davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1926-05-21

several removes distant from a
hero who entered a little corner
ice cream parlor, trying to hold
his right shoulder unnaturally
rigid so that the rent in his
clothes would not cape open.
The Woman In Black
a. young woman .iri black and
deeply yelled cas- if she were in
fresh mourning, sat at a table in
a booth at the very end OF the
store. D.. Cressy slipped in and
took the seat opposite her;
Kathleen"
She NODDED.
, Before you ask me. I'll tell
you. Bad news should be told
quickly. I let Lecay get away
with the letters. Furthermore,
the reason I didn't send you the
Blue Scarab was-I'd lost it,"
An exclamation of despair came
from behind the veil.
s'I'm fool" the young ptysi-
clan said rniserably, 81 do more
harm than good, no matter which
way / move"
20, don't say that-you are the
only hope / have
The girl threw back the heavy
veil partly over her hat and re-
yealed her pale, tragic facev-tfe
features of Kathleen crittenden,
who was hunted by every detec-
tive, professional and amateur, in
the country.
II don't know what to do" she
moaned. 20, / don't know what
to do. Everywhere turn seems
to be blank wall"
DR.. Greasy reached over the
The Washington times., 1926-05-21
THE BLUE BEETLE

'Hush-no, dear, only poor
drunken man."
With the panic Of an erstwhile
responsible citizen, DIR. Greasy
opened the watch DIR. Macy had
lent him and regarded his coun-
tenance in the polished inner sur
face OF the cover, as he had seen
girls look at themselves in wan
ity case mirrors. Dirt and
sweat streaks distinctly nlarred
his manly beauty. His eyes were
bloodshot. His upper lip was
puffed out by a cut. One per-
spiration soaked lock of hair was
rakishly plastered down the mid
die of his forehead. His tie had
retired to strategic position at the
back of his neck. The knife rent
in his shoulder, now in broad
daylight, looked only a rip in his
coat.
~ might be taken for Charlie
Chaplain" he thought ruefully as
he wiped his face with his hand
kerchief as best he might and
drew forth his tie from its hid
ing place, "but it's a. cinch no
Valentino"
He must hurry and present
himself before Kathleen where
she was waiting for him in the
little ice cream parlor at the
corner. He must confess that he
had not only lost the Blue Scarab
but that he had let slip through
his fingers the letters which
meant "eVeryt hing"
It was rather a ~disgruntled
young man and one who felt
The Washington times., 1926-05-21

table. and very gently took her
BE brave. kathleen. we aren't
giving up the ship yet. Come
ten me what happened. How did
you get into number II OF the
Albatross apartments!
Kathleen shook her head
"I don't know. / just woke up
and found myself there with
clothes beside me. The last thing
I remember distinctly was my last
night at the FairyieW-
SUNDAY night, when you sent
me- that telephone, Tn in great
danger-save me!-save me! I'm
on the third floor Of q house on
Bush Street, near
Eyes, Lecay insisted that 4
meet him there and talk things
over again. I suppose he thought
he could browbeat me better IN
his own environment than in the
Fairview, where at least felt safe.
I went; I had to keep him pla-
Gated, I was so afraid of what he
might do. We talked and talked
hours. He tried to make snle
drink-drinks are sold there IN
little booths -
Yes, I know"
HE became violent, demand
ing that I give him the Blue Scar
alb without delay--he was drink
ing q good deal himself, although
not drunk. Then lie was called
out--he had friends in some other
booth that he left to see two or.
three times -"
Eyes, know"
at was alarmed and hysterical,
I guess. I'd been going through
The Washington times., 1926-05-21

