davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19
ACTORS AND oMENs.
A Sketch With Truth, If It Lacks
 Poetry.

Chicago Tribune.
 No, 1 have no patience with the peo- pie who are superstitious about every thing they see and meet. There's no req son in the world why actors should be any more superstitious than any other class of people. As for me, I have no more fear of--For Heavens sake, Jim, don't walk under that ladder"
 That bit of quotation from a converse ton between two actors fairly repre- sents the attitude of he stronger minded members of the theatrical profession to- ward the multitudinous superstition which rule the stage. As for the average actor, he Is probably the most superstitfous per son in the world There are large num- Der of superstitions which are generally believed in In addition almost every actor has d lot of individual superstitions of his own.
 Peacock's feathers are always terribly unlucky about a theater Even a picture of a peacock's feather is enough to ruin the chances of a play or of an actor It would be hard to convince any member of the theatrical profession that the real cause of the failure of the Lincoln The ater up on North Clark Street was not the fact that in the frieze which ran about the inside of the house peacock 8 feathers formed one of the chief factors.
 One Of the features or the act or the Powers brothers in vaudeville was the blowing into the air of a peacock's feath- CT, which was finally allowed to descend and balance on the nose of the perform CT. When the Trocadero on State Street was first opened the Powers brothers were on the bill. The manager of the house came to a rehearsal and saw the peacocks feather blown up into the air. Immediately he gave a shriek of horror and grabbed the performer by the arm.
 Heavens" he said, do you want to
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

are international-came to General Man. ager Wood in great istress
 Tt has rainsd every day since I've been here" he said, and it'll keep on rain ing just so long as you keep those open umbrellas in the house. Take em out, quick. before you hoodoo the weather for all summer"
 When an actor gets home, no matter how hard it has been raining. he must never open his umbrella to let 1t dry off. That would be deadly. Nor must he lay it on the bed. even unopened. That sig niies something terrible.
 Even the unsentimenta1 men who han dle the business end of travelling compa- nies have their superstitions
 Always when the doors are open in a small town the men with the passes are first in line. But they are never allowed to go in till there is some money in the house. If a single dead-head goes in ahead of the people who have bought their tickets on the opening night of new production the piece is foredoomed to financial failure.
 When your train Is pulling into a town where you are to show and you see graveyard on the left hand side of the train you will play to bad business. If the graveyard Is on the other side of the track it doesn't signify anything in par tcular. Of course If it is on the left hand side and you don't see 1t the sign amounts to nothing( so it is wise as you run into a town to look out of the right hand window or keep your eyes inside the car.
 If you are setting up the canvas on a lot for a circus and yellow cur dog ap- pears and hangs around you'll have dog goned bad luck. Try 1t and see 1t that isn't good doctrine.
 You mustn't whistle in a stage dressing room You may be a good whistler with q cheerful tone. but the first note Is like Iv to drive every other actor out into the night. There are few better ways to Ionah an act.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

might as well go back home and give 1t up He is certainly doomed to failure. It never fails.
 Of course, he should also. as son as he sees the cross-eycd person. cross the forcEnger and the middle finger oG his right hand and spit over them! That may help some. but, of course. 1t won't take the curse off altogether Nothing will do that.
 Some extremely good astresses and &C., tors are looked upon as Jonahs by theat- rical managers. Sometimes such unfor- tunate people have happened to be con- nected with a number of unsuccessful productions. Sometimes there is not even that much foundation for the repu- tation they possess. But, once an actor becomes tainted with the hood-doo or Jonah superstition he had better quit tho business at once. for he will find it prac- tically impossible to get an engagement
 Well" you will hear one manager say ing to another who has just put on an unsuccessful production. well. you might have known 1t! Didn't you know better than to take - out with you?'
 They are talking in dead seriousness, too.
 Certain plays share with certain actors the reputation of i'll omen. There are half a dozen pieces, which competent judges pronounce extremely strong, which no manager will touch because of it.
 It would be unfair to mention the names of any of these hoodoo players though some of them would be quite familiar to the public.
 Actors share with the lest of the world all the common Friday, thirteen and umbrella superstitions. But they go fur sv. n. line.
 Down at the Coliseum Gardens there are severll huge Japanese umbrellas used in the decorations. The other day one of the performers--a Frenehman. by the way, as if to show that superstitions
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

