davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

little, you would buy house, or put some
money in bank"
Don't be fool, Eva" he said, roughly II
do care about you, but there are reasons why we
can't get married just now"
"What are they? Money can't be one Of them,
because Tom says that whenever you 30 out with
him, you throw your money around as If 1t
were Of no account whatever And that reminds
me, you haven't asked me how Tom is yetY
ooh, forgot, Eva. Please forgive me-"
at seems to me you forget a lot Of things
lately. You forgot about Mrs. Anstruther's din
ner on Monday night and you know We wouldn't
offend her for the world"
Look here, you cant expect a man to remem-
Der little things like dinners, can your"
eyes, | can, if the dinner represents en-
gagement with his fancee And then the other
night, when I went over to sec Nancy and
called you on the phone, asking you to come
over and take me home you never came. No,
don't say anything" as he appeared about to
make some remark, you know you can't excuse
yourself. And papa was telling us that on We'd
nesday when some of yours was to be
heard in court, you never went there at all
You spent the morning over at Rivers Office
watching the fluctuations of some stock or other
and your clients waited and waited for you"
Eyes, that really was awful" admitted Ruth
erford "but | couldn't tear myself away from
the market that day."
II don't believe you care for anything at
all except stocks; you don't even care for me
much any more"
Nonsense. 1 do" but he was gazing careless
ly out of the window as he spoke.
Eva saw his indifference and sighed After
moment she asked, "What are your reasons for
not being able to get married, Sam?"
He started as she spoke to him. "My reasons?
Well, the main one is that ever since that Pitts
burg affair, I've been shadowed."
"Shadowed!' she cried. "Oh, you frighten me,
Sam. You don't mean by detectives"
'It doesn't matter by whom or what; the fact
is simply that l am shadowed"
"But why should you be shadowed? What was
this Pittsburg affair? You know you never
would tell me about it"
"And | don't intend to- he replied.
''But can't you give me just the outline OF
it? You don't need to mention any names, you
know"
"Well, 1 suppose might do that" For some
moments he seemed to be lost in gloomy mcdita-
ton and, indeed, seemed to have forgotten her
presence. After a few moments, however, he
appeared to remember where he was, and said
"You asked me about the Pittsburg affair?
There's not much to tell, except that on ac.
count of something | did the market there
broke, several firms went out of business in con-
sequence, and they contrived to make it pref
ty hot for me, / skipped"
Eva considered for a moment. "Well, don
know much about such things, but it doesn't
seem to me as if you had done anything that
they could shadow you for
"But just think of the ruin and misery that
followed from what I did"
"But I can't see that you committed any le-
gal offense and so why should they shadow
you?'
"You can't expect to understand it," said
Rutherford, impatienty. 'What do women
know about these things, anyway? tell you
they have shadowed me for two years, and some
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

Dllltes of the man in the air.
The question OF trespass is one of them and
celebrated Englishman, who is an aeronaut
as well a legal authority, says that there can
be no doubt regarding the question from legal
standpoint, the man who owns section of
the earth owns everything over it. With the
airship several thousand feet in the air, how
ever, the question is not a serious one and dis
putc is likely only to arise when landing is
effected More frequently than not there is
some little damage done when the acronauts
make their endeavors to get back Oh the earth,
but the persons induglng in the sport up to
the present time are all wealthy and ready to
settle these matters promptly, little or moth
ing has been heard OF this phase of the ques-
tion up to the present time.
Another interesting point which has already
arisen is the responsibility of insurance compa-
nies from mishaps OF this nature So far com
plants have been few, but a general insurance
company is now issuing policies against dam
ages done by balloons The first claim was paid
today for damage done to a marrow frame
caused by ballast thrown out of balloon when
close to the ground, breaking the glass.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

