davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
By
LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
Author of THE False Faces"
THE Lone Wolf" Etc.
Illustrated by Irwin Myers

neighboring ladies' and other fastidleus
souls who, rather than risk social con.
Elimination by entering a common bar
room, fetched empty pals of tin and
carried them away filed with nourish-
ment for home consumption. To the
left a CONSTRUCTED staircase assembled
10 regions of uninviting darkness. Leo
nora, however, mounted with conf
dence and, finding a blank shut door
at the top. planted confident finger
on push-button which she could not
possibly have located by sight.
A yenomous buzz responded. Shut
fling feet drew near the door, in which
Il grille opened letting out a shaft of
strong light which fell squarely on the
girls face.
She said coolly: "Lo. John. lie me
in"
A chain bolt ratified. The door swung
inward. Leonora entered passed, faced
The guardian of the portal-a Chinese,
aged, shriveled of face. shrunken of
body, impassive- whom she addressed
with the brusque insouciance OF old
acquaintance.
Charlie anywheres about?"
With racial economy of gesture the
Chinese jerked thumb toward the
rear Of the house and turned to re-
fasten the door. Leonora moved down
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
"You Poor kid!" Inez frightened Her
Clasp on Leonora's Hand.

the hall, dsdainfully shifting tainted
air, and entered large room whose
atmosphere was mephtic with the un-
forgettable, sickly sweet fumes of
or on thin mattresses upon the floor.
in forbidding half light furnished by
a single, closely shaded lamp, perhaps
dozen men and women lay In un-
couth postures, deep in drugged stu
pors. One only was in apparently
complete possession of her wits: the
woman Inez of whom Leonora had
seen nothing since that fateful night
at Rlstori's.
Inez alone recognized in any way
this addition to the company, looking
up with sullen face from her seat on
the edge of a mattress on which lay,
with limbs asprawl and face of CHASTITY
palIor upturned to the dim light his
mouth half open, his eyes half closed
the thick stem of an opium pipe dan
Cling from limp fingers, the man whom
Leonora had come to meet.
In a seizure of dismay so oyerpow-
ering as to blind her completely to the
sneer of qualification which lnez
sought In vain to dissemble, Leonora
dropped to her knees beside the man
and shook his shoulders with frantic
hands.
Charlie I" she cried in a voice
urgent with fright and entreaty--
wake up, Charlie! For Gods sake,
wake upl''
The mans head rolled from side to
side with horrifying limpness, his lips
moved TREMENDOUSLY without closing,
otherwise he made no sign. He might
have been lifeless, he had better been
dead.
Not one person In the room so much
as turned a head when the cries OF
the frantic girl disturbed the quiet
not even Inez; for though she mad
mastered her betraying smile, that
one had no need to stir In order to
watch Leonora. Evil exultation con-
tinued to inform her cold eyes as
long as they were unobserved; but
Leonora found them quick with spe-
cious sympathy when. at length APP
preciating the futility of her efforts,
she ioosed her hold on Charles shout
ders and sank on her heels.
MY God = she said. with a stricken
face-"whatm going to dor
whats the trouble. deareT lnez
spoke with coying sweetness, but the
other was too far gone in despair to
notice. or 70 care il she had noticed.
Anything l can do to helpT'
81 don know"--Leonora shook her
head slowly-"guess not"
"Whyn't you tell me and find out?"
Inez leaned across the body of the
drug victim and placed coarse red
hand affectionately over Leonora's.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
CHAPTER FIVE
Rendezvous. With Destiny.
!. THE CLOCK.


BY the time Priscilla Maine had spent
twenty minutes phoning and all her pa
tience garnering snubs from one AFRO
CANT cab company after another, the
van Of the storm had passed, leaving
the completer subjugation of the
stunned and cringing city to the end
less legions Of the rain.
Her own car was being used by Mrs.
Trowbridge for dinner visit out of
town. In her present state of mind
and nerves the prospect of stopping on
Indefinitely in the studio was insuffer-
able.
Reslgning herself, then, TO drencil-
ing, the girl locked up and scampered
through swimming streets to Fifth
avenue-where she waited three min
utes that seemed ten till trudging
bus consented to pick her up. AT the
uptown end of her journey. likewise.
she had two blocks to run, from Fifth
avenue to Park, before she got home,
with hat. suit, furs and temper all de-
tHUFaIiZcu.
While her maid prepared BATH she
begged Off by telephone from dinner
engagement to which she had long
been looking forward. Tonight she
felt it would be impossible to hold her
own, with anxiety on account of Mario
and Leonora forever at her elbow,
gibhering specter.
A hot bath and the ease of neglige
should have lent her some tranquility,
but did not. She made the merest pre-
tense of dining from tray in her
room. She could not forget
Past seven: In less than three hours
Leonora must start upon her journey
And she could do nothing
nothing! but Wait and wonder
and wiring useless hands II.
A little before ten an inexplicahle
change In the texture Of her emotions
made her aware that the peak of her
transports had been reached and
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12

