davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
MRS. FENsEN,s PLIGHT.

What are the people of Topeka do
ing to help Mrs. G. E. Fensen and her
five children on their way? Nothing,
apparently, and before many days
have passed this unfortunate woman
and her young brood may be in dire
want.
When Mr.. Fensen entered the water
cistern on West Seventh street, where
an explosion of gas occurred that in
jured him so severely that he died
after a couple of weeks of lingering
pain, he was doing a task of duty for
the city which had been assigned to
him. 1t matters not what caused that
explosion or whose, if anybody's. care
lessness was responsible Tor it. The
fact that Mr.. Fensen received in
juries which caused his death while
he was working for the people of To-
peka, makes it incumbent upon them
to see to it that his surviving wife
and children are strangers to want in
any form.
Something has been done for Mrs
Fensen and her little ones. During
the weeks that her late husband was
lowering between life and death his
name was kept on the city payroll
ana his wages turned over to his wife.
The city also provided 800 to pay the
expenses of his funeral. AS soon,
though, as Mrs. Fensen, through her
attorneys, filed claim against the
city for something like adequate dam
ages for the loss of her husband. all
aid from the city was cut off from her
Is this anywhere near enough to do
for this woman? Few people will have
the temerity to say yes.
It may be months or year or two
before Mrs. Fensen's just claim against
the city is adjudicated, before she gets
any money from it. Are she and her
family to be permitted to suffer in
want until the settlement Of her claim
is brought about? 1t is to be hoped
not.
Comparisons are never in very good
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
HuM0R or THE Day

IF it's all the same to you" said
Socrates. waving aside the bowl Of hem
!!ock, I'd prefer to go by the gas route
urged his neig'hhors You know that gas
has not been invented et."-Philadeiphia
Ledger.
Achilles was lamenting his vulnerable
neel know my wife will make me
exciai n wHsn S4me IN the house, he
comforted.--Puck.
TT is hard to tell who stands best
partial with her smiies?'' yes; and her
father is equally impartial with his stock
market tips. Herald.
The Judge-Did you arrest this chauf-
feur for speeding? The Policeman-Eo.
yer honor; pulled i'm in fer obstructin'
hour, an he was Complained about about by b.,
them that was riding at tn regular rate
Chicago News.
Fuddy-Yes, that's Cartwright over
there. He's won several aviation prizes.
and consequently holds his head pretty
the aerrostocracy, eh?"-Boston Trans
cript.
Ostend-And, pa, is there always water
in the stock market? Pa-Yes, my son.
Ostend-But how do you know, par Pa
ing a plunge theresSChicago News.
your boy is in college, isn't he?' yes"
What business or profession will he fol-
low when he leaves college?'' Crippled
beggar on street corner, believe, will
on the football am."-Houston Post.
machine who look so haughty7'' Prob
ably the poor relations of the owner, who
is taking them for a spin. Buffalo Elk
press.
Gera1dine-Who is the hero of your new
story? Gerald-The man who accepted it.
Judge.
"a Canadian statesman proposes to give
the ballot to all women who have babies.
What about the lady who has twins?
Would he give her two votes?'-Chicago
Record-Herald.
Ardent Golfer Con the eternal subject)-
They tell me old Simpkins had gone right
off his baffy- Aunt Amelia-Ah, al
1.-THE way to flatter a woman is to. tell
her that she looks ten years younger than
she is" But how are YOU to find out
eve are all born equal quoted the
mother OF first baby" cautioned the
Simple Mug.-Philadelphia Record.
Noah was taking the animals aboard.
''Be sure the lamb is Persian. cautioned
his wife. Herewith he realized that she
'Think of the glories Of ancient Rome"
1--WE seen 'em," answered Senator Sorg-
hum. IT'S terrible to me to consider the
putting up all those improvements. -
Washington Star.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
PER cAPITA wEALTH,

