davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

and psychology of Hamlet, to thrill with the
immortal lovers of Verona, or to follow Harry
OIL England in his breathless epics in france
The supreme can't of all critical can't is this
claim OF the cognoscenti for idols whose per.
lection is invisible to us ordinary people, this
contention that some obscure mastery of tech
hique Is the summit OF achievement The cult
OF "cubists and futurists" is but diseased ex
aggeration of this creed; the craze for the
archaic and uncomfortable styles of furniture
ls another manifestation OF this esoteric whim
The hobby of the collector" is too often a
mere shibboleth, devoid of every prompting of
the love OF beauty or utility. For the craze for
tho antique is not confined to old masters. In
every little town there is at least one shop
whose stock-in.trade is a tumble of things hide
GUS, whose sole value is that they are old, or
that they arc fraudulent limitations OF the old.
ton becomes the sought-for and treasured NJ
the next. If we could only live long enough
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

good. and In ten minutes he was
shuffling into the house. calling.
Mother! Hey. mother"' at the top
of his voice.
Yes. what is ~" came Aunt Mary's
WAS braiding rags for rug.
Just you listen to what that Teller
has got to say this mornin'," said
Uncle Ben. sitting down and opening
the paper with much junction..
He read paragraph after para
graph, bits of nonsense. snatches of
verse. with many glecful haw -haws
OF appreciation and much shaking OF
his grizzled old head. Aunt Mary
vented her usual gigglcs at the right
place. but. truth to tell. her mind
was too much engrossed with the
problem as to whether the blue or
the green would look best In the ru,
next to the yellow to pay much at
tention to what her husband was
reading.
Great Scott" said Uncle Ben, whom
he had finished. that Teller is certainly
a sharp one. I'd like to see him some
time and tell him just how much good
his column has done me for the past
years. 1 might write him. 1 suppose,
but that wouldn't be like SEEM him
and tellin' him."
asked Aunt Mary. '"Tain't no dread
full journey down to London"
Uncle Ben sat up. suddenly smitten
With an lucia I've MIND to-" said
he.
Well. won't ye go?" Aunt Mary
asked again.
II bleeve I will. and this afternoon,
too, said he. II can catch the one
train down and get there at half-past
three. Get out my shirt and help me
dress. will ye. MAJ"
Upstairs, where Aunt Mary fused
about Importantly and Uncle Ben
grumbled loudly because he couldn't
find his collar buttons, he paused In
his complaints to grin at her delight
eddy.
When I see him, that Teller on tho
paper. I'll tell him about the time
Breeds boy come home after servin'
out his sentence. and how he got II
into his head that 1t want no use,
that everybody was ag'in him because
he'd got into that mess and served
time. You remember, don't we. how
I come across that poem in the Wise
and Otherwise colmun-the one called
Keep Pluggin,' and how l went over
and read it TO the young brute, and he
broked own and cried like kid, and
says to me. That's right, Uncle Ben.
That's the way to.do. Much Obliged
for readin me that. You watch me
from now"
Pleased and excited as n child on
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

slight crack opens the way to in
vasion by germs and mould from the
dirt on the outside.
An egg which looks as IL It had
been boiled for at least a minute is
not necessarily bad. Its appearance
may be due to its having been dipped
In hot water TO prevent Matching or
to its having been laid on a haystack
where it was exposed to the direct
rays Of the sun for several hours be.
fore being gathered.
White or light rots, which are the
advanced forms of partial decompo.
sition, will seldom be found except
among cold storage eggs. Such eggs
when "candled" look so light that
they often pass for good. a close in
spection, however, reveals the yolks
partially mixed with the whites and
full OF old broken-down blood rings;
and on being broken they have the
appearance known as added"
Eggs which have reached this
stage Of decay are extremely danger
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08
A Short Story Proving That the
Unexpected Is Often a Blessing


