Evening Star Newspaper, April 10, 1921, Page 62

s 4 4 THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, APRIL 10, 1921_PART 4 ' WELCOME TO OUR CITY where shes calllng at so it looks like I wunted to come but couldent. Grace says she dident hardly know where to make the calls because we dont know where no body lives that is we dont know if the family 2 doors a way from us is pres. of the gas co. or runs a hawk shop. But I told her the best way to do was start right in on this side of the st. we live on & £o from house to house & if she scen after she got in that the peopl wasent no good she could say she made a miss take. the name of the peopl that lives next door is Hamilton because thats what the real estate man told us when we got the lot so you see we know his name & when Grace gos up to the door & says is Mr. Hamilton in they will be tickeld to deth on acct. of us knowing there name & wile she z Afson, IL. Juty 8. ROTHER CHARLEY. well " Charley ewry things going a long smoth & last wk. I payed the 1st. int. on my lone down to the bank and now I dont half to worry a bout that again until Jan. Graces old man come Aacrost with the money so as I could pay the int. & dident make no holler a bout 1t but I bet he wishes I & Grace had of stuck m our flat over on the s. side insted of building because we was not never so hard up when he was liveing in the flat that we had to ask him to pay our rent. I dont like to be no drag on the old man but you can see how it is Charley or that is you could see if You had build a house. It looks like you dont run up agin the real ex- untill youve got it all build ys thot it was real old houses that half to be reparcd & fixed up all the wile but Im finding out now that the new ones is twict as bad as the old ones But dont think we aint satisfide Charley because wear perfectly sat-| isfide so dont get the idear we aint| satisfide & vou couldnt higher Grace | & I to go back in town & live in al flat because they aint nothing to that kind of liveing & this has got it beat all hollo. The babys is a hole lot better than they was in the city. That is they would be if the house wasent damp & if it wasent for the smell of the paint that I guess we aint never going to get rid of it. But they aint all cooped up like they was in Chi & now they can get out & run a round with out no danger of falling under a st. car & geting there leg cut off. By a st. car. of corse we miss the Walters & the Arnolds & others that we made frends of them in the city a speshally Grace but as ¢ it they thing a bout they could get out here & sciuse they Know Grace cant get a way on acct. the babys & besides this towns got plenty of fine peopl liveing in this town & as soon is we get acquainted we can for get all a hoe the peopl we knowed in Chi & not sever think a bout them I guess the last time 1 wrote to you we wasent no wheres near set- teled but wear pretty well setteled now & things a round the house is beginning to look O. K. & you can open most of the windows if you start them with a crow bar & then give a quick jerk. kindest to Mary. FRED A. GROSS. * x x * Allison, N, July 24. EAR CHARLEY. 1 suppose you been getting a hole lot of rain to because I see in the paper Where its been raining all over the u s & if it rains any more I will half to buy 1 of these here divers sutes to g0 down in the basemunt with it & fix the heater that we heat the hot | water with. A bout the 2d. day it beggin to rain the water beggin run- ing in the basemunt & now its pretty near as deep like it was in the bran- dywine crick where I & you lerned to swim do vou remember Charl 1 called up the plummer & he come up & seen it & says the drane pipes would carry it off & I had to give him $2 dollars for telling me that & it wasent true at that because they aint carryed none of it off as far is I can see & If a plummer gets $2 a peace for evry {ime he lise to you I wonder what does he charge when he tells a man the truth only I guess that dont never happen well any way vou could dive off the top step of the stares in to the basemunt & not bump your head on the floor & Grace says I should ought to dig some angel worms out in the yard & set on the basemunt stares & fish but T guess all the fish in the house is liveing up stares. 1 mean wear the fish for building a house. Suck- ers see Charley. An other good thing all the wood that was left over from building the house is down in the basemunt & Grace has been useing it up pretty fast building fires in the fire place all tho its been =0 hot outdoors & in the houss to that you cant hardly stand it but she says the fire looks so pretty that she would like to keep it burning all the wile & why not when we got all that wood. ‘Well I says that wood will burn just as good in the winter time when you need a fire in the fire place & it will look Just as pretty burning when its cold & the sooner you burn up all that extra ‘wood the sooner we will half to buy some regular wood to burn. I says if your going to throw a way money just to make things look pretty why dont you buy a car lode of diamonds & scat- ter them a round the front yard, they would look swell as long as they last. Well she savs the fire keeps me from ! geting lonesom. I says if your lonesom | why dont you dress the babys