davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

week or so longer. in the meantime hav-
ing an occasional game of dominoes
with Don Antonio. Then he bede every
body goodbye and quietly went back TO
New York.
The sequel to this story if it followed
the usual order OF new business for
American firms In South America would
be that in the course of two or three
months Don Antonios firm got word
that the New York firm was unable to
fill its order the pmest:c trade in the
meantime having picked up. and there
being no longer any need of dumping sur
Plus stock abroad. Or else, curt let
ter would come along notifying Don
Antonio that the goods had been ship
ped and that a sight draft had been
made on him through London as the
firm s rule was not to allow time on
foreign orders. Later the goods would
have come along half smashed. owing to
tad packing. and in n generally unsat-
isfactory condition. And that would be
the end of Don Antonio's purchase of
American goods.
Nothing of the sort happened. About
two months after the order was given
Don Antonio received a letter from the
head of the New York firm For bust
ness letter. it was a very discursive COM
munication. Moreover. it was written in
English, which is not discursive Ian
guage The reason was given by the
head of the firm. He felt that in open
ing up what he knew would be a perma-
nent business connection with Don An
tonio's firm he should be acquainted with
Don Antonio himself. Unfortunately he
had not learned Spanish when he was a
Young man, and he presumed that Don
Antonio had not learned English But
he was sure that some member of Don
Antonio's family, possibly one of his
grandsons, knew English and would be
good enough to translate the letter for
him for in these days 1t was important
that the young men of both countries
should know the language of the other.
He himself was having his grandson, who
was in his office learn Spanish.
The letter then went on to discuss bust
ness matters with an occasional digres-
sion In closing, the New York mer-
chant referred briefly and casually to the
financial part of the transaction. He had
not been informed as to Don AntonioS
preference In this matter. The firm UNI
derstood that long credits were the rule
in South America. Would Don Antonio
prefer six months? If So that would be
entirely agreeable.
Don Antonio, as the New York mer-
chant surmised, did not know English, nor
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

formation, but it is easy and con-
yenient way of beginning this ramble. A
great many people know that 1t is some
times difficult to find good starving
point for a little story, or for any otner
kind of a story which is why so many
have recourse to the formulate Once upon
a time or That reminds me, or Let
me tell you little story, or Ihe otlei
day | happened or "A curious thlhs
occurred to me- or 1t was a dark ana
stormy night and the sun shone iadiantly
over misty hills, gorgeous with the au-
fumn hues of spring foliage while
z.phyr from the south mot IRON the
wesD stripped the leaves from the pare
branches Of the oaks.
Well, the north end of the Aquedhct
bridge is a busy place. The south eho
may he lust as busy, but this ranoie De
,ine and ends at the north end There
are cars and wagons and autos always
going and coming and regular or irreSu-
lar parade of pedestrians. You VIII see
a police watch box there, police teie-
phone box and perhaps policeman
There are tall gaunt poles strung with
telephone wires and electric cables
In a corner against the iron railing OF
the bridge and just step or Two from
the watch box is a stout piece OF FRAY
and seasoned timber, about TWO Feet 4oIis
and about ten by ten lnches square. -
Is a piece of hewn timber and you can
500 the marks of the adj or the axe OF It
The top of the upright piece OF timber
is covered with little sheet OF tin paint
ed brown to protect the wood from the
rain or snow. Attached to 1t is fadeu
and water-stained picture OF the FRANCES
Scott Kew Mansion which from l'9o UP 10
. month or So ago stood few yards
east of this point, your present object OF
interest. BY the side of the picture is a
little card on which is written that the
piece of timber was a part OF one OF the
main beams in that historic houSe
A good many persons pause to read the
inscrintion and to look at the gray ana
spiintery relic.
x
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

