davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07

If we could turn back and visit each
OF these bodies in turn, what unim-
aginable differences of scene, of eli
mate. of all conceivable conditions,
would present themselves. Scorched
on Mercury by a burning sun, with
seven times the heat that he pours
upon the earth, we should next freeze
on Neptune, with nine hundred times
our winters cold. Marching on the
waterless moon for two weeks at a
time under a dazzling, cloudless sun,
moving slowly across a coal-black sky.
we should plunge suddenly, without
twilight, into night of two weeks,
from which We should emerge again
as suddenly.
Shriveled with everlasting drough.
on the moon, and drenched. perhaps,
with storms something like our own
on Mars, we should probably find our
selves on Jupiter, now walking on a
scorching soil and again pelted with
terrific storms of scalding rama rain.
perhaps. of liquid metals instead Of
water.
Leaving the modestly moonlit sky
OF the earth. we should find shining
on Mars two little moons moving. one
swiftly westward and one slowly east
ward. through the heavens; on Jupiter.
five moons, of which two or three would
always be visible. and on Saturn an
innumerable host OF little moons mill
lions upon millions. making solid
arch OF light across the sky.
If we should try to move about on
these strange surfaces. how varied our
experiences would be, Nowhere, prob
ably, should we find our green hills
and pleasant streams. On our nearest
neighbor, the moon, would be vast
plains where not hill could be seen.
all perfectly destitute OF moisture,
vegetation or animal life. and ending
suddenly in awful mountains equally
desolate. and so preeipitous as to be
impossible By the foot of man. On
Jupiter the shrinking that makes
mountains and valleys, with all their
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
Substitutes for Carriages.

Durham, Natal, is likely to come in
for part of the South African cam
paign. 1t is the popular winter re-
sort. The suburbs are on a range of
hills overlooking the ocean, and the
residences, some of them superb. are
house, and the family waited with in
terest for the coming brood One
fluffy mass leap from the box and the
morning they noticed the hen at break
fast, and again, half an hour later. the
fowl was strutting about, in apparent
indifference to her cooling eggs. She'll
make no setter" was the disguised
comment She's been too pampered.
Following her to the carriage house.
the woman was just in time to see a
hen serenely take its place on the nest.
This continued throughout the three
weeks. When Madam Hen took her
morning constitutional Tabby would
obligingly keep house and look after
her interests, leaving the moment the
little lady returned.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
CHAPTER vI.-(continued.)


Kitty" he said, 81 want YOU to
listen to me for a little while, will
your"
cast one quick, scared, deprecating
little glance at him, and let my eyes
iall. My heart was beating in such a
wild and foolish way that / could not
speak, could not prevent him from
speaking, could not think.
Il did not mean to say this to you
Just yet" he went on gently, in his
quiet, steady. earnest tone. ut seemed
scarcely fair to you to say it yet. You
are so young-life is all before you
you have seen so few people, seen so
little of the world, that l feel | may
be taking an unfair advantage of you
an unfair advantage of your youth. /
meant to be patient, Kitty; l meant
to be patient and wait. But a week
or two ago | confided to Mrs. Corfeld
what meant one day to ask you; and
II has struck me since then that she
must have told you something of what
said to her That is why am speak
ing to you. dear, so soon"
There was a moments pause.
Though ! never raised my eyes | was
conscious of his gaze, fixed earnestly
intently on my face all the while he
spoke.
Kitty, / think you know what /
want to tell YOU he continued. Il
love you. Kitty. / want to ask you.
dear, if you will be my wife"
lie had spoken very quietly, in a
very grave and steady way, not as
though he were comforting boon
upon me, yet not with excessive hui
mility. My hands, which he held in
his, were trembling, my heart was
beating fast. looked across at him.
and his eyes seemed to hold mine; /
could not look away again. He was
SO strong so tender, so good, so true!
And loved him--oh, loved him! He
read my love in my eyes; let him
read it, ! could not help it.
Kitty, tell me-" he pleaded, gently.
Don't let us bunder-either of us. |
love you, dear, dearly-most dearly.
But don't be afraid Of hurting me,
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
CHAPTER VII

