davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Letters to the Editor
The Art Of Comedy

70 the Editor Of tho Evenino Public Ledger:
Sir--I read with considerable interest
your editorial Drama and Such"
did not hear Grant Mitchelis speech on
Comedy" but knowing Grant Mitchell
and his sense Of comedy. II must have
touched n popular chord. Personally.
think comedy 10 the most satisfying of
IN the arts. / don't mean ''horseplay
- 'slapsticks." but clean-cup comedy
that entertains and amuses without in
eulting ones Intelligence. or good satire,
which In the rarest because II is the
most difficult comedy to write success
oliver Goldsmith says: We wept
day tells us why" With this gloomy
outlook upon life. who can be greater
than the artist who makes us laugh?
You very aptly ask: But where Is
the stage that can mirror these days
and make them understandable" May
\ suggest that these days cannot artis-
today. We have had many plays that
come under the head Of being timely"
some of them have proven to be suc-
cessful from the standpoint Of the box
once. but have never reached any high
point Of art. The subject-matter Is too
close. II bears the earmark of the daily
nswspaper. Distance is required to lend
enchantment. The drama Of Debs--n
presidential candidate in prlson-is tine
tured with wit of tho paragrapher.
Thirty thousand baseball fans cheering
. world series while 80, 900 people starvc
N q distant land is undramatized by the
fact that the $4,000 cheering fans have
subscribed to the charity drives to feed
the other 10000, thus conscience eased.
the drama ceases.
Dramatists in the past have endeav-
ored to put Abraham Lincoln on the
stage. The character failed on account
OF the nearness, IL required a lapse o!
fhov haI ,nntt y,H N,ar
lish dramatist at that to accomplish the
feat artlstically and successfully.
May we not assume with some degree
of accuracy that n future generation
ter of Woodrow wilson--hlstorian. PHI
losopher. statesman. Humanitarian.
wrapped in the purple Of being pisun-
derssood. broken in health seated In a
70 disappointment, the work Of a life
timY buried In his own great heart
hers Ia q figure OF tragic mold that ap-
peals TO the imasnStion Of the great
the qualification of this drama, We poor
mortals of today are too close to the
great figure to appreciate Its grandure
fSsa s6ss ,bsv fsys wsh many ynaT trd
bies. The Lord knows trouble is bad
enough in the raw. but when put througI
a dramaturgic process, It becomes un-
house rather than the stage.
II I were a dramatic critic (and
heaven knows I have no such amh,
staging the plays is hard enough) think
ship rather than BY It's subject. An Or
dinary story skillfully told. intelligently
acted and directed is better art than Il
better story clumsily written and awk-
wArdly set forth upon the stage.
Yours for clean plays and good COM
ATLANTIC City, N. j.. Oct 2.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Halcyon DAYS and sWsnk


To the Editor Of the Epsrtno Public LEDGER:
=, Sir--I am very desirous Of obtaining
the rennitions OF the words "Haicyon
Days, ana "Swank." p. II. o.
Philadelphia, October 8, 1920, '-
"Halcyon Days" Is q phrase denotins
times of special happiness. Formerly II
meant tho last two weeks in December,
for then the "halcyon" (kingfsher) was
Said to lay Its eggs, and in this period
England Is marked by calm weather
along the coast
The word "Swank" IL usually defined
to boast unduly" II is used In the
stories OF such English authors as Ar
mold Bennett, w. J. Locke and J. c.
Snaith, and Is used throughout England
IN various corruptions from 'swenk" to
"swonk." In London and the south Il
generally means a bonsting story which
gives tho speaker undue prominence.
Therefore he Is "swanking." In the
north II is used to designate the persons
themselves who may try to show thei-
superiority In any staggering way,
physicall or intellectually II also means
a loud or dandified dresser who Is
classed with all others of his kind as q
"swankpot."
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Wedding Anniversaries

