davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

so. Polly. and she will know exactly
what ails EN-"
The next day. however brought a let
ter from Pollys mother. saying that
the visit was so agreeable and that let
tcrs from home gave such good ac-
counts OF Polly's success as house
keeper she felt she could prolong her
visit for a week. especially as one OF
Aunt Hetty's neighbors on his way 20
market had promised to take her to the
next town, which was only ten miles
away and from which she could get a
train to her home.
Polly looked at the window garden In
the dining room and sighed.
Never mind. Polly" said her father,
who knew as much about caring for
flowers as he did about making water
run up hill. Never mind. I'll tell moth
er we did the best we could. But l
think If were you I'd put leete mite
more water on the plants. These warm
days they must get very thirsty"
Polly did as she was told. but she had
become despondent over her lack OF sue
cess. She remembered once hearing old
Mrs. Golightly compliment her mother
OH the beauty OF her plants by saying:
IT'S well seen the flowers know who
is a-handlin them; Mrs. Cranston. I've
heard said that flowers is that wise
they won't grow except for them that's
good and honest and kind hearted and
they will not flourish in the hands of the
wicked" Then the gossipy old lady
went into details over the dark his
tories of folks whom she had known TO
be unsuccessful with flowers. Polly
now mournfu,ly remembered Mrs. Co
lightly's stories and made her prayers
twice as long every night and promised
herself that all the pennies which her
father had given her during the week
for candy should go into next Sundays
missionary box.
She even wept over the flowers and
hadn't the heart to object to the rather
slovenly manner In which Eliza did the
sweeping. Eliza's one falling was a
disinclination to get into corners or
move cumbersome furniture.
Saturday evening, however, Mrs.
Cranston unexpectedly arrived home.
Oh. how glad they were to see her!
well. Polly" said Mrs. Cranston as
soon as she had delivered all the mes
sages and presents from Aunt Hetty,
how are my flowers? hope you didn't
forget to water them?"
NO" volunteered Polly's father.
knowing how disappointed and morti-
fed the little girl felt over her failure.
Polly has tended to your flowers real
faithful, mother, but guess. on account
of the weather being so warm. they
seem sort of droopy."
"Oh, I'm sorry! think I'll go in and
look at them" vi
Her experienced eye scanned the
plants. She felt the earth in one of the
pots with her finger.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23
Large Enough at Last.

A merchant in small country town
had not many customers and was in
poor circumstances. but nevertheless he
always wished. even at the expense Of
truth. TO appear richer than he was
One day his little girl ran into the
shop, calling her father to dinner. A
gentleman being in the shop. the shop
man said. What is there for dinner.
my child?' to which she replied. Two
red herrings."
After the strangers departure the
man rebuked his child for exposing
their poverty. bidding her for the future
10 say something larger when asked a
similar question. ,s
Soon afterward an opportunity arriv-
ed. and when the father asked in the
presence OF third person, What's for
dinner, Polly?" the little girl. wishing
to carry out her fathers instructions,
answered promptly. "A whale, father!"
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

i, sleep and was going out for a walk with
Mr.. and Mrs. Gale--also top floor peo-
| ple-who were I'm the same difficulty.
THAT accounts for us ALL" said I, and
then / Informed Miss Caverly OF the
| facts and asked if she would try the
| effect OF a midnight stroll, with Mrs.
Gale for chaperon.
She agreed readily. and I'm a few min
utes we were all In the hall, which was
hotter than an oven. i expressed the
belief that the street wouldn't he much
cooler. and then some one suggested
going TO the roof.
Its no good" said Graves, "but I'll
tell you what we might do. There's a
fire escape balcony just outside my win
dow, and half a dozen steps lead up
from 1t to the roof of the next house
That's fine place to sit. What do you
say?"
1t looked a good deal like burglary,
and the ladies were timid. but the hall
was too hot TO permit OF long argu-
ment. and very soon we all fed to our
neighbor's roof.
AT first we were afraid to speak above
whisper. and the creaking OF a metal
plate on the roof sounded like heavy
artillery, but as the minutes passed and
nothing happened we grew bolder. We
brought some chairs from our rooms
and made ourselves exceedingly COM
Portable. BY and by we even ventured
to uplift our voices very softly. in an
old familiar chorus, a melancholy strain
that seemed to make us all very blue.
When the song was ended, Gale,
whom I had long suspected OF being
hypochondriac. began TO tell us how
much he suffered from insomnia and to
describe the Intellectual attempts that
he had made in the last four or FIVE
years TO bring sleep 60 his pillow. IL
appeared also that Graves. who was n
healthy looking young Englishman. had
had only a wink or two OF sleep since
the first of the year. He admitted that
he was I'm love. but doubted that that
accounted for the phenomenon. As for
Mrs. Gale. she simply could not sleep at
all. Che believed that the locality was
unhealthful and intimated that Fifth
avenue and its vicinity, especially "
ono Owned a residence there. would
probably solve the problem Of slumber.
Now. az a matter of-fact, sleep bet
nf IL0 M..a.a
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23
Polly's Oat Patch.

