davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
Kissing the Bible.

Washington Post:
The North Carolina legislature has
just enacted a law doing away with the
practice of kissing the Bible in courts
and other places where an oath is to be
administered A rather amusing debate
attended the ceremony, but with that
we need not concern ourselves. Enough
that the osculation is now prohibited III
North CarOlina-a cOnsummatiOn much
to be commended.
The custom originated in a time Of
superstition when it was an article in
every bodys faith that if the murderer
could be made to touch his dead victim
the wounds would break out afresh and
blood proclaim the miscreant's guilt;
when "Witchcraft was seriously re-
garded as a mortal sin, and ghosts, as
trOlOgers and magicians figured in every
creed In those days they believed thar
If person kissed the Bible and then
told a lie he would drop dead-stricken
by an angry and offended Jehovah.
Modern enlightenment, however, has
shown US that the perjurer kisses and
survives The liar prospers He kisses
the Bible as readily as he would a table
or chair, and then reels off his false
longer possible for any intelligent man
TO believe that the kissing of the Bible
adds the smallest value to the testimony
of the witness Honest men viii tell
the truth without any prompting of SUI
persutlen. Dishonest men will lie as
nuently in the presence of the Bible as
in that Of the dictionary or the atlas.
The practice in question, therefore, is
as futile as it is unclean. North Caro-
lima has done well to relegate it to the
limbo OF credulity and ignorance.
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
CARNEGIE'S $500 TABLE.
Only Two Others of Large-Size Va
riety Owned in New York City.

One of the recent innovations in
Andrew Carnegie'S new home at Nine
ty-third street and Fifth avenue is an
English billiard table which he has had
made to order in this city for 81, 500.
There is a very fine billiard room in
Mr.. Carnegie's house, better, it is said,
than in any other home of the long row
of multi milliOnaires' palaces that line
ordinary carom tables such as are used
in the United States, but the huge Eng
lish affair, built on lines that have been
in vogue since the days of Henry VIII,
almost fills it.
SO far as a reporter for the Times
could find out, there are only two other
English tables in this city-one al the
Waldorf-AstoTia and the other in a
little club that is very much patrOnized
by EngliShmen. The one at the Wal
dorf-Astoria is patronized almost ex-
cIusively by English guests of the hotel
and has not yet ceased to be an object
Of amusement and curiosity to Ameri-
can visitors The Englishman. on the
other hand, dishkes the American table.
He calls it d toy
Before Maurice DAILY, at one time bill
Hard champion of the world, sailed for
Europe on last Wednesday to witness
the International tournament in Paris
next month and to arrange for sim
liar tournament in this city. reporter
talked with him about Mr. Carnegie's
English table. Mr.. DAILY is one of the
pioneer professional DillaIQ players IN
New York, and has an unequaIed
library on the history and science of
the game. He has a scrapbook with
reports of all the important profession
al and anna teur games ever played here.
from the days when professional
matches were confined to a little hall
in Chambers street and gradually
worked thair way up town to the old
Winter Garden, to Tammany Hall and
Irving Hall In those days billiards
was not a very popular game in New
York, and it was difficult to find a
place for a professional match. Nova
days there are, according to Mr.. Days
estimate. 100000 men in New York who
are regular habitues of the billiard
table Matchnakers can take their
choice of three large public billiard es-
adjustments, or. If they wish to be ex-
elusive. can measure cues in the com
modious billiard rooms of clubs that
give more or less attention TO sport.
t wonder who Mr.. Carnegie viii ind
to play with him on his English table"
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
1000 NILES ON THEAMAzON
Two Adventurous Americans to
Travel in Launch.


