davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

OUNTLESS attempts have been
- made to-build sea going ships which
will remain stable in high seas. Many
curious looking craft have act
ually been built and tested. but the
more conventional shape of hull has in
the end been adopted for the great lin
ers. The jointed steamer Connector.
which was launched in 1853, actually
consisted of four sections of hull, con-
nected with flexible joints. so that the
steamer in a rough sea. moved with an
undulating movement not unlike
snake. Her decks and masts were con-
stantly changing angles. She is said
~ have proved entirely seaworthy, but
slow and hard to steer, and the form
was abandoned.
A remarkable cigar shaped boat was
launched In 1865, the Ross Winans. at
MillwalI, for the Imperial yacht club of
st. Petersburg. Her screw shaft was
on the axis of the hull, and there was
a propeller at each end 1t was launched
on a specially constructed cradle. but
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

proved to be no more than an exceed
ingly interesting toy. A curious twin
hulled steamer, the Dicey. was launched
in 1873 for the English channel service,
consisting of two distinct -hulls, con-
nected by girders. The paddles worked
between the hulls. which were S5 feet
apart. The steamer proved to be steady
In high sea. but the form was not so
successful as to encourage the building
of other boats.
The Bessemer was still another ex-
pertinent on this line and was provided
with a cabin suspended in a great well
in the hull of the steamer. 1t rested on
pivots fore and aft and was supposed
to remain in a vertical position when
the ship rolled. 1t was steadied by
hydraulic power. The theory of the
boat was that while the hull might roll
violently in high sea the cabin would
swing in normal position or nearly so
throughout. The ship made the first
crossing of the channel in one hour and
a half the sea remaining so calm that
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

had the finest lingerie l ever saw.
She got it at the chinaman's for whom
her husband worked. and it was part
OF his pay. But in spite of their lovely
dinners and her sweet lingerie, the
pair seldom had car fare. They did not
seem to care, either. This lack of
brooding care because one had to walk
downtown I found was characters
tic of the Lotus Eaters.
They had ways Of getting car fare,
however. One morning I noticed Mary
hunting energetically on the kitchen
shelf for something.
What are you looking for?" / asked.
"A beer ticket" she answered, poking
in the corners of the shelf You see
John had to get downtown early today
and we spent the last nickel last night
for a sack of tobacco. If can find the
send Sam over to the grocery for the
money. It's mighty convenient when
one is short to have beer tickets
She found what she sought and John
had his ride downtown.
was telling this to girl
met one day and commenting on the
cIeverness of the economy.
"Oh. dear me-" she exclaimed. and 1
thought that mode OF economy was
known only to myselfr'
That's how you find the other Lotus
Eaters. You tell a funny story on
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

can be selected from our splendid catalog, con-
tanning thousands of Illustrations of articles in
gold and silver. watches, diamonds. rings, brass
novelties, mesh bags. ~6pe cutlery, tableware in
sterling and plate. &c. Send postal today for
A IL is EREE
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

He was a heart of gold, that waiter. I
had my breakfast, good one. too.
And he got the money that very even
Ing, for I met my dear old Lily that
afternoon and she staked me until I
got something 10 do. ] eat my dinnerI
at that walters table now whenever i
have the price of cafe meal"
Well" said Mrs. Smith. you weren't
much worse off that morning than Ted
and 1 were one day In New York last
fall. We hadn't one cent. Ted had
held horse for man the day before
and earned four bits. which had given
us dinner and breakfast-after a fash
ion. 1t was Thanksgiving day, and
fancy two wild westerners. healthy
and hungry, on that holiday. There
was a dumb waiter in our fiat building.
and Ted suggested that we seize some
thing from 1t in its next journey up
the chute. ! was too hungry to be
otherwise than game. We stood by the
chute, hands outstretched to grab the
first thing that passed up. How we
hoped it would be parcel from the
butchers! But it wasn't. Ted made
the grab-and 1t was paper of dough-
nuts That was our Thanksgiving
meal"
But we had a good one the next
day" laughed her husband. my letter
came from home, with a big check. and
we blew ourselves at sherry's."
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

