davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-08-31
Maln%
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Summers swan song drowned out
by stock trucks Gathering over the
pavement long delayed rains and
cooler weather here-and a little FIRE
to take off the chill was welcome
fact is, it was down to 45 degrees
Friday morning but Sundays cold
rain felt more like fall :. and Night
watch Clate Murray is looking for
frost this Wednesday night-he heard
the first katydid just six weeks ago :.
and Labor day in the offing >. all of
which reminds US that the first of Sep
tember will be the last of August +. S.
and Danny Walters in town Monday
with trailer load of muskmelons-
about half a crop this year, he says
and the battle on the mosquito
front in its last stages-fortunately
too, since spray, wartime casualty,
is becoming scarce-hope the war is
over by next summer and spray plen-
tiful &. j. and next Sunday morning
you'll recover that hour of sleep lost
last April-if you remember to set
your clock back to slow time Saturday
night !. and the school bell rings
next Tuesday morning-and college
opens the. following week and
football practise speeding up at Har-
mon field with the first game two
weeks away and more gas stations
opening 4. and properties and busi-
ness changing hands farms bring
ing top prices looks as if the boys
holding down war jobs are streamlin-
ing the old saw with a modern YER
sion-'in time of war prepare for
peace" =.
Some of the paper currency which
the Japs printed and used after they
invaded New Guinea was received the
first of the week by Eli Augsburger
of South Jackson street from his son,
Paul Augsburger who is stationed on
a small island off the New Guinea
coast. The island is about 3 miles
wide and 5 miles long, and Paul is
paymaster for the troops there. Some
of the boys were detailed to dig a
well-but it didn't take them long to
realize its possibilities as fox hole
so the pit, some five and one-half feet
deep serves both as a we'll and emer-
gency air raid shelter. At high tide
it has about 2 feet of water-and at
low tide 6 inches.
Poultry raisers who refused to be
discouraged by glutted egg markets
last spring and raised their normal
sized flocks are being rewarded now
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-08-31

for their foresight. One enterprising
Bluffton farm woman last week sold
$50 top quality laying White Rock
pullets for 81 each. Good pullets are
scarce and this is reflected in current
prices. Pullets usually bring about
rs cents at this time of year.
Those robot bombs which the Nazis
are sending across the channel to
England are familiar sights to Eu-
gene Kohl, son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Hiram Kohl who is with the Ameri-
can forces on the French invasion.
In fact, Eugene writes, some of the
robots headed for their mission of de-
struction in England, go directly over
the heads of the American doughboys
on the coast of France.
That racehorse which Arthur Swank.
Orange township horse fancier recent
ly acquired has been showing up well
at some of the fairs in this section
and winning a generous share of the
stakes.
Mr.. and Mrs. E. S. Lape, of this
place, while on vacation in Northern
Wisconsin recently helped alleviate
the serious labor shortage prevailing
in the cherry growing district. They
picked cherries one entire day in one
of the larger orchards in response to a
plea made for everyone to help, and
contributed % gallons of fruit be-
tween them.
Altho he has been one of Bluffton's
top flight tennis players for some
twenty years, Sidney Stettler won his
first trophy cut at the county tourna-
ment held here over the week end.
The trophy was for the doubles class
in which Stettler and Nate Ganger
came out tops. During his net career
Stettler has won his share of the
championshi titles-but unfortunately
there were no trophies offered for
these matches. Life as tennis champ
begins at 43, he opined as he surveyed
his first tangible evidence of tennis
prowess.
Frederic and Harold Andrews.
brothers and both first class para
trooper privates, had happy reunion
in England on August 13, it was learn
ed the first of the week by their par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. Paul Andrews re-
siding south of Bluffton. They enter
ed the service in 1912. Frederic was
in the invasion in Sicily and Harold
saw action in France. They are in
the same division and now stationed
about 20 miles apart.
Frank ]. patterson, new Bluffton
college instructor in Spanish speaks
the language with background of
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-08-31
CHAPTER III

