davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1921-01-09
GEORGE MURPHY ISSHY
WHEN BIRTHDAY COMES

Cnlucky Fridays and the number "l3'
hold no terrors for George Z. Murphy.
head liner of "Follies of the Day" at
the Gayety Theater this week, but he
is shy when his birthday comes round
The proverbial black cat and brok en-
mirror are pleasant reflections to Mr..
Murphy, and lighting three cigarettes
with one match is his favorite pastiine,
but when his next birthday arrives the
comedian, who is making hundreds for
get their troubles this week at the
Gayety, will remain in bed all day.
The last time ] ventured out on my
birthday" says the star, II came near
drowning.
II had my manuscript for the sea-
sons show, was studying it hard when
a party Of friends persuaded me to ac-
company them in a shell boat TO set a
fish not.
Right off Frceport. L. |. where
live in the summer, we glided along
without miShap
Suddenly l remembered It was my
birthday I wanted TO go home
The boat began to take the waves
unstcadily, and In a minute she lurched
and we were in the water.
II have been around this world forty
years, and | keep black cats and brok en-
mirrors in my summer home, but no
more birthday excursions for me.
~ mover had real, honest to good
ness birthday They all turn out at
the wrong end. Next time I'll stay in
bed
"Rut you're not superstitious, are
you?" he was asked.
Far from it," was the quick reply
But my birthday comes in summer and
I'm going to surround myself with cold
lemonade and stay where nothing can
harm me this year"
Mr.. Murphy has been on the stage
thirty years He admits middle age.
but says the fact that he's been on
the stage since he was ten years old
doesn't worry him. lie plans to stay
There and IVY to improve each season
Tho comedian ~ an enthusiastic anR-
Ter. and loves sutomobiling. lie lives
at The Lights" an actors clubhouse
NJ Yrceport during the summer.
The Washington times., 1921-01-09
ELLA SHIELDS IS LONE
STAR IN KEITH'S BILL
She Is Male lmpersonator Who
Can Really Impersonate.

Ella Shields, the famous English music
hall Coincidence, just imported for
limited tour of the keith-Albee cir
topliner at the b. +. Keith Theater
this week commencing at the matinee
tomorrow.
Miss Shields forte il male imper-
English players excel, the JOHNNY
Bulls having special liking 70
such CharacteriZations. Miss Shield
introduces three types of LondonelS
costumed and conducting themselv"N
according to the HABITS OF such male"
OF the human species. Her work l.
full of song and humor. She capt.
waited the blase Broadway audiences
and is expected to surpass that rec
ord here.
Charles Withers and company will
be seen in For PHYS Sake" trav-
esty on the old time ''mallerdram-
mer," seen here before, but always a
hit. Those who go to ICY Eplivens
Opery House" this week will not be
cheated of their heartiest laughter In
years.
Harry and Anna Shamrock in their
impersonaton of race-track fakirS
In behind the Grand stand" will add
their really wonderful telepathic
readings OF articles and notes gather
ed in the audiences.
other attractions of special i'm
portance will be Betty Dom and COM
pany in a stimulating interlude with
songs and dances; Ida Mae Chad
wick and her Dad in "Wiggins' Post
ONCE" another huge laugh winner:
Charles T.. Scmon, 1.-THE Narrer Eel
ler;" Ollie Young and April in "Bub-
blelsnd;" the Magleys in cquilibris-
tics: "Topics OF the Day" the kino-
grams, and other features.
Today AZ 2 and S:iJ p. m. at Keith's
william and Gordon Dooley. Laddie
Cliff and the rest Of last weeks At.
fractions will appear.
The Washington times., 1921-01-09
III. G. WELLS ILLNESS
POSTPONES HIS VISIT

Word has been received from Mrs.
Wells Of the illness of her husband,
II. &. Wells the distinguished author,
mo was previously announced for a
eCturc at Polls Th"atcr. January II,
the first Of a series of lectures to be
given here this season under the local
management of 7. Arthur Smith and
hat his engagement would ncccs-
arily have TO be indefinitely post.
poncd.
Mr. Smith announces that other lee
.ures OF the series, including one by
Nlbcrt *. Chestcrton, esSayist. dram
1tist and poet at the New National
"hcatcr. February 10. ana another by
sir Philip Gibbs, journalist, novelist
and playwright, at Polls Theatar.
February 5, will be given as previous
" announced.
The Washington times., 1921-01-09
ERIC MASON'S PICTURE
HAS ITS DIFFICULTIES

