davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-17

"Why, what a question! Can't you
see that I'm riding bicycle in the
park?' Her drollery took the form Of
impertinence.
"And am laying brick on a tall
factory chimney" said Blinker. May
not we see Coney together? I'm all
alone, and I've never been there be-
fore"
1T depends" said the girl, ION how
nicely you behave. I'll consider your
application until we get there
Blinker took pains to provide against
the rejection OF his application. He
strove to please. To adopt the meta
phor of his nonsensical phrase, he laid
brick upon brick on the tall chimney
Of his devoirs until at length the struc-
ture was stable and complete. The
manners of the best society come
around finally to simplicity. and as the
girls way was that naturally they
were on mutual plane Of communi-
cation from the beginning.
He learned that she was twenty and
her name was Florence, that she trim
med hats in a millinery shop, that she
lived in a furnished room with her
best chum, Ella, who was cashier in q
shoe store, and that glass Of milk
from the bottle On the window sill and
an egg that boils itself while you twist
up your hair make breakfast good
enough for any one. Florence laughed
when she heard "Blinker."
'Well," she said, ut certainly shows
that you have Imagination. It gives
the Smiths a chance for little rest
anyhow"
They landed at Coney and were dash.
ed on the crest OF great human wave
Of mad pleasure seekers into the walks
and avenues Of fairyland gone into
vaudeville.
With curious eye, a. critical mind
and fairly withheld Judgment Blinkel
considered the temples, pagodas and
kiosks Of popularized delights. Ho
polloi trampled, hustled and crowded
him. Basket parties bumped him
Sticky children tumbled, bowling, nm
der his feet, candying his clothes. In
solent youths, strolling among thu
booths with hard won canes under one
arm and easily won girls on the other
blew defiant smoke from cheap cigar
into his face The publicity gentlemen
| with megaphones, each before I'M Owl
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-17
Lord Kelvin and the Gable.

1t is perhaps not generally known
that the success Of the Atlantic cable
was due to the calculations and cx-
periments Of the late Lord Kelvin. at
that time plain William Thomson. He
discovered that the current through A
long cable would arrive gradually at
the receiving end and devised the ap-
paratus which rendered 1t possible to
utilize such q current for making the
Morse signals. 1t was through disre-
gard of his theoretical predictions that
the first Atlantic cable. in 1853. was
ruined by too powerful currents. With
out his mirror galvanometer to trans
late into visible signals the delicate
impulses received through the cable
the enterprise would have been com
plete failure.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-17

boat and sat. filled with pleasant fa-
tigue. against the rail In the bow. lis
tening to the Italians fiddle and harp.
Blinker had thrown Off all care. The
North woods seemed to him an unin-
habitable wilderness What fuss he
had made over signing his name!
Pooh. he could sign it hundred times!
And her name was as pretty as she
was. "Florence'-he said 1t to him
self great many times
As the boat was nearing its pier in
the North river a two funneled, drab,
foreign looking seagoing steamer was
dropping down toward the bay. TIE
boat turned its nose in toward its slip
The steamer veered as If to seek mid
stream and then yawed. seemed to In
crease its speed and struck the Coney
boat OH the side near the stern, cut
ting into 1t with terrifying shock and
crash.
While the 600 passengers on the
boat were mostly tumbling about
the decks in a shrieking panic the
captain was shouting at the steamer
that 1t should not back off and leave
the rent exposed for the water to en-
ter. But the steamer tore its way out
like savage sawfish and cleaved It's
heartless way, full speed ahead.
The boat began to sink at its stern,
but moved slowly toward the slip.
The passengers were frantic mob,
unpleasant to behold.
Blinker held Florence tightly until
the boat had righted itself. She made
no sound or sign Of fear. He stood
on a camp stool, ripped of the Stats
above his bead and pulled down a
number Of life preservers. He began
to buckle one around Florence. The
rotten canvas split and the fraudulent
granulated cork came pouring out in
stream. Florence caught handful
OF 1t and laughed gleefully.
"It looks like breakfast food" she
said. 'Takc 1t of. It's no good"
She unbuckled It and threw it on the
deck. She made BlinKer sit down and
sat by his side and put her hand in
his. "What'll you bet we don't reach
the pier all right" she said and be
gan to hum a song.
And now the captain moved among
the passengers and compelled order
The boat would undoubtedly make her
slip. he said. and ordered the womer
and children to the bow. where the
| cou5l1 lana fIrst. TIVE As1att q eyy Ion
1 n the twaferaaA the Afern aesd 1al
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-17
.77,ank 1,ou for a ucryplcasantatt afternoon,

