davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02
Maids, Wives and Widows
lhe Romance of an Fastener From he
West
BY Harry Levenkrone
CHAPTER o


CHAPTER
"\VELL now let this tobacco hoy s,r., A.,
story IL GTWn % 10 business and solve that wrerk
hsys ed IN it. ana SAID T1 w:1f T6ey Supposed to
vI vorll bet it was those crooked men out in New
to set K1Rt thS qs s5G % tried
box %bnqg 80 sa you Mr. think in 5a
ibS iSgsh to saw on him ever since We began wtR ili
FIFTY Hundred said Mr.. Asprin,a with
It Ki 81 ne II au;E for not running away with
Mabel an interesting listener from the Sf.n be
Tell them. Bruce" said Jeanette to her hus
''well you see it was this way" began Bruce.
as snd ae9ca 96 afs ths Eas the nk
first class hotel trusting him We jumped i in n
5 T % sfT a5 sopps '%S nd % front eH d
to 'a toa Us order G @ Rate st s that he
u.es Of O, waltz waiting he came marching out with
gang E0T S% "na Said S0Hfa Mabel and at the
'% Ss$ n
RGGfSss anyhow @ he GT%~s hS%s
us qB oe sSts % n"s @ sS%
the sG Gs pds. SHnG orsre% q ua H to y
or take it BY force tnS @ OF Sf course ! refused and
ten dollar gold piece that she had given birth
to a baby girl We were separated for a few
days and then put into cell together with Jean
They jumped into the cab" continued Bruce
"hut one Of them getting of at the next corner
and said i'd he would meet tfn The & driver whom he
man who sent the telegram and don't see how
he could of got away with 1t but probably tell
ing the operator he was playing joke on US
Meanwhiie We were anxious listeners to the
"o''1' " CTo be continued
Our friend Blasco, the shoeshiner, says
that if the high cost of stopping continues
he will soon give up whisking out the inside
of trouser cuffs except for customers that
give more than two jitneys for a shine.
We have often wondered how many other
harassed humans are afflicted as we are
Every time we wear new pair of trousers
for the first time we catch our heel in the
cuff and rip out the little ligament that
fastens the seam, Still, as it only happens
twice a year, it doesn't bother us much.
If Professor Muybridge, the inventor of
the movies, were to revisit the glimpses of
the Aim we think he would agree that the
most notable technical advance since his
day is the coiffure of the dame or damsel
in the little glass greenhouse.
1t doesn't really matter whether Henry
Ford eau read or not. 1t seems fairly well
established that he doesn't.
SOCRATES.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02
What Do You Know?
QUIZ

I. What Is the meaning and origin Of
"cabal"?
2. What is the meaning and origin of
"canard"?
3. What is protocol?
4. When was Washington's Farewell Ad-
dress delivered?
8. When did the republic of Colombia gain
its independence?
6. Who were the first Europeans to visit
India and acquire territory there?
Z. Who was Julian the Apostate?
s. Who said, Literature is the thought
of thinking souls?
8. What is meant by ex cathedra?
10. Who was the subject of Tennyson's "In
Memoriam"?
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02
Answers to Yesterdays Quiz


1. The Cameroons or Germany Kamerun,
was one of Germany's colonial pos
sessions in Western Africa on the
Kamerun river, near the Blight of
Biafra. With the exception of small
strip which goes to Great Britain 1t
is now in the possession of France.
.. The oboe is an orchestral instrument Of
wood with conical bore, played by
means of double reed and having
from nine to, fourteen keys. The name
is also given to a reed pipe organ
stop.
8. In the early days of the stage a zany
was an attendant clown awkwardly
mmicking the chief clown. In mod
ern times the name is given to foolish
jester, half witted person, or one
given to bufoonery.
4. Jenny Jessamy was name given to
lady's man; "a tame cat"; mod
ern, Miss Nancy.
8. Marie Rosalie Bonheur, known as Rosa
Bonheur, was a celebrated French
painter of animal life and landscapes.
6. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, Language
is always wise."-
Z. Joseph Conrad is the pen name Of Jo-
seph Conrad Korzeniowski, master in
the merchant service and famous as a
writer of sea stories.
8. The military force of Guatemala num-
bers S5,535 officers and men when
mobilized. All male citizens are liable
to conscription from IS to 50
8. In the second session of the Sixtieth
Congress the Presidents salary was
fixed at $4,000 year.
10. The equatorial diameter of the earth
is 1926 miles; the polar diameter,
1890 miles, and the mean diamexe
7012.5 miles.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

