davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09
HOW ROBSON BECAME AN ACTOR
First Received Encouragement From
the Great Webster.

First Received Encouragement From
the Great Webster.
Stuart Robson tells this story of
how he became an actor.
Il had run away from home in Bal
timore and had drifted to Washington
with my playmate, Arthur Pue Cor
man, nov a senator-elect from Mary
land, and for several weeks | was on
the verge of starvation. German had
a lot of push and he landed as a page
in the Senate, but somehow l couldn't
connect, but used to hang about the
capitol just the same, and one day
/ remember it well, because it was
marked by sort of dull, red clouds,
that now is spoken of as the yellow
Day in Neutrality-suspicious. came to
me and said:
"'Rob, If you see Dan Webster he'll
fix YOU
Il was astonished at the assurance
OF Artie German, but | saw Mr.. Web
gter, and within a week through his
influence, strange as it may seem in
the light of history, l was made a page
In Congress. Daniel Webster, Toombs
Of Georgia and Jefferson Davis acting
as my sponsors.
Il served two terms as a page and
n afternoon | received an invitation
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09
Maeaulay as a schoolhou.

Zachary Macaulay placed his three
younger sons, John, Henry William
and Charles, as pupils in the school
kept by my grandfather, Richard FL
well, at Hammersmith, having pre-
%viously, but vainly, urged him to adj
NIT thereinto the future great histori-
an and essayist, says a writer in the
London Standard. And my uncle.
Richard Elwell, who died in 1887, in
his ninetieth year, told me that his
fathers reasons for refusing to admit
young Thomas Darlington into his
school were: First, that the boy was
above IL years of age at the time of
application; second, that he was
quite unlike other boys" of a pc
culiarly retiring disposition, delighting
much in solitude, but yet perversely
disinclined to study of any kind.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

humble. Rod could have touched
him.
Hey! Louder!" called the engin-
eer, sharply.
Then Platt heard something else
a rush of men, a spring, fierce oaths,
a faint scream, two thuds, then a
long moment of silence.
The chill in his blood pulsed back
into hot wrath, but he lay still behind
the little rock. Now his half blinded
eyes could see more plainly. His
straining ears caught every whisper.
Four men, counting the fellow with
the lantern. What could he-what
should he do?
He knew that Bellows was lying on
the floor of his cab, although he
could not see him. The fireman he
could see, a motionless black shape
upon his blacker coal. Something
was huddled against the window of
the cab upon his side. That he could
not make out at all. He knew that in
the locked express al behind, a pale,
determined man was sitting on a
small steel safe, with a revolver in
his firm hand. And the three quick
moving shapes-the low, tense
voices
"Uncouple the express car, now
all three of us. Got your dynamite,
Bob? The men are out all right.
Was that a woman up there, Sim?'
Eyes, l tied up her mouth an feet,
Cap. Now, Eddie, soon's we whistle
climb in an start her up. Let her
buzz a mile an stop. Well be on"
The three whisked back like great
cats. The other planted his lantern
on the steps and raised one foot and
hand.
He got no further. The stone that
crashed on his skull may have killed
him as he sank down, sliding under
the truck wheels.
The hand which had held the stone
was on the throttle now. 1t yanked it
viciously to the widest notch. A ire
mendous, Earring jerk shot through
the link of cars. The great drivers
whizzed, stationary for a second in
their revolution, then grasped the
rails, and No. 1877 shot on with a
snorting scream, a gasping, s~training
demon in the darkness.
Platt heard the wild, despairing
yell behind the express car, and,
laughing u%ncannily, glanced back.
Yes, he had been in time. The train
al intact.
When he came out of his faint on
the station platform a few minutes
later a girl with pathetic, fearless
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09
Had Heard d It-somemher.

Senator tom" Plat was lingering
a g~ilt-edged book that had come to
him in the mail. He seemed so much
interested in it that Senator Quay
asked what he was reading.
This" explained the New York
boss" as he turned the pages slowly.
sis a reprint of a curious volume much
thought of by William Penn and his
followers, but which / am told ia
scarcely known among their descend
ants"
And what is it called2' askad the
Pennsylvania statesman.
Plat tossed it on Quay's desk. H.
was the Bible.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09
EARRINGS WORN FOR AGES.
These Ornaments Are the Survival Of
a Very Ancient Custom.

