davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
When Women Were kniohted.

1t is not at all we'll known that
knighthood has constantly been con.
ferred upon women. Many English
ladies received the accolade, and
many more we're members of such
knightly orders as the Garter and ST
John. When Mary Cholmondeleyl
"the bold lady of Cheshire" waa
knighted by Elizabeth for "her vak
liant address" on the Queen taking
command at the threatened invasion
by Spain, did she know that whole
city of Spanish women, the gallant
women of Tortosa, had been knight4
ed for saving that city from tho
Moors? Mary and Elizabeth had both
been knighted at their coronation, but
by the time Anne, the second Nary
and Victoria assembled The throne ID
had been quite forgotten that, accordi
ing to English law and use, a woman
who filled a mans Office acquired an
its privileges and was imEaune from
none of its duties.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
HAVE THEIR OWN lDlOMS
picturesque Language Employed by
Ha''roaders Would Prove Puzzle
to the Outsider.

In Colorado boomer" Is called a
tourist" The boys out there go to
the "beanery" to chew" and kid
the flasher" II the rear dog" is
cooking on the buggy" then they go
10 the "hearse' for the big mulligan." "
This dish is stew composed OF any
and all kinds OF meats and vegetabl
cooked together. After that. to the
feathers" for little "shut-eye."
The men Of the suburban electric
railways have slang of their own.
IN their service, "head-end man" or
on the "head-end," refers to the NC
torman or, as he is commonly known
IN the east, the motor-driver. The
conductor is on the "rear-end." 70
become a rope" or "cord-puller'
means to secure a conductors posi-
ton.
Had her in the corner" means that
the motorman gave the car the full
current. To lack her over" or ''jacl
ner" means to reverse When a mo
tor burns out on four-motor car ano
the head-end shouts to the rear-end
that she had lost lung" it is easy
to tell just what he means. Some.
times he will say she has only three
lungs" On two-motor car the head.
end would say "She has only one
lung"
When the brakes are not working
perfectly the head-end will say that
ne made stop by using the short
handle" This is used in reversing
Hit her hard" is a term used when
the car goes into curve little too
fast-and it is we'll known that some
electric roads have pretty sharp
curves. Met on a single iron" does
not refer to a smashup. 1t means to
meet on a single track without hav-
Ing a wreck. Dancing on the PIN
Is the same as giving her sand" or
sanding the rails.-Railroad Mans
Magazine
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10


were without success A rotary snow
pillow had the track clear of snow once.
but before the rotary could reach
Great Bend the wind blew the drifts
back into the cuts and the cold wave
froze them solid. In some of the cuts
there are huge masses of snow-ice
eight and ten fet deep.
The rotary tried to cut through
again, but the icy mass broke the
blades of the pillow. A second rotary
plow met the same fate Then a big
force OF Mexicans with picks. shovels
and dynamite tried to open up the
Scott City branch and rescue the
freight train which got stuck in big
drift just before the freeze came.
The train, a local freight. was guard
ed by two lone brakemen. They
obeyed orders which forbids them to
leave train standing on the main
line. The other members of the crew
walked to Laird the day Of the freeze
The passengers included two men and
two women, all Russians.
The two trainmen did not suffer
any. however They spent their time
rabbit hunting and had jackrabbit
steaks for breakfast, jackrabbit stew
for dinner and roast jackrabbit for
supper. Since the snow rabbits can
be caught by running them down.
There was car of. coal on the ice
bound train. so the brakemen kept
warm, and a car of mixed merchan-
disc gave them plenty of eatables.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
he had told his story. He then said
he had been engaged to 60 upon Mr.
Benedict'S watch IN a6minictar lou0h


he had told his story. He then said
he had been engaged to go upon Mr..
Benedict's yatch to administer laugh.
ing gas to patient who was to be
operated upon there for some trouble.
When the yacht was out at sea, he
found that the patient was President
Cleveland himself. He administered
the gas and kept the president under
the influence of 1t for several hours.
Then he wished to go ashore, but no
pleading of his that they land him was
listened to, since it was thought pos
sible that another operation on the
president might be necessary
dr. Hasbrouck then described the
operation in detail, and why it was
made, to the surgeon who had EN-.
ployed him and whom l had employ
ed" continued DR.. Jones, "and this
surgeon. in turn. described the opera
ton to me. Now, will tell you exact
ly what have been told, and you are
at liberty to use it publicly or not as
you see fit would advise you, how
ever. to see DR.. Hasbrouck, at his
Office in New York, before you write
your story"
The next day called upon DR.. Has
brouck and told him the story of the
operation as l had heard it from DR..
Jones. He listened &c me in amaze
ment and tic he said: Some of the
physicians who were aboard the yacht
must have told you that story. You
could not have obtained it in any 9TH
er way
copyright. 1911, by E.. J. Edwards All
Rights Reserved.)
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
Got a Gard Sharp's "Goat."

