davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08

We'll, now I earn money, we have
good times, too, grandpa" said Jenny,
smiling the same tender, comprehendlng
smile.
I'VE do that; 1 don't know what ]
would do 'cept for you, lambie, and this
is-this Is a grand time. Jenny, you
look and listen; t's a great thing to see
nation making its principles and its
President-and such a PRESIDENT"
He half turned his head as he spoke,
with a mounting enthusiasm, thus bring
ing his flushing face and eager eyes
no longer dim-into the focus Of his
next neighbor's bright gray eyes. The
neighbor was a young man, not very
young, but hardly to be called elderly,
OF an alert bearing and kindly smile
II think him a pretty fair man my
SELF" said the other with jocose un-
reinstatement; 'T came from his town.
What was there In such a simple state
ment to bring a distinctly anxious look
into the young girls soft eyes? There
II was: one could not mistake Il. O..
"Well!' said the old man; there was
a fiattering Difference in his voice. well,
well And-and maybe you've seen him
lately?" The quavering tones sharpened
with a keener feeling: II was almost as
II the man were inquiring for some one
on whom he had a great stake of affec-
ton. How did he look? Was he bet
ter. stronger"
"oh, he looked elegant" said the Ohio
man, easily. but with disconnected side
glance at the girl whose eyes were i'm
ploring him.
I've been a Blaine man ever since
he was run the time Bob Ingersoll nomi-
ed as II relieved. Il was at that conven-
ton and heard the sDeAch-"
''Ah. that was a speech to hear" said
man behind. and two or three men
edged their heads nearer
The old Republican Strengthened his
bent shoulders, his winter-stung fea-
lures softened and warmed at the mani
festation Of interest. his voice sank to
the confidential undertone OF the narra-
tor.
You're right, sir. right: it was a mag
nifcent speech. can see him Jest as he
stood there, a stoutish, good looking
man, smooth-faced. his eye straight
ahead. and an alternate that sat next to
mel was an alternate; I've been an
alternate four times; I could have been
a delegate. but I says, No: abler men
than me are wanting IT; I'm willing to
fight in the rangs.' But I wished had
a vote. free vote that day. tell you.
The alternate near me, he says, You'll
AAtdl StllltAIAAllS llllt HO"1 We HlIn
speak.
You did, too. guess"
We could hear from the first min
ute. That kinder fixed our attention.
He had a mellow, rich kind of voice
that melted into our ears. We found
listening and liking him from
the first sentence. At first he was as
quiet as a summer breeze. but presently
he began to warm up, and the words
flowed out like a stream OF jewels II
was eleCtrifying: it was thrilling sir;
il took us of our feet before We knew II,
and when he came to the climax, those
Of US that weren't yelling in the aisles
were jumping up and down on our chairs.
l know I found myself prancIng up and
down on my own hat on a chair. swing
ing somebody else's hat and screaming
at the top OF my voice, with the tears
running down my cheeks. God sir. there
were men there on their feet cheering
their throats out that had to vote against
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08

