davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20
CHAPTER XII.
DRIFT AID CROssCUT.

DRIFT AND CROSSCUT.
"A living dog Is better than a dead non-"-
EccIesiastes-
On the evening OF the day when
Jake Shackleton went to his account
Essex had walked slowly to Bertrand's
rotisserie, his head dropped. the even-
ing paper in his hand.
Two hours before the cries OF ths
newsboys announcing the sudden de-
mise Of his chief had struck on his
ear, for the first moment freezing him
into motionless amazement- Standing
under a lamp, he had read the short
report, then hurried down TO the
office of The Trumpet There IN the
turmoil and hubbub which marks the
first portentous movement OF the
great daily making ready 10 go to
press, he had heard fuller details. The
Office was IN an uproar, shaken to its
foundation by the startling news.
every man and woman ready with a
speculation or a rumOr as to the ulr-
mate fate OF The Trumpet, on which
their own little fates hung.
At his table in the far corner OF
Bertrand's he mused over the various
reports he had heard. The death OF
Shackleton would undoubtedly throw
the present makeup OF The Trumpet
out Of gear. It's sale would be inevi-
table. From what he had heard OF
him, Win Shackleton would be quite
incapable Of taking his fathers place
as proprietor and manager Of the
paper that Jake Shackleton. the man
Of brain and initiative, was transforms
ing into a powerful organ OF public
opinion. And in the general wedding
out Of men which would unquestion-
ably occur. why should not Barry Es-
sex mount to a top place?
The Trumpet had always paid It's
capable men large salaries. II was
worth while considering. Essex had
now decided 10 remain in San Francis
co. at least throughout the winter.
The climate pleased him: the cosmo-
politan atmosphere Of the remote,
picturesque city continued to exert its
charm The very duck he was now
eating, far beyond his purse in any
other American city. was an induce
ment to remain But the real one was
the woman. all the more desperately
desired because denied him. Her in
dignation had not repelled him. bus
he saw It would mean q long wocing.
Once IN his own room. he 6ndled
the IRE and drew toward him q pile
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20

its palaces, the girl paused and looked
about her The great buildings were
new, and stood, vast. awe-compelling
monuments to Califdrnia's material
glory. Their owners were still trying
to make themselves comfortable In
them Perched high above the city, In
these many -windowed aeries. they
could look down on the town they had
seen grow from village in the days
when they, too, had been young, poor
and struggling. What memories must
have crowded their minds as they
thought Of the San Francisco they had
first seen, and the San Francisco they
saw now: of themselves as they had
been then. and as they were now.
Maripcsa leaned against convenient
wall top and looked down. The city lay
clear-edged and gray in the cup made
by the encircling hills. 1t had not yet
thrown out feelers toward the Mission
hills, and they rose above the varied
sweep of roof and chimney, in undu-
lating greenness, flecked here and there
by the white dot of a cottage. The gir
die of the bay shone sapphire blue on
this day of still sunshine. From it's
farther side other hills were revealed,
each peak and shoulder clear cut
against it's neighbor and defining
themselves in a crumplod, cobalt line
agains' the faint sky. Over all Mount
Diavolo rose, purple point. pricking
up above the green Of newly grassed
hills, about whose feet hung a white
fringe OF little towns.
Turning her eyes again on the de-
scending walls and roofs, the watcher
saw a long cortege passing soberly be-
tween the gray house-fronts on
street a few blocks below her. AS she
looked the boom Of solemn music rose
to her. 1t was funeral, and one of
unusual length, she thought, as her
eyes caught the low line Of carriages
far back through breaks In the houses.
Presently. in the opening where two
streets crossed. the hearse came into
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20

