davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The evening world., 1895-04-27

tongue q he wagon; "yss: Stree WOOD
skass '.cept boomers. Plenty o them.
This ole man over here" pointing with
his thumb. hes been in seven booms.
times; and his seven daughters, they
low the same" His voice declared him
to be q native Of the Tennessee noun
tan, no.,s but he ssxe with tne arge
marks the Western man. He climbed
into his wagon and rode away, leaving
them staring after him with the ceiling
OF being unexpected and undesired
The days that followed seemed very
long to Ben. He felt so eager, to do
somethGs All the nrnprs men so9S o the line
to work on the adjacent farms. Many
went to the neighboring town to tai TX
and wonder when the strip would be
ehnies drove across the prairie and
Of soft. light green hay. Fine stacks
they saS were ae
Every day there came more wagons
more women. more merry. sunbrowned
children. more tired dogs. Some went
At length hen went away to town to
buy Hour and bacon. Mary went. in re-
spouse 10 an lHNlthtlDU, 10 sItUu tnc
day with the seven sisters who had been
In seven booms Their ages ranged from
ten to thirty. none had ever married,
although there were several brown
babies playing around. The mother OF
the family had died In Oklahoma. They
lived In three tents and half a dozen
wagons. and. with plenty to eat and to
wear. were not unhappy. The three
the fiddle" All went barefoot All
swore when they felt like II, not anGrily
nor obscenely, but merely as relief
when some such casualty occurred as
stepping on a live coal or the waste OF
precious water, OF when one OF the colts
put his nose into pot OF vegetables set
by to cool. To-day the calves had
chewed up some clothing, and loud and
long were the denunciations of who
ever left them things a-hangin' out"
All paused in the midst OF this domestic
tempest to welcome Mary when she
came creeping over with a bundle that
they knew contained the baby. They
gave her the best chair and then stood
In an expectant half circle. God help
unwrapped baby Is like,
there in her shabby old brown dress
pretty hair. clinsing in tender little locks
that fine collaborating look that only
a young thing, and had never noticed
what poor morsel OF humanity she
The evening world., 1895-04-27
QUESTIONS OF ETIQUETTE.
The Rules Governing Behavior In
the Best Society.

the Best Society.
To the Editor:
Is an answer required to breakfast card In
closed with wedding Invitation. and II SO should
envelope be addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Blank
who send invitAtionf Also. what 10 the correct
drsss for gentlemen At noon wedding and break
fast? AN ANXIOUS INQUIRER.
/. Yes. 2. Frock coat. gray trousers,
patent leather shoes;
Can . young man OF twenty -hve years invite
= young lady to the theatre without telling his
parentsf l.. J.
Yes; II he ha:: the price.
Is It proper for q lady to take . sentlsman's .
arm. or veN versa! UNDECIDED
A lady may take the arm of the man
with whom she Is walking In the even
iEg, but not In the daytime. man
should never take q lady's arm.
When = gentleman calls on = lady should he
retain his hat or should the lady offer to take
IT. II the lady Of the house admits q caller
should she take the precedence upon entering
the room or stand aside and allow the other to
enter! Docs 1t make any difference II the
caller be lady or gentleman1 Are toothpIcks
any longer placed on the tablet o. W. r.,
De Ruyter. N. J.
]. II there Is rack or table in the
hall he may leave his hat on 1t. or II he
prefers he may hold II during the call
2. II the caller is a woman. let her take
precedence; IL man. let him follow
you in. 3. No.
The evening world., 1895-04-27

