davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01
s MYSTERIOUS
MISS DACRES
By Mrs Schuyler Crowninshield.
Copy wright 1901, by j. B. Llppincott Co.
CHAPTER I.

= GtHave you room for rent?" I
looked up from the dish-towel which
Il was hemming. "A bony young
woman stood before me. She wore
a plain gray skirt and jacket, strong
shoes showed from beneath the bind
ing of her dress; her hat. a plain
black felt was tied ON and down with
veil. but in front bang of curly
yellow hair peeped and struggled
through. She had q thin face and
high cheek-bones, and "a laughing,
anxious eye-a curious combin-
alton.
9"Come up on the piazza I said,
sand sit down. How long do you
wan. it for?"
She entered cthe gate and covered
= the few steps to the house. 1 no.
ticed with what quiet step she
walked, and the thought flashed
through my mind, "She at least will
mote disturb Aunt Jane Mary" She
took two, broad steps upward with
Me same silent tread, and spoke in
a low voice, now that we were close
together. o
II cannot tell for how long," she
said, answering my question. 81 am
here on a particular missions9 That
mission may be accomplished o in a
9 weeks and it may take six months.
Are you willing to let me have the
room by the week?"
Now I had never said that I had
2 room for rent, but evidently she
had heard somewhere in the neigh
borhood that I did let my lower
rooms when I could do so at proper
asates. 1t helped me on with Toms
college bills;9 and Aunt Jane Mary's
electricity had to be paid for some
how. g
THE room is on the ground floor,
I Suppose" said my visitor. 81 am
very much afraido of fire. I have
had very unpleasant experience. I
ewouldn% go up stairs if you would
give me the solar system" She
looked downaas she said these words,
and I was afraid she was going to
burst aout crying.
Don't cry, my dear" I said
rdon't! Aunt Jane Mary might hear
you, and then"
ooh, have YOU other people in the
house? ] did not know that. Then
perhaps 1 had better say I will not
take the room. I can't bear a noise
nor
SNeither can Aunt Jane Mary" said
I, fastening to change the i'm
preston that I had given her, for 1
really needed some income from
thatGroom. 1t had stood empty now
for two months, and there was Toms
bill for his football suit already sent
in, and I was expecting another dun
every morning. Tom was good lad,
but I thought that sometimes he
imagined that his mother was made
Of money.
my aunt who0live with me,"-
really, 7 lived with AUNT, Jane Mary,
but that there was no necessity for
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01

peared in the darkness of the cellar
and was lost from sight. I descended
a few steps after her. co
O Don't come down." she called
back in her low, soft voice, "you fill
up the doorway and cut off the
light" Whereupon retreated from
my own cellar and from this master
full young woman.
I waited for few moments, and
then I heard the soft rustic of her
sklrt-nO, not rustic, nothing
about her rustled; it was simply q
fap-fap0 of the front Of her dress
against the stairs as she came up
ward.
She held out her hands, showing
me the palms of her gray gloves.
They were stained deep yellow.
''There is a bolt,'' she said, ''but it
sticks SO that I cannot move it..
Could anyone break in from the out
side, do you think? I should die of
fright if I thought that some man
might burst the door down and come
up those stairs, in the middle of the
night, to this door. Has this a lock /?
oh, yes, see, but it must have a
bolt too. Will you have one put
on? How much will it cost? VIII
you"
81 do not care to go to any ex-
pense." said I, unless I am sure that
you are csming to me. Those two
bolts will be Is there anything
else that you will want? How about
the windows on the piazza 2"
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01

