davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
Nerves Of the Modern Actor.

From Harper's Weekly.
Actors travel on their nerve so much
nowadays. 1t makes 'em think they're
nervous said the old carpenter. why,
was with show that had to delay
covered a fancy interior done in blue and
gold. He said blue got on his nerves: so
we lost time while the scene was painted
over. Same way with another-a woman
star. She wouldn't work because a parlor
set had panels decorated with peacoclss.
Said she was picked once by a peacock,
and even pictures of 'em scared her.
But you can bet that's done mostly for
press agents, and the more hot air is
wrote about EN- in the newspapers. the
better actors they think they are.
Used to be actors had to produce the
goods-and do 1t on real acting. too. They
could act and talk so as to make the audi
ence think it was a balmy moonlight
night, for instance, without lot Of cleo
trical stuff to help 'em out. There's often
more stagehands working realistic effects,
nowadays, than there are actors in the
whole cast; and sometimes what passes
for a good show would be just as in
teresting If there was no actors in it,
What is lacking in the modern actor
compared to the old SCHOOL," asked the
student.
Most of em amt got the backbone to
be good actors" replied the old man.
Can you figure any of these dude society
stars pulling off fierce sword fights and
struggles like Mccullough or Forrest :?
No, sir; they amt physically able. And
that's what makes us sick when we have
to stand in the wings and listen to them
fool the audience into thinking what won
derful heroes they are
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
Plant Intelligence.
From Outing Magazine.

outihS hasd|he'
But as the animal is nearer to us than
the vegetable, so is animal intelligence
nearer akin to our own plant than intelli-
gence. We hear of plant physiology. but
not yet of plant psychology.
When a plant growing in a darkened
room leans toward the light. the leaning,
we are taught, is a purely mechanical
process; the effect of the light upon the
cells Of the plant brings it about in a
purely mechanical way. but when an an
imal is drawn to the light the process is
a much more complex one and implies a
nervous system 1t Is thought by some
that the roots of water-loving plant
divine the water from afar and run to-
ward it.
The truth is. the plant or tree sends it's
side of the water find the ground moist
ure in that direction, and their growth is
accelerated, while the others are checked
by the dryness of the soil. An ash tree
stands on rocky slope where the soil is
thin and poor, twenty or twenty-five feet
from my garden.
After a while it sent so many roots
down into the garden and so robbed the
garden vegetables of the fertilizers, that
we cut the roots off and dug a trench to
keep the tree from sending more. Now,
the gardener thought the tree OWNED the
rich pasturage down below there, and
reached for it accordingly. The truth is,
suppose. that the roots on that side
found a little more and better soil, and so
pushed on till they reached the garden,
where they were at once so we'll fed that
they multiplied and extended themselves
every season sent more and stronger roots
into the garden.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
UNION OF THREE LARGE
DENOMINATIONS PLANNED

Plans for the union of the Methodist
Protestant, Congregational and United
Brethren denominations will be formulat-
ed, it is expected, at the general confer
ence of the Methodist Professionals to be
held next May.
Such plans were prepared some time
ago, but when submitted to the Congre-
gationalists the latter found that there
was a spirit of dissension in their ranks
and it was deemed advisable not to do
anything that might cause split. There
fore, the matter was dropped for the
time.
Rev. DR.. F. T. Tagg of Baltimore. pres
ident of the Methodist Protestant General
Conference, is quoted recently as saying
that there is not the slightest doubt but
that the union will be consummated.
1.-The leaders of the movement are sin
cere," he said. land will continue to work
in behalf of the plan. There are many
Of the Congregationalists who, are anx-
ious to form the union, but there is some
opposition. Under these circumstances
the leaders feel that they do not want to
join with the other denominations unless
they can come In solidly.
There is no doubt that this minority
opposition can be soon overcome and the
union thus be made without any risk Of
involving factional discord''
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
SHOP MEETINGS.
Layman Praises Recent Y. M. C. A.
Evangelistic Campaign.

