davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12
BILLIARD HAS BILL.
Will Ask Next Legislature to Change
Tax Levy Law.

In all probability the Topeka tax levy
for general revenue and general improve
ment is to be changed. A bill to this
effect was drawn up by Mayor Billiard at
the Salina session of the League of Kan
sas municipalities, and will be presented
to the state legislature next year.
'At present al lcitieS of the first class
are permitted a levy not to exceed two
mills for general revenue, and not to eX-
coed two mills for general Improvement.
This is ample for Improvement, but not
enough for revenue" said the commits
sioner of finance, Roy Bone. THE change
suggested was to levy a tax not exceeding
mills for general purposes. Then we
could make a levy of ~ mills for revenue,
and 115 for Improvement. Can't tell what
the legislature will do, but the bill will
probably carry.
I'VE have much more expense in
general revenue" explained the mayor,
''the city officers, for instance, the fire
department. the police department and a
lot of miscellaneous affairs; the two mill
levy is not sufficient to meet it, The i'm
provement fund comprises simply the
street department, the engineering depart
ment, the asphalt department, and crem-
atory; here We often have more money
than we actually need. My suggestion
was a sensible one, and will probably be
made law.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12
SANTA FE NOTES.

Miss D. Hobert of the freight au-
ditor's offices was taken to the hos
pital yesterday suffering with pneu-
monia.
Miss Mabel Beeler of the chief
electricians office and Miss Della
Hughes of the freight office have gone
to New York and will sail on the
Apache" for Jacksonville, Fla, next
Friday. Miss Beeler will then go 10
Knoxville, Tenn, and visit her cousin,
Mrs. Russell Clark, formerly Miss
Ruth Campbell Miss Hughes goes to
Bristol, Tenn, to visit her relatives
whom she has not seen for a number
of years.
Mr.. j. Mcfarland, general passen-
ger agent of the Great Western, was
visitor of the Santa Fe here and
left yesterday on No. 10 for the east.
w. II. Bird has gone to Lansing,
Kan.
c. P. Pope will spend Sunday in
Kansas City.
Mr.. Walter Leese, ticket agent at
ST. Joe, Mo-, has come to visit his
parents for a few days and was a
guest at the general offices yester-
day.
Miss X Martin, stenographer
freight auditor, has left for Kansas
City for few days visit with friends.
Mr.. L. c. Smith has gone TO Strong
City to visit relatives and friends
Mr.. Ike BaFnum or the freight au =
dftor's department, who has been at
tending the world series in New York
and Boston. is expected to arrive
home the first of the week.
Mr.. w A. Daugherty. clerk ticket
office, will spend Sunday in Kansas
City.
Miss Susie Staples clerk in passen-
ger department, will leave for Win
field, Kan, for a visit to relatives.
Mr.. T. c. Butler and Mr.. Thos.
Clossehey of the passenger depart
ment left today for Kansas City, Mo,
to spend Sunday with friends.
Miss J. Cooley. clerk auditor of dis
bursements, will visit relatives in
UdalL Kan, for a few days.
Miss Gertrude Maynard and Miss
Gertrude Kline, clerks in car account
ants office, have gone to Kansas City
for a few days
Mr.. H. Scott. clerk in freight au-
ditor's office, and son have gone to
Wakarusa and Kansas City for the
weekend.
Mrs. ]. ". Robert, wife of the head
clerk of Construction, and son leave
today for Amarillo, Tex, for an ex-
tended visit.
Mr.. J. II. Cochran and wife of the
ticket department of the Santa Fe
have gone to Cummings, Kan.
Miss Blanch Gregory, stenographer
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12

