davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11
~.

Rita frowned and toyed nervously
with her glass, as, looking up, her
eyes met those of her husband, who
at remote, obscure table, was en-
tertaining two rather fiashily dressed,
noisy young women.
She left the cafe Immediately she
decently could excuse herself from
her friend, chaflng at the insult he
had placed upon her. Rumors of his
gay life had come to her but she had
paid no attention to them.
In the library she halted him late
that afternoon, Just as he was on the
point of leaving the house.
"You wish an explanation for the
unfortunate coincidence Of this after
noon?" he murmured.
"No-o," she shook her head thought
fully, surprised to find herself cool out
wardly while she boiled and seethed
within, mot exactly that, James. /
merely wished to tell you that it must
not occur again. II you must choose
such associates, kindly have some re-
spect for me and do not intrude them
upon me-"
II beg your pardon, Rita" he an
swered coldly, "this place that ]
thought might be made a home has
become a public place. Every place
is public for me. If have no home
must go in public"
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

"A public place" her breath came
with a little hiss at the insult.
I mean you have made no home
for me here and your life belongs to
society and is wasted in the pursuit Of
pleasure"
Cold. passionless, naughty external
ly, she allowed the maid to Golf her
hair, then dismissed her.
Swiftly she was transported down
the years, and found herself once
more a bride, standing before a ga
rage. It was her own garage. And
1t was her husband beside her who
held a baby awkwardly in his arms.
It was her husband who perched
upon the arm Of her chair. a great
human emptiness in his voice, q
mighty yearning on the tSce Of him
as he pleaded with her for the gSNnded
complete home she refused to give
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11
VI


Doctor Judd gently withdrew him,
self from the clutching fingers Of the
Reverend Deane.
"The operation was a complete sue
cess and she is almost able to be
about" he said, then, as the old man
turned away with sign of relief:
But think you had better come with
me today. She may need you now"
He did not mind the coldness Of his
son-in-law's reception, did not mind
the hesitancy of his daughters kiss.
He deserved all this. He only wished
to be with her, to help her in her hour
of misery, the misery he could feel
running as an undercurrent beneath
Doctor Judd's CHEEKY words.
Eyes, little girl, you came through
the operation nobly. 1t was COM
plete success. l didn't think you had
the strength for such battle as you
put up"
Rita blushed, looking meaningly up
at her husband.
Il had just gained untold strength
before the fall"
well, it worked wonders. 1t saved
your life, Mrs. White. And now in a
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

creature he had decided TO adopt.
Unwinkingiy his eyes studied the face
that looked down at him with such
fierce hungering. And then, slowly,
ever so slowly, his arms moved up
along the great chest and a pair OF
rather sticky hands crept along the
cheeks and finally the arms clasped
about the neck, while the eyes closed
gently and Billie slept.
"Well, l never saw the beat-Sam,
l wisht you'd look at"
Mary caught the annoyed express
sion on Rita's face as she turned and
spoke to her husband. He did not
hear her, wrapt in his eager study Of
the slumbering baby's face. She felt
sudden fierce jealousy consuming
her, as she caught the expression of
this man she seemed unacquainted
with, this man who held q child to
his breast so perfectly, with such an
expression Of unalloyed happiness
upon his face. Something dawned
upon her, with that intuition which
seems given women to amend for a
certain lack of logic, which her hus-
band would never have found out
that the perfect happiness that had
been hers through this man was due
to the paternal instinct in him that
made him delight in treating her as
child, to be humored and pampered
and spoiled.
Come, Jim," she said softly, striV'
ing beautifully to make her voice
sympathetic, I'VE must hurry now."
Reluctantly he returned Billie to
the mother. Rita noticed that for a
few steps he moved on tip-toe, as
though fearful of waking the child
Diffidently, yet with certain curious
firmness, he led her to the library
seating her in his favorite chair and
perching himself boyishly upon the
arm of 1t, his arms about her.
mo wonder Sans got a good dis
position" he said finally.
She braced herself instlnctively.
Il sometimes wonder if home car
be home at all without baby" he
murmured, more to the sympathetic
flames than to her. Il remember how
my mother always thought Of me as
her baby, even after l was in col
lege."
Rita leaned forward, drawing his
hand about her neck and fondling II
soothingly.
Don't you ever think-Rita, DOM
you ever wish there was baby il
our house?" His voice was low, his
words a bit stumbling now, as though
he found difficulty expressing himself
wouldn't it sort of make things hap
pier and"
She forced a laugh to her lips, {
gay, tender laugh even as her fingers
twined fiercely about his own.
"But, Jim, l don't want any chill
dren just now. want to enjoy my
self, to see something of happiness
Sometimes" she tempered the blow
sometimes 1 think, Jim, that I'm
little more than a child myself. I've
been Gagged and starved so long tina
I hardly seem grown up yet. Dom
you understand, Jim?"
She fought against showing hel
hurt as he sharply drew away hi
cheek from her own, then pressed
close once more.
"Wait till Billie puts those stick!
arms about your neck, Rita Then
then you'll know" he called back.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

