davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1918-05-03
GREAT SUCCESS
OF LOCAL PLAY

without man in it, and more par
tlcularly in which every member
IN the cast had an equal share of
the centre Of the stage, and furth-
er play in which the entire com
pany was letter perfect and made
no slips, is probably a record feat
for local talent, certainly for
Scotland Neck.
The public were certainly very
much interested in the play and
players for they stayed to the end
regardless Of the fact that the
midnight hour was approaching
before the final curtain fell.
The play, though essentially a
comedy, has strong thread Of
romance running through the
three acts, and the episodes are
the natural outcome of simple vii
lage life wherein it is often shown
the petty jealousies, pride, and
make-believe, which demonstrates
the human desire for attention.
love and marriage, and, if this
does not come into a woman s
life, she, fearing the criticism of
her viperish sisters, in similar ad-
veslty, feigns a love, or marriage
which is pure phantasy. With
this as foundation it can be
readily seen what curious and
amusing situations could be WOW
en- into the acts and lives Of these
country women, though the per-
feet demonstration of an accepta-
BILE rendition depended entirely
upon good production, which can
only come from careful and per-
slstent training. Thus we must
accord to the entire company,
and the stage manageress, that
mede Of praise for giving up many
hours Of comfort, and probably
pleasure, in order to complete the
picture that was shown last night
The stage setting for the three
acts did credit to those who man
lpulated matters to produce the
effect The costumes were de-
lightfully true to the period, and
worn with grace that our ladies
are capable Of, and yet with that
sense of modesty that displayed
consciousness.
Miss Virginia Tillery, as Felicia
Freeman, was as sweet and pretty
as maid might we'll hope to be,
and she carried through her part,
as she wore her clothes, with
knowledge Of perfection. Not
once was she disturbed, nor
founce and futter, as might have
been expected, but with a calm
sweetness was the delightful per-
sonage that changed the charac-
ter Of Lillac Village and made of
the old maid circle a vertiable par
adise.
Mrs. A. L. burlington, Miss
Hattie Workman, Miss Matte
Josey, Miss Katherine Tillery and
Mrs. L. H. Kitchin, as the old
maids of the Village, though
most Of whom had deceived each
other by the make-believe that
they had been wooed and won,
played their separate parts pre-
CONTINUED on back page)
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1918-05-03
Ruffin'S Tobacco
Warehouse Co,

No expense is being spared to
make Tarboro great tobacco
centre, which is distinctly an in
teresting development so far as
this section is concerned. for il
has been a long, long way to
Rocky Mount, and Tarboro really
has soft spot in our hearts, be-
ing sister town.
The Ruffin Warehouse Company
is one Of two tobacco warehouses
gong up now for the sale of to-
bacco III Tarboro, and will be un-
Ger the direct supervision of Mr..
}. c. Ruffin, with Mr.. H. c.. Hud-
son, Of Wilson, in charge. The
warehouse is now being erected
two blocks from the court house.
alongside the railroad track, and
Will have all the facilities Of an
up-to-date warehouse, with stable
warehouse.
cCnvenlences underneath the
That the success of the tobacco
warehouse in Tarboro is assured
It IS but necessary to mention
the names Of the prominent local
men who are the officers and di-
rectors at the Ruffn Warehouse
Company Mr.. George Howard,
is presidents; Mr.. w. J. Thigpen.
vice-president; Mr.. J. C. Rufin,
manager; Mr.. George R. Rogers,
secretary and treasurer. The di-
rectors, in addition to the above.
hein" Messrs T. P. Jenkins, R.
B. Hyatt, H. B. Whitlock, r. T.
Thomas, H. c.. Bridges and the
Marrow, Pitt Hardware Company.
Most important to the farmers
is the assurance Of free and
open market. All the large man
have signifed their in
tentlon Of putting their best buy
ers on the Tarboro Market, an
tlclpatlng a very active buying
at that point in view of the great
ly needed grade that comes from
this section.
Farmers are assured that the
building will be ready for sales
during the early summer, so that
the first deliveries Of the weed
will find ready market at Tar
boro.
Mr.. II. G. Hudson, Of Wilson,
one Of the most active tobacco
warehousemen in the state, will
be In charge and is expected to
reach Tarboro sometime in the
next ten days. and from then onA
until the market opens, will be
ready to meet ;any farmers of
this section and outline the special
features Of accommodation and con-
that he intends extend
ing to all who place their tobacco
on his warehouse floor.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1918-05-03
VOLUNTARY AID
FOR CLAIMANTS
(By United Press)

washington, April The
council of National Defense has
urged the State councils to pro
VIDE voluntary aid for depend
ents OF men in the service in col
lectlng allotments Of pay and
family allowances, arrears of
pay, travel pay, extra pay, or
other money due estates Of de-
ceased soldiers and sailors.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1918-05-03
GERMAN RATI0NS
BE REDUCED
(By United Press)

