davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-10-05
AT Hyil:cn's Altar.

Last Wednesday morning at $50
o'clock large congregation of friends
and relatives Of the happy couple
assembled in the Methodist Chufch
here to witness the marriage of Rev.
s. H. Booth, of Boykins, s. c., and
Elise Pearl Russell. daughter of our
clever postmaster. B. F. Russell. The
ceremony was impressively performed
by Rev. A. j. Cauthen, and at its con-
clusion the contracting parties depart
ed Immediately for the home of the
groom.
AS Miss Russell. the bride was ac-
knOwledged by all who knew her to
be one of our fairest and most Iowa
BILE and accomplished daughters. being
graduate of Williamson Female
College,. She is cultivated in mind as
well as heart, and being possessed of
rare personal beauty, she ia we'll cal
culated to adorn the ehonis ofthe young
minister who has won her heart. For
several years Miss Russell has taught
in the graded schools of our city and
she was one of the most jealous work
ers In the church and Sunday School.
The groom is one of the most promis-
ing young ministers of the South Caro-
lima conference. and indeed the happy
couple. start life's journey under most
favorable circumstances.
They are attended by sincerest con-
gratulations and best wishes from
their numerous friends. A Friend.
Williamson, Oct. I.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-10-05
RUBBER TIRES I.

We are in position to put High Grade Rubber Ties
with service and prices to with Rubber
fore it made bounce.
PAUL E. STEPHENS.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-10-05
STATE NEWS.

= A farmer In Lancaster County
has made on acre Of land 100 bush
els Of corn and 1,O38 bundles Of fod-
der.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01

They had been guessing all the year without the
least result and, while they knew he must be ue-
mendously wealthy, al declared that b. mover ad-
united owning any factories, any stock III corpora
tons nor land nor crops IN fact, all be really paid
taxes II simply this large house and beau
tful garden IN ElmVIIe.
Old Mr.. Beestinger, whom had known for twenty
years, said:
"He certainly has money, and lots of it! 'Tain't
in the bank. that's certain. fer when he lent me
thousand dollars ter raise my mouse one story higher
ne went nome fer the cash and not ter the bank;
and, besides. nv cousin Hank is cashier and he'd a
told me eff Albert he'd money there
He haln't never been to no college neither, Ser
he says hisself; but he knows dern sight moren
any college president and don't We forgit it Knows
all about horses dogs an all other critters, and he
KIN talk, wall, guess about hundred languages,
an he's been all over the known world calculated"
This must be an eXaggeration," / declared. "It
Is not possible for mere boy of fourteen fifteen
TO be all this. The days of magic have gone by, If
they ever existed, and it's impossible that he
be an aged man masquerading as lad.'
You 90 an ask Mayor BarTitt" exclaimed Mr..
Beestinger. I'm only telling We what everybody in
Elmvile knows as well l do"
/ at last determined to put into operation some
magic of my own, for began TO believe that some
occult influence was working here. This Is q simple
thing which l procured from the Dalai or Grand
Lama to Tibet where l visited him last year IN
HASA and it consists merely of a small red stone
found IN the horn of the SIamese rhInOCerOs. This
tiny stone had the marvellous property Of compelling
any man. woman or child to tell the truth after It
had been held in the hand long enough to become
well warmed
Perhaps some peculiar quality of tie Siamese
rhnoceros exuded from the stone for the rhinoceros
is a very fierce and daring ANIMAL as, indeed all
need be who really tell the truth At any rate. no
one can tell lie when he has held this stone long
The Grand Lama told me when he presented it to
me that it would surely assist me In getting many
good story as / journeyed about the world, and he
was right.
have rarely used this talisman for to me l. seems
rather cruel TO wiring secrets from people; and in
fact rarely have to extort stories for most people
are rather fond of telling them to me in order to
read them afterwaTd in the paper l was quite GER
TAIN however, that Albert Reynolds would never re-
veal his secret unless compelled TO do so by SONS
magic fully as potent as that by which he worked
his own wonders, and so was resolved to force him
to the disclosure.
OF course if his story turned out to be merely an
explanation that would satisfy my love of right and
Justice would take action; but if il turned out
that this boy was deluding the dear public would
expose him.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01
1888

