davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03
First ~ Death.

HOlbrooke. Va, Dec 80.
a DEAR LAURA:
lVH Your telephone message yes
terday affected me wonderfully.
I did not feel that knew Mrs. Whitney
very well. but she seemed rather more
worth while than most society women
when / met her at the Homestead two
years ago, and l felt that il was kind
of her TO offer to take you under her
wing when you first went to New
York. And now she is dead
What great changes the last five
months have brought into both your
life and minel 1t seems as though
some higher power must have guided
our destiny. i have changed none Of
my ideas. / believe, as L did at the be-
ginning, that TO the average unSophlS-
t1cated girl from the country New
York is q cOrroding Influence. Had
you continued TO live here in the cOun-
try you would never have married a
man who had been divorced. You
would have been content with the nor
NAL things of life.
1 feel. however. that everything has
been for the best. 1t would not happen
once in 80 years that girl like you.
impulsive and generous, would happen
to meet the right man just by blunder-
ing into him. 1t would not happen once
IN 80 years that marrying divorced
man, as you did, that he would happen
TO be the right man. know you won
feel that it has been due to any great
/ Judgment on your part 1t was stroke
of luck; that's all.
1t is a pity that parents no longer
nave the control over thelr. children
that they formerly had. Something in
our educational system IS leading chill
dren to suppose that they are abso-
lutely Independent of their parents.
The wisdom of youth is wonderful
thing. Sometimes it actually blunders
INTO the truth; but frequently 1t blum
ders into tragedy.
How many girls have started out as
you started and have wound up in dis
asterl Look at the record in the daily
papers-divOrce after divorce, scandal
after scandal All, my dear, you should
thank your lucky stars. You have
the right stuff. Not many girls could
have gone through what you have en-
dured uEscathed. You have tasted the
bitter with the sweet; and have not
flinched
told you over the phone that Mr..
Trask has opened his house nearby for
the Christmas holidays He is waiting
downstairs for me now He has insist
ed that L must take an automobile ride.
l feel that it is too soon to be seen IN
public, but MI Trask brought the doc
tor with him to make the ride medl-
cal prescription. So the three OF US
are going together
Your path is clear before you now,
my daughter dear All that you need
do now is to be true to your ideals; to
learn the sweetness Of surrender and
the JOY of sacrifice for the man you
love. Never let your pride bring you
With love from Mater.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03
First Wife Ill.

M si Ing when f''s7 We ss'S Fsa 51a.5
: home, there was a message that
Mrs Hurley was very ILL mean Helen
Whitney, Jacks first wife. 1t is a
strange coincidence that your burden
and Jacks should seem to be at the
breaking point about the same time
but ] have noticed that nature is prod
igal with her condolences,
None Of her relatives are with her
in. the house she purchased on Fifth
avenue. She had just moved in from
the apartment where she had been liv-
ing. / suppose the house was damp
from long disuse Anyhow, a trained
nurse sent word to Mr.. Hurley that
Mrs. Whitney wanted to see him. She
has some sort of pulmonary trouble.
Mr.. Hurley said that ne could not
go; he did not feel that it would be
fair to me. When we were divorced"
he said, that ended my responsibility.
individuals cannot divide their re-
spOnsibility My duty is to you. It
would not be fair to go to her, even
though she should be dying
If this had happened a few months
ago, would have agreed with him and
would have dismissed the matter from
my mind. Now, however, L see things
in different light. I have said to
you frequently recently that we can't
go out into the world and rake up
heroic things to do. The people who
do that sort of thing usually shirk
their real responsibilities nearer at
home.
1 confess that I would have felt dis
appointed if Mr.. Hurley had considered
this his responsibility, but I admitted
to myself and told him that it was our
responsibility. I decided to go to her
myself; and I am writing this letter
now in the room next to her bedroom.
have been here for two DAYS.
dreaded what she would say when she
saw me, but she actually seemed glad
She says she doesn't believe she will
I'VE very long. The doctor is doubtful
J ust little while ago. she told me
with Jack; that I deserved TO be. She
was glad that I had come to her and
said that she felt no real desire to see
Jack; that she sent him the message
because there was no one else whom
she could call in New York 'T
seemed to have lots of friends i'm New
York" she said, but it is one of the
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03
Mabel Herbert Uuer's Great Series
Married Lies Troubles
Helen Is Tom With Sympathy at the Needless Cruelty OF
Lovers Quarrel.
BY MABEL HERBERT URNER

