davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27

dazedly. He wondered what the girl
meant-Who was she anyway? No
one he had ever seen before. Was
she not the living image of Lady Vio-
let Lang? Perhaps the spirit of Lady
Violet haunted the beechwood as well
as the chamber in which her portrait
hung.
II must tell you all about it." she
said. sinking down on the messy
bank. Il am Mrs. Chaswick's niece,
Violet Lang. I arrived at Believer
late last night. I've been stopping at
the HammilPs place and came over
by motor after the ball. Aunt Sara
sat up for rae.
my room is next to the Violet
Lady's room, as we call it, and as
violets are my favorite flowers I had
worn a great bunch of them ut the
ball. After my maid had gone, dis
covered that had nothing to put my
flowers IN, and, recollecting that there
was glass vase on the ruantel of the
haunted room, went in to get it
1.-The room is seldom used unless the
house is overcrowded. and L stupidity
entered and went right to the mantel-
piece to get the vase. Imagine my
fright when l heard the bed springs
creak. OF course I vanished. And L
did not even tell Aunt Sara until she
cornered me awhile ago and said that
one of her guests had been startled
by Lady Violet's ghost and had found
a fresh violet on the floor. So L told
her, and received a sound scolding for
my heedlessness. And, greatly hui
inflated. came out to commune with
nature"
And to gather more violets p"
smiled Dick. Now, as a panacea for
my fright, may I not have those vio-
lets to put with this one?" He pointed
to the faded violet in the lapel of his
coat
She gave them to him and they sat
and talked about ghosts and the brook
and birds and flowers and sundry
other things. Even before they went
in to luncheon Dick Latham had made
up his mind to one thing-he must
add yet another violet to those elready
in his possession-the beautiful, but
substantial, ghostly visitant of the
haunted chamber at Belltower.-
Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27

have very naturally created irritation.
But such Inconvenience are unavo1d-
able under the circumstances, and the
British government has in numerous
Instances given evidence of a desire to
interfere with American commerce as
little as possible; especially in not put
ting cotton on the contraband list. 1t
is impossible to escape the derange-
ments of the war; and as long as the
sea is kept open we cannot make Sc
rious or very effective complaint. "A
tremendous wastage of cotton IS gong
on in the battle fields of Europe-not
to speak of the amount used in max
ing explosives, which is estimated at
from one to one and one-half million
bales-and later on there will newt
ably be a heavy demand for the staple
to fill the void now being created
The steel trade is very active, chiefly
of course, the result of war munition
orders. Prices are rising, and this
great industry is certainly enjoying
more prosperity than for several
years The dry goods trade shows
decided improvement, many buyers
being in this market who are placing
liberal orders for the new seasons
cotton fabrics.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
THE PAN SY BUD.

One summer evening a snow white
pansy bud shut it's eyes tight and went
to sleep.
And as it slept the shadows of the
evening crept over the sky, the moon
peeped up over the rim of the world
and the stars paraded through the
heavens.
Into the garden where the pansy
slept there crept a tiny purple shadow
a-hunting an adventure. Il will sure
| 1y get me a playmate here" he said
to himself hopefully, "a playmate who
will with me seek adventure through
the night
| For, you must know, this same lit
| tie shadow was very lonesome-not a
| playmate could he find. Just as soon
as he picked out gay moonbeam or a
dainty sunbeam to frolic with, that
moonbeam or sunbeam was sure to
vanishi 1t was most curiousi The
puzzled little shadow couldn't at all
understand it. He didn't know that
shadows may not frOlic close by the
nice, kind, obliging little shadows
frighten the beams of light and send
them off, far away
So the little shadow, not knowing,
searched for a playmate of light.
Through the garden, over the flow
erbeds, he hunted in vain. Over and
under the buds and blossoms, he
searched. In the glistening spider
where a ray of light went, there fol-
lowed the searching shadow. But
always he was just too late: never
did he find the bright playfellow he
was searching for.
Finally, tired and weary, he sat
down in the shadow of the pansy
plant, to think what he could do.
And as he sat there thinking, the
pansy plant dreamed of purple shad-
ows and the deep blue sky of the
night. Dreamed so wildly, that she
stirred and walked; and saw by her
side the lonesome shadow.
What are you doing here?" asked
the pansy bud shyly.
''I'm looking for a playmate said
the shadow sadly, but never a one
can 1 find"
"Oh, I'm so sorry" said the pansy
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
Jayhawker Jots

