davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1926-09-16
Read How a Beautiful Girl Rebels At
the MOnOtOny Of Drab Home
Life in the City

It's where we're going to end,
anyhow. I'd like to know what
else we have to look forward to.
Gertie held out her left hand,
where small diamond in high
white gold setting WinlSed almost
defiantly.
oh, thatI 1f you mean AZ and
his old elagag cement rims. DO
youu tliink anything viii ever
come at that after 10 yearsg {
you loved him, why didn't YOU
marry hin12 oh, the family
needed you'll needed you, too
to put me through school.
know. hate families! I hate
them / hate them They stran-
gle you and cripple you and
what FOR! Look at you, Gertie.
teaching school, pounding arith-
1netic into other women's chill
dren when you ought to have
five Of your own BY this time
No, I won't stop. I'm gOiTl9
fo finish. Family. family. gan1ityl
I'm sick Of seeing yUN 1ut 80
your wedding for the family.
I'm sick Of seeing you all 90
things for me buying me exr
gI1EIkSlNGs W041uG1AuA sGAVtfArS A4A<kA -
haven't any place to wear hat
makes me feel like fool, walk
Ing into this house WITH
Didn't She Know?
She was crying now. hoarSe.
racking soi,s. oh, why wouldn't
Gertie understand? Dfdn,t she
know how much she loved them
aIleveryone Of them and how
it scared her to look ahead and
see nothing nothing at all I'M
less she got out and fought
for It?
Gertie, I cant 90 on like this.
/ just can't. I've got to be iriEe-
pendent. Break loose. I'm going
to quit college and get q job: It's
the only ways 7 want It /.
.You don't know what YOU
wantg
Il do! / want to live / want
to get out into the real world,
where things happen, don't
care IL / get lost and make mis-
takes. / don't care nh go
wrong, as Aunt kitty would
put it.
Rosemary! Are you crazy e
No; and It's q whole lot better
than never going anywl1ere!
Than just sitting around being =
nice girl. tied to your n1Otl1era y
apron strings. I'd sooner be-
dead. How does anyone ever
know anything unless they ever
plunge iii and oh. ] don't know
start living
no Be Continued Tomorrow.
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

Clare said, .I'm sorry Amy I
didn't realize how / was holding
you back. / guess it's just fate.
"I'm going away now. I'm go
ingi There's been only trouble
here. IL suppose you wouldn't
Gomez
"Oh, yes, I'll come! But I'm
going to have one more fling.
New Years eve. Then I'll go.
ST suppose, = Amy finished.
you're satisfied now. I suppose
you're satisfied now that you're
having our way at last"
Success: It was Clare's, finally.
She had contrived, it seemed, to
drag her mother out of the emp
tiness. She had fulfilled the
promise made to Daddy Paul; she
was salvaging Any's remaining
years from the havoc OF these
past months.
Yet she did not feel satisfied.
some way. The thing had come
too quickly; it lacked conviction.
Amy had promised to leave New
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

ance, but now there was seme.
thing arresting about the woman.
Got bit OF news for you,
she announced.
''Well, for heavens sake let's
have it! or all the monotonous
days" Amy complained.
This will give you pause, darl-
ing. Ticky and 1 were married
last night"
Amy gasped What? Really
married?"
yep, really married. j. Pm
everything! Congratulate me and
don't be catty, Old Priceless!"
Clare saw the red streaks, Ike
banners OF fury, In her mothers
face. But whatever Amy felt was
quickly controlled; she kissed her
friend and wished her happiness,
conventionally.
Il sure expect my share" was
the reply. Look" Val held UP
her finger to- exhibit a ;l.'-e.
square-cut jewel. Were sailing
The Washington times., 1926-09-16
COURTESY IN THE FAMILY
BY Lucy Lowell

