davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26

livery have been the very day on
which he had elected poverty? Here
was foreordination as pointed as the
index-finger of guide-post. Every
man carries his fate" he repeated.
son a riband about his neck Chum,
do you believe in fate?'
For answer the bulldog, cooking an
alert eye on his master, discontinued
his occupation-a conscientious If un-
successful mastication of the fattish
packet that had fallen from the folded
deed-and with much sol1citous tail
wagging, brought the sodden thing in
his mouth and put 1t into the out
stretched hand
His master unrolled the pulpy wad
and extricated the object 1t had en-
closed--an old-fashioned iron door-key.
-
After a time Valiant thrust the key
into his pocket, and rising, went to a
! trunk that lay against the wall.
Searching in portfolio. he took out
a small old-fashioned photograph,
much battered and soiled. 1t had been
cut from larger group and the name
of the photographer had been erased
from the back. He set it upright on
the desk, and bending forward, looked
long at the face 1t disclosed. 1t was
the only picture he had ever possessed
of his father.
He turned and looked into the glass
above the dresser. The features were
the same, eyes, brow, lips, and strong
waving hair. But for its time-stains
the photograph might have been one
of himself, taken yesterday.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26

! his eyes 'puckered shut with the
wretched pang, John Valiant sat up
and shook. his grimy fist in the air.
"You silly loaflng idiot" he cried.
''Thump your own crazy-bone and see
how you like it! You-oh, lord!"
| His arm dropped, and flush spread
over his face to the brow. For his
| eyes had opened. He was gesturing
not at the bull but at girl, who
| fronted him beside the road, haughti-
ness in the very hue of her gray-blue
linen walking suit and, in the clear
cut cameo face under her felt cavalry
! hat. myrtle-blue eyes that held a
i smolder of mingled establishment and
Indignation An instant he gazed, all
the muscles of his face frightened with
chagrin.
II beg your pardon" he STAN
mered. Il didn't see you. | really
| didn't l was-I was talking to the
bull"
! The girl had been glancing from the
| flushed face to the thistly fence-corner,
! while the startled dignity of her feat
, ures warred with an unmistakable ten
dency to mirth He had struggled to-
his feet, nursing his bruised elbow,
! irritably conscious of his resemblance
to an emerging chimney-sweep. i
don't habitually swear" he said, but
I'd got to the point when something
had to explode
on" she said, don't mind mel"
Then mirth conquered and she broke
forth suddenly into a laugh that
seemed to set the whole place aquiver
with musical contagion. They both
laughed in concert, while the bull
paved the ground and sent forth a
rumbling below OF affront and chal-
lenge
She was the first to recover. you
did look SO funny!' she gasped.
II can believe it, he agreed, max
ing vicious dab at his smudged ell
bow. The possibilities of motor for
comedy are simply stupendous.'
She came closer and looked curious
~ at the quiescent monster-at the
steamer-trunk strapped on the carrier
and the bullying portmanteau peeping
over the sue VI inc loHHedu. 10 ~
broken?"
Merely on strike, l imagine. Are
we Tar from the village?"
about a mile and half"
I'll have to have it towed after me.
The immediate point is my traps.
wonder if there is likely to be team
passing"
I'm afraid it's not too certain" an
swered the girl, and now he noted the
liquid meditation, with it's slightly
questioning accent, charmingly South
ern. There is no livery, but there is
negro who meets the train some
times. / can send him if you like"
You're very good said Valiant, al
she turned away, land I'll be enor-
mously obliged. Oh-and If you see a
white dog. don't be frightened IL he
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
INDUCED HIM TO CANCEL VOW
Afterward Poker Players Were Sorry
They Had Not Left Whiskered
Liar Out Of the Game.

