davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1904-11-20
Can Whales Swim Fast?
Well. Listen to This Yarn

Can whales swim fast? Why said an
old whaleman. let me give you an idea OF
how fast they can swim.
AT the time of the war | was out in the
good old bark Abbie Turner, Capt. Joshua
Barnley Of New Bedford, on the Atlantic
fishing grounds, after sperm whale. We
met up with school Of them one day about
hundred miles to the westward of the
Azores
Capt. Josh threw his maintopsail abaok
and hove the old hooker TO, and then we
put out in the boats after the whales. We
had long pull to get near any Of them,
but finally W. did come up with a seventy
iooter that was sort of pirouetting about,
and the harpoon man nailed him.
Say Those We're the days OF whale
fishing, the days before the introduction of
the bomb lance; VIII en- you had TO lay a
boat right alongside a whale 10 get a har-
poon into him at all; when harpooning
called for strength and cold nerve as well
as skill. But they used to do it, and some
times they'd smoke another iron into a
whala before the boat could back away.
Well, our man gave the whale the har-
poon, and the instant he got it down he went,
sounding, and when he came UP away
he flow, with everything set and drawing
double, so to speak, and with the harpoon
line singing ont of the tub in the bow OF the
boat, swapping and dancing through the
The sun., 1904-11-20

They were soeptical and silent until
the rise of the curtain. You remember
how Emmett used to make his first appear
ance in Fritz with lot Of little children
tagging after him?
well, the moment for his cue arrived,
the orchestra struck up the opening music
for his. entrance-and on came Emmett
reeling and apparently spiflicated and
googley eyed and picked to the gun'ls.'
He seemed to be barely able to keep his
feet. Instantly the long hiss ran around
the theatre from orchestra to pit.
Fritz essayed to sing his opening song
but the words died in his throat drunkenly,
as it certainly seemed. The hiss became
like the music OF 10000 cobras.
Suddenly Frits Strengthened himself, and
became az erect as spear. The Dutch
grin spread over his features, and he made
q gesture with his arm for quiet. The
house instantly obeyed.
with his left hand in his characteristic
fashion, 4 fought We could some April
Fools haf alretty yet, nod?' and then he
leaped into the vortex Of his singing and
dancing with q charm and enthusiasm
such as his company had never seen him
display before.
4Iu bet you could have heard the cheers
that rang around that house for half mile
every time Emmet made his entrance or
exit after that, and nobody In the town
Of Leavenworth ever believed word about
the stories Of Fritz Emmet's jamborees
after that up to the day Of his death
The sun., 1904-11-20
Yarn

water and throwing up great spray.
Il was pulling bow oar in that boat,
sitting right back OF the harpoon man and
the tub and that sizzling line, and Idipped
my head and slowed il round little so the
spray wouldn't fly in my eyes, and that
brought my head down 80 that l couldn't
see very well around just where we were
going, and didn't want to see anyway.
and so kept my head down like that for
what didn't seem to me to Re more than
a minute or so, just till things got settled
down a little. and when looked Up
when we struck that whale We were
down a good ten miles to leeward OF tie
Abbie, but when looked up. by jingo We
were ten miles to windard Of herl In just
that little time, that minute or 80 that I'd
had my head down like that to keep the
spray out OF my eyes. thet whale had
snaked us good twenty miles!
Gan whale swim fast? Why. II 1t was
possible to match likely 7O-foot sperm
whale against a torpedo boat I'd bet on the
whale every time.
But we got the whale, and Capt. Josh
came UP with the Abhie and we got the
whale alongside, and three days later we
had the oil from II all snugly slowed aboard.
@Three days after that we were captured
and burned by the Confederate cruiser
Alabama 40 that oil never did US any good I;
but we'd have carried it.into New Bedford
sure IL the good old Abbie could only have
sailed just about one-half as fast as that
whale could swim
The sun., 1904-11-20
THE TRIBULAT1ONS OF -'"' e
NJ. LADILLON. AUTHOR
From ~ French.

