davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-07-11

Buy our Porch Shades and a Can
vas Cot. Screen your porch and
sleep out doors. A. w. Lucas Co.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-07-11

ConkIin's Self.filling Fountain Pen
at knappen's.' Best pen on the
market.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-07-11

n Gold Medal Canvas Cots and STOOL
the y. s. govenmernment style. Sold
by A. w. Lucas Co. &ts:3tss l a.
Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-07-11

ConkIin's SeIf-fIiing Fountain Per,
at knappen's. Best pen on the
market.
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
Curious Old London Clubs.


The days OF quaint and queer clubs
are days OF the past. We do not hear
at present OF No Nose club" or
Club OF Beans" or IL Man Killing
club" whose titles are suggestive: OF
the 'Surly club" whose object wis be
practice of contradiction and OF foul
language. SO that he members might
not be wanting In impudence 10 abuse
passengers on the Thames; or OF the
Man Hunting club established once
by young limbs OF the law; or of thr
Lying club every member Of which
was required to wear blue cap with
Il red feather in it; or of the Scatter
Wit society" consisting Of wits; or OF
the Hum Dunn club whose members
were TO say nothing till midnight: or
of he "Twopenny club" member of
which. If he swore. was to be kicked
on the shins by the other members: or
Of the Everlasting club" which has
not lasted long: or Of the Kit Cat
club. known after its toasts OF odd
Cats and Young Kits" or OF the Reef
stead club" OF which the following
amusing description was written by
one Of its iilustrious members:
Like Britains island lies our steak.
sea OF gravy bounds IT,
Shallots confusediy scattered make
The rOckwork that surrounds It.
London Scraps.
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
Status of the Deadbeat.

No man is wholly free from sin. but
so many lesser evils are tolerated that
man should hesitate long before be-
coming deadbeat. Criminals are
despised aud abhorred but to the dead
beat all that is coming as we'll az the
contempt OF his fellow men. There is
something nj once so mean aud so lit
tie in taking advantage OF the con-
fdence which comes with friendship
that the hand Of every man is turned
against a deadbeat as soon as his rep
utatian is well established. The dead
beat may fondiy imagine be is living
easy and making money without work.
aud Of course he takes no account OF
the confidence he violates and the
hartlships be infiicts OH others. But.
that aside. he really has harder time
than the man who Is honest and fair.
He Is compelled to move a good deal
and peace OF mind he knows not Like
other types Of crooks. he doesn't pros
per- and his finish Is more unpleasant
than the beginning. Atchison Globe.
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
The DISTINGUISHED Guest.


Captain Raabe was a man whose
name had weight in the French caval-
ry. He was tall man, belonging to
the middle aged trooper type. With
military qualities OF the highest kind.
he had singular bearing, savage
sort OF misanthropy and cynical
tongue. which stood in the way Of pro
motion. When be was in the Sixth
lancers, on garrison duty at Com
mercy, one OF his comrades brought
his father to dine with him at the
officers mess, a man Of humble posi-
ton and unpretentiously dressed. Cap
tain Raabe. considering that this
guest had not been fifty received, gave
expression to his opinion, saying that
if the executioner of Commercy had
come In evening dress he would have
had better reception. The officers
demurring, he made no rejoinder, but
shortly afterward came to mess with
a guest whose dress was irreproach-
able Every one lavished attentions
on the unknown. When dinner was
over Captain Raabe. raising his glass,
proposed the health Of 1.-The execution
er Of Commercy."
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
A Good "Kid" Story.

1t was the boss birthday The Of
fee boy knew it, because he had heard
the boss wife say so. The office boy
worshiped the boss and had bought
him a birthday present. Often he had
heard the boss say that the only pres
ents he liked were cigars, provided
they were ten-cent cigars, and he was
worried for fear the boss might not
like his present.
The boss came in and threw open
his desk. Lying there he saw a small
parcel. He opened it and found that
it contained cigar He looked at it
closely. 1t was a nickel cigar.
"Huh," said the boss, disgustedly.
Then he noticed that there was writ
ing on the paper. He read:
Happy birthday. / dident buy a
ten-center cause / only had a nickel"
The boss bit the end off the cigar,
reached in his pocket and drew out a
match and lighted the weed. Bs
puffed critically a minute.
81 didn't know they made such good
cigars for a nickel" he said.-Hutch-
inson (Kan.) Gazette.
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
A Clever Acrobat.

