davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24

the Washington Monument
was dedicated as the highest
edifice ever built. In fact.
the early Americans who car
ried through the plans never lost an
opportunity TO empha size in glowing
terms the tremendous height of the
Monument. They were proud of, it.
They gloried in it. Perhaps ii was
this that planted the first seeds that
later bore skySCraperS. IL
That the interest in the height of the
Monument and its relation to buildings
was not forgotten is evident from the
amount of publicity that the newspa-
pers gave to that phase of 1t. A re-
porter of the National Republican told,
in the year previous to the Monu-
ment's completion. of the thrilling
trip to the top, and was SO impressed
with what man had done in climbing
heavenward that he began to prophesy
He told of ''muSing upon the lnflnity
of the universe and the grandneSS OF
CREATION" which caused him to see
into the future.
He opened his eyes as a seer. and
, from his place on the Monument he
swept his gaze across the spot where
once stood the Washington that he
knew The earth was covered" he
continued, with magnificent dwell
ings, which would have been the
grandest palaces a century before.
Magnificent piles of granite and mar
BILE reared their symmetrical heads
high into the clouds, much higher
than the Monument itself.
Around many of them were parks
thick with luxuriant foliage, through
which merry fountains could be seen
sending aloft parabolas of crystal
spray. As far as the eye could see
! rose continuous piles of massive build
| ings."
This prophetic reporter had gone to
sleep in 1882 and awakened in 1896
| 1t seems that everything was changed,
i for back in 1906 Joannes Johnson was
elected President of the United States
and he undertook many reforms. HE
ordered the old buildings to be torn
down and destroyed. He then began
building where the Capitol stood. In
| 1912 the present buildings were fin
ished, and now they extend over SO
acres of territory
The city of Washington, he found
in his dream, was about 20 miles
| long and 10 miles wide, and would
have been much larger but for a fire
that destroyed some 300, 900 houses. -
! But because it wasn't a commercial
city. it was quite small as cities went
! then. But the houses of that day
were all higher than the Monument,
''the ajority being some six or seven
| hundred feet high
The prophesying reporter discovered
another Of his kind while in his trance
and talked over city conditions in
America. He found that Washington
| buildings were pretty small in COM
| parison with those in New Jersey.
"Why, these buildings in Washing
ton are nothing more than back sheds
when compared with those in New
Jersey" said his seer friend. why,
| my house in Ringtailburg is not much
Of a house, but she's eleven hundred
| feet TALL
F, At about this state Of the,yision he
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24

Then you do not know love-" said
he, simply.
NJ. Bedet was walking agitatedly up
and down, his ringed hands beneath
his coat-tails, Tipping them nervously
Name of a name" he muttered.
"Sonnya. we who have lived recog-
nize it, do we not? The true article,
simon-pure?"
THE pale ghost had thrown off her
diaphanous drapings and stood.
slim and elegant. in glossy black. In
the dim light her fine and sentient
face shone with delicate fire. She
looked upon the girl with plying
eyes. Then she smiled at the little
Frenchman, rare smile. the embodi-
ment of perfect accord, perfect under
standing.
None should know it better. Prin-
ciep,' she said gently, than we who.
oeing denied have served it for
20 years" Instantly he was be
side her, bending over her hand, kiss
ing II with all the sweet fire of youth
itself
And love, ma bien aimee" he said,
1T is of all this worlds possessions
the best, the nearest to that great
Divinity which rules the universe.
lie bon Dieu also?"
There was in him q mounting ex-
element. His small eyes sparkled
from their encroaching areas OF fat
his round cheeks We're flushed above
the neat. short beard. He was a
knight of the Golden Circle, a warrior
In the lists of love. above all a French.
man. a little mad. perhaps, with the
heady wine of romance.
The woman was quieter. more sane
and calculating. 1T is all of that, NY
dear" she said.
My friends said John Henderson.
there is mystery here, and some sort
of danger I am very sure, but since
you have not told me what il is l
have not asked. Neither shall l. /
know that you have a reason for your
silence, and am content. But | know.
too. now that Illola loves me. and
nothing shall keep her from me. I'll
stay here till doomsday."
Bravo cried NJ Bedet. and the
Lady Sohnya looked again at the alb
bess
That" she said quietly. lis mad
ness. You cannot stay"
"Oh, can't II" he asked gently.
Forgive me, Nine. Sohnya. but am
serious"
ut is we who should ask forgive
ness said the lady, since we have
brought YOU to this pass-have placed
the light OF happiness before YOU only
to extinguish tt
Not by a long way said the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24

