davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30
EXAGGERATED LANGUAGE

In nothing are the American people more eX- travagant than in their use of words. Our daily conversation is of such prodigality as to amaze those unaccustomed to our habits. We would be taken for a race more bloodthirsty than any tribe of savages known to history, if our speech were to be accepted literally.
 The language we possess may not be the most euphonious, nor the most expressive, nor the easiest to learn, but none of these shortcomings can excuse the general tenor of the present day. We fail to give thought to the simplest rules of conduct when we are talking about common place affairs When we are thirsty, we are usu- ally dying of thirst" when we meet friend, we are "overjoyed to see you;' when the rain is falling, it is generally terrible rain;' we are ''crazy to see show;' we are often tickled to death;" we tell one who brings message re lieving our anxiety that ''you have saved my life
 The use of superlatives is apart from the use of slang While one prone to be eXtravagant in words is often addicted to irregular English, there is not necessarily any relation between the two Adiectives of gorgeous hue fall from our lips with a fuency and unconcern such as to starte one when the attention is called to the condition which exists We are so accustomed to phraseology of superlatives that they pass unnoticed in most cases.
 A society for the suppression of exaggerated words might find field of usefulness Meo- drama of the lurid type is only picturing what we daily exact fguratively. The English Ian guage is an excellent vehicle for the transfer of thought, and its normal, natural use should sui flee. But it IS time to call halt, or we will have killed many of the best words by giving them a meaning far different from that in the diction- ary.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30
Tn The Halls of Congress
BY TAV.
Special Washington Correspondence.

Eleven per cent is the amount of increase in the cost of living during the last year This fig ure represents the average increase in cost of ninety six commodities.
 President Taft felt called uponto speak of the high cost of living in his recent message to con gress, but did not deal in figures. The figures cited are authentic, having just been issued by Bradstreet's, and it snot unlikely that the pres ident was in possession of them when he wrote his message The president pointed to the great increase in the money supply of gold as the prime cause of the enormous advance in the cost of living and did not blame high tariff rates for any portion of the increase
 Marked advances in the last year have taken place in breadstuffs, provisions, livestock hides and leather and textiles One of the noticeable effects of increased cost of living has been the forced demand of labor for higher wages. Wages, however, have not advanced in propor tion to the cost of living. The natural conclu- son and the only conclusion to be reached is that the workingmen and their families have been forced to a trife lower standard of living
 Dealing with wholesale prices, Bradstreet's shows that on December l the average price for ninety-six commodities stood at 9.1262, against S2133 on the same date last year. Here is a price advance of over II per cent. This increase has enriched the benefciaries of high tariff rates, including manufacturers and all engaged in productive enterprises chiefly, and it is con tended has been hardship on the railroads be- cause of the fact that the vast army of railroad employees have been forced to demand higher wages.
 Illustrating the price advance, Bradstreet's says:
 Theoretically, man going to the wholesale market place to purchase pound of each of ninety-six articles would have had to pay for the same on December l this year about $9.l2 On March l last like December 1, 1908, they were cheaper by 9l.35 cents. At the low level in June, 1908 similar goods could have been ob- tained for $1.40 under the present level"
 The increases above dealt with refer to the upward tendency in prices during the last year. To appreciate what an II per cent increase in the cost of living during the last year really means, it is necessary to recall that the cost of living in 1907 averaged IA per cent more than in 1897.
 While protectonsts deny that the high Ding lev rates have more than nominal connection with the increased cost of living, comparison of food prices here and in England shows that while prices have advanced II per cent under high protection in the United States, in year, food prices in free trade Great Britain advanced but - per cent in the ten years between 1896 and 1906,
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30
Help Your Store 10 "FndHseW
From NoW on Turn Four Tomorrows
 Into Todaysi

To begin to do, now, HALF of the things you 've put off doing until tomorrow" dur ing the vast year. would make you-far and away-the busiest person in town Perhaps 1t would make you the happiest- and eventu- ally the RlCHEST-person in town, too! So why not undertake, seriously, with set jaw and unwavering purpose, to realize some of your 'tomorrow's plans?"
 Commence with your advertising! Make 1t, from now on, the militant force for store booming and buiding-up which you have al ways hoped to make it SOMETIME! Make it BETTER-bigger of salesman ship of purse-appeal, of human interest. Make 1t persistent-as continuous as you want your store's appeal to be-
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30
MORNING SMILES

After the Turkey There's a post-Christmas rumor- (Nothing rash)- That the ultimate consumer Gets the hash.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30
Her ChiefeSt JeWet

'They say some women have the bridge craze so badly that they have staked their jewels"
 That's right. know of one woman who wagered her cooke
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