A diverting anecdOte is told in San
nails of the Liverpool Stage" Of an
unrehearsed episode that occurred at
the Hop, cheap but popular place Of
entertainment. A troupe Of acrobats
were engaged, and one Of their num-
Der gave a "single turn in which he
displayed his skill as a champion
weight litter. Somebody, however, on
mischief bent. changed one Of the fit
ty-six pound weights for one made Of
cardboard. The strong mans vision
was impaired by the loss Of one eye,
but in this instance not unfortunately
so. He took the first and second
weights, and after having manipulate
ed them he took the third, the one
made of cardboard. Realizing in an
instant what had been done, he as
quickly decided to turn it to his own
advantage by throwing three Flip
flaps while holding the dummy
weight. He was greeted with per-
feet round of applause. and the audi
ence declared it to be the greatest
feat they had ever witnessed.
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
Some Consolation.

A detective once said it was all
wrong to suppose that the professional
housebreaker works with GOODNESS and
calculation. On the contrary, he usual
~ works in terror and haste. takes too
much swag from one room and too
little from another and sometimes over
looks the silver in carrying off the
electro.-London Saturday Review.
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
Nc Morals In Dreamsand.

II, as many writer's have suggested.
It is the soul itself that guides the i'm
agery of dreams, how are we to ex-
plain the fact that in this chaos OF
ideas and feelings there Is so little dis
tinctfon between right and wrong that
when dreaming we commit acts for
which we should weep tears Of blood
were they as real as they seem to be.
AS Professor Hoffman has said, "The
familiar check Of waking hours, I
must not do it because 1t would be un-
just or unkind,' never once seems to
arrest us in the satisfaction Of any
within which may blow about our way
ward fancies"
From all of which we must conclude
that the dream realm Is world that is
entirely oblivious to any moral sense
and that. though it may be true that a
troubled conscience may produce or
affect our dreams, the dreams them
selves are never burdened with con-
science.--B0hemian Magazine
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
Close TO Nature.

The essential charm of the farm re-
mains and always will remain: the
care of crops, and of cattle, and of or
chards, bees and fowls; the clearing
and improving of the ground; the
building of barns and houses; the df-
rect contact with the soil and the ele-
ments; the privacies with nature
with bird, beast and plant; and the
close acquaintance with the heart and
virtue of the world.-John Burroughs.
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
Her Secret Resentment.

A parson was sent for by dying
parishioner, who had always sternly
refused to have anything to do with
him before. He hurried to her bed
side, found her in most contrite
mood and made the best of his oppor-
tunities in a long extempore prayer,
ending with a sonorous "Amenw The
last word made her sit up with sudden
energy. Aye she exclaimed, that's
IT, It's a. fer men and nowt for us
poor women in this world"
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
Not Built That Way.

For the first time the old lady was
about to make a railway journey, and
when she arrived at the station she
did not know what to do. a
young man." she said to a porter.
who looked about as old as Methuse
lab, 'can you tell me where ] can gel
my ticket?' a
"Why. num-" he replied, ''you get it
at the boxing Office through the pi-
geOnhole.'
Being very stout. she looked at the
hole in amazement, and then she burst
ont in a rage:
''Go away with you, you old idiot!
How can get through there? amt
no blessed pigeonw-London Answers.
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
Philosophy of Dress.

