davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20

The tale I have to tell is so strange,
so weird, and SO u~nproyable, that must
preface it by stating that what I say
herewith is absolutely all L know about
the subject. 1t will be noted by the
reader that on several important points
my descriptions are vague and uncertain
but quite enough is known. and told.
TO refute the assertion that there is
nothing new under the sun
In the month of June, 1894, 1 walked
the streets of New York without 4 cent
OF money in my possession, and without
a friend in the whole city. Like many
another poor unfortunate, it seemed i'm
possible for me to find a niche in the
world of labor into which l could fit. l
subsisted entirely by the charity of a
few good Samaritans, and became more
and more Respondent as the uneventful
days dragged by.
On a certain sunny afternoon l man
aged to elude the vigilance of the watch
man at a steamship dock, and walking
out to the end of the pier esconced my
self among some bales of hemp, and
there went to sleep. 1t was night when
l awoke, but as there WAS no M to
wait for my homecoming. nor indeed,
any home for me to go to, it made no
particular difference.
Still, l was. as you may say, all slept
out, and there were several hours to
dispose of before l could have an oppor-
tunity of passing u OF the gate upper
ceived. So, with noiseless footsteps, l
wandered around among the piles of
merchandise until my attention was at
tracted by the cabin lights of a steam
ship that lay at me side of the pier.
With the exception of these lights,
which were, of course. situated well aft.
no sign of life was visible; and although
! stood alongside the gangway between
the wharf and the spardeck, could dis
tinguish no watch or bar TO prevent mt
from going aboard. Inspired by a feel
ing of curiosity as the carelessness
which left such a splendid opening for
the dock thieves. hat l knew fairly
swarmed hereabOuts. TO make way with
portable property, L walked cautiously
up the steep incline, and as | started to
swing off the end to the deck, almost
walked over the recumbent figure of a
man. Before l could recover my
startled faculties and retrace my foot
steps, the sleeping sentinel gave q groan,
and l had barely time to drop down be-
hind n water-butt before he arose to his
feet and commenced pacing backwards
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20
THE MEANEsT WOMAN ALIVE.
Showed That She Was Even Able to
Get the Better of a Lawyer.

Get the Better of a Lawyer.
There is an elderly spinster down in
Lancaster county, Pa. who has earned
Il reputation of being the meanest wom-
IN alive. Her whole career has tended
toward upholding her right TO this I'M
envied reFute, but a recent act of hers
absolutely clinched her claim N the
mind of her neighbors.
Her got her into litigation
with a neighbor which lasted several
years, and ended at length in her VIC
tory by reason of the cleverness and
hard work of her lawyer. She antici-
| Eated that the counsers bill would he
large, and. although n woman of wealth,
the thought of having to part with sew
eral hundreds racked her mentally and
physically.
One day the lawyer received a hurried
call to her home, where, it was said,
she lay at the point of death. lie
found his client i'll a-bed. breathing
hard and apparently very weak. She
explained that she expected to die very
shortly, and as she had no near kin
wished him to draw up her last will
and testament. The lawyer made
ready, and then the old woman, be-
tween gasps, said:
Il want you to make the will out so
that your two sons, John and William,
WEI divide between them all my prop
erty at my death. They are fine lads,
and l appreciate the fact that they have
always treated me with more consider
alton than any of my acquaintances."
The lawyer protested. His sons had
no claim on her; perhaps she had some
poor, deserving relatives. No, there
was none, the spinster insisted. John
and William We're to get all or she would
not die contented. After a half hour
of eXpostulation the lawyer finally gave
in and drew up the will in favor of his
sons aad had it duly signed and wit
uessed. Then it was placed in a draw
err where the testator said it would be
found at her death.
She VAS fast growing weaker, but
managed to say: Now, before | Gie l
wish to settle my bill with you for legal
work"
But, madam, after such generosity
( cannot take 4 cen for such services.
Your goodness to my sons a thousand
times Iuore than repays me for my
work. l will not take a cent"
But you must. 1 wish to leave this
world free of debt. Name the sum at
once"
Then she reached under her pillow
and drew forth her purse. The lawyer
TO satisfy her named the r~idiculously
small sum of $50, which he received and
gave a receipt for. This done, he
backed out of the room. But as o o as
he was gone the elderly woman leaped
from her bed in the most sprightly
manner, ran to the drawer, got the will
and threw it into the fireplace, where
it went to ashes and smoke. She care
fully filed away the receipt, dressed
herself and is living to-day.-N. Y. Sun.
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20
WHEELING AND HEALTH.
A Danger OF bicycling and How 1t May
Be Avoided.

