davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-05-10

satisfied to reach the quota in the time limit.
 Kentucky is the only state in the entire Eighth District that was over the top and out in the clear Thursday morning. At that time she had sold her quota and had an additional one per cent to her credit. State Chairman Gwin was all smiles when he saw the official figures that gave him first po- sition in the great race. and he con doled with the other state chairmen who were having their troubles.
 Tennessee had passed the 90 per cent mark at an early hour Thursday, and State Chairman R. l.. Jordan was confident his state would be in the honor column before Saturday night. He is taking no chances, however, and is spurring the workers all over his state to renewed exertions. There are. few Tennessee counties that have not lived up to their past records and he is not mincing words in informing them of their duty.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-05-10

D. B. Nivin and F. Garland May returned yesterday from Dewitt where they went in the interest of the Methodist Centenary movement.
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

many neighbors came TO the place 20
hear the sounds. One of the visitors
was Prof. Wolff. said to be a spiritu-
alist and medium. He attempted to
talk to the ghostly visitor by answer
ing the raps. but failed to get into
communication with the invisible
"knocker.'
Finally one night the demonstra-
tions downstairs became so violent
that the printers wife threw UP the
second-story window and yelled 'Po-
rlice"' and ''Murder." at the top of her
voice. A belatcd pedestrian responded
TO the call and soon had a sergeant
and two policemen on the scene. They
entered the house and made an ex-
animation, but found all windows and
doors sealed and locked. and no in
dication that an intruder had been
there.
You've been hearing rats" the SER
geant said.
IF they were rats" the printer re-
piled, they were as big as ele-
plants, according TO the noise they
made"
After the printer had moved from
the so-called haunted premises a few
days later. l instituted an investi-
cation of the causes OF the disorder
and violent noises. He learned that
the occupant of the house before he
rented 1t was a mysterious sort of a
man and his wife. They came to the
place in a country wagon. which also
carried their furniture. At that time
the large building at the foot of Capt.
tol Hill on b street near the corner Of
First southwest, was occupied as a
barn for certain cars of the Capital
Traction Company, and the strange
man had no difficulty in securing as
dodgers some Of the street car men.
He did all the shopping and his
wife was seldom seen, even by the
dodgers. Mr.. Sweeney. who kept a
grocery and coal yard near the hanut-
ed house. informed me he had never
seen the woman. One day the man of
mystery went into Sweeney's place
to purchase some supplies. and said
in a rather Indifferent tone:
well. my wife's pegging out. She
is liable to die at any moment"
Have you called in a physician
Sweeney asked.
No. What's the use Of calling a
doctor? Her time has come and MOTH
ing can save her."
Mrs. Sweeney. in an adjoining room.
overheard the cold-blooded recital Of
the man. and slipped into his house.
There in rear room on the first
floor she found an emsciated woman
on a cot. lighting DEATH" as Mrs.
Sweeney expressed II. She notified
the neighbors and they fiocked into
the house and sent for a physician
THE poor woman was trying to say
something" Mrs. Sweeney exclaimed.
but she was speechless- She pointed
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

wouldn't OF been for his uniforms.
Mawruss, the chances is that the Ger
man people would of caught on to
that miserable four-fiusher of
Kaiser already long since ago. Nav
russ. Take these here spiked helmets.
in particular the ones which is made
of nickel plate, Mawruss, and only
to wear such a thing is liable to bring
out all the meanness in them natur-
ally mean German soldiers, Mawruss,
so therefore | am in favor that the
Peace Treaty be amended by provid
ing that the uniform of the German
army should be three button black
single breasted sack suit with no pad
ding in the shoulders. Mawruss. and
the helmet should be a brown derby
hat of the pattern of 1895, and that
the soldiers agree to wear this derby
hat, of the same block and width of
brim, for at least twenty years. Nav
russ, because nothing takes the con-
ceit out of a man so much as wear
ing a funny looking hat, y'under-
stand"
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25
LOOKING BACKWARD By e177 ! WA

