davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

tom. She was absolutely miserable Il
she didn't finish a sonnet a day. I've
known her to do kitchen recipes in son.
net form. Another poet insists always
IN sitting with his back TO the wall and
walking close to buildings in the streets.
once | asked him why. i AIN afraid OF
open spaces" he replied.
1hefe is a young poet in New York
VINO writes beautiful poem aoC4t mad
ness. He declares it the most wonderful
thing in the world. That rather indicates.
however. that he is perfectly sane
Considering the dangers of writing
poetry think it would be safer for
person to go through typhoid than to sue.
cumo to the poetic afflatus. Few poets
survive it. SO, for the time being at
least, | shall write no mr e.
With even the greatest of writer's.
the longer they write the more incompre-.
henslble theJ become. There is Thomas
Hardy, one of the biggest men IN modern
literature No one can understand his
last work, The DynastS." 1t is a literary
mystery. With poets. however, in the
course OF years they become so mysteri-
GUS so complex, that no one can under.
stand their work. Why. | found it actu-
ally necessary TO write a commentary
in my last book 0Xplsinilg my poems
After | write verses | often forget what
they mean. .lust keep copious notes
Why, if | kept on writing poetry until {
was thirty book OF mine would simply
consist or one sonnet-the rest would be
commentary explaining it,
Recently wrote Il poem. "Pierrot Cru.
cited" forgot TO make a note explaining
It's meaning. And now, when | read it |
am nystiiied can no longer under.
stand ny own poem. So this is the las.
] snail write.
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

spirits of Lilith, Ashtoreth Nero Catul.
lus, Tiberius, the Queen OF Sheba and
Hadrian were haunting me. If wrote
long enough about the Sphinx, and
brooded on the subject with the morbid
intentness that some poets give to their
subjects, have no doubt that it would
become an obsession. | might develop
the hallucination that the Sphinx con-
tided her secret to me.
De Maup0ssant told Paul BOurget that
he often saw his double Were I to go
so far and imagine saw my double
fear / might then really go mad-from
jealousy!
I could name many poets who took
to drink or went insane. There was Ger
ard de Neryal who was first obsessed
with mysticism. He drank horribly and
when ne went to the gardens of the
Tuleries imagined he saw the gold fish
lifting their heads from the water and
inviting him to follow them INTO the
fountains.
Gerard de Nerval became haunted by
the imaginary beings he created. He
always said the Queen of Sheba was wait
ing just around the corner for him. Imag-
inc my condition were | to go so far as
to become convinced that the beast Of
the Apocalypse" of which I've written,
Was waiting ABOUT every corner LOT me!
AS it is, | used to be afraid Of the dark;
since l decided to give up poetry the
dark no longer holds terrors for me.
My fear was unQuestionably due to an
over-excited imagination.
Nerval also developed a curious mania.
He dragged lobster about the streets
of Paris with him, and when his physi-
clan, a solicitous soul. objected, .,erval
naively expressed his establishment He
saw no reason why any one should object
to his airing his pet-wny, he said limo
Gently, Holsters were more inoffeusive
than dogs; they never even barked. Re-
Gently young man appeared in the Wal
dorf dining room with cat on the head
of which was a crown of brilliants. |
am sure he was poet-no one but poet
would do anything SO extraordinary as
take an angora to the Waldorf for lunch
Recently Richard lie Gallienne wrote
me letter telling me of a wonderful
water bug he had caught and of which
he made a pet. His enthusiasm over
the water bug amazed mel thought he
was joking. Other letters followed. He
wrote me about his daily observations
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

of the bug, how he kept 1t in a glass
and gave it fresh water daily. He was
becoming very fond of it, he said Then
learned that during this episode he was
deeply immersed in writing a poem
fortunately the water bug died; other
wise he might have developed a fascl.
nation for the beetle. He expressed heart
broken grief when it died.
Poetry has driven many men poets TO
suicide, Nerval hanged himself. have
no intention Of bringing on such a fate
myself, although / have no doubts many
of our younger poets would rejoice At
such an act
Cnatterton killed himself. KIaist
Many thought of it, even II tbev di aSo
carry out their intention-among I'm In !
the poet Cooper. Perhaps it might I baga
been well If he had done SO. T. naSe
drivel nucn inferior
), bau nde might as we'll have L,,,o,
M died from genera AYE n. Killed
he n wrote wonderful poetry bnt Pbs pare
80 mentally unbalanced that he t peGame
o Of f.v ne dyed his hair green tpI Hno 10
OF le" poets today who ~ a., know
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03
fOet 1eTeck Explains How Wooing the Muse May
BRING the Queen of Sheba to Dinner: Cause the
Gold Fish to Stare, and Change Doqs into Holsters

