davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-11-30
AMY years ago while a
potaty famine waz ragin' in
the ould isle, a boonch av


the ould isle, a boonch av
hilthy tarriers wild their
Biddies an Katies charterd Wis
ssel an immigrated to Ameriky.
Their Dist intintions wur to
aand in Calyfoorny, lnstid av that
1she reaction av toornady almost
STINT thin to the bottom av the say.
Yis, they poomped wather an
sproong lakes wild remarkable for
STOOD, finally BLOWN into Ply
mouth Rocks, town vance famed
fer it's bloc laws an pooltry. l
will not fatage the reader wild a
historycal resusciation, but simply
devote me inergies to the maxim
ay a birdseye skitch. Besides a
scombative nature an cookin' uny-
1tinsels, these payple had rugged
econstytootion, the most iffycacious
wipons whin used collectively to
dodge tomyhawks an pizen mis-
sells in gineral.
The foregoin' implies that their
assists predoomynated over their
liabilities, fer they not only plant
ed coorn an Indians wild stooic
sangfroid, but du1in' the intervals
Established the groundwork av
American polytics considered the
highest foorm av ingenooity the
human mind can concayve.
Ayther fer this or the sake av
his appytite, livery rale American
recognizes the annyversay av the
pilgrims invasion. We bliss the
day an bow to the coincydinces
(which folly in it's wake. Shure,
: don't the Tom an. Jerry sayson
: open at precisely the, same time?
Wis, an yez can. bit that livery
home-raised an naturallized voter
takes advantage av the opportun-
&ity to Exchange confydinces.
/ will now pick up the thread
sv the narrytive an commince to
anravel mesilf. Wan avenin' the
<sounties on, waz discussin' tho
I advisabillity av hovin' little Dinny
make his social daybo in conjunc-
ssion wild a Thanksgivin' taste.
liz sildom we intertain the
same idaya, but whin we do the
meighboorhood ginerally partissy-
pates in it's finallity.
This, like nanny another av me
5xthravagint MIXTURES, waz noted
fer it's simple but Effective dickora-
Give creations. [ also tux ixtry
precautions be replacin' Frinch
wine an carnations wild roober
plant fistoons an Three Star
Hinissy. Known that the ily-
gince av a rale social evint is be-
giant the comprehension av the
common payple I will refrain me-
ssilf from obnoxious Exposures.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-11-30

Mike Eve had tn nightmare
for three noights, Pat. Phwat
would you ricommind for tn
throuble?'
Pat Yez moght trade tn mare
for wan av thin automobiles,
b'gorry. Elk.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-11-30

~" oAA q WIN oAAuoi JUMP Ou
through the open window knock
ing me backwards. My knife fell
to the ground. Shaking with fear
I stood waiting for-I know not
what. Soon I regained my equi-
librjum and hurried to where I
had left Montana, intending to
get my pistol to defend myself.
Horror of horrors! The pony
was gone, and with him my only
means of defense. I did not
pause long but fastened away
from that cabin filled with wild
animals. I did not know in which
direction I was going, nor did I
care. I had trudged along for
perhaps an hour when I became
exhausted, and paused to rest.
Scarcely moment passed when,
ka thump, something struck me
in the back. Headlong into the
snow [ went, momentarily expect
ing to be devoured. Powerless I
lay there until low whinny
sounded just above me, then real
izing that it was Montana, I
sprang to my feet. The pony was
evidently as glad to find me as I
was him.
Once more we started trudging
through that raging blizzard,
Montana in the lead. For hours
we wendell our way. Again the
pony stopped. He would not 60
on, 80 l stepped ahead intending
to take the lead. One, two, three
steps, and over precipice [ went.
Still, 1 chung to the lariat, final
ly managing to Chamber back to
terra Grma.
Turning the pony's back to the
wind [ decided to remain there
until morning. Unexpectedly the
pony turned and uttered a long,
loud whinny. An answering
whinny foated up, seemingly from
below us. "A herd of horses, or
RANCH" muttered I. Grasping my
pistol from the holster [ leaned
over the edge of the precipice and
fired two shots across the valley
below. A light soon appeared in
the distance below US. Again I
fired; soon an answering shot rang
out below, followed by the vibrat-
ing of a lantern.
The lantern disappeared in the
distance, then reappeared to the
left of me only to disappear again.
I concluded that they were unable
to locate me. Long I stood there,
into that darkness peering. Sud-
denly, and some twenty feet to the
left, the lantern doomed up, borne
by the boys from line camp num-
Der five.
Half an hour later We were in
the little stable at the camp. At
ter seeing that Montana was we'll
cared for we wendell our way to
the shack. A cup of hot coffee,
then [ 'srolled in" for a much
needed sleep.
About one o'clock I was lawak-
ened to partake of the Thanksgiv-
ing dinner, baked beans, hot
saleratus biscuits, syrup, prunes
and coffee, (Java they called it).
eve aimed to get turkey for
our dinner, today" said one of the
boys. "But this blamed blizzard
came along.
Forget it, said L; 81 am GER
tainly thankfulfor life and shelter"
And so on this Thanksgiving
Day I recall that experience of
long ago, and fervently voice the
same sentiment: I am thankful for.
shelter from the storm and for
life; life is sweet.
What became of Gordon? He
returned to Ford's ranch, remained
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-11-30

