davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1918-02-24

himself If you want to catch a Sc
cret. the best way is to go where 1t
of the Times. I did him good turn
once on a time. He'll be civil to me,
will you kindly report progress to
us here at o'clock tomorrow said
the prime minister.
II cannot promise any progress, said
Mr.. Beck. but I'll come without fail .
The Times editor, Mr.. McDougal
stood with his back to the cheerful
quizzically at Mr.. Beck. who had un-
folded his delicate mission with his
customary simple candor.
so you want to know the name
last very slowly. Well. cannot give
them Mind, 1 don't say I would if ]
could. but simply I cannot for the best
self"
But you have his letters" Mr.. Beck
persisted. you might give me peep
at one of them"
Certainty" said Mr.: Mepougai
place to his desk at the window. un-
locked a drawer, took out letter
and handed it to Mr.: Beck.
That is the very first we had from
him. he said.
Mr. Beck gravely unfolded the let
ter. 1t was a plain sheet of common
typewriter paper; no name. no ad-
dress: no distinct mark whatever, ex-
cept little cross with red ink at the
top. It began and ended abruptly:
ITO the Editor of the Times:
Whenever you receive q communi-
cation with the small red cross at top.
be sure it is genuine. and publish i'm
mediately."
There was most interesting item
of news inclosed," said the editor. I'VE
did not publish it. We were sorry aft
erward. because it proved to be correct
in every detail. Since then we have
trusted the red cross. We have had
half dozen revelations. some Of them
important. some of them sensational,
but all of them accurate. The subter-
ranean correspondent is now an ac-
credited member Of the staff"
DO you pay him for this?"
Well. yes; and pretty stiff price
too; but you must excuse me from GO
ing into details. I know the money
passes, but I haven't the faintest no.
tion into whose hands"
Evening star., 1918-02-24

terview with England's prime minister.
But with characteristic bluntness he
came straight to the point. after he had
acknowledged the brief introduction to
Lord Weldon.
You have sent for me. sir, take it,
to tell me of the trouble in the cabi-
net. 1 suppose; the whole town is talk
ing of it,
The prime minister wifced as II he
had been stung, and for a moment or
two could hardly trust himself to speak.
Then he turned to the imperturbable
detective with that impressive dignity
that so well became him.
II have heard,' he said. you have
already engaged in matters of great
delicacy and of great public impor-
tance, and that your discretion has been
knowledged the compliment with a
deprecatory smile-"but never before.
let me assure you, in matter OF deli
cacy or Importance comparable to this.
government. the vital interest of an
empire are involved in the detection
of this treason"
Il will do my best" said the detec-
tive TRANQUILITY. 1t was his universal
Need I say that the most absolute
secrecy is essential?" said the prime
minister.
You need not said Mr.. Beck short
ly. "If you want me. you must trust
me, of course"
Then very briefly and clearly the
prime minister set the meager facts of
the case before him. One thing alone
was certain-a cabinet minister was
the culprit.
Not a look or tone escaped Mr.. Beck
while the prime minister spoke.
You suspect some one?' he said.
when the other concluded.
II do, but I would rather not tell
his name. 1t is not that 1 doubt your
discretion" he added quickly. but I
should never forgive myself if I were
mistaken"
"T don't want his name at present"
said Mr. Beck. Later on we may
have to make that suspicion certainty,
one way or the other. The first step,
however. is plainly to call on the
editor of the Times.
DO you think he will help us?'
Not if he can avoid 1t. You see.
he knows nothing of the foreign COM
plications. and he will regard the home
revelations as good newspaper busi-
ness, but he may help us in spite OF
Evening star., 1918-02-24
as. to a large extent. forced them

