davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1903-05-03

the three little sticks, and that the batsman
has failed to hit It hard enough to enable
him to run a short distance, that is twenty.
one yards. A maiden means that just
nothing at all has been done.
The sun., 1903-05-03

Some time ago James McNulty. con-
hdence man, whose gold bricks are now
holding open the back doors in some OF our
most prosperous rural homes, sold to an
editor the supposed story Of his life. 1t
was published under the title, Comics
sions OF the King OF the Green Goods Men.
Immediately after its appearance Ger
tain Jealous rivals began to circulate the
report that the sale Of these confessions
was the only really good bunco trick that
James had ever turned of.
These reports reached the ear OF the
editor. and. consequently, the next time
he met Mr.. McNulty he called him to task
for selling him gold brick.
AWho says them confessions were gold
brick?" demanded McNulty hotly.
"Why, Grand Central Ike. He says
you're no more king OF the con men than
I am
.Grand Central Ike, Ell? I suppose he's
tn king, is he? And yet you'd take his
word, as a bunco man. against mine whom
you charge with not being one. Why,
the very fact that you think amt real
con man ought to convince you that
I'm telling the truth when | say am
The editor felt that there was good
deal of reason in this line of argument
and that perhaps McNulty was king of the
confidence men after all. Later in the day
when he felt for his watch he was positive
OF It,
The sun., 1903-05-03
As TO CRICKET.
Hints for tho lInlnitiated American Whe
May Go to Game This season.

May Go to a Game This season.
1t is mistake to suppose that the game
OF cricket was originally invented by the
ate Charles Dickens, the Cricket on the
Hearth" having no connection whatever
with the cricket 40 beloved by Englishmen,
which is always played in the open air.
BY promptly explaining this. those Ameri-
cans who flock to the cricket fields this
coming season may pose as well-read men,
in addition to being considered well up
in cricket matters.
For the benefit of those who will strive
to appear as il they were enjoying them
selves and who may naturally have desire
to impress their friends, especially those of
the fair sex, with their knowledge Of the
English national game, the following hints
have been compiled by an expert.
To the uninitiated. confusion is likelyl
10 arise concerning the word "over." which
be will probably hear several times dur.
ing a game. He must carefully conceal
any feeling Of joy which may arise within
him, for it does not by any means imply
the termination Of the game.
1t is merely a signal for those players
who have been standing like statues In
one part Of the field to take a little muoh-
needed exercise and then pose in another
portion Of the ground 50 that the spectators
may get look at them from every point Of
view.
The first and most important thing for
the novice to learn is the given names Of
the players. 80 that in conversation with
his friends he may convey the impression
Of being on terms Of great familiarity with
them. In addressing the players from
the grand stand, however a strictly English
The sun., 1903-05-03
TEXAS HOSPITALITY.
The welcome which . Railrosd surveyor
ThOught was Great.

The man who had been In southwest
Texas looking over the route for prospec-
tive railroad had been Interested In refer
enoe to hospitality In its truest sense.
sAll day long had been driving with Q
man In the dust and the question OF a camp
Ing place involved finding the necessary
water" he said. 'There were no streams;
no water holes; only dust and hills ana
alkali.
Just before sundown we came In sight
Of some scrubby timber rising from draw
ahead OF us and we started for II. Just
as we turned the ridge we noticed lone-
some looking shack in the edge Of the trees
and we drove up to 1t just as darkness
came on.
AThe first sight OF anything living was
a lean foxhound that dashed out at US,
baying; he was followed by two more and
after these pair Of collies and then mis-
cellaneous collection OF dogs Of all shades
and breeds. bent upon attacking us. but
snarling and biting even among themselves.
Suddenly long, lean figure OF man
with hairy face out of which only. pair
Of eyes and the tip Of nose was showing
them scuttling under the house again
Then without a word he came up TO US with
his eyes fixed on the horses.
1T was not an ideal situation for tagged
team and two worn, thirsty men. but l
tackled the proposition. ! didn't mention
anything about a railroad, but laid beauti-
full stress upon our condition and our needs
for camping place where there was
water.
And while talked he was looking over
the team from the front. As talked some
more in my most engaging manner he
stepped around to the side OF the OF horse
to look him over, broadside.
1t would be the greatest favor i'm
aginable II only we might stop here. I
continued. We will make you no trouble
and are more, than willing to pay for feed
"He was at the side Of the of horse by
this time. and was almost too discouraged
to say. anything more, thinking perhaps,
we had been taken for pair Of horse thieves.
had made another attempt to move him,
however, when he straig ightened up, ex-
perforated an immense charge of tobacco
juice under the horse and looked into my
face for the first time.
want to stay all night, hey?
Il was trying to tell him again Just how
much we wanted to do that very thing when
he broke in.
well, ef you want to stay all night,
reckon you've struck the damnedest most
lively place this side Of the Pecos River.
'Hospitality'' repeated the man who
had been in Texas: Say, that was the great
est welcoming / ever had in my life!"
The sun., 1903-05-03

