davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

had fairly prosecuted you and an
noyed you. continually?"
Millicent nodded.
"And didn't you say that he was
conceited, egotistical creature who
thought every girl he knew was in
love with him?"
Millicent nodded and tried to
speak, but her father was not
through.
Didn't you say that you had re-
fused him several times and that you
wished you would never see him
again? Didn't you remark that you
would not wipe your feet on him ?
Wasn't that the very expression you
used? Now answer me clearly, did
you or did you not say these things?"
Millicent met her parents stern
eye and said family: 81 did, but
that was day before yesterday"
Her father snorted. After get
ting me all worked up about it you
slide out that way! 1 wouldn't have
spoken to the fellow If 1 had met
him after what you told me. And l
told you that 1 had always liked
him and had thought that he had
more sense than any of the other
men who come to see you. And you
became quite excited at the bare
mention of his name and succeeded
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
B1ggAggAg

If the half didn't slip out Of my
fingers and roll out into the aisle,
close to the seconu pew in front. I
didn't want to scramble for 1t then.
and figured / could get it at the close
OF the service. So got back and
waited for the box to come along.
dropping in the quarter.
Just as he got to me the deacon
noticed that he was half lap ahead
of the deacon on the other side, and
stopped there to wait. And natu-
rally. while he was waiting, his eve
lit on the half-dollar lying in the
aisle in front of him.
"And what did the old sinner do
but grab for it. look around curl
ously minute and then drop IL
into the box.
Then he added, chuckling again.:
What I'm wondering now is wheth-
er 1 get credit from st. Peter for
giving the whole seventy-five cents
or just the quarter"
"You won't get credit for am of
it," observed his wife. est. Peter'U
check off the credit for the quarter
to cover your wicked feelings when
you saw the half-dollar go, too"
''Thas'd be a mean trick" he re-
sponded, as he reached for his Sun.
day paper.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
zHss&z3M A CHANGE zzzHzzsN

in prejudicing me thoroughly. Now
you right about face with sudden
ness that makes me dizzy. What are
you going to marry him for?"
Because love him." said MILL
cent calmly.
Hear the girl! She loves him!
Was there ever such a situation be-
fore?"
'I can explain ie you will give me
a chance. 1t is perfectly simple.
Yesterday morning his sister was
here and she began to talk about
him, and she said he had told her
about me. And she said she knew it
would make me happy to know that
he wasn't breaking his heart over
my refusal and that he had decided
on reflection that never could have
made him happy anyway. And she
said he felt perfectly friendly to me
and that his other feeling was all
OVERHEAD entirely and completely
vanished.
'I had intended not to go to the
Browns dance last night, because
knew that he'd be there. But l
wasn't going to have him think that
he could fall out Of love with me SO
easily, so l put on my prettiest dress
and went. And l smiled at him in
the sweetest way. and danced with
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

His eyes swept Nora's revolted
| countenance with dumb, desperate
| pleading.
''It's his fault" said Gregory, Civ
ing Edwards nose another punch. II
got that pear for Miss King. I
climbed to the top of the tree for IT.,
I did,"
With a sroan Duncan separated
the fierce combatants. He gazed
helplessly from Edwards bloody nose
to Gregory's tattered waist and trous-
ers, then up to Noras ruined gown.
Words failed him.
He Strengthened the boys out as
best he could, put Marcella between
them and started down the walk be-
fore he spoke. Then he said gently:
"It all depends on how much you
love their father. Do you love me
enough, dear?"
tits not fair to put 1t that way"
said Nora family. "It's not mat
ter of my love for you, just now"
Dear" said the man, true love
sees nothing but its mate AMI to pos
sess that 1t will embrace anything
poverty, disgrace, calamity, even
stepchildren." He smiled with grave
tenderness. eff 1 am your true mate,
dear, nothing in earth or heaven or
hell can keep you from me-"
The girl stood silent few tense
moments; then she held out her
hand.
"Goodby. This parting is worse
than death, but II could never ac-
cept your children, never, never"
Next day Nora returned to her
home. Six months after she had
bade Duncan Leonard farewell, she
wrote to her sister.
IT shall accept Professor Weeden
on his return from Boston next week.
He pleases me intellectually and has
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

