davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1919-09-07
0. Henry and Leonard Merrick Search
ing for an Ingenious Idea Hit Upon
Practically the Same Theme
By ARTHUR B. MAURICE.

the White Wolf. a shabby little res
taurant enjoying surprising prosperity
far up the Montmartre slope of Paris
the story is dreamily told by the old
absinthe drinker Janiaud. as he sips
his glass Of green poison, Years be-
fore the place was on the verge of
failure. But one night the reigning
dancer of the moment, known as Lit
tie Flower of the Wood" took 1t into
her pretty, capricious head to forsake
the glittering restaurants of the boule-
wards. and the Bots and dine at the
Loup Blanc. From that night dated
the establishments good fortune.
Two years pass. Little Flower Of
the Wood" is no longer the reigning
queen. Her health is shattered, her
purse depleted, and the warm sun OF
the Riviera can do no more for her.
To Paris she will return to die. One
night she goes up the hill to the
White Wolf. No one recognizes In the
broken and shabbily dressed woman
sitting at table the Partisan stage
idol Of other days. She cannot AFFORD
to pay for the supper prescribed by
the rules Of the house and the walters
are about to eject her when she tells
the proprietor who she is and enjoys
one brief and last moment Of glitter
ing happiness.
Substitute the Great White Way for
Montmartre, a Broadway restaurant
for the White Wolf, an American
dancer for the French dancer, and
there is almost in every detail a story
told cleverly a few years ago by Regi-
nald Wright Kaufman.
When Booth Harrington wrote His
Own People" he had never read the
second chapter of Thackeray's 1.-THE
Paris Sketch Book" He simply wanted
to tell In his own way the rather obvi-
Gus story OF a callow young American
in Europe falling into the hands Of
scoundrels Of real or assumed aristoc-
rscy and so flattered by the atmosphere
and the sounding names that he be-
comes the easiest of victims. The tale
that Harrington told in 1907 was sub
stsntially the tale that Thackeray,
writing under his pseudonym OF
Michael Angelo Titmarsh, had told
seventy years earlier. 1t was made
up OF the same ingredients, conveyed
the same warning and involved sub
startially the same characters.
Robert Russ Mellen of Indiana was
merely Titmarsh's Sam Pogson, Lon
don bagman, of another generation
and nationality. For Sneyd the Hon
orable Chandler Pedlow, who accord
ing TO his own. accounts was RESPONSE
hlt. for the elevation of William Nc
Kinley to the Presidency, and the
The sun., 1919-09-07

appears, now bobbing about. now s,o.
ing at him with eyes of dreadfm ~
cusation. To the feverish brain =,
the bridegroom comes the thouvS,
that he must lay this ghost forevsr
and, possessing himself of hammer
he falls upon the intruder, strikinn
again and again, to find, in the duI
light of the morning, the terrih,r
mutilated corpse of his wife.
with the Christmas Eve setnn.
If that story appears once IN
generation there is another which Il
likely to be retold twice or thrice ana
almost always with the Christmas Eva
setting. 1t Is to be found in hound
volumes of the magazines of the '5os
In perfect good faith and without ,ha
slightest idea that 1t had ever appeareS
before Anna Katherine Green has told
1t; and in similar good faith the
talented Englishwoman who wrote
RED Pottage" once mothered II in tbo
pages of an English magazine. n,
course it varies in the matter of se,.
ting of scene, details of cooring and
the characteristics of its figures. but
IN the main 1t Is always the same
Here, roughly, is the accepted Amer.
lean Yersion:
Christmas Eve. Invariably Christ.
mas Eve. A house on the outskirts n,
small Western town, the house NJ
the cashier of a bank who has been
entrusted with a large sum of money
for the purpose of buying bonds
Through some failure in the negotla.
tons he had found himself still with
the money. In the evening mes
sage, purporting to be from the di.
rectors of the bank, comes, summon.
ing him back to town. Locking the
money In a cupboard, he tells his wife
to bar all the doors after him, to open
the house on no condition, not even
il any one comes claiming to have
message from him. Then, wrapping
himself in a great coat, he goes Out
into the rising storm of Christmas
Eve.
An hour passes. A rapping at the
door and a piteous voice begging for
shelter. 1t is a tramp who claims to
be freezing in the snow. The wife
tells him that she is alone and cannot
let him in. He asks if there is not
some clubhouse in which he can sleep
Her heart is softened by his accents
Of suffering, and she finally suggests
the wood shed adjoining the kitchen
and warmed by the stove, telling him
that he may pass the night there II he
will wait until she has unlocked the
outer door of the wood shed and locked
again the door leading back into the
kitchen. The tramp promises but by
way of precaution she runs upstairs
and looks out of a window to see that
The sun., 1919-09-07