explaining, and I thought that I
should retain my visitors respect
more fully if I did not mention the
fact-''is quite an invalid"
"Does she never come downstairs 90
inquired my prospective boarder.
''She never leaves her room," said
I. s'The doctor promises now that
she may be able to get up by the last
of August, but I hardly know
"Oh, that will be time enough for
my purpose" said the girl with a
short laugh IL mean that I
shall have accomplished what I came
for, rest and change, in that time''
the room," I said.
Eyes, replied the young woman,
moving towards the hall door.
laid my dish-towe1 down in the
rocker, where L had been seated, and
went into the house. turned into
the first room on the right. s'This
is it, said.
oShe entered and surveyed the
premises. The room was a corner
one with windows on the veranda-
two in front and two on the side
a large, comfortable, old-fashioned
bedchamber. The great mahogany
bed, that had been my dear mothers,
stood ready for the next tired occu-
pant. 1t had only to be made up
with the sweet-smelling old sheets
that were laid away in the closet,
the pillow cases on top of them, with
sprigs of lavender between.
cts a lovely room," said my
visitor. She opened the closet
doors-without asking if she might,
which did not exactly like. It
shocked my old-fashioned notions,
for the roomohad not been taken by
her yet.
where does that door lead too" She
indicated a door near the outer wall
on the side of the room.
''This room was once used for the
dining-room," said I, land those
stairs go down cellar, but we have
another small cellar, and with such
light housekeeping as mine, q sighed
as thought of dear Toms appetite
in the holidays, which was blessing,
even if I had to work hard to supply
it) we need no other, SO this has been
abandoned"
81 couldn't have people coming in
to my room to go down cellar" said
she.
ooh, certainly not" I answered.
eff you take the room, it is yours, of
course. No one uses the cellar
now"
She opened the door and descend
ed the steps. I could not see what
81 ~ tod hut rf,f
after all, it was natural that she
should wish to know what was I'M
derneath the place where she might
be going to sleep. "You needn't
come down." she called upward. I
could not hear her moving about; she
was quiet in all her motions. After
few moments she reappeared.
zone of the windows is broken"
she said, "but the hole is not large
enough for anyone to crawl through"
81 will have it mended," said
meekly. I was, sorry the moment
had said this. It showed her how
much I wished to rent the room.
"Well," she said, 81 don't know as
that is really necessary. There is a
good bolt on the door, suppose"
what door?' said I.
''rhe door opening on those stone
steps leading up to the back yard"
How closely she had observed every
thing!
81 hardly know" said I. 81 haven't
been down there in so long"
"Wait! I'll see," and before knew
HttK
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01
Barton County Democrat.
STOKE AND FEEDER, PUBS. AND PROPS.
WILL E. STOKE, EDITOR AND MANAGER.
GREAT BEND. KANSAS
THE GIRLS OF LONG AGO.

Oh, the dear old-fashioned girl. that I
knew long years ago,
When the world, the girl and I, were
IN our prime;
She was dear as early snowdrops amid
the springtime snow,
3 She was sweet as the wild rose of sum-
mertine,
And she knew just how to make
Pound and sponge and ginger cake!
She could spin and weave and knit the
summer through,
And the butter. cheese and cream!
Why, 1 think I have dream
OF our driving home the cows through
starlit dew!
Oh, these Wanted modern days! nothing
in them can compare
To the husking bees and spelling schools
of old; Z
Nothing sets my heart a-dance as the
music on the air,
Merry juggling of sleighbells In the cold.
Oh,a-hose days of long ago,
When the9winter's frost and snow,
Held in close embrace the woodland vale
% and pool;
Wrapped in robes and blankets warm
What cared we for wind and storm,
When we gathered at the weekly singing
school
oh, the old time singing school, my heart
although the faster
Beats at the mem'ry' of those days OF
long ago;
It keeps the very time of the dear old
singing master.
Unconsciously I'm humming some tune
I used to know!
And in memory once more,
At the old red schoolhouse door
I'm waiting for rye maid" of ofden times,
And I feel her fingers small
Lightly my coat sleeve fall
While hearts are beating to the
Gsleighbells' chimes!
Oh, the dear old-fashioned girls have with
time grown calm and stately!
For sometimes meet them in the street
or store;
They nod their pretty heads, smiling at
me most sedately
With flash of eye, dimple, Of
yore.
And in gentle tones. the while.
OF those days we talk and sraile,
When we all were happy boys and girls
together!
. And the happiest of our themes
Like the dearest of our dreams
Are the singing schools we went to all
together!
Oh. those days of long agoib
Oh, the boys used to know!
. Oh the girls who made life'S sunshine
bright and fair!
When we've crossed the great
divide
Passed On the other side,
We shall meet them, know them, greet
% them, over there!
Leslie Griswold. IN Los Angeles Times.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01

