davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-08

Natchcz. Miss, May THE river today
recorded A decline of one-tenth of foot
and the stage OF water above promises
that a slow decline Will be SHOWN hence
tort
The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-08

KERENS-Whle blowing Charles Hen
derson was struck and instantly killed b
lightning.
The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-08

Angosture Bit,ars cures collie. FEVER an'
ague and indigestion. The genuine manu-
featured only by DR.. J. g. .. sisssr' o
Sons.
The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-08

ENNIS-Frank Wilson. 14year-old boy
was struck by lightning and Instantly
killed.
The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-08

Texas Cotton Region nuIirtfn.
rexas cotton region bulletin for the
INVENT y-four houre ending at a. m yes
tcrday. 18th meridian time;
Max. Min. Rain
The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-08
General OBSERVATIONS.


observations taken by the United Statcs
weather bureau at D. m. 18th meridian
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

was respectable place when [ went in,
too, but you never know in a strange
city,
l mildly stated that a restaurant that
serves California wine to its patrons was
not con sdered a haunt of vice il our
State, and that a woman who takes glass
of claret with her dinner is not deemed
d!sarproved.
"You need Neal Dow IN a Sunday
law in California" she aid, land then it
would be almost an earthly paradise. AS
it is l hear that your places of amuse-
ment are all crowded on Sunday evenings
and that your Sunday papers and picnics
keep people from going to meeting morn
ings. 1t seen almost heathenish," and
she shook her silver crowned head doubt
fully.
Its the heathen that l want to see"
said long-faced man with tall hat,
goatee and q limp collar. busting up
eagerly with a motheriy looking little
woman hanging tightly 10 his arm, as if
she were afraid of losing her one treasure
in the swirling crowd. i've heard tell
of San Franciscos Chinatown for years
and l want 10 visit it and sac those be-
nighted creatures in the depths of their
in qmtous wickedness.''
"Pd good deal rather see some thing
pleasanter" dissented his companion.
They say it's dreadful dirty there and
smells enough to knock you down. don't
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

swept in by the curious throng, and he
now stood staring blandly and half-real-
izingly upon The scene before him. With
a sharp exclamation. terrible in its i'm
port, madame found her voice:
I" 'ThereP she cried, pointing to the
shrinking wretch. Had it not been for
him my husband had not died.
"For moment every eye in the room
was turned to his retreating figure. Then
he was gone.
"Slowly the windows OF Armand's soul
opened and the dazed mind looked out.
Then madame talked 10 him of their chill
dren, of the merry days when life danced
with youth. She told him only of beau
tiful things. such as the mind loves to
dwell upon, never speaking of their pow
erty. or of debt or OF trouble, for he could
not bear it yet"
''Whiie he yet lay between life and
death, his face wearing the happy smile
that madame had coaxed there-the mile
he had seemed to lose for time, while he
Dattled with the world-a letter came 1t
was from Levin and 1t contained check
for large sum of money.
Armand recovered slowly under
madame's constant care and unceasing
devotion. But it was weeks before eh
could talk of that dreadful day. A strange
thing, his heart was changed. He no
more longed fer death, but rather craved
for aboundlng life, that he might walk
down the years with the lrave, sweet
mad anne.
Madame went to Armand's creditors.
They were merciful and gave more time.
and she has infinite tact and wonderful
ability. When Armand regained his
mental health he smiled at the world, the
world smiled back at him and prosperity
came. Madame will bear the mark oithat
terrible ex perience as long as she lives"
"But the money from Levjn?" 1 asked.
"Oh, that-she sent that back the same
day she received ii. We do not forget,
Monsieur, that We are talking OF noble
woman
FLORENCE HARDIMAN MILLER
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

melted stones as 1t used to say in the
geography. I'd feel as II l had my
moneys worth then"
tried TO onsole him by telling him of
various other things of interest to be seen
here, but seemed to trike few responsive
chords.
"You can't walk much OF anywhere, for
the city is straight up and down in lots of
places, and other places are pretty far
apart to 60 to on FOOT he said; land I m
no friend to your Graz streetcars, for they
make noise enough to wake the dead
almost, and half the time l can't make
out which Is the head and which is the
tail of the pesky things"
One thing, however, had pleased and
astonished him, and that was the Lotta
fountain.
That woman must have been awful
rich to give the City such chunk of gold
as that" he said. lone OF the little boys
that sells papers down there told me that
it was pure California gold all the way
through and worth more than million
dollars. He told me that there's private
detective watching it all the time to keep
folks from gouging pieces ont OF it, and
that they mostly keep a fence around it,
but took the fence down the other day
Just to show the confidence they've got in
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

