davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23

= T you lay nnoleum on your floors this
spring cut It trlAe longer than the
length Of the ROOM Do not tack It
down for several days, thus allowing
il TO settle properly. The edges should
then be pasted down TO the floor 10 order
70 keep dire from working under IL An
other good suggestion is to put a narrow
strip Of molding around the edges next 10
the wall and paint It an appropriate
color.
In lighting 8 new gas range the instruc-
tons 70 first turn on the gas and then
strike the match must De followed In
variably. Unless this IS done the fame
viii roar and pound snd be yellow Instead
OF blue Besides Il VIII give out very
little heat The explanation * this Is
that the space between the burner and the
stopcock is fun Of air, which must be
allowed to flow out before Lighting
II is 10 pleasant JOB 70 keep the kitchen
sink clean II it is OF galvanized iron
cover its surface completely with soap
D0vder. After Il has remained on al
least I5 minutes scrub the sink with
a strong brush IN boiling hot water Care
must be taken in keeping the soap pow
der from touching the woodwork of the
sink. as IL viii eat all the paint Of.
II you have no stationary tubs 10 the
room ln which your laundry work IS
done, and II you are compelled 70 al each
tub with water from the kitchen boiler.
get hold Of an old piece Of garden hose
and attach enc end OF i 10 the faucet
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
About The Modern Office Building.

each assistant has & certain number OF
rooms for which he IS responsible
More thaB that. close watch IS kept upon
the tenants Of the various Offices BY the
wstchman- Unless you have al o6iee in
a building and are known 70 the man on
guard you win not be SLOWED 70 90 above
the first floor on q Sunday OF 4 holiday
IN many buildings each floor Is patroled
By q watcbman at definite intervals during
the night Most Of the cleaning IS doae
after 6 O'Clock IN the evening. and the
tenant comes down 70 his Office the next
morp+pg 70 find that Il has been cleaned.
aIdRTentiy By unseen hands The tani-
tors assistants and a large score CT scrub
women fail upon the Offices simultaneous
j., aud the entire building-even one with
80 ro0ms-is cleaned completely IN an
hour The waste paper is removed. the
cuSpidOTS are washed. and even the wood
work Is given thorough cleaning. Often
the force viii return early in the morning
and give the rooms "a extra thorough
cleaning The cleaning Of the windows IS
usually done al this hour. and the aver
age Office building has its windows washed
at least once week Every other week
the ornamental work OF the hallway Is
carefully cleansed with soft cloths and
oiled Eternal vigilance IS the price Of 2
desirable Office building-from the stand
point OF eleanliGess-and the warfare
against dirt IS waged i1cessantly.
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23

Mrs. Bliggins called Mr.. B. back 20 the
department de cuisine and set him TO
work peeIlng potatoes. And Bliggins went
with positive alacrity- Even insisted that
! join him, while Mrs B. gave the joyful
little we're-alIboys-toget suggestion
that ! Join in the potato party and be-
come one OF them I did
That done. We returned 70 the porch
In precisely three and One-third minutes
Mrs B. sent another C Q D and BHggias
beat Il instanter. To ny exact knowledge.
be hiked on eleven different quests before
dinner was ready And after dinner 10
and behold he turned in and helped
clean up the dishes Realizing that It
vas up 70 me, I also swung on TO the
wet end Of a dish towel. but was hastily
relieved Of it after I dropped a saucer
on the floor
After that Bliggins got q big ruralized
water-wsgou and sprinkled the flowers
around the front Of the house. Then some
thing back in the chicken-house needed
mendlng Immediately 20 keep the inhabi-
tants from trespassing on the garden the
next day Another period Of rest on the
front piazza was then rudely interrupted
By the suggestion from Mrs. B. that Il was
long past Wiilies bedtime The young
hopeful OF the BliCgins was not in sight
nor in calling distance, 50 Papa Bliggins
forthwith beat It up the road IN search
Of the youngster. and IL was a fun 20
minutes before he returned with the lad.
Long about 9 so I bade them acieu.
hearing Mrs B. call TO her lord and master
10 be sure and lock I'd well as I turned
out the gate.
when ! got back to ny Own little
bunk, almost collapsed from sheer joy.
Take Il from NE there was nothing desc
late about that homecoming. There on
the table was my pipe, and over in the
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23

IT isn't often thst-the average business
man pauses moment and forms a
3 mental comparison between the present
day magnificent Office buildings and those
Of 4 quarter Of century ago. Today
they are gigantic. sky-scraping structures
fitted with every convenience and buiiT
Ike the Rock OF Gibraltar Twenty-Five
years ago the majority Of Offices were but
dingy old buildings VITA but few Of the
modern c0nyeniences.
The same difference Is impressive con
cerning the care OF the Office buildings.
In years gone by there was but single
janiter. who managed 10 clean the Tari-
Gus rooms OF an Office building piece by
piece during the week. Today, however.
esch room IN the tallest sky-scTape- IS
cleaned every - hours. and the jaBitOr n
charge has a large corps Of assistants
The entire work Is so syssematized that
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
Handy Shelues.

