davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

1t was a busy morning with the old
trader. a Malanga party had just pulled
across from The village on the opposite
side Of the bay and had brought with
them a whole boatload of copra, which
they were converting into gayly patterned
laYa-lavas, Kegs OF soup, round, hard BIS
cults from the factory IL San Francisco,
and tins of pisupo from Au tralia. To
the Samoan all timed meat is pIsupo, un-
less indeed, il be salmon, when 1t is dig
nhed by he special title of samani.
have never seen pea soup put up in tins,
but l suppose it must have been COM
mon article of diet in the early days OF
white settlement in ,he South Seas other
wise the name could not have taken per-
manent place in the native vocabulary.
To settle ali this business, 10 say moth
ing of the minor wants of the ladies Of the
party, who needed nairpins and cotton
and com bs and host Of feminine ODDS
Isnd ends, took great deal Of hard bar
lgaining. / lounged on the veranda, and,
Nthrough the open window OF the store,
Matched my friend inside, perspiring in
his paiamas, trying 10 convince mob of
oily, heavily scented natives that the
four-tathom print he was offering them
was the finest and cheapest to be had N
the Whole land of Samoa. The natives
insuItlngly asserted that they could get
SIX lathoms OF the same stuff for dollar
IN Apla, but then, as The trader confided
10 me afterward, we were not in Apia,
but IN an out-of-the-wGv corner of SAvaii,
with many miles OF deep sea between US
and the chief port of the group.
Al last got tired watching lhere inter-
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

the lad had been apprenticed 10 boat
builder who lived half dozen miles down
the coast. he thought nothing OF walking
the twelve miles 10 the store and back In
the morning over a rough bush track half
smothered in wild underground of weeds,
the blazing tropical sun converting this
dense scrub into a sort of vapor ba h.
When ae got home: he told me, he woald
have his dinner, and then spend the a ter
oon saving out the crooked roots OF the
if tree into knees for the boat his master
was building.
He was very shy in the presence of
a white stranger; he saw so few in the
| isolated SPOT where he lived, but he
laughed and joked Familiarity enough
with the natives, who seemed 10 know
him we'll. He was equally at ease with
the old trader, who presently, having got
I'd of his troublesome native customers
came out and attended to the boy and
-uppied him with the nails wanted by
his master
! Then, when the lad had drunk a green
cocoanut and gone his way down the sun
light village street, the trader subsidized
into his easy chair and, mopping his head
duty with the kava bowl.
I Quite a lot of these castes and three
quar- er castles growing up now about the
islands,, he said presently, when copious
| draughts of kava had somewhat restored
his eQuanimity.
! "And what's to become OF them when
they grow up?' l asked.
II don't know, I'm sure; that's the diff.
Guilty. You see the Islands won't support
large white population; there's not
work enough; there's no produce they
can raise except copia, and they've
got to exist like natives to make living
out of that. Some of these half-castes.
IFS true" he added reflec:ively," .'aren't t
any better than natives. When the fathers
have been only old beechcombers and the
| native mothers have had to do all the
bringing up, why OF course they go back.
They never learn to speak English, and
they grow up Samoan IN all their ways.
| Why, there's haf-castes round here you
couldn't tell from natives. They're worse,
too, because they're clever and have got
more cunning and trickery in them.'
"But this boy" l remarked. thinking
| Of the youth who had called, seems su-
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

