davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

not thirty feet away. one of the pret-
tiest girl I ever beheld. They saw her
at the same moment and a curse es-
capped their lips.
1.-THE fair unknown paused and I ad-
dressed her. I cannot tell, for the life
of me. why I did ii, but by some
strange intuition I spoke to her in
French. I am in the hands of ban
dts said I; you cannot help me, but
you can save your own life. Run as
fast as you can and I will keep them
here by endeavOring to break away
from them. You can escape, but do
not delay. One minute may mean
death to you!
Then, to my horror, while the ruff
ans stood regarding US both, she lifted
her rifle and aimed it at me. 'Crack!'
and I felt my ropes loosen 'Crack!'
went the report again. This tire I felt
the rope sever where it had been drawn
around the tree and my arms were
free Crack again, and my limbs
W ere not tied fast to the great rough
trunk. I was cut free by the rifle balls.
" Come she CRED to me, let US go
home. Gentlemen, good afternoon
''As she spoke she crossed the clear
ing, all the while eyeing the ruffians;
and, taking me by the arm, she pulled
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30
STORY OF TIE CARTRIDGE BELT.
By Paula Edwards.

A cartridge belt hung in the profess
sOr'S library, over his study table.
Rather an odd ornament, Professor"
! veutured to say, one day. Ever been
an Indian hunter?"
Not exactly" said the professor, "in
fact, / may say not at all, as my story
viii prove"
i am sure I should enjoy hearing
it
1T happened two years ago. this very
month You see / remem Der it wildly
IT was in the late autumn when the
shooting sETas almost over and only the
inveterate sportsman freQuented the
woods.
I was away on a weeks vacation up
in the AdirOndacks and, as the day was
pleasant, I suggested to my host that
I would like to take walk through
the woods.
-- Going shooting?' he asked.
No said I, smiling; I can't shoot,
but I'm going to tramp through the
woods and for a whole day live upon
your ozone
MY backwOods host looked puzzled
but said nothing, and an hour later 1
was or in the forest, following the
path 1 was told was a plain open trail
and which they cautioned me, on no
account, to leave. I may add that I
had never before been in a forest and
the trail looked so plain to me, as it
threaded It's way up over the hill and
was lost IN the distance, that saw no
occasion for the anxiety expressed by
my host on my account.
Well 1 had the experience of all
mountain cllm DerS without experience.
1 lost the trail. It looked so plain to
me that wandered away, feeling sure
/ could ind 1t again and, of course, I
did not ind it. I hunted for it from
ten o'clock in the morning until four in
the afternoon, but not as much as a
trace Of 1t could I discover. I did not
know that it takes an experienced eye
TO discover a lost trail, and so I crossed
and recrOsSed it many times without
once recognizing it
AT four the shadows began to
lengthen and 1 sank down vvearily
Truth to tell, began to feel a bit un-
easy when over the tree tops, in the
1adlng light 1 saw a column of smoke
rising It was not far away, for the
smoke was dark and thick.
Pulling myself to my feet, I walked
IN the direction of the smoke and soon
came upon a camp fire. Around it there
were seated three men, all eating from
tin plates. while the kettle boiled on
At sight Of me they jumped to their
feet and heard the click of their pis-
tolls Stand cried one of them. Shoot
growled another.
" Gentlemen said. have no de-
sire to disturb you. am a Wanderer
lost in the woods. If you could kindly
direct me to the home of Mr. Carl
Jones, who is we'll known in this To-
cality, I would be greatly indebted to
The men who had dropped their
rifles. picked them up again at sound
of the name, and felt myself covered.
e A spy, cried one, out looking for us
Gentlemen protested I, I am no
SPY am boarding at the home of
Mr. Carl Jones. Wishing to spend a
day in the woods I set out this morn
ing afoot, but lost the trail. If you
would kindly direct me home you
would confer a favor upon me-
suppose you don't know who Carl
Jones is, innOcent?' sneered one of the
men
Probably doesn't know he's the
sheriff, ana would give a pretty penny
to catch US said another; oh no, he
don't know nothing, he don't. Maybe
not
We can't let him go back said the
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

