davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05
.JOANN
The Story of a Modern
Girl and q

said. "The proof of the pudding
is in the eating2 1t seems that l
have heard that expression, and 1t
is very apt, though little old
fashioned perhaps. You may draw
vour first check, for whatever
amount you like. I will have the
money brought you"
Joanna looked at the unfamiliar
check book, at the fountain pen
which she had taken Involuntary,
and then at the banker.
IT am sure Mr. Graydon explained
to you, or didn't he?, that you are
not to know the answer to either or
those two questions--yet. Someone
who wants you to have 1t, someone
whom the bank, and I, know very
well and in whom we have complete
trust as to his motives, has put the
fortune at your disposal. He has
even directed the bank to replenish
the fund If you meet requirements
beyond the initial deposit-until such
a time as he may give further
directions"
"You mean that after awhile he
will give me directions?"
mot at ALL" And in the tone Of
the bankers promise, more than in
his words, Joanna knew that what
ever might be the outcome of this
fantastic conversation, she would
not need ever to ask that question
again.
IF your benefactor has directions
to give" Eggleston went on, with
the bankers manner of monotonous
dwelling upon the detail of, a finan-
cial bargain, they will be given the
bank and will have to do only with
additions to your funds, or the cessa-
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05
GLORIA

eyes moved as she watched him take
off his hat and hang it up. He
picked up his brief-case from the
chair where he had laid it and
turned toward his private office.
Sue Briggs could see that there
was a sort of restlessness upon him.
He seemed to be waiting feverishly
for something vital-stupendous.
BE sure to call me if she does
phone" he said, as he went into his
office
Call up Mrs. Gregory's mother
and ask If she's there. please" he
said. You know the number, don't
your"
Miss Briggs knew the number. She
had called it scores Of times for
Dick during the months he had been
engaged to Gloria. -. 1t had always
hurt her abominably to call that
number 1t hurt her now. like
an old wound. But she called the
number in a brisk, cheerful voice.
mo, she hasn't come in" she re-
ported to Dick. Her mother says
she doesn't know when to expect
her"
Dick ran his hand through his
dark hair. But, good Lord! Where
is she?" he asked, unaware that he
spoke aloud.
Susan Briggs cleared her throat.
Mrs. Gregory came into the office
this morning to see you," she said,
huskily.
Dick wheeled. "Why didn't you
tell me?" he asked sharply. Where
was I when she was here?"
You had just gone out to lunch"
Susan Briggs answered, and. -.
and / forgot to tell you about it."
A telltale blush mounted to her
face. She had not forgotten to tell
Dick. She hadn't wanted to tell
him about Gloria's visit. A d Dick
knew 1t.
She looked at him with her I'M
spoken misery in her eyes.
IT suppose I ought to tell you
something, Mr.. Gregory" she said,
after a moment. IT was just going
to telephone you about it when you
came in tonight. 80"
Dick waited silently for her to go
on
IT don't know whether I should
have done it. but I gave Mrs.
Gregory the key to your house to-
day." she said at last.
did she ask you for it?" Dick
asked.
Susan Briggs nodded.
well, I'll bet that's where she is,
then. at the house!| Dick ex-
claimed. His eyes lighted.
Il wouldn't worry" Sue Briggs
answered dryly. 1t took all Of her
nerve, her gallantry, to say those
three small words in just that tone.
From under her lashes she saw
Dick go into his office. She heard
the creak Of his swivel chair as he
sat down in it. Then there was a
long silence She knew that he
was making up his mind whether to
go to his wife or not his wife
who was waiting for him in the
house that was his and hers.
Not daring to move, Susan Briggs
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05
A Million Dollars

EV7HAT would you do if somebody suddenly left you a
wv million dolars??
The Times offering 500 in prizes for the best
to this question written in 300 words or less
Joanna whose story appears this page was left
a million Read about what she did with it.
The first prize is $50 the second $780, the third $40;
the fourth So the fifth 49, and there twelve prizes 81
each.
Send your letter ito the story editor of The Times so it
will reach him or before Nov. 10.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05

