davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
Domestic Economv.

"Hey, mon." exclaimed the Draw
bonnie north countryman, thrift is n
wunnerful thing"
YES" replied his English travelling
companion. You're right there. Now,
gave my wife a ten pound note to
manage on last time was away, and
would you believe it?-instcad of ex-
ceeding it she saved nearly sover-
eign out Of il to buy herself hat"
THAT'S nowt," replied the Scotsman.
my wife gives the kids ha'pennies
apiece to go to bed supperlcss; when
they're asleep she takes the ha'pcn-
nies off on 'em aegean, and then she
makes 'em do wi'oT ony breakfasts
for losin' 'em! Hey. mon, that's
thrift"-London Scraps.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
Steel Pen Helps Forqers.

The crime Of forgery has been facili-
tated and increased by the modern in
PRODUCTION of metallic pens, gold and
steel, says writer in the indianapolis
News The old fashioned quill pen was
smooth and pleasant to write with,
though II sometimes balked and sput-
tered, but it did not lend itself to skill
full limitations as easily as the metallic
pen does. The crime Of forgery doubt
less has been promoted by the almost
universal education Of modern times
In an age when everybody writes and
when many are skilIful penmen forger-
les are much more frequent than they
were centuries ago, when the person
who could handle a pen was an eXcep-
ton. Many modern criminals make Il
living by committing forgeries, victim,
izing hotels, banks. capitalists and bust
ness men generally.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
The Mendicant.

There are those who ascribe the
word "mendicant" to the silly appella-
tion put forth as conundrum, mean
ing poor wretch beyond the power Of
mending. But something very close to
the term was in use as long ago as
when Chuucer wrote his Canterbury
Tales" In the "Sompnoures Tale"
this occurs:
Therefore we ''mendiants." we sely freres.
Ben welded to poVerte and confluence,
To charitee. humblesse and abstinence.
etc.
The "sompnoure" of Chaucer was, of
course, summoner, or apparitor, and
person OF low estate, and here we
have, it is believed, the origin of the
word, which came into common en-
plOyment later.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
Conservatism.

Herbert, aged four, was suffering
from an attack of Group. His grand
mother had the case in hand. She is a
Christian Scientist, but she Is also a
strong believer in the right of every
Individual to decide for himself In all
personal matters. Accordingly, after
explaining that God IS all powerful
and could cure him without the aid Of
medicines, she felt it incumbent upon
her to point out that many very wor-
thy people believed In goose grease
"And so, Herbert" she said in closing.
you must decide for yourself. l vii
rub you with goose grease If yo,
wish"
The small boy relapsed into pro-
found thought and at last said:
''Well, grandma, we know about
goose grease You just rub 1t on.
don't b'lieve God will mind a little
thing like goose grease. l fink he'll do
all he can for me anyhow.
Home Companion.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
A Canine Actor.

In those days Gn 1866 | was always
accompanied by a favorite and beau
tiful old collie called Smut, which I
took to rehearsalS. 1t followed me
everywhere, even on the stage during
the actual performance of the play.
Night after night Smut performed his
part in an admirable and irreproacha-
Bile manner, lying down at my feet
while | sat under a tree taking part In
n dialogue with one of the characters
On hot, sultry night in July, how
ever for the play enjoyed an cXccp-
tionally long rum, Smut became bored,
thinking, no doubt, that the play had
had its day and that 1t was now the
dogs turn. lie advanced quite quietly
to the center of the stage with an al
most managerial sense of his own I'M
Dortance, sat down In Il dignitied man
ner on his launches and yawned In
full view of the audience with the sub
lime Indifference Of dramatic critic.
The audience were naturally amused.
Encouraged by the success of his un-
conscious efforts Smut went from bad
to worse by swapping up passing fly
which he swallowed with the enjoy
ment of gourmet, inevitably spelling
the quiet scene on which we were en-
gagged.
This terminated his engagement as
an actor.-John Hare in Strand Mag
aZine
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
ASPHALT IN ROCK ROADS.
An Improvement Suggested For the
Use of Motor Cars.

