davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
Tragedies of the Commonplace

TTNHE great dramatic moments Of life do not
i ordinarily take place in earthquakes and
shipwrecks. Nor are the tragedies Of normal
existence confined to mlllion-dollar thefts
sudden death and bloodshed. THE great
American play must deal with problems that
confront every man and woman" declared
Miss Helen Ware the other day, through the
columns of this newspaper. Miss Ware cited
the domestic debacles which result from eX
travagant living as being the basis for mod
ern tragedies Of shakespearean calibre.
The time has assuredly come when the Sc
rious dramatist should eschew medieval
romance and tragedy for the even greater
romance-and tragedy-of presentday life,
How can the imbroglio of Il 18th century
kingdomette compare with the colossal drama
of our national finance and commercial war
fares? The great drama the trenchant mu-
sical comedy. the apropos sketch satire must
deal, if it be in the spirit Of the times, with
themes familiar TO everyday life, as intimate
to every man and woman as knives and
forks soap and water, necllties and hairpins
1t is the small things Of life that are Of
prodgious Importance. A fly in the coffee
NAV poison the nectar Of love 1t is not i'm
possible by any means to imagine the bland,
COmplacent husband. addicted to his evening
newspaper, whipped TO a truly Shakespearean
thirst for murder by the bridge or euchre
obsessed wife Fostering him nightly to play
a game. The egg cooked a minute too long
daily and the neglected laundry persistently
lacking buttons might readily bring bliss
full couple to the divorce court and the want
of kitchen or general economy drive an
exasperated husband to the saloon. the club
or the use of a concrete club; or even murder.
One OF the leading suffragettes in America
was goaded TO desert her spouse, and thence
20 become an exponent of militancy, by her
husbands failing TO agree with her in regard
TO the rights IT labor unions, CerreS,
comedy material worthy OF a modern Arts
tophanes or the highest lights Of Bernard
Shaw OF George Cohan,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
A Professor Describes a vNLachine''

A Professor Describes a Machine"
DOSSIBLY Professor william Milligan
Sloane in lecturng before German stu
dents at Berlin and Munich on Party Gov
ernment in the United States" had Penrose-
ism m mind when he said: where the or
ganization of party is known as the ma
chine both place and money bribery abound,
and the slime of the serpent is on every po-
ltical and social institution because It is on
the hearts of the men and women concerned,
the people who set up and work the whole
machinery of life. The fountain cannot rise
above its source except by artifce; there are
times and places where party machinery be
comes so foul that It is cogged and stopped"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
FROM A JOURNALIST

To the EdltOr OF the bCehthO LedDef'
Slr-Being a former newspaperman, 1 feel
impelled to write you my congratulations after
carefully watching your issues for the first three
days of publication. The physical appearance
of the paper commends itself, 1t seems to me,
above everything else. The news Is presented
not so that the reader may read, but so that he
must read.
To catch the eye OF the reader Immediately
is one thing demanded from afternoon
paper This you have been able to do. The
generous use of pictures, which seems to be
your policy, almost needs no comment. Pictures
to most persons convey more lasting mpros-
sion than almost anything they read, and when
the public see the pictures the paper will he
theirs FRIEND.
Philadelphia, September I6. 1914.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
NATIONAL POINT OF VIEW

Tho pleasing information comes from WASH
mgton that the "pork' hunting Senators nave
been rspulsod, and that the S93.0O,OOo river ana
harhor bHl will he reduced, probably as much
as pnc-haif by cutting out Of it all questions
able items. both new and old. President WE,
som has apparently once more proved hi!nesi
"a much acutcr politician than he has been com,
moul, credited with being. lie does not owen
IN That atmosphere of academic alootnesS from
common things that some have hastily beeHeu
him to. It's good politics right now 10 ee'
tho padding out of all public payrolls. lh'
people are aroused as never before to .i" ga
yssiyo cost of Jon of what has passed lul n
government in this cuuntry,-Chicaso teI''"
I'm Rgutlng against the rivers and harbor'
bill as it came 10 the Senate, the llllDuslets
although they are Republicans, have reaIg
been doing yrlilut service for the Democrats
Nothing would have constituted such Nu'
ucrah.e point of attack against the doil%llan' %
party In his falrs campaign as an oIu-iasn.
ionrd rivers and harbors bili-New York Even
ing Post.
N senator Button and those acting with h"i |
can a. feat the rivers and harbors biIl or To-
a heavy reduction Of the appropriation 'ney
Will rrudor 20 great service 10 the couhHS
and also tu th" democratic party.-lh'''"''~
his News.
# President Wilson is to become "the w,aleaII a5.aI
uo4 of fhe Treasury he will lind a sooa U.s.
pf watching necessary Washington S'''
WAR AND THE ROYAL INVOCATION
Blame mot the christian faith for this @a'A
war;
Christ never spoke a word that made 81 's"'
To murder men in bitter hate
And mm a sun-rt world to dark"sf l'-p.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

