davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19

to myself, What is the difference! Harry is
going there and shall only spoil pretty sur
prise"
But l did not go at once; ! was detained by
business in Philadelphia. l thought you had
written, and merely wrote to announce my visit;
by return received Miss Bellas cool request not
to come"
But why did you not sign yourself Fon-
taine?n
II wrote to Mrs Kester; to her l had always
been Harry and was afraid she would think
me eager to forget the good old name, or else
ambitious of bringing to the front my new estates
and Importance. You see, aunt, l was in pc
culiar position for modest man"
well, l don't take any blame to myself,
Harry. L was always against your deceiving
Bella. A straight line in love well as in ge-
ometry is decidedly best. 1 have not forgotten
how you asked me leading questions about Miss
kester, and how you allowed me to introduce to
you as perfect stranger young lady whom you
had selected for your wife when she was in short
frocks and ankle tights. If your little plans have
gone a-eey, Harry, you deserve it, sill"
suppose | go at once, aunt, and explain
things to Bea9n
Il dare say the little darling has been sobbing
herself sick with annoyance. How can you eX-
pect her to rush to an explanation with a head
ache and red eyesl should wait until this even
ing, If were you.
Harry thought over this advice about three
| minutes, then put on his hat and went straight
| to Mrs. Kesters. The next scene in the little
drama was Desiree standing beside Bella with
Mr.. Fontaine's card in her hand, on which was
penciled an urgent request for an interview
Bella raised her tnmbled, bright little head from
among her pillows read the eager words, and
made rapid step to the lookingglass Mean
while, Desiree was explaining the merits of the
white null morning dress and Bella saw the
possibilities of the case at once
Desiree estimated rightly; the snowy null
with its soft lace trimming and pale pink bows
set off admirably the careless coils of Bellas
bright hair and the tender dewy beauty
of her violet eyes. Harry went men
tally down on his knees before this
beautiful, half-reproachful vision, and said
great many more abject things of himself than
there was any occasion for. But it was easy for
man to imagine himself dreadful culprit with
Bellas sorrowful little face beside him How
ever, after two hours conversation, he got par
tally through his confession, and Bella tremb-
| lngly began hers.
Two more hours passed away, and she had
been so often interrupted by Harry that it was
determined to defer the rest of the explanation
until evening; but somehow the affair grew so
tangled that it never was unraveled until the
following Christmas eve, when the happy mar
riage bells rang out and Harry and Bella had
foreyermore but one life and one heart
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
KISSING A SENORITA.
Teaching a BIack-Eyed Mexican Girl the
Art of Oscillation.
Perral CMex.) Letter.

Perral (Mex.) Letter.
Senorita, l kiss your feet, dios!' This is
the parting salute contained in a note Just fin
lshed to young Mexican friend. Of course
do not intend to kiss her feet but it is the proper
caper here, and have conformed to it. Why
should l kiss Zenobia's feet even metaphor
icallyf True, | would, and perhaps have, kissed
her hand and lips her forehead, cheeks and
probably the back of her neck, but. although
Zenobia is a sweet girl, l must be excused
from osculatory contact with her pretty
foot, dressed in high -heeled and arched-instep-
ped gaiter Like all Mexican girls, she is rather
slouchy about her hosiery, and happened once
to have observed that her white stockings were
not of the very cleanest and hung in folds over
the tops of her CATERS, instead of being braced
up. The appearance reminded me of collapsed
coneertna, and the dear girl fell 80 per cent, in
my esteem.
By theway the senoritas have but faint idea
of klssing-that art from which so few possess
the capacity of extracting the most available
eestacy and one day offered to show dark
eyed, raven-haired young lady how los Ameri-
canos performed the act. Shelaughingly agreed
it is unnecessary for me to say that the male
members and duenna were out of the way
and l advanced upon her; my left arm en-
circled her waist, extending over the right
shoulder downward; my right arm, bent at the
elbow, afforded my hand an opportunity Of ac-
cumulating her dimpled chin. Gently folding
back her head and throwing a look, or rather
rapid series of looks Of unutterable nothing into
my eyes, gazed clean through hers for a mo-
ment and then with long-drawn breath
tapped her lips 1t was revelation to her; she
quivered visibly, but, instead of returning my
kiss, she broke away from my embrace and ran
off to lock herself up, frightened, pleased, but
astonished l was satisfied that had done my
self and country proud, although, to be candid,
it was merely mechanical operation with me,
done for the sake of effect, as did not really
care for the girl. L think she remained in maid
en- meditation for two days, bu, at last 1 saw
she told DluSh.
she wished she had been born in America, to be
kissed like that.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
THE DAYS HUM0R.

