davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

ters an upland, unduating country. the land OF
: nasnan producing abundant grazing in the
spring. AT that season troops of gazelle roam
ABOUT the country, and the Bedouin. with vast
nerus OF camels, are found close to the line.
The landscape gets bleaker as the train
moves south The mountains of Moab are
passed some distance to the west, and the
track is laid far out in the desert, where the
valleys are wide and easy to cross, and before
tney deepen into narrow ravines as they enter
the mountains.
The old pilgrim route is followed very close
ly throughout, and at the stations the stone
cisterns and reservoirs, to provide supply OF
water to the pilgrims are noticed. Water be-
comes very scarce; in few places wells have
been dug and water is raised by wind-pumps.
For some reason boring for artesian wells
does not seem to have been tried. One at
tempt was made In rocky ground, and when
the drills broke no further attempts were
made
AS the line approaches Maan an extremely
desolate country is traversed. Low ranges ap-
pear to the east, apparently of sandstone or
limestone formation, although the ground is
strewn thickly with black fragments of obsi-
dian along some sections of the line. The ra-
vines now trend eastward, to lose themselves
In wide depression in that direction as
shown in the recent maps of this country by
Prof. Alois Musil. Maan is the first point since
Amman where water is procurable in any
quantity, either from springs in the small town
itself from wells at the railroad station
The place is large railroad center, with sew
eral stone buildings for officials, small shop
for temporary repairs, hospital, and quite
good hotel-a substantial building, rather small
In size The small town, containing some good
stone and mud houses, is not visible from the
railroad, but lies beyond hill nearly mile
off. Two copious springs supply the necessary
water.
Date palms are reared small gardens with
various kinds of fruit trees and few fields of
corn are visible, but from little distance the
place is little else than drab patch on a gray
landscape. It's principal distinction is it's prox-
unity to the rocky city of Petra, ride of some
eight hours to the west among the Moab hills.
The climate of Maan is invigorating, both in
winter and summer, the place stands 3,525
feet above sea-level, surrounded by the dry, in
vigorating air of the desert.
The principal drawbacks are the severe
dust storms. Rain is not uncommon in the
spring, and then tinge of green spreads over
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

on how much easier It is to tanele
things than to untangle them. !
I had scarcely reached the Office be,
fore he came. He looked bewildered
and uncertain, and, sitting down on
the other side Of the table in my priv.
ate room, stretched out his arms
across it and leaned over to me. "shs
says she loves him." he said.
"Of course she says that" I eu
claimed
"Then you don't believe it,"
do you?"
II don't know what to believe.
didn't think it possible before. and
l can't conceive 1t now; but she
swears she does, and she looks-she
actually looks as If she means it. Do
you think she's pretending SO ~ to
make it easier for me?"
Don't ask me, Hemingway"
''1t's just what you might expect her
rc do, isn't it? I accused her Of It
but she only laughed at me and said
l was silly to imagine such a think.
She says she refused him the nighe
before because she was piqued ae
something he did and wanted to make
him suffer, but that she has cared for
him all the time. You can mako
what you like out of it."
I drummed on the table. had
nothing to say. Things were dim and
vague and hateful to me in that acute
moment. did not know what / be-
lieved-what I wanted to believe. Z
was remembering all that had passed
between her and me pertaining to hen
engagement. trying to make some
thing definite and convincing out Of ii
but ] decided that much Of what ! had
deemed convincing had been based
merely on my own conclusions and
not upon anything she had actually
said or conveyed.
"She says she'll marry him whethst
give myself up or not" hs went on:
that It won't make Z particle of az.
ference except that It Win stir mn IN
unnecessary fuss. Ankony went da
anything. Of course. when she's Coins
to marry him. and she says she = NJ
ing to-"
Go BE coNTugupnl
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

