davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-11-11

"Star-Spangled Banner Finished i'm Rowboat

The last lines or '"rhe Star-Span-
gled Banner" were written in a row.
boat by Francis Scott Key and were
not penned in the hold of q prison
ship as the old school books taught.
Legendary history was that Key
was prisoner Of war while watching
the British bombardment of Baltimore
and Fort McHenry during the war Of
1872. The correct story has been
brought to light by the Woman's
Home Companion, which shows that
Key was permitted to go to the Brit
ish flagship under a truce signal to
obtain the release of q friend who had
been taken prisoner, and arrived just
as the enemy was ready to open fire.
The young poet developed his verses
during the anxiety of the night, but
1t was while returning to shore in a
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-11-11

does not like to recall the face of the
German machine gunner as the bay.
oEet passed. through his throat. All
soldiers who had any considerable
amount of combatant service have
similar memories. They might be
the scream of mule on she'll
wracked road; the ludicrous tum
bling of a man blown in the air b.,
a high explosive shell; the face of u
stricken comrade gradually turnin.
black from a hemorrhage: the feeble
struggles of a MORALLY wounded sol
dier trying IN vain to get on his feet.
or the hammering of the barrage 10
his head, or aching fatigue.
Whatever the memories, they were
OF incidents the soldier would like to
forget. Multitudes of them were in the
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-11-11

minds Of soldiers when the armistice
was called. That was why, when
they climbed out of the Shiny mud
OF shell holes and stood erect on No
vember IL, 1918, there was nothing in
their hearts but boundless gladness
that at last the Internal thing was
over. .s5s,
Perspective Now Possible.
With such thoughts fresh In his
mind is it surprising the veteran sol
der did not like TO discuss the war
with folk who spoke of going over
the top as of game? But nine years
have gone by and slowly tongues that
were bound have loosened. War is
not all horror. Little by little the
amusing incidents began to be told
the man who went to sleep while put
ting up barbed wire in No Mans land
and had to be hunted for; the blitha.
some details of the first and second
A. w. o. t.; evenings in Grandmere's
kitchen; the squad sent out to sup
press machine gun. that found it.
self in a patch or ripe OlackDerfleS,
and stayed there.
Time blurs the sharp edges of hor
ror and the mind recalls the lighter
things. So with the war. 1t is only
recently it has been talked aboul
again. First the amusing happen
ings and lately the realities have been
told.
Not merely the soldiers, but all the
peoples engaged in 1t never wanted tu
bear the word again, when the war
ended. But the parade of years has
placed the great conflict far enough
away from us to he seen. Stories of
the war appear in magazines, in books,
on the stage and in the movies, and
everywhere the effort has been to
achieve realism. The literature of the
war is grisly literature. There is no
place In it for the poisonous roman.
ticism that seeks to glorify war as
the natural test of national manhood
Boston Globe.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-11-11

on the hilltop, and at the same time,
under wise and beneficent Providence.
earning their own subsistence. how.
ever bare and joyless--such was Ma
lures divinely ordained plan, the
Creightons had always reverently and
devoutly believed, and no religious
believers had ever lived up to creed
more faithfully and consistently.
Our young heir to the great Creigh-
ton estate, as he started on his way
back to the appointed meeting place,
decided that if Nicely Chat was her
silly "Meely') were not there
this time he would certainly go home.
"And," he told himself as he lit a
cigarette and began his second ascent
of the hill, 'if do so home without
seeing her, she'll surely pay the piper !!
If don't decide to drop her alto.
gether!"
He had an uneasy suspicion that
this latter course would not hurt her
nearly SO much as it would fret him
though it had been she that had made
the first advances in their intimacy;
at barn dance in the neighborhood
Of his home; outraging the rural con-
ventions in her determination to at.
tract his attention by boldly execut-
ing dance solo down the length OF
the barn, stopping before him with a
deep curtsey and holding out her
lovely arms in inyitation-after which
he had danced with no one else during
the remainder of the evening.
She had tried that evening to pin
him down to date for their next
meeting, but though he had fully in
tended to meet her again, he had kept
her In SUSPENSE; not only for that eve.
ming, but for two weeks following.
Uncertainty-that was the weapon for
winning and holding a girl.
He had confidently expected her to
try to seek him out. But when a whole
week had passed without sign from
her, he had begun to grow restless.
Each succeeding day and night that
he waited grew longer, intolerably
longer, and he had finally realized,
with an ironical amusement at his
own expense, that all the "uncer-
tainty" he had meant to intiict upon
her, he himself was enduring with
poignancy that astonished and an
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-11-11
Got Through, All Right

