davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1938-10-12
UNCLE RAYS CORNER-CharIes Dickens
LIFE'S LIKE THAT

If you had walked around London
IN the year 1923, you might have seen
IN old, tumble-down building. Inside
the building men and boys were at
work with dark paste which could be
used to blacken stoves. In one room
were half a dozen boys, among them
Charles Dickens, of whom I speak
today.
The time had been when Charles
lived in Chatham, a seaport town 80
miles from London, but now he was
working in a rickety building in a
rickety part OF big city. His task
was to paste labels on blacking bottles,
and in return for 10 or IL hours of
work each day, he received a shilling
(about IS cents.
There was a reason for Charles
TO be working-he had to earn money
in order to live. His father was in
prison.
In those days men were sent to
prison If they could not pay their
debts. MIR. Dickens had not been able
TO pay his debts and had been taken
TO a place called Marshalsea. The
mother of the boy also was there.
So 1t was that day after day, week
After week Charles pasted on labels
or did other work which he was
ordered to do. He slept in an attic,
Evening star., 1938-10-12

The reason West simply passed at
his first opportunity was that he had
such a freak hand and knew he could
bid later. Hence, we have the spectacle
of West making his first bid 1T the
level Of six The baron's six no-trump
bid was now made on the theory that
he could not set six spades more than
two tricks and that he would have 4
reasonable play for six no-trump.
West opened the deuce of diamonds.
Looking the hand over, the baron saw
that he had 10 top tricks and would. Of
course, make . grand slam II he either
dropped the queen Of clubs or finessed
successfully for it. Accordingly, he
won the opening diamond lead.
laid down the ace Of clubs, and
when the queen failed to drop,
promptly cashed the ace and king of
hearts and the entire diamond suit.
West, Of course, discarded five spades,
while East, endeavoring to make it as
hard as possible for the baron, let 60
three hearts and one spade. The baron
now led the deuce Of clubs.
West played the nine, and the baron
had one Of his so-called guess" situ-
ations. The fact that Vests last spade
discard had been the jack was no
guarantee that he did not hold the
ace, queen and three spot. Accord
ingly, an unsuccessful club finesse
would mean three, while If he played
the king and the queen failed to drop.
he could throw West in with the club
queen and do down only one. How
ever. the baron said to himself,
why should West double six no.
trump with nothing in his hand but 4
long string Of spades headed by the
ace, queen. jack? He must have some
other possible trick" Accordingly, the
baron finessed the club and made his
contact with an overtrick.
Copyright. 103S)
Evening star., 1938-10-12

Dickens did not practice as 4 lawyer
he became q newspaper reporter.
While still young man, he wrote his
first successful book.
As the author Of "Old Curiosity
Shop" 1.-The Pickwick Papers," David
Copperfield" and "A Tale Of Two
Cities" he was famous during his
lifetime; but he never forgot the
dreary days Of his youth. The books
he wrote told Of the hardships Of the
poor, and helped to end the system
of placing persons in prison for debt.
If you ever read David Copperfield"
remember that David is in large part
the same person as Charles Dickens.
(This story should be listed under
Biography" in, your scrapbook. It
may be useful as . school topic.)
The Surprise Leaflet" will be
mailed without charge to readers
who send me . Scent stamped,
return envelope. This leanet con-
tains riddles. and tells how to per-
form magic tricks.
I~eAe Ra4
Tomorrow - Indian Paint and
tcopyrisht. 1o3s.)
Evening star., 1938-10-12

about 4 miles from the backing fac
tory. On Sunday he was free-free
to visit his father and mother In prison.
At last fortune turned for the
Dickens family. Mr.. Dickens received
a small inheritance, paid his debts
and left the prison.
In later years of his boyhood, life
was not so hard for Charles. He went
back to school, and then obtained work
in lawyers Office.
Evening star., 1938-10-12
Winning Contract
By THE FOUR ACES.

David Burnstine Merwin D. Maier.
Oswald Jacoby. Howard Schenken. ~
worlds leading team Of four inventors e
of the system that has beaten every
other system in existence).
Evening star., 1938-10-12
Guessing.

