davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
It's Easy to Aroue,

While the Postmaster General is
congratulating the public On the enor-
nous success of the parcel post, he is
at the same time confronted by the
possibility OF its curtailment unless an
immediate appropriation shall be made
to carry on the work to the end of the
fiscal pear. Although earning more
than enough to pay expenses, the de-
partment is powerless to go forward
with great public utility without the
aid of the legislative branch of the
Government.
No more foreeful illustration of a,
fatal weakness of Government owner
ship could have been furnished that
1t comes from the foremost advocate
of the extension of that ownership to
the telegraphs Is all the more signifi-
cant. Under private management
the financing of great undertakings is
unhampered by the red tape and de-
lays inseparable from national legis-
lation Government ownership means
lowered efficiency, destruction of In
eentive and power of initiative, the
creation of an army of public servants
less subject to discipline than workers
under private employment, hence is
fatal to progress and detrimental to
the national we'll Philadelphia
Public Ledger.
Why not public ownership of the
commission business and cold stor-
age?
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
Good Aftarnoon-for Snakes.

The Oyerhear rer met the other after
noon a Mrs. Fllersen of Chicago, who
was in Maine on her way west after
passing eight months with her hus-
band in Florida. Mr.. Ellerson is en-
ployed in putting a drainage system in
the Everglades and has headquarters
near Miami.
The conversation included snakes.
The lady said she hadn't personally
been troubled much with them nor had
Mr.. Ellerson, but the latter did have
one bad afternoon with the serpents
while working in the Everglades
swamp. He was engaged in pit the
walls of which he was cementing for
the reception of a pump when he heard
a noise nearby and saw moecasin
fall near the mouth of the pit. Kill
that snakel" he called to a helper. The
latter struck the snake with a club,
but, in his excitement, instead of kill
ing the reptile, knocked it into the pit
where Mr.. Ellerson was, the latter s
only weapon being the trowel he had
in his hand. With this he struck at
the moecasin, as the latter struck at
him, and both missed. Again the man
struck and for a minute or two there
was n thrilling battle between man
and snake in the small hole, Mr.. ELL
erson using both hands and feet. Luck
lily he killed the reptile without being
bitten, himself, but how he did it he
doesn't know. That afternoon while
returning in boat to his shack, a
water moeeasin stuck up his head and
tried TO climb over the side of the boat
and en- reaching the shack and going
into the shed for some coal he found
a rattler eeiled up in the coal bin!
Mr.. Eilersen declared after killing
the rattler that the menoteny of the
thing was making him nervous!
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
On a Crowded Trolley Car.

III was in a crowded L., a. & w. Ry
car wednesday afternoon bound down
the line from Augusta. A young lady
pert, pretty and positive, had one big
grip filled with Christmas gifts on
the seat beside her, another equally
large on the floor at her feet and many
bundles in her lap. Going up Rines
hill prominent citizen, who is fat
and chunky and fairly robust, spied
the seat and claimed half. but the
girl, who was gazing on the beauties
OF Augusta from the car window
held the fort. The chunky gentleman
on the ear seats edge pushed back
ward trying to establish his anatomy
in more comfortable manner. The
maiden fair. back to, likewise pushed
to repel boarders. Wont you move
that grip and lemme have half?"
qnerried the chunky man. The girl
half turned her head and said: "I
can't; got one already ON the floor"
Folks were laughing at the episode.
The chunky man gave up the fight
with: Take it all and welcome, then,
Miss" which conveyed not his real
meaning in the words.
BY and by the conductor rearranged
the pretty girls impedimenta in such
fashion that one of the ladies stand
half seat thus left vacant. Where
upon all the passengers standing and
sitting smiled again and the chunky
man said Good
THE OVERHEARER.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27

