davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10
EMBARRASSING LAWS.

1t would appear that the peculiar
predicament in which the Western
Maryland Railroad company finds
itself, because of the provision of the
Hepburn rate law that goes into effect
on May / and forbids a coal-carrying
road to transport coal mined by it,
raises in very practical. forcib]e
manner the question how abuses for
which certain corporations are sup
posed to be largely responsible may be
corrected without destroying the cor
porations themselves. Capital punish
ment has always been regarded as an
extreme penalty.
1t is explained that the coal-mining
properties of this company are a ma
terial part of the security for its mort
cages and that owing to the general
shrinkage in values additional col
lateral must now be provided. Under
ordinary conditions the road is solvent
easily able to pay all operating ex-
penses and meet all obligations. For
the most part it's traffic is confined to
forwarding its own coal from it's fields
in West Virginia to the connection
which 1t has formed with the Balti-
more & Ohio at Cumberland. 1t is
are rendered unavailable through leg
islation, not only will its business be-
come Improbable, but an enormous
loss will also be incurred by trust and
deposit companies and other banking
institutions which have made loans on
bonds which it has issued
| Accordingly, in order to test its
position in the courts the directors
| have decided to put the road into the
| hands of it's president as receiver al
though at the present time, despite the
| abnormally high cost of temporary
loans and renewals, it has a surplus
over fixed charges. It is contended
| that the construction of which the
| Hepburn law is susceptible might en-
| tail vast loss of revenue. while it would
be hazardous to anticipate a favorable
/ judgment of the courts in view of the
| severe penalties imposed. Whether
the law is constitutional or whether
assuming that it is, it is applicable
| where the Western Maryland is con-
| cerned are questions to be determined
later; but the management naturally
refuses to take the risk involved ir
treating the law from its point of view
or from that OF its counsel
If, as Is not impossible, the verdic
finally rendered prohibits the company
from transporting its coal, the proper
ty in whole or in part must be sacri
feed unless means can be devised fo
securing some modification of the re
strictions imposed. To organize tw,
companies composed of the sam
stockholders for the ostensible purpos
of severing existing relations would, il
the opinion of those financially inter
ested. be condemned as an evasion o
the law that would be punish able
: Heretofore 1t is said that no charg
: of improper methods has been pre-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10
QUAKER REFLECTIONS.

lFrom the Philadelphia Record
The fool is never known by his ST.
lence.
Some grass widows are really old
enough to be hay widows.
virture and honesty are twins At
least, each is it's own reward
We all have our shortcomings, and
that's what keeps a lot of us short
The fellow who complains that he
never has a show really never has the
price Of admission.
Its easy enough to make love-" OBJ
serves the Cynical Bachelor. THE trou-
BILE is to keep it up
It's all right for a fellow to keep a
stiff upper lip, but that isn't the kind
a girl likes to kiss.
Many a man with one foot in the
grave does enough kicking with the
other one to make up for it.
If our good intentions were all real
lied the devil would have to open bids
for q new paving contract.
This is full of the old Nick" re-
marked the man who was trying to
shave himself with dull razor
"Blobbs-"Yes, Blowhard offered 70
bet me 800" S1obbs-"Did he put up
anything" Blobbs-"Only a blur
she-"I can read you like a book"
He-"Oh! you women all jump at con-
clusions." She-"WeH at any rate 7
can see your f1nish.'
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.

