davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progress., 1904-04-30
SHOE REPAIRING SUPPLIES.
Household Kits Of Cobblers' Tools Are
in General Use Throughout
the Country.

1T was not so very many years
ago." said a dealer in shoe supplies,
to New York Sun man, that you
saw in every cobbler's shop side of
sole leather, or it might be, a roll of
such leather standing over in one cor
ner, the stock from which he cut his
supply OF soles, as he needed them, in
repairing shoes. But now from many
thousands of such shops this once ia
miliar feature has disappeared. In
stead, the cobbler buys soles already
cut out
Cut soles are made in q great va
riety OF sizes and shapes. The cobbler
can now buy cut soles and get exactly
what he wants for less than he can
buy the leather and cut them out him
self.
About so per cent of the cobblers
of New York and this part of the coun-
try now buy cut soles; in the south
now about rs per cent. buy them. In
the west about rs per cent. of the cob
blers buy them. They are apparently
more progressive there than the peo-
pie of the east.
This is accounted for, suppose, by
the fact that there are more new COM
munities there, and towns starting
new are likely to start with everything
modern If you were going to install
new plant of any sort you would put
in the very latest styles of machinery,
while in older communities they cling
more to old ways
And in the west, too, cut soles are
sold to people who mend their own
shoes. Taking them altogether, in all
parts of the country there are many
thousands who do this
There are plenty of people living
scattered about the land who would
have to go rs, so, IS miles, to get
cobbler, and this wouldn't pay. Or
they may mend their own shoes for
economy's sake.
"In old times the farmer or other
head of family who did this work
had for 1t an improvised set of tools.
But in these days he buys household
kit of cobblers' tools.
In no trade has there been a great
er advance than in that of shoe manu-
featuring. And no trade has been
more highly specialized. For example,
there are concerns that make nothing
but shoe counters, and other establish
ments that turn out nothing but boot
and shoe heels; and there is one
big western concern that makes
nothing but kits of cobblers' tools,
turning out of household kits and
other sorts car load day.
"A good many kits of cobblers'
tools? Yes, lot, know. but this is
a big country with lots Of people in
1t, and there are other lands to supply.
well, the farmer or other man
who mends his own shoes buys in
these days household kit Of cobblers'
tools, and he can also buy cut soles,
getting just what he wants, and all
handy to use"
The progress., 1904-04-30
QUAINT ENGLISH CUSTOM.
Pancake Tossing Ceremony That
Comes Down from the Days
of Queen Bess.

There is probably no old English GUS
tom so rich in interesting memories as
the pancske-tossing ceremony of which
the hall of Westminster school was the
scene recently, says the Westminster Ga
zette. The custom, which is known to
the boys by the unaesthetic name of
Grease" has an unbroken history
which takes us back to the days of Queen
Bess, when as many as 300 boys would
scramble in one tumultuous heap for
the possession of solitary pancake.
Heneage Finch, first earl of Noting
ham, grovelled with the rest long years
before he subsided into the no less cov-
eted Woolsack. John Dryden, the par
sons boy from Northamptonshire
struggled on the floor with the young
Christopher Wren; and from the crowd
of pancake-snatchers in 1743 you might
have picked out William Cowper, War
rem Hastings and Charles Churchill, all
very small boys, to whom the pancake
loomed much larger than the laurels
they later won. And among the scram-
bling crowds of other years were John
Locke, Charles Longley destined to be
the primate of all England), Edward
Gibbon, Lord Raglan, and many another
boy who was to win much greater tro-
phies in the world outside the school
walls
Then think of the stories those walls
could tell had they but tongues. Ed
ward the Confessor watched the build
irg of the arches upon which the school"
rests; King John was signing Magma
Charta when the very walls which re-
echoed the boys shouts this morning
began to rise on the site of the dormi- |
tory in which generations of Benedic- |
tine monks had slumbered. Boys were |
their lessons in the same hall |
years before Oliver Cromwell was born; |
and for three centuSies all the classes
OF Westminster school were held where |
the pancake is tossed to this day..
The progress., 1904-04-30

