davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
The UncomfortabI Collar.

T don't know what Is the matter
with these collars" said Smartboy to
the salesman. They seemed all right
when l bought them yesterday. But
had to use a button book to connect
them with my collar button this morn
Ing They fit as though they were in
tended for my little brother"
There are two ways to put on a col
lar" replied the salesman. land you
seem to have chosen the wrong way.
noticed II when you were here yester-
day, but 1t was not up to me to tell
you I've been jumped on for volun-
teering that Information more than
once Most men think II does not make
any difference whether you button the
right side or the left of collar first.
1t makes all the difference I'm the
world I'm the comfort and set of the
color. no matter what shape II Is.
Undo that collar you are wearing. but
ton the right side first. and you'll be
glad you're alive."-New York Press.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
Life Ambition is 10
Be on the SIx-
0reu1e Bench.

could not find a chair or desk large
| enough for him. Nor could any be
found in Washington. He had to have
some made especially for his size
Even the stairway leading up to his
office had to be overhauled and a new
balustrade erected. In the cabinet
room he had the same difficulty with
the chairs. After trying them all he
gave it up.
Il believe" said Taft smilingly, that
these chairs are trife low. / don't
like them
We'll. governor" replied Secretary
Root quick as a fash, remembering
that this was his last cabinet meeting.
there are ways by which people can
be got out of them"
Most Popular In College.
At Yale Taft was known as big
Bill" and Pork BILL the first of
which appellations has chung to him
through life. He was an athlete and
especially in evidence in class rushes
and scrimmages. Notwithstanding this
he stood high in his studies and car
ried off the second honor in class OF
40. He was one of the most popular
men in college, fact that has been
amply attested in after life At the
time Of one annual class dinner Taft
was lying ill in Manila mt probably the
darkest hour in his career. A cable
gram was handed him signed by his
former classmates atteSting their af-
fection and sympathy, and 1t so touch
ed the big man he could not conceal
his emotion A year later he himself
attended the dinner and feelingly re-
ferred to the episode and the cheer he
had felt because his old friends had
not forgotten him. Then. as if moved
by common impulse, every man pres
ent rOared out: "COnfound you, Bill
Taft. forgotten you. Why, we love
you"
After leaving college Taft was re-
porter on one of the Cincinnati papers,
at the same time taking u course in a
law school. A particularly scurrilous
article appeared in disreputable local
paper rejecting on his father. Where
upon the young man so soundly whip
ped the editor that the publication of
the sheet was suspended. The episode
made big Bill'' the hero of the hour
in Cincinnati and was said to be the
start of his phenomenally successful
career. 1t was at about this time that
another incident occurred which illus
trates the quality of the man.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
It's Coming.

Ger the verdure of the forest hangs a
hint of purple haze;
There's a lengthening OF night time and
a shortening of days;
There's a katydid that nightly sings his
rasping song to me
From a secret nook that's hidden in the
silver poplar tree.
On the sumac all the berries show a
pledge of future flame,
And the oaks VIII soon be blushing vivid
scarlet-not for shame
Something's meilowing the sunshine while
the waiting world is still
And the goldenrod Is blooming mid the
briers on the hill.
Yellow plumlets nodding. swaying with a
wild. untutored grace.
Lending shine and sheen and glory to old
natures rugged face:
Turning all the weedy roadside into solid
ranks of gleam.
Reaching out across the meadows to the
borders of the stream.
Picking from the woodlands fringes with
shy and winning smile.
Bidding drearincss evanish from the ~
ing world awhile.
Thus IL comes-the autumn's herald. ar
dent enemy of gloom
Joy IL Is to live and labor when the gold
enrod's in bloom
s.. w. Gill,ian Ia Baltimore American
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
WILLIAM H. TAFT, SECRETARY OF WAR AND OPTIMIST

