davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04

Stoner had been Texas ranger, and
could hold his own extremely well in
that rough, frontier community. He
had carried off pretty Spanish wife
from the chihuahua region years be-
fore, had brought her to tAe rocky Cali
fornia coast, and had purchased a set
tiers claim and an old adobe house
built by Spanish hidalgo half cent
ury ago.
Here he farmed, raised cattle on the
unused Government lands, and kept
sort of rude hotel, for several mountain
trails joined at that point the broad
highway which led from the county
seat. twenty miles south, to the north
ern settlements in the pineries. He
had five daughters. too-the youngest.
Theresa, known as Tessa, girl of
seventeen. That added to the attraction
and almost every night the dark-eyed,
ha1f-Spanish girls sang and danced, and
old StOner managed to hear all the news
that was afloat, and somehow most of
the loose coin of the region ultimately
found its way into his pockets He was
deep one, that same Ephiram Stoner,
quiet, sly and patient, secret in his
methods and deadly in his blow.
Stoner's wife and his four eldest daugh-
ters were uneducated and in complete
subsection to his will. But Tessa had
more brains and energy than all the 9TH
ers put together and quite as much beau
ty,and so the old Texan ranger took cer-
tain pride in her, and had even allowed
her to attend district school for two
years.
The midnight when, as I have said.
the story begins, a person of prying
disposition might have discovered sew
eral interesting performances in pro-
gress around the Stoner abode. On the
north side of the house Tessa was lean
ing from her window, conversing in low
tones with blonde, fair-haired and
sturdy young man on horseback.
Tom, EOu do not know my father.
He is not the careless, warm hearted
man,you may suppose. 1 must admire
his ability, but that is all. warn you,
Tom, there never was a more dangerous
man. He may be where he hears every
word you say, though if he is he will
not speak to you or me about it. But il
he knew you cared for me he would be
your enemy. He has other plans for
me. He wants me to marry for money!
Tom Warren had once been the school
teacher in the mountain district, miles
away, where Tessa had been one of his
pupils. Thrown upon his own resources
from his childhood, he had developed a
strong, earnest character, and was al
ready SO popular in the county that he
had just been elected sheriff, although
the youngest man on the ticket.
While Tessa and her lover were talk
ing scene Of a far different nature was
being enacted on the south side of the
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04

!
the ravine, hoping against hope. for
many minutes had necessarily elapsed
since Warren started.
She sprang to the ground and tossed
the rawhide rope to the one arm he
held above the sand. She folded her
shawl and put it over her horses Shout
ers, and tied the RATA round like col
lar. Then she led him slowly away
from the quicksands, and Warren
thought his arm would break; but slow
~. reluctantly, painfully, the sand gave
up its prey.
Your father told me to take this
road, Tessa," said the young sheriff.
eyes, know that. and I heard one OF
the men tell him to-day that the bar
was swept out"
There was long silence between
them.
''Tessa, go with me to San Luis" said
Warren, land let US get married.
And Tessa went.
Old Stoner heard the news few days
later. Within an hour he had retired
from business" The camp was broken
up, tho hunters disappeared, mysterious
lights flashed at intervals all night from
the points of the cliff, and the next day
olO NotOHcr uimSeII disappeared, 1eaV'
| ing his family, the ranch and the live
stock. It was said that he made the
best of his way to Mexico and finally
| to South America. The world is large
as yet, and men who have money car
ramble over a good deal of it without
| finding past they wish to escape from
| But Tessa lives in her San Luis Obispc
| cottage, with orange trees over it and
La Marque roses on the porch, and she
| thinks herself the happiest woman in
| California.-Charles Howard Shinn, il
| Belford's Magazine.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04
ORNAMENTAL WHIMS,
slippers. and Fruit Encrusted
WAX.

