davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26
"The Drama and the Pia law .

Granted that the drama" and the
play" are Of two distinct arts. still
may not two birds be killed with one
stone? Inasmuch as they have been
II seems that they may. And an UNI
orella may also serve as a walking
STICK, and walking-stick may also
be used to drive on a dog. and a
lap-dog may also serve as a burglar
alarm. Nevertheless. 1t is, In general.
the wiser plan, II you wish to make
a difficult shot. not to aim at two OBJ
1ects. If, however, you are deter
mined to aim at two objects. IL Is
further observable that & stone has a
better chance OF glancing up from a
cellar door and hitting the house than
OF glancing OF the house and hitting
the cellar door; that, indeed. II II
succeeds at all in the latter. II is apt
TO be the exhausted success of a stone
that hits the house wall squarely and
drops feebly on the cellar door: in
fact, that there is a better chance Of
a fine play off the stage bet1 So afeSS,
able drama in q book than ae ~
drama leGt-ST "a book being an aS
able play. Literature is a wide and
tolerant art. 1t is impossible to say
what kind of thing is inadmissible to
a book. The novel and book drama
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26
BRISTOL TO BAR
ALL EL0PERS

BRISTOL, TENN-Special-B is
soon TO lose its fame as a Gretna Green
Tor clipping couples from Virginia and
West Virginia, IL a bill which Senator
Cox. of Bristol, has just introduced in
the present Legislature, becomes a law
AZ the urgent request of the Minis
terial Union of Bristol and citizens
generally. the Senator and former Gov
ernor has decided to urge the present
legislature to enact his bill into law
The passage OF this law, which raises
the marriageable age to twenty
years Tor both, without parental con-
sent. Will put the two leading marry
ing parsons of Bristol out OF business.
The Rev. Alfred Harrison Burroughs.
the matrimonial wizard OF Bristol, has
married nearly 1000 couples at his
Mecca In Bristol, and all of them elop-
ers from Virginia and West Virginia
they come from far and near and last
month he married nearly sixty
couples Rev. II. w. Leslie another
marrying parson, is running the Rev.
Mr.. burroughs a close second. The
runaWay-marriage business has come
under the ban OF the Bristol Ministerial
Association, composed or all Of the
leading the fight for an amendment to
the Tennessee marriage law that will
put an end to the wholesale marriage
OF clippers in Bristol
The law or Virginia and West Vfr-
ginia Is that unless both parties apply
ing for license to be married are TWEEN
ty-one years old, that parental consent
is necessary. This is. OF course not
obtainable in many OF the cases, and
the result is that there are hundreds of
elopements to Bristol annually. Some
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26
FORMER GOVERNOR SAYS
FRANKLIN PRINTED TRASH

PHILADELPHIA, PA.-Special.-
That Benjamin Franklin, although
himself brilliant writer, was weak
in discriminating between good and
pad literature, and published work of
other authors, which in the majority
OF cases was mere trash, was the de-
claration OF former Governor Samuel
Pennypacker Monday night, while adj
dressing members Of the Pennsyl-
Vania Library Club. at the II. Jose
prime Widner Branch OF the Free Ii
brary OF Philadelphia. Broad and Gil
rard Avenue.
II is the general supposition," said
the former Governor, that tho publi-
cations issued by Franklin while he
was engaged in the occupation of n
printer are wellnigh perfect and con-
sidered the equal OF the most cele-
brated literature Of the era. Frank
ms own writings, which he printed
himself at the time, such as Poor
RICHARDS Almanac were, of course. on
nigh plane, but IL one goes over the
works OF others which he published
during that time 1t VIII be PERFECTLY
apparent that IL was Of a much in
ferior grade. Most of II was trash
which today would not be published bv
leading house. No. Franklin's prInt-
literature"
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26
FEUD OF EIGHT YEARS
ENDS IN S25 VERDICT

