davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01
DOROTHY DIX TALKS
BY DOROTHY DIX
Worlds Highest Paid Woman Writer.
The Price of an Engagement Ring.-1,

The Price of an Engagement Ring.-1.
How much is it worth to be engaged
by the year -
A, woman has been doing some
figuring on the subject and she esti-
mates that thousand dollars per an
mum is no more than fair compensa-
ton.
For twenty years she was wooed by
a dilatory lover who courted and
courted, but never named the we'd
ding day, and eventually espoused an
other. Now the forsaken maiden asks
the court to award her damages at
the rate of a thousand dollars q year
for the time she wasted her sweetness
on the desert air.
When you take into consideration
the wear and tear on hope. and the
strain on faith and affection involved
in a long engagement, to say nothing
to the wounds suffered by a suscepti
BILE heart, and the price of coal and
electric light in these days of the high
cost of living, it doesn't seem a cent
too much. Being engaged is a luxury
man should be willing to pay for,
and 1t is a pity that when Cupid rem
ders his little account so many slack
ers dispute the bill.
AS a matter of fact being engaged
is like great many other things in
life-the more you have of it, the less
it is worth. 1t is only when it comes
III anu SAPlOStfS pdChdS6S lIdS
it is really of any value, and there are
many signs that indicate that women
are beginning to perceive that the
linked sweetness long drawn out of a
lingering courtship isn't worth the
price they have to pay for it. There
is yearly an increasing number of
breach of promise suits and it looks as
If the suitor of the future would be
required, in sporting parlance, to
either put up or shut up.
In our sentimental age it is impos-
sible to return to the good old custom
that prevailed when a man, who asked
permission to visit your daughter, filed
a declaration of his intentions with
his attentions and got down to busi-
ness right away. There was some=
thing doing in the wedding bells line
then. Nevertheless, every thoughtful
time limit on engagements, and that
it is a wise parent who calls for a
break away when there is no immedi-
ate prospect of a marriage being
puTed off
Nothing else is SO trying on a girl
as a long engagement. 1t punches all
the other woes and worries of her sex
without any of their ameliorations.
She is a grass widow without alimony,
a wife without a bill payer, a maiden
with no further opportunities of con-
quest.
She has made a compact with fate
in which she has signed, sealed, and
delivered her freedom over without
getting anything in return for it but
a pie-crust promise from man that
he can break when he pleases. There
fore, a long engagement is so suicidal
for a girl that anybody is justified in
keeping her from committing that
particular form of hari-lSari if they
can.
Copyright, ,-1919 by the Wheeler Syndicate,
Inc.)
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01
WHEN THE OTHER FELLOWS BUSY

WHEN THE OTHER FELLOWS BUSY.
When the other fellows busy, wave your
hand aud pass along,
Do not ask him then to listen to your little
tale of wrong.
Do not talk about the weather or the latest
bit of news.
Shout n glad good morning to him, but
don't stop to air your views.
When the other fellows busy with the
work he has to do,
Don't imagine that he's eager to hear idle
talk from you.
He won't thank you for your visit, but he'll
list you with the fools
And he'll wish he'd never met you if you
make him drop his tools.
When the other fellows busy never take
the empty chair. Y
Just forget your pleasant story your
little tale of care;
For the chances are he's thinking of the
work he has to do
And before the day is over he would like
to see it thru.
If you want to keep the friendship of the
men you meet and know,
If you'd have been glad to see you and be
sorry when you go,
There's a certain way to do 1t, and I'm
telling it i'll rhyme:
When the other fellows busy do not stop
and waste his time
Copyright 1919 by Edgar A. Guest.
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01
THE BELATED VISIT TO THE
ATTIC.