you know, Solomon, m 80 he shot ono O.
tn catamounts dead. T,,other one sprung
Then he was mad as you know. m he
marched up under tn tree, took aim at
tn wildcat m pulled tn trigger. Tn gun
snapped. Afore he could take his gun down
him with its mouth wide open.
It jumped n ketched tn end O tn
gun bar In his mouth, as you know. Solo
mon. n was goin' 80 fast th't tn gun bar'l
went clean through him, stringin' him
be terrible put out il he was here, n you
shouldn't tell that little circumstance
Will YOU tell L, or shell II 'Taint skeery.'
and shaking his head at Aunt G Sarah, i,,e who
lay back in her chair with a sigh, Uncle
Ben Patterson was fshin' in the river near
Painted Post. when outen tn willers walked
g big beaver, m looked s9uar' up, In his
seein TIT tn beaver had only three legs,
Creek:
Uncle Ben started for tn highest house
to git gun, n when he got back, there
Ben blszed away. m beaver want
nowheres in sight when tn smoke cleared
away, n - Uncle Ben was partin' tn will
lers to pick up tho carcase, he throwed his
eye out on tn river. n pop! the lost beaver
gravstin' cuss pulls fur t'othsr shore. n
Uncle Ben never sot his eyes on op Three
There came !. big freshet lin tn Che
muns In tn spring 9, 1914. MY, gran
was % high tht him n hi. two helpers
couldn't handle tn critter, n It run away
with EN- m was wrecked on an island
tn men seen an old shock O. cornstalks
standin' In q field on tn island, n they
st:rtsd to 9it shelter int
night aiore, n they seen queer. track
lesdin' from tn river to tn oornstalks.
They pickedup clubs, n when they Kicked
tn shock out popped queer-lookin' critter
on three % legs: ... . AZ,
bachelor 8 Mud Creek, n th' t ounmin' aS?
ol' campaigner th't had laughed. at traps
N gun for nigh on to twenty year give up
tn ghost at last by whaek on the oonk
from an ignominious club.
.@arsnfsther ORE give t'other fellers y
made outen tn felt. He give TIL cap Is
n 6airy was married father made me q
weddin present Of It,. n that was nigh
on 70 sixty year ago., a, I've only wore II
dsy-n. there. sonny. on t6s table il that
oniort,nate last beaver 9th sihkyhanner
Yes said Aunt Sarah. putting the
rare relic back In its box and tho box on
tie pillow; oase. but II i hadn't been fer
gum campdrs n ky-yan peppeF..-
and Amt Sarah Locked the Last haAyar In IL
p, 80,
The sun., 1903-05-03
OUEER CASE OF
. ZEKE HIGGINS.
The Strange Boy Gets Possession OF
4 Piece of Musie and Has
Private Procession.

Zeke Higgins worried and wondered
for long time after the day his ears turned
to saws and ripped things generally in the
town Of Zekesville. But nothing out OF
the ordinary happened until one morning
he felt tickling a. II few thousand mos
auitoes were playing on his left ear. he
at once reached up and pulled the lobe.
On the very instant he heard tiny
tinkling and a music box began playing
Away Down South In Dixie
Soon the air was finished and Zeke heard
. small click He pulled the lobe OF his
left ear again. there was q rumbling OF
wheels and the box began playing Mr.
johnson, Turn Me Loose"
Then the truth flashed upon the boy.
He must have swallowed tho music box
sent him last Christmas by an old aunt up
in the State-and here 1t was inside his
stomach. playing just as II 1t were aocus-
toned to being swallowed. His stomach
itched a good deal, but so long as 1t was
filed with gay tunes the youngster didn't
care.
Just q he began to wonder how long It
would last he happened to touch his right
ear and with . snap and q double click
the thing stopped. He pulled first tho left.
then the right ear and found that he could
start the music or stop 1t a. he chose, 20 he
clossd the early performance and went
down to breakfast.
In trying to cat q whole hot cake at one
bite he attracted the attention Of his father.
who reached around and grabbed him BY
the ear. II it had been the right ear every
thing would have been we'll, but 1t was the
left ear, and the pull was strong enough to
cause the machine to start up with 'There'll
Be Hot Time In the Old Town Tonight.
Mr.. Higgins let 30 the ear and glared At
his son, half in rage, half In astonishment
He tried to speak but the music saw him
first and began with Tell Ne With Thine
Eyes 20
.zeke Higgins!' shouted the father.
-what do you mean BY this' Stop that
music at once ir.'.
Il can't, father whimpered the lad.
sThen III show you how and Mr.. Hig.
gins clutched the right eaf.
OF oourse tho music stopped at onos.
Giving the ear IN extra hard witch Mr..
Higgins said:
sThis 10 no concert hall. Nethee - II .
Wholesale, cake factory. Hereafter take
nine bites n. . .cake. and stop eazsyins =
The sun., 1903-05-03
TIE TALE or A TA1L.
Unele B0I SHOWS That HsFse Hair VIII
Turn Into q Snake II Left In Wstef.

