davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-12-24
Twilight lets her curtain down,
And pins it with q star"

20, les cOming-yes, he's coming,
Bye-and-bl e, bye and-bye;
When the birds are sweetly singing
Meath the hummer skY.M
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-12-24
CHAPTER ~.
THE INTERCEPTED LETTER.

THE INTERCEPTED LETTER.
For days-yea, weeks-the Angel of
Death hovers about the bedside of the
fever-stricken girl, reluctant to take
its departure. At last, after many long
days of doubt and fear, Life gained the
victory. Slowly, but surely, she began
to recover. Health at least would again
be hers, but her wounded and bleed,
ing heart no earthly power could heal.
Oliver Gray, philosophically speak
ing, was a man of the world-a practi-
cal man in every q of the word. He
did not believe in ''crying for split
milk; nor was he the man to allow
grass to grow under his feet" No SOON
er had he settled it to his entire s~atisfac
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-12-24

fingers, Evelyn breaks the seal. Mr..
lighting a cigar, seats himself
n a the window. He is hardly st
ted in his chair when a glad cry
reaches his ears:
Father Father He's coming
Roberts coming. Read Read - thrust
ing the letter into his outstretcbed
hand.
"Oh, how happy am l." she cried
walking up and down the room.
"Oh-so happy"
Mr.. Gray, smoothing the letter out,
read
CAPE Town, AFRICA,
April p. 189-.
DEAREST will no doubt be a sur.
prise to you to learn that 1 am now in the Dark
Continent. 1 abandoned the gold diggings in
Australia some time since, and was fortunate
enough to sell my WORKOUT claim for Just sufB-
Gent money to bring me here. The past two
months have been Spent in the diamond fields.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-12-24
ALL BUT LOST!
.'There's Many a Slip Twixt Cup and Lip"
OR,
Maid, Wife and Widow on Christmas Day.
BY Walter l. w ON le7
Author of "LOVe in the Mists."

would that I could" he murmureo
would that 1 could" and his voice
was sad and low; ''but not cannon
be-. Take heart, little one," he aooeu'
with assumed cheerfulness, tenderly
stroking her golden hair. Only Dc
true to me, my darling, and all will %
we'll"
He opened his arms and toided ner
close to his palpitating bosom. Ihelr
lips meet-in one long, lingering kiss
.'~Sweetheart, good bye" he softly
and the next moment is
"
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-12-24
CHAPTER II.
90, HE'S IS COMING. "

1880
Three a and more have passed
since Evelyn Gray parted from the n
so dear to her on that memorable Sep
TENDER afternoon.
During that time nothing of impor-
lance has occurred to vary the unceas
ing monotony hanging like a pail about
the old homestead. Evelyn Gray has
changed but little. None but a close
observer would notice that sad, dreamy,
far away expression that at times filled
the depths of her beautiful eyes.
Late one afternoon, in the month of
June, at the loot of the avenue, beneath
the same old shade tree, we again find
her. Here she had parted with her
r ebert, three years and more ago.
She is watching the sun as it slow
ly sinks beneath the western hills.
Slowly it sinks, painting the sky
in rosebud tints, Now tits gone /!
The last CLEAN of gold fades from the
skies, which die down like cooling am
bers into ashen dusk.
Twilight lets her curtain down,
Aud pins it with a star"
Still she fingers. The moon, in all
her majestic beauty, rises slowly
above the tree tops, bathing the earth
in a silvery glow. E. rapped-absorbed
in thought-the maiden stands. Foot
steps approach. Nearer they draw,
but she hears them not. Her thoughts
are far away with one she loves so
well. She is thinking of him, and
wonders if he too is thinking of her.
Softly she sings:
90, les c~oming-yes, he's coming,
By~e-and-bie, bye and-bye;
When the birds are sweetly singing
Meath the summer sky"
A hand is laid upon her shoulder and
a familiar voice greets her
Daughter! y
Evelyn starts, utters a cry of joy,
then throwing her arms about his neck
Kisses him aff~ectionately.
How you frightened me, father"
Did l, dear9 Then l infer that you
were not expecting me, and your little
song was intended for another. By the
way" he adds, that reminds me I
have a letter for you. 1t bears a for
eign postmark. From Robert Iceland,
no doubt. Come! Let's go in and see
what the boy hes to say"
The drawingroom reached, with eager
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-12-24
ROBERT Iceland.