Senate Investigation
And Living in Clover committee has dis
covered that Wash
ington meat dealers are making 100 per cent
profit on sales. Perhaps it is because 'all
flesh is grass that the butchers are making
hay.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

BY the time people in
A Poor Thing, Camden have grown
but His Zone accustomed to the new
strect-Car fares the
conductors may have become expert account
ants. In the meantime the man Who gets
off with three cents comes into his zone, so
to speak.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

During a game in
Unrecorded Repartee Harrisburg on Thurs
day foul tip struck
the catcher on the chin and drove a wad of
chewing gum into his windppe. Nearly
flew the coop with that foul" is what he
neglected to say when first aid enabled him
tn talk.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

Senator Gore intends to introduce a world
wide prohibition amendment into the peace
treaty. Isn't Senator Gore an obstructionist
rather than prohibitionist?
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

Advices from Amerongen show that the
devil is still quoting scripture.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

John Bull is spending $22 300 900 day.
Aren't these paying tellers the gay dogs?
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

There is now n lull in the race riots.
Meanwhile any fool may buy gun.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

There is fear in some quarters that the
japanese gesture" in the Shantung matter
may be jujutsu stunt.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

The President is now wrestling with the
food problem. The Clemenceau and Lloyd
George of the II. C. of L. will probably
force him to some compromises.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

The milk of human kindness shows no
change in price.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

To compare Henry Ford with Emma
Goldman is to use a double edged sword. 1t
cuts both of 'em.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

France is thinking of suspending duties
on sugar. Simply desire to sweeten the
political pot, doubtless.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

of soothing friars people will run to them on
crowded streets to lay before them the sor-
rows and absurdties of men. And in that
day
The meanest paragraph that blows will give
thoughts that do often lie too deep for
sneers.
Let no one belittle the restless para
grapher, belaboring his bean in behalf of
virtue. For 10, we all come to him in the
END. Some day the cemetery stone cutter
VIII chip your last paragraph.
And having discoursed thus at length upon
the paragraph, we may as well write one
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

There are times when hush money talks.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02
New Form of Profiteerlno

NeW FORM OF ProfiteerInq
we have been studying the pictures Of
the young ladies' and even younger costumes
engaged in outdoor Rhythmic dancing 1"
And we can hardly blame the landlords who
raise the rent when a posse of these aimsies
moves into the neighborhood.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

COUGH DROPS, Who would accuse
" Richard A. Foley, who gladdens the
advertising world with bright and profitable
suggestions, of knowing anything about
cough drops? And yet Richard is prepared
to do battle with the ways and means com
mittce on this very topic. He thinks il is
an outrage to put II tax of one cent on the
package, which is what he asserts is done
on packages selling for five ceptss There is
a great deal that is unjust in the existing
revenue law, and in due course Congress will
doubtless get round to sensible revision,
but Mr.. Foley, like hundreds of others who
are bringing up these evidences of unfairness,
NAV be persuaded to bide their time. The
treasury receipts are not adequate to the
expenditures we are making and the war
boards are holding on like grim death. 1t is
unfortunate that the plebeian cough drop
must bear a part of the expense, but even
the cough drop may not be thoroughly aware
of what was put over the consumer during
the war.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

