davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-16

TN goin' to live anyhow
till I die" was the rather
terse way in which a
popular song of a few years
past expressed a bit of
sound philosophy. 1t fur
nishes an explanation of the
happy 60 lucky air that
characterizes most men en-
gagged in dangerous lines of
business; and a cursory ex-
animation of the employ
ments that many men
choose apparently of their
own free wills leads one to
believe that it is really a
widespread sentiment.
On what other grounds,
for instance, can one ex-
plain the extreme nOnchal-
ance with which the base
ball umpire follows his pro-
fession? Within his sphere
of influence he is a veritable
Car; but. like the unfor-
tunate Nicholas, he is
damned if he does and
damned if he doesn't. Coun-
sellers he has galore, urging
him on with various threats
and bats in Numerically
opposite directions. Be-
hind him and in the stands
is the mob ready to per-
suade him at a moments
notice with all the ginger
ale bottles and pink lemon
ade glasses it can lay hands
on. Yet unperturbed he
continues to earn his daily
bread by the sweat of his
throat. The American citi-
zen may be apathetic and
easy going in his religion
and his politics; but in his
sport or amusement he is a
thoroughly alive and seri-
Gus partizan, a fanatic. 1t
is whole hog or none with
him then To the baseball
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-16

A few years ago, one of these mu1eteers approach
ing the town of Newton Pennsylvania along a
straight road halted his team and aghted. intend
ing to be gone only moment Lei. without guild
ing hand however, the mules became frightened
and started toward the town at wild pace.
Some them coming, and. recognizing
the danger turned back toward the village, shout
ing to the inhabitants flee for their lives In the
very center of the town the road swerved IN a
curve and it was impossible that the mules could
make the turn without upsetting the wagon The
inhabitants expecting every minute the destruction
of their homes fled in hopeless confusion toward the
woods forgetting that the in the road right
in the path of the disaster, stood a school house
filled with children too young to make their escape
The schoolmaster, who had been apprised of the
danger, saw that it would be impossible to remove
them in time and seized the only alternative Grasp
ing his umbrella, he rushed down the road toward
the advancing team, Tapping it in their faces 1t
one chance in hundred and it proved to be
that one. The mules slackened their pace until one
of those who had not yet left the scene able to
still
Risks Run by Loggers
TN all rural communities the edge of civiliza-
L ton life is matter of chance for the men that
take upon themselves the upbuildng of the frontier
devil They live and work only by the sufferance of
their companions, and when one becomes in any,
way Objectionable he had best make preciptate
tracks for other settlement if he does not
to take up his abode suddenly in a siX-foot plot of
ground. Their sports rough, and their work is
rough.
Few modes of life, for instance, less gentle
than is that of logging camp, and few trades call
for more nerve, strength, and agility than that of
the logger In driving timber down steep and
rapid streams he must be able to walk
bobbing, shifting field of floating wood, many sticks
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-16

almost two hundred pounds of lead and copper,
with an air hose and life line easily entangled
dragging about after him wherever he goes. and
with his head ncased in pOnderouS and 1mpene-
trable helmet. he goes about his work with all the
gaety of the butcher the baker and the candleStck
maker in the old rime.
Indeed, divers have been known who had such
distaste for work that after making descent they
would pick out a soft spot in the river bed, or
wherever they happened to be, and lie down for a
nap Alone under the water they were safe from the
prying gaze of any employer, and could dispose of
their time they fit, until the invention OF an
electric system of signals.
If he wishes to sing or joke over his work the diver
must be his own audience: for from the moment the
heavy helmet is fastened to his shoulders until it
is taken off again. his lOudest shoutings 1naud1
Bile to his comrades If accident occurs. he
only pull at his life line, and then wait while his
rescuers at work, unable to offer the slightest
suggestion.
In 1904 diver lost his life at the Boonton New
Jersey, reservoir, and though single word spoken
to his comrades might have been his salvation, the
helmet effectually prevented its utterance He had
been aboring under seventy feet of water to close
the opening of large intake pipe with huge ball
of wood and lead Weighing several tons, when in
some manner his leg was caught between the ball
and the flange of the pipe. The force exerted on
the ball by the suction OF water was SO great that
the divers who came to the rescue were unable
to overcome it, and the unfortunate could only
lie there his back hopelessly waiting, his life
slowly ebbing away. For three days he lay i'm
prsoned, and during all that time until he died his
only communication with the outside world
handshake with the divers when they came down,
when they fitted into the green haZlneSS above.
Aeronauts Scott Danger
THE sense of separation from human companion
ship that forces itself upon the liver in such
position is also a part of the experience of the
aeronaut and is complete. The world
below him is only miniature toy world; all familiar
sounds have died away, and he is in the midst of
great silence. Round him the uncomfortable
forces of nature, and there is hand to aid. He
is at the absolute mercy of wind and weather, and
can only to his lucky Whatever precau-
tons he may take in the construction of his balloon
his parachute or airshp there are always thousand
goes about his task with the greatest equanmity
imaginable, denying that there is any danger, and
insisting that his profession the greatest of sports
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-16

