davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
The Past
BY Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1915, by Frank Crane)

"A good deal of morbid nonsense has
been said and written and thought about
the Past.
Inc Past is irrevocabe, we have been
told In sermon and story-you cannot es-
cape the Past-the Past can never be
hanSed -<nd so on. and so on-the
whole trend of this thought being that
ths Past Is a Kind "a I Sherlock Holmes
logging our steps forever, a sinister nem-
esis waiting its chance 10 strike us down,
The account book of an angry God sure
TO confront us some day.
All OF this is morbid. most of Il is
dramatic: the underlying sentiment of it
is false. weakening. and septic.
As matter of fact, our Past. as Maet-
eriinck says, depends upon our Present
and changes with il.
What the Past is depends upon the
way you are now using it. It's effect
upon your destiny will be gagged by how
YOU translate il into the Future.
IL We brood over the Past, and weaken
ourselves with vain regrets, with self
Contempt and remorse then il will poison
and undo us.
But no matter what il contains of our
sin or folly. we can. by right use of it
now. make 1t minister to our welfare.
First, we can learn wisdom from il.
BY IL we can realize our faults TO be cor
rected and our offenses TO be atoned for.
And with this wisdom we can go on TO
better things.
The only true repentance is so to use
the Past as TO enable US TO build better
future. Weeping and waiting and brood
inc are the Injuries of morbidity.
The Past is beneath our feet. We can
70 down into il and wallow in mpotent
~rief. or we can step upon it to rise to
Nioher things.
The GREAT eremv Of life is Despair The
treat friend of life is Hone. Despair par.
alyzes, ruins. Hope energies, "for we
are saved by hope"
Up! Face the futurel Whatever the
Past has been. let it nerve you to spend
YOUR remaining days in faithfulness and
loyalty TO your better self
So Tennyson. with clear insight with
sane instinct for moral truth. wrote:
| hold IL truth. with him (Coeths) who sings
To clear harp in divers tones
That men may rise on stepping stones
or their dead selves TO higher things.
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
We Give Ours to Old
Folks and to Women With
Babies In Their Arms

We we're talking with Detroit woman
and she was complaining.
She was complaining about Detroit
men.
She accused them of lacking gallantry
toward women--in the case in point. on
street cars.
Detroit men refuse, or the majority Of
them. she said, 10 give up their seats on
the street cars to women.
They'll let woman stand until she is
black in the face" she said. said she.
We did not contradict her.
We have learned by observation that
The Detroit woman is right.
II used to be THE thing for the aver
nRe man to get up, tip his hat with one
hard. say Won't you please take my
seat" grab quickly for a strap with the
ether hand, and then gaze straight ahead
ot q gum advertisement with an air be-
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
Bv Webster

tho Un''st States court ~ vii.
Transport. Pa sentenced Eibridge
p-y a ene OF $500 In pass :
sentence. Jrdgs Wilmer stated that
1ereons pcrpetrat'ng such frauds
would In future be severely sen
fenced.
In obtaining these convictions
against the Grand Piano company
and the Winter Piano company. the
United States government has rem.
dered On estimable service 90 hon
-. piano dealers. legitimate adver.
tisers and the public.
The piano dealers OF America are
20 be congratulated upon the fact
that the action against the unfair
and fraudulent advertising Of the
Grand Piano company was instigat.
ed by Joseph VI Mann. chairman OF
the vigilance committee OF the Pf-
ano Merchants Association OF
America Inspector Bril- and others
% the postoTce department. and
the Music Dealers association OF
Baltimore we're identified with the
prosecution
In this trial. ono % the chief
7r@uments % the defense seemed
70 be tina; "o,hcrs do IL In fact
few reputable piano houses In
America have resorted 10 the use
~ puzzle contests and purchase
coupons 70 get business The
schemes always have been unfair
and interruptions II is indeed for.
tunate that the government has
placed the mark OF fraud clearly
upon all such reprehenslble prac
tees
Mr. Sprinkle now knows that The
government doesn't smile either
whom n comes 20 "ad lies" II II
"cold-bloodcd" like himself
Re Will have rs months In which
20 consider The force OF the swat
the government dealt his perniciouf
az lies.
We don't imarine there II much
music in those bars in Atlanta
prison. either.
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
Pointed Paragraphs

