davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1917-08-11
DINING CHAIRS
All at 200 on Regular
Price
BUFFETS

In mahogany, fumed
oak, golden oak and in all
the wanted period designs.
The Washington herald., 1917-08-11
UPHOLSTERED ART
REED PIECES

Large variety OF Art
Reed Chairs and Rockers,
in green. gold. old ivory.
baronial brown. etc. fin-
ishes at 20go reduction.
Gilpin observer., 1917-08-23
the Charming secre, defense fund.

the Claiming secret defense fund.
You do not know what that last
means. 1t is to enlighten you-lest l
perish with my secret undivulged-that
am writing tonight. have to inform
you concerning that sacred trust, that
bequest of your patriotic forefathers.
One hundred years ago. almost to
day, the first John Claiming died. He
was Virginian, friend of Washing
tons, soldier, Il, patriot, gentleman
OF fortune, character, intelligence and
of almost prophetic foresight. He had
served through the War of Independ-
ence. When the War of 1912 broke out,
he resigned his ease and took the field
as II colonel of militia.
In his military capacity John Chan
ming the First was an intimate observer
of the lack of organization, military
spirit, training, ability to fight, that
characterized the American forces.
What he had experienced made a
profound impression upon him. He
never ceased to plan to protect his
and ITS greatest enemy-itself. In the
fatuous blindness of a people who then
as today believed sacred and just
cause the equivalent of resistless
weapon of defense, who thought they
had no need to train themselves for
war so long as they warred only for
the right, the first John Claiming fore
saw an intrinsicy inbred weakness of
the people, prolific of perils which he
conceived 1t to be his duty to combat.
Some time prior to his death. there
fore, he consulted with the first Peter
Ripley, my forebear and the founder
of that line of legal advisers to the
Claiming family which must perish
when l perish. Between them, the
two schemed out n scheme for fund
for national defense in time of danger
through what we have lately learned to
term "unpreparedness." One half of
the, even then, very considerable Chan
ming fortune was set aside to be the
nucleus of the Claiming secret defense
fund, to be drawn upon or expended
wholly only in gravest national emer-
gency.
The secret and the custody of the
fund was handed down from father to
Gilpin observer., 1917-08-23
EPISODE TWO
Treasure" /"

So young was the June morning that,
though cross-town streets already
giowed with sunlight well nigh as
bright II not so warm as that Of noon
day, wide areas Of shadow fingered
athwart Fifth avenues silent reaches
like still broad banners of translucent
violet.
The thoroughfare was as lifeless as
Main street In any village Mt church
hour Of Sunday; few policemen
blinked Indifference at the taxicab fly
Ing southwark at such lawless speed.
A few blocks south of Fourteenth
street the vehicle (driven with a reck-
lessness arguing the prospect of sub
stAntial tip as reward for haste) took
4 corner on two wheels and came to
IN abrupt pause before u residence Of
the vintage caste.
The moment it stopped. out of the
cab hoped a brisk young man and. on
his heels. an anxious young woman
who ran impatiently up the steps to
white front door while her companion
tarried ut the curb to settle with the
chauffeur.
BY the time he WAS free to join the
young woman on the doorstep. she was
ringing the bell with sort of semi
hysteric persistence.
~ can't understand why no one an
swers." she faltered with little shiver
Of apprehension. "Tye rung and rung.
You don't really think anything
can have happened-tlo you. Captain
ParrT
~ hope not. Miss Channing-but I
mean to find out pretty pronto."
She stepped back, and Parr planted
a firm thumb on the bell-push. From
tho Interior Of the house Clme re-
mite Notwithstanding more. At n
venture the young man released the
button and laid hold of the door-knob.
To the surprise and somewhat to the
CONSERVATION OF both it yielded read
lily.
For moment neither moved: only
the eyes OF each sought the others
mutely eloquent with apprehensive in
Quiry. Then with quick gesture
which might have been interpreted as
bidding the girl to wait outside. the
young man crossed the threshold.
Quietly, the girl followed-to he
greeted by her name, spoken In accents
Of wonder. Miss Patty-fo' the lnn's
sake"
An aged negro servant clothed simply
in pajamas stood transfixed in recog.
milton halfway down the flight of
stairs to the upper stories.
THAT you, Martin? Where is Mr.
Ripley?"
"MistUh Ripley? All reckon he mus
h.. into his bed, Miss Patty; he gin'rly
Gilpin observer., 1917-08-23

