davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

1--WE told you the absolute
truth, Wood. don't know how
Worth came to his death. / be-
heve he shot himself"
"And you're going to risk your
life rather than tell what you do
know? Well, think it over. Don't
fool yourself on what the jury
may do. Face the worst-death-
hanged by the neck until dead.
The best isn't much better. Life
In a place like this-a sinking
hole like this-a convict for life.
You're rs. I'll come around in
the morning"
In q Cell
Five-thirty. Locked in his cell.
Small space, six by eight. Dis
NAL yellow light from the low
power electric bulb wavering
through the bars.
Corners, his cellmate, lay on
his cot. His was the lower berth.
He chewed tobacco and leaned
over to spit on the floor. Glanced
up to- say: 'Smatter, kid? You
look done. Going against your"
A big wad of tobacco went spat-
tering to the floor.
For Gods sake-keep it in
your facer'
Corners grinned. "Scuse me,
kid. Not used to ritzy society.
Sorry you're feelin' low. Don't
give up the ship till it heaves
you into the sea. I've seen fel.
lows get out of awfully tight
Jams"
Douglas took up a book. He
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

sat on al ana leaned against
the iron do. 1.-TWO days between
him and " Naict. Face the
worst-death pc atty.
Three cells from theirs there
was a fellow sentneced to swing.
Waiting here now on appeal
waiting in a fury that made his
eyes always bloodshot; to an an
guish that made him walk up and
down the tanks with little speedy
jerks OF his whole body. Caught
red-handed just after he'd shot a
policeman. Waiting to be hanged.
Waiting for the rope-have it,
looped about his throat, the black
cap pulled over his face. A mo-
ment's pause-the last moment OF
life. Then a body plunged rude
ly and with bitter shock through
the air; jounced down so the
neck would be broken; otherwise
the gallows turned to a shambles;
do it neatly-have his neck
broken. The warden and the
prison doctor kneeling-the doc
tor counting the pulse, IL min
utes, perhaps 13-dead.
He felt nauseated. They
wouldn't find him guilty. How
could they? He'd never be SEN
fenced to death. Too many un-
explained angles.
Twice he crossed the room
Twice l saw his face with start
ling clearness. He crossed the
room, stopped down as though
leaning over something or search
ing for something"
Yes, leaning over the body OF
Ramon. He was there when a
man lay dead. The jury knew
this. They would want to know
why.
And if he couldn't tell them
they'd believe he must have some
guilt-guilt enough to warrant
life imprisonment. Guilt enough
for them to order him walled up
for the rest of his life. He be.
coming a convict-sharing a cell
years and years-strifling-t
bacco juice spattered on the
floor. Locked up in a vault every
day from o'clock till 8 the next
morning.
Sick At Heart
That jury of IL men could do
this to him-to him, q free,
guiltless human being-a fellow
who loved the sunlight and the
air, who liked swinging a tennis
racket. who liked pretty girls
and dancing and music, who went
SO jauntily Of a New Year Eve
or a football day.
1t wouldn't happen--lt couldn't
happen not to him!
He began to pace the CELL
three steps then about-turning
round and round. He thought OF
the solace he gave his mother
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01
NOW CONTINUE

its side. But the blinds were
carefully pulled; the light only
showed a thin, gold rim around
their edges. How he wished. in
that moment, that science had
advanced far enough to give
him X-ray glasses that he might
penetrate the wall and look into
that roomi
He made his way cautiously
around to the back OF the house.
There was light in what he
took to be, the kitchen, and the
door. which opened onto little
..stoop,' that in turn led down
by several steps to the level
ground, was open. Only the
screen door was closed, but he
could see through its crack that
the hook was not on. Mounting
the stoop and standing close
against the house wall, he bent
forward cautiously and peeked
through the mesh OF the screen.
The same Chinaman was within,
standing now, in his capacity as
cook, before q huge, old-fashioned
coal range, like priest before
an altar. He had q tray pre-
pared on the kitchen table beside
him and on it was one plate,
one cup and saucer, one knife
and fork, and spoon. He was
frying, in a great, round iron
pan, a couple of small rib chops
which looked like islands I'm an
ocean.
Curiosity
Doctor Cressy looked with tire.
mendous curiosity at that service
for one. Yet, It might be mere.
~ that Lecay If he were
indeed within was getting
a late dinner brought to him,
or that Drake, the proprietor Of
the Sherwin place, was eating
alone late. The Chinarnan speared
the chops with a fork and put
them on plate in the heating
oven. Suddenly he looked all about
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01
. stery, Love
and Thrills
Galore

