davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05

=" Nix he cut in on me. No banjo for
mine. Too tumpty- m-tum and thumpy.
Nothing of tnat kind.
Mandolin? Mandolins are now high
ly esteemed. end
Piled. That's tinkly junk, too-not the
cal thing. PicAety stuff. None of that
for mine
"-Well. how about guitar? quite
respectable music is now composed for
the guitar. and
Don't want any guitars, either he
broke in cnce more. 'Sugary. senti-
mental, gurgly kind of thing, a gui-
tar. / want something robust mans
size-a sure enough instrument
Mayhe, | said then, with some em-
barrassment you want a piano?
He laughed at that and came to the
point with more speed.
' No. he said. I'll tell you what
think l want. 1 think 1 want some
thing TO blow into. I've got a whole
lot of music in me. talking seriously.
I'm crazy over music, can whistle any
thing after hearing it once even If it's
highfalutin grand opera junk, and l
want to get hold of something that 1
can learn to play the real stuff on. And
] think the real stuff can be blown out
of an instrument, don't you%
/
pointed out TO him that il takes a good
many years for a person TO become even
moderately proficient on any kind Of a
wind instrument.
Was your idea something in the
wood wind or the brassg l asked him.
say at a vaudeville show two or
three weeks ago, he replied, L heard
q fellow play on thing that sounded
mighty good to met sure did. 1t was
brass, or silver, or some kind of metal,
and it was shaped like a big German
tobacco pipe-you know-with the
hanging stem and the big bowl. Had
a lot of keys in front that the fellow
manipulated. Didn't sound much like
a cornet,. or any other kind of brass
thing, but more like some instrument
made out of wood. And it certainly
made sweet music, appealing music [
don't know the name of the thing,
but"
That was a saxophone,' told him,
and / showed him one.
F." That's the article he exclaimed,
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05

&c ONE odd ones drift into stores of
this kind" saio the proprietor of
an establishment where musical
instruments are sold. "A stout. middle
aged man came in the other day and as
all the clerks were busy waited on
him.
Guv'nor.' he said. casting his eye on
the display Of small musical instru-
ments. 1 want to learn how to play on
some burned old thing
Well, that's bit indefinite, isn't it,?
I couldn't help saying to him. but he
took ii good naturedly.
1t may sound that way. at that he
replied. But I'm in an indefinite state
of mind about the thing. sure enough.
That's the reason I'm putting il up to
YOU. / just want TO learn to play on
some kind of a music making gewgaw,
and haven't the least idea in the world
what it is that I'm going to pick out and
buy But ! sure am going 10 pick out
and buy something TO learn on right
here and now. today. and begin learning
right away sure am
i don't want to seem discouraging,
I said to him. but. of course. you un-
derstand that it takes quite a while to
learn to play on a musical instrument
of almost any kind worth while. and
that it's particularly uphill work for
folks Who've got past their first youth
That's all right. guy nor, he came
right back at me. pleasantly enough. I
know all that But I've known ii all my
,ife. Never had any chance before,
though-the leisure, 1 mean-to try 10
learn how to play on anything before.
and now I'm willing to face the uphill
job, as you call it, and see what 1 can
do, anyhow
You're not thinking of any such
instrument rs the mouth organ or jews
harp. are your l asked him, to sort of
break ground and find out what he had
in mind.
20. ro-nothing OF that frivolous
kind, he quickly responded; nothing
trining like that. I want a real instru-
ment. No tinkly stuff-want something
that you've got to learn
Banjo? l said to him. We've got q
fine line of ban
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05

