davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22
THE JUMPING-OFF PLACE.

Discussion of the problem of living
costs has been so general and so ex-
haustive that It might be said there is
nothing new to be advanced regarding
it. But The Review appears to have
taken a look at the situation from a
new angle. basing its conclusions on
the theory that the rise in prices must
certainly stop when the people no
longer can pay them. This is equiva-
lent to saying that the advance will
cease, if not sooner, when the great
volume of money in circulation shall
no longer be adequate to carry on the
business OF the country on the basis
OF prevailing prices.
The Reviews contribution to the
discussion follows:
Some mischievous Interpretations
are bound up with the current talk
about the vicious circle" of rising
prices The railroad brotherhoods say
that the vicious circle is infinite; :"
and oven the president in his address
to congress speaks Of "a vicious cycle
to which there Is no logical or natural
end" The temptation to speak in
this way is obvious; when we see so
exasperating q process continuing so
lonEt II Is perhaps natural to throw
up our hands and say that 1t will 20
on forever unless something extraor-
binary be done.
But in point of fact, tho it is quite
possible that something can and
should be done. yet even IL nothing
were done the process would not &c
on indefinitely In the era Of low
prices. a quarter of a century ago, the
same feeling existed as regards the
constantly falling value of the dollar
and II was the assumption that things
were sure to go from bad to worse
that gave such vitality to Mr. Bryan's
great free silver campaign OF 1896. II
is true that higher wages call fol
higher prices. that higher prices ir
their turn call for higher wages, ant
so back to higher prices again But
somebody Mas got to pay the prices. Il
they are to stand: and a point I.
reached at last where the prices will
not be paid because people haven't this
wherewithal in the shape of 1mone,
to pay them-unless, indeed. a sense
less policy Of initiation be pursued By
the government
The brotherhoods say that capita
"fixes'--the prices at which commodi-
ties shall be sold; but nobody has thC
power to fix prices beyond the ca
pacity OF the community to pay them
1t may be difficult TO keep our head
level on such point as this at time
when great suffering and hardship
are being experienced by millions oil
people. but nevertheless It is of the
utmost importance that We do so. II
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22
SANDRA THE JEALOUS
BIZ JANE PHELPS

made me feel. did so want him to
treat me like grown-up.
He took me to the theater that
night, and never said a cross or i'm
me little" said to myself, land so
is sorry for me-"
HID I known that for weary weeks
and months I was to blow hot and
blow cold over the question of Ever
ett's feelings for me / should not have
known how to endure my life. But I
was of an optimistic nature. and II
took very little to encourage me to
think as I wanted to think.
1t is so easy to fool ourselves il we
really try.
Had I known that even then Ever
EFT was discovering that was not as
young Is he had thought-not a child !:
but a grown girl, almost a woman.
That he also thought me very lovely,
with the promise of greater beauty
when more mature. 1t would have
conforted me immensely. did real
lie in a way that he was rather proud
of me. He couldn't hide that. But I
laid II all TO his taste in dressing me.
for that was what he did. Altho he
never objected when / wore one of my
simple trousseau dresses in the house.
he did object once when / wore one
when going to the theater with him.
They were all right for Lakeville,
and are perfectly appropriate for
home wear. But I can afford hand
some clothes for you. Why shouldn't
you have them?"
I didn't say anything, but I too
thought. why not? 1t was all did
have-what his money bought me.
That other woman, Leole had his
love. So I soon developed extrava-
| CANT tastes. 1t does not take a woman
long when she is given carte blanche
to learn the gentle art of spending
money. At least I never have met a
woman who wasted much time over
that particular lesson.
So often when lonely and unhappy
| because of the thought of LeoIa /
would spend my time In shopping. It
made me forget her. aside from the
pleasure it gave me. Yet no saleswo-
man ever recommended hat, a dress
/ or anything else with the remark that
1t would be becoming because OF my
hair, that I did not at once lose all in
terest in the article had intended to
purchase and leave the shop empty
handed.
often and often wished that Ever
EFT had not said that he was attracted
to me because I had hair like Leola /;
the woman who had drowned herself
rather than have him disgrace her
| before the world. The woman / was
sure he still loved. Had he not said
that think could perhaps soon have
| forgotten and forgiven all the rest;
| but that ranked, ranked and hurt
As time went on I became more ana
more in love with my husband, the
hurt was sometimes almost more than
I could bear.
(Tomorrow-Sandra is received by
Everett's friends.)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22

