davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

ner early, and excused herself to do an
errand. She hurried along the quiet
village streets to the business quarter,
and when she met a group of gleeful
schoolgirls joking over the valentines
they were going to send, she pressed her
hand over a little thin book in her muff,
and wanted to skip and laugh as the
schoolgirls did.
The official who waited on her seemed
little surprised at the nature of her
errand.
HE needn't stare SO. I have right
to do what please with my own
thought Doris, a trif1e Indignantly, yet
with certain feeling that she was do
ing something woefully unbusiness-like
and impractical.
81 don't care. If starve. I'll starve.
way" she said.
Her eyes were so bright and her
cheeks SO rosy. that Mrs. Gillespie
viewed her through her spectacles with
wonder.
81 declare, Doris, if you weren't SO
sensible and so settled in your ways
I should think you had just been havin g
an offer-and accepting it, too. You
look as young and handsome as the best
of them"
Doris laughed, slipped off her hat and
jacket. collapsed into the little sewing
chair. and in another minute was ap-
parently absorbed in Sarah James bias
bands and skirt ruff1es.
Don't make it too scant, Doris" said
her companion. 'Skimpiness don't pay
when you're making up gingham.'
(''Nor when you're sending valen.
tine" said Doris inwardly, with a sud
den thrill of joy.)
The short February day came to an
end. Sarah James gingham was fin.
ished and hung over chair back, ready
for the owner to carry upstairs at bed
time. The troublesome skirt that
wouldn't chang" had come right al
last, and was triumph of cores an6
plaits.
you'll save day for me in April
Doris, to fix over my black Henrietts
| cloth 2" said Mrs. Gillespie inter
negatively.
Doris nodded gayly. She was in a
mood to promise anything.
''Here, Doris, you might just as wei
take a couple of these mince turnovers
They'll keep nicely till Sunday"
Doris thanked her, and stepped ou
into the cold, cloudy night. She drew
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

don't lick the Gle woman-don't do
nuthin' 20 skeer this melyon from grow
in as big as house
That's what he said. and me and the
ole woman used to walk around On tip
toes and speak in whispers. 1 reckoned
that when that yere melyon got to be
as big as a shed it would sort O. settle
down and stop CROWN and go to keep
in house. but it 'peared she had an am
bishun. too. She kept CROWN till she
was mighty nigh as big as this cabin.
and if L had cleaned her out she would
have made shed fur the mewL Itsxas
her heft which made that big hole in
the airth over thar. L reckon that
about 500 people cum yere to look AT
that melyon. and Kurnel Bunker said
that my ambishun would carry me to
the legislachur'-"
And you got the melon down to the
county fair?' observed as the old man
made a long pause.
NO. sab, we didn't" he slowly re-
piled. 'One day L got 16 men up yere
| with hand-spikes and ropes. and We
rolled tina. melyon down to the river
and fiatboat. Yo' kin see how she
quilted out the airth as she went along.
We got her on the flatboat all right
| and sot off to float her down the river.
| but arter we had gone bout ten mills
| the roof of that melyon begun to cave
in
1T was too ripe. eh?"
mo, sab. that wasn't it. Fust thing
we knew thar was about 20 cslTd
folks-men, wimen and chilPen-aboard
! Us. They wasn't thar when we start
ed and they hadn't SWIM aboard They
had dun crawled out of that melyon."
You don't mean it'll"
Every last word, sab. Yes, sah-
them three families had dun squatted
inside that melyon fur cabin befo' il
| left my land, and they had eaten away
till the roof got weak and fell in on
'em. They had dun dug out three big
rooms inside. and hang me if they didn's
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

