davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29

empty chair. where a little while ago
Silas Blackburn had covered,
mouthing snatches of his fear-"I'm
not dead! tell you I'm not dead!
They can't make me go back"
The echoes of that fear still
shocked their ears.
There was a hypnotic power ABOUT
the vacancy as there had been about
the emptiness in the burial ground.
Paroles spoke gropingly.
What would we find" he whis-
pered, IF we went to, the cemetery
and looked again in the cofhn:"
"Wfy should he have come back
at all?" Groom unused.
Robinson opened the front door.
"You know he might have gone
this way"
But already the snow had obliter-
ated the signs of their own passage
in and out. 1t showed no fresh
marks.
"Sllas Blackburn has not gone That
way in the body, Doctor Groom
rumbled.
The storm was more violent. 1t
discouraged the idea of examining
the graveyard again before morning
Robinson glanced at his watch. He
led Bobby and the detective to the
library.
Then try your scheme if you
want" he said, 'but understand |
assume no responsibility. Honestly,
/ doubt if it amounts to anything.
You'll shout out if you are attacked,
or the moment you suspect any real
cause for fear. Rawlins will be in
the corridor, and I'll be in the librar,'
or wandering about the house--al-
ways within call. Rawlins will
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29

guard the broken door, but be sure
and lock the other one"
The two officers went upstairs
with Bobby. Graham followed.
you understand" Robinson said.
I'D rather Paroles and the doctor
didn't suspect what you are going
to do. Change your mind before
it's too late, if you want"
Bobby walked on without reply
ing.
you can't dissuade him." Graham
said, "besause of what will happen
tomorrow unless the truth is dis
covered tonight"
In the upper hall they found Kath-
crime waiting. Her endeavors were
hard to face.
"You shan't go there for me, Bob
by" she said.
Isn't it clear l must 60 in my
own service?" he said, trying to
smile.
He wouldn't speak to her again.
He wouldn't look at her. Her anx-
iety and the affection in her eyes
weakened him, and he needed all
his strength, for at the entrance OF
the dark, narrow corridor the fear
met him.
Rawlins brought candle and
guided him down the corridor. Ora
ham came, too. The detective
locked the door leading to the prl-
vate hall and slipped the key in his
pocket.
Nobody will get through there
any more than they will through
the other door which I'll watch
With Graham's help he made a
quick inspection of the room, search
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29

a little and then struck out into a
popular song. Patriotic airs follow
ed, medley with a little ragtime
When his fingers touched the open
ing chords of THE Old Oaken
Bucket" he sang the words in a
rich, mellow voice, following with
Home, Sweet Home" and Loves
Old Sweet Song"
By this time the church &as pack
ed to the doors. Every seat was
filled, and people, many of whom
had not been to religious service
for years were standing in the aisles
and vestibule, listening eagerly to a
concert such as few of them had
ever heard. The player was sur
passing himself in his performance.
An idea dawned in the mind Of
Deacon Wise. He arose and search
ed out the old contribution boxes
They passed them around and
brought to the pulpit such a guam
tity of nickels, dimes, and quarters,
as had never before been taken in
one collection.
Merges Into Grand Opera.
Still Willard played. From the
last old song he merged into grand
opera, and the minister turned pale
with apprehension. A few classical
selections, great compositions of tn.
old masters, followed, and then, in
a voice a little thick. Willard &C
companied his final effort, the hymn
God Be With You Till We Meet
Again. in which the whole congre-
cation, rising, Joined, Before he
finished, the minister's son noticed
that the organist was swaying
little in his seat. He stepped quick
ly to his side, taking the precautiol
to draw behind them curtain which
was so hung as to screen the player
when desired.
What happened behind the cur
tain, no one in the congregation
ever knew, and the voices of the
crowd, singing the familiar hymn,
concealed the slight break in the
music and the change Of touch on
the organ keys.
When the last stanza had been
sung, the minister rose and solemn
ly pronounced the benediction, on
reverent and inspired congregation.
Some of the straight-laced
Church pillars" recommended the
dismissal of Willard before he
would disgrace them; but the vote
of the business element among
them, influenced by the liberal con-
tribution that had been taken, pre-
vailed to retain them. IAN adver-
tisement that brings results may be
repeated" said Deacon Wise. and
they let it 90 at that.
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29
Man Who SWore Off and---?