disconsolate air.
Didn't you like the sermon?'
asked his wife.
"Oh, the sermon was all right,
guess" said he glumly.
His wife said nothing for a time,
and then with happy inspiration,
asked casually:
How much did you put In the
contribution box today"
There was a pronounced pause
and then the reply came with serious
deliberation.
"Seventy-five cents"
Wasn't that rather liberal?" she
inquired, knowing that he usually
played a quarter limit.
Rather" he answered. Rather
liberal, it struck me. Rather too
liberal"
Then he chuckled and went on
without further urging.
"You see, it was this way. I was
sitting alone in back seat on the
side aisle. When the deacon start
ed down for the contribution 1 felt
for some change and found / had
Just two pieces, a quarter and half.
Somehow 1 felt pretty good natured
and was thinking of putting in the
half instead of the quarter, as usual.
While l was celebrating I'm blessed
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
me if l did, fahver."

me if l did, fahver."
Duncan kissed the baby's face ant
turned his eyes apprehensively OF
| Nora. Even the man, ignorant o.
the details of woman's apparel, saw
plainly that the dress was ruined
The skirt was torn and besmeared
with shoe polish; the waist, whose
dainty fluffiness had caught his ad-
miring re, was irredeemably
stained and misshapen.
Don't look so tragic, dear" he
said with a constrained laugh. cts
Marcella's father who is to blame.
should not have got tie candy"
"He is certainly to blame" said
Nora, in pregnant voice.
Duncan stared. "You don't mean
that you would let little thing lie
that come between us!"
"It's not the Dress" she said
soberly. "It's my annoyance over it
that troubles me. 1 wanted to shake
her. Had I been her mother I think
I should have. And you wouldn't
like that"
az am not afraid to trust them to
your hands, my darling" he said
tenderly. Wont you take them and
me?"
Nora flushed under his loving gaze.
He was so very dear to her-per-
haps-yes, perhaps
But a pear came flying through
the air at this opportune moment, a
big, soft pear, thrown by Edward
with full force, that landed on Nora s
blushing cheek and oozed to her
shoulder.
Duncan turned quickly, but his
boys were already clinched for the
fight. The rolling mass of squirm-
ing legs and arms coming towards
him was not so unusual a sight as to
dismay him-ordinarily. But now!
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
BUILDING THE FENCE -

was, and that she could prepare for
feeling even before they had seen
each other.
She made the first aggressive move.
She had the house repainted. The
deacon had sold his wheat at a low
price and had lost twenty sheep by
foot-rot, and he felt that he couldn't
afford to paint his own house,
though 1t was badly needed.
He therefore observed that couple
of years would see the new arrival in
the poorhouse, and added that the
law ought to appoint guardian. His
remarks were carried to the widow,
and she sent back word that he was
an old idiot. From thence on things
began to happen.
The deacon had COW that could
sail over six-rail fence like grass
hopper over a bunch of catnip. To
prevent her from sailing she wore a
yoke.
One night after the milking, the
COW was surprised to find the yoke
absent. She felt that she owed
thanks to the deacon or someone
else, but she couldn't find words to
express them.
Next morning she came home with
a horn knocked off. She had spent
at least a part Of the night in the
widows cornf1eld.
Deacon Hooper set his jaw and
said nothing until after breakfast.
Then his sister Jane asked him If he
was the sort of man to stand that,
and he replied:
1T hain't going to quite kill any
body, but 1 am going over to the
widder's and have an understanding.
You may be called in court for a
witness. Take notice that I'm not
a bit excited, and Pl not taking
along the ak or the butcher knife"
The determined gait of the deacon
soon carried him to the widows
house. She was washing the dishes,
and she came to the kitchen door
with a plate in one hand and wip-
ing cloth in the other and bid him
good morning and to ask the object
of his call.
1t was seldom that he looked any
thing or anybody squarely in the
face. He didn't have a square look
at the widow. He simply saw that
she was rather undersized and had
her chin in the air, and let it go at
that.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

