davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
CRACKS o. DOOM

TNO AT least small minority in Amer
l. ica it seemed that the end of the
world came yesterday with the news
from the Supreme Court in Washington.
1t is pretty safe to say that another
group, almost equally large, still enter
tains a sneaking notion that the grand
cataclysm may come tomorrow, when six
planets will be temporarily ranged in a
straight line to exert the "pull" on the
sun SO graphically described by Prof.
Albert Ports, of New York.
Professor Ports predicted only sun
spots. Astronomers know that sunspots
rarely affect even the temperature of
the earth by so much as one degree. But
people always have a morbid interest in
dark prophecies. Somewhere in every
man is a considerable residue of super
stitious awe. The world snatched at
Professor Ports's mild pronouncement and
elaborated it to suit an emotional ten
dency that has been amazingly demon
strated time after time when multitudes,
following shadowy hints of amateur
prophets. prepared devoutly for the last
day.
Porto Rico is tremendously excited
about the planetary lineup forecast for
tomorrow. Here in the United States all
astronomers have expressed amazement
at the fears whispered by credulous folk
And thousands of intelligent people who
seem superstition- will secretly
wait for tomorrow with thrills of ex-
pectancy and sigh with relief when
Thursday comes.
So it has always been. 1t has always
been plain that mankind finds an odd
sort of JOY in worriment. In the year
1000 A. D. all Europe was prepared
for the worlds end. The rich gave away
their possessions. William Miller, a
Massachusetts, man, convinced thousands
of Americans that there would be an end
and new beginning of the world on
October %, 1843. He was preacher
and the founder of a sect which sang
and prayed in the open fields at the hour
when it was supposed that the great
change would come. There are many
Philadelphians who will remember the
excitement of the eighties when, on an
appointed night, the members of another
religious organization dressed themselves
in white and went to Lemon Hill to wait
for the end of the world-only to 20
YEARLY home in the cold, gray dawn OF
the morning after, grieyously disap.
pointed because the stupendous event
predicted by their leaders didn't occur.
In this instance the talk of the world:
end hasn't come from religionists OF
astronomers. 1t has come from nervous
folk who were too ready to read wrong
meanings into the casual discourse of {
college professor interested in minol
celestial phenomena.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
LIQUOR BUSINESS IS DEAD

T,HE decision of the Supreme Court in
= the liquor cases means that as we
have yet made no treaty of peace with
Germany state of war continues to
exist and that Congress still may exer-
else its supreme war powers.
This being the case, the wartime prohi-
bition legislation is valid and must be
enforced, even though it was passed
after the signing of the armistice. That
legislation, however, does not forbid the
export of Intoxicating beverages. There
fore, distilled spirits may be removed
from bond for export, allowing ITO cause
for the claim of illegal confiscation.
The wartime legislation will continue
to be enforced until declaration of
iseace, or If that does not come before
the middle Of January, until the perma-
nent laws enforcing the provisions of the
amendment go into effect
Present indications arc that the interim
IL which liquor may be sold before the
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
THE AGE OF NERVES

REH1ND two recent tragedies i'll which
= little children were the victims are
plain cases of nerves. Mrs. Powell,
the Philadelphia woman who slew her
daughter in a Denver hotel, and Mrs.
Blake, who is under arrest in Atlantic
City charged with similar crime, ap-
pear to have suffered from a sort of emo
tional arrangement that has long been
familiar to physicians interested in mala-
dies peculiar to an age in which excite
ment is the other name for pleasure.
Long ago German physicians wrote
frankly of the effects of idleness and aim
lessness in women of the well-to-do class
"They are oyerdosed with opera, with
the theatre, with poetry" said one sa-
want. "They are the victims of over
stimulated emotions. 1t is the fault of
society itself if, deprived of a purpose in
life, they fall i'll in body or mind and
do mad things"
The writer of this paragraph might
have added the movies to his list if he
were dealing with present-day instances.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

