davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
THE LIFE OF 4 SCIENTIST
Auto6sQerQbhy Of Jose6h lie Couh MN an Ltruach0u 6y
W1Azam DaIam Ar7ues
Wzkham DaAlam A1meS.

not Arabic. They were, go, dede, tata,
nigh, ia. ia go, ia ded, ia tata, ia nigh,
suppe. suppa go, suppa dede. suppa tata,
suppa nigh, suppa ia. suppa ia go. supa
ia dede. suppa ia tata, suppa ia nigh.
It is seen that they counted by fves and
not by tens. as We do
The chapters devoted to "reminiscences
of Agassiz are of especial interest One
story OF the eminent professor is as fol-
lows:
THE first task Agassiz set us was very
awhile then pulled out a drawer con-
tanning from 500 TO 1000 separated
valves of Unios, of from 80 TO 100 differ
ent species, all mixed together, and said ::
Pair these valves and classify into
species; names no matter; separate the
Species He left us alone, very severely
alone. We worked on those shells for one
whole week, the professor looking 1t
our work from time to time. but making
no remark Finally we told him that We
had done the best we could; he examin-
ed the results carefully and was much
pleased 1t so happened that just then
there entered the room friend of his
from Europe, Ampere, the son of the
great electrician. He introduced us and
remarked that these pupils of his had
Just amended correctly the classification
of Lea, the great authority on Unios."
OF Agassiz he says that he was one
OF those teachers who not only think in
tensely, but are the cause Of thought IN
others. A little later is TO be found a
significant incident illustrating the diff
culties amid which Agassil and other
American men of science we're obliged
TO work
"One evening Agassiz. who had him
self felt the effects Of the odium theo-
logicum for his views on the diversity
OF the origin OF man. was hot in denun-
citation of the intolerance OF society in
America. Why said he, there is no
freedom for a scientific man in Amer
ica!
Which, then; professor. some one
asked. is the freest country you know?'
Austria he replied unhesitatingly.
for you can think and speak as you
please there. IL you let politics alone.
and for my own part. care nothing for
politics.
Another reminiscence OF Agassiz,
which is charming. illustrates his love
of children. and the childlike quality of
his nature He was fond of playing with
little Sallie lie Conte. who. at the time
of the later acquaintance OF the two fam
lilies. was about three years old. He
taught her the names of his pet speci-
mems. and partly because she pro-
nounced the difficult word so distinctly,
partly because she was somewhat quick
tempered. he was wont to call her his
little 'Echinoderm.'
The most dramatic and in some ways
the most interesting chapters of the
book are those dealing with the war be-
tween the North and South. in which
Prof lie Conte took an active part. His
wife and children were in Columbia, s.
c.. at the time Of the burning of that
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
1.-THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JO-
SEPH LIE CONTE," recently

-
SEPH LIE CONTE," recently
published with an introduc-
tion by William Dallam Armes, will
have its interest for all who care for
the details Of the lives OF eminent men,
do with the building up of our colleges.
Through his writings as well as his
known to a wide circle of students and
to the general public. and this work,
which he left behind him. contains many
interesting "reminiscences OF a long ana
useful life. Mr.. Armes, who edited the
papers. says of the work
ut has been the EDITORS desire to
praserye the tore and Split D. the orig
inal. That the style is fre Ieatly col
loquial seems to him no defect, for he
wished so far as possible To retain all
that would tend to reveal the man to
those who knew only the author. 20
them he was the patielt invests gator.
the wise scientist; the fearless. inde-
pendent. truth-loving thinker. to those
who knew him personally. and particu-
larly to those who had the inestimable
privilege of being numbered among his
boys and girls he was all this; but,
first and foremost, he was the gentle,
kindly spirit, the welcome companion
and helpful friend. our beloved Pro-
fessor joe
II may be added that the editors en-
deavors have been crowded with sue
cess.
The life of Prof LIE Conte will have
an increasing interest as time goes on.
since his was one OF the personalities
which have in one way or another help
ed to form our great universities. The
college professor Of the future may be
better trained, a greater specialist. a
more effective instrucor in certain ways,
but to Dana, to Morse, TO Agassiz, to
Longfellow. to the scores of men who
fostered the college idsa In the young
republic, the land will still owe it's debt
Prof. lie Conte was born at Woodlands
ton. Liberty county. Ga. and all Of his
carly life was passed in that region. His
education was received largely through
the daily companionship of his father.
from whom he inherited his love OF
science. other teaching of a desultory
kind he received at neighborhood coun-
try school of which at one time Alexan-
der H. stephens was the teacher. Out
of school his life was that of other boys
of the Southern plantation. One bit of
reminiscence concerns an old native
African. Philip, whom he knew in boy
hood. and OF whom he says:
He used to tell us all about the GUS
toms and religion OF the country from
which he came. He was not a pagan, but
a Mohammedan. He greatly interested
us by going through all the prayers and
prostrations of his native country. He
also gave us the numerals up TO twenty;
these we're, of course. native African,
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
TZEUTS and NOTES OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS

are gentlemen. OF course, one does not
doubt the fact, and yet-need quite so
much be said about it?
In fact. those of Mr.. Pages characters
who are not thus plainly pointed out
are likely to claim the readers interest
most easily. In Gordon Keith" old
Squire Rawson Is beyond all question the
delightful person of the book: a fine
specimen of the shrewd, homely, we'll
to-do mountain farmer. There is one
sentence of the old Squire that is
worth all the rest of the book put to-
gether. The occasion of it was the at
tempt of some land spectators to Sc
cure the right of way through the old
mans land for less than he thought IT
worth. He said:
Il holds the key to the situation.
That's what we used to call IL durin' the
war. There amt but three ways to git
to them coal lands back up yonder in the
Gap; ones by way of heaven. and
lows there amt many land spectators
soin' by that way; the others through
hell. a way they'll know more about
hereafter. and the thirds through my
land"
Grinnell Rhodes. the surveyor, is
another good bit of portraiture; so is
DR.. Balsam. though the latter is nobody
hut DR.. John Cary over again; and Gen
eral Keith also partakes of the character
of that fine old Virginian. the best piece
of character-work, perhaps. in Red
Rock" AS for the girls of this novel,
the only really good one is Abigail
Brooke, spinster, who is delightful.
AS for the narrative, it's course is like
that of the river Meander; Mr.. Page
takes an interminable time to get over
the ground, with no very clear reason
for it, However, it viii all prove very
fascinating to those who like Mr.. Page;
but he would have done better not TO
take his characters TO New York, where
his methods are slightly out of place
I New York; Charles Scribner's Sons)
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
LATEST WORK OF MR.. PAGE

SGO oRDoN KEITH" the latest
r novel of Thomas Nelson
Page. can hardly be proper
ly called a novel at all. 1t is more like
a biography of a fictitious character. 1t
has no plot, and the construction is of
the loosest kind. Il is simply a record
of part of the life of Gordon Keith. a
young Southerner. born a few years be-
fore the war. and coming to manhood
in the days Of reconstruction. II is not,
however, a political narrative, the in
terest lying rather in the social ana
commercial conditions of the South.
MIR. Page begins this narrative With
the following statement:
Gordon Keith was the son of a gen.
tleman. And this fact, like the cat the
honest miller left to his youngest son.
was his only patrimony. As in that case
also, it stood to the possessor in the
place of a good many other things. 1t
helped him over many rough places. He
carried It with him as a devoted Ro-
manist wears sacred scapulary next to
the heart
This paragraph is fairly good index
OF the character of the book and, in
deed, OF the nature of most of Mr..
Pages later work When he wrote Of
quaint negro characters and of the free.
gracious life Of the South before the
war. he was charming. and one excused
his somewhat obvious assumption that
there is nothing outside the South
worthy of admiration, on that account
In his later books the assumption is so
much more obvious than the charm that
1T occasionally becomes wearisome.
One is bothered by the suggestion that
the hero. Gordon Keith. Steve Alien,
Jacquelin Grey, or whoever it happens
TO be. needs to be labeled gentleman"
with 50 much ceremony. These young
men would be really likeable if it were
not for the continual assertion that they
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
Sen 0UND ANVIL ROCK" By
N Nancy Huston Banks, is

