davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18

aside, forgotten, her childish
mouth and baby sblue eyes wide
open. In her white furs she
looked like 4 stray bit Of thistle
down drifted from last summers
meadows.
Leonard began to speak. Linda!
Where have you been2 Oh, Linda,
how cruel you are! i've looked for
you everywhere. Don't you know
that for me you're the one
woman, the Spirit OF Beauty-like
Shelley's''
The bewildered baby on his
right moved into action. one
tiny, white-gloved hand swung
into a wide arc, clipped him
across the ear, and sent him
Keeling against Linda, who tot.
tered on the icy step. 'Thpirit Of
applethaute." lisped the thistle
down, we're late for the pic
tureth."
The last Linda ever saw OF
Leonard was his protesting en-.
trance into the theater lobby,
propelled by his Dresden maiden.
Gay young things In sequins
and velvet were trailing their
glories through the Tavern lobby
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18

she would express surprise at
nothing, that sne would act as
blase as any of them She wasn't
going to let anyone think she
was goody-goody girl, and yet,
some of the sights she saw made
her blush.
She took the cigarettes that
Ginger and Vics offered her, as
casually as though she were a
confirmed smoker. They didn't
notice she was only anaamateur.
She began to feel that perhaps
she wasn't as awkward as she
thought. She wondered il now,
for the first time, she was really
beginning to live.
1--WE actually been buried alive"
she unused, lit certainly was time
something happened to get me
out of the lunch room"
The music was starting. Vic
Flemming took her in his arms
again. She put her hand on his
shoulder-half way around his
neck. She adored any man who
could dance as Vic could.
They fox-trotted in and OUT
among the scantily clad girls
and sleek young men. Vic
pressed her closer and 4 closer.
Nancy could hardly breathe.
"Vic, please. Let's go out.
Pm just about burning up"
The long balcony outside with
it's few dim lights was empty
with the exception OF a couple
sitting on a bench at the very
farthest end They we're too en-
crossed in petting to pay any
attention to Nancy and Vic. Vic
led her the other way down to a
porch swing at the other end.
"Whew. isn't it wonderful to
get some fresh air?" Nancy said.
Vic's answer was a kiss. He
grabbed Nancy, bent her head
back, his long fingers pressing
her arms. She could feel them
sinking into her flesh. His lips
were hot against hers.
Nancy. Nancy, kiddo, girl.
I'm simply crazy over you. l
love you, Goldie Locks. l love
you! I've got to have you,
Nancy. viii you marry me.
Goldie. girl?'
Marcy tore herself out OF his
arms and leaned against the ban
mister, facing MIN, painting. ne
came toward her again, his arms
outstretched. She turned 10 run.
He grabbed her and held her
arms so tightly that they nurt.
I've got 10 have you, Nancy.
You're the sweetest kid I've ever
met. You've had me going Gippy
from the minute | laid eyes, on
you. I'm crazy jealous over you,
Goldie, and when that big boy
was talking to you there in the
Retlaw tonight, and you looking
up to him like he was Ronald
Colman-- things started to go
black on me. You'll marry me,
kiddo, girl. Say you will"
1t was the first proposal Nancy
had ever received. When she. was
little girl she had read many a
romantic novel in which an i'm
passioned lover made violent love
TO the girl he adored. Now she
was experiencing the same thing,
but for all the love situations
she had read. she could not re-
member how the girl acted, what
she had said.
"Vic. please. Can't you let me
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18

when Linda reached II. one
group Of bedizened Alpha o's
clustered around the open fire.
giggIing and talking shrilIy to
their patent.leather young men.
Linda slipped past them all and
started toward the elevator. No,
1t would be fun Of their mirth
and their youth and their beauty,
and the music from the ballroom
had shown her that she was not
proof against these things. She
turned back to the stairs.
There were five flights and she
took the last two slowly. To her
relief, her own corridor was de-
serted. NnM
She slipped her key IN the lock
and turned the knob Of the door.
1t slid open easily.
But she did not enter. Whether
it was by her ears, or by some
subtle instinct, she knew that
there was someone In the room.
Apparently she had startled the
other person, for there was q sud
den restless movement in the dark
room Linda reached d resolute
arm within the door tram and
pressed the wall switch.
To Be Continued Monday
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18
GOOD GIRL

