davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28
A PRETTY GHOST STORY.

1t happened at a hospital; one of the
resident house physicians. a young man.
was sitting in his OWL room with a friend
over pipes and whiskey and water, says
Walter Besant in London Queen. They
We're playing a game of double dummy.
They had been playing for some little
time, nothing unusual happening. They
were seated at a square table. One of
them. at the beginning of a new game,
had to deal to his own dummy, as is the
rule at doubled dummy. When he finish
ed a most wonderful thing happened.
The cards of the two dummies We're
taken up by invisible hands, which ar
ranged them and held them in the usual
fan-like form. 1t was as if the cards
We're in the air. The two men looked at
each other and at this phenomenon with
s~tupefaction. If they had not been men
of science they would have fled Shrek
ing. Then one of the dummies hands
were sharply raped on the table. That
means play whispered one of them,
and, with a gasp, he led. The leading
partner took the trick and returned,
changing the suit to show the hand she
held. I say she, because by this time
| there We're visible hands and arms that
held the cards. but nothing more. One
of the players was a woman with bare
arms showing from a sleeve of white
| lace; her fingers lad rings Upon them.
The other was a mans, with al ordinary
coat sleeve and white cuff. The men POI
litely put down their pipes and removed
the Whiskey and water to another table.
They played the game in solemn silence.
Presently 1t became apparent that the
lady played a mastery game. She held
good cards; so did her partner. They
scored in the first rub-double treble
and the rub; and in the econd-treble
single and the rub. Never my narra-
tor told me, did l play with a ner play
err. She seemed to know by instinct
where every card in the pack was. At
the end of the double rubber the arms
disappeared They went away as they
came. ! have never seen them since.
though have sometimes invited them to
come by dealing the cards on the table,
l have often wondered who the lady
was: young. as | gathered from the APP
pearance of her arms; a gentlewoman.
as was shown by the taper fingers, and
the rings, and the lace, and a certain
way of carrying her arms. Frolicsome,
as was proved by her sitting down to
play with only her arms visible; UNI
married, from the absence of a wedding
ring. Who could she be? Why was she
brought to the hospital? What is her
story? l suppose she died here. Why
did she die so young? Above all. how
could she. at her early age, have %acquir-
ed such a knowledge of whist? 1t is
very rare to nd a girl playing whist even
decently. Perhaps, after-after leaving
the hospital" he added with some deli
| cacy OF expression, "she may have found
opportunities for practice. AS for her
companion, he was comparatively unin-
teresting. He had chalk stones on his
fingers. and he was only Il mediocre
player. He neglected his partners lead,
he bottled his trumps, and once he threw
away the king of trumps. not even try
ing to save it by obvious finesse. But
the lady-the lady-she, indeed, was
divine!"
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28

America and the hidden treasure of
Spain, he wrote to each great chief of
police, asking for a description of the
particular vice in which his country
excelled. If Sweden had a local swim
ding dodge he wanted to know it; and
if Russia had her criminal secrets he
desired to re posted in them.
In answer there came back an appall-
ing list of the habits of vice. One Ger
man chief of police warned the Paris
project of the swindler who travels
with baggage and a valet as a German
baron. He puts Up at the best hotels
and makes the acquaintance of the un-
wary. One day he looks troubled and
scans his mail a~nxiously: after a time
he tells his new friend the secret of
his discomfort The remittance which
the manager of his baronial estates
should have sent him has not arrived.
He will communicate with his friend
Nathan Rothchild; no, that would be
too h~umiliating. He will wait starve
perhaps. When that stupid major
domo had only to mail the check; All.
the fellow has gone and got drunk: the
same thing happened in 1889, when his
father was in Paris.
AN EASY GAME.
* OF course. the stranger, especially II
he be an American, is filled with pity
and brings out a fat purse. "Wil the
baron be so kind as to accept $500, yes.
even a thousand?'
OF course the baron accepts; and
when the American looks him up in the
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28
NO CROOKS At
THE EXPOSITION
The Project of Police on the Lookout
for Green Goods Men of
All Nations.

