davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07
Out OF the Clouds
76SzS1asGSmSNsr&s6n 100000

perience in her life.
"You get your tinkering done. It's
getting dark FAST" she answered
"And I'll get supper" She closed
the door and hurrfedly set the ket-
tie on front of the stove and opened
the draft. Bread and butter indeed
She might have to practice economy
but the Bradford fame for hospital
ity should never fail as long as she
was able to uphold it.
For the next half hour Martha was
almost too busy to think. The table
was set with its best bib and tucker.
Sugared doughnuts. pumpkin pie,
ounce jam were all there in tempt
ing array. From the stove came the
odor Of browning mullins and de-
licious coffee.
That was a memorable evening
for Martha The young aviator told
her of adventures above the clouds
in distant countries during the war
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07
By Parke Whitney

receivers I might hear you
II never could see why some folks
are so interested in other folks
business" Annie said plaintively.
II just been watching those good
for-nothin' Smiths next door" she
went on. "They been up to some
mischief this mornin'. He came out
of the door with heavy box under
his arm and she was with him, cry
in and takin' on. And they went
up into the back paster and buried
whateher it was.
II wouldn't put anything past Jed
Smith. 'Twouldn't surprise me any
if he was bootleggin' and buryin' it
in the back paster."
did it appear heavy?" asked the
voice on the other end of the wire.
Real heavy, like bottles of liquor, "
Annie told her.
well, ] never" calculated the
other woman Jed Smiths got his
nerve"
All day long Mrs. Sneeker watched
her next door neighbors for further
developments. But aside from sew
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07
By Monte Darrell

Martha folded the abused garment
and laid it on top of her workbasket
In the bright sunshine Of the fol-
lowing morning Martha said goodby
to her unexpected guest.
Don't forget, Aunt Martha" he
said, holding her hand for moment
I'm coming back in April on my
honeymoon. I'll give you good trip
then above the clouds. Only you
must teach my wife how to make
sugared doughnuts"
Guess you don't get me off terra
Gotta" CALCULATED Martha, shaking
her head theoretically. 'tBut I'll be
watching the sky every day when
Spring comes for you and your
bride"
A few moments later and her COM
pany had made noisy farewell.
Nothing could be seen but a mere
speck in the distance.
There were tears in Martha's eyes
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

:
eral trips made by the Smith chill
dren, who trudged up to the back
pasture and walked curiously around
the freshly spaded earth, nothing
happened.
Late in the afternoon she heard
someone ring Sheriff Jones' number.
She had barely time to press the re-
ceiver to her wide open ear before
the conversation started.
THAT you, sheriff /" someone
asked.
yep"
wal, my wife says that Mrs.
Brown told her that Mrs. Curtis
heard that Mrs. Sneeker called Mrs.
Fallie and told her that she watched
the Smiths bury carload of booze
in their back paster this mornin" {
Guess I'd better give Jed Smith a
look in" commented the sheriff as he
hung up the received. 9&s
So Mrs. Sneeker was not very much
surprised when small car of we'll
known and Infamous make drew up
in front of her door about 5 o'clock.
"I'm goin to arrest Jed Smith for
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07
WaacWOesxgeaWJD g9NgeaM6a@
Wanted A Husband


posed rakishly on the short gold
hair was "has-been' with a
French name, no doubt, sewed in the
lining. Nevertheless, it was ex-
tremely dowdy. She was so young,
so pretty, so eager-and her brown
eyes so youthfully bright under all
their WEAKNESS and strain.
Her hand trembled as she placed
the blue card on the desk. 1t was
marked at. r. G." 1t all seemed so
extraordinarily familiar, and then
Carey was happier than he had ever
been in his own life. A letter mark
ed "T. R. G."
He handed it to her and she
reached for it. She reached she
reached and the counter went back
away from her back, back
Carey called taxi and then he
took her to a hospital. He did not
know her name-there was no card
in her purse, so he registered her as
his sister.
For two weeks he came every eve
ming to see her. There was nothing
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

personal in their few words togeth-
er. She did not ask questions-nor
did he. She only smiled at him.
The final day came and she was
to leave the hospital the next morn
ing. Absurd maybe to think it--she
was so little, and lovely, but
wasn't it worth taking chance?s
81 wish you would marry me to-
morrow" he said enthusiastically.
He didn't realize it, perhaps, but he
had his arms tight about her..
.Why-why, we don't really know
each other. You don't know my
name and"
IT know you-that's better than
any name I'll take chance If you
will" c
30, 1 don't know" she answered.
ST wanted to make good. I hadn't
ever thought I would have to work
but, everything that dad left me
went in big crash. I wasn't train
ed for anything and"
He was listening.
"That last day" she went on.
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