For many Sundays Willard per-
formed his duties in a most salts
factory manner. The Methodists
congratulated themselves on having
secured his services and the other
churches bemoaned their decreased
attendance, since the excellent
Methodist music attracted almost
every church goer who was not
bound in conscience to favor some
other persuasion with his presence.
Couldn't Stop Playing.
1t was beautiful Sunday evening
i'll the early autumn. Doors and
windows were wide open to let in
the balmy mountain air and to let
out the beautiful music. The song
service over and the prayer finished,
Willard started the usual voluntary
while the collection was taken. The
first indication that something was
wrong became evident when, the
silver contribution plates having
been carefully replaced in the pulpit
and the collectors having taken their
seats, Willard disregarded the usual
sign to stop playing. The minister
son, youth of 18, who sat near
him in the choir, touched his arm
gently and whispered:
"The collection has been taken
and father is waiting for you to
finish so that he may commence the
sermon"
In a voice that would have been
heard all over the church had it
not been drowned by the music,
Willard answered:
who is playing this organ, you
or |: Leave ME alone. | will stop
when ! get ready"
The flushed face OF the organist
told his condition. They were in
a quandary. What was to be done?
After whispered consultation with
his son. the minister wisely decided
to do nothing, but to- let Willard
play his fill, trusting to Providence
that nothing would happen to dis
grace the church.
Willard played OF, and on. He
finished the voluntary, improvised
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29

time he was in the hospital he had
received no pay and he was afraid
to take things because he couldn t
pay Tor them. When finally we
convinced him that he could eat his
fill of cake and have all he wanted
to drink, and help himself. too, to
b the cigarcts, piled on the tables,
his joy was inexpressible. You see
everything served at al Boulevard
Haussman is free. Z
Hes just one of the many boys
who spread the glad word Of well
come they have received. At first we
advertised in the Stars and Stripes
and the Paris newspapers. an ,ounc-
ing that the Jewish Welfare Board
had opened headquarters, but later
we found that it wasn't at all neces-
sary. Boys came to us--just out OF
the trenches, boys from the hospitals
and lads stationed in Par,s--hmeri-
can boys--some of them Jewish, but
large number of Jews, Austria
lians, "Tommies,' and even men
from Algeria and other distant coun-
tries. The second time man comes,
he brings with him several friends
Write Letters Home.
"They sit down and write letters
home, describing the welcome they
received-and they call the Jewish
Welfare Boards headquarters the
little ray of sunshine If a man wants
to write home, if he wants 10 read,
and smoke cigaret, to hear good
music or play it himself, to chat with
woman of his people, 10 ell his
troubles to someone, to get home
made American eats: even to
take bath-we have facilities for
him.
They are particularly fond Ct our
chocolate cake. | believe that the
memories of that chocolate CAKE will
last-long after the boys go home
On one day, from nine in the morn
ing until midnight l baked "a cakes
big three-layer cakes, with thick
chocolate icing, and $50 cookies. And
there wasn't a crumb left! the Jew
ish Welfare Boards chocolate cake
will be just as famous as the Saliva
ton Army doughnut, some day.
"On a Sunday afternoon we have
concerts. There is usually a brief
address by Mr.. John Goldman. the
Jewish Welfare secretary, or some
speaker of note, and dancing follows
the musical program. Fo1r hundred
boys make up our usual Sunday
crowd. The hostesses are group of
Americana Jewish women residing in
France. There is Mrs. Minnie Fud-
litz, formerly OF Philadelphia; Mrs.
Marie Engleman. of San Francisco,
and Mrs. Hertz, of Philadelphia.
Every one of them has endeared her
self to those homesick boys"
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29

none of us can understand the
change that's taken place. / have
been watching him closely. So has
Mr.. Paroles. We have seen him be-
come grayer. We have ceen his
eyes alter. He sits shaking in his
chair. Since we came back from the
grave the man-if we can call him
man--seems to fave--shrunk."
YES" Paroles said. perhaps we
shouldn't have left him alone. Let
US go back. Let us see if he is all
right"
Rawlins laughed skeptically.'
You're not afraid he'll melt
away"
I'm not so sure he won't" Pare
des answered.
They followed him downstairs,
Because of the position of Black
burns chair they could be sure of
nothing until they had reached the
lower floor and approached the fire,
place. Then they saw. 1t was as if
Paroles far-fetched fear had been
realized. Blackburn was not in his
chair, nor was he to be found in the
hall. Even then, with the exception
of Paroles, they wouldn't take the
thing seriously. Since the old man
wasn't in the hall; since he couldn't
have gone upstairs, unobserved by
them, he must be either in the Ii
brary, the dining room, or the rear
part of the house. There was no one
in the library or the dining room;
and Jenkins, who sat in the kitchen,
still shaken by the discovery at the
grave, said he hadn't moved for the
last half hour. was entirely sure no
ole had come through from TIE
front part of the house.
They returned to the hall and
stood in a half circle about the
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29
CHAPTER XII.
Bobby's Vigil.

