davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07

make in ten minutes wsuld wipe your
rival out OF existence. But of what
avail would it be? Rich American
ladies do not marry such as you. Her
relatives would kill you IL you touched
| her hand"
Il have kissed II thrice when we
were alone" says Min Toxic. Eyes,
| have kissed her hands three times.
The next time it should have been
her mouth. Let me kill this bride
groom so that she cannot suspect me.
and it shall be yet. Look" He thrusts
his hand into the bosom of his tunic
and draws forth a pouch "Seem he
whispers. piling bank notes before Lin
Ham. How much for that toy?"
The eyes of the old man glitter. He
gathers up the heap in his claw-Nke
hands and says, slowly:
This sum makes me have enough
with which to return to China and I've
there happy for the rest of nv life
After all, what does one more dead bar
barian matter? But / will tell Won
this: Unless you can make your rival
take the toy in his own hands, it is use
less"
Il can manage that" Min Toxic re-
plies.
The old Chinese goes to little -ecess
in the room. before which hangs a
beaded screen. and comes back, mold
ing in his hand a curious kite.
"You fly it like any other kite" he ex-
plains. when at its full length Won
begin to call: Come down, butterfly
A butterfly descends the cord and lilies
away. Follow rose,' you say. A rose
glides down the string and drops TO
ashes Come down, pretty mouse. you
call next. The mouse descends and
runs up your shoulder and is gone,
Then you call for a blue bird, Cor a
white bird, for red bird, for yellow
bird, green bird Thus it might end
with the applause of the people. But
let me work upon this kite ten minutes
longer and add one trifie more. and
then there will be something else to see.
Then you may call aloud: Come to me
out of the sky, bright star And far
above you you may see a star ,hine.
bright as any in the heavens. At this
moment, he whom you wish to kill
must hold the cord, for that star brings
death AS it touches the mans breast
life departs from him. Mark me we'll
the other things that come down the
cord are innocent as drops of dew.
The star is fatal"
II understand" replies Min Toxic.
Hasten with your work, Lin Ham,
A little later the old Chinese puts in
to the hands of the younger man a pa
per box covered with shining roses, but |
terfiies and birds. and says TO him:
Min Toxic. the great performer you !
have bought of me pretty kite, which |
brings down from heaven the birds Of |
the air, and the flowers the spirits
pluck. For all l know, yon may coax !
4 hp arS dnWn nnrj alSn II iS ,uoll |
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07
sort, but If I had, you would not buy

sort, but il had, you would not buy
them, Min Toxic"
They are speaking in Chinese, for
Min Toxic, though not child Of Chin
csc parents. has been brought up by
them. You can believe the story that
his father was a Russian and his
mother Tartar when you look at
him.
"A little Chinese boatwoman took him
from his dying mothers arms and
nursed him with her own, somewhere
near those quarters where there are
English warehouses and the barbarian
comes TO traffic in tea and porcelain,
and he starved and played and swan
about with her own, and early in his
boyhood came to San Francisco There
he dwelt in Chinatown, and became re-
nowned amongst the showmen of San
Franciso for his acrobatic feats. To-
night he is engaged to assist in a per-
Torrance on the lawn before the man
sion OF Benson Blashfield, Esq. Mr.
Blashfield will have fireworks and
great supper, the crowning foa-
ture of which will be the feats of
Min Toxic, who. amongst other things,
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07

throws a rope into the air, where 1t Is
caught by some unseen power, sends a
kitten up it's length until il yanishes
from sight, sends monkey to find it,
follows himself and draws the rope I'D
after him, and ten minutes after Is
heard calling from the inside of a
great lacquered box to be let out, and
there he is, indeed, coiled up like a
great serpent. Oh, there is nothing
Min Toxic cannot do, and no one ever
discovers how he does anything.
Now he laughs.
Il know you have what ! want, or
can make it in a twinkling, Lin Ham"
he answers. LAS for money, am rich
er than you think. Name your price.
have told you what | want--to kill a
man without a knife or a blow or
poison-to kill him so that It seems to
be done by the hand of Fate: so that no
one can suspect me-
rs he a Chinaman?" asks Lin Ham.
He is an American" said Min Toxic.
HE has taken the woman | love from
me. This rich man, to whose house |
go tonight, has daughter. / love her.
You grin! Why not? | am hand
some; am no Chinaman; am famous;
| am a fayorite with the ladies, and
she smiled on me. You grin again,
OF course, the rich man would say no.
/ did not mean to ask the rich man.
II she loved me, that was enough.
could spirit her away where they would
never find us. That is what / mean to
do"
You are mad" says Lin Ham.
NO" says the acrobat. She could
be won. She can be still. If can kill
this man"
do you mean her tather?" cries
Lin Ham.
mo. Tonight they celebrate her
marriage" said the acrobat. "To-mor-
row the bridegroom will .ake her away.
Tonight l must kill him. She will be
a widow for awhile; afterward, nine"
1T is the dream of a madman," says
Lin Ham.
Does ii matter to you?" asks the
acrobat. 81 know that il was you who
made the to- the rich tea merchant
gave to his wife when he found she
was false to him. Ne little bird that
perched on her wrist and sang and bit
her fingers like a real bird, and OF the
bite she died. | know it was you
who"
NO more "reminiscences" cries Lin
Ham. Il admit that have another toy
that, with slight addition, I could
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07
THE FATAL STAR.
A Fourth of july Story,

