davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17
Death Bed Confessions

There is something mysteriously terrifying about
death to a man who has wronged another and not righted
tnat wrong. George r. Pond, a 62-year-old farmer who
lived at Decker, Ind, found that out recently when he
was dying. For 26 years he had carried the knowledge
with him that he had killed a man. And after rs years he
had let the world think that another man was guilty Of
the murder. He had silently let the other man, Jesse
uary ~ years ago to serve a life term.
But the other day Pond realized that the game was
up. The ghost that had followed him over his fields for
more than a score of years had cornered him at last.
Perhaps the fact that he himself could no longer suffer
through another mans freedom had something to do with
his confession. Not much, though. Twenty-six years of
cruelty could hardly result in a final show Of considera-
ton. Men die as they have lived.
And George Pond was a coward. He was afraid to
die with his secret, so he told it, hoping that some omnip-
otent power would count it a pleasure to give him a ring
side seat in a celestial kingdom.
Ponds death-bed confession, which reveals a pitiful
miscarriage Of justice, brings condemnation on one man
while it lets loose a generous flood of sympathy for an
other. There is no need to dwell on the fact that the state
wrongfully took away the best years of his life from Jesse
Lucas. There is nothing to be gained in upbraiding the
machinery of Justice. 1t functioned according to its best
judgment, and would not ~purposely have rendered such a
decision.
Undoubtedly the man who went to prison has been
happier during the years than the one who let him stay
there. George Pond had to face the fear of discovery ev-
cry minute. He had to live with his conscience. There is
no need to wish that he had gone to prison. He filled a
life sentence.
Jesse Lucas, the wronged man, robbed of freedom
and happiness and branded with prison stigma. has been
a victim of an injustice that can never be properly atoned.
The story of his wrong has given him a hold on the ma
tons sympathy. Action to free him was started imme-
diately after the confession.
This tragic error should make those who operate
the machinery of the law exceedingly careful that such a
grave mistake is not made again.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17
% - THE
AnniUeEuU


On sept. II. 1917. Sir Philip
Gibbs wrote m account on the
fighting and bom5ardment of
Lens IN which Canadian and Eng
lsh troops faced. the enemy.
Lens In q town OF battered
houses without roofs and with
broken walls leaning against rub
bish heaps OF brickwork and TIM
Der. The enemy sent out q WIRE
less message that the English FUN
ners we're destroying French proc 4
erty BY bombarding the city. an
then made @ deep belt OF destrrc-
ton BY blowing up long blocks OK
streets.
AFTER that the British guns COM
pleted the ruin. for there was .
German garrison In every house.
and In this kind OF warfare there
must be no tenderness OF ointment
about bricks and mortar II the enc
my Is between the walls. 80 now I'm
Lens the only cover for the Ger
mans and their only chance OF SAFE
ty Is below the ground In tunnels
and cellars
The Canadians have filed the
city with gas that kills and soaks
down heavily into the dugouts and
stiles the men I'm their sleep be-
fore they have time 70 stretch out
their hands for masks"
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17
Daily Health
Talk

Whether you are a bricklayer or
"the big boss" you find that 1t is
economical to be healthy. For loss
Of time or account II disease or
loss Of efficiency due to fatigue can
be measured in terms of dollars
and cents. Therefore men should
have an actual knowledge Of their
state Of health, and this can be
had by a proper physical exami-
nation. Granted that such an ex-
animation reveals no serious con-
ditions demanding immediate cor
rection, everyone ought TO know
enough about personal hygiene to
conduct his life to the best advan-
tage.
The human body is a combina-
ton OF cells bound together in vari-
GUS systems. including for example
the muscles, the bones, the circula-
ton OF the blood. the nervous sys-
tenn and the digestive tract. These
interlocking cogs Of the human
machine viii usually get along
satisfactorily II left largely alone.
particularly since there Is within
the cells the power Of RIPARIAN
ability that does not exist. for
instance, in such machinery as can
be found In an automobile Oh an
officiating furnace. Then, too.
man has the intelligence which
makes 1t possible for him to realize
when things 20 wrong and to take
steps toward correction.
Regular physical examinations
are important primarily for the
detection or remediable defects or
OF diseases in their early stages,
but secondarily such examinations
may afford a feeling Of confidence
In ones state OF health which
means freedom from worry.
without being able scientifically
to measure the amount OF damage
than can be done to the human
body BY worry, high tension or irri-
tation. the experiences Of ages has
shown that these factors play a
definite part in the onset OF dis
ease.
There was a time when worry
was listed as a contributing cause
to high blood pressure. hardening
OF the arteries. diabetes and ven
many infectious diseases. Unques-
tionably worry does play part in
the causation OF disease because OF
the secondary effects exerted on
the functioning OF the body.
When a man is tired he ought TO
rest. During the resting process
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17
A Reason For High Prices