What is regarded as one of ..,e most
useful features of the thirty-sixth annual
convention of the Young Mems Christian
Association was the campaign for souls
waged about the public buildings and
shops of Washington. This feature of
the Y. NJ. c. A. convention was called to
the attention of Star representative by
a man who has devoted rather negative
interest to church affairs. He added:
1.-The Y. NJ. c. A. must certainly be a
power in the land If its leaders impress
all people as a deputation of them carried
conviction in our shop a few days ago.
They visited US just at the close of the
work day The leader was a Mr.. Cooper
of Springfield, Mass. and just after the
whistle had blown he requested that the
men gather around that he might deliver
Christians message. He was a tall
and striking looking man with a pleasing
delivery. Fifteen minutes consideration
was all he asked and he and his cohorts
filled in that time with one of the most
interesting sermons of prose and song in
tabloid form 1t has ever been my pleasure
to listen to. Two hymns were sung by
Mr.. Mcdowell with a good voice, and a
young woman played portable organ. 1t
was altogether a highly devotional and
L
will be productive of much good.
Cant just explain why, but that man.
who claimed to be older, than he looked,
inspired more devotion In me than any
dominic 1t has been my fortune to meet.
Perhaps it was the unexpectedness of it
all. He was familiar with his topic
seemedK6 know human nature and itc
pitfalls thoroughly and was gifted with
a personality that carried conviction.
This lay preacher seemed to make a
great hit. There is. of course. no definite
means to determine the wherefore of such
contamination. Maybe the sheer
novelty of the occasion served to heighten
an impression which this evangelist's dis
course and personality created.
1T was altogether a step in the right
direction and opened UP field locally
that ought to be propagated by the Y. NJ.
c. A. There Is large element Of men
that will never hear the word of God
spoken in any other way
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
Praying for Business Success.

From the Sunday School Times.
Prayer must be a factor in our every
day secular life or we have not learned
to pray. Bearing this in mind, how shall
we view the question asked by a Ken
lucky reader?
Is it wrong to pray for the success Of
business enterprise?
1t is wrong to go into a business enter
prise for which we can not pray. And
If every one held aloof from every COM
mercial undertaking for the, unqualified
success of which he would hesitate to
pray honestly earnestly persistently and
hopefully, there would be more real bust
ness successes and fewer seeming sue
cesses that collapse like bubbles. 1t is
certainly right to pray for the success, of
every undertaking to which God has
called US; and it is equally certain that
we ought not to go into any undertaking
more concerned in our success than we
are--we may be sure of that. He intends
to have His children succeed when they
implicitly obey Him; the Bible record
gives overwhelming evidence of this. But
If we are engaged in an enterprise con-
corning which we are little doubtful as
we pray, or which does not seem quite to
fit in with the prayer mood, then the
sooner we get out of it the better The
prayer test, rightly applied, is a safe one
for finances as we'll as for everything
else.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
As to Fairy Stories.

Joel Chandler Harris in Uncle Remus' Magazine.
The farmer has heard that there is a
periodical purporting to address itself to
the young which refuses to print fairy
stories. The editor has probably given
his reasons for such a course. but. in all
likelihood. they were not the right ones.
He has doubtless told his readers that he
considers fairy stories to be the wrong
kind Of mental pabulum" for growing
boys and girls. Mental pabulum" Is a
fine phrase and has learned and scien-
tific sound. but. considering the history
of civilization. and the ten thousand diff
ferent paths and winding ways that have
been trod by the youth Of the race, he
is a hard and conceited person who shall
undertake to say that fairy stories are
not a fit tonic for the minds of boys and
girls. But there are a great many peo-
Pile who pretend to think it. and they are
said to move in the very best circles of
pedagogy And they say it in face of the
fact that for thousands of generations dt
may be) the young have had their minds
fed on fairy stories.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
AS PEOPLE HANDLE PAPERS.
So They Will Act in Everything
They Do.

