davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
CHAPTER VI.
The Parting

The Parting
From that moonlight night when her
one great prayer had been refused. heg
wishes disrceartei. her eauest suppl
cation set aside, Ethel Gordon was
completely changed She had been
sny w.lltui and defiant she had eNer-
.lsrd her power with hllr-laughlng
enjoyment uf tt but now all was
altered saa had laid no tragic plans.
Do" .huugat of no revenge. SHE did not
assume the Mrs of tragedy-queen.
n1f II seemed as though the brightest
part of hor youth and beauty had faded
from her
Fin L.anu heard uo more those
sweet -npthDs of song which had once
charmed him $50 completely. ne heard
"H wnrn thg low, silyary laughter
"H.h Md been thp very ioy NJ his
ha' Ethel grow grave. calm. and
t.m.H.i DC went through her duties
sensual nut me laughing caprlces. the
""H''.'.s. the pretty. gay. graceful
NH'n THAT hnl seemed part of herself
"era nN Hw.ae now Sir Leonard
"'N.l at her sadly. as one might al a
eh. winged bird that had been
4rHN''HIN wounded
n.v" resumed the subject al
.N Conversations whaever Sin
##ur' sall SIZE listened 10 without
Was.a- n1 reply 90 hH
# N.at taa beauty ot ST InRt
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
PISCATOR DREAMS.

When city streets are dull and gray
And office hours are dull as they;
When, like a schoolboy back at school
| dream about the salmon pool.
Down from my mantelpiece | reach
The idle reel and make it screech
What glorious memories will be found
In that exhilarating sound
The freshness of the autumn breeze
That whistles through the rowan trees.
The moorland air; the grouse that
calls;
And, best of all, the spate that falls
The spate that, as it hurries by.
Bears down my realistic fly;
My Wilkinson. my silver Scott.
My yellow Doctor, or what not.
A specious morsel to invite
The salmon S jaded appetite.
Humor this folly to the full
And give my listless line a pull:
A sudden jerk, that | may feel
The thrill, and hear the whirring reel
May fight again those fights of mine
With strenuous rod and running line
| see him leaping over there,
A bar OF silver in the air;
| hear the onlookers pronounce
Him twenty pounds if he's an ounce.
His rushes and his sulks begin,
He struggles-but | always win.
never feel the sodden drag
That proves me broken round a snag.
Life may admit of griefs like these.
But in my dreamland to the lees
The chalice of delight I quaff, e.
And always bring him to the gaff
Pail Mall Gazette.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
EXHIBITS FOR THE FAIR.

Man who had to grind-no axes,
Chap who never growled at taxes;
Fellel-though with human nature,
Ran pot for the legislature;
Nutter- what d prize they'll make
him
Let no Office oyertake him.
Man he should have fame eternal,-
No one ever called him Colonel"
'Nuther-be his fame enduring.-
Paid his notes before maturing.
Best OF ALL though quite demented-
Fe)ler with this world contented,
Atlanta Constitution.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
BE CONSIDERABLE TO THE COOK

DO not expect too much OF the do
nestle, and never forget to give de-
served praise Preface each reQues
with If you please. and do not for
get the thank you Politeness be-
gets politeness; kindness. kindness,
and If they do not in your house bad
selection has been made. When giving
an order you need not say. Jane
please sweep the dinins-room That
Is her regular work But II she mus.
stop during the sweeping and run up
stairs to bring something. ask ii rs
favor and acknowledge il as such r.
Ladies Home Journal
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
DEAD BOOKS OF THIS DECADE.
Where Are The Heavenly Twins, The
Prisoner of Zenda and TriIby?

