davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-02
IT COST LESS.
DIR. Crumbine's Impressions of
Library of Congress.
Building Cost Less Than
Dreadnaught Battleship.
LIKED THE CAPITAL.
But the Doctor Would Rather
Live in Kansas.
Declares That Members of Con-
gress Work Hard All Time.

DR.. S. ]. Crumbine. secretary of the
state board of health, who spent the
greater part of the month of May in
Washington in attendance at the ma
tional Sunday school and board of
health conventions, is back at his desk
this week. When asked today about
his trip. the doctor said:
washington is a beautiful city, and
never more beautiful than the last OF
april and the first of May. Her broad
avenues, her stately government build
ings, and her beautiful surroundings ut
the confluence of the Potomac and
Anacostia rivers, with the roIllng MUS
of Virginia and Maryland in the dis
lance giving her the name. and very
deservedly, as one of the most beau
tiful cities in the world; and yet with
all her splendid beauty, there are sew
eraI places that are unspeakably filthy.
One in particular worthy of mention is
the fish and oyster wharf, which is a
national disgrace; because of the un-
sanitary surroundings and unspeakab'e
filth. Such conditions as / saw there
could not exist in Kansas "a hours
PERSONALLY. l would not like to live
in washington, there seems to be too
much of an artificial atmosphere, and
it certainly stands out in strong con
trast to the democracy ofskansas. For
here perhaps. more than in any other
drawn.
One thing L found out while in
Washington, and that is that the MEM
bers Of congress are. with scarcely an
exception, hard working hard worked
men. They are at it from early in the
morning until late at night. This is
p, ticularly true of the northern Re
publican congressman, who, of course
are not only most greatly responsible
for the affairs of government, but whG
have in addition a large patronage &c
confer. And while they are drawing
large salaries, it is my candid opinion
that they earn every cent of 1t, and
then some The Kansas bunch are par
ticuIarIv hard working fellows, every
man on the job working almost night
and day.
The most beautiful building II
Washington. and what many travellers
have said is the most beautiful build
ing in the world, is the library of con-
=a4a. xou should first see it In day,
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-02
Must Go to Work First.

WilkeSbarre, Pa, June 2--There
was no change today in the strike of
the $4,000 anthracite mine workers in
the Pittston district The officials of
the Pennsylvania Coal company de-
clare no agreement can be reached un-
til the strikers first return to work ac-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-02
EXPLOSION Kfus Fight.

Allentown, Pa. June 2.-The prema-
ture explosion of blast in the quarry
of the Lehigh Portland Cement COM
pany at West Coplay today killed
eight men. 1t is believed something
fell into one of the holes being drilled,
causing the cap to explode. Three
men were hurled 200 feet.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-02

cording to the rule of the strike COM
mission. The state police are in readi-
ness to move to any point in the region
at short notice.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-02

Weaver, Harry Snyder, Winfred Hag-
gard. Witt Haggard, Roy Camp, Har-
nv Camp, Cecil Holtzle. Dale Estep,
CrvilIe Bobo. Roy Linn and Minor
Bechtol They reported good catch
of fish and a fine time enjoyed.
Everybody reads the state Journal
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-02
Kept the King at Home

For the past year we have kept the King
of all laxatives-Dr. Kings New Life Pills
lin our home and they have proved a
>Mathulka. of Buffalo, N Y. Easy, but
sure remedy for all Stomach. Liver and
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-02

Vim. Loeb Has, Dismissed Fourteen
Weighers From Customs House.

New York, June 2.-The shake-up
in the New York customs house be-
gun several months ago by Collector
William Loeb, jr., has been practically
completed. The final disciplinary
acts in this connection We're announced
| today and included the demotion of
ten men from places as assistant
weighers and inspectors to jobs as
clerks and laborers. Fourteen former
assistant weighers have also been dis
missed from the service during the
past few days.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-02
Nazarene Revival Meetings.