To tho Editor OF the Evening Public Ledger:
Sir--Will YOU kindly print In 'The
Forum" the celebrations for the different
wedding anniversaries for the first ten
years7 "A READER"
Upland. Pa. Sept. 20. 1890.
According to the "The New Interna-
tional Encyclopedia" the wedding an
are: First year. paper: second, straw /;
third, candy; fourth, leather: fifth,
wooden seventh, floral; tenth, tin. The
other anniversaries are: Twelfth, linen I;
fifteenth, crystal; twentieth, china /:
twenty.flfth, silver thlrtieth pearl ;
thirty-flfth, coral; fortieth, emerald ;
forty ?fifth, ruby fiftieth, gold, and sew
enty.fifth. diamond.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

We will print the words of this son.
IL reader VIII send them in, and ths
song is not copyrighted. .S -
Sir---I am very anxious to secr,..
'"The Wreck of st. Michaefs'', ana iir.
Prodigals Plea The last one contsirs
these ltnesi. - :. ,..- 77FT~
,J "shine down little head SO fa,r.,
K. From thy window In tho wall.
VIII You please ask if any Of vSrp
Philadelphia, October 9. 1890.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Letters to the Editor should be as

Letters to the Editor should be as
brief and to the point as possible,
avoiding anything that would open y
denominational or sectarian discus
sion.
No attention will be paid to anony-
nous letters. Names and addresses
must be signed as An evidence OF good
faith, although names will not bo
printed II request Is made that they
be omitted.
The publication Of a letter ls not to
be taken rs an Endorsement OF its
views by this paper.
Communications will not be re-
turned unless accompanied by post.
age, nor will manuscript be saved.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
THE PEOPLES FORUM

when you look through the night away
or to the east. to where
I'm Flanders fields the poppies grow.
Amidst the crosses, row on row,
Above those who sleep below"
HOW many other crosses will stand in
other lands above your loved ones7
w. A. WILLIAMS.
Norwood. Pa. Oct @, 1890.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Opera House seatIno Capacity

To the Editor Of the Evening Public Ledger:
Sir---Kindly advise as to the seating
capacity OF the Academy Of Music and
the Metropolitan Opera House in this
city. e. II. wANNEMACHER, JR-
Philadelphia. Oct 6, 1890.
The seating capacity Of the Academy
Of Music is approximately 5000 and tho
Metropolitan Opera House 1900.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Poems and Songs Desired
"Tho Old Homestead

To the Editor Of the Evening Public Ledger:
Sir--I will appreciate 1t IL you will
priot in your Sunday Forum" the
words Of an old song which may be en-
titled "The OLD Homestead Some years
ago misunderstanding Dcnman Thomp-
son sing the song in the play Of The
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Fares In Other Cities


To the Editor Of the Evening Public Ledger:
Sir-The Pa r. T., In It's plea for
higher fares, goes on to tell us Of the
fares In other cities. You have all
noticed they make no mention of New
YORK city. which has a five-cent fare
and two passes or transfers And Balti-
more they state has seven-cent fare.
very true, but there they stop. Our
readers should understand the seven
cent fare entities you to ride on two cars
by transfers and in different sections Of
me city you may obtain check for the
third car Hence seven cents means the
end OF your trip and half or one third
the way and then another seven cents.
The service there is good and the cars
VIII stop and take the riders on and not
go by like the =. II. T. does here on
numerous occasions.
l merely write this article for the
beneht OF the patrons Of the p. r. T.
who are not familiar with the service
and fares IN other cities, and the
x. 4; Just says seven cents and stops.
1t should finish aud not try to deceive
the people anw further. r I r..
Philadelphia. Oct. 9, 1890.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

responding secretary generally would
ters relating to the afYairs of the organ
ixation. II In evident that such divi-
sion of labor would ordinarily take place
only where the duties were too great TO
be performed by the secretary and treas
urer.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Old sono Wanted

TO fhs Bdtfor Of the Evening PubFo LEDGER!
Sir--1 am anxious TO get the words
Of q song Of the early fifties when Jenny
Lind was singing in America, which was
called "The Jenny Lind Man "a" one o.
the stanzas ran something like this'
30 Jenny when you leave ua,
Whatever shall we do
To catch another nightingale,
MRS. L. E. FAftR
Philadelphia, Oct Q. 1920.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Blame lneendlary for Fir.