up &| £0 out and - see some body & she says| I aint got no close to ware thats good enough for this place so my little talk is going to cost me $40.00 dollars be- cause shes going to buy somo clothe & have a couple dresses made up. But as I say we can save on fire wood as loag as the basemunts full of water be- 3 *I SAYS I LIVED FORTY-FIVE YEARS AND GOT PRETTY FAT BEFORE I EVER S| is calling on Mr. Hamilton she can feel a round untill she knows what is the name of the peopl that lives on the other side of them & o on. She wont stay more than 1 hour or So in 1 place the 1st. time & she wont be abie to cover more than the 1st 3 houses the Ist. day. but probly she will find 1 or 2 of the ladies thats good sports & will be willing to come over & stay with the childern a day or 2 next wk. so as Grace can zo & call on the other peopl a long the st. with out waiting for the next p. m. 1 can lay off. the Hamiltons has got a swell big house build out of stones or concrete blocks & they probly got a bbl. of shed give the higher girl & he thot it was her card & not my card & when Grace seen what had came off she pretty near died laughin; all the while Mr. Hamilton | there and looked at her she could say some thing vs thats a grate joke & Mr Hamiiton ¢ but its over my head money but you know the old saying BAS “YOU COULD DIVE OFF THE TOP STEP OF THE STARES IN THE D NOT BUMP YOUR HEAD ON THE FLOOR.” ENT A Charley all men was crated free and wear just as good is them even if we ®ot all my pay for the next 30 yrs. spent all ready. Best to Mary. F. A. GROSS. * % x x Allison, 1L, Aug. 16. TROTHER CHARLEY. well Char- ley Grace wont be lonesom no more because now she called on 4 famlys a long the st. to-day insted of 3 like she intend it & of corse the more you call on the more of them has got to call on you back. The rea- son she made it 4 insted of 3 was on acct. of her ouly staying to the Hamil- tons % of a hr. because they says they was going out some wheres & would half to leave her. we had a_early dinner & she got over to the Hamiltons a bout 1 in the P. M. & she was toged up in her new & looked like a million §. she told me all a bout it when she come home. A womman come to the door & Grace says how do you do Mrs. Hamilton I was afrade youd be out & the womman says who did you want to see & Grace says you or Mr. Hamilton or the both of them & the womman says I will see are they in. So the womman says what name & Grace says Grace Gross & the wom- man says have you got a card a long with you & Grace dident have none but the cards I had printed so she give her one of them. They set me|bother my wife because she aint fin- back $1.00 for 100 of them Charley‘nlshed her dinner & then Grace told but I thot I might as well make it a | him to go a head and finnish his din- gy0d 1 wile 1 was doing it & be- sides If Grace dont loose none of them 100 should ought to last her untill shes called on the hole town. The cards says on them F. A. Gross asst. Chief of Detectives Chicago Po- lice dept tom 20 years in the service in'red tipe. The higher girl left Grare stand- ing In the vestry bull & pretty soon a man come out & he was Mr. Ham- fiton & he ast Grace to come in the & then down on the bot- | | | but her and Mr. Hamilton was going Read Them and Forget HE Gross Famfly Is Settled in Its S\Ib-, urban Home—Of Course, You Remember the Crosses—Ring Lardner's Story. “*Own | Your Own Home," Reproduced the Letters of Fred A. Gross, a City Detective. to His Brother Charley. on the Woes of a City Flat Dweller Who Decided to Build in a Suburb—Mr. Lardner Now Offers Another Set of Letters. YO\JI’ Troubles. she was a detective on acct. the card ace explained it to him the hole thing & told him we was his new neighbors & she was just paving him a friendly call so pretty soon he beggin laughing to & s call his wife because the joke was too | good to keep. His wife come in & | Grace ast her if Mr. Hamilton had | told her a bout his miss take & she says no so Grace had to explane it all over again only Mrs. Hamilton must of étt to much dinner. She dident laugh at all but just set there like she was in pane & pretty soon she says she was sorry Grace couldent stay longer he would | out & would Grace excuse thgm and Grace says sure & got up to go but then Mr. Hamilton come in & told Grace to be sure and hand 1 of them cards to who ever come to the door over to Carpenters so Grace prom- ussed she would & then she ways good-by to Mr. & Mrs. Hamilton & told them to be sure & come over & see us & Mr. Hamilton says he cer- tunly would weather Mrs. Hamilton did or dident & he was just kiding a little but Mrs. Hamilton must of got jellus a bout him & Grace jolling each other because she slamed the front when she finely got home because lt- tle Ed & the baby both of them gits pretty mad a bout.5 P. M. in the after- noon” & they was giveing me all I could do. & Mrs. Carry says mext time Grace wants to go out she can bring the babys over to her house & the higher girl will match them. Rgds. to Mary. F. A. GROSS. * k k% Allison, T, Aug. 31. ]DTAR CHARLEY. well Charley it 2int nothing much come off since the last time I wrote you a letter and they aint nothing much to write about & I wouldent be writeing only 1 was flgureing on takeing a bath to-night and I cant