davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1905-12-31

shoulder until the pile is large
enough for pillow; then the weary
eater falls back and takes a needful
siesta.
URderstudy cooks relieved the
heroines at the frying pans, so that
all might share in the sweet and
juicy banquet. 1t was appalling the
way fried fish faded from mortal
view and the bones piled up. Not
another Wand was touched. as the
major predicted. The rest Of the
things were also rams, barring bite
or two of chow-chow. and the feast
concluded with black coffee, strong
enough to bite the barbs off a wire
fence
Our champion devourer at this
particular fry was a fragile little
woman who had been i'll long time.
The last minute before leaving town
her husband handed the medicine
bottle into the bus II was a tonic
for the appetite to be taken every
hour Not being able to eat much,
the lady was gradually frittering
away. She grew melancholy and abb
stracted on the way TO the bayou and
forgot to take the medicine when she
got there. The excitement of squir-
rel fishing and other doings also
sidetracked the tonic One OF the
last set of words the husband said
was about how much he regretted
he couldn't be among those present
to see that the invalid took the med
icine. 1t was q very deplorable ease.
But when the fish begun to sizzle
and pop in the pans the Ill lady sat
up and noticed her appetite. In fact,
we all noticed 1t right away. She
forgot all about being sick and
waded into the trout with both
hands Rather inelegant TO say so,
but that is what she did. and I've
got witnesses. Her pile of fish bones
and fms outclasSed the rest of us
who were very much minor league,
having been addicted TO eating in the
past. No better tonic than the
majors fish fry could have been de-
vised by mere man. Health re-
turned TO the i'll lady while we wait
ed. Her pale cheeks filed out on
the spot and assumed a ruddy glow
when somebody pointed to the pile
Of bones she mad amassed Wonder
full, indeed, is the fried fish.
From that day to this the lady has
never been i'll a moment, and she
looks just like the after-taking pic
ture in all the papers.
The Washington times., 1905-12-31

ways and means for the squirrel fish
ers was extended on behalf Of the
Snarl in the bus. He put the ladies
through a sort of reverse quadrille
movement, forward and back and
down the middle, until each one was
tethered to single line. Then with
a keen penknife, brought for that
very purpose, the major told me
later, he cut the hooks adrift and
gave each lady her own sample of
dress goods. During this clinic the
fish in that immediate vicinity went
to the bottom in deep water and
filled their ears with mud. There
wasn't a hint of profanity, but the
racket was great enough to buffalo
a school of whales.
Meanwhile the men had scattered
up and down the stream for mile in
either direction. with instructions to
come in and clean fish at IL o'clock
The gentler anglers and the tree
climbers remained to fish for squir-
rels. Both varieties bit well. Before
the hour set the men returned, and
soon the scales, gills and heads gar
The Washington times., 1905-12-31

were rolled in the cornmeal, pepper
and salt combination and Drowned
in the pans While the two women
fried for their lives, the others laid
a cloth on the grass and spread it
with pies, cakes, jelly, doughnuts,
olives. dainty little sandwiches and
hard-boiled eggs, done up in tissue
paper napkins. 1t all looked very
nice and wholesome; put, say, that
picnic food might have been poison
for all the show it got when the only
yictuals came on.
Huge pans of crisp brown morsels
that employed fins and tails an hour
before, and chunks of plain bread led
off at the feast. and that same fried
fish finished it. too. Whole noun
tains of fish melted away before that
hungry double line of eaters with one
at each end OF the table. You load
your little wooden dish from the
stack and eat with the fingers, re-
plenishing the dish as often as pos
sible while the supply holds out. 1t
doesn't last long. The proper thing
is to toss the bones over the left
The Washington times., 1905-12-31