So, with the magic stone Of Tibet in my pocket
/ went TO his handsome house and asked to see him
I had formed my plan, and expected to have great
difficulty IN seeing him at all, but to my surprise
he was playing ball on the lawn with some other
boys, and when he saw stranger he came toward
me, saying;
did you wish to see me, sir2o
"Are you Albert Reynolds, the owner of this
placer ! asked, and with, must confess great sur
prise for although I had expected to meet bow 1
hardly reck0ned on one so very b0yish and light
hearted this His clear blue eyes and frank
face told at once that there was some great and
wonderful mystery here. That he was no dread
magician ] was very very sure for i have seen
many a and they all have Lorrid, bieary eyes,
cruel mouths and trOwnIng threatening brows even
when trying TO disguise themselves as boys He re-
piled, smiliugy
yes, / am Albert Reynolds and this is ny home
What can 1 do 20 serve youP
He did not seem the least bit suspicious, yet re-
solved TO be cautious
Have you ever been to Lhassal" asked
He reflected for a moment and said;
mo, sir; that's place which ! never have VS.
tied. Where Is it,
SIS il in Tlbeti" l replied.
He laughed and said
"Oh, goodnessI / suppose YOU haze heck listening
20 the people here who imagine that / have visited
every spot in the world and can speak every Ian
guage or earth. / assure you that have been only
in Europe ana America, and that, while can speak
al tongues, t does not follow that ] have lived in
"Whatw / exclaimed, "a boy Of your sge speak
al tongues"
He laughed again.
'Well that does seem wonderful, will admit,
bat il is quite true sir"
81 have just come from Tibet I added sand
have something 10. show you"
81 would like very much 10 visit tha. country"
said he, and in fact, next year when my big yacht
is finished shall travel again. and perhaps see Tt
bet and the Himalaya Mountains for ] have long
desired 20 Go So"
u have here very rare stone which has remark
sble prop1rJies' said ], producing the -amas tails
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01
A9aa

swell, one morning we awoke to discover that
we were lying under thst apple tree yonder built
this house near the spot, for have tender feeling
for the place where / was transformed into boy
Under that tree, on a mild May mora, with the
apple blossoms raining down upon us, the tender
blue sky smiling merrIly, tho birds calling nolsly
and sWeetly to one another the old dog ana tIle
older man awoke to find themselves in danger, Tor
they both feared the angry Mayor of Elmville.
But Jim woke first and his hungry nose seeming
something buried IN the dark soft earth beneath
the tree, set him digging; and when 1 aWoke
he had just mearthed old rusty knife with
handle of carved ivory He a very disguised
dog, but l saw that the knife of such ancient
make that it was certainly valuable, and no doubt,
would enable me to buy a lew meals. 30 L began
to scrape the crused earth and rust from It's great
broad blade and then / saw that it was treasure.
You may be sure an old kHife-griudef knows all
about knives, and this one ] at once was
Morse knife such as the old Vikings USED, Tor had
seen such in the Museum at Copenhagen. SO L
cleaned it up carefully and then found that on
the blade were engraved some str-nge Unknown let
that excited my curiosity very much, yet 1t
a long time before / remembered reading about the
mystic Funes that the NoTsemen carved on weapons,
On rocks and doorways, anG when were supposed 10
have magic powers. Of course l didn't believe IN
magic then, for 1 thought 1t all nonsense; but
these letters interested me very much l scraped
and polished the blade until it shone like new
wrought steel / cleaned the ivory handle, that
brown with age, until every tiny speck Of dirt was
gone and the carving showed perfectly two snakes
winding about each other in battle. Then L said to
jim: Now old dog, we viii sell this for good big
price. and we viii have a few weeks of comfort"
"'May your Highncss have many years of peace
and comfort spoke a voice that made both Jim
and myself jump. We turned around, and there
stood tiny man. He was about as tall as my boot
and wore a red leather suit and his beard reached
the ground. / stared ct him as If III a dream, but
old jim began smelling around him as Il he meant
to attack him. 1 knew at once, of course, that he
was an elf just you or anybody else would, but
/ thought that I was dreaming. Then he spoke
again and said;
"OIost worshipful great sir, I am come at the
order of the magic runes 70 ask you your COM
mands What wills your HighnessP
"'What are the magic runes 1 asked him.
con that blade of Odin are the runes that rule
me and mine He who owns that wondFou5 blade,
forged by Falfner two thousand years ago in Val
halla itself, commands me and my ehn horder
"Is this knife, then, old as all thatP / asked
in wonder. And if so, how came it here in this
orchard, in America3 This sounds very strange,
indeed
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01