The disease of the meter-gas trick fever.
Oil City Derrick.
new Philadelphia song is called, Kick me,
Darling, ere | Shore" 1t is especially popular
in church
Noble sentiment by Washington department
clerk; Let me but draw the nations salary,
and | care not who does its work. Boston
Globe.
Nov girls said teacher, 'can you tell me
what the word circular means2
''Yeth M isped little seven-year old; 18th
fur-lined cloakt
Mother, may go out to vote?"
Yes, my charming daughter;
Be sure and get big bank none
For voting as you oughter.
Whitehall Times.
''What is the price of this axle-grease," asked
mark on ltF 1T depends your customer.
If he asks for axle-gr grease charge him fifteen
cents a pound but if he wants butter make it
thirty eight cents philadelphia Call.
The custom of smuggling instead of cutting the
hair is becoming somewhat popular The theory
is that it seals up the ends and prevents gray
ing An Italian barber says:-De SINCE ah no
good ah. You no SINCE ah maccarone. SINCE all
make ah place all smell up like all Limburger,
Not ah much an; no SINCE ah.'
".Of what did your father diel" asked the in
surance examiner. 'DropsX," replied the young
liner, hereditary" The young man said he
hoped not, and nervously tried to change the
subject, but was at last cornered and compelled
to admit that his father had the dropsy out in
Arizona, and that when he dropped he didn't get
all the way down and there was nothing for him
to light on. But the insurance man seemed to
be greatly relieved, and said there was nothing
in that to stand in the way of his getting pol
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
In April.

The wandering breeze looeed from silvery cloud
Blows sweet and warm across the land to-day,
Bringing breath of far off summer flowers
From fields where summer never goes astray.
Up from its sepulchre of bare, brown earth
The erocus looks upon the changing skies,
Lifting its Easter cup in thankfulness
For all the winters leaden sacrifice.
In sheltered hooks, low in the springing grass
Close folded from the tickle sum and rain
The tender buds of blueeyed violets
Await to tell us of the May again,
The glad birds pour their songs atmorn and eve
In ripples of enhancing, joyous song;
The day goes lingering thro' the gates of night,
And with the sunset glory tarries long.
And would fain be glad as was glad
In days when all the world was bright and new;
When heaven seemed only Just beyond my gaze
A city built above the shining blue;
Before the fair, green earth so full of flowers
Had ever hidden dear ones from my sight;
Before knew that every radiant bud
Held in its heart the shadow of a blight,
Not in repining not with thankless tears
Do behold the harbingers of spring;
But something gone with all the faded years
Chastens each note of gladness that l sing.
Something too sweetly sad to name as pain,
Like minor chords in some exultant fay
That fingers when the melody is dead
Sweet voices gone from Paradise astrav.
MIS-. D. NJ. Jordan.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
A WILD, WEIRD STORY.
All About a Transparent Board Fence in
California.

