davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16

why, you was detailed to hold a
bridge. and the Johnnies had scarcely
showed up when you all took leg-bail."
1T was this way. Not a man of US
had ever been under fire before. There
was some mistake about orders. and
we was trying to hold ford above and
one below as well as the bridge. The
Johnnies got men over and in our rear
before we knowed il, and when the
fight opened we got ratified. Every
body knows there were fifteen hun
dred rebs to our one hundred. and
didn't we lose two killed and seven
wounded? The colonel piled it onto
US because he Numbered in the orders
and wanted to cover his tracks"
"Mebbe there is somethin' in that"
said the Company H man reflective
ly, but all Of We came running into
camp like a flock of sheep. Pears to
me that We ought to hev stuck right
there and lost at least fifty men"
We'll, nobody can tell how he is GO
in to act when under fire for the FIRST
time. Wen get another show some
day, and I'm bettin' there won't be
any runnin' away. IT'S mighty tough
on Company g to be called passed.
OF towards and to be chaffed and boot
Cd at by the rest Of We. but this war
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16
SQUATTER SKETCHES.
How Abe Hope Was Going to Rise Or,
But Didn't,


How Abe Hope Was Going to Rise Or,
But Didn't.
"Drat my hide, but l orter known
wasn't fifteen and couldn't be fifteen"
exclaimed the old squatter as we sat
fishing on the banks of the Missis-
sippi.
whats happened now?" 1 asked,
wondering if he had hooked cat
fish.
II was jest thinkin' Of how Majah
Tripper dun throwed me down on poker
two years ago. Can't never think OF
that without gittin' mad clear down to
my toe nails. It's a powerful good
thing fur the Majah that he's left these
yere parts and gone west
l asked him to tell me about it, and
after growing around for awhile, he
began.
Some fellers cum down here from
the Moth and cut all the hooppole
timber on my land and paid me $3.50 in
cash. Majah Tripper knowed all about
1t, and one day when | was smokin'
my co'n-cob pipe On the shady side of
the cabin he Gums along and takes off
log and smiles at me and says:
"'Abe Hope when you was pore and
)owly and Twin on hoe cake and bacon
! was your friend, and made it point
Of stoppin' here bout three times a
week to take nip with you and let
The world see that you had my esteem.
Now that you have become rich and IA
nous am here to give you some broth
erly advice
What you talkin bout, Majah?'
says l.
I'm talkin' bout them $3.50 you got
for hoop-poles, and I'm talkin' bout
the talk all over this part of the State
Go whar l WILL hear your name The
people are demandin' that you rise up
and come to the front They've bin
lookiH fur Moses to lead 'em out of
the wilderness. and behold, he is come!
It's in your power, Abe Hope, to be-
come the biggest man in Arkansaw,
and to reap SIGH honors as seldom fall
to mortal man. Will you riz up to the
pinnacle of greatness, or will you con-
timer to sot here and waste your gol-
gen opportunities"
What was his plan?" I asked after
Abe had hauled in his fishline to see
If the bait was all right.
wall. arter he'd taken couple of
nips from my jug and got down to the
ground with his language he wanted
me to climb up in the world and take
my place 'longside of the rich and the
great. He said the first thing to do
was to be fitten, and he was willin
to give me month of his time to be
postmaster down yere at the cross
roads, and from that l would gradu-
ally climb up to the Governorship. HUI,
/ never could make out how l let him
take me in
and how was he to make you fit
ten?"
"'That's what I asked him, and
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16