millions, the best youth in the land, the
heart of its defense, the structure OF Its
patriotism expressed in terms of action.
The majority of its members is COM
posed of men who had not passed thirty
one when our part of the world war
began. Young men are swift TO act,
and their very impulsiveness is potent
in rendering them endearing.
The element in the public which ap-
plauds batting distinguished musical
artist who was neither IA traitor to his
own country nor marplot in the land to
the ideals of which he has categoricalIy
subscribed; the public, which is gleefully
excited by tales of threatened tar-and-
gatherings; the public, which has a
cavcman's fondness for physical blows
in place Of dispassionate legal instru-
ments, is an extremely dangerous ele-
meut in any country.
That the American Legion is not de-
ceived by plaudits from hands that are
specious guides is one of the numerous
proofs that the illustrious league of
youth is going to exert an influence
potent and sautary upon the nation. We
nave NibSh VIC ldpSSS III lit lllSllibSlSlllp
in order to "orientate" them. to place
them in the perspective in which they
belong, and to utter a word of warning
to some of the Legion's more reckless
champions.
"Policies, not politics" became pri-
mary slogan of the Legion almost from
the hour of it's birth. 1t has exercised
a pertinent force. Our veteran organiza-
ton after the Civil War had a marked
partisan shading which it could not es-
cape, since the Civil War itself was
essentially political in its causes. No
partisan color is discernible in its sue
cessor
"Facts before acts" is a cleaning
phrase on companion ensign.
The Legion is thinking true; thinking
in a fashion which should make it one
of the most beneficent of all influences
on American life.
The abiding love which the nation
bears to the Legion is enriched, ennobled
and intensified when the Legion is right
and conceives its duty exaItedly and
clearly as in the present stimulating
instance,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
Member of the Associated Press
DOES WASHINGTON REPRESENT
THIS COUNTRY?

A NY sane American man or woman
"A who has followed the cour.e Of the
peace treaty, especially in the last few
days, must be ready to ask this ques-
tion, not facetiously or jovially but with
deadly earnestness.
The spectacle presented by Senator
Lodge. as the leader of the Republican
majority in the Senate, and President
Wilson, as the leader of the Democratic
administration, sparring like two miffed
members of sewing circle over which
shall seem to make the first advance.
while, in the words Of the Chamber of
Commerce Of the state Of New York, the
people of America "are now confronted
in the world of morals and in the world
of trade with a crisis similar to that
which we faced OH the 9Th of April,
1917" is a scene no lover of American
institutions and traditions can find other
than disgraceful.
1t is a spectacle assuredly not war
ranted by the sentiment Of the public,
and it cannot help but taTuish the bright
war record of our nation with our fra
ternal countries across the Atlantic.
That is why we ask whether Wash
ington-the Washington of pickering
Senate and an obstinate Presidents
truly representative of the thought, the
faith and the ambitions Of the people of
the United States.
Pressure of popular opinion will soon
provide the answer.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
Answers to Yesterdays Quiz


1, Two OF the worst earthquakes of the
last half century were those which
involved the destruction of Saint PIT
ere, Martinique, West indies, and the
destruction of Messina. Sicily.
.. The Tropic of Cancer is passed in cross
ing from Key West to Havana
3. Twenty two states have ratified the suf-
frage amendment.
4. Hyperion in classical mythology was
properly the father of the sun and the
moon, but some poets made him the
synonym Of the sun. Shakespeare
makes him the synonym of Apollo.
5. The Gregorian calendar was introduced
by Pope Gregory XIII in 1852. II.
was not, however, adopted in England
or the American colonies until 1862.
@. Fra Diavolo was a celebrated brigand
and renegade monk who terrified the
mountainous country of Calabria,
Italy. His dates are 1890 1906.
Michele Pozza was his real name.
z. Satsuma ware is cream colored japanese
pottery. 1t is named after Japanese
province
8. Saturday is from the old English "sae-
ternesdaeg," translation of the Latin
"Saturni dies" day of Saturn.
o. Long narrative poems by Shakespeare
are "Venus and Adonis" and .sThe
Rape of Lucrsce.p
TO- An endemic disease Is one regularly
found among specified people Ia y
specified country,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
We Expect a Free Funeral