had no idea that he would die so
soon, and, in fact, neither had I.
Well, his troubles are over. But, do
pardon me, and do get the bed ready
for me, OF I shall go to sleep out
here
She leaned back in my rocker, with
her eyes closed, her yellow bang
showing. Her hair, which was coarse
| and>curly, pol<ed out beneath her veil.
/ went into the room and opened
! the closet-door. / took down the
understanding sheets and the pillow
| cases. l removed the checked cover
| from the spread and blankets, and
then I went to the window, the pill
| low between my teeth, the FELLOWSHIP
| between my two hands. Don't you
| think" l began. The rocker was
enpty; there was no one there.
| put my head out of the window to
see where my new lodger had be-
taken herself to. There lay the
dress-suit case, and there stood the
| wheel; then she had not vanished
| those baseball bills. AS I looked, she
came round the corner of the house.
She yawned again as she saw me,
and said, Il am trying to keep awake
until you get that everlasting room
ready. I have been taking a survey
of the premises. You seem to be
pretty lonely out here"
"Oh, no!' I said. 'This is the high
| road. Lawyer Jennison's house is
only half a mile farther on, and
Farmer Barker, you know, is just
little way back, not more than a mile
or 500
Getting crowded." said my new
boarder, with a laugh. "And whose
is that large house that I see way off
there on the hill? I suppose those
great iron gates that I passed are
the entrance? 1t seems fine place."
ooh, that's the Darlington place
Don't you know about the Darling
tons?"
She turned ARD clutched the piazza
rail. 81 am SO tired,' she said; and
really, I saw that she had grown
pale under her coat of tan. 81 will
hurry said. $50 you haven't heard
about the clearinghouse" Country
people think that strangers must
know all about their magnates.
1.-THE Darlingtons? How should I
know about the Darlingtons? What
should I know about the Darling
tons? I know nothing about any
one here; I come from another coun-
ty. All I know is''-she burst out
laughing and yawned again-"an I
know is that 1 must get to bed, or
I shall sink down on the piazza floor"
She flung herself into the rocker,
and I reiterated from the window to
hasten the making of the bed. When
it was ready I called to her softly
from the open door, but she had
really fallen asleep, and SO I left
her until I got fresh water and tow
els. Then 1 closed the window softly
and went to her side. I rested my
hand lightly on her shoulder. "Your
room is ready" 1 said. She did not
awake at once, and 1 gave her gen
tie shake. She sprang to her feet and
stood blinking at me, holding on to
the chair for support.
"Jim!" she said. Jim, is it you?"
Poor creature! My heart went out
to her. Thinking of that dead
brother. She had told me that he
was just 10 when. he went away.
Some people use that expression for
the more solemn word. death.
ITO Be Continued
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01
HARD TO BEAR.

When the .ba6
aches and pains Sc
badly, can't work
can't re s t-c q n'
sleep = can't eat
So h,5 -
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01
What Warried Her.

Mrs. Meek-Of course am worried;
as a dutiful wife I can't help feeling
so. for am sure my husband is keep
ing something from me, and shan't
be content until know what it is.
Mrs. Freak-My husband is keeping
something from me and 1 am wor-
ried because know what it is.
"Indeedi What is it?"
sit is money."-Washington Times.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01
SuuaIIx Weather.

81 am afraid, said the commodore's
small son, as he saw his mother ap-
preaching with a frown and a slipper,
"that those clouds on mas face in
dictate a spanking breeze
Thereupon be scrttled himself
Smart Set.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01
Great Expectations.

Her Former Mistress (admiring
He certainly is a bright baby, Nor
all. expect he will make his mark
some day.
Mrs. Mulcaughy (fondly) = Sure,
nam, an we expect he'll be able
to do more than make his mark
we want him to be able to write his
namei-N Y Times
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01

IL 10 DS6E
Thousands of aching backs have bees
relieved and cured. People arr
learning that backache pains come
from disordered Kidneys, that Dosn'.
Kidney Pills cure every Kidney III
cure Bladder troubles, urinary do
engagements, Dropsy, Diabetes
Bright's disease.
Read this testimony to the merit
Of the greatest of Kidney specifics:
]. ". Walls. Superintendent ots
Streets of Lebanon, Kentucky, livins
on East Main Street In that city
says:
with my nightly rest broken, oW
ing to irregularities of the kidneys
suffering intensely from severe paint
in the small of my back and through
the kidneys, and annoyed by painful
passages of abnormal secretions, life
was anything but pleasant for ms
No amount of doetoring relieved thil
condition, and for the reason. that
nothing seemed to give me even tenn
porary relief, I became about dis
couraged. One day I noticed In the
newspapers the case of a man whe
was afflicted as I was and was cured
by the use of Doan's Kidney Pills
His words of praise for this remedy
were so sincere that on the strength
of his statement went to the. Hugh
Murrey Drug Co.'S store and got
box. I found that the medicine wa
exactly as powerful a kidney remedy
as represented. / experienced quick
and lasting relief. Doan's Kidney
pills will prove a blessing to all suf'
ferers from kidney disorders who will
give them q fair trial"
A FREE TRIAL of this great kid.
ney medicine which cured Mr.. Walls
will be mailed to any part of the
United States on application Ad-
dress Foster-Milburn Co, Buffalo, n.
Y. For sale by all druggists; price
80 cents per box.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-01
IS YOUR LIFE WORTH SO CENTS

