davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11
.omances Of Progress
By Albert Payson Terhune


One day in 1906 a pale, thin man,
With shock of dark hair, landed in
New York. He was a failure. Nine
teen years earlier, full of high hopes
and artistic talent, he had sailed for
England to complete his education as
portrait painter. News had reached
his native land that the young artist
had foolishly abandoned his chosen
profession and had set to work on
some crazy mechanical continuance
which could only prove useless. And
later reports showed the truth Of
these fears, for young Robert Fulton
was returning to his native land poor
and unsuccessful.
Fulton was the son of an Irish i'm
migrant. AS a boy he divided his
spare time between painting pictures
and making mechanical toys. At Is
he had devised paddle wheel that
could be attached to a rowboat and
propelled by hand. At II he turned
all his attention to art and as soon
as he could raise the money he went
to England to study under Benjamin
West. But while there he met sew
eral British scientists, and at their
advice gave up art for mechanics. He
became friend of James Watt and
made a close study of the latter's
steam engine. Then it was that the
great idea of his life came to Fulton.
He was the sort of man who literal
ly exudes ideas. All of them were
of a mechanical nature. While in
England he helped support himself by
souch. =, u.,, inventing appa-
eousnt 20 rep ratus for making
NapoIeon's Navy. ronss r,an A he
devised the first marine torpedo and
with 1t a submarine boat for naval
warfare. He went to France, which
was then at war with England, and
tried to interest Napoleon in these.
He so far succeeded that he was al,
lowed to test them before commits
sion. Though the submarine boat
would remain under water for hours
and could be guided at will, its speed
was slow and 1t could made no prog
ress against the current. So the
French government rejected it. Next
he was ordered to launch his torpe-
does at the British fleet of Brest. The
projectiles failed to do any damage.
The laughing stock of all Europe,
the disappointed American returned
to New York. His friend, Robert Liv-
ingston, lent him enough money to
make one more trial at the steamship.
He sent to England for one of Watts
engines and, profiting by his own for
mer mistakes. started work on his
new and improved steamer. It was
built In an East river shipyard. 1t
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

became customary for crowds to 60
out and watch the course of the boats
construction. Fulton christened 1t the
Clermont. But 1t was popularity known
as "Fulton's Folly" Fulton himself
added to this ridicule by prophesying
that in a few years a steamboat would
be able to cross the Atlantic. Such
a forecast was derided as sheer in
sanity.
At last, on August IL, 1907, the
Clermont was launched and started
on her maiden trip to Albany. All
New York turned out to make fun
of the weird boat. And in looks the
Clermont was worthy the derision she
excited. She had a 140-foot keel and
was 16h feet wide. A single smoke
stack, fully 80 feet high, rose from
her deck and her twin paddle wheels
looked like the sails of windmill. AS
she moved through the water an ava
lanche of sparks. fire and black
smoke poured from the stack and the
roar Of the machinery and paddle
wheels could be heard for miles.
She was a success. Fulton was vim
dictated. And now the inventor, who
had heretofore been looked on as q
harmless crank, was the nations
a... :. nv hero. He built
a.. other and faster
Hero. :" eaooa's ~ iap'
1872 he constructed the first steam
ferry boat. Two years later he made
the first steam warship, a 44-gun
frigate, named Fulton the First"
Wealth and honors began to pour In
on him. But just as he was about to
reap the reward Of his years of toll
and misfortune he found his patents
disputed and became involved in q
maze of lawsuits. Most of these lat
ter he lost.
His mind and nature embittered
and his purse depleted by litigation;
his health undermined by exposure
from working out Of doors in his ship
yard during bad weather, Robert Fth-
ton died in 1915, when only 40 years
old.
He was buried in Trinity church
yard, New York, where a large monu-
ment has since been erected over his
grave. There he lies, midway be-
tween the two rivers, every one Of
whose thousands of steam craft is
more sublime monument to his men,
DRY than any mausoleum which NOR
tai hands could raise above the grave
of the man who did SO much for Prog
ress and whom his fellow country
men rewarded with ridicule and In
justice.
(Copyrighted.)
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11
The Artlesa Bow.