seemed stale and lacking of thu rroper
ingredient to the people of Sandhurst.
Captain Bob," said Miss Cynthia,
addressing the master of the schooner
Salome, as they sat on the porch of
Miss Dodd's cottage, "its high time
you were settling down."
Capt. Davidge admitted the fact. He
was As years old.
"Then," said Miss Dodd. why don't
you marry Cecilia Craig and do it?"
The captain intimated doubt as to
Miss Craig having him.
Miss Cynthia rubbed her nose vex-
edly.
"Why, you've never asked her!"
she cried. "You couldn't expect your
schooner to sail if you didn't hoist
your canvas, could you?"
The captain shook his head and said
he would try some day.
HE needs rousing," murmured Miss
Dodd, looking after him.
Captain Bob and Miss Cynthia had
been friends for years. Every time
his schooner came to Sandhurst he
paid her visit, and naturally she felt
a deep interest in his settling down.
She had, herself, introduced him to
Cecilia Craig, whom she felt would
make him a most suitable helpmeet.
But despite the encouragement of
Miss Dodd, the suit Jagged. To use a
nautical expression, it was plagued
with head winds. At the end of a
year apparently no progress whatever
had been made, and Miss Cynthia. be-
coming nervous, impressed Thomas
The progress., 1904-04-30
ARE IDEAL HoUsEKEEPERs.
German Women Regard the Duties Of
the Home In the Light Of
Science and Art.

Dorothea Won Schlegel. the clever
wile of great husband and the daugh-
ter Of great man, was often urged to
lay. down her knitting needles and
take up her pen. She replied, There
are far too many books in the world
and far too few stockings" Mrs. Louise
J. Min, in "Wooings and Weddings Of
Many Climes," says that this remark H.
Illustrates the point Of view of many
German women.
With most German women house
keeping is both g science and an art.
The woman who is daily and hourly
engaged in science and art is not q
woman of stagnant mentality. Her
kitchen is her laboratory. Her linen.
room is her studio.
The average German housewife does
as much work as any, but she makes
far less fuss about it than most. She
does no dirty work There is never
any dirty work for her to do, for dirt
is only matter out of place. The good
German housekeeper never displaces
anything, never allows anything to mis-
place itself. 1t Is fine lesson in good
breeding to see German woman make
a cake or brew cup.
In the early seventies. in Chicago,
l knew German family. From the
breaking Of their bread to the seeing
of their bread baked, from the dining
room to the kitchen was an easy step
for the child-stranger within those
simple German gates. And l had my
first and greatest lesson in elegance
and the grand manner when watched
Frau Won Ritter pickle peaches.
1t was a sermon on high thinking
and rich living. She was SO cool, SO
dainty, so unflushed, so self possessed,
SO CHEEKY, but so .dignified, SO every
thing that had supposed impossible to
be in kitchen. Although was only
little girl, l realized that this simple
German housewife had in both her
mind and her manner many fine and
high traits, which we're often sadly
lacking in the mothers Of others of my
playmates. Most of them we're women
of lavish wealth. but not one of them
could ever hope to wear her diamonds
with half the distinction with which
this German woman wore her spotless
ccoking-apron.
The progress., 1904-04-30
INSECTS IN SEVERE COLD.
The Lowest of Low Temperatures Does
Not Kill Nor Even Injure Them
in the Least.

The severest cold has no terrors for
insect life. 1t has been shown by ex-
periments that insects may be artificial
ly or naturally frozen, subjected, indeed,
to very low temperatures, without kill
ing or even injuring them. Eggs, larvae
and pupae, the stages in which most
insects pass the winter, are perfectly
immune to cold.
1t is a common idea that cocoons of
insects serve as protection against
cold. but this is entirely erroneous.
They, like the summer webs of web
worms, are protection against birds
and insect parasites. but not against
cold. The cocoons of summer broOds
are as stout and thick as those of the
generations that pass the winter. Moths,
butterflies and other insects build stout
er and more compact cocoons in tropical
and torrid countries than they do in
those climates where they are besieged
by winter. There are many insects, al
lied to the builders of cocoons that make
no such covering. the pupa or the
chrysalis being left entirely exposed.
And so little heat is maintained by the
pupae of insects that no matter how
thick the cocoons, they are always too
slight to repel freezing cold.
Certain degrees of frigidity seem to
have vastly different effects on different
species of insects. Gnats and midges
dance in the winter sunshine; butter
flies, Vanessa. Grapta, and sometimes
Colias, skim over the snow; wasps and
bees wind their way through the leafless
woods; ground beetles run quickly over
the cold earth; crickets peep from be-
meath stones and rotting logs; while 9TH
er species. the vast majority, in fact,
are locked in the lethargy of hiberna-
tion. One of the commonest evidences
of this Information is to be seen when
frewood is carried into the house and
placed near the warm stove II takes
only a short time to bring out a swarm
of ants tina; were sleeping in beetle
borings, their common retreat.-St.
Nicholas.
The progress., 1904-04-30
AS LONG AS MOTHERS THERE.

