davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

potatoes impassively; he swept and
busted. obedlent but severely uninter.
ested. think it was the salad that hrs,
reused him from the melancholy resiena.
ton into which the failure of his civiliz-
ing attempts upon US had thrown him
He started at sight of the thick creamy
mayonnaise as I'm told warhorse docs
when the bugle sounds. Then he left the
Kitchen, appearin. after q long interval
cIean-shaven, his dark, coarse hair neatly
brushed.
he tell upon the icecream freezer with
passion, turning the crank with a raptdltv
that tod much OF hitherto repressed en-
ergles, oeveLopment stunted, CRAVINGS de.
nled-and Incidentally spoiled the cream
FROM then on he threw himself into the
preparations with enthusiasm. 6pperino
Inc china, our company table linen and
carving cloths as a v;olinist mipbt his
iong-lost and lately found instrument. The
napkins he folded in intricate beautv he
hoVered over the flowers, arranging and
rearranging every time l left the room
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

He was satlated for once with unnumbered
knives and forks.
| 1t is with humility l confess that I
tried to tell him how l wanted the chick
ems served but the pain, the agony al
| most OF his face-as Paderewski might
look if some blunderIng local music.
teacher were to give his views on the cor
rect in Interpretation of the moonlight
Sonata"-silenced me.
When produced the fnger-bowIs with
Honiton doyIles Julie embroiders so
daintily Oto's emotion mastered him. He
fed to his room, reappearing after an in
terval in patent-leather pumps and new
black trousers.
WHn June'S appearance in her pretty
tan gown, the Jap kent tally by shedding
his apron. But when the wine was
brought and the various glasses set before
him, Otto surrendered. After polishing
each glass as though it had been a price
less gem, Otto left the kitchen again. He
came back stunning in low-cut black vest,
white coat so stiff1y starched that 1t fell
a bout him like an empire jacket, and an
immaculate EN- mbroidered white bow tied
around collar so white, so stiff so high
our Jap seemed to have gained a. least an
inch-and he needed it.
Julie says that my satisfaction in the
success of our luncheon is base, ilIegiti-
mate one; firstly, because such success is
due to Oto, for his is the perfection of
serving, and, secondly, because 1 cooked
for Oto and not for our guests
This last would seem to be true, almost.
for Otto enjoyed the luncheon as no one
else did. Long after our friends were
gone, late into the afternoon, O1o, divested
of his finery that he might enjoy himself
at ease, ate, and ate, and ate-his first
square meal since he had left Crocker's!
1t was the next morning that he told
me, with many a giggie (Which did not by
any means imply heartlessness, but was
only vent for his embarrassment, and
breathing time in which to control the
torrent within him of stereotyped English
phrases he had learned by hearty that his
father was Gying in Japan.
Very old, Miss, l guess-eighty. The
doctor think he die. Yes. Owes; guess
he die. l return to Jahp-an. Perhaps-Ah
Il come back; butt think not. 1 like
buIld-what you calI-Oyesl-four mill
in Jahp-an. All Jahp-an wheat come to
America"
That seems like good scheme,"I re-
piled, "but it will cost good deal OF
money, won't it2"
Ono. Cost"-he cast his small eyes
upward in mental computation-'cost
five hundred, onethousanl dollar. Tha's
all. Not much" And Otto, who worked
for 81 so week and had borrowed the
money to pay for his passage back to
Jahp p-an smiled superoly.
He was very condescending and amiable
during the short time that remained. 81 A
insisted upon leaving me his address
Jahp-an, over the penning of which J E
spent half an hour, writing and ~
writing until his penmanship had attained
what he considered the proper amount OF
iourishes and American dash.
In the good feeling engendered by the
farewell spirit he even threatened to write
to me from Jahp-an. But he has doubtless
reconsidered his intention in view OF our
| utter abasement socially and his own loftv
ex- position-on the acknowledges, prob
ably, of the magic world where such
beings IS the Crockers dwell.
MIRIAM NICHOLSON.
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12
AWED BY A SUPERIOR SERVANT