good looks. In bar barous civilized coun-
tiles she would have been cal ed a general
servant, but here, in this genial land,
where innate courtesy has not been
crushed by civilization, she was privi-
eyed party, chiei's daughter and the
belle of the villa4e. Though she conde-
scended, in exchange for an occasional
lava-laya, to look after traders bachelor
establishment, she came and went as she
pleased between her own big thatcEed
house on the other side of the green and
the little weatherboarded store What if
the latter did look dirty ami untidy. if
the stuffy silting-room was Uttered with
old books and magazines and the floor,
bore he accumulated dust of many days?
These things are but natural in Samoa,
and Silei at least was always charming.
Still, in spite of her good looks. siei' S
range of conversation was limited to po-
lite inquiries about my health and The
state of the we ,ther. The Samoan girl
does not converse readily with a white
man, unless, indeed, it be question of
loyemaking, when the universal wor d. old
language supplies all deficiencies. But
owe, | need hardly say, had nothing to
do with my case.
/ began to wish for diversion. 1t came
at last in the shape of lIght-s boy,
light / mean, when compared with the
bronzed native tint. He walked conf
dently up 10 the wire fence OF the veran-
da, and asked for Williamo, the Samoan
version OF Williams, as the tracer was
called.
"It's old Midmay's boy," said the
trader, looking out from his busy store
"teIl him to wait minute till I've done
with these wretches."
Mildmay's boy. with whom | presently
entered into conversation. poke very fair
En- lisa. much better than the majority
OF half-castes. His skin was no darker
than that OF many a sunburns farmer s
boy, and barefooted, clad only in ragged
trousers and shirt, with a much battered
straw hat he looked the picture of health
and activity.
He told me, with simple, innoce nj
air that he had been brought up in
Apia by white woman-he wasn't clear
whether she was bis mother, but he
thought not. His father had been white
man, of that he was certain, for he had
only died couple OF years ago and then
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

and big sea running into the open mouth
OF Apla Bay, making the harbor anything
but safe place for a small boat. The
captain said, in spite of the weather, that
he thought he would go off, after the usual
fashion of Apia people, to meet the
steamer and have gossip with the pas
sengers when she came in.
'Wha S the use 1 replied, looking at
the gin bottle, which was not more than
half empty. You'll only get wet through,
and perhaps have your boat swamped in
the bargain. Much better sit here and be
com Portable and wait until we hear who's
aboard OF her."
AFTER bit of talk the captain agreed,
and though l didn't know it at the time
| saved him from getting himself into
very awkward scrape. Many tine since
then has he thanked me for the service |
unoonsciously rendered him.
$50 We sat there snugly, passing the
bottle OF gin between US, and looking out
through the open doorway at the wind
swept harbor, with great green breakers
rolling through the bottle-necked en-
trance and breaking with roar ike thun-
der into clouds of white spray at our very
across the road from the beach, and we
had good view all round the bay.
when the rain let up little we saw
the mail steamer pitching and tossing in
the passage between the cruel coral reefs
which guard the entrance to the harbor
But a cables length away from her was
certain destruction. for the great breakers
which curl on the reefs would tear the
finest steamer to pieces in five minutes
should she once come within their grasp.
However, the boat was good one, and
the skipper knew the port so well that in
few minutes she was safely anchored in
the center of the harbor. Despite the
weather one or two of the watermens s
skiffs went out to her, but we sat and
waited.
"a boat soon put off from the steamer
with a single passenger, and before the
sweeping seas drove rapidly toward the
little wharf opposite the captain store.
Looking through the telescope he ex-
claimed: Why. if it isn't Benham, the
purser; fine young chap; sailed with
me couple OF voyages as supercargo in
the Mary Ann; knows my people in
Auckland, too. I'll be glad to see him.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21
Oh-h-h. Dixie's land am de land ob cotton,
Cinnamon seeds and sandy bottom
Look away look away, look.

LOOK away, look away look.
The singing was suddenly drowned by great
uproar behind the motionless curtain-the
sounds OF pushing and showing and pounding.
The few people who had ventured in through
the theater door at the early hour of half-rat
did not seem to mind it in the least. They sat
as close TO one another armrests would allow
and cooed to each other in loyer-like tones.
Il guess it's goin' to begin" feminine
voice said very distinctly TO the young man at
her side and she removed the obscure little
black hat from its elevated position and placed
it OIL the floor and moved closer to her sleek
haired com panion.
II guess you're right" he giggled moving his
oily pate nearer to her fluffy one. And they
looked at each other perfectly happy.
Those are the people ] like" said the tall
and imposingly silk-hatted gentleman who
manages I'm Old Kentucky" and born in
old Kentucky, as he held aside the curtain for
me TO pass to the back of the stage.
"They are neither impatient nor critical"
said he, holding up the flooring which keeps the
nursery from falling downstairs when in the
region of wings and flies. They buy their seats
and come early. and stay until the curtain goes
clear down to the floor and then they wander
out with the traces of tears and smiles on their
faces and hats bit awry. Sometimes they do
not get pack to earth entirely, and uncon-
sciously they pass through the crowd hand in
hama ana Dappy. man leelS as InOuSn ne naQ
a right to be happy, too. then. Most people
make you feel like highwayman with their
lofty unconcern and their silks and feathers
and late coming and early going
''These ere the rocks and the mountains"
Mr.. Morgan said, pointing through the dim
light TO the OF dark-looking screens that
lined the sides of the walls. "If you stand in
front of the curtain you see them set the
first scene"
So took my position on pile OF grass mats.
made green by the grace OF dyes, and watched
the mountains grow.
First, from the sides they moved the front
ends Of the forests of trees into their proper po-
sitions and braced them carefully. Then they
brought structures of wood-not solid, but
bolted and sawed in squares-and set them to
be used for the foundation OF the mountains.
From above branches of vine-covere trees and
tender network of leaves and twigs were slowly
lowered into their proper positions.
The stage carpenter paused in the act of NOV
ing the highest part of the hills and the house
mo its rightful place and raised his hat
You'd better SIT down." he said and pointed
to a rock near by where l standing. "Ill
be down soon as can get the bridge fixed and
the tree up here
"Cin-na- m on n-seed-san'san-dy" sang the CHEEKY
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

