davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-01-08

Today's neglect spells tomorrow's
1esTy ~
Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-01-08

lete blouse IL certainly going out
Of fashion. At the present moment
the most popular models are those
which are medium high. "E'a sSs
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
Virtues That Are Vices
No. 2-Unselfishness
Great New Series by Dorothy Dix
No. 2-Unselfishness,

she was saving up to get her a new pair
OF shoes to buy baseball mask.
Mother always ate the neck of the
chicken or the scraps left on the dish.
Mother stayed at home and cooked up
a good supper for them against their re-
turn when the balance Of the family went
off on an excursion. Mother never had
any decent clothes. nor any pleasure.
No one considered her feelings in any
way, and SO Bobby growled at her when
he was a child and cursed her when he
was man because her unselfishness had
raised his selfishness up to the nth dc
gree.
1t was mothers unseltishness that sent
Bobby out into the world to be cuffed
and buffeted and beaten until a little
consideration for other people and their
rights was hammered into him. And
mothers unselfishness was directly re-
sponsible for the broken heart Of the
woman that Bobby married-and treated
like brute.
1t is the unselflsh mothers who are at
the bottom of the divorce courts, for
they raise up the lazy, selfish, parasitic
girls. who curse the men who are I'M
lucky enough to get them for wives.
Mother has glow of self-righteousness
when she thinks Of how she is saw
ms" her daughters by bending over the
washtub while they are getting exercise
in a tennis court. She thinks she is
doing the part of a noble, self-sacri-
ficing mother by working her fingers to
the bone while her girls hands are pink
and manicured, and by wearing the cast
off clothes of the family while her
daughters are arrayed in the latest crea-
ton from Paris.
In reality she ls making of them mon
sters of cold-blooded selfishness, grafters
who take what they want irrespective of
whether they have a right to It or not.
She is making them greedy, and callous,
and self-seeking. the type of women who
regard matrimony as nothing but a meal
ticket, and shopping credit which they
are ever ready to trade off for bet
ter one.
Nor is the unselflsh wife the pearl
without price that she is supposed to be.
1t is not the self-abnegating woman who
help men, but the ambitious ones who
demand place In the sun and force their
husbands on to get It for them. Many
q man has become a millionaire because
he had to hustle to supply a selfish wife
with gew-gaws.
Moreover. the unselfish wife and
mother have never the slightest influ->
ence with either husband or children.
We all take other people at their own
value, and we accord to them the treat
ment they demand of us. Hence. when
woman humbles herself before her
family they treat her with the conternp-
tuous Indifference due to her position
This is why the self-abnesating woman
does more harm than good, and why I'M
selfishness is oftener a crime than
virtue.
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
BY BEATRICE FAIRFAX.

What means the Joy o. life to your
What gives to your day the greatest
measure Of happiness? II is worth your
while to stop and consider this question
very seriously. for your enjoyments
show very definite phase Of your char
acter.
little thought will convince you OF
the truth of this. Consider the. history
of nations-at periods when civilization
had not brought kindness and humane
instincts to be factors In feeling. enjoy
ment came from the sufferings OF others.
A barbsrous populace got its gayety
from gladiatorial combats, in which
brother of conquered peoples might be
compelled to slay brother.
II found pleasure In watching humans
mauled and torn to death by wild beasts
In the arena.
Today the barbarous instincts Of hui
man nature are dying-but not dead.
What makes you laugh when you see
harmless old man slip on a banana
peel and fall TO experience ignominy
and perhaps pain? A sense Of humor
ought not to be so tremendously APP
pealed to by this common enough spec
ing. II isn't sense OF humor, but the
excitement of the unexpected mingled
with the old barbarous instinct 10 get
fun out Of other peoples pain.
Examine yourself rather carefully 10
see what gives you happiness. The
knowledge will give you light on the
profitable study Of your own nature.
DO you get your greatest JOY out Of the
excitement of a social good timer"
Then you are too much of butterfly
and must take yourself 20 task lest
you slip into the class or idlerE
Is your happiest time that spent in
reading. in the peace OF home and fam
fly. in the quiet OF nature. in any en-
vironment where you have only to bask
in the pleasant surroundings that give
you peace? Well enough 80 far as 1t
goes-you are probably kindly, studious
person-but you lack initiative.
The healthiest form OF enjoyment
comes from work. Honestly It doesl
There is a glorious Joy in the feeling
that comes over you when you stop for
moment and look at what you have
accomplished and know II to be good.
II did this. added this 10 the sum
Of human achievements" No feeling
that comes 70 you can be more fraught
with real Joy than the peaceful salts
faction OF looking on your work and
knowing It to be good.
II effort and Accomplishment as it's
crown mean the greatest possible hap
piness to you, you are one OF those ener-
getic, ambitious. determined souls who
viii surely forge ahead in the world
II serving others and bringing happiness
into other lives Is your ideal OF happi-
ness you are one Of those noble souls
born to make the world better because
you have been In Il.
II anything constructive-anything that
adds 70 the sum OF human knowledge
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
In-Shoots

