davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18
ONE HUNDRED AND fifty
YEARS STUDY OF LIGHTNING

houses and churches. are fred By light
ming. For about 40 years the lightning
rod has fourisbed. and the untenable the
CRY OF its operation, first stated By Frank
lin, has been taught to succeeding gen
erations. As matter OF fact, lightning
rods. as usually put UP. are Of practically
no use. The phenomena Of lightning are
extremely difficult to predict The very
nature Of lightning makes It impossible to
conduct experimental work Of much value
upon it. but about all that is known con-
corning TIE action of protective devices
may be summed up in the statement that
there are no such things This. Of course.
does not apply to lightning protective aE-
paratus for electrical circuits, which has
been brought to a point Of wy great
perfection and satisfaction
The problem Of protecting a building
from lightning is enc of no small in
portance. 4 tin roof seems to be fairly
coed protection, especially if gutter
spouts connected with It are carried to
the ground and there Joined with buried
pipes. Barns containing animals and
green hay particularly seem prone to in
Fite tLS stE0hes pF0DaDly y reason OF
some difference IN humidity or tempera-
tlre in the air Immediately about them
vessels at sea are rarely injured when It
is considered that they are eften the only
effects in the whole tract OF the storm
projecting above the general fat surface
OF the water Trees differ very much IN
their attractive power for lightning; thus
naples and cottonwoods are strcek much
more often than oaks. and oaks much
more often than beech trees The old
rules for personal safety, which are the
result Of experience and superstition in
about equal parts, may we'll be observed,
! particularly that which cautions the
avoidance OF trees as places OF shelter.
The feather bed has no particular light
Hing-resistiEg properties. though it has
long been cherished as q haven OF safety.
L. Is. not dangerous to handle scissors and
k,.E es during an electric storm, but death
his been invited by the use Of an UNI
sJrslia with a metallic rod Perhaps the
best comfort that can be had BY the tin
| On ous in thunderstorm Is Ia rejecting
upon the extremely small chance Of any
harm happening to them.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18
PRECOQ7Y IN CHILDREN
an EVIDENCE OF GENI IS

six years old, his dead sister lying On her
deathbed. he was so struck By the sight
that the sky and the clouds always seemed
to him fun OF beds and dead girls IN
them He was but a child at the time
o. the impression It is stated of Mozart
that ne was a composer at fye. Gassendi
was 2 preacher at five. kotzebue wrote
his first composition at three.
Lombrosos opinion. expressed sobsrly
and in all the oaImness Of scientific
groupings, should incline one to think
quietly and In much charity of the little
things with which one has been inclined
to quarrel. Precious children should
not be condemned. Bold children, bad
children. often have in them The element
of genius. What Is the bent? To what
particular thing do they incIiae7 Give
them chance. Perhaps in the after years
thef- paintings viii be found IN the most
famous art museums OF the world They
Inay write great poems They may CON-
Lese great things in the line Of music
They may become great scientists. They
may be great soldiers, great statesmen,
great diplomats. great thinkers, and ex-
esutors along certain line; ard. instead
OF crushing them beneath a perfect viii
carness of uakindness and unfavorabIe
criticism, they should be dealt with ae-
coi~.ng to the circumstances which make
tfzo different from other children.
Circumstances and inherenecy are the
two great factors in molding the life OF
the child. Classieism plays an important
part, il the child's bent is in that way.
The child may be inclined TO become
painter, a sculptor, a composer, a poet, a
M. thematician. or scientist along some
other line But whatever the chId's bent
the parent should encourage. and not ar
rest, it. If business, or military glory. =
says Lembroso, .-or something else. be
constant and general tendency Of a peo-
pies spirit. the impression thereof which
strikes a boy Of genius viii cause hin TO
be an Edison rather than Calico, Fer
rari. or Titan, rather than a Stanley -
And he adds that this is Why he is "op-
posed to the italian classical education
that presents to the minds Of the new
generations useless or dangerous ex-
amples, instead OF practical instances.
whereof the imitation could place Italy
on the same footing with other nations .
He concludes his essay with the sig
uifcant statement: That is Why 1 in
dorse and heartily support technical.
scientific. professional. and. above ali. IN
dcstrial education Such an education
would give any born genius or talent the
same opportunity and chances TO work
at building up national wealth and
strength as It does In America and Ger
many, where the genius of industry and
commerce is in full bloom. although the
genius and science and art may be de-
ciining.-New Orleans Times-Democrat-
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18
POSSIBILITIES FOR THE INVENTOR

