davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1938-10-19
By MARIE BRETT-PERRING
though il

UNBELIEVABLE though i
" may seem, it was not unit
after our return to Geneva from
a short stay in Paris that Llse
lotte suddenly awoke to reall
ties and possibilities of war
time espionage.
Miss Hill, young Claudie's gov
erness. had come pack to us ant
Iiselotte had been automaticall!
denoted to her former status o.
my personal maid.
A REBUKE
"Gnadige Frau" she began stern
~. her whole attitude one Of por
tentous rebuke, cit is not fair,
think. You never told me that al
these people - die Spinen - those
who run around finding things ou'
sell what they find and make
good money at it. Look you, now
that Lena, the maid who looks
after the north side of our floor
while we were in Paris, she hao
whole hundred francs from the
American Jew on the Secono
floor and what for. ask you? She
lust told him that Mehmet All Bey
had twice received an EngliShmar
from the Legation, very secretly
In his room
I gasped. So that was tne
explanation
"Yes," Liselotte continued, warm
ing up to her subject, packets OF
money they are all making"
1 did not try to argue. There
was no argument possible with
Iiselotte. But consulted Charles
her fiance. and asked his advice.
He shrugged his shoulders. Que
Voulez-vouS, Madame" he said
"she is so stupid. la pauvre lille
that it is a waste OF time to ex
plain things to her.
Il do not think it matters
much. She'll run around finding
out things and trying to get money
for her revelations and all she'll
get will be SnubS. for you know
what a closed circle this espionage
business is -"
We let it go at that. Charles
was probably right, I told myself
But there were more pressing mat
ters on hand and the question OF
Liselotte'S spying poSslollltles
could not be taken seriously.
True, she came to me once and
flourished brand new hundred
franc bill, her homely face
wreathed in smiles.
From the French gentleman in
Mr.. 432, gnadige Frau" she
boasted, "he wanted to know
where you go every Friday after.
noon and as I do not know, I told
him that it is the day when you
take a walk in Dalholzli Forest
very secretly with the German
Minister. He was very pleased anc
he said that am a bright girl"
"Oh, Lisolette, how can you tel
such lies!" I groaned.
What do you mean, leS?" she
demanded truculently. rs it thai
die Spionen tell the truth? Why
Hans himself told me that wher
he does not know a thing, he III
vents it, and he is paid for it, too.
The Washington times., 1938-10-19
MAKES A PACKET

cretly to some Germans. They
said something to each other ano
gave me three lovely blue thou
sand franc bills and said to watch
the gentlemen from Sofia and tel
them some more about whom they
met.
Then" she continued, shat
gave me another idea and I went
to the room of one of the English
gentlemen and I told him also
that the gentlemen from Sofia
were meeting Germans secretly
when nobody was about.
Then Hans told me last night,
before I went to the little house,
that I must leave one of the
French windows unlatched and
draw the curtains tight and wait
in the garden to show the way
to yet another gentleman. And
that one came when the others
we're we'll assembled and I took
him across to the window and be.
fore he went in he thanked me
very nicely and pressed two thou
sand Swiss franc bills into my
hand and told me to run away
at once.
Then, this morning, the English
gentleman met me in the passage
and he stopped me and said that
I had been right and gave me the
English notes." she ended up
breathlesSly.
And is that all, Liselotte2" I
asked weakly.
ALL WENT AWAY
"Oh, yes, gnadige Frau. Except
that they have all gone away now,
rather in a hurry, thought. I
don't know why. But I am pleased
all the same, because I have made
quite a packet, haven't ~"
I made a gesture of utter help
leSSneSS.
Yes, oh yes, LiSelotte, you GER
tainly have wonder whether
that packet will not prove too
heavy for you to carry. go. :"
She looked at me out of round,
stupidity uncomprehending eyes:
Il do not understand, gnadige
Frau-it is only few bills, after
all, and it was honestly and easily
come by. -"
I nodded. Charles-what was I
going to say to Charles? Could I
ever make Liselotte understand
what she had done and that-if
1 decided to keep it secret-she
had to play her part and never
divulge her share in our latest
diplomatic farce. -?
The Washington times., 1938-10-19

