davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29

bottomed barge on which the circus was
given. The barge was covered with a
large regulation tent securely fastened
down. inside OF which was the familiar
sawdust ring where were performed "en-
chanting equestrian exercises and entertain
ing equilibristic efforts" OF course, this
water circus" lacked interest for the many
who delight in watching the big shows
place their tents and assemble their para
phernalia. for IT steamed into town.
which had been well billed. everything In
readiness for a performance and with the
horses hitched in the band wagon. the
calliope already playing on the roof OF the
steamer, and the parade prepared to start
as soon as they were conveniently mooref
along shore. And in the evening there was
no pulling up of stakes or tearing down OF
tent to mar the latter part OF the perform
ance. but after all was over the iotilla
silently steamed away. everything prepared
for the next town and exhibition. just a. II
had come in the morning. II was q well
conceived scheme, and never failed Of Q
large and generous patronage. II rain or
wind kept away crowd the circus might
tarry for another day. future engagements
not being too pressing. The people con-
nected with the AFFAIR were Of a much bet
ter class than is usually found in such
connection and there was no following Of
fakrs and swindlers.
Directly opposed to this affair of amuse-
ment but as interesting In its way and
methods, was the 'Megiddo Mission boat"
This boat was owned and managed by .
man who. for more than forty years. has
devoted his life to the spreading OF the
Bible Like the Apostle Paul, he determined
to be free from all men and has labored
without any salary whatever, having made
much money from several profitable pat
ents. The boat was built on the Mississippi,
and has held meetings in many places be-
tween ST. Paul and Memphis. II has pene-
trated the Cumberland river as far an
Nashville. and is at work along the
Ohio. Besides n beautiful and commodious
boat, there Is a barge. but the religious
meetings are frequently conducted on shore
in a large, well-appointed tent. Aboard this
boat live thirty families. dwelling In
state OF harmony and peace that IL re-
markable. The women and men who are
devoting their lives TO this work accom-
plish much in defraying expenses. The
women do various kinds of needle and fancy
work, which they dispose OF at differens
points, and among the men are excellent
paper hangers, painters. piasterers, car
penters, maohinists. bricklayers. general
workmen. etc. who can nearly always find
work in their line. The children are models
of goodness. and they exist In an atmos-
phere where neither angry feelings or cross
words are ever vented. that is beyond be-
lief. The mission boat has over fifty state
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29

gaze wandered alt .rnately from the pro-
truding pocket to the unrelenting face of
the boy.
Harold" she said what makes you so
mean? Boys are just the meanest things
there are. You know you'll only make fun
of us if we do tell you what the lines mean.
That's all you want, Harold, you bad boy.
you know it is"
Wont, neither" cheerfully replied Har-
old, as he thrust forth for the second time
his stubby hand.
The girl took 1t gingerly this time; she
would have liked very much to tell the boy
to go and perform his supper-time ablu-
tions, but she didn't dare, not with that
precious knobby bundle in his pocket.
"Well," she began, as she opened the
hand and disclosed a far from clean palm.
tracing with the rubber end Of her pencil
the long line spanning the thumb cushion.
why, Harold, see how remarkably long
your life line is. See that! No danger but
you will have time to work up for that ex-
animation, is there?'
At this side twit the round cheeks of the
boy flushed. 1t was a mean insinuation
even fer a sister, when every one knew he
was first in nearly all his classes, and took
what his mother thought was an almost un-
healthy interest in maintaining that position.
She Strengthened out the small-boned fin
gers from the heavy palm. There is an
aptitude here for the fine arts" she went
on-"music perhaps" The boy didn't
say anything to this; he was pretty
certain his sister was waxing sarcastic. 1t
was a terrible struggle to him to dis
tinguish the place in the scale of the little
black dots in his music book. and he had a
voice whose quality of tone would have
shamed a back-fence pussy, it was always
so inclined to go down when he opened his
mouth for it to go up, and so very likely
to go up when he had every intention that
1t should go down.
Look here at the frets and Worries"
went on the girl. marking out the little
criss-cross lines. She was really interested
In the little palm by this time and had
forgotten all the characteristics that in her
mind went to make up her brother "And
here" she continued. you are of a very
sensitive nature. dislike quarrels and
| are naturally of a quiet disposition
GOSH said the small boy. He looked
vindictively at the cat; that forgiving ami
NAL having gone out in the hall and coll
lected her thoughts, was pausing on the
threshold to reflect on the respective merits
OF the Morris chair and the workbasket as
| a place to snooze in. Say" he said. read
this a WHILE" and he jerked back the un-
complimentary hand and passed over its
mate
The girl fiuffed her pompadour and gently
acquiesced. 1t is only good policy to over
look shortcomings in the manners of small
brothers when the next day is ones BIRTH
day and the small boy is possessed of a
| bundle of infinite possibilities. She hadn'
settled in her mind yet whether ii would be
the dear little emerald ring with the six
| tiny chip diamonds that she and aunt Kate
had admired in the jewelers. case. or the
tickets to hear the wonderful singer whose
voice was said TO be like honey and liquid
gold, and whose prices were above the most
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29
rubbery reach of her own or her parents


