davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-15

and standing on plateau two thousand
yards square.
few borings suficed to show that
the geological formation or Tehbai was
all that could be desired. The peak was.
indeed. an enormous conical shaped
solid block Of magnetic pyrites, i've
thousand feet high.
Nothing since the meeting In Mel
bourne had given Norbert so much pleas
ure as the discovery of this peak, with
such perfect geological conditions that
he was spared the trouble OF building an
artificial mountain OF magnetic pyrites
First OF all. il was necessary to put
all the valuable apparatus under cover
The machines and instruments had until
now been deposited in ordinary tents.
Norbert began by making a zigzag
road 10 the summit, the surface OF which
he leveIed, to the extent OF three thou
sand square yards. On this esplanade
he erected. after the usual fashion.
buildings one story high, intended 10
serve as shops. laboratories and dwell
ing places They were all made OF
pyrites that had been dug out OF the
hill as the road went up. Rooted with
the same material. they bristled like
fortresses on the mountain top.
The workmen came from Darfour
close by. and the Cherofa tribe were al
ways willing TO lend their aid. Thanks
! to the exertions OF the interpreters
Mabrouki and Virgil there were soon
about twenty overseers 20 hurry on mat
ters This little army OF workmen was
/ easily provisioned from the adjacent
/ town Of Berber. while their drinking
water brought by regular conveys OF
( cameIs from the wells Of Onadi-Teraib
/ and Abou- KIea. few leagues distant,
was stored in zine clsterns on the
/ mountain top.
! Beneath the plateau OF Tehbah and
/ its towering peak lay the arid. sandy
plains Of the great BayOuda Desert.
/ Here and there were visible small tufts
/ OF palm trees. while TO the west some
white spots on the yellow ground in
dicated the villages OF Central Darfour;
| and through the telescope the cupolas
/ and minarets of Berber stood out on
their own little green oasis. Northward,
/ in the distance. wound the Nile, its
we'll wooded banks plainly discernible,
and its blue waters shimmering now and
again in the bright sunshine.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-15

tain. The well can be put 70 other
uses also. as you will soon see"
You said something Just now" re-
marked NJ Kersain. about a steam en-
CINE for the purpose OF boring this we'll
Where are the steam engines. and how
did you manage TO get the necessary
fueI?"
You have hit upon the only possible
drawback 10 our success" replied Nor
bert. smiling. The want OF fuel was
indeed a dimcuIty. / will show you how
I got over il by contrivance that is the
very turning point OF the whole enter
prise
They passed into a corridor leading to
the broad circular passage between the
buildings and the outer rampant. Here
in the open air. and exposed all day long
10 the tropical sunshine. stood several
dozen large copper rehectors-
Each apparatus had in the center q
boiler made OF tempered glass. and
steam engine. whose slightest movement
could evidently set in motion various
conducting wires that stood arranged
in readiness under a shed.
This is the solar heat condenser"
oc.AAA -NUA Df-A 4 L@-n EaAAAEl 10 AAAf E0AdA
heat au1 utilize It. II has already en-
abled US TO bore one we'll. and. as you
shall see when we get to the foot OF the
mountain. IL kindles 10 a white heat the
group or furnaces that make large guam
titles Of glass"
DO You mean 10 say" exclaimed
Briet that this copper funnel can de-
velop sufficient heat TO vitrify sand -
1T can replied Norbert This r.
our only heating apparatus. Your cut
lets this morning we're grilled by the
solar heat condenser; the soup and
roast meat will be cooked by the same
process this evening"
But" said Gertr Ide, Iaughingly. you
are obliged always 70 cook in the day
time 20
Yes. If we are foolish enough 70 SUI
fer our store OF heat TO evapOrate into
space. not so. IL we take care to i'm
prison II in non conductor. such as a
woole1 covering. or even a potful OF
SAND. Virgil does this very cleverly, 1
assure you"
IT is marvelous," cried Mr.. Kersain.
This invention is certainly destined TO
be OF great service in Africat"
L-N-n EltAleE NnEn lr NnOuEuLs
piled Norbert Remember this is a
free and unlimited force, BY the solar
action alone il will henceforwarG be pos
sibIe TO sink artesian wells in the mid
die OF the most arid desert, 10 get water
from any depth. bring it to the surface.
and make use OF il as we will Railways
can in future traverse the Sahara Desert
and he whirr OF busy manufactures
wake up It's silent eShOes while steamers
pillow the wave without need TO trouble
about finding fuel. The sun win do it
I all This conical funnel once set facing
the SUM- the rest will so by itself: and
what more easy than 10 so set IL. The
I lever wonder enables the reflector TO be
moved backward and forward horizontal
I H. while the toOthed rack. by setting in
motion two cogs. elevates or depresses
/ II vertically The contrivance is 50
simple that IL could be learned in five
minutes by a child OF seven. We VIII
now visit the lower works
no BIZ CONTINUED NEXT SUNDAY.l
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-15
CHAPTER K.