Some men seem 10 think that a
woman's mission Is submission.
Don't worry over a mistake that
can be corrected. but 20 TO work
and correct f..
No matter how dull trade may be
In other lines ~ business the whip
manufacturer has a snap
II takes woman 90 observe every
action Of a man without appearing
70 know he Il on earth.
Few men are able TO follow their
own walk IN life; they usually get
in somebody else's road
When you start on an airship
voyage or a trip TO tho matrimonial
bureau don't worry about what may
be- the outcome
Unless woman II looking for
trouble she has no business TO look
sympathetlcally a. a married man
when his wife Is present.
when fortune knocks at a shift.
less mans door he is usually over
az neiThbor's trying 10 borrow
something
II IL easier 20 make a mountain
ont OF a mole hin than u Il TO con
vince some people that they are
wrong.
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
Just Frightful

1t costs $4,000 year to support A.
year-old John Jacob Astor, according to
his mothers report TO the New York
courts. Among the items are, toys,
$3.50; doctors. S6,523; lawyers, $1,000.
It's something awful, The way
they're starving that poor fellow in the
matter of doctors and lawyers is a
shame To be sure. doctors and lawyers
have gone up on account Of the war. but
lust think of child struggling along on
only $3.50 worth of toysl
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
When You Are Sixty
nv "a ADDINcroN BRuCE
Author OF The Riddle of Person
ality," Psychology and
Parenthood." etc.


You have passed the 6o-year
mark. In those 80 years you have
not achieved much. You have had
ambitions. but they have gone to
naught. Now. you feel, Il Il too
late TO hope they can ever be real.
lied.
f~rpsps ys s>call with bitter.
ness the discouraging words Of the
.nmous Or. os.c-. inrminx so en-.
phaticaily the inability of men be-
yond 60 10 do anything worth while.
You may even have among your
newspaper clippings report OF
that remarkable speech. In which
Or Osler said:
Il have two fixed ideas well
known TO my friends The nrst is
tho comparative uselessness OF men
above 40 years 81 age. Ny
second Il the uselessness OF men
above so years OF age and the In
calculable benent II would be In
commercial. political. and in profess
sional life II. IA n matter OF course,
they stopped work at this age
In that charming novel. The
Fixed Period Anthony Trollope dis
Gu ses the practical value In mod.
ern life OF return to this ancient
uss"e. and the pot hinges on the
admir- be scheme OF college into
which. at so. men retired for year
Of peaceful contemplation before a
peaceful departure by chloroform 3"
Fit only 10 he chloroformed ="
this thought sticks in your mind
with profoundly depressing force
Sadly you tell yourself that there
can be no doubt you have passed
the age OF achievement.
You are mistaken You still can
do much OF importance 10 the we'll.
being OF society-posSbly some-
thing that wins for you fame.
Listen.
In England. only a few days ago.
there died a great novelist named
DE- Morgan. You may have read
UNIV VI hi~ bV'hN. nlN joseph
Vance" Alice FOR Short" Some,
how Good" 1T Never Can Happen
a~a'n.- An Ansr OF Dsshonor."
"A Iike'y s'Nry." and When Ghost
Meets Ghost
Wherever English IL spoken De
Means novels are known. They
30 big" novels IN every sense Not
"nlv are they more than twice ~
Important as the average nosel.
hut they are more than twice as
long
How good they are may b. judged
from one critics declaration that
TO read De Morgan Is almost to
read new novel by Charles Dick
ems. by many accounted the great
est Of English noyelists.
Yet not one OF De MorEan's nm.
usual books was written until their
srthor was on the shady side OF
SIS. Not until then. indeed. did he
try his hand at fiction OF any sort
But In the sixties the ambition TO
write took possession OF him And
he conc'usively proved that 50 II
not too late for man 10 realize an
ambition.
Remember this. you who are so
Yourself let the inspir ng exam
| pc OF William De Moran over.
come the Encouragement you feel.
Despite the pesslmistie Dr osler,
YOU may rest assured that eTttTu-
stSsn and patent industry will eua
bic you to achieve things after 81
rs well as before II.
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