Copenhagen, May, 3.-Herr Won
" aloow, German food controller
told the Reichstag food commits
sion that the rations of meat no.
tatoes and bread would soon he
reduced.
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1918-05-03
By Robt. j. Bender

Washington, May 3. The
American state department is
keeping the closest tab on Aus
trian international affairs, as it
believes there is chance Of a
The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1918-05-03
BEFORE THE FLAME
OF WAR ARMIES REST
HINDENBURG's CONCENTRATION OF ARMS AMI MIN
OPPOSITE ALLIED LINES SHOWS THAT ENEMY
MAY STRIKE HEAVILY SOON
ALLIES BELIEVE GERMANY LOSING POWER
(By United Press)

With the British armies in
Flanders, May "a big concern
tration of men and guns, opposite
the French and British lines
shows that new terrific outburst
is liable at any time.
Hindenburg is playing possum
until his armies are refreshed
then he will be ready to strike a.
gain with all his power. Under
the bluest May times skies Mars
puts a lid on Armageddon.
Throughout yesterday and last
night, while the infantry roster.
the guns muttered only spasmodi-
cally. The British destroyed a
post in the Lys and conducted a
raid near Lens, capturing seven
prisoners and three machine guns.
The present inactivity reminds
one of the midwinter lull during
the days Of static warfare. It is
common talk among the German
soldiers that conditions at home
necessitate some sort Of decision.
Paris, May 3.-The French War
office reports the capture Of an
important hill and woods near
Amelns, between Hailles a1l
Castel, where Hill number 80 was
taken from the enemy.
Castel is a mile south Of Hailles
where the American troops are
fghtlng on the west bank Of the
Avre.
"On tht edge Of the Avre''
cables the war office eve captured
the wood with one hundred pri-
soners, including four officers.
Our patrol has brought back the
prisoners in the Woevre and Lor-
raine region.
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-08-15

they came mechanically, by some
invisible process set going once
and for all and working with the
blind certainty of a physical law.
This was a case not. of a conscious
intelligence and will, but just of
material necessity. 80 1t was
the clash Of these two idea-the
idea of the hatred pursuing the in
nocent and the idea of that ma
chinery serving the schemes of the
'hater,-it was their clash that
gave birth to the little spark OF
Light. When brought into con.
tact: the two ideas combined III my
mind and suggested the recollec-
ton that Hippolyte Faaville was
an engineer by profession"
The others listened to him with
a sort of uneasy oppression. What
was gradually being revealed of
the tragedy, instead of relieving
the anxiety, increased it until it
became absolutely painful.
M. Desmallons objected:
Granting that the letters ar
rived on the dates named, you will
nevertheless have noted that the
hour varied on each occasion"
"That is to say, it varied ac-
cording as we watched in the dark
or not, and that is just the detail
which supplied me with the key to
the riddle. If the letters-and this
was an indispensable precaution,
which we r now able to under
stand-were delivered only under
cover of the darkness, it must be
because a continuance of some
kind prevented them from appear
ing when the electric light was on.
and because that continuance was
controlled by switch inside the
room. There is no other explana-
ton possible.
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-08-15
AContlnued Next Week.y
INVADING AUSTRIANS FEAR
CAPTURED ITALIAN o NJ

