davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22

honeIy needs of the boys in training
One of the most appreciated Things
done at the Hostess House was TINS
A soldier came in one day, ana IN
stead OF following his nose straight
into the cafeteria, he hesitated just
inside the door and looked around IN a
rather embarrassed fashion. Finally
he approacheA the hostess, Il was just
wondering whether there was any one
here who would fix a sweater for me-
he said. My mother sent me one,
but it seems to be coming undone ana
I'm afraid to wear il any more" Mrs.
Allen told him that it was probably
only the result of a dropped stitch and
that if he would bring it over she
would fix it for him. This boy went
off to war not long after encased in
mothers own handiwvrk saved thru
the kindness of the Hostess House
secretary.
Another time a soldier was talking
to one of the hostesses concerning re-
ligion and the Bible. He expressed
the opinion that no one knew what
happened to one after death. The
hostess refuted this statement by ask
ing him if he ever looked in his Bible.
I've tried to-" said the boy, II bought
one at the Y. NJ. c. A the other day
and looked at it but couldn't find the
place." The hostess then offered to
mark the places where this informa-
ton could be found, and was amply
thanked in the boys remark. 81 want
to be able to find those places always"
So much for the work among and
for the soldiers, who after all are the
most prominent in the eyes of the ma
ton at this time. OF the work for
the girls, just two instances, one of
the girls of the Maynard type and one
of the work with some who 'just for
get'' to write home.
OF the first type and the methods
of handling them, one secretary
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
Three Men Lose Money in the
Tent Stove Fire.
Absent Minded Soldiers Were
Excited Over "Returns."
ONE THREW AWAY ENVELOPE
Then Read Letter Which Said
Enclosed a $40 Bill"
Another Saw His Five Spot
Sucked Up the Flue.

There's a story of an absent minded
male cashier chewing tobacco on a
busy day At the same time he was
obliged to make change he found his
mouth filed with tobacco Juice.
In other words. he had to expector-
ate and make change simultaneously.
He spat in the cash register and threw
the dollar in the cuspidor.
That's one hard luck story. Three
men in Topeka's Battery have stor-
les just as tough to tell. And, it Is
told in the following manner in the
Trench and Camp published at Camp
Doniphan for the soldier boys, the
same as Trench and Camp is pub
lished by the State Journal for the
boys at Camp Funston:
Battery A men appear to be in
need of a rabbits foot, or some charm
that win improve their luck Three
of them have had misfortunes thru
handling money before stoves in their
tents and the frequency with which
the mishaps occur. make IL seem that
a jinx is following the organization.
only a short time ago, Bugler
Haynes was the reputed loser of a
flue, when it fell from his hand to
the floor.
zone night last week. Sergeant Cox
received a letter from home and
opened IL before the stove. casting the
envelope inside before reading ii. In
a few minutes he found mention of
a ten-dollar remittance which was be-
ing sent him. He made a careful
search but finding no trace of the
money, concluded that he had inno-
Gently burned il with the envelope
Third. comes Sergeant Shelton. II
seems that he had a wad of paper in
one hand and eight dollars in cur
rency in the other. He raised the lid
of his stove, intending to throw the
waste paper inside. but empties the
wrong hand. Result, eight dollars
gone.
three men from the same Battery
should have similar misfortunes. but
il this is a coincidence, then what OF
the fact that these three sums lost.
when added, give a total of % dol
| lars) ?"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
BROUGHT TO TOPEKA

Capt Ruhlman. Alleged Fraud Art-
list, Accused of Impersonating OFFICER.
Dressed in off-color khaki and the
black puttees he is said to have worn
when making large purchases which
Missouri firms thought were being
bought for the United States govern
ment, Captain" Joseph S. f. Ruhl-
man. arrested in st. Louis several days
ago for impersonating an army Off
ficer. was brought to Topeka by
deputy United States marshRls from
Missouri.
Ruhlman, it is asserted, represented
himself to be a government army Of
ficer and bought merchandise in Sc
Joseph, Mo-. and other cities to the
extent of several thousand dollars. The
bulk of these goods, officials assert.
was shipped to Camp Funston, where
a regular army officer helped to dis
pose OF them. The firms selling the
attention to the detail of getting their
money. because they thought they
were dealing with the government and
that it was absolutely safe.
1t was reported at the United States
marshars office this afternoon, thar
the army officer at Camp Funston,
who was implicated in the defraudink
scheme. has been placed under arrest.
Ruhlman, who is a polished. wen
appearing young man about 80 years
old. refused to talk about his case
after his arrival here. He waived pre-
liminary hearing before United States
Commissioner Campbell and was
bound over to the federal grand jury
that will convene in Kansas City, Jam
uary IA.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
j. w. HOWE'S NEW BOOK
Abilene Editor and Former State Sem
ator Writes of Boys and Girls.

