davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1917-01-07

tell the whole truth all the time in busi-
ness-or in society, either-wouldn last
two hours. Think it over-think of the
possibilities'
"Still-she seems to do it,"
Irving craned his neck second time.
When he replied, he lowered his voice:
"Well-that's matter of opinion But
man couldn't do it and live! He couldn't
do it in business, and he couldn't do it at
home. Why, there's no argument Julian!
I'd bet any amount of money that man
couldn't go for one single day without
equivocating and temporizing, and even
telling a straight Out-and-out fairy story
every once in while-and not lose his
reputation and his hide and his friends.
In a sense, it isn't dishonesty-it' di-
plomacy But commerce depends on it,
and society depends on it. Why, man
who tried that stunt would be shot the
next morning at sunrise if he hadn't al
ready been lynched the night before!'
"Oh, it's hardly as bad as that said
Merrick. "Of course, suppose l try
finesse as much as any one else. But
you don't mean to say you think
man COutd Stt tuIouBH u udy
I'm inclined to think so. | know |
could do it myself. 1t seems to me you're
a bit pessimistic--'
well, just to convince you," said
Irving, in his best manner, "I'll call your
bluff-because, when you stop to think
about it and imagine you could do it,
you're bluffing yourself. In your heart
you knop I'm right. I'll give you two to
one you can't do it! Two hundred or two
thousand to your one. From this minute
toto the last bar of Home, Sweet Home
at the Country Club tonight. Before
then you'll run into twenty situations that
you can't possibly squeak out of without
dodging the issue, or saying yes when you
mean no, or vice versa. III bet you two
to one on It'll"
MERRICK grinned at him, and gazed
at the ceiling.
Its physical impossbility, de-
clared Irving hotly. you wouldn't have
a friend left in Kenilworth! | assume
that you're going to play golf this after
noon, and sit around in the grill and talk
afterward, and go to Mrs. Wilson's din
ner, and dance at the club later You'll
hare to do a certain amount of judicious
hedging. | can't trail you around as a
witness. but if you tell me you've told
hundred per cent. truth from start to
finish. I'll take your word for it. And
probably inside of half an hour some
body'll ask you a question that you
mont answer truthfuly. Why. it's in
evitable! The truths brutal, Julian
sometimes it's almost criminal! If YOU
can't see that
"The amusing part of it, said Merrick
thoughtfuly, lis that could use thou r
sand or so very nicely He didn't say
that his available cash, according to his
latest bank balance, amounted to nine
teen dollars, and that if he lost that
wager he couldn't pay it.
Irving was growing choleric.
"rhat's exactly where we differ! I'm
offering two to one-and I'd have an alb
solutely sure thing-on your promise to
go through the usual round Just what
you'd ordinarily do. Naturally, you
can't immure yourSalf in tho Inn
Evening star., 1917-01-07

prlmiy.
ON the 1922 Saturday express from
New York, young Mr.. Merrick sat
communing in the club-car with young
Mr.. Irving. Mr.. Irving was of the top
most stratum; and, by virtue of GER
tain Napoleonic attributes. he generally
usurped for himself the post of arbiter
and counselor and personal conductor to
the junior set of Kenilworth. He had
lectured to-day upon the value of poise
as current asset: not because he was
peculiarly fitted to elaborate upon this
topic, but because he hated to have as
many as one listener and not be the one
who was lecturing.
$50 when man applies for a job in our
Office" he said, "we put it up to him
pretty hard. We want to find out his
resistance and his poise. We say. in ef-
feet: All right. Offhand. now. give us
three good reasons why you think we
ought to hire you in preference to the next
man. And not one out of ten has enough
assurance to make even moderately
zippy answer. So"
Merrick frowned slightly.
as that poise, Billy, or is it smartness?
Isn't it possible that you overlook some
pretty good men that way?"
Irving shrugged his shoulders.
But I'm talking about salesmen,
Julian. And when they're out on the
road they get a lot worse questions than
that. They have to be ready for any
thing. So it's imperative for us to see
how quick on the trigger they are.
And you actually hire men on that
basis?n
"Very largely. You've got to hire EN-
on some basis, and that's as good as any.
IF that's so," said Merrick jocosely,
"the best salesman in captvity-that is.
by your own system--is out in keni-
worth now She'd be a whirwind-
typhoon! You'd better see if she doesn't
want job.
",She! Who's that"
Roberta Rus"
"Sh-h-h!" Irving glanced cautiously
about him. For Pete's sake, Julian.
don't mention names!"
"Slip of the tongue. Nobody heard it.
But, as / was saying. according to your
man. wouldn't she?"
WHY WOulu size!
Because she's got the finest line of
rapid-fire conversation in Keniworth.
Irving leaned forward.
"As type, Julian, strictly as a type,
I'm familiar with it in town. And COM
mercially it has too many defects.
didn't mean to imply that we'd hire a
man if he didn't have something in ad-
dition to quick thinking. I'll show you
why that type wouldn't do. Now, some
men are so dog-goned honest they fall
over backward. We run across that kind
frequently. And when man has the
combination of speedy thinking and that
ingrowing sort of honesty, he couldn't sell
silver dollars for sixty cents apiece. It's
psychological.
"You don't appreciate hundred per
cent. honesty, them" said Merrick.
"Why, like everything else, il can be
overdone-perhaps more outside of busi-
ness than in it. Suppose somebody asks
you if your brother is out West. You
don't need to say: Yes; in jail even if
1t happens to be true; you can say YES,
and let it go at that can't you?"
Surely; but"
Evening star., 1917-01-07