mon upon which he had been work
ing, shrinking away a bit before that
expression he had come to know so
we'll.
He was frightened of this woman,
this woman who seemed to read his
thoughts, his heartaches; who took
such delight in probing at his wounds.
Eyes, Mrs. Sharpe" he queried
wearily, as she thrust the newspaper
into his hands with a waspish sweep,
waiting beside him while his eyes
readily found the leader that signal
lied another escapade of Mrs. James
White, the daughter that had been
his.
Had been? AS his eyes caught the
headline again, he suddenly found
himself unable to read further for the
mist Of tears that sprang to his eyes.
She was his daughter still.
Try though he might he had failed
to shut her out of his life.
His eyes sought the headline again,
sought and read it through, though It
was hours before the meaning of the
words fully penetrated to his brain.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

few days everything will be as it was
before except the happiness Of moth
erhood can never"
Like tiny threads of steel her fingers
gripped his wrist. He nodded, avoid
ing the Mortified expression in those
eyes. She did not weep-he only
prayed that she would. She merely
stared stonily into space. Her hus-
band tenderly placed his hand upon
her hair. She did not look at him.
The Reverend Deane was upon his
knees, fondling her icy fingers, but she
seemed not to be aware of his pres.
ence. Doctor Judd motioned them from
the room.
''She must be alone until she re-
covers from the shock" he explained.
Alone?
Always alone she would be. Always
alone with the ghosts. Always alone,
listening for the pattering of baby feet
through the place. Always alone.
searching for the "losted" ones she
never was to find, though she knew
her life would be consecrated to the
search.
Stonily she stared; eagerly she lis
tened. And no tears would come,
would ever come to soothe and balm
the soul Of her.
WHO PAYS2 4
(End Of Story Number T~o.)
The next story, "When Justice
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11
No Worse,

Say, old man, lend me ten dollars,
will you?"
why should I? You'd only buy
whisky with It."
What If l do? You subscribed to
the war loan, didn't your"
Il don't see what that's got to do
with it."
DO you think it's any wolSe 70
lend me money to buy whisky with
than to lend money 70 the allies to
spend on guns and ammunition?"-
New York World.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

more broken-hearted little boy than
John never lived. Indeed, he says
that he has not yet got over the dis
appointment-and it was sixty years
ago that it happened.
Since that tiEe he has handled vast
sums Of money, but nothing has ever
looked SO big and so glorious to him
as that fourpence-halfpenny. And no
loss that he has ever suffered in the
world Of finance has ever been to him
such crushing disappointment as
the sudden loss of that dazzling coin.
--Youth's Companion.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

down in Maine. One day neighbor
came to ask Mr.. Smith whether he
would take his oxen and help him
haul some wood. It happened that
Johns father was away from home,
and John offered to drive the oxen in
his fathers stead.
Now John was little boy, nine or
ten years old; so little, in fact, that
he could not reach to yoke up the
oxen himself So the neighbor put
on the great yoke, and John gayly
drove the oxen down the road. All
the morning he worked sturdily and
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

hauled wood into the neighbor's barn.
Then, when the JOB was done, Mr..
Brown gave him a bright silver coin
a fourpence-halfpenny-and prouder
little boy you never saw. Do you
know how much money that was? It
is an old-fashioned coin long out Of
circulation, and worth about six and
a quarter cents.
With the money in his pocket John
drove his team home rejoicing. He
felt that he was almost a man and
well started on the road to wealth. He
could unyoke the oxen himself by
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