Realism may be all right in the
theater, but Eric Maxon, who plays
the villain In The Storm" daily ex-
poets some one to waylay him to and
from the thcater.
Maxons pictures in front OF the
theater have been replaced almost
every week. Sometimes his picture
is cut and slashed, then again II will
be smudged with tar; and in one
instance huge black hand was i'm
printed on his features.
Maxon doesn't 80 much mind the
picture mutilation, but he does OBJ
ject to the letters from people who,
impossible as II may seem, threaten
him harm because of his work in
THE storm"
The Washington times., 1921-01-09
SHE TOSSED COIN

To hob or net to bob. that IL
the question which confronted
katharine Hayden, Just before
she WINS engaged to play -Man-
cite Fachard" in 1.-THE storm"
now At the National Theater.
At that time bObbed hair was
the rage. Miss Hayden's blond
hair IL exceptionally thick and
exceptionally long.
The toss Of the eein decided
the question and that L. why
Katharine In able TO wear her
own hair In the play and not .
wig. rs many of her admirers
seem to think.
The Washington times., 1921-01-09
THE ARCADE.

The perennial popularity of the
modern dance Is forccfully excmpli-
God Ivy the throngs OF patrons
Nightly floCkinE to the Arcade Au-
.d,turium to enjoy that most fcxhila-
rating Of all indoor pastim"s to the
accompaniment Of splendid music.
The special events for the week
will be a paul Jones" night on
Monday and n Lucky Spot" dance
on Thursday evening.
The Washington times., 1921-01-09
JEAN BEDINI HAS TWO
COMPANIES PERFORMING

Jean BedinL. once famed as THE
eurnip king as result OF his
spectacular feat in catching a tur-
nip thrown from tho top OF the
Nunsry building on fork clenched
between his teeth. but now retired
from tho footlights, has just launch
ed his second company on the Co
tumbis burIesquc wheel. The Twin
kletoe Oirls," which will form next
weeks attraction at the Gayety
Thsafer.
The Washington times., 1921-01-09
They BurIeSque II.

Those Wnshingtonians fortunate
enough to have seen Ina Claire in the
David Bclasco success. "The Gold Dig
gers" produced here year ago, will
be equally pleased with the burlesauc
on the same production. "The Dough
Diggers,' feature of the Big Won
der Show, at the Gaycty this week
The Washington times., 1921-01-09
Were on Broadway.

since last here. Charles Withers. in
"Fcr PHYS Sake" and Ida Mae Chad
wick and her dad. both vaudeville
headlincrs. have been part and parcel
Of several big Roadway musical
shows, following the lead Of Chick
sale, who became n Broadway fixture
for several seasons
The Washington times., 1921-01-09
1.-The Storm" Romance OF the
North Woods, Visits National

claims tiHt the tremendous business
done by THE storm is partlyr-note
the partly.--the result OF the lucky
garter. If an Indian garter can keep
"A play on Broadway for one year, that
garter must be "A marvel
Anyway, it's katharine IIayden's
story about Katharine Haydcn's gar
ter
The Washington times., 1921-01-09
Were House Guests.

while here, Mr.. and Mrs. Jimmie
Barry wee thr house guests for their
week at ktith's OF Mr. and Mrs. Rob
bins. Many Washington folks were
invited TO meet them at the Robbins
beautiful home, In Cleveland Park.
The Washington times., 1921-01-09

and dancer. and Helen Eby, cOmedi-
cnnc and dancer.
Tn" Rolls-Roycc chorus OF thirty
Broadway girls includes talented
Young misses who, aside from dd"rH-
ing the magnificent scenes III beau
tiful costumes, can sing and Jane.
as we'll
The music. chiefly composed BY
Leon Roscnbrouk. includes several
song hits. among thcm My RIOS" "f
Memory" "IVc cot a sentry. sun
lays child" Marking Blues" and
Midsummer Maiden These tunciuI
melodies all are declared to be above
the usual standard set for rcVueA
Mr. RoSenbrouk formerly having
Composed for concert stars only. Tho
yricS are by Louis WCSlyn.
The Washington times., 1921-01-09

