davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-08-18
rnrer Read Before the Ch1utauquo Circle.

either is attempting to
deceive me, or else Is deluding
himself; for I think everyone be-
lieves that under certain circum-
stances the stars in their courses
fight for or against him. Whether
he pins his faith to charms and
omens, or to other less material
things, seems to be not a matter OF
culture or intelligence, but OF tenn
permanent. OF course there are de-
grees of superstition. The sailor
soorns the negro voodoo doctorand
his mystic cotton balls; the clerk
laughs at the sailor for refusing to
put to sea on Friday; the preacher
looks on with amused tolerance
when the clerk crosses the street to
avoid walking under a ladder; the
John Fiske loftily contemplates the
preacher who is sure that Jonah
lived inside of a whale for three
days; the Spencer loses patience
with the Fiske because the latter
believes in the immortality of the
soul. and I suppose the angels pity
the Spencers and all the lesser
breeds, to be in turn pitied by God.
Indeed, a mans intelligence is no
measure of his credulity. We find
Napoleon attributing his success
to his star ofdestiny, and DR.. John
son seriously investigating Cock
Lane ghosts. We find learned
college professors treasuring -as
lucky charms and pocket-pieces
worthless coins and trinkets, and
brilliant financiers declining to
make one of dinner party Of thir-
teen. It is we'll known thatalmost
every man, woman and child in
Italy, from the pope to the hum
blest peasant, breads the power of
the evil eye..
THIS is all beside the question,
however; for it is not to deal in
generallties that I am here, but to
tell you a story that l know to be-
as true, as its recital will be prof
itless.
Some years ago, while travelling
in Tuscany, an acquaintance Of
mine, Scotchman, Collins by
name, purchased watch charm
in the form of little cameo skull.
He was a canny man, this High
lander. Most of his time lie spent
in travelling; but upon his coca.
sional visits to Edinburgh it is
said that the currency of his ma
tive land would contract 10 per
cent. However that may be, it
is beyond question that he re-
yelled in sharp bargain; and so
when he bought the unsightly
charm, the curse instead of the bless
ing of the vender-an old witch
accompanied it. But neither bless
ings nor curses affected the equa-
nimity of Collins. With his charm
attached to his watch fob, he pur-
sued his penurious way until he
reached Rome, where his tiancee,
a young, pretty and of course
wealthy American girl, awaited
him. Then he came under the
ban. How it happened, none but
the persons most concerned ever
knew, but a week later it was an
nounced that the engagement had
been broken and that the girl had
aeft Rome for Egypt and the Holy
Land. In a little while Gossip
began to say that Collins had
.shamelessly Tilted the girl because
he had learned that her fortune
was less than he had expected. ]
don't believe there was word oil
truth in the story; but it gained
ground, and all sorts of unpleas.
amt things we're said and repeated
"A month later, after being cut by
smost of his former friends in the
Il
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-08-18
q The STORY OF
"A CHARM

| the steamer. Al the slgnt OF nlm,
q stoker went mad and hit him
over the head with shovel, nearly
Draining him. Between New York
and Chicago his train was wrecked,
and altho he escaped with his life,
he suffered compound fracture
of the right arm, which as it en-
tailed a doctors bill, nearly broke his
heart. On the road to Sioux Falls,
he was robbed of his pocketbook
while he slept, the thief escaping
detection. That settled it for Col
Inns. He concluded that the cameo
was bad medicine; aud when it was
admired by one Of his countrymen
in the West, it was sold at a slight
profit, and the spell passed on to
the next unfortunate.
Fraser, the second owner of the
baleful skull, was as clean-cut a
young fellow as you would want to
see. He was a good all-around
athlete, an excellent business man;
talented. modest, and temperate;
in short, he was what the books
call ga model for the youth of the
town." l recollect that he especial
ly prided himself on his independ-
ence, and on the fact that his po-
sition in the world-aposition con-
siderably above that of the average
man of his years had been gained
solely by his own exertions. His
self-reliance and scorn of destiny
were certainly unusual. From the
moment he bought that watch
charm, however, until it passed out
of his possession, Fraser ceased to
be the architect of his own fortunes
and became the puppet of fate.
He wore the thing for the first
time at a banquet given to the
governor of. the state, at which
Fraser was to have responded to q.
toast. He had fine speech pre-
pared. The subject, "The Natural
lied Citizen IN Americana olitics,"
was admirably handled, and the
whole speech was committed to
memory. You can therefore imag-
inc the distress of his friends when,
at the chairman's request, the
young man arose, swayed INSTEAD
lily, clutched the table cloth with
both hands, smiled, uttered some
blithering imbecilities and col
lapsed. Yes. he was drunk. Very
drunk He was taken home in a
cab, and spent the next two years
doing pennance. Shortly after that
fasco, he entered into an unfortu-
nate stock speculation and nearly
went bankrupt; and before he had
retrieved his fortune, be contracted
a peculiarly malignant form of
rheumatism that confined him to
his room for several months. AL
tho he never connected the cameo
with his misfortunes, he said later
that somehow he feltrelieved when
he gave it away.
The next owner was musician,
the lion of the hour. He had been
giving series of lectures on the
Wagner operas. Seats were at a
premium. Within week after he
had received the charm, Damrosch
came to Sioux Falls with the self
same series Of lectures, and the
erstwhiie lion was at once forgot
ton. He too was seriously i'll be-
fore he passed the charm on.
Continuing it's career of desola-
ton, the skull travelled through
several states. 1t corroded and
corrupted all it touched. Finally
it became the property of a young
New Orleans lawyer named Hunt.
From the time he graduated at
Toulaine until he attached the
Eskull to his watch guard, Hunts
career had been very bright-not
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-08-18

