davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25
hat
mysterious
Major.

Dear me, child, where have you
been? I thought you were lost!" ex-
claimed her ladyship by way of greet
ing. Ring the bell, DEAR and say we
are ready for coffee. They are later
than usual this evening""
But Evelyn did not utter a word
as she passed silently through into
the sitting room. At the sight of the
Major her heart had given one ire
mendous bound, and now it was beat
ing almost to suffocation. What was
he doing there? What could be the
reason? Never before had she seen
either her aunt or Falkland making
themselves so obviously agreeable to
him. Never before had he even been
made welcome to their room.
Miss Luttrell'-it was Falkland
who had followed her through the
window-"this will be your opportu-
nifty. You cannot have a better
chance. Go out the instant your aunt
leaves the veranda, and in as casual
way as possible try to gain possess
sion of that check"
At the sound OF the low, rather hur-
ried words. Evelyn started slightly and
suddenly dropped the parasol which
she was swinging slowly to and fro
in her hand.
"The check!" she gasped. gazing
wildly round.
There was no need to wonder any
longer what the unusual affability
meant. The Major had not been pro-
claimed innocent of the forgery, as
she in vague sense of despair had
almost imagined. 1t was clear why he
had been welcomed so warmly into
their private room; and yet, as her
eyes rested for one brief moment upon
the accused as he stood talking to
her aunt, a handsome. wonderfully dis
tinsuished-looking man in his fault
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25
metropolitan Eegsars, Trust.

The New York police have recently
made the discovery that most of this
successful beggars in the city belong
to trust. The beggars' trust is said
to own large house in Brooklyn
which provides every description oil
beggars' supplies, including bogus
wooden arms, legs, hump backs, pitirul
placards for alleged blind men ana
cripples, etc. The beggars pay the
trust a certain percentage of their earn.
ings, and the trust regulates the hour,
OF their labor, selects the districts, fur.
nishes list of charitably disposed PEG.
pie, and looks after members when i'll
The police say that several wealthy
and cultured mendicants belonging to
the trust live in fashionable fats. Sew.
eral attended the grand opera last sea.
son, and one rides in his own carriage
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25
$3OO,OOO,OOO IN GOLD.
LOST. sTRAYED OR STOLEN
FROM OUR SHORES.
Another Chapter In Our Financial fsis-
tory That shows Futilitv OF Main-
tanning General Prosperity and the
Gold Standard at the samo Time.

The Louisville Courier-Journal, in
its issue of Dec. %, ult., brushes aside
as mere bagatelle our shipments of
gold to England. "The gold reserve
in the treasury" it says, was $241,-
423,427 yesterday, and the total amount
~ coin and bullion was but little I'M
der $400,00O,0OO." This. with $l41, OOO,-
COO in the banks and about 5OO,00O,-
600 in the country, in circulation, is as
sumed to be a splendid showing, and
elevate the United States to the
rent rank as gold country. But now
mes circular from the directors of
he mint to the manufacturers of jew
Try, gold leaf supply houses, and all
callers and manufacturers who use the
precious metal in their work. The
Chicago Tribune gives the substance of
the circular in the following succinct
language:
Lost or strayed-$300,0 100000 in
American gold coin. Any person who
has information of its Whereabouts will
lease communicate with the director
the mint" The truth is cropping
ut that we are short of our gold cir
Hating medium the enormous sum of
300,000,000; it is lost. Not from the
reasury, but from the circulation
among the people. This means that
there are s3CO,00O,C0O short in our mon
ey, and when we add to this shortage
the sum of $241 .423,427 in coin in the
treasury, and the bullion to make up
$400,O00,000, we have a shortage of
$7O0,000,0C0 of gold coin on our total
stock of gold coin. 1t appears that
Prof. Faulkner doubted whether the
stock of coin outsi - the treasury was
what it was assu.s,ed to be, and the
director of the mint has been so i'm
pressed by the professors statements
that he is going to try to find out.
The treasury department knows how
ns>eh money the treasury contains, and
Tie banks certainly know how much
money they hold, but all our officials
have been going upon the theory that
exactly the difference between the
amounts in the treasury and in the
banks, and the public have been fed
with that idea until they have been al
most made to believe that we have
plenty Of gold coin. Even the Courier
Journal, usually so careful in its cal
culations, has been deceived by Off
cial reports. Under these circum-
stances, therefore, it does not make
vast difference to the public welfare
whether we ship gold coin to
England or not. 1t may transpire that
we are not so heavily laden with cir
culating medium as we have been as
Stunning; indeed, the recent stringency
appears to demonstrate the fact that
we are short, and short 100000, 900.
From this may be deduced the actual
fact of the necessity of using billions
of make-shift money, usually termed
"industrials," but all speculative, and
the further fact of the positive recur-
renee of panics accompanied by the
demands upon the United States treas
ury to rush to the aid of the market
We do not believe that Director Rob-
erts can ascertain the whereabouts of
this lost money, for it does not exist,
except in imagination, unless it be in
old stockings and teapots.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25
make your aunt's coffee? believe
you generally do"