Guessing.
Whenever Baron Waldemar Won
Zedtwitz, as declarer, finds himself
faced with what other people might
consider q guess" he attempts to
visualize his opponents hands. His
reasoning is somewhat as follows My
opponent did 50 and 50; I doubt If he
would have acted as he did unless he
held such and such. The following
hand Is an example Of the baron 1T his
best:
North, dealer.
North and South vulnerable.
A.
vKs37
<l04
KJ10865
AAQJsses N A74s7
+ssa W Z >ss
Vase
"a K @ J75
49, z
Baron Won Zedtwitz
The bidding:
North East South West
ia Pass ~ Pass
81 Pass 5NT Pass
6% Pass Pass Ga
Pass Pass 6NT DBL
Pass Pass Pass
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03
Disrupting Holidays

The World Calendar Association calls attention to the fact that in Novemoer just past we were given fine example or how confusing our holidays have become and how they jump around the calendar every year. In recent statement MIS- Elizabeth Achelis, president of the asso- citation, said, Thanksgiving is holiday distinctive to the United States, which fosters home and family life and affords an opportunity give national expres- sion of gratitude. Following custom Thanksgiving has always been celebrated after the harvest season, the President or the United States issuing proclamation calling for its observance. The last Thursday in November was arbitrarily chosen for this holiday with no historical basis. Previous to Lincoln's time, the states chose their own day, sometimes Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, ana not always in November. The regular observance became national only With Lincoln"
 Election Day fell this year on its latest possible date; Thanksgiving was con- versely on its earliest possible. .Armistice Day came in between both of them Many people may like to have their holidays switch around like this rather than have them fixed year after year. But the ad- vantage of the latter plan is very percep- tible. A permanent Thanksgiving - Thursday, November 30 - makes Sys- tematic scheduling of annual events possible.
 Under the same plan Election Day would be stabilized as of Tuesday, Novem- Der T, and Armistice Day would be cele- brated on Saturday, November II. Per- sonally we think that this past Novem- Der was a good argument for the estab- lishment of a fixed calendar. The time is ripe for some such world movement as this in calendar reform. Here in the United States we can give much impe- tus to it.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03
Very Much Excited

Nothing quite compares to the Leaven- worth Street newspapers when they go on the warpath. Right now the object o1 their attentions are whatever city OIL cials may be concerned with the task ot cleaning the streets, ridding them Of snow and ice. Conditions over both the Republican and American are terrible here in Waterbury. They imply that elsewhere throughout the state every thing is in apple-pie order. AS a matter of fact it isn't and we doubt If even the larger communities have made more prog resS than this city has. If they have, they were aided by location or climate.
 As if the local merchants haven't enough to contend with these days the Republican editorially yesterday lnSlnu- ated that residents of surrounding towns would not bring their trade to Waterbury because they'd have to fight snowdrifts and "icy ruts" The only thing that might scare away these prospective purchasers are the Scare-heads and the misleading editorials in the American and Republican. We don't think Water bury's streets are any worse or better now than those of the towns to which our prospective buying public is supposed to swarm.
 Why only the other night the American printed a small item under a Merlden date-line which stated that there'd be no further efforts by the city to clear the streets. Mayor Francis R. Danaher stated that rains would have to wash away what snow and ice were left, as the city's funds for this purpose were exhausted. We have told about what was occurring in Hartford earlier in the week, These stories don't, of course, excuse Waterbury from continuing to dig itself out. But it does confirm our statement that the Thanksgiving weekend storms were un- usual and unexpected.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03
Hid Or The Park7gny Services Similar to Those in Hudson Tunnel Pro-
 posed for Brand-New Fairfield
County Highway Link.
BRIDGEPORT TELEGRAM

