davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-11-29

walk to the door-but that. no CDubt-
him a hot glass of goodly drink.
you've hit il in the nick o. time"
cried he. THE turkey is just coming
out of the oven, and it's been sizzling
mad these last two hours because you
wasn't here to help eat it,"
Sayory scents and hot-oven sounds
emanated propitiously from the kitch-
en-. Bucking Titus tried to be gay, and
made a good deal Of noise as he got out
of his bear coat and unbuttoned his
leggins. But his heart was trembling
like an aspen in a storm and he felt
sick-like a man who hears the ham
mer that makes his gibbet. lie delayed
pusillanimously for about five minutes
before he pulled out the letters. There
were two for zoe and the fatal one for
Claribel.
He tried not TO look al the girl while
she read hers, but finally he had TO
steal an upward glance. Her face was
flushed a little and she was smiling.
An invisible hand Of iron came from
somewhere and griped the mail car
r-er's throat. He leaned his head upon
his hand.
After a minute the girl came over
and sat near him, her letter in her
hand.
you seem really ill.," she said softly,
looking at him with a glance of friend
illness that almost broke his heart.
"Wss it so very cold?'
"Not so very cold. You'd better
write the answer 10 that letter before
go so l can take it on with me. Or
you can fix up a message and I'll wire
If you like"
"Iou are uncommonly good, Mr..
Titus, but there is no haste" The ac-
cent was dry.
"Eh?" gasped Titus, stupidity.
The girl broke into radiant smile.
"Are you so anxious to get rid Of
me?" she whispered.
Good God. no! Are-are-you--"
Sam I going Of my own free will?
No; 50 there!"
The mail carrier leaned back in his
chair with a sigh of Undesirable relief.
The Chinaman brought the turkey in.
1t was a .ordly bird, and the hungry
mountaineers arose at its entrance
one rises when Il king enters!
Anything else you want to know?"
whispered the girl, archly. Her eyes
were dancing. her lips parted her
cheeks crimson. She was tempting
past resistance.
you know there is something else
I want to know" came back the whis-
per. He caught her hand with a cruel
clasp. "Do-do you-Claribel, do you
ever think of me?"
Sometimes. Thursdays" (Thurs-
day was mail day.
He dropped her hand, and with .
Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-11-29

white face walked toward the table.
She caught at his coat, unseen by the
others. He stopped and faced her, his
eyes piteous.
81 think OF you some other days, too,
Mr.. Titus-most other days"
"Claribel!" There was beseeching
inquiry in the tone.
''All other days, Mr.. Titus"
"Claribel!" This time it was joy
that shook his voice.
Come, come, come!" called zoe to
them above all the racket of laughter
and talking and shutting of feet. The
dogs are bowling for their share, and
parson has to say grace yet. Get TO
your places, you two back there!"
They went to their places, which
happened to be side by side.-Chicago
Tribune.
Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-11-29

That was our first impression; soon,
we of the peaceful valley learned to
take a very different view of the mat
ter. We became reconciled, and at
times even boastful of it, and when
Matthew Emerson, dominant spirit of
the enterprise and restless mortal in
carnate, was known to be a bachelor.
we were willing to give him the pick
from our fairest, so tickle were our ma
lures. Every belle in the valley, in eN-
static moments. conceived herself to
be a possible Mrs. Matthew Emerson,
and when Mrs. Ezra Marshall, she who
had been Mrs. Elijah Hand, and who
had in times past enjoyed the possess
sion OF several other honorable names
and the companionship of various 9TH
er estimable husbands, all of whom,
rumor had it, had been put to sleep by
the sheer force of the superiority of her
conversational power-not to mince
matters. had been talked to death
when Mrs. Marshall gave il out as true
as Gospel that Matthew Emerson had
asked plain, simple Martha Hudson TO
be his wife, Wallingford arose to an in
dividual and stormed and ragged,
laughed and cried. clapped and wrung
their hands simultaneously.
Shock il was to all of us, but the
waters of the creek still continued to
flow down grade, and the earth, as far
as could be seen, deviated not one whit
from its usual orbit. Rumor had it
rumor had nearly everything in Wal
lingford-that there was n "fussin' I"
from the very start; that is, Matthew
fused, and Martha suffered. Two chill
dren were born to them; the older,
girl, but an Emerson pure and simple;
the younger, a boy, inherited his moth
er's sweet smile.
1t was about the time of the boy
baby's birth that Martha's father died
he was the last remaining near rela-
tive-and not much later the Emerson
fortune, never so considerable as esti-
mated, broke, and Martha's mite was
nearly all lost in the crash. There re-
manned only the homestead and the
hillside farm.
Emerson became unbearable, even
brutal, and sadly addicted to drink.
Things went from bad to worse till one
day, in a fit of demoniac rage, he choked
her, and, to evade the hand of the law,
fed the community, never to return.
So it was that Martha rented the
homestead, and packed away bag and
baggage to the farm.
at will be very pleasant during the
summer months" she said to Dominic
Hulett's wife, "and, in the winter,
guess we can get along. There's plenty
Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-11-29