make your aunt's coffee? I believe
you generally do"
"Yes-I will make It," replied Eve
Ign, taking up the half-filled cup OF
coffee which was nearest to her, fill
ing it with cream, and then carrying
1t off to Lady Howard without Offering
as much as a glance in Falkland's d.
rection.
She wished he would not thrust his
company SO persistently upon her. AS
he knew how detestable his presence
was to her, she wondered he had not
the delicacy Of feeling to remain on
the veranda or to absent himself en-
tirely from her aunt's room for the
rest of the evening. But mott seem
ed as though he took delight in tor
menting her this evening, for, look
ing around again, she saw him still
standing by the table contemplating
the coffee cups in the most meaning
less fashion.
Evelyn gave little gesture of Inn
patience and marched boldly past him;
even if Falkland was annoying her, it
WouAN ASNSA w LII MAUI DkOWA W
suffer in consequence. With this OBJ
ject in view, she took up the cream
jug, and was trying to reach another
cup of coffee, when Falkland stretched
out his arm before her and placed one
into her hand.
For Major Brown, suppose?" he
Intercepted, with unusual Difference.
Evelyn murmured some word Of
thanks and turned away. But what
was it that arrested her attention?
What was it that made her start, bend
hastily towards the cup, and then,
growing whittier than ashes. look round
at Falkland?
by fair means" or "any means"
Those were the words he had uttered:
and now back in her ears they were
ringing, back in her ears she could
hear them changing, clashing. whilst
horrible idea struck her-an idea
which seemed almost to paralyze her.
(To be continued.)
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25

Senator Aldrich, in discussing the
gold standard bill from the Republican
standpoint, uttered the following re-
markable thought:
mo sane man believed for an in
slant that the opening Of our nints to
the free coinage of silver at the ration
of 16 to would raise the value of sill
yer bullion from its current CONNER
cial price to its mint price,"
When it comes to Value" there is
no intrinsic value Of any kind of bull
lion converted into money, not even
gold. In trust circles the value" of
a thing is the price that can be OBJ
tanned for it. So the w1ole of the
senator's argument amounts to the Gu
rious superstition that, with silver bull
lion raised to S1.29 per ounce at the
mint, people would still sell their silver
bullion at 60 cents. This is what the
silver producer is now uoing, and it
is what the Democratic party protests
against. If it be insanity to desire an
advance in the price of our most val
liable product, then the sooner we all
become insane the better for the coun-
try.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25
REASON FOR SUSPICION.

There appears to be grave reason
for the suspicious of the Kansas City
Times in referring to the great
bank. the National City bank,
which is to receive all of the govern
ment's internal revenue receipts, max
ing a clear profit of about $4,000 900
out of the fund. ADDED to it is the
other suspicion anent Mr.. Gage resign
ing his present Office as treasurer of
the United States and taking upon
himself the presidency OF that new
bank in which are Hanna, Rockefeller,
Morgan. Sloane, Mccall, Schif and
others. yet" says the Times, "why
should not Gage, at the beck of the
president, afford them the opportunity
of manipulating the millions of reye-
nue. taxes, wrung from the people for
the purpose of promoting the growth
of mi:itar.sm and prosecuting the plan
OF imperialism now in process of de-
velopment in the Philippines? Have
not these men given freely of their
money to the Hanna slush fund, by
whose potent hocus-pocus William l.
OF Asia and America was chosen to sit
on the throne? And, shall our noble
executive be recreant to the trusts
which elevated him? Shall he prove
ungrateful to his benefactors? Shall
he not SO distribute his favors that no
worthy and contributing plutocrat
shall ever become impoverished?
This bread which he now commands
his secretary of the treasury to cast
upon the waters will return to him be-
fore many days, when the presidential
campaign begins to warm up. Then
will the coal oil trust and it's moneyed
following throw into Hanna's slush
fund a liberal percentage of the mil
lions that Cages philanthropy has de-
livered into the vaults of the big bank
ing institution owned by the Standard
Oil magnates, trust monarchs and rail-
way barons, who are the main bene-
ficiaries and chief owners of Republi-
can prosperity and sole proprietors of
| prosperity's advance agent"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25