DOBBY and I had been to town
I'D and had bought his first Nor
folk jacket suit, and you know the
day on which boy first gets a
regular suit to wear with a shirt
and g. tie, it is one of the i'm
portant days Of his life. OF course
he wanted to wear 1t home, and
he would have done so except
that the sleeves had to be short
ened.
It was in the spring and we
were sitting out on the porch for
a while before supper. Bobby
had been playing "catch" with
the boy next door and came back
to sit with me while he cooled
off. But you know how boys are.
He didn't sit still very long, and
after a few moments he was out
running around the yard throw
ing the ball up against tho wall
OF the house and catching it as
1t bounced back to him
One time he missed it and it
fell down among some ferns
which were growing IN Q long
The Washington times., 1926-05-21
You Will Want to Know Beautiful Peggy Starr Heroine Of
the Most Interesting Story of Young Love Ever
Penned By Beatrice Burton

y q
She stood looking down at him.
And suddenly there flashed into
her mind what she had been try.
ing to keep out Of her mind all
evening the look in his face when
he had held Fay In his arms as
they danced.
Self Communion.
'.He's still in love with herl"
she told herself. She knew now
that she had never stopped being
jealous of Fay--never, for a mo.
ment, since that day during their
honeymoon when Ranny had re-
fused to show her Fay's letter.
On the first OF July the monthly
bills came in.
They were appalling to Peggy
as she added them UP one after.
noon after she had set the flat
in order and peeled the vegetables
for dinner.
How in the world had she and
Ranny spent SO much money in
three short weeks $35 they owed
the butcher! The grocer's bill
was $40. And there were all sorts
of little bills for gas and electric
light. and Ice and flowers, and
things from the drug store $115
altogether.
II suppose could cut down on
the butchers bill" she unused,
tapping her teeth with her lead
pencil. "Ranny. eats too much
meat, anyway. He shouldn't have
steak or chops for breakfast the
way he doespot In this hot
weather"
She finally decided to go to
Aunt Agony for help and advice.
For Aunt Agony was a famous
manager. She could make dol
lar go almost as FAR as dollar
used to go back in 1913 before the
great war!
And there was still $50 left Of
Aunt Agony's wedding present.
Ell pay up the butcher with
that Peggy decided.
AS she was dressing to go to
Aunt Agony's house the telephone
rang. It was Ranny calling her.
Gosh. I'd rather chew tacks
than ask you what I'm going to
ask you. Peggy" he began ana
stopped.
Some instinct told Peggy that
he was going to ask her to lend
him that $50, and she was right.
Like fool, played poker with
Eddie Carter and his bunch this
noon,' he explained, and he sound
ed sheepisln, Fan rye run short
this month. Could you let me
borrow that money Of yours?"
Peggy didn't hesitate for a Sec
ond. MY dear she said, with
that deep note OF love in her
voice that was there whenever
she spoke to her husband, ''you
know there's nothing I'd rather
do than lend you that money.
The Washington times., 1926-05-21

: minute" said Bobby. Just be-
fore you came" ~
Then we watched Look how
he's swelling upr' exclaimed
Bobby.
And that toad was swelling up,
and as he swelled the craclls in
his skin became wider, and little
by little he started to wiggle
out of it.
'For PHYS sake" said Bobby,
look at him nowv' And l had
to hold my sides because 1t did
strike me so funny. The little
toad pulled each side of his old
skin off and pulled his arms and
legs out for all the world Ike.
little boy would pull the arms
out of his sleeves and the legs
out of his trousers.
There he was In his neat new
suit-a beautiful dark J.. green,
notified handsomely with cream
color, brown and black.
/ chuckled and started to go
back to the porch, but Bobby
called me.
The Washington times., 1926-05-21

Of "17" was open, as when Lecay
had rushed out-but all was
empty and silent within. The
physician was forced to the hui
initiating conclusion that Lecay,
wounded as he was, had success
fully escaped him.
AftertllOughts
As he stood on the street in
front of the Albatross apartments
a few minutes later, with the
MONDAY sun pouring down, with
the streets beginning to fill with
the overflow from the noon out
gushing Of the offices further
downtown, His duel in the e1eva-
tor had almost the quality of
nightmare.
Had anyone vigorously chal-
Ienged the statement that he had
a few moments before been al
most murdered in the middle OF
a hin because he had not sent
a Blue Scarab, and that he had
been saved by a mystic hand, he
would hardly have been able to
defend its veracity. And where
was the Blue Scarab? Lecay
had certainly, not taken it from
him that night on the highway,
for he believed he still had it,
and had. prevailed upon Kath-
leen to send to him for 1t.
"Mama-is that Charlie Chap
lin?"
DIR. Greasy was rudely aroused
from his musings when he real
lied that 1t was straight at him
the chubby baby finger pointed.
The Washington times., 1926-05-21
HERE'S FOXY GRANDPA'S STORY