lawyer is a good one for the present
time. By it men and movements and
nations may be judged. What Is your
program, self-exploitation or neigh
borliness? Why does a nation rant
manufactures. in order to help needy
people or to enhance its own territor-
ial position? Are you a good neigh
Dor, or a Bolshevik?
Lay the Good Samaritan parable
alongside of the Russian situation and
at once it becomes clear wherein Boil
shevism falls short: il fails to promote
neighborliness, and fosters class ha-
tired instead. 1t makes men more
ready to hurt than to help. 1t does
not accept everybody, low. middle and
high, as a neighbor and a brother.
The Russian word "Tavarish," or
comrade. is usually reserved for work
men, peasants and soldiers; the mer-
chant, the manufacturer, the profess
sional man. are denied II. BY this test
of neighborliness the days radicalism
collapses. 1t is not full of good will
to men. 1t is well that just now the
Sunday schools of the world are study
ing social responsibility in such simple
terms. Social service is not a high
brow cult: it is only being kind and
Just and helpful to everybody in par
ticular and in general. This spirit.
which is none other than the spirit of
Jesus, is the salt that will save our
fermenting world from rottenness.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22

way home that he would ask her
again. She had only been seventeen
then. Now she was twenty ana
it seemed as II the years had only
made her sweeter and more deSiraole.
There was something indefinite about
her now. something that evaded him.
She seemed sure OF herself. poised ana
tranquil eyed. more tender. toos in her
way. 1t must have been lonely Tor
her there in the little mill town with
no glimpse of the outside world OF
endeavor; none of the excitement that
had made his own life colorful. He
wondered whether she had ever hoped
he might come back. ~
See the island over yonder," Wint-
fred said suddenly. They had come to
the crest OF the hill overlooking the
reservoir. 1t had always looked like
miniature western mountain scene,
the broad lake with its rocky pine-
edged shores, and rocky islands here
ana there. What splendid times we
used TO have up there. Hardy"
I've never forgotten one OF them"
ne said slowly. when you're thou
sand miles and more away from home,
only memories seem real"
Il know" she rejoined quickly. "Afi
the time ] was in Japan ] felt that
way, and when we were sent down to
the Philippines II was even worse, for
there / would meet somebody frorn
home once in a while. and everything
J they said made me want to take the
next boat back"
you've been away" he exclaimed.
with Aunt Dora and Uncle Phil"
she nodded her head There were so
many OF us at home and when he was
sent 10 the east by his company, he
wanted a secretary, so I coaxed him
to take me. Then he died in Toxic,
and because 1 understood the trade
situation pretty well. they made me
sales manager instead of trying to
| break in a new man. I've only been
me to try South America this time.
but I'm tired of Il. / suppose women
are just tabby cats after all. You
work and make believe you like II.
and all the time you're thinking OF
some coy corner to curl up in and
rest. I'm going to buy the Prender-
CAST place and fix up the garden beaui
tifully and have five cats"
Hardy laughed. laughed until she
turned to look at him almost resent
fully. He was so tall and broad shoul-
| dered, so resolute and sure of him.
reason why she had gone away was
to show him that girls didn't have ito
stay at home.
You can't buy It," he told her teas
ingly. because I knew you loved II
and the deed is waiting for me now.
We could make it the homestead.
Winnie. I'll have to go west now and
then. and I want you to come along.
I want to show you all the places
where I've thought of you and told
myself to keep up my nerve and so
back after you and make you say yes
Winifred looked up at him over the
violets held to her lips.
IT always wondered why you stayed
so long" she said. II thought you
were just a gutter, Hardy. when you
n falr Wit hof
! Copyright, 1919 by the Mcclure News
| pepper, Syndicate)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS.

