davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06
Charity Ball for the
Home for InCuTab.eS

The ball to be given tonight at the
New Willard in aid of the Home for
Incurables promises to eclipse its pre-
dccessors in point of brilliancy- Prep
aratiOns for the event have been in
progress for some weeks under the ci-
rection Of the committee in charge,
which includes Mrs. BloOmer. Mrs.
jenkins. Mrs. Charles ]. Bell, Mrs.
Chew. Mrs. Spalding. Mrs. Russell. and
Mrs. Leonard Wood with Mrs Herbert
WadswOrth as chairman.
IN the list Of Invitations the world of
society has been included, and the ball
viii fern one Of the chief social events
Of Easter week. Many dinner parties
will precede the dance.
Among TIE patronesses are Lady Du-
rand, wife of the British ambassador;
the Baroness Moncheur, the Baroness
HengelmuIIer, the Baroness Won Stern
burg, Nine. Jusserand, Nine. Calderon,
Mrs. oliver Wendell Holmes. Mrs.
White. Mrs. Fuller, Mrs. John Hay, Miss
/ Wilson, Mrs Payne, Mrs. Hitchcock.
I Mrs Wetmore, Mrs. Lodge, Mrs. Dewey
/ Mrs Fairbanks, Mrs. Elkins, Mrs
! Spooner, Mrs. Alger Mrs Board man
I Mrs. Kirke Porter, Mrs. John X. Nc
/ Lean, Mrs. Draper, Mrs. Thomas +.
/ Walsh. Mrs. LOngwOrth, Mrs. LoWndes.
Mrs Hopkins Mrs. Slater, Mrs. Per
/ kins, Mrs. Robson, the misses RIGGS
and Miss Tuckerman-
The Marine Band will furnish the mu-
/ sic for dancing. and the New Willard
will furnish the supper. Everything -
/ included IN the price OF the ticket. Both
/ ball rooms will be opened. and num-
/ Der Of men distinguished for their man
/ agement of similar affairs have become
/ floor managers for the evening. Among
/ the men are.
Arthur Raikes. Ernest Probst, Lieuten-
1 ant RaspOpOW, Lieut.. F a. Ruggles,
| Charles Q. Swisher. Clinton Stewart,
Capt. r. 3. Taylor. Walter Tuckerman,
/ +. Won Verdy. G. D. WescOtt, St. Roger
/ Wells. Mr.. Shirley, Mr. de Faramond,
/ Mr. du Martheray. w. Richard Heard.
/ Major MacOmb, PayInaster V. 7. Jack
son, Cuthbert Brown, John r. Leech,
/ T. II. Magruder. Henry May, Arthur
/ Peter. Clifford Pinchot Lieut.. Charles
/ s Poor, S. Rich, Captain Sargent, p. B.
! Sands Robert Shepard. Mr.. Strocklin,
] Richard x. Tyler, T. II. Van Rotten, 7.
J II. Werdeman. NJ. Charles Wilson. Ma
/ than Wyeths Butler Ames Glst Blair,
/ r. BorghelH, Lieutenant Bulmer. Mr..
/ BObrOf. Lieut.. H Y. Butler, Alfred
/ CaIderon, W. Penn Cresson. Manuel
/ Candemo. Robert Cummin. Rear Adj
/ miral Caps. Lieut.. Robert FalcOners
/ Captain FOurnich, the Messrs. de
| GoeffrOy. Mr.. Gillett. Nicholas Long
worth. Capt. William Lassiter, and
| Major MCCaWley.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06

