davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

Hardy Burnett and so on-though such
regulations are not always sustained in the
transition from the novel to the stage; the
people in question are those of tastes suffi-
GENTLY intellectual to prefer something at
least grade higher than "A Texas Steer"
"Peck's Bad Boy" .TIogan's Alley" and
their multitudinous kind. 1t is not neces-
sarily a very exacting taste, either. In
deed, the highly intellectual and extremely
fastidious individuals who can only be sat-
isfied with the Shakspearean drama and its
kind are hardly numerous enough to war
rant special attention to their needs, at
least from the managerial point of view. 1t
may be held by the manager that the
vast majority of people who
will go to the theater at all are of the
vaudeville grade, but in spite of the success
of this class of performances the theory is
hardly correct. There is reason to believe
thai a large proportion Of the inveterate
attendants at the theater with whom "ev-
erything goes would prefer and would APP
preciate entertainments of better class.
There are people who have the theater habit
when nothing better offers, just as intel
lectual persons will read a trashy novel in
the absence of a better one, but neither the
play nor the book is the proper measure of
their taste. 1t is because so many will not
go to see a play unless 1t promises genuine
entertainment that the reform mentioned
by Professor Style is already being brought
III
world during the last three or four years
notice an improvement in the class of plays
presented. The list of clean, bright plays
produced by a number of the younger
writer's and presented successfully is
quite long. The multitude will posi-
bly, always prefer something on the vaude-
vile order, but the average taste is proba-
bly, higher than the managers think. AT all
events, the average American theater-goer,
it is safe to say. better enjoys a clean,
wholesome play, an American play If posi-
BILE, than the imported vulgarities of the
French and English stage, and it is crafty
ing to note that this taste has better OPP
portunity of being gratified each year, so
many are the talented young Americans
VINO are turning Cnelr aJLenJlOn 10 QTdHldIlc
writing. If they will direct their energies
to the production of comedy rather than to
the morbid, unpleasant drama, so many
specimens of which are imported, their
chance of success will be greater, for above
all things the American theater-goer wants
to be amused. There is plenty of farce and
burlesque already on the stage but good
comedy is rare. Considering the prevailing
American sense of humor it is strange so
little of this element has found its way into
theatrical writing No other American
author has the literary gift of presenting
comedy so strongly developed as Mr.. How
ellis, but Mr.. Howells's stories have not &C
ton enough for the stage Had he the
dramatic talent also he would write the
great American play. The theatrical field
offers great opportunity to the young school
of writer's upon whom devolves the work of
reforming the stage.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14
SEARCHING BIsMARCK's HOUSE.

At the time of Prince Bismarcks death
the cable dispatches ascribed as one of the
reasons for having private funeral the
fear of the Bismarck family that valuable
letters and papers would be carried away
if the house were thrown open. AS the per-
sons to enter the house this occasion
would be the Emperor and his court, this
statement filled American readers with
amazement, but it now seems that the let
ters and papers were not saved, even though
royalty was shut out. According to Ber-
lin special, it appears that the Bismarck
family was animated, not by fear that the
Kaiser and his party would ransack the
house of mourning should they obtain en-
trance, but by resentment over the fact
that the ransacking was done by high Off
Gals few hours after the princes death.
Secretary Of State Posadowski, accompanied
by two high officials of the department,
presented themselves at FREDERICKSBURG, and
in spite of protests of relatives examined
the late chancellor's personal effects. Ev-
cry cupboard, desk and safe was ransacked,
and a large number of papers and docu-
ments confiscated the ground that they
belonged to the state rather than to Prince
Bismarck. 1t appears that this is not an
uncommon procedure in Germany where
the government lacks confidence in the
heirs of a public man. and by Bismarcks
own advice it was enforced in the case of
the late Emperor Frederick. much to the
indignation of his widow, who was the per-
son whose discretion was doubted 1t is
supposed in Berlin that the most important
of Bismarcks papers. including the much
talked-of memoirs. were long ago sent out
of the country in anticipation of a possible
attempt to confiscate them, and that the
Emperor has had his trouble for his pains.
The humiliation to the Bismarck family
was none the less, however, and fully ac-
counts for the snub to the Emperor in the
matter of the funeral. The publication of
the memoirs will now be looked forward to
with more interest than ever, and if they
do not appear it will be evident that the
secretary of state made valuable catch.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14
SOLDIERS LITERARY STYLE.

