davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Blue-grass blade., 1908-09-06
(By Harriet M. Close. }

(By Harriet M. Closz.)
Oh, Mighty Master! l in suppGance bend,
And to Thy throne of grace my cares L send.
With all-observing eye, thou seest well,
How l have worked my neighbors to excel
In bringing sheckes to thy failing cause,
Regardless of the letter of the laws
I've diligently worked with hand and head,
And now before repairing to my bed,
l crave thy blessing the Christmas-tide,
Though for thy glory ], mayhap, have lied.
I've saddled husband with double share,
Believing thou will lift his load of care
And teach him patience; for he sometimes swears,
When l solicit for bazaars and fairs.
IT'S difficult for men to comprehend,
That priesty favor ON church work depend,
And if these saints approval but withdraw,
Why, what ON earth would we poor women do9
Thou knowest, Lord, love my children well,
Though oft trust them with an infdel.
My kindly neighbor says this life's supreme
And heavenly mansions but misty dream;
But thou art God! And L with faith expect
Their minds thou wilt from heresies protect.
And such assurance gives me grace and zest
For Christian EFFORT though l be pest
To thinking people, who attempt to draw
A line of logic from the Natural Law
l must, of course, keep up thy vineyard work.
Fen though | may domestic duties shirk,
Since thou declarest in thy holy book,
Till parents, home and children we've forsook
We cannot thy beloved disciple be;
Hence on that line, dear Lord depend on me-
And while my home affairs to thee trust
10 seek and save the heathen's SOUL must
Therefore, I'll double discount present toll,
Though l engender domestic broil
For festivals I'll furnish things to eat.
And thus deserve place at thy dear feet
LII hold receptions at a nickel per,
And gladly entertain the minister.
Take coppers from the Sunday class for-well,
TO keep the precious Pagans out of hell
But if the money l perchance divert,
"In God We Trust" will mitigate the hurt.
Blue-grass blade., 1908-09-06
BLUE GRASS BLADE
Yuedde Petition to the Throne Grace from One Of the Sance

I'll peddle pasteboards for the lecture course
And shout its benefits until I'm hoarse.
l cannot talk to interest home folks,
But expert ON the churchly hoax.
I'll scrub the church and many garments make,
And play the scuon for the dear Lords sake
But to admit thy service costs too much,
Would finally deprive of my crutch.
OF course, poor Mother Eve deserved thy curse
For seeking knowledge of all things the worst
Io spoil thy splendid scheme of holding us
In meekly servile penitence, without fuss
But thanks to thee, thou say st the wellbehaved
Through special childbirth peris may be saved
And may hope that Heavens joys be mine
Though thou hast sent me children only nine.
Thou, Lord, knowest best, and 1 with humble mien
Am duly thankful there were not thirteen
I'm told humility does not compare
With self-reliant souls who do and dare,
And wrest from Natures store of heart and brain,
The many helps to pleasant life and gain.
The fine inventions of this modern day
I'm glad to utilize but still, must say
cling to grandmas faith and holy book,
And criticism of them cannot brook
The skeptic SCOTS and says he needs no god
But sereney seek thy Christening rod
lie calls thy ways unjust; and 1 admit
That oft the wicked in high councils sit.
lie hints that devoees of priest and church
Are apt to leave their home work in the lurch:
That when their minds to heavenly glory clings
They're bound to make mess of mundane things.
But lean upon thy mighty l must,
And though thou slayest yet in thee l trust.
When from thy wrath the unbeliever fees,
Ihoult find me prayerfully upon my knees
1t my loved ones must be condemned to hell.
L bow and say 'Thou doest all things WE'LL"
And now this weary year draws to an end,
Still l am happy to thy cause defend
I've tried to be industrious and meek,
But tearfully, dear Lord, thy pardon SEEK
And when thy glorious work is done-why then
l pray thee, take me to myself
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
JUDGE GOFFE AS A DUELIsT

A FENCING master appeared in Boston one
4 winter in the seventeenth century, and
had erected stage which he strutted up
and down at certain hours, defying any and
all to engage in swordplay with him.
After this had gone for several days,
and the mans boasts had become nsufferable,
Judge William COTE and Edward Whalley,
the famous English political refugees, dis
guised themselves in rustic costume and ap-
peared before the alleged master. COTE held
in one hand cheese wrapped in napkin,
which he used for shield. and carried mop
which he had soaked in muddy water as he
passed puddle.
Thus equipped the Judge mounted the
stage The fencer rallied at him for his i'm
pudence, asked him what business he had
there, and ordered him to begone. The
Judge stood his ground. Then the gladiator
made pass at him with his sword to drive
him off. The Judge received the sword in
his cheese, and held it there till he had drawn
the mop over the professors face and smeared
him with mud. Another plunge by the en-
ragged maitre d'armes resulted similarly, this
time the Judge poking the mop into his eyes.
This operation repeated third time.
Then the maddened fencing master dropped
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
VAGARIEs OF THE PLUMB LINE

