davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30

was shopping one day when a wo-
man In the place where I was buying
dry goods was arrested for shopiifting
She seemed to be a lady and very
much cut up. She endeavored to con-
vince the proprietor that she was re-
spectacle and had no occasion TO steal,
but he was obdurate, and the poor wo-
man was hustled Off to police station.
A few days later saw by newspa-
per that the lady was the wife OF
wealthy and prominent man. She lived
in another city. and. there being no one
az hand to vouch for her. she spent the
night In q cell. Her husband came
for her. got her out and commenced
suit against the dry goods firm for
100000 damages.
This matter made so great an I'M
preston on me that / dreaded there
after getting into such position my
self. l never went to counter TO
look over goods but that I felt that the
eyes of detective were upon me.
One day while buying some goods
laid my bag on the counter to examine
them. Several other persons came to
the counter while / was there. When
l finished making my purchases-they
were to be sent home-I took up my
bag and went to another counter,
where 1 bought a spool Of thread and,
opening my bag to put In the purchase,
noticed some bundles that l could not
account for. Either they had been
put in my bag or had changed bags
with some one else.
no II
toned, I became terror stricken lest
should be arrested as thief.
And here is where an innocent per-
son is liable to incrtminate himself.
Unless very cool and collected there
are nineteen chances in twenty that
he will do the wrong thing. and there
are nineteen chances in twenty that
one, especially a woman, will not be
cool and collected. certainly was
not, and I did not do what I should
have done-that is, take the bag to
the office and report the facts. My
one desire was to get out OF that store
before the lynx eyed detective on duty
should pounce upon me. 1 went toward
the door in a great hurry. doubtless
showing by my expression that 1 was
a thief running away with goods.
I attracted the attention of woman.
who followed me out. I caught sight
of her staring at me and, looking back
on gaining the street, saw her coming
behind me. 1 did not doubt that she
was a detective, employed by the firm
to watch shoplifters, and that would
be arrested as soon as she could Sc
cure the services of a policeman.
hurried on. she following as fast as she
could But she did not gain on me,
for she was older than l and some
what corpulent
Seeing a cab standing beside the
curb, 1 jumped in and told the cabman
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30
WHAT BAD EYES MAY MEAN.

Many people think but little OF the
consequences of bad eyes. unless blind
ness or very sore eyes are threatened
or present. Such conditions are ter
rible. But they do not threaten the
people or state as much as other eye
diseases that are not apparently pitia-
BILE.
People who are blind or whose eyes
are hopelessly diseased are usually
taken care Of in institutions and do
not become "a menace to the public.
But school children whose eyes look
all right, but who have certain dis
eases or defects that render study and
education hardship, may become a
danger 20 other people. A school
child, born with an undetected catar-
act. or very near-sighted. so that he
cannot see the blackboard. soon falls
behind his class and becomes discour-
aged with his school life. A child
with far-sight. OF astigmatism, or some
muscular defect OF the eyes. by which
when he studies his eyes pain and he
suffers from headache will contract a
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30

dislike for books. study and educa-
ton, and Will perhaps be punished or
kept after school for something for
which he is really not to blame. Such
children, their educational progress
embarrassed or almost stopped by rea-
son OF uncorrected physical defects.
soon acquire a loathing for education
and all that education represents, and,
the seeds OF idleness and responsible
ty being sown. may develop into GRIM
inals and dependents. No flight OF
fancy is required to transform such
children into the non-supporting
"ne'er do WELL" the wandering and
menacing tramp. or the idle pleasure
seeking and misery-finding prostitute.
Bad eyes that hinder education mean
a distaste for school. Idleness, tru-
ancy. bad associates and habits, drink
ing, gambling, stealing. murder, pris-
on and the gallows may follow. This
Is no fancy picture. II can be proved
by observation and statistics.
Visit the criminal courts. the reform
stories, jails and prisons, and how Of
ten do you find lawbreakers from the
ranks of the educated. Some, it is
true, are natural criminals, the on
spring of criminal parents, but even
here there must have been a begin
ming. proceeding some generations
back, perhaps from some ancestor
who was deprived OF proper training.
education, possibly by bad eyes. The
great mass of criminals, however, are
not born offenders, but become SO
through associations and lack of a
cultiyating and ennobling education,
which is, OF course. practically impos-
sible If bad eyes or other defects pre-
vent suitable education. Education
is one OF the greatest barriers TO crime
and poverty.
1t is therefore essential that our
children, the coming generation.
should be we'll educated, and that bad
eyes, or any other physical or mental
defects, should be detected and cor
rected, in order that the requirement
OF an education may become as easy
and agreeable as possible.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30

