davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01
SHARPENING a PENCIL.

No woman should marry man
till she has seen him sharpen a lead
pencil. She can tell by the way he
does it whether he is suited to her or
not. Here are few infallible rules
for her guidance in the matter:
The man who holds the point to-
ward him and close up against his
shirt front is slow and likes to have
secrets. He is the kind of man who
when the dearest girl in the world
finds out that there are "others' and
asks him who they are and what he
means by calling on them will assume
an air of excessive dignity.
The man who holds the pencil out
at arms length and whittles away at
it, hit or miss, is impulsive, jolly,
good natured and generous.
He who leaves blunt point is dull
and plodding and will never amount
to much. He is really good hearted,
but finds his chief pleasure in the
commonplace things of life. a
He who sharpens his pencil an inch
or more from the point is high strung
and imaginative and subject to exu-
berant flights of fancy. He will al
ways be seeking to mount upward and
accomplish things in the higher re-
gions of business and art, and his
wife's greatest trouble will be to hold
him down to earth and prevent his
flying off altogether on tangent.
The man who sharpens his pencil
all around smoothly and evenly, as
though it were planned off in an au-
tomato sharpener, is systematic and
slow to anger, but he is SO undevia-
ting from a fixed principle that he
would drive woman with sensitive
temperament to distraction in less
than six months. On the contrary,
he who jumps in and leaves the sharp
ened wood as jagged as saw teeth
around the top has a nasty temper
and will spank the baby on the slight
est provocation. There are certain
women who can manage that kind of
a man beautifully, however, and if
he gets wife with calm, persuasive
eye he will come down from his high
horse in few minutes and be as meek
as a lamb.
The man who doesn't stop to pol
ish the point of lead once the wood is
cut away has streak of coarseness
in his nature.
He who shaves off the lead till the
point Is like needle is refined, deli
cate and sensitive. He will not be
likely to accomplish SO much as his
more common brother, but he will
never shock you and is without doubt
a good man to tie to.-MeV York
Press.
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01
BE KNEW.

A charming, well-preserved widow
had been successfully courted by a
physician. The wedding day was
approaching, and she thought it was
time the children should know they
were to have new father. Calling
one of them to her, she said:
George, l am going to do some
thing before long that I wish to talk
about with you."
"What is it, mar" asked the boy.
"I am intending to marry DIR. Jones
IN few days, and
"Bully for you. ma Does DIR.
Jones know it l-Ha,Pe,'s Magazine.
WHEN Maggie, recent arrival
from over the sea, had finished clean
ing the windows, her mistress was
amazed to discover that they had been
washed upon the inside only. She
inquired the reason for this half com
pleted task, thinking that, perhaps,
the girl was afraid to sit outside the
windows. Maggie's reply was deliv.
cred with fine concern:
''I claned 'em inside SOS we could
look out, mum, but I left the dirt on
the outside so the people couldn't
look In"
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01
a PETITION FOR GRANDMA.

The little girl was very fond of
pleasant days, and at the close of a
heavy rainstorm petitioned in her
prayer for fine weather; when, the
next morning, the sun shone bright
and clear she became jubilant and
told her prayer to her grandmother,
who said:
"Well, dear; why can't you pray
tonight that it may be warmer to-
morrow, so grandma's rheumatism
will be better?"
"All right, 1 will," was the quick
response; and that night, as she
knelt, she made this request in her
prayers: "Oh, God, please make it
hot for grandma. - WonsGn's Home
C0ntb1ui0n.
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01

A COLONEL on tour of inspection,
unexpectedly entered the drill room,
when he came across couple of SOL
diers, one of them reading aletter aloud
while the other was listening, and at
the same time stopping up the ears
of the reader.
"What are you doing there p the
puzzled officer inquired of the latter.
"You see, colonel, I'm reading to
Atkins, who cam t read himself, a let
ter which has just come from his
sweetheart.
"And you, Atkins, what in all the
world are you doingl"
"Please, colonel, l am stopping up
Murphy's ears with both hands be-
cause I don't mind him reading my
sweetheart's letter, but / don't want
him to hear single word of what she
has written"
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01
MANUFACTURE OF vIoL1Ns.