s. FFECTED is what I call
"A her" said the woman with
the rasp. Actually saying would
you mind and that's so kind of
you'-to her own husband. Why,
he might have been a stranger.
"And he comes back, it was
pleasure!-and them married
years and years. Something wrong
there, / can tell you. I don't
believe in so much formality in
my own family"
Then she went home and said
to her own husband, 1--WE told
you 40 times 1 wanted you to do
so and so. You've got no more
consideration for me-" And so
on. And he growled and she
said some more. rasping worse
than ever.
Still she figured that she had
the right system. You get mar
ried and then you drop polite
ness. Any old snarl. and gau'
cherie of manner, is good enough
for those near you. You save
courtesy for your friends or
strangers. People who'd probably
never speak to you if you didn't
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

nNE rainy afternoon. Miriam
" and May were playing par
chest and they were having a
good time until Miriam slipped her
little pink disc two spaces farther
than it should have been.
"You cheated! l saw you,"
shouted May.
"Well you cheated the last
game and let you have it," de-
clared Miriam.
And at that moment their
brother who was a college man
came in.
"If 1 couldn't play without
cheating, ] wouldn't play at cll."
he scolded. "That lis the vel.
lowest thing you can do-cheat
at game. I'm ashamed of both
Of you"
Didn't you ever cheat?" de.
manded small Miriam, glaring
back at Brother Edward.
Certainly not" he exploded.
mo man who SAaSGs anything
Of his reputation at college ever
cheats"
Just then mother came in and
gave Brother Edward one of her
queer little smiles.
do you remember the croquet
game that you and Billy Sim
mons used to play?" mother asked
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

mother, it is a terrible thing to
cure children, of cheating?"
"You> can do more in that. di-
rection than I could ever do,
where your little sisters are con-
cerned," answered mother. "But
you must not be too hard on
them, son. You outgrew your
age of cheating, SO will they.
That just happens to be the out.
ward evidence of the thing called
dishonesty that is hidden some
where in even the best OF us.
Nothing is so effective In
changing a child's viewpoint as
the opinion and the conduct OF
boys and girls older than he. IT
the little fellow can come in con-
tact with the high school stand
ard of fairness and clean sport,
it will show him more clearly
than any parental advice, just
how real sportsmen regard cheat.
ing. When he realizes that the
big boy next door or in the next
block thinks that cheating is
yellow the little boy will be
greatly impressed by that opin-
ion.
The child should be made To
understand that the very act of
cheating takes away the satisfac:
ton and triumph of winning
game. Even though his opponent
may not know that he has
cheated, the child himself knows
it, and his victory turns to ashes.
The Washington times., 1926-09-16
By Winifred Van Duzer

III tell you: Amy is bringing
that dancing fellows so lets set
together and have dinner first,
just US two.
But Clare had no intention Of
becoming involved in carouse.
She said she had something else
to do. He urged a little and
finally said, II don't blame you
much. Pm about through with
high life myself. In fact this
will be my farewell.
she wondered If he meant il.
He was sitting with his back to-
ward the light so his rather fat
tfsIa figure was in shadow: he
had dropped his head a bit dis.
consolately and there was about
him the air Of a penitent small
boy.
She decided that he did mean
1t. and put a friendly smatI
hand on his arm.
m SO glad, Bob dear! There's
nothing in it, is there? I've often
wondered why you wasted your
self so.
Does It mean anything ny
thing specialize you. Precious
.Of course. it does! / like
you ever and ever SO much and
I'd like you still more If you
were not So -so-Well-
mot so worthless! Why spare
me?''
Bob. I didn't mean
(To Be Continued Tomorrow
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

tomorrow. Trip around the world"
Gorgeous! How did you ever
manage it, dear?''
"You ought to- know. dear!"
Walls eyes cleaned as she rose
Got to be getting along. Ticky
is so devoted! Sorry you're not
going abroad this winter, We
might do Paris together
Perhaps I'll meet you there
yet" Amy retorted while Clare
caught her breath.
Yes? Let me know when it
happensv She called back mali
ciously and waved farewell.
The next half hour was one OF
the worst Clare ever was to
remember. Years afterward she
would awaken in the night with
the sound of Amy's sobbing in
her ears and hear again her
mothers cry: IF it hadn't been for
you! I might have had a little
luck if it hadn't been for your
When she was quiet, finally,
The Washington times., 1926-09-16
One of the Most Remarkable Stories of LOvead Pleas
ure-Mad, Conventional Defying Bohemia
Written in Recent Years