take no bath so Im writeing you a letter insted and why 1 cant take no bath is because the waters shut off all over the town & the water co. says may be it wont be turned on for 2 or 3 days. of course 1 can wash my hands down town to head quarters but - or the kids cant wash theres they go over to the Carrys| they got a sistern & thatj it pretty touzh on Grace but & baby wont make no holler and they would be tickled to deth if they dident never half to be hed. v_they all ways holler like 43 being murdered when vou touch them with =oap and water. The Hamiltons has a sistern to & 1 ast Grace why dident she use theres on acct. It being next door to us & handy but Grace is kind of sore on Mrs. Hamilton for not comeing over to see us. She will come over all right when she gets up her nerve & 1 wouldent worry a bout it if I was Grace but you know how wommen feels & probly Marys the same way. Grace has called on about 15 or 20 famlys now & left the kids over to the Carrys wile she was makeing the calls & her and Mrs. Carry is pretty good frends & Mr. & Mrs. | Carry comes over offen in the evning | for a game of cards. Im thirsty and T guess its a good thing we ‘zot a couple gallons of home brew in the house because they aint no water and I and Grace can drink the heer when wear thirsty & the kids can drink milk so we wont | starve to deth because of some thing to drink only we cant take no bath $n beer or milk. The man from the water eo. says A Story by Ring W. Lardner ‘wasent sore at them but she was sore at me and if you can tell what license she had your a wonder. 1 thot for a minut they may be might not of got my letters & then I remem- bered that 1 dident male the letters but stuck them under there doors when I come home night before last so they couldn’t help from getting them. Finely I couldent stand it no longer & beat it out of the house & took a long walk. She was better when 1 ocome back & says she was sorry shed carryed on so & she supposed I thot I was trylng to do the right thing but Id made a awful mes out of it & I says could I help it if them peopl dident have no munners & s says no it wasent my falt but afte this she wisht I would leave her to do the Inviteing to the house. She dident half to wish that Charley because Ive had more then enough for my share The Carrys s comeing over to- night to play cinch & may be we can get rid of some of our big Sun. dinner thats still left yet because they d nether 1 of us have the heart to Regards to Mary. F. A. GROSS. EEE Allison, IIl., October EAR CHARLEY. well Charley they D after all. A little boy come to the house after supper tonight & give me a letter only it wasent no letter but a invitation to a dance here in Alli- looks like we wasent dead ones| them & she says the Carrys Is probly going to so she going to ask Mrs. Carry is she going & if she is that will ‘mean we will half to higher a zirl some wheres to come & stay with the children wile we go to the dance. Regards to Mary. FRED. * * X % Allison, IIL. Oct 11. PROTHER CHARLEY. well Charle: we had some more trouble since the last time I wrote you a letter only 1 dont know if its trouble or not but Grace feels pretty bad a bout it tho I says she shouldent ought to wuse thé Carrys wasent no way. Grace was figureing on haveing Mrs. Ty come over & 1y with the childern wile we was the bix dancs next wk. if Mrs. Carry wasent going to_the dance her Self so when the Carrys come [tu play cards the other night Grace wst them was they going to the dance y s no what dance & Grace & ast Mrs. Car would she come over and take care of the childern or that is she & Mr. Carry | ould just half to set in the house . hihlern would he a sleep onl, corse wouldent be righ lto o off & | e them lone | the Carrys could just set here & play irds or do any thing they bad a mir . Well Mra Carry ast who | was miveing the dance & Grace says “THE KIDS CAN GET OUT AND RUN A ROUND WITH OUT NO ‘I?A:GER OF FALLING UNDER A ST. CAR AND GETTING THERE LEG TT OFF." son the 17 of this mo. & the dance is being gave for the benifit of the Armeniums. This here invatation was addressed to the Hamiltons but if we got theres they got ourn so whats the diffrunts & besides you can bet 1 this dont happen offen T mean the pump brakeing down & he says I door when Grace come out. Or else as 1 say she ett to much dinner probly. So then Grace went to the Car- penters & rung the door bell & Mr. Carpenter him self come to the door & she give him I of the cards & he says well whats the charge & she seen he was makeing the same miss take Mr. Hamilton made o0 she went a long with it & says she would like to talk to he & his wife a few minutes & he says you can talk to me but I cant ner to but he says he wouldent untill she told him what she wanted =0 she explained the joke & told him what come off over to Hamiltons & then he laughed & ways he would finnish his dinner & bring his wife in so Grace set there in the parler a wile & fine- ly Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter come in & she set there talking to them pretty near a hr. & they had a grate time talking & laughing & wile she was there some body come to the front door & Mr. Carpenter went to the door & Grace N YOU» cant get to where the wood | out buying a mls boat or & even if yvou