davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-04-08

obviously lnnuman 1t seems 1ncredl-
BILE the custom could be tolerated until
this day. We are so deficient in
imagination that we don't realize
what it means to take husband and
father from his home for five, ten,
twenty years, leaving his family desti-
tute, perhaps, because he has in
moment Of weakness yielded to some
temptation.
We haven't yet learned the hideous
jest it is to "pardon" that man when,
after irreparable suffering, his inno-
cence may be proved.
We haven't yet learned that, after
ell, the judge sentencing offenders is
generally guided more by his own
state at the moment than by the enor-
nifty Of the crime, and the simple
physiological difference between
good meal and an empty stomach may
be the difference between humanity
and savagery.
If we could wake up these things,
We would reform our first offenders,
protect society, tighten the barbarous
severity Of many sentences, and we
would hear less shrieks for more
hangings.
When a Christian paper, like the
Presbyterian Standard, voices the fol-
lowing brutal sentiments, it is time to
consider. After prefacing their re-
marks by an cat the risk of seeming
SAVAGE they go on to say:
"Apart from the Gospel, nothing
would work more for the salvation Of
the country than a goodly number of
well-conducted, well-considered, and
well-timed hangings. Be it under
stood that We want no hangings by
mobs, made up for the most part of
brutal ruffians; nor are we particu-
larly concerned about the hanging Of
poor, ignorant negroes who have
NEITHER friends nor money to inter-
pose in their behalf. The kind Of
hanging that would do good is where
a capital offense is clearly proven
against a man Of some standing, who
has money, and who has employed
shrewd and INSCRIPTIONS lawyers to
exercise their talents to the utmost to
defeat the ends Of justice. There are
plenty of opportunities for such hang
ings, opportunities that are going to
waste. Opportunities of this kind are
afforded by men who have killed their
wives, killed them with circumstances
of aggravated cruelty; and by men
who tote a pistol around to defend
their honor, and who have killed men
to avenge petty insult.
1--WE believe in capital punishment
because we believe in the Bible. That
old book speaks out in no uncertain
sound: Whose killeth any person,
the murderer shall be slain at the
mouth Of witnesses. Moreover, We
shall take no ransom for the life Of
a murderer that is guilty Of death;
but he shall surely be put to death ,
That is plain enough, but that is not
the end of the matter. God proposes
to have a reckoning with those who
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-04-08

APITAL punishment, like
prohibition, is a question
about which most persons
have pondered seriously,
but upon which society
seems unable to reach any
general agreement. The
Logan execution Of Mary
Farmer, in New York. has
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-04-08


sent shock through the civilized
world, however, which places the
question with singular insistence upon
the individual conscience, and with
particular clearness, since the crime
for which she was legally murdered
was so cold-blooded as to afford no
slenderest room for sympathy.
Considering the law as it stands
and considering the circumstance as
appeared during the trial, perhaps
Governor Hughes is not censurable in
that he refused to pardon her.
The fact that she was woman is in
deed weak and maudlin appeal, when
her victim was likewise woman-and
one who, as good neighbor, kindly
friend, had never harmed her.
To make women criminals favored
class, as against women victims, would
be chivalry gone mad.
Nevertheless, the thing was sicken-
ing, and if Gov. Hughes had taken a
stand against the horrible spectacle,
and not for Mrs. Farmer personally,
it would have been more to his credit.
No sensitive man or woman, familiar
with the case, but that really suffered
at the spectacle. Certainly society
was punished with Mrs. Farmer,
assuredly it WINGED at her "electro-
cution," the polite term that CLOSES
over the crude barbarity Of the means
employed for doing her to death. But
is it conceivable that anywhere in the
length and breadth Of the land there
is an embryo murderer or murderess
who has been deferred from some con-
templated crime, because Of the fail
ure Of Mary Farmer to escape pun
ishment?
I do not believe it. Students of
criminology have made too plain the
childishness of the criminal mind.
Such minds are too dull to realize
that a superior intelligence could I'M
earth their wrong-doing with com
parative ease. They never dream
they could be suspected They are SO
stupid, their cunning is so animal,
they arrange no way Of escape IN
case Of disaster. A fog is upon their
brains, clog upon their feet.
Surely it we're better to provide
place of perpetual incarceration for
such creatures. In the wide, sweet,
free world, surely it could harm no
one that they were shut up within
stone walls, droning through the only
kind of existence they are, after all,
fitted for, and which could be made
through their own labor, inexpensive
to the government.
I, for one, hope that the time is
not far distant when life sentence,
or what from the age Of the criminal
would be equivalent thereto, may be
reserved for murderers and those
guilty of things as heinous as murder
The reason, Individually, that the
Law seeks blood is because the law is
vet, for minor offenses, terribly Sc
we're. To blot the sunshine out of the
life Of any human being during long,
1oncc uoorc FOR tho majority of forts
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02