he understood. have heard Of you
loyalty to Republican principles. Mr.
] Painter says he. in that beautiful voic'
of his that was like q violin; and
burst in-I couldn't help it-Tt amt 10y
atty to Republican principles. it's to you.
said that right out. And he smiled
and said he, Well, that's wrong. but 4
isn't for me TO quarrel with you there
Mr.. Painter and then they pushed me
along; but twice while the talk was goinl
on I saw him look my way and caught
his eye. and he smiled, and when We
/, were all shaking hands for good-by' he
shook hands with good firm grip. and
said he, 'Good-by, Mr.. Painter; hope
We shall meet again"
The old man drew a long sigh. Those
few moments paid for everything" he
said. "I've never seen him since. I've
been sick and lost money. / amt the
man I was I never shall be put on any
delegation again, or be sent 20 any con-
vention: but I thought II could only &C
once more to a Republican convention
and hear them holler for Blaine. and
holier once more myself, I'd be wiliinger
TO die. And told Tom Hale that, and
he and Jenny raised the money. Yes,
Jenny, Tn going to tell-he and Jenny
put off being married a bit SOS could
go, and go on plenty OF money. Jenny,
she worked a month longer to have
plenty, and Tom. he slipped ten dollars
into my hand unbeknown to her. Jest as
we were going. SO I'd always have a
dime to give the waiter or the porter.
was never one OF these hayseed farm
ers, too stingy to give a colored boy a
dime when he'd done his best. ! didn't
need no money for badges; got my old
badges-seer"
He pushed out the lapel of his coat.
covered with old-fashioned frayed bits of
tinseI and ribbon. smiling confidently.
The girl had flushed crimson TO the rim
OF her white collar; but there was not
trace Of petulance in her air: and. all
at once looking at him, her eyes filed
with tears.
Toms an awful good fellow" he said.
IAN awful good fellow"
I'm sure OF that" said the Canton
man, with the frank American frIendli-
ness. making a little bow in Miss Jenny's
direction: but see here, Mr.. Painter, do
you come from lizard? Are you the man
that saved the county for the Republi-
cans by mortgaging his farm and then
going on a house-to-house canvass
That's me-" the old man aoquiesced
blushing with pleasure; Il didn't think.
though. that II was known outside"
Things go farther than you guess
that I shall speak OF It again in my
paper. Well. guess they've got through
with their mail. and the platforms COM
ing in
Thus he brushed aside the old mans
agitated thanks.
"One moment" said the old man, who
who's going to nominate HIM"
For the space OF an eyebllnk the kind
ly Canton man looked embarrassed, then
he said. briskly: Foraker. Foraker, OF
Ohio-he's the principal one. That's he
now. chairman OF the committee on reso-
lutions. He's there. the tall man with the
':Isn't that elderly man. with the stoop
shoulders and the chin beard and caved-
in face, TeIler?' Il was a man near me,
on the seat behind. who spoke, tapping
the Canton man with his fan. TO attract
attention: already the pitiful concerns OF
the old man who was "a little on (as
had heard some one on the seat whisper)
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08

I felt that the Canton man need not
be afraid. Somehow we were all tacit-
ly taking care that this poor, bewildered
soul should not have its little dream of
loyal, unselfsh satisfaction dispeIled.
"Ah, my countrymen." thought, you
do a hundred crazy things. you crush
les convenanceS under foot. you can
be fooled by frantic Missionaries, but how
bye your ..
It was Baldwin. of Iowa, that made
the first speech. He was one Of the very
/ few men-I had almost said OF the two
men-that we in the galleries had the
pleasure OF hearing; and we could hear
every word.
die began with a glowing tribute to
Blaine. At the first sentence our old
man flung his gray head in the air with
the gesture OF the war horse when he
catches the first, far-off scream of the
trumpet. He leaned forward. his fea-
lures twitchIng. his eyes burning; the
fap dropped out OF his limp hand; his
fingers. rapplng his palm, clenched and
loosened themselves unconsciousIy in an
overpowering agitation. His face was
white as marble, with ominous blue
shadows: but every muscle was astrain;
his chest expanded: his shoulders drew
back: his mouth was as strong and firm
as a young man. For a second we
could see what he had been at his prime
Then the orators climax came. and
the name-the magic name that was its
own campaign cry in itself.
The old partisan leaped to his feet;
he waved his hands above his head: wild.
strange. in his white flame Of excitement.
He shouted: and We all shouted with
him. the Mckinley man and the Reed
man vieing with each other II here offer
my testimony as TO the scope and quail
ity OF that young Reed mans voice.,
and the air rang about US: Blaine!
Blaine! James G. Blaine"' He shrieked
the name again and again, goading into
life the waning applause. Then in an
Instant his will snapped under the strain:
his gray beard tilted in the air; his
gray head went back on his neck.
The Canton man and caught him in
time to ease the fall We were helped
to pull him into the aisle. There were
four OF US by this time, his granddaugh-
ter and the Reed ''rooter," besides the
Canton man and myself
We carried him into the wide passage
way that led to the seats. The Reed
young man ran for water, and, finding
none, quickly returned with a glass OF
lemonade Che was a young fellow ready
in shifts, and with IL We bathed the
old mans face.
Presently he came back. by degrees, 10
the world: he was not conscious, but we
could see that he was not going TO die.
He'll be all right in no time" declared
the Reed man. You had better go back
and get your seats, and keep mine!'
I assured both men that could not re-
turn for more than a short time having
an engagement for luncheon.
That's all right" said the Reed man.
turning TO the Canton man, Il amt
shouting when Foraker comes; you are.
You go back and keep my seat; I'll come
in later on Hobart
So the kindly Canton man returned
to the convention for which he was
longing, and We remained in our little
corner by the window, the young girl
tanning the old man. and the young
man on the watch for A boy with water.
He darted after one; and then the girl
turned TO me.
No one disturbed us. Below, the traf-
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08