"Goodby. dear! Take good care OF
father while I'm away. and don't for
get to sprinkle my flowers!"
Nom, I'll not forget" and Polly
waved an affectionate farewell TO Mrs.
Cranston as Mr.. Davis whipped his
horses and the chaise disappeared down
the road. Polly went indoors rather
disconsolately. She several times had
had the care of the house for day.
but to look after it for whole week
while her mother visited Aunt Hetty,
who lived 20 miles distant and the only
way 10 reach whom in case of an emer-
gency was by driving over the state
road, was much more serious matter.
1t wasn't often that any one from
Fewburyport went In the direction of
Auat Hetty's farm. and when Polly's
going across that way to see about some
property she at once declared that she
meant to pay her sister a visit IL Mr.
Davis would take her In his chaise. OF
course Mr.. Davis was quite charmed
10 do so. 1t was a long drive. and as he
was very talkative old man he had
rather dreaded the prospect OF travelling
20 miles with no more appreciative
listener than old Dobbn.
Polly was just ~ years old. rather
small girl to look after house; but,
then. her mother had brought her up in
the old fashioned way, which presup-
posed that at Is every girl should be
finished housewife. Besides, Polly had
the assistance Of Eliza, who did the
heavy part of the work. and the advice
OF her father. who had weak masculine
faith in the theory that women in
stinctively understand about house
keeping and that so long as there was
a petticoated being under the roof the
work in some mysterious way accom-
plished itself or course he firmly be-
lieved that as a housekeeper no one
could compare with Polly's mother, and
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

why. how much water did you put
on them?" she asked suddenly.
"A sprinkler full real often" answer
ed Polly dolefully.
Then Mrs. Cranston looked at the
saucers in which the 1owerpots stood.
Each saucer was full OF water
II hope none of this water ran over
on my new ingram carpet" she said.
stooplng down TO look under the ta-
bles upon which the flowers stood. IL
was little dark. SO she got a candle
and looked again.
We'll. I never!' exclaimed Mrs.
Cranston In spasms OF laughter. 1T
isn't much wonder they didn't grow.
Why. you two have been watering the
flowers until you have raised a crop Of
oats right through my dining room car
pet!''
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