Next Sunday-"The Theft of thu
Pavaloff Diamond
The Washington times., 1905-12-31

him, returning to my bedroom in ST.
lence, for. indeed. the scene had been
a painful one
Grey" l said. when the door had
closed behind us. what was the thing
L saw in the yew walk"
He had seated himself in an easy
chair and was polishing the bowl OF a
well-stained meerschaum pipe with a
silk pocket handkerchief.
81 think you already have an expIa-
nation" he answered. cheerfully.
''If it amuses you to sneer at my su-
perstition-"
You refer to the legend of the de
LaUne's. 1 have heard the story be-
fore. Mr. Phillips: nor am 1 surprised
that you believed 1t to be the ghost
wolf"
Il did-but now 1 want you to dis
prove IT,"
"On the contrary, all my evidence
supports your theory"
L stared at him. with a creeping
horror in my blood. / was beginning
10 be afraid-seriousIy afraid. Grey
leaned back In his char, with his eyes.
vacant in expression. fixed on the wall.
RE seemed rather TO be arguing with
himself than addressing a listener.
Baron Steen.' he said. met with
his death on an open path between a
shallow duck pond and "A little pavil-
ion. He had fought hard for life. had
rolled and struggled with his enemy.
There were four or five punctured
wounds in his throat and neck. from
which he had bled profusely. And
now for the thing that killed him
whatever II was. Ii could not have
fed down the cliff path. for the boats
crew waiting below had heard the
screams. and had come running up by
that way. They were with him when
we arrived, and assured me they had
seen Eothing. 1t could not have turn
ed 10 the right or lerr, FOR. though the
paths had been swept clean-doubtless
by the baron's orders. ror he would
not desire his way OF escape TO be
easily traced-the snow on either side
lay In unbroken levels. II could only
have retired by the yew avenue. and
II did not break through the hedge.
That, again. the snow proved clearly.
So, we may take II. that whatever the
thing may have been which you saw
1t killed Baron Steen; further, Il es-
capped into the house-this, you will re-
The Washington times., 1905-12-31
Health to an I'll Ladv

cooking outfit consisted of two char
coal furnaces, clay-lined sheet iron
buckets and two long-stemmed fry
ing pans. Also one coffee pot of
large capacity. BY a secret process
the major mixed corn meal, black
pepper and salt for breading and
seasoning the fish at one fell swoop.
For utensils he put up a stack of
wooden dishes, used in retailing but
ter, and string of tin cups. A bag
of ground coffee, the timed milk, can
of lard, some chow chow anu a dozen
loayes of bread rounded out the COM
missary end of the enterprise.
There" said the major, "are all
the ingredients for a stag fish fry.
Bread, coffee, hot fried trout, when
we get them, and fingers to eat with.
What more does man want? Moth
ing; but wait till you see what the
women bring and carry home again.
The regulation picnic ration stands
no show at a fish fry, yet they Will
bring the sweet stuff. Every woman
imagines she must take pie and cake
or the other women will think she
hasn't anything good to eat at her
house. Funny about that, too. Be
on hand with your pole at z O'Clock
in the morning. That's the time we
start"
An hour behind the majors sched-
uie, the fish-eating cayaIcade pulled
out for a spot on the bayou four
miles from town. A dozen women
and their tree-climbing attendants
rode In a transfer bus. To the stanch-
ions on either side of the bus we
lashed bundles of bamboo poles,
wound round about with lines.
Other odds and ends of vehicles. con-
tanning ladies and gentlemen and
baskets, followed the battleship. At
the head of the fleet rode the major
and myself in a one-horse wagon,
bearing the main ingredients and a
box of iced shrimp for bait. The
month was green December in the
sunny Southland, and the air was
full Of bright promise. mockingbirds
and conversation.
The ride through the spicy forest
awoke the appetites and stirred the
angling blood of the entire expedf-
ton. On the last mile Of the Journey
the major steered a route along the
bayou, where an occasional fish could
be seen sticking his face out of the
water In hospitable eagerness to be
caught, cleaned and cooked. At the
spot selected for the barbecue a
green slope Oh piney ridge, the
party paused in its might and the
major bade us spill out and angle.
An hour was lost right at the start
amputating the ladies from the bus.
The fishing rigs tied to the stanch-
ions had hooks attached. Now the
advanced angler carries his hook or
a leader In the pocket until time to
use IL, but the other way is more alb
sorbing and exciting.
On the trip to the bayou the lines
unrolled, the steel barbs swung loose
from the poles and impaled the gar
The Washington times., 1905-12-31