Perhaps a minute, perhaps an hour,
had passed. do not know how time
went by-but long before my cheeks
had cooled an interruption came. /
had thought myself secure; but the
garnet door opened. and Meg's pretty,
graceful, alert figure stood in the door
way in the twilight.
Kitty, my dear. John is discon-
solate," she said.
If my cheeks had been cooling, they
grew brilliantly red again. My heart
beat faster than ever as Meg's merry
voice pronounced my lovers name
the name by which | had never called
him, by which it seemed to me should
never dare to call him. She stood in
the doorway looking in. her blue eyes
sparkling with laughter, her pretty
lips pretending to be grave, but not
carrying the pretense SO far that it
should deceive me. was discovered;
| rose from my dusty portmanteau. let
down my dress about me, and followed
Meg out upon the landing.
Come here, under the window, and
let me look at you," she said, taking
possession Of me. "Kitty!"
yes"
do you know what IA peony is
like, dear?"
"Oh, Meg, don't tease me, don't laugh
at me; let me go!"
Kitty, mamma left off blushing
when she left off bibs and pinafores
With the disappearance of your pima
fores, the habit seems to have grown
upon you. Now, come, Kitty, I'm your
earliest confldante; come, confde in
me-"
Il don't want to confde in you'll
don't want to confde in you at all"
Did he go down upon one knee,
Kitty-and-a did the windows rat
tie very much? Oh, Kitty, my dearest
Kitty, I'm dying to know what he
said"
II shall never tell you"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07


"Oh, yes. you will" said Meg with
sweet assurance, putting her arm coax
ingly around my shoulders, and bend
ing forward to look into my face and
laugh at me. You accepted him: and
after your solemn profession to Dora
only this evening that nothing on
earth would ever make you. His argu-
ments must have been weighty, Kitty;
but they were sure to be weighty-
John is nothing if not profound"
l shook off the arm that was en-
bracing me. But Meg would not be re-
pulsed; she put her pretty little hand
beneath my chin, looked at me with
mock reproach. then, laughing again,
bent forward and kissed me.
Zone might fancy, Kitty, if one did
not know the circumstances of the
case, one might fancy Do you
know what one might fancy?"
mo"
THAT you were in love with John. "
And | am" ! declared, my eager
tone sounding unconvincing somehow
as | caught the amused, incredulous
little wrinkles in Megs clear blue eyes.
II am, Meg You don't believe me
but it's true"
Poor Kitty" said Meg in a tragic
tone. still unconvinced. When did it
happen. dear?"
turned away. Meg tripped after
me down the dusty garnet stairs; and,
as we reached the floor below, twined
her arm caressingly about my waist
again.
What does it feel like to fall in
love. dear? Is the fall a shock? And
what does it feel like when you're
there?"
"Where?"
In the land of love, the land of
lime-light In the lime-light l sup
pose even John would look romantic?
But romantic figure with short
beard! Oh, bear with me, Kitty! I'M
agination fails me, can't picture I'll,
Now. long beard-a long, big, yellow,
Teutonic beard or long. thin, taper
ing. pathetic beard-I could put up
with under protest. But a short beard.
speckled brown and gray, with a serv-
iceable suit OF clothes Kitty. I'm
so sorry; I'm afraid can't fall in love
with John"
Il don't think he viii mind" said,
with touch of malice in my tone.
Meg sighed profoundly. her eyes still
dancing with merry laughter
rs his heart all yours? Poor me,
poor world, poor rest of us"
"Oh. Meg, don't be such goose,"
I'm trying 10 be serious. like you.
An engagement. Kitty. is most seri-
Gus thing And the first serious con-
/ sideration is the ing-diamonds. OF
course-refuse. dear, TO have anything
to say to anything but diamonds
Now, Kitty. let me offer you piece
4 OF advice. Be exacting; a lover is
nothing unless he brings daily gifts
Of flowers and fruit and chocolate
creams. Keep that well before hi:
mind. Heliotrope and maiden-hair ferr
and chocolate creams daily, My spirit:
are rising Now and then yon can sug
! gest that chocolate almonds will b.
welcome to me for change"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
A SINGULAR FRIENDSHIP.
The Cat Sat On the Hens Eggs with
Regularity