Some actors insist that all their stage shoes must be kept on the floor. If they were put on 8 table or in a cupboard 1t would ruin them. But in some theatres keeping shoes on the floor is almost as had, for rats like leather. and many good pair of shoes have been ruined by them.
 Almost every player has some little piece of jewelry or wearing apparel which is his or her mascot. Some people are superstitious about an old wig band and will use 1t again and again. having re- peated new wigs attached to the same old band. One actress at the Illinois was re- gently discovered in tears because some thing had become of her old hare's foot with which she applied rouge to her cheeks.
 Here are some more bad luck signs:
 A yellow clarionet in the orchestra.
 To pass through funeral
 To pass another actor on the stairs.
 To speak the "tag''-that is, the last line of a play-at rehearsal.
 To look through the hole in the curtain to count up the house.
 And after all, Is there anybody in any line of business who has not a lot of pet little expectations of his own?
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

queer tfn show? Cut out that hoodoo. '"
 And the feather of i'll omen was cut out
 Cats about a theatre are good luck.
 If you met a black cat on the street on the way to an opening performance you
 need have no further fear. The piece
 will make a great hit Almost every theatre in town harbors a pet cat, and 1t is almost a matter of religion with all
 theatrical people never to interfere with its pleasure in any way. Often when grand opera is on at the Auditorium the
 theatre cat will take notion to walk across the stage in the middle of the scene. But neither Melba nor De Reszke
 would venture for anything to stop it.
 nor would they allow a stage hand to in-
 terefere. To intFefere with the cat would
 be almost fatal. Everybody who knows anything knows that,
 A little one-eyed gray cat makes it's
 home back of the stage at the Chicago
 Opera House. The vaudeville perform
 CTS are simply delighted if 1t takes a mo-
 tion to come downstairs under ;he stage
 and visit them in their dressing rooms.
 If it condescends to go to sleep on the clothes in their open trunks they are tickled half to death. That means a long and steady run of good luck. Fool ish? Why. it never fails. They will quote you a string of instances as long as your arm.
 Suppose the cat happens to go to sleep | on the costume you wear in your next l appearance. Wake 1t up? Not for the | world. Put on some other clothes, but do not disturb the cat.
 More than once a sOubrette has gone on in the wrong custume rather than | rouse the cat from its slumbers. "On the other hand, you must never l carry a cat with you on the road. Tray cling cats are not only not harbingers of
 good luck but instances have been known where"
 When player on his way to the thea ] tre to appear in a first performance of a ] new play meets a crosS-eyed man he
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

Such intense portrayal of human pas sion, as we find in this story Is most ur,- wholesome. What a pity to have the mind of young person directed in the paths of such unholy emotion. And what . pity to have the heart of the older and wiser stirred by. the conflict of love and hate. If there Is warning to be found in the unlovely stofy sof revenge. there is also aroused by its thrilling dehneation. sleeping instincts of the mind and heart
 which it were better for all should be kept in quiesence. If there is beauty in the strength of love, there Is also excited by its passionate exhibition, a revolting patiety-which is a sad conseduence; for love to the human heart should be the
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19
PROMINENT AUTHORS
 AND WHAT CONCERNS THEM