got the wood lent burn on acet. it being soked Regards to Mary & we wisht you could get out & see us. F. A. GROSS. * % x x ., Aug 13. well Charley £ Jooks now like we was going to bust in to socitey & Grace wont be lone- som Do more. She got her close mide & all finished up 2 days a go all ready & I thot shed go calling right a way but ahe says 1o it wouldent be right to take the children a long the Ist. time| she interduced her self to the peopl out | here on acct. they might cut up & rase | the devvil & may be brake some thing | in some strangers houss #o =he savs it| up to me to stay home with the! ‘wile ahe went a round & made | few calls & I'm going to stay homs | ys next Sun. after noon thats the 1st day I can get off theys 2 other fellows in the off Now & the rest of us is busy. abie to g & o got to gel some cards sume whees in (he- houss . | i1ton parler & set down so Grace went in & Mr. Hamilton says what can I do for you & Grace was kind of im barrist & couldent say nothing & Mr. Hamilton saye aint you made a miss take or may be vou think I can give you some informashun a bout some thing & Grace seen that was a good chance to find the name of the peopl that lived in the next house next to the Hamiltons 80 she ast him & he says there name is Carpenter & she says what bus- ness was they in & Mr. Hamilton says if you want to find out any thing more & bout them you will half to ask them them melf. So Grace says it dident make no diffrunts weather she knowed any thing more a bout them or not & then she says hows your wife & Mr. Hamilton says what are you trying to get at. He says Im sure you must of made some miss take because nether I or Mrs. Hamil- ton have did any thing agannst tha law or the Carpenters nether & Grace | says what do you mean & Mr. Ham- says what do you mean your | self comeing a round trying to pry but of corse me not|!n to some bodys affares. We aint use long with her & make !0 receiving calls from female detee- tives. & then all of a sudden Grace = she can stick them om the|caught on to what was he getting at. You sse Chariex, Mz, Hamtiton thet out what was | says it sounded like Mr. Hamiltons voice out side the door & he ast Mr. Carpenter was he arested & Mr. Car- penter went out on the porch & Grace couldent hear what was they saying but of corse they was come pareing nots a bout the joke because she herd them laughing out on the porch. Well finely Mr. Carpenter come in again & finely Mrs. Carpenter an: Grace dident she have some more ciils to make 8o ace says she did & she left the Car- enters & forgot to find out from them what was the name of the peopl in the 2d house a way from us but it dident make no diffrunts because the woman that come to the door at the next houwe told her the name & the name is Carry & Mr. Carrys the man that keeps the grocery store or 1 of them & Grace & Mrs. Carry had a nice long talk & Grace told her a bout what come off at Hamiltons & Carpenters & Mrs. Carry says she would bet Grace that they wouldent nether the Hamiltons or the Carpen- ters call on us & Grace says why not & Mrs. Carry says because they aint nether 1 of them called on me yet & I have been here over 1 yr. & Grace says well did vou call on them & Mrs. Carry says of corse not so they must be some bad blood some wheres that we dont know nothing a bout. Well Grace went to Moreheads from Carrys & seen the Mareheads & them come bome & pou can bat ain't going over to there house to say any thing a bout it & if they dont want to remember that Im saveing money on water bills all the wile they aint no water. Regards to Mary. FRED A. GROSS. * *x % % Allison, Til, Sept. 14. BP.OTH'ER CHARLEY. well Charley Im planning a big surprise for Grace and the reason Im dolng it is because shes been feeling so bad over them peopl not comeing to see her. Im going to have Hamiltons & the Carpenters over here to dinner Sun. & Grace knows theys going to be Co. but she thinks Ive ast the Walters to come out from town. I bhad to tell her some body was comelng so as she would be sure and have enough to eat 80 T told her the Walters was comeing & she will be supprised & tickled to deth when she sees it aint the Walters but the Hamiltons & Carpenters. the idear come to me when I was down town yest. & the way it come to me I was trying to figure out some Wway to cheer Girace up. So I thot of this idear & then I set down & tride to write a letter to them peopl asking them to come & it took me so long to write the 1st 1 that I meen I wouldent never have time for nothing else if T wrote 2 of them so I ast the tipewriter in the chiefs office would she write a couple of letters for me. 1 & her frammed them up together, Tn the letters I says my wife would like to have them come over to din- ner Sun. noon & it wasent going to be no blg party so they could were what ever they had & not feel a hamed & we wouldent dress up much ur self so they wouldent need to. the tipewriter dident only half to write the letter onct because she put a peace of this here copy paper in bet. the regular paper & wrote both the letters at onct only changed the names at the top. I cant hardly walt untfl Sun. and see how supprised & tickled Grace will be. Rgds to Mary. FRED A. GROSS. * x k% Allison, TI1., Sept. 18. TYROTHER CHARLEY. well Charley