davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18
PART III

PART H.
They have fed" said the woman, with a
thankful sigh.
Yes" said the man, 1--WE are delivered
once more out of the hands of the enemy"
I'VE must not unbar the door or the shut
tiers yet" said the woman, anxiously. II
will get supper by candle-light"
Then Lctitia realized what she had not
done before, that all the daylight was shut
out of the house; that they had for light
only one tallow candle and low hearth fire.
1t was very cold then. Letitia began to
SILVER with cold as we'll as fear.
Suddenly the woman turned to her with
motnerly kindness and curiosity
who is this little damsel whom you res
cued. husband?" said she.
'She must speak for herself" replied her
husband smiling.
Il thought at first she was Neighbor
Adams Phoebe, but see she is not"
What is your name. child?" asked the
woman, while the three little girls looked
wonderingly az the newcomer.
"Letitia Hopkins" replied Letitia, in a
small, scared voice.
The others started.
'Letitia Hopkins. did you say?" said the
woman, doubtfully.
Yes, nla'am.''
They all stared at her, then at one an
other.
1T is very strange" said the woman,
finally, with puzzled half-alarmed look
Letitia Hopkins is my name"
And 1t is miHe, too" said the eldest girl
Letitia gave great jump. There was
something very strange about this Le-
titia Hopkins was her family name Her
grandmother, her fathers mother, had been
Letitia Hopkins, and she had always heard
that the name could be traced back in
the same order for generations as the
Hopkinses had irtermarried. She looked
up, trembling, at the man who saved her
from the Indians
will you please tell me your name.
sir?' she said.
John Hopkins" said the man. smil-
ing kindly at her.
Capt. John Hopkins" corrected his
wife.
Letitia gasped. That settled 1t. Can't.
Jonn hopkins was her great-great-great-
grandfather. Great-aunt Peggy had often
told Ter about him He had been notable
man In his day, among the first settlers.
and many story concerning him had
some down to his descendants A queer
little miniature Of him, In n little pflt
frame iran hung IN the best parlor, and Le-
titia had often looked at It, She had
thought from the first that there was some
thing familiar about the mans face and
now she recognized the likeness to the
miniature.
1t seemed awful and impossible hut
the little green door had led into the mast
and Letitia Hopkins had visited her great
Observation-Disclosures and grandmother
ner Sleat- sreat-grandmother, and her two
great-great-aunts
Letitia looked up in the faces, all STAR
ing wonderingly at her, and ali of them
had that familiar look. though she had no
miniature OF the others. Suddenly she
knew that it was a likeness of her own
face which she recognized. and it was as
If she saw herself in five-fold looking
glass. She felt as if her head was turning
round and round, and presently her feet
began to follow the motion Of her head.
then strong arms caught her. or she would
have fallen. =
When Let!tia came to herself again. she
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18

Go to sleep now" said she, they've
gone away
But Leitia was weeping with fright.
II can't go to Sleep" she sobbel. I'm
afraid they'll come again"
Very likely they WILL" replied the other
Letitia, coolly. They come most every
night
The little great-great-aunt Phyllis again
laughed.
she can't go to to sleep because she
heard Injuns.' she Uttered.
Hush said her older sister; She'll get
accustomed 20 them in time"
But poor Letitia slepI no more till
o'clock. Then she had just fallen into
sweet doze when she was pulled out of
bed.
Come come'' said the great-grea.-
sreat-gra ndmother. Goodwife Hopkins I'VE
can have no lazy damsels here"
Letitia found that her bedfellows were
up and dressed and down stairs. She heard
a queer buzzing sound from below, as she
stood on her bare feet on the icy floor and
gaZed about her. dizzy with sleep.
Hasten and dress YOURSELF said Good
wife Hopkins; here are some of Letitias
garments l have laid out for you Those
the chest. They are too gay, and do not
betit a SOBER God-fcarins damsel."
With that, Goodwife Hopkins descended
to the room below, and Letitia dressed her
self 1t did not take her long There was
rot much to put on beside a coarse wool
retticoat and a straight little wool gown,
Tough yarn stockings and such shoes as
she had never seen. II couldn't run from
1njuns in these" thought Letitia, miser-
ably. When she got downstairs she dis
covered what the buZLing noise was Her
tgreat-grandmother WAS spinning
Her great-great-aunt Cardace was knitting
and little Phyllis was securing the hearth.
Goodwife Hopkins was preparing break
fast.
Go tc the other wheel" said she to Lee
titia, and spin until the pOrridge IS done.
We can have no idle hands here
Letitia looked helplassly at spinning
wheel in the corner, then at the great
great-grea t-grandmother
Il don't know how she falterei
Then all the great-grandmo;h hers and the
aunts cried out with establishment
she doesn't know now 10 spin"' they
said to one another.
Letitia felt dreadfully ashamed
You must have been strangely brought
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18
THINK TWICE
Before You Putt Something Into
YOUR Stomach You Know
Nothing About.
DO so EVERY DAY
Without a Thought of Consequences.

