davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1914-08-04
NORWICH TOWN
Herbert L. Ysrrlnston, orsanst 40 Years, Crowds Record of San Francisco PIayer-Drivins Accident -PersenaIa

Close second to Samuel D. Meagre. the San Francisco organist. who has held his position forty-two years. is Herbert l.. Warrington. who has en- tered upon his forty-second year at the, First Congregational church of Norwich Town. He finished forty-one years of service on the organ bench there May 25. having been in this church continuously except one year. during which he played at the Second church. Thus Connecticut. at one ex- treme of the nation can boast an in- stance of faithful and long continued service nearly equalling that recorded on the Pacific coast
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19

to walk up over the hill TO the pine
grove and see what could be done in a
neighbOrly way to help out the camp cir
Gle. And he always bore peace offerings
frOH her whom they called the Camp
Mother" AIrs. Tisdale. He found grad
ually. that he was telling many things
to the guardian" things that he had
kept in his own heart only as he could
tell his mother over their evening lamp
after Pa" had gone to bed.
II rather Cheered him to know that
Dorothy herself knew what life's strug-
gle meant. Back in the city she told him
of the home. and the father who was a
musician, and the many children. born
with aspirations and love of all that was
beautiful in life. hut not the money to
help with. Dorothy was teaching kim
derGarten. and loved the work. hut when
the summer came. she led her own camp
circle out into the heart of the hills. and
someway, fate had led their footsteps
to Maple View.
Then Ben told how all his life he had
fought the battle between what he long
ed to do. and the duty that lay at home
His father was too old to handle the
farm alone. yet he would not sell It. Ben
and his mother wanted to get nearer the
towns. nearer to some of the things they
both loved. but the old fellow clung to
the barren acres of his fathers. and the
old burial plot on the slope of the hill
where they all lay.
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19

I'D never had gone away to school IL
it hadn't been for mother" he told one
night over the dying cmbers Of the fire.
Shed saved up money for years, and
when l finished at the schoolhouse here.
she wanted me to go to college. Dad
said no. was needed here. but | went
just the same. for four years. And in
stead of making il harder to come back.
II made 1t easier. He doesn't realize it.
but l am improving the old place by de-
grees and making more out of it. Only
it's rather lonely for mother"
It's darling old place Dorothy
said. wistfully. You want to live in a
city all your life to really appreciate this.
l wish l lived here, part of the year, any
way"
so do L. said Ben before hc thought.
and then he stared hard at the fire. and
felt his cheeks grow warm. Yet he add
ed huskily. "I wouldn't mind a bit il
you were here"
It was the last day before the camp
broke up. Ren was in the pasture next
the woodland hunting a couple of calves
that had strayed when he heard the girls
calling for help. The cry came from the
old mill pond down by tn" hill Ben
took the short cut to ii through the strip
of woodland and the bogCy meadow be-
yond. The girls were bathing on the far
side. he saw. and there was trouble. He
kicked OF his low shoes on the bank, and
dove in like young otter. Didn't he
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19

And after Emmons came Riley with a
very similar plaint, and after Riley the
rest OF the office force. Jimmy Touu
bringing up the rear and loudly bcwaihn.
the fact that Miss Heath said his young
sters had absolutely no chance to learn
anything from her.
Twenty minutes later Trevor was in
that room in the Weymouth Building.
Marion met him firmly. She seemed
prepared for his expostulations. for she
cut them short before they were thor
oughly begun.
II found out my pupils were simply
your office force" said she. and that
YOU were paying for the lessons. simP-
" couldn't do anything else hut send
them away, sam. II was perfectly fine
and splendid of you to do anything like
that. but ] really couldn't. Why, now
/ know who they are, it's like taking
charity
who let the secret out?' he demanded
angrily.
She smiled and shook her head.
None of them" said she "It just hap
pencd that I got rather suspicious. l did
little nosing about and discovered the
true inwardness of the whole thing my
self"
You won't take 'em back" he asked.
Again she shook her head
why. those little Todds. now. they
really should be having lessons. and
their pa can't AFFORD It" said hs.
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19
Breezy Suzanne Uplifts