"Why, determined man, OF
course"
Then you needn't ask what am
| going to do about f.. 1 shall hum
BILE that woman in the dust"
81 hope you will. She's no lady.
No one ever heard of a lady racing
around a cornfield at daylight to
| knock a cows horn off. A true lady
can't even hit a barn with stone. "
Between the desire to humble and
the cost of doing so, the deacon
waited a couple of weeks before
making any move. Then he got a
surveyor and made himself as con-
spicuous as possible as he walked
around with the man.
The results of the survey were
disappointing. The boundary fence
was not on the true line, but 1t fav-
ored the widow by only about three
inches. The labor of moving 1t
would fall upon him, and the gain
would not be worth 1t.
At the roadside end, however, the
deacon decided to put in a double
gate. This was to assert his owner
ship. He got pick and spade and
went to work, and in two hours he
had dug deep enough in the hard soil
to plant his first post. AS the hour
was late, he decided to wait till
morning.
He was there at o'clock, but
somebody was there ahead Of him.
The widow sat there dangling her
feet in the hole, and she gave him
a smile as he came up.
"Mebbe you'll tell me what this
means?" he asked
you can't plant no posts on my
land" she replied.
"It's my land"
That's where we differ"
"And what do you intend to do?"
"Sit here all summer"
"By John, woman" said the dea-
con. 'T am a determined man, and
don't you drive me to the law!"
"And you'll find that I'm just as
determined as you are. Go to the
law If you want to, but don't you
dare to put hand on me-"
The deacon sat down a short dis
tance away to think over the situa-
ton. The widow had come with her
knitting and a lunch, and she began
to knit and sing.
Not word passed between the two
for the next three hours. Then the
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

null gown in her hand. She dropped
the flowing skirt as she shook hands
with the boys, and took the box OF
candy that Marcella proffered.
Together she and Duncan, each
holding a hand of the little girl, they
moved up the walk few steps.
Then r-r-r! r-r-r something went,
and Nora came to a full stop, while
Edward tried to disentangle his feet
from the ruff1es of her trailing skirt.
1t took some time, the rescued feet
being all right, save little polish
rubbed off the shoes, but the dress!
'I should have held it up" said
Nora, sweetly, and gave the children
all another dip into the candy.
Duncan could have shouted his joy.
His eyes grew so embracing as Nora
seated herself and took Marcella in
her lap, that Nora blushed in pro-
test.
Marcella soon had the candy to
herself, and munched 1t contentedly,
her fingers, stickier and stickier, be-
tween each chocolate, and travelling
regularly to Nora's waist to wipe off
what she could of the brown dripping
sweetness.
Her moist, sticky lips rubbing
against Nora's barred throat brought
the girls rapt eyes from the mans
happy face to his little daughter.
"My pretty waist!" she cried out
sharply. Duncan, it'a ruined!
Couldn't you see what she was do
ing?"
81 didn't notice she had the
candy" he said contritely. "Why
did you wipe your hands on Miss
Kings dress, baby?" he asked, in
worried tones.
cause you said must not get my
dwess dirty" was the smiling an
swer. "You said she wouldn't love
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

deacon said:
You can sit here for a whole
week, but that post is going in."
~ sit for a whole month to see
that it don't"
AT noon the deacon went to the
nouse Tor dinner. When he returned
no Drought an umbrella and some
eanu"lcnes. The weather looked like
Iain' ana ne had determined to tire
tne widow out If he had to sit I'M
all night.
She greeted him with a nod a,
he sat down, and onlv once dnr,na
the next four hours did thew nase q
word. p''
About O'Clock in the afternoon
.he deacon rose UP off the grass to
yawn and stretch and say:
I've never give up yet, and
That's exactly my case" replied
the widow as she struck up another
song.
AT 6 O'Clock 1t was raining. The
deacon expected to see the widow run
Tor cover, but he was disappointed.
He raised his umbrella and gave
her long look. He saw that she
was fairly good looking. He saw that
she had a smart, businesslike air
about her. In fact, her countenance
pleased him, and before he was aware
of what he was doing he sat down
beside her on the edge of the excava-
tion and held the umbrella over her.
She looked up and thanked him.
For an hour there was nothing fur
ther said. Then, as dusk began to
close down, the deacon's stern look
relaxed and he smiled and caid:
"Kinder romantic, after all?"
81 was thinking so.'
why can't we both go homer"
1--WE can"
"Why can't we be neighbors? That
is, why can't I drop in and see you
most any evening?"
mo reason why you shouldn't"
The next day the post hole was
filled up, and one evening six months
later the deacon's sister Jane sat up
until IL o'clock to say to him in a
sarcastic way as he came in:
Deacon, thought you was a de-
termined man."
$50 I am," he replied. "I'm de-
termined to marry the Widder Skim
ner."
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