IN the utilization OF waste products
in making cheap substitutes for ex-
I peRsive materials there is an attrac-
tive field for the inventor Rubber,
for example, IS growing dearer every
year. Seine success has peen had lately
in nakiszg rubber-like article from other
plants, but a fortune IS waiting for the
man who will bring forward real sub
stitute. Paper is cheap" you may hear
a newspaper editor say TO the young re-
porters who crowd too many lines on 2
page, but the owner Of the publication
does Rot think so. when he has 70 spenu
3 million dollars or more a year COR
white paper. Wood pulp paper is grow
ing more expensive; the man who makes
paper out Of some other fbs-. at less
cost. viii not ned to worry about his f.
naneiaI future, A company is being
formed to make paper fren the waste
hulls OF the cotton seed: nearIx/e every
other part Of the plant is new utilized.
Paving materials are far from perfect
Asphalt Is very expensive, and there are
many objections 10 It. What is wanted,
says Success" is a material that will
have all the permanency Of asphalt, all
the silence OF the wood pavements OF
London, and ali tie holding qualities OF
the country ma5aeamized ROAD pave
ment that viii be firm. but soft: that
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18

~ PEAKING of the precoc:ty Of youth,
said thoughtful man, 1 have
~ often inquired why 1t was that men
and women were inclined to quar-
rel with boys and girls who happened to
manifest an abnormality along one line
or another. AbnoramIity is gnc OF the
| evidences Of genius. A girl or q boy may
he what We are pleased to call preeocious
We say, to put it in common vernaeuJar.
| Gently an article by Cesare Lombroso, the
italian scientist. and his theme was The
Deterr lining of Genius" and II a great
many Of the parents would read It they
| would be more literally inclined when it
| comes TO dealing with their own offspring,
/ and I was impressed by some of the In
| stances he cited. He picks out Ricardo,
| for instance, whose theories are so often
referred TO in economic discussions. Ri
| cardo simply drew inspiration from the
| business Of his father. LEANED something
about speculation and commercial Prac-
/ tee, and crystallized these praeticalities
/ into what he conceived to be an ideal
/ theory along certain lines.
/ Take the history of John Stuart NH
/ from the standpoint of LozabrOso- sc
was so deeply affected at the age ef
! twelve by studying his fathers history Of
| India that his genius and passion for his
| torical and economical eveRt5 became SO
/ strong that ne was simply forced 10 give
1 to the world some of its profoundest
/ studies. no important discoveries, but he
/ could read at the age Of two, Tad at five
/ he hal learned large number of English
/ and Latin poets. whose words he could
! recite by heart. Calico. up TO his sew
/ euteenth year, had made no important
! studies, no important discoveries, but he
/ had begun TO observe the ezactitude of
1 the sciences, and at eighteen a lamp in
the cathedral at Pisa regularly oscfIlat-
/ ing suggested to him an instrument which
would measure the pulse.
I Darwin, the marvel of the nineteenth
| century, knew something Of plants and
| animals before he was eight years old.
and even at this age he told q companion
/ he could change the hue If flowers ~
| sprinkIing a certain solution on them,
| which showed that he was beginning to
| learn something of chemistry. Benjamin
Franklin was forced to leave school at
| the age OF eleven, and began to work in
a soap factory. lie had observed that q
/ toy machine discharged an electric spark,
and imagined that lightning had the same
| origin. Herschel gazed at the sky
through a telescope at the age Of twenty
one. LaIande, pupil of the Jesuits, com
| posed dramas and novels at the age OF ten.
But De Quineey's case is probably the
| most striking case cited by Lombroso.
/ ODE Quincy" he says ''is The most
| typical Ease. Having seen. when he was
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18
Can Open Any Safe.