many societies? II proves societies for
uplifting anything from snails to SOW
ereigns are popular. That's your cue,
Perky. Get in line while the going is
good and before somebody discovers
the society gag is just bunch of easy
money for some folks. Wait! Let me
yank the pencil out Of my rosy locks
and jab down a few brain sparks"
| guess I'm some little sparker! l
haven't watched the papers and taken
note OF this society organizing game
without getting wise to what the dear
people want. All you have to do is
grab Joe Choate or Andy Carnegie as
an Hon. Pres. or something, and tag
on Mrs. De Custer and Mrs Wander
whoop and Mrs Blizzendorf and few
more OF those high lights of society and
the easy marks come flocking in,. weep
ing because Cousin Charlotte or Cousin
Benny, or whoever the society is gotten
up to supply soft job for, can't take
the initiation fees fast enough to satisfy.
! Say! Maybe I'm wrong, but so was Cal
I ileo. Over the left
So | got my busy little No. Soft
Medium to work, and when | had
worked the graphite TO the quick l
showed the by-product to Perky. 1
guess I'm some little society inventor
myself!
There you are Perky" l says. Take
your pick"
had them all written down
Societies for the Prevention Of
Pinning Feathers on Snails.
| Throwing Peanut Shells in the At
lantic Ocean.
Opening oysters Without Chloroform
Scratching Matches on the Undersides
of Mud Turtles
Thrashing Wheat Until Thoroughly
Dead
Making Unpleasant Faces at Cab
Horses
The Creation Of More Societies
Societies for the Encouragement Of
Moss on Rolling Stones.
Biological Study in Patagonia
Rolled Cucumbers as Food.
Needy Bill Posters
The Improvement of Speed in Tor
toises.
Users of Perfumed Cod-liver Oil
The Creation of More Societies
Perky took the list with ray of hope
lighting his brow
Who pins feathers on snails?" he
asked. Who would Join Society for
the Prevention of Pinning Feathers on
Snails:"
Maybe" l says coyly. ''the natives of
Timbuctoo go out in the dark of the
moon and cruelty pluck feathers from
the tails of ostriches and. with crool,
long hatpins. pin them on the poor, de-
fenseless snails. Nobody ever told me
they didn't Did any one ever tell you
they didn't"
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19
Bv LOUISE MERRIFIELD

! know every foot Of that pond: Hadn't
he swan in it ever since he was six years
old?
1T $ Dorothy" the girls called. as he
neared them. she was teaching one of
us to swim and dive. and We can't find
her"
Ben knew where she was. The hank
shclvcd into a rock strata at this point.
and dipped down into a deep hole filed
with treaCherouS sunken snaGs and brok-
en- old bouEhs. Every boy and man in the
whole township knew that black hole in
the Tisdale mill pond and steered clear
of IT, and now. Ills girl guardian lay down
in II. helpless and perhaps drowned.
Driving his hay wagon leisureIy along
the river road came Pa" Tisdale. lean
ing way over, and dreaming his day
dreams. He heard the girls cries. and
inwardly resented the disturbance of the
beautiful morning peace. until he turned
the bend and saw what had happened
And somehow. sixty odd years dropped
right off Pas" shoulders then and
there. He. too. knew that place in the
pond. He had lived there at the old farm
as a boy. and swan every inch Of the
way over that stretch of water. and he
knew what the cries meant.
Whoa. girls" he called to the gray
mares, and stood up. tugginE at his old
vest and boots. Leaving the load of
sweet-scentcd. fresh-Cut hay standing in
the road, he crashed through the under
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19

Il guess a voice like mine had oughter
be sent to a boilermaker to have any
thing done with it, said he.
1T is pretty bad, that's a fact" Trevor
agreed. We'll. how about the piano. Did
you ever think you'd like to tackle the
ivories-if some one paid for your lessons
for you:''
II hadn't thought much about it,"
Riley confessed.
We'll, do so now. AS favor to me,
me, will you take piano lessons II I'll
stand the bills? It'll come in regular
hours. You'll get time of from the office
here to take the lessons"
Sure. That'll be all right" said Riley.
When do l begin?''
Tomorrow. I'll tell you the place to
go to then. Send in Emmons when you
go out. viii you?'
So Emmons came in. and Emmons was
inveigled into taking vocal lessons. After
that the entire office force. one after an
other. came in at his behest and each
one was urged land proved willing) to
take lessons either for the voice or on
the piano. Even old Jimmy Todd. the
night watchman. was pressed into ser
vice. and while Jimmy wouldn't think or
any such thing for himself personally. he
said b. had three youngsters he'd like to
see going the way they should musically.
so JImmy's progeny was promptly pres
sed into service. Two weeks later Sam
Trevor again pretended to have business
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19
Bv CHESTER HARRINGTON

