davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24
From over the way Harry gazed at
the tall. STOPPING figure pitilessly be-
trayed by the thin alpaca coat, at the
ascetic face burned a brick red from

"WOc to them that are at ease in Zion"
exposure to wind and sun, at the fash
ing eyes, the impassioned earnestness
He paused at the curb and listened
curiously, for Hallelujah Jones with
his evangelism mingled a spice of the
zeal of the socialist In his thinking
the rich and the wicked were mingled
inextricably in the great chastisement
He was preaching now from his IA
ease in Zion"
Harry smiled grimly He had al
ways been lat ease in Zion." He wore
sumptuous clothes. The ruby in his
ring would bring what this plodding
exhorter would call a fortune At this
moment Hede, his dapper Finn chauf-
feur, was polishing the motor car for
him to take his cool evening spin. That
very afternoon he had put into the
little safe in the chapel study $4,000
In gold which he had drawn, a part for
his charities and quarterly payments
and q part to take with him for the
ex1gencies of his trip The street evan.
gelist over there preaching paradise
and perdition to the grinning yokels
often needed square meal and was
lucky If he always knew where he
would sleep.
The thread of his thought broke.
The bareheaded figure had ended his
harangue. The eternal fires were bank.
ed for time. while, seated on a camp
stool at his melodeon. he proceeded to
transport his audience to the heavenly
meads Of the New Jerusalem.
Two, three verses Of an old fashioned
hymn he sang, and after each verse
more Of the bystanders, some In real
earnestness, some in impious hilarity
shouted in the chorus:
palms Of victory!
Crowns Of glory!
Palms Of victory shall wear!'
Harry walked on in a brown study.
the refrain ringing through his brain.
At the chapel gate lounged his chauf-
feur awaiting orders.
Bring the car round, Hede," said
Harry, land sha'n't need you after
that tonight. I'll drive her myself,
You can meet me at the garage"
The study was pitch dark, ana Rum.
my halted on the threshold with low.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

| "'o'e" wy rector himself!
He bent forward, gazing with tense
and Mortified curiosity.
Five times, ten times, the cards had
changed hands, and with every deal
Harry lost. The gold disks had Slip
ped steadily across the table. But he
had seemed to be looking beyond the
ebb and flow of the jettons and the
pale face opposite him that gloated
over its yellow pile. Though that pile
grew larger and larger, Harry's face
mad never changed. Hugh's was the
shaking hand when he discarded. the
convulsed features when he scanned
his draw, the desperate anxiety when
for moment fortune seemed to wa
yer. He had never in his life had such
luck! He swept his winnings into his
pockets with discordant laugh as he
noted that Of the contents of the
opened bag Harry had but one double
eagle remaining.
| Harry paused an instant. He snap
ped the little gold cross he wore from
Its silken tether and set it upright by
him on the table.
His hand won, and the next, and the
next Hugh boarded his gold; he
staked the red wafers-each one a day!
He had won almost thousand dollars.
but the second bag had not yet been
opened. and the vampire intoxication
was running molten hot In his veins.
The untouched bag drew him as the
magnet mountain drew the adventur-
Gus Sindbad-he could have snatched
it in his eagerness.
But the luck had changed. His red
counters diminished. melted. He would
soon have to draw on his real win
nings. Cold beads Of sweat broke on
his forehead. 49,.
Neither saw the face pressed against
the aperture. Neither guessed the wild
and terrible thoughts that were raging
through the mind Of the solitary
watcher as he peered and peered-
Scarce knowing what he did, he clos
ed the panel softly and ran across the
chapel lawn. On the pavement outside
he met man approaching. It was the
bishop. The excited evangelist did not
know the man. but his eye caught the
ministerial dress, the plain, sturdy pi- .
ETY. of the face. In his zeal he saw an
instrument to his hand. He grasped
the bishops arm.
"Quick! Quickv' he gasped. There's
devil work doing in there! Come and
see" He fairly pulled him inside the
gate.
The puzzled bishop saw the intense
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