An Eastern critic expresses surprise at the
excellent literary style of the admirals, gen.
erals, captains and other military and naval
officers upon whom has fallen the duty of
making reports to the government during
the present war, and wonders where and
how they got it. 1t is not at all difficult
to discover. The majority of these men
were educated at West Point or Annapolis.
in which schools they were made acquainted
with the English language, as well as with
foreign tongues. Those Of them who did
not have the advantage of instruction in
these government institutions had the edu-
cation of the common schools and perhaps
more. All of them are men of more than
average intelligence, are skilled In the tech
nicalities of their respective professions and
have the benefit of long experience with the
world, and most of them, doubtless, of wide
reading. All these requirements, it is true,
would not alone qualify them to write good
English. for even scholar may have
slovenly, inelegant style OF expression, but,
having them, they have the foundation for
a command of their language. What they
have in addition is something to say, and
clear ideas. concerning their subject Given
this combination of intelligence and ideas.
with a purpose of making the latter known
with as little circumlocution as possible,
and an admirable cfE1ciai document Is in
evitable. The simplicity Of expression the
absence Of verbal ornament. the direct us-
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14
REFORMING THE STAGE.

Prof. Style, lecturer in the University of
California, and dramatic critic for a San
Francisco paper, recently addressed an au-
dience of ministers at Chautauqua on the
subject of reforming the stage He told
them that it was not worth while to begin
by abusing the manager, who is merely a
middle man or mercantile agent, whose OBJ
ject it is to supply his patrons with what
they want and will pay for. 1.-THE only way
to reform the theater," he says, lis to re-
form the audiences-you, and me, and the
people who do not go to the theater 1t
seems to me, with due respect to the good
people who do not go to the theater, that
you will accomplish far more in the way of
reform if, when you see advertised a Shak-
spearean play, or a play by any writer
whose name you know is a standard or test
for play that is both decent and intelIi-
gent, you will go to such plays, and abstain
from going to plays whose names are not
guarantees for decency and intelligence"
He adds that he has friends among the
clergy who take this position, and knows
of good men in New York city, prominent
ministers. who make a point of practicing
the policy of going to good play, of look
ing at the theater. when properly conduct
ed, as a decent and rational amusement,
and getting both profit and instruction
from it.
This is very good advice, and though it
is not likely to be followed to any great
extent by ministers, custom and prejudice
still being too powerful hindrance. it may
be and is adopted by many people who have
no reform projects to carry out, but are
merely pleasing their own taste. They
weary of the innumerable and vapid vaude-
Vile entertainments; they are offended with
the vulgarities of numerous plays that have
otherwise some merit; they find another
class of much heralded dramas the
sheerest literary driveE Simply because the
theater has ceased to entertain they rarely
attend. That they are not opposed to it on
moral grounds is shown by their presence
when play that promises well is given. In
this city, for example-and conditions are
much the same everywhere-certain plays
can be depended On to bring out a class Of
persons who are seldom seen at the theater
The plays are apt to be those whose authors
have q Literary reputafion-RarIie, Hope
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