more about it and chatted on other
things until we came to the trail which
was mile away.
by this time it was dark, but she
insisted on seeing me back home; 7
know Mr.. JONES' said she, gaily, and
he knows me-
We'll, what fuss they made over
her at the house; and how delighted
they were to have her stay over night.
But first, before she would consent,
she sent man on horseback over the
hills to tell her father where she was.
That's the daughter of Mr.. Grey
son, of New York. The father is here
for his health; lives in a cabin. They
are very rich and keep house with their
servants in the midst of the pines. The
daughter is thoroughbred. Educated
in Paris. Stays up here with her father
because the doctors forbid him to go
back and she refuses to leave him
alone Great girl
''WeIl, I thought as much, and soon
the great girl and I were great chums.
I hadn't much to offer her, but I laid
at her feet my all, such as it was
and, well, that is how the cartridge
belt came to adorn my study.
''Have you ever seen my wife shoot %
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

plants in the windows.
Each child had a neat little iron
bedstead, with a white spread, and
across each little bed was fixed a sort
of shelf-table on which their play
things were arranged. And very
queer play-things they often We're.
too; generally old, shabby toys that
more fortunate children did not want
any more. But although most of the
dolls were quite forlorn, and the
horses looked as if they couldn't run
very fast, and the pictures and books
were sometimes sOiled and torn, they
were greatly valued by these little
people, many of whom had never had
a play-thing in their lives
In one of the rooms the little pa
tients were too sick to play, but as
they lay back on their pillows. they
gazed fOndly at their possessions: and
no doubt the dolls that sat gazing at
them from the little tables, with their
sometimes broken legs hanging over
the edge, did them as much good as
the medicine.
In the other rooms the children
were able to lave a good deal of fun,
if one could judge from the merry
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

laughter one heard. and yet do you
know, Beth, it often was saddest of
all to see these children who seemed
most comfortable, because one knew
that while some who were so very
i'll might get entirely well again
with the good care they were having.
many of these would never walk or
run. or be rosy, healthy boys and girls
any more in this world.
There was one little boy named
Teddy, who was great favorite with
the rest, and l did not wonder at it
when I saw him and heard his sweet
voice and saw the bright smile that
lit up his pale little face. He told me
with delight that his father and
mother and the baby came to see him
every Sunday, upon which a little girl
in the next bed said, sadly, I've no
mother to come and see me, for she
is dead but, she added, frightening,
Father comes, though, once a MONTH
I turned away to hide the tears that
would get into my eyes. OF course I
knew the kind doctors and nurses did
all they possibly could to make these
poor little things comfortable, but it
seemed to me so very, very hard that
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

they could not have their mothers
just when they were so sick and
needed them so much.
"One thing that frightened all was
their behavior to each other. Not one
bit of jealousy or selfshness did see,
and there was a real courtesy in the
way each one seemed to care that the
others should be noticed, too. I could
not help contrasting it with the rude
self-seeking of many children I have
known who ought to behave better,
not worse, than they.
And how shall tell you how pa
tient they were? There was no com
planning or crying, though some were
suffering dreadful pain; and the only
noise I heard was a slight moan
wrung from the white lips of a little
hero who had been brought in the day
before, dreadfully injured by a fall.
There was a kind. strong angel in that
hospital whose sweet presence, though
unseen, was felt"
yes" whispered Aunt Bell, as she
stopped to kiss Beth's upturned, ques-
tioning face, 1T was the angel of pa
tience, darling, and he will always
come to anybody who longs for him
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30
BETH'S COMPANY.