PHILADELPHIA - Special. - A
Manayunk feud Of eight years stand
ing lacking only the sharpshooting
TO make II as bitter as one of the
Kentucky mountains variety, was
finally settled in Judge Stalks court
when, after "a trial filled with spirited
testimony. Mrs. Honorah Mcmahon.
the mother OF eleven little McMa-
hons. was triumphant with a verdict
OF $25 against Michael Ryder and his
son. James She had sued for $4,000
damages, but the satisfaction of
knowing that she was right, she said.
was just as good as the money.
one day the Ryders were digging a
hole for the purpose of building a
fence. and, according to Mrs. McMa-
non, II encroached upon her boundary
line When she demonstrated. she
said, the Ryders attacked her. on the
other hand. the Ryders testified that
Mrs Mcmahon was the aggressor. and
mat armed with the axle of toy
express wagon, she drove them from
the trench.
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26

/ little that each time ne saw them
they were new surprise and. some-
how, alien to him. He looked away
from them to the friendliness OF her
smile. And when he heard himself
saying detached irrelevant things, he
again fell to studying one OF his own
hands, big and course and brown. on.
he thought the difference between her
and him was so hopelessly the diff
ference in their handsl
In an absurdly short time the need
TO be gone was upon him; but OF this
he could not speak, and he sat half
unconscious OF what she was saving
because OF his cropping for the means
TO get away. Clearly, he must not
'terrupt her to say that he must go.
Neither could he reply to what she
said by announcing his intention. And
yet When ne answered what she said,
SralghtWay her exquisite voice went
on with Its speech TO him. How. he
wondered, does anybody ever oct
away from anywhere? II only some
thing would happen, so that he could
slip within 1t as within doors, and
take his leave.
Something did happen. BY the way
OF the New Lady's garden, and so to
her side door, there arrived those
whose garden adjoired her own-the
big, obvious, self-important deacon.
and behind him Three Light Gowns
The little maid Ella came showing
them through the house, in the pleas
ant custom OF the village. And when
the New Lady, with pretty, expected
murmurings, rose to meet them
Nicholas got to his feet confronting
the crisis Of saying goodby, and the
moment closed upon him like n wise
he heard his voice falter among the
other voices, he saw himself under the
necessity to take her hand and the
oeacon's hand, and the hands, so to
speak, or the Three Light Gowns. and
this he did as in n kind of unprac-
tised bewiidering minute.
And then he found his eyes on q
level with eyes that. he had not seen
oetore-blue eyes, gentle. watching
Wlde-and a fresh, friendly little face
under soft hair. 1t was Ella. taking
away the empty glasses. And the bow
in his dire need to ease the instant
abruptly and inexplicably-held out
his hand to her, too. She blushed
sent frightened look to her mis-
tress. and took the hand in hers that
was plump and capable, with its
strong, round wrist. And the little
maid being now in an embarrassment
like his own, the two hands chung for
a moment as If fhey had each the
need.
Good night she said. trembling
Good night said the New Lady.
very gently.
."Oh, good night" burst from the
boy as he fed away
IL was Ella who admitted him at
over the Fairgrounds by the Council
his next coming. The screened porcn
was once more in soft light from the
square rose shade, and the place had
the usual pleasant haunted air OF the
settings Of potentialities. AS il po-
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26
BY IONA GALE, Author of Friendship Village. etc
Copyright 1910

I Nicholas looked at her a little fear
| fully. 1t had seemed to him that In
a great world OF light, he had always
moved I'm a little hollow OF darkness
and detachment. Were there. then.
other hollows like that? Places to
which outstretched hands never pen
citrate? A great understanding and
wistfulness possessed him and he
burst out in an effort to express It.
You're funny girl" he said.
She flushed, and suddenly lifted one
hand and looked at 1t. Nicholas
watched her now intently. She
studied the back OF her hand, turned
II. and sat absorbedly examining her
little thumb. And Nicholas felt a
sudden sense of understanding, OF
giadness that he understood. AS he
felt when he was afraid and wretch
ed so Ella was feeling now.
He leaned toward her.
Don't feel afraid" he said gently.
She shook her head.
81 don't" she said; 1T don't truly.
1 guess that's why stayed here now.
She won't be back till 10 ought to
a said so before. You-you won't
want to wait so long"
He rose at once. And now, being
at his ease, his head was erect his
noent ana as occupied by his spirit
as when ne lay alone in the meadows.
We'll, sir" he said, lets shake
hands againl"
She gave him her hand, and in their
peculiarly winning upward look, her
eyes-blue, wide, Watchful, with that
orooding mother watchfulness of
some women, even I'm youth. And
her hand met his in the clasp which
is born OF the simple, human longing
OF kind for kind.
"Goodby," she answered his good
by. and they both laughed a little in
shyness which was In a way a de-
ligfR.
In the days to follow there flowed
In the boys veins a tide OF novel
sweetness. And now his thoughts
eluoed one another and made no
chain, so that when he tried to re-
member what, on that first evening.
the New Lady and he had talked
about, there came only kind OF
pleasure, but it had no name. Every
thing that he had to do pressed upon
him, and when he could get time he
was away to the meadow, looking
down on the chimneys Of that house.
and swept by a current that was like
singing. And always, II was as II
some one were with him.
There came night when he could
no longer bear II, when his wish took
him TO itself and carried him with
II. Those autumn dusks, warm vel
low with their moon and still odorous
or summer. were hard to endure
alone Since the evening with her.
Nicholas had not seen the New LADY
save when, not seeing him, she had
driven past in her phaeton. At the
sight OF her, and once at the sight OF
Elfa from her home, q faintness had
seized him, so that he had wondered
at himsen for someone else. and then
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26

