davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1915-06-06

did J ever tell you about the time
Say aren't fish stories the funny
pleasantly. They're safe things to
spring because they never can be
proven. A man can spout all he wants
about his big hauls without ever hav-
ing his bluff called
That was too broad The Old Timer
fared up angrily.
'If You don't believe me you can see
the picture of the twenty-three- pound
er in the window of downtown sport
ing shop if you care to go and look
at it., he said.
"Of course, your name is printed
across the scales and there are other
ways to prove you caught it?" asked
the Amateur.
The Old Timer. visibly ANNOYED, vi
ciously pulled a soft shell crab to
pieces and crunched one portion on to
his hook
Cant say I ever found still fishing
especially interesting" he complained
after bit Trolling is the only sys-
tenn Don't need any bait at all in
some cases Why. I've got into schools
OF hsh and just simply speared 'em on
to hooks. catching as many as fifteen
or twenty In one sweep"
w hat was the idea of still fishing
today if that was the case?" asked the
Amateur.
why. 1 thought it would be the very
thing to get you in practice, sort Of
polish you up on the fine points. as it
We're.
You're fine Instructor, you are.
guess you stand in more need Of the
polishing-up process than I do"
kk
At the end of five hours the Amateur
kicked his string of forty or more fish
under his seat in the boat and re-
marked. carelessly:
Pretty good little haul. eh, what?"
The Old Timer pulled in the anchor
TOOK the oars and commenced to row
Tor shore. His face softened as he
glanced at his elated companion. whose
1ace earlier in the day had been
SO strongly marked with the sort of
pallor that Office work gives to a
ccountenance 1t was slightly sun.
burned and flushed now
NOT half bad luck" he conceded.
gracious1y.
The Amateur was suddenly seized
with generous impulse.
say, old man. you better take 'em
on my hands, he offered. .what in
thunder IS bachelor like me to do
with string of fish? My landIady at
1he boarding house refuses to serve
nsn. nave sneaking suspicion that
IL due to the fact that she doesn't like
10 prepare en- So. you see, there
won be any use of me Offering 'em to
her. Take 'em home to your wife to
fix for dinner
Only On condition that you'll come
up and dine with u.s." rejoined the
other One fishing expedition, at least
did not turn out disastrously.
While the Old Timer didn't exactly rel
Evening star., 1915-06-06

men. They become imbued with lust
for prey.
Il haven't lost any bait so far" said
the Old Timer, proudly.
you talk as though that was Won
derful achievement" sneered his COM
panion Now every real fisherman
knows that this is true that only the
fact that he hasn't lost a single piece
of bait will compensate him in case
he doesn't catch any fish at all.
The Amateurs line auivered and he
hauled it in to find pretty fair sized
rockfish his victim. Fastening it on a
string. he threw it overheard, where
it floated beside the Old Timers under
sized one. In a few seconds the Anna
teur had another bite. catching a rath-
er large perch, and from then on they
came thick and fast. One trip he haul
ed in a rockfish about the size of the
Old Timers lone catch. He glanced at
it scornfully, jerked it off his hook and
threw 1t back into the water.
mo use spelling my collection with
that. minnow," he remarked, disdain-
fully. gazing meaningly at the same
time at the Old Timers "minnow."
1t is an undeniable fact that fishing
trips have been directly responsible
for the severance of many mems firm
bonds of friendship. A fishing contest
and a prize fight could justly be desig-
these struggles for superiority always
grows vainglorious, and this provokes
resentment on the part of the one who
found luck against him.
AS the Amateur continued making
catches, and all was quiet along the
Potomac as far as the Old Timers line
was concerned, he evidently grew fear
full that the Amateur might forget his
achievements of the past, so he started
to refresh his memory.
Not more than three weeks ago I
caught beaut out here" he said.
weighed twenty-three pounds. And
Evening star., 1915-06-06

-HERE never was a time, per-
haps when every one felt more
the desire to be of use in the
& world than now, with war grip
pinx the throat of pretty nearly every
Civilized people on earth and every
now and then snarling at ones heels
Here In Washington young girls bred to
a life Of luxury and pleasure have gone
70 Europe to act as nurses on the bat
tlafIeld: young men. too. with the same
ardor have rushed across the border
IN Canada or across the seas to France
and enlisted to fight on the oattleheio.
Money like water has flowed from this
aide to help the suffering over there.
6tiu what can the average person
% who must stick to the commonplace
duties of everyday existence. who has
no money to give away, who could not
take up a subscription-who can't even
knft7
Here is his appointed task-take
heart and smile. One heroic effort is
possible to all. everywhere-we can
count our blessings and be thankful;
look mp and cheer up.
Curiously enough, It is the do-noth-
ings and. more or less, the good-for-
nothings who are cast down by the
war. That is the great temptation pc
culiar to the present situation-dejec-
tion. Overcome It Don't talk hard
times. Don't be afraid to put your
money and your idea. to work. Don't
70 about with a long face. quoting
Scripture to prove that the end Of the
world 10 at hand
When Aloysius Of Gonzaga was boy
Evening star., 1915-06-06
Why So Fast?