NaZarene Revival Meetings.
Rev. c. B. Jerrugan, district superin-
tendent of the Church of the Nazarenc,
assisted by DR.. H H Miller, president
of the Oklahoma City Holiness college,
will hold series of meetings, begin
ming June Is, 1910. in large tent at 92O
Clay street. All are invited
The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30

persistent exception. He lives in Gal
weston. has a half interest in several
mining claims in Arizona, gets S6
day and is-alasi unmarried.
To the everlasting chagrin OF the
writerling, 1T must be confessed she
has learned her lesson by practical ex-
perience. There was one little note
whose appeal was so strong she fol-
lowed a sudden impulse to answer it
in the spirit in which 1t was written.
Dear Miss -" the note cried,
"do you mean to give the impression
that anywhere in this cold, selfish
world there is so much heart and SYM
pathy, or is your story a satire on the
conditions of modern life? What put
it into your heart to write that story?
Could your own beat as truly for any
oneY'
There was more-just little bit--in
the same vein, and this note was saved
from the big pile and slipped into a
pigeonhole marked special"
Dear Mr. " the author of the
story wrote in reply, "1 made the girl
in my story act IN what seems to me
consistent with any truly womanly
character under the stress of such cir
cunastances," and in a way that
gave her a chance to pose as the model
Of the girl in the story. 1t was an i'll
advised thing to do. she knew when
seemed desolate and heart hungry and
at the time she, too, felt bit lonely
Several weeks elapsed before an an
swer came in a woman's handwriting
informing the person who had written
TO her husband about some fool story
that she might consider the episode
closed.
The more old fashioned heroics you
put into a story the surer you are of
finding a claimant for your inspira-
tion. And the frankness with which
"I am that man." or that woman was
myself" is avowed quite takes away
your breath. If every Christian virtue
and every heroic deed recorded in the
history Of the world could be combined
and embodied in one good looking hero
figure, he would be claimed by some
one as the prototype Of his own char
acter and the writer charged with
drawing his model from real life. These
are the people who imagine their steps
dogged by the plot hunter and hint
darkly at members Of their'o own house.
holds being tr-r-raitors to their conf
dence, quite oblivious of the 10000. 900
other people in the United States with
possible heart histories-they are sure
to allude to them as heart histories
OF their own, in the Importance Of their
little one act drama.
Names, too, are an unfailing source
OF suggestion TO selr conscious public.
1t is the aim of the author to avoid
anything personal in names and his
golden mean is a name noneommittal
yet not too commonplace, but 1t is
safe hazard that there never was a
heroic character presented through
printed columns that some good soul
does not, fatter himself is named for
him. For instance, a lovely, blue eyed
young thing living in world of yachts
q mr. pIrfn xuhp he
traitor makes slender. graceful and
aristocratic looking Is the motif of this
effusion:
Dear Miss -: My name Is Elizabeth
The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30

woman possibility when he begins to
reach the public through his pen.
The idle life of the apartment house.
superficial education and lack of prac
teal training and employment are
doubtless directly responsible for this
want of womanly reserve. but the
sociological conditions back of this
overdevelopment of the emotional side
of a certain class of women make the
result no less abnormal
Two qualifications for this state of
affairs are always requisite-an undis
ciplined mind and unemployed time
The writer would be willing to wager
a years income that If every woman
who, before she sits down to write her
"soul sentiments" to the author of
purple" love story, would spend one
whole day occupied in normal domes-
tic duties the note would never be
written. The hands that sew on but
tons, dust away cobwebs, wash dishes
and do the innumerable useful, whole
some things for which they are by ma
ture designed do not pen Mysteries on
soul heroics. For extreme cases
days scrubbing might be necessary to
reduce the hands to their proper
sphere, but once roughened and red
dened by hot soapSuds and a good. stiff
scrubbing brush. they would not race
so glibly over eight pages of mono
gram paper to ebulliate into the ears
of a strange man "the subsurface fer
ment of misdirected temperament"
The author who creates a strong
self-sacrificing and self-respecting
womanly character, not beautiful nor
surrounded by suitors, may possibly
receive few sane, simple notes from
his readers, thanking him for the
pleasure and source of strength his
book has been to them. But let him
evolve a wrath of the mist, a bubble
of the air woman, with neither char
acter nor principle, but with a snake
like fascination for the flock of men
always surrounding her, with the heart
Of a vampire and the face of the virgin,
and every tenth woman who squanders
The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30

