davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22

son, which then had a charcoal blast
furnace and was something of a GEN.
ter OF activity. At grotesQuely mis-
named hamlet called Frog City she is
said to have taught district school
for one or two terms. Her own educa-
ton had been very limited, and teach
ing could not have offered her a sue
cessful career. By thus doing what
ever came in her way, she managed to
support herself until she was twenty
one years old, when she married.
Her choice of a husband was not
well considered. Noah Damon, whom
she welded after a brief courtship,
was a widower seventy-f1ve or seven
ty-six years old, with adult children
and record of good service as a sol
der of the Revolution in sundry Mas
sachusetts commands. He is tradition
ally remembered as an easy-going,
honest, improvident man, and not in
clined to be industrious. 1t is said
that Esther Sumner was misled as to
bis ability and willingness to support
her, and thought he had some prop
erty, whereas he had none. Perhaps
he was an optimist by temperament.
Their marriage was celebrated on the
9Th of SEPTEMBER, 1885.
After her mothers death she did not
feel equal to continuing this profitless
and unsatisfactory enterprise, and re-
turned to Plymouth Union to take up
her residence with an old resident of
that place, a Mrs. Snow, who had
house but no income. In that house
she has lived for the past sixteen or
seventeen years, and there she hopes
and expects to remain for the rest of
her life. During a period of many
years she has been in receipt of fed
era1 pension of So per month, and this
meager provision had to suffice in a
large degree for the needs of both old
women. Even with no charge for rent,
an income of 40 cents day was scant
support for two, both old and too in
firm to do anything for themselves. A
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
HE BOUGHT THE NECKLACE.
But Not for the Adornment of His
Loving Wife.

But Not for the Adornment of His
Loving Wife.
Henry Clews, the banker, talked at
a banquet about the danger of deceit.
ga New York woman" he said, saw
in a shop window on Fifth avenue a
collar of pearls that she liked.
She stopped her carriage and sought
out the shopkeeper.
"'What is the price, she said. of
that pearl collar in your Window
".Six thousand dollars, ma'am,
said the shopkeeper, as he drew forth
the collar, and displayed its beauties
to the dazzled woman.
''She took out her checkbook.
"T'll tell you what I'll do she
said, I'll give you my check for three
thousand dollars, and III send my hus-
band to see the collar this afternoon.
Don't tell him it is six thousand; tell
him it is three thousand. Then may
be he will buy it for me-
'tThe jeweler bowed and smiled.
He had seen this sort of game played
many a time before.
"I wish you luck, madam" he said.
and the lady departed.
t'Her husband she found in his ohice
in a mood unusually tractable. He
had sold certain stocks at great
profit that morning. He consented
readily, therefore, to go and look at
the necklace.
THAT evening his wife dressed for
dinner with unusual care. She wore
her most beautiful gown. She dream
ed, as she dressed, of an affectionate
husband, clasping about her white
throat a collar of pearls.
''And 4 bought that pearl collar
were the mans first words when he
got home.
"tYou dear!' she exclaimed. Let
me see it
Cant he said. 4 had it sent to
my mother You know it is her birth
day tomorrow San Antonio Elk
press.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22

little help has been rendered from
time to time by liberal friends, and tho
neighbors have been well disposed and
would have relieved any actual suffer-
ing had they known it; but money is
a scarce commodity in Plymouth
Union, and dollar looms large under
all conditions
Curiously enough, Aunt Esther Da-
mon is the one person in the village
with current reputation for liberal
lty Her friends describe her as char
acterized by an open-handed generos-
lty which verges on indiscretion. She
hf3s always assisted in the support of
the church and its work, and has Civ
en- what she could ill spare for the
support of the causes it fostered
Mrs Damon has been confined to
her bed for more than half a year, and
during that time, when fatal pneu-
monia was resisted with great diff
Guilty by the combined efforts of a
faithful physician and devoted nurse,
she has lost to a great extent the use
of her limbs. Like most old people,
she suffers from defective circulation.
Her gnarled and misshapen hands tell
of rheumatism and chalky deposits in
the joints. Her heart action is irreg-
ular, and is perhaps the grayest of her
symptoms.
With the exception of slight deaf
ness Mrs. Damon retains her faculties
remarkably. She is perfectly consecu-
tive, observant and gracious in man.
ner- In speech she avoids the man.
nerisms of the locality, and her lam
guage is much above that of her en-
vironment. 1t is grammatical, and her
words are well chosen. am told she
has a sense of humor and enjoys a
contest of wits, from which she rarely
comes off second best
From the first of April her pension
is to be $24 per month, but she will
not receive the first installment of
this increase until the quarterly pay
ment in July. 1t will not be sufficient
to provide the comforts and Injuries
which a very old person needs, espe-
cially in winter, when firewoOd is a
large and constant item of expense;
but to the old woman who has so long
lived upon a third of that amount it
seems aff1uence. So likely was she to
disburse her income in gifts and bene-
factions to persons she deemed more
in need than herself that guardian
of her person and estate was appoint
ed by the court to be the treasurer
and almoner of her pension money.
For this purpose an estimable lady liv-
ing near by, Mrs. Julia Taylor, was Sc
lected, and her appointment gives as
Surance that whatever funds are made
available for Mrs. Damon's support
will be wisely and lovingly admins
tered.-J. C. Bayles in New York
Times.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
To a star.