"oh, s'1SA BhnS veES ESaSs now"
she cE1et. little catch IL her Voics.
Then l could make you understand,
jim"
"Billie!" He turned toward her In
quiringly and something in her eyes
confused him, set his pulses dancing,
made everything blurry before him.
Don't you remember, Jim? Billie
Sam and Msry's baby. Oh. I've had
such an adventure. Billie's been Wis
iting me-Billie came over to play
with the little boy in our house. He
went to sleep in my arms, Jim, went
to sleep with his arms about my
neck, and they weren't sticky a bit
well, only a little bit. He wanted to
play, Jim, with that boy that belongs
here and l told him the boy was
losted, just little bit lost. Oh, Jim,
don't you-can't you understand
won't you help me-hunt for him?"
He leaped to his feet, his arms
flung wide as though to clasp her to
him. Blushing rosily, but with the
gayest Of trickling laughter upon her
lips, she caught the expression in his
eyes and retreated from him, all
eager to be caught that she might
lay her face against that shoulder
sne had regained, yet with the
maiden instinct for fight. Back
back and Jim laughingly advancing
toward her, laughing with a curious
sobbing sound intermingled with it.
And then he halted, the shadow of
impending catastrophe gripping its icy
hand upon him, freezing his blood.
His lips uttered cry of warning, even
as Rita's shrilled forth one of terror
and appeal. The ripping of lace sound
ed as her heel caught in a ruf1e of her
boudoir gown, tripping her. The
heavier sound of falling portieres as
she dragged them down in clutching
for support against the fall.
Thud-thud-James White knew
that horrid sound, the thudding of
his wife's beautiful body upon the
stairs down which she was hurled
would never quit his ears. Thud-
thud-a crash, as she brought up
against the pilasters on the main
floor, and lay there, very still, heE
white face upturned toward his OVID
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

standing on a bench and reaching
very far and working very hard. All
this he did, and then, just before go
ing into the house he thought he
would show his money to his oxen;
and SO he held it out triumphantly on
his open palm and said, Good Star,
see what you have helped me earn!"
But Star misunderstood. He was
used to having the family feed him
Jumps of sugar, and he thought this
was sugar, too. Quick as q fash, out
came his tongue mad licked up the
lovely coin. A more surprised or q
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11


"No, won't hurt you. I'm not a
burglar "I'm Billie" the youngster as
serted when he had been sufficiently
welcomed.
II know" she nodded brightly.
"You just came to pay me call, didn't
you?"
Billie frowned, cogitating deeply.
MOO, not 'zactly that. Mamma
went to sleep and l just came here.
/ come to play with the boy. Where
is the boy?" he started suddenly erect
in her arms, looking about eagerly.
"What boy, Billie?" She knew in
advance what the answer would be,
yet could not refrain from barring her
soul to the hurt.
"Why, the boy-your boy-the boy
what belongs here"
"But there is no boy here" She
wondered at herself, purposely letting
the lash of this innocent child's
tongue thus scourge her.
mo boy! Why, l thought there
was a boy in every house--just like
home. I'm the boy in our home. =
Some quick instinct caused him to
reach out and clasp his arms about
her neck, the neck of this beautiful
creature whose eyes were so sad and
longing. did he get losted?" he
whispered sympathetically.
"No-o, Billie. Yes" she suddenly
smiled through the tears that sprang
to her eyes. Eyes he got lost a LITTLE
bit. He just wandered on the way
Don't you understand, Billie?"
Like mamma will think got lost
ed when / amt losted at all. l knows
where am"
Together they laughed delightedly
at the merry joke they played, this
grownup and this child.
"Why, lady, you're crying! What
you crying for?" Billie tugged BIZ
tighter at her neck, roughing her
perfectly coiffured hair in his gusty
sympathy. "Ain't you happy, lady?'
"That's why I'm crying, Billie-Im
so happy" she murmured.
With sigh Of contentment at this
somewhat hazy explanation, Billie
curled up in her lap like the healthy
little animal he was and proceeded tc
go to sleep.
Tenderly, an hour later, with light
in her eyes which no one had ever
seen there before, she relinQuished
her precious burden to the mother
smilingly pleading forgiveness for the
sleeping truant. And then she turned
to meet her husband, just stepping
from the car
Linking her arm in his, she led hin
to the library, designedly selecting the
same chair to seat him in which he
on another day, had seated her; de
signedly perching upon the arm, toy
Ing with his hair while she struggled
for words, words that were the harder
to utter because of the cold, puzzleC
look he gave her.
I'm sorry, Jim," she whispered
finally. ut hasn't been home, has it.?
He did not answer, staring moodil,
into the leaping flames.
Rita followed the direction of hi
eyes. 1t had all seemed so easy whel
Billie was in her lap, the breaking
down Of her barriers, the complet
surrender that she might reconque
this mans love and cling to 1t tighter
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11
LINeERs IN HIS MEMORY
Successful Business Man Unable to
Forget Loss Of First Money He
Earned.