States that are considering good
roads are likely to I've interested in the
suggestions recently made in Wash
ington by AmZi l.. Barber. who has
spent his life in the asphalt business.
If it Is ut all feasible 1t would apply
chiefly in thickly settled districts, and
especially in the vicinity of cities,
where motor cars, as In Jackson COun-
ty, Mo-, are beginning to wear out the
highways.
Macadam has not stood up under the
tremendous grinding of the heavy.
high speed cars, and the Massachu-
sctts highway commission and the
federal government are conducting eX-
pcrimcntS to find a substitute.
MI Barber'S suggestion, made at the
annual meeting of the Independent AS
phalt association in Washington, is
that the problem could be solved by
laying strip Of asphalt in the middle
of a macadam road. Taking the aver
age cost of making sixteen foot mac
adam roadway at $4,000 mile, Mr.
Barber estimated the total cost of a
sixteen foot road with a six foot strip
of asphalt in the middle at about $13,
600 a mile, an increase of 30 per cent.
"HOrSCS can be driven on the mac
adam rs now, If desired" Mr.. Barber
said Motor cars when the road IS
clear will have an ideal surface In the
middle, equal to a billiard table, with
no ruts or Jumps to look out for. When
the cars meet they may slow down
and turn out so as to run upon the
macadam only on one side and for a
few feet, and when rain first falls on
the asphalt, making it slippery, they
can run with one side on the pavement
and one side on the macadam to avoid
skiddng When on the strip of pave
mcnt In the middle they will cause
neither dust nor wear.
"Finally. and If no other advantage
were to be gained, farmers can haul on
the asphalt more than double the load
that they can haul on macadam. This
consideration alone should decide the
matter in favor of the asphalt strip"
Mr. Barber expressed the opinion
that the federal government ought to
appropriate $20,000,00O year for
roads. to be appOrtiOned to states pro-
viding three times the amount re-
ceivcd.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
How Il Was Acquired.

"You say this blind man can tell the
denomination Of bank bills without
seeing them?'
Yes. lie merely fingers them over"
"Why, that's marvellous How do
you account for it,
Easily. He was chronic borrower
Of small sums for twenty years and In
this way acquired an extremely deli
cate sense Of touch - Cleveland
Plain Dealer.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
w HOLE Nrnnrn, 1862
THE OMADHAUN.

T>HE lads that wastes their days in
school,
Il They nod an wink an call me
fool"
But och. It's little mind l have to scold
them,
Wild all their books they've never read
The half of oil that's in me head.
They couldn't un'erstan 1t If | told them.
Did y ever catch leprechawn?
Ye never did For why? 'Tis gone
Before ye know the Crayturc's nigh,
For II ye held him wild yer eye
He'd have to take yc to the spot
Where all his gold is in the pot
But me they never hold in fear
Small care have fools for gold an gear
So when they meet me on me way
They stop to pass the time O day.
Did ye ever know the funny things
A thrush can tell ye? When he sings
Close both yer ears wild ayther han
An then as quick as e'er ye can
Lave loose, hold tight, rave loose, hold
tight
But och ye'd never do It right!
Did ye ever know jisht how an when
'Tis aisiest to catch wren?
The wren. the wren, the king o birds.
St. Stephens day caught in the furZe!'
Lasht Stephens day mayhap yc heard
Who was it shared the nimble bird
Upon the bush that through the town
The lads paraded up an down
The while they begged from door to door
The jinglin' coppers by the score.
Twas me! l SHARED the wren an got
No ha penny Of all the lot.
Not wan for me! They We're mean
They spint 1t oil at Kane's shebeen.
Och, Fave them wink an call me "fool"
Them lads that wastes their days in
school
An oulder vans that spiles their brains
wild drinkin!
'Tis theyr re the fools themSel's. no less,
For sorra wan o. them could guess
The knowledgable things | do be thinllin'.
IT. A. DAILY in Catholic Standard and
Times.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
How About a Good Back visw7

"Auntie Liz had hard time hav-
ing her picture taken today" said her
nephew, who had just opened a photo
graphic studio and had very cour-
teously asked his aunt to coae and
pose for new picture.
"Why, what was the trouble?" asked
his brother
"Well, you see, when | told her to
look pleasant she didn't look natural,
and when | told her to look natural
she didn't look pleasant" Ladies'
Home Journal
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
She Rose to the Occasion.

