davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18
MR.. sHoNTs INITIATED.

Mr.. Theodore P. Shonts and his fam
lily are now certainly qualified for mem
bership in the New York Four Hun
dred. 1t was only q very few years ago
that President Roosevelt picked Mr.:
Shonts out of a lifelong obscurity ana
started him on the highway to fame.
Mr.. Shonts was then but little known
railroad president of one of the sec
ondary or tertiary systems of the coun-
try. He was made chairman of the
Isthmian canal commission by the
former president. Soon after his wife
went abroad and it was but little
while until rumofs percolated back
about the enga cement of one of the
Shonts girls to French duke. Mr..
ShCnts resigned his government posi-
ton to become president of the New
York street railway trust and the mar
riage OF his Daughter Theodore to the
Duke de Chanines, esfnce deceased, took
place seen afterwards.
The Shontses were climbing. With
real, live duke in the family they could
not be wholly ignored and doors form
erly closed against them swung out
ward. The social progress of the fam
lily continued. Nearer and nearer they
were approaching the goal of social
ambition of American millionaires, but
their triumph was not complete. No
scandal worse than the marriage OF a
daughter to a more or less worthless
lord had added distinction to the fam
lily name.
But all this is changed now. and TO
the father Of the family belongs the
credit. Frederick Hipsh, the New York
manager for a Kentucky distillery, has
sued Papa Shonts on the charge of
alienation of his wife's affections. Mr..
Shonts claims it Is a case of mistaken
identity, that he has double and the
wicked double is responsible for the
scandal, but the lady says she knows
Mr.. Shonts, though he has always
treated her as a perfect gentleman
should. Charitable people will accept
Mr.. Shonts' version of the matter, but
the social prestige of the family ought
now to be firmly Observation-Disclosures
son News.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18
JOURNAL ENTRIES

Brevity, generally pleasing. is often
quite as unsatisfactory.
Distance may lend enchantment but
iC also helps one to forget.
Many ideas submitted to newspapers
are promptly carried out-in waste
paper baskets.
There's a good deal of fiction about
girls screaming when she is kissed
by fellow for his first time.
~
Also is there considerable romance
anent fathers using their boots on their
daughters suitors.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18
KANSAS COMMENT
GOOD FOR JUDGE WILsoN

Judge Thomas c. Wilson is to be
congratulated for delivering a body
dow upon that instrument of Satan
and appurtenance of Hades, the
matrimonial bureau. His announce
HenG tnat matrim onial bureau mar
riages. which come under his jurisdic-
tlon IN the form of the inevitable d.
vorce. shall serve as their own pen
supervision of the marital contract
Wnlcn IS sadly needed. Under the
rulng customs. no restraint can be
expected of the contracting parties
ana the probate judge who issues the
Incense IS not legally armed with dis
cretlon: The district court cannot
reach the contract, until one of the
parties seeks to break it. but if it is
generally understood that the court
VIII at that stage, refuse to afford re-
lief, the care-free folk who rush into
marriage with an idea that it is
terminable at pleasure will indulge in
a few rare second thoughts of due
sobriety.
Judge Wilson's words were: This
court Will not grant a divorce to a
couple who have met thr( ugh the
agency of matrimonial bureau and
have later become dissatisfied after a
legal marriage"
This short, forcefuI sentence should
be printed in large type and hung in
q prominent place in every probate
court in the state of Kansas. and 1T
Al A1OI 4iuLt IL the InIuISl6IS lNCl00CU
1t in that part Of the ritual which calls
upon the mythical individual to come
forth and protect or forever after
hold his peace.
The matter of hasty, ill-considered
marriage, with the resultant flood OF
divorce suits, littering the court
dockets. consuming time with the de-
tails of petty incompatibilitfes and
poisoning by their very presence, the
air of society, is of far more concern
in the life of the state, than OCCASION
al germs in a drinking cup, cake OF
camphor in a barber shop or a pinch
Of benzoate Of soda in the mustard.
None of the multitude of reformers
in state legislatures seems to be equal
to the task involved in this problem.
Society has been reformed, in tenta-
tive way, along almost all other lines
The marriage contract, of all civil
relations the most vital to the state,
has been permitted to wabble along IN
it's own way without supervision or
restraint. 1t is about time for some
body to take hold, and the Eagle Is
pleased to see Judge Wilson, within
his limitations of power in the mat
ter, grapple with the situation. which
is so bad that any genuine effort to
correct it, will help mightily.-Wich-I
TIA EapI0
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