The Artless Boy.
The boy bowed politely to the gro
Ger.
II understand" he said, that you
want boy. sir. WIN you kindly look
me over"
Il only pay &c." said the grocer. alb
ruptly.
II understood" said the boy. that
you paid four"
The grocer nodded.
Il did pay four" he said. until
saw in the paper the other day that
Millionaire Rogers began his business
career on So week"
The boy smiled.
but don't expect to be million
aire." he said. Il don't care to be
nch-Pd much rather be good"
The grocer was so much pleased
with this artless reply that he COM
promised with the boy for three and
a half.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

Bar Harbor. Me-, is rather swell"
summer resort, and probably has no
use for the sea serpent, a fight be-
tween a whale and swordfish or any
other form of sensational adv" Quite
in keeping, therefore. was an occur
when a pair of moose came out of
their forest habitat, swan across
Frenchman's bay and sedately browsed
upon the lawn of summer residence.
OF course when observed the digniHed
animals retreated in good order. rs
became creatures of such stately bear
ing amid such lordly surroundings.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11
Chinese
Patient,
Flooding.
Dili9ent
By MARIE coRMAN

the result perfect They quiet attentive and orderly giving
indication that they have thought of their
show appreciation of truly good work. frequently saying "Ths good
lesson or 81 like this lesson"
classify pupils whenever possible regardless of nationality,
grading them according their knowledge knowledge of Eng.
sh They lessons prepare and unless they really
learn the English language they drop they are
there to teach them and for nothing else.
individual work absolutely necessary as il
occasionally with pupils who working and who school at
irregular hours do believe the nearly as quick or as
good when the work done classes But the the
very of them little KNOWLEDGE of
the science of teaching
do not believe any Chinese intelligent enough learn the
English language will make advances to his teacher unless given
cradle by her. they altogether and
cautious They have been taught from childhood teachers
with possible respect they have theory that the
much for their country that they educate the young that WELL
taught boys will strengthen the nation
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11
SAMUEL MORSE - The Man Who
Abolished Time and Space

An American artist, coming home
m 1892 after a successful career al
painter and sculptor in Europe
amused his fellow passengers during
the voyage by explaining to them {
queer theory he was working out. The
artist was Samuel 3. F. Morse, New
Englander, who had been graduated
from Yale at Is and had, like Robert
Fulton, gone to England to study ar
under BENJAMIN West. In his spare
moments he dabbled, for recreation
In electrical experiments. On the
home-boundS ship he had met a DR.
Jackson, who had interested him still
further in this subject The theory
with which Morse entertained the 9th
er passengers was as follows:
1t has been proved that an cleo
trical current will pass instantaneous
ly along wire of any length. If this
current is interrupted at any point a
spark will appear. Why net let such
a spark or succession of sparks repre-
sent some part Of speech--a letter
number or other sound-symbol?
The passengers laughed at the odd
notion and most of them soon forgot
1t. But Morse was SO captivated Sy
the idea that he threw over his artis.
tic career and set to work at once on
the electrical invention which he
called "the electromagnetic tele.
graph" He sacrificed his means OF
livelihood by doing this. For four
years he worked in poverty and want,
and at the end of that time his inven-
ton was complete.
Then he petitioned congress for an
appropriation in order that he might
put up an experimental line from Bal.
timore to Washington. The request
Lon. str.oo,. was refused
.. a '.ss'e Then he went to
WIZ" congress- England and tried
to patent his invention. He failed.
Nor would other European countries
assist him. Every one seemed to
look on the telegraph as useless,
impracticable fantasy.
Back to America came Morse, and
once more went to Washington, where
he moved heaven and earth to get
congress to appropriate $4,000 for
the telegraph. His efforts seemed in
vain, and on the last evening congress
was in session in 1S43 he went to his
lodgings heartbroken and without
hope. This was the lowest ebb of his
fortune. Without prospects, penni-
less. more than SO years old, his in
vention everywhere rejected, he
seemed to be one of the century's
most abject failures.
Early next morning a young girl
called to see him. She was the
daughter OF the commissioner of pat
ents, and she brought the discouraged
inventor glorious news. At midnight,
almost on the minute of adjournment,
congress had voted Morse the $4,000
appropriation.
The work Of building the line from
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