i Is tourth OF July
in San Francisco.
The clear, blue sky,
like 4 mammoth
bowl cut from one
great turquois and
turyned over he
town, is a back
ground FOR thou
sands of flags float
ing from the roofs
of public buildings
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07
A Back Yard show.

One of the most successful Fourth OF
July evening entertainments | ever
witnessed was given by young people
in an ordinary back yard, and con-
sisted OF tableaux interspersed with
music and recitations. A platform had
been erected at the end of a grape
arbor. The fence, prettily draped,
formed the background, and foot-lights
were arranged in front of the stage, as
was also a sliding curtain. On each
side an ordinary clsthes-line covered
with shawls served as dressing room,
and the audience was seated down the
entire length of the arbor. Awnings
and tents could be utilized for these
purposes, however. Colored lights,
which are so effective in tableaux, were
here used, and being in open air did not
prove so disagreeable to those present
as is the case when employed indoors
Elk.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07

ma went up there too, for Uncle Ben's
her only brother. She took along the
baby, the sweetest little sister that ever
lived--an' father, who'd been away a
spell, was agoin' to meet her. an visit
to Uncle Bens So you see there
wasn't anybody to home but me. gran
ma an the hired girl. An ma told her
'afore she left. tibet she might go to
the Fourth O. July, an she got her an
alfred purity dress. sky blue, twas, to
wear. an it he'd beads sewed all over
1t; my, it was a sumner. / don't see
why mother can't wear sech dresses
stead of the gray an black ones she
allus wears!
Well, the boys, on our street, lotted
on a splendiferous time. We didn't
care bout the doin's at the center; our
celebration was goin' to be held in the
back alley. But what should come the
night fore the Fourth, but letter to
gran'ma from father an o, my! didn't
she feel big over it, she wouldn't let
me tech it, an hedn't Use good right
to read letter from my own father an
he nothin but boy O. hern!
Well, | got up purity early an grap'
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07
Look Ont for Your nov.

Giant firecrackers this year are fonr
teen inches long, and contain powder
enough to break a plate glass window
when exploded on the curb. Small boy,
will not only have to look for their
fingers on the Fourth, but parents will
have to look for their boys.-Kansas
City Journal.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07

of public buildings
and windows of private patriots. All
the flags are big. Everything is on
large scale in California. the fruit that
is exposed for sale, the great roses that
enamored youths are buying Tor their
adored ones. The children are playing
in the streets with mighty torpedoes'
that make an explosion calculated TO
deafen one. Large men, with ample
ladies on their arms. may be seen in
every direction. Immense baskets are
being borne to the doors OF their GUS
toners by grocers, butchers and con-
fectioners. Immense suppers are to be
given tonight, and many happy returns
of the glorious Fourth will be drunk
in rivers of champagne: Everything
is on a large scale but the Chinese,
whose small figures and alert move
ments are in marked contrast to the
bulk and size of everything else on
which the eye falls.
Yet little Washy-W ashy balances on
his head a clothes basket that would
serve him for cradle, or in his kitchen
for he is q favorite cook with Cali
fornia housewives-stirs pot in which
he might easily be boiled himself.
In the arms of San Francisco sleeps
Chinatown, the curious offspring of old
China, of which Americans think that
they know all that is to be known be-
cause they can visit the shops and go
into all the strange places, and if they
are in the humor, make themselves
sick with an opium-pipe among opium
smoking Cinnamon
Lin Ham is an ordinary dealer. He
keeps no shop. He executes orders for
the favored few In each he puts a
surprise-an invention for the day. His
are the curious boats, all made of coll
ored fire, moving on the water appar-
emily by means of q stream of fire at
the stern, manned by little men in blue
and gold and crimson, and all going
of in wonderful flash and whiz and
sputter at last. His are those cylinders
which, rising into the air, discharge
wonderful sprays and stars and jewels
skyward, while at the same time fiery
little acrobats let themselves earth
ward by golden ropes and only vanish
as they touch the ground. His was the
great green dragon that coiIed and
darted moonward. and wrote July"
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07

