davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

came in and-purely as a neighborly
turn, of course cautioned them
against buying land from Mr.. Shaw
key.
Mr.. Townbrcd was intensely receipt
i've, and he couldn't help casting an
I-told-you-so glance or two at Mrs.
Townbred.
Mr.. Thomson, he himself stated. had
purchased ten acres from Mr. Shaw
key and had discovered later that fif-
teen feet clear across the front of his
place was a part Of the roadway OF
the subdivision: that this deduction Of
course made his purchase just that
much less than ten full acres for
which he had paid or. rather. was
paying; and that Mr.. Shawkey, far
from being secretive about 1t, stated
frankly and boldly that he couldn't
see where he. Shawkcy. was called
upon to donate the land for a road
way; and that IL the county ever took
it over as a county road the owners
Of tho abutting property would be
paid for their land.
! And MIR. Thomson. so he himself
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

land poor, and how he had conclud-
ed to sub-divide a hundred Of his
three hundred acres Of land and sell 1t
in five to ten-acre tracts on monthly
payments. thus insuring himself a reg
ular monthly income for the next
dozen years. Mr.. Shawkey himself had
told her this. and he was known as an
honest man.
Mr.. Townbred was impressed. OF
course a city business man wouldn't
have handled 1t that way. maybe. but
then-well he'd look at the land, at
least.
So, the next day being Sunday. they
hooked Old Bob, the white horse. to
the buggy and drove over to the five
acre tract. which was just on the other
side Of the pike and not over a quar-
ter of a mile from the Townbred's
place.
1t would have been preferable. OF
course, had 1t adjoined their own land,
but, as Mrs. Townbred pointed out,
people with, say, hundred or so
acres. farm fields that are much far
Their from their houses than this land
was from the Townbred's.
Mr.. Shawkey met them there. lie
may have been a countryman. but he
was a good salesman. He pointed out
the boundaries Of the tract and showed
plat which listed 1t as a fraction over
five acres: and he gave quite a dis
course on the value Of wood-particu.
larly the wood on his land. And
withal. he was agreeable.
| Mrs. Townbred was for buying a,
once. Mr.. Townbred insisted upon a
few days in which to think it over
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

Shawkey get away with twenty dol
lars in that fashion? Well / just
guess not! II you have twenty dol
lars TO throw away you can give them
to me, Ruthvin Townbred! III SEQ
Mr. Shawkey this evening--and he can
either take twenty dollars on the
price Of the land or We won't BUY u!
You are easy II you consent"
penny wise and pound foolish
suggested Mr.. Townbred.
But Mrs. TOwnbred was not to %
dissuaded
And, somehow, she didn't seem to
be much concerned over the possible
lily of losing the land.
For she took two full weeks IN
which to let Mr.. Shawkey think It
over.
Also, Mr.. shawkcy finally deducted
the twenty.
All OF which shows that the Town
breds are beginning to conduct their
business as business IL conducted IN
the country.
Copyright. 1915, by Edward Riddle
PadgetO.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

it. Now look at this in businesslike
manner. You don't suppose Mr.. Shaw
key is going to give him a renewal
when he has a chance of selling to
us, do you? OF course not! Besides,
don't you think we'd better find out
something about the land before we
rush in"
Now am not boastful. as you we'll
know. Ruthvin, but you must admit
that do know good land when I see
It, This Is all woodland-pine, chest
nut and oak, mostly the latter-and
It's precisely what we need to make
our place complete. Why. Ruthvin.
there's enough wood on 1t to last us.
with proper care in cutting and plant
ing. the rest OF our lives So even II
the land shouldn't prove good-which
am certain Is not the case-we
would have our money back anyway"
Mr.. Townbred sat down and strove
to be calm. What does he want for
it 2" he inquired.
"Only hundred and ten dollars an
acre!" said Mrs. Townbred trium.
phantly. "And you know perfect,
well that you can't touch land any.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28
p'F h &4UJ9E
| JAM
UND'

