davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16
TYPEWRITER LITERATURE.

The obserVant reader of current literature
has at last solved what was for some time
a mystery to him, namely, the needless
verbosity of many newspaper and maya
zine writer's and even authors of books The
cause Of this wordiness is the typewriter
the machine, not the operator. There was
a time, not so very long ago, when the aim
of the newspaper reporter was to present
only essential facts, and those as briefly as
was consistent with clearness. The best
essays, editorials and descriptive writings
were those in which the point was quick
ly reached and which had no superfuity of
language. But in recent years the very
standard of literary style is changed, if the
character of latest writings may be taken
as an indication. The reporter relates the
minutest details of unimportant events; the
editorial writer fails to stop when he comes
to the end of his ideas; prolixity char
acterizes much Of the magazine work and
even books are not free from it. Novels,
in particular, are wearisomely dSeursive.
What but that modern improvement" the
typewriter, is responsible? To the unre-
fleeing person 1t might seem that the sub
stitute for the pen was a substitute and no
more, that when as intimate relations were
established between it and the writer
as between the author and his pen
the only difference would be in the ease
with which the thoughts were transcribed,
but this is not the case. 1t is the ease
which is fatal. No more thoughts are set
down, but the typewriter takes more words
to express them. The keys click them off
with so little effort that the writer is una
ware that he is dealing In superfluities. The
increased labor that the pen involves leads
him, when handling that article, to give
more heed to the length of his sentences
and avoid repetitions of an idea. but the
Typewriter beguiles him merrily on until
he has said one thing in variety of ways
and is deceived into thinking he has said
several new things. With the pages of
written manuscript before him he is apt to
pause from time to time to estimate the
length Of his production, and is apt to find
readily q good place to stop. With his
fingers on the typewriter keys consideration
and brevity become matters of little conse-
luence. Handling the instrument is nearly
us easy dS ldlhlltSs elAu MUCH AHoAS tanning
can be done in ten minutes than is edify-
ing to read. What is true when the writer
operates the machine himself is emphasized
when he dictates the matter he wishes put
into print. The business man. leaning back
at his ease while his stenograpber earns her
salary, says a good deal more to his COR
respondents, and not always TO mutual
profit, than he was wont to do in the old
days when he was his own amanuensis.
The literary man learns to like the sound
of his own voice and forgets when 10 stop.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16

1t will be seen by the report in yester-
days paper of what was said at the mayors
conference that the system of parks as
originally planned is to be curtailed so that
the $4,000 viii purchase the land, leaving
$4,000 for Improvements. which will be COM
pleted by further issue of $1SS,OOO of bonds,
which will carry the debt of the city to
the constitutional limit. This is a very de-
cided contraction from the plan con,em-
plated for the park system when the assess
ment for betterments was made last season.
Mayor Taggart, in his remarks at the con-
ference. said that $2s2. 900 was the estimate
Of what is necessary for the work of lay
ing the foundation for big park system"
AS the city grows and property owners
shall be relieved of the burdens of street
and sewer improvements. money can be
raised for the extension and further i'm
provement of the grounds which the $500 900
will purchase. The plan as thus foreshad-
owed seems feasible one. and should COM
mand general support upon the assumption
that the money raised win be expended ju-
dieiously.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16
sHREDs AND PATCHES.