business did not succeed, he would go
With it to ignoble death. And, as if an
unkind fate wished TO taTnt him with his
VOW, business had not been good, and
there was already mortgage on his ma
terial. And madame, what could she do?
"Wno can say that failure is not predes-
tined TO some? True, l think, myself,
that it is only because the brain acts less
swiftly than the heart in such men as
Armand. Some times he would talk to me
of death. He would say it must be
pleasant thing to lay down in the eternal
sleep. Then l would laugh and shrug my
shoulders; l would pinch him and tell
him he was dreaming. Armand was not
a coward that he wished to slip off into
forgetfulness and leave madame to battle
alone. But his courage was broken; he
had lost his grip. You see the strongest
of us become terrified when battling with
an unsee foe. If we could grasp it, could
measure its strength-put what must 1t be
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

Levin did not convey the lots back to
Armand. He said he would at any time,
was always ready, but full of excu es.
Laramie had boom the next year. Levin
sold Armands lots for enough TO make
him rich man, but-the injustice OF the
affair-ae kept the proceeds. Armand
would write to Levin ami say he must con-
suit a lawyer about this matter, but
Levin would put him off on one pretext
or another. He was always about to do,
but never did.
"By degrees there was unfolded to me
the who'e truth about a new business, in
which Armand became engaged. Every
thing the pair possessed was staked on the
venture-Madame's shawl OF soft, rich
texture and the priceless canoes that had
descended to her from the charming jose
phine Beauharnals. For madame is pa
trician.
But 10 return 10 Armand He would
VOW between clenched teeth that, if this
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11
HTS OF THE WEEK SEEN BY A "CAlL" COMEDY DUO

I these Endeavorers and the crowd that
came with them
Before l could decide whether or not it
was my duty to destroy his pleasing illu-
sion by q statement of facts two blooming
girls descended upon me and bore me
away to answer the various questions OF
their merry party and its sweet-iaced.
gentle chaperon.
! They were from New York-b-ight,
well-r~ad, up-to-date girls full of life, fun
and business. They wanted to attend to
| all their spiritual duties, see all the sights,
including Mount Hamilton and Yosemite,
and get home on schedule time, and they
wanted me to help their plan. The detail
was heavy one, as they all talked at
once, and each vas animated by desire
to obtain instant information, extensive
and exhaustive, on a different subject. /
did my best for them, but retired from the
war of words feeling as if | had been run
through verbal thrashing machine.
A pretty, prim little woman from Phila-
delphia welcomed me to a seat beside
her, as she wished all auditor TO her gen.
eral praises of everything and everybody
connected with her Western trip, and of
San Francisco in particular.
of wild and reckless out here, and L was
most afraid to come, TO tell the truth"
she smiled, "but l must say I've been
pleasantly disappointed. You folks don't
see m quite so set and sober, perhaps, as
We do, but you've got good hearts. "
And then she asked me with lowered
| voice If certain locality on Van Ness av-
enue Is "Quite respectable"
AS the neighborhood she mentioned is
| unimpea chable in point of propriety |
answered unequivocally in the affirmative
and she breathed sigh of relief.
1--WE got third cousin living there"
she explained, land / was a little scary
about looking her up, for heard that was
a p retry bad street once and they changed
the name of it. l always wondered at
Chrissie's moving there"
Evidently this was a case of mix" cas-
lily set right, and the identity of the
streets having been established to her
great happiness she spoke of other things.
Your modern buildings seem SO queer"
8 e said. land the high and low ones are
so queery mixed. Then your streets sem
narrow for so large a city, and you sell
your fruit by the pound instead OF the
quart, and your -four by the sack instead
of by the barrel; and your two-bit and
four-bits and six-b are hard to keep
track Of"
Leaving her, I, on my way to the exit,
fell again into the hands of my plump
acquaintance. who laid hold of me with
her black mitts and whispered loudly in
my ear.
Il like it all but the fleas," she said,
land If you'll believe me l didn't know
how a flea looked until l came here. 1
was ashamed to scratch when / first got
one on me, but when saw good respect
able Christian California folks defending
themselves | felt better. 1 don't begrudge
'em bite or two, for I've got enough and
to spare, but the way they wigge when
they get into tight place where you can't
get at EN-, nearly sets me wild. Do tell
me what you do for EN-"
And l told her and passed ont.
FUNEGAL MCVAHoN.
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

