davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02
James Dumps, Democratic Editor.

Do you know Mr.. James Dumps?
You ought to. He is the doubling
brother in every community who wears
green glasses and talks "a blue
streak"
II things are bad he says they are
worse If affairs are on the mend he is
sure there will be another break. When
things begin to boom he is confident
that 1t IS only squirt. that prosperity
can't last.
wrong about ninety-nine times in a
hundred. Remember that when you
hear him croaking The safest thing
TO do is to laugh at him. and don't for
get that confidence hegets confidence.
Our country has safely weathered
the little storm that made you cling to
your money. and the best men in the
land-the men who are doing the work
are certain that good times are
headed this way and coming with n
rush.
Herr thcrl-they know what they are
talking about-and don't listen to or
don't be a Dumps. New York Tele-
gram.
These sensible remarks are respect
fully recommended to the consideration
of those who have been reading the
lngubrious and lacrymose walls of the
Watcrville Sentinel and other organs
of the calamity Democracy. To be
true to his calling a Democratic editor
has Ia be n professional pessimist and
-. ~, u
suffer each day an attack of acute
dyspepsia. He is just the James
Dumps whom our New York con-
temporary has in mind.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02
The Embezzlements of 1907.

According to the Chicago Tribune,
which collects interesting statistics of
all kinds with great care and thorough
ness. there was less dishonesty in
1907 among the bank men of the coun-
try than in 1906. Whether men have
been more closely watched or have
found il easier to resist temptation, the
fact remains that the embellishments,
forgeries, hank wreckings. etc, for 1907
approximate 81. 100000, while in 1906
they footed up sl4,739, 900, the largest
total since 1894. when they aggregated
s25, $4,000. The country has grown
enormously in wealth during the last IL
years. There are more banks and more
people handling trust funds. There
was a financial panic last year, and
such panic is likely to expose what
ever embeZzlers or bank wreckers there
may be. Perhaps the wonder is that
only 81 ,000,1 900 has gone astray.
OF that sum the banks and trust COM
panies lost 100000, mostly through
dishonest officials or employees. Public
officials handling city, county, state, or
national funds have been more success"
full in keeping their hands from pick
ing and stealing last year than they
were in 1906. Their populations aggre-
gated only $77S,0GO. while in 1906 they
amounted to about s1,7OO,OOO. More
money was handled and less was stolen.
There has been gratifying grogress in
one particular at least.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

The price Of silver has had great
drop of late. and although it was
worth rs much as Il cents a year ago
it now sells for only S. cents. which is
one of its lowest prices in recent years
One reason for the great drop is the
simple fact that China and India have
stopped buying it. and rs this country
does not need all the silver which its
mines produce there is bound to be
depreciation when our best customers
turn away. Although silver is still
classcd IS precious" metal. its price
.uctuates much more violently than
. most of the things which are never
given this classification. In striking
contrast il the cost Of steel rails. for
while the white metal which is used
for money has lost one-fourth of its
value in a single year, the enormous
: transportation business of tie country
| Is carried over rails whose price ha:
4 remained at SIS per ton for the pas
halt dozen years.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

1t can no longer be charged that
America Is too sOrdid to have a proper
appreciation of fine literature and
literary genius. An Indiana novelist
who disturbed the peace Of his city in
the early morning hours by cutting up
high jinks. resisting an officer and
the vulgar herd by the police court
judge, and instead of being sent up for
30 days the considerati ton of his case
was indefinitely postponed.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02
The Test Of the Fleet.
ATLANTA Constitution.)

(Atlanta COnStltutioii.'
Never before has the integrity OF
bolt and rivet and keel, the stoutness
and STAYING powers of the engines anu
the eeamanship of officers and men OF
the iieet that is the nations naval pull
wark been subjected to such a critical
test. We have no accurate, actuai
knowledge of what we may expect
from the weakness or the strength OF
these armor-clad monsters. 1t is right,
it is necessary, it is patriotic, that we
should have this knowledge; and that
we should be assured, as we will be
assured, that America relies on no I'M
known quantity when she pins her con-
fidence and faith to these defenders of
her safety and reputation.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02
Maine Gossip
Last Niqht.