One was a Frenchman. a trifle bald
and rotund, but OF that rare and de-
lightful nature which meets life in
all its phases with happiness mixed
with kindness and tempered by under
htannlng. The other was an Amer
lean. undeniably. Tall, fair. bronZed
by months of recent travel in Africa,
he was a splendid young creature as
he smiled eagerly and leaped up the
broad steps to meet them. His hand
shake was American and robust as his
frame, quick and respectful for the
woman, lingering and clinging for the
girl.
BY George he cried inelegantly,
It's been an age since Yesterday
"Princiep," said the woman re-
proachfully, "can you not leap up
steps any more?'
The Frenchman bowed beautifully.
Years, my dear Sohnya," he said,
and embonpoint forbid But 1 main
tain that I can still-what you call it?
+give our ebullient young friend
cards-and-spades in department. Per-
init me-" And he gave her his arm
with perfect grace.
They descended the terraces of their
own immediate garden to a vehicle
waiting at a stone gate covered with
hougainvillea. They entered it and
dropped away down among the fairy
lights, their voices and laughter sub
LaSd
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24

inquiry. Were you-were YOU no.
just a little frightened going up
/ Frightened. l was perfectly terrified
was the hearty response, given Wit!
great force.
me ascent is made by the elevator
| which runs through the middle Of thu
great obeliSk. This elevator is a mere
open platform, which does not deserve
the name of the alleviator. as Mrs
zen. GlIfory puts il; it is rather the
terr1fler. In half a minute the light Of
day totally disappears. and at that
moment the horrors of the position
suddenly Swoop down. To he dangling
hundreds OF feet above a chasm, With
only rope between you and a fall l..
the bottom is enough to appal am
imagination. Although the darkness.
is hlackness inconceivable, and the in
tense silence broken only by the groan
ing of the great mass feeling its Wa,
painfully upward. Yet the frightfuI
abyss appears TO become of itself both
audible and visible. The last $50 fee
of balancing between heaven and
earth is like hanging between life and
death. Even the elevator man gives uu
his heroic efforts to keep up the couI
age of the party.
IF anything could repay one for the
horrors of the ascent, it would be
the view after reaching the top. Even
the most hardened sightseer must be
enthusiastic at the great panorama
spread out before him. The vast
Treasury Building looks like a Lillipu-
tan house.
THE buildings appear massed 10
gether, not in little squares. but in
long rectangles. This is due to the
fact that the broad avenues and
streets radiating from the Monument
are visible for their entire length.
while the thoroughfares running al
right angles are hid behind the houses
Sixteenth street, reaching from La
fayette Square out to the standpipc
above the Boundary, is particularly
noticeable.
The full grandeur of the Capitol is
then for the first time realized. When
it is remembered that the Capitol il
of almost the identical dimensions OF
the great pyramid, and of st. Peters.
being perhaps a few feet longer than
either. 1t may seem that it has nothing
to lose by looking at 1t from any point
of elevation. Everything else grows
minute from the top of the Monu-
ment except the white splendor of the
Capitol. 1t seems to be on a noun
tain instead of a hill. and amid the
diminishing of every other object the
great white dome stands grandly out,
so high that 1t looks as though poised
in air.
1T is a queer sensation to look over
the top Of the Goddess OF Liberty To
the ridge which forms the watershed
of Chesapeake Bay. The latter is not
visible nor can Baltimore be seen.
"A look at the elevator and a propo-
sition to descend is enough to kill any
enthusiasm, however. But it is by
comparison with the ascent simply
delightful To the simultaneous and
earnest assurances made to the eleva-
tor man that nobody in the party
would ever do so any more, he sar-
donicallv replied, All Of EN- says
that"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24

