davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-04-05
SYNOPSIS

Brent Randolph was not in a party
mood, but rather than spend the even
ing alone longing for his Wisconsin
woods, he attends get-together at
C0nchita Kelly's apartment with Ter
~ Crewe. The din Of laughter and
swing soon pals on Brent and he
goes out and sits on the hall stairs,
asking himself, "What am I doing
here anyway" AS if in answer to
his question, attractive March Allison
ascends the stairway. March, COM
mercial artist. was returning from
business and never felt less like one
Of Conchita's "brawls." After ascer-
tanning that Brent is one of the guests
she joins him. No sooner does March
mention that she would like to climb
mountains instead Of facing the
crowd inside, than Brent rushes her
downstairs and out the door to find
that mountain. Over hamburgers,
they discuss their meeting. "Y0u
locked as if you were waiting for
someone" said March. 81 felt as
though / were and then you came"
Brent answered. Back in the car,
March suggests returning home but,
even as she said it, she knew there
was no turning back. Fate had
thrown them together. On the shore
of a secluded lake, the magic of the
night and stars inexorably draw these
two together. They kiss. Each is
deeply moved by the incident but, be-
lieving it meant nothing to the other,
March and Brent pretend indifference
and a barrier of GOODNESS rises be-
tween them. At her door. March bids
Brent goodbye with, II was SO hOr-
ribly tired and bored. You've made
Ne come alive again. Thanks-jn
ease don't see you again.. Furious
at that dismissal, Brent tries to tell
himself he didn't care. Upon return
ing home, he writes a letter TO his
hometown girl, Sara Gregory, break
ing off with her. He wouldn't admit
that March had anything to do with
his decision.
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-04-05
CHAPTER 3

He had not yet done so when Ter
rvs psuedo-wrathful accents fell on
his ears. ga fine pal you turned out
10 be! Leaving me high and dry like
that-why, if it hadn't been for Geo.
Martin I'd have had to take a street
ear home! What was the idea?"
Brent couldn't help grinning at a
mental picture of Terry's righteous
indignation of the evening before. He
said, "No idea at all. To tell you the
absolute truth, forgot about you!
Pm sorry, old man."
"I'll bet!" Terry still sounded
grumpily unconvinced. "If I'd known
you were subject to absentminded
spells, wouldn't have taken you!
Where'd you disappear to-"
II went out into the hall, looking
for peace and quiet. And then girl
came upstairs"
ooh, girl" Terry sounded some
what Modified. If girl was invoiv-
cd, he could begin to understand.
Brent nodded. eve started talk
ing and I found she felt as 1 did,
Mat it wasn't any night to be maui
cd around at party" Queer that
the very thought of her, the memory
Of the things they had said and done,
should summon up the same heady
unrest her presence had engendered.
$50 we went for a little ride instead,
and ate hamburgers and walked along
the lake shore"
mo fooling!" Terry said, curiosity
getting the better of annoyance.
"Who was she ?"
Brent told him, liking the sound
Of her name, so brief, so oddly gal
liant. Reminding you of winds, of
trees whipping and bending against
leaden skies. Of snow and wood fires
in old stone fireplaces. Of sweet days,
poignantly springlike, interspersed
among the sleet and cold. March.
Terry's whistle, though inaudible,
was nonetheless apparent. His blue
eyes widened almost ludicrously in
his round, pink face. He asked, as
one who does not wholly credit the
evidences of his own senses, "You say
you walked on the beach--with March
Allison, and ate-hamburgers ?"
Brent nodded, frown deepening
between his brows. whats sc
strange about that?"
Nothing" Terry said hesitantly
Nothing that is, unless you know
March. But-well, she's got pretty
expensive tastes. Somehow, hambur.
gers and taking walk" He broke
off to shake his head wonderingly.
"She seemed to enjoy it." Brent
was less certain now, vaguely disturb
ed. After a momnt he asked, "Why
shouldn't she?"
"No reason at ALL" Terry floun
dered just little under that leve
gaze. "But she's got swell job,
layout artist with the Saunders Stu
do, a big commercial outfit. Tha
apartment is hers and all the furni
ture. Conchita pays her share Of tn
expenses, but March doesn't have tt
have anyone in with her for tina
reason. She just hates to live alone
And her boss-he's Clayton Saunder
is nuts about her. He" Terry
tone softened a little at something
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-04-05

