davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

"Divvil a bit. said Francis Xavier.
"You let him alone. Just wait and
see
But there followed a scene with
which O'Rourk was also familiar.
The pitiful old woman arising ma
jestically, refusing to say words to
her daughters husband that burned
her tongue, taking down her shabby
coat, her hat, while her brood-ali
girls-sobbed at the windows in the
odd little whine of children's
frightened sorrow, her old hands
shaking, tears slipping quietly down
her cheeks-all about new dress
for her, indeed, thought ORourk.
Suddenly he stalked to certain
drawer in the back room. The old
mans gun was truly gone. With
narrowed eyes and mouth still grim.
O'Rourk seemed to suffer change
of heart.
Take off your hat" he said gruf-
fly to the old woman and went out
the front door, leaving her leaning
weakly against the frame. In an
hour he bas back. But the old man
was not with him.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03
By Mary Blake Woodson

crafty. furtive suspicion at the
back of his eyes. He had never APP
proved of ORourk. O'Rourk smiled
blandly.
Here's gun" he sal adgain,
briskly.
A bit uncertainty, the old man
finally took the gun. He looked at
it dazedly. Quite without knowing
It, he squinted an eve and looked
down its muzzle. 1t was real all
right. Heiplessly, hopefully, then.
he oked at the ingrates and they
rushed a him again. But, some
how, O'Rourk was squarely before
him and had backed him into cor
ner.
"Would you-stand there and-let
me-shoot myself?" demanded the
old man at length, a trifle shakilv-
Sure II it seems the thing to do.
Help Yourself grinned O'kourk
| eheerfully.
Just stand there and let me-
| demanded the old man with a
strange mixture of fear and bluff and
self-pity and rage.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03
WILD BILLS LAST SPREE

keep my word. She never cared for
always ! have. You know there's
other things in life beside racing,
You're just off on the wrong foot.
Take SOME of that coin you're vast
Ing and lstart round the world in
this car-With me. The first thing
that looksNgood, buy II get into
decent business, marry me and set
tie down and try the other side of
life for a while. If it's no go--you
can step out any day, say I'm
hrough-gooh- and good luck
and you won'tShear a word from me.
If it pans out-well who knows2
Anyhow-Pm willing to try-and III
stick-and 1 keep my word"
The blue car, slowed down to a
creeping race. tBill looked at the
girl with eyes and brain cleared by
the shock of what she was saying
He saw lowell pr person than he
knew sat beside him. He saw truth
and firm conviction in her eyes. He
saw love of him THAT he had never
seen in the eyes of the girl Kelly
stole. Kelly! Suddenly he laughed
uproariously He stepped on the gas
tho great car ros,red and leaped
ahead; and Wild BIN yelled over his
shoulder:
well! That's one lkind of spree
I've never tried! TheS only Kind at
that. But Al try anything once.
You're on-let's go!"
He was still laughing when the
justice of the peace ened slcepiiy
over the words that made them one,
hours later. The girls sace was set
She had made a grandsaand play
but she was not afraid toNrace it out
with him.
There's a quiet little town in the
west where business is booming UNI
der the hand of a keen eyed. clear
Drained chap. Everybody in town
swears by him and loves I've ground
he walks on He has wire that he
wouldn't take all the kingdoms OF
the world for. and who RULES his
life with her slightest smile. He has
two children that are the pride OF
his heart. and that he would sell his
soul to hell for tomorrow. he leads
a cool. sane, steady life that many
man points out as top worthy ex-
istence for example to his growing
sonsN
Wild Bill WATSON is still on> his
last spree.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

O'Rourk dashed UP the steps of his
father-in-law house in answer to
a frantic telephone call from his wife.
She met him, drenched with tears
and trembling with terror.
"Oh. Francis Xavier, it's father"
she walled. Hes gone. Here's a
note-oh. Frank, go save him for
US"
Mechanically, O'Rourk read the
crumpled, tear-stained misslve.
us there a hell? I've gone to find
out" the old man had written. "Oh.
he's done it by this time. I know 1t.
know it," sobbed the old woman,
wringing her calloused hands.
O'Rourk's mouth suddenly set In
variably the old man committed
suicide when he was cross or angry
or things went wrong. 1t was his
witty little way of enjoying himself
and getting his way in the end, way
he accepted languidly, mourntully
and with a touch of cendescenslon.
Three times had cid man committed
suicide in the six months ORourk
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

