davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05
BY Prof. David Edgar Rice, Ph. D.
A. n;.tsr r,ui,I,nd p.vohaIori.4

The following rather tame exam.
pies, written by blond and pretty"
maiden to her married lover, are
typical emanations of the smoky
ookums" species of brain, which,
utterly lacking in imagination, is con.
fined to range of ideas and expires.
sIons that is really pathetic:
'Doll Baby: The only thing miss
ing is you. have wished for you
more than once. II was to speak
from der heart out I would so on
telling you how much wish you
were here"
Dear Leo" says second letter,
don't you think am a very good
doll baby to think OF you 80 much
and write to you so often? Friday,
Saturday and Sunday / shall expect
so much mail from you that Il will
take me two or three hours to read
II. It's time for my beddie, so good
night, be good boy, and don't forget
your sweetheart"
The frequent recurrence of baby
talk and the use OF diminutive terms
OF endearment, especially on the part
of women. are the most distinctive
characteristics of the fervent love
letter. The woman who recently
sued the great Caruso for breach OF
promise asserted that he was always
baby" to her, and In support OF her
assertion she offered many letters and
postcards purporting to have been
written by the great tenor, In which
he thus described himself.
This tendency is easily accounted
for when we recall the intensity of
the maternal instinct. which Is
stronger and more important than
the sex instinct In securing the per
petuation OF the species. The wo'
mans strongest love Is that which
she shows toward her own offspring,
and, conversely. that which she holds
most dear she likes to regard from
the maternal point OF view. Little
wonder, then, that the man who has
won her affection, no matter what
his age or size may be, becomes for
her "baby"
Exhibit No. g. IS on an entirely
different plane, so far as literary
style and the play OF imagination
are concerned. The author, formerly
the wife of the Rev. Cranston Bren.
ton, a distinguished Episcopal cler.
gyman of Yonkers. had entered into
a mystic marriage" with Frederick
Ernest Holman. a literary man of
some prominence, without taking the
precaution to secure a separation
from her legal husband. The letter
Is in the form OF an allegory, and
was to be opened by her lover on a
specified night II runs as follows;
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05
Painting by Lunatic Which Has All the Meaningless but
Highly Imaginative Characteristics of Love Letter.

grew bold. Scmbre men grew gay.
Brave men grew braver. Talent
grew to genius. Genius grew to in
spiration. The time for unmasking
came and all the guests had taken
OF their masks-save three. Anger
tore the mask from Passion and,
lol there stood Purity Turning in
his wrath, Anger stripped the mask
from the other masked guest, who
had come as Innocence, and there
stood Ignorance A dozen hands
rushed out and tore the mask from
Anger and there stood Jealousy
Eros watched and smiled"
Equally devoted in spirit and rap
turous in expression, the letters of
Mr. William Rapp, former husband
OF Madame Sehumann- Heink, to his
"charmer," Mrs. Katherine Dean,
show us how, by judicious selection
and handling, the more common
place vocabulary of everyday life
may be pressed into the service OF
the heart. Mr. Rapp assures his "in'
spiration girl" his darling wonder
girl" and his zone best bet" that
every fibre OF his being impels him
to her" and that he is intoxicated
with the delicious incense OF her
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05