1t was just the kind of a day to
make anyone want to be out The
sun was so warm and bright for an
autumn day, and the heavy frost of
the night before had opened the brown
houses of the chestnuts, and children
and squirrels were alike making the
most of it.
But Beth was lying on a sofa in her
mamma's pretty sitting-room, with a
very discontented look on her plump,
round face
Every one knows that a sprained
ankle cannot be cured without abso-
lutte rest, and so Beth had not been
allowed to put her foot to the ground
for a week.
Papa carried her into the sitting
room every morning and mamma read
to her, and played games with her,
and did everything she could to make
the time pass happily, but this after
noon mamma was compelled to go out
for an hour or two, and Beth COM
menced to think that she was tired
OF lying still, and more than that, this
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

was the very day her friend, May
scout was having birthday party;
ana she thought of all the fun they
were having While she was at home,
alone with the maid Mary.
and a large family of dolls of all de-
Scr1ptOnS, from paper TO biSQue, be-
sides Topsy, the little black kitten,
that was always ready to play, but
she was out of humor and did not wish
TO amuSe herself with any of these
things, and besides, her ankle hurt.
And so when Aunt Bell came to
spend the afternoon with her pet"
with a burst Of tears and exclamations
of ''Oh! how horrid everything is! I
want to go to Nays party! There
never was anybody as unfortunate as
I ami?
In vain Aunt Bell tried to soothe
and comfort her, until at last she
said, Beth, dear, have something to
tell you about some sick children
saw in a big city. wouldn't you like
to hear? But can't begin until you
stop crying
And so, after several efforts, Beth
said, DO tell me, Aunt Bell. I won't
cry any more now"
In a mighty city where 7 once was."
said Aunt Bell. % there are many.
they suffer from hunger and cold
and dirt every day of their lives
This is dreadful enough for the well,
strong ones, but try to fancy what it
must be to the sick ones in such
crowded rooms, on a hard bed, often
times nothing but the floor with a few
rags to lie on, with no clean linen, no
cooling thing to drink, or good nour-
ishing food to bring back the strength.
no doctor, and in fact more misery of
every kind than you or could even
imagine.
And so good people. knowing all
this, have built hospitals where these
unfortunate ones can have everything
done for them to relieve their suffer
ings and help them to get well. Some
of these hospitals are especially for
children. because they can be taken
suited to their wants than where peo-
pie of all ages are.
In one that I went to see there
were about fifty little patients, di-
vided among four large, airy, cheerful
rooms. with pictures hanging on
the walls and flowers and growing
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

it came, she beheld, extending along
the western verge of the horizon, a long
ledge of clouds, which looked black and
portentous beneath the glittering light
of the desce ing sun.
''Surely' -.e children will hurry
home" she murmured, glancing anx-
iously toward the wood-lot, " we shall
have storm before night
Then she ran about, getting chickens
into their houses. and putting wood un-
der shelter, and doing sundry other
things, such as a coming storm always
while if Nathan would get home in
time, and expecting every moment to
hear the voices of the children. But
they did not come; and by the time she
had finished, the clouds had so extend
ed as to obscure the light of the sun,
and zigzag lines of lightning played, at
intervals, round their edges; and the
warning voice of the thunder grew
louder and more frequent.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

me along. walking backward, herself.
with lifted rifle, until we were in shell
ter behind the trees.
s. They will not foIlowi' laughed she.
We scared them too badly for that.
Then she began popping her rifle at
the place we had left behind us, bring
ing down, now leaf, now a twig. now
shooting in the air I'm glad this belt
is full, said she; then she added, with
solicitude, Hope I didn't hit you when
I was popping away at that tree
LAS soon as I found breath to re-
cover from my astonishment told her
anI a9G She eae MAS % fun P Of IF sgfn gympathy OF
course you were a jolly good fool to
come out without your rife, but I'm
glad you got off so easy
g Thanks to you, said.
'She laughed, refused to talk any
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

