davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

The vast majority of the stories OF WI
''inquisitiveness' have been pure inven-
lions. Some of the yarns, too. were erect
ed upon the great number or questions
which the late Ii Hung Chang asked
when lie travelled through the United
states a number of years ago. AS SIM
pie matter of fact, WI was never patch
or Ii In the matter Of inquisitiveness.
In and around Washington there has al
ways been a little cabal against WI
Ting -fang-a cabal composed chiefly or
persons who had suffered from the undo
niable occasional sharpness OF Wu's
tongue WI always has been addicted to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

facts. he had blandly inimitab!e way OF
stating them. At dinner given by the
late Secretary Hay, the stanchest friend
that WI ever had In the United States,
the Chinese minister sat next to a well
known American bishop.
will you permit me to see your rtngF'
WI said very politely to the bishop, who.
In addition to being cleric, also is a
thorough man of the world.
Surely" said the bishop. and he re-
moved the large and splendid emerald
ring from his finger and passed it to
WI.
The Chinaman examined the ring crit
ically. then he passed 1t back to the
bishop.
That he said suavely. lis the best
imitation emerald / ever saw.
What, An imitation" said the bishop,
not heatedly but 'wonderingly.
"Why, that seems impossible. The ring
was used as an episcopal ring I'm England
for nearly two hundred years before it
came to me as a gift 1t was and Is con-
si,lered a perfect, fiawless emerald and
very valuable stone.'
Nevertheless said WI, most civilly,
with repressed positiveness. ut is not all
emerald. The stone is an imitation en-
erald."
Now, thN bishop knew quite we'll that
orientals Of rank generally are experts
in gems, and WI is a particularly clever
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20
Grateful for Twins.

cENATOR LA TOILETTE, discussing
- the right Thanksgiving spirit In Madi-
son, said:
THE English preacher Spurgeon mad
this spirit. He was conducting prayer
meeting when a family friend tiptoed to
the pulpit and whispered in his ear that
he had just become the father of twin
boys.
MIR. Sturgeon Immediately announced
this news to the congregation, and said
gratefully:
I'm honor of tho event, I will ask you
to join in singing the hymn
Not more than others ] deserve.
But God has given me more.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

Z" aId thea lis idea is that he's go
ting right ahead and uncoil a long spoo!
OF the usual old fun about the perfectly
usual old dubberino things that he saw In
Paris.
lie gets away with il because you per-
NIT him to: because you don't know OF
any way TO flag him.
But there Is a way. The thing can be
done
It's this way:
lie gets back from his little trip across
the deep drink. and the very first time he
sees you after returning he halls you with
one of those merry-eyed greetings that
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

barcelona that evening, and his route
from Barcelona was going to be straight
for Morocco, with when country We
didn't have any treaty at the time.
He was at jai alai game when
well I said. tapping him on the right
shoulder pad from behind before he'd
had kind of a game, but the base ball
season up in the states is just about be-
ginning and you will like that better,
won't you?
HE wheeled around and when ne saw
mo he rushed into my arms as IL Ia been
his e'der fat brother that he hadn't seen
in fourteen years.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

This young woman had a peculiarly vir-
ulent case Of the microbe. That is to say,
she just was going on the stage some
how or another. and that's all there was
TO II.
Perceiving the utter futility Of advising
anybody in that state of mind. neverthe-
less / preachified quite ponderously and
generously and solemnly and things when
she did me the honor to ask my opinion
about it. I gave quite a little wholly vain
exercise to my vocal chords by telling her
all Of the old. old things about the going
on-the-stage business for girls of no par
ticular knack or talent: about what a
dogs life 1t was for nearly all hands;
about how few the prizes were and the
years of study it took to drag one of the
prizes down: about the squalidness and
know the line of argument. Unlike a
good deal OF preachifying, by the way, this
line OF argument Is quite true. But what
is the difference whether il be true OF
not? Did you ever know anybody to give
an attending ear to 1t or abide by IT?
No. you did not. But anyhow i held
forth quite nobly on the topic when this
young woman asked my poor advice. All
the time I was advising I observed that
she was gazing at me with sort of I'M
seeing. unhearing. 'way-off-on- the horizon
gaze. and knew that was merely talk
ing to the four benign winds.
At the finish Of my lovely little preach
ment she was there, It seemed. with
plenty OF indubitable facts whercwith to
cage me. Local facts. too.
For example, hadn't Margaret Walker
of Washington gone on the stage and
made good in the first Florodora sextet
and become ever so famous and married
magnificently? Hadn't Marie Wilson of
Washington done precisely the same
thing and got her picture into all of the
big Sunday papers time and again and
married superbly? Hadn't the Whitlock
sisters OF Washington gone on the stage
and attracted lot of attention i'm New
York and such places by reason of their
beauty? Hadn't BilIec Burke of Wash
ington gone on the stage and wasn't she
then, at that very hour, playing In Lon
don? Finally, hadn't Pauline Chase of
Washington gone on the stage and wasn't
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

