davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-23

eyes; hand it here, will you?" was the
reply.
Vance was over-anxious to regain it, and
the circumstances set Burt to thinking
The bicycle was not a present, then. The
letter. didn't speak very much for Vance's
veraclty; but what was little matter like
that to boy as Indifferent to truth as he
was known to be?
Yet why had he said the wheel was a
present? and why didn't he want his friends
to know he was sending off this money?
Where had ne got such an amount? Also,
why the undue. excitement over the loss OF
his clumsily-written letter?
Il ., warn you, to hand me that letter al
to dicker with theft adding, mockingly,
II suppose you haven't found the person
Nettleville postoffce?"
Burt Mcbride started, and looked Vance
straight in the face.
"Yes, I have this moment found him." he
| said, his tone calm and decisive.
| Squire Todd's shrewd little scheme had
proved success. The amount stolen from
the postoffice they had kept close secret
between themselves, giving to the public
only the bare statement that robbery had
Now here was Cephas Vance, boy whose
reputation was not of the best, naming with
out hesitation the exact amount that was
| missing!
Squire Todd, in his instructions to Burt,
had laid this very clever little snare, and not
only had Vance fallen into it, but there were
other things, suggested by the letter, which
were of a suspicious nature, and served to
implicate the young bicycist.
Despite his efforts at self-control, Vance
was, perceptibly alarmed at this unmistaka-
BILE accusation. He seemed to suddenly real
ize the trap which the unlucky question had
got him into and his face banched
Suddenly he leaped forward and snatched
the letter from McBride's hand, and then
turned quickly and leaped on the saddle OF
his bicycle.
Just at that moment the letter seemed very
valuable to Burt, as corroborative evidence
against his enemy. He resolved to hold it
"Here- mot so fast!" he exclaimed, spring.
think. Hold on, / say!"
But Vance did not hold on He had land.
ed squarely on his wheel with the clever
ness of an expert, and he started it to run.
ming without the loss of an instant
He sent defiant epithet over his shoulder
as he was swiftly carried out of reach.
"It's my letter." he cried. "No city crook
can cheat me-"
Burt's temper now had a very violent and
thorough uprising
Wasting no time in words, he faced about
and made flying leap to the back of his
pony; and, at the word, away the little ami
NAL dashed in pursuit.
Clearly it was to be a desperate race be.
tween pony and bicycle.
Vance found himself going in an opposite
direction from his intended destination In
his hasty parting from his enemy he had not
town, and so he went spinning along the
road toward Nettieville.. Fear-stricken, he
sent the glistening wheel ahead at a speed
he had never attained before.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-23

Burt was nearly a hundred yards in the
rear.
Leaning forward over the pony's mane
Burt spoke sharply into his ears, and he sped
forward as if eager as his master for the
letter in dispute
The letter was clutched in Vances right
hand over the handle of the bicycle. If it
had been his head that was in danger, it
could not have been more precious to him
than was that letter then.
When the village was reached, the pony,
blowing hard, had gained some, but his vic
tory was by no means won.
Picture, if you can, the amazement of those
quiet villagers at the sight of this unique
contest between wheel and horse. What did
it mean? What was Nettleville, the sleepy
town OF the old Somerset Hills, coming to?
Such commotlon as the novel spectacle Gre
ated was unknown in the annals of the
place.
Vance, weary from his exertions, was now
almost dazed with the situation.
He was darting along through the very
heart of the town, with the men, women and
children rushing out of the houses on either
side. in the greatest CONSERVATION, and the
doubt as as to to his best course still befogging his
seen stone and the rider was shot upward
into the ar. He turned somersault and
fell into the dust with stunning violence.
In moment the pony was reined up along
side the prostrate form and the wrecked
bicycle, and the pursuer sprang to the
| ground.
Immediately a wild-eyed and inquisitve
crowd gathered around the two youths. and
Squire Todd and Constable Hendricks push
ed their. way forward and faced Burt, from
whom they demanded an explanation of the
| unprecedented affair
The unconscious wheelman still clasped the
letter, and it was removed from his fingers
| by the constable, who also searched his
pockets for the money, which, it was clear
from the size of the amount, had not come
into his possession honestly
Afterward, when the notes were counted, it
was known that they aggregated fifty-6ve
dollars.
Cephas was taken in charge and cared for
by his parents, who. honest people enough,
admitted that the boy was not, to the best
of their knowledge the legitimate possessor of
such sum of money.
The youth was not seriously hurt, and
when, on the following day, he was able to
sit up in bed, he made full confession of
the postoffce crime.
He had coveted the bicycle, he said, evev
since he had learned to ride it while a guesN
of his cousin, and giving over the idea of
ever honestly acquiring fifty dollars, the
price his cousin asked for the wheel, he had
at last yielded to temptation and burglarized
the postof6ce.
church, stated to Mr.. Vance that ten dollars
the amount of the reward due Burt Mcbride
would settle the matter, in consideration of
Cephas' youth and repentance and the sum
| was promptly paid and was received, though
with protest, by Burt.
The latter resumed his place in the post
office next day, and every one who came for
mail bowed and smiled at him.
| After his recovery. Cephas became better
boy than he was Of yore, and in course of
| time he and Burt became very good friends.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-23

