davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-12-17
TIE DAILY /
SHORT STOR Try
a Merry Christmas.

~ Lillian HALL CROWLEY
ICopyright. 1917. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate)
Poor Mrs. Medgely sat in her dis
ordered living room In an utterly
hopeless attitude.
aoh, dear" she sighed, n haven't
the heart to tidy the house or even
myself. TO think of Christmas only
three weeks away, and not one gift
for the children and no hope Of get.
ting any. am glad they are at
school; can at least have . good
rry!"
lust as she was getting out her
handkerchief preparatory to enjoying
this unusual luxury she heard the
postman'ss step on the porch. Habit
forced her to guip back the tears and
60 TO the door. He handed her sever
4 ii letters, all Of which she recognized
rs bills with the exception of one,
which bore the handwriting Of her
sister Judith.
y Anne. dear" she wrote. at last, I
can visit you. and shall be with you in
y Q few days
oh. dear! oh dear! To think Of
Judith visiting US at time like this,
4 when we can hardly manage, with the
high cost OF living, to set the table,
let alone having a holiday time!'
Mrs. Midgely INDUCED in the. de.
\ sired cry. then, realising there was
much to be done, she dried her eyes,
and with the relief that the shedding
Of tears gave her she started In to
4 put the house in order.
AT least we'll be Clean" she said
70 herself, as she made broom and
duster ny about.
Some months before this time Hen
~ Midgely had lost his position as
bookkeeper on account Of the failure
OF the firm for which he worked.
They had had no idea of impending
q conditions and were almost staggered
by the blow. The Midgelys had four
growing children and every month
had lived up to the salary. Mr.. Mid
gely had just found another position.
4 When Anne wrote home she did not
4 tell her family of their loss, and she
( bravely set herself the task Of max.
ing up for the months when debts had
5 accumulated.
Christmas! That was the hard part
Nothing for the children They had
had such jolly times before. with pres
\ e1lts for everyone. Now she had more
2 work than tver to do and less time
for making presents. even II she had
Y the money with which to buy mater.
ial.
II shall have to tell Judith" she
said to her husband that night, when
they were seated by the lamp and the
children were in bed, chow sorry we
are that we cannot make her visit a
pleasant one."
ss1t is too bad" said he. Judith
IS such q slave to your father, looking
after his every whim and never think.
ing OF herself. wish she had a home
Of her own. always planned to give
her a really good time whenever she
should make that long.deferred WIS.,
II"
Judith arrived, her face shining
with happiness.
AT last ! am here. Are you quite
we'll, Anne?p
.oh, yes, dear" Mrs. Midgelys
voice had strange note in 1t. Judith
looked up quickly.
You don't look well, Annc. What
is the matter?"
Poor Anne let the flcadgates OF her
The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-12-17
shipping. Anne met her With the

shipping. Anne met her with the
news:
"a nephew, John Leigh. had sur.
prised the Lamberts. He had seen
service in France. and is sent here by
the British oyernment on a mission
to Washington. He has weeks
vacation and has come to spend 1t
with them. insisted that he come to
our Christmas dinner, and they are
all going to call tonight"
How interesting" exclaimed Ju.
dtth. Perhaps he can advise me about
my Red Cross work"
Everyone was delighted to meet the
handsome young soldier and eager to
hear stories Of over there" from one
who knew. John became q great help
to Judith with her plans for the chill.
dren's Christmas and her Red Gross
work. In fact, he thought of SO many
things that he came to the Midgely's
at least once day and every even.
ing. He trimmed the tree while Jud.
18th made the simple things to adorn
It.
One evening Mrs. Midgely remark.
ed to her husband: II never saw a
young man so interested in children.
He looked up from his paper in
amused surprise. "My dear, do you
really think he is interested only in
the children?"
John, you don't mean, Judith?"
Certainly. 1t has been evident from
the first"
Christmas arrived-a glorious day,
with snow on the ground. The chill.
dren had hung up their stockings.
Into the. bottom OF each had been
placed the bright new cap and nit.
tens, and a gay bag Of candy on top,
while the other gifts were grouped
about the tree.
After the successful dinner was
eaten they spent the evening in sing.
ing carols. John had good tenor
voice and Judith accompanied him on
the piano. Then he sang military
songs he had learned in the trenches.
The guests took their departure,
vowing it the happ;est Christmas OF
al. Mrs. Midgely turned to her sis
ter.
"only think, Judith, was afraid
you would have q dull time. The chill.
dren have missed nothing, and you
have been an angel of mercy!"
Happiness has nothing to do with
the possession OF things" smiled Jul.
9th; at is all a state of mind. And
John and will have something to
tell you tomorrow, when he leaves for
the 'front.'"
The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-12-17