an actual distaste for the routine and
scientific knowledge requisite for the
making of a really good officer. They
have left the management of their
men to their nOn-cOmmissiOned Of
ficers, and devoted their time to
being gentlemen, if not in any ac-
curate definition of the word Off
GERS. In the navy such a course
would be nearly, if not quite, impOs-
sible. The men who have gone into
the service have, as a rule, done II
because they loved the sea, and gen
orally because they loved the idea OF
sea fighting. A boy without any
taste for sea life would hardly
choose a profession in which he
would have no other sort OF life, and
if he chose it through mistake
would be likely to be forced out very
early in the game The command
of a modern warship absolutely de-
mands some degree Of fitness. There
is no room in that business for loaf
ers.
The success of an army officer in
his profession depends to a certain
degree on his ability TO master de-
tails. routine, and the principles OF
warfare, but he may attain distlnc-
ton. as a common soldier may,
through sheer reckless bravery and
daring human qualities. He may
know the whole theory of war, and
he will be a failure if he is in place
where he must count on the good will
and enthusiasm of his men, and does
not get it. Hard experience will teach
him some things that he cannot
learn from books. Hence the Brit
ish youth has, rightly or wrongly,
overestimated vaIor, personal honor,
and personal magnetism as an equip
ment for the army officer, and IN
derestimated some other things
which are quite as important.
The new generation, however, has
its quota of Woodworking, able
young fellows, and in justice to the
colonies and Iieutenants and cap
tains. il must be said that however
asinine they may have been on some
occasions, their superiors at the war
Office have been quite as absurdly
foolish on others. 1t looks as If
there were hope for a general house
cleaning in that department Of the
government, and if there is one, it
will be a good thing for England.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06
THE EVENING STORY
FRECKLES.
By LYNN ROBY MEEKINS.

Nature named him. once in his ear
lier youth he was known as Reddy, bat
as he gathered years his hair grew
darker, and the freckIes shone forth
with greater glory They tipped his
nose and adorned his ears. They seem
ed to flow over his entire face. almost
tumbiing into the depths OF his blue
eyes. They covered forehead as well as
cheek, and in places they seemed to be
piled up on one another, as if waiting
for a vacant place.
When he was freight brakeman, no
one knew him except as Freckles. They
all liked him-even The engineer. and
that is saying a great deal He had
another name, of course; or the pay roll
il was James F. Morse. but with the
men from one end Of the run TO the
other It was nothing but Freckles.
He began rs usual and he was as
green a. his freckles were brown, but he
had grit. and he passed through the
primary experiences with the secret APP
pcoval Of lis immediate superiors. He
accepted his nickname as he did his
duties. quietly and cheerfully. Whether
the weather was good or bad. whethc.
the train was held up hours ca the sid
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06

YOU viii report for duty at the freight
yard
So FrecHles became a brakeman. and
won his transfer TO the passenger by
his walk through the blizzard
1t was his second month in the pes
senger service, and he found himself
getting en- better trains until he reached
one Of the expresses.
II was devoted 90 his work. unfailing
in his attention 20 duty. and watchfuI
for the comfort IS the passengers. As
usual. he went by the name Of Freckles
really there seemed 20 be no other
name. They tell the story yet tina. the
funniest sight that ever happened on
the run between Marketable and Cor
i cord was when Freckles. in tie kind
ness Of his heart. tried 10 hold crying
baby. TO give a little rest TO a tired
mother They said the baby got an idea
that the frecklos could be pulled or. aad
began 10 act accordingly.
But Frecizles got along. and now he
was on the express On this particular
night there was an additional impor-
I tsnce 20 the train. because It had taken
on the presidents private car in which
were the president and his wife and
daughter and some friends Frec<les
knew this. and he also knew that even
If HIS place were in the rear Of the
train-which il was not-discipline would
throw a chill on any social Intentions.
Ard II the Ransons should make the
advanccs-which they would surely have
done-he would have been extremely
uneCmfortable.
So Freckles kept we'll in front. whsrs
he belonged. and smiled 20 himself as
passenger. who was becoming unruly in
the smoking ear. claimed his attention
for a few minutes When the man
threatened to whip everybody, FrecNlcs
stood closer. gazed at him through his
calm blue eyes. and said: Il wouldn't
talk that way If I were you. and you
must not, anyway. you know. Be
quiet
That BE quiet seemed TO weigh a
ton. The brave passenger sank promptly
into his seat and in few minutes was
asleep.
The train. which was half an hour be-
hind time. was rafting along al a sixty
mile clip. Freckles stood just inside
the car at the front end. when suddenly
there was fare Of something. follow
+ ed by dull report. It might have keen
( escaping steam. but il did not sound ike
il. Then he looked out. and realized
that the train had too much speed Cor
the approach TO near station. II was
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06