One day when driving near Cincin-
natl Mr.. Taft was asked by a pedeS-
TRAN the way TO certain village. Taft
told him, said he was going in the de-
sired direction and offered the stranger
n ride. The stranger climbed into the
carriage. with the churlish remark
that poor company was better than
none During the ride he was unSo-
ciable. naughty and uncongenial. How
about that branch road L was TO take?"
he asked at length. oh said Taft.
1--WE passed that six miles back"
''Why didn't you tell me-" asked the
stranger in anger. Because L didn't
want to lose your society" was Taft's
reply. Poor company, you know. is
better than none"
1t must not be imagined, however.
that Judge Taft is only Il man of hui
NOR. AS all life thrives in the sun
shine, so all the virtues are foStered
by optimism. The fact that a man is
good fellow does not argue that he is
nothing more. Taft is much more. He
IS one of the hardest workers in public
life. He has large patience and tact
He deSpises affectation and false dig
nifty. He likes genuine things.
Learned Filipino Dances and Customs.
His life ambition was to be on the
supreme bench. This he sacrificed be-
cause President Mckinley convinced
him that duty called him to the Philip
pines. There the keynote of his policy
was the Philippines for the Fflipi
nos" He made many enemies among
the whites by that course. but he car
ried it forward through dark days to
success. He abolished the social color
line in the islands. He learned the ma
tive dances and customs. so that he
could enter into their life. He kept on
with his work at the expense of
health. The love which that people
have recently shown him is the most
eloquent testimonial to the triumph of
his policy.
Secretary Taft was born Sept. Il.
1857, and comes of a distinguished
family. His father was Grants attor-
ney general and secretary of war, and
one of his brothers is editor of the
Cincinnati Times-Star. The adage that
fcw public officials die and none resign
does not apply to Taft. He has many
designations and destinations to his
credit. He has resigned at least nine
times, but generally to accept higher
positions, and has declined an appoint
ment to the United States supreme
bench and If rumor is to be credited
the governorship of Ohio and the presi-
dency of Yale.
Married In 1886.
In 1886 Secretary Taft married Miss
Helen Heron, daughter of John w.
Heron, who was once Il United States
district ATTORNEY IN Cincinnati. rs.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
Successful Tests of Peat
as Locomotive Fuel
Luxury In England.

Peat is abundautly stored in our
Maine boys. says the Lewiston Evening
Journal. Androscoggin county has
enough peat TO supply all Maine with
fuel for generation. Yet we fail 10
encourage intelligent efforts TO develop
our own resources in fuel. A number
OF experiments which Will be OF inter
est to many Maine men have recently
been made by the Boston and Maine
railroad in the use of peat fuel. so
far the tests have given entire salts
faction, and now the company Is pre-
pairing to give the new locomotive fuel
a more extended trial than any hereto
fore undertaken.
The company had its attention call
ed to the value OF peat as Il Steaming
agency some weeks ago and upon rep
resentation that IL was equal TO btu
minous coal was induced To test its
qualities. These We're -eminently sat
isfying and carload OF the material
has been delivered for further expert
merit The source OF supply Is in the
town of Lexington, Mass. and IL Is
said that this single deposit would
furnish CROUCH fuel for all the rail
roads entering Boston for period of
$50 years
The treatment consists in cutting OUT
the peat in large cubes and then suo-
iecting them TO heavy pressure. which
exudes all the moisture and makes the
mass as compact as anthracite. In the
pressing the cakes take on an elllpucai
shape. with an inch hole running
through them. which admits of free
burning. In reporting ON the first eN-
periments the officials OF the road say
that they found that this fuel made an
exceptionally hot fire. was free from
smoke and that II could be purchaser
for less than coal. From an econoin-
zeal standpoint. however. the coal snow
ed to better advantage owing 10 SLOW
or consumption. but the two advan-
tages named for the peat fully offset
that in favor OF coal.
The further tests which the company
proposes making will be watched with
interest. as a solution of the present
smoke nuisance may be found in the
geneal use for steaming purposes of
the peat fuel.
-Cornishman Limited
The Great Western railway in Eng.
land has put a train called the Corn
ishman Limited" on the run between
London and Penzance. Between Lon
don and Plymouth. $40 miles. the aver
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22

