davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune., 1881-10-15

....v IIIaucIIIess 1nhumanlty 1t was to doom the
sufferer to such lingering torments; to lead him
day by day to so appalling death. unsupported
by the consultations of religion unvisited by any
human being, abandoned to himself deserted of
all, and denied even the sad privilege of know
ing that his cruel destiny would awaken pity !!
Alone he was to perish Alone he was to wait
a slow-coming torture, whose most exquisite
pangs would be inflicted by that very solitude
and that tardy coming
at is not death l fear he exclaimed, "but
the death | must prepare for! Methinks, too,
could meet even that all horrible and revolving
as it is, if it might overtake ME now. But
where shall find fortitude to tarry till it come?
How can | outlive the three long days and nights
have to live? There is no power within me to
bid the hideous spectre hence: none to make it
familiar to my thoughts, or myself patient of it's
errand. My thoughts rather will flee from me-
and l grow mad in looking at it. Oh. for a
deep sleep to fall upon me! That So in deaths
likeness might embrace death itself, and drink
10 more Of the cup that is presented to me than
my fainting spirit has already tasted!"
In the midst of these lamentations Vivenzio
noticed that his accustomed meal, with the
pitcher of water, had been conveyed, as before
into his dungeon. But this circumstance no
longer excited his surprise. His mind was over
whelmed with others of far greater magnitude
1t suggested, however, a feeble hope of deliver
ance; and there is no hope so feeble as not to
yield some support to a heart bending under
despair. He resolved to watch, during the ensu-
ing night, for the signs he had before observed
cIo ba fao1f
motion of the floor, the current of air. to seize
that moment for giving audible expression to his
misery. Some person must be near him, and
within reach of his voice, at the instant when
his food was supplied some one, perhaps sus-
ceptible of pity Or, if not, to be told even that
his apprehensons were just, and that his fate
was to be what he foreboded, would be preferable
to suspense which hung upon the possibility
of his worst fears being visionary.
To be continued.I
The National tribune., 1881-10-15
MINE AND THINE,

Every wedding, says the prOyerb,
Makes another, soon or late;
Never yet was any marriage
Entered in the book of fate,
But the names were also written
Of the patient pair that wait.
Blessings, then, upon the morning
When my friend, with fondest look,
BY the solemn rites permission,
To himself his mistress took,
And the destinies recorded
other two within their book.
while the priest fulfilled his office,
Still the ground the lovers eyed,
And the parents and the kInsmen
Aimed their chances at the bride;
But the groonlsmen eyed the virgins
Who were waiting at her side.
Three there were that stood beside her
One was dark and one was fair,
But nor dark nor fair the other,
Save her Arab eyes and hair;
Neither dark nor fair | call her,
Yet she was the fairest there.
While her groomsman-shallI / own it ?
Yes, to thee, and only thee
Gazed upon this dark-eyed maiden,
Who was fairest OF the three.
Thus he thought" How blest the bridal
Where the bride was such as she!
Thus / unused upon the adage,
Till my wisdom was perplexed,
And | wondered, as the churchman
Dwelt upon his holy text,
Which, of all who heard his lesson,
Should require the service next?
Whose will be the next occasion
For the flowers. the feast, the wine.
Thine, perchance, my dearest lady;
Qr-who knows ?-it may be mine,
What if 'twere-forgive the fancy
What if 'twere-both mine and thine?
The National tribune., 1881-10-15
A COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS TALE,