In 1850 the wealth of the United States
was $1,000, 100000, or about 1907 to the
person. In 1904 these figures had in
creased respectively to s107, ZOO, 900 900
and $3.50. Or in other words, the per
capita wealth is over four times greater
than it was so years ago. But it is not
possible that contentment has increased
a particle. This is because the more
one has the more he wants to have.
Possessions increase ones desire.
But there is another consideration
that renders useless this explanation. 1t
is quite probable that a great proper
ton of this increase from $1,000, 600 900
to $107, 900, 000. 900 has got into the hands
of a few, and while the average might
figure up S1,310, the actual possessions
may not have changed much from what
they wera in 1850. They have no doubt
increased some but the millionaires and
multimillionaires have increased faster.
The increase of wealth in the hands Of
a few is not a sign of health and hope.
Ohio State Journal
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
TOPEKA MARCHING ON.

Topeka's growth and prosperity is
getting to be an old story. Those are
the kind, though, which are worth the
telling over and over. especially when
they are good ones. And so it may not
be amiss to reflect again in these
columns on the building activity which
has prevailed here during the past year
and which is in progress now. The in
dex to 1t is found in the building per-
mits issued in the year that has just
faded away.
They represent expenditures which to-
| tai up to within 100000 of the $4,000, 900
mark. That is nearly twice as great a
sum as has been put in buildings in
any one year in the history of the city.
And if such figures and comparisons do
not establish beyond peradventure that
Topeka is finally coming into her own,
growing rapidly to size which is COM
mensurate with her advantages as a
most desirable place to live and do
business in, nothing can.
Not the least interesting and impor-
tant feature of these building permits
is the fact that many of them are for
new and modern structures for resi-
Dental purposes. Take the permits is
S0CO III OCSSIlDOI, Luz CAdIIlplc 1ACy
only totaled $25,310 as December is an
off month in the building line. But of
that sum $245o0 represents new houses,
twelve of them at an average cost of
something more than $4,000. Such a
sum builds a mighty nice house in this
section of the country. That average
on the cost of houses has been MAIN
tanned. too, during the entire year.
This is indicative of the fact that To-
pekans are prospecting generally; that
those who are building houses for their
own occupation are in the best of cir
cumstances; and as new houses built
for renting are early snapped up here
at rentals that pay reasonable returns
on investments, the evidence is con-
elusive that the prosperity prevalent in
this city is of general sort. and not
merely enjoyed by favored few
All of this bespeaks of most
felicitOus condition of affairs in the
capital of Kansas. Best of all. though,
the indications are that the conditions
of 1909 are to be duplicated and even
bettered in 1910. The march Topeka is
now making to the front is of the sub
stantial sort that is bound to continue
and increase in strength as it goes
along. And there is no such thing in
the procession as drums to sound a.
retreat
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
JOURNAL ENTRIES

Many beautiful compilations are not
even skin deep.
Any number of people are utter
strangers to real thoughts,
X X X
When a fellow is not feeling well
time ambles along with a laggard's
legs.
x X X
Results may be The only things that
count but many of them don't count
for much, at that.
X X X
An excellent way to keep a razor in
good condition is to hide it so that
the women folks cannot find it.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
GLOBE SIGHTS.
From the Atchison Globe. ]