rom the New 1Orh sun.
s'1 know of no surer signboard of char
acter than the way in which a man or
woman handles newspaper" said an
old bachelor. 1.-The person who hits the
newspaper with the hand in opening the
pages has the emphatic or Rooseveltian
nature.
You may depend upon it that such a
person will mot hesitate to express an
opinion. whether you like it or not, If a
man handles his newspaper in this way he
will do you in a trade. IF woman does
1t she will rule you if you marry her.
THE person who shifts and turns the
pages of a newspaper repeatedly. first one
way and then another. is unstable. The
MIN will><never succeed In business, the
Wurnan aSN be shiftless ih her home.
You han ssen. if you have noticed as
have, peoptSyh never Eeep the e., pages of OF
the paper Xsaet; TheS 10 get dro the on pages
man who hanf Plies his paper In this way
has no svstey11in his business. A woman
who does ft viii drag Der petticoat or wear
her hosiery wrong side out, and II she be-
corIes a mother her children will have
dirtS faces and unkempt hair.
"A man who reads one newspaper while
he holds on to- xEvo or three more when
he is 10 a room where there are others is
a hog That is a very ugly appellation
III Is tne1 pldIh' oiuA' JIMMY III ioi Sei4i0A
ness. n
Il havesknown some very nice and clev-
er peoplefto litter up a room with newss
papers as fast as they read them. Such
a habit indicates type of charity that
begins at home disposition, coupled with a
don't care disposition. AS much as to
say: I'm through with it, what's the diff
ferenceT
THE person who looks at the advertise
ments first unless in searching for job
or a servant. - practical. rather CONNER
cial and sentimental when it suits his or
her purpose.
The man who rumpies his paper and
rams il into his pocket when he is leav-
ing street car is not only disorderly. but
the act indicates that he is a sort of
grabber: anything to get 1t and keep II.
And a man who throws his newspaper
on the floor. of a car when he has I'm
ished reading it would not hesitate to spit
on your rug and bump into you in the
street without making an apology"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
The Neglected Rifle.
From Harper's Weekly.


There is no doubt but that a large pro-
portion of our male population could be
induced to take up rifle shooting as
pastime If the opportunity were offered.
That effective work can be secured by the
training in rife clubs has already been
demonstrated. Canada's rife clubs are
part of her military system. and in case
of war would be turned into military
companies. In Switzerland every male
citizen Is trained in the use of the rifle.
There the rifle club movement is three
centuries old. here we are only just be-
ginning. The way it can be accom-
plished here is for the government to
encourage, assist and maintain in high
degree of efficiency civilian rifle clubs
A comparison of civilian rifie-club work
in this country with that of other ma
tons is sad commentary of our neglect
ed opportunities. The United States,
with its SO,O0O,OOO or more OF population
and with our 10000, 900 available for mlia
tary service, has only about 5000 men
in all branches of the service receiving
training in target practice. The govern
ment rifle clubs show about 1880, and
there are possibly $4,000 more who are
familiar with rifle shooting of some sort
This leaves over 100000 unorganized
m1ltiamen who are either entirely ig-
norant or unskilled in the use of any
kind of small arms
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
Advertising in Berlin.
From the Circle.


Billboards for advertising purposes
are prohibited in Berlin. Their place
is taken by pillars or columns erected
at street corners. These columns, which
are usually of wood and iron, are about
twelve feet high and three feet in diam
eter- Built at the edge Of the side
walk. they form a conspicuous feature
of street life in that city. 1t is inter-
esting to note that the matter displayed
on these columns Is more in the nature
of reading notices than of pictures.
The privilege of erecting and using
these advertising columns is awarded
by the city to the highest bidder. Ac-
cording to the terms of the lease now
in force. the city receives an annual
rental of about $95.20O. but cannot
grant a similar privilege to any one
else. The life of the lease is ten years.
The price which the successful bidder
may charge for space is regulated by
the Berlin authorities. All posters be-
fore they are put up must be approved
by the police. Except in special cases,
the advertising space is awarded &C.
cording to the order of application. The
city reserves the right to demand the
posting of its notices free.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
Some Nuggets.