Why, Jim Yoe's a man i'm thousand!
I've seen smart men, but he's got
more practical sense and courage
crammed in his head than any man
l ever had the pleasure OF meeting.
AS for Miss Claribel, she's an eidel-
weiss here in the SNOW"
Bucking Titus gave a fierce lurch
at the saddle bags, though they
seemed to Anderson to be adjusted
quite correctly.
How girl can grow up in such
surroundings as hers and yet have
that soft voice and charming accent
and all those adorable little ways Of
hers is more than / know. And she
manages the affairs of the house per-
fectly. 1t doesn't matter how many
drop in to dinner, she always seems
to be prepared for them and to make
them welcome. The servants are at
her feet. [ thought I'd seen some
mighty fine ladies in my day, but
confess / had to come to the Gunnison
country to see the finest of them ALL"
Bucking Titus spoke. lie was a
hero in his way and had known great
dangers ana had had combats with the
elements and with wild beasts and
wilder men but he spoke like a sulky
schoolboy.
"If you think so mighty much Of
her." said he, "why don't you take
her out of the Gunnison country?"
Bernard Anderson threw back his
handsome head and laughed.
"Good-by!" cried he. 81 like the
idea! I'll have to go home and think
the matter over. If it seems likely
that she will fit into the life there
who knows?"
\ cotton tail" scudded out of the
drifting snow before the men. and
Anderson SHE'D. Fortunately his
horse stood steady. As for Bucking
Titus, he sped a bullet quick as
thought, and the little creature gave
one last leap and lay inert. The
mail messenger dlsmounted and
picked up the pretty beastie.
at will do for Aunt Dolly's stew
pot at the boarding house." said he.
But this is for you and he cut a
foot off with his knife and handed
it to Anderson.
"Thanks!" cried the young city
man, delighted. AS like as not it
will bring me the eidelweiss of the
Gunnison SHOWS. Eth, Titus"
"As like as not" responded Titus
through his beard, anu he put spurs
to his horse.
Two days before Thanksgiving
Bucking Titus started on his itinerary
with the full intention of timing him
self so that he would be invited to
eat turkey at Yoe's ranch. This was
before he had reached BiXby's, where
he looked over his mail while he ate
his breakfast. The process OF look
Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-11-29

aent him by the minister's wife, and she
watched the lights Of the train as they
crept along the valley. She saw them
stop at the little station, then move
on again, and her heart sank within her
"a she realized fully that lIenry-her
Baby Henry, was for her no more. She
upbraided herself for cruelty and, tot
tering, half fainting, grasped the pillar
for support.
Days dragged OIL oh, so YEARLY
Baby Henry was heard of regularly at
first, and they wrote that he was doing
well. The next winter but one. Pene-
lope, ever frail faded and passed away.
Letters from the south came less fire.
quently, and finally one announced
that Matthew Emerson had gone to
California in search of health, and had
taken Henry with him. Then years
passed without tidings. Dominic HUI
lett and wife had passed into the here
after. and Martha was no longer the
cheerful Martha of old. The home
stead was lost through doctors bills
and taxes. and the hillside farm bore
all the mortgage it could stand.
Martha seldom left home, but when the
trains pulled up the valley from the
south, she stood on the porch, rain or
shine. summer or winter, and watched
the curling smoke and listened for the
PARKWAY whistle.
Every Thanksgiving night she en-.
ioyed great feast, though it was only
of the Imagination. She saw a child At
her right and one at her left as she sat
before the old fire place; the one was
tall and frail. the other fat and healthy.
Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-11-29