why it is that certain sensitive, iso-
lated temperaments are born to live
and suffer, misunderstood by all around
them You. who have evidently made
a study of this unusual temperament,
must be interested in the type at large.
so l am going to ask you to. tell me
whether it Is your conviction that this
exquisite, exotic creature was destined
by cruel fate never to meet her true
soulmate and lived out her short life
lonely and misunderstood"
Idleness, vanity, morbid selfshness
are stamped in indelible characters all
over this note; this is the sort of
woman who has never a thought for
others from morning till night and
whose four little glass walls are clos
ing in on her. with deadly certainty.
These notes, I think, are not usually
taken seriously enough by an author
to be answered; he knows too well that
the episode of both book and letter
will be lost in the thrills Of the next
novel; but this note has been made an
exception and was answered at length
In this wise:
MY dear madam: The character
of Volna,- to my mind. represents a
wholly weak and worthless woman
used merely as a foil to Learsworth:
one of the calamities he overcafne.
hope her type does not exist beyond
dote for 1t. however Is hard work and
plenty of 1t in the fresh air and sun
shine If you know OF any one suffer
ing from symptoms OF the Volna ma
ture induce her to try vigorous lawn
moving, raising a vegetable garden
and committing to memory the ninety
first psalm"
To this class of women, idle, self
indulgent. undisciplined and with no
firm hoc ciS ~ arfv fnIa t-I,o
unwholesome diet OF morbid fiction,
the author becomes a sort of vice
providence. who rules his domain with
improved modern methods, pal1iating
attractive sins and condoning smart
crimes against the old fashioned deca-
logue. For instance.
II, like Lady Millicent In your story
Millworth,' am the unhappy complex
ity of the failings of my forefathers. 1
can't help what I do. Do you believe
there is any use In trying to stem the
current Of fate or heredity or what
ever you call it? You, with q nature
broad enough to transcend the petty
conventions of this commonplace
world seem to be the only person who
understands me, although we have
never met. Do you ever come to Mil
waukee? If so, do not fail to let me
know it." The note goes on a few
pages further, limiting at possible
correspondence on soul plane to
which her husband could not possibly
object. even If he were keen enough
and she stupid enough to admit of a
discovery. All of which reveals a
broad purple streak kept in bounds by
her surroundings, not by her own vir-
tue; the vaporizings of an overworked
writerman manufacturing entertain
ment at so much per word being
caught at for an excuse for drifting
toward inevitable damnation in def
ance Of certain ironclad thou shalt
nots' in vogue long before her code
of sans gene.
The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30
Fl. RAcNEJ2o

which it is defaced, aside from the de-
fective spelling, point to a possible
discrepancy in the quality Of the du-
plicate Elizabeth Blakelys. But little
Mamie Blakely, whose postmark is Red
Lick. Neb., will be telling her grand
children some day how 1t happened
that she was made the heroine of
story in an illustrated magazine.
Another note, smacking of schoolgirl
teens, drops in upon the writer one
morning with this kind correction:
Dear Lady-You have spelled my name
wrong; I spell 1t Margarete Bloomfield
and you have gone and spelled it in
your story Marguerite. I am awfully
sorry this mistake has happened be-
cause there are lots of people who will
not think this is me. Next time please
remember spell it Margarete, which /
think is much prettfer anu good deal
easier"
small check inclosed as ''hush
money" in an unsigned note Is the best
proof the writer has ever had OF the
way a shoe sometimes pinches Dear
Madam-Here is check which 1 think
will make it worth your while to say
nothing more about the little matter
you took UP In your story, Bound for
a Term 1 can't think how you got
wind of 1t, but I'll tell you this: it
won't do you any good to air what you
know"
Occasionally little notes come in to
the author thanking her for the pleas
ure some story or article has given the
reader, signed but with no address
given, showing they are merely an ex-
preston of appreciation with no hope
of a reply. Then there are the auto
graph hunters who tell you frankly
they want only your name or who tell
you that while they recognize the fact
that you are not famous today they
predict future for you and think your
name will be worth while in time
bargain hunters getting your name
while it is easy!
The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30
The Man Behind the Pen