No optimist was ever able to convert
a pessimist.
Family honor Is usually joke 90 all
save the relatives.
OF course. the close friends Is always
liable to touch you.
When a married man loses his temper
his wife generally finds H. Il
II 10 difficult TO make a hard luck
story profitable in many cases.
Complain that some one Is doing yo0
and you advertise yourself as an easy
mark.
People who never travel always seem
TO have the best knowledge of the rail-
road time table.
There Ia something the matter with
the woman who does not like TO linger
at the telephone,
spading the garden will bring moro
muscle than playing golf; but not every
fellow has garden to spade.
II man turns over his pay envelopes
regularly II IL not necessary for him TO
call his wife darling all the time p
During the engagement a girl seldom
sees but one man. But sitter marriage
she has been known to look around and
make comparisons.
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
An Hour in the Attic

band, plain. honest. faithful. with the
man OF her first love? He had married
another. and his wife confided to her
confidantes who confided to their as con-
fidantes will, that he was not in the A
class of husbands. Why harbor the dregs
of memory? Did they not take room that
should be given to better things, say as
to the resolution 10 be as good a wife as
she could to her own good husband :?
The woman's relaxed muscles stiffened
She sat straight and in her eyes cleaned
resolution. 1t were time long ago that
the last vistage of the last memory of
that foolish first love should be cast out
And II was
The woman in the club whom she
disliked so heartily What of her?
Hadn't she given enough thought of her?
Too much indeed, for every destructive
thought is one too many. Why waste
any time and energy and good looks-
they passed too fast. anyway. those good
looks-to a woman whose voice and dress
and ideas displeased her? The woman
was a good one in her way She was
of kindly nature in an extremity. She
had been the best OF friends to that
family In the next block, who had been
Guaranteed. She had saved from star
walton the ailing little seamstress In the
lower part OF the town. After all her
faults were petty, not great ones, Her
errors were those of taste. not Of prin-
ciple. Yes, the active dislike for Mrs.
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02

sighed contentedly and climbed higher
by a narrow closed-in flight of stairs
to a pitch-roofed space from whence is
sued faint, delicious smell OF cedar and
lavender.
"A splendid chance to look through
these bags and boxes. I've been wanting
to for a year" She sat on a low chair
close to the window and drew one OF the
big. strong. shapeless linen bags to her
knee, much as would naughty child that
resisted authority.
She united the heavy cords and thrust
her hand into the bag and drew forth
two handfuls of scraps. Scraps of old
muslin, bits of new linen. tiny squares
Of velvet and shreds Of silk. She drew
sewing table beside her and began assort-
ing the bits.
That scarlet silk will line a collar and
give a bright touch to Mollie's gown"
she assured herself This piece of black
velvet will cover moulds for buttons
Yes. I'll save It, This"-she held Up a
stained and tattered piece Of silk. mo
possible USE" she decided. The larger
bits Of linen and muslin she was sure
could be woven into rugs. The bits OF
wool into carpet. But there were scraps
that by no means she could utilize. Nor
would she get anything from the rag
collector for them.
why did l keep them?" she asked
herself. Nothing should be saved that
cannot be used"
Her voice. in the fragrant silence Of the
attic, with the obligate OF rain beating
outside, echoed in her brain as words
hurriedly spoken by ourselves or others
may.
Nothing would be kept that is Of no
use. 1t merely takes the space that
should be given to better things" she
murmered, and presently she stopped her
asserting Her hands lay idle In her lap,
her figure was relaxed. she stared into
the farthest, dimmest corner OF the attic
and thought.
Thought Of that earlier love affair OF
hers and the bitterness that remained in
her heart about II. Why did she blame
the relatives who had prevented her mar
Tiagef Why did she contrast her hus-
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02

