davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

of a spectators spectator, moreover, on
a psychic rather than on material plane.
Many of my sensations that night were
too vague for definite description and
analysis, but the main feeling that Will
stay with me to the end of my days Is the
awful horror of it all, and the miserable
sensation that If the strain had lasted
little longer than was actually the case
my mind must inevitaLy have given
away.
Meanwhile I stood still In my corner and
waited patiently for what was to come.
The house was as still as the grave, but
the inarticulate voices of the night sang
In my ears and seemed to hear the blood
running IN my veins and dancing in my
pulses.
If the Indians came to the back Of the
house they would find the kitchen door
and window securely fastened They could
not get IN there without making consid-
cradle noise, which l was bound to hear.
The only means of getting in was the door
that faced me, and L kept my eyes glued
on that door without taking them of for
the smallest fraction Of a second.
My sight adapted itself every minute
better to the darkness. / saw the table
that nearly filed the room, and left only
a narrow passage on each side. 1 could
also make out the straight backs Of the
wooden chairs pressed up against It, and
could even distinguish my papers and ink
stand lying on the white oilcloth covering.
1 thought Of the gay faces that had gath
cred around that table during the sum
mer, and l longed for the sunlight as I
had never longed for it before
Less than three feet to my left ths
passage-way led to the kitchen, and the
stairs leading to the bedrooms above
commenced in this pa1ssage-way. but al
The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

trable darkness at every window, was by
all laws of warfare an unnecessary con-
cession to the enemy. And this enemy, II
enemy 1t was to be, was far too willy
and dangerous to be granted any such
advantages.
1 stood in the corner Of the room, with
my back against the Eall and my hand
on the cold rifle barrel. The table COW
cred with my books lay between me and
the door, but for the first few minutes
after the lights, were out the darkness
was so intense that nothing could be dis
cerned at all. Then, very gradually, the
outline of the room became visible and
the framework of the windows began to
shape itself dimly before my eyes After
a few minutes the door Gts upper half Of
glass;, and the two windows that looked
out upon the front Veranda became
specially distinct; ana 1 was glad that this
was so, because if the Indians came up to
the house l should be able to see their
approach. and gather something of their
pans Nor was l mistaken. for there
presently came to my ears the peculiar
hollow sound of a canoe landing and be-
ing carefully dragged up over the rocks
The paddles I distinctly heard being
placed underneath, and the silence that
ensued thereupon / rightly interpreted to
mean that the Indians were stealthily ap-
preaching the house
While it would be absurd to claim that
was not alarmed-even frightened-at
The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

This was by no means a pleasant re-
f1ection, because If it were the correct So
luton OF the unusual appearance of the
three canoes in this lonely part of the
lake at so late an hour, the purpose of
the two men could only reasonably be
considered to be in some way connected
with myself. 1 had never known of the
Indians attempting any violence upon the
settlers who shared the wild, inhospita-
bic country with them; at the same time
1t was not beyond the region of possibil-
ity to suppose. But then I did not
care to even think of such hideous possi-
b1lities, and my imagination Immediately
sought relief in all manner of other So
lutions to the problem, which indeed came
readily enough to my mind, but did not
succeed in recommending themselves to
my reason.
Meanwhile, by sort of instinct,
stepped back out of the bright light In
which had hitherto been standing, and
waited in the deep shadow of a rock to
see If the canoe would again make it's
appearance. Here I could see and noA
be seem and the precaution seemed wise
one.
After less than five minutes the canoe,
as 1 had anticipated, made its fourth ap-
pearance. This time 1t was not twenty
yards from the wharf and 1 saw thaL
Ine 1nulans meant TO land. recognized
the two men as those who had passed be-
fore, and the steerer was certainly an i'm
mense fellow. 1t was unquestionably the
same canoe. There could be no longer
any doubt that for some purpose of their
own the men had been going round and
round the island for some time, waiting
for IN opportunity to land. l strained my
eyes TO follow them in the darkness, but
the night had completely swallowed them
up, and not even the faintest swish of the
paddles reached my ears as the Indians
The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

