davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06

to disguise the location of his machine
gun and get his range. Some Of the
most commonly used stunts are as fol-
lows:
At night, when he mounts his gun
over the top of his trench and wants
to get the range of Fritz's trench he
adopts the method of what he terms
getting the sparks" This consists Of
firing bursts from his gun until the
bullets hit the German barbed wire.
He can tell when they are cutting the
wire, because bullet when 1t hits
wire throws out blue electric spark.
Machine-gun fire is very damaging to
wire and causes many wiring party
to go out Mt night when it Is quiet to
repair the damage.
To disguise the flare of his gun at
night when firing, Tommy uses what is
called fare protector. This is q stove
pipe arrangement which fits over the
barrel casing of the gun and screens
the sparks from the right and left, but
not from the front. So Tommy, always
resourceful, adopts this scheme: About
three feet or less in front of the gun he
drives two stakes into the ground,
abou. FIVE feet apart. Across these
stakes he stretches curtain made out
of empty sandbags ripped open. He
soaks this curtain in water and fires
through it. The water prevents II
catching fire and effectively screens
the flare of the firing gun from the
enemy.
Sound Is a valuable asset in locating
n machine gun, but Tommy surmounts
this obstacle by placing two machine
guns about one hundred to one hun.
dred and fifty yards apart. The gun
on the right to cover with its fire the
sector of the left gun and the gun on
the left to cover that of the right
gun. This makes their fire cross; they
are fred simultaneously.
BY this method IL sounds like one
gun firing and gives the Germans the
impression that the gun is firing from
point midway between the guns
which are actually firing, and they ac'
cordlngly shell that particular spot
| The machine gunners chuckle and say
''Fritz is brainy boy, not 'alf he
amt"
| But the men in our lines at the spot
being shclled curse Fritz for his igno
rance and pass a few pert remarks
down the line in reference to the ma
chine gunners being windy" ant
afraid to take their medicine.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06
Showing How Fritz lie Fooled.

rapidly, in fact, got better than his
teacher. / commenced to feel jealous.
When he had completely mastered the
tune. he started sweeping the road
again and we clicked it worse than
ever. But he signed his death warrant
by doing so, because my friendship
turned to hate. Every time he fred he
played that tune and we danced.
The boys In the battalion gave us
the "Ha! Hal" They weren't in on
our little frameup.
The originator of the ruse and the
other two gunners had Fritz's location
tapped to the minute; they mounted
their two guns, and also gave me the
range. The next afternoon was set for
the grand finale.
Our three guns, with different eleva-
lions, had their fire so arranged, that,
opening up together, their bullets
would suddenly drop ON Fritz iike a
hailstorm.
About three the next day, Fritz start
ed 'pup-pupping'' that tune. blew a
sharp blast on whistle, It was the sig
nal agreed upon; we turned loose and
Fritz's gun suddenly stopped In the
middle of a bar. We had cooked his
goose. and our ruse had worked. After
firing two belts each, to make sure of
our job, we hurriediy dismonnted our
guns and took cover in the dugout. We
knew what to expect soon. We didn't
have to wait long, three salvos OF
"whizz-bangs" came over from Fritz's
artillery. a further confirmation that
we had sent that musical machine-gun-
ner on his Westward-bound journey
That gun never bothered US again
We were the heroes Of the battalion
our captain congratulated US, said II
was neat piece Of work, and, conse
quently. we were all pulled up over the
stunt.
| There are several ways Tommy usss
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06
TEMPERANCE!
FOR EACH OTHERS SAKE.