nv fathers he's a travelling man.
He travels everywhere;
He's been to Europe and Japan
And seen the Russian bear;
He stays at home a week or SO.
Or mebby just a day.
And then the first thing that you know
He's got TO go away.
We're always glad when fathers here,
He brings us lots Of things.
He's been all over. pretty near.
And he's seen queens and kings
We hardly seem to miss him, though,
And things go on all right,
Sor mother bolts the doors. you know,
So we'll be safe at night.
We seem, somehow. to get aleng,
All feelin' pretty gay;
There's hardly anything goes wrong
When fathers far away;
He's very kind and very good
And we'd be awful glad
To have him stay here IL he could
But still things amt SO bad.
Sometimes when mother goes somewhere
And don't come home that night
Then's when it's pretty lonesome there
And nothing seems just right.
I'm glad boys mothers needn't 60
To travel far away
1t seems about a month or so
When mothers gone a day.
IS. E. Kiser. in Chicago Record Herald.
The progress., 1904-04-30
CHOOSING THEIR CAREERS.
Children Begin the Important Busi-
ness of Life as Soon as They
Can Talk.

A group of five Brooklyn children,
cousins, were playing In the nursery
a few mornings ago, the eldest, per.
haps ten years of age, and the youngest
the only boy, nearly five, says the Brook
lyn Eagle. Their mothers are club
women, alert and intelligent, and these
youngsters had heard much discussion
Of 'the new woman" and advanced"
topics mentioned in addresses before
clubs. They had absorbed more of the
information than their parents real.
ized.
On the morning in question the chill,
dren were talking over what they had
heard and the oldest said: well. ev-
erybody's got to be something nova
days. Mother says you can't be just
humdrum and comfortable and sit
around home any more. Must have
career. l shall be musician. Peo-
pie will come to hear me play and will
clap and give me lots of 'plaws'"
a." said Jeanette, shall be sculp-
tress. already make very nice things
in clay modelling at school.
"Proudee!" yelled the others.
"No, l amt 4 know my limmutta-
tions,' as mother says when she reads
a paper. But l know what can do!
So now!"
Marie thought she would be an act
ress or teacher. she had not decided
which, only that she would know
lot" and wear long gold chain.
"I'll be p'leesman," piped up little
brother. "'Nen IL you amt good I'll
ketch you an you'll be sorry. Mats
ALL"
Dear little Marjorie, six years old,
who has many dolls to care for, sat con.
tentedly in her little chair rocking,
hugging her baby doll and grooming
"bye-low" to it. She had not spoken
and was asked to contribute her idea
of a career to this symposium. She
glanced up, puzzled look on her con-
tented little face. Eyes heard you all
she said with a sigh. Then
her usual happy expression returned,
she lifted baby doll to her shoulder
close under her chin and said: I'm
just goin' to be mother with nice
family o. chilren."
The progress., 1904-04-30
sHoEBLAcks OF OLD TIMES
A Common Feature Of London Street
Life in the Seventeenth
Century.

1t has often been pointed out that
many of the developments and so-called
inventions which the nineteenth GEN.
tury witnessed are really revivals Of ap-
pliances that were familiar. in slightly
different guise, to people of the eight
eenth or the seventeenth. The author
of "Bygone London Life" recalls the
shoeblack of the seventeenth century as
a common feature Of London street life.
The shoeblack's equipment consisted
of stool for the customers foot to
rest upon, strong brushes OF boar bris-
ties and a jar containing a mixture of
whale oil and SCOT. Later the black
ing was made of ivory-black, very
coarse, moist sugar and water with a
little vinegar.
Two other necessary implements were
a knife and an old wig. With the
knife the incrusted dirt was scraped
away, while the wig was invaluable for
wiping off dust wet mud, or any other
obstacle to the free application of the
blacking.
These old shoeblacks must have ac-
quired considerable dexterity in the ex-
ercise of their calling, for in days when
fine white cotton stockings and shoes
with bright buckles were the only wear
for a gentleman, the operator needed a
watchful eye and quick hand to black
the shoe without soiling the immaculate
stocking or smearing the polished
buckle.
The bootblacks were then, as now, an
industrious race. In the old streets
there were far more opportunities of
getting soiled Given a wet day, in
narrow, roughly paved streets. without
foot-paths, and thronged with carts,
drays and coaches, how could any pedes-
trian hope to keep mis- shoes, or. indeed,
any part of his attire clean? In addi-
tion to their chance street custom the
shoeblacks also had much regular work
for private houses, as the blacking of
shoes at home was then general prac-
tice,
The progress., 1904-04-30
The White HOUSE

What comforting thought it is that
tie world is full of people with souls
SO fine that they do not need to be the
actual possessors of thing to feel joy
in its beauty. and glow creeps through
us. says the FourTrack News. at the
thought that under the blue sky of the
southland. on the banks of the Potomac
stands a palace that is enshrined in the
hearts of every loyal American. the can
itol of his nation. 1t lie well TO have
something to be proud Of; 1t helms
a man TO live up to the best in hin,
and in how many eyes the gleam Of
pride kindled when they saw the white
dome shining through a wilderness of
leaves. for perhaps the most beautiful,
view of the capitol is to be had by one
who stands far on and catches the CLEAN
OF white through the green.
The progress., 1904-04-30
Sensational.