themselves assume complete super vision. Special tunnel police with wrecking cars, bearing cans of gaso- line and tire-changing equipment stand ready for any summons day and night. If car breaks down in the tunnel trafic is immediately Shunted out of the lane where the obstruction has occurred and the ex- perts hurry to the scene.
 If it is lack of gasoline, the nec- essary fuel is at once supplied. If it is a fiat tire the tire crew will change it and put no new tire eff one is available) with almost the speed of a racing crew in a pit at the tracks. If the motorist lacks 8 spare tire, his car is immediately picked up by the crane of the wreck ing car and lowed out of traffic to some place where repairs may be effected at leisure.
 Which leads us to suggest that during the period before suitable stations are provided on the Mer- ritt parkway one or two state cars might patrol the parkway with an idea of giving aid to any stranded motorist. And it also might be well to remind all motorists who use the parkway that if they see fellow motorist in distress waving his arms and asking for lift he is probably not hitchhiker (since there are no pedestrians on the parkway but a fellow who needs some gas. It would be an act of intelligent self-interest to help him along.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03
Christmas Shopping

With Thanksgiving past, the Christi mas shopping season begins. And is there in all the year a more delightful season? Planning and buying Christmas gifts is surely as much fun as giving and receiving them on the great day, and the process lasts longer. The shopping itself is festival that lasts for month "a festival of light, color and gaiety that transforms city streets and shop win- dows and store interiors into bowers of beauty, and amply compensates for any loss of charm in external nature.
 It will be pleasanter shopping sea- son, too, than most of us could believe few short weeks ago. Business has been picking up astonishingly this fall, and the gain continues. More people are employed right along. More money is getting into circulation Prices are not high. People can buy again, and their buying in itself speeds up the recovery Both business and the public may req sonably look forward to one of the best, if not the best, gift-giving seasons in almost decade" says Lew Hahn, general manager of the National Retail Dry Goods Association.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03
|PressCommend
AN EXPECTED SHIFT
(Boston Post)

Following the resignation of Att torney- General Cummings the Presi- dent said he was sorry" to lose his services. But undoubtedly the resig- nation was asked for. It marks the success of long campaign by the young New Dealers who comprise the inner cabinet to get rid of the attorney general.
 It was MT. Cummings who "sold" the President the idea of the court packing bill which turned out so disaStrously. This was one of MT. Cummings rare excursions in- to radicalisn, but it was his con- servative views which upset the little coterie so powerful at the White House.
 Solicitor General Robert Jackson has long been pointed for the posi- ton. He is one of the inner circle. There is little doubt of his qualifica- tions. He Is an able lawyer and, if trust busting is to be the pro- gramme, far more able to direct it than Homer Cummings.
 MT. Cummings has hardly been one of the shining lights of the cabinet. He was an emergency choice on the sudden death of Sen- ator Walsh of Montana on the eve of the inauguration. Previously he had been better known as a poli- tician than lawyer but was by no means poorly equipped for the posi- ton. His general attitude toward the New Deal has not been much different from that of Postmaster General Farley.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03
In New York
Bv GEORGE ROSS

New York, Dec. 3-Paul White man was a little nervous about be- coming an honorary fire chief at Scranton, Pa., not so long ago.
 Paul's fears were not altogether ungrounded. The last time such an honor was bestowed it was on Maestro Russ Morgan, a local boy who made good in the Big Town. In the midst of the presentation, in came a three-alarm fire. Russ, carried away by the importance of his new honor, hopped on one of the fire trucks and dashed of to the blaze.
 That was okay. But no sooner had all hands returned to Scran- tons impressive City Hall to resume the ceremonies, than another alarm came tearing in. Of rushed Russ again with the fire-lads. It turned out to be false alarm. Every body came back and the presenta- tion started all over again-for the third time. But again the alarm rang and everybody dashed out to put out the fire. This one proved to be another phony. Russ and the boys all came back for the fourth time and rushed through the cere- monies before another alarm could come in.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03

our competitors, and because the Latin Americans today have more confidence in us than they used to, and like us better.
 we have nothing to fear in the way of competition there except from our own American competitors, says an American representative of a big export firm. Central and South Americans would rather buy American products even if they cost little more than competing goods from Europe or Asia, because they like and trust the goods made in the United States" Quality and fair deal- ing have won those markets and should keep them.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03
Selected Poem
AUTUMN DANCE
Catherine B. Gibson, Hamden, in thu