TT HERE are said TO be only seven
different plots that have been
discovered by the human mag.
ination-though no two persons have
ever been in perfect accord as to what
these seven are-and that no matter
how strange and fantastic the thread
of story may be the underlying basic
idea may be traced back to one Of the
original seven. In an age when every
one is supposed to have the manu-
script of play or a best selling
novel either finished and tucked away
in the bureau drawer or ina state OF
development, the variety Of treatment
of those seven fundamental plots con-
stitutes a vindication of human In
genuity. Seven plots upon which to
work, the itch for breaking into print
prevalent everywhere throughout the
Seven Seas. and only now and then the
cry OF plagiarism
Without going into a discussion OF
the other six, one of the seven plots Is
that which has been made familiar to
every land through the story Of Gin
derel.a and the Glass Slipper" A
writer OF our time Of unquestioned
talent. charm and deserved popularity
has adapted that plot not to one of
her books but to nearly all Of them
1t was one version of cinderella" that
Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett told in
Little Lord Fauntleroy.p 1t was an
other version OF the same story that
she told in "The Shuttle" A third YER
sion is to be found in THE Secret Gar
den," and fourth in ct. Tembaron.''
The Idea That IL in the Air.
But there are certain plots involv-
ling situations and problems Of our
modern life which are. SO to speak, in
the air. Two writer's. or three or four
may use them, each one telling the
story in his own particular way with
out the slightest suggestion of plagiar-
ism. For example. in all the history
OF story telling there has been no
writer less trammelled by the eonven-
lions and the shopworn tricks and
contrivances OF his trade than the late
o. Henry. He made stories out of ma
terial that even to the unusual mind
seemed utterly barren of possibilities
Yet closely parallel run one of the very
best Of his later tales, 1.-THE Duplicity
O, Hargraves," and Leonard Merrick's
"A Very Good Thing for the Girl" II
Is very doubtful that, either author
ever CHANGED upon the others story
Yet each had reached upin the air for
an ingenious idea that was floating
The sun., 1919-09-07

his hardships during the Napoleonic
campaigns, when there was no other
food than frozen biscuit and horse
flesh. do you know what that means,
child? We ate horse flesh" She knew
very WELL For two months she had
tasted no other meat.
Finally the fatal day when the Prus-
SLAMS are to make their triumphal
entry into Paris. An inkling of the
momentous news reach IS the old man.
but interpreting 1t as meaning the re-
entry of the victorious French troops
he cunningly arrays himself in his
uniform Of an old cuirassier OF Mil
baud, and slips silently out on the
balcony. Then. the amazement as he
finds the avenue so wide and still, the
houses closed and only white flags
with red crosses in sight, the black
The sun., 1919-09-07

For his benefit they compose letters
from his son at the front, they in
vent for him stories Of battles beyond
the Rhine, and by means OF little flags
pinned on the map of Germany build
up for him the details of a triumphant
campaign. Then Paris is invested and
the Colonel is startled by the booming
OF the Prussian guns. They soothe him
by explaining that another victory has
been won before Berlin and that the
noise he hears is the firing in its
honor at the Invalides.
During all the privatiQn OF the siege
they manage to keep him supplied with
the little luxuries to which he has
been accustomed, although there is
nothing for any one else. Sometimes,
In the full Joy Of material comfort, the
old cuirassier delights in telling OF
Evening journal., 1919-04-30
THREE APPLY TO
BOARD Fur PARO0NS

Three cases ara TO come before the
Board Of Pardons at DevcE tomorrow.
One Is the application OF Elkton @.
Adams, convicted Of extortlon IN a
transaction over Liberty Bonds. which
came before the board on Monday. II
Is likely that members OF the board TO-
morrow viii inquire further into the
acton Of William II. Cooper. a lawyer,
In delivering si25 10 a prisoner at the
wOrkhouse. in connection with a real
estate Transaction arranged between
Adams and a prisoner named Tittleman
there. According 10 the statement Of
Chancellor Curtis. made In the Board
Of Pardons meeting, the money was
wrapped IN a newspaper when carried
into the workhouso by Attorney Coop
er.
Another application for a pardon is
that Of Paul Vanderbrack. VINO was
convicted In JanusHy OF r1bblng the
store OF Darlington and Toadvine. H.
Is represented by Daniel o. Hastings
and Harry X. Hoch. Another appli-
cation 10 come before the board Is that
in behalf OF Malva nOssa, an aged pris-
ouer, who has served four m0aths OF a
years sentence for receiving two box
es Of shells that were stolen from a
hardware store.
Evening journal., 1919-04-30
NO TOLL charge
IN This STATE
AFTER TOMORROW
ContInued from TIrst Paga.

