davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07
DOROTHY DIX TALKS
BY DOROTHY DIX
Worlds Highest Paid Woman Writer
December and May.


Another .urden that the elderly
wife assumes is amusing the young
husband. He must be diverted. He
must be kept interested to keep him
satisfied, and the old wife Is confront
ed with the awful problem OF whether
II Is better to ris.. him with a pretty
girl OF his own age, or tread the
measure with him herself.
OF course the latter course is the
less dangerous expedient, but alas,
aIter forty, we are no longer so young
as we once were. We don't take the
same interest in views from high
points that we did when we had less
aVolroupois, and more breath We see
more rheumatism than romance in
Matchlng the moon rise over the
water In damp places. We begin to
appreciate the point of view of the
Orlentals, who hire other people to
DO their dancing for them.
Nor do these burdens end the load
that the elderly wife of a boy husband
voluntarily shoulders. She has to be
eternaily explaining why she did it.
me reason ordinary husband and wife
married each other is conundrum
so deep and inscrutible TO the onIoolr-
er that he gives it up without hazard
ing guess. But when an apparently
sane. and sensible middle aged woman
turns cradle snatcher. and kidnaps a
boy Tor husband. it piques the pop
1t is a psychological problem that
every beholder tries to solve. and no.
body ever does solve it. so il il con-
tinually put up to the bride to answer
"a proceeding which is very apt to get
upon her nerves.
Certainly the middle aged woman
VINO marrtes a young boy pays a high
price for her pet, and there is only
one kind of woman who should under
take such foolhardy speculation, and
that is woman who has no jealousy
in her system, who possesses a large
fund of humor, and who has a deep
and well filled pocket book on which
she has n death clutch.
A woman who expects to get any
happiness out of such a marriage must
be able to see her boy husband dane
ing and chatting. and playing love
games with pretty girls. without be-
ing torn into shreads by the green
eyed monster, and wondering IL he is
not contrasting her embonpoint with
their slimness, her staid matter OF
fact conversation with their chatter.
her middle aged heaviness with their
high spirits.
She must be able to smile instead
of gnash her teeth when people mis-
take her husband for her son. Above
all she must have enough sense to
keep her money in her own hands and
to realize that her chief charm is a
golden one, and that her husband will
never grow tired of her as long as
| she is the source from which all bless
ings flow. For it is most curious that
boys never fall in love with impecuni-
Gus ladies, or marry women old
enough to be their mothers, unless
mothers name is good on a check.
Nor should the woman object Ro-
nance is a gift that the gods bestow
only on the young. When we grow
old, We have to buy it. And it is up
to the middle aged woman to decide
IL the brand she buys With her young
husband is worth the price.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07
ON THE SPUR
OF THE MOMENT
More Rules for the Dry Spell.
Ell ROY K MoULroN

More Rules for the Dry Spell.
The young shall no longer be taught
the history of the Bourbon kings. II
necessary to refer to them at all they
shall be called the Ginger Ale kings.
The word still" shall be stricken
from the English language and the
word quiet" shall be substituted in all
cases.
Noah Webster shall not be allowed
to use the word ''moonshine" in his
dictionary and no poet shall use the
word in any capacity. The word
moonlight" shall be used instead.
Nobody shall be allowed to refer to
a cotton gin as gin. The full word en-
CINE shall be used.
The people of London are blawsted
discouraged with their telephone
service, according to recent cable.
One business man became so jolly
well angry at his telephone that "he
took his pistol out of his pocket and
shot the instrument to bits"
What would these Londoners do
If they had our telephones to contend
within They would not jolly we'll take
pistols out of their pockets and shoot
the blawsted machines to bits, but
throw them out the bally, bloomin'
hoffice windows. That's what We do,
so 'elp us.
No matter what they do in London,
we have got 'em skinned here by sew
eral degrees.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07