School. I had an easy time Of it when
was boy. used TO get up late in the
morning and go to school.
Takes His Chances.
Then I started in on a mans job in the
steel works. I had relatives in the steel
business and that is how became inter-
ested in it. But l was shown no favorft-
ism. That was in 1903 While at work
in the steel factory l took a correspond
ence course in mechanical engineering.
After I finish my work each day. l
walk back home and get my supper.
Then l either go to school or study.
Sometimes I study until u or / o'clock
Then l have to get up at 6:45. My
mother is at present visiting at the navy
yard, but she will take up her residence
here shortly. 1 expect to remain here
until the summer of 1914, when 1 hope
to return to Lebanon and take a respon-
sible position in the steel works Father
is in Washington where his duties de-
mand his presence
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08
SHOWERS OF SPIDERS.

Prom the New YORK Sun.
Gilbert White gives an account Of a
| spider showed that continued for nearly
whole day. Darwin saw one at sea-
Each spider was supported, it appears, by
tiny parachute composed of a few
threads Of almost invisible gossamer.
Spider showers have from time to time
been made the subject of scientific re-
ports in this country. One Of them gives
this description OF the phenomenon:
On the morning OF this shower there
had been some electrical disturbances.
There had been one loud peal of thun-
der, but no rain. At 10 o'clock there was
observed a number of spiders that ran
over the coat sleeves of the observer. He
brushed off several trails of gossamer
web
Upon looking about. he discovered that
the houses, walls. and trees showed
these webs dangling from them. and
that other gossamer webs were contin-
ually falling from above and adding to
the accumulation.
By midday a fence was festooned from
point to point of its triangular rail tops
with a ribbon-like ladder of gossamer,
and this continued to become broader and
broader as the tiny creatures continued
to run along this ladder, each spider in
NlNdSAlAb bHo DESduln Dy dOullk It's O"u
contribution of another silken thread.
All along this ladder the spiders were
running in an excited and hurried man
ner. as II they had lost their way in a
strange country. Some, in proceeding
over their improvised road, made mis-
takes and got into the bordering webs
OF the garden spiders, by which they
were speedily deyoured.
At 1 o'clock the clouds vanished, the
sun came out. and the observer noticed
that some of the spiders had begun to
reascend into the atmosphere. Fixing
his gaze upon one OF them, he observed
that as It left the gossamer pathway 1t
selected a clean spot on an iron railing
and, gathering its legs closely together,
projected its spinerets, several threads
that extended outward and stretched up
ward from nine to twelve inches. Then
this parachute seemed to show a buoy
ant tendency, and suddenly the tiny
creature let go Of the iron rail, or was
lifted of It, and quickly vanished into
the air.
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08

Christmas comes early 10 some folk.
Witness the toymaker. He = making
toys the whole year round. and his
dreams OF Yuletide live in q future dec
ade OF little children. Then there is the
Christmas poet. His rondels must be
ready for the calendar and postal card
firms in May, sometimes earlier. The
| dead line" for magazine holiday stories
is August. They begin on their Christ
! mas programme in June. and the writer
must conform II he would sell.
Imagine the felicity OF inspiration which
permits the composition OF verse and
prose dealing with drifting snow. the
crisp chime of Christmas bells, and all
the good cheer that comes with the great
day. with the temperature standing high
in the shade, accompanied with all the
regular business OF summer.
Work Appearing Now.
Nevertheless it is done every year. The
advance numbers OF the Christmas maga-
zines are coming out. one by one. and the
first consignment of greeting cards and
calendars has reached Washington.
The prime idea of the Christmas-card
manufacturer this year runs toward a
conventional makeup of art and verse
with a new twist. Dickens and John
Peel cards and calendars are the vogue,
especially among the London importa-
tons. But Christmas styles in old Nu-
remberg are unfaltering, and never
change.
This is evident from an import and do
mestic shipment of art cards and calen-
dars recently received in Washington
from Z. P. Dutton & Co, of New York.
Cards Run I'm Series.
The Christmas cards run in series, etch-
ed and scribed with particular charm and
novelty. One is the stocking tag, which
consists of card cut in the shape of a
stocking. A pretty child's head peeps
out of each. The gamut runs from the
new age of prOgressivism back to the
good old colonial days. without miss, to
the good ship MayiOwer.
Hero is a set of pictures got in holding
a set OF old time cards like a fan; pretty
dame and beau extending Christmas
greetings with hand and lip; child caught
peeping from behind a curtain of an old
fashioned canopied bed: mother and chill
dren singing an infant to sleep with
Christmas carols: a buXom lass at her
distaff, a la Priscilla and John Alden;
fair dame coming down the stairs lighting
the way with a bayberry candle.
Then the scenes change. You see
Dutch family group gathered round a
table loaded with Christmas cheer. The
goose is done to a turn, and the stout
burgher is smiling like seven hundred dol
lars. Then you see rosy maid of New
Amsterdam looking out to sea from the
Battery Wall for the ship that is to
bring her sailor lover home for Christ
mas. Even old Peter Stuyvesant walks
again with gold-headed cane and massive
strut. He mods approval as ye old town
nrfa IN. Wall Street annnnnC-
ing that it is Christmas Day. Ye Bear
and Bull and ye little innocent lamb Cas
yet unshorn) are seen. too.
The last is a beautiful color sketch Of
group Of little children gazing at a
picture of old ST. Nicholas with wide, ex-
pectant eyes.
The Dickens group is replete with ia
m.liar characters, scenes and Dickens
wonderful Christmas carols You viii
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08
As Seen from oEkaIoosa.
From the OskaIoosa Timss