dail's. is ushered to 1t, opens 1t aud
enters.
It is very close to four. Billy has
closed his cold fingers over tho butt
OF the revolver. The presses in tho
basement begin to shake the build
ing.
way through the door. with no an
nouncing tap, Billy starts, hurriedly
thrusts the weapon under n litter ct
papers below The pigeonholes of his
you Mr.. crandnii?" quavers Unoie
Ben, all a-tremble with the thought
that here he is at last In tho presence
OF intellectual greatness.
YES" says Billy DULY. What can
Uncle Ben drops aorvously into
chair and begins to fldget with his old
felt hat.
II amt a-goin' to take up much
Of yer time" no begins humbly. II
was in town to-day. and somehow
jest had to come to see yer to let ye
know how much I've enjyed that col
umn of yourn for morc'n twenty year.
I tell we, there's gospel truth In 1t
every day. and n lot of help for folks
Billy Crandan listens. with n
strange tightening Mt the throat. u
strange, frightened. enger light In his
eyes. And when Uncle Ben has fin-
ished he says: Tell me that again."
duu tucTe Is SOInclnlnS the way
he says 1t that would make you catch
your breath.
So Uncle Ben tells 1t all again, and
Billy Crandall. ut the conclusion of
tho second recital. gets out Of his
chair and goes and looks out OF the
one little window of the room; stands
there staring into nothingness n very
long time. And when Billy turns from
the window his eyes are red. but he's
laughing.
Look here. Mr.. Prosser," says he.
you wait just n minute till get my
column ready for tomorrow; here's
the notes all here in tho pigeon holes.
All l have to do Is TO throw 1t to-
gether. Then 1 want you to go out
to dinner with me. and I'm going to
tell you story. and L hope it will
make you feel as good as the story
you have just told has made me feel"
oh. don't want to put you out
none." says the modest Uncle Bon.
Though would like to tell EN- back
at Granville that j took supper with
yc.' he adds with childish eagerness.
But IL yc'ro goin' to FIX that column
up now, mebbe I'm in your way here"
I'm the way?" chokes Bill Crnndall.
God! In the way?" he repeated. And
then he swings feverishly to his work.
his eyes wet from sheer happiness.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

Certainly, Billy" said that busy
young man. pushing out some coins
and turning to make a memorandum
of the advance.
Then Billy Crandall. with a queer
look in his eyes. marched back TO the
hardware shop.
heard steady voice, which he finally
realized was his own, saying to the
assistant few minutes later. Yes.
this ones all right. Put In q box OF
cartridges with It,"
AT the moment Billy Crandall was
buying the revolver Uncle Ben Pros
ser sat on the front steps of his
house mt Granville impaticntly
awaiting the arrival Of the morning
mail. Uncle Ben craned his skinny
dusty road. and each time he did SO.
and saw the road still empty, he
muttered under his breath and drew
out his old silver watch.
Late ag'in!" he complained. III I
had the carryin' of that post seems to
me I'd git round with It to time for
change, without keepin' folks
a-waitin' all day."
Presently. after much fidgeting on
Uncle Ben's part. the postman came
gradually into view. stopped Mt the
front gate. deposited In the tin box
the morning paper and went on his
way.
Uncle Ben scrambled off the steps.
the paper with mitch eagcrness. Fish
ing out his steel-rimmed spectacles
and adjusting them on his nose, uncle
Ben unfolded the Morning Advocate,
and, turning to the Wise and Other
wise" column on page 3. he settled
himself on the steps again.
Uncle Ben always turned to that
column on page 3 the first thing each
morning after the arrival OF the post.
1t was n source of never-ending JOY
and wonder to him. Now he chucklcd,
and now he wagged his head sagely
as he peruSeG ii.
PRAISE FROM AN ADMIRER.
Il tell yc that Teller knows what
he's sayin'," Uncle Ben was wont to
reiterate monotonously cncn day at
the conclusion of his reading. III he
don't hit the nail on the head each
time. then nobody does. If folk would
only see what there is in the advice
he gives 'em. and most of it in a
foolin' way, there wouldn't be half so
much trouble in this world" Then
he would poke into the mouse to read
aloud the choicest excerpts to his
wife, Aunt Mary, who listened and
chuckled. more because ii pleased the
old man than from any other motive.
The column that particular morning
struck Uncle Ben as being unusually
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