has. to large extent. forced them
upon u.s.
We'll, but is such a man likely to
risk his great career by petty treason.
to give his enemies-for he has bitter
enemies, we know-such a handle
against him."
''The danger may seem slight. and
the temptation is great I hate to say
it, but Brandal is the only poor man
in our cabinet.
But it is not the poor that are al
ways greedy. Brandal has never shown
any love for money. He married his
beautiful wife, Fanny Power. the fair
maid of Erin, as she was called. with
out a farthing. There is no corner in
the mans character, Arthur, for susri-
cion to lay hold Of"
The prime minister laid his hand
kindly on his friends shoulder.
Charles" he said, "the generosity of
your character blinds you. This man
has frequently and fiercely attacked
you. therefore you feel bound to de-
fend him. He is your sole rival for
my place, which. in the course of ma
turn. / cannot hold much longer: there
fore you instinctively and chiva1rously
on his behalf, he would not now be in
the cabinet. 1 wish he wern't."
Don't say that Arthur; you'll find
I'm right.
II cannot even say I hope you are
right. If it isn't Brandal, it's some one
else. The matter must he tested. and
1 have taken the first step.
There's a man here in London
whose methods in running down Grim
inals and imposters are curiously un-
like those of the rest of the profess
sion. He acknowledges no theory of
detecting except the rule of thumb.
but l confess that the reports of his
naive handling of certain cases have
got under my skin. This man, Paul
Beck, is coming here this morning at
my request. I'm going to give him the
job of finding the leak in parliament.
Lord Weldon had heard of Mr.. Beck
and expressed his approval of the. prime
minister's action. He was interrupted
by the entrance of the servant with
Mr.. Beck's card. The prime minister
motioned his friend to remain, and
Paul Beck was shown in.
The rule of thumb detective was as
usual unhurried and quite obviously
unaffected by the Importance of an in
Evening star., 1918-02-24
THE DE,STROYERS OF BIRDS
JyJnEe@a1I@1MI91IgEISaIH9ENIl

plainly the great service these birds
render to man in destroying rats and
mice. The plumage of owls is exceed
ingly loose and soft SO that their flight.
noiseless. enuabling them to swoop
upon their prey. which they hunt in the
twilight. They range over the whole
globe, extending to the extreme polar
regions and to the remotest oceanic
islands,
The word "shrew." as applied to an
animal. will probably puzzle a good
many persons. There are two distinct
species, one called the common shrew
and the other the lesser or the pigmy
shrew. The common shrew. especially
numerous in Europe, is about the size
of a mouse, and closely resembles it in
shape of body, feet and tail, but its
muzzle protrudes far beyond the lip and
its eyes are SO small that they are
scarcely discernible through the fur.
The ears are wide and short and the
tail is four-sided, with the edges or the
angles rounded off.
The pigmy shrew is the common
form in the United States 1t feeds
on insects and worms and small mol
iuscs. 1t lives in nest of dry herbage
in hole in the ground and it breeds
in the spring. the mother shrew bring
ing forth from five to seven little
shrews. Shrews would no doubt be-
were not checked by the owls, though
the weasel is also an efficient helper
of the owl in this work.
A common mole often met with in
the United States is called the "shrew
mole" and is a member of the shrew
family. Its snout is slender and
elongated and the toes of the hind feet
are webbed. The true common mole
belongs to a different genus. and, al
though it's muzzIe is long and pointed
and Its eyes are inconspicuous. it's hind
feet are long and narrow. The normal
food of the mole is the earthworm.
yxrS1v II rf A,.t -
that 1t comes upon. Contrary to pop
ular belief. the mole will not eat veg
etable matter. such as grass roots. or
the roots of robe bushes or other
Evening star., 1918-02-24

ENHE cat as a SLAYER of birds has
been indicted times without num-
ber He and she have not only
been indicted. but have been convicted.
The cat as a pitiless destroyer of bird
life is the text Of discussion that mas
been carried on for many years and the
end of II still seems to be long way
of. The owl has recently come In for
his share of criticism by both the
friends of cats and the friends of birds.
at least by the friends of other birds
than owls.
A good while ago Thomas NJ. Upp. ma
tional organiser of the Order OF Back
woodsmen and naturalist or note.
wrote: THE question as to Whether
rodents or insects are the more destrucc
tive Is altogether academic. Either. II
The problem Is complicated by the 1act
that every rodent destroyer takes some
birds. The question is, what species
takes the fewest birds in proportion 10
dence Is overwhelming-that with the
possible exception OF the marsh hawk,
there Is no rodent destroyer when. IN
proportion to it's captures OF rodents,
takes 80 few birds as does the cat
Dr. A. X, Fisher of the biological
survey In defending the character OF
the owl said that In the case Of the
long cared owl an investigation SHOW
od that fifty pellets contained the re-
mains of 1877 mice. 26 shrews and 1s
birds. and that 1t would be both per-
niciouA and cruel to molest so innocent
and valuable a bird.
There are two words here. pellets"
and "shrews." which probably require
explanation to readers who are not
deeply learned in birds and rodents: All
owls cast up In the form Of pellets"
the indigestihie parts Of food they have
swallowed, and one Of the earliest
ornithologists to sing the praises OF the
owl wrote:
seen under amy owl roost. and show
Evening star., 1918-02-24
A Valuable Machine.

