davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1901-05-19
LABOR POLICY THAT PAYS.
How n Big Railway Company Re
CARDS Its Employees.
(From Gunton's Magazine,

As another evidence of progress and i'm
proved relations between large corpora
tions and labor the New York Central
Railroad is making it part Of its policy
to recognize that it has a duty toward the
social and civic welfare of its employees as
well as an interest in their economic eff
cheney. The excellent example set by
Cornelius Vanderbilt in erecting a building
for the use of the employees of the New
York Central. furnishing attractive quar-
ters for social meeting. well-equipped din
ing-rooms, sleepiug-rooms for the men
away from home. library, reading-room,
baths, gymnasium. lectures etc. spracti-
cally free, set the pace which the COM
pany is making 1t part of its policy to
follow
According to a recent report these fa-
cilities are being estab blished along this
whole system. An encouraging feature
of this is that the company expressly rec
oguizes that it is inspired to this policy
for social and patriotic as well as busi-
ness reasons. They have found that the
better the conditions under which the en-
intelligent citizens they are and the more
trustworthy and competent workmen. In
other words the experience Is that the
hest economic policy for large corpora
tion is that which does the most for the
social opportunities and personal welfare
of the laborers; that the bloodless method
of treating labor solely as an instrument
of production. out of which the maximum
work should be extracted and into which
the minimum wealth, opportunity, and
social culture should be infused. is bad
results in pad craftsmanship which may
react disastrously upon business; IN
short, that it is as uneconomic as 1t is
unpa patriotic.
The times., 1901-05-19

ought to fly and could fly If only suita-
bic wings could be provided. He went to
work and his labors and thoughts are
materialized in model In the Patent
Office. The model is wooden man with
wings, in shape and movement exactly
like that of a bird. The wings are strap
ped to his shoulders by a band that
goes over his chest and comes out under
his arms. There is tail also. like
bird 8. The wings and tail are controlled
by the inward movement of the arms
which are harnessed to them by straps
More practical. perhaps, is a machine
of the Observation-Disclosures variety
designed to do away with the newsboy.
1t is entered under the name of a Coin
Controlled Newspaper Delivery Machine -
and is the invention of a Minneapolis
man. In box, or casing. are number
of wooden arms, like towel racks on
which are hung newspapers You drop
your coin in the slot and you get the
newspaper you want.
Frenchman has taken out an Ameri-
can patent for a billiard cue The cue is
hollow and contains a spring which can
be set to strike a blow with a certain
force. The tip end of the cue slides into
the hollow cue like a piston and is re-
leased by the spring. thus giving the force
needed to land the billiard on the spot
selected.
The times., 1901-05-19

out Of this wretched muddle, and you
shall have her-as soon as she likes,"
1 pondered / was very fond of Clara.
l began to wish that the situation were
not so hopeless. Sir George took up his
penholder and marked time with it.
''The affair" he said, lies in a nut.
shell; it is as simple as A 3 g"
"Oh, it's simple enough 1 assented-
painfully simple"
England" the Ambassador continued,
ignoring my interruption. lis at war with
the Transvaal Republic. Last week there
appeared in an issue OF a foreign news
paper what purports to be an interview
between the monarch OF this country and
the Eur Jpean representative of the Trans
Vaal Republic The interview-or let us
say, purportCd intervieW-yUu have read
yourself. 1t is sufficient to remark that,
IL II was authentic il was tantamount to
declaration of war against England
Now, you know what an artful old beg
gar Highbury is, He sends me across by
Queens messenger two sealed dispatches
for the Emperor, addressed 10 him pri-
vately. One is marked "A, the other 'B >
Now, If the interview had been genuine, |
was TO have dealt the first blow by pre-
senting b. which is tantamount 10 an
ultimatum. couched in most formal and
war-like language. If, yH the otncT hand
its authenticity is denied. ] present A
which Is a friendly little note, assuring
His Majesty that 10 notice was taken in
England Of what was obviously a ridicn-
lous canard. You know, of course, what
has happened"
THE Emperor has denied the whole
story contemptously from beginning 20
end" / remarked The Transvaal rep
resentative was never even accorded an
interview.
Sir George fiourished the penholder with
new vigor
Precisely. I accordingly left at the
palace the letter marked "A, and re-
turning here, proceeded 10 open and de-
stroy letter 'B.' / read il first, and to
my horror found that it's contents were
as per specification OF letter A, and
that consequently. the lettering must
have been wrong, and the ultimatum left
at the palace"
Il don't quite see where we are TO
% Perbans ans Nno@ pos mn ln'etPIseo gSIef erkod
dryly. You see, you are very young
But there is axiom in diplomacy which
you Will do well to lay at heart. II any,
thing goes wrong at your charge. no mat
ter who is TO blame, you are responsible.
Ihose letters have been changed by spies
most likely, and think know who Is at
The times., 1901-05-19
POTATOES THE FRIEND OF MAN.
Almost Forgotten in Descriptions of
World Foods.
From the Kansas City Journal-)


