davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28
There Are Two Ways to Propose.

Here are two styles of proposing.
This one is the kind you read about,
but the other is the one most popular
in the realm of fact: "My angel, l have
long waited for this opportunity. You
must have detected ere now the growth
of my love for you. From the day
first met you that love took root, and
tonight it is strong and sturdy, un-
wavering, undying. Your sweet smiles
have lighted up my life, your every
word has been to me note of exquisite
music, thrilling, enthralling me. You
have filled a place in my heart, in my
affections, that no one before has ever
occupied. My lifelong happiness de-
pends solely upon the answer you give
me. Say you will be mine to love,
caress, cherish, idolize through time
and eternity, and make me of all men
most enyied. But if you ref-Oh, 1
cannot! l cannot The thought is
madness. You will be my wife? ? see
the answer of your heart mirrored in
your lustrous eyes; you know l love
you as no other man ever has loved
you, or ever can love you, darling /
know you will not thrust me off )"
The angel assumes a stereotyped
really-t -this-is-s -so-sudden expression, and
assures Mr.. Wordie she would derive
great pleasure from being his sister.
Here is the other way:
"Maude, I've been thinking seriously
lately"
Really, Fred, you ought to be more
judicious than to do anything so rash
as that"
"Yes, know it is heavy tax on my
mental capacity, but then was always
reckless that way. This time, however,
1 think / have been thinking to some
purpose. In fact, I've been thinking
you wouldn't object to having your
name changed"
"When 2"
"Just rs soon as possible"
"Will it be home or church?"
"Church, of course; We want to do
this thing in style"
Have you asked pa?"
Certainly not. don't want to
marry your father"
well, L know; but for forms sake"
"All right, dear; for forms sake l
will see pa, and maybe you had better
prepare ma for the ordeal"
"Oh, she won't mind it."
Deep silence reigns again, save as it is
broken by the soft sighing of the tree
tops, swayed by gentle breeze. Glee-
fully the stars twinkle; the moon looks
beamingly down from heaven to earth,
and discovers on vine powered piazza
two forms with but single chair.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28
Gas in Champagne Bottles.

81 bought some champagne of you
last spring" said gentleman to Mr..
Hugh Fegan the other day. Il sup
posed it was all gone, but last week ]
saw some bottles in The top of a closet
and took them down. They were
champagne. My wife had saved
them, women fashion. But they were
as fiat as Rhine wine. What was the
matter?"
"They were standing up, were they ?"
asked Mr.. Fegan.
"Yes."
well, the carbonic acid had all es-
capped through the corks If they had
been in cool place, and resting on
their heads, they would have been all
right
"It takes two years for the cham
pagne wine to properly champagnize.
There is heavy loss from breakage.
When the gas develops champagne
cellar sounds like battle. The bot.
ties explode with tremendous force,
and are dangerous. Over 20 per
cent. of the bottles break. That is one
reason why champagne is SO high
priced. Bottled cider will champaign
ize if raisins are put in it. Some years
ago l put up barrel of cider for the
White House. The steward insisted
on putting a whole raisin in each bot
tie. / told him a quarter of raisin to
bottle was enough, but he had his
own way. The result was that he
didn't have bottle. Every bottle
exploded from the pressure. - Wash
iagto7a Post.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28
A Balloon Suggestion.

Suggestions for features of interest
for the great fair are in order. Many
people seem to think tall tower in
dispensable, simply because Paris has
one. That is nonsense. Such tower
here would be q mere plagiarism, un-
worthy the inventive genius of the
Yankee nation. The purpose of the
tower, at best, is to furnish vantage
ground from which to view the magnif-
icent scenery surrounding it. We have
unquestionably, right here, infinitely
more enhancing views than Paris can
boast, and if we can make them avail
able, without subjecting ourselves to
the imputation of initiating the ideas of
others, it would be a grand scheme.
My suggestion is that we construct q
mammoth balloon-one of unprece-
dented size and lifting power. Inp,ace
of car let a platform, say twenty feet
square, be suspended under this bal
loon, and the whole elevated say two
thousand feet, to be held stationary at
that point by guys of wire rope diverg-
ing from the four corners of the plat
form to suitable anchorages at wide
distances apart on the ground. This
arrangement would not merely hold
the balloon captive, but steady in po.
sition. | would have a tube run from
gas reservoir on the ground up to the
balloon to keep it constantly filled, so
that its sustaining power may not be
lost. Then have one or two additional
balloons of ordinary size, fitted with
the usual car. and guided by taut
rope, to ply as conveyances for pas
sengers to and from the stationary bal
loon in midair. This would be a novel
and attractive arrangement. 1t would
not merely eclipse the Eiffel tower in
elevation, but the curiosity of mankind
in general to test aerial navigation
would insure measure of patronage
that would yield handsome return on
the Investment. Tile MetropoHs.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28

