davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20
WORLD OWES DEBT TO THESE
Macadar1. Pioneer Of Good Roads, and
His Contemporary Telford,
Worthy of All Gratitude.

The first great Improvement in high
way construction within modern times
was effected by John LOudon MaCadam.
or McAdam. who was born in Ayr,
Scotland. in 1856 This great Scotch
engineer was the inventor Of the road
making system known as "maCadamiZ-
ing" which is still in general use, al
though vastly improved MaCadam
died in 1896. at the age Of eighty.
When he was born the turnpike roads
OF England and Scotland were in an
incredibly bad state. MaCadam and
his contemporary, Telford, were the
first TO check the prevailing chaos and
to bring scientific methods and regu-
lar system 10 bear upon the building,
repair and maintenance Of highways
Macadam was engaged chiefly in the
repair Of existing roads rather than
the construction OF new ones. and the
improvements which he inaugurated
were OF great and lasting benefit. not
only to his native land. but TO the
world at large. TelfOrd insisted upon
a foundation Of broken stone in road
building, while Macadam insisted that
this was unnecessary and that the sub
soil would carry any weight If ade-
quately drained and kept dry by an
impervious covering
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20

curtain as it slowly descended upon a
wild eyed. sobbing tenor, who glared
piteously az the back OF d laughing
woman n The box at the head Of t4e
diamond horseshoe.
With The ready eife-vesceLt sym
pathy Of the Romance people the o.
rector pIlloved The head Of his great
'tind" upon his shoulder But over
that head his eyes sought those ot
Doctor EOlb-ook. the world renowned
throat specialist. who had been treat
ing Merwil now FOR months And a
hard expression. ! look Of flint vas II
the directors eyes as the specialist
shook his head 20 Indicate the death
OF another voice.
1T is the fault Of the atmosphere
the early training cOoily declared
the impresaro later that evening 10
the reporters Now Merwtn. with
the proper. early training would have
proved the greatest tenor OF our
time" He shrugged a bit coutemp-
rously You call il here, ! believe. a
fash in the pan
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20
VII

Merwin felt a curious elatiOn upon
him. a sudden lightness Of heart. one
Of those miraculous sensations of ut
ter delight that come at the most IN
expected moments when one is per-
forming ones work little better than
ever it has been performed before.
Arrogant with the delightful arro-
gance of the artist who has worked
hard fer achievement his eyes sought
those Of Olga Drake in her box at the
head of the diamond horseshoe. That
very day Ann had been granted her
interloCutory decree Of divorce; that
very day a sensational newspaper had
whispered the name OF Miss Drake
in connection with it; that very day
he had boasted 10 her that he would
make amends for that; and now
now. in the first performance Of the
widely heralded new opera. he was
singing as he had never sung before
Clear. ringing, sweet toned as any
bell. holding the audience spellbound,
with eyes aglow the voice Of Merwin
rang out. And then the song died in
mid-air. seemed TO halt upon its
course. The singers hand clutched
at his throat. clutched desperately
Nere as though by sheer brute
sr ngth he would force out the
SOUNDS that the vocal chords refused
to give. His lips opened and closed
osed and opened. A mute he stood
there, llticrous mute, saving the
ar with n's Aands, desperately, wild
ly-
A laugh l.rtled from the gallery
the laugE that was sufficient to guide
he OBJ 1t grew in volume, grew 81
that g sound penetrated the heav!
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20

for Cabosso, What is your training?
Who coached YOU"
"Spreglia, Lamperti-"
But who coached you in Canio?"
Though his interruption was harsh.
Merwin could see a light of interest
in his eyes
De Retsky-Jean himself, coached. ."
Make up-Quickly," the director de-
cided sharply
He heard nothing Of the stage man
ayers instructions, was numbly con-
scious Of getting into the costume Of
the pantaIoon. heard nothing OF the
directors instructions as, in a cold
perspiration he waited for the bari
tone to finish with the prologue.
Fear vas upon him, cold, dank
/ fear. Could he have run from the
place. could he have put finish to
/ every ambition he had pressed so
/ closely to his very soul, could he have
/ thrust il all aside at that moment.
/ he would have done so rather than
suffer the fiery heat alternating with
icy cold that seized his body be tor
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20
DeIiberatc AHront.

The saying that a woman doesn't
ike 20 tell her age may be a cruel
sIander on the sex. but 1t was true OF
Mrs. Thompson. She never missed a
chance Of letting her friends know she
was years younger than her husband.
Yes. George is fifty years old" she
remarked TO a visitor one day, and
there are ten years between US But
the visitor was an elderly spinster
With a sour disposition. rs that so?'
she exclaimed. in well-assumed sur
prise. Now, really. you look quite as
young as he does"
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20
Forming Habits.