a dagger tn Chapter o. Of Witch ne yoes
fellow had no need whatever. ra ,:-5i
NJ. LAdillon was unhappy. The rnatter
sss Tss S seTis Tss not ss only 4s hss.as a IL
daily bread that the heiress shouh i've.
As result Of much thought he hit upcn
a plan to avoid similar blnndera, ThA
next morning when be entered the hhrHry
laid two boxes On the table, Together vkh
Marking clearly oue bo1, The Lfvfax,'
the other 'The Dead he spant thee- days
In rereading his story from the beginning.
As each new person introduced hinaek
he marked button With the sharacter's
name and threw It into the bo1 Of thA Kvfns;
The exit Of each person from the world
was the signal for the change Of che bEtton
containing his name to the box a the deed.
had sent party Of from ten to twenty to
perdiion- this was IN ftsef no srnal taAk.
But, once ended, how easy, bow secure,
Ladfllon might now feel that there would
be no more double dealing With dead menl y,
Let US now listen to second ezanoe 9
second reading of the continued @CRye II
Crime .. .-.... T.. ...sI ~
Roger Ladinon vad, 'spoke in . low
voice. turning his face toward MADELEINE,
vhik the BEAUTIFUL GoYntt .. I'd De M.chI,
Nine. Ladillon, who did you ayf'
What do you mean by int rruyttngas
somewhat angrly answered NJ Lshuan,
L am IL g coming to the point
yes, but do you speak Of Madektnef
And there 10 Roger, too, and they Gre dead.
Dead Poohl What ares~yuu thinking
about! Am O fooR Look af this buttonJs
And he drew from 1The Living bon the
Ny dasr,' sid Mme. Laduon, dmidy,
'perha- some one has changed the bexea
for thoss r1rsons you are 9peAking 0 hAvs
been dead som, Time - :.re--
Here Adonie appeared III ut eSss. and
trembled in her chair. LAdillon showed
Gsrs Of apeplexy. Mime. LadiAnn rushed
to the II Gcne.
Here, sidouie, helpr she cried Than,
noticing the srysut's sgitation- did YOU
Sidonie prevaricated IN her terror.
mo, madame. nevert-never she be-
gan. Then, overcome, she eoufe sE d, @hut
the bureGu ulst-and the boxss fell
and
And yuu mixed Che buttpuE AlRs'
b. gonr! Begone out Of Tins house this in
stant before ssssss nate YOU" -: =.
And TO think, said LadIlon, with an,
Hoish in his voice, to think tnHt Yesterday
I r. s,rrf cted these people and the manu-
sT:rt hss gone to the printer What win
bscosne of rne!'
Ee quickly learned Hfs fate In q htter
which came tfst day from Duplnquet.
MoSsTErR: Yoa Win please bring your
story to end at oneA We cannot permit
such slips Of memory I'm eur collaborateurS
prrLAoUEr.
Trat same dxy the traitor wss punis5ed
and virtue was recompensed. But LRdinnn,
was not to be consoled
The sun., 1904-11-20

for Kansas City. He'd been on the water
wagon for many months, but he was Ill
that night from an attack Of malaria fever
and he positively couldn't raise his head
1t was out of the question for him to 70 on.
He wanted to, in spite of his wretched
feeling, but even his manager wouldn't
stand for it.
Fritz went to bed, took hot lemonade
swsddled himself up in the bed coverings
and slept off his mean feeling.
when he got the papers the next morn
ing he found that he d been so tumultuously
drunk the night before that he hadn't been
able to keep his engagement. 1t wasn't
the newspapers fault that this story ap-
peared. The story had been given out
that way from the theatre.
1Emmet's feelings were q lot bruised
UP by that story, and we all figured that
he'd go on bat then anyway.
But he didn't. He got on the train
with us, and went up to Leaverworth
where we were booked to play that night
April l..
were to play was surprised to see Emmet
in first rate trim. so far as sobriety went,
and he sent out handbills that Emmett
would positively appear. despite the story
that had come from Kansas City. There
was an overflow audience. yet don't sup
pose that half the people in the audience
really expected Emmet to show up.
The sun., 1904-11-20