F. noes White Will Be Seen
= "Jimmie," With Doro-
ny Mackaye in "Blue
Eyes" - "Peggy" and
"The Storm" Open To
night, With Rock g
"Revue" Tomorrow.
The New York herald., 1921-04-24
Negro stories
minus problem

FURTHER +. X. MEANS. G. p. Put
MANS Sons.
A race which has come through a
painful experience is anxious to forget
about it as soon as possible. The
American negro is no exception. His
face is toward the future. He is apt
TO he n bit oversensitive. If he is
articulate at all he is apt TO resent
dialect. and perhaps even TO be
ashamed Of the glory songs which in
the days of slavery were the express
sion Of his race. For this reason
white men have written the best short
stories about his race. The world
would be- much poorer il Joel Chan
dler Harris had not written the stories
Of Uncle Remus. 1t is fortunate that
there is a man now living who APP
preciates the literary possibilities Of
the present day Southern negro
a clergyman IN Louisiana has so
identified himself with stories Of this
race that he does not give his books
any other title than his name The
stories depict actual conditions They
show the average Southern negro, in
dolent. ignorant but contented and
loyal to certain chosen whites with a
loyalty that smacks of feudalism. As
stories they are extremely successful,
for there is a laugh on every page.
Tho laugh is AT times achieved 10y a
stretching of the humor to farcical
extent Those who do not accept the
books viewpoint may criticise IL for
that reason. However, despite their
crudity and overstraining for effect.
these stories are noI-mere caricatures.
They are written hy man who really
understands ana likes and sympathizes
with the negro as he knows him
The New York herald., 1921-04-24
On the drawings
of Pamela Blanca
By MARY sIEGRIST.

She will 20 with You always to
the end,
Child of the dawn and starshinc-
that still friend
Who walks and talks with YOU,
she still will be
The unorring guide Of your fe-
licity.
We, laundering. cannot shut you
from your heaven
With our unsecing, for TO you is
given
The key that opens out on fairy
ways,
That leads you through the arch
Of childheart days.
Urge of what world deep poet
pushes through
Your lyric fingers What minds
counsel you,
Who need not our dull teaching
Fairy child,
Your path is through old sunsets,
woodlands wild,
Where Pan first blew his wind
swept reed where still
The maids of Already go dream
ing on some hill
The New York herald., 1921-04-24
The Book Factory

Before you go--how'd you get the
fever, anyhow"
John Burroughs. I'm ashamed to
admit it, but | hadn't read a line of
this great mans stuff until after his
death Well, in one Of the obituaries
there was a quotation from his works
in which he says that every man is a
poet. There never was a man. he
claims, that didn't have some poetry
in him. Go to nature says he. and
the poetry will come out So last sun
day i went for a walk in Bronx Park
and i'm an hour / had the scenarios for
three poems on paper"
Wonderful! This being The Land
of the Free Verse / suppose that's
your medium, is it not?"
Wrong. They're rhymed. and with
the aid of Brander Mathews's A Study
EN- metrical."
We'll, goodby-and do a good job"
Yes, sir. Goodby."
EDIroR's NoTE: After much effort
this department succeeded in secur-
ing Mr. Flick's permission to print the
three poems mentioned above. They
follow this note. All are nature poems.
Evidently the rest of the volume will
be in the same strain, as the title, We
are reliably informed. win be Mother
Nature"
THREE POEMS
BY
Ferdinand X. Flick
VOICES
CAT the Zoo).
Hear the little sparrows crying
Cheep! cheep! cheep! choep! cheep!
choep!
Hear the little chickens signing.
Peep! peep peepi peep! peep! peep Z
Hear the cuckOo's song o'ertlowing.
Koot koO, koot koo' koo! koo
Hear the gentle cattle lowing.
Moo, moo moo : moo, moo moo!
cheep, cheep! koo, koo! peep! peep!
moo moot
Sweeter sounds are very few.
Each one is pretty call
And / love them one and all
THE BUTTERFLY.
See the pretty butterfly
Fly from limb to limb.
We'd be happy. you and l,
If we could fly like him
YEARNING.
Hark 10 the hum Of the bee.
And the crick -crick-crick o the cricket,
These sounds are 20 pleasing to me
| think ] shall move TO the thicket
The New York herald., 1921-04-24
BOrderland moods in verse