tears open and told Judith her trou.
bles.
cts only that we don't want you
to have a stupid time, Judith"
Never mind about me- answered
Judith. I'm wildly happy Just to be
here with you all. But l am glad you
told me-"
The children were delighted to
have their aunt with them. They had
often visited tho pleasant old white
house and it was happy party that
home, aud it was happy party that
surrounded, the dinner fable that
night. Mrs. Midgely. too, almost for.
got to be worried as she smiled at
her sisters high spirits.
Next morning after Judith had
kissed the four children as they left
for school she turned to her sistel
and said:
Anne, dear. We must take an in.
yentory of stock and see what VIC can
The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-12-17

NEW YoRK.-Here. Is the ideal cos,
tune the real outdoor girl OF winter
has yearned for. 1t has warmth, suit.
ability. and provides for the freedom
Of every movement. Moreover, It has
fetching military air of extreme time.
illness. The breeches are of wool
Khaki, with high laced boots that look
like puttees. The short, belted jacket
is Of chamois skin lined with wool. A
clipped beaver hat, small, close, and
untrimmed and pair of leather gaunt.
lots completes the costume whose de.
sign may come in handy when the war
sends US looking for lady lumberjacks.
The Tomahawk., 1917-01-18

q very young man with wavy hair and
flow of words that made Niagara
sound tricky in comparison. He was
a natural orator. Anyone within three
blocks could tell that. They told me
as he Numbered that he could speak
on any subject, and that his word pic
lures were marvellous. They told me
also that they always put him on at
the end Of the program, in order that
the audience might leave them when 1t
got enough, for the young man had no
terminal facilities whatever. Beyond
this one fault he was fine speaker,
they declared. and l admitted it as l
listened to him. He rode metaphors
and SMILES as soaringly as the eagle
rides a gale. He plunged into the past
and drew out hundreds of years of his
tory ut a grab. He rose shriekingly to
denunciation and sank gracefully into
poetry. He was unconquerable and un-
Quenchabe; also his grammar was
most interesting. stayed until most
Of the society had gone. and when l
left i was happy. The young man
was still speaking. and each hoarse
whoop which followed me down the
street made my idea seem more daz-
zling.
The freshman speech was one of the
features of our open meetings. 1t gave
each society chance to parade its
most promising freshman orator.
Usually it was detained with great
fury and as much eloquence as the
youngster could muster. We all laughed
at these speeches-you couldn't help
laughing at the wildly revolving arms
but we took a deep interest in them
for these boys were future college
orators and debaters. and whenever a
society had an infant phenom 1t gave
him full swing at its open meeting.
This year there were no phenoms on
either side. I was resigned to this fact
as far as Gnothautii was concerned.
but / was desperately anxious to round
out Adelphf's program. If only Adel-
NH could have this young man to be-
gin its open meeting I didn't seem to
care who closed 1t. They might even
import their senator alumnus if they
chose. 1t would give me great pleasure
to see him wait his turn.
took my large new idea home with
me and sat on it patiently for few
days. But 1t didn't hatch. 1t was a
tine idea, but the she'll was too thick.
The Tomahawk., 1917-01-18

college affairs. She had a real author.
who had received genuine money from
an actual magazine, and she had a
quartet which sang original songs.
Against this we had nothing out Of the
ordinary to put up, except a poor old
poet who taught school for several
years before coming to college, and
whose verse made the college paper
with difficulty. We were greatly de-
pressed over the outlook.
Somehow l felt that this was my
chance to do great deed for my So
ciety, not by Grating for 1.-THE idea
gave me cold shivers-but by putting
some kind of crimp in the AdeIphi
program. This was most uncOm.
Portable feeling to have, because l
didn't have the slightest idea how to
carry 1t out. no crude methods, like
putting disulphide in the hall or cut
ting off the heat. would DO. That would
be like winning race by hiring some
one to hold ones rival. had to make
Adelphi smear up Its own meeting.
1t was an awful ambition. was al
ways cursed by plans i've sizes too
large for me. They kept me feverish
and out of condition half the time.
tried to tell this plan to 60 lie down
and let me alone. 1t was keeping me
awake nights. But 1t wouldn't. 1t hung
around and sat on the edge of my bed
and got me hollow-eyed and so nervous
that got to wandering around the
town nights to get away from myself
That was how I happened to stumble
into an entertainment in little church
in the South end.
It was being given by a church 1T
erary society-everyone had literary
societies in Jonesville-and as soon as
| heard the extempore speaker began
to get all prickly and perspiring. This
was the first symptom of a great idea
with me. The extempore speaker was
The Tomahawk., 1917-01-18
THE MOMENT OF

