davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09

mixed up" His rules for beginners We're to
answer three questions-.'W do people
want To know about2 What do | know
about it? What will I have to learn? And
these three things answered satisfactorily
beforehand insured, to his mind, something
interesting.
Princess Amelie Rives Troubetskoy. who
began to write in her early teens. had
a habit of reading q great deal before Writ
ing a word. Her father used TO reproach
her for this. saying she worked too nara
on a composition or story But little
Miss Amelie would reply: Papa, L am not
a very clever writer and l must KNOW
all about my subject, so people will not no.
tee that am a beginner and her words
were, the truest that q young writer ever
spoke for it is a fact that few notice rack
OF what is called literary style III the
writer writes Understandings ana WIN
n,entv of bright facts. There are very few
writer's, even among those who have a set
tied place in tue literary world, VINO can
charm readers merely by their style They
must have something TO talk about ana
plenty of knowledge on their topic.
Young writers often make the mistake
Of trying to- initiate the fauitiess Woru
pictures of TX Marvel, or the long. exquls-
ita sentences OF Hawthorne When they
atfemDt this they are likely TO get into
a region of sentiment for which they are
unprepared in mind, and choose topics that
depend for their interest upon the way
they are treated.
SIMPLE TOPICS.
When Mrs Amelia E. Barr began to
write she knew her faults ana WOULD
take none except the simplest topics. She
would write how u bride was dressed at q
wedding or would describe the quaint cos
tunes worn by children in the annual
RI aam1Ifffn parade OF New York. or would
do something equally easy on account OF
plenty to write about. But after aWnie
she came to have style" and then sac
wrote ..our of her head as the little chill
tiren say, and gave up reporting" as her
former work was called
Fairy stories are good practice. out
the story should be told ''out loud TO III
tie brother and sister first. TO De sure that
IL is a new one and that all goes We'll IN
the plans.
Stories of the early lives OF the Presi-
dents. of some exciting battle. with the
names of the Generals correctly given or
tales OF Puritan days, or the lives OF the
Kings of England or Scottish legends.
are all interesting 10 both young ana
old minds.
Lord rennyson usel 70 tell story OF
writing q composition IN tne very Worus
of his scnool history. BECAUSE he had read
II 60 often that the exact language OF
,f,a story remained IN his memory.
10 not ttesoa.r If there are little failures.
Keep the Dr. Holmes rule OF comp sition
in mind. and after a time you will md
Yourself writing well that II will be
pleasure to you to read Your own ESSAYS.
Little by little yot, viii form the literary
habits which Mr. kipIns says. are the
tricks OF the writers
Begin with a thing you know all about.
. ar of which you can easily learn. then ask
Yourself a series of questions about IL. and
in q short time you w II say CT your COM
position as Lr Charles Dickens said OF
..Pfckwfck Papers Why. the thing wrote
!tsalf:''
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09

have more enlightenment as TO the com
duct of life than we used TO nave. our
standards for women are higher ana more
sensible than of yore. and the new ea
reers' TOR women have given their amoi
ton better direction.
The number of beautiful women has
enormously increased in the last thirty
Years: The example of the stage and IL
adoption by many society women may
have had something to do with that; bu.
knowledge OF how to live and the pop
ularity OF exercise and sports have hao
more. a woman healthy in body and en-
nSntened In mind IS much more likely tc
be good in other ways than is her incom
petent sister; and since wealth affords the
best opportunities for this kind of de-
yelopment it ought to be, broadly speak
ing. beneficial 10 the sex in this country.
Ettch girls have not normally the same
temptations that rich boys have: and it
is our boys, and rot our girls. who ought
to be blamed for the latter marrying for
eisners. a foreign aristocrat has at least
a position and q career to offer TO a girl
in exchange for her money; but what have
our rich young men to offer her? What
sort of a career is that of a rich Arneri-
cans wife? Such cases as that OF Miss
Morgan are too rare TO argue from. Miss
Zimmerman's marriage to the young Duke
OF Manchester. on the other hand. has a
the nooleneu OF England are bound e
exercise good influence upon English des
tinteS, and it is therefore desirable that
they should strengthen and purify the
stock as much as possible. 1 am GLAD
the young couple has been forgiven .!
Papa Zimmerman and so well received il
this city by our people.
THE. CONVERSATIONS
But the idea OF a rich and beautiful
American girl marrying a. creature like
some Of our Anglo-American dudes II
nauseatinS. Such a fate would be wholly
degradingt For her to marry an English
peer who was personally insignificant
might certainly not be the highest destiny
conceivable, but neither need it be alto.
gether base. There are compensations and
opportunities in the latter case which
would be entirely lacking in the other II
her domestic life fails, the wife may con-
sole herself by building up or maintaining
Il great social position; she may enter
into affairs of state and do good in many
Incidental ways. But the unhappy wife
of q rich American has nothing to turn to
but vice and dissipation, IL her husband
be 4 nincompoop or a Scoundrel. and
can only hope that the future may slim
ulate our young men TO make themselves
better worthy OF our rich and beautiful
girls than they have shown themselves
to be of late.
Unless this happens the situation viii ba
singular. For there is every sign that
wealth will continue to increase in this
country, and if it continues to harm our
young men and to benefit our young wo-
men, and thus to cause their paths in
life to diverge and TO drive the finest
type of cur womanhood into the arms
of foreigners, we might be moved to pass
a law making wealth transferable to the
female side of the family only. However.
we need not cross that bridge till we como
to it.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09
THE NEW INSECT.