By Italian-American News Service.
Rome.-A Hungarian writer. IN
friendly to Italy, describes the desola-
ton wrought by the Austrians in the
M-ayarorszag, after a long trip through
b'ruiii and other regions. He says:
I'm Trieste the rad of the port is
dead. Along the Izonzo. in Monfal-
cone, in Gorilla. on the Vipacco. and on
Mount ST. Michael the face Of the
and is lonely enough to belong to the
ruined cities Of the past.
What struck me most was the enor-
nous size attained by the cemeteries.
The Italians have tried as best they
could to supply monuments that would
live up to their reputation, but nave
had to lug balustrades and beautiful
palace doors in many cases to mark the
resting places of their dead.
Trieste looks worse h the little
villages. although the city is in AUS
TRAN territory. You feel that you are
the armies Of the central powers.
They have cut down their grape vines
to deprive the Austrians Of wine, pre-
ferring to- do without themselves. All
lights are forbidden in the cities. A
candle is a luxury.
comforting the population where they
can, but What they say serves only to
inflame the people. who turn on the
Austrians and pay for their daring
with their lives.
"a Magyar sentry expressed to me
his satisfaction that the lights were
out. The aviators used to come in
squadrons Of eight to 10,' he said, and
it was all my life was forth
II saw a little blond teacher who
was broken hearted because her pupils
were hungry and she could not find
them anything to eat.
"The italian women are terrible.
They are proud. superb. unapproach-
able. They despise the foe, who fears
them from the bottom Of his heart.
When the story Of the war is written
they will go down in history beside the
who died to defend their honor. The
Au%strians and Germans have long
since learned to let them severely
alone"
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-08-15

were unfcrgettable. M. Desma-
Sons has since declared, in an in
lerview Ia which he ridicules him
self very cicverly, that his brain.
over stimulated by the fatigues of
the night and by the whole scene
before him, imagined the most UNI
likely events, such as an invasion
OF the house by armed assailants.
or the apparition OF ghosts and
spirits.
He had the curiosity, however,
he said, TO watch Don Luis. Sit
ting on the edge of the table, with
his head thrown a little back and
his eyes roaming over the ceiling,
Don LUIS was eating a piece of
bread and mibbling at a cake of
chocolate. He seemed very hun
cry, but quite at his ease.
The others maintained that
tense attitude which we put on at
moments OF great physical effort.
Their faces were distorted with q
sort of gimace. They were haunted
by the memory of the explosion as
Well as obsessed by what was go
ing to happen. The flame of the
candle cast shadows on the wall.
More seconds elapsed than Don
LUIS Perenna had said, 30 or 40
seconds, perhaps, that seemed end
less. Then Perenna lifted the
candle a little and said:
There you are"
They had all seen what they
now saw almost as soon as he
spoke. A letter was descending
from the ceiling. 1t spun round
slowly, like a leaf falling from a
tree without being driven by the
wind. 1t just touched Don Luis
and alighted on the floor between
two legs of the table.
Picking up the paper and hand
ing it to NJ. Desmalions, Don Luis
said:
There you are, Monsieur lie
Prefet. This is the fourth letter,
due last night"
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-08-15
XIV.
The Halter"

M. Destinations looked at him
without understanding, and
looked from him to the ceiling.
Perenna said:
ooh, there's no witchcraft
about it; and, though no one has
thrown that letter from above,
though there is not the smallest
hole in the ceiling, the explanation
is quite simple!'
quite simple, is it," said NJ.
Desmalions.
eyes, Monsieur lie Prefet. 1t
looks like an extremely compli-
Gated conjuring trick, done almost
for fun. Well, / say that it is
quite simple-and, at the same
time, terribly tragic. Sergeant
Mazeroux, would you mind draw
ing back the curtains and giving
us as much light as possibleY"
While Mazeroux was executing
his orders and NJ. DESTINATIONS
glancing at the fourth letter, the
contents Of which were unimport-
ant and merely confirmed the pre-
yious ones, Don Luis took q pair of
steps which the workmen had left
in the corner, set it up in the mid
die Of the room and climbed to the
top, where, seated astride, he was
able to reach the electric chande-
llier.
1t consisted Of q broad, circular
band insbrass, beneath which was
a festoon Of crystal pendants. In
side were three lamps placed at
the corners Of a brass triangle
concealing the wires.
He uncovered the wires and cut
them. Then he began to take the
whole fitting to pieces. To hasten
matters, he asked for q hammer
and broke up the plaster all round
the clamps that held the. chande.
lier in position.
Lend mesa hand, please be
said:to Mazeroux.
Mazeroux went up the steps;
and between them they took. hold
of the chandelier and lei. II slide
down the uprights. The dstkcfiyea
caught It and placed Il ON The
table with some difficulty, for il
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-08-15
Busiest River on Earth.
Eleanor T. Eagan. in the Saturday