Hes told me nothing" Rather
inc answered. II came back to the
corridor; l heard everything you
said"
Maybe it's as we'll" Robinson re-
flected. 1T certainly is if what you
heard has shown you the wisdom Of
giving up the whole thing"
She stared at him without reply
ing. re
Come now" he wheedled. you
might as we'll tell at least why you
stole and secreted the evidence"
all answer nothing"
That's wiser, Katherine" Ora
ham put in.
She turned on him with a COM
plete and unexpected fury. The
color rushed back to her face. Her
eyes blazed. Bobby never geussed
her capable OF such anger. His Won
der grew that her outburst should
be directed against Graham.
Keep quiet she cried hysterical-
leak RE again. !
hate you! Do you understand"
Graham drew back.
"Why, Katherine"
Don't" she said. Don't call me
that"
The officers glanced at Graham
with frank bcwilderment. Rawlin'j
materialistic mind didn't hesitate to
express its first thought:
Must say, | always thought you
were sweet on the lady"
"Hartleyp Bobby said "You have
been fair to us?"
II don't know why she attacks
me-" Graham muttered.
His face recorded a genuine pain.
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29

His words, Bobby felt, overcame a
E~rrier of emotion.
They heard Paroles and Doctor
Groom Oh the stairs.
whats this?" the doctor rumbled
as he came up
lin sorry l forgot myself"
Katherine said through her chatter
ing teeth. She turned to Robinson
Il am going to my room. You
needn't be afraid. | shant leave it
until you come to take me-"
Truly l hope it won't be neces-
sary," the district attorney an
swered.
She hurried away. Rawlins grin
ned at Paroles.
I'm wondering what the devil you
know"
Robinsan made no secret of what
had happened. In reply to the ques.
tons of Paroles and the doctor he
told of the discovery of the evidence
and of the stout hatpin that had, un-
questionably, caused death. The
man made it clear enough, however,
that he didn't care to have Paroles
know of Bobby's plan to spend the
night in the old room, and Rawlins,
Bobby, and Graham indicated that
they understood. -
ITS quite absurd that any one
should think Katherine guilty." the
doctor said to Robinson. This
evidence and its presence in her
room are details that don't ap-
proach the heart of the mystery.
That's to be found only in the old
room, and l don't think any one
wants to tempt it again. In fact,
I'm not sure one can learn the truth
there and live. You know what hap
pened to Howells when he tried.
Silas Blackburn went there, and
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29
Next to His Very Best Girl
Soldier Boy in France Loves
Big, Fat Chocolate Cake

New York, Dec. 2S.-"Just
imagine your boy, lonesome and
cold, coming up from the strange,
drizzly streets of Paris. all unex-
pectediy finding cup OF steaming
tea or chocolate and thick slice OF
homemade cake, and group OF
women from home. Can't you pic
ture his happiness?" The speaker,
Mrs. Ralph Stern, who has just re-
turned from Paris and is now Wis
ting relatives here, after an alb
sence OF FIVE years, is the first Jew
Ish welfare worker to return to
the states.
Mrs. Stern, who was formerly
Miss Evelyn Samuel of New Yorl;
City, is member of small group
Of American women who have vol
unteered their time and services for
the comfort and happiness of the
American boys who come to Paris.
During the last six months she has
worked day and night at the Paris
headquarters OF the Jewish Wei
fare board at Al Boulevard Hauss-
man, baking cakes from morning
until midnight, cheering the lone
some boy, and reviving in him the
memories of the girl he left at
home.
n we haven't hut or a canteen,
but just home-and, oh, how the
toys love it." Mrs. Stern said with
the smile that makes the boys in
Khaki cali her little ray of sun
\ shine. THE Jewish Welfare board
Just took over an apartment, with
( ITS parlor, library, kitchen, bath
rooms and all, and we helped them
to furnish it. to make it as home
like as possible. There is a piano,
victro.a, violin, too (for boys
h who are very unsteady inclinedl,
plenty of books and magazines,
fresh flowers, and crisp muslin cur
tains. All day the boys keep COM
ing in, but at 3 o'clock scores OF
them come for tea or chocolate and
cake and little sociabilty. The
first question they ask OF us is;
N Lady. are you all American? Come
ever and talk some American to
usr
Newcomers Are Timid.
"The newcomers, when they first
come in, are bit timid and afraid
to take the things that are offered
them. There was one boy-a
Brooklyn lad, who had been wound
>sd and sent to the base hospital in
wis. One day when he mad re-
ed he wandered into our head
He saw the mogen do
blue and white double
Ahe sat down and
the refreshments
hesitated. because
money. During all the
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29
HOW 1T FEELS TO BE AN
IMPORTANT PARSONAGE.