II didn't know you were in town..
he said gravely. "It is good of you
to call-there's danger even for
grown folks"
Nora raised radiant eyes to his.
And should I think of danger to
myself when my dear mate is in
trouble?" she said softly.
The man opened his arms, then he
stood still, his illumined face sud-
denly gray again.
TITS not only my BARNS now," he
said fearfully. my father and
mother have come to live with me.
Mother Is an invalid, and-and quer-
ulous."
The girl laughed.
Duncan, don't care If an orphan
asylum and an old ladies' home go
with you. just so I have you-you-
youi"
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

him, and pretended that wanted to
sit out lots of dances with him, and
all the time 1 was gradually losing
the big lump in my chest that I'd
had there ever since morning.
could tell that what his sister said
about him wasn't true, and it made
me happy, and then he said every
thing all over and I said yes, and
that's ALL"
"And you call that an explana-
tion!" exclaimed her father.
Nov, father if you can't under
stand it isn't my fault. OF course,
you are only man, and you mustn't
expect to understand everything.
But promise me that you'll be very
nice to him when he comes to talk
with you, and that you won't tell a
soul, not even mother, when she
comes home, that I said what / did
night before last"
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

~ ONE folks called Farmer Hooper
uncle" and some deacon,
~ and he answered to either
title with the same readiness
When he answered at all.
Long enough before his wife dice
and his sister Jane came to keeI
mouse for him, he had the reputation
OF being crank. He did not think
as other folks around him, and when.
ever he thought his rights had beer
enterfered with he was prompt tc
appeal to the law.
Before the death of the deacon's
wife wire fence men, agents for par
lor organs and sewing machine men
come around now and then, but after
the calamity he became so "techy''
about such things that even his old
est neighbor avoided him.
II hain't TO crank" the deacon
would explain when he heard the
charge made against him. "I'm sim
ply determined man. 1 refuse to
be elbowed around and walked on.
If ! was to let some people do as
they please, I'd be only a grease spot
on earth In six months"
One day the deacon picked up a
couple of items of news that added to
his general aggravation. He was told
that the farm next to his on the
west had been sold. and this without
his being consulted. He had come
to believe that nothing of conse-
quence must take place for five miles
around without his having a finger
in ths pie.
The farm had been sold to a
widow from Ohio, and she hadn't
called on him previously to ask his
advice about buying. 1t was added
by the village gossip of the news
that she looked like a woman that
wouldn't allow her neighbors' cows
in her cornfield, and who would have
every inch of the land named In her
deed.
WALL" replied the deacon as he
Strengthened up from hoeing potatoes,
'if any woman has come here from
Ohio to raise fuss with me, she can
go right ahead just as fast as she
pleases. I'm determined man, I
am. don't allow man or woman to
walk over me. If the widder Skinner
begins to prance around, I'll see to
her case.''
The widow had already been warn
ed what sort of man Deacon Hooper
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
A MODEL OF PERSEVERANCE.

Henry Arthur Jones, the English
playwright, was giving the students
Of Yale an address on the drama.
"Your American vernacular is pic
turesque," he said, "and it should
help your playwrights to build
strong, racy plays, but neither YER
nacular nor anything else is of mo-
ment If perseverance is lacking.
"No playwright can succeed who
Is like man l know.
II said to this man one New
Years day:
"Do you keep a diary, Philip"
"Yes," he answered. 1--WE kept
one for the first two weeks in Janua-
ry for the last seven years."
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
n KKKKKK

~ UNcAN LEoNARp's hopeful
face became suddenly down
~ cast. He looked appealingly
at the slender, determined
girl beside him.
"Why?" he asked.
Because of the children" said the
girl with regretful look into the
mans kindly eyes. 81 would fail
signally as a loving mother to them.
am not used to children, and yours
forgive me, 'Duncan-are so very
bad"
No child was bad by his standard,
unless abnormal. His own children
were frank, honest, fair, ready to
acknowledge fault, and brave under
punishment. They were mischevious
and noisy-yes; but surely Nora did
not call that being bad.
"You don't know them; that's the
trouble" he said hopefully. They're
as good as gold. Why not let me
bring them over and spend the after
noon? Give them a chance to show
you how really lovable they are on
close acquaintance? May I, now?"
Perhaps if I saw them again-if
saw they could be good" she
murmured.
The children were playing amic-
ably in the big side yard of their
home when Duncan appeared. He
caught little four-year-old Marcella
in his arms and called Edward and
Gregory to him.
''If I take you for visit this after
noon will you be real good?" he
asked earnestly.
"Sure," the boys cried gleefully,
the spirit of mischief entering their
little heads at the very mention of
"good."
Nora came across the lawn to meet
them, the train of her dainty white
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
M'7i&Mi

