davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
HIS TIPTOE b

How Formed. n the Struggle He Is
Having 10 Free Himself OF II.
"One habit / don't get. over yet, said a
one time fat dweller who has now attained
to the dignity of a house, lis that of walking
around on my toes.
we lived in a fiat house under a family
whose floors were interpreted and who
used to walk around on those bare floors
~fiatfooted with their heavy shoes on-tramp,
tramp, tramp all the time. Over our heads
it was always laundering, and sometimes
it used to drive us pretty nearly distracted,
They were nice, well meaning people, all
right, but they just didn't think, and we
had to suffer for il.
But it made me think that if their walking
around like that over us disturbed US 40,
what must our walking around be to the
people under US?
That led to my forming this tiptoeing
habit that still clings to me. From going on
tiptoe on the bare places I came to walking
on tiptoe all around our fat, where we had
carpets or rugs as well, and so at last
l came to walk instinctively along the tiled
floor Of the hall without.
Some Of my folks lau ghed at me, but |
taught them at least all to walk softly in the
~ WAiAHC Nv bC NhS NAlAOV hOpb bNNdlllC
confirmed.
Then fortune smiled on us rather broadly
and here w are, a. you see us, in a house,
where we could jump on the floors If we
wanted to and never disturb anybody.
But the tiptoe habit formed in the fiat still
clings to me and frequently / find N.Y.
self, as got found me just now walking
around here on my toes.
you wondered at il. / wonder at myself
when find myself walking around that way,
when il comes to me that l am tiptoeing,
and my folks say | make myself ridiculous
and scandalize the whole family. And still
/ don't seem quite to get over going around
20. It's the force Of habit, you know that's
all.
But | shall get over il all right in time.
It's an ingrained sort of habit, but over
now, and we've only been here about six
months, l find the greatest. sort Of luxury
in walking around the house freely and
naturally as / would anywhere, without
fear OF distu rbing anybody, and I'm doing
that more and more all the time and it won't
be long now before I'll be able to stop tip
toeing altogether"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30

pedestrians, autos. cars, ~victorias, coupes,
carriages OF all kinds made way for It and it
numbered in unimpeded grandeur along its
accustomed route.
that's Madison Square Garden. statoo
Of Di Anna on top"
The stage moved toward the sidewalk
at this point and a young woman standing
there hesitatingly was beokoned to.
-Thinkin' of takin' a rider
She looked fearfully at the top, uncer-
tainly within.
Crawl right up here. You can do 1t
all right"
She looked again, then climbed into a
nearby hanson.
Don't know her own mind said the
driver, as one accustomed to such disap-
pointments. Most females don't"
A victoria driven by a liveried coach
man with heraldic crest on its doors and
large blue rosettes at the horses ears, swept
majestically into the avenue from a side
street. The stage and it were in imminent
danger Of collision but the stage didn' t swerve
a hairs breadth from its path. After the
foaming horses and the frothing coach
man had been held up the driver winked
again more solemnly than ever.
Then a wagon with a load Of animals, on
the top Of which sat a bear, passed.
IF these horses had met that on a country
road they'd hev been frightened stir.
There's something about the smell OF a
bear that ~terrifies a horse almost to death.
But you can't smell a bear in New York.
Giddap."
He peered through a small window into
the depths Of the stage below and was silent
a long time. Then he offered to let the
nearest voyager take a look through the
~peepholes.
The offer was accepted just in time to
witness an exhibition of the last remaining
piece OF chivalry in metropolitan travel-an
old gentleman taking the fare Of two new
oomers and depositing it in The box at the
end with a bow of old fashioned courtesy.
People hev been dom that for thirty
year an more a n no far as l can see It's
the only bit o. kindness that's left.
DO people ever steal rides? There was
an ole man oncet who rode the whole way
jes' to see how many people did. When
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
NOCKED OUT
II THE G
Due Operation of the Law at Sum-
tertown Prevented by Doc
Junk's Error.