ter than the average of my species, but
/ have natural disinclination to ap-
pear Inexperienced in matters that are
under discussion in a general company
| so told few fanciful yarns that put
me within the pale OF sympathy. and
was very much gratified to observe
that they impressed Miss Caverly.
This young woman, whose beauty as
she sat there in the moonlight then
appreciated for the first time, was tine
only one OF us to exhibit any reticence.
This circumstance led me to the con-
clusion that she was the one who really
knew what insomnia was, and / felt a
strong curiosity regarding her case. She
seemed to be In good health. and / could
not believe that the childlike innocence
OF her face was a mask for any weighty
secret much less for any deep regret.
II was an interesting problem.
We sat on that roof till o'clock in
the morning. do not know how the
others Jared during the remainder of
the night; but. SIS for me, slept like a
dead man. and when the servant walked
me as usual at o'clock threatened to
shoot him.
However, when the Insomnia club, as
Graves had named it, drifted into a
meeting on the following midnight
was quite ready to take my place. They
elected me president OF the club, and
then had to keep awake IL it killed me.
Yet l am free to confess that IL the
tender sentiments with which / was
beginning to regard Frances Caverly
had been lacking ] could never have
kept awake during that session.
A whisper of our doing got abroad in
the house. and for the third meeting we
had guests--a young man and two
young women from the second floor.
They expressed a great enthusiasm for
the club. but they were not on hand for
the fourth session. Instead they retired
about half past 8. presumably to make
up for lost sleep, as i was informed by
Mrs. Gale, who had woman's faculty
for knowing all about everybody else
in the house.
For that fourth meeting fortified my
soul with black coffee at dinner and
strong cigars in the course of the even
ing. l had begun TO realize that the
club would be the ruin OF my health IL
IL continued To flourish. and yet I was
willing to make even that sacrifice for
the sake Of those delightful hours with
Frances Caverly.
i couldn't get any other chance to see
her. She taught In a summer school and
spent her evenings I'm study that the
work required. most laborious life.
How she could bear IL without sleep by
night was a problem that began to en-
gage my serious attention. on the oc-
casion OF the clubs fifth meeting I sug-
gested 60 her about 2 o'clock I'm the
morning that she ought to retire. speak
ing OF her health In most solicitous
terms.
II couidn't sleep anyway" said she.
Il might better be here. where can en-
Joy myself"
She laughed nervousiy az she spoke.
and her manner made me even more
anxious about her than ! had been be-
fore. Though I was deeply sensible Of
the obligations of delicacy, I could not
help regarding II as my duty 20 offer
some advice and aid. but l couldn't do
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23
Bismarck's First Decoration.

Although Prince Bismarck had q iars
ger number of degrees. diplomas order5
and decorations than any other man In
the world. except those who occupy
thrones, that which he priced most
highly and which he wore on all occa.
sions was the medal bestowed on him
by the Humane Society OF Prussia when
he was young man for saving fellow
soldier from drowning.
VI was earned shortly after he left the
University of Heidelberg and entered
the army and was the first decoration
he ever wore and for long time the
only one. When he appeared In the
presence OF royalty from other nations,
his breast was usually covered with the
decorations they had conferred upon
him, but he always wore the medal %
the Humane society.
The queen Of Portugal r. the only SOW
ereign in Europe who wears q similar
one. Several years ago. while abe was
visiting a German watering place. che
rescued a couple OF children who had
rsrn carried out into the breakers ~
- undertow.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

and / were sitting on the edge of the
hatch that covered the stairway leading
up from the garret.
Suddenly I felt 1t tremble under us
l thought at first that IL was giving
way. Then heard the rumble of hu-
man voice below. We all heard it, and
the Insomnia club was in a panic.
Hold the villain down." cried Graves,
and, gathering the belongings of the
club with wonderful celerity. he hurled
them upon the fire escape balcony
Thither the Gales and the guest had al
ready fled.
Go IL, Graves!" said I. "we'll fol-
low"
Miss Caverly had remained loyalty
by my side.
We'll never get to that balcony after
we let go OF this thing" she whispered.
We'll be discovered"
Run for 1t now," replied. 'Ill
take my chances"
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

Sure enough the water had slowly
soaked through the earth In the pots.
overhowed the saucers and drop by
drop had drained off on TO the floor
and under the tables. where Eliza had
neglected 20 sweep. <rne constant
sprinkling had kept the carpet and the
oat straw under II so damp that grains
of oats left in the straw had sprouted
and made their way up through the
carpet, where they formed quite small
patch.
And that is the reason Polly never
likes to hear her mother even jokingly
say:
We'll. there is one thing my Polly
could make success Of and that is
oat raising. She once raised crop of
them right through our dining room
carpet! ALICE DE BERDT.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