hAANNAAAAAA AANAAA q AH"N Nr0Hf
His object In making that offer was 90
acquire the turnpike. In order that he
might build concrete roadway "a
feet wide on Il and convert Il into a
free public highway.
All the stockholders excepting two or
three have sold their stock TO Mr.. du-
Pont on that basis. and II IS expected
that those who have not turned their
shares over to Mr.. dupont win do so In
few days. as no objection has been
raised to his project. Mr.. dupont sent
plans OF his proposed improvement Of
the turnpike 10 the stockholders, along
with his formal proposition to buy the
outstanding stock.
No toll will be collected at The toll
gates after today. The gates are to be
removed tomorrow, and the tolltaker's
house at the Wilmington end or the
pike will be removed TO a Fairgrounds
nearby for the use OF the children who
gather there.
The Wilmington and Kennett turnpike
Company was chartered by the Legisla-
ture In 1911. It's charter empowered the
company 10 collect toll from Van Buren
street, Wilmington, to the gate near
ICentrevflle. The company has been
operating for los years, and soon viii
be dissolved after the physical assets
are formally turned over to Mr.. dupont.
Within two weeks Richard Hopkins,
contractor. will begin grading the
stretch Of turnpike from Greenville to
the Pennsylvania line. preliminary to
laying down the concrete road. Con
tractor Hopkins yesterday began 10
move his equipment to the scene or
operations. and hopes TO complete the
road from Greenville 10 the state line
by Fall. The stretch from Wilmington
to Greenville will be constructed next
year.
Meanwhile the road will not be
closed to traffic unless It becomes alb
solutely necessary where the con-
tractor Is working.
Evening journal., 1919-04-30
CONSUMERS LEAGUE
GOING FORWARD

The work by serving on an Association
Charities Case Committee.
"fho League has been represented
on The city committee on public schools
by Miss Edith spruancc and on the
community service committee by the
secretary.
MANY OF you know OF the recent re-
moval ~ our oflcc from the public H.
brary building 10 the Odd Fellows
Building This change was made desir-
able by the expansion of our own work
as well as by the need of The service
citizens for the entire suite OF Offices.
This same growth In our work made IL
necessary for your secretary TO have
other volunteer help. and since the ilrst
OF the year we have been fortunate Ia
having Miss Blanche j. Swayne az as
slsiant secretary.
Accommodations closing this re-
port OF the years work the secretary
wishes 20 urge such changes In tho
Leagues Standing Committees as aro
embodied 10 the amendment 10 the by
laws already submitted Tor your con-
sideration at this meeting.
"Tho minimum wage committee has
proved so helpful In gathering informa-
ton on that subject That It would seem
very desirable 20 enlarge the scope OF
It's work 20 that OF a research commit
tee.
with rerard to the preparation OF
printed matter. much OF such work
must necessarily be done through the
ofilce. but there Is very urgent need OF
a publicity committee charged with
keeping our work before the public by
means OF newspaper articles. etc. Hence
the suggested change or committee on
publication 10 committee on publicity
"Most important of all. however, 10
the creation Of a committee on laDor
laws which VIII be responsible not only
for any legislation introduced by tho
League but for the Investigation on
which such Hesitation must be based
and for furnishing needed cooperation
10 those entrusted with the enforce
ment OF such laws. This committee on
labor laws should be large and rep
rcseniatlvo body Including Ia us men-
bcrship an parties affected by our Wei
fare labor laws-emplOyers, employees
and the general public.
with such changes IN our standing
committees. with a larger and more ao-
I live membership, and with an assured
lsnd ade1uaie income. the League would
prove an even more potent influence
I than In tho past In solving the lnaus-
trial problems Affecting our worAins
women and children and therefore the
entire State OF Delaware.
Evening journal., 1919-04-30
COMMUNITY SINGERS
ADOPT STATE COLORS

The Wilmington Community singers
last night adopted the State colors, blue
and gold, as the cOlors Of the chorus.
Harry Barnhrt. director, congratu-
lated Wilmington on the weather When
he came out from conducting the COM
munity CHORUS in Buffalo. on Saturday
night, snow was being shoveled away
from the sidewalks.
Report was made OF the community
concert in connection with the Victory
Loan, before the Public Buildings, on
Saturday, which -s2as fairly well at
tended, and $500 secured for the Vic
tory Loan.
Finishing touches were put by the
chorus upon the music for the spring
concert. This concert will be given In
The Playhouse, free 20 the public, ons
week from Sunday, at 4 o'clock In the
afternoon. The chorus viii sing GaB's
Holy City" assisted by sixteen men,
bers Of the Philadelphia Orchestra and
by solists from that city.
Evening journal., 1919-04-30
VICTORY LOAN IS
POPULAR AMONG
new CASTLE FOLK
IconlInued from TIrs. 49, J