Abilene, Kan, Dec 22-J. W..
Howe, editor and publisher of the
Dickinson County News, and for four
years member of the state senate,
has just issued from his plant here a
Christmas book under the title Our
Boys and Girls
1t is a handsomely printed book,
with a cover illustration in colors by
Carl P. BOlmar, artist of the Topeka
State Journal, and has been placed
on sale in several parts of the state
The book deals with the problems
confronting the parents of today in
relation to their children of school
age. Senator Howe for many years
greatly interested in organizations that
dealt with the wholesome entertain
ment of young boys and coupled with
his experiences as secretary of the
state board of control where he had
charge of many of the matters in con-
nection with the state schools, he
writes in Our Boys and Girls from
experience and expert observation
No doubt the book will find its way
into many Kansas homes where it will
be recognized and appreciated as a
means of improving juvenile questions.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
s,s'D HHsAe5
30
Bo1sE0cnssTz

You see a chicken so trim und neat
She looks you right straight in der
eye,
Idt iss nodt your beauty she bass In mind,
Idts Red Cross stamps dot you must
puy.
You see a banker you long haff known.
IND off whom you've reason TO be
fond,
You greet him gladly und ask hiss health,
Den let him sell you a Liberty bond.
You go into a drug store then.
You want to puy smoke
They're sending tobacco to soldchers now.
So vot you gedt iss rope
You go to eh1reh Sunday morn.
But der preacher does nodt talk
He's sendt hiss bible on to France.
IND gone ouidt for a walk.
So, NIT Liberty bonds und Red Cross.
IND Baby bond stamps und der like.
Nit increased postage und taxes
Und food prices all on der hike;
Und Citing mein clothes to der Belgiums,
yOt 1 haff left ISIS a lot
So / may as well rhoin der army
IND hurry to France und be shot
Hoping you are der same,
Your fader,
LOUIE SCHSITZ
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22

writes: I'VE have had several girls
of more than dubious morals and after
working with them and watching
them carefully We have had them in
vestigated by the police, who have
had them quietly sent home, because
in almost every instance the girls were
young and had left home on account
of some trouble with their families"
OF the forgetful or unthoughtful
type, this same secretary writes: Mrs.
Dill of a small Kansas town wrote to
us in great distress to know if we
could find her daughter Celia who
had been away from home for a week
and from whom nothing had been
heard This even tho the mother had
written three or four times. It hap
pened that one of the secretaries re-
membered bringing in a girl of that
name in the car, and having a long
talk with her. A little trouble and a
few inquiries in the, right place re
suited in our finding Celia in our
dormitory. She gave US two letters
for her mother and promised to write
regularly thereafter"
And this is the kind of work the
people financed when they obersub-
scribed the Y. W. c. A. war work
campaign.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22

House stands on ground donated for
it by the townsite promoters, and now
consists of two dormitories, we'll and
completely equipped with a cafeteria
and a commodiouS entertainment and
reception parlor.
Scattered about the reception and
entertainment room, which is the
feature most used by the soldiers, are
a great number of easy chairs all fin
ished in green stain and ranged at
tractiyely before a huge stone fire.
place that sends out its wonted mes
sage Of comfort on the coolest days.
As to the work itself the words of
one of the secretaries on duty in the
Army City Hostess House explains
very we'll, THE purpose of the
Young Woman's Christian associa-
ton in this kind of war work is the
recreation, protection and conserva-
or living in or near an army camp"
she says. while the buildings in
Army City minister to the community
needs yet their primary purpose is
the service in every way possible of
girls and women. The busy life of
the secretaries in charge of these
buildings is ample proof OF the def
mite need of the work of the Y. w.
c. A. at Army, City"
Pleasure to Soldiers.
Many are the stories of anxious
mothers and sweethearts that come
TO the ears of the Hostess House sec
retaries thru the women themselves
and thru the soldier VINO so impatient
" and nervously awaits the arrival
of his loved ones. And a visit from a
mother or father or a sweetheart or
any other loved one is truly a moment
10 be long remembered by the soldier
in the days when he will freeze and
sweat and live in the very nav of
death in the trenches of the American
army on the foreign battle fronts.
Many and multifarious are the
illustrations OF the hostesses to the
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
ELECT PORK AND.
Still Other Tommies Chose
Turkey for Christmas Feast.
TOmmies and Sammies Will
Celebrate Holiday Together.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sDNfs.