If there is any man in the world that
could transform himself into an efficient
burglar. it is the expert on combinations
up in the Office of the Safe Trust" This
man knows more about locks and vaults
than ali the bank robbers in the country.
He can open safe in Boston by tele-
phone in ave minutes, ordinarily. If 2
bank in Philadelphia loses its combine
ton, there is a tumuItuous ringing of
phone bells in the trusts Office, and the
boy at the switchboard shouts wildly
for the expert.
well, what is it," the opener of
vaults shouts into the mouthpiece. his
tone showing that he is accustomed to
such calls.
This is the bank The presi-
dents gone home. and the cashiers sick.
I'm Mr.. -. Give me the figures,
please
The opener satisfies himself that the
right man is on the other end. Then he
looked up his records. if he does not
happen to remember the figures wanted
1t is only a matter Of a few minutes be-
fore he is back at the phone, and in
as many more minutes the vault in Phila-
deIphia is opened.
It happened the other day that a EOS
ton trust company was in trouble about
its combination. The safe concern was
called up and the lock expert was sum-
moned to the receiver The usual re-
quest followed, but by some chance the
openers good memory had forsaken him.
and he had no record of the partic liar
lock in question The Boston officials
swore loudly over the wire. It was no
use. though, and finally they had to give
it up.
Not long after the wire had been va
Gated there was another ring, and the
| opener found himself again in conversa-
ton with the same people. This time it
was a request that he come to Boston at
once, hiring a special train If necessary.
Il can't come" he answered. There's
| too much to do here in Office hours. III
take the regular train Sunday"
| Argument vas of no avail, and the Bos-
ton bankers had to wait The combina-
| ton was lost on Wednesday, and for the
| next four DAYS they had 20 borrow all the
cash they needed from other companies.
| The ineolveniences they endured BY rea-
| son of Inaccessible papers may be imag-
| ined.
! This did not worry the expert, however.
/ for he knew that nobody else could fill
| his place as we'll as he. and so there was
| no danger Of his being disehar.s1 He
| had been with the safe concern for a great
| many years, and his imperturbability was
/ not to be upset by trust Company's tenn
| porary troubles. He left the Office at the
usual time every day. had his dinner at
| home, and slept just as easy during
| those four days as though there were no
such things as bank safes In speaking of
| the occurrence. he said:
"Why didn't Z go7 The idea. go you
know there are six OF eight banks that
| lose their figures every day? II was bet
ter 10 leave one of them in a lureh for
| four days than to have them ali in trouble
for one day.''-NeE York Times.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18

ishing to one accustomed to the more
fnicaI demands Of European pIaygoers
and the resulting almost Taultless form OF
the better class Of English and French
plays. Wholesomeness is uncompTomis-
ingly demanded of the native dramatist-
No American play has yet achieved
honest AID legitimate success in which
the motives and actions OF the hero and
heroine have not been above criticism
from every ethical standpoint No hero
lacking in either physical or moral cour-
age has been accepted in the serious
drama of native construction; 10 woman
unworthy to be The wife or mother OF an
honest man has yet been accepted as the
central figure OF play domestic in its
origin. Abroad certain types of character
have been awarded sympathy and rec
ognition which we uDeompromising1y
withhold on this side of the water. For
example, to the American theatergOers
the foTtune-h hunting hero Or heroine is alb
s5Iutely unacceptable, yet one OF the
greatest successes of last season in Lon
don was 3 play the central female char
acter OF which was a young girl scare -r
cut of her teens who deliberately plans
to capture for q husband a rich man whom
she does not love. Though 1t is true that
she partly redeemed herself in the last
act, tie disagreeable impression she had
made in the earlier part Of the really bril-
iiaHtly written piece was more than
enough to prevent the comedy duplicating
its wonderful foreign run.
Even in farce We ar. greater stfckIers
for propriety than they are abroad II
is true that foreign farces are extensively
patronized in America. but this is be-
cause the scene of the intrigue is laid in
Paris OF some equally remote metropolis.
for when home-bred dramatist essays
to write q piece of the kind very dif-
ferent style OF character and incident is
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18