he be suspended from his position.
The squire was sharp, old fellow IN many
respects, and he charged Burt to maintain
the strictest silence about certain particulars
of the robbery, for reasons which the boy un-
derstood.
Squire Todd had offered ten dollars reward
for the conviction of the thief and, as Burt
passed, many looked at him as though really
regretful of their inability to furnish the
necessary link of proof.
On the succeeding day, it appeared that
Nettlevlle was destined to have an epidemic
Of sensations. A wildcat came out, of the
Jack Crimp's chickens, and Cephas Vance
received from his cousin in Washington a
bright, silver mounted bicycle, which he said
was present.
had ever been seen in Nettleville, and it ex-
cited no end of curiosity and interest.
| Cephas had learned to ride the wheel when
on visit to his cousin the preceding year,
lage on his new possession, he was the sub.
ject of universal comment, the wonder OF
the old folks and the envy of the young.
Burt Mcbride had lithe-limbedl, dapplle-
in as Vance did in his bicycle He was fond
| of riding the animal about of mornings, and
on these. trips he frequently met Cephas on
his bicycle.
One morning Burt was riding nearly two
| miles east of Nettlevile, on what was known
as the Raytown road, for the reason that it
led through the hills to the little city of Ray
kown, twelve miles distant from Nettle-
vile, when Cephas was met riding rapidly
eastward. AS usual, the two passed each
other in curt silence, and Burt rode leisurely
on toward Nettleville.
Presently glancing down, he sighted let
ter in-the road, the envelope clean and un-
torn and unstamped. He dismounted and ex-
amined it. 1t was addressed to "Mr. Frank
Collier. No. - F. street, Washington, d. c.
As it was unsealed, he opened it in order
to discover the name of the writer, but the
only signature was the initial letter "C.'
Then out of curiosity to know the author
of the letter, he allowed his eyes to follow
the lines from the beginning. This is what
he read
right and it is a daisy. I've had the money
for you ever since it came, but delayed send
ing because Nettleville is not money order
Office and | must, 60 to Raytown to gel
a money order, and l wanted to get used tc
the wheef-so the trip wouldn't tire me out
Besides, 1 told every. one that the whee
know was sending off this money. IncloseC
is the money, fifty dollars, and the bicycle
is well worth it."
Burt had scarcely finished reading when
, looking up the road, he saw Vance COMING
toward him on the wheel at full speed.
He remained quietly standing by the side
of his pony, and was not a little amused al
the excited manner in which Cephas dashed
up and demanded the letter. The young
wheelman dismounted and advanced toward
Mcbride with extended hand.
The delivery of the lost4and found missive
was deferred while the letter sheet was fold
ed and restored to the envelope, and ther
''This is your letter. is it?"
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-23

