davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-17

Ten thousand yards of
yard-wide Soft-f1nished Per-
Gales, in a pleasing variety
of patterns, including
stripes, figures and polka
dots. Regular as
5 5 +; s ss. s". sss: 9Ac.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-17
to Order

win q o W Shades.
Slip Covers and AVN
ings made to order.
Let us send a man to
give estimate. Prices
moderate. Work guar
anteed. CARPETS
CLEANED. = When
you take up the car
pets for the summer.
let us clean them by
our new process. &c.
yd.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-17

40 inches wide White India Linon;
beautiful sheer grade that 4 ~U/
always sells at 1Sc. yard ZuNC
for Cne day at. .......... IT,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-17
May Manton
Patterns, lOc.

The same styles de-S
scribed in May Man
toms Fashion Aru-S
cles which appear
daily in THE Post
are to be found here. !
1Oc. each. We're the
Washington agents. ;
Because they are
designed by the fore
most authority on
woman's dress. May (
Manton patterns are 3
preferred by particu-j
lar dressers. )
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28
By III. n. Williams

ting them off by themselves. and he
knew it was asking a lot Of hand
some and imperiOus girl to live IN the
house with them and accommodate
her ways to theirs. So, though he had
an understanding with Ellie, there
was no set engagement He had let
her know how he found himself held
and hampered, and was waiting Tor
her to study out the problem. She
had known that he loved her ever
since she was out of short frocks.
Jack, 1 reckon you'll get mitten'
may be a pair Of 'em-for Christmas,
Polly Exum said in his ear, as he shook
hands. Polly was a bouncing fiaxen
beauty, always laughing. with the
kindest heart in the world, and the
most reckless tongue. She made no
bones of letting it be known that she
"loved Jack JimmersOn better'n pie
also that it was quite a hopeless love
so long as Ellie Andrews was single.
I'll sit over 1t and marry somebody
a preacher, may be-" she said to Jack
himself. Therefore his conscience
was quite easy regarding her, al
though it often seemed to him matri-
moniaI providence had made big mis-
take. Why did not Polly-pretty,
laughing Polly-love the rich Tom
Wilson? Why, also. did not Tom Will
son yearn to bestow himself and his
belongings on her, rather than on Ell
lie? But he kept his speculations to
himself, and answered, squeezing Pol
ly's hand hard: why. who has cut
me out with you, Polly? never
thought you'd go back on fellow this
fashion,"
He tried to speak reproachfulIy, but
wrath got the mastery. Polly giggled
comprehendingly. You know what
meant" she said Then with little
toss of her head, There! Toms done
catched Ellie. He'll snap me dead sure
and I'll snap you. That'n give you a
chance-if you amt too bashful to
use it,"
True enough, Tom did snap her
she was off like a shot, weaving away
after him, nimble. supple, light
footed for all her hundred and seventy
pounds. She was fine figure, tall,
1.-THE, perfectly proportioned, and
strong enough to hold her own with
half the men in the county. Tom ran
away from her manfully, but in a
wink she had him fast. He was half
a head lower than she-wherefore
she looked down at him captive with
twinkling eyes. You all amt pIayin'
the strength Of the game" she said,
smiling wickedly. "Over the river
they do 1t batter-there it's catch and
kiss
sufting deed to -yord. she gave Tom
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

me. / cannot see you again. 1t all
means too much to me-and too little
to you. 1 leave on the $3.50 train.
Think of me kindly and wear the
violets a little while tonight for the
sake of old times. Their perfume re-
minds me of the days when together
we hunted for them in the woods at
old Hill Side. Happy days, those
when the poetry of life was still mine,
and the love OF my little sweetheart
Good-by Eleanor, DICK"
The $3.50 train! 1t was now 2:45.
Oh, why had she waited to show those
horird boys about the geometry les
son? Why didn't she came directly
home?
No one would have recognized the
dignified Miss Selwyn in the excited
girl, with flying and flushed cheeks,
who ran rapidly down. the stairs from
the elevated and rushed through the
station, dexterously lodging through
the crowd and making her way to the
farther tracks.
THE $3.50 train!" she gasped, paus-
ing before the tall guard at the gate.
Just gone, madam; it is too
bad"
She did not wait to hear his cour-
teous condolences. She flew to the
information bureau.
Where is the first stop-this $3.50
train-going west?' she painted.
Trinity Place." mechanically; '1eav-
ing there now-stops on signal at South
Framingham-next regular stop at
Worcester"
Trinity Placei Hardly block from
hcme. If she had only known!
dispatch for Richard Converse was
carried into the drawing-room car
when the train reached Worcester
Passengers on the next train from
Worcester to Boston might have Won
dered at the protracted study and the
tender touches given to a slip of yellow
paper by man no longer young and
somewhat inclined to stoutness, and a
peep over his shoulder at the yellow
slip would not have enlightened them.
Come back. 1 have buried the ideal. /"
He read the line over and over again.
God bless her." he murmured
huskily. 'I'I do my best to resur-
rect It"
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

