davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-12-30
CHAPTER I

Sarah Daffodil liked the couple
as soon as she saw them, though
she had never considered renting
an apartment to young people be-
fore. Her other tenants were
middle-aged or older and dread
ed noise. But there was some
thing so oddly settled about this
young pair, certain quiet seren-
ity, a shining confidence, that
caught at her sympathy and for
her accented their youthful
charm.
The young fellow felt his re-
sponsibilty, his dark, steadfast
gaze betokened a steady purpose.
''It's a three-room, to sublet? We
want three rooms by March
first"
Involuntarily he exchanged a
sparkling glance with the girl.
From her desk chair Sarah
could see the fireplace and the
few pieces of her mothers furni-
ture which transformed the other
half into a comfortable, practical
living room. Built-in bookcases
replaced the office cabinets, the
clawfoot sofa and drumhead ia
BILE balanced the break-front with
its treasure load of old china and
glass. Chintz draperies for all
the windows and two large oval
braided rugs laid on the floor tied
the divergent sections into an
amazing harmonious whole.
Tenants sometimes said that
Sarah Daffodil possessed two
personalities as distinct as this
room she loved Undoubtedly she
puzzled this boy and girl who had
come in response to her adver-
tiSment.
''The rooms are on the top
floor" Sarah explained pleasant
ly.
But there is fireplace?" The
girl held her tiny knitted pillbox
in her lap and her cleaning hair,
molasses-broWn with gold streaks
swirled in a beautiful, long thick
bob to her shoulders. She wore it
partly in the center so that two
soft rolls like wings framed her
small face.
Her eyebrows and her eyes
matched her hair perfectly, Sa-
rah Daffodil thought apprecia-
lively. There is a fireplace in
each of my apartments she said.
The boy spoke confidently.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-12-30

forty-one. The something that
had been knocking at the back
door of her mind vague, annoy
ing, because she resented distrac-
tons, suddenly found it's place.
She said quickly. aren't you
likely to be called?"
Andrew Thames quiet, dark
face did not quicken. Pm regis
tered"
But Sarah looked from him
to the girl. aren't you two TAX
ing a chance by marrying at this
time? Do you mind telling me
how old you are?"
He was tWenty-three, he told
her soberly, his fiancee twenty
one "We've talked it over care
fully and we think we're doing
the right thing"
The MerdingS were very lucky
to be able to sublet SO late in the
season." The little silver crochet
book in Mrs. Waters expert lean
brown fingers flashed brightly in
and out Of the intricate meshes
that formed in it's wake.
Sarah Daffodil had never seen
anyone whose crochet work
equalled Mrs. Walters in variety
and design. Her closet shelves
and chests of drawers were stuff
fed with boxes in which she had
stored bedspreads, table sets,
edgings for bed linens and towels,
medallions, even several sets of
curtains, all exquisitely made,
never used. II had just a glimpse
of the new tenants-they're aW-
fully young" Emma Waters re-
marked hopefully.
King Waters sat at the knee
hole desk, his back to his wife
and to Sarah Daffodil. He was
making out the rent check for
March. In the hope of garnering
little gossip. Emma Waters al
ways managed to arrange so that
the check must be called for in
person.
Over his shoulder King Wa
tiers said casually, THAT young
chaps probably headed straight
for training camp. I'm surprised
they married before his numbers
called. Kids haven't a grain of
sense when it comes to realities"
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-12-30
'MRES TON1
60 By JOSEPHINE LAWRENCE i