W. Hugh touched
his parched lips with his tongue. Again
that nervous, sidelong look. that fear
full glance over his shoulder.
II had no money to work it. had
to live. Besides. I'm tired of the whole
thing"
The backward glance, the look Of
dread. were tangible tokens. Harry
translated them.
"You are not telling the TRUTH he
said shortly. What have you done?'
Hugh flinched, but he made sullen
answer: Nothing What should ]
have done?'
THAT is what l am now tnquiring
OF myself" said Harry. "Your face is
book for any one to read. see things
written on it, Hugh-things that tell
story Of wrongdoing. You are
afraid
Hugh shivered under the regard. Did
his face really tell so much?
II don't care to be seen in town." he
said. "You wouldn't either. probably.
under the circumstances" His gaze
dropped to his frayed coat sleeve. In
his craven fear of something that he
dared not name even to himself and
in his wretched need he remembered
night once before when he had sided
into town drunken and sofled to lux
urious room, refreshing bath. clean
linen and welcome
You're the only one in the world
dared come to- he said miserably.
1--WE walked ten miles today, for
haven't a red cent in my pocket nor
even decent Clothes" he ended.
THAT can be partly remedied." said
Harry after pause. He took a dark
coat from its hook and tossed it to
him. "Put that on" he said. you
needn't return it,
Hugh caught the garment. In an
other moment he had exchanged it for
the one he wore and was emptying the
old coats pockets.
Don't sneak!" said Harry with sud-
den contempt Don't you suppose
know deck Of cards when see it,"
The thin scar on Hugh's brow red
dened. He thrust into his pocket the
pasteboards he had made an instinc.
tive move to conceal and buttoned the
coat around him. 1t fitted sufficiently.
LOOK here. Harry" he began, you
were good fellow in the old DAYS.
I'm sorry never paid you the money
I borrowed. would have but for
what happened. But you won't go
back on me now, will you? want to
get out Of the country and begin over
again somewhere. Will you loan me
the money to do ft?"
Hugh was eager and voluble now.
The man to whom he appealed was his
forlorn hope. He had come with no
Intention of throwing himself upon his
fathers mercy. He had wished to see
anybody in the world but him.
IF you will, I'll never forget it. Har-
ry" he cried. Never, the longest
day I live! I'll use every dollar of It
just as say! will. on my honor
Honor he said "Have you enough
to swear by? You are what you. are
because you are bad egg. You were
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

through the facets Of crystal, and in
the polarized light Of conscience Hugh
-loafer. gambler and thief-stood as
the type and sign of an enduring &C.
cusation.
But If the recollection of that we'd
ding day and its aftermath stalked al
ways with him-if that kiss had seemed
to cling again and again to his lips as
he sat in the quiet Of his study-no one
guessed. He seldom played his violin
now, but he had shown no outward
sign. AS time went on he had become
no less brilliant, though more inscruta-
bic; not less popular, save perhaps to
the parish heresy hunter, for whom he
had never cared a straw. But beneath
the surface great change had come to
Harry Sanderson.
Tonight as he wended his way past
the house in the aspens, through the
clatter and commotion of the evening,
there was kind Of glaze over his
whole face-a shell Of melancholy.
Tomorrow began Harry's summer
vacation, and he had planned a
months pedestrian outing through the
wide ranch valleys and the farther
ranges. and this should set him up
again.
Now, however, as he walked along
he was bitterly absorbed in thoughts
other than his own needs. He passed
more than one acquaintance with a
stare Of nonrecognition. One of these
was the bishop, who turned an instant
to look after him. The bishop had seen
that look frequently Of late and had
wondered IT, it betokened physical ILL.,
ness or mental unquiet. More than
once he had remembered, with sigh,
the old whisper of Harry Sanderson's
early wildness. But he knew youth
and its lapses, and he liked and re-
spected him. Only two days before,
on the second anniversary Of Harry's
ordination, he had given him for his
s1lken watch guard a little gold cross
engraved with his name and contain
ing the date.
At crossing the sight of knot Of
people on the opposite side of the
street awoke Harry from his abstrac-
ton. They had gathered around a per-
ipatetic street preacher, who was hold
ing forth in a shrill voice. Beside him
on a short pole hung dripping gaso-
line flare, and the Kissing fame lit his
bare head, his thin features, his long
hair and his bony hands moving in
vehement gestures. A small melodeon
on four wheels stood beside him, and
on its front was painted in glaring
white letters:
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