The following amusing narrative is adapted
from story which appeared some years ago in
the daily press.
A commercial Traveller, on his business rounds,
came to one of the large Yorkshire towns, where
he found, upon his arrival, that the time which,
under lapse of memory, he had chosen for his
visit, was most inopportune. The races We're
on" and every house OF accommodation was
crowded to excess. Upon application to the land
lady of the hotel where he had been in the habit
of staying he was informed that every bed in the
premises had been bespoken for a week before his
coming: and more than this, that even the very
floors and tables of the dining would be bur-
dened at night with racing-men and weary
pleasure seekers.
ave are extremely sorry, sir" said Mrs. Boni-
face, "that we cannot receive you, an accustomed
patron Of the house; but under existing circum-
stances, it is impossible that we can But" she
added, II will give you the names of some per-
sons in the town who let rooms, and perhaps you
will find among them some one who can put You
up-at least | hope So"
Our friend took the list of names with a rueful
face, and at once set about the discovery of
place of rest for the night. But all his search
was fruitIess Every bed and possible "shake-
down" in the whole district was pre-engaged; ;
and if he would remain in the town. he must
walk the streets until morning. But sooner than
do this, he resolved to return to his good land
lady of former days, and cast himself upon her
benevolent contrivance and sympathy.
Upon my word sir" she said, "you greatly
distress and puzzle me- | really do not know
where in the world I can put you" But after
thinking for moment. she asked: "Will you
consent to occupy the hostler's room, sir? 1t
stands in a back part of the premises; and per-
haps we could manage to make it-at least in
some degree-comfortable.
The traveller thanked her warmly, and declared
that the accommodation she spoke of was the
very thing under the circumstances.
In about half an hour, the hostler was called,
and told to take a lantern and conduct the gen.
tleman to his bedroom. The way proved to be
across large yard in the rear Of the inn, up a
step-ladder, along narrow boarded passage, then
up three stairs, and finally through doorway
into the sleeping apartment. Our traveller found,
upon looking around, that good use had been
made Of the halfhour he had been kept waiting.
A carpet had been put on the floor; blankets and
sheets were unexceptionable.
od-night, sir" said the hostler, setting down
his lantern, to furnish some light II hope you'll
sleep well, sir; and indeed, 1 think you'll have
better chance of doing so here than the gents in
the house-youre away from the noise; and in
times like these, the streets all night are any
thing but quiet"
1t was late in the autumn Of the year-the
nights were lOng-and our friend rather tired,
The National tribune., 1881-10-15

bedroom. Turning rounu III MS blankets TO ies,..
who was the intruder, he perceived man, tall,
gaunt and grim, his throat bare, the sleeves of
his shirt turned up and his hair all unkempt and
standing upright in the most disordered manner
The dark figure drew near the travellers bed
stopped over him, and peered down closely in the
dim light, evidently anxious to find out if the
person lying there was awake. Perceiving that
this was the case, our traveller saw him, in the
dusky light, draw himself upright in the room
then Solemnly raise arm, extend it. and point
with his hand through the window to place
outside: after which, more impressively still, he
slowly recovered the extended limb, and motioned
with his forefnger three times across his throat.
This done, the strange apparitiOn abruptly de-
parted his feet sounding as distinctly upon the
floor and step-ladder on his going out, as they
had been heard to do when he came in.
The commercial traveller was not nervous man.
and he had knowledge, more or less of the strange
occurrences and rough usages Of the world. Yet,
this dark, grotesque, and absolutely silent in
truder and his most singular gestures, did not
strike him as altogether pleasant agreeable,
and he would much rather not have been dis
turbed in such an unreasonable and unwar-
rantable manner. He would. however, take no
action in the matter-at least for the present
Indeed, he felt himself powerless to do this in
this lonely part of the premises But he GER
tanly, when he got up, would make complaint
to Mrs. Bonitace of the way in which he had
been annoyed. Fixing his purpose in his mind,
our isolated lOdger betOok himself again to
slumber, and had almost re-entered the land of
dreams, when, both to his vexatiOn and alarm,
the footsteps he had previously heard again
sounded upon his earS-the same firm and
measured tread-and soon his former visitor re-
peated his mysterious intrusion.
This time the gaunt figure looked agitated
and angry, and, to our travellers amazement and
fear, carried in his right hand large, long, and
cleaning knife. Pointing his hand in a similar
direction as before, he shook his grizzly head and
violently winked his eyes and stamped his foot :;
yet uttering never word but kept perfectly
silent, and concluded his wild actions by draw
ing, not with his finger, but the huge knife, de-
terminately and slowly across his exposed throat
After this CHASTITY pantomime, a second time he
took his leave, proceeding along the narrow,
foored passage, and down the step-ladder to the
inn yard.
The man before whom this awful dumb-show
had been performed, crouched and trembled in his
bed. He had often heard Of spectral and super
natural appearances, and had affected to laugh
at those who declared they believed in them.
But was not this, after all, an unearthly vista
ton? 1t looked extremely like it, He would
not however, fully conclude that he had really
seen an apparatiOn; yet he would guard against
a third invasion of this uncanny guest He would
do what he now remembered he had unfortunately
hitherto neglected-he would fasten the door of
The National tribune., 1881-10-15