There is a certain type of college
bred men who seem to imagine that
during their four years of study they
have accomplished all the work of
their lives. and can thus afford to dis
sipate mentally ever after" So says
q current essayist in an eastern news
paper. Let the crop of graduates to
be harvested next take heed not to
conform to this type. The real schol-
ar Is not finished by his college
course, but only started on his career.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

The Chinese government continues
to show progressive spirit, and nat.
urally gets valuable hints from this
direction. An imperial edict transfers
Tuan-Fsng. viceroy of Marking, to the
viceroyship OF Pe-Chi-Li province.
The significance of this lies In the fact
that the latter province is one of the
most important in the empire, owing
to contact with foreign interests, and
the transferred viceroy is thoroughly
imbued with American ideas. and also
a warm admirer and friend of the
United States.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

Washington to Baltimore was begun
at once. In year it was complete,
In May, 1874. the first Message was
sent. 1t was dictated by the girl who
had brought Morse news of the ap-
preparation. and 1t read: What hath
God wrought" Now that the scheme
was so triumphant success 1t was
at once adopted all over the world.
But DR.. Jackson, who had talked over
the subject with Morse on shipboard
so many years before. now brought
suit, claiming credit for all the latter
had accomplished. The suit unlike
so many in which progress makers
have been engaged) was decided in
Morse's favor. Henceforth his way
was smooth. European countries raised
for him testimonial of $4,000, and
wealth and honors poured in from all
sides.
Now that it was found easy to tele-
graph across limitless stretches Of
land, the next step was to attempt
the laying Of telegraph wires under
water. 1t was found that by insulat-
ing these wires cable could be laid
under the English channel from Eng
land to France. Then came the idea
of the Atlantic cable. That also orig
mated with Morse. But here began q
new series of setbacks and disap-
pointments that dragged on for many
years. Two large steamers twice
tried to stretch cable across the At
lantic, and both times the cable
broke.
Cyrus w. Field, who was the chief
promoter of the scheme, would not
give up. even In the face of these re-
peated disappointments. Through his
A, A.,.,.,. efforts a third
Cable at Last. cable. cable was at.
time was carried safely across the
ocean. Electric communication was
established. A monster ovation was
planned in Fields honor. But ON the
very day 1t was to occur the cable
again collapsed. For seven years
nothing more was done. The project
was abandoned as useless. Yet Field
did not despair. At last, in 1860, tha
first permanent and practicable line
was laid.
But to Morse above all others praise
for telegraphy is due. He made no
original electrical discoveries. In
fact, various other men, while he was
perfecting his machine, made more or
less futile experiments along the same
line. But 1t remained for Morse to
combine all previous electric inven-
tons and discoveries and put them to
their first great practical uses. He
lived to see that little strand of wire
which in 1S43 he stretched between
two nearby cities extend until 1t had
knit the whole civilized world in one
mighty bond that revolutionized COM
merce, news and history itself; and
forever snnihilated time and space.
<Copyrightsd)
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11
BAD DREAMS
Caused by Coffee.

