davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21

twenty-h' cents a cake. and there amt
another faker know en- get more'n
ten He's swell talker, and she fell
Tor to listen-just to listen, you under
stand. But he thinks that he en- threat
en- [ tell you and-and get some money
from her, and want to plug tn game"
And get the money yourself for tell
lng! demanded Benson. 1T won't
work; 1 have implicit confidence in my
To his shocked surprise Jimsey slap
pea MIN Jubilantly on the back.
That's the way to talk" he cried,
with enthusiasm, "only tell It to her.
BOSS. Don't tell it to me. Just sort of
get together. Good night"
He sped away into darkness, and in
MS perturbation Benson walked all the
way home. He could see the poor little
girl, fearful of what might happen and
trying to geet him with smile He
could recall many little things to which
business had blinded him. and when at
last he came into his home he took the
trembling little woman in his arms and
told her that he understood.
Even Jimsey could not realize to what
good effect he had plugged the game"
he had made many crooked ways
straight, and some vague thought OF
TINS made him happy as he stood in
me Tor gallery ticket to the meic-
drama, where the stage villain would
be knocked out and virtue would tri-
umph IS he had seen 1t that day in
real hfe:-(Copyrighted, 1905, by Asso-
clated Literary Press.)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
PASSENGER FARES.

AS an incident to the hearing in the
federal court in Missouri on railroad
rates some statistics were presented
last week before Judge Mcpherson,
who is presiding over the case con-
corning the cost of passenger traffic
and the price that it should bring to
make it reasonably profitable which
are interesting Thev are of particular
interest because of other statistics and
information which have been given out
by railroad officials before on this same
subject.
1t is made quite evident that when
the railroads were opposing legislation
of couple of years ago which reduced
passenger fares from the three cent a
mile basis to a fiat rate of two cents a
mile. the officials of the roads had not
consulted with ]. w Kendrick. second
vice president of the Atchison. Topeta
& Santa Fe Railway company. Mr..
Kendrick testified before Judge Nc
Pherson on Friday last that the rail-
roads should at least receive a local
passenger rate on the basis of 2.99
cents per mile to pay a legitimate
profit on the investment
When the railroad officials were Dro-
testing with all their might against the
adoption of two cent passenger rate
measures by legislatures in this section
of the country, one of their pet argu-
ments was to the effect that practically
nothing would be accomplished bv a
reduction from the three cents a mile.
rate because as matter of fact when
the excursion and special rates which
were promiscuous in those days were
averaged up with the regular rates it
would be found that the average pas
senger rate paid was considerably less
than three cents a mile. They then
made the threat that if two cent fares
were put in force special and excursion
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.

CF7rom the Chicago News.1
A lazy man is always ready to hand
you free advice.
Old age comes in a canter to the man
who goes the pace.
Don't make the mistake of picking a
quarrel before it is ripe.
Among other pipe lines are those
written in favor of smoking.
An ex-husband is apt to think that
alimony means all the money.
BY standing up for yourself others
may be prevented from sitting down on
you.
IF some women haven't any one to
talk to they chew gum so their jaws
won't get rusty.
A woman who wants to make soap
has 10 kick coming. if her neighbors
give her the I've.
About the man who thinks he knows
it all the worst thing is his inability
to keep his mouth shut.
The coat may not make the man, but
it certainly helps some when the mer-
curry is flirting with the zero mark.
Perhaps nothing makes a girl so ang-
ry as the thought that a young man
thinks she would not resent being kiss
ed.
A health journal has an article on
How to Lie When Asleep" What we
need is a few pointers on how to in
duce people to tell the truth when
awake.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
THE AGE OF CONCRETE.

