davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
CHAPTER w.
How II Struck Portia.

1t was just a fortnight later that
Rose told her mother she was going
to marry Rodney Aldrich, thereby
giving that lady greater shock of
surprise than, hitherto, she had ex-
perienced in the sixty years of a
tOlerably eventful life.
Rose found her neatly writing a
| room she called her den.
Mrs. Stanton said, "What, dearT"
| indifferently enough, just in mechani-
cal response of the matter-Of-fact in
| Election of ROsalind's voice. Then she
laid down her pen, smiled in puzzled
way up into her daughters face, and
added: my ears must have played
me funny trick. What did you say?"
Rose repeated: Rodney AIdrich and
l are going to be married"
But when she saw look of painful
incOmprehension in her mothers face
she sat down on the arm of the chair,
slid a strong arm around the fragile
figure, and hugged it up against her.
self. II suppose" she observed con-
tritely, that | ought to have broken
it more gradually. But never think
of things like that"
AS well as she could, her mother
resisted the embrace. Il can't be-
lieve," she said, gripping the edge of
her desk with both hands, "that you
would jest about a solemn subject like
that, Rose, and yet it's incredible ."
The mother freed herself from the
girls embrace, rose, and walked away
to another chair. IF you'll talk
nationally and seriously, my dear" she
said, 1--WE can continue the conversa-
ton. But this flippant, rather-vulgar
tone you're taking, pains me very
much"
The girl flushed to the hair. 81
didn't know l was being flippant and
vulgar" she said. 81 didn't mean to
be. l was just trying to tell you-all
about it."
you've told me-" said her mother,
"that Mr.. Aldrich has asked you to
marry him and that you've consented.
1t seems to me you have done so
hastily and thoughtlessly. He's told
you he loves you, I've no doubt, but
1 don't see how it's possible for you
to feel sure on such short acquaint-
ance."
"Why, of course he's told me-" Rose
said a little bewildered. HE can't
help telling me all the time, any more
than 1 can help telling him. We're
rather mad about each other, really.
l think he's the most wonderful per-
son in the world, and"-she smiled a
little uncertainly-'he thinks am.
But we've tried to be sensible about
it, and think it out reasonably. He
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11

her mother came in and, presently, Por
tia. She introduced him to them, ant
then dropped out of the conversation
altogether. As If il were a long wa!
or she heard him retailing last night
adventure and expressing his regre
that he hadn't taken her to his sistel
to be dried out, before he sent he
home.
she was aware that Portia stole q
look at her in n puzzled, penetrating
sort of way every now and then, but
didn't concern herself as to the basis
or her curiosity. 1t wasn't until ht
rose TO go that she aroused herself
and went with him into the hall
There, after he'd got into his overcoat
and hooked his stick over his arm, he
held out his hand to her in formal
leave-taking. Only it didn't turn out
that way. For the effect of that warm
1.-THE grip flew its flag in both their
faces.
You're such a wonder" he said.
She smiled. $50 are y-you." 1t was
the first time she had ever stammered
in her life.
When she came back into the sit
ting-rOOm, she found POrtia inclined
to be severe. Did you ask him to
come again?" she wanted to know.
Rose smiled. II never thought of
it, she said.
Perhaps it's just as WE'LL" said
Portia. Did you have anything at
all to say to him before we came
home, or were you like that all the
while? How long ago did he GOMEZ"
81 don't know" said Rose behind
very real yawn. Il was asleep on
the couch when he came in That's
why | was dressed like this" And
then she said she was hungry.
There wasn't, on the whole, hap
pier person in the world at that mo-
ment.
But Rodney Aldrich, pounding along
at five miles an hour. in direc-
ton left to chance, was not happy.
Or, if he was, he didn't know it. He
couldn't yield instantly, and easily, to
his intuitiOns, as Rose had done. He
felt that he must think-felt that he
had never stood in such need of cool,
level consideration as at this moment.
But the process was impossible.
Anyway, it was remark Frederica
had made last night that gave him
to hold on by. Marriage,
she had said, was an adventure of
which no amount of cautious thought
taken in advance could modify the es-
sential adventurOusness. There was
no doubt in his mind that marriage
with that girl would be a more Won
derful adventure than anyone had
ever had in the world.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
Aeinht of a Camera.

