davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
wv HEN JOSEPHUS DANIELS,
w Secretary Of the Navy, was
attending school down at


attending school down at
Wilson, N. c., it was customary
every Friday afternoon for one Sec
ton Of the school to give declama-
tions from the platform. One Fri
day dozen of the boys, comprising
all who were to speak that day, got
their heads together and conceived
the merry prank Of all giving the
same speech, one after another.
The speech they were to give was
one that starts: "On Linden when
the sun was low, all bloodless lay
the untrodden snow," etc.
BY the time eight or nine Of the
jocular youngsters had given those
imperishable lines the schoolmaster
was aroused to a considerable state
of ire and .dignity.
He sat through one or two more
and then, when the twelfth boy was
about to speak, promulgated these
tidings:
"1f another one of you dares give
that same piece he will remain after
school and shall give him some
thing that will set him thinking."
Josephus Daniels was The next
boy. He and his companions had
entered into solemn compact all to
give that same little piece, come
what might. AS he ascended the
platform and gazed at the eager
young faces Of his accomplices Jo-
sephus greatly disliked to be untrue
to his pledge. And yet a glance at
the grim countenance of the school
master suggested to him that
pledges were made to be broken
when unforeseen circumstances war
ranted.
1t was a trying situation. For
some moments he stood there wa
verlng, discretion yanking at the
anchor of duty.
And 10, duty held!
Manfully the brave little chap be-
gan:
"On Linden when the sun was"-
But he got no further. The teach
er laid hands on him.
Josephus had been brave but fool
ich
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

eiectrlc current, fed by a battery
concealed in the heel. The shocks
which this gentleman felt were mere
~ discharges produced by con-
hectlng of two poles, through his
body. 1t is the greatest invention of
our age, worth all of Edison's. I
have with me two similar pairs of
shoes-in this package. One was
made for the King of the Belgians
and one for the King of Italy"
So our companion was only COM
mon commercial traveller!
But common isn't the right word.
AS we had just seen, he carried on
his trade with the adroitness of an
artist
"What do you charge for those
shoes?" I asked, still marveling at
the demonstration he had given US.
Two hundred francs. That's
hardly anything"
Tt's cheap enough" said the
officer. "But why couldn't I buy a
pair ahead Of the King Of the Bel
gians?"
"And why couldn't buy a pair
l said, "ahead of the King of Italy?"
"Well, don't see why you can't"
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
By r. r. Foster

By X. r. ostcr
author Of "Foster on Auction" !" "Anotion
Made Easy." "Fostev's Complete
Hoyls," "Russian Bank" eto.
IT F 1T is true that aces and kings
are worth twice as much to
the partners that get the con-
tract as they are to their oppo-
nents, there must be some reason
for 1t. "Cavendish" used to say that
nothing could make an ace take two
tricks at whist; but it will often be
the means of taking three or four at
auction.
Take the case Of a reentry ace In
the dummy, which Is the only card
that will bring an established suit.
Not only does the ace itself take a
trick, it enables the dummy to make
several other tricks in another suit
which would have been impossible
but for that ace.
We have seen in previous articles
that forty-seven aces and kings en-
abled the declarer and dummy to win
forty-six extra tricks with smaller
cards, while their opponents did not
take any, or, if they did, they lost
some Of their high ones, because
their total of twenty-four tricks
took twenty-five aces and kings to
secure.
This looks as if we might say that
if we can get the contract all our
aces and kings are worth two tricks
apiece, and that if we don't get it
they will be worth one trick apiece
at the most. This is about the truth,
but it is too rough and ready a sys-
tenn of valuation for practical pur-
poses, although it seems to confirm
the opinion, so often expressed, that
one should never bid except on aces
and kings.
While forty-seven aces and kings
may enable the declarer to win nine
ty-three tricks in nine deals, it does
not follow that kings are just as
valuable as aces. We have Jumped
them together for the sake of
brevity in illustration. We must now
proceed to separate them.
An ace ought to take a trick, no
matter who leads the suit, but kings
are sometimes led through and lost.
The only case in which king is
just as good as an ace is when it is
in the same suit as the ace, because
one is as good as the other, so far
as taking the trick is concerned.
Suppose we say that an ace is
worth two tricks; then the ace and
king of suit should be worth four,
because they appear to be able to
produce four tricks in actual play
If the king is without the ace, and
may be lost about half the time, il
must be worth only half as much as
an ace, or one trick, the ace being
worth two.
Now let us get down to the appli-
cation of those values to the actua
bidding, and see how they work out
because no theory is of any use
unless the facts Support it. You
have what you call four tricks in
hand, but you cannot bid to win
four; you must undertake to win
seven. You have a partner, and if
he has his share of the remaining
nine, those three, added to your four
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
PINOCHLE