Send them here and I'll teach them for
nothing. then" she returned.
Somehow Sam found himself moving
toward IN" elevator without a thing ac-
complishcd All al once he turned about
and ran hack 10 the room he had just
left.
He entered without knocking. Marion
jumped mp from a chair with a little cry
Of chaCrin. Also, she was furtively wip-
ing her eyes.
''It's-it's just that I'm SO disappoint-
ed she said. explaining her wet lashes.
Il thought l had everything going so
nicely
Sam Grew himself up.
There all coming back. every last one
Of them" said he.
"Thcy're not she replied with spirit.
They arc" he maintained, 'or else
there's an alternative
What is it?"
You'll stop all this nonsense and
marry me-
She turned away. She looked out at
the white walls of tho light shaft.
Would you send EN- all back if I
didn't"
Yes. and som" cf tho hands from the
factory for good mcasTr"''
Then" said she family. in self-de-
fense-"
II don't care what excuse you give"
said Sam striding forward joyfully ana
taking her in his arms.
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19

Not too reticent, you know. Just about
as reticent as boiled sauerkraut dinner
with friend onions on the side. Nothing
noisy.
According to contract its not my
Job to chuck ideas at Perky when he
runs out of them. I'm mis- little red
headed -stenographer and my job is to
pound the keys of my Number Six and
shed a roseate hue about the Office with
my comic-supplement hair, but the way
the office was going to the CANNES got
my Angora, and l just had to sing out {:
Perky" | said, going over TO his
desk and leaning on it with one elbow
in careless grace, but so the rip in the
inner arm seam of my waist wouldn't
show, excuse me for butting in, but |
can see something has set its teeth in
you and is biting hard. | can see with
half an eye that your Gruyere is over
full of holes, and if you don't watch out
centipedes will be crawling around in
side your solid ivory knob. Tell your
little honey baby" See? Perfectly lady
like, like that
mo ideal" says Perky with desola-
ton. ideas all gone Perkins of Port
land is a played-out skyrocket. He's a
dried jellyfsh. There are no more
ideas"
well, believe me-" l said in COM
forting manner, 81 always thought you
were some nut, but | never blamed you
with being thin kind. Cheer up. You are
something with claws and the claws
have a grip on your appendix. Tell lit
tie Susie where the pain is"
But he did not smile. He moaned.
NO ideas. Not an ideav he said.
Perkins the originator can't originate
one single think in his well-known think
tank Business is going to the tommy
vows. Perkins & Partner couldn't
catch a sucker with a mouth as big as
hippopotamus.'
well, now," says |. wait until get
comfy seat with my tootsies in the
cuspidor. and we'll talk that over. I'm
SO full OF helpfulness have to keep cot
ton in my ears to keep it from oozing
out What kind of idea ought you to
have?"
Something sterile" says Perky.
Everything has to be sterile these days.
Germ proof, microbe proof, antiseptic.
Perky's massive mind ought to think up
something as yet unsterilized to offer
to the yearning public. And he can't
think of it"
l saw he was right about that. This
is the sterile age Once the Johnnies-
on-the-Spot who wanted to uplift the
world fought dragons; then they fought
the Paynim, then they fought the tax
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19

in the Weymouth Building. Again he
dropped into Marion Heaths office. n
had a much more spruce appearance. The
divan had been freshly covered. The
piano was newly polished. There was a
little low mahogany table in the center
Of the room with a vase OF roses on 1t.
The atmosphere Of the place had changed
from dreary hOpelessness to one of
marked prosperity.
Marion, too, was her old smiling self.
You can't stay long" said she. Il
have two little girls named Todd coming
for their lessons at 3:30. I'm wonderfully
busy these days. I'd be ashamed to Ieh
you how many pupils l have"
Good enough said Sam. You might
have known you'd succeed in anything
you undertook"
They started coming last week." said
she. And after the ice was broken they
simply seemed to come in droves. All.
here are the little Todd girls now. You'll
have to run along"
Sam was smiling in pleased fashion TO
himself when he took the elevator down
that afternoon. He continued TO smile
for two whole days. Then suddenly that
smile vanished. Emmons came in with
the residue of the money Sam had given
him for a Quarters vocal lessons.
Sorry, Mr.. Trevor" said he. Il can't
take any more, II seems. Miss Hatch said
today 1t was simply a waste Of money to
spend 1t on Q voice like mine"
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19