They all looked tired. The horses
walked with heads low hung and pendu-
lous. Stacked traces hanging by their
dripping tanks. The dog trotted under
the WAGON, looking as II he had long
ago grown automatic. or was a part of
the loaded vehicle and not a free agent.
In the cool morning he had gone sniff
ing into every fence-row. making ex-
cursions into field and wood. wading In
wayside pools. challenging every pass
Ing dog; but now he logged along with
weary feet and half-closed eyes, in a
way that told of a day of hard travel.
The man that walked at the wheel had
q tired droop to his body. His clothes
lay in creases about his shoulders and
thighs. and these creases were marked
by the white dust of the Kansas road.
But the figure that spoke most elo-
Quently Of weariness was on the spring
seat of the white-covered wagon. The
canvas cover had been turned back
from the first hoop that held it over
their heads. SO that. now the sun was
getting low. the weary, calico-bonnetted
woman might get the breeze. 1t came
dry and warm over the rustling corn
and long dusty hedges, but she was
glad to have 1t fan her sunburned cheek.
How much farther are you going TO
go?" this woman asked of the dusty
man.
We'll, I dunno" Before he answered
her he rubbed his hand across his
grizzled chin and looked ahead down
that hill and up the next. His neck
was stretched forward and out. not
unlike a turtles. 1t gave him an eager
but bafIied look as II he had long looked
towards an object that constantly re-
ceeded. Many men throughout this re-
gion have that look in their faces.
They had not noticed two men sitting
by the roads!de-one perched on a stone
that marked the corner of a section of
land, the other seated on the grass.
The evening world., 1895-04-27

wagons and buggies. lead horses. colts
and dogs. so In country and in town
the boomer was damned, Seeing things
in their true light would have taught
them this was an unnecessary function.
IL poverty and hardship and WEAKNESS
and sickness were not enough they might
add their curses.
When the sun. like q great golden ball.
hills, the boomers outfit came slowly
down into the scattered town. But the
boomers wife did not think OF the sun
as a beautiful golden ball. Its hot rays rays
She was glad 1t was down.
In a cotton wood grove by the springs.
about a hundred yards from the - big D 9
Tn he is mani oay ssfs sad Ws h0w rest sf to
morrow" So ali day Sunday the boom
er's wife sat In or close around her
come In crowds. drink and chatter and
CO. During the afternoon crowd OF
pretty girls came. One Of them wore a
white horn dress sctS lg0kpg in
remi nded Mary, She opened a Small old i'd
fashioned trunk that was In one corner
some littls garments there. They were
not purple and fine linen. One little
gown-the only white one-had pinned to
Its tiny sleeve a bit Of lace. She would
sS" ~ on' pu u "dm cuHuay' ies' ,put
she sa M must sewit on. Tomorrow it might
And 1t would have been.
At last all the passers were gone.
The boomers spread down their bed In
the wagon, putting all their other pos
sessions under the wagon, where they
were guarded by the dog, not weary and
lifeless to-day. but alert and belligerent.
Having stood or walked about all day,
the man was weary and was soon fas
asleep. But the woman was awake.
She had time to listen to the wind sigh
ing among the tall marsh grasses that
grew In the lake bed, TO hear the rustic
Of the cottonwood leaves. to wonder IL
the little birds, whose soft twltter came
to her ears. had their heads under their
wings or were peering about in the dark
ness. She thought OF her home back In
the Missouri mountains. II had not
been much OF a home: she was an or
phan who worked out, until the big
Ben had married her a year ago. She
thought her life a dreary one as she
looked back on II tonight. she felt very
i'll and miserable. and so fell a-crying
Ben was awakened. lie brought the
village doctor, great, soft-handed, soft
voiced man. He was as gentle with the
boomers wife and as tender with the
boomers child as II they had been
great folk. The next morning the ladies
at the hotel expressed themselves as
amazed, shocked, amused or indignant.
The majority felt very righteous In the
last sentiment, and expressed themselves
without reserve until one quiet woman n
said: Maybe the little boomer will do
. great work In the world. my dears.
The evening world., 1895-04-27