fully hidden BY both his mother and
Mary Almarolia.
When the young mother was able to
leave the place she left the infant
with the colored woman with instruc-
tions to rear the boy. but to keep him
in total ignorance of his parentage
and the circumstances of his birth.
Mary Almarolia. being crafty
woman, notified the parents about a
month later. that the infant had died.
The father of the child. being con-
vinced that the baby had really
passed away. gave the colored woman
a considerable sum of money with
which to bury his offspring. He also
directed her to have a suitable tomb
stone placed over the grave.
Funeral of Doll.
The crafty Mary purchased a little
white coffin into which was placed a
dummy corpse. Alexander. the man
who was dead and who still liveth.
was informed that the Almarolia wom-
an purchased a large and life-like doll
baby which was employed as a cada-
yer. The funeral cortege comprised a
single closed carriage with Mary and
OhC vi Ilti as tilC Oilly
ers. An itinerant colored preacher wa
employed to conduct the burial serv-
ice. In his prayer of commitment. be-
ing unconscious of the fact that he
was conducting the last solemn rites
over a doll baby, he referred to the
stuffed occupant of the little casket
as "a beautiful bud transplanted to
the garden of Paradise"
This reference by the minister caus-
ed the colored woman with Mary to
remark smilingly:
Laws a-mercy. dat preacher man
am tryin' to send a doll baby to Para
disc"
"Yes," Mary rejoined. ''he wants to
make a toy shop of Heaven"
A return of the death and burial was
made to the health officer. There
fore, Lewis Alexander is dead and
buried so far as the mortuary records
Of the District are concerned. although
he is conducting a successful business
at this time, I am informed. His
father and mother are both dead. They
were possessed of considerable prop
erty which went to their next of kin.
IT know my fathers name. and the
relatives who got his money are afraid
I may adopt his name" Alexander
said to me. But they need have no
fear. was christened Lewis Alexan-
der. and I will retain that name until
the end
About the time of his mothers death,
Lewis was approached by a mysterious
stranger who advised him to take a
trip to China. the stranger promising
to pay all expenses.
About two years ago Alexander re-
turned to this city for the purpose OF
having photographs made Of his little
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

the last trick but what are you 60
ing to do with a Strohschneider like
that. and so forth.
Did they mention anything about
playing with marked cards?" Morris
asked.
They did not" Abe said. nor did
they say anything about having
stacked the cards or dealing OF the
bottom of the deck, Mawruss. but you
would think from tho way them fel-
lers acted at Versailles. Mawruss. that
this here Peace Conference is the
breakup of a nice little friendly game.
understand. and that not only
should the winners take ]. o. Us
from the losers. but that il Is also
up to the winners to serve a good
delicatessen supper and pay for the
lights and attendance"
That must have been before they
heard about the capora which is in
store for them under Section Seven OF
this here Peace Treaty. Abe" Morris
said. which in order that there
shouldn't be any softening OF the
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

AT last the wind-up OF this Peace
Conference seems to be in sight, Maw-
russ" Abe Potash said to his part
ner. Morris Perlmutter. the day after
the German plenipotentiaries. "As
short time ago since last week. it
begun to look like our American Dele
gates was going to stay in Paris for
the rest OF their lives, which accord
ing to the tables of mortality prepared
by some of the leading life insurance
companies, based on the average ages
of all five of them delegates. would
be anyhow until August /. 1919"
Well. they seem to have done
pretty good job" Morris observed.
7 read over the accounts of the
Treaty Of Peace. Abe. and what them
Germans has got to do outside of
restoring the skull of the Sultan Ok
wawa under Section Eight of the
Treaty would keep her busy for fifty
years yet"
And who is this here Sultan Ok
wawa?" Abe inquired
considering the number of skulls
which needs restoring on account of
what the Germans done during the
past five years. Abe. and also consid-
er,nG the fact that this is the only
skull mentioned by name in the Peace
Treaty. he must of had some pretty
influential friends at the Peace Con-
ference. Also see that the Germans
is also to give back the papers be-
longing to NJ Reuher which they took
iE ISL. and although Section Eight
don't say nothing about il. l presume
that if the papers are returned the
finder can keep the money which was
in the wallet at the time it was
lost"
DO you mean to tell me that this
here Peace Treaty has got such small
particulars like that in it," Abe de-
manded
1T don't seem to have overlooked
anything. Abe" Morris went on.
which when you consider that Mr.
Wilson started in.-in a small way
with only fourteen points. it's al
ready wonderful how that man
worked his way up. There must be
several hundred thousand points in
that Peace Treaty including such
points like the sultan's skull and this
here Reuher's papers which Mr.. Will
son never even dreamed of when he
sat down that day in January. 1918.
and thought out the original four
teen
He probably considered that IL we
ever licked Germany sufficient to
make her accept as much as thirty
three and a third per cent of them
fourteen points that we would be
doing well already" Abe remarked.
And So did everybody else" Morris
agreed And now they would got to
accept a Treaty of Peace which loads
UP Germany with practically every
punishment that this here Peace Con-
ference could think OF except Prohi-
bition.'
Il must read that treaty some time" t"
Abe said. 1T sounds like IL would be
quite amusing already"
Amusing amt no name for it"
Morris said. THE way the American
people Is going to enjoy reading that
Treaty of Peace, Abe. would put Mr..
Wilson not only in the class of favor
tie American Presidents along with
George Washington and Abraham
Lincoln, but also would give him an
insured position as one of Americas
favorite authors along with Harold
Bell Wright and Bradstreet. A good
American could pass very profitable
month or so skimming it over. Abe,
which it consist of fifteen sections, OF
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

