davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-11-26

classification glorified by the late
Florenz ziegfeld. All of these de-
tails, too, were rather essential to
the frame-up. Another essential
detail was the fact that Miss Mar
cha d'Alaine had the face that Shir-
ley Temple probably will have
when she grows up, and smile
that reminds one instantly Of Janet
Gaynor.
At a quarter Of IL, Sara Sue
telephoned the Montrose Plunge.
ooh, Worthington," she lament
ed into the transmitter. 81 am ter
ribly sorry, but I just can't get
there yet. I had an emergency
business call downtown, and I'm
tied up. Please forgive me. Go on
and swim and wait for me-"
"I'm already swimming" said
he. She knew that. She ascertained
it from the attendant, in fact, be-
fore calling him to the phone. She
had even planned it.
And now let us-as they say
shift the scene.
Let us play some bright, transit
tory music a Ia radio style, then
re-focus our attention on the beau
tiful Montrose Plunge.
You will know, of course, that
contrast is a marvellous thing. You
will have observed that Negroes
white teeth always flash against
his ebony skin; that a diamond
takes on added worth against pur-
pie velvet; that an elephant be-
comes more colossal and (get this,
now a doe more graceful, when
the two stand side by side. This
academic consiG1..,-- -.--ccil is inpor-
tant to the new scene.
There, beside the pool, stand the
Mexican sisters, total tonnage, Alb
pounds. They are good girls, good
humored. But they're colossal in
solid bright red suits.
Out of the locker room, now,
comes Miss Marcia d'Alaine.
Miss Marcia is wi1lowy, slender,
beautifully curved. She has on
dainty blue-and-white rubber cap
from which half a dozen curls are
peaking. The cap seems to make
her great big eyes even bigger. She
has blue lastex suit, not too dar-
ing, but form fitting, without a
wrinkle anywhere.
Miss Marcia does not plant her
legs "a feet apart-the knees lean
ing somewhat intimately together
-as if they were supports for a
heavy wharf. She |does not plop
both feet down f1at-footed on the
colored tile, and stand arms AKIN
DO like an angry washwoman. No,
she lets the Mexican sisters do
that. Quite unconsciously and nat
urally, Miss Marcia seems to flow
forward, to stand daintily on one
foot with the left knee bent slight
ly in front Of the right, and to
have her ha' s. gracefully at work |
controlling { e peeking curls-just |
SO her pretty arms show off per-
fectly. This posture is not studied;
Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-11-26

it is absolutely natural, while Miss
Marcia makes small talk with the
fat Mexican girls, with whom she
is acquainted.
And across the pool, near the
mems locker room, Mr.. Worthing-
ton Gurley has been waiting. He
is sitting on springboard, a lit
tie Disguised. Mr., Gurley, along
with every other man in Christen-
dom, disliles to wait for lady
with whom he has a date. 1t makes
him trifie angry with her. His at
tention is likely to wander to any.
thing in sight. Which fact was just
ducky. Sara Sue Davis would have
told you; and was, in fact, all
part of her nefarious plan.
Sara Sue doesn't come. Worth
ington is piqued with her, hates
to be stood up. Across yonder is
a perfectly lovely little girl, made
more lovely by the extraordinary
contrast offered by the Mexican
sisters. Worthington knows the
Mexican sisters. They see him.
They introduce him to the perfect
ly lovely little girl. Gosh! i,
It turns out, remarkably, that
the lovely little girl has much in
common with Worthington. They
both are freshmen at Rice, for in
stance. They are about the same
age. They both swim. They both.
like football. They both like this
and that and the other. They both
dislike alcoholic liquor. And raw
oysters. And Republicans. They
both love to dance-isn't that
coincidence
Remember, too, that Mr.. Worth
ington Gurley is not only an ag-
gressive young man, but could be
called handsome, even if he is ra-
Their boyish yet. Most of the ado
lescent acne has disappeared from
him, leaving him clean and bright.
His shoulders are broadening: his
arms are strong. He can do a good
one-and-a-half dive-loolS,~ Marcia.
You see, they are already calling
each other by their first names.
The Mexican sisters do some
swimming of their own; or what
they call swimming. But actually
their mission for the day has been
fulfilled. They are left somewhat
alone, in the shallow end Of the
pool. Nobody else is swimming this
early, on an autumn. day. Marcia
and Worthington have the entire
deep end to themselves. You see.
Marcia can outswim him under
water, but he can outdistance her
in a surface race. Do you want to
learn the Australian crawl, Mar
cha? Look you do like this Say,
you learn quickly, Marcia. Say,
you're gosh!
Mrs. Sara Sue Davis, Incorpo-
rated, had often said that love is
the grandest thing in the world; is
far too important a matter to be
treated lightly or dismissed with.as,
casual laugh.
Ito Be C0ntinueAE
Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-11-26
CHAPTER 81