Gringo Brown must give way to better
things.
Her quarrel with life as it was7 The
woman's mouth took on the lines Of
grieved child's for a second then chiseled
itself into determination. Life want
quite all that she would have had II.
But whose was quite what the one who
lived 1t wished? The colors of her life
seemed to run pale? Yes, but what OF
her whose colors seemed more vivid?
What did she really know of what that
person wished compared with what she
had? No. that old nurtured grudge
against life must 80.
A wagon ratified past. II bore the
sign. Burn your rubbish and save
troubIe"-Fire Department. The woman
smiled
When the family met about the supper
table the children said: why are your
cheeks so red2" "I've been making
bonfire of some rubbish" she answered.
You're looking well. You don't look
tired" her husband. who was usually
tired, said.
THE storm gave me a chance to rest
and think things over in the attic" she
answered.
He looked at her in faithful admira-
ton. His eyes reminded her OF St.
Demands. patient. gentle. true. He did
not understand the change In this wife
who worried a great deal. But he was
glad of the result. Which. after ell, IL
what matters.
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02

/ and bitter An hour later had forgotten
the remark. My wife had not
Two nights later Elizabeth and went
TO fashionable reception given by the
wife OF wealthy business associate OF
mine. In the automobile my wifo's fur
coat hid her gown completely
could not repress a start OF amaze.
ment when. as I waited for her at the
head OF the stairs outside Of the mems
dressing room, she appeared in plainly
made black silk, one that had been a
second-best afternoon gown last year, Tho
sleeves came to the elbows and she wore
long black gloves The waist was open
little ~ ire throat. and this space was
filled with white lace.
Elizabeth ! exclaimed actually
shocked. What. In the name Of heaven
have you worn that dress for such d
function as this1 You know I always
want you TO look your best I'm thu
house"
sho smiled inscrutably You tod me
you would rather see me dressed ike a
nun than Hike a peacock" she reminded
me so, as all my evening gowns are
rather gorgeous. l had to wear this 90
meet your views"
I was almost beside myself with rage
Other couples. passing us in the hall,
looked at my wife In surprioe.
Wen so homei" told her in an angry
whisper {.
Very well" she agreed. calmly.
We went home. and when We were
once In our own house / turned on her
authoritativeiy;
Now go and dress suitably" / or
dered. Then we will go back TO that
reception"
"oh, no. we won't" she said You
may 20 II you like--but you'll go alone.
am not going to obey another OF your
whims l dressed tonight q please you.
but shall not repeat the process just
because you have changed your mind.
But. remember after this. 1 mean TO
dress to suit myself-since cannot suit
you"
That was ALL From that time to thIa
have never interfered In what is. presum-
ably my wife's own peculiar province
And when her friends declare in her
presence and mine that she IL the best
gowned woman in our set, l do not
glance in her direction lest see a
CLEAN Of malicious triumph in her eyes.
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02

page. The Scotch. always good drinkers.
were particularly skillful In this kind OF
work. They had vessel called. with a
humor which could penetrate any skull,
"tappit hen" you can notice the re-
seblance yourself when YOU know that
the name was applied to a hen with q
top-knot), and this vessel. possibly
through another play of Scotch humor.
was reckoned as pint measure. al
though It was half as big again as q
quart
1t was called the Scots pint" The
name tappit hen is sometimes applied to
smaller specimens of Scotch pewter ware.
but It properly belongs only TO stoups
holding three pints. little projection In
side the neck, called the plook," serv-
ing to indicate the level OF the liquid
when the vessel contained full measure.
In many cases the makers lavished
much decorative effect upon the tops OF
the lids and thumbpieces by which they
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02