\ almost every house that has a closet
built in the wall there are a few
shelves arranged At the tine ot build
ing. but these shelves are pot always
Just what the h0usekeeper finds handy
for her use The shelves ere very often
either too wide apart or too close II
the occupant OF tie house Is merely
renter, a change OF the shelves would
be unwise, but the owner can At small
cost change the closet shelves 70 suit her
eonveaienee- Many houses are so built
that a wardrobe is Unsightly and very
much in the way. IN that casa there
must be provision made in the closet for
The hstboxes, etc. One side of the closet
should be arranged With shelves srcra
the top nearly 10 the bottom: the center
and other end OF the closet for suits s1d
dresses II the bedrooms one OF two OF
the corners could be provided with corner
shelves. Any carpenter can make them
n q very little time out Of two pieces
OF mediums boards From the TOP
shelf can be draped some OF the Hev cot
ton goods which are now 80 plentiful IN
the stores and make e house I0Ok. charm
ing Along the ledge OF The bottom shelf
screw hooks can be put IN, and nsny
articles which have heretofore numbered
Up the dressing-case may be within easy
reach ard az the sane tine out OF s.g5t
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
Sit At Your Work.

TTE HILE It isn't possible 70 do 50
a. with every phase OF the house
~ keepers work, a number Of tasks
may Se accomplished as well sitting as
standing Unless one IS trsired 70 81
standing IS very tiresome 70 the average
Woma1- Sitting IS rest for The back
at least And every household task that
can possibly be performed IL that atti-
tude should be done so. Scrubbing.
sweeping and bed-maklng. OF course, must
ba done while standing, bat there are
other things that Do not demand this.
Take ironing for instance Purchase
OF have made a light high stool. Just
the right height 10 give z satisfactory
purchase on The iron. After one or two
experiments ycu VIII discover that you
can iron Just as well this way as bend
ing ever the Loard There are a thou-
sand 2ad one other household duties,
such as k8eadiHC bread. mixing things
IN the kitcaea. dusting various ornaments
and chairs. cleaning silver. etc. that may
be done Just IS ven sitting as standing
When ane bas been In tbe habit Of stand
ing. or rather i1 the babir OF not sitting.
no Ett,e difficulty VIII be experienced az
first. But Il peTSevered n the new habit
viii quickly sUpplsnt the cid
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23

themselves In the world Incidentally I
myself gained from the episode a cheer
Ing thought ard lots OF encouragement.
There is q certain young nan I know
who two years ago had worked himself
Up TO q position IN g large mencanuIe
s4.z which paid him $50 a month He
had held the position about three years.
but during that tine had lived almost CD
to his salary, saving not more than SO
10 SIS a month Two years ago he was
threatened with tuberculosis. and IN coz
sequence took a crest deal more sick leave
than any other employe The firm wa
sympathetic. but business was business.
and eventually they were compelled &C
reluctantly discharge him de was ali IL,
down aud ont. and I have never seen a
more complete case Of hopeless discour-
agement- With but a few hundred dol-
lars in bank, he could see nothing ahesd
OF him Today-two years afterwards
received a letter from him. He enclosed
Z cheek for oue-third o. the comparatively
small amount OF money had loaned him.
and stated that he was doing the same
thing with the three other men who came
to his assistance at the time he lest his
position. On borrowed capital he had
gone TO a Western city and started a
truck farm about dozen miles from It's
outskirts. With the personal assistance
OF a brother OF his, who had previously
learned farming az home. ne had mSde
sufficient % pay back o1e-Jhird of his
total Indebtedness. More than that, BE
wrote, be was n excellent health AID
would not 20 back 20 his old position for
double the money. al OF which gees 70
show that when a mau IS knocked OF his
feet be isn't down and cut unless be IS
willing to be-"
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23