old snort, which I'm not, 0n account %
my other-in-law. However, you may
have found COW IN your way as you
rode your bike IN the starlight. I did
once, and my soul was sad for q month
AFTER she got through walking on me. !"
It is none of those things OF earth,
O Catii," said the youth with a sob In
his throat LET me gently observe that
/ write poetry"
Spring or fall?"
81 have no season. o Cadi. All sea-
sons are alike to me. When I sit down
to an idyl it may tell of the tender
flowers of spring, the full foliage Of
summer, the dying leaves of autumn or
the icy chains of winter. I write as
the spirit of poetry dictates, and my
soul Is in what write"
Good thing, young man-good
thing. No use to be street car con-
ductor and wear your voice out call
ing: Step lively now!' when you can
sit down and dash off poetry. Any
money to lend ON good security?'
II do not work for dross. o Cadi,
but for the love of the beautiful"
"Oh, i see. Well, what about the
sadness of your soul? Are the free
lunch men getting on to you too
heavy?"
81 lunch not, o Cadi. The trouble is
that no one will read my poetry"
"They won't, Ell? B'gosh, but they
shall! l rather like your shape, and
I'm going to give you fair play. will
at once issue an edict that fifty OF my
subjects shall gather together and
listen while you read half of the many
poems you have written up to date"
(Which will be forty, o Cadi, and
my heart is grateful to you"
mo, thanks, my son. i will also is
sue a further decree to the effect that
when you have read forty poems to the
crowd. some one of them shall be DEL
egated to turn around and read the
other forty to you! That's all now
move along and give place to that fell
low with the cCck-eye. l think he's an
Eighth ward heller who has come 70
complain that he didn't get a $1,000 ap-
pointment in the distribution
The Abound of Swat sat on his gild-
ed throne one Thursday afternoon, CIV
ing audience to rich and poor alike,
when Jesephus Orange Blossom came
along with trouble in his eye and be-
gan:
80 great and wise ruler! o wise
and just judge! o thou reader OF
mems hearts and
'tCut it short, Josephus, as l shall
soon be going out for a drink inter
rupted the Abound, with a bland
smile.
well. o Prince of Paradise, l want
YOU to do me the favor to break His
lop Haya's neck with crow-bar.,
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16
TALES OF THE ORIENT.
Some Good Things Not Taken Out Of
Books.

Some Good Things Not Taken Out of
Books.
One day, as the wife of Gin-F izz. had
started out ON a shopping tour she hail
ed street car by waving her hands
and sun umbrella and shouting at the
top Of her voice. AS the conductor
was busy flirting with a black eyed
girl with blue ribbon around her neck
the car passed on. In her rage Mrs. g.
F. went to the palace Of Abdul ASST
and exclaimed:
20, mighty ruler of men and things,
want you to apply the bow string to
red headed trolley car conductor.
wanted his car but he would not STOP"
But thou art already avenged" re-
piled the mighty Abdul. 'The nickel
which you would have paid in would
have enabled the street car company to
meet Indebtedness due to-day. For
the want Of it there is bankruptcy and
ruin, and the read headed conductor
loses his job. Take thy nickel and go
to some bargain sale and make it buy
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16
WIPINGO OUT THE STAIN
THE STORY OF COMPANY B. TENTH INFANTRY.
By CHARLES B. LEWIS.

a. soldier in blue sat in the shade of
roadside tree mile in the rear of
his camp. He had been to Warrenton,
three miles away, on a pass, and had
halted on his way back for a smoke.
His homemade briar-root was charged
with Virginia leaf, but he had no
matches to light it. With bis thumb
boiling the tobacco in the bowl he
waited for the coming of a soldier who
was following in his footsteps. When
this man came up he flung himself
down on the grass with a sigh of salts
faction and said:
"Cussed hot day, amt it,"
"Roastin' hot" replied the other.
Got match about yer clothes?'
"Of course"
The newcomer, stretched on the
broad of his back, showed his fingers
into his breast pocket and brought out
a match, but as it was extended he
suddenly sat up and withdrew his
hand and fixed his eyes on the others
cap.
What We lookin' att"
"At the letters on yer cap"
"Well, what Of 'em?"
"Nuthin', 'cept l don't want any
truck with you. l wouldn't give We
match if We never had another smoke
on earth"
The man with the pipe grew pale
with anger, but he turned his face
away and locked across the fields and
made no answer. Both men sat hug
ging their knees and maintaining ST.
lence for four or five minutes. Then
the last conner said
eyer Company b. man, and that
settles it with all the rest of us. I'm
belonging to Company H. same regi-
ment, but it's a shame instead of a
thing to brag Of Company 'B'-bah.
l heard this mornin' that they was 60
in to put women's clothes on ye."
The man with the pipe WINGED per-
ceptibly, but made no reply.
"Disgraced the Tenth at home and
at the 'front.' continued the other.
"'Pears to me that this is a good time
for you fellers to either desert to the
Johnnies or go hang yourselves We
amt got no use for towards down
here!"
The Company "B" man flushed holly
and bit his lips, but had no word of
protest
eff I'd known you were 81 man l
wouldn't have sat down here. Darn
your hide, but it was a cheeky thing
to ask me for match. Dye think I'm
chummin' with man whose legs run
away with him as soon as he hears the
sing of bullet? You go to hades for
your matches!"
There was another painful silence,
and the last conner was getting up to
go when the other turned on him and
said:
Il amt sayin' that Company 81 don't
deserve some hard words, but We are
pilin' it on too heavy. Mebbe you
don't know exactly how it was?"
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16