 (Catherine B. Gibson, Hamden in the
 New Haven Journal Courier) I stood alone when half way up the crag And let my feasting eyes drink in the glory Of autumn's blazing forests, swept by breezes- The trees, in festive dress, were all dancing. The nearby maple was a golden siren, The sumachS soldiers decked with blood-red ances; The oaks were diplomats in rich dark clothing, And brches, ladies, cloaked in moonlight silver. Swamp naples were the wantons of the picture Their charms in shouting scarlet all displayed; The stately elms in crowns of lacy yellow Conferred with pines, in smoky green enwrapped. The wind played music for their courtly bows As they went through stately minuet It sang song of gaiety, subdued By murmuring undertone of distant warning. Regardless of their doom to lose possession Of this gay dress, they danced the unchecked, Unmindful of King Winters chilling advent So dance the nations under threat of war
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03
Trade Expansion

It has been customary in this country, for some years, to lament over the sup posed failure of our Latin-American ex- port trade. As a matter of fact, our trade in that quarter has been growing nicely in recent years. An American expert who is a delegate to the approaching Pan- American conference in Peru stated the other day that our exports to Central and South America greatly surpass those of every other country, and there is not one important Latin-American country whose import trade we do not dominate.
 A newspaper survey of the situation shows that our exporters now have grown 90 confident that they no longer have much fear of German, Italian and Japan ese competition in South America. They find it easier to sell there because our goods are usually better than those of
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03

The Agawam race-track won't be an Eastern League baseball park in 1889. The franchise that is to be operated in Springfield already has secured park within the city limits. There have been various suggestions offered for making use of the marvellous little racing strip, but it would appear now as if the site would be completely abandoned It's too bad to do this in view of the amount of money that has been tied up in the park, but who can offer solution to the prob lems of the owners? And the voters actually passed this mandate when they voted against continuation of legalized betting
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03
JASPER, THE PLASTER (Meriden JournaD

The Waterbury Democrat bids Democrats not to despair-to look ahead to winning state ticket two years hence. This early it starts a gubernatorial boom for State Labor Commissioner Joseph M. Tone, whose omission from the Demo- cratic state ticket this year was party leaders sin of commission.
 The editor agrees that MT. Dana- hers labor vote would have been more than offset by Mir. Tones labor record and labor endorsement. He continues: whatever proportion of labor was responsible for the Mo- Levy amazing vote would have been greatly reduced had Joe Tone been on the ticket"
 The editorial climaxes with: "A Tone-McLevy fusion ticket would blast both old parties out of the picture"
 That, brother is telling 'eml But what would Jasper be running for United States senator?
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03

You can get odds that this will be a white Christmas, but we wouldn't want to be too sure about it. There are still enough days intervening in which all the snow and ice now collected could vanish as if by magic. Still if we are go- ing to have white holiday season, we'd like to see fresh snowfall before the big event. If the weather remains cold now, by the time Christmas Eve is here it will be so churned up and dirty looking that it won't even be recognized as snow. Our advance weather prediction for the period in which Christmas falls would be stormy with snow prevailing. It may not come true, but it's general forecast. There is always more cheer prevalent if the holiday is white, not that we want to wish blizzard on the city, but we'd like to have the city covered with a mantle of snow
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03

But Martin, infuriated, turned around in the election and threw the weight of the Democratic ma chine to the Republican.
 Result for the New Deal: co. Oregon was completely lost to the Democrats, including an ex- cellent congresSwomau, Nan Honeyman, and the promising Willis Mahoney.
 Result for Oregon: 5O-5O. Ore gon got a good Republican Gov ernor, Charles A. Sprague, but a crack-pot Republican Senator, Rufus Holman.
 BuiId-FrOm-BOttOm
 Final results, of course, still remain to be decided They will not be worked out until 194O. or 1942, or even later. But the issue remains the same: namely, whether or not a party whose leader is one of the most liberal in generations can build progress Sive policies on a foundation in large part conservative.
 It may be that the Build-from- the-Bottom boys were right after all; that surgical operations were necessary to prune out Democra- tic deadwood before Progressive Democracy could go forward.
 Or it may be that the Look-the- other-Way boys were right; that the United States is too large, too shambling a conglomeration of states for the National Adminis- tration to get anything more than lip-service from its local poli- tical organizations.
 Only time can give the answer. Meanwhile the problem of either healing party wounds or continu- ing house-cleaning for the future remains the all-important politi- cal issue for Roosevelt and Farley, in Oregon and in many other states.
 Copyright. 1888, by United
 Feaeture Syndicate, Incl
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03