BILE. In 1895 there were $1,000 men employed
on the work, of whom nearly $1,000 were
Russian navvies As it is being built by the
government 1t has nothing to pay for it's
land or right of way, gets a large part of
Its material free and is at no expense for
engineering, legal charges or salaries, yet
so great will be the cost of the road that
1t is not expected to yield dividend for
generation after its completion. 1t is main
artery of a railway system which when
completed will be Of inestimable value to
sense. For a considerable part of the dis
lance it runs near the northern border line
of China, and some of its branches will
traverse portions of China, thus giving Rus
STA great advantage in its dealings with
that country. Europe and the United States
have for years been seeking in vain to gain
access to the interior of China and to open
up it's vast resources from the sea- BY the
Transsiberian Railway and it's branches
Russia approaches China by back door, so
to speak, from the land. But while the road
will be of vast Importance for the CONNER
cial development of Siberia and western
Russia, it will be. of even greater impor-
lance for military purposes, enabling Rus
STA, when the time comes, ito overrun the
East with her armies, and to force from
somebody the naval outlet open all the year,
which she is determined to have When
that time comes the channel of Korea and
the Yellow sea will become a new Darda-
neles and new Bosphorus and Russia
will be in a position to "snap her fingers
at the European powers combined. If Eng
land expects to arrest this mighty march
and development she will have to begin
very soon, and it is exceedingly doubtful if
her best efforts, either in diplomacy war,
will avail to do it. Indeed, diplomacy is
out of the question, for Russia already has
treaties with and concessions from China
which England can neither counterbalance
by similar action nor break in any way
cept by war.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

General Skaters action in striking back
will be generally approved, now that the
medical department attempts to hold him
responsible for the failure of that branch
of the service at Santiago. The medical
officers say they had all the needed sup
plies on the ships, but they were not land
ed, and they seem to think that General
Shafter should have seen to it, as if it were
not enough that he should see to the landing
of the men and the management of the
troops. The medical officers themselves
should have attended to the landing of their
stores before the ships were beyond reach.
General Shafter was given difficult task,
and in view of the results the country will
hold that he displayed the highest courage
and tenacity. The man who led an army
which forced a foe of nearly his available
force TO surrender, and in capitulation got
eight thousand more prisoners than he had
men in his army, won a signal and effective
victory 1t was the desperate fighting of
General Skaters army that discouraged
the Spaniards as much as any one event
of the war. The country will remember
that fact and not turn against him because
the surgeons blame him for not superin-
tending the landing of their stores. General
Shafter is not diplomat, but he was the
man for the work at Santiago.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

hay SCENT. eugenol (clove SCENT. iopo,.
violet scent) sinnamyl alcohol (hyacin9S
SCENT. anisic aldehyde hawthorn scent p'n
The Importance Of sanitary regulation.
for barber shops is urged by a German Do
thor. Herr Berger, who states that thsg.
places are responsible for the spread .,
many diseases in addition to those OF aka,
hair and beard. The barber himself sho,,l5
be free from epilepsy. spasms Of any kind
drunkenness and infectious diseases F1s
should pay special attention to cleanliness
Of his own hands and person. and sho,td
be instructed in the appearance Of diseasas
of the skin. scalp and beard. Persons haS-s
ing contagious diseases of skin, hair hesra
CT other parts should be attended tn 80
home with their own instruments in ~
shop all combs and brushes should no 80
material capable of withstanding fre0uaD,
disinfection, and should be cleansed with
corrosive sublimate solution after each use
and shears, razors and clippers should ~
boiled or wiped thoroughly with alcohol
after each use. Brushes 10 dust away hair
cut from the neck should be forbidden
Balls of absorbent cotton, to be throU,n
away after once using. should be subs,iI
tuted for puff balls, and towels. etc. sbouid
be freshly Numbered for each person or na-
per napkins substituted and thrown aVsv
after being once used.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

railroad travel, especially In summer, is the
smoke from the locomotives, and if this
nuisance can be abated on one road other
roads will have to follow the example, for
travellers win demand it. The matter, how
ever. is of local interest Owners of blocks
stead of gas. to the discomfort of the neigh
borhood. have repeatedly defended them
selves on the ground that no successful plan
has yet been devised for the consumption.
Their attention is called to the system in
use on the Queen & Crescent Railroad.
Now is the time to investigate. 1t is worth
while to remember. too, that Indianapolis
has an ordinance requiring the use of smoke
consumers
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14
ABOUT PEOPLE AND THINGS.

