davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
QUEER THINGS ABOUT DEBT
Only Thing That Goes Contrary to
Natures Laws-EVery Debtor
Is a Creditor.

Debt is the one thing which goes
contrary to the laws Of nature, be-
cause you can contract and expand it
at the same time Nothing exceeds
like debt.
Everyone is always in debt to some
one else. Every debtor is a creditor,
every creditor is debtor. There be
ing no clearing house of humanity,
the thing goes on from day to day
getting more complicated.
When you borrow money from a
man who is willing to lend it to you,
you are his creditor to the extent that
you have favored him with an oppor-
tunity.
Everybody starts by owing the gov
ernment his part Of the interest on
the national debt AS this is increas-
ing all the time, the fatal habit some
people have of putting of the day Of
their birth counts against them.
1t is declared to be immoral for
poor people to borrow money. Rich
people, who have inherited money
which really doesn't belong to them.
can, however. borrow all the money
they can get, practise considered
highly proper.
Debt is poor sleeping companion.
He Rnn't stay hitched- II you put
hi In room by himself and
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10

of the big Sixth avenue stores. These
were her rightful domain, or had been
when she had gone to spend the few
dollars that her own limited resources
allowed. She rode now to one of the
more exclusive Fifth avenue shops and
proceeded to make such purchases as
she wanted without regard to cost. The
more she paid the better, for her plan
of concealment would not permit Of
her buying too much, and, besides. she
was through with the cheap and
shoddy.
Everything in this store catered to
the better tastes of the better class Of
people. Even the girls behind the
counters were different. They were
polite and suave, softer voiced and
gentler hammered. None Of them
chewed gum and none of them called
cash" in shrill, repellent tones. Nor
did any of them carry on converse
ton with companion 80 feet away to
inform her friend that she had had a
perfectly swell time last night" and
contemplated spending the ensuing
evening with Jimmie" tasting joys
unconfined at the skating rink.
Most of the floorwalkers were in
keeping with the clerks They we're
not dressed in long Prince Alberts as
for an afternoon tea, nor did they twirl
huge black mustachios. They were
clean shaven and neat, and stood or
walked about with some display of
modesty as if they thought it possible
that some of their millionaire custom
ers were almost as elevated in life's
station as themselves.
Here was a house in order and Jane
reveled in it. No more Sixth avenue
for her; she would leave that to Mrs.
Collins. For herself she was through
with the hoi polloi She was not one
of them and never had been except
from necessity. She thought of her
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10

grind at his work and then the long
idle evenings in the fat or the fruit
less pleasures Of some cheap amuse-
ment in the city. This idea of a home
had been something new. He had
talked about it and planned for it and
become so enthusiastic over it that she
had entered into the spirit of it and
rejoiced with him. And now the spell
Of this Utopia was gone, at least for
her.
Much of her husbands enthusiasm
over suburban life was not shared by
Jane. When they had moved into the
place in the spring her natural love
of the artistic had given her happy
interest in her flowers, but there her
concern inthe rustic pursuits ceased.
For his sake she assumed a sympathy
that she did not feel. Truck gardens,
Jane thought, were for truck garden
ers and while hens were useful for
laying eggs, they were not interesting
companions.
Bob's school, on the other hand, had
a poultry department that was noted
the world over and while he had not
specialized in that branch of education
his innate liking for all forms of ami
NAL life had attracted him to it. When
his young Plymouth Rocks had begun
to feather out he went into ecstasies
If a rooster showed the proper bar
rings on wing and tail, while with Jane
the birds superiority was gauged only
from the standpoint of a frying pan.
Such tendencies did not make Jane
one bit less a woman. We cannot all
be Walt Whitmans, and preference for
a steam-heated drawing room to a
harnyard, in a woman at least, is no
sign of perverted morals. But the
hunt for happiness in the cheap sub
urb was, for Jane, a quest founded on
false premises. She knew it and now
she turned eagerly to the escape.
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10