his future was hopelessly blighted
He lost his practice, i'll fortune
pursued him, and he finally left hit
home town and came West to start
anew. One of the first things he
did was to give me the skull
A queer trick was played on me
by the imp of the cameo. When
the thing came into my hands,
was living on ranch, whore fol
the mental repose of a relative, up
on whose generosity depended my
income, I was raising chickens,
nominally for the market, but act
ually. for /the coyotes. 1t was a
peaceful, pastoral existence that we
lived. my partner and /. Wearose
early, loafed consistently, ate heart.
lily, enjoyed every moment hugely,
and retired to our virtuous couches
soon after our NANCY hens had
gone to roost. One night, shortly
after Hunt had given me the skull,
my slumbers were disturbed by
the revelry of a crowd of roysterers
from town who had driven out to
the ranch four-in- hand to pay US a
visit. With keen foresight they
had provided themselves with sew
eral packs of cards and hamper.
When we cashed in, about 2 o clock
the next morning, it was voted that
all hands should stay the night.
Now, 1t had been so arranged by
the malignant spirit who presided
over the cameo that the relative l
have mentioned as being at that
time my sole means of support
should arrive in the West on the
very night the visitors invaded
our solitude; and it was further
arranged that, altho he reached
town after 10 o'clock, this same
relative should hire a blackboard
and guide and drive post-haste to
the ranch. To this day l don't
know just what happened. | be-
lieve, however, that my relative
stumbled over one of my friends,
who was sleeping on the floor
our supply aof beds being limited
land landed with his shoulder In
the face Of another sleeper. I am
told that until his identity was
known therew some disturbance;
but as soon as he was recognized as
the guiding star of my existence,
a committee of two invited him to
have something. When he de-
clined the invitation, three enthu-
siasts told him with fearful pro-
testations that [ was sober and in
dustrious to fault, and that they
we're prepared to fight anyone who
said otherwise. Finally they all
forcibly conducted my relative and
his guide to the hen house and
showed them the incubator. [
slept through the whole riot, and
the first authentic news [ received
of my relatives visit was curt
note which did not contain remit
lance. AS it then became neces-
sary for me to work, | carried the
skull to the river and threw it in,
where today it probably poisons
and corrupts good catfish.
I have recited these things just
as they occurred, without exagger-
alton. Does it not seem reasonable
to believe that there wassome con-
nection between misfortune and
the cameo? OF course all these
untoward events might have hap
pend if the trinket had never been
carved. but the fact that ill luck
pursued so many different owners
of the charm, and that it abated
the moment the charm left their
possession, seems to me sufficient
grounds to believe that it was en-
dowed with occult power.
B. D.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
STRONG POINTS IN
YOUNG WU'S SPEECH

An American Tennyson today is
justified in saying: Better fifty
years of America than a cycle of
Europe"
The East, though slow to begin,
carries out the work once begun to
the end.
Nervous energy cannot be lasting
any more than motion can be per-
petual.
ProgresSiveDess is a mark OF
youth, and since nations have to
grow old, they adopt conservatism,
which is a mark of age.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
NEW OFFICERS ELECTED.