II have been q coffee drinker, more
OF less, ever since / can remember, un-
til q few months ago became more
and more nervous and irritable. and
finally could not sleep at night for
was horribly disturbed by dreams
Of; Of all n,. sorts and species Of distress
Finally. after hearing the expert
ence of numbers of friends who had
quit coffee and were drinking Postum.
and learning of the great benefits they
had derived, 1 concluded coffee must
be the cause of my trouble, 30 1 got
some Postum and had 1t made strictly
according to directions.
II was astoniahed at the favour and
taste. 1t entirely took the place OF COT
Gee. and to my very great satisfaction,
began to sleep peacefully and sweet
V. My nerves improved, and | wish
l could wean every man. woman and
child from the unwholesome drug-or.
binary coffee.
People really do not appreciate or
realize what powerful drug it is and
what terrible effect it has on the hui
man system. If they did. hardly q
pound of 1t would be sold. would
never think Of going back to coffee
again. / would almost as soon think
OF putting my hand in a fire after
had once been burned.
"A young lady friend of ours had
stomach trouble for long time. and
could not get well as long as she used
coffee. She finally quit coffee and be.
gan the use of Postum and is now per-
fectly we'll Yours for health"
Read The Road to MELVILLE" in
pkgs. There's a Reason"
Ever read the above letter. A new
one appears from time TO time. The1
are genuine true and <vI' OF huszae
Interest
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11
Proper
Wages
for
Mother

She has her father and the earning children
expect proportion their earnings pocket money but
to all demands and take what s left
That this picture will be admitted by those ponder the
home conditions of families and among it there
will who after will look back and perhaps they
they did not appreciate mother at her true worth
Unsefsh mothers apt make their children selfish by being m
them In their interests the children should be made
aectonate service
The aborer worthy of her hire Yothe Father the bow
girls position hard and that She
has tidy fund of that belongs to her, She usually
snk than other member of the family.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

All the educational experts now
seem to be denouncing the examining
system In modern education. Consid.
ering Its vast importance, it is some
thing OF an anomaly that popular edu-
cation is subjected to more fads and
experiments than any other profes.
sion. Unfortunately. by the time the
fads have been discarded and the
experiments proved unsuccessful,
some OF the most valuable years in the
lives OF the unhappy young subjects
Of both have been wasted.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

A French airship Of the dirigible
gas-bag variety has made a five hour
journey at an average speed of 81
miles an hour. Her success, following
closely upon the heels of Count Yep
,pelin's performances with his huge
ship OF the rigid type. reveals the fact
that inventive genius is grasping ev-
cry idea of progressive aeronauts and
piecing them into what will eventually
be an aerial flyer that can be relied
upon except during very high winds.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

1t is pleasing to anticipate the days
of purple grapes and blushing apples,
the Thanksgiving turkey, the cider
with the bead on 1t. the possum
Drowned and reposing in his couch of
Drowned potatoes, but we shall not
have the sweet. soothing, ennobling
warmth of this delicious August tenn
perature then.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11
Savings
Delight
Business Girl
ReapS Benefit
of Pennies
By ELIZABETH McCULLEM

HE START may be small only so ii
is start And it is worth making Perhaps year
dollar week can be put away And the of time
L&@I though 1t Slow uphill work. $500 be accumulated
lG8&I With this for foundation girl do something
One girl when she had saved 5000 built her home
small lot secured suburb building and loan
put the house and to-day the house hers almost
- clear In few years she will have paid for it entirely
The monthly she paid building
ton far less than she would have paid She
has had the joy living in her fixing suited her
fancy and she now has good investment
Many could do the Every city pretty
suburban places By careful study of em of their and trolley
facilities by of valuations she find desirable lot
modest cost building and loan will furnish major
part of the for building the house This girl had $500
cash to the house. One should carefully
desirable location and of house that will either sell need
for wants her invested where she adequate
return for it.
Another business hundred and wanted
get than the small per the bought nexpen-
sashore lot and put simple little house. She gets
there quite nexpnse and enjoya And
been able to rent it for three months during profit
able rate She takes jolly little weekend parties the spring
fall and altogether quite pleasure profit
out of her venture
To work for special object puts lot ones work.
To ones savings matee makes saving pleasant
than merely hand many dollars
nothing attractive show for figures
book This of the necessary and figures enjoyable
things think about when sick and salary coming But
nothing quite equals the delight of adng the floors
which paid for from which paying
while live it and which you plan make beautiful
months go by.
The first essential start if it only
rs so cents a week.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