home in one Of the larger cities up
state and of her lie there when Bob
had courted her five years ago. Her
father was not rich, as wealth is re-
garded today, but he was a welI-to-do
and much respected attorney and an
intellectual one. If the occasion had
required it he. would have taken loig-
ing at a frst-class hotel and done
without a meal rather than stay at an
inferior one.
Jane had had a year at one of the
leading colleges for girls and then a
turn in the tide of her fathers busi-
ness affairs had cut short this luxury.
But she knew her art and her music
and she had looked forward with a
thrill and with wholesome anticipation
to her advent in the great metropolis
She had an inkling of Bobs business
then and business of any kind seemed
better for man to her than profess
sion Her fathers case convinced her
of this. She was sure that no man was
more capable, more suited to enjoy the
best things of life or more eager to
supply them for his family, but his
calling did not seem to provide the
means.
Jane had known Bob's history at
school. He was a leader, as Brand had
said, and she was confident that he
would force his way to the front in
the business world. Not that she was
marrying him from any selfish view
point. She loved him, but she was
also proud of him, and the last year
or two of their married life had seen a
tinge of disappointment mingled with
his pride. She was still hopeful, or
had been until the coming Of Brand
In five years Brand had become a mill
lionaire, though it was true that he
had started from higher plane than
Bob and with much greater opportuni-
ties But he had made the most Of
these chances and she found herself
wondering now whether Bob had done
the same.
All women like the fineries and the
luxuries of life, but some crave them
more than others. Jane was one of
these. She was essentially what Brand
read her to be. She had the fiinesse,
the culture of the so-called upper
classes and the inherent longing to be
a living part Of their order Still she
had woman's instinct for home and
for this reason she had not opposed
her husbands humble venture on
Staten island. She had wished it might
be more elaborate, but since it was all
they could afford, it was better than
none.
And Jane was not selfish. She knew
that besides the Joy Of having her and
her love the i've years Of their welded
lie had brought few thrills to Bob.
Pefnap ps some 81 the glamor had be-
Ran % fads cor hins too: the long
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
CHAPTER x.
A Nocturnal Visitor.

In the bungalow now a new era
dawned. There was no marked change
in James mode of life but there was a
vast difference in the spirit of it. A
little army of joy gods entered and
gave battle to the glooms. Every day
in this conflict Of mental legions the
joys triumphed. Not alone did they
crush the foes of James spiritual vel.
fare. Such victories won they took
hold of the physical being and with
deft touch here and there restored ii
to the full power of its natural beauty
They put light into the eyes that
had seemed, perhaps, q little tired {;
added fresh glow to cheeks that had
become a little wan and gave quick
elasticity to a step that had grown list.
less.
Jane was really a beautiful woman.
But she was the type that needs the
full blend of all attractions to complete
the picture Of the subtle whole She
was tall and willowy. Vivaciousness
made her slimness a charm; without
this spirit she was thin. So, too, her
hair, luxuriant, abundant raven tresses,
seemed heavy and added years unless
flashing eyes and colored cheeks de-
fed its somberness. And, just as a
prosaic life and tired, dulled senses
had caused the bird to droop, keeping
pace with frayed and worn plumage,
now new prospects and neWfeathers
caused it to thrill and fSttE.
Mrs. Collins, keen o gerver Of all
these changes, literally winked the
other eye. She was not the kind who
scorns gossip but having once met suf-
ficient rebuke from Jane and being
more or less beneficiary of this pros
perity she held her peace. If her
nerves required material relief now
she had but to make the want known.
The means was always at hand.
There came presently into the Rey-
nolds household, however, something
that disturbed even the equanimity of
Mrs. Collins. This was a servant girl
She was inefficient and unframed, but
she kept James hands out of the dish
water
"The extra expense is so little," Jane
had told her neighbor why, pay
Frieda only two dollars and a half a
week"
Mrs. Collins turned up her nose and
opined that the girl was committing
larceny, at that. But the idea of the
hired help" ranked just the same
She saw that James hands were get
ting white and soft while her own
were red and rough. She sought refuge
in rubber gloves which in many a
woman's life are mute evidence of
vanity or pathos as the case may be.
But Mrs. Collins gave them up. 1t was
no use, she told herself. The hands
weren't all. Jane was young and
pretty and the common bond Of COM
plant over their i'll luck had been
broken. Whatever it was, good for
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
War Maneuver of 1912.