! 1t was probably one of my un
guarded moments, for embarked
:, forthwith into a long explanation
on the workings of counter-espion
age and news-gathering.
My motives were pure;
couched my lecture in the simpli
fled phraseology which Liselottt
understood best and made of tht
dark trade a picture which,
hoped fervently, would put her Of.
it once for all.
LIKE AN EPIDEMIC
1t was the precise moment when
Separate Peace at Any Price
was in the air. 1t was like an epi
demic; one by one, Germany's
lesser allies we're abandoning the
sinking ship. This one was trying
desperately to contact England
that one France-the other worked
underground through the good Of
fices of ever-willing neutral states.
And so it happened that really
did not know anything aoout a
certain separate peace" intrigue
between a Balkan State and the
Allies-or at least I did not learn
about it until the farce had been
played, to the complete diScom-
future of all parties concerned.
1t was a German friend who
told me of it first. Had I heard of
the secret meetings of some Balkan
delegates and foreign office men
from London in that little villa in
the middle of Bremgarten Forest,
Reichenbach side? Quite a lark,
really!
The meetings had gone on for
some time, undiSturbed. Then,
the French had been invited to
participate Then, last night,
who turned up suddenly at the
final meeting-like a skeleton at
the feast-but Won Grammar him
self!
"Tableau! Can you imagine it?"
my friend laughed deligntedly.
Here were all the good, wise gen
tlemen, discussing the deal and
haggling over the blood money;
representatives of our dear Balkan
allies, and the gentlemen from
Whitehall, and those from the
Quai d'Orsay, all as pally as you
wish, sitting around the table,
burning the midnight oil in that
charming, sylvan retreat.
Then, suddenly, the curtains
over the French windows parted
and Won Grammar stood there,
very correct, you know. evening
dress and Iron Cross and monocle
in his eye and he said, in that in
imitable, drawing voice of his, in
French, "MeSSieurs-Shouldn't. ]
too have been invited to the
Wake?" Climax, eh? He rubbed
his hands, but now the laughter
was wiped off his face. 1.-THE rats,
the damned rats" he added under
his breath.
TOOK A CHANCE
"How did Won Grammar know?"
I asked weakly.
What matterP" the German
said brusquely. HE was warned
in time and he took a chance. -
did not wait for more. Charles
| hastily summoned, was aghaSt
The Washington times., 1938-10-19
Daily Short Stoy~

and promised to find out all he
could about the affair.
1t was late that evening when
LiSelotte sidled into my room, os,
tensibly to ask what time I wanted
my breakfast on the morrow. She
was strangely subdued, and lin
gered on, though, preoccupied as ]
was, 1 took hardly any notice OF
her.
"Gnadige Frau" she said finally,
with a visible effort, "I think I'd
better tell you'll feel I must leave
your kind Service-I have made up
my packet and I can now afford
to stop working for a while. I
think shall go back to my village
until Charles is ready to marry
What do you mean, LiSelotte?"
I asked sharply.
She pulled worn pocketbook
from inside her blouse and handed
it to me in silence. 1t contained:
Two thousand Swiss francs: two
1O-pound notes; three French
thouSand-franc bills.
What have you done, LiSelotte?
How did you get all this money!"
1 raped out.
Il remembered all the gnadige
Frau had said about the way real
Spionen work." she said compla-
Gently. when the two new Eng
lish gentlemen came. I followed
them about and I found out that
they went to a little house in the
Bremgarten Forest, at night, and
that the gentlemen from Sofia
met them there.
"I told Hans, in great secret
and asked him what next I should
do. He said it was very interesting
and that there was good money
in it and to go on watching. Then
he told me that I might offer my
self to wait on the gentlemen from
Sofia, when they went to that
house at night, and I did and
they said yes, but could I keep
my mouth shut?
WHEELS WHIR
$50 I went there at night and
tidied up and made drinks for
them all, but the gentlemen from
Sofia are not generous-they paid
me only the agreed price-ten
francs for the evening. But there
were nice French gentlemen and
/ talked Of them and they asked
did I know if the Germans were
watching them? I did not know,
but it gave me an idea and said
maybe, for I had seen the gentle
rnen from Sofia speaking very Sc
The Washington times., 1938-10-19
TOOK A CHANCE

"How did Won Grammar know"
I asked weakly.
What matter?" the German
said brusquely. HE was warned
in time and he took a chance. -"
I did not wait for more. Charles,
hastily summoned, was aghaSt,
The Washington times., 1938-10-19

No Money Down
Convenient Monthly Pay
ments plus small carrying
charge.
Main Floor - Electrical Arcade
The Hecht Co.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
SEVERAL TO SPEAK
AT TEACHERS MEET

At the general meeting of Ashe
county teachers, which will be held
in the West Jefferson school Satur-
day morning at 10 o'clock, brief
talks will be made by several
speakers, Supt. J. r. Hash an
nounced Tuesday.
Prof. A. B. Hurt will discuss sup
cruising school activities; James j..
Miller, principal of EllxIand school,
will talk on the subject of al test
ing program and permanent rec
ords"; Wade E. Eller, principal of
Riverview, will discuss the import
ance of teaching highway safety in
the schools and Ed M. Anderson,
editor of The Post, will make a
brief talk on the opportunities of
a teacher
Due to conflict in hours, the art
class for teachers will meet at /
o'clock Saturday afternoon.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
Proposed Mock
Trial Called Off
Charges Against B. r. Richards
By His Friends Were Simply
A Big Joke.