two weeks Mordecai Boggs was only
delivering groceries in his spare hours.
The rest of the time he was special
izing at Siwash in rhetoric, compost
ton, oratory and English literature.
He was shy, freckled young man.
was Mordecai, for all his eloquence on
the stage, and he did not get acquafnt-
ed very fast. This was just as it should
be, for, naturally enough, before any
one else in college noticed him "Chub"
and I were fast friends and felt sure
ciety with a wave of the hand. We
felt so sure about it that we couldn't
help Dragging little. In fact, was so
indiscreet as to mention to Pitcher, an
Adelphi freshman, as we were dress
ing in the gym one evening late in
March that we had young freshman
cinched for our open meeting who
would not only out-orate their whole
society but would set the worlds rec
ord for freshman screechers Of all
weights. heights and cylinder areas.
Pitcher was so scornful that he
didn't spend over half an hour trying
to worm the freshman's name out of
me. 1t didn't do any good. can keep
secret. But Club couldn't. He got
to talking with an Adelphi senior the
very next day, and in the heat of an
argument over the societies merits.
running back to the time when Ban
ming. Gnothautii '46. wons nine inter-
society debates in a row. he not only
Dragged about our new freshman but
let his name slip out. And the very
next day we caught two Adelphians
taking Boggs down to stuff him with
oysters and fiction about Adeiphi.
We were so mad that we made the
whole campus echo. Both Club and
went to the Adelphi president and de-
nounced their efforts as high-handed.
underhanded. backhanded and two
faced. to say nothing Of cloven-hoofed.
We had practically pledged this young
man to our society, we declared. We
had induced him to enter college. He
was our property. If they were men
they would go away and leave him to
US. We almost cried as we pied.
Would they go away? Will the tiger
60 away from the nice. succulent young
lamb? They just laughed at uss We
made q desperate effort to persuade
Boggs to stay with US. and Club and
II hung around him so closely that III
The Tomahawk., 1917-01-18
DINAH KNEW HER BUSINESS
Of Course Red Dress at Funeral Was
Out of Order, but 1t Did Its
Work.

Mrs. Blank had in her employ col
club" which binds all it's members to
attend every funeral of a member upon
receipt of notification. One afternoon
Dinah's mistress saw her come down
the stairs, ready to go out, dressed
in bright scarlet dress. with a large
scarlet willow plume in her hat and
red parasol in her hand.
"Why, Dinah, l thought you were
going to funeral" said Mrs. Blank.
"Yes. Use going to the funeral" said
Dinah.
But you ought not to wear red to a
funeral" said Mrs. Blank. "You ought
to be dressed quietly in a dark dress -
Dinah poked the toe of her shoe with
her parasOl. and meditated moment,
and then said "Well. All reckon I
won't 60 back and change now; I'll
just wear this"
Some three weeks after this Dinah
approached her mistress and told her
that she was going to leave. because
she was going to be married Mrs.
Blank expressed her establishment that
Dinah even had an admirer. Dinah
simpered, and twisted the corner Of
her apron. and said mo, didn't
have one until just lately! Does you
remember that funeral All went to one
time when l wore my red dress? Well,
misus, dat shade of red done k0tched
de eye OBJ de corpses husband ~.
Nautilus.
The Tomahawk., 1917-01-18

To begin with. the boy wasn't In COL
lege. To end with, he wasn't in Adei.
phi. batted my head against this be-
ginning and this ending for a while.
and then took the whole business over
to "Chub" Frazier and asked him If
he could see anything in 1t.
'Chub" Frazier's real college name
was Chubby" "Chub" was only an
affectiOnate diminutive. he was tall.
lantern-jawed young man. who could
have used double-barreled shotgun
for pair of pants If 1t Hadn't been
for his feet. He contributed large
share of the ozone In Gnothautif meet
ings and was always adding to the Joy
of us listeners by rising soberly to In
qure for blue print and working
plans of the speakers pet joke, or to
announce that the last debater's bat
ting average on dates was only .lS7.
and to ask Indignantly If needless
young students were to be permitted
to massacre Nero 200 years before his
birth without a protest from the So
ciety. "Chub" was junior and skilled
in vain deeds. and when he heard my
story he embraced me with vigOr.
"Petey, my boy. have misjudged
you," said he. II have wondered why
you persisted In sitting around In Gno-
tanutii and breathing up so much of
our nice air. I apologize. You are
patriot. Lead me to this young wind
storm"
1t didn't take "Chub" two hours to
arrange the plan Of campaign. But he
didn't 60 to the young man first. He
went to the church society and ex-
planned to the leaders how shocking 1t
was that so talented young man
should be driving grocery wagon
when he should be attending college
and preparing to represent his country
IN congress. He did this so we'll that a
subscription was taken up, and within
The Tomahawk., 1917-01-18
Parting Shot.

