davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07

The doctors are telling us now that
about half of our i'll health is the result
of our having permitted ourselves to fall
into bad mental habits.
We slump mentally, and get narrow
shouldered and narrow chestcd. We eat
our intellectual peas with our knives, so
to speak, and we gargle the soup OF our
opinions, as it were. and fall into divers
other bad habits that make us an offcnsc
to our fellow creatures.
We used 10 consider that people had n
right 10 think anything they pleased SO
! long as they didn't translate their medi-
tations into actions that were against
the public peace. Now, we know better,
for a man thinketh, so is he. He is well
or sick, good OF bad. an agreeable com
panion, or an affection TO be with, ac-
cording TO his thoughts.
How important. then, that we watch
! our thoughts, and thus prevent our
selves from forming bad mental habits
There is self-pity, for instance. That is
the favorite indoor amusement of count
less people. No one knows why, but there
is a strange, fierce. savage, bitter JOY in
being sorry for yourself, and when once
you let your thoughts begin to dwell on
how cruelty life has dealt with you, il
takes an effort of the will to wrench
them away.
Self-pity becomes an obsession. You
can do nothing but think how cruel il is OF
fate to rob you of those you love; or how
unjust il is that you have not succeeded
or how terrible it is that YOU are poor; ol
how sad it is that you are sick. You
become so doped with your own misey
that ambition is paralyzed and energy
killed, and eventually you drown in YOU
own tears.
If you are firmly convinced yourself
that you arc unlucky, and that the worlC
is against you, and that life has giver
you rotten deal, YOU will be unlucky
and the world will be against YOU, anC
the cards will be stacked against you
for TO succeed We must have faith anC
hope, and enthusiasm, and if we discard
these OF our own free will we bring oul
misfortunes down upon our own heads
Therefore, when you feel inclined to pity
yourself, turn your sympathies towards
someone else. Self-pity is = luxury no
body can afford.
Another bad mental habit which W,
do well to avoid forming is that of talk
ing about ourselves. OF course it is per
fectly natural that each of us shoulC
be the center of our own little universe
and that We should be more interested
in our own dinners than We are in starvin,
nations, and that the great world prob
lens should not thrill us as much al
whether Mamie is invited to such anc
such party, or Johnny makes the foot
ball team.
1t is human and inevitable that We
should mediate with pleasure upon oul
own achievements, and the marvelou:
perfection of our wives, and husbands anc
children and cooks and automobiles
but surely We might also entertain q
passing thought that these purely per.
sonal subjects are TO interest only to
ourselves.
The outside world does not care a
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07

whoop about our personal affairs unless
thcp are Of scandalous nature. Nobody
wants TO hear the stories of our lives.
Nobody cares whether our daughters
are bellies or wall flowers at parties, or
whether our sons make their classes in
college OF not. Still less does anyone
want TO hear Of the smart things our
infant prodigies say and do.
Then why should we not cut it out
when we realize that we are falling
INTO the bad habit of talking about our
children and ourselves? What boredom
we should save our acquaintance What
lies and deceit we should preserve our
friends from, who stiHe their yawns be-
hind their hands and try TO look inter.
ested ~ We maunder on and on with
the dreary annals of our households!
Another bad mental habit that we fall
| into is that of interfering in other people S
affairs. This is the besctting vice of age
and il bchooves us TO watch out for the
first symptom of this deadly habit as we
grow older.
Every family has in it the chronic
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07
DO YOU KNOW HOW
LINEN IS MADE?

please write some articles about
making linen, wooden and cotton fab
rics, Just as you did about silk, not
long ago. writes reader OF this col
umn. | am glad to do as this letter
friend asks, and shall begin, today,
with the following facts concerning the
making of linen:
Linen fibre comes from the stem OF
the fax plant. This plant is an erect
stalk which grows from 20 to 40 inches
high and has stems branching near the
top, narrow leaves, and tiny blue flow
ers. Flax has been grown in Egypt
for 5000 years. 1t is found today in
many other countries including Ireland,
Belgium, Russia, France, Italy, Hol-
land, Canada and the United States.
In some of these countries the fax
plant produces coarser fibre than in
others, so that the linen cloth made
from it is heavy and coarse.
In planting the fax for fibre, the
seeds are sown very thickly on the
ground this crowding of the plants
keeps the main stalks straight and un-
broken, and prevents branching. Flax
is also grown for the seed it produces.
rldAsteu is uscu III IldhlliR llilSccu OIli
linoleum, and oilcloth. The pressed
linseed cake is sued as feed for cattle
Flaxseed is also used for poultices and
in tea used for medicinal purposes.
The fax plant requires much care
during its growth. In Europe this care
is given by women and children, who
90 through the fields on their hands
and knees to weed the young flax plants
When the flax is ready to harvest, these
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07

