davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1922-01-01
When "Specs" Were New.

TN the days when spectacles were in
troduced the world was not all
wise. Glasses became so fashionabl
that people did not wait until neces-
sity compelled them to adopt the new
custom. Whether their eyesight was
bad or good. those who would be styl-
ish wore spectacles. In Spain they
formed part of the costume of every
well dressed person.
The object of the wearer in putting
on glasses was to increase the grav-
ity of his appearance and render him
self more directly imposing. A young
monk, who had. through the assist
ance Of his family, caused his order
to succeed in an important lawsuit,
felt himself literally rewarded when
the prior, having embraced him warm
ly, testified his gratitude by saying,
Brother, put on spectacles."
The glasses of spectacles were pro-
portioned in size not to the eyes,
but to the rank of the wearer, those
worn by the Spanish mobiles being as
large as ones hauad. The Maruuls of
Astorga, vieroy Of Naples. after nav
ing had his bust sculptured in mar
BILE. particularly enjoined the artist
not to forget his beautiful spectacles.
Evening star., 1922-01-01
THE RAMBLER VISITS A FAMOUS OLD
MANSION IN PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY

recipe for which / shall some time beg
But l forgot to introduce Felix.
He Is collie, brought up at Muir
kirk, long resident there, known to
every dog and man for miles around,
and Of such good manners and good
sense that 1 would recommend him as
a tutor to many persons ] have met
if Felix would care to undertake such
a task of Hercules.
Well, this great frame house is the
Mansion of Muirkirk. 1t is the home
Of the Coffin family, who built the
Muirkirk iron furnace. operated I.
nigh on to seventy years, and p"s
Muirkirk on the map. 1t was 70
home of the late Charles L. Ccffh.
and is the home of his widow ald HE
children. Eilery F. and Matte a.
Coffin. There are other children-Mrs.
Cassard of Muirkirk, Miss Rachel Of
Washington and Mrs. Beltield Of
Swarthmore. 1t is beautiful old
home with many rare portraits. pieces
Of furniture and obrects of art among
it's furnishings. and some day ! will
tell you of them.
Many of you knew Charles e. Cof-
fin. but some Of you did not, and ]
will hand you little piece published
in the American Economist, May 81.
1872:
with deep sorrow and regret. we
announce that Hon. Charles 4. Coffin
of Muirkirk Md, member OF the
board Of managers of the American
Protective Tariff League. died at his
home on Friday night, May u. Mr..
Coffin h-canI. II ~, mb.r Of tn" tariff
league AItril :. 1855. He WAS elected
a member Ut the hoard of managers
Ji-nuary -, 1898. and ,.led in that
relation until the time of his death.
The cause Of protection has never
known a truer friend or a more un-
finching supporter than Charles l..
Coffin. Mr. Coffin was born in Boston
July Is, 1871, and was educated in
the Boston grammar and high schools.
He removed to Maryland in 1868, and
made his home at Muirkirk. on the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad. IN
Prince Georges county. Mr.. Coff1n
took charge of the iron works at
Muirkirk, known as Muirkirk Fur
mace which was erected by the Eli
colts in 1917, and he has since con-
Quoted the same. He has always been
a republican in politics. was elected
to the house Of delegates of Maryland
IN 1854 and was elected A member
of the state senate in 1880. serving
for four years. He was a delegate TO
the national republican convention at
Minneapolis in 1882; was elected to
Evening star., 1922-01-01