warned the bride that the man she
was about to marry was a son of
Lucifer with the morals of Turk. AS
matter of fact, she told the bride at
the time of the wedding that the
bridegroom was splendid fellow and
she was sure they would be as happy
as they could be.
Men ordinarily ascribe their power
to peer into the future to a ''hunch,"
while a woman will say she lust felt
1T in her bones" that such and such a
thing would happen. There is really
no difference between the two, and
each is used to impress upon the lis
tener that the prediction coming true
is indisputable evidence the predictor
is possessed of power which ordi-
nary mortals know not of and which
really puts them in the same class as
Merlin.
No particular harm would be done
if these modern prophets would make
their insistence of supernatural power
of prediction to persons who are in
terested. 1t gets very tiresome to hear
man stand around and tell how he
knew when the season opened that
the Pittsburgs would win the pennant,
and it is particularly uninteresting IL
the man he is telling it to remembers
how the prophet insisted right UP to
the first of August that the Pittsburgs
would certainly have slump and that
either the Giants or the Cubs, or both.
would beat them out. There is moth
ing gained by telling one of these per-
sons, either man or woman, that they
in fact predicted exactly what did not
happen, for they will deny 1t and de-
clare you are mistaken. For when a
person gets the habit, and gets it hard,
he or she is without shame or con-
science in making assertions that he
or she knew certain things would or
would not take place.
If it had been a part of the grand
scheme of the universe that ordinary
mortals should know what was going
to happen there would have been some
other way than to have men and
women stand around at the bars and
gilded cafes and at pink teas and say,
Il told you so,' and to have them
wish i'll luck to, every person who ven-
lures on any enterprise that has an
element of the hazardous in ii so they
can declare with righteousness that
they said bad luck would follow, and
in that way try to establish regulations
as seers and prophets.
But men and women have been doing
this Il told you so" stunt for ages and
probably will continue; to do So There
probably would be no objection to this
II these latter day Merlins would con-
fine their declarations of second sight
to persons who had the slightest in
terest in it. But they will continue, as
they have been doing for ages, trying
to impress upon persons who don't care
whether they are the seventh sons of
seventh sons or not the fact that they
are the real. blown in the bottle seers
and that II past performances count
for anything they can tell to the min
ute when anything is going to happen.
and there is probably rcthing for or
.dinary mortals to do I md it.
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05
By Ezra Knox

were the animals" or 1T was the one
best bet Teddy would be back and he
will go to the senate and after six years
there will run for president again"
This second one paves the way for a
man to pose as the real thing in the
way of prophet, if the prediction
comes true. and if it does not no one
viii remember it.
On the other hand if Mr. Roosevelt
does not come back there will be no
living with these men, who talk as if
they were seventh sons of seventh sons
and to whom the future is like an
open book. If an unkind fate or a
rhinoceros deals harshly with Mr..
Roosevelt, and in either event 1t will
be pretty fight. these men will begin
like this, II told Teddy -
To hear them talk you would think
that some time in the past they had
been shipmateS on canal boat and
that any time Mr.. Roosevelt was in
doubt-as if he ever was in Doubt
he instinctively turned to them for ad-
vice and counsel. AS matter of fact,
the only time they ever spoke to Mr..
Roosevelt was to stand in crowd of
several thousand persons some time
when he was making a campaign
speech and assure him that he was all
right.
That will not deter them, however,
from assuming a personal friendship
with Mr.. Roosevelt, provided the latter
will never be able to deny it.
Il told Teddy he was too old for
that trip they will say as if age and
Mr. Roosevelt were synonymous in
stead of the contrary II told Teddy
ne was foolish to go to Africa when
there was such demand for him to
remain here and continue the good
work he started" will be another's bid
for prophetic fame, as if Mr. Roosevelt
had divested himself of all interest in
public questions when he. Kermit, the
camera and carbon pads started for the
jungle.
Mr. Roosevelt is only an illustration
of this spirit which prevails in America
and which seems to compel perhaps not
ali but many of the people to pose as
prophets. IL is very certain that il the
same spirit is found In the Jungle there
are tears streaming down the tawny
faces of many mother lion as she
mourns the death of her son at the
hands of the white hunter, and she
told little Leo he would get in trouble
If he ventured far when the man with
the big teeth was around"
There are some persons. ordinarily
sane and humane persons, who so de-
light to prophesy and have their proph-
ecies come true that they actually wish
harm to come to their close friends.
Most every one who has undertaken
journey which involved more or less
hazard knows the good friend. who
comes around and says Well, good
luck, old man, but I'm glad you're go
ing instead of me- These plain words
do not convey the meaning he throws
in this utterance. but it can be inter-
preted as meaning. II want to
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05