IT. HE sinking of the Lusitania recalls
u an epigram about this ship which
the Sultan of Mococco's grand visier
made to Jules Huret.
The grand vizier. a very old man. re-
ceived NJ. Huret, who is a French Jour-
nalist, in Fee. M. Huret described the
wonders of modern science and inven-
ton to his host. He told him about
the Lusitania, then Just completed,
which could do her twenty-seven knots
an hour.
Think of It" said NJ. Huret, enthu-
siastically. Think of II! A great
ship that goes twenty-seven knots an
hour!"
But the vizier yawned and said:
why do you Christians always want
to go so fast. when all roads alike lead
to the grave7"
Evening star., 1915-06-06

e N his s h,
b Il

alleged timidity in the face of the
French fleet off Ushant in 177s. He
was honorably acquitted and Ports
mouth made merry over the verdict.
The Victory's next important service
was as flagship of Lord Howe at the
relief of Gibraltar in 1879, and three
years later she carried the flag Of Sir
John Jervis at the battle off Cape st.
Vincent, where Nelson first leaped into
prominence but at the end of the
year she returned home, and for some
inscrutable reason was converted into
a hospital ship for prisoners. She al
ways had been a good ship under sail.
however, and after two years the ad-
niralty gave instructions for her to be
overhauled and prepared
Evening star., 1915-06-06
RoCKF1sH WEIGHING POUNDS AND s OUNCES.
CAUGHT At LITTLE EDDY.

ish the idea of accepting the Amateurs 8
gift, he was obliged to confess to
himself that he didn't have the moral
courage to bring home his own meager
collection and hear his wife ask, scorn-
fully:
Are those measly little fish all you
caught?"
But how to impart the predicament
to his friend without having him taunt
him with the accusation that he was
henpeckedo
You'd like to take another fishing
trip like this, wouldn't you?" he COM
menced with crafty cunning. The
enthusiasm over a future fishing event,
the Old Timer remarked:
well, If you want me to go along
Evening star., 1915-06-06

west and HARVEST cities the munlcipal
authorities several seasons ago en-
tered upon the work of providing pub
lie dances for the citizens. The plan
was adopted for the purpose of giving
recreation and pleasure to the peo.
pie and combating certain types OF
dance halls and dance pavilions where
1t was claimed young people were SUP
jected to dangerous and demoralizlng
influences. In those cities where this
form of public recreation under mu-
nicipal control has been entered on
the reports are that it has worked
we'll.
Street dancing Is not a new thing in
the United States. In all cities chill
dren will dance on the pavement to
the music of the hand organ or the
street plano, but street dancing by
young people was custom In New
Orleans many years ago. It should
not be understood that the so-called
elite of that city INDUCED in street
dancing any more than it is probable
that the upper ten" in Philadelphia
will go in for tripping the light fan
tastic on the asphalt paving. But
among certain of the middle classes
and the less prosperous though Joyous
part of the population of New Orleans
sidewalk dancing was a pastims that
was widely and gayly indulged. The
music was furnished by the street or
pared with the street pianos Of the
Evening star., 1915-06-06
Old Timer and the Amateur Take Fishing Trir
VenedTh Old Timer Relates Some Wonderful
Never Be Asked Veteran Fisherman
Spo-Tro Fshng-The Old-Tmer