ANYTHING to do with your little arrange
ment to start for Barcelona tonight. mas
ito
He didn't make any reply to that put
went on telling me how glad he was that
he'd heen herded I'D before he'd got any
farther. At the Hotel Inglaterra thar
night, all the same, he had half CLIMBED
out Of a second-story window TO 90 the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

with the saki and things defunct in his
system. and after a wakeful night, in
which he'd done a powerful amount of
thinking about working in an American
prison laundry and such like. the situa-
ton was changed in his view. He wasn't
glad at all.
Look-a-here,' he said TO me when
walked in upon him, to blazes with this
go-back thing. The United States climate
is hard on my weak throat, anyhow. I've
switched. Little old Japan for mine. Sor-
~ to've put you to all this bother. but
behave that, son. I said to him. IT
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

that. even in her state of collapse. In
stead, she JUST walked out. i intercepted
her at the door and told her I'd speak 70
the composer OF the opera about her, ana
asked her to wait q minute. l saw tho
composer He told me he'd like to do II
for me. but It would be as much as his
life was worth to interfere with his dicta.
toria1 musical director; anyhow, he'd
heard the little Washington girl try 10
sing, and he was very much afraid (much
as he'd like to do it. old pal. and all thaD
that II was a case of nix-nix. 1 hated to
have to tell the little woman from wash
ington all that: in fact, didn't tell her in
anything like that kind of way; and she
went down the street, sort Of dabbing at
her eyes with her handkerchief. and cut
ting, I do assure you. very pathetic 1T
tie figure of misery and wrong-headedness
as she went.
Last week saw her again. 1t was In At
lantic City. The extravaganza production
for which a man I know had written the
libretto wars to be produced in Atlantic
City and was to have look at the first
night production.
met her on the Boardwalk. She was
tripping along with three or four slightly
bedra ggled looking young women who mad
the CHORUS girl look stamped ana pia-
carded all over them. The party OF girls
were Just about to turn into one of the
side streets to the cheap. dilapidated no.
tel where they were stopping. The Wash
ington girl looked just about like the 9TH
ers Like them, she was chewing gum
quite voraciously and chatterinS and
laughing rather more loudly than persons
generally do, even on the Boardwalk, I'M
less they happen to be chorus girls.
recognized her at the same time as
she recognized me, and I made some sort
Of foolish remark certainly not Justihed)
about her appearance.
..Sav, y'r frien' sure is there with the
oil. amt hep one Of the other girls in the
group remarked with a litter, and then
they all Uttered in unison. although. you
see up to that present instant or time l
hadn't really met them at all, you know.
And what was she doing in Atlantic
City?
"Oh, I'm workin' with this new show
that's goin' to open at the show-shon
down the Boardwalk q piece" she told
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20
-{|1