million birds, a sum which had to be null
tiplied many times to get near the total.
These Masses though so prodi igious, seem
to have been moved by common purpose
and united in single army, divided some
what into corps and brigades. They would
roost and breed in one compact company,
dispensing each morning in foraging
squads of a million or so each, and often
going sixty or eighty miles, but always re-
turning at night.
The scene at the roost and the meeting
place was, in its way, unparalleled by any
thing else ill the world. "When they
have frequented one of these places for
some time, the appearance it exhibits is
surprising. The ground is covered to the
depth of several inches with their dung;
all the tender grass and underwood de.
stroyed; the surface strewed with large
limbs of trees, broken down by the weight
of the birds clustering one above another:
and the trees themselves, for thousands of
acres killed as completely as if girdied
with au AK" The desolation thus pro.
duced, aided by the havoc made by the at
tacks of all the surrounding population,
the birds of prey, wolves, weasels, hogs,
and other enemies which gathered, and the
eating up of all the food within circle of
hundred miles or more, would by and
by cause sudden desertion of the place
by the pigeons, which would troop off
with their young to settle on some other
tract of forest. no one knew where.
Though unmeasure1 hosts of this kind
were never seen at the East flocks of vast
extent came to New York and New Eng
land and visited the forests of Lower
Canada; but these were mere stragglers
compared with the Western hordes. Now
the clearing away of forests, especi ally of
mast-bearing trees and the incessant de-
struction OF old and young which falls
upon every accessible roost as soon as it is
reported, steadily outreaches the increase,
SO that in actual numbers, no doubt, the
wild pigeons have greatly diminished,
while the remnant have been driven to
the remote Northern forests in order to
rear their young. Their splendid flight
still cheers us now and then in autumn and
spring, as in long bending lines these noble
birds rush across the sky: and the sports
man and naturalist know where few are
always to be found in each of the forested
States; but the glory of the tribe has de-
parted with the disappearance of savagerv
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28
Mr.. Edwin Booths First Experience as
Manager.

Mr.. Edwin Booth, the eminent ira
gedian, is credited with the follow
ing experience about my first
experience as a manager" said Mr..
Booth, was in the year 1854. l
and four others were on our way to
Australia to fill professional engage
ment. Two of the party were ID. G..
Anderson and his wife. We were in q
slow old sailing ship, and we were COM
PEELED to stop at the Sandwich Islands
for supplies and to make some repairs
to the ship. We found, to our sur
prise, that Honolulu had rude sort Of
theater, and as we We're to be detained
there for several days we thought we
might earn few dollars by giving
performances.
"We determined to give Richard
Ill, and was elected manager. Now,
the full strength of the company was
exactly five, and there are about
twenty-five parts in the tragedy, as
you know, to say nothing of the lords
and ladies of the court, citizens, mur-
1erers, messengers, and the two armies
Of Gloster and Richmond. SO you
can understand that the manager had
no easy task of it. L was to play Rich
ard, and by an ingenious scheme of
doubling up, by which each of the 9TH
ers We're to play at least two parts, we
managed to arrange for some sort of q
performance until l suddenly discov-
cred that | had no Lady Anne. Mrs
Anderson was the only lady in our
company, and she had to do two parts
the Duchess of York and Elizabeth
Il was almost in despair until /
learned that there was a white man in
the town who, as L was told, had once
| been an actor in humble way and
would be glad to help us out, and that
as he was an understood man he might
do to dress up as woman. So l sent
for him.
"He was about four feet high, q
stumpy fellow with handy legs, cross
eyed, and with all his front teeth gone
He chewed tobacco furiously, and he
spoke with a strong German accent.
His only knowledge of the stage
proved to have come from once working
as grip behind the scenes of some
theater in the States
81 shall never forget that perform
ance of Richard III It's like was
never seen before nor since. The two
English armies were of course made
up of native Sandwich Islanders, and
to see the followers of Richard and OF
Richmond fighting the battle of Bos
worth field in burnt cork was some
thing never before attempted on any
stage
But the Lady Annel 1 regret to
say that her appearance when made up
was something worse than grotesque
If she had been homely in mans at
tire she was hideous in skirts, and when
l had to make ardent love to her as
Sweet saint divine perfection
of woman fairer than tongue car
name thee and tell her of her beauty
which did haunt me in my Sleep
thought should burst with mortifica
ton, for her bandy-legged waddle, he
cross-eyed leer, her toothless moutl
and her German accent was something
indescribable. And, horror of horrors
while she stood moaning at her deaf
husbands bier, her ladyship ha'
broken her solemn pledge and wa
actually chewing tobacco!"
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28

