davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1903-08-15
TODAY THE VILLAGE IS A "sPA.o

could take the same treatment at home.
Vittel water is sold everywhere, and city
streets are made for walking, and your
family doctor could direct you, but you will
not.
Here we all do the same thing Rise
early, go. to the springs, drink a glass of
the waters, walk fifteen minutes and re-
peat. -Four glasses at quarter of an hour
intervals. with morning walks, ought to
do something If persisted in! Suppose you
did it at home!
Oh, the sweet morning air! Oh, the in
v1gorating laxative waters! Also diuretic!
If you want simple indeterminate waters
don't come here. Go to Plombieres. We
are more robust lot.
Every visitor engaged upon his (or her)
morning work of drinking and then walk
ing, and then drinking and then walking.
| and then drinking and then walking,
pulls his (or herr watch out very often to
see If the forty-five minutes have expired
yet You stop short the minute. And
no matter where you stop there is a res
taurant.
Coffee. two t-boiled eggs, a buttered
ROLAND a dash of Vittel water to wash
It down,
Then there is an hour in which to sit and
wonder at yourself. Why have you come
all these thousands of miles to do such
a simple thing?
At noon. limp as rag from the invigo-
rating walks and drinks. the dinner of
one meat and one vegetable tastes fine 1t
would taste fine at homei
In the afternoon you rest q bit and walk
lot, faint few times, take some more
Vittel, cash a check and wait for supper.
There is more walking, sweating resting
and check cashing done in this place in
one hour than all day in your home town.
Loss and Gain
Toward or pm. everybody goes in
for nice light supper Strictly it ought
to consist of a little cold meat and toast
and tea The mass of us, however, goaded
to frenzy through the empty-stomached
day, slip off to frivolous restaurants and
satisfy with holy rapture the outrageous
appetite that We hug to ourselves as an un-
clean, delightful. secret possession! In this
way Minneapolis broker who is known
as ''the balloon has gained thirty pounds
at Vittel in three weeks,
And there are others.
STERLING HELLO.
Evening star., 1903-08-15
CHAPTER XXVI.
"Woman-Walk-No-More."

More morning suns than could be count
ed in the field of the flag had come and
gone but not a sign of NatZie. Wren s
own troopers. hot on PunchS flashing
heels were cooling their own best they
could through the arid days that followed.
Wren himself was now recovered sufficient
ly to be told of much that had been going
on-not all-and 1t was Angela who con.
stantly lowered about him. for Janet was
taking a needed rest. Blakely too was
on the mend. sitting up hours of every day
and being very lovely" in manner to all
the Sanders household. for thither had he
demanded to be moved even sooner than
II was prudent to move him at all. Go
he would, and Graham had to order it,
Pat Mullins was once again FOR duty"
Even Todd, the bewildered victim of Nat
zies knife. was stretching his legs on the
hospital porch. There had come a lull in
all martial proceedings at the post. and
only two sensations. One of these latter
was the formal investigation by the inspec-
tor general of the conditions surrounding
the stabbing at Camp Sandy of Privates
Mullins and Todd of the -th U. s. Cav
airy. The other was the discovery. one
bright. brilliant winter morning. that Nat
zies friend and vior, Angela's Punch.
was back in his stall. looking every bit
as saucy and ''fit' as ever he did in his
life What surprised many folk in the
garrison was that it surprised Angela not
at all Il thought Punch would come
back" said she. in demure unconcern and
the girls at least began to understand. and
were wild to question Only Kate Sanders,
however. knew how welcome was the pet
pony's coming. But what had come that
was far from welcome was coldness be-
tween Angela and Kate Sanders.
Byrne himself had arrived, and the in
QUESTION had begun. No examinations
yunder OATH no laborious recordings of
Question and answer. no crowd of curious
Evening star., 1903-08-15

town with waters. drinking springs and
baths. Our Americans affect the best
known of them Vittel Contrexeville Lux
euil, Bourbonne Plombieres, Gerardmer,
Martigny, Bains, and SO on. But each year
Parsians hear of new one. And this is
the way it happens.
get together and discuss letter they have
had local or imported doctor write them.