his better judgment, because Con-
chita wasn't home, and because she,
March, was wearing a frock of soft
blue with scattered design Of white
daisies wandering across it. Brent
had come in, had seated himself stiff
ly on the low blue couch. He had
accepted the cigarette March offered
and sat with it in his hand, forget
ting it wasn't lit. For a time they
had talked trivialities like two stran-
gers. But they weren't strangers.
Brent had burst out finally, eff
you didn't care about riding and walk
ing on the beach and eating hamburg
ers, why did you have to act as tho
you did? Terry gave me a pretty
clear idea of the sort of thing you
really enjoy-but I had a bunch even
before he told mel"
And March had flared back, her
dark gaze stormy, welcoming a quar-
rel if it would serve to break up this
wall of icy politeness that seemed to
have formed between them, ooh, you
had bunch, did you? And I sup
pose the idea simply never occurred
to you-or to Terry, either, that
might enjoy one thing one time and
something else another! I suppose
you're always perfectly consistent"
They had gone on from there. It
had been March who said finally,
Really, we aren't we'll enough ac-
quainted to quarrel like this"
And Brent had answered, his grin
rueful and unwilling, "Well, there's
one way to remedy that!"
They had remedied it quite effec-
lively during the long hot weeks of
city Summer. They had lunched to-
gether and danced and gone to NOV
les. They had walked and talked and
driven in the country :.
March became aware of Clay's voice
inquiring,' "How do you know he'll
ask you? Perhaps he senses the
unsuitability of the match more keen
ly than you do"
She frowned, trying to understand.
She repeated, "Unsuitability? l don't
know what you mean."
There was pity in Clay's eyes.
"Isn't it obvious? My dear, your sal
airy is rather exceptional for a girl
your age; three or four times what
young Randolph earns, I imagine. 1t
would take a particularly virulent
brand of selfishness to ask you to
give it up and try to live on half
of his"
March regarded him thoughtfully
for moment. And then she smiled.
If that were true, if Brent felt that
way, it would explain SO many things.
Things she had puzzled over often.
His occasional lapses into moodiness.
His guarded aloofness when they
CHANGED to be alone. The hunger and
despair she sensed sometimes behind
his level gaze.
She said softly, "The idea of Civ
ing up my job simply never occurred
to me. thought he must surely real
ize I'd go on working" Her voice
altered. Brent won't always be
credit correspondent for an oil COM
pany. Lots of men are working at
jobs they'll get out of as soon as
times improve"
Continued next week
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-04-05

ment because one of them wanted to
go home and the other did not, and
when Braxton started to "beat up"
Armwood the crippled man drew his.
pen knife and stabbed his antagonist
in the temple.
The wound seemed at the time to
be Of minor Importance. Braxton left
the party and walked the two miles
to his home in Westover, where he
was found dead in bed the next day.
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-04-05

that he might not see her more than
once. He was q fool, Brent told him.
self savagely, to feel a sudden lifting
of his spirits at the thought of that
one inevitable meeting. What purpose
could it serve, other than to make
clear how he had misjudged her so
utterly?
The slim girl in blue, having wound
up brief interchange of pleasantries
with Terry, turned to scoop up the
outgoing mail from the basket on
Brent's desk. Unhesitantly he laid
the letter to Sara on top of the little
stack.
"This goes, too"
A night-club singer, her white
throat rising splendidly above the gilt
tering scarlet sequins of her gown,
stood with head flung back, chanting
The Man I Love- in husky, emo
tion-wrung contralto. 1t wasn't a
new song even then, in October Of
1887, but the customers liked it. The
singer in scarlet had a notion custom
ers always would like it. Leave it
to Gershwin to write something that
got right down under peoples hides
Take those two at the nearby
table. You could see the songs eff
feet on them with half an eye.
AS a matter of fact March Allison,
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-04-05

