davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-11-17

heirs of Whit Bardeline. He slept and
then caught a train. Smart took a
train and then slept.
After arriving at Caldwell, in Bur-
lison county, Tex, it did not take the
laundering old lawyer long to secure
valuable information.
Two of the Bardeline heirs were still
alive. Miss Choice-a young woman
nearly 20 years Of age-was easy to
find. She lived with one of her rela-
tives in the suburbs Of the town. Sam
Bardeline, who was two years younger
than, his sister, had gone to New
Mexico with herd Of cattls.
A little inquiry revealed to the agent
Of the operators in the oil lands that
he was searching for q popular, hand
some and intelligent young woman.
Miss Bardeline was the belle of the
town. She had won the odd name OF
"Choice" when she was an infant
through the admiration Of relatives.
who called the pretty little girl the
choice of the flock"
Mai. Sark turned his footsteps in
the direction of the residences Of Mrs.
Sallie Bales, the old aunt with whom
Miss Bardeline lived. Sure OF &C
complaining his purpose, he already
accounted himself capitalist and an
CT: king. Reaching the front gate, he
was rubbing his hands together and
whispering to himself: "Them fellows
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-11-17

kind enough to look out of that win
dow you will see a vacant spot just
beyond that gusher. will give you
all this gold for one acre of that va
cant spot. All you have to do is to
sign your name to this paper and we
will see a notary later on" Choice
stepped back, holding the palms of her
hands toward the intruder. "You sur
prise and amaze me. l have had no
experience In such matters. Wait un-
til my brother comes. I have heard
from him. He Is on his way"
Desperate Plot Laid.
All sorts. of methods and stratagems
were resorted to by the sharks to force
the young girl to make deal. but
they failed. One day Mai. sark dropped
spark. amongst the factors that were
disturbing the mental equilibrium of
the inexperienced girl which rapidly
grew into mountain Of regrets. He
said: "Oil flows do not go on forever.
The wells often suddenly cease to
spout. They burn out or blow out.
The field is exhausted. Then the land
is not worth five cents an acre."
Choice sbivered as IL she had an
ague. Running to old Polly she cried
in anguish: 80! why didn't take all
that gold?"
The shrewd old major saw the effect
Of his spark and he ran to Smart &
Hermolingus with me information.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-11-17
Scheme to Rob Girl and Brother of
Valuable Texas Oil Land
Is Baffled.
YOUNG WOMAN WINS HUSBAND AS REWARD
kidnapped by Arch-Fiends and Taken to De-
serted Cabin-Her Desperate Fight with
Wolves-Rescued in Nick of Time by
Brother and Comrade.

acre, and he recalled that when Barde-
line was forced to leave the country
on account of sickness in his family
and poverty, it was in vain that he
sought buyer.
This region of country, almost in
sight of Houston, had been unsettled
for years. Settlers avoided the level
prairies and the thickets of the San
Jacinto as If the land were haunted or
pestilence hung over the place. At
one period Bardeline had offered to
trade his possessions for a yoke Of
cid steers, a cart and a mule as means
and effects that offered some hope of
escaping the poverty stricken region.
Plot to Rob Heirs.
The old major was we'll acquainted
with poverty. He had been forced
to practice law, he said, 'tfor bread"
and having no sense Of honor or the
elementary rudiments Of his profess
sion, he had barely escaped the peni-
tentiary> AS q recluse and a bear
hunter he had proved eminently sue
cessful, but he longed to be rich.
Now that fortune had knocked at his
door, he determined to leave no stone
unturned until he could walk with
the oil millionaires and be one of them
altogether While his head was swim
ming with these great ideas he was
approached by a well-dressed little
man, who asked few questions, and
at once proceeded to make himself a
pleasing and interesting acquaintance.
Smart, of the firm Of Smart & Her.
molingue, had stumbled upon valu-
able find. In less than two minutes he
had learned that Maj. Sark knew a
great deal about the land and the heirs
of Whit Bardeline, and he invited him
to visit the Office of his firm. In
this Office the old bear hunter was
treated with princely cordiality. Drinks
flowed freely, and Maj. Sark was dis
sected and every fact in his men,
DRY was laid bare to the eager, con-
scienceless capacities of a trio of the
smoothest sharks that ever scented
oil.
Maj. Sark left the office of his now
ly discovered friends with 800 in his
pocket and instructions to find the
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-11-17