INTERESTS OF PEOPLE THRoTTTED

To the Editor Of the Evening Ledger:
Sir-Permit me. as reader of your publica.
tions, to express my observations of the sent-
ment of the people of this community.
The non-partisan judiciary and the uniform
primary acts rapidly educating the people
in favor OF independent political action and
non-partisan voting. You will recollect that
the latter act provides that voter is entitled
to n party ballot where he has voted for a
majority of the candidates of that party at the
preceding election. These acts can have no
other effect than to place the best interests Of
the State and county before the people at
future elections.
The interests of the people of Pennsylvania
throttled by the fact that almost all our
largo daily papers controlled by politicians
that are himical to the good government Of
our State and counties.
DON G. CORBETT.
Clarion. Pa. September 10 1911
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
Spending Money on the Wrong Things

spending Money on the wrong lhlhgS
THE Municipal Court has made one record
L which is not likely soon to be broken:
its extravaganza has become a standard Of
measurement Not content with the lux
urious quarters now assigned to it, it wants
a building of It's own. The acquesCent Com
mittee on Finance has provided in the loan
bill the sum of 100000 for this purpose. 1t
would be fine thing for Philadelphia to
have new public building, or several of
them, and when some Of the constitutional
restrictions Of the citys borrowing capacity
are removed it might be good policy to build
them. But Just now there are far more ext
gent needs for all the cash available. 1t Is
very obvious that sound business policy does
not dictate in oil instances the financial
proEram of Councils.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
DONE in PHILADELPHIA

TITHEN l read a few days ago that two
w lots of the Girard Estate in the vicinity
Of Third and Porter streets had just been
sold by the city for more than $4,000 1T
instantly occurred to me that that was only
a little less than third of the total value of
the realty owned by Girard in old Passyunk
township at the time of his death.
Girard was one of the first men here to
realize the worth of realty as an investment
There had been land spectators before him
in the field, of course, but he was cautious
and, unlike Nicholson, who, at one time, had
an ownership in about one-sixth of the State,
Grard, for the great part had his holdings
in Philadelphia. His ventures outside in
cuded his coal lands in Pennsylvania, which
are still very profitable, and other land in
Louisiana.
He left to the city for the support of his
wonderful college for orphan boys some of
the most valuable land in the central part
of the city 1t Is true that pieces of this
property, owing to the changes of business
centres, are not now SO profitable as they
once were yet those properties in the neigh
borhood of the river, as Girard understood.
never can cease to be of value long as
we have any commerce at all.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
THE IDEALlST

The Emperor of China assumed terrific
obligations Among them was the absolute
guarantee that he would make the sun come
up each morning.
II is not a matter Of record that the sun
ever failed 10 put i'm appearance But therein
lies the reason for the immeasurable faith
which the people Of the land put in their
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
VIEWS OF READERS
ON TIMELY TOPICS
Contributions That Reflect Public Opin.
ion on Subjects Important to City,
State and Nation.

To the Editor Of the EveninO Ledger.
Sir-As an independent Republican inter
ested In having honest men elected to office
and the standard of my party restored in Penn.
sylvania, am writing to commend your oppo.
siton to Penroseism. BY so doing through I'M.
agency of your excellent paper you render a
great service to the citizens of our State Ths
anti-Penrose sentiment Is very strong through
here in Westmoreand County. and only by the
elimination of Penroseism can our party hons
toTeturn to its once high standard.
S. oVBRHoLT.
Mt Pleasant, Pa, September TO- 1914
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
+,
Honest. This Really Happened

We walked into barber shop to have our
luXurant curls denatured diminuted, singed,
massaged and otherwise maltreated. The
barber went to work with a will and scissors.
He clipped and Comhed and clipped. He
spoke not Then he brushed off the eXpur-
gated hair Comhed what remained, took off
the towel about our swan-like neck; we paid
him and walked out. Strange? Most as
suredly, for he never even once, much less
oftener raised q mirror behind us and asked
whether no the cut suited our aesthetic
ideas.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
Well Leave This Entirely to Our Readers