one of two things may develop"
And they are?"
"Gladys may adopt new views OF
the artist may improve upon acquaint.
ance, and awaken feelings and senti
ments of which she has now no knowl
edge"
"Sparo your eloquence! You are
not addressing jury"
"No, I'm arguing with the Judge
and very fair one, must admit"
I'll wager anything that she viii
marry the artist"
"Done What shall be the penalty q
Il will make my demand when the
novel is completed"
agreed! 1 will do the same"
"But you won't win."
THAT remains to be seen. Three
weeks from to-day L will call with the
very last number, which, with your
kind permission, | will read to you.
Until then, adieu."
, At the appointed time the young
lawyer appeared with the periodical in
his hand
He found Viola seated on the same
rustic bench, awaiting his arrival.
what of our fair heroine?" he
asked, when he had returned her salu-
tation and taken her proffered hand.
Has she shown any disposition to
accept the artist 2" was her smiling
contemplation.
"Im sorry to say that she has not,
but in the three chapters which remain
she may relent. How about the artist ?"
h.
him. He reminds me of some one |
have known, just who, 1 can't recall. If
Gladys were other than the strong
willed, sensible girl she is, l would not
feel so confident as | do of winning the
wager. But let us proceed. / trust
Won have not read it nv vonrself."
II bought the very first copy I saw
exposed for sale while on my way here.
See, it's pages are uncut"
"Without further delay, the young
man began his task.
He read effectively, feelingly, and
threw into the impassionate pleadings
of the artist an earnestness that seemed
to make them his own.
As for Viola, she sat like one en-
tranced, and when, in the novel, tears
glistened in the eyes of the fair heroine,
they were duplicated in her own.
At length the very last paragraph
was reached, and triumph mingled
with hope in the voice of Gean Arnott
as he read it.
81 am yours, murmured Gladys. i
am cured of coquetry forever. L have
learned at last that love is the secret
of happiness
As the tones of the readers voice
died away, something which sounded
much like sob blended with them.
You have won the wager" said
Viola. "What shall the penalty be-"
THAT you repeat the confession OF
our heroine"
BE itso," murmured Viola. II made
ner my ideal and must share in her de-
leat. But tell me, Gean, how came
this story to so reflect my character,
feelings thoughts, in fact2"
1T will not affect our wager?"
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28

"You must judge. l want you tC
read to me the opening installment o
this story, with its captivating hero
ine."
"Most willingly, only you must moi
expect any elocutionary effects"
With this the fair girl opened the
journal, and, in a wellmodulated voice
instinct with feeling, proceeded to re
buke her own modest disclaimer oi
elocutionary ability by reading the
three chapters in the highest style
of art
"You have not exaggerated your hero
ine," declared the young lawyer, en-
Enthusiastically, when the end was
reached. "She is mine as we'll as yours.
Only"
"Well?"
"Only think she cannot find hap
piness in love and marriage"
Nonsense %
And if the author is as true to ma
ture as you think him-or her, rather
Miss Gladys will fall in love with the
artist"
"She never will /" cried Viola, spring
ing excitedly to her feet.
Il am quite confident that my iudg-
ment is correct"
How can you be right when know
that you are wrong?"
The vivacious girl fairly snapped out
this question, all the more unanswer-
able because bristling with true fem
mime logic.
Gean felt the force of it, and bowed
in acknowledgment of the same.
Then you admit ?" she asked,
slightly Modified by his polite action.
81 acknowledge that you are right. "
"Thank you"
"But at the same time | think cir
cumstances might arise which would
render me right, in which event neither
of us would be wrong"
That's an absurdity"
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28
UNDER THE WILLOWS
BY A1rNE PRIMROSE,

