davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
English Comments on America.

Some amusing stories illustrating Eng
fish ignorance of American affairs are told
by London resident who is ut home in
literary and political circles.
Alta literary reception Mr.. Lowell was
referred to rs one of the masters of Amer
lean poetry, who had never seemed capa bic
of doing anything else,
II think you are wrong" said ono in a
critical tone Mr.. Lowell wrote several
books which were we'll worth reading"
"What are they asked the first COM
mentator on American literature.
The Aut0crat' and the other Break
fast Table Books, " was the serene reply.
As every one in the group looked wise
and innocent, il was evident that the rival
claims of DR.. Holmes to the authorship of
those Breakfast Table Books were not
suspected
y graduate of IN English university was
amazed by Il reference to tho American
civil war which was casually made in con-
versation at Il clubhouse.
when did it take place." he asked. II
had supposed that there had been no fight
Ing in America since George Washing
toms revolution in the time of George
III"
He had read for degree at an English
university and had travelled extensively on
the continent and in the far cast, but had
never heard of the greatest civil conflict of
ancient or modern times Youth Com
paniOn.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
Championship remnants.

There used to be a custom in League
councils to set aside each year 500 to
be devoted to the purchase of a suitable
ponnant for the champion club, and the
habit of paying this money over direct
to the club owners, so that they could
purchase the flag themselves, prevailod
until a discovery was made that stOppC
the whole business. 1t seems that GER
tain club had won the pennant two
years in succession. After the first VIC
tory the owners of the ''champs" took
$500 from the League and bought su-
perb pennant on which the year of the
triumph was made to appear III large
white numerals Oh field Of red. When
the second championship had been won,
another 500 was paid over by the
League for another pennant, but this
time economy ruled. The owners of the
"cbamps" took their first pennant to a
repair shop, had the last number Of the
year raised one, say, from 1897 to 1898,
by substituting an for the original T.,
and flung the new" pennant to the
breeze with great ceremony. This clever
bit Of strategy cost just 81. S5, it is said,
whereupon the owners treasury was
enriched by the balance of $97. Is.
Somebody tipped the League off, though,
and now clubs have to buy their own
pennants. New York Sun.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
CYCLE NOTES.
Wheel.

An idea for enterprising boystof the
sturdy kind is for them TO post thean-
selves at the foot of steep hills on pop
ular roads and offer their services for
pushing riders up to the crown of the
incline.
Glass houses on bicycle wheels are
now used by horticulturists for hasten
ing the growth of plants. The advantage
is that they may be easily moved from
place lace where the conditions for
rapid growth may be themost fayora
bic at any particular time
Riders of bevel gear bicycles are in
formed that jumping on the pedals is
not the way to get the best results. A
steady, even pressure is the proper
thing The same SUGGESTION is worthy
Of the consideration of all riders ire
spective of the wheel used.
"A sllillful rider" says a dealer,
will always ease the bicycle over an
obstacle This accounts for the fact that
where one machine will last three or
four seasons another exactly similar ma
chine III every detail will not give the
rider one tenth that result "
It is strange how bicycle sometimes
develops an ineXplicable. exasperating
squeak. II is certain sign that some
thing is wrong somewhere, but it defies
| all cndeavors to locate it, despite CON
tinual oiling i'll every part where fric-
ton is possible Very often the squeak
disappear as quickly as it appeared.
ii give to riders who have adopt
| ider tires some satisfaction to know
1t i'll a series Of experiments made by
the Missouri department of agriculture
it was found that it required much less
trouble to pull Il loaded vehicle having
wide tires than when narrow tires were
used This was found especially true on
/ poor roads.
/ 1t is becoming a matter for interest
| ing speculation where the tide of patri-
lotism is to cease i'll its effect upon cycle
| dom. Bicycle stockings with red white
aud blue tops and sweaters having the
national colors running in lateral stripes
around them are being beautifully dis
played i'll shop windows, and, according
to reports, are being freely purchased.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
CYCLE RACING.