mourn the separation every now and then
with appropriate remorse. Mrs J. hac
an Out-and-out case OF cold feet and the
blues.
The trunk had long since been dis
patched and they were putting the ze-
maining odds and ends into Mrs Us
suitcase.
"Oh. don't believe I want to 20 at
all, Homer-dear." sighed Mrs. J. IN be
SO lonely without you"
And without you, BlOssom-sweet.' -
Mr. J smiled back
viii YOU miss me very much. Homer,
very muchT' asked Mrs yustwed for
the hundredth tine in two hours.
Miss your Mr. J. exclaimed. for pre-
cisely the same number OF times, miss
you. Well. Just guess, yes. Why III
be Ike a fish out of water, monk away
from bis cloister, a-a-a man without
country Miss youl How can ycu ask
such q silly. foolish questionG
Mrs. Justwed stopped short IN her
packing. then dropped the whiskbFoom
and haud-mirror decisiYely.
Il an rot going. Homer" she de-
clared-
WHAT cried Mr. J
Nor reiterated Mrs. J. Il am not
going. I simply viii not leave you for
3 whole week. III wire Nommer right
away and tell her 70 come on
Mr. Justwed sank on the bed in s
heap
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
The Bulletin Board
Habit.

~ ID you ever try the interesting ex-
SH pertinent OF standing opposite one Of
~ the bunetin boards Of any large
newspaper and count the number Of
people who passed without stopping 10
IoOk at it7 Such an experiment nay sur
prise yoa You VIII ind that four out Of
every five men simply cannot pass with
oct doing SO, and The sfth nan looks
over his shoulder as he IS passing The
bulletin board has become q habit with
the American people. 1t IS the quick
way getting the news OF the world up
10 the minute. Even the most strenuous
Of business men do not feel that the MIN
ute or so they spend before the bulletin
hoard in passing is tine lost It gives
them the news IN fly, and they are
net behind the days events. even though
they do not fnd time 70 read a paper
thoroughly. The habit has already been
contracted by young America, who Is In
terested IN the baseball score, = nothing
else on the bulletin board And the
wemeul They, tco. are falling into line
Stand in front Of one OF the bulletin
boards tomorrow for even Eve minutes
aaG count the number OF women who
DC not hesitate 10 stop for 3 u0neat Il
passing 10 read the news
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23

~ALK about the joys OF the home
coming TO the arms OF a pretty lit
tie wife and a comfortable hreside,
or. rather, the utter desolation OF the
bachelors daily journey hOmeward, all
you want tO-bUt not for minel Uh-uh.
Ne-TerF' remarked Mr. a Good fellow.
evidently quite wrought up over the sub
ject. u can't see st. Went home with
Bliggins last evening TO have dinner with
bin. And let me remark in passing that
] got wise 10 a number Of little things
that have put the eternal kibosh on any
fragments Of romantic pipe dreams
Tray ever have had.
''Bliggins lives ont IN the suburbs, you
know-a nice, hefty little piece out IN the
country. with a tOrtuous loves lane
walk after you get OF the car All the
way out Bliggins had been entertaining
me with vivid descriptions Of the seven
wonders Of the world, namely, lis wife
and his home, each told three and one
half times 20 make the seven. And he
dilated and expanded and effused and.
in fact, grew quite verbose ever The
joys Of the Open-air life and the home
surrounded by spring and the simple life
onc the forest primevai.
Well. we finally got thereafter swell
;ering along that road from the cars to
Utopia-with our collars running down
under our neckbands and an embryo
Turkish bath breaking out on our fore
heads. Now, It seems Bliggins had failed
10 wireless Mrs. Bliggins that be had
yours truly in tow So 8frS. B. was ali
fuss and feathers over the foreign Inva-
sion-thOugh she sure did welcome nse
with true hospitality.
We had just gotten groomed up q bit
and comfortable on the front porch whea
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
ElM,elUgT,,xs,5+E:g!(l.N.s > y NslITa I5LOnnER

-why-BIossom. he guTgled,
catching bis breath. .'shas is foolish!
Here you have an opportunity for 4 nice
"-etc-"You need & rest from
household cares s''-etc-''You are going
for a short while onIy''-etc-@M Mommer
would never understand AMI
a whole iot more just ike It.
Though Ms J. was ohdurate, HON
er-dear pleaded eloquently-present
a thousand and one reasons why MON
merr should not be asked at the eiev-
enth hour Finally Mrs. Justwed dried
her eyes and went silently. moarnfuIIy
about her arrangements.
The final obsequies were performed in
. gloom as black as midnight, AID Mrs
J. left the apartment. with one Isst
fond look behind. as one who bids adieu
to al shat is best and dearest in life
and sets out for trackless sands and
wastes unknown
At the station Mrs, Jastwed almost
tainted Mr.. J.. fevered, nervous,
anxious. talked and talked and talked
of the pleasures awaiting her. AS an
artistic touch he tnrew IN the joy OF
seeing "Mommer" once more
Vow listen. Homer" Mrs J. insist
ed. seizins her opportunity, 1t isn't fair
that I should see Mommer and you
shouIdn't-its selfish OF me, very sci
fish,
"HuhT' gasped Mr.. J., what's thatT'
81 say" continued Mrs. Justwed, THAT
II / star home and wire Aommer 70
come OF then-then-tben both Of Us
viii have the pleasure OF being with
her. You see."
Mr.. Justwed reached for the wall FOR
support
'Yes-y-e-s. to be sure. To be surer'
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
Concerning the Beard