Im the 1 that got the supprise and not Grace, and besides a supprise I got a bad scare to because Grace car- ryed on so that T thot she was going to be took down sick. What do you think of them byms Charley I mean the Hamiltons & Carpenters. When they dident pay no a tension or send me no anser to the letter 1 wrote them T thot sure they must be come- ing because if they wasent comeing they would say so. Thats what I thot. But a long come Sun. noon & no stne of them & Girace got fichety & says what do_von supose is the matter with the Walters that they don’t come & I stalled her off and says may be they would come on the train that gets here at I a clock & she says my dinner will all be spoiled & finely after the 1 a clock train come & no body showed up I had to tell her the truth. Grace scolded me like 1d stole some money or some thing & when I says I would run over to there house & see what was the matter she says if I moved a step out side the house she would take the 2 children & run a way & then she had histeriks & the rest of it & she savs even if them peopl had of come she would of slamed the door in there face & 1 don’t know yet what was she sore a bout tho of corse I was a Jttle sore my self on acct. of them peopl not let- oo ez nothing. want ourn they can come over her: and get there own. The dance is going to be down to the opra house where they give there shows when they have them. Well I guess vou know how I all wa been a bout danceing Charley & never cared nothing a bout it & [ was go- ing to tell Grace of corse we wouldent %0 but when I give her the invita- tion & seen how good she felt about it 1 dident have the heart to say nothing about nof going. I throwed the out side cover a way before I give Grace the invatation and mhe 83ys are you sure its for us & 1 says dident the boy bring It to us & be- sides wont our money do them Armentums as much good as anybody elses. Tho where the Armeniums needs help any more than I need it I can't figure out. I dldent tell Grace nothing a bout the invatation being addressed to the Hamiltons for fear shed want 1 should go over & change with them. Well I says do you want to go and she says certunly but you cant dance & I says well I can g0 there and set a round & talk wile you dance and She says o no she wouldent do that way & if I wouldent dance she wouldent go 8o T says all right I will brush up & practice a little & may be I can get a way with it & she says you cant do nothing of the kind becanse the dances there dancing now isent nothing like what you use to dance the walts & the 2 step and them things. They aint danceing them things no more becausc now there all danceing the 1 step walk & the foxs trot we will half to take some lessons the both of us. 1 says I suppose we got a hole lot of money to throw a way on takeing danceing lessons & then she beggin 1o cry #o 1 says all right you fix it up with some teacher & we will take a fow les- sons just enough S0 as to get a way with it. So_you ses what Im up against now Charley & I got to take danceing les- sons & then go up there & mix a round with them swell dames & get stepped on but Grace will have the time of her life & T ain't got the heart to say no. The dance ticket that come along with the invitation costs 5.00 dollars & probly the lessons will cost that much more or may be more than that so Im lucky if I Ret a way with less than a 10 spot. 1 suppose youve lerned tho new dances all ready Charley & I wisht you was hera to take my place. Regards to Mary. F. A. GROSS. * % X % Allison, T11, October 8. BROTHER CHARLIE. Dident 1 #ay some thing a bout a 10 spot that this here dance busness was go- ing to cost me las time I wrote you a letter. Well Charley its going to make & 10 spot look like 30 cents be- fore its over & 1 wisht Id says no in the 1st place & left Grace bellow if she wanted to. Weve tooken 1 dance- ing lesson all ready & 1t costed $5.00 dollars & we got to take an other at the same price because we aint lerned enough yet & I got to buy some pat- tent leather shoes & a shirt & so 4th. because Grace says they wont be no body &0 up there with out being drest up in a dress sute of evning close & she laughed at me when 1 says I was ®oing to ware the uneform I use to ware before I was put in plane close but I bet If T wore that uneform I wouldent be the worst looking 1 in the hall if T do say it but Grace says nothing but a evning dress sute will do 8o I got to rent 1 of them besides buying the junk that gos with it & the rent of the suit a lone will cost me $5.00. ‘Well Grace was wondring what would she do a bout the children wile we was to the dance & I says she ask Mrs, Carzy to take care of! the invatation was sined by Wm. {Marston & he was the man that the money was to be sent to only Im £0ing to take my money a long to the dance & give it to him at the door. Well Mrs. Carry says why Mr. arston is the real socitey leader & race says well what of it & Mrs. TY says it must of been a miss take you getting a invatation & then I buted in & says what do you mean a miss take I guess wear as good is any body & better than some & why shouldent we get a invatation & then Mrs. Carry blowed up & says I sup- pose vou think your better than I & my husband & I says no 1 dont think no such thing & she says