coming into it without being solicited.
The head of the house an old-time mer-
chant, decided that if this was happen
ing there must be a good deal of trade
worth going after. He accordingly went
after 1t.
An American who, though without
commercial training and without himself
suspecting that he was salesman, was
chosen to make the initial trip to South
America. He had the rare advantage OF
having lived in Latin American countries
and knowing the customs and the pre-
vailng language thoroughly. That may
have been the reason why he was Sc
lected.
Don Antonio Blank, whose headquar-
ters were somewhere else than In the
city from which l am writing, was the
head of large establishment whose
business extended over a good section OF
the interior of South America In some
of his warehouses half :, million dollars
worth OF goods might be found almost
any time They were not American
goods. The bulk of them came from
Europe from Great Britain and Spain
chiefly.
One day the American travelling man
appeared in Don Antonio's town. He had
provided himself with the means of In
PRODUCTION which he knew would be
necessary He did not get acquainted
with Don Antonio until he knew about
everybody else in the community.
The acauantanceship progressed slow
", but after a time Don Antonio invit-
ed him around to the club, which was
the only one in the town To play
dom.noes. If the travelling man had been
like most of his kind, the thought or
playing don1inoes would have filled MIN
with mirth, and he most likely would
have suggested another game better
known i'll the United States. But this
particular American went to the CLUB
and played dominoes, and somewhat TO
Don Antonio's surprise beat him. VI
course he had to come again so tnat
Don Antonio could have his revenge.
Then the American. after a casual call
at Don Antonio's office, in which no men
ton was made of business, took trip
to the country for a few days.
When he returned he again dropped
into Don Antonio's office, told the incl
dents of his trip. inquired after Don
Antonios family and then started IN 70
talk business. He got small trial
order: small, that is. for house or Don
Antonios extensive connections, some
thing like S2O,UG Though his mission
was concluded, he remained in town a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

Travelled road Persons going up the DIS
trict or Maryland side of the river TO
Chain bridge or cabin John or Great
Falls and tie many other places in that
direction follow il. unless they are max
ing the trip by trolley. Perhaps you have
often noticed the irregular line OF houses
and household homes and ruined stone
walls rather closely set on the low and
narrow strip of land between the canal
and river.
IL is an Interesting ueighborhood TO
visit. Though il is within a stones throw
OF u busy road and close TO car lines and
busy streets, II is Vet remote and iso-
lated community. The people own their
homes Most OF the houses impress one
as being primitive. but here and there is
a structure which inchnes one to apply
To il the word residence" One such
house was built and is dweIt in by a man
whose name was given to the Rambler
as George Shirley. You will note il be
cause IL j. the most prominent. preten-
tious and imposing house in that little
and Ions -drawn-oat settlement The citi-
zenS though. do not own the land. title
& which IL ia tile Chesapeake and Ohio
canal Company, and they lease from that
company
You can enter this village by walking
along Water street and following the
railroad track under the Aqueduct bridge,
YOU can climb down the steps OF that
bridge TO the toyEpath of the canal, and
worn WAYS connecting the toWpath with
the lower land along the river, or you
enter u BY means OF tunnel which
passes under the public road and the
canal about a hundred yards this side OF
the foot OF Foxhail hill This is a tun-
mel which was butt 70 allow the passage
to the river Of the waters OF Foundry
branch, long before that branch was re-
Iieved of much Of its flow by a great
sewer,
As you approach Foxhali hill you may
note "A crooked and steep road which
strikes of 10 the right and turnbles down
INTO the rayiue OF Foundry branch De-
scending ii, YOU VIII see that II enters and
passes through tunnel dark and Wet
and dripping. perhaps a hundred feet
long, over which the man road and the
canal cross Emerging at the south end
of the tunnel you are among ruined stone
walls In part standing and In part clut-
teTing the earth IN heaps. SINCE track
of railroad runs through the ruins. This
is a branch OF the Baltimore and Oaio,
leading into Georgetown Along the edge
of the river are households. perhaps with
one end on land and the other In the
water. Newly washed clothes may be
hanging a line, smoke may be curling
M from tin chimneyS, and you may smell
bacon and coffee. Domestic industries
are thriving There are some cottages
| that are built altogether on the land,
but at high tide the Potomac knocks at
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