NN THEN I first met group OF 10
NJ tus eaters ! thought they were
wv all crazy. was a hard work
ing nlodder rnxself fresh from
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

ronage. Margaret found attached TO
the door of her room one morning when
she returned from her walk to the
beach, card bearing the scrawl, 1--WE
are tired chasing after this bill. Will
you let us know when you intend to
pay it?"
Margaret was chagrined. for she
thought one of her society piano pupils
might have read the billet doux She
thrust the offending card into her
wastebasket and wrote a naughty note
to the head of the firm, telling him
what she thought of such discourteous
tactics Then she opened her mail and
began to laugh
Aren't they funny?" she said. Here
that same firm 'begs to announce that
1t has removed to it's downtown quar-
ters, and desires my further patronage
l wonder whether they mean cash or
credit?"
What I thought the worst feature of
the makeup Of my friends was their
lack of ambition, steady ambition and
continuous work. Mr.. Jones, one of
Lily's newspaper friends, was writing
play. 1t was really a strong play, as
he read US parts he had done. But
when he had written as far as the sec
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14
Providing the Spread

Unobtrusively, Mary eanvassed her
friends. She secured but two dimes.
put she was equal to the emergency.
Margaret and Lily and myself were
sent to search our several cupboards
Tor empty TASKS, beer tickets and bot
ties, and finally we gathered from
those receptacles and from Mary's
Kitchen sufficient bottles and tickets to
make the price of one large bottle and
some lemons. The janitor's services
were begged to carry a suitcase con-
tanning the load to the neighboring
corner, where they were disposed of
with profit to us and himself--there
was dime left for him, he said. He
said that one could get cents apiece
Tor TASKS, and of course the tickets
were good for nickel apiece.
Then John mixed some appetizing
kicktails and Mary scared up SOME
sandwiches, finding an unexpected can
or pate on top shelf. Lily and Mar
garet supplied stuffed olives and cheese.
Inc professor took everything that was
onered and became surprisingly viva
clous. Louis told John the next day
that the professor said he had never
had better time in his life, and II he
mad been intending to stay in town
longer he would have come again that
evening But he took the train for
nome in the afternoon. I've often
wondered what he really thought about
that petit supper and how he would
have stared had he known just how lit
was managed
me Lotus Eaters were not extrava-
giant In tobacco. They preferred the
Kind that comes in small sacks and
that is rolled in brown pa pers. 1 heard
jim say one day. as he turned a soli-
tary dime In his palm: II have not de-
claed whether to buy fresh sack and
some papers or have shine. / can't
get both, and so it's heads the sack and
tails the shine" 1t fell tails, but /
noticed ne did not get the shine.
One day very smart dame came to
see Mary. just at lunch time. There
was s-not much to eat in the cupboard,
but Mary knew she must ask her caller
to lunch.
Il know what I'll do--Til send Tot
ner little girl-"to the butchers. We
owe him something, but he surely can't
refuse her-she's such a dear"
1t seemed dubious experiment, but
Tot was properly dispatched with a
note, stating that some French chops
would be acceptable Mary was tremb
ling all the time she was engaged In
brilliant converse with her caller, for
the child was long time returning.
FINALLY Tot appeared at the door of the
wing room and beckoned her mother
l was in the kitchen preparing a salad
when mother and child entered
The ideal" said Mary, reading a note
the little girl handed her. He writes
I'll would like to have you send the
cash back by bearer Isn't he an in
solent wretch? I'll never buy a thing
there again. However, he sent the
meat thank goodness"
But Mary did continue to trade at
that same butchers after she had set
tied her bill. The insolent wretch was
the most convenient butcher in the
neighborhood, so the incident of the
impertinent note was forgotten.
The bill collector is popularity sup
posed TO be minus the saving sense of
humor, but surely even the most severe
of them must appreciate the irony of
dunning for an overdue account while
ut the same I me- soliciting future pat
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

