davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09

hunnud dollahs he got dat Bill Ham
msrsley wifi 'im Come along, honey
chile! Abs go to pull you 'roun in
de side yod TO to meet EN-"
The small wagon creaked away, the
chant resuming as it went.
Mr.. Dowden jumped out of the car
with a wave of his hand to the driver,
Beasley himself, who drove through his
open carrage-gates and down the
drive on the other side of the house,
where he was lost 20 my view.
Dowden. entering our own gate nod
ded In a friendly fashion to me, and
l advanced to meet him.
Some day l want to take you over
next door," he said cordially, as 1
came up. "You ought to know Beas-
ley, especially as l hear you're doing
some political reporting. Dave Beas-
ley's going to be the next governor of
this state, you know" He laughed,
offered me cigar, and we sat down
together on the front steps.
From all l bear" l rejoined, "you
ought to know who'll get it." ut was
said in town that Dowden would
come pretty near having the nomina-
tion in his pocket."D
Il expect you thought 1 shifted the
subject pretty briskly the other day?'
He glanced at me quizzically from un-
der the brim of his black felt hat. 81
meant to tell you about that, but the
opportunity didn't occur. You see
II understand" 1 interrupted. "T've
heard the story. You thought it might
be embarrassing to Miss Apper-
thwaite."
II expect was pretty clumsy about
it," said Dowden. cheerfully. "Well
we'll" he filcked his cigar with a
smothered ejaculation that was half
sigh and half laugh; "it's a mighty
strange case. Here they keep on liv-
ing next door to each other, year after
year, each going on alone when they
might just as we'll" He left the
sentence unfinished, save for vocal
click of compassion. "They bow when
they happen to meet, but they haven't
exchanged word since the night she
sent him away, long ago" He shook
his head, then his countenance cleared
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09

little soft velvet cuff hat below to the
left is a symphony in gray.
Chenille embroidery is exploited in
the satin model to the right below
Whether ii be in renting an apart
ment or buying an automobile or
Il farm, the modernist demands
"latest improvements" When it comes
to clothes, we are in the same mind,
we seek the last word in fashion.
Manufacturers and designers. keen
to this disposition on the part of the
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09

and he chuckled. "Well, sir, Dawes
got something at home to keep him
busy enough, these days, l expect!"
do you mind telling me?" l in
quired. rs his name 'Simpledoria'
Mr.. Dowden threw back his head
and laughed loudly. Lord, no! What
on earth made you think that?"
l told him. 1t was my second sue
cess with this narrative however,
there was a difference: my former au-
ditor listened with flushed and breath
less excitement, whereas the present
one, laughed consumedly throughout.
Especially he laughed with great
laughter at the picture of Beasley's
coming down at four in the morning
to open the door for nothing on sea or
land or in the waters under the earth.
l gave account, also, of the miraculous
jumping contest (though l did not
mention Miss Apperthwaite's having
been with mel. and of the elfin voice
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
HANDCRAFT IN NH. LINERY:
~s-~~.~~~~-~..~-~~~~~~~~~
KNITTED SCARF WRAPS

MAYHEM one stops to think or the
w wealth Of handiwork lavished on
headwear this season 1t is wonder
that millinery is as reasonable as it is.
Hats, especially small hats, are lit
orally covered with embroidery, braid
Ing, applique and extraordinary
needlewOrk, and 1t takes hours and
hours to accomplish this. Only the
genius Of 'the milliner born not made"
has the cunning to assemble bits of
velvet, silk, chenille. metal, fur, lace,
leather. yarn and paint into the charm
Ing hats we see nowadays.
We mention paint In the list be-
cause the milliner who creates, simply
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09

the thing. such as brushed angora,
brushed llama wool and similar shaggy
finishes The demand Is for vivio
coors, or at least dashes of gayesi
shades Of buff, brown, amber, rose
henna, jade. Chinese blue, checkered
borders, Corsican striped. Scotch
plaids, and the snow-white angora
shawl.like scarf and hat with Roman
stripe border attains the Ideal In
things knitted.
Pockets such as the picture here
with reveals, brush angora revers on
lapels (if entire garment Is not OF
shaggy woody buttons and loops to hold
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
Mrs. Smiths Somewhat Exceptional
Order Must Have Caused Grocer
to Doubt Her Sanity.