A green" vermonter. or a Vermont
Green Mountaineer, just as you will.
went down to the swell golf contest
at Englewood, N. j., in which a num-
Der of the most notable players in the
country participated. and beat the
bunch. All Of which is fresh proof Of
the manner in which rural brains,
muscle and skill are reinforcing the
city stock.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

Having had an unusually wide and va
ried experience in teaching foreigners, 1
wish the public to know what my expert
ence has been relative to the Chinese. Dur
ing the last year my pupils have numbered
some 800 and / have had representatives
of at least 20 different nationalities and of
the white, yellow and black races. l can
honestly say that none have been more sat-
isfactory as to their department and appli-
cation to studies than the Chinese. They
are not brilliant, but patient and plodding,
working hours to prepare any lessons as
signed to them and never satisfied unless
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

While the married prima donna can.
not constantly deny for publication re-
ports of her engagement, she can man.
age to keep in the public eye by re-
futing divorce rumors.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

In 4 A. D. Fearaidhach- Fionfashtna
was an Irish king. most just and
good prince" who was slain by his
successor. Fiachadh-Fion, who was
treated to similar fate by F1nchadh-
Fionohudh, 'the prince with the white
cows" who died at the hands of the
irish plebeians of Connaught." Eoch-
airh-Moidmeodhain was one of tho
half dozen who died of natural causes.
and Flaithheartagh was one of the
two to resign the monarch's scepter
for the monks cowl.-New York
Press.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

doctors failed to help. / was discour-
aged. Doan's Kidney Pills brought
quick relief and final cure and now I
am In the best of health"
Remember the name-Doan's. Sold
by all dealers. so cents box. Foo
ter-Milburn Co.. Buffalo. N. Y.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

Many ideas in regard to women
have entirely changed. and among
the better and wiser changes is that
old thought that the women who
we're given to good works must needs
be dowdy. 1t Is undeniable that
good" women used to wear dowdi-
ness as sort of hall mark of vir-
tue. AS matter of fact, dowdiness
is merely mark Of bad taste and Q
sign of some lack In the mind. Wom-
en- are no longer lacking in the wis
dom that chooses pretty rather than
ugly clothing. and those who do not
make the best of their appearance are
losing a golden opportunity of giving
pleasure.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

Did the man whose wife has sued
him for divorce because he used to
take razor to bed fear that he would
have to answer cutting remarks?
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

In q balloon contest the only thing
definitely known beforehand is that
the balloon will come to earth sooner
or later-generally sooner.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

are the cause. Cure
them. Mrs. s. d. FL
lison. N. Broadway, La
mar, Mo-, says: kid
ney trouble wore ne
down till / had to take
to bed. I had terrible
pains in my body and
limbs and the urine was
annoying and full of sed.
iment. I got worse and
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

In Morocco 1t is the custom for men
to bury their money. In this country.
however, it is more the custom to
burn II.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

The hotter the weather, the greater
need to support those summer chart.
ties which aim to alleviate the suffer
ings Of the poor.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

A man has been sentenced to IA
years In prison in British Columbia
for BLACK Hand" practices. That
seems a very decent and reasonable
sentence.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

How infrequently mothers devotion is
unrecognized. Her incessant work is taken
too often as matter of course; it may be
excusable in young people, but even hus-
bands sometimes act in the same wav.
Mother notices this Indifference, uninten-
tional as it may be, and it makes her Won
der why she should be so lightly valued.
How is she paid in actual money? She
receives certain sum weekly or monthly
and that is expected to cover all the sup
plies for the home, all repairs and renew
ais and frequently enough her own clothes
and those of the smaller children.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-09-11

When an aeroplane falls a victim to
the total depravity of inanimate things
the consequences are dreadful, be.
cause the higher the aim, the worse
the fall.