This will settle it in the minds of q
few. Colonel Roosevelt has con-
graduated Peary on his performance
of zone of the greatest feats Of the
age" But, perhaps. Bwana Tumbo
refers to that remarkable accomplish
rnent whereby Mr.. Peary transformed
himself from a gentleman of high at
tainments to a donkey OF the braying
VIVA
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Senator Gore of Oklahoma is of
the opinion that President Taft's
tour has been a comedy of errors and
a tragedy of blunders ever since it
started. This being the case Senator
Gore and his Democratic brethren
should be among the last to worry
a. o,1f
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Professor L. L. Dyche is planning a
two years hunting trip to the far
north for the purpose of gathering
specimens of the farthest north ami
mails for the museum of the State
university. Presumably, when he re-
turns, Mr.. Peary and his crowd will
insist that such things as Professor
Dyche brings back are limitations,
made of papier mache or some other
stuff
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18
REFLECTIONS OF a BACHELOR
[From the New York Press.I

[From the New York Press
The more a boys education costs, the
less he seems to be able to cash in on it.
The more sisters a man has. the less
he can understand some other fellows.
When a man really likes to travel in
sleeping cars, it's sign he has a family
behind him.
When you go walking with a. girl, you
might as well propose to her. because
she'll say you did anyhow.
There's hardly any scandal that sounds
so thrilling to q woman as when some
body tells it to her coming home from
church
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Robert J.. Owens. one of Okla
hcma's United States senators, is ap-
parently obsessed with the extreme
rnodesty which prevails among the
rank and file Of the individuals in the
new state. He is after something like
a 100000 fee for his services as a
lawyer for the Mississippi Choctaw In
dams in connection with a claim of
theirs against the government which
was prosecuted successfully.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

of Bloomington"
Wellington divides his time now between
the Carter residence and my bachelor
apartment, and he divides his heart among
four persons instead OF three. for there
is little Jean with eyes like her moth
er's, whose gentle affection for old Barnes
Sf es wtn 10Y ssoc HuieI
Literary Press.)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Saturday, october %, is the last day
on which the voters of this city can
register and qualify to participate in
the special election to be held on
:. avember for the purpose of de-
Gliding whether or not the commits
sion form of government shall be
adopted for Topeka. And many Of
them still have this important civic
Sutv to discharge.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

"I-took-a-shoo, the young Eskimo
who has furnished Peary with evil
dence that DR.. Cook did not get near
the North Pole, may have also taken a
drink or two" thinks the Chicago
Record-Herald. More likely some
doped gumdrops.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Inspector General E. A Darlington,
q. s. A, Is another strong advocate
for the promotion of universal peace
along popular lines. He believes that
Uncle Sans army should be ma
terially increased in size in all of its
departments.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Motorcyclists in the city are to be
surrounded by ordinances similar In
effect and just about as stringent as
those which prevail against the auto
mobi1ists. This is decidedly reason
able. There may be room for dis
tfnction between motorcycles and
automobiles but the difference be-
tween them is not exceedingly great.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

On the political rostrum Governor
Stubs is branding statements OF his
critics as ''lies" and to the boys of
the Y. NJ. G. A. he says: 81 would
like to see every man and boy in Kan
sas making a good character"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Now that the worlds championship
in the baseball arena has been set
tied after a series of really startling
cont ~ts, it is likely that the North
Pole controversy will come to the
fore again, although Jim Jeffries and
Jack Johnson are likely to try and
edge it to one side with the rounds
and rounds of talk they will indulge
in before their actual fight in the
ring.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18
Widening Kiel Canal.