From the moment of his first appear
ance l felt myself put upon the defensive.
He knew the correct thing-intuitively
felt that-and | shuddered in anticipation
Of the time when be should discover the
manner of our living
For il must be confessed that We do not
use tingerbowls as Iavishly and carelessly
We should, nor do we wear elaborate
dinner gowns, Julie and l. The number
OF knives and forks, of changes in dishes,
ETC., is not what is customary at Del
monico's, and altogether there is a sim
pucity and informalily about our little
tete-a-tete dinners that Thoreau might
have commended.
Before Oto came I had been philo-
sophically content with all this plain liv-
ing, Trusting that our thinking was or
would become correspondingly high and
so balance our humIliating lack of style,
our shameful comprom ise in matters of
etiquette.
But like all parvenues 1--WE had been
doing our own housework) with Oto's ad-
vent fell into snobbery and PhiIistin is m.
There was scorn, superiority about our
Jap's fiat, brown face, which walked in me
the desire to seem other than l am. Julie
insists that the boys face was like an ex-
pressionIess, badly carved cocoanut, and
that my own guilty conscience and the
snohbishness of my nature read into it
the contempt seemed to see there
At all events, the very day he arrived. l
fell from the heights of philosophy by
hastily preparing an entree which should
lend grace 10 our simple dinner and l re-
peatedly and glibly lied to Julie when she
accused me of trying 10 impress the Jap.
1t was of no avail, however Otto
placed my priced concoclion upon the ta-
bic with an indifference that was simply
hear breaking and when he had brought
us ali there was for dinner his face, his
manner was eloquent with disdain.
When dinner was quite over and there
seemed a possibility of jules taking the
remark kindly, l said:
Have you had enough to eatP Pm
afraid the dinner was a trlhe scant TO-
night"
You mean you're afraid Otto will
think so.'
OF course. said nothing further. But
ii was easy for Julie to be ind fferent.
She saw very little of Otto, while had
daily to endure the knowledge of our infe-
Tiority-in the Jap's estimation-and at
the same time to assume the air OF mis-
tress.
think, though, the Jap must have seen
through my affeclation CT command, for
he developed the completest disregard for
nv wishes. Every command | issued he
answered hastily anu with effusion of Ian
guage.
Il unstan', unstan'. Yes; Dyes, 1 un-
stan. The exasperating thing about ii is
that believe he did understand precisely
what l wanted and brazenly did lhe op
po<ite, taking refuge when l npbraided
him in an assumed stolditv and stupidity
that made me long to beat him. Or he'd
repeat his formula, get ing started with
an introduction as slow and Ium bering as
freight train and then raItling off the
end OF his explanation in fluent Japanese
English, and though didn't "unstan',"
had to be content.
There were times when all communica-
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

carried on long long worded conversa-
ton with he Jap, though I'm sure
neither knew what the otner was trying
to get at.
To me was left the painful discovery of
Oto kawashima's truly heroic appetite
Nv butchers bill doubled, my grocer's
bill tripled, and fruits and vegetables dis
appeared as though a plague of insects
had set upon ana devoured them.
Otto was the queerest compound of dig
nifty and childish curiosity, of exaggerated
self-esteem and gluttony. He would
scheme furtively and persistently to get
possession OF the dessert-dish, he would
dart into pantries with monkey-lke sly
ness and daickness when l left them for
moment open; he onged TO peer into
paper bags; he counted no labor TOO great
which III .nlstered To his stomach and was
forever concociing small dishes for his
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

ing with childish delight and the perspi-
ration beaded his forehead.
Mlss-l-IlIketogoout evening
My consin-re-receivedle from Jahp-
an. Perhaps make very late. You-you
canlet mehave "a kew 2''
"a key ?" l echoed helplessly. l
couldn't trust that four-days japanese
servant OF mine with latchkey.
NO, Oio," l said at last. And hurrying
the nearest lie TO my aid, 1 added, ''Tne
last servant we had lost key, and-and
So
"Tha's so? OIL" There was contem pt
ana unoeilef in Oto's tone.
lie retired, reappearing presently, fault
lessly attired, with the whitest of ties, and
long ulster that added to his inches
{ Perhaps 1t was the potent influence OF
clothes that gave him courage to reopen
the subject, Tor alter an introd uctory SEN
tence so complex and polysyllabic that it
might as well have been pure Japanese,
oto became intelligible with the following
naughty sentences:
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