Alvah Dorsey James. a member of the
Corinthian Yacht club and one of the
best known yachtsmen of Baltimore. IS
lifting out an expedition to navigate
the Amazon river and tributaries for
distance of 1000 miles in a boat Is
feet long. It is probable that Barton
H. Noland viii be the companion OF
Mr. James in what is to be the most
venturesOme trip ever made by a Balti-
more yachtsman.
Mr.. James and Mr.. holland recently
completed trip of over 5000 miles in
an 1S-foot boat After having spent a
year in adventure and exposure they
were wrecked on Cape Lookout. on the
Atlantic coast. The last trip of James
and Noland made them famous ali over
the country, yachtsmen reading with
avidity the stirring accounts of their
adventure and narrow escapes. The
trip of exploration over nearly the en-
tire South American continent is made
for pleasure.
The trip is to begin early next spring,
so that the journey through the wilder
ness of mountain, woods, valley and
river may begin during the opening CT
the dry season in South America
1t is not quite certain that Barton
Haxall Noland will be the companion
of James. but an effort is being made
to bring it about. If this venture should
be carried out the men will become the
central figure in adventure as great as
those of a Stanley, a Du Chaillu or a
Humboldt James has dedicated him
self to such adventures and purposes to
spend years roaming through unknown
lands to write of them, so that the
world may know more of the great
wastes and unknown parts.
At his home in Irvington. Va. Mr.
James is already making preparations
for the journey. He was in the city
recently and gave out the following in
terview on his plans:
We expect to leave New York in the
early spring. and sail by way of the
Isthrnus of Panama to GuayaquiI. Ecu
ador. We viii then cross the Andes
mountains to the head of canoe naviga-
ton on the Napo river. The Napo is
the most northWesterly tributary of the
Amazon and We shall have to travel
some zoo miles down this stream before
reaching the latter. It is our intention
to keep generally on the main stem Of
the Amazon, though we shall make side
trips through the country from time 10
time The trip VIII end at the city Of
Para, on the Atlantic sea board. You see
we shall thus traverse the entire conti-
nent of South America. The distance,
I should say, is about 1000 miles, and
we are calculating on making the run
during the six months of the dry sea-
son
What do we anticipate viii be our
greatest hardship Well. it is hard to
tell We do not anticipate any diff
cllltv from rough water or storms On
the other hand. we consider that the
danger of the navigation of the river is
the minimum. We shall have a most
excellent craft, and both Mr.. Noland
and myself have had considerable ex-
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
SMALLEST CHURCH KNOWN.
st. Matthew's, in Ohio, Enjoys an Odd
Distinction.

The recent dedication of the smallest
church by the smallest congregation in
the United States has caused a sensa-
tlon IN religious circules, for St Mat
theW's. the beautiful new church. is
only - feet wide by 48 feet long 1t
crowns the summit of a lofty hill in
Madison township Muskingum county.
Ohio, and from the bell tower can be
seen churches of different denomina-
tions.
st. Matthew's church was founded in
1888 by few families, the rector of the
Episcopal church at GAINESVILLE. O..
holding occasional services. For so
years the plain, rectangular building
was used as place of worship and
then it became necessary to make ex-
tensive repairs. The history of the
quaint old church, with its old-fashion-
ed Gothic windows, attracted the atten-
ton OF Mr.. and Mrs Elah Terrell, well
known architects Of Columbus, o. who
visited the picturesque spot and at once
recognized the possibilities of reprOduc-
ing the architecture so popular in Eng
hsh rural districts during the eleventh
and twelfth centuries.
They tried to persuade the people to
replace the old church with new one
a difficult task, as the church was en-
deared to them by memories of a life
time and was a link binding them to
the past. But finally, through the in
fluence of their rector. Rev. L. E. Durr,
t0eN reIuclantly consented and the
massive walls were built of the glacial
granite powders gathered on the sur
rounding farms, the farmers hauling
them to the site of the new church.
Only one stone came from a distance
and that was sent from Missouri by a
former member and has a place OF hon
or in the walls of the vestibule. The
buttresses are capped with dressed
blocks of red sandstone quarried in the
vicinity and are fascinating bit of
cobblestones.
The nave is "a feet wide by 30 feet
long and the ceiling is finished in nat
uraI woods paneled between the great
Sx12 timbers which form the frame
work of the roof. The chancel is 16x18
feet and the walls and ceiling are beau
tifully frescoed. Above the sanctuary
is a Tiffany window representing the
risen Lord that would grace a cathe-
dral The floor, seats, chancel fittings
and the lecturn are of oak and the
building is furnace heated.
Mr.. and Mrs Terrell who gave their
services gratuitously, made the church
complete in its symbolism. A great
stone cross surmounts the vestibule and
to the left of the nave, in q small semi
octagOnal tower, stands the font. ODpo-
site and reached by the center aisle
is the chancel and altar, the combina-
ton of the three in design constantly
suggesting the idea of the trinity. The
entire cost of the church was $780, the
largest contribution being $500 apiece
from the rector and three members in
modern circumstances.-C Chicago Chron-
icle.
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25