Thank you for q ucryp ypleasuntattc !"
rtupendous attraction, roared like NJ
agara in his ears Music of all kinds
that could be tortured from brass, reed,
hide or string fought in the air to gain
space for its vibrations against its COM
petitors But what held Blinker In
awful fascination was the mob. the
multitude. the proletariat. shrieking.
struggling. hurrying. painting, hurting
itself in lncontinent frenzy, with un-
abashed abandon, into the ridiculous
sham palaces Of trumpery and tinsel
pleasures. The vulgarity of 1t, Its bru-
tai overriding of all the tenets OF 70
preston and taste that were held BY
his caste, repelled him strongly.
In the midst of his disgust he turned
and looked down at Florence by his
side. She was ready with her quick
smile and upturned happy eyes, aa
bright and clear us the water in trout
pools. The eyes were saying that they
had the right to be shining and happy,
for was their owner not with her (foF
the present) man, her gentleman friend
and holder Of the keys, to the enchanted
city of fun7
Blinker did not read her look accu.
rately. but by some miracle he sud.
| denly saw Coney Alright.
He no longer saw mass Of vulgan
ans seeking gross joys. He now looked
clearly upon hundred thousand true
idealists. Their offenses were wiped
out. Counterfeit though the garisf
joys of these spangled temples were
he perceived that deep under the gill
surface they offered saving and apo
site balm and satisfaction to the rest
less human heart Here Mt least va!
the husk of romance. the empty bu
shining casque of chivalry, the breatl
catching though safe guarded dip and
| fight Of adventure, the magic carpe
that transports you to the realms o
fairyland. though Its journey b
through but few poor yards of space
He no longer saw rabble, but hl
brothers seeking the ideal. There wa
no magic of poesy here or Of art, bu
the glamour OF their Imagination turn
ed yellow calico into cloth OF gold an
the megaphones into the silver truin
pets Of joys heralds.
/ Almost humbled, Blinker rolled u
the shirt sleeves Of his mind and joine
the idealists.
4 .sYou are the lady doctor" he said t
Florence. How shall we 60 abou
doing this jolly conglomeration OF fair
tales incorporatedf
1--WE will begin there" said the prii
cess. pointing to fun pagoda on th
edge of the sea. land we will tak
them all IN, one by one
! They caught the 8 O'Clock returnin
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-17

The Blinker wealth was In land
tenements and hereditaments. al the
legal phrase goes. Lawyer Oldpoft had
once taken Alexander, In his little pull
monary gasoline runabout to see tho
many buildings and rows Of buildings
that he owned In the city, for Alexan-
der was sole heir. They had amused
Blinker very much. The houses look
ed so incapable of producing the big
sums of money that Lawyer Oldport
kept piling up in banks for him to
spend.
In the evening Blinker went to ono
of his clubs, intending to dine. No
body was there except some old fogies
playing whist who spoke to him with
grave politeness and glared ut him
with savage contempt. Everybody was
out of town. But here he was kept
in like schoolboy to write his name
over and over on pieces of paper. His
wounds were deep.
Blinker turned his back on the fogies
and said to the club steward who had
come forward with some nonsense
about cold fresh salmon roe:
"Symons, I'm going to Coney Is
land" He said it as one might say:
"All's off. I'm going to jump into the
river"
The joke pleased Symons. He laugh
ed within a sixteenth Of note Of the
audibility permitted by the laws gov
erning employees.
Certainly, sir" he Uttered. "Of
course, sir. think can see you at
Coney, Mr.. Blinker."
Blinker got paper and looked up
the movements of Sunday steamboats,.
Then he found cab Mt the first corner
and drove to a North river pier. He
stood in line, as democratic as You OF
|, and bought ticket and was tram
pied upon and showed forward until at
last he found himself on the upper
deck of the boat staring brazeniy at q
girl who sat alone upon Il camp stool.
But Blinker did no. intend to he bra.
| zen. The girl was so wonderfully good
looking that he forgot for one minute
| that he was the prince incog and be
haved just as he did In society.
She was looking at him. too, and MOI
| severely A puff of wind Threatened
| Blinker's straw hat He caught 1
warily and settled 1t again TIL,
movement gave the effect of bow
| The girl nodded and smiled. and In an
| other instant he was seated at he
side She was dressed all In white
She was paler than Blinker imaginet
milkmaids and girls of humble sta
tions to be. but she was as tidy as
cherry blossom. and her steady, su
premely frank gray eyes looked on
from the intrepid depths of an un
| shadowed and untroublcd soul
How dare you raise your hat t
me?' she asked. with smiie-releem
ed severity,
II didn't" Blinker said But b
| quickly covered The mistake by e1
tending it to II didn't know how t
keep from 1t after saw you"
II do not allow gentlemen to sit b
me to whom haye not been intrt
dueet." she said. with sudden haugl
tiness that deceived him He rose r,
luctantly, but her clear. teasing laug
brought him down to his chair again.
i Il guess you weren't going far. SD
declared. With beauty's magni6cer
self confidence
Are you going to Coney Island!
asked Blinker
Me-. She turned upon him wild
open eyes full of bantering surpris
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-17
A Hard Stunt.

