davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
BURNING AFTER SIXTY YEARS
Now One Million Dollars Will Be Spent
in Endeavor to Put Out Coal
Mine Blaze.

Engineers of the Lehigh Coal and
Navigation company are making her
culean efforts to extinguish the fire
which has been burning for 60 years
in a coal mine at Summit Hill, Pa.
Seven mine locomotives and three
steam shovels are in operation and
large force of men is at work driving
deep holes into the earth, into which
culm and water are being sluiced.
Millions of gallons of water are be-
ing pumped daily into crevices and
holes, and the issuance of steam indi-
Gates that the fire is burning in spots
which had long been considered
burned out.
The gigantic effort the company is
making to extinguish the fire for all
time will probably cost $1,000,000, but
that sum is insignificant when COM
pared with the damage the fire would
do if it should spread into the val
ley and ignite the mammoth veins run
ming throughout the Panther Creek
valley. The fire had it's origin direct
ly west of Summit Hill, and was
caused, it is believed, by forest fires
The flames have been gradually
spreading westward, and have de-
stroyed millions of dollars worth of
coal.
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
SCARED BY "TAME" PANTHER
Priest Has Experience Which He ls
Not at All Anxious to Have
Repeated.

An adventure with panther is re-
Father Barley, who short while ago
was on visit to an Indian priest at
Patiala in a place near rocky jungle.
The Indian priest was away on visit
to a sick person and Father BARLEY
went to sleep in the verandah. At
feeling something licking his feet with
a great rough tongue. He started up
in bed and was Mortified to see that a
huge beast had put it's forepaws on
his bed and was glaring into his eyes.
Father BARLEY got out of his bed and
for help. AS there was no response
he went into the open, gripping rug
and holding it between himself and
the beast, which was snarling at him
and began to walk round and round
him in a wide circle. At last Father
Barley backed toward the railway
line. He was caught by the ankle by
wire and fell fiat upon his back. The
beast sprang through the air and
alighted couple of yards away. There
was a red light close by and possibly
it's cleaning eyes gave the beast a
fright, as it turned round with snarl
and suddenly ran away and disap-
peared into the darkness of the night
The next morning the Indian priest
told Father BARLEY that the panther
was a tame one and belonged to a
railway auditor, and that it must have
got loose that night
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
Price of. a FUR Coat,

DR.. Anna Howard Shaw, the suf-
fragist, said at dinner in Philadel-
phia:
I'D rather see a woman wrapped
up in politics than wrapped up in
dress. It's less expensive, too.
They talk a lot about these ants,
these home bodies; but l was visit
ing such a woman once. 1t was
about this time of the year, and the
little daughter of the house began to
read from one of her school books.
In winter she read, every ami
NAL puts on a new fur coat which,
But the little girls father turned
pale, shuddered and snatched away
the book.
Alice, be STILL he murmured
hoarsely. Don't you know your moth
er is lying down in the next room?'"
Washington Star.
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
Tennyson's Love for America.


Tennyson had some warm friends
among Americans, and he once spoke
of the Constitution of the United
States as a noble constitution. In
1887 Walt Whitman sent Tennyson
his photograph, and in acknowledge
ing it Tennyson wrote: Dear Walt
Whitman thank you for your kind
thought of me. l value the photograph
much, and I wish that could see not
only this same picture, excellent as
am told it is, but also the living orig
inal. May he still live and flourish
for many years to be. The coming
year Q8SS) should give new life to
every American who has breathed a
breath of that soul which inspired the
great founders of the American Con-
stitution, whose work you are to cele-
brate. Truly the mother country,
bordering on this, may feel that how
much so ever the daughter owes to
her, she, the mother, has nevertheless
something to learn from the daugh-
ter. Especially would note the care
taken to guard a noble Constitution
from rash and unwise innovators."
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
HIGHEST TYPE OF COURAGE
Prisoner That Can Smile Is Truly Man
Without the Slightest Trace
of yellow"