'Fellow citizens, l am informed by DR..
x. that in his Judgment the three
springs that feed the horse trough in the
market place the White Horse Hotel near
by 1t and my own milk house are calcareo-
bicarbonated springs Cor ferruginous
springs or hot alkaline springs or simple
as those of Vittel. propose that we form
a syndicate to bring the celebrated chem
ist Y. here to study them
Why form a syndicate? Who knows. Per-
haps the celebrated chemist charges dear.
Perhaps an equitable buying up and divid-
ing of corner lots is to form part of the
patriotic work. In any case, it was vii
lage horse trough, village tavern spring,
a villagers milk house spring. Now two
years later it will be gay little spa. with
half the townSfolkS taking boarderS at
good rates. with at least two big hotels and
fifty charming little villas to rent to the
afflicted and the pleasure-seeking of all
nations. In the midst of all will rise a
smart casino with "hall of play" in
which the little horses run from 0 am. till
1 In. and money changes hands in an ex-
traOrdlnary manner.
Feeble Better Than Strong.
The fact that the waters of the village
spring may be but "feebly mineralzed" has
nothing fatal to success in it. 1--WE have
called attention to the fact that the feebly
mneralized waters are even more frequent
ed than the strong ones" q quote from a
recent medical report.) This is largely ow-
ing to the method of application Of the wa
ters rather than to the mineral element in
them. The mechanical treatment under
water and massage is given So much for
local applications. AS for drinking, who
would not prefer a pleasant to a nasty
taste-if the doctors assure us 1t will do us
as much good?'
Here we are. one hundred and nineteen
Americans at Vittel-Vittel, the fat mans
Evening star., 1903-08-15

listeners. The veteran inspector took each
man in turn and heard his tale and jotted
down his notes. and, where he thought 1t
wise, crosS-questioned over and again. One
after another, Truman and Todd, Wren
and Mullins. told their stories, bringing
forth little that was new beyond the fact
that Todd was sure it was Elise he heard
that night '.jabbering with Downs on
Blakelys porch. Todd felt sure that 1t was
she who brought him whisky. and Byrne
let him prattle on. 1t was not evidence
yet it might lead the way to light. In like
manner was Mullins sure now twas two
ladies' stabbed him when he would have
striven to stop the foremost Byrne asked
did he think they were ladies when first he
set eyes on them, and Pat owned up that
he thought 1t was some of the girls from
Sudsville; Ii might even be Norah as one
of them. coming home late from the laun-
dresses quarters. and trying to play him
q trick He owned to it that he grabbed
the foremost. seeing at that moment no
other, and thinking to win the forfeit of q
kiss, and Byrne gravely assured him twas
no shame in it, so long as Norah never
found ii out.
But Byrne asked Plume two questions
that puzzled and worried him greatly. How
much whisky had he missed? and how
much opium could have been given him the
night of Mrs. Plume's unconscious esca-
pade? The major well remembered that his
demijohn had grown suddenly light. and
that he had found himself surprisingly
heavy, dull and drowsy. The retrospect
added to his gloom and depression. Byrne
had not reoccupied his old room at Plume's,
now that madame and Elise were once
more under the majors roof. and even in
extending the customary invitation, Plume
felt confident that Byrne could not and
should not accept. The position he had
taken with regard to Elise. her ladyship's s
companion and confidante, was sufficient In
itself to make him, in the eyes of that lady,
an unacceptable guest, but 1t never occurred
to her, although it had to Plume. that there
might be even deeper reasons Then, too,
the relations between the commander and
the inspector. although each was scrupu-
lously courteous, were now necessarily
strained. Plume could not but feel that
his conduct of post affairs was In a meas
ure a matter OF scrutiny He knew that
his treatment OF Natxie was disapproved by
nine out of ten Of his command. He felt,
rather than knew. that some OF his people
had connived at her escape. and though
Evening star., 1903-08-15

that escape had been relief to everybody
at Sandy, the manner of her taking off was
to him a mystery and a ranking sore.