amazed by the questions he, I'm turn, put to them
regarding village affairs, for he seemed to have
experience that was far greater than theirs
lie remembered facts that had happened long be-
fore they born. and too he had opinions about
things that showed he had read very much, talked
very much with wise men and thought very much
we'll.
Yet with all Of the other boys with whom he was
soon an immense f0voTite. he rCmped and shouted
and played heartily as any and divided his good
things with SO free hand that they came TO regard
him as a sort of Aladdin.
His pockets were always filed with small change,
pud hc was always ready to give lend to any boy
i'm need, and for the girls, they fairly wOrshiped
him, for never was there free, generous a be-
slower of ice cream soda, candies and the like.
His pony cart always was at The disposal of any
of them, his boat we'll and he gave parties nearly
every week TO which every boy and Girl without dis
tiuction was invited and where they enjoyed the
most wonderful games which he either invented or
borrowed from the many strange people among
whom he had travelled,
lie had built a splendid house. just as he had
promised Mr. Meadcr, and 10 was said that, in time
when hc grew up his other prediction would prob
ably come true, also
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01
His Peculiar Condition Caused
by Spell Which an Ancient
Knife, Which He Had Found
in the Forest, Controlled

but an inch deep. This old orchard grew where the
pines had foUrished, men trOd over the knife but
never saw 1t, generations lived and died while 1
kept guard, waiting for a new master who knows
the secret of the runes.'
well, what do you expect me to do asked.
He who commands me has but to pronounce tha
potent words craven on the steel and am his
slave, said the elf with an humble bow, but watch
ing me carefully and with some dread, as saw at
once 1 concluded TO make great pretenses Tor, OF
course didn't know what the old rUnes meants
any more than my dog did So I replied:
"'Well, before / pronounce the world wbichs e4
course, are quite familiar to me, I wiz ask yea
what power you have
"Then saw that the elf trembled, for be probab.g
dreaded to become a slave again. He replied 50
ever:
All powers and forces are mine; can grant
wish you ask
Very well, then; viii now pronounce the We
upon the bladeP said /, very solemnly.
But, stay a momentP cried the shakingaolf.
me warn you of the awful fate of those who hs
owned this blade! Not but has suhere
dreadful thingsP
"'Oh. l am not afraid! I said, Here goesP
Hold Holdp cried the elf. i cannot bear 10
hear theml They shake my very soul to Its depths
when my ears hear the dread wordsi / viii obey
your commands even without the spelP
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01
WONDERFUL MAGIC WHICH MADE AN OLD KNFEORNDER BOY AGAIN

termined TO endure until the end came and now
ana mighty glad that I did.
THAT winter / came very near to freezing more
than once, and many a night my old dog Jim and L
walked as last as we could through the darkness to
keep warm, and tried to sleep Ia the daytime cud-
died close together an some corner where the sun
shone. When The first warm days of spring came
and heard the birds singing in the bare fields, we
felt that better times were coming for US and our
hearts were lightened, but still it desperately
hard to get enough to eat. Many time poor old Jim
he's brought a bone that he stole from some butcher
shop, and that was our meal. have eaten the
mouldy old that lay in the fields, and even had
TO beg for bread sometimes, but not Often for gem
orally able to do some grinding in return for
food"
Indeed, sou had a terrible experience" said I.
1--WE certainly had he replied, patting the grand
dog beside him, and the dog, knowing. as all dogs
do, exactly what his master was saying, looked low
ingly up at him while his tail wagged vigorously.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01

my strength. I was gradually obliged 10 limit my
wandering TO q narrow area and therefore, coming
back again so frequently TO the same places, I
found that I was not doing much kuife-grinding,
for somehow people seem 10 care very little about
the sharpness of their tools"
"7WelI times have been pretty hard, you know" I
interrupted.
"Times were always hard with me-" he replied.
Until the wonderful thing happened TO me that
made me boy rich and respected, 1 never knew
what happiness was, or even what il meant TO have
three good meals each dag. That's what makes me
5 Jolly now, and that's why ] always feeding
ether people Well, when the Mayor of the place
drove me out Of town, calling me 'vagabond and
for old Albert TO go away somewhere and lie down
70 die in ditch, for after all my years Of wander
ing and working l had place to lay my gray
head But after I had thought il all over I de-
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01
1898