than 1T will in any other civilization,
because it is exactly adapted to your
demands. You want your impressions
quick and complete. In Europe a man
is the subject of newspaper comment,
they describe him. Here they print
his picture. The newspapers here are
very close to the peoples thoughts so
there is no more accurate authority
on what the people want than the
newspapers. OF course, every news
paper here is different and the diff
ference is apparent in details, but the
general principles remain the same.
That same atmosphere is carried into
your artistic life, and who could imag
inc it otherwise? You associate ar
tistic performance here with excite
ment. You want your moods, whatever
they are, to be excited to the fullest
degree. Abroad they will listen to
things which have an easy course and
no particularly striking effects. But
here you must be walked up every
once in so often.
1t would be unfair to hold the mo-
ton picture responsible for mental
habit which he correctly describes,
but it is true that it does satisfy bet
ter than almost any other form of
entertainment tasts which many
modern conditions have helped to de-
velop. 1t is not wholly a bad thing,
IT goes with mental a1ertness, and
quick curiosity as to a great variety
Of things that can be seen. This in
cessant appeal to the optic nerve Is
undeniably stimulus, but unless sup
plemented it's effect is likely to be
superficial. One image follows an
other with too little time for reflection
and analysis; one set of faculties is
stimulated at the expense of the rest.
To this condition the art which Mr..
Hoffman, so admirably represents af-
fords an excellent corrective; If only
because it introduces sensations
through another channel, and sets the
mind TO functioning in different
way.
educators have long been complain
ing that people are becoming too eye
minded, that pupils have difhcuity IN
hearing straight or in remembering
what they hear. 1t is tendency Which
much reading increases, and the mo-
ton picture habit, while 1t exercises
the mind in a different way, IS ap-
pealing, and even more strongly 10
the visual sense. good framing
should exercise the ear as well as the
eve The Importance in education OF
the rhythmic sense is coming 10 pe
recognized and it is to be cultivated
precisely through the arts when ao-
dress the ear, notably music, poetry
and the dance, which is inseparaply
associated with music. But the dance.
which is quite sufficiently cultivated
Just now, while it lays an excellent
foundation for the rhythmic arts, stops
there; its esthetic content, though gen
uine, is of limited range. and 1t falls
as far short Of music and verse as the
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27

Monday, that he had seen wood mice
stuck onto a sharp sprig and he had
found sparrows hanging by the neck
in the crotch of limb, unmistakable
evidence of the work of a shrike. This
bird is about the size of a robin, hay-
ing marks somewhat like a blue jay.
The back is greyish and the breast is
nearly white. The shrike flies with in
termittent wavy fight followed by a
sharp swoop. The birds often clatter
loudly and have attracted much atten-
tion by their vigorous scolding in the
tree tops. These birds will lie in wait
for a flock of sparroWs then suddenly
dash into the flock, usually picking out
a single victim and pursuing it until
successful in catching it. The cour-
age, dash and impetuesity of this lit
tie bird are beyond that of any other
species and the birds have been
known TO espy canary in a cage in
a window, make a bold dash, usually
to its utter confusion.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27

Augusta team had proved his worth.
He had saved the game for his team
by his cool calculation and unerring
aim under difficulties. 1t had been his
basket" which broke the tie score
and disrupted the apparently invul-
nerahle attack of the Independents
And 1t had been his act which went
long way toward making amends
for the unsportsmanhke conduct of
some of his teammates toward their
guests.
He showed the stuff of which the
true sport is made, while In the dress
ing room a certain clique commended
one of the Augusta young men for his
attack upon Portland opponent.
This Augusta player may have been
heckled to the point of losing control
Of himself, but the fact remains that
this same player has precipitated the
open fights upon the two last occa-
sions OF visiting teams meeting the
Augusta five-and this net by throw
ing himself between two angered play.
ers nor upon his own teammate, but
as viciously as possible upon the visi-
tor.
Basketball is great game, calling
as it does for the utmost of physical
and mental endeavor. The Augusta
team is made up of WELL educated, US
ually courteous young men. The man.
ager Of the team understands his bust
ness from A to z and is d live wire"
from his hair to bis toes. That they
should listen to the small percentage
Of the audience demanding brutality is
to be deplored and is likely to kill
the game in this city. The officials
of the contests are poweriess beyond
severe penalties. The solution rests
with the players themselves. Archie
Meader has set them a good example.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
Saturday, December 27, 1913
The Buxton Tragedy.

