davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Overpopulation

Nature sees to it, it seems, that the
world isn't overpopulated.. The care
less and the unsanitary, any biologist
will tell you, perish. The heaviest.
toughest producers. the ragweed for
instance, are given no flower or fruit,
nor are they edible. So man despises
them and. tramples them under foot.
Here is something to ponder: When
the Gulf stream meets the Polar cur
rent. the miscropic beings in the sea
weed carried by the current freeze,
die and sink. The herring eat them.
Each herring lays 10000 eggs. The
cod eat the herring. Each cod lays
9,0O0.0O0 eggs. The sturgeon eat the
cod. Sharks eat the sturgeon. Each
shark has one offspring Evansville
Journal.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Silly Idea Prevalent
That Idleness Is Sin

America is the only country in the
world where idleness is one of the
seven deadly sins, according to Irwin
Edman, novelist and essayist, writing
in Harper's.
"With us leisure has been a melO-
dramatic escape into excitement" he
points out, "or moralistic flight into
self-improvement. We oscillate be-
tween night clubs and outlines Of cul-
ture. Every one has at some time
or other been present at determined
ly gay party. He has seen ordinarily
quiet, intelligent people become will
fully noisy and stupid. He has seen
men and women, separately delightful
and entertaining prance about, loudly
screaming vulgarities, acting like
grown-up babies of the age. And his
pain has been increased by a sense
that none of these people cared to do
the silly things they were doing. They
drank more than they really wished
to, and uttered hiccoughing nonsense
that they themselves despised.
Every on, likewise, has listened to
a group of people at dinner or after
ward, talk with obligatory boredom
about the modish books and plays
and ideas. Spontaneity, which is the
essence of any truly spiritual life,
flies out of the conversation and out
of the window when culture becomes
deliberate"
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Cable Construction

The Western Union says that an At.
iantic cable consists of central cop
per wire which carries the electric cur
rpl .~-Around this are wound flexible
icot er tapes. which in case of break
N the wire would carry the current
around the gap. This is wrapped with
i, permalioy tape whose magnetic quai
tiles give the cable its great speed
This metallic part of the cable is first
inclosed in a thick covering of gutta
rercha. which holds the currents to
their path. Around this is a wrapping
nf jute. which cushions the pressure
OF several miles of sea water. Eight.
cen steel armor wires surround the
cushion and protect the cable from
injury. The whole is incased in an
outer coating or wrapping of tarred
hemp cords
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Great French Writer
Had Odd Superstition

Emile lola, the French writer, had
a mania for counting, Pierre Van
Paassen relates, in the New York
Evening World. He was extremely
restless and his nerves completely
dominated him, so he could not have
a minute without some mental occu-
patton. Even when he was strolling
about the streets his nerves forced
him to count his steps and to count
everything he saw, the trees he.
passed, the dogs he encountered on
walk, the number of carriages that
passed him, the windows in the house
opposite his own, the street lamps, the
number of men and the number of
women.
Curiously enough, lola, who is gen.
orally taken as one of the most en-
lightened spirits Of his time, noted
down all these figures, divided them,
multiplied them and added them to
discover if by chance they would re-
veal some number that he considered
lucky.
lola was as happy as child if he
discovered figure that he thought
would bring him luck, and after
mornings stroll over the Paris boul-
evards set to work with gusto. The
other way around, if his calculations
did not produce lucky number, he
grew morose and mournful and could
not write a line the rest of the day.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Pocket Sundial

A pocket sundial is among the. many
curios in the collection at Old Court
house, Hampton court, where Chris
topher Wren lived.
1t has a. hinged style with a NOV
able pointer, At the top end is a
compass and on. the back are the
names of several towns in various
countries, each indicated by a nun
Der.
To tell the time at any particular
place, the number of the town is as
certained from the list at the back,
and the style adjusted so that the
pointer corresponds to the number
of the town. The dial is then turned
so that it faces north, and the time
is given on the dial.-London Tit
Bits.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Chinese Shot0 Little %
Regard for Shrines

