davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

Soon after the talk about the strange
situation IN the Venable merage he
came general Mary VenabIe was dis
charged by the man who had divorced
her. and she is now again living alone
with no means. 50 far as IS known. Of
providing herself with a livelihood. al
though # Is quite probable that she
will. as she did when divorced. engage
in various occupations and thus sus-
tain herself After her discharge the
discarded wife turned on those who
had thus turned her ou- from her en-
oloyment and gave cut the hrst au-
thorized statement cf the matter.
VenabIe seemed much worried when
the matter came 70 the attention Of
the public, and at frsf would make
absolutely no statement regarding tho
strange situation. but finally, when
pressed, admitted that he had employ
cd as cook a woman from waom 40
had been divorced several years ago.
and that ne had since his divorce been
married again.
The records OF the courts have been
brought 10 light however. and such
entries as apply 20 tie case prove ab-
sOlutely the truth Of the entire story
and reveal beyond any question tile
most startling situation that has ever
been known 70 exist In the family cir
cles Of Danyille,
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

coats on. Just as II she knew any
thing about how A1T Veuable liked
his potatoes. I told ner 1 had been
cooking for her husband for long
time. and that If ne saw a potato with
its skin on he'd be cross for week.
After that she left me alone most Of
the time. once she asked me how long
I had known Mr. Venable. Her tone
was snippy enough To make me feel
like telling her what ! knew about
Mr.. Neuable that she didn- But 1
remembered my promise To him not 20
say anything TO her about our being
married at one time. so l held my
tongue"
w c. Venable. the man who has
thus complicated his household af-
fairs. is a small merchant
Mary Venable. who was before her
marriage to the merchant Mary
Brown, the widow OF W. J. Brown, IS
the woman who allowed herself to
cook for her former husband when he
became infatuated with the charms OF
another and again sought happiness
as benedics by taking unto himself
for the second time a wife to cheer
his loneliness and brighten his rire-
side. Mllie Galloway Skipwith, widow
Of the late Samuel Skipwith, IS the
woman who has allowed herself TO he
again beRuned by the smooth tongue
of a man 20 entrusting herself 10 his
love. devotion, and care.
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

Venable's second wife IS equally a.
reticent In regard TO her marriage and
her husbands previous matrimonial
troubles, but Il has been whispered IN
the circles In which she IS well known
that she was not fully cognlzant OF the
situation when she agreed 10 become
the bride Of Vcuable, and was led tn
the altar by him 10 become a partner
to his griefs and Joys throughout life.
T}= notorietv attached 20 the pecu-
liar position which the two wives of
Mr. Venable have occupied in HIS
household has been. in fact. the keen
est revenge which the INST 1Irs. Ven
able could have had upon the man who
turned her adrift and the woman who
assumed The place which she had 0lco
held. Since the story became known
the neiglsbors and acguair5anCes of tho
present Veuabir family have tilted
their noses high IN the air when in
proximity Of MT and Mrs. Venahle
and suubbed them r1undlv. This has
distressed the young wife greatly. She
still retains her position as teacher in
one of the public schools. But the
pupils Who have hitherto been her
friends have now c9anged into tor
mentors of the worst kind. and she Is
thinking seriously ~ giving I'd the
place in order TO avoid as far as pos
sible the unfortunate notorlety which
her husbands desire 10 have the wife
Of his heart and the cook no liked so
well under the same roof. has brought
upon her.
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

The history Of this sensational ro-
nance begins many years ago, when,
on the 18th Of June. 1857. W. c. Ven
able. al the age Of twenty-nine, charm
ed with Mary Brown. a widow of only
twenty-five years of age, led her 10
the altar and there they both swore
10 be true 10 their marriage VOWS. For
several years they lived together in
harmony and love. although no chill
dren were born 10 them.
Some time In the year 1892, however.
they became estranged and IL is stated
that Mary Nenable deserted her hus-
band and began living alone.
The Washington times., 1906-09-23
Said She Loved Another.

