davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
THE BRIDGE LAW.

Approval should be given at the COM
ing session of the legislature to the re-
quest that will be made by the commits
sioners Of several counties for change
in the general bridge law which places
1900 as the limit that any one county
can spend in making repairs to a
bridge, unless a larger sum which may
be needed is authorized by the people
in voting favorably on bond issue for
this purpose. This is a new provision
of law, During it's brief existence,
though, it's utter futility has been
demonstrated.
In a number of counties, where good
sized streams have to be bridged, it has
been found impossible to repair many
of the bridges that have been swept
out or severely damaged by floods for
any such meager sum as $4,000. Most
of these bridges are essential con-
veniences for the people living in the
localities they connect. To delay re-
pairing such bridges until q special
election can be called and bonds voted
for the purpose IS an unreasonable
proposition, Furthermore, the chance
is always good that such bonds will fail
to carry. Many men will vote against
If1SIn On tile ScIGIdf tAt-I
they are opposed to bond issues. 9th
ers will vote against them because
there has not been sufficient oppor-
tunity to educate them up to the need
of repairing a particular bridge. The
mere fact that the bridge was built in
the first place is all the evidence that
is generally needed of it's desirability.
And the way should be easy to keep it
in perfect repair at all times, even if
most of it is washed away by a flood
and has to be rebuilt.
Under the old law on this subject, a
bridge could be repaired at any ex-
pense which did not go beyond the orig
inal cost of its construction. It is diff
ficult to figure out what good objection
there can be to such a plan. and it is a
mystery to explain why 1t was changed
in such an Intellectual manner. The
sum of $4,000 might be more than
enough to make any kind of repairs to
the bridges in many of the counties
where such streams as traverse them
are not large. But what would be rea-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
Hobble Skirt i'm Court.

A hobhle skirt which, so it's said,
measured Just IA inches at the ankle
line, was brought to the New Jersey
avenue police court today by Miss
Frances Stultz, who was complainant
against a next-door neighbor, Bertha
Lang,
Mrs. Lang is the wife of John Lang,
who once, before he married the de-
PENDANT in today's case, was quite at
tentive to the complainant, it was
brought out. The two young women
met on the afternoon of Sunday, Octo-
Der IS, and had a stormy time. Miss
Stultz alleged that Mrs. Lang struck
her, pulled her hair, and called her
q 'hussy'' and "eat."
Mrs. Lang denied it today. In retort
she told the magistrate that Miss
StultS kicked her.
why, how could II" demanded
Miss Stultz. "I have here in court the
very dress that I wore on that day,
and if could kick any one with that
on I'd like to have you show me how
The magistrate did not offer to show
Miss Stultz how one could operate
ones limbs when ones limbs were in
eased in a 14-inch hobble skirt, but
lodged the question by dismissing the
complaint and sending both girls
Eagle.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30

sonable legislation for such counties
might be most unreasonable for many
other counties and that is exactly the
case in this particular. A law on such
subject as this should be elastic
enough to cover the varying conditions
throughout the entire state.
As q matter of fact there is too much
interference on the part of the legis-
lators with the administration Of
county and city affairs. They go too
far in fixing limits on the sums Of
money that county or a city may ex-
pend for particular purposes. 1t is all
right for the legislature to limit the
size OF the debts that cities and coun-
ties may incur. But a stop should be
made there. A city or a county should
be given all possible freedom in the ex-
penditure of its funds. Exigencies often
develop in them that the most tnteli-
gent and best meaning of legislators
cannot foresee. And frequently these
cannot be met by local officials because
of ill-advised state laws.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30

is given to free men. it is apparent
that there are plenty of individuals
who are willing to sell their Votes if
buyers are in the field. And among
them are men who are well-to-do, who
did not need the paltry sums their
votes brought, Something of sympa-
thy may so out to the poverty
stricken fellow who sells his vote for
the price of a meal ticket, or even to
the bum who will sell his vote that he
may satisfy his craving for whisky,
but for the man of some means who
will sell his vote just to satisfy his
aVarieious craving for a. piece of the
money he knows. to be going around,
there is nothing but contempt. disgust
and abhorrence.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
KANSAS CQAAENT
MUST THE FRoCK. COAT GO?