You have heard a great deal said
about "the man who smiles" etc. At
the risk of being found monotonous it
might be added that the man who
smiles and keeps on smiling, in prison.
is worth some notice. II he isn't fee
ble-minded, he is game and gameness
eXcites admiration in a dog. A game
grasshopper has it on the katydid
forty ways. To keep a pleasant face
in prison is simon-pure grit.
When a man gets down in the
mouth, with only acid showing on his
countenance, he makes war on him
self.
Once upon a time little middle
aged man was sent to prison. He was
past middle age, and left behind him
a lot more than a shattered fortune.
Four nights he walked his cell and
was four days and nights without
sleep. Opiates were resorted to and
he woke up with a smile. From that
day to this he wears a smile wherever
he goes, game as pebble and with
out a yellow speck on him.
That is gilt-edge grit a bulldog
couldn't beat. 1t is more than that; it
is the refinement of human courage
From the New Era, published at the
federal penitentiary, Leavenworth,
Kan.
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
GAVE THEM THE WRONG IDEA
Teachers Power over Children Evil
IDENTIFY Was Not as Great az She
Had Imagined.

An Indianapolis young woman who
mas been taking Normal course at
an institution for deaf children, told
on her return to the city for a short
visit of her experience the first few
days. She knew little about the sign
Language, but the children she was to
teach knew nothing about it. She
was expected to learn faster than
they, and to teach them through lip
reading.
The supervisor had instructed her
not to Sign" to the children. She was
not to show what she wanted them
to do, but tell them and make it plain
that they were to read her lips. This
method was irksome, and when the SUI
signed" with her hands what the
children were to do. She was NOV
ing her hands upward as she told the
children to stand, and the supervisor
entered the room. The children stood,
but the supervisor said that was not
the proper method of instructing the
children.
Watch me-" she said. The super
visor stood before the children and
said "Sit down." being careful to make
her lips show the words as clearly as
possible. The children were aston
ished, and were slow to determine
what was being asked Of them, but two
in the front row figured it. They be-
gan to run around the room. Two or
three others saw that the first two
were wrong, and they jumped up and
down, while several others turned so
as to face the rear of the room.
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
WhIskers Killed Her Love.

Love is long suffering and tough, pa
tient and forgiving, but balks some
times over what might be considered
a little thing-or several little things
--whiskers, for example, as witness
the case of sixty-two-years-old maid
who told New York Judge that she
was all ready to marry a roaring blade
of seventy-tive, and would have done
so but for his neglect--to shave.
When he came before her with all
those whiskers on him she weakened.
"He killed my love-" said the lady, and
sighed. The court sighed, too. at the
thought of tragedy. 1t must have been
a horrible death to die.
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
SLIDING SCALE FOR MOBILES
Duration of Titles in the Land Of Con-
fucius Is to Be Definitely Fixed
by Statute.

The question as to the exact status
of China, whether it is a republic, en-
pire, kingdom or what, is compli-
Gated one-but perhaps the president
will resolve our doubts before many
years are past by being proclaimed
emperor. For the present one does
not know what to think on reading of
the remarkable sliding scale peerage
system that is to be submitted to the
next parliament for approval. This
limits the duration of titles in any one
family as follows:
Dukedom; inherited for five genera
tons successfully invested with
princehood, marquisate, earldom, Wis
county and baronetcy.
Princehood inherited for four gen.
erations successfully invested with
marquisate, earldom, viscounty and
baronetcy.
Marquisate; inherited for three gen.
erations successfully invested with
earldom, viscounty and baronetcy.
Earldom; inherited for two genera
tions successfully invested with Wis.,
county and baronetcy.
Viscounty; inherited by one lineal
descendant invested with baronetcy.
Baronetcy; not hereditary
The foresight in this remarkable
roster is the fact that the Presidents
family alone is to be perpetually here
ditary.
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
Boyhood Memories.

