davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27

faithless; and, finally, had asserted,
n n sudden descent to the par
ticular that she, personally, was un-
loved and alone.
That had been merely the final drop
IN tho cup Of her misery. Previous
entries in the diary (voicing her hab-
itual meditatfons), had declared that
and that no one had ever understood
her.
The first of these. being interpreted,
signified that having, without any par
tcular talent, and with no capacity
at all for continued effort, decided to
Express herself Capital E). by paint
ing, she had discovered that her first
two or three pictures were not up to
the level of Augustus John and had
thrown away her tools in disgust.
In that epoch the den had been
called the studio. Shortly afterward
it became the writing room, the apart
ment where her fatheer spent his days
laborfously compiling ponderous Ie-
gal tones.
For two or three mornings. when
she felt in the mood. she had sat
there with sheet of paper before
her, chronicling an occasional stray
thought; then. finding, to her surprise
that even the composition of prose
fiction involves some drudgery, she
had decided that literature was not
for her, and had fallen back on the
misanthropy of inarticulate genius.
Forthwith the writing room. alias
the studio, had become, to the mysti-
fcation of the servants, the den.
Before the SIisanthropy became
rabid she drifted into a Set. There
were other Inartfculate Geniuses
there-quite a lot of them. She even
found Brains and Breeding. Having
a natural leaning that way, and plenty
Of time on her hands, she was soon
able to talk Soul States and the
Fourth Dimension with the best OF
them.
Unfortunately, her sensibility was
so exquisite that she could not avoid
noticing that no one ever attended to
what she said. The rest of them,
like her, listened with impatience to
any one else's utterances, so anxious
were they to be doing the uttering
themselves.
That partly, was what she meant
when she had said that on one had
ever understood her. Under the same
heading were comprised the additional
grievances that she detested her
,other and was unhappy at home.
1t was difficult to understand how
that mucous, well-meaning little old
lady, Agatha's mother, could excite
in anyone an emotion so positive as
dislike.
she was, It must be admitted, a
fool. Though Agatha was 80. she con-
tinued to treat her like child. AS
for making allowances for her daugh-
ter's temperament, 1t would have been
difficult to persuade the dear old
creature that nice women ever had
such things.
When, as was not uncommon at this
period, Agatha sIouched down late to
breakfast with heavy-lidded eyes, and
her mouth turned down at the cor
ners, having lain awake half the night
face to face with the misery of ex-
istence, her mother was safe to in
ouire whether she was sure she
hadn't eaten anything the night be-
fore which had disagreed with her.
Agatha yearned to leave home and
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27

believe Rhoda would If he'd just go at
Her daughter. to whom Mrs. Kent
was speaking, laughed.
Did you ever know Tom to go at
anything right?" she asked.
There, indeed, was the rub. Tom
never did "go at things" right. While
he was not of that odious fraternity
that goes about boasting that 1t says
s'inst what it thinks" and while he
was not in the least vainglorious
about this popularity, he simply could
not help telling the truth disastrous
"Sometimes I feel as II there were
,-aaIy something wrong with him. his
mother used to mourn. How can he
he as intelligent as he seems and YET
saw the perfectly dreadful things that
he does? You know, there are times
when I'm really afraid ne never WI" ~
GET ANYBODY to marry him-that is,
Of course, any desirable person" This
most unnatural fear shows her des-
perate state of mind.
Mrs. Kent had been quietly delight
cd when Rhoda Sherwin, the daughter
~ an extremely prosperous old
friend, came to visit them ana seemed
tn take a decided liking to Tom.
Phoda was desirable in every way.
Sbo was far from pretty In her re-
fined sinuous blondness, but she was
most attractive. If you happened to
he discriminating enough to admire
ber TYNE. And then she would have
,Ianty of money, and money was so
ronvenient. OF course. nothing could
bove been more distasteful to Mrs.
Kant than to have her son marry
brazeniy for money, but there was
No reason why he shouldn't fall in
love with a sweet, refined girl like
With utmost delicacy Mrs. TSent
uursed the incip;ent love affair along.
Her maternal coverings were tactful
and unobtrusive, her methods subtle.
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27
~ WALT GREGG