A duchess may be as shabby as she
pleases, and, in spite of socialism and
a badly hanging skirt, she will remain
a power in the land; but the suburban
lady does not care to be seen with her
best friend if the latter be wearing an
old-fashioned frock-Black and White.
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03

steer mere, they will 'endeavor by ali
fair means to break down the So
called postage stamp rate land prob
ably they alone can do it,, which for
many years has enabled the iron and
steel products Of Pennsylvania to be
distributed from there, without regard
to distance, cheaper than could be
done from more western points; and
such action will surely result in max
ing the head of Lake Superior one of
the greatest points in the country for
the manufacture and distribution of
steel
Good Financial Standing.
Where, October 1, 1903, the bonded
Indebtedness for general and special
Improvements aggregated 1896, 644.-
g., and on February %, 1909, less
cash in sinking fund, s914,354.7O net,
or a reduction since 1893 from per
capita of s119.S3 to SPLIT per capita
at the present time.
Where the tax rate has been cut
from 1897, with $40 per 500, to 1884
per 500 in 1908, and where the total
assessment for 1908 was $1,000, 765.
where surrounding the head of
the lakes are millions of acres of the
finest soil, suitable for dairying and
all other agricultural purposes, lying
vacant, with one of the finest markets
to be found anywhere, to-wit: SUI
perior and Duluth and the nearby
iron ranges, and where land can be
bought at all the way from SIS to $40
per acre"
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
The Twenty Cent Revenge.

She was in a very bad temper as she
boarded an Amsterdam avenue car.
Her temper was not improved by the
fact that as she drew quarter of a
dollar from her jeweled gold purse the
coin slipped from her fingers and roll
ed on the floor of the car. She made
no move to recover the money. but
when the conductor came in to collect
her fare she pointed with the tip OF
her handsome parasol to the coin.
81 dropped my fare" she said snap
pishly. "Pick it up"
The young conductor looked her in
the eye for just moment, and then,
STOPPING, be picked the coin from be-
tween the Stats on the floor covering.
Leisurely he took four nickels from
his pocket and put them where the
quarter had been before. Maybe it
was the effort OF bending that made
his face red When he Strengthened
up he rang up the fare, turned and
sauntered back to the rear platform
New York Press.
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
Judgment.

Never Judge town by the size OF
the type with which it's name is print
ed on the map of railroad that doesn't
pass through it.-Chicago Record Her.
I'D
The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-09-03
Most Nutritious Potato.

MOST NUTRITIOUS POTATO.
Investigation of the nutritive values
of the various varieties of potatoes
shows that the violet-tinted tubers
stand highest.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-07-01
The Right Way to Write Letters
By Sherwin Cody ED
Author of the Cody System of to Write Letters That Pull

everyone who writes letters can and
should learn the points Of salesman
ship in letters, so that every letter
written will have some selling quality
in It, little II not much. Here Is the
opportunity for the girl stenographer
to get better salary, or the sub assist
ant bookkeeper to jump from $40 to
SIS q week. One prominent business
man has said, "All my clerks. stenog-
raphers and statesmen would be worth
rs per cent. more to me II they would
learn to write q good letter, and ]
would raise their salaries according
ly." II your employer won't raise your
salary when you learn to write real
selling letters, there are plenty Of
others who will.
The logical steps Of creating q sale
through letter are as follows:
First, fan up the slight or smoldering
natural longing in the customers
mind. Unless there is a want to be
filed, no business can succeed. But in
its natural state the want is too feeble,
too vague. The sales letter must fan
1t up and make It q keen and conscious
desire, a void in the mind that has got
to be filled. The place to start is with
the natural want of the customer. Not
with what you have to sell.
Second, show just how the thing you
have fits into the natural vacancy, fills
the spontaneous and universal want.
Third, offer some outside proof that
your claims are justified. You may
think your article a good thing, but
you are q prejudiced party. Has this
article actually served anybody else,
any real purchaser, and just what has
1t done? Bring out a few facts such
as would make an impression on a
jury in a court of law. Don't expect
people to take your mere word. Pro
duce facts, evidence, as a trained ad-
vocate would do.
Fourth, indicate with great clearness
and precision just what you want the
prospective customer to do II your let
ter succeeds in interesting him. 1t is
a mistake to assume he can guess
what you want. Tell him exactly, pre-
cisely, point for point, and don't expect
him to do very much perhaps sign an
order blank all ready prepared, or mail
postal card asking for a catalogue
and so informing you he is really open
for business.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-07-01
A GOOD SYSTEM OF COLLECTION
LETTERS.

