davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09

1T is a peety it is English sauce
piauante-"
II she hadn't looked so adorably pretty. I
should have . instead. / groveled for
permission to kiss her hand. 'Groveled'
is not the word / intended to use. but life
is not long enough for corrections. so I'll
let It pass. All the same. some of these
days 1 shall write a little story about my
old friend the little Frenchwoman. and
then.
This. however. is a little story about my
friend Reggie and me.
Reggie Is my best friend. That goes
without saying. Otherwise this amusing
little episode would never nave happened to
him and me. Reggie Is my best friend. I
am awfully kind to Reggie. and Reggie Is
awfully fond Of me. l know no one whose
society prefer to Reggie's when anything
goes wrong.
Reggie is rich. I am poor. Some day.
when some score OF uncles and aunts have
gone to the rest they have earned SO badly.
l shall be rich. too. Then 1 shall not pay
Reggie back the money he has lent me. At
present / am horribly hard I'D. Unhappily.
l am OF that generous and kindly dispo-
sition so characteristic Of the poor: I can
deny nobody anything-not even myself. 1t
Is this charming disposition. combined with
my poverty, which so often lands me In a
fix It's easy enough to fix the fix when
Reggie is at home: but Reggie's such a fool
hes everiastingly going away. On this
particular OCCASION. as usual. the fix was
there and Reggie was not. CThere isn't an
ounce Of thoughtfulness about Reggie.) The
fix" was for close on $4,000.
One hand-painted fan. rococo sticks. mono
Parasol handle hawless amber tortoisesheII.
monogram brilliants SIS
Ditto ditto in Jade. monogram brilliants and
black pearls Is,
BET t0rtOfaeehel hrIrGhRl rnarnuroun zoe
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09
AxTELOPEs As CAVE DIGGERs.

That there are some animals which can
not thrive without salt Is well known. but
no very clear demonstration Of this was
forthcoming until recently. when N. Desuz-
inges. . French traveller. noticed some re-
markable caves in the Oristadt district of
the Transvaal and discovered. to his sur
prise. that they had been gradually formed
by animals licking the salt. Of which their
walls were largely formed.
Fac Of these grottoes or caves" lie
says. rs as large as an ordinary drawing
room. and the natives assured me that hey
had been entirely followed out by the an
teiopes. which are known in this country
as 'dwicks.' Wishing to learn why the an
finals busted themselves in making such ex-
cavations. I the caves and found
that their walls were impregnated with salt,
its presence being clearly revealed by very
characteristic rehabilitation. A day or two
later. as l was hunting. I noticed fourteen
antelopes rush out of one of these caves
as socn as they heard me approaching
III. Desuxinges also says that the eIks In
the Transvaal have q similar habit. and
may often be seen searching for salt uear
Quarries o. deposits Of mayi s,
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09

Don't you b'iieve it," he said. Il see
i'm a-comin'. It's all right. EsCes a
camp-follower as knew 'Arold right enough
right enough"
She only stared at him.. 50 that he be-
came impatient.
That's wot e is" he grabbed. "a camp
follower. III tell yer ahart i'm later. But
you better he OF now. I'll see T. i'm. IT'S
awrisht. You go-you dcne your work.
He almost pushed her along towards the
door In his anxiety To be quit of her.
But, Mr.. HOBBS" she began. pitifuily.
Its awright." he reiterated. "'Arold's
dead. sure enough. Killed by the Zulus. as
l telied yer. It's a camp-follower. this Is"
The other man had pushed open the door
ana entered. He stood with his hands in
MS pockets. staggering. Mr.. Hobbs never
looked towards him. His one desire was to
thought perhaps IT would be as well to leave
the Old man alone with his disgrace.
You don't b'lieve it's 'Aroid. do yer?'
ne asked. In a wheeling voice.
No. she said. soothingly. NO"
Cos e ain't-only a camp-follower.
show Yer the Kernels letter mex time YOU
come. Rose. then you'll know for s~artain.
eh?"
she nodded and went out. the old man
closing the door behind her. Father and
son faced each other.
watts all this CAB abart camp-foIlow-
ersg' inquired the latter.
Il thought you was dead said the old
man. dazed.
"Ho. ! dessay. an wished it," the man
laughed facetiousiy. But I amt no more
DEAD than you. I done my seven year-an'
I've ruzzied n jool or two since. but It's
ard times. 50 | thought I'd look up me ole
dad. as is sech a tort"
MT. Hobbs began to answer in n slow
voice. sstill. rs it were. half-dazed. and as
if piecing together scraps Of justification
for himself in this moment OF being tried
by circumstances:
When the seven years was up. and YOU
didn't come. I thought and I 'oped mebbe
You was dead. like your mother. wot died
with the shame arter that night YOU famed
me an went and bust with all 'er ard
savings. An first ! made out as I never
was married. an then when one o. the
clerks card q me as a married man an
asked me where my son was. il came to
me on a sudden to tell 'em as you was dead.
too. Killed by the Zulus. %a-fighting for
your country. l though nobody 'ud know as
1t wasn't the tre1vth."
You always 'ad yer little bit o. pride"
teered his son.
None on EN- knows You was In Worm
wood Scrubs seven year." said the old man.
Killed you was for yer country: the finest
sodger in the British Army-six-fut-two in
Yer socks,"
The description seemed to strike his son
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09