While madame cleared away the din
ner Armand and l would walk out and he
would talk 10 me of the trouble that was
fast crushing him. He would say that he
would be all right if Levin would pay him
the money that was certainly his if justice
was done. 1t was thus:
in Laramie, four years before, when
Armand was in the book business, be was
greatly pressed and threatened by his
creditors. He told his troubles 10 a cigar
dealer ana money-lender named Levin.
This Levin was a shrewd man and he
urged Armand to convey all his property
to him Tor small consideration. He
would take possession and settle the
debts.
Armand, distressed beyond measure,
took Levins advice and so cleveriy were
matters arranged that Armand's personal
property paid his debts and block OF lots
on the outskirts of the town was un-
touched.
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

Ii had been my custom for some weeks
10 drop into a somewhat noted French
restaurant o. the City for my dinner. l
soon became acquainted with the proprie-
tor and often fingered at table, that the
CHEEKY. stout little man might join me.
Together we smoked our cigars, and his
vivacious chat whiled away the tedium OF
my hour.
L soon began to notice, as one will, the
habitues of the place. A tall and elegant
woman, accompanied by her husband,
came in regularly at my dining hour.
The pair would pass through the room to
the semi privacy of the compartment re-
served for ladies. The woman always
gave her hand for an instant to Marceau,
the proprietor. in passing. Aud he bowed
low over it, after the fashion of courtlv
t'renc men. l felt sure that there was a
story connected with the life of this
couple. The noble carriage of the woman,
the deeply lined face and the extravagant
devotion of the man excited my curiosity.
and l adroitly led the conversation toward
them one gray afternoon as they van
ished in the street.
And Marceau told me their story as
fingered over the anvasback and to-
basco sauce. Al some parts of the tale his
tongue flew fast and his imagination had
q perfervid warmth. 1t might have been
the wine, of which he partook' freely. l
would not for the world doubt that one
word told me by this slmple-hearted man
was not substantially true. He said:
You see monsieur. in order TO get the
whole kernel out OF the nut you must asso-
ciate maoame. with the little patches OF
rouge on the cheeks and the clustering
gray curls in the neck, for an instant with
the fine studio across the street. 1t is
there that you 90 when you wish to OBJ
tain the highest art in photographs"
l looked in the direction he had indi-
Gated. There were three or four windows
OF a high building draped in silk of a
golden hue, which must have lent q glow
like perpetual sunshine TO the rooms be-
hind hem. The name Madame Picard
was painted in bold script letters across
the windCw-glass.
There was al entire absence OF garish
display about the place, which was never
tn eless the most popu,ar Photographic
studio in the City a. this time. We
watched through the curling wreaths OF
smoke from our cigars u '5leduy jlHe VI
patrons in carriages draw up before the
place.
Marceau continued: 81 knew them
madame and her husband-three years
ago and more. 1t was late on Decem ber
afternoon when 1 ran in there first to Sc
cure a sitting for my sister-little Corin ne.
There was no crowd at their door then,
and madame was not feature OF the es-
ia bll shm ment at that time, more's the pity.
as / shall show you. | remember as if but
yesterday how The hum OF the human
procession on The street below rose up
through the half-open window, and g
brilliantly lighted clocR-tower shone over
the sea of roofs like great orange ball.
Armand Picard ood at his desk, away
from the window, talking with some one.
HIS brown hair was combed straight back
from his care-seamed face. The deep blue
eyes, burning unsteadily beneath his
shaggy brows, lifted at my approach.
Madame sat by little stove in the rear OF
the room. She had her wraps on, as II she
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