vague crescent''-~that gives me the
key Of them AL. Or-"The History OF
Me along spherical alleyways OF un-
spoken age"
Here is poem. ITO Claude Debus-
sy's La Grotte." that is characteristics:
Your song,
As the hale Of mysterious exotic inten-
tion
Drifting in palpitatfng echoes
Ger the pallid oval
or night-closed flowers.
Your song,
AS the increasing simmer
Of some exquisite nearness--
Clad IN those steel-dark foils
or sinister fancy
And once more your song
"A the moaning hush or human soul
Recediug the Divine Moment.
And the perfume OF the Beautiful in
the "Vision"-a combining u Blake.
Rosetti plus Michael Strange:
I VIII follow the inward chime
Back through empurpling cups of con-
Back through a swaying clot Of drowned
faces
CAN fastened and by nightmare pain
into the sedge of memory
Back beyond those negative rivers stilled
past egress-
And out az last among Frightening
grasses
Grasses rushing up into hills-peaks-
And up from these through a fume of
clouds-aye. AZ last into ether
Ether--hright with those silver tracks Of
planct-visitinp angels
And austerely fragrant from the trailing
of their doom-lined scarves
Aye--out into ether humminG from the
dart ~ stars
shaken BY a choral thunder
rntil at last appearing among arching
naves-
These ascending in architectural jots--
And arrested in vast foaming coils Of
livid lace
And where-enlarging at the farthest
end of distance
The observation-disclosures
And holdFag forth it, Mystic Tenant
or Transngured Rest
Michael Strange Is purely aristo-
cratic. There is nothing here for the
crowd"
The two drawings by John Barry
more are startling III conception and
execution. ono thinks ~ Blake and
Odilon Rcdon when looking at them.
Mr. Barrymore IS as great an artist
as he is an actor.
The New York herald., 1921-04-24
SPRING IN BUcKEL's BOOK SHOP

81 fSlNG IN bIthfSiA = bbN'h SIl'i. .
II hesitate to mention it, Mr..
Bucket" says Mr.. Flick. the Head
Clerk, but / know you'n understand.
Other employers mightnt, but ! know
you will: in fact, I'm sure you will.
Al frst ! decided not 10 go through
with IL. but then I thought---"
Whats on your mind. Mr.. Flick %
says Mr.. Bucket TO his plainly nustered
Head Clerk. why all the prelim-
inaries?'
Its pretty hard to say what ! want
to say. ] can't seem 10 phrase IL. The
words don't come. -
Take your time, young man" says
Mr. Bucket pleasantly. IT'S duh
day and you've got the whole after
noon to say ii in. And here's my
Roget If that will help you; and the
dictionary and the Putnam Word
Book"
Thanks. You see. it's like this: the
other day-gosh, | can't say ii. Per-
haps Id better not mention ii after
all. 1t will sound so strange"
Strange? what are you driving at,
Mr. Flick"
well, first OF all. I want week off.
You see
That doesn't sound strange; it
sounds familiar"
ITS my purpose that win sound
strange"
We'll, state IT,"
I'm writing a book Of verse"
WHAT"
I'm writing a book Of verse, sir"
"You. Ferdinand X. Flick Of Buckets
Book-shop. are e-repeat II, please. J
want to get II straight"
"1'm writing box ~ verse. Mr..
Bucket Nerse-v-e-r-s-c."
Il thought you said that. but I
wasn't sure. Wei. well. well,"
And want a week of To complete
Il. The first three poems and the title
are finished"
"Of course YOU may have the week
off. have always encouraged the
artistic ambitions Of my employees.
Good luck to you. young man. even
though YOU are a bit unreasonable"
Unreasonable? In what 'way2'
wei. II oughtn't tc take a week To
write a book Of verse. I'll bot that
new one by Michael Strange didn't
take an afternoon 70 write. But take
week. As long as You are going W
for poetry you might as well take your
time about II and do good job
THANK you SO much, Mr.. Bucket.
I knew you'd understand"
ooh, you're welcome. young man.
The New York herald., 1921-04-24
Reviewed by
BENJAMIN DE CASSERES.