to make an impression upon the
pretty young widow was largely due
to the presence of her young son.
The boy had conceived a violent dis
like for the coarse hammered Rus
sian, which he was at no pains tC
hide and the Russian. while cajoling
with him in the presence of the wom-
an, cursed him in his heart. Fer even
the most callous feel the indignity
of a chld's intuitive dislike.
1t was noon. lunch time, and no
one but the Russian paid any at
tention to the child. who played be-
hind a cordage close to the rail and
the swift running sea The Russian
glanced about and saw his opper-
tunity. He did not know that the
tweed clad man gazing from the up
yer deck saw him as he Joined the
child behind the cordage. one slip
of those awkward little feet, a push,
on pretence of grasping him-and
the obstacle to the Russians court
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

to beg him to delay the fatal deed
to snatch him from the brink of the
grave or bring comforting proffers
of new black hat He ran his
fingers through his hair. agonized.
and stalked through the family
ranks. And as they fell back before
his balefui mein, his eyes looked
balky, mean, furtive like an ill
natured horse about to lay back his
ears and bite at nothing.
Eve just been thinking it all out"
he announced holloway. Il wanted
to be sure. I know now it's right
that I pass On out of your way |
came for my gun" ORourk smiled
grimly. He knew it still reposed
| safely in the area way. THE father
of a family of ingrates," cried the
old man. waving his arms In
CRATES! Where is my gum"
With shrill beseechings, the in
CRATES fell on him, of course, but
O'Rourk brushed them aside.
Here's a gun" he said briskly,
"Just help yourself"
The old man was palpa bly, some
what taken aback. He eyed O'Rourk
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

US in her most profane, obscene
language.
She got on my nerves. 1 began to
cry for the first time. Maria kept
telling me to stop. l couldn't step.
so she cried too. Then one by one
the rest began to cry. The entire
floor, crying, soObinE like children
who've been put TO bed for being
naughty ! don't know of any place
where more uniform crying is done
than in prisons. At funerals some
CIR. But in prison everybody cries
togeth.r, in simultaneous harmony,
We all wept over ourselves. w hat
poor devils we We're!
A Hostage For her Lover.
On the day ] appeared to h We my
trial set, Mr.. Cassese's lawyer asked
me- if | wished him to represent me.
That was the only assistance [ had
that | knew of.
had prayed that Cassese would
not hear of my predicament lest he
give himself away and be caught.
That was my one worry. | felt as II
were held as a sort of hostage for
him.
At last the night before tie trial
Yes, rather excited ] was | thought
of what l must do and then | forced
myself to sleep, for l wanted to be
equal to the ordeal | had lost some
weight.
The next morning 1 dressed in my
fresh white clothes and felt better
Then as l always do when l smoke a
lot, l put my cigarette in long
white holder. Women are per-
mitted to smoke in jail. With many
things on my mind. strolled listless-
ly out into the main corridor OF the
prison smoking. a matron saw me
and said:
Put that cigarette down."
"Have your orders been changed?'
| asked.
Well. don't smol:1 in my pres
ence," she retorted quickly.
why not? l think [ need a
cigarette this morning" l couldn't
be bothered with mere discussion OF
cigarette. Just then I heard this
"A letter for Miss Edith Ste, ems
My first letter in prison, my first
letter in six weeks.
Antonio Cassese had sent me a
letter saying, Font worry, you'll
come out all right. Call me at --
when you get out"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03
The Morning OF My Trial

home from there and that she need
not expect me back.
These men took me to the Tom bs-
down 10 the Iombs by the Bridge OF
Signs; l suppose the Bridge OF signs
mas peeh written ABOUT TOO many
times alreaoy' ana shall not at
tempt 10 uescrloe my 1eelines at the
sight OIL the eIoomy arch OF tears
only as droVe there, was CON
scIous OF a great depression. now
niue II nau an come TO: Inc queen
Of 'he rum runners lhe priue OF
aIi-noW 'nis IsnoinIny, LIE nag
siVen me such prIef moment OF
eaI mn udPpIntSs' lnese th' w lils
ehaseu themselves through my urea
W pa. an as l VI rove III me taAl win my
Nv ~ esCort Us. t-lrousn the heaIt OF
NHi,ilatoWn, through tne mldst OF the
,' whose llghts l couIo see
mere anu lhere.
.
hailcn Anger.
| was duly entered on the records
! OF the jail, listed with the other te-
male inmates VINO mad not kept the
| law.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03