Mount Vernon Chapter. Royal Arcf
Masons, last night elected the follow
ing officers for the ensuing year:
J. Johnston Green, high priest; John
H. Trimyer. king: Henry K. Field
scribe; X. Kemper. secretary; William
l. Allen. treasurer. The following off,
GERS were appointed: J. z. w. Timber
man, principal sojOurner: W. II. Charles
Royal Arch captain: Claude l. Pickin
third veil; the Rev. J. II. s. EWell. chap
lain. William A. Moore. ST., tiller The
captain OF the host and the first and
second wells viii be appointed at the
next communication.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL AWARDS.

yesterday afternoon at the University
School. in Eighteenth Street. Prizes
were awarded by the principal. Prof.
Robert L. Preston. as follows: Scholar
ship medal, II. Rozier Dulany, r.
mathematics medal. William J. Flather,
Jr: English medal. Samuel SheIlabar-
ger; department medal, William Fin
ley, tr.. and attendance medal, John
Hemphiu
In making the awards, Prof Preston
made brief address, after which he
declared the term formally closed
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
PEDESTRIAN RESCUES
ABANDONED NEGRO BABY

Some ono abandoned a two-months-old
negro baby in front OF $40 New Hamp-
shire Avenue northwest, about l O'Clock
this morning. Shortly after that time
as Moses Johnson. OF sol New Hamp-
shire Avenue was on his way home he
heard the child's screams and rescued
II.
Tbs babe was turned over TO the police
Of the Third precinct and later taken
IN charge by Ella William. a nurse
for the Board Of Children's Guardians
The police are endeavoring to locate the
mOther Of the child.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
CAPTAIN LEMLY RETIRES
AS JUDGE ADVOCATE

Capt Samuel c. Lemly's third term
a. Judge advocate general Of the navy
expires today. and he will retire from
the Office.
His successor, Capt. S. w. B. Diehl,
is In command Of the cruiser Boston.
now at Acapulco. Mexico. and will start
in a short time for San Francisco.
Meantime +. p. Hanna. the Solicitor of
the Navy Department, will act as Judge
advocate general
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
Other Requests.
ALEXANDRIA NEWS NOTES.

ALEXANDRIA. Va, June T. The
business Mems League has been notified
by the secretary Of the Virginia board
Of trade. TO which the league is attach
ed, TO elect delegates to the annual
meeting OF the State board of trade.
which this year viii be held in Princess
Annie Hotel at Virginia Beach, July
and ;. y meeting Of the league to select
delegates will soon be held.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
TO WORK ON BANK.

Work on the enlargement and i'm
provement OF the banking house Of
Burke & Herbert will be commenced in
a short time. The Office Of the Alex
andria Insurance Company has beer
moved from 102 TO los South Fairfa
Street. The building in which the q
office Of this comopany was situated
viii be taken in the new bank building.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
DULL DAY IN COURT.

In the corporation court. Judge L. c.
Barley presiding, the following business
was transacted yesterday:
DEGREES were entered in seven cases
Of the city council VS. delinquent prop
erty owners. confirming sale OF prop
erty. made by auction last week.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
FOR SALE HOUSES AND STORES

FOR SALES l50-Corner store and
dwelling, located one square from car
line, Northeast; always rented 80 mo.
FOR SALE-A nice home on G st. ne. /:
six large rooms and bath; cellar; fur
mace heat; lot $50 feet deep, 10 alley.
Price only $500.
FOR SALES, 60O-A cozy six room
brick, convenient TO navy yard; good
neighborhOod.
FOR SALE-Investment. Four small
bricks, loca ted Southeast. Rented
1902 40 year. Price, only $500.
FOR SALES. 9OO-A nice little home,
Northeast; six rooms and modern bath.
Lot l6xsO. Rented $3.50 month.
VIM. H. SAUNDERS & CO.,
14O7 I St y w jei-tf
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
LIVES LOST IN WRECK.

KANSAS CITY. June 4-The wreck Of
a Missouri Pacific passenger train. in
volving loss Of life, IS reported from Mar
tin City. twenty miles south Of Kansas
City.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
FOUR ARE TO GRADUATE.

The commencement exercises of St
Mary's Academy will take place at Lam
mons Opera House June IS. There will
be four graduates from the Academy
this year.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
M'LANE WILLS
WIDOW TIDY sum
Bequest Made Two Years
Before Marriage.
THE ESTATE Is NOT LARGE
Amount Named for Wife Is in Excess
of the Legal Third-other
Legacies.
THE ESTATE is NOT LARGE

