davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

its briny bath: He approached the animal
and addressed 1t.
"Kirky or dicky they call me-" said the
kirk-dik-dik after the first greetings had
meet you even though you make me
blush by finding me in my bath"
How do you find IT." queried the re-
Rather smelly" replied the kirk-dik-
dix
But it will do you good" suggested the
reporter. ~,
YEARLY, 'inasmuch as l can't get into
good society in this place until I've soaked
in 1t for some time to come"
There was a short pause.
Say, young man." began the kirk-dik-
dix. did you ever try to break into So
ciety?"
The answer was negative.
WELL" said the kirk-dik-dik. 1T is
foolish. There is no rule to go by. For
instance, 1 have to stay soaked for three
months in order to get into good stand
ing, while IL you stayed soaked for three
months you'd be thrown out of the
church"
The kirk-dik-dik rolled gently over and
began sloshing the pungent liquid upon
his chest with his fore paws.
"Tell me- said the reporter, some
thing of your past life 4
'Ah-h-h. dear old Africa" murmured the
little clucker as he uttered a clucking
sigh. how I wish were with you now.
It is nightfall. young man. I am a papa
kirk dik-dik. you understand, going out in
search of something to eat. Not for my
self alone. but for Mrs. Kirk-dik-dik and
all of the little kirk-dik-diks. The moon,
big and round and yellow, comes up high
in the heavens. tightening up the forest
= ~,
thick growing branches around me sigh
and tremble and the dark mist rises from
the ground as the heavy moist tropical
breeze sweeps down upon me. The forest
is peaceful-very peaceful.
But while l am thinking OF my shell
Il hear noise. Not much of noise, but
just the crunching Of a dried twig.
II turn and after a time see some
thing coming toward me. It is an animal
that it carries something in its front
paws and walks on its hind legs, makes
me suspicious. 1 run. It follows and
numerous other things join in the chase.
Then !! remember of MAN-big strong
man who is master Of the earth. I have
heard Of him. i wonder as I run why
he chases me. 1 don't think very long.
He aims the thing he carries. in his
hands at me. Then after time I am
shipped here and-well,' here I am.
But even the pleasure of being SO
killed in glory sometimes pals. Tonight
I'd like to be back with Mrs. kirk-dik- dix
and the little kirk-dik-diks. I wonder how
she is now. Maybe she's married again
by this time"
The kirk-dik-dik shed silent tear and
the reporter did likewise Then the latter
passed on to the lions bath.
x X
Not far from the kirk-dik dix was one
of the several lions. The king of beasts
was resting somewhat uneasily on his
side and periodically amusing himself by
uttering low grunting sounds indicative
OF unrest and anger. He was a down
hearted beast, this lion prone to shed
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

RS. Albert Baird
Cummins came to
Washington pre-
coded by a reputa-
ton for hospital
ity which equaled
her husbands polit-
ical prestige. Iowa,
with other good
things, has a well
established claim
to successful home
amenities-a claim
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

belongs tn all the leading clubs of Des
Moines, and the Iowan capital can preSenI
a formidable list of feminine clubs. When
Senator Cummins succeeded Mr.. Lesne
M. Shaw as the chief executive OF the
state a remarkable demonstration was
made by the club women OF Des MolIes'
They came to the stately Cummins nome
on Grand avenue, the Saturday before the
governor took the oath of office.. to the
full extent OF their membership ana
through a chosen speaker, paid an eio-
quent tribute to the governors wye. Iney
recounted all that Mrs. Cummins had cone
for the city and averred that seldom had
q governors wife been installed In the
high place as first citizeness or the COM
monw ca It'll under more natteflnS auspices.
A similar demonstration occurred when
home to accompany the senator to wash
ington. On this occasion the reception
was a spontaneous meeting, not only OF
the members of the clubs to which Mrs:
Cummins belonged, but Of the women na:nios OF
that success had come in the way desired
by their hostess, but they strongly OBJ
jected that the success meant the closing
of the most hospitable home in Des
Moines and the loss of the most accom-
plished chatelaine.
Mrs. Cumnlins received in her early
training a solid foundation for all the
duties which life has brought. Her
parents belonged to an excellent family,
which had gone to the middle west from
New England with the earliest OF the
path blazers. She was educated partially
at home and then took a course of
studies In Chicago and later In Detroit
Her acquaintance with her husband be-
gan during her school days in Chicago,
when Mr.. Cummins, having passed
through course of civil engineering.
had resolved to adopt law as his pro-
fession. Miss Gallery, as she was then.
had partially decided that life had
mission for her, and she intended to
prepare herself to become teacher. But
the casual acquaintance with the hand
some young law student soon ripened
into something which opened q sort of
partnership career. and she returned to
her home in Easton Rapids. Senator
Cummins romantic career is we'll known
that at twelve he was earning a fair
competence with hammer and saw in his
fathers carpenter shop Then he tried
engineering. and when he talks about
raiiroading he knows whereof he speaks.
for he has worked in every capacity in
that trade. Finally he determined that
his calling was the law. and with char
acteristic energy he set about mastering
that branch of knowledge. He had
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26
lRS ALBERT CNIS WIFE OF