ton between the ports of mistress and
servant was cut off. There was block
ade so far as freedom OF speech and ability
to comprehend was concerned, when
neither of US could "unstan' -.
Then Julie would come TO the rescue
and in an elaborate, formal, poIysyllabic
sentence bring about domestic relations
again. She always insisted that Oto
could not "unstan' me because my Eng
ish was not sufficiently pure-sufficieatly
Addisonian.
was trying to tell my Jap one evening
TO put out the bread can, and had re-
pented the sentence till, in despair l E.
c1ded to do the thing myself. Then Julie
translated as follows:
kindly place the receptacle intended
for the nocturnal saie-keeping of our prin-
cipal article of fooc IN the EN- brasure be-
meath ihe outer staircase, where the
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12
baker is accustomed to find it,"

baker is accustomed to find it.''
Otto comprehended instantly, a gieam
OF respectful admiration in his eve for
my sister, command OF language
In fact 1t was Julie who discovered all
Oto's virtues. while to me was gwen the
clearest insight into his falling.
Julie found him one day carrying 10 / is
room sprig of heliotrope in an old mu.-
taTd bottle flied with water.
Are you fond of fowers?" she asked
with an affected deliberation.
"Yes, Dyes. In my country th'r are
many flowers. Th' men make a-a-a
prof-DIofesson in the arrangement Of
flowers for-for purposes of decoration
and"
The rest was torrent Of long-worded
oriental English. Oio laughs a great
deal (wten he speaks what be fondlv
lmagines is English) not through merri-
ment, but as a cover to his einbarrass
ment and lack OF words. couldn't "nn.
stan " the close of his sentence; nei h
could Julie, I'm willing to wag
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

own consumption, cooking and eating,
cooking and eating, with an expression of
perfect satisfaction on his dark face. He
was perverse as sn imp grave as only an
Oriental can be. lie ate like a Chinaman,
he dressed like dapper lttle gentleman.
His collars were Of the whitest, he pol
ished his boots with devotion, he never
went out ungloYed.
One evening he thrust his round black
head into the slit ng-room and between
EN- mbarrassed chuckles said:
Miss, u-will-willhelpme. l like
like toelephone my cousin at
He became uninielligib!e, his English
being TOO complicated for jules comp
hension even.
But went to the phone and patiently
asked, "Did you say, The Palace Ba-
kery'2"
Oto looked his disgust and repeated,
The Union Bakery ?" 1 demanded,
looking in the telephone directory.
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

Palace HOTEL Ohw q might have
known II. No one connected with Otto
would serve in less aristocratic pre-
clnct.)
So called up the Union League Club,
Palace Hotel, and as the Jap was in a
culver of excitement that rendered his
speech more unintelligibIe than ever l
handed him the phone and left him 10
his fate.
A cracking roar of japanese burst from
him. Julie gave way 10 a smothered
giggIe.
Again he beloved torrent of intoned
sentences at the phone. and both of US
succum bed.
There was a silence, then loud glggle.
From Julie? No, from Otto himself. He
had actually caught his man. 1t was evil
IDENTIFY the duty ofOto's cousin to answer
telephone calls.
Oto came into the sitt;ng-room at
length, wiping his big, loose, laughing
mouth; his small. bsady eyes were shin
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

Captain Porter had a curiosity store in
San Diego, and with his little boat and his
crew, which consisted of Johnnie johnson,
he used TO cruise up and down the coast
OF Lower California and Mexico in search
OF shells, MOSES and feathers for h s
store. 1t IS of record that Captain Porter
combined with this interesting pursuit an
occupation which in olden days, while
illegal, was not looked upon as at all dis
graceful.
In other words, the Captain was an ex-
ceedingly clever smuggler in small way,
and many little cargo had he landed st
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

we're promptly converted into good In
dians and it was thought that TINS action,
together with I'll. shippin- of band o..
them 10 the interior, wou teach the
Seris such q lesson that they would relin-
quish some OF their murderous propensi-
ties and disturb nobody il not disturbe
the mselves.
The latest affair to call attention to the
Seri Indians and cause the news papers TO
break out into wild stories aJout them is
the alleged killing of Captain Gecr.e X.
Porter and John Johnson OF the American
junk boat, the Word OF San Diego
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