Suver-Plated Slippers, and Fruit Encrusted
In Wax.
A bright-eyed young woman. with a
rich color in her cheeks, ran up the
stairway of a business building on
Lower Broadway one afternoon recent
ly and threw a little bundle upon a
counter before young man 81 want
that silver-plated, please" she said
The young man bowed, united the
bundle, and revealed a small slipper
He smiled. st will be done next
Tuesday, ma'am," he said.
THAT pretty girl" he said later on.
sis a bride. That slipper is one that
her friends threw after her when the
carriage rolled away with her husband
and herself inside after the wedding
reception"
But what on earth does she want it
silver plated for? and how can it be
silver plated?"
''Why, that's a fashionable within at
the present time, and we are kept busy
filling orders It has come to be the
proper thing to silver plate any thing
that may call up pleasant remembrance
We silver plate babies shoes, clam
shells. oyster shells. pipes, ink bottles,
sponges, lead pencils-any and every
thing, in fact. to which a sill
yer coating can be applied One
of the neatest souvenirs is a slip
per such as that girl brought
in. and it is something that a bride
naturally prizes 1t makes an odd and
handsome ornament for the mantel or
the dresser of the boudoir. The process
isn't expensive, and, besides, the plat
ing can be applied in a variety of ways,
entirely covering the object or leaving
it partly exposed One of the most
curious looking things is pipe with a
bowl and stem partly silver plated, re-
vealing oddly by this treatment Gimp
es of the wood Of the pipe
Another and somewhat similar orna-
mentation just now attracting attention
is the Mexican process of coating fruit
and other edibles with layer OF indis-
tructible wax The fruit is arranged
on dish and placed on a table or a
mantel, anywhere that may please the
fancy of the owner. Considerable
amusement is caused when a visitor, at
an invitation of the host or hostess, un-
dertakes to take some of the fruit and
discovers its deceptive character. The
work is very cleverly done. indeed, and
in all sorts Of designs Some dishes
have sliced tomatoes, others sliced
bananas, and still others sliced peaches
Dishes of beans and other edibles are
also treated with the wax coatings. The
dishes complete cost g. so each-N Y.
Sun.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04

he had received. The sand-bar looked
safe, but within a few days the sea, as
Stoner knew, had swept it nightly,
torn out the long compacted bar, and
placed instead quivering mass of
qulcksand, SO treacherous that not even
| 1ight-footed rabbit could cross with
| out being swallowed up and dragged
bodily down. Warren rode swiftly for
ward; he had crossed sand-bars hun
| dreds of times Some horses would have
been wiser, but the animal he rode had
been bred in the valley.
The approach to the bar was hard for
| few rods, and he galloped on. Sud-
denly, in one heart breaking, breathless
descent. noiseless, but unutterably
| dreadful Tom Warren's horse went
down, down, and the soft, Shiny sand
| came up to his name. He shrieked out
that CHASTITY cry of appeal and agony
that desperate, dying horse will some
times utter.
Tom knew the peril. He had thrown
his feet from the stirrups and drawn
them up at the first downward throb
but the sand began to grab. him also.
He threw himself fat on his breast AID
| tore himself loose from the animal
| over whose back the mingled sand and
water was running, as it rolled from
side to side in Intellectual struggles to
escape.
Tom spread himself out over as much
surface as possible, but slo WY, resist
lessly tho mighty force drew him down
ward. The hard beach was only ten
feet distant, but practically the chasm
! was impossible. He felt his horse sink
out of sight; the sand gripped his own
| knees and arms, his thighs and shout
ders. Two inches more and the end by
suffocation was inevitable. Up to this
| time he had not shouted; only his
horses wild death scream had told of
the tragedy. What was the use? Who
would be passing along that lonely
road? Then he thought of Tessa and
Of life. He raised his voice in clear.
strong shout for help. again and again
repeated.
Far off along the deep ravine came a
cry In response and horses hurrying
feet, and hope awolze in his heart. The
margin of life was five minutes now
not longer. Faster, faster, o fearless
rider!
''Tom, where are you?"
Here, Tessa; don't come too near"
But the mountain girl knew the dam
ger. Creeping downstairs for drink
of water she had heard her fathers
words to Warren. had thrown shawl
about her shoulders, and run to the
pasture. Then she caught her pet
horse. sprang upon his unsaddled back,
seized RATA as she passed the stable,
and Ralloped at the utmost speed down
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04
NEW YORK FASHIONS.
Modistes Aim at Eccentric Effects to AvolS
Repetition.