phrase horse sense" was discussed,
and she told one of the boys to write
a sentence containing that phrase.
The boy labored for ten minutes
lock the barn door, and he amt seen
the horse sense"
Lucien Young of the navy has a
good many medals of various kinds,
awarded him for his notable services
There was a dinner in San Francisco
one night and Lucien attended in full
dress uniform, wearing his medals
proudly displayed on his chest
He rose to speak. After the APP
p1ause had died away a man sitting
in the rear of the hall shouted:
1I,ucien. where are you checked for?"
A Kansas City young lady of few
words went to a dentist to have
tooth extracted.
Pull it," she said to the dentist
''All right replied the dentist. He
applied the cocaine, adjusted his for
ceps, and out came the tooth.
want it?" he asked the young
lady. holding the tooth before her.
Want it?" she exclaimed. Want
it? What for? Do you think I'm an
Elk?''
A man travelling in Maine met a
middle-aged farmer, who told him his
father aged 80, was still on the farm
where he was born.
Ninety years old, eh?"
Yep; pops close to ninety"
''Is his health good? ?"
"'Taint much now. He's been COM
plainin for a few months back"
Whats the matter with him?
Il dunno; sometimes think farm
in don't agree with him.
Mrs. De Troop (who is short-sighted)-
Good morning, Mrs. Simkins! Your nus
band must be very fond of gardening.
saw him the first thing this morning
down in the bottom of the garden. And
how well he looks to be sure!
Mrs. Simkins turned her back and
slammed the door in her neighbours face.
The latter aghast, went to tell her dauGh-
ter.
And you told her, mother, that tae
thing in the onion-bed was her husband q
''Of course 1 did
We'll, that's not her husband; that's
scarecrowi''
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12
BILLIARD IS ''SORE."
Topeka Mayor Criticises Topeka Tele-
phone Service.

81 would like to make d statement
about our telephone sery ice," said
Mayor Billiard this morning. 1.-The
telephone company requested US to re-
port all cases of poor service at once.
1t would require a clerk with nothing
else to do to report each incorrect
call; nine times out of ten 1 get the
wrong number. Improper service is
the rule, not the exception: slow SER
vice seems inevitable. l fail to see
any Improvement in spite Of the COM
pany's promises. 1 hear they employ
experts, but I can't find results. I
called the Edison company this morn
ing on a matter of business, and got
the Young WomeI's Christian asso-
citation three times. In order to re-
port half the incorrect numbers that
are given me 1 would nave to employ
another clerk in this office"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12
According to Uncle Abner.

ACCOrdIng to UncIe Abner.
When Anse Frisby, our banker,
built his new house about twelve
years ago he put in a magnificent Ii
brary. He told the book agent he
wanted the books all the same size
so they would look symmetrical. The
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12
DINNER STORIES.

When President w. H. Taft Was
practicing his profession in his home
town, he was waging relentless
warfare against Obeseness, and 50
ing as good way by which he
could endure his figure. In fact, he
was so regular in going to and fro
that he was always recognized by
the people who lived on the str est
along which he passed.
A young conductor was put on q
run on a line which ran on a street
which President Taft was accus-
toned to Use, and he wondered why
this large man did not use the street
cars. since they were so handy. One
day Charles Taft was riding on the
back platform of the car which the
young conductor was managing, ana
passed his father walking homo.
Curiosity getting the upper hand, the
young conductor asked Charles, who
lis that fat gink that walks when he
can use the trolley car? I bet you lie
is too blamed tight to put up the nee E
essary cents.'
"Oh." answered Charles. she is my
father"
Nearly twelve years the house had
been to let, and the house agent was
in despair. 1t was the old, old tale
of its being haunted, and tenants
simply wouldn't look at it.
At last the agent hit upon a brill
liant idea. He equipped every room
with elaborate gas fittings, not only
to make them look smart, but to
brighten away the ghosts.
A week elapsed and a rumor
reached him that some one had been
after the house. He hurried off to
the housekeeper of the mansion.
This is splendid" he gasped
breathlessly to the latter. Il hear
that some one has taken the house.
Is that SOP
I'm sure I don't know, SIR re-
piled the houSekeeper. Some ones
taken the gas fittings. and perhaps
he'll come back for the house.'
A Kansas school teacher was drill
ing her composition class in the rela-
tive value of words and phrases. The
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12

ticket department, left for Lyndon,
Kan, today.
Mr.. L. Loucks, son of ticket audi
tor. left for Emporia to spend Sunday
with friends.
Miss Anna Lawn, clerk freight au-
ditor's office, will spend Sunday at
BurIingame. Kan.
Miss Sarah K Fulton, stenographsr
in car accountants office, left on No.
la for Kansas City to remain over
Sunday.
Misses Kittie and Della Marlett win
spend a few days in Kansas City with
friends.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12