ONE of the curious things that men of Sci
ence have discovered in their innumer-
able efforts to measure and map the earth
with the least possible error, is the fact that
there places where the direction of plumb
line is not vertical. Irregularities of density
in the crust of the globe may produce this
phenomenon.
A remarkable instance has been found in
the island of Porto Rico, where the deviation
from the vertical is so great that, in mapping
the island, the northern and southern coast
lines, shown on the older maps, had each to
be moved inward half d mile
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
ONE CRICKETER EQUALS TWO BISHOPS

W. G. GRACE the famous cricketer has
y" been photographed often as popular
actor, and in England at least has found his
autograph almost in demand equal to that
of premier a great author.
But entirely light was thrown on
all such details the other day, which may
help settle the moot question of the relative
value of sport and study.
Grace was approached by wee maiden
with notebook and pencil. His autogra phi?
OF course! And it was written with CHEEKY
smile and good natured manner Two days
later, much to his surprise, the selfsame girl
sided up to Grace, and shyly reached toward
him the necessary implements for another
signature.
But didn't | give it to you only d couple
of days ago?" 1aughingly asked the veteran.
"Oh," came the answer, Il changed that
one for two bishops"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
FROST FLOWERS

THE phenomenon called frost flowers -
was discussed before the Biological Society
in Washington recently by DR.. Walters.
that forms on frosty mornings in autumn
and early winter on certain plants. The
peculiar thing to be explained is that frost
flowers do not form on all plants, but on only
about twentysix species, far as yet known.
Among these are frostweed, dittany, marsh
feabanes, and cultivated heliotrope. The
phenomenon is apparently due to capillary
movement of water in the plant; but wholly
satisfactory explanation is lacking.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
SKY TALK

NY brother came to this country
Only year ago,
And he cannot yet speak English
Except for a word or so;
But he talks lovely language
Which they use up in Angel town,
And which | have quite forgotten,
It's so long since / came down
One day we took little brother
Out in the park for ride
! was pushing his carriage,
While nurse marched proudly beside
When we met a darling baby
Who was learning how to walk
AS soon as they saw each other
Both babies began to talk.
They geed and goo-gooed together
About the heavenly days
When the angels took them flying
All over the milky ways,
And spoke of the rainbow bridges
And the stars they used to chase
And the shining lily garden
Where they saw the Christ Child's face
l just began to remember
That language too in my heart,
When nurse said we mustn't linger,
And the babies had to part.
I'd like so much to talk with them
About those beautiful things,
That I'd fly back and learn sky talk
If some one would lend me wines
Emily Sargent Leafs
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
BOUGHT HIS OWN WORK

TO come across a bit of ones own work in
print is an experience not ordinarily ex-
asperating to an author; but a Washington
writer on scientific matters was recently not
very agreeably surprised by such a develop
ment.
1t appears that the writer was collecting
material for a monograph electromagnetic
ism, when word came to him of valuable
paper the subject not long before pub
lished in Berlin journal devoted to science
Thinking that the paper would be of to
him in the work in hand, he had it translated
When the English version was laid before him.
together with quite bill for the translator's
labor, what was the disgust of the writer to
find that the article was nothing more or less
than German reproduction of an article of
his own published the year before in an Eng
lsh journal. And he had paid twice as much
for the translation as he had received for the
original article
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
p O T p O u R RI

his ordinary sword and grabbed up huge
broadsword. Thereupon the Judge said:
Stop, sir! Hitherto, you see, have only
played with you. and not attempted to do
You harm: but if YOU come at me now with
the broadsword, know that l will certainl Y
take your life"
The master was impressed by the frmness
with which the Judge spoke; for he dropped
the point OF his weapon and exclaimed,
Who can You be? You must be either
COTE. Whalley, or the devil; for there was no
other man in England that could beat mel
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
ANT1DOTE FOR 1NGERsOLL