1.-THE recent formation of The Con-
crete Institute in Great Britain di-
reefs attention anew to the rapid in
crease in the use of concrete, plain
and reinforced" says the Iron Trade
Review. Probably it is not too soon
already to say that this quarter CEN
fury marks the beginning of an age
of concrete. 1t is an age rather than
the age, because long before the
Christian era an age of concrete be-
gan. There was a time not so long
ago that superficial thought had it
that concrete was a menace to the use
of steel, but no thought of a success
sion of ages in the modern develop
ment of the use of materials is rea-
sonable. The developments which
bring about the use of these materi-
ais do not spring from the discovery
or adaptation of the materials, but arise
from without, from the demand for
materials suited to the achievement
of ends already conceived. Concrete
is not used, and steel is not used. be-
cause the material has recently been
discovered, but because 1t has come
to the minds of men to do certain
things for which it readily appears
these materials are adapted.
GAS it is with structural steel in
particular that concrete would COM
pete, if there were general competition
at all, it is to be noted that statistics
of tonnage production of structural
shapes would show the effect, If there
were a tendency to curtail the use of
steel. The production of structural
shapes, however. in 1907 showed only
about the decrease, from 1906, which
could be expected from the sudden
slowing down in industry towards the
close of the year. The decrease was
only per cent, while the production
of 1907 was more than double that
of any year prior to 1900 No OBJ
servable inroad, therefore, was made
in the consumption of structural
shapes, despite the fact that steel in
this form probably wears out less and
involves less need of replacement,
than steel in any other form, so that
nearly all the work done in past years
rem
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
SOME KANSAS PEACHES.

Once each year, just about this time.
F. D. Coburn, the ingenious secretary
of the Kansas department of agricul-
ture, has a pleasant surprise for his
friends, the public of Kansas, in the
shape of a sort of a Christmas card.
Those of this year, which are now
making the rounds, are no exception
to the general run of them for clever
ness and the capabilities they have for
arousing interest and enthusiasm over
Kansas and her products.
On the back of the card. or its front,
whichever one cares to call it, is the
reproduction of an excellent photo
graph of the sprig from a peach tree
on which is clustered a half dozen
perfect specimens of this luscious
fruit Nesting among these peaches
from a tree are reproductions of the
photographs of a couple of peaches
from the human vine-pictures of two
young lads who would be able to win
the prizes in a children's contest any
place in the world, a contest in which
other things besides physical beauty
counted, although these youngsters
would hold their own even in a beauty
contest. But their pictures breathe
forth a spirit of freshness, intelligence
and youthful character which stamps
them as being unusual children. Of
course, in saying that these boys could
take the prizes of the sort referred to
at any place in the world, Kansas is
excepted for there are doubtless many
other children in this state who would
he well able to contest first honors
with these two in all kinds of contests.
The beautiful the promising children
of Kansas are we'll nigh legion They
represent one Kansas crop which
never gets much notoriety or public
attention. AS a matter of fact they
are the most important crop of all.
The children pictured on the latest
Coburn card are merely excellent
representatives of the best type of
children that are raised in Kansas. a.
type that any state or nation might
well look upon with pride.
And with the strict regard that Mr..
Coburn always has for facts and
truth he has labelled the photographs
of the fruit and the children, Eyes,
the Peerless Peaches Grow Out There
in Kansas"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
A SONG OF CHRIsTNtAs.

sing me song of Christmas time
Inc merriest song of the year
NO matter If words won't make much
rhyme
If the song be full of cheer
sing me song of Bethlehem town
a song Of long ago
which was sung to the shepherds as they
bowed them down.
A song that babe sorrow go.
sing me a song of the wonderful Gift
God's gift to the children of men
song OF the Righteous. Holy One,
IN whom there was no sin.
sing IL aloud to all the world,
1nat the sinner may ne'er forget
a SAVIOR was born to save the lost,
And for him. there is pardon yet
Q sing me a song that God is good;
Of the wonders of His love,
10 send his only begotten Son
The Jewel of heaven above.
-! precious thought that all who will
May claim Him and be free
rom ron SIN and shame and sorrow here,
To live eternaIly.
Then. sing me song of the Christmas
Inc season of good cheer
When all earth should. in one merry
rhyme,
see the emblem of promise appear
All; yea every created thing
Is sermon laid down at our door
give US gl1mpse-a faint idea
Of the beauty on heavens shore
Riley, Kansas . O4H-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21