far more Christian-Iixe conception of
charity To this blessed relief of ten
sion and appToachment to the COM
mon end of religious endeavor Pope
Leo has been foremost contributor.
The adaptation of the church. SO far
as its cardinal principles permit to the
various and varied institutions of gov
ernment encountered in its broad field
of activity, is in itself triumph to give
abiding luster to the term Of a spiritual
sovereign History must inevitably
rank Leo XIII. among the greatest
statesmen and most far-sighted diplo-
mats of all the statesmen and diplo-
mats who have ruled in the world,
either temporarily or spiritually. from
the city of the seven hills.
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
preaant Probabilities.

Rome. March 25.-It is considered
most probable that the Right Rev.
John j. GIennon, coadjutor bishop of
Kansas City, win be appointed coadju-
tor archbishop of st. Louis and that
the Right Rev. Henry Moeller. bishop
of Columbus. will be appointed coad5u-
tor archbishop of Cincinnati The
day for the meeting of the congregation
Of the propaganda at which these ap-
pointments will be made has not been
decided rpon. but it is likely to be
An,-iI g. If Bishops GIennon and Noel
Ter are appointed their vacant positions
will not be filed for at least two
months
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
EDITORIAL COMMENT
To Make Hunters Careful,

TO Make Hunters Careful.
Buffalo Courier.
Within the past few years the num-
Der of persons killed or wounded by
hunters mistaking them for deer or
other animals, has become so great as
to suggest that some heroic means be-
taken for the discourag cement OF care
lessness. Not so many casualties viii
be reported from the Adirondack region
hereafter if bill introduced in the
legislature yesterday becomes a law. It
provides that the killing of any person
in such manner by a hunter shall be
manslaughter in the second degree, and
to wound him without fatal effect, "a
felony punishable by imprisonment or
fine. This measure may share the fate
of many another which has dropped i'm
to a committee box never to reappear;
and, indeed, whether it is rightly shap-
ed may be doubted nevertheless. If it
were passed. perhaps numerous anna
teur hunters would keep out of the
woods as they ought. The sportsman
who cannot see well enough to tell
man from a bear or a buck, or who
cannot refrain from blazing away
whenever he hears a rustic in the un-
dergrowth. is not fit to be trusted with
a gun.
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
srRIKE CONFESSIONS VERDICT

The anthracite strike investigation
commission in its findings, made public
last week. appear to have reached d
compromise. Organized labor probably
viii be disappointed at its failure TO
secure positive recognition. but if moth
ms was said for neither was anything
said against it, They said this. The
suggestion Of a working agreement be-
tween employers and employees. em-
hodyiuE the doctrine of collective bar
gaining. is one which the commission
believe contains many hopeful elements
for the adjustment of relations i'm the
mining regions" From the facts stated
in the report the commission could not
so into The question of recognizing the
organization OF the miners without ex-
Ceedmg its jurisdiction. yet it did go far
enough to extend the evidence of friend
ly consideration.
So Ear as the finding of the commits
sion be accented it has settled some
issues ia favor of the operators and
others in the interest of the employees
a fact which doubtless viii tend to ere
ate faith in the honesty of the investi-
cation and integrity of the men con-
ducting it. To the operators in this
compromise finding there is a verifca :
tion OF their claim that the wages of
miners do not compare unfavorably
with those Of other industries. that
they can support their children without
compelling them to work on the break
ers. that the social conditions of the
communities which they comprise are
good. and that the demand of the situ-
alton is FOR a stricter enforcement Of the
child labor laws. They also secure the
sliding scale Of wages recommended by
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25

Those persons who have been taught
TO regard Colorado as possessing the
ideal climate for health may be sur
prised TO know that the census returns
give Denver "A higher death rate than
Chicago, Louisville or Cincinnati The
annual death rate of the white poDula-
tion is as follows in the cities named:
1872 per cent in Omaha, 1.54 per cent in
Kansas City, 1.6t per cent in Chicago,
1.79 per cent i'm Louisville, 1.83 per cent
in Cincinnati, 1S5 per cent in Denver.
202 per cent in New York, 2.1S per cent
ia Mobile. 2-19 per cent i'm Memphis and
3S per cent in New Orleans The Mis-
souri, valley and the lake regions are
the mlst favorable; the Rocky noun
tains and the lower Mississippi valley
below Memphis the most destructive.
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
The Death Of Engineer Smith.