COLONEL INGERSOLL was to speak in a
~ Western town. As an antidote the good
people. announced for the following MI ht
" An Answer to Ingersoll!" Circulars were
even scattered about the hall the night before
and one was handed to Ingersoll by mistake
as he made his way toward the platform.
he was fairly INTO his subject, when mule
attached to one of the vehicles about the en-
trance opened up an opposition. after the
manner of mules. Ingersoll paused, listened
1ntently till the music ceased for an instant,
then. shaking a menacing finger in the direc-
ton whence the sound had come. he cried:
Hold on there! You stop! Can't you
play fair? This is my evening! You are ad-
vertised for tomorrow nights
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
THE ROSE TREE IN THE sLUMs

Out of the reeking soil her strong roots drew
Pure essences that filled her gentle veins;
Her velvet petals to full beauty grew,
And in the very flood of Squalor's stains
She kept unspotted stem and leaf and flower,
Wrestling from ugliness her lovely dover.
Man and the poor chameleon alone
Yield to Environments despotic seal.
True to itself (whereer it is chance thrown),
Each Rose unfolds while at Despairs dark
heel
Man weakly trails and dropping sword and
lance,
Dares stoop to lay the blame on Circum-
stance.
Clinton Ddnge1teld
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
VIGNETTES

WE all claim to love the truth. but many
of us only trifle with it.
. It's an honest man that won't touch the
fruit of his neighbor that falls over on his
side of the fence.
There is no dime museum engagement open
to the freak of fortune
Without confidence there can be no sue
cess; even with it there is often failure
The only man that has everything he wants
IN this world is the that has nothing.
Marriage is about the only thing that goes
off better account of hitch.
Experience is something you acquire when
the opportunity for using it is gone
Whenever the unlucky man tries to climb
the ladder of fame. the rung breaks.
The letter you would recall is never the one
your husband has forgotten to mail
=. T. O'C onneH
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
WHEN RILEY AND CARMAN MET

JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY and Bliss Car
j man, though comrades of long standing in
art, did not meet till comparatively recently.
1t was in Washington, and the Canadian poet
whose head is fully six feet four inches above
ground, walking down Pennsylvania
with friend
Observing Riley approach, and knowing
that the two poets had never met, the Wash
ingtonian took occasion to introduce them.
Struggling with suppressed emotion, the
laureate of childhood dropped his eyes to the
travel upward, as though analyzing new
species of skyscraper, and with an expression
IF inimitable drollery, calculated. Well, by
Jimminy Yeour parents must hev' trained
yeou on a trellis'
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
TEMPUS FUGIT

Time, which in youth goes very slow,
Keeps quickening his pace, and when
A mortal reaches fifty, o!
The years 60 by like sixty. then.
-Niron II dtermdn
Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-24
POLYTECHNIC HIGH
VISITED BY MANY
Interesting Programs Rendered by
Students, Who Show the Guests
Methods of Carrying on
School Work

Visitors crowded the Polytechnic high
school yesterday inspecting the work
of the students and the institution in
general. In the afternoon program
arranged by the senior class was
given in the auditorium.
Although the day was rainy and dis
NAL the visitors arrived early and
most of them stayed all day. Between
II and 12 o'clock a lunch was served in
the schools dining room. All through
the morning the students were in their
class rooms going through their regu-
lar duties. There were no specially pre-
pared lessons recited and the inspecting
visitors witnessed an exhibition of an
every day session in the school
One thing that impressed visitors was
the general good order and discipline
observed by the students without the
aid of their teachers to govern them.
At the end of each period the bells
sounded and the 996 boys and 926 girls
now enrolled in the institution quietly
and orderly filed into the halls, filled
the sta1rcases, crowded every passage,
at the same time making way for the
numerous visitors in the building, and
went to their next period recitation
rooms.
The noise and hustle and hurry of
the nearly 1000 young people passing
from room to room under one roof was
silenced in a period of three minutes
after the first bells rang. The doors of
all the rooms were again closed and
the students were soon at their studies.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-24
FIRE BOARD GRANTS
PROTESTED PERMITS
BOTH ARE FOR DYEING AND
CLEANING WORKS
Prospective establishments Are on
West Seventh and West Washing-
ton Streets and Aroused
Opposition