to reach out for certain kinds of food and re-
Ject another, make selections as it were The
sundew, an insectivorous plant, provides the
wherewithal for most striking experiment for
those who care to avail themselves of the nr;v
llege which SHOWS very clearly that the powers
OF this plant are not limited to the mere living
in wait for its prey. A recent writer saws: ''I
pinned some living flies half an inch from the
leaves near the apex at 10 O'Clock In FORTY
minutes the leaves had bent perceptibly toward
the flies At II O'Clock the leaves had reached
the flies, and their legs were entangled among
the bristles and held fast" Here we have an
rrefutable instance of plant which is not
only conscious that it desires flies for its food
but is also able to move toward its prey.
The idea of plants consuming birds and ami
mails is not by any means so fantastic as it NAV
appear. The nepepthes, or pitcher plants, of
tropical countries fairly well known as hot
house curiosities in Britain. The pitcher
which is, of course, development of the leaf
in some speces-produces sweet liquid, while
in others the receptacle simply catches water.
In either case insects attracted by the fluid,
which they come to drink, and when once in
side the pitcher" they are prevented from es-
Gaping by certain hookhke processes which
make an exit impossible. 1t is no unusual thing
to see these "piachers" and those in some spe-
cies eight inches or a foot long-brimful of
an accumulated mass of insect bodies. More
strange still, however, it has been asserted on
the best authority that birds, mice and even
rats have been found in the pitchers" of the
nepenthes. More observation will be necessary
before it can be definitely stated that the ne
penthes really make arrangements to lure these
creatures into their pitchers" as, of course,
the presence of the larger animals might be ac-i
cidental. Still, the case is most curious and
one for fuller investigation.
The Representatives of a group of vegetable
parasites known as cordyceps have habit Of
growth which, to say the least, is remarkable
These fungi live in perhaps strange a way as
do any plants, for good number of the spe-
ces actually grow on living insects and spiders.
variety hailing from the West Indies makes
itself the guest of kind of wasp and the un-
fortunate hosts are frequently to be seen flying
about with these unscrupulous plants sproutingl
out from their bodies to a length as great as
that of the insect itself. Other members of the
same family SOW themselves in the bodies of cat
erpillars which have hidden away in soil or
among leaves. Some of these cordyceps grow TO
huge size, and often very much longer than
the poor grub on which they are living. In New
Zealand one Of these fungi at times attains the
length of six or eight inches, while the cat
erpillar which it is growing upon may be less
than third of that measurement. OF course,
finally, in every case these aggressive plants
bring about the destruction of their hosts and
It is only a question as to how long the insect,
or whatever the attacked creature may be, can
hold out against the severe drain upon its sys-
tenn.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

atmosphere, but 1t does not follow that, because
there is big weight of air over your particular
locality, your weather must be fine, or dry, or
calm. There may be a still heavier weight over
another neighboring part of the planet, in which
you may have heavy gale.
To become anything of a weather prophet you
must keep an eye upon much more than the ba-
rometer. The clouds tell you good deal. For
instance, the old proverb,
"a mackere sky,
Not twenty-four hours dry"
contains deal of truth.
Blue sky in the northwest is wonderfully
good sign of fair weather, and red evening and
grey morning are among the best prophecies OF
calm and dry weather.
Unusual clearness when distant hills appear
quite close, is one of the very surest signs of a
complete change of weather within forty eight
hours. and of change for the worse. On the
rare occasions when this clearness lasts for
couple of days, you may safely count upon
heavy storm, probably a gale, and rains lasting
at least forty eight hours.
Live creatures will tell you great deal about
the weather to come if you watch them careful
ly. A leech in glass jar of water, with a piece
of linen tied over the top, is as good barometer
as any that you can buy. If the weather is going
to be fine, the leech lies quietly at the bottom OF
the glass, rolled up tightly, and in winter does
the same thing before a spell of frost
When rain or snow is coming, the little crea-
turc rises to the top and remains there. Before
wind the leech is constantly on the move, swim
ming rapidly up and down, and for at least
twenty-four hours before thunder does the same
thing only moving in sharp jerks, and showing
plainly discomfort and uneasness
Waterfowl have some mysterious sense which
warns them of coming gale, even though there
are no signs of it in the sky any fall of the
barometer. They always become more active and
noisy at least twenty-four hours before the
change. Swallows flying low and the screaming
of peacocks are signs OF rain.
Sheep, again, are good weather prophets. They
always appear more hungry before rain and eat
greedily. The more rain there is going to be the
less willingly do they leave their pasture.
Among insects, ants are the best weather pro-
phets Watch them carefully, and they will
warn you of heavy rain at least two days before
it comes It is no use to watch the individual
ant; you must observe the nest, and particularly
a nest of the little red ants. Long before a
heavy rain they begin shifting their eggs into
the upper galleries of their nest
Among common plants are to be found some
excellent weather guides-the chickweed for in
stance. When its flowers expand freely there
will be no rain but the least moisture in the air
causes the petals to close together.
The pimperne has similar habit, and this is
so we'll known that the plant has gained the
name of the poor mans weatherglass."
The barometer tells you nothing of the amount
of moisture in the air, yet to know this is
most important part of weather forecasting
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