A scientist has announced that
men were formerly fish, which will
probably account for the vast
number of suckers still in exist
ence. Chicago Chronicle.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-11-30
Here and There.

AASAV USAAN - AASA - .s
Every man has a streak OF gen
Jus in him-only a streak, mind
you.
A woman may drive man to
drink, but she can't make him take
water.
Every man may have his price,
but it differs greatly from what
his neighbors think he is worth.
Be original. A parrot, you know,
can say what it has been taught,
but can say nothing else.
Spain probably wishes that DR..
Osler's theory had been IN prao-
tice before Dewey entered Manila
Bay.
One of the best arguments in
favor of universal peace is the fact
that some one has invented a gun
that will fire three hundred shots
per minute.
Would the evidence in the Tag
CART divorce case be considered as
an argument in favor, or against
the army canteen?
ooOo
1 wonder if there are any dra-
matte writer's in here? Some one
could secure one of those tablets
in the Hall of Fame by dramatic
ing the Mrs. Chadwick case.
One OF the inmates here. on be-
ing asked what he was in for, re-
piled, "For having one wife too
many" Even at that he may
nave had only one.
OOoO
"Humpt! Dear me! I gave
that young man two courses on
the cultivation of the memory
and he's gone away and forgotten
to pay me, and I can't for the life
Of me remember the fellows
name. From The Professor.
oooo
A certain New Yorker is cred
tied with saying that sthe trouble
with French statesmen is they
talk too much" IF he had omitted
the word French the whole ground
would have been covered in brief
and concise manner.
oooo
A young man hunting deer in the
northern part of the state shot at
one and missed. The empty shell
stuck and he could not dislodge
it, tho he made mighty efforts.
The deer did not. run away but
walked toward him. It was prob
ably charmed by the language he
used to the gun.
The county superintendent of
the poor in jackson Co., Wis, has
blacklisted all of the Indians re-
siding In the county~so that they
cannot indulge in ''firewater."
There are nearly four hundred of
them including Ruth Thunder
cloud, Kate Greengrass, Bette
Little Soldier, Dollie Funmaker,
John Walking Smoke, Jasper
Blowsnake, Lucy Bigarmful, Min
ME L. Standingwater, Louis Look
ing-glass, etc., etc.
We are trying, here, to initiate
the old style of worship that they
used to practice in Westminster
Abbey, Notre Dame, st. Pauls
Episcopal Church, of London.
We have no upholstered seats in
pews shut off by little doors in
which one can sit and snore dur
ing the sermon.
D. w. K.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-11-30