They amt got no use for doctors no
more down in Sumtertown," said the rail-
way expressman. NO, sir. not q bit since
Doc Junk made that air bust OF hisn when
ole Miss Simp died. That was the worst
ever hit the town"
ole man Simp come clear 'thouten any
trial, l hearn, said the station agent at Bay
Tree. But / never heard how it all hap
pened.'
ole man Simp come clear, said the ex-
pressman, but Doc Junk come anigh
gwine yonder.'
'So,' says tho station man, how come
that7'
you know, - the expressman said, ole
Simp's ole woman died and ole Simp come
70 Sumtertown and when the citizens con-
dole with him he says:
YES, darn her, she's dead, and I'm glad
Of it,"
You know how them Crackers is down
In Florida. Worst sort Of Crackers. They
gets the ijea old man Simp killed his wife
and raises hell and talks about lynchin'
him. You remember that.
We'll, they SEE they had just lynched
three niggers an is goin' to have a legal
hansin' an ole Simp he SEE his prayers,
wi bo aIS"ON Nh0O JOAy "SNAN
and him. They put him in Jail an here
along comes the States Attorney an they
tells him ole Simp has wilfully murdered
his wife. .
Jim johnson was States Attorney and
when he comes with the Cote they tell him
he's 10 hang ole Simp. Jim seq it's time
somebody was hung and asst what evidence
they wuZ.
aTA. Gr.aInra 49, sn.rn k;uo IsJ~Ik -.
say he wa darn glad the ole woman wuz
dead?'
-"Twon't do, sea Jim. Gotter have evil
the pizen in her.
so they gifts Doc Junk. Doc he spent
three months studyin' medicine an il AIM
no joke he is really the fines cslomel and
quinine doctor there, but he ain got no
standln' IN the State society.
Doc seen it was his chanst to make a
reputation an he's the nan for the job.
So Doc he gets the boys an they digs up
ole lady Sim. an Dec he analyses her STUN
mick.
He come next day and sen TO Jim an
sS ole lady simp vas / e:e1 with glass
As he's done analyze1 her stummick.
That's the stuff sen Jim. We've got
MN an ne BWlno 70 nanB.
That looked like it's lone settled and ole
Simp 10 made ready TO hang. But there
want no hangin,' said the express man.
They let ole Simp or"
Darn ole Simp,' said the station man.
The darned ole scOundrel pizened his
wife,
"Pissned belll" ser the expressman,
what you think happened7 Well, here
about q week ago there came q Cracker
20 Sumtsrtown. He lad with him an ole
gun with a barrel seven feet long, an he
juAt snorted. ,. .., .
Darn you air. sez he. Darn you all,
you dogs and thieves an grave robbers!
Where's that darn jury, that darn Coro-
ner's jury Darn EN- alll'
That sort err stirred up folks an ole
man Riggs he come an said he amt scared
or no dam Cracker, an asst what was the
matter.
The Cracker he cusses an sea he's Rwine
10 kill Svery last one or them jurors. He
ses h vents EN- all together sose be can
w ED what he THINKS.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30

Invalids rocuperating from nervous pros
tration, PhAlAdelphians, visitors who have
hearl their R~randfathers tell Of the riotous
StARe drivers and their shocking careless
mess In regard 10 life and limb and foreigners
writing books 70 prove that the ao-called
American energy n restlessness are
greatly overrated qualities are among the
passengers who 20 over the whole route
covered by those interesting relics the Fifth
avenue stages.
These survivals OF early New York really
deserve more attention than they get.
Much good literature might be written
about their youth Of beauty, grace and
devilishness n the chronicles Of those far
on times are to be credited.
One Of the mute, inglorious Millions h
know all about them is h elderly time
keeper at Blocker street, who has been re-
lieved from active service as a driver n
who was, according to his own account, q
gay young whip in the days when stage
bodies were painted yellow picked of with
green, whep the Boston post road really
existed and trolley cars running to Coney
Island were as much a dream as airships
are to-day.
He IL still on the pay roll after an active
service OF nigh onto forty year" and II he
is no longer able to rein in the FESTIVE Rosin-
antes he is able to keep a watchful eye on
the merciless drivers, call them back to
their duty when he detects signs Of over
w~eening ambition, and keep tally cards as
neatly as he was accustomed to bring the
stage to the edge OF the sidewalk, as much a
test OF good driving, according to him, as
bringing a yacht alongside a pier in a heavy
wind is Of ~seamanship.
Amt much like it use d to be in the olden
times be remarked. after giving a stem
torian roar Of "Giddap" to a stage that had
been waiting for the signal to take the up
own route.
Nope. Not much. L remember well
when there was ght different
lines OF sta ges running through New York
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30

