davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Watson's weekly Jeffersonian., 1907-06-06


After several revivals | supposed until
recently that | had heard the last of
it, but now gentleman named Du Ma
urier, whom | never harmed in my life,
revives it in 'Trilby.'"
BY the way, although DR.. English
did not tell this, nor much else that
might be considered flattering to him
about the history of Ben Bolt" Mr..
Du Maurier was not the first novelist
to make the song theme in fiction
In London, in 1877 a novel was pub
lished in which the singing of Ben
Bolt was the incident which brought
about the happy climax Of the story,
the reconciliation of the lovers
When | first went to congress, four
vars ago." the doctor went on when
the Friars demanded more ben Bolt"
Il was duly reported in the papers as
the author Of that song, and it brought
me many curious interviews. One
member introduced me to his wife
whose three Christian names were AL
ice Ben Bolt another assured me he
had been lulled to sleep in his cradle
by his mother singing Ben Bolt and
a third informed me when he intro
duced me to his wife that it was her
singing Of Ben Bolt that won his
proposal of marriage. I am sorry for
it, | nswered-'That l wrote it, 1
added, for | seemed to be misunder-
stood"
in IL IL
yet general, something had been said
about the great profits of modern play
Wrights, and Augustus Thomas, of cal
ALBANIA" fame, had been alluded to.
Profits were smaller but production
was larger in the forties and fifties
than with you, young gentlemen" said
the doctor, turning to Mr.. Thomas
who sat near him. 81 recall being very
we'll satisfied with the receipt of $500
for play | wrote for Burton, and
which had a success Inlet me see,
was it at BurtOn's theatre?"
Chambers street, 1848 to 1856" sug-
gested w. Curtis Gibson.
Thank you; then it was at Palmer's
opera house"
Leonard street, occupied by Mr..
Burton prior to his going to Cham
bers street" Mr.. Gibson said.
THANK you again." said the doctor.
beaming on his venerable Scotch con-
temporary.
Then everybody sang the song and
here are the words
Oh! don't you remember sweet Alice.
Ben Bolt,
Sweet Alice whose hair was so
brown,
Who wept with delight when you
gave her a smile
And trembled with fear at your
frown?
In the old churchyard in the valley.
Ben Bolt,
In corner obscure and alone,
They have fitted a slab of the granite
so gray
And sweet Alice lies under the stone.
Under the hickory tree, Ben Bolt.
Which stood at the foot of the hill,
Together we've lain in the MONDAY
shade,
And listened TO Appleton's mill.
The mill wheel has fallen to pieces,
Ron Rolf
Watson's weekly Jeffersonian., 1907-06-06

me tell about-well, say, about the
pop-gun tariff bills, for you know l
have a short session to serve yet in
congress-"
The Friars laughed him down and
called for Ben Bolt"
We'll" said the doctor, 81 thought
when l wrote
90 And sweet Alice lies under the
stOne.
l had done with her and her possible
sweetheart, Ben Bolt but it appears
not. | wrote those verses in 1843 at
the request of N. P. Willis, who with
George p. Morris, had revived the
New York Mirror as the New Mirror.
Willis asked me for a sea song, and
[ started one. But | stuck Possibly
some of you youngsters may have had
that same experience when you have
set out to write something to order"
The particular ''yOungster" the speaker
happened to be looking at as he said
this was William Dean HOwells. and
if in assurance that even a traveller
from Altruria was sometimes stuck
when SO unaltruistic as to write any
thing to order. Then" the doctor con-
tinued, 81 began on something else.
nearly finished it, patched on piece Of
the unfinished sea song and sent the
thing to Willis, telling him if it didn't
suit not to return it, but burn it. l did
not give it title and signed only
my initials, / thought so little of it.
The editors were pleased with it and
published it with some prominence in
the New Mirror of September 25. 1S43.
But it was not much of sea song"
Don't be too hard on yourself, Doc
tor" remarked Laurence Hutton from
the opposite side of the table. "There
was at least one line of a sea song:
Ben Bolt Of the salt sea gale,
and that out of thirtytwo lines would
be considered pretty good, if not quite
sufficient, from the standards of to-
day."
This from Sir Oliver" responded
the doctor, with bow, lis cOmpensa-
ton for much that | have suffered be-
cause of that song.
well, the lines became popular. 1t
was copied without credit, in the En-
glish papers where it was assumed to
be Of British birth. After l saw it in
print it seemed to me that the song
would go we'll to music, and l spoke
to several composers about it, but they
all answered, 1T won't sing | thought
it would and took the matter into my
own hands by writing some music for
the words myself"
This was the first intimation any one
at the Cloister table had that this doc
tor Of many talents was a musician,
and F'riar Waller, who teaches budding
geniuses how to compose in the con-
servatory, vigorously blew the smoke
away from before him in order to have
a clearer view of the speaker.
"But my music did not become so
popular as that adapted from Ger
man song by young singer and actor
named Wilson Kneass, a son OF a cele-
brated actress of that time He had an
opportunity to appear in a stage pro-
duction if he could furnish a new and
popular song. A fellow player named
Hunt, an Englishman, recited Ben
Watson's weekly Jeffersonian., 1907-06-06
THE STORY OF BEN BOLT,
DR.. Thomas Dunn English, Its Author,
Tells 1t.
(From the New York Sum-