The stomach is the most important and the most
abused organ In the body.
III 4 person catches little cold the lungs
he Immediately seeks treatment Cor It, II his kid
heys show symptoms Of weakness lie becomes
alarmed at cnce. But IL his oyrrwork.d stomach
rebels he pays no attention 10 1t until sleeItess
rights, distress after eating, and gen.
eral weakness and lack of ...:rsy show plainly
mat something Is wrong. He loses In weight and
Las pains in the chest and limbs.
Dr. AHsden says Tha: thousands OF people jn
this condition never -hink of ascrihIng the trouble
10 the stomach, but they dose themselves with
loudly advertised nerve tonIcs,'' spring med
l'ines, predig ested food etc, and then wonder
why they tcn't get We'll.
All OF these things called secret remedies
patented medicines which advertised TO pro-
cuce wonderful results but they all very care
iul not TO tell you exactly What the wonderful
preparation really contains. As Il matter OF fact
nerve tones" are simply stimulants they make
you feel good for a day and the next cay you must
repeat the dose.
The doctor says further, the only way TO cure
dyspepsia and stomach weakness is 20 90 d .ne
fountain head, treat the stomach Itself and put
LothtnS iato ii unless you know what that some
thing is.
He further states be has had The greatest sue
cess IN curing all forms Of indigestion 10y the use
OF Stuart's Dyspepsia Tablets, which IS not 4
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18
aside to her husband. 1T shall be my care
to instruct her." d :
PART III


Letitia, having completed her task, was
given her breakfast 1t was only a portion
of cornmeal porridge in pewter plate. She
had never had such a strange breakfast In
her life, and she did not like cornmeal. She
sat with it untasted before her.
why don't you eat?" asked her great
MISREPRESENTATION severely.
1-don't-like-it," faltered Letitia.
If possible. they were. all more shocked
ance. is
She doesn't like the good porridge." the
little great-auntS said to each other
Eat the porridge," commanded Cant
John Hopkins, sternly, when he had gotten
over his surprise.
Letitia ate the porridge-every grain of It,
After breakfast the serious work of the
day began Letitia had never known any-
thing like it. She felt like a baby who had
just come into a new world. She was ig-
| I'orant of everything that these strange rel
atives knew. 1t made no difference that
she knew some things which they did not,
some advanced things. She could, for in
stance, crochet, If she could not knit She
could repeat the multiplied ton table, If she
did not know the doctrine of predestinatIon
she had also all the states Of the Union by
heart. But advanced knowledge is of no
more value in the past than past knowledge
IN the future. She could not crochet be-
cause there were no crochet needles; there
were no states of the Union, and it seemed
doubtful II there was a multiplication ia ble
there was SO little to multiply
So Letitia had to set herself to acquiring
the Wisdo..> of her ancestors She learned
to card, and Ratchet, and spin, and weave.
She learned to dye cloth, and make coarse
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18

up" said Goodwife Hopkins. "Well, take
this stocking and mend the toe. There will
be just about time enough for that before
breakfast"
II don't know how to knit" stammered
Letitia.
Then there was another cry Of astonish-
ment. Goodwife Hopkins cast about in her
mind for another task for this ignorant
guest.
Explain the doctrine Of predes ,ination {"
she said, suddenly.
Letitia jumped and stared at her with
scared eyes.
Don't you know what predestination
is?" demanded Goodwife Hopkins.
NO. ma AMI" half sobbed Letitia.
Her great-great-grandmo and her
great-great-aunts made shocked exclama-
lions.
And her great-gr aat-great-g grandmother
looked at her with horror. You have been
brought up as one of the heathen," said
she. Then she produced a small book. end
Letitia was hidden to seat herself upon a
stool and learn the doctrine Of predestjna-
ton before breakfast
The kitchen was lighted only by one tai
low candle and the freight, for it was still
far from dawn. Letitia drew her little
stool close to the hearth, and bent anxious
ly over the fire-lit page. She committed to
memory easily, and repeated the text like
frightened parrot when she was called
upon.
1.-THE child has good parts, though she is
woefully ignorant" Goodwife Hopkins said
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18
Bicycle Superstitions.
Journal.