He is not the first babe that was born
or n parents too poor to find room in the
But then that did happen long 'ee%. sso.
eighteen hundred years.
.cy Mary grew very familiar with the
and an ong the cottonwood trees. The
baby seemed to thrive; she was Young
and strong. At the end Of a week they
went on.
The tail, green corn needed rain. The
hot wind went rustling and whispering z
among Its green blades and busted the
earth with its golden brown pollen. The
wheat harvest was over. and here and
there could be heard the whir OF the
thrashing machine. There were great
orchards OF apples and peaches bending
with fruit. There were miles OF beauti-
ful. close clipped hedge. The house
standing In unin:losed yards looked COM
Portable ana prosperous enough.
We'll, Mary" said Ben. looking back
to see her resting with the baby In the
middle OF the wagon. this is God 9
country. amt 1t? Five years from now
well have home like these right
across here II the strip. They tell me
that ten years ago this country looked
Just like the strip does now. l tell you
this is great country, where you can
get 2 home for the askin'! I'm CAD I'm
On the State line between Kansas and
the Cherokee Strip is a wide road. To
this they came. There It lay-the prom
ised land. The long, soft swelling hills
were covered with the fine light green
grass, Do you know the beautiful ten
der green that comes to your fe.ds
up and the leaf buds are Just birsting?
When the biuebird and the martin are
house hunting, with no small tw!tterin :
and fiutter OF dainty wings? This is the
green that carDeted the earth as far
tree was to be seen. but he knew they
studied the Cherokee News and and
Boomers Guide for nothing.
Ben at last found space to stop.
he wanted pleasant neighbors lie Sc
other. camps by an arm of the creek.
dusty now. Water must be brought by
the barrel. One big elm tree gave them
shade. He staked out the team. built
fire, and, having given Mary her tea
and cracker and eaten his own bacon
and bread he sat down to smoke, Then he
hunted fuel until dark. finding only
enough sticks and twigs to cook break
fast; Wood was scarce. In fact. one
OF their neighbors stated the case truth
fully when he said. pausing with one
The evening world., 1895-04-27
The BOOMERS BABY.
"He Couldn't Help 1t" Said Ben, as Then
Laid the Little EellOaU AeU0y

Both were barefoot Both had the
tanned skin, the eye pale In color and
Eeddened nae1 a. at Its lts edges. the crisp. un-
even teeth, the horny hands that tell
Of life spent in wrestling a subsist enc Q
from the earth. AS the wagon stopped
and attentive gaze that asks questions $
salutat!ons were exchanged. Said the
me how far I is to Kedah SPRING.
Bout a mile" answered he Of the
cornerstone.
Bout three-quarter. amt it. Jos?"
"Oh, reckon so. dunno"
The tired dog sat down in the dust
under the The wagon wagon The tired horses
brushed the n!es from Their heaving
sides. The tired woman stirred In the
seat. took on her. split sunbonnet and,
rEps 4sa 1t uR Roksd p% down i Sshnd at s nsF
boots and up along the dusty road, as
II he were wondering how much longer
one could measure the other. Then,
aGTsn sS;IPs sisIPs be said, oyer rs shhOuldsT.
swered. But when the wagon had
tolted down into the hollow. said he OF
Yep, said the other. he'd "a bet
ter staid In Mizzoura."
They knew he was from Missouri,
because so many like him had gone
along that way during the Spring and
Summer months.
But why did he - the boomer? Be
for months. Everybody except the
eager settlers. knew II would be long
time before the red tape necessary for
Uncle Sans official acts would unwind
itself; Then, too. ne suspected him Of
drawing a pension.
How can 4 man be atrailin' round
the yearth less he's a-drawin' pay?
What's he goin' to eat. him and his
children. No batchin for them. =
'em!'
Further, he suspected the travellers.
most unJustly. OF testing his roasting
cars, his hay and his melons. The mer-
cnant waited or the boomer with bad
grace. for he looked long and bought lit
tie. blocking up the streets with his
The evening world., 1895-04-27