were lifted But In many other cases
there were no lids. their absence being an
effect OF economy.
In the course OF time the forms OF these
vessels underwent considerable damages
From the "henshaped" they passed 10 the
''potbelied." the pear and the thistle"
forms. There were also other smaller
vessels OF pewter which are now sought
by collectors. Among these was the
''mutchkin," sometimes made In the form
OF tapplt hen, but holding only three
gills, and the chopin" holding a pint
and half, There were likewise half
mutchkinE and gills.
When. as sometimes happens. any OF
these vessels are found bearing dates and
makers names. or initials and other
designs, their value as ourriosties ls en-
HANGED. For church communion purposes
large pewter flhgons of Scotch quart
size. equal to six pints were employed,
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
GARRETT p. sERvIss

To be old-fashioned is at first a re-
proach and later distinction. ', hatever
survives its age becomes a memorial of
far-away times, and enables us. in a
sense, to relieve the life of past genera
lions as history cannot so wildly do. AS
you look at an old piece of furniture
you have a pleasuraple vision Of the So
cial scenes that conferred about It when
It was the latest thing.
You find in Il beauties that it's original
possessors may never have noticed. Part
of the artistic superiority that we ascribe
to such things resembles the super
eminence which later times have recog-
nized in Shakespeare. who, in his own
day. was not thought to be unrivslled.
Who that drank his ale or claret one or
two centuries ago from a pewter cup,
which had been filled from a pewter fla
gon, imagined that those vessels, shaped
out OF a base alloy OF tin and lead by
artificers who certainly were not re-
garded as artists" would. in later age
which could command much more ex-
pensive materials and work. be regarded
as objects of vertu," l. e., of rare and
curious excellencef
Yet today "old pewter Is one OF the
favorlte objects of collectors and the
styles of its makers are admired TO a
degree which would certainly first cause
them to open their eyes and then to
swell with pride in genius which they
had not known that they possessed.
But however they came by 1t, the old
makers OF pewter vessels, which seemed
commonplace enough In their day. for
every tavern had a plenty Of them, had a
knack of turning out very graceful and
attractive products. Some OF these are
represented in the photographs on this
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
Don't BE IIasty.

Dear Miss Fairfax: For the last six
months we have been going to parties.
church. etc. with two boys of our ne
quaintances and now a mutual friend
ship (Which ! am afraid will be hard TO
break has sprung up. Now, do you
think II is right that both OF these boys
call on us steadily and make use OF our
homes for their fun and still never take
us out? What is the best for us 70 dor
G. E.
These boys are not particularly gener-
Gus in their attitude toward you. but that
certainly need not cause you 10 give up
your friendship for them. They may
have good and sufficient reasons for
wanting to save their money. or they
may have obligations which take all
their spare change for some such kindly
thing as helping out at home. Friend
ship is not based on give and take. but on
honest liking, so don't worry about their
seeming lack of generosity
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
seek UnderstandInR.

Dear Miss Fairfax: l am 90 years old
and have been going with girl one year
favcrs requested her 70 do. She stop
ped putting paint on her face, for the last
(D seven months, as | asked her TO.
since last week, and when / asked her
the reason for such happenings she said
she did not want TO go around with a
her 70 stop It she said she would not
II. X. >.
Go 20 the girl and tell her that while
you still feel 1t Is unfortunate that a
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
Advice to Love1orn {: By yI Beatrice