The proposed mock trial of B. H.
Richards, manager of the Parker
Tie Company, who was charged by
several local friends in joking
way, with breaking, entering and
attempting to steal money and jew
elry from the home of Rev. w. T.
Wilmington, has been called off.
Of course Mr.. Richards never
thought of doing such thing and
the whole scheme on the part of
his friends was to pull a big joke
and perhaps to raise some funds
at a mock trial to be given to the
First Baptist church.
Mr. Richards thought it was big
joke, too, but unfortunately there
were some people who seemed to
have gotten the wrong impression
and the matter is being dropped.
In order to stimulate interest and
to help raise as much money as
possible for the church by the pro-
posed mock trial, The Post recent
ly wrote the item up in a humorous
manner, but since the trial has been
called off The Post takes pleasure
in assuring all readers that the plan
on the part of Stokes Vannoy and
others was nothing other than a
joke and that Mr.. Richards has new
er broken into anybody's house. 4
Mr. Richards, who has been man
ager of the Parker Tie Company
here for the past four years, says
that he wouldn't think of breaking
into a preachers house if he were
looking for money and jewelry!
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
Need OF Checking
\ Erosion Stressed
Dairy Specialists Says County Is
Rapidly Losing It's Most
Valuable Asset.

The Importance of checking the
rapid erosion of soil in Ashe coun-
ty, improving lands now in use and
breeding better dairy herds was
emphasized in an address by F. r.
Farnham, extension dairy specialist
from State College, at meeting OF
Ashe County Dairymen held Tues
day afternoon at the home of w.
M. Burkett.
Mr.. Farnham explained that
within the past Is years the land in
Ashe had been raepidly eroded in
every section of the county and
urged the farmers to get busy at
once with a program to conserve
the greatest asset the county poss-
esses. He said that in most places
the land is too steep for terraces to
be affective and highly recon-
mended the planting of lespedeza
and clover.
The excellent advantages of dairy
ing in this section were stressed.
Levern johnson, manager OF
Kraft Phenix Cheese plant, talked
interestingly on the subject Of 'pre-
vention and control of common
disease Of farm animals. Presi-
dent Goodman presided.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
Boy Scout Week
Being Observed
BY Local Scouts
Attractive Display Featured AT
The Posts Office. Local
Troop Is Active.
MORE MEMBERS WANTED

Boy Scout Week., celebrating
the 18th. anniversary Of the organ
ization of the Boy Scouts Of Ameri-
ca, lis being appropriately observed
by the local scout troop this week.
An attractive window display,
po4traging some Of the activities
and ideals 81 scouting, is being fea-
tured in one Of the large windows
at The SKyland Post and the troop
is making q special drive for more
members. All boys who are IL
years old or older, are eligible to
join.
The West Jefferson troop, which
is the only one in the county at
present, now has IS members. Rev.
]. w. Luke is scontmaster and the
roster is as follows: Rex Morton, as
sistant scoutmaster; Jack Miller,
patrol leader; G. T. Badger, II,
scribe; Parks Coward, buglar; Tom
Scott, Robert D. McNeill, Hal Col
ward, Scott Denney, Joe Worth, Jr.,
1toy ~ ISC1IIdAA, N044CA4AAo1L MyGASS
Thomas Little, and Jim Privett.
Last Saturday several Of the boys
bought complete scout uniforms
and this week they have been pa
rading over town. All of them have
only a tenderfoot ranking, but they
are now ready to take second class
tests.
The troop meets every Monday
night in the basement at the West
Jefferson Presbyterian church. The
local troop committee is composed
of E. w. Miller, L. P. Coward and
G. T. Badger. The Ashe county
post of the American Legion also
co-operates in promoting the move
ment by furnishing badges.
Throughout the nation scout week
is being observed this week. Mon
day night President Roosevelt de-
livered special scout broadcast.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
DR.. Edward Grant
To Speak In Ashe
Noted Presbyterian Leader And
Speaker To Give Two
Addresses Feb. is.