Mamma-Good gracious. George.
What Is the matter with Freddie
Jones? Is the child having u fit
Georgie-No. mamma. You know Fred
die suffers. and we bet he couldn't say
'altitudinosity" before Bobbie ran
twice around the block.-Puck-
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-17

u -
love before. could pass my life with
you and be happy every day. am
rich. can make things all right for
you."
That's what they all say. said the
GIRL again, weaving the words into her
little reckless song.
Don't say that again." said Blinker
in tone that made her look at him in
frank surprise.
''Why shouldn't say it?'' she asked
calmly ''They all do
"Who are 'they?" he asked, jealous
for the first time in his existence.
"Why, the fellows know"
do you know so many?"
"Oh, well, Pm not wallflower." she
answered, with modest complacency.
"Where do you see thcse-these men?
At your homer"
"Of course not. met them just as
did you-sometimes on the boat. some
times In the park, sometimes on the
street. I'm a pretty good judge OF a
man. l can tell In minute If fellow
Is one who is likely to get fresh"
"What do you mean by 'freshT"
"Why. try to kiss you-me, l mean."
do any of them try that?" asked
Blinker, clinching his teeth.
''Sure. All men do. You know that"
do you allow themT'
"Some; not many. They won't take
you out anywhere unless you do"
She turned her head and looked
searchingiy at Blinker Her eyes were
as innocent as child's. There was q
puzzled look In them. as though she
did not understand him.
whats wrong about my meeting
fellows?" she asked wonderingly.
Everything" be answered almost
savagely. "Why don't you entertain
your company in the house where you
/ live? Is 1t necessary to pick up Tom
Dick and Harry on the streets?'
She kept her absolutely ingenious
eyes upon his.
"If you could see the place where
live you wouldn't ask that. live II
Brickdust row. They call 1t that be
cause there's red dust from the brick:
crumbling over everything. I've livet
there for more than four years. There:
no place to receive company. fot
can't have anybody come to your room
What else Is there to do? A girl ha'
got to meet the men, hasn't she?'
/ "Yes." he said hoarsely- "A girl ha'
got to met a--has got to meet the men,
1.-The first time one spoke to me OF
the street." she continued. Il ran hom'
and cried all night But you get uset
to It. / meet a good many nice fel
lows at church 60 on rainy day
and stand in the vestibule until on
comes up with an umbrella. ! wisl
there was Il parlor, SO could ask yo'
to call, Mr. Blinker. Are you reall.
sure It isn't Smith. now!"
The boat landed safely. Biinker hat
a confused impression of walking wit
the girl through quiet crosstown street
until she stopped at corner and he'll
out her hand.
II live Just one more block over.
she said. ''Tlank you for very plea:
J ant afternoon"
Blinker lnuttered something an
plunged northward till be found Il cal
J A big gray church looined slowly
his right. Blinker shook his fist at
| through the window.
Il gave you a thousand dollars IL:
: week. he cried under his breath. an
) | she meets them IN your yery door
: There is something wrong: there
something wrong
! J At II the next day Blinker signed b
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-17
n~E>:tAr11 !
|DRICKDUST row
By o. HENRY.