rates would be a thing of the past and
first several months of the operation of
two cent fare laws. But competition
among themselves has been responsible
for the reinauguration of special and
excursion rates although they are not
made as frequently now as they used
to be. If Mr.. Hendricks statement is
correct the railroads INDUCED in the
voluntary habit of carrying passengers
at rates that were not sufficiently re-
charged enough under the laws to
bring in adequate returns.
Certainly people want to travel on rail-
roads as cheaply as possible but the
people are honest enough and wise
enough not to demand that their best
friends in making a country prosper
GUS which the railroads are properly
admitted to be, shall be crippled by two
cent fare legislation or any other legis-
lation which will not permit them to
earn reasonable money on the capital
invested. If passenger traffic is not
profitable at two cents a mile no state
law should demand it but 1t would
seems to be poor policy for the rail-
roads to produce one set of figures and
statistics against the proposition at one
time and another set at another time.
Such actions are confusing to say the
least to any endeavor that is made to
find out whether or not a general two
cent fare is right and profitable.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
FRON OTHER PENS
THE sUGAR DUTIES.

The customs receipts for the fiscal
year 1906-07 were $3.50 900, 600. The best
revenue producer was raw sugar, the
duties on which amounted to sec, 900 600.
The government cannot afford to give
up that reliable source of income, and
consumers are not asking it to do so.
They do not feel oppressed by the duties
on raw sugar, nor are they.
The duties would be more productive
if it were not for the 20 per cent re-
duction on Cuban sugar, which
amounts to about 70 per cent of the to-
tai importations. The beet and cane
sugar producers of the United States
would like to put an end to the con-
cession to Cuban sugar. Their sug-
gestion, prompted by selfish motives,
should not be listened to. There is
paramount reason why the United
States should continue to give the Gu
ban sugar planter the slight concession
he enjoys. 1t makes the great indus
try of Cuba profitable one. It pro-
notes prosperity and peace in. Cuba.
whenever the sugar industry does not
pay there is bound to be trouble there
Another reason for continuing the re-
ciprocity agreement is that is it ex-
tremely beneficial to American trade
with Cuba. It's abrogation would hurt
that trade and ALLEVIATE Cubans. The
duty on raw sugar should be let alone,
but that on refined should be lowered
a little.-Chicago Tribune.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
JOURNAL ENTRIES

Many a girl does not know today
what her last name will be year from
now.
Far better is it to smile than to lose
ones temper but the latter is frequent
ly the easier.
X x
Many a person who sings to kill time
uses weapon that would be deadly eff
fective on anything else.
X X n
1t is probably more blessed to give
than to receive but with most folks the
reverse is preferable.
\ x X
woman may be set down as being
decidedly masculine when she VIII give
a street car conductor a nickel If she
has five pennies in her purse.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
EMPHASIZING ECONOMY.

President Roosevelt has made it
known that in his forthcoming message
to congress he will recommend that the
utmost care be exercised in pruning
appropriations for the maintenance of
the government for the ensuing fiscal
year to end with June. 1910. The presi
dent has already paved the way to
practice the proposed economy by in
structing the heads OF the various ex-
ecutive departments that they must not
ask appropriations in excess of those
made by congress for the current ifs
cal year
The condition of the federal finances
makes the need for economy in expen
ditures imperative. The deficit for the
last fiscal year was about $60000000 and
all indications are that the deficit for
the present fiscal year, ending with
June, will be fully 500, ZOO, 000 Receipts
were greater a year ago than they. are
now, while expenditures were less. Re
cent reports indicate marked increase
in customs receipts, with some prospect
that the full restoration of business will
cause a lowering of the average month
ly deficit, but there is little reason to
hope that the present fiscal year will
close with a deficit less than 500, 600.
Omaha Bee.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
QUAKER MEDITATToNs.
from the Philadelphia Record