the lid" The threefold duty do no,
seem to worry the big Ohio man. Moth
Ing ever does. But some one should
| have inquired. How Is the lid:"
Smiles From Ear to Ear.
One of the biggest things about Sec
| rotary Taft is his smile 1t literally
| spreads from ear TO ear. A still bigger
| thing. however. is his laugh. 1t is fire.
| Quently heard, carries far and Is so in
fictitious that 1t spreads good nature all
| around the neighborhoOd. While not as
good a story teller as Lincoln the
Buckeye statesman Is quite as appre-
ciative of joke and enjoys his own so
much that every one else must enjoy
them also.
Here is one of the stories Secretary
Taft told in lecture that contains a
bit of his optimistic philosophy:
People - the poorest and most
wretched people-are happier than we
think, as n rule To eat when one is
hungry. to sleep well and comfortably.
TO warm oneself after a days work In
the cold-are not they who have these
things often happy enough?
NO matter how wretched we are,
we hold that our lot is not bad one,
and we pity some one worse Off In a
storm at sea one night two sailors.
their clothing frozen to their bodies,
hung to rope as the waves washed
over them.
II say. BILL says one.
'Wot is it. mate:' says the other.
Think O. the poor fellers caught at
picnic in such weather as this"
AT one time Taft. then governor of
the Philippines. was giving testimony
before senate committee. After one
OF the hearings a senator remarked:
well. governor, there's one thing to
be said In favor of our holding those
Islands, and that is that you've enough
unhanged Filipinos over there to turn
out sufficient hemp to string up all the
rascals in the world"
True" responded Governor Taft 81
hadn't thought of that before" Then
he added laughingly, "And your re-
mark throws a flood Of light upon the
secret Of the strenuous opposition from
certain quarters in this country against
the free Importation of hemp from Ma
Mia into the United States"
Here is another of the big Buckeyes
yarns: Taft has a friend who is a
farmer near a Maine Prohibition town.
A stranger once went into the farmers
house, says the secretary, and asked
for glass of milk The farmer filled
n glass with whisky, milk and sugar.
The stranger. after draining the cup.
handed il back and remarked:
"My Lord, what GOVT
Too Big For Ordinary Chairs.
When made secretary of war, Taft
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
FrnrI. Eneii.h servant

The English servants. whether they
prove better when engaged. are certain
~ franker than American servants In
declaring their weaknesses I'm adver-
Using for employment. The columns
OF London paper disclose their anna
Bile candidness. In the first advertise
ment the applicant confesses to drink
a temptation. but not an inebriate:" the
next pleads as her recommendation
that she Is faithful. but plain OF
speech a third requires place where
manual work is light" but does not
say OF what intellectual work She Is
capable. while a fourth Is described as
rdishonest girl OF seventeen" Should
the mistress be too hypercritical TO en-
gage any of the above attractive sery-
ants she has still another opportunity
perhaps "she will be willing to train
for domestic service rough coster
girl DESTROYS of redeemlng character"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22

other trainmen, says n Cincinnati dis
patch to the Pittsburg Dispatch The
officials of the roads thought the train
men were rather OVERRIDING the bou-
tonniere stunt, it seems and decided to
have all pOsies discarded.
1t Is said that the final straw added
to the load on official shoulders was
placed a few days ago when con-
ductor startingly decorated himself
with sweet peas, bridal roses and mas
turtiums.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
DeSpiSeS Aftecfofion and False Disnffy---
FuH Of Patience and Tacf and Hard
Worker--A Laugh Tbaf Carries Far.