One hundred years ago a British
force landed on the Massachusetts
coast and attacked the little village of
Wareham. Earlier in the year the
British squadron, which for many
months had maintained a strick block.
ade along the New England coast, had
commenced active operations by send
ing an expedition up the Connecticut
river Now the enemy's depredations
were extended to the Massachusetts
coast. Wareham and the town of Scit-
uate were the first sufferers. A sud
den descent made by boats crews
from the frigates Superb and Nimrod
so completely surprised the inhabi-
tants that the enemy burned the ship
ping at the wharYes, looted the shops
and returned to their vessels before
the bewildered villagers had time to
take any measures for defense.
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
SYNOPSIS.

Mr.. and Mrs. Reynolds move into their
new bungalow-S500 down, balance same
as rent!-on Staten Island. Mrs. Collins,
a neighbor, calls before the household
gods are set in order. Spring. Dick
Meade, newspaper man. cynic, socialist,
takes dinner and spends the night. The
Reynolds seem comfortable in their home.
but with a hint of loneliness. Jane Rey-
nolds goes to a city matinee with Mrs.
Collins, and by her companions advice
pretends sickness to cover her neglect TO
provide dinner for Bob. Jane. confessing,
Is forgiven fo- shamming. Dick arrives
with delicatessen forage. Dick warns Bob
against John Brand, Bob's old school,
mate. now a member Of ''the system, "
who is expected to call Jane cOnfesses
that the money for the butchers bill has
gone for new hat. Bob pleasantly re-
minds her of the balance same as rent "
Dick breaches socialism. Brand, the pros
porous, member Of 1.-The SYSTEM" calls.
Brand, Hudson Cement company prest-
dent, offers Bob 10000 to use his position
as chemist with the United Construction
company to cheat the specifications for
cement work on the Pecos River dam.
Jane ovar:earing asks Bob to accept. His
refusal, in the face of thier poverty chills
her. Brand wiles Jane into a conspiracy
to make Bob earn" the $4,000. They go
for an automobile ride to discuss details.
Mrs. Collins playing chaperon. Dick sees
them. Jane receives 500 "conspirator's S
money by mail from Brand,
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
NEW GERMAN MOVE REPORTED.
Column Of 10000 Strong Seen In
Southern Belgium.

London.-A dispatch to The Times
from Ostend, Belgium, says:
"a very important movement of
German troops in Southern Belgium
was reported this afternoon. A col
umn, 10000 strong, of horses and foot
artillery, with a commissariat convoy
and wireless apparatus, marched
through Templeuve, five miles north
of Tourani, in the direction of the
French frontier to the west. All the
troopers were young men,"
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
COAL SHIPS WORRY ENGLAND.

Would ForestaIl Repetition Of KarIs,
ruhe Incident
London.-An official investigation is
being made regarding the movements
of a number of vessels which left
American ports with coal, presumably
bound for ports which have not been
reached. While there is no disposi-
ton on the part of the British Gov
ernment to question the efforts of the
American Government to prevent the
coaling of German warships by ves-
sells from American ports, it is ex-
planned that every effort is being
exerted to forestall a repetition of the
coaling of the German cruiser Karls-
ruhe.
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10

draw down the blinds, he always
breaks loose and interrupts you just
when you are beginning to enjoy your
self. If you fail to pay his board and
lodging, he grows larger and eats
more. And what a witless companion
he is!-Life.
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
stlIffed 60 scara RIrda.

A novel method of soaring away
birds has been adopted by Kentish
(England) farmer. He has killed a
number of cats. had them stuffed and
placed them in various attitudes
among the branches Of the fruit trees
in his orchard
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
e9-Hsxe 100000 PRISONERS.
Germany Thinks Of Working Them On
swamps and Roads.