Prisoner or Zenda ana IrllbyI
The decade which is now nearing
it's end will be found | think, when
looked at retrospectlvely, to have been
the most sterile decade of the whole
century whose close It's marks" writes
Harry Thurston Peck, in Ainslee's.
1t is a decade in which some eminent
authors have finished their careers
and in which other eminent authors
have deteriorated and sunk TO the
level Of the commonplace, but in which
scarcely one author has arisen to do
original and splendid work imbued
with vitality that is sure to make
it live throughout the years that are
TO come.
Take fiction, for example Robert
Louis Steyenson's career laps over so
as to include the first four years OF our
decade yet in those four years he
wrote nothing that can be ranked
with is best work; for one cannot con-
slider David Balfour to deserve place
beside Kidnapped of which 1t is a
sequel Henry James is still among
our living authors, and is still indus
triously writing. yet of him 1t also
may be said that his most character
istic and most enduring work was
written more than ten years ago.
Since 1890 though he still shows us
his continued possession of the quail
ties that have made him so exquisite
master of social psychology, he
never reaches now the level of The
American The Europeans, and The
Point of View, while in criticism and
miscellaneous writing he has OF late
done practically nothing In fiction
by Americans there is also nothing
which both belongs to this decade and
at the same time to the permanent
records of literature. Mr. Howells,
| like his literary congener, Mr..
James. is sdl producing novels; but
They are novels written rather for en-
tertainment than for fame, and the
1.-TWO books Of his which best deserve to
iHve-A Modern Instance and The Rise
/ of Silas Lapham-belong to an carrier
period of his career In order TO see
| how thoroughly ephemeral the fiction
of the past ten years has been, 1t is
necessary only to call TO mind few
Of the books that enjoyed at the time
Of their publication tremendous
vogue There are, for example, The
Heavenly Twins, Ben Hur ne Red
Badge of Courage, The Prisoner OF
IZenda. Trllby, Beside the Bonnie Brier
Bush. QUO Vadis, and more recently
King Noanett and Hugh Wynne. Any
one of these at the time when it first
Iappeared would have been described
/ bv thousands of readers as a genuine
addition TO the literature that viii
last But who thinks Of any of them
in that way now? They entertained
or they amused: they served their pur-
nose, they have already ceased TO be
sold. and, to all intents and pur-
poses. they are forgotten
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
DEMAND FOR CONVICT LABOR.

At Atlanta CGaD dispatch says:
There is big boom in the value of
state convicts. This is made plain by
the fact that within the past day or
two 4 deal has been made by which
lin Smith, the extensive farmer and
prominent convict lessee of Oglethorpe
county, has sold all of his state con-
victs TO James w. English, Jr., Of At
lanta. Mr. Smith has been a lessee
of state cOnvicts for nearly 20 years
and TO hear thar he has retired from
the business will be unexpected news
to the public, While the price he re-
ceiycd for his convcts is not given
out il is known that he sold out his
holdings at a handsome profit. Recent
ly there has been strong demand for
state convicts, and the lessees under
the new system are anxious to get all
the men that they can, even at ad-
vanced prices, The activity in the
coal, iron and lumber markets causes
a big demand for this class of labor
which, it is generally understood, is
the very best that can he had. due
to the fact that a lessee gets six
days fun time out OF his convicts
every week, rain or shine This makes
them valuable, and viii continue to
keep them So
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08

taking. They utilize the wide level
fields and get from a few acres as
much as ordinarily they could from a
quarter section by the usual course OF
farming. The object of the crop being
| to secure seed, they do not give the
tillage necessary in producing melons
for market, but, nevertheless, have
enormous yields The crop is planted
from the middle of May to June 20,
and is, after being cultivated, well ir-
rigated TWEEN a dry season three
times As the season progresses the
melons grow so large that there Is no
possibility of horse cultivation, and
\ the farmer simply waits for the ripen-
ing which comes in the latter part of
August up to September 20.
During this month is the threshing
, "a unique experience on the plains.
/ Two kinds of machines are used, both
on the same principle-one run by
hand and the other by horse power
The latter is more common. and may
be seen in operation on any of the
melon patches. The thresher has for
its basis large cylinder, from the
surface Of which project many small
iron spikes, intended TO tear and break
the melon The cylinder is set at the
bottom of the hopper into which the
melons are thrown from the wagons
Leading from the cylinder is a large
e-bottomed inclined carrier over
which the mingled melon pulp and
rinds are worked, the finer portion,
with the seeds. passing through and
falling to the ground, the rinds and
pieces of vines being shoveled out to
a heap as refuse
The melons are cut several days be-
fore the threshing. and are allowed to
begin to decay. so that they may be
more easily broken and the seeds come
out with less difficulty. The pulp
which comes through the sieve is
placed in a vat or tank, where water
is added and the whole mass is Jeff
to ferment. In this process the seeds
sink to the bottom and Il G pulp which
remains on top is Labeled OF, the
seeds washed, then spread on sheets
in the sun to dry. The pile of rinds,
when it becomes too large for COM
fort is not moved-the threshing ma
chine is changed to a new location
The machine is run easily by two
horses with a tumbling rodattachment
The seeds are sold to Chicago and
eastern wholesale dealers. The price
varies from to - cents a pound, this
year being rather low on account of
the large yield The yield to the acre
runs from $50 to 300 pounds, which,
as the land is worth only S. or less,
makes a good return With an income
of S25 and the cost of raising esti-
mated at SIS to $12 an acre, giving fair
wages for all work. this makes one of
the most profitable crops that the
western Kansas prairie lands can
raise. In addition to the melons
threshed for seed there are few hun
dred to be sold for eating, often MAX
ing quite an addition to the returns of
the year 1t is estimated by the farm
ers engaged that the crop is far better
than any of the grains when the price
is an average one. as tire is seldom
failure
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
BERTHA M. CLAY.