leaves, stick cinnamon, chives. capers.
paprika, cayenne pepper, tabasco and
anchovy sauce, and Spanish pimentos.
rooms at hand and a small bottle OF
stuffed olives. Given these things and
appetizing dishes will be the rule and
not the exception In the family.
And even the first cost Of furnishing
this shelf will not be very great since
only insignificant quantities of flavor
ing are used at time. and 80 small
amounts may be purchased. For in
stance, for ten cents enough bay leaves
may be bought to last the average
family a year.
ONCE the havorings are purchased
they should be used constantly, the
young housekeeper says. Flavor the
cole slaw with celery salt and see how
improved it Is. Add a soupcon Of
Worcestershire to the beef gravy and
note the result. Put a tablespoonful
Of the same sauce In your Welsh
rarebit and you will never again make
this cheese dish without 1t.
MAKE curry sauce ana reneat your
cold lamb in 1t, add peppercorns to
soup. use Paprika freely in the French
dressing for vegetable salad, servo
caper sauce with boiled lamb and NUT
ton. and anchovy sauce with Ash.
The young housekeeper says that Il
American cooks would cultivate the
habit Of flavoring they would learn
that for years they have been serving
their families with comparatively
tasteless dishes.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28
T.: IL D:J-o>,, And There No Better Way To Do Tn
uIu uIG DIIIESIOOuI Than To Attend Halowe en- Party

and black cats for favors.
The feast was rather a substantial
ono since the autumn air gives appe-
lite. There were dishes Of roasted
chestnuts and Of nut Judges on the
table, and bowls Of country cider. But
these were only, 80 to speak, the nib
bling things The supper proper con-
sisted Of creamed sweetbreads pre-
pared in tho chaflng dish by the
hostess. toasted brown bread. a celery.
apple and nut salad, spicy gingerbread
and hot coffee.
A cake containing a ring, q thim-
Bile and a coin formed a part Of the
refreshments, the ring signifying mar
rlage for the person who found It in
his slice. the thimble spinsterhood.
and the coin riches.
AS to the revels themselves, they
consisted of the things which from
time immemorial young people have
done to discover what the future held
in store for them in the way Of sweet
hearts. They bobbed for apples which
had been prepared by having inserted
in them slips Of paper bearing a name.
At midnight the guests went, one at
time. to make 1t a moro fearsomu
feat, into the cellar, n candle In one
hand, a mirror in the other. Tho face
Of the fate" of the locker was sup
posed to be reflected in tho mirror
over her shoulder. And generally with
the quiet aid Of the hostess, a face
really did appear in that mirror amid
shrieks more Of delight than Of terro,
from those subterranean regions.
Anon the frolickers were led blind
folded to a table upon which were
placed three bowls. These contained
respectively, water. earth and thin
BILE. The blindfolded ono put fortf
his hand and touched one Of tn,
bowls; II the one containing water 4
was taken to signify that he would be
come a great traveller; II the earth, ;
happy married life: II the thimble
spinsterhood or bachelorhood.
And these were only a few Of tn,
ingenious tricks undertaken. for chest
nuts were burned on the hearth ant
pieces Of dumb cake eaten, all Of tn
old rites gone through with indeed.
Halloween. 1t may be observed. 1
no tlIne LOT IL COHVeHtiolal party IL
an occasion for jollity and mirth. ant
informally. In the days when cand
pulls were llowable-nowadays evel
the youngest children dance at thei
parties, and taffy Is no moro es
teemed-Hallowe'en parties often be
gan with the taffy pulling and ende
at midnight with fortunes. But sine
romance never dies the Hallowe'e
party will be, probably. always fash
, ionable and always enjoyable no mat
! ter how times change nor boys an
$ girls alter.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28
WHEN THE WOMEN PAY THE
RENT.

- HE great war has had many con-
sequences, most Of them evil,
but according to some Of the
- landlords Of England It has had
one good effect, at least. The land
lords soy that never were their rents
paid so promptly an now: never were
cause the women are handling the
money. The wives OF the soldiers,
that is, and Of those other men who
are connected In various ways with
the conflict.
The Government turns over a part
Of the soldiers pay to the wives they
have left behind them and these
ladies, true to the impulses Of their
sex. pay the rent on the dot, for con-
trary to the general idea women
loathe and fear debt. They have no
confidence in futures; they are not
naturally optimistic where money is
concerned. and SO they pay their bills
as soon as they have the cash.
Women of the great middle class
hesitate to contract a debt unless they
literally have the money In hand to
pay It. 1t Is the very rich woman
and the very poor woman who have
given the sex a reputation for care
lessness In money affairs: the very
rich woman because she does not care
particularly whether she pays or not
the very poor one because she has
not the wherewithal with which to
settle up.
At all events some Of the landlords
Of England declare that the war has
served them a good turn in that II
has made the wives Of the soldiers the
rent payers instead Of the casual SOL
diers themselves
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