Safe enough if you know where the
holes are" Ben said. Keep toward the
upper end on your side Just here his
mother came out of the kitchen with the
pals of milk and a bag OF doughnuts.
Pa" Tisdale sat inside, utterly discom-
fitted and talking to the cat about how he
couldn't call his soul his own any more
since Ma took to reading magazines and
books.
They asked me to come over and help
them" Ben said. casually. as he stood
watching the girls pass down the lane.
Il like that blue-eyed one. Funny things
girls do nowadays, don't they. Ma"
Just because they've begun to get up
a little spunk." said Mrs. Tisdale. cheer
lily. Il know we've always wanted to.
Land. I'd have given all my old boots
and shoes back when / was a girl IL
they'd let me dress like that and get
right out into the woods You can take
some vegetables over to them in the
morning. Ben. and some of those red
raspberries and currants, and I'll fix up
a big bunch of flowers. too. Bless their
dear hearts, Well look after them"
When Ben visited the camp the next
morning, he got the whole story. They
had tramped down from Springfield.
camping out all the way. and were bound
for New London. Dorothy was the guar
dian. Somehow it became a custom after
the evening chores" were done, for Ben
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19

They talked for a while of mere COM
monplaces, about old friends and little
unimportant things. Then Sam, looking
at his watch. realized it was time for
him to be getting back to the office. He
said good-by and mt out. But all the
way down the corridor to the elevator he
was scowling heavily.
lie had heard the Heaths had met with
reverses, but he had also heard they had
gone West. Plainly they had not gone
West; and Marion was putting up a
plucky fight in that dingy little inside Of
flee back therei He scowIed harder as
he got into the elevator and went poking
down to the street
Back at his own Office he found a batch
of letters which the stenographer had left
for him to sign. They were very i'm
portant letters about some upstate con-
tracts: but instead of attending to them.
he pushed them aside and sat staring up
at the ceiling with knitted brows. He
was thinking of Marion Heath's dingy
room and its scant furnishings, and he
seemed to find no pleasure whatever in
such thoughts.
Presently he grinned. He rang the bell
into the outer office. A brisk clerk an
swered the summons.
Riley" said Trevor. Did you ever
think you'd like to have your voice man.
icured?' he asked.
Riley grinned.
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19

brush to the brink OF the pond, but Ben
was swimming in with long overland
strokes. holding DorOthy's unconscious
body over his arm. II was the old man
himself who helped him up the hank
with his burden, and took the limp body
from him.
The poor little thing" he said. husk-
lily. We'll take her right home to Ma
So it came about that when the little
body of campers was ready to move
along, it went without its leader. Up at
Maple View she rested. pettcd and tended
by Ma Tisdale for several weeks. with
Zen and Pa both wing in showing hon.
ors to their guest. Somehow it seemed
perfectly natural one splendid moonlight
night. out under the naples with the
whip-poor-wiIl calling over on the edge OF
the woods, when Ren told his city sweet
heart all she meant to him.
Dad saws he'll sell the old farm II
want to. and move nearer town where
mother wants to he, and we'll be nea.
thcm. Will you. Dorothy
Dorothy" called Ma from the side
door ats too chilly out there for You
with the dew. You need something around
you"
Dorothys voice sounded the least BIT
indistinct. but it might have been only
the night air.
u have something around me. thanks.
Ma"
Ben said ..othins at all.
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19

on tea. Now they're all fighting the mi
sSroscopic bug and the infnitesimal veg
etable It's all Help, Hannah the germ
has bit me on the thigh! You get
everything sterilized, from the nursing
bottle to the coffin. And folks have got
everything sterilized That's the trou-
Bile There's antiseptic soap and anti
microbe pie, and anti-germ hay forks.
If Perky could get something that hadn't
been antiseptic before and sterilize it,
there would be big money in it, and he
saw that, but what there was to get?
l tried to think of something.
How about antiseptic shoe insoles
Or antiseptic gilt balls TO put on the ends
of flagpoles? Or antiseptic rudders for
aeroplanes?" | asks him. "Or how
about antiseptic hair springs for
watches?"
You get to think along such lines to
think of something nobody has thought
of in the antiseptic line. But Perky
shook his head. He couldn't see any
money in any OF the ideas.
NO good" he says. "I've thought
of everything. Everything has been
sterilized. Everything is germ proof
I've about given up the idea. Milk, mo-
lasses. mules and monoplanes ster-
ilized. My only hope is Society for
Something. Next to sterilization the
Society is the greatest American fad OF
the twentieth century. There's money
in Society for the Prevention OF
Something or Society for the Encour-
agement OF Something. Only"
Only what" | says.
Only. everything has been prevented
and encouraged already" says Perky
with a moan. There's the Society for
the Prevention of Marriage between
Hottentots and Eskimos, and the
Society for the Encouragement of the
Growth of Walrus TuSks, and the So
ciety for the Prevention of the En-
couragement of the use OF Bone Tooth
picks Unless Gold Handled. It's no
use Everything is Society-ed."
Hold on, Perky" | says. Not so
fast. What do you suppose is the aver
age of societies today"
Every human being in America now
belongs TO an average of seven uplift
societies" he says. Statistics prove it
The annual dues. turned into twenty
dollar bills and piled one on top OF
another, would make pile so high the
top would wipe the spots off the sun.
The presidents and vice presidents,
stood in a row. would reach from New
York to Guam and slop over into the
ocean"
We'll" | says, What does that
prove? Does that prove there are too
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19
THE HELPFUL WAY