From the minneapolis journal.
Folks open to the influence Of signs,
omens, etc should read the following list
Of bicycle superstitions:
Il. The wheelman who allows a hearse
to pass him will die before the year is out.
80. To be chased by a yellow dog with
enc blue eye and one black eye indicates
bad fall.
80. To see a small boy with slungshot
beside the road is a prophecy of puncture.
"A. II you pass white horse driven by a
red-haired lady, your rim will split unless
you say 'cajandrum' and hold up two lin
gers.
70. The rider who eXpectorates tobacco
juice on the track will lose a spoke.
'6. II you take your machine TO the re-
pair shop it is a sign that you will not buy
that new suit of clothes.
~. Kicking the man who asks the make
of your wheel is sign of high honors and
riches within year.
IS. Lending the wheel is the sign of the
double donkey.
20. To attempt TO hold up 275-pound
woman learning to ride is the sign of a
soft spot
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18

was in a great feather bed, III the unfin-
ished loft In the log house. The wind blew
she thought at first she was cut of doors,
then she heard kind but commanding
voice repeating: open your mouth" and
stared up Wildly into her great-great-great-
grandmother's face, then around the
strange little garnet, lighted with wisp of
rag In pewter dish of tallow, and the
stars shining through the crack in the logs.
room, besides the bed and an oak chest.
Some queer-lookng garments hung about
on pegs and swung In the draughts of the
s Wdna. ~ mus, must have been showing out
ed here and there about the room
Where-am-I?' Letitia asked, feebly.
put no sooner had she opened her mouth
IMAM ner great-great-great-gran
Goodwife Hopkins, who had been watch
ing her chance. popped in the great pewter
spoon fun of some horribly black and BIT
ter medicine.
Letitia nearly choked
swallow It," said Goodwife Hopkins
=. iou swoohed away. and 1t is good physic
IL VIII soon make you we'll"
doodWife Hopkins had kind and mother
no appeal
Letitla swallowed the bitter dose.
NOW. go to Sleep" ordered Goodwife
Letitia went to sleep. There might have
heen something quieting to the nerves in
the good phys!c.
She was awakened a little later by her
great Observation-Disclosures. and her two
sreat-great-aunts coming to bed.
They were to sleep with her. There were
only two beds in Capt. John Hopkins
house.
Letitia had never slept four in a bed be-
Tore There was not much room. She had
to turn herself ABOUT crosswise and then
her toes stuck out into the icy air, unless
she kept them we'll covered up. But soon
she fell asleep sgain.
About midnight she was awakened by
wild cries In the woods outs side, and lay
minute numb with fright before she re-
membered where she was Then she nudg-
ed her MISREPRESENTATION Letitia, who
lay next her.
whats that?" she whispered, fearfully.
"Oh, It's nothing but a catamount. Go
to sleep again. said her grea t-great-gra
mother, sleepily. Hec great gre lt-aunt
Phyllis, the youngest of them all, laughed
OH the other side.
She's afraid of a catamcunt" said she.
Letitia could not go to s.eep for long
while, for the wild cries continued, and she
thought severa. times that the catanourt
was scratching up the walls of the house.
When she did fall asleep it was not for
long, for the fierce yells she had heard
when she had first opened the green door
sounded again in her ears.
This time she did not need to wake her
great-great-gran6mo other, who sat straight
in bed at the first sound.
What's that?" Le.itia WHISPERED
Hush" replied the other. "Injuns.'
Both the grAatsrea t-aunts were awake,
they all listened, scarcely breathing. The
yells came again, but fainter; then, again,
and fainter still. Then they were heard no
more. 1'etitia's gTeat-great-graudmoth Their
settled back in bed again
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18
THE MAN FROM THE WEST.
Greater Dangers in the City Than
Upon the Plains.