S11AI In 4L<A-A<A1Ns
Not word did Everett say when
returned to the room. The book lay
closed en- the dressing table and he
was preparing for bed. Only one ref
erence did he make to what had
passed. That was in the morning be-
fore be left for the office. He said:
''I intend to be obeyed in what 1
spoke of last night made no reply.
and without his usual kiss he left me.
OF a sudden it came to me that it
had been what l showed him in the
book 1 had been reading which had
made him so suddenly quiet the night
before; had saved me further scolding
because 1 had not tNobeyed him and re-
tired at once. AS I thought of it I re-
called that this had happened when
ever 1 had spoken of Leola to him.
"Gcod.' l thought. Il will say some
thing about her whenever he is cross
to me-"
Someway I couldn't dismiss her
from my mind that morning. 1 stood
in front of her picture, trying to see
if 1 could find in her feaures the rea-
son of his idolatrous love for her as
compared to his carelessness- of me-
nothing and I turned impatiently
away.
she had his real love- Mine is
warmed over--if I have any--just as
Rose said" I whispered to myself
Then. Il would like to be first with
someone. 1 will. too
AS usual when, | had quarreIed with
Everett, or I thought he had treated
me unfairly. I wandered about unable
to set myself at anything. Suddenly
l thought of the little black trunk in
the attic which for one reason or an
other 1 had not yet attempted again
to open. Mrs. Gray would soon go to
market While she was out l would
try once more to open it. One day
while looking over some things of
Everett's/I had come across small
bunch of keys. They were on tiny
silver ring such as a lady might carry.
1 had taken them to my room, and
laid them carefully away. convinced
they had belonged to Leola, and per-
haps one of them would unlock the
trunk which had so excited my Curl
osity- 1 had been unable to secure
-locksmith.
She's dead, I'm his wife now-I
have a right to know L auieted my
conscience. at isn't fair for him to
keep things belonging to her now he
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS.

O. What is the percentage of workers
in the United States who are unorsanizedf
A. The American Federation of Labor
says there are about 4,0000O0 organized
workers in this country. The 1910 census
showed that there were about 5sOoo;ooo
This number undoubtedly has grown On
the basis of these figures there would be
cd States This means that eleven out OF
twelve are unorganized.
Q. What is the penalty for interceptius
or destroying a letter, belonging to anothcy
A. Any person who interferes with mail
belonging to another person hi shall h flor for
of not more than five hundred dollars, or
by imprisonment at hard labor for not
more than one year, or by both.
ment?-F. W.
A The maximum strength of an infn
try regiment is 103 officers and 1862 men.
o. In selecting n climate for a person
suffering from catarrh what are the most
important factors TO be considered ?-N. u.
A. The United States public health ser
vice says that while individual cases de-
mand different climatic conditions. 1t is
well to consider the following factors In
selecting a health resort for the catarrh
victim: An atmosphere relatively free
from dustsand an absence Of sudden great
fluctuations OF temperature.
%. Were there any United States SOL
diers lost in the late war who could not be
accounted for:-J- F.
u.
the four million or more men who were
in the United States army only two SOL
diers have not been accounted for. They
were Gilbert +. Brown. of Bozeman. Mon
ana and William V. Taylor. of Elijah.
North Carolina. The fate of these men Is
an unsoIved mystery
dren under five years 2-E. S.
A. Mortality statistics for children I'M
der five years show that 22s.4 per thou
O. What is a simple method of cleaning
the nickel parts Of a stove An. w.
o. Make a paste of whiting with aqua
ammonia or. If it Is not available water
Cover the parts with the mixture and
allow 1T to dry. Afterwards rub off with
a dry cloth and polish.
(Any reader can get the answer to any
question by writing the Topeka State
Journal Information Bureau, Frederic J.
Haskin, Director. Washington, D. c. This
offer applies strictly to Information. The
bureau cannot give advice on legal. medi-
cal and financial matters 1t does not at.
tempt to settle domestic troubles. nor to
undertake exhaustive research any
subject Write your question plainly and
briefly. Give full name and address and
enclose two-eent stamp for return post
age. All replies are sent direct to the
inquirer.)
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01
LY STATE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. EVENING" NOVEMBER l. 1919

out accompanied by Lieut.. Granger
Worried by Diana's unwonted as
sumption of independence. Mrs. Will
son waited-and waited. Diana Will
son never returned. but at 8 O'Clock
in the afternoon a young woman, who
much resembled the one who had
stolen out of the Wilson house in the
morning, returned, very much pinker
of cheek than her NEUROLOGICAL name
sake.
And the only consolation Mrs. ].
Henshaw Wilson has been able to SAL
wage out OF the wreck is-the ameh-
orating fact that Mrs. Barding-Scott
takes a proprietary interest in Mrs
Laurence Granger. For when Diana
told her mother the overwhelming
news of her sudden marriage to a man
who was to sail overseas that very
night, and whom Mrs. Wilson had
never seen or even heard of, it was not
in the mothers power to take the
retaliatory measure employed tradi-
tionally by irate parents since the
world began and cast the disobedient
daughter out into the cold, cold world
Because, you see, J. Henshaw, before
he died. had had the wise prescience
to leave the greater part of his pleth-
orfc fortune to Diana.
DR.. Granger is back now, and Mrs
J. Henshaw is living alone on a lib
eral income and the thoughts of what
might have been.
Copyright 1910. by the Mcclure News
peper, Syndicate.l
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01
THE ROYAL FAMILY OF Ev.