"The telephones been ringing
ever since the paper came out" she
announced. ''People l haven't seen
or heard of in years have called.
One woman / didn't know at ALL
mean, she was a perfect stranger. :"
''What did she want?" asked Mr..
Wrinkle.
Amy looked baff1ed. "T don't
know" she replied. "She said she
just felt she had to call. AS if-oh,
Wilbert, as if you were dead al
ready"
Mrs. Wrinkle had often glared at
him as If herself wishing him dead,
and now her concern that he might
be killed seemed a little outlandish.
Mr.. Winkle merely said, "Well,
I'm not dead"
'Wilbert, how do you really feel7
This morning there wasn't time to
find out" Mrs. Wrinkle gazed at him
doubtfully.
Again, at her hesitancy, at this
suggestion that the upper hand was
being returned to him, Mr.. Wrinkle
had an impulse to remind her Of
certain things. And again he re-
Trained, not thinking the urge was
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-08-31

rive. Mrs. Pettigrew was red-eyed
from weeping.
quite decent. But he did protest,
"Amy. don't you look at me like
that"
Like what?" she asked.
"As if THAT mouse-look," he ac-
cused.
She looked abashed. AT first Mr.
Wrinkle could not accept the fact that
the expression was on her face.
81 didn't mean to-" she replied
She sounded humble.
II can't help being the way
am" Mr.. Wrinkle stated.
"Of course, dear. No one can. I"
Mr.. Wrinkle was amazed. But still
he didn't say anything about the
miracle occurring before his very
eyes. He didn't care to embarrass
Amy. sszirsss:9 . ..s.. a: s4
IL feel" he said in answer to her
previous question, like taking two
doses for my dyspepsia" He fun
bled in his pocket for his pills and
brought them out.
"Some people are coming in to-
night" Mrs. Winkle revealed as she
hustled to get dinner. "Just the
folks on the street."
Astounded, Mr.. Winkle asked,
"What for?"
''Well, they wanted to see you.
Especially the Pettigrews. Their
boy, Jack, has been called, too. He's
twenty, you know. He'll be going
off with YOU"
Mr.. Wrinkle had two reactions to
that. The first was that he wished
people, especially Amy, wouldn't ac-
cept It as a foregone conclusion that
he was going "off."
The second was wondering what
in the world he could possibly have
in common with Jack Pettigrew,
whose babyhood toys he had re-
paired.
The evening, when it came around,
was something of a combination of
a funeral, a wedding, family re-
union, and a celebration for a per-
son about to leave on a dangerous
expedition.
The Pettigrews were the first to
arrive. Mrs. Pettigrew was red-eyed
from weeping, and she burst into
new tears when she saw Mr.. Wrinkle.
"They probably won't take you, y
she wept, "but Jack-Jack-they'n
take him. and he's only baby"
Jack. Pettigrew could almost live
up to the name. A pink-cheeked,
shy youth with no beard and slim
shoulders that hadn't yet filed out
with muscle, he stood there eying
his mother without speaking. He
looked unhappy and frightened.
Mr.. Pettigrew himself said, "This
is crazy, Winkle. Here's Jack, hard
Iy oyer sucking his thumbs And
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-08-31
Pleasant Hill