.''Lookv' was all that Bobby
could say, and / don't blame him,
because l will tell you what that
toad did. He took his old suit of
clothes in his front paws-which
really looked very much like
hands-rolled them up in a ball,
and right there before our very
eyes put them in his mouth,
swallowed them with big gulp
AS if he were taking a pill
blinked at us. gave a croak and
hopped off under the ferns.
Bobby and ] stood looking at
each other, and then burst out
laughing. Just then Mary came
to the back door, and caEed:
Foxy Grandpa, here's a peck.
age for you to sign
my new suit" shouted Bobby.
We went back to the DOsase,
signed for the package, and De-
fore you could say Jack Robin
son Bobby was trying on his new
Norfolk jacket. I'm glad don't
have to eat my old suit, he
laughed as we walked to the
mirror in the hall.
The Washington times., 1926-05-21
she unused.

things. ike getting his bath
ready for him and pressing his
ties. but bigger things. such az
lending him every cent she had
in the world
So it was with great cheerful
ness that she took every penny
she had in the world, Aunt
Agony's $50 bill. out of the top
dresser drawer and puk IL into
her handbag to turn over 10
Ranny.
Then she went On with her
dressing
She was paying more attention
to her clothes and her looks these
days than ever she had in her
life. For ever since that night
OF the party, she had known that
there was still q. powerful attrae-
ton between Ranny and Fay, an
attraction that drew him toward
Fay as needle IL drawn ire
sisfibly toward a magnet.
And Peggy was pitting her
whole strength against that at
The Washington times., 1926-05-21

And I'm dressing now to go over
to- Aunt Agony's. III bring it,
down to you on my way there"
She meant what she said, with
all. her heart. She really was
glad to lend Ranny the money.
Love makes some women self
ish. 1t demands gifts from the
beloved gifts Of all sorts not
only money and jewels and furs
and flowers, but constant flattery
and attention.
Quite Different
But with Peggy love was a very
different thing.
In her It awakened al the
mothering instinct. 1t filled her
with tenderness toward Ranny,
her husband, that was like the
warm. protecting devotion Of a
mother to her young. Ranny was
not only her lover, but her child.
She passionately wanted to do
things for him, not only little
The Washington times., 1926-05-21
NOW Continue

"Oh, Rant" she sobbed. AMI
reached out a hand for him. stOh,
Ran, ] wanted to show you that
I could be gay and poppy like
Fay. Things have been SO dull
and dreary for US, somehow, since
we've lived here in this fiat! /
don't know why, but they have
been--and wanted something
that would cheer you upi''
She held one of his hands close
to her cheek so that her tears
ran over If, He came closer to
her and put both OF his arms
around her, holding her tight.
Don't cry, little love!" he said
into her hair, things haven't
been so awfully dull and dreary
for US. here In this fat, have
they?''
She nodded miserabIy. You
know they have" she said. with
that honesty Of hers. i've thought
a dozen times how much hap
pier you'd have been IL you'd mar
reid Fay 2
IF I'd wanted Fay I'd have
married Fayr Ranny. answered.
with such violence that Peggy
gasped. Now, let's cut out talk
ing about Fay! Let's forget herr,
He almost pushed her out OF
his arms and walked Into the
bedroom. BY the time Peggy had
cleaned up the fiat and undressedi
he was sound asleep in his bed.
with a magazine held in his lax
fingers and a cigarette on a tray
beside him, BURNING itself out.
The Washington times., 1926-05-21
By Stella Wynne
Whose Stories Of Mystery a
Love Are Causing Wide.
spread Comment