mustn't take a mere lovers quarrel too
Sc 4 haven't seen Bob since Tuesday He
hasn't 'phoned or written
'sHave yOu2' asked Helen ..rT-
ooh no." with flash OF PRIDE no"
'' ssWhat was it about? But perhaps you'd
rather not tell me, qulekly- s,-,a1 tbfner
It was last Tuesday Bob called uP az
wanted to take me to dinner sa14 - ! y
be glad to go, but that atterWaFe, i u Ia ;S
to attend meeting Of our Animal AIl
society Bob said cut the meeting anu
we'd 20 to the theater. But We're organ
izng a new branch Of the Work-6 IesI
farm for worn out horses anu -e1'
ought to 60"
Here was another bond Of common inter
est thought Helen, who was heenly III
sympathy with every charity for animals
Bob was furious, but ] finally persu l
him to come with me- UntortunaLely s !
accomplished very little All tne W.
home he jeered at women s s9clellss' se-L-
thew were all impractical and never &C
con7plished anything. He blamed me Tor
spelling our evening by what he called my
just what we said after that-We were ootn
so excited" IT,
Il know know" rnurmured Helen len;
chow one dispute leads TO another uhLl
you grow desperate.
The Right Word.
saThats the word-desperatel We both
said things we didn't mean he stayed TIL
the breach videued The last thing he
said wss that when I wanted to see him
could let him know. He wouldn't trouble
me again until he heard from me-
what a cruel position to put you In,
murmured Helen
ut WAS crueIr' Louise caught her breath
with g sob. He had no right to make that
q condition Now he's waiting for me
to send for him. and L can't. And hes
he's so unyieldingi Oh you don't know
I'm married to his brother answered
s'You don't think I should make the over
lures. do yOu2" with q fierce pride y on
wouldn't, would yOu2"
Helen thought Of the many times she
had done the making up with Warren but
she evaded the question
Mono, I can't ] would be unutterably
wretched If I was constantly humiliating
myself 1t may be Obstinacy but i never
could give in when I knew / was right.
I've told Bob all this and he said we d
arrenge our lives so there wouldn't be any
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03

SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING LETTERS.
The letters are exchanged between
Laura CraWley, VINO started out to
make a career for herself in New York
but finally drifted into musical com
edy, and her mother, who is running a
small hotel in the little town of HOl-
brooke, Va When Laura first went to
New York she was taken under the
wing of Mr.. and Mrs. Hurley. a fash
iOnable couple Of the gay metropolis.
Mr.. and Mrs Hurley, however, were
found to be uncOngenial and their di
VOrce was not altogether unexpected.
Even before he was freed from his
bonds, Mr.. Hurley was paying assidu-
Gus court to Laura, and she finally an
nounced to her mother that she in
tended TO marry him. Jim Burke is
former sutton 6f Laura's, who has de-
cided to marry another girl, Molly Sid
dOnss Who has always remained faithful
to him. Marrying Molly, he asserts.
nevertheless that if Laura should ever
send for him he would rush TO her
Mrs CraWleys trials with her tipping
husband and her rather irresponsible
son, Phil also figure in previous chap
tiers. Although Laura's mother has
warned her strongly against the dam
ser OF marrying man who has made
failure OF one marriage, the young
girl feels that she knows her own mind
and what is best for her. The marriage
between Laura and Mr.. Hurley takes
place and the former writes to her
mother that she and her husband have
entered each into the others life with
not single Jar or misunderstanding.
The newly married couple take up their
lie In an elaborate apartment in New
York Financial worry, caused by the
detalcauOn of a clerk in Mr.. Hurley's
bank, was temporary cloud upon
their happiness. Laura was also much
concerned over a secret visit made by
M hurley to his divorced wife. The
financial tangle, however was straight
ened out and the visit of Mr.. Hurley to
MS former wife satisfactorily ex-
nlained
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03