Then Doris, with rather grim smile,
sat before her kitchen fire with bit of
memorandum book on her knee, and a
pencil in her left hand.
Slowly and clumsily she iotted down
some items, and gazed at them.
"One-fourth of a sack of flour
enough for three bakings, if 1 can man
age to work the dough with my left
hand
1.-TWO quarts of beans, half paper of
oatmeal and ten pint milk tickets.
six quarts of potatoes, stump of
dried beef, a sugar bowl nearly full, and
four or five drawings of tea.
zone barrel of coal-enough to last
ten days-and old shingles enough in
the back yard to keep me from freez-
| ing when the Goals gene.
mo rent to pay, and 62 cents coming
| to me from Ann Finney.
''Not such a desperate showing, after
all. Maybe my arm will be we'll before
every scrap is eaten.'
Then she laughed till the tears came.
Every body will say: How lucky
| that Doris has money in the savings
bank! She can live on the interest
while her arm is useless!'"
In fact, that is what everybody did
| say; and Doris smiled her little grim
smile, and measured her -four and po-
| tatoes for each day, doled out her coal
so much for the morning, so much for
highland was ready, for very JOY, to
| clap her hands if one had not been help
| less. Eben Doolittle, prosperous, had
| almost passed out of her life, of late
| years, except as a pensive memory
| Eben Doolittle, sick, forlorn and in
| debt, called out all the old affection, re-
enforced by maternal pity and yearn-
ing.
And, day by day, the potatoes
dwindled and the flour grew less, while
| the crippled hand became no better.
At last the final morsel of food had dis
appeared, and Doris scraped the coal
barrel with her left hand.
ST have the shingles to fall back on
she said. Its lucky I dried a good pile
of them in the oven while the coal fire
| lasted"
! The day after she had eaten her last
saucer of oatmeal, sailed instead of
sweetened, she did not feel so brisk and
so independent of physical limitations.
If tout of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaketh," it is no less true that
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

TT don't hev to wear butes nor git
my ha'r cut sezL 1.
"'Then I'll tell yo' what to do seq he
We ar gwine to hold a county far this
fall, and do you go at it and raise up
the biggest watermelyon ever seen
on the face of this airth. That shall be
yo'r ambishun, and it will be one to
glorify the hull state. When that
melyon gifts the prize at our show the
name of Abe Hope will be writ in let
tiers of gold on the records of time. and
with my own hand will 1 present yo'r
ole woman with hull pound O. snuff
and a new par O shoes
That's the way he talked to Ine,"
said Abe as he still dug at the silver.
land L promised him that I'd hev am
bishun. I had growed sum whoppin'
big melyons in my time, but had new
er spread myself TO see what could he
dun with 'em. It was bout plantin'
time then, and 1 fixed up the sile and
picked out sum seeds and went to
work. I lowed fur plenty Of room.
and put a bresh fence around the spot
TO keep the mewl off. Bimeby the
seed cum up and the vine begun to
run, and 1 never did see anythin' like
it, Thar was six melyons on that
vine, but the one in the miGdle was the
BEST
"And it grew to be a whopper?" 1
queried.
stranger. a whopper of a melyon is
one thing. but a whoppinest whopper
is another. When she got to be as
big as a beer-keg she was a whopper-
When she got to be as big as -four
barr she was a whoppinest wbopper-
AFTER that I couldn't find no words TO
call her by. She jest riz up and spread
out and got big. and finally she was
the size of hogshead."
sYou don't mean it?"
@Ask Kurnel Bunker, sahi He rid
down yere one day and took look al
that melyon, and arter he had walked
all around it he seq TO me:
"sAbe Hope. them pyramids of Egyp'
amt nowhar' alongside this meiyon
and the archives of time viii be hold
in yo'r name when that of Napoleon
las dun bin forgotten Don't git drunk
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

! out of the emptiness of the stomach
the thought uttereth itself.
Il know I've been what people call "a
born fool but 1 said 1 would take the
: risk. If 1 die, Eben will never know
why. He may come back some day, and
drop few tears on my grave, and per-
haps remember the pleasant hours we
had before the trouble came between
US. And how the neighbors will eN-
claim, when they find have withdrawn
my bank deposit! They will search
every hole and corner for my hidden
cash, and then bury me at town expense.
Well, shall never know it,
But Doris did not die. She lived a
day and half without eating, because
she was too proud to run in to any of
| her neighbors' houses, socially, for a
cup of tea.
Toward the end of the second day
Mrs. Gillespie opened the kitchen door
and found Doris weak and shivering
| in her little downstairs bedroom. de-
| batting within herself whether she
should make friendly visit to Ann
Finney. her next neighbor. where she
would be sure of hearty welcome,
| warmth and supper.
-
dead as julius Caesar, and you look as
| if you were going to have a fever.
Whatever in this world possesses you
| to keep so at home? / meant to send
Sarah Jane down to ask you to spend
| tomorrow with US, but on second
! thoughts decided to come myself"
| Doris tried to smile welcome, and
rose feebly to start a fire with the next
| days share of shingles.
I'm not quite SO clipper to-day" she
said. drawing forth her little rocking
chair for the visitor. ST guess I'll be all
right to-mor@' she staggered and fell
| forward into Mrs. Gillespie's arms.
That good lady put. her back to bed.
watched her shrewdly as she regained
her consciousness. then said: "Now.
| lie still. Doris, and I'll light your fire
for you"
| The little dressmaker murmured
something about ordering coal soon.
She meant to be truthful But Mrs.
Gillespie was already out in the kitchen,
lifting the stove lids, her suspicious
aroused
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