Lord God, look down upon me, and in mercy
strike me with instant death. fiend. O
devil.-is this your revenge?n
He dashed himself upon the ground in agony,
tears burst from him. and the sweat stood in
large drops upon his face. He sobbed aloud, he
tore his hair he rolled about like one suffering
intolerable anguish of body, and would have
bitten the iron floor beneath him: he breathed
fearful curses upon Tolfi, and the next moment
passionate prayers to Heaven for immediate
death Then the violence of his grief became
exhausted; and he lay still, weeping child
would weep. The twilight of departing day
shed its gloom around him ere he arose from
that posture of utter and hopeless sorrow. He
had taken no food. Not one drop of water had
cooled the fever of his parched lips, Sleep had
not visited his eyes for six-and-thirty hours. He
was faint with hunger; weary with watching,
and with the excess of his emotions He tasted
of his food; he drank with avidty Of the water,
and reeling, like drunken man, to his straw,
cast himself upon it to brood again over the ap-
palling image that had fastened itself upon his
almost frenzied thoughts.
He slept; but his slumbers were not tranquil.
He resisted, as long as ne could, their approach
and when at last, enteebled nature yielded to
their influence. he found no oblivion from his
cares. Terrible dreams haunted him: CHASTITY
visions narrowed up his imagination; he shouted
and screamed as if he already felt the dungeons
ponderous roof descending on him: he breathed
hard and thick as though writhing between its
iron walls. Then would he spring up. stare
wildly about him, stretch forth his hands to be
sure he yet had space enough to live, and, NUT
tering some ncoherent words sink down again,
to pass through the same fierce vicissitudes OF
deliriOus sleep.
The morning of the fourth day dawned upon
Vivenzio; but it was high noon before his mind
shook off its stupor, or he awoke to a full con-
sciousness of his situation. And what fixed
energy of despair sat upon his pale features as
he east his eyes upwards, and gazed upon the
THREE windows that now alone remained The
three! there were no more, and they seemed to
number his own allotted days. Slowly and
calmly he next surveyed the top and sides, and
cOmprehended all the meaning of the diminished
height of the former, well as of the gradual
approximation of the latter. The contracted
dimensions of his mysterious prison were now
too gross and palpable to be the juggle of his
heated imagination.
Still lost in wonder at the means. NivenZiO
could put no cheat upon his reason as to the end.
By what horrible ingenuity it was contrived that
walls and roofs and windows should thus silently
and imperceptibly, without noise and without
notion almost fold, it were, within each other,
he knew not. He only knew they did SO; and
he vainly strove to persuade himself it was the
intention of the contriver to rack the miserable
wretch who might be immured there with antici-
patton merely of a fate from which, in the very
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-02-27

THE Chronicle Of Thursday was
comfortably specializing upon the
extreme probability of the election
OF George c. Gorham as Secretary
Of the United States Senate. In
these speculations our San Fran
cisco contemporary was Ignorant
Of the death OF Hon. Matthew Car.
penter, and founded its hopes on
the treachery Of Senator Malone,
Of Virginia, to the Democratic
party, and tue swinging back OF
David Davis to the Republican
ranks. 1t now so happens that the
votes of both Malone and Davis
would be Intellectual to elect
"Coolien George to that envied
station, although there Is no earth.
ly danger of Davis's backsliding.
A Democrat is just as certain to be
the Secretary of the Senate IS that
night is to succeed the day. All
this comes of counting political
chickens before they are Matched.
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-02-27