ne course it was prohibition
booze" of which we are told by the
Portland Argus, Waterville Senunei
o,d Riddeford Record, that was TO
blame for that Buxton tragedy! SAD
"a relate, the fatal effect about Which
the rum trust prates, was not soon
enough to prevent the fellow getting
home TO his sick wife and little chill
dren If it had poisoned him at
once. according to the RECORD s
theory, it would have saved the ne
eessitv of his being shot by his brave
young son.
Indeed. some very intelligent people
are Incoming more and more in favor
of the Immediately fatal kind OIL
booze. 1t is the only safe kind to put
out ANY other kind is likely to pro-
long the agony and to involve inno-
cent people.
1t is not, however, our purpose 10
deal with the poor fool who was so
free with his personal liberty on
Christmas Day, but with the man
xyhe sold Il to him. Was it some OF
the "speeial Christmas trade" brand,
widely advertised in Boston and 9TH
er papers and by circulars sent into
Maine homes, or was it some of the
stuff put out by the persistently and
maliciously encouraged thugs, who are
urged on by the above-named papers
to defy and violate the law for poll
tical and rum trust purposes?
Whoever had hand in the selling
or encouraging the sale of the intoxi-
cant that sent a horrible tragedy into
the Buxton home. and probably cost
Blacksmith Rowe his life at the hands
of his own son, is guilty and ought to
be punished. We care not whether it
was good" poison or the Immediately
fatal poison that the rum press tells
about, the people of Maine and of the
entire country are on the road to sup
preston of the traffic and all those
who encourage it. The Mexican mill
tary method lately IN vogue would
suit honest, God-fearing people to the
letter.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
From the Operhearer's Note Book.

after next election Maine won't be so
one enemy, this week, Lewiston ho-
tel man, remark to a gentleman, LII
quor is a good thing to sell and poor
stuff to drink ard in Bath to overhear
a former assistant city marshal say,
IF the question of enforcement or non
enforcement would 30 $4,000 for en-
foreement l just met a man." he went
on. ''who employs many hands ana is
himself a drinking man. This man
remarked I'm in favor of the way the
law is being enforced because it helps
my trade"
On trains and trolley cars one over
hears much pro and con but the ma
jority sentiment is that Maine people,
even if they drink themselves, will
never consent to the open saloon again.
This doesn't mean that no liquor is
being shipped into the State by a
jugful! On one trolley car recently
one young man said that he and his
brother, for their own consumption,
imported. from one western concern
which extensively advertises in Bos-
ton newspapers that circulate in
Maine, 164 gallons of whskey. The
Maine Prohibitory law doesn't pre-
vent man drinking but aims to pre-
vent the local sale. Liquor ads in
Maine newspapers are illegal and not
published and lawyers tell the Over
hearer that it is impossible to prevent
the circulation in Maine of papers
containing these ads. It, however, re-
auires some small capital and causes
more or less bother to send for Ii
auar in answer to the ads and there
fore majority Of occasional drink
ers go without.
How 1T all works out irnpresses the
Overhearer from observations in 100
miles of travel and mixing with the
crowds in three cities over the holiday,
stores were thronged, hotels and res
taurants busy. He actually saw but
two men drunk. With Maine all under
a wide open system or making money.
even local option it would have been
different OF those this Christmas
who did get drunk two cases in the
Friday papers, one crazed father shot
by his young son and one man with
in "A inches of being decapitated by a
trolley car fail to disprove Gov.
dalnes' contention that dry times
are the best times for Maine people.
Certainly Christmas day 1918, more
poor families had more grub. good
clothes and holiday gifts than they had
a year ago.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
PRETTY Poor Bowling!

The New Age has started to bowl In
the Spring Election contest, but its
first ball has gone off the alley with
out touching a pin. In a cunningiy
devised statement. calculated to mis-
lead those who do not know the facts,
1t seeks to convey the impression that
the Kennebec Journal is knocking
Mayor Newbert on the Water Street
lighting proposition. This statement
is without word of truth. The
Kennebec Journal has never at any
time criticized or expressed any dis
approval of any municipal improve
ment inaugurated by Mr.. Newbert.
The New Age itself has for the first
time raised the issue of municipal
lighting. Having raised it, let it now
proceed to enlighten our citizens with
the facts as to the cost of installation
and of annual maintenance. The
eager haste of the New Age to defend
an action which the Journal had never
criticized might look to the average
citizen as a premature apology for
something that they feared might be
justly called to account. Let us
have the facts, neighbor and it may
be that your apology was entirely un-
necessary. Meanwhile, in common
with all our citizens, the Journal
awaits the itemized account.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
A suaaestion to L. A. and w.