Last night 1 heard you singing. and the
song
Called back the olden years,
And dreams and hopes that had been
buried long
Awoke to life again the gentle tears,
The pain and heartache, all the doubts
and fears,
That long had vexed me, with the strain
took flight,
And l was back within golden years.
Last night-last night.
Last night 1 heard you singing and the
song
Was enc you sang to me,
In those old days before the doubt and
wrong
Had pierced my soul with their in
tensiiy.
The shadows that had lowered long did
flee
And all the world was filled with joy
and light:
Hope sang again her siren song to me,
Last night-last night.
Viola Virginia Antlny.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

The outside newspapers are dis
cussng with no small degree of
surprise and with the warmcst kind
of praise the report of the Maine
State prison which shows that the
institution is practically self-support-
ing. The condition of things at
Thomaston in this respect differs very
greatly from that prevailing at the
penal institutions in our sister states.
and they find 1t hard to understand
how Maine manages it. 1t is a very
high tribute to the system in operation
at our State prison and to the sound
business methods of those now in
charge of the institution.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

One hundred brand-new $40 gold
pieces, Can you imagine prettier
sight?' asks the Atlanta Georgian.
Sure, One hundred brand-neW $50
gold pieces.-W2 Shington Post.
That Post Photographer is always
original The query Of the Georgia
paper has been going the rounds for
some time and in every other instance
the answer has been Two hundred
brandt new $40 gold pieces"
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

William James Bryan. the new Sena-
tor from Florida, is just one year older
than the law requires to make man
eligible to a seat in the United States
Senate. He is tail and of athletic
build. with a frank smile and of the
type which has made the drawings OF
Howard Chandler Christy famous. He
is a fine lawyer. splendid speaker
and hard worker.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

ture anv adulterated or misbrandeo
article of food or drug. The defini-
lions Of what is considered by the law
as adulteration or misbranding are
given at length and with SUCH
particularly that there need De no
mistake, and the penalty is sloo me
for the first offence and 5000 for each
SUBSEQUENT offence. The new Ia"
regulating the size of clam bait par
rels is chiefly of interest to fishermen.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02
VOICES OF THE PRESS.
Our Foreign Relations.
fDb;1, Iplpbia TnuIIlrer.)

"No Englishman, I hope" says Am
bassador Bryce, considers himself in
the United States a foreigner Ger
tainly not. He is usually a son-in-iaw
or a brother-in-law, or has ambitions
in that direction.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
Leap Year Philosophy.
portland Eyprass)

portland Expressly
This talk about the timid bachelor
and leap year does well enough for par
agrapher, but there's nothing in it. The
timid bachelor is in no danger. He who
hasn't the nerve to propose to Win
some girl himself will never find said
winsome girl putting herself to the
trouble to propose to him. The men
who are worth having are the ones who
capture their prizes for themselves, not
those who sit back and wait to be
caught.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

A dispatch from Texas says that
William ]. Bryan is on a hunting trip
In that state and that he shot % ducks
on one day recently. But, alas, dis
patches Of this kind do not mean what
they used to. 1t Will henceforth be
necessary to add ''Of Florida" or "of
Nebraska" when William J. organs
name appears in the newspapers.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

A New Yorker aged Sc has just
eioped with a young woman over half
reminder that nothing has been heard
Of late about the contemplated
matrimonial venture Of Uncle CASA
way Davis.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

Henry Hadley of New York. who is
in Berlin, directed the Philharmonic
Orchestra of that city on Friday eve
ming. and was cordially received. The
orchestra played his new symphony,
which will he given in America for the
first time in January by the Boston
Symphony Orchestra. Mr.. Hadley
will direct the opera at Mainz this win
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02
Well Behaved Saqadahoc.
lRath Independent.)