herself to become wrought up over any
thing.
"Yep-ee" went on Mr.. Jobson. becom-
ing even mellower under the soothing in
f1uence of the coffee. I've been thinking
a lot about this business, and there are a
few little matters, in connection with my
own end of it, that I'm going to attend
to-
Mrs. Jobson listened with a pleased
smile but still she wasn't counting any
unmatched chickens.
Been thinking lately, In fact" blandly
when well. when I permit myself, In a
wey of speaking. to become rather more
irritated than necessary over trivialities
Have you ever noticed that my dear?
Mrs Jobson murnured something in
articulate to the general essence that
she hadn't noticed It any more than
usual lately.
Wen. it doesn't make any difference
whether you've noticed it Or not" went
on Mr. Jobson. I've noticed II. and
that's the main thing. There's an old
saw I believe. to the effect that self
accusation is half atonement. or some
thing of that sort. Now. when fell
low, without any outside suggestion,
reaches the conviction that he is the
possessor of certain little minor defects
Of temperanent or disposition anc
makes up his mind at the beginning of
a new year to cut out these defects,
why he's on the road to doing better
by himself and by those surrounding
him. don't you think SOP"
Mrs. JobSon replied that there could
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02
GO

are certain inequalities Of disposition, TO
call them by no harsher name, to which
you yourself are addicted. my dear, of
which | might we'll speak while l am
this topic. Your habit of answering
back. for instance. when there is no need
for it. and when the quick answer back Is
calculated to simply increase the tension
this habit it is up to you to correct.
now that | am firmly determining to
eliminate certain faults of my own. 1t
wouldn't be any bad thing for you to re-
solve now and forever. never to get
solely for the purpose OF hearing yours If
talk Don't you think SOP"
Well" replied Mrs Jobson, Il suppose
1t is only natural for a woman to feel Ike
putting in a word here and there, if only
TO-
''There you co. cut in Mr.. Jobson his
mellowness of tone rapidly fading. so
that's how you view the matter. is 1t?
You fAel that you've just naturally got to
answer back on every little occasion, no
matter how utterly wrong your position
may be, or just buSt-is that it
oh not at ALL" hurriedly replied Mrs.
Jobson. anxious to restore the situation.
only of course. it would be a bit out
of nature, would it not. to expect wom-
an never to get in word .edgewise when
her husband is ramping and roaring
around
"Rampine and roaring around" gurgled
Mr. Jobson. his face becoming quite pur-
plish. Say. who's in the habit of ramp
ing and roaring around? What the dick
ems are you talking about, anyhow, and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02
RESOLUTIONS, BUT WHEY REMINDS HIM THAT