Beauteous star in the depths of night,
light.
Is it a spark from the great unknown,
Does thy radiance come from the great
white throne?
I have gazed on thee oft from this world
below
AS in the blue depths you sparkle and
And thought, could the fancy of child
hood be true,
Stars were small holes where heav-
ems glory shone through.
Sometimes as I've gazed on the gem
studded sky
My thoughts like a meteor swiftly
would fly
creepS
AS 1 think of the eye that meier slum-
berS nor sleeps.
And again in childhood there cometh
to me
A hope phantom, whate'er it may
be,
That the friends who have left us and
gone on before
Are waiting for us the opposite
shore.
And myth though it may be twill al
ways be sweet,
To think that once more our kind
friends may meet
That each star is a soul with bright
To tighten our pathway and guide us
C w NJ
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22

your bride-and you aren't-oh! it's
so FUNNY"
There was a peal of laughter, but 1t
was smothered at sight of Dodden's
miserable face. He sank into a chair.
Then great light burst upon him.
There flashed before him the Incl
dent in the waiting room at M,
the prospective bridegroom and the
gay party that had come to wish him
god-speed. His trunk must have gone
earlier on the same train as his, bod
den's. The friends OF the bridegroom.
instead OF the bridegroom's trunk.
had by mistake decorated his-the
trunk of Theodore Dodden, bachelor.
He saw it now. But it was too much.
too much. His friends quietly slipped
away. They expressed many regrets
for their error, but in the midst of
the profuse apologies could be heard
stifled feminine laughter.
LETT to himself, Dodden sat and
thought it all over. He probably ar
rived at the conclusion that he had
reached the limit of bachelors hui
Mutations, and that there could be
no worst now.
Before he slept that night he wrote
a letter to his brothers wife's sister,
very humbly asking her to become
Mrs. Theodore Dodden.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
FOR THE MAN AT THE CASE.
Elaborate System Intended to Ensure
Correctness

Elaborate System Intended to Ensure
Correctness.
Mr.. w. A Harper, "a corrector for
the press in an article on Proof
Reading" in the Printers Register,
gives a specimen of low the reading
boy deals with the productions of the
Poet Laureate in the way of bust
ness:
Double quotes You smallcaps mus
wake an call me hurlycom call me
hurlycom mother dearsem (sniff)-
Tohyphenmorrer posill be the 'ap-
piest time of all the glad Newcaphy-
phen yearsem (gasp).
Ofcap all the glad Newcaphyphen
year com mother com the maddest.
merriest daysem (sniff).
Forcap Hiposm to be Queen cap
opos the Maycap com mothercom,
Hiposm to be Queencap opos the May
cap full close double rule Tennyson-
italsfull.
This apparent jargon is the result
of reading by "caps and points" so as
to insure absolute accuracy in the
minutest details of punctuation. CAPT.
talization, etc. Com" is the readers
contraction for Comma" "sem-" for
"semicolon;'' "pos-" for "apostrophe, %
and SO on.-The Publishers Circular.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22

Near the head of Black River Val
ley in Windsor county, VT, ten long
miles from the nearest railway station
at Ludlow, lies the hamlet of Ply
mouth Union.
The most interesting inhabitant of
Plymouth Union is. Aunt Esther" Da-
mon, the last on the roll of Federal
pensioners as a widow of a soldier of
the Revolution This fact alone would
make her an object of national inter-
est, but it is emphasized by the fact
that she is a remarkable woman, es-
pecially when allowance is made for
adverse conditions which have made
her life hard struggle from her
earliest recollection. Only when her
vital spark is pickering in the socket
have the conditions been reached
which promise a measure of relief
from the tension of bitter poverty.
Possessing all her faculties, with a
clear memory and keen perception,
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
The Tie MAGNETIC.