on a down grade. tOo-otherwise the
locomotive might have stopped OF itself.
He sprang through the door, rushed
through the baggage car. and. with the
agility Of an acrobat. clambered over
the two express cars. All the time the
train was keeping its speed. and the
conductor was pulling the ropa In
frenzy.
As Freckles reached the tender. he
saw in a moment that something had
happened. An accident had thrown the
steam into the engines cab. and both
the engineer and hremen were probably
dead
But that did not stop Freckles He
felt his way through the steam. which
was not so bad then. He had learned
something about engines In his work on
the freights, and he soon stopped the
train.
Well, the engineer and fremen were
saved by long weeks OF nursing; ana
Freckles, who was taken TO the private
car. and afterward to the home OF the
Ransons. was q different man after he
got well There was not a single freckis
on his face
Mr. Ransom, who is getting along IN
years now, but who expects TO keep
the presidency in his family. has one
little joke which he never tires OF tell
ing
III you want to get rid of freck.es."
he SAYS, use steam and use il good ana
hot. II you have any doubts about Il,
ask jim"
Jim-bv the way, it used to be Freck-
| les-is Mr.. Ranson's sOn-in-law.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06
NOT SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.

To the Editor Of The Washington Times:
Your Wednesday evening issue of The
Times announces the death OF Burton
n Harrison, secretary to Jefferson
Davis. I would like TO correct the fol-
lowing statement, published in your pa
per: He was finally placed in, soil
tary confinement at Fort Delaware"
At the close Of the civil war. when the
Army Of the Potomac was disbanded
two companies Of the Fourth ARTILLERY
X and .L-were sent to garrison Fort
Delaware 1 was a sergeant Of the for
mer company. and was placed in charge
OF the prisoners in the capacity of pro-
vost marshal sergeant Young Burton
N Harrison was one Of the political
prisoners then confined in the fort. He
had comfortable room, we'll furnished
and had access 10 the garrison library
besides his law library mentioned In
your paper.
In regard TO his solitary confinement
placed at his disposal a sentinel. WIN
followed him all through the garrison
and over the island, and his movements
were unrestricted When he was re-
leased, in January. 1865 ne thanked me
for my kindness to him and made me a
present OF a volume OF Shakespeare
which l priced very much.
l regret TO hear Of the death Of Bur
ton Norville Harrison The bar has lost
bright light
J. McTAGGART.
5S . Street northeast
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06

size; since a change in the position
of a character may change the VOW
ell sound and utterly transform the
meaning, the stenographer should in
stinctively write the character in the
proper position. Unless this ,instinc-
tive proficiency has been attained, no
school should allow the pupil to
graduate. It would be just as sensi-
bic to allow a pupil to enter the high
school while still shaky on the null
tiplication table and unable to dis
tinguish between p" and q" The
business men who employ stenogra-
pliers cannot be expected 10 know
technical details, but they can insist
that the applicant come with diplO-
ma from a reputable school, and they
can arraign the school if it fails to
give elementary instruction. thor
oughly.
1t is, perhaps, wise TO mention in
this connection the fact that many
expert stenographers never think of
obeying the rules they learned as
beginners. and IL questioned on the
subject will dismiss the whole mat
ter Of vowel sounds, positions of
words, and general rules with a
lordly wave of the hand-they never
pay attention to those things. Such
assertions have a mischievous infiu-
ence over the beginner, but they are
worth about as much as would be the
assertion of PadeTewsky that he
never played scales or exercises. The
experts may do as they choose. but
1t may be added that those who have
a system of their own and obey no
shorthand laws always have to trans
scribe their own notes, and some
times it would be convenient to have
notes which an assistant could read.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06

night and followed by a musicale for
which there were additional guests
Harry Morgan, consul Of the United
States at Lucerne, Switzerland, and Mrs.
Morgan, after a sojourn at the New
Willard for two weeks, leave WASH
lngtOn today for a short visit TO Mrs.
Garrett A. Hobart, at her home at Pdter-
son. Mr.. and Mrs. Morgan VIII return
TO Washington before sailing for Europe.
Representative Sibley entertained a
large stag dinner party last night. hav-
ms as guests Representatives Loud,
CLshman, Roberts. ThayeT. AdamsOn.
McCleary Brick. Currier, Dooner, Hard
wick Jenkins. AIiers. Needham, Scott,
William Alden Smith, Robinson, Ford
ney. Gains. and Arthur Dunn and n r
Heathcote.
Miss Julia Eva Gober. daughter OF
DR. y. n Gober formerly Of Atlanta.
Ga. but now Of Washington, was mar
riC6 I'm the presence OF few friends. at
II O'Clock this morning. at St. John S
Church. TO Lieut.. William Alden Pow
ell. The groom belongs to the Army
Medical Corps.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06