asked him again for a letter that had never
existed He could not bear the idea of her
confidence being Slapped. IL she must see a
letter. well. letters are written without great
difficulty. And her belief was such a COM
fort, lie had almost come to believe him
self the things she listened to with such
sympathy. II this latest prop fell away
he felt that he should never have the spirit
To keep up the deception. All the brewery
would come to know that his story WAS a
lie. and-worse-they would perhaps IND
out what the truth was. a letter must be
written.
About the same time as Mr.. Hobbs ar
rived at this decision. the girl. in the course
Of her sweeping. had reached the door.
Throwing II open. the better to dispose or
some dust, she saw a man coming up the
stairs. lie was a small. stunted fellow. mis-
erahiy ragged. his eyes hieared and lashless.
his hair hanging in red wisps from UNDER a
battered hat. He sidied up in a half bash
full. half impudent fashion. his hands in his
pockets. as II self-assured enough. but will
ing to deprecate the idea that he was
somebody else who had committed some
knavery. an idea which inevitably came 10
the girls mind on seeing him.
She stood leaning on her broom. watch
ing him uneasily.
"'Eilo?" he said, in n hoarse. jaunty
voice.
What d'you wanty' she inquired.
Lots. Liza, lots" he said playfully.
Zoos it's after hours. There amt no one
here now"
My! You amt going to jump down n
feller's throat wot's come after 5 ole dad
he asked. with pretended Indignation
Git along now" she said. distrustfully.
mot till l seed IN. s'elp me-" said the
man. ED tear is eyes out to know I'd
bin ere an not seed i'm. would ole Dick
'Obbs."
You want Mr.. Hobbs?' she wondered.
"As lives in this ERE broory. like an ole
tori. I've card"
who are you?"
"'Arold-'is loving hoy"
For a moment the girl eyed this sinking.
shameless manikin. who incriminated him
self by every motion Of his not-Guiity de-
pertinent. and contrasted him in her mind
with the heroic figure over which the old
man had doated. Possibly Mr.. Hobbs's We
hemence and reiteration had made her in
crsdulous like the others. but II never oc-
CURED to her u doubt If this were the real
pity Of II came across her-she slammed
the door in the mans face. and hurried
toward her old friend
He stood where he had been by the trap.
with a frightened. fallen Jaw. and she saw
at once that he had heard the conversation.
mfr. Hobbs" she said. there's "A man
outside as says he's your Harold"
At that. the old man pulled himself to-
gether, and gave a wheezy laugh.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09