ners If I may not do more than
offer my congratulations" Brandon
said, smiling down at her. Perhaps
she will allow me to help her draw
her first check. That will be some
thing 1 shall always remember
when Miss Joanna has taken her
place among the hill tops"
~ AZED again by the immin-
D ence Of the test, Joanna
obeyed him silently, the
letters made by her pen running to-
gether in a black mist as ne
pointed out the place for her sigma
ture, the date, and-the amount.
After one or two attempts she signed
her name to his satisfaction and
her own. Then she wrote in the
date--as supplied by Brandon.
"And now" Brandon said, softly,
almost caressingly, "the amount"
She looked across the table, at
Eggleston. He nodded. ANY
amount you need-or that you would
like to carry away" he said.
A wild impulse stirred Joanna s
blood. She would make the test a
real one-puncture the bubble with
one stroke of her pen. Her fingers
firm, now a light Of determination
in her eyes. She would demand a
sum which would-well, something
would happen theni
Her pen shaped the line: "One
hundred dollarsi"
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05

thought much beyond dancing
pumps and their kindred things.
What else, them" Eggleston re-
peated.
There was nothing for Joanna to
do but fall back upon her subter-
fuges. She had many subterfuges.
They covered a multitude Of a girls
needs nowadays.
"Wait until something like what
you're kidding me about really hap
pens" she said at last, brightly.
Then watch mel!
Perhaps that will be the better
bargain" the banker agreed, his
voice still hard in the unpleasant
way the girl didn't like so well. He
pointed to the opened book, which
lay forgotten at her hand. 1T Will
begin to feel real, won't 1t, when
you have filed out one Of those"'
"7 HE girls wits swan again.
She picked up the book OF
long, slender leaves, and ex-
amined it curiously. Here, at her
finger tips, would be the test-the
test of the impossible dream these
two old men, her employer, Gray
don. and his friend, Eggleston, were
pulling her into. She clutched at
an obvious excuse to postpone what
she was convinced would be the
tumbling down of the house Of cards
that was being built for her.
I've never had to write out one
Of these" she protested. I'm afraid
I'd get it twisted"
The man who had been watching
from the window came abruptly into
the room. \ sign, merely meet
ing of the eyes, passed across the
girl between him and the banker
Joanna turned sharply when she
realized a new figure was standing
almost beside her. She knew. in
stantly, that she had been right in
feeling an additional presence in the
room. When she looked up int
the newcomers face a sudden fear
a sense of danger, tingled along her
nerves. She had met many men in
whose slightest approach she al
ways recognized a challenge and 6
raid against her battlements. I'm
consciously she stiffened in he
chair. But Eggleston spoke calmly
II have forgotten to present MI
Brandon. He is very close to me, in
a manner, and is interested in your
extraordinary circumstances-of
which 1 had told him. He begged
me to let him pay you his com
pliments."
Brandon bowed, easily, his man
ner marking him Immediately, IN
Joanna's mind, as one who could
make devotions gracefully at any
kind Of feminine shrine. She re
Elected that he would be the sort
that would dance well and say
things that fitted the music.
But I am going to ask Miss Man
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05
THE STORY so FAR

IhE b1OhG 81 CAR
Gloria Gordon, beautiful fapper. mar
ries Dick Gregory. a struggling lawyer.
Her Idea OF marriage IL fun and 1lne
clothes =. but no work or children.
She refuses to do her own house
to let the maid go Gloria has swamped
him with debts for clothes and parties.
She becomes Infatuated with an out,
of-work actor, SGanleye Wayburn. ana
follows him to New York. But he
spurns her. Then she tries to get a lob
on the stage as chorus. girl and falls'
Discouraged. she comes home 70 DICK
He takese her back, but not as. his wl1e.
Gloria begins to suspect that he y IN
love with his secre tary. Susan Brlggs
At last she wrings from Miss BrlSgs a
confession that she is in love with
Dick. and insists that Dick discharge her.
When he refuses, she goes home TO her
DICK puts his house up for sale and
goes to live with his father ana mothsr,
He sends Gloria 500 weekly. but slie
returns it to him. and goes to work lbe
Her employer makes love to her and sne
resigns her position. She hasn't sufil-
job. -. - r,,
home--to her own home; she gets Ine
KEY of the house from Miss Brlggs, Dpys
some groceries and gees. After she mas
eaten her lonely supper, sne makes UP
her mind to telephone Dick and beg MN
to come to her. But DICK m9Iner
answers the phone, and ADVISES Glorla
not to communicate with DICK any more.
Gloria realizes that DICK s mother wants
him to divorce her.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05

ton Of them. At any rate, the pres
ent deposit Of one millions dollars,
which includes securities we shall be
glad to negotiate for you should you
require the cash, is at your DISPOSE
ton and none of it may be with
drawn from you. 1t could not be,
in any event, as it has been COM
pletely transferred to your account.
You must accept it, to do with it as
you will. You will not be asked for
an accounting
And it's really true that don't
have to go back to the silks? To my
Job at the store?'
GGLESTON'S smile was quiz
r zical. Il should be rather
astonished to know that q
young woman with a million dollars
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05