which house the Hoveys moved from
,beir home near the southeast corner
of ,st and r streets northeast. the
site OF that house being covered ps
the Senate office building
y = = r
A MOTHER of the young chaps who
1 freauented the Hovey home and
who has become distinguished in let
ters was Charles G. y. Roberts.
With these thoughts in my mind.
have dug ont of my bookcase three
volumes Of poems. ''Songs from Vaga'
bondia," More Songs from Faga-
bondia" and Last Songs from Vaga-
bondia," being the joint work of Dick
Hovey and Bliss Carmen. And as
open these little volumes. which had
a great run in their day, and look at
the illustrations, I am reminded that
another member of the gang that
gathered in the Hovey home was Tom
3. Meteyard, artist, whose name we
pronounced tom Meechard." Tom
was a Yankee from up Boston-way,
and ] think his home was Scituate,
and / also think he came down to
Washington with Dick from Dart
mouth.
But I am getting past my windows.
The windows of the big, yellow house
with the red brick basement walls,
the. red roof and the four tall red
chinneys seemed to have a cordial
countenance. The Rambler thought,
perhaps here 1 can land a story for
my readers" His first encounter was
with a long-haired Persian cat, who
came out of some shrubbery to inves-
tigate. This cat was no longer a
youth Time had thinned and frazzled
his fur, but he was still manly
looking cat. AS he examined the
Rambler there was a question mark
in each eye, and his tail was an ex-
clamation point. Here" thought the
Rambler, sis fellow who has used
his paws as often and as valoriously
as D'Artagnan did his sword, and in
his time has drawn blood from many
Jussac and Bernajoux among the
cats. Here is fellow who, If there
is Monsieur de Treville in the world
Of cats, would be picked on sight for
a place in the mouse-quetaires." But
as looked at the cat closely,
thought, mo, thou art not a Gascon;
thou art Persiaa"
Then the Rambler said to the cat
'T bet you. Tom, you have had so
many love affairs and midnight duels
that should I write them down ii
would make scandal to shake the
foundations of cat society and set
agog the cat population Of Laurel
Contee, Muirkirk. Ammendale, Belts
vile and Branchyille, and perhaps
some of the proudest families of cats
as far away as Hollywood, sunnyside
Riverdale, Hyattsville and Bladens-
burg"
The cat honored the Rambler by
observing him very attensively. He
did not purr welcome. There was 8
haughtiness in the expression Of hi.
whlskers. ears and, tail nA, thssa
Evening star., 1922-01-01
A Stone From the Sky.

ONE Of the interesting exhibits In
" the National Museum is a meteor
lite which fell on Thomas Hill. in AL
Logan, Mich, some years ago. The
fall occurred at s o'clock in
the morning. Observers noticed a
slight blush tinge and a hazy ap-
pearance in the tract Of the descend
ing stone. Some reported that they
heard a rumbling and rushing noise.
The meteorite probably weighed
originally seventy pounds. but 1t was
shattered by its fall. the largest
piece weighing sixty-two and half
pounds. 1t buried itself eighteen
inches in the ground. and was picked
up while yet warm. 1t is friable
and contains finely disseminated me-
tallic iron, olivine in the form Of
black glass and some undetermined
sulphides, ..
Evening star., 1922-01-01

the Fifty-third Congress as a repub-
lican in 1894 TO fill the unexpired
term of Hon. Barnes Compton, re-
signed, and was elected to the Fifty
fourth Congress. receiving 15.523
votes against I3.42l votes for Rogers,
democrat: 5S3 votes for silk, prohibi-
zionist, and 35J votes for Burchard
populist.''
The Muirkirk furnace was bought
from the Ellicotts in 1863 by William
E. Coffin of Boston, father of Charles
+. Coffin. The latter assumed charge
of the works, inherited them. and
passed them on to his son. Ellery F.
Coffin, who was for many years man
agar of the works before the death
of his father
Evening star., 1922-01-01