What became of the answer to my
ad? You were handing it to me
WHEN
Here he drew the crumpled letter,
still opened from his pocket. He
read over her shoulder:
Dear Miss-I run delicatessen
store and do fine business, but my
wife's rheumatism is beginning to
keep her off the job. If you can
cook little and wash dishes clean,
come and see me and we will fix
the price" k~
Then she burst into tears. And
as she laid her head on Carey's
shoulder, he kissed her, drawing
back to study the young face
thoughtfully.
what did your adj read, dear?"
he questioned smilingly.
"Wanted-TAnything by destitute
And Carey laughed.
II am afraid you do not know
much about writing ads, little girl.
Yours should have read something
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

enormous wings, it landed almost at
her very door.
To say that Martha was startled
would have been putting it mildly.
Never in all the fifty-odd years of
her existence had she experienced
such shock. The old silk dress
slipped from her lap unnoticed as
she rose hurriedly and crossed the
kitchen to the door. BY the time her
trembling fingers had opened it the
great bird-like thing lay quiet, it's
wings. outstretched.
A curious looking figure had
jumped lightly to the ground. Mar
tina felt momentary inclination to
slam the door and shut, out such an
apparition. but innate hospitality
won. The approaching figure had by
this time removed a pair of goggles
and unfastened the side flaps of his
helmet, displaying most reassuring
bronzed young face and eyes blue as
the sky from which he seemed to
have come.
II hope I haven't frightened you
half to DEATH" he said, pleasant
smile displaying the whitest teeth.
Fact is. the dark most 'ketched me-
and something sounded wrong in the
machinery. So had to come down.
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

Almost came in without knocking
didn't II" His eyes twink1ed as he
surveyed his surroundings.
II heard you coming. You wouldn't
had to knock" Martha answered.
She was recovering somewhat from
her nervousness. ,"I never seen one
of them things before, only in pic
lures. Goodness. I should think
they'd scare the birds something
awful"
The young man laughed heartily.
well, I'm wondering as long as I'm
here at your very door if you could
give me bite of supper and a bed
for the night. A cup of tea and some
bread and butter would be plenty.
I'd like to tinker on the old plane a
little before it really gets dark. But
] wouldn't want to put you out any, !"
he added.
Martha nodded This was the big
gest adventure she ever hoped to ex-
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

her but she stood like naughty
little queen waiting to receive her
answers.
But there were no letters in the
fat pile for 'sR. M. g." and Carey
saw the shoulders under the short
seal coat, hump ever so, little in a
detected way, and the shead under
the wide black hat with the great
clump of blazing red cherries give
a last defiant toss as the door of the
Times office slammed.
Though luck" he thought. "She's
getting to look bad. wonder if she
hasn't anyone to. give her a helping
hand. A relative. maybe-or per-
haps not soul
K He had heard of things like that.
His heart sank, turned to stone. A
girl like that alone in big city.
Then he thought Of his own relatives
up on the New Hampshire farm.
There had been IA children in the
family and all had married but he.
There were loads of children and
aunts and uncles and cousins and
and she had no one to help her!
'Lookee here, G. R. T. Wake up
over there A sallow girl chew
ing vigorously on some gum threw
her blue card over the counter and
Carey found himself half conscious
ly handing her eight answers to her
ad. She went across to the writing
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07
By Phil Moore
y 0SSSSHs S06(SSAISSS6YW

and written in the language I had
taught him."
Vera translated but slowly, for her
Spanish was as dim as the age yell
lowed bit of paper.
eff my SWEET Cold Of Ophir died one
day,
And 1 should kiss its petals where it
Withered and cold to all the world
contains,
Life would come gladly back among
it's veins, H
And folded buds their richest hues
disclose,
1 shall return, Bonita, for my rose. !"
Vera could read no further. Greedy
as she was for more of the Senora's
story, she could not intrude into the
secret chamber of her memories.
The magic of the bloom-laden ha-
cienda was up her, but her blood
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