She discovered that lack of money had gen
orally more to do with such desertions than
disagreement. The who has established
business for instance, very rarely 'abandons it,
however harassed he may be by his wife.
Mcthers-naw are not often the cause of
dissension between man and wife might be
supposed In only 20 of the 574 cases inquired
into had the wife's mother joined the family
circle.
Of the 574 deserted wives lily 20 were child
less, lob had one child, 154 had two children,
and 125 mad three. The bigger the family the
smaller is the likelihood that the father will
desert it. OF the 574 runaway husbands only
two had eleven children.
The majority of desertions occur between the
third and fifth years of married life. A couple
who live together for five years are probably
proof, therefore, against all temptations to part
Intemperance in wives drove 43 of the 574
husbands from home. One left because his
wife spoke slowly that she made him nerv-
ous One hundred disappeared just before or
just after the birth of child.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
BY Phoebe Forrest

| Get of the line yourself" said Rutherford
I'm trying to talk to party, and I'm already
| connected"
At that moment feminine voice broke in.
"Hellol who is thisY
''Is that you, Eva?" asked Rutherford.
eyes"
well, this is Sam Rutherford. I Just thought
I'd call you up and let you know that I'd sold
out my thousand shares of w. r. r."
"Oh, did you? I'm so glad"
"I don't think there ought to be any danger
now, as far as that is concerned, do you?"
"Im sure there isn't"
"Well, I'll see you tonight, about half.past six"
"All right. And don't be late, because papa
does so hate it when meals are not served on
time"
IL won't be late. Goodbye"
He rung off, and with nod to Rivers, he
left the office. He was seized with a TREMBLING
as be caught sight of the elevator, and almost
ran past it. He went back TO his office and
stayed there for while, but as there was not
much business he soon left. On the street he
met friend, who invited him to 90 and have
some lunch. When lunch was over he made
some excuse to his friend, who, to tell the truth
had. found him rather dull company, and went
back to Rivers office again. This time he kept
his eyes steadily away from the elevator, and
heaved a sigh of relief when he knew that he
could no longer see it,
As he entered the office, Rivers called out
Say Rutherford you ought to be glad that you
got out of w. r. R."
"Why?"
Because since you left it has broken five
points"
How did that happen~
Nobody knows just exactly, but there is a
rumor to the effect that one of the members OF
pool was discovered by the other members to
be quietly liquidating his share, and as result
OF this discovery they all lost confidence and
threw their entire holding upon the market"
Rutherford cleared his throat. 'How did thew
find it out?"
BY means of crossed wire. And the worst
Of it is that w. R. R. has pulled the rest of the
market down with it."
The entire market broke?'
"The entire market"
There was silence for SO long that Rivers turn
ed away to speak to somebody else. Almost i'm
medately he turned back to Rutherford. how
ever for the latter suddenly broke into strange.
bood-curdling laughter.
"They think they've got me, do thew" he
cried I'll show them. They may be danger
GUS contrivances, but they shan't get the better
OF me. I've evaded them for two years. but
they needn't think they can get me now by get
ting me into the kind of a mess was in
in Pittsburg. I'll show theml" And laughing
deaiL' ne rushed ouC before anyone OF the terror
stricken men present dared to touch him.
Eva waited in vain for him that night He
wandered about the streets mutterinp to him
self, until, finally, morning, policeman
noticed his peculiar behavior and arrested him.
At the station house he was unable to rive his
name, but told the sergeant that on account ~
his having caused break in the market the
day before, and account of similar affair in
Pittsburg, he was being shadowed by the ele-
vators in one OF the large office buildings
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