kathleen. her face waxen a.
White camellia, her stil hanoe
clasped across her breast u
position Of one dead.
Doctor Greasy thought sae We
indeed dead. He shook 80 tnAk
the light fin his hand danced on
the bed and the room began to
whirl dinnIy and dizzily. But the
next moment he cOnqueFed tnAs
physical reaction and went over
to the bed. IT took him only 81
instant to see she was not dead.
but drugged. Her feet were bars
except for pair Of heelless bed
room slippers; her red-g0ld hair
fell in b tossed wave along her
shoulder; she was dressed only
In thin blue silk dressin8
gown.
Along the length Of the bolster
~ rirnt angles to her, lay the
inner half Of the mummy case
which had covered her. DK
cressv turned the fIashIignt into
Il The light sprayed thr0uHh
syna1l hardly discernible holes
n fhe painted nOstrils. through
other tiny. unnOticeable holes Ia
tha ton 81 the head Doubtless
there were also air holes IN knS
lower half Of the case since #
was meant to accommodates tne
living instead Of the dead
He stood staring ct Kathleen.s
lovely profile, lit UP BY Tire
fIashIigft. as she lay IL her
strange bed. He was reminded.
irrelevantly enough, Of the tales
Of enchanted princesses In glass
collins, kept in the homes q
wicked ogres.
His Dilemma
What should he do? His II.
stfnct was 10 seize her and carry
her out to where his coupe was
on second thought he realizs4
how impossible 1t would be noise
lessly to carry her dead weighk
through a dark house which n9
did not know, to get her over The
seven-foot barbed wire fenee
He would only be caught ana
lose all chance Of rescufng her
Arouse her? Would that be
nossible? Never before In hi4
life as physician did he feel
hts helpIessness as at this mo
ment when he most needed nle1l
cine. He took her hands, shook
her q little and called softly
hut abruptly!
asKathleen! Kathleen
There was no movement. re
flicker in the still face.
He bent over, lifted her out or
the case and put her in SITTING
position on the side Of the bed.
She fell over heavily and inertly
against him.
kathleen! Kathleen! Kathleen
he called in q low voice, insistent-
". He kissed her eyes aTlo
mouth gently. ITS Ralph
Palm Ralph wake
nm. dear Wake up. Wake
up. Wake up. Wake up. KatlAs
leenf'
(TO Be Continued on Monday
Is
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

ward, her arms hanging limp at
her sides. His whole life In
prison. And she would go over
to see him on visitors day
He would work in jute mill.
She had read stories Of men in
San Ouentin-frightful stories
meat thrown on the tables in
troughs as though pigs were
being fed. And once q prisoner
reached in with his fork and
pulled out a rat cooked with the
stew-and the men ate the stew
She now buried her face, at
tempting to shut out the image
of Douglas sitting at such a.
table. But she saw this image
saw his fine, hazel eyes somber
and embittered; saw him push
his plate; saw him blanched and
crucified. And she prayed storm
lily: Oh God--no! Almighty God?"
Then there came an image Of
him when he would bid goodby
to poor little Emma, leaving
her alone in the kitchen; goodby
to Judith. And he would go
across the bay between two Of
ficers, hat slouched over his
Judith got up, wrapped an
old lounging robe abotu her.
She leaned on the mantel, her
face pressed against the cool
"Jude--Jude, is that you stand
ing there? Or only a shadow?
It's you, Jude"
A Sweet Voice
Sandy's voice went stealing
along Judith's nerves-sweet, APP
pealing voice-the little throaty
laughs vanished. She went over
softly-stood quietly at Sandy's
bed, touched Sandy's cheeks.
would you like something's"
"Yes-sit here" Sandy reached
up a thin hand. In the dim,
wavering freight it looked a
white, waxy lily. She tucked it
in that childlike way of hers in
Judith's. "Sit here, Judy. Oh,
how good you are! And all I've
done is bring you pain. won
der how much!'
Judith WINGED.
Isn't it strange, Jude, for you
and / to be here in this mysteri-
Gus way?"
Eyes, it's strange"
And what does your mother
think?"
"She's In Sabastopol yet. That
saves the whole thing. / write
to her and she never notices the
postmark. And I've told Maud
that we had an automobile
smashup near Los Angeles, and
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