me. Just like that. ''Workin and
"show-shop" and all. OF course ] told
her that I was there to see the opening OF
that production.
'Is that so?" she asked me. Say. DO
YOU know any OF the ginks that wrote
the stuff-the book or music or lyriesr
told her that I knew most Of the peo-
pie interested in the production.
well. say. them" said she. chewing
her gum voraciously, stick In a plug for
me with the main gezumps. won't you?
Hand 'em a boost for me SOS I can get
I'D front. They've got me stuck In the
back line and ia be able to nudge to the
front line IL somebody I'D only stick IN
a plug for me. How about lit VIII
your
From that the talk drifted to little old
Washington.
Never again for mine, that bum burg"
she said to me: :, s.,i sav NIX Nosh,n
DOM in that mans little old hamlet. Gee:
but wasn't I the Rube when I lived
there. thought" and she g1ggied delight
eddy at the recollection. and all the other
girls of the group giggled with her. and
away they scampered down the side
street to the mean little old hotel where
they were stopping.
She no longer was saying 'cahnt" and
the other things.
That night I saw her gyrating around
in the back row with the frozen little
smirks and grimaces of the indurated
chorus girl. but the old merry sure
enough laugh certainly seemed to have
gone and gone forever from her eyes:
Somehow, / couldn't help but think Of
her, with tight pistails and hair ribbons
and highly starched skirts. trotting on
which. of course, was highly virtuous
and praiseworthy on my part.
All the same, ''the lure OF the stage
is one of those measly phrases that
always does cause me to break out In n
manner that is not virtuous nor praise
worthy at all.
CLARENCE L. CULLEN.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

HEN / am sent
over seas for a
wanted man, and
he blurts out upon
being touched upon
the shoulder by
me. that he 10
glad II IL all over
and that he Is TO
r IN to the
United States. I
don't take any
great amount OF
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

Darn IL all. but I'm glad to see you.
coppy.. he gurgled. mauling me around in
his enthusiasm, and me struggling to
brush him away. BLOW me. but I'm glad
YOU found me. And SO here you are, hey.
ready to take ME away from this internal
place-here femme shake with you again"
and I had to all but uppercut him to
keep him on of me in his sousy JOY.
"'Your being glad that I'm. here.
though had to say to him, hasn't got
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

along with me without waiting for the
papers, EN-? l said to him.
Am ~ he said, mobbing me again to
get hold of my paw 10 shake. Why, say,
pal, I'd cross in a balloon il could get
one. I'd rather be walled up In the United
States or sunk In a we'll than to be the
Mikado OF japan. Let's dig right out now
and find out about the steamer
But he wasn't in shape for navigating,
and SO | had him rickshad to a Toxic
hotel.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

OR quite q stretch
of years now a
good deal of non.
sense has been cur
rent about the per-
sonality of WI
Ting-fang, the re-
firing Chinese min
lister. Wu's al
legged "inIuisitiver
ness" has been the
chord mainly harp
cd upon in this
mass of moonshine.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

HERE isn't any
fun in writing sto-
ries that point a
moral" or contain
q lesson" (grisly.
re a c h ! { VI n g
terms). particularly
IL the stories be
true. Therefore let
II be plainly under
stood. right here at
the start off. that
this story doesn't
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

vamoose thing before I discovered his
move and dragged him back and then he
gave me a bet on the head with a gun
that lie had concealed on him that came
nigh putting my hight out. and l had to
get the help of a Havana cop to stand
watch with me over him until got him
aboard the steamer. That's how glad that
one was, too"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20
SO scarce that they keep It on the mantel-
piece to impress visitors

SO scarce that they keep II on the mantel-
piece to Impress visitors.
And SO the publicity campaign that has
had such wonderful results was under
taken. five or six or seven or ten years
ago. not because the Canadians are phi
lanthropiSts. not because they compare
their condition with that OF other coun-
tries, and, realizing their superior stua-
ton, are inspired by a kindly feeling to
better their fellow man, and not be-
cause they think that other countries are
too densely populated and are fired with
a holy zeal to relieve the congestion. For
none of these reasons, laudable as they
may be. has Canada entered upon the
active immigration policy that has al
ready done SO much for the country, but
rather for purely business motives For
when it Is remembered that Canada has
millions of acres Of rich black soil await
ing settlement, and when it is known how
difficult it Is for the farmers to get the
necessary help to remove the crops from
the lands now under cultivation, it can
be seen with only half an eye whv this
strenuous effort to induce immigration is
being carried along.
Just wait fifty years or SO. 1t is a safe
bet that tn change I'm the Dominion by
that time will be unbelievably marvellous.
IT should be matter of profound regret
fo every citizen Of Washington that
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