Bradford, Pa. Oct. 8.--smith Broth
ers' feed mill and grain elevator ws,.
almost destroyed by fire last night w;ts is
an estimated loss OF $25, 900, Z Trsn Tha
origin of the flames is, unknown b,,s ms
Sidney Smith, member of the s,'W sW
today stated that he believed The a.
was the work Of an incendiary. s
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

Nearer Heaven in My Life" II starts
sonething like this: -
"f'm thinning of the golden days OF
childhood,
The days I climbed upon my mothers
Can a reader send them int
.E. L.. D." in communication says:
The Ines quoted by #. f. 3:
Poets are made by fools ike me,
But only God can mako tree.
are from a poem called Trees, by joyce
Kilmer, and are to be found In his COL
iected poems and In several recent an
thologies"
I'D. M. G." wants the words Of n song.
THE Basket Makers Daughter" which
begins:
:'They have laid her to rest by the brook,
Whore the still waters flow so mild;
And at her head they've inscribed
On tho rock The Basket Makers
Child"
MIRA A. Il. S." Chester. Pa. asks for
the words Of a song which starts as fol-
lows: ..
|"Mid the campfre's flickering light,
In my blanket bed lie;
Gazing through the shades of night.
And the twlnkling stars on high"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Ireatlaa on lanouaae

To the Editor Of tho Evsntno Public LEDGER!
Sir-Please tell me which Is the best
treatise of the English languages ad.
jectivos. d. L. T.
Philadelphia, October 6, 1920.
A worry good work Is A. s. Hills "Prin.
ciples Of Composition"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

OF the provisions Of the personal regis
tration act, and while technically they
might be illegally registered, II In not
the list. --.''0 = .0-'. y ~. i.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

&C. T. r." desires an old song con
tanning the lines
"The world was made In six days,
And finished on the seventh;
But according 10 the contract
Il should have been the eleventh"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

The Pcople,s Forum win appear dan,
In tho Sund W Public Lsdger, ~ ,ss.so
discussing timely topics Will be printe5s
as well as. requested p0ems. and uusstierr,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Philadelphia, Oct. 9. 1870.

II she received the necessary number
Of votes o woman could no doubt become
President under the recently adopted
confess to being thirty-fivs years OF age.
The only thing against her would be
the use Of the masculine pronoun In the
constitution----he, his, him. In referring
TO the President if the people ever
elect a woman President II Is unlikely
that pronoun will be allowed to stand
in the way of her inauguration.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

told s Homes.ead., IN which ns starred r
Philadelphia, October 8, 1920.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
LIneoIn's Business Connection

TO the Editor Of tho Evening Public Ledger:
Sir-In yesterdays EVENING PUBLIC
LEDGER I note your answer as to the
name Of Tad" Lincoln. II remember
rightly. Tad" Lincoln's name was Rob-
ert Todd Lincoln. and he Is now chair
man ~ the board of the Pullman Co.. in
Chicago. r. DUBOIS.
Philadelphia, Oct Q. 1920.
Mr.. Lincoln 10 chairman Of the board
Of directors of the Pullman Co., and also
a director Of the Commercial National
Bank. His home, at present, Is at 2014
n street, N. W., Washington, d. c.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
Duties Of Officers

TO ths Editor Of the Evening Public Ledger.
Sir-wculd you kindly state the duties
Of the following officers: Recording sec
retary, financial secretary, corresponding
secretary? Your answer will settle an
argument Wishing THE Forum" all
kinds of success In its new home.
]. ]. p.
Philadelphia. October Q, 1920.
The duties of these officers are fixed
by the constitution and bylaws OF the or
ganizations to which they belong. The
titles In general indicate the division of
work. For instance, a recording Sec
retary would keep all records of the or
ganzation. including lists of members
and the minutes of meetings.
The financial secretary would attend
to the secretarial work attached to tho
keeping OF accounts and other matter
that iE a small organization are usually
performed by the treasurer The cor.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08
A "Ladyw PresIdent