the countries In Europe7-s. L. T.
A. With the clearing up Of the aitua-
ton IN Hungary, there Is now virtually no
restriction on mail to Europe. Letters to
Germany. for instance, may go thru un-
O., Are there any substitutes for tobaeco
A: There are no products on the market
that even pretend to take the place Of
Q. Has Il been established that the
H. f.
A. This theory has not been finally
lief Is that Asia and America were once
Joined by way OF Alaska and Siberia. and
that the climate Of that region was warmer
than at present and that there was free
the Smithsonian Institution hsve tended 20
establish the close kinship Of the natives
Of Siberia and North America
q. With what should I clean the eel
luioid windows Of my automobile IN. @.
A Clean them with a rag wet In vim
egar Gasoline or soap will crack the
Q. Is It true that many American brew
ers are establishing themselves in south
/ A. During the war the German brewers
America, and American brewers whose
positions at home were becoming precari-
GUS supplanted them. Finally. when the
many Of them were re-estnblished in South
America. SO has the American brewer
como 10 be very important element south
OF Panama-
Amy reader can get the answer to any
question by writing The Topeka Stnta
Haskin. Director. washington. u. {. Give
full name and address and enclose 2-cent
stamp for return postage Re brief. All
replies are. cent direct TO me tnquirer.l
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22
IMPORTATION FOR ALL READERS OF
THE 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 looted In the ma
tional capital where Il Is In immediate
touch with all the great resources OF the
United States government.
II can answer practically any question
you want TO ask, butt cant give al
vice Tor mike exhaustive research.
The war forced so many changes in the
daily life Of the American people that the
services Of this infOrmatiCn bureau VIII c
Invaluable to all who use It.
Keep IN touch with your government at
all times. II can help you IN thnusand
WAYS IN vour wants are only made known.
The State journal pays for this splendld
service Ia order that every one Of Its read
ers may take free advantage Of IL. You are
welrnme to use Il as often ns you like.
Write your request briefly, sign your
name anil address plainly, enclose 2-cent
etnmp for return postage ana address the
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL INFoRMA.
TION BUREAU.
ION ID &.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22

the evils from which we suffer were
really of the character aseribed TO
them by those who look upon the
rise of prices as brought about sim
ply by a cycle Of arbitrary increases
to which there 10 no natural check,
we should be driven. in the event that
minor remedies prove Of little effect
to desperate measures whose disas-
trous consequences no man can fore
tell.
So far from its being academic" TO
insist upon the fundamental truths OF
the relation between prices on the one
hand and monetary initiation and pro-
ductive efficiency on the other, there
is no one thing which 1t is of greater
practical importance to keep STEADILY
before the public mind.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22

eclipse OF the sun at La Paz. Bolivia
1t occurred about twenty minutes after
sunrise on May 20, and was a remark
able spectacle, as described by Doctor
Abbot.
When the sun rose it was not com
pletely eclipsed. but showed as a cres-
cent of fire, with the outline of the
moon above it. This crescent of fire
was quickly swallowed by the black
mass of the moon, and it became as
dark as twilight From the hidden
sun radiated in all directions broad
rays of light, known as the coronas,
while a long. crooked tall Of brilliant
crimson light. scientifically called a
prominence" hung from its lower
edge.
To the scientists the eclipse was a
rare and beautiful spectacle. but it
was a terrifying one to the natives OF
Peru, who are descended from sun
worshipping barbarians. and the
ancient faith was shown in their ter
ror at the disappearance of the sun.
Many fires were lighted to coax the
sun back and an epidemic of typhoid.
which occurred about that time. was
ascribed by them to the anger of the
sun god, who had hidden his face.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22

s. Ma was setting in her room sewing
with the sewing masheen and l was
on the floor trying TO see wat II felt
like TO eb torpedo. and vile 1 was
going under the bed wat did l find
but a dime standing on its edge leen-.
Ing agenst a shoe, and came out and
watched ma sewing a vile, and then
I sed, o G, ma, forgot to tell you,
I serteny am lucky, ma, I'm always
finding things. I serteny am lucky. Z
don't see how it is I can never find
enything. other people are always
finding things, wat did you find? sed
ma. '
A dime, amt I lucky. ma? sed. +.
L could wawk rite over a dime a
hundred times and Id never see 81.
ware did you find it? sed ma.
I mallways finding things, I'm ser-
teny lucky. ma. 1 sed.
So you remarked, ware did you find
It? sed ma.
None OF the fellows is as lucky as
wat 1 am, ma, II there's enything TO
find I'm the oen finds 1t. sed, is find
ings always keepinss, ma?
Not always, but in the case of a
dime in a hole townfull of people I
Suppose it would be pritty hard TO find
that's as mulch as saying ! can keep
1t, and ma sed. You haven't told ms
ware you found it yet
The dime? I sed, and ma sed, Wat
elts did you Suppose? and / sed, I
dident know, I'm always finding
things. and ma sed. Well. I'm still waits
ing, and sed. Under a bed.
D, so that it-under whose bed z
sed ma
Hand IL over, eed ma.
witch 1 did
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22
ON THE SPUR
OF THE MOMENT
By ROY K MOULTON