IFrOm the AtCnlSOn CIODeJ
We never waste much time on a
man who admits he believes in ghosts.
When a human hog meets with a
financial reverse how the people re-
joice.
We have never been able to become
greatly excited over the laying of a
cornerstone.
The man who is as generous as he
thinks his friends ought to be is apt
to go to the wall.
1t is possible for even good nature
to be carried to the extreme: One
can be so good natured that his work
is never done.
When we know a man lets his horse
stand out in the cold without
blanket, the balance of his reputa-
ton doesn't matter much.
mired by the politicians. not for hon
esty, or industry, or patriotism, but
for the votes they can cast.
Still. in being humble and admitting
your ignorance, perhaps it is just as
we'll to remember that there is lot
of that sort of thing among others.
A certain Good Work is being car
ried on in Atchison. 1t was started by
a man whose sole incentive in the
matter was desire to Get Even. That
often happens.
If a woman is as considerate Of her
friends as they THINK she SIOulu Dos
she has to have a parlor as big as a
convention hail to accommodate on It's
walls all the pictures and knicknacks
they give her. To hang one In any
other room but the parlor is d slight
to the donor.
Mart. Horley of Coolidge will prob
ably be heard from next year In state
politics Heretofore he has been ham,
pered in his Reform work, as ne was
compelled to clean the lamps in his
wife's boarding house, but natural gas
having reached Coolidge last week, ne
will now be able to give his entire
time to Up1ift work.
Some mornings when I get out OF
bed 1 can see good in everybody, but
other mornings I'm not 80 charitable.
The people don't know much and tney
are not very honest on such mornings;
Still. I take my share of the general
blame when I am mean, which is un-
usual. for most men in declaring tina.
others are all wrong think they are all
right "-Drake Watson.
at have two little nieces, very quiet
children, who often visit me, ano SIT
around and settle great questions IN
their presence. My arguments are SO
convincing that they never say woro
in dissent. But I often laugh at my
self. because I know so well that II a
lot Of men should hear my arguments
they would assail them with great Sc
verify. "-Parson Irvine.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
REFLECTION OF a BACHELOR
From the New York Press.l

lFrom the New York Press.1
A woman believes in her husband SO
as to know that she ought to-
Relatives can give you lot OF KIND
feelings for them by your not having
any.
There is only one thing that a girl
would rather be than pretty anu
that's prettier
what a man likes about holidays is
how glad he is to get back to business
when they are over.
Somehow the people you can lean
on in an emergency are never tne
ones who promised you could.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

Rear Admiral Capps, chief con-
atructor Of the navy department, points
out the necessity in his annual report
for more suitable docking facilities for
the battleship feet. 1t is to be hoped
that if his advice is followed and con-
gress authorizes the construction of
some additional mammoth dry docks
they will not be ordered built in such
localities that it will be impossible for
big ships to reach them. That has been
the history of a couple of the large
docks that have been built in the past.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

DR. w. L. Dudley, Of the department
Ct chemistry of Vanderbilt university in
sists that the aurora borealis is pro-
duced by frozen gas under high pres
sure at the magnetic poles of the earth.
1t will be a relief to most folks that
this phenomenon has been explained in
such a lucid fashion
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.


Divorce is becoming SO common that
it may soon cease to be fashionable.
You may be the most important
person on earth--from your point of
view.
1t isn't difficult for man to be
good after he gets too old to want to
be bad.
Don't be common. It's the uncom-
mon man who causes the world to sit
up and take notice.
During the first six months of his
married life a man pities old bache-
lors. After that he envies them.
There's a difference between dig
nifty and pomposity, but some people
don't seem to be able to realize 1t.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

Several thousand suits are to be
brought by Independent oil refiners
against the Standard Oil company if
the United States supreme court up
holds the decision of the circuit court
OF appeals for the Minnesota district
ordering the oil trust dissolved. The
Standard Oil officials will have to get
busy and increase the earnings of
their company if they are to be in a
position to meet the lawyers fees and
costs which will probably be thrust
upon them
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

There's a law in Ohio or a city or
dinance in Cincinnati which prescribes
that street car companies shall keep
their cars heated in winter time to a
temperature of at least 60 degrees
Fahrenheit. Because the companies
have been failing to live up to these
requirements the president of the
Cincinnati Traction company has been
arrested and indicted. He is liable to
a good stiff fine. It might not be a
bad idea for various other localities
to emulate this plan.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
THE PLUSH HAT.