Four years later or i'm March OF 1896.
through his attorneys, MessTs- Robert
son md kilgCre, W. Q. Ncnable filed an
application for a divorce decree in the
corporation court Of Danville. alleging
as reasons that he had been deserted by
the woman who had once promised to
love and obey him. and Furthermore
that he had been told and had reason
10 believe that she had fallen in love
with another man.
The case was tried. and the decree
granted Nenahle at the April term Of
the court. just one month after the ap-
pliCation had been made. Then for four
long years Mary NeHable passed out Of
the life of her former husband. obtain
ing employment as best she could and
thus supporting herself At the end Of
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

est gray eyes. The ticking Sanderson
heard may not have been that of a
clock. Take my word for il, Akerman;
il was nothing Of the kind"
What the devil was 1t. them"
a hundred-to-one sEoJ. cried Boyd,
the ticking was that Of another kind
OF q mechanism concealed in the DoV
"a mechanism for exploding a charge
OF dynamite at a fixed hour.
An Internal machine" roared AIer-
man. catching the idea.
Wait bit. gentlemen" Boyd
sharply commanded. The force Of
that violent explosive always Wol ks IN
q downward direction. Note me- now.
The rear OF Broser's shop Is with
in twenty yards of the rear Of the
tunding. occupied BY tie Trinity Trust
Company. II 4 tunnel between them
exists. and If the Iioor OF the vault
had been weakened by subterranean
work. and If a heavy charge Of dyna-
mite. were to he exploded on the vault
floor at some hour tonight-weH. well,
gentlemen, observe that you now
see the point
Several Of his hearers had Heaped up
in lively excitement when the startling
possibilities were thus brought home
10 them. and one inpUlsivcly cried.
by all the gods. Boyd. you are
right! We must get at the interior OF
that vault at once"
ION the contrary. Mr.. HadlCy. YOU
VIII take your orders from ME" said
Boyd. with polite frmness.
rs that so, sir?"
Decidedly So As for orening the
vault 70 remove Mr.. HTamer's tin box,
IN order TO prove our case. that is ut
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

The man who vanished?'
"PrecissIy."
Tie must have gone sOmew here
And the fact that be did not leave
by the door. which plainly wPs the
only ordinary way OF exit at once sug-
eosts that he may have gone inC0 a
cellar declare. Boyd quite poi1tedly
THAT he did precisely that. and with
designs suggested by the clue / struck
today I already am quite convinced"
What clue do ven mean. Mr. B1yd2''
THAT suggested by the tin box de-
posted by Kramer IN the vault Of the
Trinity Trust Company" Boyd quickly
answered. Note how carefully the
way was prepared for dCccivlnC Sand
erson, and averti.g any -.iseivinss on
his part. This Kramer rents of the
Trinity people, has an office without a
safe. anu has succeeded IN making a
fiiend Of sanderson by taking him to
the theater nov and then, and the like
OF that Several times Sanderson has
been asked by Kramer to care for the
tin box i'm tie manner described, vet
never with any unusual results. On
this occasion, however, he claims to
have placed in his box a valuable little
clock. to which he previously had call
ed SandeTson's attention, stating that
he prized 1t very highly. Sanderson
heard it ticking IN the box before ne
placed the latter on the floor OF the
vault"
We'll. well; suppose he did" growl-
ed Akermsn. I'VE all know that. or
have heard you tell It. But what Of
it?'
This Of il, Akermani' exclaimed
Boyd, with a subtle aush OF his earn
The Washington times., 1906-09-23
Continued from Second Page)


was very strong. and while all recog-
nized the peculiar character Of the in
cidents he disclosed. as herein descrih-
ed. none at once perceived their start
ling significance. Boyd quickly OBJ
served this. and fastened 10 reveal his
own shrewd deductions.
Il am convinced boys, that big
lob lies back of all this" said he
whether am right as % It's char
actcr. or right at ali. remains for US
20 discover Note the points in the
case. as / run them over. l have been
closely shadowed since last Tuesday.
and several attempts have been made
to take my life. all of which plainly
indicates that l am seriously feared at
inst this time. and probably by a gang
of criminals whose operations 1 re-
peatedIy have foiled-
There's little doubt of that. boys"
declared Coleman, with a corrobora-
tive nod al the group Of detectives
seated about the room
The wire calling me from town to-
dav." continued Boyd. further shows
that this Is the day on which they
particularly want me out Of their way,
which strongly indicates that job of
some kind is very near its culmina-
ton"
That's reasonable enough" admit
ted Akerman. But how do you get
at the Job itself. and when and where
it's to be done?
II will tell you, said BOYD, sup
pressing smile. II got my first clue
from the man who visited Broger's 5
shop. I'm x street
The Washington times., 1906-09-23
The Case Of the Man Who Vanished, By Scott Campbell