Paris, April 19.-If you were sand
bagged during the last Paris Exposition.
you need not be afraid of suffering the
same experience on this trip to the
French capital. The Project of Police,
Mortified by the accounts of the atrocities
that took place here in 1889, has taken
the most elaborate precautions against
q repetition of the same.
For six months raris will be the most
perfectly governed and best controlled
city in the world.
Six months & NJ. Lupine, the Paris
Project. communicated with the heads
Of police of all the principal cities of
the globe. His letter asked them for
the names and the photographs of all the
criminals in their rogues'- galleries
and in the famous criminal lists; also
all aliases. To this he added a request
for a personal description of each man,
Is measurements, his thumb prints
and biography.
After obtaining these NJ. Lupine de-
termined to go further. Knowing that
each country has it's own peculiar form
OF swindling, as the green goods Of
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28

evening he finds that the baronial par
ty has hastily decamped, valet and all,
leaving his baggage and an unpaid
board bill.
The mysterious man who speaks with
a Spanish accent and who a talk in
all the languages of Europe is also
0 for. The authorities of Madrid
have furnished a description of his
methods.
He is an Englishman, generally. who,
being a bibloomaniac. is well posted in
the history of cd Spain. He tells a
story of how, Reading one day of a cer-
tain old castle where was buried the
treasure of the Moors. before they We're
driven out Of Spain, he determined to
go and look for the castle. To his Joy
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28

and finds out. too late tina the owner
of the buried treasure has decamped,
without waiting for further formali-
ties.
The card sharpers of Italy, Greece
and Portugal are to be guarded against
Notices will be posted in many of the
restaurants warning it's patrons against
the strangers and a careful watch will
be kept upon all who are seen playing
cards in public places. The American
green goods man, the project says, will
have the easist time, as he is the clev-
crest of all and works in such a way
there cannot possibly be anything
wrong about it.
But by far the most extensive prep
arations have been made for those who
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28

criminal in Paris. Each member of
the police force is to familiarize him.
self. as nearly as possible, with he
amOus criminals of the different coun-
tries. TIL instant a criminal sets foot
in Paris he is to be arrested. This is
called the Byrnes system. 1t sounds
like a ~high-handed proceeding but it
worked well when Chief Byrnes of New
York City tried it during the Washing
ton celebration, and NJ. Lupine will fol-
low suit. The man whose picture is in
any rogues' gallery of the world and
who steps foot in Paris is liable to ar
rest, if he is recognized. Taking it for
granted that he has come for no good,
the project will hold him until his past
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28

are coming to Paris to get their gains
by brute force. The English garroters
who worked the suburbs of Paris ten
years ago; the Russian ~sandbaggers
who laid in wait upon the dark quay;
the American highwayman who held up
pedestrians if nc police were in sight;
and the Orientals who understand a
dagger so we'll, are all to be foiled by
the most elaborate system of police
surveillance ever attempted in any
city.
ARRESTED AT SIGHT.
The initial step will be taken by NJ.
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28
THE GREAT GLOBE OF THE PRs TM ME s@%HM MME NWG6 Gr cMM uXbw THE COUNTRIES AND THE nHAn E@

he finds it uninhabited: and hires it.
One night, digging in the cellar where
his researches led him, he comes upon
a portion of the treasure. He exhibits
rare Persian turquoise and the emer-
aids of Egypt. They are uncut and
not very brilliant, but of great value if
developed. But it will taxi money;
a company must be formed to unearth
the treasure. In a few months il will
yield millions.
The American, ever ready to pick up
a fortune, advances the first thousand
toward the formation of the company,
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28

mideeds have been raked up and an
unpublished offense is found: after
which he will be imprisoned until the
exposition is over.
There has been a bicycle force added
to the police. modelled after the famous
bicycle corps of New York. Nearly
three hundred mounted bicycle police
will ride all day upon the boulevards
Watching that order is maintained. The
force will take in he extreme limits of
the city. Besides these, the number of
police has been doubled and the force
dressed in "a uniform that can be sped
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28

a long way off. Personally watching
his force from an automobile, Mr.. Luz
pine will ride all day through the
streets.
Pickpockets and sneak thieves are
the hardest to deal with, but MANY
signs will warn visitors to beware Of
them, and Paris. for six months at
least, will be robbed of those terrors
which menace the visitor at ordinary
times.
ANNETTE RIERDON REED.
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28
HER OPINION.