CFrom the Chicago News1
Anticipated calamities seldom show
ND.
Even a pavement made of good in
tentions is slippery.
Poverty is no disgrace-as long as
your credit Is good.
No man is necessarily simple because
he lives the simple life.
If you would retain your friends don't
make them envy you.
You can't blame a dressmaker for
wanting to work on pay trains.
The time of a man who walks a mile
to save a nickel isn't very valuable.
Ever notice how some people sit with
wide open mouths when you talk?
If man could see himself as others
see him he might be able to see his
finish.
You can please a woman by roasting
her neighbors and praising her chill
dren.
Life is short at best, so don't waste
any of it worrying over the affairs of
other people.
Many a man Is suspected of being
rich merely because he doesn't pay his
bills promptly.
But we are inclined to believe that
actions do not speak louder than words
at the meetings of sewing society.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10
GLOBE SIGHTS.
[From the Atchison Globe.l

From the Atchison Globe.
There is nothing improbable to q
jealous woman.
The women should always admire
women more than the men.
A man likes that woman best who
makes him the least trouble.
You needn't be SO proud because you
are fat: maybe it's dropsy.
Atchison's idea Of a rich man Is one
who can afford to take a nap OF noon
You people who quarrel easily, re-
member that no quarrel was ever really
made I'D.
The happiest woman on earth is the
one who believes in the old maid kind
of good times.
There is said to be only one really
good husband in town, and his wife
is mean TO him.
Atchison has a curiosity: an unmar-
ried man Of so, who does not think he
is as young as any of the boys.
Children take the place of a fad with
dren Is sure to have a fad of some
kind
OF course, you would not confess it,
but when someone gives you q postal
card to mail, don't you always read
it?
| ton of being deep by saying things
neither he nor anyone else understands.
Sent in: Last night I saw a man
eating a dish of corn, and, owing to
| hard times, he had no spoon, SO he
| used a clothespin-
We would like to personally know a
woman who looked so we'll when
around her work that she was not
ashamed to go to the door when callers
came.
| After a woman passes a certain age
| she has to become interested In prayer
| meeting, or sitting up with the sick
and the dead. or she doesn't see any
| society at all.
| The average woman's letter begins
| one of two ways: 1T is perfect shame
| I have not written to you before" O,
/ do I owe you letter, or do you owe
| me one?"
| When a man moves into a western
| town, the thing that surprises hin
| most is the great number OF men wht
do nothing all day but stand on stree
corners and exchange fool opinions.
If you work industriously, tell the
truth, and keep your record clean. yol
will some day get paid for it. You ma,
not receive it today or tomorrow, bu
some day, in some shape or other. yol
will get value received.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

with DR.. Gordon and George Evans
beside him.
Jessie" he Queried family.
Is safe and well,'' DIR. Gordon re-
Piled '-She escaped entirely without
injuries, and her father has carried
her. almost by main force, to her
room. to get the rest she needs. In
fact, he added, you monopolized the
Woman's right of fainting."
1t was that COMPOUNDED dope OF
yours" Harry retorted.
1t came near costing your life. but,
thank God. you both escaped. Your
injuries are very slight, although your
bandages look formidable. The burns
are only surface burns and won't even
spoil your beauty. and now must go
As the door closed on DR.. Gordon.
George Evans turned to his friend.
What you said about Miss Os-
corne's sense Of honor Is all right, but
admit like man that I had a truer
estimate of her courage. Or. say" he
added jokfngly, although there was q
suspicious tremor in his voice, per
maps the engagement is called OF,
since you don't admire that type
Il can't Joke about it, George" Neil
answered gravely. '"The type of girl
pictured is all right in theory but
-lCopyrighted 1908. by Jessie
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

Nicholas. the car of Russia, now has
q chance to show whether or not he Is
personally as humane an Individual as
his friends have declared that he is.
The fate of General Stoessel, the hero of
Port Arthur who was unr1ghteouSly
condemned to death by a court martial,
rests in the emperor's hands If the
car does not extend a clemency that
belongs to Stoessel and one which he
never should have been placed In a
position that he would have to ask for,
he will lose the respect of nations.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10
TO BREAK CLASS DISTINCTIONS.