IT. HERE are few of US so poor that
we may not have the services OF
the worlds greatest and most po-
tent physician during these days
OF early spring, says woman, writing in
the -Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph- ="
Later in the summer his tonics may be too
strongly tinctured for the most of US,
who have grown away in time from our
ancient kfnship with Natures remedies.
however strong. but now for full six
weeks the blessed Tegenerating quality OF
| the sunshine is for US all. If We live in
houses which we're built BY materiaIistic
architects, and carefully shaded from ali
opportunity Of sun Eaths, We must go out
10 the hills. II possible, 10 the streets or
even to the alleys. If nothing better Of
feTs, TO guar this golden wine, which shall
put new life into our hearts and set every
party OF Us growing. as with the tress and
flowers. which are no less OF the suns cir
Gle than We human children
So many. people are afraid OF the sun in
these artificial days!
1t is too hot" or 1T viii fade, or ''it
viii bring the freckles," or cit is
TOO bright," cry out the weak ones, who
know not whereof they speak. In the
oldcn days. when civilization vas yet
young and human nature had not learned
the weight OF conventional shackIes,
houses were built so that the sweet
agents Of Nature might enter freely. In
the books OF William Morris, which carry
one back to the days of the Goths. the
Wolfngs, and Elkiags. and all the other
men Of the woodland and riverside, no
portion Of the tale IS more enchanting
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18

- He American theatergoing public
seems very simple and Juvenile in
/ many ways. il contrasted with that
which supports the drama abroad
But this is very much To its credit, and
that it viii continue to demand plays
which comply with its present require
ments is to be devoutIy hoped for, in
spite Of the never silent plants Of those
advanced gentlemen who regard the the
alter as an institution TO furnish material
for morbid reflection and to exploit vari-
Gus kinds Of mental degeneracy.
In this country it is demanded that the
hero or heroine of play shall be worthy
Of respect. The main characters must be
above all petty meauness. Honesty is
absolutely insisted upon. The hero must
be brave, energetic and single-hearted in
his love affairs: the heroine pure. unself
fsh and equally unwavering in her afec-
tiops Given two such rare individuals to
start with the requirements Of the public
are not many, but excessively hard to
satisfy. The story in which they figure
must be comparatively simple and told
in q STRAIGHTFORWARD and convincing man
nCr.
The characters properly subordinated
in Importance to the principals should be
strongly contrasted individual types Of
native production. The action should
be rapid and the incidents making up the
story as diversified as possible, and last,
but not least, there should be en- abund-
ance Of homely and distinctly American
humor Abroad, method is considered to
| be far more important than it is in Amer
lea. Here it is natter Hhich counts, and
II the story is sympathetic and interest
ing, the suspense continuous. even if pro-
would be rejected as inaTtistic, poor con-
struction, and defective technique are con-
| doned or overlooked in manner aston
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18
The Young Americans View.

President Roosevelt unquestionably
has the distinction of being the great
est hero in the eyes Of the small
boy to ever occupy the White House.
Al every turn in Tuesdays proceed
ings at Charleston Young America
was omnipresent 1t was unques-
tionably q great disappointment to
many OF the rising generation that
President Roosevelt was willing to
ride into Charleston in an open car
riage-one who writes so graphically
Of hunting big game in the Rockies
and shooting spaniards at the head
Of the Rough Riders. There were evil
dentIy many who were prepared to see
this noantain-Iion hunter coL.e riding
down Meeting Street on a jumping
bronco. in a full suit of buckskin,
throwing a Iariat at every passing
trolley, and with a six-shooter in
! either hand sending every citizen who
put in an appearance hurr-ing TO
cover. Such was evidently tie dream
Of one young hopeful who stood in the
crowd just in front of a News and
/ Courier reporter:
''HuIly gee. He amt him"
Sure it's him"
-'Ah, gwan; he's q preacher; he amt
no Presiden. and he amt no cowboy
neithcrl"
Well, it's him anyhow. Amt it,
Mister?"
4 nod Of approval brought forth a
grHnt Of disapproraI from the small
boy and the significant expression of
HuIly gee!"
Another boy was made happy Tues
day and undoubtedly went to bed to
dream Of some day being made Presi-
dent. In some unaccountabIe way
small boy's-a youngster slipped in
through the horses feet, and, getting
near enough to the carriage to at
tract attention Of the guest of the
day, stared in open-mouthed amaze
ment at President Roosevelt. and then.
just before an officer swooped down
on him, called out: '.How's that boy
Of your'n?"
''Helloi young man. remarked the
/ Chief Magistrate. evidently much
pleased; he's getting along nicely: 1
hope you are But Just then an
officer made for The small boy. who
darted out Of sigRi, evidently the most
/ pleased youngster in all Charleston
with having had a real. though inter
I rupted interview with the President
/ Of the United States.-Charlesto
| News and Courier.
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18
THE CHEF ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS
IN An AMERICAN PLAY
sA1RE, Payoa5a fr hah@Fo
By THEODORE BURT sATRE PayraadsF Charles Fr0han

