davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

The plaza On the west side was
filled with people last night while the
Las Vegas Military band gave their
open air concert and the players we're
heartily applauied at the end Of each
selection. Al different times during
the evening the entire plaza was
lighted with red fire.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

" W Bollara of Denver. general
auditor OF The Colorado Telephone
company. was In the city today on
bmsiness with n w. Lee. manager oi
the local exchanee.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

He rs,iroaiers viii try their hes.
d puil The leaders Off their pedestal
tomorrow, hut tho wholesalers say
shey intend ID ssay right where they
are. CO 10 Gailinas park and zee
the fight.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

A suit In San Miguel county has
been filed In the district clerks Of.
flee. entitled the First Methodist
Episcopal church VIZ. The Town OF
I.as Vegas. ct al. 10 quiet title to Ger.
tain real estate In the city of Las
Vegas. as. ssss 5s&. zsz '-s
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

The weather man says that tomor'
row will be fair. A great many peo-
pie win attend the ball games at
Gailinas park or spend the day pic
nicking In the canyon. The canyon is
the most beautiful spot imaginable
al this time of the year.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

l. IIymsn Of San Francisco. repre-
sensing tho California Wine and
Brandy company. was In the city yes.
terday and tossy epd while here sold
= BIZ q goods comprising one hun,
dred barrels Of wine and brandy. This
T. said TO be the largest single order
fur liquor ever placed In Las vesaa,
The Haywood 4 Roberts company gst
The hlg ind Of the shipment.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

A large numbsr ~ dslayef west.
hound passenger trains passed through
this city this morning. several a
item being over twenty four hours
late. The Santa ~ In having the
first serious trouble with floods that
II has experienced this year. near
Lawrence. Kas.. and passengers on
the delayed trains say the track for
miles 10 inundated with water.
through which the engine plows iIke
q ferry boat. The trouble is unaer.
stood 10 be somewhat serious. sI.
though II viii not be long continued.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

Mr.. and Mrs. w. Baasch Of this
city have issued invitations 70 the
wedding Of their daughter. Miss Elsie
10 Henry X. Monsimer, TO take place
On june 18th ii the east side Cath
ole church.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

Appel Brothers have filed . suit
against Lacero sanchez et nj In
The district clerks office to recover
Judgment In the sum Of sl24lso for
goods. merchandise. etc.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

A petition from Mora county has
been filed with the district clerk In
the matter Of the estate Of Dolorita
l.. de Hilder. deceased. for leave and
order 10 sell and dispose Of certain
real estate for the payment Of debt.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

IL the parts vho took hand'haa
from yard. aits Eighth u. Friday al
sernoon viii return same. no aties
tons viii hs asked, 66s
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

isosT-Hiack hanl bsg. contsiniag 4
snali change. keys. cards. etc. Keer
change Return has. etc, 70 thls Of
nee ESQ
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

Mr. s. +. Kline and family started
Cor Haryey's today and viii be in
The mountain resort about three
weeks ..N
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

The Mayflower band will rive y
enneert vt the plaza on the west side
Sunday evening, An excellent pro
gram viii be rendered. '
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

The game between the troop"
srs and ne printers will be a pitch.
sr's battle. Get your megaphone and
follow the crowds.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09
y M
Hotel Arrivals.


e c. Nsweomber. Albuquerque:
Isea Williams. Albuquerque: p. u
Drake. Denver: n. W. Ballard. Dan
ssr. ". n. Paris. N~s foEk: O. c,
Hro~n. Philadelphia Mr.. n. r. Car
p~nser. tsi~@sy. coio.s Mr. w. Y. No
sarsy. Longmont: L. \, G@ilh. Den'
ssr: q. G. Giesdenninx npos~r. v,
.. Cheney. isiuffton. Ina. LEO Keller,
philzdeipkls; r. v. Reilly. Lynn: a.
W. Aida. New York: D. W. Dewey,
Chicago.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

Troop a " Optics: Santa W W.
nS~lds tomorrow. First game at 4
n m. sharp: second at 40.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

There siIi be ! BID wedding dance
Aonday evening Il the Benimo Mar.
tines hsii on the west side.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

Two cS tho fastest bali games ci
tAe season II the park tomorrow u.
tesrocn.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

Troop A and N Optics hare ths
first Eane tomorrow.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