1t is given out that Michael's pace
making crews this season Will number
so men all told
r. p Clark, the professional tricy-
clist and all round racing crack, has left
England for the klondikc.
The bicycle prophets say that the
mile record time this season will he re-
duced to / minute 20 seconds and the
unpaced mile record to minute % Sec
onds
The first cyclist to negotiate the
journey around the world with success
was Thomas Stevens who in 1881 be-
came famous by carrying out his project
i'll spite of some fearful drawbacks. He
completed his ride in 1887. His mount
was a 80 inch ordinary.
Eddie Bald, according to his man
ager, Pat Mcdonald, is said IL I've in
better form just now than ever before
AT this period If the year Patrick ven
lures to predict that Bald Will again be
champion, with kiSer, Stevens and
Cooper well up i'll the front bunch
There is an idea among the racing
men, trainers and managers Of London
that America has no tracks. Secretary
Reeves of the National cycledrome,
New York, who returned recently from
aboard, says that the Crystal palace
track. of which much is heard i'll this
country, is cracked throughout the
surface and is inferior to score or
more Of the American tracks.
\ moot question in cycle racing cir
Giles ever since the introduction Of nui-
ticycles for track work has been which
machine is capable of the fastest work
1t has never been dccisivcly answered
and individual opinions on the subject
differ greatly. Some think that the COM
bination Of three fast men and u triplct
can travel faster than anything else
from a single to a seXtet on account Of
the triplet's comparative Gghtncss, the
ease with which it may be handled and
the quickness with which it may be got
under full speed. Most of these advan-
tagcs are possessed by the tandem, but
the triplet advocates contend that the
greater power of three men lessen the
worth of tandem as compared with
the three scatter.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
English Justice,

According to various reports in for
eign papers, the constables III the rural
districts Of England do not take a man
to the lookup when he is found without
a lamp or caught riding too fast. They
simply halt him politely, take his name
and address and report the case The
rider is then formally summoned by the
magistrate to appear i'll court and be
fined. II he gives IA false name and adj
dress or fails to appear, he is hunted
up, no matter how hard the task, and
made to pay an extra heavy penalty III
addition to the original light one 1t is
related by q London paper that q ''boh-
by recently saw careless wheelman
enter shop and leave his bicycle stand
ing against the fence, whereupon the
officer locked the wheel to the iron fence
by means OF handcuff After walking
along a bit he returned to unlock the
wheel when he thought it was about
time for the rider to reappear
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
SAvEDNBY CYCLING.
The Wheel Has Succeeded In REFORM ing
the American Girl.


When tine bicycle started outttof re-
form the American girl it tackied'a pb
that for years. had defied everyother I'M
fluence. But the bicycle made itself
winner as soon ns it seriously began'to
camp on the wabbly wheel tracks OF
it's victim.
Twenty years ago the 'homes ofi tins
country were, given over to thetglrls.
Nice girls they We're, just as wei have
nice girls now. But they were the VIC
tims of a terrible habit.
The walls grDaned under artistic ef-
forts which represented infposslblel dogs
with multicoloreh ears, barkingt Ill
foreign tongue atVhe head of a barrel
hung in the mud puddle sky beyond 4
house one size larger than the dog.
Mantels were,cluttared up withlthings
that served no earthly purpose ebut' t.
give the house the appearancetoff the
first stages of manila potu, while
chairs sofas and other articles of blrnl-
ture were pre-enipt2d by decorated
throws, pillows andh things>unkno~yn by
name to any but the makers
Old shoes were saved to be painted
yellow, and COW bells and wooden plat
tiers became works OF art i'll the hands
OF the maids, who dis ,uised them with
paintbrush Fancy.work was ma
mia, and the girls of tthe country Were
daft on the subject.
But the bicycle cama, and thetangels
threw their paintbrushaS and their silk
floss to the junk heaps of'the galaet and
bought a cycle costume.
| There is room about tlhe house again
for the people who inhabitA it, and the
family is not barred out for fear the
bric-a- brac will be disturbed The cat S
tail is no longer striped i'll olive green,
and the men do not have toywear en-
broidered slippers and jacketst
The bicycle has restored THE sex to
sanity and reformed n portion of hu-
mainly that stood i'll danger ofiadorning
the rest of it into distraction. Can any
thing be more worthy of praise and
commentator than what the bicycle
| has done i'll this direction. alone:-
| Wheel
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
HEART IN TRADE.
The Experience OF Man Who Failed
Honestly and Was Helped to Ills Feet.