Turn Into q Snake II Left In Wster.
.Y' want T. know how thet old legend
started about horse hairs turnin' inter
snakes II y leave EN- In water over nightf'
asked Uncle Bill. wal. now, thet old
legend as y cafl II, is gospel truth.
.Jest you take horse hair an . PIT i IN IN, q
sTs, ssy hss ed y ". w. ns MS''s hts 90
sis, heap Kim q ,h.Ns you city 'ser' don't know
why, tn Jedge kept this marc uf his
out in Tn COW barn. Twas ramshaokle
old buildin' an tn roof leaked consid d'rable;
one night along in April when we had
sNow I've seen some pretty likely rain.
storms In my time, but this here .pertic' lar
one was oalc lated Z make all tn rest uf
'em look like sunshine durin' dry spell.
out t tn barn T. look things over he found
tn old mare sound asleep In two feet uf
water. He Jest stood there a-lookin'',
wonderin' how In tarnation he'd get. all
tn water outer tn barn. again, when all uf
a sudden he gave a start thet almost woke
tn mare.
Her tail all seemed e. be sort uf
a-squirmin' round like. He looked cloeer.
an, sure as you're sittin' there. ever .yhair
in tn pesky crittur's tail had turned into q
strappln big rattlesnake.
Naturally. tn Jedge was sort uf upset
when he first discovered all this. But when
he got over his surprise some, he took tn
matter philosophically, an seemed pleased
moren otherwise
Why, next winter he said, 'thet there
attlesnake tail II do instead uf sleighbells:
Th' old mare II look right nobby hitched
up { tn cutter
"3ut Medusa-he always called tn mare
Medusa after thet-she warn't destined
{ live thet long. Durin tn summer when
she'd whisk her tail around t bresh tn
flies of, them reptiles would snap 'em of
an eat 'em: They finally grew 80 fat an
heavy on this fly diet thet tn poor old
mare couldn't pull her own tail, let alone
a wagon.
Besides, snakes don't sleepth' same hours
as hosses an tn awful rafting at night
kept Medusa awake. At last the poor
crittur died. Her tail. broken-hearted for
tn most part. didn't long survive her.
What's thet y say'" asked Uncle Bill
"No, as far as know, Jedge Norton never
teched drop Of liquor in his lfe."
The sun., 1903-05-03