in the Eye without so much as Blink.
ing-and he never Said Word.
O. H. sat down and Thought No
doubt the Borrower had overlooked
such a small amount: but would re-
call it presently and Come Across. At
all events he would Allow him a Few
Days grace. OF course when the loan
had been made 1t was until the
First" but-oh, we'll. 1t was Just like
having Money in Bank. ETC.. etc.
But the Fifteenth Of the Month Our
Hero lost his Patience and collared
his Courage enough to Button-hole
said Borrower and Ask him About 1t.
So Sorry! He had Overlooked 1t En-
tirely; truth to tell. he (the Borrower)
was just little Hard Pressed then.
but would Repay "the First" Of next
month-Sure! And that was all there
was to 1t! Perforce. o. H. had to DO
| Content.
He's still Waiting for "the First"
! But, be 1t noted, all this happened
Years Ago and he now is working the
until the First" game for all there Is
in (which often isn't more than a
Jitney.
Gradually he came to the Conclu-
sion that 1t Is better to be the Singer
than the Stung. And that phrase
until the First" falls as blithely from
his. lips now as 1t did from the lips
OF the Borrower who got a Strangle-
Hold on that Two-Bit Piece. Out and
out, he's q Small change borrower"
And he's Making Good at 1t. too.
That is. unless you take into Consid-
Grafton such things as the fact that he
has no Friends and no Acquaintance
ship that lasts over two months; that
he Is Despised by everyone: that he
can't tell a Lie when he's telling 1t
from the Truth; and that he's always
BroEe-dead Broke.
Aside from this. perhaps. he's All
Right.
Also, he hasn't any Trademarks on
that phrase
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28
She Forgot Her Instructions

<HE was a perfectly new cook, but
she announced herself as so en-
~ tirely competent. and she demand
ed such huge wages that her mistress
felt no qualms in allowing her to pre-
pare the dinner for guests without any
supervision.
Put a tablespoonful Of whipped
cream on each plate of SOUP" said the
mistress In parting instruction. land
see that there is plenty Of mint sauce
for the spring lamb"
Bridget replied readily that every
thing would be exactly as Madame
wished and forthwith mildly but firm
ly drove that lady from her kitchen.
The guests arrived and the maid
announced dinner. The grapefruit
which formed the first course, came
on, cold and delicious and any appre.
hension which the hostess may have
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

states, had made a rather inconvenient
trip to the Townbreds to warn them
of this thing which he considered a
film fam.
Mrs. Townbred looked at her hus-
band anXiously. But to her surprise
he didn't seem to be wrought up over
1t. Instead he was quietly figuring
away with the plat Of the lot before
him.
Mr. Thomson was duly thanked, Of
fered a bit OF refreshment and sent
on his way rejoicing-for. 1t developed
later. quite neighborly feud existed
between him and Mr. Shawkey and he
felt he had got in a good lick.
"Pshaw!" said Mr.. Townbred. after
going over his figures again. the
whole thing doesn't amount to a hill
of beans. The land we lose for the
road is worth about twenty dollars. on
basis of $40 an acre And 1t seems
to me that the liberal tcrms--amaz-
ingly libcral-are worth that much.
I'm satisfied; go ahead and buy It,"
Twenty dollars exclaimed Mrs.
Townbred Indignantly. Let Mr.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28
= = ]I44zEFowNBpEDS
1 z~~;@& c~their Country Place

And 1t is a bargain. too. Ruth
vin-flfty dollars In cash and the bal
ance at ten dollars q month. with In
lterest."
"Good-n-night" gasped Mr.. Town
bred. THAT settles it,"
Mrs. Townbred stopped and stared
In amazement. Then. suddenly. she
flung her arms around his neck and
exclaimed impulsively. "Oh, you're a
dear! And can 1t be In both our
names?"
Mr.. Townbred tried to speak but
couldn't; he managed to disengage the
clinging arms and catch his breath.
Here. here. Frieda," he finally gasped.
II didn't say we'd take 1t. You-you
misunderstood me! What I meant was
that terms Of that sort settled any
doubt l might have Of the proposition
being a come-on-there's an Ethiopian
somewhere in the woodpile-I mean
woodland"
"Oh, Ruthvin!" There was all the
woe Of tho world In Mrs. Townbred's
tone.
why. Just figure 1t for yourself and
see where Mr.. Shawkey gets off. Five
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