rFron1 the Philadelphia Record.J
The fish dealer should certainly be
in a position to call his sole his own.
The man who swallows his pride
should be sure his digestion is all right
when fellow tells a girl she is
a dream it is cruel of her to wake him
up.
If a mans wife is his better half.
the biganist naturally Isn't half man.
What a grinding monopoly it would
be If the scissors sharpeners should
form trust.
The minute a man begins to believe
that things might have been worse he
becomes an optimist.
"Slow but sure" may be good motto.
hut some men are so slow as to De
sure of nothing but their slowness.
Hoax-"when the mountain refused
to come to Mohamet what did he doT
Joax-"I suppose he sent for his valet
Wigwag-"Why don't you marry herr
She's a dear little thing" Close-nst-
Exactly. I'm looking for something
Cheap
Mrs. Muggins-"I hear your husband
is specializing in stocks. Is ne pun
or a bear?" Mrs. Buggins-"Judging
from results should think he was
jackass.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

IFrom the New York Press.I
A long answer turneth away listen
ers.
girl always likes to have red
cheeks except when she comes out OF
a dark place with man.
The average man has only two ambi-
tions: one is to get money and the 9TH
er, If he does. to get more.
A man never gets much satisfaction
ont Of sitting for his photograph un-
less he has what he thinks are fine
Whiskers.
Maybe furnaces act so cussed at home
lust to reproach the men who own them
for living SO much downtown about how
perfect they are.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
GLOBE SIGHTS.

[From the Atchfson GIobe.1
Did you ever see doctor at a fu-
neral?
A reasonable possibility is the only
certainty.
The romance in a novel amounts to
a scandal in real life.
Watch the flies these cold mornings:
that is the way you will feel and act
when you are old.
If you are acting the fool, there are
two things you should do without de-
lay: Acknowledge it; quit it.
When most people offer to do you
favor, they do it in a way which an
nounces that you'd better not accept.
Everybody is looking for a shot at
a woman, and the only safe rule is for
women to show no mark that can be
shot at.
AS much pleasure as there is in be-
ing with old and tried friends there is
a certain delight in meeting strangers:
They are not familiar with your jokes.
One difference between the man and
the woman is that the man isn't par
ticular about having them wrapped in
tissue paper and tied with holly rib
bon.
An engaged girl tells with a certain
amount of pride that her young man
exerts his authority over her. but how
she rebels and defies the same authori-
ty after marriagei
There is great rejoicing in certain
church because a tough old sinner ap-
pears at every service. They think he
is beginning to love the Lord, but it is
really a pretty girl member he is in
love with.
Go into a grocery store at about
%. m, and steal a piece of cheese and
a cracker. and there is nothing better
to eat And there is nothing you can
do that will cause the grocer to hate
you worse.
Chauncey Devere Appleton, the Child
Statistician, warns his playmates
a painst waving their handkerchiefs. He
estimates that if the pupils in a school
wave their handkerchiefs. in one wave
they liberate 10000 disease germs.
Chauncey also frowns on the practice
of teaching the baby to throw a kiss.
Kisses are deadly enough when given
by personal contact. but when one is
thrown in the air. the innocent by
stander also is in peril
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
Woman Rich bv Revelations.