looked like great proposition then:
IL would be a stepping stone to other
held secret in the inmost recesses OF
his soul 1t would give him his daily
bread and yet let him grow into what
he had mapped out for himself. That
outset. And what had he done?
lie had drifted. drifted. always
drifted. with to-day provided for and
tomorrow roseate day that never
came. And that column, which had
been pretty passabie bit at first, If
he did say 1t that shouldn't, had been
growing worse. rapidly worse, OF late
NO HOPE OF II TERMENT.
And. In addition. Billy realized that
there was no hope of lettering it. He
was squeezed dry: there was nothing
more In him; what he should nave
done ne had allowed to go TO waste
In futile dreams. 1t was too late
He was nearly nifty.
They'd probably keep him on the
paper SO long as the present manage
ment remained in control. which bade
fair to be for some time yet; they
would let him write his silly para
graphs for Wise and Otherwise. and
pay him his stipend cverv Saturday
morning; he wouldn't starve. or any
thing like that; but 1t was IKE eating
the crusts of charity, he told himself
with a sickening feeling, as he ran
his eye down that column on page g.
drops of perspiration had come out
on Billy's forehead and were tricklinS
down his temples. His face had gone
ashen; his pale lips took on blush
tinge. So evident was his distress
that one of the mattresses stepped
over to the table.
Aren't you feeling well. Mr.. Gran
dall?" she asked. looking down pity
ingly.
'AIe?" said Billy. pulling himself
together with, an effort. "Oh, yes.
Fine! Nothing ut all the matter with
me! Only I'm not hungry. Funny
how you get off your feed when you
don't exercise every day. especially
when you are getting on III years. like
l am
Leaving his pressed beef and his
coffee untasted, Billy arose, and push
ing n check and a coin through the
cashiers cage went out.
Straigh. down the street he went,
and stopped before n hardware shop.
Then he remembered something, or.
rather. the lack of something, and
turned his steps to the Advocate Of
flee, some two buildings away.
Let me have little on next
weeks salary, will you, Sam?" he
asked the cashier behind the brass
screen.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

some wonderfully promising eXcur-
sion. Uncle Ben kissed Aunt Mary
good-by at half-pust twelve and
swung sturdily down the road toward
the railway station.
At that hour, on ono of the benches
on the espianade by the river. bent
ngure sat staring at the water. Now
and then his right hand caressed tho
lump in his coat pocket. Billy Gran
dali was going over the past bit by
bit. and the past was not good to
contemplate.
Why Billy Crandall. once his mind
was made up, went back to his little
room in the Advocate office he could
never have told. Perhaps 1t was be-
cause for twenty-four years he had
been going into that room every
afternoon ut half-past three, and 1t
was now half-past three. Anyway.
he went there. closed the door, and
wrote n few brief notes. Then he
took out his watch, set II on the desk
before him. and laid the automatic
revolver beside 1t
"At four" he muttered to himself
The presses for the first afternoon
edition were started at four. Their
rumble would drown out many sounds
which would he all too apparent
when the presses We're still.
Therefore, AT four" said Billy
Crandall again.
He had spent the day with his soul,
and the day thus spent had not been
profitable. He was white to the lips.
but withal possessed now OF a strange
feeling of pcace-the peace coming
after bitter. futile struggle. the
peace which passeth all understand
ing.
Down at the station Uncle Ben
Prosscr was haggling with n cabby.
Yes, l want to get to the Adj
vocatc building; but you amt goin'
to swindle me, young man. I'll give
We quarter to take me there.
know the prices"
Get ill.," said the cabby, yielding.
And now for Billy Crnndnll. He Is
sitting there at his desk, Watching
the hands OF the watch close in on
four. Here is Uncle Ben Prosser, his
disguised cabby paid the shilling,
stalking into the business office of
the Advocate and saying to one of
the men at the desk:
HE GOES UP STAIRS.
I'm lookin' for Mr.. w. L. Crandall.
III that's his name-the chap that does
the Wise and Otherwise column"
BILLY Crandall? Yes. ho ought to
be in by this time. Take those stairs
at the right. ITO flights; third door
on your left"
Uncle Ben pokes up the stairs, asks
a man he meets ut the top OF tho
second fiight which door is Mr.. Gran
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