The attentions that Tom was gently
guided into showing the guest seemed
spontaneous.
The night before Miss Sherwin was
to return to her home. Mrs. Kent
having sent her son and the young
woman out for moonlight stroll IN
the clear, cold beauty Of a January
night, retired to her Spartan couch IN
the sleeping porch, feeling that. what
ever the outcome might be, she had
done her best The sleeping porch, by
the way, was directly over the front
entrance to the house. Hope rose
high in her breast, as she went Sc
renely to sleep.
Some time later she awoke. The
first thing she realized was that her
sleeping cap had slipped from over
one ear. The second was that, owing
to this fact, certain sounds were
reaching her There were two voices
one was soft and murmuring, the
other clear cut and distinct. Instant
" Mrs Kent was on the alert. Cast
ing aside all sense of honor, but re-
tanning her multitudinous coverings
as well as she could, she softly
dragged herself up toward the rail-
ing of the porch. She could see
Miss Sherwin's long pale face up
lifted to the sparkling winter sky.
81 always wonder" Rhoda was say
ing softly. about other peoples
minds, their thoughts. don't you
know2 If we could just know how
people feel-really, what they think
of us, for instance. it would be Won
derfully interesting"
Mrs. Kent felt pang OF remorse.
IF she does not marry him." she
thought, there will be times when
she'll drive him mad with her sentt-
mentality. She has no sense of
humor; absolutely none. But she's
so-so-prosperous." At this point
Tom voice broke the stiffness.
Sure" he was agreeing with the
young woman, obligingly. I've often
Il wonder and wonder sometimes"
Rhoda murmured on, about the i'm
preston that make on others, Now.
you, for instance. 1 can remember
INV first impression of you SO well.
l said to your sister that I had never
seen such a splendidly shaped head.
1t Indicates such a mind, such intelli-
Eence, such depth, don't you know?"
Tom was nothing II not agreeable,
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27

It"
1t was I'VE days afterward that re-
ceived the note from Uncle Nicholas
which announced that he had been
formally elected. The fact was no
news to me. Miss Craske, the clubs
secretary. had already alluded to it.
I called at once upon my uncle TO
tender congratulations
We took taxi to the club forthwith.
Miss Craske herself met us in the ball.
Even the fact that she was wearing
gold pince-nez did not make her look
more than 25. As matter of fact
she's %. She greeted my uncle with
a blend of cordially and respect.
az expect Mr.. Fosdyke has told you
our history and aims" she said. 30
won't enlarge upon them. You will
find a good many OF the members al
ready in the reception room"
Ny uncle is not man whom one
would accuse of shyness. but his step
lacked. / thought, something OF its
usual confident briskness. A CLEAN OF
relief flashed over his face when he
caught sight of Larford, the explorer,
at the far end of the room. We intro
duced him to several people, and al
lowed him to drift away.
"WeII?" Miss Craske said to me-
'Well?" I said.
sure lnaL J. SIlhll llhG Oh ANASAA
olas," said Miss Crasle. And $4,000
or was it 10000 year, think you
said''
eyed her sternIy
you see" she continued. speaking
in the strictest confidence, my name is
on the active list. And Sir Nicholas
is so delightfully."- romantic. /.
Really, I've a good mind"
Il doubt it." said l. And consider
ing that the unfortunate victim"
Highly favored candidate!" Her
eyes twinkled behind the pince-nez.
Hasn't been in the building 20
minutes, the thing strikes me as being
slightly precipitate-not to say indeli-
cate
"Pooh!" said Miss Craske "Twen-
ty minutes is long enough for any
woman to make up her mind. You
should see me at the Winter sales!"
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27

change prisoners. Uncle Nicholas has
had his all OF unconyentionality for
the rest Of his blRmeless life"
"ExpIaIn!" she commanded.
I explained. Miss craske sighed.
Tiff he hadn't been 50 unreasOn-
He hadn't met you. He didn't un-
Then he shall understand now"
she said frmly. and crossed to the tei-
Are you there-sir Nicholas FoS-
dyke? Yes, I'm Millicent-Millicens
Craske. George has just called to tell
me Of your generous oher.
VIII I accept? Certainly not! Wait,
waltz want you to understand why.
The whole thing has only been Q Joke
Ia stupid joke. There isn't any r. T.
p Club. George and just invented
it because you wouldn't hear OF bis
me.
"The people you met were members
of an informal social gathering-if
you'd lived more in London you'd have
known more about It. We let few
of them into the secret, but not many.
Mr.. Larford was one, and Bessie Ling
was another-they'd been engaged for
more than month"; put naunC InaoO
the news public. Explorers are so
dreadfulIy shy, you know
Eyes. we've behaved abominably-
inexcusably. But we don't want your
money, Sir. Nicholas We're going TO
try to scrape along on Georges two
hundred and my fifty. and we hops
you'll forgive us and come to the we'd
ding / beg your pardonf
Yes? =. How dear Of you to
say so!'
She put back the receiver and turns
ed to me with shining eyes.
George, put on your hat again ana
tell the commissioners to whistle for
a taxi as he's never whistled in hts life
before. You're to go round at once to
receive the avuncular blessing. he
isn't a bit angry-just relieved. he
says the experience has been worth .
thousand a year to any man"
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27

