davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

trouble is that mans selfishness-it should
be written Northumberland there Is
no excuse whatever for it, as his salary
is a very good one.
Another pretty, dainty little creature is
also engaged-I do not know for how long
the engagement has been ru~nning-and the
reason she does not marry is because she
has her invalid mother TO support, and
Just at this time is at home nursing her
mother through what probably will prove
to be the last illness. This little woman,
cheerful and bright always, spent the most
of her vacation last year at home with a
trained nurse-very expensive luxury
pulling her mother through pneumonia.
and 1 only hope the man she loves will be
good enough to walt a little longer faT
such a jewel.
City of Holidays.
The population of Washington 10 ovsS
800, 0O. and probably one-fourth of the peo
pie are working for the government. :
very much admire the manner in which the
people here take advantage of every holi-
day ts/ have a good time and to keep out
of that awful rut that runs along beside
us all the time. The grind and monotony
Of office work, the nervous strain, etc, to
EdN lnt letStt II IalncI IylHkt bul lhN pVyA
pie seem to be endeavoring to throw aside
business cares and worries after offics
hours and to extract every little bit of fun
and enjoyment possible out Of everything,
and they certainly succeed, We have
about seven holidays during the year, as
follows:
New Years day, Washington's birthday,
Memorial day, July 4. Labor day, Thanks
rt,.g,,~ IaHs and ~ qDnTga EhFiqfpnaa daN
with a half holiday before and also ono
before New Years day. Last year we had
a holiday on Lincoln's birthday, and also
the fourth Of March. We never object 10
an extra holiday, Then In the summer
time, from June TO October /, we usually
have Il half holiday on Saturday, which
Is so nice after a week OF the kim Of heat
we have here in summer.
Washington is so beautiful, the parks
and streets broad and shady, the buildings
magnificent, and we have very little smoke
and dirt, but the climate is very trying at
times, especially the terrible heat in sum
mer. / have been accustomed to very hot
weather In the south, but there it is dry,
and the kin we have here is moist, sticky
and takes ones life and energy all away.
One can be very independent here, espe-
cially a girl who has to make her own
living. and very often we make up a party
or four or five, all women, and go TO the
theater together. II the prices are high
we think nothing Of sitting in tho gallery
or sky parlor, as my brother calls II, but
down south we would never think OF doing
such a thing. Very often / have stood In
line an hour or more in order TO get the
first row in the gallery, but now We do
not have TO do tlsat, as the theaters nave
taken pity on US and reserved all the seats,
Il was lots OF fun 10 rush for the door
at 1880 and scramble up the seven or eight
flights OF stairs Until we almost tum-
bled into the best seats we could find. One
could go three times IN the gallery by pay
ing 80 cents for what down In the first
balcony OF orchestra circle would cost, so
we went often and sat high
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

approach zach other bowling profoundly
and stepping rather heavily. They circle
around each other. nodding solemnly all
the time. Next they fence a little. cross
ing bills and whetting them together,
pecking meanwhile and dropping stiff little
bows.
suddenly one lifts It's close wing and
nibbles at the feathers underneath or
rarely. II In a hurry, merely turns its head
and tucks It's bill under its wing. Tho
other bird during this short performance
assumes a statuesque pose and either looks
mechanically from side 20 side or snaps
its bill loudly a few times.
Then the first birds bows once, and
pointing its head and beak straight upward
rises on its toes, puffs out its breast and
utters a prolonged nasal groaR, the other
bird swapping its bill loudly and rapidly
at the same time.
Sometimes both birds raise their heads
in the air and either one or both utters
the indesorlbable and ridiculous bovine
groan. When they nave finished they be-
gin bowling at each other again, almost al
ways rapidly and alternately, and pres
emily repeat the performance, the birds re-
versing their role in the game, OF not.
Many ways 60 Play ~.
There is nc hard and fast order to these
antics, which the seamen of the Albatross
rather aptly called a cakewalk; but many
variations occur. Sometimes three engage
in the play, one dividing its attention be-
tween two. They are always most polite,
never losing their temper or offering any
violence. The whole affair partakes of the
nature Of a snappy drill and is more or
less mechanical.
Occasionally one Will lightly pick up a
twig or grass straw and present 1t to the
other. This one does not accept the gift,
however, but thereupOn returns the com
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