umpire falls the unsavory duty of standing in the
way of his desire. and handing out only half
ham
On the other hand, however, there is the circus
performer, who undertakes untold risks to feed the
of being arbitrary boss of the game like the umpire,
the circus performer endangers life and limb con-
tinually-in billboard thrllers, which grow every
year more nerve racking. The loop the loop is al
ready thing of the past, by far too tame for the
up to date circus; and it is longer sufficient to
have place their lives in the balance but young
Isabel Butler for instance, who day in and day out
1ooped the gap automobile, turning upside down
in mid air.
The Public Wants Thril1ers
MODERN psychologists declare that violent
AvA trasts and great nervous shocks craved by
large proportion of the people 1t to satisfy this
craving that the circus managers search the wide
world over for men and women of daring to intro
duce the "thrllers' One of the latest has been a
Norwegian, who travels the country exhibiting in
Z" a leap for life slender skees From platform
more than hundred feet above the ground, he
coasts narrow wooden runners eight feet in
length, down long slippery runway tilted at an
angle of forty-fve degrees, to within hardly yard
of the level of the and then shoots out one
hundred feet through space, describing in his flight
an arc thirty feet high at the center
The high diver who plunges from elevation of
fifty or sixty feet into tank of water shallow and
as narrow it would seem, as can be built and still
allow one chance for life to remain, is of course
constant attraction. Few OF those who follow this
mild pastme live to make use of an accident in
quite the same way as did one EDWARD L. rape
After receiving injury to the fifth vertebra
which raised lump the back of his neck, he
toured the big cities with two confederates to
witnesses, and mulcted street railway companies
for large amounts in damages by falling off their
cars and stimulating the actions of whose spine
had just been injured.
Steep1e Jack and Ironworker
IF their managers are to be believed men and
women that perform these feats receive proper
tionately high salaries, and are thus in measure
repaid. But the steeple jack and the structural iron
worker labor in really useful fields for day wages
which, to the ordinary prosac mortal at least, seem
not at all commensurate with the risks they run.
Only year two ago nonchalant steeple jack
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-16
The Placid Well Shooter

THE business of we'll shooting
L deserves mention Here the
perils center not so much about
the men that do the actual work
as about those who carry nitro
glycerin to the wells. With a
few dozen cans of this extremely
high explosive on his mule wag-
on, the driver sits placidly be-
side a catastrophe comparable
only to the crack O. doom. Driv-
ing through mountainous coun-
try, he is in constant danger of
being blown to atoms: for the
slightest jar is likely to cause an
explosion.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-16
By JOSEPH c. O'MAHONEY

ing in New York city with no
other aid than that of his hands
and feet-for two dollars.
No less needless of their lives
are the ironworkers, who in the
every day course of work run
round on narrow iron girders
one hundred feet and more above
the level of the street, throwing
redhot rivets from one to an
other, and driving them home
with giant swings of sledges that
would cause the ordinary man
to lose h.- balance even on terra
firma. Not content with these
risks the often ride through
mid air on the long iron beams
that the derrick raises from the
ground and lowers again into
position ten, twenty. stories
above. High in the air. without
visible means of support. they
engage in mimic fights for the
benefit of the open mouthed by
ISLANDERS. They have even been
known to stand on their heads
on the very highest upright of a
skyscraper.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-16