be AVO1QeG.
The greatest danger of bicycling, in
common with other sports, results from
the strain which active exert;on neces-
sarily brings upon the heart. That all
important organ tends, like other mus
cles, to lose tonicity under the seden-
tary conditions of the average life, and
readily becomes embarrassed if asked
to perform an unusual work, as any,
one who is not in training can ssh
himself by climbing a flight of stairs
rapidly, or attempting to run a few
hundred yards. Under such conditions
the heart often doubles the frequency
of its beat in attempting to dispose of
the increased flood of blood that is
driven into it by muscular contraction.
With n diseased heart the strain thus
imposed may be hazardous. Several
cases are recorded where a person with
such a heart mas fallen dead while rid
ing a bicycle. But then thousands of
other cases are recorded where persons
have similarly fallen dead while riding
in carriages, or while sitting in easy
chairs at home. 1t does not follow, I
presume, that we must all eschew easy
chairs. carriages, and bicycles, but it
does follow that anyone who has red
Eon to doubt the normality of his heart
may wisely consult a physician before
deciding to undertake any active exer-
ton, bicycling included.
Even the perfectly normal heart may
suffer permanent injury if subjected
TO prolonged and excessive strain. This
fact should be borne in mind by every
novice in bicycling, for it is peculiarly
easy to overdo under the exhilarating
influence of this pastime. Presently
the heart gains tone and strength, and
is able to adapt itself to the new condi-
tons; but until time has been given for
this i, is the part of wisdom TO proceed
carefully. training on" gradually.
Furthermore, the person who is wise
will use reasonable discretion as to the
amount of exertion he will undertake
even when thoroughly trained. As we
have inherent differences of strength,
each one of us should be in some meas
ure a law unto himself as to how fast
and how far he shall ride, keeping well
within the limits of his own strength
and endurance, ard remembering that
healthful fatigue is one thing. complete
exhaustion quite another. The person
who rides for pleasure and health and
uses reasonable judgment will not feel
obliged to cover ten miles in a half hour,
or to pedal up every hill that some n
else has managed to climb. Above all,
he will eschew such inane and harmful
performances as century runs" and
similar attempts TO ove distance for
the mere sake of covering it, regardless
Of consequences.-Harper's Weekly.
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20

! crawled inside the huge box through
my improvised opening. To my great
establishment, ! found nothing but 4
| layer OF stone ballast in the bottom;
and l reasoned that doubtless the other
cases were similarly equipped, and that
the weight was to keep the boxes from
being shifted in Il heavy sea; although.
as they were closely wedged IN between
the bulwarks this extra precaution
seemed supurtluoUs
Then in an instant I had made there
solve that was to cause me so much
danger and anxiety in the next few
weeks-but unfortunately no hint or
suspicion came to me in time.
Here, I reasoned, was an opportunity
especially sent by Providence for my
benefit. Unless betrayed by some IN
forcseen complication, l could lie I'M
suspected in this snug hiding-placc I'M
til the vessel was far from land. The
stewards stores would supply the nee
essary food; and, best of all, some dis
tant land would probably afford me OPP
portunities that my own country seemed
to deny me. l would become a stow
away, brave the captains wrath, and
strive to win his sympathy by working
industriously at any work that he might
set me at. To will was to act; and with
scarcely 4 pang of conscience 1 conveyed
ten loaves of bread and a few cans of
beef and tongue to my hiding-place;
then, piling the rocks around the sides,
found myself in comfortable # not lux
urious quarters. Perhaps I might have
charged my mind had time been given
me, but rs soo as morning broke the
steamer was cast loose from the dock.
and in a few hours the increased mo-
ton plainly told that we were out on
the c
I determined to bide my time for a
day or two, and, although the confine-
ment was irksome, 1 braved it out until
the sun had risen and set four times.
Ny reasons for this procrastinatiOn are
not easily explained, but an indefinable
feeling OF dread made me hesitate, and
as the sequel proved-saved my life.
There were several things which I had
noted from my hiding place that caused
me 10 wonder. In the first place the
Good Fortune las l had ascertained the
name of the steamship to be- carried a
surprisingly large crew, although the
majority of them were not visible until
the second day out. And. for another
thing, the strict discipline that l mad
! always heretofore seen on shipboard
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20
Times Change and We with Them.