shone with tears. The man from
Texas shut his lips in a firm line.
Two hours later the Lady Sohnya
sat in the room behind the heavy cur
tafns and stroked the beautiful head
that lay upon her knees.
, 'S-h-h-s, s-h-h-s," she soothed ten.
derby. there. dear one. there. there.
there. Ii is life. dear heart. and we
must fact it."
There was no answer but the long
sobs. deep and guarded, which came
with dull monotony from the young
girl at her knee. 1t was the weeping
OF resignation. hopeless and bitter.
L" said Illola, between the
sobs. I-wish-I-had not-com-
commanded you-to bring me here,
The pain OF longing to see-see him
once again was bad. 10 see him once
before--before-" She stopped and
wept afresh while the woman smooth
ed the satiny head.
That pain was in my heart like
---iull, dead ache--but it's a-living
can | give myself to another man, To
the-o.d black-ki-''
Once more the woman put a quick
hand on the others lips. "S-h-h-s"'
said she again.
X, x X
THE gardens of the embassy were
CAV with lights and lanterns. Mar
BILE fauns and satyrs cleaned among
the Swallowed green. Fountains MUIR
INJURED. ringing their million gems to
sparkle d brief moment with rainbow
hues and 1ie among the lilies of their
pools Masked and bedizened figures
filtered here and there, dominoes and
fools, Falstaffs. kings and beggars
10, j
ries, laughing, running, carrying BAN
ners of multi-hued and wavering con-
fetti.
They danced upon the tagging of
the walks. catching partners from
among the mass, some at random,
some with gay intent. but all with Joy.
Beneath the music, laughter made
murmuring undertone; the sounds of
feet in satin slippers threaded the
splashing of the silver waters.
Among them, in a sort of trance of
ecstasy. went Harlequin dancing with
an Abbess whose flowing robes con-
cealed the grace of her young form.
But the arms of the tall Jester were
warm and tight about her, he bent
his head so that the whispered words
which passed between them were for
their ears alone and he gave none OPP
portunity to usurp his place.
IhiS moon, he told her, is liquid
madness-but II shines the same in
Texas. Far beyond the bay out yonder
are miles of level prairie. running
with ripples. too-wind on the bending
grass; and for the lights Of Naples,
the stars--great southern stars, hung
above the plains. There is the sound
Of cattle lowing, the feet Of running
horses, the clink OF spurs. In the
ranch house under the live oaks is
peace, quietness. simplicity-it waits
for love. And there is freedom-ten
thousand miles Of it,
The Abbess sighed. Freedom" she
said beneath her breath. "Oh, free
DOM
Then they were gone down a shad.
owed way where the great boughs Of
enormous trees met and formed
canopy. Here there was darkness,
soft as love itself. full Of the STRINGS
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24

and I have had you only three
this time-five altogether, counting
those two on the boat last spring.
That is short, Illola." 1t was the
first time he had used her name,
caught from Nine. Sohnya. He felt
a tiny tremor in the hand beneath
his own. -.s --t
SO short. And you will not tell me
where you go, nor why: NJ. Bedet. is
silent on the point. too, and l have
enough-barely ehough-breeding, to
respect the silence which you all i'm,
pose. But tonight 1 am mad because
of the moon. Moonlight on the bay
and Naples yonder." His brown
fingers closed on the soft white hand,
drew it up against his breast and held
it there 1t struggled a moment and
lay still, save for a trembling which
had set up in it.
"Illola,'' he said. II love you"
There was a gasp in the shadowy
light ard the hand was drawn swiftly
from him 1t fell upon the rail, lifted
and fell again
Mr.. American" she said in Curl
ously faint voice, shall we go back
to our friends?"
But, walking beside him in silence,
she stumbled on the smooth deck and
when John Henderson, catching her,
raised her face to the moon he saw
with n chill at his heart, which yet
surgcd With joy thai her dark. eyes
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24

American grimly. I'm a fine little
old windbreak myself. III see that it
don't go out"
But there will be-Soon, very soon.
perhaps-occasion for more than dan.
ger" said Nine. Sohnya, even per-
haps for tragedy-if you are found
here
IF / am found here? For what
reason, and by whom"
That" she said again. Il cannot
tell you. 1t is our secret, the secret
of-our country" For a long moment
John Henderson regarded the small
group with piercing eyes. He had dis
carded his cap. and the gravity of the
moment sat strangely upon his garb
of gayety.
IF you would only tell me-" he
said: but no one spoke.
Only Illola looked at him with quiv-
erlng lips and tears glittering in the
dark wells of her eyes. a." she said
piteously, 'am all TO blame. 1t was
who forced my dear friends to bring
me here that | might see YOU once
again-that / might have one wild
full taste of life before ! forswore il
forever. / have longed to hear your
voice ever since we met in the Spring:
L have loved you every hour"
''Forswore?" he caught her up
The Lady Illola." said Sohnya
quickly, lis about TO be married" A
dead silence fell. The hand of the
girl fumhled with the folds of the
Abbes5' robe; her wide eyes never left
her lovers face.
80 that is all" said John Hender-
son presently. II could have told YOU
that myself" There was the slight
sound OF feet on the padded floors, the
rustic of a curtain at the far end of
the room.
Madame said the woman Morvan
in strangely frightened voice, "the
knocker on the garden door is sound
ing"
The turn is called" said NJ. Bedet
With the rush of a scared bird the
girl was in the Americans arms,
clinging 10 him desperately. Kiss me
once more she sobbed, and go-if
YOU love me, go before it is too late"
He kissed her hastily and put her to
one side. From somewhere about
Harlequin'S foolish garments he
brought grim black gun, short and
heavy. which fitted his big hand
squarely.
Monsieur. and you. Madame" he
said. step back yonder in the
shadows"
IN the tense moment the four faces
were keen with different visible
emotions. Henderson's grim as his
gun. set like a rock-M Bedet's alive
with the flame Of deathless romance
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24