DR.. Edward D. Grant, outstand-
ing layman and leader of the South
ern Presbyterian church, an elder
in the second Presbyterian church
of Richmond and the executive Sec
rotary of the Presbyterian Commit
tee of Publication, is scheduled to
make two addresses in the county
on Wednesday, February 10th. His
first address will be at Lansing at
200 p. m. To this meeting the
Foster Memorial and Gillespie con-
gregations are being invited.
At 1880 p. m. DIR. Grant will make
the second address in the Jefferson
Presbyterian church. To this service
the West Jefferson, Obids, Low
Gap, Big Ridge, Ebenezer, Peak
Creek, Laurel Fork, Millers and
Bethel Presbyterian congregations
are being urged to attend. These
meetings will gladly welcome those
of other communions to share with
them the Blessings the services
bring.
Rev. ]. K. Fleming, of Mt. Airy,
will have a part in the Lansing SER
vice. Rev. John w. Luke will con-
duct the devotional service in the
Jefferson meeting. Special music
will be provided for each place.
DR.. Grant is in great demand as
an inspirational and international
speaker. Probably no man in the
denomination has as broad a know
ledge of the work of the church as
has DR.. Grant. His fields of service
have been varied. For time he
was educational secretary of for
eign missions, during which time
he became an author in the writing
of the popular Mission Study book
1.-THE Ambassador Supreme. This
volume was the result of tour to
the Foreign Mission fields of the
denomination. Later DR.. Grant
was the head of the Assembly's
Stewardship Committee. From this
position came the promotion to be-
come the executive head of the vast
publishing Committee in Richmond
and Texarkana, Tex.
It is considered by local Presby-
terians great privilege to have
this great leader and speaker in
the county for these services.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
Howell Convicted
7 In Mayors Court
Arrest Caused Much Excite
ment. Several Others Tried
Last Monday.

Charlie Howell, of Baldwin, was
convicted in the mayors court here
Monday morning on charges of pub
lie drunlardness, resisting arrest
and damage to public property. He
drew fine of SIS and cost or a six
months sentence on the roads.
The arrest of Howell here late
Saturday afternoon caused right
much excitement and the officers
had to use their blackjacks to get
him to Jail. Chief Mcmillan first
arrested him at the Shell cafe
where he was creating disturb
ance and when he started offering
resistance on the way to Jail, Offic-
err Barker and Deputy Sheriff Wal
ter Stringer went to his aid. It is
stated that Howell has already
served a term for breaking into
Charlie Campbells store.
The following were fined SIS and
cost for public drunkardness, M. G.
Wingler, Lillard Oliver, Frank
Connect, Tom Watson, A. Parsons.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
Masons To Hold
An Installation
Ceremony Tuesday
Public Cordially Invited. Elahr
crate Program Planned.
Grouse To Speak.
GRAYSON NEW MASTER

A cordial invitation has been ex-
tended to the public to attend q
community installation OF officers
ceremony that will be held in the
Masonic hall next Tuesday night,
beginning at 7 o'clock, at which time
the new officers of the Ashe coun-
ty lodge, No. 671, of the A. F. & A.
NJ, will be indicted into Office.
An elaborate program. IN which
four local organizations will take
part, has been arranged. Attorney
R. F. Grouse, of Sparta, will deliver
the principal address and special
entertainment for the occasion will
be furnished by the Cook-Harless
quartet. At the conclusion Of the
program, refreshments will be
served.
The new officers of the lodge are
T. B. GraySon, master; Dean McMil-
Ian, senior warden; Bradshaw My
ers, junior warden, T. I. Jones, Sec
rotary and E. D. Barr, treasurer.
The address of welcome will be
given by T. B. Grayson and re-
sponses will be made by p. G.
Wright, for the American Legion;
L. P. Colvar, !. o. o. F.; Mrs. Guy
Denney, Legion Auxiliary; Mrs. Lee
vern- johnson, .Woman's Club and
Ed M. Anderson, general public. Ira
T. Johnston will serve as the in
Sailing officer; G. B. Doggett and
w. A. Campbell, marshals.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
WEATHER NOW HAS
FOOLED GROUNDING

The old adage about the
grounding seems to be all bunk!
During the past week this Sec
ton has enjoyed the warmest
and prettiest Florida weather
that has been experienced in
years. Instead of severe winter
weather, the temperature has
been so mild that it was neces-
sary to discard overcoats.
Last Sunday was an ideal day
for "Outings' and many took adj
vantage of it by visiting the
cOunty's two famous health re-
sorts. At ShatIey Springs, where
NJ M Blevins is the popular sup
ervisOr during the winter
months, people from as far away
state visited the springs and
as California and Washington
drank some of the pure water.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
Al CAPONE HAS Al
MENTAL BREAKDOWN