whats the guileless Hislop been up
to this timer
80 Prince, as / walked with him On
the highway | found wallet with two
hundred plunks in it. BY plunks L
mean"
I'm on to the word-go on. 1t took
Just 250 of them to settle my Wife's
millinery bill this afternoon.
THE gentle Hislop claimed an even
whack, o Prince. | was willing to give
I'D a third, but no more. When | re-
sisted his appeals he threw me down
and took all.
4 see. Hislop wanted the earth.
Well you want me to break his neck,
do your"
IF thou wilt, O beneficient and pow
erful, | will ever pray for you.
But don't propose to do it, See
here, Josephus, let me tell you some
thing. If you hadn't been willing TO
give I'D a third Hislop wouldn't have
had the check to claim any. II you
couldn't fight him you should have out
run him. Let no man give up what he
hath. That is to say, | shall send Tor
him. gobble up those 200 plunks to buy
my winters coal, and you ard Hlslop
can console yourselves by wondering
why men quarrel when it would better
serve their interests to agree. That's
nll, Josephus-come again!
Copyright, 1898, by the international
Literary and News Service)
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16
company"

company!
no; when the Confederate line
reaches us they will find fifteen dead
men. We've wanted our chance, and
here it is"
Yer game man, Lute-yer a game
mani" whispered the sergeant as the
joy Of battle danced in his eyes.
Two rEinT.es later the fifteen were
fighting bur cred. The enemy was
puzzled for time, but after few min
utes the skirmishers were reinforced
and such fire concentrated upon the
covert that the willows were cut to the
very ground by the bullets. Ten men
we're living before this hail of death
began and could have ret,eated across
the creek with honor. Two minutes
later there were only seventeen four
then Two. One OF these was the SER
geant-the other a private.
What's the use o holdin' out"
growled the private as he Rugged the
earth after a shot.
Jest to get killed" replied the SER
geant- They've bin calm us towards
for the last four months, and damn
their eyes we're goin' to prove 'em
,iars,"
Fiffccn men, and all dead but these
wounded two" said the skirmishsrs a.
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16

Didn't pear TO us that man who
couldn't read or write, and who had
never bin fifty miles from home in all
his life, was goin' to climb over many
folks, but the Majah took another
drink and softly says:
ABE Hope, it don't need eddecation
to reach that pinnacle. Eddecation is
good huff when you want to sell cot
ton or buy nevis, but it don't count
for shucks in politics. What you hev
got to be fifteen fur is TO play a mighty
good game of draw poker. Thar amt
an Office in the gift of the American
people you can't aspire to if you kin
git the reputation of playin' a stiff
game. What 'lected our present Gov
ernor to high place was the fact that
he stood pat on hand only queen
high and bluffed three other fellers
who held straights and full houses. III
take holt and teach you fur friend
ships sake, and in month you'll be
ready to climb!'
Ibid you know anything about polk
er?'' l asked as the old man got through
swearing.
mo, sab. I'd played checkers some
what, but didn't know nuthin' bout
cards. was Mighty feared I could
never learn, but Majah Tripper soon
put me in the way of it. He 'peared
so powerful anxious fur my welfare
that took holt as hard as l could, and
in a week we was playin' poker.
Things looked all right to me, but the
old woman looked sorter solemn. Every
day arter the Majah had left she would
say to me:
Abe Hope, dun can't make 1t all
1out. Thar's cards with picters of men
{on EN-, and other cards with picters of
women on 'em, and yet other cards mo-
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16

he jumped up and went through cir
Gus performance. Il had a par o
queens in my hand, and them other fell
lers had threes and flushes and
straights. They'd bin layin' fur my
bluff and l was a scooped man
And you didn't get the postmaster
ship?'
mot"
Nor reach the pinnacle of great
ness?"
''No,"
Just let Major Tripper put up a job
on you and divide up your hoop-pole
money!
That's it, sah-thats it, and
and"
And in cavorting around on the levee
to give vent to his imagination the
bank caved in and let the old man into
the river, and though I got him ashore
in good shape, he was mum for the rest
Of the day.
Copyright, 1898, by the International
Literary and News Seryice)
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16