discourage you, but to my mind it is
the most certain thing on earth that
you will never return.
You know all the time you are away
on the trip that one man is hoping
for the worst You know he has told
this person and that person you have
gone on your last trip. and it makes
you feel good when you are away to
know that if you don't get back there
will be one loving friend who will bore
every one that knows both of you by
repeating and reiterating a formula
about like this. Smith was a good
fellow and a good friend of mine, but
| did not expect he would ever get
back. I told him before he went away
he was very foolish to go"
Then, when you do get back, this
friend, who has been hoping for the
worst, will be very glad to see you
except for the fact that his prediction
has been wrong. But if he is a con-
firmed prophet he will forget all about
his original declaration and say with
much earnestness:
by Georgei old man, I'm glad to see
you back! There was never any doubt
in my mind that you would pull
through. You know some people are
born to be hanged"
This last is just to cheer you up.
Men are by no means the only ones
who seek "a transitory glory by es-
tablishing reputation for ability to
foretell the future. Some women have
a passion for this, and if one could
believe all the stories that can be heard
at IAN afternoon tea there are women
who know pretty near everything that
takes place from two days to six
months before 1t actually happens. II
all these women say can be believed
most Of them should be wearing a
crescent covered kimono and telling
the future for so much a tell
Women specialize their predictions
in different way than men do. While
the men go in for elections, ball games
and events like Roosevelt's trip. the
women are much stronger on divorces.
engagements and what might be termed
affairs of the heart. woman can
get more enjoyment when dear
friend of hers either gets divorce
or has one obtained against her than in
most any other way and If, perchance,
1T is friend SO near that she was a
bridesmaid at the wedding, it is a joy
that mere man can know not of.
I had the feeling when the bridal
party was at the altar" she will say.
that no good would come of the mar
riage. Jack was fascinating fellow
and did not blame Lucille for falling
in love. but l knew he had made des-
perate love to every girl he ever met,
and ] said at the time Lucille was not
the kind Of girl to break him of the
habit. 1t has come out just as | knew
1t would, and l intimated as much as
| dared TO at the time to Lucille. You
Know you can't go too far with those
things when girl is in love with a
man.
By the time sne tells the story a
dozen times, and that will be as quick
as she can see IL friends to tell
1t to. she will actually believe she
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05
STRANGE LTTTLE STORIES FROM A MUSIC STORE

nickel's worth If there is l can't get
any of 1t out of EN-. After all me
money I've freely dished out to give
those girls their piano lessons, buying
new pianos every once in while, buy
ing music all the time, keeping the
pianos in repair and all that sort OF
thing-after all of this peful slosh-
ing around l can't get 1ne Of those
girls to play anything Tor me WREN m
through with my day $ work and want
to be soothed. I'm wild over music
and / like a pretty fairish article OF
music at that but my daughters either
can't play or they just out and out balk
at playing for me, for every time
ask one of 'em, when l stretch out on
the sitting room lounge, to go in and
hit UP a few notes for me she says she
has a sore thumb or that she's out of
practice, or that she isn't feeling well,
or that she's going out, or something
like that, and divvle the bit of music
do / get.
".Once in while. when I'm pretty
insistent upon the point, one of 'em
will f1ounce in rather angry over my
persistence, and, Pumping herself on
the piano stool will strike into some
bumpity thump. ear splitting, discord-
ant nonharmonizing rag time mon
strosity Well, I've given it up, this
idea of ever getting music out of my
QduSHleTS- NOW. Il WANT W Duy OilC
of those piano playing machines-the
best3you've got in your whole blamed
store for spot cash--and l want to
learn how to play it myself. and durn
my old crinkly neck if l don't show
up there at home some night and give
em music. and good music, till they
can't rest, and l won't let one of EN-
even so much as sit down at the ma
chine, doggoned if l will!
Il sold him a very handsome and ex-
pensive piano playing contraption, as
he called it, right then and there. He
made arrangements to have my young
man, who attends to that part of the
business, instruct him in the art of
handling the machine. The elderly
man came down here every afternoon
for a couple of hours and took in
structions from the young man, who is
an expert He kept up his practice for
about two months before he had his
machine sent home, and by that time
he was rafting manipulation of the
thing"
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05

his eyes swapping That's the gewgaw
1 want. Me for that! Say, guvnor,
how long d'you reckon it I'D be be-
fore / could learn to play on one of
these things? and he handled the in
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05