/ will make it all up to yau; | VIII
give you ali the love OF my heart;
VIII study your happiness in every
way; | will think Of nothing but you,
/ viii learn to be the most prudent the
most discreet, the most careful Of
! housekeepers. | will learn to be any
/ thing you wish From the very depths
Of my heart / pray you, dear papa, 70
grant me this grace.
/ Her voice was 50 earnest, her face so
I eloquent, that Sir Leonard was deeply
/ moved.
My dear Ethel, | really cannot ac-
cede to your wish; the arrangement is
made, and it must be adhered to-"
Il have never knelt to ask anything
Of you before, papa, and, if you refuse,
! never shall again. Out of the depths
OF my heart, with all the love and
earnestness have, ! beg you to think
again before you decide irreyocably.'
He was deeply distressed, and, for a
moment, the possibility of acceding to
her wishes occurred to him Then the
fair face Of Helen Digby came before
him, and the warnings that had been
given TO him about Ethel's untutore1
ways and willful manner returned to
him with redoubled force.
Ethel, watching his face intently,
saw there no answer to her petition.
She chung more closely to him. and
laid her hand on his.
DO listen to me, papa. ! can see
life before me, as It were, and | am
frightened to think Of what will be-
come of me If am made miserable; it
Is partly to save myself that am here
now cannot brook control I could
not obey a stranger / could not love
any one who took my dead mothers
place ! could not bear constraint
now"
She paused one-half minute, for the
passion of her words exhausted her
"No good would come OF H. papa,
she cried The Gordons never bore
control we'll. and l have a sure pre-
sentiment that evil would follow. My
life would be dark and dreary For my
sake give 1t mp, and trust to me-
Sir Leonard took the young girl in
his arms; he was pale and grave a. the
moonlight showed him her beautiful
face, wet with tears, and her lips quiv-
ering
Ethel, he said, with grave tender
ness, when you were a little child, If
you had asked me for a sharp sword
as plaything, do you think | should
have given It to you?"
No, she replied; certainly not
Now YOU ask me TO place in your
hands that which would be more de-
structiye to you than a sharp sword |
cannot do IT, cannot consent to
leave you alone, and / shall carry out
my plan of marrying that you may
have the guidance Of a good and wise
woman"
The pride that flashed in her face
seemed quickly to dry her tears She
turned haughtily away from him.
You have refused my first petition,
papa | shall never ask another. I tell
you that evil will come of it. and / will
prove 10 YOU that it would have been
wiser and better TO have left me
alone"
i hope YOU will DO nothing rash.
Ethel nothing in the first impulse Of
anger"
II shall ave TO- hear YOU say, papa.
that the most unfortunate day OF my
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
MELON rHREsHING TINE.
New Industry Among the Farmers on
the Kansas Plains.

This is watermelon year In Kansas.
The fields that seem good for nothing
I'm ordinary seasons are producing
great. luscious melons that are the
wonder OF the local newspapers, and
furnish more retreshment than the
gatherings on the rear steps OF the
courthouse can dispose. Prices which
early IN the season were % cents
straight" have gone down and down
as the melons grew larger and more
numerous. until they have become
1.-TWO for a nickel" or anything tina
the buyer would give The melons
have attained to an enormous size too.
Whole wagonloads in which the mel
ons average so pounds in weight. are
common in the central ard western
towns willie the king melon raised at
Clifton and carefully shipped 10 the st.
Louis market. is said 70 have weighed
i07 pounds
The sand hills that are found tn
many Kansas counties have been the
hest producers These sections are
worthless for corn, and make only fair
farm lands under the best ciroum-
stances But when melons are planted
there Is almost no end To the numhe.
that will be produced
The melon raising industry here
has taken a new form. There are not
enough people 20 eat huuaredth part
IN the number that is grown, bus The
farmers raise them for the seed
rhe men who raise melons for the
seed find 4 a very profitable under
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
RUBBER GATHERERS IN BRAZIL.
The L. S. Wilmington Explores the
Amazon River