less evening Dress all her old feel
lngs OF incredulity came back to her
as forcibly as ever. She forgot any
doubts and suspicious that she had,
never for an instant remembered the
episode of the birthday book and the
strange maaoeuvres he had adopted
to secure specimen of her writing
and her signature, and with a decided
shake of her head put an immediate
veto upon Falkland's carefully work.
ed out plan.
"Then you refuse to do anything in
the matter? Really, Miss Luttrell, you
astonish met" observed Falkland, a
cynical smile curling his lips. But you
have tender heart, I suppose, and
dislike the thought Of your elegant
friend being provided with a suit of
broad arrows at the nations ex-
pense."
II refuse" returned Evelyn, her
head erect. her eyes flashing, Simply
because l am certain that Major Brown
is as innocent of forging that check
as"-pausing to add greater emphasis
to her words-"as you are!"
ooh, very well-there is nothing
more to be said, Supposed was Falk-
lands calm reply as he turned away
and, without even attempting to argue
the point further, walked across to the
other side of the room.
Evelyn looked after him with an air
of satisfaction, and then drew a sigh
of relief. She was agreeably surprised
by the way in which he had received
her refusal; knowing that he owed
the Major grudge from the very first
she had felt that, If he could annoy
him over anything he would assur-
eddy avail himself of the earliest op-
ing of this alteration of his manner.
considering how determined he had
been short time ago to secure that
check without an instant's delay? He
was taking her decided refusal to help
him in his scheme with wonderful
piacidity. Yes-he was too calm-far
too calm. He must have some other
plan In his head. Some other plan?
Clearly he was not the kind of man
to be so plainly baked.
The entrance of one of the walters
with tray of coffee cups diverted her
thoughts for a moment. Moving slow
ly towards the window again, she stood
gazing out on the starlit night. Lady
Howard, engrossed in an interesting
conversation with Major Brown, turn
ed with slight start at her approach.
us that the coffee at last, Evelyn?
You might bring it to us out here
the air is SO pleasant this evening.
Miss Luttrell drew a faint sigh. Re
turning to the small table where the
tray had been placed. she found Falk-
land lowering over the cups and sau-
GERS somNnRt uneasily. a sugar basin
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25
Numerous proverbs indicate how the

Numerous proverbs indicate how the
truth may be ascertained. "In vino
veritas." "Out of the fullness of the
heart the mouth speaketh," etc. Post
master General Smith, however, has
discovered it in a new place. At the
annual dinner of the New England So
ciety of Pennsylvania, given at Phila-
delphia on the 22d ult., that distin-
guished gentleman evolved from full
stomach that sit is only the second
time in the history of the republic that
a president has approached the end OF
his term with the practical assurance
of reelection" To be sure, this is only
one of many after-dinner witticisms
usually stripped of its prophetic seem.
ing by the pessimistic individual who
quotes scripture to the effect that en-
iquity hath lied unto ITSELF"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25
STATISTICAL LIES.