Zee The hsIi eaaes II 0alliass parE
tomorrow afternoos.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

rR wilson. Denver: v. j. Thom-
.. Albuquerque: J. A. Williams. Al
bueusrsus.
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09
Cassiitg Day

teNeMo~enonoaioAnnnmses
Las Vegas daily optic., 1906-06-09

Fcr~nst: rair toalwss ana ssa
dAy.
The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

very few expenses or responsibilities, for
/ was living at home. ! spent my money
freely, a good deal in sociability-in drink
ing, and from drinking / came to gam
bling.
my mother didn't know that did either.
and never, even after she did know that L
had taken to drinking, did she ever smell
liquor on my breath. never went home
when / was drinking, and usually when 1
wanted to drink I'd go away somewhere
on trip. Being prosecuting attorney, L
could do that safely, for my work often
called me away.
.'My folks were prominent in the South,
and like all Southerners we had a good
many relatives. and naturally had a good
social position. L was popular socially.
i went out a good deal l used TO lead the
cotillons-'
He is back again for the moment to his
youth. and the velvety Southern nights,
the leafy Southern summers, the gay
Southern bathrooms, the lovely South
ern yirls. the elaborate courtesy of
the Southern manners, and turn toward
him and turn away quickly, for I'm not
sure Wnetnef Shall iduSH VI SlJ
1t is too grotesque- this talk of
cotillon- leading from the battered,i tat
tered figure on the prison bench.
He signs heavily and comes back to
the prison bench, too. for silent
moment or two.
"At this time, when / was most
prosperous and most sure of my future,
i met a girl that 1 cared for-and she
cared for me.
I'VE became engaged-and it looked
as if I'd nothing left to wish for.
.I kept on taking little trips and
drinking and gambling and 1 thought
nobody knew about it. But the girls
father found out. He took me to task
about it and 1 denied it. of course. for
knew how he regarded that sort of
thing and what it would mean to my
father Ind mother to find out
But / couldn't let drinking and
gambling alone, somehow He set
watch on me and caught me at it, and
the next time / went to Jacksonville
TO visit my fiancee she wasn't at the
depot to meet me. Her father was there
instead. There was family council.
He told her everything. 1 asked only
for the privilege of private talk with
her, and 1 had it. remember every
The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

1 had pawned that bracelet and ring.
THAT was the first time my mother
knew L drank-when she and my father
came to take me home.
II went home with them.
But kept on drinking and gam
bling.
The frcst that killed the orange
trees in Florida made both my father
and me pcor men. Governor Mitchell
pei my resignation if 1 kept on as I
was doing. 1 sold the last things OF
value had in the world, my pacing
horse, my trap. my law books, every
thing, md with the money 1 got for
them I left home. intending 20 go TO
Texas and make a, fresh start-begin
new life.
When 1 got as far as New Orleans
I got drunk
Il got rid of the last dollar 1 had
and when 1 sobered up / was broke.
That was on the 18th day of June,
1895. 1 shall never forget the date. be-
cause that was the day let go. that I
cut myself off from all that life had
held for me before.
Since then i have become a hobo.
II didn't turn hobo at once. OF course.
Being a Southerner and widely connect
ed, of course, knew people in New Or
leans. had friends there, and I borrowed
from one and then another as long as 1
could. Then 1 shipped on a vessel going
to New York, where my sister lives.
Her husband got work for me. There
/ saw the girl / cared for for the last
time. She was to be married. She came
to me to tell me about ito tell me that
she still cared for me; to ask IL the past
couldn't be undone. But what could I
do? 1 couldn't take care of her on
salary of $12 a week. I couldn't trust my
self and wouldn't drag her down with me.
Then my father and mother died.
s'Since then 1 have wandered every
where and done every sort Of menial
sordid thing.
'I have stood in the bread rooms OF the
Salvation Army at midnight In London
waiting to be handed a bowl of soup: r
have loaded trunks on transfer wagons
here in San Francisco to get a days food
and nights lodging; I have been stoker
on a steamer; I have worked with pick
and shovel in railroad gang / have
made up my mind many and many q
The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