~AFTAIN ANDERSON DANA. who
" has just got married at Plattsburg.
is a grandson of the journalist, Charles
A. Dana, and in an interview he said:
my grandfather believed in mar
riage. He thought it steadied a man.
l remember story he used to tell
Its story about a chap who asked
a man:
".Have you ever heard anything
about machine for telling when
man is lyingT
Sure said the man.
"'Have you ever seen oner said the
chap.
Seen oner said the man. BY gosh.
/ married one."
Evening star., 1918-02-24

00 7AR and It's hardships, You
MANI may have heard Americans
HY complain Of its hardships-
safe in their homes, 1000
miles Of ocean between them and the
nelds where men are making the supreme
sacrifice. paying their full measure OF
devotion" to the cause of liberty and jus
tice
What are those hardships of war which
the stay-at-home American is suffering
A little less of wheat -four in his abundant
bread, a little less of Some kinds of meat.
trif1ing reduction in his allowance OF
sugar. some difficulty in getting enough
coal. little saved out of his increased
income and snugly invested in war saw
ings stamps and liberty bonds
And enduring these hardships. he ex-
claims with Stauffacher: "Oh, wife, A
horrid. ruthless fend is war
But turn to the people of the stricken
countries. the people whose homes lay
in the path of war. and see what it means
TO them They. too. may quote the heroic
comrade of tell that war is a horrid
ruthless fend.'' and then may add with
him:
Thou hast faith in human kindness. wife, but
Spares not the tender infant in its cradle.
We men may die like men, with sword in hand /:
But. oh. what fate. my Gertrude, may be thine:''
To the people of Belgium and northern
France war has meant all that Stauffach-
er said OF it, and things a hundred times
worse than Won Schillers hero, prepar-
ing to go forth to meet the Austrian
tyrant. ever dreamed it could mean
1t has meant the ravaging OF all but
q tiny corner of once happy and fruit
full land. the wanton ruin of the fairest
and richest provinces of a proud and
mighty nation. 1t has meant the vio-
lation of women. the purposeless mur-
der of both women and children, the
butchering of unoffending citizens by
the scores. It has meant cities and
villages burned, fields laid waste, scores
of thousands of educated, highly civil
1ized mon carried away by conquerors,
protesting to be fellow Christians. into
. slavery which for cruelty has never
known a parallel
It has meant delicate women COM
PEELED to toll in the fields from day
break until dark. while a gloating, OBJ
scene enemy with a gun stood guard
over them. 1t has meant thousands
and thousands OF children-their faith
ers dead IN battle. their mothers dead
less mercifully-left to face the world
alone. 10 starve but for the ministra-
tions Of strangers. It has meant mil
lions driven into exile, few cherished
<beiosgings loaded on donkey cart or
Evening star., 1918-02-24

carried on their backs, homeless wan
derers awaiting the day when the in
solent invader shall be driven from the
soil of their ancestors. To other mil
lions. who clung to the rooftrees of
their forefathers. it has meant that the
enemy is billeted upon them, their
homes occupied by the slayers of their
husbands and sons, the mothers and
daughters impressed to menial service
for masters who would rule by ruth
lessness
Sweeping down through Belgium, the
German shamed .Attila., On into France
he went, and south until Joffre stopped
him at the Marine. Then back he was
forced to where the battle lines now
stand. He destroyed as he came, and
destroyed most thoroughly as he went.
So il is that on both sides of the mo
mans land" of today there are millions
WHO know in the bitterness of their
suffering what war really means, who
are bowed under its hardships and
broken in all but that spirit which has
won for Belgium the world as it's cham
pIon and has made of France the glory
of mankind.
Picture the Belgium of today-that
Belgium which lies behind the German
lines Before the war the BeIgians
were an Industrious, prosperous and
a happy people. Today million and a
half of them are fed at the soup line .
Another million and a half are DEPEND
ent wholly or in part on charity for
their daily bread. And these are the
older children and adul.s. Practically
all the younger children or occupied
Belgium are fed at the 'cafteens" some
supported by Americans through the
Belgian relief commission, others by
French and British charities. others by
the church and by such BeIgians as
have left any of their former wealth.
Two Wheatless days. with no limit on
the corn bread and rye bread he may
have. meatless day and a porkless
day, with fish and poultry and game
and cheese without stint. That is the
'privation" which war has brought to
the American. A patron of the soup
line in Belgium or occupied France gets
a quart Of soup and ten ounces of bread
once day. And the bread he gets is
neither as palatable nor as nutritious
as the victory bread which Herbert
Hoover asks Americans to eat
Occasionally the soup line patron gets
few dried peas. which he may stew
bread when there is comparative plenty
in the supply. The days of such com
parative plenty have been few and far be-
tween since railroad congestion and snow
blockades in the United States have inter-
rupted shipments foodstuffs overseas
Three -seyenths of the population OF
Belgium is dependent in whole or In
part on charity. The other fbur-
sevenths are but little better OF. Even
those with money may buy onlyI the
prescribed ration. They take their food
Evening star., 1918-02-24
SeIf-Raisinq.