to him. Spends it In building hotels.
There's the St. Regis telongs to him.
too. II costs you just SIPS a day TO stop
there They say it's a pretty high toned
place
A ~fashionably gowned woman, holding a
Pomeranian under her arm, was hailed az
this place.
Want to ride on top! No? Giddap,
them fashionable women ought TO take
more air.
House OF Havemeyer. the sugar king.
House Of Armour, the beef Gar. Mansion
Of the Five and Ten Store Magnate. Hev
to put more'n a nickel in the slot to draw
out one like that. Do all my tradin' at his
place.
Them gold window frames belong to the
new house Of Harry Payne Whitney.
The house OF Senator Clark's got seven
years work in engravin' on the outside.
The white marble place looks like a
mausole-um, don't it2 That belongs 10
the Phippses. Henry was run over by an
automobile. / tell you an automobile
amt any respecter Of them that lives in
white marble houses.
mo, that amt Andrew Canegie's: that
the Metropolitan Art Museum. .C~aInegie's
house is right above. Looks Just like it,
only it's got a barb wire fence about it,"
And yet there are still some who protest
that Americans get rid of their old land
marks too soon, and. as a nation. have no
respect for ruins and native wit!
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30

Washington was the first President Of the
United States.
Across the ways Mayor McClellan's
house. Those are his two lamps, always
there, day an night.
-Brevoort House. Great place for snails.
Dan Sickles's home; lost-at Bull u n
His arm, did you say?".
"No. l said his limb"
A long pause ensues while the stage IL
steered cleverly through a maze Of Dur
tains resembling the Alps, which il provided
every autumn by the city to give those
who are either too poor or too busy for a
summer outing a real scenic effect. The
driver ~vouchsafed this information, adding
to IT,
Some say those holes are intended for
salt water pipes. Salt waters good for
fires"
Once he leaned over suddenly and a volley
OF invective was heard. He winked a slow
eye and smiled widely:
Boys stealth rides. I hev to be hard on
'em, but l use ter do it myself.
"Flatiron Building. Must Jock big to a
stranger. | see il twenty times a day, ten
trips. Don't notice it any more, excep'
windy days"
In a moment the stage was in the midst
Of the traffic at Twenty-third street, and
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
ESS GRAPE ON
THE DOOR NOW
Changes in Funeral Customs IN
Busy New York-Lsss Said
on the Coffin Plate.

You may hear people in the country
and In smaller towns say that folks in New
York don't even know the people that
live next door, said the undertaken. But
as a matter Of fact somebody might live
and die under the same roof with you here
and you might never even know that he
was dead; this, for instance, in any one
OF the city's large apartment houses.
Here no Grape is hung at the outer door,
as it would be disturbing to the other
tenants. And SO there are parts Of the
town which you may traverse and never
see a Grape, People die here, but it is not
the custom tQ place the Grape at the outer
door.
I'm some parts OF the town in houses
Of many tenants, where it is desired and
where 1t is sanctioned by custom, We still
place a Grape at the outer door, in such
cases tying a black ribbon to the belipull
or TO the nameplate Of the family in which
t1e death has occurred in the hall within
but In the many fine modern apartment
i, houses IL il not the custom.
You will still find, as in the old way, IN
various parts Of the city in case Of death
Grape displayed at the door q private
dwelling houses; but here, too, the custom
Is beginning, has in fact begun, to fall INTO
disuse. You may now see on such houses
flowers with the Grape, or flowers alone;
there nre fine avenues and strec's N
which the outward display Of any death
emblem whatever has been largely II not
wholly given up. They know, and thrir
friends know; n why should they make
their grief public?
Another change OF comparatively recent
years Is in the manner Of inscribing CONN
Plates. Once such plates were universally
lettered with the name OF the deceased and
with the date Of birth and Of death. the let
tering being don in script. Now il il not
unusual for us TO put upon a plate the rame
only, and this In old English or in a block
letter, emitting the dates Of birth and death
entirely.
Women, particularly, are naturally SEN
sitive about their age, and they might have
shrunk from having this told. after rneir
death, a they would nave shrunk from
telling u themselves. IL was respect 10:
this feeling that prompted the omission o.
dates, done at hrst in the case Of women.
The simplicity OF this manner Of ma,lng
plates commended IL, and 10 was extended
To plates made for men; and we ar" no"
making, for both men and women a. m
creasing number OF CONN plates h"lrinL
the name only.
Another change in burial customs " ne
city IN found in the increasing nun p 81
Durials now held from undertaking r-'an-
hshments. which are now TO he fOund here
.equiQped with every possible conyen'ence
Tor the seernlS conducting Of funeral ttfeI
MoAaeei eAlAer. public OF private. -,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
THE MD ERADICATOR.
A Device % Advanced Motoring -0theE
Luxuries IN Demand.