-
Wed like to go up and look, if
we may. But we ought to ask
the rent first"
cts a sublet, you know. The
tenants in ga were anxious to
move to the coast. They were
obligated to pay forty-five dol
lars a month until October, but
were willing to dispose of their
lease for forty a month"
Gould we go up now-while
we're here?" The girls exquisite
ly clear voice remained unhur-
ried.
Sarah Daffodil rose and they
stood, too, staring a little more
intently, perhaps than they real
lied. The woman behind the
desk had not appeared unusually
tall, but now that she was stand
ing they could see that she was
at least six feet in height. AL
though she wore gray flannel
Stacks and a tailored shirt, she
did not create a masculine effect.
For one thing she wore her album
dant black and silver hair, which
waved tightly, coiled softly at
the back of her head.
'There's no reason why you
shouldn't run up and see the
apartment now" her firm, long
mouth parted in smile. Mrs.
Merding will show it to anyone
before five o'clock. Tell her I
sent YOU"
You'll be here when we come
down." They both looked at her
as if she were a kindly monu-
ment.
I'll be right here"
The desk phone buzzed and
Sarah lifted the handset. Mrs.
Daffodil? This is Mrs. Merding.
That couple you sent up are on
their way down to your office.
They like the rooms a lot"
do you think"
well, of course they're terrib-
ly young" Mrs. Merding conced-
ed Wistfully, 'but I never saw
anyone so quiet in all my life.
You just can't imagine them hav-
ing large, loud parties-Td take
a chance, if I were you"
j x
Before you commit yourselves
to leasing, there are some things
about the setup here you should
know" Sarah drew forward her
small card file.
"And some things about us you
will want to know" The boys
dark face glowed with swift
light when he smiled.
Sarah Daffodil admitted that
the rule worked both ways. II
think l must tell you that my
other tenants are all we'll into
middle age. You may prefer to
be where your immediate neigh
bors will be more likely to have
interests similar to yours"
mo, that doesn't matter. Well
be so busy-both of us work."
Then there was the yard, Sarah
continued levelly. ''I'll show it to
you before you go. It's large
seventy-five feet wide by one
hundred and fifty feet Deep"
Experience had taught her,
Sarah said, that beyond certain
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-12-30

point community ownership re-
Progressed. Four sets of tenants
could not enjoy the garden as one
big family. "They used to bicker
necessarily over their washings
and there were times when I
could cheerfully have wrapped
their sheets around their necks
and pinned them all on good
high line" After several years
of complaints and warfare she
had developed the present plan.
Each apartment is entitled to
the full use of the garden and
lawn. for drying and bleaching
clothes, one day a week. This in
cludes the laundry room and
equipment in the basement. Of
course if it should happen to rain
torrents on Thursday, you'd be
out of luck for that week. You
have to expect such a perform
ance now and then"
"Why, that's wonderful" The
young people manifestly regard
ed the originator of this program
as genius.
1t had worked out fairly well,
Sarah admitted modestly, barring
an occasional controversy when
someone wished to trade his day
and could find no one willing to
exchange. with the first four
days going to the tenants, I'm
left with Friday for my own
washing. Saturdays I cut the
grass and tidy up the garden gen.
orally and Sundays are for the
community spirit, if it wants to
develop. Mostly it's riding out
in the country, except for a few
hot days in midsummer.
Yes, she cuc the grass herself,
she said in answer to the ques-
ton mirrored in the two pair of
dark eyes. She cut the grass,
washed windows, did the small
repairs and all the carpenter
work. I'm the superintendent
and the janitor, the fireman q
have my license) and the handy
man. I've always liked to work
with my hands, in fact l helped
my husband build this house.
Mrs. Merding probably told you
that I'm the renting agent and
landlord, since Mr.. DaffodiIs
death ten years ago."
"She said there isn't anything
you can't do" Enormous respect
made the girls lovely face grave.
Sarah laughed and picked up
her memorandum pad. stuff and
nonsense! Now, if you really wish
to take the apartment"
Their names, they told her
were Andrew Thane and Can
dace Moore. They planned to be
married early the following
week and would like to move in
that week end.
Sarah's pencil wrote the word
Lease" hesitated. You're taking
over the Merding lease, you know
it runs until October"
Yes, they knew that.
'Tf you care to stay beyond
September thirtieth, a new lease
will be necessary, of course"
From force of habit she glanced
at her desk calendar-Tuesday,
February twenty-fifth, nineteen
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-12-30

said composedly, Only what I've
heard" He dexterously folded
his paper to bring the sports page
uppermost.
(TO Be Continued
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-12-30

MYTH ALL THE TALK about Freedoms, what about
w freedom Of choice?
After all, freedom of choice the thing as
all the other freedoms people talking abouta1d
besides. large measure freedom what
this is about.
Freedom Of choice such ordinary things trying
soy beans in the south field year. if you think the
thing do It buying the kind OF -four you think
gives you best biscuits. you your bou
doing deciding he'll go college, learn to
be a toolmake1.
Freedom of is the soil in which character grows
This freedom of choceand its counterpart, of
responsibility for the decisions made-has done much
develop character that is going this the
battle fronts the farm industry And the
the kind OF America have fought and worked
be country in which every and woman
every boy and GIRL will have freedom Of choice in
greater General Electric Co., Schenectady, ~ Y
Hear the General Electric yado T5e &C gE Orb%rhs
Sunday 10 p.mz EWT, NBC-"Tbs World Today nea5,
vuy wekd4y 6:45 p.n EWT, CBS.
BUY WAR BONDS
Evening star., 1943-12-19