nations of the earth from this time
forth.
But, we have also a lesson to learn
just now.
In Europe savings are being burned
up and destroyed at an incredible
rate, says Golfers Weekly. We can
not stop that. But for purposes of
Americas future development, we
can, and must, accumulate savings of
our own.
The one universal way in which all
can help along prosperity here is by
the practice of economy.
A prominent western banker recent
ly said:
This country and practically the
entire world has for about 10 years
been travelling the highway of increas-
ing extravaganza. This applies to
government, state, municipal and in
dividual expenditure.
The unparalleled war now raging
has brought us up with round turn
and economy must be the watchword
President Wilson is now emphasizing
riie necessity for retrenchment in ma
tional affairs. State and city officials
should both preach and practice it.
In Chicago municipal officers and citi-
zens' leagues are cooperating to ac-
complish it."
We can be thankful that We are as
thrifty a nation as we are, but there
is still much room for improvement
while the incentives for saving on the
part of Americans are now greater
than ever before.
Where love is, there is no toil.-St.
Bernard.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30
TYPHOID CARRIERS.

Now that the quality OF public
water supplies has been greatly i'm
proved and the practice of milk pas
teurization has been widely introduced.
outbreaks of typhoid attributed to
typhoid carriers are becoming more
conspicuous than formerly. although
probably they are not really more fire.
quent A remarkable epidemic due to
food infected by a carrier was recently
reported by Sawyer in recent issue
of The Journal of the American Medi-
cad association, and while this was
perhaps exceptional in the number of
persons infected at one time, IL empha-
sizes the grave danger of allowing car
riers to have to do with the prepare
ton or handling OF food Intended for
general consumption The still more
recent typhoid outbreak at Lehigh
university with more than fifty cases
and several deaths has been traced
likewise by the Pennsylvania state de-
partment OF health to a kitchen en-
ploye who proved to be a healthy car
rier. Such instances-and they are
multiplying fast-suggest that wher-
ever feasible, employees handling foods
liable TO spread infection should be ex-
amined for a possible typhoid reaction
in the blood. In case the reaction Is
positive, and even when IL is negative,
but there is a definite history of typhoid
fever, bacterial examination for ty-
phoid germs should be made. Applica-
ton of the test could probably be made
with little Inconvenience in connec-
ton with the student dining halls OF
many educational institutions where
proper bacteriologic facilities and ex-
pert service exist We know OF at
least one American university where
such q routine examination of the en-
ployes concerned in the handling OF
food has been practiced for several
years past. The disaster at Lehigh
shows that such precautions are tusti-
fed. and that with our present knowl-
edge OF typhoid causation some respon-
sibility in this regard may be justly
expected from college authorities.
There are also many hospitals. sana-
forums and public institutions in
which the necessary facilities and skill
for such examinations exist or could
be readily provided. and here. too, II
Is true that to be forewarned is TO be
forearmed. In the future uncomfort-
able questions may be asked when car
rier outbreaks occur in large institu-
ticns that are provided with bac-
teriologjc facilities.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30
The Daily Story
Sometimes a Clear Conscience Needs No Accuser
BY Louise B. Cummings.
BY Louise q. Cummings.

| to drive me to my house. Tn.
coming up as We were driving an. an
eDdeavored to attract the cabp.s," Wy
tention, but he did not see her AZ
her plainly enough, but Lu
away, pretending not TO a. Aea
There was no other cab near I
succeeded In getting away from -. !, !
woman When / reached hopos .as
In as quickly as could. locksd =, =
door behind me. and after csI,,au 'ae
the maid to admit no one I usn.
stairs to my room. W
had not been there long IT,
there was a sharp ring at the 49,
bell L remained in my room. sb,rs.
Ing, and the summons was NJ.
swered. There was another 80 ~
other ring, but after that whoever -.
there went away. ! heard Soma -.
going down the steps and, LOOKING ~.
of the window, saw a policeman rid;..
away on a motorcycle.
1 determined to get away from IN.
house before he could come back -.
first concluded to examine tha ~
1t was not mine and contained NM,
Der of articles Of no great valus ,h,,
were evidently purchases of a vorn,,
Then l recalled that had been at p-
jewelers. and brought away a yalushl.
brooch that l had left there for rensi,
j had exchanged my brooch for A ward
of cambria. six handkerchlefs, half
yard of dress lining and a number a,
other articles of no more value.
While / was preparing to continus
my fight I heard latchkey fumhlin,
In the keyhole of the front door !
knew it was my husband and ran
downstairs, opened the door and wbe,
he entered fell into his arms. In N
ply to his agonlzed appeals to be ton
what was the matter finally gaspad
that was about to be arrested A +,
shoplifter. This naturally astonisbsd
him, and he worked hard with me IN
he got the story.
"Nonsensew he exclaimed. asons
woman has unintentionaIly exchanged
bags. Doubtless while shopping at the
same counter with you you both laid
down your bags and she picked up the
wrong bag. When you turned for
yours you took what was left"
There was another ring at the door.
bell, and my husband insisted on going
to the door. 1 ran upstairs and hid IN
the closet. Presently heard him call
ing, but I remained where was I'll
he came upstairs with my lost bag
The woman who had followed me-
finding that she had exchanged bags
with some one and seeing me leave
the store. recognized me as one she
had seen shopping beside her and bad
tried to catch me. Failing, she had
sent a motorcycle policeman after me
He had returned, reported that he had
failed to gain admittance, and the wo-
man had come to restore my bag with
a 81 900 brooch in It for her own con
tanning articles worth very little
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30
We Editor Takes a Bride.
Coax Hill, o., Press.)