Yet. in the beginning we were told that
they were both agnostics.
The body was cremated in Baltimore the
next day. You must not get the impression
that this man was heartless or without
feeling, for he was a very devoted hus-
band and loved his wife very tenderly.
His devotion to her through the long i'll
ness which finally ended her life was most
beautiful to see, and everything was done
to relieve her.
Testing with the Worker.
Another scientist for whom / worked
several months was the most absent
minded being l have ever seen. He would
walk along the street looking as though
his mind were away up in the clouds. and
IL some one spoke to him he would look
as though HI wondered why they did II.
I had a little room all to myself which
adjoined his front office, and the only
exit was through my office. He would
often start out in a great rush to do some
thing, and l would hear him stop very
suddenly out In the hall. then start OH
again. one day / tiptoed to the door TO
see what II was that so often stoppe him.
as the little hall was perfectly bare, l saw
him standing perfectly still, with his head
thrown back, lost in thought, and then he
seemed to come to earth again and started
off on a jog trot once more.
1t was only once that l attempted to tell
him a Joke, but something very funny nap
pened to one of the other women In the
office and she and ! had laughed so heart
lily over II that l thought this man would
also enjoy it. When l had finished elating
the Joke and expected him to double up with
laughter he simply gazed at me In a
blank way and finally, after much waiting
and considerable embarrassment on my
part, | noticed a faint glimmer of light In
his eyes and gradually the understanding
came and he laughed.
But l never failed to get a hearty laugh
from him when 1 would bring In his LOST
hat and present II to him on a huge serving
tray, which l raked up from somewhere.
He though / was a very funny girl, but
simply had to have a little fun OCCASION
ally TO break the monotony and prevent
me from drying up and blowing away
Though he was so dreamy and appar-
emily dead to his surroundings his nina
was by no means inactive, and in a battle
Of words on some subject, scientiilc or
otherwise, he could more than hold MS
own. | was rather curious TO see MS
wife, as / wondered what klnd OF woman ne
had selected, and ] was most charmed with
her gr~acefulness, intelligence and good
looks, and II ever there was a capable
hustling woman It is she. She even runs
a big farm out west for him during the
summer when It needs special attention and
has devoted herself TO his advancement ana
happiness and the making or a charming
little home.
CITY of Long Engagements.
Have you ever heard that Washington
is the city OF Ions engagements? Well,
five. ten, fifteen OF even twenty years is
not unusual for engagements 10 run. and
/ have IN mind one dear, sweet woman who
is In the same office with a man to whom
she has been engaged for fifteen years
and they are not married yet, or At least
the last time l inquired about it. The
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

porarily occupied by workmsn Of the
guano companies which have their head
quarters in Honolulu.
Japanese Plume Hunters.
Americans have been gathering guano
from Laysan and a few Of the other Is
lands for some years, Even before an
nexation Japanese plume hunters had been
visiting the Islands, where they siaugh-
tered thousands Of the birds, shipping the
wings and feathers by way Of Asiatio
ports to Europe. This practice was for
hidden by the United States at the time
Hawaii was annexed, but for some years
afterward a tugboat was the only govern
ment vessel stationed at the islands ana
the poachers were unmolested and grew
very venturesome.
Many OF the larger Japanese sampans
engaged I'm fishing for the Honolulu mar
ket are fitted with power engines, and the
fact that some Of them made mysterious
trips, lasting a week or two at a time,
reused the governments suspicious. These
we're furthered strengthened by reports
that Japanese steamers were visiting the
bird island and surreptltously taking away
the plumber gathered by the small boats.
In order to control the situation the gov
eminent a short time ago made a bird re-
serve OF Laysan and the other bird islands
OF the group. OF this group Laysan, which
Is about 800 miles from Honolulu, has been
called the most remarkable bird island in
the world, II Is a small island, being three
miles In length and one-half In breadth,
IL formed like a shallow platter and at it's
highest point is not more than thirty feet
above the sea. In the center is a lagoon
not connected with the sea.
NestihE Season at LAyaon.
Al the time OF the writer's first visit to
this island, In May, 1902, the nesting season
was in full swing and there were hundreds
OF thousands of birds upon the island.
Among these could be seen the albatross,
a number OF species of tern, the noddy.
puffin, petrol, tropic blDd. man-o'-war, teal
rail, ploveT. curlew and a number of
strictly land birds.
The most striking things to a visitor are
the great number OF birds, their surprising
tAmeness and the deafening noise they
make. Whenever we wished to converse
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

