davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19
The Man in the Basement
By Baron Pale Rosenkrantz

By Baron Pale Rosenkrantz. Published by
the Empire book company. New York.
This story follows the time honored
recipe for making a detective story.
First find your corpse. Then follow
up clews that implicate each and every
one of the innocent characters, tangling
up the threads of your plot that are
carefully and prosily unwound In the
last chapter. The Man in the Base
ment" is no exception to the rule. There
IS 40 character drawing, the only thing
In the book bearing any resemblance
to real life being the cat.
Two sawdust mannikins labeled with
Danish names, with no life, no In
dividuality, no faces even. rent a fur
nished house in London. There is no
background to this residences Ii is ap-
parently made of cardboard and floats
in the thin air OF the authors inagina-
ton. A corpse is discovered by the
mewing OF cat and disinterred from
a wooden case in the basement with
the calmness OF opening a tin OF sar-
dimes. Suspicion falls upon-but why
spoil the story, for to Those who like
this sort of thing. this is the sort of
thing they'd like"
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19

oVlno Adu1eS IN Haste 10 reported
to be the odd title OF r. W. Chamhsrs'
new novel II deals with New YorI,
HE, and its chief character IL a dub
man who has the trick OF mssrnsrisrn.
Rudyard Kipling win preside AZ tia
dinner in celebration OF the one hun
dred and eighth anniversary OF tha
Royal Literary fund to be held In Lon
don next May.
"A new book from j. M. Barrie q.
en- the way. 1t is understood to be a
sequel to The Little White BIRD >.
which was published about i've years
ago. When Wsndy Grew Up" Is said
to Be its title.
Richard Harding Davis begins IN
ocIioners Magazine for April a serial.
entitled Vera, the Medium" the scane
OF which is in New York city. One OF
the characters Is a district attorney.
ana another is an aged millionaire. who
being induced to part with his
money.
A college mate OF Lewis Carroll"
recalls some slight memories of the
author Of alice in Wonderland 4"
They belonged to the same mess In
the dining hall and he and the other
members of the mess" failed entireIv,
10 discern the peculiar humor OF Dodg-
son They looked upon him as a prom
lsing Mathematician and nothing more.
ne seldom spoke. says this old ac-
quaintance. and the slight impeachment
IN ms speech was not conducive to con-
versation.
rev months ago." says the Book
man, we called attention to the very
curious predomtnance of the letter c.
In the life and work of Winston
churchill, pointing out that his home
was In Cornish, his official address at
concord, his club the Century. and his
books already published The CeIsbrttv.
Richard Carvel.' The Crisis' The
crossing and 'COniston' The matter
mas reached point where there IA no
longer the possibility OF mere coin
cloence, so 1t is not at all surprising to
learn that the title OF his Forthcoming
novel which is to be printed late In
the spring is Mr.. Crews Career"
The youngest son Of Charles r,tct-
ems, Edward Bulwer Lytton r1fct--
ems Is member OF parliament In
Austraha- Not long ago IN the course
or speech he was frequently fnt.r-
rupted by a snappish member named
Willis Mr.. Speaker" said Mr.. Dick
ems, turning, to the chair. ST NAV he
remembered by some present thaf M
rather coined an expression which at
talneu some popularity-sBarkfs ia
wiilin The circumstances today are
such that am strongly tempted to re-
verse the phrase and say. sWflIf. 4.
oarkin The retort was effective.
With the publication OF the third and
final volume OF The Dynasts'' Thoros~
Hardy has completed a work 10 whtcb
the New York Times alludes e6itoriallv
as the longest play In existence" The
I1mes editor proceeds with his oor,-
ment as follows: This great work g.
as VIII be remembered by thosa vbo
nave appreciated the Significance Of tba
Two parts OF 1t already issued, a survey
OF the career or Napoleon in the form
or drama. Sor,etbtr-- 30
40 speaking characters appear in fbts
part OF the drama, which is rather lone
er than either of the parts alreadv
known The Dynasts" can be Co.,
pared only to such works as "Iob,, 80
Faust" ana
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19
Elementary Algebra

BY Frederick II. Somerville. Published By
the American book company New York
Price 81.
This book Is planned to meet every
real mead in teaching elementary alge-
bra in secondary schools. including the
present requirements OF the college en-
trance examination board. Among it's
important features are: The statement
of problems by consistent use Of the
idea OF translation: the natural order
and grouping of the type forms In fac
toring; the logical plan of the introduc-
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19
'The VermiIion Pencil
By Homer Lea.