I'VE cant do anything tonight" I
said. you must GO to bed. You're
undone and won't be fit for anything
tomorrow unless you get some rest.
I'll see If have a bed ready"
Don't bother I can't sleep. hated
to get you out at this time Of nigh1
but hoped we might settle upoh
something before morning"
II wish to the Lord we could!" I
fervently calculated.
"You can't think of any other way?"
mot now. But we must. The trou-
BILE is, there's nothing to appeal to in
Ankony, and nothing that can get
hold Of to frighten him into decency.
I wouldn't give rap for his morals.
but his discretion is unassailable.
"1'veh heard things limited, he reflected,
"but nothing openly suggested. He'd
take precious good care Of that. No.
I don't believe we can reach him that
way"
Pm afaid not"
I'm not worth all this trouble" he
groaned.
"Shut up and come along to bed"
II tell you can't Sleep"
"You must. Come along"
He followed me patiently.
Have your man wake me at seven"
he said; II must get home early"
When I had seen him in bed, I went
out into the dimly lighted sitting
room and sat down to try once more
to find some way out of the pressing
difficulties.
Dan was awake and leaving the
next morning when I awoke and, hear.
ing him, looked out on the apartment.
"Stay for breakfast, can't you?" ]
called.
mo, thank you; I've got to get
home, but I'll come back after I've
seen Barbara, and tell you what's to
be done; but" with queer settling
of his face, Il guess there's only one
thing to do"
Don't do it till you've seen me-"
l said hastily; Il haven't given up
hope yet. Come to me before you go
to Ankony. I'll turn heaven and earth
to find something"
Don't bother It's no use. Honest
ly, believe that. But she shant mar.
ry him"
He went, leaving me to reflect anew
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

themselves as the train tolls slowly along these
TWO lines OF steel leading through an endless
expanse OF sand and rocks, varied with an oc-
cas1onal volcanic outcrop raising black.topped
hills
At Tebuk, 43O NJ es from Damascus. is the
first oasis of any size, and here depot has
oeen formed, at which the railroad can re-
coup itself before another long strentch of
nearly waterless desert is entered and the next
oepot at Ell Ula reached. A group of buildings
for the employees, a small repairing shop and a
hospital with 60 beds form the principal part
of the depot
Iebuk consists of a group of date palms
about half mile square, deriving water from
large spring and watched over by another
OF the masonry forts which mark pilgrim sta
ton. Altogether there were about 60 mud
houses, with few walled gardens belonging
to the permanent Inhabitants of Tebuk. All
tnat were seen were of distinctly nexroid
type, different from the nomad Bedouln Tho
surrounding country is but sparsely inhabited
by Arabs.
Besides date palms. there are in the gardens
a few lemon trees and pomegranates. and out
side are some few fields of wheat, cultivated
principally as green fodder. The Italian en-.
gineer In charge of this section had managed
to make garden in the sand, where by means
OF irrigation he grew most kinds Of European
vegetables, but none of the inhabitants seemed
inclined to copy his example.
1t seems certain that Mohammed visited Te-
buk In his earlier wanderings, and tradition
refers to Jebel Sherora as the Pulpit of the
Prophet, probably from its commanding posi-
ton overlooking all the surrounding country.
The rainfall in this country is extremely ca
PRECIOUS, and perhaps two or even three years
may elapse before there is any appreciable fall
here, although at Maan there appears to be
always some rain in the spring.
OF animal life there appears to be very lit
tle An antelope, which the Turks call wild
COW, but which looks to be oryx beatrix, is to
be found In this district, but only in small
numbers. The large troops of gazelle seen
north of Maan do not roam here. It is said that
the ostrich is occasionally found, and the skin
OF one specimen is preserved in Maan station
The desert air is extremely dry and clear.
always invigorating, and even the great heat
In summer is not as insupportable as in q
damper climate, where the thermometer is
probably lower. Climate has without doubt q
great effect on the human character and in
tellect and the nervous, hgh-strung tempera-
ment of the Arab is to a great extent the ere.
alton OF his environment of desert, with it's
splendid mirages to fire the Imagination and
sparkling air to keep the nerves always alert.
South Of Tebuk want of water is again q
great difficulty, and the small posts have to be
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