per cent of the male addicts are be-
tween the ages of II and IS. Only 40
per cent of the addicts are women. 1t
is also interesting to know that drug
addiction is especially common
among chauffeurs and truck drivers;
that hundreds of married couples at
tend the clinic, and that women with
babies in their arms are frequent Wis
itors.
The chief motive in taking the drug.
of course, is to obtain a stimulant-a
false strength. Dance halls are one
of the principal channels of the traf-
fic. Here come young people, tired
from a hard days work and fall easy
prey to the drug peddiers. Often they
take their first dose without knowing
what it is. A young salesgirl is tired.
and her partner says: Here, take
this-it will jazz you up" A young
clerk may be lacking in pep, and a wo-
man secretly slips him q dose.
Many take the drug to help them
to do their work. The other morning
a steeple-jack confessed that he never
would be able to climb without a lib
eral dose of heroin. and a truck driver
insisted that he could not do his work
unless under the influence Of the
drug. When asked how he contracted
the habit he said that one day when
he had carried three heavy trunks up
stairs he was 'all in" The next trunk
looked as big as a mountain to him.
He told the other man on the truck
that he would have to quit, but the
man handed him powder and told
him that that would help him. 1t
did, and so he kept on taking the
powder--a little more as time passed
to keep up the stimulation. There
was also a presser who holds down
three Jobs, working nearly twenty
hours a day. He says he has to do
1t to support his family, and he takes
heroin to keep up.
It Is a popularity of drug addicts
that they feel no embarrassment con-
corning the habit. Most of them at
the clinic resent having to go thru
SO much red tape before they can
get their dope, but they do not resent
the publicity. Any one of them is per-
fectly willing to discuss his case with
you, including all the morbid details.
| One very young, good-looking and
weIl-dressed girl exclaimed when she
was asked how she had contracted the
habit: why, in the show business,
of course"
They also exhibit an amazing
amount of docility as long as they
are supplied with the drug. While
most OF them are not particularly in
| terested in being cured, they are will
| ing to consider 1t. They do not op-
pose the idea OF being sent to a hos
pital, and hundreds of them are al
ready there. taking the treatment. So
far. the cure has been successful in
only 2 per cent of the cases. but the
best medical authorities believe this
Is because the patients have not been
given the treatment for a sufficient
length of time. The great need is for
hospitals and progress is being made
toward providing these. The expert
| ence of New York is Of vital interest
TO the whole )untry, for with the en-
| forcement of nationwide laws against
| the use OF narcotics there are addicts
in every city requiring treatment.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07
SANDRA THE JEALOUS
BY JANE PHELPS


hotel. Everett had a slight cold, so
had ordered dinner served in our
room. We had been to q play the
night before, and had shopped all
day. Everett had bought me loads of
pretty things to wear, dresses, WRAPS
and hats. 1 knew he was ashamed
of my country made trousseau, altho
he did not say SO. / didn't see where
1 was going to wear all the things he
gave me. but he told me not to worry
about that.
was also tired from our strenuous
shopping, and glad to stay quietly in
the room with him; but I was ex-
cited, and wanted to talk of what we
had bought, of the wonderful shops,
big arm chair after the waiter had
taken the dinner table away, j
climbed upon his lap.
Don't be undignified, Sandra,"
Everett said.
Don't you want me to sit on your
lap?" I felt the tears coming.
Not particularly. 1 wish to read.
Neither do I want to see you cry.
Red eyes and swollen faces aren't at
tractive to a man."
1 drew in my breath in little sharp
gasps. His tone, more than his words
had seemed to stab me. It hurt me
SO. The tears dropped in spite of all
L could do to hold them back. AS
rose unstcadily from his lap, one fell
on the back of his hand. He brushed
1t off angrily.
For heavens sake, Sandra, stop
crying. If there Is one thing l hate
more than any other it is a crybaby.
When you feel that you mist shed
tears. please take Yourself where
cannot see YOU" He unfoided his pa
per and commenced to read.
In all my eighteen years, I never
had been spoken to so harshly. I tried
desperately not to cry, but L could
not hold back the tears, and sobbing
loudly rushed into the bedroom and
closed the door. I thought Ever EFT
would come in and try to comfort me
when he saw how terribly / felt, but
ne didn't come near me. I had made
him too angry.
l was alseep when he came to bed.
But had heard the clock strike IL
before sobbed myself TO sleep.
(Tomorrow-Everett II unreason-
able.)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07
WAR on THE PACKERS.