She leaned over the railing and
said to me, Them little boys will be
sick if they eat that crab What
crab and what little boys?' I asked.
quite innocently, and she answered.
Them little boys in the vacant lot?
Then 1 turned and saw Benito and
Miguel squatting in the grass among
the tomato cans and fragments of the
daily press, with crab about as big as
a cart-wheel."
I'VE found it there" said Benito.
1T was just lying there
If they eat that crab the lady
continued, they'll be sick. 1t ain Z
good. 1 threw it out myself. And
I've been hollerin' to them to STOP ana
that little one with the curls, just
turned round on me and says, "Oh'
you go to the devill"
The complainant paused. looked at
Mariposa with an eye in which she
saw laughter dancing, and said:
That's rather a startling way for
gentleman to speak to a lady, isn't
it?"
Though the language used by the
accused was hard to associate with his
cherubic appearance. and had some
what shocked Mariposa's affection
she could hardly suppress a smile.
Benito grinning. as If with pride at the
prowess he had shown in the encoun-
ter with the strange female, looked at
his brother and emitted an explosive
laugh. Miguel. however, had more
clearly. guessed the seriousness OF the
offense, and looked uneasy. Barron
was regarding the younger boy with
unmoved and angry gravity. Mari
posa saw that the man was not in the
least inclined to treat the matter hu-
morously.
Did you really say that, Benito ,"
he said.
Well" said Benito, swaying his
body from side to side, and fastening
his eyes on a knife he had carelessly
extracted from his pocket, L didn't
see what she had to do with that crab.
1t was all alone in the vacant lot.
How was we to know it was her
crab?"
But to Miguel. "she told you not
to. touch it, that it was bad, didn't
Yes" returned the elder boy, ex-
ceedingly uncomfortable She come
and leaned over the railing and hol-
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20

Quainted the newspaper woman with
his intention Of sending her to Paris
with Miss Moreau, the post of corre-
spondent to The Trumpet being as
signed to her. 1t had been the cumlmi-
mating point CT Mrs. Willers' life strug
gle. Now all that lay shattered. Be 1T
said to her credit her disappointment
was more for the girl than for herself.
She knew that Shackleton had made no
definite arrangements for the starting
OF Mariposa on her way. All had been
in statu quo, attending on the daugh-
ter's recovery from her mothers loss.
Now death had stepped in and forever
closed the door upon these hopes.
Mrs. Willers found Mariposa strange
~ aDathetic. She had tried TO cheer
her and then had seen, to her amaze
ment, that the girl showed little disap-
pointment. That the sudden blow had
upset her was obvious. She undoubted-
ly looked i'll. But the wrenching from
her hand of liberty, independence, pos
sibilities of fame, seemed to affect her
little. She listened in silence to Mrs
Willers account Of the Bonanza's
Kings death. As an inside writer on
The Trumpet the newspaper woman
--~-N --~0A0 SNNAS VI tic lIdSlC
event discussed threadbare in the per-
turbed Office Shackleton had\ been
found, as the paper stated. sitting at
his desk in the library at Menlo Park.
He had been writing letters when death
called him. His wife had come in late
at night and found him thus, leaning
on the desk as if tired. 1t was an an
eurism, the doctors said. The heart
had been diseased for years No one,
however, had had any idea of IL. Poor
Mrs. Shackleton was completely pros
trated. 1t was not newspaper talk
that she was in a state of collapse
And it was enough to collapse any
woman said Mrs. Willers, with a
sympathetic gag of her head. Ito come
in and find your husband sitting up. at
his desk stone dead. And a good hus-
band too. 1t would have given me a
shock TO have found Willers that way,
and even an obituary notice in the
paper of which he was proprietor could
hardly have called Willers a good hus-
band"
Two days rest restored Mariposa to
some sort Of balance She still felt
weak and stunned in heart and brain
The lack Of interest she had shown to
Mrs. Willers had been the outward
sign Of this internal benumbed condi-
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20