a writer in one of the current monthlies
undertakes to enumerate the good things
which America has given to the world
He lists maple sugar. the turkey, the to-
mato. Indian corn. tobacco, and host
of other things, but totally negleets the
potato. which is in more general use than
any other vegetable. And this reminds US
that one of the lesser encyclopedias grave
ly declares that the potato is native of
Great Britain and that it was brought
to the American settlements from Ire
land"-a half truth which is quite as rep
rehensible as a fun falsehOod-
When the SpaniardS penetrated Mexico
they found the natives eating, as one OF
the chroniclers of that day quantity sad:
Certain roots or bulbs whlch erew Al the
ends of stems in the ground and which are
called 'batata' The standard encyciope-
dias note that the potato is q native of
South American, Mexico. and other tropl-
cal American countries. and that II made
its first appearance in Europe when car
ried there from Peru by Spanish explorers
at the beginning of the sixteenth century
1t also was found in Florida and from there
it was carried TO Virginia and thence to
England by Sir John Hawkins in 1850 a
century later we find the P1yal Geograpnl-
cal Society laboring for its introduction
into Ireland on the SuppoSluon tnat II
would afford a certain means Of fOrestall
ing famine and a few years later II came
from Ireland into the settlements OF New
England-a fact which gave rise 10 the en-
cyclopedic error which we have noted ana
this circuitous route from Virginia to New
England shows how little there is in com
mon between the ''rakeheli1eS or VIZ
ginia and their Puritan neighbors on the
north.
The potato is probably dispersed more
widely among the people of the earth
than any other American products with
the single exception of tobacco. Indian
corn now grown TO be our greatest agrl-
cultural staple and one of the best life
sustainers known, is little used oy the
world al large. But tobacco with no life
sustaining qualities whatever, is known
in every land and cline. Its widespread
and enormous consumption is one OF the
wonders of the world, for no drug, food
or other substance ever came into such
general use in so short a space of time.
The times., 1901-05-19

would so into the woods for the mere
pleasure of it, to initiate the birds but
the time was when she would sit on a log
In the woods and call the birds to her
side. When she would begin her calls
the birds in hearing would all gather in
the trees about their imitator and except
for fiutter Of wings. would remain silent
until she had finished her song to them.
Then all the birds would break forth in
song, each doing it's best. apparently TO
outdo the girl who had stolen its ca
dences
1t is said of her that on one occasion
she visited a house where canaries are
raised for sale and while the birds kept
silence initiated their song When she
stopped the birds tried TO show that a
mere human could not sing their songs
better than they could themselves. Where
Miss Wright had sang loud the birds
tr1lted and ran through their cadences
with all the strength their little throats
could summon. Then the girl sang again.
still louder The birds exceeded their first
effort and trilled till their throats seemed
almost to the bursting point. But the
girl who had stolen their song was still
their superior and finally the canaries.
almost exhausted, gave up the contest
and went to the corners of their cages
defeated.
For a time. while the girl was busy
learning the languages of the various spe-
cies of the bird family. she haunted the.
woods and then. after learning the Ian
guage of the wild songsters, took to the
study of barnyard fowls. Here she was
able to give the roosters points in their
own early morning vocation. and might
have set up as a teacher of Growing for
the young America of the rooster variety.
for the best that the oldest rooster on the
perch could do would be less artistic than
the smallest effort of the Fond du Lac
girl.
Miss Wright is now a teacher Of eIocu-
tion at Grafton hail, Fond du Lac. Miss
Wright was born in Nebraska. but came
to Fond du Lac to make her home with
relatives when only three old Her
ability in bird initiating brought her to
the notice of people who made it possible
for her to attend the Ralston University
of Expression and Physical Culture at
Washington. There she was put under
the direct care of President Edgerly. She
graduated In 1900 from that school
The times., 1901-05-19
THE AMBASSADORS DILEMMA