MYSTERIOUS REMARK OF MAID.
on their return TO the Suakim every
thing turned out as the MOgaddem OF
Rhndameh had promised. The day after
their arrival ragged dervish presented
himself at the French consulate with a
duly drawn up receipt. and pocketed the
sum agreed upon in good gold coins,
which he slowed away in a little leather
bag. On the sixth day. according to the
ARRANGEMENT. 500 camels stood Al the
western gate OF the city in readiness foI
the orders of NJ. Norbert Mauny.
The unloading OF the Dover Castle
went on rapidly. and the quay was soon
covered with bales and cases that were
taken out Of the hold OF the vessel.
The cameIs were then brought up In
squads OF fifteen and twenty at n time
1 they knelt down to receive the enormous
burdens. which were fastened on their
backs by means OF pack saddles OF a
special make. The name of each driver
was registered. together with the bag
gage committed to his care, for which
he was held responsible until it's safe
arrival on the tableland of Tehbali.
/ A week went by in these preparations
and our friends naturally became more
/ intimate every day. what with frequent
parties on the sands, musical evenings
and open hearted talks about their sd-
venturous undertaking. now no longer
a mystery.
/ Preparations FASTENED forward. and
were soon all completed; the caravan
awaited but the signal 20 start for
Berber. much 10 the disgust Of Messrs
Wagner. Vogel. and Gryphins. who had
made up their minds the enterprise
should not succeed II they could hell
IT, In fact, st was from messenger
OF theirs that the Mogaddem had Learned
the secret Of the enterprise.
The consul gave a farewell dinner q
Mauny, and invited Sir Bucephalus
Guyon. and B-iet The conversation
turned naturally TO the expedition. They
were inclined 20 think that. after all
perhaps its dangers had been exag-
gerated.
The whole aspect OF the affair 8:
! changed" said Kersain. since you con
irived 10 gain over the Cherofas. fol
| success would have been impossible
without them Now you may succeed
provided only you keep on good terms
with these powerful allies; you have fl
your favor the most irresistible argu-
ment OF a full purse. coupled with z
natural generosity that has already
earned you a noble nickname from the
| camel drivers"
What is it," asked Gertrude.
The Opened Handed One replied
her father
That's all very pretty said the doc
tor: but you are forgetting the Mahdi
who. with a word. could change the gooC
will OF the Cherofas juto the deadlies
hostility"
True" replied the consul; but koT
dofan. the Mahdi's headquarters. is Ioni
| way on from the Bayouda Desert. AnC
| have just learned that the Egyptian
government has al last resolved 10 make
an end Ct the insurgents. They are con
I cCntratiug a large army al KhartouI
| via the Nile and fl is TO be commando,
/ by English officers.
THAT VIII put new face Oh matters.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-15
CHAPTER XI.
THE PEAK OF TEHBALL

