davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27

ton, and / want it all brown with feathers
on it, and I can't pay more than IS for it,"
answers the smaller of the two women in
one breath and in a voice that is pitched
in one key-a high soprano.
"Well, l think l have just the thing for
you," says Queen Elizabeth, graciously, as
she smooths her hair with long, bejew-
eled third finger while glancing half way
over her shoulder into a convenient looking
glass
The newcomers take off their hats. Only
one expects TO buy a new one, but it would
be preposterous for any woman to go into
a millinery shop without trying on'-a
waste of golden opportunity. The visitor
who doesn't intend to make a purchase
goes about the matter in a business-like
way. trying on every hat within reach,
and absorbed to such an extent in her own
occupation that she forgets all about her
friend, whom she has accompanied for the
express purpose of aiding in making a Sc
lection.
Now, dear, how do you like this one?"
inquiries the head saleslady, who makes it
a point to become endearing with all of her
customers and to shower them with such
tender names that each of them must feel
that she has found long-lost sister.
The little woman dons the hat that is
handed to her. 1t is a gorgeous creation of
brown velvet and pink roses. But as the
complexion beneath it is of a curious mud
color, which quickly takes a deeper
shade under the trying combination, the
effect is most disastrous. However, the
customer fails to notice this, apparently,
although it is, OF course, very obvious to the
experienced milliner, who says never a
word about il.
Here, come to the mirror. dearie," says
the saleslady, land get a. back view. 1t
was just made for you"
The woman on whose head the hat re-
poses moves over to the other side of the
room and holding a small hand-glass at
arms length backs up against big mirror
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27
VIA MAN in q MILLINERY
~ ~ ~ SHOP II II II

suddenly shines forth from the faces OF
the twins. driving away all of the tragedy
that had been holding forth. Each of the
dears insists upon carrying her new hat
away with her-'Don't want TO have it
sent up in wagon,-don't want to have IL
sent up in wagon,-dont want TO have
it sent up In a wagon,"-and so each holds
a big bundle in one hand while ciasping
one of mothers bands in the other. And
so the trio departs from the shop. the
parent vainly endeavoring to appear just
as dignifed as when she came into the
place
1t is seldom that a man enters one of
these exclusively feminine establishments.
but when one does by any chance get into
this particular show the queen bee claims
him as her own. Just as the twins are
making their triumphant exit a well-dressed
gentleman comes upon the scene accom-
panied by tiny boy of three, who fairly
rattles as he walks along in his crisp Rus
sian blouse of white linen.
II brought my little boy down to get a
hat begins the man in apologize tones,
feeling, no doubt, that he should have been
prepared with passports when landing upon
such foreign shore.
Queen Elizabeth strikes a pose at once.
She puts one lean finger to her pursedup,
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27
|Vignettes Of An Inland City V

and behOlds the rear view" Her rusty
brown hair. siicked up into knot, refuses
~ blend in any manner whatever with the
soft velvet brown of the hat and her poor
little neck, extending down beneath the bis
awning" Willie Collier. the comedian,
would call it. looks very much like the stem
of a toadstool But she is woman without
he faintest idea as to an artistic blending
of colors and she sees only the beautiful
fall hat with it's lovely pink roses.
How much is it?' she asks, almost
breathlessly.
Fourteen dollars, sweetheart" is the
honeyed reply.
"Oh. mercy 1 can't possibly pay that
much" groans the little brown woman as
she reluctantly doffs the headgear and gives
it one last, long. languishing survey. But
it is just beautiful and I've never seen hat
that 1 liked well-have you, Clara?''
But Clara (Clara is the friend who has
come along to help her make a purchaser,
is wholly unconscious of all that is going on
about her. She is standing before a mirror
her own account. with an enormous top
piece reclining on her abundant pompadour,
lost in rapturous admiration of the refiec-
ton that the mirror sends back to her.
Now, just try this one on suggests
the saleslady, replacing the brown hat with
one of shimmering pink and yellow lace.
But want brown hat" insists the
buyer, petulantly.
but. darling, you don't look at all well
in brown-it's a color you should never
even attempt TO wear is the astonishing
answer from the millinery queen, who is
now assured that the first hat is entirely
out of the question.
''Well, 1 have a brown fall suit and L
want brown hat to go with it." declares
the little woman and If L can't get one
for five dollars here / s'pose I can get it
some place else
eve have nothing in that line just at
present" asserts the milliner with icy
GOODNESS. dropping the terms OF endear-
ment by the wayside. Excuse me, while
1 attend to the wants of this lady who
is just coming in
The little brown woman is indignant
her lips are pressed tightly together; she
tells Clara that she will never. no. never,
step foot over the threshold Of this mil
linery shop again so long as she lives.
Then she stalks haugntiy out of the place
dragging the unwilling Clara after her,
the latter young woman looking as if she
had just been awakened from dream and
was trying to adjust herself to her sur
roundings-and her old hat
In the meantime the chief saleslady is ex-
tending joyous welcome to an elderly
woman who has appeared upon the scene
with a pair of twins-little maidens OF
about six years old.
What have you in children's school
hats?" asks the mother. II want something
very plain and inexpensive, and the hats
must be exactly alike
Despite the explicit directions, the mil
liner fits back TO a large drawer in the
rear OF the shop and, after hasty glimpse
into mirror that she had neglected UP to
this time, returns with two large beaver
hats trimmed with plumes and bright rib
bons.
1.-The very latest things for the little
dears," she gushes, as she places one on
each shaggy black head. The children
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27