the understanding grin. Ma
didn't want the family to know
she really liked to cook!
How good everything looked.
Roast lamb with new peas and
crackly brown potatoes, crab
salad half smothered in the
golden mayonnaise. Homemade
lemon sherbert in the old freezer.
And surely birthday cake and
candles.
Pa had picked his choicest
flowers for the center of the
table and Gertie had polished the
silver. Al wave of yearning love
for them all, pa and ma and
Gertie and the boys, swept over
Rosemary; a great longing to do
something for them, for every
one Of them-they'd done so
much for her.
But, she couldn't find any words
to express it. She ate silently,
in dreamy detachment, smiling
vaguely at Joe's .wisecracks and
Franks account OF how he told
the boss where to head in.
And I says to him: II I'm
head Of this here shipping de-
partment gotta have co-opera-
tion. I gotta run it. see? X can't
get no service out of the boys
unless / get the hiring and fir.
ing. Now take the thing" He
paused to sip his coffee.
Mighty Tough
rupted ma. anxiously. "Oh, see
Il. w.sa \
on her birthday, too.''
Pa began to sputter. Tough!
Tough! When I picked It out
especially
s.oh, ma, don't. It's perfectly
wonderful; isn't it. Cert? Only
I'm anxious to get on to the
cake. Everybody ready?"
How do you know there's
calSe?" This from pa, heavily
playful. Cake: And eggs ~
cents the dozen-no, Gertie, leave
my knifei Yes. / do want IT,
l don't care il you don't eat cake
with your knife. / do
''Pa.
"on Rosenary's birthday. See
lovey. I made a chocolate cake.
Would you rather have had ba-
mana shortcake? But I thought
IT would look 70 nice with the
pink candles-you do like it,
lovey?"
Like It! OF course! / adore
it~ Rosemary's face was flush
ed. The lights on the cake were
blurred. IL only they wouldn't
argue all the time.
+ II y
"Come, let's see the presents"
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

She held It against her as she
talked. Dear old Cert, who had
never had anything foolish never
done anything foolish.
ssyVeIl, ff this is going to be =
fashion ta1IK.' Frank lit a cigar
cite and prepared to leave.
Joe grinned at Rosemary, wor.
shipping at the shrine Of beauty,
and llurried after him. They al
WAYS went out in the evenings.
Ma cut three generous wedges
OF cake. For Ernest.
Ernest was the oldest son, mar
ried. He lived next door.
She put a clean napkin over
the plate and padded out the
back way. The screen door
slammed again. Pa was follow.
ing.
The girls were left alone.
Rosemary held the little pink
hat against her cheek, therIovely.
lovely thing.
Yes. 1oyey.,'
Cert, almost wish you hadn't
bought it. It-it doesn't seem
right. When 4 think Of how
hard you've worked, and the boys
and all--and me just taking
eyeryt thing going to college s
Rosemary, don't be silly!
After all, you're the baby. And
don't you suppose We get kick
out Of it. knowing you are get
ting the education and the fun
and everything we'd ike TO have
had
Fun. Fun! Good Lord, Gertie.
Not Much Fun
Fun! When she had no so1.o-
rity pin, no bid to the sophomore
dance. no boy friend TO even send
her bunch of violets on her
birthday! When Sally Fuller and
that crowd she liked SO much
dropped her flat. when they
found out where she lived, and
how poor she was and
Rosemary, don't swear. It
isn't funny
Something seemed TO break IN
Rosemary All the pent up re-
bellion, all the resentment against
being poor and d nobody Welled
nm and broke the barriers. Ger
tie. who had once been eighteen
and pretty Gertie, beaten and
not knowing 1t, thinking II was
fun for her TO put up a losing,
battle, and in the end be beaten
like Gertie. Going under for
the last tifne-and stopping to
argue about swearing as If the
Good Lord was swearing anyway.
sOh, don't be ridiculous. Any
one would think this was an old
lady,s home. That's what it IS.
The Washington times., 1926-09-16
THE THRILL HUNTERS.