the stout and hearty young folk simply
could not keep still through a whole
long evening. Notwithstanding, it had
not been easy to get the playing start
ed. Snap was useful for starting-it re-
quired you see, SO few extra bold spir-
it's. In playing it man and woman
held hands, facing each other, thus
forming something that could be run
around Another man ran around them
once, twice, thrice, then snapped i'm
perative fingers at some seated damsel,
who, as in duty bound, came out on
the floor and began chasing him round
and round the standing couple. Quarry
and hunter were privileged to dodge
underneath the clasDed hands II there
by they gained safety or advantage
privileged also to lay hold violently on
the ISLANDERS to save themselves from
falling in the whirling rush. The first
snapper, once he was caught, took the
place of the man standing up. Then
the girl he had snapped snapped out
somebody else to pursue her, and when
cantured became likewise part of the
central group, known technically as
1.-The stump"
This explanation is necessary II one
would understand why Jack Jimmer-
son was so wildly angry the minute he
came in. There was his sweetheart,
Ellie Andrews, scuffiing boisterously
about, turning, twisting, doubling,
lodging, now falling to her knees, now
springing agilely aside, with young
Tom Wilson. of all men, in the very
hottest pursuit. Plainly she had
snapped him out-plainly also there
was ground for the significant looks,
and whispers behind the hand, plenti-
full all through the room. 1t was part
of the game to consider that a man
snapped out thus was specially fav-
ored by the snapper. And Ellie had
all along laughed at Tom-pretend-
ing to Jack she would have nothing to
say to him if he did not have a big
river bottom farm, to say nothing of
money in two. banks and expectations
from his tough old grandfather.
Jack also had farm-upland, rich
and in good heart. but there was his
mother to look out for. and his blind
sister. He could never think Of put
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

The man | mentioned feels trou-
blesome inclination to hold that very
hand" he laughed.
You are old enough to have ac-
quired better taste,' she retorted CEN
seriously, How old are you, by the
way?"
Born exactly forty-nine years and
three months ago."
Il don't object to that" leniently.
1T makes me feel somewhat better, l
think. A woman of thirty-five likes to
feel young, even by comparison"
I'm sure I'll never object to COM
parisons in our family. If it pleases
you, we'll turn down Mr.. Shakes
In all my thirty-five years" she
began.
You seem proud to enumerate them.
You might knock off five without any
one suspecting," eying her with the
air of an expert.
Simple honesty shouldn't be caught
embezzling," she smiled with a sense
of good comradeship, her hands relax
ed from their grip on the chair and fell
more comfortably upon her lap.
Didn't the other three think it
would be rather nice?" He looked
meaningly at the hand nearest him.
II don't think anybody ever wanted
to- she answered simply. Il look too
much like the sturdy oak and have
received none of the tenderness that
falls to the lot of clinging vines. OF
course there are storms from which the
oak might like to be sheltered. [ don't
like my masculine manner, l hate it, ="
Vehemently, but it gives a better ef-
feet than If / tried to be kittenish. A
hundred and ninety-five pound kitten
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

them, 1 suppose-because 1 care more
for you than for any one else"
The Others" she said slowly, have
had various motives. There haven't
been so very many" she added, as if
constrained to be honest
IL have known you SO short a time
Gould not be aware Of that. / should
never have believed it without your
assurance"
The hardness of her face relaxed
slightly. You are the fourth she
said shortly.
will you tell me why the other
three faiIed?" softly.
Sh- leaned back in the Morris chair
and grasped its arms with a nervous
awkward movement. Bernard noticed
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28
By OGh0 B. Semga