By Homer Lea. Published by the Mcclure
company New York Price $3.50.
The Vermillion PENCIL is adver.
tised by the publishers as "a ro-
nance of China" and the author is de-
scribed as General Homer Lea a de-
scendant from the collateral branch OK
Lea family, which gave the south It's
greatest general. While yet a
student of Stanford university in Cali
fornia he began to turn his attention to
matters military, acquiring an init
mate knowledge of history. and among
other peculiarities making a speciality
of the study of Chinese"
He is described as having involved
himself in "the internal troubles that
disturbed the Celestial empire" with
a somewhat confused account of the
part he played in a Boxer rebellion. 1t
seems, though, that IL Homer Lea had
had his way Tong Tsoi Shang had not
been executed, the dowager empress
would have been forced into submits
sion and reformation in China would
have been a century ahead of what it
is at present"
The book is an incoherent tale, so
swamped in description of places, caves,
roads, customs and beliefs that the
story is almost lost. A description of
typhoon in the early part of the work
There are winds that freeze winds
that burn, winds that tear and cut, but
this wind that precedes the typhoon
chokes. 1t fills mans nostrils with so
much burning air that he gasps for
breath; he steCgers; sometimes blood
oozes from the eyes and ears; he
strikes at the wind, claws the air,
starts to run, stumbles and falls to the
earth. Skeletons have been found with
skulls clasped round in bony arms
strangled by the breath of the iron
whirlwind.''
And this too. is worth quoting:
Perhaps If the howl of hell were
known the muttering of the typhoon,
though dulled by distance, might be
compared to It, AS the great wind ap-
proaches this muttering grows louder
and louder until it becomes a gigantic
gibber; when at hand, the heavens are
filled with multitudinous screams,
bowls, laughter. means and shrieks-
a stir of sounds that is frightful."
The tragic note of the book is struck
early in the prologue and the careful
novel reader sees the fate awaiting the
heroine. Running throughout the book
is the romance of priest. The ter
rible denouement is averted at the last.
but the author leaves one uncertain
as to the future of any of his char
acters. Through the whole tale one
is left in doubt as to whether all these
events happened yesterday or severa,
centuries ago in the reign of kanghi
when the tributary state of Silu
threw off its allegiance and sent an
army into China, defeating successive
ly all imperial forces brought against
It.
It is great pity that General Lea
did not put his Chinese experiences
into plain, straightforward narrative
OF his adventures and studies.
The story is not sustained, the char
acters are unreal and merge into each
other SO that 1t Is difficult to know
them apart and the descriptions are
cumbersome and confusing. One shuts
the book with the baffied feeling of
knowing nothing more about China
than IL the "Vermilion Pencil" had
never been written.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19
Fp6laEI9pIECE IRON
TILE SVUEF OF A l1AR
W KAlHIpIE EVANS -bAAGE /.

that was new to him. Yet the crime is
as terrible when black woman is the
victim He added in sort of defense.
The woman's face retained Its heavy
look of familiar and unresisted trag
edy. No, sab. 1 reckon If you-all white
men thought SO, theah wouldn't be
much peace fob you; theahs few Gull
lud escapes it fust or last"
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19
"The Sixth Speed"
BY z. J. Rath.