of which are of themselves too
small to carry his weight. He
must often be ready to stand
in swirling, eddying water al
most on the brink of a catar-
act to free a log jam, with the
knowledge that at any mo-
ment one of the logs is likely
to break away and carry him
with it down the stream.
Once he loses his footing, the
logger is lost Yet so expert
do they become that a man
is considered incapable unless
he can ride on a single log
without getting wet.
The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19
MIGHT HAVE WRECKED LIVES.
Result of Simple Error of One Letter
in Telegram.

A New York lawyer of high stand
ing, in speaking of the Fassett-Cassidy
telegraph dispatch in which the word
mot played ar important part, told
this story recently: Many years ago
l had a client who was desperately in
love with a woman who had been here
on a visit and had returned to her
home out west after having refused to
marry my friend and client. The
mans business was the objection. He
had money enough without it and was
young enough to find another occupa-
ton, so he looked for and found a
chance to close out his interest in the
business, although at a loss, and felt
happy owe 1t. Immediately after the
papers had been signed in my Office
he telegraphed to his lady love: Am
out of business-what do you say?
Answer A reply came promptly in
these words: Not satisfactory;
write OF course he never wrote.
Next day he started ON a trip, no one
knew where, and it was months be-
tore he found out that the not in the
telegraph dispatch which came to
him should have been now For
tunately they lived to explain-and
SO they were married"
The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19

VIZ ASHINGTON.-The comradeship
w that binds the members of the
house of representatives together, re-
CARELESS of party politics and poll
cies, was never better illustrated than
in the closing hours Of the first SEES
sion of the Sixtieth congress. Demo
a and Republican, n%ortherner and
southerner, Roosevelt admirer and
Bryan follower, all joined arms and
spirits, and with fervor celebrated
the passing of the session and forgot
all the strife that had marked its half
year
1t was the most riotous and enthus-
iastic adjournment | have eve SEEN"
said Gen, j. Warren Kiefer, who was
a member of the Fortieth congress,
and has seen many finales.
After a day of patient waiting until
the senate conquered the filibuster,
the house was ready to celebrate as
soon as the remaining business of the
session was transacted. With the con-
ference report on the government liza
bility bill agreed to, a surging. sing
ing mass of representatives came
from the lobby into the center isle,
and gaining in numbers as they went
on centered about the speakers table.
although it was a little after nine
O'Clock, Uncle joe allowed his gavel
The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19
PRINCIPLES Of Economy Involved.

The agitation for elimination of the
and passion than upon facts. The
American people are always looking
for a shorter route to a desired end.
They care little who it eliminates just
SO 1t decreases their cost of living.
They care little If every link in the
chain is broken and the manufacturer
is allowed to supply the wants Of the
trade direct. No one else could object
to this plan of procedure IL it pos
sessed any economic points to recon-
mend it. Time and we'll ordered ex-
periments have proven, however, that
the best, the most convenient, the
cheapest and most serviceable method
of supplying the wants of the consum-
er is from maker to jobber, from job
Der to retailer, and from retailer to
consumer. The opportunity for dew
ilment upon the part of those who
find much of personal gain in showing
the the large number of
middlemen he is keeping and that if
they be cut out he, the consumer,
will enjoy this profit, is great. Thus
began the from-factory-to-family, cut
out-the-middle-man argument, and it
sounds good upon the face of things,
but, as stated above, has no real saw
ing at all, since the expense incurred
in getting small shipments from the
factory to the consumer is greater
than the very small per cent. exacted
by both jobber and retailer for their
part performed in the transaction up
on the old method.
The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19