CalI1OfnIa.
San Francisco Chronicle.
That a man can see through milestone is
trite expression but who ever heard of any one
seeing through closely built board fence while
riding by on swiftly moving trainl Such
however, is the case, and q few DAYS ago a
Chronicle reportar had ocular proof of what at
first thought seemed to be an mpossibihty
Every person who has been to Oakland on the
narrow guage route since the depot was
opened has, no doubt, noticed the high fencing
that separates the wagon road on the trestle-
work from the railroad tracts. The railroad
company were at first roundly denounced for
building the fencing so high Oakland
people thinking that it would hide from the
view of passengers the creek and Oakland
Whether the company knew that the fence
would be transparent Is not known, but few
weeks ago it was discovered that by looking out
the windows of the cars and steadily at the
fence, full view of Oakland, the surrounding
hills, the vessels on the creek and even the sea-
WALL which is comparatively low, can be dis
tinctly seen. This fact excited much comment
at first and those who discovered the matter
were laughed at, incredulous people claiming
that it was an optical delusion.
\ Chronicle reporter visited Oakland few
days ago and found the statements of travellers
regarding the fence true and in no way eXagger-
ated as the creek and its surroundings were
plainly visible. Inquiry developed the fact that
the fence was only transparent during certain
hours of the day-that is, one can only see
through it when the fence is in the shadow Of
the cars, and that when the was shining on
it it was simply big board fence, shutting out
the view from that side Seeking a solution Of
the phenomenon, the reporter approached sew.
eral railroad employees, but they knew nothing
further about the matter than that the fence was
there and could be seen through.
The fence itself was inspected. 1t is con-
structed of half inch boards and is closely built,
the boards being only about an eighth Of an
inch apart and the only way that the matter can
be accounted for is that the train moves SO
swiftly that the cracks are all run into one. 1t
is the same principle that prevents a person
from seeing the spokes on the big wheel of a BIZ
bles one to see clear through the wheel rs if it
were q large hoop.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
SOUTHERN LANGUOR.
A Northern Woman Bears Testimony to the
Enervating Air of Florida.

Florida Letter to Cleveland Herald.
Yes sir, she said with an emphasis that
brought every man out Of the strictly American
position which ne had gradually assumed to one
better adapted for sudden flight. Yes. sir;
your mighty right. Look at me7 We looked
Il came down here ten years ago-nOt for my
health. Bless you, no. never had a sick day;
and energetc-my Well | wish sometimes that
my poor husband-my first mean-could have
lived to see me now Maybe he would have
lived if hadn't hurried him so9-and she gazed
medltatvely into space. well, | came down
here for pleasure, and the first thing | did was
to fall in love with an orange grove Fool wasn't
IL" she demanded of her audience, who
stirred in an embarrassed way, for there was
still so strong a trace of energy in her eve
that the possibility of being hurried like No l
made answering ticklish business well [
married that orange grove" she went on: Il al
ways speak of the grove, for the man | got into
the bargain didn't amount to much. Poor fellow:
he can't just as you say, sir he can't hardly git
enough life from the air to live ON. much less
amount to anything. An what's more, I'm git
tin just like him for all the world. Why 1
haven't got enough energy to shake with the
chills. It's a fact I've lately taken to dumb
ague. Same way with the cattle. We've got
some good pasture but you don't reckon those
COWS are goin' to waste all their strength brows-
ing around after grass. Not bit of it; they save
it up SOS they'll have enough left to chew their
cud after they've been to the house three
times day for their rations Oh | tell you
you Northern folks don't know anything about
the South for livin'. Why, just look at apple
trees They act the fool the first two or three
seasons-just the downright fool. They seem
dazed. They don't any more than git through
bearin' than the sun commences calm, calm,
and out comes the new blossoms and new
leaves an SO they keep on an keep on, till they
don't know, whether they're apple trees or ever
green's and bimeby they git tired trying to find
out, and lay down an die. Yes sir you re lust
right the South has got to git its livin' by dom
somethin that don't take no great amount Of
either brain or musclel" And as the boat sheered
up to dilapidated landing, the ex-widow was
received into the lank arms of the orange
grove" in question: and her audience settled
down to-cogitate on the resources of the South.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
A BLOOMING BoARDING-HoUsE.
Sick Plants Taken To Be Cured, and Wei
Plants To Be Cared For.