IilISlt dS wen nave ueTlNeu HIS pdUrOH\Inlc
from an incubator. His parents hadn't
been nobodies, exactly; they had been
immaterials. Their son was neither a
brilliant wit nor professional firt; he
had none of the fascinating virtues of a
philosopher, and none of the fascinating
vices of a roue. He had salary of four
thousand a year-in KenilwOrth a mere
pittance-frOm conservative bond house
on Broad Street; and out of it he was
able, by judicious management, to live in
the smallest room at the Inn, to belong
to the Kenilworth Country Club, and to
dress well on any occasion for which he
had due notice in advance.
ALL this would seem to show cause why
he should have been excluded from Ken
ilworth instead of being welcome. But he
was an affable youth soft-spoken and al
ways tactful; and therein lay his success.
AS a professor of Chesterfeldian suavity
he could have given valuable lessons to
Chesterfield. He never embarrassed a
hostess by declining a dinner invitation,
or by asking for specific partner, or by
failing to exert himself to please his COM
panion, however wrinkled At the most
heterogeneous functions he never-liter-
ally or figuratively on any ones
toes. He was courteously interested in
all women, and therefore offensive to
none. He was adorable to wall-fowers;
and he could drink tea without wincing.
No girl sighed with inward irritation
when she met him, but no girl palpitated.
He was rigidly pleasant to the skirted
universe, but he was desperately prudent.
And that was why, when he was finally
aware that his pulses We're quickening
under the influence of Miss Ruston's vivid
character he jammed down his cosmic
emergency brakes and let in the reverse.
So that Miss Ruston, suddenly amazed
by the charming neutrality of the man
she privately considered the best of his
sex in Kenilworth, asked her hostess fatty
what was the matter with him.
"The matter with him?' Mrs. Wilson
looked blank. "Why, I'm sure / don't
know. What did he say?"
Miss Ruston was explicit.
Nothing. Oh, he made his mouth go.
Technically, suppose he It'd talk And
he's been awfully nice to me-ever since
l came. But lately he's reminded me of a
compound fraction had to simplify once
when l was at boarding-school. 1t took
up half page in the textbook, and !
worked two whole evenings on it. The
correct answer was zero"
Mrs. Wilson laughed gently.
"My dear, Julian's sweet boy-he's
merely diplomatic. That's his hobby.
But sometime she prophesied, Julian
Merrick is bound to forget himself.
He'll lose that cast-iron reserve of his
and come out of ambush. When he does.
there'll be a splendid man for all the
girls to rave over. But he's so terribly
careful not to be ndscreet, not to be dog
matte, not to be presuming, not to be
argumentative, that he hasn't any color
If anybody could ever drag him out of his
shell"
"Oh, intend to-" said Miss Ruston
cheerfully. Hes peach. All wanted
to know was what made him so evasive
| asked him, and he blushed and said
misunderstood him. l shouldn't wonder
if he's plain bashful."
at ought to do Julian great deal of
good to talk to you,' said Mrs. Wilson
slowly. "He needs some dynamic girl like
Evening star., 1917-01-07
The Diplomat

By HOLWORTHY HALL
illustrations by Frederic Dorr Steele
Evening star., 1917-01-07