Columbus (O) Dispatch:
Accidents of the kind which caused
the death Of Engineer Smith are becom-
ing entirely too frequent The conditiors
which make them possible demand some
serious attention on the part of the rail-
road companies. An engineer being
killed by being struck by mail crane
is not a new tragedy to record. Ever
since these conVenlences were installed
alongside railroad tracks they have
been more or less Of a menace to tine
men at the engine throttle.
Attention is attracted to them. how
ever. by their remarkable frequency or
late. and this frequency of them sug-
eests that, perhaps. there may be found
some other reason for their occurrence e
than merely the presence of these
affairs close to the tracks. It is not OBJ
served that they ere placed any closer
to the rails than formerly or that the s
are in any other way more dangerous IN
themselves. than they have been for
merly. and they have been in use f3-
some years.
1t does appear. however. that im-
provements in locomotives recently have
been very marked. These monster ma
chimes are made larger. more Intricate
more delicate to handle. and require
closer and more minute attention on the
part Of the enginemen. Their size ana
construction make them more dificul.
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
PoINTEp PARAGRAPHs-



A surprise party is seldom an unexpected
occurrence
Some women are not as bad as they
saint themselves
There are times when four aces consti-
tute helping hand.
Never call a man liar to his teeth IN
less they are false.
Nothing jars an opera singer like having
to whistle for his salary.
A terrible example is the first one a
school boy encounters in his book.
The man who jumps from a rapidly NOV
ing train usually travels on his cheek.
One great source Of trouble is that most
people talk faster than they can think.
There's probably nothing on earth that
can get so badly stuck on itself as a sheet
of postage stamps
The first week q girl wears an engage
ment ring sha invariably forgets her gloves
when she goes out
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
LOCAL MENTION.

At $3.50 this morning an alarm of ilre
came in from 1924 North Clay street. A
one-story dwelling owned by NJ Med
daugh and occupied by Mrs D. Hender-
son. caught fire from tsoot on the roof
and was damaged to the extent of $40.
Evangelist French E Oliver will
speak at the tabernacle tonight in place
of Mr. Williams.
There viii be a meeting of tennis
players Thursday night in the rooms Oh
the Topeka Whist club for the purpose
of organizing a club. All parties inter-
ested are requested to attend.
The branch alliance Of Unity church
meets Friday afternoon with Mrs. D. j.
Greenwald 40 Topeka avenue
The Tooeka Golf club has purchased
new flags and the green viii be rolled
and sanded at once The course VIII De
in better shape this summer than ever
before The annual meeting viii be held
the first Monday evening in April
w. l. Eberle, who was injured in
bicycle collision with street car on
West Sixth street Monday night is re-
ported to be doing we'll He is at the
hospital
of PhilliDsburg. are IN the city Mr..
Tadlock leaves today for 81 Reno where
he has recently secured newspaper,
and his wife and boy VIII follow soon
Born, to Captain and Mrs J. E Ha-
zen of 332 Elm street, al eight pound
son on Saturday March q. at 8 p. m.
James Shocks was arrested in the
court Of Topeka today chargs 4 with the
theft of q horse. saddle and ride. the
property of Betsey Cooney. 10th par
ties live on the east edge Of town. The
case has been set for April l.
Many actors and singers use Pisos Cure
to strengthen the voice and prevent hoarse-
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR
IFrom the New York 'Press.1

IFIUNI LIlE new lVIh n -Iess.I
When a woman suddenly resolves to
walk a lot for exercise, 1t is a sign she
has new suit or hat.
The man who hasn't the sense TO tell
pretty woman that she is doesn't deserve
ever to see a pretty woman.
When a man is worried about his bust
ness his wife is sure it would improve if
their minister preached a sermon about the
good and faithful servant.
Two anniversaries that a man always OBJ
serves with solennity are his wedding day
and the day his rich uncle died without
leaving him anything.
Either man gets spring fever or he
makes fool of himself planting a spring
garden.
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
Tobacco Trust Dividend.