Tered at US not to touch II, tnaJ II was
bad and it 'ud make US sick. Then
stopped cause 1 didn't want to get
sick. But Ben wouldn't, and she hol-
Tered again. and then he told her to go
to the devil, and Mr.. Pierpont came
along Just then, and she told him, and
Ben got skairt and stopped"
There was a moments silence The
younger boy continued to smile and
finger his knife, but it was evident he
was not so easy in his mind. The
stranger, now with difficulty restrain
ing his laughter. turned again to Mar
iposa and said:
IF the lady had been in any way
aggressive on the young gentleman's
comfort or convenience. it would not
have been exactly justifiable, but COM
prehensible. But when you consider
that her sole desire was to save him
from eating something that would
make him sick, then you begin to real
ize the seriousness of the offense. Oh,
Benito. you're in a bad way, I'm
afraid!''
'I amt nothing of the kind" said
Benito, smiling and showing his dim
pies. II amt done nothing more than
Miguel"
II didn't tell her to go to the devil"
exclaimed Miguel, IN a loud, combat
i've voice.
.aCause said it first" replied his
brother calmly. You didn't have no
time
well, Benito," said Barron. i've
got no use for you when you behave
that way. There's no excuse for it.
You've used the worst kind of Ian
guage to a lady who was trying to do
a decent thing. I won't take you this
afternoon"
The change on Benito's face was
sudden and piteous. The smile was
frozen on his lips. he turned crimson.
and said stammeringly. evidently
hardly believing his ears:
ITO see the balloon? oh, Uncle
Gam, you promised It for a week. Oh.
I'd rather see the balloon than any
thing. Oh, Uncle CANT"
There's no use talking: I won't
take a boy who behaves that way. I'm
angry with you"
The man was absolutely grave and,
Mariposa saw, spoke the truth when
he said he was angry. The boy was
about to plead, when probably a
knowledge Of the hopelessness Of such
a course silenced him. With a flushed
face, he stood before the tribunal
fighting with his tears, proud and ST.
lent. When he could no longer con-
troll them he turned and rushed into
the house, his bursting sobs issuing
from the hallway. Miguel charged
after him.
"Oh, poor little fellow" cried Mar
iposa; "how could you? Take him to
see the balloon; do, please"
Barron made no reply. sitting on the
railing, frowning and abstracted- She
turned her eyes on the other man. He
was still smiling.
"Barron's bringing up the bsys," he
said. 'and he takes 1t hard"
IF didn't" said the man from the
railing, who would? Heaven knows
I don't want to disappoint the peor
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20

atmosphere every line is cut with un-
faltering distinctness. There is no
faintness, no breath of haze, ora for
gotten film of fog. Nature seems even
Jealous of the smoke wfeaths that rise
from the city TO blur the beauty of the
mighty picture, and the gray spirals
are hurriedly dispersed.
Mariposa walked slowly, ascending
by a zigzag course from street to
street. idly looking at the houses and
gardens as she passed. People of con-,
sideraticn had for some time been on
the move from South Park to this side
of town. The streets through which
the young girls course led her were
now the gathering place of the city's
successful citizens. On the heights
above them, the new rnillionaires were
raising palaces, which they were emu
lating on the ascending slopes Great
houses reared themselves en- every sun
ny corner. The architecture of the bay
Widowed mansion with the two lions
sleeping on the front steps had sup
planted that of the dignified, plastered
brick fronts, with the long lines of win
dows opening on wrought-iron bal
comics.
These huge wooden edifices housed
the wealth and fashion of the city.
Mariposa paused and stood with knit
brows, looking down from a vantage
point on the glitterins curve of green
house and the velvet lawns of Jake
ShacAleton's town house; there was no
sign CT life or occupation about it.
Curtains of lace veiled its innumer-
able windows Only in the angle Of
lawn and garden that abutted on the
intersection of two streets. a man. in
his shirt sleeves, was cutting Gala
lilies from the hedge that topped the
high stone wall which rose from the
sidewalk
Finally. on the crest of the hill.
where California street runs between
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20

ton. But as she slowly dressed on the
morning of the third day, she felt a
slight ripple of returning life, a thaw-
ing of these CONCEALED faculties. She
heard the quick, decisive step of Bar
ron in the hallway outside. and then
Its stoppage at her door, and his call
through the crack. How are you this
morning? Better?"
Much" she answered; I'm getting
up"
"First-rate. Couldn't do better. Set
a move on and go out It's a day that
would put life into a mummy. I'd take
you out myself, but I've got to go
downtown and lasso one of my VIC
Tins
Then he clattered down the stairs
Mariposa had not seen him since their
supper together. Every morning he
had stopped and called a greeting of
some sort through the door. She
shrenk from meeting him again. The
extraordinary remark she had made to
him haunted her. The only thing that
appeased her was the memory of his
face, in which there was no conscious
ness Of the meaning Of her words, only
CONSERVATION and amaze at the effect
his news had produced.
1t was, indeed, a wonderful day.
Through her parted curtains she saw
details Of the splendor in the bits of
turquoise sky between the houses, and
the vivid greens Of the rain washed
gardens. When the sun was well up,
and the opened windows let in delicious
earth scents, she put on her hat and
jacket and went out. turning her steps
to that high spine of the city along the
crest of which California street runs.
Has any place been found where
there are finer days than those San
Francisco can show IN winter? THE
breaks in the rain" old Californians
call them. 1t is the rain that gives
them their glory. for the whole world
has been washed clean and CLEANS like
an agate beneath a wave. The skies re-
fleet this clearness of tint. There are
no clouds. The whole arch is a rich
blue. fading at the horizon to a thin,
pale transparency. The landscape is
painted with few washes Of fresh
primary colors. each one deep, but linn
pid, like the tints In the heart OF a
gem. And in this crystalline purity OF
The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20
CHAPTER xI.
BREAKS IN THE RAIN.
Il had no time 10 hate because
The grave would hinder me,
And life was not so simple I
Could finish enmity."