MUST THE FROCK COAT GO?
Word comes from Lendon, and it
comes apparently without a.tremor or
any other external evidence of internal
emation, to the effect that the frock
coat has fallen under the ban. It is
still worn In respectable society, of
course; 1t Is still worn by men who
think themselves properly attired
when they put it on; but. SO the die
tufn runs, 1t Is worn no more among
those who are recognized as the well
dressed of fashionable society. They
say that the froek coat has nobody to
blame for this but itself. For over a
hundred years attempts have been
made at intervals to reform it. to up
lift It, to soften it's hard, somber
lines; but it has continued stubhornly
so its critics and enemies say-to
present a cold, formal and unyielding
appearance. chilling many a gathering
that might otherwise have been gay!
It is claimed that the somher tone
or the frock coat is irremovabfe by
any process known to the sartorial art.
Three. afternoons or evenings in
ffock coat, it is alleged, would unfit
the average man for laughing at the
best Joke that ever was told. There
are stories to the effect that the froek
coat custom, when carried to excess,
has caused financial panics and led to
political OverturningS.
Latterly, SO it is claimed, the frock
coat has had a stronger tendency than
ever toward making the wearer look
wooden. Experiments have been car
ried on, it seems, that show the ex-
act effect of change from a light
sack to freck. The man in the sack
is shown by photographs to be full of
animation and unalloyed joy. The
same man in a frock has lost most of
his animation, and seems to be discon-
tented with his position in life.
The great aim of frock coat par
tisans has been to change it's lines so
that they conform at least to some ex-
tent with an optimistic age. In doing
this some of them went too far and
gave the frock a careless. rakish cut.
Sadder even than the gloomy frock is
the frock that tries to be frivolous.
One rakish frock coat would break up
a ratification meeting.
There appears no way out of it but
to let the frock coat go. But how
many hundreds of years will intervene
before 1t shall have finally gone only
those can tell who have been predict
ing the extinction of the swallowtail
from the time of the seventh dynasty.
|-Coffeyville Journal.
90
THE LATEST GOULD FTASCO.
1t is announced that Vivian Gould
will marry Baron Decies, an English
nohleman. We always thought that
George Gould had some common sense
Profting from past experiences he
should know better than to marry his
daughter of eighteen to title of forty
four. Neither money nor title nor both
will make happy marriage. 1t is
unnatural that s'bud'' of eighteen
should possess a wifely love for a
faded flower" of forty-four, The next
step, the divorce courts. is q short one.
Such marriages, to US, appear to be
bordering upon licensed prostitution
Arkansas City Traveller.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
QUAKER MEnrTAi'ToNs.

IFroln the Philadelphia Recerd.]
If he is in perfect health. even the
blind man may look well.
We generally have a short acquain-
tance with a fellow who is broke.
It seems that even when he is at
home the weather man is generally
away Off.
Mrs. Struckoil-"Are the Bjones
friends of yours?" Mrs. Newrich-"Oh
no; merely relatives
Don't make love to the girl across
the street just on the theory that We
should marry our opposites.
Even the woman who complains of
heart failure can run up a bill without
getting out of breath about it.
Blobbs-'I can tell a ze-fghter a
mile off,, Slobbs-"Yes, a prize-fghter
generally has a striking personality"
It is doubtful if Diogenes would
have made out any better with a mod
ern searchlight than he did with his
ancient lantern.
Tommy-"Pop, what is ennui %
Tommy's Pop-t'Ennui. my son, is a
disease that attacks the people who
are so lazy they get tired of resting"
NelI-"A lovers quarrel always re-
minds me of a crazy quilt" Belle
That's one on me. I'll bite" Nell
well. it's generally patched up, isn't
it?"
Second thoughts are always. BEST
quoted the Wise Guy. That may be -
admitted the Simple Mug, 'but like
most things that are best, they are
most expensive.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
FROM OFFER PENS
THE VICE PRESIDENCY.