The Cat Sat on the Hens Eggs with
Regularity.
That the lion and the lamb will
never lie down together is matter on
which the most optimistic can have
little doubt, says the New York Her
aid. One is not surprised when such
noble animals as the dog and horse
affiliate, nor the equally interesting cat
and monkey, for they have much in
common, and many of them, but that
Tabby and a chicken should fraternize
with the utmost good will is surely
worthy of remark. A subburbanite
had pet hen, who, mounting into her
lap, with cackles of delight, would de-
post its morning offering in the i'm
provised nest. The creature was final
ly set in special box in the carriage
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
CHURCH STORIES.

The Laughable Mistake of Very Dig
nified Elder.
A dignifed elder of a church was
presiding at charitable concert, says
the London Chronicle. A Miss Brown
was to sing Ora Pro Nobis," but at
the last moment she changed her mind
and note was passed to the chairman
intimating that she would give "The
Song That Reached My Heart" He
thereupon made the following an
nouncement: Miss Brown will now
sing Ora Pro Nobis, which. being
translated, means The Song That
Reached My Heart The Rev. Ed
ward Struitt was addressing a foreign
missionary meeting at Liverpool
church and emphasized the fact that in
his missionary days he preached in the
vernacular-not in Anglo-Indian CITY
churches to his own countrvmen. He
was askedson the road home by lady.
who dressed well enough to know bet
ter, whether "the vernacular was a
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07

tenn will be seen as small star in the
constellation Scorpio. surrounded by a
little hazy cloud, such as we can see in
Andromeda now, family shining, about
10 o'clock, in our western sky, where
one can pick it out without much diff
Guilty if one just knows where to look
for it. Christmas or New Year, sum-
mer or winter. such is the appearance
OF our little world of worlds, and such
it probably has been for millions of
years. and will be for millions of years
to come. Alfred G. Compton. professor
of applied mathematics, College of
the City of New York.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
He Feared to Presume.

The American tourist is so firmly
convinced that he is being cheated on
all hands during his European travels
that he occasionally oversteps the
bounds of prudence. What is the price
of this pin?" asked young man in a
Paris shop, handling a small silver
brooch of exquisite workmanship.
Twenty francs, monsieur said the
clerk. That's altogether too much"
said the young American. Its for
present to my sister; I'll give you five
francs for it." Zen it would be Eat
| give re present to your sister," said
the Frenchman with a deprecatory
shrug, "and do not know re young
mademoiselle,"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07

THE Great Ruby" still holds the
stage at McVicker's theater, Chicago,
although the last weeks of this big
English melodrama are announced. The
massive scenery, the splendid company,
the wonderful costuming, the hand
some furnishing and the interesting
story told in the play have proven
very attractive to the public and the
sanding room only sign has been in
use nearly every night for six weeks
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07

cnarm of scenery, has probably hardly
commenced, and We should find our
selves alternately Flooding over vast
hot level plains and FLASHING through
scalding lakes and seas, surrounded by
life, If there be any life at all. totally
unlike any that we have ever seen,
but perhaps partially imaginable to
those who have seen biologists pic
lures of the early life on our globe,
such as it was millions of years before
man made his advent.
And at last, if all other difficulties
of existence were removed, the diff
Guilty of oyerpowering weight would,
on some of these orbs, make life, that
is to say our life, hard or utterly i'm
possible. While in Mars a man who
carries his own weight, say of 140
pounds. would weigh only seventy, and
could skip lightly and merrily on its
surface. on Jupiter, his weight in
creased to $50 pounds. he could scarce
ly drag his feet along, and on the sun
his legs would be crushed under his
This is as near as we can now Judge
from knowledge that is on some
points perfect and on others very I'M
certain, how our companion planets
would appear if we could visit them;
but seen from where we halted just
now in our vast journey they would be
but pale, almost invisible moons round
not very brilliant star. And we have
Travelled only four hours with the
speed of light. Let us go on and on
in our flight toward Orion. Behind us
lies the beautiful constellation. the
Scorpion, which we see in our south
ern sky during the summer. surround
ed by the beautiful glow of the Milky
Way.
All this. except the Milky Way, as
we leave it behind, will suffer no great
change. Somewhat fainter the stars
will be, and the constellation may
slightly change its shape, but the Mil
ky Way will be left behind in a year
or two of our fight, and will gather
round the sun as a cloud of small
stars The sun will dwindle to very
poor star, the planets will vanish and
when at the end of three or four years
OF fight (or perhaps more, for the
distance of the star for which we are
bound is very uncertain). we reach our
nearest star neighbor in this direc-
ton, our vast and imposing solar sys-
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07

