davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1901-06-02

only that 1 was a criminal; that didn't
mean much to me; but the thought
came-what will she think? / sat in the
gaol with my head buried in my hands
and brooded over this idea until I
thought 1 should so mad. But there
was worse than this in store for me. 1
had visitor as broke through my
glum silence. 1t was only just before
the date for my trial. and I was still
sitting in the old attitude thinking of
her, and wondering whether she already
knew, when the dor opened and some
one was shown in. I didn't look up, for
l never dreamed of it being her, until
she said Jim
Yes. she was there, and a sight of
her face made me feel worse than ever.
She was deadly pale. and her lips quiv-
cred in a way l had never seen cefore.
/ tried TO speak, but a lump came in
my throat, and so l simply looked at
her and then at the floor again.
They say that you've admitted you
are guilty, jim she said in Il low tone.
as if every word cost her drop of
blood. Say it isn't true, Jim. say it ISM t
true, and I'll believe you against all the
world and be true to you whatever hap
pens | felt as if that would finish me
up altogether How could I tell ler?
For moment l thought I'd lie to her
anything rather than say l was guilty
after an appeal like that But when
looked up TO answer her eyes seemed to
look straight through me, and 1 simply
couldn't do il
- I wish as l could; but it is true 1
am guilty Then, as esaw hope die
out of her eyes and the look of mortal
pain that my words caused, l went on,
hurriedly: You see. never thought as
| should be found out and how you'd
look at it: and 1 wanted money so bad
ly. and your uncle taunted me so with
being a poor man and not being fit TO
look at you, and L stopped sud
denly 1 couldn't go on with her look
ing like that. Then after a bit she
spoke again. and her words are burnt
into my heart so that | shall never for
get them:
~ never reproached you, Jim. I
never even wished you to be rich. L
was prepared to accept you just as you
were. Oh, could have borne anything
but this
"She had gone. Whether she tainted
or not outside 1 don't know, but she
looked as if she was dying
Il won't try and tell YOU how 1 felt,
boys, but while ] was doing my time
l had three years-I know that the
thought of that poor girl was far worse
punishment than the hardships of
prison life. Il often thought then of that
sonata as she used to play. and I've
tried to hum it over 10 myself since.
MY tine was finished at last. and 1
was free man again. 1 was going
back to the old place. I felt rs If L
must know whether she had got over
the blow as l had given her.
The times., 1901-06-02

900 fishes. That is what could be saved
to the people every yeaJ. by throwing
back the young fishes into the water Is
not that immense number worth saving?
The fishhooks, as they are made today.
are brutal. The barb on the hook is not
necessary to hold the fish on the line If
it is kept taut. l would like to tell every
boy to take file and file off that barb
until it is just large enough to keep the
worm or bait from getting Off the hook.
Many times young fishes have had their
gills, which are their lungs, so mutilated
by the barb that shortly after they are
thrown back into the water they will die.
II is the same as cavity in a mans
lungs.
People are apt to want to show their
skin in angling by showing to their
friends large string of fish, and to do
so they viii keep the small fishes and
string them with the larger ones This
is almost criminal when viewed in the
light of the figures just given Every man
and boy who goes fishing, If he took care
upon himself, would be doing the same
work as the Fish Commission Thousands.
yes, millions, of splendid fish would be
saved every year. No State or Federal
laws can entirely stop this wanton de-
struction. The people themselves. through
euucatlon, alone, can StOp il"
The times., 1901-06-02
ROMANCE OF A SONATA