Of fuel" The minister's wife nodded
approval. "Where there's a will, there's
a way. You surely have the will,
Martha, dear, and the Master amt a
goin' TO see a mother and wee little
ones suffer-" and to help the good
Lords work along she forthwith called
special meeting of the women's aux
Hilary to frame resolutions calculated
to tighten the burden of the little wom-
an on The farm.
Altogether, they got along very well,
and Martha came gradually to the
realization that all happiness had not
necessarily gone, though her eyes used
to fill with tears as she looked far
down the hillside to the little grove
where, obscured from sight by the
dense foliage, the old house stood, for
at such moments, she just couldn't help
thinking of the old times and of child
hoods serene days; but she found a
world of pleasure in her little ones.
Penelope grew tall and precocions;
Henry, fat and healthy. And during
the long winter evenings they were
quite happy. Henry used to curl his
baby toes before the glowing fire and
shout in glee at fairy tales and nursery
rhymes, and they sang together
"Praise God from Whom All Blessings
Flow" then it was "Now lay me" and
"Dood night, nanny mine" and,
tucked up warmly the babies slept and
grew.
Penelope was past four, Henry nearly
three the day Dominic IIulett waded
through the drfted snow to the farm
and told Martha that it was no longer
Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-11-29
XXIALLINGFORD, curled down
w 'twixt two long, low lines of
,,,ounfo ;ns vyhnsp sides were

XXTALLINGFORD, curled down
w 'twixt two long, low lines of
mountains, whose sides were
emerald-hued in spring and summer.
thousand-tinted in autumn, and hoary
white in winter, slept. Slumber had
been the order of day and night for al
most 80 years unceasing; but in the
early fifties, restless mOrtals from hives
of industry in the great city far away
TO the south cast covetous eyes on the
little stream, Otter creek, whose only
real purpose in life almost anyone
could have seen was to lave the peb-
bles that lay in its bed and to help dame
nature, when her spring primping up
period was on, to look still fresher, still
more beautiful.
Restles mortals. not having even
speaking acquaintance with dame ma
ture. saw only the natural waterfall,
whose power they longed to harness,
and from coveting they worked them
selves up to pitch of mad enthusiasm
which. as must necessarily follow with
such creatures, eliminated in action.
Like a troupe of mischievous school
boys. restless mortals romped about
the hitherto peaceful valley till Wal
lngford turned over in bed, yawned
and. my conscience, awoke. Desecra-
ton? Yes, of course; but what was
to be done? The pitchfork factory, a
masterpiece of the hideous, was there
grim and forbiddng. Changing, ding
ing and fire splitting, it seemed an out
cropping from the Inferno. It's heavy
hammers made day miserable, night
uncomfortable.
Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-11-29

hlUucI threat mn anu 'liSiN " JN"N :"
hint of snow,
And Novembers wit his name most
everywhere.
But the bright red fires a-roarin up the
big brick chirubly sue,
And the old house kinder wears happy
grin;
What's the odds about the weather when
the loved ones git together,
And it's jolly old Thanksglvin' come ag In!
There's a turkey fail If stuffin' that's a
pictur' fer the eye,
There's puddir' that won't hold an
other plum;
There's celry and there's cranb'ry sass,
there's miree and punkin pie.
All settin' there a-holl'rin' ter yer:
Gomez
And here's mother, who's been countin'
up the days fer weeks and weeks,
And me a-feelin' young as twenty-four.
And there's welcome runnin' over jest like
dew drips off the clover,
For it's Jolly old Thanksgivin' come once
more!
oh, it's good ter be a child ag'in, If only
once a year!
It's good ter have the children round the
place,
It brings yer back the old sweet days in
mem'ry alters dear,
And kinder smoothes the wrinkles from
yer face.
Our boys and gals are back at home with
children Of their own.
So let the fun and frollcs now begin;
We old ones hearts are CHEEKY, though our
eyes, maybe, are teary,
For it's blessed old Thanksgivin' come
ag'n!
Joe Lincoln. in Philadelphia Saturday
Evening Post.
Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-11-29