Question-When the count is by tens
what value is attached TO the kings,
queens and jacks, so as to make them
tit the scheme of having the total al
ways come out in tens u. Med.
Answer-There are several ways Of
scoring the court cards, according to
local usage generally. Among some
players, aces and tens each count 10
points; kings and queens, ); jacks
nothing. Among others, aces, tens and
kings count 10 points each, the queens
ard jacks nothing. The old style Of
counting all court cards at gradually
reduced value is now seldom used, on
account of its complication. The OBJ
ject in every case is to make the total
count for the "cards' come out 25O.
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

vigorous, aggressive, quarrelsome
man of the minute before became
suddenly an automaton, without
power Of resistance, without will.
He was now being subjected to
some mysterious torment, affected
by some brain disturbance almost as
violent as madness. His limbs jerked
convulsively; his eyes almost started
from their sockets; his teeth chat
tered inarticulate sounds escaped
from his throat.
I felt sorry for him and got up to
aid him. But the English gentleman
motioned me away. With smile
on his lips he ordered me to take
my seat,
"Don't be disturbed" he said in a
friendly voice, "There isn't any dan
ger. His sufferings will stop when
ever I want them to stop"
"Mercy!" exclaimed the unfortu-
nate young man, giving the English
man a supplicating glance.
The latter smiled sardonically.
''Mercy!" the officer repeated.
"Mercyw
$50 be it," said the Englishman,
at last. II pardon you. But don't
start anything again with me-"
The mysterious traveller withdrew
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
School for Card Players

he found to be the case. Who ID
to settle how much there was in ths
pot, the caller having mixed up tho
chips with his pile ?--B. ]. E.
Answer-There is no necessity to find
out how much there was in that pot
which has been won and taken down.
If player who is called says 'sThat's
good" instead Of following the rule
and spreading his cards for the table
to see, he must stand the consequence
If he has undercalled his hand.
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
WHEN Representative Albert

IA ~ y
w Johnson, Of Washington,
came East to enter Congress
he brought with him, among other
chattels, dress suit.
Well, what Of it7 you inquire. A
great many newly arrived Congress
men maintain dress suits and think
next to nothing Of it. But the point
is that there was time when John
son was a newcomer in Washington
and did not own a dress suit. This
story goes back to the non-dress
suit period Of our hero's life.
Johnson came and entered the
great world Of letters by getting a
job as police reporter on a Wash
ington morning paper. After a few
months Of going to the cashiers
window every Saturday and letting
the golden salary stream into his
lap he had saved up a great deal
Of money and he began to think Of
costly possessions, such as broad
cloth clothes for evening year. He
priced such outfits, found that he
lacked only a few weeks savings,
and he determined to take the step.
At that juncture Johnson's room
mate, Smith, had an idea. Smith
had also been thinking for some
months Of concentrating his entire
fortune In set Of half-after-six
clothes. When he heard that ohm
son also had social aspirations his
bright idea rolled out of the slot.
Smiths notion was that inasmuch
as there was only twenty or thirty
pounds difference in their weight
it would be the height Of prodigal-
ity to buy two dress suits when
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
Appreciative