Dickinson
For two days after her hysterical out
burst Mariposa kept her room, sick in
body and mind. The quick succession
OF nerve-shattering events, ending with
the death of Shackleton, seemed TO
stun her. She lay on the sofa, white
and motionless, irresponsive even to
the summons Of the boys, who
drummed cheerfully on Der door as
they came home from school.
Fortunately for her, solitude was as
difficult to find in that slipshod men
age as method or order. When the
boys were at school, young Mrs. Garcia.
In the disarray that attended the ac-
complishment of her household tasks,
mounted TO her frst-fioor boarder and
regaled her with mingled accounts of
past splendors and present miseries.
Mrs. Garcia spoke freely OF her hus-
band and the affiuence with which he
had surrounded her. The listener, look
ing at the faded, blond prettiness Of
her foolish face, wondered how the
Juan Garcia that Gamaliel Barron had
described could have loved her. Mari
posa had yet to learn that nature mates
the strong men OF the world to the fee
bic women. in an effort to maintain an
equilibrium.
Once or twice the old sonora came
upstairs. carrying some dainty in a
covered dish. She had been born at
Monterey. and had come to San Fran
cisco as bride in the late fifties, but
had never learned English, speaking
the sonorous Spanish of her girlhood
TO every one she met, whether il was
understood or not. Even in the COM
plete wreck Of fortune and position, in
which Mariposa saw her, she was a
fine example OF the highest class Of
Spanish Californian. that once brilliant
and picturesque race, careless, simple,
lazy. happy, lords OF a kingdom whose
value they never guessed. possessors Of
limitless acres on which their cattle
grazed.
The day after Shackleton's death
Mrs. willers appeared. still aghast at
the suddenness OF the castatrophe.
Mariposa did not know that a few
days previously, Shackleton had ac-
Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-06-14
May FIGHT
IN Nevada
Britt Wants to Finish C0rbett
There Providing a Bigger
Purse is Offered

NEW YORK, June 14.-Pugilistic
promoters throughout the country are
already laying their wires to capture
the Britt Corbett contest for the feath-
erweight championship OF the world
which is scheduled to take place in No
vember or December. When the two
lads fought their sensational twenty
round battle in San Francisco last
March they drew more money than any
men in America, or for that matter
anywhere else i'm the world. Strange to
say, the contest between Britt and the
former champion Melted the fighters
and promoters a bigger gate than the
famous McGOvern- Erne contest, which
took place in Madison Square garden
when the boxing game was in full
swing around New York. McGovern and
Erne drew a $4,000 gate. while Britt
and Corbett drew $4,000. Taking into
consideration the fact that the latter
mill was pulled Off in San Francisco,
this record is remarkable. The man.
ayers of the boxing clubs on the coast
tween the champion and Young Corbett
will draw close to 100000 The boys
boxed in a small pavilion in San Fran
cisco, and should the match be pulled
Off there again they will surely show in
the Mechanics pavilion. which place.
according to Manager j. w. Coffroth.
who has a lease on the building, can
seat more people than Madison Square
garden.
Bill Britt manager of the champion,
received an offer today from a promi-
nent politician of St Louis who rep
resents an aggregation of ST. Louis
sports who are anxious to promote the
mill during the fair. The st. Louis
promoters offer the two little fighters
q. building that can seat $4,000 people
II necessary. and they offer to post
$4,000 guarantee that they can handle
the match successfully. Manager Britt
has also received an offer Of fiat
$4,000 purse from the Sagebrush Ath-
letic club Of Nevada for the mill.
IF the Nevada club would raise their
offer to conform to what we would
draw In St. Louis or San Francisco, 1
would like to fight Corbett there" says
Jimmy Britt. I'VE could then fight to
!: finish, as they do not limit contests
a finish contest with Corbett would suit
me to a dot"
Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-06-14
May never
GET TOGETHER
Opinion that nanl0n. Nc Govern
90 is a Thing of
the Past