Correspondent writing on Il letterhead Of
the mental detention room of local hos
pital asks whether the following could be
called poem:
"Give credit whom It due is
To the whiskers of Ham Lewis"
We would NOT call it poem; what we
really think of 1t shall go down into the dark
and dank grave with our mortal remnants.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

speaking officially, but he reflected the gem
eral sentiment Of the American people in
favor of neutrality of thought as well as Of
speech and action, so far as such neutrality
is consistent with a mans respect for his
own intelligence.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
THE FUNCTION OF A NEWSPAPER

To the Editor Of the Euenir0 Ledger:
Sir-The true function of n newspaper is serv-
ice to the public 1 believe that you are sincere
in your opposition to Mr.. Penrose, and believe
that the forceful editorials which have appeared
in the Evening Ledger, and those which be.
eve shall come, will contribute to a marked
degree in bringing about his defeat in Novem-
ber Keep up this service. w. II. X
Philadelphia, September 16 1914
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
CURIOSITY SHOP

The Field of Forty Footsteps according 10
the legend was "a meadow in old London, on
whose site the British Museum now stands,
II was also known as southampton Field.
During the Monmouth rebellion TWO brothers
espoused opposite sides and fought duel
on the meadow. Both were slain and accord
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
Generosity

Mr. McNab Uo urchinr--Whars the mat
ter. laddie?
Irchin-Pve lost my 'apenny,
Mr. McNab-Aye, dinna grieye. Here's a
match to find it.-LOndnn Opinion.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

"Yes, I may say | have an ideal hus-
band
IAN Apollo for looks, a Chesterfield for
manners" rhapsodized the girl.
Those things don't count in husbands,
my dear Mine stays fairly sober and brings
most of his salary hOme."-Pittsburgh Post.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

DURING the days preceding our own war
~ with Spain, General Weyler was nearly
Iynched in newspaper office, only he did not
know it, and it is doubtful whether his
ignorance has been dispelled even now It
was at the time when the chrome news
papers were out-yellowing one another to
the fullest extent of their ingenuity and
regardless of their financial wounds. The
yellowest of them all conceived the idea that
1t would be a splendid thing if it could get
Weyler into the hands of the Cuban insur-
rectos obtain his last statement have him
lynched and then Photographic Men were
sent to Cuba to visit the revolutonsts, and
all the arrangements for the kidnapping were
completed, when the proprietor of the paper
in question backed water and declined to see
the enterprise" through. When pressed for
an explanation, he gave voice to the follow
ing cryptic Utterance:
Il don't mind being yellow, but III be
dashed If I want the world to think that I
am purple
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
His Preparation

''EIave you had any experience in the
movies"
"Oh, yes sir; I was for ten years with a
furniture van."-Bultmore American.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
The Blowout

What happened to Babylon" asked the
teacher of her Brooklyn class.
ut fell" cried the pupil.
"And what became of Nineveh?
ut was destroyed"
"And what Of Tyre?'
"PunCtured. Exchange.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
Wonder What Was Meant

THE only homes I want are Paris and
Heaven"
well, you'd better make the most of
Do
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
A Purist

Western Visitor CacCostIng citizen Can
you tell me a good place to stop at?
Citizen Ccrtahly, Just before the "at"
Good day sir-l3oston Transcript
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

SHE.
The fall bride is a wOndrous thing
OF furbelows and laccs.
AS pretty as the new blown rose
The wedding page she graCes.
HE.
The bridegroom doesn't count at all:
The future, glum he faces;
An ordinary mortal, he,
On checks, his name he places.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
in A SPIRIT OF HUMOR
The War Game

French troops check Germans.
German army checks Russians.
Austrlans checked in Galicia.
Sounds like the baggage room of a rail-
'oad station.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
From the News Columns

Some parents think an heir q crying need
And that's the way he usually turns out.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
PASSED BY THE CENSOR

THE visit to this country Of a special Bel
i gian Embassy recalls the time spent in the
United States by Ii Hung Chang, Chinese
statesman and admrer of General Grant
1t was his devotion to the memory of the
American General which nearly precipitated
international complications between the then
Celestial Empire and old Erin. LII arrived
in New York city and, according to the
bylaws of his native land, was not permit
ted to touch his slk-clad feet upon heather
foreign soil. So, wherever he went, regal
carpets were laid, or the old gentleman was
carried in Sedan chairs.
1t was so when he visited Grants tomb on
Riverside Drive, New York. Stepping from
his carriage, he entered II waiting Sedan
chair. Four husky Irish policemen stepped
forward, red of face and i'll at ease. For a
moment they hesitated, one or two essayed
to speak, but emotion overcame them. They
grasped the handles and New York wit
messed the amazing sight of a Chinaman
carried to anything but q patrol wagon by
four Irish policemen!
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

Have you consulting edltor"
mo, an office boy"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