worked his way through college at
Waynesburg. Pa.
He entered the Office of Mcclellan &
Hodges in Chicago. and became a gen.
eral heip In the firm, while reading
most diligently at night, In less than a
year he had working acquaintance with
law. and with that supreme confidence
in himself which the psychologists main
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

that they have such swelled heads be-
cause Of the manner Of their arrival
here that they do not seem to appre.
ciate our feelings.
4 4
"They have an idea that they are run
ming the place. You can't argue with
them nor attempt to reason with them.
They are utterly impossible. when you
try to discuss things with them It Is likA
trying to make one trust or malefacterouo
corporation persuade the man who killed
them that 1t Is as virtuous as the prohi.
bition party. You follow me?"
''In other words. they do not sufficiently
appreciate their own unimportance?" sus-
gested the reporter.
That is IT." assented the beiligerent
bison.
Now continued tho animal. "about
that second part. The animals are not
are tainted. They are possessed Of q
pungency which makes them hopeless -
social possibilities. When they shall have
become more colorless and less obnoxious
But until that time they must be passed
because they are too fresh and at the
me?'
The reporter admitted that he did.
All of the remaining animals are Of the
same turn of mind. All say that the
African arrivals must become more mild
before they will be accepted in the best
circles. Until the best circles accept them
they must remain without the pale OF
society. They are required by the heart
less taxidermists to swim In picked
baths and float around in chemical prep
aratiOns. They are harassed until they
have no peace of mind at day or night
They are made continually uncomfortable,
and nothing is offered them to compensate
for the loss Of faunal society which they
now suffer.
But the end will be soon. When they
have been fitted on their frames. provided
of course they are sufficiently chastened
morally by that time. they will be al
lowed to enter the glass cages allotted
them, and with the rest Of the animals
will come In for the spirit Of erotic, ex-
otto good-fellowship which so strongly
pervades the Smithsonian
The big polar bear who grumpily sits
by the third south window will turn oc-
casionally when the lights are low ana
no one is looking. and he will speak to
them and tell them OF the great white
country from which he came ana which
he will never see again. The seals Will
relate stories OF deep dives and long
swims after fishes The ponderous turtles
will lazily travel back ten centuries and
tell of the ancient forests years gone by
Then the African mammals will lose the
hard-hearted anger against their kind
and will become once more the jovial
creatures OF few years ago.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

ISOLATED in a lit
tie room set apart
for their especial
use, the recently
arrived specimens
of African animals
sent to the Smith
sonian by former
President ROOSe-
welt are evidently
doomed to wait for
many months be-
fore they will be
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