well you get a invatation to the dance & we dident so if you go that will show you think your better than us. I says it wont show no such a thing you not geting no invatation 1s probly a miss take & she says no wasent no miss take but you get- 1 was the mi: take & then Grace sW up & sa your sore because wear going to the dance and your not ast & then Carry & his wife & Grace & I all lost our temper & we had it hot & heavy & I guess you know Charley that we dident get none the worst of it. so finely I told them to go home and they says you dont hulf to tell us to go home & whats more you wont see no more of us & I says I lived 45 yrs. & got pretty fat before I ever Scen you & thats a bout all that was said & they beat it and wear threw with them. If Mrs. Carry had of been decent we might of fixed it up for them to get ast to the next big dance only she was g0 sore a bout us getting a head of them that she couldent keep her mouth shut. 1 guess you can see that Mrs. Carry nt going to take care of the chil- dern wile wear Lo the dance & even it she would we wonldent let her be- cause its 10 to 1 she would stick a knife in them or give them cloraform or some thing. and Grace will half to Ligher a girl from here in town to come & set in the house wile wear to the dance. Kindest regards to your self & Mary. FRED A. GROSS. *x % % Allisop, TIL, Oct. 18. EAR CHARLEY. well Chirfey 1 guess its pretty lucky I dident murder some body last night & it may be a good thing I wasent carrying my gat with me last night on acct. of it looking funny & sticking out threw the coat in my evening dress sute. T bet I would of shot some body sure & they would of had a de- tective up for murder for a change insted of for takeing money from stick up gurs & dips. I might as well tell you what come off tho they aint no part of it Im proud of accept i from murdering gome a bed over what come off & 1 es talk to her a bout it & theys no use talking to the kids because they dont under stand & 1 got to tell it to some body so 1 guess your elected. Well Charley we was figuring on getting up to the dance a bout § a clock but,the sute I rented was to small for me & Grace had to make the pants of it biger a round the aste & then she had trouble her self geting her new close on & her hare all fixed up & evry thing & it was [pretty close to 9 a clock before we #ot down to the opra house where they have the dances at. well we went in & a servant told us where to put {our hat & then we went up stares to where the danceing is pulled off ! & they was a man seting at a table out side the door & he looked at us & dident say nothing so I went up to him & says who I was & he says aint you made a miss take. I says 1 dont know if I have or not & he says it we want police protection a round here we will ask for it. I says I aint here to work but ITm here to dance & he savs this here is a invatation dance & 1 says yes & I got a Invatation & he lets see it so I halled the ticket out of my pocket & showed it to him & he says it must of been | some miss take & I sava why & he says because I sent out the invitations my self 1and a lady & we dident send none to you. I says well I got 1 dident T & he says yes but I dont know how you got It. I says well T dident steal it & he says no I dont say you did but I know you wasent suposed to get no invatation because you wasent on our lists. I says well wear here any way & he says yes but if T was you I would go a long home before any body else got here because its a miss take & we will say no more a bout it. Well I seen that Grace was ready to ery on acct. of disapointment so I made up my mind Id go threw with it 8o I says are you the only 1 thats £ot any thing to say a round here & he say no but Im 1 of them & I sayvs well you get the rest of the officers to gather & see what they got to say a bout it & he says theys no body here yet but if you want to wait until the rest of the comitty come all :fl:tmmlu Eot_no objection only Im_jus ng you for your good that your makeing a miss. N ] i [ w i " | tion all ready. \you had a take & the best thing you can do is go_home. Then Grace savs come lets go home & 1 savs I wouldent untill 1d_talked with the rest of the comitty & thers we stood & stood & the guy dident even say we shouid set down so finely 1 told Grace to set down & she wouldent set down but all she counld say was lets go home. the people beggin comeing & ¥ all stared dident look no worse then they 1 & th Hamiltons come & the enters & Grace whispered to me who they wa & they dident even ak us finely the music hegg & tarted dancein in the where we couldent see I went up to the man he says are vou st you bhet 1 am 0 8ee your commity & he at us tho I bm we il them & at the tal here & 1 in a hurry you'll see them quick en is the 1st. dance is over & up & went in the r wt was dancing & pretty soon th stoped & he come out with & 3 gents with him & 1 of the was Carpenter. Well the man says here's a g says he got a invitation to the & I says ves & vou seen He says invatation but w 10 leave it to this here comitty we it was a miss take or not & 1 whispered to gather for a minut the man says its just like I tol your here threw some miss take & best thing you can do is go home = then 1 says vour a fine bunch of stffs & I looked right at this here Carpenter. 