to visit the placers upon tour of inspec-
tion. The would be sellers determined TO
put their best foot foremost Oh that oc-
casion.
Accordingly they purchased at San
Diego mum bers of cases of champagne
fine wines and other strong waters to-
gether with various good things to eat and
smoke. These were loaded on Captain
Porter's boat with instructions to sail
south, cast anchor in q certain sheltered
cove, and there await until pack mule
train came TO relieve him of his cargo.
Porter carried out his instructions to the
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

vealed to them, coupled with the further
fact that the co ncession OF the island had
already passed to General Andrade,
caused them to drop the matter
Last spring Jesse Grant of San Diego
tried to get concession to the island ana
sailed south to conquer il. He could not
get the concession and did not land at the
island.
In 1893, after the murder of Robinson
and Logan, force of Mexican soldiers
went to the island. No Indians were
found on Tiburon, but a few were cap
tured on the mainland. The captives
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12
You doubt q Japanese !"
l assured him l did not.

dSSuTSO ulm ulu not.
"Ah-oh-ohyesl Japanese boy very
brave. l neverloseakey. work at high
tone houses. Iwork for Crocker-Crocke er
George Crocker. l always have a key.
You doubt Japanese. All ris ht.'
He had been rafting the doorknob
nervously. Now, he made stately exit,
tremendously wishing US good-evening,
and leaving me (as he always contrived 90
do) with the uncomfortable knowledge that
had behaved shabbily.
Alter this, of course, everything that
fell short OF perfection in our little me-
mage we compared (as we knew Otto was
doing mentality 10 the supposed excel
lence Of the Crocker establishment. Julie
would assure me that Oto had never seen
Mrs. Crocker attired in a blue checked
glngham apron. and 1 waited an opportu-
nifty TO tell her that Mrs. Crocker never
wore wrapper at luncheon.
1t must be said in justice to Otto that he
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

letter, but by some means the customs
authorities of Ensenada got wind of his
operations They hired the steamer
Carlos Pacheco and quietly slipping
down the coast, steamed into the little
harbor where Captain Porter's craft rode
proudly at anchor.
1t was a case of red-handed. There was
the cargo with no duly paid. Captain
Porter and Johnnie Johnson, the crew,
were bound and taken aboard The steamer,
the little boat with her cargo was towed
astern and the Carlos Pacheco steamed
out into the fog. Night came on and the
The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12
H. w. PATTON.

points in Mexico where no Custom-house
existed and many cigars and other ar
ticles OF Mexican manu- acture found their
way into The United States without re-
ceiving the approval of our customs au-
,horities.
Upon one occasion some parties who
owned come placers OF alleged great rich
ness about sixty miles from the Pacific
SIDE OF the peninsula were exceedingly
anxious 10 dispose of them TO the French
company which owns the big copper mines
at Santa Rosal:a. 1t was agreed that at
certain date the French capitalists were
The morning news., 1897-02-27