Mute in that style, anu
Pven more so. +Le-7v
rss of the feminine gender. IheIe
ras not one of the masculine VIZ
Shom she was intimate. perhaps
fundamentally, that was why -,
She had quite convinced hersell IhSAS
Ehe really was about TO ole 80
Ebe review OF her life concludeu' suo
had taken a long. last look at ta Tue
more cherished of her personai 20 i.
IoDpInps. That, she felt sure, as
~. Of tba things suicides always 90.
All about the room were reminders
- oid time enthusiasms which now
SaF+ her cold-porcelain. an EasteLn
La1,5nq a Da Vinci head smiling eng
Tna4icaily, a kakemono, a prle-ul e,.
a sphinx of Jade. As SIT Of
terminated them she realized Win So 90
Ssf.c+ion that they formed exactly me
4sls1esl she could have wished.
have omitted to say that she nau
- IN her most becoming frocK LOT
~ occasIon or the froch she thought
S-acaToe her best She spent great
SeeI of money on her clothes nut
49,, were always somehow inetfectlVe.
She wore, most nl-advisedly' gresns
and peacock blues. women WIN -
complexion Will! "a, -
Finally, she had come, With to
r,antic sense Of being fascinated
nla nins+ her will, to the table on
pbich lay the instrument of death.
T. had been some days before she
,,-,Id hiring herself to buy it. she
~ ICON II in a curio-shop window,
nau ~ nassed in a mood of black de-
S.sosaion Mt the tail of three days
peTTotic imaginings. 1t was dagger !;
: nretty, jeweled toy-quite the sorI
e P+bine they commit suicide with in
yaia directly she had seen 1t she
hod yisualized 1t in her hand ana her
self lying stark and cold ana wIilt e. :. !.
The incident came at critical time
for her. 49,, !. ~ 800
Ill letter had just earned herself the
snjtbet which proclaimed her back
S,t,n1ber nv marrying Their intimacy
had ceased. ,.., ~ ,,,.,,
.,,av marry. Agatha thought marriage
~ alternative term of humiliation. Al
g 81 argued the Sometime Friends
t1+arest in some one else besides
hea+ha, which was woundtnE to Aga
4ho's amour proper. She was only
interested in people who were inter-
ested in her - .,-.,o
- ,T{ends had never been q wide one.
Sba was. moreover. naturally fastid-
tvs Brains and breeding were a
80 ma non. With the Sometime
Eriend's secession the supply OF those
possessing the necessary qualifica-
lions was exhausted.
Wherefore, on the night OF her
friends marriage. Agatha had assured
her diary that friendships generally
were superficial and unsatisfying; had
protested. further, that friends were
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27
Who was Boss9

A youth about to embark on the sea
of matrimony went to his father and
said:
my wife2"
The old man smiled and said: Here
are a hundred hens and q team Of
horses. Hitch up the horses, put the
hens into the wagon. and wherever
you find a man and his wife dwelling.
stop and inquire who is the boss.
Wherever you find a woman running
things, leave a hen. II you come to a
place where a man is in control, give
him one of the horses"
After ninety-nine hens had been
disposed of. he came to a house and
made the usual inquiry.
I'm boss of this farm" said the
man. So the wife was called. and she
affirmed her husbands assertion.
Take which horse you want" said
the youth.
''I'Il take the bay"
But the wife did not like the bay
horse, and said things to her man He
returned and said to the youth:
81 believe I'll take the gray" !.
mot much" said the young man.
you get hen" .-----4-------------.
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27
By Annette Angert

to her the possibility that the dagger
had been poisoned, and frantically she
sucked at the injured place. She
imagined herself to be suffering tor
lures.
Losing all seIf-control, she shrieked
aloud-once. and again. and yet
again. No one came. The blood
continued to drip onto her dress. II
was, as we have seen, her favorit0
dress. but the fact OF its ruin did not
now concern her.
She rushed to the other side of the
room and pressed her thumb madly
against the cold marble mantlepiece.
With the renewal OF hope It gave her
she found energy to shrek again with
redoubled vigor. Still no one came.
Then she burst into flood of tears,
for it seemed to her that she was
being left alone to del
Eventually, overcome, It is to be
supposed, by the unwonted strain OF
five minutes genuine emotion. she
tainted. When she woke, an hour
later, from the heavy sleep into which
she had almost insensibly fallen iG
was to find herself in bed with q
small piece OF court plaster on her
thumb.
Then. with a flush of humiliation.
the events Of the afternoon came
back to her. She had not the sense
Of humor to laugh at herself and have
done. She merely felt acutely that
she was a pttiful, impotent, comic
thing. and began softly to cry.
To her, after an interval, came
Annie, the second parlor maid, with 3
tray.
20, Miss Agsie, said she, "I've
brought your tea, Miss Aggie, And
your mother says, Miss Aggie, that
as you've been overtired today, she's
sent you up some anchovies with
your tea-Rs a special treat"
Life has its compensations- d
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27
H in COURSE, OF TIME
rs