accepted and put in good standing by
the other faunal residents. This is no
Joke 1t is a fact verified and stood for
by several Of the taxidermists at the
museum They do not think that the elite
of the Smthsonan's habitues will accept
the new arrivals on plane Of equality
even though the latter bear the immutaoie
stamp of Theodore Roosevelt
Not SO long ago a certain professor went
in and looked his new specimens over. He
looked at them sadly. almost unhappily,
and told them in gentle soothing accents
that they must not hope too much. They
must be patient and try by right living
and careful preservation Of their beauties
to deserve some day to. join the ranks of
the faunal aristocracy. For the present,
he explained, they are on probation. The
African lion turned to the hartebeest with
a snort Of vigorous protestation
What he roared, do you think of
that?".
The hartebeest had been doing quite q
bit of snorting on his own account fol-
lowing the professors sad announcement
Don't ask me what 1 think Of it," he
yeIped, because If you do I'm liable to
shock you.
You can't beloved the lion angrily,
''shock me blooming bit more than I'm
shocked already. To think that us ami
mails, recognized as. the greatest Of our
kind-read any press dispatch-are COM
PEELED to actually wait before we can get
into good society in this charnel house,
Yes" assented the hartebeest. lit is
without doubt the grandest little outrage
ever offered to the finest specimen of
hartebeest ever killed on the east coast
OF Africa. What do you suppose I went
and let the colonel shoot me for? Just
to be obliging? Why, l supposed that
when ! was shipped here the low-born
beasts from Bolivia to Baf1n's bay would
fairly howl with envy of seeing me. In
stead we are put on probation-thi of
IT.. CThe hartebeest's voice beat brokenly
against his tonsils and came forth in
cultural dertones)-Probation.'
And now for the reason for this proba-
ton Why are the greatest of all of the
East African mammals-see the press dis
patches again-compelled to wait without
the pale Of animal society at the Smith
sonian Institution when such common
things as bees and butterflies, bulls and
balloons are allowed all of the privileges
accorded those who live in the glass
cases OF the museum? There are two
reasons for this ostracism. The new ar
rivals are inclined to be tainted and I'M
pleasantly suggestive of that which Is
too mellow. Besides, their frames of wire
and wood have not been completed vet,
and until it is arranged to build them the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

tears at anything family resembling sor.
row.
When the reporter approached him the
lion turned fixed and staring eye upon
him. Not once during the conversation
did he remove 1t.
why did they make you wait in a
picked bath?' asked the reporter. gently
'Ah, why indeed sighed the suffering
lion. why should be expected to remain
in this Turkish bath arrangement ad in
flnitum (he was a we'll educated lion)
while the most ordinary animals are al
lowed to gambol freely under their glass
cages and enjoy the society OF their fel-
What is your opinion Of the social
conditions prevailing in the Smithson-
LAMP was the next question hurled at the
beast.
blooming bum." replied the lion,
For this" said the reporter, II suppose
there Is a reason?"
There is" mourned the lion. sadly.
land a reason that one Of your quavering
mental stability would not understand.
when was young and festive crea-
ture." continued the lion. reminiscently.
II was obsessed Of a desire to become
known. Had 1 been in the civilization
now know I would have gone on the
stage. AS 1t was. I was compelled to en-
joy myself by being eccentric. unusual
and at times extraordinary in order to
show the befuddled addleheads what a
success l was along all lines.
Time went on and I became the ne
plus ultra of animal fame In Africa. No
one could grasp situation or an African
leg as instantaneously as I. No one could
appreciate the difficulties attendant to
hunting food or counting lady lions like
me. was it.
''rhen came q time during which I
failed utterly to crafty my own desires.
I wanted bigger, grander. more far
reaching fame than had ever known. I
wanted to be the original main noise in
the big tent for twenty-four per diem
X X
when I heard that a pair Of eye
glasses and a reputation were coming to
Africa to tear up the sod like whirl-
pool. thought that 1 could not lose. /
had 1t figured out that II I was landed
with bullet would be an historic
all time to come.
1T. on the other hand. ! succeeded
in escaping the deadly rife of that ex-
presidential eye-glassed hunter, I would
be able to swagger around for the re-
slightest fear of any competition.
would, in other words, be the peppo
kfddo. whether somebody perforated me
or I managed to continue my happy life
after having outwitted the nimble- minded
hunter with the teeth.
Having thus doped it out, I hied me
forth from my jungle cave one morn
when the sun lay low and the burning
lights of the tropic skies threw the
shadows long. I hied me forth in the
jungle deep and I met the man with
the CLASSY peep, and in fifteen seconds
felt quite cheap. for he shot me some
where, l know.
THAT was all there was to it-excuse
my rhymes, habit can't lose no mat
ter how I choose-except that was
shipped on to this place When I got
here with personal Endorsement from
Theodore in my hide I supposed that l
would be greeted with open arms. But
was 1? l was not I was told that I
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