But he vas too busy playing and asking questions
that pcrpezcd and confused the old folks bother
about becoming city Official and, in fact, nothing
seemed farther from his mind, for such merry
laughing To!liesug soul had no space for the dull
routine of village politics.
/ do not suppose that there was in all Elmvile at
he end of re year one person who was not IN some
manner under obligation TO this boy, whose name
was Albert Reynolds.
lie had helped, in one way or another each and
every nhabitaut yet strange % say instead OF be-
ing as uugrateful as people usually are who are
sisted by another, he had, by some mysterious spell
kept them all his friends. Instead of hating their
beuefactor as is usually the case, they all aGoTed
this suunyfaced boy, bur that was perhaps because
;hey expected 10 get good deal more oct Of him."
old Mr.. Beestiuger sale one day.
III BIS garden there we're wonderful caves dug il
the rocks and beneath the earth il which the boys
piaved pirates; there was lake Of great extent
upon which hoated al sorts Of boats from electric
launches % canoes beautiful summer houses and
gay tents dotted the lawns, band played daily; al
sorts % danties were be had Cor The mere asking
and everybody felt himself in his own home. while
within the magnificent house there we've 20 be seen
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01

Have you never heard then Of how Left the
Lucky came to this land, which the NOrsemen called
Vinland with his boatful of Vikings IN the year
1906! Have you never read how they builded
booths in the forest feed giant trees for timber to
carry back to Norway, made wine from the wild
grapes that covered the slopes of the hills and
fought with the savage Skraellings, or, you call
them, Indians! Do you not know all thist
Yes I answered, Often have 1 read those
tales but wise men, or men who think they know
It all. laughed at them as old wives fables
"'Hal They are true tales, indeed! cried the elf.
4 myself came with them, following the fortunes
of Odin's knife which then belonged 10 Lief the
Lucky the son of Erie the Red. I have heard the
wild war whoops of the enraged and jealous Skrael
lngs in the darkness Of the forest listened to the
song of the Vikings in their booths, watched them
as they fought and they drank their wine behind
fheir walls of wood and followed more than
into the forest where the hidden savages hurled
their spears and shot their arrows at the men in
shirts of iron mail out upon the rolling pillows
where they battled with whales and over the ice
after great white bear. Always at the front was
Lief with is great bow and his sword Ragnarok flash
ing in the sun. and many we're the savages who
we're laid in the earth when he had passed by
'But how came the knife TO be left LereF In
quired
zone day, while sleeping, Lief was suddenly
called forth by a cry for help, and rushing ont
found thousands of S6raellIngs gathered on the
shore. They drove the Vikings 20 thelt sh.p and
after the battle was over Eric sailed away TO Green
land for more men. He forgot the magic knife, AMI
only remembered it when far al sea. Returning, be
sought It, but never more did his eyes behold it, for
a savage chief now possessed il and for many
year did attend him, as I commanded to do
for he who owns the knife owns me. Then one day
this chief, whose name was Ihunder-Over-the-
Mountain was slam by arrow and he fell here,
where then an ancient tall pine reared its head
into the clouds Here he mouldered into dust while
I watched the centuries pass by, saw other white
men the very descendants OF Vikings, come to clear
the forests, to plant grain and build cities; and
meanwhile the knife Of Odin lay beneath the earth
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01
S64a

sat IN amazed silence, staring at him, He added;
yes, was that man. Old, starved and sick, but
now l am a boy again and this is how it all hap
pened Here is a good cigar; light it and listen to
my wonderful story
I lighted the fine ffty-cent cigar and prepared to
listen, but with most startled feeling that, after
ALL magic must be still potent fairy tales all true
and nothing too improbable to be believed.
"1Iy name, as you may remember, was Albert
Reynolds but suppose you never knew that, and
was born way up In Maine; but 1 have travelled all
over the country ever since was ten years old be-
sides making some trips to Europe IN the hope of
getting rich When was young the strolling life of
the knife grinder seemed to me to be the only kind of
existence worth living, and, indeed, it IS far more
pleasant than many ways of earning livelihood;
but when age had enfeebled me and sickness bent
me, the task of trundling my wheel along rough
and rocky roads, high mountains and even
through streams at times, for IN the out-of theway
places to which ] Toamed there were sometimes no
bridges, became one that was often too great for
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01