The near tragedy of Christmas Eve,
when the keen eyes of motorman Dan
Bowie detected the man lying with
his head across the L. A. and w. Ry.
iron near Merrymeeting Park, causes
the suggestion that the l.. A. and w.
might institute a system of medals
given to employees who save life, as
did Bowie, and prevent other important
accidents. Such medals would be con-
ducive to still greater efficiency of
emplOYeS.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
Joshua Needed More Faith Than
Fighters.

In the publicly declared opinion of
Secretary Daniels, lit is a reproaeh to
our country that we have only the
same number of chaplains in the navy
as there We're in 1872 Thus, with an
armament that puts us among the
foremost world Powers in naval
sense, we are no better off in this re-
spect than we were more than 20
years ago, when we had a navy only
In name. No wonder the situation
has attracted public notice or that a
delegation of clergymen representing
all churches and under the direction
of Congressman Treadway has visited
the Navy Department to appeal for an
increase in the spiritual force There
are nearly $4,000 men in the sea force
and 1t is not easy to see how "a chap
lains can meet the responsibility
which that involves. The modern bat
tleship carries more than a thousand
officers and men. We would naturally
suppose that seamen were as proper
subjects of spiritual concern as lands
men, but apparently this branch of the
service has been badly neglected.
Boston Transcript.
We understand that the Piffle Is to
be manned by chaplains.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27

Last October when, you recall, 1T
rained nearly every day, the Journais $
Overhearer made the remark that there
would be less snow than usual this
coming winter, basing his opinion on
the law of averages.
That's where you are wrong, re-
piled a welI-known lumber operator,
for there is going to be lots of snow
this winter
Recent snowfall indicates the correct
ness of the lumbermans prophecy and
also the old saw, Winter never rots
in the sky"
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27

Brewer naturalists report that the
great northern shrike has arrived from
the north in greater numbers and ear
lier in the season than usual. The
reason for this is that food must be
scarce in northern regions, and the
shrike flies southward to capture and
devour the English sparrows so COM
mon in this section. The great north
ern shrilze, called also butcher bird
breeds in the far north and its habits
are much like those of the hawk A
singular habit is attributed to this bird
by those who have observed him. He
captures habitually more prey than he
can at one time dispose of, and, in
stead of boarding it as some birds do,
he impales his victim on some brier
or apple sprig. One observer stated,
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
Saving a Good Game.

1t was Thursday evening at City
Hall. The seoreboard announced the
fefeat, by the Senators" of Augusta,
of the Independents" a strong play
ing basketball team from Portland.
The contest had been overrun with
petty quarreling-finally developing
into open hostilities, writhing, slug
ging mass in one corner of the hall.
The police and few of the cooler
minded spectators succeeded in sep
arating the combatants but blows had
been struck and hurts ranked. The
game closed with vicious contacts and
with feeling running high.
The vanquished, however, grouped
with sincere cheers for the cictors,
and were somewhat dejectedly moving
unusually tall young man with an un-
usually friendly smile blocked their
path. His outstretched hand was met
with a hearty grip by his individual
opponent in the game and smiles leap
cd to meet his. The Portland men
crowded about him to shake his hand
as he compl.mented them upon their
strength, sympathized with them in
their hard luck" and hoped to meet
them again.
You're the cleanest player we ever
metz
i'The best man on the team!"
If you ever come to Portland Wen
use you right"
These were only a few of the greet
ings he received. 1t was the saving
incident OF rather disgraceful ex-
h.bit.on. at least one man on the
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
Editorial Comment.
Music and the "Movies."
Springfield Republican,


is the moving picture craze harmful
TO music and the other arts? The
pianist Josef Hoffman,, thinks so, and
ne canont be accused of being pre-
JUDGED against mechanical inventions.
AS a boy his favorite toy was the
typewriter, a little older he turned to
the automobile and found his Joy in
tinkering with motors and devising
new appliances; very likely he will
turn next to the flying machine. He
has mechanical bent and likes. new
inventions, yet he thinks the motion
picture has set artistic interest back
many years To stimulate the imagina-
fion, he is quoted by an interviewer
for the New York Times as saying,
you must make a man guess: Give
him few outlines only, in such an
attractive form that he will complete
the structures for himself. The NOV
fng picture leaves nothing to guess
at" This deadening effect he thinks,
has a specially adverse effect upon
music:
People reason that If they go to
concerts they have to study and work
and guess, while the moving picture
does it all for them, leaving them to
sit back in comfort. 1t is all made SO
easy for them. And the trouble of
1t is that it captivates every class,
from the highest to the lowest in in
tellect. / go to them myself, so ! am
no better than anyone else But in
my case think it does me no harm,
for my mental qualities are settled
and it cannot displace them. But you
can see what 1t will do for the young
generation to which it supplies the
whole means of relaxation. The NOV
ing picture will work more harm here
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27

Economy and Wisdom.