The salesman is as free In talking
about terms as the policy OF the house
will allow, or else he says as little
about payments as he can, In order to
keep attention on the desirabillty oil
what he has to sell.
But as soon as the sale II completed
the order should be acknowledged
from the Office in q polite letter, which
affords an excellent opportunity to
make quite clear how and when pay
ment is expected. II the customer
knows at the start what Is expected Of
him, II will be far easier to get money
from him later than II any doubt OF
confusion exists in his mind.
When payment is due the customer
should be notified promptly. Most peo
pie do not pay until asked. In some
cases 1t may be sufficient to send Q
simple statement. Some firms have
on the statement q form Of notifica
ton that draft will be made If pay
ment is not made on or before q SET
date. Others send another statement
in slightly different form II check IL
not received within q few days after
the date that has been fixed. This may
be on the goth of the month, II pay
ment is expected on the 10th or 18th
The habit of sending friendly let
tiers, half soliciting and half collection
is another good method. One OF these
three methods should be used to make
sure that the matter is not overlooked
at the time when 1t should be attended
to. Letting things drift Is the vice Of
the credit man.
When the proper time for payment
has gone by, a brief, polite letter OF
reminder and inquiry should be sent
The ideal letter Is one full Of good ma
ture and friendly interest, and there IL
often much value in making this letter
also one soliciting sales, telling Of
some new goods just received, or new
prices that are made, and the like
Uniting craftsmanship with collection
demands undoubtedly is the right way
to hold customers while getting the
money.
Success in getting money from very
slow payers lies in slight but fire.
quent irritation-short letters refer
ring to courtesy, honor, honesty, good
name, fairness, personal favor. Then
when money is secured, warm, per
sonal letter Of thanks and appreciation
should be sent to smooth down the ir
ritated feelings.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-07-01
sALEsMANsHIP AND coLLEc'
TIoNS.

Usually the man who looks after
collections thinks he has nothing to
do with craftsmanship; he doesn't try
to know anything about 1t, and merely
sets his heart on low record Of loss
Of accounts placed in his hands.
In the first place, If the margin OF
profit is large, very free credit can be
given. It Is better to lose few &C.
counts of those who fail to pay, II
the amounts are small, rather than
lose q much larger volume Of business
through applying strict credit rule.
A few years ago when the bicycle
craze was al its height. the largest bi.
cycle tire concern in New York had q
credit man who would not give any
dealer credit unless he was rated by
the mercantile agencies, or could offer
unqualified references. A change was
made and the new credit man gave
very free credit to all the small re-
pair shops over the country, which
had sprung up in a night, and ap-
peared honest in intent, but had nc
rating, and though the percentage OF
lost credits rose considerably the net
profits are said to have increased
from S3,OOO,O 900 to $y.OOO,OOO year. A
liberal credit man had more than
doubled the profits.
II accounts are large and the mar
gin Of profit small. one or two losses
will eat up the profits on many sales
and more care must be exercised on
the credit and collection end Of the
business.
We will suppose, however, that
small storekeeper is slow. pay, but
never has a large account, and buys
steadily. II he can be kept In good
humor so that his Indebtedness makes
him feel he must buy everything from
you, II is far better to take the risk Of
losing a small amount when at last he
goes under, than to press him so hard
that he begins to place his cash bust
ness elsewhere, in which case you
lose the small sum he owes you, and
his business for year or 80 as well
Clever salesmanship would turn the In
debtedness into a means Of clinchins
q really large total volume of business
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-07-01
THE BRUTAL prNNINo LETTER.