CCT OOKS like Bob and his girls had
row" announced Warren at
with an az? explosive
"WeiI I met. him yesterday. Looked
pretty glum- Admitted he hadn't seen her
since Tuesday"
9,l'sWhat was it about? What did he
say" demanded Helen excitedly.
Cuarreled all right"
%oh I'm 50 sorry! was afraid they
well if they can't get al1ns they'd
better find that out now"
They haven't broken their engagement
Warren shrugged his shoulders Bob
didn't give me any particulars Men don't
HE stopped in here yesterday" reflected
Helen, land the day before-abOut five. Do
you suppose he thought he might meet her
''Why should he think that?"
Because he said last week she was com
ing some afternoon soon to make her din
'''Now see here-don't you get mixed up
in this! You let Bob manage his own af-
fairs II I'd any sense, / wouldn't have told
you Now you'4 be stewing around mere
all day. trying to think Of some way to
bring them together"
It was Warren had SurmlSed- All
morning Helen worried about Louise whom
she pictured eating her heart out in long
ing to see Bob yet too proud to make any
She wanted to call her up. but feared
1t might seem like an intrusion. How
ever she stayed in all afternoon with the
vague hope that Louise might call.
Louise Calls.
When at half-past four the phone rang
and the boy announced Miss Whitmore,
Helens intuition was confirmed
Louise's face veil did not hide her pal
Tor, and even through her gloves Helen felt
that her hands were cold
This isn't Just a dinner call. and I'm
not going to pretend that it is" with the
direct frankness that Helen loved in her
Did you know Bob and Have guar
reled2"
"Why-why no. stammered Helen IN
truthfully, with the thought that it might
make Louise more comfortable.
t'Weu we have" Louise's voice was quiet
but Helen felt the controlled culver, and
don't know just how it's coming out"
ooh, but every engaged couple has some
disagreements" cOmfOrted Helen. you
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03

u.ga of New Workers it could not
I -S,Li[-iye. To say that the Great White
~ is New York is like saying that
~ stockyards are Chicago.
the sttbe last month, since nv vision
- cleared. / have met scores of men
ia 10 women who are seriously working
fa, humanity; not members of socie-
tiae hut individuals who are trying to
- ne, certain other individuals in a def
me- way. New York is too big for
II,Icb general help, but 1 guess, after
III fine people here are as human as
f flt, people in any other place.
I have not mapped out program OF
~ TO try to make my husbands life
90 5S5ier for him and to make him really
fannv in cOntented, settled way. I
am not going to worry him by rush
O. excitement or social endeavOr My
9irst duty will be to him. Each of us
will make concessions to the other, and
0ride. mother dear will never be raised
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03

as a bar between US. viii be glad to
admit L am in the wrong whenever
there is the slightest chance that 1 am;
bur / do not think such questions viii
arise between US. Whenever there Is
anyone around me who needs help IN
tend to help him or her with all my
heart and soul.
Both Jack and feel that Phil should
be our first consideration. We are gong
to take him to Europe with US, and
after that give him a banking career;
We are not going out into the WorIo
hunting things to do, because we ne
lfeve everybody can find his or her TASK
right at hand.
Jack is waiting for me now We are
going to the steamship company, ~
look I'D the sailing dates God pIeSs
you, mother, dear, for your klnQ {lsI l
like Won dear. are the saving grace OF
the world. 0ui O.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03
=: An Old-Fashioned Mother =:
Her Letters to Her Nezz-Faghioned Daughter

go to live with you, but that, of course,
is impossible. / realize now more thaa
ever how impossible it is for the two
spirited women to live in the same
house on terms Of equality. Either one
or the other must be subOrdlnated. II
I were of a milder nature, L could do
it and be happy. But as you know,
insist on dominating. I would be crit
ical. even though ] tried not to be. 1t
viii be better for both of US to go as
we are.
What I did not find opportunity to
say to you while you were here 1 want
to say to you now. From what 1 OBJ
served of Mr. Hurley, he is a strong,
good man. / was prejudiced at the be
ginning l confess but / am won to hiE
in spite OF myself. Il failed the first
time" he said to me but 1 viii not
fail with your daughter because, Mrs.
Crawley, you see 1 really love her. THAI
is the thing that makes marriage en-
dure"
I know he is right. Without love,
marriage is a mOckery. With il, mar
riage solves the problem of life. You
seemed different, somehow, when you
were here. 1 really think that your
love has brought you true realiZa-
ton Of the meaning of life Still, 1
can't help feeling that you have been
remarkably lucky. Not one such case
in a hundred would have turned out so
fortunately. / think that while YOU
money, that you finally married be-
cause you really loved; that you looked
the situation in the face and We're will
ing to endure any hardship for the love
that had come to you. The trouble
usually is that men and women marry
expecting everything to run smoothly;
when it doesn't they want to quit.
There is much to be done about the
house, many things to be set in order,
so 1 will say goodnight, my dear
Affectionately,
New York City, Nov 27
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03
Daughter Is "GrOwing,D