TO ths Editor Of sAs Bvenko Public Ledeer'
Slrt-Now that the vote has been given
to women, could q lady become the
President Of the United States, or would
the constitution prohibit her7
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

Morris Cohen desires the poem en-
titled MARIO and the Beggar" and The
Face Upon the Floor" We VIII print
the first selection requested II a reader
will supply II, and will mall copy OF
the second II stamped addressed en-
velope IL sent to us.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

I'D. A. L." asks for O poem and the
name of the author containing the foi-
lowing lines:
queen a,
And rule kingdom to a woman's Will
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

e. w. Read. Tamaqua, Pa, desires the
words Of a song entitled II Was Never
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

III. II. H." Easton, Pa. asks Tor the
words of q aong entitled Fair Lilly ana
Joe," and one beginning Before the
grim old Judge there stood
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

you NAV buy the DuoA and make payment either cash
charge account through plan which
applies the purchase You are Tree 70 return
instrument purchase it at any time.
Call phone write for full particulars
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-08

&C. L. D." writes: II wish you would
print for me the old poem, Sir Thomas
Grimalkin,' or tell me where couid
find IL"
The New York herald., 1920-01-12
Man Meets Death as
Automobile UuSetS
on Fort George Hill

Robert C. Reid. forty-four years old.
secretary of the Harrolds Motor Company.
Of No. 233 West Fifty fourth street. died
while being taken to st. Lawrence Hos
pital yesterday afternoon from internal
injuries suffered when a touring automO-
bile which he was driving overturned on
Fort George Hill and pinned him beneath
lit. His two companions. Thomas G. May,
who lives at the Robert Treat Hotel. New
ark, and Samuel Breadom Of No. 476l
Westminster place. st. Louis, both repre-
sentatives of the Pierce Arrow Company,
escaped with slight bruises
According to his companions. Mr.. Reid
was testing brakes while making his way
down the HILL and at notime did the speed
Of the machine exceed six miles an hour.
Near the end OF the steep grade was an
roadway. Mr. Reid turned out TO avoid
the machine, and as he did SO his own car
skidded
Mr.. May and Mr.. Breadom said Mr.. Reid
attempted TO free himself from the steer
ing wheel, and as a result the machine
tilted and fell on its side None of them
was thrown from the machine. When the
two survivors picked themselves up and
lstepped out into tho roadway they saw
that Mr.. Reid had fallen I'm such a man
lner that his head and body were under
the machine They righted the car with
tho assistance of passersby Mr.. Reid was
lstill breathing when an ambulance from
the hospital arrived.
Mr. Reid's residence Is i'm Englewood
IN T., where he lived with his brother
Russell Reid and two sisters. lie was not
married.
The New York herald., 1920-01-12
Chauffeur Slain
AfterTaking Party
from Camp Dix

CAMP DIX. n. j., Sunday.-A few
hours after John Wormwood. ffty-four
years old. a jitney driver OF No. 45 North
stanton street, Trenton. had left camI
last night with three passengers II his
machine, one soldier and two civilians
he was assaulted and robbed on lonely
part Of the road. near this place. He
died later in the Base Hospital here. Nc
trace of the iitney has been found by
the camp or county officials.
1t is known that when Wormwood left
camp with the three passengers he had
about $500 upon him. When he was
found unconscious on the roadsidr there
was no money in his clothing. He had
been shot twice through the jaw ant
otherwise badly injured.
The authorities are searching for the
soldier and the other two passengers
known TO have been in the automobile
when wormwood left the camp for Tren'
ton.
II is the belief of the investigator
that when the machine had reached .
lonely section OF the country Wormwooc
was attacked and shot and then thrown
from the vehicle. which the assailant'
used 70 make their escape.
The New York herald., 1920-01-12
MOIST AND MERRY
WILL BE BROADWAY
ADIEUX TO D. RUM
Restaurants and Cafes Prepare
for Big Farewell Splash"
Thursday Night.