Evening POSt.
The Tigris Is today. without possible
exception, the busiest river on earth. The
Thames. at London, the Seine at Paris.
the Hudson at New York, the Chicago
river, the Mississippi at Now Orleans n
st. Louis-these are busy streams that
are crowded with things afloat. but for .
short distance only. The Tigris is a busy
stream for q full 500 miles and is filled
with q variety OF craft such as was never
before in all history gathered together to
serve one single purpose in q single area.
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-08-15
Nine Pairs Of Shoes q Year.
From the Popular Science Monthly,

Tho shipments of shoes for OUT forces
in France. according to. General Per.
shing.s demands. aggregate 1850 pairs
for, eaehsx 900 men q month, or about nine
pairs q year for ach man. This large
supply 10 to continue only until q reserve
store has been accumulated. A total Of
Is, 81, 900 pairs Of shoes have SO far beer
received or contracted for by the quar-.
termaster generals department.
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-08-15
CHAPTER TMiRTEEN. (Con,inucd.)

Ch0hking me, Monsieur lie Iretct,
said Don LUIS, land that is to
allow Ine to carry out my task to
the end"
"Your task 2"
eyes, Monsieur lie Prcfct. My
action of last night is only the be
ginning. The conclusion is the re-
lease Of Marie t'auvilIe and CASTOR
Sauverand.'
81. DESTINATIONS smiled.
"Ohl''
cam / asking too much, Mon
Siicur se PrefctY''
Zone can always ask, but the
request should be reasonable. And
the Innocence of those people does
hot depend on me-"
"No; but it depends On you,
Monsieur lie Prefct, to let them
know If | prove their innocence to
you"
Yes, ! agree, if you prove it
beyond dispute"
"Just So"
Don Luis calm assurance i'm
pressed M. DESTINATIONS ia spite of
everything and even more than on
the former occasions and he sug-
gestcd:
"Ghe results Of the hasty in
spection which we have made will
perhaps help you. For instance,
we are certain that the bomb was
placed by the entrance of the pass
age and probably under the
boards of the floor"
"Plcase do not trouble, Mon
sieur le Preiet. These are only
secondary details. The great thing
now is that you should know the
whole truth, and that not only
through Words
The project had come closer.
The magistrate and detectives
wera standing round Don Luis,
watching his lips and movements
with feverish impatiencc. Was it
possible that that truth, as yet so
remote aud vague, in spite of all
the Importance which they at
tachcd to the arrests already af-
fccted, was known at last?
1t VAS a solemn moment. Every
one was on tentcrhooks. The
manner in which Don Luis had
forctold the explosion lent the
value OF an accomplished fact to
his predictions and the men
whom he had saved from the ter
rblc catastrophe were almost
ready 70 accept as certainties the
most Improbable statements which
a Eas Of his stamp might make.
"Mansicur lie prefet," he said,
"you waited in vain last night for
the fourth letter to make it's APP
pcsrancc. We shall now be able,
by an unexpected mircle Of
chance, to be present at the de-
livery Of the letter. You will then
know that it was the same hand
that committed all the crimes
and ycE will know whose hand
that vas
And. turning to M~axeroux:
'8ergeant, will you please make
the room as dark as you cant The
shutters 4 gone; but you might
draw the curtains across the win
dsws and close the doors. Mon
sirEr, le. Prcfet, is it by accident
that TIC electric light is one' &
Yes, by accident. We will
have It turned out"
Ono moment. Have any Of you
ethtlcrscn q packet lantern about
youf Or, no. it doesn't matter.
This will do,
ThEre was a candle in q sconcc,
He tock it and Lit it.
Then he switched off the cleo
t.ic lxht,
There was q half darkness. amid
which AAe flame of the, candle
4ickcrEd in the draught from the
usadoxs. Don Luis protected the
6aue with his hand and moved to
1Ae Table.
10 t.0s think that we shall be
eept waiting long, he said. NAs
alorescc is, there will be only 4
G1seGands heforethe facts speak
fnr t~her1xclves and better than j
SoNads do. d
sT6oso fer sc96n dur;ua
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-08-03
Praise For the Press
" Naval Secretary