Than labor in the deep midocean. wind and
wave and oar;
Oh. rest ye. brother mariners, we will not
wander more.
Mighty nice verses, aren't they, kid ?
Yes. Jim. they Just fit our case. .
drawled Margaret. but ! have some
other verses that I like to say some
times. when coin is scarce and bills
many. Did you ever hear the poem
that has the refrain, oyer the Hills
Lies spainr That poem has given me
comfort many time when I've had the
blues"
Saved you from the gas route. do
you mean, girlie?"
Nonsense No true Lotus Eater
ever thinks of gas routes. We are too
optimistic.
lover the Hills Lies spain'-thats
right There's a guide time comm
We all laughed. In lotus land every
body laughed found. for laughter 10
the men and women both was better
tonic than one could get at a drug
store-and cost nothing, which was
we'll
Louis had a tick" at cafe, whose
law business he attended to, and he
often took the whole bunch down and
charged the dinner on his account. He
was always well dressed and he ex-
planned this fact by the one that ne
paid his tailor, too. in legal advice.
Another friend of Johns. an account
ant, also had a trade" account at a
French restaurant. where he and his
wife frequently gave charming little
dinners. He kept the books for
Chinese merchant and Mrs. Francis
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

ond scene Of the second act. he told
us he found he had no more typewriter
paper, and not a shred of copy paper.
Il looked around but could find nothing
to continue on. and my inspiration van
ished," he said. So far as I know he
never wrote another line on it.
Jim wrote excellent short stories,
and 1 urged him to send them TO an
eastern Magazine
Cant" he replied. have no stamps"
We'll. why haven't You? Why
didn't you take some of the money you
spent when we were at the cafe the
other night and buy stamps?~
"Oh, haven't time
oh. time-time-tim fugits in lotus
land, but not in hard work
The excuse of the clever ones for
not doing anything worth while was
that they didn't see how they could
be foolish enough, at their age. TO
write, or paint. or carve. anything that
they were not sure would turn out
well.
There are so many good books writ
ten--why should / write what may
prove TO be very poor one?"
Or, Il think l can paint great pic
ture. but I am not sure. There are
plenty of better artists than who
have painted failures-why should l
add one to the number2"
That was the general answer when
they were urged TO try for a niche in
the temple of fame.
Why don't you go back to the stage
again?" 1 asked Lily. who had accom-
plished some very promising work in
a stock company before she came to
San Francisco.
"Oh. haven't time
LILY. by the way, spent most of her
time-she had a small income that in
sured her against poverty-in walking
with and talking to Jim and Louis and
their train, or in reading endless
novels which the idle ones discussed
at length after each reading. Some
times she passed her time trying over
new songs.
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

~
tus eaters / thought they were
" all crazy. ] was a hard work
ing plodder myself. fresh from
an eastern city. where learned my al
phabet of regard for money. regard for
time and such things that seemed un-
known terms to my friends Mary and
John, 10 whom I had come with letters
or introduction.
Mary and John and their friends
were always saying they hadn't time"
yet their definition of time was hope
lessly vague. Mary and her friends.
Lily and Margaret, who occupied the
adjoining apartment TO hers. were all
alike in their disregard TO all things
I had thought essentials OF a well or
dered life. They would leave their
breakfast dishes unwashed, their floors
unswept. the piano undusted and the
furniture in disarray. while Mary
would sit down on the unmade bed to
evolve new hat out OF two old ones,
or Lily would try over a new compo-
sitfon that a pianist had given her the
night before. or Margaret would go off
for a car ride to the beach.
We can DO the dishes any time,
Anne" Mary said to me when I made
some remark about lack of system in
house keeping. but have an inspira-
tion for a hat" and Lily said, Il Just
feel IN the mood for music" while
Margaret. rapidly getting into her
street clothes and whistling a bar OF a
popular song she had heard at the cafe
last night. said. "Oh. you poor Anne
don't you know that the beach is only
nice in the morning7 Nobody will call
now to see the dust Don't you want
20 come with me? I've only car fare
for one. but we can walk back"
They were all cheerful John lay
sbed until noon most days, and had his
breakfast when Mary and the children
were fnching. thought he was lazy,
but he explained that he saved money
that way.
You see I only need two meals
day. Combine breakfast and lunch and
save food and gas"
The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