BY e. J. Rath. Published by Monat, Yard 4
Co., New York. Price. $3.50
Some of the people who read such
book as The Sixth Speed" only to
laugh and call it nonsense, ought to
think back a comparatively few years.
when Jules Verne wrote some of his
amazing tales and realize how many
of them have come true" One thing
quite sure'is that The Sixth Speed" is
great fun.
A clever young chauffeur grows tired
of being ordered about and decides to
shift for himself. He has an inventive
turn of mind and has always been in
terested in speed as speed. So he in
vents an apparatus which when put in
a boat can skim the waves at the rate
of 120 miles an hour.
He names his little boat Projectile,
and it is a wonderful craft. He sue
ceeds in terrorizing all the members of
the yacht club of New York from the
commodore down. He gathers crew
of congenial spirits and becomes a
pirate. He visits one or two yachts
every night and plays the part of high
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19
ILLUSTRATION 7ROlI-
mHE BARPlEP~
BIZ REX BEACH,

ton to fractions; the economic arrange
ment of simultaneous equations; the in
PRODUCTION and the classification of the
new forms in the theory of exponents:
the consistent and teachable presenta-
ton of quadratic equations; the clear
introduction to and the practical treat
ment of logarithms. In the early chap
ters exercises for oral drill are fire.
quent. The written exercises consist of
new problems. carefully graded, and the
numerous reviews are constructed on
the lines of recent entrance questions of
the leading colleges. The treatment OF
graphs is full, but not perplexing. and
is accompanied by diagrams OF .supe-
rior character. The book responds to a
growing demand for an Introduction OF
the simpler formulas of the physical la
bOratOry
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19
Earthquakes"

AN wi Introduction to Seismic Geology By
aii,iam Herbert Hobbs Published by ID.
Appieton d Co., New York. Price 81.
There is little doubt that popular in
terest In seismic geology has been
lnucn increased since the great dis
turoance here in California nearly two
years ago; and Professor William Her
pert Hobbs of the University of Michi-
san succeeds In interesting even the
most casual readers in his new book
entitled Earthquakes.
VI course, one finds within these
pages a great deal of purely scientific
Information, but the results of investi-
gation made by some of the most emf
nen. students of the subject are given
- pain, clear manner, easily COM
prehended by a reader who knows
nothing of geology.
All the questions which people ask
snu oiscuss with little or no knowledge
are answered here One Of the com
Monest. the probability of earthquakes
0eins Of volcanic origin. IS discussed at
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19

wayman or sneak thief, and the yachrs
are SO far apart that the whole of New
! ork thinks fleet of pirates has
sWooped down upon them. Soon the
government is mixed up in the mess,
ana then the whole world. His love af-
lalr with the typewriter. OF his former
New YORK employer is not very inter-
eslng until she gets mixed up in his
piratical doings. Perhaps. after all, the
book is great nonsense. but 1T is mighty
interesting and gay and will cheer up
the dullest.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19

day as when it first appeared. and peo-
pie who know the Oldest families viii
have no difficulty in locating the mod
els for the various characters.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19

nicnard Harding Davis begins IN
Scribner's Magazine for April a ssrtaI
entitled Vera, the Medium" the scane
OF which Is in New York city. One OF
the characters Is a district attorney
ana another is an aged millionaire. who
being induced to part with his
money.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19

some Ladies In Haste In reported
to be the odd title OF r. W. Chamhsr-'
new novel Il deals with New York
life. and its chief character Is a dub
man who has the trick OF masnsrfsrn.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-04-19

"A new book from j. NJ Barrie IN
On the way. 1t is understood to be a
sequel to The Little White Bird
which was published about i've years
ago. When Wendy Grew Up" Is said
to be its title.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-06-16

'.The work of this convention will
soon be concluded. The platform will
voice the dominant thought of the peo-
pie, and the candidates nominated
must stand upon it firm and erect.
They must have the patriotism and sa-
gacity of a Lincoln, the tenacity of a
Grant. the wisdom and moderation of
a Mckinley, and the courage of a
Roosevelt. With such a platform
and such candidates the issue can not
be in doubt. The republican party
confidently submits its record to the
approving judgment OF the American
people and. upon its renewed declar-
alton of faith, invokes continuance of
public favor"
Roosevelt Demonstration Two Minutes.
Burrows completed his remarks at
1:42, having spoken an hour and eight
minutes When he spoke of Roose-
welt the convention broke into a dem
lobstration which lasted two minutes
A reference to Secretary of State
Root brought cheer which was EN-
phasized by a friendly demonstration
in the New York delegation.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-06-16