"No gentlemen" replied the man
with the yaller whiskers, as he was
asked to take a hand in game of
poker, II beg you to excuse me. I'm
not against card playing on princi-
pie, but five years ago / made vow
never to play again"
"For your mothers sake?' queried
the glue factory traveller.
ooh, no. My mother died many
years ago.. was on a train one day,
and we made up game of poker
There we're five of us and had never
had such luck In my life. One OF the
players was from Montana. and he
finally put up 200 acres OF land
against 5000 in cash"
"And you won?"
"He had full house and yet !
bluffed him on pair Of tens. 1t
turned out that the land was mar
row strip of high mountain. and not
worth a cent 1t was an old mining
claim believe"
But where does the vow come in?"
Il will tell you After holding that
land three years / sold it to Chi
cago stone syndicate, and the men
were put to work quarying stone. A
blast started an avalanche. and not
only ten workmen lost their lives, but
a party of rs of my fellow creatures.
Had I not won that land it would not
have been sold for quarry"
Eyes, we see," said the glue man.
"The other fellow would probably
have used it for toboggan slider"
Il believe that was his plan, sir"
"And if he did, the slide might
have busted some day and SO people
been hurled into eternity"
do you think it possible?"
"Not only possible, but extremely
probable. Yes, a hundred people
might have been involved in the aw-
full disaster. I figure it that you have
saved the lives of about fifty people
and are entitled to great credit"
do you really assure me-"
1--WE all do"
"Then, gentlemen, will cancel my
vow and take q hand I'M"
And at the end of an hour every
man in the game against him was
dead broke and cussing the winners
luck.-Chicago News.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
GET THE PUBLIC INTERESTED
Salesman Who Can Do That, and Has
the Right Goods, May BE Sure
of Success

Attract the attention OF the pub
lie" is the secret of salesmanship in
virtually every line. Next comes the
merit of the goods. Upon the latter
depends whether the dealer holds his
trade. Many ingenious methods are
employed in salesmanship. The art
becomes closely related to human ma
ture.
An Albany cigar dealer has dem
onstrated explicitly just now far the
eye enters into the question. He
discovered he was stocked with a
brand Of cigarettes that We're prov
ing "stickers." Instead of reducing the
price and consequently losing money.
or barely clearing at cost, ne devised
a new method. He ranged half
dozen boxes along the top OF his show
cases. Each was inclosed In a glass
case Of it's own. Naturally the at
tention of the customer was attracted
by their individuality
Those cigarettes were disposed of
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26

eh? Well, take my tip, you'll be ma.
king the mistake of your life IL you
don't believe me. T."
"Will you go, CT do you want me to
telephone for help?" cried the girl.
"Oh, I'll go all right" sneered the
man "And now l don't mind telling
you I've got another woman in mind,
You amt no spring chicken, Marcia.
I'll go all right, but first I'm going to
burst in that fellow Wells head.
Lawyer, amt he? I've got no use for
lawyers"
He was gone at last and Marcia lay
almost unconscious In her chair. She
felt numbed by the ordeal: the mans
brutality, his knavery-bow had she
come to love such q creature as that?
Yet, If he had not come, his image
would have stayed in her heart for
ever. &
She knew the secret. 1t was his
virile courage. He was a man, after
all. John would never have come to
her in that bold way. John would
have written humbly and waited for
her reply. A momentary contempt
came over her. Poor John was not q
hero And this brute meant to attack
and perhaps injure him.
She ran to the telephone and tried
to get him. John was not at home.
She tried again and again till after
midnight. At last, desisting, she flung
herself upon her bed, undressed, to
snatch few hours sleep. She must
call up John the first thing In the
morning, to put him on his guard
Yet it was John who surprised her.
He was waiting in the parlor when
she came in, haggard-eyed and fright
ened.
Marcia, must tell you something"
he began, before she could speak. It's
about Hambley. I'm sorry to say he
has come back"
II know, john" cried the girl. t
Hes under arrest, Marcia, for sell
ing fake mining stock. You must be
brave. The thing had to be done.
was working upon the case and heard
he was in town. / had to arrest
him"
"You, John?"
"Oh, 1t wasn't hard" answered John
Wells. 81 had to knock him down and
take his pistol away, but-don't stran-
gle me, Marcia"
ooh, john" she sobbed, "I-I-I-
Oh, you'll never know. But listen!
love you better than / ever-loved--
anybody-before."
Copyright 1914, by W. G.. Chapman)
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26