We have often wondered how many other
harassed humans are afflicted as we are.
Every time we wear new pair Of trousers
for the first time we catch our heel in the
cuff and rip out the little ligament that
fastens the seam Still, as it only happens
twice year, it doesn't bother us much.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

If Professor Muybridge, the inventor Of
the movies, were to revisit the glimpses Of
the Aim we think he would agree that the
most notable technical advance since his
day is the coiffure of the dame or damse
in the little glass greenhouse.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

Our friend Blasco, the shoeshiner. says
that if the high cost of STOPPING continues
he will soon give up whisking out the inside
of trouser cuffs except for customers that
give more than two jitneys for a shine.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-21

explained. And what's more, you've
just handed him the shock of his
promisin' young life!"
when ?"
When you strolled Into that like
gem shop" she announced. And I'VE
just followed that guy Oldershaw into
a drug store and lamped him buy a
two-ounee bottle o. collodion."
Iistopped short. For collodion. had
long since learned was very valuable
asset to the busy workers of the under
thieves used II for vanishing their
fingers to avoid inger-print identifi-
cation.
Then, here. Toosey, is where we
get busyi's announced as we circled
back for the Lantry House. Once there
found MacLean. the desk clerk,
throwing me the high sign to drift to
the check room door.
Both your men have slipped out"
he conaded to me. but they took moth
ing with them and they put one porter
back on their door upstairs!"
IT want you to take me into that
room for five minutes" told him
"AI right" he said, as he began to
search for pass-key.
We got in the room hut neither the
sample trunk nor the black handbag
vas there. But the closet door of that
room we found locked. and with that
discovery our paystery was solved Two
minutes work with my spider" had
that door open. Another FIVE minutes
York over the trunk had its lock con-
luered.s We opened the trunk. 1t held
nothing of value. And the Adelstein
pearls were not in the handbag.
>'T want you to send that porter up
to the police station for couple Of
officers said to the desk clerk
He shook his head.
''Oldershaw tried to get a couple Of
men. but the Chief told him this was
circus day and he was already short
handed for his city work"
'All right" I said but at least get
that porter onstfis door before Older
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-21
Man from MaidenLane

his particular situation" he stolidly
announced.
Then, suppose you give me some
Information instead I quietly sug-
yested, determined to hold my ground
against him. You've about a hundred
and ten thousand dollars worth of
unmounted stones in that trunk. be-
live? And you've complained to the
Alliance once about being Swallowed.
Were you Swallowed to this hotel?"
I've been trailed for three or four
days Whether was followed right or
not can't tell"
what did he look like that man who
was shadowing you?" NJ
He was a tall man, clean shaver,
and rather awkward and rawboned.
He made me think of a country min
lister who'd kind Of run to seed.'f 80
1 stood digesting this information.
It was not along the lines / had ex-
pected.
'.And when you found you were with
out the projection OF the hotel safe
here, what did you dog"
II kept my stuff shut up here" he
finally acknowledged.
Then you haven't covered your GUS
tomerse in this towHs" prompted.
me-" he replied. after a moments
hesitation. And knew In nash that
the man had lied to me. ~
And Louis Brescher. who has the
pearls for the Adelstein's?" inquired
You called him up In Philadelphia and
had him swing over here and join
you?"
The man studied me with covert In
tentness. My knowledge of his. move
ments. apparently, was beginning to
make some slight impression on him
He nodded in assent after PG repeated
my question.
And you know Brescher quite
well?"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-21