a feeling of terrible foreboding; and
slowly and SOlemnly, like a funeral pro-
ceSSiOn, they wound their way to the
meadow, in which the little pond lay.
Nathan and Deborah were in advance
of the others; and as he flung his crack
ling torch from side to side, the moth
erS agoniztng cry froze every heart
with terror and, following the direc-
ton of her pointing finger, they saw,
upon the edge of the pond, a small bas-
ket, filled with flowers and pine-cones;
and as the men came up and flashed
their torches over the yellow water, far
out in the center, Whirling and drift
ing in the eddieS, little cap, which
belonging to her hrst-born boy. With
a piercing cry, and yearning, out
stretched arms, she plunged forward; !;
but strong arms held her back, and un-
able to resist, dumb-stricken, half con-
SciouS, she sat down on the trunk of
they dragged the pond, murmuring to
herself the while, Il did not deserve
thisl God has dealt cruelty and un-
mercifully toward mel"
over the black and deSOIate night
the Sabbath morning dawned fair and
cloudless, with delicate rose -tints in
the east, and purple, curling mist above
the valleys. The birds aWoke, and
poured forth a jubilant outburst of
song; the air was clear and balrny; and
every blossom and blade of grass hung
with lucid drops, cleaning and flashing
like diamonds in the rays of the rising
sun. Gods sun-GOd's Sabbath morn
ingi Fair and glorious, though born OF
a fearful night; eloquent in the revela-
ton of the divine truth, that light is
brought forth by darkness, and that
life is the offspring of death.
But to the poor mothers heart this
truth was by no means clearly revealed
God had dealt unki,dly with her
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30
A New Game.

This game must be played by five or
more people. Take a strip of paper,
let No. 1 write upon it an article and
an adjective, then double over the end
of the paper so that No. 2 may not see
doubling the paper before passing it to
No. g. who writes a verb, turns down
the paper, and hands to No. 4, who
writes another article and adjective.
hides it, and passes to No. who writes
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

and tries faithfully to keep him when
he is here
The story was finished, and Beth lay
quite still for some minutes, thinking,
she said, softly, I'm sorry I was so
naughty. I don't really think I am
more unfortunate than anybody else,
and I'll never say so again.
And Beth did not forget her prom
ise, for all through the long weeks
that she had to lie on the sofa, the
angel that made the hospital so bright
stayed close to Beth's side.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

first fellow. even if he speaks the
truth. Dead men tell no tales, that's
certain What has he got on him?'
AND TO my horror the three ruffians
came toward me, covering me with
their rifles and commanding me to hold
up my hands. Let's bind him fast to
a tree, take what he's got, and leave
him. suggested one; that's better than
the other way
'"They had drawn the rope around me
and were pulling me toward a tree,
against whose trunk they were to tie
me, when there was a cracking sound
in the brush. And looking up I saw,
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

great chestnut-oak in the center of the
lot, as their place of meeting, they
started onward with the joyful assur-
ance that the lost ones would soon be
found; and in a few moments the whole
wood seemed bursting into a grand and
instantaneous confiagration, the blaz-
ing torches casting a lurid glare for
miles around them, making the drip
ping branches glitter with dazzling
brightness.
But the anxiously listened for signal
shout was not heard; and after an hour
of fruitless search, the little band met,
with anxious faces, beneath Ie chest
nut-oak. The father and mother turned
from one to another in dumb despair.
We've searched well; but wen try
it again. was the simultaneous ac-
claim; and again they started out, and
in another hour reassembled beneath
the chestnut-oak, but without the chill
dren.
There's no hope for this place now
Deborah started forward with sharp
cry.
1.-THE pond! the pondi We have for
gotten the pond!"
Her words thrilled every heart with
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

Catching up her babe, and closing her
door, she ran across to her nearest
neighbOr, requesting her to take care
of him until she returned. Then she
hastened away in the direction of the
Wood-lOt.
When Nathan Hunter came in sight
of his cottage, the first big drops of the
storm had begun to fall; and he was
Fastening on to escape it, when the
voice of the neighbOr, who had charge
her he learned that his children were
in the Wood-lot, and his wife gone in
search of them. Hurrying after them,
he soon traced Deborah by her frantic
just as the full fury of the storm burst
forth. But where were their children?
The clouds rolled up in serried lines,
diScharging peal after peal of deafen-
ing thunder, sheet after sheet Of blind
ing flame; and then, as if all heaven
down poured voley after vOlley of rat
Ting hail. Nathan forcibly drew his
wife under a covert of bruShwOOd, and
there they waited until the warning ell
ements drew off their forces, and night
let fall her starless curtain to cover
their retreat.
I'VE must go for men and torches
now" Nathan said, as they crept out
over heaps of fallen branches, and they
started on, fear and love winging their
feet.
The news once out, flew with teIe-
graphic speed, and in an incredibly
short time men and lanterns were at
NathanS s command. The wOod-lOt was
nothing more than a bit of thickly tim
bered land, some two miles square, the
village children, and every man in the
little company knew each nook and
Granny it contained. Separating at the
edge of the wood, and designating the
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30
WINTERS ARRIVAL.

