davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Williams news., 1915-07-15
SYNOPSIS.

A curious crowd of neighbors invade the mysterious home of Judge Ostrander, county judge and eccentric recluse, fol- lowing a yelled woman who proves to be the widow of a man tried before the judge and electrocuted for murder years before. Her daughter is engaged to the judges son, from whom he is estranged, but the murder is between the lovers. She plans to clear her husbands memory and asks the judges aid. Deborah Scoville reads the newspaper clippings telling the story Of the murder Of Algernon Etheridge by John Scoville in Dark Hollow, twelve years before. The judge and Mrs. Sco- vile meet at Spencers Folly and she shows him how, on the day of the mur- der, she saw the shadow of a man, whit ting stick and wearing a long peaked cap. The judge engages her and her daughter Reuther to live with him in his mysterious home. Deborah and her law yer, Black, go to the police station and see the stick used to murder Etheridge
 She discovers a broken knife-blade point embeGded in it. Deborah and Reuther go 10 live with the judge, Deborah sees portrait of Oliver, the judges son. with black band painted across the eyes. That night she finds, in Oliver's room, cap with peak like the shadowed one, and a knife with broken blade-point. Anon ymous letters and a talk with Miss Weeks increase her suspicious and fears
 She finds that Oliver was in the ravine on the murder night Black warns her and shows her other anonymous letters limiting at Oliver's guilt. In the court note. The note Is picked up and read
Williams news., 1915-07-15
Who Go to Church?

The facts about church member. ship are contained in United States census bulletin No. 103, and the per centage of church membership in the total population is given for the year 1906, 26 years after Kansas has be- come a prohibition state. According to this tabulation, which is the latest obtainable, the lowest percentage of church membership was in Oklahoma including Indian Territory, the rate being 1S.2. The rate in New York was 43.7; in Pennsylvania, 43; in Illinois 3S.3: in Nebraska, 32.4; in Maine, 29.s: and in Kansas. 28.4. Forty-three states had a larger percentage of membership than had Kansas.
 Since this tabulation was made up two of the four states that had a low CT rate of church membership than had Kansas, namely Oklahoma and West Virginia, have joined the ranks of the prohibition states. Of the six states, therefore, having the lowest rate of church membership in the United States, four are prohibition states.-Royal B. Cabell in Leslie's.
Williams news., 1915-07-15

disfigured the bludgeon he always car ried with pride. But the argument was a sorry one and in itself would have broken down the prosecution had he been man of better repute. Now, those few chips taken from the handle of this weapon will carry different significance. For in my folly asked to see this stick. which still exists at police headquarters.\a .\and there in the wood I detected and pointed out a trife of steel which never came from the unbroken blades of the knife taken from Johns pocket"
 Fallen was the proud head now and fallen the great mans aspect. If he spoke it was to utter a low Oliver! Oliver!"
 The pathos of 1.-the heart-rending wonder in the tone brought the tears to Deborah's eyes and made her last words very difficult
 But the one great thing which gives to these facts their really dan. gerous point is the mystery you have made of your life and of this so-called hermitage. If you can clear up that. you can afford to ignore the rest"
 .'The misfortunes of my house!" was his sole response. "The misfortunes of my house!'
Williams news., 1915-07-15

Macaoam Hoao reateo with ASpnalc
 Binder.
 plain macadam, gravel, shell, other hard surfaced roads, sand and clay mixture properly graded and drained, ordinary earth roads properly con- structed. and, finally, unimproved roads.
 tion in regard to the tax rate for the roads and the amount of work and money expended on them.
 The third blank is concerned with the names of local road officials, and the fourth with facts in regard to the bond issues and the indebtedness of the counties for their road systems.
 As there are approximately 5000 counties in the United States, in many of which the mileage has never even been estimated, it is hardly prob able that this preliminary survey will be exact. The department, however, will be able to detect any excessively inaccurate reports for the road mile- age per square mile of territory does not vary excessively. Except in desert or undeveloped country less than half a mile of public road to every square mile of territory is rare, while. in the most thickly populated rural sections the maximum is no more than two and one-half or three miles. Thus. in France, there is an average for the en- tire country of 1.76 to a square mile. In Italy, however, this has fallen to .86, possibly on account of the noun tainous character of much of the penin- sula and of Sicily and Sardinia.
 In America the average is approxi- mately 80 miles, which, in view of the fact that much of the country IS sparsely settled seems unduly high. An explanation, however, is to be found 1n the fact that in many states the law provides that each section line shall be public road. Thus, for example, there are in the state of Iowa alene more than 104,000 miles of legal high ways, manifestly a much larger mile age than is required by traffic.
 When the information in regard to the existing roads which the depart ment is now seeking is complete, 1t IS the intention to continue the inquiry year after year in order to ascertain the durability and economy of the va rious kinds of highways. The data thus collected should be useful to road engineers all over the country and it is hoped that county agents and others interested in improvement of agriculture will do their best to fac1l1- tate the collection of the desired in- formation.
Williams news., 1915-07-15
Welsh Songs Promised.