could see the back of her head and
her shoulder and one arm. which was
bare to the elbow and looked very white
In the moonlight She was sitting in a
window and In the next one but she
was unaware OF my presence.
Should speak to her? Our acquaint-
ance was really very slight True. we
had lived in the same house for nearly
year. but 1t was a lodging house. and
the inhabitants strayed out into the
neighborhood for their sustenance, thus
lacking the common sorrow OF board
ing house table to draw them together
Miss Cavcrly and exchanged greetings
when we met at the door or in the halls.
but that hardly justified me in opening
a conversation from my window to hers
at l o'clock in the morning, yet I want
cd to do II. t
While was debating the question the
lady was leaning far out from her lofty
perch--it was the top story-and gazing
upon the moon.
Have care, Miss Caverly," said I,
cor you'll fall out of the window"
Nothing could have been more likely
20 precipitatc such catastrophe than
my sudden and startling remark. but
modern chlvalrous man will put lady
70 any amount OF Inconvenience for the
sake Of seeming to perform service for
her. However. In this instance no harm
came OF II. The lady turned about has
tlly, but without alarm.
WHAT she cried. Another victim
OF ihsomnia?"
Now. as q matter OF fact, I had Just
come in and had made no attempt to
sleep. but could not tell her that. II
would have spoiled n conversation. SO
said that sleep renpsed to visit me-
"Sleeplessness is'very distressing
she said. with the air of ono who had
suffered much. W
suggested that the night was too hot
for sleep. but she averrfd that she did
not mind hot weathcr.s1 might have
had lot OF FUN trying ~ find out what
demon of the mind was robbing this In
nocent child of her splmber. but knock
at my door interrupted mel The visitor
was Hallett Graves another denzen OF
the top floor. and nc had come 10 bor-
row matches. Graves was likely to
borrow anything at nry hour from any
person and equally. ready 10 lend.
lie said that he'd given w trying 10
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

IL without knowing what was the mat
ter. She did not resent such efforts as
made to solve the problem, yet she
would tell me no more than that there
was a secret at the bottom of IT, What
that secret could be l was unable TO
guess. f#
i felt very confident, however, that
she would reveal Ii TO me IL could get
chance to talk with her alone, but
the Insomnia club did not provide that
opportunity. Mrs. Gale was the most
efficient chaperon that II ever was my
i'll luck to encounter. She would not
have me lead Miss Caverly into any
nook or corner for a tete-a-tete.
Every New Yorker must remember
the extraordinary succession OF hot and
cloudless days, with nights OF breath
less calm, that made this particular
September meteorological phenome-
non. My recollection does not supply
me with time when the insomnia club
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

cult and with some assistance from
Mrs Davis, who lived next door. could
even manage roast.
AT first the housekeeping was great
fun and she watered the flowers faith
fully. She sprinkled them in the morn
ing when she got up, and all day she
kept noticing and pouring on a little
more whenever she thought the water
seemed to be gone.
Polly. mothers geraniums look a
trifle dry" Mr.. Cranston would say
when he came in at noon. ''You mustn't
forget the flowers. You know how dis
appointed she would be IL anything
should happen to them"
"Yes. sir. / watered them about an
hour ago." Polly would reply, "but while
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

She asked Mrs. Davis about the fow-
ers. and the old lady asked:
Are you sure you don't forget to wa
ter the flowers, Polly? Little girls are
likely to be SO forgetful."
"Oh, nom. / water them every day."
Polly asserted. II never forget that"
We'll. suppose / come In and look at
them,' Mrs. Davis suggested.
So the nearsighted old lady peered at
the plants. and as they seemed damp
enough she said:
Well ! don't know unless it's worms
at the roots. / never was much of a
hand for keeping flowers in the house.
but your ma will be home in a day or
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23
THE rnRUsn's SONG.

There's merry brown thrush sitting UP In
the tree
He's singing to me. he's singing TO met
And what does he say. little girl. little boy
"oh. the worlds running over with Joy!
Don't you hear. don't you sec?
Hush! Look In my tree
I'm as happy as happy can be!'
90 the merry brown thrush sings away In
the tree
70 you and to me. to you and 10 me.
And he sings all the day, little girl, little
boy:
"Oh. the worlds running over with Joy.
But long II won't be.
Don't you know. don't you see.
Unless we're as good as can be?'
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

you are eating the soup I'll sprinkle
them again"
After a few days Polly fancied tina I
the flowers were not looking so well as
usual. Mr.. cranston also noticed it and
said
Polly. you can't be sprinkling the
flowers enough. Put on a little more
water
So Polly anxiously moistened the
flowers every hour or SO and watched
and wondered that they did not i'm
prove. The ferns fourished. but the
cacti seemed 10 be dying. A century
plant which Polly knew to be the pride
of her mothers heart was particularly
sickly.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

as her mothers daughter he felt sure
that Polly could see after things prop
erly.
eliza came In three times a week to
sweep and scrub and bake and wash,
All the lighter work was left for Polly,
The little girl would have covered
herself with glory IL II had not been for
that window garden. She could cook a
steak, eggs or vegetables. make bis
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

could have met for so many consecutive
nights In a whole week We did not
miss one. ond II was upon the eighth
night that the incident happened which
brought affairs TO a climax.
The meeting was proceeding a. usual.
There was one guest, a young lady 10
whom Gravesw was devoting himself with
as much assiduity as the vigilance OF
Mrs. Gale would permit. Miss csverly
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