the invitation for the visit of our fleet
at Toxic, and by the response of the
United States to the invitation of
Japan to participate in the, great ex-
position which is to be held at Toxic in
he year 1912, for which congress has
authorized the expenditure of one mil
ion and half dollars, the greatest
sum ever appropriated for a foreign
exposition.
The unfriendly feelings among the
Deopie of China which grew out of the
enforcement of the Chinese exclusion
aw and led to the boycott of Ameri-
tan goods have disappeared, and Amer.
9 an trade in China has been restored
to its natural course. The, United
States has secured the assent of ali
The nations having possessions in the
Orient to a united effort with China
10 put an end to the curse of opium in
the Orient, and an international con
ference, under the leadership of the
United States, has been agreed upon
| to meet at Shanghai ON the first OF
next January for the purpose of de
bvising and formulating an interna
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-06-16
tional agreement to prevent its produc

tional agreement to prevent it's produc
ton, sale and use
Threatened tariff wars between the
United States and Germany, and be-
tween the United States and France,
have been averted by commercial
agreements between the United States
and each of those countries, made I'M
der the authorization given to the pres
dent in the third section of the Ding
ley tariff act.
"But the growing act in this drama
was that in which the president him.
{, self took the initiative, halted the ar
mics of Russia and Japan. bringing
about an honorable, and, it is to be
hoped, enduring peace.
Ends Career, Best of All.
"Yet nothing has added so much to
his just fame as his persistent and ir.
lrevocable refusal to break the un
written law of the republic by accept
ling a nomination for third term. BY
this act of self-abnegation he places
his name and fame in the secure keep
ling OF history by the side of that Of
1.-THE immortal Washington.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-06-16

At the conclusion of Burrows adj
dress the list of temporary officers
was read and approved and the COM
mittees were named.
Settlement of Louisiana Scrap.
Before adjournment the chair an
Eounced a settlement of the contest
in Louisiana had been reached be-
tween the two factions by which
neither should be represented on COM
mittees.
At 1903 the convention adjourned
until noon tomorrow.
Some National Committeemen.
Chicago. June 1G.-Following are
among the new national republican
committee:
Illinois-Frank o. Lowden.
Indiana-Harry S. New.
Iowa-Earnest E. Hart
Michigan-John w. Blodgett.
Minnesota-Frank B. Kellogg.
Charles Nagel.
| North Dakota-James Kennedy.
South Dakoia-Thomas Thorson.
| lWisconsin-Alfred Rogers.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-06-16

sessions or recess of congress, at Sucl
times and places as they may deem de
sirable, to send for persons and paper
to administer oaths, to summons ant
compel the attendance of witnesses
experts. and other assistants as shall
be necessary to carry out the purpose
for which said commission was crea
ted, and to make such investigations
and examinations, in this or other
countries as they shall deem neces
|sary.
This commission has already or
ganized and entered upon its labors
and will diligently prosecute it's dutie
with the hope of formulating none
tary system that will meet every lie
Ultimate business need and promot,
the prosperity of all of our people.
1.-THE building of the Panama canal
ihe most colossal undertaking of thu
| century, the successful completion o.
which is now assured, makes it more
important to the United States thar
ever that there shall be no hostile con
| troll of the route between either oul
great Atlantic and Pacific ports anG
the isthmus. For that reason it is OF
especial importance that the people in
habiting the islands and shores of the
Caribbean shall maintain independent
peaceful and prosperous governments
The policy of the United States to aif
them in maintaining such governments
has been prosecuted with special sue
lcess during the last four years.
Peace with japan.
'The questions between Japan ant
the United States, which caused S,
much public excitement in the yea.
i 1907, have been disposed of to the sal
lisfaction of the people of both com
tries. The friendship and sympslth
between the two governments have nov
ibeen signalized by the general treat
Tor arbitration concluded between then
.lby the invitation and acceptance {
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-06-16

Senator Burrows keynote speech "a
originally drafted was not regarded
by the president as sufficiently huda
tory of the administration. So h
was obliged to make it more fulsome
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-06-16

The. railroad interests began to as
semble their armies of lawyers las
night and big attorneys from man!
of the largest of the trunk lines go
together in consultation over, the al
guments to be presented to the plat
form committee when the section re
lating to railroads comes up.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-04-17
ROOSEVELT A MAN
SUMMONED BY GOD