After being continued a week fo7
investigation the application of A. Kar
man for installing an electric motor
enthe street was granted yesterday by
the fire commissioners. Chief Walter
Lips reported adversely to the appli-
cation, as a rooming house is main
tanned over the location and the site
is in a residence district.
Owners of property in the block are
Ellen OSullivan, f. and w. Thum
company, Charles E. Parish, Elizabeth
M. Stahmer, the Mccarthy company,
George d. Lytle, Lucy Belcher, Jacob
Korn, C. A. Garfield, Anna G. Hough,
Mamie b. Hagan, DR.. Lyman S.
Thompson, Joseph A. Munk, Samuel j.
Beck, r. D. SERVER Joseph P. Splane,
Lucille A. Whipple and Mansfield Es-
tate company.
Petitions for and against the appli-
cation of William H Woodward to
establish and maintain a steam boiler
and electric motor for operating a dye
works at 1898 West Washington street
were considered by the fire commission
ers yesterday and the permit was
granted.
Those who signed the application
were A. T. Nay. C. Casey, William
Barber, E. F. Brakensuhler and Louis
Richbart of West Washington, and
F. Franklin, c. F. Ault and H. G.
Knox of nearby streets.
The opposition, consisting of owners
in block A. Rosedale tract, declare the
institution would be a common nui-
sance to the neighborhood as the fumes
of gasoline used in a dyeing and clean
ing works and the danger of fire would
create unbearable conditions.
The signers were Martha Morle,
Mary Morten, Elizabeth Morten, Mary
Morten and Georgia Morten, all of 1884
West Washington street.
Owners of property in the block
bounded by Cordova, Washington, Yer
mont and Budlong avenues are the Los
Angeles Railway company, Patrick F.
Gibbons, Fred Ahrens, Bertha E..
Carqueville, Elizabeth Case, Sarah S..
Thompson, Elizabeth Prichard, Tim
othy McInerny, Eunice D. Newberry.
Margaret Price, w. Wright, Thomas
e. Morton, Max Russakov, L. A. Green
and Charles wellington Wilson.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-24
KNIGHTS TO CELEBRATE
SIXTH ANNUAL BALL
Committees Appointed to Take Charge
of All Arrangements for Affair
to Be Held by Local
Order

Final preparations for the celebra-
ton of the sixth annual grand ball of
the knights of Columbus have been
completed and all committees have
been named
Grand Knight Paul ]. Mccormick has
charge of all these, principal of which
is the arrangements committee. Other
members on this are Joseph Scott, c.
C. Desmond, John p. Burke, w. e.
Hampton, Leo ]. Mcguire, M. j. Nc
Garry, Arthur Mullen, Charles l..
Whipple, P. w. Croake, Charles A.
King, D. Joseph Coyne, H. A. Forma-
neck, j. e. McCurdy, Carroll j. DAILY,
Charles E. Schilling.
The following are the members of
the reception committees: r. j. Dillon,
w. r. Burke, John C. Mott, John H
Clancy, John H. Alton, DR.. j. A. Nc
Garry, Martin C. Marsh, l. B. Dock
weller, ]. e. Arnoldy John P. Coyne,
j. ]. Doran, ]. ]. Bergin, DIR. A. Bur-
kelman, DIR. w. r. Molony, James M.
Lynch, John F. Howard, DR.. p. G. Cot
ter. A. e. Mccormick. DR.. P. O..
Dougherty, DIR. A. j. Scholl, Carl Leon
ardt, Eugene Mclaughlin, p. j. Nc
Donald, Thomas ]. Cunningham, j. A.
Hancock, John r. Grant and Joseph
Lynch.
The floor committee will be in charge
of Leo j. Mcguire, who will have as
assistants c. B. Bergin, Henry DAILY,
e. G. Durnerin. Walter ]. Goldsmith,
]. r. McElheny H. c. Limbrock,
Charles A. King, G. j. Dolan, ID. f..
McGarry. ]. p. Delany, Philip O'Brien,
P. ]. McGarry, J. II. LeSage, Lewis A..
Kerwin. James d. Irwin, James J..
Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-24
GLOBEBURSTS
CAUSING FIRE
TWO MEN ARE BURNED IN OIL
EXPLOSION
TANKS AT SHERMAN DESTROYED
IN BLAZE
More Than 1000 Barrels Lost in Con-
fIagration Which Results from
Breaking lncandescent
Lamp