"And now, darling" said the newly
accepted lover. tell me how you ever
came to be attracted to such a plain,
everyday man as myself? What could
you see in me to lover"
The beautiful girl blushed and look
ed down at the diamond sparkling on
her finger. WELL" she said at last,
hesitating.
Eyes. yes-what was it," exclaimed
the impatient lover.
Because you tie your Ascots so
beautifully. I never could make mine
look right. Will you show me how,
dear?"
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
New York LANGUAGE.

New Yorker is never discharged
from his position. Sometimes you get
hint of what happened to him when
he sinks to the commonplace of say
ing that he was fired" This is not
often Along Park Row, reporter is
never discharged. He is "hit by the
iron ball." If you look puzzled and
press an inquiry, he will say impa-
tientTy: ooh, 1 got mine to-dayi"s or
Il was loftedi" or again, 81 hit the
ceiling" Should these expressive YER
bal shafts fail to penetrate your
Opaque intelligence, he will look stead
lily at you for a moment and say: MY
dear boy, was let QUIT was divorced
from the payroll, and the next time
the canonized bones burst their cere-
ments, 1 will not be on guard to see
the ghost walk This, of course,
makes the situation p1ain.-Hartford
Times.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
IN THE SIERRA NEvADAs.
Best Mountain Camping in the World
to Be Found There.

to Be Found There.
Stewart Edward White, author of
eThe Silent Place" and 1.-THE Blazed
Trail" writes IN the Country Calen-
dar:
ITO my mind the best mountain
camping is to be found in the Sierra
Nevadas of California. This for sew
eraI reasons: In the first place, the
climate is superb and an occasional
midday thunder shower represents the
summer precipitation You need new
er carry a tent Mosquitoes are
scarce and not very yindictive. The
main trails are good. Feed is abund-
ant. Fishing is fine. Game is easily
procured. But, above all, the scenery
is various and magnificent
"The main system IS about eighty
miles wide From the lowest rounded
foothills of sage-brush to the main
crest of bare granite and glittering
snow, you will find every sort and va
riety of country. Pine woods whose
like I have never seen even in Michi
gan's best days; forests of the giant
seouoias, many miles in extent; box
canyons 1000 feet sheer in depth;
mountain meadows; glacial lakes;
streams full of trout and great I'M
broken solitude all your own
1.-The main trails are good, but In
this space of country are districts,
larger than an eastern state, almost
unexplored, and trails rough enough
to frighten goat You 1--we your
cnoice of every country you have ever
visited. 1 could take you to places
typical severally of Arizona, Wyom-
ing, the Black Hills, Montana-and all
within q weeks ride OF one another.
You can touch every graduation be-
tween snow and desert"
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22