Great confusion snsued and mem.
bers clamored to know what the
bill was.
Mathews, of Tehama, moved to
lay the motion. on the table. Lost,
ayes AZ, noes 81.
May, OF the Committee on Ways
and Means, reported for passage
substitute Senate bill 1877, amend.
ing the Political Code relative to
revenues.
Mcclure moved to suspend the
rules and take the bill up
Matthews, of Tehama, object ed,
saying the bill was the worst of the
session.
Grifiith said the bill as he under
stood 1t, was designed to exempt
capital from taxation.
May said the bill was just the
opposite of what Griffith claimed.
There was a provision in 1t pr0hib'
iting double taxation.
Harrison said tho revenue law
had not worked as expected. 1t was
either defect in the law or In its
administration. II 1t was a defect
in the law 1t should be corrected.
He was in favor of action.
Leach said the bill was in open
defiance of the Constitution. The
only purpose it could serve, II
passed by this House, would be to
enable large tax payers to escape
paying their taxes and multiply
litigation.
The motion to take up was lost,
ayes Al, noes SO.
Mcdonald introduced concur
rent resolution setting forth that
as the Committee on Public Elk.
penditures and Accounts had found
Controller Kenfield guilty Of pay
ing q clerks salary to his wife.
who rendered no service, therefore,
resolved that the Attornsy-G General
be instructed to proceed against
KsnfieId by civil suit to recover
the money thus drawn from the
treasury In violation of the law.
Referred to the Committee on Ju-
dietary.
On motion Of Estey, the oleomar-
garine bill Of Sears was taken up,
read and placed on the third read
ing file. The third reading file
was then taken up and the amend
ments to McMurray's bill permit
ting actions to be brought against
the State, were lost aud the bill re.
fused passage, ayes 20, noes SS.
On motion of Gibson, Senate bill
1877. amending the Code OF Civil
Procedure relating to the writ OF
prohibition, was taken up and read
the first time.
After taking up and reading q
few unimportant bills, q recess was
taken.
Stage R.Sb edition SssiEe.
TUCSON, A.. T., Feb. 26th.-The
stage coming from Tombstone to
Benson was jumped by two road
agents yesterday evening, about
dark, between Contention and
Tom bstone. Wells, Fargo & Co.'s
treasure box was taken with $13S.
A number of passengers were on
the stage. but neither they nor the
U. 8. mail was disturbed. Detect
ives are on the track of the high
waymen.
A strike was made yesterday in
the drift of the Sidney mine, Tomb
stone. The ore is very rich and is
supposed to be the extension Of the
Crane. Central vein. The property
is owned by San Francisco parties.
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-02-27

4 DRIVE Of thirty odd miles yes
ferday has shown US that the de-
layed rains, which are now immi.
noat, are responsible for 10 serious
dAnae : In the region traversed By
- ne sseea 10 thick and lush and
On VAN several weeks for the
v61eecpo moistufe. The barley,
without an exception, IL looking
nAslfty and promising. Tho pas
ooese everywhere. except whore
11Io9 have been closely cro ,,cc,s,1 b
iooD ard cattle, are M. RI.
~ rpsat vivid Of green til "a Gan
6fuDgemenla noted In tCa Am e
~ valley require to be 81 ID
4 coulated. Tremendousv =
= hoya been made In settl
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-02-27