across the sky before it changed into
the flag of otlr-natfon which every one
so admired last Independence Day.
AT present something that smells
Very curiousiy is smoking and steam
ing in queer fashion, in what looks like
a little furnace, and Lin Ham. while
still busy with his hands. twists his
head about and blinks up Into the face
of tall man in curious, theatrical
costume, who stands with MS bare arms
folded on his chest, and looks down up
on him. The man wants Lin Ham to
invent a fatal trick
Such things are costly" he says. 81
do not say that | have anything OF the
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07

made. If any accident happens, that
is the fault OF others. not mine. am
not responsible"
Il absolye you from all responsibility,
Lin Ham," replies Min Toxic.
He throws about him cloak that
covers his theatrical costume, and
carries the box downstairs, where a
carriage containing the parapher-
MALTA used in his exhibition awaits
him, and is driven TO Mr.. Blashfieid's
residence. There they celebrate not
only the glorious Fourth but a we'd
ding
Early in the evening, the rich mans
daughter. Rosabel Blashtield, had
been married to Mr.. Arthur Ware, the
son OF another California magnate
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07
A Parents ADVANTAGE.


"A child" said the oracular young man,
''can ask questions wise man cannot an
swer"
There's one satisfaction" said the man
or the family, "he can't ask very many OF
them without getting sent to bed"
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-07
JOHNNY'S FOURTH.
It Came Little Late but He Made
Things Hum just the Same.

F | LIVE TO BE A
hundred years old,
I'll never forget
that Fourth OF
July! You see it
happened like this:
My big brother ALT.
went off to Uncle
Ben's to spend his
summer vacation
an bout two weeks
fore the Fourth,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27
Army

From the Army and Navp Journal
Aye. there they go! away they n.y.. q string of
To Europe's Titled feeding grounds. from John o.
While here they might ind rank galore, with titles
old and sure,
And battle their golden plumase in whole seas Of
sang azur.
A begsarly 400. quotha, mekes the GARD oomplet.
OF all the aristocrary comprising the elite
Why; some one has imposed on you; you're cropping
Two big. round ciphers added would come nearer to
the mark
Who are those breeohened Hollanders you have
Those measly Mayfower stowaways. who arc
Nero they; pr,ythee, Hist;
night.
Come! ont with pad and pencil. and I'll M tho
Write Sergeant Dan Mcarath. and Private Mike
The lineni aesseni. of the great Brian Boru:
And Corporal p. o'Connor, he who boasts Of blood
As Roherick. the proud Ard Rish of Ireland, of
that name.
Write Pat o,HArA, Phil Mccain. ana Jack o'Nen,
Before advancing further I've q secret to unfold,
That every Irish Mac and o can boast of royal
HOOD.
30 much for ireland. Now, indite there Private
Whose feudal castle frowns above the wide and
winding Rhein;
rosa rode;
And Sergeant schiek. wsose 'scutcheon DER O
baron's portal glowed.
But even to name the noble host I. frankly, can.
not do 1t:
'Twould paralyzc Debrett and Burke. no herald
could get through it.
Though just TO show our wealth of blue blood in
the Army there,
I'll lightly scan the courses In the princely bill Of
fare.
We've Polish counts. and Spanish dons, Hunga.
rim MaSyars. too.
And %sapiinSs OF the shady British peerage not q
few;
And many a son of Italy. whose ysArnlns heart re-
pines
TO leave his marble palace lonely on the AppenineL
We've Scots who trace their lineage back TO Ken
meth. more or less:
And French emigres haiiing from the ancien
noblcssc:
With Russian boyars. swedes. and Swiss, and exc
the wandering Jew,
Whose blood induDitably Is the bluest of the blue.
What. no! you title-tickled maids. your sails ao-
cordinR trim.
And, last not least. the surgeon swears we're sound
OF wind and limb
SO all that's wanted TO complete your bliss, and
ours below
Is a Matrimonial Bureau in the Regular Army, O.
WILL SToREa-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27
Tho Twilight OF the Poets.