demanded of him. This viii be readily
understood and appreciated by any one
who viii contrast The Gay Parisians"
with "On the Quiet both enormously
successful pieces of the same type.
Unselfshness and purity are the quail
ties which are demanded Of the heroine
Of the native drama While it is true
that erotie plays, whose central female
characters are ladies OF easy virtue, have
received extraordinary financial support
in this country, it must BE- remembered
and taken into consideration that these
abnormal pieces are Of value only as We
hicles to display the emotional powers OF
actresses who have come into enormous
personal favor By reason Of their great
ability. generally demonstrated by means
Of less snowy but more agreeable and
wholesome parts than those subsequently,
selected as best calculated 20 exhibit
their art
Taken all in all. it may be safely stat
ed that the ordinary theater-suppcTtfn
public in this country. while content with
a less highly developed art IN the hand
ling OF dramatic topics. is practically
united in refusing to accept pays which
do not coincide with a moral standard
decidedly higher than that exacted in the
theaters abroad
If they viii Insist On Improvement IN
the technical form OF the homemade
plays without lowering the ethical stand
ard it is only a matter Of time before
the American drama viii stand COMPARE
son il every detail with the English,
something which at present cannot be
said To sum up the whole mater briefly.
the main requirements of successful
play are hero and heroine capable Of
arousing and sustaining sympathy and in
tarest, a simple story told in a straight
forward and convincing manner, strongly
c9ntrasted native types Of character, ra-
pioity OF action, and last, but not least,
an abundance of humor
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18
ICONOCLASM WITH A VENGEANCE.

We are living in an iconoclastic age.
Our iondest traditions and our most cher
fshed customs are ruthlessly assaiied, and
we are told that the things we have held
most dear and regarded with reverential
eyes are hurtful either to our mental or
physical welfare. But it has been reserved
for a Chicago scientist, Prof. starr, to
invade the sanetfed domain Of matrimony
and to startIe Us all with the declaration
that the wedding ring is a relic OF bar
barism. All sorts of things have from
time 10 time been held up 10 Us as relics
of barbarism," and We have reluctantly
and mournfuIy hid them fareweT. but We
balk at the Chicago professors behest to
place the wedding ring in that category.
When it comes TO calling the roll OF
relics Of barbarism- it is pretty difficult
TO predict where we shall bring up. Man
The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18

Z VENTURE the assertion that there is
not a person on the Pacific Cast
1 who desires to keep cut Of this
country a bona fde member of any
Of the exempt classes of Chinese under
the treaty OF 1s94-that is. officials, mer-
chants, teachers. students. and persons
travelling for curiosity or pleasure The
trouble is that the common Iaborers and
coolies constantly endeavor TO come into
the country incorporating as members Of
these exempt classes. The early excIu-
sion laws we're exceedingly mild. There
was no disposition on the part of the
people Of the Pacific Coast to enact
stringent legislation
But the manner in which the laws were
violated by the Chinese made it neces-
sary from time to time to enact new
legislation. and to promulgate new Treas
ury regulations in order to afford the
working people OF America that measure
Of protection that Congress thought they
were entitled to.
It has taken twenty years to put VI
the barriers in the present form. Many
Of the things in the bill as it passed the
House Of Representatives are existing