to the German army. excepting that
instead of derby hats. 1t refers to
battleships. In other words, Abe. it
says that the German navy should
have only six small battleships and
that none OF them could be replaced
inside OF twenty years. Just consider
for a moment how it feels for a
speed bug which once used TO con-
sider that IL he didn't buy himself
every three months a new special
body twin six. understand. that he
was living pretty close to the cushion.
and condemn such feller TO go
round for the next twenty years in
four cylinder 1910 model Punkocar.
Abe. and you will get some small
idea of what Admiral Won Tirpitz and
all them other bloodth.rsty German
admirals feels when they read that
part of Section Six which refers 10
the new German navy"
That wasn't the way they used to
feel" Abe declared. Up to a few
few days ago, Mawruss. Won Tirpitz
and Hindenburg and all them other
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

means. Abe, that the schoolboys who
used to was geography sharks and
could bound Germany right of the
reel. Abe. would now got to learn
them boundaries all over again and
take half an hour or so to tell what
they've learned. You see, Abe. the
Danzig area for instance consists of
a v made a w by the addition of a
similar v on the west, including the
city OF Danzig and"
Excuse me-" Abe interrupted. but
this here sounds like "A clothing alter
alton to me, which if Germany's
boundary was made smaller. why did
into it,
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

although she was a full-bIooded
EeSress, and said if she could not get
white husband she would die an
old maid. She became acquainted with
Almarolia. who kept a fruit stand at
Seventh street and Pennsylvania ave
nue.. and married him. He died few
year, later.
For many years Mary was the keep
er of a red light resort on Mary
land avenue between First and Second
streets southwest. near the statue of
Garfield. This place was known 10
the police as 1.-THE den of holy hor-
rors." This woman died about eight
cen years ago. while conducting a
hotel of doubtful reputation at IS c
street northwest.
A provision in her will brought to
light the life story of Lewis Alexau-
der, then a man about thirty years OF
age, and his brother. Joseph Alex
ander, who were described as Mary
Almarolia's two white wards" For
long time previous to her death,
and while she conducted the Mary
land avenue resort, the Alexanders
were represented as her children by
her white husband. When I talked
with Lewis Alexander, he informed
liie lHdI ne Iltu i!le-uc an important
discovery.
Supposed to BE Dead.
Il am not supposed to be in the
land of the living" he said 81 have
just visited a cemetery and in-roduc-
ed myself to my own grave and the
pretty tombstone over there with q
cute little cheub carved on it. ana
my real name with the date of my al
legged death chiseled on it. Beneath
the mound my tiny baby remains are
supposed to be sleeping. But, not
withstanding my death and burial, I
am here. not as a ghost. but in the
flesh and hale and hearty at the age
of 30"
The mystery surrounding Alexan-
der's birth was shown in papers that
had just come into his possession.
From this memoranda it appears that
in 1876 a young woman. well-known in
Washington society. was brought to
the home of Mary Almarolia, then in
southeast Washington. by a man who
was said to be prominent in District
financial and stock circles, and who
had previously represented the United
States as a foreign minister. This
man is said to have been a native of
Kentucky but had spent the greater
part of his time in Washington.
Several weeks after the young
woman had been left with Mary AL
marolia she gave birth to a male
child. The boy was given the name
Of Louis Alexander which was duly
recorded with the District health Of
ficials. This. however. was not his
right name, as his identity was care
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