Most Offices have duties connectedl
with them, and 1t Is much easier to-
criticize the way the other fellow "
trying to handle the job.
8. Get sore at the organization II You
are not appointed on a committee.
8. If you are appointed, don't both
er about attending the committee
meetings. They often are bore.
T. During discussion of motion
keen still. After 1t has passed, tell
some one why they should have voted
1t down.
s. Forget TO pay your dues The
post can get along awhile longer with
out your contribution.
o. Don't try to get new members
George will do 1t.
10. Don't do any work on post at
fairs, or any more than is absolutely
necessary. When other. members ron
I'D their sleeves and give unseihshly
of their time and ability to help Things
along, get up on your hind legs and
howl that the post is being run Dy
clique.
II. Remember you owe no duty OF
obligation to a sick or disabled buddy
your own personal comfort comes
first.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
TIMELY HINTS BY sETLIFFE
Illinois State AdIutant Offers Eleven
Commandments Which He Has
Found Useful.

Eleven commandments In reverse
English" have been found useful by
William @. Setliffe, state adjutant of
the American Legion in Illinois, In
building up the Legion's program for
that state. They are as follows:
/. Don't attend meetings If it rains.
You might get your feet wet, and you
are not in the physical condition you
were at the environments, or at Brest.
2. Don't think of going If 1t is a
warm, moonlight night. There are lots
of other things you could do that sort
of night. FIR instance--Oh, roll
your own idea.
3. II you should attend a meeting,
find fault with everything that's go
Ing on. II your officers are showing
pep, demand to know in open meeting
what political offices they intend run
Ring for.
4. Never acce.t; an Office in the post.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12

had suffered But now the time OF
waiting was no more Leonora had left
her hiding place and, committing her
self braveIy to her dark adventure,
had found relief in action.
II only she might be with I4eon0ra
tonight as she had so often been, see
ing what she saw, doing what she did,
knowing what she knew participating
in every reaction of her wits and per-
ceptions .
only If she could sleep, it was pos.
sible, She might dream
Darkening her hedchamber she
went 10 tie window opened il, and
tarried little in its recess looking
out.
Rain was still falling, torrential
lancing the night with its myriad sen-
der, silver, slanting jets, brimming
cutters, flooding sidewalks, blackening
and furnishing roadways to the SEM
bIance of rivers Of ink that mirrofed
multitude of lights. She thought of
Leonora struggling through that scour-
ing tempest to an unknown bourne .
The clock struck ten.
She turned back to her bed, threw
herself down upon 1t without undress-
ing, and closed her eyes. Immediately
she opened them again; there could
be no sleep for her till mind and spirit
were tagged out altogether.
On her dressing table the convex
crystal of French clock caught a
clear beam from some street light and
was TRANSPORTED into the likeness of q
little captive moon of dead white glare.
Upon this, the brightest spot in the
room, Priscillas gaze focused natural
~. For minutes on end she watched
it, in phase of lethargic fascination
which was rewarded when the little
moon began to grow, to spread out,
its cold light filling the room, the
world, and all the spaces of her con-
seriousness, so that spellbound percep-
tons grew faint, then failed, and she
was no more aware of herself as Pris-
ella Maine, an individual entity, bnt
only as pinpoint Of anonymous being
adrift in the measureless incoherence
of infinity. -.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12