seems 10 me a far more mar.
vellous accomplishment than
tne most precious Of sonnets.
II | were not Viereck, / would
gladly be Edison. some
times suspect that / would
rather have reared the Met
ropolitan Building than writ
ten my poem Queen Lilith."
The spirit of America has
eaten into my heart. Wall
Street is more interesting to
me than Parnassus. The
protagonists of great indus
trial combinations impress
me more than the Knights
of King Arthur's Table or
the vassals of Beowulf. Nor
gan himself, so / am told,
was a poet before finance en-.
thralled him.
II one Is to continue writ
ing poetry for many years
there are quite terrible dan
gers he must guard against.
Nearly all poets, as a matter
Of fact, become monomaniacs
They get a fixed idea that
they must put everything in
T. rhyme; they think in
rhymes; they almost talk in
rhymes. II doesn't matter
whether they are thinking o.
the menu Of a dinner, the
description of scenery, a
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

~ OES writing poetry cause insanity
Does wooing the muse drive men
&c. insane, produce Authorizations.
make idiots OF poets and produce disease?
Is it the most dangerous occupation iii
the world?
George Sylvester viereck, that shy
young poet of whom you may possibly
have heard, says 30. He declares that
writing poetry is more dangerous han
working in a coal mine or a dynamite
factory; that it drives men to drink, to
poverty, that it destroys the moral sense,
makes snobs, idiots and megalomaniacs
OF many who WELD the pen; and that, as
1t induces diseases of the mind it is
more to be feared than typhoid.
OF course, Mr.. Viereck ought to know
When Mr.. Viereck's 1rst book of poems.
"rIineveh." was published several years
ago, it created a tremendous sensation.
and to this book, in Mr. Viereck's opinion.
have been due the crime waves and taxi
CAB robberies that swept over New York:
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

who simply draws from his brain color.
less images that do not exist; who tceds
upon himself exaggerates his own i'm
portance and sees the world only, and
falsely within himself. 1t is tragic.
Why, few poets read the newspapers;
they are more ignorant of the world than
monks in secluded monasteries. Is it
any wonder they go insane? Go raving
mad?
Writing poetry Is worse than alcohol
A man who gets drunk on alcohol may
get some benefit, as alcohcI has food
value. But poetry has 40 food value
And the man who intoxicates himself
writing poetry all the time becomes brain
starved l have seen the brains OF poets
actually die
The writing of poetry unquestionably
drives many poets to drink 1t drives
many to the gutter l have no DOUBT tne
very obsession of poetry drove zoe 10
take relief in wine. that It drove nun 70
wander about, often half mad ana eanse ea
him to suffer incredibly. 1t mlent h% W.
been wonderful thing for roc ha a. ,i ~.
like LIE Caffeine, taken to farming h or tihg
Ella Wheeler Wilcox, fnteresteu a; 4a
=. o+I,;cs and uapa newspaper luis
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

but not green. One
gay BaudeIaire tried to
strangle his father-i ~
i "a fact. despite
the statement that he
uled OF softening of
the brain. leads me to
suspect that he NAV
nave had lucid moments
Poetry drives many
poets to drugs. There
was de Musset. who
drugged himself with a
Trightful mixture of beer
and absinthe; he then
imagined he saw his
double and that sounds
haC colors. He often
hypnotized himself with
a gilt frame-most of
the poets I know do it
simply with a mirror.
Poets often develop
the mania of persecution.
They imagine that the
critics are always un.
fairly treating them. Ber-
hardin de st. Pierre de.
veloped this idea. so
strongly that he i'm
agined the people in
the street paused to
criticise him.
Other poets have had
curious alterations.
Schiller, the German
poet, useC to COM
pose with his feet on
ice. The odor of fer.
menting apples delighted
him.
Byron. it is said.
had commissions when
he heard Kern re-
cite. He sometimes
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