Modstes Aim at Eccentric Effects to avoid
Repetition.
Shot plush in exquisite colorings is
much used for carriage and ball wraps
Superb cloth and velvet visiting
dresses of rich Roman blue are made
with three-quarter tailor-coats that
have deeply archzd hip seams and
Medici collars covered with sable fur.
These are trimmed with rows Of bronze
silk GALLON, bronze medallion buttons
and tiny roll of sable at all the edges
of the coat
The new Venetian brown of a rich
reddish tinge appears among the hand
some dress fabrics OF silk velvet and
fine wool this season 1t is made great
use Of by English ladies' tailors for ex-
pensive walking costumes of Bengaline-
striped velvet plaided armure and
Lyons plush These dresses are deco
rated with seal, Persian lambskin or
sable. and the majority of them have
full velvet sleeves and arched NOUS
quetaire collars
An English-made theater cloak of
bright geranium-red velvet is bordered
by Alaska sable fus with high Eliza
bethan collar of the same 1t is lined
with black plush. and has elaborate
ornaments of dull and Furnished gold
A reseda-green plush cloak is lined with
damask rose plush, and trimmed with
silver grey marabout
Necklaces of F1orentine and cloissone
beads, showing sheeny surface of pale
rose, mauve. green and gold. are very
effectively worn with delicate evening
toilets Some of the most expensive
kinds. called Oriental opals." are in
crusted with tiny diamond clippings
Among the unique and pretty fancir
in jewelry are small flowers with dis>
mond dewdrop centers, suspended from
lace-like necklace of fine gold fligree-
gentleman's scarf-pin is in the shape
of tiny onyx shoe with diamond bus
tons Small diamonds describing 8
circle around a square cut sapphire
make brilliant ring. One OF the hand
soonest articles in real silver brought
out this season is iewel-box the top of
which is enameled, showing the figure
of a richly plumaged bird. while around
the sides are etched archaic scenes
from the old masters
1t is an easy matter to conform to the
fashions of to-day in comparison to
those of but few years back, when
general wooden method in dress
prevailed Now variety is fashion.
Modistes aim at novel effects. singular
ity and very often eccentricity. to avoid
repetition; for in many cases to send
out two gowns facsimiles of each other
is to lose two customers This season
there is no lack of varying modes and
materials. and all are satisfied, for IL
desired there is a style piece all around
and scores left oveE-N- Y. Evening
Post
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04
Tickle n q PRETTY Girl

A locomotive engineer has keen af-
lection for his iron steed-" Isn't that
what it is called? But If one may be-
lave an engineer on one of the great
railroads of this country, locomotives
are extremely tickle. He declares that
his engine will take train over a
steep grade with a rush on one day,
while perhaps on the very next day,
with the same train and the same
grade. the artful coquette, will pretend
to be shy, will draw back in feigned
timidity, fence, hirt and finally do what
it is asked to do with pout 'It's
hard" he says ito realize that your
engine isn't alive She acts like a
horse She will shy and balk at a
grade when she feels like it, and, again,
will take the bit in her teeth and Jerk
the load clean over the hill You can't
help calling such an engine her.
Sometimes I feel like speaking to her
when she is sulking. Maybe 1 do with
ont realizing tn Y. Tribune.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04

'.Just IS the driver throwed off the
box. Shot by passenger in the neck
and shoulder"
HE mustn't stay here to get us into
trouble. Take boat and carry him to
the point, and leave him in the cave
there"
Eyes, ca2tn."
How much aboard?''
'About two thousand dollars for the
Josephine miners"
''Send il over the cliff before morn
ing and I'll divide it up soon. But you
be extra careful; that new sheriff is a
smart one.'
.'All right, capt'n," and the man went
| back to the camp.
| A moment later, just as Stoner was
going into the house, there was low
thud of a horses hoofs, and Tom
| Warren. the young sheriff, rode down
the trail. around the corner of the old
adobe building, into the country road
| that lay to the west He had at last
| yielded to Tessa's entreaties to s'Go. go,
| this minute, Toni"
| Impassive as Stoner was, he felt lit
tie startled by the sight.
| "Where in the devil did you come
from, sheriff? Any thing up in this
| part of the cOuntry?
| Lob, no; not particle. I've been
visiting my old school in the mountains,
and took the trail home down Cayucos.' -
| This was plausible enough, for there
was blind trail that entered the
canyon just east of the angle of the
house. Stoner felt little relieved.
| won't We put up and stay with US all
night?"
mo, Mr.. Stoner; 1 must go down to
Kestral to see my friends there. It's
| only an hours ride
THAT settles it," thought Stoner.
''Plenty of stout fellows to use as sher-
| ifs deputies there. He has probably
STUN bled on traces and is going for
help" He sat and smoked, and slipped
his hand back under his coat. ''Easy
to shoot the fellow" he said to himself.
''Well. goodbye, Stoner." said War
rem. suddenly; II suppose the beach
road is as good as ever?''
Perfectly safe; only when you cross
Tory creek keep on the sand-bar. It's
as hard as iron. 1 crossed there to-day"
| THANK you. Acios."
| Simple. smiling speech, those words
of Stoner's and yet they were intended
to send Warren to his death more surely
| ana safely than by bullet OF pistol OF
| pellet of secret poison.
Stoner took an extra swig of brandy
and went to his rest. Warren rode down
the rugged hill to the bottom of the RAJ
vine, then turned seaward, and at last
the wide gulch opened broadly to the
shore of the Pacific
The cliffs were from fifty to three
hundred feet high and full of wave
worn caves. Warren drew rein on the
beach and for fully ten minutes watched
the ocean sway and rise. His thought Is
| throbbed with dreams of Tessa. He
would take her away from her narrow
and hurtful surroundings. He would lift
her into happier and better surround
ings. He would force Stoner's consent
marry her, and make her happy.
He rode rapidly south, and in half ar
hour the mouth of the Toro appeared in
the mist of sand-dunes, breakers roll
ing in and the steady river rolling out
Here was the long sand-bar, ten fee
wide, and stretching across hardly al
inch higher than the water surface.
Warren was beginning to have some
suspicious of Stoner, but not such as to
lead him to doubt the simple direction:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04
THE SECRET.