There is a certain young matron Of
Philadelphia who js bit absent
minded and, consequently, apt to con-
fuse matters at times. On one occa-
sion she was fearful lest she would
forget to order the chickens in time
for dinner. Throughout the forenoon
she kept repeating to herself, "Chick-
Observation-Disclosures"
Finally, when the hour approached
at which she was accustomed to call
the grocer. she took up the phone and
asked:
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
HAMILTON SWIFT, JR.

SYNOPSIS-Newcomer in a small
town, young newspaper man, who
tells the story, is amazed by the
unaccountable actions of man
who, from the window of q fine
house, apparently has converse
with invisible personages, particu-
larly mentioning one Simple
doria." Next morning he discov-
ers his strange neighbor is the D.
Hon. David Beasiey, prominent pol
itician. and universally respected.
With Miss Apperthwaite. he is an
unseen witness of a purely imag-
mary jumping contest between
Beasley and "Bill Hammersley."
Miss Apperthwaite appears deeply
concerned. The reporter learns that
Beasley and Miss Apperthwaite had
at one time been engaged, and that
the young lady had broken the
engagement because of Beasley's
lack of imagination"
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
uI-Continued.

poor David! Outside of his law
books, 1 don't believe he's ever read
anything, but Robinson Crusoe' and
the Bible and Mark Twain. Oh you
should have heard her talk about it !
4 couldn't bear 1t another day. she
said, L couldn't stand it In all the
time I've known him l don't believe
he's ever asked me single question
except when he asked me if I'd marry
him. He never says anything-never
speaks at all " she said. You don't
know blessing when you see It, l
told her 'Blessing' she said There's
nothing in the man! He has no
depths! He hasn't any more imagina-
tion than the chair he sits and sits
and sits in Half the time he answers
what 1 say to him by nodding and say
ing "um-hum," with that same old
foolish, contented smile of his. I'd
have gone mad If 1t had lasted any
longern l asked her If she thought
married life consisted very largely of
conversations between husband and
wife; and she answered that even
married life ought to have some po-
etry in 1t. Some romance she said,
some soul And he just comes and
Sits she said, and sits and sits and
sits and sits. And can't bear 1t any
longer, and I've told him So
Poor Mr.. Beasley," said.
II think, Poor Ann Apperthwaite p"
retorted my cousin. ard like to know
If there's anything nicer than just to
sit and sit and sit and sit with as love
ly man as that-a man who under
stands things, and thinks and listens
and smiles-instead of everlastingly
talking"
"As 1t happens" remarked "I've
heard Mr. Beasley talk"
"Why, of course he talks" she re-
turned. 'when there's any real use in
1t. And he talks to children; he's that
kind of Il man."
81 meant particular instance"
began; meaning to see If she could
give me any clew to Bill Hammersley
and Simpledoria, but at that moment
the gate clicked under the hand of
another caller. My cousin rose to
greet him, and presently l took my
leave without having been able to get
back upon the subject of Beasley.
Thus, once more baffled, l returned
to Mrs. Apperthwaite's-and within
the hour came into full possession of
the very heart of that dark and subtle
mystery which overhung the house
next door and so perplexed my soul.
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09

dotes on bronze paint this season for
decorative schemes. This Is exempll-
fed in the handsome picture dinner
hat illustrated at the top of the group.
1t is worth while studying the con-
strucuvu OF the fanciful tam to the
left center, for 1t reveals 'ideas." No
tice how the velvet Is crinkled into
howerlike form, with darning stitch,
done In yarn, swirllng In rows about
the central theme
Gold lace forms partnership with
gold metal cloth in the off-the- face hat
20 the center right.
Gray Is considered one of the smart
est millinery colors of the season. The
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09

Twentieth century woman 10 search
for something new" make competi-
tive appeal through distinctive style
create.
When 1t comes to --latest improve
ments, knitted outerwear carries the
honors. 1t records almost sensa.
tional transition from the mediocre to
position Of top-notch style impor-
tance. There are the handsome knitted
scarf sets, for instance. Everybody's
wearing them.
In reviewing "the latest" In knitted
hats and scarfs. one finds with the
coming Of winter that fuzzy effects are
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
FLAT BACK AND FLARING SKIRTS

by creating exaggeratedly long skirts
and various eccentric silhouettes, hut
the present-day woman is far too in
telligent to deviate far from the
dresses straight of line, long and grace
ful classic draperies for evening and
dressy afternoon occasions and skirts
about eight inches from the ground
for street wear.
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09

form the bodice and perhaps hit of
trimming on cuff or skirt panels
Often the Chinese blue shade is had
in vanished silk, sprinkled with
quaint oriental figures. Occasionally
the hat to 90 with such a costume is
also of navy serge, trimmed with bit
Of the vanished silk.
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
Khaki for Children.

Khaki is surprisingly developed In
little costume suits for children. Be
ing practical material 1t has been
trimmed with gay-colored braids and
kept from having any of the drabness
often prevalent in the use of khaki. The
models are attractive and very sem
sible for hard wear.
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
Influence Is Felt.

The jacquette influence is felt even
In the realm Of dresses, and some
manufacturers stress the fitted hipline
and side fastenings of the jacquette in
many of their de luxe coat frocks for
the season.
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
Blue ls Popular,

Chinese blue is one of the shades
which is fast becoming popular. 1t Is
used frequently in combination with
navy. especially il Serge coat frocks.
In the lattar case the Chinese blue will
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
Orqandie.

The smartest organdle frocks are
made Of two shades of material. often
the lighter shade used over the dark.
Corsages of organdc flowers are fre-
quently used as trimming.
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
Pretty Dance Frock.

AS youthful as it is smart is dance
frock of silver green metal s!oth which
has for its only trimming huge bow
of the material over the left hip.
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
w

Finding that 1 had still some leisure
before me, got book from my room
and repaired to the bench in the gar
den. But I did not read I had but
opened the book when my attention
was arrested by sounds from the other
side of the high fence-low and trem-
ulous croonings of distinctly African
derivation:
"Ah met nah sstuh In a-mawnin',
She 'uz a-waggin' up de hill so slow!
'Sistuh, you mus git a rastle in doc time,
Bfo de hevumly dos cloze-iz!'"
1t was the voice of an aged negro ;
and the simultaneous slight creaking
of a small hub and axle seemed to in
dicate that he was pushing or pulling
a child's wagon or perambulatOr up
and down the walk from the kitchen
door to the stable. Whiles, he prof
fered soothing music: over and over
he repeated the. chant, though with va
riations; encOuntering in turn his
brother. his daughter, each of his par
ents, his uncle, his cousin, and his
second-cousn. one ffter the other
ascending the same slope with the
same perilous leisure.
LAY still, honey" He interrupted
his injunctions to the second-cousin.
"Des keep on a-nappin an a-breavin'
de flesh air. Dass wha's go mex you
good an well agin"
Then there spoke the strangest
voice that ever fell upon my ear; 1t
was not like child's, neither was 1t
like a very old person's.voice; 1t might
have been grasshopper's, 1t was so
thin and little, and made Of such tiny
wavers and quavers and creakings.
"I-want-" said this elfin voice, 81
STANDARDIZATION
The shabby ear which had passed my
Cousins house was drawing up to the
curb near Reasley's gate. Evidently
the old negro saw 1t.
'Hi darw he exclaimed. Look at
dnt Hahn Bill a comm yonnah des
edzacly on de dot an to de vey spot
an instink when you 'Quiah fo' i'm,
honey? Dar come Mist Dave, right
on dc minute, an you kin bet yo' las
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09

the wider scarfs into sleeve-like Of.
fects, big collars, braided knit tie Cir
dies and a novelty in the way of
hood attachment are some of the latest
improvements to look for in the newer
scarfs.
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
"I'm glad there's somebody In
that house at last with a little
imagination"
,To BE CONTINUED.
FINE JOB FOR HUSBAND AND COOK
"Have you any nice young grocers +"

Have you any nice young grocers"
"Why, yes, madam" came In sur
prised tone from the other end.
'This is Mrs. Smith talking" she
went on, land l want you to send me
couple dressed"
"Send you couple dressed"
"Well-no; you had better send them
undressed, and then when my husband
comes home he'll wiring their necks
and the cook can dress them. Mil
waukee Sentinel.
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09
Cloves.

In Paris short-length kid gloves are
being worn with very short sleeves.
The fad is scarcely attractive enough
to warrant any great popularity over
here.
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09

1t isn't when a woman looks daggers
that she looks killing.-Boston Tran
script.
Middletown transcript., 1922-12-09

"Ah met nah sistuh In a-mawnin',
She 'uz a-waggin' up de hill so slow!
'Sistuh. you mus git a rastle in doc time
BIO de hevumly dos cloze-iz!'"
The New York herald., 1922-09-03

out saying anything striking or Inn
portant I think spirits. as takers,
are even gabbier than human be-
inga They seem to be In the con-
dition ascribed by Disraeli to Glad
stone, Intoxicated by tho exuber-
ance of their own verbosity."
When Miss Blank recovered con-
sciousness Tin Soriptural language,
when the spirit departed from her),
she said: 'I recognized that one.
That was Oneonta"
"Yes?"
IAN Indian friend Of mine."
"Ohi What mediums call an In
dian guide?"
IT don't know. I cannot say that
am a medium, although have been
told I have mediumistic tendencies
and could be developed"
The New York herald., 1922-09-03

Roosevelt used to give to interview
ers when he kindly assisted them to
fill space without committing himself
to definite politics; mastery col
lection of abstracts which gave the
ear the impression of being con-
cretes, until the post-interview and
disenglamoured intellect analyzed
them. Sometimes. without Roose-
velt's accompanying action, his ges-
lures. his oratory, his handclaQpings.
his knee slappings. his desk
whackings. his clenched fist thump-
ings, his frownings, his facial
expressions, his teeth revealing
smiles and grins. the matter of
his discourse would have been dull
and tedious and prosy. Pray do not
misunderstood me. / am not icono-
clasting 7. R / am merely stating
that an old lady in Vermont sermon
lied in a fashion and with a vocabu-
larry reminiscent of T. r. and gave
remarkably close imitation of the
style and the verbal output of a man
she never had seen and never heard
speak. The visitor" however, was
not identified. I have no idea who
he was Cor what it was).
My friend Strengthened up in her
chair. and the eloquent outflow was
ended. She rubbed her eyes,
What was l talking about?" she
asked. Some power from outside
of me took possession of me.
Not is not the first time anything
like that has happened to me. /
haven't said anything about it. I
haven't told any one. From
physical point OF view l don't like
it. The strain is very great, and one
of these days I'll be stepping out
with one of my visitors. It's
Norah who is bringing them, think.
/. seem to be more suscepti-
bic of late. ;"
And away she went again, fiinging
herself back in her chair and becom-
ing dead to the world so far as per-
ceptive and receptive faculties are
concerned, but delivering messages
like human wireless receiver
which, I should venture to guess, is
what she was. temporarily.
/ gathered from the talk that an
other male spirit was using Miss
Blanks vocal organs. He was anx-
ious / should know that he and "his
band" were taking good care of
their little sister," He talked volu-
bly, for ten or fifteen minutes with
The New York herald., 1922-09-03

~But." I persisted, "in the casa
say. of Oneonta, does that include
tho power to speak English even e
he knew nothing of the language
when he was alive-had never even
heard of itr'
when he was alive? he is stn
alive. When was he dead7 He did
not know English when he was first
living in what we now call the
United States, in the land Of his
forefathers, that we now occupy. He
has learned English since he went
into the advanced sphere Of existenc1
In which he now continues to liva
He now understands English
perfectly: and that is why he can
act as a communicating and guiding
spirit for an English speaking
woman. I do not understand any
The New York herald., 1922-09-03

l perceived that Miss Blank re-
garded mediums and mediumship
with very great respect She was
much impressed by the suggestion
Oneonta Is her Indian guide" I
had heard that some New York pro-
fessional mediums are eager to claim
Indian guides, the theory being that
Indians, children of nature, who have
lived Gin the open," are first rate
scouts and pathfinders ION the other
side"
But how do you know this COM
municator is an Indian and that his
name is Oneontar inquired. skep-
tically. A wild Indians" command
of fluent English was puzzling me.
He has told me his name: and-I
|-have-seen-him. He has shown
himself to me. One day when 1 was
lying back in my reclining chair he
came behind me and stopped over me
and looked into my eyes. /.
He was in full costume could see
the feathers of his headdress-the
features of his face He spoke to
me"
What? In English?"
ITO be sure. / don't understand
any other language"
But how came a wild Indian to
talk English? Or-is he a Carlisle
boy?''
His earth life was away. away
back. long before there was any Car
Isle. He is of the old time, true. clean
Indian type, before the red men were
contaminated and lowered by contact
with the materialistic whites; when
they lived next IL nature, and knew
the nature spirits whom they later
Joined. becoming themselves ma
ture spirits with strong human
sympathies. The Indians are not
gone from the North American con-
tinent In their old haunts they
hide On their old trails they hunt
perhaps forever and forever-per-
haps to be removed later to another
sphere-perhaps to return"
The New York herald., 1922-09-03
An Impromptu Seance

conversation which had been given
by the professor, and the natural Sc
quel, of mentality predisposed to ac-
cept anything that might happen
the ghost story frame Of mind, well
known to everybody-there was not
at this particular time any more than
at any other time any valid reason
for anticipating progressive develop
ments. I was about to make my
excuses and follow the professor out
ward when-suddenly (of course
suddenly-there was no preliminary
whistling Of throat clearing) there
came to the inner door, ajar diagon-
ally opposite mG. an Unseen Force
and - "B-r-r-r-N-r-r-r-Tat Tat"
-tirIed at the pin.
If you have read old ballads and
visited old New England and Old
England and Aud Scotland houses
you know what that means.
On the outer door Of such dwell
ings hang a rasper and q pin sus-
pended from a chain, and q knocker.
You, being at the outside Of the
door and seeking to have 1t opened,
seize the pin and on the rasper make
a noise like that made on a modern
fence by q modern small boy run
ming along and rafting stick or
cane on the posts. uprights, Stats,
rails-whatever are they, anyway?
Having rasped. or tried at the pin,
you raise the hammer part Of the
knocker and go .'Tat-tat-tat-tat-"
Well, that's what happened on the
inner door which stood ajar behind
my aged friend. But!-There wasn't
any pin on it. and there wasn't any
The New York herald., 1922-09-03

am sure Of It Norah made that
noise to attract our attention. So
let's keep qu"-
She fell back in her chair. Her
eyes were glazed. The fashion of
her countenance was changed''-in-
deed 1t looked deathlike: and a
strange voice issuing from her mouth
began in even monotone to deliver q
homily on spirit conditions. The
substance Of the message was trite,
and the alleged or claimant sender,
whose identity was not revealed, was
rather tedious or prosy. although
very earnest Apparently the sender
was man That could be gathered
by the listener. His statement was
a diffuse paraphrase Of Lonsfellow's
more succinct and compact:
Life is real: life Is earnest
And the grave Is not its goal
Dust thou art: to dust returnest
Was not spoken Of the Soul
Some Power From Outside.
The speaker said we should live an
we can and as well as we can to the
limit Of our opportunities; at the
highest possible pitch Of endeavor
and attainment. The language used
was excellent Words were well
chosen and phraseology was good
Indeed the message sounded as If 1t
were being read from a dull book: so
exact was 1t and so far from CONVEX
sational in structure. The stuff in sub
stance and quality resembled
the str enuous life" Il
material Theodore
The New York herald., 1922-09-03

rasper, and there wasn't any knocker
1t was as plain an old
wooden door as ever was painted or
vanished. And there wasn't
anybody at it-that / could see.
The noise was evolved with such
provisional clarity and staccato def
initeness that when my hostess said
to me:
"That was a rap!"
1 misunderstood her, and my brain
eagerly but mistakenly grabbing at
the commonplace materialism in
which all our poor brains are edu-
Gated. I echoed, inquiringly. "a rat?'
No Such Thing as Dead.
1 am trying to report what hap
pened just exactly as it happened;
because / wish you to understand
that the orchestral accompaniment,
If there had been one, would not have
been Strings Pizzicati all the time.
The ridiculous seems to be the Mr..
Hyde of DIR. Jekyll the Sublime. and
the transition from one to t'other is
well. everybody knows about that,
so l won't amplify.
Along with my mistaken monosyl-
liable / projected to my friend wave
of pity, continuing to think in terms
of rodents.
Poor woman!" U mentalized)
living here all alone In this rat in
tested old hut"
No. No! Mo-" enunciated her
voice, in brisk and Mortified protest.
mot a rat I-said-a-RAP.
And 1 think It is Norah again. She
has been paying visits to me for a
week"
"Who Is Norah?"
My sister on the other side"
''The other side? You mean-ah
that is to SAYS she dead?"
mo, indeed, she is not dead! How
can she be dead when she is in the
room here with us and signaling to
us? There's no such condition as
dead Surely Christians should
know that. Jesus taught it explic-
lily and in 50 many words. saying.
That the dead are alive
mo; / tell you there's no such
condition as dead" in the usually
accepted meaning of that word.
'Norah hasn't her body. She has
learned to do without it But she is
alive-more alive than ever she was;
and Is more active than ever she was.
please don't go-I want you to
stay. Something Is about to happen.