"I was successful from the time L
commenced to practice. 1t seems as If
1 never did have to try hard for any
thing; things just came my way.
Almost as soon as 1 commenced
practice I was made attorney for the
Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West
Railroad.
81 made money easily. l never was a
cheap lawyer. l charged good fees, and
/ got them, and was lucky in winning
my cases / tried cases in my fathers
court-that's something not permitted
here. but it is in F'lorida-and 1 had one
of his decisions reversed, and ! remember
in one way he didn't like it and in another
way it pleased him. He was proud of me
because l was clever enough to do it,
John D. Boone Jr. doesn't recite his lit
tie professional triumph boastfully. 1t
has more the sound of dirge.
.'But how"
I'm coming to that 1t was drink that
did this, drink and gambling.
my father and mother were both tee
totalers. ] never knew what drinking
meant in my own home. Perhaps you
won't believe it, but ] never tasted liquor
while | was going to college, nor for some
time after ] began to practice law Not
until l went into politics. You know
how it is in the South-a lawyer is sup
posed to take an interest in politics, and
L did because | liked it.
.sThe first liquor that ever passed my
lips. the first drink | ever took, was when
| was out making speeches, campaigning
for Governor Mitchell
II was away from home in little town,
and took glass of beer in hotel Just
for sociability, that was ALL didn't care
about it, and 1 didn't take more-that
time: but that sort of broke the ice, you
know. / drank when 1 felt like it. or
when sociability seemed to require it after
that and got to drinking a little more
right along.
.swhen Governor Mitchell was elected |
became the prosecuting attorney of Vo-
lusia County, Florida, and that was quite
a feather in such young mans cap.
81 was prosperous and had reputation:
folks said ! was eloquent, that 1 could
make a good campaign speech and a good
plea; had plenty of friends who f1attered
me; I was making plenty of money, too
much for young man maybe, and had
The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

time that I would pull myself together
and begin life again. but every time
have saved little money I have spent It
for drink and gone down to the bottom
again. where am now"
He drops his hands on his knees. palms
up. the expressive gesture of an utterly
beaten man.
Cant YOU" ask. 'let liquor aloneP'
Yes. 1 don't drink all the time. Some
times don't take a drink for weeks
for a couple of months at time"
'sThen why don't you
where shall I go? To whom shall
turn for companionship? Don't you
know that when man gets down to the
place where 1 am the only place he
can go and be sure to find a welcome is
in the saloon or the brothelT'
but the welcome is only for your
money. isn't it?''
''Yes: yes. I know that. But there is
something here in every mans breast.
The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

I'm just a hobo-now, he tells me by
way OF preface, and there is nothing of
fippancy or impudence or resentment or
whining appeal-not a shade of toughness
or meanness-in the way he says it, mere
iy hat dependency. a quiescent resigna-
ton IN the statement of an obvious fact
In his appearance, from head to foot,
there is no denial, no mitigation of his
confession.
His battered old hat droops about his
ears
His hair Is tousled and unkempt
There IS dingy bandage around his
head holding a patch of absorbent cotton
against bruise above his eye where he
got plunged up" during his next-to-this-
last drunk, and the eye below is almost
closed.
His eyes are bloodshot.
His face is dirty, creased and bIoated by
this last drunk, and the drunk before, and
the many drunks before that
His lips are swollen, cracked and fever
parched-so dry that he must wet them
with his tongue every now and then that
he may talk.
There is a shaggy, rough. several days
stubble on his cheeks and chin.
There is CRIME in the creases of his
Neather-beaten neck.
His coat is torn where the arresting Of
ficer "collared" him.
His hands. delicateIy formed and unmis-
takably well bred, are grmed, too. at the
znuckles. and heavily caIloused in the
palms. and tremulously eloquent of shat
tered nerves.
His knees sharply outlined in the worn
black ovoraIls clutch each other spas
medically where they are crossed.
His swinging foot in squashy Congress
gaiter answers jerkily to the painful un-
rest Of his mind.
There is indeed no need for his verbal
confession; obviously, undoubtedly, he is
z hobo-and / am here beside him on the
prison bench TO ask him why.
II is cruel perhaps to picture him thus
in detail IN his misery.
1t were kinder perhaps to lay my hand
kerchief over his face and turn away, but
that sometimes, now and then, at rare
intervals. it is wei TO stop and note how
far = man may fall, how widely he may
wander. how much he may change from
what ne has beea-and how easily
And this man sitting here telling me
in fat. Ieaden tone. I'm just a hobo
now" was once a gentleman-really a
gentleman in the strictest, narrowest
meaning Of that much-abused term;
welI-born. gently nurtured. welI-edu-
Gated, weIl-placed socially. rich, ia
vored and exceptionally fortunate.
II is hard to believe it when you look
at him; yet easy enough when you close
your eyes and listen to his well-bred
vojce-the nicely moduIated voice of a
The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