Continued from flrsi Pdsc.l
titled 20 the governments honor PEN
nant. being classed as 100 per cent.
units. There are many plants being re-
ported as winners OF this honor and
also some which have gotten one hun
dred per cent Of their employees 10 sub
scribe.
The institutions where every en-
ploye has bought q bond n dato are
Wilmington Trust Company. Security
Trust and Safe Deposit Company, Robe
len Plano Company. Bedfo. Club. Con-
sol.dated Beef Company and Delaware
Leather Company Those which also
are rated as 100 per cent. because OF
having met the governments quallfca-
tlons for an honor pennant and where
more than half OF their employees have
subscribed are Morton G. Stout and
Company, John GovaiOs, Charles War
ner Company and Wilmington Hotel.
one thing that Chairman Josiah
Marvel Is anxious for purchasers OF
bonds on the partial payment plan TO
do lt for them 10 call Immediately az
the Liberty Loan Bank. Sixth and
Market streets and obtain their. cards.
The bank will be open every Evening
this week for tho accommodation OF
the purchasers.
Mrs. Trump. chairman OF one Of the
suburban sections. offered prizes to tho
Forward school pupils selling the most
bonds. The competition proved a.
tractlve and today Mrs. Trump an
nounced the following winners: Mary
Borrel s. gold piece; Fred Heath. $3.50;
a box Of candy-was given TO the young
est salesman. Thirteen bonds were sold
aggregatlng 5000.
The High School students are pulling
hard for the loan. They are conducting
one OF the most aggressive campaigns
they ever attempted, and despite adverse
conditions and a late start are gradually
rouslng interest among their friends to
the necessity II need be, OF resubscribing
so that the school may obtain credit for
IFS work. Up TO today the students had
sold s27.75O Of bonds.
"Borax Bill" and his mule train drew
a very large crowd In front OF the Pub
lilo Building yesterday afternoon. After
halting his team, "Bill" gave a vigorous
loan talk. and members OF one Of the
Women's Committees teams circulated
among the crowd endeavoring TO sell
bonds.
The aviation display on the old Court
House lawn Is also proving a help TO the
loan in the way OF exciting public In
terest.
Evening journal., 1919-04-30
HARLAN MAY LO.E
SIX CONTRACTS
Shipping Boards Recon-
mendations Would Pu,
$500 Men Out Of Work
PLANT MIGHT HAVE
TO CLOSE DOWN

should recommendations made by
The shipping Board for the elimination
OF 100000 tons OF ships from the ship
building program being carried out
the Harlan plant OF the Bethlehem Sleel
Corporation vsuld lose the contracts
|. for six Of the sixteen ships that it has
Nyith The Emergency Fleet Corporation.
The company is doing everything pos
sible 10 retain these contracts as the
cancellation OF them, according 10 Of
nclals OF the plant would likely mean
the laying or by September OF $500
men engaged in preliminary work on
the boats at the local yards.
Shipyard officials feel that any cur
tallment OF the shipbullding program
at this time would have a serious effect
on the Industry. They see little hope
for contracts from other sources than
the Government for some time and
think the dropping Of the referred-to
contracts would mean The shutting
down Of the plant by the nrst Of next
year.
They give two reasons for a gloomy
outlook on the shipbuilding future.
The principal one Is that they clpnot
acquire contracts with foreign cOun-
tries, because OF an embargo prevent
ing the building Of ships FOR foreign
registry. They claim that eliminates
the possibility of activity In entering
into contracts for foreign wO-k.
Their outlook on the possibilities Of
at present getting contacts from Ameri-
can shipping companies and concerns
Is almost as dark. Shipping men. the
officials say. ara not even considering
the purchase or building OF ships un-
DER the present conditions.
The company has contracts for six
teen ships. Two OF these are nearing
completion and will soon leave the
yard. Work has been begun on sew
cral others and considerable steel and
other materials are on hand for the
completion Of the entire program for
he local company. At pres ut there
8re about 5000 men engaged about the
yards. While the work on the ships
viii not be finished until about the first
Of The year. many OF these men are en-
gaged on preliminary work and cur
iailment Of the plans, ln any way.
would mean the dropping Of thousands
OF these workmen.
A report has gained circulation In
shipping circles that the Bethlehem
Company may take over The contracts.
in the event that they are cancelled
by the government agencies. but Moth
ing Official has been stated along these
lines
Evening journal., 1919-04-30
Open SEASON FOR
made OVERS HERE
lConilnued from First page.l