A safe rule in most cases, Is to
have the camera at such height
that the lens is about level with the
eyes of a person of average height
standing. This implies that most tri-
pod stands, all ultra portable ones, are
too short in the leg, as even those
which allow the camera to be mt this
height only do so when the feet are
SO near together that the stand Is
unstable. With lenses of short focus
it is usually advantageous, especially
in interior work, to have the camera
lower, while with very long focus
lenses it may be higher to avoid
foreshortening of the ground. In the
case of domestic interiors, 1t is i'm
portant to have the lens well above
the level of table top, as the effect
of the furniture seen from lower
viewpoint will be unsatisfactory.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
And so, the "real adventure"
of marriage begins for Rose
Stanton. You'll find the next
instaIIment of extraordinary in
terest.
(TO BE CONTINUED
WAS MODEL FOR "PEER GYNT"
lbsen Inspired in Creating Masterpiece
Partly by an Eccentric
Young Dane.

There are many models back OF
peer Gynt," and among them young
Dane. Ibsen met the young man fire.
quently in Italy. He was a peculiarly
conceited and affected young buffer,
Georg Brandes writes in the Century
Magazine. He used to tell the Italian
girls at Ischia and Capri that his father,
a schOOteacher in reality, was the best
friend of the king of Denmark, and
that he himself was one of the great
est men in Denmark. To prove this
he often appeared in entire suits OF
white satin. He called himself poet
but could find poetical inspiration only
in the wilderness or in desOlate, dreary
spots. He once went to Crete to write,
he said, great drama of tragedy. He
returned, however, without having ac-
cOmplished his purpose. He averred
that he could feel tragic emotion only
in the mountains, and lived in self
deluSiOn and illusion.
Some Of his characteristics have
passed in "Peer Gynt." Otherwise
Peer Gynt" is supposed to be an in
carnation of Norwegian foibles. Peers
lies are not really falsehOOds, If this
implies the intention to deceive others.
They are rather self-deceptions. peer
Gynt" has something in common with
Cervantes' Don QuixOte," and is more
closely related to Daudet's "Tartarln.'
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11

and he might remember suddenly and
stop.
In the deeper sense-and she was
breathlessly conscious Of this, too
he hadn't forgotten she was there,
He was telling 1t all because she was
there--because she was herself and
nobody else. She knew-thOugh how,
she couldn't have explained--with
that intuitive certainty which Is the
. only real certainty there is, that the
story couldn't have been evoked from
him in just that way by anyone else
in the world.
At the end of two years in the
he figured he had his training and was
ready to begin.
II made just one resolution when
hung out my shngle," he said, "and
that was that no matter how few
cases / got, l wouldn't take any that
weren't interesting-that didn't give
me something to bite on. l wasn't
willing to be bored for any reward
they had to offer me. It's cynical to
| be bored. It's the worst immortality
there is. Well and l never have BEEN
1t wasn't all photographed and
narrative. There was a lot of his
! deep-breathlng, spacious philosophy
of life mixed up in it. And this the
girl, consciously and deliberately,
provoked 1t didn't need much. She
said something about discipline and
he snatched the word away from her.
what is discipline? Why, it's
standing the gaff - standing it, not
submitting to it. It's accepting the
facts of life-of your own life, as they
happen to be. 1t isn't being conquer
ed by them. It's not making masters
of. them, but servants to the underly-
ing things you want"
She tried to make reservation /
there-suppose the things you wanted |
weren't good things?
But he wouldn't allow it. "What-
ever they are" he insisted, "your de-
sires are the only motive forces |
you've got. No matter how fine your
lhlNIll6CllNC TO- II Ntll lluG any NlltlC
except on the back of your own
passions. Learn to ride them-cOntrol .
them-spur them. But don't forget .
that they're you just as essentially as
the rider is"
1t was with a curiously relaxed
body, her chin Graded in the crook of
her arm, which lay along the back
of the couch, her eyes unfOcused on
the window, that the girl listened with
more and more pOignantly vivid con-
SciOuSnesS of the man himself, the
driving power of him, of something
exutant in his own strength.
She got to thinking of the flight of
great bird wheeling up higher and
higher on his powerful wings. Sud
denly and to her CONSERVATION, she
felt her eyes flushing up with tears.
She tried to blink them away, but they
came too fast.
Presently he dropped short in his
valk-stopped talking, with IL gasp,
in the middle of a sentence, and
looked into her face. She couldn't see
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
CLINGS TO FETISH
As Result, Native African Is Easy
Prey to CroCOdlIeS.
Thinks an odd-shaped or Bright Col.
ored Rock viii Protect Him From
Attacks Of Reptiles In
the Water.