crossing 1t, pass out of sight again into
the darkness. 1t was perhaps a hundred
feet from the shore, and 1t moved swiftly
was surprised that canoe should pass
the island at that time of night, for all
the summer visitors from the other side
of the lake had gone home weeks before,
and the island was long way out of any
line of water traffic.
My readings from this moment did not
make very good progress, for somehow
the picture of that canoe, gliding so
dimly and swiftly across the narrow track
of light on the black waters, silhouetted
itself against the background of my mind
with singular vividness. 1t kept COM
ing between my eyes and the printed
page. The more I thought about 1t the
more surprised I became 1t was of
larger build than any I had seen during
the summer months, and was more like
the old Indian war canoes with the high
curving bows and stern and wide beam
The more 1 tried to read, the less success
attended my efforts; and finally 1 closed
my book and went out on the veranda to
walk up and down a bit and shake the
chilliness out of my bones
The night was perfectly still, and as
dark as imaginable. l stumbled down
the path to the little landing wharf, where
the water made the very faintest of
gurgling under the timbers The sound
of big tree falling in the mainland for
est, far across the lake. stirred echoes in
the heavy air, like the first guns of a dis
tant night attack. No other sound dis
turbed the stiffness that reigned supreme
As | stood upon the wharf in the broad
splash of light that followed me from the
sitting-room windows, l saw another
canoe cross the pathway of uncertain
lght upon the water, and disappear at
once into the impenetrable gloom that
lay beyond This time 1 saw more dis
unctly than before. 1t was like the former
canoe, big birchbark with high-crested
bows and stern and broad beam. 1t was
padded by two Indians, of whom the one
in the stern-the steerer-appeared to be a
very large man. l could see this very
plainly; and though the second canoe was
much nearer the island than the first. I
judged that they were both on their way
nome to the Government reservation,
The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

which was situated some fifteen miles
away upon the mainland.
/ was wondering in my mind what
could possibly bring any Indians down to
this part of the lake at such an hour of
the night when a third canoe, of pro-
cisely similar build, and also occupied by
two Indians, passed silently round the end
Of the wharf. This time the canoe was
very much nearer shore, and 1t suddenly
flashed into my mind that the three ca
noes were in reality one and the same.
and that only one canoe was circling the
island.
The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

piled their long and powerful strokes,
The canoe would be round again in a few
moments, and this time it was possible
that the men might land. 1t was well
to be prepared. I knew nothing of their
intentions, and two to one (when the two
are big IndiansD late at night on a lone
ly island was not exactly my idea OF
pleasant intercourse.
In corner of the sitting-room. leaning
up against the back wall. stood my Mar
lin rifle, with ten cartridges In the maga-
zine and one lying snugly in the creased
breach. There was just time to get up
to the house and take up a position of
defense in that corner. Without an in
stant's hesitation l ran up to the ver-
anda, carefully picking my way among
the trees, so as to avoid being seen in
the light. Entering the room, 1 shut the
door leading to the veranda, and as quick
ly as possible turned out every one of
the six lamps. To be in a room so bril-
liantly lighted, where my every move
ment could be observed from outside.
while I could see nothing but impene-
The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

moreover, gave out heat enough to warm
the room pleasantly.
For brief moment I stood looking out
at the shaft of light that fell from the
windows and shone some little distance
down the pathway, and out for a few
feet into the lake
AS I looked, saw a canoe glide into
the pathway Of light, and Immediately
The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

the gravity Of the situation and IT'S nos
sible outcome, l speak the whole truth
when I say that I was not overwhelmingly
afraid of myself. 1 was conscious that
even at this stage of the night I was
passing into a psychical condition in which
my sensations seemed no longer normal.
Physical fear at no time entered into the
nature of my feelings; and though l kept
my hand upon my rifle the greater part of
the night, 1 was all the time conscious
that it's assistance could be of little avail
against the terrors that 1 had to face.
More than once seemed to feel most GU
riousy that l was in no real sense a part
of the proceedings, nor actually involved
in them. but that was playing the part
The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

gan TO wander to other things, and the
effort to recall my thoughts became
harder with each depression. Concentra-
ton was growing momentarily more diff
fult
Something was evidently at work in my
sub-consciousness There was some
thing had neglected to do. Perhaps the
kitchen door and windows were not fast
ened. I accordingly went to see, and
found that they were! The fire perhaps
needed attention. I went to see and
found that it was all right
When / at length settled down to my
books again and tried to read, I became
aware, for the first time, that the room
seemed growing cold. Yet the day had
been oppressively warm. and evening had
brought no relief. The six big lamps,
The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

Continued on Page Thirty-Two,
Daily inter mountain., 1899-07-12
CABLES OF THE WORLD.