Of all tn men, which, when tn elk was
dressed, your gran father found a piece
O ramrod in its side with B. c.. i7so."
sculpt on to it; n how tn men said th't
tn elk must a been nigh to four thousan
var old to have ramrod in 1t with them
figgers on to it, datin' back so amazin';
n how th't one on EN- said that it mowt be
setch a thing as th't mebbe OIL Nimrod
hisself had shot that elk some time: n
how your gran father said, Solomon, th't
nigh as ol, as that he never d a put ball
In him; n how, wen Uncle Ben Patterson
come up n see tn elk n tn ramrod. he
"."why. goodnes. to tn great kingl
that's tn very elk IT. Bii c9nkEht 9nks shot
70 rod i' WITCH It had his a name scuipt on on to It,
outen his gun, he was 30 excited"
'Mebbe you had better tell him about
that, Solomon. It's a leetle mild. Itwon't
'Tain't tn pint, mother said Uncle
his his good 20 T vile. Ek III last % beaver We Is what
I'm gettin' down to, sairy.'
Uncle Ben Patterson, sonny. was
partic'lar anxious to trap beaver. but they
wouldn't GIT none fer a week or more.
He had trapped here n there m
everywhere. m he was maxim up his mind
th't tn beaver business was gettin' lords
sundown a leetle too fast to be Of any more
to quit, as fur as beaver was concerned.
wen he found sign o. beaver on Mud Creek,
q toler'ble snug feeder O. the .Chemung,
20 he tarried with his traps n sot one
jest to see whether his Judgment a. to signs
It turned out that his Judgment was
fair to middlin'.. fer he ketched nioe, slick
beaver every night fer seven nights. tn
eighth night be had tn hind leg Of another
one t in Il his . trap; p jest I'll tn =. hind ,e lse. tn
Then Unole Ben knowed that tn hull
colony O. beaver was captured, n that he
had sent lone bachelor beaver to wander
up n down tn kentry on three legs.
This was in 1879, th' year Uncle Ben
t&at & tramp % beaver @ aH'S sions tn =" ereeIs n
rivers o. IT, Chemung Valley, every time
he'd find sign Of him, til 1903, but tn
OIL chap bein too cunnin' to git ketched,
Ben give up tn chase. n his brother Bob
Bob Patterson follered it oil through
tn winter O 1909. from tn headwaters O.
tn Chemung clean down to where tn
Chemung iines tn Siskyhanner. One day
that beaver was shot at seven times ct easy
range e m 4 be didn,. Tea cat all all III n bark s cssr
night was tied to. m never sprung tn
trap, ri eat watts left Of him. n that's
this capi In 1872
You've got way past i70s, Solomon
hain't said q word about tn time your
gran'father strung tn wildcat n carried
him TO camp.
Your gran'father want out after
wildcats. a. you know, Solomon. but stood
out Of . tree jumped two big Wildcats
square on to th' deer. Your grm' father
didn't want to have his game sp'ned. -
The sun., 1903-05-03

he had to march in order TO keep time TO It,
are able to do otherwise than keep time
to march music, and when 200 school chil-
dren Of assorted shapes and Size came
shiss bns march, ssf iIs 81 suRSys sRSy 000n 90
1t was too much for even the aged teacher
and he joined the strange procession before
II had gone half . square.
Up the street they marched, Zeke Higgins
in the lead and struttng IKE drum major
1t would burst, but when he saw that he
was leading parade he didn't care II the
whole town blew up and never came back.
Then there came . dozen queer clicks in
he insides and the hqrdy;gs,rdy seemed to
With 4 pIeoe Of oake-wslE music.
In . second every child had changed from
the regular march to the oake-walk step.
Tho people Of the town rushed out. thinking
circus parade was passing, and they were
lessor ostch bis long costtails in his hands.
bend over % far that It looked ~ II he might
break his back, and circle around and
around, smirkns and bowing right and
iett - he now and then lifted his silk hat
70 +: E: ee,.unYs ssYs .ssS tSrs. blocks and
- zeke turned q corner the music broke
Loose on Tramp. Tramp. Tramp. the Boys
Ieke grew prouder at every step and
turned his bead to gloet over the immense
town seemed TO have stepped into line.
Ihree thousand persons were marching
behthd him and every person keeping
step TO bis music. He grew 80 vain ne
couldn't keep his eyes Oh his own private
Workmen had dug . trench across the
gtreet around ono Of the corners Zeke
didn't know this, and rs his eyes were
gloetinG over the marching people he didn ~
see It whom he reached the spot.
The step which let him suddenly into this
ditch the music began with Down Went
With q muddy thud he landed six feet
below the surface OF the earth.
The e1plosion which followed shook
the sl.ss out Of all the stores for square
Three thousand persons scattered in
Dirt and gravel filled the air.
And Zeke Higgins Brass Band was no
Horny-handed but kind-hearted ditch
diGsers dug the youngster from under
tho great mass OF earth and carefully ana
tsnderly placed what was S; left ,hsr OF ,anp h,%
him to the homo Of his weeping parents.
That night seven doctors with eight
trunks filled with shining
knives, saws and silver hooks-reached
down his throat and hauled out a dozen
cog wheels, quart or two Of badly twisted
copper .wire and twenty-seven and one-
hsM fest Of strong steel wire.
Ono OF the smallest cog wheels y nov
on, exhibition In the Town hall tn Zekesf
vilie,, and may b seen and handled b1
any eosp9ical person who thinks any psSt
hisssd story b untrue.
~ u sseataSslA
The sun., 1903-05-03
method should be adopted. This is the cor