The ordinary weapons formerly used
by the father of lies to entrap mankind
are effete and childish. He has, how
ever, invented new device, which OPP
crates upon men like ay-paper on flies
1T catches them every time. In 'sta-
tistics" modern man will find his down
fall, particularly in that branch of sta
tistics known as financial" The dew
il scatters them in our midst, and we
struggle and grasp after them like
drowning ~ at straws. and every
man seize upon the wrong fact, and,
of course, makes wrong application
Of it. Anent this new disposition to
get wrong and then stick to it in spite
Of the truth, the Louisville Courier
Journal 4! q living example and .
Hpurfn1 nkU-nine montha
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25
CHAPTER XII.

ask him! Do you dream for one
noInent that shall ask him for it,"
evelyn opened her eyes in amazement.
she began to think she had perhaps
mace mistake in pretending she had
oeen an interested listener to the re-
cent conversation.
Certainly! Did you not understand
me! You have merely to say you
Wish for the check in order to com
pare It with your own signature, and
me rest becomes easy. Lady Howard,
you quite agree with me?"
And do you suppose that Major
browns = suspicious will not be aroused
at once?" exclaimed Evelyn, caring
nothing either for her aunt's or for
49, .nae.nH's opinion upon the subject.
4 e y ridiculous! 1t would be
worse than useless!"
oue' Eve dear. surely Mr.. Falk-
= ~ must know better than YOU"
,ae may, Of course: but, for all that,
= should not like ITO be the one to
make the attempt If YOU think vour
ia ~ VII, ~ answer though, why not ask
MAJOR Brown ourself?" she added,
u. .11s = somewhat indignant look
upon Gilbert Falkland. "You have al
ways disliked him; so you ought to
be satisfied now if there is chance
OF convicting him of forgery"
Yes, Miss Luttrell, you are right
1 had my suspicious of him from the
first" returned Falkland, rather Pc
culiar expression coming into his face.
u never dreamed. however, that they
would be so speedily realized. But, as
to your suggestion. would willingly
follow it if could. only it is ten to
one that where he would most prob
ably comply with one of your requests
mine would absolutely fail. But think
it over to yourself for half an hour.
Anyhow, we must do something to-
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25

there has been an international trade
/ balance in our favor upon the mer-
chandise and gold movement of ST.
100. 100000, or about $492,0OO,OOO. To
this must be added silver exports OF
SEE, 100000 yearly. This produces net
apparent value of considerably over
81 zoo, 100000, but this is subject to the
Invisible movement of exchange in
volved in the payment OF interest
abroad. freight charges, travellers ex-
penses, and so on.
How much of this has been settled
by the return of our securities from
abroad we cannot say. The amount
is large, but it cannot be figured out
with precision. Beyond question the
debt to us is large, and as we sts in
creasing our merchandise exports and
only moderately adding to our i'm
ports, there is no chance that we shall
become embarrassed even by the loss
of $4O,000,O0O or s50,0O0,0O0 on this
movement"
The vinegar in the molasses, the
trap, the pitfall and death blow to the
statistics is labeled with How much
of this has been settled by the return
of our securities from abroad we can
not say" The truth is, our tremen-
dous balance of trade has been wiped
out by the return of "our securities"
and instead of being creditor nation.
we are debtor, and paying our debts
in gold. Moreover, our debts are al
ways increasing. We are worse off
than the little Argentine republic,
which actually receives its balance of
trade in cash and not wind, and what
is paid her in gold is recouped by
drawing on us. We are the scape-
goats, the holders of the sack which
the whole world draws from and gives
us back "our securities
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25

night. Every moment is of conse-
quence, and We must secure it
II not by fair means-well, in such a
case as this suppose any means are
allowable!"
Evelyn's only answer was a deep
sigh as she rose slowly to her feet and
turned away with strange inexpli-
cable longing to be left alone to her
own thoughts, conflicting ones though
they were, to be worried by no more
cross-questioning or cynical taunts
concerning the man whom, despite her
short acquaintance with him and her
aunt's strong prejudices, she was be-
ginning to regard with something
which was not exactly mere interest.
No wonder, therefore. that this lat
est affair had been to her like blow,
that for the time being she was sim
NV stunned by the seriousness of the
discovery. She could hardly believe
that everything had been done with
one aim and object in view, that all
the Majors attentions. his numerous
little acts of kindness to both her aunt
and herself, had been part of a deeply
laid scheme. 1t was too terrible to
think how easily she had been duped,
how she had been carried away by his
we'll assumed courtesies, in many cases
falling readily into the traps which
had been so ingeniously contrived for
her. Yet, as she reviewed the past
two weeks, it seemed incredible to her
that it should really be so-that a
man who could commit such a DELHI
crate felony could at the same time
possess such fascinating manners and
appear, as he always did, so thorough
II at his ease.
1t was growing dark when Evelyn
reused herself YEARLY from her some
what harassing reveries, and turned
her footsteps in the direction of the
brilliant lamplight which was stream
Ing forth from Lady Towards room.
Her aunt had disappeared some time
previously, alarmed no doubt by the
heavily falling dew, and it was only
as the hour was struck by some dis
tant clock that Evelyn remembered
she would be waiting for her to make
her coffee.
Great was her establishment. how
ever, as she drew slowly nearer and
nearer, to hear the sound Of voices
and to behold not only her aunt. but
two other figures sitting in the shade
of the veranda. One was Falkland
she would have recognized his pale.
rather cadaverous-lookin face mile
away-and the other Oh it was abb
surd! She must be dreaming! 1t was
beyond the bounds of possibility! 1t
could not be Major Brown!
Whether 1t was beyond the bounds of
possibility or not. it was certainly the
Major who sprang Dup at her approach.
Who moved his chair to one side
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25