Dear Socrates This mornings mail
brought me seventeen clippings from the
-haffing Dish. Many thanks for your boost.
But, why, wise Socrates, take refuge
to so cheap trick as German descent to
gather applause? Are you running out OF
real brain-matter?
I am an american" since about twenty
four years. served our country. yours and
mine, in the Spansh-American War and In
the World War. Did you do as much?
Here are few essays for your column:
Those ,ohe can. do Those toho cannot,
cr;ticise. II is caster TO criticize than to do.
n DeopIe talk about you, gou hdve ac-
cor1plished too things: You haze made an
;,npressioa and you are being read.
'"F' DIR. BERTHOLD A. BAER
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
The Music Box

A L SIX-long ere the wintry dawn
IA There sounded through the silent hall
To where / lay with blankets drawn
Above my ears. a plaintive call,
YENlIE Urchin, in the eagerness
l. OF three years old, could not refrain
Awake, he straightway yearned to dress
And frolic with his clockwork train.
T HEARD him with a sullen shock.
His sister, by her usual plan,
Had piped us aft at 3 o'clock
! vowed to quench the little man.
T LEANED above him, somewhat stern,
And spoke, fear, with emphasis
All, how much better, parents learn,
To seal ones censure with kiss
A GAIN the house was dark and still,
"A Again I lay in slumber's snare,
When down the hall heard a trill,
tiny, tinkling, tuneful air
TITS music box His best loved toy,
IL His crib companion every night;
And now he turned to it for joy
While waiting for the tagging light
TTOW clear, and how absurdly sad
IL Those tingling pricks of sound unrolled
They chirped and quavered, as the lad
His lonely little heart consoled.
UHOLUMBIA, the Oceans Gem
" Its only tune) shriled sweet and faint,
He cranked the chimes, admiring them
In vigil gay, without complaint.
T1HE treble music piped and stirred,
l. The leaping air that was his bliss;
And as I most contritely heard
thanked the all-unconscious Swiss
THE needed jets of melody
J. Rang slowlier and died away
The Urchin slept; and it was
Who lay and waited for the day,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
What Do You Kno,U?
QUIZ

QUIZ
/. How old is Gabrielle D'Annunzio? y
?. Where is Port Darwin and with what
novelty in transportation has it re-
Gently been connected?
3. In what century did Samuel Pepys, the
great diarist, live?
4. From what plant is belladonna derived:
3. What are Christmas waits?
6. What is paddy?
Z. Who were the "Locofocos" in American
political history?
s. Who was Sir Lucius O'Trigger?
0. What planet has reddish appearances?
10. Who was Constant Troyon?
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
GRAY

CRAY Of the twilight come,
" Spread those wide wings above our
meadows; bring
Goodness and mist; make dumb
The jarring noise Of day and gently ring
Our woods and ponds with dimness; take
away
All busy stir, but let the gray owl sway
Noiselessly over the bough like little
ghost;
And let the cricket in the dark hedge sing
His whithered note; and, Immortal
Host,
Welcome this traveller to your drowsy hall,
And, standing at the porch, speechless and
tall,
Close the great doors, shut out the world.
and shed
Your benediction on this dropping head.
Martin Armstrong, in the New Statesman,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

An efficiency expert came to see US recently
and In the course of an interesting chat he
conferred an idea upon us. He says that in
business the trend of the really forceful men
has been from the old fashioned roll-top to
the fat topped desk. And we are moving
the same way in housing problems, he added.
What, said he, is the apartment but fat
topped house Te house without the old catch :
ali attic, or, in other words, house without
piseonholesl
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
We Print II for What It's Worth

Dear socrates-While not a regular In your
enlisted personnel, cannot help but inform
YOU of a certain observation, made at 209
D. m, this day. in front of Keats
Theayter." viz:
A young. sim-shouldered gentleman. at
tired In fur-collared oyercoat, fancy vest
watch chain "au Bandoler." etc. not wear
ing npats. Yours very truly, II. A. p.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
Desk Notices