There,s lots Of things I'd like to say about
the women's fads today,
ABOUT how they today are thin and on
the morrow fat:
But just when pungent phrase / form,
Just when my thoughts are getting
warm,
It happens that look upon my new
plush hat.
The foolish things that women do really
ought to roast, that's true;
Inc way they try to get to vote is
funny, as to that:
But just when take up my pen to write
ABOUT the sense of men
My eyes will wander till they see my
new plush hat.
know that women always wear pile
In switch and coil and dainty pun and
huge and monstrous rat,
But as l. turn a paragraph designed to
make the reader laugh
Upon the hook before me looms my new
plush hat.
A fuzey-wuzzy thing, indeed; devised to
meet my cranial need,
Bur with the lack of beauty of a drip
ping, half-drowned cat:
Before think that 1 should try to pick
the mote for sisters eye
mediate a moment on my new plush
hat.
An olive green-a dainty green-a cute
and cunning tint, I ween:
But whittier are we drifting and what
are We drifting at?
I give it up in sore despair; I'll Jest no
more of women's wear.
Since 1 have been induced to don q
new plush hat.
Chicago Evening Post.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

Japan is reported to be making earn
est efforts to transmit wireless tele-
graph messages across the Pacific with
out the necessity of relaying them. It's
q safe bet that Captain Richmond
Pearson Hobson sees great danger to
the United States in this procedure. No
doubt he believes that the Japs have
some device they can transmit by wire
less which will blow the whole of this
country to atoms
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

Perhaps the most interesting feature
of the demands made by the New York
plumbers and steam-ftters on their en-
ployers is not that they desire pay at
the rate Of Sc per day. It is that por-
ton OF their demand which insists that
they shall not be expected to work on
Saturdays. That's not so unreason-
able, though, in view of their demand
for -Sages for most men would need
two full days vacation each week TO
onesy IN q proper fashion a salary of
- yer for I'VE days work.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

Probably the school children of Chi
cago won't need much encouragement to
keep up perfect attendance at the
schools when the plan to shoot them
to school through pneumatic tubes be-
comes reality. That'll be great sport
for them
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
KANSAS cOMNENT
THIS NERO BUSINESS.

FOR line modern people, we are
having good deal of the Nero bust
i,e honorable Nero, you will remem-
per, was fat rascal with a protuber-
ant abdomen and doubtless much
grease from overeating smeared over
MS countenance, who, with q halo tip
ped raklshly down over the southeast
corner OF his brow. and a leer on his
burned
There have been many Neros since,
and that is why this paper cries out
n protest. There was Honorable Clip
Castro' erstwhile boss of Venezuela,
until all the nations of the earth pried
him loose. After him came honorable
AD HaIn1d' and he is now in seclusion
Ehen honorable Leopold's illness and
oemise revived the Nero comparison,
ana the latest is that Honorable Ze-
laya Is much like the Emperor Nero"
This paper is against all this Nero
business. but its Indignation is some
what tempered by the fact that a neat
and fairly large can is being attached
with ease and dexterity to each one
sooner or later.-Garden CITY TELEGRAM
o
CHILDHOOD'S BRIEF HOUR.
If your mother had let the house
work go and taken you on her lap and
explained away all the pleasures of the
Mother Goose book of rhymes would
you have grown up to be any better
planned that the COW never jumped over
the moon; that there was no Little Miss
Munet and if there had been there was
no tuffet for her to sit on; that Jack
didn't violate etiquette by sticking his
thumb into plum pie; that Jack and
G1lPs parents used hydrant water and
they never went up a hill to get the
drinking pail filed; that Jack Sprat
could eat any kind of meat set before
him instead of only lean meat; that
Old King Cole was a grouchy dyspeptic
and the very opposite of merry old
coul; that no blackbird ever disf1gured
the kings washerwoman by picking off
her nose?
Would you have been a better boy
or girl If your mother had done all
delightful book of childhood and had
told you that the amusing, jingling
rhymes were written by some hard-up
story writer who wrote them for money
and not for truths sake Would you?
Is anything accomplished by squar-
ing child around and setting it face
to face with the realities of life before
it has come into the years of response
bility? Let the children enjoy child
hood In childish way for it is brief
and comes not again.-Wichita Beacon.
REAL JUSTICE.
A wealthy man of Hartford, Conn,
had a weakness for violating the
speed ordinance with his automobile.
The other day he was arrested and
fined $50 and sentenced to thirty days
in jail He wanted to know how much
he would have to pay as an alternat
to going to Jail, and the court in
formed him that he hadn't money
enough to avoid the prison sentence.
This country needs few more judges
of the same kind. Wealthy malefac-
tors, large and small. are not much
afraid of fines, but when they discover
that a Jail sentence is really a Jail
sentence, they will acquire a new and
hearty respect for the laws.-Emporia
Gazette.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
Forgot the Book.