neighbor. Whit Bardeline had died of
malarial fever and his body was lying
where oil was flowing the richest. Mr..
Sark was aware of this fact, and later
on he learned that the fragile mother
had passed away after leaving the
country and that all the children but
two had finally yielded to the germs Of
the fatal malaria that they had carried
from the lowlands. These two were
living with relatives in Burleson coun-
ty. according to the best information
that could be collected by Maj. Sark.
Schemers' Eyes Opened.
The old lawyer visited the Oil field.
There he saw things that caused him
to open his eyes wide and made him
assume youthful airs. He heard men
talking of millions as his neighbors
talked of dollars. Here was a well
worth 100000" and there was one
that had just been sold for "half a mill
lion" Before his eyes was 40acres os land
that he had once seen exchanged for
aa old blind horse and fiddle that was
now being sold by the foot II took
a capitalist to own as much as one
could cover with saddle blanket. The
successful operators were working
right up to the line of the tract that
belonged to the heirs Of Whit Barde-
line.
Mai. Sark remembered that this land
had once beer sold for two dollars an
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-11-17
MrsTMe Hart

Vegetable Compound sooner; for have tried
50 many remedies without help.
dreaded the approach Of my menstrual
period every month, as itmeant 50 much pain
and suffering for me, but after had used the
Compound two months became regular and
from pain atmy monthly periods. lam very
grateful for what Lydia e. Pinkhams Vege-
table Compound has done for me-"
Such testimony should be accepted
by all women as convincing evidence
that Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable
Compound stands without q peer as
remedy for all the distressing ills Of
women.
The success of Lydia e. Pinkham's
Vegetable Compound rests upon the
well-earned gratitude of American
women.
When women are troubled with irreg-
ular, suppressed or painful menstrual
ton, leucorrhea, displacement or ul-
ceration of the womb, that bearing
down feeling, Inflammation Of the
ovaries, backache. bloating, Tor fatu-
lency), general debility, indigestion and
nervous prostration, or are beset with
such symptoms as dizziness, faintness,
lassitude. excitability, irritability, ner-
vouSness, sleeplessness, melancholy,
they should remember there is one tried
and true remedy, Lydia E. Pinkham's
Vegetable Compound 1T once removes
such troubles. Refuse to buy any other
medicine, for you need the best.
Don't hesitate to write to Mrs.
Pinkham If there is anything
about your sickness you do not
understand. She will treat you
with kindness and her advice Is
free. No woman ever regretted
writing her and she has helped
thousands. .AddressLynn, Mass.
an Best Understands q Woman'S MS.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-11-17

While no woman is entirely free from
periodical suffering, it does not seem to
be the plan Of nature that women
should suffer so severely. Menstrual
ton is a severe strain on . woman's
vitality. If it is painful or irregular
something is wrong which should be
set right or it will lead to a serious de.
rangement of the whole female organ
ism.
More than fifty thousand women
have testified in grateful letters to Mrs
Pinkham that Lydia E. Pinkham's
full and irregular menstruation.
It provides a safe and sure way of es.
cape from distressing and dangerous
weaknesses and diseases.
The two following letters tell so con.
viucingly what Lydia e. Pinkham's
Vegetable Compound will do for
women, they cannot fail to bring hope
to thousands of sufferers.
Miss Nellie Holmes of $40 N. Davi.
sion Street, Buffalo, N. Y, writes:
Dear Mrs. Pinkham:-
"Your medicine is indeed an ideal medicine
for women. I suffered misery for years with
painful periods, headaches and bearing-down
pains. consulted two different physicians
but failed to get any relief. A friend from
the East advised me to try Lydia e. Pink.
hams Vegetable Compound I did so, and
no longer suffer as did before. My periods
are natural; every ache and pain Is gone, and
my general health Is much improved.
advise all women who suffer to take Lydia
e. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound"
Mrs. Title Hart, of Larimore, N. D.,
writes:
Dear Mrs Pinkham:-
81 might have have been spared many
months Of suffering and pain had I only
knownot the efficacy Of Lydia E.. Pinkhams
Ask Mrs, pinkham'S AdyiCe-A Won
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-11-17