T1UTHERF0RD stepped out OF the eleva-
~ tor. and with muttered imprecation
against all such useless senseless, dan.
esSSyI gerous contrivances, he passed on out
into the street. He had always de
tested elevators. and ever since his fancee s
brother had fallen down the shaft of one two
weeks before and broken his leg, Rutherford
dislike had grown into positive aversion lie
mentally promised himself now that this would
be the last time he would ever enter an eleva-
tor.
He was still muttering TO himself when the
occupant of a coupe, looking out the window,
caught sight Of him, and ordered her coachman
to stop He did not notice either the car
riage or her, so she leaned forward. calling out
to him, Hello, Sam, aren't you going to speak
to me this morning.?
He started nervously and looked up. She
laughed as if something pleased her immensely
when she saw the surprised expression on his
face.
"What are you doing out so early?' he asked,
resting his arms on the window ledge
ooh, I Just thought I'd get some shopping
done. Besides, it's not early; it's after ten
o'clock. What are you going to do SamY,
Nothing special Business is rather dull now,
you know"
Business is always dull with you" she said,
discontentedly "If you didn't spend much
time in brokers' Offices you might have more
business"
"If you're going to be dsagreeabe, Eva, 1
guess I'll move on"
"Oh, no, I'm in perfectly good humor," she
cried hastily "You can't run away, you know,
because you've got to get in and go for little
drive with me-"
"Do I? WELL it's going to be a very little
one, because at eleven o'clock I've got to see
Rivers"
Rutherford got in, and Eva ordered the coach
man to drive on.
"What do you have to see Rivers about, SAM"
"Oh, nothing much"
care you risking your money again in the
stock market"'
"What do you want to know for?"
"Dont you think I've got right to know?'
"Well maybe you have. It's pool in w. R.
R."
"a pool? What's that?"
"Why, each man agrees to buy so many shares
of the stock, and not to sell out until the rest
do"
"Oh, I see. But I've heard papa say that W.
R. R. wasn't any good, that 1T was-dead-yes,
that's the word"
"Well, it may have been dead up until ten
o'clock this morning, but, don't you see, when
there's call for ten thousand shares, it's bound
to 90 up"
"Well, perhaps it is; I don't know anything
about it. All know is that you have been
fully reckless lately, and that you losing
money all the time. If you would pay at
tention to your business now"
"There you are, on the same track again." in
terrupted Rutherford Cant you find anything
else to talk about?"
"If can't, I don't see how you can blame
me, Sam. We have been engaged for over
year now, and instead of yo- trying to save any
money you speculate with it. and lose it. If
you really cared about me- her voice broke
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
Romantic Offer Of Marriage

oeing that marriage should be arranged be,
tween my nephew and Miss Victoria. Should
this marriage be arranged | am willing to settle
the sum of f25,000 twenty-five thousand
pounds on Miss Victoria
IT you will communicate with the lady put
ting this proposition before her 1 shall be
obliged.
"Yours faithfully,
P. S-Contingent upon the lady in question
accepting this offer it would be necessary for
her TO give up the stage a profession"
In reference to his unique proposition
Miss Victoria said 81 haves$ritten at once
TO say that | cannot consider the offer, though
1 m sure IN sorry to hurt anybody's feelings,
more especially those OF gentleman / have
never met.
Il regard this offer a very great compli-
ment indeed, but l cannot arrange the meeting
these gentlemen desire.
In any event the postscript would have pre-
vented this suggested marriage, for | could not
possibly agree to leave the stage. l love my
work too much, and | have to go to America
early next year. With a womanly last
thought for the unhappy rejected lover, she
added paintlvely, you don't think he will
mind SO very much, do your
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