When the Kiel canal was inaugur-
ated, in June, 1895, with such imposing
festivities, the constructors imagined
that they had provided a permanent
highway by which battleships and mer-
chant vessels OF the greatest size could
pass from the North sea to the Baltic.
The fourteen years that have passed
since the opening of the canal have
shown how shortsighted were the pro-
motors as regarded the dimensions
which they gave to the canal They
had then to deal with vessels about 40
feet long and 20 feet in breadth, and,
believing that these represented f1nality
as regarded the size OF ships, they gave
to the locks a length of 4s7 feet, a width
of 81 feet. and a depth of 80 feet
II was soon seen that these calcula-
tons were lamentably below the mark.
Great Britain and Germany entered
into a keen rivalry in the mater of
ocean liners and the creation of a
strong navy, and the progress of inven-
ton aided shipbuilders in the produce
ton of vessels Of ever-increaslne tom
mage. To take three typical vessels
the kaiserin Auguste Victoria (Norc-
deutscher Lloyd has a length of 72S
feet and breadth of 70 feet: the
Mauretania (Cunard company has a
length Of 785 feet and a breadth of So
feet, while the Baltic white Star Line)
has length of 725 feet and a breadth
of "A feet.
For vessels of such a size the Kiel
canal is useless, but an even more i'm
portant consideration has Influenced
the government in deciding upon the
enlargement Of the waterway. The
original object was to increase the Of
nc1ency of the German navy by proyid-
Ing 1t with the means of rapid trar sit
from the Baltic to the North sea. but
while armored cruisers of about IL. 900
tons can make the passage. for any
Vesse! Of superior tonnage the canal is
practically nonexistent, and the strik-
ing power of the high sea fleet is pro
port1onately diminished
:, Inese are the considerations when
nave influenced the government in its
resolve to spend Ell, ZOO, 900 in the
widening Of the canal The original
cost was 97.S00000. and when the ex-
pend1ture on upkeep, etc, of the last
rourteen years is included the canal.
with its enlargement. will thus have
cost, in round figures, about G2O, 600. 600
An army Of workmen is already en-
gagged on both sides of the canal in
the necessary preparative work. The
depth is to be increased from 20 feet 10
50 rect, and other measurements ara
raised in proportion. The passing n1ace.
are to be increased from 8 to ii and !
TOUR Of them will be so spacious as to |
accommodate an entire souadron -
London Standard. o'
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Plenty of natural gas is promised
for Topeka during the winter. 1t is
sincerely to be hoped that this is one
of those promises which is going to
be kept
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Some Oklahoma Indians destroyed
$4,000 worth of property with fires
which they set to propitiate the
great spirit for some rain. of which
their country was in sore need. Now
the most peculiar part about this
affair is that a good rain followed the
fire. In all likelihood, bad precedent
has been established. The next time
thew make big fires for rain the prop
erty damage will probably be more
extensive and the rain will stay away.
That's how such things generally
work out.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18
FROA OTHER PENS
GREATER SOUTH AMERICA.

Chill is one of the foremost three
South American countries, and it's mill
tary and naval efficiency is notably high.
Early this year Chillian army officers
were taken to Colombia to reOrganize
the Colombia army. They have now
thrown up the task and will return
home, because the Colombia govern
rnent will not establish a modern sys-
tenn of army supply and control With
out such a system they say that their
work is useless.
The idea of creating efficient national
armies in South American countries
under the guidance of skilled South
American officers. was fine one. II
would have cultivated more patriotic
general South American spirit, and
perhaps Indirectly have helped along
the development of the continent. But
the Colombian experiment has failed.
Whether another attempt will be made
ent. at least, the armies of the north
ern part of the continent will evil
IDENTIFY remain what they have BEEN
Buffalo Express.
FORESTRY AND TAXATION.
The real forestry problem of the
United States is in the hands of the
states and individual citizens. Only
small fraction of the forest area OF the
country is in national forests, and II
America Is TO De SdN0Q IIOA1I Inc AdlO VI
desiccation which has overtaken every
spendthrift nation in the worlds his
tory, scientific forestry must be made
the everyday practice of the people, and
it must be recognized in the 1unda-
mental law of the states.
Forestry is a public duty which IS be-
ginning to be recognized by the legisla-
lures of the various states, where there
are thousands of square miles of hill
side and upland. barren and waste
land, fit only for tree growing. A num-
Der of states have planned systematic
reforestation, only to find that the tax
laws stood in the way of success 1t Is
but reasonable that growing trees
should be exempt from taxation until
they mature, and are ready to be cut
and marketed. Tt is a principle of just
taxation that is recognized in other
products of the farm and field, but in
many states constitutional provisions
make its application to forest lands i'm
Observation-Disclosures Post
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Business is going on as usual in
South America. A revolution is In
progress in Nicara gI1a.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

