New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
Absolute Evidence lave | None
Tales Of Misdeeds of Patriotic
Citizen Grow in the Tell
ing and Hinder War Work
By Theodosia Garrison
OF The VigiIantes

Every now and again some interest
ing, revoluting or gruesome tale makes
its appearance, is seized upon with
avidity, retold with alscrity and
promptly spread over gullible com
munity that for some strange reason
seems to resent close inquiry into
facts and details. No human has ever
been able TO trace one of these thrill
ing stories 10 its source, though
strangely enough II always happens to
ones first cousin, oldest friend or a
relation of an acquaintance's husband;
always, in fact, TO somebody who never
is on the spot to tell the tale first
hand.
For instance, one can easily recall
the story of the woman (she lived at
various times in Maine, New York,
California and Louisiana and always
had different name) who went 10
luncheon, was beguiled into playing
bridge, lost a vast sum which she
couldn't pay and at night, with many
tears, confessed her sin TO her hus-
band. who promptly sent a check for
his wife's losses with an extra sum 10
pay for her luncheon 10 the wolf-like
hostess who had shorn his lamb. Why
this narrative of two short sports
should have enjoyed the popularity it
did is a mystery, but it went the
rounds blithely wherever humankind
did assemble.
Their Faith Was Sublime
Then came the thrilling romances Of
white slavery; none so obscure who
hadn't had friend, distant relative or
an acquaintance friends fancee
pierced by the poisoned needle of the
SLAYER. None who whispered these
tales had ever personally beheld, COM
municated with or knew the victims in
question, but the faith of the relator
was invariably sublime. To endeavor
to trace the story to its source was TO
find oneself in maze of believers who
triumphantly pointed to some one be-
yond with whom you could never catch
up. You recall the story Of the beauti-
fu. girl diving at the time in Brooklyn,
New York, Los Angeles and Chicago)
who went into the little Armenian shop
70 buy laces and was discovered hours
later by frenZied fiance in a sub-cel-
lar. drugged and neatly wrapped in
rug (like Cleopatra of old. waiting TO
be spirited away to untold horrors.
One of the latest stories going their
thrilling rounds has been told me as a
fact twice and once as a story pub
lished in some magazine name un-
knowf), always with a different geo.
graphical setting and a new set OF
names. This is the tale Of the gypsy
who was laughed at by certain lady
(residing at the time in Detroit, Plain
field, y. j., and London) for stating
with conviction that the war would end
in November, 1917.
AYE, laugh if you like" said the
seeress. "but it is as true as that your
chauffeur lies dead under your car this
minute" The lady. it seems, had left
her car by the curb while she entered
the enchanted tent, and when she re-
turned, behold. the chauffeur was dead
under the car, a victim of heart dis
ease.
Red Cross Suffers
The trusting soul who first told me
this tale even gave me certain details
as to the securing of an undertaken,
etc, but when | endeavored to trace
the story TO its source | found my
self promptly revolving in the mystic
circle of "So-and-so told me that =
friend who knew some one who was
there told her."
Well, all this by way of preamble TO
the fact that at the present moment
a series Of calumnies concerning the
Red Cross are being repeated ond
with the same conviction
that enhanced the foregoing fibs of
Yesterday. But there is a difference