EOoD CONTROLLER HOOVER told at
a meatless-wheatless banquet a
story about a poultry profiteerer.
"A lady entered his shop" said Mr..
Hoover. ''and asked the price of chicken.
Them birds in the winder% said the
profiteer- Wall, they're very fine quail
ity stock. i can't let 'em go for less
than 80 cents a pound
Indeed? said the lady. Did you
raise them yourself?'
Yep, said the prohteer absently.
They was 20 cents yesterday"
Evening star., 1918-02-24
Il FRANCE
daonalpho oographsi u Planexa

mind and body forever. To keep them
in Germany meant some tax on the
foodstuffs, however slight So they were
sent home. a pitiful procession, to be
fed by American. British and French
charity. A train arrived at Antwerp
with $50 of them on board. All had to
be carried from the train on stretchers.
Fifty of those on the stretchers already
were dead.
In America, two wheatleSs days, q
meatless day, porkless day each week!
"A horrid, ruthless thing is war;" the
American laments.
Yes, the conquered peoples on the
German side of the line that stretches
-.-.--- -~-,t-e-'ana to the sea know what
W.. ...e....a. Iaey anow il saates hot
Evening star., 1918-02-24

cards to the communal stores, and there
they may purchase stipulated amounts
OF dried peas and beans. bacon and lard.
potatoes and rice and occasionally a
little dried fish and macaroni. Those
who have a great deal of money and
can afford to pay prices which are
prohibitive to all but the wealthy now
and then may buy small quantities OF
homegrown vegetables and fruit and
very little fresh meat. The days when
these extra rations may be had are
counted red-letter days in homes where
once there was nothing but abundance.
only the children in Belgium and oc-
cupied France are fully fed The pres
ent generation is on the rack. but the
future generation must be saved.
That's why the children eat at the
fants and for women about TO become
mothers. There are others for weakly
children. those tragic little figures
whose bodies and minds both are stun
ned by the shock of war. Their needs
are studied by skilled physicians and
sympathetic nurses, nuns from the Bel
gian converts and American and Eng
lish women sharing in this work The
older children and the adults willing
ly submit 10 increased privations that
these little ones may be adequately
nourished. In their frail bodies is
staked the future of the race.
lishTh
In Belgium and northern France the
Germans have taken over the entire
charge of agriculture. Old men, women
and children are compelled TO work the
fields. Their masters take the crops
they grow. They are given small guam
titles OF vegetables and other produce,
but not enough to sustain life. OF
grain they get none at all II all goes
to help support the army Of occupa-
ton" Even those who cultivate the
soil and grow many times enough to
feed them are forced to depend on
outside charity for part of their
subsistence.
The invaders demanded that 500, 900
able bodied, skilled Belgian workmen
tions of war. The Belgians refused
They were willing to engage in non
war work at home, but they would not
manufacture shells to be fired against
their brothers. Then the deportations
began. Between 100000 and 100000
were herded together and forcibly sent
into Germany-absolutely slaves in
chains.
But the deluge of misfortune had not
drowned the hres that famed at Liege.
The BeIgians still refused to work.
Then they were whipped and starved.
They were crowded into foul pens and
tortured with scientific ingenuity. But
the Germans overreached themselves.
Their cruelty ran wa! with them.
Soon the 3elgiars were incapable OF
work. had trry heea r'ee.r ~
Ted. Lt..e. 40. .a-.-s v ~ ii
Evening star., 1918-02-24