most fehniney illogical, but it seemed to carry
weight with Rutherford.
by Jihg' he exclaimed, 81 believe you're
right Why didn't think of that before? What
shall do? Look here, Eva, they mustn't catch
mel"
They won't" she replied, soothingly, eff you
will do as I advise you"
''Tl do anything you say, but you must get
me away from them" As he spoke, his voice
was almost a wall
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

at him, thought seemed to occur to her. ana
look of cunning, quickly suppressed, crossed
her face
"Sam," she said, in order to get his attention.
"Well?" he asked with stSrt. ''What is it?'
you've been losing money lately, haven't
you?"
"Yes Why"
"DA it ever occur to you that they might
try to have their vengeance in some underhand
way?"
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

"In some underhsnd way9 What do you
mean"
Just this. You have been losing money late
ly, and they might be at the bottom of it. They
may have tracked you by your operations in the
market, and by means of conspiracies- -and--and
things" she hesitated for word-"they may
have caused your losses" Her argument was
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

day they will catch me- il I'm not careful No,
they won't, either" he added the next mo.
ment. I'll be too smart for them. I've man-
aged to elude them so far, and / guess I can
keep on euding them"
For moment there was an expression in his
eyes that made his companion tremble. As IL
died out, however, and she continued to look
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
Charge Refuted

"she says she's just twenty five"
''Yes; she told me that four years ago"
"And yet some people say that women are in
,onstantl"
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
A cannibal Trout

trout picked up in a Devonshire stream
was found to have swallowed large eel which
in turn hal endeavored to eat a large stiekel-
back without success. The result was that the
three were choked.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

This is a very pretty frame, two-story dwell
ing with oval arrangement of rooms. Story
heights First hoor 8 feet 6 inches; second floor,
o feet.
Stone foundation and cellar under the whole
part Of the house, feet deep. First floor con.
tains vestibule, reception hall, parlor or living
room, a very convenient dining room with large
fireplace, pantry and kitchen.
Second floor contains four medium-sized bed
rooms, all having plenty of closet space and
bath room.
The smaller one of the front bed rooms
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
Problems of Aeronauting

HE recent popularity of aeronautics
has given rise to a number of odd
questions which are likely to pre-
sent themselves or have arisen al
ready, concerning the status and liza.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

and the room on the first floor could be made
larger
A rear stairs could be provided also at a small
extra cost.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
Why Husbands Run Away

LADY who has made deep study Of
the problems of home life investigat
ed 574 cases of wife desertion with
the object of finding out what led to
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
Reasoning in Plants

[ seems almost Incredible that we
should be called upon to give plant
the power of reasoning, but what else
is it which impels vegetable growth
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19

ESTvNT T is not every young lady who has the
L&l chance to refuse a husband and a
pSssssoq settled fortune of S125, 1000, but Miss
s@2:sSg+s%:1J Vesta Victoria, the popular English
music-hall artist, whose ''Dadda
wouldn't buy her bow-wow" has just done So.
Miss Victoria has received the following letter
from two wellknown solicitors:
Dear Madam:
"A client of mine has forwarded me a letter.
a copy of Which | incose.
81 am not at liberty to disclose the name, un
less you are prepared to favorably consider the
proposal
''Will you kindly let me hear from you. at
your convenience?
81 am, dear Madam,
Yours faithfully,
"F. A. G. HAYNES.
Miss Vesta Victoria"
lnclosed Is the following romantic epistle:
"Gentlemen-tor some considerable time
have been a great adnrer of Miss Vesta Vic
toria, and find that my nephew, who, as you
are aware, is my heir, has had the same regard
for her himself He has never yet met her,
but is anxious to do so.
81 am perfectly willing that this meeting
should be brought about, the ultimate object
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
Better Than the Barometer

} instrument is more unreliable to the
ordinary observer than the barometer.
The terms Stormy" "set fair, ," Every
dry" are utterly misleading. The
Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
A story

RUTHERFORD stepped out Of the eleva-
tor, and with muttered imprecation
=. against all such useless, senseless, dan
III gerous contrivances, he passed on out
;n4o tbo street He had always de-