The next morning Mr. Poupel awoke
with feeling that something pleasa mt
was going to happen. As a bachelor and
alone in the world, Thanksgiving Day was
a particular bugbear for him. To-day,
however, there we're three perso ons whom
he was to make happy. and there was moth
ing that made the old gentleman happier
than to see other people happy around
him.
Cousin Maria Morrill, bpilded better
just before Thanksgiving" he said to him
self as he shaved. If the old lady had
to die, it was certainly most consider
ate Of her."
He finished breakfast in hurry, for he
thought to himself: Where Is the use OF
my going out at all IL do not go before
dinner2 Miss Mary. Miss Louise and
Miss Estella will ell have a much better
appetite II they have something upex-
pected to be thankful for"
The sun., 1904-11-20
WHO WORK AND
PEDDLEPS WHO GO ABROAD

He learned that this man had done the
whole three months trip, including his
passage-by steerage, Of course--over to
Genoa and back for less than he himself
often spent on q week end holiday. He
found that the fruit man had still 500 or
SO left and that he had farmed out his little
fruit route among the offices to a country
man In such way that he had been able
counted for his having $ioo when he re-
turned.
But what surprised the millionaire most
OF all was the statement Of the vendor that
scores Of fruit men, bootblaoks, rag men
and 30 on take these long vacations every
now and then and come back when they get
ready, sure OF getting foothold again and
OF being able to live and save little every
week for another trip. He had noticed the
swarm of Italians around the steerage
this country, but had never thought that
these homegoers were anything but the
disappointed and unsuccessful fraction OF
immigrants who had made failures of their
efforts to get along here.
Since his interview with the fruit vendor
the m llionaire has carried his researches
further and has found elevator men, porters,
janitors,. door tenders and men in similar
places who have seen more OF the other side
Of the world and sometimes quite as much
OF this country as he has, and have not put
themselves In debt in doing it.
They have not thought il necessary to
charter special cars or trains, and they have
been content with the steerage, but they
have gone about and seem happier and
healthier for their experiences.
He himself has to toll four or five days
a week for forty odd weeks in the year.
These humble workers take two or three
months OF every year or 30. Nobody
bothers about them, and scores of persons
who have been accustomed to seeing them
doing their humble work day by day never
notice their absence or their return.
altogether fiattering TO think that nothing
would be deranged II he stepped out Of the
harness for a quarter Of year. The hum
BILE workers are not bothered by such
th9hnghts ths M as S these ana II Is an open question 1
as the big men whom they serve.
The sun., 1904-11-20
The Retired Literary Man
Talks of Boarding Houses

Il don't believe in luck said the re-
tired literary man. 4 think mans SUCCESS
In life depends upon the measure Of his
effort, but do suppose that mAn may be
more or less influenced in his work. and
even directed, by circumstances snd the
nature Of his surroundings For instance:
when I first started out as . vritr q
balmy air and 4 blue sky inspired mc to
write IN q poetic vein. with perhaps q tribe
Of yearning in it, while . cold and hlustar-
ing day, with dark and lowering clooch
overhead, put me IN q stern and gloomy
mood, and my output vas governed accord
ingly
But was in those days, II anything. moro
influenced by the food ats, light food
and delicate cooking and dainty serving
brought out my poetic fancies even more
glowingly than did bsfmy air and biue
skies, while good plsin cooking and sub
stanial food With plenty Of It, inclined
me to a simpler style, not aboundfng b, Wit
and hunor, perhaps, but not lacking IN
good nature.
in short, at that period Of my ,ffe my
and II was at about that time that chan g~d
my boarding place from one where had
fed mostly on souffies and such triies. and
where my output had been poeticel or
satirical according to whether got enough
or not, to a house where one OF the main
attractions advertised was good. plain
home cooking.
Ard we had Il, and ,plenty OF n. The
lar dlady was as r ice ard mctherly an oh
lady as ever lived, ard she used 30 do most
Of the oookir z herself. ard the dishes she
set on the table were truly OF the kind
mother used TO make, And II wss in
the fan that I went there, and the thtrg gs
we had 10 eat were mostly Of the solid eorts
suitable to the eeason, and an especie nv
we'll covered, and there was always penty
Of them.
The sun., 1904-11-20