by studying on a map OF Brazil
you can see that the Para river ex-
tends almost due west, south OF the
Island of Marajo, to a network OF
narrow streams, known as the Passes
which connect the Para with the ANA
ION. These numerous channels are
from seventy to $50 yards in width
and some of them are navigable for
vessels Of eighteen or twenty feet
draft These passes are interesting
enough TO those traversing them in
small craft, but to the officers and
sailors of such steamers as the Y. s
5. Wilmington they are trebly so. AT
night here is little to arrest the at
tention other than the weird, dark
shapes Of the banks, which ever seem
close aboard The land being low and
ilat, and the trees near the waters
edge, 1t seems as if the ship has for
saken her natural element and is run
ming overland on invisible wheels
When daylight comes in a sudden
burst of light like the unheralded
fash Of the theater's illumination.
there is revealed on each side of the
narrow channel the forests solid wall,
exposing TO view a panorama of over
hanging vines, of ereepers and foliage
and branches brilliant with the multi
tudious hues of tropical vegetation.
There is strange chattering OF
animal life and a whirr of winged in
sects. The disordant cries of myriad
parrots echo from the trees. There is
human life, too. Here and there en-
powered in the jungle can be seen lit
tie wooden huts witt thatched roofs
and sides open to the cooling winds
These are the homes of the rubber
sltherers, who labor day in and day
out collecting the milky sap of the
Heyea brasiliensis. This rubber
gathering is interesting. and the Will
mingtons crew watch curiously as
the winding channel reveals little
groups of natives at work along the
edge of the stream.
Those on board who have read the
descriptions tell others of the manner
IN which the half-naked Indians labor,
OF how each family works what is
called an estrada, or street, path
through the forest. which embraces as
many rubber trees as can be con
Veniently tended, Of how these trees
are slit with machete and a cup
htted in the cut to catch the sap ana
OF the manner in which the owner
makes his daily round and brings to
mis- hut the collected juice.
There is also interest in the de-
scription Of its next stage VIXEN the
sap is dipped up by stick aud re-
VOWED over a smoky fire. The smoke
causes each layer to coagulate on the
stick. and when the desired amount is
formed ii is removed and made ready
for shipment These balls of crude
rubber usually weigh in the neighbor-
hood of twenty-five pounds, and are Of
a dark, lustrous hue. 1t was a move
experience. this visit of the Whining
ton 5 crew TO the home OF the rubber
satherers, and the closest attention
was paid to the eyerchanging scenery
as the white cruiser steamed slowly
along through the Passes From
Ainslee's.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
CREAMERY YARN

Hardacre tells some awful yarns
Has he new one?"
Yes | asked him why he built his
new dairy facing east Guess what he
said"
Cant imagine'"
Said ne wanted the yellow rays
from the rising sun to stream in and
give a yellow tint 10 the butter
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
GAYErY UNDER DIFFICULTIES

Pat Riley one-leEged man. az
tended a dance at West Columbia
While dancing his wooden leg ace
IDENTIFY went through a ku0thelz in the
floor. delaying she dance. L was re-
leased With difficulty ana the dance
went on Weston ~ va Demo
crat
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08

III st. Louis following an operation
Tor appendicitis Or D VI Harris, ed
tor Of the 81 Louis Observer, del
To MAS formerly vice president ~ ! n
coin university Harr,s was well
known throughout Illinois
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
TO ADVERTISE