Public religion appears to be in a
more healthy condition in Japan than
in China. Japanese temples are far
better kept up than are Chinese tenn
pies. One sees many splendid places
Of Shinto worship. Apparently Shin
toism is closely connected with wor-
ship of the emperor. A magnificent
Shinto shrine has recently been con-
structed on hilltop overlooking
Seoul, the capital of what used to be
called Korea, but Is now known as
Chosen.
The Japanese on entering q temple
Enclosure are respectful and seem to
be in a worshipful mood. Their shoes
are left outside and they walk either
in their stocking feet or in soft san
dals provided by the temple authori-
ties.
In China, on the other hand, the
temples are usually in bad repair. FIRE.
quently they are occupied by soldiers.
In Buddhist temple / saw one Of the
celebrated shrines rallied off as a can
teen where the soldiers bought their
cigarettes and sweetmeats. The sa-
cred image itself was partly concealed
by merchandise.
No one thinks of taking off his
shoes in a Chinese temple. One sees
few Chinese worshiping. Apparently
the principle religion is ancestor wor-
ship, and that takes place behind the
scenes in the home, where the family
altar represents the place for the
highest type of aspiration. There is
a sanctity about home life in China
that one does not find elsewhere.
Senator Hiram Bingham, in Worlds
Work.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02

Quilts are supposed to have been
used for writing pens in the Fifth CEN
fury, though the conjecture rests
mainly ON an anecdote of Theodore,
king of the Ostrogoths, who, being so
illiterate that he could not write even
the initials of his own name, was pro-
vided with plate of gold through
which the letters were cut, and, this
being placed on the paper when his
signature was required, he traced the
letters with a quill. The date of the
earliest certain account of the mod
ern writing pen is 636. The next mo-
tice occurs in the latter part of the
same century, in Latin sonnet to a
pen by Aldhelm, Saxon author.
Steel pens were first made by Wise,
In England. II 1903.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Fe-D Readers Who 60
Not Enjoy Pictures

There is Chinese proverb, the pur-
port of which is: zone picture is
worth a thousand words" says Rear
Admiral Sncw in the Antiquarian
Magazine. A reason for this saying.
centuries old, may lie in the fact that
the written language of the Chinese
peoples, though truly pictorial, can
only be mastered by prodigious exer-
else of the memory. However out of
perspective are their drawings and
pictures, it is much easier to gain an
idea of situation from one of their
pictures than it is to commit to men,
DRY the Chinese ideographs used to
describe the episode.
The oriental people are not, how
ever, alone in their estimation of the
value of illustrations as means of
quickly conveying information. Any
occidental who has observed at all
carefully the action of children upon
picking up a new book, or running
through favorite old one, must have
remarked their inclination, first and
last, is to look through the pages and,
from the pictures scanned with concen-
trated attention, fix in their minds the
persons, places and incidents about
which they are going to read.
We are often told that "grownups"
are very much like children wearing
mask. In looking at pictures or old
prints we older people do gain useful
information and experience much
pleasure; we are like children.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
World NelOs Made Up
OF EYhe0f and Chat

Do not be distressed overmuch by
news Of evil. This is a wide, wide
world. 1t contains much that is bad
but more that is good. Righteous
ness Is slowly. but surely. triumphing
over sim.
II you do not believe that, or mere
siy have not realized 1t, turn for mo-
ment to contemplation of happier
things Turn your tired eyes from
the days record of evil to the days
golden roll of honor. There is more
Of good news than of bad news today,
every day. There Is more to see on
the sunny side, and 1t is more worth
seeing.
.NAere are only two reasons for
zg at ugly things: either that we
~ more fully know evil when we
meet 1t. even in gilded robes; or that
we may grapple with 1t and blot II
ont.
Broad highroads Of honor lead to
every worthy goal Of life. The mud
roads are in the lowlands, leading
only to dissolution and corruption. If
we travel the mud road 1t Is at our
own v0lition.
Sin is not the harvest Of life. It Is
the chaff threshed from the whole
some grain and will be swept from
the threshing floor. Why look upon
the chaff when the grain is there?
II some days the volume of chaff
seems greater than others, know that
the threshing has been more thorough.
This is wide, wide world, and full
of sweetness for those who would find
it.-Helena (Mont.) Record-Herald.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Soapsuds and Plants