tHo otb
Away down in Asia Minor there. when Homer sang his
His poetry, tho critics said, was very far from
strong;
And while he twanged his Tyre there. this blind old
singing Greek.
The critics called attention to is inartistio squeak.
80 then and there tho story OF Achilles wrath foil
fiat,
And scarce a coin was dropped within the blind old
beggar's hat.
"Ihere once were geniuseS, /" they said, who thronRed
the world about.
They once were numerous as grass; but now We are
Just out"
or course, tho world was very old and song had lost
Its spell
In those gray, medieval days when Dante sang of
hell.
Tn. lean old exile travelled far his shadow. haunted
And wrote his book In solitude and Alto his heart In
wrath.
And everywhere he wandered did tho d~Ilettante
throng
Deplore the wane OF poetry, the sad decay of song.
"Ah, once" they wept the Sons OF Light did crowd
this world about.
The earth was bright with geniuSoS; but now wo are
just out"
When Shakespeare ran q theatre, one time in London
town,
IT'S said he made good dividends and brought the
galleries down.
And many In those London streets looked on this
man. perchance.
But no man ever turned his head to get Q second
glance.
He played old Tamlet's ghost. tits said; and thus he
spent his days,
A mediocre actor and a tinker OF old plays.
And loud they mourned for genluSes. and loud went
up the shout;
Lord send US geniuSss once more; fog now we are
just out"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27

Tho longlcgged youth from tho Jersey settIamenrs
lunged along through u big uptown store where
there was a great display Of Christmas stun. and at
last HIS eye rested upon tho we!lkpown signi III
you don't see what you want, ask for IT,"
Does that. go?" he inquired of the pretty sales.
maiden, %noddiny toward the sign,
Certainly she responded, with a winning smile.
'What Is II you want =
well" he said, with confidence. 81 want about
sevon dollars To buy some or these purity ChrlHtmas
ninety.nine cents"
And tho slgn dldn't 90.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27
poEns WORTH nBAD1xo.

The Mountain Streams or North aeorGis.
From chanting cascades in the hills embosomed far
away,
Comes, caroiling its trolls and triiis the einsh Etiijay,
Aud, meeting with the cartsoay. they blitheiy brawl
along
while crested peaks aud boulders gray echo the,s
savage sonR.
The ccahulla softly creeps through grim ana Grue.
some glados,
where rhododendrons deck the sleeps In haunted
hemlock shades,
And Aileeoulsa wanders where the sands Of argent
CLEAN
with wealth OF lore and legend queer q. some fan
tastic dream.
with sober mien the Tugaio meauders through the
vale
where scented wroaths Of laurel throw their fra
GRANGE on tho gallo;
Naucoocheo seeks those scenes afar- where rest and
peace abide.
Tho light of evenings earliest star reflected in IL tide.
Amicoioia, tempest tossed, raves like . frenziod
queen,
the shoen of her fair tressss los. dsop in the dark 70
vine;
Toocoa leaps from ledge to ledge adown the shaggy
brows
OF rugged heights vsilod with . hedge of dropping
birchen boughs
Taliulah plays At hide and seek whore Iicheued rocku
appear,
ana towering turreta, bald ana bleak, their plunhcleu
uprear;
Through stern and sullsn sontudos Telora wildly
The sombro cedar sadly broods above it, lonely
shorea
Tho coosa- wattoo mocts the wild ana weird oohus
tabs frown.
And. like some wanton. maynard child. comes madiy
To join tho Con.neesaura bold, that stormo through
gorge and glen,
And old Chllhoweos hurdled hold unsoa,sd BY feet of
men.
Fair oothcalooea sweotly smiles mid eladsome val
leys greon
With vistas dim and forest sisies and many Q sylvan
scene;
And laughing, lispinG, whisperiuE. croons-the siivsry
SnlliQuoy
Those simple rhythmic, rustic tunes that MI the heart
with Joy.
The dark Armucheo sropes among the ranks Of rust
ling cane,
While Istalena nnds a tongue for many q fond refrain,
Chatooga's harnessed waters turn industry's whirling
wheels,
Where happy hearth nres blithely burn and many q
Joy bell peala.
Euharlee springs from pineclad sleeps and coves that
never saw
A star beam. while It laughs and Ieaps 70 moe, the
Etowah,
That with tho .oostanaula shares it, aeorot.. f.pov
And cain majestic oooss bears their message TO the
sea.
Such are tho sweet euphonious sounds the stranger
henrs among
Tho hills whose memory still abounds with tina, for
gotten tongue
That adds no moro q tender tone TO every vibrant
These STRAINS with Indian names alone recall tho
Cherokees!
RohE, Ga. MONTGOMERY n. Fo1son.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27