tS2&ahaS they were so nearly correct that
the Nettlevillians could not find 1t
in their hearts, to dispute the assertion.
Indeed, Nettleville was the quetest place
within score of miles of the old Somerset
hills. The four hundred people who called
it home were far removed from the stir
and commotion of the great world around
them as though each and every one were
confirmed hermit.
In view of this chronic state Of drowsi-
ness, it may easily be imagined what an ex-
citement was occasioned by the discovery, one
SUMMER morning, that the Nettleville post;
occurred during the preceding night, and the
thief had operated so skillfully that Constable
ODE Hendricks was quite unable to find
trace that would lead to his apprehension or
Identification.
1t so happened that this robbery followed
directly on the heels of the advent into the
village Of family concerning whom the
Nettleyillians knew practically nothing. They
bore the name of Mcbride, and came from
large city.
These two facts were about the sum total
of their. personal history so far as known
by the usually well-informed public of Nettle-
vile.
Mrs. Mcbride was widow, and there were
three children. The oldest was boy of six
teeen. named Burt. He was rather slight of
figure, and looked like hard-working stu
Vance. one of the village youth, remarked,
in describing him to number of his fell
lows.
Later, when Burt Mcbride threw the dis
agreeable young Nettlevillian over SQUIRE
Todd's oak picket fence for stopping him to
ask impudent and insulting questions Vance
estimation of his physical ability underwent
very material change.
It seems that Mr.. Mcbride, who was long
since dead was a boyhood friend of Squire
Todd who was postmaster as well as Justice
Of the peace, and on the strength Of this
former intimacy, Burt had secured the posi-
ton of assistant in the postoffce. The fact
that the robbery occurred no later than four
days after he began his duties was decidedly
suspicious.
Burt was very soon suspected, and, indeed
not without some reason, as he himself could
but admit There had not been a robbery In
the town for years until he, a stranger came:
and the funds taken were those to which he
alone, besides the postmaster, had access
True, the window and the lock were broken
but might not this have been done to mis-
lead suspicion?
The circumstances were discussed by every
one, and the simple-minded citizens were
soon regarding the McBrides as deep-dyed
villains, and Burt's guilt as assured.
However, Constable Hendricks could not
collect sufficient evidence against him to jus
tify his arrest.
Squire Todd questioned the boy closely
and investigated the matter in other ways
but nothing that confirmed the suspicion was
obtained. On the contrary the squire began
to think that the boy might possibly be inno-
cent. STILL public sentiment demanded that
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-23
Copyright by James Elverson.)

:!s. !? !: a4a s.:s: s@;$4 @ st. Sc 81 5::'a 81
EEN5EgA| ferred to the place as dead; and
SR&&g they were so nearly correct that
The Nettleyillians could not find it
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-04-03
VI I.

A writer in a monthly magazine
says it is not painful to starve to
death. This should be cheering to
the boarding house and restaurant
crowds.
CATER Hartman, who?' some
body asks. Oh, everybody but the
police.
"Only my body has been in jail,
says former Senator Burton. Well
we can be thankful for that
"The D0ndon papers say the
woman suffrage bill was talked to
death" said Mrs. Smithers.
Is that possible?" retOred
Smithers. "A case of suicide!"
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-04-03
FROM HOUSEMAID TO LADY.

wealthy English lord has paid $125O00 for pic
ture in order that he mis- ht destroy it.
The rich man is Lord Aberdae of Duffryn The pic
ture that of Miss Camille Clifford, former American
chorus girl and servant the daughter of Lord
Aberdale.
The painting, which was by celebrated artist, showed
Miss Clifford posed housemaid. Her sleeves
rolled to her elbows She carried slop pail It the
picture of handsome, rosy healthy American girl.
When Aberale learned of his son S marriage he also
learned about the picture He vowed he would buy it and
destroy it and make his beautiful daughter-in-law a
leader of society in England He spent fortune to find
the picture. He bought it and burned it.
And that's pity
1t is loss to the world when thing of beauty that
might be JOY forever is destroyed The painting is de
scribed thing of beauty.
Besides, it is loss to the house of ufryn which
ashamed of the picture. 1t would have been worth while
to hang the speaking portrait of the young wife, posed
servant girl beside the stiff pictures of the ancestors
of Aberdae
The picture thus placed would have been reminder
that side of the house at least there honest
blood.
The English arstocracy badly needs the infusion Of
healthy normal blood and the picture would have
been proof that the later descedants of Duffryn
sprung from honest healthy, independent, vire Amer-
stock.
Lord Aberdae's grandchildren are to be congmtu-
lated.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-04-03

bell the trailing badge of bereave-
ment hung down. The front win
dow shutters We're tightly folded.
No sound came from within, for
doubtless the family had gathered
in the kitchen as the only place in
which their whispers did not seem
disrespectful to the dead. The boy
had wandered away to sob out his
sorrow alone.
The Girl dropped down by the
side of the little fellow, the joyous
happiness gone from her lovely
face. She put her arm caressingly
about him and her young fair head
stopped down over the childish one.
She looked pleadingly up to the
Man, hoping that some word of
comfort would come from him to
the boy. He sadly shook his head.
The sobs of the child went on.
The sky seemed all at once to lose
its blueness, and the south wind
grew chill The Girl sat a moment
silent beside the child. then she
leaned over and kissed his tear
stained face.
Take me home" she said. as she
arose. Il was mistaken. The
whole world is sad"
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-04-03
A CANADIAN OBJECT LESSON