Mr.. and Mrs. Ed Jacks of Elida
called on Mr.. and Mrs. Chas. Mefferd.
Sunday afternoon. Chas. Mefferd and
family attended the Mefferd reunion
held recently at Howard Mefferd home
east of Convoy.
Ellis Vandemark and daughter Sue
spent Friday with Mr.. and Mrs. K. K.
Huber.
Mr.. and Mrs. Winton Jennings call
ed Sunday afternoon on Mr.. and Mrs.
Kenneth Hauenstein.
Mrs. Russell Huber, Mrs. Berdell
Huber, daughter Anita and Carol
Watkins of Detroit called Friday even-
ing at the Willard Jennings home.
Sunday evening callers in the Jacob
Traucht home were Mr.. and Mrs. Paul
Faze and children and Mr.. and Mrs.
Lamar Basinger and daughter.
Mr.. and Mrs. Justin Basinger and
children were Wednesday dinner
guests of Mr.. and Mrs. Cleo Garau.
Martha Coulter of Dayton was week
end guest.
Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Watkins and
family of Lincoln Park, Mich, were
week end guests in the Russell Huber
home.
Mrs. Agatha Ostendorf of Delphos
and J. P. Owens of Detroit were Mon
day dinner guests of Sarah Oates and
Claribel Owens.
Mr.. and Mrs. Dennis Brauen were
callers of Mr.. and Mrs. Chas. Mefferd,
Mr.. and Mrs. Jess Bracy, Mr.. and
Mrs. L. Hauenstein, recently.
Andy Stauffer of Chicago called on
Wednesday in the Nellie Huber and
Lille Fett home.
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Phillips and
Harold Younkman and family were
Sunday dinner guests of Mr.. and Mrs.
Guy Younkman.
Rev. and Mrs. Childs called We'd
nesday afternoon in the Lyman Barnes
home.
Mr.. and Mrs. Percy Gleason and
family of Portland, Ind, were Monday
and Tuesday guests in the C. M. Glea-
son home. Callers during the week
We're Mrs. Russell Huber, Mrs. Bur-
dell Huber and daughter, Miss Carol
Watkins, Sarah Oates and son Rodney.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lamar Basinger and
daughter called Sunday evening on
Mr.. and Mrs. Paul Faze and family.
Mr.. and Mrs. w. L. Jennings of
Clyde and Mrs. Elizabeth Wright of
Wesvaco, Texas, were over night Wis
itors Tuesday of Mr.. and Mrs. Orton
Stratton.
Miss Elizabeth Hunzinker of Ana
keim, Calf, was a week end guest in
the Stratton home. Honoring her a
family reunion was held Sunday and
the following were present: Mr.. and
Mrs. Everett Smith and children and
Mrs. Hazel Smith of Findlay; Mr.. and
Mrs. Clarence Hartman and children,
Mr.. and Mrs. Marion Davis and FAM
lily, Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Arras, Mr..
and Mrs. Elmer Haudeshell and child
ren of Arlington; Mr.. and Mrs. Rufus
Neff of Ft. Wayne; Mrs. Gerald Neff
and daughter Emily of Newark; Mr..
and Mrs. Harley Pifer and j. w. Neff
of Jenera; Mr.. and Mrs. Raymond
Stratton and family, Mr.. and Mrs.
Morris Bell and family.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-08-31

per over the windows. He took in
his sign and placed it on the floor
with its face against the wall. In
its place, over the doors, he paint
ed a small sign saying, Closed"
He reflected that people who didn't
know his establishment wouldn't
know what was closed because he
had taken in the other sign, but
finally decided that this didn't mat
ter in the least.
He was ready to leave.
The evening before his departure
he investigated the bag Amy had
packed for him and brought down.
stairs. In it she had put those few
articles listed in pamphlet Mr..
Wrinkle had purchased at news
stand for guidance.
"Travel light, Mr.. Selectee," this
advised. Don't load up with bag
gage because you won't have any
use for it. The Army is going to
clothe you, Mr.. Selectee, complete
to underwear. socks and handker-
chiefs"
Only on one point had Mrs. Win
kle deviated from the instructions.
Upon examining her packing, Mr..
Wrinkle found that she had included
his ruhbers.N He now took them out.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-08-31
: 1R v7IHStFkg
NIX WZKkZE
1;:s$s,+ ssS2; G0G . MR
PKAI w.huReLEAsE
SYNOPSIS

CHAPTER I: wnbert winkle. "A. pro-
prietor OF the Fixit repair shop. located
In the alley back OF his home. Ii notified
by his draft board that he Is in LA. He
breaks the bad news to his wife, Amy,
and marches off TO work without kiss
ing her goodby.
CHAPTER 1T: He opens his shop the
following morning. his imagination work
ing overtime. A bullet had just sped
through his body: he found himself dy.
ing In some strange. foreign land. A
"reportographer" from the Evening
Standard calls to take his picture and
get his story. and the next day his picture
appears on the front page under the
headline. Wrinkle Proud to Fight"
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-08-31

Firmly, showing spark of her
old spirit. Mrs. Winkle put them
back again, rewrapping them in the
tissue paper he stripped away. with
the rubber shortage" she said, "the
Army may not have a pair for ev-
cry man"
"I don't think they have rubbers
in the Army" Mr.. Winkle protested.
.'Thev won't let me wear them"
Evening star., 1944-01-16
The Polish Offer