n n Y DEAR DAUGHTERS
Nt Your last letter was revela-
ton to me. You are really
growing. I had not thought out that
philosophy of confirming our reforms to
our immediate circle, but 1t IS true that
We would thus form an endless cnaln
that would cover the world 1 suppose
the mOat and the beam parable tells
the whole story of what is the matter
with the world; that and laziness.
The refOrmers are not very syste-
matte with their projects. They want
to do everything by legislation. We
ought to begin in our schools, where
real educuatiOn might be substituted
for the training Of memory, which is all
that is being done at present Out IN
Gary, Indiana. 1 am told, there is q
school system which might well be
copied everywhere The children are
taught book theories in connection with
the actual facts which they observe in
everyday life. The very thought that
you expressed In your letter is being
put into practice out there. The chill
dren are taught to keep the school
rooms clean and even to mend the fur
niture. They are taught initiative
They are even taught how to play in
telllgenuy and why exercise is good
for them. When they show special apti-
tude for any particular line Of work,
that tendency is developed to the full
est extent. The man who put that
system into effect in Gary has not
directed the lives of several hundred
children into fields of the greatest use
fitness.
And the people in the world are not
on the track Some of them are doing
Just what you suggest they ought to do.
Take Mr.. Trask, for instance. He has
gone far away, but has bought the
house near the Homestead and viii be
back next summer He has big fac
tory in Massachusetts. He told me that
he had never given a dollar to a charity
In his life His experience has been
really remarkable When he went away
years ago, after ] married your father.
he went to New York, where he went
into business on q small scale. He had
a small place and had most Of the stuff
he sold made in sweatshOps His prof
Its were fairly good. but a strike of the
garment workers finally caused him to
lose so much money that he went into
bankruptcy. He took a list of his cred
itOrs, went to Massachusetts and start
ed in business again. He financed the
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03
This Dance Is Likely Be Very Popular This Country
Difficult f0 Perforr7

Polka-Mazurka is likely to find dis
tinct favor in the United States and
Canada, where the people delight in ac-
cOmplishing tasks not too easy.
The body must be supple and free if
the POlka-Alazurka is to be danced sue
cessfully. There is a constant shifting
of positions between the dancers and
the pointing of feet, half turns, pOises
and proper use of hands and arms. All
these essentials demand quick think
ing and equally quick execution of the
thoughts. A slip on the part of one of
the partners may cause the failure of
the effort, which necessitates begin
ming anew-sOmething which most
people do not wish to have happen on
a ballroom floor.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03

ing her right hand from behind with
his left spins her around, and then
catching her back to him, they dip
together in the regular Boston dip.
After this, the regular waltz is re-
sUmed and kept up till ready for the
new movement.
There is no particular length of
time set for the dance. 1t all de-
pends upon the inclination of the
dancers, which fact places il directly
within the reach of all, for any good
waltz can be used
The Second Movement.
In the second movement, the man
holds the girl exactly as he would in
the regulation waltz, but instead OF
directly facing each other, they in
cline toward the right to enable them
to walk straight ahead Then they
take four very high steps almost kicks,
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03

characteristics of life here that you
have friends only when you are we'll"
I am acting as nurse, relieving the
regular nurse when she wants to get
some sleep. We have the best physi-
clans in New York and will do our
best to restore her to health. 7 am
secure in the knowledge that Jack and
I are married and that her death would
not make us any more married than
we are. That. suppose, is the rea-
son why 1 can aid her unselfishly. I
know you viii approve of what I am
doing, Mater, dear, and that you will
pray that I be given moral strength to
go on to the end.
Laura
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03

tail. Personally I adore the Polka
AIazUrka above all other dances for so
ciaI use, but that is probably because
OF my nationality. Nevertheless, I
know many Americans who regard this
dance as one of the most spirited and
satisfactory.
The Polka-Mazurka is probably more
difficult than any semi-fancy dance I
know, largely because the steps must
be performed quickly. In the tango
there is an abundance of time to go
through the many figures, but in this
dance even the fraction of a second
counts in gaging distances and pre-
pairing for steps and figures that fol-
low one another rapidly 1t is on ac-
count of this very difficulty that the
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03
as 1t Has Dash and Is Spirited and