The servant handed Mr.. Highmore q
letter. 1t was from Harold, the Oldest
son, who was in college.
Anything new In it?" asked Ms.
Highmore.
YES" said the father Of the family.
in an aeitated voice. as he glanced hastily
over the letter. He doesn't ask me for
any money."-Chicaso Tribune.
The progress., 1904-04-30
~ THE = !
MI TAKE OF.
CYNTHIA DODD
lcopyright, lso., BY Daily Story Pub. Co.,

~ THINK, Miss" said the hired
man, while wedding out Miss
DQdd's garden, that old apple tree
ought to be Gu. down. 1t takes up
room and don't bear"
Il wonder why 1t doesn't bear?" said
Miss Cynthia Dodd.
Because" replied the man, ut Is
all alone. Trees like comp'ny."
But Miss Dodd did not have the tree
cut down; it did not seem just for her
to do so. Was she not alone and OF
little consequence to the community?
Perhaps there was a trifle less of sun
shine ir> that deyy to MISS Dodd. So
many women around her had hus-
bands and children about their heels,
and she could see from her window
several apple trees in clumps with the
red fruit on their branches. Miss
Cynthia caught herself signing that
day. Maybe the old apple tree had its
blue days.
At no time had Sandhurst speculat-
ell on the chance of Miss Cynthia mar
rying. 1t seemed an accepted fact to
the folk of that port that she would
live and die spinster. Men might
escort her to and from church, visit,
nay, walk with her by moonlight In
sequestered pathways, and yet the
gossipy tongue of Sandhurst never
limited at Miss Cynthia having lover.
1t was not that she was particularly
plain of feature, for she wasn't; her
manners were agreeable and her heart
was the kindest in the world; but the
fact remained that she had never had
lover, and Sandhurst, while loving
her hugely. believed she never would
Having no personal interest in love
or marriage, Miss Cynthia felt the
deepest possible interest in the loves
of other people. She delighted to bring
Jack to his Jill and to follow, perhaps
urge, their feet along the pathway of
love to joyful ending. A marriage
where Miss Cynthia had not been in
some way concerned would have
The progress., 1904-04-30
Drop Cakes.

Cream half a cupful of butter with
half cupful of sugar; add one cupful
of molasses mixed with cupful of boil
ing water. Mix with two and one-half
cupfuls of sifted flour, two teaspoonfuls
Of baking soda, a teaspoonful of gin
ger. teaspoonful Of cinnamon, half
teaspoonful Of cloves and a pinch
Of salt. Mix with other ingredients,
beat to a smooth batter, and then beat
in the eggs, the yolks and whites beat
en- separately. Bake in little gem tins
in moderately hot oven.-Washington
Star
The progress., 1904-04-30
THE OLD-TIME HIRED MAN.
He Associated on an Equal Footing
with His Employer and
His Family.

One OF the most important characters
of the old-time New England farm life
was the hired man." 1t was Hiram or
Nathan who taught Johnny to catch
his first fish and to trap his first musk
rat. He washed the buggy for the girls
and brought wood for mother on bak-
ing-day and water on wash day. He was
the general all-round, handy man of the
family says Youths Companion.
The hired man of those days was COM
monty a member Of some neighboring
family. who was working for wages un-
til he could get a start for himself No
one thought of him as a servant. He
ate with the family, sat with them in the
evening, and in all the ordinary rela-
tions of life was one of them. Not in
frequently the daughter of his employer
was the girl whom he chose for a wife.
Hiram and Nathan are no more. Their
like is not found to-day, either in New
England or the rest of the country. and
everywhere he heard the lament: I'VE
can't get help on the farms. We need
men,"
What is the trouble? Many things. NO
doubt. First, the character Of farming
has changed. 1t has become more sys-
tematic and business-like in the regions
where it is most successful; in other
places it has fallen into such a decline
that hired man" is a luxury. Then
the destinations Of the city, with its
vide opportunities for amusement and
the short and stipulated hours of work.
have tempted the young men away from
the farm.
The growth Of the great farms of the
west. and the businesslike way in which
they are conducted, has created a de-
mand for another kind of help, and there
are hired men" out there who are
getting salaries Of 5000 a year. Per-
haps Hiram is among them.
The progress., 1904-04-30
Made in America,