"You can trust me, I guess. We're al
In this mess together, amt we?'
"It's only Red" Leonora responded
DULY. "He said for me to come tc
him tonight. He sent word by Charlie
said I'd got to come tonight Charlie
promised he'd meet me here and show
Die the way. He wouldn't tell me
said Red made him swear not to.
don't see why But ! wish to
God Clarified kept his word to me
like he did to Red"
"What do you mean?"
81 was afraid Of this She nodded
at the unconscious man. Charlis
promised me he wouldn't smok.
more'n two pipes"
Tnez laughed shrill-. Guess he
must've had six" sl.a declared: u
rolled three pills for him since | came
in"
"And now he's S'bwn and out" Leo
nora pursued, md don't know how
to find Red, ard he won't take any ex.
euses fnez. I'm scared"
"You poe kid" Inez frightened her
clasp on .aonora's hand. But you
don't havs to worry I'll take you tc
Red. 5een there half dozen times
at least"
TIE smile of conscious triumph,
w'ach Inez could not suppress, was
'1speakably offensive, and brought
sack wildly to mind the rivalry which
he'd always existed between them and
which had fiared up into open hostility
at their last rencontre. Hot resent
ment kindled in Leonora's eyes, hot
color flushed her cheeks; but she dug
teeth into her underlip and grimly
fought down the impulse TO give her
anger tongue. Not only was that
precisely what Inez wanted, but II
might prove fatal. There was more
than pride at stake, there was the life
of him who loved her and whom she
loved. Nothing, indeed but that love
of hers for Mario had broken down
her will to refuse Reds summons !:
only the threat of Reds vengeance
wreaked on Mario had made her sup
pie to the gangster's will. And now
If she quarreled with Inez, that one
would never show her the way to Red.
Anything (she repeated. in her secret
thoughts) might happen
LEO told you," she muttered.
"Sure he did," Inez agreed cheer
fully "You don't suppose Leo's leary
of me like Red is of you, Nora dear?
Why, I've known all along where them
two was layin' up"
Long lashes dropped to veil Leo
morals smoldering eyes. Inez's ma
liclous smile flashed and faded. The
other clenched her hands into tight
fists, then opened them. She looked
up, pride conquered and trampled I'M
der foot by love.
"Inez," she pleaded simply: Il got
to see Red tonight or / don't
know what'll happen. Please take me
to him, Inezw
The woman delayed her response
for moment, that she might relish
the full flavor of her triumph. Then,
jumping up, she said:
Sure l will. dearie. C'mon: les
co.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12

partment, which had charge OF The
distribution of the state bonus.
When Mr.. Duane sailed Tor France
with the Twenty-sixth division, he was
A private; when he returned to Ameri-
ca after participation in almost every
major offensive of the war, he was the
captain in command of the company
with which he went overseas as a
private. He had also served as q bat
galion commander for time during
he Argonne- Meuse drive.
Mr.. Duane has been retail sales
man In Massachusetts and New York.
member of the theatrical profession
and assistant manager for an electric
and gas company. During his career
MS a state official, he was in charge of
the disbursement of $20,000,000 In
gratuities to veterans of the war.
AS a member of the state welfare
and post activities and state executive
committees of the Massachusetts de-
partment of the Legion, Mr.. Duane
was instrumental in blocking the pro-
posed transfer of ex-service mental
patients to the old State Insane asylum
at Worcester, Mass, and in the es-
adjustment of permanent staff of
teachers in the various Public Health
Service hospitals.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
n. THE STREET.

She had neither raincoat nor UNI
brela; demoniac squalls hailed such
defenseless prey, and gusts of pelt-
| ing drops stung the bare flesh of her
face like birdshot, Long before she
/ managed to weather the corner her
thin cloak was soaked through and so
was all beneath it, her shoes were
squelching her sodden skirts, harried
by the wind, were clinging tenaciously
to her legs, making progress incredibly
difficult. Yet she did not mind, but
| found kind of savage delight in bat
| Ting with the elements, gaining ground
against their malicious will. Following
long confinement to that room of UNI
speakable boredom there was compen-
sation and to spare In this false sense
OF freedom, in the mere fact that she
was at last at large, enough to render
her Indifferent to damaged clothing as
well as to the clammy discomfort with
which 1t plastered her chilled body.
She leaned her slim young body
against the wind and gladly fought 1t
for every breath and step, she relished
keenly the wet sweetness of the air,
the gurgle of rushing cutters, the lilli-
putian drumfire of the rain, the motley
cheer of weeping windows. But for
these last one might pardonably have
taken the Street for part of some
drowned city peopled by gray ghostly
shapes, figures glimpsed darkly
through sweeping waves of rain as
they seurried from curb to curb. lum-
bered down the wind or, like Leonora,
plodded doggedly against its bowling
opposition. But few such were visible
al any time; humanity braved the ele-
ments that night solely under the lash
of elemental appettes, such as the ne
cessity OF beer, and then made its ex-
cursion as brief as might be. Even the
police Rugged shelter.
A night of terror, she thought, with
SILVER as much of dread as of cold,
pausng In the lee of a corner to re-
gain her breath before renewing con-
test with the storm night when any
thing might happen
Resolutely she put that thought be-
hind her; she did not dare to be afraid.
And lest she be tempted again to think
and falter, she spurred herself pitiess-
~ on once more.
AT length she turned aside into
sullen street, lily lighted, wholly DESC
late In all its visible length save for
the shining welcome of saloon windows
on the ground floor of a dlapidated
dwelling in the middle of the street
Geacons marking the end of the first
stage of her journey.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
Nv. THE ROOFS.