Only the caution and extreme cour-
age of an innocent and inexperienced
young girl foiled the most dastardly
plot ever concocted by scheming land
sharks and saved herself and brother
oil property in Texas worth king
ransom.
The story of the merciless rascals,
the kidnapping of the girl, her desperate
fight with wolves in deserted house
and the timely rescue by her brother
and lover has only just recently been
made public and reads stranger than
fiction.
The trio Of arch swindlers implicated
in the plot tried by every method .neir
scheming minds could conjure to de-
fraud the girl of her land. They de-
termined to use force as last resort,
but their weu-laid plans were sadly
spoiled and they were thankful to es-
cape with their lives.
Seek Heirs for Property.
The trio of swindlers in question
were for q short time engaged in max
ing an abstract of titles of Liberty
county, Texas. While working in this
business they made an interesting dis
covery. They found 80 acres Of land,
In sight Of flowing wells, that were
worth millions, which belonged to the
heirs Of one Whit -Bardeline. Thor
oughly posted as to the value of such
property, the firm of Smart & Hermo-
lingue at once instituted search for
the owners of the valuable land. The
trio saw wonderful possibilities in the
game they had in hand. There were
many ways to manage the affair in or
der to secure possession of the land
n the heirs could not be found there
would be plain sailing.
It happened that there We're other
people looking for these same heirs,
and it was not long before one of them
at least was surely discovered. An old
lawyer by the name of Buckingham
Sark, who lived in one of the San ia
cinto thickets, had known Whit Barde-
line, and when he saw armies of ex-
cited prospectors boring holes into the
earth and oil spouting in streams
toward the skies he began to look
around for the children Of his old
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-11-17

trail. This is the place." said the
major. z
''Impossible!"s.exc exclaimed the fright
ened girl. why, mo one lives here"
The major was, busy at once unhitch-
ing his horses. $50 into the house."
he said, 81 will take the horses to wa
ter and be back in few minutes"
The women exchanged glances. Tears
of fright came into the eyes of the
girl. "Aunt Polly" she said, "we are
trapped"
"No, dey won't, honey. I amt 'fraid
Of dat ole man. I'll break his neck eff
he goes to foolin' wild my chile"
Women Battle with Wolves.
Night came and darkness came, but
Sark did not return. The wolves be-
gan to howl, and the hungry packs
drew nearer and nearer, until the
trembling girl could see the glazing
eyes and white teeth of the snarling
beasts. 'They will eat us up" cried
Choice. "No, you jes set still, chile,
is got de neck yoke here and big
stick. Wolves am awful towards. We
can keep 'em off," At that moment a
big lobo sprang toward the carriage.
Polly struck the hungry brute on the
head with the neck yoke and knocked
him senseless. This was only the be-
ginning of furious battle that GER
tainly would have ended in the death
Of old Polly and the white girl If they
had not fought with the courage OF
beroines.
Choice stood up on the seat, and
when a wolf sprang at her she struck
him over the head with the big stick
Time and again the, vehicle was at
tackled, and while the brave old negress
was battling with the mad animals in
front, the girl was welding her club
with. desperation and valor.
The bed of the vehicle was full OF
oats and hay. The negress struck q
match and dropped it into the dry
straw. Selling flaming bundles she
threw them among the bowling wolves
Throw fire, Miss Choice" she shout
ed. 1--WE must jump out and run to
the house, The quick-witted girl
caught the meaning OF old Pelly's
words and actions and she sprang from
the flaming carriage, scattering brands
of fire as she ran. Polly followed
close after her. They sprang through
the door Of the cabin, with the yelp
ing pack at their heels. Polly quickly
barred the doors and windows.
Villains Demand Girls Signature.
For hours while the wolves howlet
the faithful old negress sat with the
white girls head against her bosom
Over and over they wondered why they
had been brought to such place.
At dawn the question was answered
The cabin door was forced open and
three men entered the room. One o.
them was Maj. Sark and another wa!
Hermolingue.
After looking at them for a few
moments, while tears streamed from
her eyes. the frightened young cir
said: "Are you going to murder
me?a
mot at ALL" said Sark. "on thu
contrary, we intend to treat you will
| the utmost kindness, and only detail
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-11-17
HE WAS A PHILOSOPHER.
But He Couldn't Stand the Calf in
the Matter Of His Golfing
Supremacy.