have to 90 back more than thirty-fve
years, though h2w much more I hardly
know. 1 was young chap then, but 1
wasn't no aristocrat neither, and 1 had
no money.
q lived in England then, but shan't
say where. TIN be enough 10 say it was
little town and a pretty one. and
! there was bit of a river there, and
people used TO come and stay there
sometimes in the fine weather I'd just
got what / had for a long time wanted.
J After a lot of scraping and saving
! had managed to Ddy a boat, and l was
ready to take people out for a row.
Il was goin' along the river bank one
evening when l caught sight of young
girl, p'r'aps about twenty years old,
/ walking on the tcp Of the bank a bit
/ ahead of me. There was a bit of a
/ path just by the river you understand
and then the bank went up steep to the
road. The young girl was on the top of
this bank, and l think she was gather
in wild flowers.
II amt a-goin' TO try and describe
her, boys, but when 1 see her there I
did not want TO look nowhere else.
Then all of a sudden, and before knew
what was happening, her foot slipped.
She tried 10 save herself from falling,
and that started her running down the
hank, and before she could stop herself
she was across the path and into the
river. In l went with a splash and
managed 10 get her out on the other
side. / didn't know a bit what to say
or do: whether ought TO offer to carry
her home, or what.
We'll, boys, / got through somehow
and l remember that / saw her home
and received the thanks of her aunt 1
found that she was an orphan and ffyed
with an uncle and aunt Mrs Stapleton
wanted TO know what she could do for
me for saving the life Of her niece, and
l suggested that if they wanted TO do
anything for me they might remember
me the next time they wanted a row on
the river and have my boat. They
jumped at that suggestion. and so quite
number ot times l had to row them
out and got TO know them quite well.
1t seemed TO open out new world to
me. and even now 1 can't help feeling
that to think of that time poiishes me
up bit and smoothes off some of the
rough angles Sometimes they came to-
gether for their row, and sometimes
Edith-that was the girls name-cane
alone. / was invited TO go up to their
house. ton. sometimes in the evening,
and IL was there that heard that won
derful piece of music as / mentioned.
During those few. months / saw a
The times., 1901-06-02

out. l looked her straight in the face
and said, L didn't want to tell YOU
miss, but l can't help it now. and you'll
forgive rough chap like me for put
ting 1t in a way as | shouldn't If
man looks in a beautiful garden and
feels strongly tempted to trespass. the
best thing for him to dc is to go right
away from it. and that's how II is with
me. | know as / have no right to look
at you except as a lady as has been
kind to me, but l feel as I can't stand
1t any longer, and SO l decided to go
away
Then as she looked at me the tears
came into her eyes, and she said, But
supposing 1 don't want you to go, Jim?'
I'm not tell you any more about that,
boys" said the old man, sadly. She
told me that she did not regard money
as proper barrier between fellow crea-
lures. For little while she made me
as happy as a man could possibly be,
but it was only a very little while. l
think she told her aunt what had oc-
CURED, and Mrs. Stapleton, getting
alarmed, informed her husband Any
how, l received an invitation to go to
the house two days later, and when |
got there l found that he was waiting
to see me. l didn't see anyone else ex-
cept servant. / was shown at once
into the library, / think 1t was, and Mr..
Stapleton came to me there He bowed
t. me, and addressed me as Mr.. Storm,
and begged me to be seated and so on,
till l felt like a fool. Then he came to
the point.
"I wanted to speak to you. Mr..
Storm, about matter where | should
really have expected you tc take the
initiative, but as l suppose you are
naturally reticent, | had perhaps bet
ter begin. After a few seconds he be-
gan again. i believe you have become
rather intimate with my ward said he;
well, at all events, an intimacy has
sprung up rather closer than is usual
between boatman and his fare. Is II
not so?' l fidgeted about, and looked
;st the fireplace and said Yes, sir sup
pose it is
" Exactly said he, and under the
circumstances, as her guardian, / feel
1t my duty to ask you what your inten-
tions arei'
Il fidgeted about again, and after a
bit says, We'll. sir, don't know as 1
have any. I'm a bit uncertain
50 Indeed said he, with a shrug of
the shoulders which made me feel what
poor fool I was; you then have no
idea Of ever marrying the girl?'
Il jumped at that. 1t seemed as IL all
was going smooth after all. Why, yes,
sir said I, that / WILL
''He bowed again and said: I should
have supposed so. And now as her
guardian 1 am under the necessity of
putting a question which would never
occur to my too romantic ward. What
income have your
THAT was poser, and l sat staring
The times., 1901-06-02