er-and for JerSeyman-I was called
for by Bunner, who insisted upon my
wearing evening dress, and l made
the change much against my will, for
thus appareled | felt as if | were in
a straight jacket. But that is not my
only cause of offense against Bun
ner He has dared here. and public
ly, to allude to that unfortunate early
indiscretiOn of mine, Ben Bolt'''
Then the speaker was compelled to
pause, for the Abbots broke forth
with loud applause.
This was a few evenings ago at
the ClOister club, or "the Cloister,"
as the members prefer to have it
called, and the speaker was DR.. Thorn
as Dunn English, the poet, novelist
dramatist, physician, lawyer and poll
tician. A most interesting figure,
merely to look at, as he stood talking
to his younger fellow craftsmen; but
interesting beyond anything most of
his listeners had ever heard when as
he soon did, he told of people and
events in literature and the drama in
English modestly confesses to seventy
five years, but his friend, Poet Bun
ner, claims five more for him, in spite
Of the records of the University of
Pennsylvania, which put him in the
class of '39. He seldom accepts invi-
tations to dinners nowadays which
call him so far as Clinton place from
his Newark residence, but that must
be only from his love of quiet home
evenings, for the youngest Friar at the
table was no more alert than the doc
tor an hour after such youngsters as
Judge Howland (Yale '54) had gone
home. Allowing him only what he
claims as to years, seventy-fve, Dr.
English is an extremely young look
ing man. Although the white pre-
dominates in his dropping moustache
his fine, strong head is covered with
a mass of dark hair in which is only
a suggestion Of gray, and he speaks
with the robustness of a young orator
And he had only finished a hard con-
gress campaign! Really he looked as
if he were yet on the sunny side of
fifty.
The AbbOts and Friars of the Clois-
ter looked forward with unusual in
terest to the visit of a man of whom
it was published in the American Cy-
clopedia twenty years ago: "He is
the author of more than twenty sue
cessful Dramas" "he is the author of
several novels" he is the author of
'Gallows-Goers,' a rough but vigorous
poem of which hundreds of thousands
of copies were circulated" he is this
and he is that, and has done this and
has done that, and yet who is known
to the world only as the author Of
"Ben Bolt"
1t was that most delightful period in
the dinner hour when the dinner is be-
ing enjoyed-having been eaten-and
the table bears only ash trays and cof-
fee when a comfortable, inviting ST.
lence inspires to monologue after the
rattle Of general talk that Dr. English
rose to talk to the youngsters" as
he called them, of the cloister. Presid-
ing Abbot ]. L. Ford had referred to
Dr. English and II. G. Bunner then
committed the offense with which the
doctor charged him, alluding to Ben
Rolf
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10

knows everybody in the world-bar
no one living.
Nick has only one trouble. he will
paddle after the ponies.
Whenever he makes town where
there's a pool room his expense ac-
count gets fat and beefy. and Nick
begins to worry for fear he may win
something.
He won $12 in Cleveland once and
he spent $21S at a boozeologists that
night getting statistics on how 1t hap
pened.
Tod stone cuts ice for a match fac
tory in Newark and he's the life OF
small party
Tod's main hold is to creep into the
reading room" of Rube hotel after
the chores are done of an evening
and throw salve at the come-ons.
Tod tells them that their town Is
the brightest spot on the map and
they warm up to him and want to buy
him sarsaparilla and root beer.
Then when he gets them stuck on
themselves he sells them matches.
pine the gang to quarters and all
rubber!" said Slim about half an hour
after the train pulled out.
In the seat ahead of us somewhat
demure looking Proposition in rain
bow rags had been sampling the seen
cry ever since we started
We had all given her the glad
glance but she was very much Cold
Storage, SO we passed it up.
AS Slim spoke, the Proposition was
Joined by young chap with a loose
face who had been out in the smoking
room working faithfully on one o.
those pajama panatella cigars thai
bite you on the finger If you show the
least sign of fear.
lust then the train stopped for
few minutes and we were put wise
to the fact that 1t was an incurabl'
case of bride and groom.
"Oh! Boozey is back to hi
Birdie!" said the brand new wife
did Boozey like his smoky woky?'
Boozey opened bunch of grins an'
sat down while wifey patted his cheel
and cooed:
rs ums glad to get back to um
little wifey-pifey?"
STick Dalrymple and Tod Stone be
gan to scream inwardly and Slim wa
chuckling like a pet porpoise.
"sweetie mustn't be angry will
Petite. but Sweetie is sitting on Peue'
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10
MY TREASURE.