THE PEAK OF TEHBALI
Gertrude could not but feel alarmed at
the vague words or warning spoken by
Fatima.
What do you mean. child?' she
asked
IF you only knew what ! do mean, No
one is afraid OF me, and so l often find
out things that the white men have no
idea Of. II you only knew what is com
ing, II you knew how the giaours Jun
believers are detcsted, 4 long way of.
near the lakes. there Is a great prophet
who has come TO save the sons OF Allah,
He is real saint and no one can resist
him. He has sworn TO exterminate every
one OF the Europeans. This is what the
Arabs and men OF the desert are saying.
They declare that all this will happen
very soon. perhaps within eight days
that the signal Will be given from Kor-
dofan. Then there will be a grand mas
sacre OF the white men. was longing
10 speak when you were all talking at
dinner Of the Mahdi but l didn't dare.
and then you sent me- to fetch your fan -
Exactly. my child, and IL / had not
sent you away. you would have heard my
father say that great army is prepar-
Ing 70 march against the Mahdi''
oh, II will not be OF any use You
don't know how enraged they all are
even the porters on the quay They are
saying that there must be an end "a
the strangers in their land. that the
prophet has ordered the slaughter OF the
infideIs. with many other things that
l 10 ~
Oh, do get away as soon as possible with
the master. and take Fatima. She Is
the only one here that loves you, But
what have I done?" continued the child
You are quite pale and I shall make
you I'll with my tales"
NO, little one. I am not i'll. only very
anxious What you say only confirms
the fears expressed by thore who have
experience in these matters. and II
seems 10 me that I myself have had my
suspicious all along. I don't like my
father to 90 out Of the city, Poor IA
/ Their. He will not leave Egypt. / know,
/ And / certainly will not leave him. NJ
matter what happens.
Nor viii !. dear little mistress, Blu
! am only a child and perhaps ] hav,
/ exaggerated the QduEtl- As wrong a
speak OF il. Don't think Of IL any more
/ Go TO bed. fl is late. and the master
would not be pleased if ne knew yot
were sim up
| Seven months went by. and contrar,
/ TO ali expectations nothing had hapene,
/ TO Justify Fatima's fears. The Mahdi an,
his partisans seemed, in fact, TO be los
| ing. not gaining and the advance og al
Egyptian army. ten or twelve thoussn,
strong. from Khartoum, under Hicks
Pasha. had driven him from his capital
/ EI-Obeid. and forced him 10 beat a re
| treat toward the south.
/ Meanwhile. on the plateau OF Tehbal
/ the works directed by Norbert Maun,
progressed happily and well Everythin;
! hitherto had gone as he wished. The in
dispensabIe magnetic pyrites abounde,
! to such an extent in the western deser
/ OF Bayouda. near Darfour, that who'll
mountains. three or four thousand fee
! in height were entirely composed or IL
I Norbert chose the lOft.est, he Peak @
ThebaIi, for the seat OF the enterprise
II was an immense crag OF cOniCa
shape, OF perfectly homogeneous rock
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-15
CHAPTER XIII.

THE DETAILS OF THE SCHEME.
The visitors had been intensely in
terested in all they had heard about
he plans. but Norbert refused TO tell
them any more until they had rested.
Not until sunset would he conduct his
guests over his domain
Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-15
no 10 Continued !
= strict Distinction.

Old Senator Benton. Of Missouri.
was violently opposed 10 the mar.
riagc Of his daughter Jrssic to John
{. Fremont IIr threw every possible
obstacle in the way. but his argu.
mems. pleading and threats vera
alike useless. After the marriage
Mrs. Fremont often told the story Of
how her father. powcrlcss but not
rcc0ncilcd, went to the newspaper
office and handed i'm notice aunounr.
ing the marriage Of Jessie Benton
and John {. Fremont" and hoyr,
when his attention was called TO ths
fact that he had reversed ths usual
form. he banged his fist doyvi, and
cried: Darn it,, sir. IL win go in that
way OF not at all. John {. Fremont
did not marry my daughter; shs ma =
ried linn. - Kansas City Star.
Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-15
CURRENT COMMENT.

t-It is stated that the democrats and
populists of Nebraska will again fuse
They have such a close resemblance to
each other-particuarly in that state
that II would probably be impossible
TO sort them out. anyway -Phtladel-
phia Press.
g The only matter OF consequence
IN the action of the Iowa democratic
convention is the ignoring and virtual
population Of free silver Two years
ago II reafirmed the Kansas City plat
form In whole and in every part. Its
present action shows a feeble sort of
attempt AT reformation The demand
that the integrity of the money Of the
nation be guarded with Jealous care"
might be construed as demanding a new
burglar-prOOf safe i'm the treasury de-
partment indianapolis Journal.
UyThe same dispatches that bring the
news that Mr.. Bryan bitterly denounces
the action OF the Iowa democrats also
brings the news that the outcome i'm
Iowa has greatly stimulated the Cleve-
land movement I'm the east. In spite of
the prot estations OF MIR Cleveland's
friends that he does not want the nom
ination and Of his enemies that he can
not have tho nomination. Mr. Cleveland
IS more and more becoming the inevi-
table candidate Of tho conservative de-
mocracy .--Des Moines Register ,oader.
DA considerable part of the demo
cratic party is booming Senator Cor
mans presidential ambitions with no
little yieor Ono politician has openly
declared that capital has no confidence
In Bryan. Had the same politician ar
firmed that the earth was round he
would have been no safer in his decIara
ton. Indeed. II looks very much as #
the pilots on the democratic ship had
lost their bearings. through lack Of prac
tice. and were maneuvering among the
shoals, but now and then venturing to
,ast anchor in some safe spot from
which they might view the open sea and
val. TOR calm Wsath sr, Troy Tines
Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-15
CHAPTER, WIZ.