Recently there visited in this city
genuine old Georgia Cracker" from
the outlying piney woods section of
that state. While here he attended
for the first time in his life an Epis-
copal church service. Later he re-
marked to a friend:
sit was all as interestin' as a pos
sum hunt. never did know much o.
what all the folks about me was ado
in, but Jest kept my wits about me
am fell an riz with 'em every tIme."-
Boston Globe.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-11-11

small boat the following morning that
he wrote exultantIy "'Tis the Star
Spangled Banner. Oh! long may 1t
wave Ger the land of the free and the
home of the brave"
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-11-11
Children Cry for
Z 2g3gyEya2 I
l&S7Q;]l:l
High Finance

II keep on reading about capital and
labor, but I never understand about
It." II
"That's simple You give me $40;
that's the capital. ID
"And the labOr?"
"That's what you have getting 1t
back from me. Madrid De Excelsior.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-11-11
Thought for the Day

ArElistice day! just one minute
we give that day to those who
gave eternity.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-16
Preparation 90 Per Cent?
Inspiration 10 Per Cent
That Is What Edison Said About Genius and Success

Youth instinctivey hates and resists hard work
Boys and girls do what they like to do Education and
training usually arranged that the
young 30 not like them
The difficult problem of fathers and mothers make
youth its dislike Of hard work II be done if
interest be aroused.
The boy that would regulate his diet home will sit
patiently training table in his college eating ordered
for the sake Of future victory
The boy that would not willingly go errand for his
mother will put shoes with spikes and funny little running
breaches cut off short and in his bare LEGS race around
cner path by the hour hoping that day somebody will
saw that he won and honored his school or college
Everything is hard work.
It is hard work to be bornhard for the mother and for
the child
hard work to de-hard for those that are leaving the
world and hard for those that look upon the death
Louis the Fourteenth most domneering and polite of kings
said to his wife, Madame de Mantenon in his last moments
q. imagined it difficult to die He was old he
had been king sevenywo years. but found death
hard Madame de Mantenon found very esome watch
ing him.
There not single great in all history, real
success that did have hard work and much discourage
ment for its foundation.
You must not only work hard but form the habit of hard
work practice it until it is hard longer.
With average intelligence there is nothing but hard
work necessary to make good success He who will be
independent Not all be- famous counted among the
men Of genius Of whom Edison said that their
per cent inspiration and ninety per cent perspaticn
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-16
One Way to Keep Up High
Utilities Rates to the Public

The Public Utilities Commission has long threatening
to lower telephone rates in the District
The last effort to do so resulted the telephone
pany rushing to the courts for protection something the
public doesn't know meaning Of in utilities questions
AS the Public Utilities Commission still bent trying
to give District patrons Of telephone company lower e
phone rates. there the newspaper announcement that
the company is planning spend $17O00O replacement
and new construction here in the next five years
The average telephone gives little thought the fact
that the alleged expenditure Of this much money all added
t the total valuation Of telephone properties here and under
the law the public must pay reasonable return upon the
total fair value
when heavy capital expenditures increase the valuation of
public utility there is little chance that utility pre-
vent it, Of any reduction in its charges to the public
So have another to prevent lower telephone
rstes in the District for years to come II
Possibly the Public Utilities Commission will get bunch
to the situation and not permit itself to be gassed de-
ceived.
The Commission if this $17OOO000 program assumes def
mite FORM should its powers ascertain how much Of
hs program actually necessary and how much Of it is
padding to increase valuation.
The Federation Of Citizens Associations and the Advisory
Council might also fit to institute inquiries
It is mighty commendabe thing for public utilities
to spend big money for extensions and replacement
TO serve the public.
Il is still another thing to actually KNOW just how much
IL is expanding because every dollar claimed having been
expended must be paid upon by the public.
Telephone rates here have long been kept at maximum
largely through this very practice Of skyrockeng capital
expenditures thereby running the total valuation
In additions and beerments the Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Company credited by the P. o. having
the sumo were added fair valuation In 1917 $2O724
1918 So 1885, 1919 84 1890 1857 S67 1921 $22166
1922 $797eo3; 1928 $172444e; 1924, $1,5Ss4S5 1926
These large not indicate that the telephone
company is in state Of deterioration especially when the
has regularly been setting aside large sums Of money
The duty Of the Public Utilities Commission to encourage
telephone extensions and that are useful and
necessary for public service It's important duty is to
prevent PADDING Of capital expenditures to keep telephone
rates at the highest possible figure.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-16
DR.. FRANK CRANES
DAILY EDITORIAL
u a s { e n
By DR.. FRANK CRANE