New York. March 25-The American
Tobacco company has declared the reg
ular quarterly dividend Of , per cent. or
its preferred stock and dividend Of 3
per cent on its common stock This is
an increase Of one-half per cent in the
later issue.
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
The Progress of Railroads.

Syracuse Post-Staudard:
1t is stated that the railroads of the
country are planning to spend not less
than 1864 O0.O00 in improvements and
extensions during the current year. a
most convincing sign that they have
done a large and profitable business in
recent months. that in spite of p1ac-
tically general increases of wages of
employees the good times still continue,
and that the expectation of railroad
officials the country over is that past
and present prosperity will continue far
into the future.
Not all these many millions Of dol
lars viii be spent in laying more tracks,
or supplying more engines and freight
cars and passenger coaches. The Cen
tral is planning to erect a mammoth
station in New York city, the PennsyI-
vania is going to dig a tunnel into the
metropolis, and other roads are con
templating similar improvements which
increased business and exceptional
prosperity make necessary and posi-
BILE.
The earnings of all the roads of the
country increased Al last year over
those for the previous year. and 15.5
over those for 1900. During only one
month in the whole year did the earn
ings fall off as compared with last year
and that was during the month of Au-
gust, when the decline of only seven
tenths of 1 per cent can be charged to
the strike of anthracite miners. The
prosperous business is continuing into
this year. for the earnings for January
We're S.6 per cent more than for the
first month of last year and 177 more
than for the month in 1901
These earnings are the more remark
able when il is remembered that rail-
road companies We're unusually lavish
last year in their expenditures for inn
p~Ovemeuts and extensions. Also the
fact that after such large sums We're
spent on Improvement last year there
should still be room and occasion for
spending S27O 600 this year for a
similar purpose speaks in the highest
possible terms Of the magnitude Of the
period of railroad expansion through
which we are at present passing.
Last year over 5000 miles of new
track were laid in the United States,
the largest new mileage since 1888; 4,070
new locomotives were built; and there
was an output of 165. 600 new cars, of
which all but 1000 were freight cars.
and in addition to those manufactured
by companies in their own plants
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25

The senate at it's recent extra session
did only one thing that the president
wanted done and refused to do ait least
three things that he desired They did
not confirm either Byrne or Crum and
took no effective action on Cuban reci-
procity and yet he thanked them for
the good they had done. What hum
bugs are practced in the name of po-
1itenessi
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25

a bin has been introduced i'm the
Maine legislature. the object of which is
TO bring about the further. taxation of
express companies doing business in the
state. A bin like that would stand no
show i'm New York where Platt owns
the legislature and one of the express
r.r,r,4,aar,iae
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25

According to an official report made
by the Ohio bureau of labor statistics. a
summary of interviews with 1000 work
ing women in Cincinnati Columbus and
Cleveland shows the average cost of
living to be 1924 per week and the
average wages %.S3 per week. Isn't
this rather a narrow margin2 1T might
be interesting to know also 1000 women
can go on spending more than they
make for any considerable length Of
time, and who pays the difference.
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25

A faction OF alleged Democrats con
tinue 20 berate Mr. Bryan because he
jammed the is to plank into the plat
form at Kansas City, but this is only
because Bryan was defeated If he
had been elected it would have been
all right. 1t is not yet forgotten that
MIR. Cleveland in his letter of accept
anoe repudiated the platform prepared
for him to stand on, but Cleveland was
elected and that makes all the differ
nura
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25

Chicago. March 25.-Coping to the
rescue Of his mother. who was being
beaten by her drunken husband. S. A
Jackson. is years old, shot and prob
al bIv fatally wounded his father. Alonzo
Jackson at their home today. The so5s
then started to give himself uD. but
Welded to the Dleadin2s Of his mother
and tried to escape. He was captured
The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-25
PennszIvania Road Inereases So

Philadelphia, March 25.-The directors
of the Pennsylvania railroad today
authorized an issue Of stock amounting
to 90 1-3 per cent of the outstanding
stock It IS issued at $50 a share pay
able in three instaHments The entire
issue amounts TO about ss3. .ooo. 900.