think. Vic, can't you see I'm
dazed with all that's happened in
the last IS hours. Why, never
met you until last night. You
only think you love me, Vic.
You're dance mad. What would
you say IL told you that all
! have in the world is 50, and
that l just got a job in a fac
tory?
You think I'm smart, Vic.
I'm not. Until yesterday / was
never further away from Appleton
than Green Bay. You think I'm
pretty. Well, maybe am. but
All that l want in the world
right now is to get job and to
work like other girls. I've got to
help at home. You don't know
what 1t is to be poor. I don't
want to be married. All want
Is a job.
Were you ever hungry? Did
you ever have to worry about
where the next months rent was
coming from? Did You ever want
nice clothes and have to be
thankful that you got shoddy
oneS?"
She started to cry-and she had
resolved that she wasn't going TO
cry any more. She stood with her
back against the wall of the build
ing. the wind whipping her sheer
little dress. She looked cornered.
She turned her face to the wall.
Vic Flemming walked to her, put
an arm around her. wheeled her
about and kissed the tear-stained
face again and again.
Nancy. girl. please, dent" he
begged.
"Hey. what's going on here?
We've been looking Tor YOU, high,
wide and handsome. What's the
idea sneaking away on us like
this, pulling a little private pet
ting party. / s'pose."
Jerry Durant appeared out OF
the darkness, and close behind
him was Ginger. Ginger. in that
quick way of hers, read what
had happened at a glance. She
went up to Nancy. put her arms
around her and turned TO Nlc'
ready to fight.
"Up to your old tricks aga In.
eh? she said. "torturin' the kid
again? Well, you're swell egg
that's all got to say. Let's get
home out of here"
Don't Ginger" Nancy pleaded,
WIGS alright, he hasn't done any.
thing. ] guess I'm homeslck and
nervous"
Vic covered the 70 or more
miles between Fond du Lac and
Milwaukee in ~little less than
an hour and a half. He dashed
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18

through the moonless night, reck.
less, crafty.
Ginger's alarm cut into the si-
lence like a siren, Both girls
jumped. For a minute Nancy
couldn't imagine where she was,
who she was.
"For cryln' out loud, what q
machine of the devil that is"
Ginger said, leaning her georgette
nightgowned and beribboned form
over Nancy to shut the alarm off.
The illuminated hands Of the
clock pointed to a quarter to
seven. Nancy knew that il she
wanted to get to the knitting mills
by eight o'clock she had no time
to lose. 1t certainly wouldn't
do to be a minute late the first
morning.
She jumped out of bed, standing
there an instant. not knowing
what to do. There was no turning
back now. She tried to bury the
cold fear lin her heart.
May Gawd be good to the
woikin' girl" Ginger remarked
and flounced down on the pillows
again.
Hard as it is on the dogs and
as much as ] could scream at
old Ziegelbaum, I'd rather be
Ginger the Exhausted Cloak Model
at this zero hour than Nancy the
Socks Sorter, believe me you.
Make some coffee for yourself,
kid" she said, you'll find it in
that big cardboard box in the
closet. Unfasten the old curling
iron from that socket. MY Lord,
= a curling iron amt more i'm.
portant than food these days.
Life Is funny, amt it?"
The thought that life Is funny
must nave set Ginger to ponder.
ing on other things, for she
ceased talking for a few minutes.
staring straight before her. Nancy
UNFINISHED the curling iron. at
tached the coffee percolator. and
IN a rev moments the room was
fiIled with the odor of the boiling
coffee. '''''s
"Golly that smells good" Gin.
ger said.
Nancy gulped down few
mouthfulls, buttered herself a
roll that had been living in Gin.
gers closet pantry since the dav
before, and started putting on
her hat and coat.
You poor, innocent kid. NV
herat aches for you. You got
so much TO learn" Ginger said
as she watched Nancy, but you'll
get wise. kiddo I was Just like
you once myself. IT amt 40
long neither. Good luck. Chero.
old dear"
BY Ginger" was all Nancy
was able to say.
Girls, girls, girls.
They were pouring from every
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18