WASHINGTON. August @.--Secrctary
Of the Navy Daniels has issued the fol-
lowing statement concerning the publ
cation of news regarding the departure
or location uf slips in American or
other waters:
Il issued a request to the press in
America on July 8, 1918 10 eliminate any
mention. either in the advertising or the
news columns of the sailing or depar-
turc, or local or supposed location OF any
shin in American waters.
Il am very happy 10 say that there
has been hearty and complete comph-
ancr with this request. and that Inc CO.
oprratiou Of the press has aided Inc
navy department greatly in its work.
'i;xnrricnrr. however. h;s demon
s,ra-nd the fact lnat the request should
not have hocn limited to American wat
crs I'D that tho publication OF IN" sail
in". departure. location ana movement
of ylps in foreign waters Is Also dah-
gcrnu& and should not To h'ahc' an
therefore amending my request ny ann-
ing or in other waters. ne "hch"'u
rcrIurSt is as follows:
q. The auprarancr Of submarines on IN"
AIIru:ic coast makes il Imperative thilt
mo- mention should II" made III amy news
nurcrs either in III" advertising or news
-, l,uus ,nf tho sailing or Departure "r
lnraI;un. or supposed location ~ any
shin in American OR OTHER A't/'H'
This information '"nNrE"f u! '"N''
ticirr is a& dangerous as in the news
,.,I,,rus AMI am making this request
a. all tho newspapers in the country IN
Tho assurance rhaI they VIII rn-o2era'"
with tho government in It's clf"rt:' I"
prevent any information ahonl SnIrS
rrurhjng submarines when may "e "'i
tl,. American uC1St.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-08-03
Condition Of Cars Cause
Complaint to Be Made

The dirty and unsanitary conaltton o.
thr cars on tho Wheeling Traction com, ~
nanv's lines. especially those running 10
tho Ohio side has Eccn the cause Oh
numerous complaints TO City Manage,
Magic. The cars are seemingly n.y.
cleaned only at long intervals ana rse
accumulated nth left by 50 many pa
IRONS, more 50 by the intoXicatcd n,c..
and women who liv" on THIS sac anu
do their drinking on tn" .H Soh% crn ssGG
ion. If tobacco juice. lcav" foul siheii
and is tho bre"dnE n ScGG of T.. a, mains
,aincd md tho waiting passengers pack
the cars to s'ft"catioG oI in the Fiat rlni
wheels arc another nuisance coinplalncu
Of by citizens to Mr.. Magic. These nerve nroe
racking things arc in far grehlcr Pr,
norton on the cars Mt this ume 'n'.''
i in t Tho pas, and make life alons the
traction lines n noisy and nervous i hnnn
ordered I" qakc rigid ,d d inysS spa iPH
~ ir,nrovn mnttcls for The patrons OF
tho traction SYSTEM
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-08-03
BY Brgadlsr- General W. 4. White, Com
mandtng the British aud Canadian
Recruiting Mission thu
United States.

On the 4th Of August 1911. Great
Britain declared war on Germany. The
actual cause Of war was the German in
vasion Of Belgium. But war was GER
tain from the moment France was at
tackled: for no Englishman would ever
have held up his head on the continent
Of Europe II We had left Franco to her
fate. So. on; this 4th Of August. we are
still fighting to drive German out OF
Belgium and France. We rejoice that
last year America was with US IN this
fight III spirit. and this year she is there
with the men and tn. guns. so that at
last the tide is turning. Just as the
4th Of August. 1914, brought the final
consummation Of Franco-Britlsh friend
ship. so the 4th Of August 1918. when
Britons and Americans arc lighting to-
gether on the sacred soil Of France. may
be, regarded as the last word In the
Anclo-American compact which Is the
best guarantee Of a peaceful world
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-08-03
noted the three stages through which
they have passed.

"First. the period which must be en-
countered when all is confusion. and
which Is Incidental to the entry OF any
great nation into war. and during which
all sorts Of progress seems TO be en-
tremcly slow. No matter how capable
or willing the many prominent officials
and voluntary workers may be. 1t Is
difficult during this period TO have CO.
ordination and cooperation between de-
parunents or governments who are all
striving at the shortest possible notice
to secure the various war supplies which
are necessary TO carry on war.
That period has happily passed. how
ever. and the second period has also
come and gone. during which the spirit
Of cooperation has been most manifest
between the many departments OF the
Unitod states government and the war
mission Of the allies situated in Wash
ington. 1t may now be said that the
third period has been reached, when the
unbounded resources Of tho United
States themselves but also Of the allies.
will soon be taken care Of. putting at
the disposal Of the military authorities
in France such an army of men and
supply OF war materials rs will have a
determining influence on the course OF
the war"