That's n nice looking chap at the
next table" said the young man who
was treating his best girl to a lobster
supper. as he a friend of yOursT
Eyes, indeed" laughed the pretty
girl
"Well-er-I think I'll ask him to join
US"
"Oh, this Is so sudden"
whats so suddcn?"
"Why why, that's our young minis
ter."-Chicago News.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
Not Very Useful.

A man who suffered badly went to
a specialist and after ten difficult les
sons learned to say quite distinctly,
peter Piper picked a peck of picked
peppers" His friends congratulated
him upon this splendid achievement
Yes" said the man dOubtfully, "but
it's s-s-such d-d-deucedly d-d-d-difi-
cult rem-mark to wwwOrk into an
ordin-n-nary c-c-convers-s-sa ton, you
w."-Everybody's Magazine.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
The LittIe Boys Baby Prayer.

Dear God, 1 need you awful bad.
l don't know what to do.
My papa's cross; my mammals sick;
l hain't no fr'en' but you.
Them keerless angels went an brung,
Std of the boy l asst,
A weenchy. teenchy baby girl.
l don't see how they dast!
Say, God, 1 wisht you'd take her back.
She's jest as good as new;
Won't no one know she's secon' hand.
But ceptin' me an you.
Ap' pick a boy, dear God. yourself,
The incest In yer fold.
But please don't choose him quite 10
young.
I'd like him five years old.
g M. Talbot In Lippincott'A
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
Commenda alton.

"What do you think of members of
European aristocracy as sons-in-law"
asked the old time friend.
"Well," answered Mr.. CumroX, "the
way their relatives boss them around
indicates that they ought to make easy
husbands. Washington Star.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
The Cheerful Kettle,

There's something honey about a
teakettle and something we like. T
wonder what 1t Is"
Don't know unless it IS that It is
usually singing about its work, kan
sas City Times.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03
Not a Romance.

Dear heart" she murmured
"Only 20 cents pound" explained
the butcher.
81 think I'll take some liver" -
Louisville Courier-Journal.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03

Let no man presume to give advice
to others who has not first given good
counsel to himSelf,-Seneca.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-04-03

Bill-Ketch me a-takin' yer aht fer a
'appy dye aginc. Done nufiink but
grumble, you 'aven't, ever since l put
the snowball dahn yer back.-Sketch.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-24
WHEN WE FORGET THE EQUITY

cancel in an instant his long account Of credits
We make 1t harder for him. harder Tor ourselves DF
forgetting the equity. by overlooking the Margin
still remaining to his credit. y little patience, d
little tolerance, little generous waiting and "a'c
ing before prOnOuncing final judgment, may accom-
psh wonders.
For years some man in public life may have strug-
gled by conservation to purpose, by Loyalty 20 pm
ciple, by faithful adherence duty. and at last
reached pinnacle of fame. The world honors nIl'
ms life IS held up 4 model. inspiration 20 INe
young, a of pride to all But that man may
do wicked thing, and the world is startled oE Ile
discovery Society says, Now he IS uIllatSASu'
now We know his real character One evil act pc
comes typical of whole life evil act subnerseS
all the good of years.
Does society ever make one good act the express
sion of a character; does 1t ever let one good aCI
sweep like a mighty tide over a wicked life and bury
1t forever from sight and memory: That man
character NAV not have been hidden There may
have been a sudden temptation, one that ciine
when mind was weary, hope weak, and body "ulH'
every sentinel against sin, for the time. withdrawn
and the victory easy one Under the coi,l-
pelling power of an act once committed. noraAy
dazed, he may have involved himself further, dolis
what he could, not what he should. The act wa
wrong. 1t was big black mortgage on HE 3I'
the equity, the justice of the balance OF good Is '
and We wrong him by forgetting It.
Poets, preachers, teachers. delight TO tel tH- i-
character IS mighty structure put together O9O n
by block, which may be ruined IN an instant ID. @
into dust and chaos by one evil deed. 1t Is NOT o
this is cruelty unjust, untrue Character cannot e
killed in instant it is only reputation that can
De slam by act Great single deeds do not Mas
character; large single evil acts cannot rum II,
Character is built of trifes The real test IS 'i''
equity,-the balance of the good over the evI H.,
And | love to think that the Infinite VIII nn'iI!
so Judge us that He viii regard single black 4t-
being our whole life; that He will Judge Us Oy
equity, letting good impulses, high motives motives
faithfulness in little things, true unselhSn1@eSS' @
brotherlv love kindness and exalted ideals balance
offset and neutralize many of the acts OF our human
weakness, as We, in poor human recognition % %
justice, permit payment on account TO canceI pan
of our Indebtedness.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-24