pirecton-In reading this, insert YOU
name wherever blank appears and i'm
agine the article printed on the front page
of the paper, under big headlines)
Mr.. ....... arrived home at II ~
last night, having been at theater
He was up at 7:0S this morning and
had breakfast with Mrs. ........,
eating with apparent relish six pam
cakes, two fried eggs, large slice
of ham and two cups of coffee.
He just missed a street car and
paused to chat with Grocer Smith,
who was also enroute downtown.
Mr.. ........ spent the morning
at his desk, signing important pa
pers. He had seven conversations
over the telephone, the office boy
stated. 1t is believed that one OF
these was with a coal company from
which he ordered two tons of coal.
Mr.. ....... was the luncheon
guest Of Realtor Lotto at the Cham
Der Of Commerce. The menu was as
Consomme Bean
Roast Beef
Mashed Potatoes
Apple Pie Coffee
Mr.. ........ ate heartily and aft
erwards smoked one of his favorite
FL Cuspidoro cigars, perfecto size.
AS the weather was fine, Mr.. 80.
insisted on walking the two blocks
to his office. He was accompanied by
Realtor Lotte, but otherwise unat-
tended. They had to wait at FIT
teenth street for the traffic to pass
and Mr.. ........ chatted for a mo-
ment with ]. w. Egg, president of
the International Omelette corpora
ton. 1t is believed that they dis
cussed questions having great bear
ing on reconstruction.
Arriving at his office at 2:07
O'Clock, Mr.. ........ plunged i'm
mediately into the mass of work
that had accumulated. An agent
called in the afternoon and induced
Mr.. ........ to subscribe to Brick
layers Weekly, which is giving a
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29
Plant Trees for Soldiers

Women's clubs and organizations
in various parts of the country are
taking up the idea started in Cleve-
land of planting memorial trees on
the highways to soldiers who died in
the war, marking them with small
bronze tablet inscribed with the
name OF the soldier honored
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29

96-volume set of the works of A.
Singer with each subscription.
81 have always wanted these
books" Mr.. ........ remarked to
the agent.
The agent said he would preserve
the pen with which Mr.. ........
signed the contract.
1t was 5.llH when Mr.. ........
closed down his desk. He seemed
weary and there was tinge Vi
hunger in his look. As he went
down on the elevator he met Jerry
Howard, a well-known statesman.
and chatted with him. Mr.. Howard
refused, later, to divulge what they
had discussed.
AS he was leaving the buildin.
Mr.. ........ met an old friend,
Charlie Chumpleigh who invited him
to come over to the club for din
ner and later engage in little game
After short conversation t two
went to a telephone, where Mr..
........ telephoned his wife that
important business would keep him
at the office until very late.
Mr.. ...... and Chumpleigh then
went to the club, where they re-
NAMED until | :39 in the morning
Mr.. ...... seemed in splendid spir-
its when he came out. He took a
brown taxicab to his home. Mrs.
........ was waiting for him.
Etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.
They Seldom Come Back
Mrs. Allen, who number Of years
ago lived at the Fl. Mcpherson ma
tonal cemetery, arrived Saturday
from the east to make a protracted
visit with her daughter, Mrs. Fred
Kuser.-North Platte Tribune.
ROUGH EN- UP A BIT!
A fortune awaits the artist who
can put into the faces of our soldiers
their real manliness, courage and de-
termination. All the pictures we
have seen make the Yank look like
a mixture of a poet, cherub and a
chorus man.
Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-29
American Swimmers

Water sports for women have at
tanned much popularity in the past
few years and "inermaids" have de-
yeloped rapidly, both individually
and as class. There are already
more than a dozen girl swimming
stars belonging to this country.
The evening leader., 1918-07-22
GREEK AND AUTO TRUCK
COLLIDE THIS MORNING