huge cut glass bowl filled with scarlet
carnations. and one may see gorgeous red
roses in long. slender crystal vases all
about her rooms. In Des Moines her rose
garden is famous, and her carnations are
the envy Of her friends
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

along the road to popularity Every
householder desires home, where he
owns all four walls with some ground
back and front, and at least four-ffths of
the population of Des Mones realize this
wish. The front gardens are filled with
flowers and those ornamental shrubs and
Towering trees which grow SO luxuriant-
ly in our climate, and in the back are
growing the vegetables which gladden.
the heart of the homekeeper and make
life worth the living in summer. l believe
that Des Moines has a greater number
of kitchen gardens than any city of IT'S
size in the country. All the inha bit ants
can have the freshest and sweetest of
berries and fruits In season, all the
garden luxuries and flowers In abundance
to deck the porches, and living for the
exercise of a little strength and fore
thought.
1t has been said that few men paid so
high price for public honors the for
mer governor and present senator Of
Iowa, Mr.. Cummins His friends assert
that his'law practice was yielding an in
come which made an imposing array of
figures when added annually. and his
home In Des Moines was becoming the
most noted social center in the entire
state. They also assert that when the fierce
light of the campaign was turned on his
life no motive for his seeking public hon.
could be unearthed, save what Shake
speare terms the last infirmity of no.
BILE mind, ambition. But Gov. Cummins
believed he had mission. Mrs. Cum
minis shares this opinion enthusiastically
and she closed her home in Des Moines to
come to Washington. Mr. .Cummins holds
to the axiom expounded by the French
that man can be an orator only in
one language. Mrs. Cummns holds that
no woman can have a home-that is. a
real home-in two places So she held
resolutely against dismantling her house
In Des Moines and established her salon
in handsome apartment in the Airing
ton. But Senator Cummins has been
elected for the full term which ends in
1915 and friends predict that the Cum
minses will not be happy in hired lodg
ings for such lengthy period.
In Des Moines Mrs Cunmins has long
been identified with all the earnest
movements for civic reform along the
lines to which the women Of the mid
die west have devoted themselves.
Although she is clever student of
politics and possessed of aeumen and the
sixth sense of knowing things In advance
of their happenings. Mrs. Cummins has
kept steadily to those things which should
concern women, the school and public
library questions. the cleaning of the city
and the village Improvement societies She
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

come with less outlay Of time and
strength. and the poultry question has
been simplified in a similar manner.
The servant question vexes the Iowa
women not at all, for the machinery Of
the household is now mechanical in the
literal sense.
Mrs. Cummins is claimed by the suf-
fragists as one Of their leading lights
ISOLATED with a public movement either
nationally or in Iowa She believes In the
principles OF suffrage, but she reserves
her opinion Of its practical application.
She has found many other things which
seem more imperative when one wishes
to be a force for good in the community.
All the clubs to which she belongs have
some worthy end, literary. philanthropic
or patriotic. 1t has been the wonder or
her acquaintances that woman who was
SO cunctilious about her social duties
could find leisure even to attend occa-
sionally to SO many interests, but Mrs.
Cummins proved the exceptional member.
In Washington she has been cautious
she Is a member Of the Congressional
Club and Is quite interested in its future
**
Mrs. Cummins Is a pleasant taIker and
exceedingly gracious In manner. She can
put forth claims to oratory on occasion
which might bring her into rivalry with
her husband. but she shuns such honors
and only speaks when necessity urges.
She delights In politics, and has found it
as fascinating from the national stand
point as she anticipated. Last winter she
was among the regular attendants at the
debates in Congress. and she followed the
intricacies of she tariff with absorbing
zeal Mrs. Cummins. having a wide ex
rerience in entertaining, will assume an
importance In official society always
corded the deserving. Her drawing room
in Des Moines was always filled with the
most interesting people of the state. and
1t Is now probable that her home In
Washington will prove a gathering place
for the most interesting people of the ma
ton.
Mrs. Cummins was an imposing -looking
woman, always superbly gowned and
most excellently groomed. Her taste in
garments Is considered almost infallible,
and for years she has led the mode in her
home city. She is partial to dark bril-
liant effects, especially in her house robes,
and her love of red carnations Is as pro-
nounced as the late President McKinleys
Seldom is her drawing room without a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