A successful banker Of New York
tells the following story Of his first
experience at earning money; how he
earned what then seemed like half a
fortune; and how ne lost it much
quicker than he had earned it.
John Smith, as we will call him,
was q little shaver living on a farm
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11
m

There was look of triumph upon
Mrs. Sharpe's vinegary face as, an
nouncing herself into the Reverend
Deane's study with a triumphant
rustic of the newspaper in her hand,
she stepped beside him. Slowly he
lifted his leaden eyes from the SER
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11
New Excuse.

Friend husband in Paris has q new
excuse for staying out late. Yep
pelin parties are the proper thing
Here in Pittsburgh a fellow is com
PEELED to resort to the same old com.
mon garden variety Of lying. Pitts.
burgh Gazette-Times.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11


lost in the pictures painted by the
flames in the library CRATE, he visual
lied the happy hours that had been his
since that night in the comfortable,
little parsonage when Rita Deane be-
came Mrs James White.
A man worth while, young man
whose shoulders had not bowed be-
meath the weight of handling great
wealth unloaded upon him immediate
ly he quit college, man submerged
in business, at the age of thirty, he
found the happiness which his ma
ture had craved when he soon wearied
of the laborious efforts at winning
pleasure in the set in which his riches
had placed him.
He could not exactly analyze the
sensations of delight it had given him
to please her. And she was so easily
pleased.
And never an emergency but Mrs.
James White met it firmly and con-
trolled it. The Rita Deane of Mary
James and shabby attire had assumed
leadership Of the youngest and gayest
set of the city.
Arm in arm they moved down the
long, winding gravel path to the ga
rage. Rita was prattling over the de-
tails of a novel entertainment she pur-
posed giving the following week.
His eyes wandered dreamily over
the level lawns, the beautiful garden
ing, the gorgeous flowers, then halt
ed, and a tender, almost longing ex-
preston deepened them, as he
watched his chauffeur playing with
his baby. He glanced furtively at
Rita, almost fiercely trying to find
some reflection in her eyes of the
light dwelling in that of Mary, the
chauffeur's wife, as she took the child
from her husband, who stood at at
tention, listening to his mistress in
structions.
And then Billie crowed. That is, ii
might be called crow.
For just a moment the whole
world seemed spinning about before
Jim Whites bewildered eyes He
rather suspected that the fat, tiny
finger clamped about the one he had
timorously thrust appeasingly toward
the arbitrary infant might have had
something to do with this astonishing
state of affairs. AS from a long ways
off he heard the gurglings rise into
a penetrating wall. And then the
laugh of Mary.
"He wants to go to you, Mr.. White
l never knew him to make up will
strangers-with anyone before. He
wants you"
Jim laughed, laughed to concea
the choking that CONSTRUCTED hi
throat.
'I'm afraid I'll drop him." hi
laughed, even as his arms awkwardly
cupped to receive the child.
Drop him! You hold him JUS
like he was your own!"
Jim Whites heart almost stopped
beating, even as his arms cluni
tighter to the one who had come t.
lin. Perfectly satisfied, Billie wal
making a closer study of this man
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