The killing of natives in Portuguese
East Africa by crocodiles Is so large
each year that the statistics to n
stranger are appalling. In that part
of the. world the reptile as nm enemy
of human beings has the distinction of
Outrlvalng the buffalo, elephant and
lion.
In proportion TO population, this
fierce Quartette kills more natives an
nually than do the tigers and serpents
| In India.
And yet the Portuguese East Az
rican does not dread the crocodile
nearly as much as he does the buf-
falo, elephant and lion. He ranks
the feroclty of these three In the or
der named.
The explanation is found in the
groveling fetishlsm of the natives.
The American consul at LOurenzo
Marques in that far-away country for
seven years, George Agnew Chamber
lain, told of this on recent visit to
the United States.
"Making an Odd-Shaped or bright
colOred rock his fetish, or perchance
gnarled tree or branch or shrub. the
native believes" he said, at will pro-
tect him from the crocodile, and rushes
uncOncerned into the waters where
these reptiles swarm.
IAN agOniZing yell soon tells Of the
quick ending and oft repeated tragedy.
again, medicine man In the tribe
frequently makes native believe his
life Is charmed against danger, and
in he plunges to meet a horrible death,
in spite of the fact that a moment
before ne has seen with his own eyes
"A crocodile attack another native.
This belief In the fetish Is the
hardest thing the missionaries and Of
ficials have to fight against. The ma
tives have followed the practice from
time immemOrial and it is no wonder
that this or that stream is pointed out
as the place where ten thousand have
been killed by reptiles in Il few years.
"The quiet, steady, slumbering
habits of the crocodile have undOubted-
ly led to the wide belief in the charm
of fetish.
"Rut there Is no belief In fetish
against the rushing buffalo, the en-
ragged, charging elephant, or the roar
ing lion. Native fetish and all scam
per away when these three animals
come rushing on"
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
Blind Children Learn.

Here is an original method used to
teach little blind child her alphabet
that 1 hope may help other mothers
who have little ones afflicted with the
same handicap. Use the raised letters
from old felt pennants and paste on
four pieces of cardboard. Dividing
the alphabet into four parts prevent
the child from trying to learn too many
letters at once. When the alphabet is
mastered, the letters can then be made
into words and Put on small card
boards. The little ones touch soon
learns to distinguish between letters
and it is interesting to note how soon
it grasps both letters and words.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
Government and Relation.

I consider that functionary ought
not to interfere with the manners and
customs Of the people. but on the con-
trary, to see that they are preserved.
1t is not the business of the govern
ment to force religion on a people,
but to maintain that which exists,
which, whether good or bad, has been
regulated by the spirit of the time, the
place, and the race. If it endeavors to
put down religion, it proclaims itself
revolutionary in its spirit, and tyran-
nical in its acts, and is justly detested
Besides, how are you to raise yourself
except by understanding them and toll
Grating them m2-AnatOle France.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
Men and Government

Some have said that it is not the
business Of private men to meddle with
government-a bold and dishonest say
ing, which is fit to come from no mouth
but that Of tyrant or slave. To say
that private men have nothing to do
with government is to say that private
men have nothing to do with their
own happiness or misery; that people
ought not to concern themselves wheth-
er they be naked or clothed, fed or
starved, deceived or instructed, pro-
tected or destroyed.--Cato.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11

him clearly, but she saw his hands
clench and heard him draw a long
breath. Then he turned abruptly and
walked to the window and for a NOR
tai, endless minute there was n silence.
Something happened during that
moment while he stood looking into
her tear-hushed eyes-something mo-
-critical-which no previous
experience in her life had prepared her
for. And it had happened to him, too.
His silhouette as he stood there with
his hands clenched, between her and
the window, showed her that.
What underlay her quiet was won
der and fear, and more deeply still, a
sort of cosmic contentment-the acqui-
escence of a swimmer in the still, ir-
resistlble current of a mighty river.
1t was distinctly relief to her when
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
Rlce an Ancient Cereal.

