davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New Britain herald., 1928-04-14

The friendship between the young boy and the old net mender began when young John started school at the age of seven years. Som chow. somewhere al about thjs@nge he met the old man on his travels on foot from farm to farm. where the lat- ter not only mendedt nets but did other small jobs. receiving in, wages food and shelter and sometimes money.
 Today the minister remembers his old friend with a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. He was a good man and good friend. and his only weakness was that he got drunk" he says.
 The three books, cherished pos sessions of the old net mender, were turned over to the young mans school teacher with the injunction that she put them in bookcase with their backs always in view so that they would remain an tnspira- ton 10 the boy until he reached that point in his education where he would be able to read them. The continued presence of the books in front of him stirred the young man to his best efforts to master the al- phabet and by the time he was nine years old he had applied for and re- c"ived his books.
 The day he was given the books Was q carly spring day: the sun >honc brightly overhead and the snow was melting. In hts bare feet because shoes were worn only when necessary for protection against se- we're exposure. the boy with his new treasures trudged through the melt ing snow and puddles ot mud to hts home Several miles away.
 A change in the family fortunes at this time caused the family's re- moval to another town where the stone cutter had small contract dredging q river. which was used for floating logs for lumber mill, Young John, at the age of nine, vas forced by circumstances to leave school and go to work. His first, job was that of eAcavating- levelling the top of a hill for the same lumber company for which his father now worked.
New Britain herald., 1928-04-14

Although forced to leave school. the young mans appetite for educa. ton. whetted by the old net mender and the three books. was not to be denied. He read everything he could get. There was no discrimination. Novels. history. poetry. the diction- ary. the Bible. tho most bloodthirsty and blood curdling murder stories. crime. everything he could get in printed form. And l learned a lot Of things ! should not have known" he admits.
 He carried his passion for reading and study to such an extreme that his parents were worried. Finally 1t was found necessary to do some- thing drastic. The father took away the boys kerosene lamp SO he could not read at night.
 But the same spirit which later learned that only crooked rivers go around the easy way. was manifest In the boy even at that early age. He accepted the loss of tho lamp, only as an incentive for greater education efforts Night after night, when his parents thought him asleep in his bed in the attic, he could be found, flat on his stomach hidden behind g cupboard. reading with the air of q stolen tallow candle.
 From the lumber yard the young man graduated at tho age Of II to the position as bell hop in a small hotel. At the age of 10 he left home and went to work in an iron foun- dry at Hellefop. Here he came un- der the influence of 2 Christian wo- man. widow. with whom he board ed and vas confirmed In the Luth- eran church. the state church Of Sweden. This vas the first real re- 'igious atmosphere with which he had come in contact with and the influence of that woman had a great effect on his life.
 He remained there two years when his restless spirit got the bet ter of him and he left to seek work elsewhere. Here again ensued . pe- riod of hard and bitter strugxle for a living. From farm to farm he went, sometimes chopptny wood or doing odd Jobs for food and lodging, sometimes accepting tho charitable
New Britain herald., 1928-04-14
had preceded him to that city.

had preceded him to that city.
 In Chicago he obtained board with . Swedish family and worked in a rolling mill forging axlss for railroad trucks. At this time, le sayA he suddenly awoke to the fact that his opportunity 10 receive an education had been lost.
 Although he had never heard of Elthu Burritt. who learned 50 lan- guaEes by studying while at his blacksmith's forge. young Klingberg. formed Of the same indomitable will to get ahead, studied Greek and Latin grammar chalked on a piece of sheet iron while working nights as a steam hammersmith,
 He pursued his studies while working at the mill. and saved his money until there came a time when he was enabled to enter the Uni- versity of Chicago. He went first to the academy and then to the theo- logical seminary. having decided by this time to become q minister
 In 1895 he graduated from the seminary. eight years after he had arrived in America. He was ordain- cd in the Swedish Baptist church and assigned a small pastorate in South Chicago. While there he met and married Magdalene Erickson, the present Mrs. Klingberg. He re- mained there until 1900 when he came to New Britain and was made pastor of tho Film Swedish Baptist church. ....
 But fate had bigger things Tn store for him. Even at this time his life work had not yet begun. All other experiences were but prelim- inaries; simply training for a great destiny.
 With memories of his own pover- ty stricken childhood he had de- Neloped a keen sympathy for other unfortunate children. While in Chi- cago he often wished he were able to do something for the children of iron mill workers. He saw so much poverty which hordered upon desti- tution that his heart was troubled.
New Britain herald., 1928-04-14
Life Story of Rev. Dr.. Kingberg
 Reads Like Chapters From Fiction
Head of Children's Home Born in Obscurity and
 Worked as Laborer in Rolling Mill.