That's not what's botherin' me Just
now, Ba1zry. What's interesting me
just now is Humpy and Citrate Sam"
But if those stones. nearly a quarter
of a million dollars worth of them.
ever get loose, where1I We ever see
them again ?''
You've kind of got this doped out q
little different to what I've done it,"
he suggested.
It intend to try and save those
stones" I told him.
caught Toosey on the wing at the
telephone booth and sent her up to her
room for an empty suitcase and q
couple of hand towels. while 1 lodged
out and duly invested in cotton
clothes line I met Toosey on the cor
ner and pushed on through the crowd,
for all Chamboro was gathered along
Main street to see the circus parade.
Were going straight to Max Kish-
inger's shop" I told her And we're
going to get there before certain other
parties" announced. For there's a
man from Maiden Lane. Toosey. who's
trying to double-cro his house. He's
been waiting for a big cleanup. and
he's figured on hitting this town on
circus day with a stock worth well over
a hundred thousand dellars. He's even
coaxed another carrier to swing in with
him, with another ninety thousand dol
lars worth Of stuff for the haul They
have cached that stock in Kishinger's
safe. Kishingers a bankrupt. He
sweetens the pot with anything worth
while form his own stock. Then
Humpy Jansen walks in and makes II
daylight robbery. cleaning out that
safe and breaking for the railway
yards and hitting for the open on rat
tier while that man from Maiden Lane
Is sitting up with his cfun and two
cops over at the Lantry House to make
their alibi cIear!"
But what're. you go,n' 10 do?." de-
manded Tooscy.
I'm going to take ffumpy'e Job of
his hands, announced, as took the
suitcase from the others han and
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-21
oldershaw. found. had placed

Oldershaw, I found. had placed a
small order with him, but had not de-
posted any sample trays in the firms
vault for safe keeping. He had spoken
of doing so over the telephone. it was
true, but he had called up later on and
explained that a friend of his named
Brescher had found a safe without
troubling them after hours
This novel information rather took
my breath away, even though 1 tried
hard not to show it. For here. some
where. was still another lie. So 1 de-
murely asked for a list Of Chamboro's
remaining jewellers and, having OBJ
tanned that list. set out for a discreet
canvass of the same.
The second store I visited was kept
by one Max Kishinger. a sallow and
sharp eyed man of about thirty, with a
prematurely bald head and an extreme
Iy inhospitable manner. When Iinno-
Gently informed him that I'd like to
look at something in garnet rings. he
sized me up with those circuitous Hes
ter street eyes of his and announced
he wasn't doing any business that day
''Why not?" 1 demanded, with pout
of disappointment.
Because I'm busy taking stock" he
brusquely informed me.
But you're still going to do business
|'here?' asked, with purely assumed
artlesness.
IT can't sell you anything lady. this
morning" proclaimed the proprietor
I stared vacuousIy around. notwith-
standing the note Of finality in the
mans voice. WANTED clear-cut pic
ture of that establishment of his, fol
something told me that some time in
the near future we might be meeting
again. Then made my way back to
Main street, where caught sight OF
Toosey within a block Of the Lantry
House, and she discreetly motioned
me under cover.
That boob Wilkins Is dead to The
world over there in Oakville. so I've
been tailin' Brescher around town." she
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-21

well enough to trust him when !
saw trouble ahead"
And BTescher of course, recipro-
Gates that conhdenceT
Sufficiently to leave that with mel"
proclaimed Oldershaw with a signifi-
cant head-nod toward a professional
looking black handbag which stood
close beside his own steel-bound trunk.
I made a movement to step over TO
hat bag. but he intercepted me prompt
ly and bodily.
Still holding. among other things,
some ninety thousand dollars worth of
unstrung pearls ?" I prompted.
Once more the man in Sront of me
nodded his head.
spent ten minutes IN getting trace
OF Toosey who'd been quietly shadow
ing Brescher while he INDUCED in the
luxury of shave and haircut. and
despatched her to Chamboro's tede-
phone exchange to call up Oakville and
establish communication with wilkins
there. And engineered my way down
| to the Laptry House office and made
myself known to MacLean, the desk
clerk. I knew he was on the Alliance
list, but Twas in doubt as to how far
| 70 might be trusted. His smile, how
ever. was a broad one as he motioned
me back to the check room door where
| We could talk unobserved.
7 guess you haven't made much of
q hit with our friend Oldershaw." he
surprised me by announcing. Hes
just telephoned to the city authorities
| to see If a couple of policemen in plain
clothes couldn't be sent up to keep him
company. And he's sent wire to the
Alliance Office complaining that he has
good. reason to believe a woman crool
| is shadowing him"
Why should he think that?"
well my own impression Is that
| the mans kind OF lost his nerve Our
house safe is out OF order. you see. and
he's had to sit up with a quart or two
| Of diamonds" u
Perhaps" I ventured. ne wants
those cops" As made for the street
went straight to the Jewelry store Of
Landon Brothers. There the younger
member, of the firm proved only too
willing to vary the tedium of watch
n1ending with something more exciting
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-21