The Ambassador looked at me and I
looked at the Ambassador. II was not
by any means the first pause in an ex-
eeedingly awkward conversation
You see" he remarked suavely. you
also are concerned in this affair. ] am
glad to observe that you contrive to re
tain your cheerfuiness, but I am bound
20 point out the fact that-diplomatical-
ly. at any rate-you are in a parlous
state"
I assumed as IugubrIous an expression
as possible and yentured to contest his
point Of view.
i don't exactly sec I began but
he stopped me.
Perhaps not ] will explain. II am
what shall We say7-rem0ved, my First
Secretary viii certainly go with me. He
is supposed TO be equally TO blame when
anything goes wrong: he shares the re-
ward when small triumph is gained.
Now, you are my First seereary. Ham
bin, and VIC are in the devil Of a mess; in
your own interests should recommend
you to bestir yourself"
drew a little breath II ! had not
been IA way attached to my chief,
should certainly have used it for a diff
ferent purpose. As Sir George had re-
marked. we were certainly IN devil of
mess. but IL was he himself and alone who
had landed us there
II you could suggest any way. sir, IN
which could be Of the slightest use" /
remarked deprecatingly, nothing would
give me more pleasure Unfortunately.
we seem 20 be sitting down before a great
WALL it's too high TO clinch, and there's
no way round"
very charming simile." Sir George
said dryiy. Nevertheless. If you don't
get over yourself, or help me to. YOU
won't marry my daughter"
1 came to the conclusion promptly that
Sir George was an unreasonable and dis
agreeable old man; but kept my convic-
tions to myself.
Il hope you Will reconsider that. sir
/ said most respectfully. II am very
fond of Clara, and / think she cares a
little for me"
Work for her, then was the prompt
answer. Here's your chance Get us
The times., 1901-05-19

We haven't much time. have we?"
remarked Let US make the most of it. 3"
"How?'
took up my pen and code book, and
wrote telegram.
ITO Highbury, Downing Street. London:
-Discredit all rumors. Mobilization
cred letter A Probably Stock Exchange
rig win request audience tomorrow.
Wen start boldly, at any rate / said,
rising. Send this, and l viii be back in
Where are you going?' Sir George
asked.
ITO call on Fraulein Won Butz," 1 an
Youth is dauntless and excitement is
sweet So / walked through the broad,
sunlit streets of Merlin witt a smiling
face "a cigarette OF delicate f yor between
my lips, and tried to persuaC myself that
| it was not forlorn hope which
| had embarked. In my pocke- was letter
! a which should have been marked
'B, in my right hand fragrant bunch
of Neapoitan violets. whose faint, sweet
perfume had stolen out 10 me from flor
lists shop in the avenue. As l passed up
the broad steps of the mansion where Won
I Butz lived, the Fates did me good turn
| The door before me opened and Fraulein
Won Butz came out dressed for driving.
l bowed low and held out the flowers.
"A farewell gift, Fraulein,' said
sadly you will degn 10 accept them, I
hope
She held out her hands. and her bright
SIllle OF NclCOIc CidnBtu 10 Il IOoh VI
Interrogation.
Il win accept them" she said. with
very much pleasure, and / thank you in
deed for thinking of me. But why fare
well gift. Mr.. Hambn? Are you going
away on leave again?'
/ shook my head sorrowfully.
1T is no matter of leave, dear Frau
lein,' / said Il am quitting the service.
should have left today, but / wanted 10
say Sood-by to you"
She turned back into the hall
Come inside" she said. 81 do not un-
derstand
| heard her instruct the hall porter to
send back the carriage. She led me into
her own tiny sittingroom, as neat ana
dainty as herself, and motioned me 10
an easy chair. She sat down close TO me,
and loosened the furs from her neck:
You are giving up the service, she
said; you are leaving Merlin! Is 1t not
very sudden, Mr.. Hamblin?.
1T has come upon me" i said gloom
lily. like a thunderclap."
You shall tell me" she insisted, raising
her bright eyes to mine, AL about II.
Have you come into the title, rs your
health bad, or are you promoted
/ was silent for a moment ii was ST.
lence which told Then / shook my head
''Fraulein,'I said, when L nave gone
you will hear from others what ! would
rather tell you myself. | have longed Tor
this opportunity, yet now it has come
It is not easy!"
The times., 1901-05-19
FORTUNES TOLD WITH DICE.
The Significance of the Spots on the
Tiny Cubes Explained.
From The New York JonrnaI)