Tommy, go up to Mrs IS this afternoon
and get those azaleas She was in hismorning
and said that they're sick again"
This order was given by a wellknown florist
yesterday to one of the men who was at work in
the green house attached to the store. You
didn't know we kept hospital and boarding
house for plants, did yOui" he continued, with a
smile and addressing customer well, we do
and that part of the business has grown consid-
erably during the last year or So What do l
mean by hospital and boarding house? Why
that people send their plants here to be taken
care of when they begin to die or wither, or to
be kept for them while they are away from home
in the summer. No, not when the people begin
to die-when the plants"
Here is what we call our hospital book 1t
has a list of all the plants that are sent here to
be doctored into health again. See this entry:
March 4, received of Mrs. - six white-violet
plants; condition very bad; returned in good
order and bloom March 81 and this March g.
received of Miss box of twenty young
Jacks'-that means General Jacqueminot rose
bushes condition bad; returned seventeen
plants in perfect health April q three plants
died. and on and so on, at the rate of about
three entries a week during the spring, and
seven or eight in the winter season.
1.-THE boarding list, as call this book, is q
record of plants sent to us to take care of dur
ing the summer, and it will soon begin to be a
long one. At present there are only about a
dozen boarders in the house, most of them be-
longing to people who have gone to Europe or
to Florida. No; can't show them to you, for
we keep them at our nursery, just out of the
city limits"
Further inquiries elected the information that
the rates for skilled medical attendance in
the floral hospital and for both board and
lodging in the floral boarding house were very
moderate and within the reach of plants in the
most moderate circumstances. For, you see, :"
said the florist, nearly all our patients and
boarders have been purchased from us before
they were taken sick or come to board; and so
we make the rates just as low as we can"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19

Cincinnati Merchant Traveller
Mamma" said a small boy, do you believe
everything papa say'2"
''Of course, my child" replied the mother,
with wifely pride.
Everything, mammal"
Yes dear, everything"
''Well, / don't"
Hush, you wicked boy; you mustn't talk SO.
What did your papa ever say that yon couldn't
believer
You know that widow on the next square,
who always looks so sour at us boys?'
you mean that pretty Mrs. Bonton"
''She's the one. | heard papa tell her yester-
day that she was the sweetest woman in town,
and then he gave her bunch of flowers and it
made me fell so ashamed to hear him tell such a
story that ran away and wouldn't let him know
| had caught him in it
THAT will do, my child" said themother with
peculiar look in her gentle face, run out and
play and / will tell your father when he comes in
that he must be particular not to destroy his
sons confidence in his veracity."
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
The Taxpayer at Disadvantage.


FhlIaue phIa OhII.
Mrs. B.-"My dear, the Blifkinses are going
to Newport for the entire season."
Mr. B.-"Well, they can afford to. Mr. Blif-
kins is a street contractor
Mrs. B.-"And the Snifl1inses are going to
Saratoga"
Mr. B.-"I am not surprised. Snifkins was
recently elected to an office
Mrs. B.-''And the Niffersons they are going
to Europe"
Mr. B.-"Certainly, my love; why shouldn't
they. Mr.. Nifferson is very successful poll
tician"
Mrs. B,-"But why can't we go somewhere
instead of broiling in the city all summer, with
only an occasional run to Gloucester
Mr. B.-'Well, you see, my DEAR ] am only
q taxpayer"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
The Secrets of the Spring.

Come out and hear the robins sing,
And hear the bluebirds tale of spTin&
And see the swallows on the wing.
Come out and listen, listen low,
And hear the grasses as they grow,
And list the little winds that blow.
And learn to read their secret we'll
The secret that they softly tell
To bird and bee in drowsy dell,
OF bloomy banks that are to be-
OF fragrant field and leafy tree,
And all the summer mystery
OF bud and blossom, flower and fruit
That quickens now in sap and root,
And now in tender, springing shoot.
Come out, come out, the days are long,
But Nature sings her secret song
In secret ways-the days are long,
But swift as sweet from day to day,
From hour to hour, the tuneful lay
Runs headlong on a ehangeful way.
Come out then, in the early glow
OF early springtime's bud and blow,
Come out and hear the grasses grow,
And all the secrets of the spring
That melt and murmur, speak and sing,
To ears attuned to listening
Nora Perry, in the May Manbatta
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19

and sincere they are, cannot but feel that there
should be no rest until the missionary message
is borne to the last one of these benighted hea
them
True, asserted the first speaker; 1t is a
grand and solemn duty"
Just at this juncture the animal hieked his tail
and struck one of the Buddhist priests in the
mouth.
Holy Moses" he exclaimed, interupting his
devotons. "Ye heather haste" and then the
young ladies stroIled ON to the monkevs CAGE.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
EVentide.