You remind me of an hour-glass."
Help you pass away the timer"
No: the later it gets the less sand you
seem to have"
Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28
MODERN EXPLOSIVES.

ANNETTE RIERDoN REED.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-08-04
THE RIDER CLUTCHED THE SADDLE.

mentS? Now and then you have a
headache, or you get Il corn on your
toe, but your general health is excel
lent 1t was only the other day that
you were boasting how rugged you
were''
'My dear woman he said as he
walked about, You know very well
that am no hand to complain. If |
was dying, | should say nothing about
1t till the last moment. | may have
boosted of my health, but is it a huS-
bands place to alarm his wife? You
now force mc to tell you that have a
dozen different ailments at the present
moment, any of which may prove fatal,
but that am going to make Il heroic
effort to live on. If you hadn't driven
me into a corner, should have kept my
secret"
Il sec" she quietly observed as the
family cat came down stairs and cock
ed her eye at Mr.. Bowscr. "Is it a
spring tonic or what:'
Il have been recommended to try
horseback riding, and this evening |
make my first experiment."
"And you imagine you will joggle the
complaints away? | think | see you
bouncing around in the saddle and the
stirrups flying"
"Joggle! Bounce" he shouted as he
turned on her with a gesture which
scared the cat out of the room. you'd
be sarcastic if | lay dead in the house.
A nice wife You are to encourage dy-
ing husband! Why should l joggle or
bounce about in the saddle"
"YOu shouldn't" she answered.
However, If you are going to take
your first ride this evening | hope
you'll stick to the alley and that the
horse is a gentle one. l haven't the
slightest objection to your scheme. In
deed l hope it will do you lots Of
good"
She spoke SO kindly that Mr.. BowSer
recovered his good nature. and 20 min
utes later he was with the boy holding
a horse in the alley. 1t was soft
moonlight evening, and the unpayed
alley was clear of vehicles and just the
place for a Gallop.
SIS this a gentle horse| asked Mr..
BowScr as he was all ready to get into
the saddle.
Hes like lamb, sir" replied the
boy. Excuse me, but you are trying
to get up on the wrong side. That's
better. If was you, I'd let him walk
at first. Some folks are dizzy when
they first move Off"
Mr.. Bowser had climbed into the sad
die like cow climbing over n fence.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-08-04
SALVATION IN ROADS.
They Are the Great Universal Mis-
siOnarics Of ReScncrntiOn.

They Are the Great Universal Mis-
sionaries Of Regcnerntion.
These far fetched notions of the 'ru-
raj social settlement" and the institu-
tional rural church, etc, are mere
moonShine They are altogether too
visionary AMI eXtraneouS and forced,
says lions Herald. They could never
be made to work i'll actual practice be-
cause so foreign i'll spirit and method.
The salvation of the backwOUdS, like
the salvation of China, lies in opening
up the country. Roads, roads, roads
these are the great universal mission
aries; roads of all kindS-railroadS,
electric roads, macadamiZcd highways,
bicycle paths-anything that invites
wheels.
Build broad, hard, well graded
highway between decadent town and
the nearest wide awake town, and
there will be no need to send Il social
settlement resident to and fro over
it in any kind of vehicle. The people
will go to and fro and rcgencrate them
selves. That road will be church and
school and lyceum and social enamel
pator for them. And then. as commu-
nication increases, the electric road
will occupy one side of the highway,
and the steam railroad will find it eX-
pedicnt to build a competing branch
into the hills, and so the isolated COM
munity will be walked up and saved.
That is the logic of the situation as
some of us see it.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-08-04
WANT BETTER HIGHWAYS.