The dullest man has in him something
original. 1t is sin.-Ram's Horn.
The Lord isn't near so deaf as some min
listers seem to think.-New York Press.
Truth is mighty and it may have prevailed
before the gas meter was invented.-Chi-
cagO News.
If women would only love us for our
faults we might count on their answering
tidelity.-Life
A girl doesn't love every man she is will
ing to go to a dollar-and-a-half show with.
-Atchison Globe.
When man begins to discuss matrimony
with widow the result is usually tie.
Chicago News.
There are people who hate a thief, who
borrow books and never return them.
Practical Religion.
l have always found the less we speak of
our intentions the more chance there is of
our realizing them.-Ruslxin.
The young who avoid the region of ro-
nance escape the title of fool at the cost
OF celestial crown.-George Meredith
Marriage cannot be proved failure mere
ly because happily married people haven't
time to send in statistics.-Emma Carleton.
Persons are praised for the sacrifices they
make for those they love, when in truth
because they love there is no sacrifice.
Philadelphia Times.
1t makes a man better every time his wife
Kisses MIN; even II she does II because She
wants money it leaves him less to spend on
himself-Chicago Record.
Men often term a certain quality in their
natures dignity: women, in defining it, get
nearer the truth when they call it obsti-
nacy.-Philadelphia Times.
Married men," observed the philosopher,
Tive longer than single ones" well, If
they do answered sad-eyed Individual,
lit serves them right. kansas City Star.
Life would be lot happier If the average
woman knew as much about what tempera-
ture is best for the family as she does about
what is best for her cactus.-The Bachelor.
One reason a woman begins to look young
as soon as her husband dies is that she
is buying lot of new clothes for the first
time since she was a bride.--Atchison Globe.
Most of us are unable to determine salts
factorily just why we occupy the humble
position that we do; but it is quite easy to
see why our friends are not more success
fnI---P1Ipx
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16

Dictation as well as typewriting is also a
sin against aesthetic taste. This does not
make chat on dctation any the less inter-
esting. One need not refer to Sir Walter
Scott A friend of mine, who dictates much
of his work to a shorthand writer. says:
when / come to love scene ] have to pull
up I can't dictate amorous dialogue. | can't
dictate r7R serious heartfelt passages The
moment try it ! become self-conscious,
shy, embarrassed Heroic scenes, deelama-
tory scenes; yes, any amount of them Ten
der passages. love condolences, prettlneSSeS.
frills and furbeows, tender reflections? Not
bit of it. When arrive there l adjourn;
and while my shorthand clerk is eating his
beef and pudding l write in the words that
come from the heart" with a pen?" /
asked. mo, not necessarily.
A man who can think and feel and convey
his thoughts, emotions and feelings with a
with a typewriting machine. But. mind you,
he must be proficient; he must have as COM
plete a command of the machine as. he has
of his pen. He steers clear of writer's tramp
and contracted chest; he lays a dumb piano,
and the music is written In words-if he has
inherited the God-like gift they are
Thoughts that breathe and words that
burn" IT is worth remembering in this con-
nection that Thackeray dictated most of his
lecture on 'Thc Four Georges" to George
Holder. What questionably desirable but
curious and fascinating thing it would be II
we had living photograph" of the famous
cray would walk about. lie down, get up,
light cigar, put it aside. pick it up again
and finally begin He spoke clearly and
slowly, was deliberate, and rarely changed
his tone of voice Strange that he could 30
on steadily and with every point well made,
speaking in a mastery way mastery work
with one auditor and that he could hardly
get through an after-dinner speech in the
himself, although he had committed it to
memOrVi
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16

The British Medical Journal has been
citing several instances of men who have
lived to a great age after lives in which
but four or five hours of sleep in twenty
four were taken. DR.. James Legge.
professor of Chinese at Oxford. recently
died at the age of eighty-two. He allowed
himself but five hours for sleep in twenty
four. Brunei, the famous engineer, worked
twenty hours a day for a considerable por-
ton of his life. Lord Heathfield, who COM
manded the British forces throughout the
four years siege of Gibraltar, slept but
four hours a day during that period, and
died at the age of eighty-four. The Journal
gives other instances; still. there is reason
to believe that those who are able to get
from six to eight hours of good sleep in
twenty-four can perform more and bet
ter work than if the time devoted to sleep
were reduced an hour or two.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16