AS she turned to go out of his
office she brushed against his old
! office coat hanging against the wall
1t smelled Of the tobacco he smoked
in that villainous pipe of his. The
sleeves of it still held the shape Of
his arms.
Susan Briggs put her arms around
it. hugging it close to her breast,
and laid her cheek against it's rough
tweed surface. Her mouth twisted
and tear slid from under her closed
eyelids.
Suddenly she loosened her hold of
the coat and let it swing back into
place. She hurried out of the office.
In the outer room she picked up
her belongings. snapped out the
lights, and went.
A cleaning woman was hopping
up the floor Of the corridor. Behind
her was a small girl with enormous
black eyes and a mop of straight
black hair. AS Susan Briggs passed
her she held up her doll for her to
admire.
'See Dolly?' she said. Miss Briggs
brushed passed her and went on a
few steps. Then she turned around
and saw the small girls eyes. They
were the eyes that all children have
for strange and sudden cruelties A..
hurt and bewildered.
Susan ran back and pressed a
nickel into the child's small grimy
palm.
Poor baby!" she said. Her eyes
were blinded with tears as she went
down the stairs and out Of the build.
ing.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05

uncle, and he couldn't, because
had to dig up So a week for a year
to pay the installments on his flu
neral. And I want to get back to
my Job or old Good Morning. mean
the department manager, will be as
sore as billygoat-I mean he'll be
angry. Please, Mr.. Eggleston, what s
it all about?"
TRANGELY, the girls fran
~ tic plea affected the two men
in the room differently. Egg
gleston nodded his head quite as If
he agreed that something should be
done to clear up the frenzy Of doubts
and COG fusion that must be flooding
the shop girls mind and he smiled
again, pleasantly, as If warmed by
some inner satisfaction. But the
smile that had been about the mouth
Of the other man, whose presence
Joanna had not yet detected, sud-
denly vanished. He regarded the
back of the girls neck, his gaze
seeming to reach around and encom-
pass her, with a new sort of inter-
est. Still, there was doubt in his
eyes.
The banker reached into his table
drawer and brought out a folded
check book, the daintier kind that
are shaped for the hand bags of
women. With elaborate pains he
opened the book, bent back the
crease in the sheaf of blank checks
with it contained, and, thus spread
out, he showed it toward Joanna s
hand. From his pocket he took his
own gold fountain pen, opened it,
and held it out to her.
isn't there a homely saying
that runs something like this?" he
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05
SYNOPSIS

SYNOPSIS
With unusual solemnity. Mr.. HARk.
NESS, buyer in the silk department OF
9 mammoth dSpartment store summons rs
appear before MR.. GRAYDON. owner
Of the store I9anGa shuddeTs At the
of the bills that have been accumulat::
ing She would pawn her fur gros coat dsd II II
do this. Her friends would notice. Only
common. steady John. with whom whom she
think less of her for. that.
She affects nop3chaIant n5 attitude ef and
preaching her, Graydon inquiries about
her manner Ct Lying and Sae her s fFisnd fs
deliver a message to her. The news Is
overwhelming.
Someone whose identity she is not to
know has placed 81 600. 00c en- deposit
at the Metropolitan Bank subject to her
There. ere no strings tied to the propo-
sttion" and has his chauffeur take her
to the banker. ANDREW EGGLESTON,
Graydon's friend
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05
BY Beatrice Burton