Taft is a woman OF much tact ana ms
won many friends for both her hus-
band and herself. They have several
children. and the family CIRCLE Is Il
charming one. Mrs. Taft is very pop
ular in Washington society and is fond
of entertaining her many friends.
Judge Taft is over six feet in height
and despite his weight is agile and
athletic. His favorite recreation is
horseback riding. and he is an accom-
pli.had hprseman. even if he does have
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
THE RAILWAYS AT
HOME AND ABROAD

age speed will he 5J.T miles per hour.
says the Railway Review and Engi-
neering Three new trains have been
built for the service, composed Of the
largest cars yet run in England Each
coach is seventy feet long and nine and
Il half feet wide. A train is made up
of six coaches. with a total seating
capacity for 26S passengers.
Every seat in the train is numbered,
and the passenger will receive per-
forated ticket. half of which will be
torn of by the guard and slipped, so
that IL cannot be removed. into a little
slot at the back OF the seat just above
the head.
Electric light and electric fans are
conveniently located. Wallets and Ia
dies maids are carried, in addition to
the guards and dining car attendants.
The maids will constantly patrol the
train TO render service TO women and
children and especially watch over
women travelling without an escort
Keep Same Locomotive.
An order recently issued by the
Pennsylvania Railroad company which
is heartily received by the enginemen
and tiremen provides that each engine
crew shall use the same locomotive all
the time, and no other will be assigned
to crew unless they are running ex-
ira, says a Pittsburg dispatch. 1t is
understood that ia many cases the
Pennsylvania has been pooling loco
motives ON account OF the shortage of
motive power in recent months, and by
the pooling system a locomotive crew
gets 4 different one on nearly every
run. The officials realize that when a
crew has the same locomotive all the
| time better care is taken of the ma
chine and better results are obtained.
Ii will be the duty of the crew TO
| look after the engines at the end or a
run, and in this way the officials con-
slider great deal OF repair work will
| be eliminated. 1t is also a recognized
fact that an engineer becomes attached
TO certain engine and can accomplish
a great deal more with one that he
knows. The new order is not only sat
isfactory to the trainmen. but is looked
! upon by the officials as a means OF less
ening the expense OF keeping up the
motive power by having the engines
carefully looked after from day to day
| Cut Ont Flowers
In future do not wear flowers Oh
bouquets in the lapels of your coats
or any decorations of any kind that are
not prescribed by the rules"
The above order, recently issued fol
the guidance OF Norfolk and Western
trainmen, was provoked by the re
markable taste for variety and guam
fiIY of flowers WORN hN conductors an
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
ramous Modern Archer.

An Englishman. Sir Ralph Payne
Gallwey, recently made a remarkable
shot with his ancient Turkish bow.
Shooting at the new French golf links
of lie Touquet, he covered a distance
OF 367 yards with his best arrow.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
America the Other Great
Country of the World.
Says Wife.

America and Russia are almost like
the far famed Siamesc twins said VI.
Sergius Witte, the chief Russian peace
envoy. in his room in the St Regis
hotel, at New York. to New York
Herald reporter the other afternoon.
The two great countries of the world,
he then added, ARE Russia and the
United States. They are the two great
countries of the world because they
both pIsoduce men and material. That
is the secret of any nations success.
Asked if he thought Russia'S com
mercial condition had been bettered or
injured by the war, NJ. White said:
Russia is better now than she ever
was. After the war sac will get on
her feet again, and when she gets on
her feet it will he firm and strong
position that she takes"
In answer to a question as to whether
the internal troubles in Russia were
agitating the minds of the government,
NJ. Witte replied:
THAT is a diplomatic question which
/ cannot answer, but | can say Rus
STA is much misunderstood country
in America. America is 50 far away.
SO distant by land and sea, so almost
remote in all the possibilities Of our
national life, that il IS not at all sur.
prising that false and exaggerated re.
ports become current here. 1t also
happens that we OF Russia have err
roneous reports about the United
States. We are told Of your lynchings.
your riots. yonr popular uprisngs. In
St Petersburg and Moscow these ap-
pear TO us as very serious matters.
Doubtless we appear to your states
men here in the same position. Still,
think il is only fair, only just and
only equitable to look at the two trOu-
bles In social economies with an eye
glass which reaches five thousand
mile
Not Yet Perfect.
II certainly do not intend to state
that the Russian civil life is perfect. l
presume you do not intend to state
that the civil life of America is per
feet. We both have our faults. We
| both. trust. are striving TO overcome
or obyiate them"
"Win you speak about Russian af-
fairs III the far eastT'
ION that question my lips are sealed.
"Will you say anything about the
evacuation Of Manchuria by the Rus
| sian troOpsE
'-Nethin2 at all"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22