at the fireplace and not able to answer.
I can understand that you feel this tO
be rather a delicate matter, Mr.. Storm,
he continued, in his most polite tone;
but you will see that it is necessary
for me to put the question. 1 am, how
ever, not at all extravagant in my no
tions, and I don't think 1 should raise
any objection to you on that score if
you have a tolerably certain present
income of, say. $500 year
Il wasn't going 10 stand this kind of
talk for long, and so 1 faced him and
said: No sir, think you must know
as / haven't anything like that
He rose from his chair. Yes, Jim
Storm. think 1 do know. Suppose we
say G1 a week instead'
. I'm afraid it's hardly that, sir,
now said l.
He didn't act the polite any more.
And yet you have the audacity, the ig-
norant presumption, to cast eyes on my
ward, and to take advantage of her
young, romantic ideas? If you can't
appreciate the difference in education,
if you don't know that you violate ell
principles of grammar every time you
speak, so that you would make her the
laughing stock of society-perhapS at
least you will be able 70 understand the
difference in money.
He rang the bell violently, and when
a servant came told her to snow Inc to
the door
THE reaction soon came. 1 lashed
myself into a rage. and began TO curse
the fate which made me a poor labor
ing man. What had l done to be treat
ed like dog? 1 was as good as ne was,
and yet had to sit still and be snsulted
that way just because l wasn't born
rich This was the idea l settled down
to during the next few weeks. OF
course, saw nothing of her, and hadn't
the heart to settle down to anything in
to get her away for while for though
of either her or her aunt.
And it was while was feeling like
this that L dropped across a man whose
name I'm not going to mention. ! shall
have hard work to get through this
part, boys, but I'll finish now, somehow.
This man 1 speak of argued just the
same way as I'd been thinking, and TO
cut it short he wanted me to help him
with fraud. I'd never been Ieligious
sort of chap, and l was iusr in the
mood to listen to him. We who had
worked so hard all our lives would sim
ply take small part of the fortunes Of
men who had never worked at ali, and
we should not be found out l saw
chance of winning her after all, and il
seemed too good a chance to be lost. So
this man persuaded me. did the risky
part of the robbery, and 1 was found
out.
1T was not till 1 was actually in
prison awaiting my trial that l began
to realize what it all meant. 1t was not
The times., 1901-06-02

The lights were burning brightly in
David Summerton's bar, and the miners
there assembled were evidently spend
ing a pleasant evening. Rising above
the sound of many voices there was
the sound OF piano being played, and
played wonderfully well, toe. little
German pianist down on his luck had
found his way to the camp, and was re-
duced to the degrading necessity Of
playing to this somewhat unapprecia-
tive audience.
He had just finished playing prodig-
iously difficult show piece. and he was
going to begin again, when one of the
miners interrupted him
play US something with toon in it,
bess," said he, I'VE don't want fire
works like that"
Just at this point old Jim Storm took
his pipe out of his mouth and ventured
a remark II was not often that he
spoke He was known as hardy, wild
sort Of a man, who was generally secre-
tive.
There's a bit of music as ! should
like TO hear as mayhap'll please you
au,'' he said slowly. Its forty years,
p'raps more'n that, since 1 heard it,
but sometimes ii seems to be goin'
through my head now. can't remem-
Der what it's called.
It's wonderful tune" continued
Jim Storm "A sort as makes you feel
kinder soft like, as If you think you
wouldn't like TO hurt skeeter. Why, 1
know what it was-sonata; yes, that
was s.-5enata"
"sonata? Vat sonata?" asked the
musician; "dere are tousands Of dem.
Who is it py?"
"Ah, can't tell you that" said Jim;
II don't remember. but it's real good
'un. A classical piece, you know
leastways. she said it was"
She said, " burst out Jake, why.
bless me if he amt thinking of wo-
man."
Look here, boys" said jim, sudden
ly; I've never told you any yarns
afore. though you've sometimes asked
me; but III tell you one.
Il amt a story teller" he went on,
land / can't dress il up as some would.
bat all I'm goin' to tell you is true. I
The times., 1901-06-02