work, and often absent-minded. She
looked round to see whether 1t was his
cane or his gloves. Then the bell rang
again and Marcia hurried to the door.
On the threshold stood Hambley.
Marcia recoiled at the sight of him.
He was the same as ever in aspect; a
little coarsened, perhaps, and stouter,
but in no essential changed. He
pushed past her, turned, laughing and,
clasping her hands in his, led her un-
resisting back into the parlor.
Its late, know" he said. "But
only struck Waynesyille this evening,
and they told me you were engaged to
be married. So came to see"
Marcia stood perfectly silent The
proximity of the man she loved re-
called poignantly to her those years of
their engagement, the transports OF
love, the anguish which he had made
her feel. Dishonest though he was,
and partly brutal, he had aroused emo
tions in her which the quiet John
Wells was powerless to evoke.
by George, Marcia, / am glad to
see you," said Hambley, in the old.
brusque, captivating manner. When
you broke our engagement because
you found out about the bank, / swore
that / would straighten things out and
then come back and claim you. Well,
I've won out, Marcia. I've been in
Nevada, making mint Of money.
he hor iy1 frv1I go 40
they've agreed to drop the proceedings
against me- And I'm just in time, 1t
seems When are we going to be mar
ried, Marcia?"
He had flung his arm around her.
Marcia grew faint with fear. She
hands.
II don't bear that other fellow any
grudge," Hambley went on. II guess
he knew a good thing when he saw 1t.
But I'm Johnny-on-the-Spot. And, say,
kid, do you know how much I've got?
Ninety thousand dollars. Yes, sir.
I've got an Office in Chicago, and an
other In Philadelphia. They say Phiia-
delphia's slow, but you ought to see
the suckers trooping in to buy our
gold-plated mining stock. It's a great
big hole in the ground, and the people
are falling over each other in their
eagerness to get share. l tell you,
Marcia, it's going to be worth million
to me before I get through"
Suddenly Marcia found new
strength. AS he bent to kiss her she
sprang from him and faced him. white
with anger.
do you think am going to be
false to the man whom am engaged
to, In order to marry your" she cried.
II hate you!"
Hambley stared at her. In his easy,
confident way, he had felt sure OF her,
He did not understand.
Say he snarled, maybe you don't
think I'm giving It to you straight.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
Diplomacy Needed.

Women were holding market in q
Columbus store when the supply Of
cottage cheese began to run low. The
demand for the cheese was so great
that the women worried because they
had not brought in larger supply
Finally one of them declared she
could present a solution for the
trouble. She seized a real egg and
broke it. She beat the egg to a frothy
mass. Then she worked the beaten
egg into the rapidly diminishing sup
ply of cottage cheese and. behold, one
quart had grown to three quarts. A
merchant bought the whole supply
"Just leave it here until noon ans
l will take it home" he said.
When he returned the beaten egs
had collapsed and there was only the
original amount of cottage cheese ir
the can The explanations required
acy:-Indianapo1is News
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
CHAPTER ~.
A Valiant OF Virginia.


For a long time John Valiant sat
motionless, the opened letter in his
hand, staring at nothing. He had the
sensation, spiritually, of a traveller
awakened with rude shock amid
wholly unfamiliar surroundings.
!. He. was trying to remember-to put
two and two together. His father had
been Southern-born; yes, he had
known that. But he had known moth.
ing whatever OF his fathers early days
or of. his forebears5 since he had been
old enough to wonder about such
things, he had had no one to ask
questions of.
]. Phrases of the letter ran through
his mind: Sometime, perhaps, you
will know why you are John Valiant
of New York instead of John Valiant
of Damory Court | cannot
tell you myself There was some
tragedy, then, that had blighted the
place, some melancholy story as the
clipping put it.
He bent over the deed spread out
upon the JdUIS, lOI4OWlHS Will LID Ill
ger the long line Of transfers.: To
John valyante,,'" he muttered; what
odd spelling! Robert Valyant with.
out the e. Here, In 1870, the " be
gins to be 81 There was something
strenuous and appealing in the long
line of dates. valiant Always Va
liant. How they held on to it. There's
never a break" 81 -
A curious pride, newborn and self.
conscious. was dawning in him. He
was descended from ancestors who
had been no weaklings. A Valiant had
settled on those acres under royal
governor. before the old frontier
fighting was over and the Indians
had sullenly retired to the westward
The sons of those who had braved
sea and savages had bowed their
strong bodies and their stronger hearts
to raze. the forests and turn the
primeval jungles into. golden planta-
TONS rge 80.
There stole into his mood an eery
suggestion Of intention. Why should
the date assigned for that deeds de.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
No, She Can Get Along Without II.