which only the headlines fills three
full pages of the morning papers"
We'll. how long do you think 1t
would take them German delegates
to read it. Mawruss?" Abe inquired.
They amt going to read It," Nor
ris said. They're only going to sign
it. and it amt n bad idea neither,
because if they did read it. Abe.
some of them Germans would drop
dead along about the second section
which describes how much of Ger
mony is left after France. Poland.
Denmark and Belgium gets through
helping themselves
Might they would expire while
they was reading the first section
maybe" Abe suggested.
The first section amt got nothing
to do with Germany" Morris ex-
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25
By CAPT. J. WALTER MITCHELL

towards a door that opened upon the
stairs to the cellar. and tried TO speak,
but only made a EurEling sound
Nearly Nobbed Him.
The doctor came but said the unfor-
tunste woman was beyond human as
sistance. He said had the husband
called him earlier he might have saved
her life.
"Oh. / knew she was a-goner."
the brutal husband declared. Tier
times come and she must 60. doctor
or no doctor"
II was with difficulty that Mr..
Sweeney and several other men pre-
vented the indignant women from
mobbing the husband, and he beat
a retreat.
The woman died soon thereafter
and the man disappeared and did
not return for forty-eight hours. Hs
came in the same country wagon
that had brought his furnitur, to
the house first. He had a plain pino
coffin in the vehicle and a man -
assist him. The body OF his wife
was placed in the coffin and taken
away. No one in the neiGhborhood
ever knew from whence they came
and whittier they went after the
woman died. On the following day
a second hand furniture dealer ccwc
TO the house and took possession -
the furniture, explaining tfat a."
husband had sold IL tu him.
The printer and his family NOV
into the house a week later and ~
perienced the harassing noises aud
other demonstrations 1 haV" -
scrbed. but he Afterwards sa.i L.
Inc:
Il could find no pathological s''n-
nection between the brutal conduct
OF the man and the strange Misses
that made nv life ia. .Eat house tn
restful and fiilsd my < 'od wife sna
Children with horror."
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25
The VS. W@s WINS putt |
i'm PolarDd 5 Dou,uDdan.x
mot Germamy's /"

planned. THE first section consists of
the constitution of the League of
Nations"
rs that the same constitution of
the League of Nations which them
United states Senators raised such a
round robin about?" Abe asked
ut has been changed since then"
Morris said. The amendments con-
sst of two commas contributed by
eN-President Taft and a semi-colon
from Charles Evans Hughes. Elihu
Root also suggested that they insert
the words as aforesaid in the first
paragraph and also the words any
thing hereinbefore contained to the
contrary Notwithstanding in the last
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

ter. Mrs. Murphy declared she had
seen the ghost of Thornton walking
about the ruins of his former dwell
ing. Most of the structure had been
torn down and used as firewood.
Indeed. / knew Mr.. Thornton
well when he was in life" Mrs
Murphy said, "and his ghost | was
after seeing the other night looked
just like him, only his beard was
whittier and longer. He carried a
stick and was poking about the floor
of his shop"
All Capitol Hill and the navy yard
section were wildly excited and
many parties of curious parties Wis
tied the locality hoping to catch a
glimpse of "old man Thornton's
ghost" One night while there wera
number of expectant watchers
near the Carroll spring, a rustling
of the shrubbery caused them Io
spring to their feet. Then a giant
figure emerged into the opening. II
had flowing white hair and beaIG.
Don't be alarmed good people,
the supposed ghost said in a sep
ulchral tone. I'm only your old
neighbor, Tom Thornton"
In an instant almost Thornton
stood alone in the moonlight, while
the forms of a dozen badly frighten-
ed men and boys were running pell
nell in every direction. They car
ried the news to their homes and IL
was soon scattered broadcast that
the disembodied form of the old
shoemaker had been seen by more
than twelve persons.
Described the Gho.t.
A vivid description of the ghost
was given by those who were in the
party. But the most grewsome pic
ture was word-painted by Bill Lee,
an East Washington character. Biil
said:
HE had grown to be ten feet
high and his hair trailed along on
the ground and was dripping with
canal water and mud. His eyes
flashed fire and puffs of smoke came
from his mouth and nostrils."
Some credence was placed in the
extravagaht stories by many peo-
pie, while the superstitious believed
all that was told them. For some
time thereafter children were ter
rified when they had to go near the
ancient Carroll estate. and many OF
them refused to go out upon the
streets after sundown.
"Old man Thornton's ghost" be-
came a veritable bugaboo in the
eastern section of the city, and
many startling stories were related
of experiences with the spook OF
the old shoemaker.
While the excitement was at its
height Thornton appeared one day
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