'Is there such a thing as an eleva
tor trust?"
'Why no! That would be sure d
% up n
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

her hair. And your mother gave them
to you, placed them in your innocent
hands. You were hugging the doll to
your baby breast when entered the
room. The seed was being planted by
your foolish, dear mother. l should
not blame you so much as myself. l
did not discover the horrible blunder
in time. was a few minutes late.
'T took the doll away, took it to my
study, Rita. consigned 1t to the
flames, and burned 1t to ashes.
Your poor mother died shortly after
that. 1t was a Judgment upon her,
Judgment Of which 1 have meant to
tell you. Remember, Rita, God frowns
upon adornment and pleasure. Re-
member and repent, my child, and
shall pray for you when l burn these
things"
Burn! Impulsively she reached out
as though to save the precious arti-
cles. Then she nodded her head
meekly, averting her eyes to hide the
CLINT that leaped there. For, as her
father turned away from her, her
sharp ears caught familiar whistle,
the whistle that her sweetheart had
used more than once to bring her out
side the house,
The door had barely closed behind
Reverend Deane than she was at
the open window, searching the moon
spun night for the blurry mass that
represented White.
Swiftly she detached the note from
the weight, devouring it at a glance,
obedient to it instantly. auto at cor
ner. It's the only way out"
Carefully, with smile upon her
lips, cruel little smile at thought OF
the hurt she was giving in return for
the one just received, five minutes
later, with her grip in hand contain
ing all the tawdry, cheap reminders
of the life she was leaving, she pinned
her sweetheart's note to the little
cushion on her dresser, then stole soft
ly down the stairs and out into the
night. Nor did she deign to give one
glance back at the prison house.
Where, sir?" queried the driver
again.
Reverend Blacks parsonage-op-
posite end of town, you know, on Car
son street."
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11
One InstaIImer

Write Murine Eye Remedy Co., Chicago
for illustrated Book of the Eye Free.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

Lucius Moore says the reason man
Is afraid of his wife is that he nearly
always is guilty.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

rs this piano yours?
"Oh, about an octave Of 1t. Boston
Transcript.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

him. A rustic sounded beside her
and she started, afraid to look about,
for fear lest she disturb the vision
that had risen 80 clearly before her.
Slowly she turned, looking into a
child's inquiring eyes, the eyes Of the
baby her husband had held that day.
Don't be afraid, lady," Billie said
encouragingly. IT won't hurt you"
A little laugh, half hysterical,
sprang from her lips at the infantile
assurance. Then, in the relief Of the
moment, impulsively she reached out
and grasped the friendly arms Of the
child that were extended toward her,
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

But the greatest necessity in q
mans life is money.
The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-11-11

The next story, "When Justice
Sleeps"
Evening star., 1915-03-28
CHICAGO GRAIN.

CHICAGO. March 27-Notw1thstand-
ing Indications that considerable export
business was being done under cover.
bears ruled wheat today tho greater part
of the time. Intervention by Italy and
other heretofore neutral powers seemed
to have approached a little closer, and
the market finished nervous, at "A to IN
net decline. Other staples, too, all
showed losses-corn, p to Hah: oats, q
shade TO ". and provisions. s to IS.
II was authoritatively announced that
substantial sales of wheat for export,
tirely spring wheat, had been going on
for number OF days back. and was again
In progress today. This information had
much To do with a strong rally after an
early setback. and was chiefly due to
lower prices at Liverpool Tho advance.
which seemed to hinge for the most part
on the character Of cable advices rela-
tive to impending probable action by
Balkan states and by Italy.
Some complaints Of Hessian ny damage
to wheat were received from Illinois,
Missouri and Indiana. but the trade on
the whole was In no mood to take kindly
to crop damage reports The outlook for
good sized decrease In the visible supply
total Monday was also to . great extent
ignored.
Corn showed heavtness throughout the
sistent sellers. Influenced BY tho fine
weather and the large stocks, and by the
weakness OF cables.
Oats were unloaded quite freely. Seed
ing conditions had improved. and demand
from shippers became slack.
week made provisions sag. despite steadi-
ness at tho start Sympathy with the
course OF grain Sssmsd also - out .
uBO1&