&c Brother john and 'His Wife's Fa-
ther' for William H. Crane. Both of these
were exceptionally successful, and it is
said that her royalty on the two aggregat-
ed more than $50, 900. For the coming
season she has one play for Crane, another
for Sol Smith Russell and still another
for prominent London manager. She
has never written a failure, and this fact
she attributes to her unwillingness to un-
dertake anything which will necessitate to a
change from her usual slow and pains
ia king method of writing 1t is not at all
likely that Miss Morton will have any
great trouble in keeping the wolf from the
door for some time to come. inasmuch as
it is said that her income from her plays
is equal to the salary of the president of
the United States.
1t has recently been announced that this
talented playwright will shortly become
the bride of well known society man of
Gotham