davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-06-22
Spice Suits ReupfeI-
stored, I4.05.

Have your furniture reup-
holstered while away this
Summer. 1t will look like
new when you return in the
Fall. We offer to cover any
5-piece suit of furniture with
Satin Russ Tapestry, oil the
frames, furnish new gimp
cerd, springs and findings;
workmanship the Straus
standard; Tuesday only.
The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-06-22
THLJ1aR. JUVENILE
~ HUMANE
Al9ECOCIETY
"a CSAMEN MBA&EzZE%MEE4gGzZMEEEzzEzZZzzz1

ENRMW
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13

ing short of marvellous. Once
in awhile it happens that some
body mails a cryptogram for a Joke, afford
ing a problem of much difficulty For in
stance, not long ago. letter turned up that
bore in lieu of superscripton the following lines.
There is young man in Brooklyn,
Far away to the sea-
B. 0. B Bob, we call him
Oh, letter carrier. find him for mel"
There were in addition only the words st.
Marks Ave" in one corner. 1t might have
seemed hopeless puzzle; but not SO to the
blind reader" who looked up St. Marks-ave,
in Brooklyn directory. and sent a circular to
every person named Robert living there AS
result, the right one applied for the letter and
got it.
Pathos, as we'll as humor. sometimes relieves
the monotonous routine of the business of the
Dead Letter Office Now and then bundle
of old letters, tied with faded ribbon, and
companied often by a ring, comes to hand
the melancholy announcement of an ended love
affair.
Remarkable Odds and Ends
A MONG the odds and ends in the collection of
curiosities are false whiskers, brass knuckles,
coffin plates, wigs, poker chips rat traps, pocket
cook stoves, dental instruments, pipes and
tobacco, opium pipes and packages of opium,
corn husking gloves, kitchen utensils. musical
instruments, spirit photographs starfsh, petri-
fed frogs idols from Mexico, s,lkworm cocoons,
and baby alligators from Florida.
A relic somewhat out of the ordinary is
revolver which sent in package, at full
cock, to woman in Springfield, Ohio. All of
its six chambers were loaded, and that it did
not go off is a wonder Another oddly
lock of hair forwarded by Charles Guiteau, the
assassin of Garfield, to woman in Cincinnati,
it was his own hair. by the way,-with
request that she contribute thousand dollars
for his defense
Notwithstanding the regulation forbidding
the transmission of explosives by mail, large
quantities of firecrackers and torpedoes, thus
despatched, are confiscated Most people seem
to think that it is the business of the Postofice
Department to carry everything. One of
the letters preserved is written on the jawbone
of dog with a stamp affixed A battered
plug hat had lost its address by the time it
reached Washington. But much more odd is
an ordinary brick, which was sent second class;
and not less interesting is cocoanut in the
husk, from Florida. stamped on the outside,
and with the direction written on it. queer
little penwiper is made out of a wishbone
dressed up to resemble a tiny negro doll. 1t is
labeled
"Once / was wishbone
And grew upon hen;
Now am a little slave.
And made to wipe your pen "
Some years ago big passenger steamship,
the Oregon, sunk near New York city.
Divers were sent down to recover what they
could of the mails she carried, and included in
the stuff recovered were dozens of newspapers
each containing pair of long kid gloves
They had been under water for one hundred
and fourteen days: but the Government seized
them just the same, because it was evident
that an attempt had been made to smuggle
them.
Heading OF Smuggling
I LIKEWISE carefully preserved for curiositys
& H.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13
UNCLE SANS WASTE BASKET

formances in this line are moth
ing short of marvellous. Once
in awhile it happens that some
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13
Feats of the Blind Reader

A BOUT seven million letters go astray in the
mails in the course of twelvemonth, and
everyone of them has to be opened and exam
ned, task that furnishes occupation for a
big roomful of clerks Not few of them owe
their fate to illegible addresses, and these, if
exceptionally hard to decipher are handed over
to a woman employee who is famous for her
skill as blind reader" Some of her per-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13
Heading OFF Smuggling