SAN FRANCISCO, June 14-The
match between Terry McGovern and
Eddie Hanlon may never take place.
They were to meet in July and ex-
pected to do their milling in San Fran
cisco. Morris Levy Of the Hayes VAL
ley Athletic club. who has the July
date. offered them so per cent with a
bonus of 5 per cent each for signing,
but this evidently is not satisfactory.
judging by the following telegram just
received by Levy from c. j. Harvey, his
eastern Representatives:
Willie Fitzgerald will box Nelson.
Other match looks impossible
The other match" is the McGovern.
Hanlon battle. Some people believe
that Terry" has thought it all over
and doesn't care to meet Hanlon in a
twenty-round go. 1t is expected that
Fitzgerald and Nelson will draw we'll
here. Fitzgerald put up good fight
against Jimmy Britt. and Nelson's vic
tory over Martin Candle has made him
great favorite with local sports
Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-06-14
REILLY'S HAND
WAS BROKEN
Had to be Cocained During the
Fight but Managed to goa
Draw With Flynn

One Of the cleverest fights ever seen
IN this city occurred last night, when
Tommy Reilly and Jimmy Flynn went
twenty rounds to decision, says the
Salt Lake Telegram.
It was a decided change from the
other recent fights held here. which
were of the knock down and drag out
variety. but those who like to see the
scientific points of the game were
nightly pleased.
1t Is true that there was comparative
ly little damage done. but the foot work
blocking and leading was of variety
which made 1t worth going far to see.
Reilly was undeniably the cleverer OF
the two, but Flynn was stronger and
heavier. and had little the better Of
the exchanges at close quarters.
Neither man gained a decisive adj
vantage, first one and then the other
being slightly in the lead. but Reilly
had a slight advantage in the closing
rounds. as he was the fresher man of
the two and was very aggressive.
Flynn was unable to make the
y
heavier than Reilly. and he made the
most Of this advantage by coming to
close quarters at every opportunity.
He found Reilly always ready to meet
him and exchange wallops. and some of
the rallies were fast and furious.
Neither man was on queer street"
during the fight. although some stag
gering blows were landed. Both men
were In splendid shape or they could
never have stood the grueling that both
received. Reilly had bad hand when
the fight began and was forced to have
i cocained during the fight. When the
bandages We're removed after the fight
II was found to be badly broken.
Referee Willard Bean was entirely
satisfactory to the crowd. and also to
the fighters, and deservedly so, as his
work has been honest and careful.
In the preliminary event Kid Tex or
Pueblo met Freckles O'Brien OF New
Orleans. Freckles much outweighed the
Pueblo boy. who weighed in at l15
pounds. O'Brien Is a feather weight.
and must have weighed between 125
and 1870 last night.
The crowd was all for the smaller
man. who put up a pretty exhibition OF
ducking and blocking but who could
not land hard enough to hurt Freckles.
O'Brien undoubtedly had the best OF the
bout. as he landed harder and oftener
and was the aggressor throughout. but
there was almost riot when Referee
Eddie Robinson gave him the decision.
The crowd was so incensed that the
management made the decision draw.
although by what right they changed
the referees decision Is not known
The fight did not start on time. ana
there were a number OF annoying de-
lays.
About 1000 persons were present.
among them number OF women.
Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-06-14
tLeslie's Weekly

European exchanges contain MANY
good anecdotes concerning the late
Theodore Mcmmsen. the great German
historian. They refer chiefly to his
Observation-Disclosures. which was one of
this learned mans most conspicuous
ratings. On one occasion the professor
was engaged In his study in profound
researches and failed to notice the
presence of his servant. who announced
lunch was ready. The servant asked II
ne might bring II to the professor. and.
receiving no reply. laid the table near
the writing desk. Returning ten min
utes later with some fish. the dishonest
mental found the soup untouched
thinking II too good to spoil he sat
down and finished soup and fish upob-
served by the professor The remain
ing courses suffered a similar far.
About an hour later Mommsen looked
up from his work. and, feeling a
vacuum. proceeded to the kitchen 70
ask why luncheon had not been served,
but the professor has had his lunch.
con an hour ago." expostulated the
servant. Dear mel" said the historian
OF Rome: how could l be 20 forget.
ful?" and returned peaceably to his
study.