With the British Armies in the
Field, Dec. 22.-For the first time in
history, British Tommies and Ameri-
can Sammies will celebrate Christmas
together.
Arrangements were being com
pleted today for a whole series for a
mutual holiday-shin digs and blow
outs circumstances permitting.
The Americans are widely scattered,
making gatherings difficult and in
some cases impossible-but some sort
of celebration is to be held wher-
ever Tommies and Sammies meet.
Back behind the lines in ruined viii
lagos and camps concerts and special
vaudeville performances have been ar
celebration.
Foot of Snow Over Front.
A canvass of the Tommies by their
commanding officers to find out Just
what sort of eats they wanted for
this Christmas spread has developed
some freakish appetites.
One captain asked his men whether
they wanted turkey or pork and beans
brown on the top. The pork and
beans won hands down.
There will be no fraternizing on the
British front. That much is certain.
Christmas day in the trenches will
be Just like any other war day-de-
pendent upon developments
Today all the front was decorated
in a mantle of snow a foot deem.
There has seldom been a more quiet
landscape in the war zone than the
one seen all along the line.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22

Mein dear son Heine:
II money talks as peoples say.
There ISIS no doubt, puy Heck.
Dot skolleges sound like boiler shops,
So heremit iss der check.
Say, Heine. amt dis var a fright
Nit soldehers. sailors, ships und guns
All doing DER ding bust-ed-est
To kill der Kaiser und der Huns?
But you don't haff to go to France
To know puy goily dot we're adj var,
For Everywhere dot you may go
You understood idt more und more.
You see n friendt GONE down der street.
You rush Oop und extend your hand.
Expecting TO hear apoudt hiss kids
But he talks var talk to beat der
band.
You wonder den as you look round.
Und see der peoples passing puy,
If dey are really vot dey seem,
IND vich yun iss Cnerman spy.
You gedt into a Sixth street car
To ride und so safe time,
Conductor ge-kicks you in der Stats
IND says Nit yar-tax, fares a dime
You try to use der telephone
Idt doesn't work as of yore.
Central says Talk quick and safe der
juice,
Pecause dis country iss adj var"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
HAVING A GOOD SALE
Major Harvey's Book in Big Demand
at Local Stores.

Large sales of Mai. A. NJ. Harvey's
book, Tales and Trails of Wakarusa"
are reported by local book agents.
Major Harvey dedicated the book to
the soldier boys of 1917. He says in
the preface:
This book OF tales and trails of
people whose annals are vacant is
dedicate to the nineteen-year-o
soldier boys OF 1917 and to their
comrades; and especially to that nine
teen-year-old soldier, Randall Cone
Harvey, whose image and whose ser
vice is with US by day and night
May their service help bring to a
war-cursed world such peace that the
annals of all men will be stories of
love, companionship and association
one with another"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22

Advertising Companies.
DIRECT ADVERTISING CO.
412-414 Central National BANK Bldg-
Phone 1s45.
Bicycles and Motorcycles
SHAWNEE CYCLE CO..
ia East It'll st.
Phone 400.
Business Colleges.
DOUGHERTY'S BUSINESS COLLEGE.
George E. Dougherty. Pres. us West sth
Banks.
MERCHANTS NATIONAL BANK.
New England BuildiLg.
Phone 4113.
Druggists
MARSHALL BROS,
LIS Kansas Ave.
Dry Goods.
WARREN n. CROSBY CO.
613-1- Kansas ave.
Phone 3JG9.
Electrical Fixtures, RePaiIs Supplies;
fetic supply. ZIG Kantas Ave.
Eye Specialists.
DR.. d. r. PAINE,
us Kansas Ave.
Express Dray and Transfer
TOPEKA TRANSFER CO. c Il White.
Phone s55G
Insurance.
FALKINER & WENTWORTH GEN
eraI Insurance. 4o9-1 New England Bldg
Phone I'LL.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
A Soldiers Christmas Thought
BY Lieut. f. W. Wngart CTopeka), Battery
Artillery, Camp Cody.