Violin ribs and sides are usually
made out of choicest maple; the back
and belly being ordinarily of old and
-so1Hd fzs56ns4i6 pine. Maple strips
for the side are immersed many times
in boiling water SO as to render them
pliable without being brittle, and they
are then reduced to the proper shape
by means of heated irons. Of course,
no kind of metal nail is ever used.
Before the belly of the violin is fix
ed one of the most skilled of all the
mechanics has to do his delicate part.
This Is to place in the precise spot,
with infinite tact and caution the
sound post, which is called in French
"the heart of the VIOLIN" because
through it passes all the heart throbs
or vibrations generated between back
and belly.
The most exquisitely sensitive item
in the whole fabric, however is the
bass or sound bar, which is consider
ed to be the very nerve of violin. It
isalways ofsoft green pine, and placed
inside the upper table under the left
end of the bridge.
It's function is supreme, for it not
only consolidates the upper plate so
as to aid it in enduring the heavy
pressure Of the strings, but 1t also con-
veys to the entire surface of the plate
all the exquisite vibrations of music.
The strings for violin bows made
at Mittenwald, in the Alpine noun
tains are of the intestines of sheep.
September is the great string season,
and there is then in Italy and Bavaria
an immense demand for material
yielded by young lambs six or seven
months old.
1t is curious that although the
Mittenwalders turn out every year
thousands of suberb violins and eel
los, they seem to care little for the
music of these instruments, and revel
in the either, the national instrument
of Tyrol, to which they dance on
moonlight nights after they have tax
en- to market big consignment.
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01
WHAT HAVE WE DOME TODAY.
BIZ NIXON WATERWAYS.

We shall do 80 much in the years to come,
But what have we done today2
We shall give our gold In princely sum.
But what did we give today
We shall lift the heart and dry the tear,
We shall plant hope in the place Of fear,
We shall speak the words OF love ana cneer,
But what did We speak today2
We shall be 50 kind in the after while.
But what have we been today2
We shall bring to each lonely life smile,
But what have we brought todayl
We shall give to truth grander birth,
And to eteadfast faith deeper worth,
We shall feed the hungering souls OF earths
But whom have we fed today.
We shall reap such joys in the by-and-by,
But what have we e0wn todayf
We shall build us mansions in the sky.
But what have we built today
'Tis sweet IN idle dreams to bask,
But here. and now. do we DO our task Z
Yes, this Is the thing our souls must ask.
"What have we done today ~
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01
PROMPT PAYMENT.

Among the great financial institu-
tions of this country, probably the
most progressive are our life insur-
ances offices, says writer In M. A.
P. With regard to the payment of
claims, especially, the recent changes
have been most satisfactory to the
bene6ciaries. Under the stress of
competition it has become almost a
race between the companies as to
which shall have the credit of paying
its claims most promptly. A repre-
sentative of one of our large indus
trial companies was talking boastful-
ly the other day to an American in
surance man of the happy smartness
of his company in this respect. He
said that on the occasion of recent
colliery explosion he hurried to the
scene of the disaster with supply Of
cash, and settled each claim on the
spot directly the unfortunate victim
had been identified. The American
grew thoughtful but, of course, he
could not allow his own Office to take
a second place under any circum-
stances. ''Well," he said at length,
chats all right. But it's nothin' to
our smartness in the States. Now,
my company's located in skyscraper
200 feet high. The other day fell
low was working on the roof, and he
missed his footing. He fell right
from the top of the building to the
pavement, and as he came past the
second floor window we handed him
his check. !"
A MINER i'll with dyspepsia rode
into a city one day, consulted a doc
tor, and took his prescription to a
druggist to be made up.
''Well, how much?" said the mi
ner, when the prescription was fin
ished.
Lets see," said the druggist.
"It's one dollar and ten cents for the
medicine and fifteen cents for the bot
tie. That makes
He hesitated, afraid he might have
forgotten something, and the miner
said impatiently:
"Well, hurry up, boss. Put
price on the cork, and let me know the
worst. -
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01

THE world is full of life; each life
is tune. So the world is great or
chestra and of them all how few
times are they played through9 How
many ended as they were just begun.
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01
he MET SHORTY.