Gen. John B. Gordon, of the late Con- tederate Army, $ writing his memoirs of the civil war. extracts of which will ap- pear in Scribner's Magazine, beginning with the May number, n which will be published an account nf My First Com mInd and the Outbreak of the War" The article will be illustrated by Stanley M. Arthurs, with reproductions from photographs. General Gordon is well known over the country by his lectures on the period of reconsideration.
 Gaillard Hunt, author of Life of Mad ison." in the Biographical History of the United States series and editor of the "Writings of James Ma 1ison" n nine vol tunes. Is the son of the late, William Henry Hunt, who was at one time Judge of the United States Court of $ Claims. Secretary of the Navy under the admin lstrations of Garfield and Arthur. and Minister to Russia. The author entered the Government Civil Service when he was IS years of age. At present he is Chief of the Bureau of Passports in the State Department MT. Hunt has writ ten many articles and books on historical subjects and matters of government.
 Justus Miles, Forman, author of Jour ney End, was DOTH III tHe hedII Ol Genesee Valley, at Le Roy. When very young he went to Minneapolis. He was graduated from the High School there, and entered the University of Minnesota. He stayed there a year and then entered the sophomore class at Yale. When he had finished his course at Yale he went abroad to Study art. Journeys End" is his second novel. The first he is dramat- king, in collaboration with George A. Broadhurst, for Augrey Boucicault. But MT. Fornan does not neglect his sketch Ing and painting
 Capt. IA. T. Mahan (retired). of the United States Navy, is writing on the Navy Department. The article will appear in an early number of Scribner s Magazine. and will be one of the series of papers on the va"io IS departments of the United States Government now be- ng published in Sccibners.
 Edmund R. Spearman is preparing an lrticle for Scribner's Magazine on The Sor-bonne," which will be illlstrI-ed with reproductions rom photographs and
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19
TITO: @ @ ~ The Stumbling Block. ,
 TITO.
BY WILLIAM HENRY CARSON.

holiest. purest ruest emotion. It IS . commentary upon the reading public. that such a dramatic representation of the noblest and ignoblest traits of the mina should be expected to give enjoyment or profit, And we believe 1t is untrue,
 The rarest instances of human nature should not be pictured'for amusement or even for lesson.
 The same ends are gained by the rep. resentation of life as gonerahty-no necessarily conmonplace-trusting to the subtlety of the spirit of telling the tale which is unusually remarkable in tnis book for the riveting of attention e. M' Clark Pub. Co.,, Boston. Mass9
 Aron Nosirrah.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19
P THE WOMAN WHO TOLLS. !
BY MRS JOHN VAN vERsEr AND MAuun VAN vznsr

Some of the leading men and women of the time pronounced this volume unsur- passed in it's field of endeavor. It con- tains the experiences of two ladies. both trained writers, who set out to discover by actual experience the condition of American working girls. There could hardly be more impressive book fH any thoughtful reader. In . Pittsburg pickle factory. in a mill town of New York, among the clothing makers of Chi cago. the Lynn makers of shoes, the hands of the Southern cotton mills-in those diverse surroundings the facts about the working women are given from
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19
CURRENT TOPICS OF INTEREST.

the story. and had settled on 'swazard's for part of it. My gaSe was caught by the gilt letters on the three drawers Of the cabinet. The first was A-Cs: the nexU drawer was labeled HIN; and on the iase were the letters o-z. And 'oz'' it ag once became. A new edition of the Wizard of Oz'' will be issued by the Bobbs-Merrtll Company. who are pubs fishers of all of Mir. Baumas books.
 The fact that Dwight Tsleon,'' ths author of "Satan's Mount" consists o1 two active newspaper men makes whaE they have to say concerning 5ournaIisrs in this widely read novel of considerable interest. Into, the mouth Of an editow of a metropolitan journal Dwight Tiltom has put these words which gre likely ta provoke no little comment: Truth is q beautiful thing in the ahstract, or at fha bottom of a we'll. but in nswspaper ofs flee it is often about the worst possible asset. venture to say that the paper that tried to tell the truth. the whole truth and nothing but the truth for ten days would find it's editor in 5ail or am insane asylum within c week. Newsa papers control and direct popular sentis ment to e degree: when the limit is reachs cd, then they yield to puhaic opinion, and. with a wry face, must beat an f9nominS ious retreat, perhaps before the verH monster of excitement they thsmselve2 have created" This is important if trues
 No novelist, poet, dramatist CT histos rian, save Kenyon West in his '.CiiredenN has ever attempted to describe the Chew House during the famous battle of Gers mantcwn. The general aspects of thN battle have been dwelt upon by Wasgainx~ ton Irving. John Fisks and others: buf the struggle inside the grand old hous& during it's siege was fully as important and interesting as any other one phasa of the battle. This novel Is 50 Sranaatid that whole scenes and incidents. and the dialogue with scarcely any change could be transferred and made into c vivid, ex1 citing and thrilling play.
 Miss Josephine paskam's ''Me1uoara of a Baby" appears in the April number o] Harper's Bazar as '"The Biography of \ Baby" It was later found that this title had already been used. So. in the May number, the serial will appear as 'sTha Memoirs" which is it's rlghtfui titie. The announcement of the young authors en- gagementi to Mir. seldon Bacon has been received with much interest. She Mves in Stamford, Conn. and is housekeeper for her father. She often comes to New York city for shopping or social engage ments and consultations with her puh- fishers.
 Thomas Dixon. Jr.. author of '.The Leopard's Spots." recently received from the State of North Carolina . complete set of the Colonial and State records .'as a slight appreciation of the work which he is doing for the State. Mfr. Dixon has been much-abused. as well as highly complimented author since the publica- tion of his pessimistic novel of Southern conditions.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