We've always been congenial. We
see things alike and that's important
to friendship-but it isn't love-"
"No?" Clay lit a cigarette, his
brows lifting slightly in the brief
flare of the match.
The singers voice throbbed around
March's, making her words doubly
poignant and intense. "No, Clay
Love is something that grows inside
Of you, that you can't do anything
about. You meet someone and there's
a sort of electricity in the air. And
then there's spark in each of you
that burns into steady flame. And
whether you think alike, whether
you're congenial or not-well, it just
doesn't matter once the flame is
kindled."
Clay said steadily, "You sound as
though you know. Is it Randolph? 2"
The two men had met several times
through their associations with March
Between them was a basic enmity,
thinly disguised.
March would have resented the
question from anyone else. But Clay
was such an old friend, SO inestimably
dear. She knew she could depend on
him, for silence if she asked it, for
help if she needed it, for understand
ing always.
She lifted candid eyes to his, her
voice as steady as his own. eyes
Clay. 1t is Brent Randolph"
Now he knew.
But somehow the definite knowl-
edge of his defeat was no more crush
ing than the feeling of impending
disaster that had hung over him for
weeks. At last this thing he had to
face was out in the open. He knew
where he stood. And he thought, his
heart contracting, how sure she must
be, to admit her love so freely,
Funny that a mans voice could
sound quite as usual, sealing his own
doom. "And he loves you, of course.
It's all settled?"
March's gaze slipped downward. A
pattering Of applause followed the
conclusion Of the singers number.
The orchestra swung smoothly into
dance rhythm and people rose from
tables all around. But March sat still
and unaware, watching airy bubbles
rise through champagne. She said
softly, "He loves me. I'm sure of
that. Nothing is settled, in the way
you mean. He hasn't asked me to
marry him, but he will"
That certainty was ingrained with
in her, running like a stronger, bright
er thread through the gay tapestry of
her days, high-lighting all the sweet
and casual and turbulent encounters
that had transpired between them
since a night in springtime when they
walked together along the deserted
shore Of the lake. Since that night
Brent hadn't kissed her. March had
wondered little at that. There had
been times when she sensed in him
some evidence of tremendous inner
struggle, striking back at destiny
an attempt to stem the current that
swept them relenlessly on, nearer and
nearer each other. And she could
understand a little. She, too, had
struggled just at first.
March smiled family, remember
ing the guarded hostility of their Sec
ond meeting. The moment she open
ed the door and saw Brent standing
in the hallway, she had known he
hadn't intended seeing her again. And
an unreasoning citation had risen in
her. Because he had come, against
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-04-05

For good soup, heat three cups
of chicken stock in the top of a double
boiler. Add one-half cup of rice that
has been washed and picked over and
cook until the rice is fluffy, about
forty five minutes. Serves four.
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-04-05

We have one Of the finest equipped
plants on the Shore for turning ca
high class printing.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-19
SCANDINAVIAN FUNDS

It has taken some time for defenses to be
set up in the financial markets against eff
forts by Germany to gain access to the for
eign balances of its captive states. But in the
United States has been devised a plan which
is intended to deprive Germany of one of the
usual fruits of conquest-control of the prop,
erty of the conquered.
By requiring treasury approval of all
transfers out of Norwegian and Danish bal
ances in this country, the possibility of Ger
many's obtaining free use of the balance IS
at least reduced. 1t is a new concept which
Secretary MoRGENTHAU has introduced, that of
considering the treasury the trustee of
Danish and Norwegian funds in this country,
The treasury's legal experts may feel they are
on safe ground in authorizing transfers out
of these balances TO pay interest on Danish
and Norwegian debt in this country, on the
assumption that if the governments of Den
mark and Norway were still sovereign they
would pay on their foreign debt.
1t is a horse of a different color, though,
when one comes to German balances in this
country. Those balances are small, as every
one knows. But such as they are Germany
has been using them to pay interest on the
DAWES and YOUNG bonds and on the standstill
and LEE-HIGGINsoN credits.
Germany may deny its conquered states the
right to continue payments on their debts,
but is still paying on its own government
obligations in the United States.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-19
DOING A GOOD JOB