perior."
"Oh he's all right. He's only three.
quarter caste and has got good white
blood in him. And then he was brought
up by a clever white woman, ana that
makes all the difference"
"But be couldn't have had a white
mother?" | aueried, getting rather puz-
zled.
mo, no; that's just where the peculiar
part of the whole story comes in; his
mother was a half caste and his father
old Captain Trenton, well-known iden-
thy in Apia. He is dead now, so | sup
pose I NAV tell you the yarn without be-
traying any condolences.
"The captain, in the old days, was in
command of one OF MacAllister's trading
schooners, and had been in the habit O.
coming to Apia for long time, until at
last, fifteen, or it may be sixteen. years
ago. he made up his mind to settle in the
place. He bought store along Maiafele
way-part Of Apia-and did good bu-i-
ness. We always thought the captain was
single man. and so we were not bill
surprised when he married rather pretty
little naf- caste, and settled down com.
fortaby.
Domestic matters went on all right;
the captain and his wife seemed happy
enough in their way, and in the course OF
year or so a fine boy was born TO them.
The captain was particularly fond of the
child, and many q time have | come
across him in the little back parlor be-
hind the store filing up the intervals o1
business by fondling the baby, dancing IT
on his knee and cooling to it after the
fashion of devoted parents did good
deal OF trading with the captain just
then and was a regular friend of the fam
! lily, privileged TO drop in whenever
liked and take my share of whatever was
going. And generally there was some
thing good either 10 eat or drink. for the
captain lived we'll and kept open house in
the good old-fashioned island style-a
style that's quite gone out OF date" he
added, with sich of regret.
"Weil, one day / was sitting in the back
parlor with the captain, over bottle o1
| gin. We were talking about a steamer
from Auckland, which had just been
sighted off the port, and would be within
the harbor in another half hour. 1t was
nasty wet weather with heavy squalls,
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21
BY J. F. ROSE -SOLEY.

minable bartering operations and turned
my attention to the pretty Slei, who wa
squatted cross-legged on the veranda
floor. Silei was preoccupied and did not
vouchsafe me so much as a glance. The
many legged kaya- bowl stood on the floor
beside her and her slender though wiry
wrists were wringing with all their
strength the straner of fau fiber, by
means OF which the juice is expressed
from the pounded kava root. The result
is the national drink OF the country, an
uely-looking yellow liquid, tasting on the
first trial remarkably like soapsuds.
Still, one soon grows fond OF it, and white
men-the old hands who have lived long
IN the country-drink it in far greater
quantities than the natives Waving the
stralner gracefully over her shoulder
Silei shook out the remains of the root.
now squeezed into fine dry powder, and,
tiling a cocoanut shell, offered it me with
courteous downward sweep of her arm.
SIlefs task-the peculiar privilege of
Samoan maidens-done, her regular feat
ures relaxed. "Uma, she cried, laugh
ing gayly, as she wiped her hands on her
laya-lava, broad sheet of gayly patterned
MduCucst6t pliul, WOiuu anu IouHu
her waisi. Yes, Siei was und oubtedly
pretty, as she squatted there, putting away
a her sului. Her jet black hair. carefully
com bed and ollie d. was lit up with single
blossom of the red hibiscus, and strip
of blue CLOTH a hole cat in the center for
the head to pass through, outlined, with
oul concealing, her shapely bust.
After the manner OF ma dens in all
parts, whether their skins be brown or
white, Silei fully appreciated her own
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