to say that in all those years l have
never seen any one who made me for
get you, Eleanor. If only you felt the
same toward me"
But don't, Dick" deprecatingly,
''you-you have changed"
Not in my heart, Eleanor"
She opened a small portfolio, and took
out faded photograph. See, Dick.
this is the man 1 love-"
lie looked at it curiously and laughed
softly.
The boy, you mean. must have
been about twenty then. Pretty, little
fellow, wasn't 1? Aren't those curling
locks poetical?"
She put the picture away hastily.
You had the soul of a poet then,'
she cried, resentfully
THAT is twenty years ago, Eleanor,
and I've had some hard battles with
the world since then. The poetry Is
pretty well battered out of me, con-
fess; but you might go home with me
and put some poetry into my life once
more"
ut couldn't be, Dick-you are too
tco-"
Say it, Eleanor-too fat, 1 suppose
you mean"
Not exactly" desperately, but you
are too prosperous, and too well-satis-
fed"
II admit the prosperity, and I have
no reason to be dissatisfied. 1 really
thought, until 1 saw you again, that L
needed nothing more to make my life
full and complete. Now, / want you"
Every afternoon and evening for the
next four days he pleaded, demanded,
argued-but to no avail. She admitted
that she cared for no one else, con-
fessed that she was tired--desperately
tired-of teaching, but she was loyal
to her girlhood's ideal. and he was not
the realization of that ideal.
When she reached the house on
Wednesday afternoon she found in her
room a box of violets and a note from
Converse.
81 give It up, Eleanor was stupid
ly presumptuous to think you could
care for a fat, bald-headed ruffian like
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

You promised to show me the beau
ties Of the library, Miss Selwyn," said
Converse, turning to the silent one;
''can We go Tomorrow"
After 1 O'clock" she replied, quiet
ly, but her dark eyes met his with a
look of understanding and defiance, IF
you will wait until the next day. Satur-
day"
I'VE will go Tomorrow" he de-
cided quickly.
How can you spare the time for
sightseeing. Mr.. Converse?" queried
the artist, teasingly. II should think
you would want every hour of the
week for your wooing"
Il shall waste no time in my sight
seeing" returned Converse, with
marked emphasis, "and you must un-
derstand that western wooing is less
deliberate than is usually considered
necessary in New England. There are
no 'superfluous women in Nebraska,
and with us it's a case of learn your
fate at once and get out Of the way to
make room for the next man."
$50 these are the famous paintings
of Puvis de Chavannes," remarked
Converse the next day, bestowing a
very hasty glance at the mural dec
orations at the public library. They
are doubtless all that you have said of
them, Eleanor. but they really have
little interest for me just now. 1 want
TO talk with you. You are disappointed
in me, Eleanor"
Miss Selwyns pale face pushed pain
fully.
1T was very good of you, Dick, to
keep the secret. 1 have. never told the
others that 1 knew you before you
went west, or of our silly correspond
ence-"
Il don't call it silly" he said, stout
ly. 'the only foolish thing about it is
that 1 did not come for you long ago.
You were only fifteen when left ver-
mont That is fifteen years ago and"
'Heavensi" she cried, hastily, don't
remind me Of my age. An old maid
school teacher-I suppose you're think
ing"
''NothinE Of the kind. I was about
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28
HIS LORDSFIIP
AND MILADY
By Espes Winthrop Sargent