These Ornaments Are the Survival OF
a Very Ancient Custom.
Although few ome In recent
years have been wearing earrings, the
fashion still survives, and at func-
tons of select society pendants OF
~brilliants are still frequently seen. OF
all the ornaments used by human be-
ings earrings are probably the oldest
so far as historical research has been
able to determine. They date from
the remotest antiquity, the earliest
mention of them being in Genesis in
the time of Jacob, about 1882 B. c.
This antiquity has been confirmed by
the finding of costly and elaborate
specimens in the Troad by DIR. Schlie-
mann, in Etruria by Castellani and
in Anglo-Saxon remains in England.
Their use at first was not ornamental
but superstitious.
Amulets consisting of inscribed
precious stones on pieces of metal
were worn suspended from the neck
or more frequently from the ears
Augustine speaks strongly against
earrings worn as amulets in his
time. 1t is a noteworthy fact that the
ears of the famous statue Venus de
Medici are bored, evidently for ear
rings.
The fashion of men wearing ear
rings, which is still common in Italy,
among the fishermen of Cornwall,
England, with Portuguese sailors
and many others, is a survival of the
superstition that they were a protec-
ton against evil. Many of the Ital--
ians in New York wear earrings for
this purpose.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

Shading his eyes he peered ahead
to see a swinging lanterns signal of
warning. 81 knew that gravel would
slide down." he muttered. That's
it, | guess. I'll get out of this berth
and walk the rest of the way"
AS the engine painted to a halt he
dropped off, hearing the gruff hail of
Bellows, What in thunder's the
trouble?"
The man with the lantern stepped
forward, speaking in incoherent
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

more than $3.50 a year, and when
the spending of this money stopped
1t seemed as II the community must
die. The income of the churches
was cut down, a large part of the for
eign congregation Of the Catholic
church disappearing as If swept out
by a cyclone. There were fewer
children for the schools. The value
of real estate declined and those who
had put their savings into homes
found themselves unable to get rid of
them. There were too many mer-
chants, too many physicians, too many
barbers-and, one and all, they sat
down to see who would go away or go
to the wall first. Gloomy forebod-
ings rs to the increase of the poor
fund of the town arose; the bells of
the mills ceased to ring; the town
band, that gave a concert every week,
ceased to play; a water power, esti-
mated as worth from $200,0 900 to
100000, lay idle; the machinery of
the mills was being shipped to the
trusts mills in Alabama; only the
four walls of three large buildings
remained. The town was dead; the
heavy hand of a trust seemed to have
crushed it.-World's Work.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

by Sedge Pond, waking the stiffness
with a steady, rafting 0 Two,
three, four miles," counted Rod.
Nov the gorge and the woods.
Seems natural, don't it, or would II
/ was back there where l ought to
be. Here's where l tried to peg that
cussed partridge, and the blamed
lump broke and took Nate behind the
ear. What a fool wasi"
They few around a curve to the
straight stretch Of rails glittering in
the headlights glare, "Hullo!"
whispered the man. SLOWING up
what's the maater?"
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

A Frenchman, who contended that
the soul could leave the body and
return, succeeded in proving part of
1t. He let his soul out all right. but
the undertaken attended to the rest,
and he hasn't reported.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

George Manville Fem, an English
writer. recently reached his list
birthday. The titles of his books
MI seven pages Of the catalogue of
the British museum, although you
may know no more about him than
posterity win.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

That Mississippi judge who charged
the grand jury to indict persons ac-
cused Of playing progressive euchre
probably has been forced to attend a
progressive euchre party at some time
in his career.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

AT the Cincinnati fire a man on a
burning roof was saved by writing a
note on his cuff and throwing 1t into
the street. THAT should be a warn
Ing to people with undetachable cuffs
not to sleep higher than the second
floor.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

A congressman in the house res
itaurant the other day had for lunch
O milk punch, a chicken sandwich, an
oyster stew and a piece of custard
pie. And the country is paying him
$1,000 a year to help control the des-
tinies OF this mighty nationl
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