A YOUNG lawyer had foreign
~ client in police court the other
day. 1t looked rather black
for the foreigner and the youthful
attorney fairly outdid himself in
trying to convince the magistrate
that his client was innocent of the
charge brought.
The attorney dwelt on the others
ignorance Of American customs, his
straightforward story, and upon
other details sufficient to extend the
talk fully fifteen minutes. His client
was acquitted.
In congratulating the freed man
the lawyer held out his hand III an
absent but rather suggestive man
ner. The client grasped it firmly.
"Eet was verra fine noise you
maxi" he said. Mocha thanks.
Goo'-by."
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

saying a violent outburst, as the
newcomer lifted his bag into the
rack.
/ don't know what was passing in
the gentleman's mind, But looking
at his placid figure one would have
thought that he was not in the least
affected by the young officers nerv-
ous movements and bellicose attitude.
at seems TO me-" said the latter,
looking at each Of us in turn, that
/ heard some one in here use the ex-
preston ill bred
''That word was used" answered
my companion, unhesitatingly.
"To whom was it applied, may
ask"
"To you"
These last words had hardly been
spoken when the officers hand de-
scribed a semicircle and struck the
gentleman's face. expected to see
the latter spring on the soldier.
He did nothing Of the sort.
He made a slight movement with
his left foot. 1t was almost imper-
ceptible. But it produced an eff
feet which made an ineffaceable i'm
preston on me. Nobody could de-
scribe exactly the transformation
which the officer underwent. But the
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
A Long Cherished
Revenge That F allied
AT Last
BY Fred c, Kelly

%HAMP CLARK, when small
u boy, worked for a farmer
down In. Kentucky who
had disposition like the
average rattlesnake. The man used
to beat Champ on slight provoca-
ton, and as the latter did not stand
six-Yeet-two nor weigh 240 pounds.
there was nothing for him to do but
take the beatings-and bide his time.
AS he saw himself developing into
sturdy young manhood, Champ
Clark watched his muscles waxing
strong with much gleeful satisfac-
ton. There was q certain important
use to which he desired to put his
muscles just as soon as the proper
time arrived. He purposed to hunt
up that farmer who had abused him
and deal him out a little retributive
justice. His idea was 70 give him a
thrashing that would not only even
up all scores to dats, but that would
linger long In the mans memory as
one Of the noteworthy events Of his
life.
However, Champ did not wish to
be in too great rush about it. He
felt that he was becoming q fairly
husky young person, and he knew
also that as time was making him
stronger it probably was making the
older man weaker; still, 1t was too
important thing to take chances
on. He earnestly desired that he
should be in just the carmine of
condition when the little reunion
took place. If waiting a year or two
longer would contribute to the sue
cess and gayety of his little plan, he
was willing to endure the delay.
1t was ten years before Champ
Clark determined that conditions
were right for going back to that
farm and creating a red-letter day
for his former employer. And those
ten years hadn't softened his feel
ings toward the man who had
trounced him when he was a small
youngster. Champ had good mem
ory.
Well, anyway, Champ knocked off
from his school teaching job one
Friday evening and set out on
days journey to find the man he had
been waiting those ten years to meet
again. AS he neared tho old farm
house, the recollections of the beat
ings he had endured there came back
as if they had occurred within a
week instead Of decade, and he
patted his biceps to make certain he
was fit.
1t had been a long wait, but, at
last, his time had come. He knocked
at the door, and even then clenched
his fists, ready to begin the exer-
cises.
But there was hitch In the pro-.
gram. Ten years had dealt harshly
with Champ Clarl's former employ
err. His wife and children had died,
and he lay I'll. He was all alone
when Champ entered the house, and
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