hev TO or five cats and dawgs along
with 'emi 1 reckon 1 was never so mad
in all my bon days, but what could I
do bout ftp"
What did you 6o?" asked.
Rolled it ashore and let them mig
gers brace up the roof and live in it all
winter. 1t wasn't no good to me any
mo- as prize melyon. When met
Kurnei Bunker SEE to him;
"'Kurnel, didn't yo' peal to me to hey
ambishun?
- did, SEE he.
land didn't hev it like baby with
the measles?'
'Yo' did, Abe Hope
"'And hain't 1 bin knocked out
wrecked-busted and kerhopped by
passle O. niggers?'
"'Yo' hev. and L can't blame yo'- if
yo'r ambishun has fed and yo' dun
turn about and never draw sanother
long breath"
but you have?" said
"Mebbe so. stranger-mebbe So" re
in the sun. "but if hev didn't skass-
~ mean TO do It'll No, SAIL haiD't got
no mo- ambishun. and them pyramids
of Egypt and archives of time and let
tiers of gold amt gwine TO bother me
fur the rest of my life. Thar's a pipe
and terbacker on the shelf and jug OF
whisky on the fioah. and yo' Jest dun
help yo'seif and be at home and don't
git up no talk to make hard work fur
mel"
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

In the truck patch. on the north side
If the old squatter's cabin, was wa
.ermelon so near the size of a hour-bar-
eel that I gasped at the sight of it.
md after I had walked around it three
IT four times asked Abe Hope If that
vas the biggest melon he ever raised.
'sThat no account trifie out thar'?"
lie exclaimed in tones of contempt as
he glanced towards the patch. why.
,ah, that's one that wasn't with totin'
away to sell to the steamboat meni
Any Of the Guild folks aroundyere
would hev to be mighty hard up TO
steal that melyon. Shoe! HUI"
''Then you have raised larger opes?"
persisted.
stranger" said Abe as he picked at
silver in the sole of his shoe. I'm
gwine to tell yo' bout the whoppinest
nelyon ever raised, and the old
woman and all the folks around yere
will back me up in it. 1 might lie
bout wild cats or catfish, but man
would hev to be low-down to lie bout
nelyons. Bout TO vars ago Kurnel
Bunker cum along yere one day and
sez to me:
".Abe Hope. folks dun tell me that
yo' ar the LATEST man in all Arkinsaw.
and I'm feelin' bad over it,
whats the use in workin' when yo'
Ion't hev to p sell.
"'But every critter orter hev an am
1ishun,' seq he as he takes off his hal
20 the old woman standin' . in the
1oah.
"'Hev yo' got an ambishun, Kurnel
Bunker?'
81 hey. 1 want to be gov'nef OF Ar
Sinsaw next var. Everybody in the
state except yo' has got an ambishun,
and I've dun cum down to see if can t
stir yo' up. Yo' needn't hev no ambi-
shun as big as house, and one to
make yo' sweat yo'r shirt, but jest
sumthin' to keep the chills and fever
off. Ar yo' willin' to tackle an am
bishun?'
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