Larry BE hivins. It's a wonder
British proivates dout ait mixed
Denny Phoy shud they2"
Larry For III raison thot iFeFt
mon is named Tommy Atkins
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
CHAPTER "
Ethers Appeal

gpfber satisfied with MS daughter IA
had seen an expression OF pain on Mis-.
Dsqbys face that annoyed him. We
ne knew that the more he said Il
Ethel the more 81 affected her
ought 70 have married years ago,
nc said TO himself, and then Ethe
would have been accustomed to obedl'
enas. II VIII be difficult % manage hen
now
He found the task even more difficult
than he bad anticipated. Ethel had
been thinking seriously and the more
she pondered over the whole affair, the
greater became her dislike to It.
Il must make one more effort" she
thought; % will make one more appeal
70 my father. If he refuses TO near me,
let il be so; IL he consents, then all the
love of my life will hardly suffice to re-
pay him.
She was silent and thoughtful dur
ing the remainder of the day. Sir
Leonard watching her, wondered as to
the nature OF her reflections.
rs she making up her mind to obey,
or 10 revolt he said to himself; but
even he was not prepared for what she
did
The same evening Sir Leonard was
sitting alone In his own study-a room
that he should have used for the pur-
poses Of reading and writing, but
which was more often devoted to
cigars and meditation The night was
so fine, the balmy afr 50 sweet, that he
had lowered the lamps, had opened
wide the long French windows, had
drawn the chairs together Ia order that
me might lounge All his easeand sat en-
joylng the luxury Of a choice Havana.
The moonlight fell on tree and
flower, ON silent fountains. and deep,
clear lake moonlight so bright, so sill
very hat II was far more beautiful
than The light of day The dew lay
like shining diamonds on grass and
leaf The night wind was laden with
the perfume OF ne~-mown hay in the
valley, Of the hawthorn in the hedges
tn the woods nightingale was sing
ing. aud the faint sweet notes fell
clearly on sir Leonard's ear. the stars
We're cleaning In the sky 1t was one
Of those nights that awake all the po-
etry in the depths Of a mans soul
Sir Leonard thought of many things
as he sat there of the high-boru Lady
Angela. who had been dead so many
years Of the beautiful, proud, imperi-
ols daughter whom he had loved as
y4fh.rq ali,p, i.y. thaIr ylFilrlu- 1F
The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1900-11-16
women.

Rural free mail delivery is the most
striking extension of postal facilities
brought about in the past four years.
On June l, 1900, there were 1900 rural
services in actual operation, and 1000
applications for an extension of the
system then in process of establish
ment. The appropriations for the
rural free delivery service have been
increased from $50, 900 in the fiscal year
1878 to S150,0OO in 1889, then to
$3.50, 900 in ls99-19O0, and lastly to ST.
100000 for the present fiscal year.
Three years experience has shown
that in well-selected rural districts the
mails can be distributed to the dom
iciles of the addresses or in boxes
placed within reasonable distance OF
the farmers home at some crossroad
or other convenient spot at a cost per
piece not exceeding the free delivery
in many cities.
The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1900-11-16
RETURNS TO FIND WIFE WED.
missionary Then Decides That He
Will Go Back TO the WiIds
of AIaaka

Like one risen from the dead, James
Chapman made his appearance in Ak
ron. o., the other day. alive and well,
and with purse well filed with Klon-
dixie gold. Eighteen years ago Chap
man left Akron. His home life had
not been particularly happy, and he re-
solved 10 go to Alaska as a missionary
among the Indians. His wife consent
ed and agreed to care for the children.
Time passed and the husband did not
return. He had written regularly for
some time. but finally his letters wholly
ceased and his wife concluded he was
dead. Two years ago she was married
to Charles X. Ives.
In the meantime Chapman had
worked among the Indians. prospect
ing for gold when he had opportunity.
Three years ago he joined the rush TO
the rich new fields of the frozen north
and cleared up several thousand dol
lars. He planned to come to Akron and
resume his domestic relations and vii h
his wealth assist in forge etting The past
On his arrival Chapman learned of
his wife's second marriage from her
own lips. Almost without a word he
left the house, and after a visit in the
country with friends will return to
Alaska.
The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1900-11-16
Indian snake JuggIers.

Capt. r. H. Ellitt. who has been for
some time conducting researches into
the nature and action Of snake venom
in India, has arrived at the following
conclusions: First, the snake men of
South India arc certainly ignorant of
anv method of producing Of them
selves nightly developed condition of
immunity; second. some few Of them
appear to practice the swallowing of
venom or the Injunction of venom into
their limbs. but it is doubtful If they
thus obtain some degree of immuniza-
ton; third, they confine themselves al
most exclusively to the cobra and es-
cape harm by their intimate knowledge
of the methods of handling this snake.