davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14

widdout q groan,- was Mrs. Scrapples
defense. Its a hard worrold for WILDLY,
wild a rich club trytn to stale her little
house, night an day
Adeserted links. In the way OF parenthesis,
may be described a. an unfruitful field for
even the most energetic Of brigands. Mrs.
SoTApple was In this mixed frame OF mind
when to her, hat in hand, came the Judge
and the doctor.
we wish to know. mAam. II it IL your
son who plays such good golf and formerly
worked for the club az caddie-James was
his name This from the Judge in his
jury wheedling tones.
Path, It was my bye Jimmy tn club
discharged tn day asserted me rights.
All, precisely so, a'am. Well there
Saturday week with many guests invited
to watch them play, and we think II would
add to the interest IN we could get your
boy to play in II. Really. none Of the other
boys plays a good game, at all.
tits a cheek ye have to make me such
a request, began Mrs. Scrapple, but weakly.
as maternal pride began to choke the bitter
feeling OF animosity.
The doctor spoke UP then, and, in brief,
the interview had pleasant ending and led
up TO others, 80 that before the date OF the
caddie contest the club had bought the
property from Mrs, Scrapple at a price that
made her a well 20 do woman for life. The
line OF play TO the ninth green Is no longer
an elbow. for the house has been razed and
Mrs Scrapple lives just beyond the course,
handily situated for Jimmy TO 60 TO his
work as n caddie and to the public school
that the others Of her red topped children
attend. The club has again a waiting list.
A happy ending TO a long fight, was the
doctors comment, the day the deed was
passed Judge, II il a grand scheme 10
subdue the Honess by coaTing away one Of
the cubs The Judge only smiled.
Now, sad TO say. Jimmy did not win In TIE
caddie tournament. but he was not the loser
in the long nun on that account. With
caddies, as with their employers, hope
often counts as won the cup that one bad
hole will in reality cause TO be lost. There
was such a slip for Jimmy between the tee
and the cup.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14

Il was night when /. Mscenas Badger,
arrived at Tranquility Spa. Though
through the drawn curtains Of the high
windows abutting on the first veranda
the decorous shadows Of those dining more
pridently than we'll could still be seen
hundreds Of twinkllng lights above indi-
Gated that many others Of the guests at
the huge sanitahum were already pre-
pairing 10 follow that system which should
make them healthy, wealthy and wise.
DR.. McWIlliams looked me over, as the
saying Is.
There IL nothing radically wrong with
YOU, Mr.. Pheesan,' he said, for IL was by
this name that my irreproaohable Gre
dentials had presented me- 'but you are
not exactly ht Rest and quiet are what you
need, the rest and quiet which warrant
20 active and intense a young newspaper
man as you has not seen for many q day.
Wen soon have you In hand my dear sir
I'll all q matter Of nerves.
I agreed with him in his last statement,
though eliminating the terminal g.
sRest and quieti' unused; quest and
riot rather. Quest for the famous Rudigan
diamonds, and then riot on so much Of
the proceeds a. my taskmaster, old Crate
may allow
Il should imagine that such a prescdp-
ton would not be 10 the taste Of the many
fashionable folk hear you have with you,
J ventured.
Dr. McWilliams smiled indulgently.
THAT Ia one Of the characteristics Of our
SYSTEM he replied, rubbing his hands
I'VE give our people what they crave, but
fear they should avoid, in form 80 re-
duoed and refined that 1t agrees thoroughly
with them.
Society Poof, the very best Of Ill
Balls and romps and banquets? To the
queens tastel Dress7 Well, Paris Is
country town in comparisonl
'But no sound Of music and dancing can
penetrate the deadened walls; and who ever
caught cold from a decollete gown with a
needle bath and oil rub as a preventive?
There IL champagne, too, but not a drop
Of alcohol in It, and even the cards and
counters for bridge are medicated.
Il 'In fine, as old Ms, Rudigan says-who,
I may whisper, has been an inveterate
belle for a time beyond which the memory
Of man runneth not TO the contrary-even
that distinguished society leader lie 90 good
a. to say that folly itself is sublmated
into its own antidote at tranquility Spa
Il have often read Of her, Of course,
went on indihferently, her horses, her
gowns her jewels-'
she has them all with her the same as
II ct the height Of the Newport season. A
reigning belle and a valetudinarian, an
epicure on a diet, she burns the candle at
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14