New York. Oct. 5.-Having named
a popular state ticket at the recent
SARATOGA convention. New York Re
nnb1icans are confident of swinging
the Empire state back into the Re
publican column in November.
The selection of Job E. Hedges to
heao the ticket was especially for
tunate. Hedges secured the nomina-
ala not ask the bosses aid: he made
promises to no one; is under obliga-
lions to no one. In addition to that,
he is a man with an absolutely clean
record. There is nothing to explain
in his past.
James W. Wadsworth, named for
second place. has a large following in
the state. Though young man, he
is a familiar figure in New York poll
tics He has. been speaker of the
New York assembly, and for many
years has been closely associated in
political way with William F. Barnes,
acknowledged leader of Empire state
Republicans. The other nominees on
the state ticket are also popular.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12
ON TIE SPUR
OF THE MOMENT
BY ROY K. MOULTON

Oh, r. E. Morse.
I placed five bones upon
A piebald nag
I got a straight tip from
A stable wag.
It turned out that my friend
Had guessed it right
My gallant steed put up
A wondrous fight,
1 pocketed my coin
With keen delight.
Next heat my friend came to
Me once again.
The tip he handed me
Was very plain.
It looked cen better than
The one before.
He was a learned man
In racing lore.
l bet my winnings and
Ten dollars more.
I haven't seen my learned
Friend since then.
I lost my winnings and
My extra ten.
With spirit humbled and
A mind contrite,
And pride. laid low by
r. E. Morse'S bite.
I borrowed five cents to
Ride home that night.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12
Notice

All members Of Topeka council No.
Sons and Daughters of Justice. are
requested to be present at the funeral
of Brother Charles +. Dougherty. Sun
day at 2.30 p. m, at the First United
Brethren church, corner Of Twelfth
and Quincy streets. Burial in Topeka
cemetery. Street cars viii be furnish
ed for those who wish to go to the,
cemetery by the Topeka Railway Coz
A. c. SLOAN. President
IRENE X. MILLS, Secretary.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12
Funeral Notice.

All members of Fraternal Brother
hood are requested to attend the fun
eral of Brother c. E. Dougherty. al
L. B. church, Twelfth and Quincy
streets, at 2.30 D. IN. Sunday-Adv
T. B. GARRETT, President
E. T. REARICH, Treasurer.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-12
What Drives Clerks Crazy.

II want to buy a. shirt for my nus
band don't know what size the neck
band is, but he wears six-and-one-
eighth hat
my wife wants me to get her some
ribbon to trim a dress. What shade
do you think she would like?"
my wife has just got back from the
east and doesn't like the overcoat
take it back?"
Huh, they amt wearing them hats
in New York now. You don't see 'em
in any of Bud Fishers cartoons
What kind of a necktie would my
husband like for his birthday
Are those $1.29 cuff links solid gold
If not, 1 don't want them"
The Ten Greatest Ex-Presidents.
T. r.
The ContriL uti1g Editor
Teddy.
The Colonel.
The Hero of San Juan Hill.
BWana Tumbo.
The Sage of Sycamore.
The Rough Rider.
The Imminent Roosevelt.
The Terror of the Jungle.
Things to Think About.
There are il, 1893 varieties of oil stoves
that won't smell-in the advertisements.
A man with large family who is
working on a salary does not have 10
seek an investment. They come to
him.
A new patent mousetrap is invented
in this country every three minutes.
English is a universal language now
excepting in England and the United
States.
There are 6.7s3, 524 excuses to give the
wife for getting home late and not one
good one.
If the energy wasted by stenogra-
piers in chewing gum could be harness.
ed it would drive all the railroad trains
in this country and nineteen in Canada.
From the HickeyvilIe Clarion.
A strong movement is on foot to
have the crooks taken out of Swazey
creek AS the stream now runs a raft
OF logs has to travel about twenty
miles to get a distance of four miles
down stream. With the creek straight
ened out this would save about sixteen
miles. The only thing that would con-
flict with the success of this movement
would be a question of what to do with
the extra water For the present it
could be stored away in ponds and els
terms.
Henry living sent to California for
some pumpkin seeds last spring and it
was a little late in coming, so the larg-
est pumpkin he could raise this year
weighed only eighty-one pounds. 1t is
a shame Henry couldn't have obtained
the seed earlier so the pumpkin could
have had it's full growth.
There are so many new devices on
Anse Frisby's new oatmobile that when
the engine gets to running the devices
it amt got enough power left to run the
car
Outside of runnin a lighthouse, the
most thankless job we know of is bein'
pr oofreader on a Russian newspaper.
According to Uncle Abner.
When Anse Frisby, our banker,
built his new house about twelve
The Holbrook news., 1912-06-14
Lovers Waited Lonu.