fore the present pilgrimages-this was the
route by which the gold, frank1ncense, and
Arabian products found their way into Syria;
but the Suez canal and steamer transport by
the Red sea seem to have abolished all, or
almost all, trade prospects, and only the pill
grims remain.
On leaving Maan it may inded be said that
all hope of dividend is left behind and the line
enters spirit world without towns or even
inhabitants. The stages south of Maan, the old
pilgrim route, were the most desolate of all,
and the way was always strewn by dead and
dying camels as the caravan toiled along. The
line crosses constant succession of small wa
dis
Some so miles south of Maan comes the most
remarkable change in the landscape and the
veritable gate of Arabia and the home of the
genie is at last reached. The line arrives quite
suddenly at the edge of the curious escarpment
known as the Batn-elGhrul, or the Hollow of
the Genie
From the station of Batn-el-Ghrul, at the top
of the descent, the traveller can walk to the
edge OF the cliff and take in the immense ex-
tent of view which unfolds itself to the south
The escarpment is visible for some 20 miles to
the east, and is sheer cliff without, it is said,
single passage of descent. For some Is miles
to the west, also, the escarpment is fairly we'll
defined, until it merges in the high ranges ov.
follows the descent close alongside the line
and is from 3207 feet at the summit to 3,27S at
the foot of the escarpment, or 329 feet alto
gether.
The view from the summit is extremely stri-
king and comprises great inland depression,
walled in by continuation of the escarpment
on the east, and glowing throughout In the
most brilliant and striking colors. The prevail
ing note Ia bright red and yellow, changing to
violet, purple and black, so that every tint ex
cept green seems to be supplied. The escarp-
ment is vf sandstone, which seems to have
worn away in some places to sand-drift of all
colors, but principally red and yellow. The
spurs of the Telesh-Shahim, which run out par
allel to che line. are covered with glistening
black rocks, at first sight volcanic, but, a.
was told by an engineer, they were really of
sandstone blackened by the intense heat of the
sun. The depression extends south for dis
tance Of about 120 miles In this clear, dry air
every feature is visible. Inquiries regarding
the country to the east gave 1t as an almost
waterless region, although route does exist
from Maan to Jauf along which some scanty
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

throughout by Turkish soldiers, but the station
buildings, all of very solid masonry, as we'll as
bridges and culverts, of which there are
great number, have been constructed mostly
by Italian workmen, with some Greeks and
Montenegrins. AS many as three or four hun
dred Italian workmen were employed at one
time on the works near Tebuk, and so little
did fanatic1sm come into play that they built
the fine new mosque at Tebuk. Subsequently
they Instructed some Turkish engineers, who
continued the work from Ell Ula to the Holy
City itself.
1t is difficult to think of this railroad be-
coming great highway or developing any
great trade with Central Arabia as the seq
tion from Maan to Medina traverses an unprt>
ductive country without possibility of develop,
ment, and the interior of Arabia has no SUI
plus products TO dispose of. In any case, wher
the line reaches the sea, at Sherm Rabigh T.
is probable that any trade, either export or i'm
port, to Medina or Mecca will pass througl
that port in preference to the long lard ioup
ney. The following summary Of distance;
shows the extent of the line:
Damascus to Maan .2S5 miles
Damascus to Tebuk 430 miles
Damascus to Ell Ula ........... 600 mjes
Damascus to Medina .............. $50 miles
damascus to Mecca ............... 1907 miles
The gauge of the line is the somewhat curl
GUS one of los meter g feet 5A inches)
which was necessary, when the line was frs.
commenced, to correspond with the gauge Of
the Beirut-Damascus line, over which the roll
ing stock had to be brought The branch tc
the Mediterranean, at Haifa, was constructed
subsequently. The rails were supplied by the
American Steel Trust, by French firm dom
iciled in Russia, and by the firm of Cockerill
in Belgium.
The engineers in charge of sections were
also OF various ationalities-French, Poles
Aungarians, etc.-while the guiding spirit in
the construction has been Meissner Pasha.
very able German engineer But besides these
the general direction has been under Marsha,
klazim Tasha, to whom the greatest credit is
due in bringing the line successfully into Ne
dina, and to Haiti Mukhtar Bey, brilltan,
Turkish engineer, who has absorbed all mod
ern methods Of construction, and comple.4d
the last section into Medina without Euronean
assistance
In conclusion, 1t is difficult which to admire
the most, this far-reaching conception of his
majesty the sultan-to build the line and tins
to further the interests of his religion and bind
together the outlying portions of his empire
or the silent, answering devotion of the Turk.
lsh soldier who has carried the matter tn q
conclusion, and who watches without co,o.
plant over miles of line through countru al.
most without water or Inhabitants
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