A fine study by Munkacsy, emitted 1'c'e
Homo" was sold in Paris the other Gay
for upwards of 5000
When asked what he would do snouiu
Great Britain become republic, the Prlii 10
of Wales retorted: There would Always ~
a chance to lecture in America.
Ulysses S. Grant, third grandson OF the
general, stands at the head of his class d.
school. and during his vacation devotes MS
time to the amateur newspaper business
Mrs. Alice Palmer Henderson, Of Chicago
has the oldest doll in the world 1t came
from Alaska and is made of the fossil l Sets
Of the hairy elephant, which Is sald 20 n rbs
become extinct some 10000 years ago. Inv
doll is about eight inches high
The English schoolboys who induced Mp
ling to send them letter for their mus
magazine builded better than they Knew
The collectors of Kipiingana were soon on
the scent and the Re suit is that the tiny PuO,,
liz atien in which the letter appeared Ho"
sells for $50 copy.
IF we had let go of ourselves for an IN
slant we should have cried our way to th7
Ship" said one of the California officers ]us'
before the great Pacific sailing. There were
twelve companies of California vounteetoo
which marched through the city that Gay ~ y.
the accompaniment of the cheers ana SUI
of 100000 people.
After the attempted assassination OF p''
marcK In May, l6bb, MS wire sdlu.
were in heaven and saw the villain stanoi.s
on the top of a ladder leading down to hsn a
would have no hesitation in giVlnS hii Pis-
push. Hush, my dear, repilsd tseR
marck. you would lot Be in heaven you -
with such thoughts as those. !,
Mrs. Elizabeth Custer widow of Geheia'
Custer, has just returned to her deo's'-
home from trip to<Egypt. where she We.
engaged in gathering material for anos .isI-
book. Mrs. Custer has written sewers. . ss
liable works~on her husband and Wsseesie
camp life. her whole time since MS ti"7
death having been devoted TO this worh
Mr.|Augustus Saint-Gaudens. the Anls
lean sculptor to whom the commission -
the Edinburgh Stevenson memorial has pss~
intrusted. met Stevenson in America a
1887 and 1883. and got sittings from nm nm, Ia
sketch of the beautiful bas-relief Whlcir -.
then modelled was reproduced IN me asha
fury Magazine for June of last year. ina
head, Ii Is understood. Is to be used lVi -
Edinburgh memorial.
The first woman has presented herseH ~
the degree of doctor Of philosophy In Be-
University and has submitted her thss
ShU IL Frauleln Neuimann. and her 49,
jectSSs physics. The faculty has ne tsa,ss.is
mental objections 70 comforting aeSsss,ihe
on woman. and Frauiein Neuinann 80
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

Mr.. Kipling is being sharply criticised in
various quarters for the poor quality of the
series of school-boy stories running in Nc
Clure's Magazine. These criticisms however,
are all of American origin so far, English
readers being satisfied with them, if silence
may be taken as approval AS the stories
are of school-boy life in England and the
boys in them speak English slang it may be
fairly assumed, until further light is thrown
upon them. that the customs described and
the language used are less open to objection
than hasty American critics assert. Mr..
Kipling should have q care. however. The
public expects much Of him, and he can
not afford TO give 1t less than his best.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

Harper's Magazine for August contains a
noticeable article regarding the PRINCE of
Wales. If what the writer says is true, and
the article bears the marks of authenticity,
the man who is quite sure to be King of
Great Britain is much maligned man all
these years. He has been represented as a
frivolous if not dissolute man. Now a
writer whose name is not given presents him
in the light of well-informed man, who
takes deep interest in all matters affecting
the British people, and who devotes much
attention to the worlds politics.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