has been more encouraging because in
nearly all lines ii has been gradual and
moderate. The rupture of the steel rail
and other combina tons in the iron busi-
ness has brought out vast quantity of
trade which had been held back and has
set many thousand men at work, while
the slow but steady gain in other great in
dustries has given employment to many
thousand more, but the full effects will
not appear until the increased purchases
by all these swell the distribution of goods
This comes more slowly and later, but is
already apparent. Certainty regarding
the future will help it nightly and Is, by
multitudes expected with strong hope
Meanwhile 1t is substantial ground for
confidence that months which were re-
garded by many I'm the money market
with serious apprehension have passed
without disturbance and with steady gain
in the position of the country and OF the
treasury. u1
''It was not to be expected that the ex-
cess of exports over imports would con-
tinue as large in january as It had been
i'm previous months, and yet IL was sur
prisingly large. The February returns
have naturally been less favorable, as
cotton exports fall off at this season, and
yet the decrease compared with last year
is triflng. while the increase in imports
to be expected at this season, has amount
ed during the past three weeks TO only
$629,Oi0, compared with last year, or about
2 per cent. Nothing in the state of for
eign exchanges indicates that the heavy
credits in favor of this country have been
liquidated or seriously diminished.
Iron bars are unchanged. but orders
for 800 cars by one railr9ad with numerous
others, increased the demand, and plates
are reuired for two great elevators at
Chicago Important contracts for export
continue and American makers underselI
foreign in tin plates by 10 cents and are
selling cotton ties below 15c for which $1.10
was charged by importers a year ago.
with less rapidity, but yet steadily,
other Industries are gaining Although
brown four yard sheetngs are an eighth
lower and print cloths sixteenth lower,
Il is found that several cotton mills are
started. not covered by the restriction as
TO print cloth works which is carried out
Increasing demand has also started
quite a. number of wooden mills including
many making dress goods and hosiery.
The demand for mems woolens Is also
somewhat better, especially for heavy
weights. and there are improving sales
OF better Qualities.
I'm boots and shoes also growing belief
that prices will not give way has started
many moro shops, although many iobbers
still shrink from the prices asked.
Failures for the week have beeen 296 In
the United states, against 27s last year,
aud 20 In Canada, against 5s last year.
The morning news., 1897-02-27
STEEL. RAILS AS A STIMULANT.
THE BIG SALES WILL PUT IN CIR
CULATTON 35,OOO,OOO.


The Rush AbODt Over and Higher
Prices PrObabIc-Many WOODEN
Mills Started Up in New England.
M Change in the Volume or Ten,-
per of Trade at Most Citics-A De-
crease In the Volume of Bank
CIearings The Movement of
Prices Upward.
New York, Feb. 26.-Bradstreets to-
morrow will say: THE placing Of orders
for nearly 100000 tons of steel within the
past three weeks is the most important
influence for Improvement in general trade
since the November election. A good
share of these orders is for blooms and
billets, and inasmuch as the bulk OF them
are placed with the more modern among
the larger steel mills, the latter find them
selves well supplied with work for months
to come. The Bessemer pig iron and steel
billet markets have been duly influenced
and firm, with moderate advances on
heavy sales. The contracts for steel rails
taken since the break in the price, to-
gether with expenditure necessary to lay
the rails. means the placing In circulation
of no less than sS5,OOO,OO0 The meaning
of sales Of rails for export has been ex-
aggerated. as some orders placed abroad
were due to English mills being tempo
rarily engaged on other forms of steel.
The rush for rails appears to be about over
and the outlook rs for higher prices. Con
sumption of Bessemer pig iron is in ex-
cess Of production, and wire and wire nail
mills are running fun time.
4 'tManV uyOolop. MILE A., Nrou, T-.ata..a
have started up. Manufacturers are buy
ing IN expectation OF a duty being placed
on raw wool. Recent improvement In cot
ton goods is maintained.
AT most cities there has been no change
IN the volume or temper OF trade. The de-
mand has been quiet, and while expecta-
tons favor an early Improvement progress
thus far has been somewhat dsappoint-
ing The most marked gains are at Chi
cago and St. Louis, where visiting mer-
chants have made relatively heavy pur-
chases OF dry goods, clothing and groce-
ries. Jobbers at Cleveland Cincinnati,
Milwaukee and Louisville, in some in
stances. regard the outlook as more favor
able. Unfavorable weather In the South
Atlantic states and at the northwest has
interrupted business. and reports from
Galveston and Nashville are that the
movement Of merchandise has been disap-
pointing.
EIhe weeks Noiuuic OF ciedftnBS Is $753,
40, ,050; y per cent. less than last week
but "A per cent. less than in the ike
week one year ago.
THE price movement Is moree favora-
bic, with advances for hides, and, In some
Instance, for shoes. Bessemer pig iron,
steel billets, cotton, Indian corn, oats.
cheese and turpentine. Leather remaias
| firm at the recent advance, and lumber,
southern pig iron, bar iron, steel rails,
rosln. rice, wheat. flour. sugar and coffee
are practically unchanged.
There are 25S business failures report
cd throughout the United States, COM
pared with 325 last week. and 271 IN the
week one year ago"
r. q. Dun e. CO. viii say tomorrow in
their weekly review OF trade: Genuine
Improvement In business does not come
with rush, like the breaking OF great
dam, The growth for some weeks past