davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22


| him.
"win you come in, sir,'' said Meg
with true Southern hospitality, open
| ing the front door, ''and l Will call
Phillis.'
Capt. Roderick found himself in q
wide, desolate looking hall with pathetic
| traces of former grandeur. Meg opened
| u door to the right and with pretty cour-
| tesy ushered the visitor into
the now seldom used drawing
room.
'If you will sit down, sir, will
call Phillis,'' said his little hostess
with an anXiously beating heart.
"My little girll' said Roderick sud-
denly and with tender gravity in his
voice and eyes, az don't want to harm
or trouble you-but tell me honestly is
Phillis the only person in the house be-
| sides you and Pop-corn?''
"Why yes-mother went away be-
| fore you came in! Why, yes of
course
Roderick hesltated.
"Call Phillis, - he said impatiently.
The old woman appeared and sub
| mittsd to the closest REORGANIZATION
The gentleman was at liberty to search
the house if he liked.
Meanwhile two soldiers had drawn rein
by the orderly.
Roderiok had duty to perform.
He beckoned his comrades in.
Phillis, with much dignity, led the
way while the party went through the
lonely old mansion. Not n nook or
Granny was overlooked. Tiny cupboard
doors, which could scarcely have con-
cealed a canary, were flung open, table
drawers rsnsacked. Meanwhile Meg
with Popcorn, followed closely at Rod
erlck's side, her eyes every now and
then turning furtively to the clocks in
the rooms they entered. Meg eontrived
to make the search as slow as possible,
and if her heart beat too quickly now and
then she managed to keep very calm.
''There are the out-buildings, cap
tain, said the sergeant at last.
"Search them thoroughly, - was the
swift rejoindsr; but Capt. Roderick him
self returned to the drawing room with
the children.
Meg at once sought to amuse him with
family album, which she opened on the
captain IS knees.
"Hslf past twelve, - she was saying
to herself. ga whole hour more!''
She turned the leaves slowly, showing
the usual collection of family pictures
taken in the early days. of the photo
graphic art, giving their names and
something of their history 10 the captain
He was hardly conscious of what was
passing before his eyes. The stereot7ped
ladies in full black silk skirts and deep
lace collars, with beringsd hands resting
on pedestsls-the stiff groups of two
seated and one standing fgure-blank,
embarrassing faces which We see in pho
tographs of twenty-five years ago. But
suddenly pair Of eyes attracted his at
tsntion.
"Hello, little one!'' he exclaimed.
What 5 this?''
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22

which worked always in accord with
heart and conscience,
al am not afraid, my little girl, - the
mother said in a moment, pressing Meg
| to her heart. s'Pbillis will help you.
"Run, - said Meg suddenly. Down
the road came the clatter of horses
hoofs-a Federal officer was the rider.
Meg's face whitened for an instant
| while her mother vanished in the direc-
| ton of the outbuildings.
"Now, Popcorn, - said Meg gravely ,
holding her hand out for the grimy one
of that young gentleman, 81 reckon
| you re going to be the best boy in the
W rid and do as sister says.
Whether Popcorn intended to fulfill
| these hopes or not he made no remark
but curiosity led him to go with isis
teri to the gate before which the
Federal officer was drawing rein, an Or
| derby following him.
The stranger was tall, handsome fell
low not more than twenty-five or
twenty-three but with considerable en-
ergy in manner and expression.
He swung himself down from his
horse and very unceremoniously pushed
open the gate.
GLOW DO you do, sir,' said Meg
gravely. She lifted her little face to the
young man g as she added: ''I am Mar
garet Fortley and this is Pop-corn-I
mean Peter.
$50 it is Fortley's !'' said the young
man absently, but he suddenly laughed.
"This is Pop-corn!' he exclaimed look
ing down upon the fve-year-old owner
of that name with fun in his eyes.
"Hello, Popcorn, how do you do?"
"Never mind twas Pop corn g growl-
ing answer, with both chubby fists at his
back
"He's my little brother, sir,'' Meg
explained. "He doesn It know how to
behave yet. Is there any one you d par
ticularly like TO see?' her heart was
tuttering like caught bird S under the
faded little calico gown, but she looked
at the stranger fearlessly.
"Why, yes little one that is''-Capt.
Roderick tugged at his mustache for an
instant, hating to make this child betray
the secrets of the house. "You see
l want to know just who is in the
house,
"Oh, if that is all - said Meg bright
ening, "tbere IS no one but Phillis.
"And who is Phillis?'' was Captain
Roderick g next question, and he was
curiously attracted by something in the
upturned face of the child, who led the
way politely to the house.
Pop corn laughed aloud, and, after
the fashion of young gentlemen of his
age, began "showing off - by pranoiug
around and pulling flowers almost from
their roots.
"Pop- corn, p" SAID "Sister,'' in the
gentlest rebuke, what will the gen.
tleman think of you?'
The little maid began smoothing down
the boys apron and trying to fasten on
his garden hat.
''He don It know Phillis, cried Pop
corn derisively.
'You see, sir,'' said Meg, pausing
on the broken doorstep of the house,
Everybody around here knows Phi Ills.
She was my fathers nurse and ours,
and, we'll, now because we are so poor,
she does all sorts of things. viii you
please come in, Mr.. - You didn't tell
me your name.''
Roderick, knowing full well that his
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22