founded on pioneer traditions. AS MIS-
Cumr1ins expressed it in discussing her
state and its interests recently:
Home Is the paramount issue with the
majority Of the good citizens Of the
Hawkeye state. OF course, we are tre-
mendously proud of our corn crop. the
greatest i'm the world and representing
in round figures the vast fortune conf
prised in one hundred and fifty million
dollars. We rejoice in our oat crop and,
In fact. in all our cereals. for the benef-
icent goddess of the grain, Ceres. smiles
perpetually on Iowa. and every school
boy can tell you that bis state realizes
from grain annually a greater fortune
than is represented by all the ore and
precious metals taken from the earth In
all OF North America.
But most of all are Iowans proud of
their homes. In Des Moines, where
have the happiness to live, we are es-
Sentially q city of homes. Flats and
houses in rows are making slow progress
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

The most fervent admirers of Senator
Cummins assert that his marriage was
his first stride toward the fame and
fortune which he has won. He was but
twenty-four and his wife a few years
his junior. He had large homes and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

When this shall have been accomplished,
when dirt and disrepute shall have given
way to cleanliness and chaste character,
the lions will be accepted as animals with
social standing worthy of association
with the pOnderous buffalo and the
weighty leviathan. But until that happy
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

that they have such swelled heads be-
cause Of the manner Of their arrival
here that they do not seem to appre.
ciate our feelings.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-26

Not far from the kirk-dik- dix was one
of the several lions. The king of beasts
was resting somewhat uneasiy on his
side and periodically amusing himself by
uttering low grunting sounds indicative
or unrest and anger. He was a down
hearted beast, this lion, prone to shed
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-08
COMPLETING 6
WORK AT
SHOPS
sou PACIFIC WILL BE
o.HICTLY UP-TO-DATE.
New Machinery ordered-Shops Will
Be Prepared to DO Heaviest
Kind of Work.

The last span OF the new gallery in
the Southern Pacific machine shops is
now being completed and the layatory
and toilets put in. The air brake, tin
shop electrical and tool room depart
ments have all been installed in the
gallery and two rows Of light machin-
cry now extends lengthwise OF the
gallery, which is the pleasantest part
of the shop In which to work.
In referring to the work now draw.
ing to completion, General Foreman
Swan Olson said to Standard re-
porter:
"The gallery was what was needed
to round things out and place the large
back shops in first class condition
We have been crowded to the limit
for the last two years and the large
force Of men could hardly work to ad-
vantage. Things Will be different now,
and as soon as all the light machinery
is located on the second floor, we Will
add a dozen more large pieces of ma
chinery to that now in use on the first
floor.
"The new machinery has all been or
dered and will arrive during the early
summer months. This will put us in
shape to do the heaviest kind of work
In the way Of rebuilding engines and
will probably result in the force at
Ogden being enlarged within year
or two. as occasion demands.
Every part OF the big shop will be
changed In the near future and when
everything now planned is carried to
completion, the Ogden plant. will be
second to none between Omaha and
Sacramento.
"Yes. VIC are doing good deal OF
work for the Union Pacific and Oregon
Short Line and are making a record TO
be proud of, We have just turned out
an engine-rebuilt the machine from
the tracks UP. fireboX and all-1n
thirty-fiye days, and the usual time for
this character Of work has been sixty
or more days. This was a rush pas.
senger engine job, however, and the
boys pushed her through without de-
lay.
Everything is harmonious and
pleasant in the shops and the men are
putting in regular time and most of
them working nine hours day. We
do not look for any enforced vacations,
and the force employed is up to the
usual number in every department"