Berlin.-The Germans now claim to
have 100000 prisoners of war-about
1000 British, 10000 Belgians, 100000
Russians and the rest French. So far
the prisoners have had to do little
manual labor, but it is contemplated
to put them at work duaining swamps
and repairing roads.
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
ORGANIZES BRITISH HOSPITAL
Miss Amy MacMahon, Formerly OF
Hopkins, Superintendent.

ottawa, Canada.-Miss Amy Mac
Mahon, of Toronto, formerly of Johns
Hopkins Hospital, at Baltimore, has
been appointed superintendent of the
Canadian War Contingent Association
Hospital arrangements. She is now at
Shorncliffe. England, to organize the
hospital there.
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
GERMANS CAPTURE 1872 BRITISH
London Gives Out Report From South.
west Africa.

London.-The number of prisoners
captured by the Germans in the fight
in the Warmbad district of Great
Esmaqualand, German Southwest
Africa, on September 29 was 1872, all
members of the South African mount
ed rifles. This statement has been
received from the Pretoria CORE
spondent of Reuters Telegram Com
pany.
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
CANADA TO SEND $4,000 MORE.
Will Bring DominlOn's Contribution OF
Troops Above $4,000.

ottawa.-Canada will raise imme-
diateIy and send to the frontier a sec.
Ond expeditionary force Of 10000 men,
with a first reinforcement of 10 per
cent. making $4,000 in all This de-
cision was reached at Tuesdays Cab
met COUNCIL The second contingent
win bring the total of Canada's force
at the front up to more than $4,000
man
Middletown transcript., 1914-10-10
CHAPTER TX.

Jane in Her Own Element.
When she reached New York Jane
Old not head for the bargain counters
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-05-15
MEXICO Is WEAK.

In view of possible military trouble
with the United States, it seems wortl
while to inquire into the strength OF
Mexico. If we are going against ar
enemy it is just as well to have some
idea of his prowess. But Mexico is
disappointing. Potentially rich, she
is actually poor. Her army is triv-
ial, even on paper, and her navy is
actually negligible. Except for vast
and sometimes mountainous spaces, in
vasion of which would be costly, Mex
leo could put up no sort of defense
against the United States. There is
wealth in the country, but it is yet in
the mines or in undeveloped agricul-
ture.
Figures prepared for the United
States War Department give the
strength of the forces under Gen.
Huerta as 42,701 soldiers. Should the
foes of Huerta among the Carranzis-
tas, the Zapatistas, and others, make
common cause with the federal troops
against the United States, they would
muster about $4,000 men, making the
grand total of the Mexican military
power 10000 soldiers. The Navy De-
partment publishes the statistics of
the Mexican fleet, as five vessels on
the Atlantic Coast, of which two are
gunboats, one transport, one train
ing ship, and the other "hulk of
no fighting value" On the Pacific
are two gunboats, transport, and
three "hulks of no fighting value. F"
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-05-15
COMMISSION PLAN.

The Observer agrees with Mayor
Van Orsdel that commission is the
ideal form of municipal government
1t is step forward and one that
gives remuneration for service, thus
guaranteeing efficiency. Just now the
coast country is watching with no
inconsiderable amount of interest the
adoption of municipal government by
commissioners by the metropolis of
the state, and while there differ
ence between the larger and smaller
cities, fundamentally the principle is
the same. Portland S plan differs in
many particulars from that first
adopted by Galveston and Des
Moines, both of which have been
successful. The phase commission is
used to cover innumerable forms of
city government The fundamental
and vital idea of municipal govern
ment by commission is strictly non
partisan election on a general ticket
without local representation or re-
gard to ward lines. Without depart
ing from this idea the members of it
may be any reasonable number and
may hold any fitting title.
They who use the phrase strictly
contemplate government in which
authority and responsibility for the
various departments shall be distrib-
uted among its members, each being
responsible under the charter to the
commission as whole and to all the
people through the referendum and
recall In the case of Portland,
however, the greater authority is
vested in the mayor, who may juggle
heads to his liking. Some
who condemn the commission idea as
a dangerous innovation offer the form
of government used by provincial
British cities as satisfactory sub
stitute. But the English municipal
council comes nearer to the original
Galveston commission than any other
city government we know of, except
in the basis of suffrage and the pow
er to elect mayor.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-05-15
FORGING FORWARD.