From the OskaIooss Times
The great cry Of the thigh cost Of
living is so largely a matter Of imagina-
ton it is difficult to appreciate how
people can make so much out of il. As
a matter of fact there never was a time
in the history OF the world when the
average man could live so well on the
product Of his days toll as right at
this time. The great trouble is that the
man OF moderate means wants TO live a
great deal better than the kings and
mobiles Of the past century. and as A
matter Of fact he does. When the writer
was boy his wardrobe consisted Of
hickory shirt and pair of overalls with
homemade suspenders. Shoes were out
OF the question except occasionally for
Sunday or special occasions. The table
was provided largely from the garden
and small orChard-meat OF any kind
was not plentiful, and the thought Of
going TO a butcher shop and buying beef
steak would have been sufficient evidence
OF insanity to convict in any court and
there were dozens of families lived Just
as we did and grew up good. strong
men and women. with no thought OF an
eight hour day nor a union scale" but
with a wholesome dread OF debt, and
firmly taught TO spend less than was
earned, no matter what that might be.
boys circumstanced as We were
then must have s. shoes. silk hose. S25
suits and Sc shirts; their parents buy all
their provisions from the stores because
It is too much trouble to make garden.
must have beefsteak even II 1t is .
cents a pound; and put of pay day as
long as possible-and this is the answer
10 the high cost Of living" It is the
cost OF high living"
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08
Adn1iraPs Son, in OperaHs,
Works in Boston NavyYard
Charles D. Sigsbee, Jr, Repairs Boilers and
Studies at Night-Anxious to Become
Mechanical Engineer.

Boston, Dec. 7.-Charles D. Sigsbee, jr.,
son OF Rear Admiral Sigsbee retired.
commander of the il-fated battleship
Maine, works eight hours a day in the
power plant at Charlestown Navy Yard,
and his work is not of the kid glove
sort, for he goes at it in grimy overalls
ana jumper.
Sigsbee IS but twenty-five. and each
day performs tasks on equal terms with
older. trained mechanics in the electric
llSht station. His work consists of re-
pairing boilers and doing odd jobs about
the plant, such as cleaning tubes. making
draft tests, hammering rivets and lift
ing heavy pieces of tubing when the oc-
ca sion demands.
The admirars son arises each morn
iHs at 6:45 o'clock and tends to the fur
mace at his mothers apartment, 20
High Street, CharlestOwn. The Sigsbees
live on the third floor, and after his
morning journey to the furnace, three
stories below. he INDUCES in a few
physical culture exercises with dumb
hollis. chest weights and Indian clubs
Then, following a cold plunge, he is
ready for breakfast, which he prepares
himself
He next makes four sandwiches cuts
two generous pieces of pie and packs
them with some fruit in a paper bag.
This comprises his MONDAY lunch.
Sgsbee walks a half mile from his
home to the navy yard and reports for
duty at o'clock. During the morning
his labors are confined to the Office of
the electrician in charge of the power
plant, Joseph r. McGill. Here Sigsbee
makes water tests to determine the
quality Of the water going into the
boilers.
n+b.- - Slz.ko.,z a,,.,.z 4 A. g.
uring out of evaporation and the making
Of various records dealing with the work
at the plant. His knowledge of chemis-
try, which is necessary in analyZing the
water, is self acquired and not the re-
suit Of any course at school.
Studies All the Time.
In speaking of his morning labors in
the power plant ofiice. Sigsbee said:
1T is office work that could not be
done by man without mechanical
training.
AT L o'clock I quit work for lunch.
! have to report for work again at 1880
During that half hour 1 sit eating my
lunch and studying. I study every
chance I get have no fear Of break
down. I am in better condition now than
before I started in working.
AT 1880 I put on my dirty overalls
snd jumper and report for duty at the
boiler room of the power plant. Then
comes the hardest part of the days
work. There are hundreds of different
things to do. Sometimes I clean boiler
tubes. 1 cut rivets, make draft tests
and ali sorts OF things like that
At Is heavy work and there is a lot
CT hammering to do, especially in driv-
ing rivets. Some of the boiler tubes are
four inches in diameter and twenty feet
long. Sometimes ! clean them, some
times I lift them about. Samuel Doug
las is electrician in charge Of the boilers |
He Is the boss and 1 learn a number of
things there ii would be impossible for
me to learn in other plants.
prior to my coming here was en-
ployed as a mechanic at the American |
ron and Steel Works at Lebanon, Pa. II
lad been a student at Washington High
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08

