davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01
In Foot Ball Trim.

HCAILOR" BURKE. the pugilist, COM
- pared pugilism with foot bali the
other day.
Why said the sailor. I'D rather
fight than eat. but foot ball is too rough
game for me. / wouldn't play in 3
game of intercollegiate foot ball for 1o0
per cent of the gate receipts. I'm not
strong enough. Besides, / haven't got the
nerve
He laughed and went on.
Last year, at the height of the foo
ball season, | met d Yalevard boy one
Saturday night.
That's bad black eye you've got
there l said. Did you get 1t in today 5
gamer
Yes, did, said he. He scowled and
patted his pocket. But do you know what
I've got here, Sailor?'
No; what?'
The ear of the chap that blackened
&
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

Mr.. Letter was a deep student of the
civil war and of all the causes which
precipitated that deadly struggle. He
showed a greater preference for the
works written from the southern stand
point. This might easily be explained
by the fact that he was a native OF
Washington county. Nd, and that many
men of his blood joined the defenders of
Dixie. For years he collected books and
manuscripts and bought letters, and had
others copied, until, at the time of his
death, Mr.. Letter had one of the most
valuable and complete collections of books
and papers bearing on the southern
cause, perhaps, in existence. 1t had been
his intention to present his books to
some noted seat of learning, but he had
never decided to which. and he had never
scripts bound.
Mrs. Letter, anxious to follow to. the
very letter every wish of her husbands.
has performed deed for which the flu
ture historian cannot be sufficiently
grateful. With the aid of one of the
experts of the Congressional Library and
after consultation with the leading his
torical authorities of this and other cour-
tries, she has placed her volumes in
proper sequence in a handsomely fur
nished room on the second floor of the
iiohoioh anu cfeis tsiiudpie paper mas
been bound and catalogued and will in
time be open to students of research
Not only has she preserved all that Mr.
Letter left, but she is constantly adding
to her store, until now no one can write
of the civil war without taking note of
this collection.
This labor in her husbands library has
been one of her keenest joys and has led
to many pleasant episodes. She recently
had Mrs. Stonewan Jackson as her guest
and this grew out of her work for the
library. The widow of Gen. George Fran
els Robert Henderson OF the British
army, who wrote the finest work extant
on the campaign of StoneWail Jackson.
expressed the wish to meet the widow of
the distinguished man whom England hon
ored so highly. So Mrs. Letter invited
both ladies to be her guests al the same
time. and the occasion. far as Mrs.
Jackson was concerned, caused. national
comment. Mrs. Henderson remained in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

Washington nearly month, and she also
was feted by Mrs Letters intimates as
We'll as by officialdom.
The social history of the Letters IN
Washington contains many interesting
chapters. Mary Letter attracted the at
tentien of the lovely young mistress OF
the White House, Mrs. Grover Cleveland,
and the two became close friends Mrs.
Cleveland delighted in having handsome
young girls at her levees. and Miss Letter
soon became the recognized favorite in
the White House set. Mrs. Cleveland
took great interest in her romance
and gave several entertainments in their
honor She pinned on her bridal veil
when she became the bride of CurZon,
and went to the depot to kiss her fare
we'll The two kept up brisk cores
pondence until Lady Curzons death five
years ago but they never met after that
farewell on the bridal day.
Miss Nancy Letter, now Mrs. Colin
Campbell, made her debut in Washing
ton and stu has scores of friends here
She was rather quiet and studious and
not so fond of society as her two sisters
Miss Nancy was always her fathers
faithful companion. He was in a way
specially devoted to her and the two
made many foreign trips together.
X +
Miss Daisy Letter was as brilliant, So
cially. as her sister, Lady Curzon. Her
DEBUT Was one OF tHe notea events VI inc
first Mckinley administration. Mrs. Nc
Kinley spent the entire afternoon at the
mansion and the President dropped in for
a minute, as did Vice President and Mrs.
Hobart and the other important folks in
the official world. All of the daughters
were married in the New Hampshire ave-
nue. home. Mrs. Campbell and the Coun-
tess of Suffolk had very quiet weddings
only few days apart, and with n three
months after the death of their father.
No cards were issued, however, to gen.
eral society and both brides left i.nme-
diately for their British homes. Mrs.
Campbell has made more frequent visits
since than her sister. and last spring she
was the guest of her mother for nearly
three months. She had the unhappiness
to lose her eldest son during this visit, d
bereavement which caused Mrs. Letter to
withdraw cards for several large garden
fetes, and to close her home al least a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