Because genius is said 20 be akin to in
sanity there is no reason for thinking in
sanity akin to genius
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

Florence-I wonder why Jack dislikes
billiards so?
Mabel suppose the three balls remind
him too forcibly OF the pawn brokers.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

The poet takes IN the Inspirations of ma
ture while bis wife takes in washing.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

"All things come to him who will but
wait" murmured the waiter when IN
formed that he had inherited a fortune.
The San Francisco call., 1897-11-21

ITO be continued
The Florence tribune., 1897-07-24

before them, as horrible an object as one could see in a nightmare. ''Go;la-r!'' cried the officer. and .'Godam!' cried each of the four troopers, which is the samSS- with us when we cry '.6Ion Dieue Ont rasped the five swords and the four men closed up. One who wore q sergeant's chevron laughed and clapped me on the shoulder. Fight for your skin, froggy," said he.
 Ahi it was so fine to have horse be- tween my thighs and weapon in.Iny grip. waved it above my head and shouted in my exultation. The chief had come forward, with that odious smiling face of his.
 'Your excelleney will observe that this Frenehman is our prisoner" he said.
 You are rascally robber," said the Englishman, shaking his sword at him. ''It is disgrace to us to have such allies By the Lord, if the general were of my mind we would swing you up to the nearest tree
 But my prisoner9" said the brigand,
 s 7ats lington's camp"
 Just word ln your ear before you take him.
 He approached the young officer, and then. turning as quick as a flash, he fired his pistol in my face. The bullet scored its way through my hair and burst a hole on each side of my busby. 
 the pistol and was about to hurl it at me, when the English sergeant, with d single baelShanded cut, nearly severed his head from his body. His blood had not reached the ground, nor the last
The Florence tribune., 1897-07-24
lContiniirdA


 But all the time ! was taieing the very kcencst notice of everything which might possibly help me. I am not man who would lie like sick horse waiting for the farriar sergeant and tAe pole ak. First would give little tug at my ankle cords, and then another at those that were around my wrists, and all the time was trying to loosen them was peering round to see if I could find something which was in my favor. There was one thing which was very evident. A hussar is but half formed without horse, aud there was my other half quietly graz ing within thirty yards of me. Then observed yet another thing. The path by which we had come over the noun tains was so steep that horse could only be led across it slowly and with difficulty, but in the other direction the ground appeared to be more open, and to lead straight down into gently sloping valley. Had 1 but my feet in yonder stirrups and .RE saber in my hand, single bold'@tash might take me out of the power q these vermin of the rocks.
 1 was still thinking it over and strain ing with my wrists and my ankles when their chief camss out from his grotto and after some talk with his lieutenant, who lay grooming near the fire, they both nodded their heads and looked across at me. He then said
The Florence tribune., 1897-07-24
cHAPrER N

sliait s-.sissss ss3 sisEsasAsS s,fe eaesss such stories uf the money which he had lost over which of two cocks could kill the other, or which of two men could strike the other the most in a fight for a prize, that was filled with astonish- ment He was ready to bet upon any thing iu the most wonderful manner and when l chanced to see q shooting star he was anxious to let that he would see more than me, twenty-five francs star, and it was only when l explained that my purse was in the hands of the bIigands that he would give over the idea.
 Well, we chatted away in this vers amiable fashion until the day began break, when suddenly we heaIe.a a great volley of musketry from somewhere ID. the front of us. It was very rocky and broken ground, and I thought, al though I could see nothing, that gen eral engagement had broken out Eaa Bart laughed at my idea, lleH=r and explained that the souna iem the English camp, where every a.aa emptied his piece each norn as to make sure of having a dF neiiuislg.
 ''In another mile we shall ee up g.5th the outposts, said he.
 I glanced around at this and per ceived that we had trottea iaae < so good pace during the tim ya we were keeping up oar pleasant hat the dragoon with the lsme Fas altogether out of sight. on every side. but hl the at vast rocky valley there gc vs only the Bart and I-bcta wss you understand, and bot s a5 Eea mounted. I began to ass ssiT whether after all it was quise aeees- sary that I should ride that nlile which would bring me to the British out | posts.
The Florence tribune., 1897-07-24