TW-11-1s-43
The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-25
French At 1t Again

| 1t now appears that General Giraud knew
about the Italian armistice in advance and
did not let General DeGaulle in on the secret
and knives are flashing among their followers.
Old jealousies and chickering's are revived
The DeGaulle temperament seems to be
hankering for a hunk of the Giraud scalp
and the pity Of it is that beneath the Giraud
scalp mind is functioning for the capture
of Corsica with considerable success.
This is time for temperament If De-
Gaulle could only be brought to realize this
his part in freeing France and the rest of
occupied Europe would be more effective
1t could be that General Giraud was bound
by pledge of secrecy when told of the armi-
stlce. Very few were taken into General
Eisenhower's confidence Even the Italian
mission which acted for Badoglio was not
permitted to return to Italy lest word leak
out OF what its members had done. Why
should DeGaune assume that he was entitled
to know OF the transaction, and be peeved
because he was not told, when so few knew
even that an armistice was contemplated,
and they far above him in the ranks?
DeGaulle can help the cause to which he
is attached, for he has ability, but only when
he gets it out of his head that he is a kingpin
and settles down to full cooperation without
quarreling over matters outside his proper
sphere of action.
The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-25
Identified

At last the chaplain who bid his inmedi-
ate nelghbors at Pearl Harbor Praise the
Lord and pass the ammunition, is officially
identified. The Fourth Naval District saws
ne was Lieut.. Com. Howell E. Forgy, who
halls from Haddenfield New Jersey The &C.
casion was the Chaplain's first visit home
In three years. Thus dispute which has
been hot at times is ended
Commander Forgy was questioned in Phil
adelphia and admitted that he was once a
pupil at the Colorado School of Mines. When
asked if he, perhaps, used little typical
mine language during the attack, he said he
couldn't remember, but anyone at Pearl
Harbor that day may have cussed little -
To which we add that anyone at Pearl
Harbor that day would be forgiven a lot
The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-25
Daily Praye,
FOR PATIENCE

With hearts bowed down in rev
erent alteration. we pray to Thee,
o Eternal God, Lord of the years,
for grace to be patient beneath
Thy providences. In our littleness
and short-sightedness we are in
such a hurry. We cannot await
the opening of the flowers of Thy
protecting and providing care, but
would tear the petals apart in our
stupid zeal for immediacy. All
time is Thine; and with Thee all
time is now. The vastness of Thy
designs are beyond our under
standing. So we pray for patience
patience with Thee and with oul
fellow men. Teach us how to wal
upon Thee, through all Thy test
ings. AS children trust their earth
ly fathers, so would we trus
| Thee. Despite our underserving
Thou dealest with us as with chill
dren of Thy love. In Thine owr
good time Thou wilt make all Thy
ways plain. Until then, we woulc
rest and serve in perfect conf
dence, sure that Thou doest al
things well. Amen.-W.T.E.
The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-25
Raymond Clapper Says:
VINO Labor Priorities
Plan Will Be Extended

who designed the product. High
individual production in that plant
appears to be a factor.
1t is appalling to come back from
the fighting areas and find argu-
ments going on which indicate that
profits and union rules come first,
and output second. When you are
around combat forces, it is hard
to imagine such state of mind,
and revolving.
Our record-breaking shipbuilding
and airplane building have turned
this war around our way in the
last six months. If every worker
could truly feel that he had some
thing to do with that perhaps he
would take a new pride in achieve
ment.
The Russians are right when
they say there is no difference be-
tween the soldier at the front and
the worker at the rear. Both are
IN the war. Churchill says the
bloodiest fighting is still to come
That means a harder way on the
production front as well.
With fathers going to war. fewer
men are left to do more work.
The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-25

not be taken by another The strong prob
ability is that many are doing little anyway
except draw their pay.
The Wacs and the Waves ana other wom'
ems branches of military service were or
ganized primarily to release men for combat
duty Is there any good reason that the men
they release should not come from depart
ment and bureau offices, as well as military
camps and naval bases?
1t probably is essential to draft fathers, as
General Marshall has said but why not draft
government clerks first?
Our censure of Germans for hiding in the
shadows of the Vatican has been severe. Is
there any reason that criticism of men hid
ing behind the ample skirts OF government
should be less severe? Or can there be any
reasonable excuse for government if it fails
to send eligible men in its employ to war?
We believe not.
The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-25
Put Hidden Wealth Into
Bonds