The Amateur took his advice, and dis
covered that not only was one hook
gone. but the other was empty.
ess We did not ,t;n come , out here for the
wormfest," said the Old Timer. seizing
his opportunity to get back. THE idea
was merely to lure them to their de-
struction with the aid of these luscious
wiggles."
And then long silence fell upon the
two. The Old Timer puffed calmly at
his pipe, and the Amateur kept his eyes
expeetantly on the. line. The older
man broke the quiet
Lets try and line up some soft shell
crabs" he said. The kids around here
usually have 'em for sale. I guess the
fish want a change of diet"
Say. you laughed al me while back
when I said that live worms scared 'em
ones on and see what happens" put in
the Amateur. Bill Fleming who was
better fisherman than I've ever met
with significant emphasis), always
oontended that live bait was poor
bait"
The Amateur reached into the can,
hauled out a plump worm. and, taking
it in the palm of his hand. slapped it
down hard on the boat seat and pro-
ceeded to spear the remains on his
hook. The Old Timer noticed that he
didn't bat an eyelash. 1t takes a deep,
earnest desire to show ones prowess
before an ironic companions to Danish
all hesitancy as far as disagreeable
tasks are concerned.
II can feel 'em nibbling around, but
they're too clever to endanger their
gills.'' said the Amateur in an eager.
bloodthirsty tone of voice. Fishing
brings out the elemental passions in
Evening star., 1915-06-06

at school one day during recreation e
some boy started the query, What
would you do IL word came that the
world would end in an hour! some
Of the boys howled at the very idea.
Others would go to praying. But Aioy
sius replied with the simplicity o!
truly practical nature. Now Is tne
appointed time for recreation. l would
keep on playing ball. =,
American small boy observes concern
ing the resolution Of the hero.
With nearly all Europe armed ana IN
the field, it is certainly the inning ol
the United States which is one reason
more why. like Aloysius. people shouio
simply go on playing ball.
American history furnishes the ex,
ample of the naval officer In command
of a sinking ship, who. while the water
washed over the bridge as the noon
bells sounded stood at his post ana
wound his watch.
There is pattern for many stand
ing at other posts, many can wind up
not only their watches, but the Ameri-
can spirit How?
Count your blessings.
That is what you can do for suffer-
ing humanity these days. Count your
blessings. Begin now. Set about 1t In
earnest and get together in the good
work Make list of ten things you
have to be thankful for. and just to
show you are in earnest send the list
with your name and address to the
Cheer Up" editor of The Sunday Star.
Each Sunday. for while. The Star is
going to print some of these real
blessings (without your name If you
wish). Also. any happiness you have
that you think could be increased by
sharing 1t with some one: II you will
write about that. so much the better.
Evening star., 1915-06-06

for service, and, in April. 1903, Nelson
hoisted his flag in her as commander
in-chief in the Mediterranean.
From this time on until the battle of
Trafalgar the careers of commander
and ship follow parallel courses. 1t
was in her that Nelson "blockaded" the
French fleet in Toulon, and early in
1905 the French, after many months in
harbor, took advantage of his absence
to attempt to escape. They were over
taken by a gale and returned to port
battered and crippled. and the words
which Nelson used in letter to Col
iingwood are curiously opposite today.
Bonaparte," he wrote, has often
made his brags that our fleet would be
worn out by keeping the sea; that his
Evening star., 1915-06-06
MANUFACTURE OF BASE BALLS

when it comes in contact with bat
the threads will not break or move
out of place. 1t has been found that
camefs-hair stretched yarn is the best
for covering the ball after the wool
has been put on and the ball has
reached the desired size. This hair is
put on wet. and when 1t dries con-
traction takes place, making the ball
more firm, and at the same time solidi-
fying 1t. Only a thin layer of the
camefs hair is used. just enough to
insure the wool yarns rigid position.
Upon the completion of the drying
process a very fine layer of specially
made cement is applied by means OF
dipping. Then the ball is ready for
the cover.
Most balls are covered with alum tan
horsehide, the best material, It is
claimed. which has been found to
Withstand the "hammering" that a
base ball gets This is cut into its
proper shape by means of pin dies.
which also punch small holes around
the edge Of the hide to be used in the
sewing. The ball Is then sent to men
who do the sewing. which is the one
part of the manufacture Of ball
which must be accomplished by hand
Machines have been tried. but not one
of them has proved equal to the task.
The men who sew on the cover must
possess great skill, and absolute ac-
curacy is essential. A sewer at his
best cannot do more than from two or
three dozen balls a day.
With the covers sewed on, the finish
ing-up process comes next. Naturally.
just after the sewing has been COM
pleted, the seams are rather rough.
good base ball, one will notice, is
smooth over the entire surface. includ-
ing the seams A pitcher would not,
If he had to use a ball with rough
seams, be able to do his best work,
since bulge in the ball would affect
his control" Also the roughness
would make his fingers sore from con-
tinuaI rubbing. Therefore, to obviate
this the ball is put in a rolling ma
chine. which presses out the rough
seam and makes 1t smooth all over.
This done. the trade mark Is stamped,
together with the guarantee" and
statement of the size and weight of
the ball. The balls are then taken to
the packing room, where they are
wrapped In tissue paper and tinfoil.
They are then sealed in pasteboard
boxes and are ready for shipment.
Evening star., 1915-06-06