across the face of this wall are two
flights of wooden steps, pa nted this sea-
son a pale green color. They are as steep
as the average incl nation of a ladder,
but the broad tread and the handrails
aid persons in descend ng and ascending.
Water street is lined with warehouses.
wharves and boat club houses, and the
track of a steam railroad runs along the
middle of the granite block and cobble-
stone pavement. The street and the rail-
road pass through VIDE and graceful
stone arch beneath the bridge. 1t is a
Qu ct neighborhood except during the
work hours of week days. when strings
of people may be seen using the steep
stairwayS.
Looking up from Water street at this
point the scene 8 filed with iron grid
ers beams, braces and steps.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

ly from other parts OF Georgetown and
not jewellers in the houSeboat village,
come here TO nick cinders. Some OF
these pickers are colored rls and women
and some are white. Now AMI then an
old withered and bent man may be seen
at this work. With these 70 k, who with
a stick rake over and poke in,o the ashes.
lump Of coal dropped from the tender
OF passing locomotive is a prize.
In this neighborhood one sees a num-
Der of signs that tell that boats are for
hire and that live bait Is for sale but
this industry is not the chief occupation
of the people II Is side line and the
Rambler was told that the profits are not
large.
The gray. tumbled leaning or partly
standing ruins make an Impressive pic
ture. An old timer in that neighborhood
who lived in this settlement up to the
time OF the Jamestown flood, when the
houses along this part OF the river We're
washed away, and who since then has
built for himself cottage on higher land,
told the Rambler that the rock walls
are all that is left OF u cannon foundry
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

B. Clarke, Augustus st. Gaudens, Rich
ard Watson Glider. Erwin DaviS Then
follow the names of the subscribers, and
it is an interesting list. Here it is: Ben
jamin Altman, Boston Athenaeum; ]. C.
Cadwalader. William Cary. the Century
Company George w Childs. Thomas +.
Clarke Erwin Davis, Alexander w
Drake DR.. George NJ. Eddy, Paramount
Park Association, Philadelphia; Richard
Watson Glider. ]. ]. Glessner John Hay.
F. w Hooper. Walter Howe. Henry +.
Rowland, B. Scott HURT. Henry Irving.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16
Region of Steps.

A TTENTION has been called by the
Rambler to the steep streets of
Georgetown, and also to some of those
streets the grade of which is only over
come by the use Of steps A multitude
OF people climb UP and down the steep
stone stairway OF 36th street from n
street into the car shed off NJ street It
is an important transfer point. and peo-
pie are toiling on these stairs every
hour N the day. There are also stairs
on SD and Saith streets, that lead down
from NJ street to the towpath of the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal. and more
steps that lead down 10 Water street.
AS YOU enter upon the Aqueduct
hr dge you may see persons going up
and down flight of steps, on the east
side of thai bridge. They lead from the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

IN a free hand with lead pencil. The
writing is framed and under IL in ink
is this explanation: 'Thi-. is to certify
that the above is portion OF the
original manuscript of the "reminiscences
of my father, the late Leonard w. Noik.
The STICK as seen in the original cast OF
I.ncoln's right hand Is the Identical
piece of broom handle cut by Mr.. Lin
coin as described above. The casts
were made at Springfield, H.. the sun
day following Lincoln's first nomination
for the presidency. Douglas Noik New
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

read" If he had gotten so far as the
signature he might have had sus-
piicion that it was a rubber stamp
signature, but he did not get that far
He looked "a the neatly typewriter
letter, file number, etc, slowly read the
phrase Dictated, but not read and
tossed the communication into the
waste basket. Later letters of this kind
became more common. and his clerks,
knowing that some of them really re-
lated to business, would fish them out
of the waste basket after the stately
old head of the firm had thrown them
there But these letters should have
received his personal attention, and
many important negotiations suffered
in consequence.
Business correspondence is still some
thing of an art with the old established
Spanish American houses. While they
have clerks who are familiar with Eng
lish, and while sometimes crisp bCsl-
ness letter from New York or else
where might appeal to them by its
terseness, this is not the rule. There is
a certain fornaiity which they expect
to use in addressing their correspond
'ents and in affixing their signature
and when they are addressed they de-
mand the same courtesy. 1t is useless
to talk to them about the waste OF time
and the Importance of getting down TO
the point Before the typewriter was
introduced the head of any large con-
Germ would have one of his clerks as
an amanuensis sitting across the table
from him. He would dictate MS letters
TO the clerk, pausing occasionally to
polish sentence. sometimes stopping
to think over what he wanted TO say.
and not infrequently conveying per-
sonal compliment to whomever he was
addressing.
The typewriter has not entirely
changed this, and the correspondence
that emanates from almost any Span
ish-American commercial house is
courteous and comprehensive. Some OF
these firms DO very large business
and have an extensive correspondence.
They do not seem to think that they
lose time, which is money, by taxing
the time to write or dictat. their let
tiers carefully. and they read them over
to make sure they have said what them
want to say. dictated, but not read
may do for New York and Chicago IN
communication with each other, but not
when corresponding with merchants In
Spanish America.
There is one instance of American IN
sight into Spanish-American business
methods that surpasses fiction. Years
ago a New York firm found some orders
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