If there is anything in the Bible
touching upon the present styles of
women's dress, 1t must be in tho
Book of Revelations.
The Osborne Farmer defines a
painless dentist as one who doesn't
suNer a particle when he hands you
his bin.
While some men serve life sentences
in Sing Sing, others &c: married.
You Haven't Been Around Much
Lately, Name.
Dear Roy: / guess the only thing
that can get safely lit up now is a
match. NAME.
Keeping Up With the Eternal Fitness
of Things.
John Bonano is in the fruit bust
ness on Eighth avenue, Manhattan.
I. Press is a tailor at New Haven,
Conn.
In the ticket cage of the New
Haven railroad in Grand Central sta
ton, New York, the wants of the pub
lie are attended to by Mr.. Cage.
James Debris drives a garbage
lyon in Flatbush.
1t isn't so easy to feel wealthy now
as it was before July i.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22
DOROTHY DIX TALKS
By DOROTHY DIX
Worlds Highest Paid Woman writar.
The Poor as Fathcr-2.

The Poor O. Eather-2.
The poor old 1nnker has spent his
life fighting the wolf away from the
door. He has given the strength of
his youth, and the vigor OF his man
hood that little mouths should be fed.
that little feet should be shod, that
the boy and girl who were more than
pleasure or comfort, or rest to him
might have the advantages Of educa-
ton that he never had.
His children grow up to the sound
OF his heavy step going out to work
early in the morning, and coming
home dragging and weary at night. 1t
is like the ceaseless swing of the pen
dulum Of clock, and they are so used
to that, that they do not even con-
slider what an unended grind of labor
it represents
As, the children grow older they
have greater needs. The girls want
pretty clothes. The boys want the in
dulgences that other lads have. Father
gets the things somehow. He cuts
down on his tobacco. He has his
broken shoes mended once more. He
wears his shiny old coat a little longer.
No one notices. Least of all the
children. Father always has had the
worst of everything-the shabbiest
clothes, the poorest cut of the meat.
They are used to 1t. They think of it
even as one of his peculiarities of
which they are a little ashamed, but
they never ask why.
By and by the children grow up.
They go their ways. They prosper,
and marry, and have homes of their
own. They have climbed up in the
world on tn bent shoulders of an old
man for whom, only too often, they
have only a contemptuous tolerance,
and whom they regard as a burden
For finally, there comes a day when
the inevitable happens. The old
hands that have toiled so long can
work no more. The old eyes have
grown too dim, the old feet too slow,
and the old clerk or the old artisan
must give up his job.
TragicaI and pitiful is the old mans
lot if the children for whom he sac
rificed so much and worked so long
do not struggle with each other for
the privilege OF making his last days
happy and comfortable, and If their
warmeSt welcome and their softest
chair, and the honored place at their
fireside It not for him.
For the poor man must almost in
evitably be dependent on his children
in his old age. He cannot accumulate
competency under ordinary con-
ditions because all that he makes is
absorbed in the support of his family.
He can only point to his children as
| the investment in which he has put
his life work, and II they are migrate
fu. he has, indeed, labored in vain,
and is bankrupt in purse and heart.
Thieves-oh worse than thieves
are the men and women who cheat
their fathers of the love, and honor.
and reverence that are their due, and
that the great All Father set Himself
as the Just reward of fatherhood.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22
THE CHANGE.