simply couldn't. He was one of those
clean-built hearty English chaps in
whom good breeding is a habit and
cOrdiality a second nature.
Even My Lady liked him. though
she knew why he had come. Lsncas-
ter had been attracted by her picture
when he had seen it on the old mans
dressing table at some house party in
England. When he saw her in all her
girlish charm. he was determined tc
marry her
The formal announcement was to be
made at the end of the Newport season
Then the OTmondes issued cards for
dinner to celebrate their victory over
a wOman's heart. II was to be a big
event. and i was among the very few
not invited either to the dinner or the
ball to follow.
1 met Ny Lady" down on the rocks
the afternoon of the dinner.
We sat silent for a long time, My
Lady, and 1. when who should CONS
along the beach but his Lordship. My
Lady had been crying and Lancaster
was UP in arms on the instant He was
not a very quick thinker in some ways
and he got an idea that was response
BILE for the tears That made me lose
my head. and before 1 knew what I
was doing had let the whole truth out
I didn't mince my words. They Just
came out in a torrent and / am afraid
that 1 was pretty plain spoken
shouldn't have blamed him IL he had
knocked me down Instead. he simply
stood there. his fine face growing az
gray as the mist that veiled the sea
All of a sudden I realized what had
done and turned silent as suddenly a.
I had commenced
His Lordship made no answer to me
but turned to My Lady"
rs it true, Miss Ormonde?" he asked
gently.
MY Lady was crying harder than
ever now. but she bowed her head he
took her hand. Believe me-" he said,
II had no idea. Your father assured me
that there were no entanglements and
that you really loved me. It is unfor-
tunate that / should have fallen 50
deeply in love with you before dis
covered the truth, still. I do not know
that I am altogether sorry. 1t has
been a fools paradise, perhaps, but it
is well to have loved one sO.wen worthy
of being loved.
AS Tor you, ana ne turned 10 me-
Il can only say that like a game man
and you were game For the rest,
he shrugged his shoulders. IF you
anticipate trouble with Mr.. OrmOnde,
there is my yacht. IL there are any
complications about license in this
State the sailing master will take you
out beyond the three-mile limit. and
Bronson, whom you'll probably find in
my den, is a regularly ordained Church
of England minister"
He walked down TO the landing place
to see US off and give his orders to the
sailing master. He shook hands with
me, then turned and kissed My Lady
full on the lips.
God bless you" he said, "and make
you happy" Then he turned on his
heel and strode off toward the house.
1t was he who made the announce
ment of our marriage to the dinner
guests 1t was the bravest thing ever
heard of, but blood will tell and his an
cestors fought for the Stuarts.
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

would run such a serious risk of being
mistaken for a giddy elephant"
Precisely he agreed.
But even a feminine elephant might
long to be admired occasionally, and
-loved"
Didn't the other three ever" he
gently stroked the firm. white hand.
They didn't want TO" she blushed
furiously.
But why, then" he commenced.
'Oh--one of them was a widower
and said it was SO expensive having
all the sewing done out for four chill
dren,"
He frowned synipathetically.
THE second wanted a partner to
help run a boarding school"
He nodded.
The third was a preacher. 9and
thought it was not good for man to
live alone. Lie didn't seem to think
dyspeptic tendencies and an insuffi
cient income obstacles to prevent his
finding companion with all ease. In
fact his manner was full of assurance
that 1 would jump at the chance.
None of them, nobody in all my life
ever really cared for me; they only
wanted me to help them do some
thing"
Her eyes were full of tears. 'I
would like some one to love me as
am Just as affectionate and tender
hearted as if I were little and dainty,
her lip quivered. and want-to be
loved--ahd to be-like them" She
covered her face with her hands.
He sat down ON the arm of the Nor
ris chair with an air that was joyous
and youthful.
Dear little woman, ne said, ignor
ing the fact that the shoulders shaken
by sobs were broad as his own. the
other three needed killing. 1 would love
20 slay them for you, one by one, but
unfortunately. there is a law against
ii. / will content myself rejoicing that
their lack of appreciation left a chance
for the fourth one" He smoothed the
hair gently from her forehead. 1.-The
fourth man loves you" he said, with a
simplicity Of words strong in feeling
She slowly raised her head and
looked in his face. In her eyes was
shining the same expression that men
have often seen in the eyes of those
more favored women she envied. The
Amazon sank into insignificance. the
woman came into her own triumph
antly
Sweetheart" he said
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