"The kids of today have better play
things than when l was boy" said a
grizzled old fellow today who was
watching some boys flying kites.
stake, for instance, kites. You see
these kites they are flying are made
of cloth, box shaped and without tails.
That's big change from the house
kites and Goldfish kites that l made
when a kid. When / was boy every
boy made his own kites and mended
them, If they needed mending. He
whitfield out his own kite sticks to
make the form of the kite, and then
he covered the kite with paper, which
he pasted on. And he made the paste
himself; he got some flour of his
mother and mixed it with water and
cooked it enough on the kitchen stove
to make 1t sticky. And when he had
the kite made he was ready for the
tail. He would so to mother and she
would cut out a nice piece Of old cot
ton cloth for the tail. What change
these cloth-covered, box-shaped kites
are, and made to fly without a tail.
My, what a change that is from the
.old-time kites" And the old fellows
memories still fingered with his boy
hood days as he watched the kids
raising their kites. .srrg -,-
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
Small Japanese Houses.

A number of causes have affected
the size of the Japanese house, which
seems much too small for a comfor-
table habitation in the eyes of for
eigner. In the first place, the people
themselves are small, the average
height of the Japanese male adult be-
ing five feet three and one-half
inches. As it is the usual custom to
sit on the floors upon cushions, with
the legs bent beneath, great height of
ceilings is not desirable. The low
ceilings may be attributed to the lack
of any heating systems other than the
small charcoal brazier known as the
"bibashi." The frequency of earth
Quakes throughout Japan has been
largely contributing cause as we'll, and
the question OF expense ip country
where economy reigns supreme has
also had a powerful influence.
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
HAVE SYSTEM IN EXERCISE
Proper State Of Health impossible If
This Important Matter Is
Ignored.

Without exercise no woman can
keep her good looks. She fades as
flower witt out sunshine, as foliage
without rain. And vet, in spite of the
necessity of exercise, few women take
q sufficient amount-those who can af-
ford II preferring to ride rather than
to walk, and those whose circum-
stances force them to walk seldom
finding time to indulge in this form of
beauty treatment. Exercise to be ben
-eAc!el should be taken cut OF doors,
and walking, within the reach OF the
poor as we'll as the rich, is one of the
best of exercises, says a writer in the
Pittsburgh Dispatch
The average woman Is, alas! a sadly
indoor animal, and does not seek with
sufficient ardor or zeal the outdoor
life. which is one of the greatest Sc.
crets Of lasting beauty. It is interest.
ing to note here that the vast majority
of great singers have in their youth
led an open-air life under the canopy
of heaven, or have sprung from fami.
lies where such life had been led
for centuries. It seems as if the pure,
fresh oxygen of the hills and plains
was distilled in the secret laboratories
of their bodies into the liquid notes
that SO move and thrill us.
So it is with beauty. The great
beauties Of history have, one and all,
at some period of their lives lived
freely and unrestrainedly the quick,
tnvigorating life of the open.
Perhaps you may say that in a city
1t is next to impossible to get fresh
air or to find the time to exercise. The
first may be true, for alas! city air is
far from fresh. The second is false,
for every person, no matter how busy,
can find the time if he or she will, to
take at least an hours exercise each
day. Health demands it, and unless
this demand is needed, sooner or later
land it is usually sooner) the foolish
victim of too little time will break
down just from lack of exercise.
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
Are You Operating a Mosquito Farmr

Do you know that you are probably
a breeder of mosquitoes? Many a man
keeps a regular mosquito farm and
does not know it. Are you one of this
kind? You are, if on your premises
you have open water barrels, empty
tin cans, open water tanks, marshy or
low ground that holds the water after
rain. or course, If you like being Bit
ten by mosquitoes and like to run the
risk of having them carry to you some
faint of disease, why you will not
do anything to destroy the mosquito
breeding places. II the people of ev-
cry community would get together ON
the mosquito question. the domestic"
mosquito could be eliminated.
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30

Tommy" said his mother, at din
ner on Christmas day. do stop eat
ing. How can you possibly eat so
much?"
Don't know" said Tommy be-
tween bites; Il guess it's Just good
luck" s,,.9,ya
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30

II you live out of town send us
your clothes by parcel post We
pay the charges. 81 L. Lane, Tailor
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
ForeSlQhted.

Happy is the woman who nas saved
out some money for the AFTER ohTiss.
mas bargains. "~'t 3N
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30
A French Custom.