A Device % Advanced Motoring other
Luxuries In Demand.
There are all sorts Of fads, fancies and
fittings which add TO the comfort and luxu-
robustness Of automobile touring. They
cannot be termed necessities, for the car
would give as good service without them
as far as carrying the load and speeding are
concerned.
In this connection it will be perhaps sur
prising to note that some men pay more for
the body and interior httinu Of their carr
than others do for entire machines.
A we'll known Chicago mOtorist has spent
$500 in putting extras on q 5000 steam
touring car. There included ak lamps, for
various purposes; a clock. a barometer, a
Thermometer, a grade indicator, an odom-
eter. a -speedometer, a huge dragon horn,
an electric bell, a steam whistle and q kid
eradicator.'
According 20 Country Life IN America,
this consisted Of a steam pipe running 10 the
rear step, n when al intruder attempted
to steal a ride the steam was turned on his
legs. Warning Of the boys presence u
given by the, ringing OF q small electric bell,
worked BY tfs weight on tn stop complet-
inG an electt1c circuit.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
HISTORY IN OFFICIAL FILES.
Commodore Vanderbilt as an once seeker
-LlncOIn's Accounts short.

-AluCOtuS FACcOuutA SNORT.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29.-There Is some
queer history locked up in the files Of the
various departments.
A few days ago the appointment clerk
OF the Treasury Department unearthed a
letter written by Horace Greeley in 1855
recommending Cornelius Vanderbilt for
appointment - a member of the Cotton
Claims Commission.
The photographer Of the Treasury De-
partment has a negative made OF Gen.
Grant when the latter was beardless. It
requires a second o to detect any OF the
familiar features Of the silent soldier.
In the bookkeeping division of the Office
Of the auditor for the Post Office Depart
ment is a record and all the correspondence
relating to the shortage in the accounts
Of Abraham Lincoln as postmaster at New
Salem, III. Mr.. Lincoln's shortage was
not large and was promptly paid.
On file in the Treasury Department ia an
application for promotion filed while John
Sherman was Secretary OF the Treasure.
It bears the following Endorsement from
Secretary Sherman:
Promote this man $500 a year, as he kas
useful to me in my race for the Senate
In another department is a copyoH a land
warrant and a receipt attached in the
handwriting OF Lafayette ACKNOWLEDGING
the donation OF land and money made
by the United States on the occasion OF M.
visit to this country following the Revolu-
tionarV War.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30

Adventures and Information During a Trip on One of Those
Interesting SurvivdIs of Old New York, a Stage.

from end to end and criss-orossing here and
there.
Them was the days when II was q pleas
ure to take a stage ride. You don't zee
any such drivin' to-day. Drivinl What
ls Il now?
Them was the days. too. when your
wages and your standin' with tho COM
pany depended on your gettin' passengers,
and gettin' passengers meant that you'd
got to keep some other fellow from gettin'
'em. 'Twa'n't easy. but there va sort Of
excitement about it.
"fricks1 The drivers was full Of EN-.
One f~avorite way was to force the other
fellow up onto the sidewalk. you'd drive so
close to his wheels. an another was to keep
your horses heads so close to his door
that he couldn't open IL and tho waiting
passengers d get tired an take your stage
instead.
.Fights9 Well. there was bound to be
occasional scraps. but when the work was
over we'd meet at some tavern and forget
IL, an when we had q days vacation like
as not we'd 20 an sit on the top Of some
other drivers stage and offer him advice
about the way to handle his steeds.
They want DIR Nv the way they are
to-day. either. We had to make time an
we had real horses and the men want
no slouches Of drivers.
"Giddap.' and another stage started on
the uptown route.
Some Of the drivers we hev to-day hev
been with the company about thirty year.
some fifteen or eighteen. and We hev a
constant supply Of new material. The
pays two dollar a day. and some Of the
younger men had rather try their luck as
chauffeurs.
AN the best drivers I've known hev been
Yankees. You take a Yank that oom-
menced life on q whale. he makes an Al.
Whales and stages actually went out to-
gether. You occasionally see a whale
and these old stages still survive. but the
glory of both Of EN- has departed"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
THEY HAVE 4 NURSE NAN.
How One Trio Of Small Boys Is HeInk
Licked Into shape.