Nicknames are sometimes deceptive
things, and they are oftentimes ex-
tremely funny. l was in small
town not many miles south of Boston
and, asking for certain piece of In
formation, was informed by several
that "Shorty" could give 1t to me,
and he seemed to be the only man
who could. Not knowing just who
Shorty" was, made further in
quiries and was told that he could be
found in the store just across the
square.
'Just ask for Shorty" / was
told. "Any one will show him to
you"
went over to the store as directed
and looked vainly about for some one
who might answer the name. Only
one man was present, and he was al
most seven footer. After looking
about a moment started to leave.
"Lookin' for some one, stranger 7"
he observed.
eyes, I'm looking for Shorty
/ told him.
A broad grin overspread his face.
"Guess you've got him. he MUIR
INJURED. 'I'm your man, "-BOston
7Iavele1.
AN ORGAN grinder had been play
ing before the home of an old gen.
tleman, who furiously and amid wild
gesticulations ordered him to move on.
The Italian stolidly stood his ground
and played on and at last was arrested
for causing a disturbance. At the
court the magistrate asked him why
he did not leave when he was re-
quested.
"Me no understan' mooch Inglese, .
was the reply.
"Well, but you must have under
stood by his motions that he wanted
you to CO." said the magistrate.
"I think he come to Dance" was
the rejoinder. London Taller.
"MY WIFE knew nothing of house.
keeping to begin with, but she's
learning fast"
"That's encouraging"
"Oh, she's bright little woman,
if 1 do say it 1t has taken only two
cooks to teach her to keep away from
the kitchen, and I suppose that's at
least half the battle. PUCK.
PRISON WARDEN-"Wetry to give
every inmate work with which he IS
familiar. What's your tradef" New
Prisoner-''I am professional pc
| destrian."
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01

CUsroMER-"What on earth is this
broth made of, waiter3 Surely 1t isn't
chicken broth 7" Waiter-"Well,
sir, it's chicken broth in its hinfancy.
It's made out of the water that the
heggs are boiled In"
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01

HOUSE painters and novelists are
responsible for some highly-colored
stories.
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01
THE BLOOD OF OUR PRESIDENTS.

Despite the fact that we are the
most amalgamated nation on earth,
but two of the twenty-five men who
have served the country as President
came from other than British ances-
try. Having occasion a few days
since to go over list ofthe Presidents,
it occurred to me that it would be of
interest to see whence our executives
come. / find that all but two-Van
Buren and Roosevelt, who came from
the Dutch-were of British ancestry.
These twenty-three from the British
are divided up into Scotch Irish,
Scotch, Welsh and English. From
Scotch Irish came Jackson, Polk, Bu-
chanan, Arthur and Mckinley from
the Scotch are Monroe, Grant and
Hayes, and from the Welsh came JEFF
ferson. All the rest came from the
English, pure and simple. German,
French, Italian, Polish, Russian and
Scandinavian blood has not yet min
gled in the veins of our Presidents
and probably will not for some time.
-Pathfnder.
LAwYER-Are you acquainted with
any OF the men on the juryl Wit
ness-Yes, sir-more than half of
them. Lawyer-Are you willing to
swear that you know more than half
of them? Witness-Say, If 1t comes
to that, I'm willing to swear that ]
know more than all of them put to-
gether.
PATIENT OLD LADY-I've been a
great sinner more than eighty years,
and didn't know it.
Old Colored Servant knowed 1t
all de time
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01

DEAR me, Tom. you eat good
deal for a little fellow remarked
Uncle John to his nephew.
"I s'pect 1 aren't so little inside as
/ look outside" was Toms ingenious
answer.
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01

Prison WARDEN-"We try to give
every inmate work with which he IS
familiar. What your trader" New
Prisoner-''I am a professional pc
destrian. J"
The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-02-01

INDIGNANT MoTHER-And so he
kissed you three timesl Now, what
did you say to himf
Artless Daughter-Why, I said
Don't Stopl'
She did only it sounded like, "Don't
stopP'
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-10-02