that Of the girl IlloIa anguished
as death itself-but Nine Sohnya s
changing with decision.
All knew that tragedy TO the nth
degree was imminent. but Nine.
Sohny3, of all, visioned more clearly
the whole ramificationS of the stu
alton
Delay To answer, Morvan." she said
swiftly, for reasonable time.
Princiep," she turned to him, we are
getting old"
Never" he cried gallantly, mon,
m" beautiful
side by side through many desperate
adventures"
Happily. my adored"
And we have no regrets.
None"
Perhaps this is our great hour
what do you think"
Il know it," said monsieur firmly.
"Youth-and-love- and-freedom-
what are they worth, Princiep?"
"All that we can give them. Have
we ever counted COSTS"
The woman reached out and took
his hand III hers. MY dears,' she
said to the others, there is better
way. Put up that gun. my friend.
Listen atlentlNelN, Tor we nave SCdnt
time. VIII you make llloia happy so
long as YOU both shall live?'
Quickly Harlequin raised his right
hand. so help Inc God he said
simply.
And you, dear heart" she said TO
the girl do YOU love him enough to
go to that land of which he speaks
this TeXas-and be his Wife-like any
simple woman
TO the ends Of the earth. Sohnya"'
the other said passionately.
Then YOU shall have Your chance.
1t is fraught with danger and may
fail, but YOU shall try for it. Back
TO the wall, Mr.. Henderson-quick"
With outspread hands she hurried
them toward the far end of the room
where the long gold tapestries hung
from the top. She pulled them aside
futtered her white hands a moment
along the. shiny panels of ancient
wood. ana touched some secret spot
Instantly a section Slid away. disclos-
ing square of midnight hIacknesS
This runs beneath the town" she
said. Ito gate upon q road-a dis
our country. You y6ll be above the
city. What about Your ship. sir? Can
YOU take another on it at such short
notice."
The captain, Bediah Henderson, is
my fathers brother" said the Ameri
can. Il could take regiment
1T is we'll" said Nine. Sohnya
pushing them into the dark square of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24
Washington Monument in Early Days
Viewed as Pointing Way to New Ideas

looked over toward Arlington to see
that there public officials were unveil-
ing monument to some one who had
been in the War of 1898, and his in
terest caused him to slip and fall.
whereupOn he awoke to find that the
men We're quitting work
But if this reporter was given TO
visions of height, he was not such n
bad prophet, considering the span of
time he covered, Judging by sky
scrapers, some folks might say that
he may yet be shown TO be right be-
fore 1896 shall come. However, il is
hoped that traffic problems for the
dWelierS in the even-hundred-foot
buildings in Washington will have
been solved by that time.
After the Monument was completed,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24

It's height continued to give the prin-
cipal interest. There was published
a small booklet, which was sold at the
time the first visitors We're going to
the top. and in il there was an account
of the writer's trip to the top. 1t is
entitled: The Ascent. Its Horrors
and How Mundane Things Appear $50
Feet in the Air" In part. this writer
says:
If one feels q desire to sup full on
horrors, there is no way in which sue
cess is so certain and so speedy as an
ascent of the $50 feet of this great
shaft
Whether the ascent is calculated to
inspire fear or not may be imagined
from the reply made by one of the
highest officials in Washington to the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24