In France children place their
shoes before the mantlepiece. IN an
ticipation of q visit from Father
Uhrietnnas. o Jii3 IS&GL4s slAit
'--'- ,,J-A Drg+ rv7 5t.. =,
Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1915-12-30

For fresh flowers for weddings.
funerals and all occasions place
your order with Mrs. W H Wilson.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-29
MIR. Bryan and Yuan Shi Kai

On the very day that President Yuan Shi Kai,
OF China, issued a proclamation, referring to his
countrys recent concessions to Japan, lamcnting
that I'VE ashamed and Inundated, but our
weakness invited insult" Secretary of State Bryan
in Washington told the members of the CONNER
cial Commission from China that the United
States could conquer the world through friendship
easier than with battleships. 1t was strange
conference.-the President of the new republic of
the Far East making pathetic confession to his
people that they had been robbed because of their
defensclcssness, while group of that republics
most distinguished citizens hearing from the
Premier of the United States that friendship is
more effective than armament. Those foremost
men OF China who have been visiting Washington
may be expected to go back and tell Yuan Shi
kai that he is all wrong, that the great United
States whose relations with Japan, despoiler
OF China, none too secure, believes that friend
ship is the best armament, and that it will con-
qucr the world And then perhaps wise old Yuan
Shi Raj will point to the treaties of concession
signed at the demand of armed Japan, and will re-
fuse to be converted to the new doctrine from the
West
Il believe the United States can secure her
safety better by making friends who love her than
by making other nations fear her. said Mr. Bryan.
Halt the money we spend in battleships could
better be spent in educating the young men of
other nations in our schools" But while engaged
in testing Mr.. Bryan's theory of safety through
friendship wisdom commands that do not cease
building warshipS and training and cquipping our
army. Then ii friendship fails the nation will not
find itself helpless and at the mercy of an agrees
sive foe, Chinas unhappy experience. Even
should the success of Mr.. Bryans theory be
demonstrated in the years conc to the satisfac-
ton OF himself and those of his faith, it may not
be safe always to rely solely friendship for our
national safety. The best OF friends sometimes |
tall out, and in the reconciliation strength is more
TO he depended upon than generosity OF the ad- |
vcrsary. |
Mr.. Bryan chose an inopportunc time to tell !
our Chinese visitors of the advantage of friendship
among nations ships and armies and it must |
be admitted too. that the day is not propitious
Tor the PRONUNCIATION OF the doctrine among our
own people
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-29

When the inevitable war came with
Spain, in 1139-inevitable because o.
trade rivalries in the West Indies and
| in South America, and because OF po-
| litical rivalry at the borders OF Flor
| ida-Oglethorpe was almost the first
to strike.
Admiral Vernon had been despatch
ed in midsummer. 1899. before the dec
lara ton of war. to destroy the Span
ish settlements and distress Spanish
commerce in the West Indies; and had
promptly taken Porto Bello in Novem-
Der. scarcely a month after war had
been formally declared.
Ogiethorpe struck next. at St Au-
gustine.
1t was this he had looked forward
to in founding his colony.
In May. 114O, lie moved to the at
tack with a mixed army of redskins
and provincial militia numbering a
little more than two thousand men
supported at sea by n little feet Or
six vessels of war under Sir Yelver-
ton Peyton.
But there had been too much delay
in getting the motley force together.
The Spaniards Lad procured reinforce
ments from Havana; the English ships
found 1t impractica BILE TO get near
enough to the Spanish works to use
their guns with effect: Oglethorpe
had no proper siege pieces: and the
attack utterly failed.
1t had its effect. nevertheless.
For two years the Spaniards held
nervously off. carefully on the de-
fensive: and when they did in their
turn attack. Oelethorpe beat them
handsomely off. and more than wiped
out the disrepute of his miscarriage
at St. Augustine
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-29