The various governments of the world
own together $50 cables, having total
length of a. 48O miles and containing 2l,-
$50 miles of conductors. The French gov
ernment, which takes the lead as to the
length of cables, has 3,460 miles in 81
cables AS to number the Norwegian
government comes first with 255 cables
having a total length of 24S miles. Final
ly. as to the length of conductors, the
English government comes first with 546S
miles of conductors, divided among llo
cables. having a total length of LOSS
miles. ~ u.
Private companies to the number of 90
own 2sS cables, having length Of 126,S64
miles and containing 127, ,632 miles of con-
ductors. The French companies, only two
in number-the Compagnie Francaise du
Telegraphe de Paris New York and the
Societe Francaise des Deegraphes Sous
Marins-have IS cables. with total
length of 7,249 nautical miles. The most
important of the private companies is
the Eastern Telegraph company, which
operates Is cables, with a total length of
25.3H miles.
The total number Of cables In the
world is 1,16S. with total length Of 14O,-
344 miles and 149, 1913 miles of conductors.
This is not sufficient to reach the moon,
but would extend more than half way
there.
Daily inter mountain., 1899-07-12
THE BARKEEPER's BEST.

A Duluth barkeeper the other day un-
consciously paid great compliment to
Duluth water. A stranger, we'll dressed
and presumably prominent citizen of
some smaller Northwestern town, was
having what is known as "a mite'.' He
wandered into a fine saloon on Superior
street, and, pulling a bill out of his vest
pocket, ordered the barkeeper to "set UP
the best (hic) you got" The man behind
the bar has had a great deal OF exper-
ience ,and, like all such persons, he don't
approve of men that are not bloOded try
ing to make everybody think they are.
So when the man from out of town want
ed to drink of the best in the house he
thought he would administer mild re-
proof. Taking a glass he drew 1t full of
water from faucet and set 1t In front
of the stranger with the air Of q man that
is serving Gold Seal at S quart The
stranger laughed and asked Of the IDEAL
was on the square" The barkeeper said,
Daily inter mountain., 1899-07-12
IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE
Second Judicial District OF the State n1

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE
Second Judicial District OF the State of
Montana, in and for the Ccunty of Sill
yer Bow.
In the matter of the estate of Patrick
A. Largey, deceased.
Order appointing time Of hearing petit
ton for partial distribution.
Upon reading the petition of Lulu F.
Largey, Administrative of the estate Of
Patrick A. Largey, deceased, filed in this
court, asking for partial distribution of
said estate, and for an order OF court ap-
pointing time for hearing of same, it is
ordered that Saturday, the 18TH day OF
July 1899, at the hour of o'clock D. M,
of said date, be and the same is hereby.
appointed as the time for hearing of said
petition; and the court room of Depart
ment No. l of this court as the place
thereof; and it is further ordered that the
clerk of this court give notice to all par
ties interested in said estate Of such
hearing by publication in the Daily Inter
Mountain. a newspaper published in Sill
yer Bow county. Montana, for period
of two weeks prior to said date.
JOHN LINDSAY, Judge.
Attest-A true copy:
CLINTON c. CLARK, Clerk.
BY r. f. LEONARD, Deputy Clerk.
Dated this 2Sth day of June, 1899.
Daily inter mountain., 1899-07-12
A BURST OF PATRIOTISM.