twenty-five or thirty years and still re-
mains. She possesses some Of the finest
traits 1 have ever known in a woman and
is a most interesting study; at the same
time she is too funny for words.
Some of Her Reforms.
/ first began4to take notice of her when
she had several reform schemes on foot,
or rather in mind, that she was ~endeavor-
ing to put before the public for the benefit
of humanity. One was a barber shop re-
form, though just how the necessity for
such a reform was brought before her 1
was never able to figure out nor could L
arrive at what feature of the shop needed
a change.
The next was a scheme to get people in
and out of street cars with more comfort
and rapidity, and IT is very probable that
the a~y-as-you-enter cars (pay-or-don't-en-
ter, as my brother calls them originated
in her fertile brain. I for one much pre-
fer the old-fashioned neutrality-suspicious.
can arrangement and invariably wait for
them.
This dear woman is the kind of maiden
lady who invariably selects for her winter
hat decoration the tail feathers of a
rooster, and If there is anything that can
make a woman look old and ugly 1t is
III NOubN AliiAlilllibp VI hAoN hAAiA
She is a great champion of women and
would cheerfully divide her very last cent
with one who is in need or trouble. She
has done a great deal of good in this way
and has helped dozens of women and girls
to get employment and to step up in the
world and is still at It.
Though rather masculine in some re-
spects. dressing very plainly and without
any sign of style, she is very refined and
intellectual. l have never yet heard OF
her doing a mean, spiteful thing, and I dc
not believe that she has a spark Of vim
dictiveness in her whole makeup.
One who IL Typical.
one Of the first typical maiden ladies
that I met in Washington was one who still
clings to parting her hair in the middle,
corkscrew curls and red rose perfume. She
must buy that particular perfume by the
barrel, and often 1 would start down the
long corridor of our office building and a
heavy trail of red rose would soon guide
me to her.
She seemed TO take quite a fancy to me
from the start. and I would listen patiently
to her description OF the dreadful attacks
of neuralgia from which she suffered; but
she was very brave and would come to heI
work until a spell with her heart would
lay her UP at home for a few days. She
lived all alone in some dismal rooms with
her canary birds and not a single relative
to greet her at night or do anything fol
her when she was sick. The poor woman
told me how so often her sick leave and
also her annual leave were consumed in
recovering from the attacks OF the heart.
and she could never save anything for her
old age because so much OF her money had
TO 90 to doctors and druggists.
She was so gentle and refined and would
have been dainty. too, but for that awful
perfume. which she loved 80 dearly. She Is
still going to the office every day. but the
last time / saw her it was the face Of a
ghost.
scores of Them.
The departments have scores OF these
brave women. many OF them supporting
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

invalid mothers, educating younger broth
ers and sisters, and oftentimes sending
money back home each month to lazy and
ungrateful relatives. Is 1t any wonder
they lose their sweetness and grow catty.
sour and disappointed? The great wonder
to me it that any sweetness is left at all.
Another girl is an earnest little woman,
probably 80 or 80 years of age, conscience
tious in her work, an active member OF
the church, devoted to her family, but un-
fortunately she has an ingrowing con-
science, probably the New England brand,
which causes her lots of trouble and also
makes her very ridiculous at ines. You
know an ingrowing conscience hurts one
just about as bad as an ingrowing nail,
only the pain is different-I have had both,
so am prepared to ~sympathize.
This little woman was working in an
office where. among other things, they
were carrying on experiments with to-
bacco. Her conscience became rampant
and told her ali sorts OF silly th~ings-that
she was committing a sin to work in an
office that would promote the growth Of
such a harmful and injurious weed, and
thai she was encouraging the perniclous
habit of chewing and smoking, etc, until
Sne was WoIheu UP W tue point II ledVlnB
the office.
%Screwing up her courage to the sticking
point, she called on her chief and laid the
matter before him. OF course, he almost
exploded when he heard her reasons for
wishing to leave, but he managed to keep
a straight face until she had departed.
He told me all about it later and we had
a big laugh. She was transferred to the
office of hop Investigations, and as she
is still there l take it for granted that her
conscience has ceased to trouble her.
Scientists ut Close Range.
Before coming to Washington I had
never set eyes on but one scientist. DR..
Joseph 10 Conte. who was certainly a very
fine old man. Now can look about mi
and see dozens Of them every day and they
are a source of never ending amusement
and surprise. Just listen while I tell you
about several specimens:
Beginning with the funniest and also one
of the most delightful, we might AXE a
middle aged gentleman who preached his
own wife's funeral. I was invited by him
to attend. just as though 1t were an after.
noon tea or reception and it took place OF
the hal1 holiday which we always have
before New Years day. The rain cam,
down in torrents, but I went with two
other friends, southern girls, and we found
the house packed with people and flowers
everywhere.
He stood at the head OF the casket and
placed some nine or ten books, her favor
ties, on the glass just over his wife's face.
Then he read extracts from books. After
this a well meaning woman in the parlor
where / was seated sang in a buglelike
voice Nearer, My God, to Thee" Then fol-
lowed a eulogy Of the dead woman, a de-
~scription OF her tastes, her characteristics
and even a joke was told TO illustrate her
humorous side, After the eulogy we had
Lead. Kindly Light and after some
more reading from books we were all
asked to repeat with the bereaved husband
the Lords Prayer and then we went home,
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

