davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1904-08-03
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE. /

The increasing number of auto
mobiles in the cities is proportion
ately increasing the number of acct
dents therefrom. And what is still
worse an automobile accident is
generally a serious one. Bicycles
were once considered dangerous,
but compared with an automobile
they are as pet lamb to blood
thirsty lion. Occasionally bicycle
rider, while ''scorching' along
crowded street, runs over some one.
But wheel will not run far after
the pedaling ceases, and there is
not weight enough in the wheel and
the rider combined to make very
dangerous momentum. Neither does
a rider often lose control of his
wheel. If the course is clear and
the conditions all right, danger is
practically eliminated.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1904-08-03


OF course, when an automobile is
purchased, so-called expert takes
the purchaser in hand, and gives
him a few lessons in operating the
machine, and instructs him con-
corning the care of it. These in
structions are too limited and too
superficial to be of much practical
value, and in many instances the
"expert' is an expert from instinct
rather from knowledge and expert
ence. But the average man in the
city who buys an automobile is a
man who places a pretty high es-
innate on his own intelligence, and
after he has been shown how to
start and stop his machine he has
no further use for an instructor.
1t is humiliating to him to be in
structed in anything, and the only
condition on which some of the
aristocratic automobile owners will
tolerate an expert instructor is to
put him in a uniform so that he will
have the appearance and be on the
same footing, as a coachman.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
Senator CookreIrs Lost Apples.

Missouri Is the greatest apple state
In the Union, and perhaps that is the
reason why Senator Cockrell always
restricts his luncheon to two big red
apples. Recently when the time for his
midday meal arrived the senator called
page.
"Boy, take this to my clerk in the
committee room," said he, giving the
youth scrap Of paper carelessly fold
ed.
The page ran out OF the senate cham
Der to Mr.. Cockrell's Office. The note
was delivered to the clerk, who handed
the page two plump apples. That was
what the note instructed him TO do.
A half hour passed. Senator Cockrell
was enduring the pangs of hunger
What became Of the boy who went
after my apples?" said he.
The lad, entirely unsuspicious OF any
thing amiss, was summoned into the
senator's presence. he explained that
he thought the apples were his reward
for delivering the message. He had
eaten them.
The frugal Missourian saw the JOKE
In the situation. He could not restrain
q laugh.-Exchange.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
PAWN SHOPS OF CHINA.
They Cut Quite n Figure In Life In
the FIowery Land.


Pawnbrolking is great institution In
the Flowery Land. The Chinese pawn
brokers', however, is quite a different
kind of establishment from ours. The
pawn shop of China is more a strong
hold, a place of quiet and safe repose,
for valuable jewelry and the miscel-
leneous and costly wardrobes of the
people. 1t also in many instances per-
forms the equally important but some
what costly function of lending to the
needy, and, as In the collections of sim
liar establishments Of our own land
one may see the much priced jewels
and trinkets of happier times, which
caused their poor owners many a bit
ter pang to part with, heErtaches thai
were perhaps frightened With the hope
that one day they would be able to re
deem them.
To listen to the man selling these un
redeemed pledges is one Of the choice
entertainments of tie Picking streets
He is selected by the pawnbroker fol
his fuency of speech and ready wit, t
which he gives full play in his humor
Gus descriptions Of the quality and his
tory Of the furs and richly embroid
cred dresses which are piled up on thu
platform of his tent. He at times runs
off his speech in rhyme, making clever
and sarcastic illusions to the require
ments Of his audience, pressing a SAITH
robe on the attention Of some naked
beggar.-Golden Penny.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
Oldest Family In the World.