Jess Worley reports that a low
browed man with cud Of tobacco In
one cheek and second cutting Of whis-
kers on his face, stopped in front OF a
hardware store in Ottawa and tenderly
fondled the handle of new patert
washing machine. He turned and
twisted the machinery in manner in
dicative Of familiarity with its work
ing, and kept, up thorough scrutiny
of the implement meanwhile. The
clerk approached him, confident Of be-
ing able to cell machine. Nope"
replied the inQuisitive one. II just
wanted to see how 1t worked. The
woman wants one, but she's got along
all right without machine SO far and
| don't see any need of these patent
wringers and washers. Our mothers
didn't use EN- and they got along all
right" The clerk refrained briAvely
from saying what he thought, although
he said later that he knew he wouldn't
lose a customer by saying it.--Kansas
City Star. -.sss
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
in paper, a newspaper clipping and

| in a paper, newspaper clipping and
letter
Puzzled he unfolded the cracking
thing in his hands. Why" he said
half aloud, 'it's--it's deed made over
to me- He overran 1t swiftly. Part
of an old Colony grant a
plantation in Virginia, twelve hun
dred odd acres, given under the hand
OF a vice-regal governor in the six
| teenth century / had no idea titles
lin the United States went back SO far
| as that" His eye fed to the end.
Is'It was my fathers! What could he
have wanted of an estate in Virginia?
It must have come into his hands in
the course Of business
He picked UP the newspaper clip
ping 1t was worn and broken in the
folds as if it had been carried for
months in a pocketbook.
1T will interest readers of this Sec
ton of Virginia (the paragraph be-
i gan) to learn, from a recent transfer
received for record at the County
/ Clerks office, that Damory Court has
/ passed to Mr. Johnny aliant, minor"
i He turned the paper over and found
date; 1t had been printed in.the year
of the transfer to himself, when he
was six years old-tAe year his father
had died.
John Valiant, minor, the son of
the former owner
There are few indeed who do not
recall the tragedy with which in the
public mind the estate is connected
The fact, moreover, that this old home
stead has been left in it's present state
i flor, as is well known, the house has
remained with all its contents and fur
nishings untouched) to rest during SO
long term of years unoccupied, could
not. of course, fail to be commented
ION, and this circumstance alone has
!! perhaps tended to keep alive melan-
4 choly story which may we'll be for
gotten"
1 He read the elaborate, rather stilted
phraseology in the twenty-year-old pa
per with wondering interest. An
old house." he unused, with bad
name. Probably he couldn't sell it,
and maybe nobody would ever live in
it. That would explain why it. re-
4 NAMED SO long unoccupied-why there
are no records of rentals. Probably
the land was starved and run down.
"Its an offset to the hall-bedroom
idea, at any rate he said to himself
humorously. 1T holds out an escape
from the noble army of rent-payers.
When my twenty-eight. hundred is
gone, could live down there landed
proprietor, and by the same mark an
honorary colonel, and raise the cab
bages Twas talking about-eh, Chum
while you stalk rabbits. How does
that strike your"
He laughed whimsically. He, John
: Valiant, of New York, first-nighter at
it's theaters, hail-fellow-well.met in its
club corridors and. welcome diner at
any one of a hundred brilliant glass
misunderstanding supper tables, en-
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26

stricken, the nations are bankrupt and
without resources for the future; for
the next hundred years taxes will be
of abnormal proportions; worst of all,
there are no young men left to breed
future race. 1t has all caused many
to ask if wars accomplish anything
in the long run that could not much
better be gained by judicial and peace
able methods. l have a lurking sus-
picion, from what heard in Italy last
year, that many Italians feel the same
way after the war in 8Tripoli. Every
where, in England and America, as
well as in Germany, many have been
asking: who starts war scares?
Who advocates increase of ornaments
and big navies?" Yes, "Who origi-
mates wars themselves ?"
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26

to New Orleans from here recently by
r. w. Allen, a progressive farmer, re-
siding seven miles east of Magnolia.
Mr.. Allen hasa mill made specially
for. grinding "file,". and he shipped a
small quantity of it last year. While
the article is. used extensively in the
preparation Of "gumbo file," the de-
licious soup which has made French
cooking famous, the demand for it
is very limited. The leaves are gath
cred in July and August, and are thor
oughly dried in the shade before being
carried to the mill. 1t requires about
three hundred pounds OF green leaves
to make one hundred pounds of meal.
Magnolia News.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
She Was the First to Recover. "YoU
Did Look So Funny!"