A mans real possessions, explains
the Minneapolis Messenger, are not
what he has but what he doesn't owe
for.
How kin 1 like work, mum?'' said
a tramp the other day, according to
the Smith County Pioneer. Work S
wot killed my pore wife"
Pick the mote out of your own eye,
advises the Russell Springs Leader, be-
cause when you commence on your
brother, you might get one on the jaw.
Using for a text an observation by
Ed Howe that ants never quarrel with
bees because both are too busy, the
Parker Message points out: A long
winded street corner argument is a
never failing sign that the participants
have nothing else to do.
P. Mutt, who always can find a joke
in the misfortunes of some one else,
says the Burr Oak Herald. walked in,
next morning after a terrific hail
storm had riddled the crops, singing:
HAIL the conquering hero comes -
Bright youth, is Mutt.
Commenting on the news that
United States Senator Thompson had
passed through an operation for her
MIA in a Sabetha hospital safely, the
Garden City Herald says: They will
probably have to chloroform the SEN
ator for a week or so to keep him
quiet for that's about all that will
do it.
Something in the agricultural story
line from the LaCygne Journal: Jim
Stewart has combination field of
grasshoppers and alfalfa. The full
grown hoppers appear to have made
a meal on the alfalfa and then climb
ing to the top of the stalk have died
with death grip on the alfalfa The
entire field is weighted down with the
dead graSShoppers.
John Brown is from Missouri and he
should be shown that it is the custom
in Kansas when putting overalls on
horses to use the cuff, admonisheS the
Grainfield Sheaf. We saw him driving
his buggy horse on our streets the
other day with overalls on and he had
neglected to turn them up at the bot
tom. Don't do it again, John.
Characterized by the Randall News
as "a sinking trick" The boys
around town had been molesting the
produce man, who vowed vengeance
on them. He selected good ripe
egg and let drive at one pestiferous
youngster, but of course the cu1prit es-
capped and the ancient hen fruit dec
GRATED the bosom of an innocent by
stander in a beautiful sunburst pat
tern.
Some time ago, tells the Phillips
rgNews-Dispatch, there was a homi-
eide case in a western court in which
there was considerable doubt as to
the guilt of the accused. The trial
judge seemed to share the popular be-
lief. Gentlemen of the jury he said,
IF the evidence, in your minds, shows
that pneumonia was the cause of the
mans death, you cannot convict the
prisoner" The jury retired and in
about ten minutes the bailiff appeared
before the Judge in open court. Your
honor" he said, 1.-The gentlemen of the
jury want some information" ION
what point of evidence?" asked the
Judge "None, judge was the rejoin-
der, they want to know how to spell
pneumonia
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
Globe Sights
BY THE ATCHISON GLOBE.

The world is also going nuts about
chautauquas.
topper says one has to learn to
like beer, but does one?
Sometimes, also. mother is a martyr
because she likes to play in that role.
After three or four people tell a man
he is good looking he is ruined for life.
Save something while you can, as
your strength is only a temporary
asset.
The Noble Red Man used to eat
dog, also regarded as a noble animal
by the slush sisters.
Diplomacy consists in knowing eX-
actly what you are going to say be-
fore you open your mouth.
You may weary of a sweet girls
-gigging, but the most damnable noise
is produced by a giggling man.
1t is hard to convince some OrcheS-
tras that people go to hear them and
not necessarily to see them.
War is frequently foolish, but there
are so many other varieties we should
be able to struggle along without it,
There is also some curiosity to know
how much of the moving picture ac-
torine's salary is real money.
While a fat woman is anxious to
take something to reduce her weight,
she doesn't want to take a long walk.
A reporters friend is the man who
scratches his head and kindly says:
Let's see if we can't study Up some
thing"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
From Other Pens
THE ABILITY TO SPELL.