both ends while getting fourteen hours Of
solid sleep out Of the twenty-four, ha, hal
1T must be lonely notwithstanding for q
childess widow with only q retinue OF
servants
All, but you forget her niece, Miss
Beatrice Rudigan, young lady. assure
you, who must be reckoned with under
every possible circumstance; a. brilliant
as she Is beautiful and all devotion to her
aunt. You will enjoy the privilege Of meet
ing her, Mr.. Pheesan. She IL interested In
all literary matters and has more than
onoe been mentioned as the author Of
that anonymous success Of last year, Knobs
and Mats
And now you had best prepare for bed.
Lights are reduced 10 q candle power AZ
10, and fifteen minutes later the soporiho
air begins to difiuss through the health
radiators
sat at my window smoking oontentedly
enough as I waited the nocturnal eclipse.
True, beautiful young lady, devoted and
brilliant, was a complication I had not
counted upon when undertook this ad-
venture. But she would serve to put me
on my mettle, and as had noticed IL was
under the strain Of an emergency that my
WIS Nero kooneHb anu my aCbAoho hoos
responsive TO them.
Otherwise GRATIS scheme seemed prom
ising, for II was Gratz who through threat
and promise. adroitly mixed, had sent me
TO Tranquility Spa.
Somehow, but In a way untraoeable, you
may be sure, during his devious career a.
diamond expert he had secured an exact
replica Of the magnificent diamond girdle
which Mrs Rudigan had worn for 80 long
and 80 habitually as to make It q very part
Of her conspicuous personality. Mine, then,
was the task TO substitute this paste imita-
ton for the real jewel and then deoamp
with II into the respectable obsourity which
surrounded the meager menage and pre-
tensions Of Mecenas Badger, an attorney
at-law.
I reflected, say, not disco ntentedly,
on tho prospects,, until the long lines Of
lights above, below, on either aide. dwindled
into fain glow, until, as fingered in the
soothing twilight an unwonted drowsinees
crept over me; and then l, too, became a
loyal citizen Of that world wide kingdom
over which Sleep holds sway.
l soon knew Mrs. Rudigan-it was q
characteristic Of the jolly old woman. fat,
redfAced, shortbreathed, as inevitably good
natured as she was hopelessly vulgar, TO
know everybody. listened interestedly TO
the one subject she liked best to talk about,
herself; and through using that master key
10 human regard, I won her good graoes.
But the niece, Miss Beatrice, was q diff
ferent proposition. A tall, straight slip Of
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14

we must save money, Charlie dear
really We must. There II the summer va
cation coming, and you know you made me
spend on a silk dress the money you had
saved for IT,
sOf course 1 could have got along without
the dress, but you we're % intlstSnt on my
having IL when told you bad bought
the material that ! couldn't resist.
1T panied me, beloved. 10 protest when
you said to-day that you wanted TO take a
days trip through the country, because II
would have cost 90 awfully much. Five
dollars would scarcely have covered V.
THAT is why wanted to come down TO
Coney Island, 90 we could get q nice trip.
see everything there IL TO be seen, and still
not be under any great expense.
Doesn't the sea air make one hungry
az any other time.
Il always liked this place. Let me see,
think I'llhave a clam choWder-every one
here eats clam ohowder--and half brolled
chicken, and some trihinE little salad, and
Oh, ssparAgusl just love Il.
sI'll have a double portion Of aspara gus.
because think II Ia better than any spring
medicine. And then, let me Sc. yes I'll
have strawberry shortoake with ice cream
on top, and you can pour some hot melted
chocolate over the cream.
Its really lovely. darling. but I do not
see why you will eat nothing but q hot
roast beef sandwich and q glass Of beer.
Yet when you come 20 think Of 81, . hot
roast beef sandwich SHOULD be enough
for any one, for, look AZ the amount Of
gravy you get with n. 70"
The bin Ia ts.eOi Why, hON In the world
IL thati How much VS. that bee roast
boef sandwiohi Thirty-hv osutHi Ridicu-
lousi To charge that amSunt d money for
a few little bite Of bread and mat, Ican't
help Il. doaT. ! can't belp Il, I oannot 80
your money taken away frota you - this
way,
sNoW, ate nothing. ana "a yod had was
a hot roaSi beef sandwich nAd ~ they have
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14