There was but one opinion expressed in
response to my inquiries. ut is the best
convention yet," was the universal ver-
dict.
Its Like the Huggermugger story" de-
clared another emphatic little lady from
Vermont land l can scarcely believe nv
own eyes. Do you really have tuchsias
and roses-the very loveliest kinds-ss
big as small trees, growing right out in
the open air? Are there heliotropes
clam bering over your walls and verandas
like our common woodbine, and iungles
OF Gala lilies flourishing in your gardens 2
or have l dreamed it ail?"
ut is a positive fact affirmed slim
woman from Ohio before / could replv
'for l saw them With my own eyes. And
to think" this with a plaintive cadence
in her tired voice, that | have worried
over one miserable Gala Tor three years
now, and pretty near had fiji when it bad
two flowers on it to oncep'
Il paid So for a palm with three
little bits OF leaves on it," said the Yer
mont lady, consolingly, "and sat up mig hts
with 1t pretty nearly all last winter, and
here you can sit under the shade OF them
almnst anywhere"
Il was always inclined to think that
California people were kind of biased,
confessed solemn faced Nebraska man,
but l think better of EN- now. They We
got Strawberries as big as small apples for
sale here, and every thing else seems to be
on the same scale, though l used TO DOUBT
1t when other folks said So
Those Towers OF Babel down on Mar
ket street fairly make me shiver! said a
Kansas man. They would be such sain-
ing marks for a cyclone; but you don't
have cyclones or whirlwinds here, they
tell me-"
thought of the Market-street cut on
breezy day, but wisely held my peace,
while a small linen-dustered man, who
wore his canvas hat securely fastened to
his long hair by two black headed hat
pins. took up the tale.
There's wind enough here in all con-
science" he sa d, 'but it don't come by
jerks. 1t seems to be steady thing alter
moons, and 1 wonder it don't blow the
women's clothes fairly off of EN-. l stood
down on the corner to-day a-watchin 'em,
and"
II never saw such a place for eating
houses, interrupted an extremely pump
lady in bulging shiriwaist, small sailor
hat and black lace mitts; you tumb e
over them almost every step, and l reckon
pretty near everybody eats out here. l
don't blame them, for meals are so reason
able; you can get good yictuals from 10
cents 10 a quarter OF dollar"
But you can't get a cents worth of
anything" complained the little man of
the hatpins. Il asked for cents worth
OF bread and cheese at one place, and the
man laughed at me aud told me to go anc
get free lunch somewhere. foE he wasn' t
in the penny-ante Observation-Disclosures that
meant"
Over in another corner a group OF
Maine people were talking together and
they welcomed me-a transplanted Maine
gir.-most cordially.
II don't know that should really want
to live here said one OF the ladies, after
we lad talked awhile, "for L shouldn't
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

had run in for a moment. Her dark hair
it was dark at that time-curled about a
small-featured face of the most delicate
coloring. Her eyes were wide open, like
q baoy's. Suddenly she turned toward her
husband.
What time is it, Armand :? she called
out. Her voice was peculiar one. Not
cold or harsh, but it had action. spirit, in
its vibrations. as if the nerves were speak
ing. At its sound Armand's face took on
a strange radiance. He hurried toward
the window, near enough to catch sight OF
the fingers on the glowing dial in the
tower.
ga quarter TO 5, ma petite, he an
swered. | was watching and l could see
madame's slim hands tremble, and bril-
liancy in her eyes such as comes when
tears wash suddenly over them. How
I could know, then, that her emotion was
caused by the fact that Armand had not
consulted his watch. 1t was in the
money-iender's hands. They were so
poor in those days!
Il got to know them very well after
this, for they were compatrots of mine,
and how much | respected them! Ar
mand Picard was noble man and Just,
! but not strong hearted, for misfortune
had been his constant companion for
many years. 1t was to him, he would
say sometimes, like an invisible creature
dogg!ng his footsteps; and there would be
hard, restless glitter in his eyes, and
used to turn away from him trembling,
not with fear, not with fear. but with an
infinite dread.
l. If,,nI ho,> ID
looking the sea. Their home was three
roomed fat over the grocer's, and there
was an attic room in the gable roof, close
under the sky, which had been given
them by the landlord without extra
charge, and from which they couli look
on clear days well out toward the Heads.
This attic room was made beautif al
by madame's deft fingers. There were two
big rock!ng-chairs placed side by side in
the window and a warm-hued rug or two
on the floor. Mon Dieu, what capacity
what ability the woman has! She could
even then have directed all Armand's s bus-
ness ventures into the harbor of fortune.
But the pair were too simple, too child
like, TO dream of such cooperation. To
have distrus ed Armand's judgment would
mercy of God. And who can say, mon
sieur. that it was not better Tor her to kee D
her faith sweet and inviolable, even though
debt was their ineIorable master Tor
years? There are pensations-there
are com pensations.
AFTER the men were paid off, If there
was enough money lett over there would
be chicken for the Sunday dinner. How
often have l accepted their hospitality
before set up a home for myself
Marceau was leaning forward looking
intenty into the distance, far beyond the
cheerful windows OF his cafe. His lips
were parted in a smile. The spark OF fire
in mis- cigar had gone Out. Presently he
resumed:
with the chicken there would be a
bottle of wine and salad. If there was
not so much money left over, there would
be stewed meat made savory with herb,
and sauces, salad, but this time OF let
tuce, and cup OF black tea with feck of
cream in il.
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