 A miracle of patience was the court. ship of worthy slipper-maker of the town of Elbing, Western Prussia, and his bride of few days. Their be- trothal had lasted for 30 years. When the man was 2S years of age mar riage between the pair was actually arranged, but at the last moment an afiuent aunt on whose fortune they had been counting interposed with the threat of disinheritance in case this particular union should take place. Accordingly the wedding was postponed till the obstacle should have been removed. It was not long before the aunt died, but when her will was opened it was found that she had bequeathed her possessions to her nephew only on condition that he did not marry the girl of his choice for at least another 30 years With a com bination of fidelity and prudence which is deserving of wonder, if not of admiration, the couple calmly set themselves to wait out this term. It has at last expired, and they have be- come man and wife, though it should be added that the marriage ceremony had to take place in the house of the bridegroom, who is now confined to his room by heart complaint.
The Holbrook news., 1912-06-14
SOAP AND WATER FOR CARPET
<roatment That Will Serve to Give the Floor Covering a New
 Lease of Life.

To wash the carpet thoroughly you will require bucket of warm water, cake of carpet soap, S piece of house flannel, and, if you are going to tackle fair-siked piece of carpet at once, a supply of dry cloths.
 Do not begin near the door, as you may require to leave the room for fresh water, and it is unwise to walk on the carpet when damp. Make up your mind to do without the room till all is dry. Start washing as far from the door as possible, and work towards 1t The flannel is wetted, and portion of the carpet well rubbed. It must not be overdone, only wetted sufficiently to secure a good lather by rubbing the carpet soap ball well in. Then with the clean, wet flannel remove the soap. We'll rinse the flannel after wards, so that it is quite soapless when you begin again, later on anoth- CT fresh piece.
 No soap must be left in the carpet when the final rubbing commences. Take a dry towel, and rub to your best. Though you cannot git rid of all dampness, you can almost dry the patch with friction, and this brings up he nap beautifully, also the colors.
The Holbrook news., 1912-06-14
BELIEVES OLD SYSTEM BEST
Writer DepIores the Modern Method oi Teaet,nG Children Science of
 Spelling.

In the memory of some of us who are not grandmothers, spelling was taught by graduated system begin ming with the phonetic value of the letters. The spelling books-we rec ognize 1t now-were designed to make learning easy. Long lists of words of similar sound but with different initial letters were given, and possibly with one or two exceptions or variations sandwiched in. The ear and the mind, from frequent repetition, grew accus- toned to a certain combination, and, once learned. it was never forgotten.
 Today I take up the spelling book of a child just out of the Kindergarten and attempt to hear him his lesson. What do seef A list of Things to Use on the Table" He spells bread" ~salt" and plates" correctly, and sticks at knives" Ee goes back. studies 1t again and again sticks to knives" Why should knives be spelled as it is? He cannot understand The fact that 1t Is something to use on the table does not help him. turn to the preface of the book to see if l can find what Rossetti would call "the fundamental brain work underlying the system, and learn that spelling, forsooth should be taught "by an as- Uocjation of ideas!" Now, spelling is not an association of ideas. It is an association of sounds If you teach it by association of the idea of sound, well and good. Why should the child be robbed of the help which associa- ton of sounds would give him? Why should each work be made an excep- ton and have to be learned by a dis tinct mental process? Why are the theories of Pestolozzi and FroebeI thus clumsily misapplied?
 The -framers of the old-fashioned memory systems depended on the as- sociation of ideas, and justly so. for they taught lists of unrelated words. They would have been the last to de- pend on 1t for the teaching of Eng 1ish spelling. They would have been the first to claim the help of the linked chain of similar sounds.
 Let us thank our lucky stars that we were educated before there was an effort to make learning picturesque. Those of us who wept over Reading without Tears" have reaped one ad- vantage; we can at least write a let ter without looking in the dictionary. -Ldppincott's.
The Holbrook news., 1912-06-14
Mock VenIson.

Leg of lamb, pounds. pint of cur rant or grape juice. A bay leaf. 2 cloves, teaspoon of salt, H teaspoon of pepper, A teaspoon of curry pow der, 2 cups of bread crumbs. Melted currant or grape jelly can be used. Remove bones from meat. Cook roast in hot fruit juice for two minutes in a covered kettle. Add salt, pepper and curry powder to the bread crumbs, moisten with hot fruit juice and i'll cavity in the roast Place roast in pan, add bay leaf and cloves and pour fruit juice into pan. Baste frequently and cook one hour and 20 minutes
The Holbrook news., 1912-06-14
Chocolate Nouaat.