impetuous impulsive, much less an
cry, over any old thing, no matter how
conducive to anger or eXplosiveness
the same may be-
Mrs. Jobson wore a sort of SHOW me-
was too busy with resolving to interpret
her expression.
Yes. Stree" continued Mr.. Jobson,
with noble elfdisparagement. "Tll tell
you this, little girl, you're going to have
d dickens of a time to get any kind of a
heated argument out of yours truly dur
find it practically. If not entirely. inpossi-
BILE to get me mad from now I'm all
over that getting mad thing. Nothing in
that stuff-Tve discovered that. Only
makes man miserable, to say nothing of
the folks around him
There is a good deal of truth in that"
Mrs. Jobson commented simply with tn
idea of Ginning in as he went along But
Mr. JCbson glanced up sharply when she
said it, and continued in a somewhat less
mellow tone:
Now, of course. when Il man firmly
makes up his mind that he's going to do
the right thing by all hands in the mat
ter of correcting what might be termed
tomperamental faults. why. he needs the
coop ration, not to saw the earnest whole
hearted assistance of those with whom he
comes into the closest contact. In say
ing this. ] suppose you understand to
whom ] am referring?''
Mrs. Jobson replied that she thought
she did
Because went on Mr.. Jobson, there
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02

be no doubt whatever on that point.
Il am not saying, understand, Mr..
JobSon went on q bit Oracularly, that
there's anything serious the matter
with my disposition or temperament. l
reckon I'm pretty nigh as good as most
of neighbors when it comes to all that.
Yet, upon REORGANIZATION, I find that
there have been times when, perhaps
owing to the Worriments of business or
what not, / have too readily yielded to
a certain irritation, perhaps indeed. a
certain peevishness which in the induI-
Gus in it's effect upon myself as it no
part of those with whom I came into
contact-yourself for instance, my
dear. Am l right?'
Mrs. Jobson took refuge in inarticu-
latenesS again.
And So" Mr. Jobson Zephyred on.
this being the day of resolutions and
all like that, why, I've about made up
my mind to undertake thorough and
salutary revolution, SO to speak. of my
disposition during the present year.
Fact is, I'm going to be the most self
controlled son of sea cook during the
year 1909 that You ever saw or heard
Of. I'm going to keep a tight rein on
myself every minute of the time, that s
what / am going to do. I'm going to
wipe out and eternally cancel this
somewhat explosive habit in which, /
find upon examination, I've been occa
sionaly INDUCING Of late years. Fact
is, I'm going to so curb myself that it'll
be almost impossible for me to becOm e
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02
7&s&

to Whom are you referring? [ don't know
of anybody around here who ramps or
roars around. unless it's yourself
oh | meant to say, said Mrs. Jobson.
that it is only natural for a woman to
feel like submitting word here and there
in defense of herself and her actions when
her husband gets into a passion and
IF you've got ears you'll remember
that I'm only just through saying that
there isn't going to be any more of that
getting into passion business around
here this year" grumbed Mr.. Jobson.
It's a DANCED queer thing that you can't
listen to what | tell you anyhow. And
it's queerer still, when it comes to that,
that you can't, In view of the sacrifices
you see me in the act OF making and the
resolutions | am in\ the act of forming
haven't got the gumption to sort of align
two little decent resolutions on your own
account. You're not perfect, you know.
l am fully aware that you imagine your
self to be utterly perfect, but | am here
to assure you that you're mistaken. 1
haven't the time nor the inclination to
sit here and point out to you those re-
spects in which you are sadly deficient.
If you can't see 'em yourself. why. you're
blind. that's all I've got to say.
oh, I'm perfectly willing to acknowl-
edge my defects said Mrs Jobson. smil-
ingly, only 1 thought. my dear, that you
began this by declaring your own faults.
and not mine and by resolving.
Never you mind what l began it with
its how 1 end it that's important"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02
1c11N ON AND APPERTAININ' TO" THE BIG BURG