lady kissed her and said, "Poor
little girl!', rather irrelevantly,
Clare thought.
Then they opened the bundles
and hers turned out to be
clever little nutria coat. She was
overjoyed, but bit embarrassed
as well, for she fancied Mrs.
Harrison had noticed her grow
ing shabbiness and was taking
this way of helping her.
The dinner lasted until middle
afternoon. Then Ted went back
to the hospital and Clare returned
to the hotel where Amy was
wandering restlessly about.
Before I'd take charityw she
exclaimed, seeing the coat,
Don't mother! They only
were being kind. Look how soft
and pretty it is! And 1 hadn't
anything warm"
It's your own fault. IL you had
listened to mei Bob Satterly-'
She was interrupted by Val.
Clare never had admired Mrs
Hanlon's pert, artificial appear
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

watch your tongue. OF course 1t
puts an Ldge in your voice and
wrinkles in your brow. But
that's the fault Of the folks you
live with, their lack of considera-
ton and all that.
The other woman saw things
differently. "Politeness," she said,
''is always important, but it's most
important of all between people
living together in the close inti'
macy of family relationship.
Its SO easy to. encroach upon
each others rights, to steal, in a
way, each others individuality.
A bit Of formality goes farther
than anything else toward holding
selflshness in check.
Furthermore, If we made our
selves agreeable with good man
ners to friends and strangers,
I'm sure 1 don't see why we
shouldn't do as much for those
much closer to us whose fappi.
ness should mean a great deal
more to us"'
Then she admitted that she
had been married years and
years. And it's remarkable how
we'll we get on together" she
added. ..
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

6SNTELL. kept my promise.
Christmas ewes about over
and I'm tired of being dull. I'm go
ing 10 dance"
with Tony. Mother"
"oh. I know you don't like
him. You wouldn't if his COM
pany gave me any pleasure. I
suppose. The boy can dance and
that's all there is to it. Moth
ing for you to get excited about"
She went out soon after, ra-
diant in chiffon and fur, and
Clare was weeping when she
heard Maggie's voice.
I've come for y9 girl. Sure,
y hat, now?"
So it happened that Clare went
through almost deserted streets
with her friend, and thrilled to
the sound of bells carolling Isl
lent Night" ever SO softly.
This was Christmas she
thought, when the world hushed
to hear the angels sing. Senti-
mental holiday stuff? How
wrong Amy was!
To her surprise, the great Catfe-
draI was filed. Christmas might
be a custom, but a lot OF people
were not too modern to bother
with it. People who needed the
: beauty OF hope. ....s.
The hour brought her happi-
ness and she went home, feeling
. that things would come right
! after all.
With Maggie she stopped at a
delicatessen on. the way and had
q little lunch before going to
bed.
And not even the fact that
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