said: eWilI you come with us?'
Whereupon she replied: eyes, but 1
fear you VIII eat me- Now it must be
understood that, in common with all peo-
pie west of the Nile, the Akkas are
anthropophagio, and eating others, ex-
cept when captured to be eaten in turn.
Iicki- Ticki, round and fat, had made
up her mind that she would ego to pot'
in the fire of an Akka-stew in short
order. When assured that the white
man eschewed such a practice as akul
mas, that is, eating people, she was
amazed, and seemed inoredulous. Nor
was her incredibly and fear allayed for
several days, and only when o bright red
baudanns handkerchief (highly priced in
the SOudan1 had been given her, did she
appear to forget her fancied danger.
With true feminine vanity she set about
ornamenting herself in its folds (by
tieing it around her neck), and babbIing
away in her native tongue, she executed
a series of acrobatic feats, vaulted in the
air, turned somersaults and amazed my
soldiers greatly and with whom she soon
became great pet.
Tickl-Ticki subsequently told me her
story. She had been sent as slave,
with other of her people, to the court of
Munzi, king of Monbutto, of whom DR..
Schweinfurth speaks in his ''Hesrt of
Africa, and that thence she had been
taken by her Arab captors. Congo, she
said, was king of the Akkas, who lived
in the jungle, their houses being made
by tieing together the tops Of the high
grass or canebrake, and cutting out at
the base and center space sufficient for
shelter. Armed with the diminutive
spears or arrows "a number of which she
gave meg, the Akkas of both sexes went
to the war against their enemies or
hunted the elephant. They attack the
latter in veritable swarms, confusing the
beasts by their cries and then literally
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22

"Oh, that's. the dearest. sweetest,
truest friend have, - cried Meg, clasp
ing her hands and fairly shutting her
eyes in an ecstacy of remembrance.
''If it's Jack Dale, - thought Capt.
Roderick, she couldn It help being sweet
and true And the likeness was re-
markable. From the page before hun
the face of his West Point chum, his
sworn companion in arms, must be look
ing up at him. No one but Jack Dale
ever had such a pair of daep-set, earnest
eyes, such an honest mouth and resolute
chin! And if it were Jack Dale. how did
his picture come to be here?
alt is Capt. Dale" Meg went on.
"Oh, Popcorn. don't you remember
how lovely he wasp
Popcorn who rarely committed him
self to opinions, grunted, and Meg con-
tinued:
"Even though we've hid him, it was
such a beautiful time willis he was
here.''
''Hid him,' exclaimed Roderiok.
He knew that Dale had been taken
prisoner and escaped, but since then had
heard nothing of or from him.
"Oh, yes said Meg. fHe was q
great friend of Aunt Sallie SHAT g
Aunt Ssllie in Macon, you know-snd
he came here late one night, and don t
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22