Although entitled to them, we guess that Lecturer Roosevelt will not wear on the plat form the embroidered suit, the plumed cap, or the pearl-handled sword of the French Acad- emy,' says the Boston Herald It is all very well to guess that, but perhaps it is just as well not to dare the lecturer to it.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30
4 Mean MaH

''We may get you to join the cause some day" declared the militant suffragette.
 That's possible, ,' responded the caustic old codger If all the other men in the world go into it, won't refuse to make it unanimous '
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30
Selfish FeHoC

''He promised, if I married him, to gratify my every wish
 ''WeIl, doesn t he?'
 ''No; now he's kicking because I want di- vorce'
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

"The kaiser and the mikado are said to be be- hind Zeaya,' says the Philadelphia Telegram. As Zelaya is reputed to be somewhat shfty in dividual, we ought to be able to catch an occa- sona glimpse of their majesties, if the allega- ton is true
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30
Just So

He gets invited to all the big banquets, and yet he isn t particularly clever"
 ''But he is docle listener. Somebody has to furnish the laughter and applause"
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

A gentleman at the Silver Belts elbow sug- gests that many people think President Taft s smile could be improved if he would show his teeth more
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30
Sensible Doctor

''I guess my doctor understands human ma ture pretty we'll. j"
 "Why so!'' start until after Christmas"
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

Governor Haskell is said to be suffering from melancholia, occasoned by the failure of his guaranteed-bank-deposits idea as a practical proposition. Governor Haskell lacks much of being as calmly philosophical as Mir. Bryan
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

George Bernard Shaw having appropriated the anti-American advertising stunt, Marie CoreIi has picked up the pro-American end. It never rains but it pours!
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

A St Louis joy rider has been sentenced to two years in prison A firstrate place for him to think over just how funny joy riding is.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

Senator Dick carries his record around with him. says the Ohio State Journal From the general tone of the Journals remarks, however, we infer it means in a wallet
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

In full possession of the knowledge that Poet Watson recently received $1 000 for poem, Poet WatsOn's brother says Poet Watson is crazy. fine example of cause and effect.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

Consider this modest inquiry, advanced in agate type: Where is Professor Mat" Hen son all this time!
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

The launching of the Knox presidential boom by the Honorable James Hamilton Lewis ind- cates that the boom has something of long road to travel.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

An Ohio minister wants divorce from his wife because she said his sermons are stupid In the light of this one lone exhibit, we should say the lady was right
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

Speaker Cannon makes joke of his trou- bleS," says the Atlanta Constitution. The ex asperatlng thing about him is, of course, that he also makes a joke of Mr. Murdocks and Mir. FOwler's troubles.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

Owing to the high price of eggs, eggnog this season inclines more to nog than to egg. And this will not strike some people as being nearly so dreadful as some others might think at first blush.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

Brownsville inquiry making little head way" reads headline. And it has been on the go fOr-oh, so many years we forget.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

"To h with the north pole" says Ex- Backer Bradley. Presumably, Mr. Bradley wants to thaw the thing out.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

General Leonard Wood fayors rapid promo tiOns in the army. Nobody knows better than the general, however, how necessary it is for the pushee to have a good friend in the pusher.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

Prince Nicholas of Montenegro is soon to pub fish book of poems. More trouble on the Balkans
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30
Just the Training

JNSt tRe 1fGlHlNg ''Do you think football will benefit you in af- ter life?'' s'It will me-" ''How will mingling in these terrific rushes benefit you any?" ''I'm going to be foorwalker in a depart ment store"
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

MT. Bryan has dropped prohibition as an issue, says the Rochester Post-Express We'll, let us be perfectly fair about that. Mir. Bryan categOrcally denies that he ever picked it up
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

The Savannah Press evidently is one esteem ed contemporary deaf to the thunderings of the muck rakers. Says the Press "'Speaker Can non has his faults, says the Philadelphia Press. What are they, pray?"
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

The house of lords is the next thing scheduled to be Copenhagened.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

"Children in a lumber camp in New Jersey never heard of Santa Claus, and are afraid of a stairway" says the Baltimore Star. What? New Jersey? The very home of Standard Oil? Can it be hookworms that are responsible for this appalling ignorance.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

umbo has had won- .ect on Chancellor Day. he over: "IfI were a girl, Ing with a young man unless | one arm.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

"Is it right to call them money sharks 2 y in- quires an interested party. Well, it does seem something of an insult to the aquatic sharks
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

Captain Hobson finds us "trembling on the verge" of war once more. It is something of task noWada' lntry's supply of 'reill''' of Captain Hob
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

''But the saddest thing of it all is, Dr. Cook is a democrat" says the Augusta Herald We'll we do not know about that. Being democrat, he ought to be used to having the final returns go against him.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

We might forgive an erstwhile near-hero for being faker and liar, perhaps, but when it comes to forgiving him for being natural born idiot-well, that is straining humility and con triteness of heart to the ultimate limit
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