TVHE public has been treated to
such an extraordinary outpour-
ing Of love letters in recent
court cases that It becomes proper
function of psychology TO elucidate
as well as 1t can the nature of these
phenomena.
A hard-headed business man writes
raving nonsense In his love letters.
A professor of moral philosophy tells
outrageous lies. The wife OF clers
gyman, accustomed to the severest
moral discipline, uses the most un.
bridled erotie language. A great
singer, noted for the Inconsistency OF
his affections, declares that he is
"eyer the same"
What is the meaning OF these let
ters? What is the meaning OF love
letters, anyway? The science Of psy-
chology win explain to us that such
epistles necessarily defy all the rules
OF reason. True passion Is an ele-
mental instinct that when aroused
supersedes all the restraints OF rea.
son. The love letter does not need
10 have a meaning. II is simply an
expression OF unreasoning love. The
lover is more likely than not to lie.
because he Is released from the con-
troll OF all the higher mental centres,
including that which ordinarily re-
strains him from lying. But he will
not tell a mean or calculating lie.
II is only IN a few OF the highest
natures that the extreme or passion
can be combined with perfect mental
seIf-control, as in the case OF the
Brownings.
While universal experience con.
firms the statement OF a well-known
author that 'love is the greatest
thing in the world" II is equally true
that in love and it's manifestations,
as in many other things, there Is only
a step from the sublime 20 the ridicu.
lous. All the world, II has been said,
loves a lover, but large part OF the
world, none the less, stands quite
ready to howl in derision. II not in
contempt, II some mischance hap
pens TO expose to public gaze the
surging emotions of his enraptured
soul.
The love letter OF everyday life. in
the cold light Of reason, takes first
rank as the most absurd and ridicu.
lous product Of the human imagina-
ton.
II any one Is not convinced on this
point let him peruse a few OF the
aHuelsua that have ,-a.onflx, Fas.nd
their way into the public prints, a
few specimens OF which are given
herewith.
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05
New Ways by Which Laundries Ruin Your Clothes

A GERMAN hospital superintendent has been max.
a making interesting study Of laundries which
4 = throws light the ways clothes
often ruined by careless inadequate methods.
One OF the most common OF damage to cloth
ing laundries is the Of hard nsuicienty soft
water Another frequent is false economy in the
use Of sosp BY sparing the the material washed
almost Invariably the risk OF being spoiled in
greater less degree.
We are too prone 10 look upon soap merely
chemical means OF removing dirt whereas in these
days. when comparatively heayy-working rinsng and
manglIng machinery used good soap is nvalu-
able as mechanical lubricant in preventing damage to
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05

are stronger or weaker than those
centres that tend to inhibit it.
Keeping in mind this conception
OF the nature of the mental process
that takes place when a man is la
boring under the stress of a strong
emotion, we must agree that Shake
speare formulated a perfectly sound
psychology of love when he said that
love is blind, and lovers cannot see
the pretty follies that themselves
commit" II is in reality a case of
mental blindness. The lover does
not choose TO make himself absurd.
He does not weigh the satisfaction
that comes with full expression of
his love against the shame that re.
suits from exposing his heart to
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05

son is to say in reality that he is
suffering from a form of madness.
Not long ago a Judge in a court of
law went so far as to say in all
seriousness that a man couIS not be
held strictly accountable for his
statements made under the influence
of love.
Why is 1t that the rapturous
lover, however well balanced he
may show himself to be in the or
binary situations of life, so often
throws prudence and propriety to
the winds and INDUCES in conduct
which to his fellow men seems so
utterly absurd?
The explanation, from a psychology
ical point of view, is to be found In
the fact that in the situation we are
discussing we have to do with a
real conflict between a natural and
impulsive expression of individual
personality on the one hand and the
conventions of society on the other
Next to the instinct of self-preser
walton. the strongest impulse of the
human organism is that OF ardent
love. This is nothing more than a
biological necessity. in order to in
sure the perpetuation OF the species.
AS compared with this impulse, con-
siderations of honor, honesty, pru-
dence and propriety, however highly
they may be priced from an ethical
point of view. are Of only secondary
importance. They represent a much
later development in the psychic
life of the race and OF the individual
as well. For ordinary situations
they are usually strong enough TO
exercise a controlling influence over
conduct They sit as judges over the
varied impulses of the heart, rein
forcing the good and suppressing the
unworthy.
But when the supreme crisis OF a
life comes in the form of love,
as Ii comes but once to many
an individual. these weak arbiters
Of conduct lose their power, and the
torrent of emotion sweeps away all
obstructing barriers.
They are, In fact, short-eireulted
by the paramount emotion. A man
or woman violently In love has Lost
by the Star Company. Great Britain
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05