so pleased is he with his rounded periods
and philosophical bur irrelevant reflections
interspersed in the tale he has undertaken
to tell.
Once lie cue is caught the detection Of
typewriter literature is very easy. The To-
cal incident which could be told in five lines
and is spread into a half column is type
written the editorial which stretches one
not very elastic thought until it reaches
into second column in very attenuated
form is dictated; so is the statesman's
speech that gets into the Congressional
Record; so is the newspaper or magazine
article the public man is asked to write so
are many of the modern novels One we'll
known American novel writer is said to talk
his tales into monograph, from which
instrument an amanuensis reduces them
to manuscript. This writer's earlier stories
were very popular, but the mark, ma
chine made is now so distinct that they
are no longer in demand. An English nov
eiist who gained wide reading for his
first books is now reported to be able to
dictate to two typewriter girls simultane-
ously, and the slap-dash character of his
latest work supports the statement 1t is
a fatal facility that the typewriter gives.
The invention has it's uses, but men and
women of literary ambition should not
make too free with it. Indeed, considering
the Hood of printed matter, the most of
which has first been reeled off on the type
writing machine, it would be well for the
public and for literature if acquaintance
with even that .old-fashioned instrument,
the pen, were less general.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16

each OF such subdivisions-a total Of 400 in
the case of the smallest-being a perfect
magic square. These combinations of fig
ures have other curious and fascinating
properties. The combinations are formed
now by rule, the possible variations being
toe. appallingly great-amounting. we are
told, to 90 $40 $685. 1853 500 OO0,0e0 different or
ders for the numbers l to % alone-for one
to hope to hit upon a large square, as the
early ArabianS made the first simple ones,
by the crude method of trial. In this array
OF changes. however, 1t is further stated,
there are 81 900 possible five squares, while
the total possible transpositions of the num-
bers to 10000 each change giving mage
square, are represented by with some 1000
places of figures. The countless sands of
the seashore" may give some faint concep-
ton of what this means. A handful of sand
of medium flneness, 100 grains to the inch,
will contain 100000 grains, if it measures
one cubic inch, and thus philosopher or
child may grasp the million To get into
triliions would require pile of sand one
mile in its length, breadth and thickness.
At this we stand amazed, but TO get some
where near the possible variations in the
100-square, the magic square of to 10000,
we should have TO lay down such handfuls
of sand each of a million grains, from the
earth to Aldebaran.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16
For Shopping Women.

TO save time. one of two. women who
were shopping together week before last
started to drop Several small purchases
right in her bag without waiting for them
to be wrapped up. Don't do that" cried
the other woman. ut isn't safe nowadays.
You may be taken for "a shoplifter a lot
of unwrapped articles in your bag GER
tainly looks like it. and If you were just
arrested general principles such things
would hardly count as evidence in your ia
vor" The shopper saw the timely force
of the argument and waited TO have the
things done up in their legitimate wrap
pers. 1t was another woman who pur-
chased a small statuette, which she pre-
ferred TO carry home herself, but which
when handed TO her was hardly wrapped
up at all. The figures head and shoulders
stuck bodily out of the tattered bit OF
wrapping paper, minus even a string to
keep it in place. Just send that back and
have it wrapped up more carefully, please.
said the woman: - don't care to carry a
parcel that looks as though I'd done IL up
myself" She didn't add, for fear OF being
taken for a shopIifter" but that is what
she meant. II is consideration confronting
every woman nowadays; another tom
added to the long list OF shopping hard
SlfDS
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16
ABOUT PEOPLE AND THINGS.