spread Comment
NyEIE elevator came to a jarring
stop. They had gone through
the hill and reached the level
ground OF the tunnel beneath. DIR.
Cressy, holding his knife. backed
out facing Lecay; a wounded rat
still has teeth. He was in a
short passage. lit by an electric
light. that ended in a door which
he knew led into the Stockton
Street tunnel. He stood outside
the open elevator door.
"Hand Me the Letters"
sect out. ~ he said peremptorily
to Lecay, land hand me the let
tiers. I'll take you where you can
have your wound dressed, then
III turn you over to the police
for the murder of that youth you
buried on the old sherwin place,
and for the numerous attempts
you've made on my own still
precious life Come"
Lecay stepped forward docilely
enough, holding his shoulder, a
broken and defeated expression
on his face. He started through
the elevator door. Then DIR.
Cressy felt himself hurled back
wards by a terrific push. Lecay
had thrust his good arm, with all
his force, against his chest. The
next instant both doors of the ele-
Vator changed shut. DR. Cressy
leaped forward and pressed the
button that would hold the eleya-
tor in position-but he was an in
slant too late. Already the cleo
trio connection was made, the ele-
The Washington times., 1926-05-21

traction, her beauty, her brains,
her charm. All the allure that
nature had given to her. not to-.
mention Art.
With the GREATNESS interest OF
an artist in his masterpiece. she.
powdered her face with a new
peach blow powder that gave It
the smooth creaminesS of silk,
She leaned close to the mirror Of
her dressing table and outlined
the full curves of her mouth with
poppy-colored rouge and turned
up the points OF her Iashes with
perfume-moistehed fingers.
Fay resorted TO these arts,
Peggy reflected. SO why shouldn't
she? IL the Fay sort Of girl was
the kind OF girl that Ranny
wanted. she would be that sort OF ]
girl, so far as It was in her to
be it!
Looking Her Best
She wasn't sure whether she
could do It or not. But she was
going to try her level best!
AS she turned her head this
way and that before the mirror
to see IL she had pulled out her
hair far enough from under her
hat. b sharp little knock came at
the outer door Of The Nest.
Peggy opened II TO Aunt
Agony. standing there as straight
and stiff as Mrs. Noah out Of q
child's wooden Noah's Ark. With.
out q ghost of q smile she
stepped into the tiny hall and
gave her niece q chilly kiss.
How lovely to see your Peggy
dubbed. II was just getting
ready to 20 over to your house!
she pulled off her hat as she
spoke and threw 1t down on 9
chair.
Aunt Agony shook her head.
ssMv dear. I can hardly believe
that" she said frankly. DO you
realize that you haven't stepped
into nv house but once since you
married Randall Phelps? And
that once was just Ito pack up
Your clothesl Well, as they say,
1.-THE river passed, the saint for
gotten. 1 brought you up and
took care OF you while you needed
me, but now that you don't need
me any more, you've forgotten
She sniffed as she sat down on
the. very edge OF a. straight
backed chair Al sniff was Aunt
Agony's substitute for tears, as
well as for scorn or. for laughter
Peggy CLOSED the little room {
and leaned over her, kissing the
dry. salIow cheek.
Aunt Agony, need YOU more
now than I've ever needed you
before in my life, she said.
sl1alzing her head slowly. II
really am IN trouble. If / tell
Won about it, viii you promise
not to say unkind things about
The Washington times., 1926-05-21

SO much. I was afraid he was
going to hold me there. I had
sort OF premonition, you see. that
he had the idea in his mind that
il he could get me away from
everyone - isolated he could
make me tell. / ran out to the
telephone and sent you that wild
call. He returned just as I was
doing it, and wrenched the tele-
phone out OF my hands. sud-
denly became faint and couldn't
Though didl't faint out
right. Lecay and a man called
Mallory carried me quickly down
the back stairs to a. lower flat,
laid me on the bed IN q bedroom
The Washington times., 1926-05-21
Tense Situations Thrilling Cimaxes and the AmOurs Of
HOt,Headed Youth Feature This EngrOssng
and Exciting Serial Novel.