OF the 400 barons In the British
house of lords about a dozen date
back to 400, the earliest being 1894.
The oldest family in the British isles Is
the Mar family in Scotland, 1903. The
Campbells Of Argyll began In 119O.
Talleyrand dates from 1880 and Bis
marck from 1910. The Grosvenor fam
ily. the Duke Of Westminster, 1865;
the Austrian house of Hapsburg goes
back to 052 and the house Of Bourbon
to S64. The descendants OF Moham-
med, born $40, are all registered care
fully and authoritatively in book kept
In Mecca by a chief Of the family. Lit
tie or no doubt exists Of the absolute
authenticity Of the long line OF Moham'
med's descendants. In China there are
many old families; also among the
Jews. But in point Of pedigrees the
mikado Of Japan has unique record.
His place has been filled by members
of his family for more than $500
years. The present mikado Is the one
hundred and twenty-second In the line
The first one was contemporary with
ACKNOWLEDGMENT, 666 years before
Christ
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
The Timing Evil,

The tipping evil has gone to great
lengths in this country, and it is not a
cause for wonder that people are rising
in revolt against it on all sides. The
railroad porter is no longer con-
spicuous figure for his rapacity. The
restaurant waiter, the barber, the boot
black and brush boy, the messenger
who takes your card to his principal,
the hackman-all expect special COM
pensation, not for special consideration,
but for the rendering Of what should
be the usual service. The tipping sys'
tenn in this country Is an anomaly, an
excrescence, wholly unlike that abroad.
In Europe the wage scale Is low, and
the subordinates Of every class must
get tips to bring their incomes up to a
living point. Here the wage scale Is
high enough to enable any one Of the
tip taking class to live decently and
comfortably. Tips are to them extras.
At the rate at which this nuisance
has grown during recent years it will
soon reach the old world proportions.
Now is the time to check 1t, If at all,
before it has become an institution be-
yond the possibility Of correction
Washington Star.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
THE NEW ELEMENT.
Experiments which Resulted In ths
Discovery of Radium.

Discovery Oh Nauhums
The investigations which resulted II
the detection Of Becquerel rays began
soon after the discovery Of the x rays
and were intimately connected with 1t.
In the early days Of Roentgen rays
there were many facts which suggested
that phosphorescence had something to
do with the production Of these rays.
1t occurred to several French physi'
cists that X rays might be produced
II phosphorescent substances were ex'
posed to sunlight instead of to the
electrical action of Crookes tube. Pro-
lessor Henri Becquerel Of the Universal
" of Paris undertook experiments to
test this suppesition as early AZ 1885,
only few months after X rays had
been discovered. Among the SUBJ
stances used in these experiments was
one containing the metal uranium. This
WAS placed upon a Photographic plate,
which had Arst been wrapped In black
paper In order to protect 1t from the
light. After the plate had stood IN
bright sunlight for several hours II was
removed from its paper covering and
developed. A slight trace OF photo
graphic action was found at those parts
of the plate directly beneath the urani-
UNI. Just as Boequerel had expected. 1t
was clear that rays of some kind were
being produced that were capable OF
passing through black paper. Since the
X rays were the only ones then known
to possess this power, 1t seemed as
though the problem Of producing 4
rays by sunlight was solved.
Then came the fortunate accident
After several plates had been prepared
for exposure to sunlight a storm came
I'D. and the experiments had to be post
poned for several days. When the work
was resumed the plates had been lying
in the dark room so long that they
might easily have deteriorated In some
way. so that It seemed hardly safe to
use them. But instead Of simply throw
ing the plates away Becquerel fortu-
nately developed them, thinking that
some action might possibly have taken
place In the dark. The result was that
he obtained better pictures than ever
before. The exposure to sunlight. which
had been regarded as essential to the
success of the former experiments. had
really had nothing at oil to do with the
matter. The essential thing was the
presence Of uranium, and the photo
graphic effects were not due to X rays
but to Becquerel rays. There were
many long and difficult steps to take
before even our present incomplete
knowledge Of the subject could be
reached, but this fortunate accident
was the beginning Of the long series Of
experiments which have already led to
the discovery Of the new element ra'
dunn and which bid fair to revolution
ze some of the most fundamental con
ceptions Of physics and chemistry
Ernest Merritt In Century.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
An Effective Touch.

A western senator tells a story Of a
Judge who had occasion to fine law
yer in that state $500 for contempt Of
court.
After court had adjourned the lawyer
approached the judge and said, Your
honor, / want to ask a great favor Of
you"
What is it," inquired the judge.
II have pressing obligation to meet.
That hundred you took for that fine
was the money 1 had to meet it with.
/ wish you would lend me 500 for a
few days"
"Hi, Mr.. Crier," shouted the Judge,
convene court again!' Court was re-
convened, and then the judge RENTED
the fine.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
Mems Names and Ages.