The culture of rice is alluded to in
the Talmud, and there is evidence that
1t was grown in the valley of the Eu-
pirates and in Syria before 400 B. c.
1t was taken into Persia from India,
and later into Spain by the. Arabs.
Thence it's culture was introduced into
Italy about 1868 A. D. The Spaniards
are also responsible for it's introduce
ton into Peru and other sections of
Spanish-America during the early colo
nial period, but the exact date has not
been definitely determined. The first
introduction of rice culture in the
Americas seems really to have been in
Brazil
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11

said he couldn't guarantee that we'd
be happy; that no pair of people could
be sure Of that till they'd tried, But,
he said, II looked TO him like the most
wonderful, magnificent adventure In
the world, and asked II It looked to
cause It's true. It's the only thing
in the world that seems wOrth-.bother-
Ing about. And we both think
though of course we can't be sure
we're thinking straight - that we've
got n good chance to make It go'
Even her mothers bewildered ears
couldn't diStrust the sincerity with
which the girl had spoken. But this
only increased the bewllderment. She
had listened with sort of incredu-
lous distaste she couldn't keep her
face from showing, and at last she had
TO wipe away her tears.
At that Rose came over to her,
dropped on the floor at her knees and
embraced her. 81 guess perhaps un-
derstand, mother she said. ~ didn't
realize - you've always been so in
telectual and advanced - that you'd
feel that way about it-be shocked be-
cause / hadn't pretended not TO care
for him, and been shy and coy" In
spite of herself, her voice got an edge
Of humor in it-"and n startled fawn,
you know, running away, but just not
fast enough so that he wouldn't come
running after and think he'd made u
wonderful conquest by catching me at
last. But n man like Rodney Aldrich
wouldn't plead and protest, mother.
He wouldn't want me unless l wanted
him just as much"
1t was long time before her mother
spoke, and when she did, she spoke
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
THE BEST BEAUTY DOCTOR
Is cuticura for Purifying and 5eauti.
tying the Skin-Trial Free.

For cleansing, purifying and beauti-
flying the complexion, hands and hair,
Cutlcura Soap with touches Of Cuti-
cura Ointment now and then afford the
most effective preparations at the mini
mum of cost. No massaging, steaming
creaming, or waste of time.
Free sample each by mail with Book.
Address postcard, Cuticura, Dept. l.,
Boston. Sold everywhere.-Advl
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11

you didn't. You've never been hurt
never even been frightened. You
wouldn't know what they felt like,
And the result IL :"
Portla eyed her thoughtfully. "rhe
result ls," she concluded, "that you
have grown into big splen'
did, fearless, confdlng creature, that
it's perfectly inevitable some man like
Rodney Aldrlch would go straight out
of his head about. And there you
are"
A troubled, questioning look came
into the younger sisters eyes. "Ive
been lazy and selfish, l know" she
said. "perhaps more than ! thought
/ haven't meant to be, But 4. do
you think I'm any good at all?"
"Thats the real injustice to It,"
said Portia that you are. You've
stayed big and simple. 1t couldn't
possibly occur to you now to say to
yourself; Poor Old Portia She's III
ways been jealous because mother
liked me best, and now she's just
green with envy because I'm going to
marry Rodney Aldrlch.'"
She wouldn't stop to hear Roses
protest. ~ know 1t couldn't" she
went on. "That's what l say. And
yet there's more than little truth in
it, suppose. Oh, don't mean I'm
sorry you're going to be happy-I be-
lleve you are, you know. I'm just a
little sorry for myself. Here | stay,
grinding along, wondering what it's all
about and what after all's the use
While you, you baby are go
ing to find out"
POrtia began unpacking her pillows.
"Open my window, will you? There !
Now, kiss me and run along to by-by T!
And forget my nonsense"
The wedding was set for the first
week In June. And the decision, In
stantly acqulesced in by everybody,
was that it was to be as quiet - as
strictly family afTair-as possible
Indeed, the notion of even simple
wedding into the Aldrich family left
POrtia rather aghast.
But this feeling was largely allayed
by Frederica's first call. Being cele-
brated beauty and a person of great
social consequence, didn't, 1t appeared,
prevent one from being human and
simple-mannered and altogether de-
lightful to have about. She was so
competent, too, and intelligent (Rose
didn't see why POrtia should find any
thing extraordinary in all this.
Wasn't she Rodney's sisterO that her
conquest of the Stanton family was
They didn't suspect
that it was deliberate.
Rodney had made his great an
nOuncement to her, characteristically,
over the telephone, from his office.
'DO you remember asking me, Freddy, |
two or three weeks ago, who ROsalind |
Stanton was? Well, she's the girl I'm
going to marry"
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
The Only One.