amt over yet. Jest wait and see how
tn rest of We pan out when the john
MES close in on three sides and begin
to pump bullets by the barrelful."
''You said you wanted match" OBJ
served the critic, after a long wait.
Eyes"
''Well, I'm handing it to We. That's
takin back bout half the ugly things l
said. Mebbe you fellers wasn't alto
gether to blame"
ut won't never happen agin," re-
piled the Company b man, as he light
ed his pipe and closed his jaws on the
stem.
The III" man rose up and continued
his way without word. He had made
concessions, but he would not enter
camp in the company OF the other.
The "B" man sat and smoked and
pondered until the tobacco was ex-
hausted. Then he pocketed his pipe
and rose up and growled:
'How burned contemplate mean it
makes a man feel to be called cow
ard! If they'll give me another chance
III fight the whole of Lees army be-
fore I'll obey orders to retreat!'
One morning four months later, the
Tenth infantry marched into a Vir-
ginia hamlet with orders to hold the
position until certain other moves by
other troops had been perfected. Down
at the end of the long street was
willow-fringed creek crossed by ford.
Company "B" was detailed at this
ford and other companies sneered and
jeered as it marched down the streets.
1t was a soft snap" position. The
post of danger danger was on the hill
above the town, where the four high
ways crossed. Two days passed with
out alarm. Then the pickets thrown
out beyond the creek came running in
to report the advance of the enemy AS
in duty bound, the captain reported
the fact to the colonel, and back came
the order: Hold him in check as long
as you can and then fall back on the
regiment" The men nearest the cap
tain saw him smile as he read and
pocketed the order, and they frightened
their belts, opened their cartridge
boxes and said to each other:
We've wanted a show to wipe out
that stain, and now we've got il.
Might as well shake hands and say
goodbye, for we're going to die right
here!"
A lieutenant and twenty men were
sent across the creek to take cover In
the willows and check the advance as
long as possible. AS they peered out
at the heavy skirmishing line ap-
preaching, the bronzed-faced old SER
geant queried of his officer:
as it on the cards that they are too
many for us?"
Twenty to one replied the leuten-
ant.
We'll be licked out O. this in York
mint"
"Well?"
Then l 'spose we fall back on the
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16

With tears in her eyes and look of
sorrow on her face, the daughter of
Asa Kyout rode up to the town hail
on her bike and demanded audience of
the Sultan. When she had come into
his presence she walled:
90, wise and just arbiter, but my
father is making things hot for me
around home, and l want you to call
him down."
How doth he shape himself" asked
the Sultan in kindly tones, but at the
same time noticing that her bicycle
shoes didn't fit.
81 love young Yacob, the son Of
Assam, but his highness objects and
swears by his beard that we shall not
marry"
ooh, he does? By the back of my
high-born neck, but l will have your
old man here before me and look into
this cold-storage business! Slaves has
ten away and bring Asa Kyout to this
hall, and if he wouldst stop and argue
the matter, don't hesitate to punch his
head!''
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16

they |ehsd the hines ana counts
the y h. cndslS w they dfdn'1
fan / rs On th5 resefxss ovar, tksrs1
when p saw they coulln't hold IL
On Pther tide Of the aresk. posted
behind pcs. vgalls and trees. wero3
the 9th eighty men 1f Company p. Z
They saw host OF d(onfederates ii
front. while the wide street at their
back Wis open Tor retreak Thev kne
that the creek could be erossed lo~5
down and their position taken
flank, and here and there IMAM looked
furtively around and wondered why the
captain did not order retreat. Al
messenger came from the regiment on
the hill for Company "B' to fall back
in good order. The captain pocketed
the brief order and waved the messen-
ger away Men were waiting for the
word to fall back when Q corporal
growled out:
Damn yer skins. but are you goin'
to make another holy show OF your
selves! There viii be no retreat. We
wanted show to prove that we could
fight and die. and it's come to u.s.
The waiting was not long. The in
significant strength of the Federal
force could easily be seen, and regi-
ment was pushed to the front to carry
the 70 I'D. 1t dashed forward with *
cheer, ibut was checked, broken and
throwi back, and so many men went
down in the bed of the stream that
its waters were damned back. A min-
ute Cor a breathing spell, and then the
thousand dashed forward again. This
time they carried the ford and as they
moved forward the defending force was
taken on both TANKS as we'll as In front.
The ground was gained foot by foot
only, and when the field was won at
last there was no cheering. The VIC
tors saw but one man on his feet. He
was hobbling painfully up the long
street, and turning now and then to sea
If he was followed They could have
shot him down, but not a musket was
fired.
"How many of you?" was asked Of
one of the wounded.
LESS than a hundred"
"And why the devil didn't you fall
back on the force on the hili?"
Because 1t was our chance
And half a mile up the street the
wounded man reached the Tenth In
fentry as 1t was moving out of camp
and falling back towards the Federal
lines In the face of superior numbers.
"And who are yoa?" demanded an
officer as he dashed out at the man.
Tenth Infantry, sir"
What company and where have you
been fighting?"
Company nought, sir. and I've been
down there taking my chance. ! have
to report, sir, that there Is no longer
any Company D. The rebs have got
'em, but they were all dead or wounded
first!"
Copyright. 1895, by the International
Literary and N4ws scrvicdQ -
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16