The thorough-going, efficient way the
Ocean Highway Association has gone about
the job of attracting tourist trade to Highway
II, and the success of it's campaign were set
forth by City Commissioner W. LOUIS FISH
Err, association president, before the Kiwanis
club on Wednesday,.
Mr.. FISHERS address was interesting not
alone in the information it contained but for
the example it set for other civic groups and
agencies seeking to exploit Wilmington's re-
sources and advantages with the aim to bring
In tourists and residents.
With a wide and costly advertising cam
paign, largely supported by hotels along the
highway, and by careful inspection Of accom-
modations to see that only the best conditions
prevail at member hotels, with dismissal from
membership as the penalty for failure to keep
up to par, the association has been able to
draw many thousands of motor tourists head.
Highway II, with consequent financial bene.
fit to many lines of business in addition to
hotels and tourist homes and camps.
With as carefully worked out programs exc.
cuted with equal efficiency, Wilmington's re
sort possibilities may be brought as near to
complete success as traffic on the Ocean High.
way, which, during a recent nine-hour check
counted 900 cars displaying out-of-state Ii
cense plates.
We quoted yesterday what ROGER BABsoN
said about Wilmington as an all-year resort
It can't be beat in the southeast, in his opin
ion. And he had surveyed the region before
he arrived at his conclusion. If we take ad
vantage of this fact and advertise it as com
petently as the highway association has ad
vertised No. IT, We'll soon find ourselves il
the midst of a visiting horde at all seasons
not the summer alone.
But to get best results we will have to stoI
telling the world that Wilmington is a flint
place to stop overnight on the way to Flori
da, and make the invitation so alluring tina
tourists on No. II will schedule a week or
80 month here.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-19
TIMELY WARNING

AS an apostle of Germany, with abiding
faith in the Nazi policy of deceit, whatever
Japan has to say on international matters is
likely to hold a meaning directly opposite to
that expressed.
HITLER's habit of saying one thing and
meaning another has set a standard of con-
duct for the Tokyo government. So, when the
voice deep concern for the main
tenance of the status quo in the Dutch East
Indies, it is natural to conclude that they
mean they will seize the first opportunity to
take over in Hollands Oriental possessions,
should Holland become a party to the Euro
pean war, to protect them in the chosen Nazi
manner.
That at least is the view at Washington.
Secretary HULL has addressed a note to Tokyo
giving warning that the United States will
take steps to safeguard Hollands far prov
inces if it uses the conflict in Europe as an
excuse to expand its territories and increase
it's wealth through absorption of Dutch East
Indian commodities.
The United States and Great Britain are
large customers for these commodities, not
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-19

ably rubber and other raw Materials which
have given the Netherlands a stable place
in world trade. Any interruption in deliveries
to these countries would put a cheek upon
normal in the Pacific ana could
not be tolerated without corrective measures
at Washington and London.
The HULL note might seem a pt pfeclpl-
tate, except that Tokyo's pred1sposltlon to
follow H1rLER's lead is we'll known. 1t may or
may not stay Japan's hand, but 1t Is wise to
be on record early, so that any later move
to maintain the status quo there Will come
after stern and ample warning.
There is, of course, strong probability that
Japan will not act against the Dutch islands
lest Russia step in from behind; put II she
should, the United States will be expected to
make good its threat to do something about
it. 1t is not pleasant to speculate on what
that something may have to be. We don't
want war in any quarter.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-19
FOOD

As vet the British Purchasing Commission
has bought no foodstuffs in the United States
since the outbreak of the war, concentrating
most of it's buying in aircraft.
The invasion of Denmark and the removal
of that kingdom from the s%uppliers OF the
British Isles may create a problem IN sup
plies of bacon and butter, although it IS point
ed out that bacon was taken off the ration
list the day before the invasion. 1t is under
stood the commission is now Weighing the
possibilities of buying such products in this
country.
OF course, if it can be found possible to buy
these goods elsewhere without sacrificing dol
lar exchange, purchases will be made in 9TH
err countries. In this connection it should be
noted that Argentina has offered to supply
them to England.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-19
MRS. LILLE M. DEW