Sherman oil field was the scene of
a serious conflagration yesterday morn
ing, when several thousand barrels of
oil were DESTROYED.
Conductor Charles Lelong, aged "a
and Edward Wellborn, motorman, OF
the Los Angeles Pacific Railway COM
pany, were seriously burned.
The men were in charge of traln'
consisting of a motor car and trailer.
The train was backed into the siding
at Gayland. where several tank cars
were being filed. Lelong lowered an
incandescent light into the tank to see
how much oil had been pumped in.
In some manner the globe burst and
the spark ignited the gas, causing an
explosion and set fire to the oil. The
explosion burned Lelong about the face
and hands and flung him unconscious
into a ditch.
He regained his senses and succeed
ed in extinguishing the fire in his
clothing.
Motorman Wellborn was standing
near the oil car when the explosion
occurred. He was only slightly burned;
He rushed to Lelongs assistance ana
dragged him away from the purhlnS
oil. The fire spread to the other tank
car and in a short time the oil train
was a mass of flames.
The blazing oil reached reservoir
and two wooden storage tanks ana
set them on fire. Two steel storage
tanks near by were saved. Clouds OF
dense black smoke rose many hundred
feet and were visible for more than
thirty miles, 1t looked as if the entire
oil field would be destroyed.
Laborers were secured and succeed
ed in confining the blazing oil to the
train, the reservoir and the two wood
en- storage tanks. Trolley poles and
several hundred feet of ties under the
rails We're burned.
The oil in the wooden tanks be-
longed to the Salt Lake Railway COM
pany, while the rest was the property
of the Clark g. Sherman Oil company.
Besides the oil in the two tank cars
the two wooden tanks and the reser-
voir contained 1900 barrels of oil. 1t
is estimated the total amount de-
stroyed was 1000 barrels.
Lelong was taken TO the receiving
hospital for treatment. He was Sc
verely burned about the face and neck.
His eyebrows and nearly all his hair
were slnged off His right leg was also
badly burned. Although his condition
is serious the surgeons say he will
recover. He lives in Sherman. Well
borns injuries were slight and he went
home for treatment.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-24
RAIL WAY AGENTS TO
HOLD CONVENTION
TO MEET HERE
NEXT MONTH
Committee Appointed by the Chamber
of Commerce Will Welcome Dele
gates and Arrange the
Entertainments

About 1870 delegates will be in attend
ance at the twenty-fifth annual con-
vention of the National Association of
Railway Agents which meets in Los
Angeles February 10 to 10, with head
quarters at the Hotel Hayward
The convention will devote one day to
business and the rest will be given over
to sightseeing. The members will come
from Chicago in a special train via the
Santa Fe and Salt Lake and return east
over the Southern Pacific.
Frank Virgins, secretary of the Los
Angeles chamber of commerce, who re-
ceived prospectus of the trip and con-
vention, declared it to be one of the
handsornest of its kind ever usued. The
publication is fully illustrated with
views of Los Angeles as we'll as those
seen on the way from the east and of
nearby points.
According to the program the train
leaves Chicago Saturday February 8,
at $50 p. m. On their way the dele
gates will take in the Grand canyon of
Arizona. They are due in Los Angeles
Friday evening, February a.
The committee of the chamber of
commerce to meet them will be COM
posed of James Slauson, C. w. Flem-
ing, w. G. Barnwell, n. r. Martin and
T. c. Peck.
Plan Entertainments
The first day of the convention, and
the only day for discussions, opens
Saturday morning, February 10, at 10
o'clock at the Hayward parlors.
Members of the Los Angeles chamber
of commerce, as we'll as various mem
bers of the visiting association, will de-
liver speeches. Among the topics for
discussion in the afternoon session will
be some very interesting ones to those
outside of the railroad business as well
as those engaged in it. "Railroading
Twenty Years from Now will be dis
cussion opened by j. E. Van Dusen,
agent of the Erie at Gowanda, N. Y.
Another, touching upon the popular
question of government ownership Of
railroads, is entitled Would Govern
ment Ownership of the Transportation
Lines Be of Benefit to the Employe
More So Than Under the Present Own
ership?" A discussion, which will be
opened by E. E. Flack, agent of the
Vandalia lines at Effingham, ILL.,, is rs
1t Practical for a Bonded Man to Be
long to Labor Organization?
These and other discussions will come
up for consideration at the meeting in
the afternoon, opening at 2 o'clock. The
program for Saturday evenings enter
tainment is to be announced later. Sun
day the delegates will visit Catalina,
Monday go to Mount Lowe, Tuesday
take the Balloon Route trip, Wednesday
morning have a business meeting at
10 O'Clock, and will leave at 10 p. m
for the east via the Southern Pacific.
They are scheduled to stop at Ell Paso
and to spend from to 10 p. m. of
Washington's birthday at San Antonio.
Houston and New Orleans will also be
visited on the return east.