There is doubtless something to be
said in favor of the vernacular. the
slang of the day, to use a common
phrase. For the most part, it is express
sive, although there is the pres
ent danger Of overworking it, and it
may be acquired without much mental
effort. For a reason that has not been
explained it sounds better on some
tongues than on others. but, as init
mated, there is a strong leaning to-
ward slang, as, unfortunately there is
toward profanity. Almost every hui
man being of the masculine gender at
an early age picks UP what is uncon-
ventional, If not decidedly improper,
In speech and speedily learns to cut
across lots in conversation.
But, granting that slang has its
place in our usually limited vocabu-
larry, provided it is not permitted to
crowd out the correct expression of
thought on occasions and to override
the nicer shades of meaning, the Bos-
ton Transcript advances a rather pc
culiar argument in it's advocacy or
defense when 1t seriously maintains
that if bank presidents and motormen
resort to the same idiom when, ia
tigued, they declare they are "all in"
1.-THE differences which separate them
are by SO much decreased. That there
are classes and class distinction in
this country is as certain as that they
exist and are recognized in the Old
World, and there is reason to believe
that they are becoming more and
more distinct or distinguishable. And
if it is advisable to break down the
dividing lines-which has yet to be
proved, of course-here would appear
to be an exceedingly simple way to
go about it,
Not in the matter of language alone
but in all outward essentials can bank
and college presidents and the man
in the ditch be brought closer togeth-
er in case the former assent, The
latter can have no objection, surely.
1t being easier to descend than as
cend, to get down to the lowest level
than to strike the loftiest plane, 1t
only remains for those IN high places
who have enjoyed all the so-called
advantages of education and training
in department and who have been
favored by fortune generally, to talk,
dress and conduct themselves after
the manner of the neglected and I'M
polished to reduce by so much the
differences which separate them.
A departure of that kind might
trespass upon ambition, perhaps. and
deprive us of our models of elegance
| refinement and good breeding, II such
there be, but it might also remove
envy or scorn and the temptation to
ape our superiors and endeavor to lift
ourselves above our station, numerous
| disa agreeable traits which are respon-
sible for more or less friction, discon-
| tent and rebellion against environ
ment. The change is merely suggest
ed. It is not insisted here that it be
made compulsory.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10
HU1NOR or THE Day

Do you imagine 1t possible for a camel
to GO through the eye of need1e?"
how large my wife is?'
well she goes through my pockets
Editor-I am obliged to decline your
poem penn. with tn. thanks I am very sorry. but
Editor-The management insists upon
my declining al poems politely. you know.
Illustrated Bits.
Village Constable-Ths three trarnps I
oohng f5 g f Ply whst a fol
Transatlantic Tales from FTiegende Blaet-
ter.
Bess-There's one pleasure denied the
rich.
Bess-They can't go bargain hunting
Boston Record.
Jimmy Junior-our university has just
ellis.
Freddy Frank--For the museum or the
What sort of a table do they set at
your boarding house?' asked the young
"A table OF waits and neasures,'' re-
Piled his friend The first long and the
Young man." demanded the girls faith
er, have you a settled income?'
Yes. sir. 1t has just settled IS a week,
but a fellow ought to be glad to be able
to keep his job at any price now, you
ow.'-Chtcago Record Herald
Yes. DOCTOR" one of Harry's eyes
seems ever SO much stronger than the
| other. How do you account for that?''
Knothole in the baseball fence last
summer, most likely, madam. Harper
Weekly.
Senator. you have your own opinion of
this currency question, haven't your"
Yes SIR, and I suppose I have answer
ed 1t hundreds of times It's nobody's
business how man gets his currency."-
Chicago Tribune.
But suppose after I win my sheepskin
at college I can't make a success?" said
the doubtful country boy.
20, well, if-you~ean't :" -drawledssfhe old
farmer phflosophically. bring the sheep
skin home and make a drumhead out of
ft.''-Chicago News.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

ment by contributing to a fund, it is
their present opportunity to subscribe
to the $4,000 one which it is neces-
sary to raise to make the county fair
to be held here this fall the great
success that it should be- This fair
will be great boon to Topeka and
Shawnee county and VIII be a fit be-
ginning for a state fair to be held
here in future years of proportions
adequate to the agricultural interests
of the people of the state.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