n Nancy Huston Banks is a
story of the pioneer days of
Kentucky. of the Wilderness Road, and
of Philip Aston. The writer disarms
criticism for certain anachronisms by
frankly admitting them in the introduc-
tion. Most of the action takes place in
Cedar House, an old homestead in the
forest. and the heroine is a protege of
Alston. one OF two children whose
parents are supposed to have been mys-
teriously murdered. The girl, Ruth, is
brought up in Cedar House, her ex-
penses being paid by Alston; her fos-
ter-brother. David. who plays a leading
part in the story, is also protected by
Aston. The hero of the book is a young
doctor, Paul Colbert. 10 Daviess and
other characters of the time are incl
dentaIly brought in.
The great charm of the story, as II
"Oldfeld." the previous work Of the au-
thor. lies in the descriptions and char
the art OF suggestion, and never puts in
a phrase too much. The brooding ter
ror which spread over the Wilderness
Road as the result Of the depredations
of a band OF robbers having their head
quarters at "Duff's Fort" and the un-
spoken suspicion which rested on
Aston for the same reason, are skill
fully suggested. Miss Penelope. the Sis
tiers of Charity. the old judge, and other
minor characters are admirably painted
and Ruth is wholly charming. Much in
sight may also be gained from this book
into old-time customs. 1t may be news
10 some readers that the expression ia
miliar in the South and West, two bits
or -four bits" arose from the actual
cutting OF silver dollars into wedge
shaped pieces or bits" one OF which
was worth I21z cents. The expression
survived for generations after the silver
quarter and half-dollar had superseded
the "eut money
Charming to any lover of the old and
quaint is the description of the living
room OF the old house, and It is worth
quoting. since the writer who can make
a house live before the eyes Of the read
er can usually do the same with its oc-
cupants.
The fire had been freshly kindled
with small twigs OF the sugar maple,
that priceless tree often standing fifty to
an acre in the wilderness, and giving
the pioneers their best frewood their
coolest shade, and their sweetest food.
Vivid blue sparks were still flashing
among the little white stars OF the gray
moss on the big backlog. From the
blazing ends OF the log there came the
soft. airy music and the faint sweet
scent Of bubbling sap. This main room
Of Cedar House was very large. almost
vast. taking up the whole lower floor.
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
THE SONG OF THE CARDINAL"
by Gene Stratton-P Porter. is a
dainty and charming little

by Gene Stratton- Porter. is a
dainty and charming little
bird biography. illustrated from camera
studies by the author. and every bird
lover in the land ought to read and en-
Joy IT, The cardinal, or redbird, as he
is called in the Mississippi Valley. is
one of the most attractive and grace
full of birds, and the author has sue
ceeded in making him real and interest
ing without transferring TO him all the
qualities of a human being. Moreover
there are introduced an old farmer and
his wife. friends of the bird. who sup
ply the humor OF the story and are low
able on their own account.
The authors cleverest touch is in the
treatment OF the birds song. which is
made to suit remarkably well the var
ious periods of his career. He first calls
wet year! Wet year, then when the
courting season begins and his plum
age brIghtens, he calls imperiously See
here! See here!" and later. when he has
set up housekeeping, still another song
greets the delighted ear OF his ad-
mirer. the old farmer, who goes home to
tell his wife that that redbird is in
viting everybody to his house-warming,
adding:
Better come. II you kin. You're in
vited. He's asking the hull endurin'
country to come"
OF course one knows what will happen
The wife, after scouting the notion
that she should walk half a mile through
the slush to see a bird, pauses by the
door TO glance out toward the river.
This is the consequence:
Every intoxicating delight OF early
spring was in the air The breeze that
famed her cheek was laden with subtitle
perfume OF pollen and the crisp fresh
odor of unfolding leaves. Curling sky
ward. like a beckonlng finger. went a
spiral OF violet and gray smoke from
the log heap Abram was burning:
and scattered over spaces of mile we're
half q dozen others, telling q story Of
the activity Of his neighbors. Like the
low murmur OF distant music came the
beating wings of hundreds of her bees,
Iuhhihb 1he "aIcE through, insane Win
thirst. On the woOd-pile the guinea
cock clattered necessarily. 'Phut rack.
Phut rack!' but there was not the sound
of an answering cheep from the little
speckled hen brooding on her nineteen
dirt-colored eggs in a little dip under
the orchard fence. Across the door
yard came the old turkey gobbler with
fan tail and a rasping scrape of wings,
evincing his delight in spring and mat
ing time by series Of explosive
snoTts. On the barnyard gate the old
shanghai was Justify challenging to
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
WASHINGTON STORY

u 'ss"1':@ a&sT.' til. ss" .s'e,, ""%ass Of 1s',n
remains unknown. is a study
of Washington society and politics.
rather above the average novel of it's
kind in cleverness. The Washington
coloring is not strong enough to make
1t impossible for the action TO have
taken place in New York or in any State
capital. The central figures are two
Congressman and two women, the wife
Of one OF the Congressman and a fasci-
mating unmarried woman in her thir-
ties-.certainly a departure in the way
of a heroine.
Most Washington novels are drawn so
directly from the life as to make the
Identification OF some of the characters
possible, but that is hardly the case
with this one. The character drawing
is not vivid enough for that. 1t is
fairly good story, well told, but IL is
not remarkable. and it is not Washing
ton. (New York: Mcclure, Phillips &
Col
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
IITHE POETS OF TRANSCEN-
DENTALIsM'" an anthology
edited by George Willis Cooke.