How One TITO OF 9tnau boys Is ReinG
Licked Into shape.
A well to do young couple blessed with
three boys ranging in age from 7 to
8 years has originated a new household
feature-the nurse lar After trying q
series Of nursemaids, each of whom had
found the little men altogether too much
OF a handful, their mother engaged a man
nurse.
He 10 described by writer in Good House
keeping as a well educated, refined fellow
in the middle twenties, with a wife and
children OF his own, to whom he goes home
each evening about 3 O'Clock after his young
charges are safe with the sandman.
His understanding Of little boy nature b
complete; he supplements his regular duties
Of feeding, bathing, exercising, &C., by
teaching the lads how TO build boats, draK,
whittle wood in fascinating shapes, ride,
drive, skate and swim.
He plays makebelieTe games with them,
reads to them and tells them stories; and
while the family were at their mountain
camp last season initiated them into many
a secret OF bird lore and woodcraft.
His wages are, Of course, generous. but
his influence over the boys, who really are
too strenuous a problem for their delicate
mother n business burdened father, 10
excsllent. The relationship has existed
ever since the birth Of the youngest child,
and so far has developed none but pleasant
and helpful features.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30

The t~inekeeper paused to pat a piece of
so-called borseiesh which looked like the
printed diagram Of q new apartment house
In The Bronx.
Perhaps you was thinkin' OF takin' a
look at the a~vernerH YepI I'll pick you
out a good driver. one that's got his weather
eye peeled. New TO the city, mebbe, and
van q reliable one2 Afraid Of the horses
gettin' scaredi Excuse my laf1nl"
As he spoke one Of the stages, which
looked all the thirty years attributed to it,
swayed into position at the.starting point
The driver w@s vouohed for by the time
keeper a a who knew the avernsr' like
abook, and the voyagers looked iearfully up
the steep side Of the stage. E.
The dryer. who had q humorous face and
q gallant manner, soothed their perturba-
ton.
Don't you be afraid. now" he said.
I'm see you get up here, an II you fall he,-
pointing to the ~timekeeper, -can catch you.
Put your foot on the hub Of the wheel.
That's right. Now step onto the rim.
Lift up our ~dress-there's mud there. A
leetie higher; don't be afraid, there amt
nobody bookin'; leetle higher still.
that's better, Now step onto tina little
piece, now onto that. Quite a stretch for
you. amt itI Now. take hold OF this strap:
grab IL tight.
that's good. Throw your weight Jest
as II you was gettin' onto a ship. That's
right. One more pull. Now you're landed.
Want 30 bad, was it,"
The voyagers had no breath left to an
swer. The ~timekeeper said -Ciddap" and
informed the driver that the young ladies'
wanted him to point out the sights of in
terest.
An automobile hioked by, and the driver
changed the bit Of hay he was chewing to
leeward 80 a. to give his speech every adj
vantage.
-Leetle mite afraid, was you? Why,
these horses air as gentle as kittens; amt a
bit scared Of those devil wagons"
He saluted the corner peanut proprietor
and the stage was under way.
The bit Of wom whip which matched the
rest Of the accoutrements was pointed first
to one side and then the other as the driver
spoke his monologue:
The George Washington Arch. George
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
Demand for More Fu-..

From INC San FrdHeisco ChroHicIe.
samuel Leon. who represents large far
interests ana mas charge OF supplying the
trade. reports great est demand To- ~ 4, ~
history OF the country. " '"e
IN the last three years the demand for fur
200 per cent. 1ne demand nj ~ apns ian
u cannot DE met at all. and the result has been
10 increase enormously the priceOf skins,
states are being imported FROM Russia which
snoEs a great change, as formerly We relied
~ nus country 20 a great degree on the fmr@
sIauHhLered IN recent years 10 large numb~rs
ana aIinougn there seems 90 be no aim ~
~ rsrY eAslnctloh OF the animals. the sklna
more the gaoe " loOkinF ~ ne crt,es~L..N
Hortnsrn Europe for Their ARe shiss. "rs.s =.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30

soon he came and shook me by the hand
and 1 recognized him as the whilom re-
former.
well, pard, l suppose you're making
wads and wads Of money now 1 said.
Not so it's p~erceptible to the undraped
eye, he said. I'm a form player now.
Maybe I'd better stuck to my last as a re-
former
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
Absent Minded Church Goer.
From The chicago Inter Ocean.

An absent minded woman one Sunday
morning walked into church, took a front
seat and Joined in the service vigorously.
Then the collection basket was passed 10 her.
and, putting q coin into IL. she looked about.
She cast glances In every direction, her
mind cleared and an expression Of amaze
ment O~verspread her face. She got up. She
hurried down the aisle. She overlook the
WflH.R church. she whispered, and taxing
oUs4 he coin she had put in she hurried forth.