ing it must have been foot deep
and still a-coming. Better moi
60 on today, boys; better stay and
eat turkey with us tomorrow" sale
Ford, as we were saddling ou1
ponies.
"Got'er get there today" replied
Gordon.
SWELL" answered Ford, "you
fellers have got to go through
Death Valley to get to camp FIVE
and I don't believe you can make
it."
We started; our progress was
slow. It was nearly two O'Clock
when we arrived at the gap entering
Death Valley, SO called owing to
two men having lost their way
during a blizzard in the valley and
were frozen to death.
We were now ten miles from
Ford's ranch and had ten more
miles to 60. Five miles through
the valley, then we would come to
Pine Greek. From there it was
only five miles to the camp. But
a difficulty of great moment faced
us. The trail through the valley
wound in and out among the foot
hills for two miles, then we would
arrive at a place where three trails
met. The center one we were to
follow. The left and right led in
an out among the foothills and
finally met at place on the Mis-
souri, River where there was, dur
ing the summer, ferry.
We stopped to discuss the adj
visibility of returning to Ford's
ranch. "It's better to be lost on
the prairie than in this blamed
valley" said Gordon. [ couldn't
see it that way, so Gordon started
back trailing for Ford's, while I
started through Death Valley. I
had proceeded but short distance
when I dismounted and began
walking to keep my blood in cir
culation. I finally came to the
place where the three trails met.
But which to take was the ques-
ton? Montana had been through
the valley several times and, had I
mounted and given the pony free
rein, I might have peacefully pur-
sued my way.
It was getting. dark; the wind
was bowling; the snow drifting
in fact, I was caught in genuine
North Dakota blizzard. "I'll
chance this TRAIL" muttered [, az
I turned into the right. hand one.
How long I trudged through the
snow I cannot say. I decided to
let Montana break trail for awhile.
Taking my lariat 1 fastened il
around the pony's neck, thus
enabling me to stop him if l SO
desired. Montana seemed to know
what was wanted. On We trudged.
Not far. Soon the pony stopped
I could feel the lariat drawn up
suddenly, and I hurried to the
pony's head. He was drinking
water through an airhole in the
ice on the Missouri River.
now realized that I had selected
the wrong trail. l was afraid to
move; one step might plunge me
into the icy waters of the Missouri
Montana, having allayed his
thirst, emitted a low whinny and
started away I, holding the rope.
followed. The pony soon stopped
We were at the shack. which was
used by the ferryman during the
summer. Here, thought 1, would
be a good place to remain until
morning. Stepping to the door
found it securely fastened. Drop
ping the lariat l went around the
cabin and came to an open win.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-31

the fnanclnl agent If many of the en-
ployees in her district; that teachers
had credits on the books and that
teachers had not paid for books that
they had received; that persons other
than teachers We're allowed credit for
books, viz: the Hawaiian News Com
pany and Wall, Nichols & Company;
that deeds to school lands were in the
department safe that needed to be
placed of record; that leases in the safe
showed that persons were occupying
school lands for which apparently no
rentals were being received, and that
no adequate rent roll existed.
These criticisms of Mr.. Atkinson
reach only to the administrative side
of his office in contradistinction to the
educational side. Here [ find nothing to
condemn, and much to praise. The
system of reports coming in regularly
from the heads of each school, the
school agents and the inspectors seem
to adequately meet the situation. This
method keeps the central office of the
department FULLY apprised of the con-
ditions in each school. Each such re-
port presents the local situation from
its own point of view. The health
certificates now required OF the teach
ers is an idea for which credit is due
to Mr.. Atkinson. The intimate knowl-
edge of conditions all over the Islands
which Mr.. Atkinson enjoys as the re-
suit of his long service as Inspector
General of Schools enables him, by
means of this system, to keep in touch
with all of the schools at once, prescrv-
ing. as it were, bird 's-eye view of
the entire situation.
The statute has not required the SUI
perintendent or the Commissioners to
visit the schools, however desirable
this may be. This would, l believe
be an impossible requirement to exact
of Board of Commissioners serving
without pay. What visiting they may
be able to do must necessarily be con
fined to the schools of Honolulu part
only of the system over which theV
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-31

preside. These remarks apply in some
measure to the superintendent, al
though not so truly. It is a question
whether the Superintendent should not
travel through the Islands, in order to
see for himself that the work of the
inspectors is being done. Reliance on
ones subordinates Is absolutely neees-
sary, as Mr.. Atkinson says, but super
vision and inspection. it would seem
to me, are also necessary. Any long
visits, however, by the superintendent
away from Honolulu for the purpose of
investigation would certainly operate
against the efficiency of the depart
ment.
Mr.. Atkinson feels that the present
school law meets the present situation
I have suggested already that do not
agree with him. Under the system as
now developed, the Superintendent is
held by You responsible for his depart
ment s efficiency, and he so construes
the duties of his office. He says the
Board of Commissioners are merely an
advisory board, to whom he refers mat
tiers from time to time at irregular in
tervals, as he may see fit. Practically
then. he refers only those matters IN
which he desires the Commissioners to
bear some of the responsibility. The
law, however, put the responsibility or
Hawaii s entire school system, with its
| 400 teachers, $4,000 scholars and $780,,
600 worth of buildings on the six
Commissioners and the Superintendent
together they constitute the depart
| ment, of which the Superintendent IS
| the chief administrative officer. lie
| NAV be observed in passing that appar-
emily the Commissioners have quietly
| acquiesced in this absorption of their
| duties by the superintendent, and that
| apparently the present system meets
with their approval.
It may be that the system Of one
man at the head, responsible to the
| Governor and the Legislature, is the
| better system. IF this is so, the school
CONTINUED on page Sd
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-31
IRREGULARITIES.