Great show. too. There was girl in
red liberty silk or something who sang
that uplifting little hymn, Take Little
More Off" suiting the action to the word
by removing various impedilnents IN the
way of garments (some of the garments
quite intimate and necessary. considering
the state of the weather), until when she
finished singing the final stanza OF the
HYMN she had the clothes-hating Maude
OdeN looking like somebody al bundled
ND for Sunday school by gran'ma-
Nor. with all of red liberty silk cloth
ing removed and piled in pathetic nttle
heap beside her on the stage, dld the
lovely young creature seem TO be one par
ticle embarrassed Not one particle. NO
doubt she considered it her sacred duty
to entertain her auditors in just about the
way they wanted to be entertained. ana
that made her portion of the performance
sacred, didn't II?
Then there was sacred pony ballet,
consisting of some fourteen young women.
who upon the rising of the sacred curtain.
were revealed in the very act and article
of preparing for their sacred beds.
They were all in their cute little Nigh
ties. the loves, and what bully sacred
pillow fight they did proceed to nave
And as they strove and fit and 1oueht
with the pillows. why, how could 'hey
help If their bare tootsies did happen 10
be frequently displayed to the sacred au-
dience. and all like hathaway! Ihey
couldn't help it at all, the cuties, deeo
they couldn't, and after awhile, as they
warmed up at the pillow hShtins, theS
seemed to get they didn't care, either
deed they did,
The writer hereof leaves 1t to any fair
Judge of judges If that exhibition of the
pony ballet in their nighties wasn't sa-
cred. They were one and all anlHateu
and impelled by the sacred duty, not to
say the obligation. resting upon them 10
get the money, and IL that isn't sacred
propulsion-ie.. the one which forced EN-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02

your born days hear anything to beat
that?
"Of course I had no idea in the world
of letting her think that she could tell
me such a whopper and expect me to be-
lieve 1.-THE idea.-and SO 1 UP and said
to her:
Aren't you afraid then, dawling that
the wrong dresser has been delivered
Because, really. | am perfectly certain
that l saw that very dresser in one of
those little holes in the wall auction
rooms down town only few days ago.
Il hadn't seen any such a thing. my
dear as matter of fact, but you don
think, do you. that l was going to let
that puffy, wuffy creature attempt to
treat me as If l were a perfect silly?
Deed l was not!
But, honestly. you should have seer
the womans face when | told her that
Mercy on us, she just swelled UP till
thought sure she was going to burst, an(
her face got crimson red, and of course
that proved perfectly that | was right
even if l had been only guessing in saying
what / did about having seen that dresser
in little auction room.
But, deed | don't intend to sit still and
let women like that tell me such perfect
whoppers. It's like that Mrs. Phoanie try
ing to make folks believe that every new
hat she gets is a really and truly Paris
model. when they all look, / am sure, a:
if they'd been made with an ak some
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02
a.

lord somewhat sepulchrally and a-skeeary
we must say; why, L desire to take issue
with you on the points you mention and
to discuss them with you here and now.
Maybe that wasn't a challenge cal
cuated to stampede almost any old kind
of fluffish actor person.
But did it stampede w. Lackaye? Not
a stamp. If the writer hereof had 1t In
mind to stampede any actor individual
he'd pick out at least fourteen thousand
of 'em before he'd decide to run Mr..
Lackaye into the tangled thaparral.
Mr. Lackaye wasn't swept off the stage
or his feet or anything whatever like
that. He didn't have much time to talk
sociology with studio socialist, however,
right there in the presence of the audi
ence, seeing as how he had taken the
folks money on condition that he give
them play and the play being still un-
finished And so he simply said to Mr..
Wiltshire:
Now, that is very nice of you, really.
| appreciate it, Nothing in this life
indeed l might almost say the life to
come-would give me greater pleasure
than to talk socialism with you from now
until next Tuesday week. However.
have my audience to consider. Therefore.
I'll pass your suggestion along TO the
audience Audience shall l stand here
and debate socialism with this interesting
gentleman, or shall / proceed with this
little playlet that I'm attempting to get
out of my SYSTEM?
The audiences reply was something al
most cataclysmic in its uproariousness.
Beat it." the audience howled at Mr.
Wiltshire. In a real cross and grabbed
tone. Go sail your boat G'wan!'
Whereupon, Mr. Wiltshire. grieved
through and through no doubt over the
Observation-Disclosures of this populace. went out
into the open and continued to grieve.
Is socialism advancing here in New
York? Mr.. Wiltshire continues to say that
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02
81