\ great man stood on q bridge at Berlin. Conn.,. and preached q sermon. He may not have realized he was preaching q sermon. He would object etrenuously to being '.esignated as a great man.
 Yet, to an audience of one, in une sentence and consuming but d fraction of d minute this man told his whole philosophy Of life. ex- plained how he had overcome ob- s,acles and had given homes and education to almost q thousand or phan children and in the same breath explained why most men fail while few succeed.
 Why he asked, do streams and rivers run crooked"'
 Why do they?"
 Because when they meet resis- >tance. they go around il. They take the easy way"
 Rev. John r.. klingbcrg. D, D.. the man who is said to have proved that the Bible is q practical book, capable of working modern miracles, the man who. born amidst abject poverty, now stands at the head and serves without salary one of the most unique institutions in the Unit d States if not the entire world. His story contains thrills and TO- nance which suggests the life of Abraham Lincoln; his unswcrvinS efforts 10 drag himself by his boot straps as it were from illitcracy by studying the Bible behind a cup board in his room at nights. aided only by the flickering gleam of ? fa'low candle; his persistent study ing of sentences copied from , trftE grammar onto piece of sheet iron and propped in front of lim in an iron foundry where hc
New Britain herald., 1928-04-14

operated steam hammer, parallels the record of Elihu Burritt the Nil- lage blacksmith.
 His determined effort to prove for all posterlty his faith Tn God and the practicability of the Bible from 4 business standpoint, mark him as a man Of extraordinary ability and New Britain's greatest living citizen.
 Contrasted 10 all this, his inher- ent modesty simply enhances his greatness.
 From the day. when at the age Of nine, he got his first job John klinGbers has faced and overcome obstacles. The rivers are crooked because they take the easy way,' he says.
 If one were to say that John klinsberg was born of poor but honest parents" he would be using a literal truth by means of a trito and shop worn phrase.
 When on November j, 1867, the numbcr Of children ill the family ot a swedish stone cutter OH q small tarm in the village of SaNhyttan, Province Of Westmanland, Swrlr n, was increased from five to six hy the arrival of | new boy. that young man opened his eyes on poverty which strongly suggested something akin 70 Restitution.
 Carving q living for q family of eight was as hard for that stone cut fer in those days as it vas for him to carve pieces of granite from the very stones upon which he worked. There was little railway transpor- ta'lon in SW"dcn. At lrast not enough to affect the economic prob lolns of tho stone cutters family. Each Comnunlty was almost Suffi- cient unto itself, and " hat little in
New Britain herald., 1928-04-14

 hospitality Of the reGdents.
 At the age of l9 he returned home for a visit. So destitute was the family that the mother also was working. carrying bricks and mortar to help buy food for the family. 4 typical meal consisted of potatoes fried in herring oil. and when the supply of potatoes was scarce, the mother usually reserved for her portion only the peeltngs.
 When hts visit was, concluded and and the young man. now l9 years old. prepared to leave. there oc- cured an impressive scene, which left it's mark upon the character of the boy for the rest. of his life. Placing one hand on each, shoulder and looking squarely into his eyes, the mother said: My boy I have no money to give you. l can leave you no fortune. But you have good strong body. my son; if you work you will always find bread"
 Again. subconsciously, was ex- pressed tns pn!losophy that only crooked rivers take the easy way. In a few words the mother had driven home the old age philosophy that He who would eat. must work"
 From city to city. sometimes walking and sleeping in barns at night. sometimes when more pro.- porous riding or railroads. the boy. now grown to manhood, sought work. In railroad station on his travels he met friendly stranger who directed him to a rolling mill where he found not only work. but congenial companionship. A new vista on life opened up now, which included companionship Of the, cp- poslte sex with its attendant social activities. His education continued
 Sails for America in 1890
 year later found him q foreman in large rolling mill. July l5. 1890, when B years of age, he set sail for America. arriving in Boston. August {. From there he made his way to Chicago, hoping in vain to pick up some trace of a etster who
New Britain herald., 1928-04-14