r course. you are
acquainted with the
person who. after
returning from one
of those tours. be-
gins nearly always
e very sentence:
When I was in
Paris"
Everybody's ac-
quainted with him.
when I was I'm
+ arts" sezzee,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20
WI T1NGFANG ARE "MooNsElINE"- ar1@>Ca-

connoisseur in fine Jewels. Yet the bishop
was puzzled.
He esteemed the emerald as his most
precious trinket 1t seemed incredible tina.
the ring should have passed on from mana
to hand during SO many generations WIN.
out anybody discovering that 1t was not
genuine. =, 49,
Soon after that the bishop was In New
York. He took the ring to noted gem
expert In the big town.
.'It is a fine example of the emerald
do,rblet." was the experts prompt verdict.
"a doublet?" said the bishop. what
IS an emerald doublet?'
"a pair OF stones SO clamped together
that they are made to look Hike one,
said the expert.
"And that would constitute an imita-
tion?" inquired the bishop.
Yes. as to the whole stone, said the
expert. LAS it stands, 1t is an imita-
ton. There are only a few emeralds In
the whole world of the size OF that
doublet OF yours
A few months later the bishop met
WI again and told him that he had been
right about the emerald.
"But I have reproached myself TOT
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

she had decided that it was trihe too
difflcult a matter to obtain nearing
from managers in the "legit she
had got to using that baleful woro-and
her funds were running low. because, you
see her folks were angry at her for re-
manning in New York with the idea OF
going on the stage. and, In fact, one OF
her big brothers had come over TO take
her home (as if it was any OF ms pus 81
nessD, but, Of course. she had refused to
return to Washington with him, and she
would never, never, never return 10
Washington, "confesstng failure IN such
a way. She would die first: And SO on
Therefore she was intending to "ac-
cept' a position in the chorus. and make
a start that way. merely as 2 pre-
liminary to entering the 'legit." 1t was
such an old. old story that 1t wouidn
have been in the least interesting to
listen to had / not known this particular
Young woman from her Washington
ba byhood.
Well the girls voices were tried out by
a piano-thumping lubber who lolled
around on the stool I'm a strange state OF
neglige, for the weather was hot, and
who bawled at the young women in quite
a disquieting way. don't you know. The
"experienced'' girls were hired for the
new production; they knew the tricks Of
getting by" the musical director; and,
anyhow, they were experienced" When
1t came the turn Of the young woman
from Washington she fell down most la
mentally She essayed to sing little
ballad that she had committed most pains
takinRly to memory. but she was In a
state of alarm, II not Of collapse. over the
situation. and her voice trembled quite
distressfuIly, and could hardly be heard
ten feet away, and the lolling lummox on
the piano stool stopped playing the ac-
compartment with a thump and picked
his cigarette up from the top OF the plano
and said to the little girl from Washing
ton:
Jaw. chop. chop. sis: nix on that stuff;
we've got enough girls anyhow"
Whereupon the young woman from
Washington quite naturally looked as If
she'd have given nine million dollars TO
enjoy what is femininely known as "a
good cry" But che was too proud to do
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

sifficult to imagine Mr.. Hepburn just sit
ling around taking things in an easy sort
Of way. Yet that's about the size Of It,
At last reports Mr.. Hepburn was having
the time of his life with a big automobile
and hadn't anything more serious than
spark plugs on his mind
some years ago if ANYBODY had init
mated that a scrapper of Mr. Hepburns
"A tber would ever be satisfied when there
wasn't something doing i'm the way of
row he'd have been put down as fool
lsh. Mr.. Hepburn. despite the fact that
he Is getting along in years, still looks
ike prize fighter. And he used to act
4. too.
Somebody asked Mr.. Hepburn once
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
NEW YORK, November 10. 1909.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

you're not going to be nice and come
along to me without the papers. why. of
course, I'll have to get the papers and
carry you away anyhow
How are you going to carry me
away. as you call it?' he asked me,
pretty perky. Japan hasn't got any ex-
tradition treaty with the United States
"'You must have read the back num-
Der dope when you clawed over the ex-
tradition treaties in the blue book be-
fore you made your jump / said to
him. 'Japans eXtraditiOn treaty with
the United States was ratified and sign
ed some years ago, and you are coming
along with me for one of those surest
little things you know
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