sweet. dignified girl such as she is should
give people the wrong impression make
up always produces, you do not want C
lose her friendship because Of diff
ference OF opinion on this subject. II
she cares enough for you she may in time
yield to your feeling in the matter. but
II Is possible that you also may have
habits of which she does not approve
and about which she would hesitate TO
criticize you.
Don't FItrt.
Dear Miss Fairfax: / am a young Rtrl
or ~ and am considered attractive by
l have never had a man friend Who
really seemed TO care much for me. MY
elIl friends always seem 20 have many
friendly acquatntances. Upon inquIrInR
from one or them recently / learned that
they spoke to men without having been
introduced, and was urged 10 do me
same. IL did not seem right TO me- how
ever, and since / have no mother / de-
elded 10 write TO you. Won't you please
tell me what is right? ] don't want to do
have friends like others have.
BLANK.
Don't let your friends persuade you 10
make chance acquaintance. You will not
make worthwhile or lasting Friendships
that way. Since you are an attractive
girl, You can rest assured that some day
one Of your men friends will feel real
devotion for you. But II you cheaper
yourself by filtration you are not likely
to win anything but a passing fancy
and you risk, making most dangerous
acquaintances.
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
Which Hour Is Your Happiest!
An Interesting Question Which Opens u
A Wide Field of Discussion.

or happiness of achievement mean JOY
to you, just 90 ahead in your altruistic
pursuit of Joy
But II your happiness comes from lazy
browsing In the atmosphere others have
created. or from the inflicting of pain on
others either wontonly or to get ahead Of
them-haul yourself up short.
Unless your idea of happiness IL a
worthy one YOU are not yet n civilized
citizen OF the world. Don't let yourself
be a barbarian. Make your ideal Of hap
piness q fine one.
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02

of 1t is that women should have Guilt
waited In themselves the sacrificial spirit
until they have come to believe that the
way for a woman to do her duty by her
family is to make herself miserable for
It. They are like the fanatics who think
they attain heaven by casting themselves
under the wheels of the car of Jugger-
naut and letting 1t roll over them and
crush the life out of them.
Now there Is reason in all things. A
certain amount of unselfishness is ad-
mirable and desirable and even necessary
in every relation of life. Live and let
live is the motto of civilization. Every
decent human being must give way to
the rights and convenience of others.
Particularly every woman must And
more especially must every wife and
mother consider the welfare, the tastes
and whime of her household.
The unselfishness that raises US above
the level of the swine, two and four
footed Ii worthy of all admiration and
emulation. That is what might be called
the masculine brand of unselfishness
and it Is innocuous. 1t is the feminine
brand Of unselfishness that is virtue
gone wrong.
II Is this particular kind of self
abnegation that makes a devoted mother
do her children more deadly harm than
their bitterest enemy could invent. And
that is one of the most pitiful and tragic
facts in the world.
1t Is the unselfish mothers who raise
up the loafing hoodlums who, like as
not, as circumstances depend, become
white slaUers, because they have always
had a woman to work for Them and they
see no shame in IT. Mother couldn't
bear to call Bobby in from the street
and his play to split the kindling, or
bring up the water, or do any chores. so
she did 1t herself. Mother was so unset
fish that she gave Bobby the money that
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02

a little time events
were t 81 &C k
water. 1t was rain
ing. No one would
call. She might
sit at peace, her
hands resting In
her lap, II s h Q
would.
But instead she
locked the doors. of
her h use an d
climbed the stairs
to the second floor.
T h g n, with a
glance at the driv-
ing rain through
the windows she
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02

a mOraIlst VINO
Doesn't adjure wo-
men to cultivate
u n $ e lfis h ness
Never a panegyric
OF wifehood or
motherhood that
isn't a rhapsody
over the woman
who makes a door,
mat of herself for
her children and
husband to wipe
their feet upon.
II Is natural that
this view of the
subject should be
popular with the
little tin gods be-
fore whom a wo-
man offers herself
up. The queer part
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
BY ADA PATTERSON.

1t was one OF those rare and blessed
times when she was not '1n a hurry"
Events did not crowd upon her heels.
driving her forward at rushing rate For
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
BY DOROTHY DIX

Unselfishness is another virtue that is
popularity supposed to be the brightest
Jewel in the crown that adorns the
feminine brow. Never preacher or
Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-02
Curiosities of Old Pewter
common Now Sought by Collectors.

To the left hfmuhkin
communion Bchn cathedral and