slowly near the old brown house that
had attracted her the evening before.
81 wonder if it's dark enough yet"
she said, as she fingered in the shadow
of an old elm close by the sidewalk.
The house seemed gloomy and silent as
on the preceding night.
cit won't get any darker if 1 wait till
midnight, for the moon will be up soon.
must do it now or never"
These mysterious words implied no
scheme of burglary or arson, though
the dressmaker's actions verged on
"breaking and entering" She glided
to the door and tried it softly. With
the usual depravity of inanimate OBJ
jects. it gave a treacherous squeak as
Doris turned the knob, and she fed
swiftly, but not until she had dropped
far inside the hallway a small. fat.
white envelope, directed in a big,
sprawling style to
EBEN DOoLITTLE.
From a Friend and Brother.
Luckily no one was stirring on that
quiet street, and when Doris was far
enough from the brown house she re-
sumed her ordinary gait. But there
was a turmoil under her little black
jacket. She had burned her ships be-
hind her-and for what?
To crafty a sentimental fancy and
to prepare for herself still longer
years of toll and self-denial. Yet how
she exulted in the thought: HE will
get on his feet again and prosper-and
he win owe it all to me, and never
know
Two weeks later, Reedville was set
agog by the news that Eben Doolittle,
after rapid recovery, had settled up his
debts and gone west, to make invest
| ments that promised to be very profit
able.
'Must ha' he'd a legacy or somethin',"
| said one old crone to another.
'Borried from Peter to pay Paul,
mos likely" was the answer.
| The day after Eben left Reedville
Doris Hilburn's right arm became help
| less from a sudden rheumatic attack.
She did up her bit of housework. but
cutting and sewing were out OF the
| question.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

''Oh. don't worry about Mrs Chat
ter; she knows a great deal that She
doesn't tellT
My! What wise woman she must
be."-Chicago Journal.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

RS. GILLESPIE'S
new skirt would
not come right in
the hanging, and
Doris Hilburn was,
as she expressed it,
$50 worked up"
that she could not
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10
a 1Iuffer of no1bf-

Miss witaers (coyiy)-Fm probably
older than you think am.
Mr. Frankly-oh, I donst know.-Eb;-
cago Daily Nexs.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10
TEUe.

To the skater II comes
With the loudest ring
That a little learning's
A dangerous thing
N Y. Truth.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10
Be nv Valentine.

love you. my charming maiden mine:
pray you be my valentine
I've loved you long. love you wen:
love you more than can tell.
Others may say they love you, too;
Their love is not mine. so true.
They love you for your face sweet.
Your lustrous eyes, your dainty feet
love you for yourself alone:
I'll love you when your beauty's flown
When face is wrinkled. hair grown gray.
When f1attering friends have dropped away.
Then. pray. be kind. fair maiden mine.
Be kind. and be my valentine
William Anwyl Jones, IN Chicago Inter
Ocean
The eight great water companies
of London now supply nearly 100000
people with about 1s6, 0eQ 900 gallons OF
water 4 day
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10
1IOuSewii

''Well," SAID the artist, sharply, TO the
tramp who had entered. what do you
want here? Hurry with what you have
to say"
Sir" replied the tramp. with Unborn
dignity, 81 did not come here to be in
suited. merely thought to step in and
inquire if you had any model for your
valentine cupids. IF not, desire to APP
ply for the position."-N. Y. Times.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-10

And lit the light of days long dead?
Twas one that he had sent to her
The year before they were wed.
Twas full of young loves fondest terms,
Without regard to rhyme or sense
Possession dulled, and planted germs
OF mild Indifference.
He listened to the words he heard
While shame surprised him with it's dart;
Twas long since he had breathed a word
OF love to that lone heart.
Then noiselessly he stepped behind
Her chair. and heard sob of pain.
His heart cried out: 81 have been blind"'
And love awoke again.
He drew her gently to his breast
He kissed and called her Heart of Mine!'
And all the love once more confessed
Told in that valentine.
George Birdseye, in Boston Globe.
The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-08-27
Strike Causes a Shut Down.

KENNER.-The box factory of Suth.
erland, Innis & %. shut down until
Monday. Owing to instituting eleven
instead of continuing ten hours day,
the employees organized strike, pre-
venting the mill from running. The
grievance was pleaded before Judge
Felix, who effected compromise, but
shortly thereafter the disaffected fell
lows refused to resume work and in
undated those that manifested a
willingness to accept the conditions
agreed on. These conditions were
that eleven hours, instead of ten, shall
constitute day until the mill became
in good running order improvements
yet being added to complete the fac
tory), and that in the event of stop
pages from break downs laborers shall
not lose their time except when such
stoppages continued an hour or more
The sheriff has been appealed to fol
protection, and will take proper steps
ia prevent unlawful violence. Othe1
Iaborers will arrive Monday, whel
work will resume.
The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-08-27
Fought for the Women.