I LIKEWISE carefully preserved for curiosity's
sake are packages of dried herbs which were
found to contain dutiable articles Smuggling
through the mails is frequently attempted ;
authorities cooperate with the Customs Service
in watching every letter or bundle that can
reasonably be suspected of containing anything
contraband. When the slightest suspicion is
entertained, the addressee is notified that it
will be necessary for him to come and open the
letter or parcel in the presence Of the officials
Awhile ago much trouble was made by rats
which ate the contents of packages stored in
the Dead Letter Office. All parcels that 60
astray in the mails are kept for two years be-
fore being disposed of, stuck away in big
pigeonholes, a circumstance that offered fine
opportunity to the predatory rodents. They
were much addicted to cutting up cotton cloth
and other dress fabrics for their nests: but
what they seemed to enjoy most was wedding
cake (pieces of which are frequently found in
lost packages), and the bran stufhng of dolls
and pincushions. The mischief was finally
done away with by the help of ferrets
At the end of two years all the merchan-
disc is sold at auction, the packages being
opened and their contents made up into fresh
parcels, for the sake of condensation A cata-
1ogue describing the parcels by number, and
giving brief account of what is in them, is
printed, care being taken to avoid even the
slightest Misrepresentation. Thus, for exam
pie, cheap jewelry" figures frequently in the
list.
The sale is always we'll attended, the crowd
including sprinkling of second hand dealers.
But of course, as examination of the goods is
not permitted, the buying is good deal of a
gamble; more especially as. in a few in
stances, bundles of considerable size are put
up without any description of what they con-
tain. The mystery appeals to the imagination
of the onlookers and elcits bids that are usu-
ally out of all proportion to the real value of
the articles acquired Though remarkable bar
gains have sometimes been obtained in this
way).
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13
Mailed q Watch and Chain

MOT long ago gold watch and chain were
found in mail box in Philadelphia, without
any sign of wrapper. No clue to the owner was
ever obtained; but the supposition is that the
person who deposited the watch was either a
pickpocket anxious to get rid of it; or else a
man of convivia1 inclinations. who may pos
sibly have suddenly remembered letter his
wife had intrusted to him. with the result that,
looking anxiously to see what time it was, he
absent mindedly dropped his watch instead OF
the missive into the box.
1t happens occasionally that people refuse
to receive letters or parcels addressed to them,
and such articles eventually reach Uncle Sam S
capacious waste basket. A hideous cloth
covered doll somewhat resembling negro
baby, life size, which is preserved among the
curiosities of the Postofice Department, is
such an instance, the case being one wherein
a rejected sutton was engaged in an effort to
get even" with young woman who lived on
Fifth-ave, New York city. On the day of her
marriage to another man he sent the doll to
her as gift. evidently with derisive INTENT but
she would have none of it, and the letter carrier
who attempted to deliver it was requested to
take it away again.
Among the oddities in the collection is a
shaving set, sent by young woman to her
hance, which seems to have been instructed.
1t consists of razor with a much broken edge,
a piece of ordinary sand soap. and a brush
made out of beer jerker, with pieces of straw
for bristles. The outfit was evidently put to-
gether with much care, and it is pity that SO
good a Joke should have missed fire.
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1908-12-17
What We Want Santa Claus TO
Bring Us.

Shall the tots have ali the fun, and all the
good things, when Christmas comes? Shall
they, and none Others hang up the stockings,
and pray for remembrance, telling Santa Claus
what they want?
Is there no Kriss Kringle for us older folks,
no brnger of gifts who shall remember u.s. and
fit his gift to our needs?
Go to! children,-you shall have all that
you want Not an empty stocking should
hang pitifully on any hearth if we could have
Our way. If we could take each needy one of
you into Our arms and hearts, and make you
happy, we would do it,-God knows we would.
But we older folk want Santa Claus to bring
us something, too. Christmas comes but once
year, you llnow,-and here is our prayer to
the bringer of gifts
Bring us tender recollections of all whom
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1908-12-17
HOh You Gould Help.