The irregularities which l have found
consist in lax business methods on the
administrative side of the department s
work, ana an absence of sufficient
checks on expenditures in the school
district of Honolulu.
Miss Dawson was in the habit of
loaning money to the employees of the
department, taking their /. o. I. IS
therefor, making out their vouchers for
them, having these vouchers endorsed
to her, and the warrants for the vouch-
ers issued in her own name, cashlng
the warrants and paying the men off,
after deducting her 1. o. US. She
stated also that she received no profit,
either in the shane of discount or in
terest for this accommodation.
The Auditor states, in letter re-
ceived by me after the close of the
public hearing, that he demonstrated
repeatedly with Miss Dawson concern
ing this custom. / refer you to Mr..
Fishers letter, herewith transmitted.
No law was violated by this method
of procedure, but 1t would seem that
there was only one step further neees-
sary to have complete example of the
use of public office for private ends;
the situation may perhaps be describ
ed as culture, ready for the bacillus of
graft.
From January /, 1904, to January
81. 1905. there has been expended in
Miss Dawson IS district under her su-
pervision as school agent the sum of
$3,336.S9 for repairs, and $f,762.94 for
furniture and fixtures, or altogether
| $5,099.S3. The vouchers show that
| whenever any contract was let, it was
the custom to have the voucher read
to labor. so and so, as per verbal
| agreement. Mr.. Atkinson and Miss
| Dawson beth testified that they inva-
| riably conferred together before any
work was le: lat that no record was
| kept of these various agreements made
| with the contractors. The authoriZa-
| tiOns of thu SuprrInI endent to the other
| school ..gcnts IN the territory all ap-
| pear OF r"~,rd in the correspondence.
| Mr.. ATKINSON Idst,Ii-s the system by
| SAYING that eve Grc r"t supposed tC
| keep bob IS bv +;'c audit law Tt ap-
parentlv WAS not thought necessary III
| the district CT Honolulu to keep mem
| oranda of these verbal agreements, mol
any time bccks of those laborers work
ing by the day. AS these expenditures
| amount yearly to such a sum. there 1:
no reasHl whv the department should
not adCr. culinary business precau
| tiOns in knopin9 track of these matters
Mr.. NCun.. clearly shows in his re
| port. already referred to. how the tasl
of watching the appropriations for tn
! dane r+-''eu+ ~--~iI9Ela and r-ravnen1al
may be simplifed by remodeling tn
detail book.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-31
INSPECTORS.

Three inspectors now supervise the
schools. reporting regularly to the de-
partment-Mr. J. C. Davis for the Is
lands of Kauai and Oahu; Mr.. Chas.
King for Maui, Molokai and Lanai,
and Mr. C. w Baldwin for the Island
of Hawaii Their Instructions from
the Superintendent are given in the
transcript on pages % and %. oe-
Iieve Mr.. Atkinson is entirely correct
in saving that three men are better
than one. The law, however, makes
provision for but one inspector, denom-
mated Inspector General. Since 1901
the present system, however, has been
substantially approved by the Legisla-
ture through the appropriation bills;
but the school law should be amended
to meet the changed conditions.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-31
SUPERINTENDENT.

a large psJt of the responsibility for
the lack OF method in re department.
must fall on the Super: endent who,
by the st1tute, is MAI" the chief adj
ministrative officer of the department.
do not see how his duties az such
seer can be cor strucd SO as to re-
1--we him % this r+sI Cusifility. He
Thould have kn-wn. I take IT how Miss
Dawson was carrying o" the repairs
Of the schools: thai she vas acting as
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-31
SCHOOL AGENT.