An incident which oceusred ta New Britain set him thiakinS. | tiny nttle Siri wandered int0 hii backyard one morning She si& tAsre all day. She was taken into the yas- torate at night and ausstiensA. Be- tween sobs she said SAe had nc home and no one to look after her. Three days later . relative called and took her away.
 RatA Bthae to Test &
 But what" axked the miaister of his wife. ''becomes Of those who have no reiattves?" The answsr to his question has since been written on the pages of American history.
 He laid his problem before the leaders in the church. Your am. bitions are worthy" they said. but the undertaking is too biz. Where can We get the money? We are sorry. but 1t can't be done."
 But argued the minister. 'The Bible says God will provide for the orphans and the fatherless.' Let's put the Bible to a test. Let's chow our faith in God"
 The leaders ip the church were good men, men of vision and human sympathy, but the project of putting the Bible to such supreme and apparently material test was too ambitious for ordinary men. They shook their heads regretfully.
 But there was another minister h New Britain whose work among the unfortunates had attracted attention. To Rev. Lyman S. Johnson, the city's first probation officer and founder of the City Mission, the younger pastor went for advice and counsel. 'I want something whereby l can demonstrate that this thing is possible; want to prove the na- terial value Of the Bible for prac- tical purposes" he said.
 The elder mans counsel wss beth timely and wise. Let us pray for divine guidance" he said. In com pany with the Rev. John Strong,
 fContinued on Page 1D
New Britain herald., 1928-04-14

tcr-commcrcc there Was. was by means of lakes and bargos. The yil- ldgc where liV.d tls Ston,, cutters family. stood on thr edge of two large lakes, and young John grew mp in an atmoaph.r" of uaNigation.
 First Bible From Drunkard
 The career oi the young man seems full ot contradictions and StranG" plcallonS from the very start Chief among the remark 1hl" influences in hls life lies the fact that what adv ice in morals and religion he got in childhood, besides that received Ht his mothers knee, came from th" lips Of a drunk. n net tender. An old man. I human d"r"llct Whos,' dNocHtlon was that of repairing nets for fishermen on the lakes, and whose recreation was chiefly that of incompetence. was the donor oi the first catechisnl, the first book on Bible history and the first New Testament the boy ever owned
New Britain herald., 1928-04-14

fContinued on Page 1S)
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-02-17
Safe Relief

You need not guess what TOnGiIlne
contains. Weprint the ingredients On
every bottle. They are known to Be
reliable for the treatment Of infamed
conditions Of the throats and mouths
Of children and adults and have been
favorites in the prescriptions OF ply.
siciansf for many years. Over re
q ! ! q ! ]! ]: !.
thirty years use proves Ton
slime is the perfect cOmbina-
ton of these valuable drugs.
Don't accept q substitute.
Insist ON the bottle with the
long necked fellow on it =
TONSILNE Sou. r. 4s' mss'i S:%.4s
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-02-17
THIEVES LOOT :
APARTMENTS

Thieves last night broke into the
apartment of Miss Christel Man.
gerter, 1858 Columbia Rd. N. W.,
and escaped with loot valued at ap-
proximately $400, she reported today
to the police.
The loot consisted of a platinum
and diamond ring worth $3.50, a
pendant worth SO. two rings worth
SIS and SO and other smaller
articles. Entrance was gained
through a side window.
Mrs. John T. RRllinger, apartment
SOL. the Alabama, reported that she
was moving to new apartment at
1141 Twelfth st. N. w. when thief
entered the new apartment while
she was making a trip between the
two and escaped with a suitcase con-
tanning clothing. a portable talking
machine, a box Of china and other
articles. The loss was estimated at
$3.50.
An alligator handbag containing
clothing worth $50 was stolen from
the automobile of William McCauley,
of Boston, Mass. McCauley is stop
ping at the Chastleton and had
placed his car in a nearby garage.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-02-17
BRICK MEN PICK
". SCHLAKE