A grizzled Scotch banker in New
York was bidding goodby to his son,
a young lieutenant, ordered overeas.
Dad" said the boy, ''you could give
me something I'd rather have than
$25,O00." whats happened to you.
my boy, that n big bunch of money
like that seems a trifie?' Nothing.
father, but there's thing you could
do that I'd rather have than all kinds
Of money" sand what might that fine
thing beY'
Then the young man with the single
silver shoulder bar looked his gruff-
tender father straight in the face and
said, as If he meant 1t, dad, wish
you'd promise me to cut out the whis-
ky while I'm gone" The father bristled
up. "Why, hoy, you know never take
too much. You know how little l drink
here at home, and don't booze in
business hours. What's got into you,
boy?"
But the boy persisted until the man
said, "Son, you're going into tempta-
tons you never dreamed of over there.
LOu IA hCt0 TIC Stiittthh6 you NtA.
get to keep straight. TIL promise you
to be prohibition If youll promise me
not to forget your mother, and your
covenant vows"
And father and son shook hands on
1t.
| When the bankers friends down
town see him refuse to join them In
monday cocktail or an evening high
ball, they wonder what has come over
him. He is thinking of the lad who Is
with Pershing, and he will keep faith.
| There are many American fathers
and mothers in these days who are
| living nearer to the level of their
better selves, for the sake Of the
knightly sons who have embarked on
the great adventure Overseas.-The
Christian Advocate.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06
HOW HE is HANDICAPPED.

The drinking man is the first
to get sick, and the last man to
well, says Rev. M. A. Landing In
Pittsburgh Observer.
He is the first man to lose
friends and the last man to apr
ate them.
He is the first man on the tobo
to poverty and the last man to g.
his feet to find his way out.
He is the first man to get b
accident and the last man to reed
He is the last man to get 1ol
the first man to lose 1t.
He Is the first man to die an
last man to provide for his fan
The Pioneer.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06
lTo BE CONTINUED
Acts Of Heroism Recognized.

Twenty-four acts of heroism wer,
recognized by the Carnegie hero fund
commission in its fourteenth annual
meeting. In seven cases silver medali
were awarded, in IL cases. bronze
medals. Ten of the heroes lost thei,
lives, and to the dependents of nine
Of these pensions aggregating $4,J6(
year were granted. In addition t.
these money grants, In two cases, 50.
100 was appropriated for educational
purposes, payments to be made Al
needed and approved, and in II cases
awards aggregating $4,000 were made
for other worthy purposes. Pay
ments in these cases will not be made
until the awards have been approved
by the commission.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06
cornmeaI In Honduras.

Because Of the marked success q
recent governmental and private Of
forts 10 pasx1ote the production d
more cereals during the period Of tbs
war, writes Consul Walter f. Boyle
Puerto Cortes, an American company
has imported and erected the first mill
for the milling of cornmeal. This was
purchased in the United States and
has been erected at San redrp. Suln
Honduras. It Is small eQripmss4
but marks the beginning os new y
dustry.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06
EMPEY AND HIS COMRADES MAKE THEIR MACHINE
GUNS PERFORM SOME MARVELLOUS TRICKS.

synopssFired sinking Lutana with the loss of
Arthur living Jersey City,
goes the British After
experience a London he is sent train
big
brief period Of training
frontne trenches where he takes
his whz overhead Empey
learns the trenches
Chaplain wounded under hot
Empey experience trench digger
Exciting listening post detail Ex
Back in rest blets Empey
writes stages trenches
Empey top" costly the
lines
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06
Reoenerated Life.

The best personal workers are those
Who have zeal for others because Of
heir own changed lives. There may
Sc argument against some forms Of
reasoning and against various cults
and "isms." but there can be no ar.
yument against regenerated life
Something Doing"
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06

four years fought In the greatest wal
the world has known. But neverthe
less, 1t Is 4 fact that the American
troops turned the tide OF battle anc
gave the allies victory where there
We're grave fears of defeat. 1t Is also
true that the Americans have made IL
impossible for anything like a sue.
cessful Hun offensive toward Paris OF
the channel ports.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06

Empey 10 assigned to the
intelligence department, but
finds it 10 not the "soft" snap
that he anticipated. The next
installment tells of some Of his
experiences In his new job az a
spy-catcher.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06
| WHY MOTT

WHY MOTT
"Why don't the saloons put
finished product in their window
merchant VIII put his best go
his window. but the saloons cal
llceman for their finished p
have him carted on to jail out q
Of everyone, and have him RI
after he has sobered up to rein
job."-W. J. Bryan.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06

God gives us abundant mate
food to sustain life. Man tuI
ions of that material into d-iI
destroys life. Help stop 1t. /
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1918-09-06