MR.. WORTHINGTON GURLEY,
almost Is. was terribly embar-
Fassed with himself.
He was acutely happy because
ne felt-indeed, he knew. positive
ly-that true love had come to
him. But he was also embarrassed
because of what he felt might be
sad act Of disloyalty.
Sara Sue Davis had been so nice
20 him. She was so beautiful, or
had been. He had fancied himself
in love with Sara Sue. It simply
had not occurred to him, he real
lied now, that Mrs. Davis was a
matron. quite old. Twenty-three is
well past maturity. People could
even mistake her for his mother,
maybe. Well, maybe not hardly
that, but almost.
Nevertheless he had paid serious
court to her. True. he had not act
ually told Sara Sue Of his love, nor
asked to kiss her as he had want
ed. But he had set out to lick big
Bob Towne at the art Of love MAX
ing, and he hadn't been doing so
badly either. He had taken Sara
Sue to the freshman ball, which
was something, yeah man!
But she had also stood him up
this morning. Made date to meet
him in the Montrose Plunge, and
then never showed up. That ought
to absolve him of a lot Of obliga-
ton to her, oughtn't it?
He decided to go over and see
her any way. He owed her q
chance to explain.
She greeted him cordially. 'sHow
are you, Worthington?" But she
did not offer very explicit reason
for failing to meet him at the
Plunge. She did, however, mention
something else that thrilled him.
"Oh. I've got compliment for
you, Worthington! The incest
thing! Do you happen to remember
that girl you swan with in the
pool this morning, when couldn't
get there? The one Helen Mexican
introduced you to? Marcia
d'Alaine? Well, Marcia was here
this afternoon, and she said the
incest things about you! She was
deeply impressed by YOU"
WAS she, Sara Sue? Honest 2"
She was, honest, it seems. Sara
Sue told him exactly what Marcia
had said. He left the Davis cottage
presently, whistling and dreaming.
It was nearly s p. m. He'd just go
over to the dormitory Office and
phone Marcia d'Alaine and see
what she was doing. Not ask her
for a date, but just talk a little. Or
maybe just ask if he could run
by a few minutes and take her
over to the drug store or some
thing. Sara Sue, counsel in ro-
nance, had told him he ought to
follow up a. pleasant contact like
that. because Marcia came from q
fne old southern family and all.
He met big Bob Towne coming
across the campus, yodeling. Bob
stopped singing long enough to
greet him.
Button, slime. you low-down,
oOntemptible-!" b
Mr.. Gurley gave the freshman
salute. They understood each
ether.
Say. Bob" Worthington then
blurted, impulsively, 81 was just
going to look for you! Say T.
gosh! Listen, Bob-you can have
Sara Sue! l mean. I'm not forget
ting. the talk you gave me, but I'm
withdrawing from the race
Now this really was important
to Mr.. Robert ToWne. He became
Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-11-26
go ! |1zSn
| " u % z! zzsSE 49, -. y We
lK vi ~ NV