Confident of his ability to spell cor
rectly all the words in his ordinary
English vocabulary, business man in
Fort Wayne, Ind, has a sta nding offer
to pay his secretary 81 each for every
word found in his manuscripts incOr-
rectly spelled. There may or may not
be many willing to make such an of.
fer, for good and sufficient reasons,
some of which are worth a little brief
consideration. In the first place, abil-
ity to spell correctly a large number
of words is due, of course, to careful
initial educational training in the
origins, compositions, meanings and
structures of words. But it must be
admitted that it is more than this. 1t
may be said to be a faculty or gift.
For some highly educated persons are
Indifferent spoilers. Some years ago
the head of d widely known middle
west institution of learning, man ia
miliar with four or five languages
and many branches of learning, was
VIGOROUSLY poor in spelling, so much
so that printers were always warned
to watch carefully when handling his
manuscript. Spelling is not constant
That is, there are many changes as the
years go by in the spelling of various
words. So, however we'll equipped
educationally one may be, or however
well-developed ones spelling faculty
may be, it is absolutely necessary to be
a wide constant reader to keep pace
with the fashions in this respect.-De-
trOit Free Press.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
Kansas Comment
HEAR HEART HEART,

A Kansas State Agricultural pro-
fessor says that no one should marry
unless he or she, mark that "or She"
is able to support himself or herself
and to support his or her family
when necessary" That is coming
somewhere near the mark If all the
young fellows in the country would
insist that their best girls prove them
selves capable of supporting a family
before consenting to marry said girls,
they, the fellows, would save them
selves a great deal of grief afterward.
No young woman should, under this
excellent rule laid down by the Man
haitian man, enter the state of matri-
mony unless she is both willing and
able to support not only the man she
marries but any family that they may
have afterward. 1t would perhaps be
still better to put this suggestion into
law, so that the young man who in
tends to marry may know that the girl
can support him without the trouble
of test. The law could provide that
every woman should secure a certif-
cate from the state as to her capa-
bilitieS, and then if she failed to make
action for damages and for his sup
tiles indicated by this splendid sugges-
ton of the Manhattan professor are
boundless, and If followed, no young
man need hesitate about taking on
whatever responsibility there are, or
would be then in the marriage state
Lawrence Gazette.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
QUAKER fluctuations.

[From the Philadelphia Record]
The marriage tie is sometimes a
forget-me-knOt.
It's when he doesn't get a bite that
the fisherman takes a nip.
Don't attempt to stand on your dig
nifty unless you are we'll heeled.
The fellow who borrows trouble is
seldom the one who pays his debts.
have to study art in order to draw
teeth.
You never can tell. Many a man
is puffed who can't afford a press
agent.
The landlady knows the difference
between looking bored and paying
board.
There is plenty of room at the
top" is a good motto for the wig
maker.
A joke may have a double mean
ing, but as rule it is only funny on
one side.
Marriage is a lottery in which it is
sometimes easier to win a girls hand
than her heart.
Where one man is ambitious to
write his name on the scroll of fame,
a dozen would rather write it on the
bottom of a check.
First Actor-Ranter says he is go
ing out with a religious drama this
season. Second Actor-Going to
make a holy show of himself, Ell?
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
IT'S UP TO GERMANY.