yHE remarkable phenomenon the universe is the
coming again to life Of dead vegetation.
When the earth up in the Spring the leaves
unfold the grass greens and the flowers bloom 1t is SYM
boca races the temperate of the regeneration
OF lfc
It is but natural therefore, that mankind should have
sort of festival to celebrate this renewing
The accepted festival in Christendom is Easter time
which probably borrows its origin from pagan countries
But matter where it began and matter how it is
christianized, it appeals to humanity.
It's lesson is that life is eternal
From things that apparently dead things
The dead die and seed terminates under proper conditions
No matter how long life has lain dormant there is in it
tn seed of future life.
Seeds have been found in the possession Of Egyptian
mummieS which when planted produce flowers.
Mankind faces the future The resurrection and the f
ture life always float before 1t is the unextngush
able belief of the human that life shall continues how
and where know not
That the dead remain forever gone and spent repug
nant to our instincts
Mountains eroded and dry up. Everything in
nature decays But what nature teaches not only the
sad lesson Of universal death and its sway but has that
other lesson of the universal coming to life again This
the lesson that teaches in the Easter
There always hope therefore springs eternal in the
human breast and it is just verdant when stand by
the closed grave of loved it is when stand
by the cradle of infant
Easter is as if there were blast from the trumpet of
the Eternal which tells hope on struggle for
thing quickehed except it die says the apostle and
out of the dead of the old the dead brings the germs of
life for the
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-16

keenly the competition of the in.
sects.
We have triumphed in the con-
test with the hoofed animals and
their fellow ''predators," but can
we triumph over the infinite null
titudes Of the insects? That does
not appear to be so sure. We set
one insect race to fight another;
but that is. in its nature, a peril
Gus experiment. Our allies are
not such through sympathy or
similarity of interests. They Ire
merely predatory fighters; they
fight only to eat, and when Their
natural food is gone they may
turn upon the plants and repeat
the ravages Of the very tribes
that they were called in by man
to exterminate!
II we cannot effectively protect
the food products of the land
against the growing insect hordes,
does the ocean promise us inn
portant succor?
What has the sea to offer Tor
the future" asks Mr.. Clark. And
his answer is less optimistic than
would, perhaps, have been ex-
pected.
much less" he says, than is
commonly supposed" And he
shows that sea life IL dependent
to a very large extent upon ma.
terial derived from life on the
land. Life decreases in abundance
with distance from the land, and
becomes very scanty or disap-
pears in mid-ocean. Also "sea
creatures are more abundant and
OF larger size on the shores of
continents and of large, high,
rainy islands than on the shores
Of the small, dry. low-lying islands
In the same latituoes."
In short, then, it may be that
we shall have to tighten our belts
for a fight to the death with the
insects, recognizing that this is a
war in which "sea power" does
not count.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-16
SEEK OTHER
JOBS

DESPITE increased wages for
~ every class of domestic
workeran increase of from 200
to 800 per cent in decade--and
demand that constantly outruns
supply. servants in the United
States are disappearing as fast
as the bittern and the bison. points
out John K. Winkler in an
acticle in this weeks Liberty.
by the census OF 1870" the
writer explains, "3,772.559 persons
were employed in domestic and
personal service in this country.
In 1920 the number was 3,404,892.
Today, despite a growth in
population Of almost 30,O00,000
since 1910, the number of persons
who earn their livelihood by serv-
ing the rest OF us has shrunk,
experts estimate. to less than
100000.
Elm other words" the writer
continues. Tin 1910 one.third of
the women engaged in gainful
occupation were domestics. while
In 1920 only one-fourth of the
women we're 30 engaged. Now
the percentage Is probably about
One-fifth."
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-16