terly impossible. The vault IS secured
with a timelock and Il cannot be
opened until . o'clock next Monday
morning"
But man alive. before that time
Before that time. Mr.. IIadIey." IN
terrupted Boyd with a slight frown.
''the explosion viii occur, and The floor
Of the vauit be blown 10 pieces. Quite
right. sir: assuming that our deduc-
ti0ns are correct Yet 80 now IS I'm
possible 10 prevent Tho explosion. IT is
precisely what I expect and precisely
what I propose TO be on hand 10 wit
ness"
But"
one word more. gentlemen. II you
please" firmly insisted Boyd. still with
some suayity. Men Of your experience
should not require advice from me.
You Should know that tE!s break. IL
there Is TO bc one, VIII be completed
soon after - tonight, at which hour
the building is always deserted.
And what are your plans. FeliXT'
asked Jimmie Coleman.
Between u ard / tonight we must
be in X street. with the entire block
guarded to prevent any escape" de-
clared BOYD decisively "Then we first
must make sure we are right.
and next make sure OF our
game. Resume your seats. gentlemen,
and Will give you my Instructions"
The plans laid then and there by
Felix Boyd did not mature until after
Midnight. AT that hour the sky was
heavily cIouded, and the streets OF
the banking district were deserted and
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

the Danville woman, for It is from
Mrs. Venable, number one. that the
facts of the case have been CLEANED
OF course Mr.. Venable did all in his
power 10 keep the strange situation
in his private family from the public.
But in some way the facts leaked out
and thereby a breach has been opened
and Mr.. Venable has decided, after
mature consideration, that he must do
without either his wife or his cook.
in spite of his efforts to keep them
both with him. Therefore he has dis
charged Mrs, Nenable, number one,
and is now signing for the hot rolls
and hoe cake he had grown so fond OF.
He found this action necessary if
he were TO have any peace OF mind
whatsoever. In the first place his sec
ond wife, who was formerly Millie
Galloway Skipwith, widow. did not
know OF the existence of the first Mrs.
Venable nor The true identity Of her
The Washington times., 1906-09-23
Kept the Facts Up Her Sleeve.


Tr wasn't the first Mrs. Nenahles
fault altogether, though 10 be sure
she could not help speaking 10 her
first husband In a familiar sort OF
nav occasionally. and sometimes, re-
r,a0bering the oFd days, she called
him down. But on the whole MIS-
N-eu,ble he cook. acted well. IN facI
with discretion and restraint II lia9
baa- suqrested that she did not ten
the second wife that she. her COOK
nd once orr1picd the position OF mis-
trese of the house, because she
IN keen IT up her sleeve until lneE
shnuld have knock-doWn, drae-ou'
hattie. Then she would spring I''l9
foot rror her successor and counted
ON "a sure Knockout. That is as IL may
he What Mrs. Venab;e number one,
saws IS that she might as well ccHN
for the Venables as for any one else
ct had to do something 70 keep my
self alive. YOU see. for I have no tnde-
pendent fortune" said Mrs Nenaoie'
when questioned as to her reason tor
taking the position. BESIDES, ] knew
my way round the house so we'll and
! knew exactly what my hus-Nir. ven
able likes for breakfast. lunch, and
dinner. That made Il easier Just
made u7 my mind that If there was
going 10 he row between Mr.. Ven
able's second wife and me. I would not
be the one to start it. And WASH t.
she added with sigh
"I suppose its all over now, and III
have TO fiUd work somewhere else, It's
an awful nuisance. isn't it?''
She apparently expected sympathy,
and the reporter did his best. but
finally his curiosity got the upper hand
again and he asked:
Didn't feel yourself in an embsr-
RAISING position, feel jealous of the
present Mrs. Vena ble?"
Me Jealous" she gasped in a sur
urised tone. wen. I guess not You
see. 1 knew Mr.. Venable." and she
smiled slightly.
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

new cook. Consequently when Mrs
Nenable. number two. discovered the
facts i'm the case. Mt. Venable passed
q very bad quarter of an hour. In
which he was termed many kinds OF a
brute. Then the neiEhbors began 10
make uukinG comments about the un-
usual menage at the Nenable house
They declared that he was little ret
ter than a Mormon And lastly the
two Mrs. Nenables had IL out In
battle. the hevceness of which would
have made the recent uans-Nclscn 90
look like an afternoon tea If they had
been on in the same house at the sane
time
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

ing 20 the even tenor OF her way and
making no remarks tC anyone regard
ing the affair. She received no invita-
tiOn TO the wedding and therefore did
not attend, so could say nothing In 70
gard to the church ceremony.
The Washington times., 1906-09-23
81 Did Feel Put Out

Il did feel rather put out one day
when she-I mean Mrs. Venable-came
into the kitchen and asked me why
didn't boil the potatoes with their
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