dash at him 20 check the progress OF the
work and Popcorn, in rebelling dashed
out of the window on to the porch, and
| was away speedily through the garden.
Meg's anxiety increased. To keep
Pop corn at her side was part of her trust
but on the other hand she ought not to
leave the officer.
az must go after Popcorn, - she ex-
claimed suddenly, realizing that the risk
of what he might hear and see would be
too great to run. "But VIII surely be
back, so-I-won 't-say good-by. -
Roderick had lump in his throat as
he watched the child and knew that any
moment he might be compelled TO bring
sorrow and desolation TO the household
that had sheltered his dearest friend A
dozen ideas were confusing his mind as
he paced the long, quiet room, but sud
denly there was the sound of horses on
the roadway-ths sergeant and others
were returning.
"Well, Berks,' exclaimed the cap
tain, impatiently.
The man grinned.
Captain, the papers were found.
They must have been dropped by some
one in mistake. MegEara found them in
a ditch below. But the colouel says hs
Gaping down the river. He wants you
to search the grounds thoroughly.
popcorn face peered around the
open window.
"W here ID she go?'' he inquired. SCI
guess she thinks 1 am in the wood. Come
let US find her,
"The child could tell us something,
perhaps, - whispered the sergeant. =.
Roderick IS face flushed angrily. ~
Meanwhile Meg in her rush after Pops
corn, surmised he had gone to the wood =
and, after striking the path through it =
down which she had led Capt. Dale to a
boat on the river-that wintry night
she searched vainly for the little run
away, but presently in the thicket came
the sound of voices, and pushing back
the bushes Meg, to her surprise, came
upon her mother and old Joel, who were
bending anxiously over thin weary
form resting on bed of leaves, over
which an army blanket had been flung.
Only once since his secret return home
had Meg seen her darling father, and
now it was impossible for her to resist
cry of delight and affection as she darted
forward, forgetting everything but her
joy over seeing him once again.
"My little Meg Maj. Fortley ex-
III WIS uOL sdl0 LO
come down here-but-haye the officers
gone?'
"Meg-dearest, urged her mother,
''go back at once, darling; the boat will
be up in moment; Joel is going to take
papa in carefully. But why did you
leave?'
Meg, who had flung herself down upon
the ground to kiss her fathers wasted
cheek, started up quickly land told her
what had happened, but the boat was in
sight. Meg, after one more clinging
kiss, retraced her steps.
few yards distant she stood still in
dIsmey.
Capt. Roderick and his men with Pop
corn, in unusually good spirits. were
coming down the woodland path.
The captain took one moment for re-
Election In Meg's face he read her fear
and anguish-knew what it meant.
"Take the boy,' he whispered briefly
to the sergeant. $50 up that side path
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22

In her person in the most definite and
Pronounced manner the stories told of
dwarf races BY other travellers less fortu-
nate than the writer in procuring sub
!ect for actual study.
The writer, whilst chief of staff to
Gen. Gordon, then governor general of
the Equatorial provinces of Egypt, COM
handed detachment of Egyptian troops
into the Nam Nam country for the pur-
pose of the conquest of that country.
Having reached point on the borders
Of the Monbutto land, the writer sur
prised a slave camp and captured car
aYan of slaves numbering 400 or more
females, and among these the pygmy
woman Ticki-Ticki. The old Afghanis-
tan, whom l had caught with an unusu-
ally fine slave stock which he hoped
would bring him mnch money when he
reached the west coast, TO which he was
!Ourneying, endeavored to induce me to
let him 90 scot free. Failing to tempt
NE with gold, he said, az have a great
sntique-the Arab word for curio-which
leg You to accept. Great was my sur
prise when he caused 20 be brought into
my presence little naked woman, who
stood trembling and sffrighted and with
both hands crossed before her eyes, after
The manner OF the salutation of her peo-
pie. Ticki-Ticki was scarcely four feet in
height. with such an enormous
breadth across her launches that she
seemed in fact to describe q circle rather
Than perpendicular. The spinal column
was bent almost ike the letter G. whilst
her belly protruded in g remarkable man
ner. Her face was broad, the eyes red
wash, nose rather PIGGY and lips coarse
aud thick, the body was long, the legs
short and the bands and feet small and
symmetrical. Addressing her in Arabic,
Tor was Informed she had learned TO
speak that language from her captors, I.
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22