Last man to be examined was Blakely
and now indeed there was light. He had
been sitting up each day for several hours
his wounds were healing well; the fever and
prostration that ensued had left him weak
and very thin and pale. but he had the SOL
dier's best medcne-the consciousness of
duties thoroughly and well performed He
knew that. though Wren might carry his
personal antipathy to the extent of official
injustice, as officers higher in rank than
Wren have been known to do, the truth
concerning the recent campaign must come
to light, and his connection Herewith be
made a matter of record. as it was already
a matter of fact. Wren had not yet sub
mitted his written report Wren and the
post commander were still on terms severe
ly official; but, to the few brother officers
with whom the captain talked at all upon
the stirring events through which he and
his troop had so recently passed, he had
made little mention of Blakely Not So
however, the men; not so Wales Arnold
the ranchman- To hear these worthless talk
the bugologist. next to Princess Natzie. -
was the central figure of the Red Rock
campafgn-the one officer where all had
done so WELL" whose deeds merited con-
spicuous mention. Byrne knew this better
than Wren. Plume knew 1t not as well as
Byrne perhaps. Sanders, Lynn and Duane
mad heard the soldier stories in a dozen
mental comrade should so doggedly refuse
to open his lips and give Blakely his due.
1t Is not silence that usually hurts a man.
II Is speech; yet here was case to the
contrary.
Now, just in proportion as the Wrens
would have nothing to say In praise of
Biakely, the Sanders household would have
nothing but praise to say. Kates honest
neart was hot with anger at Angela. be-
cause the girl shrank from the subject as
she would from evil speaking living and
siancering, and here again, to paraphrase
the Irfshman, too much heat had produced
the coldness already referred to. Sanders
scoffed at the idea of Natzie's infatuation
being sufficient ground for family ostra-
cism III there Is a man alive who owes
more than Wren does to BlakeIy. I'm a
crab." said he. land as soon as he's well
enough to hsten to straight talk he'll get it
from me. IL there's a girl in America
as heartless as Angela Wren," said Mrs
Sanders. Il hope l never shall have to meet
her." But then Mrs. Sanders as we know
had ever been jealous of Angela on ac-
count of her own true-hearted Kate who
refused to say one word on the subject
beyond what she said to Angela herself.
And now they had propped their patient
in his reclining chair and arranged the
little table for the inquistor general
as Mrs. Bridger preferred to refer to him,
and left them alone together behind closed
doors. and had then gone forth to find that
all Camp Sandy seemed to wait with bated
breath for the outcome of that interview.
Sooner than was believed possible 1t
came. An hour. probably. before they
thought the colonel could have gathered
Evening star., 1903-08-15
River Question in Australia.
From the London Chronicle

FROM the London Chronicle.
Notwithstanding all the tactless assaults
on the federation and the parochial atti-
tude adopted toward national obligations at
the recent premier's conference, writes our
Melbourne correspondent the premiers
nave made tremendous stride toward the
settlement of the rivers question.
They have secured five years truce be-
tween the three states of New South
Wales, Victoria and South Australia which
are vitality interested in the waters of the
Murray, by means of agreement which
IL ratified by the three parliaments, will
enable the states to carry through import
ant water conservation works
Taking the second and clearer step first
1t is a subject of intense satisfaction to
Australians that conflict over riparian
rights has been avoided. AS the Nile is to
Egypt, so is the Murray to great areas in
New South Wales and Victoria. For pros
perity to reach those areas irrigation and
the conservation of flood waters are q sine
qua non. South Australia has fought the
schemes of her neighbor because she feared
that the flow of water when the Murray v
reached her territory, would be so low as
to impede navigation. The agreement guar.
anteeS South Australia flow of 3s1 OOO Gil.
bic feet per minute, provides a commits
sion to administer the schemes of the other
states, and limits the diversions of water
during the seven months, July to January
inclusive, to 293O0O cubic feet per minute
on the part of New South Wales and
$4,000 per minute on the part of Victoria
with lesser quantities during the rest OF
the year. The making of the agreement
has been received with acclamation
throughout the commonwealth Nothing
short of a cataclysmc disturbance, or an
other drought can hinder the continuance
of the agreement for a decade or more af-
ter 1908.