lowing IL by information as % the cul-
pitts arrest. The establishment had
by this time becorre convinced that
Henderson was the murderer, and
breathed relief at thu news
They had brought the body OF Baron
Steen 10 the house early in the morn
lnS-lt had been laid in the garden
pavilion on its first discovery
With death IN so strange a form pres
eht amongst US, was disgusted by the
noise and hustle. the gossip and chat
ter amongst the guests of the dead
man. / wandered off in search of the
one person who had seemed sincerely
aHected by the news. the young secre-
tary. Maurice Terry. He was nowhere
10 be found: A servant of whom I
inquired told me that the secretary
had kept to his bed. being greatly un-
nerved by the tragedy and / stroIIed
uD the stairs again on an errand OF
consolation The door was locked,
and there came no answer TO my con-
timed tapping.
Terry" l called through the key
hole; 1t is l. Phillips: won't you let
4 have a key that will ft. If YOU
will kindly stand aside" suggested a
modest voice.
I rose from my knees. to find the
Inspector at my elbow
III would be gross intrusion" I
told him. IF he wishes to be alone
with his sorrow. We have no right to
disturb him "
He is seriously ILL.,"
How did you discover that?"
BY borrowing a gardeners ladder
and looking through his window. He
ago
A skillful twist or two with a bit
OF wire and the key was pushed from
the lock. The duplicate opened the
door Grey walked into the room. and
l followed at his heels
On his bed. fully dressed. lay poor
Terry. with his face paler than his
pillows. His breath came and went
lii short. painful gasps. One hand
strayed unconsciously about his throat.
cropping and plucking at his collar with
ieNerlsh unrest. 1t was Il very painful
spectacle.
Il Will send for doctor at once &"
l whispered. stepping TO the bell. But
Grey Eeld up "A warning hand
Come here. he said. Il have some
thing to show you"
With movements as tender as a
womans he unfaStened the mans COL
lar and sliDped out the stud. Then he
paused. The eyes that watched me
had turned cold and hard.
III II Is as | suspect, you may be
called as witness. Do you object ?"
Yes; but | shall not leave you on
that account"
Very WELL he said, as he opened
the shirt and the vest beneath IL
Smeared and patched in dark etch-
Ing upon the white skin was a broad
The Washington times., 1905-12-31
How 1t Restored

nished all the loose logs in that sec
ton The mess included about sixty
speckled trout, reddish, drums, croak-
ers and sheepshead. Back in the
woods the major and his helpers had
the coffeet pot filed with spring
water, boiling On a fire of chips. The
two charcoal furnaces held beds of
red coal, and baths of hot fat in the
frying pans awaited the fish. At the
handle of each pan sat woman ex-
pert in the art of open-air frying,
each armed with a long-handIed
fork The barbecue was about TO be-
gin.
The fish. carved into suitable slabs,
The Washington times., 1905-12-31

luding to the gentle sex. Ever see
woman fishing?"
That novel and entertaining spec
tacle had eluded me to date, and
said so.
This is the way of women" the
expert continued. Next to snakes,
she fears freczles, and the fisherman
is more or less addicted to spots
like the trout. To avoid sun freck-
les, the lady angler sits on the bank
under a tree. If there are no trees.
she wont's go a-fishing. When she
gets bite, she jerks with all her
might Seven times out of ten she
misses the fish; the hook and sinker
fly straight up and hang in the tree
the full length of line and pole, say
about thirty five feet from the
groun the lowest estimate"
The your acrobatic activities be-
gin,' | said. You do the squirrel
act and release the hook
mot while anybody is looking"
the major replied, with a glance at
his abdominal dome. 'T haven't
climbed tree in twenty-five years
couldn't get close enough, for one
reason, and in the second place, I'm
not fishing for squirrels. Two boys
I've hired to wait on the ladies will
shin up the trees at stated intervals.
1t will keep them busy, too, if the
fish bite. Some women are good
anglers, but they are mighty scarce"
The personally conducted fish fry
at Dope Springs is not so simple
after all, though it did sound easy
at the outset. / had no idea such
a wealth of detail attended the fune-
ton. The patches of silver on the
majors temples were not entirely
due to thoughts concentrated on lard,
charcoal and pickles. He certainly
had much to worry him in the pur-
suit of pleasure for himself and
others.
Together we roamed about the
store, amassing needful items. The
The Washington times., 1905-12-31
The Majors Fried Fish Barbecue and

the premises. l alluded to that
episode
This is in the woods-sort of bar
becue." the major went on. I'VE
catch our fish, fry 'em and eat 'em
on the spot hot"
The menu sounded good TO me,
and / said it should prove an event
long to be remembered in my midst.
Then I'll put you down as one of
the party" said the major. I'm
getting it up. The town is full of
fish-eaters, but what we want is men
who will help catch and clean"
My name was duly inscribed be-
tween one bottle of pickles and six
pounds of lard. The major thought
well of me as one who could catch
and clean. There's nothing like be-
ing thorough sport and building up
a reputation.
Mr.. Slibbings is a crack fisherman
from Michigan, but l won't invite
him. The doctor isn't going this
trip"
Are your fried fish necessarily
fatal?" l asked.
ITO some people," the major con-
fessed. You see, there's a pro rata
usually of about 40 cents per head
for the groceries and charcoal Mr.
Slibbings is of morbid and skepti-
cal disposition. He thinks he won't
get his moneys worth. So before
and after the fry he loads up on
pickles, cold lard and condensed
milk for fear he will lose out on the
deal. The last time we had a bar
becue Slibbings nearly died, so we
hitched up and came home before
a fish was cooked. Whole day spoil
ed, too"
There isn't such an outfit in town,
and, besides, the squirrel fishers give
me ample anguish"
DO you cook squirrels and fish at
the same time?"
mo" sighed the major I'm al
The Washington times., 1905-12-31