BALTIMORE, June 4.-The widow of
the late Mayor McLane, accompanied by
her father-in-law, went 10 the orphans
court to hear read the last VIII Of the
dead chief magistrate
The document bore the date of Feb
ruary il, 1902. more than two years be-
fore his marriage. The most interest
ing clause was the one in which he be
queathed to Mary Van Bibber. widow
of the late Dr. John Van Bibber. Of
Baltimore. the sum Of $4,000, if she be
living at the time of my death
As the mayors estate was only about
So. 900. the $4,000 left TO Mrs McLane
is considerably in excess Of the widow 5
usual third.
Other Requests.
The mayor left TO his father and
mother his library and other personal
effects. The furniture in storage, and
which had been collected FOR the pur-
pose Of furnishing the country home he
and his bride were TO occupy, is given
to his brother. Allen McLane. Three
negro servants are remembered with {
total of 500. The residue OF the estate
goes TO his two sisters, Fannie King
and Frederick Gore McLane.
AS soon as the will was proved tho
party left the courthouse. Mrs. Nc
Lane was accompanied TO her carria &c
by her father-in-law. She was heavily
yelled and in the deepest mourning.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
CHASElS SECRETARY DEAD.

BUCYRUS. Ohio. June 4.-John Hop
ley, who was confidential secretary 20
Salmon z. Chase during the civil war.
is dead. He was eiRhty-three years old.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
ELLASTON TERRACE OFFICE
REAL ESTATE.
BUY A HOME SITE FOR SIPS

10 minutes ride from Georgetown, $50
feet above city
on the Falls Church Electric Road
Tracks now being laid across Aqueduct
Bridge: sc fare school children. &c.
Note these propositions.
we build you any kind OF a house you
desire
we will give you unlimited time in
which TO pay for same,
We Will sell you "A large lot for SO.
Pay what you can down and s. monthly.
We will charge you no interest nor
taXts.
We give you our time and transporta-
ton 10 inspect Lyons Addition 70 Clar-
endon.
we will furnish you three months free
transportation on Falls Church line
when YOU buV.
Can you beat these propositions?
There IS not a more beautiful nor more
healthy place within ten minutes ride
Of Washington. Inquire the class or
people that arc buying here.
Be sure to come out. We viii show
you property. explain how 10 build and
pay for your house with your rent
money.
CRAIG & TAGGART.
18th and NV Entrance 526 18th st.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
The Freshness Of the Fair

Adds 10 its attractiveness. Pennsylvania
Railroad Coach Excursion. June q
Round trip. 81.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
S1.as to Baltimore and Return. SIX

Via Pennsylvania Railroad. Every Sat
urday and Sunday. All trains except
Congressional Limited. Convenient
schedule. Special Express returning from
Baltimore. 11:30 every Sunday night.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04

returned to their old faith. whereas
there are few such Chinese cases.
Conservatism is also a great benefit
to a nation in that il prolongs the life
of nation. Is not the oldest nation in
the world the one most conspicuous for
this trait? Why2 Because Conservat ism
Is the result Of experience: Is II not
better to pursue a course which has
been previously successful, than ven
ture on some new rash scheme? Edmund
Burke thought so when he objected 10
Lord North's plan of treatment OF the
American colonies. Francis Bacon
thought so when he said in one Of his
essays that II is not good to try ex-
periments in states.
Culture May Revolutionize.
Culture may revolutionize with time.
virtue is immutable forever. Thus
saith the Lord, stand We in the ways.
and see. and ask for the old paths.
where is the good way, and walk
therein, and we shall find rest for your
souls
There is yet another reason for con-
servatism prolonging nations. namely,
in conservatism there Is a reserve CT
energy. The nation that is hummirg
with activity. nervous energy-is II ac-
cording 70 nature that that nation should
last as long as another which is frugal
of its strength? The skillful general
understands this principle and holds al
ways a reserve division in battle. II is
often the strength of the reserve that
decides the victory. In the battle OF
Waterloo the English. and the French
were both exhausted when Butcher ar
rived with the Prussian army. while
Napoleon had for his reserve only a
small division. Reserve Of energy plays
the same important part in Eastern ra-
tons.
Nervous energy cannot be lasting any
more than motion can be perpetual
Progressiveness is a mark Of youth, and
since nations have 10 grow old. they
have TO adopt conservatism, which Is a
mark OF age The youth may ridicule
the aged for his conservatism, but
when the youth enters old age, he, too,
shall be ridiculed in turn by the rising
gene alton. An American Tennyson to-
day a. justified IN saying Better fifty
years OF America than a cycle of
Europe
The Washington times., 1904-06-04

Connoisseurs deal IN facts They have
found Elk Grove Butter perfect in ev-
cry way, and recommend II. At grocers'
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
Concert Sunday by Marine Band

AT beautiful Chevy Chase Lake. BEGIN
ming at 7:30 This evening. cOn.ss.sa-uSuzSuI
lowed by dancing. Delightful
The Washington times., 1904-06-04
worlds Fair via Pennsylvania Railroad
Scientists Are Theoretical.