direction into the big doors Of
the knitting mills. Some Of them
were laughing, fresh-faced. Some
OF them were serious looking be-
yond their years. shabby girls
and we'll dressed girls. They
were all swallowed by the gaping
doors--food for a great, throb-
bling factory that for eight hours
kept them prisoners at merciless,
tir less machines that seemed to
drone their eternal song-faster.
faster. faster.
Before Nancy had time to OBJ.
serve the stream of girls, she,
too, was swallowed by the wide.
open jaws of the knitting factory.
She hurried up the broad stairs,
following the rapid pace set by
those girls who knew where they
were going, just what they were
doing, who had place in the fac
tory, a machine or a table or a
typewriter to work at.
At the employment desk Nancy
sMed the same smiling, gray
haired woman who had helped
her the day before.
"Oh, here you are" the woman
said, and thrust her arm
through Nancy's, come right
right along. III show you where
you are to be-"
Then Nancy got her first
glimpse into the actual working
of the knitting factory She was
led past row after row of highly
complicated machines, past great
tables OF the knitted product,
past mountains of crates and
boxes, and into room where
fifty or more girls were sitting
at long tables, scrutinizing silk
hose, running their fingers into
them rapidly and then drawing
them out slowly.
"This," said the woman, is
where you will work. Miss Peter
son, the forelady, will show you
what to do"
Nancy, .grandchild of rich and
aristocratic. Montgomery and
Caroline Dean, foster child of
Dairy and Maggie O'Day, daugh.
ter Of Julie Abbot, the circus
trnuper and Monty Dean, sat
down at the sorting table in the
Wear. Ever knitting factory.
II was the first ime since her
arrival in Milwaukee that she
had given thought to the
Dcanos. She wondered II she
would ever see them.
she wondered what the future
had in store for her.
CHAPTER II
All morning long. Nancy sorted
stockings. She got the knack of
the lob in fifteen minutes, and
within an hour she could detect a
flaw in the weaving as we'll as
the rest Of the girls who sat near
her but how monotonous IT
seemed.
hundreds of girls, most Of them
about her own age, all intent on
their tasks.
Most of them were doing piece
work and under that system words
cost money, so that scarcely any
one spoke. 1t was all so different
from, what Nancy was used to. At
home she had a word and a greet
ing for everyone she waited on.
Here there was no kidding. Just
work, work, work. Nancy was re-
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18

sat staring at her grapefruit. The
overflow Of mail, the milk bottles.
the dark and silent bungalow-did
they mean then that Arthur Prime
was gone. vanished for all time
bevond the exigencies Of her
struggle?
She left her breakfast untouched
and went upstairs. 1t was a long
morning. with nothing to do but
unpack her smaller bags and
watch the lazy stream of passers
by on Broadway.
At noon, Linda ordered sand
witch and a glass of milk. Thus
reinforced. she sat down to the
composition Of "a twenty-page
letter to Simon WhitIock.
\
II the Sigma Nh had not chosen
that night for its mid-year formal.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18
Heart Throbs, Thrilling Situations and
Needless Love Abound in This
Serial Of College Life

i'm the room next door had
laughing jag.
The Tavern goes in for the
small attentions of metropolitan
hostelries--or so it advertises in
the st. Louis and Kansas City
papers.
Opening her door next morning,
Linda found copy of the Gazette
lying at her feet, with. blue tag
attached. which boldly presented
commitments of the Tavern Man
agement.' she took pleasure in
setting her dainty brown slipper
souarely on the face of the paper
and digging in her heel. She was
still smarting under the Gazette's
lyric descriptions of "the beautiful
blonde coed whom Pete Damoras
was luckless enough to prefer
But 1t was of no avail. The
waiter. when he brought in her
grapefruit, set another copy or
the paper against the suger bowl
before her eyes and left 1t.
Before she could turn scornfully
away her eyes fell on one black
headline and fingered:
Prime Absent from Home and
Classes Week. /"
CHAPTER 70
"A Lobby Encounter
She grabbed the paper in both
hands and read:
"Dr. Arthur Graham Prime, of
the archaeology department OF
Marbury University has been
missing from his home and from
his classes since last Friday.
''The university authorities at
first ignored the fact. knowing
DR.. Primes eccentricities of yore.
''But when he failed for the
fourth day to appear in the class
room. they sent a messenger to
his home. The messenger found
the house dark and apparently
empty. The accumulation of mail
and of milk bottles seemed TO
verify the belief that the professor
had left town unexpectedly last
week.
Though friends OF DIR. Prime
have assured the university au-
thorities that he must only have
gone. on business and forgotten to
notify the registrar, the univer-
sity officials have voiced grave
doubt Of his safety.
After several days. quiet in
yestigation, they have asked the
police to look for him.
Linda dropped the paper and
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18

even at the second show. But
she might spend and hour and
half in the theater's comforting
darkness before coming back to
this position on the outposts Of
nfrth and gayety.
The clerk cast down his eyes
as she walked past him five
minutes later, and then stared
after her.
The movie turned out to be an
unhappy selection for girl seek
ing shelter from her memories.
Linda had no sooner seated her.
self than she realized that almost
directly in front of her some one
was speaking in voice she
knew. She strained her eyes in
the darkness and could just make
out the unmistakable outlines Of
Doyle Hoskins' head. The dark,
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18