But couldn't you learn to love nae,
Stellar" he pleaded.
Il don't think l could, Frank" she
replied.
He stood erect, then quickly reached
for his hat. ut is as feared-y0u are
too old to 'earn."-Everybody's Maya
zine.
The Tomahawk., 1917-01-18
Proper Result.

"That actress they are advertising
in such pushing way is a scream"
Maybe that is why they are crying
her up so
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05
To Preuent Old Age
Coming Too Soon! /!

sToxic poisons IN tho blood are thrown
Oh BY the kidneys. The kidneys act -
filters for such products. II We wish to
prevent old age coming too soon and M
creass our chances for . long Life, we should
drink plenty Of pure water and take .
little Anwic," says the worid-famed Dr..
Pierce of Buffalo, N. Y.
When suffering from backache, fre-
uusut or scanty urine. rheumatic pains
hero or there, or that constant tired,
woen-out feeling, the simple way to over
come these disorders is merely to obtain
Q EtGle Anuric from your nearest drug
1t and you will quickly notice the grand
resuls. You will find it many times
more potent than lithia, and that 1t
diDo1ves uric acid - hot water does
G>1E11s
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05

Tor womAn's ailments-it cures those
derangements and weaknesses which
make womAn's life miserable.
You can overcome most bodily Ills.
escape sickness, build up your health
with regular hours, plenty OF water. sen-
sible food, and . chance to get the poison
out Of the system. Take natural laxa-
tive once or twice weekly. Such . ono
Is made Of May-apple, juice Of aloes, and
root Of 1alap, sugar-coated and supplied
TO all druggists years ago BY Doctor
Pierce and known - Doctor PiarcoS
Pleasant Pellets. Get them to-dayI
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05
When a young man and his girl g
to the movies and hold hands they ar
sure to like the show.
GAS, DYSPEPSIA
AND INDIGESTION
"Pape's Diapepsin" settles sour,
gassy stomachs In five
minutes-Time It'll

You don't want . slow remedy when
your stomach II bsd-or an uncertain
one-or . harmful one-your stomach
IL too valuable: you mustn't injure It
Pape's Diapepsins IL noted for it,
speed in giving relief; its harmless
ness; its certain unfailing action In
regulating sick. sour. gassy stomachs.
Its millions Of cures In Indigestion.
dyspepsia, gastritis and other stomach
trouble has made It famous the world
over.
Keep this perfect stomach doctor In
your home-keep It handy-get large
hfty-cent case from any dealer and
then II anyone should eat something
which doesn't agree with them: II
what they eat lays like lead. ferments
and sours and forms gas: causes head
ache, diSziness and nausea: eructa-
tions Of acid and undigested food
remember ~ soon ~ Pape's Diapepsin
comes in contact with the stomach all
such distress vanishes. Its prompt
ness, certainty and ease in overcoming
the worst stomach disorders IL reve-
lation to those who try it--Adv.
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05
seaidsd to Death In Bath.

Canon City.-Timothy O'Conner.
aged &C, q ward Of the Colorado State
Odd Fellows Home at this place, was
the victim of q distressing accident,
from the effects of which he died
after much suffering. O'Conner. who
is a partial paralytic, in attempting to
take . bath turned on the hot water
and. being unable to turn 1t off, was
scalded SO severely that he died about
twelve hours later.
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05
F FRECKLES

11W Is the Time to Get Rid II These
Ugly 0peto.
She1s's NO Longer the s!ishtest need ct Ct
psSssS3ption othins - double strength = 10
guaranteed TO remove these homely spots
stsnGth-from your druggist. and apply .
iittle u Il night ana norning and you
hsvs begun to disaDpsar. while the lighter
ones have vanished entirely. II 10 seldom
plstssy clear the skin and gain beautiful
clear o0nnplexion.
oGhiDI. ~ this 10 sold under guarantee Of
ndunW back II II fails 70 remove frseklsA-
AN
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05
On High Gear Does the
Work of Four Big Horses
WORKS DAY AND NIGHT
PULLFORD only $l3S.OO
F. o. B., Quincy, Illinois