interfercr. You cannot rise up or sit
down, or eat or fast, or sleep or wake,
or walk OF ride, or read book or put
on a garment, or do any single thing on
earth that the interfcrer does not want
To know why you didn't do it the other
way, and involve you in long cxplana-
tions and arguments.
There is no other one thing TINT would
do so much to promote domestic har-
monv, make happy homes, and prevent
divorce NJ for us 10 break ourselves of
the habit of butting into the purely per-
sonal affairs of those with whom we live
For the eternal nagging that makes most
homes hell on earth is nothing but n
silly habit founded on d tyrannical
spirit
Most wives don't really caro- whetbe
their husbands smoke or not, or whether
they wear plaid neckte or a striped
one. Nor do husbands care whether
their wives go to picture shows, or weai
blue or pink dresses. Nor do parents
really consider il matter of importance
whether their children do any one oi
hundred things they are forbidden TO do
1t Is just thathusbands and wives, anC
parents have formed the bad menta
habit Of interfering in matters that dc
not concern them, and they ignore III,
fact that the one thing that is most
precious in all the world TO each of us i.
our individual liberty. Give us that,
and we will forgive any other offens,
towards us.
Let's all take q careful survey OF ON
mental habits, and cure ourselves of the
bad ones.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07

Ihere to live Mr.. Fox had not minded
L at all. They did not make any
noise. But when two frolicksome
little squirrels came there TO live with
them Mr.. Fox did q great deal OF
scolding.
Fritz and his brother Fuzzy were
lp early in the morning chattering
md running over Mr.. Fox's roof Sc
be could not have his morning nap,
md if it happened that he had been
put late the night before this made
him angry.
So one dy he covered his roof with
ar, and when Fritzy and Fuzzy Squir-
rel ran over the roof their little feet
Ituck fast.
They chartered louder than ever
that morning, but Mr.. Fox did not
mind. He was glad of it, and he went
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07
LITTLE BENNYS
NOTEBOOK
BY Lee Paps

Sundey aftirnoon I found a old en-
velope with printing on il saying,
Spick-O Span-O. Sprinkle few fakes
on a wet brush and make your old
straw hat better than new.
Me thinking, G., herrav, III try IL on
pops straw hat and serprize him. Wich
| did, scrIbbing it with Spick-O Span-O
till there was ceen streeks all over It
insted Of being dusty looking all over
Ike It was at ferst, me thinking, 6,
pop will, be serprized ell rite, l bet
be wont hardly reckonize II.
And after suppir pop sed TO ma,
Well mother, ! feel like q CRATE man
a. last, and ma sed, 1t seems 10 me
YOU always thawt that way about your
sci, and pop sed, Naturally, but now
more 80 than ever because for tho
ferst time IN Is yeers have managed
to keep q straw hat looking respectable
enuh to carry me throo an IntIre sum-
mer.
Now Willyum YOU don't meen TO
calmy sit there and tell me you're going
TO keep on wearing that dingv thing,
ma sed, ad pop sed AbsllOotlv, no
power on erth can make me buy another
straw hat this season, " nersed that
hat faithfully sints the beginning OF the
season and I'm not going to desert
il now.
G pop, it looks even better than you
think II does, / sed, and pop sed, The
dooce 1t does, wy does it, and I sed,
Because YOU awC 10 see wat l did TO
it with Spick-O Span-O. And I ran
down and brawt pops hat up and hand
! ed 1t to him, pop saying, Yee gods,
look at this mess, who told you to toutch
this hat? and / sed, Nobody, l found
the Splck-O Span-O up IN the store
room.
That's not saving ware you're going
to find my slipper, pop sed, and ma
sed, Now Willyum be reasonable, that
cleening stuff Of bin lying Ground
for at leese 10 yeers, no wonder 1t
dident werk, but that's not the boys
fault, he certeny ment well, and to-
MORO morning ferst thing you can
stop IN at the hat store on the avenue
and get a nice new one cheep before
you go down town, and then you. Il
have it.
0, don't you sound sorry? pop sed.
Being Wy he's got a new straw hat.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07