''Well, I guess I've been block
head all along. OF course. you're
in love with him. I've hated the
Thought of the old man, all along.
But, even though I thought he was
sweet on you. never believed
you'd give him serious thought.
/ see I've been wrong about you.
Simon is a millionaire. Id forgot.
ten that.
Linda stood before him, match
Ing his flaming eyes with her own.
He did not walt long, but rushed
headlong from the room, leaving
the door swinging wide behind
him:
She had just heard the elevator
door cIang when her telephone
rang again. Sorry. Miss Wal.
tlron.' said the obsequious voice of
the clerk, "but il you're entertain
Ing a gentleman YOU must observe
the house rule that calls for open
doors. Just a formality, you I'M
defstand. No offense, assure
you. /"
~ 8NJHt smut up Sdlu AAAAANeS' IL
elegantly, the door is open. And
there's no man here. anyway.
never want to see a man again!
She banged the hook, not even SUR
prised that she had barred her
inner thoughts to the bewildered
young man on the other end OF
the wire.
she dropped IN chair by the
table and spread out the telegram
for second reading:
Miss Linda Waldron, Mulberry
place. Murbury: ii innocent comma
get q lawyer and fight college to
finish stop you can't afford to let
them put you out unless they've
got the goods on you stop az for
the three young men comma
believe it's customary to make one
of them marry you comma pre-
ferably the richest. Signed, Simon
fWhitlock.
There were telegraph blanks IN
the mission oak desk in the room.
Linda pulled one out, searched
for a pencil stub and wrote:
But you comma Simon comma
are the richest stop the other two
are respectively a william and
fool Signed, Linda Waldron.
The fussy old tooth.paste sales
man in the next room complained
to the desk that the young woman
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18
CONTINUED from Local page.l

CONTINUED from Local pageJ
half over the spirit of her
comeback.
what a little spitfire she's
turned out TO. be" Ginger said.
and then took Vic by the arm,
shaking it.
I'm ashamed of you, Vic" she
said, why don't you pick on
someone your own size. Goidie
Locks didn't mean nothin'."
vic Fleming himself, was taken
back by Nancy's spirit. The idea
may never have formulated in
his mind, but he always admired
q fighter.
He had often told Jerry he had
no use for a girl without little
fire. He said the world was full
of soft, baby-faced flappers who
were all too willing to take favors
from him, to snuggle up beside
him in his big car, to be seen
with him in cafes.
Nancy didn't know this, and
what's more she wouldn't have
wouldn't She was the first girl
who had resisted him in any man
ner for months. He decided he
was going to break the will of
this little spitfire il 1t was the
last thing he ever did.
= Il want to go home" Nancy
said, as she started struggling
into her coat. AT once the three
of them, Jerry, Ginger and Vic,
jumped up and forced her. back
into the chair. Vic's own hot
temper had spent itself against
the flares of one almost az strong
as his own.
Sit down, kiddo. girl. I'm
sorry" he said, lawfully sorry.
never thought you'd take It so
hard, only that guy made me
mad clean through. the way he
looked at you as though he was
your godfather or something
And you just looking np in his
face pleadin' like that. He looked
too damned condescendinr IN s,,it
me. And 1t just got my goat.
that's ALL"
lie put his hand on her arm.
~A'"SA ~ >NdUtE could that
ne really was sorry.
Nancy accepted his apolories
and the episode was closed. Gin.
ger started ordering the meal
and soon they were all a absorbed
In discussing the things thew
wanted to eat.
At roadhouse, The Green
Dragon. just outside Fond du
Lac, an hour later, Nancy had
just finished a marvellous dance
with Vic Flemming. How she
loved to dance. The jazz music
made the very soles of her feet
tingle. Vic was leaning over her
in the small. closely packed dane
ing space. So crowded was the
room that she hardly had excuse
10 object when he held her so
tightly. 1t was a sort of protec.
e3on from the swaying and jost-
ling Of the other couples, many
of them boisterous. Marcy had
seen many TASKS surreptitiousIy
pulled from hip pockets and hid
den under crun1pled napkins.
She was learning things, keep
ms her eyes open. She decided
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18
By ROY L. FOLEY