dim rustic Of his own movements
had obliterated the sense Of
some one breathing, and he now
seemed to hear nothing. He
atood with his back against the
dnor in the thick darkness; UNI
conscfously he assumed a crouch
ike an animal before it springs.
Along his nerves q queer sensa-
zion OF fear ran like quicksilver,
Tor he didn't know If he were
alone. or IL an enemy more used
Is this darkness than he, were
staring at him, were coming to-
ward him. Were those soft foot
steps !.
He could stand the strain no
longer and snapped on the flash
light. 1t travelled around the
room, resting old-fashioned
chairs with crochet tides, on 9
huge, OId-fashioned black walnut
bed.
In the middle Of the white
counterpane lay the under half
of the case Of Amon-Ka, its still
vivid painting shining out against
the Wilderness. Within it lay
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01
BIZ EIenOre Meherin

evening-the Saturday after Avery
Middleton had testified.
Judith's eyes were sunken. She
lifted the poker idly and showed
the red Goals.
"You say his attorney is hope
less, Hair"
HE hasn't any hope OF acQuit-
tai now. The most he can expect
is q disagreement. Besides, q
theory is gaining ground-you
know the way these rumors fly
about in murder trial-the
theory's gaining ground that
Douglas shot them both. He was
waiting for the woman. Every
one believes now there was rivalry
between the two men over q wo-
man. And Douglas was waiting
for her. She didn't show up. In
a state Of frenzy he went to
Worth's office-found the two OF
them together-shot the girl first
and then killed Ramon. You
see. they don't know who owned
the pistol. That's the theory now.
They believe the girl was only
woundcd-was able to walk. AT
that, they're more likely to be-
lieve she has since died and that
he killed two. More likely to DE.
lieve this than that he killed
none."
Judith stirred the glowing Goals.
HE asks q great deal Of us II
he thinks we should be silent
through this"
"That's what he asks. He told
me to remind you OF your prom
ise."
Then Hal Hume went in and
sat at Sandy's bed. She slept,
but she turned uneasily, her
cheeks flushed. Hume watched
her. His face had very a1x-
ious look.
Keep her quiet, Jude"
You're alarmed about herr"
aaGnod Cod TIL ho Glad 1ul1an
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

"Nothing's going to hap.
pen to me-in a week 1t will be
over all over"
Now she shuddered. All over
And then Of Norman Woods
words: TITS her reputation against
your nfe." Yes, Sandy's happi-
ness-Sandy's Notwithstanding
him to prison for ife--for his
whole life. She went down there
that night to Ramon. Why did
she go? If only she hadn't gone.
Sending him to prison for life.
He went to the grating and
tried to get cool breath OF air
-suffocatfng in here.
Suddenly he thought Of Judith
remembered her eyes filled with
tears-Judith's lovely violet eyes.
And suddenly he rememberd the
New Year Eve when he kissed her
at midnight-how white she grew
and how he flushed because OF
the unexpected sweetness in Jud-
this lips-dear Judith--all those
walks they had taken
He held the bars, finding his
hands wet and shaking
Saturday morning his attorney
conferred with him. He said:
"Well-you've decided to speak?
1t doesn't matter-I've decided 1t
for you"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

dishes, and keeping the house clean.
when they were in q weakened
condition and had not suficient
strength to perform these duties.
A friend advised her to take
Lydia q. Pinkham's Vegetable Com
pound and she gave it a fair trial
81 just can't give enough thanks
to it," she writes. Nov can eat
anything at all and / am feeling
better than l have for years.
shall never be without your medil
cine again"
A woman who is fighting for her
health and her family's happiness Is
a valiant soldier. She wages her
battle in her own kitchen. She
has no thrilling bugles to cheer he'd
on, no waving banners.
Many other women tell us, d
Mrs. wallace did that Lydia p. Pink
hams Vegetable Compound has q
stored Sheir health,
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

him, as IL for some missing ar
ticle, then turned and left the
kitchen by a swinging door.
There was q second door, Doc
tor Cressy had noticed. leading
from the kitchen to some inner
portion of the house. He seized
his chance, opened the screen
door, slipped noiselessly across
the nnoleum floor, and through
this second door. AS he closed
it, leaving, himself in darkness,
he heard the Chinaman coming
back through the swinging door.
But in the moment Of light
from the kitchen az he entered,
he had seen that he was on a
narrow landing from which q
steep. wooden stairway led down
ward. He descended step by step,
taking the utmost care to be
noiseless, not daring to use his
flashlight until he reached the
bottom. Then he did unsheath
his Mazda. He found himself
in a large, damp, cobwebby cell
lar. Old pieces Of furniture, a
pile Of mouldy cardboard boxes,
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