But it is a condition we deal with.
And, as we said, something must have
happened to account for the fact that men
do not give their street car seats 70 the
women the way they used to.
This morning, the car was crowded.
A woman got on the car and took her
place among some men hanging to the
straps.
Here is a seat for you" said laborer.
as he got up.
His calloused hands showed him TO be
on his way to a days hard work.
The woman looked at him, took the seat
very much as matter of fact, and start
ed gazing out OF the window.
We expected she would say Thanks"
Thank you or Thank you very kindly, I"
out she didn't.
She didn't even say Much 'bliged."
The next time that man happens TO
look up and see woman standing in a
crowded street car, he will get up and
give her a seat. of course-just as soon
as the car gets to his street
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

hie' owen 1. moore, william II
Stever and Edwin II. Thorne have
beeh found guilty by jury OF using
the mails 10 promote a fraud by
the use OF purchase coupons
John W Sprinkle. sole owner OF
the Grand Piano company. which
has done business In Baltimore.
Md Richmond. Va: Toledo. Gin
cinnau. and other cities. was sen
terced 10 rs months in the federal
prison al Atlanta Ca. and Moore
and Stever. employees were fined
800 and 800. respectively Edwin
~ Thorne. an employee who plead
ed guilty and testified for the gov.
eminent. was fined 500
Time government showed that
purchase coupons purportIng 20 be
checks for si25 and slO250 were
given TO all who solved the picture
puzzle appearing tn advertisements
OF the Grand Piano company The
advertisement showed puzzle"
which was an illustration ~
French Red Cross dog" and con
tertants were required m and five
dead soldiers
n Wa shown in the trial that
% 900 people sent answers 20 this
puzzle from Baltimore. and sur
rounding territory Fifty solutions
were artistioally done in pillow GOV
els. burnt wood etc Ten grand
prizes were Advertised $500 pi.
ana. diamond rings. watches. etc.
These were eiven but tho whole
collection was shown "a be- worth
no more than $3.50. including the
piano.
The government showed that the
pr ces Of pianos we're marked up 10
take care % the amounts called Tor
by purchasing coupons One coupon
holder paid 1896 and her coupon for
player plano stenciled az worth
$500 The government showed that
this piano cost tho Grand Piano
company $3.50 Another customer
gave her purchase coupon and
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
ard the Wherefnrr

To the Editor ~ The Times:
The United States department o.
agriculture reports that the produc
ton OF wheat during 1915 amounted
10 63s.ss6 900 bushels In 1915 the
total production was 1.025.S01 300
bushels Thus the 1916 crop was
1881 1000 bushels short Of the 1915
crop. Al the same time the bureau
OF foreign and domestic commerce
tells us that there were shipped out
OF the country in the single month
Of November. 1916 a total or - o.
I3s bushels OF wheat. as comt
with l3.f99,0is for the same mon
in 1915.
In other words. we have a shor
crop OF wheat--tho plenty 10 feef
America--but instead OF feodin
America. the owners OF that whom
send II away 10 Europe a. fast ar
they can There f. only ono reason
VIII this Is done-thA wheat CROP F.
IN the hands Of a few private cap
talists. who prefer 20 make gre
rrofits instead Of feeding The Amer
team people. n the great crop W.
In the hands OF the American pee
pie. ss II ought to be. Americn
would BE- fed first. because service
and not profits would be the rule Of
action.
SHERMAN BYE.
u. ?. n. No ?. Cass City, Mich.
FEB. 2, Dl1A
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

s.a--g9 Tor a player piano altnClltd
"a valued az $500 Thorne testified
that these purchase coupons were
worth less than nothing
The government showed that a
piano offered 20 the holder OF a
purchase coupon at 1927 was priced
S247 % a prospect who tried 20 buy
the piano without coupon.
Charles A. Dali 81 the Ward Pi-
ano company. New York. testified
that he sold Sprinkle two pianos
for s72 each OF which was stenciled
$500 and that he sold sprinkle 10
pianos for SO. each OF which was
stenciled $3.50
George c. Henkelman. OF The
Weydig & Henkelman Plano COM
pany. New York. testified that he
sold Sprinkle pianos at 81 TO So.
on which were stenciled prices
three 10 FIVE times as high "a The
cost Of the instrument Henkeiman
stated that his company has about
10 different names which II stencils
on pianos as desired by dealers.
Thomas p. Thompson ~ Culbren-
son Dickinson Piano company. Chi
caro- testified that be had sold
Sprinkle IS player.pianos az an
Average price OF $3.50 each. They
we're stenciled with a selling price
% 5000 each.
Thorne. the empIoye OF the Grand
Piano company. who testified for
the government. described "A piano
used for advertising bait" priced az
$3.50. a. goat" piano he said
n vas tuned down 80 badly that
when played no one would have H.
and n was used 10 get customers
into the store 20 they could be
switched 10 pianos OF higher
price. Thorne described this and
other interruptions tricks u spec'al
piano sales promoters who are I'm
ished in the arts and wiles ~ die
honest selling practices
Don't smile-be cold b'ooded and
make the people think vow are giY-
ing them something" was one OF
he rules laid down 10 Thorne b.
his employer. snrinkle
Howard VI Elbridge, Jr, tradiug
as the Winter Piano company. ~
Harrisburg. Pa. has pleaded guilty
20 the charge OF using the mails
70 defrsud In connection with The
sale ~ pianos by the puzzle con
test. purchase coupon method On
Jan no. Judge Charlie Z. Wilmer
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
Let the People
Rule and-Write