such work would have com
PEELED him to view SANE
healthy life; to realize the re.
sponsibilities of life-first OF
all to himself. Many people
tell anecdotes of his borrow
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

news interest and he will look blankly
at you. The only interest If most poets
is in their own mawkish sentiments and
their verses. Now life is the great mis-.
tress of human beings-ar, is only the
mirror. To love the image In the mirror
is unhealthy. Few poets know anything
about life
1t Is horrible to think OF person who
can only write; does nothing but write:
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

"UIsHIp only the panier macbo i,,i+otioC
OF beauty. l once worshipned the an, resiifV
but no longer 'ppeN Tue 'e"i''''
my candle and the Flame" will. in
an nkellhood be my last book of verse
! no longer worship Beauty Art for arts
SAKE seems jest, literature only a
slchE mirage OF life. My temperament
as such. allures me. Brooklyn Bridge
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

practical occupations; thus they kept
sane. 1t would be great thing for their
sanity if poets to-day would take up addi-
Iional pursuits chemistry, engineering.
farming, the brokerage business, clerk
ing-anything practical Richard lie Gal
henne recently took up farming. This
is an indication of his sanity, AS a matter
OF fact, l know OF no man poet who is
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

suit of clothes, or a high
ball-they think of it in
terms of verse. If they think
of love, the first thing that
occurs is what word can
rhyme to love. Their brains
pingle. "'-a.
Now in the middle ages,
when there were great PAINT.
e~s and poets, they did not
specialize. They distributed
their interests. Some tcok
Up carpentering, some were
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

imagined he was visited by a ghost.
Poets develop all sorts Of habits they
cannot control | know a poetess who
worked herself into tho habit of writing
sonnets. 1t became an irresistible Gus
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

not IN most IHIHBb IUUI--
l can make no other excep-
ton except when l see my
self in mirror.
Besides, being solely inter
ested in themselves, in i'm
agining that the universe
circles about them, most
poets are absolutely Hitter
ate. They are more illiterate
and ignorant than street ur-
chlns. ASK a poet about the
Titanic disaster. the political
situation or any event OF
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

one tning'
poetry induces
diseases, for
another. | am
certain that
the scientist is
right, who says
that most liter
airy geniuses
develop toxins
in their blood.
The writing or
poetry is un.
healthy; my
health has been
better since ]
decided to give
1t up. More
over, II befogs
the brain. Most
of the men
poets l know
are idiots-I
am one of the
few exceptions
of my acquaint-
ance who are
not.
vi course
poets are sup
posed to wor-
ship beauty.
Most, as a mat
ter of fact.
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

visible horror in his ''Horla"
that he began to imagine the
thing existed and actually pur-
sued him. l can well imagine
that if ! let myself go and
continued to write, and thought
of nothing but my poetic i'm,
agePies, that in all reality I
SHOULD begin to develop
Authorizations that the
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03

ing money and failing
to return it. That is very
pitiful, and seems in bad
taste. Poe's worst .ljus-
tees were to himself; he
suffered poverty conse-
quently.
Verlaine was an eX-
ample of a man whom
poetry drove to the gut
ter. He was 30 obsessed
with poetry that he be-
came a tramp; he lost
all interest in his person
al appearance; his poems
are wonderful, but peo-
pie who met him said
that at times it was
painful to look at him.
Certainly he was not
sane-it might have been
we'll had he given up
poetry for awhile.
De Maupassant who
wrote fiction besides
poetry, became fnsane.
He thought so intensely
.tAf,.NI 4ha tarribIe in.
Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-03
The Perils OF Poetry
Bv George Sylvester Viereck
one thing

r SHALL give up pUetry Tor hany rea-
sons. Poetry leads to insanity, for
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-20
Paducah Is Growing.

