davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1901-05-12

few minutes later, Josephine said: Il
heard where you were last evening.
Grandin shook his head sadly What
a small place big hotel is, he said.
Are you anxious to make yourself still
more unpopular with my father?"
4 wanted to see what sort of step
mother-in-law 1 was likely to have. that
was all.
What do YOU think of herr"
Il agree with YOU. She won't do at all
Something must be-by JOve, where Is
that paper2 Let me have 1t for awhile.
will you2 ] have an idea
FIe took the paper and went of in
search of the widow. whom ne presently
found sitting alone She liked attentions
from young men, and Grandin was de-
lightful talker.
\ second letter from a G. W., which
I arrived a day or two later. conveyed to
the colonel some information about MI
Grandin that caused him TO open wide his
eyes and whistle softly to himself The
colonel was not exactly wOTShiper OF
wealth but he found it easy to respect
man who was worth several times as
much money as he was, and he started
out Immediately to apologize. and make
amends. In his search he came upon the
widow. bOnneted and clOaked and accom-
panied by her maid.
"Good-by," she cried airiIy. I am Of. -
"Ofi" exclaimed the colonel In aston
ishment. He had seen but little Of her
during the last few days. but had sup
posed that was due to accident.
Yes; to the Pizarro and then back
last. SDG Ssilu Otllk YOU anu EFtAi
dear daughter and sister for being so
kind to me. Her manner was patroniz-
ing. not to say cOntemptuous, and the
colonel. who had grown accustomed TO
her soft. cOnfding ways. was too ass
founded to do anything except stare at
her as she vanished down the corridor.
Mr. Grandin would listen TO no apollo
gies or explanations. but grasped the colo
neIs hand and shook it warmly.
THAT newspaper story, said the colo
mel was a fake. / did not lose anything
in the Blue Elephant"
You didn't. cried Mr.. Grandin. And he
No said the colonel. And ne ex-
planned how and. why he had secured its
publication. At this Mr Grandin laughed
a good deal more
@You see. said "a colonel Il have
always had a horror of a marriage in my
family with any kind of a mercenary ele-
ment in il. II such marriage could be
avoided by a little ruse like that. 1
thought / would be justified in resOrting
to ii. Don't you agree with me?"
Mr.. Grandin laughed again. but he said
that he entirely agreed with the colonel
He had heard of the widows departure
little while before. and he knew that that
danger was passed. He reserved his part
OF the confession however until some 9TH
er occasion when it might be needed.-Ar-
gonaut
The times., 1901-05-12

Moisture everywhere was licked Up. ri
nally the eyes, ncstrils. threat, and skin
aud much suffering ensued. But epidem-
les and other diseases which depend upon
moisture for their development vanished
like mist before the wind.
Great floods were attributed in early
days TO cometary influence II has even
been offered that at the time of the great
food, in which Noah figured so conspicu-
ousiy. the cause OF Ii was due to a comet
of huge proportions which had come very
close to the earth. Every time a comet
appears there is talk about the earth run
ming into comet and various specuia-
tiOnS are discussed as 10 the probable ef-
feet on society if that event should take
place. Affairs would at least be on a
more social level In 1873 there was a large
comet visible throughout the United States
which lasted for several weeks. When It
disappeared beyond the horizon ii was
followed by lighting up Of the heavens.
which lasted well on into the night Some
of the most marvellous northern light
phenomena took place night after night
for a considerable period after the comet
had disappeared. Somehow the report got
abroad that these illuminations were due
TO the tail of that comet through which
the earth was then passing. There WAS
another large comet of great brilliancy
which appeared to view in this country in
1860. and to many minds the assa ssination
OF President Lincoln was inspired by its
NlSitauoh. rms was revival or the
ancient superstition mentioned above. and
IS interesting as showing the teuacity of
superstition
There is. perhaps, no science which has
made greater strides during the last cen
tury than astronomy, and yet, in respect
to the nature and composition of cometary
bodies, little advance has been made.
Mankind IS still in the wonder stage, that
stage SO conducive to superstition in
which supernatural agencies come so ma
turally as explanations of natural phe-
nomena. when positive knowledge is lack
ing. Popular curiosity will never be sat
isfed with theorizing We want TO know
We are animated Interrogation points We
viii not be satisfied until we know why
some comets have an elliptical orbit and
why others have a parabOlic one. and why
the latter may for brief moment shoot
athwart the heavens and then shoot off
again into infinite space and disappear
never to return but go on forever into
endless space without cessation and with
out end. The thought is bewildering and
fatuously fascinating to public curiosity
which cannot be satisfied with theory
The world-old question is still with us
What is a comet?
The times., 1901-05-12
HE KEPT POLICEMEN BUSY.
Triumph of the American saloon
Man i'm MeNiep
From the Monterey OLexicol News.)