PrNEv1nnE, KY.--Friday B. Will
liams and J. Head, with two young
women of bad repute, went to a peach
orchard on mountain farm near the
head of Popular creek. Later Mar
shall Malone and Isaacs Tunsford ap-
preached them and demanded that the
women leave the company Of the first
young men and go with them. The
women had not time to answer before
their companions entered a strenuous
protest and backed it up by placing IN
evidence two 45-calibre revolvers.
Malone and Tunsford accepted the
challenge, pulled their revolvers and
opened fire. After the firing ceased
and the smoke had cleared away, II
was found that Williams, Head and
Tunsford were dead, and that Malone
was dangerously wounded.
The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-08-27
ST. FRANCNILL WEST FEIANA PARISH LA, SATURDAY, AUGUST u, $685.

ger train from Lake Charles, young
white man, apparently 80 or 55 years
Of age, was found dead in one of the
coaches. Coroner A. r. Trahan viewed
the body, took charge of few papers
found on the person OF the deceased
and had the body inferred in potter's
field Letters indicate that the mans
name was Berna, native of North
Warren, Warren county, Pennssylva-
MIA. On the outside of an envelope
was tho address of James Berna, North
Warren, Pennsylvania, and also J. r.
Slavin, same address. The letters
from mother, sister and brother all
urge his return home and promise i'm
munity from some trouble alluded to
in vague way. Berna had been some
time since at Beaumont, Texas, but
has lately worked as section hand a
or near Lake Charles. Coroner Ira
han has communicated with the family
of the dead man and asked what dis
position of the body and effects the
desired him to make,
The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-08-27
Stock Raising and Beets.


Tn NIL countries where the sugar beet
Is made q specially much consldera-
ton is given the value of the beets as
cattle food; that Is, the residuum, ar
ter the sugar is extracted. BY feeding
stock In connection with the growing
Of the beets for sale to tie factory, car
rying home the pulp for stock food, the
farmers opportunities from the grow
ing of beets are increased. Expert,
ments IN PENNSYLVANIA show that the
Yields of beets range from ten TO M
teen tons per acre, end the average
amount of sugar to exceed IL per ceht.
The farmer will have to contend with
wet and dry seasons, and his profits
will, be more some years than during
others, but it is believed that farmers
have neglected the beet as au import
mt food for cattle, independently OF
ia use as a source for procuring sugar,
not that the beet ts as valuable us
praIn. but because farmers will find a
larger increase In production from
cattle by reason Of the feeding of sue
cuient food, and although there IL
some preparation required for oil
kinds of roots before feeding them t
stock, such ,s-bor Is unnecessary wher
the beet pulp from the factories !!
used. the combination CT tie pulp witt
grain giving Letter results .ban whe]
beets or grai1 are fed separately
Philadelphia Record. .~-.=v..
The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-08-27
Unfortunate Shooting Affair.

BATON ROUGE. -Saturday evening
about o'clock Eddie Kretz, youngest
son of Mr.. Louis Kretz, ST., OF this
city, was killed by Harry Kleinpeter'
The weapon used was a double-bar.
relied shotgun loaded with buckshot,
and the scene of the sad affair was OPP
posite Tobias Brothers ginhouse, iii
the northeastern section of the city.
Immediately after the shooting young
Kleinpeter drove out to the house OF
his kinsman, Hon. Josiah Kleinpeter,
eight miles above the city, where he
| remained until the arrival of Sheriff
Young and deputies, to whom he sur
rendered. He stated to Sheriff Young
upon his arrival at the jail that he did
| not desire to make statement to any
one, and the reporters were SO IN
formed by the sheriff. Tue dead boy
when picked up, was found unarmed,
and pierced just below the heart witt
nine buckshot. The coroner's jur!
has not yet rendered its verdict, anc
| no one thus far has stated positively
that young Kleinpeter did the shoot
ing, but the unpleasant relations ex
listing between the two boys for sew
eral weeks on account OF matters OF
private and delicate nature caused TIM
public, and especially the families o
both, to regard it as almost certain
that something such as happened
would likely occur at any moment
This is one Of thv saddest affairs in tn
annals of Baton Rouge. The boy
were yet in their teens, and /, both wer
bright and esteemed by their com
rades. Harry Kleinpeter, the &C
cused, is granddaughter of DR.. O.. A
Bullion of Hope Villa; La. He is
, bright and polished young student Q
,, St. Vincent Academy, aud is the eldes
SON of widowed mother.