In 1903 the street railway sys-
tenn of Toronto, Canada, was cap
italized at only $G000,0O0 stock and
$3,O00,000 bonds. although the com
pany was operating SO miles of rail
way in the city limits. BY the terms
of its contract with the city the
company sells 10 tickets for Is
cents to school children. For use
during morning and evening hours,
when people are going to their
work or coming home, tickets are
sod at the rate of for rs cents
Tickets good at all times are sold
at the rate of for 25 cents, or %
for 81. At the same time the COM
pany pays the city $500 annually
for each miles of single tracks. ait
also a percentage OF gross receipts
on sliding scale, STARTING at 8 Der
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-04-03
MONTH OF MOURNING

More deaths occurred in this city
last month than in any previous
month, there being 40. A year ago
there were but SO. This month
there were 11S births. which is
heavy, but not the record, that be-
ing 1872. There We're IS deaths
from pneumonia. Last year there
were no deaths from spinal men
nights, but this month 5 OCCURRED
No case of the latter disease has
been reported for several days.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-04-03
CAN'T SHAKE DICE

The dice box has been relocated
to the limboes with the once no.
torious slot machine in Tacoma.
Prosecutor Rowland issued orders
to the saloon and cigar store men
to put the little gambling device
on the shelf and keep it there.
Shaking dice for cigars or drinks
is favorite pastime in practically
every saloon and at every cigar
stand in the city. 1t is the way
many young. men get started to
gambling.
Keeping place where the opera
ton of the dice box is permitted is
a violation of the state gambling
law and felony under the statute
The prosecutor declares he will en-
force the law. Unless proprietors
want to run the risk of a term in
the penitentiary they will keep the
dice box out of sight.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-04-03
HOTEL FIRE PANIC

NEW YORK, April 3.-Guests Of
the Hotel Saranac, l of the most
fashionable on upper Broadway,
were thrown into a panic by fire
on the seventh floor. Men and
women climbed down fire escapes
and damned stairs and corridors in
an effort to escape. Ambulances
and police reserves were called to
care for injured
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-04-03
HOLDS S. p. RESPONSIBLE

SAN FRANCISCO, April s. Re
sponsibility for the Cotton wreck in
which % persons were killed is laid
on the Southern Pacific and its en-
ployes by the coroner's jury. A
switching foreman is declared
guilty of criminal negligence and
the engineer of the passenger train
censured for running too fact.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-04-03

cent and rising to 30 per cent on
all receipts over S3,000,000 year.
Moreover, the company is boun |
to lay rails on such streels and
run cars in such number rs the city
authorities may direct. Aud yet
the company's stocks and bonds ale
gilt edged securities, making regu,
lar returns to their holders.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-05

tGan tinuaa on Second Page.)
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-05
FORCED TO DISARM
TIC. ENTER CAPITOL
Only Allowed Admission by Po-
lice as Private Citizens, Not
sIOrganized Body. II

& WASHINGTON, D., G.. June 4,-one
hundred armed Confederate veterans
from Tennessee, carrying the Stars,
and Bars, were to-day denied admis-
sion to tho United States Capitol until
after they had lowered their flag and
disarmed, The old soldiers came to
Washington from tho Richmond re-
union, and after Visiting the White
House, marched down Pennsylvania
Avenue to tho Capitol. The Capitol
police Informed them that they would
lie allowed admission to the Capitol
only as private cltl2ens, and not as
an organized body, Congressman John
Wesley Gaines, Of Tennessee, who nc-
compancd ths veterans, entered pro-
test, Tho police insisted that the vet
Grams must break ranks and disarm
before entering tho building. FINALLY
this was done, and the old soldiers
we're shown through tho CAPITOL.
E The allegation was COMPOSED OF com7
spany A,8of Memphis, Tenn; Company
Bland Cavalry Troop i, OF Nashyllle
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-05
PISTOL DUEL WITH
BURGLAR n \ DARK.
O. H. Winters Has Ex-
citing Experience in Room
at Midnight.
SEVERAL, !, SHOTS WERE FIRED.
Intruder Yelled, but Kept On
Running Musician Not
Struck.