We defy the world to produce medi-
cine for the cure of ell forms OF Kidney
and Bladder troubles, and all diseases
peculiar to women, that will equal
Smith s Sure Kidney Cure. Ninety-eight
per cent. of the cases treated with
Smiths Sure Kidney Cure that have
come uEder our observation have been
cured. We sell our medicine on posi-
tive guarantee, If directions are fol-
lowed, and money will be refunded if
cure is not effected. Manufactured by
Smith Medical Co., ST. Louis, Mo.
Price so cents and s1.oo. For sale by
all druggists.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-12
ANDY DEvERY DOCTORS A DOG.
Mccullough Didn't want to XIII Nero
Who Once Saved His Life.

Thomas Mccullough OF 7s7 Columbus
avenue was walking on Columbus avenue
at Ninety-ninth street with his big st.
Bernard dog Nero early yesterday morn
ing when the animal got in front OF trolley
car and its hind leg was crushed. Every one
in the neighborhood knows and pets tho
dog. and a number Of men carried him to .
veterinary In West 10th street near the
police station.
The doctor was out. and the animal
was lying on the sidewalk when Sergt.
Devery came out. He told Mccullough
that he'd better shoot the dog. but McCul-
Tough didn't want to because the animal
once saved him from drowning.
The sergeant took of his coat, got a lot
of bandages and Imminent, and bandaged
up the dog leg. Then he called the patrol
wagon and two cops and sent Nero home in
style. veterinaries said yesterday that
the dogs leg would have 10 be amputated
and it was probable that he would have
to be killed.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-12
SIZE SOUTH AFRICAN LINES.
Thomson & CO. AIlegc That There's
Combination to Keep Up FreIEhtS.

Thomson X Co. of 90 Wall street. mer-
chants in the South African trade, have
begun an action in the United States Circuit
Court against the Union Castle Mail Steam
ship Company, limited, the Bucknall steam
ship lines. the Hansa line and their agents
to recover $500 for excessive freight
charges and $1,000 for loss Of trade.
1t is alleged by the plaintiffs that the
defendants united as the South African
Steamship Lines" and have entered into
an agreement to keep up freight rates,
which is illegal and in rest raint of trade.
The complaint says that shippers are
forced to stipulate TO Use only the lines
Of the defendant companies in order to
secure rebate OF 10 per cent. and that on
Jan. 81 and July 81 Of each year they we're
Obliged to sign a statement that they had
not been interested in shipments by any
other lines. Then after a nine months
wait the shippers got the rebates.
According to the complaint, the Hansa
line didn't join the combination until
isO1, after it had offered lower rates than
the others, but that the Union Castle and
the Bucknall lines persuaded the German
company to join them. On information
and belief the plaintiffs say that the COM
bination has received 81 800 OCO in extor.
Tomato freight rates.
1t is said that the action Is brought by
Thomson 4 Co. as representatives OF a
number OF South African merchants and
that 1t lie to be fought as a test case.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-12
TOOK CHILD FROM AMBULANCE.
Crowd Mobbed tbs Dsivse-Ihs CAIN Had
Scarlet Fever.

Crowd Mebbed tbs Dsivse-Ihs CAIN Had
Scarlet Fever.
The health authorities and the police
are looking for the young child Of David
Schwarts Of II Norfolk street. who h suffer-
ing with scarlet fever. and who was kid
mapped on Wednesday afternoon from
John Handy. an ambulance driver.
Handy started to take tho child to the
Reception Hospital when Schwartz seised
the driver's wrist With his teeth. crowd
Of excited tenants who did not know who
Handy va: gathered around and attached
him. In the melee somebody secured the
child and disappeared With It.
several potioemsn rescued Handy, and
arrested schwsrts. A search was made for
In the Essex Market police court yester-
day Schwartz was held for examination on
the charge Of assault. He denied knowing
anything about the child's Whereabouts.
Two OF his other children arc already In tho
hospital with the same disease.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-12
FLIN.FLAM OF CANAL CREED.
LOSS or NEW YORK'S COMMERCE
4 PURE INVENTION.