Paducah. KY. Aug. 19-The new
city director just published gives
Is .O84 names, watch multiplied by
the accepted numeral two gives Pa
ducah population of S0.168. The
directory reviews commercial con-
ditions in this city and vicinity. and
make prominent mention of the fact
that four large trunk line railroads
are preparing to enter the city. In
this connection the directory in part
says: "Paducah figures more prom
inently in the plans of the big rail-
road system of the country that any
other city just now" The name
Smith leads in the directory. with
I237; the Joneses are second with 227;
and Browns third with 106.
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-20
BOARD OF CONTROL
FeaSted On the Shores Of Lake
Tandy All Day Saturday.

7 =.
Judge Garrett S. Wall. of Mays
villesJndge A. !. G. Wells, of Muir
ray; DR.. Thomas w. Ga diner, of
jacksonville. and Col. Thomas Hall.
Of Frankfort. members Of the State
State Board Of Control. Of Chsrita-
able Institutions. were at the bung-
allow OF The Hopkinsville Hunting
and Fishing Club as guests of Supt.
H. P. Sights and Treasurer Lucien
H. Davis. of the Western Kentucky
Hospital Saturday. A barbecue was
given in their honor at noon and in
the evening they were Joined by a
number of ladies for a large supper
party.
The program of the day was en-
joyed throughout and good fellow
ship prevailed, excellent meals were
served. and more or less oratory was
INDUCED in.
Col. Hall. one of the members of
the board. was i'll at the hospital
and unable to attend the festivities
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-20
BURNETT--WIL
HOpkinSville Man WedS
In Louisville.

=
The Courier ), Journal of Sunday
contained this announcement:
"Mr. John P. Burnett, Of Houston.
Tex, and Miss Lille E. Wilson, for
merly Of Louisville, were quietly
married last evening at $3.50 O'Clock
in the parlors of.Rev: A. Woolford,
the Baptist minister. The couple
left Immediately for H ouston. where
they will make their home. Mr..
Burnett is originally from Hop
klnsvilIe."
Mr.. Burnett is the only son of Mrs.
Richie Burnett. of this city, and
has not lived here for a number of
years. He was widower and is a
successful business man. A year or
two ago he had severe attack of
illness and Miss Wilson, then train
ed nurse. had charge of his case and
out of her kindly attentions deve!-
oped a real love affair, that has cu-
minated in the usual happy way.
Recently Miss Wilson has been
prominently identified with a Bap-
list Institution in Louisville.
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-20

gain passed BY the House. The
House voted down. $50 to 70. the
provision for two battleships in the
naval appropriation bill sent back
for conference with instructions to
accept the Senate's proposal for one
battleship. The Alaska home rule
bill passed the Senate. The Culber-
son bill to extend the campaign con-
tributions law to corporations was
considered. but did not reach final
action. The House passed the bill
which had previously passed the Sen
ate, authorizing the construction Of
a bridge across the Mississippi River
at Memphis. President Taft signed
the pension bill.
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-20

Worlds Best Show Adds Mighty
WOrdless Spectacle Of
"Joan Of Arc"

NRinplIne Brothers. circus with q
newly added spectacle Of Joan Of
Are" presented 10 the main tent on
a stage bigger than hundred ordi-
nary theatres and with cast OF
1000 people. will be seen in Hop
dnsvile. on Saturday. Sept. z. The
spec acle will begin the regular pro.
gram 1t cost $5C0.OO0 TO devise
and build il. and an entire train is
necessary to carry the portable
st ige. the costumes, properties and
tons Of scenery. Ia the production
will be seen grand opera chorus
AMI a ballet of 300 dancing girls.
IS to the regular r ng perform
ancp il is fer he test the Ringlings
have EYER ff-ren. aboundiug in
thrills aru nrvelty and refl-cting
great c-eiit upon the showmen.
Twenty-nne years ago the RInglings
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-20
WORSE THAN THE TITANIC
\ I'd
More Than 1000 BsopIe Killed (
and Greater Number Injured I
in Three Months.