"Da-a-arling," she said, and her head
Struggled closer to his manly shoulder
George ~da-a-arling, do you love me?'
Helen" he cried, fervently, 81 love
you more than words can tell. Life
seems all too short to spend in kissing
you"
The weary cycle of the years rolled
on. Spring came and went. Clark
street was repaved and fell into decay
Aldermen went to Europe, and were re.
placed by others who in turn grew rich
and went away. Again George and
Helen stood together, this time in the
grand hall of their suburban villa.
George" she said, don't you love
me?"
"Of course 1 do, old girl" he said.
But it seems TO me that life is too short
to spend it kissing you."-Chicago
Times.
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20
Scenting q Burglar.

A burglar had the temerity to in
iade a London physicians consulting
room late the other night. The doctor
found him there and threw at him the
first thing he could lay his hands on.
1t happened to be a bottle of oil Of
peppermint, which broke on the thief's
back. The rascal got clear away, and
the only clew the police had was the
incident of the peppermint. The next
day the detective smelt of every sus-
picious character on their list, and they
soon picked out the culprit. He still
reeked with the accusing odor of pep
permint when he was arraigned in
court "a hours later.-Boston Globe.
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20

was not maintained; for almost every
evening was occupied in carOusing, aud
] never heard the slightest protest from
deck. Finally the fragments of n con,
versation which l overheard between
two of the sailors impressed me as be-
ing remarkable, to say the least.
Last cruise, oh, Bill" said one.
and I'm glad of it, too," growled bis
comrade.
We'll, so am I, to tell the truth. Il
is wonderful that we've never been sus-
pected in a whole year"
That's the shippers skill-and I, for
one, don't grudge him his half share.
specially as he provided the vessel"
We'll, you and 1 have neal eight
thousand apiece, an it'll be nearer ten
when we quit. That's more than we'd
make in a year at cattle-punching."
But it's in such mean stuff. Ear
rings and watches are all right, but it
won't be so easy to sell them"
Melt down the solid and" here
the speaker walked away, and left Inc
wondering. but still unsuspecting.
On the fifth day out 1 was apprised
by the hustle around me that some
thing of unusual interest was tran
spring. To my great surprise l no.
tlced that spars and ropes were scat
tered round the deck in seeming con-
fusion. that the smokcstack was partly
taken down, that the boats were swung
inboard and hidden under tarpaulins,
and that the English flag was fastened
10 the main shrouds, union down. This,
of course, l knew was a signal that The
ship was in distress and required as
sistance; but when l noted that every
man on board was equipped with two
revolvers and a murderous-looking
bowie knife, l felt sick at heart, and a
mist came before my eyes.
Gverpowered by fear, 1 kept well hid
den in my packing box, but I will briefly
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20
AN GIRL.
4 Bit of a Story Which Has the Merit oil
Truth,

Truth.
Here's a bit of n story that comes
from London and mas the rare merit of
! truth. There was a certain young
American girl in London who had come
oyer with only the courage of youth and
the point of a pen to keep the wolf away.
She hadn't the easiest time in the
world, let me tell you.
One day she presented herself at the
Office of an editor who had bought
stuff of her. The great man was
busy, but as she insisted OF seeing him
she was allowed TO enter. She had 4
bundle of manuscript in her hand, and
she begged the editor to read it at once.
Oddly enough, he consented. 1t was
Il story.
1t was a story about a young woman
writer who purchased a typewriting
machine on the installment plan. All
went well till the final payment of ono
pound was due. She hadn't the money
and couldn't get it. Twice the people
who sold the machine gave her addi-
tiOnal time. At her wits end, the poor
girl begged him to wait just two hours.
She gave him something TO read, and
she whccdlcd him a little, and he offered
to wait.
So she sat down at the machine ana
ratified off a pathetic story of her own
struggles with fate and of her fruitless
efforts to raise money to pay for the
typewriter. When she finished she put
or her bonnet and went to a newspaper
office. sold the story and brought back
the money in time to saw the ma
chine.
1t was a prcttily told story and a
pathetic one.
BY Jove," said the editor, as Ee
finished reading it. Il always said you
could do fiction, but you never would.
Come around next week. and I'll let yoI
know whether We'll publish it."
The girl hesitated.
IF you please, sir" she said, won't
you decide now?"
"Why?' asked the editor, in surprise.
WELL" said the girl, you see, the
man who came after the typewriter is
waiting for the money Chicago
Record,
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20
CoHee Sherbet.
Ocean.