terance flt the theme and constitute the
style that is at once suitable and effective
in such papers. 1t is not the style of the
essay or of the production commonly
classed as literary because of its form
rather than its sense. but such document
belongs to the best literature Of it's period.
nevertheless. History is full of examples of
precisely this variety of writing, literature
that has lived and come down the ages.
In a recent essay on style, Frederic Harri-
son, speaking of Latin prose, says he values
most the soldierly simplicity of Caesar, and
Caesar told the story of his campaigns with
the same lack of phrase-making and in the
same direct. unembellished style that char
acterizes the reports from the officers at
Manila, at Santiago and in Porto Rico.
General Grants history of the civil war
man not a practiced or professional writer
in clear and simple style that reused the
admiration of the critics. He had the tale
to tell and told it with the same force and
directness that he would have used in max
ing the moves of a military campaign. The
writer of perfect prose is, doubtless. as Mr..
Harrison says, more rare than the writer of
fine verse, and it is also true, without doubt,
that, like the genuine poet, he is born, not
made; but it is also true that the literature
which answers the requirements of a fas-
tidious taste, and that sometimes lives, even
though not perfect, may be produced by
men who in no sense belong to the literary
guild but who with a story to tell are ami
mated simply by the purpose of telling it in
the most concise and yet comprehensive
Way
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

The London Daily Telegraph says edi-
torially of the American wife of the new
British viceroy of India:
Those who have had the honor and the
good fortune to meet this lady will not need
to be told how well she is qualified by gifts
of personal grace and character to share
the splendid position of her husband not
merely with dignity and tact, but to the
advantage and benefit of India. Nor can
1t be regarded simply as coincidence that
at the period when International events
seem to be happily drawing England and
the United States closer and closer to-
gether in the political sphere that it should
thus befall that an American lady partakeS
with her English lord the glories and re-
sponsibilities of undoubtedly the highest
Office on earth below the thrones. There is
yet a boundless region to be attacked and
conquered by the gentle power of the vice
queen, and certain we are that such opp0r-
tu1IitieS of winning the hearts of the people
and strengthening the sway of her consort
will not be neglected by the charming
American lady whom happy destiny has
made the vice empress of India
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

It is suggested that Spain will try to make
future trouble for the United States by
summarily disbanding the Spanish regi-
ments in Cuba, declining to furnish trans
portation for the men and advising them to
remain in the island. So large number of
unrecenstructed Spaniards, probably 1900
might make trouble in various ways, but it
is not likely the United States will allow it
self to be trifled with in that wav
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

In the railroad department a few days
ago mention was made of the determination
Of the manager Of the Queen & Crescent
Rsilroad to rid passenger trains OF the
smoke nuisance ,Trainmen. It is said, are
required TO carry blanks and to note date,
number of train and where smoke could be
noticed coming from the stack of the en-
CINE, and to report to division superin-
tendent. Photographs have been taken OF
trains moving at high speed and showing no
trace Of smoke escaping from the stack OF
The locomotive. It's evident from this that
one man has found smoke consumer tibet
consumes. One Of the chief annoyances Of
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

The line officers of the navy are getting
due recognition in the way of promotions.
but 1t is said Secretary Long is extremely
anxious that some recognition shall be
given to the chiefs of bureaus in the depart
ment whose arduous, wise and well-directed
labors have contributed so materially to the
successful operations of the navy. They
certainly should not be forgotten
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

Somebody suggests that the cotton uni
forms being made for our soldiers in Cuba
and Manila ought to bring about the adop-
tion of cooler clothing in summer for letter
carriers and policemen Such a change
would be a genuine reform. Letter carriers
are allowed some latitude in the weight Of
their uniforms and have little appearance
of discomfort. but policeman in his heavy
suit on a hot day is a pathetic sight.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14
Concession.

From the Plunkville Bugle: 1--WE have
been accused of not giving our neighboring
village of Smallweed its due. We desire to
say that there is not nicer town in the
State than Smallweed; its only drawback
being that it's citizens are as measly lot,
enc and ALL of pennyroyal runts as ever
disgraced the name of Americans"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-14

AS, pending the final treaty, the United
States will only hold the city, bay and har-
Dor of Manila, the insurgents in other parts
of the Philippines cangdo as they please.
Our treaty is with the Spaniards. not with
the insurgents.