It was no more than right that the
Democratic state committee of Mime
sofa should endorse Governor John A
johnson for the Democratic nominal
ton for president. But this endorse
ment was only secured after a bitter
nght with the Bryan men in the state
1t would seem to have been a generous
thing for the Bryan men to have joined
hands and given Gov. Johnson q unan-
irnous endorsement from his own state.
at the most 1t would not be significant
of much as Mr.. Bryan already has the
Democratic national convention in his
vest pocket and an endorsement or two
for Johnson cannot hurt the Nebras-
kan In any way.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

Hardly credible are the stories which
have developed In the inquiry that IS
being conducted as to the treatment
an the Illinois boys reformatory. One
lad hung with his hands chained above
his head for five days and another one
was held by a nurse while she forced
another boy to bite him. It does not
seem possible that tortures as horrible
as these could be practiced by persons
OF the white race. Their punishment
should be swift and certain.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR,
EFrom the New York Press

tFrom the New York Press.1
A pleasant thought about winter is
that spring is coming.
The closer a girl can snuggle up to
you the surer she is not to be your
sister.
A small boys idea Of hell has some
thing to do with bathtubs and scrub
bing brushes.
A man thinks he has character who,
somebody tries to borrow a dollar and
he lends him only a half
A coquettish girl has way of beinx
able to see man when he is around =
corner and of not bei1g able to see hf-
when he is right in front OF her.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10
JOURNAL ENTRIES

Generally is the cook the leading
exponent Of home rule.
u =
Many men who make good livings
with their pens raise pigs.
y
Lovers once but strangers now"
may be appropriately applied to many
married folks.
It may be better to be alone than
in bad company but it's awful lone
some.
4
Although head waiter Is a collec-
tor Of coins it is hardly proper to call
him a numismatist.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

WI Ting Fang SCOTS at the idea that
there is a possibility of a war between
China and Japan because of the seizure
of a Japanes boat by some of China's
sailors So does everyone else who has
any sense. with the possible exception
of the LIMOGES who are never idle In
their efforts to stir VI a war of some
sort. But then the jingoes cannot real
" be accused of having sense.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

1t is not more than natural for
many of the officers in the q. S. A
to look with alarm on the latest sug-
gestion of President Roosevelt to test
their physical fitness. 1t combines
ninety mile equestrian test with sew
eral short, crisp spurts on foot. There
are doubtless any quantity of them
whom it will put out of commission
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

Not much political significance can
he attached to the fact that the New
York Republican state committee
formally endorsed Governor Charles
E. Hughes as a candidate for the Re
publican presidential nomination, in
view of the fact that some weeks ago
Taft requested his friends in New
York not to make any fight against
the endorsement of Hughes by his
OWN state.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

English ire is terribly aroused just
now because the Emperor of Germany
has written a letter to the first lord of
tho admiralty in regard to Great Brit
aims naval programme. Nobody but
those on the inside know the tenor of
the letter but the mere fact that one
was written is sufficient cause for an
International stir" Wilhelm has prob
ably written with "indiscreet fullness
of expression to a foreign Official"
After the British lion roars a few times
the incident will probably be closed.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

This is the season OF the festival of
! gt. David. Not David, King of Israel,
but David, the patron saint of Wales.
Yet no one hears anything about
John Macdonald getting up an appro-
'Driate celebration
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

Abe Hummel, the one time noted
criminal lawyer of New York, who Is
5ust completing a years term in pris-
ton on a conviction for perjury, is
planning to take an extended Europ-
can trip. He Is one of those men
whose continued residence abroad
would be most desirable.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

Chicago need not feel so proud over
the fact that the wind was blowing
there the other day at the rate of 50
miles an hour It attained velocity
of so miles an hour right here In To-
peIsa about the same time.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