William schlake, of Chicago. was
reelected president of the Common
Brick Manufacturers Association of
America, which concluded its tenth
demonstration convention at the
Washington Hotel today.
Other officers elected were: Vice
presidents, Walter r. Simons,
Henry J. Lutter, Henry J. iowa and
Barkwill, and secretary-manager
Ralph P. Stoddard.
Directors chosen were John p.
Cahoon, Thomas L. Herbert, jr.,
w. X. Sinions, Robert o. Clark,
III. B. Simpson. w. L. Rowland,
Frank T. Houlahan, III. J. Lutter,
William Conway, jr.. J. M. Jenkins,
George J. Langenecker, Thomas H.
Cough, Horace NJ. Siner, Roger c..
Williams and James L. Johnson.
The enduring qualities of brick
were extolled, and interesting ex.
amples of old brickwork shown, in
an illustrated lecture by Delos H..
Smith. of the Washington chap
ter, American Institute of Archi-
tects, who showed stereoptican
slides of Revolution structures
alOnA the HpIOmdc, IN MdFyIdnu
and Virginia, calling the manufac
'turers' attention to types of brick
and methods of bricklaying of more
than 200 years ago.
DIR. George K. Burgess, director
of the Bureau of Standards, told
of the research work accomplished
by Government scientists during
the past 10 years, in conducting
experiments with the resistance
power and other qualities of brick.
j. w. McBurney, research associate
at the bureau, devoted his address
strictly to weather resistance and
permanence of brick masonry.
Major l.. B. Lent spoke on the
physical properties of brick
masonry. The session concluded
with a discussion on manufacture
and improvements. led by Warren
Griffiss, of Baltimore.
The final item on the program
of the convention is a tour through
the public buildings, beginning at
l p. m.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-02-17
Queer Circumstances
Reused Campaign to
Save Julia Mcdonald

MOUNT VERNON, n. r, Feb.
17.-If Mrs. Julia Palmer McDon-
aid Is saved from the gallows at
Valley Fields Prison, Quebec, where
she has been sentenced to hang
with her husband, George McDOn-
aid, on March %. for the murder
of q taxicab driver, she will owe
her life to an interesting combina-
ton of circumstances.
About the middle of last January,
man was arrested here on a
rather insignificant charge. In his
possession were found newspa per
clippings showing pictures of a
woman who had been condemned
to die in Canada. The clippings
were from papers of last Decem-
Der.
Capt. Michael I. Silverstein. in
charge of the detective bureau
here. questioned the prisoner as to
his reason for carrying the clip
pings around with him.
We'll. Tn tell you, captain. that
woman, Mrs. Mcdonald, il really
Julia Palmer, who used to live
here a few years ago." the prisoner
said.
The police captain took another
HOOK at the NhpPhASS ,chN SAaSNA
claimed:
by gosh. that's right. remem-
Der now. That's the girl who ran
off and married a fellow named
Allen"
A few minutes later. Francis E..
Kenny, police reporter of the
Mount Vernon Argus came into
headquarters and Captain Silver
stein showed him the clippings.
Kenny asked International News
Service to check the prisoners
bunch that Mrs. Mcdonald was
Julia Palmer. An International
News Service correspondent at
Montreal Immediately interviewed
the girl and learned that she had
gone to school in Mount Vernon
and later to a fashionable finishing
school in New York.
The Daily Argus ran the story
and within "a hours a campaign
to secure clemency for the doomed
woman was under way and has now
assumed nationwide proportions.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-02-17
LINDsTRoM AND BRIDE

asked by the federation to recon
cile his written statement that
he would get no profit out of the
sale of the Washington Rapid
Transit Company to the proposed
consolidated . company and the
price of $1.146, 900 to be charged
by him. including 1896 900 in cash
and $780, 900 in assumed Obliga-
tions of the bus company;
Service should be guaranteed
under unified operation superior
to that given now by the existing
companies;
The consolidated company should
not be permitted to resell power
bought from the Potomac Elec-
trio Power Company, not included
in the proposed merger, to unre-
lated companies, and further no
fixed rate should be set at this
time for the power bought from
the power company to operate
the traction company.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-02-17
P. j, c. PLACE IN.
MERGER CRUX !.