</@ Y the way, rather, salu
eOR MiIlicent. with an air of
one speaking by the mer-
est chance, as her parent
pushed his chair back from the
breakfast table, "Mr. Downing will
call on you this evening"
II don't want to see him. What's
he going to call on me for?"
"Why, you see-I think he thinks
perhaps he feels" Millicent's s
forced air of Indifference vanished
suddenly, and blushing furiously,
she brought out: "He wants to
talk to you about marrying me-"
But, my dear child, after your
repeated refusals, surely it isn't
necessary for me to mix up in the
affair. Can't he take his dismissal
like a gentleman? Does he need me
TO show him the door? / should
think after what you told him the
other night, according to your re-
port to me, he would have had
enough"
'sI know you might think So" re-
piled MilIicent, avoiding her fathers
eve. 'but you simply can't get rid
of that man. He actually proposed
to me again last night, and-well.
you see, father. l accepted him."
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

They're very low. Children are a
great responsibility. You were wise
not to burden yourself with other
peoples! Our own are different.
Love makes anything easy to bear"
Nora let the letter fall unheeded
to the floor. 1t made no difference
what else it might contain, nor that
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

"I am determined man." said
the deacon as he fell back a step.
And 1 am determined woman"
81 don't allow nobody to walk over
me-"
Ditto. This is my busy day, and
If you haven't anthing further to say
you can CO."
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
CHILDREN AND ALL

won my deep regard. There will be
no attrition. 1 am so attuned that
could not stand discord in the family
relation"
Her sister answered this with
hearty congratulations.
"It will be beautiful marriage
I see now 1t Is matter of the heart
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

He now made up his mind to have
that extra two feet if it cost him his
whole potato crop.
well, what are you going to do
about it?" asked the sister when he
had told her of the interview.
Jane, am I determined man or
a sheep?" he queried in reply.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

zone of my cows come home this
morning with horn knocked off"
he said to open the conversation.
"Yes!" replied the woman as she
wiped the dish. "Well, l.locked 1t
off myself soon after daylight. l
found her in the corn"
"By thunder, woman, but do you
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

with you. When you stopped to rea-
son out the matter about Duncan, l
knew full well you did not love him.
Love leaps.
"Duncan's children have scarlet
fever. He's heartbroken, poor fell
low. The look in his eyes cuts me to
the soul. He has two trained nurses,
but he never leaves his BARNS.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

dispute as to the boundary fence.
The widow had bought without
knowing this.
The deacon had been pretty sure
for years past that new survey
would give him two feet more land,
but as 1t would cost few dollars for
a survey he had let the matter rest.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
THE DEACON GOT THE HALF.

Being an occasional churchgoer,
he was supposed to be able to behave
properly and preserve his equanim-
ity through any ordinary service.
His family was therefore somewhat
curious when he returned from
church one Sunday noon With a most
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

the maid had just announced that
Professor Weeden was awaiting her
in the library. Duncan Leonard was
in trouble-Duncan Leonard was in
trouble,
Duncan greeted her without emo
tion, his heavy sunken eyes be-
speaking only his long exhaustion.
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

know that there are laws in the
land!'
II do, and you can have all you
want of them. I should keep my
cows at home, and you must do the
same. 1 could have knocked the
other horn off, but 1 though I'd wait
till next time"
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

The deacon departed. He had
come to bluff and bulldoze, but he
was made to realize that she was
ready for him. She was the first
person who had bested him for years,
and as he walked slowly home he
planned how to bring her head low.
There had been a long-standing
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

"Millicent! Are you crazy?"
"No father, I'm not"
Didn't you tell me only two
nights ago when I asked you why
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

he had stopped coming here that you
had sent him away because he per-
sisted in making love to you against
your express wishes?"
Millicent nodded.
"And didn't you tell me that he
Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09

~ ONE folks called Farmer Hooper
uncle and some deacon"
A and he answered to either