is nothing To be learned here, we had
best go inside"
Tho lecturer unlocked the outer
door and ushered us into his room. "s
stood at the entrance while hoimes
made an examination OF the carpet
Il am afraid there are no signs
here" said he. zone could hardly hope
for any upon 80 dry a day. Your GER
vant seems 10 have quito recovered.
You left him in chair, you say.
Which chair?"
"By the window there"
"I geo. Near this little table. You
can come IN now. have finished with
tho carpet. Let Us take tho little
table first. or course. what has hap
pencd is very clear. Tho man entcr-
ed and took the papers. sheet by
sheet. from the central table. Be
carried them over 20 the window table.
because from there no could see u
you came across the courtyard, and
90 could effect an escape"
| "As a matter Of fnct he could not.
said Soames, FOR I entered by the side
door"
"Ah. that's good, Well. anyhow.
that was in his mind Let me see the
three strips. No finger inpressions--
no! Well. he carried over this one
/ FIRST. and he copied II. How long
would It take him 20 do that. using
every possible contraction7 a quar-
/ ter II an hour. not less. Then ne
tossed It down and seized the next.
/ He was in tho midst OF that when
your return caused him TO mako
very hurried retreat-very hurried,
since ne had not time 10 replace ths
papers which would tell you that he
had been there. You were not svars
Of any hurrying feet on tho stair az
you entered the outer door,"
NO, I can't say was"
"Well, he wrote so furiousiy that he
broke his pencil. and had. as you OBJ
serve. 20 sharpen Il again. This is Of
interest, Watson. The pencil was not
an ordinary one. II was above the
usual size. with soft lead. the outer
color was dark blue, the makers name
was printed in silver lettering and the
piece remaining Is only about an inch
land half long. Look for such a
pencil, Mr.. Soames. and you have got
your man. When / add that he pos
sesses n large and very blunt knife,
you have an additional aid"
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07
THE SURPRISE THAT AWAI TED
MADGE AT HOME.

Nervousiy shaken and mentally per-
picked, l drove home from the Shelter
Island ferry where Harry Underwood had
hidden me so strange farewell.
| wondered whether he had told me
the whole truth about himself, his re-
lations with Grace Draper and his posi-
ton in the gang of which he spoke so
flippantly and yet so convincingly. l
puzzled over some points in his story,
but the confidence my father placed in
him caused me to dismiss them as of no
importance. And vet back came point
after point of Harry Underwoods story
challenging my belief.
One instant felt that was too credu-
lous. The next l pondered the possibil-
ity that | was too suspicious.
Curiously enough every mile OF the
distance | put between myself and
Harry Underwood's powerful, almost
hypnotic personality increased instead
OF lessened my CONJUNCTION of the essen
tial truth of his story. And despite my
resentment, l found myself genuinely
glad that his strength and his infinite
rcsourcefulness were to be pitied against
Grace Draper's ingenious deviltry.
Are Our Guests Gomez"
| put my hand up 10 my blouse in
which l mechanically had fastened the
scarab pin which Mr.. Underwood had
SO dramatically twisted from his tie and
put into my hand. That l must devise
some safe and secret place for its keep
ing, c.ose to my person, | knew, but |
was not equal just now to any con-
nected thought upon that subject. Yet
] realized that | could not return home
until it was out of sight.
pulled my car to the side of the road
stopped it, and took from my bag what
Dickys teasingly calls my emergency
envelope" a small one of strong MANILA,
which | fashioned myself, and which
contains my motor register, a personal
identification card and a five-dollar bill
l stuck the scarab into the card, thrust
both into the envelope, and returned II
to the bag sure that it was reasonably
safe from discovery Then, for the rest
of my journey mentally went over tho
tale the pretended Don Ramon had de-
viscd for the edificstion of the Smythe
Hopkins family, until l was sure that
/ was letter-perfeCt IN 1t.
But when l reached home | found that
i had no need 30 rehearse it. The dam.
aged cars had been removed from the
roadway before the gate, and Lilliar
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07
Efficient Housekeeping
BY Laura A. Kirkman