The officer fell back in his seat,
put his head between his hands and
seemed completely prostrated
''Was it q dream or was it real?''
he murmured.
at was real enough" said the
Enelishman. you will remember
Sir John Mextone, l think, as long
as you live"
81 certainly shall"
"Well,' continued Mextone Gas he
called himself), 81 am going to ex-
plain my system to you. VIII you
come little closer, my dear sir
addressing me)? It's we'll worth
your WHILE"
Mextone crossed his legs and
showed Us the tip of one of his
shoes.
"You see those two points?" he
asked.
eyes"
"That is where my power comes
from. Don't touch them"
"Ah"
''They are the extremities of M
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

Counting his aces as worth two
apiece, and his king as worth one.
rs cards are worth five tricks. With
five out Of thirteen to be PLAYED
for, and a partner, he bids one no
trump and gets the contract
A leads small heart and dummy
goes down. The only count in that
hand seems to be the four we have
agreed to be the value of an ace-
king suit. Add these four to the
declarer's five and we get nine. Nine
tricks at no-trump is game, if wa
can make it. That it can be made bv
correct play is obvious, and nothing
can stop it. But it must be correct
play, because one cannot bid on nins
tricks and then chuck two or threa
of them.
Dummy wins the heart trick with
the queen and starts our friend, the
ace-jack-ten finesse in diamonds. A
wins with the king and tries to get
his partner in to come through Z's
guarded king of hearts by leading a
spade. The queen, king and ace fall.
Dummy gets in with a club and D
illnesses the nine of diamonds, catches
the queen, and puts dummy in with
another club to make two more
diamonds, after which the queen Of
clubs wins the game. The hands
seem to have been correctly valued.
The solution of last weeks prob
lem, No. II, is for Z to lead the club,
Y winning with the ace and leading
the heart. This q wins with the
jack, and leads the smallest of his
three spades. Now Y must eventual-
ly make the ten of clubs.
There are two attractive but false
solutions. One is to start with the
heart, followed by the spade. This
allows B to win the spade and lead
the diamond, following it up with
small club; not the heart, which
would give z a club discard. The
other false start is to begin with the
spades, as B can defeat this solution
by winning the spade and leading
the diamond and the heart, putting
z in. Now if z leads the club and Y
ducks it, so does B.
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

TR HE Brussels-Paris express
n was entering the Compiegne
= station, the last stop before
reaching Paris.
1t was o'clock in the afternoon.
Two passengers were seated in
one of the frst-class compartments
"a gentleman Of forty, who had got
on at Tergnier, and your humble
servant.
We had exchanged some common
place remarks. My companion spoke
with an English accent.
Scarcely had the train stopped
when one Of the doors was opened
violently. 4 gust Of wind blew in.
Ny companion made a wry face. But
the door remained open, held by
some one on the outside.
This impoiite person Was e young
man, with military air. We sup
posed, at least, that he belonged to
the army, since he had T. cavalry
s,vord strapped to his valise.
Fse gentleman opposite me arose
and slammed the door.
The officer opened it again. Try
as my companion could, he wasn't
able to force it shut.
"How ill-bred' he growled, as he
returned to his seat.
We heard an oath outside. The
valise was pitched into the compart-
ment and the owner followed it.
He was Just in time.
The engine whistle blew. The
guard locked the door and the train
got under way.
There was a tense silences pre-
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

and attractive as possible. So he
went straightway to a notion store
and bought himself the finest pair
of nickel plated, coiled wire sleeve
holders they had in stock.
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
POKER

Questionable opener bets the limit
after the draw, is raised and calls
His opponent lays down four tens.
On seeing them the opener says.
That's good. was lucky not to
reraise. l had jack full on kings"
The player took down the pot, and
as he did SO, the man sitting next
the opener said, "You have four
jacks On spreading his hand this
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