Mrs. Anna I. Kyle. wife of former
United States Senator J. H. Kyle. is
growing rich by capitalizing divine
revelations. These revelations come
in the way of lightning flashes of in
spiration direct from heaven, accord
ing to the belief of Mrs. Kyle.
She is the inventor of several
mechanical novelties, and her latest is
an electric heater which she declares
vision one day as she was standing in
the door way of hotel. The re-
markab1e part of several intricate
electrical inventions of Mrs. Kyle is
that she never studied electricity in
school, college, or home. She talks as
gIibly of electric phenomena as would
a graduate of a polytechnic course
Aberdeen Is. Dak.) dispatch to New
York Times
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
Hyena's Right to- Bic Woman

My sympathies are altogether with
tice Marean, yesterday when Anna
Richardson. Brooklyn woman.
brought suit against Frank c. Bos-
took for $4,000 on the ground that
one of his beasts had bitten her hand.
II developed that the woman was
standing in front of the hyena's cage
her.
Il think it's cruel to lock I'D wild
beasts and don't blame them for biting
those who go to look at them-you
didn't have to CO." said the Justice.
therefore cannot allow any dam
ages
The hyena-now dead and stuffed
was on exhibition in court-New
York American
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21

An idea worthy of consideration
comes from ]. L. Brady. the state SEN
ator-elect from Douglas county. In
the revising of the existing legislation
relative to the government of cities
by commissions he would have the
law so amended that the school
boards in cities of the second class
will be abolished and the admins
tration Of the schools placed in the
hands of the commissions. And if
such a plan would be good for cities
Of the second class. why wouldn't it
be good for cities of the first class?
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21

Philander C. Knox, United States
senator from Pennsylvania, and a
former attorney general. is to be sec
rotary of state in the first Taft cab
inet. Both Mr.. Taft and the country
are to be congratulated. Mr.. Knox is
one of the able men in the nation. He
liked his position as a United States
senator mighty we'll but he deemed
the call to the cabinet a public duty.
That shows the proper spirit.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21

Financial and commercial reviews
for the past week show that the holt
day trade all over the country has as
sumed large proportions. 1t is much
greater than it was last year in almost
every locality and this is but another
Indication of the return of a good
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21

Consolation for the Topeka council
men: The members of the board of
aldermen of Chicago are brothers in
trouble. They have undertaken. to
change the names of certain of the
streets in the Windy city. The pro-
tests that have gone up over this pro-
cedure in this City are but faint
echoes of the shouts of disapproval
that are being sounded in Chicago.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21
THE RAILROADS SOUND.

The railroads of the United States
have missed their chance to make an
effective plea of poverty as an excuse
for raising rates. The latest statistics
show that they have already managed
to get their business into better con-
dition than it was more than year
ago, before the panic, as far as net
earnings go. In September the leading
railways of the country reported a loss
of SIS per cent in gross earnings, but
a gain of II per cent in net earnings.
There is every reason to believe that
the October figures will be better for
the railroads in both phases of their
business. All signs point to still great
er Improvement in November.
With net earnings already making a
better showing than they did more than
a year ago, when the railroads of the
country were swamped with freight and
their prosperity was great and patent,
and with the brightest possible outlook
for business just ahead, the common
carriers have no sound reason to an
tagonize shippers and consumers and
court political and government trouble
by forcing up rates. They Will soon be
faring very well with the cost of trans
portation where it is now.-Cleveland
Leader,
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21

The argument of Judge E. H. Gary.
head of the steel trust, to the effect
that a reduction of the duty on steel
will hurt the competitors of this gil
gantic corporation considerably more
than it will affect it, is ingenious to
say the least. This solicitude for the
welfare of the small rivals of enor-
nous trusts is something new in the
business world. 1t sounds a good deal
like the fellow who is always saying
a good word for the other fellow when
it will more greatly benefit himself.
Still, there is doubtless considerable
truth to the argument
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-21

A book has been issued recently de-
failing Chicago as the city beautiful
which it will appear when it has a
population of 100000 people. Per-
haps it will be better to say that the
book contains plans for making the
Windy City a beautiful place. 1t is
needless to state that these plans call
for a monumental lot of work and if
they are not to be completed until the
city has 100000 persons in her con-
fines their accomplishment is still
somewhat distant. It's a good bet
that Kansas City, Mo, has a new
union depot of some sort before that
time and when this latter event shall
become a fact, there is no man who
will express an opinion if he is
Jealous of his reputation as a prophet.