This lubrieating action can, however only be fully
secured when soft water is empoyed with hard waters
large amount Of soap is wasted. The public in
eral have conception of what this waste really
nor is it easy express It in figures But the expert
ments have shown that part OF lime in 100000 parts
of water means sixteen times the amount Of soap nee
essary in soft water containing lime.
Electric bleaching is another method which does
serious harm TO collars linens. Experiments show
that 1t deterioraes the fabrics fully fifty per cent
Soaps containing relatively low percentage Of fat
and alkaline soap powders also responsible for
great deal OF damage When chemical disnfeetants
used the damage from this is much greater al
though not apparent at first
.k~hf a
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05

garment" He is so proud of her
that he would like to take her to
Fifth avenue and Forty-second street
at 8 p. m. and raise her on his
shoulders and shout out, See what
] havei'"
Lack Of space forbids the further
multiplying of examples. Enough
have already been given to demon
strate the truth that love letters re-
semble nothing quite so much as the
rawlings of disordered brain. They
fairly seethe with silly exaggera-
tions, perJuries, outlandish epithets,
baby prattle and barbarous figures
of speech.
To say that man under the in
huence of a strong love passion is
released from the restraints of rea-
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05

II long SO for you that 1 am half
afraid to see you. / long so to give
myself to you-to be all yours at
last, that hardly dare think of our
green woods. Tonight, then, you are
mine, and mine alone.
"Once upon time Eros gave
masked ball and invited the emo
tons They came in costume-cos-
tune intended TO conceal the iden-
tty Of each. To harp and flute they
danced. They quaffed the wine OF
life and their merry feast chased
the flying hours,
Eros watched and smiled.
"He knew
Deeper they drank. Wilder grew
the dance. Tongues too reserved
were loosened. Maidens demure
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05

In minds endowed with memory
and the power of reflection such in
hibiting influences are to be found
in unhappy results of earlier ex-
periences. In this way there are
gradually built up centres of inhibi-
tion, as they are called. When we
reason" out that a given act is
dishonest, or improper or imprudent,
1t simply means that we permit the
idea of a previous unhappy expert
ence in connection with the given
act to occupy the consciousness to
the exclusion of the impulse itself
The doing of the act or the refrain
ing from II then rests wholly on the
question OF whether the brain cen
tres which originate the impulses
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05

control Of the higher centres Oh
thought. Lovers must be liars.
To put the same facts in purely
physiological form. we may say that
the great substratum of mental life
in man, in common with the lower
forms of animal life, consists of a
great array of inherited tendencies
to action in the form of what are
commonly known as instincts. Given
a certain stimulus to the nervous
organism, and it's appropriate re-
action follows as inevitably as
night follows day. The only thing
can possibly prevent such a re-
suit is the existence of L
different impulse, prompting III
to action of a different I'm
kind ms
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05

others. His passion alone holds the
stage OF his consciousness, and, as IL
were deliberately cuts the wires
through which help might otherwise
come from the so-called inhibition
centres.
And when the stress is over and
me damage done-when the mental
Dalance. is re-established and the
victim can sit down and calmly con.
sluer his own conduct in an inner.
sonal way, it may we'll be that he
himself win prove to be his own
severest critic.
itself. '"0e
Strange, indeed, is it that the very
emotions that mean so much 10 an
individual in his own personal sy.
perience, and that make so stronp
an appeal to him when idealized IN
literature, should lead him SO far
away from truth and excite notbing
but ridicule and contempt when tbey
are actually realized in the exneri.
enee OF another individual.
Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-05

ar Company. Great Britain Rights RessETsd
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-03-19