TIFE at the very best, is not summer picnic;
II it is struggle, a battle, 1t is problem
given to the individual for his individual solution.
His living is his answer. Happiness is not handed
round to a golden platter garnished with rose
buds If we want it, We must make it. If We want
any of the really great things of life, we must fight
to win them fight to hold them This is what gives
dignity living the tingle of conquest to effort,
the glow of conscious dominion over conditions and
environment This is what makes clear and keen
the moral eye, toughens the moral sinews puts red
corpusces into the soul of purpose and backbone
into character Life is not easy; but We can make
it easier. We often make it harder cruelty, unneC-
essarilv bitterly harder-for ourselves and others
We forget the equity.
Undet the seeming injustice of life Nature IS
stantlv seeking equalizng, balance justice. Nature
keeps books with the individual Her justice con-
sists neither the debit the credit side of her
ledger but in the d1terence,-the net, the balance,
the equity What to injustice IS often
really only our concentration on one side of the
account to The exclusion of the other. We exag-
gerate our sorrows that they eclipse joys;
are unjust to what we have in hungering for what
we have not; we make our unsatisled desires, not
our possessions, the test OF happiness.
We may envy the fame fortune or prosperity OF
another unknOwing the mortgages of care, respOn-
sibilty opposition and worry that reduce the real
ness of what he has His net happiness may be
really less than with but tenth of his posses
sions.
Equity is the net value of a property over mort
cages and other claims against it. 1t IS the balance
that remains to our credit in account when the
debts are SubtraCted.
Sometimes, with Sigh on our lips and sob
eping into throat face life IN numb
rebellion. We vividly conscious OF what we
have TO bear that may forget reason for hap
pness Our sorrows, seen through the magnifying
glass of encouragement loom large before us; our
Joys through the reducing glass of unsatisfed desire
minify into almost nothingness We let what We
lack poison the waters of what we have We forget
the equity. We forget the big, clear, broad sweep
of happiness still remaining to us; the mortgage
OF care, sorrow, and responsibility blinds us to the
realneSS OF our possessions.
If we have really much to bear, attitude is
New-York tribune., 1909-01-24
Lessons from Fagan's Experience

THERE time in my career when, like most
young fellows. | had hankerng for the heroic
The world did not suit me, and l wanted to change
it. In those days | was fond of quoting saying of
Napoleon S 1t said that he sat day look
ing sternly at the map of Europe when he suddenly
and said, ." | tired of this old EUROPE
| used to admire Napoleon, and it gave a big
Chesty feeling | thought how | should like TO
change things if | got whaCk at them.
OF course, l did not merely want to change the
world; | wanted to improve it. After | met Pagan.
1t occurred to me that perhaps | might go farther
and do better if | tackled small section and con-
fined my efforts to improving that. Shortly after,
| met Nellie and We married, and have worked
together since in small corner of the uni
verse, following humby in Fagans footsteps.
/ long ago lost sight of Pagan; but | have pre-
served his memory. He has been one of the great
inspirations of my life. As the years have passed.
that little rusty figure has oOmed larger and more
luminous above the horizon of my experience. while
that of Napoleon has reCeded, grown dngy and fly
blown. As | look back it now, and taking me as
l was, suspect l got the most that was coming
when got my wife and the additions that we have
made from time to time since then to the family.
] used to think | never should he content until
New-York tribune., 1909-01-24