Somewhere between heaven and earth is
suspended Mohammed's stepping stone,"
unless the Moslem legend is inaccurate. Ac-
cording to this source, when Mohammed
mounted the beast, AL Borak, on his ascent
to heaven, the stone started to follow him,
whereupon the prophet laid his hand upon 1t
this day, true believers may see 1t suspended
on high.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21
News Notes From The Aquarium
In The SanriIlnI

principal Fish About to Resign."-Wor-
Cester Mass, Gazette
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

WHEN Girard died he was the richest
w man in this country. The inventory filed
by his executors showed that his total prop
erty, real and personal-and he had a great
deal of both-was valued, in 1892, at more
than $6,OO0,000.
We have become so accustomed to the
millionaire in our day and, in our conversa-
tions at least, are even now flirting with
billions, that we do not realize what S6000,00O
meant in 1892.
There was other man in the United
States at that time who could hold rank
anywhere Girard in the point of wealth.
The immense fortunes with which we are
so familiar are of much later date; they
are even of our own times, when the work OF
exploiting the resources of the country
began.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

N THE days when Brooklyn was yet a
municipal entity, David A. Boody was it's
Mayor Mr. Boody is a gentleman to his
finger tips. and was completely out of touch
with the political gang which ruled the City
or churches. But as Mayor he not al
together a success, for the gang" took
great pleasure in putting things over on
him." So it was no wonder that one dav
the telephone in his office rang violently
and an excited voice at the other end of
the wire informed the Mayor that at a GER
tain number in Raymond street there was
congregated the greatest aggregation of
thieves, cutthroats, burglars and criminals
ever gathered under one roof. The Mayor
at once passed the news to Chief of Police
Campbell, who sent a wagonload of police
men to the place.
On dead run the patrol dashed down
Raymond street and drew up-before the
Raymond street Jail
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

The title Of Prime Minister was not
officially conferred, but was given in banter
to sir Robert Walpole. On February IL, 1872
he said in the House of Commons:
Having invested me with kind of mock
dignity and styled me prime minister the
Opposition mputes to me an objectionable
abuse of the chimercal authority which they
only created and conferred"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

Wish We Knew Caption Narrowing Enough
To Do Justice to This!
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

nNHERE was yet another delegation from a
l. foreign nation in this country, the three
Beers, who sought aid in their war against
Britain. No sooner had they landed than an
enterprising weekly paper commandeered
them and brought them into a special room
in their hotel, where the sun was bright,
and had photographer take an even dozen
pictures in various more or less graceful, at
titudes.
And when the twelve plates were deve-
oped, just one pair of magnificent coattails
appeared to view! The plates had been
light-struck. and--the delegates were on
their way home
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

CTIIL, being purple" is not nearly so bad
- as being born to the purple without the
needed financial backing as was the case of
Frederic Lemattre, the great French actor
Lemaitre was in debt from the day of his
birth to the day he dled--not ordinary indebt-
edness, but overwhelming financial obliga-
lions, So he spent most Of his waking hours
evolving plans for raising money And even
now, in its spare moments, Paris remembers
his vagaries.
new play was billed Lematre was
the star At { o'clock in the evening, an
hour before the curtain was to go up, the
manager received a note from pawnbroker
informing him that Lemaitre had pawned
himself for 10000 francs and that there
would be no performance unless he was re-
deemed. He was.
Another time Paris was amazed when il
saw Lemaitre driving down the Bois in a
magnificent cquipage, drawn by four white
horses. friend hailed him from the side
walk.
You are fool, Lemaitre, buying such
an expensive carriage when you are head
over heels in debt Why did you do it?"
- had TO-" responded Lemaitre stickinl;
"a torn shoe ont of the window. How the
deuce could I afford to walk the street
looking like that"
A SIMILAR character, but American, was
"A John Ste'sou, the Boston theatrical man
ager, one afternoon he arrived at the
VrerrtrF Street rrr,gtr.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-21

Di that strange perversity of human ma
- ture that sometimes affects men of great
ness Girard desired to be remembered as
a mariner instead Of "A merchant although
the latter he is, of course, better recalled
II may not he known that Booths greatest
ambition was to be a comedian, yet it is as
tragedian that he became famous. on the
other hand, his brother-iu-law John $
Clarke. who was comedian OF the bufro
type, believed he had failed i'm life because
the world would not accept him ass Il tlugr-
dian. Napoleon at first desired to achieve
fame AS a novelist but if he did not achieve
that position. he succeeded in providing at
mosphcre for countless pieces of fiction
I feel sure that Philadolphans are likely
10 forget the mariner in Girard in the great.
ness and ar-sightcdness of the man of bus
mess. GRANVILLE.