prize from Columbia university FOR an
essay on the subject of the relations
of the United States with the Latin
American republics. Women cannot
understand politics. Item third: One
Of the Infamous "maShers' for whom
New York city Is notorious the other
day walked up to Il strange young
woman and threw his arms around
her The girl turned like lightning.
hauled off with her fist and hit the fell
low a blow that knocked him down,
he falling backward and fracturing his
skull against the curbstone, and the
Judge said she served him exactly
right.
1t Is very satisfactory to know that
In our republic girl may still work
her way through college and be liked
and respected by all her classmates,
even though some OF them are million
aires daughters. That is the case
with Miss Lucy Esther Macdonald.
who was lately graduated from Smith
college. She was class president dur
ing her senior year.
HH
IQefe can De no oSleT CIuD lol hIcu
among women, for not enough women
can be found to acknowledge they are
over sixty.
Chief among the blessings Of the
feminine sex today is that it has play
for the powers it possesses, whether
they are small or great.
-
II you are obliged 20 say disagreed
BILE things to either grown people or
chikfren practice the art of saying
them as gently as possible. Respect
the human dignity in all that wears
human form. Think of the manner in
which you would be willing TO have
others speak to you under such cir
cumstanceS.
One of the important movements
among women at present is the very
general organizing into unions OF those
who work at trades. When women in
the trades organize and hang together
as men do the wages of the feminine
sex will rise all along the line. The
Women's Trades Union league Is doing
brave work in this respect. One OF the
newest trades organizations among wo-
men is that OF the finishers and button
hole makers on garments OF all kinds.
80
Mutsuhito, the wonderful emperor of
Japan. is what me IS largely because he
was educated under the supervision of
a remarkable woman. his mother
ELIZA ARCHARD CONNER
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
PERSONAL ride o. q -|fafeSman 6o6o Tips
the |coIeS ar Three Hundred--.Special
Chair and Desk Made for HIS Use.

tips, the scales at $50. 1t is an old sto-
~. but a good one. that while governor
general of the Philippines Taft wired
TO Secretary Root that he had ridden
TO the top of mountain near Manila
and had been wonderfully benefited by
the trip. to which Root cabled back:
GLAD To hear Won are better. Eo~s 40
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22

w YHAT with his trip to the Phil
NV ippines, Hawaii. Japan and
w China and his attempts TO
settle the Chinese boycott,
William Howard Taft has been much
in the public eye of late. Taft is such
u large man, physically and otherwise.
that il is hard for him to keep out OF
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22

the public eye. Tom Reed once SaId
that no gentleman weighs over 200
pounds. The secretary of war has re-
viscd this and says that no gentleman
weighs over 300 pounds. Yet there are
those who assert that the genial peace
man at the head of. the war portfolio
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22

Speak Kindly to the Erring.
Mayor Arthur =. Jones OF Winnetka,
Ill. has taken Il new scheme to pro-
tect the village from speeding automo-
bIles. says the Chicago Post. He Is
going to post policemen at the entrance
TO all roads into town and have them
present each chauffeur. with card OF
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-22
UniIunorfauf Man.

Many a man goes away from home
for a week and imagines that he Is
missed by the whole community, and
when he comes home he finds that there
isn't a person In town that knew he
had been away.