She passes in her beauty bright
Amongst the mean, amongst the gay,
And all are brighter for the sight,
And bless her as she goes her way.
And now beam OF pity pours,
And now spark of spirit flies,
Jncounted, from the unlocked stores
or her rich lips and precious eyes.
And all men look, and all men smile,
But no man looks on her IS L:
They mark her for little while,
But will watch her till die.
And If wonder now and then,
Why this so strange a thing should be-
That she be seen by wiser men.
And only duly loyed by me;
1 only wait little longer,
And watch her radiance in the room;
Here making light little stronger,
And there obliterating gloore,
Gike one who in a tangled way
Watches the broken sun fall through,
Turning to gold the faded spray,
And making diamonds Of dew,),
Until at last as my heart burns,
She gathers all her scattered light.
And undivided radiance turns
Upon me like sea of light.
And then I know they see in part
That which God lets me worship whole;
She gives them glances of her heart,
But me, the sunshine of her soul.
-Cosmo Monkhouse, in ". Y. Tribune.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04
TEssA AND HER LOVER WE'RE TALKING

TEsSA AND HER LOVER WERE TALKING.
old adobe, which overlooked a deep
ravine and a camp of five or six men in
field below. For several years these
men had spent their summers there,
ostensibly hunting, fishing and explor-
Ing the country with their dogs and
guns Every one knew them, and most
persons liked them. Tessa didrnot
Stoner, though it was midnight. sat
In the moonlight on an old rawhide
chair, outside the door, smoking his
pipe and meditating; tough, sinewy,
grizzled night-owl Of q man. ss&
THAT internal knuckle-head at the
camp ought to have reported before
now," he thought to himself as he
annexed.
man came out of the brush and
spoke deferentially:
sCapfn, good evenin'. -
you're late
''Dick was shot
"Well?n
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04

The native American Indian came
out of the pine woods of Wisconsin and
of Michigan and joined the prairie
tribes OF Illinois and Iowa and put the
great sachem, Tomreed. and high nedi-
cine, McKinleybill, to fight and took
possession of the little red tepee.-
Chicago Globe.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04
of Course.
He Took His Advice.

Kind Lady-Do you want something
to eat? Why, tramp was here a short
time ago and I gave him half a pie.
You may have the rest if you want it
Tramp-No, 1 don't care for it Isaw
that tramp, mum, and he told me not to
eat any of that pie if wanted the rest
Detroit Free Press.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04
IN THE QUICKSANDS.
A Sherif's Narrow Escape from a
Horrible Death.