Il reached the town one Saturday
afternoon. Just one or two recognized
me and stared a bit, but no one l saw
was prepared to pass word. And so,
feeling Just the criminal as / was,
made my way through the town and, as
if by instinct, reached Mr.. StapletOn's
house. l skunk along by the railings,
hoping no one would see me, and yet
longing for Just one glance at her.
Then suddenly I heard the sound Of
footsteps coming down the gravel path,
and before I could turn away Mr.. Sta
pleton came out of the gate and met
me-
He recognized me at once and ut
tered all exclamation, but before he
could say anything to me I raised my
hand and spoke TO him.
Il aren't going to trouble you. sir.
I'm going right away from here, but
felt as if 1 must just come here and try
and find out if-if she was all right
L thought his looks changed then.
anG he answered in a kinder tcne than
1 expected: She doesn't i've with me
now, my man, but you can pay ner
visit. She will raise no objection You
will only have to go about a couple Of
hundred yards up the road and take the
first turn TO the left. 1t isn't far
II thanked him and moved off. hardly
knowing what 1 was doing. / didn't
quite understand him. and il all seemed
so unreal that l almost thought il was
a dream. as 1 walked up the road in the
direction he told me. But il became
real enough in a minute. There were
no houses down the first turn TO the
left. and then. boys, l saw what he
meant 1t was the churchyard.
Il found the grave with some fresh
flowers on it, and simple inscription
on the tomb, and although the rain be-
gan to fall very heavily, 1 remained
there a good while
That's why 1 wanted to hear that
piece of music, boys. for it seems 10
bring her to me again. when can re-
member the tune, and il keeps saying;
If we only had our lives again"
Half unconsciously the old man broke
into an air to the words, and the little
German, who had left the piano To hear
the story, at once sprang up and rushed
to his instrument again.
'-Dat?" he exclaimed. dat? Schu
berts sonata in n major. l have played
him hundreds Of dimesi"
without more ado he played the sim
pie first movement Of the well-known
sonata, and the miners listened in si--
lence.
once only was there any remark
passed, and that was when a tear was
seen TO fall on old Jim Storms hand.
Then Jake nudged one of the others tn
call his attention to il, and Said. in a
voice hardly above his breath:
"Blest if e amt cryin''
When the sonata was finished the old
man rose to his feet. muttered few
words of excuse, and left the place
Tit-Bits.
The times., 1901-06-02

of an obejct, were mentioned in his hear
ing, he almost unconscjously began to
count how many seconds, or how many
hairs breadths there were in IT. He
walked from Chesterfield to London on
purpose to have the qualification of see
ing King George II; and while in the
British metropolis was taken much notice
of by members of the Royal Society.
On one occasion he went to see David
Garrick in Richard III, but instead of at
tending to the performance in the usual
way he found occupation in counting the
number of words uttered by each per-
formeri After striding over field in
two or three directions he would tell the
number of square inches it contained. He
could number all the pints of beer he had
drunk at all the houses he had ever visit
ed during half a century. He once set
himself to reckon how much farthing
would amount to If doubled 40 times; the
result came out in such q StupendouS
number of pounds sterling as required
thirty-nine places of figures to represent
il.
In 1850 this problem was put to him:
To find how many cubical eighths OF an
inch there are in a quadrangular mass
measuring 23. 145. .7S9 yards long. 5.642, 1872
yards wide and 81, ,965 yards thick; he ans
wered this, as all other problems, mental-
ly. On one occasion he made himself
what he called drunk with reckoning
the following: I'm 200010 million cubic
miles, how many grains of eight different
kinds of corn and pulse, and how many
hairs an inch long are there. He ascer-
tanned by actual counting how many of
each kind of grain, and how many hairs
an inch long would go to an inch cube,
and then set himself about his stupendous
task. He could suspend any
of his problems for any length of time
and resume it at the point where he left
off, and could converse on other subjects
while thus employed. He never gave any
account or explanation of the way in
which he worked out his problems; nor
bring him any other advantage than that
of being invited TO the houses of the gen.
The times., 1901-06-02
NIcKNAMEs IN AUSTRALIA.
Queer Cognomens Given to Peopl G
in It's Various Sections.
CFrom Leisure Hour.)