A GROCERY merchant way down of
"A the beaten track of Pennsylvania
avenue now has the exclusive privil-
eye of furnishing coffee for the head
of the nation, and the way it hap
pened was this:
One day the president was looking
down from the terrace Of the White
House when a wagon drew up to de-
liver some eatabies. Across the sides,
painted in gorgeous red, was the leg
end: I'VE Rost Our Own Coffee"
The chief executive was tremendously
interested, and everybody in the White
House at the particular juncture was
called out on the terrace to see how
the grocerymen of Washington were
following the exalted ruler in the mat
ter of phonetic spelling.
Not satisfied with admiring the way
the merchant had of advertising his
wares, the president called up on the
phone and expressed his apprecia-
citation. He told the head of the firm
to send up a couple of pounds of that
coffee to e if the brand was as ex-
cellent as the spelling. OF course the
merchant put on his best touches and
SEN the brownest and most fragrant
Java and Mocha straightway to the
White House. The beverage ready to
serve was as fine as even the presi-
dent had anticipated, so a permanent
order to furnish ten pounds a week
was left with this fortunate firm.
But the cream of the joke and one
which has not been explained to Mr..
Roosevelt was that the painting of the
The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19
James Bryce a New Style Ambassador

quainted with so important a portion
of the national machinery, and he took
the easiest means at hand and called
first. Many of the governors found
time to return the visit. Others could
not. but they all met James Bryce and
took his measure just as he took
theirs. Mr.. Bryce entertained Bryan,
John Mitchell, Andrew Carnegie and
many of the governors at dinner. II
any man on this continent will know
what this meeting of the governors
meant, it will be the publicist from
Great Britain. He intends to write of
it also, and it is comfortable to realize
that he has obtained all his data at
first hand and from reliable sources.
Mr.. Bryce has been a revelation to
the Observation-Disclosures kind of
diplomatist usually assigned to the
Washington mission. He has taken
a high ground, and the pace he has set
is not altogether pleasing to his col
leagues. Many of the ambassadors
now in this country would cling to the
old ways if they felt secure in so do
ing. But Mr.. Bryce has revolutionized
the service. The ambassadors cannot
draw the line socially, even politically.
They must get in the limelight, make
speeches, give interviews, mingle with
the common herd. Such men as can.
not do this are being called home.
The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19
Simple compass.Finder

A simple compass-1nder, costing II
cents, has enabled a western pipe-layer
to locate a 12-inch cast-iron pipe bur
led about three feet in stiff adobe soil,
and has saved several days of labor
digging. AS described by A. E. Wright,
the finder was a m~agnetized knit
ting needle having been discard
ed as not sufficiently sensitive. The
fibers were glued around the balanc-
ing.point, and the needle was so bal
anced as to dip normally about 20 de-
grees in order that the two ends might
be attracted to the pipe unequally.
The needle was mounted in a cigar box,
with IN index card, and a glass cover
as wind shield. When used, the box
was placed horizontally on the ground
In a north and south direction, and
was moved across the supposed line Of
the pipe, readings being taken e
two feet and in this way the location
was determined very accurately. The
detection was twice az great over a
bell as over the mid-length of a pipe.
The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19
Real Reason Why aFollette Failed

Carter and Scott acted as hosts to
Senator Stone and done their duty
nobly. Mr.. Stone had been delegated
to aid Senator La Toilette in his fill
buster against the currency bill, but
when the time came for him to act he
was not present. Neither was the
presence of Carter or Scott noticed
on the floor of the senate. Several
dispensers of glad water" say they
know where the trio spent the greater
part of the day.
Senator Gore lost the filibuster be-
cause of his blindness. Some time be-
fore he concluded Mr.. Stone slipped
into a chair beside him and said he
was ready to take hold at any time.
Mr.. Gore said: "All right" and be-
iieved Mr.. Stone was present when
he sat down. Instead, Mr.. Stone was
taking a snooze in the Democratic
cloakroom.
Jeff Davis was also absent from the
senate. He had left Little Rock de-
termined to save the country, but got
lost somewhere on the route.
The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19