poclxetbook.
She even patted the grimy little hand as
she turned it over. mot much modifca-
ton yet" she said. You know, Harold,
the left hand indicates the natural charac-
teristics, and the right hand the manner
in which we change them"
"Gee'' said the small boy.
You are of a rather generous tempera-
ment," she went on. "Ratherl' the small
boy shifted at the adjective as the cat did
at the hot match-end he sometimes offered
her. "You are going to take long journey.
Harold his sister continued, and end
your life in a country not your own"
1t was at this point that the small boys
hair began to feel unsettled at the roots.
If there is superstitious animal on the
face of the earth it is the small boy in the
abstract. This particular one always found
some excuse for waiting below stairs till
some one had switched the light on above
before he mounted to his room at night,
and he made it point always to walk
around a pin he might chance upon so
that it would be sure to point to good luck
before he picked 1t up "Aw." he jeered.
'cut that out, can't you? What I want
to know is about that bull pup'
The girlish face frowned. What has
mother told you, Harold, about slang!"
she reproved "And see here" she con-
tinued. what lot Of money you will have
before you de-"
Now you're talking said the small boy
with satisfaction. "RocKerefeller's about
my stunt
but you are not fond of work." went
on the girl.
in fhaf fha trtrfh 90 lro6 he
small boy.
The girl looked at the nails, she glanced
at the general conformation, then back at
the palm. This certainly looks as though
you were going to excel in the fine arts
perhaps music'-the girl had forgotten
that the boy was her brother-"and your
nature is largely dominated by sentiment"
| At this the grimy hand was snatched
| away. Surely this worse than being
called "child'-he, the most bull-dogish
player in the alley gang; he that cherished
bruises as pretty girls cherish their eye
lashes. His feelings were not only hurt,
they were outraged. His gray eyes were
bright with anger almost unto tears. He
put his hands behind him. Why, he was
proud of the very dirt upon them, for was
it not dirt acquired through a hard swat
at Bulgy Jones when that small boy played
an underhanded trick to get the ball away
from him? He hadn't meant to hit so hard,
and his heart reproved him little when he
saw the disfigured Bulgy sitting on stone
swabbing a rapidly swelling nose with a
crimson handkerchief, but he kept the ball
all right, also a plentiful spreading of the
| grimy covering of the alley cobble stones
along with it, He and the other boys had
managed TO shake and whack the most of
the mud Off of his outer garments, but his
hands still bore traces of the beautiful
| scrimriage.
He looked at his sister hard. He wanted
to see If she was evening UP on the score
| of teasing, but he couldn't make out.
"Heumph!' he said. You mean to tell me,
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29

