davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
siokroom Visitors.

Three days after the operation the
doctor told the patient that she could
have company. mot too many at
first, you know" he said, "but two or
three visitors a day"
"But l don't want company the
patient surprised him by saying.
Don't want company? Well, you're
the first person I've heard say that"
every little. | mean, doctor. don't
want to see many Of my friends.
Didn't you ever notice the manner
isms that. everybody has? It's just
the little habits that people get into
that are most wearing when you are
sick. and I'm always inclined to tell
persons right out that they're annoy
ing me. Then, of course. if do they re
hurt You know the sort of little char
acteristics that are often noted in the
courtroom, how the judge swings his
glasses and the lawyer twists his hair
and the prisoner swings his foot back
and forth When | am sick there
nothing more annoying than those lit
tie habits. l don't know a soul who
hasn't got some few habits that are
very unpleasant when 1 am sick, and
1 think everybody will agree with me
People are not good in sickroom, as
a rule. Just because they have some
harmless little habit like rocking VIC
lently in chair or beating tattoo on
the table or fiddling with something In
the hands. New York Press
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07


1t might have been supposed that
Addison, the most polished writer Of
our Augustan age; that Burke, with
his versatile intellect and exuberant
eloquence; that Macintosh, with his
almost encyclopedia learning, and that
JekyIl, who had set a hundred dinner
tables in roar, would one and all
have achieved conspicuous success in
the house Of commons.
But, as Macaulay has pointed out,
exactly the reverse was the case. Their
speeches produced no effect. They
wearied and bewildered their audience.
And their rising to speak was too often
the signal for a general exodus. In
fact. as was said of Burke, they acted
as dinner bell. Even Macaulay him
self, though on two occasions his
speeches changed the fate Of division,
was in no sense of the word an orator
or even a great debater. His voice
was too shrill and monotonous, and he
poured out a torrent Of words with
such headlong fluency as to confuse
his hearers as well as to battle the
quickest Of parliamentary reporters.
Bulwer Lytton, again, could recite an
admirable essay, but his delivery was
bad, and the seesaw gestures which
accompanied his speech were as ''gro-
tesque as those Of an old fashioned
postboy"
In our own generation no two men
probably have had more highly cult
waited minds than John Stuart Mil
and John Morley, but as far as
their parliamentary utterances go their
names are writ in water."-Black-
woods Magazine.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
core.rrino Nice Tbinos to Eat.


Odd that the things we like are al
ways bad for U.S. Why, for instance,
should old bread be more wholesome
than new? The latter's reputation is
simply shocking, and the excellence of
the stale loaf is preached in every
household. Yet does bread fresh from
the oven actually possess injurious
qualities which it loses in day or two,
or is it only our fancy? asks Rosa.
line in Black and White Hard boil
ed eggs when hot and not included in
pie or curry are dangerous to tackle
but when cold and savory titbits on
toast one may eat them with impunity
OF course plum pudding, salmon, all
nice eatables, have a bad character
and sometimes one speculates if ii
may not be due to their very niceness
and had its origin in bygone puritan
ism.
No doubt good people once believed
it chastened the spirit to deny the flesh
the delicacies it desired. Their sense
of personal virtue waxed stronger aft
err meal of crusts and lentils than
after one of turtle and fat capon, and
1t is not impossible that in the course
of time we have confused physical
with moral well being.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07

GA penny saved is a penny earned
may be a good MAXIM" said the occu-
pant of bachelor apartment No 807,
"but it doesn't always apply. Econ
omy means bankruptcy sometimes"
''How do you figure that?" asked the
occupant of apartment No. 500.
81 tried to save penny this morn
ing" said 8O7, with disastrous and
expensive results. | had opened my
hall door to pick up my morning pa
per AS I stopped a cent dropped
from my trousers pocket and began to
roll down the hallway I ignored the
paper and made a snatch at the cent.
which, however eluded my grasp. The
sudden exertion and strain caused my
eyeglasses to fall from my nose, both
lenses being broken, Of course. Just
then a gust of wind from the open
windows Of my apartment caused the
door to close behind me. and there l
stood in my shirt sleeves in the hall,
my penny gone. my glasses gone and
my newspapers. too, for that had in
the meantime blown down the hall
and out of the window. In addition.
my rear suspender buttons were torn
Off by my sudden lurch at the penny,
and incidentally | crushed a half dol
lars worth of cigars in my vest peck
ct. Altogether l calculate that that
cent cost me just $6"-New York
Tribune
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07