It isn't often that the groom is called
upon to write a story of his marriage
It's a job the writer does not like. But
readers of The Press are entitled to
all the news, so here goes. 1t may be
that our readers may get new insight
by reading this confession.
l confess that am married; that
entered the double-harness arrange
ment because found the only woman
who was fitted to become my help
meet; because / knew that life was
short and time was short and time
was fleeting, and that bachelors soon
er or later became crusty individuals,
souring the lives of all with whole
they came in contact; that l was los
ing the better part of life; that man
without a good wife was in measure
good ship at sea without a rudder.
So, on Monday last, the woman of
my heart, Miss Katherine Smythe,
graduate nurse of Lucasville, took her
place on my left, in a room at the
home of the Rev. John Writ Dunning,
at Portsmouth, and placing her right
hand in mine, we gave the correct an
swers to the questions of the ring GER
emory that made us one.
Friends, it is a solemn occasion.
Quite often young and thoughtless
couples jest and make merry at this
time. ALI would that they might real
ize the solemnity of the occasion that
bestows upon them the richest bless
ing that is within the power of the AL
mighty Lord to grant. What did i get:
Friends, | got pure womanly woman.
/ did not get a fashion plate, neither
did | obtain beautiful doll" The
woman who will be my partner for
ever is a girl l have known for years
was born, and, with the exception of
a few short years when 1 was follow
ing my vocation as telegrapher and
she tina. of a graduate nurse we have
lived next door to each other. l have
seen her early in the morning, at all
hours of the day and in the evening,
and never have 1 beheld her in dirty,
greasy, sack-like kimona. l have seen
her under trying times and always has
she shown a smiling face and a cheer
full disposition. l have seen her gen
crosby tried under great handicaps
and never has it failed. l have ate of
her cooking and never tasted more
tempting viands. 1 have seen her
bend over the family washtub and do !
a big washing without a murmur. 1
have seen and heard of her ministra-
lions to the sick and afflicted and
know that her capabilities of salving
the pain of the unfortunate sick or in
jured are great. l have seen her
household work from kitchen to garnet
and always found everything neat and
tidy. What more could mortal man
desire?
Such is the woman who will share
my life burdens and do all within her
power to assist me in my work of pro-
noting the good old town of Oak Hill.
Such is the woman who will, in a few
short days, come to make her home
with and among the good people of
Oak Hill. We have purchased a home
in the town and shall concentrate our
energies to the furtherance of any and
all things tending toward the better
ment of our chosen home. May we al
ways remain true to our trust that we
may deserve your support in our I'M
dertakings. l thank you.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30
TALKS ON THRIFT.
BY I'd. MAC GREGOR

America is favored above all
other nations in the world. Her
enormous crops, her capacity for
expanding industry and to supply
food products, necessaries of life
and comforts, and her resource
fulness AFFORD her an opportunity
that seldom comes TO a nation"
There ought to be a particularly
ready response this year to the presi
dents proclamation calling for gen
eral thanksgiving.
AS a nation we have much to be
thankful for in 1914, a year which has
brought untold sorrow and distress 10
the people of European countries torn
by war and oppressed by the vision OF
long-continued poverty.
The New York Herald recently pub
lished a cartoon showing the various
nations of Europe, personified by typ
ical soldiers of each nation, attacking
with their swords and bayonets a
great bag of gold representing the
peoples savings OF so years.
There's nothing like that in this
country, and that is WHY every thrifty
American may rejoice most keenly at
this time.
Some cynic has said that gratitude
is sometimes only a lively sense OF
future favors. If that is the case, we
as a nation ought to be doubly thank
full this year because there is every in
dication that we are going to be more
highly favored than ever among the
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30