Continued from First pagel
more whether It's genuine OF imlia-
oiin. soft drinks and ice creams arc
also nit. Here are some OF The articles
affected by the 80 per cent tax.
Carpets and rugs-rsx on amount IN
excess Of 50 per square yard.
Picture fr1mes-On amount above
$40 each.
Trunks--On amount above $50 each
Nalises, travelling bags. suiicases.
haihoxes and ltted toilet cases-On
amount above s25.
Portable lighting fxtures-on amount
above s25 each.
Fans-en amount above 81 each.
House or smoking Jackets. bath on
lounging robes-On amount above SlJ
each.
Mems walstcoais-on amount abov,
S5.
women's hats-on amount above 81
each.
Mems hais-on amoun, above s.
each.
Mems caps-on amount above s.
each.
shoes for EVERYBODY amount
above $40 per pair.
Mems neckties-on amount above s.
each.
MEMS hose-On s6ove 81 per pair
Womens hose-On amount above 3,
per pair.
Mems shiris-on amount above s
each.
! palamas. mems, women's, children
-On amount above 60 each.
Kimonos. petticoats and waists-or
amount above SIS each.
Evening journal., 1919-04-30
ESTATES OF TIE DEAD.

Letters have been Issued on estates
by Register Of Wills Isaac r. Brown as
follows: mentary-Emma NJ.
Evans to Agnes G.. Evans; John Ma
honey 10 Cecil c. Mahoney; Annie NJ.
Meaney to James A. Meaney; Mary
COoney 10 Martin H. CoOney; Margaret
c. Crozier TO Robert l.. Crozier, and
Charles Leslie VanDyke 70 Mary Ander-
son NanDyke.
Administration-stephen W. Cloud to
Frank l.. Speakman; Martin J. Joyce to
Peter Joyce; Samuel II. Greenwell TO
Ellen Casey Greenwell; Ann Jane Shan
non 10 Sarah ]. Drury; Mary +. Dono-
van to Walter z. Donovan; Thirza w.
ShallcrOss 70 William q. Shallcross ;
Louis Ball 20 Ada L. Ball; Charles =.
genkin to Bernard A. Jenkin; Frank G.
Cole 10 Phoebe 2. Cole; George II.
Woods to Naomi R. Nichols; William 4.
Clancy to Mary NJ Clancy, and Bernard
keenan, 10 Jennie Keenan,.
Administration c. t. a.-Oransby
Pleasanton 20 Clara NJ. Pleasanton.
Administration d. b. n.-John Pyle TO
Annie Z. Caldwell.
Evening journal., 1919-04-30
G. A. r. POST LOOKING
FOR Lust FLAG

A handsome silk American nag. the
property OF Admiral 5. +. dupont Post,
Grand Army OF the Republic, has been
lost. The post is endeavorins to find 1t
10 use on Memorial Day.
The flag was lost last Memorial Day
and thus far, efforts 20 recover u have
failed. In recent years it has been the
practice Of the post 10 have some young
persons carry an American flag and a
State Tag at the head Of the column. on
Memorial Day and other special occa-
sions
That was done last Memorial Day and
the nag has not since been seen. I'm
less the person or the organization now
in possession OF the flag returns It. Il
will be necessary for the post to buy a
new one, something il can III AFFORD
10 do.
The fag has been advertised as lost
and the post is hoping that Old Glory
will be returned.
Evening journal., 1919-04-30
HOUSE ALTERATION
WILL COST $4,000

Building Inspector Preston today is
sued the following building permits:
To Charles ForwOod TO make altera-
tions at Mt. salem Lane for F. d. Brown
to cost $4,000
Frank Lacey TO make alterations at
No. 22Di West street, to cost $50
Harry Reed TO erect o private garage
at Greenhill avenue and Thirte snth ST..
TO cost $500.
Wilmington Lodge No. is4, !. A. NJ. O.,
% make alterations at No. 703 Washing
ton street, 10 cost SAB.
Rosen's to make a new front at No.
Sii Market street, 20 cost $500
Seaburg and Blackwell to make alter
ations az Vandever avenue and Lamotte
stret, TO cost $1,000
Stephen Pardee to make alterations at
No. $40 Seventh and One-half street, to
cost 1920
Parkway Realty Company TO erect six
garages at Seventeenth street and Wood
lawn avenue 10 cost $500.