We believe in the greatest freedom
for the youth; we believe in happy
environment that will create noble
characters we believe the spirit OF
the boy should be held sacred and d.
rected toward the achievement Of
higher things in life than social gos-
sip and amusement, and we believe
that the encouragement Of pool play
ing as an adjunct of the public schools,
it makes no difference how many
boards Of education, committees, pub
lie meetings. may favor it. is mis-
take The idea that We must resort
to games TO hold the boys TO their
school work carries with it the i'm
preston that our school methods are
wrong, and there can be no other JUS
tificatiOn Of pool playing in school
rooms than that impression. Educa-
ton should be given worldwide room.
1t should be as free as the air on the
prairies. II should never be contr" cted
to a habit-forming amusement re-
sponse TO the exactions of It's -1.
terialistic age.-Columbus CO AZ
nal.
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20
VIII

Ann Ne-wins hands still gr'ppeG
tightly -he newspaper with which she
had fed from her attorneys Office. the
newspaper whose startling head had
caught her eve even as her hand re-
ceived the fnai decree Ot divorce.
There was 4 Wild expression in her
eyes as she lunged through the crowd
ed tratic Of the streets toward the city
hospital where the story said Henry
had been taken
Forgotten the document in her
handbag. forgotten the bitterness with
which he had treated her She only
remembered that he was the father OF
her child. that he was the man she had
lOved-the man she loved still
Voiceless. Sorsaken by friends, an
object Of pity and contempt yagrant
succumbing to exposure az the dark
vatprrida where he might have con-
templated making his final resting
pIace-he was still her husband Just
as he always had been.
She did not heed The curious glances
Of the nurses nor the internes As she
demanded adUittanCe 70 his bedside.
[ That the story Of the celebrity's down
! fall. the divorce and attendant scandal
. belonged 10 the world meant nothing
/ 10 her \ queen-she demanded the
/ right 10 be with her husband in his
/ hour Of need
She did not shrink away from the
poor creatures upon the cots in the
wards through which they passed The
fotsam and jetsam OF a great city
was there, but that mattered nothing
| 10 her That her husband was Just
such another dependent upon city S
charity meant nothing TO her
She felt a little pain in her heart as
the interne paused beside a snowy cot
hesitated a second before approaching
the delirious man, tossing and tum
bling upon the cot, then bravelv moved
forward again. The inferno rested his
hand upon her arm. She looked into
his face with surprise and saw nothing
but sympathy there and desire tc
avoid harm coming to her. She
brushed him aside and then a voice
reached out 10 her, voice wild anC
hoarse. thrCbbing with the insanity o.
delirium yet with the longing Of
world in it. a voice she would have
known from all the voices Of tn,
world
"Olga-Olga-Olga-"
On and on and on, interminably
and always with that same piteou
, appeal. that same throbbing note o
!. heart-rending helplessness cried tn
, voice, the voice of Henry Merwtn, he
= husband toward the woman. the laugh
! ing wOman's back. the Olga Drake VIII
. sat in the head box of the damon
horseshoe.
/ She held her head proudly. defiant
ly as the superintendent Of the hosp
tai tried 10 suppress the pity in hi
look with which he accepted tn
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20

money she had placed upon his desk.
when she fed from that ward. fed
from that voice
When he is WE'LL" she said quietly,
give him this money. Say 1t is from
IA friend"
But"
"From-a-friend," she repeated
softly, faint smile upon her lips.
She rose suddenly for the scent OF
roses was in her nostrils. the vision
of far-fung hills in her eyes, with a
tiny white cottage nesting at the foot
OF them.
Perhaps he may go back" she
murmured TO herself, as she left the
place. Perhaps he may go back
home-and be glad-glad the home
didn't go when everything else was
paid-paid. Who Pays"
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20
REVEAL TREND OF CURRENTS
Travel Of Bottles Dropped Into the
Ocean Convey information 70 tho
Navy Departments.