81 hear that your country home was
hit by lightning and burned" said
Smithers to the philosopher, Jolli
beigh.
Eyes; it made quite blaze, and II
was not insured for a penny" said
the philosopher; "but you know the
summer season Is almost over, any
way"
That's true" said his friend, sym
pathetieally. "Still. you seem to have
hard luck in another direction"
20, yes" said the philosopher
Burglars swooped in on my town
residence recently, took all the fam
lily plate and looted the house,"
"It doesn't seem to annoy you any
"What is the use of worryraIg? The
robbery made little difference to me
for / lost my fortune in Wall street
recently and couldn't continue to live
in the style I formerly did"
"Well, well, well, you certainly are
an optimist, old man. But tell me, ii
the newspaper account true that your
wife is suing for siyorce?"
EYES," answered Jo1libeigh. smiling
~. "You know haven't coin enough
now to boost her social aspirations"
That's just what George Golphel
said on the links. this morning. Ht
was telling me how he beat you three
straight games Of golf with score
"Wow!" yelled Jollibeigh getting
purple in the face. "The liar! Th'
scoundrel! Let me at him and II
soon teach him to injure my COLLINS
reputation. Wow!"-N. Y. Press.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-11-17
will have to pay me well for this fine
piece OF strategy"

will have to pay me well for this fine
piece of strategy"
Girl Refuses to BE DupedI
Choice came to the front door, and
the major introduced himself.
81 am Choice Bardeline," said the
young woman.
Mai. Sark discovered that another
man occupied chair in corner Of the
room he entered, and while he was
rubbing his eyes and trying to find
why the stranger had a familiar ap-
pearance, the young woman said: "Mr.
Sark. permit me to introduce you to
Mr.. Smart, from the Humble oil fields. +"
The major stood staring with his
mouth wide open. Repeated efforts to
express his surprise resulted in fail
ure-the words stuck in his throat.
When Choice retired from the room
Smart whispered: 81 can't do q
thing with her. l will leave as soon
as she comes back. Do your level
best. Get quitclaim deed or a
power of attorney. There are millions
in this DEAL
Sark was left alone with an mex
rerienced young girl, whose signature
to piece Of paper was worth heaps
of gold. Miss Bardeline was a casual
reader of newspapers. She had heard
something of the discoveries at Hum
BILE, and she knew that land In that
section of the country had increased
in value, but she had NO inkling Of the
startling sums that were being paid
for little slices Of real estate within
sight of the old cabin where she had
spent the happy days Of her child
hood.
Heiress Besieged by Oil Sharks.
The interview did not end in a way
to please the agent of Smart & Her
molingue, but he was promised an
other. Miss Bardeline talked with
her friends, and after listening to Maj.
Sark again she concluded to take her
cid Aunt Polly with her and visit the
oil field. Aunt Polly was an old negro
woman who had nursed Miss Choice
in her infancy. This move did not
please Maj. Sark. He had hoped to
secure power Of attorney to act for
the rich heiress. The young woman
arrived at Humble at a time when
the excitement was at fever heat. New
strikes were being made every day.
Gushers were spouting fortunes into
the air, and men could not be Sc
cured to tank the streams Of wealth
that were running to waste. Capital
lists were eager to buy land close to
the gushers, and when 1t became
known that one of the Bardeline heirs
was in the field the excitement rose
to pitch of frenzy. a> ~
Choice was soon discovered. Eager
land buyers, hopping the sweat from
their brows, thrust $50 gold pieces into
old Polly's hands, begging her to
grant them an interview with her mis-
tress. There was crowd under the
young woman's window and a yelling
mob of oil sharks was surging through
the hall Of the hotel. One man, holder
than others, succeeded in reaching the
frightened girls room.
"''These sacks contain gold" said the
bold man. There is $1,000 in this
one, he added, as he cut the string and
poured out heap Of 500 gold pieces
on the floor at the feet of the amazed
girl. 81 have 100 of these sacks here,
and q little bit of writing" said thu
intruder. "And now If you will be
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-11-17
Risa in price of Meat.

Butchers meat Is now more ex-
pensiye In Germany than in any ether
European country except Russia. The
price Of boiling chicken. which was
80 to "a cents . yesz. ago, is pcrI 81
to go cents.
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1905-10-05
Got Tired Of WhitewashinE.