statues such as hadever before adorned Elmvllie
mansion; pictures rugs, carvings and furniture to
make one wonder and stand IN awe. for It all seemed
like a royal palace TO those who entered ITS doors.
There wore no longer any poor in Elmvle. nor
for miles 5und for in some marvellous manner
Albert found employment for every man who needed
it and at very good wages, that plenty Hounshed
its head everywhere yet ali the while the boy INN
self seemed ii no wise proud or naughty, which, OF
course, endeared him to all
just about this time, learning Of this mysterious
and handsome lad / went TO Elmvile determined to
probe the matter to the bottoms and discover whence
came all this marvellous wealth, but at first avoided
Albert Reynolds, thinking that 1 could learn more
bEinguiFing among the simple villagers or the great
men of the place
/ soon found that while al adored him and con
sidered him little less than a magician, none knew
the smallest fact about the source of has wealth or
his wonderful knowledge.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01
1888

"Then he vanished into thin air, and VIC wcro
alone under the apple tree.
eve wandered into Elmvile and went 20 the hotel
and, l suppose, you have been told all about my
after actions. That is how / came TO know all the
tongues of the world and all the mysteries OF every
craft and science. am very happy, fer l am boy,
and, besides that, know the secrets of the human
mind; therefore / never make any mistakes and
everybody loves me"
q cannot conceive any greater measure of hap
piness and eontentment," said l.
"There is noneW Albert replied, as he handed me
another ffty-cent cigar.
Well, that's all about it. We are very good
friends and I am going back to Asia with Albert
Reynolds next year and Introduce HIM % the Grand
Lama. as great surprise for the Lama thinks he
is the wisest man in ali the world bat he is mis-
taken, as he viii soon learn when he gets to talking
WITH she man who was once he old lnife-grinder.
WALT McDOUGALL-
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01

a strange story, for you are a man who, it seems
to me, viii understand and appreciate all that L
have to relate"
I followed him into the house, where 1 really saw
many splendid things but Of them 1 viii not speak
for, after ALL everybody has seen pictures rugs and
statues, and we know all about them. There was
ceiVe Then when we reached the great library
filed with rare books, we sat down and he said:
Il was once q knife griuder and many a time I
ground your ink-eFaser for you fn Newark New Jer.
sey, when you livedthere.'
"NonsenseI" exclaimed. There was an old man,
q feeble old man, with dog, who used to do that
and never employed anybody else!'
Il was that feeble worn old man. said he. with
a bright smile. Il viii describe your home and your
six black cocker dogs and your two white settlers,
Dan and Bruce, if you wish!"
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-05-01

I fear that even you cannot grant my wishesS Z.
Ask? cried the elf
Make me and my dog young! I wish to be a boy
again; that's my chief desire. Then 1 wish for
knowledge. l want to know everything j said.
"Hhe elf looked surprised, and exclaimed:
"'What! You do not ask for WEALTH. Nor power
nor glory! What kind of a man are youP
" i am a wise old knife-grinder, / replied, laugh
ing i know well that if / have youth and knowl-
edge I viii have wealth, power cad glory, if I de-
sire them but know full well that all these are but
shadows and dreams. Grant me these and the knife
is thine at once!
"Now, l never felt any sensation Of change, but
the transformation was made instantly 1t was only
when l happened to look at poor Cd Jim and saw
great handsome dog wagging his tail IN glee and
the elf holding out his hand for the knife that /
glanced down at my own figure to ind that 1 was a
boy of perhaps fourteen. l dazed, / gave the
knife to the elf, who said:
- 1 thank you, kind sir; and now, in addition 10
the gifts that yours, 1 bestow untold wealth
upon you, for you are wise enough to know how to
use it wisely. In your pocket Is purse which IS
always filled with gold, matter how much you
take out of it. Therefore, go your way, oh, man Of
wisdom and with you be peace and happiness for
you have given peace and happiness TO me. No
longer viii be compelled TO obey the knife of Odiu
for now it is rightfully my own, and am its mas
teri