being too busy getting over my lines
and business. but by the time 1 could
locate him there was no doubt that
he had sustained the full shock. His
mouth was open and his eyes popped.
He had discovered that the Trilby
May he had known as waitress In
Druot's, Duluth, and the Trilby May
Dodge on the program were one and
the same. Whether he was admitting
that I was a real actress or not Is
something else again, but If he'd been
wondering what sort Of a Job I had
that kept me busy every evening he
had the full particulars. don't know
when I've enjoyed my work so much
or nut more real pep into a perform
ance.
AS usual, I found Barry Platt wait
ing back stage after the curtain.
SORRY, old DEAR" says I, but I'm
dated up for a supper party tonight
"Who's the favored one, I'd like to
know?" says Barry.
IAN old flame Of mine from back
home" says I. "But you might see
me as far as the SUBWAY entfahee'
Barry grumbled a bit. but he came
alone.And there was no Willard In
sight, We waited fully ten minutes
for him, too.
"Huh!" says Barry. whats hap
pened to this old fame Of yours?"
"Jarred out, I'm afraid" says l.
'.Now isn't that just my luck! I'll bet
he's back at his hotel by this time,
packing his bag for Duluth. Oh well!
Perhaps I can survive the blow"
"How about my subbing in on that
supper date, Trilby May?" asks Barry.
: "What a clever thought, Barry boy!''
says I, taking his arm. "And I think
a broiled lobstsr would be most
soothing"
(copyzagh& 1s7u. by Sswsu EseAa
Evening star., 1922-01-01

that you are not member of my
household! You are not even related
to the family which it has fallen to
my lot TO rule. You are q stranger
l have never seen you before. The
rest of the family are to church al
Beltsville. and in their absence ! am
the custodian here. You are intrud-
ing, sir. and [ resent it that you walk
across my bed of honeysuckle and
rumple my oak leaves under your
feet. Perhaps you would even tres
pass on my catnip grove! How rude
crude and ungraceful in movement
you are, You make great noise as
you walk. while l tread swift and
silent as ghost. Know you, thou
tall. coarse monster. that my ances-
tors We're official mousers unde!
Zoroaster, Cyrus and Cambysis, and
that many of my kindred were royal
Bengal tigers, Nubian lions, panthers
of the Libyan desert and sacred cats
in the temples of Isis and Osiris wher
Thebes and Memphis, Karnak and
Luxor, Hermopoiis and Abydus were
young and struggling cities? Why
sir. my ancestors were keeping Egyp-
tian rats out Of the palaces of Cheops
and Rammeses before Pharaoh and
Ptolemy were born; and all this, sir,
while the ancestors of the proudest
old families of men and women in
this county were tattooing their
skins and eating hunks Of raw meat
without aid from knife or fork!
DUT, I said to the cat: tom.
~ know you are a proud cat, albeit
somewhat boastful. I have an old cat
at home who is not one generation
removed from the alley and the gar
bage can. and who gives me the same
line of talk. ] feed her cream, liver
crabmeat and shrimp, yet if she can
find a stale and fragrant fish head on
the back lot she will carry it proudly
in her mouth, as if it were a jewel
above price. / hold 1t to be unman-
nerly in cats to prate about their an
cestors. Let men and women rant
that their grandfather was high
sheriff of the county, that he received
a royal patent from King Charles to
a thousand acres of land at shillings
per acre, and that he had a thousand
slaves. Let people rant about such
things, Tom, dear, but cats should
have more sense"
This address seemed to touch the old
|, cat in a receptive. spot, and he rubbed
against me and purred his content
and 1 stroked his long and frazzled
fur. Then we walked together up the
broad steps Of the front porch of the
big frame house with the red chin
neys and sat down. to wait until Miss
Matte, Ellery and Mrs. Coffin came
home from St. Johns Church at Belts
yille l told Tom that then he and
and Felix would have dinner, and
that there would be chicken and
MISUNDERSTANDING fresh -plucked
from the quiet groves of Muirkirk-
broiled as only Ellery can broil them
and set forth In 9 secret sauce. the
Evening star., 1922-01-01
WILLARD LOOKS IN7-By Sewell Ford

One of these subtle. shifty workers.
Willard was. who never took a chance
of getting caught. Even when We
got well enough acquainted for MIN
TO ask me out for Sunday night
drive in the old roadster. he'd inher-
tied he would arrange to pick me up
on a dark. corner, and he'd never hit
Evening star., 1922-01-01