Within half an hour Of one another
two congressman wandered into the
senate chamber one Monday afternoon
and sat down to listen and perhaps
compare the senate brand of speech
making with that Of the house. First
came Blanton of Texas who slowed
away his hat under a sofa in the back
Of the chamber and then moved up and
sat down at desk in the last row on
the Democratic side. After about Eve
minutes he retrieved his hat and van
ished. Then Sims OF Tennessee march
ed in and sat himself down In the
same seat. Possibly there was SUI
perstitious reason for the popularity
of that seat. 1t belongs to Senator
Shafroth of Colorado who was for
some time member of the house. The
two congressman may have felt that
by sitting In it they would get some
magic inspiration on how to follow
Shafroth's example and transform
themselves from representatives into
senator's
The Washington times., 1918-12-27

One leg was gone. So was one arm.
He asked the superintendent to re-
store him to the executive position
he held before he inswered the call
to the colorS
81 can see him yet on the day
met him in the superintendent's Of
fee. I shall never forget how the
superintendent slapped him on the
back, saying, Take you back?
Why, this is no beauty parlor or
motion picture studiol You bet III
take you back, and mighty glad to
get you. A man Is worth only a
dollar and a half from the neck
down, but from the neck up, well,
wen call II flve thousand a year to
begin!"
"For the first time in my life I
began to Enthusiastically. Here
was, married to a handsome, but
worthless being. He played upon
my womanly sympathy. He allowed
me to both make the home, keep
the home going. and also support
him. That very day l made up my
mind to seek my freedom
"No, John isn't handsome, but he
is every inch a man and worthy of
the love and affection of a good
woman. Incapacitated physically.
he was still the all-American, am
bilious business man. He met his
problem we'll. In the reconstruc-
ton hospital surgeons have given
him new limbs. Every evening he
studies at least half an hour. And
some day I know that my John
is going to be at the very top OF
the ladder, but in the meantime We
have the greatest thing in the world
love-"
The Washington times., 1918-12-27
Plea For Mercy.

Gallant Thomas Atkinson was a
member Of the local Volunteer corps.
and he was also newiy-wed. When
he returned home from drill one
evening there was q martial hre in
his eyes and a proud swelling in
the region of his bosom. Matilda
darling" he said to his six months
bride, 'T have some splendid news
for you. am promoted-they have
made me a lance-corporaL" With
a proud look at her wnrrior-hus-
band Matilda clasped her arms about
his neck. 81 am so glad, DEAR" she
said: "but, Thomas"-pleadingly-
promise me this. Do not let au-
thority make you proud and over
bearing. Whatever you do, be kind
TO your menr
The Washington times., 1918-12-27
Puss i'm Boots
Jr.
By David Cory.

w YELL, you remember in the
N/ last story that Puss Junior
" was in a little town the
day before Xmas. And
hope you haven't forgotten how he
bought a fur coat and muffler for a
poor little girl.
Well, by and by it grew very late,
and the stars came out and the big
moon shone down on the quiet earth,
which. was covered with snow.
guess everybody III this little town
had gone to bed early. and Puss
was the only person awake.
And as he stood looking up into
tAe skies. all of a sudden, he heard
the jingle, jingle OF bells, and the
next minute Santa Claus, with his
reindeers. dashed by.
And when they came to the first
house, up went the reindeers to the
top of the roof, where Santa Claus
got out.
And while he was slapping his
hands together. Puss Junior jumped
up to the roof and spoke to the
reindeers.
Come with u.s." said Comet.
Jump on my back" said Dasher.
"Get in the Sleigh" said Prancer.
Goodness me. can't do all these
things" laughed little Puss Junior,
and just then Santa Claus came out
OF the chimney and cried "Of course
you can, little Puss Junior. Jump
into my sleigh and go with me, for
I'm on my way back to the North
Pole"
So Puss jumped into. the sleigh,
and Santa Claus tucked in the big
buffalo robe, and then he said:
"On with you, Dasher and
Prancer. and all the rest OF you.
haven't time to call you all by name,
fro 1 want to talk to little Puss
Junior" So the reindeers threw out
their heels, and away they went
over the treetops and over the
steeples, and over the heads of the
sleepy peop.es.
Copyright, 1918. by David COry3
(To Ne ContIn0ed)
The Washington times., 1918-12-27
By Brice Belden, N. D.