diligent European workers pull the
plants out of the ground by their hands
and tie them in bundles with the roots
together. The flax bundles are then
hung up to dry.
Ripping" is the next step. This is
the process in which the seeds and dry
leaves are removed from the end of
the flax stalk. In some countries this
is done by hand, by two men who sit
at either end of bench; in the centre
of the bench is comb with teeth Is
inches long, through which the flax
stalks are drawn to remove seeds and
leaves. In more up-to-date countries,
however. ripping is done by machinery.
"Retting" is now started. In this
process, the outside, woody portions OF
the stem are decomposed SO that the
inner part, or fax fibre, can be gotten
at. Retting is done in three ways: l,
BY placing the fax on the ground
and letting the sun, dew and rain decay
the outer layers of the stalk. 2, BY
using steam and chemicals to remove
the outer layer. 3, BY placing the flaS
stalk in pools where they may lie until
the water decays the outer layer.
Breaking" and Scratching" follow
These steps consist in removing the de-
cayed outer layer of the stalks from
the fibre (which lies inside tho stalk
and then dividing this fibre into Zine
dong pieces) and Glow (short pieces
which can be used only in cheaper fab.
rics) The Zine" fibre must now &c
through process called hacking" fol
the purpose of combing and splitting
it. Other processes follow for cleaning
and sorting the line fibre, until at last
it is ready for spinning and weaving.
Tomorrow-Answered Letters.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07

outside where he could see them, and
told them so.
MIR. and Mrs. Squirrel had TO work
a long time before they could rescue
their children, and all the time Mr..
Fox was telling them if they did not
wish something worse than that to
happen they had better move away.
I'VE shall stay right here" chat
tered Mrs. Squirrel. Gou do not
own the woods and we have as much
right here as YOU have. If you dc
not like my children's chattering, Imove
away, you cruel, cross old creature
! BY and by Fuzzys and Frltzy's
feet got well. and though they did not
run over the roof OF Mr.. Fox's house
they made Just as much noise, and one
morning when they were making more
than usual by throwing big nuts or
the roof, Mr.. Fox jumped up out oi
bed, and grabbed his long cane, hoping
he could reach them from his window.
He threw up the window with 8
bang and leaned out, but as he ought
to have known they would do, FritZy
and Fuzzy were out of his reach be-
fore the window was wide open.
Mr.. Fox shook his cane at them
''If / could reach you," he said in al
angry voice, "your mother will not
know YOU when | finish with you two.
And then it happened.
The window came down on Mr.. Fo,
and held him by the neck. He coulc
get neither in nor out for few min
utes, and while he was struggling anc
wriggling about Fritzy and Fuzzy
were down the tree like 8 stresk o
lightning and back again with punches
and paws filled with nuts.
And Mr.. and Mrs. Squirrel came
too, and for a few minutes MIR. FoI
thought the sky was raining stones
for the nuts felt like stones to him.
They did not miss hitting himl mlmany
times, and when at last Mr.. Fox man
aged to get inside, his face and heaC
looked as if he had been In terrible
accident.
And this was the reason he felt 81
unhappy, for now he knew that afte
he was well the only thing for hin
to do was to move. The Squirrel family
had driven him out of his home ant
he had intended that they should b.
the ones TO move.
1T is hard. hard world for sucl
a kind, peaceful creature as | am,
he sighed, as he held his aching heaC
in his paws. Il can't understand how
folks can be SO cruel as TO cause suf
fering. Now | would not hurt
Right here Mr. Fox remembered tn,
tarred roof and Fuzzy's and Fritzy'.
sore foot
well some folks can't take a little
joke without getting angry" musec
Mr.. Fox.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07
My Marriage Problems
Adele Garrisons New Phase Of
Revelations Of a Wife
Copyright. 1921. hv Newspaper Service
Copyright. 1921. hy Newspaper Feature Service.