and he beats the limp black shirt over
his heart with quivering finger tips.
that cries out for companionship and
friendliness. for human association.
however mean
''Why 1 hate it so. I hate my own
weakness so. that IL 1t were not that
1 was brought up with the fear OF God
in my heart I would end my life nows
I would have ended it any one OF
thousand times. In all these ten years
that have been living without home
and friends and ambition and hope the
only times when my mind has been at
peace have been those times when
was too stupefed by liquor to be cap
able of thinking or remembering That
is my only escape. my only refuge"
And So" I go on probing merci-
lessly, for I would know-and how may
one know without vivisecting ?-"there
is no chance in the world for you. you
have no hope Of getting back to the
man you were?"
ME suddenly. Yes, there Is one way
if I could have the chance. and is
isn't by giving me money or decent
clothes. or advice or work. I need
all these, OF course. but need
something besides financial support and
merely moral support. need the moral
support. too. of course. I couldn't get
back without that But mora than
everything else need social support.
II need to be taken back into ths
sort Of environment that was brought
up in: to be taken into the friendly.
kindly companionship OF the sort OF
people L was brought up with; to live
their life and share their thoughts and
pleasures and comforts. and their trou-
bles. too.
IF can get back to the level let
go of there's hope for me. but where Is
there any one to lift me TO that level.
or to hold me there until I am strong
enough to hold myself?"
Where. indeed7
Where Is there one among Us so
nearly ChristIike that he can tow this
derelict into the harbor OF a home and
reclaim him. and where In this utilita-
rian day is there one who would think
1t worth while?
It's a poor sordid story at best. isn't
it? And I have told 1t not because Il -
unusual. but because It II - usual
The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

thing that happened on that last day.
We went out for a drive together and
said nothing about it. We went TO tea
at cousins together and said nothing
about it. 1 wanted her to go TO the
theater with me to put it off rs long
as possible, but she wouldn't; so we
went out on the hotel veranda to the
farthest, quietest corner. where we
would be alone. and we had cur talk
In the dark L couldn't lie 20 HER.
"She was wearing the engagement
ring 1 gave her and a bracelet that
had locked on her arm When our talk
was over I slipped the ring off her
finger ard unlocked the bracelet with
the key 1 carried on my watch chain
and put them in my pocket; and she
said as 1 did it:
Remember. have not asked you
TO do this.
II too; the first train out Of town
An. when l came To myself 1t was In
q MOTEL IN Cincinnati 1 was broke.
ha, Nve-dra~a my bank account $500.
The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

that's how / got this" lightly touching
the patch of absorbent cotton on the
battered temple; then / was arrested
and when l got out l got drunk again.
My money was all gone, and j went
into the Mills building and into a law
yer's office-I don't even remember the
office-and told the story about being
a lawyer and a fugitive. about having
killed man for breaking up my home,
and asked for a loan. l thought if
found a Southern lawyer-some one
from Florida or Tennessee-that sort
of story would go, and | could get
the money and leave town, and get
away from temptation; but it didn't"
He laughs in bitterness, for there is
no throb of mirth or merriment left in
the heart that beats against the limp,
faded black shirt.
I'm sorry l did it now. I don't know
how I'm going to get out of this. L
hope they won't send me up for begging
or vagrancy-Td hate to go to JAIL
Have you never been arrested be-
fore?"
"Oh, yes; many time; but just for
being drunk, and turned out again the
next day. I've been like this-I've been
a hobo for ten years"
And before that"
"Oh, yes, it's true enough that 1 had
everything in life a man could have;
every chance a young man could wish
for.
my folks were Southerners of good
family-you know what that means If
you've lived in the South
He says South" as only the South
ern-born can.
my father and mother had beau
tiful home at Deland, Florida-thats
where I grew up. and they did every
thing in the world for me that loving
parents can do. have an older sister,
but ! was the only son, and they were
proud of me.
MY father was Judge of the Su-
'perior Court in Florida, and he wanted
me to be a lawyer. He sent me to the
University of the South at Sewanee
Tenn. That's where most of the South
ern boys are educated; there, and at
the University of Virginia. Then 1
studied law in his Office, and I was one
of the youngest attorneys to be admit
ted to the bar in Florida.
The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