The Tin Woodman was the first to
address the meeting.
ITO begin with" said he, word
came to our noble and ilIustrious
Ruler, Ozma; of Or, that the wife and
ten children-five boys and fsFe girls
of the former King of Ev, by name
Evoldo, have been enslaved by the
Nome King and are held prisoners
in his underground palace. Also that
there was no one in. Ev powerful
enough to release them. Naturally
our Ozma wished to undertake the
adventure of liberating the poor pris-
oners; but for a long time she could
find no way to cross the great desert
between the two countries. Finally
she went to a friendly sorceress of
our land named. GIinda the Good, who
heard the story and at once presented
Ozma a. magic carpet, which would
continually unroll beneath our feet
and so make a comfortable path for
us to cross the desert. As soon as
she had received the carpet our gra-
cious Ruler ordered me to assemble
our army, which I did. You behold
in these bold warriors the pick of
all the finest soldiers of aOz; and, if
we are obliged to fight the Nome
King, every officer as well as the
private, will battle fiercely unto
DEATH"
Then Tiktok spoke.
why should you fight the Nome
King?" he asked He has done no
wrong
mo wrongf' cried Dorothy. isn't
it wrong to imprison queen mother
and her ten children?"
'"They were sold to the Nome King
by King Ev-ol-do," replied Tiztok.
TT was the King-of Ev who did wrong
and when he Realized what he had
done he jumped into the sea and
drowned himself"
This is news to me- said Ozma,
thoughtfully. "I had supposed the
Nome King was all to blame in the
matter. But, in any case, he must be
made to liberate the prisoners"
MY uncle Evoldo was a very wicked
man." declared the Princess Lang
widere. eff he had drowned himself
before he sold his family, no one
would have cared. But he sold them
to the powerful Nome King in ex-
change for a long life, and afterward
DESTROYED the life by jumping into
the sea-
Then" said ozma, ''he, did not get
the long life, and the Nome King must
give up the prisoners. Where are they
confined?"
mo one knows, exactly" replied
the Princess. For the king, whose
name is Roquat of the Rocks. owns
a splendid palace underneath the
great mountain whichsis at the north
end of this kingdom, and he has trans
formed the queen and her children
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01
INFORMATION FOR ALL READERS OF
TILE TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL.

Each reader of The State journal is
offered the unlimited use of the largest In
formation bureau in the world.
This Service Bureau is located In the ma
tional capital. where II is in Immediate
touch with all the great resources OF the
United Suites government.
1t can answer practically any question
you want TO ask, butt can't give ud-
vice. nor make exhaustive research.
The war forced many changes In the
daily life rf the American people that the
Invaluable to all who use II
Keep in touch with yonr government Mt
all times. 1t can help yon In thousand
ways il your wants are only made known.
The State journal pays for this spIsndid
service In order that every one of its read
ers may take free advantage Of IL. YOu are
welcome to ust ii as often you like
Write your request briefly, sign your
name aud address, plainly. enclose 2-cent
stamp for return postage and address. the
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL INFOI;MA-
TION BUREAU.
Frederic ]. IIaskin. Director. Washing
ton. n. G..
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01
The Park Ave. News.

Weather. Chestnuts,
EXteri Another big Strike! Last
Sundey mite Benny Potts, Reddy Mer-
fy. Puds Simkins, Sam Cross, and Ed
Wernick decided not to go to skool
eny more unless it started a hour later
and left out hour earlier, but Mum
day morning they was all in skool as
usual, saying they would wait till they
was organized stronger.
learning horseback riding on pony,
stopped being afraid of falling of
ALREADY so she can give all her atten-
ton to dodginG the bumps.
Spoarts. Puds Simkins, waite 101
pounds, wunts to challence eny kid
his size to a waying contest, the loser
to pay all Expenses.
Pome by Skinny Martin
Advice to Beginners
Never swallo~ a sour ball rite down
>hole
VILE thinking of sumthing elts,
Always keep your mind on it care
filly
Till it either kracks or melts.
Intristing Facks About r1ntristing
People. Leroy shooster loves olives
and wishes he lived sumware ware all
you haff to do is pick them off of
trees irregardiiss of price insted of
having to slide one out of a bottle at
a picknick and then pass the bottle.
(Avvertisement.) Wy waste time
polishing your own froot? We polish
appels and bannannas to look as good
as a froot stand without the use of
soap. Charges reasonable. The Ed
wernick and Lew Davis Froot POLISH
ing Co.
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01
SANDRA THE JEALOUS
Ry JANE PHELPS