"Give me a list of the names OF the
men in any city or town in this coun-
try and even without having seen OIL
heard them 1 will tell you the ages OF
half of Them" said a broker to the
New York Press. He was asked how
Simply by the initials of their names
In the first place, you must remember
that about half of the male populatio
of the country has been named aftel
presidents or candidates for presidents
and a few others for great men, like
Dewey or Chauncey Depew. SO al
you have to do is to know when these
men were at the zenith Of their popu
larity. Of course, with Jackson ano
those men exceptions must be made
for people have not ceased to name
their boys after them to this day.
"For instance, here are the names OF
w. H. II. Johnson, w. Scott Smith, A
L. North and NJ. f. Smathers. William
Henry Harrison was elected presiden'
in 1886, so Mr.. Johnson is about sixty
seven years old. Winfield Scott ran fol
president in 1852. Mr. Smith is there
fore about fifty-one. Figuring on Abra
ham Lincoln and Willard Fillmore, We
find that Mr.. North is about forty
three and Mr. Smathers about forty
seven, and so on"
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30

blaine Was Frsaky Buyer ana
John sherman "a Mighty Close One.


Great men display more or less eccen-
tricity in buying. This, at least Is the
opinion Of manager OF one OF tne
we'll established stores of the city,
who has had many dealings with such
during his thirty years In business.
"James G. Blaine was customer
of ours for many years." he said. HE
was n peculiar man. He bought thing
because it had for the moment appeal
ed TO his fancy and without the least
regard for the fitness or utility OF the
object purchased. he was as great
terror to managers and foorwalkerS
MS the man who orders fried oysters
and mlnce pie for breakfast is to wait
ers. He used to come in the store,
stroll about for a few moments ana
then exclaim: L like that chair. Send
it to my house!
"Then perhaps l would have to ex-
plain to him that that piece or furm-
ture would not harmonic with the
plan and decorative scheme of his resi-
dence. Usually Blaine yielded to the
better Judgment Of managers or pro-
prietors, but there were times when ne
had his heart set ON having thing
and then he rebelled. l remember one
day he came into the store and selected
n bookcase that was not at all suited
TO the interior arrangement OF MS
house. This l explained to him. he
riOhf 0nd Seelll-
ingly abandoned his determination to
have the case But as soon as L hau
turned my back he beckoned TO one OF
the store porters and told him TO sehd
the case up to his house.
president Mckinley always bought
with one object in view, and that was
TO please Mrs. Mckinley. They would
frequently visit store together. This
was especially the case at the time
when they were furnishing their home
in Canton. Mrs. Mckinley was fas-
tidious as to colors, preferring the more
delicate shades, whereas her husband
was fond of dark blues, reds ana
browns. 1t was in the selection OF SUCH
things as upholstering goods, carpets
rugs and curtains that they differed
most. He would hold the samples up
to the wall and argue like diplomat
always gently and soothingly, however
for one or two colors on which his fan
CIV had set. Sometimes he won, but mol
often. Mrs. Mckinley generally decid
ing such matters in her own way.
"The closest, shrewdest, hardest buy
err among the public men Of the last
thirty years was Senator John Sher
man. Whenever he came to your store
or you went to his house to do business
you could rest assured that he would
get the better end of the transaction
There was nothing mean or small abou
his buying, no splitting of pennies OF
any of that sort of business. but at the
same time you could depend on it thai
whatever you sold him would be a
bottom figures, with very little margin
of profit. Washington Post.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30

Very often students wear out their
voices with overstudy before they ap-
pear in public. They destroy the fresh
ness of the voice by singing too much.
AS to the length Of time to be devoted
to study, / myself do not give more
than fifteen or twenty minutes to 1t
daily, and these few minutes devote
to scales. It was my brother, Mr.. Ell
tore Barili, who laid the foundation of
my singing. Ny brother-in-law, Mr..
strakosch, taught me certain embel-
Iishments and cadenzas, but 1t was to
Ettore Barili that owed the founda-
ton, as we'll as the finish, OF my vocal
equipment. With him studied SOL
feggi, trills. scales; the chromatic
scales came naturally. think I was
triiling when I came into the world.
My golden rule In singing is to spare
myself until the voice is needed and
then never to give it all out. Put 1t In
the bank.-Windsor Magazine.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
A CbaarSuI yVeddiuR Fee.