Henry F. Cope in Sunday School Times.
The two-faced are blind to both sides.
There can be no fear to those who have
once seen His face.
There is no annuncation without some
great remuneration.
Some of our professions must be judged
by our possessions.
If we but see God in all things, to re-
view life is to renew faith.
Too many are trying to go back to God
with their pockets full of idols.
Every sacrifice is both a test of SIN
cerity and an expression of service.
If you would have power with men you
must preserve your contact with God.
Our conservation almost always seems
to act as a provocation of the old enc
mics.
Prayer has often hewn the monument
of praise out of the mountain of diff
Guilty.
There is little sense of the reality of the
Savior without the sense of the reality Of
sin.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
PROTESTANTISM LIKELY
TO DISAPPEAR IN FRANCE

PARIS. December 24.-The French sepa-
ration law threatens TO extinguish the
last OF the Huguenots. 1t was passed
amid the enthusiastic plaudits of the
evangelicals. No harm. they said. could
come to any church that accepted It's
provisions. The small Protestant churches
of France did so. despite the protests OF
the allied churches on the continent. They
established the public worship associa-
tons. and accepted the devolution OF
goods" the remnant of their property.
Now. after a years experience, and
though the small pensions OF their clergy
have not yet expired. the churches are IN
difficulties. The Journal des Debats re-
ports that the superior council OF the
Union Of Reformed Churches Is this year
short by $685. francs upon a necessary
budget OF 1.49S.000 francs. The deficit is
likely to grow as the charges increase
through the cessation OF the clerical pen
sions. and already the little parishes
and churches are being marked out for
extinction and abandonment. So the grad
ual disappearance OF Professionalism in
France is likely to be one OF the frst
results OF the measures that received
such hearty support at the beginning.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
What Is a Bourgeoisp
n the New York Evening Post


Bourgeois a a term of reproach has en-
tered into the thought and speech of at
least two generations. 1t rivals Philis-
tine as a convenient epithet for what we
do not like. In literature. in art. most Of
all in morals. to be bourgeois is to be
something indefinaby but unspeakably
awful. Careful parents and anxious teach
ers warn the young against mourning this
faint You may be early English IL you
must. or late American If you will, but
never can you think without shudder
of being bourgeois. The word stands for a
curse, indefinite, to be sure. but blighting
almost as deadly as "un-American.'
The malediction came to us from
France, and there are those who main
tain that we give it more malign sig
nifcance than 1t has in it's country OF
origin. Not admitting that we in Amer
lea have a bourgeoisie at all, we get more
worked up over it than do the French.
Prof. Barrett Wendell has recently pointed
out that the great body of students at the
French universities are bourgeois. So are
the leading professional men: they derive
from middle-class families in the prov
inces. Such is VIGOROUSLY the case with
public men in France. When the socialist
orator Jaures flung the taunt OF bourgeois
at the ministry, Clemenceau eagerly ac-
cepted 1t as If it were a badge of honor.
AS we'll reproach Tammany statesman
for being "close to the people,! 1t APP
pears to be true, also. that in France 1t il
the bourgeois who do the least bourgeois
things Let an American in search Of
emancipation pass through the Latin
quarter at o'clock in the morning. he
will see the crowded, tables in front OF the
cafes, and hear the wit and song flying
back and forth. What gayety, what es-
prt, he will think rejecting on the sod
den bourgeoisie of his own land. Well.
nine-tenths of the merrymakers before
him are bourgeois.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
Why Iron Rusts.
From the Circle.

From the Circle.
Ask almost any intelligent man why iron
rusts. and he will probably explain at
tedious length that ii is all due to the
oxygen of the air. Ever since chemistry
became a more or less exact science
which was over a century ago. that theory
has been generally accepted. Now an
American physicist, DIR. Cushman. comes
along and announces that rusting is really
due to electricity.
DR.. Cushman started his researches with
the object of discovering some method of
preventing the corrosion of wire fences
a subject of vital interest 10 farmers He
achieved more than he anticipated. He
found that the first attack on the iron is
made by hydrogen in the form of exceed
ingly small particles. but not as the text
books have taught us, by oxygen. This is
IN agreement with the modern theory that
many substances, when they are dissolved
in water. are ASSOCIATED into IONS Or mi
mute particles smaller even than atoms,
all carrying electrical charges. Even pure
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
Queen Alexandra's Jewels.
rom the Dundee Advertiser.