Except for its tone of finality, our
latest note to Germany, relative to the
questions of the rights of neutrals and
the German methods of submarine
warfare that grew out of the tor
pedoing of the Lusitania, is in sub
stance the same as our two communi-
cations which have preceded it. Our
righteous position in the premises is
merely reiterated and with the firm
ness that the occasion demands. The
fabric of international law, the guar
dian of all and whatever rights neu-
trails may possess during the stress of
great war, is as a house of cards.
If single unit of the structure is per-
mitted to wobble, the whole thing falls
to the ground. And If the United
States did not insist that Germany
conduct her submarine warfare in ac-
cord with the tenets of international
law and the customs and practices Of
all nations in respect to the rights of
non-combatants travelling on unarmed
ships in war zones, it would be no
more than an invitation to Germany
and the other European beIligerents,
as we'll, to ignore any and all of the
other rights that international law.
confers on neutrals. Germany has
demonstrated, and as late as yes
terday in the torpedoing of the
American steamship, Leelanaw, whose
crew were given the opportunity
to save their lives, that it is pos
sible for her to wage her submarine
warfare in accordance with the laws
of nations. All that the United States
asks is that she give assurances that
she will always do this very thing. If
Germany continues to be unwilling to
give this assurance and repeats any
act savoring of the Lusitania affair,
President Wilson properly tells the
German nation that such an act will
be considered deliberately unfriend
ly'' and a break between the United
States and Germany will come. That
such break would mean war doesn't
necessarily follow. And it is useless
to speculate just what would happen
in such an event. But it can be taken
for granted that President Wilson will
exert himself to the utmost to avert
our becoming engaged in war with
Germany, and at the same time, to de-
velop a method of procedure that will
make Germany realize that our friend
ship is worth maintaining.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.
IFrom the Chicago News.]

TF'rom the Chicago News.1
Why employ a trained nurse TO nurse
a grievance? Do it yourself.
It's easier for woman to break
man than crack a joke.
Sooner or later the wise fish runs
across a bait that fools him.
The man who thinks he under
stands women is no penetratlve
thinker.
There's no charity equal to that of
showing people how to help them
selves.
What has become of the old fash
toned girl who married her first and
only love?
Any silly nonsense sounds reason
able to a girl if put in the form of a
love letter
Anyway, We ought to be thankful
that the prayers of our enemies are not
always answered.
It's sometimes difficult to distinguish
between a celebrity and waiter if
both wear dress suits
When a bad man says he is thirst
ing for gore. as a rule he is willing to
accept little red liquor as substi-
tute
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
INDECIsIvE WAR MEANS PEACE

Professor Alvin S. Johnson of Cor
nell write the New Republic that the
lack of decisive victory will not lead to
a future war, but rather the contrary.
However the present war may end, it
will leave no nation gloating over easy
victory. Say that Germany adds few
thousand square kilometers to her ter
ritory. A million disabled German
soldiers, scattered throughout all the
cities and villages of the empire, will
bear testimony to the cost of national
ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Say that France re-
covers Alsace-Lorraine. Hundreds of
thousands of war widows will mingle
their signs with the jubilations of the
crowd. Nor will the present war
print disgrace upon the mind of any
nation. All the chronic1ers of the
world can transmit to posterity only a
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
AN ILL WIND, OR RAIN, ETC.

Estimates have it that the recent
heavy rains. hail storms, floods, etc,
have damaged Kansas to the tune of
many millions of dollars. This is I'M
doubtedly true, and in many indivi-
dual cases the damage done by these
outbursts of nature have been over
whelming- They have put some far
nners who were looking in the direc-
ton of Easy Street close to poverty.
But it is also probable that the great
rainfall which Kansas has experienced
will be worth millions and millions of
dollars to the state as a whole and its
people. The earth and the subsoil,
particularly, IN many sections of
Kansas, pretty much all over the state
in fact, has been given a soaking and
saturation that will stand the farmers
in good stead for a long time to
come.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
THE LARGER sANcTITY.

THE 1sAhGER SANCTITY.
Be it shown to all the world
That the Stars and Stripes unfurled
Stainless float above a land
Pure in heart and strong of hand;
Patient, firm in self-control,
Seeking not selfish goal
But with power to strike blow
In defense against a foe!
Right is right and law is law,
Sacred both in peace and war:
And tho nations join in strife,
Yet the sanctity of life,
Meath the banners not unrolled
In the conflict men must hold
As protected by the seal
OF the universal veal.
o, my country, strongly wait
Ere the mighty guns of hate
You unlimber; dare to pause,
In the greatness of your causei
But with no uncertain word
Make your holy purpose heard
To defend by drastic deed
Human rights and thy own seed!
Boston Herald.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27