Again the night, the wind, the rain
the laborious transit of dim, weltering
streets Inez led through q tor
tuous maze of murky backways, till
they came to sinister block OF tower
ING, teeming tenements, into which
plueking Leonora by the sleeve, she
turned.
In the unsavory lower hall Leonora
spoke incredulously: mot here?"
Inez gave negative gesture: u
should say not Acrost the roofs
You don't suppose I'm such a simp as
to lead dick to the right door, do
your
"You don't think we're followed p
Leonora demanded in quick alarm.
Inez nodded emphatically. II know
we was"
"Who was It? Gould you see?"
Nobody / ever seen before; new
bird, | guess, from some uptown pre-
cinct. Coarse worker, too: he must've
spotted you first. cause he was waitin'
when we came out, and trailed us all
the way"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
whats the use? You know now,
don't you? It wouldn't We done you
any good to know in the street, as
longs knew and had sense enough
to lead him wrong, like this.
%mon."
They began to run up long flights
Of stairs lighted only by single gas Jets
low-turned on every other landing,
and noisome with stratified stenches
Of evil cookery and things worse yet !;
the predomnating race tenanting each
successive floor indicated by its domi-
nant etiluvium, were It garlic, boiled
cabbage. fried fish, or the subtle, pene-
trating, undis-uisable odor of opium
smoke. Gusts of voices lifted In rude
laughter or more commonly quarrel
some issued from doorways that stood
as a rule wide. Once there was a
sound Of weeping, too. sickening dull
walls of some woman cruelty used.
And always the inevitable sQualling Of
children fretful in unhappiness. i.
On the top landing lnez paused to
peer over the rail. THAT'S him." she
painted. nodding.
Leonora joined her. At the bottom
of the gloomy. deep well of the stair
case the fore-shortened figure of n
man was visible. his upturned face a
mere blur of flesh color. But some
thing individual in the pose caught
Leonora's eve and prodded what she
took for some memory half erased.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
III. THE oP.JolNT.

The saloon, boozing ken of the
lowest order, occupied quarters first
intended for shop. Empty show win
dows, tianking double doorway, were
backed by screens of machine carved
wood stained to mock mahogany aud
hung with beer Autographs. To one
side, under sign-gilt lettering on a
black ground: Family Entrance"-a
single door stood open on short hall
way which led to n dreary room be-
hind the bar, where local sots of both
sexes sat In sodden congress over ta-
bles sticky with dregs, their feet scuf-
fling In coarse, damp sawdust. To the
right of this door window with a
ledge broke the side wall, communicate
Ing with the bar for the convenience Of
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12

affairs of his state.
Mr.. Mahon is now president of the
Young Mems Business league of
Greenville. Following his discharge
from the hospital, which did not occur
until April 8, 1920, he was elected
commander of his hometown post and
later department commander of the
Legion.
Having attended the Citadel mill
tary school, Mr.. Mahon developed an
interest In military affairs Mt an early
age. He was in command of the First
battalion, 18th infantry from the
time it was organized until he was
wounded when the Thirtieth division
routed the Boches at Bellicourt.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12

borm iii Lincoln county, MISS, Ut
Parsons was educated in the pub'ic
and high schools CT his native state
Mississippi college and Tulane uniyer.
sity. Since graduation he. has beE
engaged in the practice of medicine
at Brookhaven, Miss.
During the border troubles, Dr. Par
sons served as first lieutenant and cap
tain, respectively. in the Mississippi
National Guard. Later he was pro-
NOTED to major and placed in charge
OF Field Hospital 1853. He went over
cas- in command Of the Seventh corps
field hospital and served with that unit
until December, 1918, when he was
placed In command of Collecting hos
pltal, Seventh corps at Witlich, Ger
many. DIR. Parsons was a member OF
the executive committee and was elect
ed state commander of the Mississippi
department of the Legion in 1920.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
PIECE FROM ENEMY'S LINES
Captured German n Now Adorns the
Public Square in MarshfieId,
Wisconsin.