4 RAMBLE to Home of the Coffin Family at
"A Muirkirk-Owner of House Operated
Muirkirk Iron Furnace for Seventy Years-A
Talk" With Persian Cat, and Something
About Catfish Ancestors-Concerning Win
dows and Their Outlook on Life-A Word
About Poets Of Another Day.
Evening star., 1922-01-01

was an arched contour to his back
which discourage great familiarity.
/ am not skilled in the translation of
cattese, catalonian or catalepsy ca
talpa. ca.arrh, cataract, category. or
whatever is the name OF the language
cats speak. but If 1 should be called
on to set down the thoughts of that
cat as l read them from his eyes,
whiskers, ears and tail. l would offer
this as nay translation: Il perceive
Evening star., 1922-01-01

Aunt Hat" whom the boys loved to
cali the "Iother of Poets" are at
rest in Arlington. / have lost track
OF Fred Butlard, but Bliss CarTan,
who was chum of Dick Hovey, is
still writing good poetry holds
high place in American letters. and
recently was made poet laureate of
Canada. Many bright fellows con-
gregated. ate and slept at the old
Hovey home, 125 Indiana avenue, to
Evening star., 1922-01-01

TUsT how soon he recognized me
} sfter I came on I Icouldn't Judge.
Evening star., 1922-01-01

sandwiches. That's how I first got a
line on his thrifty habits. Say. when
you see 'em squeeze two dimes and a
nickel out of change purse and then
. tip you with smile you can guess
the rest. Uh-huh! Willard was just
as free with his money as If he had
glue on his fingers. He shed it as
easy as a catfish does Its skin.
why he should pick me out as the
target for his shifty eye-rolling was
always a puzzle, when there was 1nez
and a lot more flossy mattresses on
the force Maybe he misunderstood
that friendly smile Of mine and didn't
notice that I spread 1t around care
less on all the customers. But .he
first thing I knew Willard was plant.
ing himself regularly every noon at
one Of my tables and getting chummy
in his stiff, shy way. He'd try to hold
INV hand when I passed him the check
and he'd ask in a husky whisper,
"well, how is Trilby today, eh?'
Course, that was nothing at all to
what the average young hick pulled
when he dropped in for sundae or
a box of mixed chocolates. Stella. our
wash blonde at the canoy counter,
used to get pouty il she wasn't called
nsarie by some of 'em at least
once every ten minutes or dated up
for an Armory dance or q show at
the Orpheum.
But Willard was no dashing young
sport. In fact. he was . good deal Of
m old bach. well along IN tho thir-
s..s>. ,bo,,v6 i,,don And Won WONldnst
exactly call him a he-vamp either.
No, he didn't have patent leather hair
or the profile of collar ad chappie.
Perhaps the slightly popped eyes and
the stift joint in his neck disqualified
him from the quick action Romeo
class. too. So didn't work up a high
cheek color and fluttery heart when
he gave me a sly finger squeeze and
called mo Trilby.
RasideSw ,he 1ae
The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-28
]! URGES HARDING BE
 LET ALONE

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2S. - Senator Lodge yesterday opened the debate In the Senate on the proposal of Sen ator Borah, as expressed in an amendment offered to the Naval Ap- propriations Bill, for the calling of an economic and armament limitation conference of. the principal powers by President Harding. In declaring against the proposal Senator Lodge made the first official disclosure of the fact that President Harding is now carrying on negotiations toward an international conference on Euro pean economic problems, and he urged that the President be unem- barrassed in "efforts which he is now making" Senator Lodge also de- clared that the questions of repara- tions, allied debts and immigration should be excluded from considera- tion in any conference that might be held. 5
The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-28
TO CURB TURBULENT
 COLORADO RIVER