SACRAMENTO, Feb. 26.-SENATE,
The resolution providing for even
ing sessions on and after Monday
was laid over under the rules.
Second reading, consideration oil
County Government bill resumed.
The section regulating fees and
salaries was struck out.
German moved to reconsider the
vote by which the section was
struck out.
Pardee moved for a call of the
After Watson was brought in
Sears moved that further proceed.
ings under the call be dispensed
with.
Johnson objected and the motion
w&s lost.
Euos was brought in and ex-
cussd; also Hill.
The motion to reconsider was
lost, ayes Is, noes 10.
Dickinson moved to lay the bill
on the table. Lost; ayes IL, noes 20.
johnson moved to amend by
making the terms Of Supervisors
tWV yS0ho luSb00u VI lOuE yc1IHs
Lost.
Rowell moved to amend the sec.
ton relating to counties Of the
third class, leaving IL discretionary
with the Boards OF Supervisors to
make the County Clerk er.o0acio
Auditor and Recorder. Lost.
The bill was ordered to engross.
ment viva V0ce. 1t provides for an
election In 1882, except in San
Francisco, and allows the present
[fsgime the fees and salaries Of the
existing law.
Recess.
AssEMBLY-The Committee on
Apportionment reported Senate
bill 118 to divide the State into
Senatorial and Assembly districts
and to pr.scomnlSLthe election Of
The minority, consistingts passa ge.
eet, Whipple, Bost and GIfl Dag
Recommend Its rejection on the
ground chat tho superintendent
vas unjust and not in accordance
With the spirit II the Constitution
Mcclure moved to suspend the
rules and take up the above bill.
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-02-27

Harbor bill recommend the follow
Ing alterations in the appropria-
lions: Improving the San Joaquin
river, CAL, $40, 900; increase the
Sacramento river. CAL, $50, 900; In.
crease the Wilmington Harbor
y2l, 600; increase the Humboldt
Hsrbor, CAL, and Bay, CAL, $780,
900.
Cssgressioaal News.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26th.-The
House had an animated debate on
the proposition to appropriate two
hundred thousand dollars for .
c0aling station at the Isthmus of
Panama, some claiming 1t to be .
speculative move. Adjourned with
out action.
The President Of the Senate to.
day presented the protest of Boston
merchants aud ship owners against
the Chinese treaties. Referred to
the Committee on Foreign Rela.
tl0ns.
A Feverish stock Market
NEW YORK, Feb. 26ths ia. NJ
The stock market opened strong,
one-half to three higher for the
general list. Most of the leading
shares recorded a further advance
Of one. fourth to two, but before
long speculation became unsettled
and a feverish tone prevailed.
Toward IL O'clock the market be-
came firm, with an upward tend.
ency In prices. There is still q
feeling of doubt and uncertainty,
mingled with a hope that the worst
Is over. All agree, however, that
the following 10 q correct statement
In nutshell of the condition Of af-
fairs: The Secretary of the Treas
ury can relieve the great stringent
cy In the money market, or IL relief
can be found in any other way,
stocks will advance, but otherwise
the market cannot uold up.
Hssged By vigssanses.
ALBUQUERQUE, N. M Feb. &c.
Fausttne Guitterro, implicated In
the murder of Col. Potter, who was
brought in by the 5heriff's posse,
was taken from the Jail by vigi.
lantes and hanged.
Fatal FIRE.
SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 26.h.-Tho
hay and grain warehouse Of Moore
4 McLaren burnt early this morn.
ing. Loss $4,000. Two EN-.
ployees slept In tho establish me Mt.
One perished and the other was
badly injured.
The Finanosui s1suastou.
New YORK, Feb. 26.-The Post
says: The highest rate for money
this morning was 6 per cent. per
annum and one per cent. per diem.
Now it is 8 plain. The weekly
bank statement Is, OF course, unfa.
vorable, but less 80 than was ex.
pected. No National Banks to-day
have deposited to give up circuis-
ton, and 1t locke as il this business
had ceased. Neighboring cities,
and even Montreal and London,
are sending money here aud it is
likely the crisis 10 past. The Sec.
rotary of the Treasury has ordered
to-day chat the 25 millions included
in the 100 millions of the first call,
be paid principal and interest on
demand here, and this has greatly
simpltfied matters. The chances
are now said to be against the
enactment of the Fundiug bill In
the event Of its failure to.pass, the
banks would probably withdraw
their demands for the retirement of
their circulation. Should 1t be.
come law the banks could not
afterward give up their note circu.
lation, and contraction would not
be possible. The prospects are,
therefore, for very cosy money
market from now on,