When General Marshall said in effect that
the war is going well for us but is still far
from won, he stated the situation of the Will
mineton war bond drive. The campaign is
going we'll, but we are still far from the goal.
The money is here and available. large
part of it is earning less interest than war
bonds draw, and other stable amounts are
completely idle. If there were no patriotic
incentive to buy bonds with it all, which
there is, common business acqulsltlveness
should lead its owners to invest it where it
can produce a substantial revenue.
The reference is to two untapped reser-
voirs of wealth-savings accounts and safety
deposit vaults. Wimington's banks all note
large increase in savings accounts, de-
spite reduction in the interest rate. They fur
Their say that it is the custom of some mer-
chants, when their cash reserve exceeds a
certain amount, to withdraw the excess and
place it in safety deposit vaults, where II
does no one any practical good.
The owners of this wealth are not helping
to carry their reasonable share of the war
terest
Particularly is this true in view of the fac
that in event of emergency the bonds they
ought to buy would be convertible into cash
up to the full amount invested and, if mo-
cashed too soon, with interest in addition.
There is nothing to lose and much to gair
through putting this boarded wealth into wal
bonds, the earnings on which far exceed the
highest interest on savings accounts and Ger
tainly represent better investment than idle
funds in vaults.
The present campaign has only a few more
days to run. There is time enough, however
to get this wealth out of hiding and put t.
the best possible use. 1t will 90 far to make
up the balance needed to complete Whining
tons quota.
The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-25
The Russian Offensive

Not even the heavy Ukrainan autumn rains
vance of Russian troops along the Dnieper
river. The capture of Poltava, strong Ger
man defense city, and the continued advance
on Kremenchug. some fifty -eght miles to the
southwest, through mud so heavy that even
caterpllartread machines barely can move
strength the Germans still possess is incapa.
BILE of halting the oncoming Reds.
Already in sight of White Russia with the
old Polish frontier not far ahead, the forces
under Stain, seem determined to force the
enemy out of the Ukraine even before the mud
brings fighting conditions most favored by the
Russians.
The impetus attained by Russian forces in
the southern sectors, under the most adverse
circumstances, at time when little activity
is reported in the north is probably due to
aid by Russias allies, principally the United
States, since the Mediterranean has been re-
opened and particularly since American and
British engineers have built highways across
the Middle East and through the Caucasian
mountains.
War tools and general supplies may now
reach the Russian firing line with practically
no delay and much less danger than when
they had to move via Murmansk. And Rus
STA, at last, is among the first to acknowledge
its debt to lend-lease and the large part
Allied aid is playing in its offensive. 1t is
not to be wondered at that Stain should senc
Ia message to this country encouraging larger
purchases of war bonds
That message ought to be taken to heart
The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-25
BY JOHN SELBY

"Take 'Er Up Alone, Mister."
by John ]. Hibbits, 2nd It,, AC.
and F. E. Rechnitzer (Whittlesey;
$3.50.
Millions of words have b G n
written about the way in which
boys are being made into aviators
by the Army and Navy. But so far
as | know, Take 'er Up Alone,
Mister!' is the first book which
has started with a youngster in
school, and taken him step by step
through all the days between his
decision to enlist, and his final
OK. Its central figure IL John
j. Hlbblts, now second lieuten-
ant in the Air Forces. and his
story IS written by +. r.. Reehnitz,
er. In addition, there Ia aeries
OF really good photographs which
show Jack Hibbits going through
the mill. Apparently. aonaebody in
the Army gave permission t q +
Lieutenant Eibbits To poae the Gil.
tire set. 1t was n good Idea,
But the best idea Of all was Mr..
Rechnltzer's decision 10 toll all
out an. He begins with n1aem.
per Z. l94l, and Jaelt llIbhlls IN "a
oorlllltory ut Seton Hall The news
came and next morning q large
snare OF Seton Hall Ell classes to
- W Newark. N, H., and enlist
= ach wanted 10 flyAhe had 70,
years. So he chose The Air Forces.
The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-25
The Literary Guidepost