haching them to pieces, or transfixing
them with countless thrusts.
Ticki- Ticki was passionately fond of
smoking, not in the sense of procuring
the effect desired by the white man, but
TO create nausea and then after the Or
deal of pain and vomiting to enjoy the
dolce far niente of convalescence and
complete repose Ticki-Ticki followed
me in my journey to the Nile, and when
quit General Gordon to return to CAIRO,
she was party of several specimens of
the genus homo which had never been
seen by white men. Among them WAS
the daughter of the king Ct Uganda, the
Princess NJ 'Tesa, a blue-b black woman of
the tribe of 'Goorah- Goorah,' several
Mann Mans, and to those were added a
young elephant, a calf buffalo, and a
curious little dudish-looking monkey
who looked for all the world like one of
the types one may see now and again in
Piooadilly.
Ticki- Ticki, on my arrival in Cairo,
was presented to the Geographical
society, and subsequently sent to the
chronological society by Ismail Pasha,
khedive, whence she was returned to
Cairo, and is now one of the favorite
characters of the queen mothers harem
where she serves to while away with her
tricks and acrobatio feats the idle hours
of the hours of the palace. Mr.. Stan
ley, when in Cairo recently, might have
enjoyed the eclat of Miss Tickl- Tlcki g
society had he only asked after her. She
comes from the very country from which
he has recently returned, and belongs to
the first families of dwarfish aristocrats
of Fifty centuries, as claimed by the
great explorer. Ticki -Tioki, as a mater
of precantiOn, has not yet been advised
of her ancient and noble lineage.
SThe entire caravan was broken up and the
slaves liberated by Col. Long.
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22

and lock about carefully. l will ques-
ton the little girl. -
A moment more and Roderick and the
child were alone; Meg. white to the lips,
her eyes raised in dumb agony and PEsaaa
ing to the face above her. @
Just by q turn of his head Capt. Rod
erick could see three fguress Slowly going
toward the river, one supported tenderly
between the others. The Apapsrs .haA
been found-if this weary, Swofn nan
was the Confederate officer he was in
search of. Was it not down this ysfF
pathway little Meg four months age3ed
led his more than brother, his deepest
friend, to be safe from an imprisonhent
which would mean death?
The child eyes were still upon him,
sheet magnets for all that was tender and
merciful in the young mans characsarss
He need ask no questions; he nsef have
no information.
''Meg, little girl, he said quickly
and with something like moisturss IN. his
eyes, az want you to remember Just
what I say. Tell your mother Capt.
George Roderick has paid debt this
morning on behalf of the Northern arms
to the woman who sheltered Jack Dali
1 think, dear, she will understand. Ne
prisoners were exchanged.
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22

MAS inhabited the marshes out OF which
'Ee supposed the Nile to flow; that Is at
or near the junction of the rivers Bahr-
a. Ghszal and Bahr- el-Zaraf, which flow
INTO the Nile, and where it is quite prob
ahe the pygmies then inhabited, having
beeu pushed back into the territory
rhich they now occupy by the more
.,alyart and arlike peoples who occupy
those regions. 1t is certain that they
rere not destroyed in their battles with
the cranes, although Pomponious Mela
onother writer, who calls the pigmies
psuchines surnamed Ophiophages, be-
cause they were reputed to feed upon
.srpents, Furthermore said: "Formerly
the pygmies, a race of men very short
m stature, existed, but were destroyed
IN the perpetual wars with the cranes
made against them in order to preserve
their eggs.
Homer, in the Had, sings of the little
neoples who dwell in the far South land
where the cranes fly; that. borne upon
,1e backs of sheep and goats and armed
with spears, the pygmies made expedi-
lions TO the sea coast, secure the eggs of
cranes and the young birds, and that,
Int for these annual excursions, the pyg-
mics could not resist the immense num-
her of cranes which attack and slaughter
them. The expedition the poet relates
lasted three months. Philostratus de-
scribes picture of the sleeping Hercules
beset by swarms of pygmies, which story
no doubt inspired the author of Guilt
ver's Travels to the land of the Lilli-
putians.
Pliny tells us of pygmiss which existed
in Thrace, in Asia Minor, and in Italy
and CtesIas describes a race in the mid
die Of the latter country who speak the
same language as the Indians, the tall
est of whom was not more than two
coudees, and the most of whom are but
one aud d half couaees. Their hair was
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22