(FrOm the Monterey (NeXicO) News.)
About 9:l5 o'clock Friday evening two
Mexicans under the influence of drink be-
came boisterous in the Cantina Ameri-
cana. and the proprietor, ]. B. Alstat or
dered them out. They refused to go and
had 10 be fOrcibly elected. During the
rumpus a policeman came in and, as ne
unfairly sided against the salOOnkeeper
was also thrown out with the brawlers
The policeman came back. however with
two other officers, and entered the place
from a private door. as the main entrance
had been locked Then followed a scene
that kept the four men very busy. The
police set upon Alstat, using their clubs
and wea Dons to force him into submits
sion. As fast as they came up to him,
however. he would pile them on the floor,
and at one time all three were in a heap
in the corner Numbers and weapons
juzgadO. The authorities Investigated the
affair and Immediately discharged Alstat
and sent the three brutal police to the
penitentiary where they now await
final trial The city will also pay Mr.. Al
stats doctor bill and be liable for all dam
ages at the saloon.
The local government deserves full cred
it for their fairness in handling the case,
and are also to be commended for their
promptness in the matter Mr.. Aistat
will carry his wounds for some time to
come but he can derive some satisfaction
in knowing that he can carry them Wher-
ever he wants to. which is more than the
Jailed policemen, who also have few, can
do at present.
The times., 1901-05-12

a soft Grape shawl over her rounded
shoulders, and she was busy over
beaded purse.
She scarcely looked up from her work
as he approached and seated himself at
her side. Are you going to play2" she
asked. and he replied according 10 the
regular formula: Presently. May l sit
Certainly" She looked innocently be-
yond him toward the alley. Did your
daughter come down with you?' Miss
Josephine never played.
She has gone fishing with her aunt and
the rest of them. Why didn't you go,
too?'
As a matter of fact the widow had not
been asked. Il do not care for fishing,
she said, and as she did so she baited her
hook with sweet smile and threw it out
toward him. The colonefs old heart gave
youthful jump, and his hand trembled a
little as he readjusted his eyeglasses.
Il took pains TO find out whether you
were to be of the party said he, 'and
when ! found you were noT going | de-
cided that l did not care for fishing my
self" "
This was nibbling at rather close range.
but the widow pretended not to notice it.
She did not lift her long eYelashes even
the hundredth part of an inch, which gave
all the better opportunity TO admire them.
Ana through the whole morning he cir
cled round and round the bait but he did
not bite, perhaps by reason of an instinct
that had come down to him from the gay
days of his youth and perhaps because
SHe was not ready to land fllm yet.
1t is about a half mile from the boat
landing to the entrance of the Balboa AS
the fishing party walked this distance one
small detachment consisting of Miss jose
phine and Mr. Grandin. fell so far be-
hind and moved so slowly that even the
sympathetic Aunt Harriet glared fierceIy
at them as they came up on the steps.
Mr.. GTandin was another who did not
care much for fishing He was saying:
People were altogether too thick in that
beastly little boat. | have not had word
alone with YOU all day
Anything to say?"
Only the same thing.
You may say it just once
Il love you"
Walk faster | can see my father look
ing at lis from the corner Of the piazza 4"
And the widow is with hm-your step
mamma that is 20 be. ~.
Don't you dare to say 1t. If | thought
so, / would marry the first man that ask
ed me"
Il will be the first"
''Oh. Mrs. Fuller, we have had such
lovely day. Mr.. Grandin and | stopped
to see if we could arrange to have all
the fish we caught sent to the poor peo-
pie"
Next morning letter and a newspaper
lay beside the colonels plate when he
came down to breakfast q little IN adj
vance of his daughter and sister. He rec
ognized the same address on both. that
The times., 1901-05-12