Brother" Sheldon, author Of 'In His
Steps," has a sense of humor. He tells
this story on himself of young cou-
pie who applied to him to be married
He performed the ceremony with due
solemnity and congratulated the bride.
Then he observed the bridegroom
searching through his pockets and
looking bit Inundated and ashamed.
81 am afraid, parson," he said, chat
I amt got any money to pay you
with" Then, after a moment Of deep
thought, looking up cheerfully, he add
ed, But 1 can tell you how you can
fix your gas meter so it won't register"
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30

It cannot be contended that Thack'
cray was a great critic. Indeed. there
Is not doubt that, as a rule, he prefer
red second rate books Of the first class
to the greatest For instance, while
as a matter of course, he admitted that
Milton was a great poet, he added that
"he was such bore that no one could
read him." Whatever one may think
of the dlscernment of man who says
that, it is impossible to doubt his hon
esty. He was often led away by the
character of the author whose works
he was critcising. He dlsapproved OF
Swift and Sterne and rather grudging
" admitted their qualities, but he
gladly praised Pope, whom he loved
because of his infirnity and because
Of the love the poet bore his mother
His judgments came from the heart
rather than the intellect. 1t was for
tunate when these coincided.-LewiS
Melville in Fortnlghtly.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
A Prisoner In Her Own House.

Mrs. W. Il. Layha, OF 1901 Agnes
Ave, Kansas City Mo-, has for sew
eral years been troubled with severe
hoarseness and at times hard
cough, which she says, would keep
me In doors for days. l was pres
cribed for by physicians with nc
noticeable results. A friend gave me
part OF a bottle OF Chamberlain
Cough Remedy with instructions tG
closely follow the directions and
wish to state that after the first day
I could notice decided change fol
the better, and at this time after
using it for two weeks, have no hest
tation In saying l realize that an
entirely cured" This remedy is fol
sale by all medicine dealers.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
NEW PIONEERS or MINING.
The Old Proprietor In Top Boots and
Red shirt Passing Away.

The old PROPRIETOR In Top Boots and
Red shirt Passing Away.
While placer mining Is rapidly giving
WAY TO lode mining-the mining OF
metals from within the bowels Of the
earth. which obviously demands the
expenditure Of both technical skill and
money-the bulk Of the gold from 81
IBERIA, Alaska, the Northwest Territories
and some other regions Is still obtained
from aurlferous gravels. But this gold
Is being extracted not by the old fash
toned method of placer mining, but by
the employment Of special machinery
under technical direcdon-as, for ex-
ample, in the cases Of hydraulic min
ing and of gold dredging"
With the progress OF mining methods
and the partial exhaustion Of the placer
fields many changes in what may be
called the external and the social as
poets of gold mining have resulted.
The romance Is largely gone. The kind
Of camps OF which Bret Harte wrote so
uO lOiBtl CAiSbs Aso+'AN'AN-D
now run into the most Of the larger
mining camps. Electric lights and 9TH
or up to date convenlences are in evil
dence and the conservative opinion en-
rendered by the presence Of capital and
| Its responsible agents has created an
atmosphere In which the old fashioned
"bad man" of the camps does not flour
| ish.
The quondam prospector, too, In his
SLOUGH hat and top boots, Is, alas, be-
coming merely a picturesque figure OF
| the past. He has done much for min
ing in this country, as has the plucky,
hardy pioneer, penetrating dangerous
and almost inaccessible regions In his
| search for precious metals.
The method of pioneering Is different
now. The pioneers are mostly repre-
sentatives Of capitalists, travelling In
parties, and in all other respects well
equipped for journeys into unsettled re-
| gions. American experts now go to 81
IBERIA, Asia, South America, Africa and
all other parts of the globe where gold
and other metals are likely to be found.
With the prospector with no other
capital than hope and the grub stake Is
passing away, fortunately for the min
ing investor, the so called practical
miner, who poses as an authority on
the value Of mineral deposits He Is
being superseded by young men thor
oughly educated in mining schools and
equipped with practical experience In
the field.
All this means that mining Is becom
ing less of a gamble and more OF a
science and is conducted along approx
cd and established lines. A few years
ago a man of means who was interest
ed In a gold mine would hesitate to
acknowledge the fact. 1t was as II he
were playing with bauble.-Success.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
Men.