.Oh dear wes always late when !
worked for her, 1t Is 80 far from here and
she used to scold me. But indeed could
not help it. expect that this will be .
warning for me never TO disappoint my
mistress again. What can abe have aene
me?"
The eyes opened wide as Il abe was almost
frightened When she caught sight Of tho
money in Mr. Poupeis hand. A. he. laid
the first note on the table abe looked at bun
in astonishment, but as he reached tbs NTH
she sprang from where 1 she stooo ana threW =.
Il just must kiss you'll she cried, and
she did. .-.... - --.' t.., p,7!s :
Thank you, thank you, eIclatmed the
delighted old gentleman, returning the gift
in full. q have something to be thankful
for now and radiant with happineAs he
darted from the room. ."mrlT@ - .Ts~
When afterward some one asked him
what he received from his cousin be smiled z
happily and replied: ... .....
My thanksgiving "N.' 70
The sun., 1904-11-20

When Mr. Poupel, the retired silk mer-
ohant heard that he had been made the
rssiduary legatee of all the goods, furni-
,nre and worldly wealth formerly belong
Inc 10 his distant cousin Miss Mornll, he felt
himself distinctly vexed
Another funeral!" he said to himself,
mounfully.
Mr.. Poupel did not enjoy funerals
Under the circunstan ces, however, he was
forced to don his long black coat and his
test silk hat and repair TO the house OF his
dead cousin,
A large crowd, composed exclusively Of
women made way for him into the stuffy
naror, whispering behind their carefully
..ised handk erchiefs: There goes the
seir---
Miss Morrill,. the defunct, had during her
lifetime tecn an accomplished dress
maker. and the gathering in the dimly
lighted front room was chiefly made up Of
her assistants and near neighbors. One of
the former, Immediately after the cere-
mony, made her way hesstatingly up to
Mr. Poupel
MAY speak to you?" she began timidly.
Mr.. Poupel peered into the darkness and
saw tall, an gular woman with a worn and
xnnkled face.
.Cerainly What can i do for you?"
he answered.
Lowed Miss Morrill, big debt, 4the
woman whispered painfully About thir
teen dollars. They say you are her heir
ard legatee. Win you--would you be
wiling to wait for little while for pay
ment?'
Mr. Poupel smiled softly in the darkness.
You may call it u present from Miss
The sun., 1904-11-20

We would have. f0r example, Tor break
fsst, beefsteak and pork chops aud well
done country sausages, with wheat cakes
or buciSwheat cakes, which could be eRtep,
and we used 70 have an these thir gs piping
hot ard eerved N the most ample atundGnce,
with the best Of coffee, freshly made from
berries freshly roasted and ground, and
oumbfc alton bedroom, den and study IN
which I did my work and grind out stun
Ct Ere1t rate stuff Of sort such ss you
might expect 10 be produced from n1ental
soil 30 nouu6hed. -
1T dwef on the deIsxhes Of TIRE fffessfe.
the Joys Of home and the pleasures Of :
wholesome, healthful, hopeful, happy NE,
not Forgetting on duties ard respons-
bilitss ard 90 on, but stuff with an abiding
note of cheerfulness through IL all
kicked ehesrfuhess before, ! suppose thnS
my pleasant experience IN that house at
that susceptible stage OF my existence
served 10 confirm nry mental attitude fns
that direction. At any rate. have newer
eyes other than eptimistic. ~ D
But at the same time soon came b BE-
in krge degree free from the Influences
that E,ecil surroundings and s7ecial'
food bad once exerted upon me. I soon
got % that could write solid and sub
on diet Of corned beef and boiled tarnips,
and without even 90 much as glimpse
OF the sky; could command such abilities
as ! had regardless OF my situation; and
that brings me TO what I really wanted
30 say, namely, that while cfrcumsta nces
and surroundings may influence us greatly,
rs In our earlier years especially they un-
doubtedly do, yet wc should not permit
them 10 Influence US urduly and we may,
indeed, il we will, einnncipate ourselves
from such Influences entirely, by the e1-
ercise OF the only qualities That after al
produce results, the es,ne being concer-
trntion and the power Of hard work.
The sun., 1904-11-20