out the darker outlines Of doors in
the lighter wall.
He bent his head and listened
at the door nearest him. There
was utter silence. He turned
the knob and went in. He flash
ed his light q moment. He was
In large hall closet with draw.
ers and shelves full of following
linen. He went on down the
hall and listened at the next
door. He opened it e.
bedroom empty Of an occupant.
He tried a door on the opposite
side OF the hall. 1t was q bath
room. Next 1t was another I'M
occupied bedroom. AS he stood
outside the last door on that
side and listened, It seemed to
him that in the depths OF the
silence he could catch a faint,
an infinitely faint, sound OF
breathing. Still, even with his
PHYSICIANS trained ear, he wasn't
quite sure.
Very slowly. silently. he turned
the knob, opened the door just
sufficient TO allow the passage
OF his body; closed IL again. The
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

this is over! The only out I've got
as far as she's concerned is the
certainty that she's better off
here, where It's quiet and she's
not likely to hear Of things, than
she could possibly be If she were
to be robbed Of her peace Of
mind. She has fever again. Don't
let her get excited"
'I can't keep her quiet. She
wakes in the night, tormenting
herself with questions. Why was
this-Why was that. She thinks
about her husband and the way
she allowed herself to be sold into
thinks Of their terrible life togeth-
ly killed her. She thinks about
that. She thinks about her little
baby and the way 1t died-the
way they brought it to her, dead.
And she held it-she felt its
goes through all this.
Then she thinks Of Ramon
the way he died. And all these
things are at her door. She asks
why. It's awful.
"And she's keeps begging for
Douglas-where is he? Why
doesn't he come? At least he
could write!
"She lies there with her hands
over her eyes. She thinks he's
just left her. 1 can see the tears
running to the pillow. She says:
I'm glad he's left me. It's bet
ter for him. I'm going away.
AS soon as I'm better. Judith,
tell him I'm going away. And
maybe he'll come and see me
just once. Just once more -"
Judith kept her head down,
ashamed Of the tears singing
and warm under her lids. They
dropped on her clasped hands.
Chn l1oLnd ,,V ~ IJuI IJ,YV,on Nn,t<J1
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

mother brought her to the paper
anxious to have her adopted.
The people who took the child
said they would take her for q
year before legally adopting her.
It's good thing they did, for the
child's mother became a great
nuisance to them? making no end
OF demands for herself. They
loved the little girl. but finally
gave her back to the mother.
I was Disguised with the mother
and have never wanted to take In
hand In an adoption since. I
even heard later that the child
was not really this wonan's at
all, but was used in b scheme for
getting money out of people.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

than its own mother seems %
suffer.
Now the various angles that
call FOR the judgment Of q Solo
mon:
Is the mother doing the right
thing to claim her child from peo-
pie who love It dearly and have
given it name and home and .
real place In their hearts?
Is there even a greater degree
OF mother love that might feel
Fate had dealt kindly with her
love child when good people took
it, and that she might be show
ing even q greater love by keep
ing silent?
Are there mothers who might
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

known they were regarding adOp-
ton, and so claims she was
tricked into signing them.
The spirit with which she horse
whipped q lawyer caused her to
be arrested and attracted atten-
ton to her case, and the methods
in which she finally managed her.
self to trace the child do not In
dicate, 1t seems to me, a woman
who would sign papers without
knowing what they referred to.
Locating the child. she finds
it's Eostef-parents are well-to-do.
They have gone away with the
child, perhaps loving the child so
much now that 70 give It UP
would be grief to them no less
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01
By Stella Wynne
Whose Stories Of Mystery q
Love Are Causing Wide.
spread Comment