Down by the dear old meadow stream,
Where wo played together under the willow
Grew sweet wild flowers of every hue
Gently breathing rich perfume ON the wandering
breeze.
We thought no place so bright and gay
As that familiar spot, where sunbeams could
not peep,
And lazy butterflies reclined
On luxuriant beds Of white clover fast asleep.
The mocking birds from leafy realms,
Trilled sweetest melodi s from their silVer-llhed
throats.
While we sat on the messy bank
Sending across the crytal streumgay little poats
Under the pale green willow trees,
Wher. we were free the birds and pleasures
were rife.
You gave to me the promise true
That in years TO come you would De my bonnie
wife.
All those were balmy halcyon days,
When we PLAYED together by tine ripping stream,
Dreaming the happy hours away,
Listening to the soft quivering notes OF loves
young dream.
DURHAM, n. {.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28

in the land, and the passenger pigson-the
very image and spirit of exultant wildness
will soon be rarity. Pigeon shooting,
nevertheless, can still be enjoyed III the
Alleghenies and some other comparatively
uncultivated districts, where they come in
the fall to feed in the mountain glades
The weapon should be rifle, though the
strong flight of the bird taxes marksman-
ship, even when shot gun is used, if the
gunner is willing to try TO hit him as he
SPINS away through the tree tops.
Even less of game bird" than the
wild pigeon is the spotted sand-piper
tTringoides macularius), alias teeter-tail,
alias great many other pseudonyms
He, too. is q bird of the woods as well as
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28

wooD-DUCK-MALE. FEMALE. AND YOUNG.
of the sea snore, ana every river slue, all
the mountain brooks, listen to his sharp
in-promising cry. Yet he is by no
means shy of notice, and follows the creek
confidingly into the farm yard, or even
the village, so long as he can find in il
the rocky shadows that afford him good
hunting ground for aquatic insects and
mollusks. They are not often shot, for the
flesh has fishy taste, except by boys who
wish TO practice upon their erratic flight,
and so these little birds grow more numer-
GUS rather than less SO as the country
grows up.
Scuttling along with steady diligence,
many of them go clear to the arctic zone
and back every summer but those that
make this pilgrimage spend the winter in
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28

will use its last bit Of strength in crawling
into some gopher's hole or other hiding
place to die; hence dogs are trained to
rush forward and retrieve the game as soon
as it falls. When flushed, they are likely
to take to the branches of the nearest
trees and skulk among the foliage This
is more characteristic of young birds,
however, than of older ones, which trust
more to their swift flight They are quite
as difficult to hit on the wing as Bot
White. and their flesh is equally good.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28
while grain of the succulent harvest re-

while grain of the succulent harvest re-
mainedl
How enormous at times were the hosts
of wild pigeons in the Ohio Valley, where
mast trees were PLENTIFUL has been
geographically recorded in the writings of
Audubon, Wilson, and tho local historians
Audubon says that in the autumn of 1913
the air in the neighborhood of Louisville
was literally filled with pigeons 1.-THE
light of the MONDAY was obscured as by
an eclipse. The dung fell in spots not un
like melting snow; and the continued buzz
of wings had tendency to lull my senses
to repose.' He travelled on horseback all
day without getting out from under them,
and it was after midnight before the rear
guard had passed. Computing their speed
at mile a minute, and allowing two
pigeons to the square yard, he supposes
that each column contained nearly ], 200
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28