"HE chief factor In the spread
of infectious diseases is liv-
ing under improper condi-
tions.
The reason why pneumonia,
measles, scarlet fever, and diph-
iberia are relatively rare in the
summer and common in the winter
is because people remain indoors
when the weather gets cold. Close
contact under bad conditions Of
ventilation with individuals giving
on infectious material accounts for
the greater spread of infectious
diseases in the winter season.
Smallpox Is a winter disease. The
only reason why IL does. not rage
in our communities to-day is vac
ciuatfon plus better sanitation and
hygiene.
Our overcrowding today, bad as
# is, is not comparable with that
which prevailed in the old days
when such diseases as the plague
ravaged whole continents. Bu: We
still have our subways and Brook
lyn Rapid Transits and quite n few
tenements, not to mention q, few
other things in kind.
Hygienic home conditions are the
greatest protection against infec-
tious diseases. because even IL one
is exposed to such disease outside
OF the home, one is less likely to
contract it IL physical resistance is
good, and a hygienic home goes
very far toward insuring good re-
sistance. Moreover, one does not
stay in such places as the subway
very long, whereas long hours are
The Washington times., 1918-12-27
The Heart Breaker By yisssi, yas 5s v,sss 1ssa""'
HOnOra Has Hard Task in Keeping Everybody Happy
When She and Mildred Entertain

as much interest as IL the invalid
had been q personal friend In
spite of this she managed to draw
Mr.. Bruce into the conversation,
until he actually believed that he
was entertaining her.
At table she succeeded in keeping
the talk fairly general, and adroitly
interfered when Mildred would have
INDUCED in q tete-a-tete with either
Of the young men.
But when dinner was over and the
party went into the living room. all
Honora's efforts to make her sister
converse with the elderly couple
were in vain.
Mildred walked straight to q
couch in the bay window and mo-
TONED to Arthur to sit on one side
of her and to Tom to sit on the
other.
An Awkward situation.
Then, lowering her voice, she be-
gan to tell q story that drew. from
Tom noisy outbursts OF laughter,
and at which Arthur smiled with
amusement
too young and inexperienced to
awkward situation. Looking up.
she caught Arthur's eye and he
came quickly to her rescue.
Mother" he said, jumping up
and crossing the room to where
Honora and his parents sat. "why
don't you ask Honora to play
somethIng7 She plays awfully
well. and she sings. too, you know"
Indeed do noti" the girl pro-
tested 81 only play to amuse my
self sometimes"
'But she does sing sweetly,"
The Washington times., 1918-12-27

A > the new year begins, do you
IA begin to have your tasks
"A weigh heavily upon you? Do
you begin to soliloquize, "Oh,
what's the use? i slave from morn
ing until night and 1 am getting
nowhere! Oh. dear-oh, dear"'
I have in mind a little woman
who has so much OF the mother
instinct in her that for five long
years she has mothered a hand
some but worthless husband. His
very appearance can get him al
most any job he goes after. but
unless the position is what is
known as refined" he cannot low
er himself to work at it.
'Dearie," he may say, "you see
l was so carefully brought up that
/ cannot work among low, ignor1 mt
people. Ny nature is such that I
must be surrounded by the refins-
ments Of life or cannot work.
Now, with you it is different. You
we're not brought up II a classy
family like ]. You can bring your
self to sew for the compiOnest OF
the common. You can do steno-
graphic work or you can be a clerk
III q store, Dul = ana Inen WITH
an affectionate kiss. she usually
stopped him by saying, 'I know,
dear. You are just unfortunate, 1
understand"
BJt-vIn, went to sec her :he
other day. Two years ago 1 called
Lpon her only to find the poor lady
working at fever heat after a busy
Jay at the store to produce a din
ner for the male being" who occu-
pted'space in her home. But what
a new sight met my eyes. Mrs. NJ.
had changed her name. She no
longer went out to work. Again
she was a homemaker doing the
work she loved the best. She was
happy, supremely happy.
Frances. tell me, how came you
TO do society so great a favor?"
found myself saying as we moved
the soft cushions on the davenport
into a more comfortable position.
She smiled the smile so charac-
teristic of happy. contentsd wife.
''He came to our store on crutches.
The Washington times., 1918-12-27
Van de Water