Tradition has it that the church owes
Its erection in that elevated position
l,13O feet above the sea-to the vow
OF merchant overtaken by a ter.
rible storm while voyaging to Eng
land. that he would build a church
on the first spot OF land sighted.
This happened to be the lofty crest
OF Brentor, and accordingly the church
was built there. For some centuries
the little church has served az q Land.
mark over q wide area. and services
are regularly held in it.-Loadan
Standard.
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20
LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN

Dixon, head carpenter, to his wife one
night. What do you suppose he told
us to-day"
You'd bstter 60 right along with
your story" said Mrs. Dixon, who was
rolling out biscuit dough, and had no
time to waste on speculation.
"Well, he told us about a flre that
got started In house somewhere out
west last month" said John Dixon.
speaking more complacently % he
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

men were right there. but If that
thing had happened in the middle of
the night you just think how 'twould
have been. Nothing would have saved
that building says he, and more than
likely the barns and outbuildines
would have gone. o!'"-Youth's
Companion.
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20
John Dixon's Criticism Of "squars''
Johnson's Son.in.law Certainly
Well Within Reason.

When the carpenters began work
on the house in which Square" John
sons married daughter was to live
they were much tried by the constant
presence and lavish advice Of the
Squares" son.in.law. Hes q scat.
terwit II ever sau one" said John
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20
looked at the dough and saw It taking
shape for the oven.

1OOheU dC CuS UOUSu anu 81" IC CAKl0X
shape for the oven.
He must sit up nights to read the
papers, that man. And says he, the
men that were working on the house
left some shavings on a window sill,
where the sunlight came through q
bullseye pane just such as have in
my front door and it set fire to the
shavings In no time
"'Did the house burn DOWN. l
asked him, knowing well it didn't for
nothing ever happens in his stories.
"'No,' he said, 1t didn't, for the
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20
CHAPTER V.-Continued.

"But could such a thing be done,
Mr.. Twining?"
"The marriage suggested?"I asked.
Certainly, sir. It would be as bind.
ing as one you yourself would per.
form, with the parties kneeling at
your own chancel and all the usual
and fashionable formulate employed -
"Then there is no reason why the
arrangement suggested by Mrs. Dimes
might not be carried out?" he asked.
There is none offered by the law,
Bishop Winstanley," I replied.
Upon my soul, wish you could
have apprised me of some technical
objection, Mr.. Twining: 1 do indeed, i"
he exclaimed.
l lifted my brows.
Because there is very good rea-
son, outside the law, why no such
absurd arrangement should be entered
into"
Il should be interested to hear it
II you feel disposed to speak of it."
l said politely. I was in reality con-
Sumed to know what it was.
II believe you legal men are con-
sidered deep wells into which all sorts
Of trouble and embarrassment may be
safely poured" he remarked.
"The reason will be safe with me If
you care to intrust it to me, sir"
He smiled charming smile.
1T is very simple" he said; Il do
not wish to marry the lady"
"Then why on earth do you cons;d.
er it," I cried.
"Bless your soul. do net;" he
chYckled.
"But 1 thought"
Il may have given you the impress
sion. Frankly, am somewhat dis
turbed to know Just the way out of
tho absurd position in which the lady,
encouraged doubtless by my sister,
has put me. It is not an easy thing
to decline even such an alliance as
she suggests, sir. I dare say you have
had no experience-for which you
may thank your stars It is only fair,
perhaps, to admit that the ladies have
some grounds for thinking would not
be entirely unwilling to enter into
such an astonishing plan. To begin
with, I am As years old-old enough
to have thought of matrimony if l
ever expected to. Perhaps the fact
that have not thought of it has en-
couraged my sister and Mrs. Dimes
to assume that do not mean to do so.
Hence they have frankly suggested it
to me. Then I have always been an
admirer of Mrs. Dimes, who, as I have
told you, is an admirable woman, and
Is years my senior, and they have
probably considered my admiration to
be devoid of reverence, which is not
the case. There are besides these
reasons others which I need not men,
tion to you, not to speak of the finan-
cial one, which, in her zeal for her
charities, my sister has not over
looked. But cannot consider any of
them. I sent for you hoping you
would tell me that the illegality of
such a step would put it out of the
question. But since you cannot help
me, must find a way of my own"
smiled and held out my hand.
II am more sorry than 1 can tell
to have failed you," I said; "but
haven't doubt that, left to your own
devices, you will get delicately and
safely out of the matter
He smiled back at me, retaining my
hand.
did you ever have an elder sister
Mr.. Twining?" he inquired.
l regretted that had never been 50
blessed.
"Ah," said he, that accounts fo,
your not being an attorney general
or a chief justice" and he smilingly
bowed me out.
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20
A Merchant. Vow.