met me at the door, with eyes, which IN
spite of her iron poise, told me TINT
something unusual was on foot.
"Are our guests gonc?" / asked sur
"Then-You-Know?"
Every much 80" she retorted. They
would have liked to have fingered till
you came back with the latest news OF
their adored Don Ramon but / had
something more important on hand. SO
as soon as DIT. Petit pronounced them
all uninjurcd, packed them off with
a flea in the fathers ear. I'll bet he won't
offer money for hospitality to gentlefolk
again. Besides, that girl, crude as she
is, took the news rather hard, and l
knew she wanted to get home by her
self Harry's certainly keeping up the
pace, fascinating flapper in a get-up
like his"
stared at her aghast.
"Then-you-know?" | stammered.
She gave a tangled little laugh and |
knew that she was more moved than her
careless speech denoted.
"Not being quite an idot, of course
| know" she returned. Here. don't
mean that" she amended, rs she wa,
me flush. "Iou were quite right in at
tempting to keep the knowledge OF his
identity from me would have done
excatly the same thing myself if our
positions were reversed. But you were
so anxious that stay inside the house
| WAS sure something was up.
Then" she smiled, when Mother
Graham recognized the family, and told
me of your encounter with them in the
Easthampton shop, / began to see a
light, The description fitted Harry per
fectly, and Mother Graham kept re-
pcating that he reminded her SO strong
| " of some one she had seen. So, naturally
| took slant out of the nearest window
and-the eyes of love, you know"
There was q bitter note in her voice
which told me that the discovery of the
pseudo-Don Ramcn's identity as that
Of the man whose name she still Dor,
had shaken her Put | was incapable
of any other feeling than that of wonder
at her insight, her quickness of percep
ton. There was no use trying to keel
anything from Lillian, | said to mysel
Grossly, and not for the first time.
"But I've no time to discuss Harr,
and his foibes now" she said, although
| do want to quiz you bit later. Blu
we have news Mt last. DIR. Petit Jus
brought word that Joc's mysteriou
friends have shown UP"
(To be continucd.)
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07

Mr.. Fox sat by the fire. though
Il was summer time, for every little
while he had to make warm poultice
for his head and face.
Mr. Fox did not feel at all happy.
In fact he felt very miserable indeed.
He did not look happy, either; his
lace was swollen and he had to move
his head very carefully because hi;
neck was lame.
No, he had not been in an acci,
dent nor had Mr.. Dog caught him. He
had been caught in trap. Not .
trap of Mr. Mans fixing, but he wa:
caught and held fast just the came.
This was what happened: Mr. Fo,
lived right next door to the tree wher,
Fritzy and Fuzzy Squirrel lived.
When Mr.. and Mrs. Squirrel cam,
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07
Consider Educational Matters.

The State Board OF Education will
hold meeting in Dover next Friday
for organization and TO plan some OF
the items of activity for the coming
year. DR.. Thomas X. Brown. the
present head OF the board will be re-
elected to his present position.
Among the things to be considered
il is said, will be that of a question
naire 10 all civic and educational
agencies, relative TO the proposed
change in the school law.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07

Oil signs are being found in the Phil
ippines. This proves their claim 10 in
dependence IS unjust. Oklahoma
News.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07
Schools Open September II.

Arrangements are Being made by
the school authorities for the reopen
ing OF the public schools on Septem-
ber II.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-07
The Sandman StOry
MR.. FOX TARS HIS ROOF.
By Abby Phillips Walker

Copyright. 1922. by the Wheeler Syndicate Inc " "
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1922-07-22
REPUBLICAN FIGHT
TO BE A BITTER ONE

expect to reap as reward OF their
loyalty to the party (which sat US
free"
DIR. France expects to be renomi-
mated largely by the vote of the alien
contingent of polygot foreigners
whose champion he has been since
he took his seat in Washington. The
Russians, the Poles, the Checko-Slo
watkins the Serbs, the JugoSlavs, the
Germans and the numerous other
residents of the city and State who
have found refuge in this part Of
the land Of the free and home of the
brave are probably for him to man.
Added to these are the small conting-
ent of anarchists and socialists, and
last but not least in number and i'm
portance are the pro-Germans, and all
those whose sympathy was with the
enemies of the Country during the
whole period OF the. late war. And 1t
is not out of place or unjust to say
that the real men of character and
high position in the republican ranks,
although they may be in minority,
are not favorable to the denomination
of the present Senator. The Colds
borough's, the Lowndes', the Ran
dalls', the Gary's, the Bartletts', the
Bakers, the McCullough's and prac-
tically all the men who have given
the republican party what character
and responsibility it may have in
Maryland, are all, without important
exception, arrayed against Senator
France and are openly in favor of the
nomination of Mr.. Garrett.
1t has been a sad blow to large
contingent of the republicans to be
compelled at last to believe that their
two most powerful leaders are spine
less and yellow, and that both have
lodged their responsibilities and fled
from the State in this hour of real
crisis in their party affairs, Weller
early deserted the field and is now in
the other side of the world sailing in
Government ship over the China
Seas. Ex-senator jackson also de-
serted the ship when the storm was az