an FHICH do I prefer" Ye gods
M and little fishes! Ask any
w trained nurse who has had ex-
periences with both men and women
patients and she viii say in a twin
king. "A mani"
Oh, yes, 1 know. 1t sounds that way
to the outsider. 1 suppose there was
a time when would have seen things
from that standpoint, too. But trial
case Of each sex is liable to settle the
question once for all
Nine women out of ten are fussy
when they are sick There is some
thing in their natures that makes
them want 10 be fused over. If a
woman is sick and uncomfortable her
self she is going to see to it that the
whole household is kept on the jump.
Most OF the diversion an invalid of the
weaker sex gets is to lie in bed and
conjure up things out Of season she
might like TO eat-I am speaking
wholly now Of the well 10 do patient
who goes 10 an expensive sanatorium-
she recommends a coating of tanbark
- mUffie the wheels on the street and
would stop the streetcar service if she
are requested TO take off their shoes
Il they squeak and her nurse is not
Allowed TO wear a skirt that rustles.
Any nurse viii tell you also that
most OF her women patients-there are
always a few bright and shining eX-
ceptions, you must remember-seem
TO have it on their minds that the
nurse has got TO earn her S25 per week.
The fact that the nurse, too. is a
Ia Of
wrought iron never seems to enter
their heads. If the patient notices
that you are sitting down for an idle
moment she viii say, I want a drink
which. when she gets IT. she will
scarcely touch. Or in a querulous tone,
as If you were imposing upon her,
Wont you read me something?" or
Il can't get comfortable, / wish you
would shake up my pillows" or Can't
you stop the Tapping of that window
curtain?" or Don't you see those win
dows are rafting. why haven't you bat
tened them?" or I wish you would
move those flowers to where l can see
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05

prefer men patients. too, so it can not
be that they forfeit their patients con-
sideration by being unattractive
In most cases man will fight off all
the attention he can. "Humph-umph," /"
answers most of your inquiries as to
his comfort or preferences, and at
night he endures in silence as long as
he can before arousing his nurse, if he
thinks she is asleep. curtain awry
or fly on the window is nothing to
him. and he usually abhors a fussy
nurse. Some of the men patients
have had could not have been more
courteous and considerate of me in the
drawing room, where 1 might be of
equal social standing, than they We're
in my capacity as hired nurse. But
this could not be said of any of the
women. even the incest of them, that
have nursed.
NO, no. I'm all right, try to get
little sleep yourself" a man patient is
liable to say when it is a matter of
staying up to do for him, while a
woman, We godsi that's her chance! A
man, whatever he may be when he is
well, usually remembers to say THANK
you for your services, and when he
does not absolutely need you will often
urge you of his own accord to go out
and get the fresh air, or suggest nap
during the afternoon to make up for
the sleep you lost during the night.
My first patient when l was quite
a young nurse set me such a high
standard of patience and consideration
l knew every other one would fall far
below his mark, and they have, but
there has always been an element Of
courtesy that makes me take man
every time in preference TO woman.
This first man of mine was south
erner, and that may account for his
having been a gentleman under all
conditions and at whatever cost of his
own comfort. His wife was self
centered little soul, made so probably
by his practice of self -effacement
Although she knew this must be his
last illness, she could not bring her
self to stay with him because, as she
always explained. feeling that it ex-
cused her from all wifely duty The
sight of poor Henry so pale and enact
ated makes me cry. and | just can't
stand it. weeping always brings on a
headache"
1t was more than his being pale and
emaciated. however, that brought the
=
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05
WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SIR,
BY KISSABLE LIPS?
By NJ. Walker

Kissable lips that what you said?
Or were you just dreaming of something you'd read?
l want to feel fattered, but first tell me true,
Precisely kind sir what the term means to you
There are kisses that scorch and kisses that burn
And kisses 50 sordd the basest must spurn
There kisses of friendship that earth leaven
And kisses from dreamand that whisper of heaven
There are counterfeit kisses so current, they seem
Like the coin of true love- but their gold is dream
There kisses OF chdren-God's smiles on the earth
There are kisses of sympathy, kisses of mirth.
There are kisses as warm the sunshine above
And SO true that they spell every letter of love
They sweet the nectar the honey bee sips
Now what do you mean sir. by kissable lips?
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05