month earlier than has been her custom.
The Earl of Suffolk resides in a fine old
estate in Surrey. The Countess Marguer-
lite has rebuilt the old town of Haddon on
her husbands estate, and erected model
farmhouses all over the property Sne
conducts a dairy. has blooded horses and
superintends a first-class technical school
for the tenants.
The marriage of her only son. Joseph
Letter to young American girl, Junette
Williams, daughter of Col. and Mrs. John
Williams of this city, was particularly
plea sing to Mrs. Letter. The marriage OF
Joseph Letter 10 an American and the
advent of an idoliZed grandson. who bears
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

was buried forever, as he thought, in
Mrs. Stanard's lonely grave.
Meanwhile his t rate ways irritated
Mr.. Allan .very much. He harassed Poe
and Poe undoubtedly harassed MIN
Gentle Mrs. Allan did all she could to
lessen the breach between the foster
father and son. but the boy poet chafed
under Mr.. Allan's iron rule. His only re-
lief was i'm poesy and he worked away
al beautiful, mystical "Al Aaraaf.' the
most pretentious of his early works
firing OF restraint. Poe left the count
ing house and started out on his own ac-
count well authenticated tradition
says that during these first years of free
dom he enlisted i'm the United States
Army under the name of Edgar A. Per-
ny. Then he roamed about Greece and
Turkey bit afterward returning to
Richmond as the result of overtures from
Allan, who wanted him back. for he was
lonely because he had lost his wife, the
kind mother of Poe's boyhood.
These were the womanless years Of
Poe. when he seemed d rudderless ship
afoat on the ocean of the world On
his return to Richmond his foster father,
Mr.. Allan. obtained "a commission for
him to enter West Point. This was III
1870
The end was again inevitable. The
poetic spirit cannot be bound and tor
tured by the rigor of military discipline
He soon discovered this himself and de-
lberately set about to get expelled. With
the assistance of few monitor cadet
officers he succeeded and was court-mar-
tailed out of the service March q, 1881.
So out into the world he went, pennlless,
with but his minstrel harp as fortune
maker Where was the Good Samaritan
to guide him: where the Mother Heart
that would lead him through this gloom
of want?
Of tor ull
kinsfoIk was o poor cousin, like him
self unfortunately alone in the world,
who had been kind to the beautiful
strangers son, corresponded with him an :
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01
A New Woman.

THE Inflated Mrs. James sydney Nc
Culough-the Myrtle Reed of Law
ender and Old Lace" and other senti-
mental stories--dressed very smartly, and
had a great horror of the slovenly blue
stocking type Of woman
Myrtle Reed. at a dinner party in CHI
eago once hit off a woman of this type
a prominent Chicago socialism, neat
phrase.
she is one Of those ladies' she said.
..wbose ideas are as far ahead of the
age as their clothes are behind it,"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01
ZGLER WASHINGTON SOIET

his fathers name. assures that at least
one-fourth of the Letter millions will stay
in this country. For some years Mrs.
Letter passed part of each year i'm Eng
land to be near her daughters and her
grandchildren but since the marriage Of
her son she intends to end her wander
ings. In appearance Mrs. Letter is most
dignified and stately. Her home possesses
many exquisite paintings Of herself and
her daughters. done by the best modern
masters, Sargent. Meissonnier Cabanel
and Sir John Millais. One of Mrs Letter.
in her fortieth year. painted by Cabanel,
stands at the head of the great stair and
smiles a welcome to the guest.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01
The Climbers.