Here Is little Johnnie's composition on
"Men:" Men are what women marry.
They drink and smoke and swear and
have ever so many pockets, but don't
20 to church. Perhaps If they wore
bonnets they might. They are more
logical than women and also more ZOO
logical. Both men and women have
sprung from monkeys, but the women
certainly sprung farther than the men,"
Bloomfield Qnd.) Democrat.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
Annrnnrinte Dressing

Henry Irving once preached quite q
terse sermon On appropriate dressing.
A clever young woman belonging to
his company appeared at rehearsal one
morning dressed in a lovely gown and
q stunning hat. Irving commented on
the unusual splendor Of her get-up'
whereupon the actress explained that
she was going to q swell luncheon that
afternoon and had saved time by dress
ing In advance. Then run away to
the luncheon first, my dear young
lady," said the star. "Just now your
mind, too, Is dressed up for the lunch
con and not for work. When you
come to rehearsal come looking the
part" The young woman, who Is now
a star, never forgot the lesson she
learned that morning.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
Paristan Fren oh.

The sound of the French language
possesses variations almost esoteric In
the hidden nature of their being, and,
according to the Partisan, these are
everlastingly beyond tho possibility OF
imitation by the American. Pol Plan
con said once to an American who has
lived ten years in Paris and speaks
French to perfection in the American
colony: your French causes me I'M
speakable agony. The matter Of fact Ia
no American can ever learn to speak
French. 1t is neither in your soul nor
in your vocal organs. Penelope 1.-THE
ten-year-old daughter Of the American,
born in Paris and living there unin-
terruptedly all her lifel h just bare
" tolerable in French. There Is some
thing in the United States 50 an
tagonistic to the utterance Of perfect
French that after I am over there SIX
months / come back to Paris with my
language marred, and make 1t point
to get back as soon as l can in order
not to suffer permanent loss Of utter
ance."-Harper's Bazaar.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
nicLena, School Pets.

When Charles Dickens was boy at
Wellington House academy it was the
secret pride of the students there that
they owned more white mice, red polls
and linnets than any other set Of boys
within their ken. These were kept in
hat boxes, drawers and even in the
school desks. a small but very accom-
pllshed mouse which lived in the corner
of Latin dictionary in Dickens desk
and could draw Roman charlots, fire
paper muskets and scale pasteboard
ladders fell at last into an overfull ink
pot and lost both its white coat and its
life. Dickens nevertheless won prize
for his Latin.
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
Education and Success,

An uneducated child has one chance
In 10000 Of attaining distinction az
factor in the progress Of the age.
A common school education increases
his chance nearly four times.
A high school education increases
the chance of the common school child
twenty three times, giving him eighty
seven times the chance Of the unedu
Gated.
A college education increases the
chance Of the high school boy o times
giving him 219 times the chance Of
the common school boy and more thar
800 times the chance Of the unframed
World'a Work
Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-30
Some Errors of Speech.

Many make the mistake Of saying
IT intended to have told you" or IF
had have known" instead of Il In
tended to tell you" or Tf I had
known" 1 have heard the following
confused sentence from one who should
know better: II should have thought
that you would have gone to have seen
her." The correct sentence would be,
81 should think that you would have
gone to see her"
1t is incorrect to say "Those sort of
things" instead Of Things of that
sort" Do not say Amt for as not, "
"He don't" for "He does not or Not
as l know" for "Not that I know" or
81 have lit the lamps" for IL have
lighted the mps."-Dellneator.