Every public movement for the bet
terment, Identification and convent
ence of Dallas and the people, from
the kerosene light period down t.
the present moment, has undoubtedl,
had its croakers and objectors hk,
many another town, but nevertheless:
the onward march of improvement
has been maintained. These better
ments have been very conspicuous
during the past two years, but the
requirements are greater than former
ly. That these substantial improve
ments have cost the taxpayers a
pretty penny is not denied, but what
is our money for? Not to merely
count, surely. Comforts and conven-
fences make life worth the living, and
besides money thus expended is like
casting bread upon the waters.
The public Improvements have
made it possible to bring about nu-
merous private betterments that can
not fail of appreciation by the pro-
gressive citizen who delights in see
ing things tidied up a bit, and all
combine to make possible the enjoy
ment of home comforts, enhances val
ues to every land owner within the
corporate limits, and gives Dallas a
prominent seat in the chariot of pro-
gress. 1t is indeed passing strange
that people who desire home com
forts, cannot realize that they go hand
in hand with public improvements,
yet there are people in every com
munity who have steadfastly discour-
aged large expenditures of money for
municipal improvements ever since
the kerosene oil age.
Those of this early vintage, how
ever, are gradually awakening to the
fact that progress is the watchword
and with each recurring year their
attempts at blocking her wheels are
less and less effective. The younger
the element of goaheaditive-
ness, is blazing the way in the for
ward movement, overriding weakening
and through this continu-
Gus process will be builded here a
home city.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-05-15

spend lavishly do so not so much be-
cause they are voluptuaries, as tc
make people sit up and take notice
Even if man has "money to burn, =
the squandering of it in ways that
are not productive is an economic
menace to the community. And when
lavish expenditure is INDUCED in by
those who cannot afford it, in vain
effort to keep the plutocratic pace, the
results are positively ruinous.
The spendthrift plutocrat is even
more deadly in the bad example he
sets than in actual waste. Those to
whom providence has given ample
means owe social economy good ex-
ample as well as political economy an
accounting.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-05-15
QUESTION OF EDUCATION.

The mail order houses have system,
atically educated the public that it is
easier to drop letter in the postof-
fee than to hitch up and drive one
or five miles or ten miles to get an
article, even if they have to wait two
OF three weeks for it. The time has
now come for the small merchant
to reap an advantage from this fact
for himself. Using the parcel post
he can ship goods to customers within
his zone cheaper, quicker and gener-
ally more satisfactorily than any one
else can do it.
The next step in the public s edu-
cation must be that it pays to do bus
mess with the man nearer home. This
must be done in concrete fashion,
by catalogue or specific newspaper,
circular or poster advertising. 1t is
merely a question of disseminating
this knowledge. When those who have
done business with the mail order
houses in the past learn that the mer-
chant close at hand can supply their
needs as readily and much more
speedily and satisfactorily, they will
turn their trade in his direction.
Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-05-15
WE GET THE CREAM.

All rumors and the more reliable
reports indicate that when the Pana-
ma Canal is opened and direct com
munieation is established between
European ports and the Pacific Coast
we will get the very highest class
immigration which will come to this
country. The occasion is favorable
for some excellent exploitation work
by the people of Oregon, and espec-
tally with a view of developing the
agricultural interests of the state, as
we have hardly dreamed hitherto. In
France and Germany and the Sean
dinavian Peninsular we can, if we
will, make an effective bid for the best
farmers in the world, taking them as
a class. We can do this so that the
work will count for the development
of specific localities in the state, the
local state promotion bodies, and
the Oregon immigration department
all acting together to the same gen.
eral end. There is opportunity for
local plans for colonization,
if community enterprise and commun-