Make aquart of coffee fromfourtable-
speonfuls OF finely ground coffee and i
u,szrt Of boiling water; the coffee may
nc either stepped in boiling water for
one minute or made by percolation;
add one-haIf cup of sugar and one
half pint of cream; pack it in thefreezer
and freeze, stirring occasionally. When
frozen serve in glasses. 1t may be
made without the cream and stirred
constantly while freezing. This, OF
course, does not give Us delicious fla
vor as with the cream, but is liked by
man persons much better.-House-
hold News.
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20
Horrible.

Harry noticing a white disk o.
Dicks face)-What's that on your
cheek?
Dick-They're putting up new cell
ings at our house, and as 1 was going
through one of the rooms a big pieca
came down and ] suppose 1 caught
some of the spatters.
"Oh, 1 see; caught plaster. Quit,
proper to wear it on ones facs."-Boston
Trauscript
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20

Very early in life the child shows by
many indications whether he is to be a
person with or without them.
s.What shall 1 do neXt?" is a question
familiar to mothers from small boys
and girls, who look d~espairing around
their store of toys and games, all of
which have lost their power to interest
and amuse. The child who knows what
to do next, and who is not dependent
on mother or nurse for continual sug-
pestion and stimulant, is the child who
will probably carry through life a GER
tain power of entertaining and pleas
ing himself-a power well worth haF-
gng. well worth cuitivating.-Albany
Jourunl.
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20

A lady who suffers terribly with her
molars. but lives in mortal dread of
professional tooth ~extractors. one day
rang the bell at the dentists. A man In
livery answered her inquiry:
"hiaster is not in"
The lady, visibly relieved: 'Ah. hoH
fortuuate."-Ia Lanterue,
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20
Creamed Eggs.

Remove the shells from hard-boiled
eggs, balve them lengthwise and ar
range them on a platter cut side down.
Pour sweet cream around them, not
over them, dust with salt and pepper.
Set the platter in the over and heat
the cream. Serve hot.-Albany jour
nal.
The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-06-20

On the hill where stood ancient
Troy. Schliemann found, in successive
LAYERS. the ruins of four cities, each Of
which had evidently been Destroyed By
fara.
The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-04

washington. ,ieccmher ,.-e'hc io''o""s
,,,Icgrom has been received from the papa'
secretary of state by che apostolic deiosa'o'
Mgr Mariineili u,
.,po,oe Dc,cmbor S..--To Mgr Mariine''
n,,o,a,c Apos,olie, Washington MOI,
,a,hcr has learned with great sorrow "
he agitation created in tho United stats ,,.,.
'v nre,rn1cd correspondence and tcIegrans
ram Rome announcing measures soon "
he talon nrninsi eminent American pfe'n,e'
ana dIstinguished professors of the oa'h"'
lie university -, ,,a.,,.uvc,,
your czGcllcncy VIII nu,ho''sa.'', 49,,
3,,e, n, renrrhrnsiblc maneuvorine
,s,"neSi M Cardinal Rampolit'
The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-04

homo a: North Galveston, This has an
tgsonis,d these from other parts Of the
state. who have looked with anticipation
upon this communication ping that ,ha
vote Of the Grand Lodge would scsd ,nn
Institution 20 their part e h state.
June ~. 1851. the Grand l,dg' OF Texas,
| Ancient. Free aud Accepted Masons, mnNe
, Houston tho rcrmarcD, home. and pace
{ ,or future communication. and chargcl "a
/ constitution accordingly, on the Same day
and date In tho same year, Holland iodse
40 I, Ancient. Free ard Accepted Ma
sons. Of Houston passed Il resolution rec I
ing that In the event the Grand lodge ec-
lcctcd Houston rs the pc mauant home, aai
place for future communications. that Hol-
land lodge No. would donate o the Grand
Lodge all its real estate. lodge building
etc. ard tho executive committee of Hol.
land lodge was authorized to make the pro.
per conveyance. The two resolutions hcins
adopted by the two separate bodies on the
same aay. the Grand /. dgo OF Texas ha'
no official knowledge Of the rcfo'rton n
dons,icn narsrd bv Hols"d l1dse a, III,
time Holland lodge pass the mag
unanimous resolution mentioned and his
tory has 1t that Holland lodge did not con
sdcr that they were bound by sry prom's"
= 10 the Grand Lodge, However, feeling thu
it would be hen,i, TO the city TO hnv
IF the permanent home OF the Grand Loag
The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-04