The Kenyon bill to regulate the
packers is to be taken UP August Is.
It calls for government control of the
packing industry. If the packers be
guilty of making exorbitant profits
off the needs of the people. If they be
guilty of not paying a just price for
the raw product based on the selling
price, or IL because of their bigness
they have by divers methods succeed
ed in sitting competition they should
be brought to justice. But the notion
that all big corporations are rotten to
the core just because they are big;
the idea of closing our eyes to the eco
nomic saving effected and the lower
price to the consumer thru such saw
ing in methods of manufacture and
distribution is unworthy an intelligent
people.
For years we have rallied. at the
Standard OIL trust. We had 1t dis
solved and treated it to every form of
legal determination, and yet it survived
and its business grew. why? Because
while we were going thru all these
contortions the Standard Oil company
kept right on producing a better arti-
Gle and selling it at a less price than
its competitors.
Behind almost every attack on big
business Is a desire on the part of
somebody for votes. The packing in
dustry is the last aggregation of big
business" that can be attacked-for
votes. The railroads. the banks,
Standard OIL and United States Steel
were popular targets once-but now
for tin big packers.
The crusade on Standard Oil broke
many small concerns. bankrupted
thousands of producers, separated
Standard into a dozen corporations
but made them all rich. The crusade
on the big packers because they are big
Is un-American and a demagogic APP
peal to the mob spirit.
But the element of justice and fair
ness does not enter into politics. Pol
tiles means appeal TO prejudice.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07

The railway mems unions are ask
ing the government to buy the rail-
roads and give them to the men who
60 the work. In case extensions be-
come necessary they would have the
public build them and turn them over
to the same group OF persons. One of
the, troubles that have beset the rail-
roads in the past is that they have
been operated in many instances in the
interest Of bankers. 1t is doubtful
that there would be any Improvement
visible In operating them in the inter-
est Of another class of citizens. What
the country needs is railroads oper-
ated in the interest of the public as
we'll as the bankers and the working
force. But unless change in the sit
uation come soon it Is not improbable
that the roads will be for sale cheap.
Ever since the government took over
the railroads there has been manifest
ed by the administration a determina-
ton to make of the railroad problem a
political issue. The campaign of 1920
soon will be here and perhaps it is
just as well that the issue between the
public and the other interests be
fought out. with the people in their
present temper there is little room for
doubt regarding the result.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07
PLATFORM PLEDGES.

As an illustration OF what value
may be placed on party platform
promises it may be noted that both
parties pledged budget reform in their
1916 platform.
The Republicans promised the es-
adjustment OF "a simple businesslike
budget system"
The Democrats promised 'as prac-
teal first step toward a budget sys-
tenn a return by the house of repre-
sentatives to its former practice of
initiating and preparing all appropria-
ton bills thru a single committee
chosen from it's membership in order
that responsibility may be conferred,
expenditure standardized and made
uniform, and waste and duplication in
the public service as much as possible
avoided"
Both platforms conceded waste.
riotous extravaganza and confusion,
the party in power attributins 1t to
system" and the party out of power
charging shameless raids on the
treasury."
+. 49, 1912 to and including requests
for 1917 the national governments ad-
mittedly waste-swollen spe~"'~' base
of 1911 was exceeded by $500, 900. 300
after excluding war. navy and postal
service. War found the departments
unframed in methods of careful esti-
mating. President Wilson after eight
months of war preparations without
proper budget estimates asked-un-
uccessfully-budget reform as a min
imum essential for proper spending
plans and proper fighting plans.
The presidents message of 1917 ex-
pressed the opinion that it will be
impossible to deal in any way but a
very wasteful and extravagant fashion
with the enormous appropriations OF
the public moneys which must contin-
ne to be met IL the war is to be prop
erly sustained unless the house will
consent to return TO its former prac-
tice OF initiating and preparing all APP
preparation bills thru a single COM
mittee" The results have proved that
Mr.. Wilson was right. but nothing is
being done. except that 1t is proposed
to appoint a committee to frame a
budget system which is practically the
same as doing nothing.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07