Probably If the wild birds had any
thing to say about it they would In
sist that the privilege Of remaining
alive seems quite as important to
them as it does to the gentleman in
the bird-dealing business.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

Calcium salts, it is announced, will
cure nervous diseases. The calcium
light has been applied to many emf
nent personages without causing a re
duction either of nerve or of swelled
head.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

Secretary Shaw has decided that
cen thousand dollar gold certificates
may be issued to individuals on de-
mand as well as to banks. Demand
yours early, as the supply LIS lin
tied.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

Ths task of travelling at o $40, 900
pace en- a $4,000 salary has again
wrought Its customary ruin and dis
grace. Its frequent repetition wakes
tedious.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

Some of the specialists believe
Knapp, the Indiana man who muir
dered his six wives, is a degenerate.
They don't explain why they hold this
extraordinary opinion.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

The story that Mr.. Morgan is going
20 buy up all the Cuban railroad sys-
terra 10 not at all improbable. He has
the necessary money and the buying
habit
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

What a mammoth federation OF
women Venezuela will have If the
daughters of the revolution In that
country aver organized
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

The Crown Prince Of Saxony is not
TO be consulted as to the successor of
the errant Louise. All wives must look
alike to a crown prince.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

Radium is selling at 5000. 900 a
pound in the European market, and
most of the inhabitants have shut off
their radiators.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

The first wireless newspaper has
been printed on board a ship at sea
Even q dash for the pole may now
have added %terrors.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

Undue attention to the mote In
our neighbours eye gives him an OPP
portunity for effective repartee.-
Puck.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

The Moroccan pretender has gath
cred his forces and gone to pretend
ing again. He may be Gen. Tribe
Tribe in disguise.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

The Chicago doctor who tried to
argue against a hallful of women
might have known where he would
wind up.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

With The Hague tribunal SO handy
IL would seem as though the Dutch
labor unions might arbitrate their
grievances.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

News from the Balkan states indi-
Gates hat Miss Stones ransom
money has been fairly well invested.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09
Senator Hoar's Two Hobbies.

Among the many hobbies of Sena.
tor Hoar of Massachusetts, is his fond
ness for trolley trips and dime novels.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

It isn't always the shortest month
that is the easiest on the coal pile.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

More power to the elbow of Miss
Rogers, late Of Wellesley-though she
doesn't seem to need it.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

Chicago is nov Dragging because
Its birth rate has not decreased. 1t is
a case of. how much? not, how good?
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

Sympathy soothes aching hearts, but
1t is of small use in warming cold feet.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

what constitutes a New Yorker?"
asks the World. Well, conceit Ia u
OF the ingredients.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

VIII plain Mr.. Hobson be such an
attractive kissing proposition as the
gallant captainf
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

A Siamese working elephant may
be bought for $3.50, but 1t costs more
for feed than an automobile does.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

When a woman stops calling a man
by his name, the end of formality 10 at
hand.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-06-09

When he came out of his faint on
the station platform a few minutes
later a girl with pathetic, fearless
The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-31

/.
for this purpose. Let them agitate the
question and besiege school boards with
the requests for better pay. The
Philadelphia teachers have just sue
ceeded by a campaign of agitation. and
education in getting their salaries
raised and in otherwise betteting their
condition.
Mr.. Uhl proposes the union as
means Of democratizing the govern
ment of schools. He thinks the super
intendent is too autocratic a person.
Possibly that Is so. Possibly it would
be an excellent thing for the schools if
their policy was partly directed in
each community by council Of teach
erss corresponding to the faculty of a
college or university. Very likely the
schools could be improved If the actual
teachers had a hand in shaping their
methods. But this reform, if a desira-
BILE one, should be brought about by
the good old methods of agitation and
discussion, not by that species Of com
pulsion Mr.. Uhl would have thru a
labor union. The teachers associa-
tions and clubs are quite equal to this
work.
The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-31
The Proposed. Teachers Union.