rs the essence of humor. for he shook with
sniggering.
"Ior'' he said. Il can see yer at II. the
GalIint father q the sodgcr. a~-puffn' like a
Gid'n yer:'
The old man WINGED. ard the son changed
his tone suddenly.
LOOK ere" he said, with an oath. INC
iarks fouH ave To pay. I'm a-comin'
round ere twice a week to bleed yer"
No. no.. cried the old man, beseechingly
edcing away.
Il say 'ytiss." said the other
But they'll find out-aIl ON EN-
"Wot 4 little liar you are. Just 50, Serve
yer riGht,'
He pun his hand on his fathers arm and
shook him. They We're standing lust over
the open trap. to which MIR. Hobbs had TIE.
treated.
Just So" repeated his son. IT amt a
blooming liar, I'm good enough for myself
an you're going to pay, See?'
But you won't come ere" entreated Mr..
Hobbs. YOU won't come ere an make me
a larf among all the chaps for what I've
told EN-"
"Yuss, I will" said the other. Indirectly.
Think I'm going to have a father spreadin'
all sorts O. lies about his son-wots a good
son. though is father's ashamed on i'm"
Mr. Hobbs threw up his hands piteously
and took a despairing glance round He
saw the great room. fun Of the perfume OF
malt. newly swept. the empty casks. the
room itself empty. except for his shameful
son. But he peopled IL with the workers
or the daytime. the draymen who would
come in and laugh at him with good -natured
scorn. the young clerks tittering at his dis
credit. the head OF the firm reproachful.
and Rose Parker. with a hanging head. no
longer able To believe. And row he was
alone with the ghost Of his vanity-his one
vanity. about to fade away. because his
true son stood there. threatening and sham
ing him. There would be no pride. no joy
ieft to him on the morrow. Even the brew
cry would be without its SAVIOUR. His eve
fell on the open trap!
I'll teach yer" said his son. and the
sound Of the rasning voice clinched a reso-
luton that had been forming In Mr.. Hobbs's
head.
Listen" he said: you killed yer mother,
well-nigh: you famed me-"
AN I'll do II agen."
"Will YER" cried his father.
"Yuss."
The cur supported his threat with an ugly
snarl, and reached on. for the old mans
coat collar. Quite without warning Mr..
Hobbs ran In and threw himself against his
son with all his energy.
Take THAR he cried, tearfully.
His effort had been made not without
cunning. Harold was on the edge of the
trap. and the push. though feeble. was
enough to send him at once hurting into
the soft business below. In itself the fall
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09
new SYSTEM TO TAKE THE
POISON FROM TOBACCO.

4 Surgeon General in the German Army
communicates to the Berlin Militar Zet-
tung an account of a process by which II In
asserted that smoking may be rendered a
harmless amusement. By the method de-
scribed. which consists in the treatment Of
the tobacco leaves with tanin and a decoc-
ton OF origanum vulgare before they
are made up into cigars. the nicotine they
contain becomes 30 transformed as to rem
der 1t harmless to the human system. Ac-
cording to the account given. experiments
have been made with the prepared tobacco
upon patients who had the greatest aver
sion to tobacco In any form. and invaria-
bly, suffered from nausea Immediately they
began to smoke. These. however. Smoked
In succession each three cigars made of the
prepared leaves. not only without experience
ing any Inconvenience. but without any al
teration in their pulse. breathing or tempera-
ture. Not the slightest symptom. in fact.
OF nicotine poisoning was to be detected.
although most exact and careful observa-
lions were made a. the smokers pulled their
way through the three cigars.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09

Reggie said: "My wife"
Then I knew all about everything. and I
was sorry for Reggie. / knew everybody
else would be sorry for Reggie. too. and
tell him so. / hate being like everybody. 50
/ held out my hand people remember these
little things and congratulated
him with all my heart.
He told me she was the best. the dearest.
A. ,oveliest girl he had ever met He told
ma she was the sweetest. the smartest, tne
cIeverest -. The only thing he didn
ten me was where she came from and what
was her name. II took Reggie an hour !"
tell me what I didn't want to know then
he said he had stayed too long ana mus,
get back at once But. pefofe L eV' Sau
he. what about the fx?
I said: What's a fix compared TO a man
who's splioed?"
Reegie said: Don't De an ass! """
much"
don't believe in explanations. so I hand
ed him the bill.
Reggie said: BLESS me, who's the girl?'
/ never resist temptation on principle. L
said: MY wife"
You should have seen Reggie's face! Then
he saw / was only fooling. and told me not
To lest with such sacred things as mar
rage. The lecture took haif-an-hour Then
he wrote the check and handed IL to me.
Then | wrote an I. q. L. and handed II
to him.
Reggie said: Don't be an asst" and put
my Il. q. L." into the fire. He's always 50
unbusinesslike. is Reggie. That's one of
his best points.
Then we shook hands again. and Reggie
asked me to come round that night and
dine. and he introduced to Her. l said 1
would.
Then Reggie went.
Then / sa; down and laughed.
When I had done laughing l went and
cashed the check.
W haven't disposed of the duplicate
bracelet yet" said old Leroy. as he handed
me the receipt. "A most unique design.
those three diamond stars"
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09
THREE GOOD STORIES THAT TELL OF
LOVE, A WIFES VICTORY, AND A FATHERS FOOLISH PRIDE.
BY r. E. VERNEDE.