quickened a bit angrily as she won
dered if the dapper young American
sailors heart had ever been stirred
to remembr nee of the hours he had
spent in Ell Mario, when Spring came
to his far away home or he caught
the breath of Summer roses.
A mist yelled Vera's eyes as they
strayed from the dilettante verses to
the bowed, white head of the Sonora,
and she was reminded that the
thoughtless sailor lover might now
be an exile in the arms of death, and
his silence could not hurt any more.
Suddenly a door opened into the
patio; an erect, distinguished figure
approached; gentle voice arrested
Vera'se brooding.
Pardon, Senorita, if I disturb the
reverie, but the moment has arrived.
Let me introduce to you my hus-
band, Admiral x, Of the United
States navy"
Vera almost gasped in pleasant
surprise and fancied she detected a
glow Of happy relief in her aunt's
face. Pa
The Admiral insisted upon driving
the callers home, and when Vera
saw a tall, uniformed figure on her
aunts porch, she trembled with
eager anticipation.
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

shelf to read them.
Once more he pulled a yester-
days paper from the drawer. First
he read &c. R. T." He wanted to
know.
Experienced stenographer, book
keeper and expert accountant. Six
years experience. References. G..
RI And then. further down the
page was "R. M. G." Carey won
dered.
Wanted Hotel position in Flori-
da. inexperienced but willing to
learn. Something behind the desk
desired. R. M. G."
And he smiled as he looked dazed-
ly at the paper in his hands. What
an odd sort of an ed!
Three more months slipped past
and each day Carey waited for the
girl to try again. Then she did!
1t was in June-the hottest June
the weather had recorded in so
years and she had on a. blue serge
dress, shining and greying from con-
slant wear. The little rose hat
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

hastily folded away the completed
trousseau.
Come, Vera; - we've. worked too
long. Let's can it day and take
a stroll out toward FL Marine beach.
twill clear our minds and oh, my
dear, I only wish it could change my
outlook"
why, you're the dearest, gentlest
Auntie in the whole world. I need
the tonic of the sea air myself; for,
honestly, Auntie, Trevor seems bit
of myth to me, too."
The long, chummy walk was in
terrupted by one of Caiifornia's sud-
den warm November rains. 1t grew
a real 3downpour, and Vera and her
aunt, partially sheltered under a
huge pepper tree, were relieved to
hear du1cet voice calling from the
door of a nearby home: Pardon,
Sonora, won't you and the Senorita
come in here until the storm passes?"
They ran joyfully toward the Span
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

that fairly exhausted the strength of
her imagination. Everything else
was forgotten. The old silk dress
remained a crumpled heap on the
floor. 1t might have remained there
until the next morning had her COM
pany not gone to the window for one
last look at his airplane. There was
a sound Of a ripping as his shoe
caught IN the folds. He stopped
quickly and picked it up.
"Oh," he exclaimed, Just look
what I've done now"
my goodness said Martha, shame
facedly, eff my old dress hasn't been
lying there ever since you came. I
was seeing if I couldn't mend it once
more for church"
well, I've finished it sure enough
with that great foot Of mine. I'm
awfully sorry"
"You needn't be. 1t was all fin
ished before you stepped on it,"
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

ish mission home, and met delight
full Spanish matron in the spacious
patio of the ancient adobe house,
where the majestic palms scarce ri
vailed the : owner in dignity and
charm.
After the first greetings, the gra-
cious Sonora entertained with in
teresting bits about the country so
strange and new to her guests.
"All this was built before the
Gringo, or Americans, came" she
began, the rich, warm timbre of her
voice vibrating with repressed emo
ton as the Sonora recalled the hos
pitable days of the Don.
my father entertained great num-
bers of the American navy men. One
of them was favorite Of fathers"
she added naively, land often stood
where we are now. He helped me
plant this Gold of Ophir rosebush,
and when his ship sailed away he
gave me this-his own composition,
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07
f9SSgGI SSI9SS1HSkSS0 N