1.-THE of the tales of heroism from any
one of the warning nations After the
war the nations that have Jared worst
will at any rate have the consolation OF
the record of a gallant fight; and the
nations nearest approximating the
state of victors will accord generous
recognition to the bravery OF their
foes. The formal terms of peace may
leave open the door to future strife;
but the underlying spirit of the peo-
pies, something vastly more signifi-
cant in the long run, is not circum-
scribed by. written conventions. What
if the coming peace shall be incon-
elusive? All the more probability
that it will be a lasting peace"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
HOME CONDITIONS GOOD.

In his current weekly financial re-
view, Henry Clews, the New York
banker, points out that one of the
large financial problems in this coun-
try concerns how the European bel
ligerents will pay for the enormous
amount of war supplies they are buy
ing here. He thinks that partial solu-
ton will be the sending back by for
eign investors of their American hold
ings. So far, he says, the credits ar
ranged here on this score have i'm
posed no financial strain and could
undoubtedly be greatly expanded
without harm, but a new factor of
great importance is being introduced
into our finances, one with which
American bankers and investors are
not entirely familiar, and the handling
of this problem successfully will re-
quire the greatest prudence and the
most skillful foresight"
Home conditions Mr.. Clews con-
tinues, ARE generally satisfactory. The
crop outlook is particularly so. Some
deterioration has taken place, as usual
in the summer months, and more may
follow; but a bumper grain crop is
now almost within reach, and the
American farmer is practically sure of
good demand and good prices for all
food products, which mean another
season of prosperity. The south is
naturally disturbed over the cotton
outlook, possibly more so than neces-
sary. War has unavoidably deranged
the cotton market, as it has many
other staple commodities. It is the
south's main product, and the restric-
tions imposed upon it by Great Britain
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27
Journal Entries

Habits change, but seldom from bad
to good.
j. j. j.
Considerable of the Information
most folk possess is useless.
i j. Il
Most wives do a lot of Dragging
about their husbandS-to other
women.
i + =
Getting down to brass tacks, the
good talker is one who can say what
he has to say in a few words.
j. % -
People who are content for things to
come to them, must also make up their
minds to be satisfied with little.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27

Another of the picturesque SMILES
for which Colonel Roosevelt is noted
in his article in the current issue of
the Metropolitan Magazine. The Colo
mel writes: Recently, in certain cir
cles, some popularity has been
achieved by song entitled, 81 didn't
Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier song
which ought always to be sung with
a companion piece entitled. st Didn't
Raise My Girl to Be a Mother The
two would stand on precisely the same
moral level
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27

One bumper crop that Kansans are
not at all enthusiastic about is the
mole crop. And they've been aptly
termed the submarines of the lawn"
Furthermore, the only way to cope
with these little vanda1s is to trap
them. and that's about as easy as
putting salt on a BIRDS tail.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27

swered; 81 would like to play with
you, but you see L am only a white
pansy bud am neither bright nor
shining"
But would you like to play with
2" asked the shadow hoDefuIlv
and the pansy bud nodded in the
moonlight.
Then L don't care about the bright
ness. cried the shadow gaily, 'I'u
play with youi''
So the pansy bud opened her petals
and the shadow crept close to her
heart.
And that is why, when the pansy
bud bloomed the next day. a great
purple splash lay in the center of the
bloom Copyright - Clara Ingram
Judson.)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27

Surely the people of this country
will come to the rescue of the Amer
lean Red Cross and provide this gall
liant organization with the funds it
needs to continue its doctors and nurses
at work in the European battlefields.
If the Red Cross is compelled to with
draw these agents of mercy from the
places where they are so sorely needed
the generosity of our people Will be
subject to reproach.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-27

Prominent among the optimists is
the Denver clergyman who believes
that Worldwide prohibition will be-
comes a fact within a decade. He
seems to forget that good things come
slowly. And a good thing of the pro-
portions OF worldwide prohibition
will surely need more than ten years
time IN which to arrive.