"Cook is gone for good" says Professor Parker. Surely that, if not for better or best.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

The Silver Belt has larger paid cir culation than any daily newspaper in the world published in city with 12, 900 or less population.
Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-30

less pOpuldtlOH. The house of lords is the next thing scheduled to be Copenhagened.
 "Cook is gone for good" says Professor Parker. Surely that if not for better or best. Prince Nicholas of Montenegro is soon to pub fish book of poems. More trouble on the Balkans
 Consider this modest inquiry, advanced in agate type Where is Professor Mat" Hen son all this time?
 "TO h with the north pole" says EX- Backer Bradley. Presumably, Mir. Bradley wants to thaw the thing out.
 Brownsville inquiry making little head way,'' reads headline And it has been on the go for-oh, so many years we forget
 A St Louis joy rider has been sentenced to two years in prison. A frstrate place for him to think over just how funny joy riding is ''Is it right to call them money sharks !'' in- quires an interested party. Well, it does seem something of an insult to the aquatic sharks The launching of the Knox presidential boom by the Honorable James Hamilton Lewis indi- cates that the boom has something of long road to travel.
 A gentleman at the Silver Belts elbow sug- gests that many people think President Tafts smile could be improved if he would show his teeth more.
 George Bernard Shaw having appropriated the anti-American advertising stunt, Marie CoreIIi has picked up the pro American end. It never rains but it pours!
 Senator Dick carries his record around with him" says the Ohio State Journal From the general tone of the Journals remarks, however, we infer it means in a wallet.
 An Ohio minister wants a divorce from his wife because she said his sermons are stupid In the light of this one lone exhibit we should say the lady was right.
 In full possession of the knowledge that Poet Watson recently received $1,O00 for poem, Poet WatsOn's brother says Poet Watson is crazy. A fine example of cause and effect General Leonard Wood fayors rapid promo tlOns in the army. Nobody knows better than the general, however, how necessary it is for the pushee to have good friend in the pusher Mir. Bryan has dropped prohibition as an issue, says the Rochester Post-Express. We'll, let us be perfectly fair about that Mir. Bryan categOricaIly denies that he ever picked it up. Owing to the high price of eggs, eggnog this season incnes more to nog than to egg. And this will not strike some people as being nearly so dreadful as some others might think at first blush.
 Speaker Cannon makes a joke of his trou bles, says the Atlanta Constitution. The ey asperating thing about him is, of course, that he also makes joke of Mir. Murdock $ and NIr. FOwler's troubles.
 Captain Hobson finds us ''trembling on the verge" of war once more. It is something of 2 task noWada' 1ntry's supply of trem'' $ of Captain Hob
 umbo has had won-
 .ect on Chancellor Day.
 he over eff were girl,
 .ng with young man unless
 one arm."
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-06-24

L. HOQS0, IN coarse gray anu Ouu
square shoes, entered the high school
conscious of occupying that place in
the eyes of his fellows. He accepted
the appellation. There are worse
things than chumps, said he.
Even at twelve years of age, when
he first wore white collars much too
large and of that appearance called
country, when his hands were be-
ginning to grow heavy, his eyes calm,
and his jaw was becoming massive,
even then he loved Isabel Hayden,
who had begun, so young, to take
Latin ahead of her class and to enter
into the high school room half-hour
each day to recite it. But, Isabels
father being a Judge, she was the
furthest removed from chump; a
slender thing, intellectual and sweet
who at eleven years of age had sung
once, daintily, as Martin went by:
Chumpy-chumpy-
But Immediately she became too
old, too bright, and too good to call
out such things.
His parents died when he was in
the second year of the high school,
and, being left penniless, he took up
his books, walked to the high school
door (still being very country in
appearance), turned, gazed long on
Isabel, and went away.
A certain grocery keeper on the
south side Of the square, one Black,
would now employ Martin. The
youth went into that store and OBJ
served to Black:
I'm here"
Black showed him hole under the
stairs, away at the back of the store,
where there was straw mattress
Here slept Martin P. Hodge for seven
years, during which time his salary,
originally ten dollars a month, in
creased.
There was no such thing as com
made a formal debut; everything
flowed on with more simplicity. Isa-
bel gave parties, and went to them,
a tall, slender, intellectual girl, sweet
and serious; but Martin P. Hodge
was of the under-sea, and nobody
ever invited him. This did not grieve
him; he looked on and pondered. He
drove the grocery wagon; at times
tramped, with heavy shoes and red
hands of power, into Judge Hayden's
kitchen to pour potatoes into a box
that stood there. Once, finding her in
long apron, hair up in a high twist
with rose in it, making candy, he
seemed to gaze at her as some un-
fashionable philosopher gazes on HUI
mainly.
Good morning, Martini" she said,
friendly and kind. "Have a piece of
the taffy?"
He refused with the Difference Of a
Gagged lion who favors you with an
infinite dignity. What was there in
his clothes that was so chumpy?
When he had departed she looked at
the kitchen, at the potatoes, and had
the feeling that something tremen-
dOus had gone
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-06-24