DENVER, Dec. 28.-Equitable divi- sion of the waters of the Colorado, provided for in the recent treaty en- tered into by seven states affected by the arrangement, will result in great engineering feat. The waters of this big stream will be harnessed to produce almost unlimited power, to irrigate the vast areas of now desert land in the southwest, and to prevent the devastating floods which in the past have caused tremendous damage in the states of the lower basin.
 The Colorado River Is like pur- ring brook in the shadow of Mt. Rich thofen, Colorado Rockies, it's source, but becomes a raging torrent when 1t reaches the Grand Canyon of the Ari- zona after a drop of some 10000 feet in the 1,1OO-mile course to that point.
 The states affected by the pact are Arizona, California Colorado, Ne vada, Utah and Wyoming. It IS ex- pected that the amicable agreement will preclude costly litigation that has been threatened over water rights dis- uutes among these states. The treaty to become effective, must be ratified by che legislatures of the several states and by the United States Con gress.
The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-28
DEATH BULLET
 THOUGHT FIRED BY 5 ANOTHER CHILD

NEW YORK, Dec. 2S.-Police de tectiyes are Investigating the cir cumstances surrounding the death here two days ago of Teresa Nc Carty. the ten-year-old girl who was found in the bathroom of her home with bullet hole through the heart. Examination has shown that the course of the bullet, a .22-calibre, was slightly upward, fact which tends to substantiate the theory that an other child of similar height may have been responsible for the tragedy. It is claimed that if an older and taller person had fired the shot the course of the bullet would have been downward.
The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-28
COMMUNISTS WORK
 TO DESTROY FACTORIES

BERLIN, Dec 2S. - The German Communists are systematically de- stroying factory property in several places and burning plants in the vi- cinity of Dusseldorf and Cologne. The police say that they have evidence proving that systematic efforts are being made by the Communists to work hardships on the workers so that they will aid in the disturbances against the government. While the Communists are actively trying to ex- ploit misery for their own political ends, the Berlin police are taking special precautions to protect the Russian refugees here against whom both the Monarchists and Reds are said to be conspiring.
The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-28
NelU Auto 11ntic Color and
 Fast yob Printing Press Is Ordered for Daily Times

The owner of the Daily Times is a firm believer in the stability and future of Cordova, and in order that his printing office may. be kept abreast of the times, and in fact as well equipped with modern machin- cry as any newspaper in the States, an order has been placed with Barnhardt Bros. X Spindler, one, of the leading machinery firms in the United States, for Kelly Auto- matic Two-Revolution Press. It is the last word in an improved print ing press, which will produce printing in one or more colors, register per fectly and do the finest grade of color work. The absolute automatic feed combining the utmost simplicity with greater effectiveness and re- liability than were ever before real ized in an automatic feeding mechan- ism, makes it possible to produce rapidly and much more cheaply a variety of work which otherwise had
The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-28

to be done slowly by hand feed. This press has an unexcelled speed of 3600 impressions per hour and the automatic feed will handle any weight of paper from onion skin to cardboard.
 When this marvellous press is in- stalled in the Daily Times office 1t will be the only one of the kind in Alaska, and we will be equipped to turn out the highest grade job work. So great is the demand for the Kelly presses in the best printing offices of the larger cities that the factory is unable to manufacture them fast enough to supply the trade, although they turn out from forty-eight to sixty presses a month. AS conse- quence the order for the Daily Times press, which was placed some time ago, will not be shipped from the fac tory for six weeks, but delivery is guaranteed on the steamship Ala meda, sailing from Seattle February %
The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-28
TRAPPE||||D||IEs ! N LONE FIGHT
 WITH WOLVES