the opening.
But the girl turned and chung 70 her
hands in an agony of grief.
YOU" she said piteously. "Wha
will attend? Oh, my dear Sohnya. J
fear for you, Hollenbrufs-
Nine. Sohnya drew NJ. Bedet close |"
her side.
For twenty years We have served
our country faithfully" she said. "iu
for it. Now we serve love, and
through love the good God. With
Him be it.
Then she began 10 speak in her
own tongue soft, liquid words thai
We're somehow replete with fire, and
in another moment she had sunk t.
her knees before the abbesS-was
holding her hand against her cheek.
A little stiffly. NJ. Bedet went down
beside her. The American, watching
with intense excitement. was mysti
fed But Illola bent and kissed them
both. sobbing.
Then Morvan's dull voice came
through the shadows.
Madame" she said, they arc
coming"
He caught d last glimpse Of the
faces of these two turned to the far
end of the room-courageou faces, q
little pale but SteadfaSt. Then the
secret panel closed behind, shutting
them in Stygian darkness. Taking
Illola's trembling hand in his left, he
put his right hand against the damp
stone wall Of the passage and Wen
resolutely forward.
- =
THREE days later Capt. Bediah
Henderson on the high seas PEI
formed a marriage ceremony while
curious Passengers on the liner Dol
phin read the latest news bulletin
caught from the continent by radio
gram.
Small principally of Illoria, il
said. lin turmoil over mysterious dis
appearance of Crown Princess Illola
Was TO have been given in marriage
10 aged king of neighboring country
thereby furthering political interests
Foul play feared"
But John Henderson, holding TO his
breast his neW-made bride. was nut
muring of the peace Of Texas plain~
and that great happiness which should
endure forever. Illola. trembling with
undreamed-of JOY. looked forward like
a prisoner doomed to death and sud
denly restored to life, but deep IN he.
heart a wound was slowly bleeding
would always bleed. because of those
TWO whose fate she could never know
that noble and courageous pair 81
friends and lovers, Nine. Sohnya am
little. rotund VI. Bedet of France.
fCOpy-i yhV 1920
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24
BY UTHAI VINCENT WILCOX.

~ y February 21. IL years ago.
the Washington Monument
was dedicated as the highest
edifice ever built. In fact,
tho COR America who
Evening star., 1926-11-11

ing those embleins of patriotism. the
bers of the American War Veterans
Club also were directed TO display
service and American flags today.
The observance will come to close
tonight with exercises under auspices
of the National Patriotic Council at
the Willard Hotel, of the Holy Trinity
Branch Of the Holy Name Society
in Trinity Auditorium, Thirty-siXth
and O streets, and of other orGa MIA
tions in various parts of the city.
The first-named body will give
dinner at which plans will be dis
cussed for the furtherance Of Ma
tion-wide celebrations of national
patriotic anniversaries. Maj. Gen.
Fries will be toastmaster and others
scheduled to take part are William
p. MacCracken, jr., Assistant Secre-
tary of Commerce in charge of avia-
ton; Comdr. Charles Reilley of the
Veterans Of Foreign Wars; Walter
Bruce Howe, president of the Navy
League; Mrs. Alfred j. Brosseau,
president general of the d. A. r.:
abled American Veterans of the
World War, and Frank l.. Peckham.
vice president OF the Sentinels of the
Republic.
Mrs. Noble Newport Potts, presi-
dent of the council, will call the as
sembIy to order. she. with Mrs. John
NJ, Beavers. Mrs. Albert NJ. Baggs and
Maj. Frederic w. Keough, compose
the committee on arrangements.
The council had planned to celebrate
the night with the lighting of Army
flares, hut the proposal was aban-
doned when it was found the flares
could not be secured in time. The
council urges all citizens, however, to
illumine their homes tonight with q
lighted candle placed in the front
window. 1t was stated that Col. U. S.
Grant had ordered the rainbow" foun-
tain In the Mall turned on. under Il
battery of Army searchlights.
A special Arnistice night program
will be carried out at the Holy Trinity
auditorium, beginning at S:15 o'clock.
Speakers will be Rev. Hugh a. Dal-
ton pastor of Holy Trinity Church,
Rev. James A. Moakley. Rev. Richard
r. Rankin, Rev. Hugh A. Gaynor
and Rev Louis S. Weber. A musical
and smoker will follow.
The Sojourners' Club, Washington
Chapter. No. 5. observed the Armis-
tice anniversary last night at the Co.
lonial Hotel. The program included
remarks by Gen. Drain, Capt. Watson
E. Miller. Maj. j. Thomas Taylor
Lieut.. Robert NJ. Tolson and Lieut.
Col. Thomas J. Dickson, Chaplains
Corps.