He was asking the old man for his
daughter in marriage. He was talking
tremblingly, hesitatingly, as you read
In story books. Now came the old
mans turn to speak, and as he began
his face was white with passion and
his voice shook with excitement.
''You want to marry my daughter
he said. "Ah! Twenty years ago your
father crippled me in a business deal,
and l swore to be revenged, and now
my time has come"
He paused for breath, and the aspi-
rant for the maiden's hand was about
to beat a hasty retreat in the face OF
supposed defeat when the father broke
forth again:
Eyes, sir; l swore to be revenged,
and I'll now strike the father through
the son. Want my daughter, Ell?
Well, take her. and may she prove as
expensive to you as she has to me-"
The old man dropped into his chair
worn out with the excitement Of his
plot, and the young man tainted.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
Chinese Dramatic crudities.

Here is a sample of one of the naive
bits of Chinese stage craft. HON Ling,
leading tragedian, playing the part or
the younger son. renders solo which
means that the widow and orphans
are going to the temple to celebrate
funeral rites. The property man sets
on the stage a little box for an altar
and throws over the widows head
white veil, symbol of mourning. Then
HON Ling, as the younger son, waves
his hands and kicks his foot like a
man punting a football This signifies
that the rest of the family is out of
his sphere of action. The scene has
officially changed from house to a
temple. So. while the rest of the fam
lily kneels before the altar. HON Ling
strolls over and chats with one OF the
musicians who happens to be resting.
Everybody Magazine.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07

always had to work, but-but those
days were long ago, so long that no
one remembers them, no one whom
know now she said YEARLY.
The man waited for her to go on.
each year. instead Of taking the va
cation that was due me, | have saved
my money until l could accumulate
enough to spend short time in the
way that used to live-the way | al
ways dream Of living again. Perhaps
you think I'm foolish, but I've pinched
and saved and waited and managed
and dreamed. I've saved even car
fares to have these few days Of ideal
living, free from work and care and
worry. II even changed my name so
as to make my castle more nearly
real" She paused, GREATNESS, and a
weary little sigh escaped her.
sWhat else?' asked the man.
''There isn't anything else-only I
I'm not the girl you peneved me to be-"
The man put his hand beneath her
chin and raised her face to his own.
"Would you commercialize love?" he
asked earnestly. would you care less
for a man who was poor"
''No-but''-
He drew her to himself and kissed
her. And only a tiny frolicking SOUR
rel perched high on nearby pine saw
what followed.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
Tn. Amazon River.

Although not the largest or longest
river, the Amazon is the most wonder
full river in the world, with a mouth
$50 miles in width and with a force
of water that repels or at least over
laws the ocean to a distance of more
than fifty leagues. Yet in spite OF
the weight of the river the tide makes
its influence felt for 500 miles from
the coast. The easterly trade winds
blow almost invariably upward, so as
10 be ready to help the vessel against
the adverse currents.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
The BARRIERS story

waits" quoted the moralizer.
Glow about the opposite side OF the
street," asked the demoralizer.-Judgc
The BARRIERS Story.
The barber drew the keen razor
over his customers face and began:
"a friend Of mine told me the best
fish story l ever heard in my life while
he was getting shaved the other day
Want to hear it? All right. You see,
it concerns a physician who had a
friend who was daffy over fish. and he
used to try all kinds of queer expert
ments with them One time the friend
told the physician that if you took a
fish and kept it out of water every
day. increasing the time each day,
yon'd soon have the fish so that II
wouldn't have to be in the water at all.
Well. the idea sounded reasonable to
the physician, so he went and bougn
a large shad. He put it in an aqua
rum, and every day he took it out OF
the water and put it on the floor. The
first day he only allowed it to stay out
for thirty seconds, but every day he
increased the time until finally the
shad didn't need any water at all to
live in.
"Well, one rainy night the physician
was sitting in his study teaching the
shad to smoke a cigar when the tele-
phone bell rang. and after answering
it the physician prepared to go out on
a hurry call He ordered his carriage.
and when it appeared at the door he
went out, the shad following him. 1t
was raining hard, and perfect tor
rent of water was flowing down the
cutters. The shad attempted to get I'D
the carriage, but slipped and fell into
the gutter and was drowned. oh. I'm
sorry l cut you, sir. But you couldn't
help smiling then, could youy-Phila-
delphia Press.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
An ohisot Lesson.