The person wIo complains about the high prices he
has to pay for necessities and luxuries might profitably
ponder over a little article that appeared recently in the
Magazine Of Wall Street.
This article points out that in many cases the con-
sumner himself helps to boost the prices of the things he
buys. He does it-or, in many cases, she does it-by
making a needless use of the free delivery system main
tanned by department stores.
1.-TWO women on a shopping orgy" remarks the
magazine writer, twill vie with one another to spend the
greatest total and then, when the goods are delivered
will calmly send them back unopened. The fact that
between Is and 20 per cent of all department store sales
throughout the country are unconsummated is ample
evidence of abuse. Legitimate deliveries are an expensive
service as it is,but deliveries on the rampage represent q
waste which neither the honest customer nor Che owner
of the store can ignore"
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17
New York
Letter
YORK--"Down

NEW YORKTOWN by the
docks" where sailormen gather OF
nights with gals that e borrowed
from ancient copies Of the Police
Gazette. there is q cider renaissance
The cidef Is hard and so are the
appearances OF the folk who gathe-
around the cider mugs. The atnos-
phere of the mean-looking resorts
reflects the waterfront and the sea,
Just across the cobblestones Of
Eleventh avenue lights dance gaily
ON liners prisoned to piers. Steve
dores make their way through can
and truck traffic to darkened lanes
where home-brew beer Is served. A
window displays a huge ship model.
German names appear on restaur-
ants. Stems appear on tables as
doors open and shut.
In the side streets, downcast look
ing buildings reveal signs Cider"
Across town to Eighth avenue. the
trail OF cider signs follows. Lads
who left the farm TO go to sea grow
homesick at the sight of q familiar
old word. They haven't heard It.
mayhap, in years. Neither have New
Workers. "Applejack" from New Jer-
sey has been the closest approach
It's all happened, somehow, over
the summer months.
And somehow those Summers
from uptown" who find out eve y
thing, have discovered the cider
--nfc rrhnufra fhn Cnrra Cfrrnnn@Rrc
who pioneered in Harlem and provl-
ed in the hideaways OF Greenwich
Village. They are blase explorers
looking eternally for something new
under the noon. They have tired
Of the city's night spots and the
routine Of cabarets, and ferret out
"the quaint places
They're content to sit at rough
wooden tables in a cider joint" and
listen to sob-singers of the old ba:-
room school 60 through their ven-
cradle routine.
In fact, by the time the first snow
falls excursions to the dock re-
sorts will have become quite the
thing to do. The price Of cider and
home-brew will probably jump from
the present 10-cent limit: some wife
gent from the world Of professional
entertainment will buy in" and
slap together some hokum atmos-
phere; uptowners who have not been
doing so well will begin TO "chisel
in" a German rathskeller owner
from the Yorkville district will prob
ably open a place near the piers
where German liners dock and scat
ter about a few Teutonic sailors as
Scenery" and another transient
vogue of the New York variety will
be under way
Meanwhile, the roughs and toughs
the stevedores and the sailorfolk
will gradually desert their old hang
outs and retreat to others unknown
to the Summers. Soon the Summers
will find themselves looking at each
other and will wonder what all the
shouting was about
At this point In any vogue, the
decline sets in. A certain numbe.
Of tourists and locals who are always
late participants in metropolitan
fadderies will come by out Of a tim.c
curiosity. And all will be forgotten
or there will be a return TO old ways
This, to some extent, has been tht
story of the Harlem craze. the Ho-
boken rage, the Yorkville yodel dush
the Second avenue-Russian- Hun
garian cafe vogue and many an
other entertainment disturbance In
various Manhattan areas.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17