Washington, Aug. 49, Railroad
accidents and casualties resu Ing
we're on the increase during the
three months which ended March 81
The quarterly accident bulletin isl
sued by the interstate commerce
commission today shows 2 1888 per-,
sons we're killed and 2,499 we're in
jured. In train accidents, 267 per-
sons we're killed and 4.875 Injured,
an increase of killed and 1,555 in
jured. as compared with the cores
bonding quarter of 1911 OF the
1888 fatalities 1.116 were suffered
by trespassers, persons using rail-
road tracks as thoroughfares or
those stealing rides on trains. In in
dustrial accidents-those which oc-.'
Cured either in railroad shops or in
the progress Of industrial work for
railways-98 were killed and %, 976
injured. In these accidents the
movement of locomotives or cars
was not taken into account.
Reports of electric lines engaged
in interstate commerce shows five
persons killed and 403 injured in
train accidents. Other kinds of &C
cidents swell the fatalities to fifty
and the injured to 912.
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-20
Meets Death In Water.

Eddyvile. KY. Aug. 10 Two
miles above Eddyville Saturday ev-
ening at z O'Clock while swimming
in the Cumberland River. Jack Pr
reg, IL. was drowned and his broth
er, Luther. II, saved from dro wing
only by the heroic efforts of Sidney
Sedterly. IA years old. The two
boys were working for Mr.. Sedberry
on the Lyon farm. The lad who
was drowned was deaf mute.
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-20
WORKING AGREEMENT
Between Protective Association
and Independents Unlikely.

The following article appeared in
the Paducah News-Democrat last
week:
Contrary to reports from Hop
kinsville, working agreement be-
tween the Planters Protective AS
ISOLATION and the independent buy
ers in we, tsrn Kentucky and Ten
nessee, is unlikely. Representatives
of the association and Independent
buyers have been trying to perfect
an agreement for more than a week.
according to reports. but chances
for any kind of a merger are grow
ing fewer.
the purpose Of the proposed con.
solidation is said to be to raise the
price of tobacco in the Black Patch.
Whether the agreement would bring
about this result is rather uncertain.
7 iere are tobacco buyers and sellers
in Paducah on both sides Of the
question.
According to one we'll known to-
bacconist, who purchases the weed
for the Reggie. through the consoli
dation Of the two buyers may ulti-
mately bring about the result desir-
ed. this could not be accomplished
in the first year or two. 1t would
take some length of time to bring
about any material change. accord
ing to his views.
Farmers in this end of the state
are particularly anxious to learn just
what the outcome of the conference
between the association men and
buyers will be. 1t means much to
the farmers. In the eastern part OF
Kentucky, or the hurley district. q
great deal of tobacco is told through
loose-leaf.
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-20
YALE MAN
Was Young Engineer Murdered
By MexicanS.

Cincinnati. Aug. 19-Rowan Ay-
res. the American engineer, who was
reported as having been beheaded
by Mexican insurrectionists near
Morrella, is the son of DR.. Stephen.
c. Ayres of this city. An appeal
has been sent TO President Taft. who
is personal friend of the Ayres'
family, to use his influence to have
the body Of young Ayres returned
to this city for burial. Rowan Ay-'
res graduated from Yale in 1898 and
Immediately entered the business of
railroad engineering in Mexico.
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-20
Powers Persona Now Grata
With Administration.

Washington. Aug, l6 The cor
elusive demonstration that Rep
resentative Caleb Powers is persona
non grata with the Administration,
especially with Senator Bradley, the
Kentucky branch of that administra-
tion, came to-day with the nomina'-
ion of William H. Turner as post
master at Middlesboro and Mamie
l.. Ward as postmaster at Harlan.
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-20

start. though On their nrsl season
they did not'rsnd Tar from home
Their one horse Wnshot equal to the
task. In 1884 their seasons tour
included an entire state. In 1886
they travelled through three states.
In 1888 they made their first appear
ance with railroad show. From
this on their progress reads like fic-
ton They went where they liked.
in spite Of bitter opposition on the
part Of older shows.
Before very many seasons had
gone by the shows they once feared
began to face away at their az
proach. So greatly had they gained
Ia popularity with the public, they
had but to post their bills to get the
crowds. The foundation of their
successful policy is no secret. 1t is
summed up in the one word hon.
esty." They advertised only what
they had, custom at that time I'M
known to the circus business. Once
having gained the confidence Of the
people, it was an easy matter for
them to keep it. Now. when they
come to a city the people know the
best Of everything will be on hand
For more than ten years they have
had the largest and best circus in
the world. And it is still growing