A certain misery old gentleman
pulled up his horse and trap at the
door of a shop the other day and
beckoned to seedy looking individual
who was singing in the streets. Here,
hold my horse minute" he said
The singer stopped in the middle of
a verse and took up a position at the
animals head. When the old gentle
man came out of the shop he bestowed
a halfpenny upon the man and then
lost no time in scrambling into the
trap. The recipient, having gazed at
the coin for a moment, jumped on the
step. "Take it back, SIR" he remarked
tragically 1T means ruin to you"
'what do you say, sir?" Numbered
the old gentleman.
"Ah," was the solemn reply, "once I
was just like you. I'd heaps o. money
an threw it about like water, an look
at me now! Amt I hobject lesson
Keep your wealth. I Scorn to rob
your'-London Scraps.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
TANGLED ROMANCE,
A Letter, a Man and the Two
Margaret BurtonS.
Rx FRANCIS a. COREY.


copyright, 1909 by Associated Literary
Pressl
There were two Margaret Burtons in
Roxboro. OF course John Graham's
letter went to the wrong one, and of
course it was one of those letters that
only one pair of eyes-the ones for
whose delectation it had been written
should have looked upon.
Dear old friend" it said, Il have
come back from the west after twenty
years. For long time | have felt
strongly the drawing Of the old ties
SO strongly / could no longer resist. /
shall give myself the pleasure of call
ing upon you this afternoon at 4.
JOHN GRAHAM"
Margaret sighed involuntarily as she
refolded the letter-sighed because it
had not been intended for herself. 1t
was easy to read between the lines.
Why was not she the happy woman to
whom an old sweetheart had come
back?
She was comparatively newcomer
in Roxboro and had never heard Of
John Graham. His straightforward
letter pleased and interested her. She
felt sure he was just the sort Of per-
son she would have liked for friend.
"I'l take it to the Margaret Burton
to whom it belongs" she said, swal-
lowing hard. "How surprised she will
be! | wonder-if she-cared! Perhaps
that is why she never married"
Margaret took down her hat and
wrap, then suddenly stood still. 1t
was half past 3, and Miss Burton lived
at the other end of the village. Why
take the long walk in the afternoon
heat? The fact that the letter had
gone astray was no sign that the
writer would do the same. Miss Bur
ton would simply be taken unawares.
A minute later Margaret was in her
bedroom, hurriedly DOMINIC blue
and white sprigged muslin, her most
becoming gown. Afterward she went
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
Mathinn Common.

william had become engaged to a
Every respectable" girl Of very re-
spectable family" indeed, and he care
fully kept from her the fact that one
of his brothers had once been a board
err at his majesty's expense in the
county jail But, alas, a little bird
carried the item one day to the young
lady's Mortified ears, and when next
she met William his heart sank to his
feet. for he instinctively knew that she
knew.
81 have heard" said the lady stiffiy,
"that your brother has been in PRISON.
Eyes, yes. am sorry to say he has,
Mary. But he wasn't in for anything
common. not like getting drunk Oh
fighting a policeman or sneaklng
things. No. John forged a check, ne
didr'-London Tit-Bits.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
ESTABLISHED 1875