IDLY
a might well have derived his paronymc prmly
The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1917-12-21

candy, fruits and goodies for the SOL
dier's Christmas. Y,
The Red Cross is sending these, with
other gifts, through the Y. M. 9. A; to
Camp Sherman. The French Relief
reports that it has packed and ship
ped eleven boxes, containing clothing,
some new, some partly worn, but all
clean and mended. Also Christmas
bags, made and filled by the children
of Medina for the little unfortunates
of France. The express on the boxes,
amounting to eleven dollars, was paid
by contribution,
In the high school this week, Miss
Beech's classes in English, also some
of Miss Wheatley's older grades, have
for the subject of their themes: why
l should be member of the Red
Cross?" These will be judged by q
committee, the best ones to be printed
in these columns next week.
Mr.. M. E. Hawk is chairman Of Me-
dina county Junior Red Cross. Apply
to him for information in organizing
Junior chapters.
The Knitting Committee has re-
ceived instructions to have the sides
Of sweaters crocheted together, be-
ginning at the arm hole, with white
yarn or string. This is an order aris-
ing from the suggestions of a sur
geon that. in case of wounds, the
sweater might be saved by such ar
rangement.
The Committee also asks for the re-
turn of all steel needles not in Red
Cross use.
The Christmas drive for Member
ship has started off with loyalty and
"punch." Medina county is going
straight cover the top" this time.
Canvassers and others needing ex-
ira supplies or information may find
them at Fuller's store.
Annual membership, $1.00; so cents
returned to chapter.
Red Cross Magazine and member
ship, $500; rs cents returned to chap
ter.
Contributing Membership, $500
Sustaining Membership, $1,000
Life Membership, $4,000.
Patron Membership, $4,000
Every membership over $1.00 car
ries with it the magazine subscrip-
ton. This magazine is made up of ar
ticles and illustrations from the very
best authors and artists of our times.
So much talent for the least subscrip-
ton price of any magazine before the
public. Look it over at the Sylvester
Library, or at Fuller's store.
The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1917-12-21
LETTER FROM FRANCE

L I- n t l !. {.
Mrs. w. HI. Zimmerman of 515 Blake
avenue received recently the follow
ing letter from her son, Rollin, who
is Somewhere in France" The let
ter is a most interesting one and the
Sentinel is glad to reproduce it:
Nov. 16, 1917.
Dear Mother:
am sitting in an old hotel in port
somewhere in France taken over by
the U. S. Army. !,
never saw such busy place in all
my life and never expect to see a
"busier." At first glance all is con-
fusion, similar to P. 7. Barnun's cir
Gus grounds, but after brief analysis
YOU find that each one of the thous-
ands of soldiers, from general to cook,
have their duties and, believe me,
things are being done. d,
Ships, and more ships, troops and
more troops, men from every nation
blended into one grand organization to
handle the importations Of supplies
from Armour's hame to big guns.
Negroes IrOIu tHc ooutiI uihAVouihS
the big vessels, with swing and song
that shows the ever prevalent dis
position of this class to be happy any
place as long as they are fed.
Railroad men from all parts OF the
States laying tracks and building road
beds.
German and Austrian prisoners
pushing freight cars around by hand,
instead of using locomotive: Good
workers, they are, and bossed by Ger
man officers, but all guarded by French
and American soldiers.
Truck drivers and blacksmiths, tool
dressers and electricians, military po-
lice and traffic cops, automobile build
ers, etc, wonderful collection, thous-
ands of them.
I saw auto boys from Detroit as
sembling Ford and Dodge cars on the
ocean shore this morning in a fog so
thick you could cut it with knife. The
The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1917-12-21
and n 4 sanitary Way.