NO. ! amt the boy who had been
SO mighty glad the day before told me.
And blamed IL he didn't hire a couple
OF clever legal chaps, one an American
and the other a German in Toxic and
fight me right down to the tape, though
l brought him back after long delay
Eyes. and another glad one, at first.
was an absconding cashier of a bank. ]
got him in Havana, and I didn't zephyr
along there any too soon, for he had it
all fixed to take the Spanish steamer for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

The next time-a few months later-1
saw her she was one Of throng OF
girls at the office of a big music publish
ing firm. 1 had dropped In there to see
a friend who writes the music for comic
operas. A bunch OF girls were being
tried out for their voices. Selections
from among the raft of girls were TO
be made for the chorus of a new extrava-
ganza. written by the man OF my
The Washington girl
looked rather dismal amid the throng OF
chattering girls. most Of whom were "ex-
perienced in the business" and therefore
about as hard as nails in their way OF
looking you smack-dab In the eye. The
Washington girl wasn't yet experienced
in the business: anybody with seeing
eye could perceive that.
l didn't ask her what she was doing
there, because I saw she looked down.
cast to be recognized amid such
throng by a Washington person to whom
she had confided her ambition for the
stage" But she told me, anyhow. Said
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

it all over, I have discovered, that mo-
mentary joyousness mighty soon vanishes.
Ten years or so ago / tagged to Japan
bank messenger who'd jumped with a
big bundle. and when ! got him he made
over me like a Newfoundland pup in his
gladness. found him in Toxic.
The geisha girls were playing tinkly
music on their kotos and samisens. but
the young fellow looked dismal and I'M
happy. When / entered the room and
he caught sight OF me he recognized me
as an American right away. and he came
rushing over to me with the big mitt.
Flag that stuff had to say to him.
You don't nave to look SO tickled. I'm
here for you, you know
We'll. don't you s'pose l know that?
he gursied. sloppily. for he was pretty
we'll spoofed with saki and things Il
knew the minute 1 saw you that you
We're a fly cop after me. and I'm just
tickled foolish, old top. that you've so,
me, honest, am, I'm sick of this kiting
around, and America is good enough for
me, and, say. when can We get the steam
err back for San Francisco?
"'oh. you're going to be good and come
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

This young woman's especial qualifica-
lions for going on the stage, If you're 60
ing to call them qualifications, were
these:
just an agreeable sort OF usuaIness OF
appearance; fairisll figure, but nothing
startling or front -rowish; nice, clear eyes,
more than good skin, pretty good
teeth. a dimple or two. no voice at all
worth mentioning, certainly no unusual
intellect, certainly no mimetic talent.
and, finally, burning desire to go on
the stage and an intention to do that
same. Great little set of qualifications,
don't you think?
The next time I saw her was in New
York a few months later. I met her on
Broadway. She looked a bit shabby as
she moved amid the somewhat ornate
Broadway thrOng. and I noticed that her
gloves were broken at the ends. Her
skin had lost something of its peachiness.
A certain indefinable expression-perhaps
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

point a moral--that is, 1t Ism lntenOeu
10. IL so be it should happen that 1t does
contain a lesson the writer hereof dis
claims the responsibility for that part OF
II. His business simply Is to set down
the tale. which is an utterly, not to say
8 mournfully, true one.
II is a little story about Washington
girl | knew her from her babyhood and
saw her grow up there. She was nice
little girl when she was i'll pigtails and
highly starched outstanding skirts. and
She was an exceedingly agreeable and
wholesome young woman when she grew
", to that estate. Her folks were nice
folks, too-rather a notch ahead OF mid
dlc-class people-with a easant little
set of family traditions and things, folkS
who went to church o sundays and rig
proIsIy sent their children off to Sunday
school--folks who had another religion,
too. and that was to- keep up appear
ances'' You know the type OF folks.
This young woman. when last L saw
her in Washington a few years ago. was
Just beginning to develop the thing called
the stage bug. Everybody, mayhap, at
one time or another, has greater or
smaller attack of stage struckness. But
stage struckness is different from having
the stage bug. When you have the stage
bug YOU can't think or eat or dream
anything else except going on the stage