"Sure, Sara Sue, let's play the
camel" T. US humor began to
take charge presently, and he
managed to have pretty good
time.
For one thing, he accepted Sara
Sues offer Of Bob's candy. It was
good candy. The expensive kind.
a dollar and half a pound.
"I'm SO sorry you are in train
ing and can't eat any, Bob" Sara
Sue lamented. 'sI'll bet you are
glad when football season is DONE"
"Yeah, shame you can't have q
piece, Towne," T. j. agreed, taking
a third caramel. The caramels were
quite soft and chevy, deliciously
favored. These creams are excel
lent, too. Did you try any Of the
creams, Sara Sue? Whose play 2"
Time marched on, as they say.
But it wasn't in any hurry this
evening.
Bob Towne. normally the univer-
lsity's best conversationalist,
seemed peculiarly to be without
anything to say. His normal verve
and good-natured outlook seemed
to be dulled. He was apparently
deeply concentrated in the new
marble game. It seems that you
move marbles from hole to hole
over a small board. You jump your
competitors marbles. You move
diagonally and
But T. ]. was having better
luck at Ching Chow checkers. Or
better skill.
Wonderful! Marvellous, T. j."
Sara Sue laughed gleefully when
he made a sudden run of plays.
"You are clever at games, aren't
you?"
Luck" mumbled T. ]. modestly,
reaching for more candy,
Now high-grade chocolate candy
is rather heavy. That is, it comes
in concentrated form, so that a
pound, for instance, isn't really
such a great bulk. There are no
known statistics on just how much
chocolate candy a young man can
eat during one evening, but it
would seem that good-sized,
healthy young man could consume
quite a few pieces conceivably
more than pound, with help from
girl.
Toward 10 o'clock, T. j. realized
he didn't actually want any more
candy. But the matter had become
sort of secondary game with him
by then. Flowers will last five or
six days. And remind one of their
giver. Nobody can eat flowers. But
candy-he had another piece. He
chuckled a little. Mr.. T. j. Sanders
appreciated the finer things of life.
He chuckled again. The marsh
mallow-pecans are good, too.
When the box was down to two
pieces, he held off. Interest in the
checker game was rather high
now, anyway. Sara Sue was bent
over the board-her hair catches
points of light like tiny stars, when
she leans near you-and her soft
voice was rather enhancing. In
dividually and privately the young
men noted that the candy was vir-
tually exhausted. Whose move 2"
It's an absorbing game, isn't it,"
To keep training, Bob had to
leave by 1880, and Sara Sue tact
fully sent T. j. home at the same
time. The good nights were cor
dial. A good time had been enjoyed
by all. it appeared. The young men
shook hands.
And then, walking alone-.sHell
and dammit" growled big Bob
Towne, who was not given to pro-
family at all.
Ito Be Continued)
Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-11-26

1889
man at some length. When they
departed, they shook hands like old
soldiers meeting at Gettysburg,
enmities forgotten. Yep, Bob had
met the d'Alaine girl. Sweet little
number, slime; you are to be COM
plimented on your choice. Lemme
know if I can help you any time.
Whereupon Mr.. Robert Towne pro-
ceeded on toward the Davis cot
tage, yodeling even louder than be-
fore.
On the inspiration of the mo-
ment, however, he cut by the Au-
try House and bought a two-pound
box Of chocolates. Not the cheap
kind, but the kind that costs a
dollar and half a pound, and is
in box that looks like five dol
lars pound. He went on to Sara
Sues with the box under his arm
and, 10, if Mr.. T. J. Sanders
wasn't just getting out Of his car
at the curb, and 10, If he, too,
wasn't carrying box!
But T. Us box was larger than
Bob's. Bob made some effort to
drop his down behind his leg cas-
ually, then realized it was too large
to hide. Anyhow, he knew instant
ly that T. US held flowers.
'How are you, Towne 2" r. ].
greeted, but didn't really wish to
know, Bob felt.
TOPS. How're you doing?"
"Swell. Looks like we're headed
for the same place." T. j. smiled.
Looks like it. Well, come on"
Now the fact is, neither young
man had an actual date, but nei-
Their would let the other suspect it.
Each had just happened by, hop
ing for a chance to visit with Sara
Sue and bringing a gift to soften
her heart. Coincidence brought
them together outside. Coincidence
in hour, in yearning, in desire.
Neither could-or would-back
down now. The conversational at
mosphere was a bit chilly out here.
"Come on in" suggested Bob, sem
sibly.
"Oh, boys!" Sara Sue greeted
them together, with enthusiasm.
''HoW ni-i-icew
How nice, indeed! Two rather
handsome young men. Two young
men aggreseively in love with her.
Two suitors bearing gifts. How
nice, indeed-from her viewpoint!
For the life of him Bob Towne
couldn't think Of any way to get
rid Of T.. J.. Sanders. And T.. j.
couldn't think Of a thing to do
about Bob. One doesn't walk off a
field of battle and let an enemy
take charge either in war or in
love.
Some more students were there,
several more in fact, so Sara Sue
tactfully led her personal callers
into her private Office. It was cozy
in there. And they wouldn't be dis
turbed by the singing, laughing
and talking in the huge living
room.
She put T. Us flowers in a big
vase, admiring them as they de-.
served.
She talked brightly, with anima-
ton. She ate a piece or two of
Bob's candy They're delicious,
Bob! I'm so grateful. To both of
you. You are such thoughtful
friends. And how nice that you
came together. Let's play the new
game, Ching Chow checkers. Want
to? Three can play"
They didn't want to, but then
you have to do something when
you are stymied this way. You
can't go off and leave your rival
with your girl in her private Office.
Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-11-26