/ Mr.. Rechnitzer does not av
Jack enlisted. He enlists him be-
fore YOUR eyes, with the boy won.
derlng all the time why the colonel
IN charge was so much more DO
lite than the sergeants. He hadn't
mad the two years of college then
needed, and after listening in the
colonels office to President Roose-
welt as he asked Congress to de.
clare war, the colonel explained
what to do. Jack was under age.
100. SO that night he put in a long
distance call for home in New
bedford, Mass, and for his father.
FROM here the long journey be.
gins. Everything is in it, includ-
ing such matters as the govern
mental horror when it was dis
covered that Jacks father h a Il
signed Frank, but was calle d
FRANCIS in another set of papers
texas was. for Jack, merely a
great aggregation of ir fields
INA Link trainer was kind of
"en'n chamber - on his frs +
'"sht in Link trainer he wound
w 100 feet underground. The food
INC book work. the fun of cross,
country flights. the accident in
wh'eh couple of his buddies died
me pressure chamber, the bull SEES,
s'ohs-sll the long routine is lived
before the readers eve.
Personally. I came ont of II ,
Hibbits.
The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-25

on the score that if there were any sllp-up IN
Russia the defeat of the Germans would be
infinitely harder for the United States and
Britain alone So long as the war lasts we
are Joined in common cause with Russia.
The bonds we buy, the tools they help pay
for. are enabling Russia to keep up her vail
ant battle, as well as keeping our own forces
driving ahead wherever they are or can get
in contact with the foe.
The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-25
By RAYMOND CLAPPER

WASHINGTON. - The manpow-
err shortage is SO acute in war pro-
duction centers that the War Man.
power Commission labor priorities
plan, now in effect on the Pacific
Coast, is to be introduced in other
communities where shortages are
severe.
Priorities on manpoWer Will be
increasingly necessary. No con-
gressional suspension of the draft
ing of fathers is likely. Army and
Navy chiefs have given no ground
at all under pressure for slowing
down inductions. Production there
fore must look to an ever smaller
reservoir of manpoWer, although
500, 900 new workers will be needed
on the Pacific Coast alone in the
next six months.
Charles E. Wilson, vice-chairman
of the War Production Board, is
back from the Pacific Coast where
he surveyed operation of the VINO
labor priorities system which has
just been installed on the basis
of the plan devised at Buffalo,
N. Y, and strongly recommended
in the recent Baruch report. He
is preparing to introduce it in some
other localities.
This plan is locally operated
through a community manpoWer
,.-;a-;4;oc oo,,,y ~ ;t+oo md On orea
production urgency committee. On
these are local representative of
the Army and Navy, and war agen-
cies concerned One committee de-
cides which production contracts
are most urgent. The other COM
mittee fixes the labor priorities of
employers, listing the local bust
ness establishments which may eX-
pand employment to an establish
ed ceiling, those which may main
tain their employment through re-
placement hiring, and those from
which workers may be drawn for
more urgent jobs.
Some difficulties arise from the
attempt by labor unions to con-
tinue business as usual. Service
trades are hit by the manpoWer
priorities system. For instance,
elevator operators are being cut
down and workers transferred to
more productive jobs. Their union
officers, who depend on monthly
dues, object to losing members.
| Some question arises whether
the unions in the aircraft factories
and shipyards should continue to
charge a large initiation fee, often
S25. for workers transferred under
the manpower priorities plan. The
Baruch report stated that m e
West Coast plants have a labor
turnover of 100 per cent a year.
Thus union initiation fees are TAX
ing a relatively large cut under a
system which is fair enough in
normal times, but which may be-
come a racket when insisted upon
in these abnormal circumstances.
The incentive payment plan is
counted upon to improve produc-
ton. 1t is being employed now in
some 300 plants around the coun-
try. Where this plan is in effect,
if plant or department increases
it's production, a wage bonus is
automatically given. For instance,
20 per cent increase in output
would mean a 10 per cent wage
increase for all involved under the
ratio usually applied.
Unquestionably, production out
put per worker could be increased.
Jack & Heintz, the fabulou spro-
ducers of aircraft accessories at
Cleveland, have lavish scheme
Of bonuses and recreational bene
fits and have had extravagant pay
rolls. Yet WPB officials find that
their unit cost of production is far
less than that of the manufacturer