being kept in port: but he now finds,
fancy, if emperors hear truth, that his
fleet suffers more in one night than
ours in a year.
In 1924 the Victory became flagship
of the commander-in-chief at Ports
mouth, an appointment which. in peace,
is the highest to which a naval officer
can attain short of the first sea lord
ship. Today she flies the Jack" of an
admiral of the fleet. the Hon. Sir He'd
worth Meux. still better known as
Lambton, Of Ladysmith fame. He
changed his name, you may remember,
in order to inherit the fortune of a
rich brewers widow, which was left
him on that condition.
Evening star., 1915-06-06
Dancing ON Streets Old Custom i'm New Orleans

present. But it filled it's mission, and
the young people lightly and happily
trod the merry measures which the
little organs ground out. There was
fixed scale of prices for this music
for the dance. In the poorer districts
of the city 1t was roll for a nickel" a
roll being three dance pieces from the
organ.
It becomes increasingly difficult for
people or cities to do something that
has not been done before.
Evening star., 1915-06-06

with you we'd better not say anything
to the wife about which one of us
made the largest haul. If she thought
l spent almost whole day on the wa
ter without getting anything she'd be
likely to put her foot down when |
suggested going again. I don't mean
to imply that / want to deceive my
wife, deliberately tell her lie. you
understand, but in this instance there
isn't any particular reason why we
should tell her the truth, is there?"
And. just as Solomon, puzzled. had
remarked: "I understand many things,
but one which l do not understand Is
the way of a man with a maid.' the
Amateur, wise in the ways of men,
couldn't quite understand the way of
a husband with his wife.
Evening star., 1915-06-06

twined. wriggling blood worms. EXtri-
eating a fat, healthy looking one, he
tore it apart and deftly fastened one
half on to each OF the TWO HoohS a'
the end of his line. ,,r
Ugh" shuddered the Amateur. u
suppose you'll call me tender1oot
and a chickenheart when / tell you
that it nauseates me, Ialris nauseates ,ais
ing Jumps on to your hook Here. III
take your line and you bait mine;
Honestly. I've got weak stomach ana
can't stand it.
without a word. he handed over his
line and started to bait the other.
Then after casting it. he settled back:
in the boat lazily, took a couple OF
deep draws from his pipe, and gazed
dreamily across the canal
ITS funny thing what soothing
effect fishing has on man, ne soilio-
uuized 81 feel at peace with the whole
it in my heart to forgive myself for
having asked timid. gentle. sensitive
soul like you to come fishing with me,
I presume you are thinking OF Joining
ing wicked Warfare on Wiggly
Worms, and
well. you needn't get nastily sar-
castle about it, retorted the Amateur.
I bet you felt the the sat same Ias Iits whed men
he hastily commenced to pull In his
line.
ITS a whopper, too. Feels like ton
of bricks"
The Old Timers eyes narrowed to
Sits and his mouth settled into hard.
thin line as he watched his companion
struggling with the line. Then he said:
You're having a beginners luck, my
bow You may catch quite few today,
but that doesn't necessarily signify
that you're a crack fisherman. Likely
as not, next time you won't catch one"
The Amateur brought the "whopper"
gled weeds. Disappointed and dis
gusted. he ripped them off and cast out
his line.
The Old Timer chuckled in a disa-
greeable manner
II don't see that you're having such
wonderful luck remarked the Anna
teur. weren't you the one who told
me about catching seventy-fve rock
fish and fifty perch in these same wat
then to entice them to your hook?"
The older man did not reply to this
thrust. He sat up suddenly. gave his
line a short. quick jerk and calmly be-
gan to pull in. Juvenile perch dam
gled at the end Of the line.
The Amateur looked at it, and then
remarked:
I'VE might have stood a chance of
bringing in at least one fish If we'd
had different bait Herring gills. for
instance, or cells or soft shell crabs"
Better see if your line is still bait
ed" advised the Old Timer. ignoring
this completely.
Evening star., 1915-06-06
n. NJ.