acre. He said that there were 5000
acres in the tract. Speaking Of the water
rights on the property Fenton stated
| there was water sufficient and to spare
and that the water right business alone
was sufficient to secure his whole indebt-
edness to the bank. The farmers under
the pump were paying. he said. Sis per
acre for this service, and the total cost
Of furnishing the supply was but 81 per
acre. He said that Of the $l72.o0o he
owed the State Bank of Rocky Ford over
$4,000 represented interest on the
notes. and that he had expended $4,000
in improving the property. Under cross
examination he stood by the statements
made in direct testimony and proved
strong witness for the defense.
After the noon recess Reuben Sawyer.
civil engineer of this city took the stand
to give expert testimony. He estimated
the Fenton lands as worth $l00 per acre
If properly watered. but if unwatered it
was worth no more than 81 per acre.
Lorenzo Swink was the next expert to
eoho tiie Ssaio. ne rldCeo dn tStiI1dteu
value Of from SIS to $3.50 per acre on
the Fenton property. And thirds of
this. that is 1000 acres, he considered
worth the higher figure. Swink lives
only three miles from the property and is
we'll acquainted with its merits. On
cross examination he said that his esti-
mates of the value of the property were
made with view to water rights beng
obtainabie.
Bert Beymer. surveyor Of Otero coun-
ty. valued the Fenton land at from Sl00
te SIPS il water was obtainable. He
told the jury how the land was located.
and that the water system might easily
be perfected.
Then Senator Swink was placed on the
stand to give expert testimony Of the
Fenton property. He estimated the value
Of the Fenton land at from 500 to $l25
or even more. gave the pumping plant
good name and said that only time was
required to make it a paying investment.
Under cross examination the veteran ir-
rigation man was cool and collected and
never for an instant gave the states at
tornsy the advantage. Swink knew what
he was talL.ng about and all the lawyers
in the court room could not shake his
position.
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-10-02
TO HEAR TAFT
Oood rsrESss at ths Repsbiicsn Reilly
noo6ay NlHht

ooy s~sBoS
Notwithstanding other attractions there
was . ~sll-filled house At Collins hall.
9l2 Walnut avenue. on Monday evening.
to attend the opening meeting Of the Re-
publican club.
Through the courtesy Of the Bolton
Music Co. . new Rraphophone with .
dozen Taft records were loaned for the
occasion. and Mr.. Taft's speeches were
listened to with great pleasure.
Col. J. A. Loekhart and Judge H. NJ.
Minor delivered able addresses. They
brought out the issues Of the campaign so
clearly as to arouse great enthusiasm in
the audience.
President North announced the appoint
msnt Of the following club committees:
Musie-Roy Elser. chairman.
Litsraturs-Col. Loekhart, H. W. Lance
and Mrs c. F. Evans
Boys Drill-R. p. Collins. J. r. Bate
man. C. E. Bolton.
Finanes-W. c. Steele. J. N. Chritton
and S. W. Cressy.
Program-J. X. Price. Geo. E. Preble
and Mrs. J. F. Mekslvey.
The club has started with q member
ship Of 200. and by next meeting it will
likely be increased TO about 1000.
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-10-02
FRANCIS Bell FoRo

The wife Of John W. Ford. succumbed
to nephiitis on Monday evening Though
she had been i'll for some time the end
came suddenly. Deceased was AZ years
old and leaves husband and one son,
Mark. to whom the sympathy Of a large
circle OF friends is extended in their ber-
eayement. Funeral services were held
at the late home Of deceased. 800 North
Sixt, street, by Rev. W. B. Harter on
Wednesday afternoon. Interment in VAL
ley View cemetery. beside the graves OF
her two sons who had both preceded her
within the past year.
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-10-02
OBITUARIES.
JOHN SrooP

At his home in Swink on Sunday even
ing. John Stoop sueermbed to anemia.
aged 81 years. The deceased was quite
well known in this city. as he had been
engaged in the grocery business here for
several years prior to moving to Swink
about two years ago to conduct a mer-
camille business. He leaves a sorrowing
widow and three children. daughter in
Nebraska. a son in Kansas and Frank D.
Stoop Of Rocky Ford. to mourn his sud-
den demise. To them is extended the
sincere sympathy Of their many friends
Funeral services were conducted in the
Christian church yesterday afternoon by
Rev. W. 3, Harter.
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-10-02
T. MONTAGUE

Torrance. the six months-old son Of
Mr.. and Mrs. T. Montague. passed away
on Sunday. Sept. 27. The funeral took
place from the stricken home. one mile
north Of Rocky Ford, on Monday after
noon. Rev. Harter officiating.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-27
FLORAL PARADE
OCCURS TODAY
Continued From Page I.