That Sagadahoc is a remarkably or
DERBY county we have always main
tanned and the fact that the grand jury
only found one indictment at the pres
ent term of court is convincing evil
dence of that fact. Bath and Sagada-
hoe are law abiding and made up of as
good class of people as can be found
in the country.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

Well, what il you did crack one or
two of those resolutions yesterday?
Patch them up and start in over again
today
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

The Maine State Press Association
will meet in Portland Jan. % and "a. II
will be the 45th annual meeting.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02
Thursday, January 2, 1908.

Everything seems to be ready for
the annual ice harvest on the keEne-
bee except the ice.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

Edward Payson Weston will be in
Maine on a lecturing tour later in the
winter. He will not make the trip afoot,
however, this time.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02
ESTABLISHED 1925

Ne notice whatever will b taken Df
unsigned communications.
The journal cannot be held responsible
for the preservation or return Of re-
5ected communication.
Address oil communications rotating to
subscriptions and advertisements to
BURLEIGH & FLYNT, Publishers,
Augusta, Maine.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

Asa Riggs Of Belfast is probably the
oldest baker in active business in the
State, as he has been in the bakery
business over so years. Mr.. Riggs will
be 81 years old the fifth day of Janu-
ary. and goes to his bakery daily, still
doing some of the cooking himself.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

Lots of interesting reading in the
many State department reports now
beng made public.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

The souvenir hunters are making II
likely that when Wiscasset's famous
old Paul Revere bell is recast it will
weigh less than before it was broken
in pieces by its fall from the steeple
of the burning church in December.
The bell was purchased in leoo
and is one of the three original bells
of this make owned in New England
The other two are owned in Bingham
and Portsmouth, n. H. The Wiscas-
set bell was removed from the Old
church in 1910 and placed on the
new church dedicated that year. Dur
ing the recent fire the bell was broken
when it fell to the ground and was
scattered about in the ruins. The So
ciety intend to have it recast and al
though it will be impossible to gather
the whole of the metal it is expected
enough will be recovered to make a
good sized bell. The bell weighed
900 pounds and up to the present
time all but 200 pounds have been
recovered Many people have secured
small pieces as souvenirs SO that the
new bell will not be as heavy as the
original.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

The official list of vessels built IN
the District Of Bath for the year of
1907 shows nineteen vessels, viz, four
schooners. one steamer. one yacht,
eight scows, and five barges with a
total gross tonnage of 13,5S4.24 tons.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

Captain Frank Patten of the five
mastcd schooner Kineo is at his home
in Bath for brief visit. He arrived
in Boston Saturday from Newport
News with a cargo of 3l05 tons of coal.
Three years ago the vessel made her
lest trip to Boston. From there she
went to Norfolk and, fer the govern
ment. loaded cargo of coal which she
delivered at Cavite. From the Philip
pines she went to Australia and load
ed coal for Hawaii. Then she took
on 3100 tons of sugar at kahului ana
sailed for Philadelphia. That passage
was the most eventful in the vessels
career. and hardly man on board
ever expected to make another port
Caught off Cape Horn in a series OF
fearful hurricanes, the schooner was
partially dismantled. Repairs were
effected, but another storm undid the
work. Five times the schooner was
crippled by the carrying away of
parts of her gear. She was driven off
her course thousands Of miles. AS
time passed and nothing was heard
from the vessel the owners and friends
of the captain and crew became
alarmed When she was out $50 days
all hope was abandoned and it was
believed she had foundered in one of
the severe storms encountered off the
South American coast. Captain Pat
ten was accompanied by his wife and
| little daughter. Just 210 days from
| the time the vessel sailed from Kahulu
she reached Delaware Breakwater
1 ri
exhausted and those on board had suf.
fered considerably. Capt. Patten':
little daughter was the heroine Of the
passage. She cheered the men wher
they were utterly discouraged and il
the worst storms she displayed Spar
tan bravery.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-02