| ing or had a clear track for its station
and a warm bed. Freckles never COM
I planned. The conductor soon found out
that the lad was a trustworthy fellow.
Thus ii went along until Freckles
knew more about things than the con-
ductor himself
! One fateful night the train-the yard
master should have known it was too
heavy for the engine-got stalled on the
| Hammond grade. the very worst place
on the line 1t began to snow ike fury.
and when the snow hac swirled down
for some time, the engineer found that
the straining upon the engine had broken
/ her down. Then there was nothing to
/ do but to send some one several miles
/ up the line for~help. 1t was bitter cold.
and to most men it would have been q
walk into another land. All saw the
/ impossibility of it-all except Freckles.
! IN go" he said. and he went
| Less than month afterward an or
/ der was issued transferring him TO the
passenger service. Even those who saw
him jumped over their heads could NOT
object to his promotion.
| Freckles never talked about his past
or his nome; but there We're few
facts behind 1t all
One cay, before he became a brake
man, he walked into the office of the
president of the road. The president
wheeled In his chair and exclaimed.
Why, hello. Freckles-James. mean
where did you come from, and what are
you doing in this part OF the world?"
Il came from home" he replied.
We'll sit down and give an account
of yourself How are things in the
East and what brought you out West?"
And James-Freclles. that is-told the
home news, news that was interesting
10 President Ransom. who was born In
the same town, and whose life-lOnS
friend nad been the father Of Freckles.
| Then, after the local gossip, Frecl<les
got down to business.
Mr.. Ransom. I've come out here 10
| be n railroad man. All want you to
do is to put me in somewhere don't
care wnere-and let me work out the
Test. Just give me the usual chance OK
one who wants to work from the bot
tom as far up as he deserves to 20. /
/ dent want u clerkship, but job on
| the road, so that l can get the Drac-
teal part of it,"
| President Ransom had heard that kind
/ of talk before, and all he said in reply
was to ring for a cab and send FreckIes
up 10 his house. III see YOU at dim
lner," he added. and Well talk IL over
The house was a mansion. and Miss
Judith Ransom was its most precious
! possession. She knew Freckles, and
FrecNles knew her, for the Ransons
generally spent part of the summer i'm
Midway. where Freckles lived And so
the day passed pleasantly, with bill
nards and an afternoon drive and a de-
/ liEhtful dinner an the evening After
that Mr.. Ransom and Freckles had
| talk in the library
You mean this. James?'' said Mr..
/ Ransom.
Every word of it,, said Freckles.
! And you'll start as freight brake
/ man?"
AS soon as YOU say So"
"All right. / believe you've got it in
/ you. Wen go 10 the theater tonight
! and have a good time. and tomorrow
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06

And so the Commissioners had to
go all the way to Baltimore to Sc
cure a successor to w. H. Stouten-
burgh as InteEdant of the Washing
ton Asylum Hospital. Well, well; it
is difficult to believe that in a city
of nearly 100000 inhabitants there
could be found no one competent
enough to run this great establish
ment. But such is the fact, accord
ing to the Commissioners. Indeed,
they say that they were actually
forced to go outside the District for
their man. Forced by whom? Cor
man?
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06
Secretary Taft Attends
Marriage OF Nephew

Secretary Taft left Washington yester-
day afternoon for Cincinnati. where ne
viii attend the wedding of his nephew,
Hulburt Taft this afternoon at
o'clock The wedding will take place
at the home OF Mr.. Taft's bride. Miss
Leaman. in VernonvilIe. a Cincinnati
suburb
The Secretary Of War will go to Chi
cago to attend a banquet of the Hamil-
ton Club on April 9. He viii then 20 to
Peoria. and viii attend a banquet of
the Cleveland chamber OF commerce be
FORE returning TO Washington on
April H.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06
Half Trained StenoarapheTs,
The Important Lesson to Be Learned il
the Study of Stenography.