the autumn and the winter. n woman in
a millinery shop trying on" hats is lack
ing in humor TO an appalling extent. Other
wise, she would oftimes stand convulsed
with laughter as she observed the remark
able effects produced uQon herself and the
other purchasers in trying on the various
creations" But there is precious little
that IS funny about such momentous oc-
casions TO the average woman On the
contrary, trying on" time is an event
weighed down with fearful responsibility.
Picture a newspaper man in a millinery
shop-a scribe who finds himself in such
foreign surroundings through force of cir
cumstances and obliged to spend part OF
an afternoon in the maze of mirrors,
feathers. ribbons. flowers and women.
Would it be possible for him to set down
his impressions of the scenes and incidents
that come before his bedizzened eyes
to make his written words at all compre-
hensible? Well, here goes. anyway,
The first and foremost parsonage I'm the
army of femininity is the head saleslady."
She is very tall and astonishingly thin-one
might say skinny. Her thin yellow locks
arc bolstered up over huge rats on each
side of her head, while borrowed curls peep
out here and there through her own hair
She wears a stiffiy-starched, spic-and-span
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27

The father. painfully at loss what course
to pursue. pgetends to be Weighing the mat
ter in his mind scrutinizing the mill-wheel
from every viewpoint.
How do you like il. Tommy he finally
blurts out, in desperation.
Tommy is frightfully shy-al the more
so because he is instinctively conscious OF
his fathers embarrassment. His big blue
eyes stare straight in front OF him.
ut don't pinch none" he lisps. Evident
ly tommy has been trying on a new psrr
of shoes just previous to his present ordeal.
And then he stammers out
How doth ii look. pop?'
1T looks Ike a circusr' shorts pop. un-
willing any longer to ue showed under by
the superior air OF the milliner.
II wants a street tar conductors hat"
signs Tommy, so overcome with confusion
that he twists himself into a knot that
would make a contortionist turn green with
envy.
We'll. we're not going to buy this one.
any way" his father summons courage to
declare. ''Havn't you any real boys hats.
madam"
Madam, The mistress OF millinery quivers
from head to foot with suppressed indis-
nation. This man calls her madam. as IL
she were an elderly womani II a single
flash from pair of angry eyes could
kill he would have fallen dead on the spot.
Madam. indeed! But the man seems wholly
unconscious OF having caused a volcanic
eruption. He is busily engaged lifting the
gigantic top-pice from Tommys yellow
curls. The queen turns on her heel and
walks majestically toward the rear OF the
shop.
"Now's our chance, Tommy, old boy"
says pop. in a hoarse whisper. Chuck that
Ferris wheel. grab up your old cap and
well shoot out of herer
And away they fly, Tommy's stout little
legs twinkling along as fast as ne can
make them go. while pop puts in some OF
his best strides. Tommy gives several hor-
rified glances over his shoulder as he goes.
firmly believing. no doubt. that this is
game of witch" and that the bad old
fairy will soon be hustling in pursuit OF
them on a broomstick.
And the newspaper man, who had been
an interested and sympathetic spectator
of the scene, becomes imbued with the
same terrifying idea, and in the most cow
ardly manner imaginable. sneaks off after
them. LOUIS W. JONES
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27