If your publisher insists upon run
ning your photograph with the an
nouncement of your forthcoming book,
Won stand with breast barred 10 the
enemy. Having dredged the murky
depths Of your mind through your
Trirted nages. and your countenance
bavinsr become familiar through adver-
tisements, your idle minded woman
reader regards you no longer as
strange man. You are now a fair tar
get for her confessions. The woman
thorn in the authors path unlike that
of the popular actor. IS not the sentt-
mental. uniformed school girl who falls
in love with the stage hero because
he goes down on his knees SO grace
fully or has such curly hair The
letters the author receives are mostly
from married women who have ex-
perienced enough of life to understand
covert conditions and implied predica-
ments living on emotional chocolate
creams and scorning brown bread and
gravy. And. worst of all, doubtless
supported in their tdleness by fond,
hard working, unsuspectins husband
The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30

w the pigeonholes OF every author
may be found two stacks Of let
ters. AS the stack of printed
slips saying I'VE regret that the
incIosed manuscript is not available
ceases TO grow, the other pile increases
IN converse proportion-this is the col
lection OF notes that drift in to the
writer after the publication of sue
cessful book or story.
But It is the writer Of the magazine
story, the short love story, whose mail
is heaviest with notes from interested
readers. A matrimonial agency de-
veloped along the lines Of writer and
reader Of the modern tense love story
would put the present methods out Of
commission.
II the writer be a woman. signing
herself merely Mary Smith, which is
The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30

six good working hours over his rot
will souander another hour composing
a letter to him in perhaps this style
this note Is chosen at random from
pile:
INV Dear Mr. The character
of Volna in your beautiful and delight
full book sets cho- d vibrating IN my
nature that has never before Deen
touched. Now. at last, 1 understand
The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30
The Woman,@ the Pc

way is to wait long enough before an
swering to let the enthusiasm of the
sender of the note wear off, then
thank him for the kind things he has
said about your work in a broad and
general way, avoiding confessions of
personal nature. This is usually the
end of the readers interest in you. To
this rule, however, the. plumber is
The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30

Blakely. like the girl IN your story,
although everybody always calls me
Mamie. Where did you ever meet me-?
I did not know you knew me. But
anyway, I don't mind If you do put me
into your stories; you can put me IN all
of them IF you want to-
The pink paper with its cheap scent
and the uncertain characters with
The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30

q EXT to the popular matinee idol
N 1t is, perhaps, the man behind
~ the pen whose path is most
thickly set with the woman
thorn. The young fellow who has
grown up revering his mother, loving
his sisters and respecting his friends
learns regretfully this side of the
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-03-19
The conuBued
Story Of
Current Events.

If you wish to place a loan on
improved farm property. call on
c. J.. Pryor, Bemidji, MINI.
Mr.. and Mrs. G, O. Eberhardt OF
Thief River Falls, came to the city
yesterday noon from their home at
Thief River" and spent several
hours in Bemidji. They left last
evening for Kelliher, with the inten.
ton of going from that place to
Battle River, to visit with ]. Jerome,
the father of Mrs. Eberhardt.
Walter Walker of Crookston, one
of the old.time residents of the
Queen City," came to the city
yesterday from Kelliher, where he
had some horses working in the
camps of Ross & Ross. He will
take the teams to Erskine and will
work them on grading work for the
500 Railway company for several
months.
Rev. E. M. Keihm, pastor of the
Methodist church at Walker, spent
last night in Bemidji, acting as one
of the judges at the .declamatory
contest. Rev. Keihm stated, before
returning home this morning, tina,
the contest had brought out some OF
the very best declarations that he
had ever heard, in a high school
contest.
William Robinson and Peter Dick
were in the city last night from
their camps near Laporte. They
have finished cutting timber fol
this winter; and they state that
the season was a good one with
them. They cut and banked some
1O,8OO,OOO feet of timber-a big
amount for comparatively small
operators.
Low rates for loug distance ser.
vice over the lines of the North.
western Telephone Exchange com.
pany makes it possible for you to
use this service to advantage.
Ben Schneider left last night for
his home in Minneapolis, after hav.
ing spent several days in the city,
consulting with his partner, Charles
Cominsky. Mr.. Schneider stated
again that be and Mr.. Cominsky
would at once begin remodeling the
odd Miles corner" for the installing
of the only independent clothing
store in Bemidji."
A flock of geese, genuine "honk.
ers," flew over Bemidji yesterday,
and they were headed straight fol
the north country. This might be
an indication of spring; but as a
goose is supposed to be first cousin
of loon, there is no telling exactly.
In their flight northward, the geese
looked something like this:
~ ~
~ ~
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-03-19