PORT ARTHUR, Ont. Dec. 28.-A tragedy of the silent and ruthless North has just been enacted near Ignace, Ontario, according to grue- some evidence discovered yesterday. An elderly man, traprer, who has been living seventy miles north of 1gnace but who had come south to that place, left 1gnace last Saturday on a short trip, stating that he would return on Christmas Day. When the trapper failed to appear. the post master of the town sent out two Indians to seek him. Two miles from the settlement the Indians came upon human bones, bits of dog har- ness and signs of wolves. In the prospect of bounties, the Indians pur- sued the wolves. Yesterday new searching party came upon patch in the snow two miles beyond the first discovery, where lay the bodies of sixteen wolves, quantity of empty shells, bones and bits of clothing It is believed that the old trapper, confronted by the pack, fought desperate battle for hfe be- fore he finally succumbed, his body being torn to pieces by the wolves and borne back toward the settle ment to the spot where the first signs of the tragedy were found.
The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-28
FRANCE READY
 TO ACT ALONE ON GERMANY

PARIS, Dec. 28.-The decision ren- dered by the Preparations Commission, which has declared that Germany IS in voluntary default in her deliveries of wood, as required by the Versailles Treaty, will be followed up by the French Government at the meeting of the Allied premiers which con- venes here next week. It is stated in official circles that Premier Poin- care plans to present to the meeting, the proposal that the wood be taken out of German State forests, as has been guaranteed. It is understood that in the event that the premiers do not agree, France is prepared to act alone. %& o }=
The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-28
MUTES READ LIPS .. ...... ... < FOR FRAME-UP SIGNS
 IN F1STIC BOUTS

7
 PARIS, Dec 2S.-In an effort to as- certain whether or not there was a "frame-up" on the part of the mana gers of the two contestants in the Siki-Carpentier fight for the cham pionship of Europe, as has been de- clared by Siki, a novel experiment was made yesterday by the French Boxing Federation. Moving pictures were pre- sented before two deaf mutes, who were instructed to watch the lips of the two managers in an effort to as- certain by lip-reeding the words spo- ken by them during the fight. The Commission stated that the experi- ment was successful.
The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-28
NEW CHINA CABINET
 NAMED BY PRESIDENT

PEKING, Dec. 28.-President u Yuan-Hung, has accepted the resigna- tion of the cabinet, headed by Wang Chung-Hui, as acting premier. Wang Ta-Hsieh is named acting premier and minister of finance, and c. T. Wang (Wang Cheng-Ting) foreign minister. Wang Chung-Hui was i'm peached by the House of Representa- tives together with Foreign Minister Wellington Roo, on the ground that he had participated in signing the agreement with Chino-Italian bank under which commission is alleged to have been paid for the proposed
 Notation of loan of G6,000000.
The Cordova daily times., 1922-12-28
.l(Iil,te'r z Go h|,es For
 |ElightH Olyn,piqd

Nations and other special opening featnres. ss
 Saturday. July 5, to Sunday, July IS, Aeld sports, afternoons only.
 Sunday, July 6, to Wednesday July g. Greco-Roman wrestling.
 Thursday, July 10, to Sunday, July 1S. wrestling -catch-as-catch-can.
 Thursday, July 10, to Monday, July IA. rowing. S
 Saturday, July 12, to Thursday July IF, pentathlon.
 Sunday, July 13. 8 p. m. Banquet in honor of the International Olympic Committee.
 Sunday, July IS, to Sunday, July 20, tennis. t r
 Sunday, July IS, to Sunday, July 20, swimming. -..
 Tuesday, July 15, to Sunday, July 20. boxing. @
 Thursday, July IT,. to Wednesday 1uiy %, 6yuhaSlico anu uouuohSlia a tion of popular sports.
 Sunday, July, 8 p. m. Demonstra. tion of French boxing.
 Monday, July 21. to Thursday, July "A, weight throwing and demohstra- tion of Pelote Basque.
 Monday, July 21, to Sunday, July 27. equestrian events. .
 Wednesday, July 29, to Sunday, July 27, bicycle races.
 Thursday, July 24, to Sunday, July 27 yachting.
 Sunday, July 27, games officially close.
 Monday, July 28, meeting of con- gress of committees.