From the Buffalo Express.
so you were a pioneer in the early days
of the west?'
Il was" answered the graybeard.
"And you lived out among the hostile
Indians?"
yes"
Lived with 2 rife in your hands and in
hourly expectation of being the mark Coz
hidden enenys bullet?"
1T was something like that
do you know, / often think life like
that must be terrible. l should think the
mere strain on the nerves would kill a man
in a short tme-holding your life in your
haDd all the Tina, always conscious that a
moments relaxation of vigilance may mean
Death
"Oh. / don't know" replied the gray
beard. When i came back from the west
l was sixty years old and did not have a
gray hair. / got off the railroad train and
started to walk across the street. Half
way over l heard the dfnGedest clanking
and yelling right on my heels ever heard,
and somebody gave me push that sent me
clear to the curb. Then when l looked
round l saw I'd conc within an ace of
being run over by a trolley. Never had
SO marrow an escape from Indians.
Il went into a saloon close by to get a
drink and settle my nerves. While l was
standing at the bar a couple of fellows
got into a scrap and one of them threw a
heavy beer mug. Didn't hit the other fel-
low, but it came within a sixteenth of an
inch of my right temple.
Il started to walk Up town and the first
crossing came to policeman grabbed me
by the shoulder and jerked me across so
quick it made my head swim. / looked TO
see what was the matter for there were
TO car tracks on that street, and l saw that
l had just escaped being run down by a
hackman who was hurrying to catch a
train.
Up street a little further somebody yell
ed Look out.' at me, and when / jumped
a big icicle fell off a roof and struck just
where l mad been standing.
Il got to my hotel and was heading for
the door when somebody grabbed me ard
asked me if 1 wanted to be killed. They
were hcisting a safe into a second-story
window over where I'd been trying to go,
and hadn't more than got out of the way
before the rope broke and il dropped.
II went to bed and about midnight I
was called up by 4 bell ringing over my
head AMI found the place on fire and
had to slide down a rope to escape. Re-
ing sound sleeper. they'd had hard work
10 wake ME AMI / had barely touched the
ground when the roof fell in.
when i looked in the glass ;.eXt day
saw the first streaks of gray that had ever
showed themselves in my nair. oh, there
are dangers in civilized life as well as out
on the plains"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18

erc1 and cOughed little and pleaded, and
finally had her own way.
But you must sit down quietly" charg-
ed Aunt Peggy, land you must learn your
texts, to repeat TO me when / get home"
After Aunt Peggy and the old servant, in
their great cloaks and bonnets and fur tip
pets, had gone out of the yard and down
the road, Letitia sat quiet for fifteen min
utes SO, hunting in the Bible for four
easy texts; then suddenly she thought of
the little green door, and wondered as she
had done so many times before If it could
possibly be opened. She laid down her BIZ
bic anil stole out through the kitchen to
the cheese room and tried the door. 1t was
locked, just as usual. "Oh, dearr' sighed
Letitia. and was ready to cry. 1t seemed
TO her that this little green door was the
would rather open that and see what was
wanted and had to do without.
Suddenly she thought of a little SATIN
wood box with picture on the lid which
Aunt Peggy kept in her top bureau drawer.
Leatia bad often seen this box, but had
meyer been allowed to open It.
II wonder if the key can be in that box?"
said she.
She did not wait minute. She was so
naughty that she dared not wait, for fear
she should remember that she ought to be
good. She ran out of the cheese room,
through the kitchen and the sitting room,
TO her aunt's bed room, and opened the bu-
feau drawer, and then the satin-wood box.
y contained some bits of old lace. an old
brooch, yellow letter, nome other things,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18
DIVORCED FROM A DEAD MAN.
Peculiar Pension Case of Mrs. Mar
garct Marler.