) care about them. Pretending TO
the family. too. Letting them
think she loved college, when she
hated it, hated everything about 1t.
s'There. that's enough. just put
it on the salad, will you, loyey!
Ma hustled over to look at the
nlayonnaise and add a dash OF
paprika and just a drop more
lemon. She liked to add the fiiI-
islaing touches herself. Then she
knew it would be good.
Lets see: when did l put the
meat in? oh, yes, it's done.
There's your father at the front
door. Call the boys, Gertie's late
again. / hate to have you help
ing on your birthday!
Rosemary smiled, she mustn't
let ma know she was blue, Rose
nary's smile was almost the
incest thing about her. Pure
sunshine. lighting her whole face.
A sensitive red mouth and fine
white skin, primrose pink over
the cheek bones. Rosemary
knew that her supple, slender
body was pretty, too: but what
good did it do her? Who cared?
What was prettiness without
clothes or social position or any
thing?
She pushed her hair impatient
ly back and went TO call the
boys. The whole house was
odorous with the birthday din-
ner. The tantalizing smell OF
freshly made coffee hung IN
the hall, You could scent the
cake, its warm spiciness fingered,
and the roast Sizing in its own
juice.
Ma was just taking it out Of
the oven when she came back
from calling the boys. She
looked young for her 60 years.
She must have been awfuiiy
pretty once. as pretty as Rose
mary. She had the same clear
eyes, the same pink freshness.
Only her snow white pompadour
and heavy, shapeless figure be-.
trayed her age.
The cluttered kitchen was hot.
Little beads of moisture stood
out on her high. white forehead.
Cooking was q ritual with her.
She had no patience with Ger
ties Intellectual efforts to help
nor Rosemary's cool efficiency.
Did artists paint calmly, cooliy.
washing up as they went? No!
And neither could she; Rosemary
understood ma as well-she
Rosemary understood ma as well
she turned her head to hide
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

Amy still was absent at that late
hour dispeIled her feeling OF
peace.
Christmas morning Clare was
awakened by Mrs. Harrison.s
friendly Yule greeting over the
wire.
Were looking for you." she
said. We're having old-fasa-
ioned family dinner at noon and
there's a little surprise for you.
Ted is arranging to come, she
added, coaxingly.
Clare tumbled out of bed. She
searched her wardrobe for some
thing festive in honor Of the oc-
casion.
I'm like Mother Hubbard"
she giggled. THE cupboard's
bare of anything nice" That
was why she put on the little
old brown velvet suit and made
the most of a yellow blouse
Amy had discarded.
The blouse suddenly recalled
her concern for her mother. III
spite OF all Amy had said and
done, the girl felt that she
couldn't leave her alone on
Christmas. With a little sinking
of the heart she tiptoed across
the hall, only to find her parent
fast asleep.
Its all right, then" shs
thought. "Pll be back, probably;
before she wakes up"
A Happy Party
It was a merry group that
gathered at the Harrisons'. The
first thing to meet Clare's eye
was a Christmas tree, all trim
med and alight with brightly
decked packages beneath the
boughs. She knew the tree was
in her honor and thanked her
hostess so sincerity that the old
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

~ Z
red couch where pa snored every
night after dinner. Near the
table with the cracked dishes. So,
so different.
A sob choked her. She hid her
head in the dingy sofa cushions
in an agony of embarrassment,
Jumped up and hHgged them al,
half laughing, half crying.
Gertie, used to Rosemary's
'sbabyishness, as the family
called 1t, went right on explain
ing: Size Is, so. felt sure it
would fit. And with your new
tan shoes. and white, Of course,
later on, for summer. AS said
to ma, after this season we can
dye it. wanted you to have
something you really wanted.
Something foolish, for once."
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

To DIR. w. B. Caldwell. of Mon
ticelio, ILL.,, practicing physician
for AZ years, it seemed cruel that
SO many constipated infants AMI
children had to be kept stirred
up" and half sick by taking ca.
thartic pills, tablets, salts, calomel
and nasty oils.
While he knew that constipation
was the cause of nearly all clil-
dren's little ills, he constantly ad-
vised mothers to give only harm.
less laxative which would help to
establish natural bowel regularity.
In DIR. Caldwerl's Syrup Pepsln
mothers have regulating laxative
which they can depend upon, when.
ever a child is constipated bilious.
feverish or sick from a cold, indi-
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

Joe pushed back his. plate and
grinned expectantIy at Rosemary.
PRESENT. corrected Gertie.
'sYou see, I knew what you
wanted, or ] thought l did you
can change 1t il 1t isn't right SO
we thought we'd all chip in and
get it for you, and"
Rosemary made a leap for the
big pasteboard box on the couch
near the window. They all
crowded round as swiftly care
fully, she laid back the tissue
paper.
Her heart began to beat fast
something brand-new not
homemadei oh, ii couldn't be,
they couldn't afford it, not even
all of them together-but 1t was!
The pink jersey sport suit she
The Washington times., 1926-09-16
CHAPTER /