have returned to claim and to reclaim
it. Where once were happy villages.
are ruins. Where once smiled fertile
fields. is waste--a waste of shell holes.
of serried trenches. of tangled wire and
of the dead. 1t is as if some dreadful
blight had descended, some curse had
been put upon the land.
There are no strong men to reclaim
that waste. The strong men of France
are in the trenches. The task is left to
the old men. to the women and children
and to the crippled soldiers.
But they are not appalled, by the
Evening star., 1918-02-24

task. Women take their babies with
them into the fields. and they sing at
their work. Soldiers with wooden legs
swing scythes. Others on crutches
guide the oxen to the plow. Old men
and children drop the seeds They are
all brave. they are all cheerful, AL
hopeful: they are all willing to endure
and to keep OH enduring until the VIC
tory is won.
Germany thought France could be
conquered, And Americans talk of the
hardships the war has forced upon
themi
Evening star., 1918-02-24

tween the Marne and the present battle
line there was left a desolation the
like of which the world never saw pc
fore. So far as concerned the destruc-
ton of property. the destruction OF the
very soil. Belgium and occupied France
we're left virtually untouched.
Since that day when Joffre's soldiers
and EngIand's "contemptible little
army" halted and humpled the greatest
war machine ever devised by man, the
allies have pushed the Teuton back and
ever back. And as the invaders have
been driven from the land, its owners
Evening star., 1918-02-24

the tender infant in it's cradle" And in
the trenches today there are thousands
upon thousands OF French and Belgian
soldiers. ready to die like men. with
sword in hand" who are haunted, day
and night, by the dreadful question:
But oh, what fate my Gertrude. has
been thine?"
Back of the allied lines in France
back of the French. the British and
now the American leEions, who are
drawn up there for the great struggle
which is to pay the Hun his scorc--the
l.'e-. &c also know what war means. Be-
Evening star., 1918-02-24
Devastating Flood Of War Means to French and Belgian Families Caught Its Path

00 7AR and It's hardships, You
MM may have heard Americans
wv complain Of its hardships-
" W in, heir q
The Washington times., 1918-03-25
wedding OUT AT
OFFICERS TRAINING
SCHOOL PROCEEDS

CAMP MEADE. Md. March 25.-The
officers training school went on the
defensive today. II has had fits course
in aggressive work and now Is in the
trenches to repel enemy" attacks.
Imaginary Huns will try TO raid the
trench and then will attempt a real
drive. The stsff OF foreign officers who
have had many tastes Of the real thing
will work with the instructors to give
realistic touches by day and night
The wedding out Of men who cannot
measure up to the stih requirements ia
still Eoit> on at the school The first
seventyfive TO 80 have been followed by
others.
One OF the instructors at the school
said We are not making officers. We
are finding out how much OF our ma
terial Is suitable and II Is no reflection
upon a man to be found wanting" Men
who have been away from school so
long that they have forgotten how TO
study are among those who are grace
fully resigning.
A spartan discipline prevails. The
temptation to spend money for fine uni
forms has brought from the comman-
dsnt Of the school. Major Noble J. Wiley,
an order that all candidates must wear
what has been issued 10 them.
The Washington times., 1918-03-25
\. NJ. c. A. GIVES
TROOPS F|VElNCH
SHELF OF BOOKS

When Charles W. Eliot president
emeritus of Harvard, complied "five-
foot shelf" OF the worlds best litera-
ture. he was accredited with a feat In
condensation, but the 7. NJ. c. A. war
work council has achieved a greater
feat in its ''nve-inch shelf" OF re-
ligious books which already are being
sent by the hundreds OF thousands to
Americans In the trenches.
Books. magazines. and newspapers
are being sent by the ton. but the
staple religious works are included In
a score of little volumes, all OF which
easily could be slipped in the side
pocket OF q civilians coat, and any
one OF which could be put in a SOL
dier's hip pocket without causing any
appreciable bulge.
The one volume OF this series
which will be placed in the hands OF
every man in uniform Is a tiny but
clearly printed copy OF the New
Testament. in khaki binding. half an
inch thick. and four by two and a
half inches. In even smaller sepa-
rate volumes are printed separately
the Psalms, the Proverbs. st. John,
ters Of the latter gospel are in
French.
The rest OF the books are insplra-
tional, brief. pithy, and virile. One is
entitled Some Words Of President
Wilson About Religion" in which Is
his estimate Of the Bible.