with a poiSnancy that was new pain.
I new JOY. new life. had retoiced that
he was himself. And so, when he
could no longer bear IL. he took his
evening way toward the row OF pop-
lars, regretting the moonlight lest by
II they should see him coming.
He had no intimation Of her guests
for the New Lady's windows were al
ways brightly lighted, and until he
was within the screened veranda the
sound Of voices did not reach him.
Ihen rom the rooms there came a
oapel OF soft speech and laughter.
ana q touch OF chords; and when he
would incontinently have retreated.
the New Lady crossed the hall and
saw him.
She came to the doorway and
greeted him. and Nicholas looked up
IN the choking discomfort Of sudden
rear. she was in a gown that was
ike her needlework, mysteriouslv
fashioned and intricate with shining
things which made her infinitely re-
mote. The Incompatible little hands
were quite covered with jewels. 1t
and had met a woman.
How good OF you to come again.
she said. Come, 1 want my friends
to meet you"
Her friends! That quick crossing Of
words within there, then. meant the
V.
Il Couldn't I came for a book2Fn
get II some other time. I've got to 20
now" Nicholas said.
Then, "Bettina-BettinaI" some one
called from within, and a man appeared
In the hallway, smiled at sight of the
New Lady, dropped his glass at sight OF
Nicholas, bowed, turned away-oh. how
should he know that her name was
Bettina when Nicholas had not knowni
This time he did not say good night
al all. This time he did not look at his
great hand, which was trembling, but
ne got away, mumbling something his
retreat graciously covered by the New
Lady's light words. And, the sooner
TO be gone and out of the moonlight
struck blindly into the path thai led
70 the little side gate of the garden
Inc mortincattOn that chains spirit TO
flesh and fortunes both held him and
tortured him, For flash he imagined
himself up there among them all. his
nandS holding his hat imagined hav-
Ing to shake hands with them-and
somehow this way OF fellowship, this
meeting Of hands outstretched for
hands, seemed, with them, the supreme
ordeal the true symbol of his alien
Lady No doubt she understood him
but for the first time Nicholas saw that
this is not enough. For the nrst time
ne saw that she was as far away from
Nicholas thought piteously. those peO-
pie IN her house all found II to act
the way they wanted to- Their hands
must be like her hands.
He got through the garden and TO
the side gate. And now the old loneli-
ness was twofoId upon him because he
mad Known what II is TO reach from
the dark toward the light; yet when
he saw that at the gate some one was
standing, he halted in his old Impulse
10 De on guard, hunted by the fear
that this would be somebody alien to
him- Then he saw that 1t was no one
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26