Even trade has its romances. Tho other
day some merchants who have grown gray
in The pursuit of the practical and material
were swapping stories of their experiences
Said one, now millionaire:
while was still attending school, my
father was compelled TO suspend business.
He and another man owned Il mill up in
New England and little retail dry goods
store in Brooklyn. My father attended TO
the mill and his partner to the retail bust
ness one day my father learned that his
partner had absconded after raising all the
money he could on the firms name. My
father came to New York, and found that
after using every dollar he had in the
world ne would still owe $500. He turned
his assets over 10 Ills creditors, borrowed
the $500 necessary to pay his creditors
dollar for dollar and went to work ON %
salary. After several years Of hard work
Ia paid back the $500, and was free from
debt once more.
" 4 that time my father was superin
tendent OF il big Sunday school in Brook
lyn. One Of the women who took an in
terost in the school WAS an old maid who
had known MY father for years. She knew
about his experiences. aud WAS determined
that he should be independent again. So
She went to half Il dozen leading members
Of tho church and told them she wanted to
borrow some money 10 start dad in bust
noss again. Al! responded cheorfully, and
one day my father was surprised at visit
from the woman.
" Mr.. - she said, here is 81 800
with which yoG Grc going to start in bust
ness for Yourself. Naturally my father was
startled. Lord bless yon, Miss - he
said, 1 can't take that Besides, do not
want 10 90 into business again. am sat
isiied as | am Iherc is the money, she
replied, and you are going into business.
Now, don delay about it,. The old man
still demurred, hut she insisted. and after
awhile she got his consent to use the
money. That was the foundation of our
present business. Father opened "A little
dry goods store ana left school to help
him Two years later father went to one
of the men who had contributed toward
his capital ami handed him the $500 he
had advanced. What's that for:' he
asked. Why. that Is the money you gave
Miss - To start me in business, said
dad. Nonsense. said he. You don't owe
mo anything, old man. Eliza came to Inc
and asked me for $500. and I gave it to
her, If she had asked for 81, 900. she
would have got it Just as quick, made
no record Of il. ana don't want it, You
have got to take it, said dad. Now,
please, don't said hc; it will upset all
my bookkeeping. Father insisted, though,
and finally had bis way Most of his other
creditors talked the Same way, but all had
to give in. Within "a week back came the
money with letters asking father to give
the money To the poor if he did not want
to Use it hi:nseh l am glad to say we
have been able to return some OF the kind
ness shown Us then. New York Sun.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
IT,
Heavier Wheels.

The chainless wheel has encouraged
makers in the direction of turning out
heavier wheels Low prices have con-
spired to increase this tendency, as light
wheels cannot be made cheaply. Not
only wheels, but saddles and tires, are
heavier this year. 1t appears, however,
that fully equipped chain wheel, in
Guiding gear case and brake, is not as
heavy as the regulation chainless. Some
dealers say the demand for chainless
wheels is good. others report to the con-
trary. Nearly all agree that the inclosed
chain model is becoming constantly
more of a factor. While some dealers
ask S. extra for a gear case, and claim
that they obtain it easily, others offer
it as a true part of the wheel and ask
nothing extra. The latter class say that
before long competition will drive all
dealers to offer the best American gear
case free as regular equipment, Phil
adelphia Times.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
POINT FOR BEGINNERS.
Why Children Keep Their Balance Bet
ter Than Adults.