~ HEEHER you wear beard or not.
kz you viii be interested in following
~ the rather curious facts about this
hirsute sdOrnment n Biblical times the
beard was q necessity, as It's absence was
cOfsi6ered q sign Of leprosy. Because
Philip Y Of Spain was unable to grow
beard the gentlemen OF his court sacri-
feed their own in order to save their
sovereign embarrassment. When Cicero
was exiIed the young men Of Rome let
their boards grow as a sign CT mourning
An attempt was made to place a tax on
boards By Henry VII and Queen Eliza
beth OF England. but public sentiment
vas 50 strongly against it that the at
tempt was dropped During the reign Of
James I It was quite the proper thing to
trim the beard IN fantastic shapes: even
animals were so represented While the
priests OF the Roman Catholic Church DO
not wear boards. those OF the Greek
Church consider the beard a priestly ne
cessity. The troublesome custom Of shaw
ing came originally from Egypt. The
Greeks shaved after they had been con-
Quered by the Romans And tbe Romans
shaved during the decline OF the empire
IN the present day some medical authoTi-
ties claim that the beard IS unhealthy.
since II catches germs which are kept
alive By the warmth OF the breath. while
others contend Il Is a protection 70 the
throat from diseases Of the lary1L
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
Core of the Feet.

EAA UCH suffering from the feet nav
Is kbe avoided II a few simple precsu-
3 Atious are conscieudousiy taken
Shoes not only OF the right size. but OF
the right shape as well, should be worn.
They should be thoroughly comfortable II
one has what Is called tender feet a suf-
fcieat quantity Of antiseptic cotton
should be placed over the sore spots when
putting on the stocking This IS easily
done If the stocking is first turned wrong
side out and theE drawn over the foot
The cotton acts as a pad and prevents the
shoe from rubbing When your feet ache
dip them IN warm water for awhile and
theE rub thes while still vet with white
vaseiine. II s0ftens the flesh An applica-
ton Of talcum powder afterwards is very
refreshing.
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
Built Her OlU71 House.

- Ne hears so much nowadays OF self
made men that t IS refreshing, In
v deed. 10 hear Of a self-made woman.
Down IN Kansas there IS q young woman
who has actually constructed q nine
room house By her own labor She knew
nothing OF carpenter work when she be
gan. bat necessity proved the mother Of
invention with q vengeance in her case
and she was soon able 10 disproTe the
Iibelous statement that 10 woman can
drive g nail straight.
She started in with just s. aad pBr-
chased her 1O0-foot lot on credit Upon his
she built with her own hands two
story frame house. also buying the lum-
Der on the promise Of small monthly
payments She took In two other women
70 board with her aud IN this manner
was able 10 make her monthly payments
and purchase q COW on the same plan
She sold milk, satisfied her bOarders,
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23

corner stood the whiSkey and the siphon
Of seltzer and out n the icechest was a
bowl Of joyful green mint fixed Up the
wet goods, flied ny bod with my choice
brand. found my place in the latest novel
and sat for one solid hour IN uadisturbed
comfort-undistuTbed, I say. except for q
sort OF vague. U1canny feeling that some
one would call TO me 10 mend the chicken
house or ind Willie I positively revelled
in the thought that al I'd have 60 do
for breakfast II the morning would be 20
step across 70 my boarding -hOuse-and
let the maid wash up the dishes.
dreamed about that 'desoIate' home CON
ing generally aScribed 10 the bachelors
and woke up several times during the
night to congratulate myself on my pres
ent condition Of servitude-to no chickens
nor dish towels. Uh-uh Not in my
family 3Ie for the desoIate and dreary
every day IN the week -
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
FEMDYIrE EAnCES oInTEPESTroWOYEN