son MS long as the ChunningS and the
Ripleys had male children. That time
is now passed: My boy died before at
only child.
The fund today has grown. through
careful investment and unremtting
vigilance, to the appreciable total sum
of approximately S10O,OOOOO0. The
whole is stored In the secret vault be-
meath this room to which the password
Is your name. Three-fourths OF II is
comprehended in gilt-edged securities,
Immediately negotiable; the balance OF
S25 100000 is in gold-thus accumu-
lated for immediate resource In emer-
gency.
Wisely employed, this treasure may
prove the salvation Of your country in
this, rs 1t seems, its hour of direct
need. Europe is aflame with war !;
when peace is declared. Europe's fore
ordained way to recOup will be by
means of preying upon some great and
wealthy but defenseless country, such
as the United States of America. ON
the other hand. to the west of us, we
have II great nation without room to
grow-Japan. Its natural course Of
growth. following the line of least re-
sistance, must be in and through our
western states. To the south of us
lies Mexico, II hotbed of revolution. in
trigue and racial hatred.
Evidence In support of Japnns de-
signs against our peace is not lacking
The presence of her armies in Mexico,
the fact that Japanese officers have
been detailed to drill Mexican troops,
is known to the administration ut
Washington II not to the people; that
Japan maintains nnval bases. with
Mexican consent. ut Magdalena bay
and elsewhere, is II matter of common
knowledge. In my personal experience
1t is true that, following my refusal as
n loyal and patriotic citizen to make
contracts In the name of Channings.
Inc. for delivery of arms and anmuni-
ton in Mexico, Japan has left no stone
unturned to induce me TO revoke my
refusal. and even now threatens my
life because ! abide by 1t.
For myself, my dear ward do not
fear; when man has pnssed GER
tain age, death has few t@rrOrs for
Gilpin observer., 1917-08-23

Her Outilung hand indicated the mas
sive marble chimney-piece. Parr knit
ted his brows, staring. The thing was
interesting If only as a relic of the
curious artistic tnste of bygone day :
none but mid-Nfctorian intelligence
could have tolerated the thought of
such monstrous monument to home
liness. And yet the carving was ex-
quisitely done. He crossed to 1t, with
Patria by his side. for a closer inspec-
ton.
In whatever brain the design had
originated, ii was a PATRIOTS the
American eagle screamed in sculptured
stone, the flag Haunted blatantly its
movelcss folds. the arms of Virginia
ilanked the arms of the United States.
Immediately above the fireplace the
Claiming arms We're emblazoned upon
II shield. beneath this n scroll bore the
motto of the house
"PRo PATRiA NoBIs."
''To which the password Is my
name!"
Patra put forth fingers which
touched lightly the initial of Il, word
Patria on the scroll. She withdrew
her hand with an exclamation the let
ter she had touched had fallen In flush
with the surface of the scroll. Parr
nodded excitedly. TRY the next let
terri
To her pressure the letter A became
as the letter =; the remaining letters
of the word followed suit as readily
And when the last had been depressed
they heard curious grating noise be-
meath the mantel and, looking down
saw the apparently solid stone backing
OF the fireplace proper swing massively
inward and disclose the mouth of n
narrow passageway.
"Let me go first !"
PARIS tone was imperative. Won
dering n little Mt the instructive docillty
with which she Obeyed him. Patria
stood aside. He ducked beneath the
mnntel and disappeared.
The passageway proved short, upon
that level. Parr advanced three PAGES
in utter darkness. Then 1t turned
aside mt n right angle. At the foot of
some twelve steps he found another
level, advanced glngerly pace into the
denser Imaginable murk, and stumbled
Gilpin observer., 1917-08-23
After time he crept nolseles.a,

After time he crept noiseleseS
down the stairs.
There are Japanese-several of
them-in the house. Martin must have
seen them coming and locked us In ia
prevent their discovering u.s."
But Martin? What will they do to
him?"
for the best. It's all we can do.
can't bulge that door up there, and
even if could, I've got no weapons OF
any sort. :"
Five minutes passed Throughout
the two could hear faint sounds OF
hurried footsteps overhead-for all the
world like the scampering of rats in
wainscoting, Then We're heavier duller
Gilpin observer., 1917-08-23