The Lotus Eaters think the man or
woman who has not had ups and downs
has missed a good deal of life. did
not think so then, but 1 have come to
agree with them
They were familiar with pawnshops.
were my friends They thought it
nothing to 'hoclx" their valuables.
Sometimes they got them out in a few
hours; sometimes days passed, and
sometimes for months the interest
mounted UP, And alas sometimes they
got them out not at all. They were
too kind hearted to hang on to a dia-
mond or a watch when one of their
number was in need. For instance,
when Lily got an engagement to sing
at concert and had no long gloves
to put the finishing touch to her even
Ing costume. and nobody had the price
to lend, Mary went out and pawned
her one diamond ring so that Lily
might wear proper gloves and not have
to give up her engagement.
Margaret had been saving up. for
weeks to buy herself a smart tailor
gown. and we wondered why she never
bought it. Lily explained, and made
us promise not to say anything-a
1t to her friend.
You see. Margaret knows a woman
who had chance to get some work in
Portland. She is a widow with one
child, and no one to help her in this
world, and the place meant everything
to her future. Margaret found out that
she had not the fare north, and she
went out and bought her a ticket with
the money she had saved up for her.
gown"
l found they were always doing
things like that They thought nothing
of it, either. 1t was. just matter of
course to be generous and kind
The two girls had many admirers
but they were mostly of the impe-
cunious kind. When Jim came to see
them and suggested that they ego
somewhere" they would first ask him
how much money he had II it were
three dollars they would say, Let's
take the whole bunch and go to one
~ e44N SAASdp tdIcS, OF IneY would
spend the money in a little feast and
we would all be invited to eat in the
girls rooms In the long run, the Lo-
tus Eaters seemed to prefer their home
parties to going out to the cafes, de-
ifcious little feeds nicely served and
eaten In comfort. The women would
don kimonos and the men remove their
starched collars on warm nights, and
the sounds of music and revelry would
fioat out the open windows, making the
less Favored Inhabitants of the house
nv4ous-freuuently censorious.
When there was no money to buy
iced for their happensin guests they
had ways of getting refreshment. 1
remember one night a professor.
visiting celebrity. came to call on John.
Louis brought him and did not tele-
phone beforehand. Probably he did not
nave the necessary nickel for the
phone. There were hut two bottles of
beer for company of eight, and II did
not enliven them. particularly as the
professor was monologist
Dear, dear. we must wake him up.r
whispered Mary TO John, but what
can we do? Lets see how much money
we can manage amonr ne oil
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-08-27

Mrs. Edith Barden is visiting at her
mothers home.
Mr.. and Mrs. James A. Segee of Paw
tucket, were in town "Olu Home Day"
Road Commissioner Bowen, has been
doing some good work on the roads in his
district.
Mrs. Rodney Harmon of Saltwater,
stopped over Sunday with her mother,
Mrs. Lowell.
Mrs. William Easton and Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles G., Easton, visited Mrs, Elizabeth
/. Cooke, last week.
Mrs. Mamie +. Anthony has been entel-
tanning Mr.. aud Mrs. Arnold Calverly OF
Pawtucket, the past week.
S. NJ. G.. Tourtelott and family and b,
Howard Lester and family, have been stop
ping at the Tourtellott farm.
Misses Grace and Ada Arnold, Alice
Toartelott and Cranston Arnold, have been
staying at Ii. c. Arnold's farm, the past
week.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-08-27
A PREcocIoUs DOG.
The Wonderful Fests He Performed
For Joseph Jefferson


There is a story that is told Of Jo-
seph Jefferson and the boys that had
to do with the training of dogs. II
appears that there was a gentleman in
New Iberia who owned very intelli-
gent animal. and he was most anxious
for Mr.. jefferson to see an example Of
his prowess. Accordingly he brought
him to the island one day and put him
through his vario@s tricks, which were
remarkably clever.
When the performance was over Mr..
Jefferson expressed his appreciation
and wonder at what the dog had done
but added that he had an animal that
was even more remarkable. As the
gentleman seemed TO be in some doubt
as to the truth Of this statement the
dog, a detected, stupid looking beast.
was produced. and Mr.. jefferson or
dered him to go into his room and
bring him shoe.
Obediently the dog trotted into the
house to presently reappear with the
him, Mr.. Jefferson patted him upon
the head and told him to return TO his
room and bring him the slipper for his
left foot.
"And. mind you. bring the left one"
he cautioned as the animal trotted
away.
When he returned in a moment with
the left slipper the gentleman could
hardly express his astoniShmcut but
Mr.. Jefferson waved the matter iudif.
ferently aside.
"It Is nothing" said he "Howrvrr.
we will now try something Il little
more difficult" Then. turning 10 the
carefully. "Now go into the library"
said he, look upon the bottom shelf on
the right hand side of the room and
you will see set of Dickens. Bring
me the second volume. Remember,
now. the second volume; not the first
or the third. but the second"
When the dog returned In few
nome with the second volume in
his mouth the gentleman retired i'm the
utmost confusion, declaring that i'm
comparison with such prodigy his
own much vaunted animal was little
better than an imbecile.
And | may add that Mr.. jefferson
enjoyed the joke fully as much as did
the boys. who. according to a prear-
ranged plan, had placed each success
sive article in the prodigy's mouth. AS
to the prodigy, his one accomplishment
consisted of trotting into the house
and trotting out of 1t again.-Nevil G..
Henshaw i'm Bohemian.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-08-27
Family Eloriculture.