Gus. for they are heavily infected
with various kinds of bacteria
Damp surroundings often have a
bad effect on eggs. When this is the
cause of the deterioration the yolk
will adhere to the shell and at. the
point Of contact will look dark or
often black. The yolk will also be
much more Opaque than usual and
will often have a sour, putrefactive
odor. They are unfit for food on &C.
count of the odor as we'll as on ac-
count of the bacteria they contain.
Eggs showing even a slight green
ish tinge in the whites should also
be avoided. They are found in great
est numbers during the Spring, when
dirty and wet shells are most preva-
lent.
When an egg reaches it's last stage
OF decay it is known as BLACK rot"
This condition is easy to detect
through the grayish tint OF the shell.
the offensive odor and the black an
pearance when held before the can
die. How dangerous it would be to
eat any food in which such eggs had
been used can be seen from the fact
that one OF them has been found to
contain no less than 100000
bacteria
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

been covered by the brush. Do this
every time You brush your teeth,
which should be every morning on
rising and every night before retir.
ing Unless your gums are red,
showing that they are over supplied
with blood, they should also have a
daily massage with the forefnger.
If the gums are over pale or are
spotted, they should be massaged
twice day or oftener.
First sterilize the fingers, for in
the minute seams of the skin Of your
hands thousands of germs hide. They
may be malevolent germs and If they
are 1t would be most unwise to place
your finger in your mouth. Scrub
the hands with warm water using
white CASTLE soap freely, and rinse
them In cooler water In which you
have sprinkled half dozen drops OF
ammonia or of peroxide of hydrogen.
Dry the hands on a soft, clean
towel. Dip the forefinger into bIcar-
Donate of soda, for instance, and rub
the gums gently up and down and
backward and forward, reaching the
farthest point Of the gum at either
end OF the mouth. Rub the inside
Of the gums as carefully as the out.
side.
The gums that are in normal con-
dition are hard and offer almost as
much resistance TO the touch as the
teeth themselves and are not re-
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

w IHEN you have brushed your
w teeth vigorously, perhaps
" too vigorously, for enamel
is not proof against all onslaughts.
you think your duty to them done
for the rest of the day But it is not.
not by half, for you may have for
gotten the gums.
Examine your gums to see wheth-
er there is free circulation OF the
blood through them. If they are
brightly red they are too plentifully
supplied with blood. If they are OF
whitish or yellowish shade the
blood supply is insufficient The
natural color of the gums, showing
that their condition is healthy one,
Is clear uniform pink. If the pink
is variegated by white blotches the
gums are far from healthy condi-
ton.
What is needed to provide the
gums their normal supply of blood?
Assuredly massage, and that mas
sage is secured in two ways, by
brushing the gums or by rubbing
them gently with the fingers.
While You are brushing the teeth
let the strokes extend not merely to
the point where the teeth issue from
the gums but below and above them
until you encounter the turning back
point, the obstructing walls of the
mouth. Not only should the st. okes
continue on the outer side of the
teeth and gums, but the inner, until
every point in the surface of the
gums and teeth have several times
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08
in the Nick OF 7 ir71e

- lilly CRANDALL awokc with
most unpleasant start He awoke
after a tranquil somrolence of
some twcnty-four years. The place
OF his Rip-Vun- Wrinkle -coming-to-
consciousness was lunch room.
where tublecioths were not and the
red -bordered napkins were piled on
plated standards In the centre OF each
table for the patrons to grab--or
iSnorc-as they saw fit
II was stuffy. noisy. stcamy place.
The crockery and glassware were
thick and broken; the vinegar cruets
were dull with finger marks; inter-
mixed with the pungent odor of coffee
WAS the smell OF things being fried.
and the staler. more haunting smell
OF the many things which had been
fried in the past.
In front OF Billy Crandall was
little plate of pressed beef: beside the
plate of pressed beef was n thick
crockcry cup OF black coffee: and be-
eide the cup of coffee was the Morn
Ing Advocate. open al the column on
page 3--the column headed Wise and
otherwise"-which for twenty-four
years Billy Crandali had written
daily.
Now, just what brought Billy Gram
dali out of his twcnty-four years doZe
lis uncertain. 1t may have been the
pressed beef, or the fact that lie had
In his pocket. AS the sole result of lis
years of labor. just Sl25. or the col
uinn on page OF the Morning Advo-
cate. which was particularly bad that
morning, or maybe II was all three.
Anyway. Billy woke up. He awoke
TO the realization that he was nearing
fifty; that he WAS getting bald; that he
felt rather tired, and that he had been
drifting along, drifting along. wasting
his opportunities and his chances un-
til II was too late.
Now, there are some men who can
face a dcplorablc situation of this
sort, grin. and never be harmed by it.
They. can comfort themselves that,
anyway, they have managed to make
a living and keep out of debt and get
some title fun out of life. and the
chances for continuing in the same
course being good. they really have
no kick coming.
Other men--men like Billy Crandall
can't do that sort of thing. When
the awakening comes they grow
pinchcd and white faced.
Billy looked back to the time he
had first taken that column: 1t had
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