NoT1oR.-Any information regarding the Casa Grande valley will be cheerfully fur nished by Chas. D. Reppy, Immigration Com missioner for Pinal county Florence, Ariz.
The Florence tribune., 1897-07-24

to pick up those bits of knowledge which distinguish the man of the world. have, for example, hardly ever met Frenchman who could repeat an Eng fish title correctly If had not tray eled l should not be able to say with confidence that this young mans real name was Milor Hon. Sir Russell Bart, this last being an honorable dis tinction, so that it was as the Bart that ! usually addressed him, inst as in Spanish one might say the Don
 As we rode beneath the moonlight in the lovely Spanish night we spoke our minds to each other, as # we were brothers. We were both of age, vou see, both of the light cavalry also the Sixteenth light dragons was his regiment and both with the ne hopes and ambitions Ney r learned to know man SC qu I did the Bart. He gave me the n...a,s oE girl whom he had loved at garden called Vauxhall and for my part I spoke to him of little Caralic of the opera. He tooka lock of hair from his bosom, and garter. Then we near ly- quarreled over hussar and draeoon. for he was absurdly proud of his regiment, and you should have seen him curl his lip and clap his hand 10 his hilt when l said that I hoped it might never be it's niisf0rtune to come in the way of the Third.
The Florence tribune., 1897-07-24

Train No. connects with Southern Pacific " passing Maricopa at 1008 D. m. o, Tram No. connects with Southern Pacific 70 passing Maricopa at :15 a. na. sGonneetions made at honix with S. F., P @ r. k. R. for Prescott and Congress Connections made at Mesa with stage for Goldfield, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridavs at F 30. for Florence and Globe. Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays at o'clock a, m. Trains stop on signal. Pullman Palace Sleeping Car on trains Nos and between Phoenix and Marieopa. Tickets sold to all principal point4 and bag
 gage checked to destination
 \. h- HASTEN, c. c. MCNEIL,
 President. Gen SuT,t ?. B. SANFORD.
 Genl Freight 6 Pass. Agent.
The Florence tribune., 1897-07-24
The Winner

of one of those $Ioo prizes got her yellow tickets in this way:
 I. By using the tea herself.
 ?. By asking some friends who use the tea to give her their tickets.
 3. By inducing some friends to try the tea and give her their tickets. One of her friends kept a boarding house, and sent her lots of tickets Haven't you some friend who keeps a boarding house or a restaurant, or who has in 1uence in some hospital or other public institution? They need good tea there.
 Rules of contest in large advertisement about first and middle of the month. A
The Florence tribune., 1897-07-24

 curse died on his lips, before the whole horde were upon us. but with dozen bounds and as many slashes we were all safely out of the glade, and galloping down the winding track which led to valley.
 It was not until we had left the ra- vine far behind us and were right ont in the open fields that we ventured to halt and to see what injuries we mad sustained. For me, weary and wound cd as I was, my heart was beating proudly and my chest was nearly burst ing my tunic to think that l, Etienne Gerard, had left this gang of murderers so much by which to remember me. My faith, they would think twice be- fore they ventured again to lay hands upon one of the Third hussars. Sc car ried away was I that I made small oration to these brave Englishmen and told them who it was that they had helped to rescue. 1 would have spoken of glory also and of the sympathies oi brave men, but the officer cut me short
 That's all right" said he, ''any in juries, sergeant2"
 Trooper Jones' horse hit with a pistol bullet on the fetloclz.p
 Trooper Jones to go with us. Ser geant Halliday with troopers Harvey and Smith to keep to the right until they touch the videttes of the German hussars.n
 So these three jingled away together while the officer and l, followed al some distance by the trooper whose charger had been wounded, rode straight down in the direction of the English camp. Very soon we had opened our hearts, for we each liked the look of the other from the begin ming. He was of the nobility, this brave lad, and he had been sent out scouting by Lord Wellington to see if there were any signs of our advancing through tht mountains. It is one advantage of g ] wandering life like mine, that you learI