is married again" So I waited for
Mrs. Gray to go out. then went inn
mediately to the attic.
/ was right.
black trunk. 1 trenabled with delight
and fear combined when at last it was
open. The small tray held few arti-
cles of apparel, gloves, fans, and
combs for the hair. Slipper buckles.
and buttons of odd design were laid
loose, as if thrown in regardless of
their value.
I tossed them over quickly, with no
eyes for their beauty. Then l lifted
out the tray and set il on the floor
beside me. My heart almost stopped
beating There was what sought ly-
ing before me. Bundles of letters,
some of them yellow with age Gas the
novelists always express it) others
looking as if mailed a day or two ago.
started to unite the first package,
then hesitated. Mrs. Gray would soon
return. She might find me looking
thru them. I cannot yet explain my
feeling that 1 should be disgraced in
her eyes, for 1 was sure was within
my rights as Everett's wife.
finally took the packages which
looked as If written long ago, and re-
placed the till. and locked the trunk.
I would read them in my room. Then
get others when L took them back.
where no one would ever find them,
sure sopn to have an opportunity to
read them. Then I went down to
answer the telephone.
Where in the world have you
been? Hetty said she couldn't find
you," it was Everett's voice. impatient,
suspicious.
What is it, Everett& I ignored his
>question.
II am going t. bring an old friend
home to dinner. Have Mrs. Gray told,
please. Hetty said she was out We
will go to the theater afterward, SO
dress and-look as well as you can,"
he added after moments hesitation.
told Mrs. Gray we were to have
a guest for dinner, then ordered the
flowers for the table. After I had
eaten my luncheon. 1 locked myself
in my room, telling Hetty / wanted to
rest and was not to be disturbed un-
less Mr.. Graham should want me.
Then I took from their hiding place
the letters that were to prove TO me
that Leola held. even tho dead. the
love of the man to WHOM l was mar
(To Be Continued.)
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01

shilling. If the boy chose the Bible
he was to be a parson; IL the apple.
he was TO go into hortfcalture. and II
the shilling he was to be a lawyer
When the uncle went into the room
some time later he found young David
seated on the Bible eating the apple.
having painted the shilling to look
like sovereign. -
Are you of the opinion, James"
asked slisp-looking man of his COM
panion. that Dr. Smiths medicine
does any good %
Not unless you follow the direc-
tions,"
What are the directions?"
Keep the bottle tightly corked."
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01

On the order of Secretary Baker
supplies valued at $1.175. 900. 900 were
sold in France for s4O0. 1000, 900.
Listed among these commodities were
22.000.0O0 pounds of sugar. $4,000, 900
pounds of bacon, 100000 pounds of
evaporated milk. 40. 600, 900 cans of to-
matoes, and 22.OO0.O00 pounds of cof-
fee. There were also vast quantities
of candy, sirups, jellIes and jams in
cluded in the sale. The French could
make a handsome profit by shipping
these supplies back to this country and
selling them at prevailing prices.
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01

ily, 80 1 shall stay at home. But 1
wish you may have success in your
undertaking, for / am heartily tired of
ruling this stupid kingdom, and 1 need
more leisure in which to admire my
beautiful heads"
we do not need you" said Ozma.
"For. IL with the aid of my brave fol-
lowers I cannot accomplish my pur-
pose. then it would be useless for you
to undertake. the journey"
"Quite true" sighed the Princess.
$50, if you'll excuse me. will now
retire to my cabinet. I've worn. this
head quite awhile, and I want to
change it for another
When she had left them (and you
may be sure no one was sorry to, see
her go) Ozma said to Tik-tok:
"Will you join our party?"
st am the slave of the girl Dorothy
who rescued me from prison." re-
piled the machine. Where she goes
will CO.
"Oh. I am going with my friends, of
course said Dorothy quickly. II
wouldn't miss the fun for anything.
Will you go, too. Biilina ?"
ITO be sure" said Billina in a care
less tone. She was smoothing down
the feathers of her back and not pay
ing much attention.
Heat is Just in her line" remarked
the Scarecrow. ''If she is nicely
roasted. she will be better than ever"
'"Then," said Ozma. I'VE will ar
range to start for the Kingdom~of the
Nomes at daybreak tomorrow. And,
+ in the meantime, we will rest and pre-
pare ourselves for the journey
Altho Princess Langwidere did not
again appear to her guests. the palace
servants waited upon the strangers
from or and did everything in their
power to make the party comfortable
There were many vacant rooms at
their disposal, and the brave Army OF
twenty-seven was easily provided for
and literally feasted.
The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry
Tiger were embarrassed from the
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01