Theodore Dodden was travelling
salesman for the firm of S---
Brothers, wholesale dealers in dry
goods. Theodore Dodden, bachelor
that was the cognomen he always
gave to himself when he thought OF
himself. He would have had 1t en-
graved upon his cards had not the
Mr. Theodore Dodden consumed the
available space.
Bachelorhood was Dodden's real
profession. He gloried in it. He lived
for it-made a fine art of it. If any
new acquaintance CHANGED to remark,
Never been married, sir?" the reply
vas given as though the question had
been, Ever been in the penitentiary,
sir?" You could never offer more
irremediable insult to Dodden than
to intimate the possibility of his hav-
ing ever dreamed of that step of con-
summate idiocy.
Whether he ever formulated
philosophy of the universe under
regime of bacheloraood. l cannot say
I have suspected at times that he was
at work on something of the Sort At
any rate, it was his firm conviction
that every wise man kept his bark of
life clear of the rocks and shoals of
matrimony. Dodden had a good many
friends and acquaintances among the
fools of earth, that is, the married
men, but in his presence they were
all made to feel the infinite superiority
of his wisdom. Dodden knew every
skeleton in the closets of these vari-
GUS fools of his acquaintance. The
hollow rafting of their spectral mem.
bers and. their ghostly grinnings were
a pleasant part of his after-dinner pipe
dreams. And every divorce case
Dodden kept complete record of
them-was a public triumph of the
principles of Theodore Dodden, bache-
lOr.
But there came at last to him a
certain fiery ordeal, that changed the
course of his life, presumably
altered some vital opinions of his.
M spending one of his rare vaca-
tions with his married brother. 1t
might be mentioned that the parent
stock of the DoddenS had only pro-
duced one Theodore, bachelor. All
his brothers and sisters had gone the
way of all the earth, that is, got mar
ried. Dodden had spent a fairly en-
joyable week and was sitting in the
depot waiting for the train that was
to carry him back to his jolly bache-
lor quarters. His visit had furnished
him some matter for thought. And he
was little surprised at the persist
ency with which the piquant face of
his brothers wife's sister came up be-
fore his sedate bachelor minds eye.
He decided to take a turn on the
platform. Before he could carry out
his purpose, however, he found him
self, for the moment, otherwise di.
verted. The quiet waiting room had
been invaded by a gay party of young
people. They were in high spirits
indeed. were even boisterous, Dodden
thought, and he soon observed that
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
He Drew the Line.

Ahu are you gong 10 stop drinking
rum?'
NO, ma'am"
Not going to stop?"
81 can't ma am"
"And why can't you?"
Il can't stop because 1 never com
menced a'am-''
DO you dare to stand there and tell
me that? Why, you are condemned
out of your own mouth
"Oh, that isn't rum that you notice.
ma'am-it's very poor quality of gin
an bitters-''
Where do you get it?''
"I1l show you ma'am- The proprie-
tor is friend of mine-I,H sv- that
you get good measure"
You are a debased wretch
s'I suppose 1 am, ma'am-but I don't
drink rum."-Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22


as his most intimate friends with
their wives and sweethearts. He saw
that his den beyond had been turned
into a dining room, and a table was
spread there, sparkling as for feast.
Dodden could scarcely believe his
eyes, when he saw his modest apart
ments turned into this place of gal
ETY..
Peterson rushed out to meet him.
But something at sight of Dodden's
face made him stop short, perplexity
and surprise changing on his face.
"Why, old boy he cried. where's
the-the Lady,"
''The LADY," gasped Dodden.
Yes, the lady," repeated Peterson.
By this time a number of the others
had come forward. and Dodden found
himself the center of questioning
circle.
Where is she-your wife?'
Dodden had a queer sensation in
his throat. Then it seemed to go to
his knees. He thought he must be
the victim of some sort of a conspir-
acy. He could not decide upon the
stand he ought to take. A cold sweat
started out on his forehead. He stag
gered and made a clutch at the ban
listers.
My wife. Why, Peterson-Long-
worth-ladieS-you know I have no
wife"
Nov, Mr.. Dodden, you are playing
a joke on u.s." said reproachful
feminine voice Where have you left
her? You may as well confess. We
know all about it,
Theodore Dodden, bachelor, stood
in their midst, quite white, and col
lapsed.
MY friends" he said, in q weak,
trembling voice 81 swear to you, 1 dc
| not know what you mean. There
has evidently been mistake. have,
with an attempt at dignity 81 have
| always been a bachelor"
Dodden's honesty and his wretch
edness were not to be doubted As
| constituent swept over the party
There was a dead silence, then Pc
| terson said: But your trunk, bod.
den, how do you account for your
| trunk?"
ct am not aware that there is any
thing the matter with it, said bod
| den.
| Heavens, mani" cried Peterson
seizing his arm, come and see it,
| Dodden, still in a maze, allowed
himself to be led to where his trunk
had been deposited in the afternoon
He gazed at it mutely. Fastened tt
it's sides were two large placards or
| which. in glazing letters that coul6
be read a block on, were the words
Make way for Hymen," and Behold
the Bridegroom Cometh-'' It was
| further adorned by a motley array O
old shoes Of all sizes and descriptions
you see old fellow, we thought
there really does seem to be q mis-
take
I'VE thought you were married" in
terrupted merry voice, and VI
| planned a little surprise for you ant
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22

been sent up early in the afternoon
as directed-it having come in by an
an earlier train-he made his way
toward his bachelor rooms. He was
surprised to find them brilliantly
lighted, but supposing his man want
ed to give him a cheerful reception,
he thought little of it. His astonish-
ment grew when he mounted the
stairs and the door of his sitting
room was thrown open, showing a
brilliant scene within. In the room
were groups of men and women, who
turned with eager and joyous faces
toward the open door. Dodden. nom
plussed as he was, recognized them
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
Good Thing to Know.