1 says your a swell gang of stews & before I get threw with you vou'i be wareing the bracelits & I was 0 to tell them some more but just ) this hera Hamiiton come out of the room where the danceing was at & savs are we pinched & 1 says no but libel to be & he says whats the o ment & Carpenter told him a bout haveing the invatation & then it «c out that Hamilton dident get no inv tion & the boy that Ioft it to our hou made a miss take & we dident have none comeing & if it hadent of } for Grace bellowing & makeing a seen I would of soiled some of there collers but they was nothing for me to do £t her out of there but as 1 say if i of had the old gat a long with me bet 1d of cut loose before 1 left therr. Well I pretty near had to c Grace all the way home & put bed & douse camfer all over 1 & I finely got her to sleep & girl home that was there to take care of the children but I couldent go to sleep my self & I aint slept vet & 1 called up the chief this a m & told him the wife was sick & 1 couldent come down here it is pretty near noon & 1 aint even herd nothing a bout breakfast yot tho the childrens had theres be- cause Grace remembered to give them theres but 1 guess Grace she thinks Im saveing up my appetite for the refresh- munts at the next dance. A fine bunch of sti¥s eh Charley. F. A GROSS. % x % Allises 11, Oct. 22. FTAR BROTHER CRARLEY. well Charley it looks Mfke we would move back to the s side if we can sell the place on acct. of Grace says she cant never spend a happy minut again out here & I aint o stuck on it my self. But we wont sell it for le then $1000.00 more then it costed all to gether because somebodys got to pay for whats come off & for them danceing lessons & Graces dresses & that dress sute I rent & the shirt & shoes & all the rest of it Grace spoke a bout moveing last night & I me hy or fac nt th to i .| all} -| your at couldent argue against her a bout nothing the way shes feeling these days. I promussed T would see could f zell the place & of course if T could sell it for cash I could pay off w T owe at the bank or it 1 coulde sell it for cash the peopl that hougt it off of me could asume the r Ridee. | will write & let you know how 1 come out. This was Graces herth Aay & fust as if she wasent fo with aut what come i r ol & s x it & savs pa dont horth <hed EOL Bhees wedt for a & thot to find 1 of t} he all wavs sen day but wt £20000 of the borryved car fi cant bla of been hetter if he ) { al but just 1ot 4t T wisht T cou {thing nies to mak ese vou kn throw Regards to Mary F. A GROSS * o+ o= ox Alllson, T, Now. 1 TROTHER CHARLEY Wall Charles we alnt going to move hack to b s tde or no | oing tn stay here. T seon the r astate man to-dav that sl Place & ast him what o for 1t n an price that t e s s to com then that & chanee in f1 want s whe You town no wheres Do e B e atea e T A last her what came ove r oall of | Mrs. Carry told 1 al iy the dance & Mre a bhont 1t and ~ver to-nizht Waltors was hefore last had a he nsted nf sro Charle Al & liveine out he that conld hanne So T gness thev { us_moveing for a wile the dnar bell just runew sa the Car- rve fg hors & T oot to close best reds. to Marv from the hoath of ins FRED A GROS P 8T tare this letter nnen main aft T had it pasted un all readv. That wasent the Carrvs that rung the Ao hell but a man & his wife name Cur = thats in the wond & cnal busness 1 nice people is ¥ want to meet. Thewd came to call ¢ ng & the Carrvs come 2fter words { wo plaved rummy £ hand It & thev dident o home until a bont 10 min a go and its nretty near 1 a clack hut e wasent plavine cards all the wily hut part of the time wes was eating refreshments. Grace cd up a welch rabbit & we had | brew to go with it & T suces t Curtis dont like his heer. W) out here & as ia her over to the Curtisis Mon nizht & th got 1 of these hore phonagrafs to dance by so T muese all that money wasent waisted oh Charley. Regards to Mary. | (Copsright, 1921." Printed be arrangement with Metropolitan Service and The Washington Star ) SECRETARY MELLON ACTS ONLY AFTER COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE BY JOHN L. MARTIN. NDREW W. MELLON, Secretary of the Treasury, is the shyest member of President Harding's cabinet. Reserved almost to the point of bashfulness, he dislikes pub licity and shrinks from newspaper in- terviews. Washington probably has never known a more retiring public offi- cial Yet. indications are multiplying that he is going to be one of the “doers’ of the administration. Pittsburgh newspapers, which had seen Mr. Mellon develop in that city three of the country’s strongest finan- cial Institutions, passed the word to Washington correspondents that the President had picked a winner for the Treasury portfolio, but a poor subject for newspaper copy. And, so far, Mr. Mellon has run true to form. My first meeting with him, curiously enough, developed a story that would have gone for first-page &pace, but he promptly committed me to secrecy. This was about four days before the inaugu- ration, when he paid a visit to the A. W. MELLON. Secretary of Treasury. Treasury, unannounced, “just to look around a bit."” Although every paper in the country had published as a fact that he would be the next Secretary, Mr. Mellon told me that he