r EVILS CASS LEDYARD, at a lunch
Il con at Newport, smiled at the eff
forts of nouveaux richie family to push
it's way into society.
But the Nouveaux Riches are getting
on he said. Il understand that Mrs
NouveanX Rlche Is poasting that she is
snubbed by a better class of people each
succeeding year"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

mold Poe's death came his second mother,
Mrs. John Allan of Richmond, Va
The Alans We're thrifty Scotch folk.
warm-hearted. provident and God-fearing.
Out of Christian charity they took the
tiny Bohemian waif into their hearts and
home. Mrs. Allan adopted him, petted
him. spoiled him and reared him ten
derby.
He was sent to DR. Clarkes famous
boys school and while there he met a
Mrs Stanard. mother of school chum
He fell madly in love with her and wrote
his first poems to her. He dreamed of
her, lived only to see her and strange
camaraderie sprang up between them. an
intimacy so pure and holy. so strange
and unearthly that its impress was
craven eternally on the passionate heart
of Edgar Allan Poe.
No one can doubt that Mrs Stanard
felt the mystic influence of this made
genius. Suddenly the golden thread of
their friendship snapped her brave. low
ing mind failed and then the grave in
closed Helen Stanard forever from his
sight. This was in 1924. Mrs. Whitman,
the love of Poe's maturity. says. .'She
(Mrs. Stanard) was very kind to Edgar,
and when she diea very suddenly he felt
such sorrow for her death, as he told
me. that he used to go every night to the
cemetery where she was buried, leaving
ScnOoi or academy privately to visit 1T.
Thus at her grave in lonely midnight the
boy poet watched for months, his an
guished heart learning then that sense of
intimacy with the dead that SO distin-
guished the WAX of Poe
Who doubts that in those dreadful love
vigils the weirdness of his nature
had it's birth. that there he became en-
amored of mystic denizens of night that
there he learned the terrors of death the
despair of loss and the agony Of past
I've ip} f,,f,,
For while after leaving the University
OF Virginia Poe worked in the Allan
counting house. He summed women
now, for he had learned that his heart
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

Letter has restored these former apart
mentS of Lady Curzon to their orig mai
uses and in them she he's placed all the
girlhood possessions of her daughter.
There are photographs innumerable
showing her from babyhood to the last
fully developed beauty and charm ana an
the pretty little ornaments and knlck-
knacks priced in her girlhood 1t. was
presumed that these rooms would pc
occupied 'at least part of the year pE
the little daughters of Lady CurZon, nut
so far thew have not come to their
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

he was the first non-official winter resi-
dent TO erect any sort of pretentious
home in Washington. This he did only
after having occupied the house which
James Gillespie Blaine had built on a
nearby corner and when in his usual
slow, careful way he had assured himself
that Washington real estate was a safe
investment. Senator Stewart of Nevada,
then a millionaire. had several years be-
fore invested heavily In land about Du-
pont Circle and his home there, called
Stewart Castle" now demolished, was
a fine one.
No stranger who patronizhs the sight
seeing vehicles fails to be conveyed be-
fore the massive cream brick mansion
erected by Levi L. Letter some eighteen
years ago at the intersection of New
Hampshire and Connecticut avenues with
18th street. 1t remains, despite the ef-
forts of many other millionaires. one of
the most impressive and ornate dwellings
in the capital, and its history is closely
linked with the social chronicles of each
successive administration. This mansion
means so much TO It's chatelaine that il
* doubtful whether she will ever occupy
another home except in passing way.
Since the death of her husband and the
marriage and departure of her younger
daughters for their English homes, Mrs
Letter seems to have become more
strongly devoted to this mansion and she
is now seldom absent from ii except dur
Ing the days of summer when she re-
sides in a recently completed home near
Bar Harbor, Me.
50
Mrs. Letter possesses strong indi-
viduality. and she would without doubt
have created an important social position
independent of the prestige attaching to
her husband and to the brilliant social
career of her eldest daughter. the late
Lady Curzon of Kedleston. At the pres
ent time she may be accounted one of the
dominant forces in Vanity Fair, and her
friendship and patronage are highly
priced. There are many women in Wash
ing who bear names to conjure by-Mrs.
Mark Hanna, Mrs. John Hay, Mrs. Philip
Sheridan, Mrs. r. r. HIT, Mrs George
Pullman and Mrs. Marshall Field. Mrs.
Letter is leader for the reason that she
maintains the same traditions which have
eIuny to herehome since her coming,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