At last--at last 1t is mine!
All through the dreary months OF
winter l saved my money to buy 1t,
denying myself luxuries to acquire 1t.
Gradually the sum mounted till !
had the wherewithal to make the
treasure mine. My day-dreams we're
of the way it would make things
smooth for me. BY night dreamed
of its beauties.
Then came the day when | bought
1t. And when | had bought it a sud
den chill fear gripped me. II 1t was
known that humble possessed
such a treasure, everyone would covet
1t. Men would seek to beguile me OF
it by specious lies. Others might en-
deavor to wrest it from me by force.
I must be wary with my treasure.
had it conveyed to my home In
the dead of night locked it in the
room assigned for it, the key kept
in my pocket Often | would gloat
over my treasure in secret.
And now the days are coming when
the whole world will know that / own
it. Messages concerning it will come
from far and near; neighbors will
lean over their walls to make fond
enquiries about it,
Yes, | expect every one will be
wanting to borrow my new lawn
mower.
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10

start in to make a killing every time
they see a pretty girl.
Across the aisle sat two pet can
aries from Plainfleld, New Jersey.
They were members of the Sou
brette Singing society and they were
en- route to the west to join the
Bunch OF Birds Burlesque Com
pany."
Their names were Millie and Tillie
and they wore Florodora hats and did
a sister act that contained more bad
grammar than an East Side pinochle
game.
Millie was fully aware that she
could back Duse off the map, and Til
lie was ready to bet a weeks salary
that she could make Bernhard feel
like she was out in the storm we had
day before yesterday.
Slim called them the Roast-Beef
Sisters, Rare and Well-done.
In a minute the castors on Bucks
neck began to turn.
Slim put us wise with wink so we
lit the fire and began to cook 1t up
Bucks heart was warming for the
birds in the gilded cage.
The real Kibo." said Slim; "its
a plain case Of Appomattox; the war
is over and they are yours, Buckl"
Then Buck bounced over and began
to show Millie and Tillie what hand
some brute he was at close quarters
He sat on the arm of the seat anC
steamed up.
In less than a minute he crowded
the information on them that he wal
a millionaire who had escaped from
Los Angeles. Cal, and he was jus
going to put them both in grand oper'
when his three-year-old toddled dow
the aisle and grabbed him by th
coat tail:
"Papal Mama wants 90 to det m,
bottle Of milkl"
"Stungi" shrieked Slim.
"Back TO the nursery" howle
Tod. and then as Buck crawled ava
to home and mother we let out ye
that caused the conductor to think tn
train had struck a wild west show
During the rest OF the trip Buc
was nailed to his seat
Every time he tried to use the Ella
tic in his neck his wife would bur
. him with a hard, cold glitter.
Copyright lSol. By c. ". DilnaEhA1a @
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10

