davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

What does it mean-that?"
"Gino is a fine American" Luisa
repeated, proudly
To-day he carries the flag in the
boy scout parade to the Town Hall.
What do you think of that? Maybe,
too, some day he'll be President"
PRESIDENT" Pietro routed the
idea bitterly. mot Gino. He is too
poor"
HE was poor, too" protested the
boy, pointing to the sad man. No
body thought he would become a
President But he did. Miss Rose
says he became the greatest Of them
ALL"
Pietro smiled tolerantly.
II think, me-" he said irrelevantly
chat soon we go back home"
"The old country" Luisa's voice
bristled with scorn. what were
you at home, Pietro Tagalini? A
slave. Here you make more money
in week than you made in the old
country in a month. Some day may
be you'll own a fine big fruit store!"
II think we go back" Pietro re-
peated firmly. Half an hour later
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11
The Little Brown Bungalow
By Parke Whitney
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very happy, for he would tell Mel
ody Mari that he loved her. She
would be waiting for him under the
big tree, and glad, very glad, he
hoped. She would sing and talk.
That did not happen. He would
forget that he had seen her, lovely
and wonderful, in the arms of anoth-
er mana strange man. He would
forget the terrible ache that filled
his heart as he stood there, mute,
half dazed, and watched them. He
had left that behind him and had
gone away to lose himself in a whirl
of color and action. He had come
again to Flowerdale-older, but still
strong. He would stay there, al
ways. In simplicity, be could, he be-
1ieved, find big things to live for.
Slowly he opened his eyes. A
twittering bird darted past him, all
most brushing his arm with it's
wing. Leisurely he followed it's
course to the bluebird house. And
then, suddenly, he saw that the blue
bird house, which was red when he
went away, had been painted brown,
with a soft green roof. 1t looked
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

W AVN was upon Treadwell
Beach. Two persons moved
slowly along at the waters
edge. The one going east was a
young woman--a girl. The man,
who met her and passed her, was
young, too. In passing they had
looked at each other with some in
tentness. The girls lips had curved
to a smile and into her eyes had
come swift touch Of eagerness. The
man had raised his cap.
Along the waters edge they
walked. the man to the west and the
girl to the east. Before the girl a
cottage on hilltop was suddenly
bathed with gold, and she gave to
the sun merry welcome and turned,
looking back, to know if the man
had witnessed the wonder But the
man was facing the west. The girl
began to walk in the same direction.
She had picked up a stout stick and,
as she went, she leisurely poked at
rows Of seaweed and again into
crannies Of the rocks. She did not
know just when the man turned
about, but after a time she looked
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

up from her desultory labor to find
him coming toward her.
When he reached her this time, he
stood near her and took off his. cap,
tucking it out of sight in his folded
arms, before he spoke to her.
care you looking for something
that you've lost?" he asked, with
easy friendliness.
She glanced up at him with an ex-
preston of seriousness that was in
combat with the dimples in her soft,
pink cheeks. I'm just playing with
the seaweed and I love to poke
among the rocks, but I'm really
down on the beach to look for Billy.
I look every August"
BILLY? What's Bi1ly?" the man
asked, seeking a firmer footing upon
the sand.
Billy is a little boy I used to
know. mean he was a little boy
when 1 first knew him."
WAS that long ago?'l His eyes
narrowed and little lines came into
his forehead as he asked the ques-
ton
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

had disappeared he flung himself up
on the dry sand
Tell me about Billy" he said.
She dropped carelessly to the sand
beside him. Are you really inter-
ested in my looking for Billy? Well. "
with long breath. this is the last
morning, the last time, I'm ever go
ing to look for Billy"
Tell me about him. the man
persisted.
She clasped her hands over her
knees. BILLY was the incest boy
that ever lived" she began. when
his mother died he came here to live
with his grandmother. He was eight
years old and l was four. Father
kept the drug store here then. He
has drug store where we live now.
But that isn't about Billy, is it? Billy
and fell in love at first sight" She
threw out a little laugh that rippIed
over the water. The man began to
make a pyramid Of sand.
eve lived only a little way from
here" she said, with a wave of her
hand toward the road. Every day
we possibly could we were down on
this beach to play. Billy took good
care of me-" She paused for a mo-
ment.
"He was IA when his father took
him to the other side of the cont
nent. Before he went Billy and |
came here that Billy might say good
by to the beach. 1t was an extreme
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

VWR HERE was no sunlight in the
dismal basement room where
Pietro had gone at the urgent
invitation of the corpulent man who
answered to the name of Boss"
Heavy curtains shrouded the low
windows and an unpleasant damp
ness pervaded the place. On the ia
BILE between Pietro and Boss was
suffering candle, wedged into the
neck of a fat beer bottle. The for
eigner watched the shadow of the
fame as it danced grotesquely on the
whitewashed wall, and a nameless
fear chilled his blood. He scraped
his chair uneasily in the darkness.
what's the matter, Pietro?" de-
nanded Boss His heavy lips smiled,
but under the shaggy gray eyebrows
his cold, finty, eyes were sneering
gimlets. Don't like being in the
dark, do yep
Pietro shook his head with empha-
sis.
"No, Signor Boss" he replied,
cropping for the English equivalents
to express, his contempt Eat my
home ees always sunlight, ees al
ways warm. Here the wind freeze
the blood. You live in cellar where
ees no sun, no air. Ugg! Ees like
grove+no good!" Boss chuckled and
tapped the table with thick finger.
"Ain't it the truth?' he agreed
heartily. "It's rotten country. and
no mistake. And they call America
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

getting a single friend or servant.
And at the end his old servant and
his doctor pronounced themselves
witnesses to this peculiar yet char
acteristic will.
Mildred was crying softly. and
to think" she said, that an hour
ago was the unhappiest girl in the
world. Why, Keith" she confessed,
Il even doubted you, and I'm SO glad
you came before we discovered the
will"
Keith laughed. I'm wondering
what your aunt will say when she
finds that everything isn't just what
she had expected. I'll say one thing,
though, and that is that Uncle Mark
sure knew what I wanted"
me, too" said Mildred, shyly.
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

~ sorrowful occasion, because it was
my birthday, and we'd always had
such lovely times on my birthdays.
Billy was as solemn as solemn could
be and said that some birthday we'd
meet again on this beach, and then
we'd be old enough to get married
and I'd be his wife, and we'd never
have to part again. L think it was
because he was going away from a
place that he loved that made Billy
talk like that, for he wasn't the silly
kind"
do you think that was silly?"
asked the man. He had thrown over
his pyramid and was watching sea-
gull lowering over the rocks not far
from the shore.
For children, yes" the girl re-
turned quickly. "But something in
the way Billy said it made me re-
mSupeI dlIu lAIIAh ne u COnA0' NY
last four birthdays I've walked on
Treadwell Beach early in the morn
ing. Billy loved early in the morn
ing
The man was still watching the
gull on the rock.
I'm not coming any more to look
for Billy"
The man turned suddenly, reached
out and caught her to him. "You are
not coming any more to look for
Billy, because you've found him, eh,
Lydia?'
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

not now! 1t may have been once,
perhaps, when Marjorie Melody
Marj-was there to make it. Melody
Mari! Where was she and her low,
sweet voice now-her voice, so warm
and happy, and yet, he had learned
to know, so insincere?
The man suddenly closed his eyes
tight. He, had come back to where
memories of her were always before
him. But he would forget. He
would forget that she had given him
pain---that he had ever hoped. He
would forget the simple, sweet melo-
dies she used to sing to him and to
the little brown bungalow and the
bluebirds.
Yet, even as he vowed to forget, he
recalled. It made him feel older
than he looked-and alone, terribly
alone. There had been a moon-big
and yellow-and the smell Of grow
ing things, refreshingly fragrant,
after a Summer shower, was in the
air. He had gone down the lake
path to meet Melody Mari. They met
there always and sat close by the
quiet, blue water. He was happy,
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

fearing, half expecting, he looked
into her deep eyes. EYES," he said,
slowly, "and you-what made you
come-here? You surely didn't ex-
pect me?"
"You? Oh, no! You are never,
never here when come, Duff Nc
Keene!"
Her voice was gay--like it always
was-and yet, he though, sincere.
Was it that which gave him courage
to speak again? "But what made
you Gomez" he repeated.
She laughed again, a laugh that
was not, he was sure, all Joy. II
come every day-and sing, just as I
used TOTO the bungalow and the
birds and--you. You haven't seen
my pansies and the new color of the
bluebird house? I didn't like your
color scheme, Mr.. McKeene Red!
A red bluebird house in the midst of
that pink and yellow garden!"
"But what do you care about the
garden--about me?" asked the man,
almost fercely. 81 don't Under
stand you"
II don't understand you, either"
she replied, quietly.
AS she spoke, the man watched
the expression of her face change
from its gayness to sudden anger.
What did she mean? He had never
seen her face like that. Had he de-
ceived himself? Had he believed
wrong of her? Certainly not! He had
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11
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with clenched fists. She climbed the
stairs as if her feet were weighted
and had scarcely reached the top
when she heard the faint tingling of
the doorbell She had dismissed the
servants directly after the funeral SO
she hurried down, giving hasty
look in the mirror as she passed.
But it was not a sorrowfuI friend
Offering sympathy who greeted her,
but Keith-Keith Walls in the flesh,
who grasped her in his arms and
held her lightly for long, long,
while.
Il couldn't get here any sooner,
little sweetheart" he said, "and 1
knew all the time how hard every
thing must be for you here. And
you mustn't stay in this lonesome
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11
9SsIS 5c6tSzAS ES60Q

one found it sweetly familiar, yet
painfully strange, 1t looked like
some big, almost human thing this
empty house-his home. 1t seemed
to him as though it was almost ready
to speak to him; greet him, perhaps,
or tell him how it had spent the
long, long days alone.
YEARLY the man sat down on the
brown door step, A moment before,
gay butterflies had danced above it,
making feeting lacey shadows upon
its surface 1t was good to be back
in this secluded, quiet spot. 1t gave
him strength, he thought, and cour-
age. The hum of the bees, busy over
the wild, sprawling blossoms, came
dreamily to his tired ears. It soothed
his nerves. The same did the rus
Ting of the leaves in the wind and
crickets' hum. Somewhere, down
along the green slope. where the pas
lures were, he could hear the faint,
CHEEKY tinkle of a single cowbell
He fancied, too, that he could hear
chitdren's voices at play, and the
ripping of a little brook.
< Ha! But this was not paradise
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

land of the free. Amt that a scream
Pietro? The only guys that's free in
this country is the ones with the
dough. The others do as they're
told. See what / mean?"
Isl, signor," said Pietro, uncertain
ly. His troubled stare sought the
crazy, jumping shadow on the wall
and he thought it must be like the
chaos in his mind.
when | come to this countree,"
he volunteered after a pause, II buy
pushcart and sell banana. I make
fine money. Then everything is cost
high. The money goes. Only last
night, signor-"
The fat man flung himself oppor-
timely into the breach.
Don't l know?" he purred. "Old
Hewson raised your rent again. 9
Pietro confirmed the information
gloomily, "Sure-I thought so.
Leave it to guys like Hewson to bleed
you to the last drop. Him and that
skunk of a Mobray"
"Mobray!" Pietro, startled, re-
peated the name in shrill astonish-
ment. "Signor Mobray is YER fine
man. He buy my banana
Boss laughed rancorously.
"Sure he does" he admitted, with
cynical twist of his heavy lips.
t"And he sends flowers to the house
when the woman S sick, don't he?
,Sure-I thought woman S sick, don't
be? Sure-I thought so. Well,
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11
The Missing Will
NSSZsIag5ssNSTsIs56

had been changed would prob
ably be the last time they would ever
see the old house.
And then suddenly, to the intense
surprise of them both, the record
changed abruptly. Instead of the
round tones of the soprano the gruff
voice of Uncle Mark took up the re-
frain, as the song came to an end,
he recited the words of his last will
and testament
And to my beloved grand-niece,
Mildred N. Arris, 1 beQueath my
house and furniture. To my friend,
Keith Walls, I bequeath my grand
niece, Mildred Arris, and as a we'd
ding gift to them the money found in
the bottom of the old music cabinet"
So the dear voice went on, not for
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

place any longer. Get your things
and We'll get married to night. And
while you're getting ready I'll listen
once more to that record of dear
Uncle Mark s-remember-we three
used to listen to for hours?"
And so, while Mildred packed her
suitcases, she could hear strains of
I'm Ole Virginny" fill the little room
below. ut was dear of Keith to re-
member" she thought, and the old
tune seemed to bring Uncle Mark
very near.
The bright tears came to her eyes;
she had finished packing and was
standing beside Keith in the room
which was filled with memories of
the past. How happy the three had
been and how quickly everything
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11
By Monte Darrell
N9S5gS1awsox4S SgsGag56s

and am sure that he is happy now
if he knew how happy he has made
us. 1 wonder if he knows"
II am sure that he does" said
Keith. "And he isn't really gone
away, you know, because he will
talk to us any time we want him to-.
Dear old Uncle Mark"
And they put the record back on
the shelf with reverence.
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

~ LOWERDALE. 1t hadn't chang
ed at ALL 1t was the same
little brown bungalow with
its soft green roof and white doors.
Leafy trees and shrubbery grew
about it--the same trees and shrub
berry that had been there for years.
The path to the garden was still
there, the garden was there, too, full
Of roses and hollyhocks, sweetly
fragrant ones that swayed lazily in
the afternoon breeze. Maybe, the
same fleecy white clouds floated
above it and the same tiny blue
birds played about the bluebird
house that stood so straight on a
slender pole.
Duff Mekeene, the owner of the
little brown bungalow, Flowerdale,
had been away from it year; long
year OF, confused, whirling, cramped
city life 1t had not pleased him, so
he came back.
Eagerly, yet, slowly, the tall, dark
man, who was young in years but old
in his face. moved about the cottage
and the yard. Home again. Always,
he believed, when one came home
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11
.c%15z NgrGCs

the pocket of his trousers. The bills
there seemed to reach out and scorch
his fingers. He wheeled impulsively
and stumbled into a little park that
skirted the street.
There was deep pool in the very
center of the park. Pietro drew the
stiletto from his shirt and flung it
into the water. Then, as he turned
to leave the place, some instinct
caused him to look up and he saw
the face of the sad man, rugged and
homely in bronze, as it had been in
the portrait. But now, as he stared
at 1t, Pietro was sure he saw smile
at the corners of those stern, grim
lips The greatest of them all had a
smile of approval-for him!
Confused, ashamed. Pietro fell on
his knees before the statue and barred
his head.
Pardon, maestro!" he murmured.
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

seen her that night by the lake path.
But she was speaking to him now, in
her low, sweet voice-low and sweet.
but, he seemed to sense, firm, accus-
ing.
To-day is the first time you have
been here since that night waited
for you so long by the lake path.
You never came. You weren't even
here at this house. Nobody knew
where you went. Why? Why did
you go? Because you didn't care
as did carer"
"You-cared?" asked the man.
searching her face, as though he
feared to believe.
t"I cared SO much that I could not
forget. I came here every day even
though 1 was criticised for it. NV
brother came home from the West
the night waited for you; he came
by the lake path and found me. He
was glad that I was happy-with
you, but now he is angry because I
still cling to"
Melody Mari" cried the tall,
dark man. suddenly, taking both of
the girls slender hands in his own
strong ones, MELODY Mari! Forgive
me for having believed what I did;
sing to MISUNDERSTANDING!
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11
No Publicity.

Something should be done to dis
courage love pirates"
What would you suggest?"
ct would be a death blow to the
profession if the newspapers would
agree to quit publishing their PIC
lures"
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

Roses were formerly the symbol
Of silence, hence the Latin phrase
sub rosa" meaning under the rose"
and so "in confidence"
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11

$50 the father got the custody of
the daughter"
eyes. The court decided she was
not proper girl for the mother to
be in care of"
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-11
That
Horrible
Touch
By Margaret Taylor
G5Sgxgxg1EgagIgx2

A SOLITARY figure passe
"A quietly under the trees befor
the big gray house. The fl
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-01-05
DIVIDEND TIME

The dividends here referred q
are dividends on investment, not oRly
If money but investment Of wisdom,
patriotism, foresight. Thought Of ihess
dividends, now heing paid, is inspired
by the fact that only recently a quar-
ter Of a million dollars was paid hack
10 people Of this eilS, who a year age,
had the foFesigh. 10 begin saviRgl that
there will come from the redemption
NJ thrift stamps some sioA,0a0 10
people OF the city who felt they
should invest in those stamps, The
splendid part Of II Is that the iniangir
bic capital invested and uRan which
dividends are now being paid, remains
intact or is increased, even, Those who
had foresight year ago and four
years ago and bought stamps because
Of that foresight and sense Of duty,
have Just as much foresight, just as
strong a sense OF duty today as they
had then, II they care 10 draw upon
II.
And il is worth while remembering
that year from today two years
from today. there will be people who
will be receiving dividends because
OF thought taken today. Proerastina-
ton Is a uniyersarl failing, Thrift
started tomorrow is not as splendid as
that Of today. II there was ever an ex-
euse for the trite phrase 'Do II Now"
that excuse comes In connection with
this provision for the future and is
suggested by thought OF the deserving
ones who are. today renping the bene-
hts OF foresight OF the past. Tomorrow
Will be. tomorrow. the today in which
YOU will live. Prepare for II.
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-01-05
Is Years Ago Today
tTaken from Herald of that date)

James J. Toomey of South Man
chester was married in this city to-
day to Miss Annie Z. Post of Curtiss
street. The ceremony was performed
at st. Peters German Catholic church
at 10 o'clock. The bride was gowned
in ashes of rose silk, with astrakhan
and lace trimmings. She was attend
ed by Miss Amelia Heck. Patrick
Monahan acted as best man.
James M. Curtin has brought suit
against Andrew Olson for 500.
The New Britain polo team was de-
feated in New Haven last night. The
local team must have played dumpy
ALL
Every vehicle in town was on run
ners today. The additional fall of
snow during the night was a welcome
boon TO the horsemen for they look
forward to weeks enjoyment of
sleighing.
The present council met 81 times
in 1897, the mayor presided at each
one. The town clerk was present at
all but one and that was when he
was in camp with the militia.
The town of Southington has deed
ed to the city of New Britain the old
highway formerly on the north side
of Shuttle Meadow lake, but which
has since been incorporated in the
pond
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-01-05

answer to proposal of the prosecut-
ing attorney of Jolo. the sultan
home, submitted to the governor gen
eral and the secretary of justice, to
cancel the semi judicial powers which
the Mohammedan religion. laws and
customs give to the Sultan of Sulu as
Inherent to his office. The prosecutor,
who is Christian, asks cancellation
IF the sultan's power on the ground
that civil government established In
he Sulu archipelago is often in con-
lict with the use of this power. The
,ower referred to in the proposal is
he sultan's right to act as judge or
lrbiter on religious matters which
1arties concerned voluntarily submit
to him for decision and which chief
~ relate to marriage and divorce.
Senator Teopisto Guingona, who by
appointment of the governor general
represents the non-Christian tribes in
the Mountain province, also is OPP
posed to curtailment of the sultan's
powers, and has submitted a state
ment to the governor general against
the plan.
New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-01-05
POST OFFICE ADDITION

News of the report of a need OF
s225,000 for an addition to the Post
Office, made to Congress by Secretary
of the Treasury Mellon and Post
master General Work, is timely. If
there is any truth in the addage that
those are helped who help themselves,
the employees of our post office have
help coming to thcm-help in the ma
ture of improved paraphernalia and
conditions that would come with this
addition. The force, under Post
master Delaney, has done splendid
work in trying times especially The
tremendous increase in the business of
the Office cannot we'll be appreciated
until an inspection of the place has
been made and facts showing the
necessity for more room. The force
cannot continue long to work well
under this pressure, handicapped in
ways that would be rectiied with the
coming of the addition. Certainly New
Britain's patronage OF Uncle Sam de-
serves recognition by him. The ad-
dition is not here, but the news of the
report mentioned comes at a time
when the recent big business of the
post Office here and the work of the
splendid force justifies favorable COM
ment.