1T is only in our latitudinarian age
that men scoff at the vice presidency,
but as late as 1922 Henry Wilson dill
gently sought it, and resigned a SEN
atorship. on which he had life lease,
to accept it. But four years later
Thomas A. Hendricks had to be draft
ed to stand as candidate for the place,
and perhaps it is historic truth that
his rejection of the nomination for
second place cost the Democratic par
ty the election of 1880. Yet Hen
bricks was forced to take it in 1884
and the fact was a thing in the nature
of poetic justice.
1t is doubtful If more delightful
man socially than James S. Sherman
ever held the office of vice president.
He is a thorough parliamentarian, an
accomplished presiding officer, and q
very able man. Would it not be to
the advantage of the republic if the
vice president were created a member
of the senate from the United States
at large, with a voice to debate and
vote to cast in the senate? We think
so; and If such additional right and
dignity were conferred on the vice
president. we would hear no more of
those indignant refusals to stand for
second place.
But then our constitution is a rigid
instrument, and perhaps it would take
years and years of agitation to con-
vince and later persuade the people to
add the dignity and power of sena-
tor to the office of vice PRESIDENT
Washington Herald.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
GLOBE SIGH S.
IFrom the Atchison Globe

IETOm the AIcnlSOn GlODe-1
A man who has played violin never
makes a very satisfactory drummer for
the reason that he is always watching
for mistakes of the fiddlers.
The world is becoming pretty swift:
a man who drove into the country yes
terday saw a farmer driving to town
on top of a load of corn. and smoking
a cigarette,
When we look at the poorest grocery
store in town. we wonder that it gets
any trade at all, considering how good
the best one is. But the poorest grocery
store always gets along fairly well.
We heard a man give an excuse to-
day for shooting quail: A flock flies
up suddenly beside the road, and
scares teams. A good many bad run
Always, he says, have been caused IN
this way.
Americans put too large an imprint
on everything they make. When q
farmer buys new wagon, he is really
hauling about a sign for the manufac-
turer.
Lots of people are nearly as smart
as John D. Rockefeller, the worlds
richest man; but the little difference
makes a big difference
Did you ever notice the dry, juieeiess
laugh a man uses when a woman tells
him of the funny sayings of her
blessed baby?
The next time you find lot of men
together, ask them this question: How
long since you have been to church?'
There is a good deal of talk lately of
the immense value of exercise" Here
is the greatest exercise of them all: thu
exercise of Common Sense.
A successful retail merchant in a
small town should never appear overly
prosperous. Misery loves company,
and often insists on having it.
There are mighty few events impor-
tant enough to celebrate. but many
that are important enough for an ex-
cuse for celebration.
There is such a thing as having too
much Faith. For instance: the faith
you have that q friend will not repeat
the secrets you tell him.
In some part of every town, you will
find a dog neighborhood'' where
every family owns dogs, which bark
at each other all night.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30

he held her quietly until the heavy
sobbing had ceased.
I'm awfully silly Ruth looked up
at Drake through shining tears. 1.-THE
s5srussie mas been long and hard,
TO be here so terribly at times,
Dear; Drake asked tenderly,
when do you saile"
am not soing-now," Ruth look
ed up quickly.
Bobby smiled. Yes you are" He
knew that this withdrawal of the
stronger Ruth was but momentary.
fou are going over to the land of
art ana work even harder than you
nave here-hecause you have more at
More at stake? How can I have
now that l have won-you,'
Winning is only the first STEP" he
answered with a quizzical light in his
eyes.
Robert Drake, Do you mean to tell
me that you would cease to love me
II failed at the last minute and gave
UP my art pa
Il mean exactly that. The girl I
have always loved is not made of the
stuff that gives up He lifted her
face and looked into her eyes. you
would not be that girl if you gave
up"
ST have indeed won" the girl
breathed softly.
oh, I say-excuse met"
Jimmy Rogers had burst into the
room, followed by a girl with flushed
cheeks and happy eyes.
Il supposed the trip to Paris is in
definitely postponed and that Drake
and l are done out of this dandy little
fiat"
Neither" put in Bob, 1--WE will take
the fiat and also make one trip a year
to Paris
Jimmy Rogers and Alice livery ex-
changed chances. She was the fluffy.
dainty kind who knew not a Gibson
from Peter Paul Rubens
Il suppose Ruth will always need
me-" she sighed, "to keep house for
her.
Not on your life." put in Jimmy,
more firmly than loquently.-fCopy-
righted 1910, by Associated Literary
Pressl
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.