Washington Star: The patriotism of
the American people is very impressive
and beautiful remarked Mr.. Dustin
Stax thoughtfully.
at is answered Mr. Cassius BloOchips.
"Think of these millions of people max
Ing the day melodious with oratory, and
the night brilliant with pin-wheels and
Roman candles. in order to show their
love of country. Think Of their giving
their time and little share of their
money to this great festival. And, by the
way, what 1 came to see you about Is
this: Couldn't we make a good thing by
organizing a fireworks trust on strictly
modern principles" 2"
Daily inter mountain., 1899-07-12
THE CZAR'S RED TAPE.

An English woman who has been trav-
cling in Russia seems to have found 1t
easier to get in than to get out OF the
czar's country. She sent her passport to
the authorities before starting in order
to have it vised, and then bllthely made
for the frontier. Arriving there, she was
Immediately detained and taken before
the powers that not only be, but also do.
at the Russian frontier. Here she was
informed that her passport did not per-
nit her to leave the country and that she
would be obliged to make herself com
fort able while the police found out all
she had done while in the country At
first she was rather pleased at the
! thought of how she would tell her friends
! about it when she got home. But when
she found that she had to pay not only
! for her room, her meals, service. and all
| that sort of thing but also for long tele-
| grams which the authorities were eX-
changing in regard to her case. her pleas
| ure dwind.ed as rapidly as her funds did.
She finally got off, however, but without
receiving any apology 0r any reimburse
| ment.
Daily inter mountain., 1899-07-12

The following from the Butte Miner Of
this morning will doubtless create more
or less political CONSERVATION among re-
publicans, for it is believed to have some
foundation in fact: "Despite the efforts
of the republican newspapers to settle all
these matters in advance it is quite likely
the democratic national convention will
go ahead next year and nominate a can
ddate for president who will be the
choice of two-thirds the delegates. Then
it will name someone as candidate for
president"
Daily inter mountain., 1899-07-12

lican party. So far neither one of them
has had an opportunity to crawl in under
the tent without getting caught at It,
Both have been sparring for the orpor-
tunity to make run for it, and get
safely under cover before the next cam
paign opens. No doubt the Helena Inde-
pendent is in the same box. 1t would
like to fasten itself to some republican
guy-rope and feel safe during the forth
coming struggle for political supremacy.
But it's jealousy ought not to lead it 10
assail the Standard, if that paper nap
pens to be couple of laps ahead in the
rush for shelter. 1t should simply drop
it's handicaps and take to the field cross
lots, making bee-line for camp
1t is still an open question whether the
Anaconda Standard, the Butte Miner or
the Helena Independent will be first to
crawl up into the republican band wagon
-inasmuch as each of these forlorn po.
litical mavericks are signing for Greener
pastures and richer fodder-but as the
Standard is at present the leading demo-
cratic organ in the state it is clear thas
it's democratic contemporaries believe
that it has Just that much of an advan-
Bourbon corral.
Daily inter mountain., 1899-07-12
A POLITICAL SENSATION.

The Helena Independent of the 18th in
the political world in the following edi-
torial:
Several gentlemen with opportunities
for accurate information have lately re-
peated the story that the Anaconda
Standard was not included in the trans
fer of the mines and smelters to the
Amalgamated Copper company. 1t is
added that Marcus Daly's last trip east
was for the purpose of effecting such in
cusion The story goes that if the trust
should take the Standard under its pro-
teeting wing the paper would be changed
to a republican oracle, with a view to
giving the trust, gold standard, imperial
istc combination an organ in Montana.
The editorial utterances of the Anaconda
newspaper for several months past have
led many to believe there was something
of the kind in the wind, and the recent
rumors have tended to confirm the long
held belief Several months ago the
Standard abandoned the free coinage
issue to the extent of declaring that any
old ratio was good enough, and within
the last few weeks it has made sophisti-
| cal defense of the trusts and endeavored
to keep the public from realizing the full
extent of the trust combination back Of
it. A few weeks will no doubt reveal the
future policy of the Standard.
Until the Standard is heard from the
public will please hold it's breath. The
Independent has been hearing things of
late. 1t has heard that Mr.. Heinze's
magnificent mining properties may be
| moved from Butte to Helena, that the
! unequalled water power at Great Falls
| is to be taken over to Anaconda at an
early day, that Butte is likely to shrivel
up on moments notice from the copper
combine, and that Helena is getting so
prosperous that the city has money to
burn. The things which the Independent
has heard about are SO numerous in pro-
portion to the things it hasn't heard
/ about, that it's latest announcement will
be held in breathless suspense, until the
Standard itself has had it's turn at the
bat.
Standing as it does at the head Of the
democratic press Of this state, the Stand
ard will hardly permit the statements OF
! the Independent to go unchallenged. IT
| is the first time that any democratic
! newspa per in Montana has had the cour-
age to question the propriety of the
Standards position on the ratio of values
between gold and silver, and this is done
only in the apparent belief that it's aban-
donment of the democratic faith is immi-
nent.
The rumor given publicity by the In
dependent, however. is not new one by
any means. 1t has long been known in
Butte that both the Anaconda STANDARD
and the Butte Miner have shown 8
marked anxiety to break into the repub
Daily inter mountain., 1899-07-12
LINCOLN AND TELLER.