Comrades, don't you believe that the coun-
try would be better off were the principles adj
vocated by the Jeffersonian put into law?
Surely you do.
Think of the wonderful way in which the
1eaven Of Populisn has worked.
In Georgia, especially, we have driven the
politicians to adopt nearly every one of our
state reforms.
The closing of all the bar-rooms was first
made an issue by us.
So, also, the abolition of the Convict Lease
System.
So, also, the direct election of all officers by
the people.
Through the White Primary, we have even
secured the adoption of that plank of our plat
form which called for the election of u. S.
Senators by the vote of the people.
We first exposed and denounced the use Of
public funds by private individuals, and this
abuse no longer prevails in Georgia.
Therefore, the old Pops and "The Peoples
Patty Paper" did not altogether fail. They
went down, but their teachings and their in
fuence lived and conquered.
You ought not to be discouraged. You
ought to take heart and help the Jeffersonian
spread this glorious gospel Of true Democracy.
If we can get people to read Our literature,
they will lose the prejudice they have against
us. They will see that our principles are nee
essary to the salvation of the country.
Unless the creed of the Jeffersonians finds
place in the laws of the land, one Of two things
is bound to come to pass WE WILL
EITHER GRAVITATE INTO A PLUTO
CRATIC MILITARY DESPOTISM, OR
WE WILL HAVE A SOCIALISTIC AND
BLOODY REVOLUTION.
You don't want either the one or the other.
You want democratic republic whose laws
mete out equal and exact justice to all men,
without special privilege to any.
Then help us work for such laws. Help us
bring to bear on the minds and hearts of men
the truths which will arouse them to a sense
of the dangers which are ahead of us and the
wrongs under which we suffer.
Suppose each one of our friends who is III
hearty sympathy with us should donate one
day to the cause, and use that one day in earn
estly canvassing for subscribers to the two
Teffersonians!
That's how you can help and help nightly.
We have given four years to this recent
propaganda 1.-TWO in New York magazine and
two in the Jeffersonians,) and have not reaped
a dollars reward; nor do we ever intend to
profit one cent for Our editorial work on the
two Teffersonians.
It is labor of love with u.s. and not "a ven
ture to make money.
Knowing this, won't you help?
u @ D.
What We Want Santa Claus TO
Bring Us.
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1908-12-17
ODE 5effersontan

teTs near by and made wild statement that
band of religious fanatics, armed to the teeth,
were at hand and that they meant trouble.
Out, rushed the police, looking for trouble
and, of course, they found t,-as physicians
often find arsenic in the stomachs of men who
have not died Of poison.
Yes, the police, fired up by Hollis wild
statement rushed out looking for riot, and
straghtway there was riot.
Holt had told these fanatics that they were
not fit people to have the custody of their chill
dren Consequently, they thought that Holt
meant to take the children away from them.
The fury of adam God" thus becomes more
Ineligible
These poor creatures were strangers in the
midst Of great city, and the very thought of
being robbed of their children was maddening.
But the fanatic had pistol! Yes; he had
a pistol. The little band of wanderers had
been frequently threatened, and had often been
told that their children ought to be taken from
them.
Being nothing but lowly fanatics, they had
made up their minds to die, rather than be rob-
bed of their children. Consequently, the pis-
tolls.
When Holt, the bumptious officer of the law,
interrupted Sharp's preaching and Mrs Pratt's
taking up of the collection, he was in the
wrong; when he threatened to take away the
shot off, on the spot.
Many father of children, under like prov
ocation, would have smashed Hollis insoent
mouth, the moment he spoke of robbing
parent of his little ones.
In the excited minds of the fanatics, the
squad of policemen which poured out of the
station and swooped down upon them, were
coming to take the children.
What right had the police to attack all of
these people? Not one of them, excepting
Sharp had done anything that could be called
unlawful. Sharp was the only one Of his band
that ought to have been arrested
Was any attempt made to arrest him in the
ordinary way? No. The police rushed upon
the whole band, as though every member of
it had committed a crime.
This outrageous conduct of the police pre-
cipitated bloody fight, in which several men
were shot down.
Mrs Louis Pratt fled from the battlefield,
taking the children with her She made for
the house boat on the river, in which they
lived while travelling.
The police gave hot pursuit of this woman
and her children.
home. The police pursued her there She
then snatched up two of her little girls, jump
ed into the row-boat and padded out into the
river.
The police, standing in her home, the house
boat, opened fire upon this woman and the two
little girls, AND KILLED ONE OF THE
GIRLS!
What had the woman done?
Nothing whatever that was unlawful She
had told the officious Holt that he was med
ding with what did not concern him, and for
speaking this plain but disagreeable truth,
she was chased as if she had been nad-dog,
ut IN
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1908-12-17
ATLANTA, GA, DECEMBER II, 1908.
Tell II NOT TO the Heather.