 A Cardiff correspondent of an Eng fish newspaper says:
 "Cymric ardor on the battlefield is going to be inspired and sustained by Cymric music. Not the least impress sive sight today, and during the past week, among the Welsh units training at Porthcawl has been the gathering of the soldiers for choral singing. When the new Welsh army of 10000 men take the field it will go to battle to the sound of a Cymric war chorus, which experts have described as the finest martial music Tn the world.
 The organization just formed is known as the Welsh Army Male Voice chorus, and as the recruits include some of the finest singers in the Welsh valleys, men who have com .peted in scores of Eisteddfods. the sol diers' practice sings at Porthcawl par. take of the character of first-class concerts, which attract to the vicinity of the hall large numbers of residents of the town and visitors.
 Miss Gee of Denbigh, an ardent patriot, is distributing fine selection of Welsh war songs, with request for the rendering of these and less singing of 'Tipperary'
Williams news., 1915-07-15
CHAPTER XIII.
One Secret Less,


 Suddenly he faced Deborah again. The crisis of feeling had passed. and he looked almost cold
 You have had advisers" said he. Who are they?"
 q have talked with MT. Black" The judges brows met.
 Well, you were. wise,' said he Then, shortly, What is his attitude ?" Feeling that her position was fast becoming intolerable, she falteringly replied, Friendly to you and Oliver but, even without all the reasons which move me. sharing my convic. tions."
 He has told you so?"
 Not directly; but there was no mis. judging his opinion of the necessity you were under to explain the myste. ries of your life. And it was yester. day we talked; not today"
 Like words thrown into a void these slow, lingering, half-uttered phrases seemed to awaken an echo
Williams news., 1915-07-15

cry desire to recognize his worth {! to drop your husbands cause though you consider it an honest one, when you saw what havoc it would entail to my boys repute. You believe-and on what evidence?" he broke in. Be. cause of the picture and the coinci. dence of his presence in the ravine?"
 Yes"
 But these are puerile reasons" He was speaking peremptorily now and with all the weight of a master mind. And you are not the woman to be satisfied with anything puerile. There is something back of all this; some thing you have not imparted. What is that something? Tell-tell-"
 "Oliver was a mere boy in those days and very passionate one. He hated Etheridge-the obtrusive men. tor who came between him and your. self"
 "Hated?"
 "Yes, there is proof"
 He did not ask where. Possibly he knew. And because he did not ask she did not tell him, holding on to her secret in a vague hope that so much at least might never see light.
 'I knew the boy shrank sometimes from Algernon's company" the judge admitted, after another glance at her face; "but that means nothing in a boy full of his own affairs. What else have you against him? Speak up! l can bear it all"
 "He handled the stick that-that-"
 Never! Now you have gone, mad, madam"
 q would be willing to end my days in an asylum if that would disprove this fact"
 But, madam, what proof-what req. son can you have for an assertion so monstrous?"
 You remember the shadow l saw which was not that of John Scoville ? The person who made that shadow was whittling a stick; that was 9 trick of Divers. have heard that he even whittled furniture"
 Good God!" The judges panopIy was pierced at last
 They tried to prove, as you will remember, that it was John who thus
Williams news., 1915-07-15
MILEAGE OF OUR GOOD ROADS
Information to Serve as Basis
 for Estimating Value.