the colonel. you can't lure me into for
bidding things so as to make it interest
ing. ] am merely giving you a little TIP,
DOdie my dear, because ! love you
Miss Josephine flung herself over the
arm Of the cOloneFs chair and put her
arms about his neck. oh, dad love
YOU too. Sometimes | almost wish that
there wasn't any money for us to get all
mixed up about"
stick to that almost Dodie.'
And say. dad. You don't mind me CIV
ing you a tip. do y0u?'
The colonel looked little uncomfort-
able.
It's about the widow. you know;
Whom do you mean2' he asked with
dignity, Mrs. Bronson
WHO else? You are not interested IN
more than one widow, are you? heard
the other day that her first was a butch
er. Think of 1.-THE poor little lamb!
He was a Kansas City meat man,
said the colonel Indignantly, and i
should think you and your aunt might
find something better TO spend your time
in than gossip.
Whenever the conversation shifted to
the subject of the widow, Captain Talbot
felt himself at great disadvantage, as
is always the case with simple innocence
when II is called upon TO face adroit in
situation and the suspicion that turks IN
tone rather than in the spoken words
It is true that he admired Mrs. Bronson,
for she was pretty and dressed in modest
becoming style, and she was bright and
entertaining talker. Yes. he must admit
that he liked her best OF all the women
az the Balboa. The others who were of
suitable age for cOmpanionship were too
dun or were taken up with daughters or
devoted TO complaining husbands.
Her father had been a Loyal Legion
man. as he was, and she could remem-
ber something of the war, just enough
for him to fix her age as fifteen years less
than his own, and thus gave one fruit
ful topic Of conversation. She admired
Scott and Dickens and dsdained the new
stuff, as he did. LOngfellow was her ia
vorite poet-and his. Her tastes and in
tcrests were simple and domestic, yet she
was greatly diverted by the colonels 5 eX-
perience in business and politics. The
other women were civil to her, but dis
tant. This may have been due to the
suspicious hints let fall by Josephine and
her aunt, or it may have arisen simply
from the fact that she was a widow. All
single women and most married ones
think that the widow should take her
place at the funeral pyre beside the body
of the husband, after the Indian fashion.
When the fishing party had departed
the next morning the colonel betook him
self TO the bowling alley, whittier none
but a few old enthusiasts ever came. At
one end of the long room in a little alcove
there was a window that locked out over
the ocean. The widow was fond of this
quiet, secluded spot, and on days when
Josephine and her aunt were away the
colonel usually found her there. She had
The times., 1901-05-12
Cast in the wrong Role.
From the philadelphia Record1


DR.. Joseph Walsh. of the University
cf Pennsylvania. saw the Passion Play
at Oberammergau, and one evening last
week he entertained a party of friends
with his impressions OF the spectacle.
"One day while We were staying there,
he said my sister and / were standing
on a bridge that crossed a stream, when
we noticed a picturesque Tyrolean
peasant on the bank. He was big
handsome feilow-as handsome a specl-
men of physical manhood as | think l
have ever seen. He saw that we were
watching him. and he returned the COM
pliment by sizing us UP. and smiling.
Ny sister was carrying parasOl. and
this slipped from her hand and fell into
the stream below The big peasant.
without a moments hesitation, waded
out into the water, rescued the parasol
and returned it 70 US. we learned later
that he was one of the Passion Play ac-
tors. taking the character of St john
Quite an interesting experience. wasn't
ft?" "Oh. I don't know remarked one
of the doctors friends, whose bump of
veneration is not largely developed. If
had been telling the story / should
have made the fellow play the part Of
St. Peter In that case he might have
simply walked out on the water for the
parasOl instead of wading in and getting
wet"
The times., 1901-05-12
PLEDGES AT THE PAwNsHoP.
\ Spreading Habit of Hypothecating
Personal Effects.
(From The New York Tribune.)