edited by George Willis Cooke.
who has also contributed an in
troductory essay and various notes. IS
likely TO cause the thoughtful reader to
appreciate the debt which American lit
erature owes 10 the Transcendental
movement Much fun has been made OF
the eccentricities of the group OF poets.
essayists. philosophers. and story writ
ers who gathered around Alcott and EN-
erson at Concord, but the fact remains
that without this movement, dessite the
extravaganza Of some OF its exponents,
our literature would have remained
largely initiative, monotonous and life
less. The Transcendental author had
the defects OF his virtues, but he also
had the virtues Of his defects; and the
excellent qualities which occasionally
ran into vagaries have or late been
overlooked. and only the ridiculous side
OF the movement exploited.
The poems found in this collection
have for the most part remained unpub-
lished in other collections, and while
some. as Emerson's "Rhodora," are al
ready familiar TO the public. others will
be new. In some cases poems which
are fairly well known will have new In
terest from the fact that the authors
are not identified with TranscendentaI-
ism Lowells poem on "Bibliolatres. -
for example. proves his interest IN the
great wave OF free thought. The second
stanza is both characteristic and signifi-
cant:
Slowly the Bible Of the race is wit,
And not on paper leaves nor leaves Of stone;
Each age, each kindred. adds verse TO H.
Texts Of despair or hope, Of JOY or moan.
While swings the sea- while mists the mountains
shroud.
While thunder's surges burst on cliffs of cloud,
Still at the prophets feet the nations sit.
Thoreau. too. is not generally known
as poet. Yet this is from his pen:
MY PRAYER.
Great Cod, ask Thee for no meaner pelf
Than that | NAV not disappoint myself,
That in-my action may soar high
As can now discern with this clear eye.
known for his poetic prose: but there
are some graceful verses here on "A Ja-
OF Rose Leaves" OF which these are
two:
Myriad roses fade UNDECIDED.
Yet no note Of grief is needed:
When the ruder breezes tear them,
Sung OF songleSS. spare them.
But the choicest petals are
Shrined in some deep Orient jar,
Rich without and sweet within
Where VIC cast the rose-leaves in.
Life has jars Of costlier price
Framed to hold our memories
There we treasure baby smiles
Boyish exploits. girlish wiles
All that made our early days
Sweeter than these trodden wavs
Where the fates our fortunes spin:
Memory. toss the rose-leaves in!
Edward Rowland SiIl is a poet who de-
serves 20 be better known. and there are
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
TRANSCEWDEVTAL POETS

extracts from his lyrics here. The same
is true Of Helen Hunt Jackson and John
Burroughs. Mr.. Burroughs poem.
Waiting" is already fsmiliar as fu-
gitive newspaper poem. but it is good
enough to be worth repeating:
Serene, / fold my hands and wait.
Nor care for wind tide, or sea;
/ rave no more 'gainst Time OF Fate,
For lo my own shall come 70 me.
| stay nv haste: make delays
For what avails this eager pace?
! stand amid the eternal ways,
And what is mine shall know my face,
Asleep, awake, by night or day,
The friends I seek seeking me;
No wind can drive my bark astray,
Nor change the tide OF destiny
What matter IL stand aloneS
wait with Joy the coming years;
My heart shall reap where il hath sOvn,
And garner up its fruit OF tears
The waters know their own. and draw
The brook that springs in yonder height;
So flows the good with equal law
Unto the soul Of pure delight.
The stars come nightly TO the sky;
The tidal unto the sea;
Nor time, nor space. nor deep. nor high
Can keep my own away from me-
One Of the poets most closely identi-
fed with Transcendentalism was Jones
Very. whose singularly impressive per-
sonality has left its mark on all who
were associated with him. He seems TO
have drawn a verse-Dortrait OF himself
in these quaint lines:
NATURE.
L..rl l. - I
Because my feet find measure with its call.
The birds know when the friend they love is nigh.
For I am known TO them both great and SMALL
The flowers that on the lovely hillside grow
Expect me there when spring their bloom has
given;
And many a tree and bush nv wanderincs know,
And cen the clouds and silent stars Of heaven;
For he who with his Maker walks Alright
Shall be their lord. as Adam was before:
His ear shall catch each sound with new delight,
Each object wear the dress which then il were;
And he, as when erect in soul he stood
Hear from his Fathers lips that all is good
Apparently the effort Of the editor has
been to present a comprehensive view
OF this period of American literature
and its results; for he has included in
the collection a great number OF poets.
and in many cases has chosen but two
or three poems out OF many which
might have been selected He has, OF
course, laid himself open to criticism n
this selection. and TO many people Z
will seem unaccountable that he should
have quoted so few of the poems OF
Emerson. certainly head and shoulders
above any other of the poets Identified
with this movement. and republished 50
much work by minor poets OF much less
merit But the student OF this period
is likely to be already possessed Of the
works of Emerson. Lowell. and other
well-kaown poets.
Altogether, the book will interest
many students of American literature.
especially in connection with the recent
celebration OF the centenary of Emer-
sons birth. which has revived interest
in the Concord School and all that per-
tains to it. CBoston: Houghton. Miaiin
& Coz
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
The Author of 'Darby 0'Gill."