The United States department of az riculture is now gathering information which, when complete, should not only give the total mileage of public roads iE the United States and their cost, but should serve as basis for esti- mating the relative value of the diff ferent kinds of highways. Some 15 ,000 sets ot inquiry blanks have already been distributed through the state highway commissions, and some of these are now beginning to come back to the department. Each set consists of four cards.
 Of these the first asks for informa- tion on the mileage of different classes of roads in the county to which it is sent. The mileage does not include, of course, streets in cities and towns. The roads are divided into ten classes as follows: Brick paved, concrete, macadam with the addition of some substance such as asphalt, oil, or tar,
Williams news., 1915-07-15

which runE not only in his inmost be- ing, but in hers. Not till in both na- lures silence had settled again {the | silence of despair. not peace). did he speak. When he did it was simply to breathe her name.
 'Deborah?"
 Startled, for it had always before been madam" she looked up to find | him standing very near her and with his hand held out.
 "I am going through deep waters" said he. Am I to have your sup port?"
 )"Oh, Judge Ostrander, how can you doubt it?"' she cried. dropping her hand into his, and her eyes swimming with tears. "But what can 1 do? If I remain here I will be questioned If I fy-but, possibly, that is what you want-for me to go-to disappear-to take Reuther and sink out of all mems sight forever. If this is your wish. am ready to do it Gladly will we be gone-now-at once-this very night
 His disclaimer was peremptory.
 No; not that. I ask no such sac rifice. Neither would it avail. There is but one thing which can reinstate Oliver and myself in the confidence and regard of these people. Cannot you guess it, madam? I mean your own restored conviction that the sen tence passed upon John Scoville was just one. Once satisfied of this, your temperament is such that you would be our advocate whether you wished it or no. Your very silence would be eloquent"
 Convince me; I am willing to have you, Judge Ostrander. But how can you do so? A shadow stands between my wishes and the belief you mention. The shadow cast by Oliver as he made his way towards the bridge, with my husbands bludgeon in his hand"
 Did you see him strike the blow? Were there any opportune shadows to betray what happened between the instant of-let us say Divers ap- proach and the fall of my friend? Much can happen in a minute. and this matter is one of minutes. Sco- vile had heart open to crime, Oliver not. This l knew when l sat upon the bench at his trial; and now you shall know it, too. Come! I have something to show you"
 He turned towards the door and mechanically she followed. Her thoughts were all in whirl. She did not know what to make of him or of herself The rooted dread of weeks was stirring in it's soil. This sugges- tion of the transference of the stick from hand to hand was not impossible, Only Scoville had sworn to her, and that, too, upon their child's head, that he had not struck this blow. And she had believed him after finding the cap; and she believed him now. Yes. against her will, she believed him now. Why? and again, why?
 (TO BE CONTINUED)
Williams news., 1915-07-15
Forced to Make Up for Lost Tim,

Forced to Make Up for Lost Time.
 Whenever I'm /yur in Kay See" stated Sandstorm Smith of Rampage, Okla, who is for the nonce in the city's midst, '1 don't go to bed, with the chickens. by any manner of means, and yet I'm never trifiin' around so late at night that don't see hundreds of prominent people scooting through the scenery in automobiles. Strikes me that folks yur are scandalously be- hind with their riding. City Star.
Williams news., 1915-07-15
pestroyino the Mosquito.

The way to destroy the mosquito In it's larval stage is to pour little ker- osene on the surface of the pool or stream inhabited by the industrious wiggler. The oil shuts out the SUD- ply of oxygen from the water be- meath. The wiggler rises tail first to the surface and tries to force his breathing tube through the thin layer of oil. He fails and promptly dies from suffocat1on-a suitable deatk for so fratricidal an insect
Williams news., 1915-07-15
Wide Tires to Stay.

The wide-tired wagon has come to stay. On our common earth roads and in the field a 50 per cent more load can be pulled on wide-tired wagon than on one with narrow tires; then, again. the wide tires help in packing the road, while the narrow tires make the ruts.
Williams news., 1915-07-15
Keen Rivalry.

All the farmers hereabouts seem to own motor cars. I don't suppose an automobile salesman could do much business in this community" "Oh, yes, he could. The farmers about here have quit trying to see who can raise the finest cattle and the big gest crops. Every one of them is try ing to get hold of car with improve; ments the other fellows cars don't have"
Williams news., 1915-07-15
Shortens the Distance.