lin OF the GunnlSOn
country with an unwelcome compan-
ion. The companion had joined him
at Yoe's ranch, where he had been
staying for a month, bracing up a
degenerate lung. Titus hated
"lungcr," as he opprobriously termed
the inyalids who made Colorado mel
anchOiy; and, anyway, Titus was a
man of prcjudices. lie covered more
ground than any other mail carrier in
the whole state, and the snowbound
pass that would daunt him, the height
which would make him giddy, the
path he would not venture, the storm
he would not face he had yet to en-
counter. His critics might have
claimed for him more bravado than
wise courage-but Titus did not care
about critics. Talking was one of the
superfuous arts at best, according to
Bucking Titus.
That was one of the two reasons
why he objected to Bernard Ander-
son, his companion. Anderson would
talk. lie exclaimed about the glory
of the mountains; he thought it
worth his while to make comments
upon the splendor of the autumnal
foliage, and he even went so far as
to say what he thought about the
mists that entwined themselves
around the cruel front of the Old
Mans mountain-that grim wall of
granite whose canyons knew the
blacklist tragedies of all the noun
tains in the country round about.
Anderson was stupid enough to relate
some of these tales-though they were
ancient history to Titus.
But the second reason for dislike
which Titus entertained for Ander-
son was of a more serious nature.
Anderson had been four weeks I'M
der the same roof with Clarbel Voc.
AS for Titus. though for two years
past he had ridden over the pass like
the wild huntsman, thinking only of
the face that he should see in the val
ley beyond, he had never so much as
known what it was to press her hand
or to sit opposite to her at table. To
be sure, she had brought him out hot
coffee now and then or hidden him to
sit beside the fire, and on holidays
had given him true stirrup cup, yet
he said to himself with endless itera-
ton that she cared nothing for him
that she had never noticed him any
more than she had 20 other men.
All men were chivalrous to her.
How could they be otherwise? She
coaXed sociability out of the solitude
and made a home in the wilderness
and tenderness in the country of
granite rocks, and there were warmth
and light and cheer in her dwelling
among those bitter SHOWS. Perhaps
Claribel zoe had ceased to be a mere
woman and become something SYM
bolic TO the men who knew her-the
ndventurers who passed along the
cruel road to Tin Cup.
Anderson, taking the unnecessary
trouble to pick the way for his horse
who was an old mountain climber
talked cheerfully to the mail carrier.
cts an experience that a city man
like myself is sure TO remember to
the last day of his life, you know.
j never felt such liberty in all my
life Faith, I've seen no paper that
was not a week old before l got it,
and I'm as ignorant Of my business as
you are. But I'm glad of it. I'm
rested clean through to the bones.
And then the people at the ranch
Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-11-29
Object. of PITY.

Living in a fat isn't so bad
'Why not?'
I'VE are elweys invited out to din
ner on Thanksgiving day."-Chicago
Daily Record.
Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-11-29

JOKING TITUS,
otherwi Sc Will
liam James Titus,
III o u II t e d mail
carrier for the
republic, rode out
of the Gunnison
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-03-03

Z o'clock last night ], crossed in a quiet
game of cards. Few words were
spoken as the hours passed, and few of
the casual onlookers knew that the
stakes We're beyond normal size.
When the game concluded the. loser
paid his score with thirty crisp and
new $1,000 bills.
The two men We're "Eole" Pearsall
and AIS Adams, says a New York
exchange. Pearsall was the winner.
The game was the innocent one dear
| to all German hearts, good old pinochle
Pearsall is not usually gambler for
high stakes at anything but faro and
| the horses. On the race tracks and
when before a faro table he generally
asks for the limit to be raised. Adams
at one time was one of the plungers
of the city. Then he was often broke.
Now he has so much money that the
$40, 900 will not perceptibly lessen his
bank roll He is credited with being
worth upward Of $1,000,0Oo.
| "Eole" Pearsall has been betting on
the races in the local pool room this
winter with varying success. His
winnings have often been large, and
some OF his losses have been disheartin-
| ing, He entered the resort-a favorite
one with people of his class-Monday
nounced that he had been unfortunate
during the afternoon in his Wagers.
It'll give you chance to get even"
Adams is said to have remarked, men,
tioning the fact that at some previous
time Pearsall had boosted of his ability
as pinOchle player.
| 1T would take me long time to win
s., 600 playing pinochl,e" Pearsall re-
sponded.
| Not il you played for large enough
stakes and were lucky" was the re-
| joinder, made with a smile and an
Iinsinuating pause between the phrases.
| How would a thousand a game suit
|you?" Pearsall asked.
About my size,' came the answer.
The game was made. Cards were
produced and the play began.
| At the start Adams was the fortunate
one. He won the first game, then lost,
then won three in succession, and at
3 o'clock was $4,000 ahead of his cool
antagonist.
Then fortune changed, and smiled
almost continuously upon the book
maker AT midnight Pearsan had
evened up the score and was winner
about three games. If he lost game
it was quickly recovered, though late
in the night there was long spell OF
seesaWing.
When a short adjournment for break
fast was taken, at o'clock yesterday
morning, "Eole" had an even doZer
games to his credit. After breakfast
and fresh cigar the two again re-
sumed play. Again. fortune was
against Adams. He was $4,000 loser
at noon, and during the next sever
hours he fell ten games further be.
hind.
This was the heaviest playing thai
has been done in New York city since
l"Al" Smith beat Riley Grammar out
of $4,000 at a single sitting two years
ago.
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-03-03
r@ Ee--s So. 2. -s..s,-
!, NEW SPRING HATS.