A Transatlantic card sharp, re-
turned recently from one of his
numerous ocean ferry trips, lamented
that he did not have a chance to do
business on the liner because he fell
in with a Judge before whom he
had been arraigned for crooked deal
ing. He said he had sat down with
a party in the smoking room on the
second day out and had scanned faces
to make sure that not professional
was in the lot The man opposite him
was peering at him intently when he
glanced across the mahogany. He
recognized the Judge and apparently
the judge recognized him. but neither
mentioned the circumstance.
The card sharp got nervous. He
was afraid to win, either legitimately
or otherwise. He also feared that If
he left the table the Judge would give
him away. So he struggled through
the game a loser. He went to the
Judge the next morning and told him
trat he had decided not to play any
more on the trip, and the Judge re-
marked that 1t was wise resolution.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
Death Merciful to A. T. Rice

and saw that he was seriously iii. He
was suffering intense pain. He told
me that he had been stricken after
he entered the car and that he was
afraid he would not be able to reach
his hotel.
He seemed grateful when l offered
to accompany him to the Fifth Ave-
nue. hotel, where he lived. had to
support him upon my arm down the
elevated station stairs and lift him
into the carriage which l summoned.
feared that he would lapse into un-
consciousness before he reached the
hotel After we got him to his room
and put him on his bed he seemed
little easier, and when the physician
came Rice frightened up a little, so
that I felt justified in saying to him
that I hoped he would recover from
the attack by the next day SO that he
would be in good shape to sail for
Russia
After I left him I thought there
was something unusually significant
in his remark that it would probably
be just as we'll If he did not go to Rus
sla l did not, however, fathom the
meaning until two or three weeks aft
er Rice's death. Then every one of
his friends was surprised at the reve-
lat1ons which were made when the
examination of his estate was finish.
ed. We had all supposed that Rice
was very rich man; we found that
there was little or nothing left of his
estate. He had some personal belong
inss-books and a-brac-and he
owned the North American Review.
which l think cost him more to RIM
than he received from it in the wav
OF income. He must have realized.
therefore. that as minister to Russia
ne would not be able to maintain him.
Self in the style to which he was &C.
customed and which was necessary
at the Russian court, for he was MT
the kind of man who could live upon
his salary. So have always believed
that when he realized that he was
stricken with mortal illness he also
felt that he would by it be spared
the humiliation of being unable to
maintain the luxury and entertain
ment at the Russian court which his
manner of life and his reputation as
man of wealth would have exacted
from him.
I'VE were never able to tell how
great fortune he brought to the
United States or how he had used
whatever wealth he had obtained"
Copyright. 1911. by e. ]. Edwards. All
Rights Reserved)
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
Tale of Broken Appointments
dent Cleveland. I can tell you the
story IN detail without any violation
of professional confidence.

dent Cleveland. I can tell you the
story in detail without any violation
OF professional confidence
1T so happened that had a pa
tient on whom an important, almost
heroic, surgical operation was to be
performed. I engaged the services of
one of the ablest surgeons in New
York and the day and hour were fixed
for the operation. was greatly
alarmed when this surgeon did not
appear at the time set, nor did he ap-
pear until two days later. when the
condition of my patient was desperate
indeed asked him for an explana-
ton Of his delay and he gave it to me
in these words:
"T went by appointment to New
London, Conn, five days ago to per-
form last resort operation. l had
engaged DR.. Hasbrouck of New York
city to meet me at New London and
administer nitrous oxide gas to the
patient. DR.. Hasbrouck assured me
that he would be in New London on
a certain train, but he did not come.
telegraphed to his office in New York
and in reply was Informed that his
assistants did not know where he was
1.-The next day DR.. Hasbrouck ap-
peared in New London. He found me
in very angry frame of mind; but
he asked me not to criticise him until
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
Wanted a Heavier Sentence

Mike Murphy almost had a serious
argument in Judge Wilson A. Taylor's
court because the prosecution wanted
to send him to the workhouse for one
month instead of two. Murphy, when
arraigned on charge of sending in
false alarms of fire, said he desired to
plead guilty, and blamed his predica-
ment to drink. He urged Judge Tay-
lor to send him to the workhouse so
he might get the booze out O. me-
SELF"
All right" said the court, 'but how.
long do you think that will take?"
"Sixty days, sor," said Mike, and a
corresponding order was entered by
the court.
Il was about to recommend a SEN
tence of thirty days." said Assistant
Circuit Attorney Charles B. Davis, "in
view of the plea of guilty"
Mike was still inclined to think a
60-day sentence would serve him bet
ter.
I'll sentence you to thirty days"
said Judge Taylor. "and If, at the end
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
Stencil Letters Used bv Ancients.