pened upon a Magic Phrase which
seemed to Turn the Trick for him.
1t wasn't exactly all Beer and Skit-
ties. yunnerstan,' but after he had
learned how to Swallow his Pride
without so much as even moving his
Adams Apple he figured 1t might be
a Whole Lot Worse. Besides. he got
Used to it-and let the Other Fellow
do the Worrying.
He had been Dubbing Along on n
Two-by- Four salary and Forthcoming 1t
out in a way that not even Jawn D.
could have found fault with. So much
for Room and Board, SO much for
Clothes. so much for the Savings
Bank, 30 much for the Collection
and Not Blamed Cent for a Good
Time and Foolishness And every one
Of these items. mind you. Paid on the
Day Due He was a model! And he
sure could Count the Pennies.
But, somehow, the Dollars didn't
seem to Take Care OF Themselves, the
old adage to the contrary Nothwith-
standing. So he began to Take Thought
and presently. with the Shining Ex-
ample Of another young chap In his
office before him, he came to a Con-
clusion.
Now said other young chap in the
office was Lallapaloozer. His pay
envelope wasn't bit Fatter than Our
Hero's. But 1t was never noticeable
that he Choked the Eagle to death
before he let 60 of Penny. No, in
deed; most always said Eagle gasped
for breath because of the celebrity
with which he had been thrown Fast
and Far. And this second young chap
lived on the Fat OF the Land. not even
hesitating to use Jitney regardless
whenever he wanted to.
One day, toward the end of the
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28
>0EASON1Bl az. 1TTINlS.

q q OLINSKY, the Russian cat, is Il
x fur much used for trimming
N purposes.
And there is a revival Of seal
skin--for those who can afford 1t.
Beaver is ubiquitous.
Many's the old fur scarf that will
be cut up to trim a tulle frock this
winter.
Ribbon is more used for trimming
than it has been for many seasons.
The high collars are very snappy
and to tell the truth they are much
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

felt as to her new cook vanished.
Then came the soup sans whipped
cream. The mistress questioned the
maid with her eyebrows and that
young person answered with shake
Of the head indicative OF despair.
When the meat course arrived the
lamb was done to turn and as APP
petzing as spring lamb should be, but
neatly piled upon the mint sauce
which accompanied 1t was the whip.
ped cream that should have orns-
mented the soup.
After that the hostess declares she
does not know what happened. Her
senses reeled but when she came to
herself she found she was talking about
eugenics just as calmly as II she were
not in dire fear lest the Ice cream
would be found decorating the salad
and the minis with the cheese.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

~ I'VE in the country and get the
land fever!" Is truism that all
who do go back to the soil find
out fits their particular case
most aptly. And the Townbreds were
no exception; that is to say, Mrs.
Townbred had been at Five Oaks only
a short time when she began to cast
her eyes longingly upon the five acres
of cleared land adjoining on the West
to their ten acres, and then upon three
more acres. in the rear.
To Mr.. Townbred, at first. the ten
acres had seemed a veritable wilder
ness! and he had frequently asked
Mrs Townbred what in the world they
wanted with SO much land. But, mind
you, that was at first.
Later, when riding into town on the
trolley of morning and hearing his
neighbors speak off-hand OF places OF
twenty to a hundred acres, he had be-
gun to feel little ashamed of those
ten. So he planned to buy more some
time in the dim and distant future.
And he let it go at that.
But Mrs. Townbred was by no means
so easily satisfied. To her disap-
pointment she had presently learned
that the five acres adjacent were not
the owner was a city man who-as Is
so frequently the case-was planning
to build house on it eventually and
spend his declining years" there.
And the three acres in the rear were
owned by a farmer who blandly asked
$3.50 ar acre for them--since he knew
the land was moro valuable to the
Tow abreds than to anyone else. So,
for a wrile that had ended any effort
to secure more land.
But, only the other week. the
fever" made fresh attack. Mr..
Townbred had not so much as hung
up his hat. upon his return from the
city. before he was engulfeG In the
rising temperature"
ooh. Ruthvin." exclaimed Mrs
Townbred, I'm SO glad you have
come! And I want you to go ovel
and see Mr.. Shawkey right away"
Goodness me. Frieda. what's the
matter? Has anything happened?"
"No-but something's going tot" re-
nlied Mrs. Townbred. joyfully excited
This morning Mr.. Shawkey showed
me FIVE acres of woodland he has To-
sale-and / want you to go right owe
and tell him We'll take It,"
Gee Whit" exclaimed Mr.. Town
bred. whats the rush? Is any
body else after it?"
"No--at least. don't think So"
"Well, then, Is the land going t
fly off, or fall through to Gilman"
"No--of course not, you silly! Blu
another man had an option on 1t whic
cxpires this evening at six o'clock
and he Is asking Mr. Shawkey to re
new it for another year. So--so--"
my, my, Frieda. not so fast Don
LET q little thing like that mako 20
Ioso YOUR head and rush pell nell int
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