W. j. joining, Italy, eighteenth district,
a. w. Campbell, Dallas, nineteenth dis
;rict =,
o. H. Bowlby, Mckinney, twentoth dis
:rct.
Joe T. Burgho.. Whitcwright twenty -hrs'
district.
II, X. Jones, Valley View. twenty-second
diHtrict 81,
YIN. James. Cleburne. twenty third dis
Fred w. sperry Mertens, twenty fourth
district. ems, ,,,
l.. W Abcrtson Bolton, twsnty-s'N'h
district .,..
l.. c. Ayars. Columbus, twenty -eigh'h
Chss. 7. Scott, Port Lavaca, twonty-nIn'h
". NJ Fly. Gonzales. thlrtlcth district
! I II. Ireland. Webberyille, thirty-'lrs'
district. ., ,i..
j. e. Webb, San Antonio, thirty-'hiFd
l. NJ. strayhorn. Bartlett, hlry-fo"r'p
$ Livingston. Center City, thir'y-hi'h
district. ,u. six,,,
district. ., ,h,rtv-sov.
cnth district. .,..,,,h at.-
w W. j. MCGOWAN, Amarillo 'hirty-n'n'"
district. 80, vor,o, for,ieth dis.
trict. - ,or,v -erst district
r. W Roberts, Abilene. forty -seconu "'s-
trict. r...aat,,,,cr forty-third
dis,' a., nradly Denton. forty-fourth avs
trict. ,. ,ortv.ot,h district,
/ ". C. Montgomery rant Ho'N' '''''
fT Neo a'S caldwell, Center Point fOr'y-'ev
enih d,s'ri g.rrpess. poarsall. for,y-elshu
''s''i II Roark. Corpus Christi for'y-N'n''
b district r.. urownsyillc. fftioth dis
l. trict. ,,or,,. Afty-nrst dis
a trict. $50 r,ay,e Pass, nfty-sec
!. 'ng I III Howard Newton, hf'y-'hifd '''
d ~" n h. Taylor, Lake Green "'''
district. .u,.,v sfty-Gfth district
!. II Stokes, tda,or S1 hlSnra tty-sevcnth dis
III .rict. MACK lack Grove, hit!
70 eirh,h district ,,,,r,,,on Atty ninth di
"a H. =. ch's's'' .
d. trct. &. Inc slrtieih district
II. z. Dickinson p'''Ns
district. ,.. V,ovdada. sxty-secoi
district. .s ,hcu closcd IN d"q 81
Ter ,.rnie form until the ~.
The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-04

In tbls city, Holland lodge rcpres natives
folIowcd an the work. aud made known 20
ihc Grand Lodge the passage OF the res'-
,n,,or mnniioned above, the donation being
accented by the Grand Lodsc ana rsso-
iution was pasepG by the irand Loiee eot-
,ing forth an acceptance Of Tho nher. i'cl-
land lodge at that time owned thn prop
ertv where tho temple npw stanis nj the
carver NJ Main erect and cap tol avenue
Iho irs,ru,nent II conveyance was De-
or uher e5. 1861. iigncd by a. s. Rieharh-
so, worthy master: J. .. Dart, warden,
rcnrcsf.tinc Holland Lodge. rarv OF the
a,st mart and f. w. Taylor. Robert Brew
.,f,. Horny Sampson. George ". Pa'rick'
~ a. crny and + p. Nlcols, acting by ap'
, -, Tor ire Grand Lodge OF Texas.
por,'. ~ Inc second part. This instruincnt
la" .cLnov,ledgcd before II. A. Giranh
w. r,bl,c Harris county, June Il. 1871
| nos- az rcoorded July 30 ts7i, a. !,
~ ~ In Harris county fcs1rc o.
@a,Ss your,d "a. pages 36s. 1903 3e'
u' 80, cr,rd I,oaRe OF Texas later tTcc'e'
uuon the site donated me inasn,,v'", 60,
pie which Is now the nome W. ,,,ss,
ledge. Several years la,er "' n,as,',i
leeIfoyed the guietude OF ,n AZ, ~
Grand Lodge life by a'eieihcns ",s 81
Grand Lodge could not nispose y, ~
nrrpfr,y donated 20 H. ana lha' ~ -
Wv there is a cloud upon lho
Gas investigated and has hlhee oe.n re-, ss,
,a,ea from time TO time. Memoirs oi IN ~
land lodge have been heard 70 sAy ma ~
Crsra Lodge owns nothing II tney n..s. ~.
/ 20 ,noye from the present loaatloh, Una. ",
title 10 the property In suen