A S A wife she wasn't a sue
cess.
As cook she was a
"A number one
a And for these reasons
--rs. Mary Brown Venable
became party 10 one Of the most
peculiar domestic ARRANGEMENTS that
has arisen IN even these days OF snap
shot weddings and hasty divorces.
Having been divorced by her husband.
W. c. Nenable of DanvilIe. Va. she
took service with her former husband
and his second wife as cook. Although
she did not receive an invitation to
the wedding OF Mr Venable and the
woman who was 10 supplant her as
mistress of the Venable home. the first
Mrs Venable cooked the wedding cake
few women could have made a bet
ter-and prepared the wedding break
fast
1t is a curious tale that is told by
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

Mrs. Mary BsOan VerabIe's Remarkable SOrp
Of heu experiences domestic Me serUce Of Mrs
Venable, No 2-to1O she baked The 5oeddng cake and
cooked The roeddng breakfast foc The W5o had
taken her place tie affections Of the aho nine
veaIS ago promised TO loUe, chersh and project hez
UHft death did Them Parf.
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

Continued on Fifth Page)
Pa ge Thre e.
The Washington times., 1906-09-23
The Worm Turns.

y x
The Washington times., 1906-09-23

September 23, 1900
The new age., 1906-12-22

The average reporters idea of heav-
on ia a place where there is no such
thing as a dull day.
The new age., 1906-12-22
HIS ONE EXPERIENCE.
.EGGGG&GeGGCGCCcSe

When Mr.. Gage was urged by an at
tractive young woman to buy set of
encyclopedias on the instalment plan,
he turned round in his chair and sur
veyed her with a benevolent but firm
expression.
NO. ma'am," he said, decidedly,
none of these continued in our next
books for me!
Il once boarded at a place where
they were taking a set of encyclopedias
Just that way. | was keeping company
with the young woman who atterward
married the man who was also keeping
company with her-and me.
"She said one night, when we were
all three sitting out under the stars
and wishing one Of us wasn't there'
that she'd give a good deal to knew
about Jupiter-how far off twas and
everything. She said she'd once known
a Young man who had possessed all
such knowledge, but he had passed
away.
somehow | gathered from her tone
that if he hadn't passed away, he
would have been with her then instead
of us. And | remembered that the
very last number of that encyclopedia
was j to L.
$50 after the other man had said
that he was sorry the drug business
took ND so much time he couldn't
study the stars said that If she could
lust wait till slipped across the street
and got my overcoat, for | felt a little
chilly, l could tell her few facts
about Jupiter that I'd happened to pick
up.
"Then | lit out across the street and
into the room where that encyclopedia
was kept, and opened the j to L. If
You'll believe me-but of course you
know what l found-'Jupiter, see Plan
etary System! !!
when | got back, she and the drug
clerk we're starting for a stroll, and she
said, AS | notice you haven't found
your overcoat, we won't urge you to
90. But 1 shall be glad to hear about
Jupiter some other evening"
He evidently told her some facts
about the drug business that made up
for what he didn't know about stars :;
they were engaged inside of a week.
AS for 1Ae. bought Handy Compen-
dium of Information in one volume,
and it'll do me, as I've never married
I'll bid you good-morning, ma'am."-
Youths Companion.
The new age., 1906-12-22

surroundings. Sleep and rest are alb
solutely essential to recovery, and the
sufferer should do all she can to Sc
cure both. Narcotics, to produce sleep,
are not to be thought of. They do not
cure anything, and their continual use
can only be productive Of harm. Tran
quillize the mind, Danish by force of
will unpleasant thoughts, and sleep
alone rather than with some one else
whose reStleSsneSs or deep breathing,
to say nothing Of snoring, might we'll
Danish sleep from the eyes of Nor
pheus himself. Sometimes a warm
foot-bath before bed, or eating slice
of bread and butter, or drinking a
glass of milk will bring sleep to the
tired eyes. If, however, these means
are inadequate it is better to consult
physician. Normal sleep. and plenty
Of it, must be secured before recovery
becomes possible.
The new age., 1906-12-22
A NEW TRICK FOR "cUT.UPs."