Americans are always adopting the
| tricks and manners of Europe, but they
I usually fasten upon those which are SEN
sible and picturesque. Ii is an open queS-
tion, however. how far the pawning habit
Will spread in this country. Several wom-
en- have II already, and declare that they
are making converts. The Mont de Piete
in Paris, for instance. is a highly respec-
table institution, much patronized by all
classes. Students who need money just
before their remittanceS from home come
in, or who want to help a friend who has
already visited too often ma tante' lit
is the aunt and not the uncle who Keeps
the French pawnshop), thinks nothing of
stroieng round 10 the Mountain of Piety
and dcpositing spare vaiuables. In this
country the pawn ticket has been looked
upon as a badge of shame, but once in a
while an original spirit, returning from
Europe keeps up the old happy lucky
custom here. One woman, who lives near
the so-called charity pawnshOp in
Twenty-first Street, discoursed openly of
her habit the other day.
Why not?'' said she. Il make my liv-
ing, and fairly good one, too, by draw
ing things for the magazines. / have no
salary, but average $50 week, more or
less. For three weeks 1 may take in very
little, then $50 Will come in lump. Now,
if ] have $50 | am not going to economize,
and by the time / have sent off some to
my little sister and bought a hat and
treated the girls to the theatre and had
a few jolly little lunches l am broke
again. My sketches have been accepted
all right, and it is only a matter Of days.
So off ! go to the charity pawnshop,
which is as nice as nice can be, and put
up anything l can spare. The other day,
for instance, / was reduced rather low,
but had enough to keep me going until
my check came in, when / got letter
from Aunt Maria, saying she would be in
New York for a few days shopping
Aunt Maria lives in one-horse town
and is the iolliest old soul that ever was
born. To have her come here and not
delight her soul with wild and reckless
dissipation in the shape of table dhote
lunches with wine (and perhaps, even a
cocktail, for my venerable aunt is equal
to anything) is quite out of the question
So my watch and my best ring were
promptly offered up on the altar of my
devotion to Aunt Maria. Yesterday | put
her on the train for home. blissfully
happy at the riotous living of the last
week. Would you have me make
that dear creature forego the sowing of
wild oats in her old age? Or would you
have me bother my friends by borrowing
in the orthodox style? No indeed At
the pawnshop / pay my 10 or 20 cents for
the convenience, nobody is wiser and no.
body is put out in the least II is the
best plan. What do you say? 1t would
be better If | didn't spend the $50 the mo-
ment / got it? | suppose il would be the
wisest plan, but YOU have to consider the
artistic temperament. For that the pawn
shop IS the comfort and stay. Try my
plan and you'll see what fun it is
The times., 1901-05-12

ably have oerished from exposure and
hunger. The hunters conducted the party
back 10 safety.
Finally PBtten settled in Wisconsin and
was married. Hardly a month LATER the
civil war broke out. and he enlisted la the
Third Wisconsin and served until the
close OF the war. being. as he states
chief of the United States scouts when the
South gave up the struggle.
For years he afterward led wander
ing life. as trapper and prospecter.
The umbrella hat. which excites so much
curiosity. he invented while in Mexico
where he once engaged in mining The
mosquitoes were troublesome and Patten
devised the headgear as protection
against them. The hat was so convenient
that he concluded il was the acme OF civ
ilization IN this line and permanently
adopted It,
At present Patten earns his living by
mending broken china and bric-a-Drac
by a method OF his own. He has a pen
sion. He has lived here about a year.
The times., 1901-05-12
THE COLONIES RUSE.

The winter climate Of California Is very
delightful, especially at the great Hotel
Balboa but even there clouds are not uH-
known. and storms occur al times. Simi-
lariy the relationship between Colonel
Talbot and his daughter Josephine was
said by their sentimental friends to be
beautiful one for they loved each other
devJtedly and were seldom separated.
nevertheless il had It's periods Of disturb
ance when they failed 70 agree and when
each spoke freely according TO the family
custom.
The colonel was man Of large means,
whose home was IN an eastern city. he
had taken a suite Of rooms in the Bal
boa for the winter for a party which CON
sisted OF himself his daughter, aged
twenty-three, and his sister, matron
OF about his own age. There was also
maid
The season was about half over when
the trouble between the colonel and Miss
Josephine began. The storm centre at the
outset was certain Harry Grandin. Some
time later a second area Of disturbance
was created around a widow, a Mrs.
Bronson, but this was declared bS1 the
colonel not TO be a genuine casus belii,
but merely d counterirr!tant and an at
tempt 10 get up a side issue.
According 20 the material provided at
that time or which TO base a judgment
Harry Grandin was either a handsome
fellow, with exquisite manners, who could
talk 70 your very soul and whom all the
other girls wanted, or he was a pestifer-
Gus nuisance that no one knew anything
about, fortune hunter most likely. who
should be run of the place il the colonel
had his way about IL And the widow.
from the same sources, was either a sly,
designing creature that pencied her eye
lashes and pretended not 20 know that
she was flirting, or She was an estfma bic
person, who minded her own affairs and
was nothing TO the colonel nor he to her
and who ought not to be dragged into this
matter
1t seems very strange" said Josephine,
that the person i love best In all the
world. my own father, is the only one that
thinks l am perfect fright"
The times., 1901-05-12