Movable characters were known to
the ancients; they were used in teach
ing children to read. The ancients
had also stencil letters, which they
used to secure regular style of
penmanship. They even made use of
plates, thus open-cut, containing nm
entire page; it was placed on the
papyrus to guide the pens of chill
dren; IAN excellent MEANS" sa;.h
Qulntilian, ITO learn them not to ex-
coed the desired proportions" The
Emperor Justinian Ca D. 518) could
neither read nor write, an unexam-
pied thing in one of such high rank.
When it was necessary for his to sign
his name, he had a sheet of geld
through which were cut the letters of
his name. "Then," said Procopius
placing this tablet on the paper, one
conducted the hand of the prince,
holding the stylus dipped in purple on
the type Of the different letters. and
took away in writing furnished with
his signature" The same thing is
reported Of King Theodore and of
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Winslow fall
In National Magazine
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
Santa Fe Abolishes FIaa sjonals.

Santa Fe Aboltshes Flag Signals.
The signal flags, which almost from
the time that railroading became a
commercial factor in the world. have
fluttered from the sides of the rear
coaches of train, to denote whether
it was a regular train, a special, a
second section, or an extra, have been
abolished by the Santa Fee railroad. In
their stead are employed the signal
lamps which are used at night, ex-
cept that they will be of such color
as to denote the class of the train and
will be unlighted during the day.
Doing away with signal flags during
the day will save to the railroad COM
pany great many thousand dollars
annually in the purchase of material
for them and in the making, as it re-
quires the best class of bunting to
keep them from soon being whipped
to ribbons in the wind.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
Moving Pictures in Schools.

Moving Pictures In Schools.
A school superintendent in a little
Louisiana lumber town has hit upon a
scheme for making the now universal
moving-picture show of real use, as
we'll as amusement, to her flock. Not
ing the great interest Of the pupils in
the weekly offerings at the towns one
"theater." she arranged with the man.
agement to give the youngsters some
thing worth seeing and at the same
time an aid to them in their studies
Thus the boys and girls in advanced
classes have seen their Vicar of
Wakefield" presented pictorially and
their Shakespeare made vivid on the
shimmering screen. Scenes based on
historic happenings have also had
their place and have served to awaken
interest in study that had long been
lookd upon as drudgery OF course
the picture people are glad to present
whatever the teacher asks, as they
are assured OF full houses of appre-
ciative spectators.-New York Trib-
une.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
New Find of an Old Race.

Tanning Island, in the mid-Paciflc
ocean, which was recently purchased
by a British Canadian syndicate for
use as a coaling station, is the scene
of remarkable discoveries, the news
of which was brought by the steam
ship Makura, which arrived at Van
couver, B. c., on Dec. 13. Archaeo-
logical explorations have brought to
view indications that the island was
inhabited at some long-ago period by
a race with peculiar skill in architec-
ture. Excavations there have un-
earthed a large stone building, so feet
wide and 200 feet long, in the con-
struction of which no mortar was
used, the stones used having been
skillfully mortised together.
Near by this strange structure was
found a tomb containing human
skeleton with necklace made of the
teeth of the sperm whale, and of 9th
er articles, including the skull of a
dog.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
Strange Way In Which Public Came
to Learn Of Operation on Presi-
dent Cieveland's Jaw While
Aboard Benedict's Yacht,

In August, 1893, there was printed
newspaper report that told in de-
tall OF a serious operation performed
upon the upper left jaw of President
Grover Cleveland while he was at sea
on the yacht of his friend, E. C. Bene-
olct or New York. The report was in
the best sense of the word sensation.
al; the operation was the sole topic
OF national discussion.
For some time thereafter the truth
or the report was disputed by several
newspapers, and 1t was thought ad-
vlsable by those who were near Presi-
dent Cleveland at his summer home at
Buzzard's Bay to give out a qualified
denial OF its accuracy. But later, the
late Daniel 8. Lamont, then Cleve-
lands private secretary, who was with
cleveland at the time the operation
was performed, confessed to me that
my account of the operation on the
president was so amazingly accurate
that 1t was impossible not to believe
mat 1t had been described to me by
some one who was in the presidential
party at the time of the operation
The president had been taken to sea
upon Mr.. Benedict's yacht chiefly for
the purpose of surrounding the opera
ton with secrecy.
nave been asked many times how
obtained my information of the
operation. This is the story, which
l am now at liberty to tell:
Upon my return to my home from
brief vacation in August, 1893, found
my family physician. the late DR.. Le-
ander P. Jones of Greenwich, Conn.,,
waiting to see me. DR.. Jones was the
physician of E. C. Benedict, of Henry
o. Havemeyer, president OF the Sugar
trust; of Andrew Carnegie, when he
lived In Greenwich, and of the Rookie
tellers when their home was in that
town. He said to me as we met: I'm
the most extraordinary way l have
learned that very difficult operation
has just been performed upon Presi-
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
Small Wastes on Railways.