It sunset on the beach I watch
The children in their glee.
One picks pebble from the sand
And throws it in the sea.
A tiny thing to agitate
That vast immensely!
Its circles widen, widen out;
Then, family closing DER,
Are lost in waves more turbulent,
Or swept upon the shore.
Ny life is like that pebble tossed
On Times refuent sea;
A sudden ripple stirs its face,
Then glides out silently
In ever wid'ning circle, till
Its last faint breath is still.
AS, weary with the strife to fight,
Where strength must measured be,
1t rests its aching head within
Sweet sleep-eternity.
Ida May Davis, Terre Hautt
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
He Caught On.
nc va
Detroit Free Press.

A Peasant one day put on n new Paper Collar
and creased his Boots with Chicago Butterne
and HE'D himself to the Town and to the Office
of an Insurance Company. where he Demanded
the sum of One Hundred Dollars.
'For what2' asked the President
Because l have kept my house insured with
you for a Thousand Dollars for these last four
teen years, and it has never burned and caused
you loss"
Then the President called him Wooden
Headed Carrot and other Sweet Names and or
dered him to Cheese the Racket The Peasant
was looking about the town for the aforesaid
Cheese when a Lawyer winked him into a stair
way and said:
Foolish mani An Insurance Company pays
not for what you save, but for what you lose.
Fee, $50"
MORAL:
The Insurance Company has settled the Loss
at 5000
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19

Know, peradventure, least of what they do.
I've known the pregnant thinkers of the time,
And stood by, breathess, hanging on their lips,
When some chromatic sequence of fine thought
In learned meditation praised itself
To unconjectured harmony of truth;
And yet I've been more moved, more raised, say,
By simple word-a broken, easy thing,
A three-year infant might say after you
A look, sigh, touch upon the palm
Which meant less than Il love you'-than by all
The fulvoiced rhetoric of those master mouths
Mrs. Browning
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19

Brooklyn EARLE.


HE isn't bird that you'd admire for his good
looks" said the owner contemplating with an
expression of tenderness parrot that squatted
demurely in corner of its cage; hes lost one
eye, poor fellow, his claws are all gone, and he's
so feeble at times that we have to lift him upon
his perch: but he's the cutest bird you ever saw
What do you call him2'
Before he was all broken up he went by the
name Of Pretty Poll, but now we call him Sam
Tilden.'"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
True Communist Doctrine.

New York Commercial Advertiser.
Female Communist-"An' if ye had all the
money in the world divided, Pat, what wud ye
do wild your share?"
Male .Comnunist--'Spend it, like brick,
Nora avick"
Female Communist-"And what wud we do
then, Patl'
Male Communist-"Share all the money over
again, av coorSe.'
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
Tie Elephant and the nuddhist.

Philadelphia Call.
Two young ladies were gazing at the white
elephant as it stood enthroned in all its sacred
splendor and surrounded by the mystic embems
of its holy character and the adoring priests who
where kneeling devoutly on every side.
How curious it is remarked one, that any
race of people should be so deluded as to worship
an elphant"
1T is indeed" replied the other, sadly. when
look upon this worshiping throng Of ignorant
superstitious creatures and realize how earnest
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
RolIo and the Cowboy.


~ d DUitIttIt
Why do they call the Texas herder cow
boy7" asked Rollo.
Because, my son, replied Rollo's father "he
drives steers"
"And then" asked ROllo, why do they call
him cow boyp
Because, said Rolos father, "he is a man
of forty-three years old"
"oh, yes replied Rollo; NOW under
stand
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
Peaches in Indiana.
Madison Court,

Madison Courier.
Argus Dean went into the business of growing
peaches in 1856 Last year he shipped $4,000
lieves this portion of the Ohio Valley to be the
best region in the world for peach and fruit grow
ing