A merry song for old Winter gray
A song of welcoming glee;
For his step is heard on the frozen way,
And his strong grasp shakes the tree;
On the rushing air
Ride the brown leaves sere
That he shakes from the shriebing
tree.
Let a joviaI shout for the old earle
ring,
For his eye is clear and bright;
And ruddy health from his breath will
spring,
And mirth from his thin locks white:
Light feet will bound,
Gay songs go round,
When he shakes his thin locks white.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

Find eight words, definitions 81
which are given below, that read the
same up and down vertically; both
ways horizontally; and diagonaIIyf
right and left, up and down.
1. A girls name.
2. a broad cap-string-
3. Conflict.
f. A proposition
s. A certain kind OF a tree.
6. A small animal
z. Uncooked.
8. A large wooden vessel.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

He is loud of voice and rough oe grasp,
And his breath is icy cold;
Weak forms will shrink from his eager
clasp,
And writhe in his boisterous fold:
But the blood will leap
From its languid sleep
And rush to his hearty fold
A song and a shout, for see his form,
Shrouded in snow-f1akes white;
I hear his voice in the distant storm,
And feel his breath tonight:
Let the sleigh bells ring,
And our fleet steed spring.
For old Winter is here tonight.
The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30

Answer to Last Weeks Puzzle.
Turkey.
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-03

ders and awaited the expected parley.
Stlll the officer ran. He was headed
for Co. d. Instead of stopping half way
he continued to advance He was get
ting nearer our men. when suddenly a
faint yell of rage came from the in
trenchments and a shower of bullets
battered all about the running man.
Unhurt, he kept on. until he came
within $50 yards of Co. DIS battle line.
It's Haze, the deserter,' suddenly
yelled former messmate. and at the
sound of the voice the fugitive shouted,
Hello, boys, don't you know me?
But before he reached the line a
hoarse order rang out from the captain
and score of rifles spoke. Haze
stumbled and fell, convulsively clutch
ing the grass as he lay in his death
throes. Some soldier rushed over to the
body and thrust it through with his
bayonet. That night the body was
thrown into a trench with those of a
score of dead Filipinos.
There was some talk that an inves-
ugation by court-martial would be
held over the unauthorized shooting of
the deserter, but nothing came of it,
1T was reported in the regiment
when it had returned to Manila, that a
woman, dressed in rags, had appeared
in the camp day after the tragedy
and asked for Haze, though no one l
saw was sure of il. When Haze's body
was searched before burial little pic
ture, that of the blue-eyed San Francis
co girl, was found tied about his neck,
and was buried with him. He was
dressed in the uniform of Filipino
lieutenant"
The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-03
TAYLoR's PLANS.
The Major viii Try for All Records
From One Mile Up.

Major Taylor returned to this city
last evening to pass Sunday at home
He will return to Boston early Mon
day morning, accompanied by Jimmy
Casey, where they will race in the
open and handicpap events and the
tandem races at Charles River track
At that track they will endeavor to in
huence the professional and amateur
riders to enter the meet in this CITY
Sept. 8. They have already secured the
consent of many riders of note to come
here, and they expect to get all the
fast men to compete.
The major will return Tuesday morn
ing to this city, where he spends the
remainder of the week at the oval.
getting into shape for the match race
with Jimmy Casey AS the race is to
be five-mile pursuit, and TAYLOR was
never known to win one of them, he
will do all in his power to get familiar
with the track
The major did not go to Philadelphia
Friday, as he was waiting to hear from
his manager, F. D. Munger who is in
New York looking over the. ground to
select road suitable for the major to
try for the mile straightaway record.
In week or two Taylor will try for
all the records from the mile up. He
is just now. following motor pace and
is moving along showing speed that his
admirers never thought he possessed.