Take four ounces of blanched al monds, six ounces of icing sugar, the whites of two eggs; two ounces oi grated chocolate; a few drops of vanilla essence, and some almond oil
 Put the sugar, chocolate and whites of eggs into a lined saucepan, and whisk them together until very stiff. Cut each of the almonds into three pieces; warm them slightly in the oven, and stir them into the saucepan with the other ingredients. Add van lila essence, let all get thoroughly hot, when turn into a tin which has been greased with almond oil. Smooth over with knife dipped in hot water. and when nearly set, cut in squares and pile in fancy dishes.
The Holbrook news., 1912-06-14
Timing Fast TraIns.

Ghirty-five of them it will be a mile. If you have a watch with second hands on 1t you can tell just how many miles the train Is travelling in an hour.
 Note the time from one mile post to the next Anything more than . hour. If the second hand gets past the minute and down to thirty seconds you are going forty miles an hour. If k gets only twelve seconds past the minute you are going fifty miles an hour and so on.
 You may cut this out and take it with you on the train next time you make a railway journey. and see if you can determine your speed.
The Holbrook news., 1912-06-14
PLAYTHINes MADE IN AFRICA
uttIe Puppies Are Tied to the 6aeks of Children, Like Mothers Carry
 Their Babies.

Little girls in Africa love dolls;f but Such queer onesl
 They take little puppies and tie them on to their backs, just as their own mothers carry their babies.
 What wriggling there must bel But some of them like better to play baby' with little pigs. Well, little pigs are real cunning Every little. white ones) but who would think of hugging them?
 Little African boys make guns, by binding together two pieces of cane tor barrel, putting at one end lump of clay for the stock. at the other a tuft of cotton for smoke.
 They make spears of reeds, also bows. arrows and shields. With these they play shoot" and going to war"
 They make mud pies, and form ami mals out of clay, while their sisters jump the rope"
 Like children in all lands, they play . great deal at make believe"
 They do as they see older people do. Not playing keep house." or Ego wis ting" or "circus." because they do not see those things done by the older people; but they "tend" they are building hut, making clay jars, and rushing corn to eat
The Holbrook news., 1912-06-14
Small Angel Cake.

Whites four eggs, half level tea spoon cream tartar, half cup granulat- ed sugar, half cup flour, one-quarter teaspoon salt, half teaspoon almond extract.
 Put the cream tartar in the whites of the eggs and beat to a stiff froth, then beat in the sugar. Sift the salt with the flour and stir lightly into the other mixture. Add the fiavoring and put into a small ungreased angel cake tin. Sprinkle the top with sugar. Bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven.
The Holbrook news., 1912-06-14
NEW JERSEY HAS TEXT BOOK
ohIIdren Arc Taught tc Read by Linking Names With obIeets-
 Principle Is Not Different.

A New Jersey woman has designed . new kind of textbook to teach small children how to read. It's general books of it's kind, but 1t goes a step AxtheF. For instance, a page is di- vlded into four parts and each part has the picture of an animal In it, with the name of the animal printed beneath. Thus far 1t is like the old BtyIe book. in that 1t teaches the shild the name by association with the object There are separate sheets of paper, however, with perforationS along which they can be torn in part and bearing also the names of the various animals in the illustrations The child, therefore, looks at the pie
The Holbrook news., 1912-06-14
SECURES "A STRENUOUS POST

Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson ac- cepted the post in Mexico City two years ago because he had become weary of the inactivity at the Brus- sells legation, where the only diplo- matic excitement was the wearisome controversy over the Belgian atroci- ties in the Congo. President Taft was anxious to have him accept one of the European posts, as fortunately he Is rich enough to pay the bills for house rent and hospitality which these ap- pointments demand, but he chose Mexico City just for the pleasure of downright hard work and hard fight ing.
 And he has certainly obtained it. It would be difficult to overestimate the difficulties of his position. The in- trigues and cabals against him have been legion, and they have been espe- cially strong and bitter among his own countrymen.
 Before MT. Wilson left the Amer lean legation in Brussels for his ap-