miraculously risen from the pillars below.
In the rear of the colonnade stands the
high altar, which deserves to be called
an eighth worlds wonder. 1t is constructed
throughout of brown agate, and garlands
of colored precious stone, set in mosaic,
wreath it's mighty columns. The center of
the altar, behind the tabernacle, is occu-
pied by life-size statue of st. Ignatius,
carved out of massive silver.
The affairs in the several naves are of
brown or gray marble. adorned by great
statues. clothed in garments of precious
metals. Magnificence, high art, every
where, but no excess of decorations album
dance of precious metal, yet distributed
with the utmost discretion. Doubtless
everything around me belongs to a long
forgotten period. yet appears as fresh and
new as If it had left the masters studio
but yesterday. In my travels over the
world i have visited hundreds of churches
and cathedrals famed for age. riches and
treasures of all kind, but never encoun-
tered one so well preserved as this. Here
we have a wilderness of ornaments, but
not an atom of dust anywhere, not even
on the marble slabs of the floor
Truly the Jesuit fathers cannot harbor
been admiring their unparalleled riches for
hours, yet no one came TO inquire after my
business or what 1 was doing.
Leaving the chapel. a troop of peasants
was encountered outside. / asked where 1
must apply for permission to inspect the
monastery. Walk right in.'' they an
| swered, ''for all doors are open" / followed
the advice and assembled a flight of stairs
leading to the second story. There had been
no one TO receive, no one to hinder me. Up
stairs l found myself at the portals of a
hail that might be the apartment of fairy
or a small Asiatic pagoda.
The beamed ceiling is extraordinarily low.
My outstretched hand fondled its acanthus
ornaments, done in garlands of foliage and
leaves, rich with gold. AS the walls are
wainscoted and decorated in the same
style, one may imagine strolling in a long
tunnel made up OF gided foliage. In the
center OF the long hall rises a chancel from
floor to dome, consisting of the most beau
tiful trellis work imaginable, and so heavily
gold-plated that even a connoisseur might
think 1t of precious metal throughout Be-
yond the chancel glittered golden reliquaries,
lit up by lamps encased in rose-shaped crys-
tai bowls.
AS was noting down these treasures in
my mental portfolio a young man of
eighteen twenty entered He wore the
black gown CT the Jesuts, held broom in
his hand and feather buster under his
arm.
welcome to Loyala,'' he said simply.
You came 10 see the monastery, ] sup
pose. and i am at your service. sir. as far
as my duties permit
He conducted us into another low-cei-
inged hail. where the utmost magnihcence
prevailed This he said was st. Ig-
natius's living room: your servant is in
| trusted with its custodianship.'
The walls are hung with red silk bro
cade and the coverings Of the cumbersome
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27

with dismay that the die was cast and she
must carry it through and prove her mettle.
They found their way back to the beach
and there sitting in the sand with their
backs against an old boat. while the varied
life of Dover, with its happy children and
gay redcoats swarmed about them. they
talked. How they talked and how they
laughed! To the young man it was as if
now for the first time it was worth while
to tell his summers adventures as he rat
tied away to this girl with the bright
cheeks and the ready laugh, who always
saw where the joke came in and was ready
to match him with stories very nearly as
good.
When the sun set they loitered slowly
through the narrow, crowded little Snar-
gate street to the Belle Vue. AS they stood
in the quaint old paved court and looked
up at the neglected hanging gardens the
young man said: 81 go to Calais on the s
O'Clock boat" They both stared intently
up at the shabby old gardens. II have to
meet my sister in Paris tomorrow" "Oh,
your sister!' 1t was hardly more than a
whisper. With soft curls blown lightly
about her uplifted face she looked sweet
and truthful as a saint. There was some
thing like challenge in the young mans
eyes as he looked at her. Suddenly almost
roughly he said: MY sister is very fond
of you" Instantly her lids grew heavy
and the color flashed up in her cheeks, but
never a word did she say. II hardly think
you return her devotion" They were stand
ing, she with bent head, he trying to read
her face, when the landlord of the Belle
N,ro xxyitf, Of nc fS
came into the court. The girl held out her
hand, lifted her head and looked up de-
family.
1--WE must say goodbye" she said, and
her voice much gentler than her eyes.
Believe me, / love your sister dearly
and though he caught her hand she pulled
it loose with sudden violence and was gone.
That night young man sat on the wind
ward side of the Calais boat and looked
gloomily over the moonlit sea. AS he threw
away his cigar he said, half aloud, well,
she was plucky to the finish. Hang it all,
I wish I'd been square and told her that
my sister game, too, was all bluff" And
back in narrow Snargate street the people
were laughing and elbowing each other be-
meath the Pickering lamps; before the Belle
Vue a beggar was singing a love song to
the music OF a hand organ; the sill of the
open window above the moonlight touched
a girls head bowed in her arm.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27
1.-THE QUEEREST THING | EVER Saw.
FIRE-W ALKIN IN JAPAN
By Lr.-coL. ANDREW HAccARD, D. S. o.