almost starved, Tor years. she got into
association with poor and lawless peo-
pie, among whom. one night there was
dynamite explosion, the explosion
of a bomb-Which caused the loss Of
her hearing.
''All sorts Of policemen came into
the house, doctors came, priests came
The old life was ever, and when the
food was all gone from the shelves,
took my little basket and went out,
not meaning to come back again.
And | did not. | sold my bask 1t cut;
got a handful of pennies and 1ent to
the market to get something to eat.
Then | went into a park, where there
were benches, and sat down to rest.
did not know of any place to go to
and began 20 cry, when lady slapped
before me, and | looked up and saw
myself.
Il thought / was dreaming, Or had
with my ear, and | thought il was
myself as | would look in heaven, for
she had such beautiful clothes on and
looked so happy. But when she talked
could see her lips move and
couldn't hear; and | knew that | was
just in the park with my empty basket
and my onion and bread, and chat the
lady was a lady and no one | knew,
only so like what l had seen Of N.Y.
self in the glass that I was shaking
on6 che airing all
over, and neither Of us could look
away. And still her lips moved, and
seeing her at last look frightened and
angry that | didn't answer, | spoke
and said that | was deaf; that ! was
very sorry that | couldn't hear be-
cause we looked SO much alike, though
she was a great lady and / was very,
very poor girl who hadn't any home
or any friends, or anything to wear or
eat but what she saw. At this her
eyes grew bigger even than before,
and she tried to talk some more, and
when | shook my head she took hold
of my arm and began drawing me
away, and l went and We got on the
cars, and she took me 70 house and
into a room where she took way my
basket and put me in a chair, and took
- t her hat. then my own, and
showed me the two heads in a glass,
and then looked at me so hard that
cried out, Sister, which made her
Jump up and put her hand on her
heart, then look at me again harder
and harder, till remember way back
in my life, and | said:
"When 1 was a little girl had q
sister they called my twin. That was
before l lived in the woods with the
gipsies. Are you that sister grown
up? The place where We PLAYED to-
gether had a tall fence with points at
the top. There were flowers and
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-03-19

there were bushes with currants on
them all round the fence
"She made a sudden move, and
felt her arms about my neck. think
she cried little | didn't, | was too
glad. knew she was that sister the
moment our faces touched, and I knew
she would care for me, and that /
needn't go back into the streets any
more. So I kissed her and talked a
good deal and told her what I've been
telling. and she tried to answer, tried
as you did to write, but all could
understand was that she meant to
keen me, but not in the place where
we were, and that I was to go out
again. But she fixed me up a little
before we went out, and she bought
me some things, so that | looked dit
ferent. Then we went into another
house, where she talked with wom-
an for long time, and then sat down
with me and moved her lips very
patiently, motioning me to watch and
try to understand. But l was fright
ened and couldn't. So she gave up
and. kissing me, made motions with
her hands which I understood better;
she wanted me to stay there while
she went away, and | promised to II
she would come back soon. At this
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-03-19
StOrk and Cupid
Cunning PIotters
Many New Home will Have q Little
Sunbeam to Brighten it.

There is usually certain degree OF dread
in every woman's mind as to the probable
pain, distress and danger of childbirth
But, thanks to a most remarkable remedy
known as Mothers Friend, all fear Il pan
ished and the period is one Of unbounded,
joyful anticipation.
Mothers Friend is used externally. 1t
is a most penetrating application, makes
the muscles of the stomach and abdomen
plant so they expand easily and naturally
without pain, without distress and with
none of that peculiar nausea, nervousness
and other symptoms that tend to weaken
the prospective mother. Thus Cupid ana
the stork are held up to generation; they
are rated as cunning plotters to herald the
coming of little sunbeam to gladden. the
hearts and brighten the homes of host OF
happy families.
There are thousands of women who nave
used Mothers Friend, and thus know from
experience that it is one of our greatest
contributions to healthy, happy mother-
hood. 1t is sold by all druggists at S1:oO
per bottle, and is especially recommended
as preventive of caking breasts ana all
other such distresses.
Write to Bradfeld Regulator Co., ~
Lamar Bldg, Atlanta. Ga, for their very
valuable book to expectant mothers. Get
q bottle OF Mothers Fr'end to-day.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-03-19