farmer on whose cart he had driven
into NOrbridge. He told me that, act
ing on orders he had received from
Henderson. he met that person at the
corner OF the stables at II O'Clock pre-
cisely-nye minutes before the murder
occurred. That finally eliminated the
valet from the list
ION my return from the farm ex-
amined the gardens again with great
minuteness. At the corner of the lit
tie pavilion. about fifteen feet from
where the body had lain. there was a
patch of bloody snow. This puzzled
me a good deal, until the solution Of
fered itself that the murderer had
tried 20 wash his hands in the snow,
the water Of the pond being frozen
hard. Yet his clothing would also
bear the stain. What had he worn
that showed white to you in the
starlight? Could it have been that he
wore no clothes at all?
a naked man. The suggestion was
full of possibilities.
1t was fortunate that 1 had
brought assistants TO help me in
SteelIs capture Their presence gave
me Il wider scope, for they were both
good men 1 left them to search the
pavilion and laurels for the clothing.
which the murderer might have con-
ceiIled V hen ne realized how fatal was
its evidence As l walked back 10 the
house l began to understand the sit
uattcE more clearly. The main drive.
curNInS down the slope of the park.
was IN view OF a tall man coming up
b.. tie yew walk. The murderer might
have noticed our approach What more
natural than tEat he should have bent
double as he ran. thus obtaining the
cover OF the lef.-f&nd hedge. which,
NV;'s n1S more than four To five feet
E'Gi Did rot this answer TO your
description o. the thing you had seen?
IL would have bccp cold work for him.
/ haGe a Eotc u l-c on the lookout for
chills.
For a couple of hours devoted
myseI1 10 speeding those guests who
caught the 1850 train. 1 do NOT
think a trunk left for the station of
Whlch 1 nave not a complete inventory
indeed. the baronS creditors have 10
thank me Tor the return of several
triileS of value. which were Included
2ceidentally. no doubt, in the ladies'
dressing bags
After the carriages had started
went IN search of Terry, and discov-
cred that he had not left his room
Equally 10 the point. his windows
looked down upon the spot where the
baron made his detour over the or,ss
while escaping. / became. Interestsd
In this young man. The score was
creeping up against him. A ladder
The Washington times., 1905-12-31

from an obliging gardener allowed me
10 observe him from the window a
visit TO the housekeeper gave me a
duplicate key TO his door. What nap
Phillips"
But the motive-why did he kin his
patron ? l asked him. eagerly.
DOUBT II We shall ever learn the
truth on that point he said As far
as can make out. Steen was directly
responsible for the ruin and disgrace
OF IerryS $ father. Probably the SON
did not fully realize this when tha
baron, with a pity most unusual In
the man. gave him the secretarvshfp-
But or all participation in the flight
ne was certainly innocent, for he was
in bed at the time
ison't interrupt. il you please.
What happened | take 10 be as follows
Terry was in bed when the old man
trleu 10 creep past his window. Some
now ne he2rd him, and. looking out
understood what was up. Perhaps that
rascal Henderson had told him raa
truth about his father; perhaps Steen
nag promised him compensatiOn-he
had = mother and sister dependent on
him-whlch promise the financier
meant 10 avoid. along with many more
serious obligations. by running away.
sense of injustice-call IL what Won
hke-took hold of the lad He caught
up the first handy weapon: il chanced
10 DC dagger paperknife-dange-ou
back staircase and through the side
door in pursuit OF his enemy
Nhen that had happened which
happened, The fear that comes to all
amateurs III crime took him by the
throat He wiped his hands in tk@
snow; he tore OF his sleeping suit
that is how l know he had been n.
bed-and thrust It, with its terrible
evidences of murder. into the thatcn
OF the little Pavilion. We found in
there day later. Then he started
back To the house as naked as n bahv
He saw us running down The hiiI
and made for the side door. ber,dinr-
double behind the hedge. Who v-e-s
we2 Had we noticed him? Believe me
Mr.. Phillips. whether he had held the
murder righteous or no, IL was Onlv
the rope he saw dangling before him
Might not The alarm be given az anv
moment He dared not wash himself
and the stains had dried anon him He
hurried on his clothes. Shiverinr in
the chill that had struck home. and so
TO the safest place ne could find-the
roulette table"
simply '
1T saved the law some trouble re-
marked the Inspector with a grim
little nod at the wall
Copyright. 1905. by Joseph B. BowIesl
Next Sunday-"The Theft of the
Pavaloff Diamond"
The Washington times., 1905-12-31