drawings by Jules Guerin, Thomas J. Fogarty, J. M. Glooson and Kenyon Cox. Seumas MacManus, author of The Be- witched Fiddle" and Through the Turf Smoke" has just finished a pastoral en- titled "A Lad o' the O'FrieIs <" The hero Is a dreamy youthT who Is fond or his chimney corner and of tho tales. super stitions and customs of the Irish Cot tagers." The author tells of an Ireland that has never before appeared in fic- ton and is said to write truly and vividly because he has spent his whole life among the pc Jple whom he describes. 
 Peter Newell has made a caricature of Signor Marconi, which appeared as from tisplece in Harper's Weekly for March g. The drawing shows the inventor in the act of listening for wireless mes sages. Under the picture is the following rhyme:
 "A Zephyr scarcely stirs the air but that
 Unconsciously,
 He looks for wireless telegrams from
 hands acros the sea!'
 The same number has a double page photograph of the monument erected in Picking in memory of Baron von Kettel-
 
 picture was taken at the time of the ded- ication ceremonies in the Chinese capi- tai. and shows the great white arch, the long files of belted German soldiers, and the crowd of loose-coated Chinese.
 Hamlin Garland will shortly go West to spend the summer at his home in West Salem, Wisconsin. He will stop at Mich igan and Dakota to deliver his popular lectures. The Joys of tho Trair' and Prairie Song and Western Story" the last covering in prose and verse the old prairie life of thirty years ago.
 The circulating department of the New York public library reports the following popular books for the week ending March 19: Mrs. Humphry Wards Lady Roses Daughter" Miss Alice Caldwell Hegan's Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" Frank Norriss The Pitt" Louisa Nj. AL cotts's Little Women," dowelrs Flight of Pony Baker" E. Nesbit's The Would begoods." Lorimer's Letters from a Self Made Merchant to His Son. Dr. Hale's Memories of a Hundred Years" and Jacob A. Riis's Battle with the Slum. .'
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19
CHARGES AGAINST BEAVERS.
Accused of Using Position to Lobby
 for Clerks.

A telegram to The Chicago Tribune from Washington says: Grave charges were filed today against George W. Beav- CTS. former Superintendent of the Salary and Allowance Division. They are that MT. Beavers was the salaried represen- tative of the Postal Clerks Association. and used his official position to lobby for increased appropriations for the clerks. Beavers had the good will of many Sem ators and Representatives. and 1t is charged he never missed an opportunity to urge upon them the necessity for in-
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

witi, crossed legs. while they taught and lectured them.
 We thus discover the very interesting fact that the schools are at least 6.OOO years old, and that teachers began to instruct children in the millenniums Of the world. So that the home was not the school even in the early ages. and the ancient temples were the teaching places weElhausen Is therefore correct when he says: ''The ideal of education for re- lgion's sake was set up and awoke emulation. even though the goal was not reached all at once."
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19
THE ART OF DISAPPEARING,
BY JOHN TALBOT SMITH.

caricatured in the comic press, but never anywhere portrayed. .H z
 The author has been in the literary field before. having and had published "A Woman of Culture" Solitary lsi- and" "Saranac," Life of Brother Aga rias," and The Training of Priest. None of these works. however. deserve to rank above second class. This novel is his best creation and will doubtless have a wider clientele of readers than his former (N,1lliam H. Young Co.,. New York. S1.50.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19
HOW TO MAKE MONEY.