IF'rom the Chicago News.
A long head usually contains a short
tongue
Kind words never die See that
few more are born.
And the higher people fly the colder
the atmosphere.
It is better to bend to the ineyita ble
than to go broke.
You can't always measure wornen's
troubles by their signs.
If you want to know how to man.
age wife ask a bachelor.
A man isn't necessarily tipsy be-
cause he tips the waiter.
He is a poor workman-or q roo-
politician--who blames his tools
No man is half as important as h.
thinks other people think he is
The florist can raise the price when
he can't raise anything else.
A man seldom looks as MAD
sounds when he uses unprintaf1e
words.
Circumstances alter cases for r,,,.,,
less, than a lawyer will undertake to
do it. >>-.ee ~
Do not put your happiness in .o,a
storage: Let the world have the BEN
Anyway, father can look forward -
the bills that will be presented 70 III. -
the first of the year. 'i''
And it is usually the man who has
no cause Tor complaint that seems -
nave grudge against the world.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
EVNOR or THE Day

Il suppose you cheered my speech be-
cause my arguments convinced you?" said
Senator Sorghum. mo" answered Farm
er Corntossei. II cheered because you
showed your sense by sayin' the things
had already been tfainkin'- ''-Washingto
Star.
sOf course" said Mr. SIRIUS Barker ST
want my daughter to have some sort of
an artistic education. think I'll have her
study singing" why not art or iiteTa-
ture?" Art spells canvas and paint and
literature wastes reams of paper. Sing
ing merely produces q temporary disturb
ance of the atmosphere. ashington
Star.
REPRESENTATIVES Brush--I suppose
you dop mlnd my being in your field,
longer you stay, the better, miss. Fact is,
season.-London Taller.
Nearing Wholesome men," said
Uncle Eben, has a way of tellin' you to
be good ID, . dat scuns like dey thought dey
ments. ''-Washington Star.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
YESTERDAY

YESTERDAY.
MY soul is fain to drink of Joy;
Thy cup is full of tears,
All, take it from me, nor destroy
The dream of future yearsi
Tny face is fair, but grief is there
And grief but wastes and sears.
We two have been companioned long:
NOW straightway let US part!
another and a dearer song,
BY some mysterious art.
Draws young, sweet breath while thy
lips of death
Yet whisper to my heart.
All. joy it is timid thing,
And easily tits slain;
A tender firstling of the spring,
1T shrinks at touch of pain:
Then haste away, dread Yesterday!
Nor hither come again!
So quickly? But who goes with thee
UHrecognized before?
Are hope, alas! and memory
Thus Joined forever more?
Then must thou stay, D Yesterday
Lest joy, too, quit my door.
Florence Earle Coates in Harper's Mag
azine.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
How Lane saw washington.

In Washington lives John Lane, a
descendant on his fathers side of an
old Virginia family, and on his moth
er's side of an old New England family.
Mr.. Lane is Sc years of age. For some
years he has liked to puzzle people
whom he met by telling them that he
was the only living person who ever
saw George Washington. Now, as
George Washington died in 1899 and as
Mr.. Lane is only Sc years old, it can be
understood that persons to whom the
statement of having seen George
Washington was made We're naturally
incredulous and looked on their in
formant as either being something of a
joker or as being something which
they did not care to mention when
facing him.
When the old Virginian has excited
curiosity or incredibly to the highest
pitch he will make explanation. When
he was boy about 10 years old he
was standing on the road in George
town when Mount Vernon stage
coach passed. The driver knew the
boy, and asked him if he wanted a
ride. He did, and he climbed up and
took his seat beside the driver and
stuck there all the way to Mount YER
non. 1t happened that at the time of
their arrival the body of Washington
was being moved from the old tomb 20
the new one, and in order to make sure
that the ghouls who had entered the
old sepulcher some time before had not
disturbed the remains of the Father of
His Country the coffin was opened and
the boy Lane was lifted up to look
upon the face of the first American -
So it is that today Mr.. Lane can say
truthfully that he is the only living
person who ever saw George Washing
ton. Everybody else who was present
at the removal of the remains died long
go---Washington Letter to Chicago
Evening Post.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
JOURNAL ENTRIES