We~-do not think that the Minnesota;
Educational association will seriously
consider the suggestion of Mr.. Ubl
that the teachers organize themselves
on labor union lines. Organizations
of public employees or officials in such
a manner as labor unions are formed
are not to be approved in any degree.
The methods and composition Of
unions are all right in their place, pro-
vided they are lawful, but their place
is not among the servants Of the state.
The Miller case has reminded the
public of what unionism means when
applied to the employees Of the state.
1t simply means that the control of the
government, representing all the peo-
ple, over the affairs efsthe people TAX
en- collectively, is to be disputed by an
insignificant group. of persons.
The teachers, organized as Mr.. Uhl
would have them, would undertake to
manage thesschools to suit themselves.
They would arrogate to themselves
the authoGitE the public entrusts to,
school boards. They, tfeSemployes of
the pub blic,swonld# d Gust the ptlbli M
Its authority over. the schools; ~
The chief purpose Of the organiza-
ton would be to secure better pay for
the teachers. This Is a -laudable purs
pose. The teachers are, as a rule,
poorly paid. But they ought to be
able to improve their condition with
outSresort to union labor methods.
Their existing organizations are ample
The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-31
BOOKS RECEIVED

THE SONG AT MIDNIGHT. Poems by Mary
NJ. Adams IL mo-, cloth, ornamental. Price
$1.5O.s Boston: Richard G. Badger.
THE STORY OF THE GRAvELYs. A Tale
for Girls BY Marshall Saunders. author of
Beautiful Joe, = etc. Illustrated. Boston,:
L. C. Page s. Co. Minneapolis: n. Nc
Carthy. Price S1.2O.
HEART. scHooLBoY's JOURNAL. BY
Edmondo de Amicis. Translated by Isabel F..
Hapgood. New York: Thomas Y. CroweH &
Co Illustrated.
FIELD AND LABORATORY EXERCISES IN
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. BY James f..
Chamberlain of the state normal school. Los
Angeles Cal. Chicago: American Book COM
pany. Price 80 cents.
,BUNTE aEsCH1CKHTEN FUR ANFUNGER. BY
Erna NJ Stolze. Fables and anecdotes in Ger
man for beginners Chicago: American
Book company. Price 80 cents.
GERMAN COMPOSITION. With a Review of
Grammar and Syntax and with Notes and a
Vocabulary. BY B. Mack Dresden, A. NJ, of
state normal school, Oshkosh. Wis. Chicago:
American Book company. Price, 40 cents.
The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-31
Killed by Each Other.

In those supreme moments when the
balance trembles between life and
death, undisciplined humanity be
comes BRITISH The desire for life
overcomes all other considerations. A
crowd of men and women, suddenly
menaced by death in terrible form,
becomes panic-stricken, herd OF
beasts. It is every one for: hirnse If
life for the strongs death formthe weak.
La .Bourgogne. is suddenly cut in two
in a. collision, and the panic-stricken
men thrust the women aside and even
use knives in the fight to reach the
boats. A charity bazaar in Paris burns
and fine gentlemen rush to safety over
the bodies of women thrown by them
to the ground. - -. ~. f.
At, the Iroquois theater fire in Chi
cago yesterday the audience was COM
posed largely of women and children.
Many men in the audience thought
only - of saving themselves. They
pushed women aside, threw. them
down, trampled son them and rus he'd
to safety over the bodies of their vic
tlIlS-" ISSlltlSG WEAK CIllltliSH IloIS
babies were. spared in the grim strug
gle to reach the doors that led to life
and safety. One man wrenchedS the
scalp from the head of as51year-old
boy in the ferocious selhshness of his
haste to reach the doors. :, s.', :: ~
A woman who escaped says. that
there were but few men in the audi
ence, "but I saw several OF them push
ing and pulling women and children
aside as they fought like maniacs to
reach the eXits.i@.23t /. 80 Aah 49,, =. :,
AT one door, every corpse found was
that of a woman or childszsg = -.
The superiorgs strength Of men saved
them. y. go r. SE->+1@
The worst of 1T all is that one sen
sible being, caught In such current
of frightened and desperate humanity
can do almost nothing for others, He
up without any certainty that he has
helped anybody else by the sacrifice
AT the best he can only help some by
fighting others as If they were raven
ing wild: animals. The most a strong
man caught in such a maelstrem can
do is to save his friends by beating
back those who are weaker than he.
And yet no brave man in his senses
would tramp1e over women and chill
dren to save his own life. He would
wait and take his chances atathe end
of the panic if he could get out. Of the
stampede.
In contrast with these awful scenes
of the struggle of everyone for himself
was the GOODNESS and heroism Of many
of the employees of the theater. Had
the audience been so cool and col.
lected as they the list of the dead
would have been Short =
The 900 men, sWomenss and children
who died las~the; ~theateT We're for. the
most part kdlledSby each ether. Each
seeking to save his own@life, deprived
his neighbor of his.
The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-31
The Proposed Teachers, Union.