paragraph. but couldn't get by with
II. However. Abe. the League of Ma
tions is already such old stan that
people reading it in Section one Of
the Peace Treaty will in all prob
ability skip it the way they did the
first time 1t come out, and anyhow
the real Treaty of Peace. SO far as
the plot and action is concerned. don't
start till the second section"
Gould you remember any of the
second section?" Abe asked.
That's the section which tells
about how much territory Germany
gives up to Poland. France, Belgium
and Denmark. and after 1t goes into
effect. Abe, it is going to consider
ably alter the words IL not the music
of Deutschland, Deutschland. Ueber
Alles.'" Morris declared. 1T also
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

Of millions OF pounds must are Ge-
man people got 10 pay befu.s hey
get through" Abe asked
That the Peace Treaty do. r-E-
Abe" Morris replied. 1t lea =
fixing of the total amount for a rc'l-
mission To be appointed later. Abe. and
the German people will be notified OF
their liabilities not later than May
LIST. 1871. but in the meantime, Abe
just TO keep up their spirits they
would got TO pay a few instslments
OF one thousand million pounds each. 3"
But il the instalments is one thou
sand million pounds each, Mawruss.
what do you think will be the grand
total which Germany would have TO
pay?' Abe asked
About the same grand total a. the
Allies would have been Obliged to pay
If Germany had won" Morris replied.
Piled.
And how much would that have
becn?" Abe inquired.
An they could raise. Abe" Morris
concluded. plus ten per cent"
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

Some of the sidelights of society
in this city years ago read more
like fiction than fact.
The details of most of these un-
usual cases came to me while 1 was
making my rounds as a police re-
porter more than a quarter of a
century ago. At that time WASH
ington was more a city of mys-
terry thar 1T is now. Gambling
houses operated without much at
tempt at concealment. the red
light district" was going at
fuII blast. and there were hundreds
Of saloons scattered all over the
city.
Then, too. many men ard women
who liTod by their wits came hero
to operate" while che Capitol
building was infested with bold lob
byists. and scandal in :tgh places
was the rule rather than the excep-
tion. To employ the vcrnecuIar. the
town was practically VIDE open"
The Evening Critic and the several
Sunday newspapers carried in near
ly every issue real life stories over
flowing with snappiness ard Jazz"
There also were published here
sheets devoted to scandals and a
class of literature that would not
pass the censor in these days of
moral reform.
Dead. Yet He Liveth.-
One of the most remarkable cases
that came under my observation was
that concerning Lewis Alexander,
whose life ended, according to the
records of the District of Columbia.
about forty years ago. As a matter
Of fact Alexander is not dead at all,
and | had an interesting chat with
him several years ago over the my s.
terry surrounding his life and supposed
death.
When l talked with him he had just
re returned from n Washington cemetery
where he had inspected his own grave.
marked by a marble headstone. The
story of Alexander's life is one of
the sidelights of Washington society.
He had been reared from infancy by
a stout colored woman named Mary
slmar arolia. who was welded a long
time ago to an Italian fruit merchant
Of this city. She was the daughter
o. Nike Sinner. Of Southeast Wash
irgton. who. although he lived here
in slavery days. was what was known
a a free negro" He owned much
property east of the Capitol
His daughter. Mary Sinner, declared
she would never marry a colored man.
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25
Want Self Government in Burma

Rangoon.-Though steps are being
taken for self-government for Burma.
the younger element is urging that
the people be given greater respon-
sibility. Government officials reply
that the whole people, not merely the
young Burmese who have been cdu-
Gated. must be trained for a part in
the government. and are counsclins
patience.
The Washington herald., 1919-05-25

This here Peace Treaty don't need
no outside assistance when IL Gomez
to taking the conceit out OF the Ger
man army. and the navy neither.
Abe" Morris continued. 'In fact. Sec
ton Six does the same to the Ger
man navy as you would like to do