Hide it." said her aunt.
Indeed ! shall not | intend that ne
shall see il first of all
Good morning Mrs. Blake. Good
morning. Miss Talbot May l sit here2
l did not see you ladies anywhere last
'FWe played -porrazo, in our. rooms with
the colonel and Mr.. EdmundS. 10 you
play 'porrazo.' Mr.. Grandin?
4 tried it once, Mrs. Blake, but 1 90
not approve of a game where you lay
down "A card and say 'porrazo with great
triumph. only to have the next person TO
YOU Law down another card and say con
ira pOrraZo' and take it all away from
you. Where is the colonel, by the way?
HE has gone TO the city for the day.
There is something here that wish
you TO read, Mr.. Grandin,' said Joseph
inc. handing him the paper
The young man read the article and
brought his lips together IN a bunch
This refers to Colonel Talbot, | take
IT," said he
Josephine nodded
And it means that he has lost his
money
Josephine nodded again, and her aunt
looked sadly into her coffee cup.
Does this involve you in any way, Mrs
Blake?"
MIR. Grandin smiled cheerfully.
~ supDose [ ought to be decently sym
Datbetfc said he 'but it is desperately
hard work. This affects no one I'D ~ apI
y
for him is entirely by proxy am Teady
10 take his loving daughters $ word tor IL
that he is a delightful character. put ne
has never shown that side OF himself 10
me-
Don't you see that
Not a bit of it, said Mr.. Grandln; j
am going to take care of you, ana ] nave
a great plenty" Mrs. Blake looked up IN
surprise and he addressed himself 10 ner'
This is a matter which | would have
taken up with Colonel Talbot II he had
ever given me a chance, but his manner
toward me during the last week or 50 mas
been such as to make 1t Impossible To
address him on the subject. l don't blame
him. ] am sure that If | had such
precious object TO guard [ should be
Cerberus. too"
He took a card from his pocket and
wrote some names upon It. Here Is a
bank" said he, 'and firm of attorneys
and a well-known business house. all OF
them located in the city where l live.
Now If the colonel wishes to make en-
quiry of any of these he will find out, l
think all that he needs TO know about
me as a son-in-law.'
Mrs Blake picked the card mp doubt
fully and placed 1t in the bag that hung
at her side. She stood a good deal in awe
of her brother.
When the young people were alone
The times., 1901-05-12

II don't think anything OF the kind"
cried the colonel Indignantly. You are
an exceptionally handsome woman, as
your mother was before you, and ] know
Il as well as-as you do" He finished
with a grin.
Then why do YOU always assume that
every man who pays me the slightest at
tention does so merely because Of your
money! She beamed on him as one does
who has scored.
Il don't assume it Of everyone began
the colonel
THAT is not rich and bald and stupid"
MY dear" said the colonel, solemnly,
there are some things IN this world
that your old dad knows little more
about than you do, and money is one
Of them There are two parts to get
ding rich One Is 10 make money and the
other is 10 hold or 10 II. The first of
these is easy enough, but the second is
deadly hard. who was the Englishman
who said that whenever he woke M in
the morning in the city Of Paris and sud
denly remembered that the place con-
tained. according 70 police statistics over
5000 people who would rob him If they
got chance. II threw him into a blue
funk? Now ! have some money, / admit
There IS enough 10 allow Us TO take life
easily and TO do pretty much as we please
within reason. ! have put ii in the best
possible shape to leave TO you when pass
out But how long do you think IT will
last IL some rascaly young spendthrift
should have a chance at IL as your hus-
band? So ! would rather suspect ninety
nine innocent ones than have you caught
on the hundredth one who would play the
mischief with your happiness"
You must be pretty well through with
the ninety F-nine." said Josephine.
Like enough" said her father. in
that case oour young friend Gradin must
be the hundredth that Is specially TO be
looked out for
Now. to go back 10 the point from
which this talk started, said Josephine.
Il believe / told you that there was to be
fishing party tomorrow and that Mr..
Grandln asked Aunt Harriet and me 10 go
What do your think?'
do just as you please about it," said