York. March 49, 1907" Then follow a
notarial seal and the signature Of G. NJ
Preissn niger. notary public, New York
county, No. 81.
The bit of manuscript which the fcre-
gong describes and ver;fles is as fol-
lows.
by previous appointment I was to
cast Mr.. Lincoln's hands the Sunday
following this memorable Saturday at .
am. I found him ready. but he looked
more grave and serious than he had ap-
peared on previous occasions. / wished
him to hold something In hiS right
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

DR.. P ]. koonz, Enock Lewis r. j. Lyle.
J. W. Mack, Payson Merrill. :. Weir
Mitchell, Allen Thorndyke Rice JACOB
Schiff, Bran Stoker. F. ]. Stimson; Au-
son. Alexis Turner and J. @. A. Ward.
The history of the cast OF the hands
and more people than do should go to
tho museum to study these big. strong.
muscular. large-veined hands-is told on
two sheets Of scratch paper written over
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16
Good morning, Senior Hartman
faCrnnA n1y, -


Good morning, Senior Hartman
Good morning, Don Joaquin"
Senior Harmon, | have the extreme
pleasure to inform YOU that / will not
be able to impose so great a burden on
YOUR railway as You generously offered
that it should bear / find that my barley
crop this season is much less in guam
tity than l had fattered myself in be-
Heying it would be. But L suppose ii
it should so turn out that l should not
have more than half a carload your
railroad would cearge itself with trans
porting the barley without compensation.
YOU SO kindly suggested the other
day.
The railway manager exploded, and
told Don joaquin to get out. In thus
disnissias an influential land owner. he
made a mistake. When Don Joaquin
originally suggested twenty carloads of
barley he had no idea that the railway
manager would accept any such quantity.
In coming down to five carloads he was
reaching the point W ere he thought the
railway would secure what ii wanted by
splitting that quantity in half. Had
Harman continued the offer even down
to the half carload, Don Joaquin would
have gotten together his neighbors and
by the time the cargo was ready there
would have been four or five carloads of
barley for the railroad to transport free
an advertisement Tor Itself AFTER
that he and lis neighhors would have
given 1t all their freight This was sim
ply one Of the many cases where the
difference in habits of thought and bust
ness customs resulted in a fiasco. II is
one of the things that Americans have
yet to learn that when they are in Latin
America they must adapt themselves to
the customs that obtain.
Sometimes it is the Spanish American
who entirely fails to grasp the North
American point of view The head of
a big house in Chile acquired a part of
his education in London, and with the
business methods of his own country
he had a little of English conservatism.
One day when the craze for business
efficiency in saving time was at its
height in the United States, letter
reached him from New York. 1t prob
ably was an important letter because
it came from a strong company. and it
bore the signature of the head of the
company. The Chilean merchant saw
stamped across it the words until then
entirely new to him, Dictated. but not
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

run in the latter part of the eighteenth
and early part of the nineteenth century
by Mason & Fairfax. The name of this
man is Isaac Barker He was born IN
Georgetown in 1912 and he told the
Rambler that his father had told him
that he had seen cannon used in the war
OF ISL. cast at that foundry. After the
abandonment of the stone building d
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

first span of the bridge-the span which
crosses the canal and Water street-doWn
to the west bank of the canal. These
are much used steps. When you reach
the level of the canal you will see that
Wafer street, the river front highway OF
George is still far below. A gray
stone wall rises from the level Of Water
street to the level Of the canal, ana
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

the back door, or it may be the front
door. Around these little houses are
fenced lots, In some instances highly
titled as vegetable gardens.
This single track of railroad, but winch
is nearly a double track because of
long siding, is ballasted with cinders.
ashes and clinkers. At this season of
the year good many poor people, usual
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