Mrs. McDuffy-SO ye referred to me
In spakln' to Mrs. Cassidy as that
ovid, scoldin' catamaran, Mrs. Mac"
Janitor-You're mistaken, ma'am. 1t
was Mrs. McGllligan next door that I
referred to.
Mrs. McDuffy-Don't add loyin' to
yure other insults. Ye well know that
Oi'm the only ovid, scholdin' cata-
maran in this block.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
al Guess Perhaps |
Mother"
Understand,

humbly-resignedly, as if admitting
that the situation was beyond hel
powers.
ITS the one need of wOman's
life, Rose, dear" she said, "the corner.
stone Of all her happiness, that her
husband, as you say, wants her
Doubt Of it is the one thing that will
have the power to NAKED Der bitterly
unhappy. That's why it seems to Inc
so terribly necessary that she be sure
about it before it's too late"
Yes. of course" said Rose. "But
that's true of the man, too, isn't it?
Otherwise, where's the equality?"
Her mother couldn't answer that ex-
cept with long sigh.
| Ever since babyhOod, Rose had been
devoted, by all her mothers plans and
| hopes, to the furtherance of the cause
of women, whose ardent champion she
herself had always been. For Rose
not Portia, was the devoted one.
The elder daughter had been born
at time when her own activities
were at their height. AS POrtia her
self had said, when she and her two
brothers were little, their mother had
been too busy tO-luxuriate in them
very much; and, during those early,
and possibly suggestible years, Portia
had been suffered to grow up, as it
were, by herself. 4
She expected Rose to marry of
course. But in her day-dreams it was
to be one of Roses converts to the
cause. Certainly Rodney Aldrich, who,
as Rose OutrageOusly had boasted.
rolled her in the dust and tramped all
over her in the course of their argu-
ments, presented violent contrast to
the ideal husband she had selected. In
deed, it would be hard to think of him
as anything but the rock on which her
whole ambition for the girl would be
shattered.
That night, during the process of
getting ready for bed, Rose put on
bathrObe, picked up her hairbrush,
and went into Portals room. Portia,
much quicker always about such mat
ters, was already upon the point of
turning out the light, but, guessing
what her sister wanted, she stacked
her pillows, climbed into bed and set
tied back for chat.
81 hOpe," Rose began, ''that you're
really pleased about it. Because moth
er isn't. She's terribly unhappy. Do
you suppose it's because she thinks
Tve-well, sort of deserted her, in not
going on and being a lawyer-and all
that?"
"Oh, perhaps" said Portia, indiffer-
emily. II wouldn't worry about that,
though. Because really, child, you
had no more chance of growing up to
be lawyer and leader of the cause
than / have of getting to be a briga-
dier-general."
Rose stopped brushing her hair and
demanded to be told why not. She
had been getting on all right up to
now, hadn't she?
"Why, just think" said Portia,
"what mother herself had gone through
when she was your age: put herself
through college because her father
didn't believe in higher education =
practically disowned her. Shed |
taught six months in that awful school
She was used to being |
abused and ridiculed. And she was |
working hard enough to have killed
a camel. But you'll :. Why, |
lamb, you never really had to do any
thing in your life. If you felt like
it all right-and equally all right IL
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11

change. later took Lydia 2. Pink
hams Vegetable Compound and soon
felt change for the better. took It
until was in good healthy condition.
recommend the Pinkham remedies to
all women as have used them with such
good results. Mrs. MILFORD 7. CUM
MINGs, 322 Harmony St, Penn's Grove,
N. j.
Such testimony should be accepted by
all women as convincing evidence Of
the excellence of Lydia Z. Pinkham's
Vegetable Compound as remedy for
the distressing ills of women such az
displacements, inflammation, liberation,
backache, painful periods, nervousness
and kindred ailments.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-05-11
Training Disabled Soldiers.

France is teaching some Of her
wounded soldiers how to be up-tO-date
farmers in spite of their disabilities.
At CeIlard, in the department of the
Loire, an institution has been opened
with complete equipment Of modern
farm machinery for the cultivation and
harvesting of crops, including tractor
for plOwing and other purposes. The
instruction is essentially practical, the
staff consisting Of a competent agri-
culturist and an expert mechanic
versed in farm machinery.