she died-ah, u she died-my oomplaosncv
faded a. recalled what Mrs. RudiRan had
said to ms about the two Wills Of which
Beatrice had knowledge; as recalled that
her last word to her niece was a threat
Of disinheritanoe.
What, then, were that couple doing up
In the sickrooml Would they not taks
advantage Of the old lady's helpessnes,
70 search, to find. to destroy the will tina,
disinhetted and preserve the will that
named Beatrice a. HERR
And when this was done and Mrs. Rudlsan
was dead-for apopleXy would surely and
an ally In avarioe, In fear-what need, then.
would there be for substitution and theft
and flight, when the diamond necklace.
the entire estate, indeed would be theini
What, then, were they doing up In the
siolIroom7
I hurried up the stairs and through the
long corridors, still silent and desc rted
! climbed out Of the Above in the angle;
crept along the roof Of the veranda untll
! reached Mrs. Rudigan's apartments |
peered through the window Of the room
where we had placed her-there she sat,
motionless, alone. / raised the sash and
leaped lightly within.
There she slt, as we had placed har,
motionless, alone. But the red had yielded
TO the gray; the vacant expression had
changed into one Of horror, as IL the last
vision Of those staring dead eyes had been
something appalling. unspeaksbe. And
the juvenile finery still chung TO THE shape
less form In mookery, bound by the cold
splendor Of the diamond girdle.
There was the acrid smell Of smoke N
the air On the hearth a paper, hali-oon.
sumed. still smoldered / crushed Il
in my hand, 1 examined it under the light.
It was the fragment Of a will, signed BY
Mrs. Rudigan and IL provided for a home
for distressed old women.
The door Of the connecting room creaked
turned. There stood Beatrice and Roberts.
he, struggling for composure against some
awful obsession, she as divinely fair, a.
divinely apathetic as ever.
Beatrice bent over the body, ard removed
the diamond girdle. "A fair exchange
she said, offering it to me, as she extended
her other hand for the paper.
As crept back along the roof huREng
my prize, l heard the Rirl's laughter.
malicious, triumphant; and It's sin
echo kept vibrating, as stole through the
grounds, as I reached the city, as l entered
Gratz's house,
Here II is," said simply.
The old man took the girdle In his trem-
bling grasp. He examined II under the
glass. he touched It here and there with
acid-he dashed it into my face.
You fool, you ass, you idiot Of ten
t'ousand idiots he marled, dat iss de
replica gate you, oh imbecilel"
And again heard the echo Of the girls
laughter, malicious, triumphant.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14
.-v.d .o kssp her within bounds.'

served 10 kssp her within bounds.'
Here was a revelation. TO be sure.
Vastly different from DR.. McWilliam's hon
eyed words but all the llkelier 10 be true IoJ
that. / reprehended SANDER, advised eau
ton and expressed the hope that quiet OBJ
servation would stablish the falsity Of the
sanitarium's common talk.
All tie while, l was wondering whether
could not turn this unexpected situation
to my own advantage.
Granted that Beatrice was a. cold and
calculating as her aunt represented.
Granted that, not withstanding, she was in
fatuated with Roberts, very pretty fell
low In his way, for a fact Did not 30 un-
usual q break from settled characteristics
reveal the strength Of the girls passion and
presaRe the lengths 10 which she would 60
for its sakei
Time was flying, and was no nearer
the diamond girdle than on nv frat meet
ing with Mrs. Rudigan. She wore It that
evening, she wore It every evening, but
invariably. before the lights had dwiDdled
into candles and the health radiators had
begun to soothe, it was locked In the great
steel safe in the ONCE by the doctor. de-
Hvered over to him either by the old lady
herself OF by Beatrice.
What hope. then, was there for q sub
stitution which would give me q living
chance to escape without suspicion, un-
less, unless, could 80 contrive that the
girl should make It herself
So It was that the scheme, inchoate,
fragmentary, began to present itself and
to develop in my mind Suppose Beatrice
should be discovered by her aunt beyond
the power OF explanation, what would she
do?
She had undoubted force, though whether
for good or evil 1 had not yet wholly de-
termined; whittier then would this force
impel her, desperate, disinherited. cling
ing 10 q passion the dearer for It's COST
Would abe not fee with her lover. dis
daining the world before II had a chance
to disdain herr
reviewed my brief association with
her, her scornful looks, her bitter words.
and now l read in them not solicitude for
her aunt, not apprehension Of myself,
but creeping yet growing defiance Of
everybody, Of everything, that seemed
conventionally correct, because her choice
was an unworthy one, and she would abide
by Il.
As I pondered, recalling the fash Of her
eyes, the curve OF her lips, that beauty
which the doctor had praised now inn
pressed rather than pleased me, just as the
lower Of distant thunderheads may give
q different aspect TO beautiful view first
seen In the sunshine.
But she was accustomed from her birth
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14