Poker players Of long experience gen.
orally declare that skilfM manipulation
OF the pasteboards is the only sure system
OF winning, but my own experience does
not lead me to think that way said an
old card player to some lovers OF the ma
tional game lounglng on easy leather chairs
and grouped in a corner Of q clubroom.
Il once took part In game Of poker in which
four queens were discarded through ignor-
ance Of the game, and the one card 70 draw
to In the soft players hand was an ace.
What do you think he held after the
four card draw? Well. I will tell you all
about it. It is the strict truth, though II
sounds like a pipe dream.
A party Of five Of us were playing our
usual morning game OF poker, and. Of course,
1t was In the smoking cabin Of an ocean
liner. 1t was at the soft mark, rich Cali
The sun., 1904-11-20

his somewhat dampened spirits rising
elastically as he walked away. sHeres
the yeTy place.
He made his way with some difficulty
to an upper story in a dingy boarding house.
Here the scent Of onions was stronger
than that Of turkey.
Miss Louise Gray?' he inquired Of
plump, merry little woman who replied
to bis knock, and handing over her share
of the money and 1ioots he hurried away
to avoid her cries Of surprise and graft
tude.
OF the three homes which Mr.. Poupel
had visited that morning, the last, that Of
Estella Robinson, was the poorest and
barest. The one touch Of life and color
WAS in u struggling geranium on the window
sill
In answer to her mothers call Estella
presently appeared, pretty as picture,
with her dark hair and bright eyes, though
her checks were thin and white.
Il have come from Miss Morrill,
began Mr.. Poupel, but she interrupted him.
The sun., 1904-11-20
MR. POUPEL'S LEGACY;
A THANKSGIVING STORY
Adapted from tht Ereneh.

Morrill,. he replied, II shall never collect II. >
The woman bfushed with pleasure and
stammered a few words Of gratitude. Such
q story was far too good to keep and a
buzz Of admiring whispers echoed from all
quarters Of the room. Mr.. Poupel was
made to feel that he was great man; and
the knowledge did not please him.
He hastened to escape from the little
parior, stuffy with black edged grief and
feminine admiration, and he drew a long
state in the mourner's coach.
The next day, which happened to be the
day before Thanksgiving. Miss Morrills
lawyer called upon Mr.. Poupel.
He was ushered into the former silk
merchants library.
4Ah. good morning!" began the lawyer,
rubbing his hands in professional way.
Il have called to instruct you about the
last wishes Of our departed friend"
Indeed said Mr.. Poupel. what are
they?"
Il regret to tell you," the lawyer con-
tinued, needless Of the interruption, that
after the distribution OF Miss Morrill, q
legacies all that will remain to YOU will
be merely the memory Of a good deed, a
memory that Is, alas! far too rare with
most Of u.s."
Indeed" repeated Mr. Poupel, again
4Will you kindly inform me as to these
legacies?"
There are three Of $500 each, one for Miss
Mary Brown, another for Miss louise Gray
and lastly one for Miss Estella Robinson.
Here is the money for them
After little further parley, the lawyer
withdrew.
The sun., 1904-11-20