So until the woman patient is either
discharged from the hospital cured.
or lies shrouded in her last sleep, she
can find way to keep her nurse go
Eng. Any nurse will verify this charge,
admitting always the exceptions.
With a man everything is entirely
different. In my five years of expert
ence | nave not found one man who
had not great deal of consideration
for his nurse. 1t is certain phase of
chivalry l may not find when | am
older and have lost my color, and yet
The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05

Then when the patient gets too weak
to talk she still has her signals of
means and groans. She can interrupt
your midnight doze by the short, sharp
groan sure TO arouse the trained ear,
although by the time you have reached
her she may have decided she does not
want to be disturbed after all, but she
has succeeded in getting a rise" out
of her nurse. A series of low groans
are also an unfailing call to her bed
side and a throaty groan will put a
nurse on tenterhooks quicker than the
spoken command
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-06-11
personals

Gordon Miles of San Benito was
here yesterday.
MIR and Mrs. Chas. A. Meuly of Cor
pus Christi are in the city.
J. S. Mcneil of Harlingen was
transacting business in town today.
F. A. Schaff of Harlingen spent last
night in town.
R. L. Chamberlain, a prominent
merchant of Harlingen, was a bust
ness visitor in the city today.
Robert H. Brogelmann and S. A.
Turner of Mercedes were among the
many visitors in the city today.
Judge and Mrs D. B. Chaplin and
son of Chaplin came down on the HI
dalgo branch last night and are regis
tered at the Miller hotel.
Ut. Beamer of Washington, Iowa,
who is interested in some important
business here, has been in the city
several days, being guest at the
Miller.
Mrs. Alba Haywood and baby,
Alba, Jr., are visitors in the city, be-
ing guests at the San Carlos hotel.
Baby Alba has not been quite well
lately and is here on account of his
health.
J.F. Ryan, we'll known real es-
tate dealers of San Antonio, arrived
last night on a short business visit
here. Mr.. Ryan is interested in some
important deals in real estate in the
valley.
H. Muenzenberger, representing
Adams & Citing Co., Chicago, manu-
facturers of the Adelite paint special
ties, arrived a few days ago and will
leave about Sunday. He goes almost
direct to Mexico City and will be two
months in the republic, visiting the
principal cities in the interest of this
firm.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-06-11
SUMMER SCHEDULE ON
RIO GRANDE RY. JUNE !
OF BROWNSVILLE. TEXAS

The following is the summer sched-
ule for the Rio Grande railroad to
take effect Tuesday, June 1st:
Daily, Excepting Saturday, Sunday
and Monday.
Brownsville Point Isabel
Leave 900 a. m. Arrive 1890 a. m.
Arrive $50 p. m. Leave 500 D. m.
Saturdays.
Leave 800 a. m. Arrive 1890 a. m.
Arrive 800 p. m. Leave $3.50 p. m.
Leave $50 p. m. Arrive 700 p m.
Sundays.
Arrive $50 a. m. Leave 700 a. m.
Leave 800 a. m. Arrive 1920 a. m.
Arrive 800 p. m. Leave $3.50 p. m.
Leave $50 p. m. Arrive 6:45 p. m.
Mondays.
Arrive $50 a. m. Leave 700 a. m.
Leave 900 a. m. Arrive 1890 a. m.
Arrive $50 p. m. Leave 500 p. m.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-06-11
A. j. CONRAD RESIGNS.
New General Foreman of Brownsville
Road Shops is W. S. McCarra.

Kingsville, Texas, June "a. j.
Conrad, general foreman of machin-
cry, today resigned his position with
the Brownsville road at Kingsville,
Texas, and was succeeded by w. S.
McCarra, formerly with the Trinity
and Brazos Valley at League City.
Mr.. Conrad viii go to Fort Worth,
Texas, where he has considerable pri-
vate interests and for the present
will not engage in railroad work.
The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-06-11
Notice.

Notice is hereby given that the an
nual meeting of the stockholders and
directors of the Rio Grande Railroad
will be held at the General Offices of
the company in the city of Browns
vile, Cameron county, Texas, on
Thursday the eighth day of July A. D.
1909 at the hour of II o'clock noon
for the transaction of such business
as may come before the meeting.
J. n Miller, w. |. Church,
President. Secretary.
6-4-30