that she would play them both anyway,
his real purpose was doubtless to get her
to interpret them both at once and have it
all over with. After some discussion of the
matter, the young lady decided to play the
funeral march first and the minuet after
ward, explaining that she had always
found 1t good policy to render light num-
Der after a heavy one. She proceeded to
carry out this plan, playing both compost
tons as they had perhaps never been
played before, introducing few improve
ments of her own in the Chopin number
that would have proved immensely inter-
esting to Mister Chopin himself had he
been alive and In that drawing room at
the time. and interpolating a cute little
theme into the minuet that would have
caused Paderewski to wonderland he but
heard it-why he had never thought of it
himself. All things must have an ending,
and the young lady finished her perform
ance at last and retreated to chair on
the other side OF the room after promising
to play several more pieces later in the
evening.
soprano singer was second on the pro-
| gramme. She was very pretty and dressed
in exquisite taste Everybody knew, as soon
4 az sue WdihSu ny " hCi pidSS ocoiuC tAC
piano accompanist that she would sing
''violets," for the gown she wore had been
made to match the song. She had a sweet
voice and this portion of the entertainment
| would have been wholly successful had it
not been for the pet bulldog that belonged
to the hostess and which had been sleeping
peacefully In an adjoining room. Have you
ever tried to sing ''violets' with a bull
dog anywhere around? Well, bulldog
won't stand for "violets." He doesn't mind
1t much until you reach that part where
the exclamation "Ah" Is prolonged through
| several bars and then repeated, and then
he will raise his own voice in bitter pro-
test. There is something about that "Ah!'-
or, more likely, about the four slurred tones
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29

which the singer takes while holding the
monosyllable-that CRATES upon bulldogs
ears.
This particular bulldog was like all the
rest. The fair vocalist had sweetly sung
the words:
"Evry morn 1 bring thee violets.
Which at daybreak / have culled;
And at night send thee roses,
Which at evening have pulled.
Knowest thou the pretty flowers,
Tender, secretly will say
Ah-a-a-a-a! Ah-a-a-'
And this is where the bulldog came in.
He had evidently Weakened from his nap
as soon as the song had begun. for. Of
course, he'had heard it many times before
and knew what was coming. He had quiet
ly left his comfortable resting place on the
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29

Sis, that them lines mean I'm going to be
opera singer-with voice like that?"
and he treated them to a verse of popu-
lar melody with a vigor that sent both
girls hands up to their ears. I'm a loafer,
too, am L; a sort of Weary Willy coward,
avn" and the voice of the boy trailed away
into terrible grimace of injury and spleen.
He untangled his legs from their COM
plicated position and Strengthened himself
out. With a book and careful sling he
upset his sisters workbasket, and with the
other book and another sling sent confusion
among the magazines on the table. He
thrust his hand, then, deep into his pocket
and brought out the bundle about which his
sisters heart wrapped, and tossed 1t into
her lap.
There he said. take it,"
The girl clutched it eagerly; the boy,
timing his steps nicely so as to stumble
over the cat in the doorway, left the room
There was vengeance in his heart at that
moment, and the conscience of the small
boy catches up with his growth somewhere
along about twenty. In the hall he said to
the fleeing cat, Served her right"
The face of the girl flushed prettily with
expectation she tugged patiently at the
knOtS OF the Small package. 1t was cur
iously soft and yielding to the touch, and
she puzzled more and more over the con-
tents. 1t could not be the ring, the pliabil-
ity settled that; it could not be the opera
tickets. 1t might be handkerchiefs such as
only aunt Kate could buy; 1t might even be
the dear little gold chain with the diamond
clasp she coveted. 1t would be just like
uncle Charley to tease her by doing it up
in such manner as to puzzle her.
At last the last knot gave way, the paper
unfolded itself and out into the girls lap
tumbled a small heap of-samples! The
girl looked at them, then suddenly her
pretty blue eyes filled with tears. 1t was
the errand she herself had commissioned
aunt Kate with Nothing but the mind of
a small boy would have been capable of ex-
| tracing such an amount of meanness from
so small a beginning. Still, tomorrow was
| tomorrow, after all.
| The other girl looked at the quivering
mouth of the small boys sister. 1.-The mean
| little wretchv she said.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29