youth sat heavily upon Wild Bill
-. vou+b and the things of
w asso"' .,zso .rd fol,y
Youth-whlch are "lsuoiii anu i''''
sorrow and joy. love and ennui, and
.ha .ssence of learning. Just now
~ ,;, NOT 70 bis
Wild Bill was ieain'ns '"N
taste, exactly-but learning, ior an
Ito.
ia, .,o hin, down He
HIS girl hao 'hio" nm
hated that. But what ne hateo WORSE
was tbe fact that she had thrown
g.. ~ ,,a.s,v Kelly who
MN dowh ior .re nv zee he 60 Via rs
hadh the eoui's ~
he. His career in lie was WrecNeu-
inst as his motorcycle had been
$500 ~ tah last race He Law
"recheo l" A.
flat on his PACK anu s'dreo ae INC
ceiling of the little hospital room
-, t,,,nht Ius tbouaht wasn't
anu '-o .,oa rho
putting MN IN pieasah' naooui ~ ~
doctors mad sad ms Knee "puiu p ,t
crippled all his days-sooa INNS ~
was the LETT one. IL ne nauh ~.
that skid he wouid cer'aiity 10 =
walked away Win nihe tiaoe.a =.
dollars in his pocket p erteo.i,S
good pair or legs ana pei
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

| she demanded.
II wish ] knew" he retorted.
"When we get back to civiilzatlon
| I shall certainly remedy it" she
snapped Thank heavens, divorce
hasn't been prohibited yet
They were both silent, he staring
| out at the rolling blue sea, she pre-
tending to read but striving desner-
ately to keep back tears of anger
and hurt Neither had ever serious
| " contemplated separation before
They had been deeply in love when
they married.
2-ROCK BOTTOM -. -. -.
II had hoped it would be differ
Kent" Allan said after awhile. Il
Thought marriage with you would be
lone of those rock bottom sort OF
Mas evidently wrong. There isn't
uny bottom to your character or love,
Cmly shifting sand"
She did not hear the regret in his
V bice for the clamor of her wounded
vanity.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

Gin this chapter Edith Stevens, the
spirited young beauty, who defied
law and convention, tells of spending
a sleepless night among screaming
women prisoners-how he morning
of her trial dawned For the first
time she tells the inside story,of what
happened in the court room. Ia one
corner sat Stevens Hirsch, herr hus-
band; in another corner sati Mrs.
Cassese. What will they say?t On
the second day of her trial for rum
running, she is acquittod.D
The Morning Of My Trial.
In all my colorful eXperience--the
mutiny of crews-faeing death\ at
sea-running the gamut of 'the
revenue Understanding at all
hours of the day and night with
desperate charat ers-in all my
hectic" life as Queen of Rum runners
| have never encouraged any situa :
tion that compl. ed in mental anguish
with the period at which this chapter
opens. l shall not go into it in de-
tail-as too many women have done
SO before me.
When [ holly told Antonio Cassese,
my millionaire rum-runn1ng asSoci-
ate, L would not follow him to Jack
sonville, | didn't mean what / said
at all He said lie would wire me.
He did from the train several times,
! later found out, but ] didn't re-
ceive his wires. Finally from jack
sonyile l got the following message
Shall 1 wait here or proceed?'
a.-wared. b. that was all. I
waited for days, hour by hour. Days
legenthened into wee I nearly
worried my landlady to distraction
asking her = | had received tele-
gram
Then I knew something had hap
pened What, l could not conjecture.
l was completely lost. Perhaps he
doesn't care. What then? What
then? l kept repeating to myself. l
wandered about New York. l was
trained by this time to keep myself
under cover as much as possible.
did not tell even my sister where l
was living Once in while l would
turn up at her apartment.
One day l returned to my room and
found that Joe, Mr.. Cassese's sup
posedly trustworthy chauffeur, who
had been arrested for rum running,
had been in my room with an officer
and ransacked my things. Many OF
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03
Rock Bottom

little tyke" protested Allan.I It's
hot as the devil down in the ssteer-
age.
children annoy me-" yawneda Ju-
liza and opened a novel.
you're so utterly Selfish" hurst
out Allan.
you know very well 1t isn't lthe
child you're thinking Of" sneered
Julia. It's yourself He amuSes
you, evidently more than l do"
AT least he doesn't tell me I'm va
bore and utterly worthless loafer as
you do"
well, aren't your" she asked
coolly. What have you ever done
for anybody. or for that matter, for
yourself, since you've been here?
Except spend your fathers millions!
Nothing but win a few champion
ships for swimming and polo"
when 1t comes to that, what have
YOU to your credit" demanded her
husband. athletic cups, instead of
children"
"rhey why did you marry me-"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03
The