There is nothing that shortens the distance between the farm and the market as much as good roads. lt's the greatest economy the farmers car have.
Williams news., 1915-07-15
Should Not GrumhIe.

The dairyman, whose products are
 particularly perishable, should be the last man on earth to grumble about
 paying money for road improvement.
Williams news., 1915-07-15
A Gentle Hint.

The Grocer (to new customer)-Did you find your last order satisfactory, madam?
 Mrs. Housekeep-Fairly so. But next time wish you would send us stronger coffee and weaker butter.
Williams news., 1915-07-15
Enjoys His Crouch.

When a man has a,grouch mo dan two days in succession" said Uncle Eben, 'let i'm alone. It's his way of injoyin' hisse'f"
Williams news., 1915-07-15

When there is family reunion the men present enjoy it almost as much as they do funeral.
Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-05-21
A DIVINE COVENANT.

God Almighty gave Eve to Adam
with the pledge that she would be his
helpmeet and with this order of com.
partnership, civilization has lowered
to its greatest heights. In this rela'
tionship, God has blessed woman and
man has honored her and after four
thousand years of progress, she now
proposes to provoke God to decoy
man by asking for suffrage, thereby
by amending an agreement to which
she was not party.
Woman, remember that the Israelite
scorned divine covenant, and as a
result wandered forty years in the
wilderness without God. Likewise
man should remember that it is a
dangerous thing to debase woman by
law. Rome tried lowering woman's
standard and an outraged civilization
tore the clothes off the backs of the
human race and turned them out to
roam in the world naked and IN
ashamed
Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-05-21

a bar of iron and bent it into
a reaper and with one sweep of
his magic mind broke the shackles
that enslaved labor of generations yet
unborn, and gave mankind freedom
from drudgery, and lifted the human
race into a higher zone of life.
AS Nelson organized the English navy
and made England mistress of the sea,
enabling the British Isles to plant her
flag upon every continent washed by
the oceans waves, and to make foot
stools of the Islands of every water,
Morgan organized a banking system
that has made America master of the
worlds finances, brought Kings to our
cashiers windows, the nations of the
earth to our discount desks and placed
under the industries of this nation
financial system as solid as the Rock
of Gibraltar.
There is no study quite SO interest
ing as progress; no sound SO magic
as the roar of industry and no sight
so inspiring as civilization in action.
A full realization of Americas part in
the great events of the world past,
present and future will thrill every
human heart with pride, patriotism
and faith in Republican institutions.
Through the courtesy of the Agri-
cultural and Commercial Press Ser
vice the readers of this paper will be
permitted to study America; her ag-
ricultural, manufacturing and min
eral development, mercantile, bank
ing and transportation systems which
are the wonder of the world. The
first article of the series will deal
with transportation and will appear
at an early date.
Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-05-21
FEDERAL INDUSTRIAL
COMMISSION
BY Peter Radford.

The recent investigation of the
United States Commission of Indus
trial Relations brought together the
extremes of society and has given the
public an opportunity to view the rep.
resentatives of distinct classes, side
by side, and to study their views in
parallel columns.
Capital and labor have always been
glazing at each other over CULTS of
misunderstanding and if the Federal
Industrial Commission attempts to
bridge the chasm, it will render the
public distinct service.
The farmer has been sitting on the
fence watching capital and labor fight
for many years and incidentally furn-
ishing the sinews of war and it is
quite gratifying to find them talking
with, instead of about, each other.
When honest men smile and look into
each others souls, it always makes
the world better and far more salts
factory to the farmer who in the end,
bears the burden of conflict, than
resolutions, speeches or pamphlets
containing charges and counter
charges.
The love for justice makes the
whole world kim Understanding Is an
arbiter far more powerful than the
mandates of government, for there is
no authority quite SO commanding as
an honest conscience; there is no de-
!. cree quite SO binding as that of the
Supreme Court of Common Sense and
no sheriff can keep the peace quite so
perfect as Understanding.
We suppose the time will never
come when capital and labor will not
be occasionally blinded by the light
ming flashes of avarice or frightened
by the thunder peals of discomfort.
|, But Understanding is a Prince of
Peace that ever holds out the olive
branch to men who want to do right.
A mans income is always sacred
thing for in it are the hope, ambition
and opportunity of himself, and fam
lily, but there is nothing in human
heart quite so divine as Justice and
Understanding is its handmaidea.
Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-05-21
Mahoney