Funeral services for Mrs. Lille
Mae Dew, IS, were held at $3.50
o'clock yesterday afternoon from
the chapel of Andrews mortuary.
The Rev. James Lawson and Rev.
A. c. Barden conducted the serv.
ices. Burial followed in Bellevue
cemetery.
Mrs. Dew died at a local hospital
early Wednesday morning after an
illness of several months.
Honorary ~pallbearers were: r.
B. Roebuck, DR.. George Johnson,
DR.. Donald B. Koonce, Earl Bryant.
B. w. Strickland, O. B. Smith, Ber-
tram Quelch, j.. H.. Gilliard, r. S.
Brown, Ed Craig and c. T. Glenn.
mons.
Active ~pallbearers were: K. E.
Johnson, George B. Canady, Paul 7.
Marshburn, W. J. H. Futch, William
Saunders, J.. N. Jenkins.
Surviving are her husband,
George F. Dew; two sons, George
F. Dew and William E. Dew; her
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. J. r. Britt,
and a brother, J. I. Britt, all of
Wilmington; and one sister, Mrs.
N. C. Blake, of Burgaw.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-19
PORT TERMINALS NEEDED

In 1888 Wilmington's port amount
ed to 2~,133,O37 tons. The breakdown SHOWS
that netroleum products led with 100000
toms. Next were fertilizer materials, lf9,oOo
tons, nitrade of soda, 21,725, and sulturlc acid
%. OS9 tons, All other commodities totaled but
517,973 tons.
This shows that with present facilities Will
mington depends upon two groups for the
great bulk of it's commerce, and that without
them the port would be of negllg1b!e I'M
portance.
The lamentable aspect of this is that port
trade could be measurably greater if we have
terminals to accommodate other commodities
as satisfactorily as we take care of fertilizer
and gasoline. Wilmington is losing millions
of tons at the port because present ware
houses fail to meet needs and possibilities.
Among commodities which could and would
come if satisfactory accommodations existed
are tobacco, cotton, textiles, papers, furniture.
At present they all filter through in small
quantities. They could be had in great vol
ume for the asking, once warehouses adapted
to their needs were built. And once they
started coming there would be economic gain
for every line of business here.
A plan has been proposed by the port COM
mission for terminals erected by public az.
rangement, for public operation. This plan
does not propose competition with privately
operated terminals, but only terminals for
commodities which now are excluded because
private terminals cannt accommodate them.
A tobacco warehouse, for example, would
not eat into the business of any existing
but draw new business to the port.
Such a warehouse would bring many thou
sands of tons of the states great crop, at
shorter hauls and with great transport say
ings, which now go elsewhere, especially to
Charleston and Norfolk, with all the profit
in handling, storing and shipping their ar
rival produces. 1t would do no harm 20 prl-
vate terminal operators, but only swell the
ports revenue.
In lesser proportion the same happy results
would accompany arrival OF other goods now
low in volume.
But it is tobacco that seems to offer the
opportunity for port enrichment. In
1888 North Carolina produced 245,0 900 tons Of
tobacco. Only 1919 tons moved through Will
an inconsiderable total in compari
son with what moved to other prts. And
all the time, was nearest the
growing fields.
Obviously, a tobacco warehouse, properly
exploited, would be a decoy for much larger
for storage and export than reach
here in that year. 1t is not unreasonable
to believe that through fees for handling and
storing, such a warehouse would not only pay
its way but provide a sinking fund for re-
tirement of bonds fIoated for its building.
The plan as proposed by the port commits
sion is tentative. 1t does not set up a %financ-
ing structure. This ought to be done at once
that a campaign of port enlargement and Sc
curity may be undertaken.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-19
Star-News Program

Consolidated Ci~ty-County Government
under CouncilMdndger Administrators
Public Port Terminals.
Perfected Truck and Berry Preserving
and Marketing Facilities.
Arena for Sports and Industrial
Shows.
Seaside Highacay from WrtghtsviHe
Beach to Bald Head Island.
Extension OF City Limits.
S5-Foot Cape Fear River' channel, t1id-
err Turning Basin, With ship lanes into
industrial sites along Eastern bank
south OF Wilmington.
Paved Riuer Road to Southport. Uia
Orton Plantation.
Development OF Pulp Wood Produc-
ton through sustained-yield methods
throughout Southeastern North Carolina.
Unified Industrial and Resort Pro-
n%otiona1 Agency, supported BY one,
countrywide taT.
Shipyards and Drydock.
Negro Health Center for Southeastern
North Carolina, developed around the
Community Hospital
adequate hospital facilities TOR Whites.
Junior High School,
Tobacco Warehouse for Export Buyers.
Development OF native grape ~gro1Uing
throughout Southeastern North Carolina.
Modern Tuberculosis SGndtoriNnl.