I was nothing. hut he could net reach TO get
out again. and the whirr OF his descending
body had already set the impalpable malt
blowing in clouds. IL he had understood the
nature of the stuff he might have acted dir
ferently. But he did not understand. and
the first thing that he did was to string
together "A choice collection Of curses. The
bringing dust went down his threat In a
rush.
MIR. Hobbs was on his knees watching him
from above.
There's that letter from the Kernel" he
murmured to himself. Il must write it,
His son was choking and sieezing with
the intolerable dryness of the stun he drew
in. but Mr.. Hobbs paid no attention He
got up. and wiped some dust out of his
eyes with his red pocket-handkerchief, then
crossed over 10 his stool. tore a page out
of the account-book. and began lab riously
to indite the Coloners letter 10 himself. II
was a more difficult task than he had i'm
agined.
"Dere Mr.. Hobbs IL ran. this IL to
certify as your son Harold was the finest
sodger in the British Army. Six fit two
in. he was In his soks. as you may know
He died. savin a friend from the attax
Of
Mr.. Hobbs paused to consider what num-
her of assaiiants would be most suitable.
Too many might cause doubt to be thrown
on the Colonefs letter. too few would aim
tIt lLSttF OF MS nero Tie uctIutu ou m
teen Zoo-loos.'' and proceeded to various
points that should insure vraisembiance-
The letter was to be signed Kernel Robin
son. a safe name. Mr.. Hobbs thought.
Meanwhile. in the cellar-like place his son
was finishing his career. He had been
ishrieking at first. but the air rained nee
dies into his lungs. so that he was re-
duced to imploring thickly. He had fallen
on his knees beneath the trap. and his eyes.
fun of grit. could only see a whiteness OF
light above him. Then he began to leap up
at IL. as a trout. making upstream. leaps
In a waterfall. So. too. he fell and leapt
again. wildly. Intellectually. Also. he ran
about. jerking like a fish at the end of a
line. and stumbled and got up and stumbled
again. and lay on his side. gasping. and. as
IL were, grassed. 80
Mr.. Hobbs had just added a postscript
about the V. c.. and he folded UP the letter
with some pride before he came again to
the trap. 1t must have been that senility-
added to the shock of his sons home-com-
ing-rendered him incapable Of realizing
that the man down there-his son-was
being slowly filled like a sawdust doll, and
becoming like a doll without life: for after
listening for a moment. he replaced the
door over IL. and went round. as usual.
turning out the lights. Now and again he
would murmur to himself. Nobody IL
know it's my 'A-old. There's the Kernels
letter agin hat
Then he went up to his room. the precious
letter in his pocket. and slept.
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09