And it was So Upon arriving at the
higher plateau we made very minute
examinations of the priclliy-pear bush and
it was not long until the new insect was
discovered He is very PLAIN, common
fellow in appearance, about the size OF
=. buckshot. and resembling buckshot,
in size. form, and color. Under the glass
however, his peculiar bone-burrowlns
propensities were at once apparent. Inc
entire edge of his circular she'll was
miniature saw Upon being disturbed he
plainly showed the procedure he resorted
10 in order to get out of harms way.
Around and around he turned upon the
limb to which he chung. de sank INTO
the hard wood as if by magic, leaving
q. clean hole behind, filed with the me
dust from his borngs, and completely
screening him in his course
What shall | call him. l asked OF the
Professor.
Il do not know" he replied; ne IS
Of a class by himself. However, 1t IS
not improbable that he must be ciassed
with the sarcopsylla genus. to which. as
YOU know, belong the Peruvian chlsoe
Cor chigger) and the carapato, or south
American tick. Still, he is entirely dl1-
fsrent from these fellows. We had better
can him merely the sl<ull-borer, for want
Of another name and skull-borer 1T IS.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09
TO BE
A GOOD WRITER
Some Excellent Rules for Beginners
to Profit BY.
A SEEMINGLY HARD TASK
same of the Best Writers Failed OH
Their First Attcmpt-Have Some
thing to Say and Say il Quick
Says DR.. Holmes
4 SEEMINGLY HARD TASK
90. = Exnerienced Journallst.)