The Proposed Teachers Union.
To the Editor of The Journal.
4 Noting the efforts being made as re-
ported in The journal of Tuesday,
to unionize and create q federation of the
teachers Of the state of Minnesota, please
permit me to express the views of one
who taught his, first school just fifty years
ago this season. Having always looked
upon the profession Of teaching as one of
much honor and respectahility, it is with
much regret, that 1--WE note that the
thought or resolution was for a moment
entertained. .+4.. r5i.
As factor for good, the professional
teacher holds, "a very exalted position, sec
ond to none unless it be that Of the min
istry. For such a professional class to
join their. interests with the labor unions
as they exist, with their unsavory repu-
tation for violence, .laWlessness, criminal
ity and dissertation of the Individual rights
Of citizenship that the declaration of in
dependence and the constitution guaran-
tees, would, in my humble opinion, be
Ibasely. disgracing themselves, their pro-
tfession and their state. Such a descent
from SO favorable an elevation as seen
by patriotic public must result in a
serious and lasting Impairment of their
usefulness as teachers and serve as a blot
upon their good standing to follow them
all their lives. Normal.
Albert Lea, Dec. 80.
The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-31

THAT was an, entrancing picture That
superintendent John Kennedy ofBatavia.
N. Y. drew of the two-teacher system be-
fore the Minnesota Educational associa-
tion yesterday. Any plan that promises
to take incessant worry and strain out Of
the lives Of school teachers and pupils de-
serves. serious seonsideeraa1tiso,n a1,s,. The two
teacher plan seems to strike at the very
root of the evil which consists in the
method Of trying to force various intel
lectuai capacities to accomplish equal re-
lsllts. The slow or dull boy ought: not to
suffer shame and humiliation because sof
his sinferiority. He needs special help and
comfort instead of nagging. According
to Mr. Kennedy the two-teacher system
The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-31

- 49, - 4 81. IL.
public conscience has been quickened
by manifold demonstrations of foul
corruption in municipal, state and
even national government, on the part
of the administrative officials and sub
\ ordinates. That there exists sensi-
tive public conscience which resents
the betrayal of trust and the naked or
yelled robbery, meagerly punished, and
which does something more than pass
resolutions, is a matter of profound
qualification and encouragement.
The country, indeed, has been awak-
ened to the peril of permitting the is
sue of stock certificates. representing
billions, against cold-blooded ciphers
and. comparatively. infinitesimally
small amount of tangible, visible pro-
perty. It is an awakening by the public
to such peril which is destined to con-
tinue until the public will demand in
thunder tones that the bureau Of cor
porations of the department of COM
merce shall have power to become
something very much more than bu-
reau Of corporation statistics, and pre-
vent corporations from becoming feed
ers Of gambling material for the de-
bauching of the public and the dis
turbance of legitimate business.
The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-31
TIE SOCIAL VOLCANO

We call them fools, those people OF st.
Pierre,
who lay supine while Pelee groaned in
pain, p{E.9
in vain.
But said: For us there is no cause 1or
fear
The ground is, Arm and our estates are
here
Till. in an instant, that most hellish rain
OF fire and death had wiped them on
the plain.
And naught was left but desolation sere.
But what of them who. needless of the
grOans
OF poverty and human sufferings,
Their fellow men continue to enslaYe.
With ieer and taunt at mems despair
ing means?
oh. plutocrats.s oppressors. magnates,
kings, ess
Take heed from Pelee's desolating wave,
Daniel Nissan Young.