Evening star., 1903-08-15

all he wished to know that officer was
on the front piazza and sending an orderly
to the adjutant's Office. Then came Major
Plume. with quick and nervous step, There
was two-minute conference on the pi-
azZa; then both officers vanished within
were gone five minutes, and then Plume
reappeared alone. went straight to his
home, and slammed the door behind him.
solecism rarely known at Sandy and
presently on the hot and pulseless air there
arose the sound of shrll protestatiou in
strange vernacular. Even Wren heard the
voice, and found something reminiscent in
the sound Of weeping and wailing that fol-
lowed. The performer was unQuestionably
Elise-she that had won the ponderous. vet
descriptive. Indian name Woman Walk
in-the-Night.''
pired the orderly went for Lieutenant Tru-
man. and Truman, with two orderlies, for
box. bulky little chest. strapped heavily
with iron, and this they lugged into Sand
ers' hall and came out heated and mysti-
fled. Three hours later, close-veiled and in
droopy deSolation, "Mademoiselle Lebrun"
was bundled into waiting ambulance and
started under sufficient escort, and the care
of the hospital matron, en- route for Pres
colt, while Dr. Graham was summoned to
attend Mrs Plume. and grimly went 1.-The
mean part of the whole business" said
Mrs Brfdger. is that nobody knows what
line. except poor Mrs. Plume, to regret that
sudden and enforced departure, but there
was regret universal all over the post when
1t was learned, still later in the afternoon
that one of sthe best soldiers and sergeants
In the entire garrison had taken the horse
of one of the herd guard and galloped away
on the trailrof the banished one Sergeant
Shannon, at sunset parade, was reported
abseat without leave.
Major Plume had come forth from his
quarters at the sounding of the retreat, ac-
curately dressed as ever, white-gloved, and
wearing his saber. He seemed to realize
that all eyes would be upon him. He.had,
indeed, been tempted again to turn over
the command to the senior captain. but
wisely thought better of it, and determined
to face the music. He looked very sad and
gray, however. He returned scrupulousIy
the salute of the four company command
ers as, in turn, each came forward to re-
port the result of the evening roll call:
Cutler and WesterveIt first, their compa-
nies being the nearest then Lieutenant
Lynn. temporarily in charge of wren's $
troop, it's captain and first lieutenant being
still ION sick report The sight of this
young officer set the major to thinking of
that evening not many moons agone
when Captain Wren himself appeared, and
in resonant. far-carrying TONE announced
Lieutenant Blakely. sir. is absent" He
had been thinking much of Blakely through
the solemn afternoon. as he wandered nery-
ouSly about his darkened quarters some
times tiptoeing to the bedside of his feebly
moaning, petulant wife. sometimes pacing
the library and hall. He had been again
for half an hour closeted with Byrne and
the bugologist. certain letters being under
inspection. He hardly heard the young OF
Evening star., 1903-08-15
Number Has Greatly In
creased in France.
IDLE FOLKS LIKE THEM
GOUT AND OBESITY CURING
WATERING PLACES.
Just Mention Your Complaint and
Healing Waters Can Be
Found.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
VITTEL (Vosges), France,
August 1. 1903.
One hundred and nineteen Americans, ex-
cluding one dark negro, who is quite pet
with European guests. are gathered in this
town to drink the waters
One hundred and fifty-seven other Amerl-
cans Ito be exacD are at Contrexev1lle,
three miles away. and also drinking waters.
/ take these figures from the last amended
Strangers Lists compiled by the two
local papers: but l could make the num-
ber ten times greater were l to go to work,
as Miss Luella Mendenhal is doing in Paris,
on a census of our countryfolk in all this
part of France at present They simply
flock here.