Hlf1Is is the story Of a little
i tree.
IT is also the story Of all
Casters.
The little tree came to me on
morning when / was very sad.
It was Easter morning. The
early sunlight chung in damp
filaments to the steaming earth
TIL lilac branches spread their
budding twigs against the dap
pied sky. Along the tagged walk
OF my garden primroses were in
bloom, their small gay disks Of
lemon, rose and lavender flung
like confetti amongst their fresh
green leaves. The scarlet petals
from a Towering ounce f1oated
upon the lily pond and near
them a young robin splashed and
shook his tail. Somewhere there
Wa the rush and tinkle of
brook. A thrush call dubbed,
like a string of amber bells.
And everywhere the perfume rose
like smoke. smelling of STIR
ring earth, green sap and flower
chalices afloat with dew.
Easter-that bright, awakening
day that has comforted so many
sad hearts. But my heart was
. no comforted, for the boy I
loved still slept his long, long
sleep and sent no message to me
on that Easter morn.
And then my sister came.
Ia IL
tree with crisp. bright leaves
and sturdy. upright stem.
Here is your Easter gift"
she said. This is a laurel tree
from which they made the
wreaths for victors in the days
of Rome. The Victory Laurel
| brought 1t for our boy who
was so brave
The Victory Tree
How strong and proud it was,
that baby tree! How CALAMITY
it held its bright young head
before the fast. fierce world OF
growing things. Suddenly the
little tree seemed to speak and
saw the tremendous purpose
that lay behind its life.
The drama Of the seed-the
feeble thrusting sprout imprisoned
in the hard, dark shell of
earth-the sharp, instructive
yearning toward the light-the
steady, ceaseless struggle for the
right Of way--and then at last,
the proud, green ieaping from
the soil.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-16
LISTEN, WORLD!
By ELSIE ROBINSON

That was the story of my little
tree That was the story Of all
life, all love, all birth and death
it was written plain for me to
read-in those few leaves-in
that small pot of soil.
What tales of conquest that
brown earth could tell! The salty
ebb and flow of the first sea, with
the thin line of life left by reced-
ing waves. The dead and crum-
pied crust of that spent life was
in that soil. But not the force
that made it live-that force
went on.
Huge lizards fighting for their
food in Mesozoic swamps. Their
blood soaked in the soil but not
their force-that force went on.
The first small mammal lnuddled
in its hairy coat. while the great
Ice Cap blotIed out all other life
on earth. Its saving coat had
gone back to the soil but not its
force-that force went on.
And then those first bent men,
with long arms fumbling like
hairy apes and small eyes peering
from their low-browed skulls.
Long. long ago their bones had
turned to dust but not their force
or dreams they still went on.
THEIR FORCE WENT ON!
That inner fire. that urge and
thrust and prayer which we name
Soul. or God or fail to name at
all--that fire did not die. It could
not pass awav. 1t shed and shed
again its transient house. The
scales and fangs and claws, the lit.
tie appetites and brief. bright days
OF fame, were dust upon the high
way OF the years. But that bright
flame which warmed them did not
die.
They might e drowned in water.
burned In fire. wasted by sick
ness. hanged upon cross. but
still their Force stayed victor over
Life and Death.
Force could not be imprisoned
In a tomb.
Each tiny seeding burst from
out the grave.
Each bird at Matching broke
from some white cell.
Each babe at borning won the
fight once more.
There, all about me, stood the
shining proof. Not Just on Easter
morning but on every day. need
not wait till Easter for a miracle.
Each second saw Force conquer
over Death.
And all my garden glowed with
Victory!
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-16
INSECT MENACE
By Garrett P. Seryiss