L
- OTHER GREGORY turned
lM away from the telephone to
va meet Dick coming in from
the back yard. "Why, 1 thought
you'd gomez she said in surprise,
land I just told fib without know
ing it. Gloria called up, and l
said you'd gone out for the eve
ming"
Dick considered. II guess it's
Just as we'll you did," he said after
a time. 1--WE don't get anywhere,
talking things over. It's just
waste Of time"
His mother drew a long breath
that caused all The black jet beads
to heave on her vast bosom. Il GER
tainly am glad to hear you say THAR,
she declared. Your father and l
have been afraid you'd go back to
her, all along. She's not the woman
for you, Dick, and never was"
Dick twirled his hat in his hands.
1T came back here for my br1ef
case" he said "Have you seen itT'
His mother walked into the living
room and returned with it in her
capable hands. "A place for every
thing and everything in its place, .
she quoted. IF you'd only put that
brief case on the ball table you'd
always know where it was!
Where are you going?"
Down to the office" Dick an
swered shortly.
His mother followed him out onto
the wide side-porch that overlooked
the driveway and the back yard
"Now, don't be silly and call Glory
up" she said, as he bent to kiss her
good-by.
"She probably didn't want to say
much of anything, anyway" Dick
answered, "but 1 think I'll give her
a ring and see what she wanted"
He resented his mothers advice
Didn't she realize that he was a
grown man, well over thirty2 Or
did mothers always feel that way
about their sons-that they were
still little boys, even when their
na1r turned gray!
At the first drug store Dick
stopped and went in to telephone his
wife at her mothers house.
why, Glory's not here" Mrs
Gordon said, when she answered tho
phone. Don't you know where she
| is?"
How should known" Dick
asked helplessly. when did she
leave the house?"
About five o'clock"
well, she called me about ar
hour ago." Dick said. when she
comes home ask her to call me al
my office, will your
He climbed into his car and drove
downtown at break-neck speed, sc
as not to miss Gloria's next telephone
message when she called again
That is, If she did call again.
He unlocked the door of his office
and went in. Miss Briggs was sit
ting at her desk, with her long white
hands draped over the keys Of her
| typewriter. She looked as If she
had been sitting that way a long
time.
IT thought told you not to work
late these hot nights, Susy!" Dick
said severely, closing the outer door
behind him.
I'm not working" Miss Briggs
answered, duly. And it's not late
only eight o'clock"
AS she spoke clock somewhere
across the roofs Of the city chime6
eight.
Has Mrs. Gregory called up here
tonight for me?' was Dicks next
question.
| Miss Briggs shook her smooth
brown head. No" shd said. almost
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05

in the banks vaults was concerned
as much with the selling Of silks as
the buying of them
Joanna nodded. If 1 really had a
million dollars you can bet the last
shot on your hip mean you can
bet I'd do a lot of buying, all right"
II wouldn't wonderr Eggleston
commented, shortly. Joanna looked
up at him quickly, detecting the
hardness in his voice. oh" she
assured him gravely as if to defend
herself against him implied disap-
prevail.
81 wouldn't put it all into dancing
pumps, you know!'
What else?" Eggleston asked,
quickly.
The girl floundered. Shed never
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05
Tired, No Pep? Just
Dragging Along?

Do you get out of bed In the morning,
tired, listless, beaten before the day
starts? What chance have you to enjoy
life until you correct that condition !?
Viuna starts the whole machinery to
working as it should--acts on torpid
liver, sluggish kidneys, lazy bowels. AL
most before you realize it, you begin to
walk along with a new swing-full Of
VigOr, able to eat, sleep, laugh and real
y live. 1t has taken thousands out Of
bed and put them on their feet. VIII
Fou give 1t chance?
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05
4 HE was conscious of someone
sitting at a great black table;
someone who rose and glared
| ~


someone who rose and glaced
al her without speaking; someone
who was very forbidding. and, to the
eyes of youth, very old and incap-
able of understanding any thoughts
or emotions such as she might ex-
perience. In such a presence Jo-
anna didn't know what to do. The
man spoke her name. Surprisingly,
Just as it had been with Graydon,
these pompQus. important old men
had voices that didn't rasp.
"Will you sit here?"
He pointed to a chair opposite
him. Joanna, wholly helpless again
slid into the chair After awhile she
realized that the man Of whom she
had heard so much as one Of those
mysterious money kings. still looked
at her; that he had leaned back in
his own chair and was just looking
at her with queer lights playing in
his eyes and something about his
lips that, surely! This old man s
lips were quivering! 1t struck Jo-
anna as screamingly funny. No!
even the warning hand Of doom
could have prevented her, just then,
from laughing. Andrew Eggleston
smiled, too. But it was a fleeing
smile. He was instantly grave and
forbidding. And Joanna was fright
ened again. She felt uncomfortable.
The back Of her neck burned, as If
someone were looking at it, or at
her. She wanted to turn around,
but merely moved in her chair.
The young man who still stood In
the window embrasure at the other
end Of the room prepared to come
forward. When he saw that the
girl had not detected his presence he
fell again to his silent inspection of
the figure in the chair, whose back
was turned to him. The unpleasant,
rather cynical smile played again
about his mouth. Occasionally his
glance took in the other figure, the
old man whose whim ruled banks
and markets and fleets Of ships and
as some people often said, the poll
cieS Of nations.
1t was Joanna who, at last, broke
the fraughr Sllence
"Well, I'm here! I suppose you
wanted to see me. That's what they
said?"
"It was natural DESIRE" Egg
g1eston admitted. ut is not usual
even in this bank, for new accounts
to be opened with a deposit of a mil
lion dollars. 1t is not an incense
quential sum for-for any one"
Joanna couldn't stand 1t any
longer. won't you please give i
to me straight" she pleaded, earn
est!y, sitting forward in her chair
so that her hands might rest on the
big table. "Pleasew she repeated
IT was all right when I got up this
morning and everybody else was al
right and there was never anybody
in my family that went to the asy
lum. And there's nobody ever
knew who could leave me million
pennies, let alone dollars, except al
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05
BY III. l.. Gates
CHAPTER III
DnaU M0.awy