When L saw that rage was vain,
And to sulk would nothing gain,
Turning many a trick and vile
I began TO soothe and smile.
WILLIAM BLAKE ("Infant Sorrow")
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

In buying Red Gross seals lads and las
sizes are privileged to make interpretative
reservations concerning Doctor Gittings's
ban on kissing 1t will be understood that
oscuIation in the future as in the past will
20 by favor, whether the doctors favor it
or not.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
Quictness Desired

Japan, it is said, is
Quictness Desired attempting to coloni2e
Chile and later may
fasten her grip on the American continent
Bolshevists, there is reason to believe are
boring from within. Oh for the quiet men.
tral tiuts of prewar days. We are tired
of Red and Yellow.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

In days Of old in old Madrid certain
estimable gentlemen celebrated In song struck
the light guitar. They're still striking in
old Madrid, but not the guitar.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

The Philadelphia Milk Exchange has
announced that the winter schedule goes into
effect tomorrow and milk will not be deliy-
cred before 8 a. m. But what's the diff?
Going home with the milkman" lost its
significance July ].
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

Every pessimistic dispatch from Europe
concerning the spread of bolshevism Is an
Endorsement of the American Legion as
Americas hope for the continuance Of de-
mocracy.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

The predicted end of the world tomor
row need not prevent you from doing your
Christmas shopping early.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
Padorcwski is t

PadcrcwsH is to aban o.
Doing the Impossible don politics and re
turn to the piano, ac To-
cordiug TO rumor, Here is an act of doubtful
wisdom that will please certain of his friends
aud enemies and provoke others in both list,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
You Said Il!

In order the high cost of living to throttle,
Au lieu de la creme, we use top of the bottle.
M. V, n s.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
sPRoULE AND PATTERSON
Men From Extreme Ends OF State
Who Advocate Waterways Exude
Figures on Their Favorite
Topic
by GEORGE NOx MCCAIN

TlIE appointment of George +. Sproule to
l. be director of wharves docks and fer
ries under the new administration has
"caught on" large with the public. 1t is
recognized as an excellent appointment; not
because of the appointee's unfaiing courtesy,
but because Mr. Sproule has grown up with
and been part of the development of the
port.
His is no theoretical knowledge of Phila-
delphia in this direction. II is actual, up
TO date, exact and intelligent. It's knowl
edge that goes back for a period Of thirty
five years and comes down to today.
The commissioners of navigation, whose
secretary he has been, are going to miss him
to say nothing about others. 1t is Mr..
Sproule who has kept the newspapers in
touch with the statistical side of port de
veopmcnt, who, by indisputable figures,
proved that this is the second port of i'm
portance in the country, besides directing
attention to other vital facts.
In his new position as director he may be
able to extend the scope of his statistical
information.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

Those who are dis
Old Saw and mayed by the threat
Modern Instance OF famine and pesti-
lence in Europe, with
the resultant or provocative spread of bol-
shevism, may take heart Of grace from the
wise old saw that Dark is the hour before
the dawn
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

Life's cup, declared the pessimst, might
not be SO bitter if there were sugar enough
to sweeten it.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
THE CHAFFZNG DISH

We were SO distressed by this that we have
spent the whole day in miserably combing
over our pigeon holes here in our cavern and
putting the stuff back again.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16