V1 tive and finally melted
~ away, and, his audience
gone, he folded the camp stool, turned
off the gasoline flare, shut down the
lid Of his melodeon and rundled it up
the street. :
AS he pushed up the street he came
to great motor car standing at the
curb under the naples. There was no
one in it, but somewhere in its interior
muf1ed whirring throb beat evenly
like a double metallic heart. He
stopped and regarded it inquisitively.
A rich mans property, to be sure!
He looked up. It was at the gate of
the chapel. No doubt it belonged to
the fashionable rector who had been
pointed out to him on the street the
day before. BE remembered the young,
handsome face, the stylish broadcloth
Yet it was a beautiful edifce that
wealth had built there for Christ. He
saw dimly the stone angel standing in
the porch and, leaving his melodeon
on the pavement entered the gate to
examine it.
BE noticed now dim flicker that lit
one corner Of the great rose window.
Moving softly over the cropped grass,
he approached, tilted one of the hinged
panels and peered in. Two men were
there, behind the altar railing, seated
at the communion table.
Hallelujah Jones started back. There
on the table was bag Of coin, cards
and counters. They were playing-he
heard the fall of the cards on the hard
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

door with hurried fingers. tore the
wrappings from the tall white figure
of the prodigal son and found
heavy mallet. She lifted this with all
her strength and showered blow upon
blow on the hard clay, her face and
hair and shimmering train powdered
with the white dust, till the statue lay
on the floor, heap Of tumbled frag-
ments.
= -
Fateful and passionate as the scene
in the library had been, her going left
pail of silence in the room. Harry
Sanderson looked at David Stires with
pale intentness.
yet I would have given my life"
he said in a low voice, Ito save her
this!'
Something in the tone caught the old
man. He glanced up.
II never guessed" he said slowly
Il never guessed that you loved her
tOo.'
But Harry had not heard. He did
not even know that he had spoken
aloud
David Stires turned his wheel chair
to the Korean desk, touching the bell
as he did so. He took up the draft
and put it into his pocket. He pressed
spring; panel dropped and disclosed
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

lighted shadows in the corners. He
looked longingly at the gold, shining
yellow In the candle light. It fascinat-
ed him.
He lifted his hand. It was trembling.
Il swear willp' he said. I'LL stand
by the cards, Harry. and for every day
you win I'll walk chalk line, so help
me God!'
Harry Sanderson sat down. he emp
lied one Of the bags at his elbow and
pushed the box of waters across the
table. He shufaed the cards swiftly
and cut.
"Your deal!" he said.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

lO1k jacket over the nils
was not thinking Of the
Sights and sounds of the pleasant even
ing He had tramped miles since sun
down and had returned as he set out
gloomy, unrequited, a follower of baf-
fed quest
Set back from tie street in a wide
estate of trees and shrubbery stood q
great white porched house. Not a
light had twinkled from it for nearly a
year. The little city had wondered at
first, then by degrees had grown indif.
ferent. The secret Of that prolonged
honeymoon Harry Sanderson and the
bishop alone could have told. for the
bishop knew Of Hugh's criminal act
He was named executor of the will
that lay In tho Korean chest, and him
David Stires hid written the truth.
His heart had gone out with pity for
Jessica, and understanding. The secret
he locked in his own breast, as did
Harry Sanderson, each thinking the
other ignorant Of it.
Since that wedding day no shred Of
N~S"S AAsAN SOAAS w VASuVIs u0U
wished for none. To think Of Jessica
was a recurrent pang. and vet the very
combination Of the safe In his study
he had formed of the letters Of her
name! In each memory Of her he felt
the fresh assault of a new and tireless
foe-the love which he must deny.
Outcast and criminal as Hugh was,
castaway, who had stolen a banks
money and woman's love, he was
still her husband. Hugh's wife! What
could she be to him? And this fevered
conflict shot through with yet another
pang. for the waking smart of COM
junction which had risen at Jessica's
bitter cry, You helped to make him
what he has become!' would not down.
That cry had shown him in one Clarity
ing instant the follies and delinquencies
OF his early career reduplicated as
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

wood, saw the
CLEAN Of a gold
piece, the smear
of melted wax
marrfng the pol.
ished oak. The
reddish glow Of
the candle was
reflected on the
players face s.
They were gam
bling! At Gods
holy altar and
on ChriSt's ia
BILE! Who would
dare such a prof.
anation?
he craned his
neck. Suddenly
he gave a snoth-
cred cry. The
player facing
him he recog-
niZed-itWas the
rector himSelfl
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24
Chapter, s g
~