The State Publicity Commission thinks that there'll be million people visit Con- necticut next year just because of the New York Worlds Fair That's good news and we hope the board isn't over estimating the figure. A million people coming here in addition to the number that would normally flow into or pass through the state in a year is as welcome as the flowers after hard winter. Too bad this influx couldn't have started this fall, but we'll be patient until the spring
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03

When the Merritt parkway was planned, no gasoline stations were provided for in the layout. The Merritt parkway commission has discussed this situation thoroughly and has voted that gasoline stations under state supervision and con- forming in their architecture to the general beauty of the highway shall be provided at suitable intervals. At present the traveller on the parkway who gets into distress, whether from a flat tire, lack of gasoline or motor failure, is in predictament. He is on highway where none of the or dinary aids are available.
 In the motor vehicle tunnel which runs from New York to New Jer- sey, blockage by stopped car is so serious that the tunnel authorities
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03

1. What is a bissextile year?
 2. Name the recently elected Gov- ernor of Maryland.
 3. What causes the hum in bees?
 4. Which two countries in South America have no Seacoast?
 5. With which sport is the name of Harry Cooper associated?
 6. What nickname was applied to President Andrew Johnson?
 2. What is the correct pronun- citation of the word dirigible?
 6. Does England have more hours of daylight than the U. s. in sum- mer?
 9. Name the second largest State in area in the Union.
 10. What is the name of the is- land in the Niagara river that separates the Horseshoe and Amer ican Falls2
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03
A Book a Day
British Empire in Dissolution
 RY BRUCE CATION

If the actions of MT. Chamberlain at Munich and Godesberg struck you might enjoy reading Robert Brif- faults "The Decline and Fall of the British Empire" (Simon and Schu- ster: go. For by MT. Briftault's theory, the Munich settlement was simply the logical outcome of Bri- tain's most firmly-held policy.
 MT. Briffault bluntly states that Great Britain is the modern worlds chief stronghold of reaction. Its ruling class, he asserts, has but one policy; to preserve a reactionary capitalism at all costs. It will dis regard any treaty and endanger even the most vital of British en1- pire interests to attain that end.
 Hence he says, 1t will preserve and support both Mussolini and Hitler = for fear that to defeat them would mean leftist revolution. Hence the connivance in the Italian conquest of Ethiopia; hence the on-intervention" policy toward Spain, and hence the consent to Czechoslovakia's dismemberment.
 The British empire, continues MT Briffault, is mushroom growth. It actually began only with the col- lapse of Napoleon. It came into be- ing because the profits from the loot of India enabled England to get in on the ground floor of the industrial revolution! now that the economic picture has changed the empire will dissolve as fast as it developed.
 All of this, as you can see. is out spoken and passionate, Its passion, indeed, is its chief defect. MT. Brif- fault is so angry that many readers will find his book unconvincing. But within limits it is useful d:scus- sion of an extremely confused and ominous international situation.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-03
Business Meter

Business Meter
 Taxi drivers are excellent local business barometers. As soon as a dull season comes along, the cabs are as hollow as drums.
 As far back as the turn of the century, reports Wilfred Funk, the Photographer, hack drivers were good indicators of the times. Funk quotes a newspaper clipping of 1907, a depression year, in which cabmen complained that they were suffering more than anyone else from the financial upheaval.
 Many of our old customers are now using the subway" one driver reported. Even J. F. Morgan often goes home that way"
 That's how bad it was.