had not been advised by Mr. Harding of his selection for the post. Two days later the selec- tion was confirmed by the President-to- be on his way north from Florida. * % ¥ % I next saw Mr. Mellon about 7 o'clook one evening at the Treasury. He had been a cabinet member three weeks and developed, through choice or necessity, the habit of a twelve- hour working day, not counting an hour off for lunch. He was surprised by the lateness of my call. “The life of & newspaper man would not suit me,” he remarked, “for there seems to be no beginning or ending of his work. It just goes on.” He looked upon me, I thought, with pity, and I resolved to turn the sit- uation to my advantage, if possible, and try for an interview with a “kick” in it. I led off with the harm- less question of whether he consid- ered the country was spending too much money. Right here I made a tactical blunder. No question is closer to Mr. Mellon than the need for national economy. But he has a decided aversion to an- swering questions which might rest upon a variety of conditions that could not be comprehended or covered in a brief answer. And he said so— but very pleasantly. My next effort was better aimed. It went direct to what he thought of a sales tax. And he told me. Some features are good: some not 8o good. It is & broad question which requires careful consideration and one he would not care to answer without going into full detalls. This boought me t6 & Quastion I hoped would produce a would he recommend a bud {to Congress at the nex don’t think he will headliner— [ am not sure. He did say. howev, at. while it ix the business of ( to ini- tiate taxation and 11t is the duty of the ment to suppl | facts that would of legislation is d, and that he proposed to see t the informa- tion was complete and accurate. x X ¥ ¥ indic. e what sort In this statement Mr. Mellon 41 closed the keynote to his success ad’ a business man and financier. It has been the bix, guidinz prineiple of his life to act only when in pos- session of complete knowieage. He doesn’t know the meaning of snap Jjudgment. And here we have the real reason hack of his s President Harding to be of the Treasur:; With the spend- ing recklessly and menaced by an evident indifference on_ the part of the people in getting back to pre- war habits of thrift, the President sought for the nation’s fiscal leader A man whose business career count been buiit upon conservative 1f and who was trajned 1o sce the da gers that lurk in policies that d not accord with sound business principles. His judgment in selecting Mr. Mel# lon was vindicated almost immedi- ately after the new Secerctary had taken office. One of the latter's first acts was to address a letter to bank- ing institutions throughout the coun- try directing attention to the sta of the Treasury and stressing ti importance of economy. “The nation cannot afford estravs gance and, so far as possible, it must 10 avoid entering upon new fieids of expenditure.” he said. “The peop generally must hecome more - terested in saving the government’ money than In spending it. A the ough national budget system mus be established, and the government's expenses brought Into relation to its y) income.” As far as Mr. Mellon is concerned, the country can make up its mind to one fact now: He is zoing te keep Congress and the public ine formed as to government receipte and _expenditures, and before cxe penditures reach the danger line he will maka a stir about it that wii} be heard all over the land. He a mild-mannered r but he wi pot stand for foolhardy business methods—not as long as h s intrusted custodian of Lncle strong box. * x x x In informing the banks of the come dition of our national nces and in announcing his intention of ke Congress informed fuily fiscal situation, Mr. Mellon is bug employing the rule he followed ag president of the Mellon National Bank in Pittsburgh. This was to keep (L board of directors fully acquainted with the affairs of the bank and ta insist that action taken should be predicated upon a full knowledge of as to the facts involved. “Banks sometimes are disposed ta act upon general impre 1S or Tepus tations” he said. “On s of di- rectors, responsibility may be dif- fused. The oniy safe course is in having a full and de knowls rs calls should be edge of the facts in all ma ing for action. Ki dge obtained not only from the character k. persons and institutions Mr. Mellon is not the &peed marvel that former Seceretary McAdoo was in disposing of work. He thinks cau- tiously, and proceeds cautio sly in all he does. He acts only when he s sure of his facts and his pocition. But once having reached a conclusion he will stand by it. He smoked several miniature Pltts- burgh stogies during our brief chat, But smoking is a habit he indulges in but slightly. His principal diver- sions are riding and playing golf, Since taking up his duties in the Treasury, Mr. Mellon has been on tha job promptly at 9 o’clock every morn- ing. and usually is about the last man to leave the building John Kiel who has served as private secretary to all the Treasury heads from Georga B. Cortelyou down, says that Mr. Mellon has had but one predecessor 1n office who showed the same aptituda b for long hours. That man was Mr. Cortelyou. (OO, S T st e S %