writer, discussing the lost art Of
early rising, says: THE proper time
to rise is when sleep ends That's a
good thing to learn. Do you know, if
we hadn't seen that in a paper, we
should have gone on believing that the
proper time to rise was when you were
right in the midst of your soundest
sleep. What a blessed. thing it is for
this blind old world that there are
some men in it who know nearly ev
erythingi
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
Limit to Their creduIity.

Kansas editors are skeptical. An
exchange asked: fWhat do you think
of an artist who painted cobwebs on
a ceiling SO naturally that the hired
girl wore herself into an attack of ner-
vous prostration trying to sweep
them DOWN." Most of the editors say
that there may have been such an
artist, but there was never sucn a
hired girl-Kansas City Journal.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22

their laughing banter was directed
toward a particular young man, who
apparently had no recourse but to
take their badinage in perfect good
humor And quite merciless they were
to the helpless but beaming prospect
i've bridegroom, for such Dodden soon
guessed him to be. Dodden had seen
enough of bridal parties and pros
pective bridegrooms in his time, so he
left the waiting room and took his
projected stroll outside. In a moment
the scene was forgotten. He board
cd his train when it came. and ar
rived in town in the early dusk
After seeing to a few business at
fairs. and finding that his trunb had
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
Loue Is All

When the prize has been won at last
And the laurel is the brow
When the struggle and strife are past
1t will not matter, / VOW
What honor were called to share
If love be not there, not there
When we touch the goal at the end
And the race has at last been run.
When the plaudits through the air as
cend.
ProcIa inning the victory won.
1t shall not matter what crown we wear
If love be there, not there.
For the wreath is naught without love.
And fame is a paltry thing
And the prize is but blessed from above
When love is the hope and spring,
For all triumph is only despair
If love be not there. not there
Chicago Chronicle.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
Dark Graduates outnumber Light.

No one could have attended the
class day of Columbia College, New
York, without being struck by the
prevalence of dark young men, Out
of 120 or SO there were two with hair
of fiery red and three with faxen locks
five blends in all The rest were
either decidedly dark, looking in their
black gowns like young priests in
Rome, or were darkish brown OF hair
and eyes
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
Last of Revolutionary Widows

Mrs. Esther Sumner Damon the Only
Person Now Drawing a Federal
Pension for Her Husbands Ser
Course, a vermonter, and Still
Retains All Her Faculties and a
Clear Memory.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1905-07-22
| q TfEe(NDO (DggEP DODHa
/ ElUe @lAA@Dg szkE9u( @iDDE Eass \
g 8 g g -3YK& ANzz2I g g g ST

Copyright. 1905. by Daily Story Pub. COD
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-06-27
Crop Bound Fowls.

The ordinary poultryman sometimes
plumbers iAto successful job of open
ing the crop, removing the contents
and stitching up the opening again. but
oftener in the hands of an inexperi-
enced person 1t is fatal operation, says
a Rural New Yorker correspondent. A
man with whom was talking recently
said that he had found and practiced a
much better way of relieving fowl of
an indigestible lot of food He simply
brings the fountain syringe into use.
Putting on the largest nozzle and TAX
ing the fowl under the left arm, he In
serts the nozzle and lets as much water
pass in the crop as will. Removing the
nozzle. he applies lateral pressure to
the crop and at the lower side alter
nately. Soon the contents begin to
come out After some Is removed he
again inserts the nozzle, and there is
Increased room for water Taking it
out, he again adds pressure to the crop,
and so on till the crop is empty. This
man said that he treated 125 capons in
this way within period of about ten
hours. He fed them one morning a
mess of shredded beet with meal
stirred in. Thinking to add quantity
of ginger, he put In white hellebore in
stead. Every one was saved and ready
for breakfast the next morning.