some months later. My first sight Of this
very dignified and stately old gentleman
was one day when I was asked to deliver
a telephone message to him as he passed
our building, 1t was necessary for me to
run down the street In order to overtake
him, and when / approached off came his
hat and the little speech Of hanks he
me was delightful to hear, and l said
to myself: There are secretaries and sec
retaries, but this one has at least had
some training in good manners and
courtesy"
Old Maids.
Perhaps you may have heard of the gov
old maid-at least you would have
II you had ever lived in Washington-and
I shall just mention one or two in passing.
/ can remember TO this day how severely
/ was once reproved by one of my prlm
for speaking Of someone as an old
maid. and when ] asked why I should not
use such a term she informed me that it
as more becoming in a little girl to say
maiden lady. and ] rather agree with her
now, though at the time 1 thought il very
silly.
Well. / suppose IL 1 remain in the en-
ploy OF Uncle Sam many more years. l
shall be classed with the government
maiden ladies. But, really and truly, II
you could just get a glimpse Of some Of
the spineless specimens of men here you
would not wonder why there are so many
unattached maidens In the national capital.
However, Il is much better to be a happy
and independent spinster, government or
otherwise, than 20 be a very miserable
married woman. and when l think Of some
Of the very brave, noble. self-sacrificing
women, both single and widowed who form
a portion OF the great army OF workers in
the departments l say all honor and praise
10 the government old maid and to the
government widow, either grass or sod.
4 most interesting character comes to
my mind in the person OF a woman who
has been working for the government some
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

pliment, when straws are promptly dropped
and all hands begin bowling and walking
about as IL their very lives depended
on il.
"If one stands where albatrosses are
reasonably abundant he can see as many
as twenty couples hard at work bowling
and groaning on all sides and paying not
the slightest attention to his presence.
When walking through the grassy portions
of the island l have seen white heads bob
bling up and down above the green as
solitary pairs were amusing themselves
away from the larger congregations of their
kind. If 1 walked up to them they would
stop and gaze in a deprecatlng way and
walk off, bowling still. with one eye in my
direction. Having reached what they con-
sidered a respectful distance they would
fall to and resume their play
Should one enter a group of albatrosses
which have been recently engaged in this
diversion and begin to bow very low, the
birds win sometimes walk around in a
puzzled sort Of way. bowling in return,
while frequently bowling to those which
have not been indulging in the amusement
recently will bring forth a bow from the
bird.
Tough on the Male Bird.
Another odd nesting bird is the male
man-o'-war, Fregata aquila. During the
counting period his gular pouch is enlarged
and before the brooding cares have begun
he initiates it to a large size, and at the
same time it becomes a bright red color,
the bird looking as If it had a child's toy
balloon fastened to its throat.
1t was no uncommon occurrence to see
the male bird setting on the nest with the
sac blown out, obscuring the whole front
of the creature, only the bill and eyes APP
pearing over the top. His antics are as
extraordinary as his looks. and when en-
crossed in the task of making himself at
tractive his self absorption and apparent
vanity are very amusing.
Many of the freshly laid eggs we found
to be delicious as food. and some Of them,
especially those of the albatross, were
superior to the eggs OF the domestic fowl
If these islands were nearer to market their
produce would soon knock the eggs trust
sky high.
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

Il was necessary TO shout. Few OF the
birds seemed frightened. and with a little
care we we're able to approach most OF
the species as closely a. we wished. In
fact. when the camera tripod had been ad-
justed several OF the albatrosses came up
TO II and examined IL attentively.
The various species are found more or
less In colonies. The number Of breeding
birds is so prodigious that favorable space
IL at a premium. and several species live
one above the other, some burrowiug be-
low the surface, others breeding on the
surface. while stnl others have their nests
at varying heights on the shrubs. As one
of the party put It, 1T looks like a big
apartment house."
Space being so limited the birds which
have chosen Laysan for their breeding
home would not be able to find satisfac-
tory places II they all arrived at the same
time. They are therefore obliged to take
turns. Some species OF sea birds leave
the place as soon as their young are strong
enough TO fly ana while they are depart
ing the newcomers already begin to ar
rive. THU there is a constant coming and
going and breeding species are found at
almost every season Of the year, q fact
which is remarkable even in the tropics,
where the breeding season Is generally less
regular than in our ATTITUDES. In this
way a efini succession, which probably
dates back thousands Of years, takes place
year after year In the arrival and depart
uro Of certain species.
CAN'T Miss the Eggs.
It was almost impossible when walking
through the rockeries to avoid stepping
upon the eggs, they were so numerous.
The eggs OF the sooty tern, stsrna fulig-
inosa. were to be found all over the sand.
The birds are very loath at times to leave
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20
The Real Maude Adams

Barrie's Idea Of Her Shown in Part in Maggie Wylie-
Stories of Her Off and On the Stage that Help to Com
plete the s~ketch-Strict with Company, Yet Sympathetic.
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

CIV YORK, Feb. 1g.-The news-
paper reports OF one Of the
Bingham gambling raids COM
tained a list Of the captured
articles. II included faro lay
outs. roulette wheels. nolker
Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20
scores of Them

The departments have scores Of these
rave many OF them supporting