Much has been said and written upon this all ensrossing subject but 1t has been left for Catharine Birdsali to get up the most unusual and valuable little book. containing more than eighty de- tailed suggestions to untrained women for adding to their income. All the ideas are drawn from actual experience. and in consequence they attracted much atten- ton when published serialiy. A number of women are now working out the ideas
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19
Pads as Well as Corsets.

A sartorial authority in London an nounced some months ago that before long well dressed men would be wearing corsets The statement caused some ridicule, but 1t has been borne out by facts for the real London swell of today Is unmistakably corrected. More than that. he is having his hips padded and there Is a growing demand for the ef- feminate articles necessary to giving the appearance of wasp waists.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19
Aeed Furorean Rnlarn.

The venerable Luitpold. prince regent of Bavaria, completed his sad year recently but he is surpassed in age by the Pope. the Grand Duke of Luxemburg. ths King of Denmark and the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-S -Strelitz among European rulers. Besides those there are ten other sovereigns between 70 and se--a record that is probably unparalleled In European history.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

This novel is the production of, Catho- lie Priest. and of course there is shot through the whole book a flavor ot Catholicism.
 It treats all leading topics of the day, Buch as the much talked of Anglo-Ameri- can alliance. the sentimental description of election issues in New York City, and many others. For the first time in Amer lean fiction vivid and accurate picture of an unknown section of New York life is given. This section has often been
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

thus brought to thsir notice. Tho GsouA sands of women who are anxious to worB and have some capacity, but leqk tho knowledge to make use of if. VII Ind tho book extremely helpful.
 Women are % equally infsreseod c thg making of money with the msnstoE snn land that book of this kind. wvittGn = carefully and conscientiously VII gst . deserved1y large sale. Doublsdavs Hago q Co., N. ..fu.)
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

the standpoint of moro SortunaAD fs1r low woman. The truth as ret dcwuk straightforwardly and plainly. but with2 out hysterical sentimentaiify or sentn4 tionalism; and the concIusious w1lto4 follow inevitably from reading this roos ord are far-reaching indeed.
 The work is written in . sympaAhsx1G and entertaining manner and rsaAs lfkl a romance. One moment the heart q ready to burst through sympathy and then one realizes how truly do thcse suf> fer who actually pass through such ter~ rible existenve. Doubleday. Pags . Co., S. .60).
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

of Professor H V. Hilprecht, and it was through him that the remarkable dis coveries have been made. The many thousands of tablets. with their inscrip-
 tions and pictures. will be of inestima ble value and will reveal many of the secrets of the past. the discoveries also incIud- ing jewelry. coins, cylinders, seals, clay
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

There has lately been published book entitled White Rock" by Henry M. Nixdorff. It consists of number Of short stories MT. Nixdorm is native or Frederick City, Maryland. His first work as an author was the 'Life of Barbara Fritchie." which was appreciated to such sn extent that 1t has now reached the third edition. Most of the stories in the present volume are of a weird nature
 situated in localities known to the author and built upon familiar legends. >
 Choosing titles for the books that the publishers arc issuing every day IS a rroblem of no mean proportion. L.. Frank Baum was asked recently where he got the word "oz" which he used in the 'wizard of oz.' well" he said, q have little cabinet letter file on my desk that is just in front of me. I was thinking and wondering about title Tor
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19
ANCIENT LIBRARY DISCOVERIES

No more interesting archaeological dis eoveries have beea made for many years than the great Temple Library at Nip pur, the work having been conducted by the Babylonian Expedition of the Uni versity of Pennsylvania. Dr. Haynes was the original director. but the next fall it was placed under the supervision
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

Tommy-Pop, what is hero worship? Tommys Pop-Hero worship. my son, is the admiration we feel for great people until we get to know them intimately.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

nature. Despite these good points when
 the last page of the book is read and the cover closed there is left in the heart a dissatisfied feeling. due probably to the
The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-19

somewhat morbid vein running through the story. GA. s. Barnes and Company, New York. $1.50.)
 Nora Belle Starke.