He story prop
erly begins at
midnight on the
San Luis Oblspo
Goa s t, Califor-
MIA, t w e n t y
years ago, when
the September
n o o n l i 6 h t
shone down up
on Stoner'S cat
tie ranch, near
the Z a C i t i C
Ocean, in the
rugged S a n t a
Lu ia mount
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04
Love at First Sixht

Briggs-Have you heard the latest?
Robinson has eloped with chamber
maid
Griggs-Heavensi What made him
do that?
Briggs-I understand she brought him
an extra towel when he asked for it
The Jury.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04

"A farmer in Van Buren,, Pa, owns
three apple orchards On one tree this
year were fifteen bushels All the
others together bore not more than q
bushel
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04
MODERN Bethlehem,

Its Inhabitants Are All Christian and
Said to Be Good-Looking.
An air OF cheerfulness and bright
ness is about the place.. The gay and
brilliant young Eothen of ha1f century
ago gives a playful description of his
own delight in finding smiling faces
and the laughter of girls upon his path
in the little hill city of the nativity;
and one can not but remember his
words when the women flock out to
their doors-in greater numb ers, sure
ly, than in other places-as the carriage
dashes up narrow street where the
panels almost Craze the walls, and the
pavement seems composed of boulders
like the bed of a mountain stream. This
is a trifle in the East, where in towns
much more important than this, which
is little among the cities of Judah
thriving cities like Smyrna and Boy
rout-you drive over thoroughfares
like water courses at the peril of your
life.
The inhabitants of Bethlehem are all
Christian, which is cheering to begin
with, and the feminine part of them are
unusually distinguished by good looks
and wear a beautiful costume-em-
broidered jacket with long hanging
sleeves and skirts in various colors-ex-
ceedingly picturesque and striking.
Their heads are adorned with silver
chains and coins encircling the fore
head and falling on each side of the
face, over which the women who are
married wear some sort of stiff round
cap, over which is arranged long vail
of the fine unbleached linen which is
peculiar to the East embroidered with a
heavy border in rich colors of silk-red
and purple and blue. This headdress
gives a kind of mild majesty to their
clear tints and well-cut features: and
they sell their vegetables like princes
ses-not in disguise. but gracefully
condescending to supply their fellow
creatures with the necessities of life
Blackwood's Magazine.
Of Course.
Bloomer Ito ragged urchin)-Your
parents left you something when they
died, did they not?
Urchin-Oh, yes, sir.
Bloomer-And what did they leave
you, my little man?
Urchin-An orphan, sir.-Epoch.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04
When Repu blicans ak of ha.,

When Republicans talk of having
lost the recent election by reason of
lack OF organization, they talk non
sense. They lost it because there was
too little principle represented by their
candidates and managers and too much
by the voters.-Detroit Free Press.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04

Carnegie says of the new tariff:
81 rejoice in it." 1t will add to his
81, SOC, 900 income, and he has sub st tan
tial reasons 70 rejoice.-St Paul Globe.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-04
ADVANCE OF PRICES.
Dry Goods Before and Since the Adoptio
of the Mckinley Bill.

Dry Goods Before and Since the Adoption
of the Mckinley Bin.
Mr.. James 81. Walker, one of the
leading dry-goods merchants of Chica-
go. in letter to the public some
months ago regarding the Mckinley
bill, stated that it would still further
increase the tariff from 5 to I2x per
cent As an illustration, he gave the
following:
Specific rates are computed ad va
loren, for comparison:
Fo or. M s:h
per cent. per- eens.
Cotton warp dress goods
costing less than Is.
Goods 20; xo; costing Sd for IS too 81 to 81
in-) from IS zoe. So I'D 80 to75 90 to 105
Farmers satins below
cThis class includes of ~ % 70 W
our grades) from Is
Ceylon suitlngs Clancy
tween soc. to SOC. ID. IS ,ss
Wooden goods costing
6s I'd SO ill.,. 80. =. .57H to 20 81 to "a
Beaver shaWlS-. .-.......66 to % 78 to 11S
English cashmere hose eex to So TX to 81
French allwool goods
costing franc per meter 20 90
French all-wool goods
costing franc SO In. wide IS ITO
Since the passage of the bill. prices
are advancing all along the line.
Mr.. j. K Harmon, of the firm Of J. v.
Farwell & Co., in a recent interview
published IN the Chicago News. had the
following to say regarding the effect o,
the Mckinley bill:
1.-THE Mckinley bill will raise the
prices of all our goods" said Mr.. Har-
nil fhn -
ems and linens more than cottons, but
will make every thing dearer. This
bill lays more specific duties than any
other tariff measure, and specific duties
always increase the prices on lower
grades OF goods The poorer people
who buy them will feel the tariff more
than the wealthier classes
On ladies' and children's dress goods,
the tariff tax is very materially in
creased by the Mckinley bill-Tarif
Reformer.