Laura Jean Sprockett-I am very sure
that the bicycle public viii hail with de-
light the appearance Of your novel. hav-
ing a bloomer-girl heroine. a golf-stock-
inged hero and villain who goeth about
tirelessly seeking whom ne may tackify.
o. Yes: you should always exercise
great care in selecting names for your
books. ! am always glad to offer sugges-
tons to those struggling up the thorny
path OF literature. Here are a few titles
suitable for bicycle romances. Help your
self freely. 'Twixt Scylla and Charyo-
dis; or, The Brewery Wagon was the
softer" The Light that Failed: or, the
FIinty Hearted Bikecop.' THE Earth
Trembled; or, He Woke Up in a Hospi-
tai" Lovers Once, but We Ride Tan
dem now.' Fragments: or, the Ice Wa
CONS Reyenge!' "A Romance of Two
Wheels; or, They Turned a Corner Unex-
pecteGly,'' "A Marked Man; or, what the
Cobble Stones Did TO His Face Was a
Plenty THE Downward Path to Dark
ness; or, he Coasted Not Wisely, but Too
Oftenr' Thrown Upon the World. or,
Why He Didn't Ride for Seven Weeksr'
When you have exhausted the foregoing
list shall be only too glad to furnish you
with another assortment.
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16
/ think ia think "it' was going out.

Herr Scorcheimer-No when your friend
Herr Puffenlots, told you that he could
trace his German descent back for a CEN
fury he did not mean that he was doing
continuous performance tumble act from
his wheel during hundred mile run.
What he meant was-but, by the way, let
me suggest that YOU stop riding for half
a day and give your thinking machinery
chance to repair its punctures, and then
figure this matter out for yourself.
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16
A CALL FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

"Are leeches good for black eyes?'
he asked of the druggist.
Nothing better, sir. but your eyes
appear to be all right"
Yes, they are just at present. but
I'm going down the street to lick man
and may get a black eye 1 was just
inquiring as precautionary meas
ure"
81 see. Well, come in later"
An hour later the man reappeared,
and as his eyes We're still all right the
druggist said:
$50 you don't want any leeches after
aN?"
"I-can't say" lisped the man in reply
Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-16

Asa didn't linger to be punched, and
when he had been hurried into the
presence of the Sultan the great ruler
gave him an icy glare and said:
"Ho, now, but thy daughter is in love
and wOuldst marry, but you are kick
ing up a shindy about it.
1T is true, 0, Sultan, that she would
marry poor man"
'FBut if she loves him and is willing
to put I'D with baked beans and rye
coffee?"
1T is not, O, Sultan, a question Of
how husband can support my daugh-
ter, but rather how he can support a
father-in-law, and it's on that account
l raise my voice in protest.
Say, Asa, you are nobody's fool,'
said the Sultan with a smile, and I'll
throw this case out CT court and let
you settle it at home. A father who
doesn't discover where his beer money
is coming in before he marries off his
daughter has got no business head on
him and deserves rebuke.
81 will hear that plant, o youth,
said the. Cadi, as a young man stood
before him with moody look ana down.
cast eyes. Hast been trying pair of
roller-skates and found the floor jump
ing IN 10 meet thee?
"Not that, 0 Cadi. but I am sad in
my soul" was the reply.
Didn't pay Buffalo Bill $40 to let
you try one of his bucking bronchos,
Ell? If so, l don't wonder at your sad
ness"