Ihc next evening at nine o'clock
Nardc was working in the Office when
negro boy brought him note. lie
opened it casually and read the fol
lowing:
Mr. Wardc- Come as soon as YOU
can to Peters Rest. No. 1.OOG Com
merce street. \ river man there can
give you great story for the Ga
zette. His name is William Jackson.
"A Friend"
Irving received great many notes
like this, and it occasioned him no
surprise. Peters Rest had rcputa-
ton of not very rcassuring charac-
ter; still he was often called TO such
places, and he gave it no particular
thought. He finished the work upon
which he was engaged. and at II
O'Clock started for the choice locality
TO which he had been called.
~ he was passing the station
house. Fcnton, the detective. Joined
him and asked whittier he was going
TO Peters Rest" said Wardc.
That's a nice place to go to-" said
fenton. laughing.
II was called there to get piece
Of news" replied Wardc
II will go with YOU" said Fcnton:
ut may be- something i'm my line"
All right; but remember that thi>
is mine. and if there's anything in il
the Gazette gets it exclusively"
"Of course"
The locality which the two men
were about to visit wa, considerable
distance from the station house. and
II abuttcd on the river Commerce
street originally ran parallel with the
river but the current Of the NHssiss
lppi. which IS ever making some cx-
cusc for change, had eaten away a
large part OF the bank so that the
upper end Of the street ran almost
into the water. The rear end Of scv.
cral houses ON the west side were ac.
tually suspended over the strcnm.
and II was only question of time
when they would topplc into the
swirling waters; but il Is rather a
venerable observation that because
a thing did not happen yesterday
people are inclined to think that IL
viii not happen tomorrow. And so.
many persons on upper Commerce
street continued to reside above the
river. knowing full well that there
would be an end to it some time. but
fondly expecting that somehow they
would move ont day or two before
the crash came and the river claimed
= lot ~ refuse not its own.
That portion Of the city Wardc and
Fcnton entered knew no such Iuxu-
rirS AZ lampligbts, and depended en-
tircly upon such Examinations as n
c"mplacent moon would furnish. On
This particular night the moon was
contcoding intcrmittentIy with sea
Ut crested clouds. To the right a.
Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-15
THE POST OFFICE AFFAIR.
ThsrouBh In vssfIgntion w an He Nads
Snder Direction of the
President.

Theirs have been no great steals in the
posrDffice department. but it would ap-
pear that large number of prominent
off1cials have assisted in grating on To-
the pay roll persons who had no bust
ness there. and one late official has been
indicted for receiving substantial sum
as bride for awarding contracts. Two
assistant attorney generals for the post
Office department are found by Assistant
Postmaster General Bristow to have
been connected with Irregularities. and
OF these both have been removed and
one has been arrested. All have been
FOR a long time connected with the de-
partment. and all but the assistant at
torneys general were apparently civil
service appointees who had been pro-
NOTED on what was deemed merit" All
those under fire have powerful friends
and every possible influence has been
exerted TO save them from punishment.
says the San Francisco Chronicle.
The American people are fortunate in
knowing that they have a president
whom nothing can deter from probing
this scandal to the bottom. no matter
who is hit He does not. of course. carry
on the investigation. That is the duty
of the postmaster general. but the power
of the president is behind everything
which is OF sufficient importance to
claim his attention. The postmaster
general. in turn, does not deal directly
with the investigating officials. or with
those who are accused. His proper place
is that of an official TO review. and 10
direct action on the facts as they come
before him. His action has been 81
prompt and so stern as to satisfy the
most eXacting critic. and he has placed
all the facts before the public as fast
as they have been properly authenticat-
ed The real work of the investigation
has been in charge OF Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Bristow, and the
result shows that he is sparing nobody.
Whether we have yet seen the end IA
uncertain Attention having been drawn
To scandals in the civil service all de-
partments are doubtless now being uu:-
etiy examined. 1t is certain that the en-
tire administration is thoroughly
aroused. None of these derelict officials
are recent appointees Some of them date
w O'N'Nia . administrator Ut
before. All must have borne good repu-
tatlons and gone wrong under the temp
tations of extravagant Washington life
The greater part of the irregularities
are In petty things. The most common
oHense was in getting some one irresu-
larly on the pay rolls at the behest Of
some influential person. The public has
the right to know the names of the con-
sressmen or other high officials to whose
demand these officials yielded. They
may De beyond the reach of the law. and
PROBABLY are. but the public would like
10 know their names just the same
Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-15