cultured nian-spea king with the un-
mistakable Southern accent that only
the well-born and educated people of
the South have, and that cannot be i'm
itated by the oIeverest of mimics or
most accomplished Of impostors
He is here in the City Prison, regis
tered on the little book because the
day before he went into lawyers
office in the Mills building, very drunk.
and conhdentially declared himself a
fugitive murderer. for the sake of ex-
citing a brother lawyers sympathy-he
being himself a Iawyer-and thereby
negotiating a loan.
The lawyer unsympathetically rang
up the police and turned him over to
an officer.
And he is waiting now-in the City
Prison-until the Chief of Police gets
word from Florida telling whether he
is a murderer or not.
Perhaps YOU read the news para
graph telling all this in your morning
paper and also that. coming to his So
berer senses, he denied that he is a
murderer, and admitted that he is the
wayward son of a distinguished South
ern family. college man educated at
the University of the South, and with
college mates right here in San Fran
cisco.
He names John NJ. Plat. who is
the cashier in the office of the Internal
Revenue Collector and brother of Hor-
ace G. Platt. as one of these college
mates, and 1 go to Mr.. Platt to find if
this is true.
YES" Mr.. Platt tells me, John d.
Broome Jr. was a Junior in the Uni
versity of the South at Sewanee, Tenn.
when 1 was a senior there" and he
visits him in the City Prison not only
to identity him, but to offer him the
kindly hand of fellowship. as he has
done before
Finding this much Of his story true
/ ask John d. Broome Jr for the rest
of it-and he tells it to me; not flu
emily, gIibly. vaingloriously, with the
folly of the unrepentant fool; but wiring
ing it out of his memory scene by scene
and step by step. rctracing his blighted
years with many a broken sentence,
and now and then an unheeded tear
washing a furrow on his dingy cheeks.
IF my story will save any one else
from one -thousandth. from one-mil
lionth, part of the suffering have
caused myself. you may have it; I'll
tell it TO you,r he says. Telling it
can't do me any hurt--or any good
now.
But first of all 1 want to tell you I'm
not murderer. have never committed
a crime shave never willingly,
wrcnged human being. l have never
done any one any harm-except my
self
"There's nothing in that story 1 told
the lawyer who turned me over to the
police.
II was drunk, and 1 wanted to get
money. i had come here from Santa
Barbara after working in the railroad
carnp there and saving up a piece of
n,onev-ab bout ninety dollars. got
drank as soon as 1 got here and got
rid of my, money. I'm always doing
that I'm not a constant drunkard-Tm
= periodical. ! work for while at
anvthing / can get. and let drink alone
And then. as soon as I've saved up
some money and think TIL make fresh
start in life, 1 go on a spree, and that
ends it.
THAT is what happened again this
time.
Il got drunk as soon as 1 got here;
The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

HIS is the story or q
human derelict - the
story of a man who
let GO and he
that tells it to me sits
on a bench in the City
Prison, battered, dirty,
tattered. shattered,
unshaven and unshorn,
the very original, but
for the look Of shame
and hopeless sadness
and goading memory,
of the Wandering Will
lies that the funny
men make for the fun
ny papers.
The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

It's a poor. sordid story at best. isn't
it? And have told it not because Il II
unusual, but because Il II - uaRal
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-16
WANTED-REAL ESTATE

I. WILL PAY FROM $4,000 TO 100000 IN
proved PROV, property. or would Consider several
pieces from $40, 900 sup Give full particu.
lars, lowest cash price If the same interests
about 10 days. I mean business and will
pay You the cash If you have what suits
me. Please don't misrepresent your property
Address 1888. Journal.
WANTED-FoR THE BosTWICK ESTATE,
good improved property; will pay all cash;
no commissions charged.
80. (. Edward J.s.O'Brien & Co.,
104 4th st S. Ground Floor, Oneida Block.
WANTED-ABoUT ONE TO THREE ACRES OF
good land on Minnehaha near Minnehaha
Falls; not far from school: have cash to
pay for it. Address 4727. Journal
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-16
BUILDING PERMITS

= terror alteration r $50 $4,000
nue. s, two-story frame dwelling 1900
j. H. Brown, Jr., 3704 Blaisdell ave-
ling ling -. ."e 's ,Sv' @ @ 1soo
n. two-story frame dwelling -. 1,4oo
: two-story frame dwelling ............ $500
Minneapolis Street Railway company, 731
East Lake street, stone foundation. 1,500
f. II. Bigaouette. 3100 Fremont avenue
S. two-story frame dwelling $500
\. tWo.story frame store and hat..... 1000
Eleven minor permits .................. 2, 3.5
Total, nineteen permits ............s sis, $50