THERE Is a profound struggle.
\ an irrepressibIe conflict, be-
tween two great orders of living
creatures on this globe. repre-
scented by man on one side and
insect on the other. The vast
importance Of the struggle be-
tween them has only within
Few years past begun to be prop
erly recognized. Says Austin II.
Clark, Of the Smithsonian Institu-
ton, in a paper on the CBiolog.
ical Relationships of the Land,
the Sea and Man.:
I'VE are beginning to feel keen
, ~ the competition. Of the insects.
Our further increase in the not
distant future will be measured
by the success we may attain in
the displacement of the insects
from their normal food which we
shall ourselves consume. The
ability of our grandchildren to
live will be measured by their
ability to suppress their equivalent
in. insects .
That means that the insect
world Is our bitter economic rival.
Thus considered, a gray-colored
beetle. no bigger than the tip of
a gold pencil, glittering in the
sunshine as he fits across a foot.
path. may be more a subject for
anxious thought from the view.
point Of human interests than an
object Of desire TO fill out an
entomoiogist's pinned collection.
Must Produce Food
OF the three great essentials to
life on planet-air, water and
food-nature furnishes two all
ready for mans use. The third
he must seek and work for and
obtain through an intermediary,
viz, the plant world. A second
intermediary, the race of mlIk.giv-
ing and flesh-giving animals,
comes between him and the plants
to supply large portion of mans
food.
But while certain animals that
we have domesticated for our
uses are preserved and cultivated
by us, yet Mr.. Clark points out
that I'VE never bring an area
under extensive cultivation until
the large plant-eating animals
have mostly been killed off"
In that way we rid ourselves of
our larger rivals. Animals that
Z cannot serve us as food sources
we eliminate. Each one .of us
represents the forcible displace-
raent and suppression of our
equivalent In life of other types,
the normal, primitive predatora
upon the plants by which we
live"
Beaten HOOfed Animals
OF course, then, we ourselves
are ''predators," but it does not
sound polite to say so in our own
hearing. At the present time, &C.
cording to Mr.. Clark, the relative
number of human beings on the
earth has become so great that
our existence at the expense of
the hoofed animals, the rabbits.
rats and mice. and similar other
creatures is nearing the satura-
ton point" and that Re the reason
why we yArs beginning TO feel 90
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-16
NEGOTIATIONS
OF A WIFE
BY Helen Rowland.
Spring Temptations

Spring Temptations
MY Son, not ALL the tempta.
1V1 tions of Spring are the call
Of the heart, the glance from a
come-hither eye, and the tingle
Of rowing FOOT!
For, verify, the April Fool COM
mitch many follies. If he
watcheth not his step.
Go to. There is the tempta-
ton TO read the ravishing descrip-
tions of suburban bungalows, and
to go forth and sign away thy
liberty for the rest of thy natural
life, for a mess Of cottage in Mud
hurst.
Likewise there IL the impulse
to squander thy substance upon
garden seeds, and to court pneu-
monia. digging holes in the
ground. and planting vegetables
which thou despiseth.
And though 1t hath been said
that. whatsoever man soweth,
that shall he reap; yet many a
man hath sown radishes and
onions, only to reap wet feet and
dande1ions and remorse.
There is the temptation to write
for catalogues of mountain
resorts, and for prospectusess of
seaside hotels, and to believe all
the beautiful applesauce and fair
promises therein!
-
And there is the temptation to
peruSe the motor-car advertise
ments, and to trade in thy faith
full old touring car for new
sedan and new set Of problems
and troubles.
For an old car. like unto an old
wife, hath this charm. Thou
knowest all its whims and vagaries
and weaknesses. But a new car
is constant SURPRISE!
There is the temptation to fling
aside thine overcoat upon fair
and deceptive day. But when the
snow Ealleth and the wind
bloweth upon the morrow, thou
shalt find thyself laid low be-
Hcdlu n AuuSIdIu spldSlcFs Ana
none shall pity thee in the hour
of thy repentance.
And there Is the temptation to
express thyself" in passionate
hat-bands and snappy socks to
the delight OF thine enemies and
the shame of thy wife, when thou
saunterest forth clad as the
Aurora Borealis!
There is the temptation to wish
myself married. IL thou art still
bachelor. and to commit myself
and all thy worldly goods to
some woman for life!
And the temptation to wish
myself single. If thou art welded,
and to commit myself to q fool.
ish filtration, and to the writing
OF sentimental verses for which
thou shalt pay dearly before the
first snowfall!
Verify. verify. the temptations
of spring are as many as the
taxicabs Of Broadway--and a mil.
lion times more dangerous. And
only a strong man may escape
their seductivensss!