S&SG the dead The aristo-
cratic features were
ravaged like nicked blade. Dissipa.
ton. exposure, shame and unbridled
passion had each set its separate seal
upon the handsome countenance
Hugh's clothes were shabby genteel
and the old Sinking grace of wearing
them was gone. A thin beard covered
his chin, and his shifty look, as he
turned 1t first on Harry and then nerv-
ously over his shoulder, had in it a
hunted dread, a logging terror, con.
slant and indefnable. From bad to
worse had been swift descent for
Hugh Stires.
The wave of feeling ebbed. Harry
drew the window curtains swung a
shade before the light and motioned to
the chair.
''Sit down." he said.
Hugh looked his old friend in the
race a moment; then his unsteady
glance fell to the white carnation in
his lapel as he said, II SUPPOSE Won
wonder why l have come here"
Harry did not answer the implied
question. His scrutiny was deliberate.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

"H1Qk HWgh9" she cried. "11V has
b1ndl"
hidden drawer, from which he took
a cracking parchment. It was the
Will against whose signing Harry had
pleaded months before in that same
room. The butler entered.
WITNESS my signature, Blake" he
said and wrote his name on the last
page. "Mr. Sanderson will sign with
you"
An hour later the fast express that
bore Jessica and David Stires was
shrieking across the long skeleton rail-
road bridge. a dotted trail of fire
against the deepening night.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

critical and in
quiring. what
have you been
doing the last
year?" he asked
"A little of ev-
erything, !" re-
piled Hugh. II
ran a bucket
shop with Mo.
reau in Sacra-
IN e u t O for
awhile. Then I
went over in the
mining country.
l took up a
claim at Smoky
M o n n t a / n.
That's worth
something or
may be some
time"
why did you
leave it2"
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

rvs eyes.
"He is gone," he said, land 1 hope to
heaven may never see his face
againv' Then slowly and feebly he
assembled the stairs.
Ten, fifteen minutes passed, and old
David Stires re-entered the room, went
feebly to his wheel chair and sat down.
Il have told her." he said presently
in broken voice. "You are kind, San
derson, very kind. God help us"
what has God to do with it," fell
voice behind them. Harry faced
about. It was Jessica as he had first
seen her in the upper room with the
bandage across her eyes.
"What has God to do with 1t?' she
repeated in a hard tone. perhaps Mr..
Sanderson can tell US. It is in his
sine"
"P1ease''- said Harry.
!, He could not have told what he
would have asked, though the accent
was almost one Of entreaty. The harsh
satire touched his sacred calling. Com
ing from her lips 1t affronted at once
his religious instinct and his awakened
love. It was all he said, for he stopped
suddenly at sight Of her face, pain
frosted, white as the folded cloth.
"Oh." she said. turning toward the
voice. II remember what you said that
night right here in this very room
that you sowed your wild oats at COL
lege with Hugh-that they were a tidy
crop! You were strong. and he was
weak. You led. and he followed.
You were Satan Sanderson.' abbot of
the Saints. the set in which he learned
gambling. Why. It was in your rooms
that he played his first game Of poker.
he told me 50 himself! And now he
has gone to be an outcast. and you
stand in the pulpit in a cassock. you.
the Rev. Henry Sanderson! You help
ed to make him what he has become!
Can you undo it,"
Harry was looking at her with a
stricken countenance. he had no an
swer ready. The wave Of confusion
that had submerged him when he had
restored the bandage to ner eyes had
again welled over him.
II am not excusing Hugh now" she
went on wildly. "He has gone beyond
excuse or forgiveness. He is as dead
to me as though l had never known
him. though the word you spoke an
hour ago made me his wife, I shall
have that 10 remember all my life
that and the one moment | had wait
ed for so long, for my first sight of his
face and my brides kiss! l must carry
it with me always. can never wipe
that face from my brain or the sting
of that kiss from my lips-the kiss of
a forger, Of my husbandw
The old man groaned. IL didn't
know he had seen her!" he said help
lessly. "Jessica, Hugh's sin is not San
derson's faultv'
In her bitter words was an Injustice
as passionate as her pain. but for her
life she could not help it. She was a
woman wrenched and torn. tortured
beyond control. numb with anguish.
To Harry Sanderson her words fell
with a wholly disproportionate vio-
lence- 1t had never occurred to him
that he himself had been individually
and actively the cause of Hugh's
downfall. The accusation pierced
through the armor of self esteem that
ne had linked and riveted with habit.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24
:. He was superstitious.