a NYONE in Wisset Corner
n would tell you that Annie
Sneakers tongue. was hung
in the middle and wagged at both
ends. Conclusions were her long
suit in conversation. She jumped to
conclusions as nimbly as a wild goat
jumps from one mountain crag to
another. Any news that got by An
ME, you could put under your little
fngernail, to quote a Wisset Corner
ISM M
In order to uphold her reputation
for being the best posted and new
siest woman in town, Mrs. Sneeker
was often obliged to stop in the very
midst of redding up room or peel
ing pan of potatoes to rush to the
phone when it rang. She never
knew choice bit Of gossip she might
pick up while listening in when the
neighbors talked. Then, too, she
lost a lot of time watching that
Smith family next. door. Always up
to something, those Smiths.
She had just finished sudsing the
silver and glasses one frosty No
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07
Always Up to Something

counted noses, one, two, three and
on up to ten. she concluded that the
Smiths couldn't have been burying a
child. zss sg8a
AS soon as the Smiths had disap-
peared inside their ramshackle
house and there was no need for her
to keep an eye on them any longer,
Annie rushed to the telephone. With
ashand that trembled with eagerness
she rang one long and two short.
All along the line she could hear
the receivers coming off the hook.
In someone's kitchen a baby howled
protestingly, somewhere else a stove
lid dropped with clang. In other
words, fair representation of Wis
set Corner was about to get an ear
full. ~.
@"Halloi" came a voice on the other
end of the wire. 49,.
THAT you, Mary?" asked Mrs.
Sneaker. = ,s9 e-y,,ag
"I, can't hear very well, Annie, !"
answered the voice. "They must be
someone on the line. Praps if some
of these rubbernecks put up their
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

~ M. Chose were the mi
-. tials on the back Of the little
blue, almost square card the
girl handed to him across the coun-
ter at the newspaper office.
He looked through the large pile
of letters, but he could not find one
for &c. M. c." He wanted to trans
form &c. M. c." into G. NJ. G, but of
course that would not have helped
any.
After she had turned and walked
away, Carey woodward hunted out
a yesterdays paper and looked up
the Situations Wanted Female"
He read, Young lady suddenly lost
fortune. Wants position of refine
ment. Recent graduate Of Miss Mil
ler's School for Girls on the Hud-
Fon.-G. M. c."
Carey threw down the paper and
slight pucIker came between his
steel blue eyes, "Poor little kid, he
thought, She'll never get an answer
to that sort of an ad," And she did
not.
Although she came three days in
succession there was no answer.
And then one day, two weeks later,
Carey looked up and saw her stand
ing across the counter again. This
time the initials on the card were
"R M. G."
He wanted to smile recognition to
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

havin' liquor on his premises. You
seem to know as much about it as
anyone. so you'd better come over
with me-" the sheriff told her when
she answered his knock on her
kitchen door.
81 see some mighty curious hap
penin's this ,mornin'," said Annie
"Of course, I'm glad to do anything
1 can to help" she added virtuously.
She followed the big sheriff over
to the Smiths weather beaten back
door. Mrs. Smith appeared on the
splintered threshold in answer to the
humping of feet on the worn wood
en- steps. A none-too-clean cotton
dress covered her gaunt form ard
her eyes were Redeemed around the
lids.
"Good-day," began the sheriff
gruffly.
Mrs. Smith merely nodded briefly.
She looked woefully thin and some
what DEFIANT as she faced the two
two pairs of accusing eyes.
I'D like to take look at that box
you and your husband buried this
morning" The sheriff flashed his
nickel badge as he spoke.
There's nothin' in that box you'd
want to look at" drawled Mrs. Smith
YEARLY.
That's for me to decide" an
swered the sheriff briskly, picking
up shovel that lay close at hand.
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07
- SESS6la55SSSE Sa I
VERA lifted the blue navy cloth,
the roll of pongee silk and
. IL - IL ca

V VERA lifted the blue navy cloth
" the roll of pongee silk and
grass linen from the case SO
recently received from the Orient.
These will stamp me as a sailors
bride. and the Panama hat will be
proof positive" she prophesied, with
uncertain pride in her voice.
Vera's aunt selected a piece of
PHILIPPINE work from the case.
You'll see plenty of this sort of
thing, too. / wish / felt differently,
but I'm so afraid sailors are, as I've
been told, tickle. I'll believe your
sweetheart has come when see him,
dear"
vera's frown settled into a wor-
ried look, then cleared as quickly,
rejecting her usual abundant good
humor in the lovely girls face.
Trevor Strong will come, Auntie
Never doubt that. 1 know he's not
like the men you mean"
tits all so dazzlingly romantic
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07
Ar ARTHA drew the old rocker,
VI with its patchwork cushion,