A somewhat amusing but instructive
method of drawing their employees at.
tention to the effect of small wastes
is adopted by the Pere Marquette rail-
way A table has been drawn up by
the company showing that for every
postage stamp needlessly used the rail-
way has to haul one ton of freight a
distance of 3h miles to recoup for
this waste. For lead pencil the haul
is 2 miles; a track spike. miles; l
pound waste. 10h miles: lamp CHM
ney. 101z miles; station broom, IS
miles: a lantern. 100 miles; track
shovel. 80 miles; 100 pounds of coal.
20 miles; I gallon engine oil. so mics;
gallon signal oil. 60 miles: air hose.
225 miles; drawbar knuckle. 800 miles.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
SuppIantinq Mr.. Howells,

Supp|ant'ng mr.. 7o"eiIs.
Prof. Brander Matthews, at dimes
in New York, said of literary crit:@
cism:
"A good deal of it, too, is biased
A good deal of it is like Mr.. Walton's,
Mr.. Walton's daughter, a collegu
girl, wrote, at the age of 10. novel
which her father brought out for hesI
at his own expense.
During the Christmas holidays Mr.
Walton gave party in his daughter'a
honor, and at this party the young
girl read from an improvised platform
chapters out of her book.
Her fond old father was carried
away by the reading. So tremendous
ly indeed did his admiration for hin
daughters talent enkindle him that.
as the girl read on, the old man could
be heard muttering over and over:
"Howells be hanged! Howells b
hanged!" :
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
Appointed Minister to Russia, He
Could Not Have Maintained That
Position, for His Once Large
Fortune Was Dissipated.

Very few persons probably now re-
member the late Allen Thorndike
Rice, and to the younger generation
the name means absolutely nothing.
Yet twenty-five years ago Allen Thorn
dixie Rice was thought to have the
most promising future of any young
Republican of New York state and
was deemed a more interesting and
piquant character than even Theo-
dore Roosevelt, with whom Rice was
intimately associated in politics OF
the late eighties.
He was Boston born, but lived for
many years in Europe and was a
graduate of one of the English uni
versities. He returned to the United
States about 1876 when he was only
% years of age. He was reported to
be the possessor of very large for
tune, and of scholarly as well as
practical turn of mind. reputation
that he justified by buying the North
American Review, the Oldest and
staidest Of American periodicals, and
by entering upon a career Of prac-
teal politics. He was a candidate for
congress in 1886, in a New York city
district, but was defeated, and he
gained national notoriety by his ad-
vocacy of the Australian ballot. He
was, in fact, the first to bring that
form of ballot to the attention of the
American people.
Benjamin Harrison was one of Mr..
Rice's intimate friends and after Har-
rison entered the presidency he nomi-
mated Mr. Rice minister to Russia
and the nomination was promptly con-
firmed. Rice, however, never went to
Russia He was taken i'll three days
before the date fixed for his sailing
and died from some acute intestinal
trouble. Mr.. Rice was personal
friend Of the late William r. Grace,
who was twice mayor of New York.
and 1t was from Mr. Grace thst l
learned the following incident of Mr..
Rice's last hours.
Late one afternoon l was in an
elevated railroad train on my way
home when I saw, across the aisle,
but some distance from me. someone
beckon to me-" said Mr. Grace. In
an instant realized that it was Allen
Thorndike Rice and that he seemed
to be in distress. I hurried to him
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10
Trains Run by OIL.

The total length Of railroad line
operated by the use of fuel oil in 1910
was 21,075 miles, trackage equiva-
lent to that of practically five trans
continental lines stretching across the
United States from ocean to ocean.
Some of the lines that use oil. how
ever, also use COAL The number of
barrels of fuel oil, of forty-two gallons
each. consumed by the railroads of
the country in 1910 is stated to have
been 24,526,883 This includes 768, 1852
barrels used by the railroads as fuel
otherwise than in locomotives.-Rail-
road Mans Magazine.