shot m toward har hair. ~ na1
dsyon mean by that she asked.
Peggy told her.
ssT4e had been drinking before
ha cot To Peters picnic that
nIrIlf when we eloped, she said
simply, and when he ana were
alone III the woods he. began to
kiss me ana tell me how much
he cared about meaFld
so afraid that II ] didn't marry
him then and there j. u newer eleK
him, that / asked him 10 M
away and
Her head sank low and she
almost whispered the end Sof the
sentence:
And I don't believe Fanny
ever would have done Il if he'd
been Iii his sober sensesi I don't
believe he really does care for
me the way he said ne did II
was just his liquor talking that
night. z
Trying 10 Cheer Her
Aunt Agony made : little click
ing sound III her throat. Tut!
tut!. she said and came across
the room to Peggy ana patted her
shoulders sharply.
III Ranny hadn't cared for you
he Wouldn't have been engaged
TO you Tor year. my dear, she
went on sensibly. The froublo
with Fanny Ii that he cares Tor
too many girls. He's q malls
flirts AS they say, Love sees no
faults And IL you weren't -
love with Ranny you'd see THAI
he's the kind Of man who never
ought to be married TO ono
woman! Men are all alike, any
way. They're not worth the
powder to blow EN- up. any 81
sen1!,'
No man. had ever asked Aunt
Agony to marry him. and becanse
Of that she bore the whole sex
grudge. The only men on earth
for whom she had any respect
were DIR. Buzzard, the family
physician, and the pastor Of her
church, the Rev. Barmaby and
she was none too fond Of them
Now then! she exploded.
after q minute Of silence. 50 on
about your beautiful husband and
Fay Shirley
Peggy looked across the room
at a photograph Of Fay that
stood On one De the bookcases
In the 1emOn-c0l0r sunlight 81
late afternoon the pictured Ike
ness seemed to be alive. The biz
eyes seemed to twinkle greenly
ana the knocking lips to smile
more nocitingIy at Peggy than
usual.
ssRanny, still crazy about Fay
she said quietly.
tTo Be Continued Tonlorrowl
The Washington times., 1926-05-21
By Beatrice Burton
Author Of 'F1apper Wife, :
.tGilded Kisses" and
"FOOtlOOse"

FAY had been giving this
party she would have been able
20 save it, somehow or other,
even after Aunt Agony's untimely
arrival. Peggy told herself bitterly.
She would have done something
that would have made everyone
forget Aunt Agony-her imitation
Of Ann Pennington, or something
equally amusing.
Peggy got up apd stood look
ing at Ranny, shaking her head.
81 guess I'm the wrong wife for
you. she said. cit just isn't in
me to do the things that you like
70 see q girl do-did you ever
live through anything worse than
this party tonight?'s
He shook his handsome head.
'sHow much did It cost7' he
asked.
Fifty dollars. .
He whistled, Jee ru salem!
Where did you get the jack?p
Peggy shrugged. Oh, It was
part Of Aunt Agony's wedding
present to me. She gave me q
hundred dollar bill week or 50
ago and told me to bur what
wanted with itand this was
what I wantedg'
Peggy IN Tears
s Suddenly she burst into tears.
The Washington times., 1926-05-21

narrow bed along the side OF the
house, and he had quite time to
find it. Suddenly he stopped ana
you could almost see the dotted
lipes from his eyes to the bottom
of the flower bed. Then he called
me.
"Foxy Grandpa" he said,
"come here quickly, there's some
thing very strange going on.
] got up from my chair and
walked over to where Bobby was
down on his hands and knees.
Look what this toad's doing,
he whispered.
leaned. over, and there was a
little green toad. He was SO
busy he didn't even have time to
blink at us.
Foxy Grandpa" gasped Bobby,
do you see that crack right
down the back of his skin, and
the one right down the middle Of
his chest?"
Il do" said 7, putting on my
glasses.
THAT just happened this very
The Washington times., 1926-05-21