thought 1t was a mistake and told my VIE So
but one of the most charming things about women
IS that they are so unreasonable. particularly n
these matters We had no definite reasons at the
time still | remember that. after We we're COM
fOrtably settled in fourth story fiat, used 10
sit in the windOwseat and watch the moon rise
All. that yellow mOOn!-'late risen and swollen
as if with tears"
We leaned up against each other and "atched It
long and silently as 1t rose the hou>s-ops. We
did not discuss the matter much at that -lcle out
l think We both did feel that there Were reasons
good and sufficient reasOnS-fOr men and women
marrying, though We probably could ro- have told
what they were.
Sometimes on Sunday afternoons We would read
together that wonderful poem of Walt Whit
mans, Out of the cradle eudeSSlv rocking, IN
which he tells the beautiful and tragic story OF the
mOCkingbird and its mate:
Shine shine shine
Pour down Your warmth, great --o.
While We baSk. togethe-
What good, gray old man he was % remind US
Of those blessed things, sunlight and ar. How de
hCIOus the air felt, too. sat there together II
our wIndOwseat, looking out over the housetops'-
Two together
Winds blow south, winds blow ngr-a,
Day come white, or night come b-itA
Home. rivers and mountains from home
Singing all time. uInding time.
While two keep together
Conthgasd pGss I9
New-York tribune., 1909-01-24

got into a high position where |
could look down on and feel sory
for the rest of the world It's a fine
thing. of course. TO gain d conspicu-
Gus position IN the world, where
people look up TO you and admire
and envy YOU. and throw bouquets
and bricks at YOU. But the rest
of the world IS not nearly so IN
portant to me as It used 70 Re. l
would rather have the good viii and
continuous moral backing of one
good and wise little woman than sit
on a throne, or die iIuStriOuS and
alone on some distant S-. Helena.
All this. however. Is an after
thought | do not believe that
my wife and | had any definite for
mulated reasons for marrying Some
of the neighbOrs. / now remember,
New-York tribune., 1909-01-24
By William George Jordan

making the bearing harder; it is making our power
courage blow through the soul. Let us forget our
sorrows in remembering our joys; lessen pain
Let forget self pity in sympathizing with
others Let remember the equity, the great
possibilities, powers, and possessions for good to
ourselves and the world still left to us If even then
timism determination, and courage to make it seem
greater until it really becomes greater We COM
plain of the scheme of the universe when it is We
ourselves, those around us, o society in general
that fault. We Nature of plaving
favOrites, of giving others the and us the
thorns. We inclined to regard all happiness
success, and sunshine as due, which we have
earned somehow by merely living while trial, sor-
row, and pain seem invasion of individual
rights. The Infinite gives neither happiness
sorrow directly He gives only the raw material
out of which man can make what he will.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-24
Our Need of Simple Justice

THE possession that would be the Crowning Joy 10
might be the useless enCumbranCe, the depth
of sorrow, to another; the starvation role of one
would be to another banquet of surfeit. hun
dred plants in the same garden draw the nutri-
ment from the same soil IN the same sunshine and
air; yet each transforms its supply in accord with
its nature, IN harmony with its viewpoint of
Interpretation. We forget the equity in Judging
bookkeeping in business do not let some ones
debit of one hundred dollars wipe his thousand
dollar credit; realize that the man has equity
of nine hundred dollars remaining; that he has this
amount still to his credit Why do not let this
simple justice apply to judging the acts of others
The friend who has been kind and generous to us
for years, who has stood bravely by in hours of
darkness whose hand, firm clasped in ours, has
steadied through a crisis, who should have many
golden spots in memory to his Credit,-nay prove
weak, may offend US may even desert us. In
hurt we may let the act of a moment neutralze the
years of constancy, TRUTH and loyalty,-one debit