June 9. Special train: standard coach
es. 81 round trip.
The Washington times., 1904-06-04

s2o0S street First: complete little home
IO,1EO stoes BATH furnace; cheap
The Washington times., 1904-06-04

So Inn part northeast: 2stor bay window h
O'AVO porcelain bath; good buy; better it.
The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1904-02-11

Cong, Burke's bill opening the
Rosebud reservation to settle
ment has passed the house, and
will be pushed in the senate by
both our senator's. The whole
delegation is working for the
bill, and hope to see it become
a law at this session. 1t will be
a piece of work that is a credit
to the influence and persistence
of the delegation, and particu-
larly so to Mr.. Burke. To the
state it is of very great benefit,
as it will bring many new set
tiers here to seek homes on the
100000 acres OF land it opens
UP, and help develop the state.
Mr.. Burke is being generously
congratulated over the state.
The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1904-02-11

cation; for new church buildings
S5I5,O00; for literature S34o,-
600; for support of ministers
$4,27o, ,0O0-or a grand total of
$7,135.065 for all purposes.
The Foreign Christian Mission
AIRY Society, which works only in
foreign fields, was organized in
1875. Since that time it has
raised and expended 80, 032, S33.
1t does work in Japan, China,
India, Africa, Turkey, England,
Norway, Denmark, Cuba, Hawaii
and Thibet. The receipts last
year were S210,00S.
An effort is beng made with
bright prospects of success to
raise a quarter OF a million OF
dollars this year. Last year IL
schools were supported in foreign
lands, with an attendance OF
about 1000, and 16 hospitals
and dispensaries were conducted
by Ii medical missionaries, and
nearly 10000 patients trea ted.
Thenumber gathered into the
Sunday school is about 1000.
Last year the converts on the
mission fields in foreign lands
raised nearly $4,000 for the
work.
The time for the Offering in all
the Christian churches for tins
important work is the first Sun
day in March, 1t is q day TO
which the members look forward
with great expectancy and Joy.
The ministers preach their best
sermons and the churches give
most generously. Inc cOngre-
cation in this community Is
making preparations to Join
with it's sister churches through
out the world in one of the larg
est offerings when has ever been
made 10 foreign missions, We
nave no doubt that the conGre-
cation here will give with its
characteristic liberality.
The church here viii hold a
missionary rally on Lords Day
eve Feb 2S. This will be pre-
paratory to the giving Of the
largest Offering in the history of
the church on March 8. Come.
The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1904-02-11

the bone of contention, Korea,
is surrounded by water on three
sides. Japan is right at home.
at her own base of supplies;
can go and come as she pleases
on the water. Japan is modern,
patriotic, and hghters-in fact
they are called the Yankees OF
the east-and that may be why
about go out Of every 100
Americans are in sympathy with
the Japs.
The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1904-02-11
Wall Street PopuIists

!. Adam Bede, Minnesota'9
new congressman, made decid-
ed hit recently in a congressional
speech in which he called The
Wall street spectators popu-
lists. lie says the western pop
ulist is for fat Of wind, and the
wall street Populist is for a fiat
Of water. The Minneapolis
Journal cartoonist also illus
trates the point neatly by Civ
ing a picture of the Western pop
with chin whiskers labeled fiat"
and a Wall Street pop with side
whiSkers labeled nat" In 9th
er words contending that the
only difference between west
crn andeastern pop is where he
grows his whiskers. New York
papers have discussed and en-
larged upon the new congress
mans point, and say it will
stick to wall street. Why should
it not stick? The eastern hnan-
ciers have claimed western pop
ulism wanted something for
nothing. What expression could
better describe the watered
stocks of Wall street?
The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1904-02-11

Back to the old question OF
tariffs goes the campaign. 9th
er questions spring up and OBJ
scurc'it for awhile but they dis
appear, and then some new
scheme for attacking the tariff
is begun. This time it appears
to be ''reciprocity.' In Cleve-
lands dayit was tariifreform. y
Prior to that it had been "for
revenue only" Catchy phrases,
all of them. If this country
hasn't been doing mighty well
under the present tariff laws, it
never die under any system.
And Just now old England, the
great free trade country, is look
ing longingly toward a protect
I've tariff system. Reciprocity"
looks better than it's predeces-
sors, however, because some
thing is receiyed for what is Civ
IN.