A midnight pistol duel between Pro-
fessor o. Haywood Winters, widely
known vocal tea cher, of Richmond, and
a burglar lie discovered In his rooms
stirred fashionable residential section
OF the city to great excitement, and
though resulting in no injury to the
musician, attracted a considerable
crowd Of people. who spent some time
early this morning in vain search for
the mnrauders.
Professor Winters lives at No. 207
East Franklin Street, occupying two
large parlors on the first, floor. The
rear room, in which he sleeps. opens
on a porch through glass door. En-
tcring this room last night about 1880
O'Clock Professor Winters began to dis.
robe in the dark, but had barely started
when he heard noise at the glass
door Thinking it was some other per
son in the house passing across the
back porch he paid little attention to
the disturbance a few seconds later
the noise was repeated, the door open
ed and man stood in the room. AS
Professor Winters called to him the
intruder flashed dark lantern and
aa1 7 Z. y
fired.
On Sunday last. Professor Winters
says, the rooms were ransacked, and
since that time the music teacher hns
kept his revolver near at hand through.
out tho night AS soon as the burglar
fired Professor Winters blazcd back a,
him and then followed In the dark &
lively pistol duel. About seven shots
were fired In all. One or two passed
ipt koo n b,,,
he was not struck; the first shot from
him brought forth a yell of pain from
the burglar, but the man kept on run-
ming and apparently was not seriously
hurt.
After lively chase around the base
ment and tho rear OF the house, Profes
sor Winters gave up the pursuit. Hc
said last night that the intruder wa!
unqucstlonnbly n white man. a thor
o,lgh inspection of the place by the po
lice failed to discover any further trace
OF him.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-05
GRAY VETS, ARMED,
MARCH IN CAPITOL
Unusual Spectacle Of Confeder-
atcs With Muskets Witnessed
in Washington.
RECEIVED BY PRESIDENT. /
Great Warmth and Cordially
Shown-Invitcd to Speak in
Nashville.
ny WAITER EDWARD HARRIS.

BY WALTER EDWARD HARRIS.
WASHINGTON. D.. c., June "A de-
tachment Of armed Confederates cap
tured the United States capital to-day.
and then swooped down on the White
House and made President Roosevelt
a prisoner. A troop Of Tennessee cav
airy and two companies Of infantry
from tho Volunteer State came direct
~ from the capital Of the Confedcrr
acy this morning and achieved the
exploits mentioned.
The detachment was composed Of
Companies "A and b. of Memphis and
Nashville and Troop A, OF Nashville.
A large delegation OF Tennesseeans
resident in Washington were at the
sta tion to meet the veterans, and as
the visitors. clad in uniforms the fac
SMILES Of those which they wore when
they surrendered, and bearing the guns
of war-times, marched out to the ave-
nue., they We're loudly cheered. The
veterans ma rctled down the avenue tn
the Capitol and spent some time in
the great building, which was the OBJ
ject of years Of their striving, their
marching and lighting and starving
back In the sixties.
The column was then reformed and
marched to the, White House. The
Stars and Stripes were carried at the
head Of the procession. but the bo-
loved battle-torn Stars and Bars. close
ly furled, were also carried.
President Roosevelt received the vet
Grams with the utmost cordiality. He
insisted on shaking hands with encl
anpa ~ than and = his troHDOnSe to q
little address delivered by Hamilton
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-05
FOREIGN OFFICERS
. GIVEN A WELCOME
Those OF Ships Now in Hampton
Roads Guests OF the
President.

ii sWASH1NGTON. ID, c., June 4.---Pres-
ilent Roosevelt entertained at lunch,
con to-day in honAr of the principal
officers of tho French and Dutch ships
iEow at Hampton Roads, who are ~
Washington as tho guests Of the GOV
ernment. The guests included NJ. JOS :
3sernnd. the French ambassador; Ad-
miral Thlerry, chlN of staff; Command +
or preaubert, Secretary Root. Secre-
.taryt Metcnlf, Mr.. Van swinderen,, the
mnister from tho N.etherlanas; Cap;
iSrownson and Commander Key. n
Earlier IN the day the PRESIDENT re-
cceived the officers OF the ships and
the diplomatic representatives Of their
respective countries. On both ooca :
jslons theFHlslting officers we're attired
in the full uniforms Of their rank,
After leaving the White House the Wis
istorrs nr,oceeded TO the Navy Depart
sscretany e Meteaif, AsslHtant @ e9re saeretars
NeWberry Il and Rear Admiral BroWn-
sou, chief of tho Bureau of Nay ton.
They next made q special cal an ADJ
tMlral Dewey, es$ n; W Az Il ili