soon: something must be done: II would
be too late for wheat to be put in, why
not send somebody, committee to
Washington to interview the President
and hurry matters up? And so on and
on for an hour Jr more. Three men
spoke. Three were suggested as desira-
BILE men to put on the Committee. Some
one else moved collection be made.
1t was seconded and carried. The boom
ers made no motions, named no men;
but they put In the money. OF the thou
sand men present none gave less than
30 cents. some gave as much as S.
That seemed little enough to pay for
hurrying up the opening. Il was a pleas
Wa, away at his Summer home The
Committee went first to Washington
City. then to New York and back by
way of Chicago. Did they hurry mat
ters?
When Ben got back to Mary he found
her sitting against the elm tree with the
baby on her lap. He had brought. be-
~ got a tent, Mary, for you and the
little Kid to, stay in days when / am
away gettin' hay. for guess I'd better
get some hay. too. All the folks has got
some"
When 1T was put up and bright fire
cracked IN front of it. Mary sat and
watched Ben prepare supper and fel,
seFy Nice to haSs even sa AaRPy h much ~
home The baby did not look so frail
and weak now, The little red shoes
were twice TOO large, put he II grow
to en- she said. >
At last the strip was to be opened.
President and Secretary and Commits
sioners had settled when and how 1t
was to be done. and in every newspaper
In the land the day was announced.
The boomers had seemed thick before (;
now they swarmed. Along the line all
was hustle and excitement. New PEI
pie came every hour. Young men rode
races up and down the dividing road to
test the speed of their horses for the
important day. Town site schemers
mixed with the settlers and reaped a
rich harvest.
The old man who had complained OF
the scarcity of everything but boomers.
had driven away over the hills and not
returned. But they brought him in
one night on hay wagon with bullet
hole in his head.
He was. sooner and somebody
they buried him where he had camped
"a week before. Nobody knew who had
done II. Nobody had authority to pun
ish crime committed on the strip.
His grave would serve as warning to
others to keep of until the guns were
fired on the sixteenth.
The sixteenth came. The wagons were
loaded at early dawn. The horses were
fed and harnessed. The best one was
saved for the run" The men were all
excited. Every one who had a pistol
fastened II about him: he hardly knew
why. The soldiers rode up and down
the lire. The land offices were ch0ked
with perspirinS men and weary clerks.
The evening world., 1895-04-27

Was vas nearly ali gone, fm Ss misSsys
glad lad 1o. to .. get ct to work" he addsd.
s seems to me like the baby q poorly.
Half an hour before noon the sidset
Mary wa was bending over the baby:
nnsens n arm ams nf tss5 psSr q Msss Il;
to n ins %sa foo,hd & so and %HSe Se fsfis
Sfssmsd fssb1s ysry indersn. to NE ne ~
She haa no thought but Tor him. SSs
stood behind nsr; He was sor!y-eA
Hhssy what fstUs Gould Efi +. t%; to
The hour Of noon was nigh. All round
the strip crowded the thou.anas g
%en maEs hs rSs @ad race f
And there were women In the pee1a.
and-let us be thankful that In AmsricS
men gave way ' and md Yielded them Sesi-
cannon roared and echoed and rs-echosd
erowGs erSSas hs franc asse for so sss
'haste, well knowing that through lerce
But Ben was az NJ not ! in in the crowd. .A.;sr
the long journey to the promised M
he now stood by Mary's side and fa&n&H
little Moses, who lay family EsspinG1
the sitting heat. Through al the lY32l
hot Summer weather his E.tl0 hlbx
had struggled on, but whenI SAightS
Greed bore down their fell Ms II
press and galloped before ipts he M, y
rout, the small Moses turR 1 k&
to his mothers bosom. OH y&N&y2
would never more be in need, NS&Hsat
fs'yfas' iissdf' the secret Of why s'e :sss
In an liour the camp. where Al Aa1.
been life and hustle, was deserted 6X
still Some forgotten chickens vsao
scratching in the straw; lame hoG10
munched some feed a little child Gx;
mercifully left him. The birds came ~
perched on forgotten barrels and U
calling to one another. The seat az
wagon made bier for the little bocu
He wore the red shoes and the uoe6
sunday" Mary, moaned. and ! eask6t
They, put him under a little meunA ~
side the long grave Of the "soe0GkVx1
Tue next day they started back III
Missouri. After few days they vGII31
overtaken by many others going 49,
with their craving for land still uno6o10i
fed No.
II hope yer amt a-layin' Il m. -
the baby that he died. are yer. -
NO. honey" he enswersd 49,
baby, pa He couldn't help n"-01o1q
The evening world., 1895-04-27

the room. After thsy enter he points to his sis-
nature with = pen and Acknowledges II to be
his In their presence. They then Sign their
names a. witnesses In his presence. Ia such .
will legal! READER.
1t Is, II the man. at the time. told the
witnesses the paper writing was his will
and asked them to sign Il.
married woman dies without . will,
leaving no children She leaves q house and
small sum Of money. What does the husband get.
and who sets the rest, ANXIOUS, NJ Y.
The money goes to the husband. and
ne takes the house during his life. II a
child had been born to the couple, other
wise 1t goes to the wife's heirs.
l., b., Constant Reader-If your cousin who
died In Pennsylvania thirteen years ago. left q
considerable estate you can ind from the regis
ter Of Wills Of the county where he died, Ia
whom letters Of administration were issued and
the amount and kind OF property administered
upon. II any real estate was left you should
make search In tho once where deeds are re-
corded You being the nearest heir. the real es.
tate Is yours.
Judge.-whers . man dies intestate. leaving
widow and children, ons-third OF his personal
estate. after paying debts. gees to the widow, and
all the residue goes to the children In equal
sharea.
The evening world., 1895-04-27
Nellie.