Kitty. If you tell me have no hope,
] shall bear it as one bears most
things. What | could not bear, dear,
is that you should sacrifice yourself
perhaps regret it. If you feel that you
have no love to give me, not enough
love, tell me- Kitty; tell me now"
II can't tell you" | cried-"I can't
tell you: 1t is not true" My voice
was unlike my own, tense, suppressed.
The words came quickly, yet in la
bored way; and each word seemed to
hurt me sharply. 81 love you," said.
II cant help 1t; it's true"
Holding my hands firmly in his he
drew me to the sofa beside him; he
put his arm round me and drew me
nearer to him and kissed me. For
minute all doubts had disappeared;
was supremacy, blissfully content.
Then the good minute passed. drew
myself away. looked at him doubtfully,
and felt my heart sink.
ITS not-not for kindness sake?"
/ questioned eagerly.
For kindness sake, dear?" he re-
poated. in a puzzled tone.
You don't think I'm unhappy, do
you? I'm not. I'm happy enough.
don't mind Aunt Jane. and things are
not SO horrid as they seem-the girls
are nice, and Uncle Richards kind.
Don't be sorry for me; | couldn't bear
II. should hate it! It's not that you're
sorry, is it?"
He was looking at me with the same
perplexed expression.
I'm afraid. dear. don't under
stand" he said.
| found it hard to explain. l could
not speak with that self-contained
calmness that was necessary to make
my meaning plain.
Are you sure?" | asked him. eager
ly. Tell me again, ! want you to say
it again that you're sure quite sure. "
Sure of what dear?'
"Of what you said. You said you
wanted me.
His gray eyes looked at me with a
CLEAN of merry yet tender laughter.
II am quite sure Of that" he an
swered There is nothing else in the
world, Kitty, of which | am so sure.
minute later an interruption came,
Uncle Richard. paper in hand, strolled
into the drawing room.
whats the matter, Kitty-whats
the matter?" he said. as rose precipi-
lately to retreat.
Nothing is the matter, sir John
Mortimer replied. quietly. Kitty has
been promising to be my wife. we
hope you will not disapprove.'
But | fed without hearing Uncle
Richards answer. l fed away to the
top of the house to little dusty gar
ret where not even the girls would
think OF searching for me; and there,
with my new muslin. costly to the ex-
tent OF two golden guineas. gathered
around me. sat beneath the skylight
on an old dusty leather portmanteau
OF Aunt James, and tried to think
calmly of the ordeal that lay before
me when / should venture forth from
nv hiding place. / could not face Aunt
lane. Uncle Richard. the keen, merry
ewes of Meg and Dora, until mad
thought about things little, grown
moro sedately happy, until my cheeKs
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
The Parrot Gave Him Away.

Victor Chevalier. a clever criminal in
Paris, was run down in a shrewd way.
He was known to be exceedingly fond
OF a pet parrot. and the police were in
structed to look for a loquacious bird
of this kind. After a few weeks search
the talkative parrot was discovered in
the Montmartre district. The police
KEEP. close watch on the house, and
in time the criminal appeared to have
an affectionate chat with the bird.
Chinese boys are used for caddies or
the golf courses OF California.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
Drlnklnr-wa,er from Bottom of ocean.