Burial in Westminster Abbey is not a
question of money, but the interment fees
aggregate $500.
1t is not an uncommon thing. according to
a traveller in Russia, to meet herd of COWS
or oxen in certain parts of that country
wearing blue glasses to cOuGtcract the eff
fectS caused by the reflection of the snow
in winter time.
Halleck, the poet, in Difference to an old
woman passenger who entered the same
stage coach. threw away fine cigar which
he had just lighted, and which was his last.
The old woman produced q pipe and Wretcn-
ed tobacco and puffed away for fifteen
miles.
Miss Helen Gould and William Rockefeller
have become rivals in the matter of raising
flowers. Roses and orchids are the hobby
of both and each is trying to excel the 9TH
er. Miss Gould has just received a palm
from her agents in Egypt. 1t is over a
hundred years old and cost in the neighbour
hood of $20,OO0
Casimr Felix Badeni who recently re-
signed the premiership of Austria, is the
son of a cook. His father was the chef of
one of the lest kings of Poland, and was
made a count by his master. He was ap-
pointed prime minister of Austria by EN-
peror Francis Joseph in 1885, and is reputed
to be worth s.. 500OOO.
A friend of Ruskin says the great critic
still takes his daily walks, sees his per-
sonal friends and spends much time in read
ing He directs his own business, but is
obliged to decline correspondence, and can
not reply to the many letters which still
come asking his intervention in public mat
teers or for private advice and assistance.
F. Marion Crawford. on the occasion Of
his recent lecture in st. Paul, was intro
duced to the audience by Archbishop Ire
land, who said, among other things: II have
the fullest faith in the accuracy of the pic
lures he loves TO draw of other lands and
the highest need of praise which can be
given his fiction is that 1t refines and ele-
Yates the mind.
Mrs Horworte, of Wichita. Kan, gave a
party one evening last week. and here is a
part of the account given of it by a local
paper: Mrs. Horwortles party Friday
evening was a great success. The large
pearl handle knives used at the luncheon
were the property Of Mrs. Hardin and the
silver spoons were borrowed from Mrs.
Granthier, neighbor
Henrik Ibsen who is still at his home in
Christiania is said to intend returning to a
foreign country to live. as he did from 1864
to 1891 His son has just begun the pubi-
cation of a weekly journal and promises
contributions from his father, who for fif-
teen years has written nothing but plays.
with one exceptional poem for the first
number Of a monthly paper called The
North
When Queen Amelie OF Portugal was out
walking the other day. she came across u
woodcntter who had been injured by the
branch of falling tree. The Queen, who
has studied medicine. attended to the man 5
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16

injury, and then with her companion az
sisted him TO reach his cabin. Later on the
queen called to see how her patient was
Then you are a doctor, madame. since you
woodcutter who did not know his benefac-
tress Yes, my good man." was the reply.
Il am sorry for that" continued the wood
cutter. because | shall never be able 20
pay all | owe you. But you must give me
your address, and as soon as l can go out
] Will bring you q basket of fresh eggs ana
butter by way of thanks" The Queen re-
piled evaSively, and the surprise Of the
sequently learned the rank of his physician.
Another Roman villa has been dug up at
Boscoreale. on the slopes of vesuvlus. near
Pompeii, where the great find OF silver or
naments was made two years ago. The
walls are covered with beautiful frescoes,
chiefly landscapes and marines. One repre-
sents q bridge over river. with an angler
fishing with a line. -Four wine jars were in
the cellar and seven skeletons have been
found in the excavation.
Oh, he preached from the housetops, and he
whispered ii by stealth:
He wrote whole miles of stuff against the
awful curse of wealth;
He shouted for the poor man, and he called
the rich man down,
He roasted every king and queen who dared
to wear a crown.
He hollered for rebellion, and he said he'd
head band
To exterminate the millionaire, to sweep
them from the land.
He yelled against monopolies took shots at
every trust,
And Swore he d be an Anarchist and grind
them in the dust.
He stormed, he fumed and ranted, till he
made the rich men vince;
But an uncle left him money, and he hasn't
shouted since.
sf...-- ~
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16

4 man who does not pay his debts; who
repudiates honest obligations: who lodges
his creditors ard makes evasive. lying ex-
euses. repeating them over and over again:
who commits trespasses and wrongs against
others and refuses to atone for then, prom-
Using to do so and then repudiating his
prclnises-such man, to put it mildly. is no
gentleman. What such a man would be
agaong gentlemen Turkey IS among powers
There is not a case off>record in which she
las performed a duty or discharged an OBJ
legation except after long course of eva-
sion and lying, and when finally compelled
10 act decently by the threat of The other
party 70 enforce its claim at all hazards.
That Is the policy she has been pursuing to-
wards the United States for two years past.
More than two years ago property of Amer
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16
power of the MarseilIaise.
Colonel T. W. Higginson. in the Atlantis