the carriage rolled down the street.
Miss Burton's only recognition Of Mar
garet had been a slight arching of her
naughty brows. She had been troubled
and puzzled at finding John Graham in
the latter's company. Rumor said ne
had come back a rich man.
Margaret watched them out OF sight
with a dull ache at her heart. 1t was
as if something cheering and hopeful
had gone forever out of her life. She
crept back to the porch, feeling sudden
ly broken and old.
The sun dropped slowly behind the
purple hills. By and by vesper spar
row began its evening song In the cool
dusk of the overhanging elm. Mar
garet had hardly stirred for hours. She
was seeing a long vista of lonely years
Never had she felt SO sorely the need
of human companionship, a strong
arm to lean upon.
Suddenly the gate clicked. She lifted
her head with a startled air. A stall
wart figure doomed big in the dusk
and stiffness, coming up the path. As
II TcSOlul6ll Cllll1OC0 bAC ob(Po o-N
swept a shaking hand across her eyes.
"You see, l have come back" John
Graham said, looking earnestly down
at her
Margaret sat speeches.; it seemed
so unreal, so like dream.
"Don't be shocked by the impetuous
ness of my wooing." he went on, a
thrilling tenderness in his deep voice.
"We never loiter over things in the
hustling land where l have made my
home. I came back to Roxboro to
marry the other Margaret Burton. But
it's you I want. Do you think you
could ever love meY'
1t was as if a new note had come
into the sparrow's song, and the leafy
boughs, tossing in the wind, seemed to
laugh for very happiness.
81 know could" Margaret an.
swered softly.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
SAFE Security.

The great banker looked keenly at
the young man. $50 you are tempo
rarily embarrassed, eh7" he asked
kindly.
81 am sorry to say 1 am said the
young man, emboldened by his man
ner.
How much do you want?"
"a hundred pounds would tide me
over"
"And what security can you offer?"
81 can offer you" said the young
man impressively, my own personal
security"
The old man arose with a slow
smile and raised the lid of an iron.
bound chest which stood in the corner.
"Will you get in here, please?' ne
said.
I'm there? Why?"
Because" was the reply, "this is
the place in which I always keep my
securities. "-Pearson's Weekly.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
Wasted Time.

Mrs Newrich was growing accus-
toned to power She enjoyed it and
was irritated when any one presumed
to differ from her in opinion. When
the sailing party of which she had
been a member landed on the shores
of the lake rain soaked and fright
ened, Mrs. Newrich was the only one
who cared to talk.
at could all have been avoided II
that captain had done as told hin"
she said between the chattering of her
teeth as the party stood huddled under
a small shelter.
when saw that cloud coming from
that corner of the lake l said to him,
4 think you'd better make straight for
home and not spend any more time
lacking. but he paid no more attention
than as if | hadn't spokenP'-Youth's
COMPANION.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
w.. Eor+v Pole. Mako.

A good story is told about a certain
professor whose business it was to lee
ture to a number Of students on sur
veying. During one Of the lectures the
professor said that in his opinion the
pole was of little or no value. To the
establishment of those present Polish
gentleman arose and after accusing the
professor of insulting his countrymen
demanded an apology.
The professor thereupon explained
that the pole to which he referred was
merely a term of measurement. The
Polish gentleman, seeing his mistake,
asked the professor to forgive his ap-
parent rudeness. TO this the professor
smartly replied:
"You could not be rude, sir, even If
you tried. for it takes forty poles to
make one roodr'-London Mail.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
A. EXPANSIVE Possession.

A certain gentleman in Durham owns
a row of houses, and in one of them
lives a married son of his who is noted
for his misery habits.
This has got to such pitch that Tor
several years his father has been I'M
able to get single penny of the rent
due to him.
AS he did not want to take harsh
measures he at last went to his son
and said:
"Look here. Tom; it's plainly no use
trying to get any rent out of you for
that house Of mine, so I've decided to
give it 10 you"
"No, thank you" interposed the son.
81 don't want it"
aWfy not. prayg@ exclaimed the as
tonished parent.
because them" replied the una
Dashed son, I'D have to pay the rates
and taxes, and goodness knows they
are heavy enough in Durham. - Man
chester Guardian.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
A Simple Reason.