Drinking water from Bottom OF Ocean
The people who live on the south
western coast of Persia depend for
drinking water entirely on springs
which gush out at the bottom of the
Persian gulf, more than a mile from
shore. The water is secured by divers,
who go down with goatskin bags,
which they fill before the fresh water
becomes impregnated with salt. The
residents are unable to strike water on
shore, even by sinking wells to depth
of 500 feet. In addition to the scarcity
of water the country inhabited by these
unfortunates holds the record for the
hottest temperature ever recorded. For
forty days during July and August last
the thermometer never dropped below
100 degrees, night or day.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
Mexico.

On Tuesday, Jan. %, a special vesti-
buled train of Pullman palace cars,
compartment, drawing-room, library,
observation and dining cars will start
from Chicago, going to the City of
Mexico and to other prominent cities
of the republic and back to Chicago
again, making the tour of all
Mexico complete. The party will be
strictly limited and absolutely first
class. Tickets include all expenses
everywhere. The tour is under the
personal escort and direction of Mr.
Reau Campbell, general manager of
The American Tourist Association.
For maps, books of the tour, tickets,
etc, call on agents of the Chicago.
Milwaukee & st. Paul Ry.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07

very hot part of India" A vicar had
asked his curate to read out the fol-
lowing notice: There viii be bap-
tism for children on Thursday morning
at 11:30; also on and after Sunday
next the new ancient and modern
hymn book will be used" When the
time came the curate transposed the
two sentences, giving the baptism
notice last. whereupon the vicar. who
was somewhat deaf. seeing that his
assistant had concluded his reading,
rose and said: 'And the latter may be
purchased at the vicarage. is each, or,
with extra-strong back, 18d."
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07

ing-rooms of the country hotels and
clearinghouse have eyes as bright
and compilations as good as their city
sisters who have lounged on piazzas
and under the trees. The merchants
and clerks who have returned to the
city find the porters and office boys
as alert and healthy as themselves:
quite frequently the stay-at-homes
seem filter for work than the men who
have been away to brace up for a
new, long chase of the elusive dollar.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
Proof Conclusive.

Old Parishioner (after first service
in new church) Well, what are your
impressions of the new structure after
your first experience? Pastor-Very
favorable, indeed, my good friend,
very favorable. Old Parishioner-Do
you think the acoustics are as good as
they were in the old church? Pastor
Par better! Why, your snoring
sounded twice as resonant to me as in
the old meeting house.-Boston Cou-
rier.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
THE MISSING STAR OF BETHLEHEM

surrounded with tropical trees, fruits
and flowers. The public conveyances
are jinrikishas, pulled by Zulus. The
Zulus are the finest specimens of the
black race in the world. They are ma
hogany colored, stalwart, intelligent
and easily governed Those who pull
the jinrikishas put the horns of ami
mails on their heads and fasten the
wings of large birds on their arms.
Their arms, ears, legs and noses are
loaded down with iron and brass orna-
ments.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
Niagara Power.

Sixteen large manufacturing corpor-
atoms are located at Niagara Falls,
which use at present 1880 electrical
horse power. The largest use is 10000
the smallest 20. The two new installa-
tions will bring the power up to 49,
100 horse power One-fourth the pow
er produced goes to Buffalo.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
PhrslornomY of sneech.

From the Chicago Tribune: Naggus
II have read your speech, Borus, and,
to tell the truth, | don't like its phys
iognomy. Borus-Its physiognomy?
What do You mean? Naggus-Its rs"
are too close together.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07

Baltimore American: The Actor
I'm going out next season with The
Mystery Of the Bakery company.
take the leading role" The Other
Man-"Ill bet that will be hot role.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07
Few Private Cahlegram..

Only per cent of the kilograms sent
over seas are concerned with family
or private matters The rest are COM
mercial, journalistic or official.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07

Mrs. Oatcake (reading newspaper
There are nearly $4,000 Poles in Phila-
delphia. Farmer Oatcake-Gracious
What place to raise beans!-Phila-
delphia Record.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07

had cooled, my heart had begun to beat
more quietly. and my mind had grown
less bewildered with happiness.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-12-07

In the twelfth century gloves with
separate fingers were first seen.