Those Of #10SO Occupy Unique
A5 Position. zss$s 70. &
The spring hat Of 1900 occupies a
unique position in the millinery world.
1t is approved by the radical dress
reformers because of it's lightness, and
by the most fastidious society girls, be-
cause of it's beauty. Never have the
spring hats been so light in weight and
so artistic in shape and coloring. Airi-
ness is the keynote of the early spring
models. Heavy coarse straw is no
longer used, and the big flower garden
picture hats have also been relegated
to the past. The most approved hats
are Of medium size and the staws which
are used are of the highest possible
It is to be a season of tulle and flexi-
BILE straw braids. The Tuscan, Cuba
and wood-iber braids are all seen in
the pastel shades, and they frequent
ly have a glossy satin finish. These
braids not onlysform many Of the spring
hats, but they are used in various ways
as a trimming. Many of the newest
rosettes are composed of tulle, or
nlalines edged with straw braid, and
appliques of Tuscan straw braid are a
feature Of many of the smartest tulle
and net toques.
+ Although straw hats are not fash
ionable until Easter, already the new
styles are being exhibited, while most
fascinating combinations of tulle, tat
feta, and lace and velvet are turned out
that are suitable for wear at the pres
ent moment.
The woman who has the happy talent
Of always look ing we'll >gowned spends
no end of time and thought, not to
mention money, in hats. She is most
careful never to buy one that is of
unbecoming shape or color, and is also
most careful that the side and back
views suit her particular style as does
the front Fortunately this result is
not so difficult Of attainment in these
days when there is such a variety Of
shapes to choose from. 20 be in fash
ion this season it is not necessary to
wear ones hat f1aring off the forehead,
regardless of whether it is becoming or
not, neither is it the edict Of the season
that all hats shall be worn tipped over
the nose. In buying her spring hat the
woman of taste has actually the privi-
lege> this year of taking into consid-
Grafton the contour of her own face in
making her selection. There are as
many hats worn off the face as over
it.-Harper's Bazaar. 5.~
The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-03-03

made ;light of the orders of his
superiors, and fatty refused to part
with the statues. NJ. Lucien Hubert
commended his "pat1iotic" disobediance
but an inquiry into the high handed
proceedings of this petty functionary
is surely called for.
The chief feature Of the discussion
however, was the evidence adduced Of
the risk Of fire to which the Louvre is
exposed. Attention has been called be-
fore in The Pail Mall Gazette TO this
matter BY a strange dispersation Of
fate it is the colonial policy of France
that has placed the masterpieces 81
the Louvre in peril of the flames This
policy, which threatens to lead to con-
f1agrations of every order, has necessi-
tated the creation of a Colonial office,
and for want of space ELSEWHERE the
ministry of the Colonies has been
lodged in a wing of the Louvre, the
Pavilion de Flore. The first care of a
government department in France is
to accumulate a monumental stock of
those old letters and papers which are
proof that the traditions Of red tapism
are being religiously observed The
from floor to ceiling with the usual
official paperasses, while to, make this
immense waste paper basket as in
| flammable as possible it has been
divided by means of wooden partitions
into an infnity of small offices. All
| that is needed to provide the almost in
eVitable blaze is spark, and that II
! shall not be wanting the majority of
| the offices are heated with stoves. tbs
pipes of which traverse the wooden
boardings. Periodically, these pipes get
overheated, and an outbreak Of fire is
! the result. During the last two years
| there have been fourteen fires of this
description in the Pavilion de F'lore
They have all of them been promptly
distinguished, but this good fortune can
not continue forever. Sooner or later
the Pavilion de- Flore will be "wel
alight,'' and nothing but a miracle can
prevent the flames spreading 70 the
Louvre, an old and highly inflammable
building. ls..,
Everybody recognizes the danger, the
authorities equally with the public. Tbs
official plea for not taking any actor
IisYwant of mon ey.s The Third Republic
thas 1ncreased tdsE nat lonal exp enditure
by over a hnilliard a year, but it can.
not afford to safeguard the incona.
parable treasures Of the Louvre.