The sad discovery has been made
that the Metropolitan museums $40. .OO(
Etruscan chariot never saw ancient
Italy. but was made right here in
America The blow is somewhat soft
ened by the knowledge that at any
rate 1t contains some genuine bronze
fragments, and is not all a modern
fake" Even archaeological experts
can be deceived by smooth Yankee
artisans, ii seems.
The progress., 1904-04-30
Paying the Fiddler.

A prominent Frenchman who, ac-
cording TO the New York Tribune, has
given much study to the subject SAYS
that were his country to be drawn into
q great war in present conditions it
must be prepared to meet an expenditure
of 10000 900 francs a cay. So stupen-
dous is the absolutely unavoidable out
lay when a mighty naticn in these DAYS
becomes involved in a conflict of the
largest proportions that taxpayers are
affrighted and appalled, at the mere
thought of the thunder of the guns.
The progress., 1904-04-30
At the Musicale
Kreech's

Miss Knox tduring Miss Kreech's
solo)-Hy. isn't that awful?
Miss Janus-Atrociousl What n
voice,
Miss Kreech (resuming her chair n
moment later)-Whewi that's over.
Miss Janus-What a voice, Miss
Kreech, I was Just exclaiming about
1t to Miss Knox.-Philadelphia Press.
The progress., 1904-04-30
Artistic Taste at Home.

The supreme test of the artistic
homemaker's room is. is 1t comfort
able and homelike, livable? No bric-
a-brac shop can be that. Even an ig-
norant and tasteless nature feels the
subtle influence of harmonizing COL
ors and really beautiful lines and fit
ccessories.-Chicago Tribune.
The progress., 1904-04-30
Icebergs in Arctic Seas.

Icebergs in the Arctic region are
neither SO large nor SO numerous as
those seen in the Antarctic seas. but
they are usually loftier and more beau
tiful, with spires and domes. When
the sun shines on them they look like
a fairy city.
The progress., 1904-04-30
More Work for Them.

The japanese word which stands for
s.is.' is i've syllables long. after the Japs
Get through with this war. remarks the
Chicago Record-Herald, IL might be pro-
fitable for them TO knock few things
out Of their language
The progress., 1904-04-30
Available Substitute

Traveler-They say you have no pro-
fame words in your language. What do
you people do when you want to swear?
Educated Japanese-We speak few
words in Russian--Chicago Tribune.
The progress., 1904-04-30

associations suggest strongly the expedeny of establishing them
governmental inspection and CONTROL and this for two reaonss
that both kinds Of become monopost and second
that they secret societies Democratic government hhe go
skes secret societies particularly they to resort to
violence of their demands In all social ana ndu
trial strife mneasuraby better the great forces OF publicity
discussion and fellow feeling before physical conflicts take place. rane
than after they have occurred
Whoever gets monopoybe man or 100000 men-lnvaa
by tries keep people from sharing his exclusive privilege ANY
onoposic great abrldgmns OF personal
of Moreover the fun
of the labor the employers ASSOCIATION is al
WAYS the pecunary these organizations providing
democratic society with se6nes which, in other
society and manifested by classes quite
different that manifest it. for example, nobites
prood and soderes The world has had bitter experience OF the
evils resulting snes of these arocrac ecceas
tica and military combinations democracy we'll dstrus
the new developments Of class nes different though the classes
be that now manifest this dangerous quality.
The progress., 1904-04-30
Curious italian Law.

BY an Italian law every circus which
does not perform every act promised
In the printed programme. or which
misleads the public by means of pic-
lures is liable to heavy fne for each
offense.
The progress., 1904-04-30

The veranda is 6x9 feet, pantry 4x9 IL
feet, hall 5x10 feet and room 5x6
feet that can be used for storeroom
or bathroom.
The height of first and second
stories is feet, basement feet.
The sitting room has fireplace and
a bay with three windows. A stair
way leads to the basement from the
front hall under the front stairs.
The gables are shingled with square
butt dimension shingles; roof is shing-
led with cedar shingles. The first
The progress., 1904-04-30

GenIuses ought not to marry, says
Mrs. Kate Upson Clark. Suppose you
don't know you're a genius. asks tie
New York Mail, what are you TO dog
Give yourself the benefit Of the doubt,
probably.