keep her little family since the war be-
gan with even the common necessaries of
life, but she was one woman in a thou
sand, and her little daughter. Meg, was
one of the same bright, strong hearted
character.
On this anxious morning Mrs. Fortley
hurried down the hall on the silent STAIR
case and out into the garden at the back
of the house. II was ablaze with color,
and the tangled vines and over-erowded
flower beds made it more picturesque
than when Joel had time to keep every
thing in order.
Two small persons were Derched on the
garden wall. Meg IS sunbonnet had fallen
on her shoulders, her dark locks were
blown by the soft wind, and her eyes
were scanning the white roadway beyond.
AS for "Popcorn' otherwise Peter,
but given that name in a baby JEST he
was busy picking out bits of weed that
rioied among the old stones of the wall.
Meg shifted her gaze, her face dimpled
into smiles, and she was down the wall
in two seconds, Popcorn following
lsboriouslY.
my little daughter Mrs. Fortley
was sitting on the doorstep and held
Meg's hands in hers, looking earnestly
into the child's sweet face. "Can
mother trust youAyou will manage it
all?D
''0h, yes, mother darling - Meg's
cheek was pressed against her mothers.
"Don't you be afraid, know 1 can. -
Then as Popcorn, rather a suspicious
person by nature, was lowering near by
with hostility in his expression, she
added in q Whisper: "Thers ism t any
sign of them yet. didn't let Popcorn
know what was looking out for. Oh,
mother dear, you may.
Mrs. Fortlsy felt treasured. Standing
there in her calico gown, Meg expressed
to her, mother that which had bsen bred
and born into hsrself-pluek and honor,
with o quick wit. the outcome of brains
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22

r s. F o r T L E Y
closed the door of
her room and step
ped out into the hall.
1t ran the length of
the large, old fash
Toned Georgia man
sion in which Fort
leys for generations
had been born and
lived, dying Chris
tian deaths. People
wondered how Jean
E4-ata- a4-N--l A.
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-22
"EXCHANGED."

BY Lucy c. Lille.
copyrighted 1890, by the Author.l
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-03
THREW HIS WIFE DOWN STAIRS,
A New Jersey Farmer in a Drunken
Craze Kills His Pretty Wife.

Stark naked, with the exception of pair of
shoes and stockings, the lifeless but beautiful
body of Mrs. ]. Howey Coe was found dead
Saturday morning by a neighbor who called at
the house for milk. Mr.. and Mrs. Coe lived on
a pretty farm directly opposite that owned by
Vice Chancellor Pitney. between Brooksde
and Mendham, about four miles from Norris
town, NJ. The couple lived happily, but Coe
who was addicted to drink. would sometimes
make it unpleasant for his wife and even go SO
far as to threaten to do her bodily injury. 1t
was while in a tipsy state that the husband is
supposed to have committed the deed He was
arrested few hours after the discovery of the
body and is now confined in one of the new
steel cages recently put i'll the Morristown Jail,
charged with the murder of his wife.
Mrs. Coe was about thirty-five years old and
possessed accomplishments rarely found in a
farmers wife. The neighbor who discovered
the body says that Coe still under the in
fuence of liquor, and did not seem to realize
his position. He however, WAS able to say that
his wife had fallen down the stairs backward
and in that way killed herself by accident. but
he failed to explain how it was that she had no
clothing on except the shoes and stockings.
Soon after the discovery of the body Coroner
Hazen Of Morristown was sent for and after
viewing the remains decided that the woman
had come to her death by blow received on
the head Intentionally or by accidentally fall
ing down stairs. 1t is generally believed that
In drunken frenzy Coe threw his wife down
stairs. The coroner will at once begin an in
vestigation,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-03
The Calvary Baptist sunday School.

The adult, intermediate and primary depart
ments OF the Calvary Baptist Sunday school
celebrated together yesterday morning the
twenty-seventh anniversary of its organization.
Inc occasion was also the first anniversary of
the adult department, the most remarkable
feature OF the school, 1t was formed when the
continued growth of the school made more
room necessary. To meet the demand several
OF the older classes moved upstairs into the
audle nee room of the church under the super
intendency of Mr.. r. Edward Earll. The move
ment has oeen most successful and now more
IMAM Two hundred adults, in groups of ten to
nity, meet every Sunday morning in the pews
ABOUT their standing teachers. The singing is
led by Mr.. Z. II. Bristow of the Post Office de-
partment and accompanied by piano. cornet
and several stringed Instruments The inter-
mediate department. under the superintendency
OF Mr.. ii. H. kimball, has made good the loss
OF the adult scholars and completely occupies
| Its quarters in the lecture room. The reports
OF the secretary, Mr. 5. b. Evans, and of the
treasurer, MIR. W. II. Pearce, showed a pros
porous condition OF the school. The exercises
consisted of musical selections and choruses by
the school and an address by the pastor. The
present membership of the school is as follows:
Oficers,-l6; teachers. 6S. Scholars-Adult de-
partment 1923; intermediate department, 326:
primary department, la. Total number on
rolls, SS3. Average attendance in 1889. 46s
January Mr.. Il. W. Prentiss was elected gen.
eral superintendent of the school,