''How'dy do. Marion?' said Sam.
why. SAM" she cried, in pleased sur
prise, coming forward with an out
stretched hand.
What are you doing here?' he de-
manded.
She bobbed her head toward the letters
on the door.
Cant you read?'' she asked lightly.
Sam Trevor scowIed. He didn't like the
idea OF Marion Heath giving music les
sons in one of these dingy offices. He
looked about the room. There was a
piano. the desk by the window. one or
two chairs, and wide divan covered
with faded green denim. All in all, the
place did not breathe luxury.
And how did you happen to come in
here?' she asked.
had to see Gregory-Billy Gregory
on business. He has an Office farther
down the corridor. Why are you doing
this?"
"Reverses in the family fortune" said
she. What else do you think would
make me?"
How are the pupils coming?"
oh I'm doing nicely-very nicely" she
replied, but something in her tone made
Sam Trevor realize that what she said
was not the truth
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19
(Ccpyrights lelLl

AY, honestl When a man like
~ Perkins gets the dumps it's as if
the sun came up some morning and
gave gray light instead of yellow. Be-
lieve me, girls, when you get to know
ing man as the little old wormless core
of optimism, sparkling off bright ideas
like hunk of radium. and then YOU see
him sitting in his office chair as glum
as a man who bet his rent money on
TiddIedywink at 10 to l, in hopes he'd
win enough to pay note at the bank,
and then Tiddledywink fell at the turn
and broke his neck. and the rent due to-
morrow, you get the wiggles.
Gee. Amt that a peach of a SEN
tence: can do that kind when | want
to. What l started to say was that
Perky hasn't paid my salary for three
weeks. and yesterday he borrowed a
dime OF me to get shave, and Algy-
the cunning little partner of Perkins &
Partner-has told his boochus bride that
the bride business has to be postponed
on account of the box office receipts.
Algy didn't throw the bride down hard +;
he gave her rain check. good for one
marriage as soon as tbe financial
grounds dried But | Should worry
about Algy!
1t was Perky who worried me. When
a girl loves a man the way love that
human camel. il jars her slate rattle to
see him feeling the way Perky was feel
ing When a mans one and only busi-
ness gag is originating, and he gets so
low in spirit. that he can't even originate
a new style OF moan to sandwich in
among the old timers he's using, it gives
his fond admirers a pang. 1t made me
feel As if Id like to 60 over and put my
fippcrs around his collar and give him
a kiss on the hair-oil territory, but
couldn't do it. I'm for the perfect lady
stunt no matter how | feel, and up to
half-past-now Perky hasn't shown that
he thinks I'm the lemon he wants to
pick in the garden of love Until then
its up to little Suzarne to be reticent.
The Washington herald., 1914-04-19
CAMP FIRE GIRLS

Somebody was whistlinG down the
winding lane that led from the barn to
the brook where the cattle trOoped to be
watered night and morning. She knew
it was Ben,' and her chin settled into de-
CiSive lines.
Pa, l hate to go against you, but
rights right, and these girls are willing
to go round by the road. l shall tell
them they can stay where they are.
guess after thirty-eight years here, I've
got some rights. Alonzo. and they'll buy
milk and butter and vegetables steady
for two weeks"
Ben stopped dead short when he came
girls. Perhaps he might have bolted IL
it hadn't been for the friendly. comrade-
ly greeting they gave him. He had new
er seen girls like these. Dressed in
khaki skirts, MILDLY blouses, and hair
bound in close Indian plaits around their
heads. the girls stood smiling at him.
We're going into camp over on your
hill." called one of them. rs there a
spring around the pine grove?"
Ben assured them there was beauty.
He'd go himself and show it to them.
We're Camp Fire Girls. My name is
Dorothy Nevins" The tall, biue-eyed
girl held out her hand to him. Il heard
your mother say Ben would show us
where things were. so You must be Ben.
Is it safe bathing in that pond above
the DAM"