March 30, 1905 (Saturday)

LIBRARIAN THINKS THERE'S SOMETHING BETTER THAN BUNYAN: From now on, it looks as though the libraries that are on board ships will include books of a "livelier" sort. Until now John S. Pierson has selected books that have filled the 11,386 libraries on board various ships. He's been doing the work on behalf of the Seamen's Friend Society for the past 46 years. Most of his selections have been of the weightier sort, such as Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" and Gibbons' "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire." One sailor on Manhattan's South Street yesterday described some of Pierson's choices as "heavy enough to sink a ship." Now, there's a new librarian -- William Elling. He claims that he will pick some thrilling adventure tales for the sailors. The New York Times indicates that the selections might include the works of, say, Robert Louis Stevenson and Laura Jean Libbey. That's her picture on the right. Maybe the sailors would be happy just to have one of the pictures.

'TIL DEATH DO US PART....NOT: It might not be the best reputation to have, but Polly Reed Baker is known as the MOST-MARRIED WOMAN in INDIANA. News out of Richmond reveals that yesterday, she put another notch in her garter; she was granted a divorce from her ELEVENTH HUSBAND, John Baker. Not all of the 11 marriages ended in divorce. One husband died a natural death; another committed suicide. Here's the lineup of lucky men, as printed in today's Washington Post, in order of betrothal: Henry Fuquay, James Fuquay, Henry Robinson, James Fuquay, George S. Boydon, Samuel R. Weed, Henry Robinson, George S. Boydon, R. Edwards and John Baker.
One name is missing from the list. THREE names are repeated. The Post says, "As will be seen, some of the husbands had more than one trial."