The hydrUgapE!c bureau OF the
navy department IS always interested
IN endaavors 70 ascertain. by means
OF bottle messages. information as 10
the movements Of the oceans. These
bottles contain papers that have been
dropped overheard from vessels in
many places, 20 drift Al the mercy Of
the winds and waves. Many Of them
have been found and picked I'D either
in the open sea or On shores where
they have been stranded
Knowing from their records where
the bottles had been thrown over
board. the bureau has been able 70
trace. in 4 general way. III" path they
must have followed IN order 10 reach
the places where ,hey We're found.
In one report alone there We're pub
Nshed the adventures 0f over one hun
dred bottles.
Being partially filed with air and
then securely cOrked the bottles tOat
on the surface OF the water and go
wherever the wind and the current OF
the sea carry them. Each bottle con-
tains a record Of the place and the
date Of its starting Some OF those
found have hoated for many months.
and sometimes years. and have tray-
eIed thousands oi miles.
It has been found that bottles
dropped overheard between the shores
Of the United States and England or
France usually travel toward the
northeast. following the course Of that
great river in the Atlantic ocean, the
gulf stream. Bottles started off the
coasts OF Spain and Africa travel. as
a rule. westward until they arrive
among the West India islands Along
the European side Of the ocean the
bottle takes a southerly course and
along the American side a nOrtherly
course.
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20

fore the woman who had seemed so
desirous Of being with him alone de-
spite the ga!lanls besiegIng her. And
Olga Drake. mistress OF wealth and
beauty, was not less famous as d So
cial dictator that be vas as a singer.
In the carriage he could not drive
that contrast from his preoCCupiet
mind. He felt himself already a bit
irrItated at the insistence Of Ann that
the tiny cottage, the humble little
home in Los Angeles should not be
sold. that not 1 stick Of the furniture
be changed
He flushed hOtIy As she stumbled
upon her train a. they made their
entrance at the Van Rolphes' angry
with himsel: tOr the impulse which
made him seek out the eyes Of Olga
Drake to find whether she had noticed
| the slip. more angry 10 know that be
had smiled with her az his wife ; mis-,
hap. Ann was his wife. the woman
he loved, and no one had the right
10 smile al her.
He turned toward her. assisting her
/ 70 their hostess, bracing his shoulders
against the gibes he knew her man.
ner Occasioned with 4 smile upon
his lips. And then the guilty feeling
came upon him that he vas feeling
| the martyr. that he was taking pride
/ in his attitude OF suffering
In the modification Of the moment
! he found himself Offering his arm &C
| Olga Drake. passing his wife without
| a glance
I'm afraid We frightened your poor
| Wife Miss Drake murmured in his
| ear
He looked furtively at Olga Drake
at the note of sympathy in her voice
And yet he merely smiled and sought
! out his wife with his eyes. dropping
/ them more swiftly as they met the
| mute appeal in AIMS own eyes. H.
was conscious of Chattering vOlubly
about nothing in particular, was aware
. thas his face was burning.
\ farmers daughter he had mar
ried. 4 mlIkmans ) wife he had mad'
her. And equally Indifferent 70 augh
she was one still
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20

tured by the priCkling fingers at his
spine. the harsh grip at his heart.
- don't mind the whispering and
talking while you sing. They do it
with everyone but Cabosso-'
He heard no more. but these words
scared themselves in letters Of fire
upon his brain. His teeth clicked
shut with an audible sound. Suddenly
all the stage fright disappeared be-
fore an antiCipatOry rage. TNey
should not whisper and talk while
he sang: they should treat his voice
with the same respect they treated
that OF Cabosso. His voice was the
equal OF the great tenOrs.
Unconscious OF his audience. OF the
stir OF curiosity at his appearance in
stead OF the familiar Cabosso, regard
less OF everything save Overweening
desire 10 win. Henry Merwin hardly
realized he was upon the stage before
/ the curtain stared him in the face, the
curtain which formed a barrier
against the tumultuOus applause OF
the audience at his performance, and
shut him into the other world behind
/ the scenes. the world of fellOw-singers
who made him realize the tremendous
impression he had created.
He suddenly felt himself very weak,
| felt his impotence. He needed help
/ sympathy-he needed-Ann-
Swiftly he discarded his costume
but lily wipins the grease paint from
| his countenance. But in his eyes
glowed something of happiness. grow
ing from more than fame as. half an
hour later. he reread the message he
had just written before passing it tC
the agent.
Ann Merwin. Los Angeles. cal: Com'
10 New York at once No more poverty
HENRY
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20

She could not analyZe the mixture OF
emotions tugging at her very heart
strings, the joyous ache, the leaden
ecstasy, the torturing delight all
struggling there for mastery.
Europe, Ann! The greatest teach
ers OF the world! Just think of 1t.
Why, it seems impossible! Wealth
fame, honor, everything
The tear that had trembled so long
a time upon the fringe OF her lashes
dropped to the tiny shoe upon which
she was knitting, clung there until his
eyes rested upon it.
Aren't you happy. Ann" he re-
peated.
She nodded a trife jerkily, then
slowly lifted her eyes to meet his own.
Honest eyes they were, loving, wor-
shipful eyes they were, patient eyes,
the eyes that belong 10 women whose
souls are So sensitive they chill before
the mere sha.ow of impending trag'
edy.
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20