When. Egbert OSWALD Tomkinson was just
q little lad
He used to do a lot of things the nelghbors
thought were bad;
He broke full many a window pane and ran
away from school
And once he stole a neighbor's pie that
she'd put out TO cool.
His parents said they couldn't do a single
thing with him
They'd threaten him with punishment and
tortures dire and grim,
But Egbert was a wtllful boy In search
OF boyish fun
Who never thought Of damage till the dam
age had been done
The neighbors sadly shook their heads
whenever he ran wild
And vowed they'd never seen before 50
terrible a child.
His brain was always thinking up new
mischief he could do
And mothers called their darlings In when
Egbert same in view.
But that was many years ago and Egbert
now is grown.
He has earned lot Of money and his fame
is widely known.
The papers often print his name with
adjectives Of praise
And the neighbors now recall with Elee
his clever childish ways.
Copyright 1919 by Edgar A. Guest
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22
EVERETT AND sANDRA GO
SHOPPING.
CHAPTER XIII.


AS leaned back in the luxurious
town car Everett had given me for
my very own I muttered:
What do I care whether he is
pleased or not!" Yet I knew 1 did
care. and the fact that moment after
had made the hasty exclamation.
was carefully examining my face with
a hand mirror to see il I. really did
look well, proved that I did.
Inconsistent. yes. But was ever sew
enteen consistent?
Everett was waiting for me. altho
was exactly on time. He compli-
mented me saying:
MANY women think ten or fifteen
minutes one way or another makes
no difference. But a man likes
promptness. 1 am glad you have that
virtue among your other ones" 1t
wasn't a very intimate speech; but 1
was glad he was pleased with me. He
then asked that they show me the
coat.
The coat was perfectly lovely! A
sapphire blue velvet with a sable col
lar. 1t was awfully becoming. But I
WINGED when he said:
II knew it would bel Sapphire Is
always becoming to people with your
| colored hair"
Had Leola worn sapphire velvet
too?
gasped when knew the cost, but
| Everett never said a word. Just said
to send it as soon as possible. A slight
| change was necessary in the collar or
we might have taken it.
You were very lovely in it, San
dra," he said when We left the store.
Now go and buy yourself some books
| and magazines, I should like to go
| with you, but haven't the time"
AS he turned away after assisting
me into the car, my eyes filled.
couldn't have told just why, but some
thing in his voice, his eyes as he told
\ me 1 was lovely IN the coat, made me
| think he was sorry for me, and so
made me sorry for myself. But /
brushed them quickly away and spent
an hour selecting reading matter.
wished 1 knew the kind of books he
| liked. 1 must ask, then 1 could oc-
casionally buy him one.
When he came home to dinner
was curled up on the rug in front
| of the fire place reading.
"Purring just like a kitten" he said
as he kissed me and helped me to my
feet. He looked at the book I was
reading, then at the others I had
| bought, and selecting one said he
! should take possession of 1t, as he had
read the reviews. I was pleased out
| of all proportion to the incident. But
| that he would read anything I had
! selected. made me think I was not
SO hopelessly childish as he usually
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22

DINNER STORIES

beauties Of Chaucer, a spirited dis
cussion ensued. Not one of the mem
bers of the Christmas gathering had
ever seen, much less read, line of
that gentleman's works; but they all
had to pretend they had.
Grandma, however, was foolish
enough to confess her Ignorance.
WHO is this Mr.. Chaucer?" she
asked. us he very popular in So
ciety?"
Madam" solemnly responded one
of the debaters, that man did some
thing that forever shuts him out from
society"
"Heavens!" exclaimed the worthy
dame. "And what was that?"
He died, madam, several hundred
years agol'
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-22

How are you going to know whether
you are in a blind alley or not? By
the fact that you are getting nowhere.
For the blind alleys are the useless
places They are the ruts-the no.
where's of our everydays.
II you feel that things are ciogging
inside Of you-if you feel that the de-
termination and the snap to put things
thru, one thing after another, are
missing-the chances are that you are
being led into blind alleys that are
going to pull your power away from
you and leave you weak and lost.
Stay out of blind alleys.
Select the road with a plainly
marked sign pointing you exactly to
your destination. Stick to the thing
at hand. Follow out the big plans.
Never mind the side shows. Laugh at
the interrupters
Eliminate the blind aileys--and you
will always be free and strong.