The man who begins to worry as
soon rs ne goes to bed ought to
have competent advice. since the
tendency Is toward a vicious circle.
Almost everyone knows that a walk
or drive In the fresh air. a warm
bath or a warm drink tends TO in
duce sleepiness. People who are
sensitive to caffein should avoid
the use OF tea or coffee before 60
ing to sleep.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17

physical conditions. but 1t may also
be due to the establishment OF bad
habits. Falling asleep Is a habit.
II one establishes the routine OF
going TO sleep easily at a regular
hour and OF relaxing the body at
the time OF going to sleep, he will
probably have much less trouble
than If he INDUCES In constant
variations OF the sleeping perform
ance.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17

the body cells recover from fatigue.
Scientific investigations have
shown that definite chemical
changes take place during fatigue
and others during rest. The amount
of sleep necessary at different
periods In life changes. 1t varies
also for different persons. The
average nan ought TO sleep eight
hours every night.
Sometimes insomnia Is due to
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17
.Rurbs

Indiana will devote n s750.O00 sur
plus TO rcad-bilding what n swell
flock OF detoursl
Looking over the newspapers ~
occurs 10 las that Bluebea-d must Df
n pretty well known fellow 20 th1
headline writers.
Potawatami Indians, claiming
they we're cheated. plan 10 sue for
a billion dollars for lands IN the
heart OF Chicago. II the suit against
Chicago were for 40 cents the In
dams still would have 10 be classed
as incurable optimists.
Many hands make light arms cut
proposals
Three major scandals are brew
ing In Hollywood. says a writer. Say,
lust what n n major scandal" I'm
Hollywood
The weather observer Of a Cali
fornia city recently reported tenn
peratures OF 100 90 lis degrees
Fahrenheit. Knockeri
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17
The
Once Ouer

ECONOMY AT BUCKINGHAM
The queen was in the kitchen
washing pans and pots;
The king was in the pantry
Dining on all-hots.
The mar was in the hallway
"a very comely laSs)
Explaining TO the drivers
They'd better save on gas.
The groom was in the cellar
Explaining to q mate
They'd have to shave expenses
Or get the palace gate.
The keeper OF the hounds had
A lackey In his clutch,
Declaring he was feeding
The royal dogs too much
The stableman was writing
The hostlers angry notes
Asserting they had better
Economic on oats.
The valet in the parlor,
With other servants limp,
Was saying 1t was awful
The way they had to skimp.
The cook was In a closet
Exploring for a scoop
Just so that she could add more
Hot water to the soup.
The chauffeurs all were gathered
Well up the road a piece,
Admitting they had better
Use cheaper oil and grease.
The seamstresses (some forty,
With looks Of abject dread,
Were whispering they'd have to
Go easy on the thread.
The keeper Of the jools was
Explaining to an aide
They'd better live on pretzeis,
Sardines and lemonade.
The gardner was weeping
Twas scarcely after dawn
For he had heard a rumor
The queen would NOW the lawn.
The keeper OF the rugs was
Admonishing a sweep
They'd have to do their cleaning
With brooms quite small anc
cheap.
The Prince was on a pony
Explaining at a trot.
That while a horse might eat het
Much rather 1t did not.
A scream then shook the palace,
And underneath a shelf
They found the barber lying
THE KING HAD SHA ED HIM
SELF
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17