Panama Canal Ex-
pected TO Destroy Some
of the Medieval Tend
encies of Peru Races
Have Become the Popu-
lar Sport, Proving Sc
rlous Competition to
Bullhghtlng Diff
Guilty of Building Up a
Millinery Trade in
South America Because
Nj ost Women Wear
Mantillas. and Two OF
These Last a Lifetime.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

coast 10 the capital he was not friendly
TO the innovation. He became the leader
of the anti-railway party in his section.
After che road had been III operation
for a while he appeared one day VIII a
friend at the office of Archer Hartman.
who was the managing head of the en-
terprise They knew each other by repu-
tatiou Hartman had been anxious to get
traffic for the road and had had his
Peep g talk about the benefit il would be
To the inhabitants of the tablelands 10
have their products carried down to the
coast There had beer ~ intimstion that
this might he done for some trial ship
ments free
Don Joaquin. after "a number OF polite
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16
Is HERE AND THERE ABOUT THE CITY

hand. and he looked for a piece of paste-
board but could ind none. told him
p,ecc of round stick wou d do as wei! m
anything. Thereupon ne went 10 the
woodshed and | heard the bucksaw go
and soon he returned to the dining
room twhere ! did the workl whiting
the end OF a piece OF broom handle. II
remarked to him that he need not wink
thought / would like TO have il nice.
j -
When | had successfully east the
mold of the right hand grasping the
piece of broomstick. | began the left
pausing q few moments to hear MI
Lincoln tell me about scar on the
thumb You have heard them call Ine.
a railsplitter and you saw them carry
ing rails in the procession last evening.
Well. il is true. did split rails. and one
day while sharpening wedge on log
the ak glanced and nearly took the emu
of my thumb off. and there IS the scar,
you see.
The right hand appeared swollen as
compared with the left on account OF
excessive handshaking the evening be-
fore The difference is distinctly shown
In the cast Leonard w. NolK.
In this case OF Lincoln relics are black
broadcloth trousers coat, waistcoat and
a black string necktie, worn by LAHcoln
a short time before mis- death and loaned
TO the museum by Mrs. w NJ. Hunt.
Close by is n penstand with nenholders
made of wood taken from the floors OF
the two front rooms OF the Lincoln home
stead at Springfield. and presented to
Theodore Roosevelt while President and
by him presented to the National Mu-
scum.
=
Among the relies in this case are three
terrible-looking iron keys Indicated By
a card as Iron keys of the cells in the
penitentiary at Washington. In which
Paine, Surratt and others engaged in the
Lincoln conspiracy were confined during
their trial In 1885. Transferred from the
War Department
Over against the red wall of the haff
OF the museum dedicated to American
history. and on the left after passing
through the vestbule at the north an
trance. is q glass case containing btg
rectangular block of light gray stone
roughly worn and Clipped around the
edges.
On that face Of the stone which -
turned outward is the following inscrio.
ton In red letters:
Abraham Lincoiio Region Foederat
Amer.c Praesidi I-Hunc Eek Serv Tuiii
Aggere Lapidem Quo Utriuscue Libertaes
Adsertoriu rortiss-Memoria Conjunyatur
Ciyis Romani. A-MDCCCLXI"
The descriptive card says OF this stonef
Lincoln memorial etone-a piece Of the
masonry from the ancient wall Of Serv-
ius Tullius. Rome. presented to the United
States government to replace a memorial
stone Of the same character sent by the
national Roman committee as a tribute 20
President Lincoln after his assassination
in 1865, the original stone having been
lost In transit.
"Gist Of the National Associations Tor the
History OF Italian Unity"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-16

VERY Washingto-
man knows the road
which leads west
in continuation of
NJ street in George
town. with the
canal, then a bluff
and then the river
ON the left hand, a
string of frame
houses and then a
BLUM on the right
hand. IL is a much