tries to follow you. He's perfectly
kind"
She looked back momentarily.
"He-he always follows people he
likes, you see"
Thank you," she said. The tone
had now a hint-small, yet perceptf
ble-of aloofness. I'm not in the least
afraid Of dogs" And with little nod
she swung briskly on up the Red Road
John Valiant stood staring after heI
till she had passed from view around
a curve. "Oh, glory!' he muttered
ITO begin by shaking your fist at hel
and end by making her wonder If you
aren't trying to be fresh You poor
profane, floundering dolt"
CTO BE CONTINUED)
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
Clear the Track.

An old farmer who had driven into
the neighboring village to make a few
purchases took back with him rather
more hard cider than was consistent
with careful driving. While going down
steep hill his horse stumbled. fell
fiat In the road and refused to get up.
The farmer looked at him a moment
over the dashboard, then exclaimed:
cit up, you old fool! Git up or I'll
drive right over you!"-Everybody's.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
For a Long ,Tiri,e John Valiant Sat
Motioniess, the Opened Letter In
His Hand, Staring at Nothing.


tombed on the wreck Of a Virginia
plantation, a twould-be country gentle
man, on an automobile and next to
nothing year!
He bethought himself of the fallen
letter and possessed himself CT it
quickly. 1t lay with the superscrip-
ton side down. On it was. written, in
the same hand which had addressed
the other envelope:
For my son, John Valiant,
When he reaches the age of twenty
five.
That, then, had been written by his
father-and he had died nearly twenty
years agoi He broke the seal with a
strange feeling as If, walking in some
familiar thoroughfare, he had STUN
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
Postage Stamps.

The postage stamp first made it's
appearance in 1889. It's inventor was
James Chalmers, a printer Of Dundee.
who died in 1853. England adopted
the adhesive stamp in 1889, and issued
the first stamps for the use of the
public in 1910. A year later stamps
were introduced into the United
States and Switzerland, and soon aft
erward made their appearance In
France, Belgium and Bavaria.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
!. New Industry in mississippi.

The advent Of the Mexican cotton
bolt weevili has caused at least. one
new Industry to spring up in Pike
county, namely, the gathering, drying.
grinding and shipping leaves of the
sassafras tree to be used as an article
of commerce. The product is known
as file" and seven barrels of it. ag-
gregating $50 pounds, were shipped
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26

at profit. That Albany cigar dear.
er discovered something that is max,
ing money for him. That little idea OF
Individuality he is applying to every
line of his goods that incline to Ego
slow
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
Childish Fears.

do what you can to allay the fears
Of child unduly timid by precept and
example. but If the fears persist, con-
suit physician. brooklyn Eagle.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
: -
SYNOPSIS.

John Valiant. rich society favortte.
suddenly discovers that the Valiant cor,
poration. which his father founded. and
which was the principal source or ms
wealth, has failed. He voluntarily turns
over his private fortune to the receiver
for the corporation.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26

No, Cordelia, you can't settle doc
tors bill by returning his calls.
The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-03-26
(Enclosure)

Yours very truly,
Emerson and Ball"
The Holly chieftain., 1914-01-30
Sugar Is 10 for Sl.UO at Pratts
School Report

Monthly report for School Dis
trict No. 80, for the month ending
January 23, 1914:
Number days taught 20. number
pupils enrolled "a, average daily
attendance 2l, number of visits Of
school officers /, number of visits
OF others 8. Those making high.
est averages in examination were:
Mabel Fowler, eighth grade; Mar.
vim Melton, seventh grade; Archie
Fowler, sixth grade. Mabel Fow
ler took FIRST rank in the geography
tests for the month. Those neither
absent nor tardy: Alice, Della
and Harlan Steele, Carl and Ed
ward Wall and Marvin and Arthur
Melton. ALICE MELTON, Teacher.
4 n