William Gerlinger Of Spur los
was business visitor in Bemidji
today.
Attorney John Brown left this
morning for Brainerd, where he went
on legal mission.
am prepared to make reason
able loans on improved farm prop
erty. c. ]. Pryor, Bemidji,
Mimi.
Prof. w. B. Stewart, superintend-
ent of Beltrami county schools,
returned to the city this morning
from a visit to several of the schools
up NORTH" on the M. & I.
Mr.. and Mrs. f. L. Oberg and son
Lee of Blackjack were among the
north-country residents who came to
the city this morning and spent the
day here. Mr.. Oberg is owner of
the Blackjack American, and is
getting out a frst-class paper.
The Cohasset department of the
Grand Rapids Herald Review says
of a visit of A. G.. Wedge, IT,, of
this city to Cohasset, the past week,
as follows: "A. G. Wedge, Jr., of
Bemidji, was in the village Tues
day in connection with the estab-
lishment of a bank at this place. "
John Pacha and his SOD, Eddie,
came down this morning from their
home at Blackjack and spent the
day in Bemidji. John intimated that
the executive committee of the
Blackjack Handcar Club might get
together soon and arrange for the
annual meeting of the order, to be
held at Blackjack lake, sometime in
May. -- ~--
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-03-19

Good chance to buy your furni-
ture, household goods and piano at
Mrs. Berman's. 917 Minnesota.
w. A. Currie, travelling representa-
tive for she Northern Grocery COM
pany, returned this morning from a
trip to Kelliher.
Mrs. K. Gibbs came to the city
this morning from her home at Far
ley and spent the day here look
ing after some shopping and visiting
with friends.
It is waste of time to write
letters when such good service at
low rates can be secured. Use the
long distance service of the North.
western Telephone Exchange COM
pany.
Louis Hanson, the Ada miller,
came to the city last night from a
visit north of Bemidji. Mr.. Hanson
spent the night and this forenoon in
Bemidji and left this afternoon for
his home at Ada.
Harry Mills departed this morn.
ing for Duluth, going by way of
Brainerd; and he will visit over
Sunday in Duluth with his son, H.
E. Mills, who is an engineer on
the N. P. railway.
John Sibley, the Minneapolis
logger, has finished logging near
Laporte. Mr.. Sibley was in Be-
midi last evening, and he stated
that he had cut and banked about
100000 feet during the past
winter, on the "Akeley-Lake George
Spur"
Another crowd of laboringmen
came to the city this morning from
the lumber camps north of here, and
they have spent the day, for the
most part, getting Cleaned up"
and purchasing new clothes and
supplies and preparing to leave for
their respective homes.
Oscar L. Hill of Minneapolis,
travelling passenger and freight agent
for the Toledo, St. Louis & Western
and Chicago & Alton railways, and
John Leib of Minneapolis, travelling
freight agent for the Milwaukee
line, were transacting business in
Bemidji last night. Both gentlemen
had heard of the large freight ship
ments from this point and were here
in search of business for their
respective lines of transportation.
C.. M. Workings, formerly of VAL
ley City, N. D., and more, lately
resident of Montana, is a newcomer
to the city who will hereafter make
his home in Bemidji. Mr.. Workings
is an expert jeweler, and he has
accepted a position with the George
T. Baker company, in their manu-
featuring and repair department.
This, company is now receiving
orders for original makings of jewelry
of all kinds, as well as diamonds,
many of the, orders coming from
points in North Dakota and as far
north as along the Canadian
boundary, in northern Beltrami,
zoochiching and adjoining counties