him; but for you do fear, when You
shall have set your hand to the task
which mine must yield know your
breed well enough to know you will
not falter in the discharge of this
sacred trust, know Japan well enough
to know she will stop ut nothing to dis
courage you.
l charge you above all things to be-
ware the man who calls himself
Baron Huroki-who poses as II cosmo-
polite of Japanese birth-who is in
reality secret chief of the Japanese
secret service in this country.
More than this hope to tell you in
detail-if l live to see you again. 9th
erwise-I shall die content In the
knowledge that have, at least, done
my best to warn you against the chief
est dangers you must apprehend as
eXecutriS of the Claiming secret de-
fense fund.
Your affectionate guardian,
PETER RIPLEY.
GOLD!
When Parr had finished reading the
last page of Peter Ripley's letter he
looked down to encounter Patria's di-
rect, uncompromising gaze. To her un-
uttered inquiry he nodded slightly.
HE was sane" said Parr. HE
feared 9apan-and Japanese assas-
sinated him. That much confirmation
of what he wrote we possess, beyond
refutation. There remains only to be
determined the actual existence of this
defense fund In n secret
vault beneath this room to which the
password is your namer What do you
make of that?"
Patria shook her head.
Its all too strange. I never
had any suspicion of anything of the
sort. I'm afraid l don't quite
grasp it yeti"
1t was Patria who stumbled upon the
solution haphaZnrd-or, as woman
would claim, intuitively.
"The password my name-Patria |!
That sounds as though there must be
safe door somewhere with letter
combination or else :"
"Or else" Parr prompted as she
hesitated.
Look there!"
Gilpin observer., 1917-08-23
THE CAST.
SYNOPSIS.

On the eve of inheriting sole control of
Channings, Inc. Americas largest arms
and ammunition Industry, Patria Charming
to New York by Peter Ripley, trustee for
her estate. Baron Huroki. chief of the
Japanese secret service, busies himself 20
hinder her response to this summons but
Patria overrides his opposition With the
aid of Capt. Donald Parr. United States
secret service, who suspects japan of in
Mexico.
Gilpin observer., 1917-08-23

over something soft and yielding that
obstructed the floor. In stumbling he
threw out hand which encountered
an electric light bracket. Steadying
himself by this he felt for and turned
the switch; the brilliance of n single
bulb dazzlingly exercised darkness.
He stood in small airless, window
less chamber, furnished simply with
square mahogany table and four chairs
on rug. Otherwise it was featureless
but for n huge safe-door built into the
wall close by the foot of the staircase.
This door stood ajar. A black void
was beyond 1t. AT Parr'ssfeet lay the
obstacle which had so nearly proved
his DOWNFALL the body of little Japa-
nese clad in the uniform of n tele
graph messenger-in his dead hand an
automatic pistol. ,t
Turning, Parr called to Martin to
| come down to him.
The negro's answers to his questions
enabled him rapidly to reconstruct the
prelude to brutal crime.
1t seemed that shortly before Pat
ria's guardian had dismissed him for
the night, Martin had answered the
door-bell to admit n telegraph messen-
ger boy with n telegram for Peter Rip
ley. Signing for the message, Martin
had told the boy to wait for n possible
answer, and had taken the envelope to
his employer in the library. But when
Mr. Ripley had opened it, he had found
nothing within the envelope; and
l,., IL
the hall to interrogate the messenger
this last had vanished.
BY this ruse Parr reckoned) obtain
ing admittance to the house when Mar
tins back was turned, the pseudo-mes-
senger had sscreted himself and waited
till, finishing his letter to Patria, Rip
ley had found reason to descend to the
treasure vault. Then, following. the
messenger had tried to shoot Ripley
down, but had met death himself in
the attempt. Meantime confederate
had entered the house-gaining admit
tance through the front door, left I'M
locked, as Parr and Patria had found
1t, by the first Japanese. And when
Ripley, emerging from the secret pas
sage-no doubt even then fatally
wounded-had called Patria in New
port by long distance-the second
Japanese had shot to kill and had sue
ceeded If at cost of his own life.
Asking Patria to turn aside while he
with Martins aid carried up the dead
Japanese and placed him with the 9th
ers in the drawing-rOom, Parr left Mar
tin on guard, and conducted the girl be-
low to the treasure vault.
If any traces of incredulity had thus
far colored his thoughts, they were
promptly dissipated.
The vault was not large-perhaps
twice the size of its antechamber-and
was so well-filled with boxes, bales and
bundles that it afforded scant space in
which to move about. Aside from the
entrance, three walls were hidden by
packing cases. The fourth, the farth-
est from the entrance, bOasted racks
of pigeOnholes in which were filed and
docketed packet upon packet of papers,
and in addition richly framed oil por
trait of Il gentleman in continental uni
form, boasting brass plate with this
legend:
JOHN CLAIMING, Esq.
| (B 1757-D 1861
Gilpin observer., 1917-08-23
JOHN CLAIMING, Esq.
(B. 1757-D. 1861