rect formula.
When the man with the padded legs who
stands In front OF three little stakes driven
must cry out loudly: well played. sir!'
Take particular care to emphasize the
1sir." It's 80 English, you know. Such
remarks as are sometimes hurled at the
best OF baseball players are certainly out
usually announced on the programmes
and in the advertisements that the team is
composed OF gentlemen"
In similar method, when one Of the statues
IN some remote corner OF the field Is aroused
from his reverie by the unexpected flight
thing to cry out: well fielded. sir" That
Is what he has been 30 patiently waiting
for.
When two or three runs are made to one
hit, 1t Is permissible to applaud a little, and
when q bowler succeeds In scattering the
three little wooden stakes called the wickets
it Is we'll quietly to find out to which side
he belong. before indulging In Efforts to be
enthusiastic.
Right hero it may be mentioned that
word wicket. When player is heard to
complain that the wicket is all broken
up. he might laugh at you II you offered
him your walking cane as a substitute.
He probably refers to the ground between
the wickets.
Again. II he should speak of the many
leg hits he got, It is best not to ask him
IL they hurt him much. The same rule
applies when a ball is cut to cover
point"
1t is perhaps a. difficult to grasp the
meaning of maiden" In the cricket field
as she IL hard to understand elsewhere.
This term is most inappropriately applied
to an all round failure, or to perhaps
more pronounced waste Of time than the
whole game appears to be. It signifies that
number of times In a vain effort to scatter
The sun., 1903-05-03
TALE OF
] THE LAST BEAVER.
Told BY Uncle Sol Mapes With
Comments By Aunt Sarah.

.The very first day spent at Uncle Sol
Mapee's, the time I went up into that part
OF Pennsylvania trout fishing" said John
Gilbert, the travelling groceryman, uncle
Sol said to me:
Didn't know We had the last beaver
locked up in tn closet yonder, did YEP
when I, in some surprise, said that l
didn't, Uncle Sol turned to his wife, good
old Aunt Sarah, and said:
Mother, bring out tn last beaver.
Aunt Sarah unlocked the closet of the
carefully tied at the top, united it. removed
from it bandbox of ancient pattern, and
took carefully from the bandbox huge
fur cap. The old lady shook it out blew on
i In brisk puffs. and placed it reverently on
= You see.' said she. Solomon hain't
weared it only wunst year since his father
give 1t to him on our weddin' day, gotn
on to nigh sixty years ago. We put II
away in this box tn day arter that happened.
told me the bes' thing in tn world to keep
'em of was to scatter nigger-head tobacker
on to it, cut fine.
'solomon's sister Mehitable. she said th't
moths d jes' gloat on niggerhead tobacker.
TAT 40 ;e ssy
cut her out with her feller at Sally's apple.
parin' bee the fall afore-Mehitable, she said
tht moths d ies' gloat on niggerhead to-
hacker m git fat on it, n th't they want
nothin' under tn canopy O. the blue skies
half as good as gum campfire to keep 'em
out O. fur
$50 not wantin' to make a fuss in the
family. got some nigger-head n some gum
campfire both. n was a-gittin' ready to
put 'em both in tn bandbox with tn cap.
wen ,Solomon's mother she said that gum
campfire was good n so was Niger head,
but II was goin' to put fur away" sh'
size. =" n wanted 1t to keep everlastingly
etsst O moths" sh' she. 'I'd put sprinklin'
G. xy-yan pepper on it," sh' she.
SO got some ky-yan pepper. n put
tn hull three O them compuncti ons in, so 8
10 be sure. n we hain't never had a moth
come nigh tn last beaver-'n' ef any o.
your folks is thinkin o. putin away fur,
n they're afeard o moths, 'jes you tell 'em
th't--
But moths amt tn pint. mother
interrupted Uncle Sol. The pint is this
here sap.
.'Ws call it the last beaver sonny, cause
It was made outen the pelt o. tn last beaver
th't e~e~ was ketohed in the Sisskyhanner
Valley Tain't much O. cap to look at,
'cept " to ize, but ef they's anuther cap
In thit kentry that's nigh on to eighty
year I'D, n has tn history this un has,
why. Ning that cap on, m I'll give IL to
the hIfS fghtnin' fpd man that comes this
way, = ef they's me thing hate wuss' n
tb' mex its hghtnin rod men, consarn 'em!
And tEsy had to hunt this c1lnnin' old