stain of blood. of dried and clotted
blood. the Iife's blood of a man.
He is wounded, Grey" 1 cried
Poor fellow, he must have nearly
bled to death"
DO not alarm yourself" said th'
inspector, dryly- 1t is the blood
of Baron Steen-"
A week had gone by. and I was
sitting alone in my Keble street
rooms, when Grey walked in, with a
heavy travelling coat over his arm
Thank heaven, you have come at
last" 1 cried. How is Maurice
Terry?"
Dead. poor fellow" he said, with
an honest sorrow in his voice. Yet.
after all. Mr. Phillips. IT was the best
that could have happened to him"
And his story-the cause.-the
method?" 1 demanded.
1T has taken some hard work, but
the bits of the puzzle are fitted to-
gether at last. You wish 10 hear it,
L suppose?'
According to your promsie." 1 re-
minded him.
1t is a case of unusual interest, -
he said. Though it bears a certain
similarity to the Gottstein trial at
Kiel in 80"
He paused TO light his big pipe. and
then sat back in his chair. with his
eyes nAtd IN ABSTRACT contemplation.
Il was convinced that the murderer
was in the house; and that he had
entered by the side door. toward which
you had seen him pass. When study
ing the spot | made a discovery of
some Importance. Steen had left by the
same exit Also he had reason 10
fear some person in that wing for he
had turned from the path and made a
circuit over the grass. / had already
noted his broad-toed boots when eN-
amining his body-and the footprints in
the snow were unmistakable Who
was his enemv in that wing? IL was 4
problem to be solved.
I discovered no stained clothing
and no signs of its cleansing or de-
struction. From what informal ton |
could gather, all the house party had
been in the roulette room save YOU YOUR
self; and all the servants had been al
the dance save Henderson and "A man
waiting on the guests. But III the
course OF my search the fOotman who
accompanied me discovered that a
quantity of gold plate was missing. Ii
was reasonable to imagine that Hem
derson was the thief Probably the
confidential valet had learned of the
baron projected flight and of the war
rant Tor his arrest. Ii was n moment
Tor 1uoicious robbery. the traces of
which would be covered by the confu-
sion OF the news. But was Henderson
also murderer? | did not think so
The death of his master was the one
thing which would wreck his scheme.
In the early morning interviewed the
The Washington times., 1905-12-31
CONTINUED from Eighth Page.)


der the table as he rose. but he paid no
attention TO IT,
Il have something TO tell you Can
you come up TO my room?" I asked
him.
1T happens to be rather important
/ said
he followed me without another
word. did not attempt to explain un-
til we had passed up the stairs and
through the corridors to my room. He
seated himself on the great bed with
shiver Of cold. drawing the heavy
curtains about his shoulders. And
there / told him the story from the be-
ginning TO the cad, hiding nothing, not
even my belief in the supernatural
nature of the thing which / had seen.
He never moved, but his face grew
30 pale and drawn that toward the end
II seemed as II II were a powdered
mask that stared at me from the shad-
ows Of the curtains
My God" he cried and fell back
upon the bed in a passion OF hysterical
tears
tried 20 help him. but he thrust me
nercely away. 50 / thought II best to
let him get over * himself He was
sui lying on the thick quilt, sobbing
and shivering. when the door opened
and Grey stepped into the room.
explained the situation in a hurried
whisper; but when i turned again Terry
had got TO his feet and was watching
US. clinging to the bed post
This Is Inspector Addington Grey"
told him. Perhaps you can give him
some information"
Not tonight" he cried, don't ask
me tonight, gentlemen. You cannot
tell what this means TO me; tomorrow,
perhaps
He dropped down upon the bed. COW
ering his face with his hands. He
seemed helpless sort Of creature. and
my heart went out TO him in his calam-
ity.
nights rest is what you want" /
said. patting him on the shoulder.
Come. let me give you an arm"
He took IL at once, with a grateful
glance. and led him down the cor.
ridor. with Grey in sympathetic at
tendance. Fortunately, his room was
m the same wing. so we had not far TO
20 When We reached ii. he thanked
us Tor our care OF him. And so we left