rest go. Between you and me there
is an apparently unfathomable gulf.
| never came here before. / can't
even say that ever wanted to. Now
that 1 have come, believe first that
| am honest" His eyes had that
strange Wilderness and were somehow
sad She seemed a little frightened
but could not look away. "You and
| were brought up in a sense togeth-
er. The wedding out begins at about
the age of fourteen, but we carry
with us, in spite of that, all the old
axioms about people being equal, and
we believe them. Isabel, / am blind
when it comes to roundabout meth
DDS. But I have learned truth or
two, not out of books. And ON a
rock-bottom truth I can walk as
straight as any man. WE'LL" he fold
ed his hands and turned his square
face fully on her, 'the truth is this,
that | loved you when we went to
school together, that | loved you
when you called me chump, and
that I love you today. l don't ask
you to marry me. I ask you to think
about it as long as you like in order
to see if you can"
There was dumb patience in his
face. She had been too astonished,
also too anonymously moved, to stop
him. She had felt the flush go over
her forehead. Now she regained her
composure and sat with her lips
pressed together thinking of her an
swer There was in her eyes the
softness of the gentle
'Of course, it has surprised me-
she said, little agitated, for she
was not the girl to undervalue any
kind of a man. "And it is pain,
more than surprise. 1t is impossible
impossible. Oh, Mr.. Hodge, for
give mel"
He arose, seeming ponderous and
gray.
"Good-by," said he. THANK
you"
He held out his heavy hand, and
she, now on her feet, took it, He
turned to the door. She was strange
ly stirred with regret as though she
had committed great sin and must
atone.
II wish-I WISH" she faltered,
that you could still believe me your
friend'
He paused at the hall door with
his hat in his hand and looked at her
once more.
II do" he said; and she staring at
his face, seemed to read in it some
all-comprehensive power. He went
away.
On the public square, which was
now deserted, he stood in front of
the store. The great stone had roll
ed down. AS the ant refashions the
crushed abode, SO Martin P. Hodge,
chump, turned back to roll it up
again.
II.
There followed some colorless
weeks of speechless thought-search
Then ho told hirocoIf bo bod
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-06-24
THE CHUMP
Bv Ch0S FLEMING Anubree
By Chas. Fleming Ambree

serve he spoke to Martin P. Hodge,
stilted but inspiriting, and made
grave observations about the open
ings which the United States offers
to young men. Hodge, the oyster
spoon in hand, gazed with stolidity
on Hayden. The judge instilled his
kindly philosophy into his family,
and long after he himself had lost
Hodge in the lower mists, Isabel
made 1t point, no matter how
beautifully gOwned, to speak to Mar
tin as she passed the store. Martin,
original observer of phenomena, un-
consciously determined to take moth
ing for granted in this world and find
out everything for himself, knew just
how matters stood. He cared not at
all; he had no RIGHTEOUSNESS, no
jealousy, no wants.
Zone crowd goes to parties and
dresses BETTER" said he. The other
can give parties of their own, but
they can't go to the first crowd g
parties. That's all there is to it,"
At twenty years of age Hodge had
learned one thing: that power will
conquer.
Mr.. Black" said he, II have pur-
chased thirteen lots in the South
Side with my savings"
"And what if the price falls?"
cried Black, plainly calling Hodge a
lunatic.
why" said Hodge, turning that
gray eye and that calm face, which
meant no more than a bowlder on
hillside means, toward Black, what
difference will it maker"
Robert Heating, deputy county
clerk, was in the store, a slim man
with keen eye. He broke out:
"You fool! You'd lose your
money"
Hodge laid his cuffs on the counter
and regarded Heating. what differ
ence would that make?" he asked.
There it was-all of it. You can't
get around that kind of chump.
Heating, magnetized, later bought
some lots in the South Side. The
railroad shops came; the price went
up; Martin P. Hodge bought an in
terest in the grocery store. There
was nothing country" about that
shop; your little cities of the Middle
West are grown spruce, shining up
to-date; but Martin Hodge, common,
heavy creature, seemed to have
changed but little.
Up this long ascent had he climbed
not even putting. The world was just
the same; to be above or below it or
wedging up through it, that didn't
change the world a whit.
Heating, who was about to become
county clerk himself, and had pros
pered somewhat along with Hodge,
was fascinated by Martin. He looked
to Martin for advice. He was an
emotional fellow who loved a good
friend, and Hodge controlled him,
without ever trying to.
One winter night they sat by the
stove in the rear of the long store.
1t was after working hours.