Unless we treat the trusts more ten.
derby they are liable to become objects
of charity. calling for public SUBJ
scription to save them. The Niagara
Falls Electric Light, Power, Heat and
Everything Else Company is very much
aggrieved at the presumption of a
Canadian electric light. etc., company
running streams of the electric fluid
across the river and discounting the
trade of the American company. It has
appealed to the powers at Washington
for protection, which, it is needless to
say, will be promptly awarded. The
people who pay the increased, monop-
oily price will continue to enjoy the
blessings of protection.
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25
Dewey Ealve.

From the New York Press: One OF
the big firms in the shopping district
decorated the front of it's store with
an immense portrait of Dewey and
beneath it placed the word "salve" in
large letters. A stranger in town.
much pleased at the decoration, open
ly expressed his admiration, but, be-
ing trifle short on Latin and not
understanding that "salve" meant
hail! instead of ointment. remarked
Indignantly: Don't you think it's a
pity that people will spoil fine pic
ture Of Dewey like that one by trying
to advertise with it poultice fol-
wounds and bruises?"
The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-25
and OF political corruption capitalism
seeks to become the fe>,dal lord OF the
nation
NO CAUSE FOR GRIEF.

So the trusts are on the point OF
moving into Canada? That Is the report.
and 1t bears the impress of truth from
the statement of representative Of
the dominion government, who recent
ly went TO New York to confer with
several trusts having their main offices
in that city. Broadfy stated, the rea-
son given is: Proposed antitrust
legislation and the rapid spread Of the
antitrust spirit"
I'VE despair" say the aggrleved
benefactors of the public, "of obtaining
favorable treatment through the en-
actment of federal laws, for the rea-
son that it would be necessary to
amend the constitution of the United
States before this could be DONE"
This is certainly deplorable condi-
ton, but If the trusts will possess their
souls in patience, Mr.. Mckinley, should
he be reelected, will at least attempt
to secure an amendment to the con-
stitution which will give the trusts
more latitude. At present he Is doing
everything in his power to accommo-
date the trusts by overstepping the
constitution. But the downtrodden
trusts go on with their declaration of
grievances.
I'VE are harassed and subjected to
petty annoyances in various states,
and by obtaining national charters
from the Canadian government we
would free ourselves from state in
reference, and could be sued in this
country only in the United States
COURTS
Here Is threat that unless the peo-
pie of the United States totally sur
render to the grasping monopolies they
will go to Canada and put themselves
beyond the reach of any interference.
What commentary upon the servility
of tie federal judiciary! What an apt
illustration of the encroachments Of
McKinleyism, which is another name
for American imperialism! 1t Is the
same subterfuge, deception and de-
fusion, as McKinley's attitude in favor
of silver. In short time the Repub-
lican press will be dampened with
tears at the wicked trusts, and holding
up the good and benevolent trusts for
our worship and to get votes. Does
any one suppose that a single trust
will move to Canada to avoid the anti
trust spirit? Not as long as Mckinley
is president and Mark Hanna his chief
counselor. The more one thinks the
matter over, the more he is persuaded
that it is ore of Mark Twain's witt
cisms.