cheeks. The wind whipped her
skirts. There was a park nearby
and she always made the trip TO
the store walking along the edge
OF the park until she had to turn.
Dead leaves rustled on the side
walk. The trees were nearly bare
now. Somehow the fall had flown
past without her realizing II. SO
much had happened In the past
weeks.
nUTIFULLY she turned away
from the park and went on 20
the apartment. II had Just occurred
to Norma how she had spent
Thanksgiving a year before. A din
ner engagement with Bob Farrell.
Almost the first time she had gone
out with him. She remembered Bob
had taken her TO a restaurant down
town for a heavy and in~digestible
dinner and that afterward they
had driven along country roads in a
car Bob had borrowed.
What would Bob be doing tomor-
row? she wondered. How little she
had thought OF him lately and how
much he had occupied her thoughts
a few months agol
Norma reached the apartment
and Immediately stray fancies van
ished. There was work 10 be done
and the girl settled down 20 II i'm
mediately. The whole apartment
must be made immaculate. She was
In the midst OF the sweeping when
there was a ring nc the door. It
was the boy from the store who
waited outside. Norma set the
groceries on the kitchen table and
returned the basket Then she put
the duck In the ice box and went
on with her sweeping.
Dinner that evening was late.
Mark did not arrive home until
after six. He threw down HIS hat
and coat and told Norma IL had
been a tiresome day. More people
In the store because or the coming
holiday. Customers, keyed TO ex-
element. a little more impatient
than usual. Yes, Mark was weary.
He had been at Blossomdale's for
three weeks now. There had been
two $35 pay checks and on Satur-
day there would be another. The
young Traverses. though they had
little on the credit side OF the
ledger, were at least meeting their
debts. paying their living expenses
and. remarkable as II might seem,
quite happy. There had been no
q~uarrels since the night Mark
brought home the roses. Both Mark
and Norma we're too tired az the
end OF a day 70 regret the fact they
had no money for recreation.
I'm SO glad you'll BE- HON. all
day tomorrow" Norma said as she
set the last dish on the table. you
really need the rest. Mark. You've
been OVERRIDING"
"Oh. II isn't that, Just that I'm
new at this stun. Not used to being
on my feet all day and don't know
enough about the store. Boy. when
the Christmas rush starts I suppose
Ill think this was a picnic, After
the second week in December the
store In open from nine in the
morning until nine at night"
But they'll pay you extra, won't
they?"
Hope 30. I haven't found out
yet. Well. what's the program for
tomorrow"
Dinner at two. 7 thought you'd
want. to sleep late Is that all
right?s
20. X. with me. Say. you know
there's one thing I'm mighty glad
about-won't have to sit across
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17

BROOKMAN,

from Aunt Matilda and hear her
talk about what happened the sum
mer OF ~ in Progress City and
how Great-Uncle Hiram hcrnswog.
gled the Indians out OF their land
What did happen in Progress
City?"
II don't knowi God forbid. 4
never listenedl Aunt Matilda's
nearly so but she can out-talk any.
one I ever met. What do you say,
kid? Shall we step out 70 q
mower"
Norma dimpIed. There's Jack
0akie In that new one nc the Cen
fury"
Let's see IT,"
DERHAPS the roast duck Norma
drew from the oven next day
was not seasoned exactly to the
taste of a French chef. Perhaps its
dressing could have been improved.
Nevertheless the bird was beauti-
fully roasted. IL was well cooked
and. according 10 Mark Travers. 10
was the finest fare he had ever
eaten The duck was after all only
q part OF the carefully prepared
meal. That ~ was n success was
enough to put Norma into the true
spirit OF Thanksgiving Day. She
knew the candied sweet potatoes.
the salad and rolls and the mincs
pie were as they should be. Hear
ing Mark praise her cooking-as
he did praise twas more than
reward for the hours she had spent
In the tiny kitchen.
They dined by candleiight and
the fruit centerpiece was mn color
full and attractive mn though 40 had
been arranged on n silver platter
instead OF n OF the plates from
the five and ten"
At the other side or the city IN N
palatial dining room an elaborate
dinner was being served. Marks
father and mother sat nc either end
on that dining table. Half n dozen
servants had spent their efforts
preparing and serving the repast.
II was the sort on Thanksgiving
dinner 10 which Mark Travers had
been accustomed all his life.
There could have been no greater
contrast than the simple meal
Norma had cooked and the one ne
which Marks parents sat. Perhaps
Mark was thinking something on
this sort.
He leaned forward across the
table and found the girls hand.
AS he pressed II Mark said in IN
lowered voice. "You-you mako me
awfully happy. You're so sweet.
Normal"
All OF which was ample reason
for Norma Travers 20 rise NEXT
morning feeling the world was q
grand place I'm which 20 live. She
finished her tasks I'm the apartment
Then she dressed, putting on the
old polo coat and snug hat she had
worn 10 often on daily trips 20 tho
law Office. She had errands 20 mt
tend 10 downtown and was anxious
TO finish them and be homo By
noon.
The street car was not crowded
and Norma found q seat imme-
diately. That was because the
morning rush had ended. She rode
10 Broad street and Eighth avenu
and then left the
Norma walked rapidly. Mentally
she was reviewing her list or pur-
chases-frst the saucer 10 replace
the one she had broken. then the
oil cloth and the yard OF ribbon"
Her thoughts were interrupted
BY q shrilI. familiar voice.
Ito BE Continued) rse~
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-17