All this part of France seems to have
gone into the very paying business of dis
covering and building up all sorts of heal
ing springs, for drinking and for bathing
purposes. Do our Americans who flock to
them get cured? Around about the year
400, there lived in these parts little girl
who afterwasd saved France. Her father
had a vineyard on the hills, and further
up. upon his land there was a fountain.
to which folks resorted as they now resort
to Vittel. Twenty years later. when as
Joan of Arc, the girl was on trial for her
life. her enemies. questioning her about the
supernatural powers of her youth brought
-up this fountain.
Those sick with fever came to it," said
joan. but they continued coming.
Were they cured?' the English judges
asked
Il do not know if they were cured" said
Joan.
1 asked the same question of a most
rheumatical and gouty old American this
afternoon, a man of leisure who has spent
both time and treasure in acquiring trou-
BILE. He has done all sorts of cures at Spas
all over Europe and knows all about the
wonderfully growing class of Americans
who fly to these establishments abroad
Surely they get cured he said. 80 well
cured that, like me. they return again and
again.
"Why?'
ITO get cured again! OF course. they
could do 1t as well at home; but the point
is they know they won't"
They get cured again and again of the
same thing-the lightning change artistic of
modern ills excess of uric acid. Have you
rheumatism, gout or neuralgia-like pains?
Have you what seems to be liver trouble.
Evening star., 1903-08-15
geant's stealing

geants stealing"
You wouldn't believe she stole my whis-
ky and gave 1t to Downs though you ad-
mitted she told you she had to go back that
night for something she'd dropped. You
wouldn't believe she married that rascally
gambler at ST. Louis before her first hus-
band was out of the way! You shielded
and swore by her. and brought her out
here, and all the time the proofs were here
in Blakely's hands. 1t was she, 1 suppose,
who broke Off
But here, indeed. was 1t high time to
break Off The visitors were now visibly
Mrs. Plume had started up, with staring
eyes. 'Proofs!' she cried, ''in BlakeIys
hands! Why. she told me-my own let
ters!Imy-" And then brutal man was
brought to his senses and made to see how
heartless and cruel was his conduct for
Mrs Plume went into a fit and Mrs Lynn
for the doctor.
That was a wild night at Sandy Two
young matrons had made up their minds
that 1t was shameful to leave poor Mrs
Plume without anybody to listen to her.
when she might SO long for sympathetic
hearers. and have so much to tell They
had entered as soon as the major came
forth. and. softly tapping at the stricken
ones door. had been with her barely five
minutes when he came tearing back and
all this tremendous scene occurred before
they could put In word to prevent which
of course. they were dying to do But what
naQn tney neard In tnat swift mOmenti
Between the two Of them-and Mrs Brflger
was the other-their agitation was such
that 1t all had to be told. Then, like the
measles. one revelation led to another b,ut
II was several days before the garrison set
tied down in possession of an array of facts
suncient to keep it In gossip for many q
month. Meanwhile, many a change had
come over the scene
At Prescott, then the territorial capitaI
Elsie Layton, nee Lebrun, was held with
out bail because it couldn't be had charged
with obtaining money under false pretenses
bigamy as a side ISSUE and arson as nos
stbie backstop. The sleep-walkfng theory
as advanced in favor of Mrs Plume had
been reluctantly abandoned, it appearing
that, however dazed and "doped' she NAV
have been through the treatment of that
deft-hngered. INSCRIPTIONS maid she was
sufficiently wide awake to know well yhith-
er she had gone at that woman.s urging, to
make last effort to recover certain letters
of vital Importance. At Blakely's door
Clarice had lost her nerve" and insisted on
returning. but not SO Elise. She went again
and had weil-nigh gotten Downs drunk
enough to do as she demanded. Frankly,
sadly. Plume went to Blakely, told him of
his wife's admissions. and asked him what
papers OF hers he retained For moment
Blakely had blaxed with indignation, but
Plume's sorrow and utter innocence of
wrong intent stflled his wreath and led to
his answer: Every letter of Mrs. Plume's
burned before she was married. and so
assured her. She herself wrote asking me
to burn rather than return them, but there
were letters and papers could not burn,