At the Augusta House for Christmas
Dinner 6s guests We're present, largely
citizens of Augusta and their families.
Friday. the following remark of one
of these to one Of the clerks was over
heard, My wife says that hereafter
she is done with cooking big dinners
for Christmas, We're all coming up
here and repeat our yesterdays din
ner.' 1saH
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27

motion picture falls short of painting
and sculpture in the stimulation of the
higher faculties. All these things are
good, but they should be combined in
the right proportions. Is there not
some danger, as Mr.. HOFFMAN, sug-
gests, that so brisk and energetic
people as the Americans may be
tempted to stop short with those more
superficial arts which give a quick
and easy qualification of the senses?
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
Cushman Grange.

The newly elected officers are
Master, Frank S. Libby; overseer, Liz
zie Libby; lecturer, Mrs. Abbie Tracy;
steward Kenneth Tracy; assistant
steward, Gilbert Moore: chaplain,
Mena Duniyar; treasurer, irving NC
Donald; secretary, Miss Lutte NJ.
Guptill gatekeeper, Winslow Perry
Ceres, Sybil Whitaker; Pomona, Verna
Perry; Flora, Mary Moore; lady as
sistant steward, Myrtle Young.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
Massapaqua Grange.

The newly elected officers are Mas
ter, Gancela Herrick; overseer, Ross
Colson; lecturer, Edith Candage;
steward, Raymond Emerton: assistant
steward, Melvin Henderson, chaplain,
Oscar Bowden; treasurer, B. r. Syl-
vester. Sr, secretary, Hulda Hender-
son; gatekeeper, Eugene Conary;
Ceres. Leila Chatto; Pomona, Vietta
Duffy; Flora, Adra Leighton; lady as
sistant steward, Julia Sylvester.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
Rainbow Grange.

Rainbow Grange met Dec. is. A
fine program was presented as fol-
lows Reading, worthy overseer; reci-
tation, Sister Olive Betell; song, Leila
Howard; reading, Hope Perkins. Or
ficers will be elected at the next meet
ing.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
=
Retraeks Maine Trail.

Hon. Champ Clark, who lectured in
Augusta, Friday evening, goes next
to Lincoln, Mass. to lecture there and
then has to turn about and retrace
his journey into Maine to appear next
week in Bangor.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
LET US LAUGH A BIT.
Want time in vaudeville, Ell? Are
you a baseball player?'

Want time in vaudeville, en-! Are
you a baseball player?'
No"
Shoot anybody"
Never"
What are you, then?"
Merely an actor
IAN actor, Ell? Well, / don't know.
Actors are unusual in vaudeville, but
the very novelty of the thing might
make it a 60"
That large bump running across
the back of your head" said the
phrenologist, means that you are
inclined to be curious, even to the
point of recklessness."
Il know it," said the man who was
consulting him; Il got that bump by
sticking my head into the dumb
waiter shaft to see if the waiter was
going up, and it was coming down.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27

Did your beautiful daughter receive
the usual complement of seven boxes
of stationery. four cheap lockets,
three gold washed lavallieres, II box
es of chocolates and Is best sellers? :?
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27

At the meeting of Good Will Grange,
Dee. 20. the following officers were
chosen; Master, Arno B. Jewett; over
seer, Urban Craney; lecturer. Florence
Giles; chaplain, Celia Salisbury;
treasurer, Harry Silsby; steward,
John Johnston; assistant steward,
Martin Ritchie; gatekeeper, Fred Sils-
by; secretary, Bernice Clark Ceres,
Annie Giles; Pomona, Burnette Will
ley; Flora, Cassie Hanscom; lady as
sistant steward, Agnes Richie.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-27
ESTABLISHED 1926,

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70 Kennebec Journal Co., PUBLISH
ers. Augusta, Maine.