just a little disappointed at this sud
den switch from a subject that all at
once had been growing absorbingly
interesting.
I'm working on a patent that will
take the last bit of flick out of the
flicker. 1 tear around and get two
days at home, down in the Bronx.
every week. It's just about done and
Then it's me for that home. I've been
looking for a girl. You're her.
Something jumped up into Flora
bells throat and almost choked her.
All unexpectedly here she was right
on the edge of things again. But pes
on her soul. No use for her to let this
go any further. 1t would only mean
rev disappointment So she jeered
at this wonderful cheeky, slap-dash
hero.
mot chance. Mr.. Man." she
laughed. while far inside her spirit
wept
Somebody beat me to it, eh? ?" asked
Joe. Thought so when you talked
about the real men up in the fprojec-
tor coop. Is it Morse?"
''It might BET" FlorabeFs manner
carried implied confession without
spoken statement.
Joe looked at the girl with a strange.
plying expression in his eyes-not at
all fresh or slap-da was he now.
'Girlie.'' he said, I'm mighty sorry
to be the messenger boy. but there's
bad news for you. Morse has got a
wife and kid in Pittsburgh. I know
them well. She used to be a theater
usher. too"
II cont believe it," exclaimed Flora
bel. She thought of the Peters girl
and she chaged her mind. Yes, I
do, too" Then, as she realized sud
denly that something she had been on
the edge of was good indeed to have
escaped from her pessimism vanished.
Soldier man." she said, and she was
pinker and prettier than ever, there
isn't anybody else-not really"
Copyright, 1919 by the Mcclure News
pepper, Syndicate.)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07
DINNER STORIES

w. r. Buckner, the memory expert.
tells a good ore on himself. A few
weeks ago he alighted at the station
Of a small Oregon town, where he was
scheduled to deliver Z lecture on his
system of remembering things" says
the San Francisco Chronicle. The
aged darby in charge of the decrepit
hotel van approached him and in
quired how many trunks he had.
Il don't use any trunks said Buck
ner.
But you is a travelin' man. ISN'T
YOU" inquired the Jehu.
''Yes-but I sell brains"
We'll, suh." sighed the old driver.
ALIVE been totin' statesmen from dis
depo' 70 nigh twenty years. an you'se
de fust one All ever struck what didn't
carry no samples"
IF I was rich. darling, would you
love me more than you do?" asked
the hopeful young man.
We'll, might not love you any
more. but 1 should look forward to
our wedding day with a great deal of
more impotence than I do at pres
sent"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07

Yestidday AFTERNOON wen 1 was go
ing out ma gave me a letter to mail,
saying, Now for mersey sakes keep
looking at it till you've mailed it, its
a very important letter and it simply
must be mailed this aftirnoon.
Yes mann, 1 sed. And 1 took the
letter out in the street and kepp
wawking along looking at it till a
fire engine went past with all the fell
lows running after it, and 1 quick
stuck the letter in my blouse and
ran too, being a falts alarm. and vile
G, 1 forgot to mail it. Meaning the
letter, and 1 quick got up, saying, III
be rite back.
Are you finished? sed pop.
Not all the way, I sed, and pop
sed, Then stay rite heer till you are,
don't like this chasing away fr0m
the table and back agen all the time
Yes sir. 1 sed. And 1 sat down
and started to eat agen. and pritty
soon I thawt C, she's looking at me
as If she mite remember it eny min
nit. And I quick got up agen, say
ing, I'm throO.
Wat, no dizzert? sed ma.
1 don't feel much like dizzert, sed
You don't look much like it either
jumping up and down like a Jack-in-
the-box. sed pop. And 1 quick ran
out and mailed the letter, thinking
of dizzert all the way and then
went back and sat down at the table
agen not saying enything.
o. you've decided to return to our
mist. have you? sed pop, and 1 sed
1 feel more like dizzert now.
Well. II you don't take the cake ]
don't know who does. sed ma. And
she gave me my dizzert. being chock-
lit cake as If ma had ment to say q
joke, which she hadent, and wen ]
was about half way throo my cake
she looked at me all of a suddin like
sumbody remembering a letter, say
ing, Ware did you go?
Wen? I sed, and ma sed. You know
wen. and I sed. Wen, Jest now? and
ma sed. Out with it. you went to mai
that letter, dident you?
Nam? 1 sed.
Now it won't be delivered on time
and juest for that you'll jest leeve the
rest of your dizzert and get up frum
the table. you take the cake, sed ma.
Meening dident take it.
Wich I dident.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07

$5s per capita, as against about $34
before the war. What ia 1t to be sup
posed will be done with II? Why. in
vested and expended in order to in
crease wealth. Perhaps you and 1 will
get some of it. and IL so we will ex-
pend or invest it. for we are like other
human beings. There is still room in
this country for the optimist. but little
space for the pessimist. If the tax as
SCISSOR and collector will only permit
us to retain little fairer percentage
of our earnings we shall be happy
Patience and confidence are justified,
and with these great prosperity is as
sured."
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS.