..Boate go man go.
All done no wait for
drinkee." he muttered to him
self.
Then as If the explanation
quite satisfied him, he shut the
gate. locked it, drew two heavy
cross-bolts OF oak across its face.
He shuffled up the path in his
felt slippers, his lantern making
q bobbing circle Of light on the
ground. DR.. Cressy was locked
inside the new high wall of the
Sherwin place without any OF
its inhabitants knowing he was
there.
Nothing Doing
He stayed where he was for
perhaps ten minutes; nothing
happened, nothing broke the
night quiet OF the old grounds.
He skirted the fence, turning at
its corner until he came to the
great gate he had first seen, and
which opened off the main drive
of the house onto the road. His
heart gave q sudden beat OF
triumph. On this main drive,
just inside the big gate, stood a
long, powerful looking touring
car, its dark, polished sides glis-
tenfng family in the dim star
light. 1t looked the exact coun-
terpart of the touring car in
which Lecay had taken away the
case OF Amon-Ka from the Fair
view that morning.
DIR. Cressy went along the edge
OF this main drive, Keeping to
the shadow of the trees that
bordered it, until he came OPP
posite the front OF the house.
A few dying flower beds were in
the oval space between him and
It. Lights burned in a couple
Of the old-fashioned long bay
windows that swelled out from
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

have cornf0rted themselves with
the thought that ''God worketh in
strange wayss and been content
to leave the child with its foster
parents?
wonderl T would be interested
to know what other mothers think
about It!
I think sometimes the reason
many people who feel inclined to
adopt q child. but do not is be-
cause so often, just when foster
Darents have learned to feel the
little one Is really their own, the
child's parents come forward to
claim 1t.
I, myself, once helped find q
good home for a little girl whose
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01
HERES FOXY GRANDPA'S STORY

: made as comfortable as could be
under the unhappy conditions
which they were sentenced to
live"
"TIe certainly must have been
a good man, Fovy Grandpa" said
Bobby.
HE was" I replied. HE died
far from his native land in Kher-
son in Russia while giving medi-
cine to sick prisoners there. So
highly was he thought of by the
Russian Emperor Alexander, that
a monument was raised In his
memory and 1t stands there to-
day in honor Of his work for the
whole world"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

while poor prisoners were starved
and beaten.
Howard did all he could to
comfort and better the conditions
Of the prisoners in his own
country, and then he visited other
countries and found the case to
be similar there. He went be-
fore kings and emperors and told
them Of these horrible conditions.
Everywhere people were shocked
by the revelations which he
showed to them.
"It was then that prison re-
form was started throughout the
world, and those who were pay
ing the penalty fdr crime We're
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

DOBBY and I passed a great
ID penitentiary, and as we looked
in through the gateway. Bobby
said:
Doesn't everything look neat
and tidy, Foxy Grandpa?"
eyes," / replied, "and every
thing in. the modern prison Is
spick and span, and sanitary.
Very different from John How
ards time"
who was John Howard, Foxy
Grandpa?" asked Bobby, looking
up into my face.
"John Howard" I replied. was
q very peculiar, but wonderfully
kind man who Lived IN England
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

, about the time of the American
Revolution"
What did he do, Foxy
Grandpa?"
Very Unexpectedly, John How
ard was elected sheriff Of Bed
ford in England, and IN his posi-
ton as sheriff. he had much to
do with the prisons of that county.
HE was Mortified at the state
in which he found them. The
cells were damp and reeking with
foul odors, and the jailers were
allowed to treat the prisoners as
they pleased. Rich prisoners were
allowed to buy luxuries and
bride the jailers for comforts.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01
A Story of Swift Adventure, Tngling Romance,
And the Youthful Pulsating Thrill Of True Love

that were staying in q Httla
mountain retreat. You see. Z
sent the letter by Hal and he
brought me her answer. He ex
planned this by saying his mother
is i'll and he goes every week
end south to see her. She thinks
It's a bit queer, but don't have
to explain to her.
IF Alice knew! If they should
find out-oh, but / feel so far
away from them all-from every
one but you, Juder'
(TO Be Continued on Monday
AnvERTIsEmeuT
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01
BY FAY KING

A VERY interesting problem il
"A presenting itself in the pa
pers these days-a problem that
must interest all women and
especially mothers!
A mother has just. after a long
search, located her love-child,
which she claims was given by
adoption to its foster-parents
without her knowledge. She
claims she left her 1ove-child at q
society for only few days to
see II she could get along with
out It." She admits signing pa
pers, but declares she did not
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-05-01

garet Wallace. 81
1547 SahordAve.
Columbus, Ohio
H o W N 4 u ]
W ON en- have
fou nd them
selves In thfl
same condition.
How many won
en- have fought
bravely on. day
after day, cook
ing, washing g
ironing d0fnwfhrI