Attached 70 any Ford OF practically
any oehsr car IN 90 minutes. Re-
moved in lass time. No holes to drill
All stesl construction. Note steel
wheels, 10 inches wids. Docs all
your heavy hauling coal, wheat,
hay, potatoes does your plowing,
narrowing, seeding, harvesting. etc.
LuRs can bo removed from whoeIs,
aud larger sproeket II furnishod for
road hauling. Live agents wanted In
every county In Colorado, Wyoming,
Now Mexicot and We-tern Nebraska.
Writa or Nire 1t once for circular, or oC
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05
How Much Should We weight

INV WoGV 0t0Vso We ~6"'
A simple way to ascertain ones
Ideal weight was told recently by
DR.. Harvey g. Beck Of the Univer-
sity Of Maryland In an address before
the Los Angeles County Medical asso-
ciatisn at Los Angels, Cal.
Fhst, put down ITO. Then multiply
by ~ the number Of inches by which
one's height exceeds i've feet. Add the
result Of the multiplication to the orig
Inal ITO and the sum is ones ideal
wcight.-Popular Science Monthly.
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05
Killed In Auto Accident.

Grand Junction.-Della Hartbauer.
IL. is dead: Alexander Poe, IS. II be-
lieved dying; Mrs. Poe has an ugly
scalp-wound. and three other children
are injured as the result of a fifteen
foot plunge over an embankment near
Clifton. when Mr.. Poe backed off the
road in attempting to turn his car.
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05

Homo Guard TO Foil War Piottsrs,
Pueblo.-A meeting q the Com
msrce Club was held and organized
= guard here for protection Of the
mills and plants here In case the
United States and Germany % to
war, against foreign plottsrD.
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05
Girl Dies From Poison.

Boulder-Four hours after the birth
of daughter in the family of William
T. Mundt here his daughter Minnie
~ years old, died from the effects
of carbolic acid crystals, administered
in play by other children.
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05

Jury Declares Mrs. Nelson Insane.
Boulder. Colo.-"Temporary insan-
ity" was the moving force which
prompted Mrs. William A. Nelson to
hang two Of her infant children. at
tempt strangulation Of a third, shoot
. fourth and then commit suicide, at
her home east of Boulder. according
to the finding of coroner's jury here.
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05
MRS. SMITH ACQUITTED
FREED ON FIRST BALLOT OF
NUMBERING HUSBAND
Mrs. osnlth Thanks Jurors Whe Send
Her to Home and Little 0in -
oobs Almost Choke voieo.

western Nswspaper Union News ssrvies.
Denver-freedom ON the first bal
lot. That was the verdict Of the
twelve men who decided that Stella
Newton Smith did the right thing
when she shot John Lawrence Smith
to death In her home, 1910 Montview
boulevard, on the morning Of Jan. 13.
Nor did It take the jury long to
come to its decision. Within a few
minutes Of the time that it went to
the jury-room there came . knock on
the door. which led to its opening.
and the subsequent reading Of the ver-
dict which gave to . smiling. yet
sobbing woman, the happiness of free
dom. Outside the court room. where
men and women had gathered to re-
ceive the news Of the verdict, there
were cheers and hand-clapping as the
news passed to them. Within, there
were tears of Joy and the sobs Of hys-
terical women a they crowded about
the almost hysterical Mrs.. Smith to
congratulate her upon her scquittal.
Mrs. Smith sat as one craven for .
second. the features Of her face dead
and still. Then the muscles worked
hysterically. A laugh and 4 sob Joined
themselves in her throat. And then.
her attorneys following her. she
rushed forward to clasp the hands Of
the 1urymen and thank them for their
verdict.
II can't tell you how grateful I am. :"
she sobbed. II just can't tell you
you've made me happy again-I can
60 home now, home to my little girl"
Then the whole forward part of the
Jury room filled with . surging mass
Of people, all Of them anxious to touch
the hand Of the woman who had been
freed. all Of them struggling to tell
her that they were glad and that the
Jury had given . Just verdict.
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05
.v,o eattaIIon, Held IN aervIee.

Two eattaIions Held In Service.
Denver.-The First and Second sep.
arate battalions Of Colorado National
Guard infantry, ordered held in the
federal service by . special order
from Washington, are at Fort d. A.
Russell. Wyoming.
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05
A PRETTY FACE d tbs result Of heafsn,

physical condition.
tBeauty 10 but skin
deep" yet It greatly
depends ON Q clear
omplexion, free
from wrinklee and
hollow cheeks.
Health always
brings wealth Of
beauty. A healthy
state ot the system
comes with Doctor
Plerce's FAvorite
Prescription. It's .
Cheyenne record., 1917-04-05

Fort Morgan Man Made Appraiser.
Fort Morgan.-R. T. Ambrose OF this
city received announcement that he
had been appointed as land appraiser
for the Ninth district by the Federal
Loan Board at Washington.