be stammered that would be hne,
Blossom-but It's too late new.''
And he fsiriy beat Il FOR the ticket
Office TO purchase Mrs. Us passage.
Ten minutes later be emerged, hot
and disheyeIled. from the crowding.
showing lire and rushed back TO where
be had left her. The suitcase was
there-but not Mrs Justwedl
Homer-dear looked wildly around. Ali
There she was, At the telegraph win
dowl He rushed ever.
What in the world ara you doing.
Blossom?'' he cried.
'T-I-Pn sending a wire to Nom
mer, 70 come on and" she started
10 explain, when the announcer bel
lowed oct. IN his deep-sea voice. the
name OF the town where 'AOmmer'
lived.
And Mr.. J. was right on the Job.
He grabbed the suitcase in one hand
and the ticket and Mrs. J. in the other
and hustled them out through the gate.
Before Mrs. Justwed could compose her
self she was being helped aboard the
train by her desperate Eomer-deas.
At the TOP step she turned.
I Just know you're crazy FOR ne TO
60 she cried, "Dut n coming back
the day after tomorFow-and bring
Mommer with ne. simply won't
stay
And the train pulled out with Mrs.
J., in imminent risk Of injury, waving
q long. fond. sorrOwful adieU from the
platform.
Mr.. Justved wiped bis Perspiring
brow
"Whew." he breathed. that was
close
Then he went straight 70 the telegraph
window and sent the following wire 10
''Mommer;"
Blossom en- route. VIII be over my
self next week. Keep her Until
come. Homer"
~Hum-m-m," mused Mr. Jnstwed, as
he left the station. Il csa change my
mind in a week-but 50 oan MOmmer,
COggCne it,
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
1o keep eooliaHot weather.

any way interferes with their natural
facilities Of digestion Fats and starches
OF all kinds should be tsbOOed, not only
for the woman herself. but for every
member Of the family This Is not
mere keeping cool device. It Is an absO-
lutte health rule IN al warn climates.
The markets are flooded with delicious
vegetables Of al kinds There are toma-
toes, lettuce. endives. onions and other
vegetables that can be placed on the table
and which your husband viii enjoy more
than the meats snd starch foods with
which you have fed him al winter.
II you don't know what It IS 70 keep
cool IN the sumner keep your temper
right. wear sensible cloths and Diet right
and then you VIII begin 70 feel your
blood courSiug through your veins easily
enough and warmly enough TO make you
cool and everybody around you happy.
The Washington herald., 1909-05-23

T1H HEN Mrs JustEed first sug-
Sested that she visit her mother.
IA Tor week or so, Mr. J.
~ frowned. When she dilated
upon the solemn obligation
resting upon her not to allow
her marriage 10 make herself and her
mother total strangers-simPly because
she happened to live in one city and her
LiotheF IN another some eighty miles
oiStant-Ar. Justwed came out frankly
and fatty and stated that he thought
the whole thing absurd and q luxury far
beyond the logical expenditure Of thegr
income.
But, when Mrs. Justwed suggested that
since be felt that way about II, Nom
mer might just as wen visit them
Mr- Justwed capitulated 50 quickly that
MIS- J. was sorely puzzled.
And her wonderment grew each day,
Tor Ar. J. boomed the proposed trip at
breakfast, at dinner and even while read
ing the evening paper sFound their 'ten-
forty mission table IN the living room
Perhaps IL was merely 70 call Mrs is
attention to an advertisement OF some
thing or other that she simply ought 10
have for the JouTRey-but pause be did.
IN his reading. and explain-whereas Mr..
J usually grew hOpeleSsly Peevish and
irritable Il interrupted in his perusal of
the news
He brought hOme timetables galore.
He wrote TO ''MOmmeT" himself. stating
exactly what tine Mrs ] would arrive
and expanded and ampiihed the utter
horror and despair Mrs J would ex-
perience should she. by any chance. az
rive at the station and fnd no one there
70 meet her. he walked to the bank Of
morning, got out an old pipe and cut
out cigars. and insisted that Mrs J.
provide but the plsiRest OF food for the
week preceding the jOurney-in erder TO
insure the means TO finance the trip.
AnG Mrs Justwed's wonder grew each
day Indeed. II seemed that Hcmer-dear
Hss anxious for her 10 60 That would
never DO. Could Il be that he planned q
Wild week Of hilarity with the boon com
paniOns Of his days Of single blessed
ness? Did he welcome her departure as
q glorious opportunity 10 kick ever the
traces in one grand. EOOZely hO0Tayl
Hardly But IL vas difficult 10 under
stand Homer-desr's very apparent Joy as
the tine OF departure drew near Any
one would admit that
At last the eyentful day arrived Mr.
J hurried home from the bank an hour
before closing time-tO be with Mrs
Justwed every moment until her train
left IN the late afternoon M J was
Jubilant - remembering however, 10