had been in theA family. Three times
had O'Rourk seen the family In the
throes of premature mourning. They
were not pleasant throes.
whats it all. ,about?" demanded
ORourk, crumpli ot the note.
"Why, mother-YShe wanted new
dress and poor fssther-he'd counted
On "a black t. And mother in
sisted and sided with heron,
Frank, he-he thought we didn't love
him any more. Hes told US so-oh,
father father"
The old woman added her quiet
sohs to the outcry.
IF he's looking f'pr hell let him
find It," snorted O'Rourk, suddenly
"Oh, no, Frank! 80 find him
please, quick implored his wife
frantically. But O'RtuTk set his lips
harder 1t was an expression Mrs
O'Rourk was acquainted with. ii
having been primarily the reason
why she married o'Rourk.
THAT / will not voc1ferateo
O'Rourk. loudly.
"Why-Francis-X aviere--O Rourk
whispered the old woman-t
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03
them had been taken away.
o o O
A Horrible Month.

them had been taken away.
o o o
4 Horrible Month.
1 didn't want to leave the place be-
cause 1 wanted Antonio to be able to
find me when he came back, If he
did come back. didn't know
whether he was dead or alive. My
heart seemed to fall into my shoes.
My feet were laden. This was the
most terrible month of my ne.
Waiting an hour was an ordeal, put
to have the hours of suspense draw
out for a month-eXpecting bIndIy
each moment something. Anything.
I did not know it, but on the
strength of Joe. the chauffeur's testi-
mony, who had turned states evil
dence, had been indicted and he was
helping the police to eaten me- 90
indicted, and not knowing 1t, with
Cassese-heaven only knew wnere
he was. l went through the motlon
of living.
OFTEN I remembered a captain who
had been thrown overheard and his
cargo stolen by his crew. The cap
Attain had been reported lost at sea-
An some out -theway port
7 one night l dressed up in an at
ttempt to raise my spirits--a girls
first recourse from depression. ! put
on a white flannel skirt, a white
sweater, white hat, shoes and stock
i.Igs. Then l sauntered over TO my
sisters.
L had been in the house only rev
m inutes when the door bell rang and
caEbers were announced for me-two
genS lemen
came out in few minutes and
saws that they were officers. j
Thought that they had only come to
question me about Cassese. They
told une Antonio Cassese was ter,
rible man and that he had treated
his crew in shameful fashion.
did not believe them but 1 didn't
know anything about what they were
saying. They told me If I would tell
find 1T better in the long run
didn't know. told them that
knew C.ausese and I kney what they
were saying was untrue. Finally
they saidt
"Will vou come with us down
town? They want you to answer a
few questions down there. 1t won't
take longs'
l told MY sister that I would 60
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

Across the deck enclosure before the
bridal suite on the Empress of Tas-
mania. steaming through the iran
mil blue waters of the Australian
seas. Julia Devers and her husband
glared at each ether. For them the
propinquity of travel only meant
ouarreling.
Suddenly Julia saw her young nus
bands angry face soften HIS eyes
lit up with friendliness and his bps
flashed into a welcoming smile that
was tender as well as gay. She
turned and met the round blue orbs
of Tommy Fenley, six years old anu
contrary TO all ship regulations, out
of the Storage in quest of adventure
and oranges.
,ially recornizing a ships pal.
Julia rang the bell. Take that
child away, where he belongs she
commended the steward, who COM
nlied in spite of Tommy's loud and
strenuous resistance.
He wasn't doing any harm, poor
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

It's never too late to divorce"
she said lightly. BETTER luck, next
time" Her fiippancy stifled his i'm
pulse to apologize and plead for
more sensible and honest start on
both sides. They were very young.
Il shall see about other quarters
at once" he said as he rose angrily
and strobe away. The head steward
was nowhere about and Allan stood
moodily upon the deck gazing down
into the steerage where Tommy's
mother. an English nursemaid, re-
Gently widowed, sat all day with her
face turned toward the west where
beyond so many miles of sea and
land lay her beloved England to
which she was returning.
Little TommyS return to the
steering deck had been as unwelcome,
to one person at least, as his visit to
the upper deck had been to Julia
Devers. This person was dirty,
bearded Bolshtvist whose methods
had been too Bolshevistic even for
Russia and who felt that his failure
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