closer to the window, and
in the fading November light looked
with discouraged eyes at the ancient
black dress she had spread across
her knees. The breadths of the skirt
after a long united existence, had
parted of one accord. Nothing re-
NAMED but the bit of real lace IN tne
neck to tell of past splendors.
~ can't ever wear it to church
again." she murmured and her face
wore an expression of despair, To
Martha church was as much a habit
as. brushing her hair or washing her
face. Yet she might just as. we'll
wish for an automobile as the price
Of a new gown.
The clock on the mantle struck 5.
Martha lifted her eyes and looked
down the darkening road. Here and
there on the hills a farmhouse dot
ted the landscape. Not far away rose
the. spire of the little church. Sud-
denly she uttered an exclamation.
From out of the sky, as it seemed to
her. with a noise like the discharge
of fireworks, a, huge airplane was
vending its way downwards. After
a series of circles, like a bird with
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

s'Will you show me the spot?''
without word the woman turned
and led the way to the mound of
freshly dug earth ip the back, pas
ture.
1t was a matter of minutes before
the sherif's shovel struck with a
dull thud against the top Of the box.
Triumphantly he lifted it out and
tore off, the ragged cloth that
wrapped it. A carelessly driven nail
held the cover on and this he pried
of with corner of the shovel.
Mrs. Sneeker and the sheriff looked
into the box eagerly and then gazed
blankly into each others eyes,.
"a dead cat!" snorted the minion
of the law contemptuously. s
For the first time since they had
left her backyard, the Smith woman
spoke. She fixed Annie Sneaker with
knowing eye as she explained the
situation.
tom died last night" she told
them. Locked as though he might
of been poisoned. Then agin, he
might of swelledNup and died of Curl
iosity about other folks affairs. Lots
of cats get that way" she drawled,
as she removed her gaze from Mrs.
Sneeker ard started down the path.
The earth is five ana half times
heavier than globe of water of the
co no c;1n would ho
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

yember morning when her watchful
eye caught the opening Of the
Smiths back door and the exodus of
Mr.. and Mrs. Smith. The man car
ried a fair-sized box under his arm
and his wife walked close to his
side, wiping the tears from her eyes
with cold red hand, while her lips
moved in a steady stream. of talk.
Mrs. Sneeker stood as still as
Lots wife must have stood when she
felt her heels turning to salt. Her
eyes strained after the figures of her
neighbors as they made their way
towards the back pasture, where the
man laid his burden down gracefully
upon the frozen earth.
He then started to dig, while his
wife talked and wiped her eyes. Not
until they had laid the box down
into the hole and filled up the cav
ity with dirt did they retrace their
steps towards their Uttered back
yard.
Before they reached their door, d
young army of small Smiths rushed
out, shouting, excitedly, Mrs. Sneeker
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07
lcSzSIaMsexS SZs1axss

as she watched out the window visit
fully. Then for the first time she
saw white envelope lying on top OF
the old silk dress. She opened it
hastily. Two slips of paper fell out.
On one was written:
Dear Aunt Martha-The enclosed
is for a new Sunday-go-to-meeting
dress. I'll bring a better one from
New York in the SPRING
Your nephew from the clouds. :"
The other slip was a check for $25.
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07
By. Claire WeSson !.
lQaS@9Hse SHSed


like this:
WANTED - A husband - by the
lovveliest, dearest"
And solemnly, with long breath,
she answered: "Yes-yes--I sup
pose it should have"
And suppose also that I have, an
swered the ad and" gs 5y cG.
She smiled UP at him-one: of
those rare smiles that Carey had
remembered through the months.
I'll think you can fill the position
IL"
And her next words were smoth-
cred as Carey held her closely in
his arms, pressing his lips against
the gold head on his shoulder.
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

Mrs. NANNY husband must be
lonesome. Every letter he writes he.
asks me when I'll be home.
Her Perhaps he is merely
cautious.
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

Mrs. Blackstone Did you catch
your husband flirting?
Mrs. Webster-Ye s-the very first
time he tried it.
The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-05-07

II see they are building more big
hotels at the seaside"
Don't blame EN-" said the man
who is just back from his holiday.
I'm my own opinion the only way to
have a good time at the seaside with
out worrying over the expense is to
own hotel"