A western editor who grew tired
OF welding the ~hltewash brusa III
the matter OF obituaries decided TO
reform and tell the truth just for
once. He commented as follows upon
the death OF a local citizen:
"DIed----, aged ~ years D
months and - days. Deceased was
mild hammered lirate with mouth
for wbiskey and an eye for Doodle.
file came here In the night with an
other mans Yife and Joined the
church at the first chance, He owed
US several dollars for the paper, a
large meat bill and you could hear
him pray for six blocks. lie died
singing Jesus Paid 1t All and we
think he was right, as he never paid
anything himself He was buried in
an asbestos lined casket and his
many friends threw palm Leaf fans In
bis grave, as he may need them.
His tombstone will be fayorite rest
! Ing place for boot owls. "-Ex.
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1905-10-05
Notkins 10 Fear

The question Of Injurious sub
stances 10 medicines which has been
agltating the minds OF many people,
does not concern those who use Cham.
berlains Cough Remedy, Mothers
need have no hcsitancy In continuing
to give II TO their little ones, as II
contains absolutely nothing injurious
THIS remedy Is not only perfectly
safe to give small children, but Is a
medicine OF great worth and merit.
II has a world Wide reputation for
IT'S cures OF coughs, colds and Group
aud can always be relied upon. For
sale by all dealers.
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1905-10-05

"What special advantage has the
man who has achieved fame over the
one who has no acquaintance outside
OF bis own county, The man whose
name Is familiar To people who read
the newspapers, who Is talked about
as having said this or done that or
contemplated something else, Is no
more alive while he lives and Is Just
as dead when he dies as the one who
leads quiet life In a quiet conmun-
ity and passes away without disturb
Ing his neighbors.
When Horace Greeley wrote these
words, FAME Is a vapor, he had
lived to learn that the more generally
a man Is known the more roundly Is
he abused, and when gone he Is for
gotten before the green grass sprouts
on his grave. "-Ex.
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1905-10-05

Talk happiness; the world is sad
enough
without your woe; no path is wholly
rough:
Look cut for places that are smooth
and clear,
And speak OF them TO rest the weary
ear
or earth. 50 hurt by one Continuous
strain
or mortal discoutent aDd grief and
pain.
Talk faith; the world 10 better OF
without
Your uttered ignorance and morbid
doubt.
II you have faith In God, or man, or
self,
Say 80; II not, push back upon the
shelf
or silence all your thoughts till faith
shall come.
No one will grieye because your lips
are dumb.
Talk health; the dreary, neycr-endinR
tale
OF moral maladies IL worn and stale
You cannot charm or interest or
please
by barping on that minor chord,
disease.
Say you are well, or all IL well with
you
And God shall hear your words anc
make them true.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1905-10-05

According to william Il. Curtis.
the recall" device which Los An
geles Incorporated In It's charter
about three years ago has proved so
effective that other cities are begin
ming TO take up the Idea. The recall
Is a provision under which rs per
cent Of the voters Of the city may,
by petitioning. subject any elective
oiiicia. TO an immediate test at the
polls. II he falls Of reelection he Is
ousted and tbe candidate with the
votes gets his place.
La the three years during which
the provision has been In force, II
has been called into service once,
with the result that an alderman
who voted for a suspicious contract
found himself out OF ONCE. As re-
suit, Los Angeles Is said To be singn-
larry free from graft.
While the plan might work we'll In
our clean western cities, 1t Is not at
all certain 1t would prove the pana'
cea for Ills In the effete east. Take
Philadelphia or New York, for In.
stance. II the rule were followed
there, the people would be continu.
ally In the midst Of city election,
and the consequent turmoil that re-
suits. The latter evils would largely
outweigh any good that might De ex.
pected from change In officers. -
Statesman.
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1905-10-05

are these lines from J. ii. simmons,
OF Casey, la. Think what might
have resulted from his terrible cough
II he had not taken the medicine
about which he writes: II had a
fearful cough, that disturbed my
nights rest. | tried everything,
but nothing would relieve 1t, until |
took DR.. Kings New Discovery for
Consumption, Coughs and Colds,
which completely cured me. In
stantly relieves and permanently
cures all throat and lung diseases !;
prevents grip and pneumonia. At
W. @ whitwell drug. Co and Guy
Edwards druggist; guaranteed; SOC
aud sl.00. Trial bottle free.
The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1905-10-05
Sentence Sermons.

Care calls to prayer.
Waiting works wonders.
Love and law rale the world.
Only those who love the world can
live above IL.
Many OF our crosses come from our
crooked ways.
Some men think that grace grows
from grumbllng.
Most doubts would die II we did
not dodge them.
Happiness rests on thoughts more
than on things.
The fnicky man always thinks he
alone Is faithful.
Holiness without heart is but a
hindrance to humanity. Henry f..
Cope In Chicago Tribune.