From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
Mrs. Margaret A. Marler of Bonnie Terre,
Mo-, has received notice of final action on
her application for restoration to the pen
sion rolls, after a suspension of nearly
twenty years. By the favorable action Of
the pension department she comes INTO
possession of $50 and SD month during
her widowhood. This case, which has been
PENDING for about three years, possesses
some peculiar features.
In 1861 John A Marler enlisted in COM
pany d, thirty-first Missouri infantry, and
was sent to the front al Vicksburg. Here
he fell sick and died, leaving a widow and
three small children in extreme poverty.
The young widow S struggle to maintain
herself and children was hard one until
she was awarded a pension of IS per month
for herself and 81 for each of her three
children. This sum, supplemented by what
she was able 10 earn, enabled her and her
children to live in comparative comfort.
After several years, however, an eX-sol-
der by the name of Ransom A. Walker
sought her hand in marriage, and she
yielded and re,inquished her pension. For
moro than a decade and a half the family
struggled with poverty. At last, however,
the husband succumbed to wounds received
in the army, and about four years ago he
died, leaving the widow broken in health
and utterly destitute. knowing that Wal
ker had been in the government service,
she filed an application for a pension as
his widow, but while collecting the evil
dence necessary to establish her CLAMP she
discovered another wife, whom he had de-
serted some time previous to his marriage
to her. and who had died but a couple OF
years before Walker.
Mortified at this discovery, and realizing
that she had nothing on which TO base her
claim as Walkers widow, she abandoned
it, and with it for the time being all hope
of government help. But thinking the MAJ
ter over. 1t occurred to her that having
once drawn a pension as John J. Marler's
widow, and never having. been legally mar
ried to any one else. she was necessarily
his widow STILL and as such entitled to her
pension from the date of its suspension to
the present.
Acting upon this idea, she at once filed
an application, accompanied by the neces-
sary evidence, for restoration to her rights
as the widow of John ]. Marler.
Here, however, new difficulties were en-
countered and new discoura gements await
ed her, for by ruling of the pension de-
partment she was required to obtain de-
cree of E court of record annulling her sup
posed marriage with Walker as a prece-
dent to establishing her claim as the
widow of the only man to whom she had
ever been legally married. This she sue
ceeded in doing.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18
AT THE AQUARIUM.
A Little Surprise for n Man Not Fn.
milfnr With DuIIfrog Charactcristics

A Little Surprise for n Man Not Fa.
miifnr With DuIIfrog Charactcristics
From The New York Sun.
A nearsighted stranger who saw A bull
frog standing on it's hind legs and resting
its fore feet against the glass front Of
orc of the tanks in the aquarium stopped
to look at ii. 1t was a big bullfrog one
That woulI measure about foot extended,
and it stood there as motionless as an
image, except for the slight but regular
movement that respiration impaired 10 its
expansive throat.
The stranger was not an expert in frogs
hut he could see that this was a fine bull
freq. 1t looked as thoGgh il had been
standing there for month, and was going
TO stand there in just that attitude iii
next Fourth of July, and he was interest
ed. He drew nearer to examine it, His
hat brim touched the front of the tank,
and he took his lat off SO that he could
get closer TO the glass
He saw the broad, fiat top of the bull
frog mead Just above the surface of The
water, with the eyes projecting like dormer
windows. Just below the water he SAW
the frog great mouth, running around so
lar that he almost wondered, as many
people had wondered before whether the
t9p OF the frogs head wasn't held on 10y
hlnge at the back. He counted she toes on
the frogs fore feet, WHICH rested against
the glass, and found that they numbered
four each. Descending to the legs which
rested on the bottom, he had just discoy-
ered that one foot had five toes, while the
other had only four, when suddenly the
tank seemed full of bCllfrogs. 1t was ike
bullfrog fireworks. with bullfrogs fixing
and tunsblng in all directions at once for
just one moment, and then everything was
stiIl again; and anybody not an expert in
bullfrogS who had seen this bullfrog in its
new attitude over on the other side of the
tank, motionless as an image, would have
thought that it had been standing there
since last autumn, and was going TO stand
there till next fall, at least
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18

Peggy and the old maid servant, just COM
ing home from church.
Letitia that afternoon confessed what
she had done to her aunt, who listened
gravely.
You were disobedient," said she, when
she had finished. But I think your dis
obedience brought its own punishment,
and hope now you will be more content"
'Oh, Aunt Peggy" sobbed Letitia, ''ev-
erything I've got Is so beautiful, and l
love to study and crochet and go to
church"
well. 1. was a hard lesson to learn, and
l hoped 10 spare you from 1t, but perhaps
1t was for the best" said her Great-aunt
Peggy.
II was there a whole winter" said Lee
titia, but when / got back you were just
coming home from church."
1T doesn't take as long to visit the past
as it did to live it, replied her aunt.
Then she sent Letitia into her room for
the satln-wood box, and, when she brought
it, took out of it a little parcel, neatly
folded in white paper, tied with a green
ribbon.
open it," said she.
Let.tia united the green ribbon and I'M
folded the paper. and there was the little
silver snuff box which had been the treas
ure of her great-great-g grandmother, Le-
titia Hopkins. She raised the lid, and there
was also the little glass bottle.
CThe end)