l. was the late Remy de Gourmont
who complained of the lack Of OBJ
scurity among French writers. Clar-
ity was. he said, positively Vice
among them II was often an affecia-
ton. Obscurity is legitimate. The
greatest truths are not self-evident.
They are paradoxiCal in form. II
clarity in expression is the highest
form Of literature then the newspaper
editorial is tire final form Of litera-
ture
Obscurity ian writing has "A beauty
peculiar TO itself. The involved mind
has its special validity. The ingrow-
Ing style OF Mallarme, a Browning
or Henry James has a my ysterious
music that we never hear in the
kings Of clarity. The highly cultured
mind. moreover, is not single scroll
but a palimpsest. II Is full Of double
exposures, triple exposures. endless
superimpositions.
The poetry Of Michael strange is
often obscure--to flat minds. have
found the greatest delight in this oo-
scurity Of style, image and meaning.
l. like a verbal ramble with Henry
tanes. Walter Pater on Joseph Con-
rad. Her previous volumes gave us
gllmpsos into the soul Of a very un-
usual persona person with borderland
moods and somnambulistic visions.
when reviewing her first book ! said
that her poems touch YOU remotely
at first like nightmare fingers, You
20 hack 10 study them. 10 concentrate
on them, to marry them
In her latest book. "Resurreeting
Lifer she has come nearer the core
OF her genius. No more than her pre-
vious ones can these new poems he
read lightly AZ q sitting. or merely
"fcr the pleasure Of reading" They
must be fingered over, followed like
flying shadows.
They emit Blake, Whitman,
Nletzsche. Poe. Sappho, Cubisn. De-
busy. They are poems of decadence.
which is the flower Of symbolism, the
last refinement Of spiritual and sensu-
Gus emotion. There Is q line IN ono Of
these poems-"and rs some purple
waterfall, erupting from the moons
The New York herald., 1921-04-24
Detective tale
has two plots

GHOSTS. ~ Arthur crabb The Gen.
tury Company.
If one were to turn for the first tune
Ia Dickens novel he might not be
surprised to find interviewer through
the book two plots. neither Of them
bearing much relation to the other
But IN turning the pages Of a novel
Of the present day one does not eN-
pect to find more than a single theme,
for. as Wilson Follett has well pointed
out. the novel has come to be regarded
somewhat in the light Of a short
story under a microscopic" u mas
tended 10 become briefer, more com
pact. more unified and more coherent
Therefore. one is surprised on taxi
ing up such novel as Ghosts 70
discover that there are two narrative
The New York herald., 1921-04-24