Continued from First Pageo
ties commission against the sugges-
ton of the federation that there
should be a revaluation of the
local utilities by the Interstate Com.
merce Commission, independent OF
the Utilities Commission.
1.-THE Utilities Commission is capa-
BILE of conducting such valuation
survey and would not delay 1t any
more than any other agency" Mr..
FIeharty said.
Study Surplus
Consideration was being given
today to the surplus and deprec1a-
ton reserves of the Capital Traction
and the Washington Railway and
Electric Company. Mr.. Clayton and
others are trying to discover what
disposition will be made of about
81. 0OO, 900 to be distributed after the
terms 70 the merger plan are COM
piled with.
Mr.. Clayton told his committee
last night he was trying to find
out il the prospect of getting
cut on the $4,000, 900 surplus did
not ''help boost the stock up. !"
He pointed out the high levels
reached by thansit company stock
during recent months. This point
will be argued at the public hear
ings.
Another inquory now being made
both by the federation's committee
and by utilities commission in
vestigators is what will become OF
S75 sharesS> of Washington Rapid
Transit Company stock, should the
company merger plan be approveds
Mr. Wilson owns all but that
amount of the outstanding shares
of the company.
Herewith are 10 o. jections to
the Meyer plan which will be pre-
scented to the Civic Federation by
the committee on Public Utilities.
of which Clayton is chairman.
That the proposed valuation at
$50. 400, 900 is unduIy high and
does not represent the value of
the properties to be consolidated
for merger purposes;
No fixed rate of return should
be permitted for an indefinite pc
Rod as contained i'm the agree
ment;
A perpetual franchise is indi-
rect!y included in the plan by fail.
ure to name a period for which
the Capital Transit Company
should be chartered;
What of Reserves?
The agreement should contain
information concerning what use
is to be made of depreciation re-
serves and surplus in the treas
uries Of the present companies.
The agreement contains nothing to
indicate this;
Universal free transfers from
buses to street ears and vice
versa should be guaranteed, in
stead of only from car to car;
Provision should be made both
in the agreement and in the char
ter for adjustment of labor dis
putes:
Half fare for school children on
all street cars and motor buses,
should be guaranteed;
Harley r. Wilson should be
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-02-17
DEED To BLOCK
F|REHOUSE

Restrictions in the deed to the
property at Sixteenth and Webster
Streets, purchased by the city, for
erection of a firehouse, may save
residents of the fashionable
tforoughfare, from that calamity"
Irate citizens of upper Sixteenth
Street have been fighting to prevent
the site being used for a firehouse
ever since the project was an
nounced, and yesterday it was dis
covered that the deed contains a
clause restricting the property to
residential use.
A committee composed of Edward
s. Brashears, Louis Gutenberg,
Frank T. Hurley, Cabot Stevens,
and Mrs. Charles J.. Stevens, were
given a hearing by the District
Commissioners at the District Build
ing yesterday afternoon. They
urged that the commissioners defer
final approval of the plan to build
the, structure and attempt to OBJ
tain another site.
The commissioners agree TO take
no further action until February u.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-02-17
Army Devises Guards
To Ward Off Lightning

Exhaustive studies of damage by
lightning, and possible devices for
protection against it. are being car
ried on by the War Department,
according to Secretary Of War
Davis.
Within the past four years the
ordnance department has developed
an aerial grid system, which it is
believed will afford protection by
taking all direct hits in the pro-
tected area and will discharge a
considerable quantity of the static
electricity which may accumulate
around the protected area.
Nearly 1000 magazine buildings
including military establishments
in and around Washington. are
protected by this system.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-02-17
Educators to Confer
On Religion in School

PRINCETON, y. J.. Feb. IT,.
One hundred and sixty-three dele
gates, representing 81 colleges anu
II schools, will gather at Princeton
tonight to participate in a confer
ence of Eastern educators on the
subject of religion in America col.
leges.
The conference will open with a
formal banquet in the Princeton
graduate college at which President
James Rowland Angel, of Yale, will
preside, and President John Grier
Hibben, of Princeton. will deliver
the opening address. The confer.
ence will last over the week end.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-02-17
Girl to Accompany Ace
On Paris-and-Back Flight

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Feb. IL
Miss Ruth Haviland, 10, Of this CITY,
hopes to "out-Ruth" Ruth Elder next
June.
Miss Haviland made this an
nouncement today after she had con
ferred with Col. Art Goebel, Dole
Pacific flight prize winner, who
stopped on his way from Wichita to
Washington. where he will confer
with Department of Commerce ex-
perts regarding a proposed round
trip flight to Paris next sumner.
Miss Haviland is to accompany MIN,
according to plans.