I freezer of ice cream. She had greet
ed him and he had all but dropped
the freezer. Then a certain big. OBJ
vious deacon, whose garden adjoined
her own, had come and snatched the
burden away, as Importantly as II he
had made himself at the very least;
and the boy had stood, shame-1aced,
trying to say something. She had
greeted him very gently. and though
he had answered almost nothing. his
face had lighted as at a summons. So
she had OWNED his tragedy-the
loneliness which his shyness masked
as some constant plight of confusion
Come and see me sometimes" she
mao impSlsively hidden him. do you
know where I liver
Did he know that7 Since that day in
the meadow had he known anything
else? And now, after a fortnight OF
hard trying, he was come. He sat
staring at her, trying to realize that
he was on her. veranda, hearing the
sound OF the little bell she had rung.
He had wanted something like this
wistfully, passionately. Miserable as
he was, he rested IN the moment as
within arms. And the time seemed
distilled In that little silver bell sound
and the intimacy OF waiting with her
for some one TO come.
He knew that some one with q
light football did come to the We
randa. He heard the New Lady call
her Ella. But he saw only her hands,
plump and capable and shaped like
his own, moving among the glasses.
After which his whole being became
absorbed in creditably receiving the
tall, cool tumbler on the tray which
the capable hands held out to him. A
period of suspended intelligence en-
sued. until he set the empty glass on
the table. Then the little maid had
gone, and the New Lady slipping her
own glass. was talking to him.
You were lying on the grass that
day. she said, 4" as If you understood
grass. Not many do understand
about grass, and almost nobody un-
derstands the country. People say,
Come, let us go into the country
and when we get there is IL the coun-
try they want at all? No, il is the
country sports, the country home
everything but the real country. They
play match games. They make expe-
ditions, climb things In a stated time,
put in day at a stated place. 1
often think that they must go home
leaving the country quite aghast that
they could have some charming peo-
pie out here at my house who will
do the same thing"
SO she had talked, asking him
nothing, even her eyes leaving him
free. II seemed 10 him, tense and
alert and i'll at ease as he listened,
that he, too. was talking to her. From
the pressing probabilities, the self
important deacon, the people who did
not trouble to talk to him, his world
abruptly escaped, and in that world
he walked, an escaped thing, too.
1et when she paused, he looked out
at her shrinkingly from under his
need to reply. He did not look at her
face, but he looked at her hands, so
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26

! tentiaiity were a gift OF enchantment
to human folk.
The New Lady was not at home
Ella told him. in her motherIy LITTLE
heart plying him. At the bad news
ne sat down, quite simply in the chair
IN which he had sat before. He must
see her. IT was unthinkable that she
should be away.
On the willow table lay her needle
work 1t was soft and white beyond
the texture OF most clouds. and she
nad wrought on IL a pattern like the
mes on river. As his eyes rested
on II Nicholas could fancy IL living
against her white gown and upon II
her Incompatible hands. Some way.
She seemed nearer to him when he
was not with her than when, with her
Incompatible hands and her fluent
speech, she was in his presence. When
she was not with him he could think
what to say to her. When he stood
before her-the thought Of his leave
taxing on that veranda seized upon
MIN, SO that he caught his breath I'm
me sharp thrust Of mortified recollec-
ton. and looked away and up.
His eyes met those Of Ella, who
was quietly sitting opposite.
How they must all "a laughed At
me. You, tool" he said.
Why?" she asked.
That last time was here. Shak-
ing hands that way" he explained.
didn't laugh" she Unexpectedly
protested; Il cried"
He looked at her. And this was
as II he were seeing her for the first
time.
"Cried7" he repeated.
Nobody ever shakes hands with
me-" Ella told him.
He stared at her as she sat on the
edge OF her chair, her plump hands
idle on her crisp apron.
NO., he admitted, mo- don't
suppose they do. I didn't think"
But he had not thought Of her at
by the door all day 1 let in hand
shakes" she said. "an' then 1 let 'em
out again. But shouldn't get any OF
'em for me-"
That Nicholas saw, was true enough.
Even he had been mortified because
he had taken her hand.
once" Eta said, II fed a woman
by the back door. An when she went
she took a-hold o my hand, thank
full. An then you done IL. too-Iike
IL was mistake. That's all. since /
worked out. i don't know folks out
side nuchs only some that don't shake
handsA'count o seemin' ashamed to-
I know," said Nicholas.
Some times" she went on. folks
come here an walk in to see her.
an they don't shake. Amt II funny
when folks can an don't? When
they come from the city next week
the whole house'l shake hands but
me. Once 1 went TO prayer meetin'
an / hung around waitin' to see III
somebody wouldn't But they DIDN'T
any OF 'em. II was rainin' outside an
guess they thought I come with
somebody's rubbers."
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26