When we arrived in Paris the Of
ticer and | each possessed a pair of
electric shoes. We took leave of
Sir John Mextone.
was walking home with nv
precious package under NV arm
when carriage passed me in the
Rue Varnier and | heard voices
which seemed familiar. I recognized
the officer and the Englishman. They
were sitting close together and
laughing boisterously.
That aroused my suspicious. At
my hotel l put on the pair Of shoes
intended for the King of Italy and
hurried down to the dinner table.
l touched several people with nv toe.
But none Of them showed any signs
of electric shock. They merely
seemed annoyed at my awkwardness.
had to admit to myself that nv
famous shoes were no more electric
than any other shoes. I had been
the victim of a comedy played by two
clever conspirators.
My first impulse was to make a
complaint to the police. But since
the story would certainly have
raised a laugh at my, expense,
thought it wiser to say nothing.
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
The Man Champ Clark Didn't Thrash;
Years of Muscle Building Went for Naught

there were signs Of poverty and dis
tress about the place.
81 came here to beat you up" re-
marked the future Speaker Of the
House; "been waiting to do that for
ten years, butt guess I won't"
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

ing his dress suit, which split with
sort of low wall.
All was a blank to Johnson after
that until he found himself in the
street
That was twenty-five years ago,
but to this day Johnson grows pale
and nervous at the thought of enter
ing formal society. However, he
now owns a dress suit in his own
name.
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

replied Sir John Mextone, "on condi-
ton, Of course, that you don't make
any use of them for several days. |
want to have a chance to offer these
crowned heads a real novelty"
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

HEN Senator Lawrence Y.
w Sherman, Of Illinois. @ was
practicing law In Macomb,
ILL.,, he lived for time at a hotel
there that was endeavoring to main
tain certain standards of class and
tone. Summer came, with it's OPEN
work shirtwaists, humidity, resort
folders and sleeping under blanket
liars. The dining room in the hotel
got the monday sun, and Sherman's
table was in a particularly hot part
Of the room. He found himself
thoroughly uncomfortable with his
coat on, and so he removed it, one
noon, and hung it over the back of
his chair.
The shirt he thus exposed may not
have been as natty as those shown
on young men who ride in motor
boats in the shirt and collar adver-
tisements, but it was clean and the
colors were conservative. Within a
moment or two after Sherman took
off his coat, however, the proprietor
of the hotel went to him and told
him in low tone that eating ones
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

the foot which [ had seen him press
against the officers a few moments
before.
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
a NYBODY standing at the right
( "A spot at the right moment il

A NYBODY standing at the right
"A spot at the right moment in
the big Union Station in
Washington one night might have
seen Representative Ben Johnson, Of
Kentucky, performing an odd chore.
1t wouldn't have looked 50 funny
if johnson were not so tall and of
such dignified appearance. He stood
by the big gate where most of the
passengers were coming from a
train and every few moments re-
marked, in a tone of authority, to
nobody in particular:
"Right this way, Mandy; I'll take
care of you"
Now, there wasn't anybody named
Mandy there, you understand, and
everybody wondered why Con-
gresham should be standing there
saying over and over again:
"Right this way, Mandy; I'll take
care of you"
What sense was there to a man
doing such a thing. as that? After
he had said it many times Johnson
went away, but in couple of hours
he was back again, repeating the
same line, with the same calm dig
nifty as before.
People were puzzled.
Yet it was all simple enough.
The Johnsons had sent to Ken
tucky for a cook, yclept Mandy
They knew her name, but that was
all; they didn't even know for sure
what train would bring her. But,
according to reports, she was Won
derful cook who could play culinary
selections on a gas stove just by ear,
producing Southern dishes of rare
quality and fragrance. She was too
good a cook to lose, and she was not
accustomed to finding street ad-
dresses in strange cities.
And that was the reason why the
dignifed Congressman went to all
the trains and cried out, every time
he saw an able-bodied colored
womani
Fright this way, Mandy; III take
care Of you"
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
Auction Bridge

make che seven that you have to b,d
Now take a hand, and let US see how
this works out.
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AA73
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25

There are no trumps and z leads.
Y and 4 want four tricks. How do
they get them? Solution next week.
New-York tribune., 1920-07-25
THE ELECTRIC SHOES-Bv J. Ma

~w@HE Brussels-Paris express
q was entering the Compiegne
z. station, the last stop before
reaching Paris.