,P,, an Experienced JOURNALIST
rs pleasant sure TO see one iiaA'io -
print, ,,.s 10th
hooks a book, although there's noth-
ing init.
{, s,,rg Burns the poet: but there are
hundreds perhaps thousands, oi men iiIu
womer who have the talent anu "o"1u
really make excellent WHITES '.iu 49,
su,i,sts IF they only knew no" TO go ae
the work. ,,a t,a
,.e.s son of the difficulty is that the written
,asa must consist OF a succession "L ioeas,
expressed by carefuiy-cnosen "osus atu
put together in such manner Cat 80
are pleasant to read, and at the same e.iile
are grammatical as Wen as Aaii u
nation on the chosen topic- 1865
..tion ;, said Mrs. Frances HodSson Bur
ratt RI a friend who asked her now she
neean to write. Il worked upon 1t WAoie
week. morning and night; and then tore
II in and went to our village schooi cry
ir-,.''
But You wrote it asains' auerisd the
friend. 8.
that eventually, / wrote 1t in 81 much I'M
viewed wav and sent it TO a rnagnZiae Tor
,.uhlicat:cn: and as you know, 1t was ac-
rerted. and so much work was ordered
that | had to pick berries to pay my pos
tase until the money began to come In
fo- the work And that was my begin
ming.
BEGINNING HARD.
Young readers will be interested in Mrs
E;1ruett's experience, telling in her own
words that TIE beginning was not eass
for her. And they will understand as .iss
struggle with pencil ari page that our
ars have worked as hard as they, ana 'iies
are not stupid simply because theS nay
50 much difficulty at first IN n. eSpisss--'7
#thetr thoughts clearly and we'll
Nav that means only that you mus.
#rave something 10 say and must ssts A.
without interruptions or Wanotsi.iss 80.
yo1,r tonic AS Oliver Wendell ftoiines
once told a Young writer. Make up your
mind what YOU are going to saS-and tfieii
say it quick ~, NV.
Tba,trc,,bIe with the beg nneEs VINO nave
articles to write, and VINO hnd them Tie
most fearful of all tasks. IS that uiss w
no, raay Dr. Holmes first rule IheF iof-
o., 10 make up their minds as 10 WHIT
sIbsv van. to say: and so when they s.t
sa-,,n 70 saw it they have nothing at all
!, mind. and the composition hour De-
comes a period OF terror
Exnress Yourself as o-sefiy as you please.
and make all your sentences short; ana
last lust by way of precautiofl run over
III arares to see if the sentences VII. all
s.na rsas. for it is a bad fault 10 have
s. no nouns and tne verbs connect badly
SPLENDID RULE
!. Lord Macaulay. who wrote pretty we'll
when he was only a little boy OF six. used
IN make every sentence just line long
for practice and. as ne says Ii one OF his
published letters. Ito keep from S-ts'rs.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09
HE SIGNALLED FOR HELP.
Social Reputation Of the Navy WAS
Saved hv Prompt Discipline.

Social Reputation OF INC Navy was
Saved by Prompt Discipline.
Not long ago, on board one OF our
t,assI,ins. the admiral in command invited
. number of guests to a dance, but only
n limited number of men appeared. a
lady who was standing near a young
officer noticed the admiral 0eckoh 10
him. 4,,1- no
tween the two, and then the officer sa-
luted and walked. Presently slgnal
flag nuttered to the peak. ana Il lno1hent
after she saw the officers rush to the size
of all the ships in sight. Boats We're
lowered. crews and officers sprans IN, ana
rowed swiftly to the flagship.
The ladv's heart stood still. Surely bad
news of some kind or other had come
Perhaps the flagship was sinking and the
boats were coming to the rescue. ferhaps
there was to be an attack by an enemy.
Perhaps she was on the verge OF expert
encing a naval conflict.
What has happened?' she ventured to
ask an officer. why are those boats
putting off from all the ships?
That's in answer to signal, he an
swered.
The lady was all a-tremble.
'.Oh. what does it mean? she cried.
1.-The signal-tell me-please tell me-?
why he answered, the admiral or
dered the signal He felt ii necessary.
In the code it means, More men wanted
for the party and they're coming at
once ''-CaSsel' S Journal.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09
Especial Dispatch 10 Tho rimcs.)

cHARLoTTEsNiLLE. VA. December
1-When representative OF the
Times called upon Miss Woods this
morning at her residence, on High Street,
and inquired if she had anything further
TO say IN regard To tho selection of herself
to represent North America on the PAN
American emblem she said: Nothing,
Except TO emphasize the statement that
! was very much surprised to learn OF
the action OF the committee. l knew
nothing of the contest until its close, and.
OF course. was in ignorance of the TACT
that my photograph was even among
those considered by the committee. Yes
she was proud of the honor-proud for
her State and section but there was IN
Miss Woods words and manner a notice"
able absence of personal pride. gentle
shrinking from the publicity which mas
been forced upon her. and genuine sur
prise that she should have been con-
Eidered worthy of such a distinction.
There is a pretty little story connected
with the manner in which the committee
came into possession of Miss Woods
photograph: During the summer OF 1898
Mr. Alexander Black, Of New YORK, the
eminent author. was in Alpemafle county.
While here he met Captain Alca1ah
Moods who invited him to ms mousse
The invitation was accepted. ana MI
gentleman and his delightful family OF
course. Mr. Black WAS captivated by the
personality OF the household in which he
was "a guest, but he seems to have espe-
cialiy admired the beauty and grace OF
The face and form and character OF Miss
Maud Coleman Woods
Mr. Black sought and obtained from
Miss Woods and her father permission TO
photograph her in various poses, prom
Using that If the pictures We're ever eXhi-
s,lted the name of the lady should be
carefully concealed
MISS AMERICA
CAPTAIN Woods and his daughter had
forgotten the matter until in December
OF that year the young lady received a
beautifully bound and printed copy of
Miss America" the handsome book by
MI Black, which is attracting much
attention as il is devoted TO the charac-
teristics and tendencies of the American
girl Of to-day. Miss Woods was naturally
gratitied at receiving so beautiful a
souvenir from the author, but her plea
sure was not equalled by her astonish-
ment when she saw that she was the
original of the illustrations throughout
The book. Mr.. Black had reproduced in
his volume the photographs taken sew
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09
MANGLED AT FOOTBALL.
Massachusetts Players Bones Many
Times Broken