Sure" he said again. 'I know
Miss Sherwin leaned forward and
looked up tenderly into Toms eyes.
Wont you tell me-" she said,
what you thought OF me that first
time we met"
Toms frank eyes met hers frankly,
though with puzzled look in them.
It was so pathetically evident to his
mother, heroically freezing her chin
on the railing above them, that he
was trying his utmost TO think of a
proper reply. When his voice doated
upward it was crammed with happy
Why" he said. 81 thought
couldn't be sure about it for min
ute-but 1 thought that you had the
longest nose 1 ever saw on any girl >
The sound OF his ringing laugh
chilled what little warmth there was
left in his mothers blood.
Miss Sherwin left the next day.
The very sensible. charming girl
whom Tom married in due course OF
time had no worldly possessions, but
she had a very keen sense Of humor-
which was well.
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27

ner, and then only occasionally. l,
was, indeed, one of Agatha's minor
grievances against her.
Once her craving for them had been
SO strong that she had surreptitiouslS
purchased q small barrelful and con-
sumed them in the seclusion of her
bedroom. Even that had not cured
her, as such orgies generally do. But
she had never repeated the expert
content with the occasions on which
her favorite delicacy was included in
her mothers menus.
Her abstention sprang from a feel
ing which had followed 1ike sick
headache) hard upon the orgie, that
the qualification of such mundane i'm
pulses was Inconsistent with her tenn
permanent In the course of years she
had quite warped her temperament
by her notion of what was consistent
with It.
1t came to be quite practice with
her to lie abed hours after the time
OF rising, because there was as, notn IN
in life worth rising for. When sne
did get up, presumably only because
even living inert was matter OF such
indifference to her that her dressing
was scamped; even. occasionally, on
particularly morbid days, her aDlu-
Hons once downstairs, she
would only lounge sluggishly through
the hours till bedtime came again.
It was at the end Of one such
wholly listless day that she had seen
the dagger. It gave her an excuse
to 20 home empty-handed' TO WaVer'
and to vince.
On the second day she had seen
the blade. tapered, flexible, shining.
Again she had returned wltnous H.
To warm herself at the fires OF
perverted, dreadful Joy. The act-to-
he had now become wholly desirable:
the only real thing in world OF
gloomy shades.
Eventually she had purchased the
dagger at the full sum asked. She
STeamed one night that some one else
had bought 1t, and reached the shop
next morning before the shutters were
down. Pale but triumphant, she had
borne away her prize, and, that same
day, had sucked a certain sickly pleas
ure from the making of her prepara-
tions.
She drew the weapon from its ieweled
sheath, with intense appreciation OF
the value, dramatically, Of the act OF
doing SO. She raised her arm and
held the blade aloft, agreeably con-
scious of a duplicate arm doing IKE
wise in the mirror behind her. To
pose had become more than second
nature with her-to be natural was
the most wearisome OF poses.
MomentariIy petulant at the picture
of being found unduly mutilated. she
ran her thumb somewhat carelessly
along the blade of the knife to test
She was instantly startled by SEN
sation of pain. Her hand felt wet
She looked down and saw blood drip
ping onto her dress. She flung the
knife away with an exclamation, and
examined her hand anxiously. The
wound was actually small cut in
the bend of the thumb, but TO her, in
her overweight state. It appeared
nothing short of cash.
Panic-stricken, she recalled tales OF
1ockdawS hard on that there occurred
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27
Two Happy Hearts
By Walt Gregg.