the molasses often his face, talkin all
the while to Mis- Pattingale about the
Preacher.
"It's too bad to hev this trubble up
IN the church" ses she. Hole still,
Bud, or I'll smack You good"
Mite es well be there es emmy other
place, eff it belongs thare," ses Mis-
Pattingale.
"But, really, you don't no the worst
of it. Bud, you keap STILL l tell you
dirt enuf in this year to bury po-
tater," ses Smanthy.
"Laws Do tell !" ses Mis- Pattingale,
her mouth fairly a-waterin.
well, 1 jest tell you it was awful
the way Jane Austin an Mandy Jerome
did talk, an about thare minister, too.
Bud, I'll smack you good eff you don't
quit diggin yer eyes"
Scopes in EN-" ses Bud, a-wrigglin.
well, what of it; roll up them
sleaves now an eileen them elbos or I'll
Civ cob an sum ashes"
Laws ef wus Bruther Stannerd's
wife I'd jest snatch them to gossipin
huzzys baldheded. The idee of them
a-talkin about the preecher, an both OF
EN- with famblys to, an they do say
pore Mr.. Austen hes to sew on his own
buttons, fill the tea kittle every morn
in, stretch the close line, an fetch in
wood an water. Now, before I'd let
my husband do that for me, an pore,
deer old Mr.. Jerome hes harder time
than thet; he hes to help dress the
childer, peal peeches fur preserves,
fead the chickings, make garden, apd
put up stove pipes" wheezed Mis- Pat
tingale.
well, ef I never got the garding
made till my man made it, an the
pipes put up till he dun it, it I'D
never be done. You, Bud, scrub that
elbo or I'll smack you good, you mangey
rascal"
"Well, what better Good you axpect
of women thet abuse thare pasturs
I declare it's scandalous. I'm most
ashamed I'm a woman, but what did
thay say?"
well, I'll tell you, but you must
promise not to brethe word of it to
emmy buddy, fur you no I'm no gossip.
Bud, rub on more sope, OF I'll smack
you good eff you DON'T
Claws, you know won't lisp word
Of it. L never talk about my nabors."
"Well, Mis- Smart tole me thet Mis-
Wiley tole her, thet Mis- Brown tole
her, thet Mis- Toothires tole her, thet
Laury Stayall tole her thet Jane Aus
tin an Mandy Jerome sed our minister
wus so small, so meet, an so trim, an
always looked so nice thet thay felt jest
like putin him up ON a chiny platter
an carryin him aroun wharever he
wanted to go Now, did you everp
ses Smanthy.
"No, 1 never! Who'd hev thot it
Married wimin, too. It's shame, ]
say!" ses Mis- Pattingale.
got up an went out into the yard
to cool my brow, es the poet ses.
tell you, Mister Editur, it wus hard
to think / he'd razed gal thet wus no
more nor less than common gossip.
made up my mind I'd talk it over
with Smanthy, an 1 did afterwards,
an she promised to do better.
Inever went back in while thet Pat
tingale critter stade; but she left
about dark an then 1 went in. The
widder wus settin waitip fur the
batcheldor, but it wus arfter 8 an he
hadn't cum yet, so We all went to bed.
Good-by, HESTER ANN SCoopER.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28

denim it as useless. There is no better
remedy for promoting the growth of
the hair than this old-styled one. To
cleanse the scalp use the yelk OF an
egg beaten in very little water. Rub
it well into the scalp and let dry.
Rinse in lukewarm water, to which has
been added few drops of ammonia.
Ammonia is o goo invigorator when
only little of it is used in water; but
beware of using much, or it may in
flame the scalp and do more harm than
good. A very little borax in water is
also excellent for cleansing the head,
but ought to be used as carefully as
ammonia, as too much has tendency
to make the hair dry and brittle. Soap
will make the hair coarse and split it
at the ends, consequently it ought
never be used in washing the
hair. After the hair has been
washed and rinsed, wipe it as
dry as possible with towel, then
dry it thoroughly by the fire. Never
on any consideration go out into the
air when the hair is wet, as, the pores
of the head being open, serious results
may follow. Never go to bed while the
hair is damp, but wait until it Is per-
fectly dry. Never use sharp-toothed
comb for it is sure TO scratch and irri-
tate the scalp; and for this same rea-
son metallic brushes are not to be rec
commended.
There is nothing that will improve
the hair like brushing. Use stiff
bristled brush, and brush the hair Wig
orously until the scalp glows. A Wig
orous use of the brush night and morn
ing but more especially at night, will
render the hair soft and silky and give
it beautiful gloss. 1t will also make
the coarsest halr soft and the dryest
hair moist. The hair should always
be taken down at night, no matter how
elaborately it has been dressed, and
given thorough brushing, then parted
behind and plated into two long
braids, which may be left loose, or if
annoying, as it is to some to have their
hair down at night when sleeping, they
can be fastened in a loose mat at the
back of the head with rubber hairpins.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28

T is difficult for one
who has not lived west
of the Alleghenies, and
whose memory does not
go back n quarter of a
century or more, to un-
derstand and believe the
tales of early settlers in
regard to the former
plenitude of game birds
in this country. None
of these stories are more
astonishing than those
which relate how enor-
,nnnC xpoc fha f,nt,Iti.
Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-28

"No; that is decided. Viola's fate
shall be mine"
"Then the mystery is easily explain
ed. You have been wooed and won by
a novel. In addition to writing decla-
rations and talking to juries L some
times scribble for the press. My nom
de plume is Malcom Graeme."