swarmed over our sample Of the Flowery
Kingdom during the pas. week and went
over where small man in an alpaca
coat sat solitary in corner
He was MOI an Endeavorer, he told me,
but had come out lust for green's" ~
had the money handy for the trip" he
informed me. "anu it's most cheaper n
staying at home. sides, my brother
John came out here in the seventies, and
though we have not corresponded, |
thought maybe l might meet up with him
somewhere"
sat down beside him and essayed to
cheer him, for he seemed melancholy.
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

nearest tc-nothing but goats, some OF the
folks on board told me, and they m ust
have been all on the other side, for
didn't see one. Then I'm kind OF adven-
turesome in my ideas, and thought there
might be some volcanoes working near
the city that could visit. I'd like to see
one throwing out fire. smoke, lava and
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

81 am disappointed" he declared, after
| had succeeded in partially winning his
confidence, though l wouldn't dare say
so to a native born Californian. I've
always heard about them seal-lions dis
porting themselves around here. and l
looked for 'em coming across the bay, and
there wasn't one on the island we came
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

feel quite comfortable in place whera
there are so many saloons and where al
most every grocery has bar attachment.
And do you know | actually saw some
women order wine with their dinners the
other day in restaurant! i thought it
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

see what folks want to search out such
places for; I'd rather walk up and down
and see the cars and the people and the
store windows, but pa is set on going, to
tell the folks home about it, and I'll have
to go with him, for he's that excited and
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11

worked ND that he don't hardly know his
head from his heels"
l left them talking over plans fer join
ing the army of siGhtseers that has
The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11
Loud Jalkers and Low Speakers.

"Funny writers and stage comedians
m axe the mistake OF representing country
Jeople rs very loud takers remarked
Colonel Leonard Ainsworth of Arkansas.
'As matter of fact, persons who are ae-
customed to the quiet and solitude of rural
life speak In very low tone OF voice, while
those who live in the constant din and
nerve-racking noises of the city naturally
acquire the habit Of talking loudly. The
reason for the difference IS plain. When
you city folks meet on The street you have
10 elevate your voices to a high pitch in
order to make yourselves heard. never
come to st. Louis or visit any other large
city that l don't get sore throat from
over-exerting my voice. or course. you
who live here ars used to the strain on
your voice and don't snffer from it as / do.
''lf you ever heard an Indian talk you
will realize the force of what I say.
never saw a real Indian that spoke much
above whisper. He illustrates exactly
what I mean. The Indian lives in quiet
and solitude. His atmosphere is not
filled with noises and tym panum- piercing
sounds. Consequently. he does not have
to elevate his voice i'll carrying on con-
versation. Your city arab, the counter.
part of the Indian, talks loud enough
when he comes to Arkansas to be heard
in the next county."-St. Louis Republic.
1t has been estimated from the stamp
duties paid by paten t. medicine makers
that 4. 900, 900 of the pills are taken by the
inhabitants OF the United Kingdom every
week. In France the quantity is about
half Only about 1,010.O00 are taken by
the people of Russia. The Australians
are the biggest pill takers in the world.