Here is a belated Christmas story
from Bar Harbor. At one of the
church Christmas trees, the success of
the entire affair came near being DIS
arranged through the trust tactics OF
one small girl. who showed talents
that ought surely to brand her as
captain of industry-Or the peniten-
tiary. The dignified Santa Claus
would call off the names of the re-
cinients OF the presents, and number
of times when the child in question
was not in the hall. small girl vol
unteered the information that she lived
near them The last bag of candy on
the tree was taken off, and the small
girl departed with an armful of pack
ages on her mission of errand girl.
a day or two later complaints began
to come in from fearful youngsters who
had not received their presents. SO
many and SO emphatic We're the COM
plants, accompanied by sObs and boo
hoos of various sizes and dimensions
that the Santa Claus pro TEN, decided
to investigate, and to call in the ser
wees of an officer On reaching the
little girls home on the outskirts OF
the town. and suddenly entering,
veritable mine of presents was found.
There were bags of candy, dolls, hand
kerchiefs. neckties, shaving mugs, and
a thousand and one things that the
average doting relative will persist in
giving as Christmas membranes.
She had decided that home was the
best place. and that there was too
much IL Dor involved in distributing the
various presents. The small girl is
now taking her meals off the mantel-
piece. and big policeman was made
an involuntary Santa Claus.
New-York tribune., 1908-09-13

the performance finally took place Herr Stennann'
a barytone had to sing Herr krauss part, which
he had learned In two days. Under the circu'n-
stances. IT may be the course of wisdom to avoid
an estimation OF the operas merits and defects
and to record merely that 1t proved to be an ex-
tremely interesting work and well worth the
trouble spent upon it's production. Under dnerent
circumstances 10 might have lived the aliotteo tiio
upon the stage which, tho knowing know, Is
very brief one In the majority Of cases The story
of the opera was drawn from Felix Dams histor-
ical novel "En Kampf um ROM
It is high time to get back again to the story OF
opera at the Metropolitan Opera House under the
direction of lessees; but before then cronoios
ica orderIiness requires that attention be paid 10
an incident outside the category OF prime impor-
tai,ce This was the first production in New YORK
of Humperdincks delightful fairy opera Hansei
and GreteI' at Daly's Theatre October s. 1Sso
The production was in English. The venture
looked promising, and great interest was Ieil III IT.
Mr. Sedl charged with the musical olrectoh
A company Of singers was brought together, paruy
from London. partly enlisted here SIR augustus
Harris director OF the opera at Covent Garden
was the financial hacker of the enterprise. AS
numerous an orchestra the score calls FOR coulo
not be accommodated in the theatre. but MI Seldi
did the best he could, and the band was COM
mendable. Three of the singers MISS Jeahlio
Douste Miss Louise Meisslinger and Mr.. jacques
Bars disclosed ample abilities; but the Enshsh
manager had no knowledge either OF the needs or
the opera or the demands of the New YORK pupic'
Sir Augustuss speech the opening night IN
deed disclosed ignorance also of the name OF the
composer and the history of the work which ne
had clothed with considerable sumptuousness 1t
was long remembered with amusement that to MIN
Herr Humperdinck was "Mr. Humperdncker and
the opera some beautiful music composed Tor TINS
occasion" And great expectations were as
appointed and. after worrying along from OCTOBER
to November is. the opera was withdrawn with
New-York tribune., 1908-09-13