Time is also like money In this
respect; much of it is wasted.
One of the disagreeable features
about fauftfinding is that much of it is
deserved,
x
Another delightful fancy is that the
finding of an old horse shoe will bring
you good luck.
= = y
If every man got Just exactly what
he deserves there would be much
more protesting going on.
y y x
AS soon as a man gets reputation
for being generous. a whole lot of peo-
pie begin to impose upon him.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30
LIMERICKs.
Taseo. :"

AcSSOn Nv.
Having evaded the minions Of the
law Tor the time being. we will resume
our consideration of that form of dis
orderly conduct known as the limerick.
by putting over-if the editor Will
stand for 1.-THE following gem:
A farmer who farms in Manhattan
HAD purchased a porker to fattan,
But the ignorant chump
Used bicycle pump
(And we doubt if we get by with that
tam
Pupils may find profitable employ
ment in remodelling the above; it
needs it,
Mr.. A. Hopeless Mutt of this city con-
tributes the following:
There came man from Marias des
Cygnes;
He was tall and exceedingly lygnes;
He wore yellow shoes
And tobacco he chews
And to everybody seemed very mygnes.
1t may be observed that Mr.. Mutt
has the right idea, but his meter re-
sembles the one which the gas COM
pany so kindly left in our cellar; it runs
TOO tast Mr. Mutt should kick a few
syuapleS out or the first and last lines.
1t may be gathered from the follow
ing that one may take almost any kind
OF liberty with the English language
after chloroforming it-and still pro-
duce a limerick:
A church member living in Pekin
Tried to slip out ahead of the Dekin,
Who was passing the plate;
But sad to relate
The tight-wad's new shoes began
squekin.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30

Incidentally. it may not be out OF
place to emphasize the fact that Mr..
philip w. Whitcomb of this city, who
has been awarded one of the Rhodes
scholarships for Kansas. has beer a
shining light on the football Held
There are some people. you know, who
argue that a college student who goes
in for football and other sports. is
good for nothing else.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30

1t seems to run in the family Sem
ator Bristow was not in congress very
long before he seemed to have an idea
that he was an expert in the framing
of laws and the conduct of the federal
government. Senator Bristow's son has
not been Rhodes scholar at Oxford
long. but he has already branched out
as an expert on the social customs Of
this institution and the part the Ameri-
cans play in them.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30

Another romance has surely been
shattered. A patrol wagon driver in
Chicago received a manicure set from
his lady fair for a Christmas gift. And
the day after Christmas the brutal
thing took 1t to the store and ex-
changed it for a curry-comb. That
fellow deserves to be boiled in oil. The
chances are that he needed a manicure
set quite as much as his horse did a
clIrrv-copab
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30

Kansas Republicans of all shades
are beginning to talk of the necessity
of harmonizing their differences. They
figure out that if they don't the
chances of their cause being successful
two years hence are not very bright.
This is reminiscent of that old, old
story about the farmer who made
elaborate plans to keep thieves out of
his barn after one of his valuable
horses had been stolen.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30

Frank Gotch, the wrestler, has sig
nified his willingness to make an ef-
fort to come back" Aud he is OBJ
sessed with the same nodesty that is
common with professional athletes of
the champion variety. If he makes an
other match his opponent must be will
ing TO put up a side bet of from $4,000
To 100000 If Andy Carnegie and Uncls
John D. could only be interested in the
wrestling game, and on opposite sides,
perhaps there would be no trouble in
arranging a side bet of 100000
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30

Miss Eleonora Sears. of Beacon
street, Boston, Mass, is now in the
same class with Jack Johnson Every
time she pulls off a fool stunt she is
given much notoriety in the newspa-
pers. And she's got to the point now
where she is doing something foolish
every other day.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-30

If the plans of Representat:ve-elect
watson of Allen county go through, it
Is likely that the bank robbers and
house burglars who have been operat-
ing with such success in Kansas of
late will seek newer if not richer pas
lures. Mr.. Watson proposes that such
criminals be sent to prison for life.
And the seconds to this motion will be