grouched Mr.. Jobson. TIN not SO be-
dinged bad as you say that | am, when
it comes to that AS a matter of fact
come to think of it, | guess that / eX-
aggerate what few little defects ] pos
sess or did possess. / guess the truth is
that I'm magnifying my little errors And.
seeing that you're SO Internally bone
headed about the business, / hereby
withdraw whatever observations I've been
misled into giving utterance to with
spect to New Year resolutions. When l
come to look your defects over | find
and that's no lie. Moreover, when find
that you persist in thinking yourself so
spotlessly, perfectly perfect. why, it
changes the whole situation for me. IT
you're so blamed determined to go along
your own path and not to even admit that
anything you do requires amendment.
why. 1 guess that I m not going to do the
whole thing. I'm not going To do the
whole thing. and you can take that from
me. If you showed the slightest DISPOSE
ton to cooperate with me in this bust
ness it 'ud be different. But you sit
there and harp and harp upon what you
call my faults. and declare yourself to be
the most sainted and sanity creature on
top of the earth or In the waters beneath
the earth, and that doesn't go, that's all.
You can just forget this resolving gag
of mine. If you please. / was pinhead
ever to expect that you'd see it in the
right light Well have more CONVEX
sation on this topic It's all off-not an
other word-not one word! Gimme some
coffee!'
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02

payne buying pet Of the footlights, but
what are they compared to Art? For Art
is Art
Now see Art joyfully led by four of the
farest who seat him high upon a throne
to judge-aye-to Judge whose toes flash
highest in the grand event of Kicking the
Incandescents. See them fight TO throw
themselves upon him and shower him
with bee-yootiful names. See him take
it all simply-as becomes Natures Noble
man-and Art
Now watch him at home-before his
looking glass, with the light turned low
so as not to attract the attention OF The
police. See him-pardon me if l have to
introduce Art in his undershirt-but see
him as the dim image OF himself in the
looking glass discloses something to him.
Hear him speak:
ooh, little Clara. Oh, dear, sweet. little
Jeanette, and Maybelle. and silly little
Silhouette, and Floofy, and Adele on,
dreams. Oh, peaches! Orchestra leader,
ple-e-e-e-e-ease play the Merry Widow
for an hour. Glide. dear heart, glide.
and In your gliding trample my heart to
a bit of plain liver.
1.-The lights twinkle. The tinkle Of the
dripping champagne sings to me ever
and the confetti. the confetti, the con-
fetti-I'm blinded by the storm. but I'd
be blinded again-had / the chance
But what is that he sees upon his neck?
A spot!
A bit of Confetti!
1t must have stuck there!!!
So he rubs at 1t, and rubs at 1t, and ruos
at 1t.
And continues to rub at 1t. and rub at
II, and rub at it.
And rubs, rubs, rubs. rubs-and might
have been doing it yet-had 1t not been
for Tit Willow, the South Washington
canary, who bursts into song and laughter
and chirping as she sees Art rubbing at
the bit of confetti on his neck.
Sings she thus
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02

it is. But it would be interesting to
know where and how he found out.
4 X
COME humoristic women. mostly act
- resses with fine suits of unbought
hair. recently got together in this town
and formed the following organization:
Society for the Abolition of Rats in
Women's Hair
Perhaps then, that same isn't some
title for any old kind of an organization,
no?
However, after glancing at a skinny
tabulation of figures showing the num-
Der of recruits to this new organization
the writer is constrained 10 predict that
this movement of worldwide interest isn't
going to connect. SO to speak. That Is to
say, it's membership list isn't going to be
overcroWded.
Already there is talk among women
who like rats and mean to stick by rats
and retain 'em and wear 'em despite all
knocking whatever-there Is talk among
such women of forming Society for
the Preservation and Maintenance of Rats
in Women's Hair.
who don't believe in the hair rats. be-
cause they don't need 'em. having some
hair of their own, are looked upon as
self-adyertisers. They are viewed by ratty
women as persons who are merely de-
sirous of calling attention to the fact
that they have some hair of their own. as
opposed to store HAIR.
Viewed from several different angles,
then. II really begins to look as IL the
rats had come TO stay ana that 10 get
rid of them it will take more appealing
pied piper than any Society for the
Abolition of Rats I'm Women's Hair.
CLARENCE l.. CULLEN.