II will do no such thing" shs re-
turned, with energy.
Then we'll both try q run for that
Chimney" I whispered. "Nowi"
We released the hatch and fed on
uptoe for the shelter I had indicated.
IL was lucky that We didn't try 10 20
farther. for within three seconds that
hatch rose into the air as IL a bomb
had exploded under its
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

The house surgeon OF London hoss
1'tal was attending to the injuries Of 9
poor woman whose arm had been ses
v.rely bitten. AZ he was dressing the
wound ne said: II cannot make ouo
what sort OF creature bit you. Thio II
too small for a horses bite end tod
large for a dogs" oh. SIR" replied the
patient. ~ wasn't an animal u weo
another lady," ;
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-23

Rattlesnakes are said to have n nat
urai antipathy TO the leaves Of the " Waiic
ash. Some naturalists assert that ~
rattlesnake placed IN a circle compos-
ed half OF white ash leaves and haif of
hot Goals will cross the Goals Ia prefer
encs 10 the leaves
Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-10-20

s is what isl
.ly, the stan
~ the cam
" ,nucl, Y
ction Of 1s9
among the
rgest per q
asccrtainl
i've poll d
swing this, |
Anay not b(
Five a Jew
us. |
-tl,e issuel
i'll be we'll
Rer them u
ational, sta
ntiOnal Isl
hiding the |
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-03-02
War Is Now
Fully Expected

The ultra-conservative Washington Star
EXPLAINS the sudden conservatism OF the Sen
ate rs being due to the extremely critical
state of our relations with Spain and the de-
sire TO afford no excuse for fixing the respon-
sibility on this country in the event OF war;
The STIR says the accident theory of the
Maine disaster has been abandoned by those
i'm authority. and war is now expected. 1t is
feared that hostilities will be precipitated be-
fore the Board Of Inquiry completes its work,
and the government is proceeding in conse-
quence with the greatest caution. There is
need of time for preparation, says the Star,
and in consequence, the investigation will
probably be prolonged for month or so.
The trip of Commodore Crowninshield is
explained as being on personal business.
The Spanish authorities admit the exist.
cnce Of a subterranean' passage, but say the
location has been lost and claim that it doesn''
90 under the Havana harbor.
General Powell, personal friend OF Nc
Kinley's, says the President assured him he
would satisfy the veriest j.ng' y 1t should be
shown that the Maine was bloWl :? ny
mine.
Military preparations continue all over tn
country.
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-03-02
NO MINE, SAYS DU Bose.

In view of the widely published re-
port that the harbor of Havana con-
tains a system of submarine mines, q
statement around whi,h has conferred
the chief public interest in connection
with the disaster to the battleship
Maine, Senior Du Bose, Spanish Charge
d'Afairs at Washington, las made the
following statement, which, coming
from such authority,may be considered
as an official denial
81 wish to state on my own official
knowledge that no mine exists inside
or outside OF Havana harbor, nor is
there any submarine defense of any
kind. The report is SO absolutely
false and ridiculous that it could only
have originated in the minds of those
persons anxious TO incite the evil pas
sons of both nations for their own
miserable ends. I consider The very
suggestion of uch thing an insult to
Spain.'
Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-03-02

iu tie fa,o OF the present fallacies and
ths consta effort to spread them, 10
t, lose valuable ground already won
and pra ntically to weaken the forces OF
sound money for the battle OF the
future"
Compare the statements made IN the
above xtracts and see il consistency
has prevailed. Reid between l.. the
lines Of the utteranees at the Million
nj, es' feast in New York and see II
ANY hing else than the gold standard is
meant. The country so derstands
them, and they can mean nothing els''