Opinion as to the genesis of man is
divided between the theories of the two
great schools of evolution and creation.
Whichever you accept there is no ques-
ton but that during the development
changes have occurred in order that
men might be better able to meet new
requirements of living as they have
arisen. The bicycle is modern thing,
and the natural aptitude of the race for
it's use is not due to any recent evolu-
tionary change. Thenotion occurs, how
ever, that this facility may be derived
from some remote ancestry. Ii we may
believe Mr.. Darwin, man was once
hairy animal, aboreal in his habits, ana
it is possible that much enforced hego-
tiation of shaky branches Of trees or
some similar necessity of the dlst;ht
past, which made imperative the con-
slant maintenance of equipoise, nnstlll-
ed into the race an unconscious aolllty
to keep the center of gravity OF the BODY
within its base under conditions phllo-
sophically similar to those OF bicycling.
But this question of anthropology aside,
it is evident that balancing bicycle Is
natural faculty which does not have
to be taught except in the cases OF
adults whose habits of life have been of
character essentially calculated to
starve and defeat the provision of ma
ture A bright child rarely needs teach
ing or practice in acquiring the art OF
riding Most of the little ones will
start off without assistance after two
or three trials. 1t is only grown people,
stepped in other ways of the world,
who have to be held and pushed off I'M
til sometimes the patience Of the teach
cr gets exhausted. Cyclist.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
Women and Tandems.

1t is customary in building tandem
to put the drop frame i'll front, and for
women who are strong and hearty it is
a more desirable seat. But for women
who take to wheeling for health it is
far better to have the drop frame i'll the
rear. This permits them to sit quietly
and pedal, leaving to the man in front
the work of steering, balancing and
braking, as we'll as many other minor
things which add to the WEAKNESS at
the end of a long ride. Women should
also see that the tandem they ride is not
geared above 90. There is tendency
to gear mixed tandems higher than an
ordinary woman S Wheel which is prob
ably due to thoughtlessness on the part
Vt the man, who does most of the work.
1t does not occur to him that it is as
hard for a woman to ride high geared
tandem as bicycle. New York Post.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20

The sleeping room that hasn't a closet
should have corner cupboard Get some
If the iron brackets that sell for 10 or Is
rents Il pair and have some wide boards
cut to fit the corner Put M two or three
shelves, according to height, and on the
bottom of the lowest nail cleats into which
to screw the hooks to hang your gowns
upon. Fit n board to the corner en- tns
ilcor and have narrow board or molding
tackled to the front edge. This is for shoes.
Hang curtain from the edge of the top
Shelf, making it Icing enough to reach
quite to the floor and full enough to hang
IN graceful folds This is the best substi
tnte Tor closet we know of unless YOU
can afford a wardrobe Denim, figured or
plain, makes q good drapery. Get it to
correspond with the color of the room.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
Why Most Women Are Unrraceful.

The lack of grace in wheeling which
some women show is said to be caused
by the pushing of the pedals of extreme
ly low Seared wheels, which most wom-
Ell ride. Mounted on wheel geared be-
low the average, women are given a
jumpy appearance which is almost i'm
possible to overcome. Much ease and
grace could be added to women riding
if they could be persuaded to ride a re-
specially high geared wheel, with pro-
portionately heightened cranks. The
latter would give longer sweep to the
feet, which would do away with the
jumping motion. Just as soon as q
woman begins to ride fast on a To-"
geared machine she invariably becomes
ungraceful. With tolerably big gear
she could ride fast with a different eff
feet. New York World.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20

Probably many L. A. w. membcrs
may be considering, as the writer Just
now is, whether it is, on the whole,
best to renew membership. Not that
sensible wboelmen raise that old ques-
ton, "What do we get for our dollar"
i'll u small selfish way, but that we are
getting far too much nonsense-too
much politics, too much Potter too
much Sherwood that the league is
run too much by clique and claque
Whether the L. A. w. should control
racing or should let it wholly alone is
a question on which good argument can
be made on either side, but if it is to
deal with racing it should do so decent
ly. In construction and maintenance Of
roads, in looking after unfriendly legis-
lation and the defense of the rights Of
wheelmen there is surely enough for
the l.. \. w. without rushing off into
foolishness Whether this disease Of
small politics and personal ownership
can be trusted to work ont its own
cure or whether reform will be best
effected by a monitory dropping off in
the membership may be left for each to
decide for himself New York Com
mercial Advertiser.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
CYCLING AND GOLF.
Each of These Sports Makes tho Other
More Popular.