Scientific Parent ION a strol)-You
see out there in the street, my son, a
simple illustration of principle In
mechanics. The man with that cart
pushes it in front of him. Can you
guess the reason why? Probably not.
/ will ask him Note his answer, my
son. (To the coster) My good man,
why do you push that cart instead Of
pulling it?
Coster@Cause l amt boss, yer old
thickhead.-LondonE Express.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
MYSTERIOUS
MISS ASTOR,
The Finishing Touch to Her Castle
In the Air.
copyright 1909 by Associated Literary
Press.l
ey WILLIAM D. WHITE.

copyright. 1909, by Associated Literary
Press.l
Whence she had come no one knew.
The guests at the hotel had spent days
trying to solve this mystery, for every
one knew there was a mystery-every
one, from the round faced bellboy to
the rheumatic old millionaire who
smilingly nodded from his seat in the
sunlight whenever she passed by.
The girl wore plain clothes, but they
were so dainty, so well worn and so
tastefully chosen that no one guessed
that she possessed a single evening
gown. She was retiring, almost shy,
and seemed to be herself only when
with children. The presence of stran-
gers seemed to render her most I'M
happy.
She had rented a large front room
and had sought tiny table in the din
ing room away from the others. She
had registered as Marguerite Astor in
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07

"a man in my county," said Kan
sas congressman, was always anxious
to bet on his game Of checkers. One
time be was about to play a game for
$40 with a fellow called Three Fin
gered Jack. Suddenly one of his
friends exclaimed:
".Don't bet. Charlie. Don't you
know that fellow wore of two fingers
PLAYING checkers? That's why he's
called Three Fingered Jack
THAT settled it. The bet was never
made. A man who had worn of two
fingers by brushing them up and down
the checkerboard was too much for
my friend Kansas City Journal.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07

dray II be here presently. All, there
comes my man now" and he yanked
his trunk toward the door.
"And now, Dick, must say good
by" He put his hands on Dicks
shoulders and looked into his eyes as
If he were gazing into the very soul
of him. I'm going far away" he con-
tinued huskily, "and / know I'll feel
a bit lonely. But by and by I'll get
used to it, And if you'll only think Of
me a little-you and Edith-it will
make it easier-much easier. And I'll
be happy. You promise? Good! God
bless you BOTH There-now don't,
Dick! Goodby, Goodbye
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
BROTHERS.
The Love That Kept One and
Drove the Other Away.
BY OSCAR eRuENoER.

copyright 1909. by Associated Literary
Two brothers in love with one and
the same girl. three hearts fred with
the divine passion, three souls strug-
Cling with the agony of love and hope
and fear-this was the horrible di-
lemma that fettered John and Dick
Cummings and the beautiful, bewitch-
ing Edith Stearn.
For months it had been brewing
this immense struggle of hearts. And
vet on the surface there was not rip
pie. The brothers wed desperately, but
good naturally. Their 'companionship
was not strained; it suffered no spas
modic fits of jealousy or anger. The
most exemplary good fellowship pre-
vailed, but somewhere in that good
fellowship there lurked the silent, ir-
Cepressible conflict.
And John and Dick knew it. They
felt it. Nevertheless the subject was
never preached. Each in his own way
sought to win the laurels of love, like
wise dreading the crucial moment, TOT
one, only one, could win.
The climax came suddenly and I'M
sxpectedly. John had come upon them
Edith and Dick-unexpectedly in his
own elysium, little spot in the wilder
ness of Iron Grove. He had gone there
to dream of her. When he beheld the
two the reverie left his brain as a
rocket leaves the earth, and he sizzled
and trembled with excitement.
At once he was a frenzied caves
dropper. He must hear. Surely he
had right.
Cautiously he made his way through
the hedges; he drew himself forward
on his hands and knees.
He beheld them seated far apart on
the old log. Edith was plying the soft
ground with a stick. She jabbed
thoughtlessly and at random. Her
soft hazel eyes were riveted on the
ground, and her attitude was pensive.
Dick, with his elbows on his knees
and his chin on his hands, was dupli-
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
a Ritter pisappointment.

'sWhen was in Paris" remarked
the collector Of curios, 81 discovered
in a bookstall volume which | knew
at first glance to be of extraordinary
value. could scarcely believe my
good luck. Breathless, inquired the
price of the dealer Just think of it! |
could have had that treasure for a
songr
.'Well, why didn't you get it2"
"Never could sing a note in my life, !"
cried the collector, bursting into tears.
New York Times.
The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07

He had been trying to start re-
yiyal fervor, but the audience was I'M
responsive. 20 We of fiinty hearts, he
cried. will nothing move your" "Pass
the hat, boss. answered the gainin,
land we move Immediately. FLORIDA
Tix,au TTnion