day, the 30th. An all-day and aD-night
sail will bring them to Monterey The
morning of May /.
The details of the entry into San
Francisco harbOr and the station and
maneuvers of the ships prior to and
at the naval review May s were an
nounced on board the Connecticut to-
day. The Atlantic fleet will sail through
the Golden Gate alone, but the ships
of the Pacific fleet, the armored cruis-
ers of the West Virginia class, win
join them at Angel island. just with
in the harbor entrance, and the COM
bined force of forty-SiX battleships,
cruisers. torpedo boat destrOyers and
auxiliaries will parade through the bay
to the reviewing anchorage. The ships
will anchor in four long columns, head
ing toward Goat island and extending
south in the bay from a point off Mar
ket street and the ferry terminal build
ings, past Mission rock and on to Pc
trero Point. The vessels of the At
Iantic fleet will be at the San Fran
cisco lightship from the time Of their
arrival late on the night of May TN
til we'll along in the morning of the
9th. 1t is calculated that the Connec-
ticut, with Admiral Evans aboard, will
pass Point Bonita entering the Golden
Gate exactly at noon or May o. The
last vessel of the combined fleets IS
not expected to reach its anchorage po-
sition until nearly o'clock, so for four
long hours the great display i'll San
Francisco bay will be in progress. Dur
ing the maneuvers all ferry traffic Will
be practically suspended and the waters
given over to the big white ships and
the excursion craft accompanying
them.
The battleships Wisconsin and Ne
braska also will join the fleet at Angel
island on the way TO the anchorage
grounds
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-27
GUGGENHEIMS FOR TAFT.
Colorado Delegation to Chicago Con-
Vention Will Be instructed.

gates to the Republican national conven-
ton will be chosen this week, six by
state convention in this city on Tues
day. two for the Second congressional
district at a district convention here i'm
mediateIy following the state convention.
and two for the First district at Denver
on Wednesday.
No contests are in sight and it is as
sured that the state convention will de-
clare strongly in favor of the nomina-
ton of Secretary Taft for the presidency.
Attorney General William II. Dickson has
been named as chairman of the state
convention. The party leaders have de-
termined to bestOW the honorary positions
OF delegates-at-large upon non-office
holders. Among those mentioned for this
honor are William @. Evans Of Denver
and Thomas F. Walsh of Arapahoe.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-27
Too Much Traffic.

London. April 23.-The London morn
ing newspapers are mostly of the Opin-
ion that no blame attaches to any one
in the Gladiator disaster. The Daily
Telegraph. however. calls attention 20
the fact that the worlds greatest ma
val arsenal at POrtmOuth, within a
few miles, is approached by the same
narrow channel as the rapidly growing
commercial port of Southampton. The
SOient, continues the Telegraph. prob
ably is the most freqUented waterway
in the world, and the development of
these two ports in close proximity is
little short Of a national misfortune.
The paper suggests careful reconsider
alton of the rules governing navigation
there and no loss of time in placing
the larger portion of the fleet on the
east coast, where strategically it is re-
QUired.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-27
COPPER IN WYOMING.

Cheyenne, Wyo., April PA discovery
of copper of wonderful richness is re-
ported from the William ii. Lusman mine
in the Copper mountain district, near Sho-
shone. Wyo. The vein has been penetrat-
ed distance of eight feet, much of the
being almost pure copper. and the dis
covery was made on the 300-foot level
Senator Clark of Montana attempted to
buy this property last summer. The
William III. Lusman is pronounced a sec
oud United Verde. There is great ex-
element over the strike and miners are
nocking TO the scene.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-27
EDDY COMING HOME.

Berlin, April Gambia ssador Tower,
who Is soon 10 be succeeded in his DO
sitiOn here by DR.. David Jayne Hill
present minister at The Hague. will give
up his house in this city tomorrow and
Will start for the south with his family
later in the week.
Spencer +. Eddy. secretary of the en-
hassy. has been granted leave of absence,
and, with his wife and child. will sail
for America, May s. Mr.. Eddy's nomi-
nation as American minister to Argen-
tina has been confirmed by the senate
The state department has authorized John
W. Garrett, second secretary of the en-
hassy. to act as charge d affaires during
the absence of Mr. Tower and Mr.. Eddy