San francisco, Feb. S.-Al
Capone, scar-faced gangster,
was under observation tonight
in the hospital ward at bleak
Alcatraz prison.
To published reports that the
one-time leader If the county's
most notorious mob was suffer
ing a mental breakdown, Fed
eral officials gave only a terse
mo comment" But they did
not deny it.
From the Justice department
it was learned Capone had been
confined to the hospital since
Saturday; that physicians con-
sidered his removal to a prison
affording better medical facili-
ties.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
ASHE COP LEADERS
TO ATTEND DINNER

Leaders of the Republican party
in Ashe county are planning to at
tend the annual statewide Lincoln
day dinner meeting of the State ex-
ecutive committee in Greensboro
Saturday afternoon and night.
Those planning to go include Grant
Bauguess, county chairman; Carl
GRAPHICAL, member of state execu-
tive committee, Charlie WEIGH,
Mont Weaver, DR.. Robertson.
Representative Hamilton Fish, .Jr.,
of New York, will deliver the chief
address at the dinner. William G.
Meekins, state chairman, will also
speak.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
Bond Refunding Plan
Approved By Board OF
Commissioners Mon.
Plan For Refinancing County's
Bonded Indebtedness To Be
Presented to BondhoIders.
PROVISIONS EXPLAINED

AT their regular monthly meeting
held in the courthouse Monday, the
board Of county commissioners
adopted resolution authorizing J..
L. Scott, chairman Of the board, and
the county attorneys, Ira 7. john
ston and w. B. Austin, to present
to the Local Government Commits
sion and to holders Of Ashe county
bonds a refunding plan which pro-
poses to refinance the county's
bonded Indebtedness.
During the discussion of the plan
that has been worked out during
the past year by the commissioners
and county attorneys, together with
the assistance of the Local Govern
ment Commission, it was explained
that the representatives Of a MAORI
ty Of the county's bond holders
have agreed to preseft and. recon-
mend the plan to the owners of the
bonds and that it will not become
effective until sufficient number of
these holders agree to it. The final
approval Of the Local Government
Commission was also said to be
necessary.
The plan adopted Monday by the
commissioners differ relatively
little from the proposed one which
was published last fall by the coun-
ty attorneys. They stated that
little interest concessions had to be
made in order to obtain an agree
ment with representatives of the
bond holders.
1t proposes to issue refunding
bonds in exchange for the present
bonds and that the new bonds are
to be 32-year term bonds, dated De-
cember l., 1887 and maturing De-
cember ], 1869, bearing interest at
the following rates: 8 per cent for
8 years, 3A per cent for 5 years; 4
per cent for IL years, AZ per cent
for years and S per cent for 5
years.
The commissioners state nearly
all of the present bonds bear inter-
est rate at 6 per cent and that a
considerable number of them are
already past due and more or them
falling due from time to time.
. 1t was pointed out that at the
present time the county owes in
past due interest $3.50, 10000 and the
plan proposes the cancellation of
one-half of this accrued interest.
thereby effecting a savings of $115,-
10000.
The other $115,OOO.00 of past due
interest, it proposes, will be con-
sumed by interest refunding bonds,
to bear the same date, maturity and
interest rates as the other ones for
the principal bond indebtedness
which amounts to SLOTS, 100000.
1t further provides for the settle
ment not only of all the outstand-
ing bonds, but also for all of the
judgments which have been taken
against the county as well as those
judgments that are pending in the
United States District court.
1t provides that some coupons
will be purchased at so per cent of
their par value, with cash now on
hand and not to exceed $15,OOO.0O.
This is included, they state, in or
der to equalize the interest since
some bond holders have cashed in
their coupons from time to time
while others have not.
The tax levy agreed upon to
carry out the settlement, and allow
ing $25,000.00 per year for local ex-
jeuses, is fixed at $65.00O.O0 for the
Continued on Page Eighty
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
TAXPAYERS URGED TO
PAY THEIR 1897 TAXES

In accordance with the law, a
penalty of / per cent on all unpaid
county taxes for the year 1887 be-
dame effective February list, but
Sheriff w. E. Miller announced this
week that instead of collecting this
extra amount from the tax payers,
he is going to pay it out of his COM
missions.
In order to avoid having to pay
2 per cent penalty in March, Sheriff
Miller urges all tax payers who
have not paid the 1887 taxes to do
so this month. In April the penalty
increase to 8 percent and in May,
A percent.