He waited in the library. listening
to the sounds Of delight from AIMS
room.
In the week he had tasted the fruit
of success and laughed at the fear he
had entertained of it. To be sought
out by the great director and placed
under a contract at a figure he had
only vaguely dreamed of ever earning;
TO be the toast OF town and press, TO
be invited into the very heart Of So
ciety's most sanctified circle: TO know
that it was all deserved-surely they
we're fools who had told him the price
to be paid for fame was heavy.
And now Am was here, was so
close to him he had but to tap upon
the adjoining door to see her, so
close to him he could hear her de-
lighted exelamations over the gown he
had bought for her TO wear at Mrs.
Van Rolphe's reception that very
night.
Slowly a frown crossed his fore
head, a perpIexed and anxious frown.
Ann-wOuld Ann be able to live up
to the position he had CT ed for
her?
A little cry from the Goorw.v. and
he clasped her to his L-ar+, Eercei-
for the doubt that had been hi. mt
as he held her away from b II. he
was filled with the bitter rea.iz, 'iCL
rbar tho 1C,b bt rprO9iOad
Pretty. fresh, wholesome-yet she
was obviously uncomfortable in he.
fnery. There was something Of the
| out-Of-doOrs about her that did not
seem TO fit into the new life. He felt
himself guiltily contrasting her with
the dark. excite beauty Of Olga Drake
the woman who had made so mucf
Of him at a reception of the day be
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20
Valuable Bird Of Trinidad.

The natives Of Trinidad make use OF
the young guacharo in an unusual man
ner. The young are very fat, and are
frequently found 10 weigh more than
the full-grown birds. Their fat is used
by the natives 70 produce an oil
which is a substitute for butter. Also
it is frequently the custom Of the ma
tives 70 draw a wick through the body
OF a young guacharO and use II as
lamp or candle. Thus the guacharo is
sometimes called the oil bird.
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20
Nv


Strange the quips and whimsies of
Chance. elusive Chance.
Years that seemed interminable,
years Of goading desperation. dis
Couragement. self-sacrifiCe, endurance
stretched behind Henry Merwin as he
halted a moment at the stage door Of
the New York Grand Opera house to
allow one Of the stars TO enter. A
bitter smile curved his lips. lips that
had frightened since the days when
the milk route alone oppressed his
mind. as he slowly made-up in the
male dressing room for a peasant in
the opening act OF "Pagliacci.' He
was a chorus man-only a chorus
man.
From below he could hear the
strains of "Cavalleria Rusticana'
which preceded "Pagliacci" and the
voice of CabCsso. greatest Of all ten
ors. CabOsso. who stood where the
ignorant young milkman had dreamed
of standing: Cabosso. the announce
ment Of whose singing was sufficient
to pack the great house.
The soul of the artist within him
struggled impOtently at his situation.
the difference between the dream and
the reality. CabOssO singing CaniO,
the bitter. disillusioned pantaloon.
when everything that life could hold
was his: and he. Henry Merwin. with
a voice no less than that Of the star,
sang among the peasants. Cncon-
sciously he threw himself into the
role of the man. compelled to amuse
the public with his antics. compelled
TO don grease paint when he wished
to smear his face with the blood OF
rival and unfaithful wife. His lips
opened and the tenor aria at the close
OF the first act poured from his throat.
He stopped abruptly as a hand fell
upon his shoulder, biting his lips in
| mute embarrassment as he looked up
| into the eyes of the stage manager. II
dawned upon him that he was trans
crossing the rules Of the house in
singing. that in all likelihood. he
would be discharged. And suddenly
| he was seized with a vast. overwhelm'
| ing desire to hold This position that a
moment before had reused all his re
sentiment.
Are you up on the role - on
| Canio?" The words were crisp. brit
tie. mandatory.
For a moment he did not under
stand. then a quick flush mantled his
cheeks at what he took for sarcasm
A hot answer was on the tip Of his
tongue. checked only in time as he
read upon the faces about him that
the man was really in earnest He
rose swiftly. his hand griTOing at the
lapel of the stage managers coat even
as the man fairly dragged him down
the narrow. iron stairway toward the
director, who ragged about in the
wings. his face the picture Of misery
He laughed ironically as his under
ling whispered TO him, sizing The
chorus-man up and down.
"Canio," be laughed. Substitute
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20
Ill