small children. The wreck of her hus-
bands boat has drifted back into the
harbor with its owners body crushed
and rotting in the hold How she con-
trives to convert the hulk into beach
tavern and live on Easy Street" as
the translator expresses ii (wno is to
be commended for his use on occasion
of idiom appropriate TO the character
of the people depicted): how her boys
grow up utterly different in tempera-
ment. the one "a puddingh.a6" and
the other "a scamp; how they marry.
and how inevitably their wives hate
each other-this is the groundwork OF
the tale.
Ibanez is an unblinking portrait
painter and every one of his charac-
ters lives: enterprising Tona, who fell
in love and was deserted in the days
of her Indian summer with little un-
wanted golden haired rosetta as the
result Zone wonders why rosetta is not
allowed to die off. unless it is just for
her own personality) Pasqualo, "the
puddinghead," phlegmatic. taciturn,
trusting. hard working. conscientious,
"el llanut": Dolores his buxom pet
scamp" his mothers favorite and ia
vorite with all women, bonny, ire
sponsible, thoroughly selfish, cruel;
and Rosario. wistful, friendless, goaded
TO desperation, an abject figure
Tonet's wife. whom he abuses and who
slaves for him night and day.
One of the strongest scenes is the
hand TO hand encounter between these
two housewives, when Spanish Bill
ingsgate filled the air. There is also a
lengthy description of a smuggling
trip to Algiers when an overloaded.
unseaworthy hulk at night on stormy
seas eluded the Governments pur-
suers.
Yet graphic and dramatic as the tale
is throughout, it heaves with momen-
tum toward the end when Pasquaio
suddenly realizes that what everybody
has been saying for years about his
wife and his brother is true, that even
little Pasqualet is not his child, but
Tonet's. After night Of madness. in
his frenzy he stubbornly in the very
teeth of the dread 'levante," puts to
sea with his brother. little Pe Pesqualet
and several sailors aboard And other
fishermen, not to be outdone, follow
with curses.
AS the tornado struck the May
flower" runs the tale. THE vessel went
over on her beam ends as though n
giant hand had seized her by the
keel and We're trying to roll her over.
The water came up over the lee rail
almost to the matches. The great
lateen sail was flat on the sea like a
sheet. Then as the vessel righted
again. down again. and again"
The waves piled up behind her
steep as walls, the tops blowing off
every one of them and crashing down
on her decks in a deafening roar"
And, finally. "the Mayflower was az
the bottom Of great gully in the sea.
From behind a huge roller Of black
shining water was curling: aud back
wave just as high was rushing the
other way. The boat would b. caught
between them as they met"
1t seemed minutes before il was
over. though the crash was instanta-
neous. With a horrible crunching and
wrenching of timber. the Mayflower
went down into a boiling caldron. and
when she came to the surface again
her deck was level and clean as a
scow's. Pasqualo thought he saw the
blanched face of ito Batiste looking up
at him out Of the water for a second.
The New York herald., 1921-04-24

is unusual for it's powers of analysis
in these days when every Novelist is
disciple of the psyche analysis
The most cheerful thing in human
nature is the fact that in a drab and
cheerless world so many people ac-
quire a taste for drabness and cheer
lessness. II is "A virtuous taste. for
those who succumb to IL can label 1t
duty. Those who have not the courage
TO break away from their chains can
pride themselves on their force of
character.
Tom Sawyer in his depressed mo-
ments. used to enjoy the thought of
his funeral and how the people who
The New York herald., 1921-04-24
REVIEWS OF NEW FICTION

Is not only very much shorter I'm the
number of pages bat there is swift
directness lacking in the other. 1t
also benefits in the absence OF lifeless
mouthpieces whose sole purpose is to
summarize this or that point of view.
The Mayflower'' rather has the
characteristics OF The Cabin" In adj
dition to its vivid truth to life here
again he touches on the two themes
OF pity for the pariah. the. eParious
cruelty in mankind and the degrading
influence of ignorance and grinding
toll
The New York herald., 1921-04-24

Then that had gone. 1t vas about
over now. And Pasqualo said 10 him
self that it was well. This has been
Gods way Of saving a good man from
murder.
But it was not over. Tonet suddenly
bethought him of a life belt Intended
for little Pasquaet, his own son, and
insolently and defiantly attempted 70
put it on. Then it was that Pasqualo's
thirst for vengeance was assudced."
As a work of art THE Mayfiower"
has a cohesion and convincing realism
lacking in The Four Horsemen." 1t
The New York herald., 1921-04-24

to bear another child, but she COM
PEELED her husband to yield to her
desire. and accomplished her destiny.
The birth of the child which kills the
mother is described in more detail than
any obstetrical event since the advent
Of Paul Dombey. 1t is of a piece
with the realism of the book
However, Mrs. Scott has not pro-
gressed very far beyond the Pollyann2
standard. and she succumbs TO the
American demand for happy ending.
not only in the death of young Mrs.
Farrell. but also in the suicide OF the
unhappy and unpleasant daughter OF
the house.