copyright. 1906. by the 8. 8. Mcclure Co. ]
N L1NkER was displeased. A man
~ wealth would have sworn. but
Blinker always remembered
that he was a gentleman, a thing that
no gentleman should do. So he merely
looked bored and sardonic while he
rode in hanson to the center of dis
turhance, which was the Broadway
office of Lawyer Oldport. who was
agent for the Blinker estate.
Il don't see." said Blinker. "why l
should be always signing confounded
papers. | am packed and was to have
left for the North woods this morning
Now / must wait until tomorrow morn
ing. hate night trains. Ny best ra-
Zors are of course at the bottom of
some unidentifiable trunk 1t is plot to
drive me to buy rum and a monolosu-
Ing. thumb handed barber. Give me a
pen that doesn't scratch. l hate pens
that scratch"
''Sit down." said double chinned.
gray Lawyer Oldport "The worst has
not been told you. Oh, the hardships
of the rich! The papers are not yet
ready to sign. They will be laid before
you tomorrow at IL. You will miss
another day. Twice shall the barber
tweak the helpless nose of a Blinker
Be thankful that your sorrows do not
embrace hair cut"
"If." said Blinker. rising, 1.-THE act did
not involve more signing of papers
would take my business out of your
hands at once. Give me cigar. please
'If." said Lawyer Oldport. II had
cared to see an old friends son gulped
down at one mouthful by sharks
would have ordered you to take II
away long ago. Now let's quit fooling
Alexander Besides the grinding task
of signing your name some thirty times
tomorrow. must impose upon you the
consideration of matter of business
OF business and | may say humanity
or right. spoke to you about this five
years ago. but you would not listen
You were in a. hurry for coaching
trip, think. The subject has come W
again. The property
"Oh, property" Interrupted Blinker
Dear Mr.. Oldport, l think you men
toned tomorrow Let's have It ali a
one dose tomorrow ~
property and snappy rubber bandsdnl
that smelly sealing wax and oil. Hav,
luncheon with me? Well, I'll try Il
remember to drop In at II tomorrow
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-17

of the setting and all of it so common
place that you wouldn't think OF try
Ing to make anything presentable out
Of 1t.
"The fact Is" the physician went
on. ''the night magnifles. At night our
pleasures are more keen, our pains
more distressing. our small successes
are triumphs. our little failures are
disasters, our family cherished hopes
appear before us as things realized.
our small worries US overwhelming
calamities.
"You find yourself awake In the
night and your thoughts wander back
to some time in your youth when in
the presence of those older and wiser
you-as you now see it-were guilty Of
some slight breach in department or Of
some little offense to good taste in
speech, and you dwell upon the con-
demnation that must have fallen upon
you. In the morning If what yon were
dwelling upon so seriously occurs to
your mind at all you smile and say to
yourself that If your fault was noticed
trivial for any one but you to remem-
ber.
''The night magnifies!" the physician
repeated. "Such things as have men
toned prove it. 1t is partly due to the
silence. but more to ourselves. To ac-
| count for the latter would keep me
| talking.
"But take 1t for granted that what
ever your cause for worry at night 1t
will look smaller by daylight and re-
fuse to dwell on 1t. II your anticipa-
tions are pleasant, nurse them, and
| you will fall asleep. In the morning
you will not be downcast because your
magnified hopes of the night seem un-
| likely to be realized" - Washington
| Post.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-17
Broke Up His Speech.

Judge Norton was solemn. stern aud
dignified to excess. lie was also ego
tistical and sensitive to rIdicule. Judge
Nelson was a wit and careless Of de-
corum. He did not like Judge Norton
At bar supper Judge Norton III m
elaborate speech, referring to the early
days Of Wisconsin. described with trag.
ic manner a thunderstorm which once
overlook him In riding the circuit. The
scene was awful. and" said the Judge.
Il expected every moment the light
ming would strike the tree under which
had taken shelter
'''rhen," interrupted Nelson. why IN
thunder didn't you get Under another
tree Ledger
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-12-17
THE NIGHT MAGNIFIEs.