twenty-five years ago. After a suitable
period OF mourning she opened her man
sion, and every winter and spring her
balls. dinners and garden fetes are among
the most beautiful affairs given in Wash
ington. She keeps up the same state and
mingles as freely among her friends as in
the old days.
Fond of social intercourse and of an
Observing trend, Mrs. Letter is naturally
an interesting guest and hostess. Few
women outside of royal circles have en-
joyed more varied experiences. Certainly
no American woman was ever so hand
somely entertained at the mammoth East
Indian festaS as she was during the term
of her son-in-l law as British viceroy. In
her home are magnificent souvenirs of
these unique experiences, especially the
gorgeous colored pictures of the durhar,
or East Indian coronation of the British
sovereign. showing the magniiicence OF
the court of Simla and the arrival of the
native princes on richly decked elephants
and camels. and the barbaric splendor
with which Lord and Lady Curzon Were
surrounded. Mrs. Letter and her two
daughters. then unmarried. the Misses
Nancy and Marguerite LETTER passed the
entire summer at Simla. and afterwaru
accompanied Lord and Lady CurZon on
an official tour of the East Indian CAPT
tails
They returned after a tour which equal
ed some of the Journeys of the old Rom
an governors. They went through China
and Japan. and then penetrated into
Africa and made a memorable excursion
on the Nile with party OF British or
ficers. among whom was the Earl of
Suffolk. now married TO Marguerite or
popularity known as Daisy Letter. Mrs.
Letter has a gorgeous collection of color
ed photoes and water color sketches OF
this journey. and her description of their
adventures is a recital which is often
demanded.
For the past two years Mrs. Letter
has devoted much time to a complete
rearrangement of her home. with Ger.
tain definite plans in view. After. the
marriage of Mary Letter, the eldes,
daughter, to Curzon, the rooms used by
this famous International belle We're
changed. to give more space to the young
err daughters. Nancy and Daisy, then
under the care of governesses. But Mrs
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

mothers cherished American home, even
for the briefest visit Mrs. Letter keeps
the apartment of her daughters. Mrs.
Colin Campbell and the Countess of Suf-
folk. always in readiness for their visits.
which have been both frequent and
lengthy.
But a labor of love which has shown
a new and hitherto unexpected phase of
Mrs. Letters character is that connect
ed with the library left BIZ her husband.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

VHE historian Of social Washing
ton MUST give Mr. Letter credit
for establishing the fashion.
now so~unversally followed. Of
making the capital the pleasure
ground of the retired capitalist The
millionaire contingent as the winter
residents are rather hippantiy described,
is too numerous now to permit Of special
designation, but on the roll of fame the
name of the Letters stands pre-eminent-
That Washington is now the center OF
social life for the western world as Lon
don is for the British and Paris for the
European continent must be ascribed in
q large measure to the acumen of the
man who revolutioniZed business methods
In Chicago 1t is true that Washington
possessed many fine homes before the
coming of the Letters. but they had been
built by those who came to the capital
In some official capacity. The homes of
the millionaire Californians, Hearst and
stanford. antedated the Letter mansion
by good ten years. But both these men
were in the Senate. and in those old days
they had every reason TO believe that
they would remain there during their
natural lives.
10 M Letter belongs the credit o.
ere, ting the second finest mansion in the
sac,cd preserve of Dupont Circle, ane
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

MRS. LETTER Was, Be-
N1 fore Her Marriage, Miss
Mary Teresa Carver-Was
Married in Chicago in Oc-
tober, I866-For the Past
Twenty-Five Years She Has
Resided Continuously in
Washington During the Sea-
son, and Her Home on New
Hampshire Avenue Is One of
the Most Ornate in the City.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

EXT : at ur d a v
Edgar Allan Poe
will have been
d G a q fifty-twO
years. His end
came in the Balti-
more city marine
hospital and his
last words were,
"God help my poor
soul. Despite the
passing of more
than half q CEN
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-01

of which is a tear drop for his beautiful
dead wife.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-20

time a device will be perfected to give the
aviator a reserve of safety for. use In
emergencies. At present he has prac-
tically TO chance whatever IL he should
strike the ground while In the machine.
The engine is usually thrown forward and
the operator is struck by it before he can
leap clear. 1t has been suggested that
there is more danger in the biplane, with
the engine located in the rear, than In
the monoplane, in which the operator sits
behind the power and from which he can
more readily escape at the proper mo-
ment.
In it's present state Of development
heavier-than- air aviation Is still too dan
gerous to be rated as a practicable propo-
sition for anything outside of sporting
and exhibition purposes. Nevertheless Its
future is bright. There is no other field
OF scientific mechanics in which so many
men of high ability are working, and
there is almost mathematical certainty
that on the foundation of what has al
ready been accomplished they will de-
velop one or more devices capable OF car
rying persons in all conditions of the
weather and with as high a percentage
OF security as the motor car.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-20
Navigation Uplift.