Through close cooperation with de
partments of the federal government
at Washington. the chamber OF com
merce of the United States Is keeping
virtually the entire business commu'
nifty of the country fully informed OF
all developments of the European war
that reflect directly upon the com
merce OF the United States, domestic
or foreign.
The national alliance of more than
900 commercial organizations was ere
ated early In 1912. The membership
of the chamber stretches into every
nook and corner OF the country. In
cluded in its 900 allied organizations
are great and small chambers of com
merce In every state and every com
mercially important city of the union
Their total individual membership
passes the quarter million mark and
every line of industry in the country Is
represented.
With the outbreak OF the European
war the need of specific information
as to it's probable and actual influence
ON business conditions was very urg'
emit Under the direction of Elliott II.
Goodwin, general secretary OF the ma
tional chamber, the clerical force al
ready organized here to form a clear
ing house OF national and international
information on business conditions
was augmented and it's energies direct
ed to meeting the emergency. The
bi-weekly bulletins sent out to mem
bers were increased in scope. They
took up subject by subject problems
of neutrality regulations, contraband
proclamations by warning powers, con,
gressional enactments to meet war
emergencies as they developed, the
banking situation, the cotton crisis and
every new factor affecting business,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30
Looking Out For Our Commerce

! brought up by the war. Twice a week
members were advised specifically oil
developments in each case Inc
chamber has a force of trained men at
work among the departments follow
ing up every clue to information and
they are meeting with ready assistance
from department officials. Some OF
the information sent out is of a very
confidential character and to protect
il. publication of the bulletins Is for
hidden.
Now a systematic study of the for
eign commerce of the belligerent pow
ers to determine just where openings
lie for increasing American foreign
trade has been begun. Additional bull
letins are being prepared, country by
country, showing. for instance, just
what articles comprised Germany s
trade with her present enemies or
with neutral countries now cut of her
markets. Exhaustive investigation OF
American, British, German and other
statistics for preceding years is being
made and lengthy comparative tables
have been issued. The work is still
going on and as it progresses manufac-
turers Of any article will be able to see
at a glance just what opportunities
await them in any country.
Paralelled almost day to day with
presentations of the financial situation
in foreign countries, showing where
moratoria exist and their duration,
what embargoes on expectation have
been declared and to what extent wal
operations have interfered with com
merce in any direction, the charts are
said to have proved of most illumi.
mating character to the American bust
ness world. They bring down to spe,
cific details the broad inquiries of the
government
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30

Observation-Disclosures of the
ficers at Folkestone are taking unus-
ual precautions to prevent the admis-
sion of diseases into England from the
war zone. Passengers arriving on the
Flushing, Dieppe, Boulogne and Calais
boats are examined with great care.
Folkestone is now practically the
only commercial port open for passen-
senger business from the continent, so
the stream of refugees, tourists and
wounded soldiers all passes through
this port.
Health officers feel the pulse of ev-
cry passenger, examine the wrist care
fully, look into the throat and eyes
and scrutinize the forehead for evil
dences of smallpox. In order that
they may see the foreheads of ladies
whose hair is fashionably dressed it
is frequently necessary to push the
hat and front hair back. This action
on the part of physicians has frequent
ly caused ladies to believe the physi-
clans were secret service men who
suspected they had messages conceal
ed in their hair.
immigration officials and plain
clothes men examine the papers of all
passengers very carefully before they
enter England, and usually engaC =
them in conversation in an effort to as
certain whether their French or Eng
fish has a German accent. Baggage
is also examined thoroughly by inspec-
tors TO make sure it contains no Ger
man newspapers or letters from Ber-
in for persons in England.
Because of the improper use made
of American passports by Lieutenant
Lody of the German naval reserve and
other spies apprehended in England.
France and Belgium, all bearers OF
American passports are vigorously
cross questioned.
Flushing is the only open gateway
from the United States and England
to Germany which affords a direct trip
and most travellers to and from Ger
many go by the Holland route, as it
is much shorter than trip by way OF
Denmark. Norway and Sweden. Con-
sequently the Flushing boats would be
probably selected by secret agents o.
the German government.
scattered cases or scarlet fever ana
smallpox have already made their APP
pearance among Belgian refugees in
Holland and Northern Belgium. Ev-
cry effort has been made to prevent
the spread of these diseases in the ref
uge camps, but the Belgians are living
in such crowded and unsanitary con-
ditions that it is difficult to protect
them against contagion.
Tokio.-(C Correspondence OF The AS
sociated Press)-In an article entitled |
Japan and the European Arranged !
ion." Count Shigenobu Okuma. the |
prime minister. writing in the Japan |
about the war. says some |
'orceful things about Japan's relation I
10 the west
1T will be our one ambition at this |
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-30

The Krupp factory is increasing It's
capital from 20 to $50 millions OF
marks. corresponding to $50 100000.
The men and women who make the
materials for killing other human De
inEs seem 20 be prospering. This Is
their harvest time But the Krupp
corporation has given several millions
of marks TO charity. 10 caring for the
children who have been orphaned oy
the big guns OF the other SIDE