There was collision between a
Greek and Gourley-Logan's auto truck
this morning near the sponge ex-
change, in which the Greek came out
second best. The story as told The
Leader, through an interpreter for the
Greek whose name is Speros Papadi-
mitrou, was to the effect that the auto
truck was coming around the corner
about fifty miles an hour and struck
Mr.. Papadimitriou, the wheels passing
over his head and his knees. He was
badly bruised on the cheek and hand,
but otherwise seemed all right. If the
auto truck really passed over him he
certainly has substantial bones and
narrowly missed being killed
We called on the Gourley-Logan
company and asked about the accident,
and We're told that H. w. Forbes was
driving the truck, and that he report
ed that he was going along quite slow
ly when Mr.. Papadimitrou stepped in
front of the truck and was struck by
the fender, being knocked down, but
not run over.
The case was dismissed in court this
lmorning.
The evening leader., 1918-07-22
Americans Are Everywhere in France
They Are Met in Groups on the Roads, in the Vii
lagos; in the Homes; in Fact They Are Like
a Lot of Bees in Clover Field

Headquarters of American Troops
with the British Forces in France,
June 16.-(Correspondence of the As
sociated Press.)-American soldiers
are now spread all over the back areas
of the British zone in France. So
thick are they it is impossible to miss
them out of doors. If overseas men
are not met in groups on the road they
are seen sitting in circles around
British non-commissioned officers lis
tening to lectures on quick-fring, or
doing gas mask drill in the meadows.
There are columns of Americans
hiking along the valleys beside fast
running trout streams, and up and
down or around the hills with which
these areas are studded. You see
them off duty in all the farm yards
and up all the lanes. They are wan
dering about on the by-roads getting
the lay of the land, and sometimes
stepping aside to gather the poppies
blue bells, daisies and buttercups thai
make the French countryside look likt
a huge bouquet at this season.
The evening leader., 1918-07-22

There are Americans in the villages
buying knick-knacks, hunting the
scarce American smoking tobacco or
sitting with children in doorways get
ting first notions of French from their
picture books. They are on an impro-
vised diamond in a pasture with bat
and ball occasionally, not often, for
sporting articles are quite as scarce
as American tobacco here where the
Y. M. G. A. has not yet penetrated eff
fectively.
American airs are heard everywhere
sung, whistled or played on an in-
strument that is quite as strange to
these parts as were the bagpipes four
years ago-the mouth organ.
The pipes and the mouth organ come
together frequently where the Scotch
and Americans are billeted in such
proximity as to facilitate an exchange
iof amenities, If the overseas boys
haven't yet learned to appreciate al
the beauties Of the pipes, the Scotch
men dance to almost any kind of mu
Isic.
The evening leader., 1918-07-22
The County Probation Officer
Suggests County Buy Paintings
Offered BY Local Artist!
Magnificent Florida Scenes to Adorn the Walls
of the County Court House

Miss Sarah Cotton Smith called at
The Leader office this morning and
left the following list of paintings
which she says are the very finest an
done by a resident artist who former
ly had a studio in London. They have
taken prizes at the local fairs and
would be most appropriate to adorn
the walls of the magnificent new
county court house. at Clearwater.
The value of the paintings is S4S7.50
but the county can secure the entire
collection for $4,000.
No doubt it would be wise invest
ment and the county commissioners
will likely take advantage of the offer
to secure these Florida views at the
low price, The court house would be
a most appropriate. place for this col
lection.
The paintings were made by Joseph
The evening leader., 1918-07-22
CASUALTY REPORT TODAY 81

Washington, July 22.-The army
casualty list today contained sixty
two names, divided as follows:
Killed in action, 8; died of wounds,
ID; died of disease, z; died of accident
and other causes, 8; wounded severely,
IL; missing in action, 16; prisoners, |,
The list includes the name of Lieut.
William N. Walton, of Palatka, Fla.
who was wounded severely.
The evening leader., 1918-07-22

people, was the Interpretation placed
by many officials today on the sudden
appearance yesterday of a German
submarine off the Massachusetts coast
and the sinking by shell fire of three
barges and the shelling of tug and
another barge. The officials were un-
able to see any other reason for the
wasting of ammunition on small craft.
Naval vessels are believed to be
searching for mines thought to have
been dropped by a submarine in an
effort to sink transports rather than
risk attacking them under convoy.
The evening leader., 1918-07-22
MAY Move Ice and Electric Plant to
River Front; and Locate on Side Track
to be Built for Anclote Shipbuilding Co.

and alongside the sidetrack which it
is proposed to build for the Anclote
Shipbuilding company.
The suggestion was that this would
get the present plant and its smoke
out of the heart of the city and at
the same time secure a better and
larger plant, perhaps reducing the
cost of ice to the consumer. Some
plan of exchange Of sites would doubt
less be good thing for both the city
and the Southern Utilities company.