the school teacher.
And subdued," added the editor,
laughing.
NO one says anything about the
grOOms appearance-or mine," grum-
bled the best man." "and 1 came all
the way from Nebraska just for this
wedding"
You looked quite like a Bostonian,
] assure you" said the girl with the
= violin, consOlingly.
As for Mr.. Adams. he looked just as
he always does-an bones and brains"
asserted the schoolteacher. Il admire
that type immensely"
The Westerner was not tall and was
somewhat inclined TO stoutness.
My cousin Abe is an undeniably
brainy man." he retorted, but believe
me, Miss Selwyn. some slight cover
ing Of adipose tissue over the bones is
not Incompatible with intellectually"
DO you return to Nebraska at once.
Mr.. Converseg" interposed the artist.
pacihcaIIy.
Il did intend to leave Boston to-
night. but ] have found that my ranch
needs mistress. ! shall remain week
longer and hope TO persuade some one
10 90 with me-"
The words were uttered laughingly.
but there was a significant look in the
keen, gray eyes that betrayed his earn
cstness Of purpose There were vary
ing eXclamations Of surprise from six
OF his hearers. The seventh remained
scornfully silent. The others looked
from one 10 another questioningly.
When eight young women have lived
together for . year. and one of the
number has just departed with the
blessing of the pastor and the shower
Of rice devised by satan, it is not un-
natura1 for the others to wonder who
next?"
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

IndL comes over mere
merely to marry the richest girl who is
willing to have him.
My Lady is Grace Ormonde. 1
don't know who first called her that.
but she had all the airs and graces Of
the lady of the manor. All of us
called her My Lady" but the posses
sive case appealed particularly to me.
l wanted TO make her My Lady" in
fact. as, in truth, she had been ever
since the day when, as a boy in my
first long trousers, awoke to a realiza-
tion that Grace was the incest girl 1
knew.
Every one used to laugh at us when
we both were children, because old
Mrs. Ormonde, Grace's grandmother,
approved the match. As the old lady
had the money. the rest all approved
of what she approved. Then she went
away; just about that time the poor
old pater lost his money in the Nine
teenth National crush, and Mr.. Or
monde had a little chat with me about
what he called our Childish infatua-
ton"
He was proud he said, to know that
his old friend Chat was poor Dad)
was willing to sacrifice his private for
tune because the bank had been
wrecked while he was it's president. But
1 must see that it was impossible that
-er-
I assured him that I did see, before
he had had a chance to find nice
sounding word to replace the ''er," and
I went down to the bank and rode
home with dad, prouder than ever that
he hadn't made money his fetch.
Then / had a chance to make some
money. Poor father did not long sur
vive the bank crash. He wasn't re-
sponsible. but somehow he seemed to
feel that it was disgrace. Mother
had some money and I got a chance,
with Bert Taylor. on patent that in
a few years will make US more than
merely rich. 1t was hard work at first,
but we hustled like ten-dOllar -a-week
men, and now we are pretty well along.
As soon as I could see things clear,
1 put my pride in my pocket and went
to oil! man OrmOnde. 1 told him that
I was going to make pile for myself
and asked him if he would hold the
other fellows off for a couple Of years.
He was awfully nice about ii, with
that greasy kind of niceness that keeps
you from kicking a man when you
want to most. He reeled out lot of
talk about his duty toward his daugh-
ter Gas though her happiness should
not be the first consideration), and eX-
planned that a gentleman he had met
in England was just then on his way
TO press his suit. From the way he
rolled the name. Lord Lancaster, un-
der his tongue, 1 could see it was the
title he was after. 1 went out of the
room with black rage in my heart and
the bitter memory of things L had said
to a man old enough to be my father
If there ever was man 1 wanted 10
hate-after Ormonde, of course-it was
Lancaster. But after 1 had met him
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

the strong. white hands, larger than
his by far
DO men ever love a woman that
weighs one hundred and ninety-fiVe
pounds?" she asked bitterly.
Il have known one man that accom-
plished the feat" he smiled in her eyes
encouraSingly.
"One couldn't feel an inclination to
hold a hand of that size, it's uncom-
Portable in six and three-quarter
glove" She held the offending MEM
Der before him as if she could cheer
fully have amDutated the left one
and have overtaken the right with a
similar fate before they communicated
to each other any knowledge of their
various doings.
The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

fore the sentence was completed.
Such an unexpected answer caused
Bernard TO rise from his chair some
two or three inches before he remem-
bered that it is the unexpected that
always happens. He sat down care
fully, having achieved a calm that i'm
piled that hers was the generally rec
ognized method Of answering a pro-
pOsaL
Why-er-fOr the same reason that
other men have asked you TO marry