the Cfrontery to give you check for $3.50.
feel like reporting the case TO MIR. McAdoo
and having the Island closed up;
i am 80 upset that must 60 in here and
Il IL awfully refreshing. just try one h.
MOP Well, then, we'll just walk over TO
the park and see what there is.
i could shoot the chutes all day. We've
been down eight times already, and II has
cost nearly 81. I cannot see how, that can
be. I'll bet they Unchanged you.
heard that = man was once caught here
doing it, h.. 49,. -,,,,,,,.. ..,.D.
There Is nothing funnier than tintype
"Graoious / look like an old woman OF
co. Now, that was half dollar wastedl
] cannot see the sense in going into such
places and getting a picture that does not
look anything like you.
How many places there arel And we
haven't been in half Of them yet.
i want TO see the animals, because II "a
educating 10 watch them. / could sit here
forever but as long as we are over here
we might just as well get the benefit OF our
time, because goodness knows when we Will
get chance again.
Now, here is where we should have gone
In the first place. You get genuine Rhode
Island shore dinner for 81, and II we had
done that we would have been amply salts
fed. know / had a little lunch, but I'm
hungry, and it isn't every day We 60 out,
nor Is It every day you get a genuine Rhode
Island shore dinner for a dollar.
There's too much fish with IL. That Ia
always the trouble with these shore dinners.
/ would much rather have gone into some
place and had just q little ice cream and cake.
II would have cost less and been more salts
factory.
we haven't had a taste Of Ice cream to-
day, and I'm just dying for some. Now,
darling, please don't be disagreeable. IL
will only cost few cents, and we III both
enjoy Il 90 much.
the ideal OF course, they don't put
moth balls In the ice cream. That rs the new
antiseptic havoring, and Il y really nice
when you grow accustomed TO II, It's
awfully scientific and it's awfully cheap.
80 dear, now we can 60 homo. IL has
been a busy day, hasn't u, and i suppose
you are glad you came. But do you know,
We didn't think 10 get any souvenirsl
we have onei What n itf That n only
an empty pocketbook.
'Bif 4 4 ell you brought away from the
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14
%-THE-
RudiSan Girdle

q girl, carrying her perfect form With dis
tinction, and her beautifii head divinely
poised, there was a directnes IN the gaze
Of her great gray eyes thAt NAS Jdisconcert-
ing. -.I.
Nor did her tongue belle what her glance
seemed TO say. remember ons day I
referred alrily enough 10 some recent book
as q genuine human document She
gave me an amused look aa n shs had "a ken
my measure and found Il but 0cant
Il suppose presently you will b. telling
about something that u convincing. or
elusive, or psychological IN The last analy-
sls,' abe said. IT'S literary jareon thu
makes the literary man, noNadaSsi' and
she walked away.
Evidently she resented my attentions to
her aunt; that was 10 Be O1peotbd But
did she also mistrlst my cialmsi Then,
indeed, indignation and suspicion, under
her arm, skilled land, might crash VIC
torious chaho. through the thin line Of
my deiences.
However, current gossip-it flowed on
forever at the aanitarum-brouRht me
relief. Beatrice had troubles Of her own.
Our head waiter, Roberts, II seemed,
was a college man, advancing to the higher
lie over \ buOcooalop VI UPS. No was
melancholy, graceful; with Sad eyes and
a soulful curl; Byronio. In = word, n that
word should define q pose.
II was said that they stTollsd through
the meadows and read poetry together;
that he had elaborated In KNOBS and
Mats that she was reviewing the Phllipics
with him-Lord, what didn't they sayI
I know that before / had hah finished re-
peatinE what had heard to Mrs. Rudigan,
that lady's personal Thermometer shot
from the temperate level OF good nature
TO the apoplectic pitch Of rage; though
her vulgarity, being q constant quantity,
remained normal.
"A waiter In the family abe sputtered.
sWhy, I could never See him. before me
without thinking he ought to be behind me;
and when he wore evening clothes Il would
be all the moro confusing.
I won't stand II, that's hat. You don't
know all have endured from that girl, Mr..
Pheesan for the sake Of not being utterly
alone in the world.
ooh, know what you would cay; she
strikes you as perfection. Just e. she does
every one else; but / have brought her up
IN the lap Of luxury since Sho Vas q babe,
and ~ / lay on my dying bed this very mo-
ment, the one thought that would trouble
her would be which one Of my two Wills
would be found after my death.
'She has discovered that have made two
one in her favor and one to found an asy-
hum for dist ressed old Womeng and Il IL Just
this uncertainty and nothing else that has
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14