shaw and Brescher come back. And
now tell me what you know about q
jeweler here named Kishinger."
''Kishinger,'' meditated the desk
clerk. why. that's the Main street
jeweler who went bankrupt this week.
Max come here about a year ago from
Newark"
In two minutes I was down in the
booth talking over long-distance to
Scullard. of Newark. In another five
minutes he had given me Kishinger's
record. the consoIingly unsatisfactory
one of two assignments and a safe
robbery within space of twenty two
months. 81
A newly arrived guest, powdered
with road dust was standing before the
register and obviously demanding Of
fetal attention when left the booth.
waited until that dusty newcomer
had registered, and followed him into
the elevator. I continued after him.
in fact, and followed after him to his
duly assigned room number.
What's happened?" demanded. for
this arrival was Wilkins of the Alliance
office.
well, I've combed out this tangle all
right" proclaimed wilkins, as he lock-
ed the door.
What is the tangle?" I meekly in
quired.
I've Just followed yegg ana box
man called Humpy Jansen over here
from Oakville. He's laying low in
Morans livery stable until he can ge,
in touch, with his confederate here
And I'm going to work the ropes around
'em and pull 'em both I'M"
What confederate %. I asked.
"Curate SAM" was Wilkins's reply
I sat down on the edge Of the bed and
let this sink in.
$50 he IS in this tool" ruminated
aloud.
mo wonder this man Oldershaw's
scared out of a weeks growth, with a
crook like that shadowing him around
the country" declared the man from
Sloan's Office.
Then what are we going to do about
Brescher?" asked.
1T guess those two carriers can take
care Of themselves" announced Will
kins.
But who's going to take care of that
two hundred thousand dollars worth
Of Maiden Lane stones?" I next in
CURED
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-21
WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE


Mr. WiHd ednd to him that although
0entth Alliance.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-21
other Changes Nfndc.

There have been other minor
changes tending toward the improve
ment of Kansas avenue which is taxi
ing on the. aspect of a real metro
politan thorofare. Fresh paint and
new. signs, with an apparent increase
in the attractiveness of the windows,
are in evidence on every hand.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-21
SEVEN sENTENCE SERMONS.

All industry and earnestness will be
useless unless they are consecrated by n
resolution to be in all things a man of
honor.-Ruskin.
man Is worth only as much as he is
worth to his fellowmen.-AnOn.
All the sorrow and worry
ON gil this green-covered earth
Is followed soon, If we wait and hope
by a generous measure of mirth.
jeanette Lawrence.
The best price that life offers is the
chance to work hard at work worth doing
Theodore Roosevelt
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet. and
light unto my path.-Psalm 119 nos.
Lord. we all to thee belong
Keep US faithful, pure and strong:
While we tread this earthly sod
Give us hearts at home with God.
Lucy Larcom.
Every step Of progress the world has
taken has been from scaffold to scaffold
and from stake to stake-wendeiI Philips.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-21

Thy word is a lamp unto nv feet ane
light unto my path.-Psalm 119 :1O5.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-21

A man Is worth only as much as he 1:
worth TO his fellowmen.-Anon.