Tho people say that Fortunes tickle.
They've even made a similS.
And tickle as Dame Fortune" means
As nckle as can he.
Now. they don't know: that's all / soy.
II they were poets. my!
They'd soon md out that Miss
originals far more Shy.
When you're original. YOU know,
You cannot write a thing
That some one else.has writ or said,
Your own thoughts you must sing.
30 pray exouse me, for
Can never be n poet;
Original they must be land
There's mighty few can do its)
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27

Rose OF the northern rivera
That blossoms on my plata,
Into what pinky petals
Thou dost ~disintegratel
Oh. may thy myrinds never
Fail from the happy streams
Thai thread the dreaming forests,
Themselves In osy dreams
There from tho crystal waters,
primmed with ambrosial meat,
Tho hear doth pa his breakfast
And Joyfully doth eat.
The bear may have his breakfast;
The generous heart still shares
Its bliss with others. so will l.
But not too many bears
LAURENCE NELSON.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27
FRILLS OF FASHION.

Pretty collar bands for dresses are made OF
bias velvet In any light or bright shade. slightly
draped and gathered In two short loops at tho
back. where they fasten. The velvet IL beaded
with steel. pearl. turquoise, Jet. or rhine stone
nRil-heads and the frill commencing at the
SIDE and extending across the back is mhio of
white chiffon. edged with yellow luce.
Black velvet hats with black feathers and
large turquoise ornaments for the only color
are one OF the latest fancies of fashion. And IA
novel toquo 10 made of TURQUOISE, blue and
brown velvet, wide in shape. with an algrette
of tuberusos. Flowers are generously employed
on winter hats, and camelias, gardenias, and
viOlets seem TO be in the lead in Paris.
A pretty dinner dress is made of pompndour
silk, founced up to the waist, and the round
blouse bodice has a cream mousselinc de sole
vest with ,guipuro lace yoke and II white satin
ribbon belt and coilur drawn through steel
buckles, two Mt the neck and six at the waist.
Dancing gowns for small girls nre made OF
tnffetR silk with an oyerdress of Killed chif-
fon of the same color, or one OF llno lawn
trimmed with lace insertion and edgiEg.
Full vests of checked silk In two colors are
used in plain cloth gowns with good effect.
They open In the centre to show an inncr and
narrow vest OF fancy paloOn, or an embroidery or
beads on white silk. and are finished on either
edge with = tiny knife plating OF the silk.
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-10
DR.. TODD'S CASE.
II He So Chooses He Can Appeal From
the Decis o. of n, Medical Hoard.


the Decis Oh of IN, Medical Hoard.
The Helena Independent of yesterday
contains the following relative to the
case of DR.. william Todd which will be
of interest in this city:
THE state board of medical examiners.
which is in session in this city, adhered
to its determination made Wednesday
afternoon not to grant DR.. William Todd
a certificate to practice unless he sub
mitted to the examination required of
other applicants, and DIR. Todd left for
Butte yesterday afternoon no better Off
than when he came. Dr. Todd's license to
practice in the state was revoked by the
board three years ago for unprofessional
conduct.
IF he chooses to do So DIR. Todd may
appeal from the decision of the board to
the district court. Such an appeal the
codes provide, is conducted to a determi-
nation in all respects as an appeal from a
decision of the board of county commits
sioners disallowing a claim. The district
court must affirm or reverse the decision
of the board of medical examiners. In
case of reversal a certified copy of the
judgment is equivalent to a certificate
permitting the appellant to practice med
icine and surgery. An appeal may be ia
ken from the judgment of the dictrict
court by either party to the supreme
court, as in civil cases. In case Of an ap-
peal from a decision revoking a certifi-
cate the appellant may be permitted, I'm
the decision of the court, to practice dur
ing the pending of the appeal"
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-10
u Jenan-HIlton.

Frank Yoeman, electrician for the
Butte & Boston, and Miss Mae Hilton,
well known young lady of ,tuite,
were united in marriage Wednesday
evening at the residence of Alr. yoe-
mans mother at 40 North jackson
street, Rev. Groeneveld officiating A
large number of friends AMI invited
guests were present and an orchestra
was In attendance. The bride was
handsomely gowned in a iress of some
beautiful white fabric, trimmed with
white silk and natural flowers. Nu-
merous presents. that filled an entire
room, were received.