vator was ascending to some floor
above.
A baff1ed fury shook the young
physician. He swore aloud, furi.
ously and bitterly as he had some
times sworn in France on days
when, after a battle, endless lines
of stretchers came in. He. had
let Lecay get away from him
when he had him in his hands.
He-fool of fools-had lost the
letters which Kathleen had said
meant everything" when he had
them In his handsi
He wasted few precious mo-
ments pressing the button. He
thought he could reckon. by sthe
time the elevator took to descend.
at which floor Lecay had got out.
But, at whatever floor it was,
Lecay had taken the precaution
to leave the elevator doors open,
and it couldn't be budged until
they were closed and the connec-
ton made again.
AS soon as DIR. Greasy realized
this, he ran out into the tunnel,
through it, and up the Sacramento
Street stairs to the street above.
He dashed down the block along
Stockton Street to the entrance Of
the Albatross apartments. He fig
ured Lecay would probably choose
the basement to get off as the
nearest entrance to the street, and
the one in which he was least
likely to run into people. The
basement tradesmen's door was
open and he went in. He wan
dered desperately about. He found
a janitor in the furnace room,
who told him surIily and SUSPECT
ously That he had seen no man
with a hurt shoulder. DIR. Cressy
went up the Easements stairs and
went through the halls of the first,
second and third stories. The door
The Washington times., 1926-05-21
By STELLA WYNJNE

and gave me q stinulart re-
covered almost Immediately e
That's how found your brace
let in the bed. :.
yes, the clasp must have been
sprung when Lecay seized my
wrist. lost one of the bangles
too. AS soon as could stand,
I.ecay told me 4 was free TO 60
He seemed eager to be rid Of me-
/ don't think he knew how little
I'd had time to say over the phone
or TO whom I'd been talking. 1
promised him to say nothing Of
the affair." was afraid of him.
you know z
no Be Continued TDrnorrOwJ
The Washington times., 1926-05-21
The Story Thus Far

Peggy Starr has been engaged Phelps for nearly
year when he their engagement He tells
her that friend Fay Shirley
Peggy broken gives him greatly to the OF
her Aunt old maid who reared She calls
Fanny Phelps lazy and advises Peggy to marry
time draws near for the wedding Fay Ranny
tells Peggy don't each other enough
Peggy herself that seeing
deal Of her old beau, Eddie Carter
On the moont night picnic Peggys honor
After the plays seek in the dark woods like
herself off with
He makes tells she's the only girl he really
cared And A right them let's and get
married nON and
Peggy Ranny
restless friends the
first back they They stay with his until their
little flat, The Nest, ready for them.
The first night they to spend there Peggy cooks dinner
swithh
Fay Eddie Carter They drinking Ranny quar-
rs with having gingerale them
While Eddie dance
Peggy each
The Washington times., 1926-05-21

teeth are already formed in the jaw bones. Other
wise they would not say so often: They're only
baby teeth They'll soon come out. They really
don't matter"
They do matter! The regularity and soundness
Of the permanent teeth, the proper development Of
the Jaw bones and. to large extent the normal
development Of the lower part Of the face are
influenced by the condition Of the temporary teeth
Decay of baby teeth begins early-as soon as. the
first ones appear It occurs most actively nthe pits
and crevices the grinding surface Of the teeth,
and at the vital place where gums and teeth meet
The Danger Line. And il is at The Danger Line.
where toothbrush cannot reach, that the most
dangerous decay is apt to begin.
The selection of safe dentfrice is Imperative
Squbbs Dental Cream, made with Squibb's Milk OF
Magnesia, is ideal for children. 1T contains more
than so per cent of pure, palatable Squbbs Milk OF
Magnesia. Enough to neutralize the dangerous acids
in the mouth and to give protection for consider
able time afterwards. Children trulv Ike Sauibbs
Dental Cream At all drug stores-only 40c tube.