In the city of London, not long ago, great
procession of well-dressed and apparently
sane men crowded the streets, blocking traffic,
followed reverently lot of sanctimonious
priests who were solemnly carrying, in state,
a little bit of four-bread
This small piece of bread had been taken
from the oven, just as any other piece of bread
is taken, and had been carried to a church
where priest mumbled prayer over it,
Immediately, this tiny hunk of bread ceased
to be what it was and became something that
it wasn't.
The prayer of the priest changed the wafer
into the body of Christ. !
The prayer did not change the looks of the
bread The helpless little bit of cooked dough
looked just as much like bread after the priest
muttered his Latin prayer as before
Neither did the prayer change the taste of
the wafer. It tasted just as much like biscuit
as it did before the priestly function was per-
formed.
But, although it continued to look and taste
like a biscuit, it was no longer a biscuit. It
the body of Christ.
In Roman Catholic lingo such piece of
bread is called "The Host and when it is
elevated" inside of one of their Cathedra1s,
the faithful PROSTATE themselves, humbly and
devoutly.
When the wafer goes on it's travels, pass
ing through the streets, business must sus-
pend, hats fly off peoples heads, and the faith
full go down on their knees.
That's what happened in London, not long
ago, and you may see it in New York or Balti-
more or Philadelphia, if you care to go that
distance to see intelligent folks make dis
play of the public and pitiable SURRENDER
OF COMMON SENSE TO PRIESTCRAFT
Do the "authorities"' ever discourage or in
terfere with these fanatics? No, indeed
Were you to boot, or in any way try to hinder
these victims Of superstition, you would get
yourself into deep water before you could say
Jack Robinson.
But see how different it was in Kansas City
a few days ago, when religious fanatic, who
called himself Adam God, was preaching in
the streets, near the City Hall.
The real name of the fanatic is Sharp
Travelling about with him were Louis Pratt
and Pratt's wife and Pratts five children none
of these children being over IA wears old.
While Adam God was preaching, it was
Mrs. Pratt's part of the game to take up col
lection.
Now, while this preacher-beggar business
was in progress, up comes smartv "oflcer OF
the law" and interferes. He demands informa-
ton concerning these children and when Mrs.
Pratt reminds him that "it is none of his BUSH
ness" he becomes more aggressive. The inter-
meddling of Holt, the officer put stop to the
preaching as we'll as to the collection. This,
of course enraged the fanatic, Adam God and
when Holt persisted in pushing the quarrel,
the fanatic struck him with pistol.
Holt then dashed into the police head-quar-
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1908-12-17

GIRLS!
What had the woman done?
Nothing whatever that was unlawful. She
had told the oficious Holt that he was med
ding with what did not concern him, and for
speaking this plain but disagreeable truth,
she was chased as if she had been mad-dog,
AND ONE OF HER DAUGHTERS SHOT
TO DEATH AT HER SIDE.
Adam God was thought to be MORALLY
wounded, but he says that he will get we'll.
Says that he hopes to live to even up with
those policemen.
Holt was the cause of the trouble, and if
Sharp shoots ANYBODY WE EARNESTLY
HOPE THAT 1T WILL BE HOLT.
P S. Four men and one IS year old girl
killed, is the result, thus far, Of the lawless
action of Holt Lest they should be prosecut-
ed for the murder of the innocent little daugh-
ter of Mrs. Pratt, the gallant police are going
to prosecute Mrs. Pratt for murder They
have invented the story that she killed one of
the policemenl They killed the girls father,
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-06-13
CARLYLE ON OREGON POLITICS.

The Catholic Sentinel of Portland,
says some pertinent things on the po-
litical reformation of Oregon and
quotes that philosopher, Thomas
Carlyle, to support its assertions
The Sentinel quotes the following
paragraph from Carlyle's French
Revolutions:
know this also, that out of world
of unwise nothing but unwisdom can
be made. Arrange it, constitution
build it, sift it through ballot boxes
ss thou wilt, 1t is and remains an un-
wisdom, the new prey of new quacks
and unclean things, the latter end Of
It slightly better than the beginning.
Who can bring a wise thing out Of
unwisdom? Not. one"
And then the Portland paper ap-
plies this to oregon politics in the fol-
loving pointed manner:
The voters of Oregon on June 1
adopted a number Of measures de-
signed to retain ip the people a great
e1 amount Of political power than they
have heretofore enjoyed.
Back OF this legislation and much
other legislation adopted in Oregon
during the past few years, is an hon
est protest against machine politics
and the betrayal Of the people by a
corrupt gang. This spirit of revolt
against intolerable conditions cannot
be too highly commended.
But bound up with this legislation
there is also to be found fallacy.
This fallacy consists in believing that
evil political conditions can be en-
tirely reformed by legislative enact
ment in omltting from the program
OF reform all insistence on the neces-
sity Of individual morality, Legisla-
tive reform must remain one-slded
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-06-13