ITO the girl who has been rightly
trained" says the Philadelphia Pub
lie Ledger, whose essential charm is
enhanced by innocent reserve. I'M
a6ected candor. ardent enthusiasm
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

er's. whose gentle afrection for old Barnes
OF Bloomingto1 fills with JOY my quiet
/ Literary Press)
III HUlNOR OF THE Day
brought about by the laying on Of hands,
remarked one woman to another. We'll.
little boy IF tSe e sHs habit tSat
I-Philadelphta Press.
| of glasses, father? Father-I use one to
read with. one to see at distance and
There's one good thing about a vaca-
it's paid for"-Iouisviiie Courier-Journal.
Mrs. Newwed-My husband always
s the baby EGs tack SspsH o tn
Mrs. Newwed-No. He went after a tack
puller.-Boston Record.
First Newporter-was it an Informal din
nsr? Second i'd. ESseTPorterrovery. The flow
Little Girl-Papa would like to borrow
father I'm sorry. but we made y rule
never to let 1t go off my premises. But If
at his disposal any OF time- q%r 1aw Trans
cript.
In making campaign speeches." said
promise more than you can DOR "Oh, I
politician but never A promise none than sa
I can make the people believe can do
chicago Daily News.
,,o He proposed to me last night" And
couldn't think Of another girl who wanted
him. detroit Free Press.
try??', oh. just lying. around and fish
ing" You mean fishing and lying
How do you like Kipling's books?'-
color Of the bindings doesn't harmonize at at
all with the delicate finish OF my book
case London Express.
Il have discovered the law Of. gravity
neshbor tSSt the SU sa drens
hasn't been organized yet."-Chicago Rec
Miss oldham-I had a proposal of mar
T u1lg last night. Miss Young1Indeed,
The art? Miss Young-Yes. OF hypotism.-
Nell-That was a frightfully long ser
ths iniSj ienP noH l. tRis moTnng
" long. Neil0of course not. We" you bad an
a new hat.-Philadelphia Record.
1T is necessary. Il fashion fn 'Ar Jays hats
must be large, then hats must be large"
must be large?"-Kansas City journal.
asks s' sys0tsE S5 % Rs scasy
WIDOWS: What is his position?" The old
widows: Where is he?'-Pick-Me-Op.
Bacon-They say the house fly becomes
Believe that9 togE wef II eve DO you
around the house is bad shot.-Yonkars
Statesman.
You had rheumatism in your right leg
f f4r years and was cured of It in an in
mixed up in a train wreck. NV right
leg is cork leg now.'-Chicago Tribune.
What lesson did you learn from this
new Problem Novel?'' MOT to read any
land Leader.
. RoRs anti. ;, G II ;o, Gecrge; what
M-yes. and matrimony Is the alarm clock.
illustrated Bits.
PA, what's the difference between
idealism and realism?" ''Ideallsm, my
son, Is the contemplation of marriage:
cript.
Lady Rider-Why do you consider Ink
spills literary style so original? Escort
hunting man without referring to him as
a mighty Nimrod!'-Sketchy Bits.
The Major-Watt's wife is a suffraxetts.
The Colonel-What's Watts? "A sufferer"
Set.
The French cookie docteur Cook va Sc
reposer dams le sud des Etats-Unis.
Pole ct Virginie.-Figaro.
In Harlem--Bensonhurst: Does your
wife find fault with the size of the flat?
7 orkville-There isn't room for complaint
Smart Set.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

II have discovered the law Of gravity
exclaimed ex;lh5 Newt. Newton Too bad" saidsihis
hasn't been organized yet"-Chicaeo Rec
ord Herald.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Nell-That was a frightfully long ser
mon the minister preached this morning.
ly long. Nell-Of course not; you had on
a new hat.-Philadelphia Record.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