Vernon White, Of Attleboro. for the last
four years has played left end on the team
Of the Attleboro High School. He has
been laid out fourteen times in five years.
each time with at least one bone broken.
Here Is his list:
1895, leg and collarbone broken; 1895.
right ankle sprained and nose broken
twice; 1896, back severely wrenched; 1897,
three fingers Oh left hand broken and
ankle Broken; 1898. rib broken and wrist
sprained; 1899 left leg fractured splntered;
1900 hsad severely injured two ribs brok-
en-. legs temporarily para!yzed and ribs
previously fractured rebroken.
His latest injury, sustained Thanks
giving day, was his most serious. He
says:
II saw by the formation of the opposing
backs that run around my end was IN
tended On they came at full speed l
saw that | would be unable to make a
fair tackle. so l waited until they were al
most upon me and then dove at their
feet, hoping to trip them up. was sue
cessful in this, for down they crashed
upon me- The next thing knew l was
here in bed with two ribs broken. l re-
ceived a severe kick on the pelvic bone
which injured the nerves of that locality
and brought on seeming paralysis of the
lower limbs.
Football is a great game and I had
rather play it than eat Thanksgiving
dinner every day.''-Philadelphia Record.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09

eral months before. The name Of Miss
Woods was not used, but the likeness was
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09
MISS WOODS GREATLY SURPRISED
AT THE HONOR CONFERRED ON HER
Was Ignorant of Fact That the Committee Was in
Possession of Her Pcture--lnteresting Little
Story in Connection With Their Choice
of Virginia Fair Daughter.

eral months before. The name of Miss
Woods was not used, but the likeness was
perfect.
Mr.. Black obtained five photographs Of
Miss Woods From one he made the
beautiful des,,n which appeared on the
cover. of this attractive volume. When
the photographs We're returned this one
VOC retained by the artist as a valued
memento. 1t was this photograph which
found its way-without the knowledge of
Miss Woods-to the committee, and which
led to, a unanimous selection by these
Judges of grace ana peau1S-
But when your representative. IN his
little talk this morning with Miss Woods,
recalled the time when, as young girl,
she was Queen of the 'kirmess, and,
n little later. was chosen from hundreds
If southern beauties as the sponsor Tor
the Department of the Army OF Northern
Virgi;ia-the highest honor In the gilt
OF the United Confederate Veterans
Association-she smiled dejreciatingly.
No. she had nothing to say about these
things She would talk about the delight
full fan weather, her recent trip to Wash
ington of music books and fancy work
of anything that was not for publication,
but she must be excused from speaking
of these incidents of her life, that had
already given her such 'undeserved promi-
nence.
a SPLENDID .IA re.
Those who know Miss Woods know that
she is a splendid type of young woman
hood Those who are somewhat doubtful
as to whether the American girl Of to-day
is the equal of her mother and grand
mother may know that she is all that
is best in woman. If the young Virginia
girl be fair type.
Miss Woods is little more than grown.
She has brown hair. deep blue eyes, and
yerYr fair skin. with delicate roses in
her cheeks. She is of medium height,
rather slender. and her every movement
is full Of grace.
Since her debut she has been considered
one of the beauties of Virginia, and has
received many distinguished honors. She
is exceedingly popular in social circles,
and has won quite as much admiration
!, for her lovely manners and sweet DISPOSE
ton as for her great beauty.
She was educated at the Virginia
Female Institute. at Stanton, under the
tuition of Mrs. General j. e. B. Stuart,
whose distinguished husband was kins-
man OF hers on both sides of her house.
She possesses, besides many other accom-
plishments. rare talent for music. She
took the only gold medal awarded at the
Virginia Female Institute the year she
graduated.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09
His Onportunity.