II - TO be tho coup dc grace of liquor.
Ono must face the facts as they come.
After a general survey OF the situation
along Broadway and in the larger hotel
dining rooms, 1t Is established without
doubt that on next Thursday night, and
perhaps extending over until midnight on
Friday night, those who wish to say their
last farewell to the sparkling glass and
the shot o. rye will celebrate in a
fashion such as has never been seen in
New York before. The sign is up All
those who would reserve tables at Reisen-
wsbers Paradise, at Maxim's, at the Cafe
des Beaux Arts, Churchill's, Cafe de
Paris. Thomas Healys Golden Glades or
other oases of wine, much wine, and
liquors of other kinds, should see to that
bit Of advance work now. The manage
The New York herald., 1920-01-12
nr putler 70 Speak on training

Or. Nicholas Murray Butler, president
os Columbia University. will speak at a
mass meeting OF tho Federal Board Of Vo-
e.tionaI Training Students in New York
city in the Horace Mann Auditorium,
Dvcadway and 12oih street, at eight
meaock "wednesday Night
The New York herald., 1920-01-12
Society of the Genesee to Dine.

twenty-first annual dinner Saturday even
ing, January 81. at the Hotel Commodore
The principal guest will be Rear Admiral
Joseph Strauss. James w. Gerard will be
toastmaster; he is president of the So
ciety of the Genesee. Speakers will be
Senator Miles Poindexter. Senator Medil
Mccormick. former Senator James Hanil.
ton Lewis and DIR. Rush Rhees, of the
University of Rochester.
The New York herald., 1920-01-12
MR.. BARNES WARNS
OF FLUCTUAT|0N IN
GRAIN AFTER JUNE
Nation May Be as Thrifty as 1t
Is Extravagant Now, He
Tells Traders.

Warning Of price hazards which may
confront wheat and flour handlers after
the withdrawal Of government control.
when the activities of the Grain Corpora
t,on are closed in June, was contained in
a circular sent yesterday by Julius III.
Barnes. Wheat Director, 10 the holders of
the forty-two thousand licenses he has
issued.
Emphasis was placed by Mr. Barnes on
the statement that "the reduction of com
u1itments to the minimum required for the
conduct of necessary current business
Will be a wise commercial policy for the
grain trade upon the termination of two
years or official stabilization and in view
or the present world situation.
That there is even now an element of the
population which has demonstrated a de-
sire TO practise thrift is evident from the
reception given to the Grain Corporation S
pure wheat flour which the government
recently made available to the consumer
at reduced prices, the Wheat Director
sa1d He also predicted that thrift as a
nauonal characteristic may become con-
tasiois as extravaganza has been" At
the same time he attributed recent price
auVanceS In certain grades of flour to
restricted transportation and extraordi-
nary indifference to expenditures by a
section of our people"
Individual Judgment Must Govern.
There is no guide to point the wav n
commercial security" Mr.. Barnes said
INDIVIDUAL judgment must solve unusual
prooiems soon to be faced We can only
warn or the play of world wide factors of
snprecedented potentialty and submit in
iorihation as accurate as humanity possi-
Die, on which business policies must con-
struct The Grain Corporations weekly
reports or trade data will continue until
June l. They should be studied.
our total wheat crop exceeded that of
lsis. Much is said of the relative scarcity
OF strong wheats. The curious fact de-
develops. however, that by continued re-
Placements from the Southwest and the
facitic coast, and because Eastern mills
VIII PROBABLY draw their smaller needs of
strong wheat from Canada and the Argen-
tine' the Northwestern mills can grind
luiiy equal to last years large production
ana sun leave, at the end of this crop-year.
. larser carry over in tho Northwest than
last year.
Exports for the last six months are
S5,ooOoo bushels less than last year. Diff
CUT finances abroad, forcing utmost cur
taiiment OF purchases, will continue Pres
eht purchases, still to be shipped, largely
supply foreign requirements for a con-
siderable period. Cheaper rye will replace
some wheat. The United Stats can appar-
entity export 50.0oo.o0o bushels rye, against
oo,0O.00 bushels last year.
with no immediate prospect of f,rther
purchases of flour by the Grain CORPORA :
ton, 1t is fairer to ask the mills to dis
continue their weekly offerings until we
can ADVISE, some prospects Of further
purchases. The export outlet is open to
them individually without necessity for