When we were eighteen we wrote in our
diary, very dejectedly, that our life "bad
been full Of abortive beginnings" We often
think Of that when we start to clean up our
desk.
Never mind; they say the end of the
world is coming tomorrow.
But friend of ours. a sagacious person,
said, as he saw the Supreme Courts ruling
about wartime prohibition, that the end had
come yesterday.
Our good friend, George W. Anonymous
says we are all wrong about those leather
coats, and he explains the why and wherefor
in the following spirited ditty:
A Tale of Whoa
TIL say you're lucky to work outside
/ said the nkwell to the flivver.
You ride around and see the town
While l stick around till the sun goes down.
You're out in the air in the sweet month of
June
Your life is song when your motors in
tune.
WHOA, said the flivver, you're running wild
w You know not whereof you are speaking,
my child.
June is but one month in twelve please re-
member
There's chilly November and bleaky December
When Jack Frost takes the bab
And with one mighty swing
He doubles the score
On our old friend Spring.
lies as cold as the poles and his wind so
i i strong.
I wonder sometimes he can hold out so long.
My motor gets froze and loses the tune
1t learned and 1t sang in the sweet month OF
June.
WITH the rain and the Ice and the cold
w biting sleet
I wonder my driver can sit on his seat
It's no pipe with the weather way down about
To stick on the job, If he does, he's a hero.
noN'T give him a medal to heal up his
| Just get him a couple of weather-proof doors,
| 1t would be such comfort and help In his
work
| OF salesman and driver and collector and
| clerk.
! But the boss decided to give leather coats
| to his salesman instead of weather=proof
! doors because, well, he's the boss and what s
more; All the girls in the office are just
| crazy about them.
GEO. w, ANON.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

onesthing boIsheylsm has accomplished: !:
II has made the necessity Of the league Of
nations imperative.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

If the treaty is as dead as Senator Lodge
said it was, why are ne and his friends trying
10 resuscitate It?
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16
Then Come Kiss Me, Sweet and Invent

Sugar VIII be twenty cents pound next
year.-News item.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

Obstructionists are now willing to as
seyerate that the treaty is not dead but sleep
ing,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

The supreme Court m6pped up the last
suggestion Of dsinpness.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

When we were eighteen we wrote in our
diary, very dejectedly, that our life ''bad
been full Of abortive beginnings" We often
think of that when we start to clean up our
desk.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

Never mind they say the end of the
world is coming tomorrow.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

TIIERE is another gentleman who has
l. been throwing luminous facts at the
feet of the public about some of our less
known port facilities and possibilities.
He is George Kyle, of Darby.
How many of the uptown and downtown
and even West Philadelphia citizenship know
anything about Darby river? They call IL
Il crcek-Darby creek--just as they call the
PerlIiomen river a creek In any Central or
South American %ountry they would be bla
zoned out on typographical maps as impor-
tant waterways.
Bnt of Darby river and its past of the
ships and barges and tugs that have come
and gone right up into Cobbs creek?
Perhaps to the ignorant skeptic it may
be ''to laugh, but to George Kyle Darby
river is waterway with great possibilities
More so now that government engineers are
making a survey Of it with the ultimate pur-
pose of its improvement to give population
of 100, O,O0O along and contiguous to its shores
a port with commerce worth while.
Prior to 1876 coal barges from the lIehgh
and Schuylkill canal came right up to the
wharves along Darby river. Two masted
schooners brought food and Goa! and build
ing material, and were even towed up to
Cobbs creek and poled into that stream.
Thanks to George Kyle, the government
knows all about Darby river now. 1t has its
eye on that little inland waterway. Some
day Darby and Paschalville in the not far
distant future will come into their own, with
barges and tugs and schooners at their doors.
Then perhaps they'll erect the monument
he deserves to George Kyle.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

We are told that the admirable artist,
Herbert johnson, came in here the other day
all set to take us out to lunch. Unhappily,
we had just departed to our chosen spaghetti
cloister and he was fain TO lavish and squan-
der his hospitable instincts on our colleague
the Soothsayer. We wish TO state, in order
to keep our social ledger correctly balanced,
that we do not consider that any obligation
has actually been transferred until the lunch
con has reached its correct destination. We
refuse to receive our luncheons vicariously,
or by deputy.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

We have still much to look forward to.
For instance, the time when Frank Stock
toms stories make their way onto the movie
screen SOCRATES.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

But friend of ours. sagacious person
said, as he saw the Supreme Courts ruling
about wartime prohibition, that the end hat
come yesterday.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-16

The Legion is a tremendous novelty.
Il has no counterpart in American his
tory. The Grand Army of the Republic
does not furnish true comparison, since
the body of Civil War veterans was made
ur Of men Of wide disparity of ages.
The Legion Is youth youth in terms Of