I'm sorry. I said. "but I'm afraid
you'll have to see the thing through
It's consoling to know that MISS
Craske is a particularly nice girl. and
I've no doubt will make the man she
chooses extremely happy"
My uncle rose, favored me with one
last. despairing scowI, and departed
Two days passed. and then, on the
club steps, found myself shaking
hands with Larford. Z he grtnned the
sheepish grin of the engaged man.
you'll find Sir Nicholas In the
smoking room, I fancy" he said.
Nv uncle was sitting on the window
seat. Miss Craske was near-very
George" said MY uncle family,
you will perhaps be surprised to
learn that-that Miss Craske-Milli-
cent-your future aunt"
"I think" she said kindly. that Sir
Nicholas. is trying to tell you that he
has made me happy woman, and that
we are engaged to be married"
TITS true. George. According to
Rule II, Section 5, am compelled
altar We shall be glad Of your con-
ordinations; but'-he rose, and edged
toward the door-"as I've a man 1
must see about a patent ventilator,
T."
He was gone. Miss craske and 1
found ourselves face to face.
"Of-all-the!"
Eighteen thousand year. think
you said? And I'm still waiting Tor
your congratulations" Miss Craske;
At IL o'clock that evening my tele-
phone bell rang furtously. took up
the receiver.
"George!" said a weak voice.
"Yes?"
"Can YOU come round to see meF
Provfdentially, an empty taxi was
passing the door. was whtried to
Mount street. Ny uncle was alone:
He looked thinner and more detected
George, you must find way out
for me"
you're referring to your engage
ment2''
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27
&c groaned an afarrnative.

He grOaneQ an afnrmaI1Ye.
THE thought OF that Amazon in
prince-nez terrihes me. !.
There must be a loophole in the rules
somewhere"
For a space / pondeted. MY uncle
watched me with puckered brow and
haggard eye.
There's only one possible avenue of
escape. BY rule II, as you've discov-
cred, an honorary member is bound to
accept the advances of a lady member
or face exposure. In point Of fact. it's
never yet been necessary TO enforce
the penalty. But Rule % contains
clause to the eject that any honorary
member who can obtain substitute
satisfactory to the lady. in the person
Of another honorary mernber-you FOL
low me?" -.
George, you-you VIII DC tnat SUD
stitute!"
But you're assuming
THAT all objections are removable
They are-they shall be-. she is, as
I,o,,'ve admitted. a charming girl. ana
yo1I're half in love with her alreaoy.
And MiIlicent isn't so blind but tnat
she can see you're a inner ngure u Q
man than I ever was.
"But on an income OF two hunoEeu Q
spooh.-the thing can be adjusted
within ten minutes. I shall be seeing
nv solicitor in the morning. Do you
think that you could make her happy
on 800 pounds a year. GeorgeE OF
shall we say thousands?
took up my hat
That" said, "can be easily ascer-
tanned. Wait for me haitian hour
MiIlicent had been staying with her
aunt, Lady Penyfeather. Her lady
ship, who Is a discerning soul, made
no excuses for leaving US tete-a-tete
in the library.
Millicent, her cheeks still glowing
with excitement, looked superb,
caught her in my arms and kissed her.
George" she said, as the future
Lady Fosdyke-and your aunt-your
aunt. George"
s'Never!" said. "I come with row
ers to arrange an armistice and to ex-
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27
salvation by Pine Line.

The colored parson had Just con-
cluded a powerful sermon on SALIVA
ton Am Free" and was announcing
that a collection would be taken for
the benefit of the parson and hrs
family. Up jumped an acutely bru-
nette brother In the back of the
church.
Look a-year. pahson," he inter
rupted, says Everybody's. ''yo' amt
no sooner done tellin' US dat saliva
ton am free dan yo' go askin' us TO
money. II salvation am free, what's
de use In payin' TO II? OATS what I
want to know. An I tell yo' pint
edly dat I amt goin' to Glib yo'
nothin' until I find out Now
Patience, brudder, patience said
the parson. I'll 1ucidate: S'poso
yo' was thirsty an come TO a river.
Yo' could kneel right down an drink
yo' fill, couldn't yo'? An It wouldn't
cost yo' nothin', would it?''
lob cou'se not OATS Jest what Z
Dat water would be free" con-
tinued the parsbn. but s-posin' yo'
was to hab dat water plped to yo'
house7 You'd have to pay. wouldn't
yo'?'
yes, sub. but"
wal, brudder, SO It is Wild saliva
ton. De salvation am free, but it's
de havin' It piped to yo' dat yo' got %
pay for. Pass dc hat deacon pSSa
The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-27
The Life OF Her

But, the refusal happening to coin
eide with the apostasy Of the Some
time Friend, her grisly tandem, NOR
bidity and Introspection, had from
that time onward been given free
rein.
She was able, in fact, to draw from
the bitterness of life satisfaction
which its sweets no longer gave her.
The figure holds for her attitude to-
ward food. Morbidity had yitiated
her palate. She now found nothing