Something Worth Knowing For Those
Who Lie Awake and Worry.
'You have lain awake at night"
said physician, "and have heard a
mouse gnawing at the woodwork
somewhere down In a kitchen cup
board?"
The listener nodded.
"How loud did it sound to you-as
loud as a burglar splintering the door
jambs with jimmy?"
Another nod.
"You have been awakened at 80
a. m. by the crying of teething In
| FAINT next door?'
A shudder.
"And 1t sounded like the hoarse muir
| murs of mingled ululations Of fren-
zied mob assembled outside to demand
somebody's bloodY
| Partial collapse.
"Along toward morning you have lis
tened to the thin, small voice of a mos
quito circulating above your head?"
An involuntary slap.
| did 1t sound like the screech of q
planning mill turning out clapboards for
| q barn?"
/ Two mods.
would you have minded any of
those sounds in the daytime?"
! A shake Of the head.
"Now, I have no doubt you think
that the seeming loudness of these
sounds was due to the contrasting ST.
lence Of the night. But take another
test. You have been in love?"
Um-um (without utterance).
"And do you remember how much
softer and warmer and more thrilling
was the touch of your best girls hand
as you strolled with her ON the way
home from singing school at the witch
ing hour of half past 0 p. IN. than it
was when you called in the forenoon
to ask If you might escort her to the
aforesaid vocal exercisesg'
An unspoken yum yum.
"Was 1t the night silence that added
the finishing touch?
1T was not" the physician replied
to his own question, noting his listen
er's look Of uncertainty. "Take another
instance: You think you know how to
write-a little"
a smile of gratification.
We'll, YQos dnd yourself awake "
night ana shiaIlng a grlp TIM
|. sud denly sperklks III III sess
q Toa slirrounts ~ with sept tera il1s. I'd
Il while elat6Ent ting the setting you fail
, | aHleen Whit 9loea.s flfis Jewel aalt,,,nl
The daily sentinel., 1908-09-18
THE RIO GRANDE WILL
CONNECT WITH THE ROAD.

A meeting of the stockholders of the
Santa Fe Central railroad. new line
which will open direct route in con-
junction with the Denver a Rio Grande
from Denver to El Paso. was held In
Albuquerque. n. NJ, this week.
The corporate name Of the company
is to be changed to the New Mexican
Central railroad. and the Albuquerque
Eastern is to be made q corporate part
of the system
The road Is owned by Pittsburg cap
italists and arrangements have recent
ly been completed for financing that
portion which connects the main line
with Albuquerque. The road runs from
Santa Fe to Torrance, distance OF l16
miles The Albuquerque connection.
which is to he completed at once. is
40 miles long. and is already partly
graded. Robert Law. well known in
Denver. is president of the company.
Negotiations We're conducted between
President E. T. Jeffery OF the Denver
new road about two years ago for its
purchase. These negotiations failed at
the time.
The Rio Grandc connects with it at
Santa Fe. but the line is narrow gauge.
line north from Santa Fe. which will
follow part of the way the route of the
present line. which is to be broad /
gaGged
These improvements are among those
the Rio Grande has in contemplation in
] the near future. Through this conncc-
tion "A new route viii be opened to the
/ El Paso district for the distribution of
coal and coke porducts from Colorado
The daily sentinel., 1908-09-18
THE MARKET CONDITIONS
AT OMAHA THIS WEEK
Especial to the sentinel. /

South Omaha, Ncb. Sept. lS.-Re-
ceipts of cattle have been liberal here
this week the heaviest 50 far this sea-
son. The trade has suffered severely.
fully % to 80 cents per hundredwcight
on all killing cattle. both steers and
cows. and hcifers and stockers and
feeders. excepting the real choice heavy
kinds. Top this week for western
steers Is $40. which price we obtained
for two cars belonging to ID. r. Whita-
ker of Cheyenne. WNo.. averaging L.
S22 pounds. This is the highest figure
since last season.
Good killing steers are quotable at
4.S5 to $40; fair to good, l.25 to 4.65.
good feeders. i.50 to 500; fair to good.
AIS to 40; good to choice light and
medium weight steers, 100 to i.35; fair
to good. $50 to 100 Good to choice
cows and heifers. $50 to 400; fair to
good. 800 to $50. Gamers and cutters,
2.25 to 500.
The supply of sheep has also been
large. good percentage of lambs be
| ing included. The grade has been I'm
very good shape. liberal orders being
/ filled by both packers and feeder buy
ers, with little change in prices from
last week.
Good killing lambs are selling at SOC
to 5.25; yearlngs, 400 to 4.40: wVthers
| 3.75 to 100: ewes 3.25 to $50. Good
| fceding lambs. $50 to 500. yeariinss
3.75 to I.25. wethers. 3.25 to 3.75; ewes
zoo to 3.00.-Clay. Robinson n co.
The daily sentinel., 1908-09-18

estimate public sentiment there is
gross Indignation among Republicans
at the high-handed manner in which
Simon Guggenheim has usurped the
direction of party affairs, and well
developed disposition to administer
the only effective rebuke 10 such pro-
ceedings, viz: TO retire the principal
into obscurity, though the process
may involve the downfall of many
worthy men. 1t appears to be the
only thing to do. Colorado Republi-
cans are not yet ready to submit to
such humiliating bossism. m.-Telluride
journal.