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, March 21.-In
receiving into full membership eight
young men at to-day's session OF the
Philadelphia conference of the Meth
odist-Bpiscopal church, Bishop Earl
Cranston of Washington, d. c., in in
structing them in their duties, touched
on national affairs.
Ten more years of the same old
regime that has affected this country"
he declared, and this republic would
have gone to destruction. There was a
man unfettered by party principles
who was studying the situation. If
ever God Almighty summoned a man
to a special mission it was when he
called Theodore Roosevelt to the lead
ership of the moral sentiment of the
country. Theodore Roosevelt has call
ed the people to distinguish between
right and wrong; between good poll
tics and craftsmanship
"Oh! What a ring there was in the
last message against corporation pow
er and rule! l am looking for another
message expect it soon. The people
are true. All they want is a leader
and they have the leader they should
have in man who occupies the presi-
dental chair in Washington"
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-04-17
STANFORD PLANS

STANFORD UNIVERSITY, April z.
1.-THE idea of eliminating from stan
ford University those courses now CIV
en- to second and first year students
and raising the standard OF scholarship
so that in the future the work done
here will correspond largely to that
aimed at by the great German univer-
stiles, is one which has long been ma
turing with our faculty." said Presi-
dent Jordan here today, and in my
annual report, which will be presented
to the board OF trustees in about two
weeks, lay the matter before them
and urge that they take action toward
this end. Such were the ideas of the
founder, Senator Stanford, and for the
carrying out Of these high ideals this
institution is well equipped, both by its
freedom from outside control and its
endowment"
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-04-17
THE ELKINS CATCH

ROME, April THE Duke of Aosta
arrived here today and had breakfast
with King Victor Emmanuel, the Duke
of the Abru2zi and the Count of Turin,
after which a family conference was
held relative to arranging a marriage
engagement between the Duke OF the
Abruzzi and Miss Katherine Elkins,
daughter of Senator Elkins of West
virginia. Although nothing official is
known, it is reported that the engage
ment has been confirmed and that 1t Is
the intention OF the Duke of the Abb
ruzzi to return to the United States
shortly. 1t is also asserted that the en-
gagement will not be officially an
nounced, such announcement affecting
members of the royal family being
unusual.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-04-17

1t showed that whenever It was neces-
sary that the American people should
show a solid front there would not be
one vacancy in the ranks.
The Hawaiian islands have absolute
ly no value to this or any other coun-
try, except as a naval base. That is
not to say that the trade of the islands
is not valuable, for it is, but only that
the profits of the trade are not sufii-
cient to pay the cost of protecting the
islands as an integral part of this or
any other country. The one reason
for the annexation of the islands was
the fear lest in some time of war with
great naval power the neutrality OF
the islands might not be respected and
a hostile naval base be established
there against us. That danger justi-
fed annexation, which was accomplish
ed, virtually as a war measure, upon
the outbreak of war with Spain.
Since the islands have value to US
only for one purpose, it would be folly
not to make use Of them for that pur-
pose. The present is the second genera
ton which has considered the fortifca-
tion of Pearl harbor, for we secured the
right to establish a navy yard there
many years ago. and long before there
was any special agitation for annexa-
ton. The navy yard has not been estab-
hshed because there mas seemed no
particular reason for 1t. The only naval
power maintaining much force in the
Pacific was Great Britain, which, even
If at war with us, would have no occa-
sion to interfere with the Hawaiian
islands and would certainly not do so.
We had no naval or other ships to
speak Of in the Pacific and there was
no apparent reason why we should
spend money on new naval base.
Doubtless things are very different
now. While mankind retains it's present
character it will be as necessary for a
nation to fortify anything which it
owns as It is for a householder to put
locks on his front door. Therefore, 1t
is proper to fo~tify Pearl harbor. The
only unfortunate thing about the pas
ndSe VI IHe VI Is IIdI JHe uHuSudI
demonstration in Congress may convey
the impression in foreign countries
tnat there is some special reason for
the fertilization at this time-which
there is not We shall, however, eX-
pect the foreign press to comment on
the incident as if it had such mean
ing. especially as it followed the rath-
er belligerent speech of Representative
Hobson But the demonstration will
do no harm.