The suggestion from the Polish
governmental exile that it is will
ing to negotiate on all outstanding
differences with Russia, subject to
mediatory participation by the Brit
ish and American governments, has
been properly described as an "en-
couraging response" to the recent
Soviet declaration concerning the
Polish Russian border. 1t would
seem premature, however, to con-
clude from this that the last OBJ
stacle to final settlement of this
difficult controversy has been re-
moved.
Comment from London indicates
that the British government, while
abStaining from any official express
sion, indorses the Polish offer. In
Washington there is merely the eau
tious announcement that the State
Department is giving careful con-
sideration to the matter, but that
Secretary Hull has not yet made up
his mind as to what the policy of
this Government will be. Premier
Stain, meanwhile, is saying nothing.
All of this suggests that the dis
pute is far from settled, despite the
conciliatory tone of the Polish state
ment. One obvious hitch is the Of
fetal Russian attitude toward the
government-in-exile. In its state
ment of January II the Soviet gov
ernment said that the present gov
ernment of Poland. which is located
in London, had shown itself incap-
able of organizing an active struggle
against the Germans, and charged
that the government-in-e exile, by
its incorrect" policy Coward Rus
sia) has actually played into the
hands of the enemy. Thus, it is by
no means assured that Stain will
recognize this government as the
representative of Poland, which, of
course, would be an essential pre-
liminary to any discussion of the
border question.
There is also some uncertainty as
to whether Russia will respond ia
vorably to the Polish stipulation
that the United States and Great
Britain should participate in any
negotiations that may be under
taken. In some Russian quarters
there has been disposition to treat
territorial and political questions in
Eastern Europe as matters which
concern Russia and her neighbors,
but which are not the concern of
distant powers. Hence, it may be
that the Soviet government will not
consent to mediation, and that pos
sibility. may explain the cautious
attitude Of our own State Depart
ment.
Despite these uncertainties, how
ever, the fact remains that some
progress has been made. And in a
matter fraught with as many dan
gerous possibilities as this, any
progress is gratifying.
Evening star., 1944-01-16
owl Story
From the Hutchinson Kansas) Herald.

From the Hutchinson tKansas) Herald
How the Office of War Information
helped persuade the italian feet to join
the United Nations" was related to
House Appropriations Committee by
Robert Sherwood, overseas director OF
the owl, along with request for
$5,000,000 in additional funds
When the Italian government sur
rendered, Sherwood said, it was recog-
nized as highly desirable that the italian
feet come over to the Allied side. So
the Owl rigged up radio transmitter
on the international distress frequency
In order that the italian ship operators
would be sure to hear, and invited the
fleet to surrender. In due time the
fleet steamed into Malta. Just that
simple!
The owl ought to put up a better
story than that for s5,000,00O. The world
had been given to understand that sur
render of the fleet was one of the funda-
mental conditions imposed by Gen.
Eisenhower when italy asked for an
armistice, but now the propaganda
agency intimates it was accomplished
through the broadcast Of come on
over" suggestion.
Evening star., 1944-01-16
The Service Vote

It is unfortunate that the House
Elections Committee has seen fit to
indorse, with few minor amend
ments, the Senate approved resolu-
ton on absentee balloting by the
millions of men and women in our
armed forces. This would leave the
whole problem up to the States. de-
spite the recent joint statement by
the War and Navy Departments
that such a procedure would be
virtually impossible to administer
effectively. 1t ignores, too, what
President Roosevelt pointed out in
his message to Congress last Tues
day-the simple and obvious fact
that if this method is followed, the
overwhelming majority Of our SOL
diers, sailors and marines will have
no opportunity to vote. Under any
plan, large-scale voting by the men
and women in service will be difficult
enough to handle, but the leave-it-
to-the-States plan can hardly be
described as plan at all. What is
needed is a simplifled and uniform
system, and this system can be had
if Congress will take favorable and
prompt action on some such pro-
posal as that offered by Democratic
Senators Green and Lucas or the
Republican substitute offered by
Senators Austin and Lodge. Under
either Of these, the service vote
would be greatly facilitated and ex-
pedited through Federal ballot.
Fortunately, despite the stand taken
by the House committee, there is still
good chance for the passage of
constructive measure initiated from
the floor of the Senate or House In
any case, we must hope for one.
Otherwise the very same Americans
who are bearing arms to uphold our
free way of life will be deprived of
one of the fundamental prerogatives
of that life.
Evening star., 1944-01-16