Herminie Templeton, author of that
whimsically delightful book. Darby
O'Gill and the Fairies is said TO be the
daughter of an English army officer. and
born IN India. The stories which she
tells are said to have come down TO her
from an interesting old relative who
got them from the peasants, and told
them to Miss Temoleton.
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
A Varied Career.

Albert Sonnichsen. author Of Deep
Sea Vagabonds," is a man of twenty
three or thereabouts, and since leaving
home at sixteen he has successfully been
trapper, cattle herder. sailor, art stu
dent. compositor. interpreter on General
Young's STAFF in the Philippines. school
teacher. actor, reporter, author, and
lecturer. II there is anything else which
Mr.. Sonnichsen would like to do he has
nlsntY of time left in which TO do It
The Washington times., 1903-07-19

w bag. Patch ~'ns, made q it. .'s aao'o- s'o-
cedented success, many peo-
pie wondered II there would be a sequel
and when "Lovey Mary" started on is
career as a serial, theEe same people
read with interest to see whether Miss
Alice Caldwell Hogan could sustain in
a second book the charm of her first The
verdict seems 10 have been unanimous.
She can. Miss Hogan. or Mrs. Rice. as
she has been known since her marriage
TO the young Kentucky poet. has created
In "Lovey Mary" a character even more
lovable than Mrs. Wigs herself. and
good foil 10 that inimitable woman be-
sides. The book is dedicated. by -hc
way, ITO Gale Young Rice, who taught
me the secret Of p!uckng roses from j
Cabbage Patch
Loyey Mary. the waif OF the orphan
asylum. impulsiye, ahectionate. way
ward. sharp -tongued. warm hearted, ie
one of the few examples in literature OF
n heroine made out Of half-grown girl.
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
ROBERTSONO ON .SEA LAWYERS

victims. All the things here recorded
might have happened. and probably
have happened. 10 common sailors be-
fore the mast. and in each case Mr.
Robertson has taken pains to make Il
clear that the law does not protect the
sailor. 1t is rather an instructive book.
regarded from that point of view, and
it is also full Of a rough and ready
humor. New York: Harper & Bros.)
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
Mr.. Meredith's Euphemism.

George Meredith can talk as well as
write. in proof whereof they are telling
a story of his reply when asked his opin-
ion of a certain Objectionable neighbor.
He seems to me-" said Mr. Meredith.
demurely, Ito be one OF the least OF
G4asl'~ naArai0z"'
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
A Kentucky Author.

Nancy Huston Banks. author of
Round Anvil Rock" and other
tales. is living in New York. but has
Travelled widely, and has spent a year
In South Africa. Some years ago she
became a member of the staff of "The
Rooknan"
The Washington times., 1903-07-19
. 1NFUL PECK" by Morgan Rob-
ertson, is a fantastic extrava-

SduLd apparently designed 10
expose the insufficient protection which
sailors on merchant vessels are afford
ed by the American law. The author
has represented fourteen men, formerly
lake sailors, but now respectable busi-
ness men. lawyers, and so on. as In
weighed on board such vessel and made
by series OF tricks to work their pas
sage to Singapore and back. the person
at the bottom OF the trouble being one
of their number. who is interested in
avoiding the payment of a bet. The in
cidents are for the most part quite i'm
possible so far as their literal circum-
stances are concerned. but the impos-
sibility lies, not in the outrages to
which the respectable gentlemen are
suh1entsd- hut In tia characters af the