EoulueE VI tlle NlluIlillIS SSeCTel De-
fense Fund.
Ignoring all else in the vault, the girl
Patria fingered for many minutes be-
fore this portrait of the ancestor whose
clear foresight and love of country had
created that trust whose harden had
shoulders.
Rapt beyond utterance, she signified
her wish to confirm her deceased guar
dams report as to the treasure.
. Parr selected one from the nearest
stack of wooden boxes, and essayed to
transfer 1t to the table. But 1t proved
heavier than he had anticipated, and
slipped through fingers unprepared for
its weight. There was n crash; the
box lay shattered at their feet, its con
tents spilled-stack upon stack of gold
en- double-eagles scattered upon the
floor.
There was pause. :.
Patria sank into II chair and resied
forearms upon the table. In her hands
she held Peter Ripley's letter.
After Il little, shuflling the sheets,
she brought that one uppermost which
showed the words
"Wisely employed, this treasure may
prove the salvation Of your country In
this -. its hour of direct need"
God make me WISE" she said-nnd
faltered-"God make me wise to ad-
minister this sacred trust ~
Without wholly appreciating what he
did, transported beyond himself, Parr
closed his fingers over hers.
amen to that ~ said he.
On the echo of his words dull graf
ing noise sounded above their heads.
HOLOCAUST.
In the twinkling of an eyelash both
appreciated what had happened: the
door to the secret passage had swung
shut; for whatever reason. Martin pre-
sumably had seen fit to close it.
Without hesitation Parr swung
about, out of the vault and up the con
stricted stairway.
At the top he found only the smooth
surface of the closed door. His fingers
edges; If any means there were of
opening it from the inside, It was too
cunnlngly concealed for his ingenuity
But If closed, the door was not alto
gether tight. Lights from the library
cleaned round three of its edges. Pnrr
could not contrive to get an eye to II
crack, but he could not avoid hearing.
What he heard was, however. difficult
to interpret. Several voices were
II 4 Al.
cbattering rapidly; and though Parr
had n fair working knowledge of the
Japanese tongue he lacked as yet the
ability to translate the vernaculnr
whe:. quickly spoken.
Gilpin observer., 1917-08-23

sleep purity late when he done work
late the night befo'-"
"Did he work late last night. Mar
tinT'
ale sho' did, Miss Patty-leastways
ne done say he gwine tub when he send
ne on to he'd bout 'leven O'Clock"
as that the library?" Parr asked.
~1th q sod indicating a door toward
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-04-06

Easter and patriotic music has the
call in this months recordings OF the
leading talking machine companies.
The lists are just as full Of the
standard records, productions OF oper-
attic stars and concert performers, as
usual The customary releases of
dance music, orchestral and band Sc
lections and Hawaiian stuff" are in
Guided
The Pathe company. which makes
records to fit the Brunswick as well as
its own machine, is out with, long
list of patriotic selections. Anna
Fitziu, Metrop olitan opera soprano,
leads with two charming recordings.
THE Star Spangled Banner" and "Old
Folks at Home"
Features The Pathe Offering.
A double record by the Chicago
opera companys famous tenor, Lueien
Muratore, is strong feature in the
Pathe April list. He sings the well.
known aria from Carmen, "Halte-la,"
and French ballad. His records are
full of verve and power as always.
Hipolito Lazaro, the sensational
tenor who never has sung before an
American audience, has brilliant re-
cording out this month on the Colum-
bia.
This company also announces a
splendid new recording of kentucky
Babe by Louis Graveure, the famous
Belgian baritone, who is regarded as
the sensation of the past season on
the concert platform.
The Columbia has a long list of
sacred numbers, made especially for
the Easter season, in addition to the
usual popular songs and instrumental
selections.
Alice Verlet and Orphee Langevin
sing the "Crucifix" as an Easter num-
Der in the latest Edison list of record.
ings. Arthur Middleton, the baritone,
has an Easter solo, Gloria" which is
significant and quite worthy of his
powers.
Make Noteworthy Recordings.
Among the noteworthy recordings
on the Edison this month are solos by
Marguerite MatZenauer, mezzo soprano
of the Metropolitan opera, and Guido
Ciccolini, well known Italian tenor
Matzenauer sings Suicide" the
gloomy aira from Gioconda, with sc
much feeling and warmth that 1t rep
resents one of her best efforts.
Ciccolini sings "The Stars Were
Shining" in Italian, and does it cred
itably. He recently came to America
after a sparkling operate career
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-04-06
Patriotic and Easter Music Feature
Offerings in Photograph Records