How do you like Kipling's books?'
on, don't care for them bit The
color of the bindings doesn't harmonic AT
all with the delicate finish OF my book
case."-London Express.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Miss Oldham-I had a proposal of mar
rage last night. Miss Young-Indeed,
Who taught you the art7 Miss Oldham
The art? Miss Young-Yes or hypotism.-
Chicago News,
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

What have you been doing in the coun-
tryr Oh, just lying around and fish
ing. You mean fishing and lying
around. Transcript
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

why do women wear such large hats?''
1t is necessary. II fashion says hats
must be large, then hats must be large
Suppose fashion should decree that shoes
must be large?"-Kansas City Journal.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

He proposed to me last night" "And
you accepted him, of course?" mo
couldn't think of another girl who wanted
him. Detroit Free Press.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18
Speed in Battleships.

Inc naval race between Great
pr,.ain ana Germany makes a fresh
or the Neptune at Portsmouth and the
Ersat Oldenburg at Wilhelmshafen.
with these new ships GERMANY is now
credited with six dreadnoughts and
eleven If the three battleshfn cruis-
ers represented by the Inffexible now
IN TINS harbor. are included
Both nations are spending about
S5U'OOO a year for new construction.
although If the British government
carries out it's program of building
eight more dreadnoughts it will have
to increase its present outlay The
only other nation approaching them in
eHpenoitures Tor new construction is
the united States, but congress has
settled on the policy of authorizing
not more than two new battIeships a
year. The Wyoming and the Arkan-
sas, for which the contracts have Just
9 zen let. viii be 26,o0o-ton ships, or
5000 tons more than the Neptune
In having deep water at its large ports
the United States is better off than
Great Britain if the size of battleships
is to be still increased. Germany has
about reached it's limit unless it ex-
channels charging the Kiel canal, or
establishing new naval bases.
AS the British navy was the first
with its dreadnought, it has taken
the lead in speed. It is a strange cir
cunstance that with the boosted
mechanical genius of the American
people and their readiness to accept
new ideas the government could not
engine until long after it was in actual
use in British ships of the first class.
The naval department has decided to
use the turbine in the Arkansas and
wyoming, but they will not be COM
pleted before 80 months.-New York
World
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

asks only: who is her. The young
widows: What is his position?" The old
WIDOWS: "Where is he?''-Pick- Me-Cp.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

Bacon-They say the house fly becomes
fuii grown in about four weeks. Do you
believe that? Egbert-Yes, II everybody
around the house is a bad shot,-Yonkars
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18
Dog Abhors Publicity.

When Philip Martin. of 4s Mission
street, asked his wife Thursday what
he had better do about stray collie
dog which took refuge with the couple
three DAYS ago. she advised him to ad-
vertise the animal to comply with the
law. The dog hung it's head and wnln-
ed dismalIy, then crept up to the man
and licked his hand. as if to say
please don't" When the man started
for the door the collie laid down against
1t, so it wouldn't open. Mrs. Martin
petted and coaxed it. but it wouldn't
bulge, and finally Martin, who is kind
hearted and really liked the dog. though
he felt he had not right to harbor it.
slipped out another door. In an hour
he returned.
well. did you put the .ad' in the
paper?" asked his wife.
Yes said Martin. With that the
dog made a rush for the open door and
disappeared in the direction of Bloom
field. Martin went after it, bur it was
out of sight before he reached the cor
ner. The Martins are wondering if the
dog has committed suicide. When it
came to the Martins it looked as If it
had been NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. On. ID
dispatch to New York Press.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18
HUNoR or THE DAY

IT don't believe in these faith cures
brought about by the laying on Of hands"
remarked one woman to another. We'll.
I do rejoined the other. II cured my
little boy of the cigarette habit that way!'
Press.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-18

In making campaign speeches." said
the ordinary citizen. 81 suppose you never
promise more than you can DOR "Oh,
don't carry it quite that far" replied the
politician, but never promise more than
I can make the people believe I can do
Chicago Daily News.