season OF lS96-97. Within fortnight OF the re-
engagement she died in Hamburg from trephih-
Ing operation undertaken to relieve her from tne
results Of an injury to her skull, received "hi'e III
America.
Nine Klafskv and Mr. Alvary had sung In Iris
tan und Isolde with which Mr. Damrosch began
his campaign In Philadelphia February 20 Her
success was instantaneous, and her tremendous
dramatic forcefuness the natural expression OF III
exuberant temperament, placed her higher IN pun
lie favor during the season than Mme- Ierhiha'
whose refined and ingratiating art did not receive
fun appreciation till later. Other members OF the
Damrosch troupe OF 1896 Wilhelm Gruning.
tenor and Demeter Popovici. bass, besides Gadski.
Fischer, Alvary and other persons already known,
but of smaller Importance. The New York season
began at the Academy of Music March and
ended on March g. The operas were "Fideio,"
''Lohengrin," 'Siegfried, Tannhauser, Die
Mestersinger" die Walkiire' Der Fret
schultz and dn the original English) Mr.. Dam
rosch's 'The Scarlet Letter. This opera had its
first performance In New York March 6. Its
libretto written by George Parsons Lathrop a
son-in-law of Hawthorne who wrote the romance
on which 1t was based. The cast included Johanna
Gadskl Hester Prynne, Barron Berthald as Ar
thur Dimmesdaie. Conrad Behrens Governor
BelIingharn, Gerhard Stehmann the Rev. John
Wilson, and William Mertens as Roger Chilling
worth. The greater part of the music had been
performed at concerts of the Oratorio Society on
January and s. 1895. The book of the opera
proved to be undramatic In the extreme. defect
which was emphasized by the execrable pronun-
citation OF nearly all the singers at the perform
the stage at the Academy. In the music
Mr.. Damrosch essayed the style OF Wagner. and
did IT so well, indeed, to deserve hearty ad-
miration He helped, ii is true, by factors
frankly and copousy copied from the pages of his
great model. The mikes of the Rhine peeped out
Of the sun necked coverts in the forest around
New-York tribune., 1908-09-13

ror~o conducted and the performances had a rude
forcefulness quite in keeping with the character oi
the opera Under better conditions Andrea Che
r,ier'' would doubtless have held its own for re-
spectable space In the local repertory- But the
seeds of dissolution were terminating in the COM
pany even before the performances began, and
Colonel Mapleson did not dare TO appear long IN
rivalry with the Metropolitan when it opened its
doors on November To- In a week or so ne went
to Boston, where after one or two performances
the orchestra went strike and the Imperial OPP
era C,ou,pany went to pieces. with il the last ef
fort OF the veteran manager. Mapleson had held
ont a promise of the likelihood that GiOrdano
would come to New York to give personal super
tntendepce TO the production of his opera and
carried his fiction to the extreme of telling
porter of "The Sun newspaper that the COM
poser was in city. Meeting the reporter in the
Academy of Music. l expressed my doubt touch
ing the correctness OF his information. whereupon
he pointed out the gentleman whom Colonel Maple
son had introduced to him the composer 1t
was Giordano. the barytone. After its introduc
ton to America Andrea Chenier' disappeared for
nearly dozen years, when, March a. 1898. il
had single performance at the Manhattan Opera
House so that Mime. Eva Tetrazzini. the wife OF
Cleofonte Campanin, who had retired from the
stage. might help at gala representation in honor
OF her husband
No season since the Metropolitan Opera House
was opened full of vicissitudes OF
1ss6-'s7. First came the death of Nine. Klafsky.
who, under the reciprocal arrangement between
Mr. Damrosch and Abbey & Grau. was TO sing the
chief Wagner roles with Jean de Reszke. This
happened in September. and followed by the
death OF Mr.. Abbey (nominally the leader OF the
managing directors. though from the beginning 1t
was Mr.. Grau who did the practical work of man
agemenD and of Mr.. William Steinway. who had
formulated and carried through the plan OF reor-
ganization which relieved the firm OF Abbey.
Schoenel & Grau OF Its burden of Indebtedness
and transferred 1t to the shoulders OF the Abbey.
Schoeffel & Grau Company Q4td). Just before
the season began Mime. Nordica. who had won her
way to high place in the favor of the public.
and whose absence from the company roster was
widely and sincerely deplored. came forward with
story charging her failure to a re-engage-
ment to the intrigues of Nine. Melba and NJ Jean
de Reszke. So far as the gentleman concerned
the story seemed improbable It's face. and long
before the season Was over Nine Nordica
willing to admit publicly that she had been mis-
Informed as to the facts in the II remained.
however. that Mime Melha had reserved the ex-
elusive right TO herself to sing the role of Briun
hide In Wagner's "Siegfried." II soon turned cut
that the failure 70 secure Mime. Nerdica to