These seem TO be busy and inspiring
days in the matter OF navigation. A
publication which keeps its fingers on
the pulse Of the shipbuilding industry In
the United States finds announcement
and satisfaction in the outlook for new
tonnage. Some Of the figures given are
revelation to Americans. who for two
generations have heard nothing of Amer
lean shipping excepting it's decline. It is
given out that I'VE have 1905. OS2 tons.
or 67S,5S6 tons more than the combined
merchant fleets Of Germany. France and
Norway, three great maritime nations
OF Europe. while Russia, Sweden. Den
mark. Holland, Belgium. Greece, Spain.
Italy, Portugal and Austria-Hungary
have combined merchant tonnage which
Is million tons less than ours"
1t Is true that very large part of this
great shipping tonnage is employed In
ccastwise. lake and river commerce, but
there are hopeful signs m the prospect
of ocean shipping. American shipbuildins
plants are represented as operating at
full capacity, that they have orders for
fifty steamers and that orders for fifty
more are about to be placed. Most OF
these orders are for ships that will ply
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-20
Aviation Fatalities.

The death roll of aviation for 1911
promises now to be of shocking length.
including the tragedy at Macon. Ga, yes
terday. when Eugene Ely volplaned 10
death IN brilliant fight at the state fair
thus Tar since the 1st of January sixty-
nve persons have been killed. as ayiators
or passengers or as spectators watchinp
flights Yet numerous as have been the
fatalities OF the year, there is some en-
enlargement in the thought that a much
larger number of aviators have been at
work. with correspondingly increased
chance of mishaps resulting from exhibit
ton and experimental flights. 1t is quite
possible that in proportion to the number
of men in the air the 1911 death toll will
be smaller than that of 1910.
In the death OF Ely aviation loses one
of its most interesting performers. I,
was he who made the first fight from the
deck OF a warship and demonstrated the
possibility of using the heavier-than-ai,
machine as q naval auxiliary. His per-
formances In this connection are justly
regarded as highly important in extend
ing the possible usefulness of the airplane
Since that time he has continued his wori
as an exhibitor and was rated as one Of
the most careful and skillful of American
air pilots, although he INDUCED in som,
thrillingly dangerous feats in his display.
Of airmanship. 1t was in the last mo
nents of one Of his celebrated descent.
from aloft without power that he los
2 control of his machine In some inexpli
cable manner and plunged to the earth.
Il Is altogether probable that In shor
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-20
The United States of China.
From the Baltimore Sun.

=
This world has seen all kinds of repub-
lies. Under that al-embracing title de-
mocracies, aristocracies, oligarchies and
dictators have controlled cities, leagues.
considerations, declarations and highly
centralized large states. 1t is, indeed.
edifying to learn that the Chinese rebels
intend to establish a republic. 1t Is still
more edifying that they purpose to adopt
the American form of government. But
one is far from sure what Interpretation
the celestiais will place upon a construc-
ton under which in different parts Of the
western world the ideals of Jefferson and
the practices of DiaZ have equally -four
ished. The family organization Of the
Chinese places the emperor in a strong
position Absolute obedience of son to
father is incucated alike by Chinese laws
and religious beliefs. and the emperor is
the father of the whole Chinese family.
However, contrary to general Impressions
here, the celestials are susceptible to new
ideas. For instance. the growth Of their
religious beliefs-there is no state religion
in China-has been continually modified
by new teachings, and foreign crseds
have at all times been able to find many
converts. Again, the political theories Of
the forerunners OF the French revolution
century were many OF them formulated
in the eleventh century by one Wangun-
gan Che, whose doctrines found sufficient
adherents to start a formidable rebellion.