I have already commented somewhat
on the work of Miss Dawson. I must,
however, say that she shows an init
mate knowledge Of matters under her
jurisdiction; that she is energetic and
capable. doing her work with enthus-
iasm. She has had, however, very lit
tie supervision. and has. I believe alb
sorbed some duties arl responsibilities
that do not belong to her.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-31
SECRETARY.

The duties of this Office, as construed
by DIR. Rodgers, are SIT cut on pages
80 to Al of the transcript. The min
utes of the Boa, mectu gs kept by
DR.. Rodgers are merely abstracts of
what was done, and are .tct full and
complete records.
Mr. Young suf1ici ently calls attention
in his report to the meaDs CT simplify
ing matters in the Secretary's charge:
the detail book, the correspondence and
report lies.
While I recognize the value to the
department of DIR. Rodgers s experience,
resulting from six Years cat eful work
as Secretary of the department, [ am
reluctantly forced, fror Iiy observa-
ton, TO suggest that no'c energetic
man, who coald atteno t. many of the
matters now left to Miss Dawson and
the Superintendent. ceuli pCHabIy be
obtained for this posltIon at the same
salary.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-31
SCHOOL LANDS.

Professor Alexander has kindly writ
ten me q letter, giving a brief history
of the school lands, which I transmit
with this report. He states that the
book referred to by Mr.. Atkinson as
containing a record in the depart
ment s Office of school lands, was made
under his supervision in 1897. A few
of the transfers OF school lands have
been entered in this book, but the rec
ord is far from beng complete. Prac-
tically nothing has been done since
1900 to straighten out these matters,
except to locate a few of the school
lands.
Some OF the school lots and lands are
under lease. The letters from DIR. Rod
gers, transmitted herewith, show that
no proper account has been kept of
these ma tiers, and the obvious neces-
sity of a proper rent roll of the lands
from which revenue should be collect
ed. Presumably many of the school
lands are occupied by private persons
who pay no rent-at least [ infer this
to be the ease. In the once safe there
is a mass of deeds and leases concern
ing which nobody had any particular
knowledge. / was referred to them to
find for myself what they contained.
a cursory examination of few docu-
ments showed one unrecorded lease of
a school lot made W the department,
for which no rental was being received,
and which from it's race appeared not
to have been cancelled; and also one
unrecorded deed to the department
from private person, granting a school
lot for school purposes.
Since 1896 the law has allowed the
department to get rid of the care of
those lands and lots not actually in
school use. Mr.. Prosser and Mr.. At
kinson both state that proper con
veyance is now being prenared to ac
complish this object.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-31

I do not think I put it too strongly
when ! say that the idea in the de-
partment seems to have been chow
much we can spen. or squeeze out, -
and not how far can we make this
money go. (See Miss Dawson g
statement for instance.)
Men able to do carpentry and paint
ing were paid $3.50 day some months
and $3.50 per. day other months, when
they worked for the department at
these trades. These same men at other
times apparently were satisfied to fill
places as janitors for $4,000 or less per
nth
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-31
BOOK DEPARTMENT.

places as janitors for $4,000 or less per
month.
BOOK DEPARTMENT.
That the department has to deal in
school books, Mr.. Atkinson has OBJ.
jected to often III the past. and states
that if the department were free from
this burden, it would result in greater
efficiency in other matters. He does
not consider that he is responsible for
the conduct of the book business of the
department, and says that she pre-
sumes the Secretary is the person re-
spOnslble. He al not know whether
wall, Nichols & Co. or the Hawaiian
News Company owed the department
anything for books, when one company
was indebted to the extent of S16750
and the other $500 Practically, he
has let the book business run itself,
without his supervision. Several hun
dred dollars are due the department,
according to the ledger kept by Hiss
Daisy Smith, the book clerk. Credits
owing certain persons appear also
this is explained in Mr.. Young's re-
port.
Section 220 of the Revised Laws al
lows the deDartment to furnish books
to private schools and to other persons
for educational purposes. [ construe
this to he for cash. Mr.. Atkinson states
that he has refused to sell books to pri-
vate schools and that the books are
kept for the pupils of the public schools
only.
That the book sales should be con-
Quoted. so long as this is a branch of
the department s work, with the same
care and method employed in an or
binary mercantile house seems, perhaps,
too obvious to mention. Whatever Mr..
Atkinson may have considered his re-
lations to the book department, it seems
to me that the general supervision of
that branch of the department IS work
belongs to the Superintendent, as F'the
chief administrative officer of the de-
nartmenf -