A lady who ordered some .caracul
coats to be sent on "appro," on Sat
urday returned them on the Monday
following with the message, None
were suitable The next morning she
received a courteous communication
from the head of the department re-
turning her prayer book, which had
been found in the pocket of one of the
coats.-Iiverpool Post.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

Colonel Hoyt. U. S. A. believes the
Moros in the Philippines should be
treated by this nation in the same way
as the American Indians have been. If
his advice is followed the Moros, If they
are a discerning lot. will be able to see
their finish
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
Farmers as Financiers.

Who says the farmer is not finan-
cier? He is eating cleo at Is cents
a pound and selling his butter at
g. Mr.. Ultimate Consumer, of town,
might get a valuable pointer from this
fact Now, if some one will invent an
equally good artificial meat the farm
er can live on his dividends. while the
chumps in the city who insist on the
real thing will continue to pay the
frefght.-Binghamto Republican.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

OF all Of the arrests made in the
United States during the past year, one
third of them were due to drunken
ness. And yet there are some who in
slst that the saloon has its proper place
among American institutions.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

It's too bad for the insurgents
that Billy Loeb, collector Of the Port
of New York, is not one of them.
Wouldn't his vigorous administration
of the affairs of that Office furnish
them with a lot of material for red
fire 2,'
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

According to expectations the suit
TO test the validity of the new Kansas
law which prohibits druggists from
selling liquor and beer for any pur-
poses whatsoever has been brought
In the federal courts Nuff sed.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

The groom at the wedding of Miss
Louise w. Taft did not even attract
the slight attention that is usually
accorded to gentlemen in such a pre-
dicament. The president of the
United States was a guest at the party.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

A boy of IS and girl of Is were
married at Urbana, o.. the other day.
The Chicago Record Herald thinks it
is fortunate that the child labor law
Will not bar him from the pleasure and
privilege of supporting her.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03
when Prices Were Really High.

Gen. st. Clair Mulholland, veteran
and historian of the civil war, tells
an incident showing the utter worth
at the close of the war. Shortly af-
ter Lees surrender" says the general,
ct was a short distance from Rich
mond The Confederate soldiers were
going home to become men of peace
again, and were thinking about their
farms One had a lame, broken down
horse, which he viewed with pride.
Wish I had him, jim said the other.
sWhat1I you take for him? I'll give
you $4,000 for him.
emo said Jim.
"'Give you $4,000
mo said Jim.
".Give you 100000 his friend re-
piled.
q Not much replied Jim. L just
gave 100000 to have him shod' And
Jim took the horse home with him.
Pathfinder.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-03

The presence of cats on the French
office staff, writes a correspondent.
might have led to trouble in the old
days, when it is quite possible that q
detachment Of rats formed part of
the army. An old military dictionary
tells US that rats were sometimes used
in war for the purpose of firing pow
der magazines by means of lighted
matches tied TO their tails. We can
not offhand recall any historical in
stance of this, but presumably it did
occur seeing that Marshal Vauban laid
down special rules for countera citing it..
Anyhow, the dodge is as old as Samp-
son, who, you may recall, used foxes
in a similar way for somewhat SINH
lar purpose.
AS to that royal rat catcher, we may
add that he had a special official liv-
cry. According to Pennant's Brit
ish Zoology" # consisted of a scarlet
costume, embroidered with yellow
worsted. in which were figures of mice
destroying wheat sheaves. BY the
way, rats were not the only animals
honored with special catcher.
Leicester, for instance, used to pay
a yearly salary of 1 pound IL shilling
pence to its municipal mole catcher.
London Chronicle.