shey traycrscd the rounded street
bending with the river bank, seyerai
cotton sheds spread their huge d.
mansions in solid blackness. The
houses were mostly old and dila pida-
ted and peopled with the city's dregs.
II was here that thieves. rough boat
men. idle plantation hands. and
that great herald of the transient
and the shifting known as the
tramp, were fond of c6ngregating.
And 1T was apparent that the ao-
commodations were ample for this
Kind OF population. There were dens
OF various shades of iniquity; ram
shackle sheds where the tramp could
readily find free tons for
the night; greasy corner groceries
where stale vegetables and riot breed.
ing liquors were sold. together with
the certainty that one would take ND
the trail OF death where the other
left Oft: boarding houses where river
and plantation hands were packed
Chinese fashion. In short, one could
see mere every sort of building ex-
ccpt the church and the school house.
KS the two men continued their
walk the houses became less numcr-
omS. and they passed vacant lots, be-
yond which they could see the sill.
very CLEAN of The river
At last they came to Peters Rest
II was ~ two stored house. which
in its day had been considered one
Of the handsomest residences in the
city: for in the early days of Nilus.
this congcricS Of filth. crime and deg
relation had been the most eligible
part OF the town. Yet nobody ever
dreamed at the time of this story
that lIclfs Half Acre. which Law
Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-15

i'''ii'"Np IlFs BAR w As y STOIsID
RCFFlAN WHO LOOKED AS IF HE
HAD TAKEN ALL THE DEGREES
or CRIME.
banked in shadows to the north.
would one day be reclaimed again
and travcrSed by railroads and re-
sound with the hum of business; for
now the desperate and the rough
were omniprescnt in that locality.
The cNigcncics of the time had con-
trovcrtcd this old mansion into thu
very worst resort of its kind in the
city. 1t was become the rendezvous
of all sorts Of disrCputablc men and
women. Ii was here that under the
influence of liquor, which was un.
cqualcd in vilencSs, all sorts Of evil
pacts were struck, crimes wera
planned and new lessons of deprav-
ity were learned. Just this side OF the
EeSt was vacant lot, stretching
down to the river. Here Fenton eaid
he would stop while Warde went in
Before they separated Fenton handed
him police whistle, and it was
agreed between them that if Warde
should blow it. the detective would
would hasten to his assistance. Fen
ton was not at all satisfied with this
adventure of Wardc's. but he did not
communicate any of his uncasiness
He merely cautioned him to he on his
guard. n the crowd he was going
among was not very particular about
taking either property or life.
The atmosphere in the saloon vns
50 heavy and malodorous that the
lights burned dimly and reluctantly
Behind the bar was a stolid rultian
who looked as if he might have taxeu
all the degrees of crime a low brow.
heavy black mustachc. small animal
eyes and a profusion of cheap Jewell
ry admirably fitted Billy Niece 20
be- the hero of u bloody mrlodra,ma
or prominent character i'm n Lon.
don chap-booll. \ couple Of diSsipatcJ
Young men were throwing dice be-
fore Eilly. who watched the result
with the interest Of a diSpas sionats
referee. number Of persons en-.
bodying various degrees of disrcputa.
hilitN were cougregatcd about tbs
tables. some handling greasy decks of
cards. sOmc shooting craps" some
drinking whisky and other congenial
liquors and some talking apart 10
whispers ON subjects not to he re-
ycalcd even in that favorable atmoq.
phcrc. There were also on hand a
few faded parodies Of womanl,ind.
whose efforts 10 bc gay and mirthful
were of piece with their ghastIy
surroundings.
Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-15
THOSE OLD SIiPPeRS.

with many comforts I am blessed
fof which hope I'm tina nkful duly
Oi ample means | aru possessed:
have "A wife who loves me truly
She makes me pretty things to wear
Nhh such N sweet desire to please
But my great joy.Rnd her despair
Is my old WORKOUT siippetcd ease
bought those si,rpcts loul. age
Quite smart they were ard much ad-
mrcd.
They don't look handsome now I know
Hut they suit roe when I arm tired
They're badly worn and down at heel,
Their shapelincss aud gloss are gone
Bui. oh, great Scott, How good they feel
when sit down and slip them on,
How soft and grateful to the sole,
How snugly to each corn conforminx
WIN ventilation at each hole,
At once | find them cool and warming
L need some new ones { suppose
But mortal maker could not sell
NJ" tootgcar to compare with those
Old slippers that I love so welt
Chicago Daily News