ahead of them IL you wodld only be
honest with yourself II you would
stop trying to make things that are
wong seem right. If you would only
use little of your granite will and
determination IN pursuance OF things
worth while. instead of following some
phantom success that can't do other
wise than ultimately accomplish your
ruin. And the greater the talent a
man has, the harder it is to forgive
his abuse Of IT,"
Ned laughed a hard little laugh.
Thank heaven, | have some brains.
There doesn't seem much else to con-
gratulate myself over"
In her keen desire to awaken this
man to a realization Of the pitiful
waste he was making Of the great
gifts with which nature had endowed
him Alice Hamilton had arraigned
him with all the severity she could
muster, and she had lost sight Of the
fact, Notwithstanding 1t might all be
true that Ned Wentworth had a sense
Of feeling equally as susceptible as
her own. and the hardest part of the
hurt was the knowledge that she had
given him her own estimate of his
character.
She was not slow to realize this, as
she caught the expression on his face,
and knew that her words had brought
it there. Then she did-just what a
generous-hearted impulsive, flesh and
blood girl would want to do, try to
take back the words her earnestness
had led her into saying.
Don't pay any attention to me
Ned. / did not think 1t would mat
ter quite so much, and what right
nave / to pass judgment on you, any
way. Just forget all those abomina
bic things, will you, and remember
said you were good and kind, anc
that you had ten times as many brains
as half the men with whom we asso
ciate. do know that, and SO does
anyone else who knows you"
In her endeayor to impress upor
him her sincerity, she came close t.
nlm, ana let ueI manu- ANN NP1A A--
shoulder. It was the one action tina
his equilibrium could not coolly with
stand Just then. He drew the cir
to him, almost roughly, and with al
expression she had never before seei
on his face, he said
1T would not matter SO much
Alice, If the things you have told m
were not all true. But they are. Yo
know it. and so do |.
But, Ned, you don't need to kee
on letting them be true, do your
"Well, 1t is a mighty hard task 70
a man to mould himself all over agall
and you are the only person on thl
earth for whom would care to trI
Alice, Girl, if undertake It, Will yo
/. help me?" And the answer was;
Y Med. that is why told you'--D
cause wanted to help YOU
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10

sTs IA Won turn your face 70 see
somoding she snarped, ana
the foam-bullder ducked 10 the WIN
dow and began 70 eat scenery.
Dalrymple was almost out; TOD was
under the seat sparring lor wind;
slim was giving an imitation OF
coalbarge in heavy sea, and me
rest Of the passengers were in various
stages from hiccOughs to convulsions.
rs Boozey comfy wifi his itty weeny
teeny Birdie?" chirped the bride.
"Boozey is so happy viii his izzy-
wizzyl" gurged the husband; "hows
my little girley wirly?'
"Oh! she's such happy wappy
little flngl" giggled the dotty dame'
pinching her piggies ear, whereupon
the brewer tried to hand the bride an
other gasoline gaze, but the old lady
caught him with the goods;
rs i'd to my face you go behind my
back to make googley- -googley eyes
ad somevun-yes?" she growled, and
in a minute the brewers brow was
busy with the window pane.
"Sweetie looks at Petite and Sweetie
sees that Peties petty face is getting
sunburned, so it isl" cuckooed Mrs.
Dafry; "and sweetie has dood mind
to tiss him. tool"
They opened a newspaper, crawled
under cover and began to bite each
ether on the chin.
go as far as you like!" said Slim,
then he went down and out.
The man who had helped to make
Weehawken famous had his head out
the window watching for an ice
wagon, and Mrs. Brewer was indus
triously muttering, "Du bist elm Narr'
Du bist elm Narr!"
Just then the train pulled out and
saved our lives.
Nick, Tod, Slim and went over
near the water-cooler to rest up, and
in minute the three OF them we're
tanning each other with fairy tales
about the goods they sold.
III back these three boys to dream
longer than any other drummers on
the track.
It's pipe that they can sell bills tc
each other all day and never wake
) up.
The Hot Air association was in full
session when Buck Jones caromec
over from the other end Of the car ant
weighedin with us.
Buck is a sweller
He thinks he strikes IL on al
occasions, but his clock is all to the
bad.
Buck isn't a drummer-nay! nay
take back your gold!
He'll look you straight in the ey'
and tell you he's travelling salesman
nix on the drummer!
think Buck sells canned shir
waists for the Shine Brothers.
Bucks wife and a three-year-ol
we're travelling with him, but h
wasn't giving it out through a mega
phone.
Buck is one of those goese-heade
guys who begin to scratch gravel an
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10
Wonderful Iceland.