Are soapsuds beneficial to plants?
The United States bureau of plant
industry says they probably are, espe-
cially when the soapy water is put on
during rather. dry weather. But it is
believed that the mere presence of the
soap has little effect on plants one
way or the other. There probably is
no real stimulative effect from that
source. 1t is the excessive watering
of the ground that causes the plants
to grow faster. There is no doubt,
however, that soapy water is a good
dressing for the soil.-Pathfnder Mag
aZine.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Date-Groruing Experiments

Early in the present century two ex-
perimental date orchards were estab-
lished in the Coachella valley, Cali
fornia; one at Mecca, in 1904, by the
bureau of plant industry of the Unit
ed States Department of Agriculture
in cooperation with the horticultural
department of the University of Cali
fornia, and the other at Indio. In 1907.
by the bureau of plant industry. A
large number of the best date va.
rieties of the Old world have been test
ed In these gardens.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Daddy on Fire

Little Mildred ran into the house
the other day and screamed: "Oh,
mother, I just saw daddy on fret!
"On fret" the startled mother cried,
and Mildred vigorously nodded her
head.
After a maternal cross-examination
it turned out that Mildred had passed
the barber shop and saw barber
applying matches to her fathers hair.
She had run all the way home to tell
mother and save daddy's life.
When father came home few min.
utes later he was surprised at the af.
fectionate greeting Of his little daugh-
ter, who was delighted to see that he
had escaped from the fire fiend alive
--phila4I1lpllia Raca=@ -S
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
A Point Problem,

The chairman of a loca. council In
ireland was not an educated man. He
was giving his account of the years
splendid work done by the council
He read the report by the medical
officer Of health, and quoted the death
rate as 1873 per thousand.
mr.. Chairman" asked one Of his
opponents, thinking to make capital
ont of his lack of education. what
does ~ point 8 mean?"
"What does It mean?" replied the
chairman, looking severely at his ques
iioner. sit means that out of every
thousand inhabitants II have died
and Q are at the point of DEATH"
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Generous Enough

An old merchant, landlord, of
southern Indiana, quite wealthy, was
riding majestically over his many acres
after attending to some business with
his tenantry. He was surprised in
catching man in one Of his corn
bins putting corn into sack. Draw
ing up, he said:
"Say, what air you doin' there In
my corncrib?"
"Why, can't you sect" the fellow
answered. "Im taking some of your
corn"
Astounded at his holiness, the
landlord was at first speechless.
Finally, he managed to say:
swell. tech as light ont as you can.
Giddap-"
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Pope's Swiss Guard

Ever since 1905 the popes have EN-.
ployed guard made up of young
Catholics from Switzerland, at least
8 feet inches in height, unmarried
and of good reputation. If man is
not eligible for military service in
Switzerland he Is not accepted into
the guards. 1t is the duty of these
men to guard the pope and to protect
the apostolic palace. All entrances to
the palace and papal apartments from
the city are guarded by them.-Men-
tor Magazine.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
"Ask. Me Another"

Questions were being put to an In.
dianapolis lad, age six, from one OF
the intelligence test books with which
saleswomen canvas the neighbor-
hoods, and he wondered why his an
swers to two of the questions brought
laughter.
Here are the actual questions and
answers:
"Fr6m what animal do we get
pork?"
"The porcupine."
"What do we get from bees?"
"Stung."
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Pigs in Clover

In district near Pretoria, pigsties
hade Of marble and buildings cement.
I'd with pure white marble are quite
common. Practically every kind of
marble is found in this district, which
is about forty square miles in extent.
The only reason that this valuable
stone is not exploited is because of
the lack Of transport. The railway
does not extend near the district.
Stone equal to the best Parian mar.
BILE could be quarried there if the
problem Of transport could be solved
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Indttentiue