minded OF the old poem she had
read long ago--"The Song of the
Shirt"
Work, work, work, till the
brain begins to swim,
Work, work, work, till the
eyes are heavy and dim"
BY noon time her eyes We're
heavy and dim, and her brain was
swimming. But what else could
she expect, she thought. She had
spent half of last night dancing at
a. roadhouse and nearly all the
night before at Collette's studio
party.
The afternoon dragged, minute
by minute. Nancy thought the
hands on her plain, leather strap
ped wrist watch would never get
around to five O'Clock, the quitting
hour. Just before that time How
ard Wescott came into the sorting
room. As he passed from table to
table Nancy watched him out of
the corner of her eye.
Howard Wescott was very hand
some, about thirty. His hair was
black and curly, his eyes as dark
as Ramon Navarro, only he was
bigger than the motion picture
actor. He looked an aristocrat
from the part of his hair to the
heels of his trim looking lack
shoes.
He was the youngest son of Will
liam Wescott, (Old Bill, he was
called president of the Wear-Ever
knitting Mills, and he had re-
Gently been made a general man.
ager.
Even during her first morning
at the mills, Nancy had heard
the girls gossiping about him.
She heard he was immensely
rich, and a prodigal son, re-
Gently returned from South
America where he had an af.
fair with a beautiful Brazilian.
The gossip was that "Old Bill"
had turned over half of the bust
ness to him, now that he had
decided to settle down. She
heard he was a graduate of
Yale, that the society girls were
mad" about him, but that he
didn't care much for them--all
this. and lot more. Gossip,
gossip, gossip.
He walked past her few
steps, then turned as though he
had forgotten something, so sud
denly that the eyes Of every girl
in the room fastened on him.
He came up to Nancy.
"Oh, by the way, Miss ODay'
will you stop in my office before
you leave tonight. would like
to talk to YOU"
Nancy answered eyes sir" and
knew that the glance of every
girl had shifted to her. When
Howard Westcott had gone out
OF the room all the girls at
Nancy's table we're filled with
curiosity. One girl called Toots,
for no apparent reason that
Nancy could see, the cut'up OF
table No. 8, was the first to
speak.
Lucky girl" she said, "bet
he's fallen in love with your
golden hair and wants to get
YOU into his office when every.
ones gone TO show you how he
made love to that Brazilian
woman"
(To BE Continued Monday)
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18

fluffy head beside him was
Dulcy's.
Trembling in the wave of fear
and loathing that surged upward
from her knees, Linda scrambled
over the feet of enrageG neigh
bors. hurried up the aisle and
reached the lobby.
A young man was just ushering
a Dresden girl up the steps Of
the theater when Linda burst
open the door and ran headlong
into them. The young man had
put out his arms to ward off the
collision, but when he saw Linda
he held her tightly instead.
She looked up into pair OF
impassioned eyes within horn
trimmed spectacles. Leonard Van
Horne continued to hug her
tightly under the lights on the
theater steps. His lady stood
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18

Linda would have spent the eve
ming In her room.
But the Sigma Nu did choose
that evening, and on that evening
they came, with braying eaxo-
phone and humping drum and
tapping toes. to fill the ballroom
over Linda's head with the tinrob
Of their delight.
Their music, their Gathering and
their laughter conspired to drive
Linda from the couch, from the
room, from the building. All this
gay uproar was now a. part Of
something she could never know
again--she, with eight Chicago
evening dress creations in her
trunk and hundred-dollar para
disc fan!
She flung aside her ma gazine
and crawled off the couch. 1t
was too late to see all of movie,
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18
Ancient Banking System

Clay Assyria show tnat
banking transactions different from those OF the present
time carried four five thousands years ago Cnecks
and made of clay, which then hardened
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18
What DO You KnOw?
ANSWERS TO TODAY's TEST

Questions Editorial Page
1. Thomas Hardy; g Genway Wescott: g. H. M Tomlnsor
Mark Twain; s. Oscar Wilde
Rome Hail. Balboa; "The Courtshp Of Miles stand
ish" sond Sa
stone and soda; 49, In large tanks inverted in water
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18

will
will both coat like the sketch to the coat that really buttons
osed Buttons in again For in the first two sketches and
the color is another novelty pepn ARRANGEMENT that i quite
sided balanced another
daggehe another especially adapted stiff fabrics Keep
We'll Christmas time
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-08-18
Women IN AirpI0nes

Many more arpane between England
and Continent Close observers
home several thousand feet the
air than the male passengers