fFrom the NeW YORK JO1rnal-J
IN few ancient books on fortune tell
ing in the Astor Library, New York. may
be found a number of curious rules on
a nights entertainment. 1t is pretty
pastime to tell fortunes by dominoes or
dice. and one about which most people
know nothing. The rules are very plain
and easy enough 10 be understood by chill
dren, but 1t must be borne in mind that
il Is useless to try the experiment more
than once during the same week, as the
and apt to puzzle the fortune seekers.
If the fortune be told by dice. circle
of chalk must be previously drawn upon
the table The dice that rolls beyond this
circle means nothing, except that the
person viii soon have sharp words with
somebody. Should the dice fan on the
floor these sharp words Will lead to blows
If IN throwing the dice one happens to
fall on the other it is very bad omen,
and the person had better be careful for
some time.
Three dice are necessary. They must
be well shaken in a wooden box, but with
the left hand and then cast on the table
within the chaiked circle.
If the person throws three skies, or
eighteen points, il is a very good sign. 1t
means a speedy rise in life, great profit in
business or something else that the person
has ardentiy wished for. Seventeen
points mean water. The person viii
either 90 himself on the water or he will
have important or profitable dealings with
others by the way OF water A pleasant
journey Is promised 10y sixteen points, and
immediate good luck ana happiness by
fifteen. Fourteen points warn you to be
ware Of secret enemy, who is ready TO
bring some trouble upon you or to draw
you into a plot. Thirteen is always a
The times., 1901-05-19

bad number. 1t means mere tears and
sobs. Twelve tells of the immediate ar
rival of an important letter, and eleven
of the death of a person who is not indlt-
ferent to you.
Ten is a christening. nine a wedding,
eight Il reproach that has been well de-
served, and seven scandal that comes
upon the person without his or her fault
Six predicts the loss of some kind of prop
erty. Five tells you that you VIII make
the acquaintance of stranger who will
turn out to be a friend of yours disa
greeable surprise is the meaning of four,
and a pleasant one that of three.
AS for fortune telling by domiuoes, lay
them on the table face downward, shuttle
them without seeing the faces and draw
one. After each drawing they have to be
shutfied afresh. Every one has meaning.
The unluckiest of the whole set is the
double blank. 1t means great trouble
which cannot be cautioned against, as it
comes from unexpected quarters. one
blank tells that the person is closely
watched hp somebody whom he little sus-
poets, and two-blank predicts the loss of
money or of some other valuable objects.
The meaning of three-blank is an illegiti-
mate child. Four blank announces a dis
agreeable letter from an angry friend. and
tiVe-Dlank the funeral of a person to
whom the asker is not related Six-bIank
means one to be very careful or scandal
will come to destroy his reputation.
Nou Will lose a dear friend when you
draw double-one, but in drawing two-one
you Will find something in the street that
takes up three-one Is on the verge of 4
great discovery.
Four-one predicts trouble from credit
ors- Five-one means a love intrigue, and
siX-one tells that the person will soon per-
form a friendly or charitable deed.
Double-two is sign of a jealous part
ner. Three-two means warning against
putting money into lotteries any other
game of chance, for the asker is sure to
lose. Four-two is bad for women; it
warns of thieves and swindlers. particu-
larly OF those who try to steal the tender
feminine heart. A pleasant excursion on
the water is promised by five-two, and a
present Of some article of clothing by six
two.
double-three means a sudden wedding
that is not agreeable to the person who
asks, as it makes him or her lose a friend.
Four-three is n false alarm; five-three. a
visit from a person superior in rank, and
siX-three, a carriage drive.
Double-four predicts that the iperson
will drink some liquor away from home.
A fortunate business speculation is pre-
dicted by fve-four. and law suits and
troubles that can only be avoided by great
care by siX-four
If you take up double-five you will move
from your present place of residence. and
the change will be to your advantage. Six
five means that the person will go to some
place of amusement, and double-six that
be or she will receive large sum of mon
The times., 1901-05-19