sion therefore I'm favor OF duck
She was concentrating this morn
ing on the printed instructions FOL
roasting a duck
Truss the bird. Put IN
roasting pan and place In hot oven
Basic at frequent intervals t. !"
1t might be simple to someone
who knew exactly what 1t all
meant. What was Blasting" and
how frequent were frequent inter.
vals"?
CUDDENLY an inspiration popped
- into the girls head. She went
to the telephone.
I'D like to speak to Miss Saun.
ders." she informed the girl who
answered. Another moment and
she heard Chris voice.
Hello. Chris. How are you? Oh
fine. Of courset Listen, is IL all
right 10 interrupt your business
hours to ask advice about cooking.
IL is? Well-that's lucky because
there's something I just have to
know. I want 10 have roast duck
for dinner Thursday and can you
tell me what I'm supposed TO do
with 1t after / get II home from the
meat market?"
Most OF the answer that came
over the wire was lost in laughter.
"But. Chris. i mean Il. I've been
reading a lot OF recipes In the pa
per ard / can't make head or tail
OF them. IL says to haste the duck
but ! don't zee why 1t needs to be
sewed-"
Explanations were in order.
Chris. nev~er-failing source OF as
sistance. explained the term hast
ing" in its culinary use. She told
Norma to get paper and pencil and
when she had them and was back
at the telephone gave careful in
structions for preparation OF the
fowl.
1T really isn't difficult, Norma"
the older girl said. "Just do II the
way I've told You and I'm sure
there won't be any trouble. or
course you want 10 buy your duck
at a market where you know they'll
give you a good one"
'"0h, Mr.. Sykes always gives me
good meat. I'm not worried about
that part. Thanks a thousand
times, Chris. You certainly are a
lifesaver. by the way, what are
you doing Thursday Why don't
you come out? To dinner I mean,
We'd love TO have you"
Chris declined the invitation with
apologies. She had an engagement.
she said She didn't specify where
or with whom her dinner engage
ment was.
But you will come out 70 see
us soon. won't your" Norma in
sisted.
"Of course I will. Sunday maybe.
TX there's anything else you want
70 ask about your duck don't hest
tate to call"
Il won't. And III do II exactly
the way you told me. Goodby,
Chris. You certainly are an angel"
Wednesday morning. bright and
early, Norma set out on her shop
ping tour. She bought a four-pound
duck which MI. Sykes. the dependa-
Bile butcher. assured her would
come out OF the roasting oven
fiavorsome and tender. She stopped
at the grocery store and ordered
vegetables, q jar OF mincemeat,
cheese and nuts and several kinds
OF fruit to make a centerpiece.
The things were to be delivered.
and as Norma walked home the
crisp air brought color into her