II wish could think OF some new and
,,-,.spnl Christmas present to surprise
x,amma. with til:s year, said Miss De
Muir, wrinkling her fair brow in deep
gerpleXity.
..Htw do you think she'd Ike son-in-
t.aw?" aoarsely whispered young Spoona-
more. falling readily into the only line Of
thought that seemed to suggest ITSELF
C.hte ago Tribune
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-09

there, no doubt, we will find the insect,
aud also find that he is entirely indigenous
to the prckly pear" said Professor
New-York tribune., 1900-12-25
SING SING.

One of the measures likely to be acted on by
the Legislature at its coming session will
arouse intense interest within narrow limits
and moderately engage the general attention.
The residents of Sing Sing in mass meeting
assembled last week unanimously resolved to
ask that the name of the village should be
changed to Ossining. which is the name of the
township and their thoughts will anXously fol-
low their petition to the State capital. There
seemed at first as we said, TO be little reason
to suppose that the granting of their prayer
would accomplish their object of dissociating
the village from the prison in the public mind
inasmuch as the latter would probably soon
come to be known by the new name of the
former But we understand that precautions to
avert such a virtual notification of the in
tended purpose are to be taken, and that the
prison will be required TO retain its present
designation. If that can be assured the free
and independent citizens of Sing Sing will be
justified. we think in their appeal.
Ordinarily we feel little sympathy with those
who seek to change an ancient name. We re-
member, for instance. that we shared the
pugnance with which many residents of a fine
old Long Island town looked upon the PROPOSE
ton TO convert Good Ground into something else
we are pleased to have forgotten what. Good
Ground was a venerable, racy and descriptive
name, and its extinction seemed pity. Usually
the wish to effect such change has its origin
in an excess of vanity or a deficiency of taste
or a mixture of the two. In the case of Sing
Sing however, a reasonable and respectable mo-
tive underlies the scheme Of the petitioners.
They say that the place has lost instead of
gaining population in recent years, and that
capital looking for investment regards it with
disfavor because of its nominal Identification
with the notorious establishment which the
State there maintains for good and sufficient
reasons. In particular, they allege that manu-
facturers refuse to take advantage of its natural
resources, lest their productions should be
craftily denounced by rivals as prison made.
If such are the facts, and we have no reason
to think otherwise, we cannot wonder that the
change is strongly and indeed unanimously
urged
Moreover, there are considerations of minor
convenience and of sentiment Also which is a
powerful force. To be sure, there is always
likely TO be exaggeration wherever sentiment
plays part We suppose for example, that
lovely young woman is very seldom made an
object of suspicion because she halls from
Sing Sing, and that a man of godly walk and
conversation is scarcely ever pointed out as an
escaped convict for the same reason. Never
theless, the name does convey suggestions Of
an unpleasant nature, and, taking everything
into account, we hope that the present effort to
put it under strict confinement will succeed.
New-York tribune., 1900-12-25

A sensational agitator the other day declared
that primitive Christianity gave no warrant for
''crusades against vice" He was strangely for
eetful Of the casting out of devils as well as
of the fate of Ananias Peace and good 'gill
were never meant TO be a compromise with sin
or a condonement of unrighteousness. On the
contrary, there is no truer way of promoting
peace on earth and of manifestng good will
toward men than In unfailingly rebuking sin
and exercising evil spirits.
That is the Christmas lesson and the Christ
mas duty for individuals. 1t comes with equal
force to the city, the State and the Nation. 1t
is idle and worse than idle 10 imagine that the
city is 10 show good will to its dwellers by
giving free rein to all manner of vice and dis
order or that the Nation for the sake of peace
is to stand silent and inert in the presence Of
national or international wrong. We shall have
peace on earth when the earth becomes fit for
peace and worthy of 1t, and good will will be
manifest TO all when all are such as the Giver
of good will is pleased with. Meanwhile let it
not be said that peace and good viii are fall
ures even though nineteen hundred years have
not made universal their benignant reign. There
is not a denial or resistance of them that does
not bespeak their necessity, and not violation
of them that does not give certain assurance
of their progress toward ultimate victory.