George Blank, the stage manager, is
coats and umbrellas. Recently during
a violent rainStorm he called on his
mother, entering her presence wiring
ing wet
George" said she ARMY. YOU
ought not to expose yourself in such
weather. You will get pneumonia"
But. mother" exclaimed George,
with theatrical wave of hiF hand
why should | fear the rain? Does
1t not nurture the grass? Is it not life
TO the towers"
1t is q long time said the good
woman. closing a window "since YOU
were q 6ower"- Success Magazine
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-08-27
PlcKPOCKETS.
The Manner In Which the "Dips" Dc
Their Thievne Work.

AS usual thing the pi"kpockets
vary their mel hods to Suit circum
stances. Only the lower grade dips
work in pairs. These are the variety
who operate on street cars. elevated
station platforms and similar places
where they will find crowds Of pushn.
people and al the same time have op.
portunity To escape If detected. one OF
the pair shoulders victim roughly
while the other does the work and
makes a getaway" Arrests are fire.
quent. but convictions are rare. be.
cause the man captured seldom has
the loot
Not but that the higher grade dips
work in su h places. The difference is
that they work in groups and choose
times when prosperous passengers viii,
be in the majority. During the fash
fonable shopping hours and after the
theaters al night are considered har
vest times. One method is TO block
the exit as the intended victims are
about TO alight ana in the tumble make
the touch" Provided the victim dis
covers his loss within a minute he is
too late, because the car or train has
sped on.
Last winter Il trio Of dips worked a
clever method in Chicago. Garbine
themselves in evening clothes. they
mingled in fashionable crowds I'm bic
cafes. theatcr exits and railroad sta.
tionS. One of the party was always
hopelessly drunk, and the others. ap-
parcntly acting the part of Samaritans.
were hard put trying To keep him on
his feet. With all their care. however.
he would stumble occasionally and Sall
into groups of ladies and gentlemen
Invariably the sober companions hao
apologized and taken their charge
away before any one discovered the
loss of valuabes. re- Bohemian Maga
zine
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-08-27
SWISS TRAMPS FEW.
A Poor Place For the Man Who
Doesn't Want to Work.

Switzerlana is not place for tramps,
and who makes no effort TO find work
is not tolerated for moment In that
country The district authorities will
secure him a job at hard labor and
little pay, and such an offer can be re-
fused only under the penalty Of going
To penal workhOuse. These institu-
lions are under military discipline. the
work severe. the wages a penny or
threepence per day. and release is
granted only upon the advice of those
in determining between beggars and
unemployed. because all legitimate la
borers have papers given them by the
district in which they live containing
information concerning the position
they have held.
In every part Of Switzerland are es-
tabliShed "relief I'm kind" stations for
the exclusive use of respectable uner"
ployCd. Only those are admitted whD
have had regular work during the
ont of employment for at least five
days. These men must be OH the look
out for work and accept any situation
that is offered, because the chronic
loafer Is soon detected by the police
and his papers are marked so that he
can never again seek refuge in "sta-
tiOn. Exchange.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-08-27
A Chronic GrumbIer,

Charles Lamb tells of a chronic
grumbler who always complained at
whist because he had so few trumps.
BY some artifice his companions man
aged to fix the cards so that when he
dealt he got the whole thirteen hoping
TO extort some expression of satisfac-
ton. but he only looked more wretch
ed than ever as he examined his hand
"Well. Tom" said Lamb, haven't
you trumps enough this time?"
"Yes." grunted Tom, but I've no
other cards.