by my name, shall humble them
selves and pray and seek my face and
turn from their wicked ways; then,
will I hear from heaven and for
give their sin, and heal their land"
Anxious as we are to have God hear
our prayers and to heal our land, we
must first turn unto Him through
humility and penitence.
In our praying we also are con-
fronted with the thought that modern
war Is the hotbed in which hatred
grows fastest. It has been said that
war cannot be waged successfully
until the warning nations hate each
other. do not believe that, and
1t is deplorable that people gen.
orally should be accepting it as truth.
Yet we cannot deny the fact that
condition of war creates the hot
house In which the seed of hatred
may most easily take root and grow.
A short time ago group Of persons
was having meeting in which the
war was the chief subject Of dis
cussion. The meeting was closed
with prayer, this being one Of the
petitions: Dear God, help us drive
our enemies back into hell" Such
a prayer is foreign to the nature and
will OF God, for God has not COM
missioned us to consign men to hell
but rather to save them through
Christ.
We must not lose sight of our
eternal and supreme mission be-
cause of an unpleasant task which
we are forced to perform for a short
time, neither must we lay aside the
spirit of Christ in performing it.
We must remember that we are not
only American citizens, patriotically
defending our land and our ideals,
but that We also are sons of God,
who are seeking to exemplify the
teachings of our Lord.
Instead Of allowing hatred to breed
and to flourish in our hearts, let us
rather be burdened within and
through our praying for the estab-
lishment Of just and equitable
peace at the close of this war. Let
us pray that when victory for the
cause Of right has been won, our
Government will be. and the church
will help it to be. the instrument of
Almighty God for the setting up of
a new era in which human rights.
human dignity, human freedom and
sane human brotherhood will
afford to all people prosperity and
a chance for the pursuit of happi-
ness
Evening star., 1944-01-16
An Old E.iqht Revived

In this section of today's Star
Miss Harlean James of the Ameri-
can Civic Association recalls the
battle Of fifteen and more years
ago between the power and park
proponents over Great Falls and the
Potomac gorge. Her article is timely
because the lines seem to be FORM
ing again to reopen a controversy
which most people doubtless
thought had been settled for all
time, with Congress committing it.
self to preservation of the Potomac
falls and it's environs as a great
natural park. But history repeated
itself last week when the Park and
Planning Commission, without di-
vulging the nature OF the power
and fiood-control dams which the
Army engineers have been studying,
assigned the matter again for inves-
tigation by Frederick Law Olmstead,
who will report later to the COM
mission on his findings.
The nature. of the dana system
which the engineers may have in
mind now has not been publicly re-
vealed, and it is probable that con-
siderations other than power de-
velopment are concerned. But If the
issue finally boils down to decision
as to the future OF the Potomac at
Great Falls, 1t is hard to believe that
there will be any substantial sup
port for a proposition which would
destroy or permanently mar one of
the great scenic and recreational
assets of the Capital. There were
various ingenious plans proposed
in the twenties to utilize the Po-
tomac for power and at the same
time create what undoubtedly would
have been an attractive park. But
the Park and Planning Commission
of that day concluded that no such
combined treatment was possible;
that if power development became
VIC SiilCA OOJCSIlFC, Will q pdi ok
incidental by-product, the damage
would have been done.
Congress approved this decision
by authorizing the George Wash
ington Memorial Parkway and in
the past fourteen years acquisitions
of land on both sides of the river
have brought that parkway nearer
reality, one Of the greatest steps
being the Governments wise,
though unanticipated, purchase of
the c. g. o. Canal. Nothing yet
known about the engineers visions
of power dams can suggest any new
reason to scrap the established
plans for Potomac Park develop
ment, or to reverse the decision OF
the commission and Congress in
1928 that the best interests of the
public lay in that direction.