ROBERT Iceland.
With an unexplainable sigh of relief
Oliver Gray refolded the letter and re
turned it to his daughter. Pressing it
to her lips for a moment, she placed it
in her bosom close beside her throbbing
heart-a heart that beat with love
-undying love-for the writer, and he
alone.
"You are a fortunate girl-a very
fortunate girl-toh have secured so veal
thy a man for your future husband"
he said.
"a WeaItby man, father; what do
you mean9" she asked. "Why I care
nothing for r pbert's money. 1 care
only for him. l love him becsuse he
is honest and true"
Should he tell her what he meant,
he asked himself; should he tell her
that of all his immense wealth only g
few thousands now remained to him;
that owing to the advice of false
friends and spectators, all that he had
even the ancestral home of his faith
ers and the broad acres that surrounded
it, were under a heavy mortgage, and
ere long, if not redeemed, would be
sold to pay his debts9 mol" his better
nature whispered, why mar her new
born happiness with such painful intel
ligenc9G" The mortgage did not fall
due until the first of the coming year
Robert would be home before that
time. He was now a rich man-im
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-12-24
ENGLAND,
November Is. 189-.

and beg Al to read:
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND,
November Is, 49,.
DEAR EVELNY:-WOrds cannot express how
my heart bleeds for you, knowing that you
moan me as dead. The "Sea Gull was wrecked,
as the papers stated, but all on board were not
Iost' L, alone, however. was the sole survivor.
Was picked up recently at Ltonesse. an island
OH the coast of France, by a steamer bound for
Liverpool. Since that time l have been very
sick-in fact, nigh unto death. God, in h'si--
finite mercy has spared me. To His cause and
to the happiness Of the one I love 20 well. my
future life shall be devoted. Will be home on
the next homeward-bound vessel, which viii
reach New York about December 23rd. Will be
with you on Christmas day. Until then, dar-
ling, goodbye. Yours always,
ROBERT LEELAND.
Twice st. Clair read the letter; then
a match, he applied it to the
corner of the paper. In a few moments
nothing but ashes remained of the
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-12-24

a hundred and fifty miles from here. At last,
sweet EVELYN 1 am a rich man-immensely rich.
aonoIDg home. Soon we shall meet again.
80 the though IL Will sail "n the Sea
Gil, the next homeward-bound steamer.
When this reaches you L shall be On my way.
Will reach New York about the Eoth OF July.
Until then, sweetheart, goodbye"
YOurS-
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
Old Postage Stamps.

In philately many harmless persons
still find recreation and some dealers
substantial profit. During the season for
the sale by auction of rare postage
stamps, which seems to be just now
drawing to a close, one firm alone has
disposed of specimens of the aggregate
value of 100000. Messrs. Ventom,
Bull & Cooper, who hold the record,
took 81 1881 at their last sale, and the
lots included a collection of 3,100 va
rieties, which fetched e210; pair of
New Zealand, watermark "N. H." Id.
brown, which sold for e32; a Finland,
errors, 5p. and 10p., for which $50 was
obtained, and block of four Great
Britain, 1854, Cd, violet, unused, which
realized e26.-London Telegraph.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
CORN TO BURN!
ELI Perkins Thinks the Crop Will Bring
$500 100000.

$500, ZOO, 900.
After travelling through Illinois, Iowa,
Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska Eli Per-
kins passed through Chicago recently.
When questioned about the corn crop, he
said:
"We will have corn to burn. Recent
~ the best judges estimated the crop at
1900, 900, 900 bushels, but when I got
to Lincoln, Neb., found the only bad
corn in the country. I found a section
which should raise 100000 900 bushels
destroyed. 1t was already burned"
"Can you bound the section?"
Eyes; draw line from ST. Joseph,
Mo-, to Columbus, Neb., and all that
triangular section of this line to within
ruined"
"What will the crop be worth?"
cat % cents bushel it will bring
$500, 900, 900. Now" continued Mr..
Perkins, compare this corn crop with
the cotton crop. Last year the south
raised 10000 bales of cotton, for
which the farmer got $25. a bale, or
1926, 900, 900. A bale of cotton is worth
about the same as an Iowa hog. No sin
gle man in the south can make over
eight bales of cotton. What would be
the poverty of an Iowa farmer with on
ly eight hogs to show in the fall?
"Then think how many people this
corn crop would feed in China and Jap
an, where four bushels of millet, barley
or rice is a years ration. Why, our
corn crop would feed 625, 200, 900 peo-
pie p'-Chicago Times-Herald.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
A NEW CITIZEN TRAIN.
The Hair of the Philosopher of Madison
Square Getting Black.