Suddenly cloud seemed to over
cast the, BRIDES features and with an
anxious note in his voice the groom
asked what was wrong.
what is it?" he cried, tremendous.
" perturbed. "Why are you sobbing
like that?"
"Be-be-because you are growing
cold towards me. You don't love me
any more!'
"Oh. my DEAR" he walled, "how
could you say that?"
WELL" she said, 81 saw you look
out of the window twice."
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Nothing Serious

Edward, colored boy. had recon
mended his mother for the position
of cook. but when she came the farm
er's wife asked doubtfully: do you
suppose you will be able to do the
work? You don't look very healthy"
"Yes, ma'am. l Is able. | amt
nuvver been noways sickly In my life
-ain't nuvver had nothin' but small
p0x an Edward
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Word to The Wisei

The pint-sizedf pooch futtered abou.
ia hobo's heels and yapped its tiny
eh-hehl wot goods dat dorgr
Keep pff tramps," Indignantly
the 1ice old lady.
ll, nov. dat is good laugh
Vim DAT little runt dor"
he banks and wakes up the big
dogs under the porch"
"Y-e-s. mum. good-day. num-"
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Much Good in Laughter

Laughter Is to life what yeast Is to
bread. Il Is heaven that llghtens
and makes paiatable an otherwise sod
den. lifeless mass. Don't be afraid to
smile and pep" things up q little
Grid.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
.0R CO

THE modern automobile is
a finely built piece of ma
chinery and it will stand a
lot of abuse. Considering
the work it does, it gives sur
prisingly little trouble. But
there isn't a car made that
will not run better and
longer if given proper care.
The first few hundred
miles are especially impor-
tant because that is when
the mechanism of your car
is being broken in.
Proper attention during
this period will lengthen its
life and prevent unnecessary
trouble later on.
We are particularly inter-
ested in this matter because
we believe it is our duty not
only to make a good auto
mobile, but to help the
owner get the greatest pos
sible use over the longest
period of time at a mini
m u m Of trouble and
expense.
With this in view, the
entire Ford dealer organ
ization has been specially
trained and equipped to SER
vice the new Model A car.
Furthermore, we have i'm
structed every Ford
dealer to give the ~
following Free ~
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02
Every purchaser of a
new Ford is entitled to
Free Inspection Service
for the first 1900 miles
= : j = :;

Inspection Service at 500,
1000 and 1900 miles:
Check battery
Check generator charging rate
Check distributor adjustments
Check carburetor adjustment
Check lights
Check brakes
Check shock absorber adjuss.
ment
Check tire Initiation
Check steering gear
Change engine oil
Lubricate chassis
No charge is made for
labor or materials incidental
to this service, except, Of
course, where repairs are
necessary through accident,
misuse or neglect. The only
charge is for new oil.
See your Ford dealer,
therefore, and get this Free
Inspection of your new car
at 500, 1000 and $500
miles. Find out, too, how
little it will cost to have your
car given a thorough going.
over at regular periods
thereafter.
A checking.up by expert
enced mechanics, together
with oiling and greasing
every 500 miles, will add
months and years to the life
of your car and mean more
economical and plea
surable motoring
every mile you drive.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-11-02

! The Port Deposit Co.,
Port Deposit, Md.
Gentlemen:
! Without obligation on my part,
please have your representative call
to explain your investment.
............ ....... ......
..'..'''''''''' '.''''''''
The Enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 192?-1930, 1928-07-12
A. M. E. Church ].
Is Hard Hit By
The Migration