From the Dundee Advertiser.
Among her wealth Of jewels the queen
has many trinkets of which she is very
fond. One which her majesty particular
ly likes and most frequently wears is
an enamel pendant of Russian make in
the form of white swan. The German
empress, whose pearls are the admiration
of all beholders, is seldom seen without
a diamond. neither very large nor par
ticularly beautiful, but which was found
after the battle of Waterloo in Ma
poleon's hat. The king has great fancy
for one or two of his walking sticks, His
favorite cane is an heirloom, as it was
constantly used by her late majesty and
was once the property of the merry mon
wrought gold, is now an Indian idol of
carved ivory, with a tongue of rubies and
eyes and forehead also of precious stones.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
EVANGELIST AT 10.
London Crowds Flock to Hear
YOUNG Girl Preach.

Ever on the watch for some novelty,
London is now turning to Miss Frances
Bradley Storr. the little preacher. who
has started series of religious mission
services in various parts of London.
The girl preacher is only thirteen years
of age. She halls from Doncasters and
has been conducting revival services since
she was eleven. Her father was farm
laborer earning $3.50 a week at Adwick-
e-Street, little village adjoining Dom
caster.
Recently Frances Bradley Storr has
been touring Scotland, Lancashire and
Yorkshire. where she has addressed huge
She is assisted in her
services by her mother and by the girl
evangelist. Miss Gertie Brackenbury.
Miss Storr IS a pale, delicate-looking
child, possessing a sweet voice and a
clear, confident delivery. accompanied at
times by, naive little mannersms. Her
sermons are usually of about twenty min
utes' duration. and in her discourses the
child and child life have a pre-eminent
place.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
CHURCH BELLRINGERS
FORM AN ODD BAND
Special Cablegram to The Star.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
LONDON. December N.-The dispute
between the rector of Stafford and his
oellfingers has brought to mind once
more the existence of a very ancient band
that u quite essential to the various serv-
ices Of the church. The trouble in the in
stance arose over the bellringers' refusal
to hand over the old jug which had been
In the belfry for full century. The rector
dismissed the ringers and they appealed
to the town council to intervene in the
dispute. 1t was explained to them, how
ever. that the corporation agreement for
bells to be rung on state occasions was
made with the rector and church wardens.
Since the dismissal of the ringers a num-
Der OF parishioners. who volunteered their
services. have been diligently practicing
the art Of bell-ringing.
James Storey Wright of SpaIding claims
10 De the oldest bellringer in England.
having been sixty-six years at the ropes
OF opaloing parish church. He was born
fomr, z. 1927. and began ringing at
fourteen years of age. For over thirty
years ne has been captain of tne ring
ers at Spalding Church. and has raised
the treble for these fifty years. He
mas runs bells in various parts of the
eastern countries. and. among other
places. at Lincoln, PETERBOROUGH EIv.
CroWland Abbey. Boston, Louth. Siam
ford Bourne, Deeping, Lynn, sutton.
Wisbech, Holbeach. bennington. ,:osber-
ton and the villages around. When he
attained his SEVENTEEN birthday he was
the recipient of many honors from
w-campanologists throughout the
country.
Dr. Hearn. the present incumbent of
St AIMS Church. Shandon. has APP
pealed for funds to repair the historic
Bells of Shandon," immortalized in the
musical and ingenious lines of Father
trout, who lies buried at the foot of
the belfry. 1t is curious that these fa-
nous bells. like nearly all the interest
ing ecclesiastical antiquities of Ireland,
belong not to the Roman Catholics, but
to the dis-established Irish Church, the
clergy of which also claims to be the
true descendants of ST. Patrick. But
Shandon bells are not very ancient, as
church bells go, for they were cast
about the middle of the eighteenth CEN
fury, at Gloucester
The old bells of Tendring Parish
Church, three of which bear dates be-
tween 1918 and 1927, have been taken
down to make way for new peal
King Edward has sent his congratu-
lations to Henry Ellis of Huddensfield,
who has acted as bellringer at the
parish church for fifty years.
During the illness of the sexton at
st. Peters. in Dorsetshire, the famous
church built by the convicts at Port
land, the bell for evensong was rung by
Mrs Huthwaite, wife of the vicar.