square Gett1ng BLACK.
A remarkable change is coming over
George Francis Train, the sage of Mad
iSon square. His bronzed face and leo
nine head, with its mass of snow white
hair, may soon be thing of the past,
for youth is upon him again, and his
locks are turning black. The change be-
gan about a month ago, he says, and
was noticed first by one of the young
sters who find in him so stanch friend.
With this comes another change in
the man who built the Pacific railway
who established the first line of clipper
ships to Australia and China, and who
had 100000 a year income, made by
himself, before he was 20 years old. His
eccentricities, so called, are not as marked
as formerly. He is doing lot of think
ing, and in circular he has recently
sent about the world is quotation con-
Guiding as follows:
"When Train concludes to become
sane.
His ownership to a great tract of land
in the center of the city of Omaha is
claimed by many of the best real estate
lawyers in the country.
When asked about the regeneration
and the possibilities of his Remittance
into public life, Mr. Train said: "Curi-
Gus, ism it, about my hair? I may, as
my friends hope, decide to assert my
rights to my property. AS to public life,
what is it? have been through it.
Many of the greatest men Of the times
-Bulwer, Victor Hugo, Lincoln and
Seward-were my intimate friends.
They have gone. am content to rest as
I am. Still, am as young and we'll as
ever. The future may mean much or lit
tie to me. We shall see. New York
World.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
What We May Expect.

Congress in the year 2OOO.) The
bloomer party was debating on it's suf-
frage bill in a manner that showed the
man party that if something WASH t
done soon their cause would be lost
one. The grim visaged senator from
New York whispered something into
the ear of the page standing near him
who then went to the rear of the hall.
Just as the bloomer party was about to
call a quorum voice yelled, GA
mouse!" (Press dispatch, Congress adj
journed ")-Syracuse Post.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
Death as Read In the Face.

A rather curious discovery has been
made with reference to soldiers killed in
battle. On the authority of several Eng
lish army surgeons it can be stated that
the cause of death is clearly shown in
the expression of the face of corpse on
the battlefield.
Those who have been killed by sword
thrusts have look of repose. If it was
a bullet that brought the soldier to
earth, pain, often of the most frightful
nature. is clearly depicted.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
Save Your Banana Skins.

The New Orleans bootblacks have dis
covered that the heretofore worthless
banana skin is capital thing with
(which to put polish on tan or russell
shoes They say it gives much finer
and more lasting shine than any oil or
"dressing" to be found in the market,
and their customers agree with them
New York Herald.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30

md The noise or street pianos ana the tread
of countless feet.
He experimental largely with the meter and
the rhyme,
But to "Sweet Marie" and "Daisy" they in
variably kept time.
When he dreamed of love and longing, Of
soul from bliss debarred,
Echoed in his ear the warning, 81 won't play
in your back yard"
And in spite of all his efforts in the world Of
thought to soar,
Every grand idea went madly sliding down
that callor door"
Washington CAPITAL
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
A Pioneer New Woman.

The first woman in America to de-
mand naturalization papers was Mrs.
Elizabeth Cryer, who showed a certifi-
cate dated at Omaha, Nebraska terri
tory, Feb. IA, 1857. She is also believed
to be the first woman to pre-empt gov
eminent land in her own name. The
court records at Omaha and the land Of
fee records verify these statements. -
Chicago Times Herald.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
Which Would You Buy?

A Sixth street restaurant has on the
menu: "Canatloupes, your risk, 10
cents; cantaloupes, our risk, % cents. !"
The patron who pays the higher price
can taste the fruit, and if he considers it
lacking in flavor have other portions
served until he is satisfied There are
some great heads among the food pro-
viders here - Pittsburg Dispatch.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
The Only Woman Sheriff.