On trip through Iceland the trav-
efer sees thousands of mountains COW
cred with eternal snow, rivaling the
Alps in grandeur; great geysers and
innumerable hot wells; waterfalls,
one Of which-the Gullfoss-is second
only to Niagara in size and beauty;
crystal streams and lashing rivers;
lava beds Of fantastic figures, covered
with moss that glistens in the sun like
hoar frost. and. as a crowning glory,
the atmosphere is so brilliant that OBJ
jects over 80 miles distant appear
close at hand.
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10

Visitors to Japan are usually I'M
pressed with the many curious uses
to which fans are put The umpire at
wrestling and fencing matches uses a
large fan. the various motions Of which
constitute a language that the COM
batants understand and promptly
heed. Men and children, as we'll as
women. use fans at all times. The
servant has fiat fan. made of rough
paper. to blow the charcoal fires with,
or use as a dustpan. The farmer has
stout fan to winnow his grain. Still
another variety is made Of waterproof
paper. which dipped in water, creates
pleasant coolness by evaporation
without wetting the clothes.
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10
John Henry
Nth the
Drun7n7erS
ny HUGH McHUGH
tCsorss ". HObarO

It was a swift squad Of sports that
climbed into a coach and allowed
themselves to be yanked over the
rails in the direction Of Chicago one
morning last week.
A bunch Of brisk boys-believe me-
Nick Dalrymple, Tod Stone, Slim
Barnes-say! do you remember Slim?
Travels for a clothing house in Gin
cinnati and they call him Slim be-
cause he's so fat that every time he
turns around he meets himself com
ing back.
He's all to the good-that boy Is!
And such a cut-upl
Slim knows more lookout
there's-a-lady-over-therel" stories than
any other drummer in the business.
Nick goes after the gilt things for a
hardware house in Columbus and he
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10
MEAN TRIcK oF COLLECTION.
Unfortunate Debtor Not Even Safe
In Sacred Edlfice.


DR.. Frederick A. Cook, the noted
explorer. was talking in New York
about his idea Of trying to reach the
south Pole with automobiles.
polar exploring in automobiles
seems a very radical innovation. al
most a shocking innovation, doesn't
it?" he said. 1T seems almost as
shocking as the innovation that was
emploved one Sunday night upon
BROOKLYN doctor. The doctor was IN
church. He occupied a front pew.
The church was crowded the preach
or preaching eloquently; perfect 81
lence reigned. But suddenly a man
dashed in at the door. He held up
his hand for the preacher to pause.
Then he cried.
ais DR.. Henry Smith hereT
"With all eyes centered upon him.
DR.. Henry Smith rose slowly IN ms
front seat and turned round.
"What is wanted?' he said. lie
had the grave, weary air Of man
who is almost overburdened with the
RESPONSIBILITIES heaped upon him.
'a'Are you DR.. Henry SmithY
al am
"eWen doctor. am Cache & Cos
new collector When will it be con
venient for you to settle that little
account Of theirs?"
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10

How did the Rockinghams get
their coat of arms? They're not en-
titled to anything of that kind, are
they?"
I should say they we're. Mrs. Rock
ingham and her oldest daughter once
occupied a compartment with a duke
and a duchess all the way from Liv.
erpool to Edinburgh.-Chicago Rec
ord-Herald.
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10
Guile.

Henry" she said disconsolatetly'
you didn't give me birthday gift.
"By Jove, that's So" said Henry.
But, you see, j can't realise that you
ever have birthday anniversaries.
Then she was happy, and he smiled
the mean, subtle smile of a man who
has saved money..Royal Magazine
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10

title hand," said the bride, whereup-
on Tod exploded and Slim began to
grab for his breath
A Dutch brewer and his wife sat
right ahead Of Boozey and Birdie and
every once in while the old hop
puncher would turn around and beam
benignly over the gold rims at the
bride.
"Boozey must snuggy-wuggy up
closer to his Coozie and skeeze her
ftty arm-no, no, not her waist you
naughty naughty"
The brewer was back at the bride
with another gold-rimmed goo-goo
when his wife got nervous and cut
ini
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10
The Reason Why.

Amateur Yachtsman-How does 1t
happen that you have always lived
near the water, yet do not know how
to swim?
Fisherman's Boy-Dont have to
swim. l know how to sail.-Royai
MAGAZINE.
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10
Poorly EXPRESSED.

THAT young lady and the gentle
man at the next table appear to be
getting quite thick"
They're in love with one another,
if you mean that; but they could
never get thick at this boarding
house"
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10
Not That Way.

Have you ever been in Jail be-
fore?" demanded the judge.
mo, your honor, honestly, neverl"
"Of course, you haven't honestly.
Few men get there that way."-Chi-
cago Record-Herald.
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10

How did that successful actress
come to marry her press agentY
HE must have succeeded in con-
vincing her that he meant every word
of what he was writing for publica-
tion.-W Washington Star.
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-08-10

"He is one Of the best men going"
"He never struck me as particu-
larly fine man. In what way is he
among the best men?"
He is in such demand at wedt
dings. Baltimore American.