In June. 11i2. there came to st
, Simon's Island a Spanish feet of fifty.
one sail. nearly five Thousand troops
| aboard. and Oglethorpe beat them of,
with six hundred and fifty men
| working his little forts like a master.
and his single uard-schooner and few
paltry armed sloops as if they were a
navy.
Such a deliverance. cried Mr.. White
field. could not be paralleled save out
OF Old Testament history.
Meanwhile Vernon and Wentworth
had met With overwhelming disaster
at Cartagena-
With great fleet of ships Of the
line and land force of nine thousand
men. they had made their assault upon
1t in March 1741, but because Went
worth bungled everything he did with
his troops the attack miserably failed
He was caught by the deadly wet
season of the tropics: disease reduced
his army to a wretched handful: and
thousands of lives were thrown away
in his dismal disgrace.
Both New England and Virginia had
sent troops to take their part with
that doomed army: and the colonies
knew, in great bitterness. how few
came home again.
The war had Its issues for them,
they knew. as well as for the govern
ments across the water. 1t meant one
more reckoning with the Spaniard and
the Frenchman, their rivals for the
mastery of America.
And in 17i5 New England had a
triumph OF her own. more gratifying
even than Oglethorpes astonishing
achievement at St. Simon's Island.
Monday: King Georges War.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-29
HISTORY BUILDERS.
Some Popular Christian Names.
Written Expressly for The Washington Herald
RN DR. Z L EnWARDS

BY DIR. r.. J. EDWARDS.
The late Isaac II Bromley, who. by
reason Of his long and brilliant scrv-
ice as associate editor of the New
! York Tribune, gained national rec
oEnition. was always keenly interested
! i'll everything that appertained to the
enlightenment of volunteers in the
| armies of 1861 and 1862, and this in
| terest went so far to lead him to
study some of the smaller details of
I those volunteer days.
! Mr.. Bromley. himself. was an officer
| i'll the Union army. having recruited
a company in Eastern Connecticut, of
| which he was chosen captain. He
went to the front with his company.
but was afterward appointed provost
marshall of the Eastern Connecticut
| district. and in that capacity super
Vised the draft in 1863.
when | enlisted my company and
afterward when ! was at the front. as
well as when l was provost-marshal,
| ] discovered that many of the soldiers
| had the same given name said Mr.
| Bromley. That WAS true. l after
ward learned. of the entire army.
presume thousands of soldiers enlist
ed. in the early years of the war. who
signed the rolls as William II. H.
name was. Then there were soldiers
who had other given names. There
were great many whose given names
were Martin V. Is. There were not
many George WashingtOus. but there
were few Andrew Jacksons.
This discovery set me to thinking.
William ii. II. stood Of course. for
; William Henry Harrison. He was elect
ed President OF the United States in 1910.
The whole country was excited by the
sensational and dramatic campaicn that
was carried on for him. The result was
that fond parents whose sons were born
In the year Harrison was elected PrCsi-
dent were proud to call son. especially
If he were a first-bOrn. William Henry
Harrison. SO that in the year 1870. or
in 1871, when Harrison was inauCurated.
there were hundreds and probably
thousands of boys christencd by that
name. Now that was twenty years or
perhaps nineteen years before our
civil war began. Therefore, there
were in 1851 or 1859 a great number
of young men "f just about the aver
age age of those who enlisted in the
army who bore the Christian name of
William Henry Harrison.
81 had as lieutenant in my company
a very bright man whose Christian
name was Martin Y. Il. | found that
there were good many other soldiers
who bore the same Christian name
OF course. the name was Martin Van
Buren,. and it was easy for me, fol-
lowing out the train of thought. to
realize that all of these Martin Van
Rurens were sons of men who were
followers of Martin Van Buren, when
he was elected President or again
when, in 1870. he was defeated. Those
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-29

By the decision of New York court fortune
teilers astroiogers, soohsayers, sccrs and takers
must refrain from predicting marriages. deaths
journeys location OF lost articles or fatcs awaiting
persons who consult them. The number of SUD-
poscdly intelligent people, mostly women who
appeal to these charlatans when in any sort OF
trouble is astounding The seers can hardly be
expected to voluntarily shut up shop, with so MANY
dcludcd ones clamoring for their advice; neither
can it be regarded paternalism for the law to
take hand with view 10 keeping their activities
within bounds. The New York decision was
probably intended to prevent them getting their
clients into further difficulties Apparently they
may continue the harmless practice of predict
ing the end of the war, hot waves or the triumph
OF the Progressive party.