pensive to maintain, and one whose eff
cheney for the main purpose of its exist
ence has been nullifed, so far as geo.
graphical location can nullify it.
II is true that the small units into
which IL has been subdivided have main
tanned efficiency to remarkable extent
But for the contingency, by which ma
tional army must always be judged
namely, the contingency Of a war with a
first-ciass power-the army is unpre-
pared.
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08
Army Reforms Needed.

Henry L. stinAson, Secretary Of War.
The army posts as at present located
are unit and lead to extravaganza. They
were originally located with reference
to Indian troubles, and few of them are
in places suited to meet the needs of
national action or defense. The average
number of companies to each of the
forty-nine posts is only nine.
In short, we have scattered our army
over the country as IL it were merely
groups of local constabulary, instead of
a national organization. The result Is
An army which is extraordinarily ex.
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08

II
at the athletic club his sole intellectual
Sporting News.
Strange RcmInder of Fingers.
on the other hand, those who are ia
miliar with life in the hotels, and the
various athletic clubs, assert that ''spon-
dees" and "dactyls'' are not as alien
TO that life as they seem.
The "spondee" Is the name given TO
the slow, even measure of the ancienb
hymn which was sung or recited when
somebody poured libation. And
'dactyf' means a finger, and the dactyl-
lie measure in prosody is usually equiv
alent In value to three fingers, one long
and two short"
A mystic sign, but doubtless far re-
moved from the mind of the professor of
political science at Wesleyan in 1890!
NediH Mccormick Puzzled.
Il know what they mean," said Mediu
Mccormick. Il have them both in my
name. 1 do not know what will happen
to me-
These luck Omens are developed after
the fact" said Representative Tom Cor
man of Peoria They remind me OF the
old woman who said she always had OBJ
served that II she lived through ST. Pat
rick's day she lived out the rest OF the
year"
Il do not care to be put in a position
of disagreeing with the new President"
said County Clerk Robert NJ. Sweitzer,
a Democrat. but as for me / think that
instead Of a dactyl and a spondse a tact
full sponsor viii bring more sstiafactor2
results"
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08
Days Over
For Many of Workers
Toymakers, PoetS and Writers Had Their Yule-
tide Spirit Early in the Summertime.
Christmas Cards Conventional

see Bob Cratchit and his family. from
A Christmas Carol Bob himself is
standing up with his toast. "A Merry
Christmas to US all. my dears, and God
bless US, every one And from the
Cricket on the Hearth" Mr.. and Mrs.
Perryb!ng1e wish you a right merry
Christmas, too.
And so the list runs on. GTheres a
laugh in some, tender feeling in others.
and through them all strikes sweet and
clear the Christmas spirit.
UtOpian.
From Judse.
The maid OF good Mrs. McGlue
CThat's WHO'D
Has practically nothing TO do
CHurTooD
But rise a four-thirty
And wash up what's dirty.
Then work till next morning at two.
(CallOoi
CaIlay! don't you wish It was youO
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08

Grass stains may be removed from
washable fabrics by rubbing with fresh
lard before washing.
The Washington herald., 1912-12-08

hotel there is no dictionary in the room
nothing but a Gideon Bible. II he lives
at the athletic club his sole intellectual
companions are Spaldings Guide and
sporting News.