It's harmless piece of junk now.
but 1t formerly spoke with considerable
degree of authority.
This captured German n is now
permanently retired, on the public
square in Marshfield, Wis. 1t was
placed there by members of William
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12

South Carolina de-
partment of the
American Legion,
W as sew er e | v
wounded In action,
spent long months
in French, English
and American hos
pitfalls and was dis
charged with dis
ability, he has TAX
en- a prominent
part In the organ
cation of tn e
Legion and in civic
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
Cared for Many Ornhans

sixty-two French war orphans were
cared for during the period of one
year by the adoption fund raised by
the American Legion. The total
amount contributed by Legion posts
In many parts Of the country and La.
dividuals for 1920 was $4.650.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12

American Legion
was one Of ths
thousands of ply :
slcians who left
lucrative prac'
tees to enter VII ,
military service
during the World
war. However
his case is excep'
tional in that he
was Al years old
at the outbreak
of the war.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
Gentle Reminder.

"The storm burst upon us so sud.
denly we had no warning of its ap-
proach," related the tornado victim.
"In an instant the house was demol-
ished and scattered to the four winds.
How escaped being torn TO pieces !
do not know"
Good Lord! !" calculated little Nh
Meek. "That reminds me. almost
forgot to do an errand for my wife,.
American Legion Weekly.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
Black Velvet Coat.

Some of the black velvet coats are
made with wide. fiaring sleeves, which
can be used at will for a muff. These
same fiaring sleeves are fitted with
little shirred inner silk seeves--wind
sleeves, they are called-which keep
the wrists a1d arms warm in spite of
the wide lower edge of the sleeve.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
IN THE HOP JOINT.

Syn 'sDsis. Vaguely conscious of
doub.: personality, bat without any
idea ct its meaning the girl Leo
nora, makes her accustomed way
into the Street of Strange Faces
IN the underworld Of New York.
Mario joins her Greatly in love
aud seeing the fine qualities which
the girl really possesses, Mario
seeks to turn her from the path
of inevitable destruction. She prom
Uses to marry him. Al Ristorfs
cafe, gathering place OF criminals.
Leonora meets her partner, Red
Garnehan. and his associates, AND
Is accused OF betraying a fellos
criminal to the police. She say
ageiy deftnds herself, Police crash
lnto the room and two are killed
by CarnehaD. Leonora ana the rest
escape In her studio, Priscilla
Maine, wealthy artist, awakes from
troubled sleep with a distint feel
ing of @aving her life linked with
Ieonorn's. Priscilla has painted a
picture OF herself in fancy dress
a gipsy-which has a strange effect
on her unnerved, and fearful that
her mind Is affected, Priscilla calls
to her aid dear friend, Dir Philip
Fosdick. who Is In love with her,
lie Is stunned to find that her
ufeam story oil lne ponce nght is
confirmed by the newspapers. Pris-
ella tells him about the mystery
of her mother, who died when she
was born, He sees the effect of
the painting and pronounees ii
case of auto-hypnusis. Priscilla
makes him promise not to go TO
the police and he begins investi-
eating 1t for himself Priscilla
senses with cold fear danger which
threatens Leonora.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12

American Legion,
is perhaps better
known TO the Lee
gionnaires in his
state than any 9TH
er Legion official.
He is said TO have
met more than 50,-
600 former service
men anf women
during the time he
was head of the
military division Of
the Massachusetts
state treasury de-
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-03-12
Novel sachet Raa

A novel sachet is made of three
large sachet bags of different colored
silk. These are filled with cotton wad.
ding and sachet powder. Baby ribbon
Is used to tie the three bags together
and form large rosette. A kewpie
doll is dressed in foppy hat or rib,
bon trimmed with ribbon flowers and
its feet are tied down by the rosette.