To the Editor Of The TIMES:

Hiohts OF American Ships at Sea
To the Editor or The Times:
According TO the ruling OF our
state department. In order to up.
hold the honor and dignity OF the
United states. American ships have
the right to traverse any part Of the
high seas.
Why don't American ships sail the
North Sea?
Why don't We sell our goods 90
Germany She ls willing 10 buy
Our state department has ruled In
favor OF England in spite Of the
danger OF war with Germany why
not show our teeth 10 Enrland7
BODENSTAB.
No. 297 Grand River-aye.
Feb. 10. 1917
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
REVERSE ENGLISH

"sonne Of these managers make a hi with me.
Here they have me billed this weeks head.
liner ard there are at least two other acts on
tire BIZ thst are better than me. Il makes me
feel like taking money under false pretenses
Another thing. there seems TO be only one critic
n this city who knows his business. He roasted
ny act good ard plenty. and we had coed laugh
over u after the show last night when he was
my cues, at supper The orchestra leader always
plays ny music perfectly
-
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
From Another Point OF NeD
By C. 7. s

Where were those cattlemen riding on
the summarized ship. in the steerage.
1t has been decided by court that
booze is not baggage However. it can
We carried TO excess-by some.
The thermometer this a. m. looked like
where Detroit will finish this season in
the opinion Of Messrs. Witt, Burns and
Veach without the services of those dis
holdouts.
on A hamilton CAR
"Phe~! Wish they'd hurry W ard get 20 my
street, want TO act outside where IT'S warn"
No matter how scarce coal may be- it
seems a fellow always owes for couple
If tons
There may be a way out OF il. after
all, for our shipping. Germany suggests
we talk il over.
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
Grave Fears In Washington
That Martial Spirit May
Yield To a Sapping Calm


We are given 10 understand that the
breaking Of the weekend sun on the cap
itoI dome found Washington in state OF
panic.
No. there had been received no news
of the overt act that would plunge the
country into war.
Word had not been received that Ger
many had decided to hold Ambassador
Gerard and the other Americans in Ber-
lin as hostages.
No gunboat had appeared of Sandy
Hook
The Deutschland had not arrived with
some million German soldiers.
But the situation was tense.
The administration was in condition
OF near panic.
One of the news collectors in Washing
ton said it was.
Rushing to the telegraph wires he sent
this message over the country:
The administration. fearing that ultimately
war or a -state OF war with Germany must
come Is anxious 10 keep alive the martial spirit
In America. II wishes TO guard against the sap
ping influences Of an undue sense OF security
On the other hand. there Is no manifest move 10
raise an army for actual war. tho there has been
some progress made toward naval and economic
preparedness
With terrific possibilities ahead. the govern
ment n anxious lest peace propaganda-and the
absence Of war-shali lull the nation into an un-
iusiinabie calm. II has prepared itself for in
ternatonsl difficulties and there Is talk OF an
army OF half million with some discussion OF
various forms OF military service.
We have been unable to ascertain
whether the administrators increased
fear that war had picked up in its APP
proach to a hop, skip and jump, was
based on the news that the British had
succeeded with their sea defenses in
curling the U-boat operations. or wheth-
err il was based on the announced deter
mination of the president that any dec
Iaration of war between the two con-
tries would have to come from Germany.
Anyhow, there is no gainsaying the
fhct that we have been pretty calm COM
cared to the manner in which we should
have been deporting ourselves.
A we look back, there has not been
. single anti-German demonstration, such
a there should have been. of course, if
We possessed anything like the martial
spirit some mysterious somebody In
Washington seems to think the occasion
calls for
The situation is encouraging-very,
very encouraging, we would say-if
Washington is really sitting up and TAX
ing notice Of the lack of this martial
spirit and of this "sapping" calm that is
referred 70.
1t may dawn on our representatives
down there that there is more thinking
than shouting in this day and age than
there used to be, and that. as result.
war isn't as popular in this country as
It used to be.
And these facts dawning on them,
they will be expected to govern them
selves accordingly.
Really, it doesn't seem as though the
country's men folk ought to be scolded
this way just because they aren't hang
ing the Kaiser in effigy and shouting
"Clory hallelujah" over the prospects Of
chance to bleed and die for a war prop
osition that looks great deal like case
of heads. the other fellows win, and tails,
the other fellows win also.
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