The AvariciOus Woman Is Bound to
Be "SOId' by 1t.
Two well-dressed women got on q
Prospect avenue car in the thirty hun
dreds block" one afternoon last week.
AS they went to sit down one of them
noticed in the seat beautiful plush
jewel box as large as her hand. 1t had
a winning appearance. She picked it
up surreptitiously, glanced about her to
see if any one had seen her and care
fully concealed it beneath the edge Of
her wrap. She sat there several min
utes before her curiosity got the better
of her. She must see what that beauti-
full jewel box contained. Maybe 1t was
a diamond brooch. 1t looked rich
enough in itself to hold many thou
sands o. dollars in gems. Maybe it
was empty. No. Some one had drop
ped it there and no one would be car
rying around an empty jewel case.
Would it be right to keep it? Should
she not Immediately give it to the con-
dnctor? But no one had seen her pick
it up, not even her companion She
felt sure of that. No one else had seen
it there or he would have picked it up
1t was quite a battle. At least she
could know if it were empty or not or
what it contained. She opened the
front Of her wrap just a little. The
car was not crowded. No one saw
her. She had seen just such boxes be-
fore. 1t certainly must belong to some
very rich person who would not be
greatly damaged If she never got 1t
back. That little push button that
stuck out In front must be the way to
omen it. She would take one peep, any
way. That could be no harm.
She pushed the button.
There was a report like that of
small caliber pistol. The woman
screamed and threw the thing on the
floor. Both women jumped. Two rude
men behind them laughed and one Of
them picked up the jewel case. 1t was
. trick case. the latest sell" They had
mt it on the seat on purpose to have
fun.
The case is so arranged that when
loaded with a cap like those used in toy
nistols and then closed the cap will be
exploded when the box flies OPEN
Kansas City Star.
The new age., 1906-12-22
6at041yt tAza2>
# X

The young man In the new fall over
coat lit a cigarette and pulled his trou-
Sers carefully up another inch. "T'll
tell you if you'll promise not to give it
away" he said. Il was up to call on
girl. Honest, she's peace ard it looks
to me as if was as solid as the granite
hills. l wish ! could see her."
I've seen 'em before" said his friend
in the plain flannel waistcoat.
Not like her. you haven't. If you've
seen 'em that's as far as they ever got.
But, honest, feel leary about it. She's
too good"
''SO?" said his friend.
You bet your life, Say, she's got
money"
Did she show it to your"
That's all right. You may not be-
lieve it, but she's got money to burn
You ought to see the swell home she's
got"
Were the folks cut of town."
cav, come off Nav, the folks
weren't out of town. They were right
at home and they're her own felix's. Her
brother introduced me, too. He belongs
TO three clubs and he's got an automo-
bile of his own, besides what the old
man has got, and Helen she's got one of
the little electric wagons to go calling
in, and all that-or her mother has
l don't know who owns it, but, anyway.
she could have one If she wanted Il.
There was an uncle Of hers died and
left her $4,000. That's In her own
name"
The young man In the plaid waist
coat looked interested. "HOw did YOU
say you got acquainted?" he asked.
Through her brother" replied the
young man in the new fall overcoat
"Lempie took me out to Cloverton to
play golf and l met him at the club
house and he took Lempie and me back
with him to town in his machine and
The new age., 1906-12-22

1t is up to the taxpayers of Port
land. Are you going to allow the beef
trust to continue robbing you of thou
sands of dollars annually through the
meat supplied to the Port of Portland.
The new age., 1906-12-22

we stopped at the house on the way to
the South Side. Well, met the girl
then and I've seen her six times since
"HOneSt|
Honest. And say, if I'm not strong
there I'm badly fooled"
'"They let you call?"
They're dead struck on having me
call; the old man and all. Asked me to
dinner"
"HonestT
Honest. I'm going, too, as soon as
get some clothes made"
what kind of looking girl Is she?"
"Just simply peach"
Honest"
Honest. Can you beat it? She's
smart, toc-well educated"
"Aw, you can't make me believe all
that"
"T'll bet you. I'll bet you'd say she
was If you could hear her talk. She
knows darned sight more than 1 do"
That isn't saying much"
"Well, that's all right. But I'll bet
you don't often run across any girl
that's smarter than she is. When ]
was up there last night the old lady
came in and talked to me quite a while
before Helen came down and she lee
tured me about smoking cigarettes as II
I'd been one Of the family. l told her
l didn't like 'em myself, but l smoked
one once in a while just to be sOciable.
And she told me that Helen was goiug
to a theater party that evening, but
she had a headache and decided not to
go. But she came down to see me, all
the same, and 1 started to 60 two or
three times and she wouldn't let me-"
"Say, Jimmie, what would you do II
1 called you liar?'
I'D hit you in the eye" said the
young man in the new fall overcoat.
''Then l won't do it," said his friend.
"But you've got an awful strong imagi-
nation. Chicago Daily News.
The new age., 1906-12-22
Frank L. Smith Meat Co.
22S Alder ST. between 1st and I'd SITS
"FIGHTING THE BEEF TRUST"

We are Portland's only independent
slaughterers and jobbers. The only
ones not controlled by the trust. The
only ones who do not use preserva-
tiVes and adulteratiOnS