Mildred called from the bay win
dow. 49,.
"Do you. my dearT" Mr.. Bruce
questioned. Tom. seeing Honora's
embarrassment, smiled. Tor
give me for bothing you. but I
wonder II you know any of the old
fashioned songs such as I like. I
do not care for rag-time."
'She sings-some OF the old songs
delightfully," Arthur declared
"Ah, please sing, my dear" Mrs.
Bruce urged
Not wanting to seem discourteous,
Honora complied. She had never
sung in public, and only q little
now and then for her own enjoy
ment or to please her sister and Mrs.
Higgins.
But her voice was sweet, II not
strong, and as she sang several
ballads that Mr.. Bruce had known
in his youth, he and his wife
thought the performances charm
ing.
When they arose to take their
departure Mildred approached them
to say good night.
'T wish we could have seen more
OF you, MiIIy," Mrs Bruce remarked.
Then, patting Honora's arm, This
dear child has given US q delightful
evening"
mrs. Bruce is q cat" was Mil
dred's comment later TO Honora.
"But, anyway, had q chance to
compare the two men I like Arthur
better than Tomas q steady diet.
But I am not dropping Tom yet.
Arthur's people like you better than
they do me. And can't say that
blame them"
CTO BE Continuea.)
The Washington times., 1918-12-27

(synopsls OF Preceding chaptsrA)
Demond Okswood. British army Of
ncer, goes to Germany IN search of DE
brother. Francis. . member Of the Brit
town . man named semlln, . German
Government agent. drops dead In MS
room Desmond appropriatss Ssmiin,a,
papers and assumes his ldentfty. he
eondueted into the pressncs ot General
Won Boden. an aide Of the KAiBsr.
Desmond. having convinced Von
5oden he is really semlin. d 9.hered
Eater he receives q cipher message
from bis brother. Francig.
Il win nx you up" the other re-
piled promptly. ~and with pajamas
in the American fashion. BY the
by" he added. lowering his voice,
Il thought II better to speak Ger
man English Is not heard gladly
in Berlin just now.n
II quite understand" 1 said.
Then. to change the subject, which
did not like particularly, ] added:
Surely. you have been very quick
In coming down from the frontier.
Did you come By train7"
'Oh, mol" he answered. AT found
that the car in which you drove to
NAAo eN6AAon II O6lQnkEu 70
the gentleman who came to meet
you. you know 80 was being
sent back to Berlin By road. 50 I
got the driver to give me q lift"
He said this quite airly, with his
usual tone Of candor. But for the
moment I regretted my decision to
go to the Espianade with him
What II he knew more than he
seemed to know7
I dismissed the suspicion from
my mind
BAIL" said to myself, @you are
getting jumpy, Besides. II IL too
late to turn back now!"
We had q friendly wranEIe Is 70
who should pay for the drinks. a. q
1t ended In my paying. Then. after
a long wait. we managed to get q
cab, an antique-looling ~Erowler'
driven by an an'octogenarian in q coat
Of many capes. and drove to the
Esplanade,
It was \ regular palace Of q place,
with splendid vestibule with walls
and A4vement OF diRerent-hued
marbles, with palm trees over
The Washington times., 1918-12-27
An Old Acquaintance.

He was q very clever man-at
least. he thought so-and he wished
to show off before his rather quiet
looking friend.
His rowing eye espied a tramp.
''Ha! Watch me get a rise out of
him." said he.
He listened with assumed inter-
est to the story of bad luck spun by
Tom. the tired tramp.
That's the same story you told
me the last time 1 saw you," said
the clever one at the end OF the
narrative.
'Ts IL? When did you hear it?"
Last week."
"oh, mebbe did tell II to yer.
but ] didn't remember your face. I
was In prison allllast week"
The Washington times., 1918-12-27
How Disease Is Spread

spent in the home. Thus the neces-
sity for good hygiene in the home
becomes very obvious.
The poor ventilation incidental to
too many persons occupying small
quarters. or to an excessive num-
Der Of persons working in a poorly
aired room, directly. invites infec-
tious diseases. particularly OF the
respiratory organs. such as pneu-
monia, by reason OF the lowering of
vitality which # brings about.
In so far as each individual keeps
well the public health Is furthered
and life is conserved. One does not
have to cultivate a selfish spirit in
this matter, for It is not to be for
gotten that in keeping well you are
rendering a community service.