At the Church of st. Michael de
Rupe, perched on the summit Of Bren.
tor, the bishop Of Exeter the other
day dedicated new peal Of bells.
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

The line com.
mences at the ira
ditional parting
place of the great
pilgrimage, the Ba-
waubet Allah, or
Gate of Allah, In
Damascus. For the
first few miles the
line traverses the
Hauran, running
parallel to the
French Hauran
railroad. From an.
cient times this
district has been
an extremely rich
one, and the RO-
mans used it as a
granary.
The deep, narrow
ravines of the Var
muk, the ancient
Hieroymax, which
the line follows in
Its descent to the
Jordan, present
several difficulties
of engineering sue
cessfully overcome.
Large numbers of
Italian, MOntene-
grin, Croatia n,
Greek, and other
European work
men had to be en-
ployed on the diff
cult rock cuttings,
tunnels, and via
ducts of this sec.
ton.
The Jordan val.
ley, where the line
crosses it, is 500
feet below Mediter.
ranean level; but
the difficulties of
construction cease
when the Yarmuk
valley has been
successfully ira
versed, and the as.
cent to the sea ia
made by easy gra-
dents.
South of Deraa
the main line soon
leaves the richer
corn land and en-.
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

the landscape.
The a n Glen t
fortress of Pc.
ira and now
Maan owe their
Importance a.
standing at the
gate of Arabia,
and forming the
last outpost of
Syria and west
ern civilization
before the long,
dreary stages of
the ort h e rn
Arabian iOllr.
ney.
For countless
ages-long be-
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

wells can be
found. Towards
the Red sea the
district Is said to
contain a few
villages, and a
sufficient supply
OF water from
small springs.
An endless Sc.
ries of beautiful
mirages unfold
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

supplied daily frcsm the train.
At Medain-Salit the valley wident
little, and here are found some
rock-cut tombs similar to those at Pc
Traces of a town exist, but there IS
nothing now visible except the usual
fort of the pilgrim. Here again. as
we'll as at Tebuk, the site would seem
favorable one for trying artesian
wells, but no attempts have been
made to prove their success or other.
wise.
The permanent way has been laid
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

craatea by Its first brought in subscrp
tons from the faithful in all parts of the Isamic world
special stamptax forms solid annual contribution
expenses somewhat less than other contrib
tons may prove to be-
geographically tho line has provided means of travel
IN country with fascination of scenery quite peculiar
lseIt ana unlike other part Of the Instead OF
aVersng populous countries and great cities to
delight in passing through immense soitudes-throueh
country peopled mainly by the spirits the Arabian
Nights where little surprise would be occasoned in nd
ing rocs egg In some inhospitable rocky valley or in
seeing genie floating . stream of thin yapor out OF
n hOttlo O~' 20
Willmar tribune., 1909-10-20

HE Damascus to Mecca railroad has
many remarkable features which d!stin-
tingu1sh it from other lines. Its prin-
c1pal object is t. provide means for
faithful Moslems to perform their pill
grimage to the holy places Of Mecca and
Medina with greater degree Of COM
fort than formerly.
Its inception is due to the initiative o: