davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

was doomed--he could see that at a glance.
 And even as he looked, the body of Johnson's wife. hair and clothes afire, came staggering out of the smoke blackened hole of the door.
 She fell on her knees on the ground outside. rolled in the dust to eX- sprang to her feet again, screamed ."My baby, my baby" and staggered back in the nav of death.
 Minor took it all in at glance. then raced toward the burning build ing.
 He almost capsized when he made the turn into the Johnson yard, and slammed on his brakes when near to the house and left the machine with amazing speed.
 Without a moments hesitation, he went to what might be his death. , He couldn't see for the smoke. He couldn't breathe. Remembering something he had one time read, he dropped to his hands and knees where the air was better and crept along in search of whoever he might find.
 He felt that his lungs must burst with the holding Of his breath, but he kept on, wondering where the woman had gone, where the child might be she was supremely intent on saving.
 Little tongues of flame licked down through burnt openings in the ceiling-reached down and sought to engulf him, to set his clothing on fire as they had those of the woman be- fores him. They cast lurid glare through the smoke laden room. dimly revealing it in outline when the smart of the smoke permitted him to look.
 Ap1 in tact with something soft and yielding and hot. A chill went through him despite the heat of the room. He knew what it was-it was the body of man or woman-too large for that of a child-with the smoldering cloth flesh soaring in the intensity of it's heat.
 He threw caution to the winds and seized the body in his arms-stag- gered from the room into the open and deposited on the ground-the expiring remains of Mrs. Johnson.
 Others had come upon the scene. Subconsciously he glmpsed them racing frantically in at the gate.
 He turned and dashed back into the house
 Stopping low. he ran first to enc room then the other, on the ground floor, exploring hurriedly by sight where he could, by feeling otherwise the places where a body mig ght be.
 The fire itself was raging upstairs The upper floors were threatening to fall in at any moment He wondered abe ut the stairs and what was taking place in the rooms that led from the landing at their top.
 He knew the answer-nothing alive could exist up there. Johnson and the child-well, what was Johnson and the child-would probably be found up there-alongside himself, he mentally added, as he turned and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
Eighteen To TWenty-0ne

This is the age when love seems real, vital. the only thing worth while, Girls are very apt to fall in love with the middle aged or elderly man and boys always manage to fall in love with widow in the thirties or a smart diVtrcee.
 The girl will tell you with dreamy eyes that she prefers q man of at least 10 because sine likes the com panionship of the older man, the de- veloped mind. Boys bore her to death, they only like to dance and spoon but the older man is so sophis- ticated, finished and interesting. He talks of business, people, books and things worth while. And so pretty Genevieve runs around with bald headed man and imagines she has found her perfect love. If he pro- poses at just the right time she may snap him up, but if he waits until she
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

"All right"
 Its unkind of you," said Beryl
 The schoolmaster did not see that she was struggling with a queer emo- tion, that her face had gone quite White again, that there was q scared look in her eyes. He only laughed when Aubrey came into the room with his hands in his pockets whistl- ing softly looking rather sheepiS-- not glancing over to where the gin stood, with her eyes averted from him.
 If you two children will run away and play for half-an-hour 1 shal. be extremely obliged to you. And no quarrels, if you please"
 It's a bit of flag" said Aubrey, but still, if it's any use to you"
 It was not gallant way of ask ing girl to play tennis with him.
 T haven't the least desire to play" said Beryl. "But as We have been Henry Trant laughed at both of them.
 Of course. I'm an ogre. and. Of course, a game of tennis is a horrible torture on d beautiful evening and q velvet lawn, with q pretty girl on one side and a good looking ladon the other. But these sacrifices have to to be made
  Just as you like" said Beryl.
 The youngef Trant held the door open for the girl to pass out
 T shall have finished in half an hour" called out Henry.
 A few moments later. as he sat the desk again, he saw them crossing the quadrangle towards the tennis lawn. They were not speaking to each other.
 The schoolmaster sighed. It was an extraordinary thing that Aubrey, who was generally so gallant, should be such a bore with Beryl. He could not understand it. However, the Latin exercises had not yet been corrected. He bent over them again and iabbed his pen in the ink.
 For 20 minutes he worked with a concentration of mind. Young Halli- days paper was frightful. He thrust his fingers through his hair after reading the first sentence. The boy would never be able to consume the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

Jed Minor carefully examined the gun he was holding and clicked his teeth together with sullen frown. He had been insulted and-well he just learned about the insult. Hence the polishing of the gun, the oiling of it's mechanism, the slipping into place of d clip of shells.
 lie would show Old Man Fuller that he couldn't take liberties with his good name. He would make him retract or
 He didn't quite complete the thought in words, but intangbly it was there, menacing, red in it's potentiality, darksome in the visita- ton it foreboded old Man Fuller, as he had called him.
 Fuller lived down the lane, some three or four miles distant. He was d farmer like himself-a tiller of the soil--a man, head of family, who ought tC know better than to risk his life, saying unkind things about the bachelor, Jed Minor.
 Jed had been sweet upon Old Man Fuller's daughter. to be sure, and had cause to consider his regard fully reciprocated. But-and Minor gritted his teeth-no one could accuse him of doing the things Fuller said he done, without swallowing it and saying he was sorry.
 There was no chance Of getting the girl now of course. Fuller had seen to that. Well, if he couldn't get the girl, he could get Fuller-that is, if Fuller refused to retract. The man had lied and
 Minor jerked hat off the hook on the back of the kitchen door, pulled it onto his head, stuck the pistol in his shirt. where it rested against the tight-drawn belt that encircled his ut of 10 a l. most on run.
 He cranked his flivver and sped out of the yard onto the street. Then he turned in the direction of Full ler's house.
 The wind blew gale and he travelled in his own dust This didn't assuage his anger. If anything his choler mounted. He'd fix him. he would. He'd show him no man could lie about him and get away with it;
 His eyes were fixed on the road before him.
 He sped along at terrific rate.
 And then something caught his eyes. So powerful was the attrac- tion that he partly closed the throt- tie that he might look without danger of turning turtle.
 On his left was the Johnson resi- dence. The Johnson's were niue peo- ple-just the two Of them. with their year-and- a half old baby. A happy trio if there ever was one.
 A piercing shriek came to his ears blood curdling, terrible in its agony-that portrayed agony of mind as well as body. He saw and un- derstood.
 The Johnson home was afire.
 Great flames were leaping out of the upper windL ws--snoke was is- suing from the open door. The place
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
By c. P. Wilson

regard the instructions given by the boss and load out what loose coal he had before he retimbe the room neck. It was safe enough at the loading and Johnnie never missed a chance to make all the money he could.
 As Big Ed cautiously moved down the entry toward Johnnie's room, he was cool and calm as though he was pipe full of tobacco. He planned to take Johnnie unawares, knock him unconscious with the sledge and place him under the bad pies of white top. Then he intended to Jar the rock loose with his sledge He judged that the piece weighed at least two tons and when two tons drop six feet and hits 8 man it m "a ns finlS for him. No one would ever sus. pect that Johnnies death was any. thing but accidental.
 When he reached the mouth of Johnnie's room, Big Ed put out his light. He could see Johnnie's lamp. moving like will-o-the- -wisp, as he worked, loading his second car. Grip ping his sledge firmly in his right hand, Big Ed began to cautiously creep toward his victim.
 Every man on the entry heard the piece of white top when it fell and came running to see what the trou- ble was. Working like men possessed, performing superhuman feats of strength they removed the roc', from tine limp form that lay beneath it.
 Tt was all my fault,' sobbed John nie Burke, gazing down at the body of his friend. If I had set those props like the boss told me it wouldn't have happened Big Ed must have been coming to me about something when the fall caught him"
 The trap mad caught the man who set ii
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

hurt you. wouldn't it? It would hurt you badly"
 Ut would hurt me so much that I should see no more use in life, sweetheart" The man spoke the words solemnly. with great pain in his eyes. Why conjure up such awful thoughts? Is there thunder storm brewing? Both you and Au- brey are in the Valley of Doleful Dumps today"
 Then he came close to the girl, and took her head in his hands, and kissed her on the forehead and smiled into her eyes.
 He turned around and glanced at his papers on the desk with a whim- sical air of perplexity.
 "I shall get into trouble about those Latin exercises. With Love calling me one way, and Duty the other--''
 You would always follow duty" said Beryl. Suppose I tempt you? Come out and play d game of tennis with me-"
 She stretched out her hands to him; but he shook his head dole fully, with a comical grimace.
 Cant be done. Those internal exercises,"
 "There!" said Beryl.
 But l tell you what can be done. said Henry Trant. T will provide partner for you-a young man who would be all the better for a | game of tennis"
 He went to the door and shouted ont:
 Aubrey! Aubrey. old man." "Hullo!" was the answer "Beryl wants game of tennis with you"
 For some reason the girl became agitated, distressed.
 No, not with Aubrey. IT don't want to play with him this evening. Please, Harry"
 He pinched her ear, and called out again. Coming, Aubrey?" There was moments silence. Then a voice answered sulkily:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

L. meet many difficult problems of life. If she is fortunate enough to marry man who is good provider and true to her, her marriage is very apt to prove a happy one.
 The girl of eighteen also meets the man of twenty who may still have to finish his college cC urse or establish himself in business. She is willing to wait two or three years for him and usually continues her own studies or goes to business until he
 is ready to marry. But the average modern girl of eighteen does not mary or even know the name of the man she is to marry at so early an age, Girls are too busy running after careers and fat salaries today to as sume q wedding ring and all it's re- responsibilities. They usually fall in love with the older man. drift along for few years and when they have just about made up their minds to he bachelor girls and enjoy that fat little pay envelope all the rest of their lives, along comes their Prince Charming and they either give up their jobs of else help Friend Illus band along until he gets on his feet.
 Eighteen is wonderful age to fall in love and dream, but it Is always better to wait several years and be certain the right man is there.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
By J. B. Smith

Fuller, wht' had risked his own life that he, Jed Minor. might live. At Fuller-the man who had lied about him. It was mystery as great a S he had ever known. Some thing of it's puzzlement must have shown in his blistered face, for Gladys said:
 Father learned that it was not true what he said about you. Some one had lied to him. And we were on our way over to see you, when when"
 "You-yCu mean?" said Minor.
 "1 mean-shes yours if you want her, Jed. I'm sorry l told her what l did-I thought it was the truth I know different now-I-you're a man, Jed, and I'd be proud to own you as a son-in law. I've seen enough" He reached out his hand.
 Jed took it.
 Then Gladys spoke: And the baby, Jed--well have to take care Lf It. now that-that they're gone"
 "As our own," he promised.
 "AS our own," she acuuieSced
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

fault was with the mother herself. It makes no difference how wealthy one is, every girl should be taught how to earn her own living if neces- sary This is preached about q great deal but not as often practiced.
 Time changes many things and no one can ever know when Dame For tune will turn her back on you and you are left tC' shift for yourself
 The safe thing to do is to be in a position to help yourself. Every girl should know some trade or profess sion. l know young woman whose father was very rich indeed, and who for pleasure learned how to be q stenosrapher and a typist in order to help her father when they went away for the summer.
 This girl afterwards found herself in destitute circumstances, having married a ne'er do-well husband and she was forced to support herself and her child. Many a time this woman told me how happy she vas that she did not have to seek aid from rich relatives who might make her feel she was an object of charity.
 It is bad enough not to know how to make your own living. but to try to live even beyond your means or on those of somebody else is q har- rowing existence indeed,
 Every girl can learn something,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

ready to strike. Then ne sat down to patiently wait the coming of the driver.
 When the driver had pulled his load and delivered his empty, Bis Ed picked up his sledge and started for his buddy's room d short dis tance from the entry. He knew that the driver wouldn't return for at least half an hcur and he figured that il wouldn't take him over five minutes. To at she most to accomplish his purpose.
 Ever since Johnnie Burke. his lifelong friend. had married Kitty Moody, the germ of murder mad fer mented in Big Eds brain. A mere whisper at first 1t had grown steadi- ly,, crowdinS out the loyalty and affection he had felt for his friend, and filled his mind with an over towering lust 10 kill
 Before coming to Perryville he and Johnnie had been tramp coal diggers, floaters, working first in one place together, went to jail together, fought together. Sometimes they worked two or three months in the sam place. saving their money Gnly to spend it during a big spree. Then they moved on to another mine.
 Kitty Moody changed all that. They met her when they went to board at her fathers house in Pcrryvilo. Both tell ill love with her and after a strenuous courtship. Johnnie won out As rivals they had still remained friends.
 And after marriage, Big Ed ap- parently thought as much of his bud dy as he ever had. He loved Kitty better than anything in the world but the full force of her loss did not come to him at once Being a vain-glorious man he imagined that she would soon tire of Johnnie and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

Is a little older, Us many wise parents advise him to, GeneVieve usually finds that Tom or Bll or Harry look pretty good to her some moonlight night when they ride around in their ears for her and--woll, she announces her engagement and you feel sorry for old fat, unfair and forty.
 And as to flashing Dick. the eight teen or twenty -one -year-old chap, who tells you the mature woman ap- pcals to him-well, he nearly always manages to escape and marries some petite blond very near his own age. Dick will tell you that girls don't interest him at all He will tell you they paint and powder and pet and what he wants is d womanly woman
 For time pretty widow or some gay diNoreee holds him Spellbound but when he boldly declares his ad- miration for her some romantic eve ming and she pats his cheek and calls him dear boy who must wait for d girl his own age, he wakes up and goes out to find that very girl.
 Eighteen. for 6 girl, freQuently proves an age when love means much. Sometimes she is fortunate enough to meet a man several years her sen for who proves to be the right man for her. At this age she is naturally domestic, fond of children and willing
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

and the couple became more and more engrossed with each other. he began to realize that Kitty was toU much m love with Johnnie to ever turn to nm. It was then that the thought Of murder began to occur to him.
 He made no attempt tn try to eltmi- nate such thought from his mind His desire for Kitty was the para mount issue of his existence. It en- Ncleped him, took complete possession Of him, caused him to deliberately plan the murder of his best friend.
 lie thought, with Johnnie out of the way that Kitty would turn to hiiu, What would be moro natural than for her 10 rely upon her hus- bands friend in her hour of need. IL would take time probably year or more. but Big sd was willing to wait. By being kind to her, sym pathizine with her and doing in- numcrable small fayors for her, he thought that he could gradually edge himself into her life until she for mulated q genuine affection for him.
 lie knew that she must never sus- pect that he had anything to do Wlth JohnnleS death. If she had even a faint suspicion of such 8 thing, she would always hate him. So he had waited uNtll circumstances were Just right for him to commit the crime without a chance of detection.
 Before they had gone below that morning, the face boss had eau tioned Johnnie about passing under a piece of white top that hung over his room neck. lie was instructed to timber it well before he loaded any coal. White top in coal mine is a rock formation that is as trcacherous as flash of lightning. Slabs of it weighing tons cling to the roof in- definitely or they may fall at any time without warning.
 Big Ed kDav1+ Iobuufc urould ,li.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

something for which she will be best fitted to make her own way in the world when it is necessary, and the mother who does not insist upon it usually pays for 1t later, as this mother the subject of my article, IS now doing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
The Accident

Having decided to kill man, aft CT months of deliberation, Big Ed Murphy went about it systematically. lie had waited more than year for an opportune time to present itself and now, when everything pointed to the successful carrying out of his plan, he did not intend to have any nasty action of his own inter- fere with it. It was q simple plan. Big Eds mentality was not capable of conceiving one of complicated nature. But it would answer the purpose of one more elaborate, and results were what he wanted.
 Big Ed was q coal miner. Ever since he was a boy he had worked in coal mines fought for a mere eX- istence until he grew strong enough to take care of himself; lived in cheap boarding houses and dissipated whenever he had enough money lie had no conception whatever of mo- rality. He followed the lines of leas. resistance. never giving tomorrow a thought.
 On this particular morning, Big Ed loaded his first ear leisurely, the great muscles of his arms and back working like a well balanced piece of machinery. While waiting for the driver to pull his load, he calmly went about preparing for his crime
 He took fivepound sledge, one that he used for wedsing of shots, and swung it back and forth, test ing his accuracy by shattering big chunks of coal. Having satisfied himself that his aim was good, he carried the sledge to his powder box at the mouth of his room Taking watch from his pocket he placed it carefully beside the sledge The deep silence of coal mine intensi- flies sound and Big Ed did not intend to have the ticking of a dollar watch betray his presence when he was
El Imparcial. (San Juan, P.R.) 1918-197?, 1923-04-20
La Huerfanita en- ell
"America"

Esta noche sc estrena en- ell popu-
lar teatro America, la production ci-
nematografica que tiene revuelto a to-
do el p1blico de San Juan. .Esa Huer-
fanita tan mentdda es algo exquisite,
una yerdadera joya de Ia pantalla que
va dar mucho que decir, V que va
tener dfas tras dfa llenos dc bote en-
bote a todos los teatros donde Sc pro-
yecte.
Tan fina sutilt novela cinemato-
grafica ha sido el encanto de todas
las chicas de Paris, que han tenido pa
ra Ia gentilfsima artista rusa q. la in
terpreta un verdadero scntimiento de
adoraci6n.
La delicada emoci6n de tan intere-
sante drama no Sc bora jamas lie la
mcmoria de los phblieOs
Esta noche, la casa j. A. Giusti "
Co.. afiadird un laurel mas los mu-
chos que va tiene conquistados
El Imparcial. (San Juan, P.R.) 1918-197?, 1923-04-20

prestarle una oportunidad a un compa-
hero, para confiarle mis- ideas polfti-
cas-, no solamente influye Ell clio ell
scntimiento de la cortesfa. 81 no los
deseos de dejarme oir tai cual soy,
como usted y todo ell pals me conoce.
--Adclante.
-Pues3s para trabajqr por ell Spafs, y
mientras que ha de llegar 81 tempo de
nuestro ideal polftico, para conseguir
enmiendas nuestra carta organfra elr
un sentido smas liberal, no 1ecesita-
mos tusiOnngnos, nj. destruir Partidos,
nj formar otros nuevos para clio bas-
ia con que de un modo cordial nos una
mos todas las fracciones polfticas y las
fuezas vivas del pals en'el trabajo que
es forzoso hacer en Washington, para
conseguir las enmiendas deseadas.
Pero el Partido Republicano no acep-
tara nunca fu$iones, porqie 10 l0gico
serfa que ell Partido Unionista vinie-
Sc a 6l, una vez que ha aceptado su
principle polftico.
-Pero es que Tous V Soto declare
que, en- la racasada-fuerza mayor
conferencia de Barranquitas, estos con-
ceptos partidaristas dcdso de una vez
Y para siempre hubiesen quedado abo-
lidoS.
-Tengo entendido que nunca Sc pro-
yect6 una fusion; sino una leal inteli-
gencia entire los partidos, para selec-
cionar los mcjores ,hombres para los
cargos pdblicos, dondequiera que es-
tuyiesen. inspirandose dnicamente
en- ell nobilfsimo prop0sito de probar a
la Naci0n la alta capacidad moral
mental de Puerto Rico. El partidaris-
mo mat6 este noble prop6sito.
-iY no fue, mas bien, la muerte de
Don Luis?
-Seguramente porque la indiscu-
tible autoridad de aquel hombre entire
los suyOs Y los nWestrOs, hubiera hecho
triunfar su polftica de confraternidad.
-;Y por que no ahora
-; Resucftelos a eHos dos, 81 usted
puede.
-Pero es el case que con usted ocu-
IRE 10 que con otrcs j6yenes del pals,
que ell pals en- hombres como usted tie
me-. ic6mo dir6?... simpatfa, con
fianza...
-iY no fue, mas bien. la muerte de
Don Luis?
-Seguramente: porque la indiscuti-
bic autoridad de aque lhombre entire