GHAPTER
CHE used to pretend she wasn't
~ really one of the family.
She didn't look like them-nos
eary much. Blue eyes and black
iashes-the boys had them, too,
ana fine white skin, like mas;
bright brown hair like Gertie's.
But different. AwfulIy different.
Sometimes she would pretend
she was a PRINCESS royal. with
the velour couch cover for a
train. And then. Sgain, she would
be great artists child-Sarah
Bernhardt,s. Paderewski's. Paw.
lpHa s-gfpen to the Mertons to
raise. But she knew it MAS only
pretending. Poor people didn't
adopt extra babies when they had
five already, and she was the
youngest of six. Besides, it was
only in books that babies were
found on doorsteps. In real life
ft was only kittens.
There was something Of the kit.
{ ten about her, too. Her wide
eyed, lleart-shaped little face.
The slim suppIeness Of her. Her
love for the fine things of life.
Warmth and sunshine, delicate
dishes, silken cushions. the feel
OF furs. The luxuries there were
80 few OF in the narrow frame
house that was home.
She was thinking of them now.
the things she wanted from life.
the things she was going to get
or know the reason why. But
she went on beating the mayon-
naise rllythmically, carefully, not
spilling drop.
Rosemary was like that-prac-
tfcal. She never let day dreams
interfere with facts. She imagined
brilliant futures for herself, but
she knew they wouldn't just hap
pen. You had to make them hap
pen.
A Big Problem
Make things happen. But how
could You, when you didn't have
any money, or position, or any
fhingg You couldn't compete with
the other girls who had things.
And what was the sense OF going
on and on at college when you
didn't care anything about studies
and didn't want to teach in the
snd?
Going on. never having any
decent clothes. in spite of mas
pressing and pinching and scratch
Ing and making over, being left
out of everything-tn sororities.
the dances and class doings-the
only things she cared about. Pre-
tending, Pretending she didn't
The Washington times., 1926-09-16
Children often OutgrOU

after she and Edward had left
the children.
Yes, Edward remembered and
he began to feel a little uncom-
Portable in the light of mothers
queer little smile.
Edward recalled the fact that
he and Billy had both cheated
at croquet and that numerous
quarrels had resulted from that
cheating.
do you remember playing
marbles with Jimmie Dunn when
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

had sighed over in Spalding's
window.
She reached out and touched
It caressingly. Her eyes filled
with tears. She looked at the box,
half unpacked. Then at ma,
with the old fashioned kitchen
apron tied round her waist. Pa,
with the frayed cuffs and the
ready-made tie askew. Gertie IN
her home-nlade brown silk that
sagged in front and made her
arms look like plump sausages,
ready TO burst the brown silk
skin.
Dainty Things
And there in its crisp tissue
paper wrappings. the pink sport
suit and matching hat Of soft
French felt. Lying on the faded
The Washington times., 1926-09-16

we lived over in that neighbor-
hood" mother continued, still
smiling.
Yes, Edward remembered that.
He also remembered that he and
Jimmie had cheated in various
little ways and had often caught
each other at their tricks.
Then Edward laughed. II sup.
pose it is just natural for kids
to cheat at games when they
are little," he admitted. But,
The Washington times., 1926-09-16
Laxative
which Mothers
Can Rely On

gestion. or sour stomach. All CHI
dren love its. pleasant taste.
Buy. a large 60-cent bottle at az
store that sells medicine or wri
syrup Pepsin." Monticello, nllnvE
for a FREE SAMPLE 4BOTTls
and just see for yourself how pc
fectly 1t cleanses and regulates IL
bowels Of infants and children
The Washington times., 1926-09-16
Salient Facts

Work will be begun early next
year on the first unit of a grour
of schools in Hawaii. on which 1t is
planned Ia expend $5,000,00 within
the next 10 years.