Now and then q uebtor Is found who
is so thick-sklnned that nothing
seems to make any impression on him
but q club. Unfortunately, most col
lection agencies look on all debtors
turned over to them as being such,
and make their collections by means
Of a club. The club often gets the
money, but It kills the customer at the
came time. That Is why merchants
are SO slow about turning their collec-
lions over to agencies; they feel sure
they cannot hope TODD any more busi-
ness with the customers when the
agency gets done with him.
But now and then we all run across
deadbeats. When we find that out we
do not want to do any more business
with them, and do not care how we
get the money, 80 that we really col
lect II.
The usual style of brutal dunning
letter consists in threats Of lawsuits,
with its piled up costs, and the use
of the words dishonesty" deadbeat'"
rogue" etc.
It should be borne in mind that It Is
not legal 10 make any disagreeable
threat in regard to a debt in writing
on q postal card. In fact, anything
that might injure the standing Of a
person in the community, even in the
slightest degree, cannot be sent openly
on a postal card.
Threats Of boycotting or blacklisting
are also illegal.
Offensive or abusive letters are not
permitted to go through the mail, even
when sealed.
1t is not permissible to talk freely
about lawyers, agents, and suits at
law, and to picture the heavy expense
of such proceedings. You can make
q man feel the sting Of the words
"dcadbeat," dishonest" etc., by say
ing you would not think Of placing the
person you write to in the list Of such
persons, or saying you know he Is not
that. The suggestion is enough, and
usually more effective than really call
Ing names. Sarcasm usually cuts
deeper than abuse on all occasions.
Obviously the brutal dunning letter
cannot be written in high temper, II
It is to be legal, and 1t ought not to
be used at all except in collecting
money from a notorious deadbeat
whose trade cannot possibly be worth
anything to you at any time in the fu'
ture. It sometimes happens that these
thick-skinned people will pass over Of
fensive words and so on trading with
you, but 1t seems q lowering OF self
respect to indulge in such letters, and
have found that the mildly irritating
letters will prove as effective II re-
peated often enough.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-07-01
THE SYMPATHETIC pUNNING
LETTER.

There are certain classes Of custom
ers, such as women, clergymen and
teachers, whose means are very mar
row, and who unavoidably fall behind,
though they are really honest, or think
they are honest. Threatening letters
only anger them. They have a certain
small income, and they use 1t to pay
the accounts they feel most like pay.
ing.
For such the sympathetic dunning
letter is the one which succeeds best
It is rather a long letter, usually, Is
filled with sympathy and the spirit Of
kindness, and asks certain personal IA
vors that can be granted, and will be
granted II the debtor is made to feel
right.
Such q letter might run like this:
your obligation Of such and such a
date Is now considerably overdue. We
feel quite sure, however, that payment
has been delayed because Of circum-
stances beyond your control, and we
have no desire to press you in any I'M
reasonable way, though we should like
very much 70 be paid.
"As a personal favor, we wish you
would tell us Just what resources you
are depending on for the payment Of
this account, and as nearly as possible
the time at which we may expect re-
mittance. Will you not kindly be quite
frank with us, so that we know just
what your situation is and what we
may expect. Then we will not annoy
you with useless duns, and our very
pleasant relations will not be dis
turbed by any misunderstanding or
suspicion. We kindly ask the favor Of
frank letter from you by return
mail"
A sympathetic dunning letter follow
ing a slightly irritating letter has often
brought an immediate remittance. and
this confidential, kindly way Of writ
ing, when used as q contrast with the
usual methods, very often gets atten-
ton which harsh letter would not
get at all.
At the same time there is a class Of
people who would be only too ready to
take advantage Of an easy creditor.
Some credit men are so surprised at
the results that come from using the
sympathetic letter after the brutal dun
ming letter has wholly failed. that they
adopt the sympathetic letter entirely.
as an important new discovery. But
this ls equally a mistake. Variety Is
what is wanted. One kind Of letter
will get some debtors, and another
kind will get a different set, but 1t
takes all kinds Of letters to collect
money from all sorts Of people, and,
indeed, some debtors are susceptible
only to q combination or alienation OF
several different kinds Of letters.