morally and in a sanitary way.
The cafes are open from 10 a. m.
to 2 p. m. and from 6 p. M to 8 p. m.
and the military police "sure do" pre-
serve order. These police and all
guards are from the Marines and are
fine bunch. .Ia 9s
have Hudson car to use during
my stay here and have driven about
200 miles to surrounding towns on
business in the past two days. The
country is beautiful and the roads
good for so or 60 miles per hour.
Coming in tonight along the ocean
road the fog was so thick we crawled
along at the rate Of IL miles per hour
for over 20 miles. That was the only
unpleasant feature. except that ! went
into the ditch once but pulled out
safely.
The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1917-12-21

motor group is by itself and has sew
eral thousand cars and trucks of all
makes.
This morning l was awakened by a
tramp Of feet and, looking out Of the
window, saw 1000 negroes marching
to work whistling the own band
music.
Soon afterwards came the Boche
prisoners and then the engineers,
blacksmiths, etc. They start at 6 a. m.
and work 10 hours per day and some
times at night. &a a
1t is all very interesting to me, and
| could tell you more, but dare not, so
will save it for the next time / see
you. fss,l@
But you may say this much, that
if the people at home think Uncle Sam
isn't taking care Of his boys they are
mistaken.
There are mammoth warehouses
built by our men, and these are jam
med full Of bacon, sugar, -four, jam,
salt and everything that feeds the
army. Another is full of auto spare
parts, another full of medical sup
plies and cots for the Red Cross.
Just outside the city Is q Red Cross
hospital. In the city is a Y M. G. A.
for the men and a separate club for
the officers on the sea shore.
Just say for me that we are over
here to stick until the finish, and may
the German Gott look out for his peo-
pie and protect them against the al
lied armies.
MY wife is in Paris and expect to
return in week or so, but cannot say
just when.
hope Donald reached home safely
and that he has written or told you
all about IT.
With best love to you and father.
R0LLIN
Somewhere in France.
P.S. I forgot to say that the COM
manding officer has complete control
of this city and has Cleaned it up,"
The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1917-12-21
THE RED CROSS

The Red Cross wishes you all a
Merry Christmas. And Though we
can't have real PEACE ON EARTH,
Just at present, we can have a double
portion of GOOD WILL TO MEN
(most specially soldier menu
Our hearts cannot freeze tight like
the water pipe and the milk bottles,
if we have done our-let's say our
sbest," rather than our 'bit." The
English Tommy who launched that
word, was ready to do his uttermost,
even to the supreme sacrifice. 1t be-
comes near-sacrilege to use it to cover
the paltry sacrifices that we stay-at-
homes may make, tho we give our best
ungrudgingly.
8 This is the first Christmas season in
which we are called upon to say OUR
COUNTRY FIRST, after that the lit
tie ones and the usual joys.
If you have the Red Cross Service
Flag in your window, with its possible
red and white stars; If you have a
big hole in your bank account made
my the purchase of Liberty Bonds and
Y. M. c. A. contribution; If you have
worked for and contributed to the
French Relief and the fund for Bel
gian children; if you have sent Christ
mas comforts to soldiers, both those
you know and those whom you may
never know; if you have bought those
little red and green seals to stick all
over everything, for the furtherance
Of the campaign against tuberculosis;
# you knit, knit, knit, give, give, give,
and smile, smile, smile, you will have
chased the blues out of their trenches,
and will have a God Bless U.s. Every
one glow, so that you will 60 to the
Princess theater Red Cross Benefit
Vaudeville, next Thursday night, to
have the good laugh which Is coming
to YOU. Il hope nobody "passes away
while reading that long sentence
Tickets are on sale at Wallis and Tut
Ties drug stores, Wright's book store,
) Brainard's jewelry store, and Mum
sons hardware store, at twenty-five
cents. and no war tax on Red Cross
benefits. The first performance will
be at seven o'clock, the second at
eight-thirty. Tickets will be of two
co'ors; be sure you get the right one
for the performance you wish to at
tend. Program will not be published,
but it will be worth while, as evil
denced by the sample of Festa night.
Red Cross, like the other dear Sun
day school children, voted for a Civ
ing Christmas, but looky, what he al
ready finds in his stockings; and may
his little compatriots fare as we'll.
The 9Th B and 7th A grades, Gar
field school, presented their beautiful
knitted Guilt to Red Cross on Tues
dav. The directors return thanks and
will make a suitable disposition. From
Chatham, four pairs of grand paja-
mas; from Granger, fourteen COM
plete, well set up sewing kits for
Christmas bags; from Leroy, eight
sweaters and two pairs wristlets; from
Hinekley, two half-bushel baskets Of
The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1917-12-21
FARMERS WEEK SOON

The sixth annual Farmers week
will be held at the Ohio State Univer-
sity College Of Agriculture at Colum-
bus from January % to February l..
The popularity Of this event has
grown to such an extent that last year
over 1000 farmer folks were in at
tendance. On account Of the acute
nature of current farm problems, the
program this year is expected to be
The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1917-12-21
v. c. 7. U. news