Francis Biddle, special counsel for :
the joint Congressional committee
investigating affairs of the Tennes-
see Valley Authority, is pictured as
the investigation got under way IN
Washington.
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1938-02-18
LOVE
and the
LIEUTENANT

SYNOPSIS-1, Lieutenant Sea-
drift, a loyal Britisher though
born in America, fought with
the British and their German
allies in the revolution in
America. l was appointed to
watch the young and lovely
Baroness Won Leasing - with
whom I was in love - because
she did not approve of our hir-
ing Hessian soldiers to fight for
the British, and it was feared
she would sow sedition among
them. Many of them deserted
to the enemy and my beloved
Baroness was under suspicion.
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1938-02-18

and listened impatiently TO"
Clinton's guns; and heard onl,
the eXasperat ng crack of rebe
rifles and the far wailing o.
wolves.
Monday night somebody IL
our tent said something abou
our forage being gone and thai
there was a large field of oats
between us and the American
intrenchments.
What | saw of the sanguinary
affair which followed l never
have understood clearly. Blu,
this is what happened:
On Tuesday morning VIC
youngsters of his family waited
upon General Riedesel in hi:
tent. He told us that we were
going out to take look at
certain field of oats; and h"
sent Cleve to old Pausch with
orders to timber up a cou9le o.
6 Founders and come along.
A few minutes later my NUT
tering General Baron got into
his worn saddle; Cleve. Dufais
Spangenburg. Freeman and !
got into ours; six rickety Ger
man dragons formed our es-
cort; and we turned our skinnv
horses due west, following on
grumbling Baron who never
allowed anybody to ride in from
of him when trouble was in the
air.
1t was eleven o'clock in the
morning when we moved for
ward. Captain Fraser's rangers
rum 'ng out ahead into the
woods followed by our LoyaliSt
marksmen and a few horribly
painted Ind ans.
We came presently to a deer
gully through which Mill Cree
flowed, and met a wagon trac'
leading southwark through
field of oats.
l don't know why, but here
the COMMANDMENTS tire
columns halted and deployeJ
above the gully.
The field of oats now was full
of officers servants and other
noncombatants, moving, raking
tying fodder into bundles ans
Juggling it back to the waiting
wagons.
1 noticed some of our I'M
willing rangers and company
of stolid grenadiers marching
off into the woods ahead. And
scarcely had they vanished IL
the fringing forest when a very
brisk noise of firing broke out
Sir Johnny turned his spy
glass in that direction; 50 did
the other C mcrals. Aft~r :
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1938-02-18

one WdICueu ME advancing
rose to curtsy to my bow, let
me salute her hand, then settled
herself. motioning me to be
seated beside her.
"a strange war;" said she
knitting away; "here am | at
this homely task; yonder three
little children play; and scarcely
mile away is encamped an
army battered and sore and
drenched in blood. And doomed
to destruction"
''Do you think we are doomed,
Ma'am?"
"I hope and believe So" said
she coolly.
MADAM" said I, "what you
say, and what you never are at
any pains to conceal, is really
your passport and your saliva
ton. Do you realize it?"
She looked up in quiet sur
prise. awaiting further explana-
ton.
"Otherwise," said I, "you
were more surely doomed than
is this British army. But 1 have
to mention another matter. A
British soldier on guard last
night at your quarters went off
to the enemy about midnight
carrying his arms and equip
ment with him."
"Perhaps," said she, che saw
the writing on the WALL"
"Do YOU recollect," said 1,
that you asked me what were
our plans for this morning?"
''Do you think sent this SOL
der to those naughty rebels,
Herr Lieutenant ?"
"You are pleased to mock and
ridicule me. Madam"
"No, I am in awe of such a
mind as yours. Didn't l once
admit to you that only God
could fathom the mighty mental
depths of First Lieutenant ?"
This was simply uncomfortable.
l arose in my wrath and, | re-
greet to admit, had started to
stalk away when something
caught my sword guard to de-
tain me. 1t was her slender
brown hand.
"For heavens sake, sir" she
pleaded, "don't part angrily
with me in this death place. If
| were not almost in love with
you, I would not have called
you back"
AS l stood, giddy with such
impossible happiness, she look
ed up at me, her face pale and
lovely with swift concern;
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1938-02-18