"Reveille" sounds clearer than usual these Deem
Der mornings. Perhaps it is the crisp air. No, not
that 1t is the call of the Christmas spirit which
creeps thru mans body and whispers in his ear:
Peace on earth, good will toward men,
In soldiers life that spirit means more than ever
before He cannot help but feel that his efforts will
make peace and good wil' possible to all peoples so
he takes new deeper breath and puts more vigor in
his lunges with the bayonet he works harder and
with more determination.
He has no regrets because the holiday season holds
no nsel or glitter holly for him. He is not bitter
for back home he knows the folks are going to be
cheerful and happy, and when HE gets "back home"
there will be booming of guns to dull the Christ
spirit of the world and submerge the bounds of
democracy. Then bondaged Belgium war-stricken
France, burdened England and threatened America
enjoy the freedom that is truly theirs with no
spectre of Hohenzolernism casting murky shadow
Oh what Christmas time that will be! One in
which the free peoples of the earth may hold up their
heads and offer sincere prayer for those who made
it possible
At this thought the soldiers muscles become taut
his eyes glisten, before him come pictures of Hun
atrocities and what will happen to his loved ones if
he fails quicker step; fiercer purpose. He will
not fail His body stand the strain and his mind
is certain; his spirit undaunted. He knows what the
price of victory may to hn-death But no
matter He does not falter, just digs in the harder
He feels when the final TAPS is sounded it will truly
be peace on earth"
What privilege to be soldier
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
THE PEACE OF THE PRAIRIEs
BY ISIRI zUMwAIT.

I have walked the dim paths of the forest
Far back from the frequented ways
Where the wilderness wide and unconQuered
In shadowy solitude lays.
l have been in the heart of the desert
With the tawny earth stretching away
To far distant, low lying ranges,
Haze curtained, nebulous, gray.
| have dwelt among towering mountains
That change not as centuries pass,
Untroubled by tempest or torrent,
Immovable, voiceless and vast.
I have stood on the beach while the breakers
Came rolling increasingly in
From afar on the fathomless ocean
With its distances misty and dim
But the mountains majestic and silent,
The forest primeval and free,
The deserts far flung desolation,
The tireless tides of the sea,
Can neer be enshrined so devoutly
In the innermost depths of my heart
AS the wide stretching sweep of the prairies
And the peace that the prairies mpart,
The grass growing green on the hillside,
The breath of the soil on the breeze,
The wheat fields whitening to harvest,
The sigh of the wind in the trees,
The glistening snow fields of winter,
The crystal bows swinging aloft
The sunsets, not gorgeous nor garish,
But hazy and tender and soft
For. the scenes of my youth long departed
More wondrous forever shall be
Than forest or towering mountain
Or desert or far swelling sea.
And no matter how far I may wander,
Be it cen to the ends of the earth,
l shall ever turn backward in longing
To the far away land of my birth.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
REAL PLEASURE TO SOLDIERS
Men Come to Home With Their
"DOmestic" Troubles.
1t Is Here, Also, They Meet
Mothers and Sweethearts.

Very shortly after the United States
entered the world war. the officials
of the national Y. w. c. A took
a long sight ahead and realized that
the conditions in the environments
planned for the training of soldiers
would be a place destructive to the
morals of the girl workers who would
be inevitably drawn in to the work in
and around the camps. To provide
a safe place for these girls and to
care for them physically and men
tally was a problem. 1t was met and
solved. The Hostess House is the
answer.
One of the first of these Hostess
Houses was erected at Army City, the
mushroom town that sprung up over
night just across the road from Camp
Funston. The Army City Hostess
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
WON'T GIVE UP BELGIUM
Austria in Pledge to Support Huns in
Retaining Alsace-Lorraine.

Paris. Dec: 22.--Austria-H Hungary is
pledged to support Germany in reten-
ton of Alsace-Lorraine, according to
a dispatch printed today in the Matin
purporting to reveal the text of the
agreement between the two biggest
central powers.
The Matin also asserted Germany
had determined not TO Cvacuate Bel
GUM and France unless her colonies
were restored.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22