the Study of Stenography.
IN course Of the controversy re-
garding the respective share Of bust
ness men and stenOgraphers in the
strained situation existing between
the two, which has been going on in
the columns of a New York paper. a
letter appears in which one chief
cause Of trouble is disclosed. In this
controversy the stenographers assert
! that business men do not know how
to dictate. and expect their secre-
taries to do mind-reading, while the
business men retort that even if they
do dictate correctly. the stencgrapher
cannot transcribe their letters with
average intelligence.
The significant letter to which
reference has been made was from a
business man who said that a short
hand writer to whom he paid SIS a
week gave him a transcription in
which poorest native" was written
"poroused native ard evolution"
was transformed into violation. ."
This proves that the stenographer
was not properly taught, and shows
the need Of shorthand schools which
shall refuse certificates to all stu
dents who do not come UP to a rec
ognized high standard. The blunders
in question should have been impos-
sible
If, in the system which this slip
shod writer studied, the words in
question were represented by the
same signs, so that only the context
could disclose the meaning, she
studied a faulty system. The chances
are, however, that she had only a
smattering of knowledge Of short
hand. This viii be clear when the
matter is discussed from a technical
point of view.
In at least one system of short
hand, words in which the accent falls
on a syllable containing u" with the
long sound are written across the
ruled line of the note book, while
those in which 20" with the long
sound is accented are written on the
line: that is, the sign occupies the
position Of the letter IN" or IN" In
ordinary writing, whereas if written
across the line II would be In the po-
sition of q" Hence the stenogra-
pher either wrote the word in the
wrong position, or made the charac-
ter so carelessly that she could not
tell whether il was on or across the
line. This is a form Of blunder from
which the shorthand school can
guard anybody who is fit 10 learn
shorthand at all. The great secret
Of skill IN this business is a simple
one; the student must learn to make
every character exactly the size that
It should be, and place it IN precisely
the position dictated by the domi-
nant vowel sound, instinctively, as
piano player strikes a desired note
in music 1t should no more be pos
sible for a trained stenographer to
write character IN the wrong posi-
ton, or make it in i slipshod man.
ner, than It Is possible for the trained
pianist to strike note half a dozen
keys below the one which the music
calls for. The trouble with two
thirds Of the slipshod writer's Of
shorthand is that they have never
taken pains to learn the rudlments.
Since the sound OF CT may be added
70 a word, in shorthand by halving
the character representing the word,
1t is manifestly important to make
every character Of exactly the right
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06

Little Harry is a school boy He is
proud or his knowledge of geography.
and II he fails to locate a place or give
the name Of a country or city. he comes
very near it, This was demonstrated a
few days ago when his uncle asked him
10 name the greatest import and export
city In England Without the least
hesitation the little fellow answered:
'Kidneypool"
"Oh, you mean Liverpool" said his
Uncle.
Yes, that's right. said Harry: Il
knew about where il was, but didn't
remember whether is was Kidney OF
Liverpool"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06

The municipal elections in Chicago
yesterday proved a victory, by a mar
row margin. for the Republicans.
They elect eighteen aldermen, while
the Democrats elect only sixteen.
The chief interest of the election,
however. centereG in the vote of pro-
posed ownership of the street rail-
ways. On the proposition that the
city should at once take over the
street railways into its control the
vote stood 120,744 for and SO, 1893
against. For the temporary licensing
Of street railways until such time as
the city is prepared to take them
over the vote was 120,18I for and
1896 against All this is very well,
Of course. Still. when it comes to
actually purchasing the street rail-
roads, which viii involve a pretty
substantial increase in the tax rate,
we fancy that the good people of
Chicago viii think twice before swal-
lowing the bait provided by the poll
ticians.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06
BODY OF GENERAL RICE
TO REST IN ARLINGTON

The funeral of Gen. Americas V. Rice
viii be held this afternoon from
the Iowa apartment house, where ne
died Monday. The service viii be con-
Quoted by the Rev. Mr.. Greene, OF Cal
vary Baptist Church. and interment win
be at Arlington. Members OF the Loyal
Legion viii help 10 conduct the service.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-06

Not the least interesting puzzle de-
veloping in the Far East is the queS-
ton as to what becomes Of Admiral
TogO's fleet every time he has sent
a few shots into Port Arthur or sunk
a few hulks in the channel The fleet
disappears mysteriOusly, not even the
wireless correspondent of the Lon
don Times being able to say where
IT goes to. 1t must coal and reft
somewhere. But where? The puzzled
correspondent reports this morning:
There has been 20 signs by night
or day since Sunday of even the
scout boats 1 regard this as most
unusual" We should say it was. 1t
is highly inconsiderate, TO boot