AS was to be expected the statistics
show that dislocations of the jaw are
four times as prevalent among women
"a among men.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10

If an occasion has ever developed
IN Topeka when the business. pro-
tesstonal and every other class of
men In the city have had an oppor-
kunitn 10 really make good invest
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10
FULL LEASED WTRE REPORT
OF THE ASSOCIATED PRE9S

The State JotTnei - a member og sne
Associated Press Snd receives the full Jay
telegraph repecr OF that great news Or
ganizaticn for the exclusive 0fteEuoon
publication sn TcDeka.
The news Is received In The state Jour
nal building ever wires for this sole pur-
pose.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-10
Strong Room Perils.

BEFORE now people have been shut
in strong rooms ana nave narrow eS-
conas On one occasion a locksmith
was repairing an interior safe in the
strong room of New York bank
when the cashier closed the vault
door. AS it was worked by a time
lock it meant that the door would re-
main closed until the 1olioWlhs lno N
ing Fortunately, the man knew the
secrets of his stronghold, and by
opening a manhole was able 70 OBJ
tain sufficient supply OF air. he
then made a pillow of bag OF dollar
bills and composed himself TO Steep
until the door was opened next
morning-5trand Magazine.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-08-16

sausage meat Of their white overload.
But, as a rule, these Africans can be
coerced with cash arguments. They
are buyable, like some American poll.
ticians not of the Roosevelt stripe.
And there are the supplies. They
also come high. The medicine item is
a big one. There are dense swamp
jungles to cross before reaching the
tablelands and the foothills where the
big beasts be. These swamps exude a
miasma that confers upon the unac-
climated Caucasian a fever that puts
him to sleep permanently in dozen
hours or so unless he can manage to
fight off the first attack with the prop
er specific. Even then, once attacked,
that swamp jungle fever is apt to re-
turn in force about once a. year the
rest Of the victims life. But, with the
medicine discovered by the, late DR.
Livingstone taken as a preventive be
fore catching the fever and as a spe'
cific after catching, the white man
may feel reasonably sure of getting
back to civilization alive unless lion
devours him or an elephant tramples
him or snake embraces him too cor
daily.
Why, are there dangers in African
bip game hunting?
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-08-16
THE HEADSMAM.
He Used the Sword and Not the Ak
Prior to 1888. ~

He Used the Sword and Not the Ak
Prior to 1883. .s.@@ ~
l am inclined to think that prior to
1883 the sword and not the ak was
usually employed as the weapon for
judicial decapitation and that block
was dispensed with, the victims receiv-
ing their doom "meekly kneeling upon
their knees" and in this opinion + am
fortified by the concurrence of an emil
nent clerical historian. This learned
writer agreed with me that the ak did
not become the regulation" lethal i'm
plement until after the rough and ready
heading" of Lord Hastings on the
Tower green, when he was summarily
dispatched by order Of the protector,
Gloucester. IT,, ..l.- A..
In this instance, according to the
chroniclers, the victims neck was
stretched upon piece Of timber then
in use for the repair of the adjacent
church Of st. Peter ad Vincula, prob.
ably "putlog," part of the scaffolding
which, we read, conveniently lay in
the way" Contemporary accounts
seem to indicate that the executionel
straddled over the prone body, and
from this position infer that the de
capitation was effected by the too
known as an adj, the cutting edge o.
which is at a right angle to and not II
a plane with the haft.
may. add that the only contempt
rary reference have come across O.
the use or proposed use Of an ak ant
block for inficting capital punishment
prior to this tragedy is in one of tn,
PASTOR series of letters describing tn,
peril of an unfortunate captive Of Jacl
Cade's rebels "a. D. 1850, a generation
before Lord Hastings was so clumsil,
hacked to death.-London Notes AM
1 Queries. sE..t. .s.@