The first position, with the dancers
ready to start the Polka-Mazurka, is
shown in the photograph marked Fig.
A. As you see, the bodies of both
dancers are 1.-THE, ready for the first
kickout, which is displayed in Fig. B.
Please observe the positions of Shout
ders, arms, hands and feet and see the
necessity of absolute harmony The
Introductory step comes with the sec
Oud position Gig. b, where a high
degree Of skill in balancing is required.
Performed on the first beat of the mu-
sic-which is in three-fOUr time, rapid
tempo-it is very effective Copyright,
1913, by the Mcclure Newspaper Syn
dictate
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03

walking forward, then dip first to the
right and then TO the left, separate,
and waltz back to back come together
again and dip. and then resume the
ordinary waltz for as long a time as
possible so as to prepare Tor the real
Whirl.
The whirl in this waltz movement
requires a perfect floor, and incident
ally a perfect balance for all our dane
ing. The feature of the waltz Whirl is
what we have called fiat foot waltz
ing In order to accomplish this. the
man must be exceptionally light and
must have a perfect sense OF direction,
for he must not take his heels or toes
from the floor. He holds the girl in
the usual way, however, and she in
double time waltz step spins him rap
idly around. If done quickly the effect
is in very truth a Whirl, but it is a
difficult feature and needs plenty OF
practice. The girl really sets the
time for this. and she gradually dances
more slowly until the regular waltz
step is resumed by both
The Grace Waltz.
I've have called this first feature
of our whirl the Grace waltz, and It
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03
Going on Honeymoon.

New YORK Clly, Lee. 81.
N A ATER DEAR: As soon as Jack
tNH can clear up his business affairs
we are going abroad on our be-
lated boDa,-nooD We have planned
to 90 to Europe. we just want to wan
der around for few m 3G5 and tn,
ment. I no longer long for excitement
I have learned the philosophy of seek
ing contentment There is no other
real happiness.
Do YOU know. mother dear, I have
come to realize that I have been doing
New York a great injustice IN some or
the letters ] have written to you; 1
have been viewing this great city solely
from the standpoint Of Broadway. That It
Is great injustice. Ihere are tnou-
sands upon thousands OF people here
who never go near Broadway who do
not frequent the restaurants or even
the theaters
The visitors are the ones who con-
tribute most to the Great White Way.
Were that district to live on the pat
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03
Father7s Ueath.
HOlbrOoke. Va. Dec. I
The Atmosphere OF Death.

ne Atmosphere OF LleGUnr
HOlbrOoke, Va, Dec 25.
AURA DEAR:
You are probably resting in your
rooms now, after your journey from
HoIbrooke. The atmosphere of death
is still over the hotel here but 1 feel
that it is probably better for your
father as wei as for me that the end
has come The great regret that I
feel is that at the end I did not realize
how serious his condition was If L
had, I would have been kinder That
last letter 1 wrote you, showing how
interested ] was in the welfare work
of Mr.. Trask, still comes to my mind
with a sense Of guilt.
I suppose / should feel a sense of
freedom, but l don't We are always
prone to think only Of the virtues of
the dead. / remember now that there
were times whem he was very kind.
Like most drinking men he was a
good fellow" Everybody liked him
He was generous to a fault, as they
say-with the money that I earned In
the hotel here by working day AMI
night while he drank it up at the
saloon down the road. I should think.
of that-and feel relieved But, in
stead, find myself thinking of the
occasional kind words ne gave me. He
rarely displayed any temper. He was
usually cheerful, although usually half
understand, Laura, the kind mo-
i've mat prompted you to urge me to
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-03

Here is great chance for readers
of the MAGAZINE page to learn new
dance, containing three original and
distinct movements, all of which can
easily be carried out In the ball room
or drawing room. The feature OF the
dance is the Whirl, originated by the
Miilers nine years ago. One Of its chief
attractions is the absence of anything
suggestive Of ordinary turkey trOtting,
on which ali lovers Of good, wholesome
dancing have put the ban. The dance
will be described in three articles, one
Of which viii appear each week.-Edi-
tor.