@. what is the average working life Of
a woman stenographer7--F. 5.
A. recent Investigation Of the length
Of time woman learning stenography
works at 1t fixed the time at about three
q. Now that the war is over is one sup
posed TO stand for the Star Spangled
banner TX. L. NJ
A. Yes. One is expected not only 20
and still with mis- hands at his sides. To
move about. to ilouch, to lean on the back
OF seats. Is but little less discourteous to
the national anthem than TO remain seated.
o. Are flying machines 70 be. used for
natrolling forests for the prevention OF
A. The army flying field at San Diego
e this year cooperating with the Forest
Service in acting as fire lookouts. cap
tive balloon is used 70 overlook certain
area while regular flights are made In mr. ~.
plans and dirigibles. The dirigibie and the
captive balloon are regarded as ha'ins
great possibilities ms fire iookouts. =.
from oysters. They come from the pearl
clam. bivalve as big as n dinner plate
for dog ?-H. N.
A. As far as we are able 70 ascertain y,i
hswton tom Of Egypt. M hasi brOughl;.
the maximum price. Mr. Lawton pals
1900 for Cenguar. DR.. Sylvester JndF Ell, e
Washington. y. G., iE the owner OF Duf-
dog for which he paid $500. H.,
o. Has a method been devised for e1in-
mating the pueker from the persiin mo"
T. d. .,.,-.
A. Yes. The department OF agrieultnItes
has found that the persimmon sealed X ~
an air-tipht cnsks loses the acid whcn
causes Il to pncker the mouth when eaten
(Any reader can get the answer to s! any
question BIZ writing The Topeka ,"1
Journal Information Bureau. FreIerrr -.
lfIIaskin Director Washington. y e 80 80
mi name and address and enclose 2-cent
stamp for return postage. De Driel' ~.
inouiries are confidential. the replles oeins
ne1if direct 40 ench individual.l
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07
INFORMATION FOR ALL READERS OF
THE TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL.

Each reader Of The State Journal Is
offered the unlimited use OF the largest lu-
formation bureau in the world.
This Service Bureau is looted In the ma
tional capital where 1t is In immediate
touch with all the great resources OF the
United States gOvernment. -
it can answer practically any question
Won want to ask, butt cent give ad-
Vice. nor make exhaustive research. H.
The war forced so many changes IN the
daily life of the American people That the
services Of this information bureau VIII e
Invaluable to all who use II.
Keep I'm touch with your government at
All times II can help you In thousand
WAYS II vour wants are only made known.
The State Journal pays for this Aplendtd
service IN order that every one Of Its read
ers may take free advantage of II. You are
welcome to use II as often as you Ike.
Write your request briefly, sign your
name and address plainly, enclose 2-cent
Htnulu for return postage and address the
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL INFoRMA-
TIOH BTREAT.
ton. ID. e..
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-07
THINGS THAT MAKE A WOMAN
GREAT.

First, it's her gentleness, her all
bearing courage. her open end feeling
heart, her desire for business, and her
broad-thinkfng mind.
And when a woman is a mother.
she becomes one of the queens of the
race. For no one quite understands
like a mother.
But every true woman is beautiful.
There is about her an art so well con-
cealed, SO well expressed, and a spirit
withal so quietly modulated. that to
be inspired by her qualities of pa
thence. courage and love is to be &C
corded great honor.
For these are the things. somehow
set apart in a woman's character, that
make her great
And then there is a woman's intui-
ton. her inseeing power, which places
her among the leaders of time. Her
quick and accurate arrival at essen
tial truths. her sweetened sympathy.
her magnificent bestowal of deserved