T'HE man who comes after James
Z Bryce to represent his Britannia
majesty will have a hard role to fill.
The mighty wall of reserve which a
whole generation of Britishers had
built around the mission to Washing
ton has crumbled into nothing. Mr..
Bryce moves on foot and with the
crowd. He knows more people in
Washington, New York and other
large cities where he visits frequently
than the majority of the natives. For
a man past the allotted age, 70 years,
he is amazingly energetic.
He alone of all the ambassadors
and ministers stationed in Washing
ton called on every n of the gov
ernors If strict etiquette were OBJ
served, the governors should have
called on him. But Mr.. Bryce knew
that these heads of the various COM
monwealths came to Washington on
other business bent. He comprehend
ed that his part was to become ac-
The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19
Where the President Buys His Coffee

sign was a mistake-the work of an
old German sign artist who was not
particular about the way the letters
are strung together. The merchant
raised a great commotion when the
wagon returned with "rost" conspicu-
the next day for repairs. Now this
legend has been adopted as the trade
mark of the firm. and very likely a
miniature White House may be paint.
ed on n side, as the Britishers do
when they have the exclusive custom
OF the reigning families for their com.
mOdities.
The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19
Music Typewriter"

According to the London Herald, a
notable musical invention, known as
the music typewriter" and called the
kromarograph, has been invented by
Lorenz Krowar Of Vienna. with
the aid Of this instrument" says the
writer, "the composer may produce a
typewriter scroll without the trouble
of making the characters by hand. All
that he has to do is to place himself
at the piano and give free play to his
creative fancies. Every stroke upon
the key is registered in regular music
al characters upon a paper scroll
wound upon a drum. The machine op-
crates through a system of electric
contacts with the piano keys. The
registering apparatus. which resem-
bles an ordinary typewriter In size.
may, in order to remove d~iscordant
sounds, be placed at a distance from
the piano - even in an adjoining
room"
The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-19
AIL-ORD EVILS
AN OCTOPUS THAT CONTINUES
TO GROW IN SIZE.
IS RUNNING COUNTRY TOWNS
Systems That Sap the Vitality Of Aori.
cultural Districts and Concen-
trate Wealth In the Larger
Cities.

To accomplish anything of a public
nature there must be organization.
Every village should have an associa-
ton devoted to the policy of home pro-
lection and village betterment-an as
ISOLATION for the molding of a public
sentiment that will carry into practice
the theory that Business, like charity,
begins at home"
1t is a recognized fact that the re-
tail business Of the country villages
and the large towns, for that matter,
Is being destroyed. Year by year the
once prosperous merchants are being
forced to the wall-driven out by the
mail order business. And this il ia
king place in face of the fact that the
population and purchasing power Of
the country districts is ever on the
increase.
The mail order houses are drawing
the cash retail trade from its natural
channels to the cities. The growth
of this octopus has been phenomenal.
From a jelly-like idea-without form
an experiment Is years ago, 1t has
grown to proportions that threaten
the determination of the retail coun-
try merchant. An idea of the way
the money Of the people is being
drawn into this mail order trade can
be had from the reports Of some Of
these houses.
A certain mail order house which
began with a few thousand dollars Is
years ago o does a monthly bust
ness of $4,000. 900, with a yearly net
profit Of more than $4,000, 600.
This Is the record Of but one In
stitution. There are dozens Of them
in various cities of the United States.
They are %springing up like mush-
rooms every night. All that Is neces-
a place to receive mail and money
enough to get out the first batch of
printing and for the first advertising
campaign.
Like the patent medicine business,
the mail order business depends on
the %gullibility of the general public.
Thousands Of people every week send
their h~ard-earned cash to some mail
order house in payment for goods
that could have been bought cheaper
at their home store.
Why do they do it? 1t is owing par
TALLY to the desire Of the average per-
son to be humbugged and partially
to the effect of persistent advertising.
The mail order house sends out its at
tractive literature to every family in
the country. In this literature, COM
posed of well-illustrated catalogues
and cheap magazines known as mail
order papers. the goods are set out
in the most attractive manne 1t Is
tempting bait, and the fish bite.
All of these millions Of dollars come
out of the legitimate trade of the coun-
try merchant, the man who has in
vested his capital, built himself a
home, and been active in building up
the town with the expectation that he
would be allowed to do a legitimate
business in a legitimate way. He is
entitled to the trade of his town and
the country adjacent. He pays his
taxes and contributes to the support
of the community. That community
owes him a reciprocal duty-the duty
to give him the preference Of trade,
everything else being equal.