have been welcomed gladly. but memory
failed him completely, and IL wasn't in him
to make up anything himself
There were several others who took part
in the programme. but to go into detail
would be to prolong this faithful account
almost indefinitely. Mention should be
made. however. Of the recitationist-the only
participant in the entertainment whose
contribution was devoid OF musical features.
She was dainty little thing-wns the reci-
tationist-but she was so brave that she
tackled some of the most tremendous
speeches in Shakespeare without wavering.
After doing a choice little ''bit' from Lady
Macbeth she showed her versatility by
reciting a pathetic poem about a sick man
in hospital. For some reason or other
drawing room recitationists seldom have
anything humorous TO offer. They prefer
the pathetic every time. Perhaps nobody
on earth can keep invalid just on the
verge Of death so long a recitationist
can do IL and nobody can linger so long over
the invalid after he is dead. This young
lady killed of her man as slowly as possible
and when she had him dead and buried, to
the immense relief of the company, she
wiped her tears away and gave cheerful
little recitation, which began
'Ts list a itty bitty diri
My mamma says rs sweet; =
has blue eyes an dolden turi.
An isty btty feet.
Is 1t surprising that there were those In
the assembly who were ardently wishing
that they had taken their departure with
the invalid? LOUIS w. JONES.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29
Palmistry and a Small Boy
of Morals of Typical Specimen of
p - - - - Juvenile HUI q - q ~

HE small boy came into the room
with very red cheeks and very
bright eyes, for the day was cold
I6CHSA without His gray wool tobog
- gan was wedged down tight over
his ears. and he wrenched himself free of
the overcoat the heart of every small boy
despises and threw Ii with nice precision
over the cat. nearly startling that animal
out CT her seventh life. AS she took her
way out OF the room with blazing yellow
eyes he watched her pleasantly. at the same
time removing his gloves. and scuffed his
overshoes under the lounge; then he woke
apparently to the fact that he was not
alone in the room.
Two giriish figures were seated by the
window. brows drawn down intently over
the books in their laps IT say. Sis" said
the small boy breezily. what you doin'?"
The girl with the hair and eyes like his
own raised her head. You go on away" she
said, with the small liberation of the newly
lons-skirted girl for thesmall boy. "Goay!
she threatened with appraised book. as the
small boy bore down upon her.
But the small boy didn't care; he wasn't
that kind Of a boy-not the kind, that Is.
who possesses feelings that sister can
wrenched the book out OF her hands after a
brief and lively scuffie. and shooing the
angry girl off with wave of ii he sat him.
self down back to the front on nearby
chair. locking his feet before him and OPEN
ing the book derisively on the chairs back.
The gentle art of palmistry.' he read;
then. as he took the meaning OF the title
In. he exclaimed: Scot, all that racket
over a little old book like that. Why, L
thought IL was mush at least'-'mush'' in
the vocabulary Of the small boy being
descriptive of romances OF the luridly SEN
timental type.
Harold, If you don't go away and leave
us alone said his sister angrily, II shall
take it TO mother"
THE book?" asked the small boy easily.
do. An6 III bet ten cookies she'll just tell
you that you'd better be at your practic-
ing
At this the girl suddenly hushed. for
when she came TO think of II she knew il
was only too likely TO be true. So, instead
of worrying herself longer over her tor
mentor, she wisely bent down and possessed
herself OF another book from the pile at her
side. and by turning her back on him ig-
ignore small boy.
..Whewt" whistled the boy as his ewes
followed the movements of the girl and
he saw the pile OF books beside her. ANY
more ammunition neededg' Then his eye
wandered 10 tie other girl. What you
got. GertT' he asked politely Then he
suddenly possessed himself OF her book
likewise.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29