Colonel T. W. Higginson, in the Atlantic.
Nothing of the kind in this world can be
more impressive than the way i'm which an
audience OF 6,O00 French radicals receives
that wonderful air (the "Marseillaise.") l
observed that the chorus Of young men who
led the singing never once looked at the
notes, and few even had any, so familiar
was it to all. There was a perfect hush in
the vast audience while the softer parts
We're sung: and no one joined even in the
chorus at first, for everybody was listening.
The instant however, that the strain closed,
the applause broke like a tropical storm,
and the clapping of hands was like the
taking flight of thousand doves all over
the vast arena. Behind those twinklng
hands the light dresses of the ladies and
the blue blouses of workingmen seemed
themselves to simmer in the air; there was
no coarse noise of pounding on the floor
or drumming on the seats, but there was
vast cry of ''Bis Bis" sent up from the
whole multitude, demanding d repetition.
The moment the first verse was sung
through for the second time several thou
sand voices joined in the chorus; then the
applause was redoubled, as If they had
gathered new sympathy from one another;
after which there was still one more great
applauding gust, and then an absolute
nupf
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16

The effect of filling one-quarter of the
circle surrounding the soldiers monument
with building of uniform height and APP
pearance shows that the impressions of the
monument would be materially enhanced if
the entire circle were built up with the
same uniformity. The effect of the sur
rounding buildings on the monument is
somewhat akin to that of the frame o. a
picture, which, as all know, adds to or de-
tracts from the beauty of the picture ac-
ccrding as it harmonizes or not. 1t may
not be possible to secure entire uniformity
in the buildings surrounding the monument,
but the idea should be kept steadily in
view. The nearer the approach to uniform
ity the better framing the monument will
have. Especially is it to be hoped that no
"sky-scraper' or very lofty building will
ever be erected on the circle. Such struc-
lures are Of doubtful beauty in any case,
dwarfng and marring the effect of other
really handsome buildings near them, but
if one should be erected on the circle, over
topping the neighboring buildings by sew
eral stories, breaking up all the lines and
seemingly vying with the monument itself
the effect of the latter would be perma-
nently marred. 1t is by no means certain
that the city authorities ought not to make
some special provision in regard to this
matter. The monument is beyond compar-
ison the greatest attraction the city has,
and is likely to continue so for generations
to come. The fame of it's architectural and.
artistic beauty will increase as time passes
and nothing should be done or be permit
ted to be done to mar or weaken them.
The monument is work of which the city
may well be proud. and the authorities
should take care that its beauty shall never
be marred by its surroundings.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16

The talk about combination of European
powers hostile to Great Britain to parcel
out China among themselves has ceased.
Perhaps those who could speak for Russia,
Germany and France never have expressed
such a purpose except so far as the ram
bling half predictions of the Emperor of
Germany could be regarded as observations
along that line. AT any rate, silence pre-
walls. Even significant editorials have
ceased to appear in court journals. Eng
land has again been shown that her neigh
bors are unfriendly, but that information
cannot be in the nature of news. As for
the others, they appear to have suddenly
learned that Great Britain is practically
mistress of the situation in the East unless
the natives of India can be induced to en-
gage in a general instruction. Great Brit
ain and her ally, Japan, have the ships ard
the coalng. stations. Probably the war lord
of Germany has learned that his brothers
fleet cannot reach Chinese waters except
through the courtesy of Great Britain. So
the situation will remain unchanged so far
as the autonomy of China is concerned. The
rulers of that inert people will probably
permit foreigners to build railroads and to
open the interior to trade, but nothing will
be done that will in any way interfere with
our commerce with China. Such being the
case, Senator Teller can remove his war
uniform.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16

There IS some difference between mon
archical and republican methods. A decree
has been published at Havana that news
papers must not publish cable dispatches
without censorship. nor until twelve hours
after they have given notice of the receipt
of such dispatches. OF course, the United
States government would never be foolish
enough to issue such an order as that, but
If 1t did it would take several standing
armies to enforce il