10 luxury-t was the aura that surrounded
her. Though she might face shame, she
could not endure hardship. Would she
not then at such a crisis Of her fate seize
upon money by the might Of need. and
where could she find II at once 30 abundant,
so concentrated, In such convenient form
as in her aunt's diamond girdle9
She know, too, Mrs. Rudigan's excel
lences and defects TO the letter-how the
fash Of her righteous indignation would
be smothered In the fog Of her good nature:
Suppose, then, that she was apprised OF
the replica, and IL lay within her reach
would she not substitute II for the girdle,
hoping thereby 70 gain time to escape
and to convert-tms even for apathy II
not for torgivenessi
And IL she did, oh, II she did, make on
with the diamonds, how easily, how safely,
might not follow the fugltives and steal
from them what she had stolen, knowing
that their guilty participation would estop
them from preferring any charge against
me,
Through some such successive steps,
then, IL seemed that l might achieve my
end. OF course the scheme was still ele-
mentary, Of course much must be left TO
luck, but when luck becomes a condition
10 he eliminated, then all adventure will
cease.
formed an acquaintance with Roberts.
We smoked together, now and again OF an
evening. and talked Of many things: the
enchanted midnight land that lies con-
cealed in the heart Of a great city, the
magic Of wealth when inspired by youth
and love, the universal value and avail
ability Of diamonds.
He was receptive, 'suocessively so, II
semeed venturing a little farther at each
meeting, as II he had reflected, or had been
advised. At length told him OF the rep
lica, how had purchased II at a pawn
brokers' sale out Of mere idle fancy, and
how now wished l was we'll rid Of Il. Cince
its possession in the same house with the
costly original might, II known, be en-
barrassing.
He assured me he would respect my
confidence, and then. the next time we
met, asked me rather hesitatingly whether
would sell 90 cloCe and curious an imitation,
not at once, but say within the next thirty
days. As II IL were the most commonplace
Transaction in the world, I named price.
The following day thought that would
look at this replica, so essential an clement
Of good fortune. searched through the
compartments and trays Of my trunk,
removing, examining every article. 1t was
not there, it was gone, stolen, by whoml
l smiled at the inevitable answer to this
question, finding In the ready apprehension
that had concluded that II were uneasy
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14

over its possession would be silent about
its loss, a corroboraton Of my working
plan.
Discovery. then, was the next link in the
chain I would construct, and II was quickly
wrought and set IN place. That very even
ing. / strolled through the second corridor,
With old Mrs. Rudigan clinging TO my arm.
At the angles OF the building the walls
jutted out go a. TO make alooves, cory,
remote, the very spots for tender conf
denoes. Ordinarily the light from various
colored bulbs gave plcturesqueness to
these hooks. but the one We we're now APP
preaching was In gloom, though my alert
ear caught the murmur Of voices / had
been hoping to hear
stepped quickly forward, and turned
the electric knob. There sat Beatrice and
Roberts In a close embrace.
The effect on Mrs. Rudigan was eItraor-
binary. She staggered forward, her PUFFY
arms appraised.
sYou shameless creature she ragged,
In strange, cultural tones; after all have
done for you. Never let me see your face
again-I discard you disinher-
A great wave Of crimson swept TO her
white hair-she Nswayed-she olutched her
throat-she fell to the floor. pufing and
moaning feebly. a sight for the preacher
In her youthful flnery, with the diamond
girdle enoircling her shapeless form.
Restraining Roberts with an imperious
glance, Beatrice sprang TO my side.
'You sneak" she Kissed. you have
done your worst At least spare me a
public scandal There IL no one about
help us bear aunt TO her room
She was nght-there was no one about;
the long corridors stretched away, as silent
as solemn as streets Of a city suddenly
deserted
without a word, bent with the others.
We bore the heavy, inert burden into the
adjacent apartments, and placed It In an
easy chair Then, as noted the lolling
head, the gray struggling with the red In
the vacant face I said hesitatingly;
Don't you think you should call DR..
Mcwilliams at once; Mrs. Rud gan seems
very"
'No. l DON'T snapped Beatrice my
aunt il subject to such attacks, and know
just what to do for her. when a detestahle
presence doesn't prevent
I wandered aimlessly about downstairs.
reviewing the situation and finding II salts
factory at first. had left the lovers to-
gether; doubtless they would abide the
result Of Mrs. Rudigan's illness.
II she lived. every reason that had APP
pealed TO me made it certain that they
would elope with the diamonds-had they
not already begun to prepare for such an
emergency by stealing my rephcai But II