ish work." 1 exclaimed impetUously, glanc-
ing at her tiny feet, no bigger than a
child's, land you shall attempt nothing
half so barbarous If / can prevent IL, o
Lady Fujibayasi. and I can easily prevent
your burning off those pretty feet aud
ankles by merely giving information TO my
honorable friends at the Emperor's court,
the Viscount Tanaka, and the Baron San
nomyza- They will speak 10 his Majesty
the Emperor. and he will soon put an end
to such a horrible and dangerous adven-
ture''
1t will be long before i forget the merry
peal of laughter with which this outburst
of mine was greeted, as the young lady re-
piled s3rcastically:
81 shall, most honorable Sir. walk on
fire all the same, kirei masen kereba, IL not
disagreeable TO your
ut is disagreeabie to me and dangerous
10 you,'' l replied, but she was laughing
so heartily that she did not listen. for
there are no such iaughers I'm the world as
the japanese. They laugh indeed at the
most serious subjects. For instance IL you
tell them their father is just dead. or your
own, they laugh out OF politeness TO the
soul OF the departed one. whom they do
not wish 10 grieve by appearing sad.
Finding at length my arguments useless,
the merry maiden now informed me that
she also intended TO plunge her delicate
body into boiling water and I'm the further
endeavor to propitiate the God OF the
Mountain. very possibly To walk up lad
der with bare feet, the rungs of which
would be composed OF sharp sabres. L
now resigned myself to my apparent fate.
which was doubtless TO lose. shortly, by
some horrible death or mutilation. the little
friend whose acquaintance 1 had just made.
At the same time I asked her TO tell me
about all these approaching horrors.
Seeing me serious and curious, she be-
came serious once more herself. and also
evidently anxious TO impart information.
Row of Wisteria Blossoms now ordered her
maid TO remove for her the silk stockings.
which. made with separate finger. like
glove. for the big toe. she wore upon her
delicate feet.
Now honorable SIR she said. "will
you do me the honor to examine the soles
of my feet. Are they charred. scorched or
blistered in any way? Pray examine them.
For / must inform you that / am the
daughter of the honorable Kwancho. the
high priest of the Shanto Temple. In the
Kanda quarter OF Toxic, and that for prae-
tice. | walked several times upon a fire
a small one ii is true-this very morning.
Next week We shall all OF US walk upon a
larger one in public"
took the little rosy feet into my hand.
/ felt them and examined them carefully.
and, finding not the slightest trace OF burn
or blister, set down the amiable lady AZ
some harmless lu1atic. with terrible
propensity for invention. Evidently not
ing upon my features the incredibly which
/ vainly strove 10 conceal, Fujbayasi now
presented me with her tiny little visiting
card. upon which her name was engraved
In both japanese and English characters.
She asked me TO write down upon il q date
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27