n the Dditse:
Eve heard that yoa via fss Q Dssa,
wish I poem coalA write.
To please you; but both q sus viaAss
fear will be Taft in . plight
! send you some rhymeA but no pssa. ! vssa.
For you still AZ stranger fair maid 4 sisssssa
scarcely could vrits you truly
Good poem. fair laais. unless
We both were In love win each otAss.
And both could each ethsr earss;
Thea feeling and fancy. from morning TIL 1sn.
Would nov frun my heart 70 my hAndsoms nins
teen.
But still In your smiis thsrss such fr,ssdshi,
For ne. tho . stranger TO yoa.
bet that my fssiiass anA fsneiss
Will soon give me plenty to dol
with paper and pencil I'll aivays b sssa
iuditins fond vorsss to dssress ninstssni
LYTTELrON L. BAKDA
The evening world., 1895-04-27

10 the Editor:
am . young lady. blonde. eossilsrsa cutie
sood-looking. have an aequaintanes. . gentle
man. who persists In telling me that IN,
would be . blank without me. that have
sweet smiles and my form could not b sxcellsd
and all such talk a. that. Nov, I am on.
gagged and he knows II. but he still says he
will win me. and II not he will drown himself.
! have friend employed in the same place a.
myself. She 10 = brunette. very short, and In
fact, has not . redeeming feature. I understand
he tells her the same thing a. he tells me,
but / claim It 10 . case Of Jolly. Do you think
he Is jollying met ACTRESS
The evening world., 1895-04-27
FENTON.
A White Plains Beau's Expenses.

70 the Editee:
n reply to 'Ksggio and Juan" would take
up the challenge and explain why we are no
''stinsy." La me give . statement Of the aver
age white Plains young mans expenses He gets
y . week and has to pay 50 to the old lady to
help PAY his board His car fare 60 cents
comes out Of the remainder. and when he has
bought sig lunches. at 10 cents . piece Zone in q
bos). he has only sl.so with which to feed the
ehippies Two theatre tickets cost At the very
lsast u; car fare 20 cents: ice-cream before
gsns In. 20 cents: supper after coming out, about
. cents Apiece; leaving 4 small balance on the
Wrsas side Of the ledger. to make up which he
has 70 knock down car fare BY walking when
- sught to ride. And yet you call stingy
0n9 spending all our money on you In one
The evening world., 1895-04-27
Not Smart Enoush to Dec

Not Smart Enough to Deceive Him.
To the Editor:
Another soul saved. and oil on account Of
false-hearted girl. am = young man Of about
twenty nine. and have been keeping company
with girl that is sure thirty and has to wear
glasses to see. She declared that she loved me
dearer than any man that she ever knew, but
l found that she had deceived two young men,
and left her. She was not smart enough to
deceive me. Have done right,
TOMMY DARLING
The evening world., 1895-04-27

prsse enc Psetry n which the
CAasDs aaA Weaknesses Of the
Sex Are Set Forth.

va.a ~ - help me and my los. Angelina.
! isst Ase last fhursday evening. about 1880
As cane sVtovn In . Sixth Avenue IL" car,
ed I sat In eross-ssat In the sams car. which
Was the front one. She smiled on me and We
vsfs hAspy. though she sat further up In the ear
witA her mother and brother. and ws ala not
s1ssk. shs sot o6 at Eighty.arst street, and I.
IN ny unspsakabls folly. did not follow to and
vhss she lived. An. perditioni II shall have
hst hsri But perhaps her eye will see this. and
0rossh pour kindly columns she may let me
hnow how can nnd her again. and thus bring
hAspinso once more 70 the heart Of her ador-
lAS ALExIs.