Indiana and Michigan towns are rap
idly following each other in move
mCnt to improve country roads. The
town of Michigan City recently Cngag-
ed i'll obtaining the signatures of free
holders to Il petition in which the qucs-
ton of submitting the improvements
of roads in five townships Of the Cuuu
ty to the voting population is propoS-
ed. The I.CrchantS of the town have
found it necessary to take some action
in order to save or foster its COun-
try trade. The town of Laportc spent
a large amount of money in making
country trade easily accessible and i'll
consequence Il large area was made
tributary to the town.
1t is proposed to bond the townships
in order to raise the money for the
Improvement. There is Il movement
also to give the different roads Il name
by which they will become familiar to
everybody in the county. There is now
an active movement going on in Bcr
rien county to connect the towns of
Benton IIarb0r and St. Joseph with
Sister Lakes. which is one of the best
known summer places i'll this section Of
the state. For this purpose more than
$500 has been donated outright. This
came in large share from Benton Uar-
Dor.
In past years Sister Lakes has been
reached mostly from Dowagiac. which
induced considerable travel through
that town. DOWagiac is said to have
had the lCst roads and got the bust
ness. and now the other place is seek
ing to meet it.
In both cases the roads are sandy.
and it Will be necessary to gravel them
in order to make good highways all the
year through.
Good roads are especially desirable in
BerriCn county because of the rise of
the ''Schooncr" in gathering fruit from
the country districts. Much of the
. enormous quantity of fruit shipped
from st. Joseph and Benton IIarhor to
Chicago is hauled to the docks in
"Schooncrs" \ "Schooncr" is Il long
coupled wagon with Il canvas cover,
some of which make circuit of 20
miles or more daily. On Il good road a
team of horses will easily haul sur
prisingly heavy load, the loading of the
different shaped packages having been
reduced to system.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-08-04
Divide the burden.

A great injustice has been done the
farmers in expecting them alone to
shoulder the responsibility and the OK
pense of building country roads, while
the construction of canals has been
heavily subsidized, while rivers have
been made navigable by the govern
mcnt and while untold millions have
been showCred upon railroads by cities,
villages, counties, states and the nation
in stock and bond subscriptions, cash
donations and grants of bOundlcSs
tracts of public lands. 1t is time to
do away with the cruel injustice which
places upon farmers and upon the
small fraction of property in the state
which they own the entire burden of
building highways.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-08-04
An Interrupted Feast.

There dwell in one of the handsome
residences of Tioga an elderly lady and
her daughter. The mother recently
went out of the city for few days
stay. On the day she left the daughter
informed the colored cook early in the
morning that she would visit Il friend
and would not return until 0 O'Clock at
night.
But the friend was not at home and
the daughter came to the city to shop
and returned home at q o'clock instead
of three hours later. She found ten
cOlorcd couples in the parlOr. and the
table in the dining room was set for 20
persons, with the silver pieces and best
china in evidence. In the kitchen the
cook was busy preparing Il feast. When
her eyes fell upon her young mistress,
the servant exclaimed in horror: Good
gracious, you done come home SO soon.
Why, Use invited nah friends to din
nah. Deed didn't expect you"
The young woman said she was sure
of that. Result: Colored friends left the
house hungry; cook, too; girl invited
neighbors in, and all enjoyed the feast
new cook next day.-Philadelphia Rec
ord.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-08-04

but as no one but the boy had seen
him he didn't feel very bad about it.
He had never been ou the back of
horse three times in his life. and he
was no sooner up than he wished he
was down. The boy got his feet in the
stirrupS for him ana encouraged him
with quiet words and after the horse
had walked up and down for five min
utes confidence was restored. Then
the boy said:
"Ths hoSS is one of the easiest lopers
In the hull state, and if I was you I'd
push him UP a bit. When he starts to
lope, you'll think you are in Il rocllin
cheer
Mr. Bowscr doubted If; but, looking
over the back fence, he made out Mrs.
BowScr standing at one of the rear
windows She had referred to
"bQunce' and ',joggle," and he felt that
he was being tested. He drew Il long
breath, uttered n silent prayer and
chirpCd to the horse to strike into
lopc The horse oheycd. Had the
rider caught the motion it would have
been plain sailing, but he didn't catch
it, There were half a dozen bObS,
three or four clutches at his manc, and
Mir. BowScr rolled sideways out of the
saddle and fell in heap on n pile Of
ashes. 1t was Il good boy and n SYM
pathetic boy who had brought the
horse around He helped Mr.. Bowscr
up, insisted that it was an accident
that might have happened to the best
rider on earth and in various ways en-
cOuragCd him to try again. The fallen
rider kicked at the ash heap and struck
at the fence and was for giving it up,
but the boy sOothed him and made
him understand that he would lose
prestige if he failed to mount again.
Il intend to, of course replied Mr..
BoWScr in defiant tones as he noticed
Mrs. EoWScr still at the window. Il
don't claim to be much of Il rider, but
I I'll get the hang of it in minute. l
think the horse StUbhed his toe the
other time Look through that knot
hole in the fence, will you, and tell me
what You see in my back yard"
"De kitchen girl is sittin on de
/ ground and Iaughin herself to DEATH"
| reported the lad after a look.
"Shc is. ch? Sent out by my wife to
spy on me! Well, let her gigglc. I'll
| stick on this time if l have to have my
| legs tied under the saddle"
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-08-04
The Road Problem.