WASHINGTON, d. c.. July IL
The A. NJ r. Church has gained as
churches but lost 2,54t members in
the past ten years.
U. S. Department of Commerce
figures just sent out from the Cen
sus Bureau also show how the demo-
mination spent $3,413,395 in 1916
but $7,600,161 in 1895.
A still greater loss is shown in A.
M. e. Sunday schools which have
1877 fewer officers and teachers
and 22,S04 fewer scholars than 10
years ago.
The census department which has
had Robert Pelham compiling these
statistics admits that all figures for
1926 are preliminary and subject to
correction, but 1t is not believed that
changes will materially affect the
totals.
1t shows that since 1916 A. NJ. Il.
churches in South Carolina lost al
600 members; Georgia. $4,000; Ten
nessee, $4,000; Mississippi, $4,000;
Arkansas, 5000; North Carolina,
1000; Oklahoma, 1900; Missouri,
$500.
Texas, under Bishop w. d. John
son; Florida, under Bishop John
Hurst; Alabama, under Bishop w.
A. Fountain, and Louisiana. under
Bishop A. L. Gaines, were the only
big southern states not to lose MEM
bers.
Florida gained 500 members in
the last 10 years, due. Bishop Hurst
declared, in part to the real estate
boom, which brought workers from
many adjacent states.
The table shows New York as
gaining 1900 members in the past
ten years; Pennsylvania, 5000; New
Jersey. .4,200, Michigan, $500; I'LL
nois, 1000; California. 1900: Virgil
mia, 1,100; Maryland, 500; Ohio,
5,400; Indiana, 2,30O.
This increase is doubtless due to
reclaiming the Dixie members who
moved North and West, but the to.
tails show that northern churches
have not been able to get in all of
those who formerly belonged to the
church In the South.
Tables show the A. NJ e, Church
is half rural and half urban, but
the 1.599 city churches In 1925 had
as many members as the 5.109 rural
churches, with three times as much
property and twice as much expendi-
ture of funds, f|
The Enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 192?-1930, 1928-07-12
Pullman Porter Gets 10 Years In Prison
Gas Station Jobs
Given Race Men

NEW YORK.-The Standard Oil
Company of Indiana has recenely in
stituted the policy of employing Ne
groes in its gas filling stations.
This company operates in a sec
tion of the middle west in which Ne
groes live in large numbers. De-
troit, Chicago, st. Louis and Kansas
City are so situated, and in each one
of these cities, with the probable ex-
ception of Detroit, colored men are
employed. In Chicago they are in
exclusive charge of two filling sta
tions; in st. Louis one; and in Min
neapolis one; and employed as at
tendants in Springfield, Illinois, and
Kansas City, Missouri. They are
also operating four greasing stations
in Chicago.
In the case of the St. Louis station
the general physical appearance so
improved under Negro attendants
and business so increased that it is
one of the best in St. Louis. Prizes
have been awarded to it for external
and volume of business.
The Enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 192?-1930, 1928-07-12
Pleads Guilty To \.
Girl Attack On
Northern Pacific

RITZvILLE, Wash, July TO-
Especial D-Peculiar angles develop
ed in the trial of Ellis Williams, "a,
Pullman porter, who was sentenced
Monday to state prison for 10 years
for an attempted attack on Evelyn
Novak, 10, white passenger on an
N. p. train on which Williams was
a porter. The attempted attack oc-
Cured last Friday morning on train
No. at Lind. Williams escaped
from the train and was captured on
a freight train by posse at Hill
crest last Saturday. He was brought
to Ritzville and placed in jail which
was strongly guarded to prevent any
attempt at lynching.
Williams, when first questioned,
denied he attacked Miss Novak. He
said he was not altogether respon-
sible for the incident. Monday
morning when arraigned efore
Judge John Truax, Williams plead
guilty TO charge of assault with
intent to attack. When the guilty
plea was made Prosecutor Richard
OFT dropped a second charge Of at
tempted murder which he h ad
planned to file against Williams.
According to the story told in
court, Williams struck the girl when
she screamed and she fell, striking
her head and knocking heI, uncon-
scious. Williams said he thought
she was dead so he put her in the
linen compartment. When the girl
regained consciousness she began
screaming so he jumped from the
train.
Although Williams in his plea of
guilt said he deserved punishment,
thre are .manx here who doubt he
was altogether to BLAME. Briefly,
the reasons advanced are these: Why
did Prosecutor OFT drop the contem-
plated charge of attempted murder?
If the girl screamed why didn't her
cries arouse the passengers in the
car? Why was it necessary to sum
mon President O. +. Holland of
Washington State College as a wit
ness to testify that Miss Novak had
an unimpeachable character and that
her conduct was always above re-
proach? Why did Williams change
the story he first told.