- N the great, marble corridors
Of the banking institution,
one of the principal hubs
around which the financial affairs OF
a nation revolved Miss Twenty
seven of the silks" felt very small,
and useless, indeed. Something Of
the same sense of the utilities and
all her pretenses, all her struggles
to impress the world as one who had
many more, oh, many more pairs Of
sheer silk hose than the one pair
she really had settled down upon
her. 1t was again the feeling that
depressed her while she sat, waiting,
in the "Old Mans" office little
while before.
In her hand she held her little
leather bound book with the cryptic
entry Of q date and a set Of figures.
This, however, was merely the SYM
Dol Of fantasy. For a brief five
minutes in Mr.. Graydon's office and
when she entered the car she stood
aside from herself and looked at
Miss Twenty-Seven" as Joanna Man
ners, rich beyond dreams, suddenly
announced protege OF some mystic
rtous golden benefactor. But Joanna
was, after all, matter Of fact, mate
rial. Once, no doubt, she had be-
lieyed in fairies. A little latter than
that time before, both mother and
father passed away from her, she
even entertained some Of her fairies
In her own imagination, peopled her
dreams with them after the fashion
of Barrio. But Of late years, the
fairies had not danced in Joanna's
soul. There was laughter there, and,
many, many dreams; but no illu-t
sions.
So Joanna, convinced against her
wits that something tremendous was
happening to her, scorned herself
for admitting such a possibility She
wanted to catch her guide, the Iiv-
cried attendant, by the sleeve and
force him to give her an accounting
of his obsequiousness to her. But
panic was not far from her weari-
ness. Her breath began to come In
tremulous gasps when the panelled
door marked with the name Of the
great man she had been told would
receive her, swung inward. She
heard her guide announce her:
THE lady you are expecting, sir
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05

Ito Be Continued
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-05

SUSAN BRIGGS."
She neither dated it nor sealed II
-. just laid 1t in the wire basket
on Dicks desk where he would be
sure to see it first thing in the
morning.
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-06-25
Main Street


John McHugh, president Ne.
chanIcs and Metals bank. New
York: III. J. Barber. Board OF
Trade. Chiiliwick. B. c.: Hugh
Dalton, Canadian Manufactur-
ers' association, Vancouver: II.
A. Hawthorn. lumber. Kobe.
Japan: King Ming Foo. flour
merchant. China; In Pa Hong
Joseph, president Chinese Elec-
trio Power Co. Shanghai: j. l.
Maduro. Panama: A. Marshall.
manufacturer. Toronto. Canada:
G. w. Manure. manufacturer.
Havana, Cuba: Singh NOLAN
kohlon, citizen. Puntab. India:
Martin yeerbeck, manufacturer,
Antwerp. Belgium: Yoshidzuma
Taketaro. business man Ca
saka, Japan; n. Barnwell. Port
OF Charleston. s. c.: j. Bollinger,
banker, Boston: w. c. Bueth.
Wilson & Co, Chicago; T. U. III.
Ellinger. Armour & Co. Chica-
90; c. X. Ellis, fruit merchant,
New Orleans: l.. G. Palmer.
president United States shipping
board. Washington. d. c.; J.
w. Spangler, banker. Seattle.
and hundreds more like these
attending the National Foreign
Trade council at The olympic.