- ALLOWE'EN! The very word
brings a thrill with It: a mental
picture of mischievous pixies. Of
lovers, Of bobbing for apples
Few people ever grow so old or be-
como so completely married as to re-
gard with indifference the revels Of
the night OF the thirty-flrst Of October
when fairies are abroad and matches
are made. That's the reason Hal
lowe en- parties are usually delightful
because they are full Of romance, and
whore romance 10 there Is human ma
ture on tiptoe with eagerness.
The hostess of a Halloween party
has more responsibility, however. than
merely to provide tub Of water for
bobbing for apples. She must make
her rooms old her supper table in
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

board-cats sitting with their tails
coiled gracefully about them, cats with
arched backs and tails in air, cats with
green eyes and red ribbons about their
necks-and with these she decorated
tho walls Of the living room and the
held.
Both Of these rooms were lighted
with pumpkin lights, some made from
genuine pumpkins OF the fcld hol-
lowed out and cut to look like grin
ming goblin faces, while some were
paper pumpkins supplied by the oblig-
ing shops. There were witches astride
brooms among the decorations also,
and strings Of red hearts and ginger
bread men, and festoons of autumn
leaves.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

more becoming to many women than
are the low ones, but they are too hot
for our super-heated houses. theatres
and restaurants.
Sleeves bulge variously but mostly
at the elbow or below 1t.
Skirts bulge between the hips and
the ankles; and some are eight yards
around and some are two.
A few women still have the courage
to wear narrow skirts. May their
souls so marching on!
How do you like your silhouette?
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

month, this Spend thrift came to our
Hero and put up a Grand Plea for the
loan of Two-Bits until-"until the
First" Now, as 1t happened. o. II.
had gone without lunch and had
walked home one day early in the
month, SO he was exactly Two-Bits
ahead Of his monthly schedule. Pay
Day was only Four days off $3.50
@. H. fell for it. but not without
Grave Misgvings.
Time did its usual Fugit-Stunt and
"Ne First" rolled round. But there
wasn't tho slightest roll to that Two
Bit Piece, at least not in the direc-
ton Of @. H. The young chap who
had Borrowed It looked him Straight
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28
This Is a Psychological Question

OW women do forever play with
"a the idea of wearing trousers.
u Hardly a season but some fash
u ION Is introduced which has for
its principal and most startling fea-
turo the wearing of those garments
usually considered peculiar to men.
We have had Turkish trousers, and
harem gowns, and riding breeches
and now there comes revival Of the
pantalet. Surely the pantalet Is the
ugliest fashion that ever held fem
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

and asked for an option on the tract
for that length Of time. Shawkey
was perfectly willing. so Old Bob was
unhitched from what was left of the
sapling to which he had been tied
and they drove homo
There, straightway. things began to
happen. Scarcely had they finished
dinner before Mr.. Thomson who, II
seemed. lived farther up the pike,
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

that's the question: Not because they
are pretty; not because they are mod
est; perhaps because they are smart,
but more likely because they are akin
to those trousers which the fair sex
seem ever hoping to be allowed to as
sumo.
It's really q question in phych ology.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

acres of land at $40 an acre-that's
$3.50; take off $50 cash and at $40 per
month 1t would take fifty months. or
over four years to settle In full-and
bet he could get half that much,
anyway. out Of the timber on the
place!"
But Mrs. Townbred wasn't in the
least impressed. She fastened to ex-
plain how Mr., Shawkoy was virtually
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28

THAT nothing Is SO
irritating to t h e
amateur cook when
she Is Is trying to fol-
low O recipe as to
come upon some such
direction as tn Is:
Now put in a few
peppercorns, half a
doxen chives. two bay