stand perfectly still, as if enchanted, with
big brown eyes wide open and little red
lips parted in sweet, innocent smiles. They
are such well-behaved little angels that
everybody in the shop gives them loving
glances.
But the mother is not to be switched of
the course she has mapped out, it appears.
''Nonsense.'' she says, and she lifts the
hats from the little heads as she would re-
move the lids from a couple of sauce pans.
II want school hats-plain blue, brown or
red felt, without a bit of trimming
Somewhat crushed for once, the queen
bee turns away to get what is wanted. But
a shrek from each child causes her to
pause.
Il don't want plain hat 1 don't want
a plain hat. L want this pretty hat! 1
want this pretty hat! / want this pretty
hat! I want this pretty hat?' The little
dears bawl out their sweet, childish ex-
pressions in unison.
There, there, Annie and Mamie, mother
knows what's best" the proud parent says
reprovingy, and then to the milliner she
adds, with some severity: well, why are
you waiting? Can't you get what l ask
for?''
OFF goes the saleslady and soon comes
back with an armload of plain school hats.
She realizes that she can't bulldoze this
woman. But alasi the twins can. Each
child, upon catching sight of the common
place, unattractive headgear, clasps her
arms about her mothers waist. In another
instant the little round faces are washed
with tears as the innocents scream with
rage while beating steady tattoo with
their sturdy little shoes their doting
mothers shins
At last the poor mother submits to the
inevitable the odds being too overwhelm-
ing to battle against.
II think I'll take those beaver hats, after
ALL" she calls out in a loud voice so as
TO make herself heard above the
uproar 'They are very expensive but
the twins need Sunday hats, and I'll call
in again to get some school hats
AS the sunshine bursts through the
clouded skies on an April day. radiant joy
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27

One very hot day / was travelling by
train from Toxic to Yokohama in finst-
class carriage. Thinking myself alone,
took out my pipe, and having filled it,
was just about to light it when, to my
dismay. the sliding door which divided the
carriage into two compartments was slip
ped back, and two japanese ladies were
disclosed to my view, or for such 1 took
them at first. 1 was, however, Immediately
undeceived, as 1 noticed that the pretty
young girl seated upon the cushions. fan
ming herself vigorously, was, from her rich
apparel. evidently the mistress. while the
likewise prepossessing maiden seated upon
the floor was, from the more sombre and
coarser kimono in which she was attired.
apparently the mousme or handmaiden of
the other.
Observing my embarrassment and its
cause, the young lady smiled amiably and
encouragingly at me, whereupon l was
bold enough to inquire. ''Tabakowo sulkot-
towo, kamaimaseuka?" which, being trans
lated into the vernacular, means, Have
you any objection to the smell of tobacco?"
''Dozo osui nasal, "-"Pray honor me by
smoking the honorable weed" accompanied
by a polite bow, was the amiable reply
vouchsafed to me.
"Onnowa tabakowo suimasu." "The
ladies smoke here too.'' she added, laugh
ing merriy, and displaying the prettiest
little pearly teeth she did SO. Then call
ing to her servant, Saku, to supply her with
her tiny Japanese pipe, she pulled out
beautiful silver matchbox. upon which was
embossed the representation of a wonder
frg afri 1fcht
offered it TO me, with that infinitely polite
grace which seems peculiar to the we'll
bred inhabitants Of the F'lowery Land.
Naturally. after such an amiable OPEN
ing, friendly relations were-soon established
between the charming little Japanese and
myself, and was not long in finding that
she rejoiced in the poetical name of Full
bayasi, or, Row of Wisteria Blossoms,
and that she was only, like myself going
down to the seaside for the day. and that
we were likely to be fellow-travelers again
by the train upon our return to the capital
in the evening. AS the maiden the
merriest being imaginable, one apparently
without a care in the world. / enjoyed her
company amazingly; but at length, having
exhausted for the moment all topics of
conversation. / fell back upon the weather.
remarkng casually upon the excessive heat
of the day. Instantly. TO my surprise. the
hitherto beaming countenance of Full
bayasi became grave as she replied, Eyes,
il is indeed hot. but not nearly so hot as
walking upon fire..
walking upon fire. ] exclaimed in
establishment, what on earth do you mean,
Oh honorable Fujibayasi,'
sis. f.se oh,
tleman." she replied. that | am going TO
walk upon fire. TO the honor OF the great
God OF the Mountain Ontake. one day next
week. when many other worshipers OF the
Shinto religion or both sexes will do the
same. And II Is warm work.
Indeed! it is both impossible and devil