Her piquant little face was full of sym
pathy BY accident my hand fell upon the
arm of her chair and touched her fingers.
She drew them dway-slowly.
'Frauiein, said there is one pro-
fession in the world in which a single
mistake is fatal. That profession unfor-
| tunately, is or was. mire-and that mis-
take-l have made
OH she cried
1t was enough. My humiliation now re-
quired no pretence. 1t came natural to
me ] felt that was a cad.
Won't you tell be a little more?" she
begged. u am so very sorry for you
and sorry that you are going away
Her hand once more fell upon the arm
of her chair. Never were fingers more
soft and velvety TO the touch.
"Fraulein." | said. IF l may tell you,
will. l should like you to know the truth
1t is this Two letters were entrusted to
me, one which was to be delivered to the
Emperor, the other destroyed. | delivered
to your father, as it happens-the wrong
one.
She was perplexeG.
rs that all?'' she asked.
] nodded.
The action, I said. lis small one
but the result is terrible.
''Terrible?"
1T is too weak a word,' l assented.
do you know WHIST war means, Frau
lein?'
She shuddered.
DO not speak of it!'' she begged.
You will hear 1t spoken of before long
Fraulein, said; and alas! | shall be
the unhappy cause. War between your
country and mine, II is fearful"
/ am afraid my fingers frightened upon
hers. am sure that the pressure was
returned.
The letter you spoke of. she asked
has the Emperor received ii YETI
Not yet, ! answered; your father has
it, The Emperor returns tomorrow
night.
She leaned forward suddenly pale
He returns tonight" she exclaimed.
only an hour ago my father had tele-
gram from him..
Tonight or tomorrow night" ! NUT
tered-"what matters. The letter has
gone from my hands beyond recovery; he
opens il, reads and war is as certain as
tomorrow's sun. on. il is enough to make
a man mad to think of it, War between
the two nations who have brought the
science of killing to perfectionl 1t will be
the greatest massacre the world has ever
known, and the everlasting shame of 1t
will be upon my head"
Don't" she cried-"please don't"
/ drew myself up.
AT least, Fraulein,' l said gently and
with real tenderness, Il have no right to
come here and make you miserable. Only
could not go away without seeing you
and asking you to sometimes remember
most unfortunate mani
No, no. she cried; sit still! Let me
think"
The times., 1901-05-19

the bottom of 1t. IT was probably done
while they were in the possession of the
Queens messenger-he admits that he took
no extra precautions. That is of no con-
sequence. II is upon US that the blame
will fall There awaits the Emperor
letter which will plunge us into a ruinous,
unnecessary and unpopular war, or else
will mean Bighbury's resignation, our re-
tirement to a colony, and most awful
climb-down."
The Emperor" I remarked, is still at
Meritzburg.'
Yes. He returns tomorrow. Tomorrow
night that letter will be handed to him"
You're sure 1t hasn't been sent on TO
Certain. I happen to know that his
commands were most absolute Nothing
was TO be forwarded. Won Butz mas the
letter, and knows its contents
Sure Of that?' / ventured
Sir George tossed an evening paper over
to me.
You see what the beast is doing" he
said. Strange rumors at the barracks.
all-night work at the arsenals, myste-
rious notices to the railway companies. 1t
all means one thing-mobilization."
Won Butz has read the letter by fair
means CT foul. The Emperor will receive
IL in person tomorrow night. The letter
awaits him at Won Butts house re-
marked thouRhtfully
Marvellous Sir George remarked with
sarcasm. You have the insight of
Mazarin.
one must put up with sarcasm from
ones prospective father-in-law, especially
when he is in tight place. as Sir George
undoubtedly was. ! had sufficient mag
nanimity TO ignore it.
Have you made any effort to regain
possession of the letter." ] asked.
Sir George shook his head.
Il might as well try to fly" he said
'as attempt to regain possession of il by
fair means. Won ButZ is our enemy and
the enemy of our country. All the ill-feel-
ing and friction of the last few years has
been his making. and his alone. This let
ter is the summit of his desires In the
light of the Emperor's frank and down
right statement, il is nothing more or less
than a brutal insult ] cannot imagine
any apologies which could possibly be Of
fered sufficient to atone for it. 1t will
mean war for England, and the colonies
for us.
IF the Emperor reads it," remarked
softly.
IF the Emperor reads it," Sir George
repeated, looking over at me.
! buried my face In my hands and tried
to think. There came knock at the door
and a telegraph despatch. Sir George
fetched out the code book with shaking
fingers. He groaned as he read il out.
Understand mobilization secretly COM
menced. Panic on Stock Exchange, oW-
ing TO rumors from Merlin. Presume you
only delivered letter "A What does IL
mean? Have you blundered? Reply.
''HIGHBURY.'