Is trying to finance the Union Paci-
fic." He further declared the COM
pany only needed $25,OOO,OOO, but
added that the amount would be
doubled to resume development and
put people at work.
But this incident, however, must
take a back seat while mention. is
made of remarkable tale from
Texas, in which prosperity and hard
times are strangely blended. The
railroads Of the Lone Star state, with
a gravity Of demeanor which the oc-
casion seemed to justify, have report
ed that their gross earnings have de-
creased SS,00O,OO0 in the past nine
months. This is a big pile OF money
t. lose but half OF II has been found
by the Texas railroad commission.
That able body of public officials say
that so per cent of this alleged de-
crease is a mere Pigment of imagina-
ton, a hallucination due to the new
system of bookkeeping ordained and
established by the interstate COM
merce commission.
This saving of $4,OOO,OOO should
encourage the Texas railroads to face
their burdens with less gloom and de-
preston of spirit and they should re-
gard it as an omen of returning pros
perity. Incidentally it might be re-
marked that If the Texas railroad
commission ever finds itself out of a
job there should be no difficulty in
finding ready employment in Wall
street
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-06-13
APPLE TREES ON BROADWAY.

One Of the few remaining monu-
mental trees OF New York stands in
Grace Church yard, at Broadway and
Tenth street. 1t is an old common
country apple tree. but 1t keeps green
the memory of one Mynheer Brevoort,
Dutchman and farmer. Nearly 100
years ago the Brevoort acres spread
out where the church now stands.
When New York began to stretch
out the city planned a straight thor
oughfare and named 1t Broadway.
The surveyors got as far as Tenth
street, where their progress was
stopped by the Brevoort gate. Keep
off my land!" shouted old Brevoort
in most forclbkle Dutch, confronting
them with dog and a stick. The
surveyors scaled the fence and
marched off through the next mans
field to the left.
The result was that the plans for a
straight main thoroughfare were un-
made by old Brevoort's threatening
stick and tongue. That is why there
is a bend in the street at this point,
and why a man is kept there greasing
the trolley slot, why teamsters tug
their reigns and speeding automobiles
slow up.
Grace church came into possession
of the land in later years and in graf
itude the churchmen are preserving
the old tree to commemorate Bre-
voort's memory.
East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-06-13
MONEY TALKS.

A. 5. Pearson, the we'll known
Freewater real estate dealer and
promoter of the electric lines in that
vicinity, told the East Oregonian a
little prohibition story while in the
city this week which is worth re-
peating. 1t is plain business story;
story of dollars and cents. There
is no sentiment in it. Mr.. Pearson is
not a sentimental man. He is not
prohibitionist.
But he has been shown" a few
things by the result of prohibition in
F'reewater.
When Freewater had three saloons
and was run wide open Mr.. Pearson
had three buildings rented in that
town at $3.50. per month, each. He
like many others, thought that per-
haps prohibition would kill" Free
water and was naturally opposed to
the prohibition movement because
he felt that it was the best policy to
license saloons and make them help
pay expenses. And he thought it was
good business sense to have them.
But now he don't believe that way.
Since the saloons have been abolished
in Freewater the rent on Mr.. Pear
sens three buildings has increased
until today he is receiving $40 per
month for the same buildings which
two years ago with three saloons in
the town were only bringing him
$3.50 per month.
So he has lost all faith in the loud
assertions of saloon men and certain
wavering business men, that prohibi-
ton kills" a town.
And in that same vicinity where
two and three years ago with saloons
in Freewater, land was selling for
from $40 to SIS per acre in the irri-
gated belt, land is now selling for
from $3.50 to $500 and s4OO per acre.
Il is the same land, the same town,
the same county and state.
Money talks. Let US get busy"