EACH OF Tne6e opOHsS luSkcS THO OCnCr
More Popular.
Old preiudices which for years have
kept Americans out Of health giving
pastimes and the enjoyment of nature
on the seventh day are rapidly being
dispelled. We are growing more and
more like the Germans in this respect
and it is not disputed that we are made
physically better for it. The bicycle is
the wedge which has split tho old preiu-
dices. 1t Isl convenient and inexpensive
means of taking the clerk to the flower
covered trees in the country. Tired out
with six days of toll behind counter,
he welcomes the moderate and beneficial,
exercise of cycling and the opportunity
for journey into the country. If he be
a church member, he attends service in
the morning and afterward derives the
benefits of cycling and the pure air out
side the city.
Members of the so called fashionable
set now play golf on Sunday; many do,
anyway. And if they don't go to the
links awheeling it is because they cam
get machine to ride ON. Cycling goes
hand i'll glove with golf 1t seems, in
fact, that the one makes the other more
popular. Close observers may notice i'll
the park and on the boulevard on Sun
days many cyclist with a bag of golf
sticks strapped to the headrost and
pedaling III the direction OF the links
north of the Harlem. Two seasons ago
this was not generally known Now it
is common sight and may be taken as
conclusive evidence that Americans are
growing more and more apprecative of
the benefits of plenty of outdoor cxer
else, which they indulge in whenever
opportunity offers New York Press
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20

Although with characteristic energy
the American bicycle maker has invaded
practically every civilized country in
the world there is still one country it
has not yet conquered and does not seem
likely to, judging by present experience,
and that is Spain. An English company
has secured Concessions from the Span
lsh government which practically gives
1t monopoly of the bicycle business of
that country.-New York Tribune.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
Why She COuIdn'f

mo, didn't have very good time -
she SAID II wanted to talk, and there
WASH t u man there"
But there were plenty of other girls. "
"oh, OF course, but that was no satisfac-
ton, for they all wanted to talk too. Chi
cago Post
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
BICYCLES IN RUSSIA.
Riders Must Pass Rigid Examinations and
Go About Ticileted.

Riders Must PAsS RlSld EXAMINATIONS ANA
Go About Ticketed.
The British Consular Journal says
that bicycling is still i'll its infancy i'll
Russia. the cold weather and snow pro-
hibiting it largely, except i'll the sum-
ner months, There are many very IL
diculous rules that are put over the head
of the Russian cyclist that would be in
teresting among collection of curious
and somewhat useless regulations. Not
but what we might with advantage APP
ply many more restrictions to our OWE
riders. But the extent to which this
sort Of petty jurisdiction is carried i'll
Russia must most materially injure her
commerce and manufacture in what is
today an important article Of the world 5
trade.
No one may ride without first passing
sundry examinations i'll the art, and he
must then go about ticketed before and
behind with large and unsightly num-
bers certifying that he is permitted the
use of his machine. Some time back Ia
/ dies were altogether prohibited riding
about the streets of St Petersburg. but
this bias now been Cancelled. In spite Of
all these conditions there seems to BE- Il
great opening for bicycles i'll Russia. for
if the government is tardy il giving
permits to ride the population are yet
more tardy III buying homemade ma
chimes for the very ostensible reason
that their manufacturers cannot turn
out a good or slightly article. Probably
if they are supplied with a good ma
chine and the taste grows governments
will relax il its laws and regulations to
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