Although the Australian colonies have
now been linked together in q common
wealth, IL is not probable that the nick
names bestowed by one province on an
other will be abandoned.
The inhabitants of New South Wales
have long been known as "cornstalks." an
allusion to the length and slimness of the
average young New South Wales native
Nictorians are known as "gumsuckers,
with reference to the gum that is found
on many native trees, some of which Is
relished By Juveniles. "Crow-eaters," as
applied to the South Australians. owes
It's origin to a statement that I'm times Of
drought the wheat farmers of South Aus
traha are driven to the source suggested
for food.
"Wheatfielders' is a more euphonious
name sometimes used for the same prov
ince. The Queenslanders are known as
banana landers, that tropical fruit
growing there abundantiy. Western Aus
tralians are known in the east as sand
gophers'' or "gropers" The Westra lians
themselves group all the other States into
't'other side and call t!le residents
''tother siders.'
Tasmania, the green little isle that is
much like England in climate and other
characteristics. is generally regarded as
very quiet and rather behind the times
and is referred to as the land of lots Of
time" the land OF sleep lot" and so
on, while the inhabitants are called 'Tas-
sizes" and Jam eaters" the latter being
an allusion to the great fruit production
of the tight little island"
The times., 1901-06-02

picture of unselfshness and goodness as
I'd never believed in before, and I've
never seen anything like it since. Once
on the river, when her aunt wasn't
there, she asked me. about my father
and mother and when I explained that
my mother died when l was a listle one,
and my father was a drunkard and
used to beat us out of the house, she
was so distressed and so sympathetic
that / felt quite queer. l could have
rowed on for hours without saying any
thing so long as / could sit and watch
her and listen to her.
so life went on for some months.
Then I woke up to the truth one day
and began to feel as if l couldn't live
without her. and then l saw how mat
ters stood. What was to dare to think
of her? l was only common man, but
/ knew we'll enough what line society
draws between rich and poor. 1t was
no use-I must stifie those Thoughts
and leave her at once. How / fought
the matter out with myself! l argued
ii all ways, and always came TO the
same conclusion, that the only course
for me was to leave her before the fas-
cination became any stronger
"All arrangements were made, and
there came a day when / should take
| tEam out for the last time. OF course,
4 iduH LOlQ anu 4 uiNlIl a. .-al
know how to do 1t, while not liking. on
the other hand. to go away without
saying anything to them. I determined
as I'd tell them while on the river, and
/ looked forward to II with a pretty eX-
cited feelings. l can tell you.
She came alone, and in my heart
was glad, although it made my task all
the harder.
1T was a lovely evening, and / can
remember how the sun, as 1t got near
TO the setting, sent a glow over her face
that lit it up something wonderful. She
seemed to have fallen into n dreamy
mood, for we went on without her ap-
pearing to notice how late it was get
ting.
Then she reused up suddenly to no.
tice where we were, and exclaimed:
You had better turn the boat round,
Jim; we have come much farther than
usual / rested on my oars, and with
an effort, and hesitating good deal,
said: Yes, miss, / know we have come
farther than usual, but thought this
might be a bit longer. as it's the last
time
1.-The last time?' she said, after e.
pause I don't understand you. Why
is IL the last timer
because I'm going away to another
part of the country miss l said, slow
ly There was another pause after this,
and couldn't look at her. After few
seconds she spoke again, and l shall
never forget the altered tone of her
voice.
why are You going to leave US,
Jim?' she asked quietly.
ut was facer and I had to let it