abroad and is credited with q salary
of $4,000 week in vaudeville.
Enrico Caruso had busy month in
the Victor laboratories. In addition
to his customary solo he made several
Easter recordings and sang in sex
tette and quartet with Galli-Curci,
Journet and other lesser lights Of the
Metropolitan company.
The Victor has a large list Of Eas-
ter numbers sung by such well-known
artists as Schumann-Heink, Geraldine
Farrar, Johanna GadsH, Evan Will
liams and Emilio de Gogorza, as we'll
as quartet and instrumental numbers
and solos by less known singers.
Alma Giuck Makes Record
Alma Gluck, John Mccormack and
Efrem Zimbalist have produced note
worthy solos for the regular list and
Amelia Ga,li-Curci has recorded three
solos, two of which, the BELL Song"
and Home, Sweet Home" she sang
in concert here last week.
The Starr Easter recordings are
meritorious The solos and instru-
mental numbers of sacred character
are produced with the faithful atten-
ton to tone quality that the Starr
laboratories are capable Of.
In addition the Starr presents Rich
mond's favorite, Strickland Gillian, in
two splendid monologues, John w.
Dodds, the widely-known concert bari
tone, sings two selections and the
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-04-06
Wife to Blame if Husband Drinks,
Says Druggist Brown of Cleveland,
Who Tells Wife What To Do

time. revealed the secret to him She
saved him from drink-rescued him
from his own depraved self, by giving
him a secret remedy, the formula Of
an old German chemist To discharge
his debt to her and to help other vic.
tins out of the murk and mire he has
made the formula public. Any drug
gist can put it In the hands of any
suffering wife, mother, sister or daugh-
ter. Just ask the druggist for prepar-
ed Tescum powders and drop a pow
der twice day in tea, coffee. milk or
any other drink Soon liquor does not
taste the same, the craving for it dis
appears and 10, one more drinker is
saved and knows not when or why he
lost the taste for drink.
Note-Tescum, referred to above,
should be used only when it Is desir-
able to destroy all taste for alcoholic
drinks of every kind. The wife who
approves of drinking in moderation
and believes her husband safe should
give it only when she sees. as most do
in time, that the danger line is near
Since this formula has been made
public Thistlethwaite and other drug
gists have filled it repeatedly. ADV.
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-04-06

ton of officers resulted as follows:
President, Mrs. E. G.. Hill; first vice
president, Mrs. o. =. Ward; second
vice-president, Mrs. Horace Kramer;
secretary, Mrs. D. d. Ramsey; treas
urer, Mrs. Eugene Price. Mrs. George
Eggemeyer was made chairman of
the Lady Board of Managers. and
Mrs. o. F. Ward was made chairman
OF the purchasing committee. The
next meeting will be held the hrst
Thursday in May at the home Of Mrs.
Horace Kramer, East Main street.
An all-day meeting of the Coterie
club was held yesterday at the home
of Mrs. T. J. Ferguson, South Six
teenth street. Guests of the club
were Mrs. Mary Cook, Miss Susan
Shaw. Mrs. Herbert Cotton of Elk
hart. Indiana, Mrs Tacy Hill and Miss
Mildred Schalk At the noon hour a
delicious dinner was served. Each
member told some story or gave an
amusing article curing the dinner
hour Miss Carolyn Hutton gave a
reading. Miss Gertrude Shute will
entertain the club next Thursday at
ternoon at her home. South Seven
teenth street.
One of the charming social func-
tons of the week was the dancing
party given last evening by Messrs.
Burr and Sheldon Simmons at the
home of their mother. Mrs. Gertrude
Simmons. South Eighteenth street,
for members of this year and last
years high school basketball teams.
The rooms were decorated in the high
schools colors. remnants were in evil
dence. The evening was spent social
ly and with dancing. A delicious
luncheon was served by Mrs. Sim
mons. The guests were Mr.. and Hrs.
Lyman Lyboult Mr.. and Mrs. Charles
Towle, Misses Helen Rethmeyer, Ne
va Bowman, Camilla Haner, Thelma
Wysong, Elizabeth Tarkelson, Flor
ence Burgess, Hazel Mashmeyer,
Mary Bulla, Miriam Morgan, Martha
Jones, Mildred Nusbaum, Clara Gross,
Florence Wentz, Hazel Rossiter, Phyl-
lis Butler, Anna Manner. Alice Cox,
Helen McMinn, Messrs. Clarence Por.
ter, Wilson Taggart, George Tarkel-
son. Lester Letter. Carl Mcbride, Ro-
land Dollins, Cyril Pitts. Talbert Jes-
sup, Charles Robinson. Hawley Gard
ner, Wendell O'Neal. Dale Owens,