one occupying those rooms. and possessing
certain keys. can come down to the grass
patch by the river without going through
the castle.
i hope I have imaginative readers. be-
cause. for lack Of space and descriptive tai
ent. l shall leave untold the happenings Of
the next hour or so.
For n visitor. 1t was rather late when
John returned to the Doctors house. His
host and wife were surprised at this. no
doubt. but something In his behavior
grieved them more-he appeared to be
drunk. His wild talk certainly warranted
these suspicious. though in a few moments
the doctor perceived that alcohol had moth
ing to do with his condition. Soon he went
TO bed. and as he Mounted the stairs they
heard him softly singing.
OF course. Toto cried. but her father
soothed her. John was. no doubt. upset by
the thought of his near departure. This
idea f~iattered the girl. and she retired hap
by. while the doctor told himself that he
would see the boy the first thing in the
morning. and he had no fear but what he
would find him In his usual good spirits.
However. one of the maids opened the
house for John to go out long before the
doctor was up. and when lunch time came
round he had not returned. nor did he ap-
pear at dinner.
Tn doctor was busy with his sick folk
all that day. but found time to be a
little uneasy with regard to his son-in-law.
He put anxious inquiries to every one he
met. No one had seen him. however. and
after dinner there was yet another patient
to be visited several miles away.
Toto watched her father drive of with
despair at ner heart. She tried to read IN
the lonely drawing-room, but the solitude
frightened her: she went into the garden.
and the soft glory Of the night intensified
her gloom. instead of soothing. She could
not stay there all inactive: she must be
moving. somewhere. anywhere, until she
found him. So she went out.
The High street was almost deserted. She
took her way. unconscious of direction. and
struck into Tower lane. She passed down
the little winding street Of gabIed houses,
and. before she was aware Of II, she stood
by the milestone beneath Sir Hugo's Tower.
The moon had not yet risen behind the
cliff In the meadows. and dark shadows
were massed around her. She sat down up
on the stone ard tried to think, but every
little noise distracted her-the breathing Of
the cattle that she could not see. a moor
hen crying in the rushes, and then. quite
suddenly. the clank Of a bolt benin her and
a soft voice singing mockingly--
Solvent femme vsrie:
sien fol Qui sy ns'
The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09

II before this thing happened you had
asked for Mr.. Hobbs. employe of the frm
OF Wandermeyer & Co. brewers. you would
have found him at any hour somewhere on
the premises. He might have been on his
stool in front of an account book. twiddlins
q quill pen. occasionally putting down hg-
ures that seemed to come out OF his head
and adding them w. always wrong Or.
since his clerical duties We're not continu-
Gus nor. as may he imagined. invaluable.
he might have been busted at some other
work. such as carrying messages from one
part of the building to the other or show
ing visitors round. He was a little. apple
checked man Of about 20. with thin. gray
hair ard sharp eyes. The draymen called
him Hoppy Dick. because of a limp in his
walk.
It was supposed he had been there so long
that Mr.. wandermeyer had not the heart
to turn him off. Not that any one wanted
him sacked. for he was the kindliest little
man. and even IL his post seemed a sinecure
he was worth his salt merely as a difuser
OF enthusiasm. He loved everything con-
nected with the work. down to the per-
petual noise and smell. Nothing. he main
tanned. was so fine as making beer. whether
one was employed in mailing or brewing.
in flooring. kiln-drying. fermenting. or rum
ming errands for the head OF the firm. Even
after hours he would roam about the build
fngs, peerins into every nook and corner,
for he considered himself nightwatchman.
rs well as clerk and messenger: and he
had a little room Of his own at the top OF
the brewery where he lived.
Besides the firm. Hoppy Dick had another
vanity. which he had taken to displaying
only in the last year or so. That was his
son. who had been killed in the Zulu Wa.
II had come as rather a surprise TO the
other employees TO learn that Hoppy Dick
had had a son. They had not thought of
the old man even as married. But. once
started. he never tired of talking about his
son-the finest soldier in the British Army
for size and looks (he took after his moth
er-was Mr.. Hobbs's modest explanatory;
his dutifulness toward his parents. whom he
had always come to see as soon as he got
furlough: his b~ravery-which had been his
d~eath-he had been speared while rescuing
q comrade from twelve b~lackamoors: and
the Colonies letter. which had been writ
ten to Mr.. Hobbs after that event to say
that Harold would certainly have got the
v. c.. II only he had survived.
Every one in the brewery had heard about
these things dozens of times. yet Mr.. Hobbs
would puff and swell anew whenever he got
o chance Of ~retelline them. Now and again
to tease the old man-some one would ex-
press incredibly about the number of Zulus
(Which certainly had grown within the men,
ory Of severaD. and would ask TO see the
Colonel's letter for a guarantee. That Mr..
Hobbs refused to show. as being too pre-
cious to be fingered. He would point to a