Mrs. Helen G. Stewart, formerly a
resident of New Jersey, has been ap-
pointed sheriff of Green county, Mo.
Although many women have held va
rious offices in the western states, Mrs.
Stewart is the only woman in the Unit
ed States who ever held the Office of
sheriff. New York World.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
Baby Horse Thieves.

- William Melia, aged Z, and Jesse
Melia, aged 8, were found guilty in
\ Judge Stewart S court of horse stealing.
They will be sent to the reform school
sat Plainfeld. -Louisville Courier Jour
Inal
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
He Couldn't Lose Them.

Once poet wrote a poem in an Office on the
- street. -
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30
THE OUTLOOK
EVERY INDICATION OF BIG BUSINESS
IN THE FUTURE.

Crop Reports Most FIattering-Wall Street
Bulls Expect an Old Fashioned Cam
paign, and Their Hope Is High-what
the Veterans Say.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-08-30

1t is reported that Calvin S. Brice
walked into his Wall street Office a day
or two ago looking tired and worn. He
is usually the dapperest man. He dropped
into deep chair and leaned back with
sigh of relief.
"What's the matter?" the Office bro
ker is reported to have asked.
"Tired of waiting for the end of the
summer, he said half sadly. 81 thought
Ohio politics about the hardest game
on earth, but keeping pace with New
port society is sight harder. WASH
ington Capital.
TACOMA, Wash, Aug. 24.-Vlce
President Stevenson and party arrived
from Alaska. Tho party goes east over
the Canadian Pacific railroad
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-01
BASE BALL.

On account of the rain, the Maroons
did not come up from Emporia Saturday
and there was no league game at Athlet-
ic park. Notes men improved the time,
however, by playing a practice game
with the T. A. A. team. The game re-
suited:
T. A. A. ..........0 0 1 o 0 0 8
Batteries, Topeka, Switzer, Riester and
Buckhart I. A. A, Augusta and Crock
EFT Umpire, Mr. Hibben.
The team has no league dates for today
and tomorrow. Tomorrow afternoon the
Giants aud the Athletic association will
probably again do battle at the park, and
it should prove an interesting game.
The Whiting team will make its bow
to the base ball public of Kansas here
Wednesday. The disciples of old king
Cole expect to give them warm recep-
ton on the occasion of their coming out
party. Fred Close and Lawrence Cham
berlain, of Topeka, will join the Writings
here. Chamberlain has been the fast
center fielder of the Kansas state uni
versity nine for the past three seasons.
Catcher True has been released and
he and "Sheep" Lyle have gone to
junction City to play on a semi-profes-
sional team.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-01
BOUND TO RIDE FREE.
Tramps Who Bother Trainmen With
Their Efforts at "Beating."

Tramps Who Bother Trainmen with
Their Efforts at "Beating."
The most persistent creature on earth
is a tramp when he wants to ride on
train, particularly if he ia a colored
tramp.
Coming up from Kansas City last
evening the "plug" was compelled to
stop half dozen times to chase two or
three tramps away that would ride in
spite of the efforts of the tEainmen. Two
or three had been put of when the pas
sengers in one Of the coaches were
startled by repeated thumpings on top of
the car. Pretty soon the train stopped
and a pair of poorly dressed legs de-
scended from the roof, followed by
poorer dressed body and black face.
The fellow had been riding on top of
the coach and the fireman had brought
him down with fusilade of coal. This
was supposed to end the performance,
but soon after the train was stopped
again to force another colored tramp off
the ''blind baggage" All this was sim
ply a repetition of the daily duties of the
trainmen, they say
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-01

is bound to get in on everything. A min.
lister there has received a postal card
which went down on the Elbe.
Stewards Bazoo: If some men could
exchange their hair-trigger mouth for
the old flint and steel kind. they would
be largely ahead on the deal
A cat was dissected by physiology
class in Atchison recently and the old
maids have entered g soulful and indig-
nant protest against such cruelty.
Here after the law against fast driving
will be enforced in Fort Scott and the
man with a good horse will have to let
the other fellow pass him or go out onto
the boulevard.
The Baptist and Methodist Sunday
schools at Chsnute dropped the endless
controversy as to the relative excellence
of immersion and sprinkling, long
enough to have picnic together
Eureka Times: Eureka ranks we'll
among the truly good towns of Kansas.
We have no hop tea joints or gambling
dens and even the high five parties have
vanished since the coming of the sum
mer. One new church is to be built ere
long. One has just been repaired and
preaching is frequently held within the
hearing of the jail.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-01
KANSAS PARAGRAPHS