Treasury Departments Omcial Figures
for Ten Years Refute the Latess Ar.
0unseut OF the Ditch PrepaeAnda1ss
"A Progressive Increase In TRADE
The Treasury Department Of the United
States makes ample reply to the charge
that New York's commerce Ia falling on I,
In . statement urging the expenditure OF
SOL 900 900 more on charging the ditch
the canal job promoters BADLY ignore
Official figures and say:
Admitting that the cities Of New York
and Buffalo have developed and prospereo
under the construction snd operation OF the
Eric Canal. which was q most efficient trans
portation route until within the last thirty
years. the fact yet remains that the former
commerce Of the city Of Now York has NOS
only shown q relative decrease. as compared
with competing cities Of this country. during
the last twenty years. but hos scfuoilv fallen
Of u sxpos< - vsu o. ~ import trade N fAs
isst few years.
L. that statement true?
Doubtless some OF the men who signed
their names to 1t believed that 1t was, or
put too much confidence in the accuracy
Of the press agents who drew it.
Here are the exports Of the port OF New
York for the past ten years. as compiled
by the Treasury Department and contained
In its annual report for the year ending
June 80, 1902:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-12
3 DUCKS FOR a BAD QUARTER.
Passenger Ne the Docking Because the
Company went Take the Cein.

COMPANY WI 1UAO Vic NVsu'
The Brooklyn Eaele, disclosed yesterday
the way in which q woman ticket seller
on the elevated railroad makes her accounts
balance, but, very ohivalrously, the news
paper didn't tell the whereabouts Of the
woman or give . clue to her identity. She
pleaded with the reporter against pub
lefty because she hopes 20 get married soon
and il the company knew what she was
doing everything. including her job and
the wedding, would be OF.
The cause OF the Eogls's disclosure was
q letter written by a man who had . kick
AGAINST tho womAn's financial system
He SAYS that every morning the ticket seller
asks him to duck under the chain as she
Ia abort In her accounts and wants to make
things balance.
He complained that the first time he
acceded to her request he missed train
that he has been obliged to duck under for
three days and that II 1t happened again
he would report her.
A reporter found the woman who kept
her accounts straight with difficulty and.
under his promise not to use her name,
she made these disclosures.
did you ask the man to 60 under the
.No, I did not." she answered. Il never
ask any one but my friends to do thing
like that for me. OF course, sometimes
am . little short-mixed up in my &C
counts mean. When I send In my bills
and count the change, sometimes, you see,
the change doesn't come out right, you see
and have to make it up. you see, and I ask
a friend to 10 undO the chain"
The woman ratified II oh 80 fast that the
reporter didn't catch 1t all, 30 he asked to
be further enlightened.
well, it's like this she said. Suppose
you come here in hurry and pass me q
bad quarter and you get four tickets and
an admission, and then another man comes
up with q half dollar and give him the
bad quarter by mistake in his change and
he goes out on the platform and comes
back and says gave him bad quarter
and says he II take . quarter . worth OF
tickets ard makes me take the quarter
back again, what can I do!'
The reporter had to say he couldn't guess
the answer.
swell,' she continued triumphantly.
that q man who would report poor work.
ing eirl that is selling tickets for sixteen
years and Il hoping to got married. for
asking him to 20 under the chain when she a
70 cents short, b too mean and contempti-
bic to talk about. And II you print II in
tire paper I'll lose my place and II lose
my place can't get married. end a
threatened outburst Of tears broke on
explanations.
Tbe reporter promised that he wouldn't
print her name and she was going over the
puzzle about the bad quarter again when
he made his escape.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-12
KIDNAPPED IS ITALIANS.
0Mcers Of Atlantic Contracting CO. Took
Them to YucAtan.

On warrant issued by Magistrate Dooley
of the Adams street court in Brooklyn
on the complaint Of Giuseppe Belsen OF
les johnson avenue, James V. Camardella,
tho president and treasurer OF rhe Atlantic
Contracting Company. and Gerard Amato,
another officer OF the same company, were
arrested yesterday charged with kidnap-
ping the complainant and seventeen other
Italians. The complainant alleges that
the contractors induced the eighteen ltal-
ians to leave their homes on the pretoxt
that they would get good employment
within five hours Of New York. but took
them to Merida, Yucatan.
Camardelia and Amato pleaded guilty and
were held in u 900 bail each to await examine
alton. Canardella says he told the men where
they were going and what work they were
to do file says that Wilson r. Battle paid
paid them 81. IS a day and provided good
living quarters for them.