Amonte. She and her husband were
counterfeiters. She had been ar
rested month after her marriage.
didn't feel very badly. Jail ma.
long been in my mind as a possibility.
l didn't cry fer a long time But one
afternoon, at o'clock, the time of
day we were all locked up in our
cells for the night. woman, whom
none of US liked, took advantage of
the fact that we We're all locked UP.
and told us all what she thought of
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

Raymond street Jail in Brooklyn.
There it was much better Warden
Honick was very kind to me. / sent
out for food and I managed to send
my clothes to be laundered
There was a sweet young girl in
the cell next to mine. The young
ones have cells pm the third floor and
are called the kids" The older ones,
more serious ones, among whom are
the murderesses. are on the second.
The girl next to me was Maria de
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03
KITCHEN SANITATION

mes pieea IN garbage and the
! chief reason why we have swarms of
/ dies in hot weather is hacauea os
,,,s.l,... h.,,,,f,..- -
- ''''''''hE vi rel use ei'hef IN
4 the home or in the neighbprhood. i
/ is not too much to say that mar. of
me do,oo,. - s,,,.,, -.
~ SUI" ePiHeiiloS as sum
ner complaint, typhoid and infantile
the housewife herself
cbo do. $50. - -.. f.,
''"' ''oN -" waste ioou
materials as dangerous breeding
grounds for flies. which i'm turn carry
I harterfa ~ d{ga.so =, a., =
No"Iu take greater pfecaution IN
handling garbage. sterilizing it and
&eeDina no. ,ortai,e, .,.1.sr
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-04-07
SAYS: Grandest Stomach
Medicine in the World
Relief Comes at Once but Better
Still Chronic Indigestion is
Conquered for Good.

Get a bottle of Dare's Mentha-Pep-
sin from H. ]. Dennis & Co. to-day
with \the distinct understanding that
your money will be promptly returned
if it does not stop the most acute
stomach distress quicker than any
remedy you ever used.
Your stomach may be so distended
with gas that you think every minute
your heart is going to stop beating,
yet with one dessert spoonful of Dare's
Mentha-Pepsin that dreadful feeling
of s~uffocation will vanish in a few
minutes.
It's a wonderful formula-this COM
bination of Pepsin with other good
stomach in~vigorators 10 wonderful
that in one small town in New Jersey,
in 1921, over 5000 bottles were sold.
Never mind what cause your indi-
gestion or gastritis, or how long you
have had it, or how many other rem
edies you have tried, this is the one
medicine that will make your old dis
abled stomach so strong and healthy
that you can digest anything you eat
without the slightest distress.
And you know that when your
stomach is in fine shape, nervousness,
headaches and dizziness won't bother
you. Every regular druggist guaran-
tees one bottle of Dare's Mentha-Pep-
sin. H. j. Dennis & Co. sell lots Of it.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-04-07
Suffered Rheumatic
Torture For Years"
Now Restored to Perfect Health
Read What J. c. Jones, of Winches-
ter, KY, Has To Say About ALLEN
RHU, the Sure Conqueror of Rheu-
matism.

For years | was a sufferer from the
torture of rheumatism. My limbs (feet
and hands) would swell to almost
double their normal size. | suffered
intense pain day and night s. that |
could hardly eat or sleep. | had very
little hope of ever recovering from this
most dreadful and painful disease. A
friend of mine seeing how despond-
ent | was over my hopeless condition
advised me to try ALLENRHU. l
went Immediately to the George Drug
Company in Winchester and got a
bottle of the internal treatment and a
bottle of the Liniment to use eXter-
nally. For the sake of other suffer
ers | wish to say that the results were
simply marvellous. After beginning
the combined treatment the swelling
began to reduce and the pain left me
entirely. | continued the treatment
until | had taken only two bottles
which effected a complete cure. To-
day | positively feel better than V e
before in my life. | feel that | am
very fortunate in finding a remedy
that has relieved me of the distress
and the almost unbearable pains from
which | suffered. For the past five
weeks I have been working IL hours
a day and haven't even a symptom of
rheumatism or ache or pain" Signed,
James C. Jones.
Every druggist in this county is au-
thorized to say to every rheumatic
sufferer that if a full pint bottle of
ALLENRHU, the sure %conqueror of
rheumatism, does not show the way
to stop the agony, reduce swollen
Joints and do away with even the
slightest twinge of rheumatic pain, he
will gladly return your money with
out comment.
ALLENRHU has been tried and
tested for years, and really marvellous
resuIts have been accomplished ever
in the most severe cases where the
suffering and agony was intense and
piteous and where the patient was
helpless. You are sure to get it at
the Orange Drug Co.