III.
Ann shivered again under some
thing she read in Madam Holmes
eyes. She had felt il even before the
woman crossed the threshold had
been feeling it in ever increasing vol
ume while De Retsky and her hus-
band outlined plans for his operate
studies abroad. The great singer had
been silent, strangely silent since il
was she who was doing the financing
Of that voice And now the wife
knew that madam vas about to speak
and with her eyes pleaded TO the
celebrity-as woman to wOman-fCr
pity, for charity And madam shrank
before that look. even while her lips
frightened
"Of course" she said slowly, I shall
provide for your wife while you are
abroad, Mr.. Merwin."
Though she had been expecting a
blow, though she had nerved herself
for the worst. Ann could not repress
the little cry Of incredulous pain that
leaped from her lips. Her hands
sought her heart gropingly, the hands
that still gripped the unfinished shoe.
You mean-yOu mean that | am
not 70 go-that Henry is to go alone
10 leave me and-and-'
"A student should have no distrac-
ton in his studies
Ann felt something go dead within
her Her hands went out in cropping
fashion toward her husband
Henry you-you want to leave
She could not finish for the great
choking sob constructing her throat
suffOcating her.
He wheeled upon her fiercely
| plunged into a rage OF his own Great
| ing. but madam flashed him a warn
| ing look as Ann sank back in her
| chair
My dear" in the great sopranos
/ voice we're all the tones that had
! quiCkened tears in the hearts Of au
| diencps throughout the world. you
must not make it any harder than il
/ is already. Don't you know that
understand; that l am a woman, and
| that l understand your pain at part
| ing" She moved a step closer, plac
ing her hand upon AIMS shoulder and
! turning upon the two men.
You have your choice, Mr. Merwir
| -milkman or Voice. | had tbs
choice and Voice won. 1t has brought
! ne fame. wealth, honor. glory; ii has
lost me all that my heart would have
clung TO did I consider happiness
alone. | do not say that it is always
! so. but the price of fame is often mis-
cry. The price Of Fame must be PAID
| and Fame is a hard bargainer."
Ann looked up eagerly. timidly, yet
with a strange ferocity TO catch the
impression upon her husband. Wha
she read upon his face filed her with
swift self-reproach.
81 think I understand she whis
pered softly. II want the fame FOL
him"
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20


He paced the library floor nervous
ly. every nerve in his body jangling
disCOrdantlv at the chatter OF his wife
in the next room, the confusion Of her
undignifiet rOmping with the baby
Only the night before he had given
a wretched performance, his voice
turning hOarse. Only the night be-
fore he had titled with Olga Drake,
for the first time in all the months
during which their intimacy had
grown to such an extent, that there
were whispers about il.
First, he had tried TO break away
from the spell she cast upon him. But
his work threw him with her set and
his wife used every subterfuge 10 avoid
accompanying him to any affair which
might aid him in the social world
always pleading to be allowed to re-
main with the baby.
And now she was late. He looked
at his watch nervOusly then whirleG
to the stairs and tapped upon hel
door.
Il forgot again, Henry" she replied
before he had a chance to say word
Please forgive me. but-but | dom
think I help you with these people
You make no effort to improve your
self You are constantly doing every
thing you can to annoy me. You ar'
running my voice, ClOuding my whole
| career
And you don't try to do better. ToI
don't care for anything but the vii,
little hole in Los Angeles. You wan
me to be ruined You want me t,
lose my voice. You know you do
you want a milkman because you ar,
nothing and never will be anything bu
| tit for a milkman's wife
But what can I do. Henry? Wha
do you want me to do?"
Do" He laughed. laughed in he
face. Why. get a divorce, of course
I'm through. Get it before I'm con
pleteIy ruined. I'll give you the d
vorce-therell be no trouble abOu
that-and fifty thousand dollars
She regarded him steadily, search
ingly.
No, therell be no trouble-abOu
that" she repeated after him, as h
slammed the door. No trouble
Henry"
The Madison journal., 1916-05-20
END oFTHE FIRST STORY.
The next story, "The Pursuit OF


The civil practitioners in the west
ern field. according TO Doctor Ziegel.
roth, are engaged in a friendly but
spirited contest with the military pny-
sicians. and are giving extraordinary
service Men who in ordinary life
have golden practice" are enduring
all the hardships Of the field without
a murmur. and good-humoredly con-
test for bundles Of straw upon which
to sleep in barns and stables. The
snoring OF fellow physicians seems 20
bother them more than the artillery
fire.