MIS- Edward Egerer of North Free
dom visited here.
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-03-19

and ran wild in the roads and woods
like the weasels and The chipmunks.
The gipsies were good to me. [ had
not a cross word in years. The wife
Of the king was my friend, and all
knew l learned from her"
Then she went on to tell how, when
the king began to show fondnoss for
her, after she had got beyond the
years of girlhood, the queen sent her
on an errand to a small town, and
when she returned the gipsies were
gone; now, thrown upon her own re
sources, she was obliged to hunt
work. She drifted to New York city,
where she peddled, was prosecuted,
underwent numberless privations, and
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-03-19

she took out her watch. was pleased
with the watch, and she let me look
at it, and inside against the cover
I saw a picture. You know whose it
was"
The depths to which her voice sank,
Ransom. Had she been less unfortu
nate, he would have moved to diff
ferent seat, but he could not show her
a discourtesy after so pitiful tale.
But the nod he gave her was grave
one, and her cheek flushed and her
head fell as she softly added: ut
was the first time l ever saw face
I liked-you won't mind my saying so,
and l wanted to keep the watch, but
sister carried it away. She didn't tell
me what it meant, her having your
picture where she could see it all the
time, but when she came again she
made me know that you and she were
married, by pointing at the picture
and then throwing something white
over her head; l didn't ask for the
watch after that, but"
A far-away look, trembling of her
whole body, finished this ingenious
confession Ransom edged himself
away and then was sorry for it, for
her lip quivered and her hands, from
being quiet, began that nervous inter-
lacing of the fingers which bespeaks
mental perturbation.
Il am very ignorant" she faltered;
perhaps l have said something
wrong. / don't mean to, 1 want to be
a good girl and please you, SO that
you won't send me away now sister
is gone. All, | know what you want, -
she suddenly broke out, as he seized
her by the arm and looked inquiringly
at her. "You want me to tell why [
jumped out of the carriage that night
and vexed Georgian and was naughty
and wouldn't speak to her. | can't,
l can't You wouldn't like it if | did.
But I'm sorry now, and will never vex
you but do just what you want me to.
Shall go upstairs now"
He shook his head. How could he
let her go with SO much unsaid? She
had talked frankly till she had reach
ed the very place where his greatest
interest lay. Then she had suddenly
shown shyness of her subject and
leaped the gap, as it were, to the
present moment. How recall her to
the hour when she had seen Georgian
for the second time? How urge her
into a description of those days sue
ceeding his wifes flight from the no.
tel, of which he had no account, save
the feverish lines of the letter she had
sent him. He was racking his brain
for some method of communicating
his wishes to Anitra, when he heard
steps behind him, and, turning, saw
the clerk approaching him with a
telegram.
He glanced at her slyly as he took
it. Somehow he couldn't get used to
her deafness, and expected her to give
some evidence Of surprise or curiosity.
But she was still studying her hands,
and as his eyes fingered on her down
cast face he saw tear well from her
lids and wet the cheek she held partly
turned from him. He wanted to kiss
that tear, but refrained and opened
his e.>gram instead. 1t was from
Mr.. Harper, and ran thus:
Expect a visitor. The man we
know has left the ST. Denis"
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-03-19

he pencil and pad fell from
Mr.. Ransom's hands. He
stared at the girl who had
made this astonishing state
Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-03-19
CHAPTER XVIII.
GODS Forest, Then Mans.

T~@0HE pencil and pad fell from
Mr.. Ransom's hands. He
iSsSzTSa stared at the girl who had
E=zz=4s9 made this astonishing state
ment, and his brain whfrled.
AS FOR her, she simply stopped and
picked up the pad.
you feel badly about that" said
she. you want me to read. I'll
learn. That will make me more like
sister. But / know some things now.
l know what you are thinking about
You are curious about my life, what
it has been and what kind of girl
l am. I'll tell you. can talk II l
cannot hear. l heard up to two years
ago. Shall [ talk now? Shall l tell
you what [ told Georgian when she
found me crying in the street and
took me home to her house,"
He nodded blindly.'
With smile as beautiful as Geor-
gian's-for a moment he thought more
beautiful-she drew hfm to a seat.
She was all fire and purpose now. The
spark of intelligence which was not
always visible in her eye burned
brightly. She would have looked love
ly even to a stranger, but he was not
thinking of her looks, only of the
hopelessness of the situation, its diff
culties and possibly it's perils.
Il don't remember all that mas hap
pened to me-" she began, speaking
very fast Il never tried to remem
Der, when l was little; l just lived