Members are asked to bring or send
to the M. E. church, Saturday, Dec. 22,
at 2 p. M, home baking, homemade
candy from molasses or honey, can
ned fruit, jellies, jam, nuts, vege-
tables, fruit, groceries, toys, clothing,
books and magazines, where they will
be packed in baskets and sent out to
the needy and shut-ins.
The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1917-12-21

more pointed and popular than ever.
Special attention win be given to
rural problems developed by the war.
The Extension Service, which is In
charge Of the program, is making an
earnest effort to obtain the best quail
fed speakers available. i8.
Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-06

attempt to dissuade you from the
worst Job you ever started In on. |
know your mind is made up. You
won't listen to me; you won't listen to
Scot: and I'm too good an Indian not
to know where get Of, or not 70
do what I'm told. But this Is what
I've been thinking Of lolfg. long
time; and that is what feel i ought
to say, here and new
The two men wee sitting In DE
SPANS room. De Spain was, staring
through the broad south window at
the white-capped peaks of the distant
range. He was silent for time. Il
believe you're right, John" he said
after II while. Il know you. are. In
this case | am tied up more than I've
ever been tied before; but I've got to
see 1t through us best can, and take
what comes without whining. My
mind is made up, and strange as it
may sound to you. feel that | am
coming back. Not hut what Il know
It's due me. John. Not but what l
expect to get ii sometime. And may
be I'm wrong now; but | don't feel
as it's coming till I've given all the
protection to hat girl that man can
give to Il Woman.'
ITO BE CONTINUEnJ
Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-06
CASTE AND THE MOP.

Kind Of Cleaner Americans Must Make
Fer India Trace.
seattle. Wa&A. Caste among the ia.
tiNcS of lndia has n serious effect on
the MOP market This is enc Of the
o S2Natlons made by Charles Dupuy,
statesmen for the manufacturer of a
pa;clt mop who has returned from q
three years tour Of the orient ana .,f.
RIGA.
TIE mop which Mr.. Dupuy vcnds
may DC used for cleaning the wall or
cleaning tn floor In India however,
1t can be used for but ono Of these pllr.
poses. Tho sweeper who cleans the
stone floors Of the dwellings, squuts on
his launches and Wie,(,s a rude broom.
raising considerable dust. When bro
ken away from this 2000ycar-old habit
he takes kindly TO the ratcnt mop
But tic native servant who dusts tie
walls will not touch the mop used By
Tic sweeper. who Is inferior In caste
In order to get around this custom
Mr.. Dupuy sold a three cornercd mop
to the sweeper and n round mop to
the buster. The buster In this way oh.
tanned an article Of different appear.
ancc to the swcepers. and unpolIuted.
Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-06
CHAPTER XXI.
An Ominous MESSAGE.

Few men bear suspense well: De
spain took his turn at 1t very hard.
Patience He repeated the word to
himself thousand times to deaden
his suspense and apprehension. Bust
ness affairs took much of his time,
but Mans situation took most of hts
thought. For the first time he fold
John Lefever the story of Mans find
ing him on Music mountain, of her
aid in his escape, and the sequel OF
their friendship. Leftover gave It to
Bob Scott in Jeffries' office.
What did tell you, John?" de-
manded Bob mildly.
NO matter what you told me-" re-
fortcd Lcfevcr. 'The question Is.
What's he to do to get Nan away from
there without shooting up the Nor
gans?"
De Spain had gone that morning to
Medicine Rend. He got back late and,
after n supper at the Mountain house.
wont directly to his room. The tele.
phone bell was ringing when he un.
locked and threw open his door,
III rs this Henry De Spain?" came a
voice. slowly pronouncing the words
over the wire.>
Eyes"
y have q message for you from Mu.
SIC mountain"
$50 ahead" 6
"rhe message is like this :1'Take me
away from mere as soon as You cam"
Whom is that message from?"
II can't call any names"
"Who are your
u can't tel YOU that Goodby."
Hold on. If you're treating me
fnir--and | believe you mean to-
come over to my room minute"
mo"
"Iet me come to where you arey
"No."
LET me wait for you--anywhere?"
mo"
"Do you think that message means
what it says?'
II know it does
"Do you know what it means for me
TO undertake."
" have pretty stiff idea"
ibid you get 1t direct from the
party who sent it2"