"I pray you be sensible in
battle" she said, "and do nothing
snowy and rash. All men are
vain. A boys vanity makes him
reckless. Real bravery is of the
mind as well as of the body.
Courage is not an impulse; it
is born of the brain. l beg you
to remember this"
l was astoniShed. l took both
her hands and bent over to see
her eyes.
To my amazement they glim-
mered with tears.
"Have a care what you are
about" said she, because L
almost-love you"
THE FIRST delicate tracery of
frost appeared on the shady
side of our tents. A few maple
leaves turned scarlet.
For more than two weeks our
army had remained motionless
behind our new intrenchments
and redoubts, awaiting the joy
Gus thunder of Sir Harry's guns
which were to signal to an ad-
miring world the destruction of
the American army.
We waited in complacent an
ticipation. We waited and wait
ed. There was no Sir Harry
Clinton, no guns, no thunder
other than the devilish and daily
thunder showers that drenched
us to the bones.
That the enemy also was
heavily intrenched at Saltwater
we knew in a vague way, but
could obtain no detailed infor-
nation of their situation, so
utterly had our military intelli-
gence department collapsed.
We were no more than a mile
from the American intrench-
ments, but could not see them
for the dense woods.
Our patrols always drew their
fire and theirs drew ours; and
there was scarcely a minute by
day or night when the whip
crack of an American rifle or
the explosion of British mus
ket might not be heard in the
misty woods.
Our flour had gone bad. We
still had a considerable beef
herd, but green forage was be-
coming very scarce and our
horses ate bark and leaves and
grew very gaunt and weedy.
And we chewed our salt beef
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1938-02-18
PART NINE

PART NINE
I TOOK A CAMP lantern and
went back through the reeking
woods and presently came to
where a large house stood.
Hearing our voices the Bar
oness Riedesel came out of
, candle-lit room.
"Is my husband safe, Mr..
Seadrift ?" she asked quietly.
I treasured her. I went to the
room she indicated; the door was
wide open; a fire of cedar logs
burned on the hearth, filling the
place with aromatic smoke.
The Baroness Leasing looked
around over her shoulder and
recognizing me, rose and held
out her hand with quick little
choking sound.
81 am happy that you are
SAFE" she murmured; 81 have
thought of you"
I retained her chilled hand;
presently she gave me the other
and we stood looking at each
other in silence. Then:
"Death is everywhere" she
whispered. "a youngster in
there - he was only eighteen.
He kept asking for his mother"
Her slim hands quivered with
in mine. She seemed pale and i'll
and overweight; and the reek
in the room was so thick with
cedar smoke that l drew her out
to the doorway for breath of
outer air.
eve let the cedar smoke into
the house." said she, "to drive
away the mosquitoes. Tell me,
Mr.. Seadrift, what are General
Burgoyne's plans now?"
"To advance, of course" said
l thoughtlessly. "You yourself
heard him say that this army
must not retreat. We move by
our right at daylight"
My lady love said no more.
P 'esently came a burial squad
for the dead. In a tremulous
whisper she babe me go with
God and turned away to show
the stretcher bearers where, be-
tween two candles, somebody's
youngster lay so white and still.
About midnight l was awak-
ened by Lord Petersham coming
in, damning and swearing.
"The surprise attack at dawn"
said he, "is postponed because it
would be no surprise. The whole
camp knew we were secretly
planning an attack. That's the
devilish trouble in this army
there's no secrecy! Everything
is blabbed! A plan is decided;
officers are told; they tell their
wives; their wives gossip; SER
wants overhear them; camp wo-
men gable; the soldiers hear of
it. Then some damned deserter
goes off to the enemy with the
whole thing! Some military fool
must have told some woman.
That's enough to publish it all
over America!"