BAUGHMAE BROS.
2235 Lincoln st.
Phone se4o.
TOPEKA PURE MILK CO,
f0O-O2-of Jackson st.
Phone So.
R. II. MoREHOGsE.
42T Holiday.
Phone 1923.
Loans. Mortgages. Financial AEenta.-t
FARM MORTGAGE CO..
Crawford u. g.,
PIONEER MORTGAGE CO.
4th Floor Mulvane Bldg.
Phone PA
Mattress Factories. 80
MCINTYRE BROS, SPRINGS. BEDS
Mattress Factory. 227-220 Quincy. -
Phone 5273
w LEWIS Opticians
SOC Kansan Ave.
photographer
Tc7 Kansas Ave
Phone 1888
Real Estate Dealers. Loans. Insurance.
c. p. BOLIVAR REAL ESTATE,
Collections. 30 Columbian Bldg.
Phone T25 Ring 2
Sand Dealers.
TOPEKA sAND co,
Foot of Topeka Ave.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Telephone numbers and addresses for
ing Filed this list could be called often for quick
1t will Saturday If represented
call Phone $3.50 Adv. Dept for information
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
fewer CLOTHES!.
Edict Applied to WOmen's
Clothes Causes Alarm.
Must Conserve CIOth-SO Skirts
Must Be Shorter.

BY MARGARET MASON.
written for the Topeka state JOurnal)
We've meatless days and wheatless DAYS
But now then Goodness Knows
What will we do on clotheiess Gays
Especially when it SHOWS.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22
1T is The ANSWER.
Hostess House at Army City
Solves Many Problems.

One of Greatest Tasks Ever
Undertaken by Y. w. C. A.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-22

This was the shortest day of the
year; only nine and four-tenths hours
long.
The Raymer enterprise., 1917-01-04
Hydroplane a Freak.

The hydroplane of the day is a
freak in every sense Of the word. The
various types Of underhGdy eonstrue.
tion are designed tc give tie boats
lifting power. to lessen the draft un
der speed, and, consequently. the dis
placement-in ether and palmer
words, to lessen the amount of water
that has to be pushed aside In the
endeavor to make high speed. The
hydroplane Is the outcome of years oil
study by the best naval architects and
marine engineers in freak-boat con
struction. Thousands OF dollars ara
spent annually on these freaks, but
many are thrown on the Junk pile and
the effort repeated. All Of these boats
are overpowered, as one would con
slider the needs of an ordinary boat,
But extra power Is added TO gain a
little extra speed. Thus one of the
Atlantic coast owners is this year du,
pllcating his power by adding sec
ond motor to a f5.miler with the hope
Of adding an extra ten miles an hour
to the speed This may be termed
freakishness, yet in the quest for the
60-miler all sorts of freakish things
are being undertaken.
The Raymer enterprise., 1917-01-04
How Town Was Named,

An interesting story Is told as to the
origin of the name "Moose Jaw" as ap-
piled TO town In Canada. Some 50
years ago, so the story runs. pioneer
with his team OF oxen and ''prairie
schooner" while passing along the
banks of the river. was Obliged to
camp at this point In Saskatchewan
on account Of an accident to his cart.
A spoke had fallen out during the
day. and the wheel was falling apart.
He looked about for something TO In
sert for n temporary brice for the
wheel, while his wife busted herself
with the evening meal.
The pioneers child, while romping
around, found the jawbone Of Il moose,
which she held up to her father, aho
by this time almost despaired of find
Ing anything with which to repair his
cart. lie was delighted to find that the
jawbone exactly fitted the place of the
missing spoke. The Indians thereafter
named this district "The Place Where
the White Man Found the Moose Jaw"
This, 1t Is said, accounts for the towns
queer name.-Washington Star.
The Raymer enterprise., 1917-01-04
carb OF Roumanians.

The Wallachian peasant who has
not adopted the hoineiy clothes that
come from the ready-to-wear factor
les of western Europe is a pictures
quely dressed man. His costume Is
white. The trousers are something
like twice the length of the leg, and
are made to fit with numerous wrin-
kles; his shirt is made TO hang tunic-
like over his trousers and Is gathered
at the waist with red belt; his coat
is n sort of military cape, usually Of
brown woolens or of tanned sheepskin.
The peasant woman usually grows
some silk. She buys the silkworm eggs
and uses the spare bed, II there be one
In the house, as hatchery. She feeds
the worms on mulberry leaves, and, II
the ants do not invade the place and
destroy the worms, she soon has
enough fiber for veil or waist. She
spins and weaves It herself. She has
n keen appreciation of color values
and combinations. She embrolders her
dresses with thread she has grown
from the seed-so to speak-for she
plants the flax, gathers the fiber and
carries II through all the processes,
from breaking and cording to spin
ming.