The calculating look had ned. He
glanced half fearfully about him-at
Harry's white face-at the high altar
with its vases Of August lilies: at the
great rose window. now mass Of
white. Opaque blotches on which the
three black crosses stood out with
weird distinctness: at the lurking. IN.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24
Chapter 3 Il
.%1

JONES
had finished his labor,
for the night. The
crowd had grown res
tive and finally melted
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24
Chapter z

AIRY SANDERSON as
he walked slowly back
from a long ramble in
knickerbockers and Nor
folk jacket over the hills
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

Inc same pain
Of mind that had
spurred him on
that long ago
night to the ad-
mission she had
heard had start
ed to new life a
barred, a scath-
ed, a rekindling
sin.
1T Is all true"
he said. It was
tn e fnveterate
voice Of con-
sci nee that
spoke. II have
been deceiving
myself. Twas my
brothers keeper!'
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24

I see it now" WV" Wv '''e '''' ~ ''"9
She did not catch the deep compunc-
ton in the judicial utterance. She
stood an instant quivering. then turn
ed and, feeling blindly for the door,
swept from their sight -
White and breathless, Jessica climb
ed the stair. In her room she took a
key from a drawer and ran swiftly
to the attic studio. She unlocked the
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-24
}3@ Chapter 6 ~

: foot Of the stair Harry
paused, drawing Il deep
breath as if to lift a
weight Of air. He need
ed to get his bearings, to
win back a measure Of
The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-11-05
Methodist Junior BardCa

The Junior Baraca boys of the
Methodist church held their semi
annual business meeting Tuesday
evening Oct. 27, in the church parlors
eleeting the following officers:
Rev. ]. T. B. smith, Teacher.
Henry Hedin, President.
Fay Scott,-Vice President.
EIbridge ass,-Secretary.
Marion Lyman, n,-Treasurer
Clarise Scott, tt,-Liberian.
George Platten,-Press Reporter.
Hustlers:-Clarence Scott, Clyde
Page, Leland Galbraith.
GEORGE PLATTEN
Press Reporter
The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-11-05
HOw'S This?

We offer One Hundred Dollars r.,
ward for any case os catarrh that can
not be cured by H all's Catarrh Cure.
F. }. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, o
We, the undersigned, have know.
f. J. Cheney for the last Is years, ant
believe him perfectly honorable in al
business transactions and financially
able to carry out any obligation
made by his firm.
WALDING, KINNAN & MARVIN, -,
Wholesale Druggists, Toledo, 0.
HalPs Catarrh Cure is taken Intern
ally, acting directly upon the BLOOD
and mucous surfaces OF the system
Testimonials sent free. Price rs cent
ItIltl,l,. s,rO ll slll II telsts.
Take Halls Family Pills for con
situation,
The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-11-05

DR.. A. j. Gilkenson, of Osakis was
in Sauk Centre Saturday morning en-
route to Little Falls to deliver a speech
in advocacy of his candidacy for con-
gress.
Hon. w. E. Lee of Long Prairie
passed through here today en- route
home from attendance upon a meet
ing of the directors of the Minnesota
State Fair at st. Psul. !.
T.. Holland. whose visit here result
ed in tho Northwest ern Radiator Com
pany, left on Friday for the east to
place orders for machinery here He
expects to be away six weeks. II.
The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-11-05

Hon. M. G. Tiff passed through
here Monday en- route from St. Paul
to his home in Long Prairie to vote.
Earl MAXWELL, who has>been laid up
for the past two months is able to be
about again and started work Monday,
]. w. Ward went 10 Little Falls
Monday and attended the funeral OF
w. M. Fuller, returning on the a fter-
noon train.
John j. Boobar went to st. Cloud
Tuesday and cast his vote, and took
the train the same evening to return
to his duties at Washington.