didn't bet cont on it, for big full doemt
amount to much when it runs up against
four queens.
when it Ame his say he dealt himseh
four cards. instead Of one, and threw the
four queens into the discard. I sdroitly
managed to oossess myself Of the king full
had 80 wisely discarded.
He picked UP his four cards, and, glanc-
ing at them unconcernedly, showed in q
wad Of bills that he had placed in front Of
him. This looked like n dozen or two nuts
to me. I went him for all that I had.
amounting to several hundreds Of dollars.
went that could be produced in sight.
did win? Mo- I did not. He had
drawn four cards to an ace. There were
three more aces among them.s
just then one OF the listeners rose from
his chair:
Il an somewhat Of liar myself,' he
said, es he left the group OF card players
behind him.
The sun., 1904-11-20

Accordingly. on the principle that one
good deed deserves to be well done, he
fastened TO put on his best hat and coat,
not the funereal garments OF the day before,
but others, and started forth.
twas bright sunny day. and Mr.. Poupel's
spirits rose higher at every step until he
as he walked along the street.
1T certainly was kind Of Cousin Maria
he repeated again.
Then he was seized with an inspiration,
and. darting into florists shop, hepreser tly
emerged with three punches Of fragrant
violets.
Girls always like flowers" he said smil-
ing, 'and it Is surely not proper for ger tie
man to call without preser ting his hostess
with some. believe will write book OF
etiquette some day
j ust then he arrived at Mary Browns
house. The door was opened by a short,
tmid looking woman, with lines Of care
sharply engraved on her face. She looked
doubtfully at Mr.. Poupel.
The sun., 1904-11-20
Politeness Underground; Subway Trip

paasApgers gave vent to their feelings
and the conductor shouted '1foth street.
Just az It was moving away from the sta
ton woman jumped up and said she
wished to get Of
Back, back!' yelled tho conductor
you're too late, see!'
The idea said Lhe woman, "to tell me
10 back! Tn no HORSE
NO. said the conductor. horse has
more sense than to try and get OF . tram
when it's movin'.'
By this time the end Of the road had been
reached, and the passengers filed out, when
q woman rem en- bered that she had left
her pocketbook IN the car. When told
the train had left On its downtown trip
she tainted q few times.
All In AL 1t was q glorious ride, and the
passengers arrived home two hours late
but they have hopss that some day they
win get TO Harlem tn fifteen minutes.
The sun., 1904-11-20

While milionaires toll at their desks, 30
occupied with business that they cannot
take recreation, even when their physi-
clans all but command 1t, some OF their
employees whom the great men may not
even know have their long rest times.
There Is one man high up in the world
Of finance in New York who has not had
six weeks from work in half as many years
He made discovery the other day that
set him to thinking
This millionaire has weakness for fruit
There is always an apple, two or three
bananas and perhaps few figs on little
porcelain tray on his desk, and every morn
ing vendor is admitted to the inner office
to keep the tray supplied One morning
as the man with the fruit basket shouldered
his way in, the millionaire, looking up,
said:
Where did you come from2 Haven't
been here for some time, have you?"
The Italian smiled expansively. He ex-
planned that he had been out Of the country
for three months.
Three months" exclaimed the million
aire, swinging around on his office chair
and eying the man closely. Il didn't
suppose it was that long since saw you,
but we move quick around here. What
did you go for? Think you could do better
back in the old country
NO" came the smiling reply. Il didn't
feel good, SO ! thought I'd take trip for
my health. ] went hack 10 Italy and took
. rest and did nothing. When I felt well
came back. l got in night before last,
and I'm ready for business
The millionaires jaw dropped and be
croSs-eSamined the man for ten minutes,
while his secretary kept edging In and
intimating that the important persona ges
waiting outside We're growing restless.
it il peculiaritv Of men of his kind that
once their curiosity is aroused, and they
feel they are getting something that they
want, they will stop at nothing.