oh, the years may go, and the pic
lures of much that you have most de-
sired may fade and seem to disappear
but there is always a glorious dawn
ing for the brave. And the braxe.
somehow, seem to understand this.
It makes the most pl7legmatic of US
thrill, when we see a man or woman
brave-and at the same time wearing
a 24-karat smile.
Never mind-a1ways be brave.
met a chap today who unburdened
his grief to me. L thought that / had
troubles. but whenShe had told me his,
couldn't find mine
Thru the stern reality Of these days
OF ours, let us try to bear-and be
brave!
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01

- The coal miners who are out on
strike charge that their working con-
ditions was unbearable. If this be true
there is nothing to prevent any or all
of them from getting other jobs. There
is work at good pay for everybody in
this country. But it is we'll known
that almost every one of these has a
good sum laid by to tide him over a
period of idleness and that those who
have been living in squalor have done
so from choice in order to save more
money.
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01

The information has arrived from
Constantinople that the American
commission. headed by General Har-
bord, is of the opinion that this coun-
try should refuse to accept a mandate
for either Turkey or Armenia. After
seven weeks of investigation by this
mission the decision reached was
based largely on the argument that
Americas duty lies closer at home.
Did the commission have Mexico in
mind2
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01

cream. meat and dairy products to
the value of $9O5, 5,o0O,o OF bread :
stuffs we exported $63S,000,00O
worth; eggs, 100000 dozen; fish,
$50. 100000 worth; fruit and nuts.
$71. 100000 worth. Our total export
of foodstuffs for the first eight months
OF 1914 was under $2s0.00O.000 in
value. This years period finds it null
tiplied by seven. Add these to the la
Dor strikes and the wonder is that
food is not higher in cost.
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01

1t would be impossible to continue
our government. says Worlds Work, If
the railroad workers could one day, by
stopping traffic. force the government
to buy the railroads, and a month later
the bankers by striking. closing their
doors, and creating a panic could
make the government sell them again,
and after that the doctors could de-
mand state subsidies on pain of leav-
ing us subject to the /ravages of epi-
denies and the terrible suffering of
the unattended sick and dying.
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01

The labor situation in this country
has ceased to be one of wages. hours
and working conditions. 1t involves
nothing less than the question of the
independence of the average working
man to work where he pleases, for
whom he pleases. and at whatever
wages he pleases. 1t is the question
of the open against the shut shop. 1t
is more than that, 1t is the ques-
tion whether organized revolutionary
groups shall run the government of
the United States. or whether they
shall submit to the laws of the coun-
try. 1t is the question whether a mi
nUrity. imbued with impossible views
and intolerant of the rights of others.
shall bludseon into submission and
coerce the vast majority of citizens
who do not believe as they do. 1t is a
Question whether the lawful shall gov
ern, or whether the lawless shall have
fee swh'. Such being the issue. there
can be no alternative than determined
rcs;stance to the limit. For years the
intolerant attitude assumed by certain
leaders of organized labor has led to-
ward the day and the hour of settle
mcnt That hour is here. Horns have
been locked and either the forces of
orcanized law and order must prevail
Or Amer ical~ ~must give way to Boil
sheviK radicalism. Under these cir
cumstances there can be- but one
Course open to the government and
The loyal American citizen.
The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-01
ON BEING BRAVE.

Yes. you are right-it takes lot
to be bravei
But, while we are at it, let's think
1t over a little. If We never were
compelled to be brave. what would
We be, and where would we be?
It's the brave folks who come out
of battle--with glory It's the brave
people who accumulate reserve and
more and more merit recognition. It's
the brave fighters. in faith and in en-
thusiasm, that makes us. who often
get weak and discouraged. very brave
also.
Life is made up of jobs-apd the
biggest one to accomplish is to be
brayei