this routine OF life along the Ohio
where the huge boats come and
INENNAI go with the regularity of mail
steamers; where the putting tow
boats push their monstrous barges Of
black diamonds down stream and return
with empties; where the slow, cautiously
moving ferryboats ply between the various
towns and villages along the shores, or in
the crude. frail gasoline boats that go
snorting and putting furiously along. taking
aboard and dischargihg piles Of freight and
numerous passengers, seemingly from some
'subaqueous depth, at every wayside land
ing, or turning in at a lonely spot perhaps
to take aboard a single man, basket on
arm, going to town. provided he has lungs
lusty enough to make his call heard by
the pilot in the diminutive wheelhouse,
when on summer evening the younger
population Of the towns betake themselves
for a row in skiffs or canoes. These might
be termed the everyday occurrences in
river life. But 1t Is the advent of some
strange. unusual craft along the Ohio that
arouses the wonder and admiration of the
urchins and '1evee loafers'' who frequent
the wharves and warehouses along the
river front, and stirs them into state OF
contagious animation which extends even
throughout the whole town until one and
ALL from sedate man of affairs to happy
school child, have made the trip down to the
levee to see the strange craft News travels
swiftly between the river towns, and SO an
event Of this kind Is never entirely unex-
pected. And In this connection could be
mentioned the excitement prevailing all
along the Ohio in 1894 when it was an
nounced that Kelley and his army OF
| unemployed had embarked I'm barges at
| some Southern river point and were
their way northward to join Coxey and his
industrial army" rather, "army of
the commonweal of Christ" for the mighty
march to Washington to demand relief
| from the government For days before it
was even possible for the army to reach
certain points of their steamboat journey,
the towns and villages were expectant,
| and almost any distant. unfamiliar whistle
would raise the cry, There comes Kelleys
army and the populace perhaps would
turn out forthwith, only to be disappointed.
| And when the army" did finally pass
| along, all one saw was a horde of tramps
| and crimnal-lookng wretches riding by In
some empty barges.
! One boat which passed along the river last
| summer drew attention and quarters from
many youngsters as well as many fond
fathers who investigated "only to please
the children" 1t was termed In huge red
American Water Circus This fiotilla
for such 1t really was. consisted OF a
stanch steamboat propelling large fiat
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29

The second girl was evidently wise in
the ways of small boys, for instead Of pro-
testing she yielded up her book without
struggle, merely remarking to no one In
particular for the benefit Of the small boy,
"Of all the ill-mannered children
Now this remark was more to the point
than most grown-up folks would believe,
for. If you want to lay your finger roughly
on very tender point of every small boys
makeup, call him Child" The small boy
promptly took the bait. He whipped the
pages of the two books over with spirit.
"Palmistry!" he remarked in a distinctly
derisive tone. Coin to set up a gypsy
camp. bet a dollar. Wonder If they've
got their red cambria bought and their
snake-oil-oh. / say, girlsl' he said sud-
denly Frightening UP. "Since you're up here.
read mine" And he thrust out a hand that
had been clean at noon. but certainly was
not so now.
His sister curled her pretty lips: the other
girl pretended not to hear. One girl didn't
care. and the other had not yet learned
that snubbing a small boy by his own sis
ter counted just about as much as pouring
vinegar on slate roof. The snubbing in
this case was productive of a prompt in
spiration- Thrusting his hand deep into his
Norfolk pocket he clutched a small pack
age there. then he pulled his hand out and
patted its lumpy protuberance on the out
side.
Gee, don't you wish you knew what
that was?' he said the eyes of the two
girls he saw, curiously followed his man.
euvres in spite of themselves. Wouldn't
you Just give cooky now," he jeered, Ito
know what that was? It's for Sis" he
volunteered. Uncle Charley gave it to me
TO give to Sis from aunt Kate. You can
just bet amt goin' to though not till you
two come down off your high horse and tell
| me few things what's coming. / want to
| know IL I'm to go to Europe with uncle and
auntie next summer, an whether I'm like
| ly to die young, an how many automobiles
I'm goin' to own when / grow up, an /
want know If mothers goin' to let me
| keep that there bull-terrier Bob Jones IS
| goin' to give me-an'-an'" but the imagi-
nation of the small boy had suddenly
emptied itself like an uptipped bottle.
| The girl with hair and eyes like the small
boy would have given anything to have
clipped the wings of her curiosity then and
there. but the next day was her birthday,
| and the bundle held possibilities There
was no way she could think of on the spur
| of the moment to save herself from ac-
quiescence with the boys demand saving TO
throw him down and sit on him while the
other girl committed highway robbery: but
the muscles OF the boy had lately been
hardening perceptibly. thanks to strenuous
| school pastimesr and the throwing process
was becoming an uncertain proceeding. Her