coupon" fake In
piano advertising
and selling.
which IL the be-
ginning OF The
end OF this kind
OF fraud
John W Sprin-
kie. Owen & Mo,
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

trayagance and invariably ask me what on earth
did with that last two or five dollars you gave
me II is very strange. Don't you love me any
more father"
My dear Ethel" her father answered Il love
you a. much ever. Dut you soon 10 be
married, and am trying gradually 10 prepare
you for the ehange-- .---- -
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

speaking an utter lack of self-conSeious-
ness which says II am also kind to ami
mails and fond Of children"
But it is NOT the thing any more.
Consequently we deduct what?
We deduct. very naturally. that some
thing must have happened.
We have heard many women complain
about Detroit men and the fact that they
will not give up their street car seats.
And when we hear them complain we
wonder whether they ever speak 10 the
men folk at home about it--wonder If
they ever speak TO the voters in the fam
ily about it.
We have wondered why these women
10 not tell their troubles to their mayor
or their aldermen.
Men aren't SUPPOSED to get mp and
give their seats TO women.
The Detroit United Railway Is sup
posed to provide women with seats but
the Detroit United Railway never will do
that until there is some action in the may
orS office and in the common council that
viii COMPEL the company to run cars
enough and provide seat for every
ticket. which the company can afford to
do very nicely.
Electing the same mayor and the alder
men for term after term isn't going TO get
us anywhere in solving this problem.
When woman has to stand for many
long blocks in a crowded street car, the
fault does not rest with the man who fails
TO get up and give her seattle fault
is her sons, or her husbands, or her
brothers, or her fathers, for failing to
have voted right the last time he had q
chance.
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

Mothcr-I wonder how this book
got In such n horrible condition,
Little William 1 heard papa say
IL vas too dry tor him so 7 poured
NaNsr on M
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

Edith tconceitedl--I suppose \ lot
~ MEN will b. made mlgerablc when
7 marry.
Marie-Why. how many men are
you gcinE 90 marryG
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

her hu band had not enjoyed
since those happy days when
they did not keep a cook.
The harrIsfeT's del rht waa
~ E--pEt That By way OF ap.
p eciat'vc acknowle iRmcnt. he
n-cSengf his wife with a beau
tifpl ern no cloak Quite nat
urnlIy tho incident waa a good
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

bNHfl VI iht Ntshtl called To
pay the account and. incident.
ally, 10 express his satisfaction
with the way the JOB had been
done
Just "A moment." said the
manager of the ship bu ldlng
yard. smiling III you don't
mind. I'd like 70 call IN the
Inrr MN I'm charre Of the Inh
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

OF theTn, never beard a word
from him except Good morn
ing. Five shillings. Thank
you. Good DAY"
A patron one day said TO
John
Whats the best kind Of
mattress
Hair" was the reply.
The DatrOn. some % wears
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

and let him hear what you cay"
few minutes later a bgry son OF Erin
stood In the office and listened respectfully to
the . aise. A. he turned 10 so away again the
foreman spoke TO the manager
"S1re. sOrr." said he, is this honorable min
ton. does IT carry pfoize?'
Old John Bates. Edinburgh upholsterer
vas renowned for his silence. People who had
been his customers for generation had, many
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

The United States court al Baltl.
more. Md. has dealt a blow TO pic
tnre pnzziea and the "purchase
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12
Laugh With Us

Some weeks aFo the wife OF a certain harris.
ter lost her cook and since she had no other
resource she rolled up her sleeves and for a
L.l.-l
The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-12

" A'h NlAAA'AN " 49,
aUd you even anticipated my
"a ants and handed me money
or RH so-tz of things that l
badpr even thought OF. But
now have 90 ask you for
every penny | need. and you
rowl AMI Rr mt and ask II !
mink you are made % money,
and Won rail- NJ a woman'a cN.