The population of Winfield is 5,030,not
counting the imported members OF the
base ball team,
It is estimated that there were no less
than 400 razOrs at colored picnic at Bis
marck grove the other day.
There are now 967 in the penitentiary
at Leavenworth, which falls far short of
what the number ought to be.
The Arkansas city woman whose hus-
band confesses he went wrong is trying
to publish a card blaming the woman for
it
A Burlington undertaken complaints
that the mortality for the last six months
has been the lightest in twenty-six
years.
There has been so much rain near
Dighton that a farmer has to use his IT.
rigating apparatus to pump the water
The teachers in the Dickinson county
normal are investigating the important
question of how horses and cattle get
up.
The town of Blowhard, Greenwood
county, is suspected of being the native
place of large per cent of the human
family.
With clothespins selling two dozen for
five cents at Larned, the amount of
snoring ought to be reduced to the
minimum.
The Atchison Globe offers prize for
the woman who goes away on q visit
without shirt waist Why put q pre-
MUM on foclishnessf
| Abilene is little late sometimes but
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-01

the poor remnant of my life to you entire
ly.'
And the woman shook her head and
turned aside to hide a smile, saying to her.
self, "Why, he is even younger than
thoughtr'
Twenty years later he was naturally IL.
He now preferred the circus to French
balls, watched baseball games instead Of
playing poker and was pretty nearly con-
WINGED that there were a great many things
which he didn't know and would probably
die in ignorance of.
He admired n woman whose age was a
temporary %, whose bright hair was in
digenous, and whose tense was decidedly
future.
By this time he had dabbled in obesity
cures, developed lead co1ored pouches I'M
der his eyes, and his hair was gray and
scanty.
His joints cracked loudly as he stretched
forth his hands and paid his court to his
divinity in the following impassioned
terms:
81 am a young man, with all my life be-
fore me. Although no saint, have clean
record. I feel that I am called to glorious
possibilities. Come to my arms and with
me walk down the long vistas of the flu
ture.'
And this woman also shook her head
and turned away to hide smile, saying
to herself:
"Ho must really be very old to talk like
thatF'-Life.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-01

in crime. The wonder is that the people
show az much forbearance as they do.
The men in this state who are openly
defyinR the law today would raise howl
that could be heard from one end of the
country to the other if that
class of citizens whose sense of
decency and justice and respect
for law and order is being outraged
should assemble some day, in Leaven-
worth say, and hang a few saloonkeepers
and destroy their stock in trade. The
very fact of their respect for law is
probably all that prevents them from
doing it. Yet who is more culpable, the
man who violates the law for personal
gain or the man who violates 1t in the
interest of society in general.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-01
TRY, TRY AGAIN.

That's What the Topeka Club VIII do
in Its Suit Against the Police.
The Topeka club while disappointed
In the result of the damage suit against
the old police board and officers. is not
discouraged. The club will not drop the
case, the members say, but will try it
over again at the next term of court
Eugene Hagan, one of the clubs coun-
sci, is authority for the statement that
the club will not dismiss the case. He
says the club is not discouraged, and is
going to get "vindication or bust" al
though those are not his own words
The club expects to put up stronger
case next time. The defendants claim
the same thing.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-01

THE Atlanta Constitution is pouring
out its indignation by the column on &C.
count of a suggestion made by q New
York gold bug paper that large fund
be raised for heading off the "silver
craze" in the south. 1t says the southern
people are insulted by the insinuation
that they can be bought In view of the
result in Kentucky it looks as though
the delegates to the Louisville cOnven-
ton were subjected to some sort of infu-
ence. The general tone of sentiment,
both in the state at large and in the con-
vention, was unquestionably against the
administration and in favor of silver, and
yet there is no indication of it in the
platform. The convention is plainly open
to the charge either of corruption or
cowardice. By which ever the body wa s
moved, its work deserves reputation by
the people at the polls and will probably
get it