Ct. G. Cox attended the burial
of his sister Mrs. VIM. TibDs at
Zion, last Thursday.
G. A. Umberger has been
right SICK, for several days.
There is an epidemic of whoop-
ing cough in the neighborhood
M. l.. Baumgardner IS slowly
recovering from his recent i'll
ness.
Mr.. A. P. Umberger is visit
ing relatives i'll Wythe 90. this
week.
7. P. Umberger celebrated his
nlntieth birthday Sunday.
Misses Bessie and Stella Re
pass of Bland visited relatives
here last week.
Mrs. r. NJ. Catron spent Sun
day at Thomas Peeks, near Red
Oak.
Henry Gordon Of Black Lick
was q business visitor here
Tuesday.
Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-05-21
THE PENALTY OF
(ARELEsSNESS
BY S. w. Insiish,
Fire Prevention Expert.

Every time you hear the cry OF
Fire." you can be almost absolutely
safe in thinking that someone mas
been careless. Fires don't happen.
They are the inevitable result OF
combinations of preventable things.
When analysed to the last equation
1t will be found that carelessness IS
the root whence spring nearly all
fires.
What penalty industry pays to
carelessness! Fire is the great de-
stroyer. The wealth of generation
can be wiped out in but brief hour.
Why not fight fires before they
start? Why not SO conduct your
habits and SO keep your premises
that when the fire demon wants to
offer your savings as sacrifice he
will pass you by, just as those OF
Egypt of old were passed over when
the sign they had been told to place
over their doors, were seen?
Too often when those who are
responsible from fire cry out they
are the victims of bad luck, they are
but paying the natural penalty for
their own carelessness.
II you want to keep down your fire
insurance rates. wage eternal war
fare against those things that ever
breed fires.
Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-05-21
KNOW THY COUNTRY
introductory

Know America" is a slogan that
should ring out from every schoo
room, office. farm and shop in this ma
ton. No man can aspire to a higher
honor than to become capable citi
zen, and no one can merit so dis
tinguished a title until he is well in
formed of the resources, possibilities
and achievements of our country.
This is commercial age and civ.
flization is bearing it's most golden
fruit in America. We are noted for
our industrial achievements as Egypt
was noted for her pyramids; Jerusa-
lem for her religion; Greece for her
art. Phoenicia for her fleets; Chaldea
for her astronomy and Rome for her
laws. Likewise we have men who will
go down in the worlds history as pow
erful products of their age. For, stand
ing at the source of every gigantic
movement that sways civilization is a
great man. The greatest minds travel
in the greatest direction and the COM
fnercial geniuses of this age would
have been the sculptors, poets, phil
osophers, architects, and artists of
earlier Civilizations
AS Michael Angelo took rock and
with chisel hewed it into the image
of an angel that eves beckons man
kind upward and onward, Hill took
the desert of the Northwest and with
bands of steel made it blossom like a
rose. dotted the valleys with happy
homes and built cities in waste places.
AS Gutenberg took blocks Of wood
and whitfield them into an alphabet
and made a printing press that
flashed education across the con-
tinent like ray of light upon
new born world, Mccormick took
Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1915-05-21
WHY IS WOMAN
RESTLESS?
DESTINY OF NATIONS DEPENDS
UPON COMMENTED HOMES.
BY w. D. Lewis.
President Texas Farmers Union.

1lSSlueHt 1eAdS Il drmerS' OHl0N.
Why is woman dissatisfied? Why
does she grow restless under the
crown of womanhood? Why is she
weary Of the God-given jewel of moth
erhood? Is it not a sufficient political
achievement for woman that future
rulers nurse at her breast, laugh in
her arms and kneel at her feet? Can
ambition leap to more glorious heights
than to sing lullabies to the world s
greatest genuises, chant melodies to
master minds and rock the cradle OF
human destiny?
God pity our country when the hand.
shake of the politician is more graft.
flying to woman's heart than the pat
ter of childfen's feet.