and all aspects and find her still Gas nearly e
every one else finds herr a snguarly unat-
tractve, unspirited, weary and sly-looking WON.
an. Her portrait still remans-to all honest
and Independent minded people-a particularly
nninteresting picture in great gallery that
despite it's many other depressions in "old mas
ters" contains some of the most spirited and
beautiful paintings in the world. Her abduc
ton and dramatic restoration cannot make her
beautiful to those who saw in her no beauty
before
critic or an expert, but great lover of art
and man of many and catholic perceptions
He. thought, will rebuke me for my philistin
ism. Decately / sounded him: Are you an
enthusiast for this picture?" Promptly he an.
swcred: II can see nothing in it. 1t may be
technically perfect, but for all that it is ugly
70 my mind the whole object of painting
like that of any other art-should be to charm
(on,,,
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

the senses or elevate the mind. This picture
fails in both"
The critic and the connosseur, who are the
arbiters of the markets, declare that our want
of artistic education makes lack of artistic
appreciation, that do not appreciate old
masters because do not understand them
But why should they need understanding:
Great art can sing to us without interpreta'
ton, strike primal chords in heart and mind
and be understood by the multitude. If it Is
perfect in technique it is only perfect be.
cause it conceals technique and not because
technique is its all in all. The painter does
not paint for painters only, any more than
the writer writes for literati. Tho master who
was the greatest master Of his art that the
world has ever known is so simple that there
is scarcely Il line Of Shakespeare that youth
may not understand. Who needs technical
knowledge of drama or poetry to read the great
sonnets. yet be enthralled at the profound hum
H. by the Star Company Great Britain Rights
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

very sparingly perfume should never
be directly applied. The triumph of
being told one is reminiscent of a
violet bed or rose garden will never.
be attained by such crude methods.
Two or three tiny balls of cotton.
wool sprinkled with the desired per-
fume and concealed in the hem of the
garment; sleeping in cap, the crown
of which Is sachet; sprinkling the
hearts Of artificial flowers upon a
hat; keeping gloves and wells in
boxes between sheets of plotting
powder saturated freshly every few
days-these are the means by which
refined woman surrounds herself
with an intangible perfume that is
always delightful.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08

we would find that our commonest little gods
from the Tottehham Court Road will sell In
1885 for knights ransom.
You will even see in the antique" shops of
To-Day serious display of terrible things that
ten years ago the most old fashioned and in.
artistic of US were throwing in the dust bings
because the charwoman would not take them
as glft. The antfmacassar period Is now old
enough to be precious, mid.Victorian mahoganw
glass lustres. samplers. china dogs-bywords of
reproach for their grim ugliness even of o peri.
Gu when domestic art was VIGOROUSLY at its
darkest in all history! ~ 40
II. Flow much OF the value OF many "old mas.
ters' Is not likewise fictitious, now much Of Il
Is really intrinsic? I challenge any critic to
were painted to-day by living artist ana
1t immortal? - > o. is' " can
sick and tired OF the humb,g of fine oritip. aso
represent nobody and nothing but them mise
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-08
BY TWELLs eREx.

BY TWELLS BHEN.
HAVE spent ali afternoon Of a few days
otherwise happy idling in Paris in des'
perate and final attempt to appreciate that
nous picture the Gioconda, now restored ID
Louvre and the daily cynosure OF crowds
hose sedulous enthusiasm is unable to conceai
cir Impotence for the sunshine and plashlns
tuntans of the Tueries Gardens or the IN
ate living art OF the loungers in the LOIS.
Arduuusiy AMI consclentlously have tried 10
10 wherein is the beauty Of Mona Lisa where
are all the moods and lenses of the feminine
sui that the elect see in her. wherein is the
gystic allurement that is supposed to have
lawn men to that dull canvas as to some ignis
ituus and sent ultraartistic and soulful sui
dies to their graves because those dull eyes
1--we remained cold to them and those dumb
lbs have answered not their avowals.
III have looked Mt Mona Lisa from all angles