The Improvement of country roads is
chiefly an economical question, relat-
ing principally to the waste of effort
in hauling over bad roads, the saving
in money, time and energy in hauling
over good ones, the initial cost of i'm
proving roads and the difference in the
cost of maintaining good and bad ones.
1t is not necessary TO enlarge on this
subject in order to convince the aver
age reader that good roads reduce the
resistance to traffic, and consequently
the cost of transportation of products
and goods TO and from farms ana mar
kets is reduced to minimum.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-08-04

"Dat's de way to talk. When you git
into de saddle, jest move with de horse.
All ready now"
Mr. BOwser had another climbing
match, but in due time he found him
self filling the saddle again. Prudence
warned him to go slow, but when he
thought of Mrs. BoWser and the cook
he determined to run all risks. AS he
got Il brace for his feet he struck the
horse with his heel, and the animal
started away on an easy canter. 1t
was the rocking chair motion the boy
had referred to, but Mr.. BowScr didn't
catch it, He found himself bobbing
about ana his feet out of the StirrupS,
and before he knew what he was doing
both heels struck the horse and set
him off at full gallOp. There was
yell that could have been heard half
mile away, and then the rider clutchcd
the saddle, shut his eyes and bade
goodby TO things of earth-an except
to Mrs. Bowser The horse set off down
the alley with his mind full of wonder,
but the wonder soon changed to alarm
as his burden lurcLcd about, and be-
fore he had gone two blocks he made
shy and a kick, and Mr.. Bowser went
rolling over the ground and brought
up against fence like a barrel of ci-
der.
1t was Il long time before the
world returned to him. Then he OPEN
ed his eyes TO find Mrs. Bowser, the
cook policeman, the boy and a work
;,,,,,,,, I,,.,,.i,,,, ,,-Cr, him,
Il think he's coming to-" he heard the
policeman say, "and you can set it
down that his neck is not broken. What
on earth possessed him to ride a horse
ma'amE'
"IIe wanted exercise" he heard Mrs
BowScr reply.
"Wcll, We'll lug him home fur you, Of
course, but it won't do no good He'll
keep right on making a donkey of his
self till something drives him through
a blicl, wall"
Mr.. Rowscr was luggcd along the al
ley to his own back yard gate, his back
gathering ashes at every step, and it
was not until outsiders had retired that
he sat up and said to Mrs. Bowser:
"Woman. | understand! | know who
threw Il club at the horse and jumped
me out Of the saddle. Hands Off. |
want no more of your help, and the
cook is discharged on the spot. Follow
me into the house. want you to con-
| fcss in writing to tins attempted assaS-
/ sinatiou. and thcn We will call in the
lawyers and settle matters"
NJ. QUAD.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-08-04
A 81, ENT ESSENTIAL.

Oh, the who pays the taxes-he's the poor
forgotten Ell
Whose biography must lingcr on oblvion's dusty
shelf.
There are pomp and celebration, there are poetry
and surE,
Eut the who pays the taxes fingers out
among the throng.
Nobody asks about him, and nobody prints hi,
name;
lie never gets blast when people sound tn,
trump OF fame.
There's glitter and there's glory, plaudits echo.
Ing Tar and near,
But the who pays the taxes never gets sin
gle cheer
There's big, rcsoundng whistle on the engine
when it tolls;
None thinks about the water as it bubbles and il
boils
There is buzz, and there is hustle, and the people
love to gaze
As the prodigy goes onward in its unrcsstec
ways.
We quite forget, while watching all the beauty ol
the scheme,
That somewhere out of sight is pcnt the mighty
force OF steam;
But despite thi, lack Of spcndor tits agreed by
OF wit
That ii the steam wanting the machinery
would quit.
Washington Star