It would be IN the nature Of a ca
lamity for Mr.. Sheehan to be sent to
the Senate, because the time and the
methods which he typifles make his
Pre- Nble election q menace to the new
political spirit in the country as a
whole. Mr.. Sheehan Is a survival of
an outworn day. He is representative
or the trazzled sort OF machine politics
which Tammany Hall fatuously per-
ststs In trying TO repair and revamp.
1t is unreasonable to suppose that his
training and habit would permit him
10 absorb the new and larger view
OF public service in which partisanry
Is ever more negligible. And that this
may not be. in one sense, his fault is
not fact to make him any the less
Observation-Disclosures News
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26

times a single train from Virginia
brings four or five clipping couples
baggage cars and almost every con-
cSiVaole method is adopted 10 enable
inc groom room ODE to quickly get his
II arrives here, and across the State
ilne into Tennessee before officers can
interfere. In many cases the parents
have the officers here TO watch for the
couples, but the trainmen are pretty
clever at outwitting the officers, and so
TO elude the minions OF the law and get
into Tennessee. which is only a hun
cred and nifty yards from the Union
Station. The Rev. y. II. Burroughs is
always at the station ready and though
the Norfolk and Western has required
him. along with other marrying par
sons, TO take a stand with the hotel
porters. he is always to be found at his
posi-; ready 70 hurry the clippers
away 10 the Mecca and quickly tie
them up.
Tennessee's marriage laws are lax.
bride need be only ffteen and a
groom seventeen, and then these ages
issued with little or no Formally. ANY
person, regardless OF his financial
worth, goes through the form of sign
that the parties are eligible to be mar
ried; Parson Burroughs has signed
hundreds of them. There is almost no
for the license II will be seen that
Tennessee takes advantage OF its own
AAbcA amy III lilC issuance OF marriage
laws. TO charge $3.50 more than. Vir-
ginia charges.
The people here have become sick
and tired OF the runaway marriage
business, and have taken determined
measures, through their representa-
uves in the Legislature, to have it
abolished. 1t is openly condemned, and
very FEW relish the notoriety the city
gets out OF being a Mecca for clippers
from two or more States While the
bulk of the clippers come from Vir-
ginia and West Virginia they come
from other States, where the marriage
letting the young be happy, and IL
letting the young be happily and IL
matrimony is the road to happiness
they may travel IT at the tender age of
sixteen.
Local newspapers ciamor against the
elopement business, and the Wholesale
marrying of children for the sake of
the small fees the marrying parsons
get out of IT, but this far nothing has
checked the activity of the local matrl-
monial wizards.
Senator Cox, author OF the amend
ment TO the Tennessee marriage laws
which promises to put the marrying
parsons out or business, IS one OF the
strongest men in the Legislature and
the leader of the Senate, and IL is a
pretty safe guess that the bin yZSll-.-Ts
enacted into law, II not ia iIs present
1orm in such a manner as to deal a
death blow to the marrying parson
business In Bristol
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26
why Murphy Is For sheehan.

But why Is Murphy for Sheehan?
The first and foremost reason, no
doubt, lies In the familiar fact that
Murphy is always for the worst pos
sibIe candidate. He likes Sheehan he
cause Sheehan Is a political manipu-
fetor OF his own kind, a professional in
politics. a man who may be trusted
to place party above patriotism and
machine above party. He dislikes and
distrusts Shepard because Shepard is
nothing of the sort. The New York
Tindes hints at a further and even
more sinister reason for Murphy's
course. Sheehan is rich man and he
is wildly eager to be q United States
The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-01-26

are catholic enough to welcome the
moral symbolism of Hawthorne and
the visions OF Maeterlinck- But the
stage is not so catholic. 1t will stand
something, but II Will not stand as
much The eyes see persons on the
stage and the imagination is shackled
TO the eyes. The forms and habits OF
the drama I'm literature have been
largely adopted from the stage, and
such is the Elasticity and tolerance
OF literature that there seems to be
little objection to that alien influence.
But play is not plastic. not tolerant
or alien influence, Any breach of it's
contract, any characterization and cut
ting athwart, any MISUNDERSTANDING OF
what IL is, this current flowing over
the footlights to the audience alb
sorbed and expectant. any break In
the electric connection. is paid for on
the spot--Arthur Cotton, in the jan
uary number Of the North American
Review.