BY those who enjoyed the acquaintance
of each, there is said to be many points
of similarity between Abraham Lincoln
and Senator Teller. OF this, the majority
of the people can judge only by insti-
tuting comparisons between the two when
questions of great public concern were
before the public. 1t can at least be said
that Senator Teller resembles Lincoln
In the depth and breadth Of his patriot
ism-in his love and reverence for the
nag. Notwithstanding the fact that
Daily inter mountain., 1899-07-12

many of his silver associates and friends
in the hard fought political battle of 1896,
were flying off at random on such silly
and vapid propositions as "anti-imperial-
ISM when the Philippine problem came
up for the calm consideration of the
country, Senator Teller lost no time in
placing himself squarely on record in
favor of national honor. In a speech in
the senate chamber Mr.. Teller said:
Mr.. President, that is one phase Of the
question. l will dismiss that by saying
that the party which will propose to re-
turn those islands will go out of power
in the American nation and will remain
out for genera ton. The American peo-
pie will never submit to it and no admin
istration will propose it. No senator Will
stand here and advocate it. either. when
the time comes. What shall we do with
them? Shall we trade them off? Shall
we become peddler and shall we say
ity to maintain good government for
these people, doubling their ability to
maintain a government for themselves.
will you take the islands off our hands
and try your hand at it and see how you
will get along, and give us something in
| return mat WOulO DC IL SpeCtdClc lOI
the gods. 1t never will happen. No man
will disgrace us by proposing it. If some
newspaper writer has suggested 1t, no
statesman will; and if he did. the Amerl-
can people would declare we have not
sacrificed our men at Manila for the pur-
pose of returning the islands to Spain
or trading them off to anybody else.
Where the American soldier dies and is
buried and the American flag is put up.
say there it will stay, and we will
grapple with the great problem whether
we are capable of managing colonies or
not and try it; and if we fail. it will be
the first time that the Anglo-SaXon race
has failed when these great problems
have been presented. 1t will be the first
time that the American people have failed
when great questions were presented to
them to solve them properly and right
! eously and in the interest of their own
people and the world.
This manly view of the Philippine
question is in marked contrast to that
taken by the "anti-imperialists," or cop
perheads. who are trying to break down
the spirit of patriotic Americanism in this
country. Mr. Teller had the courage of
his convictions, when the flag of his coun-
try was in issue, despite the revolutionary
talk of many of the silver leaders of the
democratic party who were patting him
on the back. Had Mr.. Teller been placed
in the position of responsibility held by
| Mr. Lincoln he doubtless would have
| voiced the sentiments of the martyred
president when he said:
Must l shoot simple minded soldier
boy who deserts, while l must not touch
hair of a willy agitator, who induces
him to desert? This is none the less in
furious by getting a father, or brother,
or friends in public meeting and there
working upon their feelings until he is
persuaded to write the soldier boy that
he is fighting in bad cause, for wicked
adm mnistraton of a contemplate govern
ment, too weak to arrest and punish him
if he shall desert. / think that in such
case to silence the agtator and save
the boy is not only constitutional, but
Wlthal great mercy.