Amateur. and his face turned deep
magenta. Under the circumstances it
was impossible to remain neutral.
But when he saw the bland express
sion of almost childish eagerness on
the face of the other he choked back
the reply he had intended giving, and
mumbled something in an incoherent,
shamed fashion.
Never, never ask man q question
like that unless the man queried ap
pears to be in a buoyant. care-free
mood, and is proudly dangling string
of not less, mind. not less than fifty
good-looking specimens of the genus
fish" sternly diminished the Old
Timer who accompanied the Amateur.
Removing the cover from a large tin
coffee can, the Old Timer delved into it
and brought out a mass OF long, en-
Evening star., 1915-06-06

HH0 7OW are they biting
OOtE The question was in di
rect violation of the inter
national law governing
fshing. and which is recognized and
respected by fishermen the world over.
1t strictly forbids a man to ask an
other a question like the above. when
Il IL obvious that the wary water crea
lures have been keeping their distance.
But the fellow who put the query to
the patient back of the fisherman in
the boat alongside was only an anna
teur, which palliated the offense in
measure. The man who had been an
choring at different spots between the
AQueduct and the Chain bridges for
seven hours, and without success, in an
effort to find a place where the hsh
we're less educated, looked up at the
Evening star., 1915-06-06

thing. That is also an easy solution
of the problem of the unemployed.
l will not look UP a cornet or a con-
certina in order to cheer up. Neither
shall l laugh at other persons foibles
to keep from crying over my own. The
ass is a sad animal. Notwithstanding
its loud noise, and to grin like a
Cheshire cat while scratching does not
lessen the pain one inf1icts.
Evening star., 1915-06-06

The decks of the Victory have been
trod by some of the most famous ma
val heroes in British history-by Howe,
saumarez, Keppel, Kempenfelt and
John Jervis, to say nothing of "Jaeky"
Fisher in more recent times. Her first
commission was as flagship of the third
mentioned. Admiral Augustus Keppel
who was court rt-martialed because of his
Evening star., 1915-06-06

- HE centers Of base balls are made
Of pure para rubber. generally
q speaking, the exception being
the cork-center ball. The idea OF the
rubber center is, of course. to give the
hall restliency If base ball were
made without this center piece 1t would
be dead" II would not have the de-
sired bounding qualities. The center
pieces are generally made to order Tor
the base ball factories.
The next step in the manufacture OF
a ball is the winding on Of pure wool
en- warn. There was q time when the
yarn was wound around the rubber
center by hand, but soon it became
necessary to devise machine that
would do this work 1t was found.
during the time the yarn was wound
by hand, that the man coming to work
at in the morning was turning out
!, III. afternoon. Winding by hand
was a tedious Job. and toward the
aforementioned hour the worker began
70 show sign. OF fatigue, with the re-
suft that the yarn was not wound
around the center tight enough Many
balls were returned to the factory De-
cause they did not exhibit sufficient
Ye1tltency.
A machine for winding was, there
fore, perfected Now all base balls
are wound by mechanical power. and
much better work is turned out than
was possible under the old order. The
warn is wound around the para under
heavy tension, almost to a breaking
point. Consequently, when sufficient
yarn has been put on the ball. it is
very strong and solid. In the days of
handmaking many balls were sosgy
and soft because a uniform tension
could not be maintained by the person
winding.
There are three layers of woolen yarn
over the para. For about an inch in
thickness three-ply yarn of a blue col
or is used. and over this is wound a
thin layer of white two-ply yarn. The
blue yarn is again brought into use,
but ie only of one-ply.
Something must be used to cover the
wool yarn in order that it may not un-
wind. The ball must be solid, so that
Evening star., 1915-06-06

NJ TREET dancing may become an
~ institution in the east. 1t has
~ been planned in Philadelphia to
extend municipal activities to include
provision for dancing on certain as
phalt streets or plazas. the music be-
ing furnished by the municipal band.
the dance numbers to be fnterspersed
with regular concert numbers during
the municipal concert.
street dancing" has, perhaps, SEN
sational sound to conservative ears,
but the proponents of this phase of
nopular recreation say that dancing
al fresco even under police chaperon-
age has it's indubitable attractions,
and kept free from rowdyism and dis
order it will be the means of giving
plenty of clean amusement and exer-
else for the people"
There is, of course, some criticism
of the proposal for critics, as class,
are very alert and energetic people.
In the matter of the dance numbers
by the municipal band they say that
the band is maintained for the pleas
IRE and profit Of the whole community
and not for the benefit Of the compare
tive few who would be interested in
dancing on the street.
The charm of the dance for a great
ma jority of the young folk and for
certain proportion of the old folk is
obvious, and in several of the mid